Difference in Survival in Early Kidney after Liver Transplantation Compared with Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation: Evaluating the Potential of the “Safety Net”

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The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on general health status and on the use of prostatectomy

Our objective was to determine the extent to which lower urinary tract symptoms affect the general health status of men and contribute to the decision to undergo surgery. A cross-sectional population survey using postal questionnaires was conducted in the North West Thames health region, followed by a prospective cohort study of men undergoing prostatectomy (North West Thames and Oxford regions). The subjects in the first survey were 221 men aged 55 and over with previously reported mild, moderate or severe urinary symptoms; subjects in the second study were 388 men undergoing prostatectomy. Main outcome measures were selfreported symptom severity, bothersomeness and general health status (Nottingham Health Profilie, Part 1). The response rate among eligible responders in the population survey was 85.7%. Increasing symptom severity was associated with worsening NHP scores for energy, emotional reactions, sleep and physical mobility (p<0.01). Increasing bother-someness of symptoms was associated with emotional reactions, sleep and pain (p<0.05). Men undergoing surgery reported worse health status than men in the population with the same severity of symptoms as regards emotional reactions, energy and pain. For a given level of symptom severity, the impact of those symptoms on aspects of a man's general health status may be the determinant of seeking and undergoing surgery. Greater understanding of the factors that affect a man's response to his symptoms is needed in interpreting the decision to seek and accept treatment.     

A Comparison of Two Simple Measures to Evaluate the Health Status of Asthmatics: The Asthma Bother Profile and the Airways Questionnaire 20

Simple and concise measures for health status are desirable in clinical practice. The Asthma Bother Profile (ABP), which consists of 23 items, has been developed to assess how much asthma bothers patients. The Airways Questionnaire 20 (AQ20) is a simple instrument which consists of 20 items. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the ABP and AQ20 evaluate the health status of patients with asthma. A total of 166 patients with chronic asthma (age: 48 ± 16 yr, 77 males) completed pulmonary function testing, measurement of airway hyperresponsiveness, dyspnea rating, assessments of their anxiety and depression (HADS; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and assessments of their health status. The health status was assessed using the ABP, AQ20, the short-form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36), the Living With Asthma Questionnaire (LWAQ) and the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). The Japanese version of the ABP included only 15 'bother' items out of the original 23 items due to cultural differences. The scores on the ABP were widely distributed, whereas the scores on the AQ20 were skewed towards the milder end of the scale. The ABP had a strong correlation with the Avoidance and Distress constructs on the LWAQ, and Anxiety and Depression on the HADS (Rs = 0.56 ∼ 0.79), and its strongest correlation with the General Health (Rs = - 0.64) scale among the 8 subscales on the SF-36. The AQ20 had a less significant correlation with the LWAQ, AQLQ, and SF-36 than the ABP. The ABP and AQ20 were short and simple to complete, and both measures could easily be used in clinical practice. The ABP can evaluate patients more specifically with respect to distress and bother than the AQ20.     

胎儿心脏外形的解剖学观测

目的:观测3~10月胎儿心脏重量及各表面结构的相关数值,探讨各结构随胎龄变化的规律和趋势。方法:取非正常分娩的、无心血管畸形的死亡胎儿心脏42例,甲醛固定后,按月龄分成8组,托盘天平称重后,测量表面各结构。结果:胎儿心脏重量为(6.31±5.53)g,其长径、宽径、前后径、周径、前室间沟径、后室间沟径、左缘径分别为(2.95±0.93)cm(、2.20±0.72)cm、(1.78±0.63)cm(、6.74±2.09)cm、(2.32±0.86)cm(、1.93±0.58)cm、(3.66±1.42)cm。结论:胎儿心脏外形各结构测量值随胎龄的增加而增大,且增大的速度不同。了解其正常数值对胎儿先天性心脏病的诊治有参考意义。     

