顽固性癫痫的组合手术治疗

目的对部分顽固性癫痫病人，在严格充分的术前评价之后．依据结果将几种手术方式适当的组合使用，并对其临床效果进行评价。方法对同济大学东方医院神经外科收治的116例顽固性癫痫中的25例病人施行联合手术的治疗方法。发作形式为全身强直一阵挛性发作、复杂部分性发作及失神发作等，其中有14例存在两种发作形式。术前均服过多种抗癫痫药．病程后期同时服用2～3种抗癫痫药。25例病人术前均行24h脑电监测及头颅MRI检查．有19例术前行硬膜下皮层电极和深部电极检测，其中1例行头颅PET检查。手术在皮层脑电及深部电极监测下进行。13例行额颢开颅，颞前叶及海马、杏仁核切除＋额部部分区域的软膜下横切术（MST），其中7例附加胼胝体前部切开术；11例行额部开颅，额部软化灶切除＋运动区MST，其中2例附加胼胝体前部切开术；1例行双侧枕顶部开颅，左枕叶萎缩皮层切除＋胼胝体后部切开＋右侧顶枕的MST。结果术后无死亡及严重并发症。术后抗癫痫药物使用减少，术后23例服用一种抗癫痫药，2例服用两种抗癫痫药。术后随访6～12个月，17例手术效果为Engel 1级，4例为Engel2级，4例为Engel3级。40岁以下的患者手术后癫痫控制的可能性显著大于40岁以上者（P〈0．05）；病程在10年以下的患者术后癫痫无发作的可能性显著大于10年以上者（P〈0．05）。头颅MRI上有无明显的结构异常对病人的预后没有影响（P〉0．05）。结论在严格术前评价的前提下，尤其是在有精通神经电生理知识的神经外科医生综合分析下，采用多种手术方式组合治疗顽固性癫痫效果显著。     

Cortical Reorganization Allows for Motor Recovery after Crossed Cerebrocerebellar Atrophy

The authors report the case of a 33-year-old woman who exhibited, at the age of 17, a left-sided hemiplegia, which was followed by good motor recovery, though with a permanent deficit in fine finger movements. She had a widespread loss of neural tissue in the right hemisphere (crossed cerebrocerebellar atrophy), including (1) marked atrophy and thinning of the precentral and postcentral gyri; (2) widespread deep white matter destruction, including the corticospinal tract; and (3) crossed cerebellar atrophy. Except over the supplementary motor area (SMA), transcranial magnetic stimulation did not elicit motor evoked potentials in the affected hand. Nevertheless, during opening and closing of the affected hand, functional magnetic resonance imaging showed an activation of the lesioned primary sensorimotor cortex (SMC), as well as of the intact SMA and the parietal areas, but not of the ipsilateral motor areas. The authors speculate that recovery was achieved by a motor command generated in the SMC and the parietal cortex, passing through corticospinal axons originating in the SMA.     

Access to primary health care for Australian young people: service provider perspectives.

BACKGROUND: To adequately address the complex health needs of young people, their access to services, and the quality of services received, must be improved. AIMS: To explore the barriers to service provision for young people and to identify the training needs of primary healthcare service providers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. DESIGN OF STUDY: A cross-sectional, qualitative study of the perspectives of a range of health service providers. SETTING: A range of primary healthcare organisations across NSW. METHODS: Samples of general practitioners (GPs), youth health workers, youth health coordinators, and community health centre staff were drawn from urban and rural clusters across NSW. Focus groups and interviews were used to identify barriers to service provision and the training needs of service providers. Data were tape recorded, transcribed, and analysed. RESULTS: Barriers to service provision among GPs and community health centre staff included inadequate time, flexibility, skills, and confidence in working with young people, and poor linkages with other relevant services. Training needs included better knowledge of and skills in adolescent health requirements, working with adolescents, and working with other services. Barriers to service provision for youth health workers and coordinators included lack of financial resources and infrastructure. There were few linkages between groups of service providers. CONCLUSION: Models of service provision that allow stronger linkages between service providers, sufficient time for consultation with young people, adequate training and support of health professionals, and flexibility of service provision, including outreach, should be explored and evaluated.     

Efficacy of anti-digoxin antibodies in a premature neonate

Through the case report of severe digitalis intoxication in a premature born after 27 weeks of gestation with a birthweight of 800 g, the authors show that anti-digoxin antibodies constitute a very efficacious therapeutic tool which, up to the present, has not been used in prematures.     

Early childhood teachers' preparation and the quality of program outcomes

The issue of the preparation of effective teachers becomes more critical for teachers of early childhood programs. It has been hypothesized that better program quality depends on better-educated teachers. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the importance of a high level of education for all early childhood education teachers. This issue has intrigued early childhood researchers and has prompted a large amount of research studies over the past decades. In order to assess the status of this line of inquiry and to provide guidance for future research, a critical analysis of 40 studies on the preparation of early childhood education teachers and the quality of their educational programs that were published within a 15-year (1989-2004) period is presented here. The analysis consisted of literal and allegorical critical analysis and interpretative critical analyses, which generated results in three main areas that focused on the professional development of the teachers, including teachers' professional development, the importance of a Bachelor's Degree and educational standards for early childhood education teachers.     

Increasing Maternal Blood Pressure with Ephedrine Increases Uterine Artery Blood Flow Velocity during Uterine Contraction

Background: During labor, ephedrine is widely used to prevent or to treat maternal arterial hypotension and restore uterine perfusion pressure to avoid intrapartum fetal asphyxia. However, the effects of ephedrine on uterine blood flow have not been studied during uterine contractions. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of ephedrine on uterine artery velocities and resistance index using the Doppler technique during the active phase of labor.

Methods: Ten normotensive, healthy parturients with uncomplicated pregnancies at term received intravenous ephedrine during labor to increase mean arterial pressure up to a maximum of 20% above their baseline pressure. Peak systolic and end-diastolic Doppler flow velocities and resistance indices were measured in the uterine artery before and immediately after administration of bolus intravenous ephedrine and after ephedrine washout. Umbilical and fetal middle cerebral arterial resistance indices and fetal heart rate were also calculated.

Results: After ephedrine administration, mean arterial pressure increased by 17 +/- 4%. End-diastolic flow velocity in the uterine artery at peak amplitude of uterine contraction was restored to 74% of the value observed in the absence of contraction. The systolic velocity was totally restored, and the uterine resistance index was significantly decreased, compared with the values in the absence of contraction. Between uterine contractions, ephedrine induced similar but less marked effects. Fetal hemodynamic parameters were not altered by ephedrine administration.