BACKGROUND:Hip segmentation based on CT image has been widely used in computer-assisted surgery planning, prosthesis design and finite element analysis. OBJECTIVE:To explore application effects of automatic segmentation method for hip joint based on Bayesian Decision Theory in computer-assisted hip surgery. METHODS:An accurate outer surface segmentation and extraction remain chal enging due to deformed shapes and extremely narrow inter-bone regions. In this paper, we present an automatic, fast and accurate approach for segmentation of femoral head and proximal acetabulum. The outline of the femur was segmented and extracted by contrast enhancement, thresholding algorithm and region growth algorithm. The boundaries of the bone regions are further refined based on Bayes decision rule. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Automatic segmentation method for hip joint based on Bayesian Decision Theory is an accurate segmentation technique for femoral head and proximal acetabulum and it can be applied in computer-assisted hip surgery and prosthesis design.

Objective To evaluate the dynamic changes of T lymphocyte subsets in children with hand-foot-and-mouth disease(HFMD)and to provide new evidence for the therapy and prognosis.Methods Peripheral venous blood samples of 346 HFMD cases in acute stage who were hospitalized in Beijing Ditan Hospital from May 1,2008 to August 31,2008 were collected and T lymphocyte subsets were assayed by flow cytometer.Meanwhile,T lymphocyte subsets of 67 HFMD cases in recovery phase were also detected.The pathogens were determined by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)using pharynx swab samples from 99 cases.Different samples were compared by independent-sample t test,paired t test or variance analysis.Results The average levels of T lymphocyte subsets of HFMD children in different agc groups were all lower than reference levels of healthy children in according age groups.In severe cases.T lymphocyte(TL)/lymphocyte (L)ratio in all age groups,helper T cell(Th)/L ratio in children older than 1 year,TL,Th and Th/suppressor T cell(Ts)ratio in children of 1-2 years old were all lower than those in common eases (P＜0.05).The Th/L ratio tended to increase with the disease progression.Ratios of TL/L and Th/L in common cases were increased in recovery phase(TL/L:56.3±8.6 vs 61.1±9.1,t=2.56,P＜0.05;Th/L:30.2±7.2 vs 34.9±7.9,t=2.90,P＜0.05)and all indices of severe cases except Ts/Lratio and Th/Ts ratio increased apparently in recovery phase(P＜0.01).TL[(1.738±0.976)×10~6/Lvs(2.696±1.946)×10~6/L,t=2.17,P＜0.05],Th/L ratio(25.9±7.0 vs 30.2±7.2,t=2.34,P＜0.05),Th[(0.864±0.550)×10~6/L vs(1.459±0.879)×10~6/L,t=2.90,P＜0.01]and L[(3.352±1.458)×10~6/L vs(4.664±2.435)×10~6/L,t=2.32,P＜0.05]of severe cases in acute phase were all lower than those of common cases(P＜0.05),while those were not significantly different in recovery phase between two groups(P＞0.05).The T lymphocyte subsets of enterovirus(EV)71 positive cases were lower than EVT1 negative cases,but there was no significant difference between these two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion T lymphocyte immune responses may be correlated with HFMD onset and progression.

A rapid, sensitive and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of clevidipine butyrate and its primary metabolite clevidipine acid in dog blood. After one-step protein precipitation with methanol, the chromatographic separation was carried out on an Ecosil C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol and 5 mmol · L(-1) ammonium formate. A chromatographic total run time of 13.0 min was achieved. The quantitation analysis was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) at the specific ion transitions of m/z 454.1 [M-H]- --> m/z 234.1 for clevidipine butyrate, m/z 354.0 [M-H]- --> m/z 208.0 for clevidipine acid and m/z 256.1 [M-H]- --> m/z 227.1 for elofesalamide (internal standard, IS) in the negative ion mode with electrospray ionization (ESI) source. The linear calibration curves for clevidipine butyrate and clevidipine acid were obtained in the concentration ranges of 0.5-100 ng · mL and 1-200 ng · mL(-1), separately. The lower limit of quantification of clevidipine butyrate and clevidipine acid were 0.5 ng · mL(-1) and 1 ng · mL(-1). The intra and inter-assay precisions were all below 12.9%, the accuracies were all in standard ranges. Stability testing indicated that clevidipine butyrate and clevidipine acid in dog blood with the addition of denaturant methanol was stable under various processing and/or handling conditions. The validated method has been successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of clevidipine butyrate injection to 8 healthy Beagle dogs following intravenous infusion at a flow rate of 5 mg · h(-1) for 0.5 h.

AIM: To Screen and identify human single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) specific to hepatitis B virus core protein and determine its gene sequence. METHODS: The recombinant phages were panned by HBcAg coated in a 96-pore plate and 48 clones were identified specific to HBc after three rounds of panning. The specificity of ScFv from the positive clone was determined by ELISA. Then, the soluble ScFv was expressed in E.coli. HB2151 and secreted in the supernatant. Subsequently, SDS-PAGE and dot blot were performed to identify the ScFv in the supernatant and cell lysate. The gene of ScFv specific to hepatitis B virus core protein was sequenced. RESULTS: The ScFv screened from phage antibodies has a specific combination character with hepatitis B virus core antigen. Soluble ScFv was confirmed to express in E.coli. HB2151 and secrete in the supernatant. The sequence of ScFv gene conformed to that of heavy chain and kappa chain of human immunoglubulin. CONCLUSION: Human ScFv specific to hepatitis B virus core protein has been identified by means of the phage display technology, and its gene sequence has been determined.

98%. In the pDOR-myb infected HSCs, c-myb expression levels, the cell proliferation, and ? 1-Ⅰ collagen mRNA expression were repressed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: c-myb plays a key role in the activation and proliferation of HSC. c-myb antisense RNA can inhibit cell proliferation and ? 1-Ⅰ collagen mRNA expression in the infected HSC. These data suggest that inhibition of c-myb gene expression would be a potential way for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Background: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic disease with widely different clinical manifestations, but the relationship between genotype and phenotype is not fully understood. In the present study, we recruited a Chinese family in which two members had been diagnosed with localized EB simplex (EBS), with clinical manifestation, including blisters and erosions on the soles of the feet since infancy. Objective: To identify and confirm the genetic variation in a Chinese family diagnosed as localized EBS. Methods: Our study included two patients, other healthy members of the family, and 100 normal controls. Genomic DNA samples were isolated from each participant, and then polymerase chain reaction (PCR) direct sequencing was performed. Results: The results of PCR direct sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous missense mutation in codon 461 of exon 7 of KRT5 (c.1382T＞C), which led to an amino acid change (p.L461P) in the patients with EBS but was absent in unaffected family members and 100 unrelated control samples. Conclusion The present study broadens the mutational spectrum of EBS, and this knowledge could be harnessed for prenatal screening, gene diagnosis, and gene therapy for lo-calized EBS.

Objective To study the changes in hippocampal morphology and inferior ventricular vein in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) before and after modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) using morphological measurement and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI).Methods Recruited for this study were 64 MDD patients who had been admitted to the Affiliated Guangji Hospital to Soochow University from February 2016 through March 2017.They were assigned into 2 equal groups.One group was subjected to MECT and the other to simple drug treatment.All the patients were scanned with T1-MR and SWI one day before and after treatment to observe the changes in hippocampal morphology and inferior ventricular vein.The associations between relative parameters and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were analyzed.The 2 groups were compared in terms of therapeutic efficacy.Results The volumes of the whole hippocampus and the hippocampal body were increased significantly after MECT (P＜0.05) while there were no significant differences in the hippocampal head or tail (P＞0.05).Significant increases in the branch number,diameter and length of the inferior ventricular vein were found after MECT (P＜0.05).The left and right hippocampal volumes were negatively associated with the HAMD scores (r=-0.442,P=0.011;r=-0.470,P=0.007).Negative correlations were also found between the branch number,diameter and length of the inferior ventricular vein and the HAMD scores (r=-0.419,P=0.017;r=-0.477,P=0.006;r=-0.398,P=0.024).The curative efficacy of the MECT group was significantly higher than that of the drug treatment group (91％ versus 72％) (P＜0.05).Conclusion Changes in the hippocampal morphology and inferior ventricular vein can be used as one of the objective indicators to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of MECT in MDD patients.

