Interactive Fibre Structure Visualization of the Heart

The heart consists of densely packed muscle fibres. The orientation of these fibres can be acquired by using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) ex vivo. A good way to visualize the fibre structure in a cross section of the heart is by showing short line segments originating from the cross section and aligned with the local direction of the fibres. If the line segments are placed dense enough, one can see how the fibre orientations change. However, generation of the line segments takes time and thus the user has to wait for new geometry to be generated when the plane defining the cross section is changed. We present a new direct rendering method for the visualization of the 3D vector field in a 2D user‐definable cross section of a heart. On the intersection of the plane with the vector field, the full 3D vectors are rendered as 3D line segments with a local ray casting approach. No preprocessing of the data is needed and no geometry is generated. This technique allows a fast inspection of the data to identify interesting areas where further analysis is necessary (e.g. quantification or generation of streamlines). We also show how the technique is generalized to other glyph shapes than line segments by implementing ellipsoids.     

基于 LabVIEW2011 对心音信号 CWT 滤波的实现

目的：为除去杂波,同时克服sn叮对分辨率的限制,提高心音分析的准确性和实时性。方法：引入CWT滤波的理论,基于该理论构造算法,利用LabVIEW2011编程在应用上进行实现。结果：利用CWT滤波的方法成功对杂波滤除。结论：采用上述方法能够实现对于心音信号优化处理。     

Physiological responses to simulated firefighter exercise protocols in varying environments

For decades, research to quantify the effects of firefighting activities and personal protective equipment on physiology and biomechanics has been conducted in a variety of testing environments. It is unknown if these different environments provide similar information and comparable responses. A novel Firefighting Activities Station, which simulates four common fireground tasks, is presented for use with an environmental chamber in a controlled laboratory setting. Nineteen firefighters completed three different exercise protocols following common research practices. Simulated firefighting activities conducted in an environmental chamber or live-fire structures elicited similar physiological responses (max heart rate: 190.1 vs 188.0 bpm, core temperature response: 0.047°C/min vs 0.043°C/min) and accelerometry counts. However, the response to a treadmill protocol commonly used in laboratory settings resulted in significantly lower heart rate (178.4 vs 188.0 bpm), core temperature response (0.037°C/min vs 0.043°C/min) and physical activity counts compared with firefighting activities in the burn building.

Practitioner Summary: We introduce a new approach for simulating realistic firefighting activities in a controlled laboratory environment for ergonomics assessment of fire service equipment and personnel. Physiological responses to this proposed protocol more closely replicate those from live-fire activities than a traditional treadmill protocol and are simple to replicate and standardise.     

Physiological and cognitive responses when riding an electrically assisted bicycle versus a classical bicycle

The present study compared the physiological responses and the subsequent cognitive performance when riding an electrically assisted (EB) versus a classical (CB) bicycle. Oxygen uptake, heart rate and leg extensor muscles electromyographic (EMG) activity were recorded in 10 subjects during a 30-min intermittent cycling exercise performed with EB versus CB. Cognitive performance was evaluated by a mail sorting test, performed at rest and after each cycling session. Averaged oxygen uptake and heat rate were significantly (P < 0.05) lower during EB cycling than during CB cycling. The EMG activities of the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris and gastrocnemius medialis muscles were significantly (P < 0.001) greater during CB cycling than during EB cycling. The time to complete the mail sorting test was significantly (P < 0.05) shorter after EB cycling than after CB cycling. Because EB cycling reduced muscle strains and physiological stress, it might offer benefits for those using bicycles in their work, such as postal workers and police officers. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study compared physiological and cognitive responses when riding an electrically assisted versus a classical bicycle. The results showed that the electrically assisted bicycle led to reduced muscle strains and physiological stress and, therefore, might offer benefits for those using bicycles in their work, such as postal workers and police officers.     

