Scalable joint segmentation and registration framework for infant brain images

Dong, Pei,Wang, Li,Lin, Weili,Shen, Dinggang,Wu, Guorong Elsevier 2017 Neurocomputing Vol.229 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>The first year of life is the most dynamic and perhaps the most critical phase of postnatal brain development. The ability to accurately measure structure changes is critical in early brain development study, which highly relies on the performances of image segmentation and registration techniques. However, either infant image segmentation or registration, if deployed independently, encounters much more challenges than segmentation/registration of adult brains due to dynamic appearance change with rapid brain development. In fact, image segmentation and registration of infant images can assists each other to overcome the above challenges by using the growth trajectories (i.e., temporal correspondences) learned from a large set of training subjects with complete longitudinal data. Specifically, a one-year-old image with ground-truth tissue segmentation can be first set as the reference domain. Then, to register the infant image of a new subject at earlier age, we can estimate its tissue probability maps, i.e., with sparse patch-based multi-atlas label fusion technique, where only the training images at the respective age are considered as atlases since they have similar image appearance. Next, these probability maps can be fused as a good initialization to guide the level set segmentation. Thus, image registration between the new infant image and the reference image is free of difficulty of appearance changes, by establishing correspondences upon the reasonably segmented images. Importantly, the segmentation of new infant image can be further enhanced by propagating the much more reliable label fusion heuristics at the reference domain to the corresponding location of the new infant image via the learned growth trajectories, which brings image segmentation and registration to assist each other. It is worth noting that our joint segmentation and registration framework is also flexible to handle the registration of any two infant images even with significant age gap in the first year of life, by linking their joint segmentation and registration through the reference domain. Thus, our proposed joint segmentation and registration method is scalable to various registration tasks in early brain development studies. Promising segmentation and registration results have been achieved for infant brain MR images aged from 2-week-old to 1-year-old, indicating the applicability of our method in early brain development study.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> We developed an efficient approach to deal with the tissue segmentation and registration for the infant brain MR images. </LI> <LI> Our proposed framework is scalable to various registration tasks in early brain development studies. </LI> <LI> Promising results have been achieved for infant brain MR images aged from 2-week-old to 1-year-old. </LI> <LI> The proposed technique can be very useful for many ongoing early brain development studies. </LI> </UL> </P>

Genetically-engineered <i>Salmonella typhimurium</i> expressing TIMP-2 as a therapeutic intervention in an orthotopic glioma mouse model

Wen, Min,Zheng, Jin Hai,Choi, Jin Myung,Pei, Jian,Li, Chun-Hao,Li, Song-Yuan,Kim, In-Young,Lim, Sa-Hoe,Jung, Tae-Young,Moon, Kyung-Sub,Min, Jung-Joon,Jung, Shin Elsevier 2018 Cancer letters Vol.433 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Glioma is one of the most devastating and refractory cancers. The main factors underlying therapeutic failure include extremely invasive characteristics and lack of effective methods for drug delivery. Attenuated <I>Salmonella</I> strains presented a high concentration of tumor targets in various types of cancer models, suggesting a role as potential vectors for drug delivery. In this study, we genetically engineered an attenuated strain of <I>Salmonella</I> as an anti-invasive vector for the targeted delivery and expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2) in an orthotopic nude mouse model of glioma. The bioluminescence signals related to tumor size significantly declined in the TIMP-2-expressing <I>Salmonella</I> (SLpTIMP-2)-treated group compared with the control group. Compared with the control group with a survival rate of an average of 33 days, the SLpTIMP-2 group showed an extended survival rate by nearly 60% and lasted an average period of 53 days with TIMP-2 induction. These results indicated the promising therapeutic potential of <I>S. typhimurium</I> for targeted delivery and secretion of TIMP-2 in glioma.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Intracranial injection of <I>Salmonella</I> has been demonstrated to be a more effective than tail vein injection. </LI> <LI> Treatment with TIMP-2-expressing bacteria showed down regulation of MMP-2 in orthotopic glioma. </LI> <LI> TIMP-2-expressing bacteria significantly inhibited tumor growth and elongated animal survive. </LI> </UL> </P>

