Visual Information Retrieval in Endoscopic Video Archives

In endoscopic procedures, surgeons work with live video streams from the inside of their subjects. A main source for documentation of procedures are still frames from the video, identified and taken during the surgery. However, with growing demands and technical means, the streams are saved to storage servers and the surgeons need to retrieve parts of the videos on demand. In this submission we present a demo application allowing for video retrieval based on visual features and late fusion, which allows surgeons to re-find shots taken during the procedure.Comment: Paper accepted at the IEEE/ACM 13th International Workshop on Content-Based Multimedia Indexing (CBMI) in Prague (Czech Republic) between 10 and 12 June 201

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study

Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak. Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study. Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM. Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide

SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity are associated with genetic variants affecting gene expression in a variety of tissues

Variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity between individuals is partly due to genetic factors. Here, we identify 4 genomic loci with suggestive associations for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and 19 for COVID-19 disease severity. Four of these 23 loci likely have an ethnicity-specific component. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals in 11 loci colocalize with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 20 genes in 62 tissues/cell types (range: 1:43 tissues/gene), including lung, brain, heart, muscle, and skin as well as the digestive system and immune system. We perform genetic fine mapping to compute 99% credible SNP sets, which identify 10 GWAS loci that have eight or fewer SNPs in the credible set, including three loci with one single likely causal SNP. Our study suggests that the diverse symptoms and disease severity of COVID-19 observed between individuals is associated with variants across the genome, affecting gene expression levels in a wide variety of tissue types

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process versus those that measure fl ux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process including the amount and rate of cargo sequestered and degraded). In particular, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation must be differentiated from stimuli that increase autophagic activity, defi ned as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (inmost higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium ) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the fi eld understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. It is worth emphasizing here that lysosomal digestion is a stage of autophagy and evaluating its competence is a crucial part of the evaluation of autophagic flux, or complete autophagy. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. Along these lines, because of the potential for pleiotropic effects due to blocking autophagy through genetic manipulation it is imperative to delete or knock down more than one autophagy-related gene. In addition, some individual Atg proteins, or groups of proteins, are involved in other cellular pathways so not all Atg proteins can be used as a specific marker for an autophagic process. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field

A first update on mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

peer reviewe

The effect of scale-free surface portions in pickling of steels in non-inhibited and inhibited acids

20.00; Translated from German (Arch. Eisen. 1983 v. 54(8) p. 311-316)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.06(BISI--25351)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Event video retrieval using global and local descriptors in visual domain

With the advent of affordable multimedia smart phones, it has become common that people take videos when they are at events. The larger the event, the larger is the amount of videos taken there and also, the more videos get shared online. To search in this mass of videos is a challenging topic. In this paper we present and discuss a prototype software for searching in such videos. We focus only on visual information, and we report on experiments based on a research data set. With a small study we show that our prototype demonstrates promising results by identifying the same scene in different videos taken from different angles solely based on content based image retrieval.Peer Reviewe

Visual information retrieval in endoscopic video archives

In endoscopic procedures, surgeons work with live video streams from the inside of their subjects. A main source for documentation of procedures are still frames from the video, identified and taken during the surgery. However, with growing demands and technical means, the streams are saved to storage servers and the surgeons need to retrieve parts of the videos on demand. In this submission we present a demo application allowing for video retrieval based on visual features and late fusion, which allows surgeons to re-find shots taken during the procedure.Peer Reviewe

Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) in the temperate and tropical western Atlantic

