Working‐correlation‐structure identification in generalized estimating equations

Selecting an appropriate working correlation structure is pertinent to clustered data analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) because an inappropriate choice will lead to inefficient parameter estimation. We investigate the well‐known criterion of QIC for selecting a working correlation structure, and have found that performance of the QIC is deteriorated by a term that is theoretically independent of the correlation structures but has to be estimated with an error. This leads us to propose a correlation information criterion (CIC) that substantially improves the QIC performance. Extensive simulation studies indicate that the CIC has remarkable improvement in selecting the correct correlation structures. We also illustrate our findings using a data set from the Madras Longitudinal Schizophrenia Study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中药肾区渗透并常规治疗高血压性肾损害40例疗效观察

目的：观察中药肾区皮肤外敷渗透加西药常规治疗高血压肾损害结果。方法：将部分中药粉碎微细化处理，将另部分中药液化处理．粉液混合装袋醋浸后外敷在肾区皮肤上，用药物导入仪肾区靶点式导人人体。并用一般西医常规治疗。结果：平均治疗3周血肌酐下降23％，BUN下降26％，24h蛋白尿下降23％，尿量增加16％，收缩压下降9％，舒张压下降7％。结论：中药的肾区皮肤外敷渗透加西医常规治疗效果明显高于一般常规治疗。     

HBV转录激活蛋白HBx、MHBst78MHBst155真核重组载体构建

目的分别构建人乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)X蛋白、羧基端截断的中分子表面蛋白MHBst78、MHBst155编码基因的真核重组表达载体,以便进一步研究其转录激活功能及对宿主细胞信号传导通路的影响。方法设计合成3对寡核苷酸引物,以adr亚型HBV质粒pHBVDNA为模板,采用PCR法分别扩增HBVX基因、MHBst78与MHBst155编码基因片段;用HindⅢ,KpnⅠ双酶切HBVⅩ基因;用HindⅢ和BamHⅠ双酶切MHBst78与MHBst155编码基因片段后,分别定向插入到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1相应酶切位点,转化宿主菌JM109,提取质粒,分别用上述内切酶酶切及DNA测序鉴定重组质粒。结果酶切重组体显示所切下的片段大小均与预计相符,测序结果与文献报道序列及预计结果一致。结论成功构建了HBVX基因、羧基端截断的HBV中分子表面蛋白MHBst78、MHBst155编码基因的真核重组表达载体,为进一步研究HBV转录激活蛋白HBx、MHBst78MHBst155对宿主细胞信号转导通路的影响奠定基础。     

荧光示踪法研究逆行岛状皮瓣静脉回流

目的探讨采用荧光示踪法研究逆行岛状皮瓣静脉回流的可行性，并初步观察静脉回流规律。方法20只新西兰大白兔，每只取耳静脉血0．ImL，分离RBC并用FITC标记。流式细胞仪检测已标记的RBC阳性率及荧光强度，倒置荧光显微镜观察其形态。取20只新西兰大白兔，在动物双侧后肢内侧分别建立4cm×3cm隐动、静脉逆行岛状皮瓣模型（n=10）和顺行岛状皮瓣模型（n=10），血管蒂长3cm。将一侧后肢随机设定为实验组，皮瓣制备后注射已标记的RBC悬液5pL；对侧为对照组，不注射示踪剂。实验组按顺行和逆行皮瓣分成两组，即顺行皮瓣组和逆行皮瓣组，每组10个；再根据注入示踪剂途径不同，分为动脉和静脉2个亚组，每亚组5个皮瓣。注射示踪剂5S后取下皮瓣立即冷冻，取连续的3张冰冻切片（5～7pm），其中2张行HE染色和GENMED染色，另]张不染色直接压片，荧光显微镜观察荧光分布。结果流式细胞仪分析FITC标记的RBC阳性率在99％以上，荧光强度均≥10。；倒置荧光显微镜下标记的RBC呈均匀分布的绿色荧光，荧光强度均匀、稳定。冰冻切片显示实验组皮瓣蒂部均出现荧光，对照组未见荧光。顺行岛状皮瓣组荧光主要分布在静脉腔、静脉壁、动脉内膜和外膜；逆行岛状皮瓣组荧光分布在动脉内膜、外膜和静脉壁。结论荧光示踪剂可用于静脉回流研究，顺行岛状皮瓣静脉主要通过静脉腔、静脉壁、动脉内膜和外膜回流；逆行岛状皮瓣静脉主要通过动脉内膜、外膜和静脉壁的“迷宫式途径”回流。     

