An automated diagnostic system of polycystic ovary syndrome based on object growing

Objective

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder that seriously affects women's health. The disorder is characterized by the formation of many follicles in the ovary. Currently the predominant diagnosis is to manually count the number of follicles, which may lead to inter-observer and intra-observer variability and low efficiency. A computer-aided PCOS diagnostic system may overcome these problems. However the methods reported in recently published literature are not very effective and often need human interaction. To overcome these problems, we propose an automated PCOS diagnostic system based on ultrasound images.

Methods and materials

The proposed system consists of two major functional blocks: preprocessing phase and follicle identification based on object growing. In the preprocessing phase, speckle noise in the input image is removed by an adaptive morphological filter, then contours of objects are extracted using an enhanced labeled watershed algorithm, and finally the region of interest is automatically selected. The object growing algorithm for follicle identification first computes a cost map to distinguish between the ovary and its external region and assigns each object a cost function based on the cost map. The object growing algorithm initially selects several objects that are likely to be follicles with very high probabilities and dynamically update the set of possible follicles based on their cost functions. The proposed method was applied to 31 real PCOS ultrasound images obtained from patients and its performance was compared with those of three other methods, including level set method, boundary vector field (BVF) method and the fuzzy support vector machine (FSVM) classifier.

Results

Based on the judgment of subject matter experts, the proposed diagnostic system achieved 89.4% recognition rate (RR) and 7.45% misidentification rate (MR) while the RR and MR of the level set method, the BVF method and the FSVM classifier are around 65.3% and 2.11%, 76.1% and 4.53%, and 84.0% and 16.3%, respectively. The proposed diagnostic system also achieved better performance than those reported in recently published literature.

Conclusion

The paper proposed an automated diagnostic system for the PCOS using ultrasound images, which consists of two major functional blocks: preprocessing phase and follicle identification based on object growing. Experimental results showed that the proposed system is very effective in follicle identification for PCOS diagnosis.     

Topical application of Polygonum multiflorum extract induces hair growth of resting hair follicles through upregulating Shh and β-catenin expression in C57BL/6 mice

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Polygonum multiflorum has traditionally been used for treating patients suffering from baldness and hair loss in East Asia.

Aim of the study

The present study sought to investigate the hair growth promoting activities of Polygonum multiflorum and its mechanism of action.

Materials and methods

The Polygonum multiflorum extract was topically applied to the shaved dorsal skin of telogenic C57BL6/N mice. To determine the effect of Polygonum multiflorum extract in telogen to anagen transition, the expression of β-catenin and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) was determined by immunohistochemistry analysis.

Results

Polygonum multiflorum extract promoted hair growth by inducing anagen phase in telogenic C57BL6/N mice. In Polygonum multiflorum extract treated group, we observed increase in the number and the size of hair follicles that are considered as evidence for anagen phase induction. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that earlier induction of β-catenin and Shh were observed in Polygonum multiflorum extract treated group compared to that in control group.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Polygonum multiflorum extract promotes hair growth by inducing anagen phase in resting hair follicles.     

Yolk testosterone and corticosterone in hierarchical follicles and laid eggs of Japanese quail exposed to long-term restraint stress

Environmental and behavioural stimuli experienced by egg-laying female birds contribute to intra- and inter-female differences in hormones in the egg yolk with consequences for offspring development. The understanding of physiological mechanisms underlying yolk hormone deposition can aid progress in this field. In our study, we measured the concentration of testosterone and corticosterone in hierarchical follicles and egg yolks of Japanese quail in control and chronic stress conditions. Experimental females were reared under hypodynamia, a model situation for restraint stress, from day 3 to 63 days of age. For yolk hormone analysis, four largest follicles of ovarian hierarchy (F1-F4), eggs present in the oviduct and eggs laid on the day before were collected. In chronically stressed birds, yolk testosterone concentrations decreased from F2 onwards, while yolk corticosterone content was increased from the beginning to the end of egg formation. The follicular profile of hormones suggested testosterone transfer into the yolk directly from granulosa and theca cells, with the highest accumulation during a period 48-72 h before laying the egg. Yolk corticosterone was accumulated from maternal plasma preferentially in early stages of follicular development under control conditions and also in last stages of egg formation under stress conditions. These specific patterns of hormone deposition indicate periods when stimuli experienced by female can substantially modify hormonal content of eggs. Lower testosterone and increased corticosterone yolk concentrations in stressed quail may represent signals mediating information about adverse environmental conditions from the mother to progeny.     

Alginate scaffold for organ culture of cryopreserved-thawed human ovarian cortical follicles

Purpose  

To compare macroporous alginate scaffolds with Matrigel for culturing frozen-thawed human primordial follicles in organ culture.     

Procyanidin B-2, extracted from apples, promotes hair growth: a laboratory study

Summary Background We have previously reported that several selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, including procyanidin B‐2, promote hair epithelial cell growth and stimulate anagen induction. Objectives We discuss the hypothesis that the hair‐growing activity of procyanidin B‐2 is related to its downregulation or inhibition of translocation of PKC isozymes in hair epithelial cells. Methods We examined the effect of procyanidin B‐2 on the expression of PKC isozymes in cultured murine hair epithelial cells as well as PKC isozyme localization in murine dorsal skin at different stages in the hair cycle. Results We observed that procyanidin B‐2 reduces the expression of PKC‐α, ‐βΙ, ‐βΙΙ and ‐η in cultured murine hair epithelial cells and also inhibits the translocation of these isozymes to the particulate fraction of hair epithelial cells. Our immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that PKC‐α, ‐βΙ, ‐βΙΙ and ‐η are specifically expressed in the outer root sheaths of both anagen and telogen hair follicles. The hair matrix at the anagen stage showed no positive staining for these PKC isozymes. Moderate to intense staining for PKC‐βΙ and ‐βΙΙ in the epidermis and hair follicles was observed in a telogen‐specific manner; however, expression of PKC‐α and ‐η during the telogen stage was not conspicuous. Gö 6976, an inhibitor of calcium‐dependent (conventional) PKC, proved to promote hair epithelial cell growth. Conclusions These results suggest that PKC isozymes, especially PKC‐βΙ and ‐βΙΙ, play an important role in hair cycle progression and that the hair‐growing mechanisms of procyanidin B‐2 are at least partially related to its downregulation of PKC isozymes or its inhibition of translocation of PKC isozymes to the particulate fraction of hair epithelial cells.     

Presence of immunoreactive beta-endorphin in human skin

The production and its induction by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) of proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides by keratinocytes has been reported, albeit not consistently. Recently we demonstrated that only under specific culturing conditions human keratinocytes are capable of producing a beta-endorphin (betaE)-like peptide with the characteristics of beta-lipotropin (betaLPH). Here the presence and UV-induction of betaE-immunoreactivity (betaE-IR) in keratinocytes in human skin in vivo was investigated. betaE-IR was detectable by immunohistochemistry in keratinocytes of the follicular matrix and to some extent in cells of sweat ducts, but was absent from epidermal keratinocytes. Absence of betaE-IR was confirmed by radioimmunoassay of HPLC-fractionated extracts of normal epidermis. Repeated exposure to solar-simulated UVR had no effect. This investigation is the first to demonstrate the presence of betaE-immunoreactive material in the follicular matrix of corporal hairs and in duct cells of sweat glands. The possible meaning of these results is discussed.     

胃粘膜组织激素与胃癌、消化性溃疡的相关性研究

目的　研究胃泌素、胃动素、生长抑素及胰高血糖素等胃肠激素在胃癌癌组织及消化性溃疡的含量变化及它们之间的相关性。方法　内镜及活检确诊的慢性浅表性胃炎 (CSG) 2 4例 ,十二指肠球部溃疡 (DU) 2 0例 ,胃溃疡 (GU) 18例 ,胃癌 (GC) 15例 ,胃镜下取胃窦粘膜及胃癌癌组织 ,用RLA法测定胃泌素、胃动素、生长抑素及胰高血糖素的含量。结果　胃癌癌组织中 ,胃泌素、胃动素及胰高血糖素的含量分别为 168 9pg/mL± 62 5pg/mL、43 5 5pg/mL± 97 1pg/mL、12 3 4pg/mL± 41 3pg/mL ,明显高于DU(87 3pg/mL± 2 0 4pg/mL、3 72 2pg/mL± 86 9pg/mL、84 8pg/mL± 2 3 6pg/mL)、GU(92 5pg/mL± 2 6 3pg/mL、3 84 6pg/mL± 78 6pg/mL、64 9pg/mL± 18 2pg/mL)、及CSG(76 9pg/mL± 3 0 6pg/mL、2 86 7pg/mL± 64 3pg/mL、3 6 7pg/mL、14 3pg/mL)组 (P <0 0 1) ,生长抑素的含量 2 8 7pg/mL± 16 3pg/mL却显著低于DU(78 4pg/mL± 3 2 3pg/mL)、GU(86 9pg/mL± 2 8 8pg/mL)及CSG(4 6 8pg/mL± 13 4pg/mL)组 (P <0 0 1)。同时亦发现上述激素在GU及DU组的含量亦明显高于CSG组 (P <0 0 1)。结论　胃泌素、胃动素、生长抑素、胰高血糖素含量的变化可能参与了胃癌的发生、发展 ,并与溃疡的形成相关。     

Methoxychlor inhibits growth of antral follicles by altering cell cycle regulators

Methoxychlor (MXC) reduces fertility in female rodents, decreases antral follicle numbers, and increases atresia through oxidative stress pathways. MXC also inhibits antral follicle growth in vitro. The mechanism by which MXC inhibits growth of follicles is unknown. The growth of follicles is controlled, in part, by cell cycle regulators. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that MXC inhibits follicle growth by reducing the levels of selected cell cycle regulators. Further, we tested whether co-treatment with an antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), prevents the MXC-induced reduction in cell cycle regulators. For in vivo studies, adult cycling CD-1 mice were dosed with MXC or vehicle for 20 days. Treated ovaries were subjected to immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining. For in vitro studies, antral follicles isolated from adult cycling CD-1 mouse ovaries were cultured with vehicle, MXC, and/or NAC for 48, 72 and 96 h. Levels of cyclin D2 (Ccnd2) and cyclin dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) were measured using in vivo and in vitro samples. The results indicate that MXC decreased PCNA staining, and Ccnd2 and Cdk4 levels compared to controls. NAC co-treatment restored follicle growth and expression of Ccnd2 and Cdk4. Collectively, these data indicate that MXC exposure reduces the levels of Ccnd2 and Cdk4 in follicles, and that protection from oxidative stress restores Ccnd2 and Cdk4 levels. Therefore, MXC-induced oxidative stress may decrease the levels of cell cycle regulators, which in turn, results in inhibition of the growth of antral follicles.     

生长抑素对大鼠胃窦肌条的兴奋作用

三种形式的生长抑素均兴奋大鼠胃窦环行肌条的活动,使其收缩波平均振幅增大,而对胃底、胃体和幽门等部位肌条的活动均无明显的影响。结果表明:生长抑素对大鼠离体胃平滑肌条的兴奋作用局限在胃窦环行肌区域带。     

Risk of lymphoid follicle development in patients with chronic antral gastritis: role of endoscopic features, histopathological parameters, CagA status and interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms

Objective: Helicobacter pylori infection causes gastritis, lymphoid follicle formation and development of MALT lymphoma. We evaluated endoscopic, histological, serological and genetic risk factors associated with lymphoid follicle development in gastritis. Materials and methods: After upper GI endoscopy, 3 antral biopsies were taken from 120 patients for histological examination. H. pylori was diagnosed using rapid urease test (RUT), modified Giemsa stain and IgG anti-CagA ELISA. Genotyping of IL-1B (−511C/T) and IL-1RN (86 bp VNTR) genes were performed by PCR-RFLP/PCR. Results: In 120 patients, 45 (37.5%) showed presence of lymphoid follicles in antral gastric mucosa. H. pylori was positive by modified Giemsa stain (26%) RUT (50%) and anti-CagA IgG in 67.5%, The presence of nodularity (p = 0.030), neutrophilic infiltration (p = 0.010), lymphocytic infiltration (p = 0.002), glandular atrophy (p = 0.0001), glandular shortening (p = 0.001), fibrosis (p = 0.0001), plasma cells (p = 0.007), eosinophils (p = 0.012), anti-CagA antibodies (p = 0.003) and H. pylori density (p = 0.020) were associated with risk (odds ratio = 11.5, 3.8, 11.0, 8.4, 3.8, 4.6, 5.8, 16.0, 10.8 and 2.8 respectively) of lymphoid follicle. However, IL-1 gene polymorphisms did not influence lymphoid follicle development Conclusion: The presence of modularity, lymphocytic infiltration, glandular atrophy, glandular shortening, fibrosis, plasma cells, eosinophils and anti-CagA IgG antibodies are risk factors for lymphoid follicle development in patients with gastritis. Received 21 February 2007; returned for revision 11 June 2007; accepted by C. Kasserra 31 July 2007