Color enhancement of landsat agricultural imagery: JPL LACIE image processing support task

Color enhancement techniques were applied to LACIE LANDSAT segments to determine if such enhancement can assist analysis in crop identification. The procedure involved increasing the color range by removing correlation between components. First, a principal component transformation was performed, followed by contrast enhancement to equalize component variances, followed by an inverse transformation to restore familiar color relationships. Filtering was applied to lower order components to reduce color speckle in the enhanced products. Use of single acquisition and multiple acquisition statistics to control the enhancement were compared, and the effects of normalization investigated. Evaluation is left to LACIE personnel

Self-Management: Parkinson’s as a Chronic Condition

Setting Parkinson’s is cited as a chronic disease which is a “disease… of long duration and generally slow progression”. The burden of chronic, neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, is a growing problem worldwide, and it is necessary to find ways to support People Living with Parkinson’s (PlwP) and their carers world-wide. Objective This poster presents the results of a systematic review of the existing literature relating to selfmanagement in PlwP. Methods The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Embase were used to identify evidence such as randomised controlled trials and original literature, as well as evidence-based guidelines, evidence-based review articles and meta-analysis relevant to the topics reviewed. 3532 studies were found in total, of which 49 were appropriate for review. Selection was based on quality of evidence and relevance to the topic (table 1). Five studies were judged as meeting the inclusion criteria and included in the initial review. Data was extracted, summarised, coded and critiqued. Findings Five studies provided evidence related to the effectiveness of self-management. Four of the studies demonstrated beneficial impact but one study showed negative impact, namely worsening in fatigue scores. Emerging Themes Experience of illness: Three areas emerged from the evidence as particularly impacting on selfmanagement. Pain and fatigue was an area that was improved by CDSMP involvement. Deterioration and acceptance of loss of physical and mental function was a large issue for people living with the fluctuating nature of the disorder. Depression was positively impacted by the CDSMP, with increased sense of self-efficacy and reduced stress levels. Ways of coping: Relaxation was a key theme throughout the literature, which responded positively to mindfulness exercises. Self-tailoring was shown to be highly beneficial to participants, and was a particular focus for the young onset PlwP. Use of Health Services: Many of the studies found no impact on health service use, with only one finding any reduction in emergency room visits. It was noted that the participants had appropriate use of health services at baseline but developed better collaborative relationships with their healthcare teams. Self Efficacy: Self-efficacy was measured in the majority of studies and found to be worthwhile in most, with benefits sustained for one year. Overall Self-management improves self-efficacy, despite the progressive, fluctuating nature of Parkinson’s. It is limited by the health systems in which it is attempted, requiring a collaborative, flexible approach from Health Professionals. In the medical model, this becomes a source of frustration and conflict. Additionally, younger PlwP seem to have a higher desire to engage in self-management and collaborative medicine, requiring increased access and responsiveness from the services they are engaged with, a flexibility that is not possible in the current model of care. Conclusion Self-management is a valuable tool in the overall management for PlwP. Self-management also requires that the health system be accessible, reactive and collaborative, rather than a medical model system focussed on acute issues, and that healthcare professionals acknowledge the PlwP as someone knowledgeable about their condition and able to play an expert role in their own care. Many healthcare professionals would require support and education around this manner of working. A Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist is wellplaced to oversee and contribute a supervisory role for healthcare staff and PlwP as an element of a larger overall service for people living with the conditio

