Study on "Spectrum-material-effect" relationship of Compound Muji Granules against liver tumor based on microfluidic chip / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the material basis of anti-tumor effect of Compound Muji Granules. Methods The anti-tumor pharmacodynamics of Compound Muji Granules in vitro was studied by microfluidic chip technology. The fingerprint of Compound Muji Granules was established by HPLC. The "Spectrum-Material-Effect" of Compound Muji Granules was analyzed by grey correlation analysis,partial least squares regression analysis and network pharmacology approach. Results Seven batches of Compound Muji Granules with different extraction methods were successfully established. The results of grey correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between Compound Muji Granules and 7 of the 14 components with pharmacodynamic correlation coefficient >0.80. The contribution of anti liver tumor was peak number 48(luteolin)>6(gallic acid)>19(chlorogenic acid)>59(quercetin)>67(kaempferol)>65(naringin)>38(ellagic acid),in that order. Conclusions Through the establishment of "Spectrum-Material-Effect" research method,it is clear that the above seven active monomers may be the anti-tumor material basis of Compound Muji Granules.

High quality of an absolute phase reconstruction for coherent digital holography with an enhanced anti-speckle deep neural unwrapping network.

It is always a challenge how to overcome speckle noise interference in the phase reconstruction for coherent digital holography (CDH) and its application, as this issue has not been solved well so far. In this paper, we are proposing an enhanced anti-speckle deep neural unwrapping network (E-ASDNUN) approach to achieve high quality of absolute phase reconstruction for CDH. The method designs a special network-based noise filter and embeds it into a deep neural unwrapping network to enhance anti-noise capacity in the image feature recognition and extraction process. The numerical simulation and experimental test on the phase unwrapping reconstruction and the image quality evaluation under the noise circumstances show that the E-ASDNUN approach is very effective against the speckle noise in realizing the high quality of absolute phase reconstruction. Meanwhile, it also demonstrates much better robustness than the typical U-net neural network and the traditional phase unwrapping algorithms in reconstructing high wrapping densities and high noise levels of phase images. The E-ASDNUN approach is also examined and confirmed by measuring the same phase object using a commercial white light interferometry as a reference. The result is perfectly consistent with that obtained by the E-ASDNUN approach.

Effect analysis of BOPPPS model in online teaching activities of radiobiology / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of a new teaching mode, which includes bridge-in, outcome, pre-test, participation, post-test and summary (BOPPPS), on the online teaching of radiobiology related knowledge for cancer radiotherapy practitioners.Methods:Taking the cell survival curve, cell cycle and radiosensitivity as examples, the radiotherapy practitioners in multiple university-affiliated hospitals were organized to carry out a multicenter prospective randomized control study. All practitioners were randomly divided into BOPPPS group and control group. The courses for BOPPPS group were designed as an online classroom, consisting of pre-class preparation, online teaching and post-class stages. The online teaching stage included video viewing, basic knowledge learning, literature discussion, group discussion and others. The control group employed the traditional teaching mode. The χ2 test was used to compare the consistency of general conditions between the two groups, and nonparametric test was used to compare the differences in scores between two or more groups. Results:The score of the pre-class test was 58.56 ± 0.99. Post-class average score for BOPPPS group was 85.48±0.85 and for control group 77.79±1.10, with the former being higher 7.69 ( Z=5.31, P<0.001) than the latter. The average answer time was (296.62±15.40) s for BOPPPS group and (386.41±21.27) s for control group, with the former being shorter 89.79 s ( Z=3.34, P=0.001) than latter. Subgroup analysis shown that the scores of BOPPPS group were significantly rising, regardless of whether or not the students had studied radiobiology courses. Among the students who have not studied these courses, the scores were rising greatly. Moreover, From the analysis of different positions, it was found that both the scores of BOPPPS group and control group have risen, especially for doctors, deputy chief doctors, physicists and technicians. There were also statistically differences between different degrees, with significantly rise in scores for undergraduate and doctoral students ( Z=3.64, 4.18, P<0.001). Conclusions:The flexible application of BOPPPS teaching mode to the online education of such boring disciplines, like radiobiology, is of great significance to raise the theoretical basis of radiotherapy practitioners.

Enhanced Digital Gradient Sensing Using Backlight Digital Speckle Target.

Digital gradient sensing (DGS) is a non-contact and full-field optical measurement technique, which assesses mechanical behaviors of transparent materials or specular structures by measuring angular deflections of light rays. However, owing to the poor light-gathering capability of its imaging system, the dynamic performance of DGS is heavily restricted. Here, a method of enhancing the dynamic performance of DGS by improving its speckle target is proposed. The method employs the technique of backlight illumination, which significantly increases the utilization efficiency of light, shortens the exposure time, and enhances the dynamic performance of DGS. Additionally, it also uses the optimized digital speckle pattern to improve the measurement precision and accuracy. For validation, a comparison experiment was conducted, proving that the proposed method can improve the utilization efficiency of light by about 80 times and improve the quality of the speckle images by about 40%. Real tests, including a uniaxial tension test using transmission-mode DGS (t-DGS) and a three-point bending test using reflection-mode DGS (r-DGS), were also carried out, showing the efficacy and high compatibility of the proposed backlight digital speckle target. In summary, this simple method greatly improves the performance of DGS, which can be used as a standard method in both t-DGS and r-DGS.

