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Objective:To automatically and rapidly detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in an objective manner using natural language processing (NLP).Methods:A total of 215 participants (half female) aged 50 to 80 were recruited for the study′s normal cognition and MCI groups. Speech tasks and the mini mental state examination (MMSE-2) were used to collect audio data and quantify cognitive functioning. Altogether 162 acoustic features were extracted including the speaking speed, syllable number, syllable duration, number of pauses, duration of pauses, the standard deviation of formant frequency and sound pressure variation. They were compared between the two groups and genders. Multiple regression analysis was used to formulate a model predicting MCI. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of its predictions were used to evaluate its predictive power.Results:There were significant differences between the two groups in 50 acoustic features including their pronunciation rhythm and pronunciation accuracy. Univariate correlation analysis revealed that the pronunciation rhythm was significantly associated with cognitive functioning. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the model were 0.54, 0.80 and 0.69 for males and 0.00, 0.86 and 0.63 for females.Conclusion:MCI greatly affects pronunciation rhythm. Acoustic analysis based on NLP can detect MCI rapidly and objectively.
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Objective:To explore the characteristics of urodynamic parameters of children with different lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) but without neurogenic or organic diseases, thus providing references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment.Method:Clinical data of LUTS children without neurogenic or organic diseases who underwent urodynamic tests in the Department of Urology, Beijing Children′s Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 70 LUTS children aged 5-12 years were recruited, involving 46 males and 24 females with the median age of 9.0 (7.0, 10.0) years.According to the main symptoms of LUTS, patients were divided into 4 groups: urinary frequency and urgency group, urinary incontinence group, enuresis group and others.All children underwent urodynamic tests, including noninvasive uroflow rate/pelvic floor electromyography and urethral catheterization cystometry.Urodynamic parameters were recorded for analysis.The results of urodynamic study were compared among urinary frequency and urgency group, urinary incontinence group and enuresis group.Results:There were no significant differences in the noninvasive uroflow rate and post-voiding resi-dual volume among the three groups.Contractions of pelvic floor muscles during urination in children with abnormal urine flow curve were more often observed than those with normal urine flow curve ( 17/38 cases vs.2/32 cases, χ2=13.012, P<0.05). The contractions in children with staccato-shaped curve were more often observed than those with plateau-shaped curve (13/22 cases vs.3/14 cases, χ2=36.000, P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the main invasive urodynamic parameters of storage and emptying phase among the three groups.The bladder compliance of children with detrusor overactivity (DO) was lower than those without DO [12.64(9.00, 21.11) mL/cmH 2O vs.32.22(21.81, 97.75) mL/cmH 2O, 1 cmH 2O=0.098 kPa, Z=-26.333, P<0.001]. The maximum urethral static pressure of children with enuresis was higher than those with urinary frequency and urgency, and urinary incontinence [(120.00±20.69) cmH 2O vs.(81.17±28.09) cmH 2O vs.(69.59±22.19) cmH 2O, F=12.170, P<0.05]. The maximum urethral closed pressure of children with enuresis was higher than those with urinary frequency and urgency, and urinary incontinence [(109.86±41.94) cmH 2O vs.(62.41±26.71) cmH 2O vs.(58.09±20.49) cmH 2O, F=11.804, P<0.05]. Conclusions:Urodynamic abnormalities are common in LUTS children without neurogenic or organic diseases.Urodynamic tests can be applied to identify the types and distributions of potential urodynamic abnormalities, and to guide the treatment and reflect curative effect.DO and decreased bladder compliance are the most common urodynamic abnormalities, which should be monitored and treated in time.
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Objective@#To verify the diagnostic value of adenosine deaminase (ADA) for tuberculous pleural effusion. @*Methods@#Forty-three cases with tuberculous pleural effusion and 163 cases with non-tuberculous pleural effusion were consecutively collected. The concentration of ADA in pleural effusion was determined by enzyme kinetics. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis curve was used to calculate the optimal cut-off value of ADA for diagnosing tuberculous pleural effusion based on the control groups with non-tuberculous pleural effusion. Meanwhile, the specificity and sensitivity of ADA level for diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion were compared with previous reports. @*Results@#The concentration of ADA in tuberculous pleural effusion (median 52.5 U/L) was significantly higher than that in non-tuberculous pleural effusion (median 9.8 and 10.6 U/L) (P＜0.05). With a cut-off level for ADA of 25 U/L, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 88.0% and 91.0%, respectively. A system review analyzed data from 17 studies with QUADAS score ≥10 points and revealed the cut-off value of ADA to be （28.1±12.8） U/L (range 10.2 to 55.8 U/L) with a sensitivity of 89% (95%CI: 87% to 91%) and a specificity of 89% (95%CI: 88% to 91%). @*Conclusion@#The specificity and sensitivity of ADA for diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusions should be up to over 85%, while the cut-off value of ADA from different literature reports were diverse.
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Objective To summarize the management of immature testicular teratomas in children.Methods The clinical data of 19 children (age between 16 days to 13 months) with immature testicular teratomas were retrospectively analyzed.There were 10 cases in left and 9 cases in right side.The main presentation was painless scrotal mass.The size of the tumor was 1.5 cm × 1.2 cm × 0.5 cm-6.0 cm × 5.0 cm × 4.5 cm.Abnormal alpha fetopmtein (AFP)concentrations were detected in 17 patients before surgery.Results Testis-sparing surgeries were done in 11 patients,and the other 8 patients underwent testicle resection because of tumor severely invading testis.Fifteen cases were followed up for 1-10 years.All of them were alive.Conclusions Immature testicular teratomas was rare and almost presenting in children younger than 1 year old.The biological behavior of immature testicular teratomas in children was benign.Testicular-sparing surgery was possible.Close follow-up should be done postoperatively.
