UOLO - automatic object detection and segmentation in biomedical images

We propose UOLO, a novel framework for the simultaneous detection and segmentation of structures of interest in medical images. UOLO consists of an object segmentation module which intermediate abstract representations are processed and used as input for object detection. The resulting system is optimized simultaneously for detecting a class of objects and segmenting an optionally different class of structures. UOLO is trained on a set of bounding boxes enclosing the objects to detect, as well as pixel-wise segmentation information, when available. A new loss function is devised, taking into account whether a reference segmentation is accessible for each training image, in order to suitably backpropagate the error. We validate UOLO on the task of simultaneous optic disc (OD) detection, fovea detection, and OD segmentation from retinal images, achieving state-of-the-art performance on public datasets.Comment: Publised on DLMIA 2018. Licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

10 años de hospitalización a domicilio en el entorno de un hospital comarcal

Introduction: Hospital at Home (HAH) started in our area at the end of 2007; currently it consists of 3 units, 30 beds and 80% territorial coverage. It has two main aims: to avoid unnecessary hospital admission and to allow early discharge. Objective: to analyze the results of HAH in the last 10 years in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.Method: Retrospective analysis of patients discharged in HAH (January 2009-December 2018) to define patient typology and source of admission, to evaluate indicators of length of stay, return to hospital, 30-day readmission rate, mortality rate, severity according to the APR-DRG classification system and cost compared to conventional hospitalization.Results: 6,033 patients have been discharged. 86% of patients were admitted through a medical process with a predominance of respiratory diseases (43.7%). The modality of Hospital admission avoidance was 79% of the admissions in HAH. The average length of stay in HAH was 7.1 days; the return to the hospital due to complications was 4.1%. Mortality rate was 2.3%, and the 30-day readmission rate was 12.2 %, both lower than the average of the Internal Medicine units. The severity according to the APR-DRG classification system of patients admitted in HAH was significantly higher than in the Short Stay Hospital Unit but less than conventional hospitalization in Internal Medicine Units, as expected. The cost of structure per day of stay in HAH is approximately 3 times lower than conventional hospitalization.Conclusions: HAH has been a useful alternative to conventional hospitalization, mainly for medical pathology of patients who, requiring admission, did not need the entire hospital infrastructure.Introducción: La Hospitalización a Domicilio (HAD) se inició en nuestra zona a finales de 2007, actualmente consta de 3 unidades, 30 camas y tiene una cobertura territorial del 80%. La modalidad de ingreso es mixto, evitación de ingreso y alta precoz. Objetivo: analizar los resultados de HAD en los últimos 10 años en cuanto a eficacia y eficiencia.Método: Análisis retrospectivo de los pacientes ingresados en HAD (enero 2009-Diciembre 2018) para definir tipología de paciente y procedencia, evaluar indicadores de estancia media, retorno al hospital, reingreso a los 30 días, mortalidad y coste comparado con hospitalización convencional.Resultados: Se han realizado 6.033 altas. El 86% de los pacientes ingresaron por un proceso médico con predominio de las enfermedades del aparato respiratorio (43,7%). La modalidad de evitación de ingreso supuso el 79% de los ingresos en HAD. La estancia media en HAD fue de 7,1 días y el retorno al hospital por complicaciones del 4,1%. La mortalidad fue del 2,3% y los reingresos por cualquier motivo en los 30 días siguientes al alta de HAD del 12,2%, ambos inferiores a los resultados de las unidades de hospitalización de Medicina Interna. La gravedad según el sistema de clasificación APR-DRG de los pacientes ingresados en HAD fue significativamente superior a la encontrada en la Unidad de Corta Estancia pero menor que en las unidades de hospitalización de Medicina Interna, tal como era de esperar. El coste de estructura por día de estancia en HAD fue, aproximadamente, 3 veces inferior al de hospitalización convencionalConclusiones: HAD ha sido una alternativa útil a la hospitalización convencional, principalmente para patología médica de pacientes que precisando ingreso, no necesitaban toda la infraestructura hospitalaria

