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Enhanced sensitivity of refractive-index-sensing optical frequency comb using frequency multiplication capability of photocarrier terahertz frequency comb for rapid measurement
Get PDFWe propose a refractive index (RI) sensing method that leverages the frequency multiplication capability of a photocarrier terahertz (PC-THz) comb to enhance sensitivity and speed. By incorporating a PC-THz comb as a frequency multiplier for a RI-sensing optical frequency comb (OFC), we achieve significant amplification of the RI-dependent mode spacing (frep) shift. Our results show a 3100-fold increase in sensitivity, confirmed through the accurate measurement of ethanol-water solutions with varying concentrations. Additionally, we demonstrate the superiority of beat frequency measurement between PC-THz comb of frep and a reference THz wave over the direct frep measurements, particularly in high-speed scenarios, such as real-time gas and biosensing. The ability to perform high-resolution RI measurements on the millisecond timescale, without being constrained by RF frequency counter limitations, highlights the potential of this approach. This technique paves the way for enhanced sensitivity and speed in dynamic sensing applications using RI-sensing OFC.journal articl
The Role of Intestinal Cytochrome P450s in Vitamin D Metabolism
Get PDFVitamin D hydroxylation in the liver/kidney results in conversion to its physiologically active form of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]. 1,25(OH)2D3 controls gene expression through the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) mainly expressed in intestinal epithelial cells. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 24A1 is a catabolic enzyme expressed in the kidneys. Interestingly, a recently identified mutation in another CYP enzyme, CYP3A4 (gain-of-function), caused type III vitamin D-dependent rickets. CYP3A are also expressed in the intestine, but their hydroxylation activities towards vitamin D substrates are unknown. We evaluated CYP3A or CYP24A1 activities on vitamin D action in cultured cells. In addition, we examined the expression level and regulation of CYP enzymes in intestines from mice. The expression of CYP3A or CYP24A1 significantly reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-VDRE activity. Moreover, in mice, Cyp24a1 mRNA was significantly induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 in the intestine, but a mature form (approximately 55 kDa protein) was also expressed in mitochondria and induced by 1,25(OH)2D3, and this mitochondrial enzyme appears to hydroxylate 25OHD3 to 24,25(OH)2D3. Thus, CYP3A or CYP24A1 could locally attenuate 25OHD3 or 1,25(OH)2D3 action, and we suggest the small intestine is both a vitamin D target tissue, as well as a newly recognized vitamin D-metabolizing tissue.doctoral thesi
Karate, Krieger-Zen, Bushidō und andere Mésalliancen : zur „Yamatoisierung“ des Karate-dō
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A Food Intake Estimation System Using an Artificial Intelligence–Based Model for Estimating Leftover Hospital Liquid Food in Clinical Environments : Development and Validation Study
Get PDFBackground: Medical staff often conduct assessments, such as food intake and nutrient sufficiency ratios, to accurately evaluate patients’ food consumption. However, visual estimations to measure food intake are difficult to perform with numerous patients. Hence, the clinical environment requires a simple and accurate method to measure dietary intake.
Objective: This study aims to develop a food intake estimation system through an artificial intelligence (AI) model to estimate leftover food. The accuracy of the AI’s estimation was compared with that of visual estimation for liquid foods served to hospitalized patients.
Methods: The estimations were evaluated by a dietitian who looked at the food photo (image visual estimation) and visual measurement evaluation was carried out by a nurse who looked directly at the food (direct visual estimation) based on actual measurements. In total, 300 dishes of liquid food (100 dishes of thin rice gruel, 100 of vegetable soup, 31 of fermented milk, and 18, 12, 13, and 26 of peach, grape, orange, and mixed juices, respectively) were used. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) were used as metrics to determine the accuracy of the evaluation process. Corresponding t tests and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used to verify the accuracy of the measurements by each estimation method with the weighing method.
Results: The RMSE obtained by the AI estimation approach was 8.12 for energy. This tended to be smaller and larger than that obtained by the image visual estimation approach (8.49) and direct visual estimation approach (4.34), respectively. In addition, the R2 value for the AI estimation tended to be larger and smaller than the image and direct visual estimations, respectively. There was no difference between the AI estimation (mean 71.7, SD 23.9 kcal, P=.82) and actual values with the weighing method. However, the mean nutrient intake from the image visual estimation (mean 75.5, SD 23.2 kcal, P<.001) and direct visual estimation (mean 73.1, SD 26.4 kcal, P=.007) were significantly different from the actual values. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were high for energy (ρ=0.89-0.97), protein (ρ=0.94-0.97), fat (ρ=0.91-0.94), and carbohydrate (ρ=0.89-0.97).
