Mesoplophora Berlese,1904 and M.（Parplophora） flavida Niedbaa,1985 are reported for the first time from China.A checklist of this genus containing all valid species,distribution information and taxonomic literatures...Mesoplophora Berlese,1904 and M.（Parplophora） flavida Niedbaa,1985 are reported for the first time from China.A checklist of this genus containing all valid species,distribution information and taxonomic literatures is provided.From collecting information and morphological features,we inferred this species is a phoretic mite.展开更多
AIM: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B and C serological markers in a population of refugees living in Athens.METHODS: One hundred and thirty refugees (81 males and 49 females, mean age ±SD: 31.7±8 yea...AIM: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B and C serological markers in a population of refugees living in Athens.METHODS: One hundred and thirty refugees (81 males and 49 females, mean age ±SD: 31.7±8 years) were included in the study. The hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg),the hepatitis B virus core antibody (anti-HBc) and the hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) were detected using a third-generation immunoassay.RESULTS: Twenty individuals (15.4%) were HBsAg positive and 69 (53.1%) were anti-HBc positive. The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBc was higher among refugees from Albania and Asia (statistical significant difference, P＜0.008 and P＜0.001 respectively). The prevalence of these markers was found irrelevant to age or sex. Anti-HCV was detected in the serum of 3 individuals (2.3 %). No differences among age, sex or ethnicity regarding anti-HCV prevalence were found.CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that refugees living in Athens are an immigrant population characterized by a high incidence of HBV infection. The prevalence of HBV markers is higher among refugees from Albania and Asia. It is therefore believed that the adherence to general precautions and the initiation of HBV vaccination programs will be necessary in the future, especially in these communities.Although the prevalence of HCV infection seems to be relatively low, extended epidemiological surveys are needed to provide valid results.展开更多
This paper presents information on a portable fall detection and alerting system mainly consisting of a custom vest and a mobile smart phone. A wearable motion detection sensor integrated with tri-axial accelerometer,...This paper presents information on a portable fall detection and alerting system mainly consisting of a custom vest and a mobile smart phone. A wearable motion detection sensor integrated with tri-axial accelerometer, gyroscope and Bluetooth is built into a custom vest worn by elderly. The vest can capture the reluctant acceleration and angular velocity about the activities of daily living(ADLs) of elderly in real time. The data via Bluetooth is then sent to a mobile smart phone running a fall detection program based on k-NN algorithm. When a fall occurs the phone can alert a family member or health care center through a call or emergent text message using a built in Global Positioning System. The experimental results show that the system discriminates falls from ADLs with a sensitivity of 95%, and a specificity of 96.67%. This system can provide remote monitoring and timely help for the elderly.展开更多
AIM: To examine the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus carrier status (HBVC) and sonographic fatty liver (SFL) in Taiwan Residents adults, and to evaluate their possible interaction in inducing liver damage (LD). From ...AIM: To examine the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus carrier status (HBVC) and sonographic fatty liver (SFL) in Taiwan Residents adults, and to evaluate their possible interaction in inducing liver damage (LD). From an epidemiological viewpoint, we analyzed previous studies which indicated that fatty liver sensitizes host immune response to HBV infection and enhances liver damage.METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective analysis of health records including medical history, physical examination, abdominal sonogram, blood biochemistry and hepatic virological tests. We utilized the Student's t-test, chi-square, multivariate logistic regression and synergy index to assess risks for LD.RESULTS: Among a total of 5406 Taiwan Residents adults (mean age 46.2 years, 51.5% males), the prevalence of LD, HBVC and SFL were 12.3%, 15.1% and 33.4%, respectively; 5.1% of participants had SFL plus HBVC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male gender (odds ratio (OR) = 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.3-3.5), overweight state (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), HBVC (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 2.0-3.1) and SFL (OR = 4.2, 95% CI: 2.2-5.3) were independently associated with LD. Synergism analysis showed that the adjusted OR for LD in adults with HBVC-alone was 3.3 (95% CI: 2.4-4.6), SFL-alone, 4.7 (95% CI: 3.7-6.1) and combined HBVC and SFL, 9.5 (95% CI: 6.8-13.3); the synergy index was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.001-2.0).CONCLUSION: In Taiwan Residents adults, SFL plus HBVC have a significant synergistic association with LD.展开更多
AIM： TO determine the genotype distribution of hepatitis B virus （HBV） with a newly oligonucleotide chip assay among the HBV carriers in Eastern China. METHODS： An assay using oligonucleotide chip was developed fo...AIM： TO determine the genotype distribution of hepatitis B virus （HBV） with a newly oligonucleotide chip assay among the HBV carriers in Eastern China. METHODS： An assay using oligonucleotide chip was developed for detection of HBV genotypes in serum samples from HBV DNA-positive patients in Eastern China. This method is based on the principle of reverse hybridization with Cy5-labeled amplicons hybridizing to type-specific oligonucleotide probes that are immobilized on slides. The results of 80 randomly chosen sera were confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS： HBV genotype B, C and mixed genotype were detected in 400 serum samples, accounting for 8.3% （n = 33）, 83.2% （n = 333）, and 8.5% （n = 34）, respectively. The evaluation of the oligonucleotide assay showed 100% concordance with the amplicon phylogenetic analysis except 9 mixed genotype infections undetected by sequencing. CONCLUSION： The study indicates that HBV genotype C and B prevail in the Eastern China. It is suggested that the oligonucleotide chip is a reliable and convenient tool for the detection of HBV genotyping.展开更多
