Diagnosis and prevention of atherosclerotic cerebral infarction

Atherosclerotic disease accounts for approximately 25% of ischemic strokes. Atherosclerotic stroke is caused mainly by embolic events from the carotid artery bifurcation or the aortic arch, although intracranial thrombosis can occur, more often in African Americans, Asians, and diabetes patients. Primary prevention of stroke is critical for patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis, including hypertension, diabetes, smoking and hypercholesterolemia. Stroke can be prevented in patients with established atherosclerotic disease by identification and management of patients with carotid artery stenosis by non-invasive testing. Particular attention must be paid to patients with transient symptoms of brain ischemia.     

糖尿病伴发脑卒中病例临床特点分析

探讨2型糖尿病患者伴发脑卒中的发生率及相关危险因素,采用头CT扫描,化验血糖、胆固醇、甘油三酯、高密度脂蛋白、纤维蛋白原。对我院自2005年7月-2007年7月间收治的2型糖尿病合并脑卒中患者与非糖尿病发生脑卒中患者进行比较分析。200例患者中糖尿病88例,患病率44％,两组患者比较糖尿病并发脑卒中发生多灶性梗死（P〈0．01）,血流变学分析（P〈0．01）其差异有统计学意义。糖尿病合并脑卒中的患者与多种危险因素有关,必须及早控制,防止脑卒中发生、发展,减少致残率。     

Risk Perception: Using Conditional Versus General Base Rates for Risk Communication1

In general, people judge their chance of experiencing a health risk as being less than the general base rate because of their favorable status on risk factors (e.g., history of stroke). Presenting base rates for high and low risk groups (conditional base rates) were hypothesized to lessen people's tendency to adjust downward from the base rate because risk factors are included in conditional base rates (CBRs). Young (M= 19 years) and older women (M= 46 years) were presented with either a general base rate (GBR) or CBRs for high‐ and low‐risk groups for 5 health risks. The CBR groups were significantly less likely to adjust their probability judgments from the base rate for the risk group that they believed applied to them (e.g., smoker vs. nonsmoker). The CBR effect was replicated in a second experiment in which women (M = 19 years) were informed of either a GBR, a CBR for a high‐risk group, or a CBR for a low‐risk group. The findings suggest that people might estimate subjective probabilities by considering both the base rate for a health risk and self‐assessments on risk factors. Biases about one's status on risk factors, however, may limit people's identification with relevant risk groups and warrant further investigation.     

德州地区进展性缺血性脑卒中相关危险因素的研究

探讨进展性缺血性脑卒中（SIP）的相关危险因素。选择德州市人民医院1999年～2009年163例SIP患者,首先对18个变量行单因素分析,然后对阳性变量行多因素Logistic逐步回归分析,筛选SIP发生的相关危险因素。高血压史、感染、加拿大卒中量表（CNS）评分、高血糖、TG、纤维蛋白原、脑水肿、颈动脉粥样硬化性狭窄...     

Impact of the principal stroke risk factors on human movements

In the context of the occidental population aging, new preventive approaches must be developed to reduce the disability related to brain stroke in the elderly. The stroke susceptibility assessment based on the analysis of human movements is one of the potential avenues needing investigation. As a first step in this direction, this paper reports results on the relationship linking the most important stroke risk factors to some characteristics of human movement. Various features were extracted using the Sigma-Lognormal model on 1440 stereotypical triangular movements performed by 120 subjects having different health conditions. These features were combined through a linear modeling to maximize the predictability of presence of stroke risk factors in the studied cohort. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under this curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the clinical significance of this relationship. Using only the information derived from the movements, the six tested risk factors (cardiac problems, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, and cigarette smoking) can be predicted with an AUC ranging from .68 to .82.     

Central Nervous System Complications of Sickle Cell Disease in Children: An Overview

Complications involving the central nervous system are among the most devastating manifestations of sickle cell disease. Although overt stroke occurs in 1 in 10 children with Hemoglobin SS, “silent cerebral infarcts” are even more frequent. Both are associated with significant neuropsychological deficits. The end result of these effects on the CNS often is diminished school performance. The use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography screening allows the identification of patients at high risk for clinical stroke as well as stroke prevention by chronic transfusion. However, definitive prophylaxis and treatment for most CNS complications of sickle cell disease have yet to be determined.     

Central nervous system complications of sickle cell disease in children: an overview.

Complications involving the central nervous system are among the most devastating manifestations of sickle cell disease. Although overt stroke occurs in 1 in 10 children with Hemoglobin SS, "silent cerebral infarcts" are even more frequent. Both are associated with significant neuropsychological deficits. The end result of these effects on the CNS often is diminished school performance. The use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography screening allows the identification of patients at high risk for clinical stroke as well as stroke prevention by chronic transfusion. However, definitive prophylaxis and treatment for most CNS complications of sickle cell disease have yet to be determined.     