Self-Management: Parkinson’s as a Chronic Condition

Setting Parkinson’s is cited as a chronic disease which is a “disease… of long duration and generally slow progression”. The burden of chronic, neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, is a growing problem worldwide, and it is necessary to find ways to support People Living with Parkinson’s (PlwP) and their carers world-wide. Objective This poster presents the results of a systematic review of the existing literature relating to selfmanagement in PlwP. Methods The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Embase were used to identify evidence such as randomised controlled trials and original literature, as well as evidence-based guidelines, evidence-based review articles and meta-analysis relevant to the topics reviewed. 3532 studies were found in total, of which 49 were appropriate for review. Selection was based on quality of evidence and relevance to the topic (table 1). Five studies were judged as meeting the inclusion criteria and included in the initial review. Data was extracted, summarised, coded and critiqued. Findings Five studies provided evidence related to the effectiveness of self-management. Four of the studies demonstrated beneficial impact but one study showed negative impact, namely worsening in fatigue scores. Emerging Themes Experience of illness: Three areas emerged from the evidence as particularly impacting on selfmanagement. Pain and fatigue was an area that was improved by CDSMP involvement. Deterioration and acceptance of loss of physical and mental function was a large issue for people living with the fluctuating nature of the disorder. Depression was positively impacted by the CDSMP, with increased sense of self-efficacy and reduced stress levels. Ways of coping: Relaxation was a key theme throughout the literature, which responded positively to mindfulness exercises. Self-tailoring was shown to be highly beneficial to participants, and was a particular focus for the young onset PlwP. Use of Health Services: Many of the studies found no impact on health service use, with only one finding any reduction in emergency room visits. It was noted that the participants had appropriate use of health services at baseline but developed better collaborative relationships with their healthcare teams. Self Efficacy: Self-efficacy was measured in the majority of studies and found to be worthwhile in most, with benefits sustained for one year. Overall Self-management improves self-efficacy, despite the progressive, fluctuating nature of Parkinson’s. It is limited by the health systems in which it is attempted, requiring a collaborative, flexible approach from Health Professionals. In the medical model, this becomes a source of frustration and conflict. Additionally, younger PlwP seem to have a higher desire to engage in self-management and collaborative medicine, requiring increased access and responsiveness from the services they are engaged with, a flexibility that is not possible in the current model of care. Conclusion Self-management is a valuable tool in the overall management for PlwP. Self-management also requires that the health system be accessible, reactive and collaborative, rather than a medical model system focussed on acute issues, and that healthcare professionals acknowledge the PlwP as someone knowledgeable about their condition and able to play an expert role in their own care. Many healthcare professionals would require support and education around this manner of working. A Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist is wellplaced to oversee and contribute a supervisory role for healthcare staff and PlwP as an element of a larger overall service for people living with the conditio

Self-Management: Parkinson’s as a Chronic Condition

Setting Parkinson’s is cited as a chronic disease which is a “disease… of long duration and generally slow progression”. The burden of chronic, neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, is a growing problem worldwide, and it is necessary to find ways to support People Living with Parkinson’s (PlwP) and their carers world-wide. Objective This poster presents the results of a systematic review of the existing literature relating to selfmanagement in PlwP. Methods The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Embase were used to identify evidence such as randomised controlled trials and original literature, as well as evidence-based guidelines, evidence-based review articles and meta-analysis relevant to the topics reviewed. 3532 studies were found in total, of which 49 were appropriate for review. Selection was based on quality of evidence and relevance to the topic (table 1). Five studies were judged as meeting the inclusion criteria and included in the initial review. Data was extracted, summarised, coded and critiqued. Findings Five studies provided evidence related to the effectiveness of self-management. Four of the studies demonstrated beneficial impact but one study showed negative impact, namely worsening in fatigue scores. Emerging Themes Experience of illness: Three areas emerged from the evidence as particularly impacting on selfmanagement. Pain and fatigue was an area that was improved by CDSMP involvement. Deterioration and acceptance of loss of physical and mental function was a large issue for people living with the fluctuating nature of the disorder. Depression was positively impacted by the CDSMP, with increased sense of self-efficacy and reduced stress levels. Ways of coping: Relaxation was a key theme throughout the literature, which responded positively to mindfulness exercises. Self-tailoring was shown to be highly beneficial to participants, and was a particular focus for the young onset PlwP. Use of Health Services: Many of the studies found no impact on health service use, with only one finding any reduction in emergency room visits. It was noted that the participants had appropriate use of health services at baseline but developed better collaborative relationships with their healthcare teams. Self Efficacy: Self-efficacy was measured in the majority of studies and found to be worthwhile in most, with benefits sustained for one year. Overall Self-management improves self-efficacy, despite the progressive, fluctuating nature of Parkinson’s. It is limited by the health systems in which it is attempted, requiring a collaborative, flexible approach from Health Professionals. In the medical model, this becomes a source of frustration and conflict. Additionally, younger PlwP seem to have a higher desire to engage in self-management and collaborative medicine, requiring increased access and responsiveness from the services they are engaged with, a flexibility that is not possible in the current model of care. Conclusion Self-management is a valuable tool in the overall management for PlwP. Self-management also requires that the health system be accessible, reactive and collaborative, rather than a medical model system focussed on acute issues, and that healthcare professionals acknowledge the PlwP as someone knowledgeable about their condition and able to play an expert role in their own care. Many healthcare professionals would require support and education around this manner of working. A Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist is wellplaced to oversee and contribute a supervisory role for healthcare staff and PlwP as an element of a larger overall service for people living with the conditio

