A de-noising method for electrocardiogram (ECG) based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and wavelet threshold de-noising theory is proposed in our school. We decomposed noised ECG signals with the proposed method using the EEMD and calculated a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Then we selected IMFs and reconstructed them to realize the de-noising for ECG. The processed ECG signals were filtered again with wavelet transform using improved threshold function. In the experiments, MIT-BIH ECG database was used for evaluating the performance of the proposed method, contrasting with de-noising method based on EEMD and wavelet transform with improved threshold function alone in parameters of signal to noise ratio (SNR) and mean square error (MSE). The results showed that the ECG waveforms de-noised with the proposed method were smooth and the amplitudes of ECG features did not attenuate. In conclusion, the method discussed in this paper can realize the ECG denoising and meanwhile keep the characteristics of original ECG signal.
Algorithms ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Wavelet Analysis

Objective:To evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on hyperdynamic circulatory state and portal hypertensive gastrropathy in liver cirrhotic patients.Methods:Helicobacter pylori infection,IL-1,IL-8,TNF-?,Endotoxin,NO,ET,anti-VacA and anti-CagA levels were determined in cirrhotic patients by using rapid urease test,()~(14)C-urea expiratory test,immunoimpression test,nitrite colorimetric test and ELISA.The parameters of portal venous system flow were determined by doppler ultrasonography.Results:HP prevalence in patients with liver cirrhosis was 77.1%,anti-VacA and antiCagA positive rate was 60.4% in common.IL-1,IL-8,TNF-?,Endotoxin,NO and ET levels in anti-VacA and anti-CagA positive group were significantly higher than in anti-VacA and anti-CagA negtive group.The amount of splenic venous flow(SVF) and superior mesenteric venous flow(SMVF)in anti-VacA and anti-CagA positive group was greater and the amount of portal venous flow(PVF) was smaller than those in negtive group.Conclusion:There was the effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on hyperdynamic circulatory state and portal hypertensive gastrropathy in liver cirrhotic patients.

Objective To investigate the possible regulating effect of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) towards matrix metalloproteinase-9/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-9/TIMP-1) ratio in the process of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human kidney proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells.Methods HK-2 cells were cultured and stimulated with 10 ng/ml TGF-β1.Specific ILK-small interfering RNA (ILK-siRNA) was used to inhibit ILK expression.The characteristic epithelial marker (E-cadherin) and mesenchymal marker (α-SMA) of EMT were examined by Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) and Western blot.The expressions of ILK,MMP-9,and TIMP-1 were also examined,to determine the regulating effect of ILK towards MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio.Results In the HK-2 cells cultured with TGF-β1,the expression of E-cadherin decreased,and α-SMA expression increased;overexpression of ILK and an abnormal changing of MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio were observed.ILK inhibition by ILK-siRNA could adjust MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio to near normal.Meanwhile,the overexpressed ILK and α-SMA were decreased.Conclusions Our data indicates that ILK-siRNA successfully inhibits ILK expression,which regulates the MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio in HK-2 cells.The inhibition of ILK expression suppresses TGF-β1-induced EMT partially.

Anorectal malformations (ARM)comprise a broad spectrum of congenital disorders that account for 25 ％ of gastrointestinal malformations.Despite numerous technical advances for treatment of ARM,complications such as fecal incontinence and constipation still occur and can greatly deteriorate patients' quality of life.It is recognized that lumbosacral spinal cord anomalies in ARM has been an important factor affecting the fecal function after procedure.Researchers have found that lumbosacral myelodysplasia is the common seen complication of ARM and neural cells decreased in lumbosacral spinal cord by the study on animals and human.Due to numerous factos affecting nerve innervation on annrectus and pelvic floor muscle,this review summarizes the nervous system complications and abnormal intervention of human and rats ARMs.The developments of study on ARM complications and intervention are detailed.Then the new direction of the research about the anorectal malformation nervous system is put forward,and the new strategy of improving the prognosis of anorectal malformation surgery is explored.