~99m锝-葡聚糖淋巴系统显像剂研制及其初步临床应用

作者采用沉淀法对药用葡聚糖进行分级纯化,通过家兔实验筛选出合乎淋巴系统定向要求分子量(105000)的葡聚糖,并制成一步标记法的亚锡葡聚糖药盒,4℃贮存8个月,标记率大于95％。~(99)m锝-葡聚糖的体内外稳定性均佳。家兔研究表明:(1)淋巴结内聚集量最高,其他非靶器(除肝脏、肾脏外)均处于极低水平;(2)显像速度快、图像清晰,既显示淋巴结又显示淋巴管;(3)注射部位清除速度快,6.5h清除95％。安全试验表明:~(99)m锝-葡聚糖是一种毒性极低、非常安全的药物。临床试用100余例,均获满意图像,检查全过程1h内完成,检查结果与诊断基本相符,故~(99)m锝-葡聚糖是目前临床上比较理想的淋巴系统显像剂,可进一步推广应用。     

小切口胆囊切除术中胆道损伤的预防

目的探讨预防小切口胆囊切除术（MC）中胆道损伤的方法。方法对本组15131例MC中发生的18例胆道损伤进行回顾分析。结果1994年12月前施行MC2321例，发生胆道损伤9例（0．39％），1995年以来实施MC12810例，发生胆道损伤9例（0．07％）。结论思想上高度重视、规范手术适应证、规范手术操作是预防MC中胆道损伤的关键。     

大鼠脑缺血时脑细胞膜磷脂含量变化

采用SD大鼠一侧大脑中动脉阻断致局限性脑缺血模型。脑缺血后迅速断头置于液氮中,HPLC外标定量法测定各磷脂组分。观察脑缺血1、5、15、60、360min时脑细胞膜磷脂含量变化。结果显示,PI在缺血早期显著低于对照组(P<0.01～0.05);PE、PC早期仅呈下降趋势,PE在缺血60min组、PC缺血360min组显著低于对照组(P<0.01～0.05)。PS在缺血全过程中变化轻微(P>0.05)。提示磷脂降解与脑缺血存在一定关系,缺血早期首先出现脑细胞膜功能磷脂降解,膜结构磷脂则在缺血后期出现显著变化,且PE较PC优先降解。     

FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM THE ANBP2 PILOT STUDY

1. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a 5 year cardiovascular outcome trial of the treatment of 6000 elderly hypertensive patients in Australian general practices. 2. General practitioners (GPs) were invited to participate by mail and personal follow-up. Patient records were reviewed to identify subjects for a blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Blood pressure was measured on three occasions and eligible subjects were included if the average BP was 160 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic if systolic BP was 140 mmHg. 3. Seven hundred and forty-one GPs were approached and 89 were enrolled in the study (12% of mail invites and 75% of those receiving a personal contact). In 16 practices where screening was completed, 82 000 records were reviewed to identify 4% patients eligible for screening. Twenty-two per cent of eligible subjects attended screening. Of 1938 subjects screened, 180 (9%) had BP 5=160/90 mmHg. Forty-seven percent of subjects (n = 916) were receiving antihypertensive therapy and 184 (20%) were withdrawn from therapy. One hundred and sixteen (63%) of these subjects had BP return to study entry levels within 6 weeks. Fifty-seven newly diagnosed and 81 previously treated subjects were randomized (7% of the screened population). 4. Based on the high participation rate of GPs, the response rate of patients to attend a BP screening programme and the 7% randomization to screening ratio for entry into the study, the ANBP2 pilot study has demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit subjects from Australian general practices to a cardiovascular outcome trial.     

Monitoring of serum markers for fibrosis during CCl4-induced liver damage. Effects of anti-fibrotic agents.

Liver fibrosis was induced in rats by repeated peritoneal injections of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) over a period of 2-11 weeks. Serum procollagen III peptide (SPIIINP), prolidase (SP) and alanine aminotransferase (SALT) levels were monitored during the period of induction. The extent of fibrosis was semi-quantitatively estimated after collagen staining, and the anti-fibrotic effects of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (DMPGE2), colchicine, and zinc sulphate were studied. SPIIINP and SP were increased the first 2 weeks after CCl4 administration and peaked at 6 weeks. Alterations in SPIIINP and SP correlated well to the semi-quantitative histological score of liver sections during the first 6 weeks, and SP was positively related to SPIIINP throughout the whole induction period. DMPGE2 decreased SPIIINP, SP and SALT significantly in addition to a markedly decreased formation of liver collagens. Colchicine had a similar but less dramatic effect, whereas zinc sulphate only reduced SPIIINP without influencing liver damage. In conclusion SPIIINP seems to be a valuable indicator of liver fibrogenesis, and SP may play a limited role in indicating accelerated collagen metabolism in the liver. DMPGE2 obviously inhibited the production of collagens induced by CCl4. Colchicine also had an apparent effect on liver fibrosis, whereas zinc sulphate merely seemed to postpone it.