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Surface crack on teeth is a manifestation of structural damage, severely impacting individuals’ health and quality of life. Inspired by the achievement of 3-D computer vision technology in surface defect detection, a method is proposed for crack detection based on line structured light and digital image correlation, aiming at achieving 3-D detection and visualization of cracks on the surface of teeth. This approach discerns cracks by scrutinizing high-strain zones in the point cloud data, derived from the tooth surface through line structured light. To obtain good visualization results, this method refines the detected cracks in the principal strain field and extracts the 3-D skeleton of the cracks. The similarity between the crack shapes extracted by this method and those observed via microscope is over 98%. Experimental results demonstrate that this method provides an accurate and visually effective solution for 3-D detection of cracks on tooth surface. The proposed method offers a viable solution for surface crack detection in other engineering structures.

In this article, a novel dynamic event-triggered protocol is constructed to deal with the filtering problem for affine systems presented by Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy model. Unlike the traditional fuzzy systems, a unified framework of T–S fuzzy affine systems is formulated, which is more capable of approximation over different operating regions. For achieving desirable performance while saving communication resources, the memory-based dynamic event-triggered protocol is constructed by flexibly exploiting a series of historically triggered packets. The fading channel is time-varying and described as a novel nonhomogeneous Markov process, in which a higher level deterministic switching signal regulates the variation of transition probabilities. By adopting the region-dependent Lyapunov theory, the mean-square exponentially stable, and expected $H_{\infty }$ performance for resulting systems is guaranteed. In the end, an inverted pendulum model is applied to verify the results of the theoretical analysis.

This study addresses the issue of dynamic event-triggered-based filtering for fuzzy affine systems. To alleviate the utilization of constraint bandwidth resources and improve the efficiency of the signals exchange, a dynamic event-triggered protocol is forwarded to regulate the trigger instants with objective system states. Meanwhile, the nonhomogeneous Markov process is proposed to characterize the dynamic behaviors of sensor faults, where the time-varying transition probabilities belong to a convex polytope set. Finally, the validity and applicability of devised filter design methodology for fuzzy affine systems are displayed via two practical models.

Previous research has demonstrated that some false recognitions are accompanied by retrieval of contexts in which the corresponding semantic associates were presented during the study phase. What kind of neural processes support context retrieval in false recognition? Using functional MRI (fMRI), we tested the hypothesis that context retrieval in false recognition might be supported by brain areas in the core recollection network which also support context retrieval in true recognition. During the study, lists of semantically associated words were presented together with scene pictures that served as contexts. During test, participants judged whether the presented word was old or new. If old, they judged which scene picture was its context and rated memory strength for the context. The results revealed that several regions in the core recollection network, including the bilateral hippocampus, left angular gyrus, and left anterior cingulate cortex, showed greater activations for true recognitions with strong context memory than those with weak context memory. More importantly, these same regions also showed greater activations for false recognitions with strong context memory than those with weak context memory. These findings helped account for why some false recognitions are vivid and accompanied by retrieval of context.

BackgroundWe are currently faced with an increasing burden of cardiovascular disease in China and the inadequacy of the application of guidelines in clinical practice. In the past decade, China has been strengthening the healthcare system, but it still lacked a national performance measurement system and an appropriate quality improvement strategy. Therefore, in order to improve the implementation of guideline recommendations in clinical practice, China has learnt from the successful experience of Get With The Guidelines project in 2014. Under the guidance of the Medical and Health Hospital of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, the Chinese Society of Cardiology and the American Heart Association jointly launched the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China (CCC) project. The project team provided an analysis report on the completion of key medical quality evaluation indicators of each hospital every month, supplied guidance through education, training, experience exchange and on-site investigation for problems, and certified hospitals with outstanding performance and obvious progress. The circle pattern, including evaluation, training, improvement and re-evaluation, will boost the guidelines compliance on clinical practice in China and improve the quality of medical services.MethodsThis study was conducted in a centre of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. It included patients with ACS from December 2009 to December 2011 (n=225), patients with ACS in the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China–Acute Coronary Syndrome project coming from the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (n=665), 12 hospitals in Hunan Province (n=4333) and 150 hospitals in China (n=63 641) from November 2014 to April 2017. It assessed the situation of drug therapy, hospitalisation day, mortality during hospitalisation, median of door-to-needle (D-to-N) time and median of door-to-balloon (D-to-B) time of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the proportion of D-to-N within 30 min and D-to-B within 90 min, and the proportion of reperfusion therapy. Patients with ACS from the centre from November 2014 to April 2017 were divided into five groups (every 6 months as a group according to time). The study observed change trends in all the above-mentioned indexes.ResultsCompared with before participating in the CCC project, there were increases after participating in the CCC project in the drug usage rates of aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor), β-blocker, statin and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB). Hospitalisation day and mortality during hospitalisation were shortened. D-to-N and D-to-B times of patients with STEMI were shorter. Compared with Hunan Province and China, the drug usage rates were higher; hospitalisation day and D-to-N time were shorter; D-to-B time was longer; and the proportion of reperfusion therapy was higher. The trend of drug usage rates was on the rise. There was no significant change in the hospitalisation day and D-to-N and D-to-B times. The mortality during hospitalisation showed a downward trend. The proportion of D-to-N within 90 min and reperfusion therapy showed upward trends.ConclusionQuality of care for patients with ACS improved over time in the CCC project, including taking medicine following the guidelines, increased use of reperfusion therapy and faster time to treatment. Although overall mortality has improved, we also should attach importance to high-risk patients. The influence of the CCC project, which is based on guidelines on prognosis of ACS in the centre, presents an important clinical implication that it is necessary to enhance adherence to the guidelines in the treatment of ACS.

