Nanospiked Cellulose Gauze That Attracts Bacteria with Biomolecules for Reducing Bacterial Load in Burn Wounds.

Nanostructuring surfaces is an emergent strategy to endow materials with abilities to combat pathogenic bacteria. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to create nanospike structures on the curved surfaces of polymer materials, including gauze and other microfibrous medical materials. Additionally, the effects of nanostructured surfaces on bacteria in the presence of proteins and in vivo remain largely unexplored.

Incidence of nausea/vomiting following propofol sedation with adaptive servo-ventilation for atrial fibrillation ablation.

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation can cause considerable distress.

Aim: Continuous intravenous propofol sedation with adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) with or without an analgesic, pentazocine, during AF ablation was studied in 272 consecutive patients with paroxysmal, persistent, and long-standing persistent AF. The study objectives were to determine the incidence of PONV after AF ablation and to assess the predictive value of factors for PONV using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

ADL Outcome of Stroke by Stroke Type and Time from Onset to Admission to a Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Ward.

Objective: To examine the effect of onset to admission interval (OAI) and stroke type on activities of daily living (ADL) outcome.

Materials And Methods: Stroke patients (n=3112) admitted to and discharged from comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation wards at Nanakuri Memorial Hospital were classified into 8 OAI segments and by stroke type [intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and cerebral infarction (CI)]. Motor subscore of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-M) on admission, FIM-M at discharge, FIM-M gain, length of stay (LOS), and FIM-M efficiency in the ICH and CI group matched by OAI segment were compared using the Wilcoxon test.

Predicting walking ability in hemiplegic patients with putaminal hemorrhage: an observational study in a rehabilitation hospital.

Background: In stroke rehabilitation, the most important concern of the patients and their families is whether the patients can walk independently and whether they need braces after discharge.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the relationship between several types of putaminal hemorrhage and walking independence and orthotic therapy in patients with hemiplegia.

Design: Observational study.

Pattern of item score change in Stroke Impairment Assessment Set in comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation wards.

Objectives: Although numerous studies have examined activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke rehabilitation, there has been little focus on impairment, despite its close relationship to ADL. Therefore, we evaluated the change in impairment from admission to discharge of patients with stroke in comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation wards using the Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS).

Methods: Data from 3279 patients with first stroke who were admitted to comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation wards between 2004 and 2016 were analyzed.

Factors necessary for independent walking in patients with thalamic hemorrhage.

Background: Thalamic hemorrhages cause motor paralysis, sensory impairment, and cognitive dysfunctions, all of which may significantly affect walking independence. We examined the factors related to independent walking in patients with thalamic hemorrhage who were admitted to a rehabilitation hospital.

Methods: We evaluated 128 patients with thalamic hemorrhage (75 men and 53 women; age range, 40-93 years) who were admitted to our rehabilitation hospital.

Aphasia Following Left Putaminal Hemorrhage at a Rehabilitation Hospital.

Objective: We aimed to clarify the relationship between aphasia and hematoma type/volume in patients with left putaminal hemorrhage admitted to a rehabilitation facility.

Methods: We evaluated the relationship between the presence, type, and severity of aphasia and hematoma type/volume in 92 patients with putaminal hemorrhage aged 29-83 years. Hematoma type and volume were evaluated on the basis of CT images obtained at stroke onset.

Characteristics of patients with hemiparetic stroke who yield highly reliable muscle strength measurements.

[Purpose] Accurate measurement of unaffected lower extremity muscle strength on the unaffected side is useful in patients with hemiparetic stroke; however, muscle strength measurement results in patients with hemiparetic stroke vary greatly compared with those in healthy individuals. The objective of the present study was to determine the characteristics of patients with hemiparetic stroke who yield highly reliable muscle strength measurements. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 55 incipient patients with hemiparetic stroke.

Alternating Hemiplegia with Ipsilateral Supranuclear Facial Palsy and Abducens Nerve Palsy Caused by Pontine Infarction.

A 62-year-old right-handed man was diagnosed with a cerebral infarction in the ventromedial region of the left lower pons. He showed left abducens nerve palsy, left-sided supranuclear palsy of the lower part of the face and right hemiparesis. We hypothesized that the mechanism underlying the patient's ipsilateral supranuclear facial palsy involved the corticofacial fibers after they crossed the midline.

Hemorrhagic Transformation in Patients with Cerebral Infarction Referred to a Rehabilitation Hospital.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to investigate the presenting conditions of patients with hemorrhagic transformation (HT), the frequency of HT and its treatments at a rehabilitation hospital.

