ObjectiveThe optimal target of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treating intractable epilepsy is still undefined. Cumulative studies suggest that the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) is involved in seizure activity, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high frequency stimulation in MD on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in rats. MethodsThe experimental rats (Male Sprague-Dawley rats 280-350 g) were all provided by Experimental Animal Center, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Science, Hangzhou, China. The rats were given unilateral or bilateral stimulation of the MD at 100 Hz (HFS group) and sham stimulation, others were given unilateral stimulation of the MD at 1 Hz (LFS group). EEGs in the cortex and seizure behavior were recorded with the Neuroscan system at the same time. ResultsNeither LFS nor HFS of the MD changed the latency to the first spikes or EEG manifestations for stage 3 and stage 5 seizures; animals receiving unilateral or bilateral HFS of the MD decreased the number of stage 5 EEG seizure synchronized with the convulsive episodes; LFS and sham stimulation showed multiple periods of continuous spikes which accompanied stage 5 or stage 4 seizures. HFS of unilateral or bilateral MD, but not LFS, decreased the seizure stage, the number of clonic movement episodes, and the duration of acute PTZ-induced seizures. The average latency to onset of myoclonic jerks did not differ among groups. Unilateral and bilateral HFS of the MD had a similar antiepileptic effect. ConclusionHFS of the MD may be of value as a new antiepileptic approach for patients with generalized epilepsy, besides, the seizure model, should be fully considered in clinical application.
ObjectiveTo understand the characteristics of and risk factors for nosocomial infection in a newly built branch of a university teaching hospital, in order to investigate the control measures for prevention and control of nosocomial infection. MethodsA total of 598 cases of nosocomial infection from April 2012 to June 2014 were enrolled in this study. We analyzed statistically such indexes as nosocomial infection rate, infection site, pathogen detection, and use of antibiotics. Meantime, infection point-prevalence survey was introduced by means of medical record checking and bedside visiting. ResultsAmong all the 44 085 discharged patients between April 2012 and June 2014, there were 598 cases of nosocomial infection with an infection rate of 1.36%. Departments with a high nosocomial infection rate included Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (9.79%), Department of Orthopedics (2.98%), Department of Geriatrics (2.62%), and Department of Hematology (1.64%). The top four nosocomial infection sites were lower respiratory tract (45.32%), urinary tract (13.21%), operative incision (8.86%), and blood stream (8.86%). The samples of 570 nosocomial infections were delivered for examination with a sample-delivering rate of 95.32%. The most common pathogens were acinetobacter Baumanii (17.02%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.21%), Escherichia coli (13.68%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.93%), and Staphylococcus aureus (9.12%). And urinary tract intubation (42.81%), admission of ICU (28.60%), and application of corticosteroid and immunosuppressive agents (26.42%) were the top three independent risk factors for nosocomial infection. ConclusionGeneral and comprehensive monitoring is an effective method for the hospital to detect high-risk departments, factors and patients for nosocomial infection, providing a theoretical basis for prevention and control of nosocomial infection.
Objective To investigate the effects of children’s crawling-promotion-training-robot on gross motor function and cognitive function in children with global developmental delay (GDD). Methods A total of 40 children with GDD admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were selected as the research subjects. By envelope method, the children were randomly and equally divided into experimental group and control group, with 20 cases in each group. The experimental group received children’s crawling-promotion-training-robot combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy, while the control group received manual crawling training combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy. Before and after treatment, the scores of Gross Motor Function Measure Scale-88 (GMFM-88) and Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS) were respectively used to evaluate gross motor function and cognitive function. Results There was no significant difference in gender (χ2=0.100, P=0.752) and age (t=0.053, P=0.962) between the two groups. Before treatment, there was no significant difference in GMFM-88 and GDS scores between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, there were statistically significant differences in GMFM-88 and GDS scores between the two groups (P<0.05). The comparison within the group showed that there were statistically significant differences in GMFM-88 and GDS scores between the two groups before and after treatment. Conclusion Children’s crawling-promotion-training-robot is more effective than manual crawling training in improving gross motor function and cognitive function in children with GDD.
ObjectiveTo construct a map of cerebral cortex thickness in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy (IGE) diagnosed at the first visit, using T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging and advanced image analysis software. MethodsHigh-resolution three-dimensional T1 images were obtained from 27 IGE patients diagnosed at the first visit and 29 normal controls in Shouguang People's Hospital from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2021. The location recognition calculation system of the Freesurfer software was used to calculate the values of cortical thickness in each brain region, and the cortical thickness values were transformed into a brain atlas using the image analysis software. A differential brain atlas was generated using the two-sample t-test to analyze the difference in cortical thickness between IGE patients and normal controls. Paired t-test was used for within-group comparison to explore changes of cortical thickness laterality. ResultsIn the IGE brain atlas, the brain regions with higher cortical thickness were the right left temporal pole, the right left entorhinal cortex, the head of the right anterior cingulate gyrus, the right and left insular lobe, the right and left middle temporal gyrus, the right inferior temporal gyrus, the head of the left anterior cingulate gyrus, the left tail of the anterior cingulate gyrus, the left inferior temporal gyrus, the left and right fusiform gyrus, and the left frontal pole. The areas with lower cortical thickness were the right and left paracalcaric gyrus, the right and left cuneiform lobe, the left and right lingual gyrus, the left and right posterior central gyrus, the left lateral occipital gyrus, and the right and left superior parietal gyrus. The distribution of cortical thickness of the IGE group was comparable to the cortical thickness atlas of the normal control. Compared with normal control, the areas with changes of cortical thickness in the IGE group were bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral posterior central gyrus, bilateral anterior central gyri, bilateral lingual gyri, left cuneiform lobe, bilateral entorhinal cortex and temporal pole. The brain areas with laterality of cortical thickness between hemispheres in the IGE group were the tail of anterior cingulate gyrus, cuneiform lobe, inferior parietal gyrus, lateral occipital gyrus, posterior central gyrus, head of anterior cingulate gyrus, and superior marginal gyrus. Compared with normal control, the IGE group has decreased number of brain regions with laterality of cortical thickness. ConclusionThe present study revealed the distribution and laterality of cerebral cortical thickness map in early idiopathic generalized epilepsy, which provides imaging structural basis for brain research in the future.