Gray Value Research Articles

Metal Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion Process Development Using Optical Tomography.

In this study, a set of 316 L stainless steel test specimens was additively manufactured by laser-based Powder Bed Fusion. The process parameters were varied for each specimen in terms of laser scan speed and laser power. The objective was to use a narrow band of parameters well inside the process window, demonstrating detailed parameter engineering for specialized additive manufacturing cases. The process variation was monitored using Optical Tomography to capture light emissions from the layer surfaces. Process emission values were stored in a statistical form. Micrographs were prepared and analyzed for defects using optical microscopy and image manipulation. The results of two data sources were compared to find correlations between lack of fusion, porosity, and layer-based energy emissions. A data comparison of Optical Tomography data and micrograph analyses shows that Optical Tomography can partially be used independently to develop new process parameters. The data show that the number of critical defects increases when the average Optical Tomography grey value passes a certain threshold. This finding can contribute to accelerating manufacturing parameter development and help meet the industrial need for agile component-specific parameter development.

A Controlled Variable Study of the Biomechanical Properties of the Proximal Femur before and after Cancellous Bone Removal.

The biomechanical characteristics of proximal femoral trabeculae are closely related to the occurrence and treatment of proximal femoral fractures. Therefore, it is of great significance to study its biomechanical effects of cancellous bone in the proximal femur. This study examines the biomechanical effects of the cancellous bone in the proximal femur using a controlled variable method, which provide a foundation for further research into the mechanical properties of the proximal femur. Seventeen proximal femoral specimens were selected to scan by quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and the gray values of nine regions were measure to evaluated bone mineral density (BMD) using Mimics software. Then, an intact femur was fixed simulating unilateral standing position. Vertical compression experiments were then performed again after removing cancellous bone in the femoral head, femoral neck, and intertrochanteric region, and data were recorded. According to the controlled variable method, the femoral head, femoral neck, and intertrochanteric trabeculae were sequentially removed based on the axial loading of the intact femur, and the displacement and strain changes of the femur samples under axial loading were recorded. Gom software was used to measure and record displacement and strain maps of the femoral surface. There was a statistically significant difference in anteroposterior displacement of cancellous bone destruction in the proximal femur (p < 0.001). Proximal femoral bone mass explained 77.5% of the strength variation, in addition proximal femoral strength was mainly affected by bone mass at the level of the upper outer, lower inner, lower greater trochanter, and lesser trochanter of the femoral head. The normal stress conduction of the proximal femur was destroyed after removing cancellous bone, the stress was concentrated in the femoral head and lateral femoral neck, and the femoral head showed a tendency to subside after destroying cancellous bone. The trabecular removal significantly altered the strain distribution and biomechanical strength of the proximal femur, demonstrating an important role in supporting and transforming bending moment under the vertical load. In addition, the strength of the proximal femur mainly depends on the bone density of the femoral head and intertrochanteric region.

Neutron imaging of exchange flow between biopore and matrix for Bt versus C horizons

AbstractThe surface coating of biopores plays a pivotal role in mediating mass exchange between the biopore and the soil matrix, ultimately governing preferential flow in structured soils. However, quantitative experiments of the flow exchange dynamics in the soil around an earthworm burrow (drilosphere) are limited. Here, we developed an experimental setup to mimic preferential flow within a biopore while monitoring the water distribution by neutron radiography. The objective was to quantify the evolving water content distribution in the biopore with surrounding drilosphere samples from Bt and C horizons. We hypothesize that the distribution of clay and organic material across biopore surfaces in Bt and C horizons impacts the biopore coating material formation (i.e., composition and thickness), thereby influencing its role in controlling mass exchange during preferential flow events. The experimental setup was proposed for in situ quantification of the preferential flow dynamics in an earthworm burrow (biopore) passing through Bt and C horizons of a Luvisol developed on glacial till. The neutron radiographies were obtained at the NEUtron Transmission Radiography facility of the Paul Scherrer Institut, Villingen. The volumetric water content was quantified by calibrating gray scale values from radiography images with defined water contents using stepped aluminum cuvettes attached to the samples; image analysis was used to determine sorptivity at the biopore–soil matrix interface. The water exchange flow was found to be smaller for coated biopore surface in the more clayey Bt horizon, as compared to the coarser textured carbonaceous subsoil C horizon, where higher sorptivity intensified mass exchange. The method most realistically captured the dynamics of the vertical preferential flow process in a biopore, including lateral exchange flow, by determining the water sorptivity of the drilosphere. In contrast to mini‐infiltrometer data, biopore–matrix exchange flow was here more restricted for Bt in contrast to carbonaceous C horizon. Since both horizons showed the presence of coating material on their burrow walls, the results suggest further analysis of their contrasting properties and structures.

