Background: The Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) gene encoding an extracellular matrix (ECM)-associated protein and as a member of the CCN family of proteins plays a major role in fibrosis, inflammation and connective tissue remodeling in a variety of diseases including cancer. The CCN proteins are multifunctional and are involved in cell proliferation, adhesion and cell development during pathogenesis. The purpose of our study was to determine the expression level of CTGF mRNA in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: paraffin embedded tissues from 122 patients with colorectal cancer and their matched normal colon tissues and 20 paraffin embedded normal tissues blocks from normal individual were collected from Taleghani and Shohada hospital in Tehran. The fold change of CTGF expression was analyzed by quantitative real time PCR method, using REST and Prism softwares. Also, LinReg PCR software was also used for the efficiency of primers. Results: We found that expression of CTGF gene in tumor tissue was significantly higher than in adjacent normal tissue (P<0. 0001, RQ>2). A Significant increase was also observed in the expression of this gene in right-sided colon cancer than left side. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the expression pattern of CTGF gene is significantly altered in the development of cancer from normal tissue. Thus, according to major role of CTGF gene in fibrosis, inflammation and connective tissue remodeling, it may be effective in various diseases process including cancer.

Iris contour is relevant to a number of clinical situations including primary angle-closure (pupillary block and plateau iris) and pigment dispersion syndrome. Since iris contour is known to be affected by various phenomena such as prevention of blinking, exercise and accomodation, a method is needed to quantify the shape of the iris and allow comparison among individuals or under different conditions (e.g. before and after accommodation).

Background: Virtual touch tissue quantification (VTTQ) provides numerical measurements (shear wave velocity (SWV) values) of tissue stiffness. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the SWV values of the kidney by VTTQ and to examine the clinical usefulness of this procedure in the evaluation of elasticity changes in the kidneys of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Patients and Methods: Sixty-five patients with CKD and seventy healthy participants were included in this study. A total of 270 kidneys were examined by VTTQ. The kidney elasticity was expressed as shear wave velocity. The SWV values, blood serum creatinine (Scr) /BUN and pathological findings were analyzed and compared between patients with CKD and healthy participants.Results: In patients with CKD and healthy participants, the SWV values both gradually decreased from the renal cortex to the medulla and renal sinus The SWV value of the renal cortex in patients with CKD was less than that of healthy participants (P<0.05), and the SWV value of the renal cortex in patients with renal insufficiency was significantly less than in those with normal renal function (2.46±0.15 vs.3.45±0.26 m/s, P<0.05). The best cutoff value for predicting renal insufficiency (Scr>1.24 mg/dL or/and BUN>21 mg/DL) was a SWV value of the renal cortex of less than 1.92 m/s with a sensitivity of 84.4% (95% CI: 67.2-94.7%) and a specificity of 96.8% (95% CI: 83.3-99.9%) (P<0.001).Conclusion: VTTQ can sensitively detect the elasticity changes in patients with CKD, and it can effectively predict renal insufficiency. This technology provides a valuable tool for the assessment of CKD.

The hydroxyl radical (OH• ) is a powerful oxidant produced as a consequence of cavitation in water. It can react nonspecifically in breaking down persistent organic pollutants in water into their mineral form. It can also recombine to form hydrogen peroxide which is very useful in water treatment. In this study, terephthalic acid (TA) and potassium iodide dosimetry were used to quantify and investigate the behaviour of the generated OH radical in a laboratory scale sonicator. The 2-hydroxyl terephthalic acid (HTA) formed during terephthalic acid dosimetry was determined by optical fibre spectrometer. The production rate of HTA served as a means of evaluating and characterizing the OH• generated over given time in a sonicator. The influence of sonicator power intensity, solution pH and irradiation time upon OH• generation were investigated. Approximately 2. 2  10-9 M s-1 of OH radical was generated during the sonication process. The rate of generation of the OH radicals was established to be independent of the concentration of the initial reactant. Thus, the rate of generation of OH• can be predicted by zero order kinetics in a sonicator.

The aesthetic and pleasing properties of a product are important and significantly add to the meaning and relevance of a product. There has been a strong industrial and academic interest and need to establish hardware and/or software systems in order to quantify and link appearance properties to their human response equivalences. In this study, we intend to review models which have been proposed to quantify human perceptions of appearance features. To this end the importance of Kansei Engineering in appearance is considered. This is a tool for linking consumer expectations of products with valid design parameters. In the domain of human senses, soft metrology is used as a method for metering and objective quantification of perceptual qualities of appearance. J. Color Sci. Tech. 12(2018), 135-146© . Institute for Color Science and Technology.

Purpose: Fatty liver is the most common chronic liver disease, and finding the appropriate method for detecting the problem is necessary. The current study aimed to quantity liver steatosis using Computed Tomography (CT), ultrasound images, and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) blood test. Materials and Methods: In this work, 163 Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) patients implemented CT and ultrasound images on their abdomen regions. The liver and spleen density were calculated using CT images (as the standard method), and then the patients were divided into mild, and moderate to severe groups. During the sonography, an M-value histogram of the liver and the right kidney was drawn and their ratio (liver/kidney) was considered as a Hepatorenal Index (HRI). Mann-Whitney test was used to evaluate the relationships between HRI and ALT values. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the liver density in CT scans were obtained as 51 ±,4 HU. The HRI had better performance (Area Under the Curve, AUC: 0. 94) than the ALT (AUC: 0. 88) in determining liver steatosis. In addition, there was a significant difference between the mild, and moderate to severe groups (P < 0. 001) in HRI and ALT values. Conclusion: Based on the results, HRI is an excellent factor to distinguish between mild, and moderate to severe fatty liver. Notably, HRI is reproducible and operator-independent.