Combining depth and intensity images to produce enhanced object detection for use in a robotic colony

Robotic colonies that can communicate with each other and interact with their ambient environments can be utilized for a wide range of research and industrial applications. However amongst the problems that these colonies face is that of the isolating objects within an environment. Robotic colonies that can isolate objects within the environment can not only map that environment in de-tail, but interact with that ambient space. Many object recognition techniques ex-ist, however these are often complex and computationally expensive, leading to overly complex implementations. In this paper a simple model is proposed to isolate objects, these can then be recognize and tagged. The model will be using 2D and 3D perspectives of the perceptual data to produce a probability map of the outline of an object, therefore addressing the defects that exist with 2D and 3D image techniques. Some of the defects that will be addressed are; low level illumination and objects at similar depths. These issues may not be completely solved, however, the model provided will provide results confident enough for use in a robotic colony

Letter: chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 infection - still a hurdle toward a direct-acting anti-viral-induced HCV cure?

Letter: chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 infection – still a hurdle toward a direct-acting anti-viral-induced HCV cur

Preparation and characterisation of titania/hydroxyapatite composite coatings obtained by sol-gel process

In the present work a titania network encapsulating a hydroxyapatite particulate phase is proposed as a bioceramic composite coating. The coating on a titanium substrate was produced starting from a sol containing a mixture of titania colloidal particles and hydroxyapatite submicron particles using the dip-coating technique. The microstructure, the morphology and the surface chemical composition of the coating were characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Adhesion tests were also performed. These analyses showed that the obtained coating was chemically clean, homogeneous, rough, porous, with a low thickness and well-defined phase composition as well as a good adhesion to the substrate. Copyright © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd

First-line erlotinib and fixed dose-rate gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer

AIM: To investigate activity, toxicity, and prognostic factors for survival of erlotinib and fixed dose-rate gemcitabine (FDR-Gem) in advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODS: We designed a single-arm prospective, multicentre, open-label phase II study to evaluate the combination of erlotinib (100 mg/d, orally) and weekly FDR-Gem (1000 mg/m2, infused at 10 mg/m2per minute) in a population of previously untreated patients with locally advanced, inoperable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer. Primary endpoint was the rate of progression-free survival at 6 mo (PFS-6); secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), response duration, tolerability, overall survival (OS), and clinical benefit. Treatment was not considered to be of further interest if the PFS-6 was < 20% (p0 = 20%), while a PFS-6 > 40% would be of considerable interest (p1 = 40%); with a 5% rejection error (α = 5%) and a power of 80%, 35 fully evaluable patients with metastatic disease were required to be enrolled in order to complete the study. Analysis of prognostic factors for survival was also carried out. RESULTS: From May 2007 to September 2009, 46 patients were enrolled (male/female: 25/21; median age: 64 years; median baseline carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9): 897 U/mL; locally advanced/metastatic disease: 5/41). PFS-6 and median PFS were 30.4% and 14 wk (95%CI: 10-19), respectively; 1-year and median OS were 20.2% and 26 wk (95%CI: 8-43). Five patients achieved an objective response (ORR: 10.9%, 95%CI: 1.9-19.9); disease control rate was 56.5% (95%CI: 42.2-70.8); clinical benefit rate was 43.5% (95%CI: 29.1-57.8). CA 19-9 serum levels were decreased by > 25% as compared to baseline in 14/23 evaluable patients (63.6%). Treatment was well-tolerated, with skin rash being the most powerful predictor of both longer PFS (P < 0.0001) and OS (P = 0.01) at multivariate analysis (median OS for patients with or without rash: 42 wk vs 15 wk, respectively, Log-rank P = 0.03). Additional predictors of better outcome were: CA 19-9 reduction, female sex (for PFS), and good performance status (for OS). CONCLUSION: Primary study endpoint was not met. However, skin rash strongly predicted erlotinib efficacy, suggesting that a pharmacodynamic-based strategy for patient selection deserves further investigation

Preliminary Characterisation of Sardinian Red Grape Cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.) According to Their Phenolic Potential