Self-Management: Parkinson’s as a Chronic Condition

Setting Parkinson’s is cited as a chronic disease which is a “disease… of long duration and generally slow progression”. The burden of chronic, neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, is a growing problem worldwide, and it is necessary to find ways to support People Living with Parkinson’s (PlwP) and their carers world-wide. Objective This poster presents the results of a systematic review of the existing literature relating to selfmanagement in PlwP. Methods The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Embase were used to identify evidence such as randomised controlled trials and original literature, as well as evidence-based guidelines, evidence-based review articles and meta-analysis relevant to the topics reviewed. 3532 studies were found in total, of which 49 were appropriate for review. Selection was based on quality of evidence and relevance to the topic (table 1). Five studies were judged as meeting the inclusion criteria and included in the initial review. Data was extracted, summarised, coded and critiqued. Findings Five studies provided evidence related to the effectiveness of self-management. Four of the studies demonstrated beneficial impact but one study showed negative impact, namely worsening in fatigue scores. Emerging Themes Experience of illness: Three areas emerged from the evidence as particularly impacting on selfmanagement. Pain and fatigue was an area that was improved by CDSMP involvement. Deterioration and acceptance of loss of physical and mental function was a large issue for people living with the fluctuating nature of the disorder. Depression was positively impacted by the CDSMP, with increased sense of self-efficacy and reduced stress levels. Ways of coping: Relaxation was a key theme throughout the literature, which responded positively to mindfulness exercises. Self-tailoring was shown to be highly beneficial to participants, and was a particular focus for the young onset PlwP. Use of Health Services: Many of the studies found no impact on health service use, with only one finding any reduction in emergency room visits. It was noted that the participants had appropriate use of health services at baseline but developed better collaborative relationships with their healthcare teams. Self Efficacy: Self-efficacy was measured in the majority of studies and found to be worthwhile in most, with benefits sustained for one year. Overall Self-management improves self-efficacy, despite the progressive, fluctuating nature of Parkinson’s. It is limited by the health systems in which it is attempted, requiring a collaborative, flexible approach from Health Professionals. In the medical model, this becomes a source of frustration and conflict. Additionally, younger PlwP seem to have a higher desire to engage in self-management and collaborative medicine, requiring increased access and responsiveness from the services they are engaged with, a flexibility that is not possible in the current model of care. Conclusion Self-management is a valuable tool in the overall management for PlwP. Self-management also requires that the health system be accessible, reactive and collaborative, rather than a medical model system focussed on acute issues, and that healthcare professionals acknowledge the PlwP as someone knowledgeable about their condition and able to play an expert role in their own care. Many healthcare professionals would require support and education around this manner of working. A Parkinson's Disease Nurse Specialist is wellplaced to oversee and contribute a supervisory role for healthcare staff and PlwP as an element of a larger overall service for people living with the conditio

