DesnowNet: Context-Aware Deep Network for Snow Removal

Existing learning-based atmospheric particle-removal approaches such as those used for rainy and hazy images are designed with strong assumptions regarding spatial frequency, trajectory, and translucency. However, the removal of snow particles is more complicated because it possess the additional attributes of particle size and shape, and these attributes may vary within a single image. Currently, hand-crafted features are still the mainstream for snow removal, making significant generalization difficult to achieve. In response, we have designed a multistage network codenamed DesnowNet to in turn deal with the removal of translucent and opaque snow particles. We also differentiate snow into attributes of translucency and chromatic aberration for accurate estimation. Moreover, our approach individually estimates residual complements of the snow-free images to recover details obscured by opaque snow. Additionally, a multi-scale design is utilized throughout the entire network to model the diversity of snow. As demonstrated in experimental results, our approach outperforms state-of-the-art learning-based atmospheric phenomena removal methods and one semantic segmentation baseline on the proposed Snow100K dataset in both qualitative and quantitative comparisons. The results indicate our network would benefit applications involving computer vision and graphics

GW170817/GRB 170817A/AT2017gfo association: some implications for physics and astrophysics

On 17 August 2017, a gravitational wave event (GW170817) and an associated short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) from a binary neutron star merger had been detected. The followup optical/infrared observations also identified the macronova/kilonova emission (AT2017gfo). In this work we discuss some implications of the remarkable GW170817/GRB 170817A/AT2017gfo association. We show that the $\sim 1.7$s time delay between the gravitational wave (GW) and GRB signals imposes very tight constraint on the superluminal movement of gravitational waves (i.e., the relative departure of GW velocity from the speed of light is $\leq 4.3\times 10^{-16}$) or the possible violation of weak equivalence principle (i.e., the difference of the gamma-ray and GW trajectories in the gravitational field of the galaxy and the local universe should be within a factor of $\sim 3.4\times 10^{-9}$). The so-called Dark Matter Emulators and a class of contender models for cosmic acceleration ("Covariant Galileon") are ruled out, too. The successful identification of Lanthanide elements in the macronova/kilonova spectrum also excludes the possibility that the progenitors of GRB 170817A are a binary strange star system. The high neutron star merger rate (inferred from both the local sGRB data and the gravitational wave data) together with the significant ejected mass strongly suggest that such mergers are the prime sites of heavy r-process nucleosynthesis.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Accepted for Publication in ApJ

MicroRNA-27a promotes proliferation and suppresses apoptosis by targeting PLK2in laryngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: miRNA-27a has been confirmed as an important regulator in carcinogenesis and other pathological processes. Whether and how it plays a role in the laryngeal carcinoma is unknown. METHODS: Mature miRNA-27a expression in laryngeal cancer was detected by qRT-PCR. Gain-of-function studies using mature miR-27a were performed to investigate cell proliferation and apoptosis in the Hep2 cells. In silico database analysis and luciferase reporter assay were applied to predict and validate the direct target, respectively. Loss-of-function assays were performed to investigate the functional significance of the miR-27a target gene. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to evaluate mRNA and protein levels of the target, respectively. RESULTS: miR-27a was significantly up-regulated in the laryngeal tumor tissues compared to the adjacent non-tumor tissues. In silico database analysis result revealed that PLK2 is a potential target of miR-27a. luciferase reporter assay result showed the direct inhibition of miR-27a on PLK2-3′UTR. In the cases with miR-27a up-regulation, PLK2 protein expression level was significantly lower in cancer tissues than that in the adjacent non-tumor tissues, which showed a negative correlation with miR-27a expression level. Both miR-27a and knockdown of PLK2 caused the increase of the cell viability and colony formation and inhibition of the late apoptosis in the Hep2 cell lines. Moreover, miR-27a but not PLK2 also repressed the early apoptosis in the Hep2 cells. Additionally, no alteration of the Hep2 cell cycle induced by miR-27a was detected. CONCLUSIONS: miR-27a acts as an oncogene in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma through down-regulation of PLK2 and may provide a novel clue into the potential mechanism of LSCC oncogenesis or serve as a useful biomarker in diagnosis and therapy in laryngeal cancer. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2407-14-678) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Prognostic impact of initial platelet count and post-induction platelet recovery in elderly AML patients: associated with circulating cytokines

ObjectiveAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy, with various clinical features influencing its prognosis. The aim of this study to evaluate the impact of platelet count at diagnosis and platelet recovery after induction chemotherapy on the survival outcomes of elderly AML patients.MethodsA total of 109 elderly patients with AML who were treated in our center between 2017 and 2023 were evaluated. According to the median platelet counts at the time of new diagnosis, the cases were divided into a low platelet counts group (≤40×109/L, n=54) and a high platelet count group (>40×109/L, n=55). Platelet recovery times were accepted as the periods from the beginning of induction chemotherapy to a platelet count of ≥20×109/L 3 days in a row, respectively. The median time to platelet recovery was 25 days (range12-47) for all patients. Therefore, platelet recovery in the first 25 days was defined as early platelet recovery and at >25 days it was defined as late platelet recovery.ResultsLow platelet counts at diagnosis and early recovery of platelet counts after induction therapy indicate longer overall survival (OS) and Leukemia-free survival (LFS). Patients with high platelet counts at diagnosis and those with delayed platelet recovery after induction therapy exhibited elevated levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Additionally, patients with high platelet counts at diagnosis also had relatively higher levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8).ConclusionPlatelets can be used as a prognostic biomarker for elderly AML and may be associated with circulating cytokines

14-3-3epsilon contributes to tumour suppression in laryngeal carcinoma by affecting apoptosis and invasion

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>14-3-3epsilon regulates a wide range of biological processes, including cell cycle control, proliferation, and apoptosis, and plays a significant role in neurogenesis and the formation of malignant tumours. However, the exact function and regulatory mechanism of 14-3-3epsilon in carcinogenesis have not been elucidated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The expression of <it>14-3-3epsilon </it>was assessed by RT-PCR and western blotting. The invasiveness and viability of Hep-2 cells were determined by the transwell migration assay and MTT assay, respectively. Cell cycle and apoptosis of Hep-2 cells were detected by flow cytometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mRNA and protein expression of <it>14-3-3epsilon </it>in larynx squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues were significantly lower than those in clear surgical margin tissues. Statistical analysis showed that the 14-3-3epsilon protein level in metastatic lymph nodes was lower than that in paired tumour tissues. In addition, the protein level of 14-3-3epsilon in stage III or IV tumours was significantly lower than that in stage I or II tumours. Compared with control Hep-2 cells, the percentages of viable cells in the 14-3-3epsilon-GFP and negative control GFP groups were 36.68 ± 14.09% and 71.68 ± 12.10%, respectively. The proportions of S phase were 22.47 ± 3.36%, 28.17 ± 3.97% and 46.15 ± 6.82%, and the apoptotic sub-G1 populations were 1.23 ± 1.02%, 2.92 ± 1.59% and 13.72 ± 3.89% in the control, negative control GFP and 14-3-3epsilon-GFP groups, respectively. The percentages of the apoptotic cells were 0.84 ± 0.25%, 1.08 ± 0.24% and 2.93 ± 0.13% in the control, negative control GFP and 14-3-3epsilon-GFP groups, respectively. The numbers of cells that penetrated the filter membrane in the control, negative control GFP and 14-3-3epsilon-GFP groups were 20.65 ± 1.94, 17.63 ± 1.04 and 9.1 ± 0.24, respectively, indicating significant differences among the different groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Decreased expression of <it>14-3-3epsilon </it>in LSCC tissues contributes to the initiation and progression of LSCC. <it>14-3-3epsilon </it>can promote apoptosis and inhibit the invasiveness of LSCC.</p

Mesaconine alleviates doxorubicin-triggered cardiotoxicity and heart failure by activating PINK1-dependent cardiac mitophagy

Aberrant mitophagy has been identified as a driver for energy metabolism disorder in most cardiac pathological processes. However, finding effective targeted agents and uncovering their precise modulatory mechanisms remain unconquered. Fuzi, the lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii, shows unique efficacy in reviving Yang for resuscitation, which has been widely used in clinics. As a main cardiotonic component of Fuzi, mesaconine has been proven effective in various cardiomyopathy models. Here, we aimed to define a previously unrevealed cardioprotective mechanism of mesaconine-mediated restoration of obstructive mitophagy. The functional implications of mesaconine were evaluated in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced heart failure models. DOX-treated mice showed characteristic cardiac dysfunction, ectopic myocardial energy disorder, and impaired mitophagy in cardiomyocytes, which could be remarkably reversed by mesaconine. The cardioprotective effect of mesaconine was primarily attributed to its ability to promote the restoration of mitophagy in cardiomyocytes, as evidenced by elevated expression of PINK1, a key mediator of mitophagy induction. Silencing PINK1 or deactivating mitophagy could completely abolish the protective effects of mesaconine. Together, our findings suggest that the cardioprotective effects of mesaconine appear to be dependent on the activation of PINK1-induced mitophagy and that mesaconine may constitute a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of heart failure

MYCT1-TV, A Novel MYCT1 Transcript, Is Regulated by c-Myc and May Participate in Laryngeal Carcinogenesis

