Molecular cloning and functional characterization of chalcone isomerase from Carthamus tinctorius

Flavonoid is one of the widespread groups of plant secondary metabolites that provide several health benefits. However, the explicit mechanism of flavonoid biosynthesis in plants largely remains unclear. Chalcone isomerase an important class of enzyme presents crucial role during flavonoid metabolism in many plants. Here, we isolated the full-length cDNA (1161 bp) of a novel Chalcone Isomerase from safflower encoding 217 amino acid polypeptide using oligos from 5′ and 3′ ends. The result of Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that CtCHI is highly homologous to other plants, including typical polyadenylation signals AATAA and Poly A tail. The transient expression in tobacco mesophyll cells using Green Fluorescent Protein tagging determined the subcellular localization of CtCHI in cell membrane and nucleus. The CtCHI ectopic expression in different safflower varieties at different flowering stages showed that CtCHI were found in abundance at the bud stage of Jihong No. 1. Further correlation analysis between CtCHI expression and flavonoid accumulation at various flowering phases suggested that CtCHI might play a potential role during flavonoid biosynthesis in safflower. In addition, the overexpression of pBASTA-CtCHI in transgenic Arabidopsis infiltrated with floral dip transformation showed relatively higher expression level and increased flavonoid accumulation than wild type. Moreover, the in vitro enzymatic activity and HPLC analysis of transgenic Arabidopsis confirmed the de novo biosynthesis of Rutin. Taken together, our findings laid the foundation of identifying an important gene that might influence flavonoid metabolism in safflower.

Marinifilum breve sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from the Yongle Blue Hole in the South China Sea and emended description of the genus Marinifilum

A Gram-stain-negative, facultative anaerobic, non-motile, short-clavate and non-flagellated marine bacterium strain, designated JC075^T, was isolated from the Yongle Blue Hole in the South China Sea. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain JC075^T was found to be closely related to Marinifilum albidiflavum FB208^T (97.10 %), Marinifilum flexuosum DSM 21950^T (96.43 %) and Marinifilum fragile JCM 15579^T (95.58 %), with less than 90.24 % sequence similarity to other genera of the family Marinifilaceae. The growth temperature was in the range of 10-37 °C, and the optimum temperature was 16 °C. Optimal growth occurred at pH 7.0 and in the presence of 3 % (w/v) NaCl. The isoprenoid quinone of strain JC075^T was identified as menaquinone-7 and the predominant fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0 (47.9 %), summed feature 9 (C17 : 1 or/and iso-C17 : 1ω9c; 18.7 %) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH (14.9 %). The major polar lipids were one phosphatidylethanolamine, one phospholipid, one aminophospholipid, one glycolipid, one aminolipid and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain JC075^T was 35.8 mol%. On the basis of polyphasic analysis, strain JC075^T was considered to represent a novel species of the genus Marinifilum, for which the name Marinifilumbreve sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JC075^T (=KCTC 15646^T=MCCC 1K03477^T=JCM 32401^T).

Sparse deformation prediction using Markove Decision Processes (MDP) for Non-rigid registration of MR image

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

A framework of sparse deformation prediction using Markove Decision Processes is proposed for achieving a rapid and accurate registration by providing a suitable initial deformation.

METHODS

In the proposed framework, the tree is built based on the training set for each patch from the template image. The template patch is considered as the root. The node is the patch group in which multiple similar patches are extracted around a key point on the training image. Given the linkages between patch groups in the tree, MDP is introduced to select the optimal path with highest registration accuracy from each training patch to the template patch. The deformation between them is estimated along the selected path by patch-wise registration which can be realized by a non-learning-based method. Given the patches on a testing image, their best matching patches are fast chosen from the training patches and the corresponding deformations constitute a sparse deformation. A dense deformation for the entire test image is subsequently interpolated and used as an initial deformation for further registration.

RESULTS

With the non-learning-based registration as the baseline method, the proposed framework is evaluated using three datasets of inter-subject brain MR images with three learning-based methods. Experimental results of the non-learning-based method using the proposed framework reveal that the computation time is reduced by fivefold after using the proposed framework. And, with the same baseline method, the proposed framework demonstrates the higher accuracy than three learning-based methods which predicts the initial deformation at image scale. The mean Dice of three datasets for the tissues of the brain are 73.52%, 70.73% and 64.82%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed framework rapidly registers the inter-subject brains and achieves the high mean Dice for the tissues of the brain.

