The pain-evoked potential electroencephalogram (EEG) is an effective electrophysiological indicator for pain assessment, yet its extraction is challenging due to interference from background activity and involuntary blinks. Although existing blink artifact-removal methods show efficacy, they face limitations such as the need for reference signals, neglect of individual differences, and reliance on user input, hindering their practical application in clinical pain assessments. In this paper, we propose a novel framework applying adaptive quadrature mirror filter banks (AQMFB) with discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to remove blink artifacts in pain EEG. Unlike traditional DWT methods that apply fixed wavelets across subjects, our method adapts wavelet construction based on the characteristics of EEG. Experimental results demonstrate that AQMFB-DWT outperforms four leading methods in removing blink artifacts with minimal distortion of pain information, all within an acceptable processing time. This technique is a valuable preprocessing step for enhancing the extraction of pain-evoked potentials.
Humans ; Artifacts ; Blinking/physiology* ; Electroencephalography/methods* ; Pain/diagnosis* ; Male ; Wavelet Analysis ; Adult ; Female ; Evoked Potentials/physiology* ; Young Adult ; Brain/physiopathology* ; Pain Measurement/methods* ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is the most common disabling complication of diabetes. Emerging evidence has linked the pathogenesis of DNP to the aberrant sprouting of sensory axons into the epidermal area; however, the underlying molecular events remain poorly understood. Here we found that an axon guidance molecule, Netrin-3 (Ntn-3), was expressed in the sensory neurons of mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), and downregulation of Ntn-3 expression was highly correlated with the severity of DNP in a diabetic mouse model. Genetic ablation of Ntn-3 increased the intra-epidermal sprouting of sensory axons and worsened the DNP in diabetic mice. In contrast, the elevation of Ntn-3 levels in DRGs significantly inhibited the intra-epidermal axon sprouting and alleviated DNP in diabetic mice. In conclusion, our studies identified Ntn-3 as an important regulator of DNP pathogenesis by gating the aberrant sprouting of sensory axons, indicating that Ntn-3 is a potential druggable target for DNP treatment.
Mice ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism* ; Axons/physiology* ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Sensory Receptor Cells/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism*

Objective To investigate the prognostic factors for chronic heart failure and the prognostic ability of copeptin,big endothelin-1(Big ET-1)and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods To study 1 5 9 consecutive patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure.Serum concentration of copeptin,NT-proBNP,cTnI,CKMB and plasma Big ET-1 as well as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)and NYHA classⅠtoⅣ on admission were measured.Cardiac events were found by patients to discharge after 360~490 days,prospectively.Results During a median follow-up period of 385 days,the endpoint of recurrence for cardiac events was reached in 65 patients with 159 heart failure.Multivarlate canonical correlation analysis shows the older and the higher NYHA classification as well as the lower LVEF in patients with heart failure.There were higher concentration of copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP.On a Cox proportional hazards regression models analyses,age,copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP were found to be the inde-pendent predictors of cardiac events.Risk ratio (RR)were 1.215,1.236,4.031 and 13.052,respectively.Logistic regression models analyses,copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP were found independent predictors of death.Odd ratio (OR)were 4.003,2.477 and 1.235,respectively.Conclusion Measurement of copeptin,Big ET-1 and NT-proBNP in patients with chronic heart failure can help to identify patients at higher risk for cardiac events and patients for prognosis.

