BACKGROUND The diagnostic accuracy for detecting metastatic lymph nodes in colorectal cancer(CRC)remains suboptimal.To address this limitation,our study investigates the potential of gemstone spectral computed tomogra...BACKGROUND The diagnostic accuracy for detecting metastatic lymph nodes in colorectal cancer(CRC)remains suboptimal.To address this limitation,our study investigates the potential of gemstone spectral computed tomography imaging(GSI)to improve diagnostic accuracy in lymph node metastasis(LNM)assessment.AIM To extensively investigate the clinical utility of GSI in the preoperative assessment of CRC.METHODS The subject population included 200 patients with CRC who were admitted to Zibo Central Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023.All patients underwent dual-phase contrast-enhanced scans in the arterial and venous phases using GSI before surgical intervention.During the research,meticulous quantification was conducted regarding the number of patients with CRC with LNM as well as the exact count of metastatic lymph nodes.Moreover,for both metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes,the short diameter at the maximum crosssectional area(covering the axial,sagittal,and coronal planes),morphological features(including manifestations such as margin blurring,aggregation,and enhancement),and spectral parameters in the arterial and venous phases[specifically iodine concentration(IC),normalized IC(NIC),and the slope of the spectral curve(λHU)]were measured and recorded,and a comparative analysis was conducted.The diagnostic efficacy of each index with differences was systematically assessed using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Concurrently,receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for LNM screening based on the short diameter at the maximum cross-sectional area of lymph nodes and each spectral parameter in the arterial and venous phases.RESULTS The area under the curve of GSI for diagnosing LNM in patients with CRC can reach 0.897,with sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of 92.59%,85.87%,and 89.50%,respectively.A total of 265 lymph nodes were analyzed from the 200 participants with CRC,with metastatic lymph nodes accounting for 56.60%.Compared with nonmetastatic lymph nodes,the short diameters of metastatic lymph nodes in the axial,sagittal,and coronal planes were significantly increased,whereas the IC values in the arterial and venous phases,the NIC value in the arterial phase,and theλHU values in the arterial and venous phases were significantly decreased.The short axial,sagittal,and coronal diameters,arterial-phase IC,venous-phase IC,arterial-phase NIC,arterial-phaseλHU,and venousphaseλHU for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes demonstrated area under the curve values of 0.631,0.681,0.659,0.862,0.808,0.831,0.801,and 0.706,respectively.CONCLUSION GSI exhibits substantial clinical significance in the preoperative assessment of CRC.Among the parameters assessed,the arterial-phase IC demonstrates the most outstanding diagnostic performance,effectively improving the diagnostic efficacy for preoperative LNM in CRC.展开更多
Aquamarine gemstones are popular jewelry in the gemstone trade and are currently one of the important products in the world market because of their economic value. Aquamarine is a Beryllium Aluminium Silicate with the...Aquamarine gemstones are popular jewelry in the gemstone trade and are currently one of the important products in the world market because of their economic value. Aquamarine is a Beryllium Aluminium Silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2Si6O18 and crystallizes in the hexagonal system with space group P6/mcc (192), and Tanzania has wide deposits of aquamarine gemstones. The quality of gemstone depends on its characteristic properties, including electronic, optical, and mechanical properties. In the present study, the effect of external pressure on mechanical properties including independent elastic constants and other related parameters such as Bulk modulus, Shear modulus, Young modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and Compressibility were studied. Density Function Theory in the forcite module of the material studies software on the external pressure within the range of 0 - 200 GPa on the optimized structure at electrostatic, Van der Waals and Ewald terms were used in this study. The results reveal that the independent elastic constants are mechanically unstable at 50 - 120 Gpa and are stable at 0 - 40 GPa and above 120 GPa, with the average bulk modulus, shear modulus, young modulus, Poisson’s ratio of 2319.9447, 652.3058, 1789.2236, and 0.26 respectively with the compressibility of 0.059921/TPa, this indicates that aquamarine gemstones are stable against strain and strongly against shear stress but opposing shear deformation. These values are within other crystalline materials found in the literature. This provides technological backing for the comprehensive valuation of mechanical properties, quality, and stability of gemstones available in Tanzania.展开更多
