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BACKGROUND: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling reportedly promotes tumor malignancy and recurrence in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It was demonstrated previously that the STAT3 pathway maintains the tumorigenicity and therapeutic resistance of malignant tumors as well as cancer stem cells (CSCs). The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of the strong STAT3 inhibitor, cucurbitacin I, in prominin-1 (CD133)-positive lung cancer cells. METHODS: CD133-positive and CD133-negative NSCLC-derived cells were isolated from 7 patients with NSCLC. CD133-positive NSCLC cells that were treated with or without cucurbitacin I were evaluated for their expression of phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3), tumorigenicity, stemness properties, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation. RESULTS: Compared with parental or CD133-negative NSCLC cells, CD133-positive NSCLC cells had greater tumorigenicity, greater radioresistance, and higher expression of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4), Nanog homeobox, and sex-determining region Y, box 2 (Sox2) at high p-STAT3 levels. Cucurbitacin I treatment at 100 nM effectively abrogated STAT3 activation, tumorigenic capacity, sphere formation ability, radioresistance, and chemoresistance in CD133-positive NSCLC cells. Microarray data suggested that cucurbitacin I inhibited the stemness gene signature of CD133-positive NSCLC cells and facilitated the differentiation of CD133-positive NSCLC cells into CD133-negative NSCLC cells. It is noteworthy that 150 nM cucurbitacin I effectively blocked STAT3 signaling and downstream survival targets, such as B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/ lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-like 1 (Bcl-xL) expression and induced apoptosis in CD133-positive NSCLC cells. Finally, xenotransplantation experiments revealed that cucurbitacin I plus radiotherapy or chemotherapeutic drugs significantly suppressed tumorigenesis and improved survival in NSCLC-CD133-positive-transplanted, immunocompromised mice. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting STAT3 signaling in CD133-positive NSCLC cells with cucurbitacin I suppressed CSC-like properties and enhanced chemoradiotherapy response. The potential of cucurbitacin I should be verified further in future anti-CSC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal stem cells bear potency of proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation into many retinal cells. Utilizing appropriate sensors one can effectively detect the self-renewal and aging process abilities. Silencing information regulator (SirT1), a member of the sirtuin family, is a NAD-dependent histone deacetylase and an essential mediator for longevity in normal cells by calorie restriction. We firstly investigate the SirT1 mRNA expression in retinal stem cells from rats and 19 human eyes of different ages. Results revealed that SirT1 expression was significantly decreased in in vivo aged eyes, associated with poor self-renewal abilities. Additionally, SirT1 mRNA levels were dose-dependently increased in resveratrol- treated retinal stem cells. The expression of SirT1 on oxidative stress-induced damage was significantly decreased, negatively correlated with the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species production. Treatment with resveratrol could effectively further reduce oxidative stress induced by H2O2 treatment in retinal stem cells. Importantly, the anti-oxidant effects of resveratrol in H2O2-treated retinal stem cells were significantly abolished by knockdown of SirT1 expression (sh-SirT1). SirT1 expression provides a feasible sensor in assessing self-renewal and aging process in retinal stem cells. Resveratrol can prevent reactive oxygen species-induced damages via increased retinal SirT1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD133 (prominin-1), a 5-transmembrane glycoprotein, has recently been considered to be an important marker that represents the subset population of cancer stem-like cells. Herein we report the isolation of CD133-positive cells (LCCD133+) and CD133-negative cells (LC-CD1332) from tissue samples of ten patients with non-small cell lung cancer (LC) and five LC cell lines. LC-CD133+ displayed higher Oct-4 expressions with the ability to self-renew and may represent a reservoir with proliferative potential for generating lung cancer cells. Furthermore, LC-CD133+, unlike LC-CD133-, highly coexpressed the multiple drug-resistant marker ABCG2 and showed significant resistance to chemotherapy agents (i.e., cisplatin, etoposide, doxorubicin, and paclitaxel) and radiotherapy. The treatment of Oct-4 siRNA with lentiviral vector can specifically block the capability of LC-CD133+ to form spheres and can further facilitate LC-CD133+ to differentiate into LCCD133 2. In addition, knock-down of Oct-4 expression in LC-CD133+ can significantly inhibit the abilities of tumor invasion and colony formation, and increase apoptotic activities of caspase 3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Finally, in vitro and in vivo studies further confirm that