Ill-health as a household norm: Evidence from other people's health problems

This paper proposes that an individual's self-assessed health (SAH) does not only suffer from systematic reporting bias and adaptation bias but is also biased owing to confounding health norm effects. Using 13 waves of the British Household Panel Survey covering the period 1991–2005, I show that, while there is a negative and statistically significant correlation between SAH and individuals' own health problem index, this negative effect reduces with the average number of health problems per (other) family member. The relative health bias is small, however, which implies that measures of SAH may not suffer seriously from systematic health norm bias. This is an important finding for researchers working with SAH data as it indicates that we do not have to worry too much about controlling for confounding influences from the health of other household members when estimating SAH regression equations.     

Policy determinants affecting the hunger millennium development goal

The possible effect of Government Consumption (a component of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) on attainment of the hunger Millennium Development Goal (MDG1) was analyzed by evaluating the effect of macroeconomic, social, demographic and policy variables on average undernourished population. Eighty-four developing countries with data available on undernourished population were included in an ecological study. Regression models were applied to explore possible determinants of Undernourished between 1990 and 2004 and consequent achievement of the projected 2004 MDG1. In 2004, 1.4% of the overall undernourished population in the studied countries [70.16 million people] was in excess of the projected level required to meet MDG1. The multiple linear regression showed significant associations between Undernourished and poverty levels, the Gini Index, rural population and Government Consumption. The multiple logistic regression showed significant associations between achievement of projected 2004 MDG1 levels and Government Consumption and the Gini Index. The significant associations between Undernourished and Government Consumption suggest that the effects of GDP components on social conditions call for more thorough research and that policymakers such as governments and international financial institutions need to ensure that changes in distributive and redistributive policies do not negatively affect the possibility of achieving MDG1.     

广东省梅县重点人群碘营养状况调查分析

Objective To estimate the present salt iodine content and iodine nutrition need of high risk population of iodine deficiency disorder in Meixian County. Methods Each primary school was selected from urban and rural areas(Xiyang Town, 20 kilometers away from Meixian County), the goiter rate of 8 to 10 year-old students was examined and urinary iodine and household salt iodine was sampled. Twenty to 40 year-old women of childbearing age nearby schools around the urban and villages around Xiyang Town were selected to collect their urine and salt samples. At urban hospitals and rural health centers, 0 to 2 year-old infant urine samples were collected, Thyroid gland was palpated and urinary iodine was determined by iodine in urine by As3+-Ce4+catalytic spectrophotometry, salt iodine was determined by direct titration. Results The goiter rates of 8 to 10 year-old students were 1.5 % (3/200), 1.0% (1/100) for the urban area and 2.0% (2/100) for rural area. Median of urinary iodine in 8 to 10 year-old students, infants, women of childbearing age averaged at 237.1 μg/L and 280.1, 234.7,187.6 μg/L respectively, with each being 287.4,245.0,205.5 μg/L in urban area and 278.9,228.5,176.4 μg/L in rural area. Women of childbearing age had a higher percentage of urinary iodine < 50.0 μg/L than students,students had a higher percentage than infants, each being 7.5%(15/200), 4.5%(9/200), 4.0%(4/100). The ration of urinary iodine > 300.0 μg/L was more in infants than in students, that in students was more than that in women of childbearing age, each being 33.0% (33/100), 30.0% (60/200),22.5% (45/200). The median of salt iodine was 27.2 mg/kg. The coverage of iodized salt was 100.0%(400/400). Ninty-seven percent(194/200) and 96.0% (192/200) of qualified iodized salt were consumed in urban area and in rural area. Conclusions The amount of iodine added to salt meets the requirement in the 3 kinds population risk of iodine deficiency disorder. But a higher iodine status has been found out in students and infants. It is reasonable to decrease the present salt iodine content.     

Intravenous fate of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-based polyplexes

The objective of this study was to assess the in vivo fate of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (pDMAEMA)-based polyplexes after intravenous administration into mice. Circulation kinetics and tissue distribution in terms of plasmid localization and transfection efficiency were assessed. To gain more insight into the observed biodistribution and gene expression profile, the interaction of pDMAEMA-based polyplexes with blood components (erythrocytes and albumin) was investigated in vitro. In the case of i.v. injection of positively charged polyplexes at a dose of 30 microg DNA most of the radioactivity was found in the lungs and the liver 60 min after injection. In the case of pDMAEMA/DNA polyplexes with a negative charge, uptake occurred mainly by the liver. Administration of positively charged complexes at a 30 microg DNA dose resulted in reporter gene expression primarily in the lungs. Injection of negatively charged complexes and naked plasmid did not result in luciferase expression in any of the organs examined. In vitro turbidity experiments showed the induction of a charge dependent aggregation process upon addition of albumin to the polyplexes pointing out to the involvement of aggregate formation in the dominant lung uptake of the positively charged polyplexes. Also, incubations of polyplexes after pre-incubation with a physiological concentration of albumin with washed erythrocytes confirmed that polyplexes induce the formation of extremely large structures. This paper underlines the need for the design of systems with reduced interaction with blood components to promote the delivery of DNA to target tissues outside the lungs.     