A grayscale compression method to segment bone structures for 2D-3D registration of setup images in non-coplanar radiotherapy

Purpose. To evaluate the performance of an automated 2D-3D bone registration algorithm incorporating a grayscale compression method for quantifying patient position errors in non-coplanar radiotherapy. Methods. An automated 2D-3D registration incorporating a grayscale compression method to segment bone structures was proposed. Portal images containing only bone structures ( Portalbone ) and digitally reconstructed radiographs containing only bone structures ( DRRbone ) were used for registration. First, the portal image was filtered by a high-pass finite impulse response (FIR) filter. Then the grayscale range of the filtered portal image was compressed. Thresholds were determined based on the difference in gray values of bone structures in the filtered and compressed portal image to obtain Portalbone. Another threshold was applied to generate DRRbone when the CT image uses the ray-casting algorithm to generate DRR images. The compression performance was assessed by registering the DRRbone with the Portalbone obtained by compressing the portal image into various grayscale ranges. The proposed registration method was quantitatively and visually validated using (1) a CT image of an anthropomorphic head phantom and its portal images obtained in different poses and (2) CT images and pre-treatment portal images of 20 patients treated with non-coplanar radiotherapy. Results. Mean absolute registration errors for the best compression grayscale range test were 0.642 mm, 0.574 mm, and 0.643 mm, with calculation times of 50.6 min, 42.2 min, and 49.6 min for grayscale ranges of 0–127, 0–63 and 0–31, respectively. For the accuracy validation (1), the mean absolute registration errors for couch angles 0°, 45°, 90°, 270°, and 315° were 0.694 mm, 0.839 mm, 0.726 mm, 0.833 mm, and 0.873 mm, respectively. Among the six transformation parameters, the translation error in the vertical direction contributed the most to the registration errors. Visual inspection of the patient registration results revealed success in every instance. Conclusions. The implemented grayscale compression method successfully enhances and segments bone structures in portal images, allowing for accurate determination of patient setup errors in non-coplanar radiotherapy.

Inter-module gap filling method for photon counting detectors based on dual acquisition.

The use of photon counting detectors in X-ray imaging missions can effectively improve the signal-to-noise ratio and image resolution. However, the stitching of photon counting detector modules leads to large-size localized information loss in the acquired projected image, which seriously affects the regional observation. In this paper, we propose a method to fill the inter-module gap based on dual acquisition, referred to as the GFDA algorithm, which is divided into three main steps: (i) acquire the main projection by short-exposure scanning, and then scan again by vertically moving the carrier table to acquire the reference projection; (ii) use the alignment method to locate the projected region of interest; (iii) use image stitching and image fusion to recover the missing information. We analyzed the gray value of the region of interest of the Siemens star projection and the reconstructed conch slice data, and proved that the proposed method can recover the information more smoothly and perfectly. The GFDA algorithm is able to achieve a better image restoration effect without additional scanning time and better retain image details. In addition, the GFDA algorithm is scalable, which is demonstrated in the task of filling the stitching of multiple types of photonic technology detectors.

Optical information hiding for different surface images.

