Influence of interaction force levels on degree of motor adaptation in a stable dynamic force field

Studies have shown that the point-to-point reaching movements of subjects seated in a dark, rotating room demonstrate errors in movement trajectories and endpoints, consistent with the direction of the Coriolis force perturbations created by room rotation. Adaptation of successive reaches and the presence of postrotation aftereffects have indicated that subjects form internal models of the Coriolis field dynamics in order to make appropriate movement corrections. It has been argued that these findings are inconsistent with predictions of peripheral stabilization assumed in equilibrium-point models of motor control. A possibility that has been raised, however, is that the Coriolis field findings may in fact stem from changes in control commands elicited due to the magnitude and destabilizing nature of the Coriolis perturbations. That is, it has been suggested that a perturbation threshold exists, below which central reactions are not necessary in order to maintain movement stability. We tested the existence of a perturbation threshold in normal-speed reaching movements. Twelve normal human subjects performed non-visually guided reaching movements while grasping a robotic manipulandum. The endpoints and trajectory deviations of their movements were measured before, during, and after a position-dependent force field (similar to a Coriolis field in terms of the time history of applied forces) was applied to their movements. We examined the responses to a range of perturbation field strengths from small to considerable. Our experimental results demonstrated a substantial adaptation response over the entire range of perturbation field magnitudes examined. Neither the amount of adaptation after 5 trials nor after 25 trials was found to change as disturbance magnitudes decreased. These findings indicate that there is an adaptive response even for small perturbations; i.e., threshold behavior was not found. This result contradicts the assertion that peripheral stabilization mechanisms enable the central controller to ignore small details of peripheral or environmental dynamics. Our findings instead point to a central dynamic modeler that is both highly sensitive and continually active. The results of our study also showed that subjects were able to maintain baseline pointing accuracies despite exposure to perturbation forces of sizeable magnitude (more than 7 N).     

Identification, isolation, and characterization of a species-specific 30-kDa antigen of Oesophagostomum dentatum

In the search for a serology tool for the diagnosis of nonpatent as well as patent infections with Oesophagostomum dentatum in pigs a water-soluble, unglycosilated antigen of about 30 kDa specific for the third-stage larvae of the parasite was purified by ion-exchange chromatography. In Western blots, the antigen was first detected by antibodies at day 7 postinfection. Cross-reactivity with O. quadrispinulatum, Ascaris suum, or Trichuris suis was not detected. It is suggested that this protein is a suitable tool for the species-specific serodiagnosis of O. dentatum infection in pigs. Received: 15 June 1998 / Accepted: 28 September 1998     

基于球形标记的多模态医学体配准

本文提出在医学多模态数据集 (尤其是 MRI和 CT)中基于球形人造标记的体配准过程。此过程或是半自动或是全自动完成的。半自动方法要求数据集中标出球形标记的近似点位置 ,再自动进行配准。全自动方法不需要用户的任何交互操作 ,即所有配准子任务 (球体的分割、寻找两组球体的对应关系、最后把第一套球体映射成第二套球体的几何变换的计算 )能由计算机自动执行。在全自动配准中 ,积聚器算法和迭代最近点算法的结合证明是一种有效的和鲁棒性好的点匹配方法     

中国Leber遗传性视神经病变G11696A突变两个家系分析

目的对两个中国Leber遗传性视神经病变(Leber’shereditary optic neuropathy,LHON)家系的临床和分子遗传学特征进行分析。方法眼科临床检查发现在这两个家系中只有先证者1人出现视力障碍,发病年龄分别为10岁和17岁。对这两个家系先证者使用24对有部分重叠的引物进行线粒体DNA(mitochondrial DNA,mtDNA)全序列扩增分析。结果没有发现mtDNAG11778A、G3460A和T14484C3个常见的突变位点,而发现了与LHON相关的ND4G11196A同质性突变位点的存在,在167名正常对照只发现1例G11696A突变。结论线粒体DNA全序列分析发现两个家系呈现独特的mtDNA多态性,都属于东亚单体型D4。不完全外显率和正常对照频率(1/167)表明G11696A突变本身不足以导致LHON的发生,说明其它因素在这两个LHON家系的表型表达中也起一定的作用。在这些家系mtDNA中缺乏影响重要功能突变位点的存在,排除了线粒体背景对LHON临床表型的影响。因此,核修饰基因、环境因素可能对两个中国G11696A突变家系的外显率和发病严重程度起促进作用。     

