Simultaneous genetic analysis of longitudinal means and covariance structure in the simplex model using twin data

A longitudinal model based on the simplex model is presented to analyze simultaneously means and covariance structure using univariate longitudinal twin data. The objective of the model is to decompose the mean trend into components which can be attributed to those genetic and environmental factors which give rise to phenotypic individual differences and a component of unknown constitution which does not involve individual differences. Illustrations are given using simulated data and repeatedly measured weight obtained in a sample of 82 female twin pairs on six occasions.     

Skilled birth attendant competence: an initial assessment in four countries, and implications for the Safe Motherhood movement.

OBJECTIVES: Percentage of deliveries assisted by a skilled birth attendant (SBA) has become a proxy indicator for reducing maternal mortality in developing countries, but there is little data on SBA competence. Our objective was to evaluate the competence of health professionals who typically attend hospital and clinic-based births in Benin, Ecuador, Jamaica, and Rwanda. Methods: We measured competence against World Health Organization's (WHO) Integrated Management of Pregnancy and Childbirth guidelines. To evaluate knowledge, we used a 49-question multiple-choice test covering seven clinical areas. To evaluate skill, we had participants perform five different procedures on anatomical models. The 166 participants came from facilities at all levels of care in their respective countries. Results: On average, providers answered 55.8% of the knowledge questions correctly and performed 48.2% of the skills steps correctly. Scores differed somewhat by country, provider type, and subtopic. Conclusion: A wide gap exists between current evidence-based standards and current levels of provider competence.     

Radiofrequency Current Ablation of Porcine Right Atrium: Increased Lesion Size with Bipolar Two Catheter Technique Compared to Unipolar Application In Vitro and In Vivo

Interruption of atrial flutter and fibrillation by RF catheter ablation may be favored by large, elongated lesions. We administered RF current in unipolar and bipolar mode in porcine right atrium. Bipolar ablation was performed between the tip electrodes of two serially coupled catheters. With 4-mm tip electrodes in vitro, lesion length increased from a mean (SD) of 7.9 (1.2) mm at 3 mm-interelectrode distance (IED) to 13.3 (3.3) mm at 9-mm IED, but decreased at 12-mm IED due to nonconfluent lesions (P < 0.0001), With 4 mm distal electrodes and 8 mm IED, bipolar lesions were 65% longer than corresponding unipolar ablations. Switching to bipolar mode increased the lesion length more than increasing electrode tip length to 6 mm in unipolar mode. Power and temperature controlled ablation created equally sized lesions. Twelve anesthetized pigs were randomized to unipolar or two catheter bipolar temperature controlled ablation of the right atrial free wall. Bipolar ablation created confluent lesions with endocardial length × width of 13.5 (5.8) × 7.3 (3.7) mm, unipolar ablation 6.4 (2.8) × 4.6 (1.4) mm (P < 0.001 when comparing length and P = 0.013 for lesion width). The atrial lesions in both groups were transmural and extended into hilar lung lesions with maximal depth of 3.0 (1.1) and 2.6 (1.0) mm, respectively (P = 0.44). Five bipolarly and four unipolarly ablated pigs developed right diaphragmal paresis. We conclude that bipolar ablation may be preferable in situations where large, elongated lesions are favorable. The two catheter technique is feasible in porcine right atrium. Both bipolar and unipolar ablation of the porcine right atrial free wall may frequently be complicated by injury to the phrenic nerve and adjacent lung tissue.     

提高住院分娩率和产科质量是降低孕产妇死亡率的关键

本研究以河北省４个妇幼卫生项目县为现场，对１９９０年１月１日～１９９２年１２月３１日三年间全部死亡孕产妇与其有关的卫生服务及死因进行了调研。结果表明：调研地区孕产妇死因前两位为产科出血、产褥感染。可能与其大部分在家分娩，由未经培训过人员接生、接生质量低劣等有关。从而提出，提高住院分娩率和产科质量是降低孕产妇死亡率的关键。还提出，全社会重视妇女受教育的问题，提高妇女的社会地位，使其拥有生殖权力是提高住院分娩率的重要条件。     

Clinical response to local delivery of tetracycline in relation to overall and local periodontal conditions

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical response to local delivery of tetracycline in relation to clinical and microbiological conditions of the other teeth. 4 deep pockets were monitored in 19 subjects with multiple deep periodontal lesions and high counts of P. gingivalis. In 9 patients (XT) only 2 of the selected lesions were treated by placement of tetracycline fibers (Actisite®). while the rest of the dentition was left untreated. In the other 10 patients, all teeth were supragingivally scaled and then treated by application of polymeric tetracycline HCl containing fibers, the whole dentition was subject to full mouth scaling and root planing, and the patients rinsed with 0.2% chlorhexidine (FT). A significant reduction in mean PPD was observed in all treated sites after two months. This reduction was maintained over the following 4 months. The magnitude of the effect was significantly greater in the FT group (1.74 mm) than in the LT group (0.88 mm). The mean attachment level changes were similar after 2 months in locally and fully treated subjects. A tendency of relapse was noted for treated sites in LT patients from month 2 to 6. A level of statistical significance was not reached for this effect. Data from measurements recorded at 6 sites around all teeth in the full mouth treated patients were analyzed using multiple linear regression. This analysis showed local changes in PPD and AL were significantly and strongly correlated with the baseline value of the respective parameter at the same site. In addition, more pocket depth reduction was noted if a site was not bleeding on probing at 6 months, if the location of a site was not approximal and if the tooth was not a second molar. Sites located on second molars showed also less AL gain than sites located on other teeth. Smokers showed significantly less reduction in PPD and significantly less AL gain. Furthermore, if subjects had a high % of pockets deeper than 4 mm at baseline they showed significantly less attachment gain.     

