To address the limitations of traditional minimally invasive thermal ablation technology such as poor conformability, carbonization and electromagnetic radiation, this paper proposes a steam thermal ablation technology that uses saturated steam internal energy to replace the traditional electromagnetic radiation energy. Through the steam thermal ablation system and the steam thermal ablation needle designed based on simulation, the ex vivo pig liver experiments were carried out. The results have the characteristics of the maximum ablation axis ratio (short diameter / long diameter) and non-carbonization with the same type of thermal ablation technology. Based on the near-infrared light, in this paper the curative effect of the reduced scattering coefficient of the steam thermal ablation results was evaluated. The reduced scattering coefficients of the coagulation area all exceeded 16, reaching the completely damaged state, which verified that the steam thermal ablation can effectively inactivate the tumor cells.
Steam ; Animals ; Swine ; Liver Neoplasms/surgery* ; Ablation Techniques/methods* ; Liver/surgery* ; Equipment Design

The minimally invasive thermal ablation technology differs from traditional surgical operations, which requires auxiliary equipment to evaluate ablation results. However, the ultrasound and CT currently used in clinical practice have shortcomings such as artifacts and radiation. Therefore, this paper proposes a design for a minimally invasive thermal ablation evaluation system based on the principle of electrical impedance tomography technology to monitor the ablation range. At the same time, the innovative introduction of a programmable gain feedforward signal as the parameter signal of the multiplier demodulator in the electrical impedance tomography system design can effectively solve the problem of weak signals being submerged in noise and improve imaging accuracy. The system controls the amplitude of the excitation current signal and the acquisition / processing of boundary voltages via an STM32, uploads the collected data to an upper computer, and reconstructs the conductivity distribution using the Newton-Raphson algorithm to map the size of the ablation area. Experimental results show that the system can effectively reflect the size of the microwave ablation area. Under the same minimally invasive ablation parameters, the average imaging errors are 0.6 mm for the long diameter, 0.8 mm for the short diameter, and 1.75% for the axial ratio (long diameter / short diameter), demonstrating high consistency. This verifies the technical potential of electrical impedance tomography in minimally invasive thermal ablation.
Electric Impedance ; Tomography/instrumentation* ; Equipment Design

Background::Heterotaxy (HTX) is a thoracoabdominal organ anomaly syndrome and commonly accompanied by congenital heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to analyze rare copy number variations (CNVs) in a HTX/CHD cohort and to examine the potential mechanisms contributing to HTX/CHD.Methods::Chromosome microarray analysis was used to identify rare CNVs in a cohort of 120 unrelated HTX/CHD patients, and available samples from parents were used to confirm the inheritance pattern. Potential candidate genes in CNVs region were prioritized via the DECIPHER database, and PNPLA4 was identified as the leading candidate gene. To validate, we generated PNPLA4-overexpressing human induced pluripotent stem cell lines as well as pnpla4-overexpressing zebrafish model, followed by a series of transcriptomic, biochemical and cellular analyses. Results::Seventeen rare CNVs were identified in 15 of the 120 HTX/CHD patients (12.5%). Xp22.31 duplication was one of the inherited CNVs identified in this HTX/CHD cohort, and PNPLA4 in the Xp22.31 was a candidate gene associated with HTX/CHD. PNPLA4 is expressed in the lateral plate mesoderm, which is known to be critical for left/right embryonic patterning as well as cardiomyocyte differentiation, and in the neural crest cell lineage. Through a series of in vivo and in vitro analyses at the molecular and cellular levels, we revealed that the biological function of PNPLA4 is importantly involved in the primary cilia formation and function via its regulation of energy metabolism and mitochondria-mediated ATP production. Conclusions::Our findings demonstrated a significant association between CNVs and HTX/CHD. Our data strongly suggested that an increased genetic dose of PNPLA4 due to Xp22.31 duplication is a disease-causing risk factor for HTX/CHD.

A pulse and respiration synchronous detection system is designed to explore the changes of physiological signals in different situations.The system obtains the corresponding signal through STM32 control pulse and respiratory acquisition circuit,calculates and displays real-time parameters such as heart rate and respiratory rate,and transmits the data to the upper computer for storage in the database.The experimental test results show that the system can monitor pulse and respiratory waveform in different situations,and the waveform is in good condition.Compared with medical pulse oximeter,the error of measured heart rate and blood oxygen concentration is less than 3%,and the error of respiratory rate is less than 5%compared with the actual value,which verifies the accuracy of system signal acquisition.The system is small in size,low in cost,and comfortable to wear,and can be applied in experimental research related to pulse and respiratory signals.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and the collective brain responses of acupuncture for post-stroke limb numbness.Methods A total of 24 patients with post-stroke limb numbness and 23 matched healthy participants were recruited.Both groups received coordinated acupuncture treatment to regulate their physical and mental state,three times a week for 4 weeks.Changes in limb numbness assessed by the visual analog scale(VAS)were observed before and after acupuncture.Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scans were conducted on the participants during the scanning process with acupuncture intervention.Blood oxygen level-dependent(BOLD)data were collected in three states:resting state,acupuncture task state,and needle retention state.Data processing was performed using software such as fMRIPrep and brainIAK.Intersubject correlation(ISC)analysis was conducted to compare the ISC values of different brain regions between the two groups under different conditions.Results Acupuncture treatment significantly reduced the VAS scores of limb numbness.No significant changes in ISC values in both groups during resting state.Under acupuncture conditions,the patient group exhibited significantly increased ISC values in the left precentral gyrus,left paracentral lobule,left postcentral gyrus,left insula,left anterior cingulate gyrus,right middle frontal gyruss and right anterior cingulate gyrus.Under the needle retention condition,a slight negative activation was observed in the bilateral precentral gyrus of the control group.In the patient group,the ISC values of the left superior frontal gyrus,left precentral gyrus,left paracentral lobule,left precuneus,left postcentral gyrus,left insula,left anterior cingulate gyrus,left thalamus,right superior frontal gyrus,right middle frontal gyrus,right precentral gyrus,and right anterior cingulate gyrus showed a significant increase compared to the resting state.Conclusion Acupuncture can improve post-stroke limb numbness symptoms and induce a specific pattern of collective brain activation in patients.This activation involves the precentral gyrus,postcentral gyrus,thalamus,insula,frontal lobe and cingulate gyrus.Acupuncture may enhance the processing of sensory information by activating the somatosensory-motor network and the cortical-thalamic-cortical loop.It may also modulate the central executive network and the descending pain control pathway to promote the relief of pain symptoms.