声旁与笔画省略方式对形声字识别的影响

本研究通过两个实验,考察笔画省略方式和声旁对形声字识别的影响。实验一采用命名任务考察了声旁和三种笔画省略方式（省前、略后、不省）对左右结构形声字识别的影响。结果表明存在笔画顺序效应和声旁位置效应,并发现略后的笔画中有声旁,笔画顺序效应会消失。这说明声旁的作用抵消了笔画顺序效应,体现了声旁在形声字识别中的重要作用;实验二在实验一的基础上,采用上下结构的形声字,实验结果表现出了相同的趋势,且更加显著。     

Global cognitive function before,surrounding, and after ischemic stroke: the role of risk and protective factors varies with time among ischemic stroke survivors

An estimated 65% of individuals demonstrate multidomain cognitive impairment poststroke, although little is known about the varying role of cognitive risk and protective factors in preischemic, peri-ischemic, and postischemic stroke phases. Longitudinal changes in global cognitive function after ischemic stroke are not well characterized, especially in older adults over age 80. We examined global cognitive function trajectories in these three phases across a mean follow-up of 8.12 (2.30) years in 159 female stroke survivors aged 65–79 at baseline using linear mixed models with change points. In separate models controlling for demographic variables, we tested the interaction of baseline risk and protective factors with stroke phase on global cognitive function. None of the prestroke global cognitive function means or trajectories differed significantly. At the time of ischemic stroke, higher body mass index (BMI), the presence of hypertension (HTN), low optimism, and higher physical function were all associated with significantly greater mean decreases in global cognition (all p’s <.0.0001), but were not significantly different from the contrasting level (all p’s >0.05). Higher BMI, the presence of HTN, low optimism, and higher physical function were in turn protective of global cognitive decline postischemic stroke (all contrasting p values <.01). Baseline factors may play either a risk or a protective role in global cognitive function depending on the phase of ischemic stroke.     

Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: implications for substance abuse prevention.

The authors suggest that the most promising route to effective strategies for the prevention of adolescent alcohol and other drug problems is through a risk-focused approach. This approach requires the identification of risk factors for drug abuse, identification of methods by which risk factors have been effectively addressed, and application of these methods to appropriate high-risk and general population samples in controlled studies. The authors review risk and protective factors for drug abuse, assess a number of approaches for drug abuse prevention potential with high-risk groups, and make recommendations for research and practice.     

进展性脑梗死的形成机制与防治策略

进展性脑梗死是临床上常见的一种缺血性脑卒中,其发病率高,致残率高,预后较差,严重危害患者的生命和健康,成为临床卒中治疗的一大难题。本文结合近年来的有关研究文献,就进展性脑梗死的临床分型、形成机制、可能的危险因素及其防治策略等方面的研究进展作一综合性介绍。     

脑卒中患者家属的焦虑状况及其影响因素分析

了解脑卒中患者家属的焦虑状况及其影响因素。采用焦虑自评量表（SAS）及自制的一般状况调查问卷对240名脑卒中患者家属进行问卷调查。脑卒中患者家属的焦虑状况明显高于国内常模（P〈0．01）;其中家属的性别、年龄、文化程度、与患者关系、患者神经功能缺损程度及医疗费用的缴付方式与患者家属的焦虑有关（P〈0．01）。患者家属的...     

Psychological correlates of PTSD symptoms following stroke

This study assessed associations between a number of demographic, medical and psychological risk factors and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following stroke. Individuals (N = 102) who had experienced a stroke within the previous year participated in the study. Participants completed questionnaires containing measures of PTSD symptoms and a range of psychological risk factors (i.e., anxiety, depression, negative affect, dissociation, cognitive appraisals). Regression analyses revealed the variables under consideration were able to explain large proportions of the variance in the number (R(2) = .54, p < 0.001) and severity (R(2) = .58, p < 0.001) of PTSD symptoms. Number of strokes, negative affect and cognitive appraisals emerged as significant predictors of both the number and severity of PTSD symptoms. The present findings suggest that a significant proportion of stroke patients may benefit from the detection and treatment of PTSD symptoms.     

医患关系不和谐的原因

由于政府监管部门的缺位与越位导致医疗市场混乱,医疗资源配置不合理与效率低下,医院为了自身利益而鼓励医务人员多收费,医务人员成了给钱治病的经济人,再加上舆论的推波助澜,社会保障体系不健全,以及医疗需求的刚性,医患间的信息不对称,患者对医疗预期值超越了当今的科技水平,导致医患矛盾越演越烈.     

