Medicine
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Covered vs bare stent for distal malignant biliary obstruction due to primary common biliary cancer.
This study was designed as a means of comparing the clinical efficacy and long-term outcomes of covered vs bare stent insertion as a treatment for distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO) caused by primary common biliary cancer (PCBC). This retrospective study was designed using data collected between January 2012 and December 2019 to assess the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with DMBO caused by PCBC treated by inserting either bare or covered stents were compared. Ninety two patients with DMBO caused by PCBC were divided between bare (n = 51) or covered (n = 41) stent groups. ⋯ The median stent patency for bare and covered stents was 177 and 195 days, respectively (P = .51). The median survival was 188 and 200 days in the bare and covered stent groups, respectively (P = .85). For patients with DMBO caused by PCBC, using bare vs covered stents yields similar clinical efficacy and long term outcomes.
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Robotic surgical systems have evolved over time. The da Vinci Xi system was developed in 2014 and was expected to solve the shortcomings of the previous S system. Therefore, we conducted this study to compare these 2 systems and identify if the Xi system truly improves surgical outcomes. ⋯ The overall complication rate did not differ significantly (P = .464). The da Vinci Xi system made robotic thyroidectomy easier and faster without increasing the complication rate. It is a safe and valuable system for robotic thyroidectomy.
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Observational Study
The self-psychological safety maintenance and its influencing factors of community frontline staff during COVID-19 pandemic.
The present study was designed to determine the self-psychological safety maintenance and its influencing factors of community staff on the front-line during Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A total of 126 frontline staff in community were involved in the current cross-section study. Online questionnaires including the anxiety sensitivity index-3 (ASI-3), patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), simple coping style questionnaire (SCSQ) and general self-efficacy scale (GSES) were utilized to analyze psychological state, coping style and self-efficacy of the surveyed staff. ⋯ Additionally, lower score of self-efficacy of the community frontline staff was observed in the anxiety state group and the depression state group (P < .05). During the outbreak of COVID-19, several community frontline staff showed negative psychology of anxiety and depression, which could affect their coping style and self-efficacy. Early and effective psychological safety maintenance was required to alleviate the negative psychology of community frontline staff.
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To assess expression levels of Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and von Willebrand factor (vWF), and assess their potentials as prognostic biomarkers to predict the risk of poor survival in patients with primary lower grade glioma. ⋯ EphA2, VEGF, and vWF could be considered prognostic markers for assessment of primary glioma.
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Drugs that affect the renin-angiotensin system, such as angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are not typically recommended for pregnant women because of their potential fetal toxicity. ⋯ Although ARBs are effective for treating hypertension, they should be replaced by other classes of anti-hypertensive drugs in pregnant women. Pregnant women who elect to continue using ARBs should be informed about risks, they should be carefully monitored during pregnancy, and their pregnancy should be allowed to proceed as long as clinically feasible in order to optimize maternal and infant outcomes.