Sudden death in childhood and adolescence

Sudden death in childhood and adolescence is fortunately rare. However, when it occurs, it can have a devastating effect on the family. Therefore, these cases should be thoroughly investigated, including a complete post mortem examination by a specialist in paediatric pathology. The aim is to identify the cause of death, and potentially prevent future deaths. This review will provide an overview of the epidemiology of sudden death in childhood and adolescence and will outline the wide range of causes of death identified. Certain aspects of the paediatric post mortem examination will be discussed, and will finish with a section on deaths in children with chronic medical conditions.     

老年人视网膜中央血管在前部视神经的解剖特征

目的：观察老年人前部视神经视网膜中央血管的解剖特征。 方法：通过组织连续切片和计算机影像分析，观察60~82岁老年人的18只眼球标本中无解剖变异的视网膜中央动脉(CRA)15条，视网膜中央静脉（CRV）23条在筛板前、筛板区及筛板后的管径变化。 结果：老年人筛板前、筛板区、筛板后CRA平均面积的均值分别为（12.70,17.40,18.00）×10^-3mm^2_;平均周长的均值分别为0.56，0.56，0.57mm，平均周长之间相比无显著差异。CRV平均面积的均值分别为（7.00，5.40，7.90）×10^-3mm²；平均周长的均值分别为0.44，0.38，0.41mm；CRV平均周长筛板前与筛板区相比，筛板区与筛板后相比均有显著差异。 结论：老年人CRA眼球内外管径一致；CRV在筛板区管径最小。 （中华眼底病杂志，1997，13：213-214）
     

Experimental and Numerical Investigation into the Stability Behaviour of Cable-Stiffened Steel Columns

A cable-stiffened steel column (CSSC) possesses superior stability behaviour compared to ordinary compression columns. In the past, the research emphasis has focused on the behaviours of stiffened columns under axial compression; investigations into their behaviour under eccentric loading is scant. This study aims to examine the buckling behaviour of CSSCs under eccentric loading using experimental and numerical investigations. The effects of pretension in cables and eccentricity on stability behaviours were studied. According to the current investigation, it can be demonstrated that the capacities of CSSCs are higher than those of ordinary compression columns. It has also been illustrated that both the buckling loads and modes of CSSCs can be changed by changing the load eccentricity; however, the modes of ordinary columns cannot be changed. These results could be of theoretical and engineering significance in the exploration of the behaviours of cable-stiffened columns.     

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: diagnostic challenges,histopathologic features and ancillary testing

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an aggressive thyroid malignancy with high mortality rate. This malignancy arises in thyroid follicular cells either denovo or with an associated differentiated thyroid carcinoma component. Clinically, it usually presents as a rapidly enlarging mass, pain and locally compressive symptoms. Histopathologic variability and heterogeneity often pose diagnostic challenges, especially in scant and paucicellular specimens. This article describes the clinical, histopathologic and molecular features of ATC and also addresses the associated diagnostic limitations and challenges.     

Ataxia in childhood: a pragmatic approach

Ataxia is a term used to describe a clinical presentation of incoordinated or inaccurate movements which occur without an alteration of tone or weakness. It is not a diagnosis, but its presentation has a wide differential diagnosis depending upon its onset. These can be a challenging group due to its varied aetiology. Broadly causes can be divided into genetic and acquired. Investigations are invasive and expensive. It is extremely important to liaise with a paediatric neurologist early following presentation as some of the ataxia are treatable. A methodological approach with history taking, detailed clinical evaluation and appropriate investigations are essential in establishing a diagnosis although it is still not uncommon to not to find a diagnosis in some of these children. Next generation exome sequencing is likely to improve the diagnostic yield in this group.     

