Automatic discrimination of myoelectric signals via parallel cascade identification

It has recently been shown that it is possible to discriminate accurately among myoelectric signals underlying different muscle contraction types, specifically elbow flexion and extension and forearm pronation and supination. It was reported that once a number of distinctive features had been extracted from the myoelectric signals, a neural network could be trained to distinguish the contraction types with an impressively high accuracy. In the present paper, we show that a technique known as parallel cascade identification can be used to construct classifiers that can also accurately, differentiate the contraction types. The use of parallel cascades has the benefit of dispensing with the need for feature extraction, so that raw myoelectric signal data can be used directly. In addition, very little data are required to train the parallel cascades to distinguish accurately novel incoming myoelectric signals. Results of using parallel cascades to distinguish foream pronation, supination, and elbow flexion are presented.     

Electrocardiographic and Clinical Predictors of Torsades de Pointes Induced by Almokalant Infusion in Patients with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter: A Prospective Study

The aim of this study was to identify predictors of torsades de pointes (TdP) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or flutter exposed to the Class III antiarrhythmic drug almokalant. TdP can be caused by drugs that prolong myocardial repolarization. One hundred patients received almokalant infusion during AF (infusion 1) and 62 of the patients during sinus rhythm (SR) on the following day (infusion 2). Thirty-two patients converted to SR. Six patients developed TdP. During AF, T wave alternans was more common prior to infusion (baseline) in patients developing TdP (50% vs 4%, P < 0.01). After 30 minutes of infusion 1, the TdP patients exhibited a longer QT interval (493 ± 114 vs 443 ± 54 ms [mean ± SD], P < 0.01), a larger precordial QT dispersion (50 ± 74 vs 27 ± 26 ms, P < 0.05), and a lower T wave amplitude (0.12 ± 0.22 vs 0.24 ± 0.16 mV. P < 0.01). After 30 minutes of infusion 2, they exhibited a longer QT interval (672 ± 26 vs 489 ± 74 ms, P < 0.001), a larger QT dispersion in precordial (82 ± 7 vs 54 ± 52 ms, P < 0.01) and extremity leads (163 ± 0 vs 40 ± 34 ms, P < 0.001), and T wave alternans was more common (100% vs 0%, P < 0.001). Risk factors for development of TdP were at baseline: female gender, ventricular extrasystoles, and treatment with diuretics; and, after 30 minutes of infusion: sequential bilateral bundle branch block, ventricular extrasystoles in bigeminy, and a biphasic T wave. Patients developing TdP exhibited early during almokalant infusion a pronounced QT prolongation, increased QT dispersion, and marked morphological T wave changes.     

Different accessory function for TH1 cells of bone marrow derived macrophages cultured in granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor or macrophage colony stimulating factor.

The ability of macrophages to stimulate immune responses is heterogeneous and may have influence on the type of the developing immune response. Therefore, in an attempt to define different functional states of mouse macrophages, we made use of the two macrophage growth factors: macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Generation of macrophages from freshly isolated bone marrow cells in the presence of GM-CSF results in a population expressing profound antigen presenting function for mouse TH1 cells, resulting in strong lymphokine production and proliferation of the T cells. Furthermore, high amounts of a novel soluble cytokine active on mouse TH1 cells are generated during the interaction of TH1 cells with macrophages elicited with GM-CSF. In contrast, macrophages grown from bone marrow cells for at least 14 days in the presence of M-CSF express only minimal antigen-presenting function for TH1 cells. Treatment of such macrophages for 24 h with either IFN-gamma or GM-CSF allows the distinction between two further functional states. Those treated with IFN-gamma efficiently presented antigen towards TH1 cells. The T cells produced large amounts of lymphokines and proliferate well. However, synthesis of the novel soluble cytokine (active on TH1 cells) was not detectable. The generation of this mediator requires a short-term treatment with GM-CSF of macrophages developed in the presence of M-CSF prior to their interaction with TH1 cells.     

改变产妇体位矫正胎儿方位的临床效果

目的:探讨产程中改变产妇体位以矫正胎位。方法:选择临产至宫口开全经B超及内诊检查为枕后位的初产妇200例,随机分为观察组与对照组各100例,在产程中指导观察组产妇取侧俯卧位,利用胎儿重力、羊水浮力、子宫间歇性收缩的合力作用,使胎头下降时逐渐从枕后位转至枕前位娩出,并与对照组比较。结果:观察组91例(91％)胎儿由枕后位转至枕前位经阴道分娩,剖宫产9例(9％);对照组经阴道分娩仅16例(16％),剖宫产84例(84％)。两组比较差异有显著性(P<0.01)。结论:在产程中指导产妇取侧俯卧位,用以矫正胎位不正是降低难产发生率的有效方法。     

T细胞共刺激信号诱导器官移植免疫耐受的研究进展

人们通过阻断T细胞共刺激信号在小动物实验成功导出抗原特异性的免疫耐受，共刺激信号是T细胞充分活化必需的信号，主要是由CD28和TNF：TNFR两大家族的成员介导的。若阻断此共刺激信号，T细胞不能有效活化和增殖，从而达到免疫耐受状态。     

宫腔镜诊治异常子宫出血432例中长期随访结果

目的 评价宫腔镜手术治疗异常子宫出血的中长期随访结果。方法 回顾分析我院2002年1月～2005年11月经宫腔镜诊治异常子宫出血且随访〉12个月的432例临床资料,诊断良性疾患391例[子宫内膜息肉96例（22.2%）,子宫黏膜下肌瘤38例（8.8%）,子宫内膜增生过长257例（59.5%）],行息肉或肌瘤切除、子宫内膜电切术;诊断子宫内膜腺癌41例（9.5%）,均为Ⅰ期,行经腹全子宫双附件切除、选择性盆腔淋巴结清扫术。结果 手术均获成功,未发生子宫穿孔等并发症。391例良性病变中,术后随访12～57个月,平均39个月,闭经占16.1%（63/391）,月经量少（每周期〈10片卫生巾）18.9%（74/391）,月经量正常（每周期10～20片卫生巾）58.3%（228/391）,术后改善不明显占6.6%（26/391）。26例月经量仍多者术后用孕酮治疗,7例有多发子宫肌瘤,术后32～44个月行全子宫切除术,8例复查阴道彩超子宫内膜厚度〉1.5 cm,术后5～19个月第2次行宫腔镜子宫内膜切除术,继续随访18～36个月,月经量少3例,闭经5例。41例子宫内膜癌Ⅰ期术后随访26～41个月,平均38个月,均无瘤存活。结论 异常子宫出血的治疗在结合病理学检查除外恶性病变后首选宫腔镜手术,严格B超监测是提高手术疗效和手术安全的保障。     

152例肝移植术后肝功能异常的肝活检

目的评价肝活检在明确肝移植术后肝损害病因中的作用，分析组织学诊断存在误差的常见原因，进一步提高肝活检的准确性，以利临床治疗。方法260例肝活检来自于152例肝移植受者，术后出现临床无法解释的肝功能异常，肝功能检测结果高于正常值的2倍以上。回顾组织学改变及最终的临床诊断，评价相符程度。结果大部分的组织学诊断与最终的临床诊断相符，有7例组织学改变为胆管炎后经进一步临床检查证实4例为血管并发症、2例为败血症、1例为保存性损伤。2例组织学诊断为保存性损伤的病例后证实为药物性肝损害。结论移植后肝活检可明确许多肝功能异常的原因；评判病变的严重程度，指导临床治疗；对一些复杂病例应将以往的活检和整个临床病程、其他实验室检查及影像学检查进行综合考虑，可提高诊断的准确性。     

糖尿病增大无症状心肌缺血发生率

用常规心电图及动态心电图监测的方法，分别观察３０例糖尿病人和３０例非糖尿病人无症状心肌缺血的发生率。发现无症状心肌缺血在糖尿病组显著高于非糖尿病组（Ｐ〈０．０５），部分糖尿病人有严重心肌缺血却无胸痛症状，可能与其植物神经功能损害引起痛阈提高、血中内啡肽水平增高导致痛觉敏感性下降有关，用动态心电图监测可提高无症状心肌缺血的检出率。     

安徽省回族居民中两例Hb D Punjab纯合子一级结构分析

继青海、甘肃、新疆、河南等地发现Ｈｂ Ｐｕｎｊａｂ杂合子后，杂们又在安徽省阜阳地区发现两例ＨｂＤ纯合子，级一级结构分析，确诊为ＨｂＤｐｕｎｊａｂβ１２１（ＣＨ４）Ｃｌｕ→Ｇｌｎ。这一发现为探讨该地区回族中异常Ｈｂ发生率高的原因，研究各民族的亲缘关系以及Ｈｂ变对人类健康与的影响提供了遗传学资料。     

Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure: Will the Solution Be Shocking?

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) may occur in as many as 40% of all patients who suffer from heart failure. This review describes the scope of the problem, risk factors for SCD, the effect of medications used in heart failure on SCD and the potential effect of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in primary prevention.