Medicine
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Comparative Study
Relationship between quantitative contrast-enhanced ultrasonography parameters and angiogenesis in primary small hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective study.
To analyze the correlation between quantitative contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) parameters and angiogenesis in primary small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) with varying degrees of differentiation. According to varying degrees of differentiation, a total of 90 primary sHCC patients admitted to our hospital from July 2018 to January 2020 were selected and divided into poorly differentiated group (24 cases), moderately differentiated group (31 cases), and highly differentiated group (35 cases). All patients received real-time CEUS before surgery. ⋯ The correlation between quantitative parameters of CEUS and angiogenesis indexes was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation analysis. Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) expression and MVD were negatively correlated with the time to peak (TTP), wash-out time, and peak accelerating time (PAT) (r < 0, P < .05), and were positively correlated with enhancing slope rate (ESR) and peak intensity increasing rate (PIIR) (r > 0, P < .05). CEUS is able to identify varying degrees of differentiation in primary sHCC, and the quantitative CEUS parameters are closely related to angiogenesis.
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Observational Study
Analysis of pediatric emergency department patient volume trends during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a substantial decrease in pediatric emergency department (PED) visitation. The intent of this study is to report PED utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic in an urban pediatric referral center located close to the epicenter in the northeastern US. A retrospective analysis of medical records of patients visiting the PED at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) was performed. ⋯ A substantial and persistent decrease in PED visitation was experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas visits for behavioral health and fractures have recovered to prior year norms, visits for asthma exacerbation remain at record lows. Further research is needed to ascertain the causes of these changes, including patient perceptions of the PED.
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Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is well established as an effective treatment tool for portal hypertension. However, the effects of TIPS in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension have not been adequately verified in clinical trials. ⋯ TIPS treatment could alleviate the symptoms of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension in individuals with or without PVT. However, complications during follow-up should be appropriately noted and addressed with corresponding treatments.
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Chronic diarrhea and constipation are common in adolescents and are associated with depression and anxiety. However, the association was not reported in adolescents adjusted for other psychological factors (resilience, personality traits, perceived stress, and suicidal ideation). Therefore, we investigated the significant psychological factors predicting chronic diarrhea and constipation in adjusted individuals for co-variables. ⋯ However, anxiety was not significantly associated with chronic diarrhea or constipation. Among the psychological factors predicting disordered bowel habits, resilience and moderate and severe depression were significant predictors of chronic diarrhea, but not anxiety. Furthermore, only mild depression was an independent predictor of chronic constipation.
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Previous studies have demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori is a critical factor in the development of gastrointestinal diseases. However, only limited studies have reported results on the relationship between H pylori infection and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Moreover, the conclusions from these past studies are variable. Because there are contradictory results on this issue, the present study aims to examine the clinical therapeutic impacts of H pylori eradication to treat patients experiencing T2DM. ⋯ May 31, 2021.osf.io/qtexu. (https://osf.io/qtexu/).