292 research outputs found
Consequences of a Distant Massive Planet on the Large Semi-major Axis Trans-Neptunian Objects
We explore the distant giant planet hypothesis by integrating the large
semi-major axis, large pericenter Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) in the
presence of the giant planets and an external perturber whose orbit is
consistent with the proposed distant, eccentric, and inclined giant planet, so
called planet 9. We find that TNOs with semi-major axes greater than 250 au
experience some longitude of perihelion shepherding, but that a generic outcome
of such evolutions is that the TNOs evolve to larger pericenter orbits, and
commonly get raised to retrograde inclinations. This pericenter and inclination
evolution requires a massive disk of TNOs (tens of M_\Earth) in order to
explain the detection of the known sample today. Some of the highly inclined
orbits produced by the examined perturbers will be inside of the orbital
parameter space probed by prior surveys, implying a missing signature of the
9th planet scenario. The distant giant planet scenarios explored in this work
do not reproduce the observed signal of simultaneous clustering in argument of
pericenter, longitude of the ascending node, and longitude of perihelion in the
region of the known TNOs
Atypical periosteal osteoid osteoma: a case report
Osteoid osteoma is a benign osteoblastic tumor usually seen in adolescent and young males. In the paediatric age group, since the history may be difficult to elicit, there are often problems in early diagnosis. The author reports an unusual presentation of osteoid osteoma in a ten-year-old girl, which could not be diagnosed by conventional X-rays and CT scan
Motor abnormalities, depression risk, and clinical course in adolescence.
Background
Motor abnormalities, such as psychomotor agitation and retardation, are widely recognized as core features of depression. However, it is not currently known if motor abnormalities connote risk for depression.
Methods
Using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a nationally representative sample of youth (n=10,835, 9-11 years old), the present paper examines whether motor abnormalities are associated with (a) depression symptoms in early adolescence, (b) familial risk for depression (familial risk loading), and (c) future depression symptoms. Motor abnormalities measures included traditional (DSM) motor signs such as psychomotor agitation and retardation as well as other motor domains such as developmental motor delays and dyscoordination.
Results
Traditional motor abnormalities were less prevalent (agitation=3.2%, retardation=0.3%) than non-traditional domains (delays=13.79%, coordination=35.5%) among adolescents. Motor dysfunction was associated with depression symptoms (Cohen's ds=0.02 to 0.12). Familial risk for depression was related to motor abnormalities (Cohen's ds=0.08 to 0.27), with the exception of motor retardation. Family vulnerability varied in sensitivity to depression risk (e.g., retardation: .53%; dyscoordination: 32.05%). Baseline endorsement of motor abnormalities predicted future depression symptoms at one-year follow-up.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that motor signs reflect a novel, promising future direction for examining vulnerability to depression risk in early adolescence
Label-efficient Contrastive Learning-based model for nuclei detection and classification in 3D Cardiovascular Immunofluorescent Images
Recently, deep learning-based methods achieved promising performance in
nuclei detection and classification applications. However, training deep
learning-based methods requires a large amount of pixel-wise annotated data,
which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially in 3D images. An
alternative approach is to adapt weak-annotation methods, such as labeling each
nucleus with a point, but this method does not extend from 2D histopathology
images (for which it was originally developed) to 3D immunofluorescent images.
The reason is that 3D images contain multiple channels (z-axis) for nuclei and
different markers separately, which makes training using point annotations
difficult. To address this challenge, we propose the Label-efficient
Contrastive learning-based (LECL) model to detect and classify various types of
nuclei in 3D immunofluorescent images. Previous methods use Maximum Intensity
Projection (MIP) to convert immunofluorescent images with multiple slices to 2D
images, which can cause signals from different z-stacks to falsely appear
associated with each other. To overcome this, we devised an Extended Maximum
Intensity Projection (EMIP) approach that addresses issues using MIP.
Furthermore, we performed a Supervised Contrastive Learning (SCL) approach for
weakly supervised settings. We conducted experiments on cardiovascular datasets
and found that our proposed framework is effective and efficient in detecting
and classifying various types of nuclei in 3D immunofluorescent images.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, MICCAI Workshop Conference 202
Reading Backwards: An Advance Retrospective on Russian Literature
The 'authors' in the list above are better described as 'contributors'.This is the final published version, also available from Open Book Publishers via the DOI in this record.This edited volume employs the paradoxical notion of ‘anticipatory plagiarism’—developed in the 1960s by the ‘Oulipo’ group of French writers and thinkers—as a mode for reading Russian literature. Reversing established critical approaches to the canon and literary influence, its contributors ask us to consider how reading against linear chronologies can elicit fascinating new patterns and perspectives. Reading Backwards: An Advance Retrospective on Russian Literature re-assesses three major nineteenth-century authors—Gogol, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy—either in terms of previous writers and artists who plagiarized them (such as Raphael, Homer, or Hall Caine), or of their own depredations against later writers (from J.M. Coetzee to Liudmila Petrushevskaia). Far from suggesting that past authors literally stole from their descendants, these engaging essays, contributed by both early-career and senior scholars of Russian and comparative literature, encourage us to identify the contingent and familiar within classic texts. By moving beyond rigid notions of cultural heritage and literary canons, they demonstrate that inspiration is cyclical, influence can flow in multiple directions, and no idea is ever truly original. This book will be of great value to literary scholars and students working in Russian Studies. The introductory discussion of the origins and context of ‘plagiarism by anticipation’, alongside varied applications of the concept, will also be of interest to those working in the wider fields of comparative literature, reception studies, and translation studies