Automated Layer Segmentation of Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography Images Using a Deep Feature Enhanced Structured Random Forests Classifier

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution and noninvasive imaging modality that has become one of the most prevalent techniques for ophthalmic diagnosis. Retinal layer segmentation is very crucial for doctors to diagnose and study retinal diseases. However, manual segmentation is often a time-consuming and subjective process. In this work, we propose a new method for automatically segmenting retinal OCT images, which integrates deep features and hand-designed features to train a structured random forests classifier. The deep convolutional features are learned from deep residual network. With the trained classifier, we can get the contour probability graph of each layer; finally, the shortest path is employed to achieve the final layer segmentation. The experimental results show that our method achieves good results with the mean layer contour error of 1.215 pixels, whereas that of the state of the art was 1.464 pixels, and achieves an F1-score of 0.885, which is also better than 0.863 that is obtained by the state of the art method.

[The application of cattle acelluar dermal matrix xenograft associate with conchoplasty in the open mastoidectomys]

Objective:To study the value of acelluar dermal matrix xenografts associated with conchoplasty in the open mastoidectomy.Method:One hundred and thirty-three cases of chronic otitis media undergoing open mastoidectomy and conchoplasty were enrolled in this study. The effects were analyzed and compared between 70 cases in plastic group repaired by acelluar dermal matrix xenografts and 63 cases in control group.Result:The epithelization time is 28.5d and the dry-ear time is 27.15 d in plastic group. In control group, they were 60.75d and 44.35d respectively. The difference had statistical significanceConclusion:The application of cattle acelluar dermal matrix xenograft associated with conchoplasty in the open mastoidectomy is beneficial to the recovery of the cavity which can shorten mastoid cavity epithelization time, promoting dry ear, reducing postoperative infection and granulation.

[Analysis on HIV-1 subtypes and transmission clusters in newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, 2016]

Objective: To understand the characteristics of distribution on HIV-1 subtypes and the transmission clusters in Yiwu in Zhejiang province. Methods: A cross-sectional study of molecular epidemiology was carried out on newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Yiwu. RNA was extracted from 168 plasma samples, followed by RT-PCR and nest-PCR for pol gene amplification, sequencing, phylogenetic tree construction used for analyzing the subtypes and transmission clusters. Mutations on drug resistance was analyzed by CPR 6.0 online tool. Results: Subjects were mainly males (86.3%, 145/168), with average age as (39.1±13.4) years old and most of them were migrants (66.7%, 112/168). The major routes of transmission included homosexual (51.2%, 86/168) and heterosexual (48.8%, 82/168) contacts. The rate of success for sequence acquisition was 89.9% (151/168). The dominant subtypes showed as CRF01_AE (74, 49.0%) and CRF07_BC (64, 42.4%), followed by CRF08_BC (5, 3.3%), CRF55_01B (3, 2.0%), each case of subtype B, CRF45_cpx, CRF59_01B, CRF85_BC and URF (B/C). CRF45_cpx and CRF85_BC were discovered the first time in Zhejiang province. Twenty-six transmission clusters involving 65 cases were found, with the total clustered rate as 43.0% (65/151), in which the CRF01_AE clustered rate appeared as 54.1% (40/74), higher than that of CRF07_BC (21/64, 32.8%). The average size of cluster was 2.5 cases/cluster, with average size of cluster in CRF01_AE patients infected through heterosexual transmission as the largest (3.5 cases/cluster). The prevalence of transmitted drug resistance was 4.6% (7/151). Seven cases with surveillance drug resistant mutations (SDRM) were found, including 5 cases of M46L (3.3%), and one case of F77L or Y181C. Conclusion: HIV genetic diversity and a variety of transmission clusters had been noticed in this study area (Yiwu). Programs on monitoring the subtypes and transmission clusters should be continued and strengthened.

Sol-Gel Derived Antibacterial Ag-Containing ZnO Films on Biomedical Titanium

ZnO and Ag-containing ZnO (ZnO/Ag) films with the Ag/Zn molar ratio of 3.3 and 9.1%, respectively were sol-gel coated on biomedical titanium for antibacterial and bioactive surface modification. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that ZnO peaks increase with the calcination temperature of the samples. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive of X-ray analyses reveal Ag-rich white particles (300~750 nm) on ZnO/Ag samples that were calcined at 400 °C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of ZnO/Ag samples shows that Zn and O exist as ZnO and Ag presents in metallic state. The coating samples exhibit similar UV light-induced hydrophilic conversion behavior. Potentiodynamic polarization test in a Ca-free Hank's balanced solution demonstrates better corrosion resistance of the coating samples compared with the polished sample. In the in vitro bioactivity test using the simulated body fluid, a layer of apatite is gradually deposited on the surface of sample ZnO/9Ag after 12 days of soaking. The MTT assay test shows that ZnO and ZnO/Ag films have weak compatibility with the L929 cells. The antibacterial test against E. Coli by the disk diffusion assay reveals that antibacterial activity of the coating samples increases with silver content of the films.