Fourteen cultivars and clones, mainly selected from the island of Sardinia (Italy) and grown in a collection field,showed significant quantitative differences in phenolic potential. An extraction method designed to reproducethe winemaking process was used to determine the amounts of extractable polyphenols, anthocyanins, catechinsand proanthocyanidins reactive to vanillin, and the proanthocyanidins in grape skins and seeds. The Sardiniancultivar Nieddera and the Spanish cultivar Graciano had the highest concentrations of extractable polyphenols,anthocyanins, catechins and proanthocyanidins reactive to vanillin. Four clones of the Cannonau cultivar (synonymGrenache) exhibited fairly high variability, with significant differences in berry and seed phenolic contents

Biological activities of alkaloids: From toxicology to pharmacology

Plants produce many secondary metabolites, which reveal biological activity [...]

Severe rhabdomyolysis associated with pemetrexed-based chemotherapy

Pemetrexed is an antifolate metabolite that inhibits several enzymes involved in the folate pathway. It has activity against various solid tumours, and has been approved for treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma on the basis of findings from a randomised phase III trial.1 The main toxic effects noted for pemetrexed have been rash, myelosuppression, diarrhoea, mucositis, and reversible elevation of liver enzymes—effects that are preventable partly by vitamin supplementation.

COX-2 targeting in cancer: a new beginning?

Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), the inducible enzyme catalyzing the rate-limiting step in the conversion of arachidonic acid into eicosanoids, is overexpressed in a wide variety of malignancies and associates with poor prognostic features [1]. Consequently, selective COX-2 inhibitors have been explored as therapeutic or chemopreventive agents in different settings; however, initial enthusiasm was tempered by reports of substantial gastrointestinal toxicity as well as of increased cardiovascular risk, mostly coming from postmarketing use as anti-inflammatory drugs and Cancer Research Campaign (UK) chemoprevention trials and eventually resulting in the withdrawal of rofecoxib from the market [2]

A new family of magnetic adhesion based wall-climbing robots

This paper is devoted to climbing robots that adhere to the wall through permanent magnetic elements. If the surface on which they adhere is not ferromagnetic, it is necessary for the system to be composed of two subsystems (master and follower carts), arranged in a sandwich configuration, with the surface to climb interposed between the two. However, this configuration does not allow the robot to descend from the wall where it is climbing and to move freely on the floor (because of the presence of the follower). This paper shows how to remove this limitation. In fact, the system is able to automatically detach the follower when the robot has to move on the floor and recover it when it has to climb

Co-targeting of Bcl-2 and mTOR pathway triggers synergistic apoptosis in BH3 mimetics resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Several chemo-resistance mechanisms including the Bcl-2 protein family overexpression and constitutive activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling have been documented in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), encouraging targeted approaches to circumvent this clinical problem. Here we analyzed the activity of the BH3 mimetic ABT-737 in ALL, exploring the synergistic effects with the mTOR inhibitor CCI-779 on ABT-737 resistant cells. We showed that a low Mcl-1/Bcl-2 plus Bcl-xL protein ratio determined ABT-737 responsiveness. ABT-737 exposure further decreased Mcl-1, inducing apoptosis on sensitive models and primary samples, while not affecting resistant cells. Co-inhibition of Bcl-2 and the mTOR pathway resulted cytotoxic on ABT-737 resistant models, by downregulating mTORC1 activity and Mcl-1 in a proteasome-independent manner. Although Mcl-1 seemed to be critical, ectopic modulation did not correlate with apoptosis changes. Importantly, dual targeting proved effective on ABT-737 resistant samples, showing additive/synergistic effects. Together, our results show the efficacy of BH3 mimetics as single agent in the majority of the ALL samples and demonstrate that resistance to ABT-737 mostly correlated with Mcl-1 overexpression. Co-targeting of the Bcl-2 protein family and mTOR pathway enhanced drug-induced cytotoxicity by suppressing Mcl-1, providing a novel therapeutic approach to overcome BH3 mimetics resistance in ALL