An UM-based silhouette-crease edge enhancement for noisy images

[[abstract]]This paper presents an improved unsharp masking (UM) technique that enhances the quality and suppresses noises for the images acquired from a noisy environment such as taken during night time. Our approach employs noise smoothing and the idea that important edges should be enhanced more than minor edges. Edges are classified as silhouette and crease edges (major and minor edges) according to their lengths. An adaptive weighting method is used to enhance the edges. In this way, the major edges (silhouette) are sharpened more than minor edges (crease). The proposed method is examined on night images as well as noisy images. It is also compared to existing UM-based methods with satisfying results.[[notice]]補正完

Structural Characterization and Antioxidative Activity of Low-Molecular-Weights Beta-1,3-Glucan from the Residue of Extracted Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting Bodies

The major cell wall constituent of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) is β-1,3-glucan. This study examined the polysaccharide from the residues of alkaline-extracted fruiting bodies using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC), and it employed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) to confirm the structures. We have successfully isolated low-molecular-weight β-1,3-glucan (LMG), in high yields, from the waste residue of extracted fruiting bodies of G. lucidum. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay evaluated the capability of LMG to suppress H2O2-induced cell death in RAW264.7 cells, identifying that LMG protected cells from H2O2-induced damage. LMG treatment decreased H2O2-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. LMG also influenced sphingomyelinase (SMase) activity, stimulated by cell death to induce ceramide formation, and then increase cell ROS production. Estimation of the activities of neutral and acid SMases in vitro showed that LMG suppressed the activities of both neutral and acid SMases in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that LMG, a water-soluble β-1,3-glucan recycled from extracted residue of G. lucidum, possesses antioxidant capability against H2O2-induced cell death by attenuating intracellular ROS and inhibiting SMase activity

Autologous serum therapy in recalcitrant laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis-induced neurotrophic epitheliopathy

AbstractBackground/PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy of autologous serum eye drops for patients with recalcitrant laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)-induced neurotrophic epitheliopathy (LINE) unresponsive to conventional treatment, and to determine the possible predisposing risk factors of these patients.MethodsWe enrolled 10 consecutive patients (20 eyes) undergoing femtosecond-assisted myopic LASIK surgery presenting with recalcitrant LINE for > 1 year. Another 340 patients (713 eyes) receiving femtosecond-assisted myopic LASIK without recalcitrant LINE were set as controls. Possible risk factors associated with recalcitrant LINE were investigated. Twenty percent autologous serum treatment was prescribed to 20 eyes. The efficacy of autologous serum was assessed with ocular surface conditions, tear function, and the change of best-corrected visual acuity.ResultsAge older than 30 years [odds ratio (OR) = 7.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.74–34.50], flap thickness < 110 μm (OR = 3.47; 95% CI, 1.22–9.73), and a flap diameter < 8.5 mm (OR = 5.38; 95% CI, 1.95–14.85) pose higher risks in femtosecond laser-assisted myopic LASIK. All eyes (100%) achieved remission after autologous serum treatment. The visual acuity before treatment was 0.49 ± 0.41 in LogMAR, and the visual acuity after treatment was 0.14 ± 0.22 in LogMAR. Time to achieve remission was 8.26 ± 11.87 weeks. Mean relapse-free survival after discontinuing autologous serum was 47 weeks.ConclusionRisk factors of recalcitrant LINE in femtosecond laser-assisted myopic LASIK were identified as older age, a thinner flap (<110 μm), and a small flap diameter (<8.5 mm). Autologous serum eye drops can effectively improve corneal surface conditions and postoperative visual acuity

A comprehensive platform for quality control of botanical drugs (PhytomicsQC): a case study of Huangqin Tang (HQT) and PHY906

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Establishing botanical extracts as globally-accepted polychemical medicines and a new paradigm for disease treatment, requires the development of high-level quality control metrics. Based on comprehensive chemical and biological fingerprints correlated with pharmacology, we propose a general approach called PhytomicsQC to botanical quality control.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Incorporating the state-of-the-art analytical methodologies, PhytomicsQC was employed in this study and included the use of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) for chemical characterization and chemical fingerprinting, differential cellular gene expression for bioresponse fingerprinting and animal pharmacology for <it>in vivo </it>validation. A statistical pattern comparison method, Phytomics Similarity Index (PSI), based on intensities and intensity ratios, was used to determine the similarity of the chemical and bioresponse fingerprints among different manufactured batches.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eighteen batch samples of Huangqin Tang (HQT) and its pharmaceutical grade version (PHY906) were analyzed using the PhytomicsQC platform analysis. Comparative analysis of the batch samples with a clinically tested standardized batch obtained values of PSI similarity between 0.67 and 0.99.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>With rigorous quality control using analytically sensitive and comprehensive chemical and biological fingerprinting, botanical formulations manufactured under standardized manufacturing protocols can produce highly consistent batches of products.</p

Application of 2,3-Naphthalenediamine in Labeling Natural Carbohydrates for Capillary Electrophoresis

