Design and implementation of a real-time global tone mapping processor for high dynamic range video

ABSTRACT As the development in high dynamic range (HDR

TLR7 and TLR8 Gene Variations and Susceptibility to Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play pivotal roles in the innate immune system and control inflammatory responses and adaptive immunity. We previously evaluated associations between TLR7 and TLR8 gene SNPs and susceptibility to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Our results suggested that TLR7IVS2-151G and TLR8-129G alleles were present at higher frequency in males of an HCV-infected group as compared to a control group (24.1% vs. 14.4%, p = 0.028; 17.6% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.004, respectively). Based upon their recognition of single stranded viral RNA, this suggested that TLR7 and TLR8 played a significant role in anti-HCV immune responses. Here, we studied the functional effects of these polymorphisms by analyzing the mRNA expressions of TLR7 and TLR8 and cytokine production induced ex vivo by TLR7- and TLR8-specific agonists using whole blood of subjects with different genotypes. The percentage of CD14+ cells from those with an AG haplotype that expressed TLR7 and TLR8 was significantly lower, but higher in intensity compared to cells from those with GG and AC haplotypes. Cells from those with an AG haplotype produced more IFN-α and less amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines upon stimulation. This suggests that variations in TLR7 and TLR8 genes might impair immune responses during HCV infection

Elevated plasma level of visfatin/pre-b cell colony-enhancing factor in male oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Objectives: Visfatin, also known as nicotiamide phosphoribosyltransferase or pre-B cell colony enhancing factor, is a pro-inflammatory cytokine whose serum level is increased in various cancers. In this study, we investigated whether plasma visfatin levels were altered in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The relation ship between plasma visfatin levels and the pretreatment hematologic profile was also explored. Study Design: Plasma visfatin concentrations were measured through ELISA in OSCC patients and control sub- D esign: Plasma visfatin concentrations were measured through ELISA in OSCC patients and control sub- esign: Plasma visfatin concentrations were measured through ELISA in OSCC patients and control sub jects. A total of 51 patients with OSCC and 57 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched control subjects were studied. All study subjects were male. Results: Plasma visfatin was found to be elevated in patients with OSCC (7.0 ± 4.5 vs. 4.8 ± 1.9 ng/ml, p = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed visfatin as an independent association factor for OSCC, even after full adjustment of known biomarkers. Visfatin level was significantly correlated with white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, and hematocrit (all p < 0.05). In addition, WBC count, neutrophil count, and visfatin gradually increased with stage progression, and hematocrit gradually decreased with stage progression (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Increased plasma visfatin levels were associated with OSCC, independent of risk factors, and were cor related with inflammatory biomarkers. These data suggest that visfatin may act through inflammatory reactions to play an important role in the pathogenesis of OSC

Publisher Correction: Copper adparticle enabled selective electrosynthesis of n-propanol.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper

Zoledronic acid blocks the interaction between breast cancer cells and regulatory T-cells

Abstract Background Zoledronic acid (ZA), a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate, inhibits osteoclastogenesis. Emerging evidence suggests that ZA has anti-tumor and anti-metastatic properties for breast cancer cells. In a mouse model of ZA-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, ZA administration was found to suppress regulatory T-cells (Tregs) function. Our previous reports also demonstrated ZA acted as an immune modulator to block Tregs. Manipulation of Tregs represents a new strategy for cancer treatment. However, the relationship among ZA, Tregs, and cancer cells remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of ZA on the interaction of breast cancer cells and Tregs. Methods The anti-tumor effect of ZA on triple negative breast cancer cell lines were validated by XTT, wound healing and apoptosis analysis. A flow cytometry-based assay was used to analyze the immunosuppressive effect of Tregs treated with media conditioned by breast cancer cells, and a transwell assay was used to evaluate the chemotactic migration of Tregs. Differential gene expression profile on MDA-MB-231 treated with ZA (25 μM) was analyzed by. microarrays to describe the molecular basis of actions of ZA for possible direct anti-tumor effects. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and quantitative real-time PCR were used to investigate the effect of ZA on the expression of cytokines/factors by breast cancer cells. Results ZA was found to inhibit the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Media conditioned by the MDA-MB-231 cells promoted the expansion, chemotactic migration, and immunosuppressive activity of Tregs, and these effects were attenuated in a dose-dependent manner by ZA treatment, and the attenuation was due to reduced expression of selected breast cancer cell factors (CCL2, CCL5, and IDO). Conclusions ZA can significantly affect the interaction between breast cancer cells and Tregs. Our findings indicate that ZA is a potential therapeutic agent that can be used to reduce cancer aggressiveness by abolishing the supportive role of Tregs

DoA Estimation for FMCW Radar by 3D-CNN

A method of direction-of-arrival (DoA) estimation for FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar is presented. In addition to MUSIC, which is the popular high-resolution DoA estimation algorithm, deep learning has recently emerged as a very promising alternative. It is proposed in this paper to use a 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) for DoA estimation. The 3D-CNN extracts from the radar data cube spectrum features of the region of interest (RoI) centered on the potential positions of the targets, thereby capturing the spectrum phase shift information, which corresponds to DoA, along the antenna axis. Finally, the results of simulations and experiments are provided to demonstrate the superior performance, as well as the limitations, of the proposed 3D-CNN

Serial Serum Leukocyte Apoptosis Levels as Predictors of Outcome in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury

Background. Apoptosis associates with secondary brain injury after traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study posits that serum leukocyte apoptosis levels in acute TBI are predictive of outcome. Methods. Two hundred and twenty-nine blood samples from 88 patients after acute TBI were obtained on admission and on Days 4 and 7. Serial apoptosis levels of different leukocyte subsets were examined in 88 TBI patients and 27 control subjects. Results. The leukocyte apoptosis was significantly higher in TBI patients than in controls. Brief unconsciousness (P=0.009), motor deficits (P≤0.001), GCS (P≤0.001), ISS (P=0.001), WBC count (P=0.015), late apoptosis in lymphocytes and monocytes on Day 1 (P=0.004 and P=0.022, resp.), subdural hemorrhage on initial brain CT (P=0.002), neurosurgical intervention (P≤0.001), and acute posttraumatic seizure (P=0.046) were significant risk factors of outcome. Only motor deficits (P=0.033) and late apoptosis in monocytes on Day 1 (P=0.037) were independently associated with outcome. A cutoff value of 5.72% of late apoptosis in monocytes was associated with poor outcome in acute TBI patients. Conclusion. There are varying degrees of apoptosis in patients following TBI and in healthy individuals. Such differential expression suggests that apoptosis in different leukocyte subsets plays an important role in outcome following injury

Additional file 1: Figure S1. of Immune modulation of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells by zoledronic acid

The effect of ZA on CD4+ lymphocyte proliferation. (A) Isolated lymphocytes were labeled with CFSE, cultured in medium with or without 10 μM ZA and sensitized with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. (B) CD4+ lymphocyte proliferation curves were measured based on the percentage of cells with decreased fluorescence as compared to non-proliferating cells (0.4% at day 1). Data represent the mean values ± SEM and results from three independent experiments are shown. (TIF 134 kb

Additional file 2: Figure S2. of Immune modulation of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells by zoledronic acid

The effect of ZA on Treg cells apoptosis. (A) Treg cells were treated with and without ZA (10, 50 and 100 μM) for 24 h. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin V‑FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry. (B) Quantitative analysis of Treg cells by flow cytometry revealed no effect of ZA on Treg cell apoptosis. (TIF 131 kb