Multi-object tracking (MOT) is a topic of great interest in the field of computer vision, which is essential in smart behavior-analysis systems for healthcare, such as human-flow monitoring, crime ...analysis, and behavior warnings. Most MOT methods achieve stability by combining object-detection and re-identification networks. However, MOT requires high efficiency and accuracy in complex environments with occlusions and interference. This often increases the algorithm's complexity, affects the speed of tracking calculations, and reduces real-time performance. In this paper, we present an improved MOT method combining an attention mechanism and occlusion sensing as a solution. A convolutional block attention module (CBAM) calculates the weights of space and channel attention from the feature map. The attention weights are used to fuse the feature maps to extract adaptively robust object representations. An occlusion-sensing module detects an object's occlusion, and the appearance characteristics of an occluded object are not updated. This can enhance the model's ability to extract object features and improve appearance feature pollution caused by the short-term occlusion of an object. Experiments on public datasets demonstrate the competitive performance of the proposed method compared with the state-of-the-art MOT methods. The experimental results show that our method has powerful data association capability, e.g., 73.2% MOTA and 73.9% IDF1 on the MOT17 dataset.
To investigate the dynamic visual acuity (DVA) after implantation of toric bifocal or trifocal intraocular lens in age-related cataract patients.
This was a prospective randomized controlled trial. ...Of one hundred and twenty-four patients enrolled and randomized to receive unilateral phacoemulsification and toric trifocal (939 M/MP, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany) or toric bifocal (909 M, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Jena, Germany) intraocular lenses (IOL) implantation, ninety-nine patients completed the follow-up and were included in final analysis. Postoperatively, uncorrected and corrected distance (UDVA and CDVA), intermediate (UIVA and DCIVA) and near (UNVA and DCNVA) static visual acuity, manifest refraction and uncorrected and corrected distance DVA (UDDVA and CDDVA) at 20, 40 and 80 degrees per second (dps) were evaluated at one week, one month and three months.
Three months postoperatively, the UDVA were 0.13 ± 0.11 and 0.14 ± 0.13 in the toric trifocal and bifocal IOL group, respectively. Significant better UIVA (trifocal, 0.17 ± 0.13 vs. bifocal, 0.23 ± 0.13,
= 0.037) and DCIVA (trifocal, 0.16 ± 0.11 vs. bifocal, 0.20 ± 0.12,
= 0.048) were observed in patients implanting toric trifocal than bifocal IOL at three months postoperatively. Patients implanted with toric bifocal IOL obtained better CDDVA at 80 dps (0.5607 ± 0.2032) than the trifocal group (0.6573 ± 0.2450,
= 0.039) at three months. Postoperative UDDVA and CDDVA at 20, 40 and 80 dps were significantly associated with age (
< 0.05, respectively) and postoperative static visual acuity (
< 0.05, respectively).
Toric trifocal IOL provides better static intermediate visual acuity, and toric bifocal IOL implantation provides better distance dynamic visual acuity at high speed.
Abstract
Background
Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 is a newly identified immune checkpoint molecule that was aberrantly expressed in many malignant tumors. ...However, its expression in medullary thyroid carcinoma is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 expression in medullary thyroid carcinoma tissues and to evaluate the relationships between its expression and clinicopathologic together with prognostic relevance.
Methods
Using 51 surgical specimens obtained from medullary thyroid carcinoma patients, the expression levels of the human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 protein in medullary thyroid carcinoma tumor tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry, and its correlations with clinicopathologic and prognostic features were analyzed. Status of CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes was also investigated.
Results
The results showed that human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 was only detected in tumor tissues, and 31.4% of the medullary thyroid carcinoma patients had high expression of human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2. High human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced American Joint Committee on Cancer stages (P = 0.005). There existed an inverse trend between human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 expression and CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes infiltration in medullary thyroid carcinoma tumor samples (P = 0.042). The log-rank test showed a shorter disease-free survival in patients with high human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 expression (P = 0.002). The disease-free survival rates were also significantly low in cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma with lymph node metastasis, American Joint Committee on Cancer stages III–IV and multifocality. Multivariate Cox analysis confirmed that human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 acted as an independent predictive factor in the disease-free survival of medullary thyroid carcinoma patients (hazard ratio = 4.138, 95% confidence interval: 1.027–16.667, P = 0.046).
Conclusions
Taken together, human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 is highly expressed in medullary thyroid carcinoma patients and is a poor prognostic biomarker of disease-free survival of medullary thyroid carcinoma patients.
High human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 expression was closely associated with tumor progression and can serve as an independent prognostic factor for the disease-free survival of patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma. Human endogenous retrovirus-H long terminal repeat-associating protein 2 expression is negatively correlated with CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes infiltration in medullary thyroid carcinoma tumor samples, which is attributed to the co-inhibitory effect for T cell.
