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1.
Sensors (Basel) ; 22(23)2022 Nov 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36501742

ABSTRACT

Three-dimensional human pose estimation from depth maps is a fast-growing research area in computer vision. The distal joints of the human body are more flexible than the proximal joints, making it more difficult to estimate the distal joints. However, most existing methods ignore the difference between the distal joints and proximal joints. Moreover, the distal joint can be constrained by the proximal joint on the same kinematic chain. In our work, we model the human skeleton as the tree structure called the human-tree. Then, motivated by the WPL (weighted path length) in the data structure, we propose a WPL-based loss function to constrain the distal joints with the proximal joints in a global-to-local manner. Extensive experiments on benchmarks demonstrate that our method can effectively improve the performance of the distal joints.


Subject(s)
Algorithms , Human Body , Humans , Biomechanical Phenomena
2.
Front Neurosci ; 15: 825158, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35082599

ABSTRACT

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00044.].

3.
Front Neurosci ; 13: 44, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30778283

ABSTRACT

There are numerous types of pathological changes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), including apoptosis of neurons. HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) protein, which is encoded by HIV-1, may promote apoptosis in HAND. Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) is a multispecific transcription factor that has roles in many biological processes, including cellular apoptosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether FOXO3 is activated by HIV-1 Tat and to investigate its role in neuronal apoptosis in HAND. We employed tissue staining and related molecular biological experimental methods to confirm our hypothesis. The in vivo experimental results demonstrated that the expression of nuclear FOXO3 increased in the apoptotic neurons of the cerebral cortexes of rhesus macaques infected with simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV). The in vitro investigation showed that HIV-1 Tat activated FOXO3, causing it to move from the cytoplasm to the nucleus via the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, FOXO3 down-regulated expression of the anti-apoptosis gene B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and up-regulated the expression of the pro-apoptosis gene Bcl-2-like 11 (Bim) after entering the nucleus, eventually causing cellular apoptosis. Finally, reduction of nuclear FOXO3 reversed cellular apoptosis. Our results suggest that HIV-1 Tat induces FOXO3 to translocate from the cytoplasm to the nucleus via the JNK signaling pathway, leading to neuronal apoptosis. Agents targeting FOXO3 may provide approaches for restoring neuronal function in HAND.

4.
Cell Cycle ; 17(13): 1614-1623, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29962275

ABSTRACT

The human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) regulatory protein Tat plays an important role during HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) by inducing neuronal autophagy. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blot, qRT-PCR, and RNA interference to elucidate the involvement of Bcl-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 Tat-induced autophagy during HAND. We found that BAG3 expression is elevated in astrocytes in frontal cortex of macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus-human immunodeficiency chimeric virus (SHIV). In addition, in human primary glioblastoma cells (U87), HIV-1 Tat upregulated BAG3 in an NF-κB-dependent manner to induce autophagy. Importantly, suppression of BAG3 or inhibition of NF-κB activity reversed the HIV-1 Tat-induced autophagy. These results indicate that HIV-1 Tat induces autophagy by upregulating BAG3 via NF-κB signaling, which suggests BAG3 and NF-κB could potentially serve as novel targets for HAND therapies.


Subject(s)
AIDS Dementia Complex/pathology , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/metabolism , Autophagy , HIV-1/metabolism , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Signal Transduction , tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus/metabolism , Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics , Animals , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/genetics , Astrocytes/metabolism , Astrocytes/virology , Cell Line, Tumor , Female , Macaca , Male , RNA, Viral/metabolism , Up-Regulation/genetics
5.
Microbiologyopen ; 7(6): e00609, 2018 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29573223

ABSTRACT

Fungi are an integral component of the plant microbiome. However, the composition and variation in the fungal communities (mycobiota) associated with seeds are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the mycobiota of 11 maize seed samples with storage times ranging from 6 months to 12 years. Mycobiota were characterized by a culture-based approach, and fungal species were identified through rDNA-ITS sequence analyses. From a total of 169 pure fungal isolates obtained from both the seed surface and internal tissues, we identified 16 distinct species (belonging to 10 genera) associated with maize seeds, all but one of which were ascomycetes. Among these species, seven were exclusively isolated from internal tissues, two species were isolated only from the seed surface, and another six species were isolated from both the surface and internal tissues. Aspergillus niger was consistently found under all storage conditions and dominated fungal communities with a relative abundance of 36%-100%. Species of Fusarium (9%-40%) and Penicillium (9%-20%) were also frequently isolated, but other species appeared sporadically and were isolated from fewer than three seed stocks. According to our results, while the overall incidence of fungal infection generally declined with storage time, there was no consistent association between seed storage time and fungal species richness or relative abundance; furthermore, the composition of the mycobiota associated with maize seeds was highly variable among the samples. The detection of the four major mycotoxigenic fungal genera, specifically Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Alternaria, was alarming, and the isolation of a potential controlling agent as well as information about their temporal occurrence will contribute to the management of mycotoxins in the future.


