Automatic liver vessel segmentation using 3D region growing and hybrid active contour model

This paper proposes a new automatic method for liver vessel segmentation by exploiting intensity and shape constraints of 3D vessels. The core of the proposed method is to apply two different strategies: 3D region growing facilitated by bi-Gaussian filter for thin vessel segmentation, and hybrid active contour model combined with K-means clustering for thick vessel segmentation. They are then integrated to generate final segmentation results. The proposed method is validated on abdominal computed tomography angiography (CTA) images, and obtains an average accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Dice, Jaccard, and RMSD of 98.2%, 68.3%, 99.2%, 73.0%, 66.1%, and 2.56 mm, respectively. Experimental results show that our method is capable of segmenting complex liver vessels with more continuous and complete thin vessel details, and outperforms several existing 3D vessel segmentation algorithms

Preparation of Tetraethylenepentamine Modified Magnetic Graphene Oxide for Adsorption of Dyes from Aqueous Solution

<div><p>In this study, tetraethylenepentamine modified magnetic graphene oxide nanomaterial (TMGO) was prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). All the characterizations proved that the modification and preparation of TMGO were successful. The TMGO nanomaterial was used in the adsorption of Acid Red 18 (AR) in aqueous solution. The parameters like pH of solution, adsorption kinetics and isotherms were all investigated. The results indicated that the TMGO nanomaterial had satisfied adsorption ability and the maximum adsorption capacity was 524.2 mg g -1 at 45 °C and pH 6. The adsorption capacity remained at 91.8% of the initial value after five cycles. The adsorption process with AR was found through fitting the pseudo-second-order kinetics equations and the Freundlich adsorption model. The experimental results demonstrated that the TMGO nanomaterial could be rapidly extracted from the medium and had a good adsorption ability to remove dyes in wastewater.</p></div

Summary of sequence analysis.

<p>Summary of sequence analysis.</p

Comparative transcript profiling explores differentially expressed genes associated with sexual phenotype in kiwifruit

<div><p>Background</p><p>Kiwifruit is a perennial, deciduous and functionally dioecious plant. However, very little is known about the whole-genome molecular mechanisms contributing to distinct sexual phenotypes. To gain a global view of genes differentially expressed between male and female flowers, we analyzed genome-wide gene expression profiles in the flowers of male and female plants using high-throughput RNA sequencing.</p><p>Results</p><p>A total of 53.5 million reads were generated. Based on the alignments of unigenes to kiwifruit genome predicted genes, a total of 39,040 unique genes with a mean length of 970 bp were identified. There were 2,503 UniGenes differentially expressed between female and male flowers, with 1,793 up-regulated and 710 down-regulated in the female flowers. Moreover, the gene expression pattern of 17 out of 19 unigenes differentially expressed between male and female flowers revealed by RNA-Seq was confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Here, we obtained a large number of EST sequences from female and male flowers of kiwifruit. This comparative transcriptome analysis provides an invaluable resource for gene expression, genomics, and functional genomic studies in <i>A</i>. <i>chinensis</i> and its related species. This study also represents a first step toward the investigation of genes involved in kiwifruit sex determination.</p></div

Plant hormone signal transduction.

<p>Thirty-seven unigenes were assigned to plant hormone signal transduction pathways by KEGG. The kiwifruit unigenes involved in these pathways are marked in green. Arrows indicate differentially expressed genes closely associated with hormone synthesis and metabolism.</p

Morphological differences in the floral organs of female and male kiwifruit individuals.

<p>Morphological differences in the floral organs of female and male kiwifruit individuals.</p

KEGG analysis for genes differentially expressed between female and male flowers.

<p>KEGG analysis for genes differentially expressed between female and male flowers.</p

GO analysis for genes differentially expressed between female and male flowers.

<p>GO analysis for genes differentially expressed between female and male flowers.</p

Distribution of over-expressed transcription factors in female and male flowers.

<p>Distribution of over-expressed transcription factors in female and male flowers.</p

Validation of 19 genes differentially expressed between female and male flowers using qRT-PCR.

<p>These differentially expressed genes encode V-type proton ATPase subunit E (A), DELLA protein GAI (B), Putative leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinase family protein (C), Putative uncharacterized protein OSJNBb0014M19.23–2 (D), Male sterility MS5 (E), Tapetum-specific protein A9 (F), Pollen ole e 1 allergen and extensin family protein (G), Flowering promoting factor-like protein (H), Transcription factor MYC (I), WRKY transcription factor (J), Transcription factor MYC2 (K), Pistil-specific extensin-like protein (L), Unknown protein (M), MYB transcription factor (N), Mitochondrial phosphate carrier protein (O), Nudix hydrolase 2 (P), Ethylene responsive transcription factor 12 (Q), Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase (R) and Small ubiquitin-related modifier 2 (S).</p