Is the political system really related to health?

We analyze whether the political system and its stability are related to cross-country differences in health. We apply factor analysis on various national health indicators for a large sample of countries over the period 2000–2005 and use the outcomes of the factor analysis to construct two new health measures, i.e., the health of individuals and the quality of the health care sector. Using a cross-country structural equation model with various economic and demographic control variables, we examine the relationship between the type of regime and political stability on the one hand and health on the other. The political variables and the control variables are measured as averages over the period 1980–1999. Our results suggest that democracy has a positive relationship with the health of individuals, while regime instability has a negative relationship with the health of individuals. Government instability is negatively related to individual health via its link with the quality of the health care sector, while democracy is positively related with individual health through its link with income. Our main findings are confirmed by the results of a panel model and various sensitivity tests.     

盲肠结扎穿刺致豚鼠急性肺损伤动物模型建立

目的 研究败血性急性肺损伤的动物模型，并探讨其在急性肺损伤研究中的意义。方法 用盲肠结扎穿刺(CLP)法的豚鼠急性肺损伤模型，结合动脉血气分析、外周血白细胞计数、肺湿重／干重比值(W／D)及肺组织病理观察。结果 CLP模型中动物的症状和表现缓慢出现，逐渐恶化．最后导致败血性休克，于2d左右出现大量死亡。结论 用盲肠结扎穿刺的方法制作豚鼠急性肺损伤动物模型较大鼠内毒素性休克，表现更类似于人类的肠源性肺损伤，且症状缓慢发生，逐渐恶化，有利于观察和进行各种干预。     

碱性成纤维细胞生长因子在实验性硬脑膜重建中的应用

[目的] 探讨碱性成纤维细胞生长因子( bFGF)在实验性自体筋膜硬脑膜重建中的应用价值.[方法]取 SD大鼠 35只,分成 5组.其中 A组 3只,直接将背部筋膜覆盖在硬膜外, B组 5只,采用自体筋膜硬脑膜重建模型,通过免疫组织化学方法观察这两组大鼠自体筋膜硬脑膜移植的愈合过程及细胞因子 bFGF在其中的表达; C组、 D组、 E组各 9只,分别进行自体筋膜硬脑膜重建, D组加用外源性 bFGF, E组仅用明胶海绵,通过脑脊液漏研究、免疫组织化学方法研究外源性 bFGF对自体筋膜重建硬脑膜愈合过程的影响并用 RT- PCR方法研究内源性 bFGF mRNA的表达情况.[结果] 大鼠自体筋膜移植硬脑膜部位 bFGF表达明显; C、 D、 E组大鼠重建硬脑膜抵抗脑脊液漏压力值( mmH2O)分别为 311± 75, 497± 153, 338± 88,Ⅰ型胶原纤维表达值分别为 4.9± 0.8, 10.9± 1.6, 5.3± 0.9, D组均好于对照组( P< 0.05);内源性 bFGF mRNA的表达没有明显变化.[结论] 在自体筋膜移植硬脑膜的愈合过程中 bFGF可能起了重要的作用;外源性 bFGF处理的大鼠其移植筋膜愈合要好于对照组.     

Simulation model of renal replacement therapy: predicting future demand in England.

BACKGROUND: The demand for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in England has risen steadily, although from a lower base than many other developed countries. Predicting the future demand for RRT and the impact of factors such as the acceptance rate, transplant supply and patient survival, is required in order to inform the planning of such services. METHODS: A discrete event simulation model estimates the future demand for RRT in England in 2010 for a range of scenarios. The model uses current prevalence and current and projected future acceptance rates, survival rates and the transitions between modalities to predict future patient numbers. National population and mortality data, published literature and data from the UK Renal Registry and UK Transplant, are used to estimate unmet need for RRT, the impact of changing demography and incidence of Type 2 diabetes, patient haemodialysis (HD) survival and transplant supply. RESULTS: By 2010 the predicted prevalence will have increased from about 30,000 in 2000 to between 42 and 51,000 (900-1000 p.m.p.), an average annual growth of 4.5-6%. Changing transplant supply has a small effect on overall numbers but changes the proportion of patients with functioning graft by up to 8%. Even with an optimistic increase in transplant supply (11% p.a. for 5 years), numbers on HD will continue to rise substantially, especially in the elderly. The factors most influencing future patient numbers are the acceptance rate and dialysis survival. CONCLUSION: This model predicts a substantial growth in the RRT population to 2010 to a rate approaching 1000 p.m.p., particularly in the elderly and those on HD, with a steady state not being reached for at least 25 years.     

