Changes of resting cerebral activities in subacute ischemic stroke patients

This study aimed to detect the difference in resting cerebral activities between ischemic stroke pa- tients and healthy participants, define the abnormal site, and provide new evidence for pathological mechanisms, clinical diagnosis, prognosis prediction and efficacy evaluation of ischemic stroke. At present, the majority of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies focus on the motor dysfunc- tion and the acute stage of ischemic stroke. This study recruited 15 right-handed ischemic stroke patients at subacute stage （15 days to 11.5 weeks） and 15 age-matched healthy participants. A rest- ing-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan was performed on each subject to detect cerebral activity. Regional homogeneity analysis was used to investigate the difference in cerebral activities between ischemic stroke patients and healthy participants. The results showed that the ischemic stroke patients had lower regional homogeneity in anterior cingulate and left cerebrum and higher regional homogeneity in cerebellum, left precuneus and left frontal lobe, compared with healthy participants. The experimental findings demonstrate that the areas in which regional homogeneity was different between ischemic stroke patients and healthy participants are in the cerebellum, left precuneus, left triangle inferior frontal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate. These locations, related to the motor, sensory and emotion areas, are likely po- tential targets for the neural regeneration of subacute ischemic stroke patients.

Regional brain structural abnormality in ischemic stroke patients:a voxel-based morphometry study

Our previous study used regional homogeneity analysis and found that activity in some brain areas of patients with ischemic stroke changed significantly. In the current study, we examined structural changes in these brain regions by taking structural magnetic resonance imaging scans of 11 ischemic stroke patients and 15 healthy participants, and analyzing the data using voxel-based morphometry. Compared with healthy participants, patients exhibited higher gray matter density in the left inferior occipital gyrus and right anterior white matter tract. In contrast, gray matter density in the right cerebellum, left precentral gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, and left middle temporal gyrus was less in ischemic stroke patients. The changes of gray matter density in the middle frontal gyrus were negatively associated with the clin- ical rating scales of the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment （r = -0.609, P = 0.047） and the left middle temporal gyrus was negatively correlated with the clinical rating scales of the nervous functional deficiency scale （r = -0.737, P = 0.010）. Our findings call objectively identify the functional abnormality in some brain regions of ischemic stroke patients.

Prevalence and Influencing Factors on Fatigue of First-line Nurses Combating with COVID-19 in China:A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Summary:Nurses'work-related fatigue has been recognized as a threat to nurse health and patient safety.The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of fatigue among first-line nurses combating with COVID-19 in Wuhan,China,and to analyze its influencing factors on fatigue.A multi-center,descriptive,cross-sectional design with a convenience sample was used.The statistical population consisted of the first-line nurses in 7 tertiary general hospitals from March 3,2020 to March 10,2020 in Wuhan of China.A total of 2667 samples from 2768 contacted participants completed the investgation,with a response rate of 96.35%.Social-demographic questionnaire,work-related questionnaire,Fatigue Scale-14,Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7,Patient Health Questionnaire-9,and Chinese Perceived Stress Scale were used to conduct online survey.The descriptive statistic of nurses'social-demographic characteristics was conducted,and the related variables of work,anxiety,depression,perceived stress and fatigue were analyzed by Z-tests,nonparametric test and Pearson's correlation analysis.The significant factors which resulted in nurses'fatigue were further analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis.The median score for the first-line nurses'fatigue in Wuhan was 4(2,8).The median score of physical and mental fatigue of them was 3(1,6)and 1(0,3)respectively.According to the scoring criteria,35.06%nurses(w=935)of all participants were in the fatigue status,their median score of fatigue was 10(8,11),and the median score of physical and mental fatigue of them was 7(5,8)and 3(2,4)respectively.Multiple linear regression analysis revealed the participants in the risk groups of anxiety,depression and perceived stress had higher scores on physical and mental fatigue and the statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the variables and nurses'fatigue,the frequency of exercise and nurses'fatigue had a statistically significant negative correlation,and average daily working hours had a significantly positive correlation with nurses'fatigue,and the frequency of weekly night shift had a low positive correlation with nurses'fatigue(P<0.01).There was a moderate level of fatigue among the first-line nurses fighting against COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan,China.Government and health authorities need to formulate and take effective intervention strategies according to the relevant risk factors,and undertake preventive measures aimed at reducing health hazards due to increased work-related fatigue among first-line nurses,and to enhance their health status and provide a safe occupational environment worldwide.Promoting both medical and nursing safety while combating with the pandemic currently is warranted.

Pathogenesis,diagnosis,and treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion with immune type

Recurrent spontaneous abortion(RSA),defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation,is difficult to treat in the clinical setting.It affects 1%–5%of women of reproductive age.In the investigations of immunopathogenesis,diagnosis,and treatment of RSA since the late 1980s,it was found that RSA was associated with abnormal maternal local or systemic immune response.The pathogenesis of autoimmune RSA was mainly associated with antiphospholipid antibody(APA),while that of alloimmune RSA was due to the disturbance of maternofetal immunological tolerance.Systemic etiological screening process and diagnosis systems of RSA with immune type were developed,and anticardiolipin(ACL or ACA)+anti-β2-GP1 antibody combining multiple assays for effective diagnosis of RSA with autoimmune type was first established.According to the dynamic monitoring of clinical parameters before and during gestation,low-dose,short-course,and individual immunosuppressive therapy and lymphocyte immunotherapy for RSA with immune type were carried out.The outcomes of the offsprings of patients with RSA were followed up,and the safety and validity of the therapies were confirmed.The research achievement leads to great progress in the diagnosis and treatment of RSA in China.