A system according to the present disclosure may include a display unit, a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to generate vector field data including axial and lateral (or transverse) velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, calculate velocity profiles for a plurality of locations along a wall of the bodily structure based on the axial and lateral velocity components, generate wall shear stress (WSS) visualization data based, at least in part, on the velocity profiles, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the WSS visualization data.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of NUDT15 R139C, thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT), and 6-TGN on azathioprine (AZA) induced leukopenia in Chinese autoimmune patients. Among 87 enrolled patients, 23 (26.4%) had leukopenia. The NUDT15 R139C variant was associated with leukopenia (p =3D 1.86 x 10(-7); OR: 7.59; 95% CI: 3.16-18.21). However, TPMT genotype was not shown to be correlated with the incidence of leukopenia (p =3D 0.95). There was no significant difference of 6-TGN concentration between patients with or without leukopenia (p =3D 0.15) and no association was found in patients with NUDT15 R139C variants alleles (p =3D 0.62). Finally, we found that the range of 6-TGN concentrations in autoimmune diseases was much lower than the established 6-TGN monitoring range for inflammatory bowel diseases. Therefore, the variant of NUDT15 R139C is strongly associated with AZA-induced leukopenia in Chinese patients with various autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, etc.
Wang, Shiying
Mauldin, F. William
Klibanov, Alexander L.
Hossack, John A.
Ultrasound molecular imaging has demonstrated efficacy in pre-clinical studies for cancer and cardiovascular inflammation. However, these techniques often require lengthy protocols because of waiting periods or additional control microbubble injections. Moreover, they are not capable of quantifying molecular marker concentration in human tissue environments that exhibit variable attenuation and propagation path lengths. Our group recently investigated a modulated acoustic radiation force-based imaging sequence, which was found to detect targeted adhesion independent of control measurements. In the present study, this sequence was tested against various experimental parameters to determine its feasibility for quantitative measurements of molecular marker concentration. Results indicated that measurements obtained from the sequence (residual-to-saturation ratio, R-resid) were independent of acoustic pressure and attenuation (p > 0.13, n = 10) when acoustic pressures were sufficiently low. The Rresid parameter exhibited a linear relationship with measured molecular marker concentration (R-2 > 0.94). Consequently, feasibility was illustrated in vitro, for quantification of molecular marker concentration in large vessels using a modulated acoustic radiation force-based sequence. Moreover, these measurements were independent of absolute acoustic reflection amplitude and used short imaging protocols (3 min) without control measurements. (C) 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.
Disclosed are a low grade heat flow prime motor, a low grade heat flow generating system and a generating method thereof. The low grade heat flow prime motor comprises a heat flow boiler unit (1), an expansion working unit (2) and a pressurizing unit (5). A low boiling medium passes through the heat flow boiler unit (1) and, after heat-exchanging with the low grade heat flow, enters the expansion working unit (2) to push a motion member of the working unit to move. After pressurized, the low boiling medium flows back to the heat flow boiler unit (1) so as to form a working cycle. The expansion working unit (2) is equipped with a power output shaft that drives a generating unit (3) or a working set. The prime motor is suitable for a heat source temperature range of 30-400℃ and a pressure range from a positive pressure to a negative pressure, so that waste heat energy is fully recovered and used to improve utilization efficiency of heat energy, save resource and protect environment.
A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to estimate axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid flowing within the bodily structure, determine a plurality of flow directions within the image based on the axial and lateral velocity components, differentially encode the flow directions based on flow direction angle to generate a flow direction map, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the image including the bodily structure overlaid with the flow direction map.
To investigate the therapeutic effects of PN on intestinal inflammation and microvascular injury and its mechanisms, dextran sodium sulfate- (DSS-) or iodoacetamide- (IA-) induced rat colitis models were used. After colitis model was established, PN was orally administered for 7 days at daily dosage of 1.0 g/kg. Obvious colonic inflammation and mucosal injuries and microvessels were observed in DSS- and IA-induced colitis groups. DAI scores, serum concentrations of VEGFA121, VEGFA165, VEGFA165/VEGFA121, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, and expression of Rap1GAP and TSP1 proteins in the colon were significantly higher while serum concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10 and MVD in colon were significantly lower in the colitis model groups than in the normal control group. PN promoted repair of colonic mucosal injury and microvessels, attenuated inflammation, and decreased DAI scores in rats with colitis. PN also decreased the serum concentrations of VEGFA121, VEGFA165, VEGFA165/VEGFA121, IL-6, and TNF-alpha and increased the serum concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10, with the expression of Rap1GAP and TSP1 proteins in colonic mucosa being downregulated. The constituents of PN were identified with HPLC-DAD. To sum up, PN could promote repair of injuries of colonic mucosa and microvessels via downregulating VEGFA isoforms and inhibiting Rap1GAP/TSP1 signaling pathway.
