Electrochemical skin conductance and heart rate variability in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is very common now and associates with high overall and cardiovascular mortality. Numerous studies have reported that Heart rate variability (HRV) could also be used to detect cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction (CAD). We investigated the association of electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) of EZSCAN results with HRV in non-dialysis CKD patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we enrolled 248 prevalent non-dialysis CKD patients. Patients underwent a 24-h Holter (CB-2302-A, Bio Instrument, China). A time domain analysis of HRV was performed, and the following parameters were obtained: SDNN, SDANN, rMSSD, pNN50. EZSCAN device (Impeto Medical, Paris, France) measures ESC values of each participants. Mean global skin conductance computed as 0.5 * (reflecting (right + left hand)/2 + (right and left foot)/2). Log transforms data into a normal distribution for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were 142 males and 106 females included in the present study. Patients' age was 56.6±17.08 years. Logarithm(Log) (global ESC) was independently predicted by age (P<0.01), hypertension history, estimated Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and log SDNN (P<0.05). While log SDANN, rMSSD and pNN50 were not independent predictors for log (global ESC). CONCLUSION: Increased global ESC significantly associated with elevated HRV, specifically SDNN in non-dialysis CKD patients. This suggested that global ESC may appear to be an important predictor of CAD, and even could be used as a cardiovascular risk factor in non-dialysis CKD patients.

Effect of total parathyroidectomy in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy, feasibility, and safety of total parathyroidectomy (tPTX) in the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). METHODS: The clinical data of 34 SHPT patients admitted to the Department of Nephrology, Yuxi People's Hospital, from January 2018 to January 2021 who had received tPTX, were retrospectively analyzed. The indications for tPTX were severe SHPT that did not respond to medical treatment and was ineligible for kidney transplantation. tPTX without autotransplantation was adopted to compare the level of symptom relief and changes in serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), blood calcium, and blood phosphorus pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: In 34 patients, 142 parathyroid glands were removed, including 21 ectopic parathyroid glands (14.78%). Six patients (17.64%, 6/34) had supernumerary parathyroid glands. At 6 h postoperatively, arthralgia and bone pain were significantly reduced to almost zero in 94.12% (32/34) of patients. At 24 h postoperatively, relief of bone pain and improvement of limb movement were observed in 100% (34/34) of patients, and pruritus almost disappeared in 86.36% (19/22) of patients. There were significant differences in iPTH (χ2 = 134.93, P < 0.05), calcium (χ2 = 23.02, P < 0.05), and phosphorus (χ2 = 102.11, P < 0.05) levels preoperatively and 40 min, 24 h, 1 week, half a year, and last available (> 1 year) postoperatively. The patients were followed up for 15-47 months (median 33 months). Hypoparathyroidism was observed in three patients, who underwent neck dissection or partial thymotomy concurrently for different reasons. No intractable hypocalcemia or adynamic bone disease occurred during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: In SHPT patients who were ineligible for renal transplantation, tPTX was effective, safe, and reliable, with a low recurrence rate. However, when tPTX was performed alone without autologous transplantation, bilateral neck exploration was sufficient, and central neck dissection and thymic resection were inadvisable.

Distributed multi-UAV cooperation for dynamic target tracking optimized by an SAQPSO algorithm.

Real-time tracking of the dynamic intrusion targets consists of two crucial factors: the path forecast of the target and real-time path optimization of multi-UAV target tracking. For the first one, the uncertainty of the target trajectory is an obstacle to realizing real-time tracking. Thus a trajectory prediction method is proposed in this paper to ensure the sampling period of the target. Owing to the poor prediction accuracy of the single-step trajectory, a multi-step Unscented Kalman Filter (MUKF) is proposed to forecast its multi-step trajectory further in different regions. For the second one, there are two problems: poor optimization accuracy of the tracking trajectory and larger local optimization deviation, which will cause failure of the regional tracking. Under this circumstance, a hybrid algorithm called SAQPSO is proposed, combining the specific mechanism of two intelligence algorithms. The annealing mechanism in the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm is used to modify the Quantum Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO) algorithm. Then the characteristic of quantum particles is used to update the population and enhance global searchability. Furthermore, to testify the effectiveness of the trajectory optimization algorithm and related target prediction method, a specific simulation environment is given as an example, in which the tracking trajectories of eight different algorithms are compared. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Online fault diagnosis for sucker rod pumping well by optimized density peak clustering.

