Objective To understand the distribution of medical resources in the various regions of Zhejiang so as to provide basis for furthering the rational allocation of health resources.Methods Using two-step cluster analysis based on intelligence cluster theories,medical resources in the 11 regions of Zhejiang were classified by calculating and comparing log-likelihood distances.Results The 11 regions were clustered into 4 different types of distribution according to AIC value,BIC value,and the principles of maximum distances and most optimal cluster and differentiation between the various types: type 1 included Hangzhou and Ningbo;type 2 included Zhoushan,Jinhua and Lishui;type 3 included Huzhou and Quzhou;type 4 included Wenzhou,Jiaxing,Shaoxing and Taizhou.Conclusion Medical resources in Zhejiang are unevenly distributed.The various regions there ought to take relevant measures to rationally allocate medical resources and improve the structure for the allocation of medical resources.

In this study,we summarized airway management of a series of patients with inhalation injury caused by smoke from smoke pot based on grade classification,which were:establishment of a special team for these classified patients,classifying the patients into four sub-groups including extremely severe,severe,moderate and mild,establishment of a program for trachea management and relevant measures on these classified sub-groups.Key points of management on extremely severe patients were as follows:protective isolation,mechanical ventilation,nursing of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema,prevention of tracheo-esophgeal fistula,nursing cooperation of fiberoptic bronchoscopy.Key points of management on severe patients were as follows:disinfection and isolation,rational oxygen therapy,sputum elimination management,observation of illness status,preparation of emergency treatment,prevention and nursing of complications.Key points of management on moderate patients were as follows:ventilation,oxygen uptake,aerosol inhalation,sputum elimination guidance,respiratory function training.For mild patients,there was no special management except ventilation,aerosol inhalation and regular pulmonary function examination.One patient died due to multiple organ failure complicated with massive hemoptysis,four patients recovered with airway scar proliferation and lung fibrosis,and fifty-five patients fully recovered.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in elderly patients over 80 years old with biliary-pancreatic diseases. Methods One hundred and twenty patients over 80 years old who underwent ERCP between January 2004 and April 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical efficacy, safety and complication were observed and followed up. Results One hundred and seventeen patients successfully underwent therapeutic ERCP and the success rate was 97.5%. All diseases of the patients included cholangiocarcinoma in 22 cases, duodenal papilla carcinoma in 3 cases, pancreatic carcinoma in 8 cases, acute pancreatitis in 15 cases, chronic pancreatitis in 5 cases, acute suppurative cholangitis in 9 cases and choledocholithiasis in 58 cases. During the procedure of ERCP, 3 cases failed to insert the duodenoscope, 3 cases were found hemobilia and 2 cases were found acute pancreatitis. Conclusions Therapeutic ERCP is effective and safe in elderly patients over 80 years. Age is not the contraindication of therapeutic ERCP.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of how curcumin improves pulmonary vascular remodeling associated with chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

METHODSThe model of chromic hypoxia hypercapniapulmoary remodeling was made. Twenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 6): group I (normoxia control group), group II (hypxia and hypercapnia model group), group II (disodium cromoglycate control group), group IV (curcumin treated group). The last 3 group rats were put in a hypoxia cabin where the concentrate of O2 was 8% - 11% and the concentrate of CO2 was 3% - 5%, for 8 h a day and lasting 4 w in total. Group III rats were intraperitoneally injected with disodium cromoglycate (20 mg/kg) and group IV rats were administrated with curcumin by gavage (150 mg/kg). The morphological changes of pulmonary vessel walls and the ultrastructure of mast cells were observed by the optics microscope and the transmission electron microscope. Mast cells and its degranulation state were measured by toluidine blue staining and immunohistochemistry. Data were expressed as means ± SD (standard deviation) and analyzed with SPSS17.0 software.

RESULTS(1) By optics microscopy observation, the value of WA/TA was significantly higher in II group than other groups (P < 0.05). (2) Electron microscope showed that the endothelial cells of pulmonary arterioles in III and IV group were near to I group and the proliferation of pulmonary arterial media smooth cell layer and collagen fibers in adventitia was much lighter than those in II group. The membrane of mast cells was more intact in I, III, IV group than II group. (3) The number of mast cells, the degranulation rate of master cells and the number of positive tryptase stained cells in II group were significantly more than those in other groups. (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin may inhibit the remodeling of pulmonary vessel induced by chronic hypoxia hypercapnia by mast cell regulation.

Animals ; Cell Degranulation ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Hypercapnia ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Remodeling ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDVon Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is an autosomal dominant familial cancer syndrome predisposing the affected individuals to multiple tumours in various organs. The genetic basis of VHL in Southern Chinese is largely unknown. In this study, we characterized the mutation spectrum of VHL in nine unrelated Southern Chinese families.

METHODSNine probands with clinical features of VHL, two symptomatic and eight asymptomatic family members were included in this study. Prenatal diagnosis was performed twice for one proband. Two probands had only isolated bilateral phaeochromocytoma. The VHL gene was screened for mutations by polymerase chain reaction, direct sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).

RESULTSThe nine probands and the two symptomatic family members carried heterozygous germline mutations. Eight different VHL mutations were identified in the nine probands. One splicing mutation, NM_000551.2: c.463+1G > T, was novel. The other seven VHL mutations, c.233A > G [p.Asn78Ser], c.239G > T [p.Ser80Ile], c.319C > G [p.Arg107Gly], c.481C > T [p.Arg161X], c.482G > A [p.Arg161Gln], c.499C > T [p.Arg167Trp] and an exon 2 deletion, had been previously reported. Three asymptomatic family members were positive for the mutation and the other five tested negative. In prenatal diagnosis, the fetuses were positive for the mutation.

CONCLUSIONSGenetic analysis could accurately confirm VHL syndrome in patients with isolated tumours such as sporadic phaeochromocytoma or epididymal papillary cystadenoma. Mutation detection in asymptomatic family members allows regular tumour surveillance and early intervention to improve their prognosis. DNA-based diagnosis can have an important impact on clinical management for VHL families.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein ; genetics ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease ; genetics

Humans ; Fasciitis/pathology* ; Fibroma/pathology* ; Gene Rearrangement ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics* ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase