Impact of Several Worry Factors on Responsible Behavior : The Case of the 1999 Earthquake in Turkey

Fifteen thousand people died in the August 1999 Earthquake in Turkey, and almost all segments of society were caught unprepared. In order to lessen the problems experienced after future earthquakes, this research investigates factors that influence society's awareness of and preparedness for disasters and aims at developing policies on the basis of investigating the relationship between worries and the variables of locus of control, verbal commitment, and responsible behavior. This research is based on a survey conducted a year after the earthquake using a representative sample size of 500 survivors living in temporary prefabricated houses. One of the basic findings of this research is that education is the most important independent variable influenc-     

Three ventriculoplasty techniques applied to three left-ventricular pseudoaneurysms in the same patient

A 59-year-old male patient underwent surgery for triple-vessel coronary artery disease and left-ventricular aneurysm in 1994. Four months after coronary artery bypass grafting and classical left-ventricular aneurysmectomy (with Teflon felt strips), a left-ventricular pseudoaneurysm developed due to infection, and this was treated surgically with an autologous glutaraldehyde-treated pericardium patch over which an omental pedicle graft was placed. Two months later, under emergent conditions, re-repair was performed with a diaphragmatic pericardial pedicle graft due to pseudoaneurysm reformation and rupture. A 3rd repair was required in a 3rd episode 8 months later. Sternocostal resection enabled implantation of the left pectoralis major muscle into the ventricular defect. Six months after the last surgical intervention, the patient died of cerebral malignancy. Pseudoaneurysm reformation, however, had not been observed. To our knowledge, our case is the 1st reported in the literature in which there have been 3 or more different operative techniques applied to 3 or more distinct episodes of pseudoaneurysm formation secondary to post-aneurysmectomy infection. We propose that pectoral muscle flaps be strongly considered as a material for re-repair of left-ventricular aneurysms.     

Genes associated with venous thromboembolism in colorectal cancer patients

Essentials

• The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms behind cancer‐associated thrombosis are unknown.
• We compared expression profiles in tumor cells from patients with and without thrombosis.
• Tumors from patients with thrombosis showed significant differential gene expression profiles.
• Patients with thrombosis had a proinflammatory status and increased fibrin levels in the tumor.

Summary

Background

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication in patients with cancer, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, the mechanisms behind cancer‐associated thrombosis are still incompletely understood.

Objectives

To identify novel genes that are associated with VTE in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods

Twelve CRC patients with VTE were age‐matched and sex‐matched to 12 CRC patients without VTE. Tumor cells were isolated from surgical samples with laser capture microdissection approaches, and mRNA profiles were measured with next‐generation RNA sequencing.

Results

This approach led to the identification of new genes and pathways that might contribute to VTE in CRC patients. Application of ingenuity pathway analysis indicated significant links with inflammation, the methionine degradation pathway, and increased platelet function, which are all key processes in thrombus formation. Tumor samples of patients with VTE had a proinflammatory status and contained higher levels of fibrin and fibrin degradation products than samples of those without VTE.

Conclusion

This case–control study provides a proof‐of‐principle that tumor gene expression can discriminate between cancer patients with low and high risks of VTE. These findings may help to further unravel the pathogenesis of cancer‐related VTE. The identified genes could potentially be used as candidate biomarkers to select high‐risk CRC patients for thromboprophylaxis.

     

Compliance With Dyslipidemia Guidelines in Daily Practice: How Effective Is Cardiovascular Risk Prevention?

Purpose

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to atherosclerosis is the leading cause of early mortality and morbidity. The current European guidelines on CVD prevention in clinical practice recommend the use of the Systematic Coronary Risk Estimation (SCORE) system. The current American Heart Association guidelines recommend the use of the new pooled cohort risk assessment equations to estimate the 10-year atherosclerotic CVD risk. The purpose of this article was to investigate the compliance of dyslipidemia guidelines in daily practice in patients with dyslipidemia or who have risk factors for CVD.

Investigation of the choroidal thickness in patients with hypothyroidism

Purpose:

The effect of hypothyroidism on the choroidal thickness (CT) was investigated in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and overt hypothyroidism, and biochemically and clinically euthyroid patients receiving levothyroxine treatment. The patients were compared with healthy subjects.

Materials and Methods:

One eye of 71 hypothyroid and 22 healthy subjects between 20 and 40 years of age were included in this study. CT measurements were taken at the fovea and at 2 points that were 1500 μm nasal and temporal to the fovea using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Independent sample t-test''s and was used for statistical analysis of the data.

Results:

The CT was significantly thicker in hypothyroid patients compared to healthy subjects (P values were 0.013 for subfoveal, 0.015 for temporal and 0.020 for nasal segments). The intraocular pressure (IOP) and body mass index (BMI) were also significantly higher in hypothyroid patients (P values were 0.021 and 0.003, respectively). There was not a statistically significant difference in the BMI and IOP measurements between healthy subjects and euthyroid patients (P > 0.05). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the subfoveal, temporal and nasal CT measurements between healthy subjects and euthyroid patients (P values were 0.006, 0.031 and 0.013, respectively).

Conclusions:

All subgroups of hypothyroid patients had thicker CT compared to healthy subjects. Euthyroid patients receiving levothyroxine treatment had lower IOP, BMI levels, and serum lipid levels than patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and overt hypothyroidism.     

2011—2020年安徽省钉螺分布时空分析

目的　分析2011—2020年安徽省钉螺分布时空特征,为全省钉螺精准防控提供参考。方法　收集2011—2020年安徽省实有钉螺面积、新发钉螺面积和感染性钉螺面积等钉螺分布指标并进行描述性分析,对实有和新发钉螺面积进行空间自相关、热点分析、标准差椭圆分析及时空扫描等分析,探索安徽省钉螺聚集与扩散高风险区。结果　2011—2020年,安徽省实有钉螺面积逐渐降低。2020年全省实有钉螺面积26 238.85 hm2,主要分布在湖沼型血吸虫病流行区。各年份间新发钉螺面积波动较大,2016年最高（1 287.65 hm2）;2020年在池州市贵池区新发现1.96 hm2感染性钉螺面积。空间自相关和热点分析显示,2011—2020年安徽省实有钉螺面积分布具有空间聚集性（Z = 3.00 ~ 3.43,P均 < 0.01）,热点主要集中在湖沼型流行区并沿长江南岸分布;冷点主要集中在皖南山区。2011—2020年安徽省新发钉螺面积分布在整体上不存在空间聚集性（Z = -2.20 ~ 1.71,P均> 0.05）,局部呈散点分布。标准差椭圆分析显示,2011—2020年安徽省实有钉螺面积分布相对稳定,与长江流向一致;新发钉螺面积分布重心逐渐从长江安徽段下游向上游移动。时空扫描分析显示,2011—2020年安徽省实有钉螺面积两个高值聚集区以从长江安徽段下游到中游的顺序出现;新发钉螺面积两个高值聚集区聚集时间和范围类似,均分布在山区。结论　2011—2020年安徽省钉螺分布呈空间聚集性,存在向长江南岸、上游聚集的趋势,但山区钉螺扩散问题亦不容忽视,需加强对山区和长江沿岸新发钉螺孳生地的监测力度。     

