Nonlinear and conventional biosignal analyses applied to tilt table test for evaluating autonomic nervous system and autoregulation

Copyright © Tseng et al.; Licensee Bentham Open. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.Tilt table test (TTT) is a standard examination for patients with suspected autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction or uncertain causes of syncope. Currently, the analytical method based on blood pressure (BP) or heart rate (HR) changes during the TTT is linear but normal physiological modulations of BP and HR are thought to be predominately nonlinear. Therefore, this study consists of two parts: the first part is analyzing the HR during TTT which is compared to three methods to distinguish normal controls and subjects with ANS dysfunction. The first method is power spectrum density (PSD), while the second method is detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), and the third method is multiscale entropy (MSE) to calculate the complexity of system. The second part of the study is to analyze BP and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) changes during TTT. Two measures were used to compare the results, namely correlation coefficient analysis (nMxa) and MSE. The first part of this study has concluded that the ratio of the low frequency power to total power of PSD, and MSE methods are better than DFA to distinguish the difference between normal controls and patients groups. While in the second part, the nMxa of the three stages moving average window is better than the nMxa with all three stages together. Furthermore the analysis of BP data using MSE is better than CBFV data.The Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University, National Science Council in Taiwan, and the Center for Dynamical Biomarkers and Translational Medicine, National Central University, which is sponsored by National Science Council and Min-Sheng General Hospital Taoyuan

Using Chinese Version of MYMOP in Chinese Medicine Evaluation: Validity, Responsiveness and Minimally Important Change

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) is a patient generated outcome instrument applicable in the evaluation of both allopathic and complementary medicine treatment. This study aims to adapt MYMOP into Chinese, and to assess its validity, responsiveness and minimally important change values in a sample of patients using Chinese medicine (CM) services.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A Chinese version of MYMOP (CMYMOP) is developed by forward-backward-forward translation strategy, expert panel assessment and pilot testing amongst patients. 272 patients aged 18 or above with subjective symptoms in the past 2 weeks were recruited at a CM clinic, and were invited to complete a set of questionnaire containing CMYMOP and SF-36. Follow ups were performed at 2^ndand 4^thweek after consultation, using the same set of questionnaire plus a global rating of change question. Criterion validity of CMYMOP was assessed by its correlation with SF-36 at baseline, and responsiveness was evaluated by calculating the Cohen effect size (ES) of change at two follow ups. Minimally important difference (MID) values were estimated via anchor based method, while minimally detectable difference (MDC) figures were calculated by distribution based method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Criterion validity of CMYMOP was demonstrated by negative correlation between CMYMOP Profile scores and all SF-36 domain and summary scores at baseline. For responsiveness between baseline and 4^thweek follow up, ES of CMYMOP Symptom 1, Activity and Profile reached the moderate change threshold (ES>0.5), while Symptom 2 and Wellbeing reached the weak change threshold (ES>0.2). None of the SF-36 scores reached the moderate change threshold, implying CMYMOP's stronger responsiveness in CM setting. At 2^ndweek follow up, MID values for Symptom 1, Symptom 2, Wellbeing and Profile items were 0.894, 0.580, 0.263 and 0.516 respectively. For Activity item, MDC figure of 0.808 was adopted to estimate MID.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings support the validity and responsiveness of CMYMOP for capturing patient centred clinical changes within 2 weeks in a CM clinical setting. Further researches are warranted (1) to estimate Activity item MID, (2) to assess the test-retest reliability of CMYMOP, and (3) to perform further MID evaluation using multiple, item specific anchor questions.</p

Direct observations of electrochemically induced intergranular cracking in polycrystalline NMC811 particles

