Medicine
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Observational Study
Risk factors for brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer: A protocol for observational study.
Brain metastasis is a common site of distant metastasis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that greatly reduces the prognosis of patients. In this study, we explored the correlation between different clinical factors and secondary brain metastases in NSCLC in an attempt to identify NSCLC patient populations at high risk of metastasis to the central nervous system. We collected data for 350 NSCLC patients from the medical record system of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June 2015 to June 2019, and these patients had pathologically verified diagnoses. ⋯ The sensitivities for prediction brain metastasis were 59.6%, 64.9%, and 73.3%, with specificities of 63.1%, 59.2%, and 70.3%, respectively. According to our study, lesion diameter, calcium concentration, and CEA level are independent risk factors for brain metastases in NSCLC patients. Thus, we can strengthen the regular follow-up of NSCLC patients with tumor diameter > 5.050 cm, calcium > 2.295 mmol/L, CEA > 11.160 ng/mL, and use these factors as a reference for preventive treatments.
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We report on a patient with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HI-BI) who showed recovery from a minimally consciousness state over 6 years concurrent with recovery of an injured ascending reticular activating system (ARAS), which was demonstrated on diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). A 31-year-old female patient, who suffered from HI-BI, showed impaired consciousness with a minimally conscious state: intermittently obeying simple motor tasks, such as "please grasp my hand." Her consciousness showed recovery with the passage of time; rapid recovery was observed during the recent 2 years. ⋯ Recovery of an injured ARAS was demonstrated in a patient who showed recovery from a minimally consciousness state over 6 years following HI-BI. Our results suggest the brain target areas for recovery of impaired awareness in patients with disorders of consciousness.
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Observational Study
Professionalism development of undergraduate medical students: Effect of time and transition.
Changeover phases are essential and inevitable times in professional life, which let the learners adapt and grasp emerging opportunities for learning based on the past experiences with the catering of novel creativity as required in the present as well as emerging time. This study was carried out to examine the effectiveness of a professionalism course, during the transition from a non-clinical to clinical setting, within the context of undergraduate medical education. This observational study was conducted during 2019 to 2020, with pre- and post-professionalism course evaluation. ⋯ They were even more aware of the significance of professionalism in their clinical settings. Despite a year gap, the understanding of professionalism among students was stable. Results helped us infer that time laps did not affect the professionalism concept learned earlier; rather during clinical settings, students become more aware of professionalism.
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Meta Analysis
Evaluation of medication error rates in Saudi Arabia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.
Due to the diversity of reports and on the rates of medications errors (MEs) in Saudi Arabia, we performed the first meta-analysis to determine the rate of medications errors in Saudi Arabia using meta-analysis in the hospital settings. ⋯ This study demonstrates the MEs common in health facilities. Additional efforts in the field are needed to improve medication management systems in order to prevent patient harm incidents.
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A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in gynecology and obstetrics education in China. ⋯ The current research shows that PBL in gynecology and obstetrics education in China is more effective than the traditional teaching in enhancing theoretical knowledge, student satisfaction, clinical operations, and clinical practice scores. However, more delicate-designed studies on this topic are needed in the future to validate these results.