Subject(s)
DNA, Fungal/genetics , DNA, Intergenic/genetics , Fungi/isolation & purification , Mycobiome , Seeds/microbiology , Zea mays/microbiology , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Food Storage , Fungi/classification , Fungi/genetics , Mycological Typing Techniques , Phylogeny , Seeds/chemistry , Zea mays/chemistry
7.
BMC Infect Dis ; 17(1): 310, 2017 04 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28446129

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Known predictors of neurosyphilis were mainly drawn from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected syphilis patients, which may not be applicable to HIV-negative populations as they have different characteristics, particularly those with neurological symptoms. This study aimed to identify novel predictors of HIV-negative symptomatic neurosyphilis (S-NS). METHODS: From June 2005 to June 2015, 370 HIV-negative syphilis patients with neurological symptoms were recruited, consisting of 191 S-NS patients (including 123 confirmed neurosyphilis and 68 probable neurosyphilis patients) and 179 syphilis/non-neurosyphilis (N-NS) patients. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of S-NS were compared with N-NS to identify factors predictive of S-NS. Serum rapid plasma reagin (RPR), Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA), and their parallel testing format for screening S-NS were evaluated. RESULTS: The likelihood of S-NS was positively associated with the serum RPR and TPPA titers. The serum TPPA titers performed better than the serum RPR titers in screening S-NS. The optimal cut-off points to recognize S-NS were serum RPR titer ≥1:4 and serum TPPA titer ≥1:2560 respectively. A parallel testing format of a serum RPR titer ≥1:2 and serum TPPA titer ≥1:1280 screened out 95.8% of S-NS and all confirmed cases of neurosyphilis. S-NS was independently associated with male sex, serum RPR titer ≥1:4, serum TPPA titer ≥1:2560, and elevated serum creatine kinase. Concurrence of these factors increased the likelihood of S-NS. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitation of serum TPPA is worthwhile and performs better than serum RPR in screening S-NS. Serum RPR, serum TPPA, male sex, and serum creatine kinase can predict S-NS. Moreover, patients with both a serum RPR titer <1:2 and a serum TPPA titer <1:1280 have a low probability of S-NS, suggesting that it is reasonable to reduce lumbar punctures in such individuals.


Subject(s)
Neurosyphilis/diagnosis , Neurosyphilis/etiology , Agglutination Tests/methods , Female , HIV Seropositivity , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Risk Factors , Spinal Puncture , Syphilis/complications , Syphilis Serodiagnosis , Treponema pallidum/pathogenicity
8.
Oncotarget ; 7(30): 48027-48037, 2016 07 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27384995

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and a major cause of cancer mortality. Chemotherapy resistance remains a major challenge for treating advanced CRC. Therefore, the identification of targets that induce drug resistance is a priority for the development of novel agents to overcome resistance. Dragon (also known as RGMb) is a member of the repulsive guidance molecule (RGM) family. We previously showed that Dragon expression increases with CRC progression in human patients. In the present study, we found that Dragon inhibited apoptosis and increased viability of CMT93 and HCT116 cells in the presence of oxaliplatin. Dragon induced resistance of xenograft tumor to oxaliplatinin treatment in mice. Mechanistically, Dragon inhibited oxaliplatin-induced JNK and p38 MAPK activation, and caspase-3 and PARP cleavages. Our results indicate that Dragon may be a novel target that induces drug resistance in CRC.


