TSRNet: A Dual-Stream Network for Refining 3D Tooth Segmentation.

The field of 3D tooth segmentation has made considerable advances thanks to deep learning, but challenges remain with coarse segmentation boundaries and prediction errors. In this article, we introduce a novel learnable method to refine coarse results obtained from existing 3D tooth segmentation algorithms. The refinement framework features a dual-stream network called TSRNet (Tooth Segmentation Refinement Network) to rectify defective boundary and distance maps extracted from the coarse segmentation.

Advancing Organoid Engineering for Tissue Regeneration and Biofunctional Reconstruction.

Tissue damage and functional abnormalities in organs have become a considerable clinical challenge. Organoids are often applied as disease models and in drug discovery and screening. Indeed, several studies have shown that organoids are an important strategy for achieving tissue repair and biofunction reconstruction.

Pose-invariant matching for non-rigid 3D models using Isomap.

The wide usage of 3D mesh models greatly increases the importance of an effective matching algorithm for them. In this paper, we propose a novel 3D model matching algorithm. Firstly, vertices on the input 3D mesh models are mapped to 1D space by employing Isomap.

Efficacy and safety of dutasteride compared with finasteride in treating males with benign prostatic hyperplasia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The present study was an updated meta-analysis that aimed to confirm the efficacy and safety of dutasteride (0.5 mg) and finasteride (5 mg) in treating males with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) over a treatment period of at least 6 months. Randomized controlled trials were retrieved using the MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane controlled trials register databases.

Genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi among captive long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Hainan Province: High genetic diversity and zoonotic potential.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a potentially important zoonotic pathogen. However, there is no information on E. bieneusi infection of captive long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Hainan Province, China.

Molecular prevalence and subtyping of Cryptosporidium hominis among captive long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) from Hainan Island, southern China.

Background: Cryptosporidium is an important zoonotic parasite that is commonly found in non-human primates (NHPs). Consequently, there is the potential for transmission of this pathogen from NHPs to humans. However, molecular characterization of the isolates of Cryptosporidium from NHPs remains relatively poor.

Combination of stromal vascular fraction and gene therapy improves long-term therapeutic efficacy for diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction.

Men with diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED) respond poorly to the currently available oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Therefore, functional therapies for diabetic ED are needed. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and the adenovirus-mediated cartilage oligomeric matrix angiopoietin-1 (Ad-COMP-Ang1) gene are known to play critical roles in penile erection.

Pericyte-Derived Dickkopf2 Regenerates Damaged Penile Neurovasculature Through an Angiopoietin-1-Tie2 Pathway.

Penile erection requires well-coordinated interactions between vascular and nervous systems. Penile neurovascular dysfunction is a major cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients with diabetes, which causes poor response to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Dickkopf2 (DKK2), a Wnt antagonist, is known to promote angiogenesis.

Effects of exercise training on patients with lung cancer who underwent lung resection: a meta-analysis.

Background: The efficacy of exercise training in patients with lung cancer after lung resection has not been well established yet. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the efficiency of exercise training in patients with lung cancer after lung resection.

Methods: Several databases were searched for eligible randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

miRNA‑1284 inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis of lung cancer cells.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, and morbidity and mortality associated with lung cancer has been increasing annually in recent decades. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are short non‑coding RNA sequences that are involved in the regulation of gene expression, have been previously demonstrated to be key regulators in cancer. The present study aimed to clarify the role of miRNA (miR)‑1284 in lung cancer.

A classifier integrating plasma biomarkers and radiological characteristics for distinguishing malignant from benign pulmonary nodules.

Lung cancer is primarily caused by cigarette smoking and the leading cancer killer in the USA and across the world. Early detection of lung cancer by low-dose CT (LDCT) can reduce the mortality. However, LDCT dramatically increases the number of indeterminate pulmonary nodules (PNs), leading to overdiagnosis.

Designed angiopoietin-1 variant, COMP-angiopoietin-1, rescues erectile function through healthy cavernous angiogenesis in a hypercholesterolemic mouse.

Despite the advent of oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, curative treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) remains unavailable. Recently, the link between ED and cardiovascular disease was unveiled and the main etiology of ED was found to be vasculogenic. Therefore, neovascularization is a promising strategy for curing ED.

Curcumin relieves TPA-induced Th1 inflammation in K14-VEGF transgenic mice.

Curcumin has been confirmed to have anti-inflammatory properties in addition to the ability to decrease the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in keratinocytes. It was suggested that the interleukin-23 (IL-23)/IL-17A cytokine axis played a critical role in the pathogenesis of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA)-induced K14-VEGF transgenic psoriasis-like mice model. Here, we report that topical use of a curcumin gel formulation inhibited TPA-induced Th1 inflammation in K14-VEGF transgenic mice ears but not Th17 inflammation as expected.

