Pulsed application of focused ultrasound (FUS) to the regional brain tissue alters the state of tissue excitability, and thus provides the means for non-invasive functional neuromodulation. We report that the application of transcranial FUS to the thalamus of anesthetized rats reduced the time to emergence of voluntary movement from intraperitoneal ketamine-xylazine anesthesia. Low intensity FUS was applied to the thalamus of anesthetized animals. The times required for the animals to show distinct physiological/behavioral changes were measured and compared to those times required in a control session without sonication. The sonication significantly reduced the time to show pinch response and voluntary movement. The modulatory effects of FUS on anesthesia suggest potential therapeutic applications for disorders of consciousness such as minimally consciousness states.

Background: Enhancing competencies of patient safety and quality of care is an actual and important issue in Bachelor of Nursing education. In 2010, the Dutch ministry of health adopted ten themes of patient safety and developed six competences for patient safe nursing care. Nursing schools integrated these competences in their Bachelor of nursing programs. This study evaluates the progress of undergraduate nursing students on the six competences, before and after a course on the management of innovation and policy-making of safety management.

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