GENERATING TRAINING DATABASES USED IN VECTOR BASED OBJECT RECOGNITION IN HYBRID CLOUD USING PUBLIC PROFILES

Techniques are provided herein for generating a face data set which contains badge identifier photos and photos from social media. The faces are automatically tagged using facial recognition, text recognition, and human relationship mining

Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells and PD-L1 as Prognostic Biomarkers in Primary Esophageal Small Cell Carcinoma

Primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (PESCC) is a weakly prevalent but lethal malignancy with early metastasis and a poor prognosis. Currently, neither effective prognostic indicators nor curative therapies are available for PESCC. Immunotherapy has now evolved into one of the most promising therapies for cancer patients. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells which are integral to the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) are recognized as highly important for prognosis prediction, while the responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade may be subject to the features of TIME. In this study, we aim to identify the TIME and provide indication for the applicability of immune checkpoint therapy in PESCC. We found that PD-L1 expression was detected in 33.33% (27/81) of all the patients, mostly exhibiting a stroma-only pattern and that it was positively associated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (CD4(+), CD8(+), and CD163(+)). In 74.07% of PD-L1-positive specimens, PD-L1(+)CD163(+) cells were colocalized more with CD4(+) than CD8(+) T cells. 83.95% (68/81) of all the specimens were infiltrated with more CD4(+) than CD8(+) T cells. Further analysis showed FoxP3(+) Tregs constituted 13-27% of the total CD4(+) T cell population. The Kaplan--Meier analysis indicated several factors that contribute to poor survival, including negative PD-L1 expression, rich CD4 expression, rich FoxP3 expression, a low CD8/CD4 ratio, and a high FoxP3/CD8 ratio. A nomogram model was constructed and showed good performance for survival prediction. These results highlight that a suppressive TIME contributes to poor survival of patients with PESCC. TIME analyses might be a promising approach to evaluate the possibility and effect of immune checkpoint-based immunotherapeutics in PESCC patients

A novel DSPP mutation causes dentinogenesis imperfecta type II in a large Mongolian family

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several studies have shown that the clinical phenotypes of dentinogenesis imperfecta type II (DGI-II) may be caused by mutations in <it>dentin sialophosphoprotein </it>(<it>DSPP</it>). However, no previous studies have documented the clinical phenotype and genetic basis of DGI-II in a Mongolian family from China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We identified a large five-generation Mongolian family from China with DGI-II, comprising 64 living family members of whom 22 were affected. Linkage analysis of five polymorphic markers flanking <it>DSPP </it>gene was used to genotype the families and to construct the haplotypes of these families. All five DSPP exons including the intron-exon boundaries were PCR-amplified and sequenced in 48 members of this large family.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All affected individuals showed discoloration and severe attrition of their teeth, with obliterated pulp chambers and without progressive high frequency hearing loss or skeletal abnormalities. No recombination was found at five polymorphic markers flanking DSPP in the family. Direct DNA sequencing identified a novel A→G transition mutation adjacent to the donor splicing site within intron 3 in all affected individuals but not in the unaffected family members and 50 unrelated Mongolian individuals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study identified a novel mutation (IVS3+3A→G) in <it>DSPP</it>, which caused DGI-II in a large Mongolian family. This expands the spectrum of mutations leading to DGI-II.</p

Glutathione Activates Type III Secretion System Through Vfr in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant antioxidant in all living organisms. Previously, we have shown that a deletion mutant in the glutathione synthetase gene (ΔgshB) decreases the expression of type III secretion system (T3SS) genes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the mechanism remains elusive. In this study, a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of the GSH-deficient mutant ΔgshAΔgshB was used to elucidate the role of GSH in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa. The data show that the expression of genes in T3SS, type VI secretion system (T6SS) and some regulatory genes were impaired. ΔgshAΔgshB was attenuated in a mouse model of acute pneumonia, swimming and swarming motilities, and biofilm formation. Under T3SS inducing conditions, GSH enhanced the expression of T3SS in both wild-type PAO1 and ΔgshAΔgshB, but not in Δvfr. Genetic complementation of Δvfr restored the ability of GSH to induce the expression of T3SS genes. Site-directed mutagenesis based substitution of cysteine residues with alanine in Vfr protein abolished the induction of T3SS genes by GSH, confirming that GSH regulates T3SS genes through Vfr. Exposure to H2O2 decreased free thiol content on Vfr, indicating that the protein was sensitive to redox modification. Importantly, GSH restored the oxidized Vfr to reduced state. Collectively, these results suggest that GSH serves as an intracellular redox signal sensed by Vfr to upregulate T3SS expression in P. aeruginosa. Our work provides new insights into the role of GSH in P. aeruginosa pathogenesis