Local incompressible registration for liver ablation surgery assessment

PURPOSE

In liver microwave ablation (MWA) surgery, the ablation area covers the tumor to generate tissue necrosis and treat the cancer. As the liver deforms during the operation, deviation between the target area determined during preoperative planning and the resultant ablation area is inevitable. Therefore, an accurate assessment of tumor coverage is crucial for treatment. Through registration between the pre- and postoperative livers, the ablation area is warped on the preoperative liver for the computation of tumor coverage. However, large deformations between the pre- and postoperative livers are caused by multiple factors, and these diverse deformations make registration a challenging task. The purpose of this paper was to develop an automatic method that can accurately register post- to preoperative livers.

METHODS

In the proposed method, nonrigid deformations caused by respiratory movement and edema are separately considered and estimated by the local incompressible model in the registration of livers. The pre- and postoperative livers are first aligned by a rigid registration based on a convex hull. In the nonrigid registrations, local incompressible constraints are then set on the liver and the ablation area to estimate the deformations caused by respiratory movement and edema, respectively. The concatenation of the rigid and nonrigid deformations is used to warp the ablation area on the preoperative liver.

RESULTS

The proposed method was evaluated using clinical CT datasets from 20 patients. The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) between the preoperative and warped postoperative livers is 94.35%, the mean surface distance (MSD) between the livers is 1.65 mm, the mean Hausdorff distance (HDD) between the livers is 3.36 mm, and the mean corresponding distance (MCD) between the corresponding landmarks is 1.70 mm. Compared with five other state-of-the-art methods, the proposed method achieves automatic ablation assessment with highly accurate registration.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed method achieves a high accuracy for registering the livers. The sizes and positions of the ablation area and tumor are accurately compared for the assessment of ablation surgery.

CCR2- and CCR2+ corneal macrophages exhibit distinct characteristics and balance inflammatory responses after epithelial abrasion

Macrophages are distributed throughout the body and are crucial for the restoration of damaged tissues. However, their characteristics in the cornea and roles in the repair of corneal injures are unclear. Here we show that corneal macrophages can be classified as CCR2^- macrophages, which already exist in the cornea at embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) and are similar to yolk sac-derived macrophages, microglia, in phenotype and gene expression, and CCR2⁺ macrophages, which do not appear in the cornea until E17.5. At a steady state, CCR2^- corneal macrophages have local proliferation capacity and are rarely affected by monocytes; however, following corneal epithelial abrasion, most CCR2^- corneal macrophages are replaced by monocytes. In contrast, CCR2⁺ macrophages are repopulated by monocytes under both a steady-state condition and following corneal wounding. Depletion of CCR2⁺ macrophages decreases corneal inflammation after epithelial abrasion, whereas depletion of CCR2^- macrophages increases inflammation of the injured cornea. Loss of either cell type results in a delay in corneal healing. These data indicate that there are two unique macrophage populations present in the cornea, both of which participate in corneal wound healing by balancing the inflammatory response.

Differential expression of hENT1 and hENT2 in colon cancer cell lines

Human equilibrative nucleoside transporters (hENT) 1 and 2, encoded by SLC29A1 and SLC29A2, permit the bidirectional passage of nucleoside analogues into cells and may correlate with clinical responses to chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression profiles of SLC29A1 and SLC29A2 in human cancer cell lines. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we comprehensively profiled the transcription levels of SLC29A1 and SLC29A2 in 16 colon cancer cell lines. We validated the ubiquitous and heterogeneous distribution of SLC29A1 and SLC29A2 in human colon cancer cell lines and demonstrated that SLC29A1 was highly expressed in 25% of metastatic cell lines (Colo201 and Colo205) and 62.5% of primary cell lines (Caco2, Colo320, HCT116, RKO, and SW48). For the first time, we showed that both SLC29A1 and SLC29A2 were expressed at lower levels in colon cancer cell lines originating from metastatic sites than from primary sites. These findings indicate that most patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) may have low hENT1 expression, and treatment with nucleoside analogues may be inefficient. However, some patients still show high hENT1 expression and have a high probability of benefiting from these drugs. Therefore, evaluating transporter expression profiles and different drug responses between primary and metastatic tumors in patients with mCRC is important. Further assessment of the association between hENTs and drug-based treatment of mCRC is required to elucidate the mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance.

