RESUMO
2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), a marker of mitochondrial enzyme activity, is widely used to assess the effects of cerebral ischaemia in vivo. In the present study, we characterised its utility as a simple rapid macrohistological measure of ischaemic damage in brain slices. Coronal rat corticostriatal slices were incubated in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) until subjected to 'ischaemia' (deoxygenated, hypoglycaemic aCSF) for up to 12 min. After a further 30 min to 16 h of reincubation in oxygenated aCSF, slices were stained with TTC, fixed with formalin and transferred to cover slips. The slices were scanned in 8-bit greyscale using a standard desktop scanner and the staining analysed by densitometry of the acquired images. Control slices stained a rich pink/red. Ischaemia (10 min) reduced both the area and intensity of staining. Both measures of striatal staining were negatively correlated with the duration of ischaemia (0-12 min). Furthermore, staining in the striatum correlated significantly with cortical TTC staining. The effects of TTC concentration (0.063-0.5% w/v) and post-ischaemic interval (30 min to 16 h) were examined upon the intensity of TTC staining. (+)-MK 801 prevented the ischaemia-induced reduction in TTC staining, consistent with cerebroprotection. These data suggest that TTC staining of brain slices may be used to quantify ischaemic injury and cerebroprotection.
Assuntos
Isquemia Encefálica/patologia , Corantes , Densitometria/métodos , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacocinética , Sais de Tetrazólio , Animais , Isquemia Encefálica/tratamento farmacológico , Isquemia Encefálica/fisiopatologia , Córtex Cerebral/efeitos dos fármacos , Córtex Cerebral/patologia , Córtex Cerebral/fisiopatologia , Corantes/farmacologia , Técnicas de Cultura , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Masculino , Neostriado/efeitos dos fármacos , Neostriado/patologia , Neostriado/fisiopatologia , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Sais de Tetrazólio/farmacologia , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a revised obstetric booking policy whereby all low risk pregnant women received their antenatal care entirely in the community. DESIGN: Comparison of the distribution of antenatal clinic attendances, transfers, and perinatal mortality rates for 1987 and 1989, before and after introduction of the revised policy. SETTING: West Berkshire Health District. SUBJECTS: All women who delivered with a registrable birth in the district in 1987 (5817 women) and 1989 (5372). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Attendances at community and consultant antenatal clinics; bookings transferred from community care to consultant care; perinatal mortality rates. RESULTS: Of 5372 women delivering in West Berkshire in 1989, 3185 (58.3%) were originally booked for general practitioner-midwife care, of whom 1567 (49.2% of general practitioner-midwife bookings) were transferred to consultant care. 1618 women (30.1% of all women delivered) received their entire obstetric care from general practitioners and midwives. Attendance at hospital antenatal clinics was reduced by 16%. In 1989 the perinatal mortality rates (1987 values) for the district were 6.3 (7.6) per 1000 births overall; 8.2 (8.3) per 1000 consultant bookings; 5.0 (4.7) per 1000 for community bookings; and 10.2 (14.4) per 1000 for women transferred to consultant care. CONCLUSION: Antenatal care of low risk pregnant women may safely be provided by their general practitioner and midwife.
Assuntos
Serviços de Saúde Comunitária/organização & administração , Avaliação de Processos e Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Cuidado Pré-Natal/organização & administração , Adolescente , Adulto , Inglaterra , Medicina de Família e Comunidade , Feminino , Morte Fetal , Hospitalização , Humanos , Mortalidade Infantil , Recém-Nascido , Tocologia , Gravidez , Resultado da Gravidez , Encaminhamento e ConsultaRESUMO
An ortho-geriatric service operated by Bundoora Extended Care Centre and Preston and Northcote Community Hospital was established in 1991 to improve rehabilitative care and discharge planning of elderly hip fracture patients. 123 patients were treated during the first year of the service's operation. There was a 25 per cent reduction in the acute hospital length of stay, an increased proportion of patients discharged home and a decreased need for post-acute rehabilitation in comparison to figures for 1989, leading to a substantial reduction in the total number of bed-days occupied in the hospital system as a whole by hip fracture patients. An ortho-geriatric service is an effective means of helping to improve both patient and hospital centred outcomes for a condition which will be seen ever more commonly in the future.
Assuntos
Fraturas do Quadril/reabilitação , Hospitais Comunitários/organização & administração , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Centros de Reabilitação/organização & administração , Idoso , Fraturas do Quadril/epidemiologia , Humanos , Tempo de Internação/estatística & dados numéricos , Tempo de Internação/tendências , Planejamento de Assistência ao Paciente , Equipe de Assistência ao Paciente , Alta do Paciente/estatística & dados numéricos , Alta do Paciente/tendências , Avaliação de Programas e Projetos de Saúde , Centros de Reabilitação/estatística & dados numéricos , Vitória/epidemiologiaAssuntos
Absorciometria de Fóton , Processo Alveolar/diagnóstico por imagem , Cor , Humanos , MétodosAssuntos
Terapia Comportamental , Placa Dentária/prevenção & controle , Higiene Bucal , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMO
In a retrospective study the relation of reduced fetal heart rate variation to fetal acidemia was analyzed with a computerized system for numeric analysis. Between 1983 and 1987, 78 pregnancies were identified in which at least one record of the fetal heart rate had very low long-term variation. The outcome was analyzed to determine the numeric criteria of fetal heart rate variation that most efficiently detect a fetus that will die (preterminal) or is dying (terminal). Because fetal compromise was found on occasion to be associated with a slow sinusoidal fetal heart rate rhythm that increased measures of long-term variation. It was necessary to define a new index of short-term fetal heart rate variation (the 1/16 minute epoch-epoch variation). This was closely related to long-term variation (r = 0.9) but provided better detection of preterminal records as judged by metabolic acidemia at delivery or intrauterine death.