Online diagnosis for sucker rod pumping well has great significances for rapidly grasping operations of the oil well. Feature extraction of the working condition and determination of the online diagnostic algorithm are two indispensable parts. In this paper, five feature vectors are extracted using Freeman chain codes. Then, an optimized density peak clustering (DPC) method is proposed to realize online diagnosis solved by an improved brain storm optimization (BSO) algorithm, in which the cloud model is adopted to generate new solutions in the searching space. During the online diagnosis process, a new cluster updating strategy is used to update the cluster centers online. According to the proposed online diagnostic method, various samples are automatically classified into different classifications by the unsupervised learning. The simulation results verify that the proposed online diagnosis method is satisfactory, which can give a higher and more stable diagnostic accuracy.

Effects of active vitamin D on insulin resistance and islet ß-cell function in non-diabetic chronic kidney disease patients: a randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to observe the effects of active vitamin D supplementation on insulin resistance and islet ß-cell function (HOMA-ß) in patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (NDCKD). METHODS: A total of 134 patients with NDCKD who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the prospective controlled study and categorized as such: 60 patients in the non-dialysis (ND) group; 36, hemodialysis (HD) group; and 38, peritoneal dialysis (PD) group. Each group was divided into two equal-numbered subgroups for vitamin D supplementation. Those in the experimental subgroups received calcitriol 0.5 ug/day orally, and were followed-up for 6 months. A total of 117 patients were followed-up, including 57 patients in the ND group; 29, HD group; and 31, PD group. Changes in the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and HOMA-ß index were calculated and compared at the time of enrollment and after 1, 3, and 6 months of intervention. RESULTS: (1) Mean HOMA-IR value: In the ND group, mean HOMA-IR value of the experimental group significantly decreased compared with that of the control group after 3 months of intervention (P = 0.02). In the HD and PD groups, there was no statistical difference between the experimental and control groups (P > 0.05). (2) Mean HOMA-ß index: In the ND group, mean HOMA-ß index of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group after 1 month of active vitamin D treatment (P = 0.03), and, with an extended intervention time, the index gradually increased (P < 0.001). In the HD group, mean HOMA-ß index of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group after 3 months of active vitamin D treatment (P = 0.01). Among PD patients, mean HOMA-ß index of the patients in the experimental group was higher than that of the control group after 6 months of active vitamin D treatment (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Active vitamin D supplementation improved insulin resistance and HOMA-ß after 6 months in ND patients, but only improved HOMA-ß in the dialysis patients, with no significant effect on insulin resistance.

Laser-Generated Leaky Acoustic Wave Imaging for Interventional Guidewire Guidance.

Ultrasound (US) is widely used to visualize both tissue and the positions of surgical instruments in real time during surgery. Previously we proposed a new method to exploit US imaging and laser-generated leaky acoustic waves (LAWs) for needle visualization. Although successful, that method only detects the position of a needle tip, with the location of the entire needle deduced from knowing that the needle is straight. The purpose of the current study was to develop a beamforming-based method for the direct visualization of objects. The approach can be applied to objects with arbitrary shapes, such as the guidewires that are commonly used in interventional guidance. With this method, illumination by a short laser pulse generates photoacoustic waves at the top of the guidewire that propagate down its metal surface. These waves then leak into the surrounding tissue, which can be detected by a US array transducer. The time of flight consists of two parts: 1) the propagation time of the guided waves on the guidewire and 2) the propagation time of the US that leaks into the tissue. In principle, an image of the guidewire can be formed based on array beamforming by taking the propagation time on the metal into consideration. Furthermore, we introduced directional filtering and a matched filter to compress the dispersion signal associated with long propagation times. The results showed that guidewires could be detected at depths of at least 70 mm. The maximum detectable angle was 56.3°. LAW imaging with a 1268-mm-long guidewire was also demonstrated. The proposed method has considerable potential in new clinical applications.

