Estimation of biophysical parameters in boreal forests from ERS and JERS SAR interferometry

The thesis describes investigations concerning the evaluation of ERS and JERS SAR images and repeat-pass interferometric SAR images for the retrieval of biophysical parameters in boreal forests. The availability of extensive data sets of images over several test sites located in Sweden, Finland and Siberia has allowed analysis of temporal dynamics of ERS and JERS backscatter and coherence, and of ERS interferometric phase. Modelling of backscatter, coherence and InSAR phase has been performed by means of the Water Cloud Model (WCM) and the Interferometric Water Cloud Model (IWCM); sensitivity analysis and implications for the retrieval of forest biophysical parameters have been thoroughly discussed. Model inversion has been carried out for stem volume retrieval using ERS coherence, ERS backscatter and JERS backscatter, whereas for tree height estimation the ERS interferometric phase has been used. Multi-temporal combination of ERS coherence images, and to a lesser extent of JERS backscatter images, can provide stem volume estimates comparable to stand-wise ground-based measurements. Since the information content of the interferometric phase is strongly degraded by phase noise and uncorrected atmospheric artefacts, the retrieved tree height shows large errors

Follow-up study of over three years of patients with uveitis after cataract phacoemulsification: outcomes and complications

Purpose: To evaluate the rate and onset of intraoperative and postoperative complications post-phacoemulsification. Methods: One hundred sixty-two eyes of 145 patients with uveitis who underwent phacoemulsification between 2006 and 2009 were identified through surgical record review. Fifty-nine eyes of 46 patients met the inclusion criteria. Hazard ratio (HR) and Kaplan-Meier survival probability were calculated for each class of uveitis. Results: Macular edema (ME) resulted to be associated to chronic postoperative inflammation (r = 0.6; p = 0.00) and mostly related to patients who presented more than one postoperative relapse/year (r = 0.2; p = 0.02). Fuchs uveitis resulted to be a risk factor for posterior capsule opacification (PCO) (HR 3.36 IC95%1.0-10.5; p = 0.03). Hypotony and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) were detected in the anterior uveitis group (0.02 EY). Conclusion: The HR to develop ME was significantly related to chronic anterior uveitis. PCO and elevated IOP are

Transdural Spread of Glioblastoma with Endonasal Growth in a Long-Term Survivor Patient: Case Report and Literature Review.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary tumor of the central nervous system (CNS) in adults. Its growth has been always described as locally invasive. This tumor rarely penetrates dura mater and invades extracranial structures. We present a case of GBM, which occurred in a 39-year-old man, with final involvement of the nasal cavity. The patient was operated four times in three years, and a personalized adjuvant chemotherapy regimen was administered in a neo-adjuvant fashion. Histopathological features of the tumor are described. To our knowledge, there are only 9 cases reported in the literature showing this growth pattern and the last case was reported in 1998

Glioblastoma: molecular profile and immunophenotypic analysis as prognostic tools for tailored therapy and decision making in a recent surgical series

Objective: Despite combined approaches the prognosis of Glioblastoma remains poor. However, different variants of this tumor might show different prognostic characteristics. Aim of the study is to investigate the role of molecular prognostic factors in predicting clinical outcomes in patients treated for glioblastoma. The study focuses on therapeutic and prognostic value of IDH1 gene mutations and MGMT promoter methylation status. Methods: 115 patients diagnosed and treated for glioblastoma at our institution within a period of five years (2013–2018) were included. All patients received pre-operative MRI, gross-total surgical resection and adjuvant treatments (chemotherapy and radiotherapy). Immunohistochemical analysis of histological samples was performed for IDH1 gene R132H mutations and MGMT promoter methylation status. Follow-up was conducted through clinical examination and MRI scans for a period of 60 months. Results: Mean population age was 59.21 ± 13.9 [19–85]. Overall median survival was 14 months, range 12–16. IDH1 gene mutation was identified in 30 patients (26%) and positively correlated with survival (IDH1 mutated: 32 months 95%C.I. [12–16] vs IDH1 wild type: 12 months, 95%C.I. [11–14]; p < 0.001). MGMT promoter methylation was identified in 51 patients (44%) and was positively correlated to overall survival (met-MGMT: 16 months 95%C.I. [14–19] vs non-met-MGMT: 12 months 95%C.I. [11–16]; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings highlighted that molecular characterization of tumor profile provides a prognostic tool to predict clinical efficacy of treatments and prognosis. Peculiar molecular features and immunophenotypic analysis will enhance reliability and promote personalized therapeutic decision-making in order to increase global survival and quality of life in patients diagnosed and treated for glioblastoma. Keywords: Glioblastoma, IDH, MDMT, Overall survival, Free progression surviva

