3D visualized reconstruction of human hollow structures from noninvasive medical imaging data is very important to medical diagnosis of the inner surface of hollow structures,medical education and surgical planning.However,due to the particular structures and characteristics of hollows,how to exactly and intuitively visualize the 3D structure and shape of the inner surface of a hollow structure is still a difficult issue in the field of medical visualization.A review of recent development of visualization techniques for human hollow structures is given in this article.Techniques including virtual endoscopy,virtual flattening,virtual cutting and color mapping ale described and compared.The advantages and disadvantages of each technology are pointed out.The future development of visualization techniques for hollow structures is also discussed.

Objective To prepare poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres that contain recombinant epidermal growth factor and then evaluate the effect of these sustained release in vitro.Methods Human serum albumin (HAS) microspheres were prepared with a double-emulsification solvent evaporation method.Experiment was designed to optimize the preparation condition of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF)-loaded microspheres.Characters of optimal rhEGF-loaded microspheres were analyzed.In-vitro dissolution tests were performed on the microsperes.Results The speed of first emulsification,the concentration of PLGA,the concentration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA),and the ratio of inner water to organic phase affected the particle size and the encapsulation ratio.The polymer's individual specificities especially density,molecular weight,polymerization,the diameter of microsphere,and the encapsulation efficiency were the crucial factors to influence the speed and time of drug release from microspheres in vitro.The optimal microspheres possessed a smooth and round appearance.It also showed good lente liberantes effect in vitro.Conclusions The optimal microspheres possessed a smooth and round stable appearance and showed good lente liberantes effect in vitro.This technique was simple and had a good reproducibility.

This study aimed at investigating the effects of Chinese herbal compound Qi Kui granules on urine protein and inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN) based on the treatment of regular western medication.A randomized,parallel controlled method was involved in the present trial,and patients diagnosed with type 2 DN were randomly divided into the Chinese herb group and the control group.Regular treatment of angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker (ARB) in western medicine was administered in the two groups with the additional treatment of Qi Kui granules for the Chinese herb group.All the patients revisited the doctor every 4 weeks during the observation period within a 12-week course of the observation.Urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR),urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) and inflammatory cytokines in the two groups were determined.As a result,seventy-two patients in aggregate were included in the study,while 32 patients of the control group and 31 patients of the Chinese herb group effectively accomplished the observation.After the 12-week treatments,UACR and UAER were significantly decreased in the two groups (P ＜ 0.01),while the efficacy of the Chinese herb group was better than that of the control group (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the control group,the levels of serum IL-6,tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α),transforming growth factor f1 (TGF-f1) and urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) / Cr significantly decreased after the 12-week treatment (P ＜ 0.01).It was concluded that the Chinese herbal compound Qi Kui granules successfully mitigated proteinuria in DN patients.The improvement of glomerular inflammation for renoprotection should be the mechanism behind this.

Objective To investigate the radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis with a dose-response mouse model, based on the CT image changes of pulmonary fibrosis.Methods Female C57BL6 mice aged 8-10 weeks were randomly divided into 20 Gy or escalated doses of X-ray whole thoracic irradiation ( WTI) groups. CT scan was performed at different time points before and after radiation. The average lung density and lung volume changes were obtained by three-dimensional segmentation algorithm. After gene chip and pathological validation, the parameters of CT scan were subject to the establishment of logistic regression model. Results At the endpoint of 24 weeks post-irradiation, the lung density in the 20 Gy irradiation group was (-289.81± 12.06) HU, significantly increased compared with (-377.97± 6.24) HU in the control group ( P<0.001) . The lung volume was ( 0.66±0.01) cm3 in the control group, significantly larger than ( 0.44±0.03) cm3 in the irradiated mice ( P<0.001) . The results of quantitative imaging analysis were in accordance with the findings of HE and Mason staining, which were positively correlated with the fibrosis-related biomarkers at the transcriptional level ( all R2=0.75, all P<0.001) . The ED50 for increased lung density was found to be ( 13.64± 0.14) Gy ( R2=0.99, P<0.001) and ( 16.17± 4.36) Gy ( R2=0.89, P<0.001) for decreased lung volume according to the logistic regression model. Conclusions Quantitative CT measurement of lung density and volume are reliable imaging parameters to evaluate the degree of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mouse models. The dose-response mouse models with pulmonary fibrosis changes can provide experimental basis for comparative analysis of high-dose hypofractioned irradiation-and half-lung irradiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Pancytopenia is one of the serious complications of Graves disease, and its clinical treatment is quite challenging. Based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and combining with literature reports and clinical practice in China, we discuss the etiology, pathogenesis, and syndromes-based treatment of pancytopenia, hoping to open up new treatment approaches, guide clinical practice, and improve treatment effectiveness.