The most prominent causes of loss of vision in individuals over 50 years include age-related macular degeneration(AMD),glaucoma,and diabetic retinopathy(DR).While it is important to screen for these diseases effective...The most prominent causes of loss of vision in individuals over 50 years include age-related macular degeneration(AMD),glaucoma,and diabetic retinopathy(DR).While it is important to screen for these diseases effectively,current eye care is not properly doing so for much of the population,resulting in unfortunate visual disability and high costs for patients.Innovative functional testing can be unified with other screening methods for a more robust and safer screening and prediction of disease.The goal in the creation of functional testing modalities is to develop highly sensitive screening tests that are easy to use,accessible to all users,and inexpensive.The tests herein are deployed on an iPad with easily understood and intuitive instructions for rapid,streamlined,and automatic administration.These testing modalities could become highly sensitive screenings for early detection of potentially blinding diseases.The applications from our collaborators at AMA Optics include a cone photostress recovery test for detection of AMD and diabetic macular edema(DME),brightness balance perception for optic nerve dysfunction and especially glaucoma,color vision testing which is a broad screening tool,and visual acuity test.Machine learning with the combined structural and functional data will optimize identification of disease and prediction of outcomes.Here,we review and assess various tests of visual function that are easily administered on a tablet for screening in primary care.These user-friendly and simple screening tests allow patients to be identified in the early stages of disease for referral to specialists,proper assessment and treatment.展开更多
Background Many patients have symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease （CAD） and are often eval- uated with the use of diagnostic testing, although there are limited data from randomized trials to guide care.
Functional testing is key to fulfill quality control in laptop manufacturing and is of great economic value.However,due to the unavailability of practical data,mathematical model and systematic perspective,it has bare...Functional testing is key to fulfill quality control in laptop manufacturing and is of great economic value.However,due to the unavailability of practical data,mathematical model and systematic perspective,it has barely been touched from the academic community to date.For the first time,this work provides technical understanding of the key principles of functional testing,mathematically models the general framework,elucidates existing testing strategy under the proposed framework and model,and finally proposes a specified optimization strategy which outperforms existing strategies.This work lays the model foundation for the further optimization of functional testing,and can be regarded as a good example of how a systematic approach can solve practical industrial challenges.展开更多
Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patien...Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs （arms） because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor func- tion test （WMFT） was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action perfor- mance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry （registration number： ChiCTR-OCH- 12002238）.展开更多
Sperm function testing, once commonly performed for the infertile couple before employing assisted reproductive technology （ART）, has fallen out of favour in many reproductive medicine centers throughout the world. ...Sperm function testing, once commonly performed for the infertile couple before employing assisted reproductive technology （ART）, has fallen out of favour in many reproductive medicine centers throughout the world. Indeed, the most recent addition of the ＇World Health Organisation （WHO） Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Hu- man Semen＇ now groups many of these procedures into a section termed Research Procedures. In large part, this reflects the current clinical practice of bypassing the in-depth evaluation of the male partner, while assuming that if a spermatozoon can be found for intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI）, it must be a healthy cell capable of achieving fertilization. Never- theless, sperm function testing can provide valuable clinical insights into defects causing male infertility. Admittedly, in some cases, functional sperm deficiencies can be overcome using an ART. In other cases, couples will be empowered by the knowledge of the cause of their infertility, and for some couples, perhaps even the likelihood of ICSI success （relative to the spermatozoa）. The knowledge allows them to make truly informed reproductive decisions, including （perhaps） the de- cision to seek donor insemination, to adopt or to remain childless. Knowledge of the cause of their infertility may provide closure for couples and a sense of confidence regarding their choice of reproductive treatment.展开更多
The diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis （CP） is based on the detection of abnormal structure or function of the diseased pancreas. The pancreatic function tests more accurately determine the presence of CP than tests ...The diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis （CP） is based on the detection of abnormal structure or function of the diseased pancreas. The pancreatic function tests more accurately determine the presence of CP than tests of structure, especially for early stage disease. The function tests can be divided into two categories： non- invasive and invasive. The invasive ＂tube＂ tests can reliably detect mild, early CP, but are only available at a few referral centers and tend to be poorly tolerated by patients. The non-invasive tests are easy to obtain, but tend to perform poorly in patients with early, mild disease. Therefore, no one test is useful in all clinical situations, and a detailed understanding of the rational, pathophysiologic basis, strengths, and limitations of various tests is needed. This review highlights the role of various pancreatic function tests in the diagnosis of CP including fecal fat analysis, fecal elastase, fecal chymotrypsin, serum trypsin, the secretin stimulation test, the cholecystokinin （CCK） stimulation test, the combined secretin-CCK stimulation test, the intraductal and endoscopic secretin stimulation tests, and the functional magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas after secretin stimulation.展开更多
Hormone-stimulated pancreatic function tests (PFTs) are considered the gold standard for measuring pancreatic exocrine function. PFTs involve the administration of intravenous secretin or cholecystokinin, followed by ...Hormone-stimulated pancreatic function tests (PFTs) are considered the gold standard for measuring pancreatic exocrine function. PFTs involve the administration of intravenous secretin or cholecystokinin, followed by collection and analysis of pancreatic secretions. Because exocrine function may decline in the earliest phase of pancreatic fibrosis, PFTs are considered accurate for diagnosing chronic pancreatitis. Unfortunately, these potentially valuable tests are infrequently performed except at specialized centers, because they are time consuming and complicated. To overcome these limitations, endoscopic PFT methods have been developed which include aspiration of pancreatic secretions through the suction channel of the endoscope. The secretin endoscopic pancreatic function test (ePFT) involves collection of duodenal aspirates at 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after secretin stimulation. A bicarbonate concentration greater than 80 mmol/L in any of the samples is considered a normal result. The secretin ePFT has demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity compared with various reference standards, including the "Dreiling tube" secretin PFT, endoscopic ultrasound, and surgical histology. Furthermore, a standard autoanalyzer can be used for bicarbonate analysis, which allows the secretin ePFT to be performed at any hospital. The secretin ePFT may complement imaging tests like endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the diagnosis of early chronic pancreatitis.This paper will review the literature validating the use of ePFT in the diagnosis of exocrine insufficiency and chronic pancreatitis. Newer developments will also be discussed, including the feasibility of combined EUS/ ePFT, the use of cholecystokinin alone or in combination with secretin, and the discovery of new protein and lipid pancreatic juice biomarkers which may complement traditional fluid analysis.展开更多
This review focuses on current aspects of the novel technology of combined impedance manometry for esophageal motility testing. It presents methodological features, summarizes current results and discusses implication...This review focuses on current aspects of the novel technology of combined impedance manometry for esophageal motility testing. It presents methodological features, summarizes current results and discusses implications for further research. The combined technique assesses simultaneously bolus transport and associated peristalsis, thus allowing detailed analysis of the relationships between bolus transit and esophageal motility. Recent studies demonstrate that combined impedance manometry provides important additional information about esophageal motility as compared to conventional manometry: (1) monitoring of bolus transport patterns, (2) calculation of bolus transit parameters, (3) evaluation of bolus clearance, (4) monitoring of swallow associated events such as air movement and reflux, and (5) investigation of the relationships between bolus transit and LES relaxation. Studies with healthy subjects have identified several useful parameters for comprehensive assessment of eosphageal function. These parameters were found to be pathological in patients with classical achalasia, mild GERD, and ineffective esophageal motility. The technology of combined impedance manometry provides an important new tool for esophageal function testing, advancing both clinical and basic research. However, several important issues remain to be standardized to make the technique suitable for widely clinical use.展开更多
Tests of preoperative visual function and prediction of postoperative E chart visual acuity(ECVA) using laser interferometric visual acuity(LIVA) and electroretinogram(ERG) were performed in 16 cases(19 eyes) of catar...Tests of preoperative visual function and prediction of postoperative E chart visual acuity(ECVA) using laser interferometric visual acuity(LIVA) and electroretinogram(ERG) were performed in 16 cases(19 eyes) of cataract. The results showed that the coincident rate between preoperative LIVA and postoperative ECVA was 63.2%, and there was a parallel correlation between preoperative amplitude of photopic ERG b-wave and postoperative ECVA in 79.0% of the eyes. Comparing these two methods, the test of LIVA ...展开更多
Subjective visual vertical(SVV)and subjective visual horizontal(SVH)tests can be used to evaluate the perception of verticality and horizontality,respectively,and can aid the diagnosis of otolith dysfunction in clinic...Subjective visual vertical(SVV)and subjective visual horizontal(SVH)tests can be used to evaluate the perception of verticality and horizontality,respectively,and can aid the diagnosis of otolith dysfunction in clinical practice.In this study,SVV and SVH screen version tests are implemented using virtual reality(VR)equipment;the proposed test method promotes a more immersive feeling for the subject while using a simple equipment configuration and possessing excellent mobility.To verify the performance of the proposed VR-based SVV and SVH tests,a reliable comparison was made between the traditional screen-based SVV and SVH tests and the proposed method,based on 30 healthy subjects.The average results of our experimental tests on the VR-based binocular SVV and SVH equipment were−0.15◦±1.74 and 0.60◦±1.18,respectively.The proposed VR-based method satisfies the normal tolerance for horizontal or vertical lines,i.e.,a±3◦error,as defined in previous studies,and it can be used to replace existing test methods.展开更多
Hyperhidrosis is a condition resulting from a systemic sympathetic hyperactivity. The gold standard treatment is the resection or surgical ablation of the paravertebral sympathetic chain: the endoscopic thoracoscopic ...Hyperhidrosis is a condition resulting from a systemic sympathetic hyperactivity. The gold standard treatment is the resection or surgical ablation of the paravertebral sympathetic chain: the endoscopic thoracoscopic sympathectomy (ETS). Non-cardiac thoracic surgeries carry a considerable incidence of pathological postoperative cardiac events, raising attention to possible worsen cardiac functional capacity after the resection of a pair of thoracic sympathetic ganglia. The aim of this study is to investigate literature evidences of postoperative cardiovascular functional changes on patients submitted to ETS as treatment for hyperidrosis. This is a systematic review of the literature. Clinical studies published between January 1999 and April 2019 were analyzed. The PICO strategy was used to construct the question of systematic reviews research. The process of selecting articles was organized according to PRISMA Diagram. The search in electronic databases resulted in seven articles, of which one was excluded for being out of scope of the research, leaving six articles. All studies showed a pattern of heart rate (HR) reduction after endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. It was suggested a relation between the extension of the procedure and the presence of cardiac functional alterations. There was an improvement in myocardial physical conditioning and maintenance of functional capacity. To elucidate the real mechanisms involved in the maintenance of myocardial function, and even its improvement, it is necessary to develop further studies that directly evaluate them.展开更多
On February 25, the Unit 1 of Ling’ao Nuclear Power Plant phase II underwent a 41-day-long hot functional test successfully with its major systems satisfying the requirements for
