Effects of social skills training on improving social skills of patients with schizophrenia

This study examined the effect of conversation and assertive skills training on social skills of schizophrenic patients. Patients who met the study criteria were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group received eight group training sessions and the control group received routine nursing care treatment. Data were collected at pretreatment (before group treatment), intratreatment (after fourth group treatment), posttreatment (after eighth group treatment), and follow-up (1 month after the end of group treatment). Conversation and assertive skills of the experimental group improved significantly with treatment and were superior to the control group at intratreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up. We suggest incorporating social skills training into treatment plans for patients with schizophrenia to improve their social skills ability.     

Analysis of 4931 renal biopsy data in central China from 1994 to 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the changing spectrum and clinicopathologic correlation of biopsy-proven renal diseases in central China. We retrospectively analyzed data of 4931 patients who underwent renal biopsy in ten hospitals between September 1994 and December 2014. Among them, 81.55% were primary glomerular diseases (GD), and 13.02% were secondary GD. IgA nephropathy (IgAN) was the most common primary GD (43.45%), followed by focal glomerulonephritis (16.79%), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN, 14.35%), and membranous nephropathy (MN, 13.28%). IgAN was leading primary GD in patients under 60 years old, while MN was the leading one over 60 years old. The most frequent secondary GD was lupus nephritis (LN) (47.35%). The prevalence of IgAN, MN and minimal change disease was found to increase significantly (p?<?0.001, p?<?0.001, and p?<?0.01, respectively), while that of MsPGN, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and LN decreased significantly (p?<?0.001, p?<?0.001, and p?<?0.05, respectively). The main indication for renal biopsy was proteinuria and hematuria (49.03%), followed by nephrotic syndrome (NS, 20.36%). IgAN was the most common cause in patients with proteinuria and hematuria, chronic-progressive kidney injury, hematuria and acute kidney injury; and MN was the leading cause of NS. Primary GD remained the predominant renal disease in central China. IgAN and LN were the most prevalent histopathologic lesions of primary and secondary GD, respectively. The spectrum of biopsy-proven renal disease had a great change in the past two decades. Proteinuria and hematuria was the main indication for renal biopsy.     

The phase-variable allele of the pilus glycosylation gene pglA is not strongly associated with strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from patients with disseminated gonococcal infection

The Neisseria gonorrhoeae pglA gene has two alleles, one of which is phase variable. A previous study reported that all disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) isolates contained the phase-variable allele and proposed a causal link. In the present study of 81 strains no absolute correlation between DGI and the phase-variable pglA allele was observed.     

Mid-term follow-up surgical results in 284 cases of clival chordomas: the risk factors for outcome and tumor recurrence

Objective

Skull base chordoma (SBC) is rare and one of the most challenging diseases to treat. We aimed to assess the optimal timing of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) and to evaluate the factors that influence resection and long-term outcomes.

Methods

In total, 284 patients with 382 surgeries were enrolled in this retrospective study. Postsurgically, 64 patients underwent RT before recurrence (pre-recurrence RT), and 47 patients underwent RT after recurrence. During the first attempt to achieve gross-total resection (GTR), when the entire tumor was resected, 268 patients were treated with an endoscopic midline approach, and 16 patients were treated with microscopic lateral approaches. Factors associated with the success of GTR were identified using χ² and logistic regression analyses. Risk factors associated with chordoma-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated with the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

In total, 74.6% of tumors were marginally resected [GTR (40.1%), near-total resection (34.5%)]. History of surgery, large tumor volumes, and tumor locations in the lower clivus were associated with a lower GTR rate. The mean follow-up period was 43.9 months. At the last follow-up, 181 (63.7%) patients were alive. RT history, histologic subtype (dedifferentiated and sarcomatoid), non-GTR, no postsurgical RT, and the presence of metastasis were associated with poorer CSS. Patients with pre-recurrence RT had the longest PFS and CSS, while patients without postsurgical RT had the worst outcome.

Conclusion

GTR is the goal of initial surgical treatment. Pre-recurrence RT would improve outcome regardless of GTR.

