Objective To propose an algorithm to extract fetal ECG signals from mixed signals of maternal abdominal wall with high signal-to-noise ratio and clear waveforms by combining kernel principal component analysis(KPCA),fast independent component analysis(FastICA)and singular value decomposition(SVD).Methods Firstly,KPCA was used to downscale the maternal ECG signals,and then the improved negative entropy-based FastICA was applied to processing the downscaled data to obtain the independent components.Subsequently,sample entropy was introduced for signal channel selection,and the signal channel containing the most maternal information was selected.SVD was performed on the selected maternal channel to get an approximate estimate of the maternal ECG signals,which was then subtracted from the abdominal wall source signals to obtain a preliminary estimate of the fetal ECGs.Finally,the pure fetal ECG signals were successfully separated using a modified negentropy-based FastICA.The proposed algorithm was validated in the Abdominal and Direct Fetal Electrocardiogram Database(ADFECGDB)and the PhysioNet 2013 Challenge database.Results The proposed algorithm gained advantages in both subjective visualization and objective evaluation metrics,which had the sensitivity,positive predictive value and F1 value of fetal QRS compound wave respectively being 99.74％,98.85％and 99.30％for the ADFECGDB database,and 99.10％,97.87％and 98.48％for the PhysioNet 2013 Challenge database.Conclusion The fetal ECG signal extraction algorithm incorporating KPCA,FastICA and SVD effectively handles the additional noise while extracting fetal ECG signals,which provides strong support for the early diagnosis of fetal diseases.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(7):1-7]

Objective To plan microwave antenna puncture direction effectively and realize personalized preoperative simulation by exploring microwave ablation(MWV)outcomes of lung cancer based on real anatomical model.Methods Firstly,a personalized MWA simulation model consisting of the lung tissue,tumor and vascular system was constructed based on the lung CT data of real patients.Secondly,the MWA effect was simulated by coupling 2 physical fields including an electromagnetic field and a biological heat transfer field,so as to determine the volume of the ablation thermocoagulation zone and the temperature distribution of the lung tissue.Finally,the effects of the vascularized network on the ablation results were quantitatively evaluated in terms of conductivity and blood perfusion,and the ablation results were analyzed with different distances between the large vessels and the antennae(5 and 10 mm from the antennae tips)and puncture angles(large vessels parallelling or intersecting with the antennae tips).Results The vascularized network reduced the volume of the thermocoagulation zone by 0.5％to 3.7％,and blood perfusion made the ablation temperature and the volume of the thermocoagulation zone decreased significantly.The cooling effect gradually diminished with the increase of the distance between the large vessels and the antenna.With the same treatment parameters,the thermocoagulation zone formed when the large vessels paralleled with the antenna was obviously larger than that when the vessles intersected with the antenna.Conclusion Personalized MWA simulation analysis based on real CT data contributes to clarifying the temperature distribution and damage estimation close to the actual situation,which provides guidance and reference for precise treatment of the lung tumor and determination of microwave antenna puncture direction.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(9):27-34]

