OBJECTIVETo assess mental fatigue by noninvasive monitoring of the physiological signals.

METHODSThe changes in the physiological parameters including the electrodermal activity, heart rate and heart rate variability were analyzed in 14 subjects performing the reaction-time tasks when fatigue and changes in the reaction time occurred.

RESULTSThe average skin conductance level, average heart rate, and heart rate variability parameters including the total power density, percentage of the very low power density, percentage of high power density all differed significantly between the sober state and the mental fatigue state.

CONCLUSIONMonitoring the physiological parameters including the electrodermal activity, heart rate and heart rate variability is a noninvasive, effective and practical approach to mental fatigue assessment.

Adult ; Galvanic Skin Response ; physiology ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Fatigue ; physiopathology ; Reaction Time ; Young Adult

This paper is aimed to study the feasibility of myocardial infarction risk assessment by noninvasive multivariable trend analysis, including heart rate variability (HRV), deceleration capacity (DC) of heart rate and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Thirty five patients with cardiovascular diseases (11 Myocardial infarction (MI), 8 coronary artery disease (CAD), 6 artery atherosclerosis (AA) and 10 hypertension), and 31 healthy subjects were randomly selected into a control group for this research as comparison. 15 min ECG and 1 min pulse wave data were collected based on the analysis workbench developed by our Lab. HRV, DC and PWV between the cardiovascular group and the control group were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the HRV indices, DC and PWV were significantly higher than those in the control group. The DC and the HRV indices including NN50, PNN50 and TINN especially presented a decline trend that was consistent with the regularity of cardiovascular development process. This noninvasive multivariable trend analysis of HRV, DC and PWV can be a reference for the earlier risk prediction of MI.
Aged ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Forecasting ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Pulse ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVETo propose a new method for acquiring pulmonary function parameters based on measurement of volume changes of thoracic impedance.

METHODSWe studied the relationship between the volume changes of thoracic impedance and pulmonary function parameters during forced breathing based on bioimpedance measurement, and developed an instrument for measuring thoracic impedance. Using this instrument and a MRI spirolab III lung function test instrument, both based on flowmeter measurement, we measured such pulmonary function parameters including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second/FVC (FEV1/FVC), and peak expiratory flow in 10 healthy volunteers and compared the measurement results.

RESULTSThe differences in the parameters measured using the two instruments were all within two folds of the positive and negative standard deviations of the average values, demonstrating good consistency in the measurement between the two methods.

CONCLUSIONSThe measurement results of the bioimpedance-based instrument we developed show good consistency with those by the commercially available pulmonary function test instrument.

Adult ; Electric Impedance ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Respiratory Function Tests ; methods ; Thorax ; physiology ; Vital Capacity ; Young Adult

To prepare recombinant human retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) by using the baculovirus expression system and to detect its immunogenicity, the fusion DNA fragment of secretory signal peptide SS64 and human RBP4 gene was subcloned into a baculovirus transfer vector pFastBac-dual(pFBd), and the corresponding recombinant transfer plasmid was transformed into E. coli strain DH10bac, after transposition recombinant shuttle bacmid was screened out. The logarithmic phase Sf9 cells were transfected with the recombinant bacmid and then the recombinant baculovirus containing hRBP4 expression box were generated. After amplification of recombinant baculovirus, the recombinant baculovirus seeds were obtained. To express human RBP4, logarithmic phase Sf9 cells were infected with the virus seeds and SDS-PAGE and Western blotting were used to detect and identify the expression. Finally, to prepare a batch of RBP4 protein, logarithmic phase Sf9 cells in suspension culture were infected with recombinant baculovirus seeds and the supernatant was harvested after 120 hours post-infection for purification. Finally for preparation of polyclonal antibody and evaluation of immunogenicity, the recombinant hRBP4 from insect cells and from E. coli were immunized rabbits. Restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing confirmed that the recombinant baculovirus transfer plasmid was constructed correctly, and subsequently recombinant RBP4-bacmid was generated successfully. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis suggested that human RBP4 protein was highly expressed in Sf9 cells with the molecular weight of approximately 23 kDa. The recombinant RBP4 protein could be secreted into the medium efficiently, and the expression level was calculated amount of 100 mg/L. Finally the rabbit antiserum was harvested after recombinant RBP4 immunization, therein the titer of antiserum against baculovirus recombinant RBP4 is 1:100 000 whereas the titer of antiserum against E. coli recombinant RBP4 is only 1:10 000. Overall, human RBP4 was high efficiently expressed successfully with good antigenicity in baculovirus system, and high affinity antiserum was obtained. A solid foundation was laid for the next step of the preparation of human serum RBP4 detection kit.
Animals ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Cloning, Molecular ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Insecta ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Sf9 Cells ; metabolism ; Transfection