the treatment effect of chemoradiotherapy for LC-CD133+ can be improved by the treatment of Oct-4 siRNA. In conclusion, we demonstrated that Oct-4 expression plays a crucial role in maintaining the self-renewing, cancer stem-like, and chemoradioresistant properties of LC-CD133+. Future research is warranted regarding the up-regulated expression of Oct-4 in LC-CD133+ and malignant lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This randomized, controlled study employed two feeding protocols for 107 participants in two intensive care units (ICUs) of a medical center to investigate the efficacy of intermittent nasogastric (NG) feeding in preventing aspiration pneumonia in critically ill patients on ventilators. The participants were randomly assigned to receive continuous (51 patients) or intermittent (56 patients) feeding. The primary outcomes, including gastric emptiness index and pulmonary aspiration index, were examined on Day 0 and Day 7 of the intervention. In addition, patients were followed up to the 21st day to evaluate the secondary outcomes, which included length of stay (LOS) in the ICU and airway status. The results showed that the patients in the intermittent feeding group had a higher total intake volume at Day 7 (p = .000), had been extubated earlier at Day 21 (p = .002), and had a lower risk of aspiration pneumonia (odds ratios: 0.146, 95% CI = 0.062-0.413, p = .000) than the patients in the control group. Participants being treated with a high dose of dopamine were 2.95 times more likely to get aspiration pneumonia than those receiving a low dose of dopamine (95% CI = 1.076-8.107, p = .035). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups' LOS. The results of this study provide evidence that clinical caregivers may use to make better decisions in terms of feeding methods for critically ill patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To characterise the optical performance of organic multi-mode optical waveguides integrated with printed circuit board (PCB) and to demonstrate the feasibility of 2.5 and 10 Gbps optical interconnection in board-level, respectively. Design/methodology/approach - This paper provides both qualitative and quantitative approaches for the characterization the wave guide performance, i.e. using loss measurement, optical beam profiling, ethernet verification, and eye-diagram testing. In addition to wave guide loss measurement, the most significance part of the work reported in this paper is to evaluate optical wave guides with coupled VCSELs, by which a 3 dB coupling design budget can thus be identified. Furthermore, by artificially manipulating coupling conditions, practical concerns of EOPCB integration, including waveguide geometry, VCSEL driving power, alignment tolerance, coupling spacing, etc. are studied. Findings - Thermal stability studies related to PCB lamination processes show the feasibility of organic waveguides integrated to traditional PCB manufacturing. For a direct VCSEL/PD coupling scheme, a 3 dB power budget is experimentally identified. For short reach optical interconnection, 10 Gbps up to 17 cm propagation on PCB can be achieved by using 50?50 μm multi-mode organic waveguides, where a?25 μm tolerance of optical alignment is compatible to the design rules of PCB. Originality/value - The value of the paper lies in its systematic approaches to identify the waveguide performance through both qualitative and quantitative indices. The correlation between geometry design, processes, coupling conditions, and optical performance of organic waveguides explored in detail. Not only is a standard eye-diagram test used to verify the waveguide at 2.5 and 10 Gbps bandwidth, but also a prototype of optical data-communication on giga-ethernet is demonstrated for long term stability. Following these analytical methods, readers can understand more about the optical performance of waveguides when designing optical interconnection for high speed electro-optical integrated PCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand the different background variables relating to the spokespersons credibility on subjects. The subjects of this study were the participants of the badminton regional tournament of the National Collegiate Sports Competition in 2016 and a convenience sampling methodology was used to conduct a questionnaire survey. Of the 440 copies of survey papers, 420 copies (including 221 males, 199 females) were effective questionnaires, and the effective rate was thus 93%. The survey papers were obtained by means of descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, single factor variance analysis and regression analysis. The results were as follows: the terms “attractive”, “reliability” and “professional” relating to the credibility of the badminton brand spokesperson showed a positive influence on the sport’s brand image and brand attitude. Secondly, the brand image which included the terms “functional”, “symbolic” and “experiential” showed a positive influence on brand attitude. Thirdly, the brand attitude terms “cognitive”, “emotion” and “behaviour” showed a positive effect on purchase intentions. According to the study’s results some useful practical strategies and suggestions are proposed.