Numerous location-based diet studies have been published describing different aspects of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) feeding ecology, but there has been no synthesis of their diet composition and feeding patterns across regional gradients. 8125 lionfish stomachs collected from 10 locations were analyzed to provide a gener alized description of their feeding ecology at a regional scale and to compare their diet among locations. Our regional data indicate lionfish in the western Atlantic are opportunistic generalist carni vores that consume at least 167 vertebrate and invertebrate prey species across multiple trophic guilds, and carnivorous fish and shrimp prey that are not managed fishery species and not considered at risk of extinction by the International Union for Conser vation of Nature disproportionately dominate their diet. Correlations between lionfish size and their diet composition indicate lionfish in the western Atlantic transition from a shrimp-dominated diet to a fish dominated diet through ontogeny. Lionfish total length (TL) (mm) was found to predict mean prey mass per stomach (g) by the following equation mean prey mass =0.0002*TL1.6391, which can be used to estimate prey biomass consumption from lionfish length frequency data. Our locational comparisons indicate lionfish diet varies considerably among locations, even at the group (e.g., crab) and trophic guild levels. The Modified Index of Relative Importance developed specifically for this study, calculated as the frequency of prey a 9 the number of prey a, can be used in other diet studies to assess prey importance when prey mass data are not available. Researchers and managers can use the diet data presented in this study to make inference about lionfish feeding ecology in areas where their diet has yet to be described. These data can be used to guide research and monitoring efforts, and can be used in modeling exercises to simulate the potential effects of lionfish on marine food webs. Given the large variability in lionfish diet composition among locations, this study highlights the importance of continued location-based diet assessments to better inform local management activities.Se han publicado numerosos estudios de dieta basados ​​en la ubicación que describen diferentes aspectos de la ecología de alimentación del pez león invasivo (Pterois volitans y Pterois miles), pero no ha habido una síntesis de la composición de su dieta y patrones de alimentación a través de gradientes regionales. Se analizaron 8125 estómagos de pez león recolectados en 10 lugares para proporcionar una descripción general de su ecología alimentaria a escala regional y para comparar su dieta entre los lugares. Nuestros datos regionales indican que el pez león en el Atlántico occidental son carnívoros generalistas oportunistas que consumen al menos 167 especies de presas de vertebrados e invertebrados en múltiples gremios tróficos, y presas de peces y camarones carnívoros que no son especies pesqueras gestionadas y no se consideran en riesgo de extinción por el Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza dominan desproporcionadamente su dieta. Las correlaciones entre el tamaño del pez león y la composición de su dieta indican que el pez león en el Atlántico occidental pasa de una dieta dominada por camarones a una dieta dominada por peces a través de la ontogenia. Se encontró que la longitud total (TL) (mm) del pez león predice la masa media de presa por estómago (g) mediante la siguiente ecuación: masa media de presa = 0,0002*TL1,6391, que se puede utilizar para estimar el consumo de biomasa de presa a partir de los datos de frecuencia de talla del pez león. Nuestras comparaciones de ubicación indican que la dieta del pez león varía considerablemente entre ubicaciones, incluso a nivel de grupo (p. ej., cangrejo) y gremio trófico. El Índice de Importancia Relativa Modificado desarrollado específicamente para este estudio, calculado como la frecuencia de presas a 9 el número de presas a, puede usarse en otros estudios de dieta para evaluar la importancia de las presas cuando no se dispone de datos de masa de presas. Los investigadores y administradores pueden usar los datos de la dieta presentados en este estudio para hacer inferencias sobre la ecología de alimentación del pez león en áreas donde aún no se ha descrito su dieta. Estos datos se pueden usar para guiar los esfuerzos de investigación y monitoreo, y se pueden usar en ejercicios de modelado para simular los efectos potenciales del pez león en las redes alimentarias marinas. Dada la gran variabilidad en la composición de la dieta del pez león entre las ubicaciones, este estudio destaca la importancia de las evaluaciones continuas de la dieta basadas en la ubicación para informar mejor las actividades de gestión local.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaEscuela de Ciencias Biológica

Single amino acid charge switch defines clinically distinct proline-serine-threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 1 (PSTPIP1)-associated inflammatory diseases

Background: Hyperzincemia and hypercalprotectinemia (Hz/Hc) is a distinct autoinflammatory entity involving extremely high serum concentrations of the proinflammatory alarmin myeloid-related protein (MRP) 8/14 (S100A8/S100A9 and calprotectin). Objective: We sought to characterize the genetic cause and clinical spectrum of Hz/Hc. Methods: Proline-serine-threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 1 (PSTPIP1) gene sequencing was performed in 14 patients with Hz/Hc, and their clinical phenotype was compared with that of 11 patients with pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne (PAPA) syndrome. PSTPIP1-pyrin interactions were analyzed by means of immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. A structural model of the PSTPIP1 dimer was generated. Cytokine profiles were analyzed by using the multiplex immunoassay, and MRP8/14 serum concentrations were analyzed by using an ELISA. Results: Thirteen patients were heterozygous for a missense mutation in the PSTPIP1 gene, resulting in a p.E250K mutation, and 1 carried a mutation resulting in p. E257K. Both mutations substantially alter the electrostatic potential of the PSTPIP1 dimer model in a region critical for protein-protein interaction. Patients with Hz/Hc have extremely high MRP8/14 concentrations (2045 +/- 1300 mu g/mL) compared with those with PAPA syndrome (116 +/- 74 mu g/mL) and have a distinct clinical phenotype. A specific cytokine profile is associated with Hz/Hc. Hz/Hc mutations altered protein binding of PSTPIP1, increasing interaction with pyrin through phosphorylation of PSTPIP1. Conclusion: Mutations resulting in charge reversal in the y-domain of PSTPIP1 (E -> K) and increased interaction with pyrin cause a distinct autoinflammatory disorder defined by clinical and biochemical features not found in patients with PAPA syndrome, indicating a unique genotype-phenotype correlation for mutations in the PSTPIP1 gene. This is the first inborn autoinflammatory syndrome in which inflammation is driven by uncontrolled release of members of the alarmin family