A Multi-stage Segmentation Method for Tongue Ecchymosis.

Tongue diagnosis is an important component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in which tongue ecchymosis is the main diagnostic basis for the blood stasis syndrome of TCM. Most of the existing methods are unsupervised and cannot accurately segment tongue ecchymosis. In this paper, we propose a multi-stage segmentation method for tongue ecchymosis.

Serum molecular biomarkers in neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare and severe inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), which mainly affects the optic nerves and spinal cord. The aims of this study were to determine whether the expression levels of serological cytokines could distinguish 1) NMOSD from healthy controls (HCs); and 2) NMOSD patients with and without the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody biomarker from each other; and 3) NMOSD patients without the antibody to AQP4 from MS patients.

Methods: The expression levels of 200 proteins in serum from 41 NMOSD (32 with antibodies to AQP4, 9 without antibodies to AQP4), 12 MS patients, and 34 HCs were measured using glass-based antibody arrays.

A Case-Control Study of Follicular Fluid Cytokine Profiles in Women with Diminished Ovarian Reserve.

Ovarian reserve is an important determinant of a woman's reproductive potential, and women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) often seek in vitro fertilization (IVF). The underlying etiology of DOR is unknown, but follicular fluid cytokine concentrations likely play a role in follicular development and maturation. The present study seeks to investigate the expression of cytokines in follicular fluid (FF) of women with DOR undergoing IVF and explore correlated functional pathways.

Statistical Analysis Options for Antibody Array Data.

In this chapter, we introduce the application of R, a statistical programming language in the analysis of antibody array data. We start from a brief introduction of R itself and then cover data filtration and transformation, data visualization, differential expression analysis with/without variance correction, co-expression network, functional enrichment analysis, and statistical modeling.

Next-Generation Glycan Microarray Enabled by DNA-Coded Glycan Library and Next-Generation Sequencing Technology.

Interactions of glycans with proteins, cells, and microorganisms play important roles in cell-cell adhesion and host-pathogen interaction. Glycan microarray technology, in which multiple glycan structures are immobilized on a single glass slide and interrogated with glycan-binding proteins (GBPs), has become an indispensable tool in the study of protein-glycan interactions. Despite its great success, the current format of the glycan microarray requires expensive, specialized instrumentation and labor-intensive assay and image processing procedures, which limit automation and possibilities for high-throughput analyses.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound improved performance of breast imaging reporting and data system evaluation of critical breast lesions.

Aim: To determine whether contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can improve the precision of breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) categorization.

Methods: A total of 230 patients with 235 solid breast lesions classified as BI-RADS 4 on conventional ultrasound were evaluated. CEUS was performed within one week before core needle biopsy or surgical resection and a revised BI-RADS classification was assigned based on 10 CEUS imaging characteristics.

Predictive model for contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the breast: Is it feasible in malignant risk assessment of breast imaging reporting and data system 4 lesions?

Aim: To build and evaluate predictive models for contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of the breast to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions.

Methods: A total of 235 breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) 4 solid breast lesions were imaged via CEUS before core needle biopsy or surgical resection. CEUS results were analyzed on 10 enhancing patterns to evaluate diagnostic performance of three benign and three malignant CEUS models, with pathological results used as the gold standard.

Phenotypic Heterogeneity in a DFNA20/26 family segregating a novel ACTG1 mutation.

Background: Genetic factors play an important role in hearing loss, contributing to approximately 60% of cases of congenital hearing loss. Autosomal dominant deafness accounts for approximately 20% of cases of hereditary hearing loss. Diseases with autosomal dominant inheritance often show pleiotropy, different degrees of penetrance, and variable expressivity.

Combined examination of sequence and copy number variations in human deafness genes improves diagnosis for cases of genetic deafness.

Background: Copy number variations (CNVs) are the major type of structural variation in the human genome, and are more common than DNA sequence variations in populations. CNVs are important factors for human genetic and phenotypic diversity. Many CNVs have been associated with either resistance to diseases or identified as the cause of diseases.

Novel compound heterozygous mutations in MYO7A Associated with Usher syndrome 1 in a Chinese family.

Usher syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, age-dependent retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and occasionally vestibular dysfunction. The most severe form is Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1). Mutations in the MYO7A gene are responsible for USH1 and account for 29-55% of USH1 cases.

[Comparison analysis of multi-modalities images in 158 patients with hepatic tumor].

Objective: To compare and analyze the positron emission tomography (PET) images with other multi-modalities in the diagnosis of hepatic tumors.

Methods: A total of 158 patients undergoing (18)F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET were enrolled along with another 55 cases with (11)C acetate-PET (AC-PET) imaging within 1 week. The pathological results were taken as the golden criteria.

Applications of targeted gene capture and next-generation sequencing technologies in studies of human deafness and other genetic disabilities.

The goal of sequencing the entire human genome for $1000 is almost in sight. However, the total costs including DNA sequencing, data management, and analysis to yield a clear data interpretation are unlikely to be lowered significantly any time soon to make studies on a population scale and daily clinical uses feasible. Alternatively, the targeted enrichment of specific groups of disease and biological pathway-focused genes and the capture of up to an entire human exome (~1% of the genome) allowing an unbiased investigation of the complete protein-coding regions in the genome are now routine.

Mortality rate prediction by Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM), Portsmouth POSSUM and Colorectal POSSUM and the development of new scoring systems in Chinese colorectal cancer patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM), Portsmouth POSSUM (P-POSSUM), and Colorectal POSSUM (Cr-POSSUM) for predicting surgical mortality in Chinese colorectal cancer patients and to create new scoring systems to achieve better prediction.

Methods: Data from 903 patients undergoing surgery for colon and rectal cancers from 1992 to 2005 at Peking University Third Hospital were included in this study. POSSUM, P-POSSUM, and Cr-POSSUM were used to predict mortality.

Melamine-contaminated powdered formula and urolithiasis in young children.

Background: A recent epidemic of melamine contamination of baby formula in China has been associated with the development of urinary tract stones, though the clinical manifestations and predisposing factors are incompletely delineated.

Methods: We administered a questionnaire to the parents of children 36 months of age or younger who were being screened for a history of exposure to melamine and symptoms of, and possible predisposing factors for, urinary tract stones. In addition, we performed urinalysis, renal-function and liver-function tests, urinary tests for biochemical markers and the calcium:creatinine ratio, and ultrasonography.

Intraoperative monitoring for safety of total hip arthroplasty using third-generation cementing technique.

Background: Controversies on the safety of the cement application between cemented and uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) have been existing for decades. The purpose of this study was to observe the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and oxygen pressure (PaO(2)) during cemented THA, and to evaluate the intraoperative safety of using the third-generation cementing technique and investigate whether the intraoperative risk is higher in acute femoral neck fracture patients than non-traumatic patients.

Methods: Forty-two patients who underwent cemented THA between November 2005 and September 2007 were prospectively included in this study.

Investigation of road-traffic noise and annoyance in Beijing: a cross-sectional study of 4th Ring Road.

The authors aimed to evaluate traffic noise level and noise annoyance in Beijing and the impact of the noise on the quality of life of the residences. The authors performed a cross-sectional study in a 12-floor college dormitory near 4th Ring Road in Beijing, China. The north-side rooms of the building were noisy and had windows facing the road.

[Epidemiological investigation on acute respiratory distress syndrome occurring in intensive care units in Beijing from 1998 to 2003].

Objective: To investigate incidence, causes and mortality of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in intensive care units (ICU) in Beijing.

Methods: Patients in ICU of eight general hospitals in Beijing from May 1998 to April 2003 were retrospectively studied. ARDS was diagnosed according to the 1994 American-European consensus conference criteria.

Evaluation of individual susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss in textile workers in China.

The authors applied noise exposure and audiometry information collected on 156 Chinese textile workers to develop a method of identifying individuals susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss. They estimated noise-induced hearing threshold shift (NIHTS) by averaging the adjusted hearing thresholds at 3, 4, and 6 kHz of both ears, and they fitted a quadratic model to describe the dose-response relationship between cumulative noise exposure and NIHTS. The residual between the actual NIHTS and the model-predicted NIHTS indicated susceptibility.

[Relationship between sample size and variation of means for personal noise exposure in weaving workers].

Objective: To explore the relationship between sample size and variance of means for personal noise exposure in weaving workers as to contributing evidence for establishing personal noise exposure measurement guideline.

Methods: A personal noise exposure measurement database from a group of weaving workers was used in the randomized re-sampling data analysis. The sampling cases were one number selecting from one to fifteen at each randomized re-sampling procedure.

[Water exposure modes and times of different populations in mountainous schistosomiasis endemic areas near Qionghai lake].

Objective: To investigate water exposure modes and times of different populations in mountainous schistosomiasis endemic areas and to inform about the control strategies.

Methods: All 1054 residents from populations around Qionghai Lake were randomly sampled according to occupation for a retrospective questionnaire survey in November 2001. Each individual was interviewed for his/her mode, frequency, and duration of water exposure occurring between April and October 2001.

[Efficacy of Betahistine Mesilate combined with Flunarizine Hydrochloride for treating tinnitus].

Objective: To determine whether Betahistine mesilate is effective in treating tinnitus.

Methods: Randomized, prospective, double-blind, controlled trial was used in our study. The study group consisted of 60 adult patients who consulted our outpatient clinic complaining of subjective tinnitus, excluded objective tinnitus and the patients who had tinnitus caused by obvious diseases, such as outer and middle ear diseases.

[Comparison of efficacy between procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids and open hemorrhoidectomy].

Objective: To compare the results of procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) and open hemorrhoidectomy.

Methods: A standard questionnaire was given to all patients after PPH or open hemorrhoidectomy from March 2001 to March 2004. In combination with proctological examination, the results including symptoms relief and recurrence were compared between the two groups.