Quantifying image distortion based on Gabor filter bank and multiple regression analysis

Image quality assessment is indispensable for image-based applications. The approaches towards image quality assessment fall into two main categories: subjective and objective methods. Subjective assessment has been widely used. However, careful subjective assessments are experimentally difficult and lengthy, and the results obtained may vary depending on the test conditions. On the other hand, objective image quality assessment would not only alleviate the difficulties described above but would also help to expand the application field. Therefore, several works have been developed for quantifying the distortion presented on a image achieving goodness of fit between subjective and objective scores up to 92%. Nevertheless, current methodologies are designed assuming that the nature of the distortion is known. Generally, this is a limiting assumption for practical applications, since in a majority of cases the distortions in the image are unknown. Therefore, we believe that the current methods of image quality assessment should be adapted in order to identify and quantify the distortion of images at the same time. That combination can improve processes such as enhancement, restoration, compression, transmission, among others. We present an approach based on the power of the experimental design and the joint localization of the Gabor filters for studying the influence of the spatial/frequencies on image quality assessment. Therefore, we achieve a correct identification and quantification of the distortion affecting images. This method provides accurate scores and differentiability between distortions

Brain Metastases in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Current and Novel Treatment Strategies

Metàstasi cerebral; Càncer de mama; LapatinibMetástasis cerebral; Cáncer de mama; LapatinibBrain metastasis; Breast cancer; LapatinibDevelopment of brain metastases can occur in up to 30–50% of patients with breast cancer, representing a significant impact on an individual patient in terms of survival and quality of life. Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer have an increased risk of developing brain metastases; however, screening for brain metastases is not currently recommended due to the lack of robust evidence to support survival benefit. In recent years, several novel anti-HER2 agents have led to significant improvements in the outcomes of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Despite these advances, brain and leptomeningeal metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and their optimal management remains an unmet need. This review presents an update on the current and novel treatment strategies for patients with brain metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer and discusses the open questions in the field.A.P. is supported by ESMO Research Fellowship

What is the status of immunotherapy in thyroid neoplasms?

Immunotherapy; Thyroid neoplasms; Tumor mutational burdenInmunoterapia; Neoplasias de la tiroides; Carga mutacional tumoralImmunoteràpia; Neoplàsies de les tiroides; Càrrega mutacional tumoralImmunotherapy has changed the treatment of patients with advanced cancer, with different phase III trials showing durable responses across different histologies. This review focuses on the preclinical and clinical evidence of potential predictive biomarkers of response and efficacy of immunotherapy in thyroid neoplasms. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) staining by immunohistochemistry has shown higher expression in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) compared to other subtypes. The tumor mutational burden in thyroid neoplasms is low but seems to be higher in ATC. Immune infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment (TME) differ between the different thyroid neoplasm subtypes. In general, differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has a higher number of tumor-associated lymphocytes and regulatory T cells (Tregs), while ATC and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) display a high density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Nevertheless, results from clinical trials with immunotherapy as monotherapy or combinations have shown limited efficacy. Further investigation into new strategies aside from anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4)/programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 antibodies, validation of predictive biomarkers, and better population selection for clinical trials in thyroid neoplasms is more than needed in the near future

In vitro larvicidal effect of a hydroalcoholic extract from Acacia cochliacantha leaf against ruminant parasitic nematodes

Larvicidal effect was evaluated using acacia cochliacantha leafThe aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro lethal effect of a hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) from Acacia cochliacantha leaf against three gastrointestinal nematodes species (Haemonchus contortus, H. placei and Cooperiapunctata) of domestic ruminants. The HAE was assessed using five concentrations: 100, 125, 175, 150 and 200 mg/ml; 0.5% Ivermectin was used as a positive control and distilled water, as negative control. The data were normalized using the square root and analysed with a completely randomized design through ANOVA analysis using the general linealmodel (GLM) of the SAS program. The HAE tannin conten was determined through spectrophotometry (UV-visible) and the other major phenols, were identified by chromatographic processes. The results showed an in vitro larvicidal activity of the HAE against the three assessed nematode species with all assessed concentrations. A clear HAE increased concentration dependence effect was observed. The highest activity of the HAE was obtained at the highest concentration (close to 100%, P < 0.05). This result was similar to the one obtained with Ivermectin. On the other hand, the chemical analysis of HAE showed the presence of tannins, caffeoyls and coumaroyl derivates and quercetin as the main compounds. The results suggest that the HAE from this plant species pos- sess in vitro anthelmintic properties. The identified com- pounds in this study would good candidates for further in vivo researches.This study received financial support from CONACYT-Mexico (Project number 251244), INIFAP (Project number 9454133183, through the Researcher Retaining Program)

中欧論

千葉大学社会文化科学研究科研究プロジェクト報告書第3集『多民族国家における多文化主義の成立と展開』所

Propuesta para el showroom de la agencia de viajes La Vida en Viajes como ventaja competitiva

En el presente trabajo de investigación, se describe la propuesta de desarrollo de un modelo para showroom de la agencia de viajes “La vida en viajes” , en el que se muestran propuestas de productos, proveedores, mercado meta, acomodo de showroom, etc. Así mismo se describen los procedimiento que fueron utilizados, al igual que las herramientas que se desarrollaron para conseguir resultados positivos para el crecimiento y funcionamiento de la estrategia planteada.ITESO, A.C

Blood Biomarkers to Predict Long-Term Mortality after Ischemic Stroke

Biomarcador; Endostatina; Accident cerebrovascular isquèmicBiomarcador; Endostatina; Accidente cerebrovascular isquémicoBiomarker; Endostatin; Ischemic strokeStroke is a major cause of disability and death globally, and prediction of mortality represents a crucial challenge. We aimed to identify blood biomarkers measured during acute ischemic stroke that could predict long-term mortality. Nine hundred and forty-one ischemic stroke patients were prospectively recruited in the Stroke-Chip study. Post-stroke mortality was evaluated during a median 4.8-year follow-up. A 14-biomarker panel was analyzed by immunoassays in blood samples obtained at hospital admission. Biomarkers were normalized and standardized using Z-scores. Multiple Cox regression models were used to identify clinical variables and biomarkers independently associated with long-term mortality and mortality due to stroke. In the multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of long-term mortality were age, female sex, hypertension, glycemia, and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Independent blood biomarkers predictive of long-term mortality were endostatin > quartile 2, tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNF-R1) > quartile 2, and interleukin (IL)-6 > quartile 2. The risk of mortality when these three biomarkers were combined increased up to 69%. The addition of the biomarkers to clinical predictors improved the discrimination (integrative discriminative improvement (IDI) 0.022 (0.007–0.048), p quartile 3 was an independent predictor of mortality due to stroke. Altogether, endostatin, TNF-R1, and IL-6 circulating levels may aid in long-term mortality prediction after stroke.This work has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI18/00804) and by La Fundació La Marató (Reg. 84/240 proj. 201702). Neurovascular Research Laboratory takes part in the Spanish stroke research network INVICTUS+ (RD16/0019/0021). L.R. is supported by a pre-doctoral fellowship from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (IFI17/00012)