Early onset scoliosis and current treatment methods

ObjectiveProvide an update of the management options for early onset scoliosis patients, including general assessment, conservative and surgical options.MethodsWe included the updated information about the assessment and management options of Early Onset Scoliosis, taking into consideration the non-fusion methods, including the burden on the patient and their family.ResultsWith the heterogeneity of this population, it is difficult to get a consensus about a unified protocol for management. Accordingly, the surgeon dealing with these cases needs to be aware of the broad range of surgical and non-surgical methods when treating these patients.ConclusionThe main aim of early onset scoliosis treatment is to gain a flexible spine associated with normal lung development and thoracic growth. Management needs to be individualized between the surgeon and patient in relation to the etiology and patient conditions.     

肌萎缩侧索硬化案

肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)是一种常见的上、下运动神经元同时损害的一种疾病,临床常见肢体无力、肌肉萎缩等症状。属中医学“痿证”范畴,本例验案患者双上肢及左下肢活动无力伴肌肉萎缩2年余,加重半年,伴随肌张力增高、反射亢进等症状,辨证属肝肾亏虚型痿证,临床以针刺治疗为主,配合静脉注射、穴位注射以补益肝肾,养血柔筋,疗效显著。     

平肝定眩汤治疗肝阳上亢型后循环缺血性眩晕60例临床观察

目的:观察平肝定眩汤对肝阳上亢型后循环缺血性眩晕的疗效。方法:选取2017年6月-2018年10月烟台业达医院收治的后循环缺血性眩晕的患者120例,按随机数字表法分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组和对照组各60例,两组一般的资料经统计学方法,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),具有可比性。两组均给予改善循环,控制血压、血糖,调节血脂,抗血小板聚集等基础治疗。治疗组给予平肝定眩汤,对照组给予平眩胶囊。两组疗程均为4周,观察两组患者治疗前后总体症状,脑血流速度、血脂、血糖等指标改善情况。采用SPSS 11.0统计学软件进行计算。结果:治疗组总有效率91.7%(55/60),对照组总有效率61.6%(37/60),两组疗效比较有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组三酰甘油(Triglyceride,TG)、血清总胆固醇(Serum Total Cholesterol,TC)、HDL-C、LDL-C治疗后显著改善,与治疗前比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);对照组TG及TC治疗前后差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(High Density Liptein Cholesterol,HDL-C)及低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(Low Density Liptein Cholesterol,LDL-C)治疗前后比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。两组治疗后TC比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。两组治疗后空腹血糖(Fasting Plasma Glucose,GLU)明显降低(P<0.05),两组间的治疗后比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。治疗组治疗后椎动脉(Vertebral Artery,VA)、基底动脉(Basilarartery,BA)平均血流速度(Mean Blood Flow Velocity,VM)明显提高,与对照组治疗后相比较,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:平肝定眩汤治疗后循环缺血性眩晕在改善患者症状、降低血液黏稠度,改善脑血流状况方面疗效显著。     

How current risk assessment and risk management methods for drinking water in The Netherlands cover the WHO water safety plan approach

In the Netherlands, safe and sufficient drinking water is provided to the general population by ten drinking water companies. To guarantee safe drinking water the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a Water Safety Plan (WSP), a Risk Assessment and a Risk Management (RA/RM) framework. The objective of the study was to identify legally required RA approaches, to document application of RA/RM activities at Dutch drinking water companies and to determine to what extent these RA/RM activities as a whole cover all the elements of the WHO WSP approach. This study could be of interest to both managers of large water utilities and decision makers.The assessment was performed by means of a policy review and interviews with two to four staff members involved in RA/RM from all ten Dutch drinking water companies combined with a joint workshop. The drinking water companies are well aware of the potential hazards and risks that can influence the drinking water quality. To guarantee the supply of safe and sufficient drinking water, the Dutch drinking water sector uses six different legally required RA/RM approaches. This study shows that by using the six legally required RA/RM approaches, all WSP steps are covered. WSP entails a generic risk assessment for identifying all hazards and hazardous events from source to tap, whereas the six legally required RA/RM each focus on specific risks at an advanced level. Each risk assessment provides information on specific hazards and hazardous events covering a part of the water supply chain. These legal requirements are complemented with additional RA/RM activities at sector and water company level such as codes of practices and standard operating procedures. The outcomes of all RA/RM approaches combined provide information from source to tap. When using multiple RA/RM approaches, it is crucial to share and combine information derived from the different activities.     

SWIM技术治疗后循环大血管闭塞所致急性缺血性卒中的有效性和安全性观察

目的 观察SWIM技术治疗后循环大血管闭塞所致急性缺血性卒中的有效性及安全性。 方法 回顾性分析2017年2月-2018年11月于大连市中心医院采用SWIM技术治疗的后循环大血管闭 塞所致急性缺血性卒中患者的临床资料，评价该技术的疗效和安全性，并分析影响患者预后的因素。 观察指标为术后即刻成功再通（mTICI≥2b）、90 d良好预后（mRS评分≤2分），以及术后24 h任何颅内 出血、90 d全因死亡。 结果 共纳入35例患者，平均年龄66.1±12.1岁，男性26例（74.3%），基线NIHSS评分22（15～34）分。 术后即刻成功再通率为94.3%（33/35），90 d良好预后率为45.7%（16/35），24 h颅内出血率为17.1% （6/35），90 d全因死亡率为37.1%（13/35）。单因素分析显示，基线NIHSS评分较低（P =0.001）、基 线后循环ASPECTS评分较高（P =0.016）、发病至到院时间较短（P =0.039）、发病至再通时间较短 （P =0.047）、血管成功再通率较高（P =0.036）以及饮酒比例较低（P =0.042）与良好预后相关。 结论 使用SWIM技术治疗后循环急性缺血性卒中相对安全、有效。     

Arabic adaptation of the Edinburgh cognitive and behavioural Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis screen (ECAS-AR)

Current screening batteries for assessing neuropsychological function are not specific for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and are considered as limited tools due to the physical disabilities associated with ALS. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS screen (ECAS) was developed to detect the specific cognitive and behavioral changes that may occur among ALS patients. This study presents the ECAS developed for Arabic-speaking ALS patients (ECAS-AR) for use by healthcare professionals. ECAS was translated and modified to refined variety of Arabic language. Eighty-five ALS patients were included. Normative data were collected from 200 healthy controls (among them 97 were matched). Subjects were administered the ECAS-AR and two conventional cognitive screening batteries, Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). ECAS-AR discriminated well between healthy controls and ALS patients. Significant differences were noted in language, executive functions, memory, and visuospatial domains between the two groups. The most prevalent deficit occurred in language and executive functions in ALS-specific functions. Whereas memory was more readily impaired in the lower and middle education groups concerning ALS non-specific functions. Verbal fluency tended to be preserved. Positive correlations were found between ECAS-AR and the standard cognitive tests supporting its full validity. The ECAS-AR version proposed will provide rapid, efficient and sensitive tools for healthcare professional to determine the cognitive-behavioural profile in Arabic-speaking ALS patients.