Modified FMCW system for non-contact sensing of human respiration

Abstract

Small displacement detection capability becomes an important key for developing non-contact sensor for human respiration based on radar system. Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar has been widely studied and applied for many applications. With respect to the conventional perspective, large bandwidth is needed for detecting the small displacement related to the human respiration. Meanwhile, extracting the respiration pattern from Doppler response has a drawback in identifying the small displacement location. In this paper, the modification on FMCW system was proposed for obtaining the capability in detecting the human respiration and its distance from the radar. Detecting the phase value of the low pass filter (LPF), output from conventional FMCW was investigated and applied as a modification concept. The pattern, rate and amplitude of respiration are extracted from phase detector output. Beat frequency detection is still elaborated for synthesising the reference signal for phase detection. The result shows that the modified FMCW system proposed the capability of detecting the rate and amplitude respiration and location of the target.     

钙敏感受体在大鼠心肌缺血/再灌注损伤的表达变化及与心肌损伤关系

目的： 观察钙敏感受体（CaSR）在大鼠心肌缺血/再灌注时的表达变化，揭示其与心肌缺血/再灌注损伤的关系。方法： Wistar大鼠随机分为5组：假手术组（sham组）、缺血再灌注1、2、4和6 h组（I/R 1 h、2 h、4 h、6 h组）。采用冠状动脉结扎和松结的方法，复制大鼠在体心肌缺血/再灌注损伤模型，记录左室收缩压（LVSP）和左室内压最大变化速率（±dp/dtmax），测定血清LDH、SOD活性和MDA含量，透射电镜观察心肌超微结构变化， RT-PCR法检测心肌组织中CaSR mRNA的表达变化。结果：LVSP、左室内压±dp/dtmax及SOD活性随再灌注时间延长而减低，LDH活性和MDA含量在再灌注2 h时最高；心肌超微结构损伤在再灌注1 h、2 h较重，随再灌注时间延长而减轻；大鼠心肌缺血/再灌注1 h、2 h心肌组织CaSR的mRNA表达升高，再灌注4 h、6 h后降低。结论： CaSR mRNA表达多时心肌损伤较重，CaSR可能参与了心肌缺血/再灌注损伤。     

Role of oxidative stress,angiogenesis and chemo-attractant cytokines in the pathogenesis of ischaemic protection induced by remote ischaemic conditioning: Study of a human model of ischaemia-reperfusion induced vascular injury

Aims

We explored the effect of remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) on endothelial function and on circulating mediators.

Multiple sites of oxygen sensing and their contributions to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

Oxygen sensing by the pulmonary vasculature is important for the regulation of vessel tone and the matching of lung perfusion to ventilation. Airways hypoxia is a major stimulus for vasoconstriction, which diverts blood from hypoxic alveoli to better ventilated areas of the lung. Several hypotheses have emerged to explain how pulmonary arteries sense a decrease in oxygen and mediate hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). They differ mainly in where they place the main site of HPV: in the endothelial or smooth muscle cells of the artery wall. HPV probably results from synergistic actions on both cell types, but it can proceed in the absence of endothelium, suggesting that the primary oxygen sensor is the smooth muscle cell and endothelium-derived agents modulate the muscle response. Several oxygen-sensing targets have been identified in smooth muscle, including potassium channels, Ca(2+) stores in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the Ca(2+) sensitivity of the contractile proteins. The evidence for different oxygen-sensing mechanisms in pulmonary vessels is discussed.     

Quaternion-based strap-down integration method for applications of inertial sensing to gait analysis

The proposed strap-down integration method exploits the cyclical nature of human gait: during the gait swing phase, the quaternion-based attitude representation is integrated using a gyroscope from initial conditions that are determined during stance by an accelerometer. Positioning requires double time integration of the gravity-compensated accelerometer signals during swing. An interpolation technique applied to attitude quaternions was developed to improve the accuracy of orientation and positioning estimates by accounting for the effect of sensor bias and scale factor drifts. A simulation environment was developed for the analysis and testing of the proposed algorithm on a synthetic movement trajectory. The aim was to define the true attitude and positioning used in the computation of estimation errors. By thermal modelling, the changes of bias and scale factor of the inertial sensors, calibrated at a single reference temperature, were analysed over a range of ±10°C, for measurement noise standard deviations up to σ_g = 2.5° s⁻¹ (gyroscope) and σ_a = 0.05 m s⁻¹ (accelerometer). The compensation technique reduced the maximum root mean square errors (RMSEs) to: RMSE_θ=14.6° (orientation) and RMSE_d=17.7 cm (positioning) for an integration interval of one gait cycle (an improvement of 3° and 7 cm); RMSE_θ=14.8° and RMSE_d=30.0 cm for an integration interval of two gait cycles (an improvement of 11° and 262 cm).     