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis

Objective: To investigate the influence of the degrees of intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) on the recovery of urinary continence after radical prostatectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data on 212 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer by biopsy and treated by laparoscopic radical prostatectomy by the same surgeon. Based on the degrees of IPP measured by MRI, we divided the patients into an IPP ≤ 10 mm group (n = 146) and an IPP > 10 mm group (n = 66) and determined the factors influencing the recovery of urinary continence by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: At 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery, the urinary continence rates of the patients were 32.5%, 50.5%, 82.1% and 91%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the factors influencing the recovery of urinary continence included IPP, body mass index (BMI), bladder neck preservation (BNP), neurovascular bundle preservation (NVBP) and clinical tumor (T) stage at 3 months (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), age, IPP, BMI, BNP and clinical T stage at 6 months (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and age, IPP, BMI, BNP, NVBP and clinical T stage at 12 months (P < 0.05), while multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the independent influencing factors to be IPP > 10 mm (P < 0.001), BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (P = 0.004) and BNP (P = 0.032) at 3 months, and IPP and BMI at 6 months (both P < 0.01) and 12 months (P < 0.01 and P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS IPP > 10 mm and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 are independent factors influencing the long-term recovery of urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and Salmonella Pullorum have significant damaging effects on the poultry industry, but no previous vaccine can protect poultry effectively. In this study, a recombinant-attenuated S. Pullorum strain secreting the NDV hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein, C79-13ΔcrpΔasd (pYA-HN), was constructed by using the suicide plasmid pREasd-mediated bacteria homologous recombination method to form a new bivalent vaccine candidate against Newcastle disease (ND) and S. Pullorum disease (PD). The effect of this vaccine candidate was compared with those of the NDV LaSota and C79-13ΔcrpΔasd (pYA) strains. The serum hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, secretory IgA, and stimulation index in lymphocyte proliferation were increased significantly more (p < 0.01) in chickens inoculated with C79-13ΔcrpΔasd (pYA-HN) than with C79-13ΔcrpΔasd (pYA) but were not significantly increased compared with the chickens immunized with the LaSota live vaccine (p > 0.05). Moreover, the novel strain provides 60% and 80% protective efficacy against the NDV virulent strain F48E9 and the S. Pullorum virulent strain C79-13. In summary, in this study, a recombinant-attenuated S. Pullorum strain secreting NDV HN protein was constructed. The generation of the S. Pullorum C79-13ΔcrpΔasd (pYA-HN) strain provides a foundation for the development of an effective living-vector double vaccine against ND and PD.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Bacteria ; Chickens ; Hemagglutination ; HN Protein ; Homologous Recombination ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; Immunoglobulin G ; Lymphocytes ; Methods ; Newcastle disease virus ; Newcastle Disease ; Plasmids ; Poultry ; Salmonella ; Suicide ; Vaccines

Objective To detect and analyze of residual ethanol in abandoned flaps after laser subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) with ethanol infiltration methods.Methods Together 20 patients (40 eyes) undergoing LASEK were recruited in the study.After infiltrated with 20％ ethanol and rinsed in equilibration solution,the corneal epithelial free flap was isolated and removed in time for sealing,and then procedures were continuously completed.Finally,observation of the skin flap production,postoperative irritation symptoms,epithelial healing,visual recovery and postoperative haze situation was performed,and then the amount of ethanol in the epithelial flap was measured.Results There was no failure in making the intact corneal flaps.The sensory score of postoperative irritation was 2.52 ± 1.46.Neonatal epithelial with 1 grade was observed in 32 eyes,2 grade in 8 eyes 5 days after surgery,while corneal haze with 0.5 grade was occurred in 3 eyes,1 grade in 2 eyes 12 weeks after surgery.There were ethanol residues in corneal epithelium in the abandoned flaps,with the amount of ethanol residues of (0.205 2 ± 0.041 0) μL in each flap.Conclusion It is found that a certain amount of ethanol residue in the corneal epithelium after LASEK with ethanol infiltration equilibration solution rinse,which may be one reason of the corneal irritation symptoms and corneal haze.

