2,146 research outputs found
Unsupervised Deformable Image Registration Using Cycle-Consistent CNN
Medical image registration is one of the key processing steps for biomedical
image analysis such as cancer diagnosis. Recently, deep learning based
supervised and unsupervised image registration methods have been extensively
studied due to its excellent performance in spite of ultra-fast computational
time compared to the classical approaches. In this paper, we present a novel
unsupervised medical image registration method that trains deep neural network
for deformable registration of 3D volumes using a cycle-consistency. Thanks to
the cycle consistency, the proposed deep neural networks can take diverse pair
of image data with severe deformation for accurate registration. Experimental
results using multiphase liver CT images demonstrate that our method provides
very precise 3D image registration within a few seconds, resulting in more
accurate cancer size estimation.Comment: accepted for MICCAI 201
Insulin resistance is related to cognitive decline but not change in CSF biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in non-demented adults
Introduction: We investigated whether insulin resistance (IR) was associated with longitudinal age-related change in cognition and biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology and neurodegeneration in middle-aged and older adults who were non-demented at baseline. Methods: IR was measured with homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR). Core AD-related cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers and cognition were assessed, respectively, on n = 212 (1 to 5 visits) and n = 1299 (1 to 6 visits). Linear mixed models tested whether HOMA2-IR moderated age-related change in CSF biomarkers and cognition. Linear regressions tested whether HOMA2-IR x apolipoprotein E ε4 allele (APOE ε4) carrier status predicted amyloid beta [Aβ] chronicity (estimated duration of amyloid positron emission tomography [PET] positivity) (n = 253). Results: Higher HOMA2-IR was associated with greater cognitive decline but not with changes in CSF biomarkers. HOMA2-IR x APOE4 was not related to Aβ chronicity but was significantly associated with CSF phosphorylated tau (P-tau)181/Aβ42 level. Discussion: In non-demented adults IR may not be directly associated with age-related change in AD biomarkers. Additional research is needed to determine mechanisms linking IR to cognitive decline
Do female association preferences predict the likelihood of reproduction?
Sexual selection acting on male traits through female mate choice is commonly inferred from female association preferences in dichotomous mate choice experiments. However, there are surprisingly few empirical demonstrations that such association preferences predict the likelihood of females reproducing with a particular male. This information is essential to confirm association preferences as good predictors of mate choice. We used green swordtails (<i>Xiphophorus helleri</i>) to test whether association preferences predict the likelihood of a female reproducing with a male. Females were tested for a preference for long- or short-sworded males in a standard dichotomous choice experiment and then allowed free access to either their preferred or non-preferred male. If females subsequently failed to produce fry, they were provided a second unfamiliar male with similar sword length to the first male. Females were more likely to reproduce with preferred than non-preferred males, but for those that reproduced, neither the status (preferred/non-preferred) nor the sword length (long/short) of the male had an effect on brood size or relative investment in growth by the female. There was no overall preference based on sword length in this study, but male sword length did affect likelihood of reproduction, with females more likely to reproduce with long- than short-sworded males (independent of preference for such males in earlier choice tests). These results suggest that female association preferences are good indicators of female mate choice but that ornament characteristics of the male are also important
Cross-Modality Multi-Atlas Segmentation Using Deep Neural Networks
Both image registration and label fusion in the multi-atlas segmentation
(MAS) rely on the intensity similarity between target and atlas images.
However, such similarity can be problematic when target and atlas images are
acquired using different imaging protocols. High-level structure information
can provide reliable similarity measurement for cross-modality images when
cooperating with deep neural networks (DNNs). This work presents a new MAS
framework for cross-modality images, where both image registration and label
fusion are achieved by DNNs. For image registration, we propose a consistent
registration network, which can jointly estimate forward and backward dense
displacement fields (DDFs). Additionally, an invertible constraint is employed
in the network to reduce the correspondence ambiguity of the estimated DDFs.
