The behavioral responses of a tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) school to low (0.13 mg/L), moderate (0.79 mg/L) and high (2.65 mg/L) levels of unionized ammonia (UIA) concentration were monitored using a computer vision...The behavioral responses of a tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) school to low (0.13 mg/L), moderate (0.79 mg/L) and high (2.65 mg/L) levels of unionized ammonia (UIA) concentration were monitored using a computer vision system. The swimming activity and geometrical parameters such as location of the gravity center and distribution of the fish school were calculated continuously. These behavioral parameters of tilapia school responded sensitively to moderate and high UIA concen-tration. Under high UIA concentration the fish activity showed a significant increase (P<0.05), exhibiting an avoidance reaction to high ammonia condition, and then decreased gradually. Under moderate and high UIA concentration the school’s vertical location had significantly large fluctuation (P<0.05) with the school moving up to the water surface then down to the bottom of the aquarium alternately and tending to crowd together. After several hours’ exposure to high UIA level, the school finally stayed at the aquarium bottom. These observations indicate that alterations in fish behavior under acute stress can provide important in-formation useful in predicting the stress.展开更多
Metric measurement of digitized shapes is commonly applied in optical measuring systems.In this letter,three shape-related factors defined by the authors are used in the construction of amultiple linear regression mod...Metric measurement of digitized shapes is commonly applied in optical measuring systems.In this letter,three shape-related factors defined by the authors are used in the construction of amultiple linear regression model which is utilized to compute the circumference of the convex shapes inmillimeter unit.The model is first built upon the relationship hypothesis and then its adequacy ismathematically validated.The results of applying the developed model to the given number of convexshapes in a finite circumferential length range suggest that,in terms of percent error,the model pre-cision is to satisfaction by being within±4%.The test also shows the model’s robustness against theshape’s orientation anisotropy.展开更多
This paper develops a wide-band multi-spectral space for color representationwith Aitken PCA algorithm. This novel mathematical space using the broad-band spectra matchingmethod aims at improving the accuracy of color...This paper develops a wide-band multi-spectral space for color representationwith Aitken PCA algorithm. This novel mathematical space using the broad-band spectra matchingmethod aims at improving the accuracy of color representation as well as reducing costs forprocessing and storing multi-spectral images. The results show that the space can present ourexperimental original spectral spaces (i. e. Munsell color matt and DIN-6164 color chips) with highefficiency, and that the spanning space with three eigenvectors can present the original space atmore than 98% CSCR, and when 5 eigenvectors are used it can cover almost the whole o-riginal spaces.展开更多
AIM： TO investigate colonic endocrine cells in lympho- cytic colitis （LC） patients. METHODS： Fifty-seven patients with LC were in- cluded. These patients were 41 females and 16 males, with an average age of 49 yea...AIM： TO investigate colonic endocrine cells in lympho- cytic colitis （LC） patients. METHODS： Fifty-seven patients with LC were in- cluded. These patients were 41 females and 16 males, with an average age of 49 years （range 19-84 years）. Twenty-seven subjects that underwent colonoscopy with biopsies were used as controls. These subjects underwent colonoscopy because of gastrointestinal bleeding or health worries, where the source of bleed- ing was identified as haemorrhoids or angiodysplasia. They were 19 females and 8 males with an average age of 49 years （range 18-67 years）. Biopsies from the right and left colon were obtained from both patients and controls during colonoscopy. Biopsies were fixed in 4% buffered paraformaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and cut into 5 μm-thick sections. The sections immunostained by the avidin-biotin-complex method for se- rotonin, peptide YY （PYY）, pancreatic polypeptide （PP） enteroglucagon and somatostatin cells. The cell densi- ties were quantified by computerised image analysis using Olympus software. RESULTS： The colon of both the patient and the control subjects were macroscopically normal. Histo- pathological examination of colon biopsies from con- trols revealed normal histology. All patients fulfilled the diagnosis criteria required for of LC： an increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes （〉 20 lymphocytes/100 epithelial cells） and surface epithelial damage with increased lamina propria plasma cells and absent or minimal crypt architectural distribution. In the colon of both patients and control subjects, serotonin-, PYY-, PP-, enteroglucagon- and somatostatin-immunoreac- tive cells were primarily located in the upper part of the crypts of Lieberk0hn. These cells were basket- or flask-shaped. There was no statistically significant dif- ference between the right and left colon in controls with regards to the densities of serotonin- and PYY- immunoreactive cells （P = 0.9 and 0.1, respectively）. Serotonin cell density in the right colon in controls was 28.9 ± 1.8 and in LC patients 41.6±2.6 （P = 0.008）. In the left colon, the corresponding figures were 28.5± 1.9 and 42.4± 2.9, respectively （P = 0.009）. PYY cell density in the right colon of the controls was 10.1 ± 1 and of LC patients 41 ± 4 （P = 0.00006）. In the left colon, PYY cell density in controls was 6.6± 1.2 and in LC patients 53.3 ± 4.6 （P = 0.00007）. CONCLUSION： The change in serotonin cells could be caused by an interaction between immune cells and serotonin cells, and that of PYY density might be sec- ondary.展开更多