Gasotransmitter Regulation of Phosphatase Activity in Live Cells Studied by Three-Channel Imaging Correlation.

Enzyme activity in live cells is dynamically regulated by small-molecule transmitters for maintaining normal physiological functions. A few probes have been devised to measure intracellular enzyme activities by fluorescent imaging, but the study of the regulation of enzyme activity via gasotransmitters in situ remains a long-standing challenge. Herein, we report a three-channel imaging correlation by a single dual-reactive fluorescent probe to measure the dependence of phosphatase activity on the H2 S level in cells. The two sites of the probe reactive to H2 S and phosphatase individually produce blue and green fluorescent responses, respectively, and resonance energy transfer can be triggered by their coexistence. Fluorescent analysis based on the three-channel imaging correlation shows that cells have an ideal level of H2 S to promote phosphatase activity up to its maximum. Significantly, a slight deviation from this H2 S level leads to a sharp decrease of phosphatase activity. The discovery further strengthens our understanding of the importance of H2 S in cellular signaling and in various human diseases.

Early detection of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with esophageal cancer during concurrent chemoradiotherapy by real-time three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with esophageal cancer (EC) during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) using real-time three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) and analyze its influence factors.@*Methods@#Thirty-one patients with EC who received CCRT were enrolled in the study.Conventional echocardiography and 3D-STE were performed pre-CCRT and during CCRT (radiotherapy dose reached 40Gy). Three-dimensional parameters including LV end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal strain (GLS) as well as global circumferential strain (GCS) were compared between pre-CCRT and during CCRT. The independent factors on left ventricular function parameters were analyzed.@*Results@#There was no change on LV diameters, LV volumes and LVEF during CCRT (all P>0.05), while LV diastolic function indexes were impaired compared with those of pre-CCRT, demonstrated by the decreased E/A, Em/Am, and increased E/Em(all P<0.05). 3DGLS was also significantly decreased during CCRT compared with that of pre-CCRT (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in 3DGCS (P>0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis manifested that cardiac V40(the percentage of cardiac volume as radiotherapy dose reached 40Gy) was an independent determinant of LV 3DGLS in patients with esophageal cancer during CCRT (P<0.05).@*Conclusions@#LV GLS provided by real-time 3D-STE could sensitively detect CCRT-induced myocardial injury. Cardiac V40 is independently associated with LV 3DGLS during CCRT, representing the impact of radiotherapy on the subclinical LV function change.

Flexible real-time natural 2D color and 3D shape measurement.

The majority of existing real-time 3D shape measurement systems only generate non-nature texture (i.e., having illumination other than ambient lights) that induces shadow related issues. This paper presents a method that can simultaneously capture natural 2D color texture and 3D shape in real time. Specifically, we use an infrared fringe projection system to acquire 3D shapes, and a secondary color camera to simultaneously capture 2D color images of the object. Finally, we develop a flexible and simple calibration technique to determine the mapping between the 2D color image and the 3D geometry. Experimental results demonstrate the success of the proposed technique.

Natural method for three-dimensional range data compression.

Prior studies on converting three-dimensional (3D) range data into regular two-dimensional (2D) color images using virtual fringe projection techniques showed great promise for 3D range data compression, yet they require resampling the raw scanned data. Due to this resampling, the natural 3D range data are altered and sampling error may be introduced. This paper presents a method that compresses the raw sampling points without modifications. Instead of directly utilizing the 3D recovered shape, this method compresses the s map, the scale factor of a perspective projection from a 3D space to a 2D space. The s map is then converted to 2D color image for further compression with existing 2D image compression techniques. By this means, 3D data obtained by 3D range scanners can be compressed into 2D images without any resampling, providing a natural and more accurate method of compressing 3D range data. Experimental results verified the success of the proposed method.