Objective To compare the hemostatic safety and efficacy of a new butterfly femoral artery compression device (FACD) with those of manual compression (MC) in patients undergoing percutaneous peripheral endovascular interventions via femoral artery. Methods A total of 283 patients, who received percutaneous endovascular interventions via femoral artery during the period from September 2016 to December 2017, were enrolled in this study. After endovascular intervention, 167 patients received FACD to make hemostasis (FACD group), and 116 patients received MC hemostasis (MC group) . The patient's comfortableness, time used for hemostasis (min), limb immobilization time (h), and the incidence of vascular complications in both groups were analyzed. Results All 283 patients were included in analysis, the results indicated that the hemostatic success rates in FACD group and MC group were 96.4％ (161/167) and 94.0％ (109/116) respectively, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05) . The postoperative Kolcaba Comfort Scale score of FACD group was (85.0 ±11.2) points, which was remarkably higher than (58.4±11.7) points of MC group (P<0.05), the time used for hemostasis in FACD group was (9.2 ±2.2) min, which was strikingly shorter than (18.5 ±2.9) min in MC group (P <0.05) . The limb immobilization time in FACD group was (10.4±2.4) hours, which was obviously shorter than (23.1±4.1) hours in MC group (P <0.05) . The incidence of vascular complications in FACD group was 3.6％, which was dramatically lower than 9.5％ in MC group (χ2=4.206, P=0.04) . Conclusion The use of the new butterfly FACD can promptly, safely and effectively stop bleeding of femoral artery puncture site. The new butterfly FACD is superior to MC in shortening hemostatic time and limb immobilization time, in reducing incidence of vascular complications, as well as in improving patient's comfortableness degree.

Objective:To explore the enhancement effect of different concentrations of contrast media on blood vessels and hollow organs in CT enterography.Methods:Sixty patients with CT enterography were enrolled from January to August 2019 at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, and were prospectively randomly divided into three groups (group A: 90 ml 400 mg/ml contrast media, group B: 90 ml 350 mg/ml contrast media, and group C: 79 ml 400 mg/ml contrast media). Evaluation parameters included CT value, signal noise ratio (SNR) and contrast noise ratio (CNR) of main abdominal vessels (abdominal aorta, superior and inferior mesenteric atery, jejunal artery, ileum artery, superior and inferior mesenteric vein), jejunum, ileum and inflammatory bowel disease. The overall image quality and direct jejunum ileum artery quality scores were evaluated. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the parameters among the three groups.Results:There was no statistical difference in CT value, SNR and CNR of each measurement index among the three groups in plain scan ( P>0.05). The CT value, SNR and CNR of abdominal aorta, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, jejunal artery and ileal artery in group A and C were higher than those in group B in arterial phase ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between group A and group C ( P>0.05). The CT value, SNR and CNR of superior mesenteric vein, inferior mesenteric vein, normal jejunum, ileum and inflammatory lesions in group A were higher than those in group B and C in venous phase ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between group B and group C ( P>0.05). The overall image quality scores of group A, B and C were (3.8±0.7), (3.4±0.6), (3.4±0.6), respectively, with no significant difference ( F=3.075, P=0.054). The direct jejunum ileum artery scores of the three groups were (3.5±0.5), (3.1±0.5), (3.4±0.5), respectively, the difference was statistically significant ( F=3.684, P=0.031). Conclusion:At the same injection rate and scanning parameters, contrast media at 400 mg/ml can provide better vessel and hollow organ enhancement.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a main type of mood disorder, characterized by significant and lasting depressed mood. Until now, the pathogenesis of MDD is not clear, but it is certain that biological, psychological, and social factors are involved. Childhood trauma is considered to be an important factor in the development of this disease. Previous studies have found that nearly half of the patients with MDD have experienced childhood trauma, and different types of childhood trauma, gender, and age show different effects on this disease. In addition, the clinical characteristics of MDD patients with childhood trauma are also different, which often have more severe depressive symptoms, higher risk of suicide, and more severe cognitive impairment. The response to antidepressants is also worse. In terms of biological mechanisms and marker characteristics, the serotonin transporter gene and the FKBP prolyl isomerase 5 have been shown to play an important role in MDD and childhood trauma. Moreover, some brain imaging and biomarkers showed specific features, such as changes in gray matter in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, and abnormal changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function.
Child ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Gray Matter ; Humans ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; Suicide

