The value of texture analysis in peritumoral edema of differentiating diagnosis between glioblastoma and primary brain lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of texture analysis of routine MRI image in peritumoral edema of differentiating diagnosis between glioblastoma (GBM) and primary brain lymphoma (PBL). METHODS: The MRI imaging data of 22 patients with glioblastoma and 21 patients with PBL who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2010 to October 2018 were selected. All the patients were pathologically diagnosed as glioblastoma or PBL, and MRI plain scan and enhanced examination were performed before operation. FireVoxel software was used to delineate the region of interest (ROI) on the most obvious level of peritumoral edema based on T1WI enhancement. Texture parameters were extracted and compared between glioblastoma and PBL. RESULTS: In the glioblastoma group, the inhomogeneity, kurtosis and entropy texture parameters were statistically different from those in the PBL group. The entropy parameter area under the curve (AUC) (0.903) was significantly better than the kurtosis parameter AUC (0.859) and the inhomogeneity parameter AUC (0.729). When the entropy parameter Cut-off point = 3.883, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of glioblastoma and PBL were 85.7, 86.4 and 86.0%, respectively, by differential diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Texture analysis of tumor peritumoral edema provided quantifiable information, which might be a new method for differentiating glioblastoma from PBL.

CAPON Is a Critical Protein in Synaptic Molecular Networks in the Prefrontal Cortex of Mood Disorder Patients and Contributes to Depression-Like Behavior in a Mouse Model.

Aberrant regulation and activity of synaptic proteins may cause synaptic pathology in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mood disorder patients. Carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of NOS1 (CAPON) is a critical scaffold protein linked to synaptic proteins like nitric oxide synthase 1, synapsins. We hypothesized that CAPON is altered together with its interacting synaptic proteins in the PFC in mood disorder patients and may contribute to depression-like behaviors in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Here, we found that CAPON-immunoreactivity (ir) was significantly increased in the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex in major depressive disorder (MDD), which was accompanied by an upregulation of spinophilin-ir and a downregulation of synapsin-ir. The increases in CAPON and spinophilin and the decrease in synapsin in the DLPFC of MDD patients were also seen in the PFC of CUMS mice. CAPON-ir positively correlated with spinophilin-ir (but not with synapsin-ir) in mood disorder patients. CAPON colocalized with spinophilin in the DLPFC of MDD patients and interacted with spinophilin in human brain. Viral-mediated CAPON downregulation in the medial PFC notably reversed the depression-like behaviors in the CUMS mice. These data suggest that CAPON may contribute to aspects of depressive behavior, possibly as an interacting protein for spinophilin in the PFC.

Adaptive Spoofing Suppression Algorithm for GNSS Based on Multiple Antennas Array.

The signals of navigation satellites are easily affected by spoofing interference, causing the wrong position, speed or Universal Time Coordinate of the receiver to be calculated. Traditional detection and suppression algorithms are used only to eliminate the spoofing signals, which may lead to an insufficient number of satellites for positioning. An adaptive spoofing suppression algorithm (ASSA) based on a multiple antenna array is proposed in this study. The ASSA can use the cross-correlation gain of multiple antenna array to adaptively generate nulling and realize the simultaneous suppression of multiple spoofing signals. Moreover, ASSA does not need to capture and track spoofing separately, thus reducing the complexity of implementation and calculation. Experiments were conducted to verify the proposed system under different conditions, and the results show that ASSA can suppress multiple spoofings with little impact on positioning performance. Under the condition of spoofing, ASSAs were (2.22 m, 2.41 m, 4.43 m) in the static test and (2.27 m, 2.43 m, 4.64 m) in the kinematic test, which are good positioning performances for both. In addition, the ASSA is applied before capturing signals, which is beneficial to identifying and eliminating spoofing earlier and faster.

Effects of Long Form of CAPON Overexpression on Glioma Cell Proliferation are Dependent on AKT/mTOR/P53 Signaling.

