Deep Brain Stimulation——A new treatment for tinnitus

Intractable tinnitus can lead to serious consequences. Study evidence indicates that the central nervous system is involved in generation and maintenance of chronic tinnitus and that tinnitus and other neurologic symptoms such as chronic pain may share similar mechanisms. Brain ablation and stimulation are used to treat chronic pain with success. Recent studies showed that ablation and stimulation in non-auditory areas resulted in tinnitus improvement. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may be an alternative treatment for intractable tinnitus and deserves further study.     

Significance of the diagnosis and treatment of arterial injuries of the wrist

Authors report on arterial injuries in a 2-year material of hand injured. The combination of injuries observed and the methods of treatment are described. Attention is called to the fact, that because of anatomical characteristics of these regions, the diagnosis of arterial injuries is not always easy. Four cases of their own are briefly described in whom the arterial injury could be stated only at the development of complications (pulsating haematoma, false aneurysm, later bleeding). The importance of the primary careful treatment and the significance of the examination of the circulation (Allen's test, Doppler) are stressed.     

Subchronic treatment of rats with nicotine: effects on tolerance and on [3H]acetylcholine and [3H]nicotine binding in the brain

The effects of subchronic nicotine treatment on the development of tolerance and on two nicotinic ligand binding sites were investigated. After subcutaneous injection of nicotine (0.45 mg nicotine base/kg) or saline twice a day for 14 days the body weight of rats was significantly lower than that of control animals. A significant tolerance to the acute effects of nicotine on locomotor activity and body temperature was observed after the treatment period. Nicotine treatment also resulted in a significant increase in [3H]acetylcholine (3H-ACh) binding in the midbrain (48.3% increase in comparison with controls) and hippocampus (38.3% increase), whereas the binding of [3H]nicotine (3H-NIC) was unaffected in all brain areas investigated. These results indicate that subchronic s.c. injections of nicotine can differentially affect the binding of two different nicotinic ligands in the brain. It is also concluded that the development of tolerance to the acute effects of nicotine on locomotor activity and temperature is not directly dependent upon changes in binding of [3H]nicotine to the brain.     

Electrode manipulation automatism during temporal lobe seizures.

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical characteristics and lateralizing value of peri-ictal electrode manipulation automatism (EMA) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and compare our data with ictal manual automatisms described in the literature. METHODS: Two-hundred and five videotaped seizures of 55 consecutive patients with refractory TLE and postoperatively seizure-free outcome were analyzed and EMA (tugging, scratching or adjusting the electrodes and cables) were monitored. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (51%) patients showed EMA during 47 (23%) seizures. Ictal start was noted in 22 seizures and in 19/22 cases EMA finished before the end of seizure. Ictal EMAs were always associated with automotor seizure components. During 25 seizures, exclusively postictal EMAs were observed. Electrode manipulation was presented during 24/112 left-sided and 23/93 right-sided seizures (p = 0.742). Peri-ictal EMA was unilateral (completed by one hand) in 24/47 seizures (10 ictal, 14 postictal); it was done by the hand ipsilateral to the seizure onset zone in 17/24 and by contralateral hand in 7/24 cases (p = 0.064). We observed concomitant contralateral dystonic posturing during 3/10 seizures with unilateral ictal EMA. Unilateral hand automatism, temporally independent from the EMA appeared in 30 (64%) of the 47 seizures. CONCLUSION: Peri-ictal EMA is a frequent phenomenon but shows no lateralizing value in TLE. The mechanism of EMA is in many ways dissimilar from that of earlier described manual automatisms.     

Australian Research on Ageing and Social Support

This paper draws on primary publications in Austalian gerontology to review knowledge on ageing and support While there is a well-established literature on family care, social networks studies of the 1980s provided more comprehensive views of expressive and instrumental support across a range of relationships. Notwithstanding stereotypes to the contrary, older people contribute as well as receive support. A new generation of qualitive, interpretative shudies are reporting on the meanings and processes of social support as experienced by older people themselves. Policy-related studies examine social support as a cornerstone for community services, and epidemiological investigations examine social influence on health and well-being. The field could be advanced considerably by longiturdinal surveys and qualitative enquiris exploring the diversity of older people in a variety of social settings.     

Impact of occupations and job tasks on the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome.

In this investigation reported epidemiologic studies on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) (15 cross-sectional studies involving 32 occupational or exposure groups and six case-referent studies) were reviewed. The prevalence of CTS in the different occupational groups varied between 0.6 and 61%. The highest prevalence was noted for grinders, butchers, grocery store workers, frozen food factory workers, platers, and workers with high-force, high-repetitive manual movements. Odds ratios greater than 10 were reported for exposed groups in three studies. On the basis of epidemiologic and other evidence, it was concluded that exposure to physical work load factors, such as repetitive and forceful gripping, is probably a major risk factor for CTS in several types of worker populations. At least 50%, and as much as 90%, of all of the CTS cases in these exposed populations appeared to be attributable to physical work load.     

亲属活体部分小肠移植术后早期并发症的防治

目的探讨亲属活体部分小肠移植术后早期并发症的防治。方法为3例短肠综合征患者和1例肠神经节缺失导致小肠无功能患者施行亲属活体部分小肠移植术,供、受者HLA配型均有4个以上抗原相合,供肠均取自回肠末端,长度为(150±10)cm,应用他克莫司、霉酚酸酯及甲泼尼龙预防排斥反应。术后采取抗凝、改善微循环、输注人白蛋白等措施调控患者的出、凝血功能,预防血管吻合口血栓形成和出血,给予法莫替丁或奥美拉唑预防应激性溃疡；给予头孢三代为主的抗生素、更昔洛韦以及氟康唑预防细菌、病毒及真菌感染,并注重对体表易感染部的消毒和护理；术后鼓励患者多下床活动,早期给予谷氨酰胺,尽早将营养支持治疗过渡为肠内营养,以促进移植肠功能的恢复。结果术后3d,1例患者发生肺部鲍曼不动杆菌感染,经抗生素治疗后控制。1例术后5 d移植肠系膜根部出现血肿,手术清除血肿。2例消化道分泌物及大便中发现真菌生长,给予氟康唑治疗后好转。4例在术后20 d左右均发生急性排斥反应,经加大FK506的用量,并以甲泼尼龙冲击治疗后逆转。4例患者,2例获得长期存活,至今分别存活6年8个月和3年2个月,另2例分别于术后5个月、35 d因感染死亡。结论小肠移植术后早期的并发症较多,与小肠的生理结构有关,术后早期并发症的成功防治是临床小肠移植成败的关键。