Effectiveness of telephone-based interventions on health-related quality of life and prognostic outcomes in breast cancer patients and survivors-A meta-analysis

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of telephone-based interventions on prognostic outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in breast cancer patients and survivors. A systematic search of the Cochrane Library, Web of science, Medline, EMBASE, CNKI and CBM database was carried out. Randomised, controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of telephone-based intervention versus a control group receiving no telephone intervention, on prognostic outcomes and HRQoL with breast cancer were included. A meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the effects of telephone-based interventions on anxiety, depression, fatigue, self-efficiency, physiological function, social-domestic function and quality of life. In total, 14 studies involving 2002 participants were included. Due to the effect of telephone-based interventions, statistically significant results were found on anxiety (standard mean difference [SMD] = -0.16, 95% confidence intervals [CI] [0.01, 0.30], p = .04), self-efficiency (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI [-0.34, -0.10], p = .0004), social-domestic function (SMD = 0.19, 95% CI [-0.35, -0.03], p = .02) and quality of life (SMD = 0.54, 95% CI [-1.00, -0.08], p = .02). Although the effects on depression, fatigue and physiological function were in the expected direction, these effects were not statistically significant (p > .05) based on the insufficient evidence.

[Infection of chronic otitis media with Acinetobacter：6 cases report]

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods and prognosis of patients with chronic otitis media with Acinetobacter infection. Method:Retrospective analysis of clinical data of 6 cases of chronic otitis media complicated with Acinetobacter infection. Including history, clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, audiology, inner ear, CT, MRI imaging characteristics, treatment and prognosis of etc. to summarize the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of chronic otitis media with Acinetobacter infection. Result:The age was between 17 years old and 61 years old (Median age 30 years) .Two of them was male and 4 were female. Four cases were had underlying diseases. Five cases with main symptom of cholesteatoma, 1 case with earache symptoms, and 1 case with facial paralysis symptoms. Four cases had vary degrees of physical decline and destruction of bone. After surgery treatment, five patients improved ear pus, among 3 cases was cured, 2 cases of recurrence. Conclusion:Chronic otitis media with Acinetobacter infection occurs in the patient with elderly, poor physical constitution. However, the recurrence rate of conventional treatment is higher. The disease has high misdiagnosis rate. Operation combined with sensitive antibiotic therapy is a radical cure method.

[Predictor measures on CT for hematoma expansion following acute intracerebral hemorrhage]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the worth of solid predictors in acute intracerebral hematoma(ICH) expansions in computer tomography images.

METHODS

A total of 105 patients with acute ICH in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University during January 2012 to February 2015 were enrolled. CT plain scan, CTA within 6 hours since the symptoms and CT plain scan recheck within 24 hours were executed. Hematoma location, initial volume of hematoma, shape of hematoma, "spot sign" , UHG speed were analyzed with single factor and binary Logistic regression between the patients with and without hematoma expansion.

RESULTS

There were 30 cases with hematoma expansion and 75 cases with no hematoma expansion in 105 patients. In single factor comparisons, hematoma location(χ(2) =13.125, P<0.05), hematoma shape(χ(2) =23.987, P<0.05), spot sign(χ(2) =25.846, P<0.05), UHG speed(χ(2) =20.328, P<0.05) and the initial hematoma volume(t=-3.183, P<0.05) between the hematoma expansions and the non-hematoma expansions made significant differences. In binary Logistic regression, hematoma shape(irregular (P=0.033) and cleavage(P=0.009)), spot sign(P=0.000) and UHG speed(P=0.040) had significant differences between the two groups. ROC curve areas of hematoma shape, spot sign and UHG speed were 0.776(95%CI 0.682-0.870), 0.740(95%CI 0.625-0.855) and 0.720(95% CI 0.604-0.836). The high specificities of hematoma shape(84%), spot sign (88%)and UHG speed(84%)revealed their great reliabilities with equal sensitivity (60%).

CONCLUSION

Hematoma shape, spot sign and UHG speed are solid predictors of hematoma expansion among which spot sign has promising specificity, hematoma shape and UHG speed are more convenient to be observed.