Conclusions: The measurement from the food intake estimation system by an AI-based model to estimate leftover liquid food intake in patients showed a high correlation with the actual values with the weighing method. Furthermore, it also showed a higher accuracy than the image visual estimation. The errors of the AI estimation method were within the acceptable range of the weighing method, which indicated that the AI-based food intake estimation system could be applied in clinical environments. However, its lower accuracy than that of direct visual estimation was still an issue.journal articl
Home Care Practices that Improve Performance of Activities of Daily Living of Patients Post-stroke : A Systematic Review
Get PDFEvidence is inconsistent on the effectiveness of home rehabilitation for patients post-stroke. This review aims to explore home care practices that improve the performance of activities of daily living of patients post-stroke. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), clinical trials and mixed-methods studies published from 2012 to 2022 were gathered from PubMed, ScienceDirect, EBSCO, and ProQuest in December 2022. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used for quality appraisal. Narrative synthesis approach was utilized to present the findings. A total of 758 articles were screened, and 10 were included in the final analysis. Five out of ten programs were found superior compared with usual care. Factors that influence the effectiveness of the programs include the age of the participants, severity of disabilities, family participation, and presence of a multidisciplinary team. A multidisciplinary healthcare team approach toward the enhancement of knowledge, skills, and behaviors of patients and their families is common in effective home care. The role of nurses is emphasized not only as providers of direct patient care but also as coordinators of the healthcare team and patients and their families. This study provides insights for policymakers in developing healthcare system for post-stroke care.journal articl
Carbon dioxide embolism during laparoscopic hepatectomy in a patient with an iatrogenic atrial septal defect : a case report
Get PDFBackground : Laparoscopic hepatectomy has advantages including shorter hospital stay, lesser blood loss, and lower complication rates. Carbon dioxide gas embolism is a life-threatening complication associated with laparoscopic hepatectomy. During catheter ablation, the standard treatment for atrial fibrillation, an iatrogenic atrial septal defect (ASD) is developed when performing a septal puncture from the right to the left atrium. Case presentation : Carbon dioxide embolism occurred during laparoscopic liver resection in a 70-year-old male patient with a history of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Transesophageal echocardiography detected iatrogenic ASD. The surgery was converted into an open procedure after consulting with the surgeon. Postoperatively, the patient exhibited no evidence of poor arousal nor obvious neurological abnormalities. Conclusion : In patients with a history of catheter ablation, particular attention should be paid to the bubble inflow into the left ventricular system in the event of gas embolism during laparoscopic hepatectomy.journal articl
A histopathologically diagnosed case of hypoglycemic encephalopathy due to insulin overdose
Get PDFA 70-year-old man presented with cardiopulmonary arrest. Previous medical history included orally medicated diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, and depression. The family observed that the patient had been sleeping for approximately 10 h. He was brought to the hospital and pronounced dead. Postmortem blood examinations revealed a blood insulin level of 0.54 μU/mL, C-peptide level of 0.14 ng/mL, and blood glucose of 9 mg/dL. Autopsy revealed an injection scar with intradermal hemorrhage and a subcutaneous hemorrhage in the left abdomen measuring 0.2 cm in diameter. Histopathological analysis revealed hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration in the scar. Furthermore, subcutaneous adipose tissue, perivascular area, and neurons stained positive for anti-insulin antibody. HE staining of the brain revealed mild edema, and anti-GFAP antibody revealed clasmatodendrosis with bead-like staining of astrocyte subdivisions in the cerebral gray matter. Postmortem blood glucose evaluation is difficult because blood glucose levels are not stable and blood insulin is degraded relatively quickly. However, the cause of death was determined to be hypoglycemic encephalopathy due to insulin overdose because insulin was detected in the skin at the injection site. Furthermore, immunohistochemical examination of the brain revealed findings that were consistent with hypoglycemic encephalopathy. Therefore, histological examination was useful for postmortem diagnosis.journal articl
Stabilization of Laminars in Chaos Intermittency
Get PDFChaos intermittency is composed of a laminar regime, which exhibits almost periodic motion, and a burst regime, which exhibits chaotic motion; it is known that in chaos intermittency, switching between these regimes occurs irregularly. In the laminar regime of chaos intermittency, the periodic solution before the saddle node bifurcation is closely related to its generation, and its behavior becomes periodic in a short time; the laminar is not, however, a periodic solution, and there are no unstable periodic solutions nearby. Most chaos control methods cannot be applied to the problem of stabilizing a laminar response to a periodic solution since they refer to information about unstable periodic orbits. In this paper, we demonstrate a control method that can be applied to the control target with laminar phase of a dynamical system exhibiting chaos intermittency. This method records the time series of a periodic solution prior to the saddle node bifurcation as a pseudo-periodic orbit and feeds it back to the control target. We report that when this control method is applied to a circuit model, laminar motion can be stabilized to a periodic solution via control inputs of very small magnitude, for which robust control can be obtained.journal articl