This study aimed to propose a comprehensive grading scale to evaluate different clinical manifestations in patients with varying severity of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and analyze the ...correlations between the parameters of ocular surface impairment in MGD.A total of 63 patients with MGD were enrolled. Ten specific symptoms were evaluated each with a subjective score and total score was applied to grade the severity of MGD. Thirty-seven patients were diagnosed with mild, 19 with moderate, and 7 with severe MGD. Slit-lamp and keratography were used to assess the signs of ocular surface and meibomian gland (MG). In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) was performed to evaluate the corneal nerves and dendritic cells. The differences and correlations between symptoms, signs, and IVCM parameters were analyzed.Dryness, foreign body sensation, asthenopia, and photophobia were the most common and severe symptoms in our patients. The severe MGD group showed worse MG expressibility, Meibum score, Meiboscore, MG score, and higher nerve reflectivity (P < .05). The mild MGD group showed higher nerve density (P < .05). Total symptom score was negatively correlated with nerve density (r = -0.374, P < .05), while positively correlated with nerve reflectivity and dendritic cell density (r = 0.332 and 0.288, respectively, P < .05). MG score was correlated with nerve reflectivity (r = 0.265, P < .05).The comprehensive grading scale was suitable for evaluating clinical manifestations in MGD of varying severity. The relationship between the specific symptoms, signs, and IVCM results concerning whole ocular surface impairment could help elucidate MGD pathophysiology and benefit evaluation or treatment in the future.
To explore the influence of corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) on dynamic visual acuity (DVA) post cataract surgery.
A total of 27 patients with 45 eyes following cataract surgery were included ...in this study. The postoperative monocular object-moving DVA at the velocity of 20, 40, and 80 degrees per second (dps) were examined at 1 month. The total corneal HOAs were measured with Scheimpflug-based corneal topography. The correlation between postoperative DVA and HOAs was analyzed.
Significant difference was shown among DVA at different velocities (
< 0.001). The 20 dps DVA was significantly better than 40 (
< 0.001) and 80 (
< 0.001) dps DVA. No significant difference was observed between 40 and 80 dps DVA (
= 0.420). The vertical coma and the root mean square (RMS) of coma (RMS
) were statistically correlated with 80 dps DVA (
< 0.05). The vertical trefoil, RMS
and total RMS
were statistically correlated with 40 and 80 dps DVA (
< 0.05). The spherical aberration was not significantly associated with postoperative DVA (
> 0.05 for all velocites). The multivariate linear regression model revealed that age was a significant influential factor for 20 dps DVA (
= 0.002), and RMS
(4 mm) and age were significantly associated with 40 and 80 dps DVA (
≤ 0.01).
The research demonstrated that larger corneal HOAs, especially coma and trefoil aberrations were significantly associated with worse high-speed DVA, but not spherical aberration post cataract surgery.
•A high detection rate of ctDNA (24/26, 92.3%) in CSF of glioma patients was observed.•CSF ctDNA exhibited high concordance rates with tumor DNA in CNV mutations.•CSF ctDNA TMB displayed a strong ...correlation with that of tumor DNA in glioma patients.
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been recognized as a reliable source to reflect the molecular and genetic landscape of corresponding tumors in recent years. In this study, we tested the application of a cancer genomic panel sequencing on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-derived ctDNA for the less invasive detection and diagnosis of glioma.
CtDNA was extracted from 26 CSF samples and subject to a cancer genomic panel sequencing of 520 genes to analyze the mutation profiles and tumor mutation burden (TMB), which were compared with their corresponding tumor DNA samples. Associations between mutations or TMB and clinical characteristics were also evaluated.
A high detection rate of ctDNA (24/26, 92.3%) was observed in CSF. CtDNA mutations had high concordance rates with tumor DNA, especially in non-copy number variations and in glioblastoma. CSF ctDNA TMB also exhibited a strong correlation with tumor DNA TMB (R2 = 0.879, P < 0.001), particularly in glioblastoma (R2 = 0.992, P < 0.001). Age was significantly associated with CSF ctDNA TMB in glioma patients.
We established a less invasive but effective molecular diagnostic approach using a cancer genomic panel sequencing system targeting CSF ctDNA for glioma, especially in glioblastoma.
•Jiejing Runmu decoction improved both symptoms and signs of dry eye disease.•Jiejing Runmu decoction shows favorable tolerance.•Ameliorated symptoms and signs last for 3 months.
To investigate the ...effectiveness and safety of Jiejing Runmu decoction in relieving the clinical manifestations of dry eye disease (DED).
