Optical coherence tomography(OCT)enables in vivo imaging of port wine stains(PWS)lesions.The knowledge of vascular struct ure and epidermal thickness(ET)of PWS may aid the objectivediagnosis and optimal treatment.To o...Optical coherence tomography(OCT)enables in vivo imaging of port wine stains(PWS)lesions.The knowledge of vascular struct ure and epidermal thickness(ET)of PWS may aid the objectivediagnosis and optimal treatment.To obtain the structural parameters more rapidly and avoiduser intervention,an automated algorithm of energy map is introduced based on intensity andedge information to extract the skin surface using dynamic programming method.Subsequently,an averaged A-scan analysis is performed to obtain the mean ET and the relative intensity ofdermis indicating the corresponding vascular density.This approach is currently successfullyapplied in clinical diagnosis and shows promising guidance and assessment of PDT treatment.展开更多
Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs), Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis, are quarantine pests of potato which cause significant damage to production and farm gate revenue worldwide. Accurately assessing viability ...Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs), Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis, are quarantine pests of potato which cause significant damage to production and farm gate revenue worldwide. Accurately assessing viability of PCN eggs is important for eradication and management programs. The goal of this study was to develop a quick and reliable fluorescent staining method to evaluate viability of G. pallida and Globodera ellingtonae eggs. The staining efficiency of eight fluorescent stains was evaluated using G. pallida eggs compared with the conventional Meldola’s Blue (MB) staining method. The staining efficiency of the fluorescent stains ranged from 80.33 ± 2.99 (Sytox Green) to 100% (Acridine Orange) for non-viable eggs. Two stains were further evaluated for their efficiency in assessing viability of encysted eggs from five different greenhouse-reared G. pallida cyst sources which contained both viable and non-viable eggs. For the G. pallida cyst sources, viability ofencysted eggs were estimated to be 41.02 ± 3.81 to 62.66% ± 3.12% when stained with Acridine Orange (AO) and 79.52% ± 1.54% viability for G. ellingtonae. Both staining time and stain concentration were significant for staining efficiency of released and encysted eggs. Staining time and concentration were optimized for released eggs at 4 h at 10 μg/ml and for encysted eggs at 16 h at 25 μg/ml respectively for AO. Fluorescent stains accurately and rapidly assessed percent egg viability and were determined to be as sensitive as a seven-day incubation with the Meldola’s Blue staining method.展开更多
To assess the effectiveness of the flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser (Photogeneca V, Synosure Corp, Boston, United States) in the treatment of port- wine stains. Methods. One hundred and ninety- four consecutive pati...To assess the effectiveness of the flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser (Photogeneca V, Synosure Corp, Boston, United States) in the treatment of port- wine stains. Methods. One hundred and ninety- four consecutive patients with port- wine stains were treated with a flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1998 to August 1999. Results. Of 194 patients who completed treatment, 56.2％ had more than 60％ fading of the lesion and only 6.7％ had less than 20％ fading. An average of 3.6 treatments were needed to achieve more than 60％ fading. The response was better in children than in adults, although the difference was not significant. Pigmentary change (usually transient) occurred in 3.1％ of patients. Conclusions. This study confirms the efficacy of the flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser in the treatment of port- wine stains in children and adults.展开更多
Helicobacter pylori is the microbial agent most responsible for gastro-duodenal ulcer and chronic gastritis, which can develop into carcinoma of the stomach. This study was performed in Wad Medani Teaching Hospital, S...Helicobacter pylori is the microbial agent most responsible for gastro-duodenal ulcer and chronic gastritis, which can develop into carcinoma of the stomach. This study was performed in Wad Medani Teaching Hospital, Sudan to detect Helicobacter pylori in stomach samples, and evaluate the performance of the tests used, which were histological stains and PCR. Gastric biopsies were obtained from 105 referred patients during endoscopy, and fixed specimens examined by haematoxylin-eosin and Warthin-Starry silver stains, while DNA was extracted for glmM gene amplification. Epigastric pain was the most common symptom at 78% (82/105) and chronic gastritis recorded with 71% (68/105) of endoscopy results. Warthin-Starry silver stain gave 31% (33/105) as positive for Helicobacter pylori followed by glmM gene 27% (28/105) and haematoxylin-eosin 24% (25/105). The study indicated good performance of histological staining and high specificity of glmM gene in detection of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies.展开更多
Background:The treatment of port-wine stains(PWS)becomes extremely difficult due to age-related malformation of the vasculature.In this study,we used alternative methods to treat hypertrophic PWS.Methods:A short-pulse...Background:The treatment of port-wine stains(PWS)becomes extremely difficult due to age-related malformation of the vasculature.In this study,we used alternative methods to treat hypertrophic PWS.Methods:A short-pulsed CO_(2) laser was applied to ablate the hypertrophic vasculature of PWS.The ablation was ended when the wound was on the same plane as normal skin.The long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttriumaluminum-garnet(lpNd:YAG)laser was primarily applied to coagulate and subsequently liquefy the hypertrophic vasculature of the PWS.The therapeutic energy used in treating different lesions should be carefully regulated to significantly affect the treatment outcomes.Results:The two cases presented herein demonstrated substantial improvement in hypertrophic vasculature that was largely removed.The skin was resurfaced,although some scar formation and mild hypopigmentation occurred.Conclusion:We suggest the use of short-pulsed CO_(2) and lpNd:YAG lasers for treating certain cases of hypertrophic PWS.When using a short-pulsed CO_(2) laser,it is wise to judge the treatment endpoint and take appropriate precautions to avoid intraoperative bleeding.When using an lpNd:YAG laser,the therapeutic energy should be controlled according to the thickness of the lesion to reduce scar formation.展开更多
