B-type ultrasound images have important applications in medical diagnosis. However, the widely spread intensity inhomogeneity, low-scale contrast, constructed defect, noise and blurred edges all make it difficult to implement automatic segmentation of lesion in the images. Based on region level set method, a subordinate degree region level set model was proposed, in which subordinate degree probability of each pixel was defined to reflect the pixel subjection grade to target and background respectively. Pixels were classified to either target or background by calculation of their subordinate degree probabilities, and edge contour was obtained by region level set iterations. In this paper, lesion segmentation is regarded as local segmentation of specific area, and the calculation is restrained to the local sphere abide by the contour, which greatly reduce the calculation complexity. Experiments on B-type ultrasound images showed improved results of the proposed method compared to those of some popular level set methods.
Algorithms ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Probability ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Ultrasonography

Objective To evaluate the effect of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)-induced expression of inflammatory factors in pig kidney.Methods Twenty-four adult pigs of either sex,weighing 25-32 kg,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =6 each) using a? random number table:control group (group C),sham operation group (group S),ECMO group and CRRT group.Anesthesia was induced with ketamine,diazepam and atropine and maintained with ketamine and diazepam.The pigs were tracheotomized,intubated and mechanically ventilated.The left femoral arteries were cannulated for MAP monitoring.Heparin 150 U/kg was injected intravenously.Right femoral artery and left internal jugular vein were cannulated for blood-letting and fluid infusion.In ECMO and CRRT groups,ECMO was performed for 24 h starting from 1 h after cannulation,in addition CRRT was performed for 24 h simultaneously in ECMO group.The pigs were then sacrificed and kidney specimens were obtained for determination of the content of interleukin-1β (IL-1 β),IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by ELISA.Results There was no significant differ-ence in the content of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α between C and S groups (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with C and S groups,the content of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α was significantly increased in E and CRRT groups (P ＜ 0.01).Compared with group E,the content of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α was significantly decreased in group CRRT (P ＜0.01).Conclusion CRRT can decrease ECMO-induced expression of inflammatory factors in pig kidney to some extent,indicating that it can alleviate the inflammatory responses in kidney.

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in nasal polyps from both atopic and nonatopic patients, and its associations with histological features of polyps tissue. METHOD: Thirty patients with nasal polyps (NP) were included and divided into atopic and nonatopic groups according to the skin prick test. Histological characteristics were assessed by eosinophilic infiltration with HE staining. IL-17 expression in polyps tissue was detected by ELISA and RT-PCR. RESULT: Eosinophilic infiltration was significantly higher in atopic NP patients than in nonatopic NP patients (P < 0.01). IL-17 protein and IL-17 mRNA levels were significantly upregulated in both atopic (P < 0.01) and nonatopic (P < 0.05) patients compared with controls. Furthermore, IL-17 levels were significantly higher in the atopic group than in nonatopic group. Significantly positive correlations were found between IL-17 levels and eosinophilic infiltration in NP patients. CONCLUSION These results indicated that expression of IL-17 was significantly upregulated in NP patients and was especially higher in atopic NP patients, suggesting that IL-17 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NP and atopy may contribute to NP by stimulating the production of IL-17.
Adult ; Aged ; Eosinophils ; cytology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; metabolism ; pathology ; Interleukin-17 ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Polyps ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression level of interleukin 17 (IL-17) in the plasma and colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and to explore the synergistic mechanism of qingchang huashi recipe (QHR) combined with Mesalazine.

METHODSRecruited were 24 mild or moderate UC patients of damp-heat inner accumulation syndrome (DHIAS). Their samples of intestinal tissues were histologically graded. They were assigned to the combination group and the Western medicine (WM) group, 12 in each group. Besides, another 12 healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group. QHR combined Mesalazine were given to patients in the combination group, while those in the WM group took Mesalazine. The therapeutic course for all was 3 months. By the end of treatment the expression level of IL-17 in the plasma and colonic mucosa was detected using ELISA. The infiltration of IL-17 in the intestinal mucosal tissue was detected by immunohistochemical SP method.

