Multi-Energy Blended CBCT Spectral Imaging Using a Spectral Modulator with Flying Focal Spot (SMFFS)

Cone-beam CT (CBCT) spectral imaging has great potential in medical and industrial applications, but it is very challenging as scatter and spectral effects are seriously twisted. In this work, we present the first attempt to develop a stationary spectral modulator with flying focal spot (SMFFS) technology as a promising, low-cost approach to accurately solving the X-ray scattering problem and physically enabling spectral imaging in a unified framework, and with no significant misalignment in data sampling of spectral projections. Based on an in-depth analysis of optimal energy separation from different combinations of modulator materials and thicknesses, we present a practical design of a mixed two-dimensional spectral modulator that can generate multi-energy blended CBCT spectral projections. To deal with the twisted scatter-spectral challenge, we propose a novel scatter-decoupled material decomposition (SDMD) method by taking advantage of a scatter similarity in SMFFS. A Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to validate the strong similarity of X-ray scatter distributions across the flying focal spot positions. Both numerical simulations using a clinical abdominal CT dataset, and physics experiments on a tabletop CBCT system using a GAMMEX multi-energy CT phantom, are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed SDMD method for CBCT spectral imaging with SMFFS. In the physics experiments, the mean relative errors in selected ROI for virtual monochromatic image (VMI) are 0.9\% for SMFFS, and 5.3\% and 16.9\% for 80/120 kV dual-energy cone-beam scan with and without scatter correction, respectively. Our preliminary results show that SMFFS can effectively improve the quantitative imaging performance of CBCT.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figure

Generalized-Equiangular Geometry CT: Concept and Shift-Invariant FBP Algorithms

With advanced X-ray source and detector technologies being continuously developed, non-traditional CT geometries have been widely explored. Generalized-Equiangular Geometry CT (GEGCT) architecture, in which an X-ray source might be positioned radially far away from the focus of arced detector array that is equiangularly spaced, is of importance in many novel CT systems and designs. GEGCT, unfortunately, has no theoretically exact and shift-invariant analytical image reconstruction algorithm in general. In this study, to obtain fast and accurate reconstruction from GEGCT and to promote its system design and optimization, an in-depth investigation on a group of approximate Filtered BackProjection (FBP) algorithms with a variety of weighting strategies has been conducted. The architecture of GEGCT is first presented and characterized by using a normalized-radial-offset distance (NROD). Next, shift-invariant weighted FBP-type algorithms are derived in a unified framework, with pre-filtering, filtering, and post-filtering weights. Three viable weighting strategies are then presented including a classic one developed by Besson in the literature and two new ones generated from a curvature fitting and from an empirical formula, where all of the three weights can be expressed as certain functions of NROD. After that, an analysis of reconstruction accuracy is conducted with a wide range of NROD. We further stretch the weighted FBP-type algorithms to GEGCT with dynamic NROD. Finally, the weighted FBP algorithm for GEGCT is extended to a three-dimensional form in the case of cone-beam scan with a cylindrical detector array.Comment: 31 pages, 13 figure

A Review of 4DCT Imaging and Reconstruction Methods

In this paper, the main literature related to 4DCT imaging and reconstruction techniques over the past 20 years is reviewed, and the contents are summarized. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive introduction to 4DCT research from five perspectives: the concept of 4DCT, scanning mode and imaging method, reconstruction algorithm, application, research status, and future development expectations. In this study, five types of reconstruction algorithms are summarized, and the advantages, disadvantages, and research difficulties of each algorithm are briefly evaluated. Finally, we conduct a brief statistical analysis on the cited works from the perspective of reconstruction methods, revealing the research progress and future research trends of 4DCT reconstruction algorithms

Triptolide Inhibits the Proliferation of Prostate Cancer Cells and Down-Regulates SUMO-Specific Protease 1 Expression

Recently, traditional Chinese medicine and medicinal herbs have attracted more attentions worldwide for its anti-tumor efficacy. Celastrol and Triptolide, two active components extracted from the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (known as Lei Gong Teng or Thunder of God Vine), have shown anti-tumor effects. Celastrol was identified as a natural 26 s proteasome inhibitor which promotes cell apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth. The effect and mechanism of Triptolide on prostate cancer (PCa) is not well studied. Here we demonstrated that Triptolide, more potent than Celastrol, inhibited cell growth and induced cell death in LNCaP and PC-3 cell lines. Triptolide also significantly inhibited the xenografted PC-3 tumor growth in nude mice. Moreover, Triptolide induced PCa cell apoptosis through caspases activation and PARP cleavage. Unbalance between SUMOylation and deSUMOylation was reported to play an important role in PCa progression. SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) was thought to be a potential marker and therapeutical target of PCa. Importantly, we observed that Triptolide down-regulated SENP1 expression in both mRNA and protein levels in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners, resulting in an enhanced cellular SUMOylation in PCa cells. Meanwhile, Triptolide decreased AR and c-Jun expression at similar manners, and suppressed AR and c-Jun transcription activity. Furthermore, knockdown or ectopic SENP1, c-Jun and AR expression in PCa cells inhibited the Triptolide anti-PCa effects. Taken together, our data suggest that Triptolide is a natural compound with potential therapeutic value for PCa. Its anti-tumor activity may be attributed to mechanisms involving down-regulation of SENP1 that restores SUMOylation and deSUMOyaltion balance and negative regulation of AR and c-Jun expression that inhibits the AR and c-Jun mediated transcription in PCa

Hierarchically Planning Static Gait for Quadruped Robot Walking on Rough Terrain

Quadruped robot has great potential to walk on rough terrain, in which static gait is preferred. A hierarchical structure based controlling algorithm is proposed in this paper, in which trajectory of robot center is searched, and then static gaits are generated along such trajectory. Firstly, cost map is constructed by computing terrain features under robot body and cost of selecting footholds at default positions, and then the trajectory of robot center in 2D space is searched using heuristic A⁎ algorithm. Secondly, robot state is defined from foothold and robot pose, and then state series are searched recursively along the trajectory of robot center to generate static gaits, where a tree-like structure is used to store such states. Lastly, a classical model for quadruped robot is designed, and then the controlling algorithm proposed in the paper is demonstrated on such robot model for both structured terrain and complex unstructured terrain in a simulation environment

Design and Experiment on Self-propelled Precise Feeding Equipment for Dairy Cow

Designed a kind of self-propelled precise feeding machine for single dairy cow based on the technology of RFID, to achieve the automation,fine and intelligent of dairy farming.The computer was used as the information management platform, MCU was used as control platform, even using wireless transmission, RFID recognition, infrared detection technology and so on, which achievement the information data of wireless transmission,precise recognition and detection cattle position.It is applied to equal-diameter and variable-pitch screw feeding structure to realize the precise concentrated feed supply, equipment performance test shown that the system speed 60rpm is the most stable when feeding, feeding accuracy not less than 97.5%, to meet the feeding requirements, equipped with the best traveling speed is 0.6m/s, the response time of the system is 0.4s, the recognition rate is 96%; through one-month feeding experiment in the dairy cow farm showed that the milk production was increased, the average daily milk yield of individual cows improve 0.8kg than artificial feeding. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i4.235