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

Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; alpha-MSH ; pharmacology

Evolution, Molecular ; Methicillin Resistance ; Staphylococcus aureus ; classification ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Objective To assess the outcome of vesicoureteral reflux after augmentation cystoplasty in patients with neurogenic bladder.Methods Between January 2008 and January 2014,a total of 25 patients,with a hypocompliant bladder associated with vesicoureteral reflux confirmed by video-urodynamics preoperatively,were recruited in this study.They all had undergone bladder augmentation with a generous detubularized segment of bowel at our institution.No effort had been made to correct existing reflux.Preoperatively assessment included urinalysis,kidney function tests,ultrasonography,video-urodynamic evaluation.All patients had various degrees of vesicoureteral reflux.The status of vesicoureteral reflux and bladder function were studied by video-urodynamic.Results Mean follow-up was 2.2 years (range 0.5 to 5.5 years).The video-urodynamics manifested a significant improvement of bladder capacity,diminution of intravesical pressure and resolution of reflux after bladder augmentation.Of the 25 patients,20 (80％) no longer had reflux,3 (12％) had improvement,2 (8％) had no change.Sixteen of 18 with grades Ⅰ to Ⅲ (89％),all refluxing units with grade Ⅳ to grade Ⅴ (100％) showed complete cessation of reflux.Symptomatic urinary infection was not found after surgery.Conclusions Augmentation enterocystoplasty without ureteral reimplantation is effective and adequate for patients with high pressure and hypocompliant neurogenic bladder.Therefore,ureteral reimplantation is not necessary underwent when augmentation enterocystoplasty is recommended to patients with neurogenic bladder and vesicoureteral reflux.

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.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of anisodamine on the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) in swine ventricular myocardium after resuscitation from cardiac arrest.Methods The experiment was conducted on healthy pigs, and they were randomly divided into three groups, namely sham group, epinephrine group (control group) and anisodamine group (experimental group, animals were resuscitated combined with injection of 0.4 mg/kg of anisodamine), with 5 pigs in each group. Model of ventricular fibrillation was reproduced by alternating current challenge, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed 8 minutes after cardiac arrest. Left ventricular myocardium was harvested at 24 hours after restoration of spontaneous circulation. The expression and distribution of Cx43 were observed by immunofluorescence, Cx43 mRNA expression was assessed with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein expressions of Cx43 and phosphorylation of Cx43 (p-Cx43) were analyzed by Western Blot.Results The positive expression of Cx43 in ventricular muscle was distributed uniformly, mostly at the end-to-end linkage of myocardial cells, with a few side-to-side linkage in sham group. The positive expression of Cx43 in control group was significantly weaker than that in the sham group, and the signal intensity was significantly declined (4.35±2.10 vs. 10.02±3.66,P< 0.01). The positive expression of Cx43 at the end-to-end linkage and side-to-side linkage was irregular in experimental group, and the signal intensity was obviously higher than that in the control group (7.91±2.54 vs. 4.35±2.10,P< 0.05), but it was significantly weaker than that in the sham group (7.91±2.54 vs. 10.02±3.66,P< 0.05). For control group and experimental group, the Cx43 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly lower than those of the sham group [Cx43 mRNA (A value): 0.32±0.05, 0.32±0.03 vs. 0.48±0.07; Cx43 protein (A value): 0.43±0.03, 0.50±0.07 vs. 0.65±0.04, allP< 0.01], and there were no significant differences between experimental group and control group (allP> 0.05). The p-Cx43 protein expression of control group was significantly lower than that of the sham group (A value: 0.22±0.03 vs. 0.37±0.06,P< 0.01), and it was significantly higher in the experiment group than that in the control group (A value: 0.29±0.07 vs. 0.22±0.03, P< 0.01), but there was no significant difference with the sham group (P> 0.05). No significant difference in p-Cx43/Cx43 was found among sham, control, and experiment groups (0.57±0.09, 0.51±0.05, 0.58±0.06, all P> 0.05).ConclusionAnisodamine can improve the abnormal expression of Cx43 in ventricular muscle of pigs with cardiac arrest, which may be related to the protection effect of anisodamine on cardiac conduction.

Pesticides, especially chemistry pesticides with high toxicity, high residue, and difficult degradation are a kind of important environment pollutants and pesticide degradation by microorganisms is one of the powerful means to treat pesticide pollution. Many researchers conducted lots of studies on it. Types of pesticide degraders, construction of genetically engineered microorganisms, degrading mechanisms, degradation characteristics, influencing factors, applying effect and so on were summarized in this article. The research trend of degradation of pesticides by microorganisms and problems to be solved were also put forward.