‘The team for both sides?’ A qualitative study of change in heart failure services at three acute NHS Trusts

Heart failure (HF) is an increasingly prevalent long‐term condition that affects around 900,000 people in the United Kingdom (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). The study examined how HF services in the English National Health Service (NHS) were changing, focusing particularly on the primary/secondary care interface. The maintenance of continuity in care in the face of increasing demand and financial pressures on health and social care was a key concern. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 22 members of staff working in HF services in three NHS acute Trusts in the West Midlands of England. Interviews were conducted between April and December 2011 with purposively selected participants and data were analysed using the Framework Method. Four main themes emerged from the analysis: service context, capacity, the primary/secondary interface and communication across boundaries. Barriers to, and facilitators of, continuity of care for patients with HF were identified within these themes. The findings provide insights into the structure, management and work of HF services in the acute and community settings. They highlight how local systems for the management of HF patients are developing in ways which are not necessarily consistent with national policy.     

弓形虫感染对小鼠和人子宫自然杀伤细胞的影响

目的　观察弓形虫感染对小鼠和人子宫自然杀伤细胞（uterine natural killer cells, uNK cells）比例、数量、分化和功能的影响,探讨uNK细胞在弓形虫感染致早孕流产中的作用。方法　妊娠第6.5天给予孕鼠腹腔注射弓形虫速殖子,建立孕早期弓形虫感染致流产小鼠模型,妊娠第9.5天分离小鼠子宫淋巴细胞。取人正常妊娠孕早期流产新鲜蜕膜组织,分离人子宫淋巴细胞,与弓形虫RH株速殖子体外共培养48 h（弓形虫与子宫淋巴细胞比例分别为0.5∶1、1∶1、2∶1）。采用流式细胞术检测小鼠uNK细胞表型（CD122、NK1.1、DX5）、人uNK细胞表型（CD3、CD56、CD11b、CD27）及胞内细胞因子γ⁃干扰素（interferon⁃γ, IFN⁃γ）和肿瘤坏死因子⁃α（tumor necrosis factor⁃α, TNF⁃α）表达水平。磁珠分选小鼠和人uNK细胞,以小鼠YAC⁃1或人K562细胞作为靶细胞、以小鼠或人uNK细胞作为效应细胞,采用乳酸脱氢酶（lactate dehydrogenase, LDH）释放法检测效应细胞/靶细胞比例分别为1∶1、5∶1、10∶1、20∶1时uNK细胞的杀伤功能。结果　妊娠第9.5天,弓形虫感染组小鼠流产率较对照组显著上升（83.02% vs. 3.51%;[χ2] = 71.359,P < 0.001）。与对照组比较,弓形虫感染组小鼠uNK细胞绝对数量显著降低[（4 547 ± 1 610）个/只 vs.（8 978 ± 3 339）个/只;U = 2.000,P < 0.05]、细胞表面NK1.1表达水平显著下降[（74.53 ± 8.37）% vs.（93.00 ± 1.11）%;U = 0.000,P < 0.05]、NK1.1⁃DX5⁃细胞比例显著上升[（20.10 ± 8.03）% vs.（5.04 ± 0.68）%;U = 0.000,P < 0.05]、NK1.1+DX5+细胞比例显著下降[（21.70 ± 12.48）% vs.（45.75 ± 2.26）%;U = 0.000,P < 0.05]、IFN⁃γ表达水平显著升高[（16.74 ± 1.36）% vs.（8.13 ± 1.90）%;U = 0.000,P < 0.05],但TNF⁃α表达水平无显著改变[（67.98 ± 9.20）% vs.（52.93 ± 10.42）%;U = 2.000,P > 0.05]。弓形虫感染组小鼠uNK细胞表现出较强杀伤能力,且杀伤作用随着效应细胞/靶细胞比例升高逐渐增强;效应细胞/靶细胞比例为1∶1、5∶1、10∶1、20∶1时,感染组uNK细胞对YAC⁃1细胞的杀伤活性分别为2.30%、4.32%、8.12%和12.65%,对照组分别为1.21%、1.63%、2.51%和3.22%。将人子宫淋巴细胞与弓形虫RH株速殖子共培养48 h后,弓形虫感染组人uNK细胞在子宫淋巴细胞中所占比例较对照组显著降低[弓形虫2∶1组 vs. 对照组：（6.61 ± 1.75）% vs.（17.48 ± 4.81）%;F = 7.307,P < 0.01]、绝对数量显著减少[弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（12 104 ± 5 726）个/孔 vs.（65 285 ± 21 810）个/孔;H =11.540,P < 0.01]。弓形虫感染组uNK细胞中,CD56brightCD16⁃调节型NK细胞亚群比例较对照组减少（弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（25.25 ± 5.90）% vs.（36.03 ± 4.51）%;F = 3.213,P > 0.05]、CD56dimCD16+杀伤型NK细胞亚群比例增加[弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（11.15 ± 2.15）% vs.（7.09 ± 2.24）%,F = 2.992,P > 0.05],两者比值显著降低[弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（2.37 ± 0.92）vs.（5.58 ± 2.39）;H = 8.228,P < 0.05];CD11b+CD27⁃细胞比例显著上升[弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（30.28 ± 6.91）% vs.（17.48 ± 4.67）%;H = 6.556,P < 0.05],IFN⁃γ [弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（14.13 ± 1.28）% vs.（15.19 ± 1.64）%;F = 1.639,P > 0.05]、TNF⁃α表达水平无显著改变[弓形虫2∶1组vs. 对照组：（54.76 ± 10.02）% vs.（50.33 ±3.67）%;F = 0.415,P > 0.05]。弓形虫感染组人uNK细胞具有较强杀伤能力,且杀伤作用随着效应细胞/靶细胞比例升高逐渐增强;效应细胞/靶细胞比例为1∶1、5∶1、10∶1、20∶1时,感染组uNK细胞对K562细胞的杀伤活性分别为11.90%、28.11%、49.91%和73.35%,对照组分别为11.21%、21.63%、33.51%和48.22%。结论　弓形虫感染对小鼠和人uNK细胞分化和分泌功能产生了不同影响,但均可引起小鼠和人uNK细胞绝对数量减少、杀伤功能增强。     