Establishing the nature of crack generation, formation, and propagation is paramount to understanding the degradation modes that govern decline in battery performance. Cracking has several possible origins; however, it can be classified in two general cases: mechanically induced, during manufacturing, or electrochemically induced, during operation. Accurate and repeatable tracking of operational cracking to sequentially image the same material as it undergoes cracking is highly challenging; observing these features requires the highest resolutions possible for 3D imaging techniques, necessitating very small sample geometry, while also achieving realistic electrochemical performance. Here, we present a technique in which particle cracking can be completely attributed to electrochemical stimulation via sequential ex situ imaging in a laboratory X-ray nano computed tomography (CT) instrument. This technique preserves the mechanical and electrochemical response of each particle without inducing damage in the particles except for the effects of high voltage. Significant cracking within the core of secondary particles was observed upon the electrochemical delithiation of NMC811, which propagated radially. As X-ray computed tomography allows for imaging of the particle cores, the particles were not required to be modified/milled, guaranteeing any synthesis induced strain in the particles was maintained during the whole technique, resulting in an observation that contrasts crystallographic data, suggesting a significant volume expansion of the secondary particles

Hong Kong Chinese school children with elevated urine melamine levels: A prospective follow up study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2008, the outbreak of kidney stones in children fed by melamine-tainted milk products in Mainland China has caused major public concern of food safety. We identified Hong Kong school children with elevated urine melamine level from a community-based school survey in 2007-08 and reviewed their clinical status in 2009.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2007-08, 2119 school children participated in a primary and secondary school survey in Hong Kong using a cluster sampling method. Urine aliquots from 502 subjects were assayed for melamine level. High urine melamine level was defined as urine melamine/creatinine ratio >7.1 μg/mmol. Subjects with high urine melamine level were invited for clinical evaluation in 2009 including urinalysis and ultrasound imaging of the urinary system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The age range of this subcohort was 6 - 20 years with 67% girls (335 female and 167 male subjects). The spot urine melamine/creatinine ratio of the 502 urine aliquots ranged from undetectable to 1467 μg/mmol (median 0.8 μg/mmol). Of these, 213 subjects had undetectable level (42%). We invited 47 (9%) subjects with high urine melamine level for re-evaluation and one subject declined. The median duration of follow-up was 23.5 months (interquartile range: 19.8 - 30.6 months). None of the 46 subjects (28% boys, mean age 13.9 ± 2.9 years) had any abnormality detected on ultrasound study of the urinary system. All subjects had stable renal function with a median urine albumin-creatinine ratio of 0.70 mg/mmol (interquartile range: 0.00 - 2.55 mg/mmol).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Hong Kong Chinese school children with high urine melamine levels appeared to have benign clinical course in the short term although a long term follow-up study is advisable in those with persistently high urine melamine level.</p

Elevated adipogenesis of marrow mesenchymal stem cells during early steroid-associated osteonecrosis development

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increased bone marrow lipid deposition in steroid-associated osteonecrosis (ON) implies that abnormalities in fat metabolism play an important role in ON development. The increase in lipid deposition might be explained by elevated adipogenesis of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, it remains unclear whether there is a close association between elevated adipogenesis and steroid-associated ON development.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that there might be a close association between elevated adipogenesis and steroid-associated ON development.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ON rabbit model was induced based on our established protocol. Dynamic-MRI was employed for local intra-osseous perfusion evaluation in bilateral femora. Two weeks after induction, bone marrow was harvested for evaluating the ability of adipogenic differentiation of marrow MSCs at both cellular and mRNA level involving adipogenesis-related gene peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2 (PPARγ2). The bilateral femora were dissected for examining marrow lipid deposition by quantifying fat cell number, fat cell size, lipid deposition area and ON lesions. For investigating association among adipogenesis, lipid deposition and perfusion function with regard to ON occurrence, the rabbits were divided into ON⁺(with at least one ON lesion) group and ON^-(without ON lesion) group. For investigating association among adipogenesis, lipid deposition and perfusion function with regard to ON extension, the ON⁺rabbits were further divided into sub-single-lesion group (SON group: with one ON lesion) and sub-multiple-lesion group (MON group: with more than one ON lesion).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Local intra-osseous perfusion index was found lower in either ON⁺or MON group when compared to either ON^-or SON group, whereas the marrow fat cells number and area were much larger in either ON⁺or MON group as compared with ON^-and SON group. The adipogenic differentiation ability of MSCs and PPARγ2 expression in either ON⁺or MON group were elevated significantly as compared with either ON^-or SON group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings support our hypothesis that there is a close association between elevated adipogenesis and steroid-associated osteonecrosis development.</p

Live-cell imaging of alkyne-tagged small biomolecules by stimulated Raman scattering

Sensitive and specific visualization of small biomolecules in living systems is highly challenging. We report stimulated Raman-scattering imaging of alkyne tags as a general strategy for studying a broad spectrum of small biomolecules in live cells and animals. We demonstrate this technique by tracking alkyne-bearing drugs in mouse tissues and visualizing de novo synthesis of DNA, RNA, proteins, phospholipids and triglycerides through metabolic incorporation of alkyne-tagged small precursors

Enamelin is critical for ameloblast integrity and enamel ultrastructure formation

Mutations in the human enamelin gene cause autosomal dominant hypoplastic amelogenesis imperfecta in which the affected enamel is thin or absent. Study of enamelin knockout NLS-lacZ knockin mice revealed that mineralization along the distal membrane of ameloblast is deficient, resulting in no true enamel formation. To determine the function of enamelin during enamel formation, we characterized the developing teeth of the Enam-/- mice, generated amelogenin-driven enamelin transgenic mouse models, and then introduced enamelin transgenes into the Enam-/- mice to rescue enamel defects. Mice at specific stages of development were subjected to morphologic and structural analysis using β-galactosidase staining, immunohistochemistry, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Enamelin expression was ameloblast-specific. In the absence of enamelin, ameloblasts pathology became evident at the onset of the secretory stage. Although the aggregated ameloblasts generated matrix-containing amelogenin, they were not able to create a well-defined enamel space or produce normal enamel crystals. When enamelin is present at half of the normal quantity, enamel was thinner with enamel rods not as tightly arranged as in wild type suggesting that a specific quantity of enamelin is critical for normal enamel formation. Enamelin dosage effect was further demonstrated in transgenic mouse lines over expressing enamelin. Introducing enamelin transgene at various expression levels into the Enam -/- background did not fully recover enamel formation while a medium expresser in the Enam+/- background did. Too much or too little enamelin abolishes the production of enamel crystals and prism structure. Enamelin is essential for ameloblast integrity and enamel formation. © 2014 Hu et al

A novel technique for detoxification of phenol from wastewater: Nanoparticle Assisted Nano Filtration (NANF)

© 2016 Naidu et al. Background: Phenol is one of the most versatile and important organic compound. It is also a growing concern as water pollutants due to its high persistence and toxicity. Removal of Phenol from wastewaters was investigated using a novel nanoparticle adsorption and nanofiltration technique named as Nanoparticle Assisted Nano Filtration (NANF). Methods: The nanoparticle used for NANF study were silver nanoparticles and synthesized to three distinct average particle sizes of 10 nm, 40 nm and 70 nm. The effect of nanoparticle size, their concentrations and their tri and diparticle combinations upon phenol removal were studied. Results: Total surface areas (TSA) for various particle size and concentrations have been calculated and the highest was 4710 × 1012 nm2 for 10 nm particles and 180 ppm concentration while the lowest was for 2461 × 1011 for 70 nm and 60 ppm concentrations. Tri and diparticle studies showed more phenol removal % than that of their individual particles, particularly for using small particles on large membrane pore size and large particles at low concentrations. These results have also been confirmed with COD and toxicity removal studies. Conclusions: The combination of nanoparticles adsorption and nanofiltration results in high phenol removal and mineralization, leading to the conclusion that NANF has very high potential for treating toxic chemical wastewaters

