Calibration of a Structured Light-Based Stereo Catadioptric Sensor

Catadioptric sensors are combinations of mirrors and lenses made in order to obtain a wide field of view. In this paper we propose a new sensor that has omnidirectional viewing ability and it also provides depth information about the nearby surrounding. The sensor is based on a conventional camera coupled with a laser emitter and two hyperbolic mirrors. Mathematical formulation and precise specifications of the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the sensor are discussed. Our approach overcomes limitations of the existing omni-directional sensors and eventually leads to reduced costs of production

Combinatorial effects of splice variants modulate function of Aiolos

The transcription factor Aiolos (also known as IKZF3), a member of the Ikaros family of zinc-finger proteins, plays an important role in the control of B lymphocyte differentiation and proliferation. Previously, multiple isoforms of Ikaros family members arising from differential splicing have been described and we now report a number of novel isoforms of Aiolos. It has been demonstrated that full-length Ikaros family isoforms localize to heterochromatin and that they can associate with complexes containing histone deacetylase (HDAC). In this study, for the first time we directly investigate the cellular localization of various Aiolos isoforms, their ability to heterodimerize with Ikaros and associate with HDAC-containing complexes, and the effects on histone modification and binding to putative targets. Our work demonstrates that the cellular activities of Aiolos isoforms are dependent on combinations of various functional domains arising from the differential splicing of mRNA transcripts. These data support the general principle that the function of an individual protein is modulated through alternative splicing, and highlight a number of potential implications for Aiolos in normal and aberrant lymphocyte function.

European guidelines for empirical antibacterial therapy for febrile neutropenic patients in the era of growing resistance: summary of the 2011 4th European Conference on Infections in Leukemia.

Owing to increasing resistance and the limited arsenal of new antibiotics, especially against Gram-negative pathogens, carefully designed antibiotic regimens are obligatory for febrile neutropenic patients, along with effective infection control. The Expert Group of the 4(th) European Conference on Infections in Leukemia has developed guidelines for initial empirical therapy in febrile neutropenic patients, based on: i) the local resistance epidemiology; and ii) the patient's risk factors for resistant bacteria and for a complicated clinical course. An 'escalation' approach, avoiding empirical carbapenems and combinations, should be employed in patients without particular risk factors. A 'de-escalation' approach, with initial broad-spectrum antibiotics or combinations, should be used only in those patients with: i) known prior colonization or infection with resistant pathogens; or ii) complicated presentation; or iii) in centers where resistant pathogens are prevalent at the onset of febrile neutropenia. In the latter case, infection control and antibiotic stewardship also need urgent review. Modification of the initial regimen at 72-96 h should be based on the patient's clinical course and the microbiological results. Discontinuation of antibiotics after 72 h or later should be considered in neutropenic patients with fever of unknown origin who are hemodynamically stable since presentation and afebrile for at least 48 h, irrespective of neutrophil count and expected duration of neutropenia. This strategy aims to minimize the collateral damage associated with antibiotic overuse, and the further selection of resistance.

Omega 3 fatty acids induce a marked reduction of apolipoprotein B48 when added to fluvastatin in patients with type 2 diabetes and mixed hyperlipidemia: a preliminary report

BACKGROUND Mixed hyperlipidemia is common in patients with diabetes. Statins, the choice drugs, are effective at reducing lipoproteins that contain apolipoprotein B100, but they fail to exert good control over intestinal lipoproteins, which have an atherogenic potential. We describe the effect of prescription omega 3 fatty acids on the intestinal lipoproteins in patients with type 2 diabetes who were already receiving fluvastatin 80 mg per day. METHODS Patients with type 2 diabetes and mixed hyperlipidemia were recruited. Fasting lipid profile was taken when patients were treated with diet, diet plus 80 mg of fluvastatin and diet plus fluvastatin 80 mg and 4 g of prescription omega 3 fatty acids. The intestinal lipoproteins were quantified by the fasting concentration of apolipoprotein B48 using a commercial ELISA. RESULTS The addition of 4 g of prescription omega 3 was followed by significant reductions in the levels of triglycerides, VLDL triglycerides and the triglyceride/HDL cholesterol ratio, and an increase in HDL cholesterol (P < 0.05). Fluvastatin induced a reduction of 26% in B100 (P < 0.05) and 14% in B48 (NS). However, the addition of omega 3 fatty acids enhanced this reduction to 32% in B100 (NS) and up to 36% in B48 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our preliminary findings therefore suggest an additional benefit on postprandial atherogenic particles when omega 3 fatty acids are added to standard treatment with fluvastatin.

