Study on an Image Reconstruction Algorithm for 3D Cartilage OCT Images (A Preliminary Study) / 의학물리

Recently, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has demonstrated considerable promise for the noninvasive assessment of biological tissues. However, OCT images difficult to analyze due to speckle noise. In this paper, we tested various image processing techniques for speckle removal of human and rabbit cartilage OCT images. Also, we distinguished the images which get with methods of image segmentation for OCT images, and found the most suitable method for segmenting an image. And, we selected image segmentation suitable for OCT before image reconstruction. OCT was a weak point to system design and image processing. It was a limit owing to measure small a distance and depth size. So, good edge matching algorithms are important for image reconstruction. This paper presents such an algorithm, the chamfer matching algorithm. It is made of background for 3D image reconstruction. The purpose of this paper is to describe good image processing techniques for speckle removal, image segmentation, and the 3D reconstruction of cartilage OCT images.

Intakes of Food and Nutrients According to Sa-Sang Constitution

Sa-Sang, one of the Korean traditional medicines, classifies people's constitution into 4 types, which are referred to as Tae-Yang-In, Tae-Eum-In, So-Yang-In and So-Eum-In. The purpose of this study was to examine demographic and dietary factors and to test any significant differences between Sa-Sang constitution and related factors. The participants were 483 college students and the data of 428 students were finally analyzed. Constitution was determined identically through both the questionnaire on Sa-Sang constitution and an inquiry by a Korean traditional medical doctor. Tae-Eum-In showed statistically significant higher BMI and higher smoking frequency. Tae-Eum-In also had significantly higher intakes in iron, potassium, sodium, vitamin B1, niacin, beta-carotene and vitamin E. So-Eum-In had significantly lower intakes in protein, phosphorous, and folate. From this study, we could expect to get some scientific, objective and accurate diet information on the types of constitution. Considering the fact that most chronic degenerative diseases could be developed by any lifestyle factors, it is necessary to conduct educational programs about lifestyles including the dietary habit for maintaining good health. Therefore, it will be better to continue a long-term follow-up study on any chronic degenerative disease based on the types of Sa-Sang constitution in the future.

Caffeine Induces Apoptosis in Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line SK-N-MC

Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed neuroactive drugs, coming mostly from everyday beverages such as coffee and tea. To investigate whether caffeine induces apoptosis in the central nervous system, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, flow cytometric analysis, DNA fragmentation assay, and caspase-3 enzyme assay were performed on SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma cells. Cells treated with caffeine at concentrations as high as 10 mM exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. In addition, caffeine was shown to increase the caspase-3 activity. These results suggest that high-dose of caffeine induces apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells, probably by increasing the caspase-3 enzyme activity.

Evaluation of a Apo-1/Fas promoter polymorphism in Korean stroke patients

Apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Apo-1/Fas gene is one of the mediators of apoptosis in stroke. MvaI polymorphism is the first polymorphic marker identified in the Apo-1/Fas gene promoter, which was typed by PCR and followed by MvaI digestion and gel electrophoresis. DNA isolated from peripheral blood collected from 91 stroke patients and 103 healthy blood donors was used for genotypes of GG, GA and AA by sequence specific primer PCR. MvaI polymorphism was examined based on Fas gene promotor region by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The Fas-GG genotype was the least frequent in patients with stroke and healthy controls (P = 0.57). In normal Korean controls the MvaI polymorphism GA, AA and GG were 48.6%, 34.9% and 16.5%. In stroke patients were 56.2%, 29.6% and 14.2% respectively. And the allelic frequencies of MvaI*2 (G) allele were less frequent than MvaI*1 (A) allele in patients with stroke and healthy controls (P = 0.76). In normal Korean controls MvaI*1 (A) and MvaI*2 (G) alleles were 59.2% and 40.8%. In stroke patients were 57.6% and 42.4%, respectively. Our results, pending confirmation in a larger study, indicate that the Fas genotype may not appear to be a risk factor for stroke in Korean stroke patients.

Evaluation of a Apo-1/Fas promoter polymorphism in Korean stroke patients

Apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Apo-1/Fas gene is one of the mediators of apoptosis in stroke. MvaI polymorphism is the first polymorphic marker identified in the Apo-1/Fas gene promoter, which was typed by PCR and followed by MvaI digestion and gel electrophoresis. DNA isolated from peripheral blood collected from 91 stroke patients and 103 healthy blood donors was used for genotypes of GG, GA and AA by sequence specific primer PCR. MvaI polymorphism was examined based on Fas gene promotor region by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The Fas-GG genotype was the least frequent in patients with stroke and healthy controls (P = 0.57). In normal Korean controls the MvaI polymorphism GA, AA and GG were 48.6%, 34.9% and 16.5%. In stroke patients were 56.2%, 29.6% and 14.2% respectively. And the allelic frequencies of MvaI*2 (G) allele were less frequent than MvaI*1 (A) allele in patients with stroke and healthy controls (P = 0.76). In normal Korean controls MvaI*1 (A) and MvaI*2 (G) alleles were 59.2% and 40.8%. In stroke patients were 57.6% and 42.4%, respectively. Our results, pending confirmation in a larger study, indicate that the Fas genotype may not appear to be a risk factor for stroke in Korean stroke patients.

Effect of propofol on ion channels in acutely dissociated dorsal raphe neuron of Sprague-Dawley rats

To investigate propofol's effects on ionic currents induced by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine as well as on those produced by the nicotinic acetylcholine- and glutamate-responsive channels, rat dorsal raphe neurons were acutely dissociated and the nystatin-perforated patch-clamp technique under voltage-clamp conditions was used to observe their responses to the administration of propofol. Propofol evoked ion currents in a dose-dependent manner, and propofol (10-4 M) was used to elicit ion currents through the activation of GABAA, glycine, nicotinic acetylcholine and glutamate receptors. Propofol at a clinically relevant concentration (10-5 M) potentiated GABAA-, glycine- and NMDA receptor-mediated currents. The potentiating action of propofol on GABAA-, glycine- and NMDA receptor-mediated responses involved neither opioid receptors nor G-proteins. Apparently, propofol modulates inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter-activated ion channels either by acting directly on the receptors or by potentiating the effects of the neurotransmitters, and this modulation appears to be responsible for the majority of the anaesthetic and/or adverse effects.