Hypoxia inducible factor 1α gene (HIF-1α) splice variants: potential prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a master transcriptional regulator of genes regulating oxygen homeostasis. The HIF-1 protein is composed of two HIF-1α and HIF-1β/aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) subunits. The prognostic relevance of HIF-1α protein overexpression has been shown in breast cancer. The impact of HIF-1α alternative splice variant expression on breast cancer prognosis in terms of metastasis risk is not well known.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR assays, we measured mRNA concentrations of total <it>HIF-1α </it>and 4 variants in breast tissue specimens in a series of 29 normal tissues or benign lesions (normal/benign) and 53 primary carcinomas. In breast cancers <it>HIF-1α </it>splice variant levels were compared to clinicopathological parameters including tumour microvessel density and metastasis-free survival.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>HIF-1α </it>isoforms containing a three base pairs TAG insertion between exon 1 and exon 2 (designated <it>HIF-1α</it>^<it>TAG</it>) and <it>HIF-1α</it>^{<it>736 </it>}mRNAs were found expressed at higher levels in oestrogen receptor (OR)-negative carcinomas compared to normal/benign tissues (<it>P </it>= 0.009 and <it>P </it>= 0.004 respectively). In breast carcinoma specimens, lymph node status was significantly associated with <it>HIF-1α</it>^{<it>TAG </it>}mRNA levels (<it>P </it>= 0.037). Significant statistical association was found between tumour grade and <it>HIF-1α</it>^{<it>TAG </it>}(<it>P </it>= 0.048), and total <it>HIF-1α </it>(<it>P </it>= 0.048) mRNA levels. <it>HIF-1α</it>^{<it>TAG </it>}mRNA levels were also inversely correlated with both oestrogen and progesterone receptor status (<it>P </it>= 0.005 and <it>P </it>= 0.033 respectively). Univariate analysis showed that high <it>HIF-1α</it>^{<it>TAG </it>}mRNA levels correlated with shortened metastasis free survival (<it>P </it>= 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results show for the first time that mRNA expression of a <it>HIF-1α</it>^{<it>TAG </it>}splice variant reflects a stage of breast cancer progression and is associated with a worse prognosis.</p> <p>See commentary: <url>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/8/45</url></p

Prediction of pathological stage in patients with prostate cancer: a neuro-fuzzy model

The prediction of cancer staging in prostate cancer is a process for estimating the likelihood that the cancer has spread before treatment is given to the patient. Although important for determining the most suitable treatment and optimal management strategy for patients, staging continues to present significant challenges to clinicians. Clinical test results such as the pre-treatment Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) level, the biopsy most common tumor pattern (Primary Gleason pattern) and the second most common tumor pattern (Secondary Gleason pattern) in tissue biopsies, and the clinical T stage can be used by clinicians to predict the pathological stage of cancer. However, not every patient will return abnormal results in all tests. This significantly influences the capacity to effectively predict the stage of prostate cancer. Herein we have developed a neuro-fuzzy computational intelligence model for classifying and predicting the likelihood of a patient having Organ-Confined Disease (OCD) or Extra-Prostatic Disease (ED) using a prostate cancer patient dataset obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network. The system input consisted of the following variables: Primary and Secondary Gleason biopsy patterns, PSA levels, age at diagnosis, and clinical T stage. The performance of the neuro-fuzzy system was compared to other computational intelligence based approaches, namely the Artificial Neural Network, Fuzzy C-Means, Support Vector Machine, the Naive Bayes classifiers, and also the AJCC pTNM Staging Nomogram which is commonly used by clinicians. A comparison of the optimal Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) points that were identified using these approaches, revealed that the neuro-fuzzy system, at its optimal point, returns the largest Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC), with a low number of false positives (FPR = 0.274, TPR = 0.789, AUC = 0.812). The proposed approach is also an improvement over the AJCC pTNM Staging Nomogram (FPR = 0.032, TPR = 0.197, AUC = 0.582)