Research on Assessment Methods of Spectral Reflectance Data Quality for Computer Color Matching.

Spectral reflectance data quality is important for computer color matching. There are two existing methods for evaluating the quality­spectral reflectance method and K/S method, which are too complex to apply. In this paper, 45°/0° and d/8° geometric conditions are used in the measurement of spectral reflectance of the offset ink samples printed on coated paper and silver-foiled paper while improvement on the geometric condition is made on the basis of the spectral reflectance method. Moreover, a new evaluation method­lightness and chromaticity comparative method is put forward, and comparison is made among the three methods. The results show that both 45°/0° and d/8° are feasible in the measurement of spectral reflectance of coated paper; however the former one cannot meet the requirement of spectral reflectance measurement of silver-foiled paper. In addition, as to d/8° Specular Component Included (SCI), when the silver-foiled paper is taken as the substrate, the reflectance of transparent white ink samples are smaller than that of other primary inks; and abnormal intersections appear in the curves of cyan and magenta ink respectively at the concentration of 60%, resulting in a poor spectra quality at high ink concentration; In the figure of lightness and chromaticity curves, there is significant divergence of the cyan and magenta ink curves from the referenced coated paper. In conclusion, the spectral reflectance of the transparent ink should be greater than or at least equal to other primary inks, and the maximum concentration of cyan and magenta should be limited; when the coated paper with good diffusion performance is taken as the reference, the comparative analysis is more intuitive than the two existing methods.

Unraveling fluorescent mechanism of biomass-sourced carbon dots based on three major components: Cellulose, lignin, and protein.

The complexity of biomass components leads to significant variations in the performance of biomass-based carbon dots (CDs). To shed light on this matter, this study presents a comparative analysis of the fluorescence properties of CDs using pure cellulose, lignin, and protein as models. Three CDs showed different fluorescent properties, resulting from the structure difference and carbonization behavior in the hydrothermal. The relatively gentle thermal degradation of proteins allows the macromolecular structure of amino acids to be preserved. This preservation results in a more regular lattice structure, a larger sp2 domain size, and N-doping, which contribute to the highest quantum yield (QY) of 8.7% of the CDs. In contrast, cellulose undergoes more severe thermal degradation with large amounts of small molecules generated, resulting in the CDs with fewer surface defects, more irregular lattice structures, and lower QY. These results provide a guideline for the design of carbon dots from different biomass.

Indocyanine green clearance test and model for end-stage liver disease score of patients with liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test (clearance rate (K) and retention rate at 15 minutes (R15)) is a sensitive indicator to evaluate liver function. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score has emerged as a useful tool for estimating the mortality of patients awaiting liver transplantation and has recently been validated on patients with liver diseases of various etiologies and severity. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the ICG clearance test and MELD score of patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: From June 2007 to March 2008, 52 patients with liver cirrhosis admitted to our center were classified into Child-Pugh class A (8 patients), B (14) and C (30). The ICG clearance test (K value and R15) was performed by ICG pulse spectrophotometry (DDG-3300K), and the MELD scores of patients were calculated. RESULTS: As the Child-Pugh classification of liver function gradually deteriorated, the K value decreased, while R15 and MELD score increased. There were significant statistical differences in K value, R15 and MELD score in patients with different Child-Pugh classifications. Significant correlations were found between the parameters of the ICG clearance test (K value and R15) and MELD score. A negative correlation was observed between K value and MELD score (r=-0.892, P<0.05), while a positive correlation was observed between R15 and MELD score (r=0.804, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ICG clearance test and MELD score are good parameters for evaluating liver function. Moreover, K value and R15 have significant correlations with MELD score, especially the K value, which may be a convenient and appropriate indicator to evaluate liver function of patients with liver cirrhosis.

