Nursing shortages: let's be flexible

The following paper is a report outlining a significant work pattern change in an acute cardiac ward at a large Brisbane-based private hospital. The nursing staff expressed the desire for more flexible rostering and the opportunity to work 12-hour shifts. After agreement was reached between the hospital, the union and the Industrial Relations Board, guidelines were put in place and a Flexible Rostering System was proposed and trialed. An 80% consensus of staff was required both to proceed with the trial and to implement any permanent changes. Initially, the trial was conducted for three months and extended to six months. The shifts trialed were between four and 12 hours in length with varied starting and finishing times. The Flexible Rostering System was evaluated using feedback from staff surveys and the results of a staff vote. In addition, patient feedback, incident reports, financial and managerial evaluation of staff costs, hours per patient day utilised, sick leave, and the use of permanent staff for voluntary extra shifts were also monitored. The outcome of the trial was positive with over 80% of staff voting to implement the Flexible Rostering System permanently. A significant reduction in sick leave of 41% and improved retention of skilled registered nursing staff was noted. There was no increase in the number of incident reports or patient complaints. Both patients and nurses commented on the improved continuity of care. Salaries and wages were within budget. Staff surveys showed positive feedback such as increased morale, increased flexibility with rosters, decreased fatigue levels, improved patient assessment on night duty and an increase in number of days off. In conclusion, the Flexible Rostering System has been accepted as a positive change for staff and is cost effective for the hospital. In light of nursing shortages, the outcome of this trial cannot be ignored.     

病原相关分子模式对人3D皮肤皮脂腺模型表皮细胞增殖与分化影响的研究

目的：明确病原相关分子模式(PAMPs)对人表皮细胞增殖与分化的影响。方法：在人皮肤和永生化SZ95皮脂腺细胞体外共培养的3D皮肤皮脂腺培养模型中加入不同浓度(2、20、200 μg/mL)的PAMPs,包括脂多糖（LPS）,磷壁酸（LTA）和肽聚糖（PGN）,培养7天后,使用PhotoShop软件计算表皮面积;免疫组化观察Ki67,cytokeratin 10（CK10）的表达,采用ImageJ软件计算染色面积,Image-Pro Plus软件计算每张图片的累积光密度（IOD）。 结果：在不同浓度的PAMPs(LPS, LTA, PGN)作用下,表皮厚度总体较对照组呈现剂量依赖性增加;此外,表皮基底层及角质层细胞Ki67及CK10的表达也呈现不同程度的增加。结论：PAMPs具有体外促进表皮细胞的增殖与分化的作用,皮肤正常微生物可能在维护皮肤屏障功能上具有重要的生物学作用。     

颅内肿瘤大剂量Gd-DTPA MR灌注成像的临床应用及安全性

目的探讨颅内肿瘤大剂量Gd-DTPA MR灌注成像的应用价值及安全性。方法收集经病理证实的颅内肿瘤36例,其中低级别胶质瘤（Ⅰ-Ⅱ级）15例,高级别胶质瘤（Ⅲ-Ⅳ级）12例,脑膜瘤7例,胆脂瘤1例,脉络丛乳头状瘤1例,使用FID-EPI序列行Gd-DTPA灌注成像。在脑血流容积的伪彩色图像上测得肿瘤的rCBV值,并对各组肿瘤的rCBV值进行统计学t检验;记录注药后患者的表现及不良反应,评价大剂量Gd-DTPA灌注的安全性。结果低级别胶质瘤与高级别胶质瘤的rCBV值,低级别胶质瘤与脑膜瘤的rCBV值比较有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,而高级别胶质瘤与脑膜瘤的rCBV值比较没有统计学意义（P〉0.05）。1例脉络丛乳头状瘤的rCBV值为9.15,表现为高灌注;1例胆脂瘤的rCBV值为0.09,表现为低灌注;36例灌注患者未见药物过敏反应。结论大剂量Gd-DTPA的MR灌注成像有助于脑胶质瘤的分级及与其他颅内肿瘤的鉴别诊断,临床应用的安全性良好。     

Steady-State Spatial Patterns in a Cell-Chemotaxis Model

We investigate a simple cell-chemotaxis model for the generationof spatial patterns in cell aggregations. For simple boundary-valueproblems, we analyse the local and global bifurcation of spatiallyheterogeneous patterns away from the uniform equilibria as thetotal number of cells is varied. We also discuss the existenceof periodic spatially structured solutions for the cells andchemoattractant in the infinite domain.     

Drinking expectancies and motives: a genetic study of young adult women

BACKGROUND: Constructs such as drinking expectancies (beliefs regarding the effects of alcohol) and motives (drinking alcohol to achieve a valued end) have been shown to be associated with various stages of alcohol use behaviors. However, little is known of the extent to which genetic and environmental influences contribute to individual differences in expectancies and motives. METHODS: Using data from 3,656 young adult same-sex female twins, we examined the association between measures of drinking expectancies and motives and drinking behaviors. Using twin models, we estimated the extent to which genetic, shared and non-shared environmental factors influenced individual differences in expectancies and motives and also tested whether the extent of the genetic and environmental contributions on expectancies varied across abstainers and users of alcohol. RESULTS: Expectancies predicted initiation of alcohol use. Both motives and expectancies were associated with frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and drinks-to-intoxication. There was no evidence for heritable influences on expectancies and enhancement motives, with familial similarity for these traits being due to shared environment. Heritable influences on social, coping and conformity motives ranged from 11% to 33%. When expectancies were stratified by alcohol use, significant heritable influences (31-39%) were found for cognitive-behavioral impairment and risk-taking/negative self-perception (RT/NSP) in abstainers only, while environmental influences contributed to familial variance for other measures of expectancies in alcohol users. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental influences (both familial and individual-specific) shape alcohol expectancies, while heritable influences may predispose to motives for drinking. Individual differences in expectancies are moderated by alcohol use, suggesting that sources of individual differences in expectancies may vary in drinkers versus abstainers.     

