Identification of Zhoukoudian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Homo erectus</Emphasis> brain asymmetry using 3D laser scanning

Endocasts are important materials used for the study of human brain evolution, and allow examination of the external features of brain anatomy from the inside the cranium. Studies examining brain asymmetries in fossil hominids are usually limited to scoring of differences in hemisphere protrusion rostrally and caudally, or to comparing the width of the hemispheres. In the present study, using 3D laser scanning, we examined asymmetries of the hemisphere volumes and surface areas in the Zhoukoudain (ZKD) Homo erectus, dated to 0.4–0.8 Ma. Compared with modern endocasts, we found that the absolute hemisphere volumes and surface areas exhibited no significant asymmetries in the ZKD or in modern specimens. However, the relative hemisphere volumes against surface areas differed between the two groups. When comparing the relative sizes between the left and right hemispheres, the ZKD specimens exhibited a greater variation than in the modern humans; there were no differences in the two hemispheres in the ZKD specimens, while in the modern endocasts the left hemisphere was significantly greater than the right hemisphere. These data suggest that brain asymmetries originated from relative brain sizes rather than absolute brain volumes during human evolution. These anatomical changes are likely related to the origin of human brain lateralization.     

Sound speed imaging of small animal organs by ultrasound computed tomography

Sound speed is an important acoustic parameter for tissue characterization. Herein we developed an ultrasound computed tomography (USCT) system for ex vivo sound speed imaging and evaluation of small animal organs. The proposed USCT system employs a 256-element ring array transducer and allows simultaneous signal transmission and reception for all channels. The method does not require complicated sample preparation procedures and can yield accurate measurement results. Experimental results show that sound speeds of excised rat brain, heart, liver, spleen, and kidney measured by the method are close to published data. This work demonstrates a new method for sound speed imaging and holds potential for in vivo applications.     

单光子心肌断层显像评价心肌存活(综述)

心脏心肌功能的判断对疾病的治疗和预后极为重要。心肌存活属于可逆性心肌损害,故冠状动脉血运重建术可获益。存活心肌的检测,区分可逆性和不可逆性心肌损害,具有决策价值和预后价值。通过回顾近年来单光子心肌断层显像(SPECT)评价心肌存活的各种方法以及对比研究,以综合阐述SPECT对心肌存活评价的价值和最新进展,并对SPECT的未来作一初步探讨。     

序列颅脑CT图像的颅腔内结构自动化分割

为实现颅腔内结构的自动化分割,利用颅脑CT的解剖学和影像学等先验知识,提出了一种基于图像形态学和颅腔内结构连续性等先验知识的序列颅脑CT颅腔内结构的自动化分割算法.通过对连续100个颅脑CT检查病例的自动化分割,结果表明,该算法能够实现所有具有完整颅骨环的颅腔内结构的计算机自动化分割(97/100),分割结果准确.     

电磁波CT揭露重大工程岩溶发育特征--以某地铁岩溶勘察为例

灰岩地区岩溶发育程度严重影响重大工程建设,以钻探为主的城市岩溶勘察,很难充分查明地下岩溶发育特征及规模,而高密度电法、浅层地震反射等其余地球物理方法因场地条件限制和干扰因素较多,在城市岩溶探测中很难实施。鉴于此,本文采用井间电磁波CT层析技术对某地铁进行岩溶探测,应用联合迭代重建技术（simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique 简称SIRT）进行反演,获取电磁波CT吸收系数等值线图,并通过吸收系数判断岩溶发育状态。研究结果表明：电磁波CT层析技术可较好揭露地下岩溶发育规模和特征,探测结果与钻孔资料揭露岩溶信息高度吻合。该方法的成功引入为重大工程岩溶探测提供了新思路,其探测成果结合钻孔信息可作为重大工程建设可靠的地质参考依据,具有较好的科学意义和推广价值。     

常规光源L边荧光CT成像质量影响因素研究

常规光源荧光CT是一种获取元素三维分布的计算机断层扫描成像技术,该技术在癌症的早期诊断中具有重要的潜在应用价值,特别是L边荧光CT.利用蒙特卡洛方法建立了以40 kV下银靶的X射线光管原始光谱为入射光源的常规光源L边荧光CT系统.利用内嵌直径2 mm铂纳米粒子溶液的直径4 mm圆柱模体,探索了单个投影下入射光子数和投影数等因素对于荧光CT成像质量的影响能力.结果表明,单个投影下入射光子数和投影数的增加,均可以提高荧光CT图像的相对噪声比.在总入射光子数一定的情况下,投影数的减少可以有效地提高荧光CT的检测限,这为提高荧光CT系统的探测能力具有重要的意义.     

单光子发射断层成像散射解析模型的快速算法

为校正单光子发射断层成像(SPECT)中Compton散射的影响,对投影过程进行了解析建模计算。对相机参数进行预计算形成查找表,结合初始放射源活度和散射媒质分布计算得到投影中的原发光子和一次散射光子分布。用数论方法计算查找表中的高维数值积分,使计算速度提高。分别用解析建模方法和Monte-Carlo程序对均匀模型和胸腔模型进行投影计算,比较其相对误差、归一化方差和计算时间。结果表明:解析建模方法的精度与Monte-Carlo方法相当,而计算速度快8倍,可以满足临床需求。     

Endocasts—the direct evidence and recent advances in the study of human brain evolution

Brain evolution is one of the most important aspects of human evolution,usually studied through endocasts.Analysis of fossil hominid endocasts allows inferences on functional anatomy,physiology,and phylogeny.In this paper,we describe the general features of endocast studies and review some of the major topics in paleoneurology.These are:absolute and relative brain size evolution;brain shape variation;brain asymmetry and lateralization;middle meningeal vessels and venous sinuses;application of computed tomography and virtual imaging;the history of Chinese brain endocast studies.In particular,this review emphasizes endocast studies on Chinese hominin fossils.     

葡萄糖转运蛋白1（GLUT-1）抑制剂BAY-876体内活性的正电子发射型计算机断层显像（PET）检测

目前,葡萄糖转运蛋白(glucose transporter,GLUT)不仅是细胞摄取葡萄糖的功能与物质保障,同时也是恶性肿瘤抗肿瘤药物治疗的新型干预靶点。建立GLUT抑制剂的体内活性评价方法具有重要意义。利用正电子发射型计算机断层显像检测仪(positron emission computed tomography,PET)对小动物肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)肿瘤模型进行PET检测,建立GLUT抑制剂的小动物体内活性检测方法。在HCC细胞系中检测GLUT-1的表达,选取GLUT-1表达水平最高的细胞系接种BalB/c免疫缺陷动物皮下,形成免疫缺陷动物皮下肿瘤模型。连续三日口服灌胃给药,给予动物5 mg/kg的GLUT-1抑制剂BAY-876后,进行PET检测。动物行尾静脉注射200μCi的核素探针~(18)F-FDG,约30 min后进行PET检测。在此基础上,使用盖革计数器检测动物肿瘤与血液的放射性强度比较。在所选细胞系中,MHCC-97H细胞中GLUT-1的表达显著高于其他细胞系,BAY-876治疗动物能够显著抑制MHCC-97H皮下肿瘤组织对18F-FDG的摄取。GLUT-1抑制剂BAY-876能够显著抑制HCC细胞对葡萄糖的摄取,成功建立了利用PET检测GLUT抑制剂动物体内活性的PET检测方法。     

Use of high-resolution X-ray computed tomography and 3D image analysis to quantify mineral dissemination and pore space in oxide copper ore particles

Mineral dissemination and pore space distribution in ore particles are important features that influence heap leaching performance. To quantify the mineral dissemination and pore space distribution of an ore particle, a cylindrical copper oxide ore sample (φ4.6 mm×5.6 mm) was scanned using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT), a nondestructive imaging technology, at a spatial resolution of 4.85 μm. Combined with three-dimensional (3D) image analysis techniques, the main mineral phases and pore space were segmented and the volume fraction of each phase was calculated. In addition, the mass fraction of each mineral phase was estimated and the result was validated with that obtained using traditional techniques. Furthermore, the pore phase features, including the pore size distribution, pore surface area, pore fractal dimension, pore centerline, and the pore connectivity, were investigated quantitatively. The pore space analysis results indicate that the pore size distribution closely fits a log-normal distribution and that the pore space morphology is complicated, with a large surface area and low connectivity. This study demonstrates that the combination of HRXCT and 3D image analysis is an effective tool for acquiring 3D mineralogical and pore structural data.