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Objective:To explore the effects of horticultural therapy on upper limb function and cognitive impairment of hemiplegic patients after stroke. Methods:From June, 2017 to March, 2019, 60 hemiplegic stroke patients were randomly divided into control group(n = 30) and experimental group (n = 30). All the patients accetped routine rehabilitation, while the experimental group received group-based horticulture therapy in addition, for eight weeks. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), modified Barthel Index (MBI) and Montreal Cognition Assessment (MoCA) before and after intervention. Results:The scores of all the assessment improved in both groups after intervention (|t| > 8.077, P < 0.001), and improved more in the experimental group than in the control group (|t| > 2.293, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Horticultural therapy can promote the recovery of upper-limb and cognitive function after stroke.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Contrast dose and radiation dose reduction in computerized tomography (CT) scan for adult has been explored successfully, but there have been few studies on the application of low-concentration contrast in pediatric abdominal CT examinations. This was a feasibility study on the use of dual-energy spectral imaging and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) for the reduction of radiation dose and iodine contrast dose in pediatric abdominal CT patients with solid tumors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five patients with solid tumors who had initial CT (Group B) and follow-up CT (Group A) after chemotherapy were enrolled. The initial diagnostic CT scan (Group B) was performed using the standard two-phase enhanced CT with 320 mgI/ml concentration contrast, and the follow-up scan (Group A) was performed using a single-phase enhanced CT at 45 s after the beginning of the 270 mgI/ml contrast injection using spectral mode. Forty percent ASiR was used for the images in Group B and monochromatic images with energy levels ≥60 keV in Group A. In addition, filtered back-projection (FBP) reconstruction was used for monochromatic images <60 keV in Group A. The total radiation dose, total iodine load, contrast injection speed, and maximum injection pressure were compared between the two groups. The 40 keV and 60 keV spectral CT images of Group A were compared with the images of Group B to evaluate overall image quality.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total radiation dose, total iodine load, injection speed, and maximum injection pressure for Group A were decreased by 19%, 15%, 34.4%, and 18.3%, respectively. The optimal energy level in spectral CT for displaying the abdominal vessels was 40 keV. At this level, the CT values in the abdominal aorta and its three branches, the portal vein and its two branches, and the inferior vena cava were all greater than 340 hounsfield unit (HU). The abdominal organs of Groups A and B had similar degrees of absolute and relative enhancement (t = 0.36 and -1.716 for liver, -0.153 and -1.546 for pancreas, and 2.427 and 0.866 for renal cortex, all P> 0.05). Signal-to-noise ratio of the abdominal organs was significantly lower in Group A than in Group B (t = -8.11 for liver, -7.83 for pancreas, and -5.38 for renal cortex, all P< 0.05). However, the subjective scores for the 40 keV (FBP) and 60 keV (40% ASiR) spectral CT images determined by two radiologists were all> 3, indicating clinically acceptable image quality.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Single-phase, dual-energy spectral CT used for children with solid abdominal tumors can reduce contrast dose and radiation dose and can also maintain clinically acceptable image quality.</p>
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical effects of located needle knife in the treatment of trigger finger.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 133 patients(145 fingers) with trigger finger underwent treatment with located needle knife from September 2010 to March 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 37 males(40 fingers) and 96 females (105 fingers), aged from 18 to 71 years old with a mean of 51.8 years. Course of disease was from 1 to 19 months with an average of 8.2 months. Affected fingers included 82 thumbs, 12 index fingers, 11 middle fingers, 36 ring fingers, and 4 little fingers. According to the standard of Quinnell grade, 42 fingers were grade III, 92 fingers were grade IV, and 11 fingers were grade V. Firstly the double pipe gab was put into the distal edge of hypertrophic tendon sheath, then small knife needle was used to release the sheath proximally along the tendon line direction. The informations of wound healing and nerve injury, postoperative finger function, finger pain at 6 months were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The operation time was from 8 to 25 min with an average of 9.8 min. All the patients were followed up from 6 to 26 months with an average of 12.5 months. No complications such as the wound inflammation and seepage, vascular or nerve injuries were found. According to the standard of Quinnell grade, 123 fingers got excellent results, 15 good, 7 poor.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It's a good choice to treat trigger finger with located needle knife in advantage of minimal invasion, simple safe operation, and it should be promoted in clinic.</p>