Global thinking,local action

This article examines the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons to several Third World countries, exemplified by recent events in Iraq, and the possibility of rapid acquisition of a nuclear weapons capability in developed countries. It considers the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations in preventing proliferation and calls for wider powers for the latter. The role of the civil nuclear power industry and of reprocessing of nuclear fuel to produce plutonium is stressed, with emphasis on the part played by nuclear power in Japan and the THORP reprocessing plant at Sellafield.     

A simulated passive intervertebral motion task: observations of performance in a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Passive motion palpation is an integral component in examination, diagnosis or classification, and treatment of persons with mechanical disorders of the cervical spine. If the magnitude of force application during passive movement assessment is associated with greater palpatory accuracy has not been established.

Methods: This investigation used a novel mechanical model as a basis for assessing the palpatory force of students and clinicians. The model included multiple palpable resistance and displacement levels similar to that observed in humans. The ability of the subjects to discriminate the various levels of resistance and displacement offered by the model was concurrently measured.

Results: Large variability occurred in the amount of force applied by the subjects in completing the palpatory examination. The data indicated no major differences in palpatory accuracy across the student and clinician groups with different training and experience levels beyond basic competency. Those subjects applying less force in the palpatory exam demonstrated greater accuracy of palpatory assessment with one measure.

Discussion: The data indicate training and experience had minimal relationship to palpatory interpretation precision beyond the basic level and individual natural discriminatory ability may be a factor in accuracy of palpatory skill. The results demonstrate remarkable inconsistency in palpatory force among examiners and suggest that palpatory accuracy may be related to less force application.     

Leisure participation for school-aged children with Down syndrome

Purpose.?To describe leisure participation for school-aged children with Down syndrome and to investigate how factors, classified by the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, influence their leisure participation.

Method.?Families in Western Australia with a child aged 5–18 years with Down syndrome were surveyed in a population-based study (n == 208) in 2004.

Results.?One-third of parents reported that their child with Down syndrome had no friends although half reported two or more friends. Factors affecting number of friendships included the child's functional ability, behavioural issues and parent's availability of time. Those children with higher functional independence scores in daily tasks were more likely to have two or more friends than those with lower functional independence scores (OR: 1.02, 95%% CI 1.01–1.04 for a single point increase in WeeFIM score). All children participated in predominantly solitary and sedentary leisure activities.

Conclusions.?Leisure participation was affected by complex factors both within and external to the child with Down syndrome. Further investigation of the relevance of these factors to leisure may enable more satisfying and meaningful participation in leisure for school-aged children with Down syndrome.     

Pain as a Human Right

On October 11, 2004, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Federation of IASP Chapters (EFIC) held a Global Day against Pain campaign to promote pain relief as a human right. International leaders in pain management and public health participated in the full day program that took place in Geneva Switzerland and was simultaneously broadcast around the world through the Word Wide Web. The declaration and statements that were released and announced, and selected contents of the program are summarized in this report.     

老年股骨颈骨折行保留关节囊人工髋关节置换术效果评价

目的：探讨分析保留关节囊人工髋关节置换术的临床效果。方法将120例老年股骨颈骨折患者随机分为实验组和对照组,两组各占全部患者的二分之一,对实验组患者采取保留关节囊人工髋关节置换术进行救治,对照组患者则采取不保留关节囊人工髋关节置换术进行救治。检测两组的治疗效果,并进行分析。结果治疗结束后,一个月后两组的Harris评分优良率有显著的统计学差异,一年半后,评分差异无统计学意义。实验组患者的皮肤切口、手术时间、下床活动时间及弃拐时间与对照组相比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),实验组优于对照组。但二者在出血量、引流量两方面的差异并无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论保留关节囊人工髋关节置换术治疗老年股骨颈骨折效果良好,值得在临床工作中推广应用。     

膝骨关节炎患者本体感觉、肌力及关节功能的相关性研究

目的 通过研究膝骨关节炎患者的膝关节本体感觉、屈伸肌群峰力矩及膝关节功能,探索三者之间的相关性。方法 本研究共纳入56例膝骨关节炎患者。本体感觉评估和膝关节屈伸肌群肌力评估均采用Isomed 2000等速肌力测试训练仪。个体本体感觉功能以膝关节的被动运动感知阈为评价指标,膝关节屈伸肌群肌力以膝关节屈伸肌群的峰力矩及峰力矩体质量比为评价指标。膝关节功能评估采用WOMAC问卷量表。同时对上述三者的相关性进行分析。再以膝骨关节炎患者关节功能WOMAC评分为因变量,年龄、体质量指数、 VAS疼痛评分、双侧Kellgren-Lawrance分级均值、双侧股四头肌肌力均值、双侧腘绳肌肌力均值、双侧本体感觉误差均值作为自变量进行多元逐步回归分析。结果 膝关节左、右侧本体感觉与股四头肌肌力及腘绳肌肌力均存在负相关（ Pr=0.659, Pr分别为－0.511、－0.408, PB）=0.385, P=0.007〕、VAS疼痛评分（B=0.347, P=0.014）与WOMAC评分呈正相关。结论 膝骨关节炎患者本体感觉-被动运动感知阈的低下与关节屈伸肌群肌力下降及关节功能下降有关。膝骨关节炎患者疼痛程度、本体感觉功能一定程度上参与影响膝骨关节炎患者的关节功能。     