Optical hiding often requires the selection of specific artificial optical components as carriers, which results in poor versatility of the carriers and high costs for the hiding system. To conceal secret information on different surfaces such as metal, wood, and paper, we propose an optical information hiding method. In this method, we use images of surfaces, whose grayscale histograms have the characteristic of symmetric distribution. Based on this characteristic, we first scramble the surface image, and then adjust part of the gray value of the surface image to the complementary value to embed the secret information into a scrambled surface image to generate a key image. In the extraction process, a projector is used to reproduce the scrambled surface image and the key image, which are then incoherently superimposed to extract the secret information using the human visual system. The extraction process does not require complex optical knowledge and is simple and feasible. Simulation experiments and optical experiments indicate that this method is applicable in practice and possesses good security and imperceptibility. Furthermore, we prove the reliability of this method by embedding secret information in different surface images, demonstrating the potential application of more surface images in the field of optical information hiding. Finally, we discuss the applicability of surface information images and analyze the imperceptibility of key images.

Damage detection of road domain waveform guardrail structure based on machine learning multi-module fusion.

The current highway waveform guardrail recognition technology has encountered problems with low segmentation accuracy and strong noise interference. Therefore, an improved U-net semantic segmentation model is proposed to improve the efficiency of road maintenance detection. The model training is guided by mixed expansion convolution and mixed loss function, while the presence of guardrail shedding is investigated by using partial mean values of gray values in ROI region based on segmentation results, while the first-order detail coefficients of wavelet transform are applied to detect guardrail defects and deformation. It has been determined that the Miou and Dice of the improved model are improved by 8.63% and 17.67%, respectively, over the traditional model, and that the method of detecting defects in the data is more accurate than 85%. As a result of efficient detection of highway waveform guardrail, the detection process is shortened and the effectiveness of the detection is improved later on during road maintenance.

Research on interference compensation methods for color image sensors based on iterative learning

PurposeFixed mode noise and random mode noise always exist in the image sensor, which affects the imaging quality of the image sensor. The charge diffusion and color mixing between pixels in the photoelectric conversion process belong to fixed mode noise. This study aims to improve the image sensor imaging quality by processing the fixed mode noise.Design/methodology/approachThrough an iterative training of an ergoable long- and short-term memory recurrent neural network model, the authors obtain a neural network model able to compensate for image noise crosstalk. To overcome the lack of differences in the same color pixels on each template of the image sensor under flat-field light, the data before and after compensation were used as a new data set to further train the neural network iteratively.FindingsThe comparison of the images compensated by the two sets of neural network models shows that the gray value distribution is more concentrated and uniform. The middle and high frequency components in the spatial spectrum are all increased, indicating that the compensated image edges change faster and are more detailed (Hinton and Salakhutdinov, 2006; LeCun et al., 1998; Mohanty et al., 2016; Zang et al., 2023).Originality/valueIn this paper, the authors use the iterative learning color image pixel crosstalk compensation method to effectively alleviate the incomplete color mixing problem caused by the insufficient filter rate and the electric crosstalk problem caused by the lateral diffusion of the optical charge caused by the adjacent pixel potential trap.

A New Approach based on Fuzzy Clustering and Enhancement Operator for Medical Image Contrast Enhancement.

Image enhancement is a very significant topic in image processing that improves the quality of the images. The methods of image enhancement are classified into 3 categories. They include histogram method, fuzzy logic method and optimal method. Studies on image enhancement are often based on rules: if it's bright then it's brighter, if it's dark then it's darker and using the global approach. So, it's hard to enhance objects in all dark and light areas, as in the medical images. Input data is downloaded from the link: http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB. This paper introduces a new algorithm for enhancing medical images that is called the medical image enhancement based on cluster enhancement (MIECE). Firstly, the input image is clustered by the algorithm of fuzzy clustering. Then, the upper bound, and lower bound are calculated according to cluster. Next, the sub-algorithm is implemented for clustering enhancement using an enhancement operator. For each pixel, the gray levels for each channel (R, G, B) are transformed with this sub-algorithm to generate new corresponding gray levels. Because after clustering, each pixel belongs to each cluster with the corresponding membership value. Therefore, the output gray level value will be aggregated from the enhanced gray levels by the sub-algorithm with the weight of the corresponding cluster membership value. This paper experiences the method MIECE with input data downloaded from the link: http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB. The experimental results are compared with some recent methods that include: SGHIE (2017), Ying (2017) and KinD++ (2021). This paper introduces the new algorithm which is based on cluster enhancement (MIECE) to enhance the medical image contrast. The experimental results show that the output images of the proposed algorithm are better than some other recent methods for enhancing dark objects.