孤独症患儿父母社会支持与心理弹性现状及相关性研究

目的:调查孤独症患儿父母社会支持和心理弹性的现状,分析不同人口社会学因素对孤独症患儿父母心理弹性状况的影响,探讨孤独症患儿父母社会支持与心理弹性的相关性。方法:采用心理弹性量表(CD-RISC)和社会支持评定量表(SSRS)对郑州市瑞曼康复训练中心、郑州大学第三附属医院等84名患儿父母进行调查。相关性分析采用Pearson相关分析。结果:孤独症患儿父母的心理弹性总分为(58.38±11.75)分,社会支持总分为(37.23±6.56)分,社会支持与心理弹性水平呈正相关(P<0.05)。结论:孤独症患儿父母的心理弹性水平较低,社会支持处于中等水平,应加强对孤独症患儿父母的社会支持,提高其心理弹性水平,促进患儿父母身心健康发展。     

Gender and utilization of ancillary services

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether gender is associated with the use of ancillary services in hospitalized patients. DESIGN: A retrospective study of laboratory and radiology tests ordered for medical and surgical inpatients over 16-month and 20-month periods, respectively. Obstetric patients were excluded. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Number of clinical laboratory and radiology tests per admission, their associated charges, and total charges per admission were measured. In crude analyses, women had 16.5% fewer clinical laboratory tests (p < .0001) with 18.8% lower associated charges (p < .0001) and 24.4% fewer radiology tests (p < .0001) with 15.6% lower associated charges (p < .0001) than men. Total changes for the admission were lower for women in both the clinical laboratory study period ($16,178 vs $18,912, p < .0001) and the radiology study period ($14,621 vs $18,182, p < .0001). When adjusted for age, race, insurance status, service, diagnosis-related-group weight, and length of stay, these differences were smaller but persisted: women had 3.7% fewer laboratory tests performed (p < .001) with 4.8% lower associated charges (p < .001). In similarly adjusted analyses for radiology studies, women received 10.4% fewer radiology examinations (p < .001), with 4.1% lower associated charges (p < .01). There were no significant differences in the adjusted total charges in the laboratory group ($17,450 vs $17,655, p=.20) and only a marginally significant difference in the radiology group ($16,278 vs $16,498, p = .05). When we compared ancillary utilization within the five largest diagnosis-related groups, these differences persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Men receive more ancillary services than women, even after adjusting for potential confounders. This study was supported by research grant R01-HS07107-01 from the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Dr. Jha was supported in part by the Carl W. Walter fund of Harvard Medical School.     

Management of osteoporosis in general practice: a cross-sectional survey of primary care practitioners in Spain

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the current situation in Spain regarding diagnosis and care of patients with osteoporosis in the primary care setting. A total of 2,500 primary care physicians who were homogeneously grouped in autonomous communities throughout the country received a postal 30-item anonymous self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire covered demographics and personal characteristics of the physicians, conditions in everyday consultation, and degree of knowledge with regard to risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of the disease. The overall response was 850 (34%). The mean age of physicians surveyed was 43 years (range 23–66 years). The percentage of physicians specialized in community and family medicine was 46.7%. In 55.2% of cases, years of practice ranged between 11 and 20, and 55.7% of physicians visited between 31 and 50 patients per day. Age and years of practice were not associated with daily number of visits. Only 4% of physicians stated that there were specific programs for osteoporosis implemented in their primary care center. Diagnostic complementary investigations that could be ordered included plain radiographs in 96.2% of cases and bone densitometry in 27.8%. Laboratory tests included serum hormones in 61.6% of cases, PTH in 50.2%, and bone alkaline phosphatase in 33.4%. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was made always personally in 25.2% of cases. Personal diagnosis and follow-up, as well as actions directed to detection of osteoporosis were significantly higher among physicians working in centers with specific programs for osteoporosis. With regard to knowledge about osteoporosis, the mean percentage of correct responses was 63%. The percentage of correct responses was inversely associated with age and years of practice, and positively associated with speciality of community and family medicine. Primary care providers are in a good position to assess risk factors and recommend prevention strategies, as well as to play an active role in the diagnosis, care, and follow-up of patients with osteoporosis. Practitioners of younger age and relatively few years of practice were those with more up-to-date information regarding the disease, and the existence of a specific program for osteoporosis seems to improve the management of this condition.     

Preoperative assessment for cardiac surgery

Anaesthetic challenges in cardiac surgery are multifaceted. Since patients present with compromised cardiovascular reserve and multiple co-morbidities, a thorough preoperative assessment and meticulous anaesthetic plan is essential. This targets anaesthetic history, physical examination and analysis of investigations, routine and specific to the cardiovascular system. Special models exist for risk stratification to aid perioperative planning, surgical decision making, benchmarking and quality assurance. This article provides an overview of history, examination and preoperative management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Scoring systems and practical investigations are reviewed.