Subjects And Methods: 165 patients with cerebral infarctions transferred to our rehabilitation hospital during the study period were enrolled. HT was diagnosed by two stroke specialists using computed tomography (CT) at the time of transfer to our rehabilitation hospital and other imaging data from previous consultations.

Potential factors, including activities of daily living, influencing home discharge for patients with putaminal haemorrhage.

Background: Convalescent rehabilitation wards assist stroke patients in acquiring skills for activities of daily living to increase the likelihood of home discharge. However, an improvement in activities of daily living does not necessarily imply that patients are discharged home. We investigated the characteristics of patients with putaminal haemorrhage who are discharged home following convalescence in rehabilitation wards.

Dysphagia Following Putaminal Hemorrhage at a Rehabilitation Hospital.

Background: Dysphagia occurs frequently during the acute phase of cerebral hemorrhage; however, there are few reports of dysphagia associated with cerebral hemorrhage in the subacute and chronic phase. We focused on putaminal hemorrhage at a rehabilitation hospital and evaluated the relationships between the frequencies of dysphagia, focus, and hematoma volume and type.

Methods: A hundred patients with putaminal hemorrhage referred to our rehabilitation hospital were evaluated.

Rehabilitation for a Patient with Hemiplegia, Ataxia, and Cognitive Dysfunction Caused by Pontine Hemorrhage.

Patients with pontine hemorrhage usually experience severe disturbances of consciousness, pupillary abnormalities, quadriparesis, and respiratory failure. However, little is known regarding cognitive dysfunction in patients with pontine hemorrhage. We report the case of a rehabilitation patient presenting with hemiplegia, ataxia, and cognitive dysfunction caused by a pontine hemorrhage.

A comparison of knee-ankle-foot orthoses with either metal struts or an adjustable posterior strut in hemiplegic stroke patients.

Background: We investigated differences in factors affecting judgments regarding the creation of new adjustable posterior strut knee-ankle-foot orthoses (APS-KAFO) and knee-ankle-foot orthoses with metal struts (traditional KAFO) for hemiplegic stroke patients for whom KAFO were created in rehabilitation wards.

Methods: Subjects were 50 patients with hemiplegia due to new-onset stroke (cerebral infarction: n = 25, cerebral hemorrhage: n = 25) who were prescribed KAFO. Patient ages ranged from 36 to 90 years, and the mean duration from stroke onset to hospitalization was 28.

Changes in serum growth factors in stroke rehabilitation patients and their relation to hemiparesis improvement.

Predicting recovery from hemiparesis after stroke is important for rehabilitation. A few recent studies reported that the levels of some growth factors shortly after stroke were positively correlated with the clinical outcomes during the chronic phase. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the serum levels of growth factors (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], insulin-like growth factor-I [IGF-I], and hepatocyte growth factor [HGF]) and improvement in hemiparesis in stroke patients who received rehabilitation in a postacute rehabilitation hospital.

Multi-input/output alarming system for patients with inattention caused by higher cortical function disorder.

Background: To apply advanced methods of communication, sensing, and instrumentation technologies to make a system that can help patients suffering from hemispatial neglect caused by higher cortical function disorder.

Method: By using several sensors and actuators, the objective was to construct a tailor-made system for each patient. The input part of the system consists of sensors, an interface and transmitters.

Change in thigh muscle cross-sectional area through administration of an anabolic steroid during routine stroke rehabilitation in hemiplegic patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of administration of an anabolic steroid (AS) without the addition of specific training in stroke patients by measuring the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the thigh.

Design: Twenty-six hemiplegic stroke patients during subacute rehabilitation were randomly assigned to a metenolone enanthate (ME) administration group or a control group (CT group). In the ME group, ME (100 mg) was injected intramuscularly weekly for 6 wks in the ME group.

Evaluation of use of the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and cognition in patients with stroke.

The Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) is a widely used method to evaluate health-related quality of life and has been applied for patients with stroke. However, because it is a self-assessment tool, there is a risk in using results of the survey because of lack of information on patients who cannot answer the questionnaire. For this report, 38 patients with stroke hospitalized in the rehabilitation department filled out the SF-36 and motor items of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the Stroke Impairment Assessment Set.

Reliability and validity of a wheelchair collision test for screening behavioral assessment of unilateral neglect after stroke.

Objective: To examine the reliability and validity of a new wheelchair collision test (WCT) for screening behavioral unilateral neglect in people with stroke.

Design: A total of 19 patients with left hemiplegia resulting from first-ever stroke (mean +/- SD, 61.9 +/- 25.