S-nitrosoglutathione-containing hydrogel accelerates rat cutaneous wound repair

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) plays a key role in wound repair and S-nitrosothiols like S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are well known NO donors. METHODS: Animals were separated in two groups and submitted to excisional wounds on the dorsal surface at the first day. GSNO (100 microm)-containing hydrogels were topically applied on the wound bed in the GSNO group, daily, during the first 4 days. Control group was topically treated with hydrogel without GSNO for the same period. Wound contraction and re-epithelialization were measured. Animals were sacrificed 21 days after wounding. Samples of lesion and normal tissue were formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded for histological analysis. RESULTS: Wound contraction, measured 14 and 21 days after wounding, was greater in the GSNO group than in the control group (P<0.05 for both). The re-epithelialized wound area, measured 14 days after wounding, was higher in the GSNO group than in the control group (P<0.05). A higher amount of inflammatory cells was observed in superficial and deep areas of the granulation tissue of the control group compared to the GSNO group. Twenty-one days after wounding, thin red-yellow collagen fibers arranged perpendicularly to the surface were found in the granulation tissue of the control group, whereas in the GSNO-treated group collagen fibers were thicker and arranged parallel to the surface. Increased number of mast cells was observed in the GSNO group compared with that in the control group. Vascularization and myofibroblast distribution were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Topical application of GSNO-containing hydrogel during the early phases of rat cutaneous wound repair accelerates wound closure and re-epithelialization and affects granulation tissue organization.     

Revisiting the Relationship between Managed Care and Hospital Consolidation

Objective. This paper analyzes whether the rise in managed care during the 1990s caused the increase in hospital concentration.
Data Sources. We assemble data from the American Hospital Association, InterStudy and government censuses from 1990 to 2000.
Study Design. We employ linear regression analyses on long differenced data to estimate the impact of managed care penetration on hospital consolidation. Instrumental variable analogs of these regressions are also analyzed to control for potential endogeneity.
Data Collection. All data are from secondary sources merged at the level of the Health Care Services Area.
Principle Findings. In 1990, the mean population-weighted hospital Herfindahl–Hirschman index (HHI) in a Health Services Area was .19. By 2000, the HHI had risen to .26. Most of this increase in hospital concentration is due to hospital consolidation. Over the same time frame HMO penetration increased three fold. However, our regression analysis strongly implies that the rise of managed care did not cause the hospital consolidation wave. This finding is robust to a number of different specifications.     

BiPAP ViSION 在慢性阻塞性肺疾病Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭的应用和护理

目的 探讨经鼻(面)罩双水平气道内正压通气(BiPAP)ViSION型呼吸机对慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)伴Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭患者疗效及护理特点。方法 应用BiPAP ViSION型呼吸机对21例COPD伴Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭患者采用鼻/面罩连接单向呼气活瓣行双水平气道正压通气,观察其通气前后动脉血气及临床表现变化。结果 通气治疗后19例患者动脉血氧分压(PaO_2)及氧饱和度(SaO_2)明显升高(P<0.01),二氧化碳分压(PaCO_2)显著降低(P<0.05);肺性脑病症状消失,昏迷患者神志转清。2例病情恶化,其中1例改用有创通气后好转,1例拒绝有创通气死亡。结论BiPAP ViSION呼吸机治疗COPD伴Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭的疗效较为肯定,正确的护理对提高其疗效和减少并发症至关重要。     

中药泡洗治疗糖尿病足90例疗效分析

目的为了观察中药泡洗对糖尿病足的疗效。方法对90例糖尿病足患者用中药（方剂组成：桃仁、红花、桂枝、没药、乳香、花椒、川芎等各10g）水煎制后分为2袋各300ml配合足浴仪泡洗，2次，d，30min／次，10d为1疗程。结果全组90例患者显效66例，有效24例，总有效率100％。结论中药泡洗治疗糖尿病足疗效确切。     

