Artificial intelligence workflow quantifying muscle features on Hematoxylin-Eosin stained sections reveals dystrophic phenotype amelioration upon treatment.

Cell segmentation is a key step for a wide variety of biological investigations, especially in the context of muscle science. Currently, automated methods still struggle to perform skeletal muscle fiber quantification on Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) stained histopathological whole slide images due to low contrast. On the other hand, the Deep Learning algorithm Cellpose offers new perspectives considering its increasing adoption for segmentation of a wide range of cells. Combining two open-source tools, Cellpose and QuPath, we developed MyoSOTHES, an automated Myofibers Segmentation wOrkflow Tuned for HE Staining. MyoSOTHES enables solving segmentation inconsistencies encountered by default Cellpose model in presence of large range size cells and provides information related to muscle Feret's diameter distribution and Centrally Nucleated Fibers, thus depicting muscle health and treatment effects. MyoSOTHES achieves high quality segmentation compared to baseline workflow with a detection F1-score increasing from 0.801 to 0.919 and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) on diameter improved by 31%. MyoSOTHES was validated on an animal study featuring gene transfer in [Formula: see text]-Sarcoglycanopathy, for which dose-response effect is visible and conclusions drawn are consistent with those previously published. MyoSOTHES thus paves the way for wide quantification of HE stained muscle sections and retrospective analysis of HE labeled slices used in laboratories for decades.

Dual-energy estimates of volumetric bone mineral densities in the lumbar spine using quantitative computed tomography better correlate with fracture properties when compared to single-energy BMD outcomes.

It is estimated that over 200 million people worldwide are affected by osteoporosis. Vertebral fracture risk prediction using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is confounded by limitations of the technology, such as 2D measurements of bone mineral density (BMD), inability to measure bone distribution and heterogeneity, and potential overestimations of BMD due to degenerative diseases. To overcome these shortcomings, single energy (SE) quantitative computed tomography (QCT) imaging estimates of Hounsfield units (HU) and volumetric BMD have been implemented as alternative methodologies for assessing fracture risk. However, marrow fat within the vertebrae can highly affect the vBMD and fracture properties estimations. To address this issue, 54 vertebrae were dissected from nine cadaveric spines and scanned using SE-QCT (120kVp) and dual energy (DE)-QCT (80/140 kVp), with the latter accounting for marrow fat within the vertebrae. The vertebrae were then scanned using DXA and subjected to mechanical testing to obtain fracture properties. aBMD outcomes from DXA showed a better correlation with DE-QCT vBMD versus SE outcomes [DE: aBMD vs. vBMD (R2: 0.61); SE: aBMD vs. vBMD (R2: 0.27)]. SE-QCT underestimated vertebral vBMD by -56% (p<0.0001) when compared to DE-QCT. vBMD estimates from SE-QCT could predict 45% and 37% of the vertebral failure loads and stiffness, respectively, compared to 67% and 46% from DE-QCT. DE-QCT vBMD outcomes highly correlated with fracture properties of vertebrae as compared to SE-QCT metrics. As DE scanning has the ability to correct for the effects of bone marrow fat, estimated vBMD from SE-QCT were significantly underestimated compared to DE-QCT. Dual energy CT scanning has the potential to more accurately predict vertebral failure and aid the clinician in the evaluation of appropriate interventions. Future studies should consider implementing DE-QCT in their fracture assessment.

Eficacia de la dieta libre de gluten en el síndrome Gilles de la Tourette con enfermedad celíaca. Reporte de caso / Efficacy of the gluten-free diet in the Gilles de la Tourette syndrome with celiac disease. Case Report

RESUMEN Fundamentación: El síndrome Gilles de la Tourette es un proceso neuropsiquiátrico de causa desconocida caracterizado por múltiples tics. Los desórdenes relacionados al gluten cubren múltiples manifestaciones clínicas inmunológicas ante el consumo de gluten; incluyen la enfermedad celíaca y la sensibilidad al gluten no celíaca. Se han publicado casos de síndrome Gilles de la Tourette con sensibilidad al gluten no celíaca, pero ninguno relacionado con la enfermedad celíaca clásica. Reporte de caso: Paciente masculino de 20 años, con diagnóstico de EC desde la infancia y cuadro típico de Tourette diagnosticado recientemente. Mostró excelente respuesta y remisión clínica neurológica y conductual después de establecerse rigurosamente una dieta libre de gluten. Conclusiones: Es necesario incluir entre los grupos de riesgo de sensibilidad al gluten los niños con trastornos neuropsicológicos como los aquí referidos. La enfermedad celíaca clásica debe incluirse entre las posibles asociaciones con el síndrome Gilles de la Tourette. La dieta restrictiva también mejora en estos casos la evolución de ambas enfermedades.

ABSTRACT Background: The Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric process of unknown cause characterized by multiple tics. Disorders related to gluten cover multiple immunological clinical manifestations when eating gluten; they include celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. There have been cases of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome with sensitivity to non-celiac gluten, but none related to classic celiac disease. Case report: A 20-year-old male patient, with a CD diagnosis from childhood and typical GTS pattern recently diagnosed. He showed excellent response and clinical neurological and behavioral remission after rigorously establishing a gluten-free diet. Conclusions: Children with neuropsychological disorders such as those referred here need to be included among the risk groups with gluten sensitivity. Classical celiac disease should be included among the possible associations with the Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. The restrictive diet also improves the evolution of both diseases in these cases.