The aim of this retrospective practice audit was to assess the correlation between painful zygapophysial joints and changes seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with unilateral pain were tested with cont...The aim of this retrospective practice audit was to assess the correlation between painful zygapophysial joints and changes seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with unilateral pain were tested with controlled medial branch blocks. The MRI scans of patients with a positive response were compared blinded with normal MRI scans. The dimensions of the joint were assessed and osteoarthritis was graded. Fifteen symptomatic patients and 15 asymptomatic patients were included and evaluated. Comparison of the joints showed that the maximum diameter of symptomatic joints was significantly larger, and the grading of osteoarthritis was significantly higher for symptomatic joints. No healthy patient was assigned a grade 3. Grades 2 and 3 were found significantly more often in symptomatic patients. Only one symptomatic joint was assigned grade 0. Grade 0 was found significantly more often in asympto-matic patients. The presented MRI technique has limited value as a diagnostic test for lumbar zygapophysial joint pain. It is not possible to detect a single symptomatic joint. However, the osteoarthritis grading for the lumbar zyg-apophysial joints might be helpful for finding predictors for negative response if the results of the rating are grade zero. Therefore, unnecessary medial branch blocks might be avoided.展开更多
Facial synkinesis,a sequela of peripheral facial nerve palsy,is characterized by simultaneous involuntary facial movement during a voluntary desired one.Maladaptive cortical plasticity might be involved in the dysfunc...Facial synkinesis,a sequela of peripheral facial nerve palsy,is characterized by simultaneous involuntary facial movement during a voluntary desired one.Maladaptive cortical plasticity might be involved in the dysfunction of facial muscles.This cohort study investigated the cortical functional alterations in patients with unilateral facial synkinesis,using the task functional magnetic resonance imaging.Facial motor tasks,including blinking and smiling,were performed by 16 patients（aged 30.6 ± 4.5 years,14 females/2 males） and 24 age-and sex-matched healthy controls（aged 29.1 ± 4.2 years,19 females/5 males）.Results demonstrated that activation in the cortico-facial motor representation area was lower during tasks in patients with facial synkinesis compared with healthy controls.Facial movements on either side performed by patients caused more intensive activation of the supplementary motor area on the contralateral side of the affected face,than those on the unaffected side.Our results revealed that there was cortical reorganization in the primary sensorimotor area and the supplementary motor area.This study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry（registration number： Chi CTR1800014630）.展开更多
以蔗糖、麦芽糖醇及二者复配的三元溶液为渗透溶液,探究渗透脱水处理对黄桃果块质构特性、介电特性、细胞壁多糖含量以及微观结构的变化,并利用核磁共振氢谱(1H nuclear magnetic resonance,1H NMR)技术测定了可溶性糖含量的变化,明确...以蔗糖、麦芽糖醇及二者复配的三元溶液为渗透溶液,探究渗透脱水处理对黄桃果块质构特性、介电特性、细胞壁多糖含量以及微观结构的变化,并利用核磁共振氢谱(1H nuclear magnetic resonance,1H NMR)技术测定了可溶性糖含量的变化,明确麦芽糖醇和蔗糖的协同作用在渗透脱水过程中对黄桃果块特性的改善作用。结果表明:相较于对照组,SM14(蔗糖、麦芽糖醇质量比1∶4的溶液)显著降低黄桃果块的硬度、咀嚼性和黏附性。渗透脱水处理导致黄桃果块的阻抗和有效电阻显著降低,同时诱导静电容量显著增加,表明渗透脱水可能作用于细胞壁多糖而使果肉细胞特性改变。1H NMR检测结果发现,与蔗糖组相比,三元渗透液处理显著降低了黄桃果块组织中蔗糖的含量,其中SM14处理组蔗糖信号强度仅为19803.9±156.00,麦芽糖醇信号强度为54934.9±1239.11。此外,相比较对照组,SM14组水溶性果胶和鳌合性果胶含量均显著增加,分别为(26.63±1.80)mg/g和(21.59±0.71)mg/g,碱溶性果胶含量显著降低,为(27.24±0.46)mg/g。微观结构观察发现,SM14处理组细胞圆润且完整度较高,塌陷程度低,细胞壁厚度明显增加,这可能是由于蔗糖与麦芽糖醇之间的交互作用有对细胞的协同保护作用。因此,蔗糖与麦芽糖醇复配的三元渗透溶液可以有效地改善二元渗透脱水导致的黄桃果块品质劣变等问题,同时拓宽了糖醇的应用场景。展开更多
基于声学黑洞(acoustic black hole, ABH)弧形梁体积小且模态频率丰富的特点,将声学黑洞弧形梁作为附加结构周期分布在直梁上,达到促进局域共振效应和拓宽低频带隙的作用,由此构建一种新的局域共振型声学超材料。针对局域共振型超材料,...基于声学黑洞(acoustic black hole, ABH)弧形梁体积小且模态频率丰富的特点,将声学黑洞弧形梁作为附加结构周期分布在直梁上,达到促进局域共振效应和拓宽低频带隙的作用,由此构建一种新的局域共振型声学超材料。针对局域共振型超材料,采用高斯展开法,建立其半解析理论分析模型,基于零空间法处理其内部连接以及周期边界条件,并通过有限元法验证半解析理论分析模型的准确性。分析和计算其能带结构,研究结构参数以及ABH效应对布拉格带隙以及局域共振带隙的影响机理。研究结果表明,该半解析理论模型能够对结构的带隙进行有效计算,附加弧形ABH的陷波机制能够促进结构的局域共振效应并对主梁进行有效减振,为声学黑洞声学超材料的应用提供了新的思路。展开更多