Synthesis, characterization and applications of copper(II) complexes with Schiff bases derived from chitooligosaccharide and iodosubstituted salicylaldehyde.

Cu(II) complexes with Schiff bases derived from chitooligosaccharide and iodosubstituted salicylaldehyde (I-SCOS) were synthesized and characterized by EA, ICP, FTIR and SEM. The Cu(II) was coordinated by the imino N atoms and phenolic hydroxyl O atoms from I-SCOS. The antimicrobial activities of I-SCOS and their Cu(II) complexes were investigated against Enterobacter cloacae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. The results indicated that the introduction of the iodosubstituted and the imine groups of Schiff bases increased the antimicrobial activity of I-SCOS and exhibited a superposition effect of molecular structure. The coordination interaction between I-SCOS and Cu(II) further enhanced the antimicrobial activities. The scavenging superoxide anion radical activity of I-SCOS derivatives was estimated by using NBT/VB2/methionine superoxide anion radical producing system. When the concentration of the complexes was more than 0.3 mg/mL, their antioxidant activity was higher than that of I-SCOS.

Effects of tumor metabolic microenvironment on regulatory T cells.

Recent studies have shown that on one hand, tumors need to obtain a sufficient energy supply, and on the other hand they must evade the body's immune surveillance. Because of their metabolic reprogramming characteristics, tumors can modify the physicochemical properties of the microenvironment, which in turn affects the biological characteristics of the cells infiltrating them. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a subset of T cells that regulate immune responses in the body. They exist in large quantities in the tumor microenvironment and exert immunosuppressive effects. The main effect of tumor microenvironment on Tregs is to promote their differentiation, proliferation, secretion of immunosuppressive factors, and chemotactic recruitment to play a role in immunosuppression in tumor tissues. This review focuses on cell metabolism reprogramming and the most significant features of the tumor microenvironment relative to the functional effects on Tregs, highlighting our understanding of the mechanisms of tumor immune evasion and providing new directions for tumor immunotherapy.

Serum endocan and circadian heart rate variability in non-dialysis stage 5 chronic kidney disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is very common now and is associated with high overall and cardiovascular mortality. Numerous studies have reported that elevated heart rate (HR) is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. We investigated the link between serum endocan and circadian heart rate variability in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we enrolled 54 prevalent n non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients (32 males, aged 48.2 ± 14.92 years). HR was measured with an automatic system. Serum endocan level was analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS: Night/day HR ratio was independently predicted by serum endocan level (P < 0.01) and hypertension history (P < 0.05). Adjusted R2 of the model was 0.222. CONCLUSION: Increased serum endocan is significantly associated with circadian heart rate variability in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients. Further investigation is needed to explore the potential benefits of serum endocan lowering therapy in this patient group.

Hydrothermal Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Interaction Mechanism with DNA of Copper(II) Complex Containing 2,2'-Bipyridine.

A Cu(II) complex [Cu(bipy)(H2O)2(SO4)] n (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine) was synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized structurally by elemental analyses, single crystal X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra, and thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The Cu(II) was hexacoordinated by two N atoms from bipy, two O atoms from different sulfate radical anions, and two O atoms from two water molecules, forming a slightly distorted octahedral geometry, and bridged by sulfato groups into polymeric chains. Under the condition of physiological pH, the interaction mechanism between the complex and hsDNA was explored with acridine orange as a fluorescence probe by spectroscopic methods. The binding modes between the complex and hsDNA were the electrostatic and embedded modes.