Identification and functional characterization of four transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 variants in Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür)

As signal integrators that respond to various physical and chemical stimuli, transient receptor potential (TRP) channels fulfil critical functional roles in the sensory systems of both vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. Here, four variants of TRP ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) were identified and cloned from the green plant bug, Apolygus lucorum. Spatiotemporal expression profiling across development and in different adult tissues revealed that the highest relative-transcript levels occurred in first-instar nymphs and antennae, respectively. In Xenopus laevis-based functional assays, Apo. lucorum TRPA1-A (AlucTRPA1-A), AlucTRPA1-B and AlucTRPA1-C were activated by increasing the temperature from 20 to 40 °C with no significant desensitization observed after repeated temperature stimuli. The activation temperature of AlucTRPA1-A and AlucTRPA1-B was < 25 °C, whereas the activation temperature of AlucTRPA1-C was between 25 and 30 °C. Amongst the variants, only AlucTRPA1-A and AlucTRPA1-C were directly activated by high concentrations of allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde and citronellal. Taken together, these results suggest that AlucTRPA1 variants may function in vivo as both thermal and chemical sensors, with the four variants potentially mediating different physiological functions. This study not only enriches our understanding of TRPA1 function in Hemiptera (Miridae), but also offers a foundation for developing new pest control strategies.

MicroRNA-34a and Impaired FGF19/21 Signaling in Obesity

The obesity epidemic and the urgent need for effective and safe drugs to treat obesity-related diseases have greatly increased research interest in the metabolic hormones, fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF19, FGF15 in mice), and FGF21. FGF19 and FGF21 function as endocrine hormones that play key roles in energy metabolism and counteract obesity. Importantly, in obese humans and lab animals, circulating FGF19 and FGF21 levels are elevated, and metabolic actions of these hormones are impaired but the underlying mechanisms remained unknown. Recent microRNA (miR) studies have revealed that aberrantly elevated miR-34a in obesity directly targets β-Klotho, the obligate coreceptor for both FGF19 and FGF21, and attenuates metabolic signaling of these hormones. In this review, we will discuss recent findings in the miR and FGF19/21 fields, emphasizing the novel function of obesity-associated miR-34a in attenuation of FGF19/21 metabolic actions, and further discuss miRs, including miR-34a, as potential drug targets for obesity-related diseases.

Resistance and integron characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii in a teaching hospital in Chongqing, China

A total of 189 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were collected in 2011 from a teaching hospital in Chongqing, China. Susceptibility data showed strains carrying integrons were significantly more resistant to all tested antibiotics that strains lacking integrons. Five types of gene cassettes belonging to class I integrons were identified in this study, and for the first time two types of gene cassettes belonging to class II integrons are reported. Most of the cassettes belong to a class I integron (136/144) encoding arr3, aacA4, dfrA17, aadA5, aadB, cat, blaOXA10 , aadA1, aadA2, dfrA and aacC1. Isolates contained a class I gene cassette; AadA2-HP-dfrA was the prevalent strain in this hospital. A class II integron was detected in eight strains, which contained the type IV fimbriae expression regulatory gene pilR and sulfate adenylyltransferase, suggesting a possible role in multidrug resistance. The major epidemic strains from intensive care unit patients belong to international clone 2. In conclusion, the presence of integrons was significantly associated with multiple drug resistance of A. baumannii in this hospital, and class I integron isolates bearing AadA2-HP-dfrA were the prevalent strain in this hospital.

A TRPA1 channel that senses thermal stimulus and irritating chemicals in Helicoverpa armigera

Sensing and responding to changes in the external environment is important for insect survival. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are crucial for various sensory modalities including olfaction, vision, hearing, thermosensation and mechanosensation. Here, we identified and characterized a transient receptor potential gene named as HarmTRPA1 in Helicoverpa armigera antennae. HarmTRPA1 was abundantly expressed in the antennae and labial palps. Transcripts of HarmTRPA1 could also be detected in the head and proboscis. Furthermore, functional analyses of HarmTRPA1 were conducted in the Xenopus Oocyte system. The results showed that the HarmTRPA1 channel could be activated by increasing the temperature from 20 to 45 °C. No significant adaptation was observed when the stimulus was repeated. In addition to thermal stimuli, pungent natural compounds including allyl isothiocyanate, cinnamaldehyde and citronellal also activated HarmTRPA1. Taken together, we infer that HarmTRPA1 may function as both a thermal sensor involved in peripheral temperature detection and as a chemical sensor detecting irritating chemicals in vivo. Our data provide valuable insight into the TRPA1 channel in this moth and lay the foundation for developing novel strategies for pest control.

