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Objective:To evaluate the clinical application of water-filling with "four-eyes" sign under the guidance of ultrasound in nasal-jejunum intubation for critical patients.Methods:This study was a randomized controlled trial. Eighty patients who needed indwelling nasobenteric tube were selected from June 2021 to April 2022 in the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. They were divided into control group ( n=40) and experimental group ( n=40) by systemic randomization. For the patients in the experimental group, the intubation was performed by water-filling with "four-eyes" sign under the guidance of ultrasound. For the control group, the traditional method was applicated under the guidance of ultrasound. Using abdominal X-ray as the gold standard of successful pylorus posterior catheterization, the result of catheterization, time of operation, efficiency of positioning in the two groups were analyzed and compared. Results:In the experimental group, 38 cases were successfully intubated, 2 were failed; in the control group, 27 cases were successfully intubated, 13 were failed, and all the failed cases in the control group were then successfully intubated again by using method of the experimental group. The success rate of tube placement in the experimental group was 95.0% (38/40), which was higher than 67.5% (27/40) in the control group ( χ2 = 9.93, P<0.05). The average time of operation in the experimental group was (45.2 ± 14.2) min, which was significantly lower than (70.2 ± 17.7) min in the control group, the difference was significantly different ( t=-5.51, P<0.05). The specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic rate of nasal-jejunum intubation positioning in the experimental group were 100.0% respectively, higher than 38.4%, 77.7%, 72.4%, 45.4%, 65.0% in the control group; the false positive rate, false negative rate in the experimental group were both 0, lower than 22.2%, 61.5% in the control group, with statistically significant differences( χ2 values were 4.69- 16.97, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Water-filling with "four-eyes" sign under the guidance of ultrasound in nasal-jejunum intubation was a new method which can shorten the operation time and increase the success rate for intubation. It has relatively high positioning accuracy and possess valuable clinical application.
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Objective:To observe the ultrasonographic features of cervical lymph node metastasis and analyze their relationship with the expression of cell proliferation-associated nuclear antigen (Ki-67).Methods:The clinical data of 92 patients with cervical lymph node metastasis who received treatment in Zhejiang Quhua Hospital, China between June 2017 and July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation between ultrasonographic features of cervical lymph node metastasis and Ki-67 expression was analyzed.Results:Among the 92 patients, 158 metastatic lymph nodes were confirmed by pathological examination. The main ultrasonic imaging features were the length ratio of long diameter to short diameter < 2 in 119 (75.32%) lymph nodes, disappearance of portal hyperechoic signal in 127 (80.38%) lymph nodes, punctate hyperechoic signal in 108 (68.35%) lymph nodes, cystic degeneration in 57 (36.08%) lymph nodes, mixed types of peripheral blood flow signal in 124 (78.48%) lymph nodes, microcalcification in 123 (77.85%) lymph nodes. The length ratio of long diameter to short diameter < 2, punctate hyperechoic signal and mixed types of peripheral blood flow signal were correlated with high expression of Ki-67 ( χ2 = 24.252, 15.732, 17.033, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:High expression of Ki-67 is correlated with the length ratio of long diameter to short diameter < 2, punctate hyperechoic signal and mixed types of peripheral blood flow signal in cervical lymph node metastasis.
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Abstract: Thyropteridae is a family of bats endemic to the Neotropical region, and Thyroptera devivoi is the only species in the family that occurs exclusively in forest patches within savannas of northern South America and north of the Brazilian Cerrado. Primary data on the species are still scarce. Therefore, in this study our objective was to fill knowledge gaps on geographical distribution, roost-use, and echolocation for the species. We observed a T. devivoi colony of 15 individuals living under a dead palm leaf. The bats used the leaf as a roost for at least four days. After capturing one individual, we confirmed the species identification via skull size and the oblong shape of the adhesive disk. The new record reinforces the association of this species with non-forested formations, and its occurrence mainly in savannas. Echolocation calls of T. devivoi are consistent with those known for the genus, with multiharmonic, low intensity and high frequency pulses. Despite these new data, more studies are certainly needed to enhance distribution data for the species, as well as to clarify the biological and ecological requirements of the species.
Resumo: Thyropteridae é uma família de morcegos endêmica da região Neotropical e Thyroptera devivoi é a única espécie da família que ocorre exclusivamente em manchas florestais das savanas do norte de América do Sul e do Cerrado Brasileiro. Dados primários da espécie são ainda escassos e o objetivo deste estudo foi preencher lacunas de conhecimento sobre distribuição geográfica, uso de abrigos e padrões de ecolocalização da espécie. Nós observamos uma colônia de T. devivoi com 15 indivíduos vivendo sob uma folha morta de palmeira. Os morcegos usaram a folha como abrigo ao menos por quatro dias. Depois de capturar um indivíduo, nós confirmamos a identificação da espécie por meio da morfologia do crânio e do disco adesivo. O novo registro reforça a associação da espécie com formações não florestais e a ocorrência principalmente em savanas. Os chamados de ecolocalização de T. devivoi são consistentes com o conhecido para o gênero, com pulsos multi-harmônicos de baixa intensidade e alta frequência. A despeito destes novos dados, mais estudos são certamente necessários para aprimorar os dados de distribuição assim como os requerimentos biológicos da espécie.
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Las poblaciones insulares frecuentemente difieren de las continentales, en morfológica y comportamiento. Consecuentemente, utilizar características externas puede dificultar la identificación taxonómica de especies en las islas. En el Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, particularmente, ha existido controversia sobre la identidad de varias especies de murciélagos residentes. Nuestro objetivo fue determinar la identidad taxonómica de la población de Saccopteryx de esta isla, que tiene la particularidad de tener actividad diurna. Evaluamos las diferencias entre las poblaciones mediante morfometría (tradicional y geométrica) y llamados de ecolocalización. Además, debido a que las especies difieren en su sistema de apareamiento, evaluamos la conformación de los grupos en los refugios. Pese a la variación en la morfometría craneal y los llamados de ecolocalización entre las poblaciones, la población de Gorgona fue más similar a S. leptura que a S. bilineata. Las conformaciones de los grupos en los refugios sugieren un sistema monógamo como en S. leptura. Por ende, concluimos que la especie de la isla es S. leptura. Adicionalmente, la historia biogeográfica y el aislamiento geográfico de la isla sugieren que esta población puede ser diferente de sus contrapartes continentales debido al efecto fundador, deriva genética y/o adaptaciones a las condiciones ambientales locales.
Insular populations can differ from their continental counterparts since they are subject to particular pressures, biotic and abiotic, that can lead to variations in morphology and behavior; thus, the use of external characters may complicate taxonomic identification of insular populations. Even though the bat assemblage of Gorgona Island is a conservation target, there has been controversy about the taxonomic identity of bats from this Colombian National Natural Park. Specifically, our goal was to determine the taxonomic identity of the population of the sac-winged bat (genus Saccopteryx) resident in Gorgona, which have the peculiarity of having diurnal activity. Thus, we assessed differences among populations using morphometrics (traditional and geometric) and echolocation calls. Additionally, since the species of Saccopteryx involved have different mating systems, we assessed roosting association of Gorgona population as a surrogate for mating system. Despite the variation in skull morphometrics and echolocation calls among populations, Gorgona population was more similar to S. leptura than to S. bilineata. Besides, evolutionary allometry was significant, but size explained a small proportion of shape differences among populations. Finally, roosting association of Gorgona population suggests a monogamous mating system such as in S. leptura. We conclude that Saccopteryx from Gorgona corresponds to S. leptura. In addition, biogeographic history and geographic isolation of the island suggest that this population may have differentiated from their mainland counterparts through founder effect, genetic drift and/or adaptation to the local biotic and abiotic environmental conditions.
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La ecolocación es una habilidad que usaría inconscientemente la mayoría de las personas. Resulta crucial para la movilidad independiente de la persona ciega e implica utilizar sonidos autoproducidos y sus reflexiones para localizar y reconocer objetos que no se ven. Dos nuevos paradigmas han enriquecido el estudio de esta sorprendente habilidad: el del acoplamiento sensoriomotor y el de la sustitución sensorial. El primero sostiene que los sistemas perceptivo y motor constituyen procesos acoplados que requieren un insoslayable tratamiento unificado. El segundo considera que es posible ver con los oídos o con la piel en virtud de la plasticidad cerebral. En esta segunda parte se presenta la temática en el contexto teórico de la cognición corporizada y de recientes avances en neurociencias; se desarrollan además los estudios realizados en el tercer período. En esta revisión se reflejan cambios paradigmáticos en las ciencias del comportamiento y el valor científico acrecentado de la ecolocación humana.
Echolocation is an ability that can be used daily by human beings, even without being conscious of it. It turns out to be crucial to the efficient independent mobility of the blind person, an aspect that is severely affected by blindness. It implies using the information that emerges from self-produced sounds and their reflexions in order to locate and recognize unseen objects. According to the new cognitive and ecological paradigms in perception, it is believed that the primary function of the auditory system is to determinate, i.e., to localize and recognize, the characteristics of the sound source through the sounds emitted by it. Within this context, it has been very recently argued that echolocation (i.e., the ability to locate and recognize biologically relevant secondary sound sources through the information contained in the direct-reflected couple) is a variant of that general process of primary sound sources determination. Two recently established scientific paradigms have specially enriched the study of this amazing ability: the sensorimotor contingency theory and the sensory substitution perspective. The first approach claims that the perceptual and motor systems are coupling processes that demand a thoroughly unified treatment. The second approach considers that, for example, vision loss does not mean loss of the ability to see since it is possible to see with the ears or the skin. The central idea is that the information usually captured by vision may instead be captured by touch or audition, on account of brain plasticity. In this way, in echolocation (which represents a kind of 'seeing with the ears' natural sensory substitution system that is part of the human endowment) action consists of the exploratory activity that the subject carries out through self-generation of sounds and head and/or cane movements while sensation refers to certain tonal or spatial percepts related to the presence and characteristics of the objects that the subject (implicitly) learns to perceive probably as auditory Gestalts. In the first part of this article the main theoretical aspects and a revision of the studies throughout two of the three delimited periods were developed: FIRST APPROACHES (1700 - 1935) and SIENTIFIC STUDY OF HUMAN ECHOLOCATION (1940 -1980). The questions that researchers formulated during these periods were firstly concerned with discovering if blind persons actually possessed this ability, which of the sense organs was involved and which sensory stimulation was its necessary and sufficient condition. Secondly, they inquired into the scopes of echolocation and its possible underlying psychoacoustic mechanisms. The thorough investigations carried out allowed to unequivocally establishing that audition is the sensory basis of this ability and that changes in pitch are its necessary and sufficient condition. It was also demonstrated that not only blind subjects but also appropriately trained sighted subjects were able to precisely localize and recognize the characteristics of the experimental objects. In this second part, we present the object of study within the context of theories of embodied cognition and recent developments in the field of the neurosciences; we also elaborate upon studies carried out during the third period, named RECENT STUDIES, that extends from 1990 to present days. We show how the blind person with good echolocation ability becomes an excellent experimental model to study behavioral and neurophysiological aspects involved in implicit learning. The article illustrates the paradigm shifts that occurred in recent scientific history through the study of this particular human ability that, within the mentioned recent theoretical context, has acquired a renewed interest.
