Surface electromyogram (sEMG) may have low signal to noise ratios. An adaptive wavelet thresholding technique was developed in this study to remove noise contamination from sEMG signals. Compared with convention- al wavelet thresholding methods, the adaptive approach can adjust thresholds based on different signal to noise ratios of the processed signal, thus effectively removing noise contamination and reducing distortion of the EMG signal. The advantage of the developed adaptive thresholding method was demonstrated using simulated and experimental sEMG recordings.
Algorithms ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Wavelet Analysis

AlM: To investigate the refractive status of the preschool children in Xiantao, Hubei Province in order to find out the abnormal refraction error beyond the physiological range.
METHODS: ln this cross - sectional study, we investigated preschool children in kindergartens and the scattered ones were 12 716 ( 25 432 eyes ) ranging from 6mo ~ 6 years old. 1 581 children ( 3 162 eyes ) were diagnosed ametropia by Suresight refractive screening instrument, which were confirmed again after mydriasis optometry.
RESULTS: The incidence rate of ametropia in preschool children in Xiantao was 12. 4%, and statistics showed no significant difference between boys and girls (P>0. 05), but had differences of morbility rate among each age group (P<0. 05). With age increasing morbility rate of the refractive error decreased. The simple hyperopia and the compound hyperopia astigmatism were dominant in all refraction error. Professional ophthalmologists diagnosed amblyopia in 261 children (522 eyes), which was 16. 5%, among 1581 abnormal refractive children (3 162 eyes) screened out by Suresight refractive screening instrument.
CONCLUSlON: The incidence rate of ametropia decreases with age increasing in the preschool children from 6mo~6 years old, which imply preschool children should have mydriasis optometry in order to find out amblyopia and other congenital eye disease.

ObjectiveTo study the protection of Chinese herbs on the ischemic brain of rats. Methods 75 Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups, Group 1 for false operation. For the other four groups, the common carotid artery was exposed then was ligatured and cut off, Group 2 for model. From the 20th hour after operation on,Group 3, 4, 5 were fed with complex prescription of Chinese medicine named Prescription 1, 2 and 3 once a day respectively. 3 hours after taking medicine, Groups 2-5 were put in the hypoxia environment for 1 hours, then taking the medicine for 7 days. On the 7th day after operation,the blood was taken from R. atria then the rats were killed and the whole right brains were cut off. Malonaldehyde (MDA), notric oxide synthetase (NOS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the brain tissue and serum, and calcium in the brain were measured respectively. ResultsThe three prescriptions can decrease the quantity of MDA both in brain tissue and serum and the calcium in brain tissue(P<0.05-0.001).Prescription 1 can enhance the activity of SOD in brain tissue while the others can decrease the activity of NOS. The hippocampus cells show tidy, and the number of the necrotic cells decrease greatly among them, Groups 4 and 5 are better than Group 3.Conclusions Prescriptions 1-3 can protect the brain tissue of the rat form ischemic brain injury.

AIMTo search for flavonoids which possess stronger vasorelaxation action.

METHODSFour quercetin glycosides (1a - d) were synthesized from quercetin in three steps i. e. selective protection of quercetin, condensation with corresponding acetyiglycosyl bromide, and then removal of the protecting group; Six flavone compounds (2a - f) were prepared from phloroglucinol according to the conventional methods; The structures of synthetic compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS. Vasorelaxation action of ten synthetic quercetin derivatives (or analogues) and four natural flavonoids compounds were examined on the isolated rat thoracic aorta rings; Comparative octanol-water partition coefficients (logP) were measured using a reversed-phase HPLC method.

RESULTSMost of the tested flavonoids showed concentration dependent relaxation effects against PE-induced contractions of rat aortic rings. These compounds had stronger action with the augment of logP values.

CONCLUSIONCompound 3-bromo-5 ,7-dihydroxyflavone (2d) was identified to have the most potent vasodilating action. These compounds exert vasodilating effects that are related to the logP values. A structure-activity relationship of flavonoids was suggested.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flavonoids ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Male ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Quercetin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Vasodilation ; drug effects ; Vasodilator Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the second to the fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) and body mass index (BMI) in infertile men of the Han ethnic group in Ningxia.

METHODSUsing anthropometry, we calculated the mean ratio of 2D:4D and BMI of 197 infertile men and 148 normal healthy male controls, followed by analysis of their relationship.

RESULTSThe BMI was correlated positively with the 2D:4D ratio of the left hand in the infertile men (P < 0.05) and in the patients with a higher 2D:4D ratio of the left hand (P < 0.05), but negatively with the 2D:4D ratio of the righ/left (Dr-1) (left: P < 0.01; Dr-l: P < 0.05). The mean 2D: 4D ratio and BMI were both lower in the normal control than in the infertile men, with statistically significant differences in BMI (P < 0.05) and the 2D:4D ratio of the left hand (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere is a correlation between the 2D:4D ratio and BMI in infertile men.

Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies ; Fingers ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; diagnosis ; Male

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy of tendons of minimally invasive therapy (TMIT) combined drug therapy by comparing it with treatment by drug therapy alone on patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

METHODSTotally 60 KOA patients were assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random digit table, 30 in each group. Patients in the control group took Hydrochloric Acid Glucosamine Capsule and Celecoxib Capsule. Patients in the treatment group additionally received TMIT. The treatment course for all was 4 weeks. Scores for visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index were observed and recorded at week 1 and 4 after treatment by acupotomology mirror.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, improvement was shown in VAS score, pain and stiffness degrees, activities and functions, and WOMAC scores at week 1 and 4 after treatment in all patients with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Besides, better effect was shown in the treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTMIT combined drug therapy could relieve KOA patients' pain, stiffness and joint activities, elevate the overall efficacy. TMIT was easily operated with less injury.

Celecoxib ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; methods ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy ; Pain ; Pain Measurement ; Tendons ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To observe the change of collagen in osteoarthritis and study the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.Methods The right hind limb of twenty-four adult New Zealand White rabbits were immobilized with plaster cast in extension position for 10,20,30 and 40 days,respectively.Six animals without immobilization served as control.The articular cartilage of the medial femur condyle was harvested for transmission electron microscopy,in-situ hybridization of collagenⅡ,and immunohistochemistry of collagenⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ.Results Transmission electron microscopy showed articular cartilage was destructed from the fine collagen fiber network of tangential zone.The fine collagen fiber network did not contain chondrocyte.Immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization showed that in earlier period of osteoarthritis,the collagen typeⅡand its gene expression firstly increased,then decreased with destruction of ultrastructure,and chondrocytes enhanced type Ⅱ collagen expressing and synthesizing mainly in transition zone and upper deep zone.In articular cartilage of osteoarthritis there was type Ⅲ collagen,instead of typeⅠcollagen.Conclusion In osteoarthritis,articular cartilage degenerated from tangential layer,in which collagen can not be repaired after destruction,this may contribute to the chondral degeneration.

Objective To study the reasons of seroma formation and long-term existence after modified radi-cal mastectomy ( MRM) .Methods The structure of fibrous lamina for seroma postoperative breast cancer was ana-lyzed by pathological methods;the composition of drainage fluids after MRM in the different postoperative time peri-ods was determined;and the structure of fibrous lamina following an experimental mastectomy model created in rats was investigated,which the process of fibrous lamina formation was imitated.Results There were three layer struc-tures in fibrous lamina,including fibrous leakage,capillaries and fiber lay.Hematology test results supported seroma for exudate.Animal model showed that with the extension of time,fibrous lamina thickened gradually.Conclusion It is capillaries in fibrous lamina that seroma long-standing histological basis.Maybe excising or destructing the structure of subcutaneous fibrous lamina,making the procedure of wound healing to begin again as soon as possible,which is a kind of effective method to solve the problem of seroma long-term existence after MRM.

A method was developed for analyzing the stable carbon isotope ratio of five volatile components ( Ethanol, Glycerol, Acetic acid, Ethyl lactate, 2-methyl-butanol ) in wine using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometer ( GC-C-IRMS ) . The sample injection volume was less than 0. 5 μL, and the analytical time of each run was less than 14 min. The precision of this method was 0. 08‰-0. 25‰ for analyzing standards, while 0. 09‰-0. 36‰ for wine samples. Compared to element analysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry ( EA-IRMS) results, the deviations were lower than 0. 5‰. Fifty-four wine samples from France, Australia, America and China were considered. The δ13 C of five volatile components were measured using GC-C-IRMS. Discriminant analysis ( DA) was employed for analyzing the geographical origin traceability of selected wine. The result indicated that δ13 C of volatile components could be used to distinguish the origin of wines. The method was shown to be effective in improving detection of the origin traceability of wine.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of treatment of meniscal injuries of knee joints by arthroscopy.Methods 33 patients 35 joints were followed up and the parts,types and treatment under arthroscopy were analysed.Results 33 patients were followed up from six months to six years,the mean preoperative Lysholm score was 60.5 points,and the mean postoperative one was 86.7 points.Conclusion The advantage of treating meniscal injuries by arthroscopy was the result of correct examination and little wound of arthroscopy operation,and arthroscopic repair or partial menisectomy could effectively restore the function of the injured knee.