健康教育在糖尿病病人中的应用

目的：通过对患者在住院过程中的系统教育，使患者了解自己疾病的知识，提高患者对糖尿病的认知水平和自我管理能力，养成良好的健康行为和生活方式，从而提高生活质量。方法：采用集体、个体、自学等形式进行教育。结果：通过培养，患者掌握了一些基本的操作技能，明显缩短了住院日，同时激发了护士与患者学习专业知识的热情，减少或延缓了并发症的发生。结论：①健康教育是一个护患双边活动过程。②通过教育，可不断提高护士的自身修养和专业知识水平。③健康教育是糖尿病患者学习糖尿病知识，提高自我护理能力的有效途径。     

Eligible Veterans'' Choice Between VA-covered and Non-VA-covered Dental Care

Veterans who were eligible for dental care in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities at no monetary cost responded to a mailed questionnaire. Seventy-one percent were aware that they were actually eligible for VA dental care. However, only 48 percent reported the VA as their only or primary source of dental care. Eligibility status, perceived quality of VA dental care, use of VA medical care, perception that one's income meets expenses, and perceived need for dental care were significant correlates of using the VA as one's current source of dental care. Level of formal education, perception that one's income meets expenses, transportation pattern, geographic distance from a VA facility, and eligibility status were significant correlates of using the VA as one's current medical care source. Research on VA utilization offers the opportunity to study issues of access to, and use of, a large public health care system whose patients largely receive care at no monetary cost. Veterans' use of VA dental and medical care is apparently influenced by a wide variety of factors, ranging from barriers to access to non-VA systems, to characteristics of the VA delivery system itself, to need for treatment.     

Department of Palliative Care in Bratislava and the development of the palliative care movement in Slovakia

 Slovakia is a country with no tradition of home care services and a long history of regarding death and dying as taboos and therefore institutionalising them. Increased attention to palliative care issues has resulted in some important changes, to the benefit of patients in need of palliative care. These include general availability of oral slow-release forms of strong opioids (cost completely reimbursed by the insurance companies), a developing network of home care agencies, and increased attention to the needs of palliative patients, especially among oncologists and pain specialists. In February 1995 the Department of Palliative Care was established within the National Cancer Institute in Bratislava. It has 19 in-patient beds and also an out-patient clinic. Although the primary goal is the improvement of the quality of life, several approaches that can prolong life without worsening its quality are also used. These include laser destruction of intraluminal gastrointestinal tumours, insertion of intraluminal stents, brachyradiotherapy, pleurodeses, percutaneous gastrostomy, percutaneous nephrostomy, palliative chemotherapy, treatment of hypercalcaemia. In 1995 the Palliative Care Section of the Association for Study and Treatment of Pain was established, as was thefirst Hospice Foundation.     

腹部刀刺伤单纯腹壁清创术的临床应用

目的　探讨单纯腹壁清创术在腹部刀刺伤患者中的应用 ,以提高腹部刀刺伤的治疗水平。方法　我科收治腹部刀刺伤患者中 1 6例进行单纯腹壁清创术 ,对病例选择及其注意事项进行了分析总结。结果　 1 6例患者治疗成功 1 4例 (87.50 % ) ,2例 (1 2 .50 % )中转手术。结论　对于腹部刀刺伤的患者 ,选择适合的病人进行腹壁伤口的单纯清创缝合 ,术后严密观察是可行的。     

烧伤创面细菌分布对植皮存活率的影响

目的　通过对烧伤病人不同时间的痂下组织细菌定量培养及种类检测 ,探讨手术时间、菌量和菌种与植皮存活率的关系。方法　选择 3 65例病人于手术时取痂下组织以组织匀浆行细菌定量并鉴定菌种。结果　 45 0份标本中 3 90份为阳性 ,共培养出细菌 5 80株 ,以铜绿假单胞菌(2 7.93 %)及金黄色葡萄球菌 (16.2 0 %)为最常见种类 ;手术时间、菌量和菌种对植皮存活率均有不同程度的影响 (P <0 .0 1)。结论　手术时间越早 ,痂下组织细菌含量越少 ,菌种较单一 ,植皮存活率越高 (P <0 .0 1) ;金黄色葡萄球菌感染对植皮存活率影响较大 (P <0 .0 1)。