Leprosy reactions: the effect of gender and household contacts

Various host-related factors have been reported as relevant risk factors for leprosy reactions. To support a new hypothesis that an antigenic load in local tissues that is sufficient to trigger the immune response may come from an external supply of Mycobacterium leprae organisms, the prevalence of reactional leprosy was assessed against the number of household contacts. The number of contacts was ascertained at diagnosis in leprosy patients coming from an endemic area of Brazil. The prevalence of reactions (patients with reactions/total patients) was fitted by binomial regression and the risk difference (RD) was estimated with a semi-robust estimation of variance as a measure of effect. Five regression models were fitted. Model 1 included only the main exposure variable "number of household contacts"; model 2 included all four explanatory variables ("contacts", "fertile age", "number of skin lesions" and "bacillary index") that were found to be associated with the outcome upon univariate analysis; models 3-5 contained various combinations of three predictors. Male and female patients were analyzed separately. In females, household contacts were a significant predictor for leprosy reactions in model 1 [crude RD = 0.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.01; 0.12] and model 5 (RD = 0.05; CI = 0.02; 0.09), which included contacts, bacillary index and skin lesions as predictors. Other models were unsatisfactory because the joint presence of fertile age and bacillary index was a likely source of multicollinearity. No significant results were obtained for males. The likely interpretation of our findings might suggest that in female patients, leprosy reactions may be triggered by an external spreading of M. leprae by healthy carrier family members. The small number of observations is an obvious limitation of our study which requires larger confirmatory studies.

Objective comparison of image quality and dose between conventional and synchrotron radiation mammography.

The shape of the energy spectrum produced by an x-ray tube has a great importance in mammography. Many anode-filtration combinations have been proposed to obtain the most effective spectrum shape for the image quality-dose relationship. On the other hand, third generation synchrotrons such as the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble are able to produce a high flux of monoenergetic radiation. It is thus a powerful tool to study the effect of beam energy on image quality and dose in mammography. An objective method was used to evaluate image quality and dose in mammography with synchrotron radiation and to compare them to standard conventional units. It was performed systematically in the energy range of interest for mammography through the evaluation of a global image quality index and through the measurement of the mean glandular dose. Compared to conventional mammography units, synchrotron radiation shows a great improvement of the image quality-dose relationship, which is due to the beam monochromaticity and to the high intrinsic collimation of the beam, which allows the use of a slit instead of an anti-scatter grid for scatter rejection.

Perspectives for the treatment of brucellosis in the 21st century: the Ioannina recommendations

Summary Points Brucellosis remains the commonest anthropozoonosis worldwide, and its treatment remains complex, requiring protracted administration of more than one antibiotic. In November 2006, a consensus meeting aimed at reaching a common specialist statement on the treatment of brucellosis was held in Ioannina, Greece under the auspices of the International Society of Chemotherapy and the Institute of Continuing Medical Education of Ioannina. The author panel suggests that the optimal treatment of uncomplicated brucellosis should be based on a six-week regimen of doxycycline combined either with streptomycin for 2–3 weeks, or rifampicin for six weeks. Gentamicin may be considered an acceptable alternative to streptomycin, while all other regimens/combinations should be considered second-line. The development of a common global therapeutic language for human brucellosis, and future, properly conducted clinical trials would definitely solve controversies regarding the disease.

