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.     

Skin temperature and vascular attributes as early warning signs of pressure injury

ObjectivesThis study aimed to validate the skin temperature on sacral region and vascular attributes as early warning signs of pressure injury.MethodsTotally 415 patients admitted to the adult intensive care unit from August 2018 to April 2019 were prospectively screened. Daily blood pressure and blood glucose affecting vascular attributes and the relative skin temperature of sacral region were measured for 10 consecutive days. Collect the changes of these indicators during the occurrence of pressure injury. The optimal cut-off values of indicators were determined by X-tile analysis. The risk ratios of indicators associated with pressure injury were compared using the Cox proportional hazards regression model.ResultsThere were no obvious interactions among blood pressure, blood glucose and relative skin temperature (P > 0.05). The optimal cutoff value for above indicators was 63.5 mmHg, 9.9 mmol/L and −0.1 °C, respectively. The incidence of pressure injury peaked on the 4th and 5th day after hospitalization when categorizing the patients into low- and high-risk groups according to the cutoff values (P < 0.05). Based on relative skin temperature, patients in the high-risk group were more likely to develop pressure injury (hazard ratio = 6.36, 95% confidence interval = 3.91, 10.36), when compared to the other two indicators of blood pressure and blood glucose.ConclusionStringent skin temperature and vascular attributes measurements were necessary for preventing pressure injury. Nursing measures should be taken according to warning sings to reduce the incidence of pressure injury.     

Variations in insulin requirements can be an early indicator of sepsis in burn patients

IntroductionA >25% increase in daily insulin dosing is suggestive of possible sepsis in burn patients, however, no conclusive evidence is available regarding the time point at which insulin dosing begins to increase. The purpose of this study is to determine the exact time point at which the insulin requirement increases among non-diabetic burn patients with sepsis.MethodsA retrospective chart review in non-diabetic burn patients with ≥20% total body surface area burned (TBSA) during 2010–2018 who received a blood culture for suspected sepsis. Absolute insulin dosing at intervals (0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h prior to blood culture) were Box–Cox transformed and compared vs.?96 h reference using mixed-effects models accounting for within-patient dependencies.ResultsFifty-eight patients (84% males, age 44 ± 17 years, TBSA% 49 ± 17.5) were included. When cube root of daily insulin dosing was regressed on each time point in a mixed-effects model, statistically significant increase in insulin dosing compared to baseline was observed for ?48 (p = 0.018), ?24 (p = 0.011), and 0 h (p = 0.008).ConclusionDaily insulin dosing increases 48 h prior to development of other clinical signs of sepsis and can be used as a sensitive early marker.     

Mozart effect in preschool children?

In 1993, Rauscher et al. reported a temporary increase in spatial-temporal ability after listening to Mozart's music. This led to numerous replication and extension studies with mixed findings in the past decade. This study investigated the 'Mozart effect' in preschool children. Forty-one boys and girls, aged three to five, attempted a series of pencil-and-paper maze tests after each of three listening conditions: Mozart's Piano Concerto in A Major (K488), age-appropriate popular music and silence. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences among the three interventions. The results are discussed in relation to the findings of other investigations of the Mozart effect, and the need for further investigation of possible trends.     

Prospect of Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Early Gastric Cancer: Our Devices in Insulated‐Tip Electrosurgical Knife Method

In Kobe University Hospital, a new method for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) using insulated‐tip electrosurgical knife (IT‐EMR) for early gastric cancer (EGC) was introduced from November 2001. To achieve an effective and safe IT‐EMR procedure, we use a high‐frequency surgical unit for cutting and coagulation (ERBOTOM ICC 200) with automatically controlled cutting mode (ENDOCUT). In this study, we show not only our results of IT‐EMR for EGC in comparison with those of the conventional strip biopsy method, but also the optimal conditions for the apparatus of a high‐frequency surgical unit to prevent complications such as bleeding and perforation.     

Lugol液染色对食管早期癌和癌前病变的诊断价值

目的 探讨Lugol液染色对食管早期癌和癌前病变的诊断价值。方法 对45例食管黏膜可疑病变经内镜以2％Lugol液喷洒染色，观察黏膜染色情况，并取活检送病理组织学检查。结果 45例食管病变染色后，39例呈浅染色或不染色，其中食管癌8例（食管早期癌5例，进展期癌3例），Barrett食管5例，轻至中度不典型增生1l例。本组Lugol液染色对食管早期癌和癌前病变的检出率达46．7％。结论 内镜下应用Lugol液染色结合活检有助于食管早期癌和癌前病变的诊断，且操作简便，具有重要的临床价值。     

EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Changing issues in the field of preschool education will be discussed, set in the context of two of my studies which have been concerned with children with special needs in 'ordinary' preschool education, one 'pre-Warnock' in Scotland, and the other 'post-Warnock' in the West Midlands. The concept of special needs will then be widened to include children for whom English is a second language, and also gifted children. Finally, the discussion is extended to early education rather than preschool education with a discussion of the dangers of treating preschool education in isolation.     

Laparoscopic Local Resection Based on Sentinel Node Evaluation for Early Gastric Cancer: A Preliminary Report

We previously reported that lymphatic mapping using isosulfan blue can be used to identify sentinel nodes (SNs). This study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of using the SN technique in treating early gastric cancer and to explore its usefulness for minimal invasive surgery. Twenty-three patients with early gastric cancer who underwent SN biopsy were retrospectively evaluated. Based on SN evaluation, individualized surgery was performed in five patients with T1N0M0 gastric cancer. When pathological examination of frozen sections revealed metastasis in SNs, we performed a standard D2 gastrectomy. Laparoscopic local resection was applied when the SN biopsy was negative. Our results showed that the success rate with SN biopsy in early gastric cancer was 100%, as were the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. All five patients with early gastric cancer had SNs negative for metastases both by frozen section and by postoperative pathology. Thus, all these patients underwent laparoscopic local resection without extended lymphadenectomy. We conclude that SN biopsy is a useful tool to individualize the operative procedure, and laparoscopic local resection can be safely performed using SN guidance in selected patients with early gastric cancer.