RESULTSThe expression level of IL-17 in the plasma and colonic mucosa was significantly higher in UC patients than in healthy controls (P <0. 05). The higher the histological grading the higher the expression level. The expression level of IL-17 in plasma and colonic tissues decreased after treatment in the two treatment groups (P < 0.05). Besides, the expression level of IL-17 was lower in the combination group than in the WM group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONQHR combined Mesalazine could synergically enhance the effect and effectively inhibit intestinal inflammation through down-regulating the expression of IL-17.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; metabolism ; Inflammation ; metabolism ; Interleukin-17 ; metabolism ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; Intestines ; metabolism ; Mesalamine ; therapeutic use

Objective To explore the high-risk factors of the abdominal wound undesirable healing in gynecologic operations and its prevention and treatment.Methods A retrospective clinical study reviewed 58 cases in gynecologic operations.To investigate and analyze its frequent clinical risk factors.Results The risk factors in these wound healing defect such as the fat liquefied:3 cases(48.3%),the anaemia and/or hypoproteinemia:13 cases(22.4%);combined with diabetes:3 cases(5.2%),hypertension:6 cases(10.3%),wound infection:2 cases(3.5%)and wound hematoma:1 case(1.7%);two high risk factors coexisted:22 cases(37.9%),three or more risk factors coexisted:11 cases(19.0%).The complication of such wound healing defect such as effusion:26 cases(44.8%),flare and induration:28 cases(48.3%),low-grade fever:5 cases(8.6%).Conclusion The fat liquefaction is the important reason of the wound dehiscence in gynecology operations;the effusion,flare or induration is the precipitation of the wound healing defect.If we can treat these high-risk groups positively,we will improve the clinical prognosis.

Objective To explore clinical features and pregnancy outcomes of early-ouset severe pre-eclampsia. Methods Clinical data of 96 cases of severe preeclampsia who deliveried in Southeast University from November 2004 to February 2009 were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups, early-onset preeclampsia group(onset gestatioual weeks <34) and later-onset preeclampsia group(onset gestatianal weeks≥34 ). Resnits Significant difference of two groups were found in central nervous system symptom and urine protein (+ +) or > 2 g/24 h (P<0.05), incidence of abnormal prenatal outcome (χ~2=14.792,4.741,27.03 respectively;P<0.05). Mean birth weight in early-onset preeclampsia group (1743.86±630.34)g was lower than that in later-onset pre-eclampsia greup(2940.47±762.36)g (t=6.71 ,P<0.05). Conclusions Clinical symptoms of early-onset severe preeclampsia are severe , and have a higher incidence of abnormal prenatal outcomes. Prevention, prediction ,diagno-sis and management of preeclampsia are important for mothers and children.

Objective The cyst excision is considered as priority management of the female paraurethral cyst.The purpose of this present study was to explore the feasibility and safety of the two-step excision with treatment for the female paraurethral cyst.Methods Twenty eight consecutive women with paraurethral cyst underwent paraurethral cyst removal were enrolled retrospectively in this study from October 1,2005 to August 12,2008 in Urology Department of West China Hospital.Results All cases were followedup from 6 months to 2 years,no recurrence occurred.No complications such as urethral stricture and urethralvaginal fistula were found.Conclusions The 2-step excision is the reference technique for cure of female paraurethral cyst.Urethra injury was avoided efficiently,because anatomical relationship between cyst and urethra could be clearer when the technique of 2-step excision was applied.

Based on the existing literatures,four basic models for drug addiction and relapse behavior researches were generalized,namely,the motive and self-concept model,the social-environment model,the cognitive processing model,and the neuropsychological model.Analyzing the research evidence in the area,the authors considered that relapse behavior was caused by a great many diverse factors,consequently,any of these models failed to make strong predication for relapse behavior.After reviewing the addiction models,the possibilities of future integrative research in the area were discussed.

To analyze the composition regularity of Carthami Flos-containing prescriptions of the Drug Standards of Ministry of Health of People's Republic of China-Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparations (the ministerial standards for Traditional Chinese Medicine) based on the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system (TCMISS, RZDZ No. 0389952). Efforts were made to identify 331 prescriptions containing Carthami Flos and summarize 16 attending functions and 10 commonly used drug combinations. Three commonly used drug combinations were selected for an in-depth analysis on Carthami Flos's combined administration regularity. Based on Carthami Flos's attending functions, its effects in paralysis, traumatic injuries and dysmenorrheal were compared to analyze Carthami Flos's core drug combinations for treating different diseases. The regularity of clinical administration and the characteristics of commonly used drug combinations were summarized to provide reference for Carthami Flos's clinical application and new ideas for new drug R&D. Carthami Flos prescriptions was mainly used to treat blood stasis and pain and mostly combined with drugs that could activate blood, promote the circulation of qi and dispel pathogenic wind to treat Qi-stagnation and blood stasis caused by various pathogenic factors such as wind, cold and dampness.
Carthamus ; chemistry ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; therapeutic use ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Humans

Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Genetic Testing ; Humans