In this paper, the new organization for unit testing embedding pair-wise mode is proposed with the core thought focused on the cooperation of programmer and tester by “cross-testing”. The typical content of unit tes...In this paper, the new organization for unit testing embedding pair-wise mode is proposed with the core thought focused on the cooperation of programmer and tester by “cross-testing”. The typical content of unit testing for the new organizing mode should have three aspects, including self-checking, cross-testing and independent-testing. For cross-testing, executing “pair-wise” mode, mainly tackles data testing, function testing and state testing, which function testing must be done by details and state testing must be considered for completeness. With the specializing of independent-testing, it should be taken as more rigid testing without arbitrariness. Consequently, strategy and measure are addressed for data testing focusing on boundary testing and function/state testing. And organizing method of procedure and key points of tackling unit testing are investigated for the new organizing mode. In order to assess the validity of our study and approach, a series of actual examples are demonstrated for GUI software. The result indicates that the execution of unit testing for the new organizing mode is effective and applicable.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Pain and sensory disability are greatly affected by subjective factors, there are no quantitative indexes to evaluate cervical spondylotic radiculopathy(CSR). The judgment on clinical body examination and ...BACKGROUND: Pain and sensory disability are greatly affected by subjective factors, there are no quantitative indexes to evaluate cervical spondylotic radiculopathy(CSR). The judgment on clinical body examination and chief complaint always causes nonobjective results with great individual differences. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) can be used to judge the nerve function of fibril. The application of QST for the quantitative evaluation of peripheral nervous system disease needs to be further studied. OBJECTIVE: The cold-thermal sensation and pain of patients with CSR are quantitatively analyzed by using QST technology in order to evaluate the nerve function of fibril in patients with CSR. DESIGN: Case-control observation. SETTING: Pain Center of Beijing Hospital of Ministry of Health. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty patients with CSR, including 8 males and 12 females, aged from 33 to 70 years, who received treatment between January and April 2005 in Pain Center of Beijing Hospital of Ministry of Health were involved in CSR group. All the involved patients presented symptoms in unilateral upper extremity (left side 10 patients, right side 10 patients). They did not undergo physical therapy or nerve block therapy in 1 week before examination. Eight non-CSR patients who received treatment in Pain Center concurrently were involved in the control group (2 patients with trigeminal neuralgia, 4 with osteoarthrosis of knee joint and 2 with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion), and another 12 healthy volunteers were involved. Four non-CSR patients and 12 healthy volunteers, 8 male and 12 female, were aged from 23 to 75 years. The informed consents were obtained from all the involved subjects. METHODS: The volar thresholds of cold sensation, thermal sensation, cryalgesia of thenar eminence of both upper extremities of all the subjects were examined separately by limit method with type TSA-Ⅱ temperature sensation analysator made by Medco Company (Israel). The subjects were pre-examined to be familiar with the method for sensory discrimination and affirmation. Thenar eminence vola of bilateral upper extremities were detected. The infrared detector of a semiconductor was contacted with skin. The infrared detector could be used to heat and cool skin. A group of cold-heat water circulation device was given electric current to produce temperature gradient, which was higher or lower than skin temperature. The initial temperature of infrared detector was 32 ℃, stimulation temperature was increased or decreased progressively at 1 ℃/s, and temperature change range was 0 to 50 ℃. In the first step, subjects pressed down the button to stop the stimulation when the temperature of infrared detector was decreased progressively until the subjects felt, and the threshold of cold sensation was obtained; In the second step, the threshold of thermal sensation was obtained when the temperature of infrared detector was increased progressively until the subjects felt; In the third step, the threshold of cryalgesia was obtained when the temperature of infrared detector was decreased progressively until subjects felt; and in the fourth step, the threshold of thermalgesia was obtained when the temperature of infrared detector was increased progressively until subjects felt. Each step was conducted 4 times and the mean threshold was obtained. Before each measurement, the temperature was made to rebound to the initial temperature and kept for 10 s. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The thresholds of cold sensation, thermal sensation and cryalgesia, thermalgesia of thenar eminence vola of bilateral upper extremities of all the subjects. RESULTS: Twenty patients with CSR and 20 healthy subjects participated in the final results. ① In the CSR group, the threshold of cold sensation of affected side was lower than that of intact side [(29.00±1.26) ℃ vs.(30.00±1.06) ℃, P < 0.05], and the threshold of thermal sensation of affected side was higher than that of intact side [(35.04±0.87) ℃ vs. (34.14±0.99) ℃, P < 0.05]. There were no significant differences in the thresholds of cold and thermal sensation between affected side and intact side (P > 0.05). ②In the CSR group, the difference of threshold of cold sensation, thermal sensation, cryalgesia and thermalgesia between affected side and intact side was (-1.01±0.57), (0.89±0.39), (2.49±1.10) and (-1.62±0.86) ℃, respectively , the absolute value of which was higher than that of control group, respectively [(0.04±0.28),(0.05±0.26),(0.28±1.79),(0.17±1.10) ℃,P < 0.01]. In the CSR group, the threshold of cold sensation and thermalgesia of affected side was lower than that of intact side, respectively; and the threshold of thermal sensation and cryalgesia of affected side was higher than that of intact side, respectively. CONCLUSION: The superficial sensation of affected extremity of patients with CSR is lessened as compared with that of intact extremity. There are dysfunctions of small myelinated fiber (Aδ fiber) and demyelinated fiber (C fiber) in the affected-side extremity. QST, as a mean for quantitatively evaluating the function of Aδ fiber and C fiber, plays an objective evaluative role in the diagnosis and therapeutic effect observation of CSR.展开更多
