Measured system parameters for spatial resolution estimation.

<p>(A) Impulse response of the transducer. (B) Waveform of magnetic stimulation. (C) Calculated MAT-MI system response function <i>H</i>(<i>t</i>). (D) FFT spectrum of <i>H</i>(<i>t</i>).</p

Computed MAT-MI images and intensity profile from ideal point sources.

<p>(A) Reconstructed image of a point MAT-MI acoustic source located at the origin. (B), (C) and (D) are the reconstructed MAT-MI images of two acoustic sources with a gap <i>d</i> of 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, respectively. (E) The profile of the reconstructed intensities along the center dash line in (A).</p

Biological tissue experiments.

<p>(A) Photograph of a fresh animal tissue sample composed of a piece of goat muscle and a piece of pork fat. (B) Reconstructed MAT-MI images of the sample shown in (A).</p

Gel phantom experiments to test actual spatial resolution.

<p>(A) Photograph of a phantom to test the spatial resolution. Two square gels with 5% salinity were immersed in mineral oil. The gap between the two gel phantoms is <i>d</i>. (B), (C) and (D) are the reconstructed MAT-MI images of phantom in (A) with a gap <i>d</i> of 3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, respectively. (E), (F) and (G) are the profiles of the reconstructed intensities along the dash line (Y = 3.6 mm) in (B), (C) and (D), respectively.</p

Diagram of MAT-MI hardware system setup.

<p>Diagram of MAT-MI hardware system setup.</p

Glycosylated Hemoglobin in Relationship to Cardiovascular Outcomes and Death in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Chronic hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes increases the risk of microvascular events. However, there is continuing uncertainty about its effect on macrovascular outcomes and death. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective studies to estimate the association of glycosylated hemoglobin level with the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes.</p> <h3>Methodology/Principal Findings</h3><p>We systematically searched the MEDLINE database through April 2011 by using Medical Subject Heading search terms and a standardized protocol. We included prospective cohort studies that reported data of glycosylated hemoglobin level on the risk of incident cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Relative risk estimates (continuous and categorical variables) were derived or abstracted from each cohort study. Twenty six studies were included in this analysis with a mean follow-up rang of 2.2–16 years. The pooled relative risk associated with a 1% increase in glycosylated hemoglobin level among patients with type 2 diabetes was 1.15 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.20) for all-cause mortality, 1.17 (95% CI, 1.12 to 1.23) for cardiovascular disease, 1.15 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.20) for coronary heart disease, 1.11 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.18) for heart failure, 1.11 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.17) for stroke, and 1.29 (95% CI, 1.18 to 1.40) for peripheral arterial disease, respectively. In addition, a positive dose-response trend existed between glycosylated hemoglobin level and cardiovascular outcomes.</p> <h3>Conclusions/Significance</h3><p>Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes, likely independently from other conventional risk factors.</p> </div

Flow diagram of studies assessed and included.

<p>Flow diagram of studies assessed and included.</p

Forest plot of relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between glycosylated hemoglobin and the main study outcomes risks in type 2 diabetes.

<p>CVD: cadiovascular diseases; CHD: conoary heart disease; PAD: peripheral arterial disease.</p

Design Characteristics of Prospective cohort Studies of Glycosylated Hemoglobin and Cardiovascular Outcomes and All-cause Mortality, 1974–2011<b>.</b>^*

*<p>CHD, coronary heart disease; CVD, cardiovascular disease; HF, heart failure; PAD, peripheral arterial disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure.</p

Hazard ratios for cardiovascular outcomes risks according to glycosylated hemoglobin by different categories (shown by the first author and year of publication).^*

*<p>CHD, coronary heart disease; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; OR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval.</p