Effect of a Device-Free Compressed Shell Fixation Method on Hepatic Respiratory Movement: Analysis for Respiratory Amplitude of the Liver and Internal Motions of a Fiducial Marker

Purpose

Suppression of respiratory movement of the liver would be desirable for high-precision radiation therapy for liver tumors. We aimed to investigate the effect of our original device-free compressed shell fixation method and breathing instruction on suppression of respiratory movement. The characteristics of liver motion based on the movement of a fiducial marker were also analyzed.

Improved Diagnostic Sensitivity of Bowel Disease of Prematurity on Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

Bowel diseases of prematurity, including necrotizing enterocolitis, are dreaded ailments of neonates. Early diagnosis is difficult, with clinical and radiographic findings often inconclusive. We present a novel use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detection of pediatric bowel disease. Early identification of compromised blood flow or an at-risk bowel can be quantitatively detected and monitored. This ability has implications for guidance of emerging therapies, allowing targeting of inflammation. These findings represent an advancement in detection of bowel disease in neonates.     

卡马西平与左乙拉西坦治疗成人癫痫的效果及对认知功能和骨密度的影响分析

目的探究卡马西平与左乙拉西坦治疗成人癫痫的效果及对认知功能、骨密度的影响。方法92例成人癫痫患者作为研究对象,随机分为左乙拉西坦组与卡马西平组,各46例。左乙拉西坦组采用左乙拉西坦治疗,卡马西平组采用卡马西平治疗。比较两组患者治疗前及治疗6个月后认知功能[语言智商(VIQ)、操作智商(PIQ)、总智商(FIQ)]评分、骨密度(腰椎、股骨大转子、股骨颈)变化情况。结果治疗6个月后,两组患者VIQ、PIQ、FIQ评分均较治疗前显著提升,且左乙拉西坦组患者VIQ评分(101.2±3.1)分、PIQ评分(108.1±2.3)分、FIQ评分(105.2±1.8)分均明显高于卡马西平组的(95.1±2.8)、(94.1±2.0)、(93.5±1.6)分,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗6个月后,卡马西平组患者腰椎、股骨大转子、股骨颈骨密度均较治疗前显著下降,且明显低于卡马西平组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);左乙拉西坦组治疗6个月后腰椎、股骨大转子、股骨颈骨密度与治疗前比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论左乙拉西坦与卡马西平治疗成人癫痫,左乙拉西坦更能明显提升患者认知功能,且对患者骨密度无影响。     

护理干预对放疗科头颈部肿瘤放疗患者生活质量的影响

目的本文主要研究和探讨护理干预对放疗科头颈部肿瘤放疗患者生活质量的影响。方法将我院2017年2月份至2018年10月份收治的100例头颈部肿瘤放疗患者作为本次研究的对象,在随机原则的指导下把100例患者分为对照组和实验组,每组患者的数量为50例。对照组患者给予常规护理,实验组患者实施护理干预,对两组患者的生活质量、睡眠质量、护理满意度和护理依从性等进行对比分析。结果在生活质量、睡眠质量、护理满意度和护理依从性等方面,组间进行对比分析,实验组都明显优于对照组,P<0.05差异具有统计学意义。结论对头颈部肿瘤放疗患者实施护理干预可以让患者的生活质量、睡眠质量、护理依从性以及护理满意度等都得到显著的改善,从而让患者以一种积极、乐观的心态接受放疗,这对于放疗效果的提高具有重要的作用。总之,这一护理模式应该在临床中进行推广和使用。     

Beyond intraocular pressure: Optimizing patient-reported outcomes in glaucoma

Glaucoma, an irreversible blinding condition affecting 3–4% adults aged above 40 years worldwide, is set to increase with a rapidly aging global population. Raised intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for glaucoma where the treatment paradigm is focused on managing IOP using medications, laser, or surgery regimens. However, notwithstanding IOP and other clinical parameters, patient-reported outcomes, including daily functioning, emotional well-being, symptoms, mobility, and social life, remain the foremost concerns for people being treated for glaucoma. These outcomes are measured using objective patient-centered outcome measures (PCOMs) and subjective patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Studies using PCOMs have shown that people with glaucoma have several mobility, navigational and coordination challenges; reading and face recognition deficits; and are slower in adapting to multiple real-world situations when compared to healthy controls. Similarly, studies have consistently demonstrated, using PROMs, that glaucoma substantially and negatively impacts on peoples’ self-reported visual functioning, mobility, independence, emotional well-being, self-image, and confidence in healthcare, compared to healthy individuals, particularly in those with late-stage disease undergoing a heavy treatment regimen. The patient-centred effectiveness of current glaucoma treatment paradigms is equivocal due to a lack of well-designed randomized controlled trials; short post-treatment follow-up periods; an inappropriate selection or availability of PROMs; and/or an insensitivity of currently available PROMs to monitor changes especially in patients with newly diagnosed early-stage glaucoma. We provide a comprehensive, albeit non-systematic, critique of the psychometric properties, limitations, and recent advances of currently available glaucoma-specific PCOMs and PROMs. Finally, we propose that item banking and computerized adaptive testing methods can address the multiple limitations of paper-pencil PROMs; customize their administration; and have the potential to improve healthcare outcomes for people with glaucoma.     

The Health Belief Model in predicting healthcare workers' intention for influenza vaccine uptake in Jordan

BackgroundTheories of health behavior change are being inadequately adopted to understand the reasons behind low influenza vaccination rates among healthcare workers (HCWs). The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is being used to predict intention-behavior relationship while the Health Belief Model (HBM) is being employed to predict actual behavior. The purpose of this study was to test a conceptual model based on the HBM’s constructs to predict Jordanian HCWs’ intentions for influenza vaccine uptake as an alternative to the TPB.MethodA cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted in 2016 in a tertiary teaching hospital in Amman-Jordan including a convenience sample of 477 HCWs with direct patient contact. The study instrument was tested for validity and reliability. A conceptual regression model was proposed incorporating the constructs of the primary HBM with some modifications in the threat construct as well as an additional variable about explicit past vaccination behavior (in the past year and/or any previous history of influenza vaccine uptake).ResultsAlmost all the constructs of the HBM demonstrated significant differences between participants intending and those who did not intend to vaccinate against influenza. After adjusting for the confounding variables in the final conceptual regression model, past vaccination behavior (OR= 4.50, 95%Confidence Interval 3.38–6.00, P< 0.0005) and the perceived benefit scale (OR= 1.19, 95% Confidence Interval 1.11–1.28, P< 0.0005) were the only significant predictors of intentions to vaccinate against influenza in the next season.ConclusionTaking into consideration the altruistic beliefs of HCWs and their explicit past vaccination history augments the utility of the original HBM tool in predicting HCWs’ intentions to vaccinate against influenza in a way that is consistent with the predictive ability of the Theory of Planned Behavior.     

Systematic review: Predictors of students’ success in baccalaureate nursing programs

Nursing schools strive to select a diverse student population who are likely to succeed by ensuring timely student progression through the program and effective use of educational sources. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to explore the preadmission variables and selection criteria that predict student success in 4-year baccalaureate nursing programs in the U.S. Sixteen articles met the eligibility criteria, and six measures were used to define student success: (a) early academic success, particularly during the first and second year; (b) attrition; (c) timely completion of the program; (d) graduation; (e) performance in nursing courses; and (f) academic performance in other science courses. Typically, the core set of cognitive predictors used in the admission process in nursing schools were pre-nursing GPA, pre-nursing collegiate science GPA, and scores on standardized aptitude exams. This review suggests that it is challenging to isolate one single variable as the best predictor of student success; however, using a combination of variables can offer a reliable prediction method. More researchers should consider using a theoretical basis to guide their inquiry on this topic. Additionally, researchers should examine admission variables that are most relevant across programs.     

A modality-specific somatosensory evoked potential test protocol for clinical evaluation: A feasibility study

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish an objective neurophysiological test protocol that can be used to assess the somatosensory nervous system.MethodsIn order to assess most fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system, repetitive stimuli of seven different modalities (touch, vibration, pinprick, cold, contact heat, laser, and warmth) were synchronized with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and applied on the cheek and dorsum of the hand and dorsum of the foot in 21 healthy subjects and three polyneuropathy (PNP) patients. Latencies and amplitudes of the modalities were assessed and compared. Patients received quantitative sensory testing (QST) as reference.ResultsWe found reproducible evoked potentials recordings for touch, vibration, pinprick, contact-heat, and laser stimuli. The recording of warm-evoked potentials was challenging in young healthy subjects and not applicable in patients. Latencies were shortest within Aβ-fiber-mediated signals and longest within C-fibers. The test protocol detected function loss within the Aβ-fiber and Aδ-fiber-range in PNP patients. This function loss corresponded with QST findings.ConclusionIn this pilot study, we developed a neurophysiological test protocol that can specifically assess most of the somatosensory modalities. Despite technical challenges, initial patient data appear promising regarding a possible future clinical application.SignificanceEstablished and custom-made stimulators were combined to assess different fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system using modality-specific evoked potentials.     

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and neck of femur fractures: Standardising the perioperative management and time to surgery

Demographic projections for hip fragility fractures indicate a rising annual incidence by virtue of a multimorbid, ageing population with more noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are characterised by slow progression and long duration ranging from ischaemic cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to various cancers. Management of this disease burden often involves commencing patients on oral anticoagulants to reduce the risk of thromboembolic events. The use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in clinical practice has increased due to their rapid onset of action, short half-life and predictable anticoagulant effects, without the need for routine monitoring. Safe and timely surgical intervention relies on reversal of anticoagulants. However, the lack of specific evidence-based guidelines for the perioperative management of patients on DOACs with hip fractures has proved challenging; in particular, the accessibility of DOAC-specific assays, justification of the cost-benefit ratio of targeted reversal agents and indications for neuraxial anaesthesia. This has led to potentially avoidable delays in surgical intervention. Following a literature review of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of commonly used DOACs in our region including the role of surrogate markers, we propose a systematic, evidence-based guideline to the perioperative management of hip fractures DOACs. We believe this standardised protocol can be easily replicated between hospitals. We recommend that if patients are deemed suitable for a general anaesthesia, with satisfactory renal function, optimal surgical time should be 24 h following the last ingested dose of DOAC.