Objectives This study aims to assess the impacts of hypertension on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as well as cardiovascular functional status (CVFS). Methods An instrument was presented based on WHOQOL-BREF ...Objectives This study aims to assess the impacts of hypertension on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as well as cardiovascular functional status (CVFS). Methods An instrument was presented based on WHOQOL-BREF and SP-16 questionnaire and exercise testing. 57 normotensive and 76 hypertensive subjects aged 35-65 year-old participated the health survey using this instrument. Based on the exercise testing results of the two groups, a discriminate function was established and used to investigate cardiovascular risk factors for hypertensive population. Results The results showed that persons with hypertension rated significantly lower scores on physical health (i.e. limitation in performing daily activities and problems with work or mobility) than did normotensives (P < 0.01). The discriminant score obtained from the exercise testing results was capable of reflecting the impacts of hypertension on CVFS. Conclusions The method presented in this paper provides a more powerful tool to estimate the effects of health interventions and medical therapy for hypertensive population than just self-rated HRQOL questionnaire.展开更多
Objective To investigate the curative effect of the Qifangfeixian granule on interstitial lung disease(ILD).Methods This study combined animal experiments and clinical trials.Pathological changes in bleomycin(BLM)-ind...Objective To investigate the curative effect of the Qifangfeixian granule on interstitial lung disease(ILD).Methods This study combined animal experiments and clinical trials.Pathological changes in bleomycin(BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin(H&E),Masson,and Sirius Red staining.In the clinical study,40 ILD patients were enrolled,with 20 in the control group and 20 in the treatment group.The treatment group received Qifangfeixian granules in addition to standard therapy for 12 weeks.Pulmonary function parameters,including forced vital capacity(FVC,L),FVCpred%,diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide(DLCO,mmol/min/kPa),and DLCOpred%,were measured before and after treatment.Results Compared with those of the control group,the inflammatory infiltration and collagen fibres in the BLM group were significantly increased,and the inflammatory infiltration and collagen fibres in the BLM group were significantly reduced after Qifangfeixian granule treatment.Compared with those in the control group,the lung function parameters in the treatment group were significantly improved.Specifically,the FVC increased by+0.10±0.18 L in the treatment group,whereas the control group showed a decrease of–0.05±0.21 L(P=0.008).Additionally,FVC_(pred%)was improved significantly in the treatment group(+2.6%±5.3%)compared with the control group(–2.0%±6.7%,P=0.009).Conclusion Qifangfeixian granules can improve not only the pulmonary fibrosis of BLM-induced model mice but also the pulmonary function of patients with ILD in practice,and their clinical efficacy is accurate.展开更多
The current investigation focuses on intertwined relationships of ecology and aquaculture for the benefit of farmers involved in fish farming practices.The study evaluated glucosinolate reduction in black,brown,and wh...The current investigation focuses on intertwined relationships of ecology and aquaculture for the benefit of farmers involved in fish farming practices.The study evaluated glucosinolate reduction in black,brown,and white mustard meals as fish feed ingredients for Indian Major Carps.Fish were fed with 10%mustard meal-supplemented diets in three forms:Raw(R),Anti-nutritional Rich(AR),and Anti-nutritional Lowered(AL),alongside a control group using floating feed.The three-month indoor experiment(September-November 2023)was conducted in FRP tanks with triplicate treatments.Blood analysis revealed compromised health in AR-fed carps,with reduced hemoglobin levels in rohu,catla and mrigal and elevated total leukocyte counts indicating inflammation in all the three carps studied here.Liver function was impaired in AR-fed fish,shown by increased alanine transaminase levels,highest in rohu followed by mrigal and catla.Histopathological examination of AR-fed carps liver tissue revealed necrotic spots,deformed hepatocytes,and significant vacuolation.In contrast,AL-fed fish demonstrated improved health parameters through Complete Blood Count analysis,liver function tests,and histo-pathological observations,suggesting successful reduction of anti-nutritional factors in the processed mustard meals.In near future,replacement of unprocessed seed meal with processed seed meal will lead to economic gains in fish farming.展开更多
BACKGROUND Insulin resistance is a cardiometabolic risk factor characterized by elevated insulin levels.It is associated with fatty liver disease and elevated liver function tests(LFT)in cross-sectional studies,but da...BACKGROUND Insulin resistance is a cardiometabolic risk factor characterized by elevated insulin levels.It is associated with fatty liver disease and elevated liver function tests(LFT)in cross-sectional studies,but data from cohort studies are scarce.AIM To investigate the association between insulin and pathological LFT,liver disease,and cirrhosis in a populationbased retrospective cohort study.METHODS Anthropometric and cardiometabolic factors of 857 men and 1228 women from prospective cohort studies were used.LFT were obtained at two time points 8 years to 24 years after baseline.Liver disease diagnoses were obtained from nationwide registries.The association between insulin levels and the development of elevated LFT or liver disease and cirrhosis was analyzed.RESULTS Total follow-up was 54054 person-years for women and 27556 person-years for men.Insulin levels were positively correlated with elevated LFT during follow-up,whereas physical activity and coffee consumption were negatively correlated.Individuals with both insulin levels in the upper tertile and alcohol consumption above MASLD thresholds had an increased risk for both liver disease,adjusted hazard ratio(aHR)of 4.3(95%CI:1.6-14.6)and cirrhosis(aHR=4.8,95%CI:1.6-14.6).CONCLUSION This population-based study provides evidence that high insulin levels are a risk factor for development of elevated liver enzymes and clinically manifest liver disease.The results support the concept of metabolic dysfunction associated liver disease.展开更多
We explore some necessary and sufficient conditions for the boundedness of the Forelli-Rudin type operator T on the weighted Lebesgue space associated with tubular domains over the forward light cone.Our approach invo...We explore some necessary and sufficient conditions for the boundedness of the Forelli-Rudin type operator T on the weighted Lebesgue space associated with tubular domains over the forward light cone.Our approach involves conducting precise computations for a series of complex integrals to identify appropriate test functions,and through a detailed analysis of these test functions,we derive the boundedness properties of the operator T.This work is significant in the study of the Bergman projection operators.展开更多
基金supported in part by a Challenge Grant from Research to Prevent Blindness,NY.
文摘The most prominent causes of loss of vision in individuals over 50 years include age-related macular degeneration(AMD),glaucoma,and diabetic retinopathy(DR).While it is important to screen for these diseases effectively,current eye care is not properly doing so for much of the population,resulting in unfortunate visual disability and high costs for patients.Innovative functional testing can be unified with other screening methods for a more robust and safer screening and prediction of disease.The goal in the creation of functional testing modalities is to develop highly sensitive screening tests that are easy to use,accessible to all users,and inexpensive.The tests herein are deployed on an iPad with easily understood and intuitive instructions for rapid,streamlined,and automatic administration.These testing modalities could become highly sensitive screenings for early detection of potentially blinding diseases.The applications from our collaborators at AMA Optics include a cone photostress recovery test for detection of AMD and diabetic macular edema(DME),brightness balance perception for optic nerve dysfunction and especially glaucoma,color vision testing which is a broad screening tool,and visual acuity test.Machine learning with the combined structural and functional data will optimize identification of disease and prediction of outcomes.Here,we review and assess various tests of visual function that are easily administered on a tablet for screening in primary care.These user-friendly and simple screening tests allow patients to be identified in the early stages of disease for referral to specialists,proper assessment and treatment.
基金Funded by the National Heart,Lung,and Blood InstitutePROMISE Clinical Trials.gov number,NCT01174550
文摘Background Many patients have symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease （CAD） and are often eval- uated with the use of diagnostic testing, although there are limited data from randomized trials to guide care.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Anhui under Grant No.202104a05020064。
文摘Functional testing is key to fulfill quality control in laptop manufacturing and is of great economic value.However,due to the unavailability of practical data,mathematical model and systematic perspective,it has barely been touched from the academic community to date.For the first time,this work provides technical understanding of the key principles of functional testing,mathematically models the general framework,elucidates existing testing strategy under the proposed framework and model,and finally proposes a specified optimization strategy which outperforms existing strategies.This work lays the model foundation for the further optimization of functional testing,and can be regarded as a good example of how a systematic approach can solve practical industrial challenges.
基金supported by the Sub-Project under National "Twelfth Five-Year" Plan for Science&Technology Support Project in China,No.2011BAI08B11the Research Project of China Rehabilitation Research Center,No.2014-3
文摘Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs （arms） because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor func- tion test （WMFT） was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action perfor- mance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry （registration number： ChiCTR-OCH- 12002238）.
文摘Sperm function testing, once commonly performed for the infertile couple before employing assisted reproductive technology （ART）, has fallen out of favour in many reproductive medicine centers throughout the world. Indeed, the most recent addition of the ＇World Health Organisation （WHO） Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Hu- man Semen＇ now groups many of these procedures into a section termed Research Procedures. In large part, this reflects the current clinical practice of bypassing the in-depth evaluation of the male partner, while assuming that if a spermatozoon can be found for intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI）, it must be a healthy cell capable of achieving fertilization. Never- theless, sperm function testing can provide valuable clinical insights into defects causing male infertility. Admittedly, in some cases, functional sperm deficiencies can be overcome using an ART. In other cases, couples will be empowered by the knowledge of the cause of their infertility, and for some couples, perhaps even the likelihood of ICSI success （relative to the spermatozoa）. The knowledge allows them to make truly informed reproductive decisions, including （perhaps） the de- cision to seek donor insemination, to adopt or to remain childless. Knowledge of the cause of their infertility may provide closure for couples and a sense of confidence regarding their choice of reproductive treatment.
文摘The diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis （CP） is based on the detection of abnormal structure or function of the diseased pancreas. The pancreatic function tests more accurately determine the presence of CP than tests of structure, especially for early stage disease. The function tests can be divided into two categories： non- invasive and invasive. The invasive ＂tube＂ tests can reliably detect mild, early CP, but are only available at a few referral centers and tend to be poorly tolerated by patients. The non-invasive tests are easy to obtain, but tend to perform poorly in patients with early, mild disease. Therefore, no one test is useful in all clinical situations, and a detailed understanding of the rational, pathophysiologic basis, strengths, and limitations of various tests is needed. This review highlights the role of various pancreatic function tests in the diagnosis of CP including fecal fat analysis, fecal elastase, fecal chymotrypsin, serum trypsin, the secretin stimulation test, the cholecystokinin （CCK） stimulation test, the combined secretin-CCK stimulation test, the intraductal and endoscopic secretin stimulation tests, and the functional magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas after secretin stimulation.
