EEG synchronization measures are early outcome predictors in comatose patients after cardiac arrest

Objective

Outcome prognostication in comatose patients after cardiac arrest (CA) remains a major challenge. Here we investigated the prognostic value of combinations of linear and non-linear bivariate EEG synchronization measures.

Effects of sea buckthorn oil intake on vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled study

Background

Vaginal atrophy, the thinning and drying of vaginal mucosa, is associated with menopause. The standard estrogen treatment is not suitable for all women.

Objective

To investigate the effects of oral sea buckthorn (SB) oil supplementation on vaginal atrophy.

Method

A total of 116 postmenopausal women experiencing symptoms of vaginal dryness, itching or burning were randomized to this placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Ninety-eight participants completed the intervention of three months, during which they consumed 3 g of SB or placebo oil daily. At the beginning and end, factors of vaginal health were scored by a gynecologist, vaginal pH and moisture were measured and vaginal health index was calculated. Symptoms of atrophy and menopause were evaluated at study visits and by daily logbooks. Serum samples were collected for the analysis of circulating lipids, liver enzymes and C-reactive protein.

Results

Compared to placebo, there was a significantly better rate of improvement in the integrity of vaginal epithelium in the SB group when both compliant and noncompliant participants were included (odds ratio (OR) = 3.1, 95% CI 1.11–8.95). A beneficial trend was observed when only the compliant participants were included (OR = 2.9; 95% CI 0.99–8.35). There was a tendency (P = 0.08) toward better improvement of vaginal health index from baseline to the end in the SB group [(0.8 (SD 2.8)] compared to placebo [−0.1 (SD 2.0)].

Conclusions

SB oil showed beneficial effects on vaginal health, indicating it is a potential alternative for mucosal integrity for those women not able to use estrogen treatment for vaginal atrophy.     

一种运动想象脑电分类算法的研究

为了解决脑机接口(BCI)中不同意识任务下脑电信号分类问题,针对运动想象脑电(EEG)的事件相关去同步/同步(ERD/ERS)现象,提出一种基于支持向量机(SVM)的实用分类算法。该算法首先对脑电信号进行滤波,获得对运动想象比较敏感的频段,对滤波后的脑电信号,通过去均值减小由于均值不同所造成的误差,然后,再提取基于ERD/ERS的脑电能量场强特征,对提取的特征,运用支持向量机(SVM)进行分类,得到了满意的效果。结果表明,此方法可为脑机接口技术的应用提供有效的手段。     

基于脑电复杂度的意识任务的特征提取与分类

本研究提出了利用事件相关脑电复杂度提取大脑运动意识特征，应用Mahalanobis距离判别式分析法，对人脑想象左右手运动任务进行分类，获得了满意的结果。对受试者想象左右手运动期间在大脑初级感觉运动皮层区记录的脑电信号采用复杂度分析方法量化了事件相关去同步（ERD）和事件相关同步（ERS）时程，结果表明EEG复杂度特征较好反映了ERD／ERS变化时程。最后对测试数据进行分类，最大分类正确率达到86．43％，通过最大分类正确率，最大信噪比，最大互信息等评价指标比较，验证了该方法的有效性，从而为大脑运动意识任务的特征提取及分类提供了新思路。     

Cardiovascular risk factors in people with different genotypes in the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism at the locus for angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE)

The deletion (D) allele of an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism at the locus for angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) has been reported to be an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI), particularly in people lacking traditional risk factors. Furthermore, a borderline association between Lp(a) lipoprotein level and the I/D polymorphism at the ACE locus was reported in one study. We have searched for possible "level gene" or "variability gene" effects of ACE genes on Lp(a) lipoprotein, total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDLC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDLC), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein B (apoB), apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), and body mass index (BMI). None of these variables differed significantly between genotypes in the I/D polymorphism in any of three population samples. A single population sample created by combining the three series, exhibited an insignificant trend towards individuals carrying the D-allele having a higher level of Lp(a) lipoprotein than those lacking it, and DD homozygotes had a significantly higher Lp(a) lipoprotein level than the combined group of ID/II individuals (p = 0.03). These results may indicate that the D-allele of the I/D polymorphism at the ACE locus could influence the level of Lp(a) lipoprotein.     

Use of calcium supplements and the risk of coronary heart disease in 52–62-year-old women: The Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study

Background

To analyse prospectively the effect of calcium or calcium + D supplementation on coronary heart disease (CHD) in 52–62-year-old women.