Exploring the Relationship between Forest Canopy Height and Canopy Density from Spaceborne LiDAR Observations

Forest structure is a useful proxy for carbon stocks, ecosystem function and species diversity, but it is not well characterised globally. However, Earth observing sensors, operating in various modes, can provide information on different components of forests enabling improved understanding of their structure and variations thereof. The Ice, Cloud and Elevation Satellite (ICESat) Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), providing LiDAR footprints from 2003 to 2009 with close to global coverage, can be used to capture elements of forest structure. Here, we evaluate a simple allometric model that relates global forest canopy height (RH100) and canopy density measurements to explain spatial patterns of forest structural properties. The GLA14 data product (version 34) was applied across subdivisions of the World Wildlife Federation ecoregions and their statistical properties were investigated. The allometric model was found to correspond to the ICESat GLAS metrics (median mean squared error, MSE: 0.028; inter-quartile range of MSE: 0.022–0.035). The relationship between canopy height and density was found to vary across biomes, realms and ecoregions, with denser forest regions displaying a greater increase in canopy density values with canopy height, compared to sparser or temperate forests. Furthermore, the single parameter of the allometric model corresponded with the maximum canopy density and maximum height values across the globe. The combination of the single parameter of the allometric model, maximum canopy density and maximum canopy height values have potential application in frameworks that target the retrieval of above-ground biomass and can inform on both species and niche diversity, highlighting areas for conservation, and potentially enabling the characterisation of biophysical drivers of forest structure

Sentinel-1 Support in the GAMMA Software

AbstractFirst results using the new Sentinel-1 SAR look very promising but the special interferometric wide-swath data acquired in the TOPS mode makes InSAR processing more challenging than for normal stripmap mode data. The steep azimuth spectra ramp in each burst results in very stringent co-registration requirements. Combining the data of the individual bursts and sub-swaths into consistent mosaics requires careful “book-keeping” in the handling of the data and meta data and the large file sizes and high data throughputs require also a good performance. Considering these challenges good support from software is getting increasingly important. In this contribution we describe the Sentinel-1 support in the GAMMA Software, a high-level software package used by researchers, service providers and operational users in their SAR, InSAR, PSI and offset tracking work

The future of long-acting cabotegravir plus rilpivirine therapy: deeds and misconceptions

HIV infection is currently managed as a chronic disease because of improvements in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Switching to a new regimen is a natural event during long-term therapy to avoid problems related to toxicity, adherence, failure, and potential selection of drug resistance. The development of co-formulations of multiple agents in one pill, and novel drug classes and drugs with a high genetic barrier to resistance have been important in this context. The approval of the long-acting, once-monthly or bimonthly injectable combination of the second-generation strand transfer integrase inhibitor (InSTI), cabotegravir (CAB) together with the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), rilpivirine (RPV) represents the most recent achievement in the search for potent and convenient ART. Several pivotal trials (such as LATTE-2, ATLAS, FLAIR, and ATLAS-2M) showed the high efficacy and safety of this long-acting formulation used as an induction-maintenance strategy. Few confirmed virological failures (CVF) have been observed. The combination of at least two of the following baseline factors, HIV-1 subtype A6/A1, a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2, and RPV resistance-associated mutations, was associated with an increased risk of CVF at week 48. The data indicate that this long-acting therapeutic strategy is attractive and potent; therefore, defining the most appropriate patient for this treatment and how to handle practical issues is warranted

Chronic migraine long-term regular treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA: a retrospective real-life observational study up to 4 years of therapy

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