Spatial Modeling and Analysis of Heat-Related Morbidity in Maricopa County,Arizona

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of a confluence of demographic, socioeconomic, housing, and environmental factors that systematically contribute to heat-related morbidity in Maricopa County, Arizona, from theoretical, empirical, and spatial perspectives. The present study utilized ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to analyze health data, U.S. census data, and remotely sensed data. The results suggested that the MGWR model showed a significant improvement in goodness of fit over the OLS regression model, which implies that spatial heterogeneity is an essential factor that influences the relationship between these factors. Populations of people aged 65+, Hispanic people, disabled people, people who do not own vehicles, and housing occupancy rate have much stronger local effects than other variables. These findings can be used to inform and educate local residents, communities, stakeholders, city managers, and urban planners in their ongoing and extensive efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of extreme heat on human health in Maricopa County.     

Abordajes en cirugía tiroidea

Thyroidectomy is the most frequent procedure in endocrine surgery. The conventional approach through a collar incision, as described by Kocher in XIX^th century, has become the “gold standard”. It is continuously evolving in spite of, many years ago, it showed to be safe and efficient with quality standards difficult to beat.Endoscopic and robotic surgery have developed “new approaches” to thyroid in order to improve the cosmetic results, looking even for invisible scars.We have done a thoughtful review of most of them trying to understand their benefits and drawbacks.Currently none of these “new approaches” have been shown to be better than conventional open thyroidectomy beyond offering a better cosmetic result. Besides, only a small percentage of patients can benefit of them. However, most of these approaches will remain if they treat the diseased thyroid and also improve the quality of life of our patients.     

低氧环境对椎间盘自发性吸收的影响及其作用机制

目的探讨低氧环境对椎间盘自发性吸收的影响及其作用机制。方法取SPF级成年日本大耳兔9只,雌雄不限,平均体质量2 kg。将兔处死后取脊柱髓核组织,经消化、分离、培养后获得传代髓核细胞,将生长良好的髓核细胞制成细胞悬液。根据不同时效的低氧环境将细胞分为5组对照组(常氧浓度下培养6 h)、低氧6 h组(2%O2浓度下培养6 h)、低氧12 h组(2%O2浓度下培养12 h)、低氧24 h组(2%O2浓度下培养24 h)和低氧48 h组(2%O2浓度下培养48 h)。采用实时聚合酶链反应法检测缺氧诱导因子(HIF)-1α、3型酸敏感离子通道(ASIC3)及水通道蛋白3(AQP3)mRNA表达水平,采用流式细胞仪检测各组髓核细胞凋亡情况。采用SPSS 24.0软件对数据进行分析。结果与对照组比较,低氧各组细胞凋亡率均明显升高,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.01);与低氧12、24和48 h组比较,低氧6 h组细胞凋亡率最高,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.01)。与对照组比较,低氧各组细胞HIF-1α和ASIC3 mRNA表达水平均明显上升,AQP3 mRNA表达水平均明显下降,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.01);与低氧12、24和48 h组比较,低氧6 h组HIF-1α和ASIC3 mRNA表达水平最高,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.01)。结论短时间低氧环境可以促进髓核细胞凋亡,从而加速椎间盘突出组织自发性吸收进程,其机制可能与HIF-1α和ASIC3的表达增加及AQP3的表达下降有关。     

Remote medulla ablongata ventral acute subarachnoid hemorrhage following cervical spinal surgery: A case report

IntroductionThe incidence of remote intracranial hemorrhage (RICH) in patients during spinal surgery is rare and the detailed mechanism remains unclear.Presentation of caseA 55-year-old man had undergone cervical discectomy and fusion at C5–6 and C6–7 due to herniated disc and secondary spinal canal stenosis. He had severe headache 20 h postoperatively and his drain output increased from 100 to 350 mL in the second 10 h after surgery. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed and he was diagnosed with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage in the ventral medulla oblongata. The drainage tube was quickly removed. Infusion of hypertonic saline was used to reduce intracranial pressure and nimodipine prevented vasospasm around the brainstem. The patient made a gradual, satisfactory recovery with conservative treatment.DiscussionThe most likely pathomechanism leading to RICH is venous bleeding due to rapid leak of a large amount of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) after spinal surgery. If the patient has a headache or neurological complaints after spinal surgery, immediate imaging is recommended to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment depends on the amount and location of intracranial hemorrhage.ConclusionRICH is a serious but rare complication of spinal surgery and cerebellar hemorrhage is the most common. The most important pathomechanism leading to RICH after spinal surgery is venous bleeding due to rapid leak of a large amount of CSF. Timely CT is necessary to exclude RICH. Treatment of RICH depends on the size of the intracranial hematoma and the patient’s symptoms.     

Proton-gated ion channels in cultured mouse cortical neurons

Proton-gated ion channels in cultured mouse cortical neurons were characterized using the patch clamp technique. In voltage clamp, rapid shifts of the extracellular saline from pH 7.4 to <7.0 invariably triggered inward currents carried by sodium. The currents were inhibited by Amiloride (IC₅₀: 6.2 μM). In current clamp, acidic saline depolarized the neurons and triggered trains of action potentials. Concentration–response experiments revealed an extreme intercell variance as the EC₅₀-value for protons varied from pH 6.8 to 5.6, indicating heterogeneity in channel type expression from cell to cell. The possible involvement of acid sensing ion channels in ischemic neurodegeneration is discussed.