An Architecture for High-throughput and Improved-quality Stereo Vision Processor

This paper presents the VLSI architecture to achieve high-throughput and improved-quality stereo vision for real applications. The stereo vision processor generates gray-scale output images with depth information from input images taken by two CMOS Image Sensors (CIS). The depth estimator using the sum of absolute differences (SAD) algorithm as stereo matching technique is implemented on hardware by exploiting pipelining and parallelism. To produce depth maps with improved-quality at real-time, pre- and post-processing units are adopted, and to enhance the adaptability of the system to real environments, special function registers (SFRs) are assigned to vision parameters. The design using 0.18um standard CMOS technology can operate at 120MHz clock, achieving over 140 frames/sec depth maps with 320 by 240 image size and 64 disparity levels. Experimental results based on images taken in real world and the Middlebury data set will be presented. Comparison data with existing hardware systems and hardware specifications of the proposed processor will be given

The submucosal fibrosis: what does it mean for colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection?

Background/AimsEndoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) allows removal of colorectal epithelial neoplasms en bloc regardless of size. Colorectal ESD is a difficult procedure because of technical difficulties and risks of complications. This study aimed to assess the relationship between ESD outcome and degree of submucosal fibrosis.MethodsPatients with colorectal tumors undergoing ESD and their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. The degree of submucosal fibrosis was classified into three types. The relationship between ESD outcome and degree of submucosal fibrosis was analyzed.ResultsESD was performed in 158 patients. Thirty-eight cases of F0 (no) fibrosis (24.1%) and 46 cases of F2 (severe) fibrosis (29.1%) were observed. Complete resection was achieved for 138 lesions (87.3%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that submucosal invasion of tumor and histology of carcinoma were independent risk factors for F2 fibrosis. Severe fibrosis was an independent risk factor for incomplete resection.ConclusionsSevere fibrosis is an important factor related to incomplete resection during colorectal ESD. In cases of severe fibrosis, the rate of complete resection was low even when ESD was performed by an experienced operator. Evaluation of submucosal fibrosis may be helpful to predict the submucosal invasion of tumors and technical difficulties in ESD

Barrier protection via Toll-like receptor 2 signaling in porcine intestinal epithelial cells damaged by deoxynivalnol

Additional file 2. IPEC-J2 cells pretreated with TLR2 ligand maintained the expression of MCP-1, GM-CSF and TLR2 against DON exposure. IPEC-J2 cells pretreated with or without TLR2 ligand for 24 h were exposed to DON. (A) The bar graph showed the mRNA levels of porcine mcp-1, gm-csf measured using real time-PCR at 1 and 6 h after DON exposure (n = 3). (B) The mRNA levels of porcine tlr2 were measured using real-time quantitative PCR analysis at 6 h. NT represents no treatment. Expression of each mRNA was presented relative to the expression of housekeeping gene, gapdh (n = 3). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001, determined by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s posttest

The relationships between clinical variables and renal parenchymal disease in pediatric clinically suspected urinary tract infection

Purpose : To evaluate the significance of clinical signs and laboratory findings as predictors of renal parenchymal lesions and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in childhood urinary tract infection (UTI). Methods : From July 2005 to July 2008, 180 patients admitted with a first febrile UTI at the Pediatric Department of Konkuk University Hospital were included in this study. The following were the clinical variables: leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), positive urine nitrite, positive urine culture, and fever duration both before and after treatment. We evaluated the relationships between clinical variables and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) results. Results : VCUG was performed in 148 patients&#59; of them, 37 (25.0&#37;) had VUR: 18 (12.2&#37;) had low-grade (I-II) VUR, and 19 (10.5&#37;) had high-grade (III-V) VUR. Of the 95 patients who underwent DMSA scanning, 29 (30.5&#37;) had cortical defects, of which 21 (63.6&#37;) had VUR: 10 (30.3&#37;), low-grade (I-II) VUR&#59; and 11 (33.3&#37;), high-grade VUR. Of the 57 patients who were normal on DMSA scan, 8 (14.0&#37;) had low-grade VUR and 6 (10.5&#37;) had high-grade VUR. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the DMSA scan in predicting high-grade VUR were 64.7&#37;, 69.9&#37;, 33.3&#37;, and 89.5&#37;, respectively. Leukocytosis, elevated CRP, and prolonged fever (?#243;6 hours) after treatment were significantly correlated with the cortical defects on DMSA scans and high-grade VUR. Conclusion : Clinical signs, including prolonged fever after treatment, elevated CRP, and leukocytosis, are positive predictors of acute pyelonephritis and high-grade VUR

Identification of New Proteins in Follicular Fluid from Mature Human Follicles by Direct Sample Rehydration Method of Two-Dimensional Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

Human follicular fluid (HFF) includes various biologically active proteins which can affect follicle growth and oocyte fertilization. Thus far, these proteins from mature follicles in human follicular fluid have been poorly characterized. Here, two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was used to identify new proteins in HFF. Mature follicular fluids were obtained from five females after oocyte collection during in vitro fertilization (IVF). We directly rehydrated HFF samples, obtained high-resolution 2-DE maps, and processed them for 2-DE and MALDI-MS. One hundred eighty spots were detected and 10 of these spots were identified. By the 2-DE database, six of them had been reported, as proteins already existing in HFF. Hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), Unnamed protein product 1 (UPP1), Unnamed protein product 2 (UPP2), and apolipoprotein A-IV precursor were newly detected. HSL and apolipoprotein A-IV participate in lipid metabolism. UPP1 has a homology with selenocysteine lyase. We found by RT-PCR that these genes are expressed from human primary granulosa cells. The proteins identified here may emerge as potential candidates for specific functions during folliculogenesis, hormone secretion regulation, or oocyte maturation. Further functional analysis of these proteins is necessitated to determine their biological implications

