To enhance speech recognition, as well as Mandarin tone recognition in noice, we proposed a speech coding strategy called zero-crossing of fine structure in low frequency (LFFS) for cochlear implant based on low frequency non-uniform sampling (LFFS for short). In the range of frequency perceived boundary of human ear, we used zero-crossing time of the fine structure to generate the stimulus pulse sequences based on the frequency selection rule. Acoustic simulation results showed that although on quiet background the performance of LFFS was similar to continuous interleaved sampling (CIS), on the noise background the performance of LFFS in Chinese tones, words and sentences were significantly better than CIS. In addition to this, we also got better Mandarin recognition factors distribution by using the improved index distribution model. LFFS contains more tonal information which was able to effectively improve Mandarin recognition of the cochlear implant.
Acoustics ; Cochlear Implants ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Language ; Noise ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Speech Perception

Child ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Paraganglioma ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; surgery

Objective To explore the cell frequency , phenotypes and in vitro cytotoxic effects of circulating CD56+T cells in the patients with chronic HCV infection .Methods Peripheral blood mononu-clear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 33 patients with HCV chronic infection and 21 healthy subjects. Multi-color flow cytometry was used to analyze cell frequency , expressions of activating receptors ( NKG2C, CD16 and NKp46) and inhibitory receptors (NKG2A and CD158a) on CD56+T cells.The functional mark-er for cytotoxic effects (CD107a) on circulating CD56+T cells and their cytokines expression (IFN-γand TNF-α) with or without stimulation of K 562 human Leukemia cell line were also analyzed .Then the correla-tions among the expressing levels of CD 107 a, IFN-γand TNF-αwere investigated .Results The frequency of CD56+T cells in periphery lymphocytes were significantly decreased in the patients with chronic HCV in -fection as compared with that in healthy controls ( P=0.018 ).The expressions of activating receptors (NKG2C, CD16 and NKp46) on CD56+T cells from HCV infected patients were decreased (P=0.015 for NKG2C, P=0.036 for CD16 and P=0.001 for NKp46), while there was no significant change in the ex-pressions of inhibitory receptors (P>0.05 for both CD158a and NKG2A).The concentrations of IFN-γand TNF-αsecreted by CD56+T cells in the patients with chronic HCV infection were significantly decreased with or without K562 stimulation (P<0.0001).However, in the presence of K562 cells CD107a expression on CD56+T cells were sharply decreased in the patients (P<0.0001).In absence of K562 cells, there was no significant change in CD107a expression on CD56+T cells from patients and healthy controls (P>0.05). The expressions of CD107a, IFN-γand TNF-αwere closely related under the stimulation of K562(r>0.80, P<0.0001).Conclusion The frequency of CD56+T cells was reduced in patients with chronic HCV infec-tion.Moreover, cytotoxic effects and cytokines production mediated by CD 56+T cells were also significantly impaired, indicating that the dysfunction of circulating CD 56+T cells might be associated with the persist-ence of chronic HCV infection .

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Yixintai Granule (YG) on mRNA and protein expression levels of AQP2 in renal medulla of chronic heart failure (CHF) rabbits.

METHODSCHF rat model was established by ear marginal vein injection of adriamycin. Successfully modeled rabbits were divided into the model group, the high (8.4 g/kg), middle (4.2 g/kg), and low dose (2.1 g/kg) YG group, and the Furosemide group (2 mg/kg). Besides, a normal control group was set up. Equal volume of physiological saline was administered to rabbits of the model group and the normal control group by gastrogavage. YG at different doses was administered to rabbits of the 3 YG groups by gastrogavage. The intervention lasted for 4 weeks, once per day. After treatment the urine volume and pathomorphological changes of renal medulla tissue were observed. mRNA and its protein expression levels of AQP2 were detected.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the urine volume decreased significantly, mRNA and protein expression levels of renal medulla AQP2 increased significantly in the model group (all P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the urine volume increased significantly, and mRNA and protein expression levels of renal medulla AQP2 decreased significantly in all medicated groups (all P < 0.01). Compared with the low dose YG group, the urine volume significantly increased and the mRNA expression level of renal medulla AQP2 significantly decreased in the middle and high dose YG groups (all P < 0.01). The expression level of AQP2 protein significantly decreased in the high dose YG group (P < 0.01). Pathological changes of the renal medulla was the most obviously seen in the model group. But they were alleviated to various degrees in all medicated groups. They were more obviously attenuated in the middle and high dose YG groups.

CONCLUSIONYG could improve CHF possibly through down-regulating mRNA and protein expression levels of AQP2 in renal medulla, and elevating the urine volume.

