Piximi - An Images to Discovery web tool for bioimages and beyond.

Deep learning has greatly accelerated research in biological image analysis yet it often requires programming skills and specialized tool installation. Here we present Piximi, a modern, no-programming image analysis tool leveraging deep learning. Implemented as a web application at Piximi.app, Piximi requires no installation and can be accessed by any modern web browser. Its client-only architecture preserves the security of researcher data by running all computation locally. Piximi offers four core modules: a deep learning classifier, an image annotator, measurement modules, and pre-trained deep learning segmentation modules. Piximi is interoperable with existing tools and workflows by supporting import and export of common data and model formats. The intuitive researcher interface and easy access to Piximi allows biological researchers to obtain insights into images within just a few minutes. Piximi aims to bring deep learning-powered image analysis to a broader community by eliminating barriers to entry.

Fusion of the Greater and Suboccipital Nerves: A Case Report With Application to Patients With Occipital Neuralgia.

Atypical presentations of occipital neuralgia might have an anatomical cause. Therefore, a better understanding of variant anatomy in this region can help physicians who treat such patients. During the dissection of the suboccipital region in an 83-year-old at-death male cadaver, an unusual finding was noted between the suboccipital and greater occipital nerves. No branches from this segment of the suboccipital nerve were identified. Therefore, initially, the suboccipital muscles were thought to be innervated not by the suboccipital nerve but rather by branches of the medial (greater occipital nerve) and lateral branches of the C2 dorsal ramus. However, with microdissection, these fibers were found to ascend with the medial branch of the C2 ramus (greater occipital nerve) and to distribute fibers to the rectus capitis minor and major and then continue with the greater occipital nerve to the skin over the occiput. No fibers from the suboccipital nerve traveled to the C2 spinal nerve or its lateral branch. The lateral part of the dorsal ramus of C2 innervated the obliquus capitis superior and obliquus capitis inferior. Additionally, a long slender branch from the lateral branch of the C2 dorsal ramus traveled medially to innervate the skin over the C2 spinous process. This case demonstrates that some fibers in the greater occipital nerve (C2), both cutaneous and motor, can be derived from the suboccipital nerve (C1). This information can help in diagnosing some patients with atypical presentations and can help better target all involved occipital nerves.

The effect of plasma treatment on the osseointegration of rough titanium implant: A histo-morphometric study in rabbits.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The surface properties, such as hydrophilicity and functional OH groups, play an important role in bone fixation in vivo. In our previous study, the plasma treatments of large grit and acid etching (SLA) method produce functional OH groups on the rough surface. There is no report in discussing the integration between basic Ti-OH groups and bone-to-implant contact (BIC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the functional OH groups on the rough surface both in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Functional hydroxyl groups were produced on a SLA-treated surface. The surface topography, roughness, wettability, and chemical composition were examined using various techniques. Twenty-four implants were inserted into the proximal tibia of four New Zealand white rabbits. The biological responses were measured in terms of histomorphometric analysis 4 and 8 weeks post-implantation. RESULTS: The surface morphology and roughness were similar among all groups. However, the concentration of OH groups and hydrophilicity were found increased in the plasma treatment. The cell morphology in RF-plasma treated groups had more polygonal type and higher expression of actin and vinculin. The bone-to-implant contact (BIC) ratios of RF-200W were significantly higher than other groups (P < 0.05). The relationship between basic OH groups and BIC showed linear correspondence. CONCLUSION: The Ti-OH groups introduced on the rough surface by plasma treatments can trigger cell adhesion which further initiate new bone apposition. We propose that RF-plasma treatment can help to enhance bone healing at 4 and 8 weeks.

Surface Modification of Direct-Current and Radio-Frequency Oxygen Plasma Treatments Enhance Cell Biocompatibility.

The sand-blasting and acid etching (SLA) method can fabricate a rough topography for mechanical fixation and long-term stability of titanium implant, but can not achieve early bone healing. This study used two kinds of plasma treatments (Direct-Current and Radio-Frequency plasma) to modify the SLA-treated surface. The modification of plasma treatments creates respective power range and different content functional OH groups. The results show that the plasma treatments do not change the micron scale topography, and plasma-treated specimens presented super hydrophilicity. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)-examined result showed that the functional OH content of the RF plasma-treated group was higher than the control (SLA) and DC treatment groups. The biological responses (protein adsorption, cell attachment, cell proliferation, and differentiation) promoted after plasma treatments, and the cell responses, have correlated to the total content of amphoteric OH groups. The experimental results indicated that plasma treatments can create functional OH groups on SLA-treated specimens, and the RF plasma-treated SLA implant thus has potential for achievement of bone healing in early stage of implantation.

Is weight reduction an effective therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver? A systematic review.

PURPOSE: To assess the evidence supporting the efficacy of weight reduction for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver. METHODS: Potentially relevant studies were identified by a computerized search of databases and a manual search of abstracts from scientific meetings. Studies were included if they reported histology, serum aminotransferase levels, or radiological imaging of the liver in obese adult patients who had undergone weight reduction. Weight reduction regimens included diet, exercise, antiobesity medications, gastric bypass, gastroplasty, or any combination of these interventions. Studies involving jejunoileal or small bowel bypass surgery were excluded. RESULTS: We identified 517 potentially relevant studies, of which 15 met the inclusion criteria: one randomized controlled trial (in abstract form), two nonrandomized controlled trials, nine case series, one retrospective review, and two case reports. Three studies included more than 50 patients, whereas nine studies had 25 or fewer patients. Twelve studies used behavioral, dietary, or pharmacologic therapy for weight reduction, and three studies used surgical interventions. Although all 15 studies demonstrated overall improvement in the measurements of liver outcome after weight reduction, more than half did not report histologic results. CONCLUSION: Despite general acceptance that weight reduction is an effective therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver, this systematic review found little data to support or refute this recommendation.