文摘Hormone-stimulated pancreatic function tests (PFTs) are considered the gold standard for measuring pancreatic exocrine function. PFTs involve the administration of intravenous secretin or cholecystokinin, followed by collection and analysis of pancreatic secretions. Because exocrine function may decline in the earliest phase of pancreatic fibrosis, PFTs are considered accurate for diagnosing chronic pancreatitis. Unfortunately, these potentially valuable tests are infrequently performed except at specialized centers, because they are time consuming and complicated. To overcome these limitations, endoscopic PFT methods have been developed which include aspiration of pancreatic secretions through the suction channel of the endoscope. The secretin endoscopic pancreatic function test (ePFT) involves collection of duodenal aspirates at 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after secretin stimulation. A bicarbonate concentration greater than 80 mmol/L in any of the samples is considered a normal result. The secretin ePFT has demonstrated good sensitivity and specificity compared with various reference standards, including the "Dreiling tube" secretin PFT, endoscopic ultrasound, and surgical histology. Furthermore, a standard autoanalyzer can be used for bicarbonate analysis, which allows the secretin ePFT to be performed at any hospital. The secretin ePFT may complement imaging tests like endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the diagnosis of early chronic pancreatitis.This paper will review the literature validating the use of ePFT in the diagnosis of exocrine insufficiency and chronic pancreatitis. Newer developments will also be discussed, including the feasibility of combined EUS/ ePFT, the use of cholecystokinin alone or in combination with secretin, and the discovery of new protein and lipid pancreatic juice biomarkers which may complement traditional fluid analysis.
文摘This review focuses on current aspects of the novel technology of combined impedance manometry for esophageal motility testing. It presents methodological features, summarizes current results and discusses implications for further research. The combined technique assesses simultaneously bolus transport and associated peristalsis, thus allowing detailed analysis of the relationships between bolus transit and esophageal motility. Recent studies demonstrate that combined impedance manometry provides important additional information about esophageal motility as compared to conventional manometry: (1) monitoring of bolus transport patterns, (2) calculation of bolus transit parameters, (3) evaluation of bolus clearance, (4) monitoring of swallow associated events such as air movement and reflux, and (5) investigation of the relationships between bolus transit and LES relaxation. Studies with healthy subjects have identified several useful parameters for comprehensive assessment of eosphageal function. These parameters were found to be pathological in patients with classical achalasia, mild GERD, and ineffective esophageal motility. The technology of combined impedance manometry provides an important new tool for esophageal function testing, advancing both clinical and basic research. However, several important issues remain to be standardized to make the technique suitable for widely clinical use.
文摘Tests of preoperative visual function and prediction of postoperative E chart visual acuity(ECVA) using laser interferometric visual acuity(LIVA) and electroretinogram(ERG) were performed in 16 cases(19 eyes) of cataract. The results showed that the coincident rate between preoperative LIVA and postoperative ECVA was 63.2%, and there was a parallel correlation between preoperative amplitude of photopic ERG b-wave and postoperative ECVA in 79.0% of the eyes. Comparing these two methods, the test of LIVA ...
基金supported by the Soonchunhyang University Research Fund and 2018 Ulsan University Hospital Research Grant(UUH-2018-12)(Grantee:JYP,http://www.uuh.ulsan.kr).The authors are grateful for their supports.
文摘Subjective visual vertical(SVV)and subjective visual horizontal(SVH)tests can be used to evaluate the perception of verticality and horizontality,respectively,and can aid the diagnosis of otolith dysfunction in clinical practice.In this study,SVV and SVH screen version tests are implemented using virtual reality(VR)equipment;the proposed test method promotes a more immersive feeling for the subject while using a simple equipment configuration and possessing excellent mobility.To verify the performance of the proposed VR-based SVV and SVH tests,a reliable comparison was made between the traditional screen-based SVV and SVH tests and the proposed method,based on 30 healthy subjects.The average results of our experimental tests on the VR-based binocular SVV and SVH equipment were−0.15◦±1.74 and 0.60◦±1.18,respectively.The proposed VR-based method satisfies the normal tolerance for horizontal or vertical lines,i.e.,a±3◦error,as defined in previous studies,and it can be used to replace existing test methods.
文摘Hyperhidrosis is a condition resulting from a systemic sympathetic hyperactivity. The gold standard treatment is the resection or surgical ablation of the paravertebral sympathetic chain: the endoscopic thoracoscopic sympathectomy (ETS). Non-cardiac thoracic surgeries carry a considerable incidence of pathological postoperative cardiac events, raising attention to possible worsen cardiac functional capacity after the resection of a pair of thoracic sympathetic ganglia. The aim of this study is to investigate literature evidences of postoperative cardiovascular functional changes on patients submitted to ETS as treatment for hyperidrosis. This is a systematic review of the literature. Clinical studies published between January 1999 and April 2019 were analyzed. The PICO strategy was used to construct the question of systematic reviews research. The process of selecting articles was organized according to PRISMA Diagram. The search in electronic databases resulted in seven articles, of which one was excluded for being out of scope of the research, leaving six articles. All studies showed a pattern of heart rate (HR) reduction after endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. It was suggested a relation between the extension of the procedure and the presence of cardiac functional alterations. There was an improvement in myocardial physical conditioning and maintenance of functional capacity. To elucidate the real mechanisms involved in the maintenance of myocardial function, and even its improvement, it is necessary to develop further studies that directly evaluate them.