Wang, Shiying
Wang, Claudia Y
Unnikrishnan, Sunil
Klibanov, Alexander L
Hossack, John A
Mauldin, F William Jr
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to optically verify the dynamic behaviors of adherent microbubbles in large blood vessel environments in response to a new ultrasound technique using modulated acoustic radiation force.; MATERIALS AND METHODS: Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flow channels coated with streptavidin were used in targeted groups to mimic large blood vessels. The custom-modulated acoustic radiation force beam sequence was programmed on a Verasonics research scanner. In vitro experiments were performed by injecting a biotinylated lipid-perfluorobutane microbubble dispersion through flow channels. The dynamic response of adherent microbubbles was detected acoustically and simultaneously visualized using a video camera connected to a microscope. In vivo verification was performed in a large abdominal blood vessel of a murine model for inflammation with injection of biotinylated microbubbles conjugated with P-selectin antibody.; RESULTS: Aggregates of adherent microbubbles were observed optically under the influence of acoustic radiation force. Large microbubble aggregates were observed solely in control groups without targeted adhesion. Additionally, the dispersion of microbubble aggregates were demonstrated to lead to a transient acoustic signal enhancement in control groups (a new phenomenon we refer to as "control peak"). In agreement with in vitro results, the control peak phenomenon was observed in vivo in a murine model.; CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first optical observation of microbubble-binding dynamics in large blood vessel environments with application of a modulated acoustic radiation force beam sequence. With targeted adhesion, secondary radiation forces were unable to produce large aggregates of adherent microbubbles. Additionally, the new phenomenon called control peak was observed both in vitro and in vivo in a murine model for the first time. The findings in this study provide us with a better understanding of microbubble behaviors in large blood vessel environments with application of acoustic radiation force and could potentially guide future beam sequence designs or signal processing routines for enhanced ultrasound molecular imaging.=20
A system for visualization and quantification of ultrasound imaging data may include a display unit, and a processor communicatively coupled to the display unit and to an ultrasound imaging apparatus for generating an image from ultrasound data representative of a bodily structure and fluid flowing within the bodily structure. The processor may be configured to generate vector field data corresponding to the fluid flow, wherein the vector field data comprises axial and lateral velocity components of the fluid, extract spatiotemporal information from the vector field data at one or more user-selected points within the image, and cause the display unit to concurrently display the spatiotemporal information at the one or more user-selected points with the image including a graphical representation of the vector field data overlaid on the image, wherein the spatiotemporal information includes at least one of a magnitude and an angle of the fluid flow.
Purpose: Proliferative retinal angiogenesis may severely impair the retina. Previous studies have indicated that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 play important roles in the process of retinal angiogenesis. In this study, we suppressed MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression with RNA interference (RNAi) and then observed the inhibitory effects on the invasion and migration of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs). Methods: Small interfering RNAs against MMP-2 mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA were synthesized. After transfection, the MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in HRMECs was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Cell migration and invasion were measured with a migration assay and a scratch wound assay, respectively. Results: RNAi against MMP-2 and MMP-9 successfully inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in HRMECs. MMP-2 and MMP-9 knockdown could inhibit the invasion and migration of HRMECs. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the RNAi approach towards MMP-2 and MMP-9 may be a potentially effective therapeutic method for the treatment of proliferative retinal angiogenesis. (c) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel
A novel controlled-release bioassay for highly sensitive and selective detection of intracellular ATP was developed based on positive charge-modified Au nanocages capped with an aptamer molecular gate, and it was used successfully for fluorescence microscopy imaging of ATP in living cells. =20
Wang, Shiying
Mauldin, F. William, Jr.
Klibanov, Alexander L.
Hossack, John A.
Real-time ultrasound-based targeted molecular imaging in large blood vessels holds promise for early detection and diagnosis of stroke risk by identifying early markers for atherosclerosis prior to plaque formation. Singular spectrum-based targeted molecular (SiSTM) imaging is a recently proposed method that uses changes in statistical dimensionality-quantified by a normalized singular spectrum area (NSSA)-to image receptor-ligand-bound adherent microbubbles. However, the precise physical mechanism responsible for the distinct statistical signature was previously unknown. In this study, in vitro flow phantom experiments were performed to elucidate the physical mechanism in large blood vessel environments. In the absence of flow, an increase in the NSSA of adherent microbubbles with respect to tissue was not observed with increased microbubble concentration or pulse length (p > .23; n = 5) but was observed with increased flow rate (p < .01; n = 10). When observing the dynamics of the adherent microbubble statistics, a good correlation was observed between the NSSA and the derivative of image intensity (R-2 > .97). In addition, a monotonic relationship between the NSSA and decorrelation was demonstrated. These findings confirm the hypothesis that the statistical signature of adherent microbubbles is derived from frame-to-frame decorrelation, which is induced by flow shear forces.