脑梗死不同病因亚型同血浆同型半胱氨酸浓度的关系研究

为探讨脑梗死患者血浆同型半胱氨酸（HCY）水平同病因分型及疾病严重程度的关系,选择首发脑梗死急性期患者73例,对照组30例,进行TOAST病因分型、NIHSS神经功能缺损评分、血浆HCY检测。结果显示,病例组血浆HCY升高率、水平比对照组显著增高;大动脉粥样硬化亚型病例组血浆HCY水平比对照组明显增高;病例组血浆HCY水平同NIHSS评分呈正相关,提示高HCY血症是脑梗死发病及大动脉粥样硬化亚型脑梗死发病的高危因素,血浆HCY水平同神经功能缺损程度正相关。     

Risk factors for arterial ischemic stroke in childhood

Stroke affects up to 13 of 100,000 children, is more common in boys and African Americans, and is associated with considerable cognitive and psychiatric morbidity, as well as motor disability. Around half are hemorrhagic and half are ischemic. Underlying conditions include sickle cell disease, cardiac abnormalities, chromosomal abnormalities (eg, Down syndrome), and neurocutaneous conditions (eg, neurofibromatosis), but up to half the patients with ischemic stroke have no previously diagnosed condition. Although there is almost certainly an important genetic component to stroke risk, head trauma, infections, drugs and radiation appear to play an etiological role in some patients. The majority of the patients with infarction in an arterial distribution have associated cerebrovascular disease. Vascular pathologies include carotid or vertebrobasilar dissection, intracranial vasculopathy affecting the middle and anterior cerebral arteries, which is often transient, and moyamoya. Intermediate risk factors may include hypertension, hypoxia, and poor nutrition leading, for example, to iron deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia. Some chronic conditions may directly influence the child's behavior and stroke recurrence risk, although large cohorts and randomized controlled trials will be needed before strategies for modification can be evidence-based.     

Preventing Vascular Effects on Brain Injury and Cognition Late in Life: Knowns and Unknowns

For some researchers, the relationship between prevalent cardiovascular risk factors and late-life cognitive decline is not worthy of further study. It is already known that effective treatment of vascular risk factors lowers risk of such major outcomes as stroke and heart attack, the argument goes; thus, any new information about the relationship between vascular risk factors and another major outcome - late-life cognitive decline-- is unlikely to have an impact on clinical practice. The purpose of this review is to probe the logic of this argument by focusing on what is known, and what is not known, about the relationship between vascular risk factors and late-life cognitive decline. The unknowns are substantial: in particular, there is relatively little evidence that current vascular risk factor treatment protocols are adequate to prevent late-life cognitive decline or the clinically silent brain injury that precedes it. In addition, there is relatively little understanding of which factors lead to differential vulnerability or resilience to the effects of vascular risk factors on silent brain injury. Differential effects of different classes of treatments are similarly unclear. Finally, there is limited understanding of the impact of clinically-silent neurodegenerative disease processes on cerebrovascular processes. Further study of the relationships among vascular risk factors, brain injury, and late-life cognitive decline could have a major impact on development of new vascular therapies and on clinical management of vascular risk factors, and there are promising avenues for future research in this direction.     

Children with Disabilities

Abstract

Children in out-of-home care due to abuse and neglect are at disproportionately high risk for disabling conditions. The reasons for the over-representation of children with disabilities in the child welfare system are reviewed and discussed in this chapter. Factors discussed include impact of abuse and neglect, the impact risk factors such as exposure to community and domestic violence and poverty, risk of abuse or neglect associated with disability, and child welfare system factors. In addition, the need for greater efficacy in identification of disability, identification of service needs, and linkage with and delivery of services to serve the needs of children with disabilities in out-of-home care is addressed. Recommendations for policy review at State and Federal levels are offered along with direction for future research.     

Cumulative Effects of Mothers’ Risk and Promotive Factors on Daughters’ Disruptive Behavior

Little is known about the ways in which the accumulation of maternal factors increases or reduces risk for girls' disruptive behavior during preadolescence. In the current study, maternal risk and promotive factors and the severity of girls' disruptive behavior were assessed annually among girls' ages 7-12 in an urban community sample (N?=?2043). Maternal risk and promotive factors were operative at different time points in girls' development. Maternal warmth explained variance in girls' disruptive behavior, even after controlling for maternal risk factors and relevant child and neighborhood factors. In addition, findings supported the cumulative hypothesis that the number of risk factors increased the chance on girls' disruptive behavior disorder (DBD), while the number of promotive factors decreased this probability. Daughters of mothers with a history of Conduct Disorder (CD) were exposed to more risk factors and fewer promotive factors compared to daughters of mothers without prior CD. The identification of malleable maternal factors that can serve as targets for intervention has important implications for intergenerational intervention. Cumulative effects show that the focus of prevention efforts should not be on single factors, but on multiple factors associated with girls' disruptive behavior.     

Identifying the necessary and sufficient number of risk factors for predicting academic failure

Identifying the point at which individuals become at risk for academic failure (grade point average [GPA] < 2.0) involves an understanding of which and how many factors contribute to poor outcomes. School-related factors appear to be among the many factors that significantly impact academic success or failure. This study focused on 12 school-related factors. Using a thorough 5-step process, we identified which unique risk factors place one at risk for academic failure. Academic engagement, academic expectations, academic self-efficacy, homework completion, school relevance, school safety, teacher relationships (positive relationship), grade retention, school mobility, and school misbehaviors (negative relationship) were uniquely related to GPA even after controlling for all relevant covariates. Next, a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine a cutoff point for determining how many risk factors predict academic failure (GPA < 2.0). Results yielded a cutoff point of 2 risk factors for predicting academic failure, which provides a way for early identification of individuals who are at risk. Further implications of these findings are discussed.