The effect of tumour geometry on the quantification accuracy of planar 123I phantom images

IntroductionAccurate activity quantification is applied in radiation dosimetry. Planar images are important for quantification of whole-body images, enabling assessment of biodistribution from radionuclide administrations. We evaluated the effect of tumour geometry on quantification accuracy of ¹²³I planar phantom studies, including various tumour sizes, tumour-liver distances and two tumour-background ratios.Methods and materialsAn in-house manufactured abdominal phantom was equipped with a liver, different size cylindrical tumours, and a rod for tumour-liver distance variation. The geometric mean method with scatter and attenuation corrections was used for image processing. Scatter and attenuation corrections were made using the triple energy window scatter correction technique and a printed transmission sheet source, respectively. Region definitions for tumour activity distribution compensated for the partial volume effect (PVE). Activity measured in the dose calibrator served as reference for determining quantification accuracy.ResultsThe smallest tumour had the largest percentage deviation with an average activity underestimation of 34.6 ± 1.2%. Activity values for the largest tumour were overestimated by 3.1 ± 3.0%. PVE compensation improved quantification accuracy for all tumour sizes yielding accuracies of <12.4%. Scatter contribution to the tumours from the liver had minimal effect on quantification accuracy at tumour-liver distances >3 cm. With PVE compensation, increased tumour-background ratio resulted in a percentage increase of up to 26.3%.ConclusionWhen applying relevant corrections for scatter, attenuation and PVE without background activity, quantification accuracy of <13% was obtained. We demonstrated the successful implementation of a practical technique to obtain quantitative information from ¹²³I planar images.     

比利时北部近海岸草地沙土非饱和水传导特性

用“内排水法”实地测定了比利时北部近海岸草地沙土的非饱和导水率K(θ)和扩散率D(θ).并求得其经验公式。协方差分析表明,0-30.30-60和60-90cm土层的导水率及扩散率回归方程之间无显著差异,但它们分别与90-120cm土层的方程间差异显著,须用两组不同的公式描述。用以描述的幂函数和指数函数类型间无明显差异。     

Spatial heterogeneity of light penetration through periderm and lenticels and concomitant patchy acclimation of corticular photosynthesis

The hypothesis that lenticels may act as a gate for light penetration through the highly light absorptive periderm, was investigated. Yet, transmittance of isolated periderms from ten tree species was considerably higher in the non-lenticel than in the lenticel regions. Depending on species, the lower transmittance of lenticels was due to either higher reflectance and/or higher absorptance. Corticular tissue regions below lenticels were more shade acclimated. Chlorophyll fluorescence images showed lower PS II effective yields, a lower potential for non-photochemical quenching and a possibly higher risk of photoinhibition in the corticular areas under the lenticels in most of the cases.     

Metabolon formation in dhurrin biosynthesis

Synthesis of the tyrosine derived cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin in Sorghum bicolor is catalyzed by two multifunctional, membrane bound cytochromes P450, CYP79A1 and CYP71E1, and a soluble UDPG-glucosyltransferase, UGT85B1 (Tattersall, D.B., Bak, S., Jones, P.R., Olsen, C.E., Nielsen, J.K., Hansen, M.L., H?j, P.B., M?ller, B.L., 2001. Resistance to an herbivore through engineered cyanogenic glucoside synthesis. Science 293, 1826-1828). All three enzymes retained enzymatic activity when expressed as fluorescent fusion proteins in planta. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants that produced dhurrin were obtained by co-expression of CYP79A1/CYP71E1-CFP/UGT85B1-YFP and of CYP79A1/CYP71E1/UGT85B1-YFP but not by co-expression of CYP79A1-YFP/CYP71E-CFP/UGT85B1. The lack of dhurrin formation upon co-expression of the two cytochromes P450 as fusion proteins indicated that tight interaction was necessary for efficient substrate channelling. Transient expression in S. bicolor epidermal cells as monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that UGT85B1-YFP accumulated in the cytoplasm in the absence of CYP79A1 or CYP71E1. In the presence of CYP79A1 and CYP71E1, the localization of UGT85B1 shifted towards the surface of the ER membrane in the periphery of biosynthetic active cells, demonstrating in planta dhurrin metabolon formation.     

共聚焦激光扫描对呼吸窘迫综合症大鼠肺组织的观察

目的：为了更直观地观察和显示呼吸窘迫综合症(acute respiratory distress syndrom,ARDS)典型的病理变化(肺泡内形成一层蛋白质透明膜)。方法：利用百草枯(Paraqual)染毒SD大鼠复制ARDS实验动物模型,取肺病理组织,切片,试剂Goat—Anti-Rat—FITC IgM IgG染色,共聚焦激光扫描显微镜(confocal laser scarming microscope,CLSM)观察。结果：CLSM能清晰到样品内不同层面的病理变化。结论：共聚焦激光扫描显微镜能清晰观察样品内不同层面的结构,相比于传统的光学显微镜,其观察到的图像更直观、更具立体感,能更好表达ARDS的病理变化特征。     

Peculiarities of state diagrams of aqueous solutions of cryoprotective agents

The phase transitions in aqueous solutions of glycerol and PEO-1500 within the temperature range of +30 to −150 °C have been studied using the methods of thermoplastic analysis and volumetric scanning tensodilatometry. We present the revealed phenomenon of cluster cyrystallization of these solutions as well as principles of describing this phenomenon using state diagrams, containing the intervals of concentration corresponding to the existence of amorphous and cryocolloid fractions. We note that for the cryocolloid fraction, a low temperature association of molecules of cryoprotective agents leads the formation of ice nanocrystals either close to or directly inside the aggregations. These fractions exist in cooled cryoprotective solutions near the vitrification temperatures of the liquid phase and may contribute to the initiation of damaging events in cryopreserved biological systems. Our data may be helpful in explaining the peculiarities observed during crystallization of cryoprotective solutions and may further contribute to a broader understanding of the principles of protection and protocol optimization of biological materials at temperatures approaching vitrification.