A new head phantom with realistic shape and spatially varying skull resistivity distribution.

Brain electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an emerging method for monitoring brain injuries. To effectively evaluate brain EIT systems and reconstruction algorithms, we have developed a novel head phantom that features realistic anatomy and spatially varying skull resistivity. The head phantom was created with three layers, representing scalp, skull, and brain tissues.

[Gentiana veitchiorum particles inhibited LPS induced pulmonary alveolar macrophages (AM) TNF-α production and the underlying mechanism].

Aim: To investigate the effect of Gentiana veitchiorum particles on the expression of TNF-α in pulmonary alveolar macrophages (AM) which induced by LPS, to explain the mechanism about anti-inflammatory action of Gentiana veitchiorum particles.

Methods: Purification of rat AM, TNF-α level in AM culture supernatant was detected by ELISA. Western blot method for detecting the expression of TNF-α and pERK in the AM.

[A simulation study of electrical impedance scan-imaging based on a phantom].

Objective: To testify the feasibility of electrical impedance scanning (EIS) imaging and to classify the factors influencing EIS imaging at the early stage of electrical impedance scanning breast imaging study.

Method: Based on the EIS experiment workplace, a phantom to simulate the distribution of breast tissue was designed. Using NaCl solution and agar block with different conductance, three kinds of electric fields disturbances were simulated.

Induced current electrical impedance tomography system: experimental results and numerical simulations.

In electrical impedance tomography (EIT), measurements of developed surface potentials due to applied currents are used for the reconstruction of the conductivity distribution. Practical implementation of EIT systems is known to be problematic due to the high sensitivity to noise of such systems, leading to a poor imaging quality. In the present study, the performance of an induced current EIT (ICEIT) system, where eddy current is applied using magnetic induction, was studied by comparing the voltage measurements to simulated data, and examining the imaging quality with respect to simulated reconstructions for several phantom configurations.