BACKGROUND:Tissue engineering has brought new hope to the clinical challenge of liver failure,and the preparation of plant-derived decellularized fiber scaffolds holds significant importance in liver tissue engineering. OBJECTIVE:To prepare apple tissue decellularized scaffold material by using fresh apple slices and a solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate,and assess its biocompatibility. METHODS:Fresh apples were subjected to decellularization using phosphate buffer saline and sodium dodecyl sulfate solution,separately.Afterwards,the decellularized apple tissues and apple decellularized scaffold materials were decontaminated with phosphate buffer saline.Subsequently,scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the effectiveness of decellularization of the apple materials.Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were extracted from the inguinal fat BALB/C of mice,and their expression of stem cell-related markers(CD45,CD34,CD73,CD90,and CD105)was identified through flow cytometry.The cells were then divided into a scaffold-free control group and a scaffold group.Equal amounts of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were seeded onto both groups.The biocompatibility of the decellularized scaffold with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells was evaluated using CCK-8 assay,hematoxylin-eosin staining,and phalloidine staining.Cell adhesion and growth on the scaffold were observed under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.Furthermore,the scaffold was subdivided into the non-induced group and the hepatogenic-induced group.Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were cultured on the decellularized apple scaffold,and they were cultured for 14 days in regular culture medium or hepatogenic induction medium for comparison.Immunofluorescent staining using liver cell markers,including albumin,cytokeratin 18,and CYP1A1,was performed.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the secretion of alpha fetoprotein and albumin.Additionally,scanning electron microscopy was employed to observe the morphology of the induced cells on the scaffold,verifying the expression of liver cell-related genes on the decellularized scaffold material.Finally,the cobalt-60 irradiated and sterilized decellularized apple scaffolds were transplanted onto the surface of mouse liver and the degradation of the scaffold was observed by gross observation and hematoxylin-eosin staining after 28 days. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The scanning electron microscopy results revealed that the decellularized apple scaffold material retained a porous structure of approximately 100 μm in size,with no residual cells observed.(2)Through flow cytometry analysis,the cultured cells were identified as adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.(3)CCK-8 assay results demonstrated that the prepared decellularized apple tissue scaffold material exhibited no cytotoxicity.Hematoxylin-eosin staining and phalloidine staining showed that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were capable of adhering and proliferating on the decellularized apple tissue scaffold.(4)The results obtained from immunofluorescence staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultured on the decellularized apple scaffolds exhibited elevated expression of liver-specific proteins,including albumin,alpha-fetoprotein,cytokeratin 18,and CYP1A1.These results suggested that they were induced differentiation into hepatocyte-like cells possessing functional characteristics of liver cells.(5)The decellularized apple scaffold implanted at 7 days has integrated with the liver,with partial degradation of the scaffold observed.By 28 days,the decellularized apple scaffold has completely degraded and has been replaced by newly-formed tissue.(6)The results indicate that the decellularized scaffold material derived from apple tissue demonstrates favorable biocompatibility,promoting the proliferation,adhesion,and hepatic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.