基于FPGA的心音信号采集

设计了基于FPGA的心音采集系统,该系统包括高性能的心音传感器、预处理电路、A/D转换电路和串口通信电路。传感器将心音信号转换成电信号,通过预处理电路的放大和滤波,再经过A/D转换电路送到FPGA,FPGA把现场采集到的数据及时可靠地传递给PC。实验结果表明,该系统能无创、快速、廉价地采集心音信号。     

Effect of FTY720 and ICAM-1 mAb mono and combination therapy in cardiac allo-transplantation in rats

Objective To observe the effect of FTY720 and ICAM-1 mAb mono and combination therapy in cardiac silo-transplantation in rats. Methods Rats were randomly assigned to 9 groups, heart allo-transplantation were performed in abdominal site with micro-surgical technique. Recipients with allografts were treated with different doses of FTY720 and(or) ICAM-1 mAb. Graft survival, histopathology andlevel of serum IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10were investigated. Results Low doses of FTY720 (lmg/kg) combined with ICAM-1 mAb achieved synergistic effect in the prolongation of cardiac graft survival, combination index(CD =0.67. Conclusion Concomitant therapy of FTY720 and ICAM-1 mAb achieved a synergistic effect in the prolongation of heart allograft survival in rats.     

Increased Vulnerability to Stress Following Opiate Exposures: Behavioral and Autonomic Correlates.

The authors used rats to study the impact of a history of opiate exposures on behavioral and autonomic responses to restraint stress. Brief restraint (30 min) provoked tachycardia and a pressor response, anxiety (as indexed by social interaction), grooming, and reduced exploration. The pressor response was reduced at 1 day, but not 7 days, after last opiate exposure; tachycardia was unaffected (Experiment 1). Stress-induced anxiety was potentiated 1 and 7 days after last opiate exposure (Experiment 2), and this potentiation was a function of dose (Experiment 3) and duration (Experiment 4) of opiate exposure. The results show that a history of opiate exposures alters vulnerability to stress and has implications for understanding coping, anxiety, and emotionality in former opiate users. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beyond the "Self in Self-Efficacy: Spouse Confidence Predicts Patient Survival Following Heart Failure.

Ratings of patient efficacy to manage illness, made by 191 congestive heart failure patients and their spouses, were examined as predictors of patients' survival over the next 4 years. When considered alone, both the patient's self-efficacy and the spouse's confidence ratings predicted survival, but only spouse confidence remained significant when both partners" efficacy ratings were included in the same Cox regression model. The overlapping prognostic significance of spouse confidence and a global, multicomponent measure of marital quality positioned the former as a proxy for the latter, reflecting a fundamentally social protective factor in patient survival. Successful adaptation to heart failure appears to involve more than the patient's personal agency, and psychosocial data from spouses can improve prediction of patient outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An experimental evaluation of psychophysical criteria for repetitive lifting work

Two experiments were performed to test the reliability and validity of psychophysically determined maximum acceptable workloads for setting lifting standards. The perceived workload in a repetitive diagonal lifting task was found to be a positively accelerated function of the weight lifted and of the work pace respectively. A twofold increase in objective workload resulted in a four- to fivefold increase in perceived workload. This relation was independent of previous occupational experience of lifting work. The psychophysically assessed maximum acceptable workloads for this type of lifting task appeared to be satisfactorily reproducible when subjects had to adjust work pace or when they were left free to adjust both the weight and the work pace. However, the results raised several questions concerning the applicability of the psychophysical assessment of maximum acceptable lifting work. Slight changes in the instructions given to the subjects had a definite effect on the selection of workloads. Furthermore, the workloads selected by subjects with previous occupational experience of lifting work — i e, warehouse workers — were systematically lower than those selected by subjects without such previous experience — i e, office employees. At the same time, the warehouse workers rated perceived exertion higher than the office employees, indicating that previous occupational experience of lifting work enhanced the subjective assessment of physical effort. There were no consistent relations between the workloads found acceptable by the subjects and their physical characteristics and performance capacity.     

多传感节点生理信息检测系统设计

本设计主要对人体体温、心率和血氧值进行提取分析,对系统组成中的电源模块、光源驱动模块和光电接收模块、红外温度模块、心电信号提取模块和无线传输模块进行了硬件设计.采用过采样技术对心电信号进行提取,提高了信号的稳定性和连续性.实验结果表明,该设计电路结构简单,稳定性好,测量精度高,功耗低,能够满足日常监测要求.