Anti-Biofilm Activity of Ethanol Extract of Citrus hystrix Dc. Against Opportunistic Pathogenic Microbes In-Vitro

Opportunistic pathogenic microbes are often a problem in the treatment of infections because of their ability to form biofilms. The structure of the irreversible components of the glycocalyx or microbial capsule plays a role in protecting it from antimicrobial exposure and disinfection. The effectiveness of antibiofilms needs to be evaluated, including those from natural preparations. Citrus hystrix DC. (C.hystrix) contains antimicrobial compounds and its activity as an antibiofilm needs to be known. This experimental research aims to test the anti-biofilm effect of C.hystrix extract against standard microbial isolates. The dilution method with tube-test was used to analyze the antibiofilm effect of a combination of C. hystrix leaf and peel extracts (6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) with 70% ethanol control. Antibiofilm observations are qualitatively based on the Minimum Biofilm Inhibitory Concentration (MBIC) and quantitatively based on the Mean Gray Value (MGV) of biofilm intensity. The results of observations in 3 experiments showed that the MBIC of C.hystix extract was 6.25% for gram-positive bacteria and 12.5% for gram-negative bacteria and Candida. The average MGV of C.hystrix extract was 75%, equivalent to 70% ethanol for all test microbes (p.0.05). The highest average MGV was produced by 100% combination extracts for S.epidermidis (138,09±0,36), S.aureus (135,69±2,01), E.coli (134,75±0,89), P.aeruginosa (130,76±0,24), and C.albicans (130,41±0,41). In conclusion, hystrix orange leaf and peel extracts produce anti-biofilm activity against test microbes in-vitro.

Gamma-enhancement of reflected light images as a routine method for assessment of compositional heterogeneity in common low-reflectance Fe-bearing minerals

Abstract Incorporation of impurity elements into minerals impacts on their physical properties (e.g., reflectance, hardness, and electrical conductivity) but the quantitative relationships between these features and compositional variation remain inadequately constrained. Prior work has shown that gamma-enhancement of reflected light images represents a simple yet powerful tool to assess the compositional heterogeneity of single pyrite crystals as it can enhance subtle differences in reflectance between distinct domains with different minor element concentrations. This study extends the gamma correction method to several other common Fe-bearing minerals, magnetite, garnet, wolframite, and tetrahedrite-tennantite, which all have far lower reflectance than pyrite. Gamma-enhanced optical images reveal clear variations in reflectance that are either systematic with increased minor element concentration as the change in gray value on backscatter electron (BSE) images (in the case of magnetite, garnet, and tetrahedrite-tennantite) or contrasting (as in pyrite), yielding a convincing linkage between reflectance variation and compositional heterogeneity. Reflectance variation is an expression of the distribution of the average effective number of free electrons on the mineral surface that can re-emit light when excited by visible light. Gamma-enhanced images can reveal compositional heterogeneity in minerals such as wolframite where small atomic mass differences between substituting elements (Mn and Fe, in the case of wolframite) are virtually impossible to observe as a variation of gray values on BSE images. Results also demonstrate that Fe-rich domains in these minerals can be expected to have higher reflectance than Fe-poor domains whenever Fe is a major constituent. The greater reflectance is attributed to Fe ions having a greater effective number of free electrons than many other elements (e.g., Co, Ni, Si, Ca, Al, Mg, Mn, and As). The research highlights the utility of gamma correction as an inexpensive tool for routine evaluation of compositional heterogeneity in common Fe-bearing minerals, potentially obviating the necessity of a microbeam platform to correlate textures and composition.