Intra- and intersexual selection and their potential consequences on fitness-relevant traits in several fish species

Résumé : Les mécanismes de sélection sexuelle, en particulier la compétition entre mâles (sélection inter-sexuelle) et le choix des femelles (sélection intra-sexuelle), peuvent fortement influencer le succès reproducteur d'un individu, c'est-à-dire son nombre de descendants. On observe ainsi que les mâles dominants et les mâles élaborant des caractères sexuels secondaires marqués ont un succès reproducteur élevé. Toutefois, le succès reproducteur ne suffit pas pour garantir une contribution génétique élevée, parce que la fitness dépend également de la performance des descendants (c'est-à-dire de leur survie et de leur propre succès reproducteur). Si cette performance dépend en partie des gènes paternels, les males ont un avantage certain à signaler leur qualité aux femelles afin d'atteindre des taux de reproduction élevé. Ce mécanisme de signalisation est connu sous le nom de 'good genes hypothesis', toutefois très peu d'études ont clairement démontré le lien entre la qualité génétique des individus et la signalisation. De plus, la performance des descendants peut aussi dépendre des effets génétiques de compatibilité entre mâles et femelles ('compatible genes'). C'est-à-dire que certains allèles paternels n'apporteraient un avantage aux descendants qu'en combinaison avec certains allèles maternels. Nous avons déterminé, durant la période de reproduction, le statut de dominance des mâles pour deux espèces de poissons d'eau douce : la truite (Salmo trotta) et le vairon (Phoxinus phoxinus), puis nous avons évalué la relation entre le succès reproducteur et le statut de dominance et/ou la quantité de signalisation des caractères sexuels secondaires. Nous avons également fécondés artificiellement des oeufs de truites et de corégones (Coregonus palaea), en croisant chaque mâle avec chaque femelle (full-factorial breeding design). Ce type de design autorise la quantification précise des effets génétiques et permet de séparer les effets de 'good genes' et de 'compatible genes'. Cela a été fait sous différentes intensités de stress bactérien, ainsi que dans des conditions naturelles, et nous avons pu ainsi tester si certains indicateurs de qualité génétique des mâles ('good genes') étaient liés a) à la dominance et/ou b) à l'expression des caractères sexuels secondaires des mâles comme l'intensité mélanique ou la taille des tubercules sexuels. En outre, nous cherchons à savoir si la survie des descendants est liée à certaines combinaison des gènes du complexe d'histocompatibilité majeur (MHC) et/ou à la parenté génétique des parents, les deux traits étant soupçonnés d'avoir des influences génétique de compatibilité (`compatible genes') à la performance des descendants. Nous avons constaté que la dominance des mâles est directement liée à la taille et au poids des mâles (truites, vairons), mais également aux caractères sexuels secondaires (tubercules). De plus, les mâles vairons dominant ont eu un succès de fécondation plus élevés que les mâles subordonnés. Nous montrons que les truites et corégones mâles diffèrent dans leur qualité génétique, qui a été mesurée avéc la survie embryonnaire, le temps avant l'éclosion et enfin la croissance juvénile. Contrairement aux prédictions, la dominance (ou les traits indicatifs de dominance) n'était liée à la qualité génétique, dans aucun des traitements, et ne fonctionne donc pas comme indicateur de qualité. Par contre, la qualité génétique était liée aux caractères sexuels secondaires, particulièrement par la teinte mélanique chez les truites. Les embryons de truites issus de pères sombres survivaient mieux que ceux issus de pères clairs dans des environnements difficiles, de plus leur croissance était plus élevée lors de leur première année dans des conditions naturelles. La taille des juvéniles lors de leur première année est un trait important lié au succès dans la compétition pour des ressources telles qu'abri ou nourriture. De plus, les femelles truites peuvent augmenter la survie de leurs descendants en choisissant des mâles selon leur type de MHC ou selon leur degré de parenté. En outre, chez les corégones, la morphologie des tubercules sexuels ne semble pas signaler la qualité génétique. Nous avons également remarqué que l'exposition à des pathogènes non-létaux pouvait influencer la performance des alevins à court et long terme, probablement en affaiblissant leur système immunitaire. Cette thèse montre que les mâles diffèrent dans leur qualité génétique et que différents mécanismes de sélection inter- ou intra-sexuelle (par exemple la préférence pour des mâles sombres, pour des génotypes MHC ou pour des couples avec degré de parenté basse) pouvait avoir un effet positif sur la qualité des descendants, bien que cet effet génétique pouvait changer au cours du temps et entre différents environnements. Contrairement à nos attentes, le résultat de la compétition intra-sexuelle (la hiérarchie de dominance entre mâles) n'était pas lié à la qualité génétique individuelle ('good genes'). Dans ce sens, ce travail permet