应用气-液界面染毒技术研究柴油机尾气对16HBE细胞的毒性作用

[目的]应用气-液界面染毒技术探索柴油机尾气对人支气管上皮(16HBE)细胞急性毒性作用. [方法]在流速为20 mL/min,37℃的条件下,用柴油机尾气分别对生长在多孔膜上的16HBE细胞持续染毒5、10、15、20、30 min,分别使用CCK-8(Cell Counting Kit-8)检测法、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)释放法、中性红摄入法(NRU)检测柴油机尾气对细胞存活率的影响;对细胞存活率约50％以上的染毒组用流式细胞术检测柴油机尾气对细胞凋亡率的影响;同时对每个染毒组分别设置用滤膜过滤的洁净空气作为对照组,暴露时间和检测方法均与染毒组-致. [结果]3种存活率检测方法的结果表明,染毒组与对照组相比,柴油机尾气持续染毒15 min及更长时间以后,细胞存活率降低,差异有统计学意义(P＜ 0.05),且呈随染毒时间延长而逐渐降低的趋势.3种方法比较表明,低流速短时间柴油机尾气对16HBE细胞的损伤作用以细胞膜损伤最为显著,其次是线粒体损伤.用柴油机尾气持续染毒10、15 min,染毒组细胞早期凋亡率、晚期凋亡及坏死率较对照组均升高,差异均有统计学意义(P＜ 0.05).10、15 min染毒组的晚期凋亡及坏死细胞多于早期凋亡细胞(P＜0.05). [结论]气-液界面染毒技术可以应用于柴油机尾气等气溶胶有害物质的体外毒性研究;同时发现柴油机尾气导致的16HBE细胞急性毒性为细胞膜损伤、线粒体损伤及细胞凋亡.     