细菌L型的医院感染及其质粒谱分析研究

目的为了全面防止医院感染,我们对细菌Ｌ型的医院感染进行了研究。方法对医院内环境中８００份标本及医院感染患者９１８份标本分离出的金黄色葡萄球菌Ｌ型、大肠埃希氏菌Ｌ型及铜绿假单胞菌Ｌ型进行了质粒谱分析和药敏试验。结果本院环境及医院感染患者细菌Ｌ型总检出率分别为１９．０％和１６．７％。不同来源的３种细菌Ｌ型的多重耐药性无显著性差异。不同来源３种细菌Ｌ型的同源性比例均较高,分别为９０．３％、７５．０％、８４．２％。结论细菌Ｌ型医院感染患者的病原菌主要来自医院内环境     

一种上下文集成的冲突处理方法

为了实现服务组合对环境的适应性,设计了能满足上下文动态集成的模型,并使用CC/PP的RDF创建P rofiles描述上下文。详细分析上下文集成中出现的冲突情况,定义优先级和效用因子,解决上下文集成中的冲突问题。结合原型系统进行测试,并给出了实验结果。研究结果表明:在不同的冲突策略情况下,该方法能在可接受的时间内解决冲突。     

The TEACCH program for children and adults with autism: A meta-analysis of intervention studies

The intervention program for autism known as Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) is considered an emerging practice for autism. In the present study we used state-of-the-art meta-analytical procedures to examine the pooled clinical effects of TEACCH in a variety of outcomes. A total of 13 studies were selected for meta-analysis totaling 172 individuals with autism exposed to TEACCH. Standardized measures of perceptual, motor, adaptive, verbal and cognitive skills were identified as treatment outcomes. We used inverse-variance weighted random effects meta-analysis supplemented with quality assessment, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, and heterogeneity and publication bias tests. The results suggested that TEACCH effects on perceptual, motor, verbal and cognitive skills were of small magnitude in the meta-analyzed studies. Effects over adaptive behavioral repertoires including communication, activities of daily living, and motor functioning were within the negligible to small range. There were moderate to large gains in social behavior and maladaptive behavior. The effects of the TEACCH program were not moderated by aspects of the intervention such as duration (total weeks), intensity (hours per week), and setting (home-based vs. center-based). While the present meta-analysis provided limited support for the TEACCH program as a comprehensive intervention, our results should be considered exploratory owing to the limited pool of studies available.     

Does the presence of maxillary midline diastema influence the perception of dentofacial esthetics in video analysis?

ObjectiveTo evaluate the influence of a midline diastema on dentofacial esthetic perceptions of orthodontists, restorative dental specialists or prosthodontists, and laypersons in a frontal facial evaluation performed by means of video.Materials and MethodsTwo individuals aged between 20 and 25 years, one of each gender, with presence of a midline diastema were selected. An acrylic resin mockup was made of the maxillary anterior region, simulating ideal conditions of smile esthetics. Four standardized frontal view videos of the complete face were filmed of each individual in the following situations: with the ideal smile (unchanged mockup) and with the presence of midline diastemas of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm created by the mockup. In all videos, the patient said a certain sentence and, at the end, simulated a posed smile. Dentofacial esthetic perceptions of all four videos of each individual were evaluated by 51 orthodontists, 51 restorative dental specialists or prosthodontists, and 51 laypersons by means of visual analog scales. Data were evaluated using analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc test, with the level of significance set at 5%.ResultsThe most attractive videos for all groups of examiners were those without diastema and with a diastema of 0.5 mm, for both the woman and the man. For a diastema of 1 mm or 1.5 mm, the dentofacial characteristics were considered unesthetic.ConclusionsDiastemas equal to or greater than 1 mm negatively influence dentofacial esthetics in a frontal facial evaluation performed by means of video.     

Introducing an innovative method in team conferences

An innovative method to structure multidisciplinary team conferences in rehabilitation medicine was developed: Rehabilitation Activities Profile report system (RAP-TEAM). Experiences with introduction of RAP-TEAM and the study of its effects on the satisfaction of professionals are described. RAP-TEAM was introduced in three teams. RAP-TEAM did not influence the satisfaction of professionals in two teams; satisfaction in the third team even decreased. Nevertheless, professionals report more benefits than disadvantages of RAP-TEAM. Several possible explanations for these results and the methodological problems with this kind of evaluation study are discussed. The most important explanation is that introduction of an innovative method should be allowed sufficient time before it could become effective. Recommendations for a successful introduction of innovative changes are made. All people concerned must be aware that a process of change is not simple, and needs the full attention of all.