Geometric Resistance and Microvascular Network Architecture of Human Colorectal Carcinoma

Objective : To measure the geometric resistance to blood flow in human colorectal carcinoma. Although tumor blood flow is of central importance in both the detection and the treatment of cancer, the determinants of blood flow through the neoplastic circulation are poorly understood. Methods : Human colorectal carcinomas (tissue weight = 272 g ± 43 g (SD), n = 6) were perfused ex vivo with a buffered physiological salt solution of known viscosity at flow rates ranging from 2.5 to 40 ml/min and perfusion pressures from 8 to 100 mm Hg. The geometric resistance was determined from the slope of the pressure-flow curve. For examination of the principal determinant of geometric resistance, the vascular architecture, one of the tumors was perfused with Batson's No. 17 polymer and macerated in KOH to produce a positive vascular cast that was used for measurement of vascular branching patterns and dimensions. Results : The pressure-flow relationship was linear at perfusion pressures above 40 mm Hg, and the geometric resistance, z₀, was constant at approximately 6.5 ± 10⁹g/cm³. Below 40 mm Hg, z₀ increased rapidly. The architecture of the arteriolar and capillary networks of human colorectal carcinoma is similar to those of experimental rodent tumors. Capillaries in planar and nonplanar mesh-works had mean segment diameters of 11 ± 2 and 9.6 ± 2 μm, lengths of 46 ± 24 and 107 ± 40 μm, and intercapillary distances of 46 ± 13 and 74 ± 24 μm, respectively. Conclusions : The geometric flow resistance in neoplastic tissue is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that observed in normal tissues. A decrease in functional vascular cross-sectional area may explain the additional increase in resistance at small perfusion pressures. The observed flow resistance may be due to the specialized arteriolar and capillary network architecture, pressures exerted by proliferating cancer cells, and/or coupling between vascular and extravascular flow. These observations demonstrate that tumor vascularity alone may not be indicative of flow resistance or tumor susceptibility to blood-borne therapeutic agents.     

以市场需求为导向探索"宽口径大基础后分流"医学教育模式

在分析了我国医学教育现状的基础上 ,结合浙江省社会经济发展和医学教育的实际 ,提出医学教育必须以市场需求为导向 ,积极探索“宽口径、大基础、后分流”医学教育新模式 ,并从理论的高度 ,结合本校创办卫生管理专业的初步实践经验 ,分析了这种医学教育模式的特点和优点     

大学生应对方式研究

介绍了大学生应对方式研究现状．重点阐述了大学生常用的应对方式、影响因素及应对方式对大学生心理健康的影响。     

靶控输注异丙酚意识消失时血浆和效应室浓度的EC50与脑电双频谱指数的关系多中心大样本临床研究

目的 研究择期手术患者靶控输注（TCI）异丙酚意识消失时血浆、效应室靶浓度的50%患者意识消失时的药物浓度（EC50）与脑电双频谱指数（BIS）的关系。方法 5家医疗中心405例择期手术患者（国人）,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级。靶控输注异丙酚,以血浆靶浓度1．2μg/ml为起点,到达预期血浆靶浓度后每30秒递增0．3μg/ml,直至患者意识消失。采用概率单位回归分析计算患者意识消失时异丙酚血浆靶浓度、效应室靶浓度的EC05、EC50和EC95及其所对应的BIS。结果 择期手术患者TCI异丙酚意识消失时异丙酚血浆靶浓度EC05、EC50和EC95分别是2．9μg/ml、3．8μg/ml和4．8μg/ml,效应室靶浓度EC05、EC50和EC95分别是1．3μg/ml、2．2μg/ml和3．2μg/ml,50%患者意识消失的BIS是58,5%和95%患者意识消失的BIS分别是77和40。结论 择期手术患者TCI异丙酚意识消失时血浆靶浓度和效应室靶浓度EC50及95%置信区间分别是3．8μg/ml（3．8～3．9μg/ml）和2．2μg/ml（2．2～2．3μg/ml）, 50%患者意识消失的BIS用95%置信区间是58（58～59）。     

老年患者不同靶浓度罗库溴铵肌松效应的比较

目的比较老年患者不同靶浓度罗库溴铵的肌松效应。方法择期全麻老年患者100例,ASAⅡ级,随机分为4组(n=25),A组、B组和C组麻醉诱导气管插管时效应室靶浓度(Ce)为3μg/ ml,术中维持Ce分别为0.6、0.8、1.0μg/ml;D组麻醉诱导气管插管时Ce为3.3μg/ml,术中维持Ce为0_8μg/ml。记录肌松起效时间、恢复时间和恢复指数。评价气管插管条件和术中肌松程度。记录手术及TCI时间、罗库溴铵总用药量和期间用药量[总用药量,(体重×TCI时间)]。结果4组均可顺利完成气管插管,D组起效时间较A组、B组和C组缩短(P<0.05);A组肌松满意率低,B组、C组和D组均可维持满意肌松,但C组罗库溴铵用量较多,术中肌松程度较大,术后恢复时间较长(P<0.05)。结论麻醉诱导气管插管时罗库溴铵Ce为3.3μg/ml、术中麻醉维持Ce为0.8μg/ml,可产生满意的肌松条件,且有利于术后肌松恢复,是一种适用于老年患者合理的TCI给药方案。