Transient elastography(TE)is a new non invasive tool for measuring liver stiffness,which is correlated to the histologic stage of liver fibrosis.Several studies in chronic liver disease(CLD)have determined a good accu...Transient elastography(TE)is a new non invasive tool for measuring liver stiffness,which is correlated to the histologic stage of liver fibrosis.Several studies in chronic liver disease(CLD)have determined a good accuracy of TE in predicting significant fibrosis and an optimal accuracy in predicting cirrhosis.Normal liver stiffness ranges between 3.3-7.8 KPa and using a cut off of 7.1 KPa,significant fibrosis and cirrhosis can be excluded with a very high negative predictive value(NPV).Positive predictive value(PPV)for the diagnosis of cirrhosis is lower using just a single scan but increases to 90% if high stiffness values are confirmed by a second independent scan.However the presence of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome slightly increases the readings and may reduce the accuracy of the test.It is uncertain if this increase is related to the presence of steatofibrosis or ifit is caused by steatosis itself.TE can be used in screening patients attending the liver clinics to identify those with signifi cant fi brosis or cirrhosis and may be particularly useful in discriminating HBV inactive carriers from chronic hepatitis B patients.TE,however,is not reliable in predicting the presence of esophageal varices in cirrhotics.Another potential indication for TE is the systematic screening of populations at high risk for CLD,such as intravenous drug users and alcoholics,but further studies are needed to determine its diagnostic accuracy in these settings.展开更多
The micro-systems used for in vivo physical inspection have many advantages over traditional methods. In order to aid diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders, a capsule is developed for GI pressure and p...The micro-systems used for in vivo physical inspection have many advantages over traditional methods. In order to aid diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders, a capsule is developed for GI pressure and pH inspection. Localization of the capsule in GI tract with time is a necessary condition for subsequent data analysis and medical diagnosis. It is also a common problem facing all in vivo mobile micro-systems. An approach of segment localization by utilizing some key points along GI tract is proposed. A portable ultrasonic detecting device was designed for this purpose. Experiments under conditions similar to GI tract were carried out and the results proved the effectiveness and reliability of this method and the device.展开更多
In order to rescue a trapped miner and clean out roadways quickly in a high gas mine shaft after a mining mishap, a special portable cold-cutting equipment is needed, the main technology parameters were calculated acc...In order to rescue a trapped miner and clean out roadways quickly in a high gas mine shaft after a mining mishap, a special portable cold-cutting equipment is needed, the main technology parameters were calculated according to the advanced cold-cutting technology of high pressure abrasive water jet and the portable mixed abrasive water jet equipment （PAWE） was designed to meet the needs of emergency rescue in high gas mine shafts. Tested the PAWE in a high gas environment, and the result shows that the maximum cutting depth of solid iron pipe is 18 mm and the recoilforce of the sprayer is 28.9 N under the conditions that actual cutting pressure is 29 MPa, starting target distance is 10 ram, cutting speed is 180 mm/min and concentration of abrasive is 32%. The course of the experiment in the high gas environment was smooth and continuous, without any explosion. The PAWE is easy to move and operate, but the nozzle which was worn badly in the sprayer should be changed every 8 minutes.展开更多
Objective:This study provides a preliminary evaluation of the usability and acceptability of a mobile application(sexual assault care algorithm,SACA).Methods:An explanatory sequential mixed methods research was used.A...Objective:This study provides a preliminary evaluation of the usability and acceptability of a mobile application(sexual assault care algorithm,SACA).Methods:An explanatory sequential mixed methods research was used.A quantitative survey was followed up by a qualitative study.A convenience sample of participants(n=4)was recruited.The research was conducted on a one-on-one basis.In the quantitative phase,a random assignment technique was used to divide four participants into two groups of two participants each.Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire(PSSUQ)and Acceptability e-Scale were used to collect quantitative data.In the qualitative phase,interview,observation,and documentation were used to collect qualitative data.Data were analyzed both quantitative and qualitatively.The qualitative data were linked with the initial quantitative data to determine how the follow-up qualitative data helped explain the initial quantitative results.Results:The quantitative results suggested that SACA has high usability(5.05±1.83)and acceptability(3.81±1.22).The qualitative results further indicate that the participants thought SACA was easy to use and useful,and most of them would recommend it to others.Areas of improvement include adding features that would calculate and validate the elapsed time since the sexual assault,adding explanations to some buttons,and providing training.Conclusions:Our findings highlight the value of using a mixed methods research design to conduct a usability and acceptability test.Nurses are more likely to adopt a new technology for their evidencebased practice when the technology is easy to use and useful and requires less time to find the right piece of guideline evidence.Individualized training needs to be designed based on users'characteristics.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30870269,J0930004)
文摘Mesoplophora Berlese,1904 and M.（Parplophora） flavida Niedbaa,1985 are reported for the first time from China.A checklist of this genus containing all valid species,distribution information and taxonomic literatures is provided.From collecting information and morphological features,we inferred this species is a phoretic mite.
