B-type ultrasound images have important applications in medical diagnosis. However, the widely spread intensity inhomogeneity, low-scale contrast, constructed defect, noise and blurred edges all make it difficult to implement automatic segmentation of lesion in the images. Based on region level set method, a subordinate degree region level set model was proposed, in which subordinate degree probability of each pixel was defined to reflect the pixel subjection grade to target and background respectively. Pixels were classified to either target or background by calculation of their subordinate degree probabilities, and edge contour was obtained by region level set iterations. In this paper, lesion segmentation is regarded as local segmentation of specific area, and the calculation is restrained to the local sphere abide by the contour, which greatly reduce the calculation complexity. Experiments on B-type ultrasound images showed improved results of the proposed method compared to those of some popular level set methods.
Algorithms ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Probability ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Ultrasonography

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of microwave tissue coagulation (MTC) to treat verruca vulgaris. MethodsWe observed the lesion healing, post- operation infection and scar forma- tion of verruca vulgaris 182 patients in who received MTC treatment. ResultsThe one - operation cure rate was 87.75 ％. The post - operation infection rate was 2.90 ％. The healing time varied from 1 to 8 weeks according to the different lesion location. No obvious scar was observed except 2 patients. ConclusionMTC is a convenient, effective and safe method of treatment for verruca vulgaris.

To compare the advantages and the disadvantages of the teaching of problem-based learning(PBL) with lecture based learing(LBL) in Pathophysiology with the questionnaire.

In medical education,to cultivate the medical students with high comprehensive quality,we have carried out the teaching reform in Pathophysiology education.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and indications of a new minimally invasive surgical procedure,the tension-free vaginal tape-SECUR (TVT-S),in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods Twenty-seven consecutive women with stress urinary incontinence underwent the procedure under local anesthesia.The mean age of the study group was 51 (range 25-69)years,average disease duration was 7 (1-20) years.In one case,repair of pelvic floor defects had been made previously.According to the pelvic organ prolapse quantitive(POP-Q) (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology),the Aa＞-1 cm.Swab tests have shown that the angle of urethra Was greater than 60 degrees,while the evaluation of clinical symptoms were grade Ⅱ.The urodynamie test preoperatively of 27 cases display that bladder compliance was normal,mean maximum urethral closure pressure was 40cm H2O(25-60 cm H2O),and VLPP was greater than 60 cm H2O.Minimum follow up was three months (range 3-15 months).The pre-operative maximal urethral cloSHre pressure (MUCP) of all patients was above 30 cm H2O.Ninety-six percent of patients had pure USI,one patient had mixed urodynamic incontinence (MUI).Collection of the data included operative time a well as pre-and post-operative complications.Patients were post-operatively assessed by a validated urinary incontinence-specific measure of Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire which was completed by all patients at least three months after surgery. Results All patients who underwent the procedure were under local anesthesia.Of these patients,4 cases (MUCP＜30 cm H2O) underwent TVT-S with U position while the other 23 underwent TVT-S with Hammock position.The mean operation time was 8 minutes (range 6-15 min) and blood loss during operation was about 10 ml.There were no urethral and bladder injuries during the procedure.Postoperative indwelling duration was 0-1 day.After follow-up,26 patients were cured without pad usage and 1 with mixed UI had prominent improvement in urgency incontinence symptoms.The quality of life was also improved significantly.93 % patients were satisfied with the postoperative improvement in urinary incontinence symptoms,and the more severe preoperative symptoms the higher satisfaction rate postoperatively. Conclusions TVT-S iS a safe,effective and minimally invasive procedure for SUI with less complication.The patients with normal bladder compliance and MUCP,urethral hypermobility are indicated for this surgery,some elderly patients or patients with low urethral pressure were proposed to undergo U position TVT-S or TVT.

Objective To investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of ursolic acid (UA) on inhibiting proliferation of human esophageal carcinoma cell Eca-109 and inducing its apoptosis. Methods Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay. Electron microscope was used to observe the ultrastructural changes of Eca-l09 induced by UA. Cell cycle and apoptotic rate were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM),and the expression of P27kip1,Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by Western blot method. Results UA could significantly inhibit the growth of Eca-109 cells(P

With the deepening of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the method of quantification and standardization of TCM (i.e., quantitative characterization of TCM) has been more and more widely accepted by researchers. Chemometrics processes complicated data of TCM through applied mathematics, statistics and com-puter technology. And multivariable study was introduced into the quantitative characterization of TCM with great achievements. This article reviewed existed problems of quantitative characterization in TCM, the principles, char-acteristics, limitations, commonly used statistical methods and application conditions on quantitative characteriza-tion of TCM. With this review, a reference for further study of quantitative characterization of TCM was provided and a further research idea of combination with main methods of chemometrics was given.

Objective:To screen the best formula of tegafur temperature-sensitive gel for intratumor injection and investigate the in vitro drug release behavior. Methods:The drug dose was determined by cytotoxicity experiment. The thermo-sensitive gel was prepared with PLGA-PEG-PLGA and HPMC as the matrix. With the in vitro release as the index, the effects of PLGA-PEG-PLGA and HPMC at different concentrations on gel were investigated. The gelation temperature, viscosity and pH were detected. Results:The best formula was as follows:25% PLGA-PEG-PLGA, 1% HPMC, and tegafur dose of 1 mg·ml-1 . The average gelation temperature was 36. 7℃, the average viscosity was 7550 mPa·s, and the average pH was 7. 2. Conclusion:Tegafur thermo-sensitive gel for intratumor in-jection shows temperature sensitivity and obvious sustained-release property, which provides experimental basis for the further clinical research.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the killing effects of MMC,5-Fu and TAM on human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435S). MethodsThe MTT method and median-effect principle were used. ResultsKilling effects of drugs were enhanced as drug concentration increased while they were used alone or in combination. The median-effect concentration of TAM in conjunction with MMC was 1.65?10 -5 mmol/L,and that of TAM in conjunction with 5-Fu was 0.032 6 mmol/L. MMC was synergetic with 5-Fu at high concentration(CI1). The ratios of drug concentration and the sequence of administration were not related with the killing effects. ConclusionsA combination of MMC, 5-Fu and TAM has an increased killing effect on MCF-7 cell lines and questionable enhanced effect on MDA-MB-435S cell lines.

Objective To monitor the changes of resting energy expenditure in ventilated critically ill children,to compare the results of standard equations and indirect calorimetry (IC) in predicting energy expenditure,and to investigate the possible influence factors of the metabolic status of the critically ill children.Methods From September 2012 to September 2013,56 critically ill children on assisted ventilation and fitting the requirements of IC in pediatric intensive care unit of Shanghai Children's Medical Center were enrolled in this prospective study.IC measurements were performed using metabolic cart on day 1,4,7,10 after trachea intubation.General clinical data of these children were recorded.Results 130 IC measurements were performed in the 56 children.The measured resting energy expenditure (MREE) did not exhibit significant differences among day 1,4,7,and 10 (P =0.379).Although there were no significant differences between MREE and energy expenditure predicted with Schofield and WHO equations (P =0.917,P =0.995),the agreement was poor between the measured and predicted values (R2 =0.185,R2 =0.322).The metabolic status of the children on day 1 of ventilation was only correlated with age (P =0.000) and height (P =0.027),not with severity of underlying diseases or clinical outcomes.Conclusions MREE of IC method in ventilated critically ill children did not significantly change over time in this study.A poor agreement was observed between equationpredicted energy expenditure and MREE.IC measurement of resting energy expenditure is recommended for guiding individual nutritional support among critically ill children so as to improve clinical outcome.