Did the March 2020 lockdown cause an increase in patients presenting to the emergency department with odontogenic pain and infection? A single centre,retrospective analysis

On the 25 March 2020 the Chief Dental Officer (CDO) published guidance to restrict the provision of routine dental care in England due to the rapid spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). We analysed the impact of the pandemic on the number of patients presenting with odontogenic pain and infection to the emergency department (ED) of an urban-based teaching hospital, the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI). Furthermore, we investigated the severity of infection at first presentation to the ED. The study period encompassed three phases that represented the stages of pandemic restrictions: phase 1 prior to lockdown measures, with no restrictions to dental practice; phase 2 during the government lockdown, with the severest restrictions on dental practices; and phase 3 following the ease of lockdown measures, with return to limited dental services. Data were collected retrospectively from electronic patient records (EPR) regarding adult patients presenting to the ED with dental pain. The rate of presentations (per week) was calculated for each timepoint and compared. A severity score was assigned to each patient using a grading system based on signs of clinical infection and treatment modality. Patients' presentations were analysed at each phase of the pandemic. There was a 42.8% increase in attendance with oral facial pain and infection to ED from phases 1 to 3. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in restrictions to routine primary dental care services, which were deemed necessary to reduce the spread of the virus. However, this increased demand on secondary care services, as patients increasingly struggled to access primary dental care to manage dental pain.     

Burnout and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner: Who Is Experiencing Burnout and Why?

IntroductionA sexual assault nurse examiner role exemplifies the high-stress and highly emotional patient interactions that are often associated with burnout. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of burnout among sexual assault nurse examiners in North Carolina.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was an anonymous survey of practicing sexual assault nurse examiners within North Carolina using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and additional demographics. Results were analyzed with odds ratios, confidence intervals, Fisher exact, chi-square, and Kruskal Wallis tests as appropriate.ResultsAmong 95 respondents, burnout was more frequent in sexual assault nurse examiners who stopped both emergency and nurse examiner work (55.6%, odds ratio 4.41, 95% confidence interval 1.07-18.06) and in dual function nurses (both emergency and nurse examiner work, 35.7%, odds ratio 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.04-7.06). Sexual assault nurse examiners who had a high percentage of pediatric cases (above the median of 40%) were more likely to meet burnout thresholds for emotional exhaustion scores > 26 (48.78% vs 25.93%, χ² = 5.30, P = .02) and more likely to meet burnout thresholds for depersonalization scores > 9 (48.78% vs 24.07%, χ² = 6.28, P = .01).DiscussionHigher frequency of burnout threshold criteria was found in those people who worked concurrently as a sexual assault nurse examiner and an emergency nurse and in those who had retired from both specialties. We also found that sexual assault nurse examiners with a higher case mix of pediatric cases had higher emotional exhaustion scores and higher depersonalization scores.     

基于系统药理学分析野生真菌硬皮马勃治疗肿瘤多层次作用机制＊

目的 鉴定当地民间应用普遍的野生药用真菌，并探讨其治疗肿瘤的作用机制。方法 采用形态学和分子生物学方法对一株采自定陶仿山野生药用真菌进行鉴定，确定为硬皮马勃。通过文献检索收集硬皮马勃化学成分，利用PubChem软件和TCMSP、GCS数据库得到化学成分结构信息及其药用动力学参数和相关靶点分析，通过SysDT和WES系统鉴定潜在化学成分靶点，利用CTD数据库获得靶点功能，将潜在化合物和肿瘤相关靶点导入Cytoscape3.8.0软件构建分子-靶标网络。应用DAVID数据库对肿瘤相关靶点进行GO和KEGG富集分析，揭示有关活性成分靶点所涉及的生物学过程和通路，将肿瘤相关靶点和通路导入Cytoscape3.8.0软件构建靶点-通路网络。结果 从文献中获得硬皮马勃的化学成分59个，通过ADME计算系统筛选出5个潜在活性的化合物即活性成分，预测到38个靶点，其中与肿瘤相关靶点16个。这些活性成分主要通过Toll-like receptor、PI3K-AKT、MAPK和NF-kappa B等通路参与免疫应答，抑制肿瘤细胞生长、增殖，促进其凋亡。结论 表明硬皮马勃治疗肿瘤具有多靶点、多途径协同作用的特点，并通过多层次效应达到治疗肿瘤的效果。本研究为更好理解硬皮马勃作用肿瘤的机制和肿瘤药物开发提供理论依据。     

Clinical presentation,management, screening and surveillance for colorectal cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

Management of colorectal cancer (CRC) was severely affected by the changes implemented during the pandemic, and this resulted in delayed elective presentation, increased emergency presentation, reduced screening and delayed definitive therapy. This review was conducted to analyze the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on management of CRC and to identify the changes made in order to adapt to the pandemic. We performed a literature search in PubMed, Medline, Index Medicus, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/) and Google Scholar using the following keywords in various combinations: Colorectal cancer, elective surgery, emergency surgery, stage upgrading, screening, surveillance and the COVID-19 pandemic. Only studies published in English were included. To curtail the spread of COVID-19 infection, there were modifications made in the management of CRC. Screening was limited to high risk individuals, and the screening tests of choice during the pandemic were fecal occult blood test, fecal immunochemical test and stool DNA testing. The use of capsule colonoscopy and open access colonoscopy was also encouraged. Blood-based tests like serum methylated septin 9 were also encouraged for screening of CRC during the pandemic. The presentation of CRC was also affected by the pandemic with more patients presenting with emergencies like obstruction and perforation. Stage migration was also observed during the pandemic with more patients presenting with more advanced tumors. The operative therapy of CRC was altered by the pandemic as more emergencies surgeries were done, which may require exteriorization by stoma. This was to reduce the morbidity associated with anastomosis and encourage early discharge from the hospital. There was also an initial reduction in laparoscopic surgical procedures due to the fear of aerosols and COVID-19 infection. As we gradually come out of the pandemic, we should remember the lessons learned and continue to apply them even after the pandemic passes.