文摘AIM: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B and C serological markers in a population of refugees living in Athens.METHODS: One hundred and thirty refugees (81 males and 49 females, mean age ±SD: 31.7±8 years) were included in the study. The hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg),the hepatitis B virus core antibody (anti-HBc) and the hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) were detected using a third-generation immunoassay.RESULTS: Twenty individuals (15.4%) were HBsAg positive and 69 (53.1%) were anti-HBc positive. The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBc was higher among refugees from Albania and Asia (statistical significant difference, P＜0.008 and P＜0.001 respectively). The prevalence of these markers was found irrelevant to age or sex. Anti-HCV was detected in the serum of 3 individuals (2.3 %). No differences among age, sex or ethnicity regarding anti-HCV prevalence were found.CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that refugees living in Athens are an immigrant population characterized by a high incidence of HBV infection. The prevalence of HBV markers is higher among refugees from Albania and Asia. It is therefore believed that the adherence to general precautions and the initiation of HBV vaccination programs will be necessary in the future, especially in these communities.Although the prevalence of HCV infection seems to be relatively low, extended epidemiological surveys are needed to provide valid results.
基金supported by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation under grant No. 4102005partly supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 61040039)
文摘This paper presents information on a portable fall detection and alerting system mainly consisting of a custom vest and a mobile smart phone. A wearable motion detection sensor integrated with tri-axial accelerometer, gyroscope and Bluetooth is built into a custom vest worn by elderly. The vest can capture the reluctant acceleration and angular velocity about the activities of daily living(ADLs) of elderly in real time. The data via Bluetooth is then sent to a mobile smart phone running a fall detection program based on k-NN algorithm. When a fall occurs the phone can alert a family member or health care center through a call or emergent text message using a built in Global Positioning System. The experimental results show that the system discriminates falls from ADLs with a sensitivity of 95%, and a specificity of 96.67%. This system can provide remote monitoring and timely help for the elderly.
文摘AIM: To examine the epidemiology of hepatitis B virus carrier status (HBVC) and sonographic fatty liver (SFL) in Taiwan Residents adults, and to evaluate their possible interaction in inducing liver damage (LD). From an epidemiological viewpoint, we analyzed previous studies which indicated that fatty liver sensitizes host immune response to HBV infection and enhances liver damage.METHODS: A cross-sectional retrospective analysis of health records including medical history, physical examination, abdominal sonogram, blood biochemistry and hepatic virological tests. We utilized the Student's t-test, chi-square, multivariate logistic regression and synergy index to assess risks for LD.RESULTS: Among a total of 5406 Taiwan Residents adults (mean age 46.2 years, 51.5% males), the prevalence of LD, HBVC and SFL were 12.3%, 15.1% and 33.4%, respectively; 5.1% of participants had SFL plus HBVC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male gender (odds ratio (OR) = 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.3-3.5), overweight state (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), HBVC (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 2.0-3.1) and SFL (OR = 4.2, 95% CI: 2.2-5.3) were independently associated with LD. Synergism analysis showed that the adjusted OR for LD in adults with HBVC-alone was 3.3 (95% CI: 2.4-4.6), SFL-alone, 4.7 (95% CI: 3.7-6.1) and combined HBVC and SFL, 9.5 (95% CI: 6.8-13.3); the synergy index was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.001-2.0).CONCLUSION: In Taiwan Residents adults, SFL plus HBVC have a significant synergistic association with LD.
