This paper presents a recognition system for the automatic quality control in industrial applications. The purpose of the system is to collect the product information (e.g. Expiry-date, production identification) and verify these information for quality control. The main difficulties of the system are to make an effcient preprocessing for the acquired low resolution image and to create a simple and fast recognition method to get the product information. In this paper, we propose an effcient recognition method based on the endpoint features and structure characteristics of the numerals. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effcient, robust and reliable for recognizing machine printed numerals. The system is currently successfully working with a real application with required specifications.

This paper demonstrates that the visual and graphical repository can be established through extending the SVG standard, introducing C# script and customizing component into repository. The graphical system, which uses the technique of Visual Studio.Net, supports the secondary object-oriented development. It allows the user to not only add all kinds of component objects, but also add properties and functions for the object. In addition, the graphical system has a very good property of customization. It supports the C# script and the zoom in/zoom out of pictures. The file formats used in this system are XML and SVG.

The aim of the study is to investigate the prognostic value of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Plasma BNP concentrations were measured in 47 cases with acute pulmonary embolism. Plasma BNP levels in massive or sub-massive pulmonary embolism were higher than those in no-massive pulmonary embolism (P = 0. 001,0. 048) ; BNP levels in survival cases were higher than those in fatal cases ( P = 0. 027 ). The incidence of massive or sub-massive pulmonary embolism in patients with BNP >400 pg/ml was higher than that with BNP≤400 pg/ml ( 100% vs. 75%,P = 0. 023 ). Results indicate that plasma BNP concentration might be associated with risk stratification and prognosis of the disease.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients with non-disabling ischemic cerebrovascular events (NICE).Methods From January 2017 to September 2018,patients with NICE admitted to the Department of Neurology,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University were enrolled.The relevant clinical data were collected and the cranial MRI examinations were completed.CMBs were detected by susceptibility-weighted imaging.The demographic and clinical data of the CMBs group and non-CMBs group were compared.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for CMBs.Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of the number of CMBs.Results A total of 159 patients were enrolled,including 73 (45.9％) in the CMBs group and 86 (54.1％) in the non-CMBs group.There were significant differences in hypertension,diabetes mellitus,past stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) history,carotid atherosclerosis,NICE classification (TIA,mild stroke) and the proportion of patients taking drugs before onset,as well as diastolic blood pressure and white matter Fazekas score between the CMBs group and the non-CMBs group (all P＜ 0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed higher diastolic blood pressure (odds ratio 1.047,95％ confidence interval 1.016-1.079;P =0.002) and higher Fazekas score (odds ratio 1.825,95 ％ confidence interval 1.465-2.273;P ＜ 0.001) were the independent risk factors for CMBs.Multiple linear regression analysis showed that there was an independent positive correlation between the white matter Fazekas score and the number of CMBs (r =0.273,P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion In patients with NICE,CMBs were associated with higher diastolic blood pressure level and higher white matter Fazekas score,and the white matter Fazekas score was positively correlated with the severity of CMBs.

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are currently the first-line standard of care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that harbor EGFR mutations. Nevertheless, resistance to EGFR-TKIs is inevitable. In recent years, although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly shifted the treatment paradigm in advanced NSCLC without driver mutation, clinical benefits of these agents are limited in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Compared with wild-type tumors, tumors with EGFR mutations show more heterogeneity in the expression level of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), tumor mutational burden (TMB), and other tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics. Whether ICIs are suitable for NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations is still worth exploring. In this review, we summarized the clinical data with regard to the efficacy of ICIs in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC and deciphered the unique TME in EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
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Humans ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics* ; Lung Neoplasms/genetics* ; ErbB Receptors/metabolism* ; Immunotherapy ; Mutation ; B7-H1 Antigen/genetics* ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology* ; Tumor Microenvironment