The imperfect material effect is one of the most important themes to obtain photo-realistic results in rendering.Textile material rendering has always been a key area in the field of computer graphics.So far,a great d...The imperfect material effect is one of the most important themes to obtain photo-realistic results in rendering.Textile material rendering has always been a key area in the field of computer graphics.So far,a great deal of effort has been invested in its unique appearance and physics-based simulation.The appearance of the dyeing effect commonly found in textiles has received little attention.This paper introduces techniques for simulation of staining effects on textiles.Pulling,wearing,squeezing,tearing,and breaking effects are more common imperfect effects of fabrics,these external forces will cause changes in the fabric structure,thus affecting the diffusion effect of stains.Based on the microstructure of yarn,we handle the effect of the stain on the imperfect textile surface.Our simulation results can achieve a photo-realistic effect.展开更多
A whitening toothpaste containing pyrrolidone groups was developed.Through the stain-removal experiment on the hydroxyapatite discs with tobacco stains,the stain-removal abilities of ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/V...A whitening toothpaste containing pyrrolidone groups was developed.Through the stain-removal experiment on the hydroxyapatite discs with tobacco stains,the stain-removal abilities of ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer and its toothpaste were studied.The results showed that the new toothpaste containing pyrrolidone groups had good whitening effect.The new whitening toothpaste had good safety and it had no damage to the soft and hard tissues.展开更多
Compared to refined wheat flour,whole wheat flour contains higher nutrients,but its high content of dietary fiber can have a significant impact on the quality of the final product.Therefore,how to enable consumers to ...Compared to refined wheat flour,whole wheat flour contains higher nutrients,but its high content of dietary fiber can have a significant impact on the quality of the final product.Therefore,how to enable consumers to obtain health benefits from whole wheat flour and improve the processing performance of whole wheat products has become a concern.The purpose of this study is to apply 2 strains Bacillus sp.SH and Aspergillus oryzae Y21 with cellulase production capacity and study their adaptability in whole wheat dough.The results indicate that the addition of cellulase-producing strains enhanced the acid production ability of whole wheat dough,rapidly reduced its pH value and insoluble dietary fiber content,and significantly increased the water-soluble arabinoxylan and water-soluble dietary fiber content.During the fermentation process,the viscoelasticity of the dough decreased,free sulfhydryl content increased,wet gluten content decreased,and the degree of reduction was consistent with the degree of acidification.Moreover,the proteolytic activity of the dough was increased,and the hydrolysis of gliadin was the most extensive.SH showed a higher advantage and has been used in whole wheat bread making.Increasing the proportion of strain SH in whole wheat bread can improve the structural characteristics and texture of the bread.When SH(5×10~7 CFU/g)is added to whole wheat bread,its hardness,elasticity,chewiness,and resilience can be similar to those of bread made from control group wheat flour,far exceeding that of whole wheat bread without adding SH.The addition of cellulase producing strains has obvious advantages in the development of whole-wheat dough,and also promote the development of whole wheat fermented foods as staple foods.展开更多
The quality of egg is mainly influenced by the dirt adhering to its shell.Even with good farm-management practices and careful handling,a small percentage of dirty eggs will be produced.The purpose of this research wa...The quality of egg is mainly influenced by the dirt adhering to its shell.Even with good farm-management practices and careful handling,a small percentage of dirty eggs will be produced.The purpose of this research was to detect the egg stains by using image processing technique.Compared to the color values,the local texture was found to be much more adept at accurately segmenting of the complex and miscellaneous dirt stains on the egg shell.Firstly,the global threshold of the image was obtained by two-peak method.The irrelevant background was removed by using the global threshold and the interested region was acquired.The local texture information extracted from the interested region was taken as the input of fuzzy C-means clustering for segmentation of the dirt stains.According to the principle of projection,the area of dirt stains on the curved egg surface was accurately calculated.The validation experimental results showed that the proposed method for classifying eggs in terms of stain has the specificity of 91.4%for white eggs and 89.5%for brown eggs.展开更多
Histopathological analysis of chronic wounds is crucial for clinicians to accurately assess wound healing progress and detect potential malignancy.However,traditional pathological tissue sections require specific stai...Histopathological analysis of chronic wounds is crucial for clinicians to accurately assess wound healing progress and detect potential malignancy.However,traditional pathological tissue sections require specific staining procedures involving carcinogenic chemicals.This study proposes an interdisciplinary approach merging materials science,medicine,and artificial intelligence(AI)to develop a virtual staining technique and intelligent evaluation model based on deep learning for chronic wound tissue pathology.This innovation aims to enhance clinical diagnosis and treatment by offering personalized AI-driven therapeutic strategies.By establishing a mouse model of chronic wounds and using a series of hydrogel wound dressings,tissue pathology sections were periodically collected for manual staining and healing assessment.We focused on leveraging the pix2pix image translation framework within deep learning networks.Through CNN models implemented in Python using PyTorch,our study involves learning and feature extraction for region segmentation of pathological slides.Comparative analysis between virtual staining and manual staining results,along with healing diagnosis conclusions,aims to optimize AI models.Ultimately,this approach integrates new metrics such as image recognition,quantitative analysis,and digital diagnostics to formulate an intelligent wound assessment model,facilitating smart monitoring and personalized treatment of wounds.In blind evaluation by pathologists,minimal disparities were found between virtual and conventional histologically stained images of murine wound tissue.The evaluation used pathologists’average scores on real stained images as a benchmark.The scores for virtual stained images were 71.1%for cellular features,75.4%for tissue structures,and 77.8%for overall assessment.Metrics such as PSNR(20.265)and SSIM(0.634)demonstrated our algorithms’superior performance over existing networks.Eight pathological features such as epidermis,hair follicles,and granulation tissue can be accurately identified,and the images were found to be more faithful to the actual tissue feature distribution when compared to manually annotated data.展开更多
Recently,Mueller matrix(MM)polarimetric imaging-assisted pathology detection methods are showing great potential in clinical diagnosis.However,since our human eyes cannot observe polarized light directly,it raises a n...Recently,Mueller matrix(MM)polarimetric imaging-assisted pathology detection methods are showing great potential in clinical diagnosis.However,since our human eyes cannot observe polarized light directly,it raises a notable challenge for interpreting the measurement results by pathologists who have limited familiarity with polarization images.One feasible approach is to combine MM polarimetric imaging with virtual staining techniques to generate standardized stained images,inheriting the advantages of information-abundant MM polarimetric imaging.In this study,we develop a model using unpaired MM polarimetric images and bright-field images for generating standard hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)stained tissue images.Compared with the existing polarization virtual staining techniques primarily based on the model training with paired images,the proposed Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Networks(CycleGAN)-based model simplifies data acquisition and data preprocessing to a great extent.The outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of training CycleGAN with unpaired polarization images and their corresponding bright-field images as a viable approach,which provides an intuitive manner for pathologists for future polarization-assisted digital pathology.展开更多
The abundance of live and dead Oithona similis in Jiaozhou Bay,Shandong,China,was investigated monthly from December 2008 to November 2009 via the neutral red staining method.The annual variation in total abundance wa...The abundance of live and dead Oithona similis in Jiaozhou Bay,Shandong,China,was investigated monthly from December 2008 to November 2009 via the neutral red staining method.The annual variation in total abundance was similar for females,males,and copepodites,with a main numerical peak from February to July and a minor peak in November,but the variations in carcass abundance and death proportion were different.The monthly average abundance of male and copepodite carcasses significantly increased with their total abundance(P<0.001),whereas no such correlation was observed for females.The abundance of female carcasses peaked at 12.4 inds./m^(3) in November but remained below 3.0 inds./m^(3) in all other months.The monthly average death proportion ranged 0.3%-4.9% for females,3.6%-25.7% for males,and 2.6%-8.4% for copepodites.On average,the death proportion of males was 9.2 times greater than that of females and 3.5 times greater than that of copepodites.Therefore,significant sexual difference exists in the non-predatory mortality of O.similis and this difference is an important cause of the female-skewed sex ratios observed in the field.展开更多
With the deepening of epigenetic research,studies have shown that N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is closely related to the development of rheumatoid arthritis(RA),but the mechanism is still unclear.In the study,we collecte...With the deepening of epigenetic research,studies have shown that N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is closely related to the development of rheumatoid arthritis(RA),but the mechanism is still unclear.In the study,we collected synovial tissues from normal controls and patients with osteoarthritis(OA)or RA.The levels of m^(6)A and inflammation were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining and western blotting.The roles of IGF2BP3 in cell proliferation and inflammatory activation were explored using transfection and RNA immunoprecipitation assays.IGF2BP3^(−/−)mice were generated and used to establish an arthritis mouse model by transferring serum from adult arthritis K/BxN mice.We found m^(6)A levels were markedly increased in RA patients and mouse models,and the expression of IGF2BP3 was upregulated in individuals with RA and related to the levels of inflammatory markers.IGF2BP3 played an important part in RA-fibroblast-like synoviocytes(FLS)by promoting cell proliferation,migration,invasion,inflammatory cytokine release and inhibiting autophagy.In addition,IGF2BP3 inhibited autophagy to reduce ROS production,thereby decreasing the inflammatory activation of macrophages.More importantly,RASGRF1-mediated mTORC1 activation played a crucial role in the ability of IGF2BP3 to promote cell proliferation and inflammatory activation.In an arthritis model of IGF2BP3^(−/−)mice,IGF2BP3 knockout inhibited RA-FLS proliferation and inflammatory infiltration,and further ameliorated RA joint injury.Our study revealed an important role for IGF2BP3 in RA progression.The targeted inhibition of IGF2BP3 reduced cell proliferation and inflammatory activation and limited RA development,providing a potential strategy for RA therapy.展开更多
Background: Diarrheal diseases have globally decreased over the past few decades, yet they remain one of the top three causes of mortality in children under five years, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria. Se...Background: Diarrheal diseases have globally decreased over the past few decades, yet they remain one of the top three causes of mortality in children under five years, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria. Seasonal peaks of diarrheal episodes continue to contribute significantly to childhood mortality in these regions. One of the notable causes of diarrhea in children is parasitic infections, particularly Cryptosporidium, which poses a serious health risk. In Nigeria, the burden of Cryptosporidium diarrhea is under-researched, making it imperative to investigate its prevalence and associated risk factors. Study Objectives: The study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium diarrhea among children aged five years and below in selected health institutions in Abakaliki, South-East Nigeria. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2017, recruiting 200 children under five years with diarrhea from health institutions in Abakaliki. Fecal specimens were analyzed for Cryptosporidium oocysts using light microscopy with modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from positive samples using QIAmp® DNA stool kit, followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and molecular genotyping. Results: Cryptosporidium was detected in 0.5% (1/200) of children via light microscopy and 6.5% (13/200) via IFAT. All positive samples were confirmed as Cryptosporidium hominis by PCR. The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in children from institutionalized homes (50.0%) compared to monogamous homes (6.2%) (p Conclusion: Cryptosporidium hominis is a notable cause of diarrhea among children in Abakaliki, primarily transmitted through human-to-human contact. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions in childcare institutions to prevent outbreaks. Health authorities should promote breastfeeding and enhance education on hygiene practices in vulnerable populations.展开更多
This study investigates the variability in cancer diagnosis across different tissues and organs, with a focus on the role of diagnostic methods such as Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry...This study investigates the variability in cancer diagnosis across different tissues and organs, with a focus on the role of diagnostic methods such as Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The predominance of female breast cancer (30%) aligns with global trends, underscoring the need for robust diagnostic protocols, particularly in developing regions. Other prevalent cancers, including skin, stomach, and cervix uteri, reflect a mix of environmental, genetic, and infectious factors. The underrepresentation of gallbladder and thyroid cancers (<1%) suggests potential underdiagnosis or lower prevalence. Age distribution data indicate peak cancer incidence in individuals aged 31 - 45 years, with gender-specific cancers like breast and cervical cancer predominantly affecting females (63.4%). The analysis also highlights significant diagnostic gaps, as 61.2% of cases did not undergo IHC testing due to resource constraints, leading to potential biases in cancer prevalence and diagnostic accuracy. The study emphasizes the complementary role of IHC in confirming ambiguous H&E findings, with strong alignment observed when both methods were used. However, the absence of IHC in many cases limits the robustness of conclusions, suggesting the need for increased access to IHC testing. The findings advocate for integrating IHC into routine diagnostics, expanding diagnostic capabilities, and improving sample sizes to ensure more reliable and comprehensive cancer data.展开更多
Unlike DNA profiling,mRNA profiling is greatly affected by external factors.To analyze the influence of different stain carriers on the detectability of mRNA markers from bloodstains,this study examined 10 carriers,in...Unlike DNA profiling,mRNA profiling is greatly affected by external factors.To analyze the influence of different stain carriers on the detectability of mRNA markers from bloodstains,this study examined 10 carriers,including a knife,cotton swab,paper,plastic,leather,cement,chopsticks,clothes,ceramic block,and wall.After detecting five specific mRNA markers(HBA,HBB,ALAS2,GYPA,and SPTB)and the housekeeping gene B2M in peripheral blood samples,no statistically significant differences in the effects of the carriers were found.The results suggest that when performing mRNA testing on bloodstains,the effect of the stain carrier has little influence.展开更多
Semen stain is one of the most important biological evidence at sexual crime scenes.Age estimation of human semen stains plays an important role in forensic work,and it is rarely studied due to lack of well-establishe...Semen stain is one of the most important biological evidence at sexual crime scenes.Age estimation of human semen stains plays an important role in forensic work,and it is rarely studied due to lack of well-established methods.In this study,the technique called attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR)coupled with advanced chemometric methods was employed to determine the age of semen stains on three different substrates:glass slides,tissues and fabric made of regenerated cellulose fibres up to 6 d.Partial least squares regression(PLSR)was used in conjunction with spectral analysis for age estimation,and the results generated high R2 values(cross-validation:0.81,external validation:0.74)but a narrow margin of error for root mean square error(RMSE)(RMSE of cross-validation:0.77 d,RMSE of prediction:1.02 d).Additionally,our results indicated the robustness of PLSR model was not weaken by the influence of different substrates in this study.Our results indicate that ATR-FTIR,combined with chemometric methods,shows great potential as a convenient and efficient tool for age estimation of semen stains.Moreover,the method could be applied to routine forensic investigations in the future.展开更多
Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy(V-PDT)is an effective treatment for port wine stains(PWS).However,repeated treatment is usually needed to achieve optimal treatment outcomes,possibly due to the limited treatment...Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy(V-PDT)is an effective treatment for port wine stains(PWS).However,repeated treatment is usually needed to achieve optimal treatment outcomes,possibly due to the limited treatment light penetration depth in the PWS lesion.The optical clearing technique can increase light penetration in depth by reducing light scattering.This study aimed to investigate the V-PDT in combination with an optical clearing agent(OCA)for the therapeutic enhancement of V-PDT in the rodent skinfold window chamber model.Vascular responses were closely monitored with laser speckle contrast imaging(LSCI),optical coherence tomography angiography,and stereo microscope before,during,and after the treatment.We further quantitatively demonstrated the effects of V-PDT in combination with OCA on the blood flow and blood vessel size of skin microvasculature.The combination of OCA and V-PDT resulted in significant vascular damage,including vasoconstriction and the reduction of blood flow.Our results indicate the promising potential of OCA for enhancing V-PDT for treating vascular-related diseases,including PWS.展开更多
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 61227807by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China under contracts 2006AA02Z472,001CB510307 and 2009CB929400+1 种基金by the Ministryof Education of China Grant 20130002110079 for Doctoral Programby the Tsinghua Initiative Scientific Research Program Grant 2013THZ02-3.