Despite recent advances in cancer treatment, refining therapeutic agents remains a critical task for oncologists. Precise evaluation of drug effectiveness necessitates the use of 3D cell culture instead of traditional 2D monolayers. Microfluidic platforms have enabled high-throughput drug screening with 3D models, but current viability assays for 3D cancer spheroids have limitations in reliability and cytotoxicity. This study introduces a deep learning model for non-destructive, label-free viability estimation based on phasecontrast images, providing a cost-effective, high-throughput solution for continuous spheroid monitoring in microfluidics. Microfluidic technology facilitated the creation of a high-throughput cancer spheroid platform with approximately 12000 spheroids per chip for drug screening. Validation involved tests with eight conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, revealing a strong correlation between viability assessed via LIVE/DEAD staining and phase-contrast morphology. Extending the model's application to novel compounds and cell lines not in the training dataset yielded promising results, implying the potential for a universal viability estimation model. Experiments with an alternative microscopy setup supported the model's transferability across different laboratories. Using this method, we also tracked the dynamic changes in spheroid viability during the course of drug administration. In summary, this research integrates a robust platform with highthroughput microfluidic cancer spheroid assays and deep learning-based viability estimation, with broad applicability to various cell lines, compounds, and research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Kimny guiding catheter is a single universal guiding catheter used for performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in both the right coronary artery (RCA) and the left coronary artery (LCA). Although this guiding catheter has been shown to yield high procedural success rates in nonemergent conditions, its feasibility for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains unknown and therefore needs to be further investigated. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 62 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI using the Kimny guiding catheter from January 2016 through December 2017. We then evaluated the rates of engagement and procedural success for PCI of the LCA and RCA with the Kimny guiding catheter. Results: Primary PCI of the infarct-related artery (IRA) by means of the Kimny guiding catheter proved to be successful in 61 of the STEMI patients (98.3%). Besides, the procedural success rate was found to be 100% (44/44) for the LCA and 94.4% (17/18) for the RCA (P = 0.293). With regard to contralateral (non-IRA) angiography, engagement rates of 97.4% (38/39) and 100% (18/18) were obtained for the RCA and LCA, respectively, (P = 1.0). No coronary artery ostial dissection was observed during the procedures. The mean number of total catheters used for each patient turned out to be only 1.035. Conclusion: Using the Kimny guiding catheter for primary PCI is feasible and results in high procedural success rates, particularly for the treatment of the LCA, with fewer catheters, and at a lower cost.

STEMI is the most severe type of Myocardial Infarction that causes death or disability. Previous studies among physicians and paramedics have shown that the accuracy of STEMI diagnosis by the 12-lead ECG is not sufficient. Thus, we propose a 2D-CNN model that can detect and locate the STEMI signals from 12-lead ECG images. The 2D-CNN model is trained as a binary classification with 540 ECG images (270 STEMI cases and 270 other ECG images), and it achieved 96.3% accuracy, 96.2% sensitivity, 89.4% precision, 0.926 F1-score, and 0.962 ROC-AUC scores for 537 testing images. The proposed model is compared with 10 different transfer learning models. The proposed model has the best accuracy, sensitivity, F1-score, and ROC-AUC score. Grad-CAM technique is used for localization of STEMI signals in ECG images. According to the comparisons, the proposed model is the most reliable one for localizing the STEMI signals. This localization builds trust for the model because the CNN model is not a black box anymore, we can see where the CNN model looks and decides. The result of localization can also be used for teaching inexperienced physicians and paramedics. Also, the proposed model can be helpful for the accurate diagnosis of STEMI with a quick response time for clinical practices.

