Derivation and Validation of a Model to Predict 30-Day Readmission in Surgical Patients Discharged to Skilled Nursing Facility

ObjectivesTo identify factors associated with 30-day all-cause readmission rates in surgical patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and derive and validate a risk score.DesignRetrospective cohort.Setting and participantsPatients admitted to 1 tertiary hospital's surgical services between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2014 and subsequently discharged to 110 SNFs within a 25-mile radius of the hospital. The first 2 years were used for the derivation set and the last 2 for validation.MethodsData were collected on 30-day all cause readmissions, patient demographics, procedure and surgical service, comorbidities, laboratory tests, and prior health care utilization. Multivariate regression was used to identify risk factors for readmission.ResultsDuring the study period, 2405 surgical patients were discharged to 110 SNFs, and 519 (21.6%) of these patients experienced readmission within 30 days. In a multivariable regression model, hospital length of stay [odds ratio (OR) per day: 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.04], number of hospitalizations in past year (OR 1.24 per hospitalization, 95% CI 1.18-1.31), nonelective surgery (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18-1.65), low-risk service (orthopedic/spine service) (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.25-0.42), and intermediate-risk service (cardiothoracic surgery/urology/gynecology/ear, nose, throat) (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.88) were associated with all-cause readmissions. The model had a C index of 0.71 in the validation set. Using the following risk score [0.8 × (hospital length of stay) + 7 × (number of hospitalizations in past year) +10 for nonelective surgery, +36 for high-risk surgery, and +20 for intermediate-risk surgery], a score of >40 identified patients at high risk of 30-day readmission (35.8% vs 12.6%, P < .001).Conclusions/ImplicationsAmong surgical patients discharged to an SNF, a simple risk score with 4 parameters can accurately predict the risk of 30-day readmission.     

兰州百合多糖BHP-1的化学结构与形貌分析

目的:以兰州百合鳞茎中分离和纯化得到的多糖BHP-1为主要研究对象,综合运用仪器分析和化学反应等手段研究其初步的形貌特征和化学结构。方法:采用热重分析(TG)及扫描电镜(SEC)技术分别分析多糖BHP-1的热稳定性和形貌结构特征;通过气相色谱-质谱联用(GC-MS)技术,结合部分酸水解、高碘酸钠氧化-Smith降解以及核磁共振波谱(NMR)分析等方法对多糖BHP-1的化学结构进一步的进行解析。结果:BHP-1是以1,4连接的α-D-吡喃葡萄糖和1,4连接的β-D-吡喃甘露糖为基本骨架的甘露葡聚糖,在葡萄糖和甘露糖的2位和/或3位形成主要的分支,主链或支链的末端残基主要为T-α-D-吡喃葡萄糖,同时在其结构片段中含有少量的O-乙酰基。热重分析显示BHP-1在220℃开始发生降解,520℃基本结束,说明BHP-1热稳定性良好。形貌分析显示BHP-1表面光滑有大量凹陷,凹陷处多为片层结构错落紧密堆积而成,并交织下陷呈不规则的孔洞。结论:多糖BHP-1是一种热稳定性良好,表面光滑有大量的凹陷和孔洞,并含少量O-乙酰基的甘露葡聚糖,其化学结构为首次报道。     

赤芝FPS基因酵母单杂交文库构建及其上游转录因子的筛选

目的筛选赤芝三萜合成途径中法尼基焦磷酸合酶(farnesyl diphosphate synthase,FPS)基因的上游调控转录因子。方法首先克隆了FPS基因启动子,并连接至pAbAi质粒构建诱饵载体pAbAi-FPS。将pAbAi-FPS转化Y1H酵母感受态细胞构建诱饵菌。采用SMART技术构建赤芝酵母单杂交cDNA文库,再将纯化的双链cDNA、pGADT7-Rec共转化诱饵菌株,筛选FPS上游的转录调控因子。结果构建了含pAbAi-FPS的诱饵载体并筛选出诱饵菌株,构建了cDNA文库并转化诱饵菌株,筛选出阳性克隆37个,得到作用FPS基因上游的转录调控因子18个,包括转录因子3个、核糖体蛋白5个及其他家族蛋白10个。结论筛选出转录因子GlSNF2、GlMHR和GlZn2Cys6为调控FPS表达的候选基因,为深入研究FPS基因的表达调控机制奠定了研究基础。     

Liver Transplantation Following Life-threatening Abdominal Trauma: A Case Series of 5 Patients at a Single Institution

Managing traumatic liver injury (TLI) is always challenging and demands precise clinical judgment. Currently, treatment of TLI in most circumstances is non-operative; however, surgical therapy might be required for severe TLI, particularly those that result in extensive blood loss. In the current institutional study carried out from June 1995 to April 2017, we describe our experience with 5 patients who received an orthotopic liver transplant for severe TLI. One patient passed away postoperatively from cerebral edema; 1 patient died of renal failure 4 years after the liver transplantation, and 3 patients are still alive. Based on our experience, we conclude that in patients with TLI, especially those with uncontrollable bleeding or those who develop liver failure, liver transplantation should be taken into consideration.