Background: CAPON has two isoforms in human brain: long form of CAPON (CAPON-L) and short form of CAPON (CAPON-S). Recent studies have indicated the involvement of CAPON in tumor cell growth. We aimed to reveal the role of the two CAPON isoforms in the proliferation of glioma cells in this study. Materials and Methods: Lentivirus-mediated stable cell lines with CAPON-L or CAPON-S overexpression were established in U87 and U251 glioma cells. Cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Western blot analysis of cell cycle-related proteins and flow cytometry were performed to analyze cell cycle progression. Some important molecules of the AKT/mTOR pathway and P53 were also measured by Western blot analysis. Results: Overexpression of CAPON-L showed a significantly inhibitory role in U251 cells, while it exhibited a promoting role in U87 cells. Consistently, overexpressing CAPON-L impeded the cell cycle progression and down-regulated the expression levels of Cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK6 in U251 cells, whereas it up-regulated the CDK6 level in U87 cells. The overexpression of CAPON-L significantly decreased the phosphorylation and/or total levels of AKT, mTOR and S6 in U251 cells, while it did not affect these signaling molecules in U87 cells, except for a significant increase in the phosphorylation of AKT at Thr-308 site. Transfecting constitutively active AKT (myr-AKT) partially reversed the decreased phosphorylation of AKT and S6 in the CAPON-L-overexpressing U251 cells. In addition, we found a significant decrease in the wild-type P53 level in the CAPON-L-overexpressing U87 cells. The overexpression of CAPON-S also inhibited cell proliferation, blocked cell cycle progression, and decreased the AKT/mTOR pathway activity in U251 cells. Conclusion: The effects of CAPON-L overexpression on glioma cell proliferation are dependent on the AKT/mTOR/P53 activity. The overexpression of CAPON inhibits U251 cell proliferation through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, while overexpressing CAPON-L promoted U87 cell proliferation, possibly through down-regulating the P53 level.

Doppler Differential Positioning Technology Using the BDS/GPS Indoor Array Pseudolite System.

A Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) cannot provide normal location services in an indoor environment because the signals are blocked by buildings. The Beidou satellite navigation system (BDS)/GPS indoor array pseudolite system is proposed to overcome the problems of indoor positioning with conventional pseudolite, such as time synchronization, ambiguity resolution and base stations. At the same time, an algorithm for Doppler differential positioning is proposed to improve the indoor positioning accuracy and the positioning coverage of the system, which uses the Doppler difference equation and Known Point Initialization (KPI) to determinate the velocity and position of the receiver. Experiments were conducted to verify the proposed system under different conditions; the average positioning error of the Doppler differential positioning algorithm was 7.86 mm in the kinematic test and 2.9 mm in the static test. The results show that BDS/GPS indoor array pseudolite system has the potential to make indoor positioning achieve sub-centimeter precision. Finally, the positioning error of the proposed algorithm is also analyzed, and the data tests show that the dilution of precision (DOP) and cycle- slips have a significant impact on the indoor positioning accuracy; a cycle-slip of a half-wavelength can cause positioning errors of tens of millimeters. Therefore, the Doppler-aided cycle-slip detection method (DACS) is proposed to detect cycle-slips of one cycle or greater than one, and the carrier phase double difference cycle-slip detection method (CPDD) is used to detect cycle slips of a half-wavelength.

Design and implementation of high sampling rate and multichannel wireless recorder for EEG monitoring and SSVEP response detection.

Introduction: The collection and process of human brain activity signals play an essential role in developing brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. A portable electroencephalogram (EEG) device has become an important tool for monitoring brain activity and diagnosing mental diseases. However, the miniaturization, portability, and scalability of EEG recorder are the current bottleneck in the research and application of BCI. Methods: For scalp EEG and other applications, the current study designs a 32-channel EEG recorder with a sampling rate up to 30 kHz and 16-bit accuracy, which can meet both the demands of scalp and intracranial EEG signal recording. A fully integrated electrophysiology microchip RHS2116 controlled by FPGA is employed to build the EEG recorder, and the design meets the requirements of high sampling rate, high transmission rate and channel extensive. Results: The experimental results show that the developed EEG recorder provides a maximum 30 kHz sampling rate and 58 Mbps wireless transmission rate. The electrophysiological experiments were performed on scalp and intracranial EEG collection. An inflatable helmet with adjustable contact impedance was designed, and the pressurization can improve the SNR by approximately 4 times, the average accuracy of steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) was 93.12%. Animal experiments were also performed on rats, and spike activity was captured successfully. Conclusion: The designed multichannel wireless EEG collection system is simple and comfort, the helmet-EEG recorder can capture the bioelectric signals without noticeable interference, and it has high measurement performance and great potential for practical application in BCI systems.

Microbial community structure dynamics of invasive bullfrog with meningitis-like infectious disease.

Meningitis-like infectious disease (MID) (also known as frog cataract and torticollis) is a disease prone to occur in amphibians and reptiles. It is highly contagious and has a high mortality rate. In this study, we sampled and sequenced microbiomes from oral and intestinal samples of five normal and five diseased bullfrogs. The analysis found that the richness, uniformity, and abundance of the microbial community of the diseased bullfrogs were significantly higher than those of the normal bullfrogs in both the oral cavity and the gut. In the diseased group, the abundance of Elizabethkingia significantly increased and that of Lactococcus significantly decreased. It showed that the structure of the microbial community had changed a lot in diseased frogs. After the pathogenic bacteria infected the body, it might be make the decline in the immune function of the body declined, and resulting in some conditional pathogenic bacteria in the water body further infecting the body. As a result, the richness and composition of the microbial community significantly changed. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the control of MID of bullfrogs.

