Exact BPF and FBP algorithms for nonstandard saddle curves

A hot topic in cone-beam CT research is exact cone-beam reconstruction from a general scanning trajectory. Particularly, a nonstandard saddle curve attracts attention, as this construct allows the continuous periodic scanning of a volume-of-interest (VOI). Here we evaluate two algorithms for reconstruction from data collected along a nonstandard saddle curve, which are in the filtered backprojection (FBP) and backprojection filtration (BPF) formats, respectively. Both the algorithms are implemented in a chord-based coordinate system. Then, a rebinning procedure is utilized to transform the reconstructed results into the natural coordinate system. The simulation results demonstrate that the FBP algorithm produces better image quality than the BPF algorithm, while both the algorithms exhibit similar noise characteristics.     

肝病患者血浆凝血酶原时间及其INR值的探讨

目的 :探讨凝血酶原时间 (PT)及其国际标准化比率 (INR)在各种肝脏疾病中的变化。方法 :采用含钙凝血活酶对肝病患者血浆用凝固法测定 ,报告INR值。结果 :肝硬化、肝癌和肝炎患者与正常对照组比较 ,PT延长均具有显著性 (P <0 .0 5～P <0 .0 1)。结论 :PT测定不仅具有外源性凝血系统筛选试验的意义 ,也可以作为肝病患者对病程进展及严重程度的参考指标。     

电针肾俞、膈俞、百会穴对拟血管性痴呆学习记忆障碍小鼠水迷宫实验的影响

目的　观察电针肾俞、膈俞、百会穴对拟血管性痴呆小鼠学习记忆障碍的影响。方法　复制脑缺血再灌注拟血管性痴呆小鼠模型 ,并电针肾俞、膈俞、百会穴 ,分别于术后 7天、15天、30天 ,与药物喜德镇对照 ,采用水迷宫法 ,记录游全程时间、错误次数。结果　造模导致了小鼠学习与记忆能力下降 ,表现为游全程时间延长 ,错误次数增加 ,且随着观察时间的延长 ,这种改变逐渐加重。电针和喜德镇均可使模型小鼠的游全程时间缩短 ,错误次数减少 ,但电针组于 7天和 30天时 ,成绩显著优于药物组。结论　电针肾俞、膈俞、百会穴对模型小鼠学习与记忆能力下降有改善和提高作用     

A Novel Deep Learning Model Based on Multi-Scale and Multi-View for Detection of Pulmonary Nodules

Journal of Digital Imaging - Lung cancer manifests as pulmonary nodules in the early stage. Thus, the early and accurate detection of these nodules is crucial for improving the survival rate of...     

Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is reduced in permanent focal cerebral ischemic mouse brain using an adenoviral vector to induce overexpression of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist

Our previous studies have demonstrated that overexpression of recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IL-1ra) via gene transfer can reduce ischemic brain injury. However, the mechanism of action of IL-1ra in ischemia is unclear. Since interleukin-1 can up-regulate intercellular adhesion molecules in endothelium, the present study was designed to determine whether overexpression of the IL-1ra can reduce the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) after ischemic injury. Normal saline or adenovirus vector (1x109 particles) encoding the human IL-1ra gene (Ad.RSVIL-1ra) or the Escherichia coli LacZ gene (Ad.RSVlacZ) was injected into the right lateral cerebral ventricle of adult CD-1 mice. After five days, permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was achieved for 24 h using an intraluminal suture. Cerebral blood flow was monitored by transcranial laser Doppler flowmetry to verify the occlusion. ICAM-1 protein was quantified using Western blot analysis and localized using immunohistochemistry. After MCAO, surface blood flow in the ischemic hemisphere was decreased to 9-11% of the baseline. There were fewer ICAM-1 positive vessels in the ischemic cortex of the Ad.RSVIL-1ra transfected mice than in the Ad.RSVlacZ transfected and saline treated mice (138+/-19 vs. 249+/-25, 284+/-22, p<0.05). Western blot analysis shows that ICAM-1 protein decreased 50-60% in the Ad. RSVIL-1ra group compared to the other two groups. There were no significant differences in the numbers of positive vessels in the ischemic basal ganglia and contralateral hemisphere among the three groups. Our studies suggest that IL-1ra overexpression can down-regulate the expression of ICAM-1 in the ipsilateral cortex in ischemic mice. Interleukin-1 may play an important role in the activation of inflammatory reaction during focal cerebral ischemia by promoting leukocyte adhesion on the endothelium cells.     

The experience in the treatment of patients with extensive full-thickness burns

The aim of the present study is to analyze the changes of cure rate and the main causes of death in the last 40 years, and to summarize our experience in the treatment of extensive full-thickness burn patients. The clinical characteristics, cure rate and main causes of death of 73 cases with total burned area more than 90% TBSA and full-thickness burn area more than 70% TBSA were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 21 cases (28.8%) were cured and 52 cases (71.2%) died. The cure rate increased significantly in the recent years, and the main causes of death changed from shock and sepsis in the time period 1959–1978 to sepsis and MODS in the past two decades. Due to the improvement of early comprehensive management of burn shock, aggressive surgical approach to full-thickness burn wound and potent systemic supporting measures, the survival rate increased significantly.     