Pilot-scale comparison of four duckweed strains from different genera for potential application in nutrient recovery from wastewater and valuable biomass production

The application potential of four duckweed strains from four genera, Wolffia globosa 0222, Lemna japonica 0223, Landoltia punctata 0224 and Spirodela polyrhiza 0225, were compared in four parallel pilot-scale wastewater treatment systems for more than 1 year. The results indicated that each duckweed strain had unique potential advantages. Unlike L. japonica 0223 and La. punctata 0224, which grow throughout the year, S. polyrhiza 0225 and W. globosa 0222 do not survive cold weather. For year round performance, L. japonica 0223 was best not only in dry biomass production (6.10 g·m(-2) ·day(-1) ), but also in crude protein (35.50%), total amino acid (26.83%) and phosphorus (1.38%) content, plus recovery rates of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and CO2 (0.31, 0.085 and 7.76 g·m(-2) ·day(-1) , respectively) and removal rates of TN and TP (0.66 and 0.089 g·m(-2) ·day(-1) , respectively). This strongly demonstrates that L. japonica 0223 performed best in wastewater treatment and protein biomass production. Under nutrient starvation conditions, La. punctata 0224 had the highest starch content (45.84%), dry biomass production (4.81 g·m(-2) ·day(-1) ) and starch accumulation (2.9 g·m(-2) ·day(-1) ), making it best for starch biomass production. W. globosa 0222 and S. polyrhiza 0225 showed increased flavonoid biomass production, with higher total flavonoid content (5.85% and 4.22%, respectively) and high dominant flavonoids (>60%). This study provides useful information for selecting the appropriate local duckweed strains for further application in wastewater treatment and valuable biomass production.

Convex hull matching and hierarchical decomposition for multimodality medical image registration

This study proposes a novel hierarchical pyramid strategy for 3D registration of multimodality medical images. The surfaces of the source and target volume data are first extracted, and the surface point clouds are then aligned roughly using convex hull matching. The convex hull matching registration procedure could align images with large-scale transformations. The original images are divided into blocks and the corresponding blocks in the two images are registered by affine and non-rigid registration procedures. The sub-blocks are iteratively smoothed by the Gaussian kernel with different sizes during the registration procedure. The registration result of the large kernel is taken as the input of the small kernel registration. The fine registration of the two volume data sets is achieved by iteratively increasing the number of blocks, in which increase in similarity measure is taken as a criterion for acceptation of each iteration level. Results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method in registering the multiple modalities of medical images.

Quantification of osteoarticular joint defects through bone segmentation and modeling

Shoulder instability is a major threat to people's daily life. Many patients suffer from shoulder instability such as the loss of the glenoid and humeral head. In clinical practice, an accurate 3D structure estimation of damaged joints is necessary to diagnose and treat bone defects. This study quantifies osteoarticular defects through the modeling and visualization of osteoarticular structures. An improved algorithm to extract the 3D structure of the bones is proposed. The bone contour is then automatically extracted using prior shape and gray scale intensity distribution of joint CT images. Joint structures with mirror symmetry are matched using the Iterative Closest Point registration algorithm. Osteoarticular defects can be quantified on the basis of the symmetric information of the bones. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively segment the joint structures from the CT image. In addition, the proposed mirror symmetrical method can effectively estimate osteoarticular defects.

A fast and accurate decoder for underwater acoustic telemetry

The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, has been used to monitor the survival of juvenile salmonids passing through hydroelectric facilities in the Federal Columbia River Power System. Cabled hydrophone arrays deployed at dams receive coded transmissions sent from acoustic transmitters implanted in fish. The signals' time of arrival on different hydrophones is used to track fish in 3D. In this article, a new algorithm that decodes the received transmissions is described and the results are compared to results for the previous decoding algorithm. In a laboratory environment, the new decoder was able to decode signals with lower signal strength than the previous decoder, effectively increasing decoding efficiency and range. In field testing, the new algorithm decoded significantly more signals than the previous decoder and three-dimensional tracking experiments showed that the new decoder's time-of-arrival estimates were accurate. At multiple distances from hydrophones, the new algorithm tracked more points more accurately than the previous decoder. The new algorithm was also more than 10 times faster, which is critical for real-time applications on an embedded system.