文摘On February 25, the Unit 1 of Ling’ao Nuclear Power Plant phase II underwent a 41-day-long hot functional test successfully with its major systems satisfying the requirements for
文摘In this paper, the new organization for unit testing embedding pair-wise mode is proposed with the core thought focused on the cooperation of programmer and tester by “cross-testing”. The typical content of unit testing for the new organizing mode should have three aspects, including self-checking, cross-testing and independent-testing. For cross-testing, executing “pair-wise” mode, mainly tackles data testing, function testing and state testing, which function testing must be done by details and state testing must be considered for completeness. With the specializing of independent-testing, it should be taken as more rigid testing without arbitrariness. Consequently, strategy and measure are addressed for data testing focusing on boundary testing and function/state testing. And organizing method of procedure and key points of tackling unit testing are investigated for the new organizing mode. In order to assess the validity of our study and approach, a series of actual examples are demonstrated for GUI software. The result indicates that the execution of unit testing for the new organizing mode is effective and applicable.
文摘BACKGROUND: Pain and sensory disability are greatly affected by subjective factors, there are no quantitative indexes to evaluate cervical spondylotic radiculopathy(CSR). The judgment on clinical body examination and chief complaint always causes nonobjective results with great individual differences. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) can be used to judge the nerve function of fibril. The application of QST for the quantitative evaluation of peripheral nervous system disease needs to be further studied. OBJECTIVE: The cold-thermal sensation and pain of patients with CSR are quantitatively analyzed by using QST technology in order to evaluate the nerve function of fibril in patients with CSR. DESIGN: Case-control observation. SETTING: Pain Center of Beijing Hospital of Ministry of Health. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty patients with CSR, including 8 males and 12 females, aged from 33 to 70 years, who received treatment between January and April 2005 in Pain Center of Beijing Hospital of Ministry of Health were involved in CSR group. All the involved patients presented symptoms in unilateral upper extremity (left side 10 patients, right side 10 patients). They did not undergo physical therapy or nerve block therapy in 1 week before examination. Eight non-CSR patients who received treatment in Pain Center concurrently were involved in the control group (2 patients with trigeminal neuralgia, 4 with osteoarthrosis of knee joint and 2 with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion), and another 12 healthy volunteers were involved. Four non-CSR patients and 12 healthy volunteers, 8 male and 12 female, were aged from 23 to 75 years. The informed consents were obtained from all the involved subjects. METHODS: The volar thresholds of cold sensation, thermal sensation, cryalgesia of thenar eminence of both upper extremities of all the subjects were examined separately by limit method with type TSA-Ⅱ temperature sensation analysator made by Medco Company (Israel). The subjects were pre-examined to be familiar with the method for sensory discrimination and affirmation. Thenar eminence vola of bilateral upper extremities were detected. The infrared detector of a semiconductor was contacted with skin. The infrared detector could be used to heat and cool skin. A group of cold-heat water circulation device was given electric current to produce temperature gradient, which was higher or lower than skin temperature. The initial temperature of infrared detector was 32 ℃, stimulation temperature was increased or decreased progressively at 1 ℃/s, and temperature change range was 0 to 50 ℃. In the first step, subjects pressed down the button to stop the stimulation when the temperature of infrared detector was decreased progressively until the subjects felt, and the threshold of cold sensation was obtained; In the second step, the threshold of thermal sensation was obtained when the temperature of infrared detector was increased progressively until the subjects felt; In the third step, the threshold of cryalgesia was obtained when the temperature of infrared detector was decreased progressively until subjects felt; and in the fourth step, the threshold of thermalgesia was obtained when the temperature of infrared detector was increased progressively until subjects felt. Each step was conducted 4 times and the mean threshold was obtained. Before each measurement, the temperature was made to rebound to the initial temperature and kept for 10 s. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The thresholds of cold sensation, thermal sensation and cryalgesia, thermalgesia of thenar eminence vola of bilateral upper extremities of all the subjects. RESULTS: Twenty patients with CSR and 20 healthy subjects participated in the final results. ① In the CSR group, the threshold of cold sensation of affected side was lower than that of intact side [(29.00±1.26) ℃ vs.(30.00±1.06) ℃, P < 0.05], and the threshold of thermal sensation of affected side was higher than that of intact side [(35.04±0.87) ℃ vs. (34.14±0.99) ℃, P < 0.05]. There were no significant differences in the thresholds of cold and thermal sensation between affected side and intact side (P > 0.05). ②In the CSR group, the difference of threshold of cold sensation, thermal sensation, cryalgesia and thermalgesia between affected side and intact side was (-1.01±0.57), (0.89±0.39), (2.49±1.10) and (-1.62±0.86) ℃, respectively , the absolute value of which was higher than that of control group, respectively [(0.04±0.28),(0.05±0.26),(0.28±1.79),(0.17±1.10) ℃,P < 0.01]. In the CSR group, the threshold of cold sensation and thermalgesia of affected side was lower than that of intact side, respectively; and the threshold of thermal sensation and cryalgesia of affected side was higher than that of intact side, respectively. CONCLUSION: The superficial sensation of affected extremity of patients with CSR is lessened as compared with that of intact extremity. There are dysfunctions of small myelinated fiber (Aδ fiber) and demyelinated fiber (C fiber) in the affected-side extremity. QST, as a mean for quantitatively evaluating the function of Aδ fiber and C fiber, plays an objective evaluative role in the diagnosis and therapeutic effect observation of CSR.