AIM:To determine the expression characteristics of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF/CCN2) in human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in histology and to elucidate the roles of CCN2 on hepatoma cell cycle progression a...AIM:To determine the expression characteristics of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF/CCN2) in human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in histology and to elucidate the roles of CCN2 on hepatoma cell cycle progression and metastasis in vitro.METHODS:Liver samples from 36 patients(who underwent hepatic resection for the first HCC between 2006 and 2011) and 6 normal individuals were examined for transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1) or CCN2 mRNA by in situ hybridization.Computer image analysis was performed to measure integrated optimal density of CCN2 mRNA-positive cells in carcinoma foci and the surrounding stroma.Fibroblast-specific protein-1(FSP-1) and E-cadherin were examined to evaluate the process of epithelial to mesenchymal transition,α-smooth muscle actin and FSP-1 were detected to identify hepatic stellate cells,and CD34 was measured to evaluate the extent of vascularization in liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining.CCN2 was assessed for its stimulation of HepG2 cell migration and invasion using commercial kits while flow cytometry was used to determine CCN2 effects on HepG2 cell-cycle.RESULTS:In situ hybridization analysis showed that TGF-β1 mRNA was mainly detected in connective tissues and vasculature around carcinoma foci.In comparison to normal controls,CCN2 mRNA was enhanced 1.9-fold in carcinoma foci(12.36 ± 6.08 vs 6.42 ± 2.35) or 9.4-fold in the surrounding stroma(60.27 ± 28.71 vs 6.42 ± 2.35),with concomitant expression of CCN2 and TGF-β1 mRNA in those areas.Epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype related with CCN2 was detected in 12/36(33.3%) of HCC liver samples at the edges between carcinoma foci and vasculature.Incubation of HepG2 cells with CCN2(100 ng/mL) resulted in more of the cells transitioning into S phase(23.85 ± 2.35 vs 10.94 ± 0.23),and induced a significant migratory(4.0-fold) and invasive(5.7-fold) effect.TGF-β1-induced cell invasion was abrogated by a neutralizing CCN2 antibody showing that CCN2 is a downstream mediator of TGF-β1-induced hepatoma cell invasion.CONCLUSION:These data support a role for CCN2 in the growth and metastasis of HCC and highlight CCN2 as a potential novel therapeutic target.展开更多
基金Project (Nos. 2001AA620104 and 2003AA603140) supported by theHi-Tech Research and Development Program (863) of China
文摘The behavioral responses of a tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) school to low (0.13 mg/L), moderate (0.79 mg/L) and high (2.65 mg/L) levels of unionized ammonia (UIA) concentration were monitored using a computer vision system. The swimming activity and geometrical parameters such as location of the gravity center and distribution of the fish school were calculated continuously. These behavioral parameters of tilapia school responded sensitively to moderate and high UIA concen-tration. Under high UIA concentration the fish activity showed a significant increase (P<0.05), exhibiting an avoidance reaction to high ammonia condition, and then decreased gradually. Under moderate and high UIA concentration the school’s vertical location had significantly large fluctuation (P<0.05) with the school moving up to the water surface then down to the bottom of the aquarium alternately and tending to crowd together. After several hours’ exposure to high UIA level, the school finally stayed at the aquarium bottom. These observations indicate that alterations in fish behavior under acute stress can provide important in-formation useful in predicting the stress.
基金the Ningbo Natural Science Foundation(No.2006A610016)the Foundation of National EducationMinistry for Returned Overseas Students&Scholars(SRFfor ROCS,SEM.No.2006699).
文摘Metric measurement of digitized shapes is commonly applied in optical measuring systems.In this letter,three shape-related factors defined by the authors are used in the construction of amultiple linear regression model which is utilized to compute the circumference of the convex shapes inmillimeter unit.The model is first built upon the relationship hypothesis and then its adequacy ismathematically validated.The results of applying the developed model to the given number of convexshapes in a finite circumferential length range suggest that,in terms of percent error,the model pre-cision is to satisfaction by being within±4%.The test also shows the model’s robustness against theshape’s orientation anisotropy.
基金rojectsupportedbytheNationalNaturalScienceFoundationofChina (No .60 1 770 0 5) .
文摘This paper develops a wide-band multi-spectral space for color representationwith Aitken PCA algorithm. This novel mathematical space using the broad-band spectra matchingmethod aims at improving the accuracy of color representation as well as reducing costs forprocessing and storing multi-spectral images. The results show that the space can present ourexperimental original spectral spaces (i. e. Munsell color matt and DIN-6164 color chips) with highefficiency, and that the spanning space with three eigenvectors can present the original space atmore than 98% CSCR, and when 5 eigenvectors are used it can cover almost the whole o-riginal spaces.
文摘AIM： TO investigate colonic endocrine cells in lympho- cytic colitis （LC） patients. METHODS： Fifty-seven patients with LC were in- cluded. These patients were 41 females and 16 males, with an average age of 49 years （range 19-84 years）. Twenty-seven subjects that underwent colonoscopy with biopsies were used as controls. These subjects underwent colonoscopy because of gastrointestinal bleeding or health worries, where the source of bleed- ing was identified as haemorrhoids or angiodysplasia. They were 19 females and 8 males with an average age of 49 years （range 18-67 years）. Biopsies from the right and left colon were obtained from both patients and controls during colonoscopy. Biopsies were fixed in 4% buffered paraformaldehyde, embedded in paraffin and cut into 5 μm-thick sections. The sections immunostained by the avidin-biotin-complex method for se- rotonin, peptide YY （PYY）, pancreatic polypeptide （PP） enteroglucagon and somatostatin cells. The cell densi- ties were quantified by computerised image analysis using Olympus software. RESULTS： The colon of both the patient and the control subjects were macroscopically normal. Histo- pathological examination of colon biopsies from con- trols revealed normal histology. All patients fulfilled the diagnosis criteria required for of LC： an increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes （〉 20 lymphocytes/100 epithelial cells） and surface epithelial damage with increased lamina propria plasma cells and absent or minimal crypt architectural distribution. In the colon of both patients and control subjects, serotonin-, PYY-, PP-, enteroglucagon- and somatostatin-immunoreac- tive cells were primarily located in the upper part of the crypts of Lieberk0hn. These cells were basket- or flask-shaped. There was no statistically significant dif- ference between the right and left colon in controls with regards to the densities of serotonin- and PYY- immunoreactive cells （P = 0.9 and 0.1, respectively）. Serotonin cell density in the right colon in controls was 28.9 ± 1.8 and in LC patients 41.6±2.6 （P = 0.008）. In the left colon, the corresponding figures were 28.5± 1.9 and 42.4± 2.9, respectively （P = 0.009）. PYY cell density in the right colon of the controls was 10.1 ± 1 and of LC patients 41 ± 4 （P = 0.00006）. In the left colon, PYY cell density in controls was 6.6± 1.2 and in LC patients 53.3 ± 4.6 （P = 0.00007）. CONCLUSION： The change in serotonin cells could be caused by an interaction between immune cells and serotonin cells, and that of PYY density might be sec- ondary.
基金Supported by National Natural Scientific Foundation,No. 30872236,81070370,to Gao RPNIH 5R01AA016003,to Brigstock DR
文摘AIM:To determine the expression characteristics of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF/CCN2) in human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in histology and to elucidate the roles of CCN2 on hepatoma cell cycle progression and metastasis in vitro.METHODS:Liver samples from 36 patients(who underwent hepatic resection for the first HCC between 2006 and 2011) and 6 normal individuals were examined for transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1) or CCN2 mRNA by in situ hybridization.Computer image analysis was performed to measure integrated optimal density of CCN2 mRNA-positive cells in carcinoma foci and the surrounding stroma.Fibroblast-specific protein-1(FSP-1) and E-cadherin were examined to evaluate the process of epithelial to mesenchymal transition,α-smooth muscle actin and FSP-1 were detected to identify hepatic stellate cells,and CD34 was measured to evaluate the extent of vascularization in liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining.CCN2 was assessed for its stimulation of HepG2 cell migration and invasion using commercial kits while flow cytometry was used to determine CCN2 effects on HepG2 cell-cycle.RESULTS:In situ hybridization analysis showed that TGF-β1 mRNA was mainly detected in connective tissues and vasculature around carcinoma foci.In comparison to normal controls,CCN2 mRNA was enhanced 1.9-fold in carcinoma foci(12.36 ± 6.08 vs 6.42 ± 2.35) or 9.4-fold in the surrounding stroma(60.27 ± 28.71 vs 6.42 ± 2.35),with concomitant expression of CCN2 and TGF-β1 mRNA in those areas.Epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype related with CCN2 was detected in 12/36(33.3%) of HCC liver samples at the edges between carcinoma foci and vasculature.Incubation of HepG2 cells with CCN2(100 ng/mL) resulted in more of the cells transitioning into S phase(23.85 ± 2.35 vs 10.94 ± 0.23),and induced a significant migratory(4.0-fold) and invasive(5.7-fold) effect.TGF-β1-induced cell invasion was abrogated by a neutralizing CCN2 antibody showing that CCN2 is a downstream mediator of TGF-β1-induced hepatoma cell invasion.CONCLUSION:These data support a role for CCN2 in the growth and metastasis of HCC and highlight CCN2 as a potential novel therapeutic target.