Methods and results

10,555 52–62-year-old women from the population-based Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study (OSTPRE) who did not have CHD at baseline were followed for nearly 7 years in 1994–2001. Information about use of calcium supplements and health events was obtained from two repeated questionnaires in 1989 and 1994. Information about causes of death during the follow-up was obtained from the Statistics Finland. Information about CHD and other disease morbidity before and during the follow-up was obtained from the Registry of Specially Refunded Drugs of the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (SII). Cox's proportional-hazards models were used to estimate the risk of CHD morbidity related to the use of calcium supplements. At baseline, 2723 women reported current use of calcium or calcium + D supplementation. During the follow-up, CHD was diagnosed in 513 women. Compared to non-users of calcium/calcium + D supplements, the multivariate adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of CHD was 1.24 (95% CI 1.02–1.52) in women who used these supplements. The multivariate adjusted HR for CHD morbidity in postmenopausal women who used calcium/calcium + D supplements was 1.26 (95% CI 1.01–1.57).

Conclusions

Calcium or calcium + D supplementation appears to increase the risk of CHD among women before old age.     

Balancing a simulated inverted pendulum through motor imagery: An EEG-based real-time control paradigm

Most brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are non-time-restraint systems. However, the method used to design a real-time BCI paradigm for controlling unstable devices is still a challenging problem. This paper presents a real-time feedback BCI paradigm for controlling an inverted pendulum on a cart (IPC). In this paradigm, sensorimotor rhythms (SMRs) were recorded using 15 active electrodes placed on the surface of the subject's scalp. Subsequently, common spatial pattern (CSP) was used as the basic filter to extract spatial patterns. Finally, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to translate the patterns into control commands that could stabilize the simulated inverted pendulum. Offline trainings were employed to teach the subjects to execute corresponding mental tasks, such as left/right hand motor imagery. Five subjects could successfully balance the online inverted pendulum for more than 35 s. The results demonstrated that BCIs are able to control nonlinear unstable devices. Furthermore, the demonstration and extension of real-time continuous control might be useful for the real-life application and generalization of BCI.     

Mutation analysis of tubulin beta 8 class VIII in infertile females with oocyte or embryonic defects

Variants of tubulin beta 8 class VIII (TUBB8) have been shown to be associated with female infertility characterized by oocyte or embryonic defects. To further investigate the mutational spectrum of TUBB8 and the prevalence of variants, we performed Sanger sequencing of TUBB8 on a total of 115 infertile females who had undergone repeated in vitro fertilization cycles with oocyte or embryonic defects and 200 healthy controls. A total of 31 variants which were absent from the controls were identified in 36 unrelated individuals, accounting for a large proportion of this cohort (31.3%). All of the variants including heterozygous/homozygous missense variants and a heterozygous frameshift insertion variant were at conserved sites and predicted to be deleterious. Besides, these variants had diverse phenotypic effects, including not only oocyte maturation arrest, fertilization failure, and early embryonic arrest, but also multi‐pronuclei (MPN) formation, which is a new phenotype associated with TUBB8 variants. Overall, this study reveals a large number of variants of the TUBB8 gene in infertile females with oocyte or embryonic defects. Our results not only broaden the mutational and phenotypic spectra of TUBB8 variants, but also further confirm the critical role of TUBB8 in oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryonic development.     

Sensitive and high sensitivity next generation cardiac troponin assays: more than just a name

In the 20 years that cardiac troponin testing has been available in clinical laboratories, the biomarker has revolutionised testing of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Cardiac troponin I and T testing has become the cornerstone for diagnosis of myocardial infarction and is useful for risk assessment and management of suspected acute coronary syndrome patients. As evidence and knowledge have evolved, it has become clear that even small troponin elevations are associated with adverse health outcomes. As a result there have been several generations of troponin assays, all toward tests that reliably detect lower concentrations of this critical analyte. Guidance for cardiac troponin interpretation has been in the form of myocardial infarction redefinition and evidence-based clinical and analytical guidelines. Although terminology naming generations for cardiac troponin assays has been inconsistent, state-of-the-art cardiac troponin assays are generally referred to as 'sensitive' assays and are in general compliance with analytical guidelines. Evidence shows that use of a sensitive troponin assay can result in diagnosis of myocardial infarction earlier. Next generation cardiac troponin I and T assays will likely be termed 'high sensitivity'; these assays should have the ability to measure troponin with a CV of total error of <10% at concentrations significantly lower than the 99 percentile of the normal reference population. As such, these assays should reliably measure troponin in most normal individuals and detect troponin changes (delta values) below the 99 percentile. This property may result in earlier ACS diagnosis and better management. Utilisation of high sensitivity troponin measurements may be useful for applications other than acute coronary syndromes including risk stratifying patients with renal insufficiency, heart failure, cardiac amyloid and screening elderly patients.