Prevalence of mitochondrial DNA mutations in childhood/congenital onset non-syndromal sensorineural hearing impairment

Genetic factors are the major causes of childhood hearing impairment. Whereas autosomal recessive mutations account for the majority of prelingual non-syndromic sensorineural hearing impairment (NSSHI), the relative contribution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations to childhood onset NSSHI has not been established.
We screened 202 subjects with congenital/childhood onset NSSHI, consisting of 110 sporadic cases, 75 sib pairs, and 17 families with affected subjects in more than one generation, in order to determine the prevalence of mtDNA mutations associated with NSSHI.
mtDNA mutations were found in three of 10 families (30%) in whom the affected members were related through the maternal lineage. One sporadic case (0.9%) was also found to have a known mtDNA mutation but none was found in the sib pairs.
Although the prevalence of mtDNA mutations was low in the group as a whole (2%), we suggest that screening should be considered in cases of childhood hearing impairment when it is progressive and particularly in families where transmission is compatible with maternal inheritance.


Keywords: mitochondrial DNA; point mutation; hearing impairment     

Atrial automaticity and atrioventricular conduction in athletes: contribution of autonomic regulation

Little is known about the sinoatrial automatism and atrioventricular conduction of trained individuals who present a normal resting electrocardiogram. We used transesophageal atrial stimulation, a minimally invasive technique, to evaluate aerobically trained athletes (n=10) and sedentary individuals (n=10) with normal resting electrocardiograms, to test the hypothesis that parasympathetic tone, as detected by heart rate variability, could be associated with changes in sinoatrial automatism and atrioventricular conduction. Corrected sinus node recovery time tended to be longer in athletes than in sedentary individuals, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. The Wenckebach point occurred at a lower rate in athletes than in the controls. Over a 24-h period of measurement, the mean RR interval was longer in the athletes than in the sedentary individuals. The mean square root of successive differences (rMSSD) tended to be higher in athletes than in controls, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. There was a moderate correlation (r=0.48, P < 0.05) between the index of atrioventricular conduction, the rate at the Wenckebach point, and the logarithmically transformed rMSSD. Thus, as a corollary to its effects on the sinus node, where increased parasympathetic tone, decreased sympathetic tone, and non-autonomic components may contribute to sinus bradycardia, it is possible that athletic training may also induce intrinsic adaptations in the conduction system, which could contribute to the higher prevalence of atrioventricular conduction abnormalities observed in athletes. Accepted: 2 January 2000     

Delineation of the QRS complex using the envelope of the e.c.g.

A new algorithm for QRS delineation has been developed. Based on the envelope of the e.c.g. signal a delineation function is defined, which yields a single positive pulse for each complex. From this function the onset and end of the QRS or, alternatively, a fiducial point is determined. To remove low-frequency component such as S-T abnormalities without distortion of the QRS complex, a filter with time-varying characteristics is used. The accuracy of the method has been evaluated in a test set of different QRS complexes obtained from coronary care patients. For QRS onset, the standard deviation of the difference between automated and manual determination was 7 ms in normal beats and 14 ms in ectopic beats. With simulated noise added to each waveform an average dispersion of 7 ms was observed in the recognition of the QRS onset at a signal-to-noise ratio of 15 dB. The corresponding dispersion in the location of a fiducial point was 2 ms. Using simulated e.c.g. data, the stability of the method is demonstrated for transitions between different waveform morphologies. Presented in part at ‘Computers in cardiology’, Florence, 23rd–25th September 1981     

Body weight set point studies in weanling rats with dorsomedial hypothalamic lesions (DMNL rats)

In order to further characterize a previously postulated "organismic" set point, weanling DMNL and control (CON) rats were maintained on lab chow ad lib (AL) for 55 post-operative days. Subsequently, some DMNL and CON rats were food-restricted (REST) to 80% of the food intake of their AL-fed counterparts for 24 days. At this point, representative rats from each group were killed by decapitation and the remaining animals were re-fed AL and killed 7 and 22 days thereafter. At the end of REST, both DMNL and CON showed significant weight loss, which was greater in CON than in DMNL rats. After 7 days of refeeding, DMNL rats normalized their body weights but re-fed CON still weighed less than AL-fed CON 22 days after refeeding. Food intake in formerly REST groups overshot on refeeding for 7 days, but this was significant only in DMNL rats. Notably, during this time formerly REST-DMNL ate as much as AL-fed CON. Efficiency of food utilization was normal in DMNL during AL feeding and became reduced on REST as it did in REST-CON. Notably, on refeeding formerly REST-DMNL rats overshot that of AL-fed DMNL rats by the same magnitude as previously REST-CON overshot the values of AL-fed CON. After 22 days of refeeding, this overshoot was still evident in DMNL but not in CON. At the end of the REST period, plasma insulin and glucose were similar in AL-fed DMNL and AL-fed CON. They were significantly and comparably reduced in both REST-DMNL and REST-CON compared to the AL-fed DMNL and AL-fed CON. On refeeding these changes normalized within seven days. At the end of REST, plasma free fatty acid concentrations were higher in REST-DMNL and REST-CON than in AL-fed DMNL and AL-fed CON. After seven days of refeeding they normalized only in formerly REST-CON. Plasma glycerol and total protein were normal throughout all groups, as was carcass protein. Carcass fat was equivalently reduced in both DMNL and CON at the end of REST and normalized 7 days after refeeding. AL-DMNL had the same carcass fat as AL-CON and REST-DMNL had the same carcass fat as REST-CON. In conjunction with previously reported normal anabolic hormone levels the data suggest that DMNL rats are not growth-retarded but are merely scaled down in size without compromise of their homeostatic competence. We take this as strong evidence for the existence of an "organismic" set point.     

基于数据挖掘的刺络放血疗法治疗 外感发热的选穴规律研究

〔摘 要〕 目的：探究基于数据挖掘的刺络放血疗法治疗外感发热的选穴规律。 方法：2019 年 7 月至 2019 年 12 月采 用 Excel 2019 建立刺络放血数据仓库模型,随后下载、筛选已建数据库中刺络放血疗法治疗外感发热的文献资料,以及所 需信息的录入,借助建立的刺络放血数据库平台,对其进行数据挖掘。 结果：纳入刺络放血疗法治疗外感发热的文献共计 63 篇,其中刺络放血针具三棱针使用频次最高,刺络放血刺法使用频次最高的为点刺;刺络放血治疗未配合拔罐的研究 占比 80 %;采用刺络放血配合疗法的有 46 项,占比 73 %,其中以拔罐使用频次最高。 结论：刺络放血疗法治疗外感发热 以三棱针点刺治疗为主,且部分研究常配合其他疗法以明显提升治疗效果,但配合拔罐治疗临床应用较少。     

海口市7~14岁儿童腰围界值点及其肥胖相关性分析

目的分析海口市7~14岁儿童在超重和肥胖层面的腰围界值点,为儿童超重和肥胖防治策略制定提供科学依据。方法利用2016—2019年“海南省学生健康档案管理系统”,采用PPS抽样方法抽取海口220所中小学校,对学校整群抽样7~14岁儿童调取身高、体重和腰围数据进行整理分析。结果共计分析283054名7~14岁儿童,各年龄组儿童的平均腰围值和百分位点腰围值均低于全国平均腰围,腰围均随着年龄增长而持续增加。各年龄组儿童腰围男生均大于女生(P<0.0001),城市均高于农村(P<0.0001)。在超重层面,男童和女童界值点集中P 75~P 80(56.50~71.75 cm)、P 80~P 85(54.50~68.50 cm)。在肥胖层面,男童7~11岁和12~14岁的界值点分别是P 85(58.5~72.50 cm)、P 90(75.50~79.50 cm),女生7岁和8~14岁的界值点范围在分别是P 85(56.50 cm)和P 90(59.85~71.50 cm)。结论该地区在超重层面,男童和女童的界值点分别为56.50~71.75 cm和54.50~68.50 cm;肥胖层面,男童和女童的界值点分别是58.50~79.50 cm和56.50~71.50 cm。除了男生7岁和女生9岁超重界值点及女生青春期前8~10岁肥胖界值点外,其他各年龄组超重和肥胖界值点与全国的一致。