A novel finite-element-based algorithm for fluorescence molecular tomography of heterogeneous media.

The knowledge of optical properties distribution of heterogeneous media has significant impact on the reconstructed fluorescence image quality in fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT). In this study, a novel finite-element-based algorithm for FMT of heterogeneous media is proposed. In the algorithm, optical properties are reconstructed using the conjugate gradient method.

[Effects of Pingchuan Recipe on airway remodeling in mice with bronchial asthma].

Objective: To study the effects of Pingchuan Recipe, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine for treating bronchial asthma, on macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) contents and CD86 expression in a mouse model of bronchial asthma, and to investigate the mechanism of Pingchuan Recipe in regulating airway remodeling in mice with bronchial asthma.

Methods: Fifty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group, dexamethasone group, low-dose Pingchuan Recipe group and normal-dose Pingchuan Recipe group. Bronchial asthma in mice was induced by intra-abdominal injection of mixed ovalbumin and stimulation by inhaling 5% ovalbumin.

[Characteristic imaging features of primary central nervous system lymphoma in comparison with pathological findings].

Objective: To investigate the imaging features of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL).

Method: The imaging and pathological findings in 13 patients with pathologically confirmed PCNSL were analyzed retrospectively. Of these patients, 5 underwent CT scan, 6 had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination, 1 patient underwent both CT and MRI examinations, and another had both MRI and PET/CT examinations.

A rabbit model of hormone-induced early avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

Objective: To establish an experimental model of early stage avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) caused by corticosteroid in adult rabbits and to observe the pathological changes with various imaging techniques.

Methods: ANFH was induced by a combination of hypersensitivity vasculitis caused by injection of horse serum and subsequent administration of a high dose of corticosteroid. The pathological changes were detected with digital radiography (DR), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ink artery infusion angiography, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry.

Polarization separator created by a filament in air.

We demonstrate that a femtosecond laser pulse-induced filament can act as a "polarization separator" for a copropagating femtosecond probe pulse. The probe component with polarization parallel to the pump is guided along the propagation axis through the cross interactions with the pump pulse. And the probe component with polarization orthogonal to that of the pump is diffracted out into an outer ring by the plasma.

Virus infections in Brazilian honey bees.

This work describes the first molecular-genetic evidence for viruses in Brazilian honey bee samples. Three different bee viruses, Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), and Deformed wing virus (DWV) were identified during a screening of RNAs from 1920 individual adult bees collected in a region of southeastern Brazil that has recently shown unusual bee declines. ABPV was detected in 27.

Effect of chengzai pill on the L-type Ca2+ channel currents of osteoblasts pretreated with methylprednisolone.

Objective: To observe the effect of the serum containing Chengzai Pill on the L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels current (L-VSCCsC) of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells pretreated with methylprednisolone (mPSL).

Methods: A control group, a model group, a low dose group and a high dose group were set up. The whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record L-VSCCsC of 10 osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells in each group and their peak currents were determined.

[Clinical evaluation for sublingual immunotherapy of allergic asthma and atopic rhinitis with Dermatophagoides Farinae Drops].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy with 'Dermatophagoides Farinae Drops' in D. farinae allergic asthma and/or rhinitis patients.

Methods: A 25-week double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centered trail was conducted in 278 children (aged 4 - 18 yr) with mite-induced asthma and/or rhinitis.

Evolution and termination of a femtosecond laser filament in air.

The evolution of the filamentation of a femtosecond laser pulse in air is measured. The divergence of the filament core is almost constant over a long distance, encompassing a zone with efficient ionization followed by another where ionization is much weaker. At the end, the core diverges out linearly with a low divergence due to self-spatial filtering.

Nosema ceranae is a long-present and wide-spread microsporidian infection of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the United States.

Honey bee samples collected between 1995 and 2007 from 12 states were examined for the presence of Nosema infections. Our results showed that Nosema ceranae is a wide-spread infection of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera in the United States. The discovery of N.

X-rays induce distinct patterns of somatic mutation in fetal versus adult hematopoietic cells.

There are a variety of mechanisms and pathways whereby cells safeguard their genomes in the face of environmental insults that damage DNA. Whether each of these pathways is equally robust at specific developmental stages in mammals and whether they are also modulated in a tissue-specific manner, however, are unclear. Here, we report that ionizing radiation (IR) produces different types of somatic mutations in fetal cells compared with adult cells of the same lineage.

Wide viewing angle skewed effect of the point spread function in a wavefront coding system.

The point spread function (PSF) of a wavefront coding (WFC) system with a cubic phase mask is analyzed with a wide viewing angle based on physical optics for what is believed to be the first time. Two coordinate transformations are made to generate a pupil function, from which we obtain the encoded PSF of the WFC system with defocus parameters W(020) and object angles alpha and beta. The encoded PSFs are further side extended as the object angles get wider.