For the investigation of mechanical properties of the bimrocks with high rock block proportion,a series of laboratory experiments,including resonance frequency and uniaxial compressive tests,are conducted on the 64 fa...For the investigation of mechanical properties of the bimrocks with high rock block proportion,a series of laboratory experiments,including resonance frequency and uniaxial compressive tests,are conducted on the 64 fabricated bimrocks specimens.The results demonstrate that dynamic elastic modulus is strongly correlated with the uniaxial compressive strength,elastic modulus and block proportions of the bimrocks.In addition,the density of the bimrocks has a good correlation with the mechanical properties of cases with varying block proportions.Thus,three crucial indices(including matrix strength)are used as basic input parameters for the prediction of the mechanical properties of the bimrocks.Other than adopting the traditional simple regression and multi-regression analyses,a new prediction model based on the optimized general regression neural network(GRNN)algorithm is proposed.Note that,the performance of the multi-regression prediction model is better than that of the simple regression model,owing to the consideration of various influencing factors.However,the comparison between model predictions indicates that the optimized GRNN model performs better than the multi-regression model does.Model validation and verification based on fabricated data and experimental data from the literature are performed to verify the predictability and applicability of the proposed optimized GRNN model.展开更多
In this paper, a new transient forced quasi-resonant triad interaction theory in a beta channel is proposed to investigate the interaction between planetary-scale diffluent flow composed of zonal wavenumbers 1-3 and s...In this paper, a new transient forced quasi-resonant triad interaction theory in a beta channel is proposed to investigate the interaction between planetary-scale diffluent flow composed of zonal wavenumbers 1-3 and synoptic-scale waves produced continuously by a synoptic-scale vorticity source fixed upstream of an incipient blocking region during the life cycle of blocking. It is shown that the superposition of initial three Rossby waves for zonal wavenumbers 1 （monopole）, 2 （dipole）, and 3 （monopole）, which permit triad quasi-resonance, can represent an incipient blocking event. The synoptic-scale eddies may act to amplify the incipient blocking and to excite a blocking circulation with a strong meander, whose flow pattern depends on the initial amplitudes of the planetary waves and both the intensity and location of preexisting synoptic-scale waves. The onset （decay） of the planetary-scale split-flow blocking is mainly represented by a strong increase （decrease） in the amplitude of the zonal wavenumber 2 component, having a dipole meridional structure related to the preexisting synoptic-scale eddies. The typical persistence time of the model blocking was of about 20 days, consistent with observations of blocking patterns. In our model, isolated asymmetric dipole blocking is formed by synoptic-scale waves. The instantaneous fields of total streamfunctions exhibit a remarkable resemblance to the synoptic maps observed during the life cycle of blocking. During the onset stage, the synoptic-scale waves are enhanced and split into two branches around the blocking region due to the feedback of the amplified blocking, in agreement with the observed changes of synoptic-scale waves in real blocking events. In addition, a diagnostic case study of blocking is presented to confirm the forced quasi-resonant triad interaction theory proposed here.展开更多
Medical image super-resolution is a fundamental challenge due to absorption and scattering in tissues.These challenges are increasing the interest in the quality of medical images.Recent research has proven that the r...Medical image super-resolution is a fundamental challenge due to absorption and scattering in tissues.These challenges are increasing the interest in the quality of medical images.Recent research has proven that the rapid progress in convolutional neural networks(CNNs)has achieved superior performance in the area of medical image super-resolution.However,the traditional CNN approaches use interpolation techniques as a preprocessing stage to enlarge low-resolution magnetic resonance(MR)images,adding extra noise in the models and more memory consumption.Furthermore,conventional deep CNN approaches used layers in series-wise connection to create the deeper mode,because this later end layer cannot receive complete information and work as a dead layer.In this paper,we propose Inception-ResNet-based Network for MRI Image Super-Resolution known as IRMRIS.In our proposed approach,a bicubic interpolation is replaced with a deconvolution layer to learn the upsampling filters.Furthermore,a residual skip connection with the Inception block is used to reconstruct a high-resolution output image from a low-quality input image.Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the proposed method are supported through extensive experiments in reconstructing sharper and clean texture details as compared to the state-of-the-art methods.展开更多