BackgroundHypertension is the most important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Epidemiological studies have shown the benefits of lowering blood pressure (BP), but BP control is a major challenge. Furthermore, there are significant sex differences in antihypertensive drug use and BP control. This study examined sex differences in antihypertensive drug use and BP control, with the aim of reducing the complications of hypertension and improving quality of life.MethodsThe study was performed in our outpatient hypertension clinic, and included 1529 patients without secondary hypertension or comorbidities. The study, investigated BP control rates and patterns of antihypertensive drug use in male and female. All data were collected using structured questionnaires and patient measurements.ResultsThe study included 713 males and 816 females in this study. Fewer females had hypertension in the younger age group (16.2% vs 11.6%; p>0.05), but this difference disappeared in middle-aged (47.8% vs 49.9 %; p<0.05) and elderly age groups (36.0% vs 38.5%; p<0.05). BP control rates differed between males and females (35.6% in male, 31.9% in female, p<0.01). There was an overall difference in BP control rates between males and females (35.6% in males, 31.9% in females, p<0.01). In this aged 18–44 years, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) showed the best control rate in males, while calcium channel blockers (CCBs) were least effective (61.5% with ACEIs, 28.6% with CCBs; p<0.05). In this aged 45–64 years, diuretics (DUs) showed the best control rate in females, while CCBs were least effective (47.5% with DUs, 28.3% with CCBs; p<0.05).ConclusionsSex plays an important role in BP control. In those aged 18–44 years, males using ACEIs showed best control rates. In those aged 45–64 years, females using DUs showed best control rates. Our study provides a basis with the selection of antihypertensive drugs according to sex and age.

Ticks and tick-borne pathogens threaten the health of both domestic animals and humans, and are associated with a high economic burden in many countries. Tick control can be achieved with chemical acaricides, but issues remain regarding their safety as well as emerging tick resistance. Propylene glycol alginate (PGA) is a food additive commonly used in China. It has been used to kill whiteflies in agriculture as an environmentally friendly insecticide. The aims of this study were to (i) explore the efficacy of PGA to kill Haemaphysalis longicornisticks and (ii) assess the potential to develop a new tick control acaricide containing PGA and a reduced amount of synthetic pyrethroid. Beta-cypermethrin was chosen as the reference pyrethroid in this study. PGA, beta-cypermethrin and mixes (PGA and beta-cypermethrin formulated in proportions of A = 2:1, B = 1:1, and C = 1:2) were compared for efficacy to kill larval and adult H. longicornisticks. Overall, we found no statistically significant differences in the killing efficacy of PGA as compared to beta-cypermethrin across examined time-points post-tick exposure. At 24 h post-tick exposure, similar killing efficacy for H. longicornislarvae was recorded for beta-cypermethrin alone, PGA alone, and mixed formulations B and C. Mixed formulation C had the strongest killing effect when compared to PGA alone or mixed formulation B. Similar outcomes were observed in experiments with adult H. longicornisticks. Based on these findings, we propose that PGA can be useful as a tick control acaricide, either as a single active ingredient or formulated together with a pyrethroid.

Objective— The objective of this study was to investigate infection by Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) and the combined effects of an atherogenic diet on the expression of AP-1 or the subunit of AP-1 (c-Fos) and NF-κB or the subunit of NF-κB (P50) in myocardial cells of C57BL/6J mice.Methods and results— Thirty-six 8-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups:A, B and C (twelve mice in each group). Mice in group A were fed an atherogenic diet (consisting of 15% fat and 2.5% cholesterol).Those in group B and C (as blank control) were fed a regular diet. The mice in group B were infected with C. pneumoniae. Fourteen weeks later, the expression of P50 (subunit of NF-κB) and c-Fos (subunit of AP-1) in the heart was determined by indirect immunofluorescence in the myocardial cells. Binding activity of NF-κB and AP-1 in the heart was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The expression of NF-κB and AP-1 in the myocardial cells was upregulated in group A and B, compared with group C (P< 0.05).There was no significant difference between group A and B.Conclusion— The inflammatory process was already initiated in the myocardial cells in C57BL/6J mice at the early stage of C. pneumoniaeinfection and hyperlipidaemia.The expression of NF-κB and AP-1 was upregulated in mice infected by C. pneumoniaeor fed an atherogenic diet. C. pneumoniaeor hyperlipidaemia may involve the pathogenesis and progression of ischaemic cardiomyopathy.