Effects of nanometric roughness on surface properties and fibroblast's initial cytocompatibilities of Ti6Al4V.

Titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) has widespread medical applications because of its excellent biocompatibility. Its biological responses can further be enhanced by polishing and passivation. Unfortunately, preparing titanium alloy samples of nanometric roughness is by far much more difficult than preparing those of micrometric roughness, and numerous investigations on roughness induced effects are all focused on micrometric scales. For the remedy, we investigate, at nanometric scale, the influence of roughness on surface properties and biological responses. Six groups of Ti6Al4V with average roughness (R(a)) values of 2.75-30.34 nm are prepared. The results indicated that nanometric roughness of samples change the wettability and amphoteric OH groups. The contact angles monotonically decrease from 2.75 to 30.34 nm and the rougher surfaces lead to higher wettability. The in vitro cell-culture studies, using Murine NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, showed the spindle-shaped morphology on rougher surface compared to round∕spherical morphology on smoother surface. A cytodetacher is employed to quantitatively measure the initial adhesion force of fibroblasts to specimen. The adhesion strength of fibroblasts, ranging from 55 to 193 nN, is significantly influenced by the nanometric roughness while the surface is within the range of 2.75-30.34 nm R(a) roughness, and the adhesion strength appeared stronger for rougher surface. The cell number on the smoother surface is higher than on the rougher surface at 5-day culture. The studies indicated that nanometric roughness would alter the surface properties and further influence cell morphology, adhesion strength, and proliferation.

Modulation of the ability of clozapine to facilitate NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex by dopamine: pharmacological evidence.

Previous studies have shown that dopamine (DA) may play an important role in mediating or modulating the facilitating action of clozapine in glutamatergic transmission. This possibility was tested further in the present study by pharmacological manipulation of the DA system. When rats were pretreated with reserpine (which blocks storage of biogenic amines) and alpha-methyl para-tyrosine (AMPT, which inhibits tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme for the DA synthesis), the ability of clozapine to augment glutamatergic transmission in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was totally abolished. Furthermore, the application of l-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA, the immediate precursor of DA which bypasses the synthesis step inhibited by AMPT) reversed the effect produced by reserpine plus AMPT and reinstated the facilitating action of clozapine, whereas administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the immediate precursor of 5-HT, was ineffective. In addition, DA D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 also completely prevented clozapine-induced facilitating action in the mPFC pyramidal cells. The present results demonstrate that newly synthesized DA and DA D1 receptors are required for clozapine to elicit its facilitating action on glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mPFC.

Differential effects of atypical and typical antipsychotic drugs on N-methyl-D-aspartate- and electrically evoked responses in the pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex.

In the present study, we have demonstrated that atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs, e.g., clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine) and atypical APD candidates (e.g., M100907 and Y-931) share a common property in facilitating responses evoked by electrical stimulation of the forceps minor and by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), but not (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The concentrations of these drugs to exert their action are in a clinically relevant range. Although haloperidol has shown a considerably smaller potentiation of NMDA-evoked current at 50 and 100 nM, it consistently depressed the AMPA-induced current. Chlorpromazine and loxapine failed to modulate significantly NMDA- or AMPA-induced current in the pyramidal cells. Moreover, haloperidol and loxapine demonstrated depression of excitatory postsynaptic currents, whereas chlorpromazine did not show any effect. These findings combined indicate that atypical, but not typical, APDs augment glutamatergic neurotransmission in pyramidal cells of the mPFC. We propose that the beneficial effect of atypical APDs in cognitive dysfunction and negative symptoms in schizophrenia is due to their ability to enhance glutamatergic neurotransmission in the PFC and functionally related limbic structures. Our results further suggest the possible use of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mPFC as a model for screening and studying the action of potential atypical APDs.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II is involved in the facilitating effect of clozapine on NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in the medial prefrontal cortical pyramidal cells.

Using the method of intracellular recording in in vitro brain slices, we investigated whether calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) is involved in the facilitating action produced by the atypical antipsychotic drug (APD) clozapine on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced inward currents and electrically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The CaMKII inhibitor, KN-93 (N-[2-(N-(4-Chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylaminomethyl)phenyl]-N-[2-hydroxyethyl]-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide), but not the inactive isomer, KN-92 (2-[N-(4-Methoxybenzenesulfonyl)]amino-N-(4-chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylbenzylamine, phosphate), blocked clozapine's augmenting effect on NMDA-evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the rat mPFC. KN-93 also inhibited the facilitatory effect of clozapine on electrically evoked responses in the pyramidal cells, while KN-92 did not show any effect. Similarly, the calmodulin antagonist W-7 (N-(6-Aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide) inhibited the augmenting effect of clozapine on NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in the pyramidal cells. To further test the role of CaMKII in mediating the augmenting action of clozapine, we performed experiments in alpha-CaMKII mutant and wild-type mice. In contrast to results in pyramidal cells from rats or wild-type mice, clozapine was not able to potentiate NMDA-induced currents in the mPFC pyramidal cells from the CaMKII mutant mouse. Both KN-93 and W-7, but not KN-92, inhibited the augmenting action of clozapine in the pyramidal cells of wild-type mice. Taken together, these results suggest that the facilitating action of clozapine on the NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the mPFC requires activation of CaMKII enzyme.