Closed-Loop Neurofeedback of α Synchrony during Goal-Directed Attention

α Oscillations in sensory cortex, under frontal control, desynchronize during attentive preparation. Here, in a selective attention study with simultaneous EEG in humans of either sex, we first demonstrate that diminished anticipatory α synchrony between the mid-frontal region of the dorsal attention network and ventral visual sensory cortex [frontal-sensory synchrony (FSS)] significantly correlates with greater task performance. Then, in a double-blind, randomized controlled study in healthy adults, we implement closed-loop neurofeedback (NF) of the anticipatory α FSS signal over 10 d of training. We refer to this closed-loop experimental approach of rapid NF integrated within a cognitive task as cognitive NF (cNF). We show that cNF results in significant trial-by-trial modulation of the anticipatory α FSS measure during training, concomitant plasticity of stimulus-evoked α/θ responses, as well as transfer of benefits to response time (RT) improvements on a standard test of sustained attention. In a third study, we implement cNF training in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), replicating trial-by-trial modulation of the anticipatory α FSS signal as well as significant improvement of sustained attention RTs. These first findings demonstrate the basic mechanisms and translational utility of rapid cognitive-task-integrated NF.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT When humans prepare to attend to incoming sensory information, neural oscillations in the α band (8–14 Hz) undergo desynchronization under the control of prefrontal cortex. Here, in an attention study with electroencephalography, we first show that frontal-sensory synchrony (FSS) of α oscillations during attentive preparation significantly correlates with task performance. Then, in a randomized controlled study in healthy adults, we show that neurofeedback (NF) training of this α FSS signal within the attention task is feasible. We show that this rapid cognitive NF (cNF) approach engenders plasticity of stimulus-evoked neural responses, and improves performance on a standard test of sustained attention. In a final study, we implement cNF in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), replicating the improvement of sustained attention found in adults.     

不同表面处理方法在纳米混合树脂复合材料修复中的应用

目的： 分析不同表面处理方法和粘接剂自酸蚀功能单体对树脂-复合材料界面即时修复粘结强度和完整性的影响。方法： 采用纳米树脂复合材料制作98个树脂复合材料,随机分为A1、A2、B1、B2、C、D组,各14个试件。表面未处理的试件作为阳性对照组（14个试件）。A1组用Gluma 通用粘接剂系统抛光,A2组用Gluma 通用粘接剂系统抛光、喷砂,B1组用Tokuyama Bond ForceⅡ^TM粘结系统抛光,B2组用Tokuyama Bond ForceⅡ^TM抛光、喷砂,C组仅经抛光样品组。D组仅做喷砂。采用与底物相同的树脂复合材料,对修复后试件进行剪切粘结强度（shear bond strength,SBS）测试,所有样本均进行电子显微镜扫描、测定表面轮廓,进行失效分析。采用SPSS 20.0软件包对数据进行统计学处理。结果： D组修复粘结强度显著高于阴性对照组（P<0.05）,A1、A2、B2、B1组粘结强度显著高于C、D组（P<0.05）;B1、D或A1组相比,粘结强度无显著差异（P>0.05）;B2组、阳性对照组粘结强度无显著差异（P>0.05）。除喷砂、TBFⅡ外,阳性对照组粘合强度值显著高于A1、C组（P<0.05）。抛光后表面粘合失效率高于喷砂样本（P<0.05）;抛光、Gluma处理样品粘合失败率高于抛光、TBFⅡ处理样品（P<0.05）;喷砂、TBFⅡ处理的表面内聚破坏率高于抛光、TBFⅡ处理（P<0.05）。抛光技术的表面粗糙度与喷砂技术相比,较规则且粗糙度较低（P<0.05）。结论： 经喷砂处理的复合材料基材加TBFⅡ,其修复粘结性最强,且表面内聚破坏率较高,TBFⅡ处理粘合失败率低。但经喷砂处理后的材料易堆积食物残渣,而抛光后的材料则不易发生。使用喷砂处理的复合材料基材上加TBFⅡ的患者,需正确有效地维护口腔卫生。     

