Medicine
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Sexual dysfunction is a common problem after cerebral infarction; however, little is known about sexual arousal in poststroke patients. Thus, this study aimed to investigate brain activation in response to visual sexual stimuli in patients with right middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory infarction using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Using fMRI in 20 participants (11 right MCA infarction patients and 9 age-matched healthy controls), we assessed brain activation elicited by visual sexual stimuli (erotic images) and visual nonsexual stimuli (landscape images). ⋯ Brain areas that were more activated by visual sexual stimuli in right MCA infarction patients than in controls included the right parahippocampal gyrus and the bilateral frontal subgyral area. These fMRI results suggest that brain activation patterns in response to visual sexual stimuli might be influenced by right MCA infarction. Further research is needed to explore the association between sexual dysfunction and brain activation in poststroke patients.
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To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and the associated risk factors among first-line medical staff in Wuhan during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. From March 5 to 15, 2020, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression scale were used to investigate the anxiety and depression status of medical staff in Wuhan Cabin Hospital (a Hospital). Two hundred seventy-six questionnaires were received from 96 doctors and 180 nurses, including 79 males and 197 females. ⋯ During the COVID-19 epidemic, some first-line medical staff experienced mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Nurses were more prone to anxiety and depression than doctors. Effective strategies toward to improving the mental health should be provided to first-line medical staff, especially female medical staff and nurses.
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With the aging of society, the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is increasing every year, and there is a clear correlation between T2DM and cognitive dysfunction. Acupuncture therapy has been widely used in the treatment of T2DM, but there is no systematic review on the treatment of T2DM associated with cognitive impairment. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of acupuncture in the treatment of T2DM with cognitive impairment to clarify its efficacy. ⋯ CRD42021245681.
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In efforts to improve the delivery of quality primary care, patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model has been promoted. However, evidence on its association with health outcomes has been mixed. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of PCMH model on quality of care, patient experience, health expenditures. ⋯ Patients who were cared for by PCMHs had less total health expenditure (difference $217) and out-of-pocket spending (difference $91) than those cared for by non-PCMHs; however, none of these differences reached the statistical significance (adjusted P > 0.05 for all). This study found no meaningful difference in quality of care, patient experience, health care utilization, or health care expenditures between respondents cared for by PCMH and non-PCMH. Our findings suggest that the PCMH model is not superior in the quality of care delivered to non-PCMH providers.
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Infections with hepatitis C virus (HCV) represent a substantial national and international public health burden. HCV has been associated with numerous extrahepatic conditions and can lead to metabolic derangements that are associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether HCV infection is associated with an increased number of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) events among hospitalized patients in an inner-city tertiary hospital. ⋯ In adjusted models, there was no significant association found between experiencing an ACS event in those with HCV infection compared to those without HCV infection (odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.45-1.11). We found no significant association between HCV infection and ACS in our study population. However, given the mixed existing literature, the association between HCV and ACS warrants further investigation in future prospective cohort and/or interventional studies.