Iris Segmentation Using Feature Channel Optimization for Noisy Environments

In recent years, iris recognition has been widely used in various fields. As the first step of iris recognition, segmentation accuracy is of great significance to the final recognition. However, iris images exhibit a variety of noise in the real world, which leads to lower segmentation accuracy than the ideal case. To address this problem, this paper proposes an iris segmentation method using feature channel optimization for noisy images. The method for non-ideal environments with noise is more suitable for practical applications. We add dense blocks and dilated convolutional layers to the encoder so that the information gradient flow obtained by different layers can be reused, and the receptive field can be expanded. In the decoder, based on Jensen-Shannon (JS) divergence, we first recalculate the weight of the feature channels obtained from each layer, which enhances the useful information and suppresses the interference information in the noisy environments to boost the segmentation accuracy. The proposed architecture is validated in the CASIA v4.0 interval (CASIA) and IIT Delhi v1.0 datasets (IITD). For CASIA, the mean error rate is 0.78%, and the F-measure value is 98.21%. For IITD, the mean error rate is 0.97%, and the F-measure value is 97.87%. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms other state-of-art methods under noisy environments, such as Gaussian blur, Gaussian noise, and salt and pepper noise.

     

新生儿胃穿孔的临床特点及影响预后的因素

目的探讨新生儿胃穿孔的临床特点及影响预后的相关因素。方法本研究为回顾性研究。研究对象为山西省儿童医院新生儿外科2008年1月至2017年12月手术治疗的49例新生儿胃穿孔病例。分析这些患儿的临床表现、辅助检查、手术情况及预后等临床资料。根据预后将患儿分为存活组和死亡组,探讨影响患儿预后的相关因素。采用独立样本t检验或连续性校正χ^2检验(或Fisher精确概率法)分析数据。结果(1)49例患儿中,男29例(59.2%),女20例(40.8%);早产儿30例(61.2%),足月儿19例(38.8%);体重(2450±700)g,范围为1010~5000 g。29例(59.2%)为低出生体重儿。11例(22.4%)有围产期不良事件;17例(34.7%)术前合并感染性休克;6例(12.2%)合并其他消化道畸形。2例(4.1%)有生后窒息复苏史,2例(4.1%)合并呼吸窘迫综合征行机械通气,12例(24.5%)有留置胃管或洗胃史。(2)49例患儿的发病时间为(3.8±2.0)d,47例(95.9%)于生后1周内发病,其中36例于生后≤4 d发病;25例(51.0%)发病到手术时间≤12 h。(3)首发症状以单纯腹胀最常见[69.4%(34/49)],12例(24.5%)腹胀伴呕吐,39例(79.6%)患儿术前腹部立位X射线片可见膈下大量游离气体,肝脏受压下移,胃泡影减小或消失。(4)所有患儿入院后均急诊行开腹探查、胃壁一期修补术。术中见27例(55.1%)穿孔位于胃大弯,5例(10.2%)位于胃小弯,14例(28.6%)位于胃前壁,3例(6.1%)位于胃后壁。33例(67.3%)穿孔长径≥3 cm。术后3例(6.1%)发生切口感染,2例(4.1%)吻合口漏;1例术后48 h发现大量气液胸,再次手术证实为食道重复并食道穿孔。(5)49例中,35例(71.4%)的病因为先天性胃壁肌层缺损,4例(8.2%)为损伤,10例(20.4%)为自发性穿孔。(6)49例中,8例(16.3%)死亡,36例(73.5%)存活,5例(10.2%)术后放弃治疗。剔除5例放弃治疗的患儿后,存活组中发病到手术时间≤12 h及穿孔长径<3 cm患儿的比例高于死亡组[61.1%(22/36)与1/8,χ^2=4.404;41.7%(15/36)与0/8];死亡组合并感染性休克的比例高于存活组[6/8与22.2%(8/36),χ^2=6.147](P值均<0.05)。结论新生儿胃穿孔病死率较高,先天性胃壁肌层缺损是新生儿胃穿孔的病理基础和主要病因,突然出现的腹胀是其主要的临床表现。尽早手术有助于提高治愈率。     

