Automated Posterior Scleral Topography Assessment for Enhanced Staphyloma Visualization and Quantification With Improved Maculopathy Correlation.

Purpose: To quantitatively characterize the posterior morphology of high myopia eyes with posterior staphyloma.

Methods: Surface points of the eyeball were automatically extracted from magnetic resonance imaging scans using deep learning. Subsequently, the topography of posterior staphylomas was constructed to facilitate accurate visualization and quantification of their location and severity.

A Fast, Visual, and Instrument-free Platform Involving Rapid DNA Extraction, Chemical Heating, and Recombinase Aided Amplification for On-Site Nucleic Acid Detection.

The nucleic acid-based technique has been widely utilized in many fields including for on-site detection. However, traditional molecular detection techniques encounter limitations like relying on instruments, time consuming or complex operation, and cannot meet the demands of on-site testing. In this study, a rapid DNA extraction method (RDEM), recombinase aided amplification (RAA), and chemical heating packet (CHP) are integrated and termed as RRC platform for on-site detection of nucleic acid.

The effect of early Helicobacter pylori eradication on the healing of ESD-induced artificial ulcers: A retrospective study.

Background: The role of Helicobacter pylori eradication is still not clear in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-induced artificial ulcer. This study investigates the therapeutic effects of H. pylori eradication on ESD-induced artificial ulcers.

[Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on leaf thermal tolerance in different provenances of Quercus variabilis].

To explore potential effects of soil nutrient on leaf thermal tolerance across geographical origins, five provenance, i.e., Chengbu of Hunan (CB), Zigui of Hubei (ZG), Neixiang of Henan (NX), Lincheng of Heibei (LC) and Pinggu of Beijing (PG), seedlings of Quercus variabilis were cultivated under nitrogen and phosphorus addition.

Reaching Non-Negative Edge Consensus of Networked Dynamical Systems.

In this paper, the problem of non-negative edge consensus of undirected networked linear time-invariant systems is addressed by associating each edge of the network with a state variable, for which a distributed algorithm is constructed. Sufficient conditions referring only to the number of edges are derived for non-negative edge consensus of the networked systems. Subsequently, the linear programming method and a low-gain feedback technique are introduced to simplify the design of the feedback gain matrix for achieving the non-negative edge consensus.

Goitre and urinary iodine in coastal and inland areas with low and high iodized salt coverage in Zhejiang province, China.

Background And Objectives: WHO recommended that iodized salt are more than 90% of households in USI programs, which may not be suitable for all regions, especially in coastal areas. This study intended to find out levels of iodine nutrition and give advice from the USI programs for areas with different iodized salt coverage.

Methods And Study Design: Coastal and inland areas were selected according to geographical regions in Zhejiang Province, China.

[Population structure and spatial pattern of Quercus variabilis among different geographical areas, China.].

Age structures and spatial distribution patterns of Quercus variabilis populations were analyzed across geographical gradients (latitude, longitude and altitude) by using the size-grading method and the ratio of variance to mean. The results showed as following: Over the horizontal gradient, the northern, middle, southern and western populations of Q. variabilis exhibited an inverse-J shape, but the eastern populations declined.

MiR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism increases the risk of digestive system cancer: A meta-analysis.

Aim: There is merging evidence suggesting that the miR-146a polymorphism might be associated with susceptibility to digestive system cancer. However, previous published studies have failed to achieve a definitive conclusion. To address this issue, an updated meta-analysis was performed.

Atorvastatin enhances kainate-induced gamma oscillations in rat hippocampal slices.

Atorvastatin has been shown to affect cognitive functions in rodents and humans. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Because hippocampal gamma oscillations (γ, 20-80 Hz) are associated with cognitive functions, we studied the effect of atorvastatin on persistent kainate-induced γ oscillation in the CA3 area of rat hippocampal slices.

Liver vessel segmentation based on extreme learning machine.

Liver-vessel segmentation plays an important role in vessel structure analysis for liver surgical planning. This paper presents a liver-vessel segmentation method based on extreme learning machine (ELM). Firstly, an anisotropic filter is used to remove noise while preserving vessel boundaries from the original computer tomography (CT) images.

Surgical Treatment of Acute Grade III Medial Collateral Ligament Injury Combined With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: Anatomic Ligament Repair Versus Triangular Ligament Reconstruction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of medial collateral ligament (MCL) anatomic ligament repair (ALR) and triangular ligament reconstruction (TLR) in treating acute grade III MCL injury with respect to imaging and functional results.