Ray aberrations analysis for phase plates illuminated by off-axis collimated beams.

Approximate expressions of the ray aberrations for off-axis collimated beams and free form phase plates with a small derivative magnitude are derived with the defocus aberration taken into account. The cubic phase plate, which is one of the most commonly used phase plates in wavefront coding imaging systems, is illustrated as an example. The approximate expressions for the upper and lower boundaries of ray map, and the spot size in the vicinity of the focal plane are derived.

Point spread function characteristics analysis of the wavefront coding system.

Most of the previous imaging characteristics analysis of the wavefront coding system has been carried out within the frequency domain. In this paper, the stationary phase method is employed to perform the analysis within the spatial domain. The approximate expression of point spread function (PSF) in the presence of defocus aberration is derived for the system with a cubic phase mask, which shows a good agreement with the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) approach.

Fuzzy modelling of different tumorous cerebral tissues on MRI images based on fusion of feature information.

A fuzzy modelling approach is being proposed in this paper to estimate the model of tumorous cerebral tissues on MRI images. According to the graduality of description of neuro-radiologists, two tables have been combined to address two types of potential categories of glioma characteristics one is the array of different tissues versus gray level, and the other is the possibility of different tissues belonging to tumor. A hierarchical estimation structure has been proposed to estimate the models of tumorous cerebral tissues on MRI images by the fusion of this a priori knowledge.

Whole-body Fluorescent Optical Imaging Based on Power Light Emitting Diode.

With complex configuration, the general whole-body fluorescence optical imaging system is power-consuming for it is mainly composed of laser or mercury lamp, filter and fiber-optic cable. In this paper we aimed at setting up a compact imaging system based on power light emitting diode (LED). We first discussed fluorescence excitation efficiency of mercury lamp and LED.

[Effect of morphine on dorsal horn projection neurons in neuropathic pain rats].

Objective: To explore the inhibitory effect of spinal topical morphine on the dorsal horn projection neurons in nerve-injured rats and its mechanism.

Methods: Single-unit activity of dorsal horn projection neurons was recorded in anesthetized L(5)/L(6) nerve-ligated rats. Allodynia was determined by a behavior test in nerve-injured rats.

Novel reaction pathways for 2-pyridone [4+4] photoadducts.

[Structure: see text] Transannular ring closure of a pyridone-furan [4+4] photoadduct has been evaluated in a model system. A combination of nitrogen substitution and an isopropyl group gave full control of the four new stereogenic centers. Chlorination transformed the 1,5-cyclooctadiene to a [4.

Horizontal and vertical transmission of viruses in the honey bee, Apis mellifera.

The most crucial stage in the dynamics of virus infections is the mode of virus transmission. In general, transmission of viruses can occur through two pathways: horizontal and vertical transmission. In horizontal transmission, viruses are transmitted among individuals of the same generation, while vertical transmission occurs from mothers to their offspring.

Characterization of truncated hantavirus nucleocapsid proteins and their application for serotyping.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a fulminant infectious disease characterized by fever, hemorrhage, renal impairment, and thrombocytopenia. Hantaviruses associated with this belong to different serotypes: Hantaan (HTN), Seoul (SEO), Dobrava/Belgrade (DOB), and Puumala (PUU). The first two, HTN and SEO, are endemic in China.

[Effect of chloroquine on the apoptosis of intestinal mucosa epithelial cells and enterogenous bacteria-endotoxin translocation after total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of chloroquine on the apoptosis of intestinal mucosa epithelial cell and enterogenous bacteria-endotoxin translocation after total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

Methods: The rat total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion model was built by blocking the hepatic portal, suprahepatic and infrahepatic vena cava for 20 minutes. Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly into the sham operation group (Group A, n = 30), total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion treatment group (Group B, n = 30), and chloroquine administrated group (Group C, n = 30).

[Effects of aminoguanidine on the lung injury induced by the total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of aminoguanidine on the lung injury induced by the total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

Methods: The total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion model was built after blocking of the hepatic porta, suprahepatic and infrahepatic vena cava. Ninety Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned randomly into 3 groups: Sham operation group (Group A, n=30); total hepatic ischemia group (Group B, n=30); and aminoguanidine treatment group (Group C, n=30).

[Magnetic resonance imaging and radiography for diagnosis of lower limb osteosarcoma: a comparative study].

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for lower limb osteosarcoma by comparing the findings between X-ray and MRI.

Methods: Fifteen surgically or pathologically confirmed patients with lower limb osteosarcoma (11 males and 4 females) underwent both plain and enhanced MRI (with CT scanning in 4 cases) in addition to radiography, and the findings were compared.

Results: The diagnostic accuracy of both MRI and X-ray film was 100%.