2020年全国血吸虫病疫情通报

本文通报了2020年全国血吸虫病疫情,并对全国血吸虫病预防控制工作数据和国家血吸虫病监测点疫情监测数据进行了汇总和分析。截至2020年底,全国12个血吸虫病流行省（直辖市、自治区）中,上海、浙江、福建、广东、广西等5个省（直辖市、自治区）继续巩固血吸虫病消除成果,四川、江苏省维持传播阻断标准,云南、湖北、安徽、江西、湖南等5个省维持传播控制标准。全国共有450个血吸虫病流行县（市、区）、28 376个流行村,流行村总人口7 137.04万人;全国450个流行县（市、区）中,337个（74.89%）达到血吸虫病消除标准、98个（21.78%）达到传播阻断标准、15个（3.33%）达到传播控制标准。2020年,全国尚存晚期血吸虫病患者29 517例。2020年,全国共开展询检查病11 117 655人,阳性1 798 580人;开展血检查病5 263 082人,阳性83 179人;开展病原学检查273 712人,阳性3人,其中急性血吸虫病病例1例。2020年,全国共有19 733个流行村开展了钉螺分布调查,7 309个村查出钉螺,占调查总数的37.04%,新查出 15个有螺村;共查螺736 984.13 hm2,查出有螺面积206 125.22 hm2,其中新发现有螺面积1 174.67 hm2,感染性钉螺面积1.96 hm2。2020年,我国血吸虫病流行区现有存栏耕牛544 424头,血检查病147 887头,阳性326头;开展粪检查病130 673头,未发现粪检阳性耕牛。2020年,全国共治疗血吸虫病患者19 214例,扩大化疗964 103人·次;扩大化疗耕牛266 280头·次;开展药物灭螺总面积136 141.92 hm2,实际药物灭螺71 980.22 hm2,环境改造灭螺1 464.03 hm2。2020年全国血吸虫病监测点中,居民和耕牛平均血吸虫感染率均为0,未发现感染性钉螺。疫情数据分析显示,全国血吸虫病呈低度流行水平,全国如期实现《“十三五”全国血吸虫病防治规划》目标,但局部地区疫情有所反弹,仍需开展血吸虫病精准防控、强化血吸虫病疫情及风险监测,在巩固血吸虫病防治成果的基础上稳步推进消除进程。     

Evaluation of thrombotic children with malignancy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate inherited and acquired prothrombotic risk factors among children with malignancies who have thrombosis and emphasize the importance of inherited prothrombotic risk factors. Thirty-seven consecutive children with thrombosis and malignancy were included in this study. The patients were evaluated separately for time of development of thrombosis, insertion of a central venous line (CVL), history of l-asparaginase usage, and recent infections. Prothrombotic risk factors such as factor V G1691A and prothrombin G20210A mutation, protein C, protein S, antithrombin III deficiencies, factor VIII and lipoprotein(a) elevation, and antiphospholipid antibodies were analyzed for all patients. Of 387 children with thrombosis, 37 (9.5%) had a malignancy. Thrombosis was detected in 9 patients at the time of diagnosis, during maintenance therapy in 25 patients, and after the discontinuation of treatment in 3 patients. One or two additional prothrombotic risk factors other than l-asparaginase therapy and insertion of central venous lines were present in 20 of these patients (54%). It was found that eight patients had the factor V G1691A mutation in the heterozygote state. One of them had the factor V G1691A mutation associated with a history of infection and one patient had the factor V G1691A mutation associated with factor VIII elevation. One had the the prothrombin G20210A mutation in the heterozygote state, four had lipoprotein(a) elevation, two had factor VIII elevation, one had a decreased protein S level, one had a decreased protein C level, one had antiphospholipid positivity, and two had histories of infection. Malignancy is an important risk factor for the development of childhood thrombosis. However, the risk of thrombosis increases when accompanied by additional prothrombotic risk factors. For this reason, especially children with malignancy and at high risk for the development of thrombosis, such as those who have received l-asparaginase or a replaced CVL during their therapy, might be screened for additional prothrombotic risk factors and appropriate measures might be taken to prevent the development of thrombosis.     

Does hyaluronan affect inflammatory cytokines in knee osteoarthritis?

Our aim was to investigate the effects of hyaluronan on inflammatory cytokines in the synovial fluid of patients with knee osteoarthritis. The study was single blind, placebo-controlled, and randomized. We administered hyaluronan to 22 patients in the study group and placebo to 19 in the control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of cytokines. Both HA and placebo caused a significant decrease in interleukin (IL)-6 levels (P=0.0001 and P=0.04, respectively). But it was more significant in the study group. However, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-) levels did not change in either group (P>0.05). The amount of effusion decreased significantly in the study group (P=0.001) but not in the control group (P=0.133). It can be concluded that hyaluronan considerably decreased IL-6 levels, which correlated with clinical improvement, but had no effect on IL-8 and TNF- levels in synovial fluid. However, larger studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to explain the effect of hyaluronan on cytokines.