Multidimensional Ultrasound Doppler Signal Analysis for Fetal Activity Monitoring

Fetal activity parameters such as movements, heart rate and the related parameters are essential indicators of fetal wellbeing, and no device provides simultaneous access to and sufficient estimation of all of these parameters to evaluate fetal health. This work was aimed at collecting these parameters to automatically separate healthy from compromised fetuses. To achieve this goal, we first developed a multi-sensor–multi-gate Doppler system. Then we recorded multidimensional Doppler signals and estimated the fetal activity parameters via dedicated signal processing techniques. Finally, we combined these parameters into four sets of parameters (or four hyper-parameters) to determine the set of parameters that is able to separate healthy from other fetuses. To validate our system, a data set consisting of two groups of fetal signals (normal and compromised) was established and provided by physicians. From the estimated parameters, an instantaneous Manning-like score, referred to as the ultrasonic score, was calculated and was used together with movements, heart rate and the associated parameters in a classification process employing the support vector machine method. We investigated the influence of the sets of parameters and evaluated the performance of the support vector machine using the computation of sensibility, specificity, percentage of support vectors and total classification error. The sensitivity of the four sets ranged from 79% to 100%. Specificity was 100% for all sets. The total classification error ranged from 0% to 20%. The percentage of support vectors ranged from 33% to 49%. Overall, the best results were obtained with the set of parameters consisting of fetal movement, short-term variability, long-term variability, deceleration and ultrasound score. The sensitivity, specificity, percentage of support vectors and total classification error of this set were respectively 100%, 100%, 35% and 0%. This indicated our ability to separate the data into two sets (normal fetuses and pathologic fetuses), and the results highlight the excellent match with the clinical classification performed by the physicians. This work indicates the feasibility of detecting compromised fetuses and also represents an interesting method of close fetal monitoring during the entire pregnancy.     

Continuous passive motion following total knee replacement: a prospective randomized trial with follow-up to 1 year

We have carried out a prospective randomised, single blind clinical trial to investigate the effect of continuous passive motion on range of knee flexion, lack of extension, pain levels and analgesic use after total knee replacement surgery. 85 subjects were randomly allocated to control or study group. All subjects followed the existing rehabilitation protocol, which permits immediate active range of motion exercises and mobilisation with the study group using continuous passive motion for 1 h, twice a day. Outcome measures employed were range of motion, pain assessed on a visual analogue scale and analgesic use according to the WHO ladder. Blinded evaluation was carried out preoperatively, at time of discharge from hospital, 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months postoperation. No significant difference was observed between groups at all time intervals for each outcome variable using Wilcoxon Rank sum tests. The results substantiate previous findings that short duration continuous passive motion following total knee arthroplasty does not influence outcome of range of motion or reported pain.     

顽固性下颌磨牙根尖周炎患者的治疗和护理讨论

目的治疗顽固性下颌磨牙根尖周炎。并尽量减少对牙周膜的机械性损伤。方法采用下牙槽神经阻滞麻醉,并配合局部麻醉。拔牙钳的尖置放于釉牙骨质界以上,采用颊舌向摆动的方式将患牙拔下。在不断滴有生理盐水的条件下,立即用高速车针磨除患牙根尖2￣3mm的牙体组织,根管内3￣5mm深的充填物要用圆钻将其清除,再用牙胶尖和氢氧化钙糊剂充填。将患牙再植入牙槽窝之前,务必用生理盐水将牙槽窝冲洗干净,要求严格控制在15分钟内完成再植,并尽量减少对牙周膜的机械性损伤。再植牙齿一般不需要夹板固定,必要时可采用缝线缝合固定。结果我们选择的5例患者,术后随访1￣2年,1例患者再植失败,4例患者再植成功。结论特异性再植术治疗顽固性下颌磨牙根尖周炎疗效理想,而且较易掌握。     

