Subjective evaluations of integer cosine transform compressed Galileo solid state imagery

This paper describes a study conducted for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, using 15 evaluators from 12 institutions involved in the Galileo Solid State Imaging (SSI) experiment. The objective of the study was to determine the impact of integer cosine transform (ICT) compression using specially formulated quantization (q) tables and compression ratios on acceptability of the 800 x 800 x 8 monochromatic astronomical images as evaluated visually by Galileo SSI mission scientists. Fourteen different images in seven image groups were evaluated. Each evaluator viewed two versions of the same image side by side on a high-resolution monitor; each was compressed using a different q level. First the evaluators selected the image with the highest overall quality to support them in their visual evaluations of image content. Next they rated each image using a scale from one to five indicating its judged degree of usefulness. Up to four preselected types of images with and without noise were presented to each evaluator

An image assessment study of image acceptability of the Galileo low gain antenna mission

This paper describes a study conducted by NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) in collaboration with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, California on the image acceptability of the Galileo Low Gain Antenna mission. The primary objective of the study is to determine the impact of the Integer Cosine Transform (ICT) compression algorithm on Galilean images of atmospheric bodies, moons, asteroids and Jupiter's rings. The approach involved fifteen volunteer subjects representing twelve institutions involved with the Galileo Solid State Imaging (SSI) experiment. Four different experiment specific quantization tables (q-table) and various compression stepsizes (q-factor) to achieve different compression ratios were used. It then determined the acceptability of the compressed monochromatic astronomical images as evaluated by Galileo SSI mission scientists. Fourteen different images were evaluated. Each observer viewed two versions of the same image side by side on a high resolution monitor, each was compressed using a different quantization stepsize. They were requested to select which image had the highest overall quality to support them in carrying out their visual evaluations of image content. Then they rated both images using a scale from one to five on its judged degree of usefulness. Up to four pre-selected types of images were presented with and without noise to each subject based upon results of a previously administered survey of their image preferences. Fourteen different images in seven image groups were studied. The results showed that: (1) acceptable compression ratios vary widely with the type of images; (2) noisy images detract greatly from image acceptability and acceptable compression ratios; and (3) atmospheric images of Jupiter seem to have higher compression ratios of 4 to 5 times that of some clear surface satellite images

Contraception: what is the resistance all about?

Purpose: The aim of this study is to identify the aspects associated with resistance to contraception, providing healthcare workers with the necessary tools to increase compliance with contraception and, ultimately, reduce the rate of voluntary abortions. Material and methods: We performed a review of the literature published in Medline between 1st January 2000 and 31st July 2020. We included studies based on qualitative analyses, describing women's perception and attitudes towards contraception, including a population aged 15 years or older and conducted in either Europe or North America. Results: A total of 23 articles were included in the study. Resistance to contraceptive uptake was most frequently due to ambivalence about pregnancy, with up to 54% of ambivalent women reporting not using any means of contraception, and communication issues with the partner and/or health care provider, with a positive association found between communication with the partner and contraceptive use (OR 1.07; p Conclusions: Family planning consultations should acknowledge the aspects that influence contraceptive uptake and address them as part of their consultations.</p

Involvement of IKAP in Peripheral Target Innervation and in Specific JNK and NGF Signaling in Developing PNS Neurons

<div><p>A splicing mutation in the <i>ikbkap</i> gene causes Familial Dysautonomia (FD), affecting the IKAP protein expression levels and proper development and function of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Here we attempted to elucidate the role of IKAP in PNS development in the chick embryo and found that IKAP is required for proper axonal outgrowth, branching, and peripheral target innervation. Moreover, we demonstrate that IKAP colocalizes with activated JNK (pJNK), dynein, and β-tubulin at the axon terminals of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, and may be involved in transport of specific target derived signals required for transcription of JNK and NGF responsive genes in the nucleus. These results suggest the novel role of IKAP in neuronal transport and specific signaling mediated transcription, and provide, for the first time, the basis for a molecular mechanism behind the FD phenotype.</p></div

<i>Ikbkap</i> downregulation affects target innervation <i>in vivo</i>.

<p>(<b>A–B</b>) The embryos were electroporated with control or <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA at E2/HH11, and allowed to develop until E6. The transverse serial sections were stained with Tuj1 antibody to display neuronal patterns and with Hoechst 33342 to visualize nuclei. In <i>ikbkap</i> downregulated embryos abnormal peripheral nerve projections are visualized at various positions (B, white arrows) compared to control embryos (A), n = 5 embryos per treatment. Size bar 100 µm. (<b>C–H</b>) To visualize growing nerves, the embryos were co-electroporated with control siRNA plus pCAAG GFP expressing vector or <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA plus pCAAG GFP expressing vector at E2/HH11, and allowed to develop until E6 (N = 6). Representative tiling reconstruction with serial z-planes composed of multiple images of GFP labeled nerves taken at the lumbar and hindlimb regions (outlined in white) of control siRNA treated embryos are shown in (C, E, G), and of <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA treated embryos in (D, F, H). Boxed areas in C and D are magnified in E–G and F–H respectively. Size bar 100 µm. (<b>I–L</b>) Close up of skin innervations in abdomen region of Tuj1 stained whole mount embryos from previous experiment. I, J – control siRNA treated embryos; K, L – <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA treated embryos. White arrows indicate abnormal branching points. Size bar 10 µm.</p

<i>Ikbkap</i> downregulation affects pJNK and dynein localization in growth cones.