文摘Optical coherence tomography(OCT)enables in vivo imaging of port wine stains(PWS)lesions.The knowledge of vascular struct ure and epidermal thickness(ET)of PWS may aid the objectivediagnosis and optimal treatment.To obtain the structural parameters more rapidly and avoiduser intervention,an automated algorithm of energy map is introduced based on intensity andedge information to extract the skin surface using dynamic programming method.Subsequently,an averaged A-scan analysis is performed to obtain the mean ET and the relative intensity ofdermis indicating the corresponding vascular density.This approach is currently successfullyapplied in clinical diagnosis and shows promising guidance and assessment of PDT treatment.
文摘Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs), Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis, are quarantine pests of potato which cause significant damage to production and farm gate revenue worldwide. Accurately assessing viability of PCN eggs is important for eradication and management programs. The goal of this study was to develop a quick and reliable fluorescent staining method to evaluate viability of G. pallida and Globodera ellingtonae eggs. The staining efficiency of eight fluorescent stains was evaluated using G. pallida eggs compared with the conventional Meldola’s Blue (MB) staining method. The staining efficiency of the fluorescent stains ranged from 80.33 ± 2.99 (Sytox Green) to 100% (Acridine Orange) for non-viable eggs. Two stains were further evaluated for their efficiency in assessing viability of encysted eggs from five different greenhouse-reared G. pallida cyst sources which contained both viable and non-viable eggs. For the G. pallida cyst sources, viability ofencysted eggs were estimated to be 41.02 ± 3.81 to 62.66% ± 3.12% when stained with Acridine Orange (AO) and 79.52% ± 1.54% viability for G. ellingtonae. Both staining time and stain concentration were significant for staining efficiency of released and encysted eggs. Staining time and concentration were optimized for released eggs at 4 h at 10 μg/ml and for encysted eggs at 16 h at 25 μg/ml respectively for AO. Fluorescent stains accurately and rapidly assessed percent egg viability and were determined to be as sensitive as a seven-day incubation with the Meldola’s Blue staining method.
文摘To assess the effectiveness of the flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser (Photogeneca V, Synosure Corp, Boston, United States) in the treatment of port- wine stains. Methods. One hundred and ninety- four consecutive patients with port- wine stains were treated with a flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1998 to August 1999. Results. Of 194 patients who completed treatment, 56.2％ had more than 60％ fading of the lesion and only 6.7％ had less than 20％ fading. An average of 3.6 treatments were needed to achieve more than 60％ fading. The response was better in children than in adults, although the difference was not significant. Pigmentary change (usually transient) occurred in 3.1％ of patients. Conclusions. This study confirms the efficacy of the flashlamp- pumped pulsed dye laser in the treatment of port- wine stains in children and adults.
文摘Helicobacter pylori is the microbial agent most responsible for gastro-duodenal ulcer and chronic gastritis, which can develop into carcinoma of the stomach. This study was performed in Wad Medani Teaching Hospital, Sudan to detect Helicobacter pylori in stomach samples, and evaluate the performance of the tests used, which were histological stains and PCR. Gastric biopsies were obtained from 105 referred patients during endoscopy, and fixed specimens examined by haematoxylin-eosin and Warthin-Starry silver stains, while DNA was extracted for glmM gene amplification. Epigastric pain was the most common symptom at 78% (82/105) and chronic gastritis recorded with 71% (68/105) of endoscopy results. Warthin-Starry silver stain gave 31% (33/105) as positive for Helicobacter pylori followed by glmM gene 27% (28/105) and haematoxylin-eosin 24% (25/105). The study indicated good performance of histological staining and high specificity of glmM gene in detection of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsies.
