Plos One
-
Anxiety and depression are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but data on emotional communication during MS consultations are lacking. We assessed patient expressions of emotion and neurologist responses during first-ever MS consultations using the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES). ⋯ Patient emotional expressions varied widely, but VR-CoDES cues b and d were expressed most often. Patient anxiety was directly associated with emotional expressions; older age of patients and neurologists, and second opinion consultations were inversely associated with patient emotional expression. In over 50% of instances, neurologists responded to these expressions by reducing space, more so in anxious patients. These findings suggest that neurologists need to improve their skills in dealing with patient emotions.
-
The possibility to use a suspended tridimensional matrix as scaffolding for re-epithelialization of in vitro cutaneous wounds was investigated with the aid of a human in vitro wound healing model based on viable full thickness skin. Macroporous gelatin microcarriers, CultiSpher-S, were applied to in vitro wounds and cultured for 21 days. Tissue sections showed incorporation of wound edge keratinocytes into the microcarriers and thicker neoepidermis in wounds treated with microcarriers. ⋯ Air-lifting of wounds enhanced stratification in control wounds as well as wounds with CultiSpher-S. Immunohistochemical staining revealed expression of keratin 5, keratin 10, and laminin 5 in the neoepidermal component. We conclude that the CultiSpher-S microcarriers can function as tissue guiding scaffold for re-epithelialization of cutaneous wounds.
-
The G1 cell cycle inhibitors tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) have been identified as promising biomarkers for the prediction of adverse outcomes including renal replacement therapy (RRT) and mortality in critically ill adult patients who develop acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the prognostic value of urinary TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 in neonatal and pediatric AKI for adverse outcome has not been investigated yet. ⋯ This study shows that urinary [TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7] has a good diagnostic performance in predicting adverse outcomes in neonatal and pediatric AKI of heterogeneous etiology.
-
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is often occult to conventional imaging techniques. However, there is growing evidence that mTBI patients who lack evidence of structural intracranial injury may develop post-concussive syndrome (PCS). We investigated longitudinal alterations in resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in brain networks in a population of 28 patients compared to 28 matched control participants. ⋯ In addition, chronic mTBI patients demonstrate an imbalance in the ratio of CBF between nodes of the DMN and TPN. Furthermore, preliminary exploratory analysis suggests that compared to those without chronic PCS, patients with chronic PCS reveal an imbalance in the ratio of CBF between the DMN nodes and TPN nodes across multiple stages of recovery. Findings suggest that the altered network perfusion with the associated changes in rs-FC may be a possible predictor of which mTBI patients will develop chronic PCS.
-
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is prevalent in children and diagnostic polysomnography is costly and not readily available in all areas. We developed a pediatric modification of a commonly used adult clinical prediction tool for stratifying the risk of OSA and the need for polysomnography. ⋯ In community dwelling adolescents, teen STOP-Bang may be useful in stratifying the risk of OSA.