Targeted IL-24 gene therapy inhibits cancer recurrence after liver tumor resection by inducing tumor cell apoptosis in nude mice.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-24 (IL-24) is a novel candidate tumor suppressor that induces tumor cell apoptosis experimentally in a variety of human malignant cells including liver cancer cells. The present study was conducted to investigate the potential effect of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated IL-24 gene therapy on tumor recurrence and metastasis by inducing tumor cell apoptosis in a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model in nude mice. METHODS: We established a recurrent and metastatic HCC model in nude mice and constructed an rAAV vector carrying alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter for expressing the IL-24 gene (rAVV/AFP/IL-24). The vector was administered by regional injection (liver incisal margin). AFP was detected by radiation immunoassay. Histological evaluation of tumor recurrence and metastasis was performed for the liver and lung. The effect of tumor cell apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL analysis. RESULTS: IL-24 gene therapy prevented tumor recurrence and metastasis, as evidenced by marked decreases in the number of metastatic tumor nodules and tumor volume in the liver and lung. At the same time, serum AFP concentration decreased markedly in the IL-24 group compared with the control or rAAV groups (P<0.05). IL-24 gene therapy inhibited tumor recurrence and metastasis as evidenced by the induction of tumor cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that targeted IL-24 gene therapy was effective in the prevention of postoperative recurrence and metastasis in an HCC nude mice model by induction of tumor cells apoptosis with potential minimum tumor burden.

Effects of Static Cold Storage and Hypothermic Machine Perfusion on Oxidative Stress Factors, Adhesion Molecules, and Zinc Finger Transcription Factor Proteins Before and After Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the effects of static cold storage (SCS) and hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) on the oxidative stress factors (OSF), adhesion molecules (AM), and zinc finger transcription factor (Snail) before and after liver transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS Experimental dogs were randomly divided into donor (group A), SCS (group B), and HMP (group C) (n=30) groups. Livers retrieved from group A were transplanted into group B after SCS, and the livers sampled from group B were transplanted into group C after HMP. The dogs in group A were euthanized and discarded, and the livers sampled from group C were used for other experiments. Twenty dogs with successful liver transplants were randomly selected from groups B and C for analysis. RESULTS During the liver sampling process, the levels of OSF, AM, and Snail between the 2 groups showed no significant differences (P>0.05); before the transplantation, the levels of chemokine CXCL14 and Snail between the 2 groups showed no significant differences (P>0.05), and compared with group B, HIF-1α and P-selectin in group C were lower (P<0.01); 60 min after the transplantation, HIF-1α, chemokine CXCL14, P-selectin, and Snail in group C were lower than that in group B (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS HMP can significantly reduce the levels of OSF and inflammatory factors, which is conducive for liver transplantation.

Right hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm with hemobilia following minilaparotomy cholecystectomy: a rare complication.

Hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm with hemobilia occurs less frequently as a complication of minilaparotomy cholecystectomy than laparoscopic cholecystectomy; however, given its severe nature, it needs to be managed promptly. This report presents a case of right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm with hemobilia in a 36-year-old woman who underwent minilaparotomy cholecystectomy 5 weeks earlier. Angiography with embolization was carried out as definitive treatment.

Establishment of an animal model of ischemic type intrahepatic biliary lesion in rabbits.

AIM: To explore a method to establish an animal model of ischemic type intrahepatic biliary lesion in rabbits. METHODS: Forty Japanese white rabbits of clean grade were divided randomly into four groups (10 rabbits per group) including sham operation (SO) group, and artery-bile obstruction (ABO)-1 h group, ABO-2 h group and ABO-3 h group. All the rabbits in this study underwent the same initial surgical procedure in which the liver was prepared as for graft removal during liver transplantation. Subsequently in the SO group, no additional vascular intervention was performed, while in groups ABO-1 h, ABO-2 h and ABO-3 h, the animals underwent combined clamping of the hepatic artery and common bile duct with microvascular clips for 1, 2 and 3 h, respectively. After the scheduled occlusion time, the clip was removed to recover blood supply. The animals were killed 4 wk after operation. The survival rate, liver function, cholangiography and histopathological manifestation of the rabbits in each group were observed. RESULTS: The survival rate was 100% in groups SO, ABO-1 h and ABO-2 h, while it was 60% in group ABO-3 h. At each observation time, the change degree of the indexes of liver function was proportional to the clamping time (ABO-3 h > ABO-2 h > ABO-1 h > SO, P < 0.05). Cholangiographical and histopathologic manifestations both showed that intrahepatic biliary lesion aggravated proportionally with the increase of the clamping time. CONCLUSION: An animal model of ischemic type intrahepatic biliary lesion in rabbits is successfully established, which may provide a reliable technique for basic and clinical research into the etiology, development and prophylaxis of ischemic type intrahepatic biliary lesion after liver transplantation.