This paper proposes an efficient method for automatically segmenting vessels from angiogram sequences. The method includes two steps: extracting high-contrast angiograms and segmenting vessels. First, we select high-contrast angiograms automatically using vessel intensity distribution. Based on multiscale Hessian-based filtering, we propose an adaptive feature transformation function to improve the vesselness response. This method overcomes numerous problems, which exist in the X-ray angiograms by using the scale factors and transformed intensities. Various scales are established to mitigate variations of the intensity distribution. The transformed intensities are applied to coping with lower contrast and nonuniform intensity distribution. Finally, the connected component labeling method is used to extract the vessels. The proposed method can distinguish between the vessel and the background in a complex background. In our experiments, 20 angiogram sequences are used to evaluate the accuracy of the selected high-contrast angiogram. The accuracy of extracting high-contrast angiograms is 98%. For evaluating the accuracy of the segmentation results, 72 angiograms were selected. The accuracy of the proposed segmentation method is 96.3%. The Kappa value is 81.8%. After inspection by a cardiologist, the experimental results show that the proposed method can automatically and accurately segment vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the core structure of 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) responsible for the anti-oxidative and protective effect on the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced heart injury, various 2-APB analogues were analyzed, and several antioxidant assays were performed. Cell viability was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Myocardial infarct size was quantified using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and cleaved-caspase-3 protein were evaluated as an indicator for the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effect, respectively. Our data show that 2-APB, diphenylborinic anhydride (DPBA) and 3-(diphenylphosphino)-1-propylamine (DP3A) all exerted the anti-oxidative activity, but only 2-APB and DPBA can scavenge H2O2. 2-APB and DPBA can potently inhibit hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)- and hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase (HX/XOD)-induced increases in intracellular H2O2 and H9c2 cell death. 2-APB and DPBA were able to decrease the I/R-induced adult rat cardiomyocytes death, myocardial infarct size, and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB). Our results suggest that the two benzene rings with a boron atom comprise the core structure of 2-APB responsible for the anti-oxidative effect mediated through the reaction with H2O2 and generation of phenolic compounds, which in turn reduced the I/R-induced oxidative stress and injury in the rat heart.

We investigated antibiotic resistance of staphylococci isolated from 1128 samples of highcirculating RTE foods in Taiwan. A total of 111 Staphylococcus aureus and 709 coagulasenegative staphylococci (CoNS) comprising 23 species were isolated. The prevalence of S. aureus differed in various category of RTE foods, highest in fresh-cut fruits/vegetables (20.5%) and lowest in low-water activity (LWA) foods (0.7%). The overall staphylococcal contamination was highest in fresh-cut fruits/vegetables (62.2%), in which multiple isolates (up to 10) or species (up to 6) in single sample were frequently found. Distinct distribution of species contributed to unique feature in each category. Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus was higher in fresh-cut fruits/vegetables samples (14.2% in 127) compared to other food categories (0e7.1%). A total of 4 MRSA carrying SCCmec type IV or VT were identified (3.6% in 111), in which 3 belonged to sequence type ST59 and one was ST5. Among CoNS, S. epidermidis and S. warneri exhibited higher non-intrinsic antibiotic resistance than other species. Of 41 methicillin-resistant CoNS (5.8% in 709) isolates, SCCmec type IV (n ¼ 16) and type VT (n ¼ 6) were most frequent. Isolates of S. saprophyticus, S. xylosus and S. sciuri displayed high rates of resistance to fusidic acid. Novel fusB-family determinants were identified in S. xylosus, S. sciuri and S. kloosii, which may contribute to their intrinsic resistance to fusidic acid. Compared to other food categories, fresh-cut fruits/vegetables were more contaminated by staphylococci carrying non-intrinsic resistance determinants including methicillin resistance. This nation-wide study demonstrated that some categories may have potential risk for transmitting antibiotic resistance, in which S. epidermidis and S. warneri should be gotten more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We hypothesized that DNA methylation of development-related genes may occur in endometrial cancer (EC)/ovarian cancer (OC) and may be detected in cervical scrapings. Methods: We tested methylation status by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction for 14 genes in DNA pools of endometrial and OC tissues. Tissues of EC/ normal endometrium, OC/normal ovary, were verified in training set using cervical scrapings of 10 EC/10 OC patients and 10 controls, and