     

980 nm半导体红激光辅助后腹腔镜下“零缺血”肾部分切除术的应用经验

目的:探讨980 nm半导体红激光辅助后腹腔镜下"零缺血"肾部分切除术的安全性和疗效。方法:回顾性分析2018年6月—2020年6月杭州市第一人民医院泌尿外科住院同意接受980 nm半导体红激光辅助"零缺血"后腹腔镜下肾部分切除术的外生型肾肿瘤患者的临床资料,其中男15例,女4例;年龄38～75岁,平均(55.4±10.7)岁;肿瘤直径2.1～4.0 cm,平均(3.22±0.75) cm;左侧8例,右侧11例;所有病例R.E.N.A.L.评分均为4～7分。19例患者均采用980 nm半导体红激光在不阻断肾动脉下行后腹腔镜下肾部分切除术。采用西班牙斗牛士公司红激光机、配套光纤(直径为550μm)以及配套光纤手件。结果:19例均顺利完成手术,均未阻断肾动脉,无中转开放手术或根治性肾全切术。手术时间104～178 min,平均(133.95±20.67) min;术中出血量50～280 mL,平均(158.42±70.65) mL;术后拔除引流管时间4～8 d,平均(5.84±1.25) d;术后住院天数8～17 d,平均(10.42±2.29) d。切缘均为阴性,无术后出血及其他严重并发...     

儿童心脏移植单中心临床分析

目的总结单中心儿童心脏移植关键技术和方法,为中国儿童心脏移植发展提供参考。 方法回顾性分析华中科技大学同济医学院附属协和医院心脏大血管外科2008年9月1日至2018年12月31日完成的47例儿童心脏移植临床资料,观察受者临床特征、手术相关指标、术后并发症和生存率。正态分布计量资料以均数±标准差( ±s)表示,非正态分布计量资料以中位数表示,计数资料以百分比表示。以全因死亡或再次移植为主要终点事件,运用Kaplan-Meier法计算生存率。 结果47例患儿心脏移植时年龄为(10.3±4.8)岁,男性24例,女性23例,体质量(32±15)kg,术前肺动脉压(33±12)mmHg。原发病包括：心肌病36例、复杂先天性心脏病9例和心脏肉瘤2例,4例患儿既往有心脏手术史。受者群体反应性抗体均<10%,供受者ABO血型相同39例,相容8例,供受者体质量比1.6±0.6。供心冷缺血时间为(330±115)min,其中24例冷缺血时间>6 h。采用双腔静脉法37例,双房法10例。术中体外循环时间(119±53)min,体外循环并行辅助时间(80±48) min。术后机械通气时间中位数32 h(13～1 250 h),ICU停留时间中位数7 d(5～11 d)。术后20例受者发生一种或以上并发症,包括心功能不全7例、心律失常5例、肾功能不全7例、排斥反应3例和血液系统并发症1例。受者术后3周时左心室射血分数为(67±5)%(57%～79%),46例受者顺利康复出院,1例术后59 d死于肺炎。截至2019年6月30日,46例受者平均随访时间(42±31)个月(6～129个月),术后1、3和5年生存率分别为95.74%、93.01%和93.01%。 结论心脏移植是治疗儿童终末期心脏病的有效方法。本中心儿童心脏移植术后近、中期生存率良好,建立了较为完整的儿童心脏移植技术流程,行之有效,值得借鉴。     

从SARS冠状病毒探讨新型冠状病毒眼途径传播的可能机制

新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)自2019-12爆发以来,传播速度极快,了解其流行病学特征,尤其是切断传播途径对于控制疾病传播至关重要。在传播途径的研究中,SARS-CoV-2是否通过眼表组织进行传播的问题也引起关注,但目前尚缺乏其通过眼表组织感染的临床确诊病例和实验室证据。最新研究认为SARS-CoV-2与SARS冠状病毒(SARS-CoV)属于同一种属,并且其与SARS-CoV进入细胞的途径是一样的。本文通过回顾SARS-CoV的研究,探讨SARS-CoV-2眼途径传播的可能机制。     

Antiplatelet,anticoagulant, and profibrinolytic activities of withaferin A

Withaferin A (WFA), an active compound from Withania somnifera, is widely researched for its anti-inflammatory, cardioactive and central nervous system effects. However, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, and profibrinolytic properties of WFA have not been studied. In this study, the anticoagulant activities of WFA were measured by monitoring activated partial thromboplastin-time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), fibrin polymerization, platelet aggregation, thrombus formation, and the activities of cell-based thrombin and activated factor X (FXa). The effects of WFA on the expressions of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) were also tested in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our data showed that WFA inhibited thrombin-catalyzed fibrin polymerization and platelet aggregation, FeCl3-induced thrombus formation, prolonged aPTT and PT significantly and inhibited the activities and production of thrombin and FXa. WFA prolonged in vivo and ex vivo bleeding time and inhibited TNF-α induced PAI-1 production. Furthermore, PAI-1/t-PA ratio was significantly decreased by WFA. Collectively, these results indicate that WFA possesses antithrombotic activities and suggest that the current study could provide bases for the development of new anticoagulant agents.