Simultaneous genetic analysis of longitudinal means and covariance structure in the simplex model using twin data

A longitudinal model based on the simplex model is presented to analyze simultaneously means and covariance structure using univariate longitudinal twin data. The objective of the model is to decompose the mean trend into components which can be attributed to those genetic and environmental factors which give rise to phenotypic individual differences and a component of unknown constitution which does not involve individual differences. Illustrations are given using simulated data and repeatedly measured weight obtained in a sample of 82 female twin pairs on six occasions.     

双向线性能量和负压控制及不旋转核技术在晶状体悬韧带脆弱的白内障超声乳化手术中的应用

目的探讨双向线性能量和负压控制及不旋转核技术在晶状体悬韧带脆弱的白内障超声乳化手术中应用的临床效果。方法对220例(233只眼)悬韧带脆弱的白内障患者,应用双向线性能量和负压控制系统的高负压低能量技术结合不旋转核超声乳化法行白内障超声乳化联合人工晶体植入术。记录术中能量和相对能量复合参数以及并发症发生的情况,同时观察术后早期(1周内)和晚期(9～26个月)的矫正视力以及并发症发生情况。结果术后视力有明显提高。术前即存在轻度晶状体脱位(悬韧带断离范围小于1/4圆周)的15只眼中3只眼术中发生悬韧带断离范围轻度扩大(扩大范围小于1/8圆周);其它手术前未发现晶状体脱位的218只眼中2只眼术中发生局限性(小于1/8圆周)悬韧带断离。术后早期角膜一过性轻度水肿35只眼,15.2%;前房少量出血5只眼,2.1%;轻微虹膜炎45只眼,19.3%;瞳孔欠圆16只眼,6.9%。术后晚期前囊膜混浊122只眼,52.4%;前囊口收缩综合症5只眼,2.1%;后囊膜混浊76只眼,32.6%;人工晶体移位13只眼,5.6%;视网膜脱离3只眼,1.3%。结论利用双向线性能量和负压控制系统的高负压低能量技术结合不旋转核超声乳化法能最大程度地减少对晶状体悬韧带的旋转力和牵拉力,同时还降低了超声能量对悬韧带的冲击力,可最大限度地避免悬韧带的离断。     

Temperature-controlled radiofrequency catheter ablation of AV conduction: first clinical experience

A new technique for catheter ablation of atrioventricular (AV)conduction, using temperature-controlled radiofrequency energyand a bipolar asymmetrical electrode configuration, was appliedto 12 patients (mean age, 48 ± 15 years; range, 18–69years) with medically refractory atrioventricular nodal reentranttachycardia (AVNRT) or rapid atrial rhythms. The energy sourcewas a 500 kHz generator with automatic power regulation to apreselected temperature of 80 °C. A specially designed 7F bipolar asymmetric thermo-catheter was used for ablation inall cases. The endpoints of the procedure were: first-degreeAV block in patients with AVN R T and third-degree block inpatients with atrial fibrillation or flutter. Energy was appliedover a range of 1–14 times per patient. After a mean follow-upof 8±4 months, third- or first degree AV block persistedin eight patients. In comparison to constant-power radiofrequencyablation, where impedance rises are commonly observed, no impedancerise or coating of the electrode occurred during any of the97 energy applications in this study. Variable wall contactof the electrode was identified in 20 of 97 applications bya slow temperature rise or a drop in temperature and frequentpower adjustments. Thus, monitoring temperature and automaticpower regulation may help to reduce the total delivered energy.Temperature control during radiofrequency energy avoids coagulumformation and consequently the associated potential hazardsof constant-power application.     

Quantitative assessment of the microstructure of rat behavior: I.f(d), The extension of the scaling hypothesis

Previous studies demonstrated that drug effects on the movement sequences of rats in unconditioned motor activity paradigms can be quantified by scaling measures that describe the average relationship between a variable of interest and an experimental parameter. However, rats engage in a wide variety of geometrically distinct movements that can be influenced differentially by drugs. In this investigation, the extended scaling approach is presented to capture quantitatively the relative contributions of geometrically distinct movement sequences to the overall path structure. The calculation of the spectrum of local spatial scaling exponents,f(d), is based on ensemble methods used in statistical physics. Results of thef(d) analysis confirm that the amount of motor activity is not correlated with the geometrical structure of movement sequences. Changes in the average spatial scaling exponent,d, correspond to shifting the entiref(d) function, and indicate overall changes in path structure. With the extended scaling approach, straight movement sequences are assessed independently from highly circumscribed movements. Thus, thef(d) function identifies drug effects on particular ranges of movement sequences as defined by the geometrical structure of movements. More generally, thef(d) function quantifies the relationship between microscopically recorded variables, in this paradigm consecutive (x, y) locations, and the macroscopic behavioral patterns that constitute the animal's response topography.Exemplary calculations of path segments with different geometrical characteristics can be obtained from the authors. Questions regarding the computational implementation of this method should be addressed to MPP preferably via email (martin@rat.ucsd.edu) or FAX (619-543-2493)     