AIM: To assess the value of gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) in efficacy evaluation in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment.METHODS: Thirty patients with HCC under...AIM: To assess the value of gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) in efficacy evaluation in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment.METHODS: Thirty patients with HCC underwent GSI, including nonenhanced, arterial, portalvenous and delayed phase scans, after TACE treatment. Arterial phase images were acquired with GSI for reconstruction of virtual nonenhanced images and color overlay images. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed in all these patients. Two blinded and independent readers evaluated the data in two reading sessions; standard nonenhanced, arterial, portalvenous, and delayed phase images were read in session A, and the optimal monochromatic images, iodine/water based images and spectrum features were read in session B. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated with the DSA data as the reference standard. The sensitivity and specificity were compared using the χ<sup>2</sup> test.RESULTS: DSA revealed 154 lesions in 30 patients, and 100 of them had blood supply. Overall sensitivity and specificity were 72% (72/100) and 77.8% (42/54) for session A, and 97% (97/100) and 94.4% (51/54) for session B, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the two reading sessions were significantly different (χ<sup>2</sup> = 23.04, χ<sup>2</sup> = 7.11, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional CT, GSI could significantly improve the detection of small and multiple lesions without increasing the radiation dose. Based on spectrum features, GSI could assess tumor homogeneity and more accurately identify residual tumors and recurrent or metastatic lesions during efficacy evaluation and follow-up in HCC after TACE treatment.展开更多
The gemstone cutting is a useful process to create shapes on rocks and minerals. This is done through the steps sawing, grinding, faceting and polishing, thus providing better light reflection in the pavilion with spe...The gemstone cutting is a useful process to create shapes on rocks and minerals. This is done through the steps sawing, grinding, faceting and polishing, thus providing better light reflection in the pavilion with specific angles for each translucent mineral; brightness on the surface, aesthetic appreciation and their use in the jewellery industry.展开更多
Gemstones–including emeralds,rubies and sapphires and many other mineral varieties–have fascinated humans for millennia.Many of the regions producing gemstones are experiencing unsustainable social,economic and envi...Gemstones–including emeralds,rubies and sapphires and many other mineral varieties–have fascinated humans for millennia.Many of the regions producing gemstones are experiencing unsustainable social,economic and environmental pressures at present.In regions such as the Mogok Stone Tract in Burma(Myanmar),strong traditions have evolved around the mining and processing of the different gemstones.It is proposed that specific criteria and a heritage designation scheme be developed for such regions that have been outstanding producers of gemstones,in some cases for many centuries.Ultimately,the aim would be to preserve the traditions of these provinces and increase cultural,scientific and touristic interest in their gemstone resources as a way of contributing to sustainable development in these regions.展开更多
Conventional electron and optical microscopy techniques require the sample to be sectioned, polished or etched to expose the internal surfaces for imaging. However, such sample preparation techniques have traditionall...Conventional electron and optical microscopy techniques require the sample to be sectioned, polished or etched to expose the internal surfaces for imaging. However, such sample preparation techniques have traditionally prevented the observation of the same sample over time, under realistic three-dimensional geometries and in an environment representative of real-world operating conditions. X-ray microscopy (XRM) is a rapidly emerging technique that enables non-destructive evaluation of buried structures within hard to soft materials in 3D, requiring little to no sample preparation. Furthermore in situ and 4D quantification of microstructural evolution under controlled environment as a function of time, temperature, chemistry or stress can be done repeatable on the same sample, using practical specimen sizes ranging from tens of microns to several cm diameter, with achievable imaging resolution from submicron to 50 nm. Many of these studies were reported using XRM in synchrotron beamlines. These include crack propagation on composite and construction materials; corrosion studies; microstructural changes during the setting of cement; flow studies within porous media to mention but a few.展开更多
Background:Reviewing historical evidence in the various schools of traditional medicine shows that numerous methods have been used to maintain human good health and treatment of diseases.Persian medicine(PM)scholars h...Background:Reviewing historical evidence in the various schools of traditional medicine shows that numerous methods have been used to maintain human good health and treatment of diseases.Persian medicine(PM)scholars have been employed different methods to prescribe medications,which can be classified into two main groups:internal uses,including oral,parenteral,and anal,and also external uses such as topical,transdermal,and applying pendants.In this study,we aim to introduce some of the therapeutic pendants.Methods:We reviewed the most famous PM textbooks and current evidence in relevant databases such as PubMed,Science Direct,Scopus,Google scholar and SID related to the topic.Results:In this study,about 100 traditional therapeutic substances were found and finally,thirty-two of them were represented.They were often stones,and some of them were other materials such as metals,gums,and herbs.According to the PM,the utilization of pendants,in addition to cosmetic purposes,has been considered to maintain the health and treatment of some diseases.Therapeutic pendants can be considered as a kind of external medication use in which therapeutic materials are hung on the body surface.The external use of pendants could have curative effects with their close contact to the body surface.Conclusion:Pendant therapy may probably be considered as a non-invasive and easy-to-use treatment with unnoticeable side effects that can be utilized along with other therapies.