Observations of the temporal variation in chemical content of decomposition fluid: A preliminary study using pigs as a model system

In this paper we report the results of our preliminary studies into short chain fatty acids that have the potential to show reproducible patterns over certain postmortem intervals during decomposition in the absence of a soil matrix. Additional compounds that were detected, including several long chain fatty acids, were also investigated for their potential in estimating postmortem interval. Analysis of data was conducted to establish any distinct relationship between the levels of particular compounds produced with respect to time and temperature. Pork rashers (belly pork), whole stillborn piglets and whole adult pig (Sus scrofa) carcasses were used to model the human decomposition process in two separate locations, Western Australia (Perth) and Southern Canada (Oshawa). This enabled a comparison of components to be carried out under significantly different climatic conditions. Compounds were identified after analysis with gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry. Preliminary observations indicate that both short-chain and long-chain acids followed an apparent cyclic trend. All trials showed differences with respect to rate of decomposition, both between trials and between subjects in the same trial; however, the identity of the compounds detected for the pork rasher trial (Perth) and the pig trial (Canada) remained very similar.     

Postmortem microbial communities in burial soil layers of skeletonized humans

Microorganisms are major ecological participants in the successional decomposition of vertebrates. The relative abundance, or the scarcity, of certain microbial taxa in gravesoil has the potential to determine the ecological status of skeletons. However, there are substantial knowledge gaps that warrant consideration in the context of the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem. In the current study, we hypothesized that i.) soil microbial diversity is disparate in the latter stage of decomposition (skeletonization) compared to the earlier stages (fresh, bloat, active and advanced decay), and ii.) the three layers of gravesoil (top, middle, and bottom) encompass similar microbial taxa and are analogous with control soil. To test these hypotheses, microbial communities in layers of burial soil of skeletonized bodies (treated) and from control soil, obtained from burial plots with no bodies (untreated), were compared using sequencing data of the 16S rRNA gene. The results demonstrated that Acidobacteria was confirmed as the most abundant microbial genus in all treated and untreated soil layers. Furthermore, Proteobacteria demonstrated a relatively low abundance in skeletonized gravesoil which is dissimilar from previous findings that assessed soil from earlier stages of human decomposition. Also, these results determined that soil microbial signatures were analogous in all three soil layers under the effects of similar abiotic and biotic factors, and they were similar to the communities in untreated soil. Therefore, the current study produced empirical data that give conclusive evidence of soil microbial successional changes, particularly for Proteobacteria, for potential use in forensic microbiology research.     

Assessment of Lung Tumour Motion and Volume Size Dependencies Using Various Evaluation Measures

The purpose of the study was to assess internal target volume changes through the breathing cycle and associated tumour motion for lung patients and to establish possible correlations between different parameters. Respiration-induced volume changes with breathing cycle and the associated tumour motion were analyzed for 11 patients. Selected phases were the maximum and average intensity projections and the 10 phases of equal duration and separation obtained through the respiratory cycle. Tumour centre of mass (COM) motion planes were generated using least square fitting, and their angles and orientations were then compared between the cases studied. Trajectories that are composed by the points of COM location in different phases were identified, and their interrelation was assessed through different similarity measures. The results were used to determine if there is any correlation between parameters chosen and if the margins conventionally used for the planning target volume creation successfully encompassed lung tumour motion and volume change. The results show that the extent of tumour motion was related to its volume and location. The tumour displacement was predominantly left and inferior. Planar fitting to COM motion data through respiratory phases demonstrated some correlation in best fit motion plane positions between different data sets. In the plane fit comparison, for each patient, the lower root mean square error values showed that a good planar fit can be achieved for the COM motion path. The evaluation of the inhale and exhale trajectories may allow, for certain tumour locations and size, contouring on only inhalation or exhalation phases, knowing that tumour motion will be adequately covered on the other phases. Taking all the data into account and knowing the tumour size and location, a good estimate can be made of the motion plane position in the three-dimensional space and the required dosimetric margins.     

Lightness, brightness and transparency: A quarter century of new ideas, captivating demonstrations and unrelenting controversy

The past quarter century has witnessed considerable advances in our understanding of Lightness (perceived reflectance), Brightness (perceived luminance) and perceived Transparency (LBT). This review poses eight major conceptual questions that have engaged researchers during this period, and considers to what extent they have been answered. The questions concern 1. the relationship between lightness, brightness and perceived non-uniform illumination, 2. the brain site for lightness and brightness perception, 3 the effects of context on lightness and brightness, 4. the relationship between brightness and contrast for simple patch-background stimuli, 5. brightness “filling-in”, 6. lightness anchoring, 7. the conditions for perceptual transparency, and 8. the perceptual representation of transparency. The discussion of progress on major conceptual questions inevitably requires an evaluation of which approaches to LBT are likely and which are unlikely to bear fruit in the long term, and which issues remain unresolved. It is concluded that the most promising developments in LBT are (a) models of brightness coding based on multi-scale filtering combined with contrast normalization, (b) the idea that the visual system decomposes the image into “layers” of reflectance, illumination and transparency, (c) that an understanding of image statistics is important to an understanding of lightness errors, (d) Whittle’s log W metric for contrast-brightness, (e) the idea that “filling-in” is mediated by low spatial frequencies rather than neural spreading, and (f) that there exist multiple cues for identifying non-uniform illumination and transparency. Unresolved issues include how relative lightness values are anchored to produce absolute lightness values, and the perceptual representation of transparency. Bridging the gap between multi-scale filtering and layer decomposition approaches to LBT is a major task for future research.     