Objective:To analyze the prognosis of patients with positive resection margin after radical prostatectomy, as well as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA)level and risk factors for PSA progression.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the data of 141 patients with pathologically diagnosed prostate cancer who underwent RP from May 2012 to August 2020 in Beijing Hospital. The mean age was (67.4±6.7)years, the preoperative median PSA was 9.6 (1.4-152.8) ng/ ml and the median follow-up time was 56 months. Postoperative pathology was T 2 stage 74 (52.5%), T 3 stage 63 (44.7%), T 4 stage 4 (2.8%). Biochemical recurrence after radical resection was defined as PSA rose to more than 0.2 ng/ml and showed an upward trend after two consecutive follow-ups. In this study, serum PSA ≥ 0.1 ng/ml without biochemical recurrence after radical operation was defined as PSA progression. The PSA level, risk factors of PSA progression and prognosis of patients with positive resection margin were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation between age, preoperative PSA level, pathological stage (pT), ISUP classification, surgical approach, lymph node dissection, single/multiple positive margins and PSA progression. Results:The median follow-up of 141 patients was 52 months(1-104 months). There were 69 (48.9%) patients in the PSA progression group and 72 (51.1%) patients in the non PSA progression group. In the PSA progression group, 13 (18.8%) patients did not receive treatment and 8 (61.5%) patients had biochemical recurrence. 4 (5.8%) patients received radiotherapy alone, and 2 (50.0%) patients had biochemical recurrence. 52 (75.4%) patients received endocrine therapy or endocrine therapy combined with radiotherapy, and 5 (9.6%) patients developed castration resistance. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed preoperative PSA ( HR=1.015, 95% CI 1.005-1.025, P =0.004), ISUP grade and group ( HR=1.351, 95% CI 1.091-1.673, P =0.006), surgical method ( HR=2.233, 95% CI 1.141-4.370, P =0.019) was correlated with PSA progression. Conclusions:The incidence of surgical positive margin is high after RP. Nearly half of the patients with surgical positive margin developed a PSA progression status. Preoperative PSA, ISUP grade group, and the surgical approach are risk factors for PSA progression in patients with positive surgical margins. Patients with these risk factors should be monitored more closely and treated more aggressively.

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the magnetic resonance imaging guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) in the treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa).Methods:The data of 5 patients treated by MRgFUS from August 2020 to June 2021 in our institution were retrospectively analyzed. The median age was 73 (58-80) years, with the median PSA of 7.34 (5.19-8.40) ng/ml, and a median prostate volume of 27.96 (21.50-37.91) ml. The median pretreatment international prostate symptom score (IPSS) was 13(0-18). Of the 3 patients with intention of erectile function preservation, the pretreatment international index of erectile function-15 (IIEF-15) score was 12, 23 and 3, respectively. All patients had histopathology-proven PCa of grade group ≤ International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) 3, pre-operative PSA level <20 ng/ml, and a clinical stage ≤T 2b. A total of 6 lesions was confirmed by biopsy, with 3 of ISUP grade group 3 and 3 of ISUP grade group 1. All 5 patients underwent MRgFUS which was guided by a real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PSA, MRI and repeated biopsy were conducted to monitor recurrence. Questionnaires consisted of IPSS, IIEF-15, and the International Consultation on Incontinence-questionnaire-Short Form (ICI-Q-SF) were recorded before and after MRgFUS to evaluate the impact on functional preservation. Results:A total of 5 patients received MRgFUS. In total, 5 of the 6 lesions were treated. 1 lesion unvisible on MRI was not clinically significant and was left untreated. The median time in MRI scanner was 190 (140-355) min, and the median sonication time was 64 (35-148) min with the median sonications of 8 (5-13). The median catheter indwelling time was 1 (1-8) days. No other adverse effects were reported. The PSA level of all 5 patients decreased, with the nadir PSA of 1.196 ng/ml, 4.398 ng/ml, 4.135 ng/ml, 1.562ng/ml and 1.350ng/ml, respectively. 4 of the patients had a PSA decrease over 50%. No PCa lesion was seen on MRI at 3-month follow-up visit. As for functional preservation, the post-MRgFUS IPSS declined compared with the baseline score, and the IPSS of last follow-up was 5(0-14). Of the 3 patients with intention to preserve the erectile function, the erectile function score of IIEF-15 were 12, 30 and 9 three months after the treatment, respectively. No incontinence occurred postoperatively.Conclusions:MRgFUS is a feasible and safe way for the treatment of low- to intermediate-risk localized PCa, with satisfactory performance on functional preservation and low incidence of complications. The oncological outcomes still need to be establised with longer follow-up time and larger sample studies.