Nanoprobes that offer both fluorescence imaging(FI)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)can provide supplementary information and hold synergistic advantages.However,synthesis of such dual-modality imaging probes that s...Nanoprobes that offer both fluorescence imaging(FI)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)can provide supplementary information and hold synergistic advantages.However,synthesis of such dual-modality imaging probes that simultaneously exhibit tunability of functional groups,high stability,great biocompatibility and desired dual-modality imaging results remains challenging.In this study,we used an amphiphilic block polymer from(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate(OEGMA)and N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide(HPMA)derivatives as a carrier to conjugate a MR contrast agent,Gd-DOTA,and a two-photon fluorophore with an aggregation-induced emission(AIE)effect,TPBP,to construct a MR/two-photon fluorescence dual-modality contrast agent,Gd-DOTA-TPBP.Incorporation of gadolinium in the hydrophilic chain segment of the OEGMA-based carrier resulted in a high r_(1)value for Gd-DOTA-TPBP,revealing a great MR imaging resolution.The contrast agent specifically accumulated in the tumor region,allowing a long enhancement duration for vascular and tumor contrast-enhanced MR imaging.Meanwhile,coupling TPBP with AIE properties to the hydrophobic chain segment of the carrier not only improved its water solubility and reduced its cytotoxicity,but also significantly enhanced its imaging performance in an aqueous phase.Gd-DOTA-TPBP was also demonstrated to act as an excellent fluorescence probe for two-photon-excited bioimaging with higher resolution and greater sensitivity than MRI.Since high-resolution,complementary MRI/FI dual-modal images were acquired at both cellular and tissue levels in tumor-bearing mice after application of Gd-DOTA-TPBP,it has great potential in the early phase of disease diagnosis.展开更多
To explore the effects of microenvironmental adjustments on fluorescence,a pH-sensitive nanocomposite system based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET)was constructed.The model system included a modified tr...To explore the effects of microenvironmental adjustments on fluorescence,a pH-sensitive nanocomposite system based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET)was constructed.The model system included a modified triblock copolymer(polyhistidine-b-polyethylene glycol-b-polycaprolactone)and gold nanoparticles.A near-infrared dye was used as the donor,and spectrally matched gold nanorods,attached after C-terminus modification with α-lipoic acid,were used as the receptor to realize control of the FRET effect over the fluorescence intensity for two polymer configurational changes(i.e.,"folded"and"stretched"states)in response to pH.After synthesis and characterization,we investigated the self-assembly behavior of the system.Analysis by quartz crystal microbalance revealed the pH sensitivity of the polymer,which exhibited"folding"and"stretching"states with changes in pH,providing a structural basis for the FRET effect.Fluorescence spectrophotometry investigations also revealed the regulatory impact of the assembled system on fluorescence.展开更多
文摘The aim of this retrospective practice audit was to assess the correlation between painful zygapophysial joints and changes seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with unilateral pain were tested with controlled medial branch blocks. The MRI scans of patients with a positive response were compared blinded with normal MRI scans. The dimensions of the joint were assessed and osteoarthritis was graded. Fifteen symptomatic patients and 15 asymptomatic patients were included and evaluated. Comparison of the joints showed that the maximum diameter of symptomatic joints was significantly larger, and the grading of osteoarthritis was significantly higher for symptomatic joints. No healthy patient was assigned a grade 3. Grades 2 and 3 were found significantly more often in symptomatic patients. Only one symptomatic joint was assigned grade 0. Grade 0 was found significantly more often in asympto-matic patients. The presented MRI technique has limited value as a diagnostic test for lumbar zygapophysial joint pain. It is not possible to detect a single symptomatic joint. However, the osteoarthritis grading for the lumbar zyg-apophysial joints might be helpful for finding predictors for negative response if the results of the rating are grade zero. Therefore, unnecessary medial branch blocks might be avoided.
