Generation of photorealistic 3D image using optical digitizer.

A technique to generate a photorealistic three-dimensional (3D) image and color-textured model using a dedicated optical digitizer is presented. The proposed technique is started with the range and texture image acquisition from different viewpoints, followed by the registration and integration of multiple range images to get a complete and nonredundant point cloud that represents a real-life object. The accuracy of the range image and the precision of correspondence between the range image and texture image are guaranteed by sensor system calibration. Based on the point cloud, a geometric model is established by considering the connectivity of adjacent range image points. In order to enhance the photorealistic effect, we suggest a texture blending technique that utilizes a composite-weight strategy to blend the texture images within the overlapped region. This technique allows more efficient removal of the artifacts existing in the registered texture image, leading to a 3D image with photorealistic quality and color-texture modeling. Experimental results are also presented to testify to the validity of the proposed method.

[Clinical manifestations of erythrocyte membrane protein coding gene mutations in hereditary spherocytosis].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the erythrocyte membrane protein gene mutations and the clinical severity of hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Methods: Targeted sequencings were performed on 25 HS patients, correlation between HS mutations and patients' clinical characteristics were evaluated. Results: A total of 25 HS patients were enrolled, including 13 males and 12 females with median age of 20 (4-55) years, including 9 compensatory hemolysis patients, 9 patients with mild anemia, 3 patients with moderate anemia and 4 patients with severe anemia. Of them, 18 patients (72%) harbored HS-related mutations, including ANK1 mutation in 6 cases, SLC4A1 mutation in 6 cases, SPTB mutation in 5 cases and 1 case with EPB41 mutation. Seven patients (28%) didn't carry common HS mutations. SPTB and SLC4A1 mutations mainly affected male patients. There was no significant difference between the age of diagnosis (P=0.130) and HGB level (P=0.585) in patients with HS mutation and those without mutation, however, the EMA binding fluorescence intensity (P=0.015), AGLT50 (P=0.032) and EOF minimal hemolytic concentration (P=0.027) were significantly different in these two groups of HS patients. Conclusion: To screen erythrocyte membrane protein coding gene mutations could favor the diagnosis of HS, and patients without mutations have mild clinical phenotype.

[Investigation of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in immunodeficient patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of anti-Taxoplasma gondii antibodies in immunodeficient patients. METHODS: T. gondii-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in serum samples from 371 immunodeficient patients were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients were with solid malignancies (including untreated digestive system malignancies and solid malignancies received chemotherapy), chronic liver diseases, patients received immunosuppressant therapy (dermatomyositis, psoriasis, pemphigus, post-renal transplantation, systemic lupus erythematosus and other miscellanies), lymphoma, leukemia and diabetes. 100 normal serum samples served as controls. RESULTS: The positive rate of patients with solid malignancies received chemotherapy, solid malignancies received chemotherapy, chronic liver diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus and leukemia was 19.0%, 33.3%, 16.5%, 45.4% and 20.0%, respectively, being significantly higher than that of the control group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The immunosuppressed patients are highly predisposing to secondary T. gondii infection.