文摘Background:The treatment of port-wine stains(PWS)becomes extremely difficult due to age-related malformation of the vasculature.In this study,we used alternative methods to treat hypertrophic PWS.Methods:A short-pulsed CO_(2) laser was applied to ablate the hypertrophic vasculature of PWS.The ablation was ended when the wound was on the same plane as normal skin.The long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttriumaluminum-garnet(lpNd:YAG)laser was primarily applied to coagulate and subsequently liquefy the hypertrophic vasculature of the PWS.The therapeutic energy used in treating different lesions should be carefully regulated to significantly affect the treatment outcomes.Results:The two cases presented herein demonstrated substantial improvement in hypertrophic vasculature that was largely removed.The skin was resurfaced,although some scar formation and mild hypopigmentation occurred.Conclusion:We suggest the use of short-pulsed CO_(2) and lpNd:YAG lasers for treating certain cases of hypertrophic PWS.When using a short-pulsed CO_(2) laser,it is wise to judge the treatment endpoint and take appropriate precautions to avoid intraoperative bleeding.When using an lpNd:YAG laser,the therapeutic energy should be controlled according to the thickness of the lesion to reduce scar formation.
文摘The imperfect material effect is one of the most important themes to obtain photo-realistic results in rendering.Textile material rendering has always been a key area in the field of computer graphics.So far,a great deal of effort has been invested in its unique appearance and physics-based simulation.The appearance of the dyeing effect commonly found in textiles has received little attention.This paper introduces techniques for simulation of staining effects on textiles.Pulling,wearing,squeezing,tearing,and breaking effects are more common imperfect effects of fabrics,these external forces will cause changes in the fabric structure,thus affecting the diffusion effect of stains.Based on the microstructure of yarn,we handle the effect of the stain on the imperfect textile surface.Our simulation results can achieve a photo-realistic effect.
文摘A whitening toothpaste containing pyrrolidone groups was developed.Through the stain-removal experiment on the hydroxyapatite discs with tobacco stains,the stain-removal abilities of ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer and its toothpaste were studied.The results showed that the new toothpaste containing pyrrolidone groups had good whitening effect.The new whitening toothpaste had good safety and it had no damage to the soft and hard tissues.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(32330081)。
文摘Compared to refined wheat flour,whole wheat flour contains higher nutrients,but its high content of dietary fiber can have a significant impact on the quality of the final product.Therefore,how to enable consumers to obtain health benefits from whole wheat flour and improve the processing performance of whole wheat products has become a concern.The purpose of this study is to apply 2 strains Bacillus sp.SH and Aspergillus oryzae Y21 with cellulase production capacity and study their adaptability in whole wheat dough.The results indicate that the addition of cellulase-producing strains enhanced the acid production ability of whole wheat dough,rapidly reduced its pH value and insoluble dietary fiber content,and significantly increased the water-soluble arabinoxylan and water-soluble dietary fiber content.During the fermentation process,the viscoelasticity of the dough decreased,free sulfhydryl content increased,wet gluten content decreased,and the degree of reduction was consistent with the degree of acidification.Moreover,the proteolytic activity of the dough was increased,and the hydrolysis of gliadin was the most extensive.SH showed a higher advantage and has been used in whole wheat bread making.Increasing the proportion of strain SH in whole wheat bread can improve the structural characteristics and texture of the bread.When SH(5×10~7 CFU/g)is added to whole wheat bread,its hardness,elasticity,chewiness,and resilience can be similar to those of bread made from control group wheat flour,far exceeding that of whole wheat bread without adding SH.The addition of cellulase producing strains has obvious advantages in the development of whole-wheat dough,and also promote the development of whole wheat fermented foods as staple foods.
基金The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the National Science&Technology Pillar Program(2015BAD19B05).
文摘The quality of egg is mainly influenced by the dirt adhering to its shell.Even with good farm-management practices and careful handling,a small percentage of dirty eggs will be produced.The purpose of this research was to detect the egg stains by using image processing technique.Compared to the color values,the local texture was found to be much more adept at accurately segmenting of the complex and miscellaneous dirt stains on the egg shell.Firstly,the global threshold of the image was obtained by two-peak method.The irrelevant background was removed by using the global threshold and the interested region was acquired.The local texture information extracted from the interested region was taken as the input of fuzzy C-means clustering for segmentation of the dirt stains.According to the principle of projection,the area of dirt stains on the curved egg surface was accurately calculated.The validation experimental results showed that the proposed method for classifying eggs in terms of stain has the specificity of 91.4%for white eggs and 89.5%for brown eggs.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.20720230037)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52273305)+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China(No.2023J05012)State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases,Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory(Nos.2023XAKJ0103071,2023XAKJ0102061)Natural Science Foundation of Xiamen,China(No.3502Z20227010).