Implementación de una Aplicación móvil para trabajar con la Historia Clínica Electrónica de los pacientes en domicilio

Objective: To design and implement a mobile application (App) that allowed Home Health Care Teams secure access to the patients relevant medical information, to record follow-up data at home and the automatic download of the data collected to the Electronic Health Record, saving professionals time and avoiding transcription errors.Method: The Home Health Care Teams needs were analyzed by a multidisciplinary group and the first version of the App was designed and developed. Later, a pilot test was carried out to solve incidents and make some modifications. Finally, the App was implemented in Hospitalization at Home (HAD in Spanish). After one year of implementation, data about App use were analyzed, the saving in the transcriptions time was calculated and a usability survey was conducted.Results: During the first year of implementation, 86% of the professionals used it on a regular basis and consider that it has been an improvement for their daily work.The theoretical saved hours in a year in the medical information transcription were 256, which would correspond to 36.5 days (7-hour shifts).Conclusions: Using an App to consult and record data in the patients Electronic Health Record at home avoids transcription errors and saves professionals’ time.Objetivo: Diseñar e implementar una aplicación móvil (App) que permitiera a los equipos de Atención domiciliaria el acceso seguro a la información médica relevante del paciente en el domicilio, registrar el seguimiento y realizar posteriormente la descarga automática de la información registrada a la Historia Clínica Electrónica, ahorrando tiempo a los profesionales y evitando errores de transcripción.Método: Un grupo de trabajo multidisciplinar analizó las necesidades de los equipos de Atención Domiciliaria y conjuntamente con el Departamento de Tecnologías de la Información (TI) diseñó y desarrolló la primera versión de la App. Se realizó una prueba piloto que sirvió para solucionar incidencias y realizar algunas modificaciones y finalmente se implementó la App en Hospitalización a Domicilio (HAD). Después de un año de funcionamiento, se analizaron datos de utilización de la App, se calculó el tiempo estimado ahorrado en transcripciones y se realizó una encuesta de usabilidad.Resultados: Durante el primer año de implementación de la App, el 86% de los profesionales de HAD la utilizaron habitualmente y consideraron que suponía una mejora para su trabajo diario.Las horas teóricas ahorradas en un año en transcripción de información fue de 256, que correspondería a 36,5 jornadas laborales.Conclusiones: El uso de una App para consultar y registrar datos en la Historia Clínica Electrónica durante la visita en el domicilio ahorra tiempo a los profesionales y contribuye a evitar errores de transcripción

New Horizons in the Treatment of Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction

The treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction has experienced a revolutionary change in the past decades with the emergence of endothelial keratoplasty techniques: descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) and descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). Recently, new treatments such as cultivated endothelial cell therapy, Rho-kinase inhibitors (ROCK inhibitors), bioengineered grafts, and gene therapy have been described. These techniques represent new lines of treatment for endothelial dysfunction. Their advantages are to help address the shortage of quality endothelial tissue, decrease the complications associated with tissue rejection, and reduce the burden of postoperative care following transplantation. Although further randomized clinical trials are required to validate these findings and prove the long-term efficacy of the treatments, the positive outcomes in preliminary clinical studies are a stepping stone to a promising future. Our aim is to review the latest available alternatives and advancements to endothelial corneal transplant

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Penrose Tilings by Pentacles can be 3-Colored

There are many aperiodic tilings of the plane. The chromatic number of a tiling is the minimum number of colors needed to color the tiles in such a way that every pair of adjacent tiles have distinct colors. In this paper the problem is solved for the last Penrose tiling for which the problem remained unsolved, the Penrose tilings by pentacles (P 1 ). So we settle on the positive the conjecture formulated by Conway (which can be found in [2]) that Penrose tilings can be colored using only three colors. We give a such coloring for every tiling by Penrose pentacles