Voxel2Hemodynamics: An End-to-end Deep Learning Method for Predicting Coronary Artery Hemodynamics

Local hemodynamic forces play an important role in determining the functional significance of coronary arterial stenosis and understanding the mechanism of coronary disease progression. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been widely performed to simulate hemodynamics non-invasively from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) images. However, accurate computational analysis is still limited by the complex construction of patient-specific modeling and time-consuming computation. In this work, we proposed an end-to-end deep learning framework, which could predict the coronary artery hemodynamics from CCTA images. The model was trained on the hemodynamic data obtained from 3D simulations of synthetic and real datasets. Extensive experiments demonstrated that the predicted hemdynamic distributions by our method agreed well with the CFD-derived results. Quantitatively, the proposed method has the capability of predicting the fractional flow reserve with an average error of 0.5\% and 2.5\% for the synthetic dataset and real dataset, respectively. Particularly, our method achieved much better accuracy for the real dataset compared to PointNet++ with the point cloud input. This study demonstrates the feasibility and great potential of our end-to-end deep learning method as a fast and accurate approach for hemodynamic analysis.Comment: 8page

SiCP: Simultaneous Individual and Cooperative Perception for 3D Object Detection in Connected and Automated Vehicles

Cooperative perception for connected and automated vehicles is traditionally achieved through the fusion of feature maps from two or more vehicles. However, the absence of feature maps shared from other vehicles can lead to a significant decline in object detection performance for cooperative perception models compared to standalone 3D detection models. This drawback impedes the adoption of cooperative perception as vehicle resources are often insufficient to concurrently employ two perception models. To tackle this issue, we present Simultaneous Individual and Cooperative Perception (SiCP), a generic framework that supports a wide range of the state-of-the-art standalone perception backbones and enhances them with a novel Dual-Perception Network (DP-Net) designed to facilitate both individual and cooperative perception. In addition to its lightweight nature with only 0.13M parameters, DP-Net is robust and retains crucial gradient information during feature map fusion. As demonstrated in a comprehensive evaluation on the OPV2V dataset, thanks to DP-Net, SiCP surpasses state-of-the-art cooperative perception solutions while preserving the performance of standalone perception solutions

The Relaxin Gene Knockout Mouse: A Model of Progressive Scleroderma

Relaxin is a peptide hormone with anti-fibrotic properties. To investigate the long-term effects of relaxin deficiency on the ageing skin, we compared structural changes in the skin of ageing relaxin-deficient (RLX-/-) and normal (RLX+/+) mice, by biochemical, histological, and magnetic resonance imaging analyses. Skin biopsies from RLX+/+ and RLX-/- mice were obtained at different ages and analyzed for changes in collagen expression and distribution. We demonstrated an age-related progression of dermal fibrosis and thickening in male and female RLX-/- mice, associated with marked increases in types I and III collagen. The increased collagen was observed primarily in the dermis of RLX-/- mice by 1 mo of age, and eventually superseded the hypodermal layer. Additionally, fibroblasts from the dermis of RLX-/- mice were shown to produce increased collagen in vitro. Recombinant human gene-2 (H2) relaxin treatment of RLX-/- mice resulted in the complete reversal of dermal fibrosis, when applied to the early onset of disease, but was ineffective when applied to more established stages of dermal scarring. These combined findings demonstrate that relaxin provides a means to regulate excessive collagen deposition in disease states characterized by dermal fibrosis and with our previously published work demonstrate the relaxin-null mouse as a model of progressive scleroderma

Immunomodulatory effects of complex probiotics on the immuno-suppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide

IntroductionPrevious studies have reported the beneficial effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11, Lacticaseibacillus casei Zhang, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P8, respectively. However, studies on the immunomodulatory enhancing effects of three complex probiotics have not been conducted. The aim of our study is to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of complex probiotics effect on the immunosuppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX).MethodsAn immunocompromised mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide, which was gavage of different doses of complex probiotics and levamisole hydrochloride. The splenic and thymic indices, intestinal barrier, leukocyte and lymphocyte counts, percentage of splenic lymphocyte subpopulations, cytokine levels, and gut microbiota were determined.ResultsResults showed that the complex probiotics significantly elevated the spleen and thymus indices, increased the villi and crypt depth and the goblet cells. The leukocyte and lymphocyte counts and the percentage of splenic lymphocyte subpopulations in the CTX-treated mice were significantly elevated by the complex probiotics. In addition, the cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and IFN-γ) were significantly increased after complex probiotic treatment. The complex probiotics restored the gut microbiota structure to the pattern of the control group by reducing the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and enhancing the relative abundances of specific microbiota that produced short-chain fatty acids.DiscussionThis study provides theoretical support for the immunity-enhancing function of the complex probiotics as well as a pharmacological basis for its further development and utilization

