Neural mass models are able to produce epileptic electroencephalogram (EEG) signals in different stages of seizures. The models play important roles in studying the mechanism analysis and control of epileptic seizures. In this study, the closed-loop feedback control was used to suppress the epileptic-form spikes in the neural mass models. It was expected to provide certain theory basis for the choice of stimulus position and parameter in the clinical treatment. With the influence of measurement noise taken into account, an unscented Kalman filter (UKF) was added to the feedback loop to estimate the system state and an UKF controller was constructed via the estimated state. The control action was imposed on the hyper-excitable population and all populations respectively in simulations. It was shown that both UKF control schemes suppressed the epileptic-form spikes in the model. However, the control energy needed in the latter scheme was less than that needed in the former one.
Computer Simulation ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; physiopathology ; Feedback ; Humans ; Models, Neurological

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Erythropoietin ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Microvessels ; chemistry ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Stomach ; chemistry ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tissue Array Analysis ; methods

Petroleum-field emulsions,which are produced in the process of exploration,production and re-covery,represent a major environmental and processing problem for the petroleum industry.Biological de-mulsifier as a biological agent,will become a novel method of petroleum-field emulsions demulsifier instead of chemical demulsifier for its high efficiency,low cost,high adoptability,environment-friendly,repeated use.A set of high efficiency and convenient method was established to isolate de-emulsification strain and studied on the fermentation conditions of the de-emulsification strains.A de-emulsification strains,isolated from a petroleum-contaminated site,was evaluated for its de-emulsification capabilities using a kero-sene/water model emulsion system keeping stable for more than 200 hours which was mixed by stirring Tween 60-water(0.072%,V/V)and Span 60-oil(0.028%,V/V)at the ratio(oil:water)of 6.5:3.5.We have isolated two strains with high and steady de-emulsification activity by separation and purification,blood-plate test,excluding-oil test and de-emulsifying test.The average de-emulsification rates were more than 80.0% at 24 h.The two strains are both belonging to bacillus by traditional and molecular genetic iden-tification.By optimizing the demulsification bacteria fermentation conditions,the fermentation conditions,which is the most suitable for accumulating the fermentation products,were determined as follows:tem-perature 25?C,stirring speed160 r/min,pH 9,inoculated quantities 20%.When the fermentation conditions were temperature 35?C,stirring speed120 r/min,pH 9,inoculated quantities 2%,the fermentation products appeared the highest activities of demulsification.

· AIM :To investigate the role of pericytes in growth of retinal microvascular endothelial cells with a co-culture system in order to understand some mechanism of angiogenesis in hypoxia induced retinal neovascular disorders.(RMECs) were isolated by a modified protocol using CD31 coated Dynabeads, and identified by immunocytochemical staining with anti-Factor Ⅷ and CD31 antibodies. Rat retinal pericytes were isolated and characterized by immunofluorescent staining with PDGFR-β; and desmin antibodies. Pericytes and RMECs were cultured in a contact co-culture system both under normoxia and hypoxia by Millicell chamber. RMECs proliferation was evaluated by MTT and cell cycle assay with flow cytometry. RT-PCR was used to detect the alteration of KDR/Flk-1 mRNA level in RMECs under normoxia or hypoxia in the co-culture system.harvested with the modified isolating method. The two cell types were identified by positive Factor Ⅷ, CD31 and PDGFR-β, desmin cytochemical staining respectively.RMECs proliferated significantly under hypoxia from 3 to 9d with a maximal rate on day 6 (24.9%, P ＜ 0.01) by MTT. In the co-culture system, the proliferation of RMECs was inhibited by pericytes. After 6d exposure to hypoxia,the fraction of S-phase RMECs number was greatly increased by 43.9% (P ＜ 0.01). In the co-culture system,RMECs proliferation was inhibited by pericytes through decreasing the fraction of S-phase cell number both under normoxia (3.6%, P＜0.05) and under hypoxia (15.1%,P＜0.01). KDR/Flk-1 mRNA level in single cultured RMECs was shown to increase approximately 1.3-fold when exposed to hypoxia. Compared with single cultured RMECs, co-culture with pericytes could decrease KDR/Flk-1 mRNA by 45.1% (P＜0.05) and 27.7% (P ＜ 0.05) under normoxia and hypoxia condition respectively.pericytes could inhibit proliferation of RMECs under both normoxia and hypoxia. The inhibition effects of pericytes maybe, at least in part, due to downregulation of KDR/Flk-1 of RMECs. These findings confirm that pericytes could be a potential inhibitor in the pathogenesis of retinal neovascularization.