Study on relationship of the K-ras mutation with the occurrence of colorectal liver metastasis and survival outcomes / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the relationship of K-ras mutation with the development of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients and the survival outcomes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From 2003 to 2008, 300 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery in the Department of General Surgery of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were assigned to different groups, according to the diagnosis and follow-up results. The mutation of exon 2 of K-ras was detected in primary paraffin-embedded lesions by PCR and Pyrosequencing. The association of gene mutation with the development of liver metastasis and its prognosis was studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 300 cases, the mutations of exon 2 were present in 120 cases(40%). The G13D mutation was more common in metachronous metastasis group than that in synchronous group(17.0% vs. 8.0%, P=0.041). Multivariable regression analysis showed that G13D mutation was an independent risk factor(HR=1.108, 95%CI:1.032-5.062, P=0.048) for metachronous metastasis. Patients with mutated K-ras had a poorer overall survival compared to those without mutated K-ras for patients without liver metastasis(median overall, 65 vs. 72 months, P=0.039), and for patients who received metastasis resection(median disease-free survival 18 vs. 24 months, P=0.048). Multivariable analysis showed that K-ras mutation was an independent risk factors of overall survival(HR=1.561, 95%CI:1.022-6.422, P=0.045) in patients without liver metastasis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Detection of K-ras mutation may predict the development of liver metastasis and prognosis.</p>

Application of enhanced recovery program after surgery(ERAS) in patients undergoing radical resection for colorectal cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the enhanced recovery program after surgery (ERAS) with conventional perioperative management in patients undergoing radical resection for colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The ERAS protocol included a combination of evidence-based and consensus methodology. A total of 597 consecutive patients undergoing elective colorectal resection were randomized to either the ERAS(n=299) or the control group(n=298). Outcomes related to nutrition and metabolism index, stress index, and recovery index were measured and recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Demographics and operative parameters were similar between the two groups(P>0.05). The nutritional status of patients in the ERAS group was improved after surgery compared with that of the control group. On postoperative day (POD) 1, the HOMA-IR in the ERAS group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.01). The cortisol level in the control group was elevated on both POD 1(P<0.01) and POD 5(P<0.01) compared to the preoperative level. However, the cortisol level was not increased until POD 5(P<0.01) in the ERAS group. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ were reduced in the ERAS group, indicating less postoperative stress responses compared with the control group. In addition, ERAS group was associated with accelerated recovery of gastrointestinal function. The postoperative length of stay [(5.7±1.6) d vs. (6.6±2.4) d, P<0.01] and expense[(15 998±2655) RMB vs. (17 763±3059) RMB, P<0.01] were reduced in the ERAS group. Twenty-eight patients(9.4%) in the control group and 29(9.7%) in the ERAS group developed complications, while the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ERAS protocol alleviates surgical stress response and accelerates postoperative recovery without compromising patient safety.</p>

Binary sub-wavelength diffractive lenses with long focal depth and high transverse resolution.

This study explores two-dimensional binary sub-wavelength diffractive lenses (BSDLs) for implementing long focal depth and high transverse resolution based on the rigorous electromagnetic theory and the finite-difference time-domain method. Focusing performances, such as the actual focal depth, the ratio between the focal depth of the designed BSDL and the focal depth of the conventional sub-wavelength lens and the spot size of the central lobe at the actual focal plane, for different f-numbers, have been studied in the case of TE incidence polarization wave. The rigorous numerical results indicate that the designed BSDLs indeed have long focal depth and high transverse resolution by modulating the binary sub-wavelength characteristic sizes. Because BSDLs have the ability for monolithic integration and can require only single step fabrication, the investigations may provide useful information for BSDLs' application in micro-optical systems.

Optical generation of binary-phase-coded, direct-sequence ultra-wideband signals by polarization modulation and FBG-based multi-channel frequency discriminator.

In this paper a novel optical generation approach for binary-phase-coded, direct-sequence ultra-wideband (UWB) signals is experimentally demonstrated. Our system consists of a laser array, a polarization modulator (PolM), a fiber Bragg grating (FBG), a length of single mode fiber, and a photo detector (PD). The FBG, designed based on the superimposed, chirped grating, is used as the multi-channel frequency discriminator. The input electronic Gaussian pulse is modulated on the optical carrier by the PolM and then converted into UWB monocycle or doublet pulses sequence by the multi-channel frequency discriminator. The PolM is used so that the desired binary phase code pattern could be simply selected by adjusting the polarization state of each laser, rather than tuning the laser wavelengths. The desired UWB shape, monocycle or doublet, could be selected by tuning the FBG. Based on our proposed approach, four-chip, binary-phase-coded, DS-UWB sequences with different pulse shapes and code patterns are experimentally demonstrated. The impact of the fiber dispersion on the generated UWB pulses is also discussed in our paper.

Distributed pumping multifiber series fiber laser.

A new type of monolithic high-power fiber laser with a multifiber series and distributed pumping is put forward. The distributed pumping multifiber series fiber laser is a good solution to scale up laser output when injection power is limited by the output powers of a pigtailed laser diode or the maximum sustainable powers of pumping couplers. The simulation results show that the laser has advantages of high transfer efficiency and good temperature uniformity in the kilowatt power domain.

Distributed pumping multifiber series fiber laser: erratum.

We have an addendum to acknowledge two previous papers. The cooling condition for the proposed fiber laser is clarified.