Tasseled Crop Rows Detection Based on Micro-Region of Interest and Logarithmic Transformation.

Machine vision-based navigation in the maize field is significant for intelligent agriculture. Therefore, precision detection of the tasseled crop rows for navigation of agricultural machinery with an accurate and fast method remains an open question. In this article, we propose a new crop rows detection method at the tasseling stage of maize fields for agrarian machinery navigation. The whole work is achieved mainly through image augment and feature point extraction by micro-region of interest (micro-ROI). In the proposed method, we first augment the distinction between the tassels and background by the logarithmic transformation in RGB color space, and then the image is transformed to hue-saturation-value (HSV) space to extract the tassels. Second, the ROI is approximately selected and updated using the bounding box until the multiple-region of interest (multi-ROI) is determined. We further propose a feature points extraction method based on micro-ROI and the feature points are used to calculate the crop rows detection lines. Finally, the bisector of the acute angle formed by the two detection lines is used as the field navigation line. The experimental results show that the algorithm proposed has good robustness and can accurately detect crop rows. Compared with other existing methods, our method's accuracy and real-time performance have improved by about 5 and 62.3%, respectively, which can meet the accuracy and real-time requirements of agricultural vehicles' navigation in maize fields.

LINC00152 mediates CD8+ T-cell infiltration in gastric cancer through binding to EZH2 and regulating the CXCL9, 10/CXCR3 axis.

This study aimed to annotate the role of long intergenic non-coding RNA 152 (LINC00152) in CD8+ T cells mediated immune responses in gastric cancer (GC) and the underlying mechanism. LINC00152 expression levels were detected through RT-PCR. For tumor engraftment, HGC-27 cells that received LINC00152 shRNA, LINC00152 overexpression vectors, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) shRNA or combination transfection were injected into mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to explore the interaction between LINC00152, Cys-X-cys ligand 9 (CXCL9) and Cys-X-cys ligand 10 (CXCL10). Flow cytometry was adopted to measure the CD8+ T-cell infiltration in tumor issue. In this study, we found increased LINC00152 expression levels are positively associated with the poor prognosis of GC patients and negatively associated with the CD8 levels. ChIP assay verified that LINC00152 recruits EZH2 to the promoters of CXCL9 and CXCL10, thus the silencing of LINC00152 promoted the production of CXCL9 and CXCL10. Knockdown of LINC00152 suppressed tumor cells growth in vivo and in vitro, increased tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells numbers and promoted the expression of CXCL9, CXCL10 and C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 3 (CXCR3) in xenograft tumors. While CD8+ T cell depletion reversed the tumor suppression effect of LINC00152 silence. Besides, the silencing of EZH2 partly inhibited the promotion effect LINC00152 on tumor growth. Our study indicated that LINC00152 inhibition suppressed the tumor progress may through promoting CD8+ T-cell infiltration.

Influences of UGT2B7 rs7439366 and rs12233719 Polymorphisms on Fentanyl Sensitivity in Chinese Gynecologic Patients.

BACKGROUND This study discussed potential influences of UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B7 (UGT2B7) rs7439366 and rs12233719 polymorphisms on fentanyl sensitivity among Chinese gynecologic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS UGT2B7 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. Before surgery, baseline latency to pain perception (PPLpre) and pain perception latency of the dominant hand (PPLpost) at 3 minutes after injecting fentanyl were measured by cold pressor-induced pain test. Perioperative fentanyl adoption referred to the total of fentanyl administration during and after operation. Intensity of spontaneous pain was appraised adopting 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). Factorial analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test. RESULTS Significant differences of PPLpost (CC/CT/TT, P=0.038) and preoperative analgesic effect (CC/CT/TT, P=0.028) were discovered between the rs7439366 genotypes. PPLpost was significantly different between the CT and TT groups (P=0.009) and the CC+CT and TT groups (P=0.026). Preoperative analgesic effect was significantly different between the CT and TT groups (P=0.007) and the CC+CT and TT groups (P=0.009). All of the clinical features studied had no close association with rs12233719 SNP. CONCLUSIONS Gynecologic patients with rs7439366 TT genotype had significantly lower fentanyl sensitivity than the other 2 genotype carriers.

Prenatal diagnosis of hemivertebrae--A likely association with 7q deletion.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the possible cause of a prenatal case of hemivertebrae with a 7q terminal deletion. CASE REPORT: This case describes a fetus with hemivertebrae in thoracic vertebrae as the sole antenatal sonographic finding. Genetic testing was performed in order to find more information after the abnormal ultrasound finding. The array-based comparative genomic hybridization results showed that the fetus had approximately 6.4 Mb deletion of 7q36. We discussed the two genes (SHH and HLXB9) that may be associated with hemivertebrae in the deletion region and reviewed several literatures about 7q36 deletion. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the phenotype of hemivertebra in our case may be related to the deletion of 7q36.

