Runx Expression Is Mitogenic and Mutually Linked to Wnt Activity in Blastula-Stage Sea Urchin Embryos

The Runt homology domain (Runx) defines a metazoan family of sequence-specific transcriptional regulatory proteins that are critical for animal development and causally associated with a variety of mammalian cancers. The sea urchin Runx gene SpRunt-1 is expressed throughout the blastula stage embryo, and is required globally during embryogenesis for cell survival and differentiation.Depletion of SpRunt-1 by morpholino antisense-mediated knockdown causes a blastula stage deficit in cell proliferation, as shown by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and direct cell counts. Reverse transcription coupled polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) studies show that the cell proliferation deficit is presaged by a deficit in the expression of several zygotic wnt genes, including wnt8, a key regulator of endomesoderm development. In addition, SpRunt-1-depleted blastulae underexpress cyclinD, an effector of mitogenic Wnt signaling. Blastula stage cell proliferation is also impeded by knockdown of either wnt8 or cyclinD. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) indicates that Runx target sites within 5′ sequences flanking cyclinD, wnt6 and wnt8 are directly bound by SpRunt-1 protein at late blastula stage. Furthermore, experiments using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter transgene show that the blastula-stage operation of a cis-regulatory module previously shown to be required for wnt8 expression (Minokawa et al., Dev. Biol. 288: 545–558, 2005) is dependent on its direct sequence-specific interaction with SpRunt-1. Finally, inhibitor studies and immunoblot analysis show that SpRunt-1 protein levels are negatively regulated by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3.These results suggest that Runx expression and Wnt signaling are mutually linked in a feedback circuit that controls cell proliferation during development

Comparison of eye tracking, electrooculography and an auditory brain-computer interface for binary communication: a case study with a participant in the locked-in state

Background In this study, we evaluated electrooculography (EOG), an eye tracker and an auditory brain-computer interface (BCI) as access methods to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The participant of the study has been in the locked-in state (LIS) for 6 years due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was able to communicate with slow residual eye movements, but had no means of partner independent communication. We discuss the usability of all tested access methods and the prospects of using BCIs as an assistive technology. Methods Within four days, we tested whether EOG, eye tracking and a BCI would allow the participant in LIS to make simple selections. We optimized the parameters in an iterative procedure for all systems. Results The participant was able to gain control over all three systems. Nonetheless, due to the level of proficiency previously achieved with his low-tech AAC method, he did not consider using any of the tested systems as an additional communication channel. However, he would consider using the BCI once control over his eye muscles would no longer be possible. He rated the ease of use of the BCI as the highest among the tested systems, because no precise eye movements were required; but also as the most tiring, due to the high level of attention needed to operate the BCI. Conclusions In this case study, the partner based communication was possible due to the good care provided and the proficiency achieved by the interlocutors. To ease the transition from a low-tech AAC method to a BCI once control over all muscles is lost, it must be simple to operate. For persons, who rely on AAC and are affected by a progressive neuromuscular disease, we argue that a complementary approach, combining BCIs and standard assistive technology, can prove valuable to achieve partner independent communication and ease the transition to a purely BCI based approach. Finally, we provide further evidence for the importance of a user-centered approach in the design of new assistive devices