缺氧对卵巢癌细胞Caov-3转移特性的影响

目的探讨缺氧条件对卵巢癌细胞Caov-3体外黏附和迁移能力的影响。方法在常氧和缺氧条件下培养卵巢癌细胞Caov-3,分别用四甲基偶氮唑蓝(MTT)比色法和细胞迁移试验测定常氧和缺氧条件下培养的Caov-3细胞体外黏附和迁移能力。结果缺氧条件下,Caov-3细胞在Matrigel和纤维连接蛋白Fn基质上黏附数量增加,黏附促进率分别为17.1%和15.2%,与常氧条件下比较有显著性差异(P<0.05)。缺氧条件下,Caov-3细胞在Matrigel基质上迁移距离增大,分别为258.8±19.5μm和331.3±24.4μm,迁移促进率为28.0%,与常氧条件下比较有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论缺氧环境对卵巢癌细胞Caov-3体外黏附和迁移具有明显的促进作用。     

Cardiokymograph system with a capacitance transducer and its preliminary application in the measurement of heart wall movement

A novel cardiokymograph system is introduced. The new system features a capacitance transducer with increased sensitivity and can be used in multichannel measurements. The novelty of this technique is the injection of a current into the patient coupled with the use of a capacitive displacement transducer and the possibility of multichannel monitoring. It provides for the possibility of removing breath noise when some signal processing technique, such as adaptive filtering, is used. Further investigation is needed to demonstrate clinical significance and pathologies.     

GABAergic and glycinergic inputs to the rabbit oculomotor nucleus with special emphasis on the medial rectus subdivision

Contradictory results have been reported about the inhibitory input to the medial rectus subdivision of the oculomotor nucleus of the cat. In the present ultrastructural study, we quantified the GABAergic and glycinergic terminals in the various subdivisions of the rabbit oculomotor nucleus with the use of post-embedding immunocytochemistry combined with retrograde tracing of horseradish peroxidase. The density of the GABAergic input to the medial rectus subdivision was as substantial as that to the other subdivisions and the postsynaptic distribution of the GABAergic and glycinergic innervation did not differ among the different oculomotor subdivisions.     

Model parameters of the smooth pursuit eye movement system with electrooculogram

The visual pursuit test is a method that collects and analyzes the characteristics of pursuit eye movements and examines the function of the eye movement system. This paper analyzes the model parameters of the smooth pursuit eye movement system in order to explore a method for improving the analysis. The input-output relationship of the smooth pursuit system can be expressed by a quasilinear model. We compute the model parameters (gain, phase, spectral purity, cross covariance) by digital signal processing. Eye movement is recorded by electrooculogram. Both eyes are tested individually. The visual target moves at frequencies of 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 Hz. Ranges are gain, 1.01 to 0.70; phase, -0.1 ° to -66 °; spectral purity, 0.97 to 0.70; and cross covariance, 0.99 to 0.26. We tested 40 normal subjects as well as patients with ataxia (8), vertigo (18), and ophthalmoplegia (9). The oculomotor system of normal subjects functions as a linear system in the performance of this test at 0.2 to 0.8 Hz. The spectral purity dropped to about 0.70 at 1.6 Hz. The variability of all measures increases greatly at 1.6 Hz, which indicates that this target motion exceeds the tracking ability of many normal subjects and that the oculomotor system of normal subjects functions as a nonlinear system in this condition. Statistical tests show no significant differences between sex, age, and the two eyes. The model parameters tentatively proved effective in clinical application.     

叩齿紧咬运动中松动牙动态力变化特点的研究

目的:研究紧咬、叩齿运动中松动牙牙合力的动态变化特征。方法:选择19例单侧下颌第一磨牙松动的患者,用PVDF动态牙合力仪测量健侧和患侧下颌第一磨牙节律性叩齿和紧咬运动中牙合力动态变化曲线,分析最大牙合力峰值和到达峰值的时间,对两侧的测量结果进行分析。结果:叩齿运动中健侧下颌第一磨牙牙合力峰值平均为25kg,到达峰值的时间为108ms;患侧的分别为21kg和126ms;紧咬运动中健侧下颌第一磨牙牙合力峰值平均为27kg,到达峰值的时间为768ms;患侧的分别为23kg和1023ms;经配对t检验,健侧与患侧的峰值及到达峰值的时间差异均有显著性。结论:牙齿松动导致咀嚼功能降低,牙合力值和牙合力上升的速度均降低。