Assessing the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating CD57+ cells in advanced stage head and neck cancer using QuPath digital image analysis

This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of intratumoral CD57+ cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to examine the reproducibility of these analyses using QuPath. Pretreatment biopsies of 159 patients with HPV-negative, stage III/IV HNSCC treated with chemoradiotherapy were immunohistochemically stained for CD57. The number of CD57+ cells per mm2 tumor epithelium was quantified by two independent observers and by QuPath, software for digital pathology image analysis. Concordance between the observers and QuPath was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The correlation between CD57 and clinicopathological characteristics was assessed; associations with clinical outcome were estimated using Cox proportional hazard analysis and visualized using Kaplan-Meier curves. The patient cohort had a 3-year OS of 65.8% with a median follow-up of 54 months. The number of CD57+ cells/mm2 tumor tissue did not correlate to OS, DFS, or LRC. N stage predicted prognosis (OS: HR 0.43, p = 0.008; DFS: HR 0.41, p = 0.003; LRC: HR 0.24, p = 0.007), as did WHO performance state (OS: HR 0.48, p = 0.028; LRC: 0.33, p = 0.039). Quantification by QuPath showed moderate to good concordance with two human observers (ICCs 0.836, CI 0.805–0.863, and 0.741, CI 0.692–0.783, respectively). In conclusion, the presence of CD57+ TILs did not correlate to prognosis in advanced stage, HPV-negative HNSCC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. Substantial concordance between human observers and QuPath was found, confirming a promising future role for digital, algorithm driven image analysis

Seafloor spreading pattern of the North Atlantic between 10⁰ and 40⁰ N: a reconstruction based on shipborne measurements and satellite altimeter data

The history of the relative motion between North America and Africa is recorded in the floor of the central North Atlantic Ocean. The resulting pattern of magnetic anomalies and fracture zones in the area between 10° and 40° N was analysed using shipborne measurements and Seasat altimeter data. This analysis led to the reconstruction of the spreading history since magnetic anomaly MO. The reconstruction differs in the first place from earlier reconstructions in the fact that it makes use of both the fracture zone traces and the magnetic lineations on both the African and the American plate. Secondly, the large amount of data used allows a better precision than could be achieved before. The study means to provide an answer to the questions formulated in Chapter 1. One of these questions concerns the nature of the fanning of transform fault directions. The evolution of the plate boundary between North and South America forms a second aspect. Another question is related to the origin of different seamount complexes in this part of the ocean

Seafloor spreading pattern of the North Atlantic between 10o and 40o N : a reconstruction based on shipborne measurements and satellite altimeter data

The history of the relative motion between North America and Africa is recorded in the floor of the central North Atlantic Ocean. The resulting pattern of magnetic anomalies and fracture zones in the area between 10° and 40° N was analysed using shipborne measurements and Seasat altimeter data. This analysis led to the reconstruction of the spreading history since magnetic anomaly MO. The reconstruction differs in the first place from earlier reconstructions in the fact that it makes use of both the fracture zone traces and the magnetic lineations on both the African and the American plate. Secondly, the large amount of data used allows a better precision than could be achieved before. The study means to provide an answer to the questions formulated in Chapter 1. One of these questions concerns the nature of the fanning of transform fault directions. The evolution of the plate boundary between North and South America forms a second aspect. Another question is related to the origin of different seamount complexes in this part of the ocea

Magnetic anomalies in the canary basin and the Mesozoic evolution of the central North Atlantic

23 pages, 16 figures, 1 tableThe data from a recent magnetic compilation by Verhoef et al. (1991) off west Africa were used in combination with data in the western Atlantic to review the Mesozoic plate kinematic evolution of the central North Atlantic. The magnetic profile data were analyzed to identify the M-series sea floor spreading anomalies on the African plate. Oceanic fracture zones were identified from magnetic anomalies and seismic and gravity measurements. The identified sea floor spreading anomalies on the African plate were combined with those on the North American plate to calculate reconstruction poles for this part of the central Atlantic. The total separation poles derived in this paper describe a smooth curve, suggesting that the motion of the pole through time was continuous. Although the new sea floor spreading history differs only slightly from the one presented by Klitgord and Schouten (1986), it predicts smoother flowlines. On the other hand, the sea floor spreading history as depicted by the flowlines for the eastern central Atlantic deviates substantially from that of Sundvik and Larson (1988). A revised spreading history is also presented for the Cretaceous Magnetic Quiet Zone, where large changes in spreading direction occurred, that can not be resolved when fitting magnetic isochrons only, but which are evident from fracture zone traces and directions of sea floor spreading topography. © 1992 Kluwer Academic Publisher

Morphological and structural analysis in the Anaga offshore massif, Canary Islands: fractures and debris avalanches relationships

As part of the ‘National Hydrographic and Oceanographic Research Plan for the Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone’, multibeam bathymetry and seismic reflection profiles were obtained in the Canary Islands aboard the R/V Hespérides. The submarine flanks of the Anaga offshore extension of Tenerife Island are here studied to analyze its geomorphology. In the north sector of the Anaga submarine massif, the extension of the Anaga Debris Avalanche has been mapped for the first time, and a volume of 36 km3 was calculated. The relationship between the Anaga and Orotava Debris Avalanches is also described. Faulting has been recognized as a key process for the occurrence of debris avalanches and the growth of volcanic lineaments. Moreover, faulting affects previous structures and the channelling of debris flows. Structural analysis shows the typical radial pattern of an oceanic island. In addition, a NE-SW dominant direction of faulting was obtained, consistent with the Tenerife Island structural trend seen in the Anaga Massif and Cordillera Dorsal. NW-SE and E-W are two other main trends seen in the area. Special interest is manifest in two long faults: ‘Santa Cruz Fault’ bounds the southern edge of Anaga offshore Massif with a length of 50 km and a direction that changes from NE-SW to almost E-W. The Güimar Debris Avalanche was probably channeled by this fault. The ‘Guayotá Fault’ was recognized in several seismic profiles with a N-S direction that changes towards NW-SE at its southern end. This fault affects the more recent sediments with a vertical offset of 25–30 m, along 60 km. It has been interpreted as a transpressive strike-slip fault