Hypoxia,energy state and pulmonary vasomotor tone

Vasomotor responses to hypoxia constitute a fundamental adaptation to a commonly encountered stress. It has long been suspected that changes in cellular energetics may modulate both hypoxic systemic artery vasodilatation (HSV) and hypoxic pulmonary artery vasoconstriction (HPV). Although limitation of energy has been shown to underlie hypoxic relaxation in some smooth muscles, the response to hypoxia in vascular smooth muscle does not appear to be a simple function of energy stores, but instead may involve perturbations of ATP or energy delivery to mechanisms controlling muscle force, and/or changes associated with anaerobic metabolism. Recent work in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle has demonstrated that energy stores are maintained during hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, and that this is dependent on glucose availability and up-regulation of glycolysis. There is increasing evidence that glycolysis is preferentially coupled to a variety of membrane associated ATP dependent processes, including the Na(+) pump, Ca(2+)-ATPase, and possibly some protein kinases. These and other mechanisms may influence excitation-contraction coupling in both systemic and pulmonary arteries by effects on intracellular Ca(2+) and/or Ca(2+) sensitivity. Hypoxia has also been postulated to have major effects on other cytosolic second messenger systems including phosphatidylinositol pathways, cell redox state and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. This review examines the relationship between energy state, anaerobic respiration and hypoxic vasomotor tone, with a particular emphasis on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.     

Clinical applications of colour Doppler energy imaging in the female reproductive tract and pregnancy

This review describes the usefulness of colour Doppler energy (CDE) (or power Doppler) imaging to measure vascularization in the female reproductive tract. CDE imaging is characterized by an increased sensitivity to flow, and thus may be useful in low-flow states and when optimal Doppler angles cannot be obtained. In addition, longer segments of vessels and more individual vessels can be visualized with CDE imaging. The role of CDE imaging in the evaluation of stromal vasculature in normal and in polycystic ovaries is described, and the relationship between follicular vascularity and outcome following in-vitro fertilization are discussed, together with the findings obtained from the evaluation of thecal arteriole of corpus luteum in early pregnancy. The fundamental role of CDE imaging in differentiation among ovarian masses is also reviewed. We summarize the role of CDE imaging in pregnancy, and describe two new applications of three-dimensional power Doppler sonography and the use of ultrasound contrast media. In conclusion, CDE imaging can replace conventional colour Doppler when the information on the direction of flow is not useful. Moreover, the technique appears superior to others for describing microvascular architecture and determining the presence or absence of flow.     

Liminal therapy: A strategy for the complete and selective destruction of malignant tissue

The property of aerobic glycolysis commonly possessed by malignant cells points to a weakness in oxidative metabolism which has been equated in some tumours with partial uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. The suggestions are made, first, that this endogenous defect may account for spontaneous cell death , and, second, that its accentuation would inflict extensive tumour injury upon sensitive neoplasms. Certain drugs not in current use for the treatment of malignant disease are known to be able to interfere selectively with energy metabolism in sensitive tumours to such an extent that widespread necrotisation ensues. The drugs activate an endogenous destructive mechanism that appears to require oxygen. Liminal therapy, the maintenance of continuous destructive pressure on sensitive growths in such a manner that maximal anti-tumour activity in terms of interference with energy production is not achieved at any one time, and under conditions in which the oxygen supply is only partly depleted, is put forward as a possible means of achieving complete and selective tumour destruction .     

Classification of Breast Masses Using Selected Shape,Edge-sharpness,and Texture Features with Linear and Kernel-based Classifiers

Breast masses due to benign disease and malignant tumors related to breast cancer differ in terms of shape, edge-sharpness, and texture characteristics. In this study, we evaluate a set of 22 features including 5 shape factors, 3 edge-sharpness measures, and 14 texture features computed from 111 regions in mammograms, with 46 regions related to malignant tumors and 65 to benign masses. Feature selection is performed by a genetic algorithm based on several criteria, such as alignment of the kernel with the target function, class separability, and normalized distance. Fisher's linear discriminant analysis, the support vector machine (SVM), and our strict two-surface proximal (S2SP) classifier, as well as their corresponding kernel-based nonlinear versions, are used in the classification task with the selected features. The nonlinear classification performance of kernel Fisher's discriminant analysis, SVM, and S2SP, with the Gaussian kernel, reached 0.95 in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve. The results indicate that improvement in classification accuracy may be gained by using selected combinations of shape, edge-sharpness, and texture features.     

磁刺激用平面线圈结构的优化研究

文中建立了采用任意形状平面线圈磁刺激仪的RLC模型，给出了模型参数的计算方法。为了优化线圈，将磁刺激仪线圈的性能指标分为反映线圈输出性能的峰值磁能和反映线圈结构的几何变量。在磁刺激激活函数达到阈值条件下，调整平面螺旋线圈的结构并计算出依赖于线圈结构参数的输出性能值，从而，寻找最优的线圈几何参数。优化结果表明：线圈外半径是关键因素，给定阈值条件，选择合适的线圈外半径，可以大大降低线圈峰值磁能；另外，现在使用的圆环线圈并非最优，D形线圈优于圆环线圈。