Geometric distortion measurement for shape coding: a contemporary review

Geometric distortion measurement and the associated metrics involved are integral to the rate-distortion (RD) shape coding framework, with importantly the efficacy of the metrics being strongly influenced by the underlying measurement strategy. This has been the catalyst for many different techniques with this paper presenting a comprehensive review of geometric distortion measurement, the diverse metrics applied and their impact on shape coding. The respective performance of these measuring strategies is analysed from both a RD and complexity perspective, with a recent distortion measurement technique based on arc-length-parameterisation being comparatively evaluated. Some contemporary research challenges are also investigated, including schemes to effectively quantify shape deformation

Power-Aware QoS Enhancement in Multihop DS-CDMA Visual Sensor Networks

Abstract-We propose a quality-driven method for network resource allocation with transmission power control in a multihop Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS-CDMA) Wireless Visual Sensor Network (WVSN). A multihop WVSN typically consists of source nodes that monitor different areas and relay nodes that retransmit recorded scenes. In order to achieve the best possible video quality at the receiver while consuming the least possible transmission power, we propose a joint optimization scheme that allocates the available resources among the nodes with respect to the imposed constraints. Moreover, we formulate a weighted bi-objective optimization problem and study the tradeoff between video quality and consumed transmission power. The simulation demonstrate that excessive transmission power is used when power control is omitted for a rather small quality gain for certain nodes

Power–Aware QoS Enhancement in Multihop DS–CDMA Visual Sensor Networks

Abstract—We propose a quality–driven method for network resource allocation with transmission power control in a multihop Direct Sequence Code Division Multiple Access (DS–CDMA) Wireless Visual Sensor Network (WVSN). A multihop WVSN typically consists of source nodes that monitor different areas and relay nodes that retransmit recorded scenes. In order to achieve the best possible video quality at the receiver while consuming the least possible transmission power, we propose a joint optimization scheme that allocates the available resources among the nodes with respect to the imposed constraints. Moreover, we formulate a weighted bi–objective optimization problem and study the tradeoff between video quality and consumed transmission power. The simulation demonstrate that excessive transmission power is used when power control is omitted for a rather small quality gain for certain nodes

Prognostic factors for recurrence and survival in uncommon variants of vulvar cancer

Purpose: To analyze the prognostic factors of recurrence and overall survival in rare histotypes of vulvar cancer. Methods: An international multicenter retrospective study including patients diagnosed with vulvar cancer was performed. One hundred centers participated in the study and 2453 vulvar cancer cases were enrolled from January 2001 until December 2005. After exclusion of squamous vulvar cancer, Paget´s disease and vulvar melanoma 112 tumors were analyzed for the present study. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 64.9 ± 17.2 years. 99 (88.4%) patients had a single lesion, in 25 (22.3%) cases the vulvar tumor involved the midline, and only 13 (11.5%) patients had clinically positive inguinal lymph nodes. The mean size of the lesion was 33.8 ± 33.9 mm. Regarding the surgical treatment, 2 (1.8%) patients underwent skinning vulvectomy, 63 (56.3%) local excision, 41 (36.6%) vulvectomy, 3 (2.7%) exenteration and 3 (2.7%) did not receive any surgical treatment. The mean free surgical margin was 8.2 ± 9 mm and 7 (6.2%) patients presented positive inguinal nodes. Radiotherapy was administered in 22 (19.6%) patients and it was performed postoperatively in all cases; 14 (12.5%) patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean overall follow-up time was 44.1 ± 35.7 months. The risk factors associated with overall survival were chemotherapy and radiotherapy, tumor size and stromal invasion (p < 0.05). The only independent factor significantly associated with global recurrence and absence of metastasis was radiotherapy (p = 0.02 and p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: Postoperative radiotherapy seems to be the only independent factor associated with recurrence and overall survival in uncommon types of vulvar cancer. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

Treatment of autoinflammatory diseases: results from the Eurofever Registry and a literature review

To evaluate the response to treatment of autoinflammatory diseases from an international registry and an up-to-date literature review