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CE provided safe and effective visualization to identify the etiology of a subacute small bowel obstruction, especially in patients with suspected intestinal tumors or CD, which are not identified by routine examinations.

Background Various studies reported the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) and vitamin D, but there is some controversy around that. This study aimed to conduct a meta‐analysis to clarify the relationship between vitamin D and H pylori infection, and vitamin D and H pylori eradication. Methods Articles published until June 1, 2019, in the PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases with English‐language medical studies were searched. According to the inclusion criteria, relevant statistical data were extracted to Microsoft Excel and analyzed by STATA15.1. Results Ten articles were finally included. It was demonstrated that average 25(OH)D level in H pylori‐positive patients was lower than H pylori‐negative (SMD = −0.53 ng/mL, 95% CI = (−0.91, −0.16 ng/mL)). For H pylori eradication individuals, the result showed that average 25(OH)D level in H pylori successful eradication individuals was higher than unsuccessful (SMD = 1.31 ng/mL, 95% CI = [0.60, 2.02 ng/mL]). In addition, individuals with vitamin D deficiency had lower H pylori eradicate rate (OR = 0.09, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.41]). Sensitivity analysis showed that the meta‐analysis results were stable and reliable. Conclusions Vitamin D was a protective factor to H pylori infection. Moreover, vitamin D can improve the success rate of H pylori eradication.

This study provides the three-factor construct validity of the 17-item BFS when applied in the sample of Chinese patients with cancer and their family caregivers. The mutual impact of benefit finding between Chinese patients with cancer and their family caregivers highlights the importance that healthcare professionals need paying special attention to the BF on the dyadic level when supporting patients with cancer.

The current study evaluated the application of small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in SARS-CoV-2infected patients with suspected small bowel bleeding. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, SBCE procedures, examination results, and treatment for cases of suspected small bowel bleeding in two patients with critical COVID-19. SBCE showed active spotting bleeding in the jejunum and ileum with no identifiable lesions in case 1, while multiple small bowel ulcers were detected in case 2. Two patients had relevant changes in their management plans and received specific treatment based on SBCE findings. In summary, SBCE proved to be a non-invasive diagnostic tool for critical COVID-19 patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

Study findings call attention to the BF, as well as related factors, from the dyadic perspective of CP-FC dyads. Health care professionals need to include FCs of the CPs in their care and provide them with support, to encourage the CP-FC dyads to share their experience and improve BF together, and to develop a dyadic-based intervention program to help enhancing dyads BF.

To investigate risk factors for acute oral mucosal reaction during head and neck squamous cell carcinoma radiotherapy.A retrospective study of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who underwent radiotherapy from November 2013 to May 2016 in Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital was conducted. Data on the occurrence and severity of acute oral mucositis were extracted from clinical records. Based on the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grading of acute radiation mucosal injury, the patients were assigned into acute reaction (grades 2–4) and minimum reaction (grades 0–1) groups. Preradiotherapy characteristics and treatment factors were compared between the 2 groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to detect the independent factors associated with acute oral mucosal reactions.Eighty patients completed radiotherapy during the study period. Oral mucosal reactions were recorded as 25, 31, and 24 cases of grades 1, 2, and 3 injuries, respectively. Significant differences between acute reaction and minimum reaction groups were detected in cancer lymph node (N) staging, smoking and diabetes history, pretreatment platelet count and T-Helper/T-Suppressor lymphocyte (Th/Ts) ratio, concurrent chemotherapy, and total and single irradiation doses.Multivariate analysis showed that N stage, smoking history, single dose parapharyngeal irradiation, and pretreatment platelet count were independent risk factors for acute radiation induced oral mucosal reaction. Smoking history, higher grading of N stage, higher single dose irradiation, and lower preirradiation platelet count may increase the risk and severity of acute radiation oral mucosal reaction in radiotherapy of head and neck cancer patients.

The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics of incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) from 2000 to 2017 in Anqiu City, a city located in East China, and find the potential factors leading to the incidence of HFRS. Methods: Monthly reported cases of HFRS and climatic data from 2000 to 2017 in the city were obtained. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models were used to fit the HFRS incidence and predict the epidemic trend in Anqiu City. Univariate and multivariate generalized additive models were fit to identify and characterize the association between the HFRS incidence and meteorological factors during the study period. Results: Statistical analysis results indicate that the annualized average incidence at the town level ranged from 1.68 to 6.31 per 100,000 population among 14 towns in the city, and the western towns exhibit high endemic levels during the study periods. With high validity, the optimal SARIMA(0,1,1,)(0,1,1) 12 model may be used to predict the HFRS incidence. Multivariate generalized additive model (GAM) results show that the HFRS incidence increases as sunshine time and humidity increases and decreases as precipitation increases. In addition, the HFRS incidence is associated with temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed. Those are identified as the key climatic factors contributing to the transmission of HFRS. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that the SARIMA models can be used to characterize the fluctuations in HFRS incidence. Our findings add to the knowledge of the role played by climate factors in HFRS transmission and can assist local health authorities in the development and refinement of a better strategy to prevent HFRS transmission.