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of parents' occupational and life exposure during six months before pregnancy on executive function of preschool children.

METHODSPregnant women involved in the study came from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study,a part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study. Between October 2008 and October 2010, pregnant women who accepted pregnancy care in four municipal medical and health institutions in Ma'anshan city were recruited as study objects. A total of 5,084 pregnant women and 4,669 singleton live births entered in this cohort. Between April 2014 and April 2015, a total of 3,803 pre-school children were followed up. Finally, except 32 preschool children did not have EF evaluation result, there were 3,771 children included in this study. By using self-designed " Maternal health handbook", we researched parents' general demographic characteristics, and life and occupational exposure during six months before pregnancy. To research preschool children's executive function, we used the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). Univariate and multivariate statistical method was used to analyze the association of parents' life and occupational exposure during six months before pregnancy and preschool children's EF.

RESULTS3,771 preschool children's detected rate of inhibitory self-control index (ISCI), flexibility index (FI), emergent metacognition index (EMI) and global executive composite (GEC) dysplasia were 4.8% (182), 2.3% (88), 16.5% (623) and 8.6% (324) respectively. During six months before pregnancy, children whose parents were lived in a noise environment (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.36-2.54), whose maternal were exposed to pesticides were the risk of ISCI dysplasia(OR=3.60, 95% CI: 1.45-8.95). During six months before pregnancy, children whose maternal were exposed to pesticides (OR=6.72, 95% CI: 2.50-18.07) and whose father were exposed to occupational lead (OR=2.10, 95% CI: 1.25-3.54) were the risk of FI dysplasia. During six months before pregnancy, children whose parents were lived in a noise environment (OR=1.42, 95%CI: 1.18-1.71) and whose father were exposed to occupational lead (OR=1.30, 95%CI: 1.02-1.65) were the risk of EMI dysplasia. During six months before pregnancy, children whose parents were lived in a noise environment (OR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.24-2.01) and whose maternal were exposed to pesticides (OR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.02-5.58) were the risk of GEC dysplasia.

CONCLUSIONThe development of executive function is worse among preschool children whose parents live in noise environment, mother exposed to pesticides, and father exposed to occupational lead during six months before pregnancy.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Executive Function ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Lead ; adverse effects ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Parents ; Pesticides ; adverse effects ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the related influencing factors of preschool children's emotional and behavioral problems in early life and explore the associations between the symptoms of depression or anxiety during pregnancy and emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children.

METHODSBased on the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS), women were recruited at their first clinical visit between October 2008 and October 2010 in four municipal medical and health institutions of Ma'anshan City, a total of 5 084 pregnant women and 4 669 singletons live births were included in the birth cohort. Women completed measures of depressive (Self-Rating Anxiety scale) and anxious (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression) symptoms in pregnancy. By the age of 3-6 follow-up, 3 653 children were followed with completed information between April 2014 and April 2015, strengths and difficulties questionnaires were used to assessed offspring emotional and behavioral problems. Logistics regression was used to investigate the relationship between the symptoms of depression or anxiety during pregnancy and emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children.

