High prevalence of depression symptomology among adolescents in Soweto,South Africa associated with being female and cofactors relating to HIV transmission

Adolescents in HIV endemic settings are a priority demographic with respect to HIV prevention. Some studies have shown that behaviours associated with HIV transmission, may be mediated by mental health factors such as depression. We undertook this study to explore the prevalence and associations of depression symptomology among adolescents living in the HIV endemic community of Soweto, South Africa through the Botsha Bophelo Adolescent Health Study (BBAHS). We estimated the prevalence of depression using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale, using a score of ≥24 to indicate ‘probable depression’. Among the 789 adolescents (14–19 years) with depression scores, 262 (33%) met the criteria for probable depression (99 [38%] men and 163 [62%] women; p = 0.061). In multivariable logistic regression, factors independently associated with depression included being female (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.45–4.00), marijuana use (AOR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.21–5.93), physical violence (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.01–2.62), pregnancy (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.03–3.88) and incarceration (AOR = 2.09, 95% CI: 0.99–4.42). These data indicate that a concerning proportion of adolescents in Soweto may be suffering from depression and those screened as potentially depressed, were more likely to be female and have cofactors relating to increased risk for HIV. As part of a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy, we recommend that depression screening for adolescents be integrated into public and school health programs that triage those suffering into treatment programs.     

Efficacy of red and infrared lasers in treatment of temporomandibular disorders — a double-blind,randomized, parallel clinical trial

Aim:

Low-level laser therapy has still not been well established, and it is important to define a standardized protocol for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) using low level laser. There is no consensus on controlled clinical trials concerning the best option for laser therapy with regard to wavelength. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of red and infrared laser therapy in patients with TMD, using a randomized parallel-group double-blind trial.

Methodology:

Each hemiface of 19 subjects was randomized to receive intervention, in a total of 116 sensitive points. Pain was measured at baseline and time intervals of 24 hours, 30 days, 90 days, and 180 days after treatment. Irradiation of 4 J/cm² in the temporomandibular joints and 8 J/cm² in the muscles was used in three sessions.

Results:

Both treatments had statistically significant results (P<0·001); there was statistical difference between them at 180 days in favor of the infrared laser (P?=?0·039). There was improvement in 24 hours, which extended up to 180 days in both groups.

Conclusion:

Both lasers are effective in the treatment and remission of TMD symptoms.     

Could the correct side of mediolateral episiotomy be determined according to anal sphincter EMG?

Introduction and hypothesis

Mediolateral episiotomy is one of the most frequent surgical interventions performed in obstetrics. There is conflicting evidence as to whether mediolateral episiotomy reduces the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASI). Recent studies suggest that functional asymmetry of pelvic floor innervation exists in healthy women and is strongly associated with postpartum incontinence when the trauma occurs on the dominant side of innervation. Mediolateral episiotomy is the most common cause of perineal trauma during delivery, and the surgical incision is usually performed on the mediolateral right side. Surface electromyography (EMG) has been recently applied in obstetrics for detecting electrical activity of the external anal sphincter (EAS).

Methods

Two hundred and forty-five pregnant nulliparous women at their second and third trimester of pregnancy were recruited, and EMG signals were detected using a multichannel cylindric anal probe. Measurements were repeated and compared 6–8 weeks after delivery on a subgroup of 167 women who were divided in two groups according to EMG amplitude asymmetry before delivery and two subgroups according to type of delivery: (1A) asymmetric left, episiotomy right; (1B) asymmetric left, other types of deliveries; (2A) asymmetric right, episiotomy right; (2B) asymmetric right, other type of deliveries.

Results

The reduction of EMG amplitude after right episiotomy was larger in women with right asymmetric sphincter compared with women with left asymmetry and women with other types of delivery.

Conclusions

Prenatal EMG may be used to predict the impact of right-sided mediolateral episiotomy on EAS and perhaps also function following delivery.

     

Thrombectomy of portal vein thrombosis in living donor liver transplantation

We describe a case of living donor liver transplantation where an intrahepatic portal vein embolism was detected by intraoperative ultrasonography after the completion of portal and arterial anastomoses. The recipient portal vein trunk was clamped and the ligature of the graft's right portal branch was released, thus maintaining the sole arterial supply. Backward flushing of the portal system was achieved, which removed the clot through the reopened right portal branch without the need for thrombectomy by Fogarty balloon catheter.     

牛津单髁膝关节置换：长期结果

牛津膝置换是使用最广泛的膝关节单髁置换（UKR）。牛津膝在37年前开始应用,拥有一个全匹配的活动衬垫,因而磨损率非常低。牛津膝最主要的使用指征是膝关节前内侧骨关节炎,这种病人至少占所有需要行膝关节置换术患者的50％。由于这一系统的设计特点,传统UKR的反指征,如年龄、活动量、肥胖、髌股关节损害和软骨钙质沉着症等对于牛津膝均不是反指征。与全膝关节置换（TKR）相比,牛津膝提供更快的康复、更好的功能、更大的活动度和更好的术后满意度,发生并发症更少、程度更轻,病残率和死亡率更低。一个持续超过30年的研究显示在90％的病例中,牛津膝为患者终生提供了优或良的临床结果,且不需要翻修。在最近15年,牛津膝通过微创手术入路植入,涉及6000多例使用该入路牛津膝置换的9个研究报道显示,10年生存率约95％。在许多这样的研究中,医生们在拟行膝关节置换的患者中约50％使用了牛津单髁膝置换。     

Multiple organ retrieval in a brain dead left ventricular assist device donor

Journal of Artificial Organs - Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support in donors may contribute in preserving proper haemodynamics and systemic perfusion during organ retrieval thus...     