Effects of Eggshell Thickness, Calcium Content, and Number of Pores in Erosion Craters on Hatching Rate of Chinese Alligator Eggs.

The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), found only in a small region in southeastern Anhui Province, is listed as critically endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to its current declining population trend. Any abnormalities in the physical properties of an egg can decrease the hatching rate. In particular, eggshells play an essential role in embryo development, motivating us to analyze the microstructures of the eggshells of Chinese alligators. In this study, we categorized the eggshells into two groups, based on the hatching rates, and analyzed the relationship between the eggshell parameters (eggshell thickness, calcium content, and number of pores in erosion craters) and the hatching rate, as well as the relationships between the eggshell parameters. We found that the shells of the eggs with high hatching rates were thicker than those of the eggs with low hatching rates. There were also fewer erosion-crater pores on the surfaces of the eggs with high hatching rates than on the surfaces of the eggs with low hatching rates. Moreover, the shell Ca content was significantly higher in the eggs with high hatching rates than in the eggs with low hatching rates. Cluster modeling indicated that the highest hatching rate occurred when the eggshell thickness was 200-380 µm and there were 1-12 pores. These results suggest that eggs with adequate Ca contents, thicker shells, and less air permeability are more likely to hatch. Furthermore, our findings can inform future studies, which will be vital for the survival of the critically endangered Chinese alligator species.

Highly Stretchable and Self-Adhesive Elastomers Based on Polymer Chain Rearrangement for High-Performance Strain Sensors.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been widely used in many fields. However, the polymerization process of the siloxane chain is highly complex, and it is challenging to enhance the mechanical properties of PDMS elastomers significantly. We found that adding a small amount of polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (Brij-35) into siloxane polymers can result in B-PDMS elastomers with high tensile properties and strong adhesion. It is worth noting that this is the first study to improve the mechanical properties of PDMS using Brij-35. Here, we intensely studied a variety of process conditions that influence the cross-linking of PDMS, emphasizing the modification mechanism of the polymer chain. The hydroxyl groups in Brij-35 and the platinum catalyst in PDMS form a complex, which inhibits the cross-linking process of PDMS, not only forming a heterogeneous cross-linking network in the B-PDMS but also disentangling the strongly wound siloxane polymer chain, thereby rearranging the PDMS polymer chains. Furthermore, in order to prepare a strain sensor based on the B-PDMS elastomer under safe and convenient conditions, we prepared laser-scribed graphene powder (LSGP) by laser-scribing of graphene oxide (GO) films, and the LSGP and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) endowed the B-PDMS elastomers with excellent electrical properties. The sensor could firmly adhere to the skin and generate a high-quality response to a variety of human motions, and it could drive the robotic hand to grasp and lift objects accurately. The high-performance strain sensors based on B-PDMS have broad applications in medical sensing and biopotential measurement.

Complete genome sequence of Rickettsia typhi and comparison with sequences of other rickettsiae.

Rickettsia typhi, the causative agent of murine typhus, is an obligate intracellular bacterium with a life cycle involving both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Here we present the complete genome sequence of R. typhi (1,111,496 bp) and compare it to the two published rickettsial genome sequences: R. prowazekii and R. conorii. We identified 877 genes in R. typhi encoding 3 rRNAs, 33 tRNAs, 3 noncoding RNAs, and 838 proteins, 3 of which are frameshifts. In addition, we discovered more than 40 pseudogenes, including the entire cytochrome c oxidase system. The three rickettsial genomes share 775 genes: 23 are found only in R. prowazekii and R. typhi, 15 are found only in R. conorii and R. typhi, and 24 are unique to R. typhi. Although most of the genes are colinear, there is a 35-kb inversion in gene order, which is close to the replication terminus, in R. typhi, compared to R. prowazekii and R. conorii. In addition, we found a 124-kb R. typhi-specific inversion, starting 19 kb from the origin of replication, compared to R. prowazekii and R. conorii. Inversions in this region are also seen in the unpublished genome sequences of R. sibirica and R. rickettsii, indicating that this region is a hot spot for rearrangements. Genome comparisons also revealed a 12-kb insertion in the R. prowazekii genome, relative to R. typhi and R. conorii, which appears to have occurred after the typhus (R. prowazekii and R. typhi) and spotted fever (R. conorii) groups diverged. The three-way comparison allowed further in silico analysis of the SpoT split genes, leading us to propose that the stringent response system is still functional in these rickettsiae.