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND The diagnostic accuracy for detecting metastatic lymph nodes in colorectal cancer(CRC)remains suboptimal.To address this limitation,our study investigates the potential of gemstone spectral computed tomography imaging(GSI)to improve diagnostic accuracy in lymph node metastasis(LNM)assessment.AIM To extensively investigate the clinical utility of GSI in the preoperative assessment of CRC.METHODS The subject population included 200 patients with CRC who were admitted to Zibo Central Hospital from January 2022 to December 2023.All patients underwent dual-phase contrast-enhanced scans in the arterial and venous phases using GSI before surgical intervention.During the research,meticulous quantification was conducted regarding the number of patients with CRC with LNM as well as the exact count of metastatic lymph nodes.Moreover,for both metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes,the short diameter at the maximum crosssectional area(covering the axial,sagittal,and coronal planes),morphological features(including manifestations such as margin blurring,aggregation,and enhancement),and spectral parameters in the arterial and venous phases[specifically iodine concentration(IC),normalized IC(NIC),and the slope of the spectral curve(λHU)]were measured and recorded,and a comparative analysis was conducted.The diagnostic efficacy of each index with differences was systematically assessed using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Concurrently,receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for LNM screening based on the short diameter at the maximum cross-sectional area of lymph nodes and each spectral parameter in the arterial and venous phases.RESULTS The area under the curve of GSI for diagnosing LNM in patients with CRC can reach 0.897,with sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of 92.59%,85.87%,and 89.50%,respectively.A total of 265 lymph nodes were analyzed from the 200 participants with CRC,with metastatic lymph nodes accounting for 56.60%.Compared with nonmetastatic lymph nodes,the short diameters of metastatic lymph nodes in the axial,sagittal,and coronal planes were significantly increased,whereas the IC values in the arterial and venous phases,the NIC value in the arterial phase,and theλHU values in the arterial and venous phases were significantly decreased.The short axial,sagittal,and coronal diameters,arterial-phase IC,venous-phase IC,arterial-phase NIC,arterial-phaseλHU,and venousphaseλHU for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes demonstrated area under the curve values of 0.631,0.681,0.659,0.862,0.808,0.831,0.801,and 0.706,respectively.CONCLUSION GSI exhibits substantial clinical significance in the preoperative assessment of CRC.Among the parameters assessed,the arterial-phase IC demonstrates the most outstanding diagnostic performance,effectively improving the diagnostic efficacy for preoperative LNM in CRC.
文摘Aquamarine gemstones are popular jewelry in the gemstone trade and are currently one of the important products in the world market because of their economic value. Aquamarine is a Beryllium Aluminium Silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2Si6O18 and crystallizes in the hexagonal system with space group P6/mcc (192), and Tanzania has wide deposits of aquamarine gemstones. The quality of gemstone depends on its characteristic properties, including electronic, optical, and mechanical properties. In the present study, the effect of external pressure on mechanical properties including independent elastic constants and other related parameters such as Bulk modulus, Shear modulus, Young modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and Compressibility were studied. Density Function Theory in the forcite module of the material studies software on the external pressure within the range of 0 - 200 GPa on the optimized structure at electrostatic, Van der Waals and Ewald terms were used in this study. The results reveal that the independent elastic constants are mechanically unstable at 50 - 120 Gpa and are stable at 0 - 40 GPa and above 120 GPa, with the average bulk modulus, shear modulus, young modulus, Poisson’s ratio of 2319.9447, 652.3058, 1789.2236, and 0.26 respectively with the compressibility of 0.059921/TPa, this indicates that aquamarine gemstones are stable against strain and strongly against shear stress but opposing shear deformation. These values are within other crystalline materials found in the literature. This provides technological backing for the comprehensive valuation of mechanical properties, quality, and stability of gemstones available in Tanzania.