文摘Histopathological analysis of chronic wounds is crucial for clinicians to accurately assess wound healing progress and detect potential malignancy.However,traditional pathological tissue sections require specific staining procedures involving carcinogenic chemicals.This study proposes an interdisciplinary approach merging materials science,medicine,and artificial intelligence(AI)to develop a virtual staining technique and intelligent evaluation model based on deep learning for chronic wound tissue pathology.This innovation aims to enhance clinical diagnosis and treatment by offering personalized AI-driven therapeutic strategies.By establishing a mouse model of chronic wounds and using a series of hydrogel wound dressings,tissue pathology sections were periodically collected for manual staining and healing assessment.We focused on leveraging the pix2pix image translation framework within deep learning networks.Through CNN models implemented in Python using PyTorch,our study involves learning and feature extraction for region segmentation of pathological slides.Comparative analysis between virtual staining and manual staining results,along with healing diagnosis conclusions,aims to optimize AI models.Ultimately,this approach integrates new metrics such as image recognition,quantitative analysis,and digital diagnostics to formulate an intelligent wound assessment model,facilitating smart monitoring and personalized treatment of wounds.In blind evaluation by pathologists,minimal disparities were found between virtual and conventional histologically stained images of murine wound tissue.The evaluation used pathologists’average scores on real stained images as a benchmark.The scores for virtual stained images were 71.1%for cellular features,75.4%for tissue structures,and 77.8%for overall assessment.Metrics such as PSNR(20.265)and SSIM(0.634)demonstrated our algorithms’superior performance over existing networks.Eight pathological features such as epidermis,hair follicles,and granulation tissue can be accurately identified,and the images were found to be more faithful to the actual tissue feature distribution when compared to manually annotated data.
基金Shenzhen Key Fundamental Research Project(No.JCYJ20210324120012035).
文摘Recently,Mueller matrix(MM)polarimetric imaging-assisted pathology detection methods are showing great potential in clinical diagnosis.However,since our human eyes cannot observe polarized light directly,it raises a notable challenge for interpreting the measurement results by pathologists who have limited familiarity with polarization images.One feasible approach is to combine MM polarimetric imaging with virtual staining techniques to generate standardized stained images,inheriting the advantages of information-abundant MM polarimetric imaging.In this study,we develop a model using unpaired MM polarimetric images and bright-field images for generating standard hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)stained tissue images.Compared with the existing polarization virtual staining techniques primarily based on the model training with paired images,the proposed Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Networks(CycleGAN)-based model simplifies data acquisition and data preprocessing to a great extent.The outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of training CycleGAN with unpaired polarization images and their corresponding bright-field images as a viable approach,which provides an intuitive manner for pathologists for future polarization-assisted digital pathology.
基金Supported by the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(No.ZR2020QC043)。
文摘The abundance of live and dead Oithona similis in Jiaozhou Bay,Shandong,China,was investigated monthly from December 2008 to November 2009 via the neutral red staining method.The annual variation in total abundance was similar for females,males,and copepodites,with a main numerical peak from February to July and a minor peak in November,but the variations in carcass abundance and death proportion were different.The monthly average abundance of male and copepodite carcasses significantly increased with their total abundance(P<0.001),whereas no such correlation was observed for females.The abundance of female carcasses peaked at 12.4 inds./m^(3) in November but remained below 3.0 inds./m^(3) in all other months.The monthly average death proportion ranged 0.3%-4.9% for females,3.6%-25.7% for males,and 2.6%-8.4% for copepodites.On average,the death proportion of males was 9.2 times greater than that of females and 3.5 times greater than that of copepodites.Therefore,significant sexual difference exists in the non-predatory mortality of O.similis and this difference is an important cause of the female-skewed sex ratios observed in the field.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U22A20374,52373273)National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding of China-Japan Friendship Hospital(Grant number:2024-NHLHCRF-JBGSWZ-02).
文摘With the deepening of epigenetic research,studies have shown that N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is closely related to the development of rheumatoid arthritis(RA),but the mechanism is still unclear.In the study,we collected synovial tissues from normal controls and patients with osteoarthritis(OA)or RA.The levels of m^(6)A and inflammation were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining and western blotting.The roles of IGF2BP3 in cell proliferation and inflammatory activation were explored using transfection and RNA immunoprecipitation assays.IGF2BP3^(−/−)mice were generated and used to establish an arthritis mouse model by transferring serum from adult arthritis K/BxN mice.We found m^(6)A levels were markedly increased in RA patients and mouse models,and the expression of IGF2BP3 was upregulated in individuals with RA and related to the levels of inflammatory markers.IGF2BP3 played an important part in RA-fibroblast-like synoviocytes(FLS)by promoting cell proliferation,migration,invasion,inflammatory cytokine release and inhibiting autophagy.In addition,IGF2BP3 inhibited autophagy to reduce ROS production,thereby decreasing the inflammatory activation of macrophages.More importantly,RASGRF1-mediated mTORC1 activation played a crucial role in the ability of IGF2BP3 to promote cell proliferation and inflammatory activation.In an arthritis model of IGF2BP3^(−/−)mice,IGF2BP3 knockout inhibited RA-FLS proliferation and inflammatory infiltration,and further ameliorated RA joint injury.Our study revealed an important role for IGF2BP3 in RA progression.The targeted inhibition of IGF2BP3 reduced cell proliferation and inflammatory activation and limited RA development,providing a potential strategy for RA therapy.