SJS/TEN 2019: From science to translation.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) are potentially life-threatening, immune-mediated adverse reactions characterized by widespread erythema, epidermal necrosis, and detachment of skin and mucosa. Efforts to grow and develop functional international collaborations and a multidisciplinary interactive network focusing on SJS/TEN as an uncommon but high burden disease will be necessary to improve efforts in prevention, early diagnosis and improved acute and long-term management. SJS/TEN 2019: From Science to Translation was a 1.5-day scientific program held April 26-27, 2019, in Vancouver, Canada. The meeting successfully engaged clinicians, researchers, and patients and conducted many productive discussions on research and patient care needs

Multiethnic Meta-Analysis Identifies Ancestry-Specific and Cross-Ancestry Loci for Pulmonary Function

Nearly 100 loci have been identified for pulmonary function, almost exclusively in studies of European ancestry populations. We extend previous research by meta-analyzing genome-wide association studies of 1000 Genomes imputed variants in relation to pulmonary function in a multiethnic population of 90,715 individuals of European (N = 60,552), African (N = 8429), Asian (N = 9959), and Hispanic/Latino (N = 11,775) ethnicities. We identify over 50 additional loci at genome-wide significance in ancestry-specific or multiethnic meta-analyses. Using recent fine-mapping methods incorporating functional annotation, gene expression, and differences in linkage disequilibrium between ethnicities, we further shed light on potential causal variants and genes at known and newly identified loci. Several of the novel genes encode proteins with predicted or established drug targets, including KCNK2 and CDK12. Our study highlights the utility of multiethnic and integrative genomics approaches to extend existing knowledge of the genetics of lung function and clinical relevance of implicated loci

Multiethnic meta-analysis identifies ancestry-specific and cross-ancestry loci for pulmonary function

Nearly 100 loci have been identified for pulmonary function, almost exclusively in studies of European ancestry populations. We extend previous research by meta-analyzing genome-wide association studies of 1000 Genomes imputed variants in relation to pulmonary function in a multiethnic population of 90,715 individuals of European (N = 60,552), African (N = 8429), Asian (N = 9959), and Hispanic/Latino (N = 11,775) ethnicities. We identify over 50 additional loci at genome-wide significance in ancestry-specific or multiethnic meta-analyses. Using recent fine-mapping methods incorporating functional annotation, gene expression, and differences in linkage disequilibrium between ethnicities, we further shed light on potential causal variants and genes at known and newly identified loci. Several of the novel genes encode proteins with predicted or established drug targets, including KCNK2 and CDK12. Our study highlights the utility of multiethnic and integrative genomics approaches to extend existing knowledge of the genetics of l

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Multiethnic meta-analysis identifies ancestry-specific and cross-ancestry loci for pulmonary function

Nearly 100 loci have been identified for pulmonary function, almost exclusively in studies of European ancestry populations. We extend previous research by meta-analyzing genome-wide association studies of 1000 Genomes imputed variants in relation to pulmonary function in a multiethnic population of 90,715 individuals of European (N = 60,552), African (N = 8429), Asian (N = 9959), and Hispanic/Latino (N = 11,775) ethnicities. We identify over 50 additional loci at genome-wide significance in ancestry-specific or multiethnic meta-analyses. Using recent fine-mapping methods incorporating functional annotation, gene expression, and differences in linkage disequilibrium between ethnicities, we further shed light on potential causal variants and genes at known and newly identified loci. Several of the novel genes encode proteins with predicted or established drug targets, including KCNK2 and CDK12. Our study highlights the utility of multiethnic and integrative genomics approaches to extend existing knowledge of the genetics of lung function and clinical relevance of implicated loci