多排螺旋CT肝血流灌注参数诊断原发性肝癌的意义探讨

目的探讨多层螺旋CT（MSCT）灌注参数诊断原发性肝癌的临床价值。方法选择本院肝胆外科收治的60例经病理学检查证实的原发性肝癌患者作为研究对象,另选60例健康人作为对照,使用西门子公司生产的Sensation多排螺旋CT成像系统扫描,对肝癌区组织、癌旁组织和正常肝组织扫描结果经软件处理后获取灌注参数。结果肝癌组织血流量（BF）为（214.7.6±34.7） ml/100 g.min^-1、肝动脉灌注量（AP）为（157.4±33.8） ml/（min.ml^-1）、平均通过时间（MTT）为（19.6±5.1）s、肝动脉供血分数（HAF）为（0.69±0.18）×10^-2,显著高于癌旁组织和健康人肝组织（P<0.05）; 肝癌组织对比剂到达时间（IRF To）为（2.14±1.43）s,显著低于癌旁组织或健康人肝组织（P<0.05）;肝癌组织、癌旁组织和健康肝组织毛细血管通透性（PS）的差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论原发性肝癌患者肝癌组织MSCT灌注参数与癌旁组织或健康肝组织存在显著差异,对临床诊断原发性肝癌具有重要意义。     

肝脏CT灌注成像与门静脉压力相关性的动物实验研究

目的:探讨正常比格犬门静脉压力与肝脏CT血流灌注参数的相关性。方法:采用螺旋CT对24只犬行肝脏灌注成像扫描,去卷积法计算肝脏血流灌注参数,包括血流量(blood flow,BF)、血容量(blood volume,BV)、平均通过时间(mean transit time,MTT)、肝动脉分数(hepatic arterial fraction,HAF)、肝动脉灌注量(hepatic arterial perfusion,HAP)、门静脉灌注量(portal venous perfusion,PVP)。扫描后3d内开腹,采用玻璃水柱法测定门静脉压力。利用直线回归与相关分析门静脉压力与肝脏CT血流灌注参数的相关性。结果:(1)正常比格犬实测门静脉压力值为(13.57±1.15)cmH2O。(2)正常比格犬门静脉压力与BF、PVP呈负相关,与HAF呈正相关,其中以PVP相关性最显著(r=-0.764,P<0.05),两者关系的直线回归方程为Y=16.507-0.037X。结论:肝脏CT灌注成像为无创、有效监测门静脉压力提供了一种新途径。     

肝转移癌超声多普勒肝血流灌注指数的测定

目的：评价肝血流灌注指数诊断肝转移癌的临床价值。方法：利用脉冲多普勒超声测定了４组１１０例肝动脉、门静脉血流量，并计算出相应的肝静脉血流与门静脉血流的比值ＤＦＲ和多普勒肝血流灌注指数ＤＰＩ。结果：４个组之间的肝脏总血灌注量相差不明显，Ｐ＞０．０５。肝转移癌组、原发性肝癌组的ＤＰＩ和ＤＦＲ分别为０．３６±０．１１、０．３４±０．１２和０．６０±０．２８、０．５７±０．３７，明显高于对照组、肝内无转移癌组，其ＤＰＩ和ＤＦＲ分别为０．１７±０．０５、０．２０±０．０９和０．２１±０．０８、０．２９±０．１４，Ｐ均＜０．０１。ＤＰＩ、ＤＦＲ诊断肝转移癌的灵敏度８４．６％、特异性８４．９％、正确率８２．４％。结论：本组资料表明，ＤＰＩ或ＤＦＲ不能区别肝转移癌和肝原发癌，但在已知患者有恶性肿瘤的情况下，ＤＰＩ、ＤＦＲ可成为临床早期检出肝转移瘤的十分有价值的指标     

Association Between Dietary Quality and Mortality in Older Adults: A Review of the Epidemiological Evidence

The population is aging worldwide. Delayed mortality is associated with an increased burden of chronic health conditions, many of which have a dietary component. A literature search was conducted to retrieve and review relevant articles considering quality of diets in association with mortality in older adults aged 60 years and older. In the studies we reviewed, diet quality defined using either a priori methods, which characterize dietary patterns based on existing dietary guidelines, or a posteriori methods, which define dietary patterns through statistical methods met review criteria. Sixteen articles met criteria for review. Generally, dietary patterns that demonstrated greater adherence to diets that emphasized whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and legumes and nuts were inversely associated with mortality. However, a priori methods have not yet demonstrated associations between diet and mortality in older adults in the United States. Development of new methods based on regional variations in dietary intake may offer the best approach to assess associations with mortality.