Objective The poor sleep quality of epileptic patients may be partly due to the occurrence epileptiform discharges (EDs).We observed the number of interictal discharges in each sleep stage and explored the associations between EDs and sleep phases in epilepsy patients.Methods Two hundred and forty epileptic patients and 213 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the current study.For all subjects,video-electroencephalogram monitoring and 24 h-night polysomnography were conducted to detect EDs and analyze the sleep structures.Results EDs were detected in 88.7％ (213/240) of epilepsy patients with the most frequent cases from the temporal lobe.The EDs detected during waking,sleeping,or both waking and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stage accounted for 20.6％ (44/213),40.4％ (86/213),and 38.9％ (83/213) of the total patients,respectively.The total sleep time and time spent in REM were similar between the epileptic patients and healthy volunteers.However,epileptic patients spent a significantly longer mean sleep time in NREM Ⅰ-Ⅱ ((304 ±39) min versus (225 ±29) min,t =3.51,P =0.000) and less in NREM Ⅲ-Ⅳ ((49 ± 7) min versus (133 ± 17) min,t =2.30,P =0.000) than healthy volunteers.Furthermore,asymmetric sleep spindles and fragmentary sleep structure as well as high inversion frequency were found in epilepsy patients,respectively.Conclusion Combination of long-term video electroencephalogram with polysomnography is a useful method to analyze associations between EDs and the sleep-wake cycle.This strategy can also help identify the nature of sleep disorders in epileptic patients,which may improve the treatment efficacy.

OBJECTIVE To compare the computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulated results and field test data of the new-style asepsis ward.METHODS We used various equipments to test the asepsis ward and CFD software to simulate airflow of asepsis ward.RESULTS After calculating and comparing,we found the CFD simulation results agreed well with the tested data.Key design and operating parameters were up to the standard.The new-style of asepsis ward could improve the air quality and provide a comfortable environment for patient treatment and it was of great help to decrease the infection rate of patient.CONCLUSIONS The new-style asepsis ward can significantly control the endogenous infection of patients.

OBJECTIVE We designed the overall layout,formulated the functional demand,and optimized the key design and operating parameters of a new-style asepsis clean ward.The new-style ward intends to provide a higher quality environment for patient infection control and all-around protection during treatment.METHODS We applied computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulation to optimize the design scheme according to Chinese and international hospital design specifications.RESULTS The new-style asepsis ward reflected a new idea,new technology,high standards and created a comfortable and safe,high-quality environment for the treatment of patient.The Satisfaction of patients was more than 95% and workload of nurses was alleviated obviously.CONCLUSIONS The new-style asepsis ward can significantly control the endogenous infection of patients.

Objective:To summarize the arrhythmic characteristics, clinical course, and prognosis of chaotic atrial tachycardia (CAT) in neonates.Methods:The researchers retrospectively analyzed and described the clinical data obtained from 30 neonates diagnosed with CAT and treated at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province from January 2019 to August 2022. Prenatal and postnatal data were collected to analyze the electrocardiogram characteristics, clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis of CAT. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square (or Fisher's exact) tests. Results:(1) Among the 30 newborns with CAT, 19 were male infants (63%). The diagnosis age [ M(min-max)] was 11 days (1-28 days). Among them, 20 (67%) were born with full term, six (20%) had low birth weight, and 15 (50%) had abnormal cardiac structures. (2) The incidence of postnatal complex arrhythmias (coexisting with atrial fibrillation, flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, etc.) in fetuses with abnormalities, including fetal arrhythmias and fetal distress, was higher than those without abnormalities (9/14 vs 3/16, Fisher's exact, P=0.024). The median maximum atrial rate in incessant-type CAT patients (8 cases) was higher than that of paroxysmal-type CAT patients (22 cases) [400 bpm (300-700 bpm) vs 300 bpm (200-460 bpm), Z=－2.41, P=0.02]. There was no statistically significant difference in the maximum ventricular rate between the two groups [250 bpm (190-350 bpm) vs 270 bpm (180-350 bpm), Z=－0.26, P=0.800]. There were 19 cases (63%) complicated with diseases that seriously affected the respiratory or circulatory system, or infectious diseases. (3) Antiarrhythmic drugs were used in 23 cases (77%), including six cases treated with one drug, 12 cases with two drugs, and five cases with more than two drugs, mainly propafenone (20 cases, 67%). Seven cases (23%) with no complex arrhythmia turned to normal rhythm spontaneously without using antiarrhythmic drugs. Among all cases, 16 (53%) achieved clinical cures after complete cardioversion during hospitalization, while 14 cases (47%) were not cured. (4) The children who were cured during hospitalization were followed up for 1.5 months (2 weeks to 8 months) after discharge, and no recurrence was observed, indicating good growth and development. Untreated patients were followed up for 1.9 years (3.5 months to 4.4 years), of which seven cases completely recovered within six months, and the other seven cases continued to recur. However, no adverse outcomes, such as death, occurred. Conclusions:The overall prognosis of neonatal CAT is favorable. A history of fetal arrhythmia and intrauterine distress may increase the risk of CAT. Active drug treatment should be considered for children of CAT with complex arrhythmia.

Engineered probiotics can serve as therapeutics based on their ability of produce recombinant immune-stimulating properties. In this study, we built the recombinant Bacillus subtilis WB800 expressing antimicrobial peptide KR32 (WB800-KR32) using genetic engineering methods and investigated its protective effects of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)‍-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) pathway activation in intestinal oxidative disturbance induced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 in weaned piglets. Twenty-eight weaned piglets were randomly distributed into four treatment groups with seven replicates fed with a basal diet. The feed of the control group (CON) was infused with normal sterilized saline; meanwhile, the ETEC, ETEC+WB800, and ETEC+WB800-KR32 groups were orally administered normal sterilized saline, 5×10¹⁰ CFU (CFU: colony forming units) WB800, and 5×10¹⁰ CFU WB800-KR32, respectively, on Days 1‍‒‍14 and all infused with ETEC K88 1×10¹⁰ CFU on Days 15‍‒‍17. The results showed that pretreatment with WB800-KR32 attenuated ETEC-induced intestinal disturbance, improved the mucosal activity of antioxidant enzyme (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA). More importantly, WB800-KR32 downregulated genes involved in antioxidant defense (GPx and SOD1). Interestingly, WB800-KR32 upregulated the protein expression of Nrf2 and downregulated the protein expression of Keap1 in the ileum. WB800-KR32 markedly changed the richness estimators (Ace and Chao) of gut microbiota and increased the abundance of Eubacterium_rectale_ATCC_33656 in the feces. The results suggested that WB800-KR32 may alleviate ETEC-induced intestinal oxidative injury through the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway, providing a new perspective for WB800-KR32 as potential therapeutics to regulate intestinal oxidative disturbance in ETEC K88 infection.
Animals ; Swine ; Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli ; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1 ; Bacillus subtilis ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; Antioxidants ; Oxidative Stress