China ; epidemiology ; Cost of Illness ; Humans ; Wounds and Injuries ; economics ; epidemiology

Airway remodeling is an important pathological feature of asthma and the basis of severe asthma. Proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) is a major contributor to airway remodeling. As an important Ca(2+) channel, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) plays the key role in the cell pathological and physiological processes. This study investigated the expression and activity of TRPV1 channel, and further clarified the effect of TRPV1 channel on the ASMCs proliferation and apoptosis in order to provide the scientific basis to treat asthmatic airway remodeling in clinical practice. Immunofluorescence staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect the expression of TRPV1 in rat ASMCs. Intracellular Ca(2+) was detected using the single cell confocal fluorescence microscopy measurement loaded with Fluo-4/AM. The cell cycles were observed by flow cytometry. MTT assay and Hoechst 33258 staining were used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of ASMCs in rats respectively. The data showed that: (1) TRPV1 channel was present in rat ASMCs. (2) TRPV1 channel agonist, capsaicin, increased the Ca(2+) influx in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50=284.3±58 nmol/L). TRPV1 channel antagonist, capsazepine, inhibited Ca(2+) influx in rat ASMCs. (3) Capsaicin significantly increased the percentage of S+G2M ASMCs and the absorbance of MTT assay. Capsazepine had the opposite effect. (4) Capsaicin significantly inhibited the apoptosis, whereas capsazepine had the opposite effect. These results suggest that TRPV1 is present and mediates Ca(2+) influx in rat ASMCs. TRPV1 activity stimulates proliferation of ASMCs in rats.

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy of intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine and midazolam for premedication in children.MethodsNinety-two ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ children (46 cases aged 1-3 yr and 46 cases aged 4-6 yr) scheduled for elective general or urologic surgeries,were enrolled in this study.The children were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =46 each):midazolam group (group M) and dexmedetomidine group (group D).The children accompanied by their parents were admitted to the anesthesia preparation room at about 20 min before induction of anesthesia,and midazolam 0.1 mg/kg òr dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg was infused intravenously over 10 min.Anesthesia was induced with proporol-rocuroniume-remifentanil,and maintained with sevoflurane-remifentanil-rocuroniume.Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) score,sedation score,HR,mean arterial pressure (MAP),respiratory rate (RR) and SpO2 were recorded before premedication (T1),before separation from their parents (T2) and when entering the operating room (T3).The incidence of sleep (a sedation score of 4) was recorded at T2,3.The end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane,infusion rate of remifentanil,laryngeal air way removal time,emergence time,duration of stay at the recovery room,incidence of delirium during recovery period,the percentage of patients requiring rescue analgesic,and adverse effects were also retorded.ResultsCompared to that at T1,the mYPAS score was significantly decreased at T2,3,and the sedation score was significantly increased at T2,3 in both groups ( P ＜ 0.05),HR at T2 and MAP at T2,3 were significantly decreased in group D,and HR at T3 was significantly increased in group M ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Compared to group M,the sedation scores and the incidence of sleep were significantly increased at T2,3,and the HR was significantly decreased at T2 in group D ( P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in the mYPAS score,RR,MAP,SpO2,end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane,infusion rate of remifentanil,laryngeal air way removal time,emergence time,duration of stay at the recovery room,incidence of delirium during recovery period,the percentage of patients requiting rescue analgesic,and incidence of adverse effects between D and M groups ( P ＞ 0.05).ConclusionThe sedative efficacy of iv dexmedetomidine is superior to that of iv midazolam when infused for premedication in children,but it exerts much influence on hemodynamics,and the changes in hemodynamics should be noted.

Objective To explore the best time point for the ipsilateral hepatocellular apoptosis and the contralateraI hepatic hypertrophy after selective portal vein embolization(SPVE)in rabbit.Methods In a randomized study design,forty rabbits were divided into 5 groups with 8 rabbits per-group,including one as the control and the other 4 were treated with SPVE during open surgery.The rabbits were killed postoperatively,in 3,7,14,21 days respectively after the embolization.The hepatic lobes volume,the ipsilateral hepatocellular necrosis rates and apoptosis index,and liver functions were determined as well. Results In the treatment groups,the average amount of the right liver volumes decreased from 46.4 cm~3 preoperatively to 46.0,44.4,42.0,39.7 cm~3 in groups of 3,7,14,21 days postoperatively;meanwhile,the left liver volumes increased from 54.0 cm~3 preoperatively to 54.5,56.3,61.7,63.9 cm~3 respectively during 3, 7,14,21 days after the procedures.The rates of future remaining live volumes(FRLV)increased from 53.8% preoperatively to 54.2%,55.9%,59.0%,61.0% at 3,7,14,21 days postoperatively.The apoptosis indexes of hepatocells from group A to E were 8.1%,12.2%,19.4%,20.1%,14.2% respectively.Conclusions SPVE leads to atrophy of the ipsilateral hepatic lobe and hypertrophy of contralateral lobe,indicating that hepatocytes undergone apoptosis,rather than necrosis.The time point is 7 to 14 days.

Objective To study the clinical feature,treatment,and prognosis of the cytomegalovirus (CMV)pneumonia patients treated with immunosuppressor against kidney disease.Mlethod The patients received immunosuppressor against kidney disease in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from June 1999 to December 2006.CMV antigen of leucocyte in the peripheral blood and/or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of these patients were detected with immunocytochemical methods,and 21 patients were found suffering from CMV pneumonia.The 21 patients were introvenously injected with ganciclovir 5～10 mg/(kg?d),and the immunosuppressive agent treatment suspended.Their clinical feature and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results The 21 patients received corticosteroids before CMV pneumonia contracted,of them,13 patients had been intensively treated with Methyllprednisolone with mean total dose(3.2?0.6)g.Of them,15 had been treated with cyclophosphamide with mean total dose(3.8?1.3)g.The median time from the beginning of using immunosuppressor to the onset of CMV pneumonia was 25(13～92)days.All patients had fever,cough, shortness of breath and X-ray showed interstitial pneumonia,of them,19 patients developed hypoxemia,and 11 patients' CMV antigen was positive in the leucocyte from bronchial lavage fluid.The result showed 9 patients survived and 12 died.The average duration of treatment with ganciclovir was(26.2?6.3)days. CMV pneumonia is a serious complication in patients who were treated with immunosuppressor against kidney disease.The mortality is high.Ganciclovir is a medicine of choice to treat CMV pneumonia.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of the SEPT4 protein in the pathogenesis of idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

METHODSSamples of ejaculated sperm from idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients and normozoospermic men were separated and purified by Percoll discontinuous density gradients, the distribution and expression of SEPT4 in the sperm samples were determined by immunocytochemistry, and the expressions of SEPT4 mRNA and SEPT4 protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSImmunocytochemistry showed that the expression of SEPT4, located in the annulus, was significantly reduced in the sperm of the idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients (t = 3.452, P < 0.01). RT-PCR revealed that the expression of SEPT4 mRNA was significantly lower in the sperm of the idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients than in those of the normozoospermic men (t = 3.521, P < 0.05). Western blot confirmed the results of RT-PCR (t = 5.872, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of SEPT4 is significantly decreased in the ejaculated sperm of idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients, which might be one of the causes of idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Septins ; metabolism ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Young Adult