Evaluation on Mechanical Properties of Synthesized Graphene Oxide-Carbon Nanotubes Composite Incorporated with Cement Pastes

Li, Pei Qi(리패기),Her, Sung Wun(허성원),Park, Jae Yeon(박재연),Bae, Sung Chul(배성철) 한국콘크리트학회 2019 한국콘크리트학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.31 No.2

Biomarkers Screening Between Preoperative and Postoperative Patients in Pancreatic Cancer

Li, Pei,Yang, Juan,Ma, Qing-Yong,Wu, Zheng,Huang, Chen,Li, Xu-Qi,Wang, Zheng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.7

Objective: To investigate discriminating protein patterns and potential biomarkers in serum samples between pre/postoperative pancreatic cancer patients and healthy controls. Methods: 23 serum samples from PC patients (12 preoperative and 11 postoperative) and 76 from healthy controls were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique combined with magnetic beads-based weak cation-exchange chromatography (MB-WCX). ClinProTools software selected several markers that made a distinction between pancreatic cancer patients and healthy controls. Results: 49 m/z distinctive peaks were found among the three groups, of which 33 significant peaks with a P < 0.001 were detected. Two proteins could distinguish the preoperative pancreatic cancer patients from the healthy controls. About 15 proteins may be potential biomarkers in assessment of pancreatic cancer resection. Conclusion: MB-MALDI-TOF-MS method could generate serum peptidome profiles of pancreatic cancer and provide a new approach to identify potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of this malignancy.

Identification of yield-related genes through genome-wide association: case study of weeping forsythia, an emerging medicinal crop

Li Yong,Wu Qiong,Liu Hong-Li,Pei Nan-Cai,He Yan-Xia,Quan Jine 한국유전학회 2022 Genes & Genomics Vol.44 No.2

Background: The genetic basis of crop yield is an agricultural research hotspot. Identifying the genes related to yield traits is the key to increase the yield. Weeping forsythia is an emerging medicinal crop that currently lacks excellent varieties. The genes related to fruit yield in weeping forsythia have not been identified. Objective: Thus, we aimed to screen the candidate genes related to fruit yield of weeping forsythia by using genome-wide association analysis. Methods: Here, 60 samples from the same field and source of weeping forsythia were collected to identify its yield-related candidate genes. Association analysis was performed on the variant loci and the traits related to yield, i.e., fruit length, width, thickness, and weight. Results: Results from admixture, neighbor-joining, and kinship matrix analyses supported the non-significant genetic differentiation of these samples. Significant association was found between 2 variant loci and fruit length, 8 loci and fruit width, 24 loci and fruit thickness, and 13 loci and fruit weight. Further search on the 20 kb up/downstream of these variant loci revealed 1 gene related to fruit length, 16 genes related to fruit width, 12 genes related to fruit thickness, and 13 genes related to fruit weight. Among which, 4 genes, namely, WRKY transcription factor 35, salicylic acid-binding protein, auxin response factor 6, and alpha-mannosidase were highly related to the fruit development of weeping forsythia. Conclusion: This study identify four candidate genes related to fruit development, which will provide useful information for the subsequent molecular-assisted and genetic breeding of weeping forsythia.

Tetracycline Detection by Silver Nanoprism-Europium (Ⅲ) Complex with Enhanced Sensitivity

Pei LI,Hyun Gyu PARK 한국생물공학회 2016 한국생물공학회 학술대회 Vol.2016 No.10

Curcumin Inhibits MHCC97H Liver Cancer Cells by Activating ROS/TLR-4/Caspase Signaling Pathway

Li, Pei-Min,Li, Yu-Liang,Liu, Bin,Wang, Wu-Jie,Wang, Yong-Zheng,Li, Zheng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.5

Curcumin can inhibit proliferation of liver cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, but the specific signaling pathways involved are not completely clear. Here, we report that curcumin inhibited proliferation of MHCC97H liver cancer cells by induction of apoptosis in a concentration dependent manner via stimulating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Also, we showed that increased intracellular ROS formation activated the TLR-4/MyD-88 signaling pathway, resulting in activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3, which eventually led to apoptosis in MHCC97H cells. These results showed that as an prooxidant, curcumin exerts anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis via the TLR-4/MyD-88 signaling pathway.

