Denoising is a common pre-processing step prior to analysis and interpretation tasks such as classification, unmixing and target detection, typically carried out for hyperspectral images (HSIs). In ...this paper we develop which performs spectralspatial HSI denoising through a convolutional neural network (CNN). Our newly developed method, called single denoising CNN (HSI-SDeCNN), considers HSIs as 3D data cubes, performing the denoising process with only one single model. Experimental results on both synthetic and real data demonstrate that our newly developed HSI-SDeCNN outperforms other stateof-the-art HSI denoising methods.
The effects of a combination of simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering agent, and carmustine (BCNU; N,N'-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea) on experimental C6 glioma were studied in vitro and in vivo. In ...vitro simvastatin and BCNU alone inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion. A subliminal concentration of simvastatin (0.1 microM) markedly and synergistically increased the BCNU toxicity to C6 glioma cells. The cytofluorimetric analysis of DNA from simvastatin-treated C6 glioma cells showed, besides the already described arrest in G1, an arrest/retardation in G2-M. Mitotic index from C6 cells incubated with simvastatin (10 microM) decreased by about 90%, indicating a specific C6 arrest/retardation in G2. The drug effects could be completely reversed by simvastatin withdrawal or mevalonate addition to the cultured cells. The combination of simvastatin and BCNU resulted predominantly from the profound retardation of cells in the G2-M compartment of the cell cycle. In vivo simvastatin (administered daily mixed with food) and BCNU (single i.p. injection), when given separately, caused a dose-dependent inhibition of labeling index in C6 glioma homografts (ID50, 61 mg/kg/day and 8.7 mg/kg, respectively). The combination of the lowest doses tested (simvastatin, 25 mg/kg/day and BCNU 0.3 mg/kg) resulted in a significant growth delay (compared to either drug alone) in C6 glioma (P < 0.05). There was no significant increase in toxicity as assessed by myelosuppression (WBC counts and bone marrow labeling index) and body weight. The results provide in vivo support for the combined use of simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering agent, and BCNU in brain tumor treatment.
The aim of the present study is to characterise from a physico-chemical point of view the airborne particulate matter (PM10) sampled in different sites dissimilar with regard to the weather ...conditions, the residential density and the industrial activities. The particles were collected by an eight-stage cascade impactor, Andersen particle fractionating sampler. The analysis of the particle samples was performed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with a thin-window system for X-ray microanalysis by energy dispersion spectrometry. The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) on the analytical data revealed the presence of eight different particulate types (particle clusters) in the sampling sites: C-rich particles (cluster 1); Ca and Mg carbonates (cluster 2); Ca sulphates (cluster 3); silica particles (cluster 4); silicates (cluster 5); Fe-rich particles (cluster 6); metal compounds (cluster 7); carbonaceous particles with heavy metals (cluster 8). Data obtained in this study demonstrate a significant correlation between the PM10 composition and the anthropic activities present the sampling site.
The synthesis of the macrocyclic ligand 1,4,7,13-tetramethyl-10,16-bis(o-thiophenylmethyl)-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaazacyclooctadecane (L2) is reported. This compound presents a hexaaza macrocyclic ...backbone bearing two thiophenylmethyl side arms. Ligand protonation and Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) coordination were studied by means of potentiometric measurements. In the metal complexes all nitrogens seem to be involved in metal coordination, while the sulfur atoms of the heteroaromatic subunits do not participate in metal binding, as confirmed by the crystal structure of PbL2Cl·BPh4. In the PbL2Cl+ cation the metal is enveloped by the macrocyclic ligand, coordinated by the six nitrogens and a chloride anion with a distorted monocapped trigonal prismatic geometry. Although L2 forms complexes of lower stability with respect to other N-functionalized hexaazamacrocycles, this ligand displays selective coordination of the larger Cd(II) and Pb(II) over Zn(II). All the metal complexes under investigation are readily extractable from aqueous solutions to organic solvents. Therefore, L2 is a promising selective extracting agent for metal cations.
Tissue samples from 57 patients with neuroepithelial tumors (25 glioblastomas, 18 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 14 astrocytomas) were analyzed in order to evaluate the presence of estrogen, ...progesterone, glucocorticoid, and androgen receptors. Glucocorticoid- and androgen-specific binding proteins were present in 38.6% and 21.6% of the cases, respectively. Only a few tumors showed estrogen or progesterone receptors. A correlation was found between grade of anaplasia, patient's sex and age, and presence of glucocorticoid and androgen receptors. The biological role of these two receptors was investigated in 10 primary cell cultures derived from neuroepithelial tumors. For this purpose, dexamethasone and testosterone were added to culture medium at different concentrations (from 50 to 0.016 micrograms/ml). A significant stimulation of the cell growth was observed in four of five glucocorticoid receptor-positive cultures when dexamethasone in doses ranging from 2 to 0.016 microgram/ml was added to the culture. No modulation of the growth was observed in glucocorticoid receptor-negative cultures at the same doses. Higher dexamethasone doses induced a significant decrease of the growth index independently from the glucocorticoid receptor status. All of the cultures tested for testosterone activity were negative for androgen receptors. This hormone induced an inhibition of the growth index at doses ranging from 50 to 0.4 micrograms/ml. The data suggest that neuroepithelial tumors contain specific glucocorticoid and androgen binding proteins. Glucocorticoid receptors modulate the growth of cultured neuroepithelial tumors in the presence of different concentrations of dexamethasone.
A number of proteins post-translationally modified by the covalent attachment of mevalonate-derived isoprene groups farnesol (FOH) or geranylgeraniol (GGOH), play a role in cell proliferation. For ...this reason, protein farnesyltransferase (PFTase) and protein geranylgeranyltransferases (PGGTases) I and II have gained attention as novel targets for the development of antiproliferative agents. Monoterpenes limonene, perillic acid (PA) and its derivatives have been shown to inhibit cell growth and protein prenylation in cancer cells. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of
S(−) PA on diploid rat aorta smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation as related to protein prenylation.
S(−) PA (1–3.5 mM) decreased, in a concentration-dependent manner, rat SMC proliferation as evaluated by cell counting and DNA synthesis. Morphological criteria and flow cytometry analysis excluded the induction of apoptosis as a potential antiproliferative mechanism of
S(−) PA on SMC and confirmed a block of the cell cycle progression in G
0/G
1 phase. The antiproliferative effect of
S(−) PA could not be prevented by the addition of mevalonate, FOH, and GGOH to the culture medium and was independent of cholesterol biosynthesis. Densitometric analysis of fluorographed gels, after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the cell lysates, further supported that
S(−) PA (1–3.5 mM), under the same experimental conditions, concentration-dependently inhibited FOH (up to 70%) and GGOH (up to 70%) incorporation into cellular proteins. We provide evidence that
S(−) PA affects protein prenylation, an effect that may contribute to its inhibition of SMC proliferation.
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