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OBJECTIVE:To study the antioxidant activity in vitro of neutral polysaccharides and its graded component from 3samples of white ginseng and red ginseng. METHODS:The decoction method was used to extract the crude polysaccharides fromwhite ginseng,100 ℃ and 120 ℃ processed red ginseng;the crude polysaccharides were further separated through ion exchangecolumn to extract neutral polysaccharides;Sephadex G-75 gels filter column was used to grade the neutral polysaccharides accordingto the molecular weight,antioxidant activity in vitro of 9 samples in 3 neutral polysaccharides and were detected by DPPH andOH free radical scavenging test and reduction capacity test(FRAP value),and vitamin C was used as positive control. RESULTS:The 3 neutral polysaccharides all obtained component Ⅰ and component Ⅱ after grading. Neutral polysaccharides and its gradedcomponent showed certain antioxidant activity in vitro in a certain concentration range,and increased by concentration increasing.The activity of neutral polysaccharides and component Ⅱ from 120 ℃ processed red ginseng was the strongest,of which 50% inhibitoryconcentration(IC50)on DPPH free radical was 0.258 g/L and 0.253 g/L,on OH free radical was 7.157 g/L and 6.845g/L,FRAP values were 2.8 and 3.0 mmol/L(when concentration was 1.2 g/L),respectively. CONCLUSIONS:The antioxidant activityin vitro from 120 ℃ processed red ginseng is higher than that of 100 ℃ processed red ginseng and white ginseng,in whichcomponent Ⅱ makes important contribution to the antioxidant activity.
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ObjectiveTo approach the regulatory mechanism of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) on the expression of E-selectin in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC).Methods Homeobox A9 (HOXA9) siRNA was transfected to HUVEC at logarithmic phase, real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time qPCR) and Western Blot were used to determine the HOXA9 mRNA expression and protein expressions; a blank control group and a nonsilence negative control group were set. HUVEC stable transfected with pRNA-u6.1/Neo-HMGB1 shRNA plasmids (HUVEC with low-expression HMGB1) was obtained, and HOXA9 and E-selectin mRNA expressions were determined with real-time qPCR; a nonsilence transfection group served as the negative control. The HOXA9 siRNA was transfected to HUVEC with low-expression HMGB1 as co-transfection group, and the E-selectin expressions was determined with real-time qPCR; a HMGB1 shRNA group and a HOXA9 nonsilence group served as control.Results① HOXA9 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT) and protein expression (integralA value) in blank control group were 1.094±0.115 and 1.031±0.060. Compared with nonsilence transfection group, HOXA9 siRNA transfection group could significantly reduced mRNA and protein expression of HOXA9 [HOXA9 mRNA (2-ΔΔCT): 0.257±0.030 vs. 1.035±0.091,t = 14.010,P = 0.002; HOXA9 protein (integralA value): 0.278±0.042 vs. 0.975±0.014,t = 27.310, P = 0.002].② Compared with nonsilence transfection group, HMGB1 shRNA transfection could up-regulate HOXA9 mRNA expression in HUVEC (2-ΔΔCT: 2.519±0.278 vs. 0.856±0.063,t = 10.100,P = 0.001), also could down-regulate E-selectin mRNA expression (0.311±0.046 vs. 1.080±0.201,t = 7.415,P = 0.000).③ Compared with HOXA9 nonsilence group and HMGB1 shRNA group, HMGB1 shRNA and HOXA9 siRNA co-transfected HUVEC cells could significantly elevate E-selectin mRNA expression (2-ΔΔCT: 3.445±0.428 vs. 1.085±0.212, 1.004±0.104,t1 = 8.507, t2 = 9.603, bothP< 0.001).Conclusion HMGB1 may regulate E-selectin expression through the HOXA9 regulation in HUVEC.
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Objective To investigate the efficacy of scalp acupuncture plus moxibustion in treating post-stroke should hand syndrome. Method Seventy-three patients were divided into two groups. the treatment group of 42 patients received scalp acupuncture plus moxibustion and the control group, conventional acupuncture. The therapeutic effects and pre-and post-treatment Fugl-Meyer upper limb motor function scores were compared between the two groups. Result The total efficacy rate was 88.1%in the treatment group and 74.2%in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.01). The total efficacy rate was higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The Fugl-Meyer upper limb motor function score increased in both groups after treatment (P＜0.01). The posttreatment Fugl-Meyer upper limb motor function score was higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P＜0.01). Conclusion The results suggest that scalp acupuncture plus moxibustion has a better therapeutic effect on post-stroke should hand syndrome. The therapeutic effect is better in the patients with disease duration under six months than in those over six months.
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Objective To evaluate an immunochemiluminescence assay for human plasma B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP),and to investigate the reference interval of BNP in healthy Chinese.Methods EDTA anti-coagulant plasmas from 421 healthy volunteers(202 men and 219 women) were included.BNP was measured with Triage BNP kit developed by Biosite on the Beckman Coulter Access II.Referring to the EP documents,a series of tests were designed to investigate the assay′s linearity,detection limit,sensitivity,precision,interference factors,and BNP′s stability under different storage conditions.Results The assay had a linearity of 15~5 040 ng/L,and the detection limit was 9.2 ng/L.The concentration at 10% of CV was 30 ng/L.There was no obvious interference in the assay when bilirubin was 75 years old persons was 100.7 ng/L.Conclusion The immunochemiluminescence assay for human BNP is highly sensitive.The characteristic of its wide detection linearity,precision,and anti-interference ability meets the clinical requirement.We recommend that the 97.5% percentile be a reference interval;when the age is 55 years old,the value is