文摘AIM： TO determine the genotype distribution of hepatitis B virus （HBV） with a newly oligonucleotide chip assay among the HBV carriers in Eastern China. METHODS： An assay using oligonucleotide chip was developed for detection of HBV genotypes in serum samples from HBV DNA-positive patients in Eastern China. This method is based on the principle of reverse hybridization with Cy5-labeled amplicons hybridizing to type-specific oligonucleotide probes that are immobilized on slides. The results of 80 randomly chosen sera were confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS： HBV genotype B, C and mixed genotype were detected in 400 serum samples, accounting for 8.3% （n = 33）, 83.2% （n = 333）, and 8.5% （n = 34）, respectively. The evaluation of the oligonucleotide assay showed 100% concordance with the amplicon phylogenetic analysis except 9 mixed genotype infections undetected by sequencing. CONCLUSION： The study indicates that HBV genotype C and B prevail in the Eastern China. It is suggested that the oligonucleotide chip is a reliable and convenient tool for the detection of HBV genotyping.
文摘Transient elastography(TE)is a new non invasive tool for measuring liver stiffness,which is correlated to the histologic stage of liver fibrosis.Several studies in chronic liver disease(CLD)have determined a good accuracy of TE in predicting significant fibrosis and an optimal accuracy in predicting cirrhosis.Normal liver stiffness ranges between 3.3-7.8 KPa and using a cut off of 7.1 KPa,significant fibrosis and cirrhosis can be excluded with a very high negative predictive value(NPV).Positive predictive value(PPV)for the diagnosis of cirrhosis is lower using just a single scan but increases to 90% if high stiffness values are confirmed by a second independent scan.However the presence of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome slightly increases the readings and may reduce the accuracy of the test.It is uncertain if this increase is related to the presence of steatofibrosis or ifit is caused by steatosis itself.TE can be used in screening patients attending the liver clinics to identify those with signifi cant fi brosis or cirrhosis and may be particularly useful in discriminating HBV inactive carriers from chronic hepatitis B patients.TE,however,is not reliable in predicting the presence of esophageal varices in cirrhotics.Another potential indication for TE is the systematic screening of populations at high risk for CLD,such as intravenous drug users and alcoholics,but further studies are needed to determine its diagnostic accuracy in these settings.
文摘The micro-systems used for in vivo physical inspection have many advantages over traditional methods. In order to aid diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders, a capsule is developed for GI pressure and pH inspection. Localization of the capsule in GI tract with time is a necessary condition for subsequent data analysis and medical diagnosis. It is also a common problem facing all in vivo mobile micro-systems. An approach of segment localization by utilizing some key points along GI tract is proposed. A portable ultrasonic detecting device was designed for this purpose. Experiments under conditions similar to GI tract were carried out and the results proved the effectiveness and reliability of this method and the device.
文摘In order to rescue a trapped miner and clean out roadways quickly in a high gas mine shaft after a mining mishap, a special portable cold-cutting equipment is needed, the main technology parameters were calculated according to the advanced cold-cutting technology of high pressure abrasive water jet and the portable mixed abrasive water jet equipment （PAWE） was designed to meet the needs of emergency rescue in high gas mine shafts. Tested the PAWE in a high gas environment, and the result shows that the maximum cutting depth of solid iron pipe is 18 mm and the recoilforce of the sprayer is 28.9 N under the conditions that actual cutting pressure is 29 MPa, starting target distance is 10 ram, cutting speed is 180 mm/min and concentration of abrasive is 32%. The course of the experiment in the high gas environment was smooth and continuous, without any explosion. The PAWE is easy to move and operate, but the nozzle which was worn badly in the sprayer should be changed every 8 minutes.
基金The development of the application for SACA was partially supported by funding from the Upstate Foundation,a 501(c)3 nonfor-profit corporation (upstatefoundation.org)
文摘Objective:This study provides a preliminary evaluation of the usability and acceptability of a mobile application(sexual assault care algorithm,SACA).Methods:An explanatory sequential mixed methods research was used.A quantitative survey was followed up by a qualitative study.A convenience sample of participants(n=4)was recruited.The research was conducted on a one-on-one basis.In the quantitative phase,a random assignment technique was used to divide four participants into two groups of two participants each.Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire(PSSUQ)and Acceptability e-Scale were used to collect quantitative data.In the qualitative phase,interview,observation,and documentation were used to collect qualitative data.Data were analyzed both quantitative and qualitatively.The qualitative data were linked with the initial quantitative data to determine how the follow-up qualitative data helped explain the initial quantitative results.Results:The quantitative results suggested that SACA has high usability(5.05±1.83)and acceptability(3.81±1.22).The qualitative results further indicate that the participants thought SACA was easy to use and useful,and most of them would recommend it to others.Areas of improvement include adding features that would calculate and validate the elapsed time since the sexual assault,adding explanations to some buttons,and providing training.Conclusions:Our findings highlight the value of using a mixed methods research design to conduct a usability and acceptability test.Nurses are more likely to adopt a new technology for their evidencebased practice when the technology is easy to use and useful and requires less time to find the right piece of guideline evidence.Individualized training needs to be designed based on users'characteristics.