Mitochondrial ferritin attenuates ß-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity: reduction in oxidative damage through the Erk/P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

AIMS: Mitochondrial ferritin (MtFt), which was recently discovered, plays an important role in preventing neuronal damage in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinsonism by maintaining mitochondrial iron homeostasis. Disruption of iron regulation also plays a key role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). To explore the potential neuroprotective roles of MtFt, rats and cells were treated with Aß(25-35) to establish an AD model. RESULTS: We report that knockdown of MtFt expression significantly enhanced Aß(25-35)-induced neurotoxicity as shown by dysregulation of iron homeostasis, enhanced oxidative stress, and increased cell apoptosis. Opposite results were obtained when MtFt was overexpressed in SH-SY5Y cells prior to treatment with Aß(25-35). Further, MtFt inhibited Aß(25-35)-induced P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) signaling. INNOVATION: MtFt attenuated Aß(25-35)-induced neurotoxicity and reduced oxidative damage through Erk/P38 kinase signaling. CONCLUSION: Our results show a protective role of MtFt in AD and suggest that regulation of MtFt expression in neuronal cells may provide a new neuroprotective strategy for AD.

[Research on the spectral properties of the Rhodamine 101 dye].

The absorption, fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence spectra of Rhodamine 101 dye in both methanol and acidic methanol solutions were measured. The authors achieved the characteristic information of the absorption and fluorescence spectra, and obtained the S1 lifetimes. The authors assigned vibrational modes of the Rhodanmine 101 dye molecule through spontaneous Raman spectrum, infrared spectrum, and density function theory calculation. This work systemically characterizes the spectral, molecular structural, and vibrational information of Rhodamine 101 dye molecule, and provides necessary information for the application of Rhodamine 101 dye in dye sensitized solar cell and biological fluorescence marker.

Competition between surface trapping and nonradiative energy transfer to gold nanofilm.

Nonradiative resonant energy transfer from CdSeS quantum dot to gold nanofilm was investigated by taking nanosecond and picosecond time resolved photoluminescence measurements. Surface plasma resonant absorption peak of gold nanofilm was adjusted to meet the near resonant conditions with the fluorescence peak of quantum dot by changing the thickness. Surface trapping state was proved to be the origin of the long lifetime component by comparing fresh and eight months aged quantum dot. It was observed that the excitonic state lifetime of the quantum dots was reduced by nonradiative resonant energy transfer to gold nanofilm. Nonradiative resonant energy transfer time, which was comparable with the surface trapping time, was calculated based on the data of picosecond photoluminescence measurements. No nonradiative energy transfer from surface trapping state to gold nanofilm, thus the lifetime of surface trapping state was not affected obviously. It is suggested that in the assembly combined with quantum dot and gold nanostructure, nonradiative energy transfer will occur after the population of excitonic state, and compete with surface trapping process. The interactions between surface trapping state and gold nanoflim were not exhibited.

Age-dependent expression of hephaestin in the brain of ceruloplasmin-deficient mice.

Aceruloplasminemia is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the ceruloplasmin (CP) gene. It is characterized by iron accumulation in the brain and in visceral organs. However, little is known about the mechanism of iron transport in these regions. Adult CP null (CP(-/-)) mice show increased iron deposition in several regions of brain, such as the cerebellum and brainstem. In this study, we investigated the expression of the ceruloplasmin homolog hephaestin (Heph) in the brain of CP(-/-) mice as a function of age. In the cerebral cortex and caudate putamen of 80-week-old CP(-/-) mice, the expression of Heph increased significantly whilst iron levels remain normal [Patel BN, Dunn RJ, Jeong SY, Zhu Q, Julien JP, David S. Ceruloplasmin regulates iron levels in the CNS and prevents free radical injury. J Neurosci 2002;22(15):6578-6], indicating that Heph might compensate for the loss of CP. In contrast, the substantia nigra and cerebellum of 80-week-old CP(-/-) mice accumulate iron but do not express high levels or significant decrease of Heph, suggesting that Heph does not replace CP in these regions. These data suggest that Heph may compensate for the loss of CP in a region-specific manner.

[Diagnosis of foreign bodies in trachea and bronchus of children by means of coronal CT scan].

OBJECTIVE: To study the sensitivity, specificity and clinical value of coranal CT scan of trachea and bronchus in diagnoing children's foreign body in bronchus. METHOD: 30 cases of the children with foreign body in their trachea and bronchus were examined by chest X ray (chest X-ray), and by coranal CT scan at the same time. (some of them were compared with axial CT scan.) RESULT: The position of foreign body in trachea and bronchus was definitely diagnosed by coronal CT scan in all cases, of whom, 28 cases with obstructive emphysema; 5 case with obstructive pneumonia and 3 cases with obstructive atelectasis. CONCLUSION: Coranal CT scan could demonstrate the position of foreign body in trachea and bronchus and be helpful in planning surgery.