Animals ; Aquaporin 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To evaluate the conventional ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in diagnosis of splenic trauma including its grading diagnosis. Methods US and CEUS in 42 patients with splenic trauma confirmed by CT and/or operation were performed during 9.2004-10.2007. All the data were compared and analyzed retrospectively. Results Of 42 patients with splenic trauma, 28 cases were detected and 14 cases were missed on US examination, whereas, 40 cases were detected and only 2 mild cases were missed on CEUS examination. The detection rate of lesions with CEUS was significantly higher than that of US (P<0.001) . Ten cases in grading the injury were underestimated by US, however, none of them were underestimated by CEUS. CEUS had good concordance with CT and/or operation in grading diagnosis of 42 cases except two mild cases. Conclusions CEUS has very good concordance with CT and/or operation in detecting injury and grading the splenic trauma compared with conventional US. CEUS as a new imaging technology has made great advance of ultrasoongraphy in evaluation of splenic trauma including injury grading,and it is very useful in clinical application.

Karoshi remains one of the most troublesome issues in forensic identification. It is rather a social medicine than a clinical disease. Japanese scholars pioneered examining the relation between sud- den cardiac death (SCD) and chronic fatigue from long time and/or high-tension work. In the current case, a 55-year-old man, whose job was loading and carrying heavy cement bags, was found dead after 11 days of continuous hard work. His family members sued the cement factory for his death and claimed for compensation. The problem was the difficulty of identifying the causative relation without the precedent or the relevant regulations. However, the forensic problems were finally acknowledged after autopsy and calculation of labor intensity. The lawsuit was won as the first case pertaining to Karoshi in the Chinese court.
Autopsy ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac/etiology* ; Fatigue/mortality* ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Workload/legislation & jurisprudence*

Objective To analyze the role of high-resolution magnetic resonance tomographic angiography(MRTA)in microvascular decompression(MVD)and etiological study of trigeminal neuralgia(TN). Methods Craniocerebral MRI was performed in 84 cases with TN and three-dimensional time-of-flight(3D-TOF)MR angiography(MRA)using spoiled gradient-recalled-echo sequences was applied to observe the course of the trigeminal nerve and its relation to adjacent blood vessels. Among these cases, 68 underwent surgical treatment. MRI findings and intraoperative manifestations were analyzed comparatively and the correlation between TN and local vascular compression was also observed. Results MRI showed that the affected side blood vessels of 79 cases touched the trigeminal nerve and the intact side vessels of 12 cases touched the trigeminal nerve.Among the 68 cases undergoing MVD,62 had surgical results entirely consistent with MRI findings,4 had their relatively fine arteries oppressing the trigeminal nerve and 2 had petrosal vein compression combined with arachnoid adhesion. Conclusion Vascular compression at the root entry zone(REZ) of the trigeminal nerve is the one of the primary causes of TN.The technique of 3D-TOF MRA may determine the correlation between blood vessels and nerves in patients with TN,which is helpful for the diagnosis of etiological factors for TN and benefits MVD.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of a new material--complex of shape-memory alloy brace and artificial dura (nitinol brace and NormalGEN) on reconstruction of frontal sinus and repair of cerebrospinal fluid leakage on dog models of lateral media skull base defect.Methods Seven adult healthy dogs were induced into models of frontal sinus defect and cerebrospinal fluid leakage; complex of nitinol brace and NormalGEN assisted by its corresponding apparatus was employed to reconstruct the defect and repair the leakage.The cranial profile,wound healing and leakage after operation were observed. Three months after the operation, cranial projections of X-ray,three-dimensional reconstruction of CT and 1.5T MRI were detected,and the histopathalogical outcome was noted. Results Seven dog models of frontal sinus defect and cerebrospinal fluid leakage were successfully established; 6 received reconstruction of frontal sinus and repair of cerebrospinal fluid leakage and survived without any complications as continuous leakage of cerebrospinal fluid,local tissue eminence and neurological function defect; 1 dead 5 d after the operation.The imaging detection showed that the nitinol brace was clear with satisfactory position without shift and artifact. Histopathalogical outcome showed that granulation tissue,which substituted NormalGEN,grew around the brace with a great quantity of fibroblast. Conclusion The complex of nitinol brace and NormalGEN assisted by its corresponding apparatus is suitable for reconstructing frontal sinus and repairing cerebrospinal fluid leakage in dog models.

Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Central Venous Pressure ; physiology ; Heart Function Tests ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Respiration, Artificial ; Shock, Septic ; pathology ; Swine ; physiology ; Venae Cavae ; physiology

Objective To explore the expression and its implication of angiogenesis and invasiveness related factor in primary and recurrent glioma. Methods Expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 were detected by immunohistochemical technique. The morphological characteristics of ultrastructure of glioma were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Results The expressions of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 varied in different grades of primary glioma. With the elevation of the malignant degree of the primary glioma, positive staining rates of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 increased significantly. The expression of VEGF correlated with both MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Compared with the primary glioma, the immunoreactivities of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in recurrent glioma increased, especially in those with more severe malignancy. Under transmission electron microscope, endothelial cells markedly proliferated and protruded from the deficiency of basemembrane, concomitantly with edema of the extracapillary gap, plasma extravasation as well as some small worm-eaten caverns in the basemembrane.Conclusion VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 play important roles in glioma angiogenesis and invasiveness.Inhibition of their expressions may be a useful therapy to glioma.