OBJECTIVE: To realize the automated assessment of the levels of epiphysis of distal radius and ulna by support vector machine (SVM). METHODS: The X-ray films of the left wrist joints were taken from 140 teenagers aged from 11 to 19 years old as training samples. The levels of epiphysis of distal radius and ulna were divided into five developmental levels. Each level contained 28 samples. Another 35 cases were selected as independent verifying samples. SVM classification models of the five developmental levels of epiphysis of distal radius and ulna were established. The internal cross validation was made by leave one out cross validation (LOOCV), while the external validation was made by histogram of oriented gradient (HOG), and then the accuracy (PA) of testing results was calculated, respectively. RESULTS: The PA of SVM, LOOCV and HOG of distal radius epiphyseal level were 100%, 78.6%, and 82.8%, respectively; whereas the PA of SVM, LOOCV and HOG of distal ulna epiphyseal level were 100.0%, 80.0% and 88.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION The SVM-based automatic models of the growth stage of distal ra- dius and ulna appear to have certain feasibility, and may provide a foundation for software development of bone age assessment by forensic medicine.
Adolescent ; Bone Development/physiology* ; Child ; Epiphyses/growth & development* ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Male ; Radius/growth & development* ; Support Vector Machine ; Ulna/growth & development* ; Wrist/growth & development* ; Wrist Joint/growth & development* ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of hysteroscopic treatment of women with previous cesarean scar defect (PCSD).

METHODSFrom May 2006 to October 2008, 12 patients with PCSD were diagnosed and treated hysteroscopically in our hospital, all of them were successful followed-up for one year postoperatively, and their clinical data were analyzed.

RESULTSAll 12 hysteroscopic procedures were completed successfully, and there were no surgical complications. Nine patients with longer periods and 1 patient with intermenstrual spotting preoperatively remained asymptomatic after hysteroscopic surgery, and 1 patient with longer periods and infertility experienced normal periods, while remained infertility, and the remaining 1 patient complaining postcoital bleeding preoperatively had recurrence of the bleeding.

CONCLUSIONHysteroscopic surgery of women with PCSD was minimally invasive and effective.

Adult ; Cesarean Section ; adverse effects ; Cicatrix ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy ; Postoperative Complications ; surgery ; Uterine Diseases ; surgery

PURPOSE: To investigate the etiologic factors related to refractures of the upper extremity in children MATERIALS AND METHODS: 18 refractures of the upper extremity were divided into three groups according to the location of initial fractures: Supracondyle fractures of the humerus, lateral condyle fracture of the humerus, and the forearm bone fractures. They were analyzed in terms of the type of refractures (early refracture occurring at the immature callus and late refracture occurring at the remodeled bone), fracture patterns, and the existence of underlying deformity. RESULTS: Nine supracondyle fractures had refractures at the supracondyle (2 cases) and the lateral condyle (7 cases), in which underlying cubitus varus were present in 6 cases. Three lateral condyle fractures had refractures at the supracondyle (1 case) and the lateral condyle (2 cases), in which one case had underlying cubitus varus. All but one case in the group of humerus fractures were late refractures and treated operatively except one. Of 6 refractures of forearm, 5 were early refractures and occurred within 9 weeks at the original site: 4 at the diaphysis of both bones of forearm and 1 at the diaphysis of ulna. All cases in the group of forearm fractures had volar angulation before the refracture, and treated conservatively except one CONCLUSION: In the humerus, underlying cubitus varus was the most important predisposing factor to refractures and the lateral condyle fractures were common. In the forearm, volar angulation of the diaphysis were related to refractures, and complete and circular consolidation of the primary fracture of forearm was thought to be important to prevent refracture.
Bony Callus ; Causality ; Child* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diaphyses ; Forearm ; Fractures, Bone ; Humans ; Humerus ; Ulna ; Upper Extremity*

OBJECTIVE: To access application value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) in investigation the coronary artery disease (CAD), and to explore the effective way of virtual autopsy to evaluate the sudden death due to CAD. METHODS: Nine cases of sudden cardiac death were collected to analyze MSCT before the autopsy. The quantitative analysis of the degree of coronary artery calcium was made by Agatston's method. The CACS of all the subjects were calculated based on the diagnostic criteria for CAD, in which calcium scoring was more than 400. The results of CACS were compared with that of the autopsy. RESULTS: Only 2 cases got the high calcium scoring which were more than 400 in the 9 cases died of CAD confirmed by the autopsy. The prediction rate of CACS for CAD was only 22.2%. Pulmonary edema of different severity was found in both autopsy and MSCT. There was a higher morbidity rate in the left anterior descending of coronary artery than the other branches. CONCLUSION Obvious calcification of coronary artery can be detected by MSCT and calculating CACS. To detect subtle calcification needs other technologies such as postmortem angiography.
Autopsy ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging* ; Death, Sudden/pathology* ; Humans ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/methods* ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Vascular Calcification/diagnostic imaging*

Age estimation by the measurement method is to get the data such as the length, width, thickness, area of the ossification center, transverse diameter of the metaphysis, transverse diameter of osteoepiphysis, width of the epiphyseal line and the ratio between the diaph and the epiphyseal, by measuring the different bones of human in different ages with the radiological technology and to explore the relationship between these data and the life age by statistics. According to the relationships the personal life age may be estimated. In this article the measurement methods above mentioned and its application in age estimation were reviewed.
Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Bone Development/physiology* ; Cervical Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; Female ; Femur/diagnostic imaging* ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Hand Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Humans ; Humerus/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; X-Ray Film

Objective To investigate the effect of Kangfu Xiaoyan suppositories on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB),tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) levels of rats with sequela of pelvic inflammatory diseases (SPID) Methods Ninety specific pathogen free (SPF) Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group,sham group,model group,experimental group and positive control group,18 rats in each group.The normal group was given no intervention and normal feeding.Sham group only switch abdominal surgery.The rats of model group,experimental group and positive control group were given foreign body implantation to induce SPID.After 2 weeks,the experimental group were given Kangfu Xiaoyan suppositories 5.04 g · kg-1 d-1,retention enema;and the positive control group were given clindamycin capsules 0.04 g · kg-1 · d-1,intragastric administration for 21 d.The normal group,sham group and model group were not disposed.The uterine swelling rate and swelling inhibition rate were observed in each group.The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the levels of NF-κB,TNF-α and ICAM-1 of rats in each group.Results The uterine swelling rates in sham group,model group,experimental group and positive control group were (10.09 ±5.05)％,(33.98 ± 15.61)％,(7.48 ±8.21)％,(12.31 ±6.67)％.The uterine swelling rate in model group was higher than that in experimental group,with significant difference (P＜0.05).The levels of NF-κB,TNF-α and ICAM-1 in experimental group were(1.33 ±0.82),(1.83 ±0.75),(0.17 ±0.41) ng · L-1,had significant difference with those in model group,which were (4.00 ± 1.79),(5.17 ±2.40),(2.00 ± 1.10) ng · L-1 (P ＜0.05).Conclusion The therapeutic effect of Kangfu Xiaoyan suppositories on SPID rats is related to the inhibition of swelling of uterus and the decrease the levels of inflammatory factors.

Bipartite patella is uncommon in clinical medicine. It is formed by two or more ossification centers It is repeatedly misdiagnosed as patellar fracture in clinical practice. which do not fused in adolescence. In order to elevate the recognition of imaging signs of bipartite patella and to avoid the fault in medicolegal expertise testimony, three cases of bipartite patella were analyzed in combination of literature review, and the possible causes, histological changes, imaging signs, and clinical manifestation of bipartite patella were also discussed. The three cases concerned were all adults, two male and one female. They all felt pain after knee joint injury and were diagnosed as patellar fracture in medical institutions. Two cases were appraised on the degree of injury and one was on the degree of disability. According to Saupe's grouping, two cases were group III, and one was group II and III. In the practice of medicolegal expertise testimony, recognizing imaging signs of bipartite patella could provide more rigorous and objective conclusion.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Fractures, Bone/etiology* ; Humans ; Knee Injuries/diagnostic imaging* ; Knee Joint/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain/etiology* ; Patella/injuries* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To further improve the accuracy of bone age identification using the time of secondary ossification center appearance and epiphyseal fusion of 7 joints to estimate the age of living individuals. METHODS: DR films were taken from 7 parts including sternal end of clavical and the left side of shoulder, elbow, carpal, hip, knee and ankle joints of 1 709 individuals who came from eastern China, central China and southern China, whose ages were between 11.0 and 20.0 years. From those 7 joints 24 osteal loci were selected as bone age indexes, which could better reflect age growth of teenagers. The characteristics of secondary ossification center appearance and epiphyseal fusion were observed, and the mean and age range of secondary ossification center appearance and epiphyseal fusion were calculated. RESULTS: The fusion time of the 24 epiphyses were advanced at different degrees, the most obvious epiphyses the sternal end of clavicle, scapular acromial end, distal end of the radius, distal end of the ulna, iliac crest, ischial tuberosity, the upper and lower end of tibia and fibula. The appearance time of sternal end of clavicle, scapular acromial end, iliac crest and ischial tuberosity epiphyses were all found to be after the age of 12, and the female's age, approximately 1 year ahead of schedule in comparison with the male's. CONCLUSION The relevant forensic information and data for bone age identification should be updated every 10-15 years so as to provide accurate and objective evidence for court testimony, conviction and sentencing.
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods* ; Asian People/ethnology* ; Bone Development/physiology* ; Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; China/ethnology* ; Clavicle/growth & development* ; Epiphyses/growth & development* ; Female ; Forensic Anthropology/methods* ; Humans ; Joints/growth & development* ; Male ; Sex Characteristics ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To establish standardized methods and parameters of the isolated heart coronary angiography through the experiment of in vitro porcine heart by MSCT. METHODS: Based on different perfusion volume (50, 60 and 70 mL) and different perfusion-imaging time (5, 10 and 20 min), the in vitro porcine coronary artery was injected liposoluble and water-soluble contrast agents using remodel angiography equipment and scanned by MSCT. And the 3D image results were compared. The images were recorded and evaluated by 2 radiologists and analyzed by statistical software. RESULTS: Liposoluble contrast agent affected the images by damaging and infiltrating the fats around the coronary artery, while the water-soluble contrast agent didn't affect the images. The groups with 60 mL or 70 mL perfusion and 5 min perfusion-imaging time had the best images. CONCLUSION The suitable parameters of the angiography lay the foundation of postmortem coronary angiography.
Animals ; Coronary Angiography/veterinary* ; Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging* ; Heart ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Multidetector Computed Tomography/veterinary* ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Software ; Software Validation ; Swine

The phytase gene phyA(m) from Aspergillus niger N25 was recombined into E. coli expression vector pET-30b(+). Recombined at expression vectors pET30b-FphyA(m) was served as a template to amplify phytase gene, and the PCR product named elongation mutation gene phyA(e) was expanded with a 13 amino acid sequence from pET-30b-FphyA(m) vector at C-terminal of phytase gene phyA(m). Furthermore, phyA(e) gene was recombined into expression vector pPIC9k and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The comparison experiment of mutant phytase PP-NP0 with wild-type phytase PP-NP(m)-8 showed that: the optimum temperature of PP-NPe was increased by 3 degrees C, and its thermostability was increased by 21% when it was exposed to 10 min at 75 degrees C. Its effective reaction pH range with catalysis efficiency above 70% was pH 4.6 - pH 6.6, and wider 0.4 pH value than that of wild-type phytase.
6-Phytase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Aspergillus niger ; enzymology ; genetics ; Enzyme Stability ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; enzymology ; genetics ; Fungal Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hot Temperature ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation