Biomedical Engineering: Applications, Basis and Communications

The research of proteomics is becoming one of important tasks in biological medical research after genomics. The first step to perform the protein analysis is to analyze gel electrophoresis images. In this paper, a novel scheme for registration of 2D gel electrophoresis images is proposed. First, we move one 2DE image along the x-axis and y-axis directions, overlap it on the second 2DE image and then calculate the mutual information of these two images. Repeat this procedure, we can find out the best registration result when the maximum mutual information is achieved. Next, the spot detection process is accomplished by using fuzzy c-means for segmentation and region growing for spot size calculation. At last, linear tracking technique is employed for spot matching. From the experimental results, it is observed that the performance of the proposed system is superior to the common used registration software Image Master System.

With an attempt to expand the versatilities and applications in chitosan microspheres, chitosan were first converted into micro-droplets by using a high voltage electrostatic field system, and then treated with Na₅P₃O₁₀/NaOH solution of volume ratio of 17/3, 19/1, 1/0 (pure Na₅P₃O₁₀) or 0/1 (pure NaOH) to fabricate chitosan microsphere. By varying the pH values of these reacting agents, distinct morphological structures and properties of chitosan microspheres were further be changed. Chitosan microsphere prepared in this study exhibited a good spherical shape and was in a range of 185.8 ± 13.8 μm to 380.9 ± 11.5 μm in diameter. The size of chitosan microspheres varied by treating with various pH values of these reaction reagents. The prepared chitosan microspheres upon treatment with pH 7 of various ratios Na₅P₃O₁₀/NaOH solution, all exhibited a shrunken surface morphological structure. This densely shrunken structure of microspheres yielded a stronger mechanical strength and a slower release rate of drug (5-FU), no matter what the ratios of Na₅P₃O₁₀/NaOH solution was used. From the data of FTIR analyses, the protonated amino peak of NH₃⁺ at around 1562 cm⁻¹ has decreased significantly after treated with various pH values of these reaction reagents. It could be attributed to the linkage between phosphoric and ammonium ion of the protonated chitosan molecules. Besides, another boarder absorption at about 3366cm⁻¹ of treated chitosan microspheres (under the employed range of pH values), which represented the hydrogen bonding was enhanced as compare with the pure chitosan material.

In this paper, we designed and implemented a user-friendly Chinese phonetic on-screen virtual keyboard key-in system for persons with disabilities. The proposed system inputs the Chinese characters by way of the mouse selecting phonetic symbols. After selecting the initial phonetic symbol, a list of possible phonetic symbol combinations is shown. The proposed system can decrease the number of input clicks needed to select a character, thereby improving typing speed. In addition, the size of the keyboard can be adjusted to increase accuracy and convenience. The system also provides temporary saving and scanning of selections, which makes the keyboard convenient for users. The most frequently typed characters typed by an individual user will be ranked first and this ranking constantly adjusted to facilitate character selection. Moreover, the proposed system shows common combinations of the character typed with other Chinese characters. The system will list all of the possible term correlations for a user to choose from, so that the user spends considerably less time inputting frequently used character combinations. Experimental results showed that the proposed on-screen virtual keyboard system provides an operation interface, which is easier to use, and achieves faster typing speeds compared to two other systems tested.

Poly (lactic acid) is a biodegradable biomedical material that has been used for connective tissue reconstruction. In this work, poly-L-lactide (PLLA) membranes with different morphologies were prepared by phase separation method. Otherwise, biomaterials coated with various extracellular matrix (ECM) have been shown to promote cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. In addition, the in vitro interaction of medial collateral ligament cells (MCLs) and PLLA membranes with dense, porous and particulate morphologies and with ECM coating was investigated. It was found that the cell compatibility of three types of PLLA membranes almost the same before coating ECM. The results also revealed that collagen type I could improve ligament cells adhesion and fibronectin could improve ligament cells growth, and this effect was most obvious in particulate membrane. Therefore, because the PLLA materials with particulate structure could adsorb more ECM which in turn influenced the cell adhesion and cell growth. The PLLA membrane with the particulate morphology satisfies the biomaterial requirement necessary for temporary scaffold to transplanted ligament cells and provides a means for the architectural design of more complex tissue-engineered systems.

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and foot sensory compensation are critical to balance control and ambulatory performance in below-knee amputees. Sub-sensory stimulation has been shown to be effective in enhancing the sensitivity of the human somatosensory system. In addition, visual-auditory biofeedback to improve foot sensory compensation for amputees was suggested in recent articles. The purpose of this study is to develop a new biofeedback proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation system for improving balance control and foot sensory compensation in below-knee amputees. The proposed system functioned with sub-threshold electrical stimulation and visual-auditory biofeedback was developed for clinical study. Two unilateral trans-tibial amputees who consecutively wore prosthetics over 10 years were participated in this study. Subjects performed multiple single leg quite standing trails with sub-sensory electrical stimulation applied at the quadriceps muscle during half of the trails. Four static balance performance indices (i.e. Holding Time Index, HTI; Sway Length Index, SLI; Max Sway Distance Index, MSDI; Average Sway Distance Index, ASDI) were characterized using Zebris motion analysis system. The improvement ratio of these static balance performance indices across subjects for single leg quiet standing tests were resulted in a 209.7% in HTI, 39.1% in SLI, 24.3% in MSDI, and 65.4% in ASDI respectively. In addition, multiple treadmill ambulatory trails with or without visual-auditory biofeedback were evaluated. Four dynamic gait performance indices (i.e. Double Support Time Index, DSTI; Constant Time Cadence Index, CTCI; Single Support Time Index, SSTI; Stance/Swing Phase Index, SSPI) were characterized with Zebris instrumented insole and associated FMS analysis software. With visual-auditory biofeedback, the improvement of all four dynamic gait performance indices in below-knee amputees was verified. The improvement ratio of four gait performance indices across subjects resulted in a 14.81% in DSTI (sound side), 14.29% in DSTI (affected side), 14% in CTCI, 13.00% in SSTI (sound side), 6.02% in SSTI (affected side), 45.17% in SSPI (sound side), and 27.49% in SSPI (affected side) respectively. These findings suggest that sub-threshold electrical stimulation and visual-auditory biofeedback proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation strategies may be effective in compensating foot sensory loss and improving balance control for below-knee amputees.

This study apply the RP powder stereo-shaped techniques and using standard biochemistry materials to discuss how biochemistry composite powder material can directly be solidified by using rapid prototyping machines to become bone-filling graft for missing bone on clinical surgery. As for the materials of implants, the research using commercialized composite powder materials. Concerning the making of bone filling model, this study uses 3D Anthropometrics bone image and using the related images editing system to simulate the curve shape of bone filling graft. Then cooperate the characteristic of the rapid prototyping machine (Zcorp 402 3DP), solidify directly without mold, with the commercialized biochemistry bone graft material, it can directly accomplish bone filling graft in the light of patients' demand in the fist place. The forming structure of the rapid prototyping machine is the bone filling piled up by the stratification piling method; it's different from the hand-made pressure forming. According to the modification of the RP equipment, which the research is used, can be upgrade the solidification quality of bone graft material.

Recently, maximization mutual information (MMI) of image intensities has been proposed as a new matching criterion for automated multimodality image registration. However, the success of the MMI relies on the similarity of the histogram distribution between the images to be fused. This condition is usually hard to be achieved in practical application. Besides, MMI is time consuming because it needs to find an optimal solution about six parameters (three for shifts and three for rotations) during the registration process. To improve the performance of traditional MMI, a novel scheme named Surface-Projection MMI algorithm (SP-MMI) is proposed here. SP-MMI is a two-stage registration algorithm included MMI of surface projection and the following MMI of axial plane. The experimental results, using MR and SPECT images, to confirm the good performance of the proposed method in comparison with the traditional MMI method are also included.

The behaviors of multipotential neural stem cells are regulated by several factors, including culture substrates, soluble factors, and cell-cell interactions. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions on developmental potential of neural stem cells from embryonic rat cerebral cortex at neurosphere level in the presence of nerve growth factors (NGF). The results suggested that, in combination with NGF, EVAL substrates could induce neurite fasciculation of differentiated forming-neurosphere cells under serum free conditions. Quantitative analysis of process growth reveals that, under serum free conditions, when NGF was present the process breadth was significantly larger than that of neurospheres cultured without NGF. In contrast, when serum were added in the medium, regardless of the addition of NGF or not, the neurospheres were induced into typically an extensive cellular substratum of protoplasmic cells upon which process-bearing cells spread. It indicated that, when serum was present, the differentiated GFAP-positive astrocytes layer could serve as a supported architectural for growth and survival of process-bearing cells. At this time, neurites were failed to fasciculate. Here, we proposed that the mediation of cell-biomaterial interaction by cell-cell interaction should be taken into account for regulation of neurites fasciculation. Moreover, the pattern of neural stem cell growth on EVAL subtrates with or without NGF in the absence or presence of serum in this studies suggested that neurons are more adherent to glail cells than to other neurons but are more adherent to other neurons than to EVAL substrates.