ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study explored the clinical efficacy of VitalStim electrical stimulation combined with swallowing function training for patients with dysphagia following an acute stroke. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with dysphagia following an acute stroke were admitted to our hospital and were further divided into two groups using prospective research methods. There were 36 cases in each group according to the random number table method. The control group received conventional medical treatment and swallowing function training while the experimental group received conventional medical treatment and VitalStim electrical stimulation combined with swallowing function training. RESULTS: The overall response rate of the experimental group (94.44%) was higher than that of the control group (77.78%), and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the upward and forward movement speeds of the hyoid bone, anterior movement speed, the grading score of the Kubota drinking water test, Caiteng's grading score, serum superoxide dismutase, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and norepinephrine levels, Fugl-Meyer Assessment score, and multiple quality of life scores of the two groups showed improvement after treatment. While the standard swallowing assessment score, serum malondialdehyde level, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score decreased, the aforementioned indices showed a significant improvement in the experimental group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that VitalStim electrical stimulation combined with swallowing function is effective for treating dysphagia following an acute stroke. It can effectively improve swallowing, neurological, and limb motor functions, reduce complications, promote physical recovery, and improve overall quality of life of patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Deglutition Disorders/etiology , Deglutition Disorders/therapy , Stroke/complications , Stroke/therapy , Quality of Life , United States , Prospective Studies , Deglutition , Electric StimulationABSTRACT
Objective@#To understand the epidemiological characteristics of foodborne disease outbreaks in schools in Zhejiang province, and to provide evidence for effective prevention and control of foodborne disease outbreaks in schools.@*Methods@#A descriptive analysis was conducted on foodborne disease outbreaks in Zhejiang schools reported by the national foodborne disease outbreaks surveillance system from 2010 to 2019.@*Results@#During the past 10 years, a total of 86 foodborne disease outbreaks in schools were reported, with 1 755 illnesses, 240 hospitalizations, and no deaths. Pathogenic bacteria and their toxins were the main causes of foodborne disease outbreaks in schools, accounting for 83.0%(44/53) of all identified causes. The top four types of pathogenic bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, and Bacillus cereus. Meat products and mixed foods were the main foods that caused the outbreaks, each accounting for 16.3%(14/86) of total incidents. High school cafeterias were places with the highest incidence, accounting for 38.4%(33/86) of the total. School concession stands caused the largest number of hospitalizations, accounting for 37.1%(89/240) of the total. The peak month of foodborne disease outbreaks in schools was September, followed by June, May, and October. Crosscontamination and improper storage were the main causes of foodborne disease outbreaks in schools.@*Conclusion@#Bacterial foodborne disease is a major food safety issue in schools in Zhejiang Province. In summer and fall, school cafeterias and food stores should take effective measures to prevent bacterial foodborne disease outbreaks caused by cross-contamination and improper storage of high-risk foods such as meat products and cold-processed bakeries.
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The accuracy and repeatability of computer aided cervical vertebra landmarking (CACVL) were investigated in cephalogram.120 adolescents (60 boys,60 girls) aged from 9.1 to 17.2 years old were randomly selected.Twenty-seven landmarks from the second to fifth cervical vertebrae on the lateral cephalogram.were identified.In this study,the system of CACVL was developed and used to identify and calculate the landmarks by fast marching method and parabolic curve fitting.The accuracy and repeatability in CACVL group were compared with those in two manual landmarking groups [orthodontic experts (OE) group and orthodontic novices (ON) group].The results showed that,as for the accu racy,there was no significant difference between CACVL group and OE group no matter in x-axis or y-axis (P＞0.05),but there was significant difference between CACVL group and ON group,as well as OE group and ON group in both axes (P＜0.05).As for the repeatability,CACVL group was more reliable than OE group and ON group in both axes.It is concluded that CACVL has the same or higher accuracy,better repeatability and less workload than manual landmarking methods.It's reliable for cervical parameters identification on the lateral cephalogram and cervical vertebral maturation prediction in orthodontic practice and research.
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To investigate the longitudinal sagittal growth changes of maxilla and mandible according to the quantitative cervical vertebral maturation (QCVM) for adolescents with normal occlusion,mixed longitudinal data were used.The samples included 87 adolescents aged from 8 to 18 y old with normal occlusion (32 males,55 females) selected from 901 candidates.Sequential lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist films were taken once a year,lasting for 6 y.The longitudinal sagittal growth changes of maxilla and mandible according to QCVM were measured.There were some significant differences between maxilla and mandible according to QCVM.The sagittal growth change of maxilla showed a trend towards high velocity→decelerating velocity→completing velocity from QCVM stage Ⅰ to stage Ⅳ.The sagittal growth change of mandible showed a trend towards accelerating velocity→high velocity→decelerating velocity→completing velocity from QCVM stage Ⅰ to stage IV.With sagittal relationship,growth magnitude was almost the same between maxilla and mandible at QCVM stage Ⅰ.At stage Ⅱ the growth of mandible exceeded that of maxilla and growth in mandible continued at stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ,while the maxilla ceased to grow.Growth magnitude was greater and the growth duration was longer with male mandible.It is concluded that the longitudinal sagittal growth changes of maxilla and mandible on the basis of QCVM is of value in the orthodontic practice.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the total Bolton index (TBI) and anterior Bolton index (ABI), evaluate the clinical significance of tooth size discrepancies and the influence of gender variation of mesiodistal tooth width on Bolton Index and estimate which tooth has the greatest influence on Bolton Index. A total of 110 pairs of pretreatment dental study casts (41 male and 69female) were selected from patients treated in Department of Orthodontics of Union Hospital in Wuhan, China. A sliding dental Vernier caliper was used for the measurement of the mesiodistal tooth width. Descriptive statistical mean values, standard deviation, standard error of the mean values, coefficient of variance and the t-test were used for the statistical analysis of the data. The study found that TBI, ABI and the total sum of teeth width had no significant difference between male and female.Male group indicated that Bolton Index (BI) was mostly influenced by the width of lower right second premolar, whereas female group showed that BI was mostly influenced by the width of both the right and left maxillary lateral incisor.