également de contribuer à l'explication du fait que la sélection sexuelle, de par sa forte sélection directionnelle, ne conduit pas à la diminution de la variance génétique, mais plutôt à la maintenance du polymorphisme génétique. Summary : Sexual selection mechanisms, especially male-male competition (inteasexual selection) and female mate choice (inteasexual selection), can strongly influence individual mating success, often resulting in dominant males and males with elaborate secondary sexual characters having higher fertilisation success. However, siring a high number of offspring alone does not guarantee high individual fitness, as fitness does also strongly depend on offspring performance (i.e. survival, fecundity). If this superiority in offspring performance depends on paternally inherited genes, the fathers are expected to signal this potential indirect benefit to females in order to attain high mating rates. This mechanism is also known as the 'good genes' hypothesis of sexual selection but until now most studies failed to conclusively show the relation of an individual genetic quality and its potential signalling traits. Further, offspring performance could also depend on compatible gene effects. These are alleles that increase offspring performance only in combination with other specific alleles. We first determined male dominance status from intrasexual competition during mating season for brown trout (Salmo trutta) and European minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus). For minnows we additionally checked if dominance and/or secondary sexual traits were linked to fertilisation success. Further, we artificially fertilised brown trout and alpine whitefish (Coregonus palaea) eggs, following full factorial breeding designs, enabling to properly measure `good gene' and `compatible gene' effects on offspring performance. This was done under different intensities of natural stressors, as well as under natural conditions. This procedure allowed us to test if the obtained male genetic quality measures (good genes effects) were indicated by a) dominance or lay traits linked to dominance and/or by b) secondary sexual characteristics such as melanin-based male skin darkness or breeding tubercles. Further, we investigated if offspring survival was linked to the MHC (major histocompatibility complex) gene combinations and/or to the parental genetic relatedness, as both traits were shown to have 'compatible gene' effects that may influence offspring performance. We found that male dominance in intrasexual competition was positively linked to body size, body weight (brown trout, minnows) but also to elaborate secondary sexual characteristics (breeding tubercles in minnows). Further, dominant minnow males did have an increased fertilisation success compared to subordinate ones. We show that brown trout and whitefish males do usually differ in their genetic quality, which was measured as embryo survival, hatching timing and finally as juvenile growth. Contrary to prediction male dominance or dominance indicating traits do not function as a quality signal as they were not linked to genetic quality. This result was constant when measuring genetic quality under different levels of natural stressors and under natural conditions (brown trout). On the other hand genetic quality seemed to be indicated by secondary sexual characteristics, specifically by melanin-based skin darkness in brown trout as brown trout embryos sired by darker fathers had increased survival rates when raised under harsh conditions and. they grew larger as juveniles after one year of growth in a natural stream, which is an important trait influencing success of juveniles in competition for hidings, food and other resources. Furthermore, brown trout females may increase the survival of their embryos when choosing males according to their MHC genotypes or to the general genetic relatedness between themselves and their potential mates. In whitefish on the other hand breeding tubercle morphology did not seem to signal genetic quality. Eventually, we saw that anon-lethal exposure to pathogens might influence short term and long term offspring performance probably by weakening an exposed individual's immune system. This thesis shows that males usually differ in their genetic quality and that different inter- or intrasexual selection mechanisms (e.g. mate selection favouring dark males, preference for MHC genotype combinations or for unrelated mates) may have strong positive effects on genetically dependent offspring performance but that such genetìc effects can change over time and environments. In contrast to our a priori expectations, the outcome of intrasexual selection, namely male dominance hierarchies, with dominant males often having high fertilisation success, was not linked to individual genetic quality (`good genes'). In this sense the present thesis may also be a helpful contribution to understand why sexual selection does not lead to rapid loss of genetic variation by strong directional selection but could even lead to the maintenance of genetic variation in natural populations.

