Shape description and matching using integral invariants on eccentricity transformed images

Matching occluded and noisy shapes is a problem frequently encountered in medical image analysis and more generally in computer vision. To keep track of changes inside the breast, for example, it is important for a computer aided detection system to establish correspondences between regions of interest. Shape transformations, computed both with integral invariants (II) and with geodesic distance, yield signatures that are invariant to isometric deformations, such as bending and articulations. Integral invariants describe the boundaries of planar shapes. However, they provide no information about where a particular feature lies on the boundary with regard to the overall shape structure. Conversely, eccentricity transforms (Ecc) can match shapes by signatures of geodesic distance histograms based on information from inside the shape; but they ignore the boundary information. We describe a method that combines the boundary signature of a shape obtained from II and structural information from the Ecc to yield results that improve on them separately

The first case of cutaneous infection with Mycobacterium parascrofulaceum

Wenkai Zong,* Xiaodong Zhang,* Hongsheng Wang, Xiu Lian Xu, Qiuling Wang, Weiwei Tian, Ya LI Jin, Qinxue Wu, Meiyu Tang Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, National Center for STD and Leprosy Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: The authors present the first, to the best of their knowledge, reported case of cutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium parascrofulaceum. A 42-year-old woman presented with asymptomatic reddish papules, nodules, plaques, and patches on the right side of her face and on her forehead that had persisted for 5 years, with the lesions gradually increasing in size over that time. No previous intervening medical treatment had been applied. No history or evidence of immunosuppression was found. A skin biopsy was performed for routine histological examination. Samples of lesioned skin were inoculated on Löwenstein–Jensen medium to determine the presence of acid-fast bacilli. Ziehl–Neelsen staining was used to confirm the presence of the organism. In vitro drug susceptibility testing was conducted using the microtiter plate method. Mycobacterium was identified by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of the hsp65 and 16S rDNA genes. Cultures for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, as well as fungus, were also conducted. Routine histopathology revealed granulomatous changes without caseation. Ziehl–Neelsen staining showed that the organisms in both the lesions and the cultures were acid-fast bacilli. The cultured colonies were grown in Löwenstein–Jensen medium and incubated at two different temperatures (32°C and 37°C) for 2–3 weeks, developing pigmentation both in the dark and in the light. In vitro drug susceptibility tests showed that the organism was sensitive to clarithromycin and moxifloxacin. Polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of the hsp65 and 16S rDNA genes confirmed that the isolated organisms were M. parascrofulaceum. Fungal and other standard bacterial cultures were negative. In conclusion, identification and diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacteria should be performed promptly to obtain better prognoses. Empirical treatments may be feasible, and drug susceptibility tests are important.Keywords: nontuberculous mycobacteria, skin infection, PCR-RFLP, laboratory diagnosis, therap

Melatonin Inhibits Migration and Invasion in LPS-Stimulated and -Unstimulated Prostate Cancer Cells Through Blocking Multiple EMT-Relative Pathways [Retraction]

Tian QX, Zhang ZH, Ye QL, et al. J Inflamm Res. 2021;14:2253–2265. We, the Editors and Publisher of Journal of Inflammation Research, have retracted the following article. Following publication of the article, the authors raised concerns regarding the duplication of images from Figure 1. Specifically, The images for Figure 1A, PC-3, MT, 12h and 24h have been duplicated. The images for Figure 1B, DU145, MT and Figure 1C, PC-3, Control and MT+LPS have been duplicated. The images for Figure 1C, DU145, MT+LPS and PC-3, MT have been duplicated. The authors explained the incorrect use of images occurred during figure preparation and did provide some of the original data for the study. However, the provided data and the authors explanation regarding the duplicated images did not sufficiently alleviate the journal’s concerns regarding the validity of the findings. As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article and the authors do not agree with this decision. We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and COPE guidelines. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’

An oligomer-specific antibody improved motor function and attenuated neuropathology in the SOD1-G93A transgenic mouse model of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor neuron loss in the brain and spinal cord. Mutations in Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) are the first identified genetic mutations that are causative for familial ALS. Soluble SOD1 oligomers are considered the most toxic species and play a key role in the pathologic process of ALS. Here we present a therapeutic strategy for ALS with an oligomer-specific antibody (W20) targeting toxic SOD1 oligomers. Our study showed that W20 significantly improved motor neuron survival and motor performance in SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS when administrated even at low dose within short time. Further investigation demonstrated that the beneficial effects of W20 resulted from the reduction of SOD1 oligomer levels and the inhibition of gliosis and neuroinflammation in the spinal cords and brain stems of ALS model mice. These findings for the first time suggest that an oligomer-specific antibody has promising therapeutic potential for ALS and open a new way for ALS treatment.</p