血清Lp-PLA2、Hcy及hs-CRP联合检测对急性冠状动脉综合征辅助诊断的临床价值

目的 探讨血清脂蛋白相关磷脂酶A2(Lp-PLA2)、同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)及超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)联合检测对急性冠状动脉综合征(ACS)的诊断价值。方法 收集2019年1月至12月延安大学附属医院心血管内科就诊的ACS患者140例, 其中不稳定心绞痛(UA)患者60例(UA组), 急性心肌梗死(AMI)80例(AMI组), 选取同期本院体检中心的健康人群100例为对照组(HC组), 测定各组Lp-PLA2、Hcy、hs-CRP水平。评价3项指标单独及联合检测对AMI的诊断性能。采用单因素方差比较各组间检测指标的差异, 采用受试者工作曲线评价各检测指标的诊断性能。结果 受试者Lp-PLA2、Hcy、hs-CRP水平(中位数), HC组分别为:194.5 μg/L、7.65 μmol/L、2.96 mg/L;UA组的分别为:301 μg/L、9.15 μmol/L、6.25 mg/L;AMI组的分别为:376 μg/L、14.5 μmol/L、5.95 mg/L。AMI组Lp-PLA2、Hcy水平高于UA组(t₂=23.317、1.799, 均P＜0.05), AMI组Lp-PLA2、Hcy、hs-CRP水平高于HC组(t₁=20.811、1.600、2.695, P＜0.05)。单独检测时, Lp-PLA2对AMI的诊断性能最大(AUC=0.781);两两联合检测时, Lp-PLA2+Hcy联合检测对AMI的诊断性能较好(AUC=0.838, Se=77.5%, Sp=81.7%, YI=0.592);Lp-PLA2+Hcy+hs-CRP(AUC=0.838, Se=78.8%, Sp=81.7%, YI=0.605)联合检测的灵敏度高于Lp-PLA2+Hcy联合检测, 但未能显著提高对AMI的诊断性能。结论 单独检测时, Lp-PLA2对AMI的诊断性能较好, 而Lp-PLA2+Hcy联合检测时对AMI有较高的诊断性能。     

弹性髓内钉对儿童前臂骨折临床疗效及并发症的影响

目的 探究弹性髓内钉（ESIN）对儿童前臂骨折手术效果及并发症的影响。方法 选取2015年12月至2018年12月安徽省太和县中医院行ESIN治疗的40例患儿为ESIN治疗组,选择同期行钢板手术治疗的40例患儿为钢板治疗组。术中记录两组患儿手术切口长度、术中出血量情况;术后4周内观察患儿骨折部位骨痂形成占比情况、骨折愈合时间、关节功能评价、术后并发症发生情况以及临床疗效。结果 ESIN治疗组患儿术中切口长度及出血量均低于钢板治疗组（P<0.05）;ESIN治疗组骨折4周内骨痂形成占比情况、骨折愈合时间、关节功能与治疗总有效率均优于钢板治疗组（P<0.05）;ESIN治疗组患儿术后并发症发生率较钢板治疗组高,但两组差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论 ESIN治疗儿童前臂骨折具有创伤小、愈合时间短、术后关节功能评价较好等特点,但该法可能出现的术后并发症需予以重视。     

垂体生长激素腺瘤患者血清miR-212与SIRT1表达及与预后相关性

【摘要】 目的 探讨微小RNA-212（miR-212）、沉默信息调节因子1(SIRT1)在垂体生长激素（GH）腺瘤患者血清中的表达水平及与预后的关系。方法 纳入2016年1月~2019年8月空军军医大学第一附属西京医院收诊的58例垂体GH腺瘤患者设为观察组,选取同期于本院体检的62例健康者设为健康组;采用实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）法检测所有研究对象血清miR 212、SIRT1、缺氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）、血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）表达水平;比较不同预后垂体GH腺瘤患者血清miR-212、SIRT1、HIF-1α、VEGF水平;采用Pearson法分析垂体GH腺瘤患者血清miR-212、SIRT1表达水平与HIF-1α、VEGF相关性及miR-212表达水平与SIRT1的关系;采用受试者特征工作曲线（ROC）评价血清miR-212、SIRT1对垂体GH腺瘤患者预后的诊断价值。结果 观察组患者血清miR-212表达水平明显低于健康组（t=7.434,P＜0.05）,血清SIRT1、HIF-1α、VEGF表达水平明显高于健康组（P＜0.05）;未缓解组垂体GH腺瘤患者血清miR-212表达水平明显低于缓解组（P＜0.05）,血清SIRT1、HIF-1α、VEGF表达水平明显高于缓解组（t=2.536、3.242、2.638,P＜0.05）;垂体GH腺瘤患者血清miR-212表达水平与HIF-1α、VEGF、SIRT1水平均呈负相关（P＜0.05）,血清SIRT1表达水平与HIF-1α、VEGF呈正相关（P＜0.05）;血清miR-212、SIRT1水平对垂体GH腺瘤患者不良预后评估的曲线下面积（AUC）为0.873、0.862,对应截断值分别为0.52、1.94,此时对应灵敏度分别为81.3%、75.0%,特异度分别为88.1%、85.7%;两者联合诊断垂体GH腺瘤的AUC为0.938,其灵敏度、特异度分别为93.8%、81.0%。结论 垂体GH腺瘤血清miR-212表达下调,SIRT1表达上调,两者可能与HIF-1α、VEGF相互作用,进而协同垂体GH腺瘤发生与发展,miR-212、SIRT1有望成为评估垂体GH腺瘤预后的参考指标,两者联合检测可有效提高垂体GH腺瘤预后价值。