Occurrence of blaOXA-23 gene in imipenem-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii

The aim of the current study was to describe the occurrence of the blaOXA-23 gene and the ISAba1 element in imipenem-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii strains. By performing the polymerase chain reaction mapping using combinations of ISAba1 forward primers and the blaOXA-23-like gene reverse primers, we demonstrated that the ISAba1 element did not occur upstream of the blaOXA-23 gene in five of 31 isolates, which explained the lack of resistance to imipenem despite the presence of the blaOXA-23 gene. All of the blaOXA-23-positive isolates were susceptible to imipenem and meropenem with minimal inhibitory concentration < 4 µg/mL. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed four genotypes among the five blaOXA-23-positive isolates. The current report of the blaOXA-23 gene in imipenem-susceptible isolates provided evidence that this gene may be silently spread in a hospital environment and highlighted the threat of undetected reservoirs of carbapenemase genes.

Chronic phase of Chagas disease: why should it be treated? A comprehensive review

The pathogenesis and evolutive pattern of Chagas disease suggests that the chronic phase should be more widely treated in order to (i) eliminate Trypanosoma cruzi and prevent new inflammatory foci and the extension of tissue lesions, (ii) promote tissue regeneration to prevent fibrosis, (iii) reverse existing fibrosis, (iv) prevent cardiomyopathy, megaoesophagus and megacolon and (v) reduce or eliminate cardiac block and arrhythmia. All cases of the indeterminate chronic form of Chagas disease without contraindications due to other concomitant diseases or pregnancy should be treated and not only cases involving children or recently infected cases. Patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy grade II of the New York Heart Association classification should be treated with specific chemotherapy and grade III can be treated according to medical-patient decisions. We are proposing the following new strategies for chemotherapeutic treatment of the chronic phase of Chagas disease: (i) repeated short-term treatments for 30 consecutive days and interval of 30-60 days for six months to one year and (ii) combinations of drugs with different mechanisms of action, such as benznidazole + nifurtimox, benznidazole or nifurtimox + allopurinol or triazole antifungal agents, inhibition of sterol synthesis.

Angiogenesis inhibition for the improvement of photodynamic therapy: The revival of a promising idea.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive form of treatment, which is clinically approved for the treatment of angiogenic disorders, including certain forms of cancer and neovascular eye diseases. Although the concept of PDT has existed for a long time now, it has never made a solid entrance into the clinical management of cancer. This is likely due to secondary tissue reactions, such as inflammation and neoangiogenesis. The recent development of clinically effective angiogenesis inhibitors has lead to the initiation of research on the combination of PDT with such angiostatic targeted therapies. Preclinical studies in this research field have shown promising results, causing a revival in the field of PDT. This review reports on the current research efforts on PDT and vascular targeted combination therapies. Different combination strategies with angiogenesis inhibition and vascular targeting approaches are discussed. In addition, the concept of increasing PDT selectivity by targeted delivery of photosensitizers is presented. Furthermore, the current insights on sequencing the therapy arms of such combinations will be discussed in light of vascular normalization induced by angiogenesis inhibition.