Neutral and acidic monosaccharide components in &lt;em&gt;Ganoderma lucidum&lt;/em&gt; polysaccharide are readily labeled with 2,3-naphthalenediamine, and the resulting saccharide-naphthimidazole (NAIM) derivatives are quantified by capillary electrophoresis (CE) in borate buffer. Using sulfated-α-cyclodextrin as the chiral selector, enantiomers of monosaccharide-NAIMs are resolved on CE in phosphate buffer, allowing a simultaneous determination of the absolute configuration and sugar composition in the mucilage polysaccharide of a medicinal herb&lt;em&gt; Dendrobium&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;huoshanense&lt;/em&gt;. Together with the specific enzymatic reactions of various glycoside hydrolases on the NAIM derivatives of glycans, the structures of natural glycans can be deduced from the digestion products identified by CE analysis. Though heparin dissachrides could be successfully derived with the NAIM-labeling method, the heparin derivatives with the same degree of sulfation could not be separated by CE

Inhibitory Effect of Anoectochilus formosanus Extract on Hyperglycemia-Related PD-L1 Expression and Cancer Proliferation

Traditional herb medicine, golden thread (Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata) has been used to treat various diseases. Hyperglycemia induces generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhancement of oxidative stress which are risk factors for cancer progression and metastasis. In this study, we evaluated hypoglycemic effect of A. formosanus extracts (AFEs) in an inducible hyperglycemia animal model and its capacity of free-radical scavenging to establish hyperglycemia-related carcinogenesis. AFE reduced blood glucose in hyperglycemic mice while there was no change in control group. The incremental area under blood glucose response curve was decreased significantly in hyperglycemic mice treated with AFE in a dose-dependent manner. AFE and metformin at the same administrated dose of 50 mg/kg showed similar effect on intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test in hyperglycemic mice. Free-radical scavenger capacity of AFE was concentration dependent and 200 μg/ml of AFE was able to reduce more than 41% of the free radical. Treatment of cancer cells with AFE inhibited constitutive PD-L1 expression and its protein accumulation. It also induced expression of pro-apoptotic genes but inhibited proliferative and metastatic genes. In addition, it induced anti-proliferation in cancer cells. The results suggested that AFE not only reduced blood glucose concentration as metformin but also showed its potential use in cancer immune chemoprevention/therapy via hypoglycemic effect, ROS scavenging and PD-L1 suppression

Asymmetric reduction using lithium aluminum hydride and borane modified by chiral ligands derived from (1R)-(-)- myrtenal

鏡像選擇還原(enantioselective reduction)趨掌性 (pro- chiral) 酮 類化合物，生成具光學活性(optically active)的醇類化合物，在有機合 成是相當重要的。基於此，本論文利用(1R) -(-)-桃金娘苫烯醛( myrtenal)合成掌性配位基(chiral ligand)將他們作為四氫化鋁鋰 (lithium aluminum hydride) 及氫化硼 (boron hydride)之掌性修飾劑( modifier)對趨掌性酮類化合物進行不對稱還原反應之研究結果。首先， (1R)-(-)-桃金娘苫烯醛與乙二醇反應，將醛基保護後，再以四氧化鋨氧 化成雙羥基(dihydroxy)化合物 29 (57%)。將雙醇類化合物 29 之雙羥基 以丙酮保護，同時去除醛基保護後得到dioxalane 32 (92%)。 對化合物 32 進行還原胺化反應 (reductive amination)可以得到胺類化合物 33 (67%)，最候將 dioxalane保護基，得到胺基雙醇掌性修飾劑 31 (95%)。 將化合物 29 之二級醇與碘甲烷反應產生甲醚化合物 34 (84%) ，將化合 物 34 醛基之保護去除而得到化合物 35 (74%)。再將醛基以還原胺化反 應轉變成胺基醇掌性修飾劑 26b (69%)，將掌性修飾劑 26b 與甲基硼酸 進行環化反應，得到掌性催化劑 38b 。將掌性修飾劑 26b 作為四氫化鋁 鋰修飾劑，對乙醯苯(ace- tophenone)﹑丙醯苯(propiophenone)﹑丁醯 苯(butyrophenone)﹑ 乙酸苯酮(benzylacetone)﹑2-辛酮(2-octanone) 進行一系列還原反應，可得到相當好之化學產率(80100%)及普通之光學產 率 (316%)的掌性二級醇。將掌性催化劑 38b 與硼烷對上列酮類化合物進 行還原反應，可得到適可及不錯之化學產率(3581%)及普通之光學產 率(0.913%)的掌性二級醇

An Anomaly Detection by Whitening HOSF

[[abstract]]In this paper an improvement over our previous work is proposed to handle short-medium range surveillance videos. The features of histogram of oriented social force (HOSF) are the primitive building blocks to capture the interactions among people. To reduce the correlation among data, whitening procedure is applied on features. We use Bag-of-Feature (BoF) to pool HOSF in a given frame. Since our goal is to classify whether a given frame is normal and BoF, a histogram of visual words in a frame, can better represent patterns in term of frame. In the phase of building the dictionary, training BoFs are clustered and the center means are so called code words corresponding to "normal" patterns observed during the training process. A Gaussian model is constructed for distances between data and the codeword in each cluster. To decide whether a given frame is normal, the BoF feature is evaluated and the Z-score which measuring the deviation to the closest codeword is calculated. If such BoF is an outlier (i.e. High Z-score) comparing to the closest codeword, then the frame is classified "abnormal". The method is testified by the subway dataset with promising results.[[notice]]補正完畢[[conferencetype]]國際[[conferencedate]]2015 3/24 - 3/27[[booktype]]電子版[[iscallforpapers]]Y[[conferencelocation]]Gwangju, South Korea[[countrycodes]]KO