further validated in the testing set using independent cervical scrapings in 30 EC/30 OC patients and 30 controls. We generated cutoff values of methylation index (M-index) from cervical scrapings to distinguish between cancer patients and control. Sensitivity/specificity of DNA methylation biomarkers in detecting EC and OC was calculated. Results: Of 14 genes, 4 (PTGDR, HS3ST2, POU4F3, MAGI2) showed hypermethylation in EC and OC tissues, and were verified in training set. POU4F3 and MAGI2 exhibited hypermethylation in training set were validated in independent cases. The mean M-index of POU4F3 is 78.28 in EC and 20.36 in OC, which are higher than that in controls (6.59; p<0.001 and p=0.100, respectively), and that of MAGI2 is 246.0 in EC and 12.2 in OC, which is significantly higher that than in controls (2.85; p<0.001 and p=0.480, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity of POU4F3/MAGI2 were 83%-90% and 69%-75% for detection of EC, and 61% and 62%-69% for the detection of OC. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the potential of EC/OC detection through testing for DNA methylation in cervical scrapings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adiponectin has been implicated in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and arterial stiffness (AS). We aim to determine the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration as well as peripheral AS in hypertensive patients. Methods: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 101 hypertensive patients. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured with an automatic pulse wave analyzer. Serum adiponectin concentrations were determined by using an enzyme immunoassay kit. A baPWV >14.0 m/s was defined as high AS. Results: MetS and high AS were present in 62.4 and 71.3% of the study population. Adiponectin was inversely associated with MetS and high AS (both P < 0.001). Serum higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P = 0.012), triglycerides (P = 0.001), C-reactive protein (P < 0.001), insulin (P = 0.027), body weight (P = 0.002), waist circumference (WC, P < 0.001), body mass index (P = 0.001) bilateral-baPWV (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP, P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP, P = 0.012), pulse pressure (P = 0.019), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA1-IR (P = 0.026) and HOMA2-IR (P = 0.020)) and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR, P = 0.029) were significantly associated with high AS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the factors significantly associated with AS revealed that adiponectin [odds ratio: 0.932, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.881-0.985, P = 0.012], and SBP (odds ratio: 1.059, 95% CI 1.008-1.113, P = 0.022) were the independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients. Subgroup analysis revealed that SBP (odds ratio: 1.126, 95% CI 1.024-1.237, P = 0.014) and GFR (odds ratio: 0.858, 95% CI 0.739-0.996, P = 0.043) were the independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients without MetS; adiponectin (odds ratio: 0.909, 95% CI 0.931-0.996, P = 0.040) was the independent predictor of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients with MetS. Conclusions: Hypoadiponectinemia has positive association with MetS and peripheral AS in hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome has been shown to be associated with lower levels of plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) in the general population. We sought to elucidate the relationship between Nt-proBNP and components of metabolic syndrome in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 93 patients in our institution. Plasma levels of Nt-proBNP and other biochemical data were measured. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification system (I-IV) was used to define the functional capacity of CHF. Metabolic syndrome and its components were defined using diagnostic criteria from the International Diabetes Federation. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients (52.7%) had CHF. There was a positive correlation between plasma Nt-proBNP levels and NYHA functional capacity in CHF patients. Plasma Nt-proBNP levels increased significantly with each increasing NYHA class of the disease. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in CHF patients was higher than that in patients without CHF. Most importantly, we found that plasma Nt-proBNP levels were lower in CHF patients with metabolic syndrome attributable to inverse relationships between plasma Nt-proBNP and body mass index (β = -0.297), plasma triglyceride (β = -0.286) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; β = -0.346). Fasting glucose to insulin ratio (FGIR, an insulin sensitivity index) was positively associated with plasma Nt-proBNP levels (β = 0.491), and was the independent predictor of plasma Nt-proBNP levels in CHF patients. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma Nt-proBNP levels are inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in CHF patients. Reduced plasma Nt-proBNP levels in CHF patients may lead to impaired lipolysis and metabolic function, and may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome in CHF patients.