This single-arm prospective intervention study was conducted at the Peking University Third Hospital and People's Hospital of Yongqing. Of the 211 patients recruited, 200 completing the follow-up were included in the analysis. Patients received Jiejing Runmu decoction once a day for 4 weeks continuously, without any change in eye care habits. Individuals were evaluated at four time points: pretreatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months (2 months after completion of treatment), using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear film breakup time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer test I and meibomian gland assessments. Adverse effects were evaluated at each follow-up visit and systematic examinations were performed during the first and last visits.
OSDI, TBUT, corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer test I, meibomian gland expressibility, and quality of secretions improved at 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months compared to baseline (P < 0.0001). No significant differences were found between the sexes. Patients above 45 years showed worse subjective symptoms and objective signs, and greater improvements in corneal fluorescein staining, meibomian gland expressibility, and quality of secretions were observed in this group. No obvious adverse effects were detected during any follow-up visit.
Jiejing Runmu decoction significantly improved both the subjective symptoms and objective signs of DED, with favorable tolerance.
The coexistence of MRCS (microcornea, retinal dystrophy, cataract, and posterior staphyloma) syndrome and extremely long axis is rare since microcornea frequently accompanies with diminution of ...entire anterior segment and occasionally the whole globe. In the case presented here, combination of these two elements were identified, together with XFS (exfoliation syndrome).
A 66-year-old Han Chinese woman presented for consultation due to impaired vision which accompanied throughout her entire life span and worsened during the last 2 years. Combination of MRCS syndrome and extremely long axial length was evidently diagnosed in both eyes, with XFS confirmed in her right eye, but mutation screening failed to identify disease-causing sequence variants in some specific genes reported previously, including BEST1 and ARL2. However, likely pathogenic mutations in FBN2 gene were identified. Bilateral cataract phacoemulsification without intraocular lens implantation was performed using scleral tunnel incision and under general anesthesia. At 3-month follow-up, ocular recovery of the patient was satisfactory.
The case presented here exhibited rare coexistence of MRCS syndrome, extremely long axis and XFS. The complexity of her ocular abnormalities brought challenges to surgical management, in which multidisciplinary collaboration is often required. Furthermore, the genetic analysis in this case yielded a possible novel candidate gene for MRCS syndrome and provided evidence in support of genetic heterogeneity in this phenotype.
Transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is a proven safe and effective method for treatment of cerebral ischemia in animal experiments. However, safety and efficacy need to be ...determined in clinical trials. We performed a two‐center, randomized, placebo‐controlled phase I/IIa trial with blinded outcome assessment on 18 patients with acute cerebral infarct within the middle cerebral artery territory, and followed for up to 4 years. Autologous ex vivo expanded EPCs were injected intravenously in the EPC group, and patients who received saline or autologous bone marrow stromal cells served as control groups. Mortality of any cause, adverse events, and new‐onset comorbidities were monitored. Changes in neurological deficits were assessed at different time points. We found no toxicity events or infusional or allergic reactions in any treated group. Three patients in the placebo group died during the 4‐year follow‐up. We found that the EPC group had fewer serious adverse events compared with the placebo‐controlled group, although there were no statistical differences in mortality among the three groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in neurological or functional improvement observed among the three groups, except for the Scandinavia Stroke Scale score at 3 months between the EPC group and placebo‐controlled group. Autologous transplantation of EPCs appears to improve long‐term safety in acute cerebral infarct patients, supporting the feasibility of this novel method for treatment of ischemic stroke (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01468064). Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2019;8:14–21
Tumor initiating cells or cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the initiation, development, metastasis, and recurrence of tumors. However, traditional therapies have limited effects ...against CSCs and targeting these cells is crucial when developing new therapeutic strategies against cancer. One potentially targetable factor is CD47, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. This protein acts as an anti-phagocytic "don't eat me" signal and is often found expressed by cancer cells, particularly CSCs. CD47 functions by activating signal regulatory protein-α (SIRP-α) expressed on macrophages, preventing phagocytosis. However, the role of CD47 in glioma stem cells (GSCs) has been not been thoroughly investigated. Our study therefore examined the expression and function of this protein in glioma cells and GSCs. We found that CD47 was highly expressed on glioma cells, especially GSCs, and that expression associated with worse clinical outcomes. We also found that CD47+ glioma cells possessed stem/progenitor cell-like characteristics and knocking down CD47 expression resulted in a reduction in these characteristics. Treatment with anti-CD47 antibody led to increased phagocytosis of glioma cells and GSCs by macrophages. We next examined the effects of anti-CD47 antibody on glioma cells/GSCs in an immune competent mouse glioma model, revealing significant inhibition of tumor growth and prolonged survival times. Importantly, there were no apparent side effects in the animal model. In summary, we have shown that CD47 is a potentially safe and effective therapeutic target for glioma.
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