Survival and Performance of Two Cellulose-Degrading Microbial Systems Inoculated into Wheat Straw-Amended Soil

( Pei Pei Li ),( Dong Dong Zhang ),( Xiao Juan Wang ),( Xiao Fen Wang ),( Zong Jun Cui1 ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2012 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.22 No.1

A cellulose-degrading composite microbial system containing a mixture of microbes was previously shown to demonstrate a high straw-degrading capacity. To estimate its potential utilization as an inoculant to accelerate straw biodegradation after returning straw to the field, two cellulose-degrading composite microbial systems named ADS3 and WSD5 were inoculated into wheat straw-amended soil in the laboratory. The microbial survival of the inoculant was confirmed by a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, whereas the enhancement of straw degradation in soil was assessed by measuring the mineralization of the soil organic matter and the soil cellulase activity. The results indicated that most of the DGGE bands from ADS3 were detected after inoculation into straw-amended autoclaved soil, yet only certain bands from ADS3 and WSD5 were detected after inoculation into straw-amended non-autoclaved soil during five weeks of incubation; some bands were detected during the first two weeks after inoculation, and then disappeared in later stages. Organic matter mineralization was significantly higher in the soil inoculants ADS3 and WSD5 than in the uninoculated controls during the first week, yet the enhanced degradation did not persist during the subsequent incubation. Similar to the increase in soil organic matter, the cellulase activity also increased during the first week in the ADS3 and WSD5 treatments, yet decreased during the remainder of the incubation period. Thus, it was concluded that, although the survival and performance of the two inoculants did not persist in the soil, a significant enhancement of degradation was present during the early stage of incubation.

Two New Metabolites with Cytotoxicities from Deep-Sea Fungus, Aspergillus sydowi YH11-2

Li, De-Hai,Cai, Sheng-Xin,Tian, Li,Lin, Zhen-Jian,Zhu, Tian-Jiao,Fang, Yu-Chun,Liu, Pei-Pei,Zhu, Wei-Ming,Gu, Qian-Qun 대한약학회 2007 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.30 No.9

Two new compounds, 2, 3, 5-trimethyl-6-(3-oxobutan-2-yl)-4H-pyran-4-one (1) and (2R)-2, 3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-6, 8-dimethyl-2-[(E)-prop-1-enyl] chromen-4-one (2), together with six known compounds (3-8), were isolated from a deep-sea fungus, identified as Aspergillus sydowi, by a bioassay-guided method. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and the cytotoxicities were evaluated by SRB method.

Characteristics of Morphological and Physiological Changes during the Autolysis Process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae FX-2

Li, Xiao,Shi, Xiaodan,Zou, Man,Luo, Yudi,Tan, Yali,Wu, Yexu,Chen, Lin,Li, Pei The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnol 2015 한국미생물·생명공학회지 Vol.43 No.3

In this paper, the autolysis process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae FX-2 (S. cerevisiae FX-2) via, a variety of endogenous enzyme, was investigated systematically by analyzing changes in physicochemical parameters in autolysate, surface morphology and the internal structure of the yeast cells. As an explicit conclusion, the arisen autolysis depended on the pH and the optimal pH was found to be 5.5. Based on the experimental data and the characteristics of mycelia morphology, a hypothesis is put forward that simple proteins in yeast vacuolar are firstly degraded for utilization, and then more membrane-bound proteins are hydrolyzed to release hydrolytic enzymes, which arouse an enzymatic reaction to induce the collapse of the cell wall into the cytoplasm.