RESULTSThe detected rates of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems in preschool children were 6.3% (229/3 653), 7.5% (274/3 653), 7.6% (278/3 653) and 2.8% (103/3 653), while 7.6% (277/3 653) for total difficulties, 10.9%(398/3 653) for prosocial behavior and 27.4%(981/3 557) for impact respectively. Prevalence of anxiety and depression in the first trimester was 2.7%(100/3 653) and 4.7%(171/3 653) respectively, and in the second trimester was 2.0%(66/3 375) and 3.6%(122/3 375) respectively. After we controlled the confoundings of gestation age, place of residence, family income, maternal education, paternal education, premature birth and folic acid supplement before pregnancy, multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of children's emotional symptoms in maternal anxiety in both first-trimester and second-trimester group was higher than the group of no depression and anxiety symptoms, and OR(95%CI) was 5.90(2.00-17.48). Compared with whose mother no depression in both first-trimester and second-trimester, the risk of children's emotional symptoms in maternal depression in both first-trimester and second-trimester group was higher, and OR(95% CI) was 3.07 (1.30-7.28). And the risk of children's total difficulties of maternal anxiety in second-trimester was 2.27 (95%CI: 1.10-4.71) times of no anxiety in second-trimester. While the risk of children's total difficulties of maternal depression in second-trimester was 2.20 (95%CI: 1.24-3.93) times of no depression in second-trimester. Maternal emotional symptoms were not significant associations with conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behaviors (P> 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere was a negative impact of maternal anxiety and depression symptoms during pregnancy on emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children. These findings highlight the need for additional clinical and research attention to both maternal depression and anxiety in pregnancy, which may be helpful to reduce the incidence of children's emotional and behavioral problems and act as an important measure in prevention.

Anxiety ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Depression ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mothers ; psychology ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Problem Behavior ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with childhood overweight and adiposity, and to explore possible early life risk factors for obesity in preschool children.

METHODSBasic information of pregnant women and gestation period came from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study, a part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS). Pregnant women in routine health care from four municipal medical and health institutions were enrolled voluntarily during October 2008 and October 2010 in Ma'anshan City. A total of 5 084 pregnant women and 4 669 singleton live births were included in this study. Between April 2014 and April 2015, 3 797 children were followed up. Children whose BMI were >85th percentiles for age and genders of World Health Organization (WHO) reference were considered as overweight, and >95th percentiles for age and genders cut-off values were considered as obesity (pathological and secondary causes of obesity were excluded). Gestational weight gain was defined according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. Univariate and binary regression model analysis was used to examine the effect of pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG with childhood overweight and adiposity.

RESULTSOf the 3 797 pregnant women, the prevalence of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity were respectively 22.6% (n=858), 70.3% (n=2 671), 6.2% (n=234) and 0.9% (n=34). There were 3 563 pregnant women who were obtained gestational weight gain data, the prevalence of inadequate GWG, appropriate GWG, excessive GWG were respectively 12.4% (n=443), 25.9% (n=922) and 61.7% (n=2 198). The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 11.5% (n=437) and 10.8% (n= 411) in preschool children, respectively. After adjusting confounding factors including age at delivery, genders of children, children age, birth weight, breastfeeding and household economic status, binary logistic regression analysis showed that pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity(OR=2.01, 95% CI: 1.53-2.65), excessive GWG(OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.35-2.03) were risk factors for overweight and obesity, and pre-pregnancy underweight was protective factor for childhood overweight and obesity (OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.39-0.62). Joint associations of pre-pregnancy BMI and inappropriate GWG were also noticed in the study: compared to only pre-pregnancy higher BMI or excessive GWG or indequate GWG, combination of high pre-pregnancy BMI and excessive GWG or high pre-pregnancy BMI and inadequate GWG, adverse effects on childhood overweight and obesity were much higher,OR (95%CI) values were 2.90(1.97-4.28), 3.17(1.44-6.97) respectively.

CONCLUSIONBoth high pre-pregnancy BMI and inappropriate GWG are associated with greater offspring BMI. Pregnant women should achieve appropriate weight gain and help prevent obesity in their children.

Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Overweight ; epidemiology ; Pediatric Obesity ; epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Weight Gain