Nonself vegetative fusion and genetic exchange in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbioses with the majority of plants and form extensive underground hyphal networks simultaneously connecting the roots of different plant species. No empirical evidence exists for either anastomosis between genetically different AMF or genetic exchange.Five isolates of one population of Glomus intraradices were used to study anastomosis between hyphae of germinating spores. We show that genetically distinct AMF, from the same field, anastomose, resulting in viable cytoplasmic connections through which genetic exchange could potentially occur.Pairs of genetically different isolates were then co-cultured in an in vitro system.Freshly produced spores were individually germinated to establish new cultures.Using several molecular tools, we show that genetic exchange occurred between genetically different AMF. Specific genetic markers from each parent were transmitted to the progeny. The progeny were viable, forming symbioses with plant roots. The phenotypes of some of the progeny were significantly different from either parent.Our results indicate that considerable promiscuity could occur in these fungi because nine out of 10 combinations of different isolates anastomosed. The ability to perform genetic crosses between AMF experimentally lays a foundation for understanding the genetics and evolutionary biology of these important plants symbionts.

Cotrimoxazole enhances the in vitro susceptibility of Coccidioides posadasii to antifungals

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of cotrimoxazole on the in vitro susceptibility of Coccidioides posadasii strains to antifungals. A total of 18 strains of C. posadasii isolated in Brazil were evaluated in this study. The assays were performed in accordance with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines and the combinations were tested using the checkerboard method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were reduced by 11, 2.4, 4.3 and 3.5 times for amphotericin B, itraconazole, fluconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Moreover, it was seen that cotrimoxazole itself inhibited C. posadasii strains in vitro. The impairment of folic acid synthesis may be a potential antifungal target for C. posadasii.

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer currently ranks second in global cancer mortality. Most patients are either diagnosed at an advanced stage, or develop a relapse after surgery with curative intent. Apart from supportive care and palliative radiation to localized (e.g. bone) metastasis, systemic chemotherapy is the only treatment option available in this situation. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of chemotherapy versus best supportive care, combination versus single agent chemotherapy and different combination chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE and EMBASE up to March 2009, reference lists of studies, and contacted pharmaceutical companies and national and international experts. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials on systemic intravenous chemotherapy versus best supportive care, combination versus single agent chemotherapy and different combination chemotherapies in advanced gastric cancer. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently extracted data. A third investigator was consulted in case of disagreements. We contacted study authors to obtain missing information. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty five trials, with a total of 5726 patients, have been included in the meta-analysis of overall survival. The comparison of chemotherapy versus best supportive care consistently demonstrated a significant benefit in overall survival in favour of the group receiving chemotherapy (hazard ratios (HR) 0.37; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.24 to 0.55, 184 participants). The comparison of combination versus single-agent chemotherapy provides evidence for a survival benefit in favour of combination chemotherapy (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.74 to 0.90, 1914 participants). The price of this benefit is increased toxicity as a result of combination chemotherapy. When comparing 5-FU/cisplatin-containing combination therapy regimens with versus without anthracyclines (HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.62 to 0.95, 501 participants) and 5-FU/anthracycline-containing combinations with versus without cisplatin (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.73 to 0.92, 1147 participants) there was a significant survival benefit for regimens including 5-FU, anthracyclines and cisplatin. Both the comparison of irinotecan versus non-irinotecan (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.02, 639 participants) and docetaxel versus non-docetaxel containing regimens (HR 0.93; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.15, 805 participants) show non-significant overall survival benefits in favour of the irinotecan and docetaxel-containing regimens. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy significantly improves survival in comparison to best supportive care. In addition, combination chemotherapy improves survival compared to single-agent 5-FU. All patients should be tested for their HER-2 status and trastuzumab should be added to a standard fluoropyrimidine/cisplatin regimen in patients with HER-2 positive tumours. Two and three-drug regimens including 5-FU, cisplatin, with or without an anthracycline, as well as irinotecan or docetaxel-containing regimens are reasonable treatment options for HER-2 negative patients.