Anomalously low PAH emission from low-luminosity galaxies

The Spitzer Space Telescope First Look Survey Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) near and mid-infrared imaging data partially overlaps the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), with 313 visually selected (r<17.6 mag) SDSS Main Sample galaxies in the overlap region. The 3.5 and 7.8 um properties of the galaxies are investigated in the context of their visual properties, where the IRAC [3.5] magnitude primarily measures starlight, and the [7.8] magnitude primarily measures PAH emission from the interstellar medium. As expected, we find a strong inverse correlation between [3.5]-[7.8] and visual color; galaxies red in visual colors (`red galaxies') tend to show very little dust and molecular emission (low `PAH-to-star' ratios), and galaxies blue in visual colors (`blue galaxies,' ie, star-forming galaxies) tend to show large PAH-to-star ratios. Red galaxies with high PAH-to-star ratios tend to be edge-on disks reddened by dust lanes. Simple, visually inferred attenuation corrections bring the visual colors of these galaxies in line with those of face-on disks; ie, PAH emission is closely related to attenuation-corrected, optically inferred star-formation rates. Blue galaxies with anomalously low PAH-to-star ratios are all low-luminosity star-forming galaxies. There is some weak evidence in this sample that the deficiency in PAH emission for these low-luminosity galaxies may be related to emission-line metallicity.Comment: submitted to ApJ. Because of some obscure arXiv bug, the RGB figure may appear correctly only in the PDF versio

A Literature Review of Disease Education for People with Parkinson's Disease

Purpose Disease-specific research on the information needs of people with Parkinson's is non-existent but other diseases with a similar impact have been studied. This area of knowledge has a direct impact upon self-management of diseases as well as on quality of life. While Parkinson’s is not a life-threatening disease in the usual meaning of the words, it results in significant, increasing disability and receiving the diagnosis is a life-altering moment. The person may experience conflicting sentiments of relief and turmoil, described by some as “life-shattering” (Pinder, 1992). Methods Google Scholar, Cochrane and PubMed were searched to identify randomised controlled trials, evidence-based review articles and meta-analyses, as well as evidence-based guidelines. Only articles in English were studied. The search included articles published between January 1990 and February 2012 using the keywords and subjects: “Parkinson’s”, “information needs”, “patients”, “carers”, and “diagnosis”. Two review articles (Adams, Boulton and Watson, 2009; Kinnersley et al., 2008) and twenty studies (Wherry, 2012) were found and analysed Findings Two types of patients were noted within the literature. Type one (T1) was older, possibly had mild cognitive changes, had a lower level of educational attainment, and was likely to be retired or unemployed. Type two (T2), was younger, had a higher level of educational attainment and was likely to be still in employment (Kim et al., 2012). The typical T1 patient had a higher level of unmet information needs than T2 patients who were proactive in seeking information. Complex and rarely asked questions were more likely to be presented by T2 patients. Preferred sources of information for T1 patients included physicians and specialist nurses, whereas T2 patients supplemented the information from their care team by using external sources (Andreassen et al., 2005). Cultural behaviour in health had an impact, some patients exhibiting a higher reliance on medical teams for information and decision making than others (Wittman et al., 2011). Information needs changed over time and there was an obvious challenge to identify these needs when the patient was seen in a clinic setting (Kim et al., 2012). The level of information provided influenced help-seeking behaviour and a balance between inappropriate reassurance and overemphasis on complications was necessary (Wittman et al., 2011). Discussion Chronic care health professionals have begun to see patients from the Baby Boomer generation and can anticipate a rise in “technologically-savvy” T2 patients who demand high levels of communication and consultation with their care teams. The challenge remains to identify the specific information requirements and so meet patients’ needs in a personalised manner. In the light of this literature review, local practice has evolved to institute a nurse-led clinic and to provide patients with an information pack, specifically focused on the needs of newly-diagnosed patients. Given the prevalence and impact of Parkinson’s, the research base in this area is currently insufficient to inform policy and practice. Future research should explore the changes in information needs over the course of the disease, including the needs of the primary carers. A study identifying the best way to meet these needs is urgently required in order to ensure that best practice is informed by relevant and robust evidenc

