In this paper, a heart rate variability analysis system is presented for short-term (5 min) applications, which is composed of an electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit and a heart rate variability analysis unit. The electrocardiogram signal acquisition unit adopts various digital technologies, including the low-gain amplifier, the high-resolution analog-digital converter, the real-time digital filter and wireless transmission etc. Meanwhile, it has the advantages of strong anti-interference capacity, small size, light weight, and good portability. The heart rate variability analysis unit is used to complete the R-wave detection and the analyses of time domain, frequency domain and nonlinear indexes, based on the Matlab Toolbox. The preliminary experiments demonstrated that the system was reliable, and could be applied to the heart rate variability analysis at resting, motion states etc.
Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

In this paper, based on the feature of ensemble empirical mode decomposition(EEMD) which is very suitable for analyzing non-stationary and nonlinear signals, the pulse rate variability (PRV) signal is decomposed into multiple intrinsic mode function (IMF) components by EEMD, to calculate the energy of each IMF component respectively, and high-frequency energy(EHF), low-frequency energy(ELF) and very low-frequency energy(EVLF) of PRV were reconstructed from the energy of the IMF components according to the characteristics of each IMF component spectrum. This method is compared with the traditional AR power spectrum estimation method through the experiment. The results show that the correlation coefficient of each frequency domain parameter corresponding to PRV obtained by the two methods is higher than 0.96, which indicates that the method can truly reflect the sympathetic nerve and vagus nerve activity.

A new handheld fast ECG detector based on low gain amplifier, the high resolution analog to digital converter, the real-time digital filter, fast P-QRS-T wave detection and abstraction algorithm was designed. The results showed that the ECG detector can meet the requirements of fast detecting heart rate and ECG P-QRS-T waveforms.
Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design

In this study, we designed a wireless body temperature sensor (WBTS) based on near field communication (NFC) technology. Just attaching the WBTS to a mobile phone with NFC function, the real-time body temperature of human subjects can be acquired by an application program without seperate power supply. The WBTS is mainly composed of a digital body temperature probe (d-BTP), a NFC unit and an antenna. The d-BTP acquires and processes body temperature data through a micro control er, and the NFC unit and antenna are used for wireless energy transmission and data communication between the mobile phone and WBTS. UART communication protocol is used in the communication between the d-BTP and NFC unit, and data compression technique is adopted for improving transmission efficiency and decreasing power loss. In tests, the error of WBTS is ±0.1 oC, in range of 32 oC to 42 oC. The WBTS has advantages of high accuracy, low power loss, strong anti-interference ability, dispensation with independent power supply etc., and it can be integrated into wearable apparatuses for temperature monitoring and health management.

PURPOSE: Genistein, a natural isoflavonoid phyto-oestrogen present in plant foods including citrus fruits and soybean, is a specific inhibitor of tyrosine kinase and topoisomerase II. In this paper we examined the effect of genistein on cell cycle progression and programmed cell death in the human prostate carcinoma PC-3 and Ewing's sarcoma CHP-100 cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Effect of genistein on cell cycle was measured by DNA flow cytometric analysis. In order to understand anticancer effect of genistein on cell cycle, Western blot analysis, immune complex kinase assay, DAPI staining and DNA fragmentation analysis were conducted. RESULTS: DNA flow cytometric analysis indicated that genistein induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition phase. Western blot analyses showed that genistein selectively reduced expression of cyclin B1 and cdk2-dependent kinase activity in both cell lines. Genistein also induced apoptosis that was demonstrated by direct visualization of morphological nuclear changes and confirmed by the production of characteristic ladder patterns of genomic DNA fragmentation. CONCLUSION: The chemopreventive activity of genistein is proven to be related with the induction of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M transition phase by reducing the expression of cyclin B1 and cdk2-dependent kinase activity, and also with the induction of apoptosis in the tested cancer cells.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Death* ; Cell Line* ; Cell Proliferation* ; Citrus ; Cyclin B1 ; DNA ; DNA Fragmentation ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; Genistein* ; Humans* ; Phosphotransferases ; Plants ; Prostate ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Sarcoma, Ewing ; Soybeans

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy, radiological findings, clinical outcomes and complications in patients with lumbar stenosis and osteoporosis after the use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) augmentation of a cannulated pedicle screw. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with degenerative spinal stenosis and osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5) underwent lumbar fusion using the Dream Technology Pedicle Screw (DTPS(TM), Dream Spine Total Solutions, Dream STS, Seoul, Korea) between 2005 and 2007. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Prolo scale. Radiologic findings were documented through computed tomography (CT) and plain films. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were evaluated and included, 2 males and 35 females with an average bone mineral density (BMD) of 0.47g/cm2. The average age of the patients was 68.7 (range, 57-88). The preoperative VAS for low back and leg pain (7.87 +/- 0.95 and 8.82 +/- 0.83) were higher as compared with postoperative VAS (2.30 +/- 1.61 and 1.42 +/- 0.73) with statistical significance (p = 0.006, p = 0.003). According to the Prolo scale, 11, 22, one and three patients were in excellent, good, fair and poor conditions, respectively. The average amount of the injected cement per one cannulated screw was 1.83 +/- 0.11 mL. CONCLUSION: The results show favorable outcome both clinically and radiographically for 37 patients who underwent lumbar fusion using DTPS(TM) and PMMA. Based on the results, the use of this surgical method can be a safe and effective option for the operation on the osteoporotic spine.
Bone Density ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine

Localization of the specific symptomatic level in multiple lumbar disc herniations is very important in the decision of surgical levels and operative method and is also one of the rate limiting factor for the successful postoperative results. Until now pain provocation test with discography is known as the unique functional and physiological method to localize the symptomatic level of disc herniation. But it is an invasive study and there is still an ongoing argument about discography for their diagnostic accuracy and specificity. Digital infrared thermographic imaging technique is a non-invasive technique to detect the discogenic pain with high accuracy. Authors evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of digital infrared thermographic imaging in 202 cases of multiple lumbar disc herniations by analysis of symptom correlation and the accuracy with operative findings. And also the correlation of digital infrared thermographic imaging technique with discography was analyzed. The digital infrared thermographic imaging technique showed high sensitivity(86.4%) to the clinical symptom and good correlation with the operative findings. It also revealed high correlation rate(81.4%) with discography. As a conclusion, digital infrared thermographic imaging technique is a highly effective diagnostic tool in the localization of the symptomatic level in multiple disc herniations.
Sensitivity and Specificity

Thermography shows the skin temperature changes in various conditions of the body. The skin temperature varies according to subcutaneous blood flow under the control of autonomic nervous system. Lumbar radiculopathy due to disc hernation makes difference in the temperature of lower extremities caused by the changes in general functions and autonomic functions of the nerve root. Digital infrared thermographic imaging(DITI) system has been used to diagnose radiculopathy without any hazards or discomforts and shows the pain due to LDH by objective change of temperature. This study has used DITIs of 55 control cases and 217 cases of LDH patients and analysed it statistically. In the room the temperature stable at 20 degrees C, the temperature distribution of the lower extremities of the control cases ranged from 24.9 degrees C to 29.9 degrees C. The significant minimal temperature difference between right and left lower extremities range from 0.1 degrees C to 0.4 degrees C. The more distal, the greater the temperature difference was. The thermatome of L4, L5 and S1 was drawn in radiating type and spot type. The thermatome showed larger area than the sensory dermatome and sympathetic dermatome. There was significant increase or decrease of temperature in thermatome in LDH patients. In conclusion, preoperative DITI of the LDH patient can be helpful for diagnosing the level of LDH and the areas of pain.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Radiculopathy ; Skin Temperature ; Thermography

OBJECTIVE: In the management of degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine, spinal fusion is a popular management option and posterior interbody fusion is gaining wide acceptance for the treatment of segmental instability, spondylolisthesis, and discogenic pain. Many methods have been described, including use of autograft or allograft bone, in either structural or nonstructural form, with or without additional fixation. METHOD: The authors retrospectively analyzed 102 cases of posterior lumbar interbody fusion with BAK cage from March 1993 to April 1998. All patients have been followed for 24 to 56 months. Postoperative clinical and radiological changes are evaluated by Mcnab criteria and dynamic lumbar spine lateral measurement. RESULTS: Stable bony fusion was accomplished in 81.9% of patients at 12 months, in 87.4% of patients at 24months, and in 91.2% of patients at 3 years after surgery and their overall outcome was also remarkable(excellent: 42.2%, good: 49.1%). Postoperative correction of slipping was average 3.1mm in spondylolisthesis group. Seventy-eight percent of the previously employed patients returned to work by 24 months after surgery, and 94% were working at 3 years after surgery. CONCLUSION: The results of this study strongly imply that the BAK cage is safe and effective in the management of certain forms of degenerative conditions of lumbar spine. However proper patient selection is critical and experienced and properly trained spinal surgeons should perform this procedure.
Allografts ; Autografts ; Humans ; Patient Selection ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; Spine ; Spondylolisthesis

Congenital dermal sinus (CDS) is a rare entity widely known to occur as a result of the of the failure of the neuroectoderm to separate from the cutaneous ectoderm during the process of neurulation at the third to fifth week of gestation. The lesion can occur at any level of the craniospinal axis, but are located predominantly at the lumbosacral and occipital region. CDS of thoracic region and cervical region are rare. The patient with CDS presents with meningitis and/or mass effect from the associated inclusion tumor. They are usually dermoid or epidermoid cyst. Teratoma is rarely associated with CDS. We report our experience of CDS an 11-month old boy associated with an intramedullary dermoid tumor at the thoracic region, and together we report a review of the literature.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Dermoid Cyst ; Ectoderm ; Epidermal Cyst ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Meningitis ; Neural Plate ; Neurulation ; Pregnancy ; Spina Bifida Occulta* ; Teratoma