BACKGROUND: MYCT1, a putative target of c-Myc, is a novel candidate tumor suppressor gene cloned from laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Its transcriptional regulation and biological effects on LSCC have not been clarified. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using RACE assay, we cloned a 1106 bp transcript named Myc target 1 transcript variant 1 (MYCT1-TV) and confirmed its transcriptional start site was located at 140 bp upstream of the ATG start codon of MYCT1-TV. Luciferase, electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed c-Myc could regulate the promoter activity of MYCT1-TV by specifically binding to the E-box elements within -886 to -655 bp region. These results were further verified by site-directed mutagenesis and RNA interference (RNAi) assays. MYCT1-TV and MYCT1 expressed lower in LSCC than those in paired adjacent normal laryngeal tissues, and overexpression of MYCT1-TV and MYCT1 could inhibit cell proliferation and invasion and promote apoptosis in LSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data indicate that MYCT1-TV, a novel MYCT1 transcript, is regulated by c-Myc and down-regulation of MYCT1-TV/MYCT1 could contribute to LSCC development and function

Serological Evidence of Subclinical Transmission of the 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus Outside of Mexico

Background: Relying on surveillance of clinical cases limits the ability to understand the full impact and severity of an epidemic, especially when subclinical cases are more likely to be present in the early stages. Little is known of the infection and transmissibility of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza (pH1N1) virus outside of Mexico prior to clinical cases being reported, and of the knowledge pertaining to immunity and incidence of infection during April-June, which is essential for understanding the nature of viral transmissibility as well as for planning surveillance and intervention of future pandemics. Methodology/Principal Findings: Starting in the fall of 2008, 306 persons from households with schoolchildren in central Taiwan were followed sequentially and serum samples were taken in three sampling periods for haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. Age-specific incidence rates were calculated based on seroconversion of antibodies to the pH1N1 virus with an HI titre of 1: 40 or more during two periods: April-June and September-October in 2009. The earliest time period with HI titer greater than 40, as well as a four-fold increase of the neutralization titer, was during April 26-May 3. The incidence rates during the pre-epidemic phase (April-June) and the first wave (July-October) of the pandemic were 14.1% and 29.7%, respectively. The transmissibility of the pH1N1 virus during the early phase of the epidemic, as measured by the effective reproductive number R(0), was 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98-1.34). Conclusions: Approximately one in every ten persons was infected with the 2009 pH1N1 virus during the pre-epidemic phase in April-June. The lack of age-pattern in seropositivity is unexpected, perhaps highlighting the importance of children as asymptomatic transmitters of influenza in households. Although without virological confirmation, our data raise the question of whether there was substantial pH1N1 transmission in Taiwan before June, when clinical cases were first detected by the surveillance network

Expert consensus on resection of chest wall tumors and chest wall reconstruction

Chest wall tumors are a relatively uncommon disease in clinical practice. Most of the published studies about chest wall tumors are usually single-center retrospective studies, involving few patients. Therefore, evidences regarding clinical conclusions about chest wall tumors are lacking, and some controversial issues have still to be agreed upon. In January 2019, 73 experts in thoracic surgery, plastic surgery, science, and engineering jointly released the Chinese Expert Consensus on Chest Wall Tumor Resection and Chest Wall Reconstruction (2018 edition). After that, numerous experts put forward new perspectives on some academic issues in this version of the consensus, pointing out the necessity to further discuss the points of contention. Thus, we conducted a survey through the administration of a questionnaire among 85 experts in the world. Consensus has been reached on some major points as follows. (I) Wide excision should be performed for desmoid tumor (DT) of chest wall. After excluding the distant metastasis by multi-disciplinary team, solitary sternal plasmacytoma can be treated with extensive resection and adjuvant radiotherapy. (II) Wide excision with above 2 cm margin distance should be attempted to obtain R0 resection margin for chest wall tumor unless the tumor involves vital organs or structures, including the great vessels, heart, trachea, joints, and spine. (III) For patients with chest wall tumors undergoing unplanned excision (UE) for the first time, it is necessary to carry out wide excision as soon as possible within 1-3 months following the previous surgery. (IV) Current Tumor Node Metastasis staging criteria (American Joint Committee on Cancer) of bone tumor and soft tissue sarcoma are not suitable for chest wall sarcomas. (V) It is necessary to use rigid implants for chest wall reconstruction once the maximum diameter of the chest wall defect exceeds 5 cm in adults and adolescents. (VI) For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading the chest wall, wide excision with neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapy are recommended for patients with stage T3-4N0-1M0. As clear guidelines are lacking, these consensus statements on controversial issues on chest wall tumors and resection could possibly serve as further guidance in clinical practice during the upcoming years