A Literature Review of Disease Education for People with Parkinson's Disease

Purpose Disease-specific research on the information needs of people with Parkinson's is non-existent but other diseases with a similar impact have been studied. This area of knowledge has a direct impact upon self-management of diseases as well as on quality of life. While Parkinson’s is not a life-threatening disease in the usual meaning of the words, it results in significant, increasing disability and receiving the diagnosis is a life-altering moment. The person may experience conflicting sentiments of relief and turmoil, described by some as “life-shattering” (Pinder, 1992). Methods Google Scholar, Cochrane and PubMed were searched to identify randomised controlled trials, evidence-based review articles and meta-analyses, as well as evidence-based guidelines. Only articles in English were studied. The search included articles published between January 1990 and February 2012 using the keywords and subjects: “Parkinson’s”, “information needs”, “patients”, “carers”, and “diagnosis”. Two review articles (Adams, Boulton and Watson, 2009; Kinnersley et al., 2008) and twenty studies (Wherry, 2012) were found and analysed Findings Two types of patients were noted within the literature. Type one (T1) was older, possibly had mild cognitive changes, had a lower level of educational attainment, and was likely to be retired or unemployed. Type two (T2), was younger, had a higher level of educational attainment and was likely to be still in employment (Kim et al., 2012). The typical T1 patient had a higher level of unmet information needs than T2 patients who were proactive in seeking information. Complex and rarely asked questions were more likely to be presented by T2 patients. Preferred sources of information for T1 patients included physicians and specialist nurses, whereas T2 patients supplemented the information from their care team by using external sources (Andreassen et al., 2005). Cultural behaviour in health had an impact, some patients exhibiting a higher reliance on medical teams for information and decision making than others (Wittman et al., 2011). Information needs changed over time and there was an obvious challenge to identify these needs when the patient was seen in a clinic setting (Kim et al., 2012). The level of information provided influenced help-seeking behaviour and a balance between inappropriate reassurance and overemphasis on complications was necessary (Wittman et al., 2011). Discussion Chronic care health professionals have begun to see patients from the Baby Boomer generation and can anticipate a rise in “technologically-savvy” T2 patients who demand high levels of communication and consultation with their care teams. The challenge remains to identify the specific information requirements and so meet patients’ needs in a personalised manner. In the light of this literature review, local practice has evolved to institute a nurse-led clinic and to provide patients with an information pack, specifically focused on the needs of newly-diagnosed patients. Given the prevalence and impact of Parkinson’s, the research base in this area is currently insufficient to inform policy and practice. Future research should explore the changes in information needs over the course of the disease, including the needs of the primary carers. A study identifying the best way to meet these needs is urgently required in order to ensure that best practice is informed by relevant and robust evidenc

Constant regulation for stable CD8 T-cell functional avidity and its possible implications for cancer immunotherapy.

The functional avidity (FA) of cytotoxic CD8 T cells impacts strongly on their functional capabilities and correlates with protection from infection and cancer. FA depends on TCR affinity, downstream signaling strength, and TCR affinity-independent parameters of the immune synapse, such as costimulatory and inhibitory receptors. The functional impact of coreceptors on FA remains to be fully elucidated. Despite its importance, FA is infrequently assessed and incompletely understood. There is currently no consensus as to whether FA can be enhanced by optimized vaccine dose or boosting schedule. Recent findings suggest that FA is remarkably stable in vivo, possibly due to continued signaling modulation of critical receptors in the immune synapse. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge and hypothesize that in vivo, codominant T cells constantly "equalize" their FA for similar function. We present a new model of constant FA regulation, and discuss practical implications for T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy

Cytotoxic polyfunctionality maturation of cytomegalovirus-pp65-specific CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell responses in older adults positively correlates with response size

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most common persistent viral infections in humans worldwide and is epidemiologically associated with many adverse health consequences during aging. Previous studies yielded conflicting results regarding whether large, CMV-specific T-cell expansions maintain their function during human aging. In the current study, we examined the in vitro CMV-pp65-reactive T-cell response by comprehensively studying five effector functions (i.e., interleukin-2, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, perforin, and CD107a expression) in 76 seropositive individuals aged 70 years or older. Two data-driven, polyfunctionality panels (IL-2-associated and cytotoxicity-associated) derived from effector function co-expression patterns were used to analyze the results. We found that, CMV-pp65-reactive CD8 + and CD4 + T cells contained similar polyfunctional subsets, and the level of polyfunctionality was related to the size of antigen-specific response. In both CD8 + and CD4 + cells, polyfunctional cells with high cytotoxic potential accounted for a larger proportion of the total response as the total response size increased. Notably, a higher serum CMV-IgG level was positively associated with a larger T-cell response size and a higher level of cytotoxic polyfunctionality. These findings indicate that CMV-pp65-specific CD4 + and CD8 + T cell undergo simultaneous cytotoxic polyfunctionality maturation during aging