Ballistocardiogram (BCG) signal is a physiological signal, reflecting heart mechanical status. It can be measured without any electrodes touching subject's body surface and can realize physiological monitoring ubiquitously. However, BCG signal is so weak that it would often be interferred by superimposed noises. For measuring BCG signal effectively, we proposed an approach using joint time-frequency distribution and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) for BCG signal denoising. We set up an adaptive optimal kernel for BCG signal and extracted BCG signals components using it. Then we de-noised the BCG signal by combing empirical mode decomposition with it. Simulation results showed that the proposed method overcome the shortcomings of empirical mode decomposition for the signals with identical frequency content at different times, realized the filtering for BCG signal and also reconstructed the characteristics of BCG.
Algorithms ; Ballistocardiography ; methods ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic

Objective To investigate the potential value of VEGF-C targeted ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO)molecular probe in specific detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)in a rat model using MRI.Methods The targeted probe was synthesized by conjugating VEGF-C antibody with amino modified USPIO.Cell counting kit-8 assay was conducted to as-certain the probe’s effect on the growth of HepG2 cells.Rat models with HCC were divided into two groups (targeted group with VEGF-C-USPlO and a contrast with USPIO)with 3 rats for each group at random.Pre-and post-contrast enhanced MR imaging with different time points of 0.5,1 and 1.5h was performed with an injection into caudal vein.The signal intensities of the tumor on T2 WI and T2 * WI were measured,and the differences of the signal intensities between pre-and post-enhancements or between both groups were analyzed.The iron particles within the tumors in two groups were confirmed by Prussian blue iron staining.The ex-pression of VEGF-C in HCC was proved by immunohistochemistry.Results The signal intensities of HCC on T2 WI and T2 * WI af-ter VEGF-C-USPI0 injection were decreased obviously with a minimum value at 1 h ,indicating a significant difference (P <0.05). However,those in USPIO group were decreased less without statistical differences (P >0.05).Statistical differences in signal inten-sity on T2 * WI after enhancement between both groups were also showed (P <0.05).Prussian blue staining results showed more iron particles within the tumor tissues in VEGF-C-USPI0 group,whereas less ones in USPIO group.Immunohistochemical results showed that VEGF-C was over expressed in cytoplasm and membrane.Conclusion VEGF-C-USPI0 molecular probes can initiatively target to the liver cancer in rat models with expressed VEGF-C,which may help to achieve the specific MR imaging of HCC,indica-ting a potential of the metastasis.

Objective:To establish and evaluate a newly established method of enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay (ELISA) for measuring human autoantibody to folate receptor (FR).Methods: Folate receptor was extracted and purified from healthy woman placenta tissues .The protein was coated on 96-well plates.Goat monoclonal antibody was used as detecting antibody to set up the indirect ELISA proce -dure.The sensitivity, precision and linearity of the method were evaluated .Further, the method was compared with the ELISA method with commercialized bovine folate binding protein ( FBP) by determi-ning autoantibody levels in 24 individuals .Results:The measuring range of the standard curve was from 6 .25 ×10 -4 to 8 ×10 -2 ( the IgG concentration of pooled plasma from healthy donors was defined as 1 ) . The lowest detectable level was 3.13 ×10 -4 .The intra-and inter-assay coefficients of variations were 2.74%-8.07% and 4.16% -8.23%, respectively.Linearity test results were considered within acceptable limits.The data from FBP-ELISA and FR-ELISA were highly correlated ( r=0.954, P <0.001);The value from FR-ELISA was higher by 14% than that from FBP-ELISA.Conclusion: The ELISA method for measuring human autoantibody IgG to folate receptor was successfully established using human FR as coating protein .The method is sensitive and repeatable and can be used in large-scale population study .

Objective To evaluate the relationship of peripheral blood Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells with disease activity in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).Methods This study recruited 21 patients with active SSc,24 patients with inactive SSc and 24 normal human controls with informed consent.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from these subjects.Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentages of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood CD4+ cells,a fluorescence-based quantitative PCR to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-17A,retinoid-related orphan receptor gamma t (RoRγt),forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs),and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay to measure the serum level of IL-17.Results Increased percentage of Th17 cells in peripheral blood CD4+ cells was observed in patients with active SSc compared with those with inactive SSc and normal human controls (2.34％ ± 1.19％vs.0.68％ ± 0.39％ and 0.57％ ± 0.49％,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05).No statistical difference was noted in the percentage of Treg cells in CD4+ cells or the mRNA expression levels of FoxP3 between the patients with active SSc,inactive SSc and normal human controls (all P ＞ 0.05).There was a significant increase in the mRNA expression of IL-17A,RoRγt in PBMCs and serum levels of IL-17 in patients with active SSc compared with patients with inactive SSc and normal human controls ( 11.73 ± 0.80 vs.9.77 ± 1.30 and 10.79 ± 0.74,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05; 18.48 ± 1.09 vs.15.89 ± 1.48 and 17.77 ± 1.64,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05; 53.60± 9.90 pg/ml vs.15.18 ± 3.24 pg/ml and 15.53 ± 4.12 pg/ml,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05).The percentage of Th17 cells in CD4+ cells and serum IL-17 levels were both positively correlated with disease activity in patients with active SSc (r =0.675,0.644,respectively,both P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Th17 cells are highly proliferative in patients with active SSc,which may be closely correlated with the activity of SSc.

Objective To investigate the effects of preoperative iv different doses of pantoprazole on acidity of gastric fluid in patients undergoing elective surgery. Methods Sixty ASA Ⅰ -Ⅲ patients aged 38-80 yr,weighing 44-72 kg undergoing elective surgery were randomly allocated into 3 groups (n = 20 each): group Ⅰ control (group C); group Ⅱ pantoprazole 40 mg(group P1) and group Ⅲ pantoprazole 80 mg(group P2). The patients received intravenous normal saline (NS) 100 ml, pantoprazole 40 and 80 mg in NS 100 ml respectively in group C, P1 and P2 at 30 min before surgery. Gastric content was aspirated using a gastric tube on the patients'arrival in the operating room and at 1,2 h and the end of surgery. The pH of the gastric fluid was measured. The adverse effects including dizziness, diarrhea, PONV and incidence of stress ulcer were recorded. Results The pH was significantly increased in group P1 and P2 as compared with control group but there was no significant difference in pH between group P1 and P2 . There were no significant difference in the incidence of stress ulcer and pH of the gastric fluid≤2.5 among the 3 groups. Conclusion Preoperative intravenous pantoprazole 40 mg can effectively increase pH of gastric juice and is helpful in reducing the incidence of stress ulcer and the risk of acid aspiration.

BACKGROUND: Special anatomical location makes eye lens expose to stressful situation in a long term. Whether the environmental stress can up-regulate the expression of heat shock proteins in human lens epithelial cells? Whether the synthesis increase occurs in the level of trenscdption or translation, remains unclear.OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression and location of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) in human lens epithelial cells under the conditions of high temperature and oxidative stress, and to investigate the pathogenesis of the cataract.METHODS: Human lens epithelial cells cultured in vitro were exposed to heat (45 ℃) and oxidative stress (50 mmol/L H_2O_2) for 30 minutes, respectively, then allowed to recover normal conditions. At different intervals (0, 2, 4, 6, 16, 24 hours),immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to determine the expression and localization of HSP27.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: HSP27 was shown to express in both physiological and stressful conditions. The expressions of HSP27 mRNA and protein ware remarkably increased at 2 hours following heat and oxidative stress, and reached the peak at 6 hours. HSP27 could maintain a high level for 16 hours. The stress-induced HSP27 protein positive particles transferred from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and gradually shift back to the cytoplasm along time. It is proved that HSP27 exists in lens epithelial cells and can be increased after stress. The data suggested it may play an important protective role in lens epithelial cells in respond to cellular stress.