To separate the overlapped protein spots in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) images, we proposed an auto-separating algorithm based on valley characteristics. Firstly, the marker-controlled watershed algorithm was used to detect the initial outlines of the object regions. Secondly, medial axis transform and hierarchical branch pruning method were applied to the main skeletons of the object regions, and each main skeleton was fitted into line segments to describe the overlap directions. Then, the 3-dimensional model of the object region was scanned on the normal planes of the line segments to find the valley locations. And finally, a validation model was adopted to construct separation lines. The experiments on 2 real scanned 2-DE images showed that the true overlap separate (TOSs) were 78.95% and 85.71%, respectively. The results indicated that the proposed algorithm was better than the existing algorithms and could be used in engineering practice.
Algorithms ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Proteins ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE:To provide bases for the evaluation of the therapeutic effect and pharmacoeconomics of puerarin in the treatment of unstable angina pectoris.METHODS:60patients with unstable angina pectoris were randomly divided into treatment group and control group:the control group was treated with routine drugs only while the treatment group was treated with puerarin and the routine drugs.The therapeutic effect,length of stay in hospital,total hospitalization fee and the adverse reaction were compared between two groups;and the cost-effectiveness analyses of the two groups were carried out as well.RESULTS:The respective total clinical effective rate of the treatment group and the control group were90.63%and67.86%(P