Objective To develop a synthetic medical image generation system which can provide test images for the validation of medical image segmentation algorithms.Methods The synthetic image was created based on the deformation of region of interest (ROI) in original clinical images.First the synthetic foreground boundarywas generated by the resampling of the Fourier descriptors of manually segmented foreground boundary in original image.Then all the ROI pixels were divided into 4 categories and their intensities were calculated by texture matching techniques.Results The intracranial hemorrhage image was selected as the original image,and the generated synthetic images were applied to validate the precision and accuracy of multi-threshold segmentation and level set algorithm.Conclusion The proposed system can rapidly generate synthetic images with realistic appearance of clinical cases and well define ground truth foreground boundary.It has strong practicality for quantitative validation of segmentation algorithms.

Objective To study the long-term results of using an autologous vascularized pedicled flap of gastric tissues in the repair of traumatic bile duct strictures.Methods From 2002 to 2016,38 patients with traumatic bile duct strictures underwent repair using an autologous vascularized pedicled flap of stomach tissues.The postoperative morbidity,mortality,long-term clinical results,liver function and the rate of biliary stricture recurrence were studied.Results The overall complication rate was 18.4％ (7/38).A delay in healing of the incision wound occurred in 4 patients,biliary fistula in 2,and ascites in 1.Two patients died of malignant tumor.The median follow-up was 92 (61 ～ 107) months and the follow-up rate was 100％.Excellent results were obtained in 97.2％ (35/36) of patients.Abnormal liver function was detected in 1 patient which improved with treatment using choleretic drugs.The remaining 35 patients had normal liver functions with absence of abdominal pain.Conclusions To repair traumatic bile duct strictures using an autologous vascularized pedicled flap of stomach tissues was safe and reliable,and good long-term outcomes are available.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese-translated Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) for nursing home residents. Methods: A convenience sample of 204 nursing home residents were used for measuring the instrument performances. Demographics form and BREQ-2 developed by Markland were applied. Results: The translated BREQ-2 model was a good fit for the results of confirmatory factor analysis, χ2 was 276.75, comparative fit index was .94, standardized root mean square residual was .05, and root mean square error of approximation was .07. Results in the BREQ-2 indicated good consistency, Cronbach's α coefficient of BREQ-2 was .78, and each of the five subscales were ranged from .78 to .83. The test–retest was valued .84, and the five subscales ranged from .75 to .89, which supporting the stability of instrument. Conclusion This study provided psychometric evidence for the application of BREQ-2 among nursing home residents in China.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese-translated Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) for nursing home residents. Methods: A convenience sample of 204 nursing home residents were used for measuring the instrument performances. Demographics form and BREQ-2 developed by Markland were applied. Results: The translated BREQ-2 model was a good fit for the results of confirmatory factor analysis, χ2 was 276.75, comparative fit index was .94, standardized root mean square residual was .05, and root mean square error of approximation was .07. Results in the BREQ-2 indicated good consistency, Cronbach's α coefficient of BREQ-2 was .78, and each of the five subscales were ranged from .78 to .83. The test–retest was valued .84, and the five subscales ranged from .75 to .89, which supporting the stability of instrument. Conclusion This study provided psychometric evidence for the application of BREQ-2 among nursing home residents in China.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between body mass index (BMI), hypertension and all-cause mortality in the elderly population in Beijing.

METHODSIn 1992, a cohort of 3 257 people above 55 years old was selected from 3 different areas of Beijing, i.e. urban and suburbs (both plain and mountain areas). Information on physical condition, history of chronic diseases, self-perceived health, as well as smoking and drinking status was collected. Blood pressure, body height and weight were measured among 2 086 of 3 257 subjects.

RESULTSBMI was decreasing with age, while the prevalence of hypertension increased with age. Meanwhile the prevalence of hypertension increased with age as well as with BMI. There was a reverse relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality, i.e. the risk of death was 39.0% lower for those with BMI = 20.0 - 24.9 kg/m(2) (Hazard ratio: 0.61, 95% Confidence interval: 0.49 - 0.75) and 62% lower for those with BMI >/= 25.0 kg/m(2) (Hazard ratio: 0.38%, 95% Confidence interval: 0.29 - 0.49) than those with BMI < 20.0 kg/m(2). After controlling for age, gender, residential place, hypertension as well as self-perceive health status and cognition function, low BMI remained a significant and independent predictor to death.

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of BMI was different in elderly from the youth. The findings suggested that it was important to control the body weight among the elderly hypertensives.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cause of Death ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Rural Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Sex Factors ; Urban Health ; statistics & numerical data

Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Laser Therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has indicated that low-concentration hydrogen or hydrogen rich water or hydrogen saturated saline exerts a protective effect on various diseases, such as myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effect of hydrogen rich water on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. METHODS: Forty-eight Wistar rats were equally randomized into control and hydrogen-rich groups, and then subdivided into ischemic preconditioning, ischemia, and ischemia/reperfusion groups (n=8 rats in each subgroup). The myocardial ischemia/reperfusion model was established in the heart of each rat by the following procedures: reverse perfusion for 10 minutes, room temperature for 20 minutes, and reperfusion for 20 minutes. The control rats was perfused with pre-oxygenated (95% O2plus 5% CO2) 37 ℃ K-R solution and the hydrogen-rich group was perfused with pre-oxygen-equilibrated (95% O2plus 5% CO2) 37 ℃ K-R solution plus hydrogen-rich water (0.6 mmol/L, pH=7.3). Subsequently, the heart was removed, the pathological changes of the myocardial tissues were observe by hematoxylin-eosin staining, the activities of lactic dehydrogenase and creatine kinase in the myocardial tissues were determined, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β were detected by ELISA. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the control group, the activity of lactic dehydrogenase at the ischemic and ischemia/reperfusion stages was significantly higher than that at the ischemic preconditioning stage (P < 0.05), and the activity of creatine kinase at the ischemia/reperfusion stage was significantly higher than that at the ischemic preconditioning and ischemic stages (P < 0.05). In the hydrogen-rich group, there was no significant difference in the activities of lactic dehydrodenase and creatine kinase at each stage, but the activities of at the ischemia/reperfusion stage was significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). In the two groups, the order of the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β was as follows: the ischemia/reperfusion stage > ischemic stage > ischemic preconditioning stage (P < 0.05). The levels of above factors in the hydrogen-rich group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Our findings imply that hydrogen rich water has protective effect on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury of the rat hearts in vitro,which may be by reducing the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, and further alleviating the inflammatory response.

The changes of microRNA expression in rat hippocampus after traumatic brain injury (TBI) were explored. Adult SD rats received a single controlled cortical impact injury, and the ipsilateral hippocampus was harvested for the subsequent microarray assay at three time points after TBI: 1st day, 3rd day and 5th day, respectively. We characterized the microRNA expression profile in rat hippocampus using the microRNA microarray analysis, and further verified microarray results of miR-142-3p and miR-221 using quantitative real-time PCR. Totally 205 microRNAs were identified and up-/down-regulated more than 1.5 times. There were significant changes in 17 microRNAs at all three time points post-TBI. The quantitative real-time PCR results of miR-142-3p and miR-221 indicated good consistency with the results of the microarray method. MicroRNAs altered at different time points post-TBI. MiR-142-3p and miR-221 may be used as potentially biological markers for TBI assessment in forensic practice.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-PBHSCT) and its therapeutic effect on refractory rheumatism among preschool children.

METHODSThree boys with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) and juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) respectively, 3 to 6 years old with the mean age of 5 years with 3.5 to 22 months course of disease with 14 months on average, received auto-PBHSCT. Their conditions were so severe that conventional therapy failed to control the diseases. The changes of both clinical manifestations and immunologic indexes were observed before and after transplantation with long term following up at specialty clinic of rheumatism.

RESULTThe time when neutrophil count >or= 0.5 x 10(9)/L in the 3 children was days +9, +13 and +11 respectively, that of platelet count >or= 20 x 10(9)/L was days +14, +18 and +13 respectively. The cellular immune function remained abnormal with CD4 cells at a low level and CD4/CD8 being inverted. As to the JDM child, the skin rash had disappeared and his muscle tone was improved to grade 5 within one month after the transplantation. The EMG and serum creatase level returned to normal and muscle MRI findings were improved greatly within 2 months after the transplantation. As to the JSLE child, skin rash and proteinuria had disappeared, MRI of brain showed that the pathological changes had been absorbed and EEG returned to normal 3 months after the transplantation, all the autoantibodies turned to negative within 8 months after transplantation. As to the JRA child, the arthritis had been improved remarkably within 3 weeks after auto-PBHSCT. There was no swelling of joints nor movement limitation 3 months post transplantation. The steroids and immunosuppressive drugs were discontinued post transplantation. Cushing syndrome disappeared. Their body heights increased by 10 to 15 cm in the past 18 months, and they all returned to school. There was no relapse during follow-up periods of 25 - 27 months.

CONCLUSIONThe therapy with auto-PBHSCT for refractory rheumatism among preschool children was remarkably effective in a short-term, yet the safety and long-term effect still need to be further studied.

Child ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Rheumatic Diseases ; therapy ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study on the effect and mechanism of curcumin on inhibiting injury induced by free radical in pulmonary fibrosis.

METHODOne hundred and forty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (24 rats in each group). Rats in the model control group, positive medicine group, and high, moderate and low curcumin groups were injected with a single dose of bleomycin by trachea, and rats in sham-model control group with same volume normal saline. One day after the injection, curcumin solution of different dosages (200,100,50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) was respectively given to rats in the high, moderate and low curcumin group by daily gastrogavage, while equal volume of normal saline was given to those in the sham-model control group and model control group, and an equal volume of prednisone (0.56 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) was saline was given to those in positive medicine control group. On the 7, 14, 28 days, the contents of GSH-Px, SOD, MDA and iNOS in pulmonary tissues of different groups were measured.

RESULTCurcumin can raise the content of SOD and GSH-Px and lessen the level of MDA and iNOS.

CONCLUSIONCurcumin can regulate the level of free radical in the body of rats with pulmonary fibrosis and lessen the oxidative injury of pulmonary tissues caused by free radical, in the body of rats with pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanisms of curcumin on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lie in adjusting the level of free radical and inhibiting the injury of lung tissue induced by free radical.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Bleomycin ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Curcumin ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism