A model to predict long-term sustained response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C

Interferon therapy is used widely for chronic hepatitis C but only a minority of treated patients achieve a long-lasting sustained response. We have developed, by logistic regression, a mathematical model to estimate the probability of sustained response in an individual patient with chronic hepatitis C when treated with interferon-α (IFN-α). The model, which includes age, sex, disease duration, pretreatment serum γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase and virus genotype, was developed from a database of 307 patients and validated in a new set of 200 patients. It performed well as goodness-of-fit ( P = 0.71 and P = 0.15 in the development and test sample, respectively) and discrimination (area under receiver operating curve = 0.79 in the development and 0.78 in the test sample, respectively). This model may provide decision support in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with IFN-α.     

刺梨汁对慢性氟中毒的影响及机理研究

用高氟饲料喂养大鼠６个月，复制出慢性氟中毒模型，再自由饮用刺梨汁３个月，探讨刺梨汁对慢性氟中毒的影响及机理。结果表明：刺梨汁可明显改善氟中毒的一般状况，对已形成的氟斑牙影响不大，但可促进尿氟排泄，降低血清和骨氟含量及尿羟脯氦酸含量，提高血清中维生素Ｃ、维生素Ｅ和血清、肝、肾ＧＳＨ含量，增强血、肝、肾ＧＳＨ－Ｐｘ和ＳＯＤ活性，降低血清、肝和肾ＬＰＯ含量，降低尿γ－ＧＴ和血清ＧＰＴ活性及肝ＴＧ含量，提示：刺梨汁具有明显桔抗慢性氟中毒作用，其机理可能是通过促进尿氟排泄和抗氧化作用。     

手术联合中药治疗激素性股骨头缺血性坏死的实验研究

目的 :初步探讨激素性股骨头缺血性坏死的发病机制 ,观察手术 +中药治疗本病的疗效。方法 :通过对新西兰大白兔联合应用马血清 +甲基强的松龙造模及手术处理 ,对正常组、模型组、手术组、手术 +中药组实验兔的血脂、血液流变学、血生化及股骨头标本切片观察 ,分析比较。结果 :手术 +中药治疗本病的疗效优于单纯保髋手术。结论 :手术 +活血化瘀补肾壮骨方法是股骨头缺血性坏死治疗的合理方法     

Gd-DTPA-cascade-polymer: Potential blood pool contrast agent for MR imaging

Gadolinium-DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid)-cascade-polymer, a potential new blood pool contrast agent for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, was compared with a known blood pool agent, Gd-DTPA-polylysine, in an animal model. The relative signal intensities of liver, renal cortex, pancreas, and trunk muscle were assessed in 12 pigs between 4 seconds and 120 minutes after injection of a 20 μmol/kg dose of each contrast agent, by using a FLASH (fast low-angle shot) sequence. Except for muscle, all tissues showed visible enhancement after injection of either contrast agent. After injection of Gd-DTPA-polymer, enhancement patterns in the liver, renal cortex, and pancreas were similar to those seen after injection of Gd-DTPA-polylysine. No statistically significant differences in enhancement between the two contrast agents were found at any time point. The authors conclude that the contrast kinetics of Gd-DTPA-cascade-polymer are similar to those of Gd-DTPA-polylysine and that this agent may also be used as a blood pool contrast agent for MR imaging.     

Development and experimental in vivo validation of mathematical modeling of laser coagulation

Most clinical procedures using the laser are based on thermal laser-tissue interactions. The treatment often consists of inducing damage of given degree and extent by heating the tissue. The aim of this study was to develop a model called HELIOS. The ability of HELIOS to predict thermal coagulation was evaluated by comparison with in vivo experimental results. Conversion of laser light in tissue was studied using the beam-broadening model. Temperature was described by the heat conduction equation solved using the finite difference method. The tissue dena-turation was modeled by the Henriques equation leading to the determination of the damage coefficient ω. For a given set of laser and tissue parameters, HELIOS makes a graphic representation of coagulation necrosis and temperature evolution in tissue. HELIOS was validated by experimental studies in vivo on rat liver using a CW Nd:YAG laser, a CO₂ laser, and an argon laser. For given sets of laser parameters, temperature measurements were performed using an infrared camera. Histological examinations were carried out on samples to quantify the depth of coagulation necrosis. Experimental data obtained in vivo were compared with those calculated using HELIOS and similar sets of parameters. The difference between the predicted temperature evolution on tissue surface and that measured by the infrared camera was < 5°C in all cases. The difference between the predicted coagulation necrosis depth and the corresponding experimental one was < 10%. In conclusion, HELIOS allows good prediction of tissue temperature and coagulation necrosis. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, inc.     

Boundary Ambiguity in Parents With Chronically Ill Children: Integrating Theory and Research

Abstract: This article integrates theory and research related to boundary ambiguity in parents of children with a chronic health condition. We propose that boundary ambiguity is a risk factor for psychological distress in these parents. Clinical applications and a case example highlight how boundary ambiguity can be assessed and managed in clinical settings by professionals working with parents with chronically ill children. Questions are provided for assessing boundary ambiguity in clinical and research settings, and implications for research are discussed.     

Skin reactions to irritants assessed by non-invasive bioengineering methods

Pathophysiological components of irritant contact dermatitis caused by 3 chemically-different irritants were investigated. 20 healthy volunteers were patch tested with sodium lauryl sulphate, nonanoic acid and hydrochloric acid on the flexor side of the upper arm. The skin response was evaluated after 24, 48 and 96 h by visual scoring and measured by the following bioengineering methods: transepidermal water loss measurement, electrical conductance for measurement of skin hydration, laser Doppler flowmetry for measurement of cutaneous blood flow and 20 MHz ultrasound A-scan for measurement of skin thickness. In spite of homogeneous inflammatory responses, significant differences in the severity of the injury to the skin barrier function caused by the different irritants were found. Also significant differences between irritants were found in the time course of development of maximum irritant reactions. Bioengineering methods indicating inflammatory responses (measurement of blood flow and skin thickness) were helpful in quantifying the irritant response in general, while bioengineering methods indicating epidermal damage (measurement of TEWL and electrical conductance) were helpful in classifying the individual irritants.     

肿瘤潜隐期二阶段模型

从宫颈癌、大肠癌等病种的自然史抽象出一个具有时变伴随变量的潜隐期二阶段模型。潜隐期以正常状态为起点,疾病为终点;其前阶段可逆,后阶段不可逆;状态间转移速率因病人状况而异。用Markov过程描述并求解此模型,进而给出参数估计和假设检验方法。利用此模型基于江西省靖安县12年6轮宫颈癌筛查资料进行了自然史研究,并讨论了应用前景。     

Computation of Time-Constant Histograms from the Forced Expired Volume-Time Curves

An efficient BASIC program was established on Apple-Ⅱmicrocomputer with the CHESTAC-35F pulmonary function testing system tocalculate the time-constant histogram from the spirogram.By a set of analogousstudies,we confirmed that the recovered time-constant histogram was within onecompartment of the assumed one and that the root of mean square values of theresiduals between the experimental and model volume-time curves was 0.02.Infour healthy adult subjects,the mean value of time-constant histograms(TCx)hadthe variation coefficient 6.6％.The results show that our method is reliable andreproducible,and it can be used for clinical investigation.