基金supported by the Youth Researcher Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning,No.20144Y0095
文摘Facial synkinesis,a sequela of peripheral facial nerve palsy,is characterized by simultaneous involuntary facial movement during a voluntary desired one.Maladaptive cortical plasticity might be involved in the dysfunction of facial muscles.This cohort study investigated the cortical functional alterations in patients with unilateral facial synkinesis,using the task functional magnetic resonance imaging.Facial motor tasks,including blinking and smiling,were performed by 16 patients（aged 30.6 ± 4.5 years,14 females/2 males） and 24 age-and sex-matched healthy controls（aged 29.1 ± 4.2 years,19 females/5 males）.Results demonstrated that activation in the cortico-facial motor representation area was lower during tasks in patients with facial synkinesis compared with healthy controls.Facial movements on either side performed by patients caused more intensive activation of the supplementary motor area on the contralateral side of the affected face,than those on the unaffected side.Our results revealed that there was cortical reorganization in the primary sensorimotor area and the supplementary motor area.This study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry（registration number： Chi CTR1800014630）.
文摘基于声学黑洞(acoustic black hole, ABH)弧形梁体积小且模态频率丰富的特点,将声学黑洞弧形梁作为附加结构周期分布在直梁上,达到促进局域共振效应和拓宽低频带隙的作用,由此构建一种新的局域共振型声学超材料。针对局域共振型超材料,采用高斯展开法,建立其半解析理论分析模型,基于零空间法处理其内部连接以及周期边界条件,并通过有限元法验证半解析理论分析模型的准确性。分析和计算其能带结构,研究结构参数以及ABH效应对布拉格带隙以及局域共振带隙的影响机理。研究结果表明,该半解析理论模型能够对结构的带隙进行有效计算,附加弧形ABH的陷波机制能够促进结构的局域共振效应并对主梁进行有效减振,为声学黑洞声学超材料的应用提供了新的思路。
基金Projects(51978669,U1734208)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(2018JJ3657)supported by Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China
文摘For the investigation of mechanical properties of the bimrocks with high rock block proportion,a series of laboratory experiments,including resonance frequency and uniaxial compressive tests,are conducted on the 64 fabricated bimrocks specimens.The results demonstrate that dynamic elastic modulus is strongly correlated with the uniaxial compressive strength,elastic modulus and block proportions of the bimrocks.In addition,the density of the bimrocks has a good correlation with the mechanical properties of cases with varying block proportions.Thus,three crucial indices(including matrix strength)are used as basic input parameters for the prediction of the mechanical properties of the bimrocks.Other than adopting the traditional simple regression and multi-regression analyses,a new prediction model based on the optimized general regression neural network(GRNN)algorithm is proposed.Note that,the performance of the multi-regression prediction model is better than that of the simple regression model,owing to the consideration of various influencing factors.However,the comparison between model predictions indicates that the optimized GRNN model performs better than the multi-regression model does.Model validation and verification based on fabricated data and experimental data from the literature are performed to verify the predictability and applicability of the proposed optimized GRNN model.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Fundation of China(Grant No. 4057016)and Taishan Scholar funding
文摘In this paper, a new transient forced quasi-resonant triad interaction theory in a beta channel is proposed to investigate the interaction between planetary-scale diffluent flow composed of zonal wavenumbers 1-3 and synoptic-scale waves produced continuously by a synoptic-scale vorticity source fixed upstream of an incipient blocking region during the life cycle of blocking. It is shown that the superposition of initial three Rossby waves for zonal wavenumbers 1 （monopole）, 2 （dipole）, and 3 （monopole）, which permit triad quasi-resonance, can represent an incipient blocking event. The synoptic-scale eddies may act to amplify the incipient blocking and to excite a blocking circulation with a strong meander, whose flow pattern depends on the initial amplitudes of the planetary waves and both the intensity and location of preexisting synoptic-scale waves. The onset （decay） of the planetary-scale split-flow blocking is mainly represented by a strong increase （decrease） in the amplitude of the zonal wavenumber 2 component, having a dipole meridional structure related to the preexisting synoptic-scale eddies. The typical persistence time of the model blocking was of about 20 days, consistent with observations of blocking patterns. In our model, isolated asymmetric dipole blocking is formed by synoptic-scale waves. The instantaneous fields of total streamfunctions exhibit a remarkable resemblance to the synoptic maps observed during the life cycle of blocking. During the onset stage, the synoptic-scale waves are enhanced and split into two branches around the blocking region due to the feedback of the amplified blocking, in agreement with the observed changes of synoptic-scale waves in real blocking events. In addition, a diagnostic case study of blocking is presented to confirm the forced quasi-resonant triad interaction theory proposed here.