HPLC指纹图谱控制复方丹参片质量

目的采用双定性双定量相似度作为评价指标,建立复方丹参片(CSMT)HPLC指纹图谱的全质量控制方法。方法采用RP-HPLC法以Century SIL C18BDS柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm);以色谱指纹图谱指数F为目标函数优化选择指纹图谱检测条件,确定流动相组成是质量分数为1%的醋酸水溶液-质量分数为1%的醋酸甲醇溶液低压梯度洗脱,紫外检测波长290 nm,柱温(30.00±0.15)℃,进样量5μL。以双定性相似度均值和双定量相似度均值为参量通过对20批复方丹参片进行系统聚类分析确定用其中10批生成复方丹参片对照指纹图谱(RFP),以此RFP为标准对总计20批复方丹参片采用双定性双定量相似度法进行质量评价。结果以丹酚酸B(SAB)为参照物峰,确定40个指纹峰,建立了复方丹参片HPLC指纹图谱。用双定性相似度评价15批样品的化学成分数量和分布比例都合格,但其中仅8批双定量相似度合格,为质量完全合格品。其它7批含量明显偏低,生产时应根据双定量相似度偏低程度提高投料量或者适当增大服用剂量。其余5批都存在化学成分和分布比例不合格特征,有2批含量相似度合格和3批含量相似度明显偏低。结论在OTC中随机选择的20批复方丹参片,无明显的劣质品出现,若按指纹图谱技术控制则出现明显的质量差异,因此所建立的具有较好精密度和重现性的复方丹参片的HPLC指纹图谱,完全适用于复方丹参片的生产质量控制。试验证明了双定性双定量相似度法是宏观定性定量评价中药复方制剂质量的最理想和最客观的指纹图谱评价技术。     

Decomposition-based quantitative electromyography: methods and initial normative data in five muscles

Quantitative electromyographic (EMG) techniques provide clinically useful information to aid in the diagnosis and follow the course or response to treatment of diseases affecting the motor system. The purpose of this study was to describe a decomposition-based quantitative electromyography method (DQEMG) designed to obtain clinically applicable information relating to motor unit potential (MUP) size and configuration, and motor unit (MU) firing characteristics. Additionally, preliminary normative data were obtained from the deltoid, biceps brachii, first dorsal interosseous, vastus medialis, and tibialis anterior muscles of 13 control subjects. DQEMG was capable of efficiently and accurately extracting MUP data from complex interference patterns during mild to moderate contractions. MUP amplitude, surface-detected MUP (S-MUP) amplitude, MUP duration, number of phases, and MU firing frequencies varied significantly across muscles. The mean parameter values for the individual muscles studied were similar to previous reports based on other quantitative methods. The main advantages of this method are the speed of data acquisition and processing, the ability to obtain MUPs from MUs with low and higher recruitment thresholds, and the ability to obtain both S-MUP or macro-MUP data as well as MU firing rate information.     

矩阵奇异值分解(SVD)的应用

奇异值是矩阵的一个良好特征。本文通过对矩阵奇异值分解的分析,在主成分分析、图像压缩、数字水 印和文章分类等方面的应用方法进行了描述,同时提供了部分应用例子。     

浙江省医疗服务利用公平性分析

利用标化需要及分解分析方法,对浙江省2003年医疗服务利用水平公平性进行了测量和分析.浙江省门诊服务利用公平性较好,而住院服务利用呈现向富人集中的不公平现象,其中经济因素起了主要作用.另外,文章还对这种分析方法的进步意义和局限性进行了讨论.     

Determination of drug absorption rate in time-variant disposition by direct deconvolution using beta clearance correction and end-constrained non-parametric regression

A novel numerical deconvolution method is presented that enables the estimation of drug absorption rates under time-variant disposition conditions. The method involves two components. (1) A disposition decomposition-recomposition (DDR) enabling exact changes in the unit impulse response (UIR) to be constructed based on centrally based clearance changes iteratively determined. (2) A non-parametric, end-constrained cubic spline (ECS) input response function estimated by cross-validation. The proposed DDR-ECS method compensates for disposition changes between the test and the reference administrations by using a "beta" clearance correction based on DDR analysis. The representation of the input response by the ECS method takes into consideration the complex absorption process and also ensures physiologically realistic approximations of the response. The stability of the new method to noisy data was evaluated by comprehensive simulations that considered different UIRs, various input functions, clearance changes and a novel scaling of the input function that includes the "flip-flop" absorption phenomena. The simulated input response was also analysed by two other methods and all three methods were compared for their relative performances. The DDR-ECS method provides better estimation of the input profile under significant clearance changes but tends to overestimate the input when there were only small changes in the clearance.