三氧化二砷对CO2气腹下小鼠肿瘤腹壁戳口种植影响的实验研究

目的 研究腹腔内注射三氧化二砷(arsenic trioxide,As2O3)对小鼠CO2气腹下肝癌H22转移的影响. 方法 昆明鼠40只(清洁级),中腹部穿刺置入1 mm套管针,自套管针注入1×106肿瘤细胞后,建立CO2气腹,压力8 mm Hg,时间30 min.术后随机分4组,每组10只,分别腹腔内注入生理盐水,1 ml;As2O3(2 mg/kg),1 ml;As2O3(4 mg/kg),1 ml;As2O3(4mg/kg)+肝素(10 U/ml),共1 ml.气腹后第3、7天测量肿瘤黏附因子(CD44)、血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)的变化;比较各组生存状态、腹围、体重变化及转移瘤直径.结果 气腹后第3、7天,与对照组相比,各As2O3组CD44、VEGF表达均明显降低(P＜0.05).2个高剂量组的气腹后第3天VEGF、第7天CD44比低剂量组降低明显(P＜0.05).4组戳口种植率分别为9/10、8/10、7/10、6/10,差异无显著性(x2=2.667,P=0.446). 结论 As2O3对CO2气腹腹腔镜肿瘤生长转移有抑制作用.     

军队在职干部腰身指数与心血管危险因素相关性探讨

目的 研究用腰身指数（腰围/身高比值WHtR）作为腹型肥胖指标探讨与心血管危险因素的相关性。方法 对2005年3月～2006年12月入住广州疗养院的军队在职干部共495人进行身高、体重、腰围、血压、心率、生化等检测,并进行统计学分析。结果 腰身指数异常组的年龄、体重、SBP、DBP、FBS、TC、TG以及尿酸均显著高于腰身指数正常组,HDL-C的结果则相反（P〈0.01～P〈0.001）;同时腰身指数与年龄、体重、SBP、DBP、FBS、TC、TG呈显著正相关,与HDL-C呈显著负相关（P〈0.05～P〈0.001）。结论 腰身指数可作为有效的腹型肥胖参考指标,腰身指数异常者其心血管危险因素水平比正常者高,及时控制腰身指数可以有效改善人群的健康状况。     

Learning to Observe Relationships and Coping

Milieu relationships provide the critical background presence to staff's attempts to motivate, regulate, and teach patients how to cope with stress. Forging a connection with hospitalized children and adolescents demands attention to how they respond to adults and engage with staff around milieu expectations. Assessment guides that deal with these issues are presented. Important aspects of children's relatedness are presented in the context of their working models of adults and the influence of these representations on their response to staff. Coping skills are explained with particular emphasis on behavioral coping strategies. Tied to the assessment process are interventions that emphasize staff's role in helping patients manage strong affects and avoid the use of nonproductive behavior regulation strategies.     

葛根素对血管性痴呆患者认知功能和事件相关电位P300的影响

目的观察葛根素对血管性痴呆（VaD）患者认知功能和听觉事件相关电位P300的影响。方法将70例VaD患者随机分成两组各35例，葛根素治疗组和对照组。应用简易精神状态检查量表（MMSE）评定两组患者治疗前后认知功能状况，并进行治疗前后P300检查。同时记录药物不良反应。结果两组各35例进入结果分析。治疗前两组MMSE评分、P300的潜伏期及波幅差异无显著性（均P〉0．05）。治疗14d、30d时，两组MMSE评分显著提高（均P〈0．01），P300潜伏期均有缩短，波幅均有提高（葛根素组P〈0．01，对照组P〈0．05）；治疗后14d时认知功能改善葛根素组明显优于对照组（总有效率分别为91．4％，71．4％）（P〈0．05）。两组治疗期间无严重不良反应。结论葛根素能够改善VaD患者的认知功能，这可能与葛根素的扩血管、脑保护作用有关。     

强脉冲光治疗浅表(皮肤)血管瘤临床观察

目的：观察强脉冲光（IPL）治疗浅表（皮肤）血管瘤的疗效。方法：选择60例浅表（皮肤）血管瘤患者,随机分为治疗组和对照组,治疗组用535nm、580nm强脉冲光治疗皮损,每三周治疗一次,三次为一个疗程;对照组采用波长为532nm的Q开关Nd：YAG激光治疗,每两周治疗一次,三次为一个疗程。观察两组皮损的治愈率、并发症等情况,并行统计学处理。结果：治疗组皮损三次治愈率明显高于对照组（P〈0.01）,患处瘢痕形成及炎症性色素沉着发生率均低于对照组。结论：强脉冲光（IPLTM）治疗浅表（皮肤）血管瘤效果满意。     

Iron deficiency down-regulates the Akt/TSC1-TSC2/mammalian Target of Rapamycin signaling pathway in rats and in COS-1 cells

Iron deficiency (ID) is one of the most commonly known forms of nutritional deficiencies. Low body iron is thought to induce neurologic defects but may also play a protective role against cancer development by cell growth arrest. Thus, ID may affect cellular pathways controlling cell growth and proliferation, the mechanism of which is still not fully understood. The serine/threonine protein kinase Akt and its downstream target, the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR), is known to play a crucial role in the regulation of cell growth and survival. Therefore, we hypothesized that Akt/mTOR pathway could be influenced by ID. Three-week-old male Wistar-strain rats were divided into 3 groups and the 2 groups had free access to a control diet (C group) or an iron-deficient diet (D group). The third group (PF group) were pair-fed the control diet to the mean intake of the D group. After 4 weeks, rats were killed and their brains were sampled. In separate experiments, COS-1 cells were cultured with or without the iron chelator deferoxamine. Western blots of brain samples and COS-1 lysates were used to analyze the expression and phosphorylation state of Akt, TSC2, mTOR, and S6 kinase proteins implicated in the Akt/mTOR pathway. Using 2 different ID models, we show for the first time that iron deficiency depresses Akt activity in rats and in COS-1 cells, leading to a decrease in mTOR activity.