大鼠胰腺十二指肠移植的手术技巧

目的探讨建立大鼠胰腺十二指肠移植模型的手术技巧。方法不阻断体循环，采用双套管将供胰所带腹主动脉、门静脉分别与受鼠的左肾动、静脉进行套管吻合，尽量减轻对全身血流动力学的影响；同时行十二指肠空肠端侧吻合引流胰液，重建胰腺外分泌途径；围手术期注意补液、保暖及抗凝。结果100例手术中83例手术成功，术后移植胰腺具有内分泌功能，胰腺轻度充血水肿。结论该移植模型不阻断体循环且操作简单实用，其成功的关键在于手术操作及围手术期处理。     

Depressive Symptoms and Associated Factors in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

PROBLEM: To compare depressive symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to those in healthy children, and to explore the influence of individual and family factors on level of depression. METHODS: Individual interviews with 68 children, ages 7 to 12 years, in order to complete the Children's Depression Inventory. FINDINGS: Children with ADHD reported significantly more depressive symptoms than did children without ADHD; 14.7% of children with ADHD reached the threshold of a 19 point score, which suggests clinical depression. No significant effects of individual and family factors on level of depression were found. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ADHD are more inclined to experience depressive symptoms than are healthy children. To plan appropriate interventions, nurses evaluating and working with children with ADHD should always consider a possible coexistence of depressive symptoms.     

安氏Ⅲ类错畸形病因的logistic分析

目的研究引起安氏Ⅲ类错牙合畸形的病因。方法对50例安氏Ⅲ类错牙合患者和50例正常牙合人作病因问卷调查,将结果用logistic法分析,提取有效病因。结果共有慢性扁桃体炎、遗传因素、咬上唇3项病因进入方程。结论按贡献大小,长期慢性扁桃体炎、经常咬上唇和遗传因素是导致安氏Ⅲ类错牙合畸形的危险因素。     

Intelligent dialogue based on statistical models of clinical decision-making

The independence Bayesian model has been used widely in computer programs designed to support clinical decision-making. A reasoning strategy has been developed to enable these programs to conduct clinically pertinent dialogue and explain their reasoning. It has been implemented in a program for the diagnosis of acute abdominal pain based on the Bayesian model of de Dombal et al. Several features of the dialogue design have been adopted from artificial intelligence research, including shared initiative and critiquing. The program adopts a flexible goal-driven strategy, attempting to confirm the clinician's diagnosis or rule out the likeliest alternative. Symptoms and signs are selected in order of their expected weights of evidence in favour of the hypothesized disease.     

Pharmacodynamic Modeling for Change of Locomotor Activity by Methylphenidate in Rats

Purpose. The locomotive activity changes after intravenous (i.v.) administration of methylphenidate (MPD) in rats were pharmacodynamically analyzed. Methods. MPD concentration in plasma, MPD concentration and dopamine (DA) level in striatal dialysate collected by microdialysis method, and the locomotor activity after i.v. administration of MPD (2, 5 and 10 mg/kg doses) were used for the analysis. Results. The transport of MPD from plasma to the interstitial fluid in the brain could be expressed by the linear two-compartment model. The clockwise hysteresis between the MPD concentration and the DA level in the dialysate could be explained by the pharmacodynamic model considering Michaelis-Menten type reuptake process of the extracellular DA into the terminal of the dopaminergic nerve and its competitive inhibition by the extracellular MPD. The inhibition constant (K_i) of MPD for DA reuptake was estimated to be 41.3 ± 73.8 nM (mean ± SE), which was closely consistent with the in vitro value after correction with dialysis recovery. The relationship between DA level in dialysate and locomotor activity was expressed by the Emax model considering two contrary effects, hyperkinesia and stereotypy. The bi-phasic locomotor activity-time profiles after high dose of MPD could be represented by this model. Conclusions. The developed model made it possible to explain the tolerance in DA increase and the complicated locomotive change induced by MPD, and may be useful for other DA reuptake inhibitors, such as amphetamine and methamphetamine.     

Modulation of cytokine production from an EpiOcular corneal cell culture model in response to Staphylococcus aureus superantigen

The present study investigated the hypothesis that Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEE) produces epithelial cell death and releases inflammatory cytokines that produce stromal infiltration during contact lens induced peripheral ulceration. Epithelial cells were incubated with different doses of SEB for various time periods. Culture supernatants were assayed for cytokines IL- lo, IL-6 and chemotactic agents IL-8 and LTB,. SEE induced the production of IL- I p and IL-8. Epithelial cells exposed for longer periods (48 h) with low concentrations of SEB produced significantly higher levels (N0.02) of IL-Ip and IL-8 (P<0.05) compared t o a 24 h exposure. SEB did not induce the production o f IL-6 and