ABSTRACT
Venous valve dysfunction and induced secondary abnormal flows are closely associated with venous diseases. Thus, detailed analysis of venous valvular flow is invaluable from biological and medical perspectives. However, most of the previous studies on venous perivalvular flows were based on qualitative analysis. On the contrary, quantitative analysis of perivalvular flows has not been fully understood. In this study, we used the ultrasound speckle image velocimetry (SIV) technique, which utilizes the speckle patterns of red blood cells (RBCs) created by ultrasound waves to measure 3-D valvular flows quantitatively. The flow structures obtained with the proposed SIV technique for an in vitro model were compared with those obtained by numerical simulation and the color Doppler method to validate the measurement accuracy of the ultrasound SIV technique. Blood flow in the human great saphenous vein was then measured at various distances from the valve with and without exercise. 3-D valvular flow was analyzed in accordance with the dimensionless index, helical intensity. The results obtained by the proposed method matched well with those obtained by numerical simulation and the color Doppler method. The hemodynamic characteristics of 3-D valvular helical flow which were analyzed experimentally using the SIV method would be used for quantitative diagnosis of venous valvular diseases.
Subject(s)
Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods , Saphenous Vein/physiology , Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color/methods , Adult , Blood Flow Velocity , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Feasibility Studies , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Male , Phantoms, Imaging , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , Rheology/methods , Saphenous Vein/diagnostic imaging , Thigh/blood supply , Thigh/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Improved eating quality is a major breeding target in japonica rice due to market demand. In this study, we performed genetic analysis to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control rice eating quality traits using 192 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between two japonica cultivars, 'Suweon365' and 'Chucheongbyeo'. We evaluated the stickiness (ST) and overall evaluation (OE) of cooked rice using a sensory test, the glossiness of cooked rice (GCR) using a Toyo-taste meter, and measured the amylose content (AC), protein content (PC), alkali digestion value (ADV), and days to heading (DH) of the RILs in the years 2006 and 2007. Our analysis revealed 21 QTLs on chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11. QTLs on chromosomes 6, 7, and 8 were detected for three traits related to eating quality in both years. QTLs for ST and OE were identified by a sensory test in the same region of the QTLs for AC, PC, ADV, GCR and DH on chromosome 8. QTL effects on the GCR were verified using QTL-NILs (near-isogenic lines) of BC(3)F(4-6) in the Suweon365 background, a low eating quality variety, and some BC(1)F(3) lines. Chucheongbyeo alleles at QTLs on chromosomes 7 and 8 increased the GCR in the NILs and backcrossed lines. The QTLs identified by our analysis will be applicable to future marker-assisted selection (MAS) strategies for improving the eating quality of japonica rice.
Subject(s)
Chromosomes, Plant , Genome, Plant , Oryza/genetics , Quantitative Trait Loci , Humans , Recombination, GeneticABSTRACT
We report here a human case probably mixed-infected with Clonorchis sinensis and Fasciola sp. who was diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) scan, serological findings, and/or fecal examination. The patient was a 43-year-old Korean female and was admitted to Kyung Hee University Hospital with the complaints of fever and abdominal pain. On admission, marked eosinophilia was noted in her peripheral blood. CT scan showed specific lesions for clonorchiasis and fascioliasis in the liver, along with lesions suggestive of amebic abscess. Micro-ELISA revealed positive results for the 2 helminthic infections. Eggs of C. sinensis and trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica were observed in the stool. Treatment with praziquantel followed by metronidazole and tinidazole reduced abnormalities in the liver and eosinophilia. This is the first case report of a possible co-infection with 2 kinds of liver flukes in the Republic of Korea.
Subject(s)
Clonorchiasis/diagnosis , Clonorchis sinensis/isolation & purification , Fasciola/isolation & purification , Fascioliasis/diagnosis , Adult , Animals , Anthelmintics/therapeutic use , Antibodies, Protozoan/blood , Clonorchiasis/drug therapy , Clonorchiasis/parasitology , Clonorchiasis/pathology , Entamoeba histolytica/isolation & purification , Eosinophilia/etiology , Fascioliasis/drug therapy , Fascioliasis/parasitology , Fascioliasis/pathology , Feces/parasitology , Female , Humans , Korea , Liver/diagnostic imaging , Liver/pathology , Liver Abscess/diagnosis , Liver Abscess/etiology , Metronidazole/therapeutic use , Praziquantel/therapeutic use , Tinidazole/therapeutic use , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Substituted 2,3,4,4a-tetrahydropyrazino[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazin-5-(1H)-ones were synthesized and evaluated as 5-HT(2C) receptor agonists for the possible treatment of obesity. A number of compounds exhibited 5-HT(2C) agonist binding activity with compound 19 showing the most potent in vitro activity.