基金supported by Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology,Khuzdar,Balochistan,Pakistan.
文摘Medical image super-resolution is a fundamental challenge due to absorption and scattering in tissues.These challenges are increasing the interest in the quality of medical images.Recent research has proven that the rapid progress in convolutional neural networks(CNNs)has achieved superior performance in the area of medical image super-resolution.However,the traditional CNN approaches use interpolation techniques as a preprocessing stage to enlarge low-resolution magnetic resonance(MR)images,adding extra noise in the models and more memory consumption.Furthermore,conventional deep CNN approaches used layers in series-wise connection to create the deeper mode,because this later end layer cannot receive complete information and work as a dead layer.In this paper,we propose Inception-ResNet-based Network for MRI Image Super-Resolution known as IRMRIS.In our proposed approach,a bicubic interpolation is replaced with a deconvolution layer to learn the upsampling filters.Furthermore,a residual skip connection with the Inception block is used to reconstruct a high-resolution output image from a low-quality input image.Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the proposed method are supported through extensive experiments in reconstructing sharper and clean texture details as compared to the state-of-the-art methods.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(52073193,51873120,81621003,51903173)1⋅3⋅5 Project for Disciplines of Excellence,West China Hospital,Sichuan University(ZYJC21013)+1 种基金Science and Technology Program of Sichuan province(2020YJ0231)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M692255).
文摘Nanoprobes that offer both fluorescence imaging(FI)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)can provide supplementary information and hold synergistic advantages.However,synthesis of such dual-modality imaging probes that simultaneously exhibit tunability of functional groups,high stability,great biocompatibility and desired dual-modality imaging results remains challenging.In this study,we used an amphiphilic block polymer from(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate(OEGMA)and N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide(HPMA)derivatives as a carrier to conjugate a MR contrast agent,Gd-DOTA,and a two-photon fluorophore with an aggregation-induced emission(AIE)effect,TPBP,to construct a MR/two-photon fluorescence dual-modality contrast agent,Gd-DOTA-TPBP.Incorporation of gadolinium in the hydrophilic chain segment of the OEGMA-based carrier resulted in a high r_(1)value for Gd-DOTA-TPBP,revealing a great MR imaging resolution.The contrast agent specifically accumulated in the tumor region,allowing a long enhancement duration for vascular and tumor contrast-enhanced MR imaging.Meanwhile,coupling TPBP with AIE properties to the hydrophobic chain segment of the carrier not only improved its water solubility and reduced its cytotoxicity,but also significantly enhanced its imaging performance in an aqueous phase.Gd-DOTA-TPBP was also demonstrated to act as an excellent fluorescence probe for two-photon-excited bioimaging with higher resolution and greater sensitivity than MRI.Since high-resolution,complementary MRI/FI dual-modal images were acquired at both cellular and tissue levels in tumor-bearing mice after application of Gd-DOTA-TPBP,it has great potential in the early phase of disease diagnosis.
基金the funding and generous support of Zhejiang Province Natural Science Foundation(Nos.LY17C100003,Y17E030032)Key Research Project of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Zhejiang Province of China(No.2019ZZ015)Medical Health Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission(No.2018KY131)。
文摘To explore the effects of microenvironmental adjustments on fluorescence,a pH-sensitive nanocomposite system based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET)was constructed.The model system included a modified triblock copolymer(polyhistidine-b-polyethylene glycol-b-polycaprolactone)and gold nanoparticles.A near-infrared dye was used as the donor,and spectrally matched gold nanorods,attached after C-terminus modification with α-lipoic acid,were used as the receptor to realize control of the FRET effect over the fluorescence intensity for two polymer configurational changes(i.e.,"folded"and"stretched"states)in response to pH.After synthesis and characterization,we investigated the self-assembly behavior of the system.Analysis by quartz crystal microbalance revealed the pH sensitivity of the polymer,which exhibited"folding"and"stretching"states with changes in pH,providing a structural basis for the FRET effect.Fluorescence spectrophotometry investigations also revealed the regulatory impact of the assembled system on fluorescence.