文摘Objectives This study aims to assess the impacts of hypertension on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as well as cardiovascular functional status (CVFS). Methods An instrument was presented based on WHOQOL-BREF and SP-16 questionnaire and exercise testing. 57 normotensive and 76 hypertensive subjects aged 35-65 year-old participated the health survey using this instrument. Based on the exercise testing results of the two groups, a discriminate function was established and used to investigate cardiovascular risk factors for hypertensive population. Results The results showed that persons with hypertension rated significantly lower scores on physical health (i.e. limitation in performing daily activities and problems with work or mobility) than did normotensives (P < 0.01). The discriminant score obtained from the exercise testing results was capable of reflecting the impacts of hypertension on CVFS. Conclusions The method presented in this paper provides a more powerful tool to estimate the effects of health interventions and medical therapy for hypertensive population than just self-rated HRQOL questionnaire.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82170081)the Tongji Hospital Clinical Research Flagship Program(No.2024TJCR005)+1 种基金the Tongji Hospital Formulation Research and Development Transformation Fund(No.24-2ZJZ08002-05)the Tongji Hospital“Challenge-and-Response”Project:Mechanism Decoding and Application Research on the Disruption of Autoimmune Tolerance in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Induced by Viruses(25-2KYC13066-32).
文摘Objective To investigate the curative effect of the Qifangfeixian granule on interstitial lung disease(ILD).Methods This study combined animal experiments and clinical trials.Pathological changes in bleomycin(BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin(H&E),Masson,and Sirius Red staining.In the clinical study,40 ILD patients were enrolled,with 20 in the control group and 20 in the treatment group.The treatment group received Qifangfeixian granules in addition to standard therapy for 12 weeks.Pulmonary function parameters,including forced vital capacity(FVC,L),FVCpred%,diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide(DLCO,mmol/min/kPa),and DLCOpred%,were measured before and after treatment.Results Compared with those of the control group,the inflammatory infiltration and collagen fibres in the BLM group were significantly increased,and the inflammatory infiltration and collagen fibres in the BLM group were significantly reduced after Qifangfeixian granule treatment.Compared with those in the control group,the lung function parameters in the treatment group were significantly improved.Specifically,the FVC increased by+0.10±0.18 L in the treatment group,whereas the control group showed a decrease of–0.05±0.21 L(P=0.008).Additionally,FVC_(pred%)was improved significantly in the treatment group(+2.6%±5.3%)compared with the control group(–2.0%±6.7%,P=0.009).Conclusion Qifangfeixian granules can improve not only the pulmonary fibrosis of BLM-induced model mice but also the pulmonary function of patients with ILD in practice,and their clinical efficacy is accurate.
文摘The current investigation focuses on intertwined relationships of ecology and aquaculture for the benefit of farmers involved in fish farming practices.The study evaluated glucosinolate reduction in black,brown,and white mustard meals as fish feed ingredients for Indian Major Carps.Fish were fed with 10%mustard meal-supplemented diets in three forms:Raw(R),Anti-nutritional Rich(AR),and Anti-nutritional Lowered(AL),alongside a control group using floating feed.The three-month indoor experiment(September-November 2023)was conducted in FRP tanks with triplicate treatments.Blood analysis revealed compromised health in AR-fed carps,with reduced hemoglobin levels in rohu,catla and mrigal and elevated total leukocyte counts indicating inflammation in all the three carps studied here.Liver function was impaired in AR-fed fish,shown by increased alanine transaminase levels,highest in rohu followed by mrigal and catla.Histopathological examination of AR-fed carps liver tissue revealed necrotic spots,deformed hepatocytes,and significant vacuolation.In contrast,AL-fed fish demonstrated improved health parameters through Complete Blood Count analysis,liver function tests,and histo-pathological observations,suggesting successful reduction of anti-nutritional factors in the processed mustard meals.In near future,replacement of unprocessed seed meal with processed seed meal will lead to economic gains in fish farming.
文摘BACKGROUND Insulin resistance is a cardiometabolic risk factor characterized by elevated insulin levels.It is associated with fatty liver disease and elevated liver function tests(LFT)in cross-sectional studies,but data from cohort studies are scarce.AIM To investigate the association between insulin and pathological LFT,liver disease,and cirrhosis in a populationbased retrospective cohort study.METHODS Anthropometric and cardiometabolic factors of 857 men and 1228 women from prospective cohort studies were used.LFT were obtained at two time points 8 years to 24 years after baseline.Liver disease diagnoses were obtained from nationwide registries.The association between insulin levels and the development of elevated LFT or liver disease and cirrhosis was analyzed.RESULTS Total follow-up was 54054 person-years for women and 27556 person-years for men.Insulin levels were positively correlated with elevated LFT during follow-up,whereas physical activity and coffee consumption were negatively correlated.Individuals with both insulin levels in the upper tertile and alcohol consumption above MASLD thresholds had an increased risk for both liver disease,adjusted hazard ratio(aHR)of 4.3(95%CI:1.6-14.6)and cirrhosis(aHR=4.8,95%CI:1.6-14.6).CONCLUSION This population-based study provides evidence that high insulin levels are a risk factor for development of elevated liver enzymes and clinically manifest liver disease.The results support the concept of metabolic dysfunction associated liver disease.
基金Liu’s research was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Sun Yat-sen University(31610030)Deng’s research was supported by the NSFC(11971042,12071035)the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFA1002600).
文摘We explore some necessary and sufficient conditions for the boundedness of the Forelli-Rudin type operator T on the weighted Lebesgue space associated with tubular domains over the forward light cone.Our approach involves conducting precise computations for a series of complex integrals to identify appropriate test functions,and through a detailed analysis of these test functions,we derive the boundedness properties of the operator T.This work is significant in the study of the Bergman projection operators.