Original Article

99 cases were operated while we could not use antibiotics. The author traced X-ray photos on paper and measured areas of the peeled cavities with a planimeter. Results were as follows. 1) 66 cases had increasing stage and the rates were more than 30 %. 2) Cases with good developments showed larger original areas (50〜100cm^2) and smaller increasing rates (less than 30 %). 3) Also their X-ray photos showed coinciding or almost coinciding lines of the apices of lungs and the bases of cavities, but we had to take precautions against suppuration when they showed a horizontal line several days after operation. 4) Most of too high degree of adhesion or thickning of pleura did not show good results. When we found a cord which we must manage with some procedures by pneumolysis we must attend to suppuration too. 5)We ought to resect 4th or 5th rib more than 20 cm and 5th or 4th several cm supplementary. 6) As a method of constriction we commend the INVAGI.NATION method. 7) The author noticed in a considerable number of cases that the areas of cavities increased again after they kept long balanced stages

Atherosclerosis V, Proceeding of the Fifth International Symposium, A.M. Gotto, L.C. Smith, B. Allen, Spring Verlag, 1979(BOOK REVIEW)

Antiviral effect of micafungin on three strains of human rhinoviruses. H1HeLa cells were infected with human rhinovirus type 14 (A), 21 (B), or 71 (C) (100 CCID50) and immediately treated with indicated concentrations of micafungin. Three days after compound treatment antiviral activity was determined by the reduction of cytopathic effect using MTT assay. Cell viability of DMSO-treated cells was set to 0 % and that of uninfected cells was set to 100 %. (TIF 100 kb

Multi-strain probiotics alleviate loperamide-induced constipation by adjusting the microbiome, serotonin, and short-chain fatty acids in rats

Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders worldwide. The use of probiotics to improve constipation is well known. In this study, the effect on loperamide-induced constipation by intragastric administration of probiotics Consti-Biome mixed with SynBalance® SmilinGut (Lactobacillus plantarum PBS067, Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRH020, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BL050; Roelmi HPC), L. plantarum UALp-05 (Chr. Hansen), Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 (Chr. Hansen), and Streptococcus thermophilus CKDB027 (Chong Kun Dang Bio) to rats was evaluated. To induce constipation, 5 mg/kg loperamide was intraperitoneally administered twice a day for 7 days to all groups except the normal control group. After inducing constipation, Dulcolax-S tablets and multi-strain probiotics Consti-Biome were orally administered once a day for 14 days. The probiotics were administered 0.5 mL at concentrations of 2 × 108 CFU/mL (G1), 2 × 109 CFU/mL (G2), and 2 × 1010 CFU/mL (G3). Compared to the loperamide administration group (LOP), the multi-strain probiotics not only significantly increased the number of fecal pellets but also improved the GI transit rate. The mRNA expression levels of serotonin- and mucin-related genes in the colons that were treated with the probiotics were also significantly increased compared to levels in the LOP group. In addition, an increase in serotonin was observed in the colon. The cecum metabolites showed a different pattern between the probiotics-treated groups and the LOP group, and an increase in short-chain fatty acids was observed in the probiotic-treated groups. The abundances of the phylum Verrucomicrobia, the family Erysipelotrichaceae and the genus Akkermansia were increased in fecal samples of the probiotic-treated groups. Therefore, the multi-strain probiotics used in this experiment were thought to help alleviate LOP-induced constipation by altering the levels of short-chain fatty acids, serotonin, and mucin through improvement in the intestinal microflora

Characteristics of pediatric rhabdomyolysis and the associated risk factors for acute kidney injury: a retrospective multicenter study in Korea

Background The clinical features of pediatric rhabdomyolysis differ from those of the adults with rhabdomyolysis; however, multicenter studies are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of pediatric rhabdomyolysis and reveal the risk factors for acute kidney injury (AKI) in such cases. Methods This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of children and adolescents diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis at 23 hospitals in South Korea between January 2007 and December 2016. Results Among 880 patients, those aged 3 to 5 years old composed the largest subgroup (19.4%), and all age subgroups were predominantly male. The incidence of AKI was 11.3%. Neurological disorders (53.6%) and infection (39.0%) were the most common underlying disorder and cause of rhabdomyolysis, respectively. The median age at diagnosis in the AKI subgroup was older than that in the non-AKI subgroup (12.2 years vs. 8.0 years). There were no significant differences in body mass index, myalgia, dark-colored urine, or the number of causal factors between the two AKI-status subgroups. The multivariate logistic regression model indicated that the following factors were independently associated with AKI: multiorgan failure, presence of an underlying disorder, strong positive urine occult blood, increased aspartate aminotransferase and uric acid levels, and reduced calcium levels. Conclusions Our study revealed characteristic clinical and laboratory features of rhabdomyolysis in a Korean pediatric population and highlighted the risk factors for AKI in these cases. Our findings will contribute to a greater understanding of pediatric rhabdomyolysis and may enable early intervention against rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI