Medicine
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Observational Study
Trefoil factor-2, an early predictor for acute gastrointestinal injury in patients with acute pancreatitis.
Acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) is commonly present in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). It is often difficult to predict gastrointestinal function in the early stage due to lack of reliable markers. We aimed to assess whether early plasma trefoil factor 2 (TFF-2) is a potential predictor for AGI. ⋯ In addition, TFF-2 increased along with the severity of AP (r = 0.554, P < .0001) and associated with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, sequential organ failure assessment, C-reactive protein, serum calcium. The plasma TFF-2 levels were increased in patients in early stage of AP and correlated with AGI grades and disease severity in our study. TFF-2 might be a potential predictor for acute gastrointestinal failure in patients with AP.
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Observational Study
Self-efficacy remains a vital factor in reducing the risk of dialysis in type 2 diabetes care.
Studies have provided promising outcomes of the pay-for-performance (P4P) program or with good continuity of care levels in diabetes control. We investigate the different exposures in continuity of care (COC) with their providers and those who participate in the P4P program and its effects on the risk of diabetes diabetic nephropathy in the future. We obtained COC and P4P information from the annual database, to which we applied a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) in 3 levels adjusted to account for other covariates as well as the effects of hospital clustering and accumulating time. ⋯ Regarding the repeat time level, the patients who had a higher COC score and participated in the P4P program had a reduced diabetic nephropathy risk with an OR of 0.339 and 0.775, respectively. Diabetes control necessitates long-term care involving the patients' healthcare providers for the management of their conditions to reduce the risk of diabetic nephropathy. Indeed, most contributing factors are related to patients, but we cannot eliminate the optimal outcomes related to good relationships with healthcare providers and participation in the P4P program.
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In recent years, with the development of molecular epidemiology, molecular transmission networks based on evolutionary theory and sequence analysis have been widely used in research on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 transmission dynamics and precise intervention for high-risk populations. The HIV-1 molecular transmission network is a new method to study the population's access to the network, the characteristics of clustering, and the characteristics of interconnection in the network. Here, we analyzed the characteristics of the HIV-1 molecular transmission network of sexually transmitted people in Liaoning Province. ⋯ Constructing a molecular transmission network and conducting long-term monitoring, while taking targeted measures to block the spread of HIV can achieve precise prevention and control.
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Meta Analysis
Acupuncture for the treatment of leptin resistance in obesity: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.
Recently, there has been a global increase in obesity and obesity-related diseases. The prevention and treatment of obesity have become one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide in the 21st century, and how to effectively curb the occurrence of obesity has become a major global concern. Numerous studies have shown that the majority of obese individuals do not respond to leptin, and instead demonstrate leptin resistance. Clinical studies have found that acupuncture is widely used in the clinical treatment of obesity in recent years, but whether it can improve leptin resistance has not been systematically reviewed. This study is aimed to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture in obesity with leptin resistance (LR). ⋯ The conclusion of this review will provide a basis for judging whether acupuncture therapy is effective in the treatment of leptin resistance in obesity.