BACKGROUND:Deluxe-PS knee prosthesis is designed based on the anatomical characteristics of the Chinese peoples’ knee joint, especial y the morphological features of femoral condyle. The distance between median and lateral knee prosthesis femoral condyle is less than that of the imported prosthesis for 3.5 mm.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the short-term efficacy of Deluxe-ps knee prosthesis in simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty.
METHODS:Fifteen knee osteoarthritis patients (30 knees) were included as the experimental group, and treated with simultaneous bilateral knee arthroplasty by Deluxe-ps knee prosthesis. Twenty patients (40 knees) in the control group were treated with simultaneous bilateral knee arthroplasty by PFCSigma knee prosthesis. The knee society score, hospital for special surgery knee score and knee joint range of motion were compared between two groups;the operation time and the intraoperative blood loss were compared between two groups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The patients in both groups were fol owed-up for 12 to 24 months, with an average of 16 months. Postoperative knee pain was relieved, and the joint function was recovered satisfactorily. The knee society score, hospital for special surgery knee score and knee joint range of motion in two groups were improved significantly after treatment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in postoperative knee society score, hospital for special surgery knee score and knee joint range of motion between two groups (P>0.05), and there was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss between two groups (P>0.05), while there was significant difference in operation time between two groups (P<0.05). The results showed that the short-term effect of Deluxe-ps knee prosthesis in simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty was satisfied.

Objective To investigate the clinical pathological features and imaging findings of primary pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma. Methods Fifteen patients with a pathologically verified primary pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively. Fourteen patients had CT examinations and I0 of them had contrast-enhanced CT scan. Nine patients had chest plain films. Results Of 15 patients, 14 were peripheral and 1 was central, diameters ranging from 2.5 cm to 9.5 cm. Five located in the upper, 3 in the middle and 4 in the lower lobe of the right lung. The other 3 located in the upper left lobe. All cases presented with a spheroid solid lung mass on chest plain film and CT examinations. Three had irregular eccentric cavities. Six were well demarcated, 2 were ill defined, 4 were lobulated and 3 were speculated. The central case had obstructive pneumonia and showed ill defined. Ten showed irregular peripheral heterogeneous contrast enhancement. The center part of the tumor showed no enhancement or inhomogeneous enhancement. Seven had thoracic wall or pleural invasion, 4 had hilar or mediastinal lymphopathy and 2 had metastasis. Histopathologically, 8 were pleomorphic carcinoma, 2 were spindle cell carcinoma, 3 were giant cell carcinoma and 3 were pulmonary blastomas. Conclusion The X-ray and CT findings of the primary pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma are not specific. The clinicopathologic features were the evidence of diagnosis.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) quantitative detection in patients with heart failure.Methods Quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) improvement method was applied to measuring serum level of NT-proBNP in patients with different degree of heart failure.Results The serum level of NT-proBNP was significantly elevated in patients with heart failure. With the increase of extent of heart failure, NT-proBNP increased in exponent. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) showed that area under curve (AUC) was 0.898. The sensitivity and specificity were 91.9% and 92.3% respectively for diagnosis of heart failure.Conclusion Quantitative detection of NT-proBNP is at present the best laboratory test for evaluating heart function of patients with heart failure.

Objective:To scan the common differentially expressed genes in mice liver tissue following subacute exposure to hepatotoxicants,including alcohol,carbon tetrachloride,BCG & LPS,the alcohol extracts of Rhizoma Dioscoreae Bulbiferae and Senecio scandens Buch.-Ham.,and apply to the rapid toxic evaluation of TCM and other xenobiotics.Methods:The gene expression profiles of mice liver tissue,after respective administration of alcohol,CCl4,BCG associated with LPS,the alcohol extracts of Rhizoma Dioscoreae Bulbiferae and Senecio scandens Buch.-Ham.to healthy mice,were analyzed by use of mouse genome cDNA microarray.The correlations between the common differential expressed genes and the liver injury were analyzed based on the biological functions of those differentially expressed genes.Results:Among all of the five drug administration groups,there were 7 known function genes(BC05200,NM-019410,NM-173019,AB028272,AK088925,AK030862 and AK088816)and 1 unknown function gene(BC069871)differentially expressed.Beside AK088816,the other 7 genes were all down-regulate expressed.Conclusion:The common differentially expressed genes participate in the process of saccharometabolism,apoptosis,cell growth cycle,cytoskeleton and signal transmission,protein folding and protein ubiquitin.The abnormal expression of the common genes were closely correlated to the liver,and might be important for rapid hepatoxicity elucidation of traditional Chinese medicine and other xenobiotics.