Intracavernous delivery of stromal vascular fraction restores erectile function through production of angiogenic factors in a mouse model of cavernous nerve injury.

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a major complication of radical prostatectomy. Men with radical prostatectomy-induced ED respond less positively to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors.

Aim: The study aims to examine whether and how stromal vascular fraction (SVF) restores erectile function in mice with cavernous nerve injury (CNI).

Effectiveness of intracavernous delivery of adenovirus encoding Smad7 gene on erectile function in a mouse model of cavernous nerve injury.

Introduction: Men with erectile dysfunction (ED) respond poorly to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors following radical prostatectomy. Recent studies have reported that up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and activation of the Smad signaling pathway play important roles in cavernous fibrosis and in the deterioration of erectile function in a mouse model of cavernous nerve injury (CNI) and in patients with spinal cord injury. The mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 (Smad7) is known to inhibit the phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3.

Effect of intracavernous administration of angiopoietin-4 on erectile function in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse.

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent complication of diabetes, and the severity of endothelial dysfunction is one of the most important factors in reduced responsiveness to oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors.

Aim: To study the effects of human angiopoietin-4 (Ang-4) protein on erectile function in diabetic mice.

Methods: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin into 8-week-old C57BL/6J male mice.

Expression of the apelin-APJ pathway and effects on erectile function in a mouse model of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction.

Introduction: Much attention has recently been focused on therapeutic angiogenesis as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). The apelin and apelin receptor (APJ) system is known to cause endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and to be involved in angiogenesis.

Aim: To examine the differential expression of apelin and APJ in animal models of vasculogenic ED and to determine whether and how enhancement of apelin-APJ signaling restores erectile function in hypercholesterolemic mice.

Nerve injury-induced protein 1 (Ninjurin-1) is a novel therapeutic target for cavernous nerve injury-induced erectile dysfunction in mice.

Introduction: Radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer can not only induce cavernous nerve injury (CNI) but also result in structural changes in the cavernous tissues. Nerve injury-induced protein 1, Ninjurin-1 (Ninj1), is known to be involved in neuroinflammatory processes and to be related to vascular regression during the embryonic period.

Aim: The study aims to determine whether and how Ninj1 neutralizing antibody (Ninj1-Ab) restores erectile function in mice with CNI.

Erectile dysfunction precedes other systemic vascular diseases due to incompetent cavernous endothelial cell-cell junctions.

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction is often a harbinger of cardiovascular disease. We sought to gain mechanistic insight at the cellular and molecular levels into why erectile dysfunction precedes the clinical consequences of cardiovascular disease.

Materials And Methods: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection in 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice.

Intracavernous delivery of freshly isolated stromal vascular fraction rescues erectile function by enhancing endothelial regeneration in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse.

Introduction: Men with diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED) often have severe endothelial dysfunction and respond poorly to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors.

Aim: To examine whether and how freshly isolated stromal vascular fraction (SVF) promotes cavernous endothelial regeneration and restores erectile function in diabetic animals.

Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6J mice were used.

Matrigel-based sprouting endothelial cell culture system from mouse corpus cavernosum is potentially useful for the study of endothelial and erectile dysfunction related to high-glucose exposure.

Introduction: A proper cavernous endothelial cell culture system would be advantageous for the study of the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in endothelial dysfunction and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Aim: To establish a nonenzymatic technique, which we termed the "Matrigel-based sprouting endothelial cell culture system," for the isolation of mouse cavernous endothelial cells (MCECs) and an in vitro model that mimics in vivo situation for diabetes-induced ED.

Methods: For primary MCEC culture, mouse cavernous tissue was implanted into Matrigel and sprouting cells from the tissue were subcultivated.

Gene therapy with an erythropoietin enhancer-mediated, hypoxia-inducible gene expression system in the corpus cavernosum of mice with high-cholesterol diet-induced erectile dysfunction.

Cavernous hypoxia is an important factor in the pathogenesis of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED). Therefore, the hypoxia-inducible gene expression system can be exploited as gene therapy for vasculogenic ED. This study was undertaken to examine the effectiveness of a hypoxia-inducible gene expression system, namely, the RTP801 promoter or the erythropoietin enhancer, in a mouse model of hypercholesterolemic ED in vivo and in primary cultured mouse cavernous endothelial cells in vitro.

Intracavernous delivery of a designed angiopoietin-1 variant rescues erectile function by enhancing endothelial regeneration in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse.

Objective: Patients with diabetic erectile dysfunction often have severe endothelial dysfunction and respond poorly to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. We examined the effectiveness of the potent angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) variant, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP)-Ang1, in promoting cavernous endothelial regeneration and restoring erectile function in diabetic animals.

Research Design And Methods: Four groups of mice were used: controls; streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice; STZ-induced diabetic mice treated with repeated intracavernous injections of PBS; and STZ-induced diabetic mice treated with COMP-Ang1 protein (days -3 and 0).