Geometric bionics: Lotus effect helps polystyrene nanotube films get good blood compatibility

Various biomaterials have been widely used for manufacturing biomedical applications including artificial organs, medical devices and disposable clinical apparatus, such as vascular prostheses, blood pumps, artificial kidney, artificial hearts, dialyzers and plasma separators, which could be used in contact with blood^1^. However, the research tasks of improving hemocompatibility of biomaterials have been carrying out with the development of biomedical requirements^2^. Since the interactions that lead to surface-induced thrombosis occurring at the blood-biomaterial interface become a reason of familiar current complications with grafts therapy, improvement of the blood compatibility of artificial polymer surfaces is, therefore a major issue in biomaterials science^3^. After decades of focused research, various approaches of modifying biomaterial surfaces through chemical or biochemical methods to improve their hemocompatibility were obtained^1^. In this article, we report that polystyrene nanotube films with morphology similar to the papilla on lotus leaf can be used as blood-contacted biomaterials by virtue of Lotus effect^4^. Clearly, this idea, resulting from geometric bionics that mimicking the structure design of lotus leaf, is very novel technique for preparation of hemocompatible biomaterials

Implementation and effect of daily review method in management of cardiovascular surgical intensive care unit

目的  探讨日点评分析法对心血管重症监护室内病人护理质量的提高及对护士日常工作规范的重要性。方法  每日医护书面晨交班后，利用30min时间，由护士长主持，首先，根据医护晨交班的内容对于监护室内的病人基本病情请每位责任护士对自己所管的病人病情进行描述，责任组长补充，尤其对现存或潜在的护理问题重点指出。其次，根据病人的诊断、手术后的护理重点、现存或潜在的护理问题并结合国内外护理动态向当天值班的护士讲解。最后，根据病人术后恢复情况及病情向责任护士交待每位病人应观察的重点；向监护室的行政组长交待督导的重点、存在的安全隐患等。结果  医护满意度、 患者满意度、核心护理质量指标与去年同期相比均有较大幅度的提高。压疮、意外拔管、坠床等不良事件发生率均为零。结论  日点评分析法启用以来调动了护士的积极性。对于一些理论知识欠缺或临床经验较少的护士是一个很好的学习机会。使护士能够有重点的观察处理病人。并对当天的工作有非常周密的安排。Objective: To explore the effect of daily review method on normalization of nurses’ daily work as well as the improvement of the quality of nursing in the cardiovascular intensive patients at ICU. Methods: The head nurse hosts the daily review, to fully use of 30 minutes, after handover of medical records in the morning. First of all, every nurse is required to describe the basic conditions of the patients in ICU according to the contents of medical records, the leader added, especially for existing or potential problems. Second, explain patient’s diagnosis, the key points of nursing after operation, the existing or potential nursing problems combined with the domestic and international nursing trends to the nurse on duty. Finally, teach the nurse in charge the priority during observation according to the patient’s postoperative recovery and the condition of the patient, and explain to the chief executive of ICU about the focus of monitor, the existence of security risks. Results: Health care satisfaction, patient satisfaction, core quality of care and quality indicators were significantly improved compared with the previous year. The incidence of adverse events such as pressure ulcer, accidental extubation and falling bed were all zero. Conclusion: Daily review analysis method could mobilize the enthusiasm of nurses, provides a good learning opportunity for nurses with a lack of theoretical knowledge and clinical experience. It enables nurses to mask focused observation and treatment of patients. And it facilitates a very thorough arrangement of the nurses.

Inhibition of Caspase-3, -6, -8 and -9 Expression in Rats with Acute Spinal Cord Injury by Cantharidin Treatment

Purpose: To demonstrate the anti-apoptotic effects of cantharidin in mice with acute spinal cord injury (ASCI).Methods: In total, 30 male Sprague-Dawley mice were divided into three groups of 10 animals each. ASCI was induced in two of the groups using a modified Allen's method, consisting of treatment with 10 mg/kg body weight cantharidin after injury, and sacrifice on days 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 to extract the spinal cord. The activity levels of caspase-3, -6, -8, and -9 were determined spectrophotometrically at 455 nm with a microplate reader.Results: The results showed that cantharidin treatment caused a significant reduction in the expression levels of all four caspases – caspase-3, -6, -8, and -9 – compared with the untreated groups. Two hours after ASCI, caspase levels in the cantharidin-treated group increased, reaching maximum after day 5, but were significantly lower than in the untreated group. The expression levels of caspases in the cantharidin-treated group were similar to those in the control group on days 20 and 30 following ASCI (p> 0.05).Conclusion: Cantharidin treatment exerts an anti-apoptotic effect against secondary spinal cord injury (SCI) by suppressing caspase activity. Thus, cantharidin may be suitable for the treatment of secondary SCI.Keywords: Cantharidin, Caspase, Anti-apoptotic, Inhibition, Regeneratio