To facilitate the applications of home blood pressure (HBP) monitoring in clinical settings, the Taiwan Hypertension Society and the Taiwan Society of Cardiology jointly put forward the Consensus Statement on HBP monitoring according to up-to-date scientific evidence by convening a series of expert meetings and compiling opinions from the members of these two societies. In this Consensus Statement as well as recent international guidelines for management of arterial hypertension, HBP monitoring has been implemented in diagnostic confirmation of hypertension, identification of hypertension phenotypes, guidance of anti-hypertensive treatment, and detection of hypotensive events. HBP should be obtained by repetitive measurements based on the " 722 " principle, which is referred to duplicate blood pressure readings taken per occasion, twice daily, over seven consecutive days. The " 722 " principle of HBP monitoring should be applied in clinical settings, including confirmation of hypertension diagnosis, 2 weeks after adjustment of antihypertensive medications, and at least every 3 months in well-controlled hypertensive patients. A good reproducibility of HBP monitoring could be achieved by individuals carefully following the instructions before and during HBP measurement, by using validated BP devices with an upper arm cuff. Corresponding to office BP thresholds of 140/90 and 130/80 mmHg, the thresholds (or targets) of HBP are 135/85 and 130/80 mmHg, respectively. HBP-based hypertension management strategies including bedtime dosing (for uncontrolled morning hypertension), shifting to drugs with longer-acting antihypertensive effect (for uncontrolled evening hypertension), and adding another antihypertensive drug (for uncontrolled morning and evening hypertension) should be considered. Only with the support from medical caregivers, paramedical team, or tele- monitoring, HBP monitoring could reliably improve the control of hypertension.

This paper proposes an efficient method for automatically segmenting vessels from angiogram sequences. The method includes two steps: extracting high-contrast angiograms and segmenting vessels. First, we select high-contrast angiograms automatically using vessel intensity distribution. Based on multiscale Hessian-based filtering, we propose an adaptive feature transformation function to improve the vesselness response. This method overcomes numerous problems, which exist in the X-ray angiograms by using the scale factors and transformed intensities. Various scales are established to mitigate variations of the intensity distribution. The transformed intensities are applied to coping with lower contrast and nonuniform intensity distribution. Finally, the connected component labeling method is used to extract the vessels. The proposed method can distinguish between the vessel and the background in a complex background. In our experiments, 20 angiogram sequences are used to evaluate the accuracy of the selected high-contrast angiogram. The accuracy of extracting high-contrast angiograms is 98%. For evaluating the accuracy of the segmentation results, 72 angiograms were selected. The accuracy of the proposed segmentation method is 96.3%. The Kappa value is 81.8%. After inspection by a cardiologist, the experimental results show that the proposed method can automatically and accurately segment vessels., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: It has been shown that metabolic syndrome is associated with lower levels of plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) in the general population. However, there is no study about the association between Nt-proBNP and metabolic syndrome in hypertensive patients., Aim: : To elucidate the relationship between Nt-proBNP and components of metabolic syndrome in hypertensive patients., Methods: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 74 hypertensive patients in our institution. Plasma levels of Nt-proBNP and other biochemical data were measured. Metabolic syndrome and its components were defined using diagnostic criteria from the International Diabetes Federation., Results: Forty-four hypertensive patients met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. We found that plasma Nt-proBNP levels were lower in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome attributable to inverse relationships between Nt-proBNP and albumin, triglyceride, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-β). We further performed a multivariable linear regression analysis. The result showed that HOMA-IR is the independent predictor of plasma Nt-proBNP levels in hypertensive patients., Conclusions: Plasma Nt-proBNP levels are inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in hypertensive patients. HOMA-IR is the independent predictor of Nt-proBNP in hypertensive patients.