Combination of Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and Simplified Pivot Pairwise Relative Criteria Importance Assessment (PIPRECIA-S) in Determining the Best Staff

Problems in selecting the best staff often involve complex challenges such as difficulty finding candidates with good performance. The problems faced in the selection of the best are only based on the assessment of discipline and productivity of performance carried out by the staff, so the assessment process does not use aspects of criteria that are considered important in selecting the best staff. This study aims to determine the best staff based on predetermined criteria and in determining the selection of the best staff using the Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) decision model while in determining the weight of criteria using the Simplified Pivot Pairwise Relative Criteria Importance Assessment (PIPRECIA-S) model so that the weight of the resulting criteria is not based on assumptions from decision makers. The results of the best staff assessment ranking using the Gray Relational Analysis method and the Simplified Pivot Pairwise Relative Criteria Importance Assessment weighting method obtained the results, namely for Rank 1 obtained by Denis Irawan with a final Gray Relational Analysis value of 0.243014. The results of data processing in the TRITAM Model test for the best staff selection application were adjusted to the conclusion of the overall results of the TRITAM Model criteria for technology acceptance, the results were good at 82.56%.

Multifidus lesions: A possible pathological component in patients with low back pain after posterior lumbar surgery.

There are few histological studies on multifidus after lumbar surgery, and it is not clear whether multifidus changes affect the clinical outcome after lumbar surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between multifidus changes and clinical outcomes after lumbar surgery. Patients underwent internal fixation removal after lumbar posterior surgery were enrolled. Patients were divided into a low back pain (LBP) group (n = 15) and a non-low back pain (non-LBP) group (n = 10).The Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) were completed. 18 patients with lumbar fracture surgery were included as the control group. Multifidus morphological changes were observed by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining. The expression of TGF-β1 was observed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blot. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the multifidus in the non-LBP group and the control group were greater than those in the LBP group. TGF-β1 expression and gray value ratio in the non-LBP group and the control group were lower than those in the LBP group. The multifidus CSA and TGF-β1 expression in multifidus were strongly correlated with ODI and VAS. Patients with LBP after posterior lumbar surgery suffered from atrophy and fibrosis lesions in the multifidus, and the degree of multifidus lesions was closely related to dysfunction and pain, which might be one of the causes of LBP after posterior lumbar surgery.

Mammographically detected breast clustered microcalcifications localized by chest thin-section computed tomography

BackgroundTo explore the capability and clinical significance of chest thin-section computed tomography (CT) for localization of mammographically detected clustered microcalcifications.MethodsA total of 69 patients with 71 mammographically detected clustered microcalcifications received surgical biopsy under the guidance of mammography (MG), CT was used to localize calcifications combined with MG if calcifications can be seen on CT. Intraoperative mammography of the specimens were performed in all cases for identification of the resected microcalcifications. The clinical, imaging and pathological information of these patients were analyzed.ResultsA total of 42 (59.15%) cases of calcifications were localized by CT + MG, 29 (40.85%) cases were guided only by the mammography. All suspicious calcifications on the mammography were successfully removed. Pathological results showed 42 cases were cancer, 23 cases were benign, and 6 cases were atypical hyperplasia. The mean age in the CT + MG group was older than that of the MG group (54.12 vs. 49.27 years; P = 0.014). The maximum diameter of clusters of microcalcifications on mammography in the CT + MG group was larger than that of the MG group [(cranio-caudal view, 1.52 vs. 0.61 mm, P = 0.000; mediolateral oblique (MLO) view, 1.53 vs. 0.62 mm, P = 0.000)]. The gray value ratio (calcified area / paraglandular; MLO, P = 0.004) and the gray value difference (calcified area - paraglandular; MLO, P = 0.005) in the CT + MG group was higher than that of the MG group. Multivariate analysis showed that the max diameter of clusters of microcalcifications (MLO view) was a significant predictive factor of localization by CT in total patients (P = 0.001).ConclusionsAbout half of the mammographically detected clustered microcalcifications could be localized by thin-section CT. Maximum diameter of clusters of microcalcifications (MLO view) was a predictor of visibility of calcifications by CT. Chest thin-section CT may be useful for localization of calcifications in some patients, especially for calcifications that are only visible in one view on the mammography.