PURPOSE: The characteristic expression of DNA damage response proteins in familial breast cancers with BRCA1, BRCA2, or non-BRCA1/2 mutations has not been analyzed in Chinese patients. Our study aimed to assess the differential expression of microcephalin 1 (BRIT1), ATM serine/threonine kinase (ATM), checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2), BRCA1, RAD51 recombinase (RAD51), and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) and establish the profile of Chinese familial breast cancers with different mutation status. METHODS: We constructed five tissue microarrays from 183 familial breast cancer patients (31 with BRCA1 mutations; 14 with BRCA2 mutations, and 138 with non-BRCA1/2 mutations). The DNA response and repair markers used for immunohistochemistry analysis included BRIT1, ATM, CHEK2, BRCA1, RAD51, and PARP-1. The expressions of these proteins were analyzed in BRCA1/2 mutated tumors. The association between pathologic characteristics with BRCA1/2 mutation status was also analyzed. RESULTS: In familial breast cancer patients, BRCA1 mutated tumors were more frequent with high nuclear grade, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative, low Ki-67, and positive CK5/6. BRCA1 mutated tumors had lower CHEK2 and higher cytoplasmic BRIT1 expression than BRCA2 and non-BRCA1/2 mutation tumors. BRCA2-associated tumors showed higher CHEK2 and cytoplasmic RAD51 expression than those in other groups. Nuclear PARP-1 expression in BRCA1/2-associated tumors was significantly higher than in non-BRCA1/2 mutation tumors. Moreover, we found quite a few of negative PARP-1 expression cases in BRCA1/2 mutated groups. CONCLUSION: The clinicopathologic findings of BRCA1-associated Chinese familial breast cancers were similar to the results of other studies. Chinese familial breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 mutations might have distinctive expression of different DNA damage response proteins. The reduced expression of PARP-1 in Chinese BRCA1/2 mutated breast cancer patients could influence the therapeutic outcome of PARP-1 inhibitors.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Checkpoint Kinase 2 ; Cytoplasm ; DNA Damage* ; DNA Repair ; DNA* ; Estrogens ; Genes, BRCA1 ; Genes, BRCA2 ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Phosphotransferases ; Rad51 Recombinase ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor

Under the traditional processing theory "wine processing could promote the efficacy", Rhubarb after wine processing could treat the upper energizer diseases such as red swelling, and breath sores. Processing changes the medicinal properties of rhubarb, and thus results in different focuses in clinical application. In this study, a sensitive and specific method was developed for the determination of aloe-emodin, rhein and emodin in rats tissue. Rhubarb raw materials and its wine processed decoction were given to SD rats respectively by gavage administration, and then the contents of aloe-emodin, rhein and emodin in the tissues (heart, lung, brain, liver, kidney) were determined by HPLC-MS to explore the effect of wine processing on free anthraquinones in rat tissues. Experimental results showed that wine processing can significantly change the distribution of aloe emodin, rhein and emodin in rats in vivo, and the distribution of these components was increased in heart and lung tissues.There was no significant change of distribution in the liver and the kidney as compared with raw product group, and these three ingredients were not detected in the brain, indicating that aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin can not pass through the blood brain barrier.Therefore, wine processing had greater effect on distribution of free anthraquinones in rat tissues.This also verified the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, providing experimental basis for rhubarb processing mechanism.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a prodromal stage of dementia.Predicting MCI's conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD) plays critical roles in preventing the progression of AD.Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) was introduced briefly,which was a widely used neuroimaging database for the study on AD related diseases,and the application of machine learning algorithm was reviewed in MCI classification.Deep learning network,which transforms the original data into a higher level and more abstract expression,has shown great promise in MCI conversion and classification.Two main kinds of deep learning approaches were described,including supervised learning and unsupervised learning,and their new application was discussed in MCI conversion and classification based on structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI).Finally,the current limitations and future trends of deep learning in this area were explored.

Objective To explore the effect of enriched environmental stimulation on mouse brain cognitive reserve to enhance the sensitivity of brain age gap estimation (BrainAGE).Methods Twenty-one healthy adult C57BL / 6J male mice,15 months old,were divided into a group with a standard environment and two groups with enriched environments.All the groups underwent magnetic resonance microcopy.Scaled subprofile model was used to analyze the features reflecting the changes of brain cognitive reserve.Results There were significant differences between the mean BrainAGE of the two groups with enriched environments and that of the remained standard environment group,then it's proved that some assumption might be reasonable that brain cognitive reserve could be estimated based on BrainAGE.Optim ized BrainAGE model made explanations for 58.9％ differences during stimulus phase in enriched environment.Conclusion Improved BrainAGE model gains high sensitivity when used to measure the redundancy of brain cognitive reserve.