五种酚类抗氧化剂活性差异的理论解释

AIM: To verify the effectiveness of structure-activity relationship (SAR) and theoretical calculation methods for antioxidants. METHODS: Preliminary elucidation on the differences of activities of 5 antioxidants was performed by SAR. Then semiempirical quantum chemistry method AM1 was employed to calculate the delta HOF value, the difference between the heat of formation of antioxidant and its free radical, which was used as a theoretical parameter to elucidate the differences of activities of the antioxidants thoroughly. RESULTS: delta HOF values of antioxidants were obtained as follows: ferulic acid, 150.58 kJ.mol-1; anion of ferulic acid, 122.64 kJ.mol-1; modified ferulic acid, 137.70 kJ.mol-1; anion of modified ferulic acid, 118.99 kJ.mol-1; salvianic acid, 134.17 kJ.mol-1; rutin, 137.83 kJ.mol-1, L-EGCG, 124.39 kJ.mol-1; paeonol, 176.79 kJ.mol-1. The differences of the antioxidant activities were elucidated, and how to further enhance the antioxidant activity was investigated as well. CONCLUSION: The SAR and calculation methods are rather effective to elucidate the differences of antioxidant activities, and present some new clues for structural modification of antioxidants to increase their activities.     

控制性超排卵周期的子宫内膜容受性研究

目的 研究控制性超排卵(COH)对子宫内膜容受性的影响。方法 扫描电镜观察COH后子宫内膜胞饮突的变化和免疫组化法检测整合素β3、TGFβl的表达；以正常月经周期分泌中期子宫内膜作对照。结果 COH周期，完全发展的胞饮突出现在月经周期的第18—19d，较正常周期提前l一2d出现和消失；整合素β3、TGFβl在正常月经周期第2l一23d的子宫内膜腔上皮和腺上皮细胞的细胞质高表达，而COH周期在第18—20d高表达。COH周期和正常周期，整合素β3和TGFβl在子宫内膜上皮细胞的高表达与完全发展胞饮突的出现在时期上存在着一致性。结论 COH可能通过改变子宫内膜与着床密切相关的粘附分子、细胞因子和超微结构的时序性表达来影响子宫内膜的容受性，使子宫内膜着床窗的开放与胚泡的发育不同步，这可能是影响IVF妊娠率的重要原因。     

Initial predominance of the oxidative activity of type I 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in primary rat Leydig cells and transfected cell lines

Glucocorticoids suppress testosterone production in Leydig cells. The level of glucocorticoid action is set within the Leydig cell by the number of glucocorticoid receptors and by the activity of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11betaHSD). This enzyme acts either as an oxidase inactivating glucocorticoid or as a reductase amplifying its action. It is currently unknown whether extracellular conditions might cause 11betaHSD oxidative and reductive activities in Leydig cells to change inversely or independently. The aim of the present study was to determine whether extracellular conditions set in vitro by various culture time and media components, such as glucose and pyruvate, affect the relative rates of 11betaHSD oxidation and reduction. Primary rat Leydig cells and cell lines (COS1 and CHOP cells) transfected with 11betaHSD-I complementary DNA (cDNA), were incubated with 25 nmol/L (physiologic range) or 500 nmol/L (stress range) concentrations of radiolabeled substrates, corticosterone or 11-hydrocorticosterone, for 0 to 24 hours. Oxidative activity predominated over reductive activity under initial conditions when product formation increased linearly with time. For example, in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12 medium (containing 5.5 mmol/L glucose), the peak ratio of oxidation to reduction (with 1 denoting equivalence of oxidative and reductive activities) was 5.5 in rat Leydig cells, 19.7 in COS1 cells, and 20.8 in CHOP cells. Glucose stimulated reductive activity but did not change the predominant direction of 11betaHSD catalysis at earlier times. In COS1 cells transfected with 11betaHSD-I cDNA, oxidative activity rapidly increased during the first 2 hours of the incubation, then gradually decreased while reductive activity increased steadily. The relative ratio of oxidation to reduction rapidly declined to less than 0.5 at 6 hours, and thus the favored direction of catalysis changed from oxidation to reduction. However, in transfected CHOP cells, 11betaHSD oxidative activity rapidly increased during the first 2 hours and continued to increase for 24 hours. The ratio of oxidative to reductive activity rapidly declined but kept above 1 in CHOP cells for 24 hours, and the favored direction of catalysis remained predominantly oxidative. These results revealed that 11betaHSD-I is a predominant oxidase initially in Leydig cells and 2 cell lines, and that the oxidative activity is gradually lost over time. The data suggest that type I 11betaHSD is a predominant oxidase in Leydig cells in vivo.