文摘AIM: To assess the value of gemstone spectral imaging (GSI) in efficacy evaluation in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment.METHODS: Thirty patients with HCC underwent GSI, including nonenhanced, arterial, portalvenous and delayed phase scans, after TACE treatment. Arterial phase images were acquired with GSI for reconstruction of virtual nonenhanced images and color overlay images. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed in all these patients. Two blinded and independent readers evaluated the data in two reading sessions; standard nonenhanced, arterial, portalvenous, and delayed phase images were read in session A, and the optimal monochromatic images, iodine/water based images and spectrum features were read in session B. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated with the DSA data as the reference standard. The sensitivity and specificity were compared using the χ<sup>2</sup> test.RESULTS: DSA revealed 154 lesions in 30 patients, and 100 of them had blood supply. Overall sensitivity and specificity were 72% (72/100) and 77.8% (42/54) for session A, and 97% (97/100) and 94.4% (51/54) for session B, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the two reading sessions were significantly different (χ<sup>2</sup> = 23.04, χ<sup>2</sup> = 7.11, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional CT, GSI could significantly improve the detection of small and multiple lesions without increasing the radiation dose. Based on spectrum features, GSI could assess tumor homogeneity and more accurately identify residual tumors and recurrent or metastatic lesions during efficacy evaluation and follow-up in HCC after TACE treatment.
文摘The gemstone cutting is a useful process to create shapes on rocks and minerals. This is done through the steps sawing, grinding, faceting and polishing, thus providing better light reflection in the pavilion with specific angles for each translucent mineral; brightness on the surface, aesthetic appreciation and their use in the jewellery industry.
文摘Gemstones–including emeralds,rubies and sapphires and many other mineral varieties–have fascinated humans for millennia.Many of the regions producing gemstones are experiencing unsustainable social,economic and environmental pressures at present.In regions such as the Mogok Stone Tract in Burma(Myanmar),strong traditions have evolved around the mining and processing of the different gemstones.It is proposed that specific criteria and a heritage designation scheme be developed for such regions that have been outstanding producers of gemstones,in some cases for many centuries.Ultimately,the aim would be to preserve the traditions of these provinces and increase cultural,scientific and touristic interest in their gemstone resources as a way of contributing to sustainable development in these regions.
文摘Conventional electron and optical microscopy techniques require the sample to be sectioned, polished or etched to expose the internal surfaces for imaging. However, such sample preparation techniques have traditionally prevented the observation of the same sample over time, under realistic three-dimensional geometries and in an environment representative of real-world operating conditions. X-ray microscopy (XRM) is a rapidly emerging technique that enables non-destructive evaluation of buried structures within hard to soft materials in 3D, requiring little to no sample preparation. Furthermore in situ and 4D quantification of microstructural evolution under controlled environment as a function of time, temperature, chemistry or stress can be done repeatable on the same sample, using practical specimen sizes ranging from tens of microns to several cm diameter, with achievable imaging resolution from submicron to 50 nm. Many of these studies were reported using XRM in synchrotron beamlines. These include crack propagation on composite and construction materials; corrosion studies; microstructural changes during the setting of cement; flow studies within porous media to mention but a few.
文摘Background:Reviewing historical evidence in the various schools of traditional medicine shows that numerous methods have been used to maintain human good health and treatment of diseases.Persian medicine(PM)scholars have been employed different methods to prescribe medications,which can be classified into two main groups:internal uses,including oral,parenteral,and anal,and also external uses such as topical,transdermal,and applying pendants.In this study,we aim to introduce some of the therapeutic pendants.Methods:We reviewed the most famous PM textbooks and current evidence in relevant databases such as PubMed,Science Direct,Scopus,Google scholar and SID related to the topic.Results:In this study,about 100 traditional therapeutic substances were found and finally,thirty-two of them were represented.They were often stones,and some of them were other materials such as metals,gums,and herbs.According to the PM,the utilization of pendants,in addition to cosmetic purposes,has been considered to maintain the health and treatment of some diseases.Therapeutic pendants can be considered as a kind of external medication use in which therapeutic materials are hung on the body surface.The external use of pendants could have curative effects with their close contact to the body surface.Conclusion:Pendant therapy may probably be considered as a non-invasive and easy-to-use treatment with unnoticeable side effects that can be utilized along with other therapies.
