•CT-based radiomics with machine learning classifier is able to accurately predict primary refractory Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphomas (DLBCL).•The radiomics model exhibits a better discrimination for ...refractory DLBCL identification compared to available standard clinical criteria.
Biomarkers which can identify Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) likely to be refractory to first-line therapy are essential for selecting this population prior to therapy initiation to offer alternate therapeutic options that can improve prognosis. We tested the ability of a CT-based radiomics approach with machine learning to predict Primary Treatment Failure (PTF)-DLBCL from initial imaging evaluation. Twenty-six refractory patients were matched to 26 non-refractory patients, yielding 180 lymph nodes for analysis. Manual 3D delineation of the total node volume was performed by two independent readers to test the reproducibility. Then, 1218 hand-crafted radiomic features were extracted. The Random Forests machine learning approach was used as a classifier for constructing the prediction models. Seventy percent of the nodes were randomly assigned to a training set and the remaining 30% were assigned to an independent test set. The final model was tested on the dataset from the 2 readers, showing a mean accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 73%, 62% and 82%, respectively, for distinguishing between refractory and non-refractory patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.83 and 0.79 for the two readers. We conclude that machine learning CT-based radiomics analysis is able to identify a priori PTF-DLBCL with a good accuracy.
Activin A functions in BMP signaling in two ways: it either engages ACVR1B to activate Smad2/3 signaling or binds ACVR1 to form a non-signaling complex (NSC). Although the former property has been ...studied extensively, the roles of the NSC remain unexplored. The genetic disorder fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) provides a unique window into ACVR1/Activin A signaling because in that disease Activin can either signal through FOP-mutant ACVR1 or form NSCs with wild-type ACVR1. To explore the role of the NSC, we generated 'agonist-only' Activin A muteins that activate ACVR1B but cannot form the NSC with ACVR1. Using one of these muteins, we demonstrate that failure to form the NSC in FOP results in more severe disease pathology. These results provide the first evidence for a biological role for the NSC in vivo and pave the way for further exploration of the NSC's physiological role in corresponding knock-in mice.
Accidental breach of the vertebral artery (VA) during the performance of cervical pain blocks can result in significant morbidity. Whereas anatomical variations have been described for the foraminal ...(V2) segment of the VA, those involving its V3 portion (between the C2 transverse process and dura) have not been investigated and may be of importance for procedures targeting the third occipital nerve or the lateral atlantoaxial joint.
Five hundred computed tomography angiograms of the neck performed in patients older than 50 years for the management of cerebrovascular accident or cervical trauma (between January 2010 and May 2016) were retrospectively and independently reviewed by 2 neuroradiologists. Courses of the VA in relation to the lateral aspect of the C2/C3 joint and the posterior surface of the C1/C2 joint were examined. For the latter, any medial encroachment of the VA (or one of its branches) was noted. The presence of a VA loop between C1 and C2 and its distance from the upper border of the superior articular process (SAP) of C3 were also recorded. If the VA loop coursed posteriorly, its position in relation to 6 fields found on the lateral aspects of the articular pillars of C2 and C3 was tabulated.
At the C1/C2 level, the VA coursed medially over the lateral quarter of the dorsal joint surface in 1% of subjects (0.6% and 0.4% on the left and right sides, respectively; P = 0.998). A VA loop originating between C1 and C2 was found to travel posteroinferiorly over the anterolateral aspect of the inferior articular pillar of C2 in 55.5% of patients on the left and 41.9% on the right side (P < 0.001), as well as over the SAP of C3 in 0.4% of subjects. When present in the quadrant immediately cephalad to the C3 SAP, VA loops coursed within 2.0 ± 1.5 and 3.3 ± 2.5 mm on the left and right sides, respectively, of its superior aspect (P < 0.001).
The VA commonly travels adjacent to areas targeted by third occipital nerve procedures and more rarely over the access point for lateral atlantoaxial joint injections. Modifications to existing techniques may reduce the risk of accidental VA breach.
Coffee is an extremely popular beverage worldwide. To obtain it, the berry must be depulped, fermented, washed, dried, and roasted, producing residues: pulp and husk, mucilage, and parchment. ...Recently there has been an interest in generating high-value products. In this article, advances in the valorization process are critically reviewed, including an overview of the composition of residues derived from primary processing, uses in food, biocomposite, and biofuel production (thermochemical conversion). With an increasing production of coffee projected in the coming years, there is an urgent need to balance it with the appropriate use and industrial application of coffee wastes and by-products, which are renewable resources rich in carbohydrates, proteins, pectin, and bioactive compounds (polyphenols). The applications described above, together with those that will undoubtedly be developed in the future, represent promising opportunities to take advantage of agro-industrial residues derived from primary processing of Coffea spp. and develop more efficient and sustainable systems through biorefinery approaches and the circular economy.
