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Objective To explore the illness experience and perspectives of youth patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in China. Methods The research was conducted following phenomenological approach of qualitative research. Twelve patients with SLE were selected through purposive sampling method.The interviewer conducted hour-long semi-structured interviews according to the proposed interview outline.Data were analyzed based on Colaizzi phenomenological research method. Results Three themes were identified, including emotional experience since illness, SLE related limitations, and perceived stigma. Conclusions There exists a dynamic variation in disease related experience of young SLE patients.Understanding the feelings of those patients can help eliminate the negative factors so as to provide effective nursing intervention for patients and improve the quality of young patients′life with long-term living.
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BACKGROUND:Atlantal lateral mass screw fixation contains lateral mass screw fixation under the posterior arch of the atlas and lateral mass screw fixation via the posterior arch of atlas (also cal ed atlas pedicle screw fixation) according to different insertion points. The two methods have their advantages and disadvantages. There are lacks of the comparative studies on bony anatomy feasibility by two kinds of atlantal lateral mass screw fixation. OBJECTIVE:To compare the feasibility associated with two kinds of atlantal lateral mass screw fixations taking Chinese data of atlantal bony anatomy as evidence. METHODS:Data of CT scans in 30 adults with cervical spondylosis (60 sides) were col ected, and data were reconstructed using CT workstation. We measured key bone anatomy structure after atlantal lateral mass screw fixation. The atlantal lateral mass was suitable for lateral mass screw fixation via the posterior arch of atlas if its height and width of vertebral artery groove at the posterior arch ≥ 4 mm. It was suitable for lateral mass screw fixation under the posterior arch of the atlas if the height of posterior arch of atlas lateral mass ≥ 4 mm. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The height of vertebral artery groove at the posterior arch was (4.54±1.17) mm. The width of vertebral artery groove at the posterior arch was (8.69±1.12) mm. The height of posterior arch of atlas lateral mass was (4.98±1.07) mm. There were 41 cases with the height of vertebral artery groove at the posterior arch>4 mm (suitable for lateral mass screw fixation via the posterior arch of atlas, occupying 68%. There were 52 cases with the height of posterior arch of atlas lateral mass>4 mm (suitable for lateral mass screw fixation under the posterior arch of the atlas), occupying 87%. There were significant differences in the differences between the two groups (P<0.05). These results indicated that lateral mass screw fixation under the posterior arch of the atlas was more feasible compared with lateral mass screw fixation via the posterior arch of atlas. Preoperative CT measure for key anatomic structure was significant for making personalized surgical plan.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its relation to clinical characteristics and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to study the possible mechanism of VEGF.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of VEGF and intratumoral microvascular density (MVD) were determined in 96 NSCLC tissues by SP immunohistochemical method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>VEGF was mainly stained in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. The positive rate of VEGF expression was 64.6% in 96 patients. The positive rate of VEGF expression was related to stages (P=0.041), but not to other clinical characteristics of NSCLC (P > 0.05). The expression of VEGF in high MVD group (80.4%) was significantly higher than that in low MVD group (46.7%) (P=0.001). The patients with positive VEGF expression had a significantly shorter survival duration than those with negative VEGF expression (P < 0.01). By Cox proportional hazard model analysis, the expression of VEGF and clinical stage were considered the independent predictors for the prognosis of NSCLC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results suggest that VEGF plays an important role in the angiogenesis of NSCLC, and that detection of VEGF expression may be helpful to predict prognosis of NSCLC.</p>