For label fusion, we adapt a few-shot learning network to measure the
similarity of atlas and target patches. Moreover, the network can be seamlessly
integrated into the patch-based label fusion. The proposed framework is
evaluated on the MM-WHS dataset of MICCAI 2017. Results show that the framework
is effective in both cross-modality registration and segmentation
Matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and a downregulated Hedgehog pathway impair blood-brain barrier function in an <i>in vitro</i> model of CNS tuberculosis
Central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS TB) has a high mortality and morbidity associated with severe inflammation. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain from inflammation but the mechanisms causing BBB damage in CNS TB are uncharacterized. We demonstrate that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) causes breakdown of type IV collagen and decreases tight junction protein (TJP) expression in a co-culture model of the BBB. This increases permeability, surface expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and leukocyte transmigration. TJP breakdown was driven by Mtb-dependent secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. TJP expression is regulated by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) through transcription factor Gli-1. In our model, the hedgehog pathway was downregulated by Mtb-stimulation, but Shh levels in astrocytes were unchanged. However, Scube2, a glycoprotein regulating astrocyte Shh release was decreased, inhibiting Shh delivery to brain endothelial cells. Activation of the hedgehog pathway by addition of a Smoothened agonist or by addition of exogenous Shh, or neutralizing MMP-9 activity, decreased permeability and increased TJP expression in the Mtb-stimulated BBB co-cultures. In summary, the BBB is disrupted by downregulation of the Shh pathway and breakdown of TJPs, secondary to increased MMP-9 activity which suggests that these pathways are potential novel targets for host directed therapy in CNS TB
D3-D7 Quark-Gluon Plasmas at Finite Baryon Density
We present the string dual to SU(Nc) N=4 SYM, coupled to Nf massless
fundamental flavors, at finite temperature and baryon density. The solution is
determined by two dimensionless parameters, both depending on the 't Hooft
coupling at the scale set by the temperature T:
, weighting the backreaction of the flavor
fields and , where is the
baryon density. For small values of these two parameters the solution is given
analytically up to second order. We study the thermodynamics of the system in
the canonical and grand-canonical ensembles. We then analyze the energy loss of
partons moving through the plasma, computing the jet quenching parameter and
studying its dependence on the baryon density. Finally, we analyze certain
"optical" properties of the plasma. The whole setup is generalized to non
abelian strongly coupled plasmas engineered on D3-D7 systems with D3-branes
placed at the tip of a generic singular Calabi-Yau cone. In all the cases,
fundamental matter fields are introduced by means of homogeneously smeared
D7-branes and the flavor symmetry group is thus a product of abelian factors.Comment: 27 pages; v2: 29 pages, 1 (new) figure, new section 4.4 on optical
properties, references, comments added; v3: eq. (3.19), comments and a
reference adde
Large-scale proteome and metabolome analysis of CSF implicates altered glucose and carbon metabolism and succinylcarnitine in Alzheimer's disease
INTRODUCTION: A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the aggregation of proteins (amyloid beta [A] and hyperphosphorylated tau [T]) in the brain, making cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins of particular interest.
METHODS: We conducted a CSF proteome-wide analysis among participants of varying AT pathology (n = 137 participants; 915 proteins) with nine CSF biomarkers of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.
RESULTS: We identified 61 proteins significantly associated with the AT category (P < 5.46 × 10−5) and 636 significant protein-biomarker associations (P < 6.07 × 10−6). Proteins from glucose and carbon metabolism pathways were enriched among amyloid- and tau-associated proteins, including malate dehydrogenase and aldolase A, whose associations with tau were replicated in an independent cohort (n = 717). CSF metabolomics identified and replicated an association of succinylcarnitine with phosphorylated tau and other biomarkers. DISCUSSION: These results implicate glucose and carbon metabolic dysregulation and increased CSF succinylcarnitine levels with amyloid and tau pathology in AD. HIGHLIGHTS: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome enriched for extracellular, neuronal, immune, and protein processing. Glucose/carbon metabolic pathways enriched among amyloid/tau-associated proteins. Key glucose/carbon metabolism protein associations independently replicated. CSF proteome outperformed other omics data in predicting amyloid/tau positivity. CSF metabolomics identified and replicated a succinylcarnitine–phosphorylated tau association
Analysis of prototypical narratives produced by aphasic individuals and cognitively healthy subjects
Symptoms of somatization as a rapid screening tool for mitochondrial dysfunction in depression
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Aims</p> <p>Somatic symptomatology is common in depression, and is often attributed to the Freudian-inspired concept of "somatization". While the same somatic symptoms and depression are common in mitochondrial disease, in cases with concurrent mood symptoms the diagnosis of a mitochondrial disorder and related therapy are typically delayed for many years. A short screening tool that can identify patients with depression at high risk for having underlying mitochondrial dysfunction is presented.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Six items of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) were found to differentiate among 21 chronically-depressed Swedish subjects with low versus normal muscle ATP production rates. A screening tool consisting of the six KSP questions was validated in the relatives of American genetics clinic patients, including in 24 matrilineal relatives in families with maternally inherited mitochondrial disease and in 30 control relatives.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the depressed Swedish patients, the screening tool was positive in 13/14 with low and 1/7 with normal mitochondrial function (P = 0.0003). Applied to the American relatives of patients, the screening tool was positive in 13/24 matrilineal relatives and in 1/30 control relatives (P = 2 × 10<sup>-5</sup>).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our preliminary data suggest that a small number of specific somatic-related questions can be constructed into a valid screening tool for cases at high risk for having a component of energy metabolism in their pathogenesis.</p
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