黒龍江省小児脳性麻痺防治療育中心（黒龍江省脳性麻痺療育センター）における肢体不自由児療育の現状

平成14年７月21日から８月４日までの15日間、北海道保健福祉部と中華人民共和国黒龍江省衛生庁との療育技術および理学療法・作業療法に関する人材養成事業の一環として、黒龍江省佳木斯市の佳木斯大学康復医学院で教鞭を執り、時同じく黒龍江省小児脳性麻痺防治療育中心（黒龍江省脳性麻痺療育センター）にて現地の肢体不自由児およびその家族に対する療育指導に携わる貴重な機会を得た。その際、実際に治療および指導を実施した16症例の診断名、在胎週数、出生体重、発達障害を引き起こしたと考えられる危険因子、運動発達レベル、現在実施中の運動療法、発生している下肢変形について調査した。これらの結果を含め、現在の黒龍江省脳性麻痺療育センターが抱えている問題、あるいは当センターの現状に代表される中華人民共和国の肢体不自由児療育の現状を報告することを本稿の目的とした。In this paper we present specific measures that will insure better rehabilitation in the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Child Cerebral Palsy in Heilongjiang Province, People\u27s Republic of China. In addition, we present the results of a survey of 16 case studies(14 were children with cerebral palsy and 2 were children with mental retardation). Gestational age, birth weight, prenatal risk factors and so on were assessed for developmentally disordered children under therapeutic intervention in this center during a fifteen-day period between July 21, and August 4, 2002

Conducting polymer nanocomposite-based supercapacitors

The use of nanocomposites of electronically-conducting polymers for supercapacitors has increased significantly over the past years, due to their high capacitances and abilities to withstand many charge-discharge cycles. We have recently been investigating the use of nanocomposites of electronically-conducting polymers containing conducting and non-conducting nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and cellulose nanocrystals, for use in supercapacitors. In this contribution, we provide a summary of some of the key issues in this area of research. This discussion includes some history, fundamental concepts, the physical and chemical processes involved, and the challenges that these nanocomposite materials must overcome in order to become technologically viable. Due to space limitations, this is not a complete review of all the work that has been done in this field and we have focused on common themes that appear in the published work. Our aim is that this chapter will help readers to understand the advantages and challenges involved in the use of these materials in supercapacitors and to identify areas for further development

Exploring reporting quality of systematic reviews and Meta-analyses on nursing interventions in patients with Alzheimer’s disease before and after PRISMA introduction

Abstract Background Systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) are distillation of current best available evidence, but are potentially prone to bias. The bias of SRs and MAs comes from sampling bias, selection bias and within study bias. So, their reporting quality is especially important as it may directly influence their utility for clinicians, nurses, patients and policy makers. The SRs and MAs on nursing interventions in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been increasingly published over the past decade, but the reporting quality of article has not been evaluated after the introduction of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. Methods According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we searched the databases including PubMed, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library from inception through October 16th 2018. Two reviewers independently selected articles and extracted data. The PRISMA checklist was adopted to evaluate reporting quality. Comparisons were made between studies published before (2001–2009) and after (2011–2018) its introduction. Results A total of 77 eligible articles, 18 (23.4%) were published before the PRISMA Statement and 59 (76.6%) were published afterwards. There was higher score after publication of the PRISMA Statement than before (20.83 ± 3.78 vs 17.11 ± 4.56, P  13 page and funding support. Conclusion Since the publication of the PRISMA Statement, there has been an improvement in the quality of reporting of SRs and MAs on nursing interventions in patients with AD. More endorsement by journals of the report guideline for SRs/MAs may improve articles reporting quality, and the dissemination of reliable evidence to nurses. We recommend authors, readers, reviewers, and editors to become more acquainted with and to more strictly adhere to the PRISMA checklist