Subject(s)
Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal/biosynthesis , Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Colonic Neoplasms/metabolism , Nerve Tissue Proteins/biosynthesis , Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules/biosynthesis , Organoplatinum Compounds/pharmacology , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm , HCT116 Cells , Humans , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Oxaliplatin , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
9.
Mol Neurobiol ; 53(1): 1-7, 2016 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25394384

ABSTRACT

Emerging evidence indicates that certain microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in epileptogenesis. MiR-219 is a brain-specific miRNA and has been shown to negatively regulate the function of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by targeting Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)γ. Herein, we found that the level of miR-219 was decreased in both the kainic acid (KA)-induced epilepsy model and in cerebrospinal fluid specimens of epilepsy patients. Importantly, silencing of miR-219 by its antagomir in vivo resulted in seizure behaviors, abnormal cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in the form of high-amplitude and high-frequency discharges, and increased levels of CaMKIIγ and an NMDA receptor component, NR1, in a pattern similar to that found in KA-treated mice. Moreover, treatments with the miR-219 agomir in vivo alleviated seizures, abnormal EEG recordings, and decreased levels of CaMKIIγ and NR1 in KA-treated mice. Furthermore, treatment with MK-801, an antagonist of NMDA receptors, significantly alleviated abnormal EEG recordings induced by miR-219 antagomir. Together, these results demonstrate that miR-219 plays a crucial role in suppressing seizure formation in experimental models of epilepsy through modulating the CaMKII/NMDA receptor pathway and that miR-219 supplement may be a potential anabolic strategy for ameliorating epilepsy.


Subject(s)
Brain/metabolism , MicroRNAs/metabolism , Neurons/metabolism , Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/metabolism , Seizures/cerebrospinal fluid , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Humans , Male , Mice , MicroRNAs/cerebrospinal fluid , Middle Aged , Seizures/diagnosis , Seizures/metabolism , Young Adult
10.
Braz. j. infect. dis ; 19(2): 125-131, Mar-Apr/2015. tab, graf
Article in English | LILACS | ID: lil-746511

ABSTRACT

Objective: The ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes in peripheral blood could reflect an indi- vidual's immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes and clinical status of patients with active tuberculosis. Methods: This was a retrospective review of data collected from the clinical database of The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Medical College of Jiangnan University. A total of 419 patients who had newly diagnosed active tuberculosis and 108 cases from 419 patients with tuberculosis therapy either near completion or completed were selected. Controls were 327 healthy donors. Results: Median ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes was 0.36 (IQR, 0.22-0.54) in patients before treatment, and 0.16 (IQR, 0.12-0.20) in controls (p < 0.001). Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes <9% or >25% was significant predictors for active tuberculosis (OR = 114.73, 95% CI, 39.80-330.71; OR = 89.81, 95% CI, 53.18-151.68, respectively). After treatment, the median ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes recovered to be nearly normal. Compared to other patients, patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis and of age >60 years were more likely to have extreme ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes (AOR = 2.57, 95% CI, 1.08-6.09; AOR = 4.36, 95% CI, 1.43-13.29, respectively). Conclusions: Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes <9% or >25% is predictive of active tuberculosis. .


Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Lymphocytes , Monocytes , Tuberculosis/blood , Biomarkers , Case-Control Studies , Leukocyte Count , Lymphocyte Count , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Predictive Value of Tests , Retrospective Studies , Tuberculosis/pathology , Tuberculosis/virology
11.
Braz J Infect Dis ; 19(2): 125-31, 2015.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25529365

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes in peripheral blood could reflect an individual's immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes and clinical status of patients with active tuberculosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of data collected from the clinical database of The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Medical College of Jiangnan University. A total of 419 patients who had newly diagnosed active tuberculosis and 108 cases from 419 patients with tuberculosis therapy either near completion or completed were selected. Controls were 327 healthy donors. RESULTS: Median ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes was 0.36 (IQR, 0.22-0.54) in patients before treatment, and 0.16 (IQR, 0.12-0.20) in controls (p<0.001). Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes <9% or >25% was significant predictors for active tuberculosis (OR=114.73, 95% CI, 39.80-330.71; OR=89.81, 95% CI, 53.18-151.68, respectively). After treatment, the median ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes recovered to be nearly normal. Compared to other patients, patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis and of age >60 years were more likely to have extreme ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes (AOR=2.57, 95% CI, 1.08-6.09; AOR=4.36, 95% CI, 1.43-13.29, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ratio of monocytes to lymphocytes <9% or >25% is predictive of active tuberculosis.


Subject(s)
Lymphocytes , Monocytes , Tuberculosis/blood , Adult , Aged , Biomarkers , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Leukocyte Count , Lymphocyte Count , Male , Middle Aged , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Predictive Value of Tests , Retrospective Studies , Tuberculosis/pathology , Tuberculosis/virology
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