脑机接口技术在慢性脑卒中患者上肢康复中的研究进展

脑机接口(BCI)技术可以激活神经系统可塑性。记录大脑活动的技术包括侵入性和非侵入性方法,后者具有安全、便携和低成本的优点,但容易产生信号污染。在慢性脑卒中患者上肢康复中,目前通常采用脑电图结合机械臂的方法。临床上,BCI多与其他康复方法联合应用,可提高康复效果。未来需要提高BCI运动意图解码的准确性,对患者进行分层和量身定制治疗,开发混合式和便携式BCI系统。     

自适应用户界面研究综述

自适应方式是人机交互领域的一项重要研究内容,也是解决目前系统、软件功能过剩问题的有效解决途径。本文介绍了目前应用在自适应用户界面的主要方式、自适应算法,以及自适应的属性,并讨论了自适应用户界面面临的问题和未来发展。     

Resurfacing of the humeral head: An analysis of the bone stock and osseous integration under the implant

Cementless‐surface‐replacement‐arthroplasty (CSRA) of the shoulder aims for functional joint restoration with minimal bone loss. Good clinical results have been reported, but due to the radiopaque metal shell no data is available on the structure, osseous integration, and bone stock under the implant. 14 hemi‐CSRAs (4 manufacturers) with two geometries (crown [n = 7]/ stem [n = 7] fixation) were retrieved from patients undergoing revision due to glenoidal erosion. Histological sections cutting through the implant centre and bone were analysed. Quantitative histomorphometry evaluated the bone‐implant‐contact and compared the bone‐area to native humeral retrievals (n = 7). The bone‐implant‐interface was further assessed by scanning‐electron‐microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive‐x‐ray (EDX). Qualitative histology revealed a reduced and inhomogeneous bone stock. Obvious signs of stress shielding were observed with bone predominantly visible at the stem and implant rim. Quantitative histomorphometry confirmed the significantly reduced bone‐area (9.2 ± 3.9% [crown 9.9 ± 4.3%, stem 8.6 ± 3.6%]) compared to native humeri (21.2 ± 9.1%; p < 0.05). Bone‐implant‐contact was 20.5 ± 5.8% (crown 21.8 ± 6.2%, stem 19.2 ± 5.6%) which was confirmed by SEM and EDX. Altogether, CRSA shows satisfactory bone ingrowth at the interface suggesting sufficient primary stability to allow osseous integration. However, clear signs of stress shielding with an inhomogeneous and reduced bone stock were observed. The impact on the long‐term‐results is unclear requiring further investigation. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:1382–1390, 2015.     

A clinical screening protocol for the RSVP Keyboard brain–computer interface

Purpose: To propose a screening protocol that identifies requisite sensory, motor, cognitive and communication skills for people with locked-in syndrome (PLIS) to use the RSVP Keyboard? brain–computer interface (BCI). Method: A multidisciplinary clinical team of seven individuals representing five disciplines identified requisite skills for the BCI RSVP Keyboard?. They chose questions and subtests from existing standardized instruments for auditory comprehension, reading and spelling, modified them to accommodate nonverbal response modalities, and developed novel tasks to screen visual perception, sustained visual attention and working memory. Questions were included about sensory skills, positioning, pain interference and medications. The result is a compilation of questions, adapted subtests and original tasks designed for this new BCI system. It was administered to 12 PLIS and 6 healthy controls. Results: Administration required 1?h or less. Yes/no choices and eye gaze were adequate response modes for PLIS. Healthy controls and 9 PLIS were 100% accurate on all tasks; 3 PLIS missed single items. Conclusions: The RSVP BCI screening protocol is a brief, repeatable technique for patients with different levels of LIS to identify the presence/absence of skills for BCI use. Widespread adoption of screening methods should be a clinical goal and will help standardize BCI implementation for research and intervention.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• People with locked-in syndrome must have certain sensory, motor, cognitive and communication skills to successfully use a brain–computer interface (BCI) for communication.

• A screening profile would be useful in identifying potentially suitable candidates for BCI.