利用电子顺磁波谱技术研究红参对羟自由基的清除作用

目的 探索电子顺磁波谱（electron paramagnetic resonance，EPR）技术检测红参清除自由基活性的适合产生体系，并研究红参对羟自由基（?OH）的清除作用及其物质基础。方法 采用电子顺磁共振波谱仪检测不同浓度的红参提取液对?OH的体外清除作用，并用液质联用技术（LC-MS）分析红参中的主要皂苷成分，然后研究这些人参皂苷成分对?OH的清除作用。结果 确定了羟自由基的生成体系为：Fe²⁺ 0.1 mmol?L^-1、H₂O₂ 500 mmol?L^-1、DMPO 225 mmol?L^-1；不同浓度的红参提取液对?OH具有明显的清除作用，且其清除?OH的效力与浓度成正相关；LC-MS分析显示该红参提取液中主要含有Rh1、Rf、Rb3、F1、F2、Rg3、Rg5等成分，其中人参皂苷Rg5的清除自由基活性最强。结论 本研究建立了用EPR技术研究红参清除自由基活性的适合产生体系，红参具有明显的清除?OH的能力，且人参皂苷Rg5是其清除自由基的活性成分之一，确定了红参抗自由基的主要物质基础，为红参及人参皂苷Rg5的开发、应用提供了科学依据和理论基础。     

Epigenetic priming with decitabine followed by low dose idarubicin and cytarabine in acute myeloid leukemia evolving from myelodysplastic syndromes and higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes: a prospective multicenter single-arm trial

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) evolving from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or higher-risk MDS have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Our previous single-center study of decitabine followed by low dose idarubicin and cytarabine (D-IA) in patients with myeloid neoplasms showed promising primary results. We therefore conducted a multicenter study of D-IA regimen in AML evolving from MDS and higher-risk MDS. Patients with AML evolving from MDS or refractory anemia with excess blasts type 2 (RAEB-2) (based on the 2008 WHO classification) were included. The D-IA regimen (decitabine, 20 mg/m² daily, days 1 to 3; idarubicin, 6 mg/m² daily, days 4 to 6; cytarabine 25 mg/m² every 12 hours, days 4 to 8; granulocyte colony stimulating factor [G-CSF], 5 μg/kg, from day 4 until neutrophil count increased to 1.0 × 10⁹/L) was administered as induction chemotherapy. Seventy-one patients were enrolled and treated, among whom 44 (62.0%) had AML evolving from MDS and 27 (38.0%) had RAEB-2. Twenty-eight (63.6%) AML patients achieved complete remission (CR) or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi): 14 (31.8%) patients had CR and 14 (31.8%) had CRi. Six (22.2%) MDS patients had CR and 15 (55.6%) had marrow complete remission. The median overall survival (OS) was 22.4 months for the entire group, with a median OS of 24.2 months for AML and 20.0 months for MDS subgroup. No early death occurred. In conclusion, the D-IA regimen was effective and well tolerated, representing an alternative option for patients with AML evolving from MDS or MDS subtype RAEB-2.     