Abstract Allergic diseases can occur in all systems of the body, covering the whole life cycle, from children to adults and to old age, can be lifelong onset and even fatal in severe cases. Children account for the largest proportion of the victims of allergic disease, Children s allergies start from scratch, ranging from mild to severe, from less to more, from single to multiple systems and systemic performance, so the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases in children is of great importance, which can not only prevent high risk allergic conditions from developing into allergic diseases, but also further block the process of allergy. At present, there is no consensus on the management system of allergic children in kindergartens and primary schools. The "Consensus on Allergy Management and Prevention in Kindergartens and Primary Schools", which includes the organizational structure, system construction and management of allergic children, provides evidence informed recommendations for the long term comprehensive management of allergic children in kindergartens and primary schools, and provides a basis for the establishment of the prevention system for allergic children.

In this study, a surface electromyography (sEMG) and blood oxygen signal real-time monitoring system is designed to explore the changes of physiological signals during muscle fatigue, so as to detect muscle fatigue. The analysis method of sEMG and the principle of blood oxygen detection are respectively introduced, and the system scheme is expounded. The hardware part of the system takes STM32 as the core. Conditioning module composition; blood oxygen signal acquisition is based on near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), specifically including light source, light source driving, photoelectric conversion, signal conditioning and other modules. The system software part is based on the real-time uC/OS-III software system. The characteristic parameters of sEMG were extracted by isometric contraction local muscle fatigue experiment; the relative changes of oxyhemoglobin (HbO₂) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) were calculated in the forearm blocking experiment, thereby verifying that the system collects two signals effectiveness.
Muscle, Skeletal ; Oxygen ; Electromyography ; Muscle Fatigue/physiology* ; Computers

Objective To investigate the relationship between exposure to famine in early life stage and hypertension phenotype and grade in middle and old age. Methods People born between 1951 and 1965 in the 2015 China Health and Elderly Care Follow-up Survey were included in the study, and were divided into unexposed group, fetal exposed group, childhood exposed group and adolescent exposed group according to the time of famine occurrence and birth year of the participants. Logistic regression model was used to explore the effects of different famine exposure periods in early life stage on hypertension classification （including normal high value, grade I, grade II and grade III） and phenotype （including isolated systolic hypertension[ISH], isolated diastolic hypertension [IDH] and combined systolic and diastolic hypertension [SDH]）. Results Compared with unexposed group, fetal famine exposure （OR=1.59, 95% CI :1.10-2.30）, childhood famine exposure （OR=1.67, 95% CI :1.04-2.70） and adolescent famine exposure （OR=3.42, 95% CI : 2.51-4.66） were the risk factors for ISH. Only famine exposure during adolescence （OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.07-2.21） was a risk factor for SDH. In addition, fetal famine exposure （OR=1.41, 95% CI: 1.05-1.89） and adolescent famine exposure （OR=2.22 , 95% CI: 1.71-2.88） were risk factors for developing grade I hypertension. Famine exposure in childhood （OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.21-4.94） and famine exposure in adolescence （OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.44-4.19） were risk factors for grade 2 hypertension. Conclusion Famine exposure in early life stage was associated with the phenotype and grade of hypertension. Therefore, balanced nutrition in early life is important to prevent hypertension in adulthood.

Humans ; Aripiprazole/therapeutic use* ; Schizophrenia/drug therapy* ; Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Risperidone ; China ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To explore the professional training provided by Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) physicians and nurses to the parents of children hospitalized in NICU and their actual participation in clinical care practice, and provide a reference for the further development of family integrated care model in line with my China's national conditions.Methods:This study is a cross-sectional study. From March to April 2019, totally 310 physicians and nurses staff in the NICU of 31 Class Ⅲ Grade A children's specialized hospitals in China were selected by stratified sampling and investigated with a self-made family participation in nursing care questionnaire. In this survey, questionnaires were distributed through the online platform. A total of 310 questionnaires were distributed, and 299 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 96.45%.Results:The training rate and clinical practice rate of parents in China were 69.9%-95.7% and 59.2%-89.6%, respectively. The project consistency of parent participation in training and clinical practice was moderate, with Kappa values ranging from 0.383 to 0.739 ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The extent and level of training and clinical practice care for parents by physicians and nurses in China have increased, but the development level of some basic nursing projects is low. In the future, the content, method and operation mechanism of family integrated care in line with China's national conditions should be developed while taking into account China's diagnosis and treatment system and cultural adaptability.