Accurate mandibular canal segmentation of dental CBCT using a two-stage 3D-UNet based segmentation framework.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to develop a deep learning (DL) model for fast and accurate mandibular canal (MC) segmentation on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods: A total of 220 CBCT scans from dentate subjects needing oral surgery were used in this study. The segmentation ground truth is annotated and reviewed by two senior dentists.

Maternal High Fat Diet and its Expressions in the Heart and Liver in the Mice Embryogenesis.

Background: The developmental biology for the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and coronary heart disease are known but elaborative ideas of triglycerides phenomenon in the embryo-genesis of the liver and the heart are still not clear.

Objective: The aim of the study was to relate different triglycerides like LXRα, LPL, LDL R, PPARG-, SREBP-1C expression in the high fat fed mice with the normal fed diet mice in the process of developmental and embryo-genesis biology.

Methods: Tissue preparation was done by ripalysis.

Influence of a Coronary Artery Disease-Associated Genetic Variant on FURIN Expression and Effect of Furin on Macrophage Behavior.

Objective- Genome-wide association studies have revealed a robust association between genetic variation on chromosome 15q26.1 and coronary artery disease (CAD) susceptibility; however, the underlying biological mechanism is still unknown. The lead CAD-associated genetic variant (rs17514846) at this locus resides in the FURIN gene.

Purification, characterization and cytokine release function of a novel Arg-49 phospholipase A(2) from the venom of Protobothrops mucrosquamatus.

Group IIA phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) are major components in Viperidae/Crotalidae venom. In the present study, a novel PLA(2) named promutoxin with Arg at the site 49 has been purified from the venom of Protobothrops mucrosquamatus by chromatography. It consists of 122 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 13,656 Da assessed by MALDI-TOF.

Induction of interleukin-8 secretion and activation of ERK1/2, p38 MAPK signaling pathways by thrombin in dermal fibroblasts.

It was reported that thrombin could induce IL-8 secretion from human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) through activation of proteinase activated receptor (PAR)-1. However, little is known of intracellular signaling pathways involved in the event. In the present study, expression of PARs in primarily cultured HDFs was determined by flow cytometry analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), levels of IL-8 were determined by using ELISA and signaling pathways were examined by using Western blot.

N49 phospholipase A2, a unique subgroup of snake venom group II phospholipase A2.

A novel phospholipase A2 (PLA2) with Asn at its site 49 was purified from the snake venom of Protobothrops mucrosquamatus by using SP-Sephadex C25, Superdex 75, Heparin-Sepharose (FF) and HPLC reverse-phage C18 chromatography and designated as TM-N49. It showed a molecular mass of 13.875 kDa on MALDI-TOF.

Potent histamine-releasing activity of atrahagin, a novel snake venom metalloproteinase.

Poisonous snakebite wound is a popular disease worldwide. However, the pathogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, a novel metalloproteinase atrahagin in Chinese cobra (Naja atra) snake venom was purified, using heparin-sepharose followed by Superdex 75 gel filtration chromatography.

Selectively enhanced sensitivity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) mast cells to IgE dependent stimulation in mild asthmatics.

The aim of this study is to investigate the histamine-releasing ability of mast cells from asthmatic bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Following the measurement of the forced expiratory volume at the first second (FEV1), 29 mild asthmatics were included in the study and were subjected to fibreoptic bronchoscopy. The cells recovered from the BALF were challenged with anti-IgE, calcium ionophore A23187 (CI) or adenosine, and the released histamine was measured with an enzyme-linked chromogenic assay.

A correlative study on serum cholylglycine levels in hepatobiliary disease.

The serum cholylglycine (CG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin levels were studied in 210 patients with hepatobiliary disease and in 70 healthy subjects. Serum CG concentrations in all the hepatobiliary diseases were found to be significantly higher than those of their controls. Patients with abnormal increases in ALT and bilirubin levels also showed raised CG concentrations; however, some patients with normal ALT and bilirubin levels, still had markedly elevated CG values.