Sagittal abdominal diameter and Framingham risk score in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is very common now and is associated with high overall and cardiovascular mortality. Numerous studies have reported that abdominal obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. We investigated the link between sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and Framingham risk score in non-dialysis CKD patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we enrolled 307 prevalent non-dialysis CKD patients (175 males, aged 50.7 ± 17.04 years). SAD and Framingham risk score were measured. RESULTS: Framingham cardiovascular disease risk score was independently predicted by SAD (P < 0.01), GFR (P < 0.01) and diabetic history (P < 0.05). Adjusted R2 of the model was 0.178. SAD could be independently predicted by BMI (P < 0.01), diabetic history (P < 0.01), GFR (P < 0.01) and age (P < 0.01). Adjusted R2 of the model was 0.409. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, a cutoff SAD value of 16.55 cm was determined with sensitivity of 63.7%, specificity of 58.3%. CONCLUSION: Elevated SAD is significantly associated with increased Framingham risk score in non-dialysis CKD patients. SAD can be predicted by patients' BMI, diabetic history, renal function and age. Further investigation is needed to explore the potential benefits of central obesity lowering therapy in this patient group.

Laser Generated Leaky Acoustic Waves for Needle Visualization.

Ultrasound (US)-guided needle operation is usually used to visualize both tissue and needle position such as tissue biopsy and localized drug delivery. However, the transducer-needle orientation is limited due to reflection of the acoustic waves. We proposed a leaky acoustic wave method to visualize the needle position and orientation. Laser pulses are emitted on top of the needle to generate acoustic waves; then, these acoustic waves propagate along the needle surface. Leaky wave signals are detected by the US array transducer. The needle position can be calculated by phase velocities of two different wave modes and their corresponding emission angles. In our experiments, a series of needles was inserted into a tissue mimicking phantom and porcine tissue to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method. The results show that the detection depth is up to 51 mm and the insertion angle is up to 40° with needles of different diameters. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach outperforms the conventional B-mode US-guided needle operation in terms of the detection range while achieving similar accuracy. The proposed method reveals the potentials for further clinical applications.

[Effects of Runing Recipe II on expressions of p53 and ras oncogene proteins and cell cycle of the transplanted Ca761 breast cancer in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanisms of Runing Recipe II (a recipe composed of traditional Chinese herbs) in inhibiting the growth of breast cancer by observing its effects on the expressions of p53 and ras oncogene proteins and cell cycle of the transplanted Ca761 breast cancer in mice. METHODS: We established the breast cancer model by transplanting Ca761 cells in mice. The mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal saline control group, CTX-treated group, Runing Recipe II-treated group, and Runing Recipe II and CTX-treated group, with 12 mice in each group. We detected the cell cycle of the cancer cells in the mice's transplanted tumor with flow cytometry and measured the expressions of p53 and ras oncogene proteins in the transplanted tumor with immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: The percentages of tumor cells in S-phase of the Runing Recipe II treated group, CTX-treated group and Runing Recipe II and CTX-treated group were significantly lower than that of the normal saline control group respectively (P<0.05). The percentage of tumor cells in G(0)-G(1) phase of the Runing Recipe II treated group was lower than that of the CTX-treated group (P<0.05), while the percentage of tumor cells in G(2)-M phase was higher than that of the CTX-treated group. The immunoreactive scores (IRSs) of p53 in the Runing Recipe II treated group and Runing Recipe II and CTX-treated group were significantly lower than that in the normal saline control group respectively (P<0.05). The effect of CTX on the expression of p53 was not significant. The IRSs of ras oncogene protein in the Recipe II-treated group, CTX-treated group and Runing Recipe II and CTX-treated group were lower than that in the normal saline control group respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Runing Recipe II can inhibit the growth of Ca761 breast cancer in mice by controlling the cell cycle of the transplanted tumor. This may be related to its effect on the gene expressions of p53 and ras in the tumor tissue.