OBJECTIVE Contrast echocardiography is a more accurate means of assessment of left ventricular (LV) regional motion compared with non-enhanced echocardiography. Despite new tests, the diagnosis of post-operative myocardial infarction (MI) remains difficult. The aim of this study was to determine whether contrast echocardiography can facilitate this diagnosis. METHODS We performed standard and...

Background Dynamic gadolinium contrast-enhanced (DCE) vessel wall MRI has recently been used to compute a set of model-based contrast kinetic parameters (e.g. K and Vp) that can well characterize the extent of inflammation in carotid plaques [1,2]. However, no studies have shown its feasibility in coronary artery wall, presumably due to the technical challenges in imaging such a constantly-movi...

In this study, the effects of heat treatment of aluminum alloy on the tube bending process were investigated in the rotary draw bending process. As two experimental and numerical simulation methods were used to determine the wall-thinning, ovality, and spring back for extruded, annealed, and aged AA6063 aluminum alloy tubes in different bending angles and bend radii. Numerical simulations were ...

We report here two cases of foreign body granulomas that arose from the pelvic wall and liver, respectively, and simulated recurrent colorectal carcinomas in patients with a history of surgery. On contrast-enhanced CT and MR images, a pelvic wall mass appeared as a well-enhancing mass that had invaded the distal ureter, resulting in the development of hydronephrosis. In addition, a liver mass h...

Transcription from P2, one of the major promoters of the cell wall protein gene operon of Bacillus brevis 47, was markedly enhanced at the early stationary phase of growth. MgCl2, when added at 1 to 5 mM to the medium, inhibited this enhancement of transcription as well as shedding of the cell wall protein layers from the cell surface. MgSO4 or CaCl2 showed an effect similar to that of MgCl2. T...

We herein report the case of 75-year-old Japanese female with a community-acquired lung abscess attributable to Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. penumoniae) which extended into the chest wall. The patient was admitted to our hospital with a painful mass on the left anterior chest wall. A contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography scan showed a lung abscess in the left upper lobe which extended int...

Abstract The early diagnosis of myocardial infarction can significantly improve the survival rate in emergency treatment, which is mainly implemented by immunoassay for biomarkers such as cardiac troponins blood. In this work, a disposable optofluidic microtubule whispering gallery mode (WGM) immunosensor label-free troponin I-C (cTnI-C) complex detection has been proposed and demonstrated with...

Neonatal gastric perforation (NGP) is a rare, but life-threatening condition that can lead to serious conditions, such as capillary leak syndrome (CLS). Here, we present the case of preterm male infant with NGP complicated by CLS after stomach repair. The patient was born at 33 2/7 weeks, weighed 1,770 g, and diagnosed respiratory distress syndrome. On fourth day life, presented distention an u...

Expansins are unique plant cell wall proteins that are involved in cell wall modifications underlying many plant developmental processes. In this work, we investigated the possible biological role of the root-specific α-expansin gene OsEXPA8 in rice growth and development by generating transgenic plants. Overexpression of OsEXPA8 in rice plants yielded pleiotropic phenotypes of improved root sy...