Sex dependent differences of temporomandibular condylar bone mineral density distribution

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study was to examine whether bone mineral density (BMD) distribution in the mandibular condyle and facial morphology are associated with temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) using clinical cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Methods CBCT images of 35 adults (16 male and 19 female) were examined to obtain TMJ OA counts, cephalometric analyses, and histograms of gray values that are proportional to BMD. Mean, standard deviation (SD), and low and high gray values at the 5th and 95th percentiles (Low5 and High5) of the histograms were measured. Results The female group had significantly higher values of TMJ OA counts, mean, and SD on the right mandibular condyle, High5 on both sides, and all gray value parameters for total (right + left) than the male group. Conclusion Comprehensive analysis of BMD distribution in the mandibular condyle can provide useful information for prognosis of TMJ OA.

Suppression of Coffee-ring Effect (CRE) in the Development of Low-cost Diagnostic Kit

One of the applications of membrane technology is using the polymeric membrane as an adsorber or assay-capturing matrix in the diagnostic kits' assembly. This study explores the addition of NaCl into a protein solution to suppress the coffee-ring effect (CRE) in developing a low-cost diagnostic kit. The highest concentration of NaCl addition shows the optimum results with no formation of CRE and high color intensity (low grey scale value). Adding NaCl into the protein solution is a safe and cheap alternative for lowering the cost of assembly, benefiting people in low-resource places.

The influence of industrial solid waste in conjunction with lepidolite tailings on the mechanical properties and microstructure of cemented backfill materials

The global demand for lithium resources continues to increase, resulting in significant solid waste generation, including tailings, during the process of lithium mining. To maintain a consistent 80% solid content and a cement-to-solid waste ratio of 1:12 in cementitious backfill (CB), an orthogonal experimental design was employed. The curing periods were set at 7 and 14 days respectively. Uniaxial compressive strength tests were conducted on specimens of CB containing varying proportions of desulfurization gypsum (DG), fly ash (FA), steel slag (SS), and lepidolite tailings (LT). Mechanical properties and microstructure were studied and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gray value analysis, as well as other equipment and methods. The results indicate that:(1)The compressive strength of CB specimens cured for 7 days ranged between 1.28 and 3.05 MPa, while those cured for 14 days exhibited compressive strengths ranging from 2.14 to 3.17 MPa, with the optimal solid waste mix ratio being 2:4:4:3. (2) The predominant macroscopic failure modes of the CB specimens are tensile failure and a combination of tensile and shear failure. The entire failure process encompasses four stages: initial pore compaction, linear elastic deformation, micro-crack propagation, and post-peak failure development. (3) Appropriately increasing the content of DG, FA, and LT and appropriately reducing the content of SS can effectively improve the mechanical properties of CB samples and contribute to the formation of hydration products by hydration reaction. The internal hydration products within the CB specimens encompass ettringite AFt (3CaO·Al₂O₃·3CaSO₄·32 H₂O) and C-(A)-S-H gel, with the latter demonstrating superior binding properties compared to AFt. As the curing age increases, the quantity of hydration products correspondingly grows. Furthermore, CB samples prepared with an optimal solid waste ratio exhibit a more compact internal microstructure. This work provides theoretical support for seeking the best proportions of multiple industrial solid wastes, such as lithium mica mine tailings, as backfill materials, while significantly reducing the cement costs associated with conventional filling and the handling burden of tailings generated from lithium mine extraction.