<p>DRG from lumbar region of E10 embryos were electroporated with control or <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA, grown on laminin for 48 hours as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113428#s4" target="_blank">methods</a>, and stained for IKAP, phosphorylated JNK (pJNK) (<b>A–H</b>), or dynein (<b>I–P, R, S</b>). Confocal analysis of three serial z-sections of the growth cone was performed in images from three independent experiments. The total depth of the image z-stacks is 2.66 µm, z1 represents 0–0.88 µm, z2 represents 0.88–1.77 µm, and z3 represents 1.77–2.66 µm slices. (<b>Q</b>) Mander's overlap coefficient of IKAP-pJNK and IKAP-dynein localization was performed using ImageJ colocalization plugin (JACoP) as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113428#s4" target="_blank">methods</a>. Data are presented as mean ±SD. (<b>R, S</b>) Dynein accumulation along the developing neurites is observed in <i>ikbkap</i> downregulated cultures (<b>S</b>, arrows) compared with control neurites (<b>R</b>).</p

<i>Ikbkap</i> downregulation affect β-tubulin structure in growth cone.

<p>DRG from lumbar region of E10 embryos were electroporated with control or <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA, grown on laminin for 48 hours as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113428#s4" target="_blank">methods</a>, and stained with IKAP (red) and β-tubulin (green) antibodies. (<b>A–H</b>) Representative confocal images of the growth cone areas of control (A–D) and <i>ikbkap</i> siRNA treated (E–H) neurons. Boxed areas in A–B and E–F are magnified in C–D and G–H respectively. Colored arrows indicate IKAP localization along stable tubulin fibers (magenta arrows in C and D; red arrows in G and H), and along dynamic tubulin fibers (light blue arrows in C and D; green arrows in G and H). (<b>I–L</b>) Histograms representing the fluorescence intensities and densities of IKAP and β-tubulin signals at the growth cone area measured from multiple images by custom image analysis tool (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113428#s4" target="_blank">Methods</a>).</p

Characterization of IKAP expression in differentiating NCC neuronal cultures.

<p>Neural tubes were explanted from the embryos just before the onset of NCC migration (E2/HH11), allowing NCC to migrate and differentiate in culture. (<b>A–B</b>) Migrating NCC after 24 h in culture stained for Propidium iodide (PI) to visualize nuclei, specific NCC marker HNK-1 (A), neural specific tubulin (Tuj1, B). <b>(C)</b> Migrating NCC after 72 hours in culture stained Tuj1 and PI. (<b>D–E</b>) IKAP expression in migrating NCC (24 h in culture) show vesicular pattern and colocalized with Tuj1 at the leading edge of the cell (E, white arrow). Boxed area in D is magnified in E. (<b>F–H</b>) Immunofluorescence confocal images of quadruple stained cells show IKAP staining with Alexa-488 conjugated secondary antibody (green in G and H) either in combination with Phalloidin conjugated with TRITC for Actin labeling (red in G) or together with Tuj1 stained with Alexa 647 conjugated secondary antibody (red in H). Hoechst 33342 (blue) was added to stain nuclei in these images. (<b>F</b>) For IKAP fluorescence quantification in NCC versus developing neurons (I), NCC cell borders were selected using actin staining (upper panel), neuron cell borders were selected using Tuj1 staining (middle panel), and these cell borders were overlaid on IKAP stained picture (bottom panel). Then Area, Integrated Density, and Mean Gray Value were measured in the cells using ImageJ, and Corrected Total Cell Fluorescence (CTCF) was calculated as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113428#s4" target="_blank">methods</a> from a sample number of 15 neurons versus 15 NCC. (<b>G–H</b>) Two images of differentiating NCC showing the same confocal plane (72 h in culture). Note that IKAP levels increase in the outgrowing neurites of differentiating neurons, and that IKAP is colocalized with Tuj1 (H, red), but not with actin (G, red). (<b>I</b>). Corrected Total Cell Fluorescence (CTCF) in NCC and differentiating neurons. Data are represented as mean ±SD. (<b>J–L</b>) IKAP expression in NCC derived neurons show vesicular pattern and predominantly is localized along Tuj1 positive extending filaments within growing neurites (L), and to lesser extent at the soma region of the cell (K, indicated by an arrow). Boxed areas in J are magnified in K and L. (G–H) and (K–L) show a set of orthogonal slices, where the middle panel represent the xy plane, left panel represent the yz plane, and upper panel represent the xz plane.</p

<i>Ikbkap</i> downregulation affects expression of pJNK and NGF responsive genes in DRG neurons.

<p>DRG from the lumbar region of E10 embryos were electroporated with control or <i>ikbkap</i> specific siRNA, grown on laminin for 48 hours, and processed for QRT-PCR as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0113428#s4" target="_blank">methods</a>. Data are presented as relative gene expression levels of mean ±SD.</p