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La ecolocación humana es una habilidad genuina, inexplorada y vinculada con la localización de sonidos reflejados, que resulta crucial en la movilidad independiente de la persona ciega. Se inscribe en el área poco estudiada de la audición cotidiana de sonidos no verbales e implica autoproducir sonidos para obtener información (reflexiones) a fin de localizar y reconocer objetos que no se ven. Se presenta una revisión histórica de estudios realizados sobre la temática, que refleja cambios paradigmáticos del devenir científico. Las conceptualizaciones históricas de la ecolocación resultan ejemplificadoras: al comienzo se la consideraba como un fenómeno paranormal mientras que en la actualidad, se la trata como una habilidad utilizada inconscientemente por la mayoría de las personas. En esta primera parte se exponen aspectos teóricos relevantes y los estudios realizados en dos de los tres períodos en que se ha dividido esta revisión histórica. El tercer período se presenta en la segunda parte de este artículo.
Echolocation is a genuinely human though greatly unexploited ability that is closely related to the localization of reflected sounds. It is part of the scarcely studied and promising field of the percept-cognitive processes involved in everyday audition of non-verbal sounds. It implies self-producing sounds (original or direct signal) with the specific purpose of obtaining auditory information (reflected signal) to detect, locate and recognize unseen objects. This ability turns out to be crucial to the blind person's independent mobility, an aspect that is severely affected by blindness. We present an historical revision of the main studies that have been carried out on this particular phenomenon, describing the paradigm changes that occurred in scientific history. The historical conceptualizations of echolocation are specially revealing: while it was initially considered a paranormal phenomenon, a kind of sixth sense, now it is treated as an ability that could be unconsciously used by most of us. In this first part of this paper we present relevant theoretical aspects and the studies carried out during two of the three periods this historical revision has been divided in: (a) First approaches (1700 - 1935) and (b) Scientific study of human echolocation (decades from 40s to 80s). The third period, named recent studies, is developed in the second part of this article. The questions that were initially asked were concerned the explanation of which of the sense organs was involved and which sensory stimulation was the necessary and sufficient condition for this ability. Some researchers and many blind persons were inclined to look for the answer in the sense of touch, from stimuli such as differences in pressure, air currents or differences in temperature upon the skin of the face; this originated the name of facial vision with which echolocation is also known. During the 40s a vast and rigorous research program was put forward in order to elucidate the sensory basis of echolocation. Experimental subjects (blind and blindfolded sighted participants) that took part of the program had to walk through a corridor and halt at the moment they perceived the presence of an obstacle (mobile panel); then they kept on walking approaching the obstacle as near as possible without making contact (first perception and final appraisal, respectively). A series of ingenious tests was designed in which tactile or auditory input was artificially suppressed, one at a time. None of the subjects was able to perceive the object in the case of auditory input suppression. To confirm this finding, other tests were conducted in extreme conditions: for example, the subject was in another room using a telephone communication device and he / she had to perform the same task but this time it was the experimenter that walked across the corridor instead of him / her. The performance was not significantly affected in this extreme condition. In this way, it was unequivocally established that audition is the sensory basis of this particular kind of ability and that changes in pitch are its necessary and sufficient condition. Later studies inquired into the discriminatory power of echolocation and its scopes. It was demonstrated that, on the one hand, blind subjects and appropriately trained blindfolded sighted subjects were able to accurately judge the position, distance, size, material and shape of the objects. On the other hand, for the first time, research about the spontaneous generation of sounds by blind persons was carried out. It was observed that they used clicks or vocalizations to detect presence /absence of the object and continuous sibilant sounds to perceive its borders. Their performance was not significantly affected when they used artificial sounds that mimicked their own or sound signals that they had described as not preferred. Around the end of the second period the underlying psychoacoustic mechanisms were studied and two auditory fusion phenomena were postulated: repetition pitch and the precedence effect.
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Ultrasonic sensors are optimal to the guidance system for the blind.The previous ultrasonic guidance systems acquire the position information of obstacles,and transform it into audio signal or tactile vibration.The system developed in this paper,utilizing programmable gain technique and digital potentiometer,acquires the power of reflected ultrasonic as additional information,and informs the blind with modulated audio signal.In this paper,the studies on programmable gain is described detailed including the hardware structure,the software design and information post processing.