Removal of ring artifacts in computed tomographic imaging using iterative center weighted median filter

A new iterative center weighted median filter (ICWMF) for ring artifact reduction from the micro-computed tomographic (μ-CT) image is proposed in this paper. The center weight of the median filter is computed based on the characteristic of the ring artifact in the mean curve of the projection data. The filter operates on the deviation of the mean curve to smooth the ring generating peaks and troughs iteratively while preserving the details due to image. A convergence criterion for the iterative algorithm is determined from the distribution of the local deviation computed from the mean curve deviation. The estimate of the mean curve obtained using the ICWMF is used to correct the ring corrupted projection data from which reconstruction gives the ring artifact suppressed μ-CT image. Test results on both the synthetic and real images demonstrate that the ring artifacts can be more effectively suppressed using our method as compared to other ring removal techniques reported in the literature.     

Co-infection with hepatitis B virus genotype D and other genotypes in Western Japan

OBJECTIVE: Genotypes B and C are the prevalent hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in eastern Asia. Although very rare in this region of the world, genotype D was found to be prevalent in a small area of western Japan. In this study, we confirm the frequency and clinical significance of co-infection with different genotypes among patients from that area infected with genotype D. METHODS: Twenty-three patients from the same area of western Japan infected with HBV genotype D, determined using a genotyping enzyme immunoassay, were studied. Cloning was done using DNA extracted from serum samples, and polymerase chain reaction assays with the restriction fragment length polymorphism for HBV genotyping were performed with 10 clones from each patient. RESULTS: Four (17.4%) of the 23 patients were found to be co-infected with HBV genotype C, and the HB surface antigen subtype was ayw in both mono- and co-infected patients. No clinical differences were found between mono-infected and co-infected patients carrying genotype D. CONCLUSION: A significant number of patients from the study area found to be infected with HBV genotype D were co-infected with genotype C. Additional study with a larger number of patients is needed to elucidate the possible clinical significance.     

Acute-onset autoimmune hepatitis treated with living donor-liver transplantation

A 50-year-old woman was diagnosed with acute-onset autoimmune hepatitis. She did not respond to steroid therapy including pulse therapy, and was subsequently treated with living donor-liver transplantation 36 days after the beginning of steroid therapy. Except for a period of transient mild acute rejection, her liver function tests remained within a normal range for 2.5 years after the operation. The courses of autoimmune hepatitis patients treated with living-donor liver transplantation have not been previously documented to our knowledge. Living donor-liver transplantation is thought to be one of the therapy options for severe autoimmune hepatitis.     

Increased serum levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-3alpha in hepatocellular carcinoma: relationship with clinical factors and prognostic importance during therapy

Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-3alpha) is a CC chemokine that attracts immature dendritic cells and lymphocytes and is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and carcinogenesis. However, nothing is known about the clinical significance or prognostic importance of this chemokine in patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical factors influencing the levels of serum MIP-3alpha and to evaluate any possible prognostic importance of this chemokine. We further checked the possible source of MIP-3alpha in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The levels of serum MIP-3alpha from 45 patients with HCC, 12 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 45 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) were measured by an enzyme immunoassay. A correlationship between different clinical parameters and the serum levels of MIP-3alpha was analyzed. Production of MIP-3alpha by human cancer cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was also estimated. The levels of serum MIP-3alpha were significantly higher in HCC than in LC (p=0.0214) and CH (p<0.0001). Cancer-related factors such as size of cancer nodules, levels of differentiation of HCC and the levels of alpha-fetoprotein were related with increased MIP-3alpha levels in HCC. Human cancer cell lines, but not PBMC from HCC patients, produced very high levels of MIP-3alpha in culture. The rate of recurrence of HCC after radio frequency ablation (RFA) was fewer in patients having lower pre-therapeutic levels of serum MIP-3alpha. An impact of cancer-related factors on the levels of serum MIP-3alpha in HCC is shown. Pre-therapeutic levels of serum MIP-3alpha may be used as a marker of prognosis of RFA therapy.     

Induction and maintenance of anti-HBs in immunosuppressed murine hepatitis B virus carriers by a novel vaccination approach: implications for use in hepatitis B virus-infected subjects with liver transplantation

Background One of the major problems with orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with endstage liver diseases due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) is to maintain sustained high levels of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) to block reactivation of HBV infection and allograft rejection. The aim of this study was to induce anti-HBs by a unique vaccination protocol, using hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) in immunosuppressed murine HBV carriers.Methods Immunosuppressed murine HBV carriers were produced by injecting FK-506 (2mg/kg), intraperitoneally, daily for 15 days in HBV-transgenic mice (Tg) expressing HBV-related mRNAs and proteins. HBsAg-pulsed DCs were prepared by culturing murine spleen DCs with HBsAg (100µg) for 24h. HBsAg-pulsed DCs were injected twice, at an interval of 2 weeks, to immunosuppressed HBV-Tg and the levels of anti-HBs were measured periodically for 4 months.Results Injection with FK-506 resulted in the production of immunosuppressed HBV-Tg, as evident by their low production of cytokine mRNAs and proteins. Two injections of HBsAg-pulsed DCs from immunosuppressed HBV-Tg induced anti-HBs in all immunosuppressed HBV-Tg within 4–8 weeks after the second injection. More than 10IU/l of anti-HBs was detected in the sera in all but one immunosuppressed HBV-Tg for more than 4 months, although all immunosuppressed HBV-Tg were continuously provided with FK-506 on a daily basis for the entire duration of the study.Conclusions The capacity of HBsAg-pulsed DCs to induce anti-HBs in immunosuppressed HBV-Tg inspires optimism for the possible use of this therapeutic regimen for HBV-infected OLT patients.     

Detailed approach toward the anti-hyperglycemic potential of Sterculia diversifolia G.Don against alloxan-induced in vivo hyperglycemia model

OBJECTIVE: To investigate Sterculia diversifolia G. Don for potential anti-diabetic activity in the in vivo mouse model of alloxan-induced hyperglycemia. METHODS: Sterculia diversifolia(S. diversifolia) was subjected to extraction and isolation techniques and structural characterization of the isolated compounds were performed using spectroscopic methods. The acute toxicity test was performed by orally administering S. diversifolia in doses of 500-2000 mg/kg. For the assessment of anti-hyperglyc...