Context-dependent compensation among phosphatidylserine-recognition receptors
Phagocytes express multiple phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) receptors that recognize apoptotic cells. It is unknown whether these receptors are interchangeable or if they play unique roles during cell clearance. Loss of the PtdSer receptor Mertk is associated with apoptotic corpse accumulation in the testes and degeneration of photoreceptors in the eye. Both phenotypes are linked to impaired phagocytosis by specialized phagocytes: Sertoli cells and the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE). Here, we overexpressed the PtdSer receptor BAI1 in mice lacking MerTK (Mertk(-/-) Bai1(Tg)) to evaluate PtdSer receptor compensation in vivo. While Bai1 overexpression rescues clearance of apoptotic germ cells in the testes of Mertk(-/-) mice it fails to enhance RPE phagocytosis or prevent photoreceptor degeneration. To determine why MerTK is critical to RPE function, we examined visual cycle intermediates and performed unbiased RNAseq analysis of RPE from Mertk(+/+) and Mertk(-/-) mice. Prior to the onset of photoreceptor degeneration, Mertk(-/-) mice had less accumulation of retinyl esters and dysregulation of a striking array of genes, including genes related to phagocytosis, metabolism, and retinal disease in humans. Collectively, these experiments establish that not all phagocytic receptors are functionally equal, and that compensation among specific engulfment receptors is context and tissue dependent
OSSOS. V. Diffusion in the Orbit of a High-perihelion Distant Solar System Object
We report the discovery of the minor planet 2013 SY, on an
exceptionally distant, highly eccentric orbit. With a perihelion of 50.0 au,
2013 SY's orbit has a semi-major axis of au, the largest
known for a high-perihelion trans-Neptunian object (TNO), well beyond those of
(90377) Sedna and 2012 VP. Yet, with an aphelion of au,
2013 SY's orbit is interior to the region influenced by Galactic tides.
Such TNOs are not thought to be produced in the current known planetary
architecture of the Solar System, and they have informed the recent debate on
the existence of a distant giant planet. Photometry from the
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Gemini North and Subaru indicate 2013 SY
is km in diameter and moderately red in colour, similar to other
dynamically excited TNOs. Our dynamical simulations show that Neptune's weak
influence during 2013 SY's perihelia encounters drives diffusion in its
semi-major axis of hundreds of astronomical units over 4 Gyr. The overall
symmetry of random walks in semi-major axis allow diffusion to populate 2013
SY's orbital parameter space from the 1000-2000 au inner fringe of the
Oort cloud. Diffusion affects other known TNOs on orbits with perihelia of 45
to 49 au and semi-major axes beyond 250 au, providing a formation mechanism
that implies an extended population, gently cycling into and returning from the
inner fringe of the Oort cloud.Comment: First reviewer report comments incorporated. Comments welcom
Ucma/GRP inhibits phosphate-induced vascular smooth muscle cell calcification via SMAD-dependent BMP signalling
Vascular calcification (VC) is the process of deposition of calcium phosphate crystals in the blood vessel wall, with a central role for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). VC is highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and thought, in part, to be induced by phosphate imbalance. The molecular mechanisms that regulate VC are not fully known. Here we propose a novel role for the mineralisation regulator Ucma/GRP (Upper zone of growth plate and Cartilage Matrix Associated protein/Gla Rich Protein) in phosphate-induced VSMC calcification. We show that Ucma/GRP is present in calcified atherosclerotic plaques and highly expressed in calcifying VSMCs in vitro. VSMCs from Ucma/GRP(-/-) mice showed increased mineralisation and expression of osteo/chondrogenic markers (BMP-2, Runx2, beta-catenin, p-SMAD1/5/8, ALP, OCN), and decreased expression of mineralisation inhibitor MGP, suggesting that Ucma/GRP is an inhibitor of mineralisation. Using BMP signalling inhibitor noggin and SMAD1/5/8 signalling inhibitor dorsomorphin we showed that Ucma/GRP is involved in inhibiting the BMP-2-SMAD1/5/8 osteo/chondrogenic signalling pathway in VSMCs treated with elevated phosphate concentrations. Additionally, we showed for the first time evidence of a direct interaction between Ucma/GRP and BMP-2. These results demonstrate an important role of Ucma/GRP in regulating osteo/chondrogenic differentiation and phosphate-induced mineralisation of VSMCs.NWO ZonMw [MKMD 40-42600-98-13007]; FCT [SFRH/BPD/70277/2010]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Phosphatidylserine on viable sperm and phagocytic machinery in oocytes regulate mammalian fertilization
Fertilization is essential for species survival. Although Izumo1 and Juno are critical for initial interaction between gametes, additional molecules necessary for sperm: egg fusion on both the sperm and the oocyte remain to be defined. Here, we show that phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) is exposed on the head region of viable and motile sperm, with PtdSer exposure progressively increasing during sperm transit through the epididymis. Functionally, masking phosphatidylserine on sperm via three different approaches inhibits fertilization. On the oocyte, phosphatidylserine recognition receptors BAl1, CD36, Tim-4, and Mer-TK contribute to fertilization. Further, oocytes lacking the cytoplasmic ELMO1, or functional disruption of RAC1 (both of which signal downstream of BAl1/BAl3), also affect sperm entry into oocytes. Intriguingly, mammalian sperm could fuse with skeletal myoblasts, requiring PtdSer on sperm and BAl1/3, ELMO2, RAC1 in myoblasts. Collectively, these data identify phosphatidylserine on viable sperm and PtdSer recognition receptors on oocytes as key players in sperm: egg fusion
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