关节部位Ⅲ度烧伤削痂植皮与切痂植皮的效果比较

目的:Ⅲ度烧伤创面的处理临床上仍然以切痂植皮术治疗为主,由于切痂时切除了并未损伤的皮下脂肪组织,使其愈后外观变化明显。实验拟观察关节部位Ⅲ度烧伤削痂后于脂肪层移植大张自体中厚皮的疗效,并与切痂植皮进行比较。方法:①于2001-01/2007-06南昌大学第一附属医院烧伤科收治的关节Ⅲ度烧伤患者中抽取39例(45个关节)作为削痂组,同时抽取45例(共60个关节)作为切痂组。所有患者对治疗及实验方案均知情同意,且得到医院伦理道德委员会批准。②削痂组削痂植皮,保留正常皮下脂肪等组织。切痂组切痂植皮,切痂平面包括全层皮肤和皮下脂肪组织一并切除直至深筋膜层。削痂或切痂后植大张自体中厚皮。③创面修复后4￣6周观察两组患者的关节外观和关节活动功能;比较两组患者术后2周的植皮成活率和创面修复时间。结果:两组患者均进入结果分析。①两组患者烧伤关节创面修复后与对称的正常关节比较,削痂组外观变化不明显,周径缩小3.6%(P>0.05),功能好,关节活动度减少5.3%(P>0.05);切痂组外观变化明显,周径缩小23.4%(P<0.05),功能较差,关节活动度减少21.9%(P<0.05)。②两组患者术后2周植皮成活率和创面修复时间差异均无显著性意义(P>0.05)。结论:脂肪层移植大张自体中厚皮于Ⅲ度烧伤削痂后关节部位,能够维护肢体的美观,保护关节功能,疗效优于切痂植皮。     

预防治疗2型糖尿病药物分子作用靶点的相关研究与进展

目的:综合分析2型糖尿病新药研究的分子靶点。资料来源:应用计算机检索Springer1990-01/2005-02和Pubmed2000-01/2005-08有关预防和治疗2型糖尿病药物的文献,检索词“diabetes,drug,target”,并限定文献语言种类为English。资料选择:对检索到的有关预防和治疗2型糖尿病药物的相关信息进行整理,筛选针对性强、影响因子较大、最近几年发表的论文。资料提炼:共检索到相关文献49篇,其中15篇符合要求,排除34篇。排除的文章中6篇是关于2型糖尿病的病理生理及生化方面的基础研究,其余为2型糖尿病预防和治疗效果方面的文献。资料综合:综合文献资料发现,以往研制的治疗糖尿病的药物或者因缺乏明确的分子靶点,或者因对疾病本身的病理反应不清楚,因而存在各种弊端。有关预防和治疗2型糖尿病和代谢综合征的分子靶点为抗糖尿病药物的研发展示了光明的前景,涉及的药物包括经典受体的小分子调节剂、酶作用靶点、蛋白质制剂和反义寡核苷酸等。结论:根据2型糖尿病和代谢综合征特异的病理反应机制作为筛选药物的分子基础是未来抗糖尿病药物研发的主攻方向。     

Hepatocellular carcinomas and primary liver tumors as predictive factors for postoperative mortality after liver resection: a meta-analysis of more than 35,000 hepatic resections

Liver resection is considered the therapeutic gold standard for primary and metastatic liver neoplasms. The reduction of postoperative complications and mortality has resulted in a more aggressive approach to hepatic malignancies. For the most part, results of liver surgery have been published by highly experienced institutions, but the observations of highly specialized units results may not reflect the current status of hepatic surgery, underestimating mortality and complications. The objective of this study is to evaluate morbidity and mortality as a result of liver resection for primary and metastatic lesions, analyzing a large number of studies with a meta-analytic process taking into account the overdispersion of data. An extensive literature search has been conducted, and 148 papers published between January 2000 and April 2008, including a total of 36,629 patients from both high-volume and low volume institutions, were included in the meta-analysis. A beta binomial model was used to provide a robust estimate of the summary event rate by pooling overdispersion binomial data from different studies. Overall morbidity and mortality after liver surgery were 29.32 per cent and 3.15 per cent, respectively. Significantly higher postoperative mortality was observed after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinomas and primary hepatic tumors. The application of a beta binomial model to correct for overdispersion of liver surgery data showed significantly higher postoperative mortality rates in patients with hepatocellular carcinomas or primary hepatic tumors after liver resection.     

Poikilocytic hereditary elliptocytosis associated with spectrin Alexandria: an alpha I/50b Kd variant that is caused by a single amino acid deletion

Hereditary elliptocytosis (HE) is a heterogeneous disorder of red blood cells frequently associated with abnormal limited tryptic digestion of the alpha I domain of spectrin and impaired spectrin dimer self- association. We studied two related individuals with poikilocytic hereditary elliptocytosis (HE) of different severity. Limited tryptic digestion of spectrin from these individuals showed the presence of a variant alpha I/50b Kd peptide at the expense of the normal alpha I/80 Kd peptide. Amino acid sequence analysis of the abnormal peptide showed that the proteolytic cleavage occurred after the arginine at position 470 of the alpha spectrin chain. Spectrin from these patients had an impaired ability to undergo self-association, as evidenced by increased amounts of spectrin dimers in 4 degrees C extracts of erythrocyte membrane from affected individuals. The polymerase chain reaction was used to study the DNA sequence of the alpha spectrin gene encoding the region of the alpha spectrin chain surrounding the abnormal proteolytic cleavage site. We detected the in-frame deletion of the trinucleotide CAT, encoding histidine 469, two amino acid residues to the N-terminal side of the abnormal proteolytic cleavage site between residues 470 and 471. Similar to many other defects of spectrin associated with HE, this deletion occurs in helix three of repeat 5 of the proposed triple helical model of spectrin repeats.