Oral mifepristone 600 mg and vaginal gemeprost for mid-trimester induction of abortion: An open multicenter study

This open multicenter study was performed in 20 hospital gynecological units in the UK. The effects of 600 mg oral mifepristone as pretreatment to vaginal prostaglandin induction of second second trimester abortion was studied in 267 women.

The primary efficacy variable was the abortion induction interval, defined as the time taken to expel the fetus from the time of administration of the first prostaglandin pessary. Induction was commenced 36 to 48 hours following mifepristone intake.

The mean abortion induction interval was 7 h. A total of 81.9% of women aborted within 12 h. There was a significant relationship between abortion induction interval and age of gestation, and a significant inverse relationship between abortion induction interval and parity.

Vomiting, pelvic pain, and nausea were the most frequently reported adverse events. Two patients required transfusion and one patient with a uterine scar from a previous cesarean section suffered a ruptured uterus and hysterotomy.     

构建玻片蛋白质芯片的实验研究

目的:探讨玻片蛋白质芯片的构建方法及其中间操作条件的选择与优化。方法:利用生物芯片点样仪将超微量蛋白质点到经特殊处理的玻璃片表面,然后选用不同的化学试剂对玻片背景进行封闭;再用荧光素标记的蛋白质与点样蛋白杂交;最后用生物芯片分析仪扫描成像并进行分析,比较不同条件下芯片的显示效果。结果:蛋白质样品与片基稳定结合,并保持原活性状态;封闭试剂选用酪蛋白或明胶效果较佳;点样探针与其特异蛋白质抗体可稳定结合,结合效果与点样蛋白浓度在一定范围内呈正相关;在1.6 cm×1.6 cm的玻璃片面积上,构建了36×36=1269点的蛋白质芯片。结论:本实验条件下,蛋白质抗原或抗体可以稳定地固定于经过处理的玻璃片表面.制成免疫型蛋白芯片,并可通过随后的抗原抗体反应与荧光素标记的相应抗体或抗原结合,用生物芯片分析仪可对其荧光信号进行检测分析。     

The challenges facing nurse-midwives in working towards Safe Motherhood in Malawi

A midwife is the only health worker most of the women of the childbearing group in Malawi will ever meet in their lifetime. A midwife plays an essential role in the promotion of health and provision of care to these women. It is therefore, very important that midwives be available for the well being of these women. However, mere presence of midwives is not adequate for women''s optimal health.     

UK prospective diabetes study (UKPDS)

Summary The UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) is a multi-centre, prospective, randomised, intervention trial of 5100 newly-diagnosed patients with Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus which aims to determine whether improved blood glucose control will prevent complications and reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. Newly presenting Type 2 diabetic patients aged 25–65 years inclusive, median age 53 years, median body mass index 28 kg/m² and median fasting plasma glucose 11.3 mmol/l, were recruited and treated initially by diet. Ninety five percent remained hyperglycaemic (fasting plasma glucose > 6 mmol/l) and were randomly allocated to different therapies. In the main randomisation, those who were asymptomatic and had fasting plasma glucose under 15 mmol/l were allocated either to diet policy, or to active policy with either insulin or sulphonylurea aiming to reduce the fasting plasma glucose to under 6 mmol/l. Over 3 years, the median fasting plasma glucose in those allocated to diet policy was 8.9 mmol/l compared with 7.0 mmol/l in those allocated to active policy. The Hypertension in Diabetes Study has been included in a factorial design to assess whether improved blood pressure control will be advantageous. Patients with blood pressure 160/90 mm Hg were randomly allocated to tight control aiming for < 150/85 mm Hg with either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or a Beta-blocker or to less tight control aiming for < 200/105 mm Hg. The endpoints of the studies are major clinical events which affect the life and well-being of patients, such as heart attacks, angina, strokes, amputations, blindness and renal failure. To date, 728 patients have had at least one clinical endpoint. Surrogate endpoints include indices of macrovascular and microvascular disease detected by ECG with Minnesota Coding, retinal colour photography and microalbuminuria. The studies also aim to evaluate potential risk factors for the development of diabetic complications such as smoking, obesity, central adiposity, plasma LDL-and HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, urate and other biochemical variables. The studies are planned to terminate in 1994, with a median follow-up of 9 years (range 3–16 years) for the glucose study and 5 years (range 2–6 years) for the hypertension study.     

Optimizing the management of patients with spinal myeloma disease

Myeloma is one of the most common malignancies that results in osteolytic lesions of the spine. Complications, including pathological fractures of the vertebrae and spinal cord compression, may cause severe pain, deformity and neurological sequelae. They may also have significant consequences for quality of life and prognosis for patients. For patients with known or newly diagnosed myeloma presenting with persistent back or radicular pain/weakness, early diagnosis of spinal myeloma disease is therefore essential to treat and prevent further deterioration. Magnetic resonance imaging is the initial imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of spinal disease. Treatment of the underlying malignancy with systemic chemotherapy together with supportive bisphosphonate treatment reduces further vertebral damage. Additional interventions such as cement augmentation, radiotherapy, or surgery are often necessary to prevent, treat and control spinal complications. However, optimal management is dependent on the individual nature of the spinal involvement and requires careful assessment and appropriate intervention throughout. This article reviews the treatment and management options for spinal myeloma disease and highlights the value of defined pathways to enable the proper management of patients affected by it.