文摘Background: Diarrheal diseases have globally decreased over the past few decades, yet they remain one of the top three causes of mortality in children under five years, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria. Seasonal peaks of diarrheal episodes continue to contribute significantly to childhood mortality in these regions. One of the notable causes of diarrhea in children is parasitic infections, particularly Cryptosporidium, which poses a serious health risk. In Nigeria, the burden of Cryptosporidium diarrhea is under-researched, making it imperative to investigate its prevalence and associated risk factors. Study Objectives: The study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with Cryptosporidium diarrhea among children aged five years and below in selected health institutions in Abakaliki, South-East Nigeria. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2017, recruiting 200 children under five years with diarrhea from health institutions in Abakaliki. Fecal specimens were analyzed for Cryptosporidium oocysts using light microscopy with modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from positive samples using QIAmp® DNA stool kit, followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and molecular genotyping. Results: Cryptosporidium was detected in 0.5% (1/200) of children via light microscopy and 6.5% (13/200) via IFAT. All positive samples were confirmed as Cryptosporidium hominis by PCR. The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in children from institutionalized homes (50.0%) compared to monogamous homes (6.2%) (p Conclusion: Cryptosporidium hominis is a notable cause of diarrhea among children in Abakaliki, primarily transmitted through human-to-human contact. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions in childcare institutions to prevent outbreaks. Health authorities should promote breastfeeding and enhance education on hygiene practices in vulnerable populations.
文摘This study investigates the variability in cancer diagnosis across different tissues and organs, with a focus on the role of diagnostic methods such as Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The predominance of female breast cancer (30%) aligns with global trends, underscoring the need for robust diagnostic protocols, particularly in developing regions. Other prevalent cancers, including skin, stomach, and cervix uteri, reflect a mix of environmental, genetic, and infectious factors. The underrepresentation of gallbladder and thyroid cancers (<1%) suggests potential underdiagnosis or lower prevalence. Age distribution data indicate peak cancer incidence in individuals aged 31 - 45 years, with gender-specific cancers like breast and cervical cancer predominantly affecting females (63.4%). The analysis also highlights significant diagnostic gaps, as 61.2% of cases did not undergo IHC testing due to resource constraints, leading to potential biases in cancer prevalence and diagnostic accuracy. The study emphasizes the complementary role of IHC in confirming ambiguous H&E findings, with strong alignment observed when both methods were used. However, the absence of IHC in many cases limits the robustness of conclusions, suggesting the need for increased access to IHC testing. The findings advocate for integrating IHC into routine diagnostics, expanding diagnostic capabilities, and improving sample sizes to ensure more reliable and comprehensive cancer data.
基金This study is funded by the basic research fund of the central public welfare research institute (2020JB001).
文摘Unlike DNA profiling,mRNA profiling is greatly affected by external factors.To analyze the influence of different stain carriers on the detectability of mRNA markers from bloodstains,this study examined 10 carriers,including a knife,cotton swab,paper,plastic,leather,cement,chopsticks,clothes,ceramic block,and wall.After detecting five specific mRNA markers(HBA,HBB,ALAS2,GYPA,and SPTB)and the housekeeping gene B2M in peripheral blood samples,no statistically significant differences in the effects of the carriers were found.The results suggest that when performing mRNA testing on bloodstains,the effect of the stain carrier has little influence.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[grant number 81730056].
文摘Semen stain is one of the most important biological evidence at sexual crime scenes.Age estimation of human semen stains plays an important role in forensic work,and it is rarely studied due to lack of well-established methods.In this study,the technique called attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(ATR-FTIR)coupled with advanced chemometric methods was employed to determine the age of semen stains on three different substrates:glass slides,tissues and fabric made of regenerated cellulose fibres up to 6 d.Partial least squares regression(PLSR)was used in conjunction with spectral analysis for age estimation,and the results generated high R2 values(cross-validation:0.81,external validation:0.74)but a narrow margin of error for root mean square error(RMSE)(RMSE of cross-validation:0.77 d,RMSE of prediction:1.02 d).Additionally,our results indicated the robustness of PLSR model was not weaken by the influence of different substrates in this study.Our results indicate that ATR-FTIR,combined with chemometric methods,shows great potential as a convenient and efficient tool for age estimation of semen stains.Moreover,the method could be applied to routine forensic investigations in the future.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Numbers 62205025 and 61835015)Beijing Natural Science Foundation(7222309)+2 种基金the Open Project Program of Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics(2020WNLOKF025)CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS)(2019-I2M-5-061)Beijing Institute of Technology Research Fund Program for Young Scholars(XSQD-202123001).
文摘Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy(V-PDT)is an effective treatment for port wine stains(PWS).However,repeated treatment is usually needed to achieve optimal treatment outcomes,possibly due to the limited treatment light penetration depth in the PWS lesion.The optical clearing technique can increase light penetration in depth by reducing light scattering.This study aimed to investigate the V-PDT in combination with an optical clearing agent(OCA)for the therapeutic enhancement of V-PDT in the rodent skinfold window chamber model.Vascular responses were closely monitored with laser speckle contrast imaging(LSCI),optical coherence tomography angiography,and stereo microscope before,during,and after the treatment.We further quantitatively demonstrated the effects of V-PDT in combination with OCA on the blood flow and blood vessel size of skin microvasculature.The combination of OCA and V-PDT resulted in significant vascular damage,including vasoconstriction and the reduction of blood flow.Our results indicate the promising potential of OCA for enhancing V-PDT for treating vascular-related diseases,including PWS.