Accumulating evidence indicates protective actions of mineralocorticoid antagonists (MR antagonists) on cardiovascular pathology, which includes blunting vascular inflammation and myocardial ...fibrosis. We examined the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic potential of MR antagonists in rodent respiratory models. In an ovalbumin allergic and challenged Brown Norway rat model, the total cell count in nasal lavage was 29,348±5451, which was blocked by spironolactone (0.3–60mg/kg, p.o.) and eplerenone (0.3–30mg/kg, p.o.). We also found that MR antagonists attenuated pulmonary inflammation in the Brown Norway rat. A series of experiments were conducted to determine the actions of MR blockade in acute/chronic lung injury models. (1) Ex vivo lung slice rat experiments found that eplerenone (0.01 and 10µM) and spironolactone (10µM) diminished lung hydroxyproline concentrations by 55±5, 122±9, and 83±8%. (2) In in vivo studies, MR antagonists attenuated the increases in bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) neutrophils and macrophages caused by lung bleomycin exposure. In separate studies, bleomycin (4.0U/kg, i.t.) increased lung levels of hydroxyproline by approximately 155%, which was blocked by spironolactone (10–60mg/kg, p.o.). In a rat Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model, spironolactone inhibited acute increases in BAL cytokines with moderate effects on neutrophils. Finally, we found that chronic LPS exposure significantly increased end expiratory lung and decreased lung elastance in the mouse. These functional effects of chronic LPS were improved by MR antagonists. Our results demonstrate that MR antagonists have significant pharmacological actions in the respiratory system.
El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar las condiciones de secado de cáscara de café y su efecto sobre propiedades fisicoquímicas. Se realizaron cinéticas de secado hasta 420 minutos, a 40, 50 y ...60gradosC; los datos experimentales se ajustaron con 4 modelos cinéticos de capa delgada. Adicionalmente, se evaluó el contenido de cafeína y ácido clorogénico y los parámetros de color en la cáscara húmeda y seca. Se obtuvo una reducción del contenido de agua hasta el 13,5%. El modelo de Page fue el más adecuado para representar el secado a las tres temperaturas evaluadas. Respecto a los biocomponentes, la concentración se incrementó en el proceso y los cambios de color fueron superiores al 4%, generando tonalidades rojizas y cambios en el ángulo de tono, luminosidad y croma. Lo anterior demuestra que el secado es una alternativa para estabilizar este subproducto, como etapa previa para su uso industrial.
This paper analyzes the distributional incidence of the excise tax on gasoline in Chile using Household Budget Surveys. The incidence is calculated with respect to both income and expenditure ...distributions in order to consider the potential differences between transitory and permanent income. The Suits Index is estimated as a measure of the degree of progressivity of the tax, and confidence intervals are calculated using a bootstrap methodology to statistically compare changes in the incidence given changes in the tax. The results show that the tax, contrary to the evidence for several developed countries, is slightly or moderately progressive, with a lower degree of progressivity observed in the calculations based on income than those based on expenditure. The simulation of the 25% reduction in the tax rate implemented in 2008 shows that, in terms of incidence, its effect is to reduce the progressivity of the gasoline tax, which is the opposite of what was sought by the government with this policy.
•Gasoline tax is an optimal tax and is a significant instrument of climate policy.•Despite its benefits, it faces political economy challenges in its implementation.•In the public discussion in developing countries the tax is considered regressive.•The estimation of the distributional incidence shows that it is slightly progressive.•Increases in gasoline taxes can reduce both negative externalities and inequality.
Banana and plantain (Musa spp.) are among the most popular crops especially in tropical and sub‐tropical zones. Musa spp. is a unique, perennial, single‐harvest plant that after fruit harvesting is ...decapitated and generates large amounts of waste and by‐products: leaves and pseudostem. Fruit processing also generates waste peels and discarded pieces. Recent research has demonstrated that this type of organic substrate represents a potentially valuable resource that can be developed into high‐value products. These developments are critically reviewed in this article, which includes a summary of the composition and biocompounds contained in pseudostem and peel, the use of Musa spp. waste in animal and human feed and the obtention of fiber to make paper, rope, handcrafts and combustion materials. On the other hand, the potential for polysaccharides to be fermented and transformed into ethanol, methane or hydrogen, the obtention of single‐cell protein (microbial protein) and the use of solid residues for composting or as a substrate for mushrooms cultivation have also been evaluated. The applications described represent great opportunities for economic benefits from this agro‐industrial waste. A scheme for the integrated utilization of Musa spp. waste in a biorefinery approach is presented as well.
The following different valorisation processes of banana peel waste (BPW) were evaluated: combustion, production of activated carbon/batteries, and biomethanisation. This study showed that the ...combustion of BPW is an interesting option with a zero-carbon cycle. A mass balance demonstrated a low concentration of sulphurous compounds in the flue gases (0.01%, in volume), but the content of structural nitrogen dioxide was remarkable (0.35%). Additionally, BPW should be pre-dried to increase its lower calorific value (LCV) upto 3000 kcal/kg. In contrast, the mesophilic biomethanisation of BPW led to the generation of renewable methane (182 LCH4/kg VS, volatile solids) and organic digestate, whereas its biodegradability was found to be 68% under the study conditions. The obtention of porous activated carbon was also demonstrated by employing a simple and low-cost method based on chemical activation/carbonisation of BPW with KOH porogen. The banana peel waste carbon (BPW–C) obtained showed low crystallinity, high purity, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (SBET) of 264 m2/g. BPW-C was tested as an anode electrode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and a remarkable reversible capacity of 225 mAh/g at 0.2 C after 200 cycles was observed. These results indicate the feasibility of the carbonisation method of BPW to produce a highly demanded product in the current society.
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•Banana peel waste (BPW) was subjected to different valorisation processes.•Low concentration of thermal NOx is generated by burning BPW after drying.•Biomethanisation of BPW produced 182 mLSTPCH4/gVS and allowed removing 68% of waste.•A simple chemical activation and carbonisation process of BPW was demonstrated.•BPW showed good reversible capacity as anode for lithium-ion batteries (225 mAh/g).
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