浙江省2007－2017年罕见病住院病例特征分析

目的 分析2007-2017年浙江省24 388例罕见病住院病例特征，为制定罕见病防控策略提供依据。方法 收集2007-2017年浙江省10家三级甲等（三甲）医院罕见病住院病例资料和各年度住院数，进行描述性统计分析。结果 罕见病病例共24 388例，占住院总例数的2.69‰（24 388/9 054 201），病例数居前3位的疾病类型依次为"血液和造血器官疾病以及某些涉及免疫机能的异常"（占32.81%，8 001/24 388）、"先天性畸形、变形和染色体异常"（占24.87%，6 065/24 388）和"神经系统疾病"（占19.01%，4 635/24 388）；2007-2017年罕见病病例数呈逐年增长趋势，年均增幅19.69%，而罕见病例数占同期住院总例数比例仅在2016-2017年明显上升，各类型罕见病时间分布呈不同特征；罕见病的病例数男女性别比为1.35：1（13 990/10 398），男女性别比最高的3类疾病依次为"消化系统疾病"（4.45：1，1 180/265）、"损伤、中毒和外因的某些其他后果"（3.51：1，281/80）和"神经系统疾病"（2.26：1，3 213/1 422）；各年龄段罕见病类型、各类型罕见病年龄分布均呈不同特征；病例数居前10位的疾病占全部罕见病例数的53.55%（13 060/24 388），其中前3位疾病分别为成人粒细胞缺乏症（14.41%，3 515/24 388）、皮质基底核退化症（7.60%，1 854/24 388）和亨诺克-舍恩莱因紫癜（6.01%，1 466/24 388）。结论 本研究分析的浙江省2007-2017年24 388例罕见病住院病例的特征资料，是推动我国罕见病的研究、监测或登记数据库构建、制定防控策略的参考依据。     

Theoretical potential for endometrial cancer prevention through primary risk factor modification: Estimates from the EPIC cohort

Endometrial cancer (EC) incidence rates vary ~10-fold worldwide, in part due to variation in EC risk factor profiles. Using an EC risk model previously developed in the European EPIC cohort, we evaluated the prevention potential of modified EC risk factor patterns and whether differences in EC incidence between a European population and low-risk countries can be explained by differences in these patterns. Predicted EC incidence rates were estimated over 10 years of follow-up for the cohort before and after modifying risk factor profiles. Risk factors considered were: body mass index (BMI, kg/m²), use of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) and oral contraceptives (OC) (potentially modifiable); and, parity, ages at first birth, menarche and menopause (environmentally conditioned, but not readily modifiable). Modeled alterations in BMI (to all ≤23 kg/m²) and HT use (to all non-HT users) profiles resulted in a 30% reduction in predicted EC incidence rates; individually, longer duration of OC use (to all ≥10 years) resulted in a 42.5% reduction. Modeled changes in not readily modifiable exposures (i.e., those not contributing to prevention potential) resulted in ≤24.6% reduction in predicted EC incidence. Women in the lowest decile of a risk score based on the evaluated exposures had risk similar to a low risk countries; however, this was driven by relatively long use of OCs (median = 23 years). Our findings support avoidance of overweight BMI and of HT use as prevention strategies for EC in a European population; OC use must be considered in the context of benefits and risks.     

MOB1A regulates glucose deprivation-induced autophagy via IL6-STAT3 pathway in gallbladder carcinoma

MOB kinase activator 1A (MOB1A) plays an important role in many diseases and cancers. Here, we observed that MOB1A was substantially overexpressed in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) tissues compared with nontumor tissues. The high expression of MOB1A was closely associated with poor survival in patients with GBC at advanced TNM stages. Furthermore, our study indicated that MOB1A promoted autophagy by activating the IL6/STAT3 signaling pathway and regulating the chemosensitivity to gemcitabine under glucose deprivation conditions both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these findings suggested that MOB1A is critical for the development of GBC via the MOB1A-IL6/STAT3-autophagy axis.     

乳腺癌相关microRNA的研究进展

乳腺癌作为一种复杂的、表型多样性的遗传性疾病，涉及基因表达和各种结构的变化。如何早期诊断乳腺癌，降低乳腺癌发病率、死亡率一直是大众关注的焦点。微小RNA（microRNA）是一类内源性非编码单链RNA，广泛参与乳腺癌细胞的增殖、分化、凋亡等生理过程，并与乳腺癌患者的临床分期、淋巴结转移、远处转移等相关。现就microRNA在乳腺癌发生、发展过程中的作用，及其在该病诊疗过程中的应用作一综述，以期为乳腺癌的进一步研究提供新的思路。     

Correction to: The IgG galactosylation ratio is higher in spondyloarthritis patients and associated with the MRI score

Clinical Rheumatology - In the original version of the above article the References 19 and 20 were incorrect which cannot describe the development of the SPARCC score.