Methods: Between January 2009 and October 2011, a total of 69 patients with an acute grade III MCL tear combined with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent ALR and those who underwent TLR. Single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction was also performed in all patients.

Effect of a common genetic variant microRNA-146a rs2910164 on colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

Objective: There is emerging evidence that the microRNA-146a (miR-146a) rs2910164 polymorphism might be associated with the susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC). However, previous published studies have failed to achieve a definitive conclusion. We aimed to address this issue in an updated meta-analysis.

Health impact of the 2008 cold spell on mortality in subtropical China: the climate and health impact national assessment study (CHINAs).

Background: Many studies have investigated heat wave related mortality, but less attention has been given to the health effects of cold spells in the context of global warming. The 2008 cold spell in China provided a unique opportunity to estimate the effects of the 2008 cold spell on mortality in subtropical regions, spatial heterogeneity of the effects, stratification effect and added effects caused by sustained cold days.

Methods: Thirty-six study communities were selected from 15 provinces in subtropical China.

miR-638 suppresses cell proliferation in gastric cancer by targeting Sp2.

Background: MicroRNAs play important roles in the development and progression of various cancers. Recent studies have shown that miR-638 was downregulated in several tumors; however, its role in gastric cancer (GC) has not been investigated in detail.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of miR-638 and to elucidate its regulatory mechanism in GC.

Clinical features of three avian influenza H7N9 virus-infected patients in Shanghai.

Introduction: Since February 2013, a novel reassortant H7N9 virus associated with human deaths, but no apparent outbreaks in poultry and wild birds has emerged in eastern China.

Objectives: The potential reemergence of H7N9 during next year's influenza season demand a further understanding of this important disease.

Methods: Between March 1 and April 30, 2013, we obtained and analyzed clinical, epidemiologic and radiologic features, and virologic data from three laboratory-confirmed patients of A H7N9 infection admitted in Shanghai Ruijin Hospital.

New insights into the effects of primary hyperparathyroidism on the cortical and trabecular compartments of bone.

In primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), protracted elevation of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) is held to be associated with cortical, but not trabecular, bone loss. However, an alternative explanation for the apparent preservation of trabecular bone is fragmentation of the cortex by intracortical remodeling. The cortical fragments resemble trabeculae and so may be erroneously included in the quantification of 'trabecular' bone density.

Application of triangular vector to functionally reconstruct the medial collateral ligament with double-bundle allograft technique.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to present a novel medial collateral ligament (MCL) reconstruction technique and investigate the clinical outcomes of this surgical procedure.

Methods: From July 2006 to June 2009, 56 patients with medial instability of the knee were treated with MCL reconstruction and followed up for 33 months on average. These patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury was present: 27 patients had isolated MCL injury, whereas 29 patients had combined MCL-ACL injury.

Response surface methodology to design a selective co-enrichment broth of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus for simultaneous detection by multiplex PCR.

Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus are frequent co-visitors of contaminated foods to cause food-borne diseases. To achieve rapid detection of three organisms by multiplex PCR, a selective co-enrichment broth was considered to design using response surface methodology (RSM) in this work.

A novel role of Id-1 in regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in bladder cancer.

Background And Objective: Inhibitor of differentiation or DNA binding -1 (Id-1) has been shown to be increased in several types of advanced cancer, and to be associated with aggressive and metastatic abilities of cancer cells. Recently, more and more evidence indicates that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism taking place during tumor invasion and metastasis, but the molecular pathways underlying EMT have not been clearly established. This study was to investigate the expression of Id-1 in bladder cancer and its association with EMT.

Identification of a novel function of Id-1 in mediating the anticancer responses of SAMC, a water-soluble garlic derivative, in human bladder cancer cells.

Studies have shown that the expression of inhibitor of differentiation (Id-1) is increased in bladder cancer and is associated with drug resistance. S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), a water-soluble component of garlic, is known to have a potent therapeutic effect on human cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Id-1 expression mediates SAMC-induced cell death in bladder cancer cells.

Single-dose safety, pharmacokinetics, and food effects studies of compound naphthoquine phosphate tablets in healthy volunteers.

The compound naphthoquine phosphate is a novel antimalaria drug tablet containing a fixed-dose combination of naphthoquine phosphate and artemisinin in a 1:2.5 ratio. A randomized, open study on the safety and tolerability was conducted in 28 healthy male volunteers using a single oral dose of 350 mg, 700 mg, 1400 mg, or 2100 mg of artemisinin-naphthoquine phosphate.