Plos One
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Millions of people rely on N95 filtering facepiece respirators to reduce the risk of airborne particles and prevent them from respiratory infections. However, there are no respirator fit testing and training regulations in China. Meanwhile, no study has been conducted to investigate the fit of various respirators. The objective of this study was to investigate whether people obtained adequate fit when wearing N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) used widely in China. ⋯ FFRs used widely in China should be improved according to Chinese facial dimensions. Respirator users could benefit from respirator training and fit testing before using respirators.
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Acquired deficits following glioma resection may not only occur due to accidental resection of normal brain tissue. The possible importance of ischemic injuries in causing neurological deficits after brain tumor surgery is not much studied. We aimed to study the volume and frequency of early postoperative circulatory changes (i.e. infarctions) detected by diffusion weighted resonance imaging (DWI) in patients with surgically acquired neurological deficits compared to controls. ⋯ Peri-tumoral infarctions were more common and were larger in patients with acquired deficits after glioma surgery compared to glioma patients without deficits when assessed by early postoperative DWI. Infarctions may be a frequent and underestimated cause of acquired deficits after glioma resection. DWI changes may be an attractive endpoint in brain tumor surgery with both good inter-rater reliability among radiologists and clinical relevance.
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In patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS), rapid triage is essential. The aim of this study was to establish a tool for risk prediction of 30-day cardiac events (CE) on admission. 30-day cardiac events (CE) were defined as early coronary revascularization, subsequent myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death within 30 days. ⋯ In patients presenting without ST-elevations, identification of those prone to CE is best based on clinical assessment based on TIMI risk score criteria and hs-cTnT.
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Optimal care of adults with severe acute respiratory failure requires specific resources and expertise. We sought to measure geographic access to these centers in the United States. ⋯ Geographic access to high capability severe acute respiratory failure centers varies widely across states and regions in the United States. Adequate referral center access in the case of disasters and pandemics will depend highly on local and regional care coordination across political boundaries.
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The air pollution caused by vehicular emissions is associated with cognitive decline. However, the associations between the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) exposure and dementia remain poorly defined and have been addressed in only a few previous studies. ⋯ The results of this large retrospective, population-based study indicate that exposure to NO2 and CO is associated with an increased risk of dementia in the Taiwanese population.