Skin image segmentation based on energy transformation

In this paper, a new method on extraction of human skin grid centerlines is proposed. The method introduces the physics concepts of kinetic and potential energy into image processing. Regional energy is calculated. Energy transformation is performed to map the pixels from the grayscale space into energy space. Then, the energy image undergoes a morphological filter to remove noises and spurious minima. The amount of filtering can be manually tuned to get a different result. Subsequently, normal curvature of the energy surface is utilized to identify the principal direction and principal curvatures. The ridge centerlines can be detected at the image locations where the principal direction is perpendicular to the normal vector. The experiment shows that this method is an effective one for the purpose of extracting human skin grid.     

Inhibition of compound action potentials following administration of dental self-etching primer/adhesives

Self-etching dentin adhesive systems, a new generation of dental-bonding agents, were investigated for their ability to block nerve conductance in the rat sciatic nerve model. Clearfil SE Bond, Mac Bond and FL Bond were used as test materials. Isolated rat sciatic nerves obtained from female albino rats were placed between two electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials were recorded versus time before and after contact with the materials. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks tests (P = 0.01) to compare the mean percentage of inhibition between test materials versus time. All test materials were able to block nerve transmission rapidly (3.3 +/- 0.5, 5.1 +/- 2.3 and 8.0 +/- 1.9 min for SE Bond, Mac Bond and FL Bond, respectively). Significant differences were found between FL Bond and SE and Mac Bond (P < 0.01). These results indicated that the bonded systems tested, intended primarily as dentinal tubule occluders, may also exert some direct desensitizing effect on intratubular or pulpal nerve terminals in extremely deep cavities or pulpal microexposures, contributing to decreased postoperative pain.     

Influence of a self-etching primer on compound nerve action potentials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-etching primers on nerve conductance. A self-etching primer (One Up Bond F) which combines etching and bonding in one step, and a fifth-generation bonding agent (Prime&Bond NT ) were tested. Isolated rat sciatic nerves were placed between two platinum electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials (CAP) were recorded before and after contact with the materials. One Up Bond F caused total inhibition of the CAP within an average time of 7 min. All CAPs in this group were blocked irreversibly. As with Prime&Bond NT, the reduction in CAP was 45.9% after an application time of 15 min, after which readings were terminated. Recovery of the CAP in this group were maintained after rinsing with fresh tyrode solution. One Up Bond F elicited faster blocking of nerve conductance under the conditions of this model. In the context of dentin desensitization with bonding agents, the self-etching primer may be more effective, clinically.     

Clinical spectrum of acute abdominal pain in Turkish pediatric patients: A prospective study

Abstract Background : The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence, associated symptoms, and clinical outcomes of children with acute abdominal pain who had been admitted to an emergency department. Methods : Children aged between 2 and 16 years who presented to the emergency department of Cerrahpa?a Medical School, Istanbul University between July 2001 and August 2002 with acute abdominal pain were enrolled in this study. A questionnaire was completed each patient admitted to our pediatric emergency unit for acute abdominal pain. Data collected included presenting signs and symptoms, the hospital follow up for all children who returned within 10 days, test results, and telephone follow up. Results : The number of children referred to the emergency department was 7442, with 399 (5.4%) of these having acute abdominal pain. The mean age of the study population was 6.9 ± 3.5 years, and 201 of the patients were male. The five most prevalent diagnoses were: (i) upper respiratory tract infection and/or complicated with otitis media or sinusitis (23.7%); (ii) abdominal pain with uncertain etiology (15.4%); (iii) gastroenteritis (15.4%); (iv) constipation (9.4%); and (v) urinary tract infection (8%). The most common associated symptoms were decreased appetite, fever and emesis. Because of follow‐up deficiency the progress of 28 patients was not obtained. Eighty‐two children were referred to the department of pediatric surgery, but only 17 of 82 (20.7%) required surgical intervention (15 of these 17 for appendicitis). Eleven patients returned within 10 days for re‐evaluation, but the initial diagnosis was not changed. The complaints of 57 patients with uncertain etiology were resolved within 2 days. Conclusions : An acute complaint of abdominal pain was usually attributed to a self‐limited disease. However, the percentage of surgical etiology is not negligible.     

正交试验优选蒽酮 硫酸法测定蒙药“那仁满都拉”水溶性糖含量条件

摘 要 目的： 优选蒽酮 硫酸法测定蒙药“那仁满都拉”水溶性糖含量试验条件,并对蒙药“那仁满都拉”水溶性糖进行含量测定。方法: 在单因素试验基础上,对影响水溶性糖含量测定的四个因素：反应温度、反应时间、硫酸浓度,蒽酮浓度进行正交试验设计,优选最佳测定条件。结果: 蒽酮 硫酸法测定蒙药“那仁满都拉”水溶性糖含量的最佳条件为：反应温度80℃、反应时间45 min、硫酸浓度75%、蒽酮浓度0.2%。在此条件下,葡萄糖在2.040 0～32.580 0 mg·mL^-1范围内线性关系良好,r=0.999 6,平均回收率为101.88%,RSD为0.69%。三批样品含量测定的RSD均小于0.95%。结论: 用蒽酮 硫酸法测定“那仁满都拉”中的水溶性糖含量时,显色条件对定量有不容忽视的影响。     

银质针治疗颈椎间盘突出症1例报告——11年随访研究

目的：探讨银质针治疗颈椎间盘突出症的远期效果。方法：报告银质针治疗1例颈椎间盘突出症患者，随访11年．观察临床症状变化和通过颈椎MRI观察突出的椎间盘演变过程。结果：疼痛视觉模拟评分明显减少，临床症状消失，颈椎MRI显示：治疗前椎间盘突出，硬膜囊明显受压，经过治疗，突出椎间盘逐渐与硬膜囊之间出现间隙，直至11年后，突出椎间盘还纳，硬膜囊压迫完全解除。结论：银质针治疗某些颈椎间盘突出症有效果，有可能引起椎间盘的变化。     

乙酰半胱氨酸纳米活性炭缓释微囊对大鼠非酒精性脂肪性肝炎抗氧化作用的影响

目的 探讨乙酰半胱氨酸纳米活性碳缓释微囊（ACNAC）对非酒精性脂肪性肝炎（NASH）大鼠肝脏抗氧化能力的影响.方法 通过高脂饮食12周诱导建立NASH大鼠动物模型,分别给予ACNAC高、中、低每日不同剂量（800 mg/kg、400 mg/kg和200 mg/kg）与易善复（0.692 mg/kg）、乙酰半胱氨酸（400 mg/kg）连续灌胃8周后,检测血清生化指标、肝匀浆丙二醛（MDA）含量、总超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性、还原型谷胱甘肽（GSH）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）活性及肝脏病理指标.结果 ACNAC中剂量组与高脂组相比,血清ALT、AST明显下降（P＜0.01 、P ＜0.05）,且优于易善复组（P＜0.05）.血清TCHOL 、TG、LDL-C和CR检测结果差异虽无统计学意义,但其数值上ACNAC明显低于高脂组,且优于易善复组和NAC组.ACNAC高、中、低三组与高脂组相比,SOD活力明显升高（P ＜0.01） 、GSH含量明显升高（P＜0.01）,ACNAC中剂量组与高脂组比较GSH-PX活性明显升高（P＜0.05）但略低于易善复组（P＜0.01））.结论 相关剂量的乙酰半胱氨酸纳米活性炭缓释微囊可增强非酒精性脂肪性肝炎大鼠的抗氧化能力.     

Self-mutilation,anorexia, and dysmenorrhea in obsessive compulsive disorder

This report described 19 female patients (M = 23.5) diagnosed as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD; DSM-III-R) who exhibited additional symptoms of self-mutilation, dysmenorrhea, and dysorexia. A biphasic pattern related to menstruation during the course of OCD emerged: Phase 1, amenorrheic—characterized by anorexia nervosa, amenorrhea, and aggressive behavior, and Phase 2, postamenorrheic—characterized by self-mutilation following the return of the menstrual cycle, dysorexia, and aggressive behavior. All mutilative acts were reported by the patients to be painless and consisted of slashes. Seventy percent of the patients were sexually abused during childhood. All patients underwent an open trial of clomipramine (M = 200 mg/day) for 6 months, and intensive behavior therapy for 8 weeks. Based on clinical observations and self-reports, there was a decrease in self-harm and OCD symptoms. The emergence of OCD, self-mutilation, dysorexia, and dysmenorrhea in a sequential manner may suggest a specific clinical syndrome or the presence of an OCD subset. A biological working hypothesis of a hypothalamic dysfunction with serotonergic participation was suggested. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.