PancreasMRData

Pancreatic assessment through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become increasingly vital for diagnosing anomalies and pathologies, serving as a crucial prerequisite for numerous clinical applications, including diabetes inspection and surgical planning. However, automating pancreas segmentation in medical images remains a formidable challenge. In this paper, we introduce an innovative automated pancreas segmentation approach for MRI images utilizing 2D deep learning. Our methodology employs U-Net, ResU-Net, and nnU-Net architectures, capable of segmenting diverse pancreas samples and identifying pancreas presence/absence in adjacent slices, eliminating the need for manual region of interest or slice selection. Furthermore, we provide a unique and freely available dataset comprising MRI images from 37 patients post-bariatric surgery, greatly enhancing reproducibility and accessibility for AI model development. Our results demonstrate ResU-Net's superior performance with a Dice coefficient of 77.6% (36.55%), and Jaccard index of 69.36% (40.19%). Additionally, we offer a comprehensive critical analysis of the quantification of fatty infiltration, shedding light on potential biases when choosing individual models. Our contribution includes not only a high-quality unique dataset but also an automated approach that simplifies pancreas segmentation, advancing the field's research and clinical applications.OverviewPancreatic MRI images hold a large amount of useful information for medical diagnostics and research. In spite of this, segmenting these images, particularly in order to quantify fat fractions, can be challenging. A complex task is made more challenging by the unique nuances of the pancreas, along with the presence of surrounding fat and exclusions of the pancreatic duct. To advance research in this area, we present the following dataset:37 Patients: A diverse range of scans that bring forth the variance needed for robust model training.Image Quality Assurance: Every scan of the T1 VIBE DIXON sequence underwent rigorous image quality assessment.Manual Annotations: To save researchers manual labor, the dataset comes with pancreas segmentations, double-checked by seasoned radiologists for accuracy.MotivationThis dataset aims to be the bases for researchers looking to pioneer advancements in the area of precise pancreatic fat fraction quantification. Our goal is to provide users with comprehensive, quality-assured collections of images and annotations to enable them to develop innovative solutions, evaluate models, and ultimately improve medical outcomes.Dataset StructureAnnotations: Contains annotations for each patient.Data Each patient has a dedicated folder, further divided by the type of MRI sequence.Raw_Dixon_Data: Water and Fat Dixon images, each containing data identified by patient IDs.Preprocessed_dataset: Contains preprocessed data organized by patient IDs.THIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOV

Fixation of distal fibular fractures: A biomechanical study of plate fixation techniques

Ankle fractures are complex injuries with variable prognoses that depend upon many factors. The aim of the treatment is to restore the ankle joint biomechanical stability with maximum range of motion. Most ankle fractures are fibular fractures, which have a typical oblique fracture line in the distal fibula located in the area of the tibiofibular syndesmosis. The aim of this study was to simulate numerically several fixation techniques of the distal fibular fractures, evaluate their stability, determine their impact on surrounding tissue load, and correlate the results to clinical treatment experience. The following three models of fibular fracture fixation were used: (a) plate fixation with three screws attached above/below and lag screws, (b) plate fixation with two screws attached above/below and lag screws, and (c) three lag screws only. All three fracture fixation models were analyzed according to their use in both healthy physiological bone and osteoporotic bone tissue. Based on the results of Finite Element Analysis for these simulations, we found that the most appropriate fixation method for Weber-B1 fibular fractures was an unlocked plate fixation using six screws and lag screws, both in patients with physiological and osteoporotic bone tissue. Conversely, the least appropriate fixation method was an unlocked plate fixation with four screws and lag screws. Although this fixation method reduces the stress on patients during surgery, it greatly increased loading on the bone and, thus, the risk of fixation failure. The final fixation model with three lag screws only was found to be appropriate only for very limited indications

An Artificial Heart System for Testing and Evaluation of Cardiac Pacemakers

The usability assessment of a pacemaker is a complex task where the dedicated programmer for testing programmed algorithms is necessary. This paper provides the outcomes of development and complex testing of the artificial cardiac system to evaluate the pacemaker’s functionality. In this work, we used the modular laboratory platform ELVIS II and created graphical user interface in LabVIEW programming environment. The electrical model of the heart allows signals generation (right atrium, right ventricle) and the monitoring of the stimulation pulses. The LabVIEW user interface allows to set the parameters of the generated signals and the simulation of the cardiac rhythm disorders as well as the monitoring and visualization of the pacemaker behavior in real-time. The results demonstrate the capability of proposed system to evaluate the paced and sensed pulses. The proposed solution allows the scientists to test the behavior of any cardiac pacemaker for its pre-programmed settings and pacing mode. In addition, the proposed system can simulate various disorders and test cardiac pacemakers in different working modes