Ex-vivo validation of spatial gain sonography for the quantification of echo intensity in fascicle-aligned ultrasound images in ten anatomical muscles in Bos taurus

This study aimed to validate the concept of spatial gain sonography for quantifying texture-related echo intensity in B-mode ultrasound of skeletal muscle. Fifty-one bovine muscles were scanned postmortem using B-mode ultrasonography at varying fascicle probe angles (FPA). The relationship between mean gray values (MGV) and FPA was fitted with a sinusoidal and a linear function, the slope of which was defined as tilt echo gain (TEG). Macroscopic muscle cross sections were optically analyzed for intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) content which was plotted against MGV at 0° FPA (MGV_00). MGV peaked at FPA 0°. Sine fits were superior to linear fits (adjusted r2-values 0.647 vs. 0.613), especially for larger FPAs. In mixed models, the pennation angle was related to TEG (P < 0.001) and MGV_00 (P = 0.035). Age was relevant for MGV_00 (P < 0.001), but not TEG (P > 0.10). The correlation between the IMCT percentage and MGV_00 was significant but weak (P = 0.026; adjusted r2 = 0.103). The relationship between fascicle probe angle and echo intensity in B-mode ultrasound can be modeled more accurately with a sinusoidal but more practically for clinical use with a linear fit. The peak mean gray value MGV_00 can be used to compare echo intensity across muscles without the bias of pennation angle.

Sleep deprivation from mid-gestation leads to impaired of motor coordination in young offspring mice with microglia activation in the cerebellar vermis

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of mid-pregnancy sleep deprivation (SD) in C57BL/6 J mice on the motor coordination of the offspring and to explore the potential mechanism of microglia activation in the cerebellar vermis of the offspring involved in the induction of impaired motor coordination development. MethodsC57BL/6 J pregnant mice were randomly divided into the SD and control groups. SD was implemented by the multi-platform method from first day of the middle pregnancy (gestation day 8, GD8). At postnatal day 21 (PND21), we measured the development of motor behavior and collected cerebellar vermis tissues to observe the activation of microglia by H&E staining, the expression of microglia-specific markers ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule-1 (Iba-1) and cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) by immunohistochemical, and interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor -α (TNF-α) by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). ResultsIn the offspring of SD group, comparing to the control group, the total time of passage and the reverse crawl distance in the balance beam test, and the frequency of falls from the suspension cord was increased; with lower max rotational speed and shorter duration in the rotarod experiment. Further, we found that the microglia of cerebellar vermis tissues emerged an amoeba-like activation. The mean gray value of Iba-1 was lower, the density of positive cells of CD68 and the expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were increased. ConclusionsThe motor coordination of offspring is impaired, accompanying a SD from mid-pregnancy, and the cerebellar vermis showed microglia activation and pro-inflammatory response. It suggested the adverse effects of SD from mid-gestation on the development of motor coordination through the inflammatory response in the cerebellar vermis of the offspring.

Quantitative evaluation of endobronchial ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of benign and malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes

ObjectiveTo compare the diagnostic value of different quantitative methods of endobronchial ultrasound elastography in benign and malignant mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. MethodsThis retrospective study included patients who underwent endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for mediastinal and hilar lymph node enlargement in our hospital between January 2019 and August 2022. We compared different quantitative elastography parameters [red area ratio (RAR, lymph node red area/lymph node area), green area ratio (GAR, lymph node green area/lymph node area), blue area ratio (SAR, lymph node blue area/lymph node area), mixed area ratio (MAR, lymph node green area/lymph node area), blue-green lymph node area/lymph node area), strain rate ratio (SR), strain rate in the target lymph node (LPA), ratio of blue area to total lymph node area outside the center of the target lymph node (PAR), and average grey value (MGV)], in order to find the best quantitative evaluation method. ResultsA total of 244 patients (346 lymph nodes) were included in this study. All quantitative elastography parameters were statistically significant for the differentiation of benign and malignant lesions except the average grey value of the target lymph nodes. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of SAR was 0.872 (95% confidence interval: 0.83−0.91), the cutoff value was 0.409, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 85.4%, 78.0%, 80.4%, and 83.4%, respectively. ConclusionCompared with other types of quantitative analysis, SAR has a higher predictive significance for benign and malignant lymph nodes.