Assessment of algorithms for mitosis detection in breast cancer histopathology images.

The proliferative activity of breast tumors, which is routinely estimated by counting of mitotic figures in hematoxylin and eosin stained histology sections, is considered to be one of the most important prognostic markers. However, mitosis counting is laborious, subjective and may suffer from low inter-observer agreement. With the wider acceptance of whole slide images in pathology labs, automatic image analysis has been proposed as a potential solution for these issues. In this paper, the results from the Assessment of Mitosis Detection Algorithms 2013 (AMIDA13) challenge are described. The challenge was based on a data set consisting of 12 training and 11 testing subjects, with more than one thousand annotated mitotic figures by multiple observers. Short descriptions and results from the evaluation of eleven methods are presented. The top performing method has an error rate that is comparable to the inter-observer agreement among pathologists.

História natural do comprimento peniano após prostatectomia radical: um estudo prospectivo de longo prazo / Natural history of penile length after radical prostatectomy: a prospective long-term

A prostatectomia radical (PR) é um dos procedimentos mais utilizados para o tratamento do câncer de próstata (CaP) localizado, porém apesar da maior compreensão da anatomia local e do desenvolvimento tecnológico, esta cirurgia permanece associada à elevada morbidade na esfera sexual. A redução do comprimento peniano após a PR é uma queixa freqüente na prática urológica, porém não há dados na literatura a respeito da variação deste comprimento em um longo período de acompanhamento. A determinação da história natural do comprimento peniano após PR, assim como possíveis fatores de risco ou de proteção é de fundamental importância para o aconselhamento e tratamento dos pacientes submetidos a esta cirurgia. O objetivo deste estudo é determinar a história natural do comprimento peniano após a PR em um acompanhamento de cinco anos, assim como avaliar o papel da função erétil na variação do comprimento peniano destes pacientes. Foram avaliados prospectivamente os comprimentos penianos de 105 pacientes com câncer de próstata localizado submetidos PR aberta. Participação em programas de reabilitação peniana e deformidades anatômicas do pênis foram considerados critérios de exclusão. A medição do comprimento real peniano sob máxima tração (CRTmax) foi realizada antes da PR e aos 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 e 60 meses no pós-operatório. O domínio da função erétil do índice internacional de função erétil (IIEF-EF) foi utilizado para avaliar a função erétil. Houve redução média de 1 cm no CRTmax em 3 meses após a PR e essa diferença permaneceu até 24 meses (p<0,001). Após este período, a diferença reduziu gradativamente, deixando de ser estatisticamente significativa em 48 meses (-0,3 cm, p=0,080) e 60 meses (+0,4 cm, p=0,065). A função erétil foi um preditor para o retorno precoce do comprimento do pênis. Um encurtamento peniano médio de 1 cm é esperado nos primeiros 24 meses após PR. No entanto, há uma tendência para a recuperação deste comprimento após 24 meses...

Radical prostatectomy (RP) is one of the most common treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa), but despite the advances in the local anatomy knowledge and the technological development, this surgery remains related to high morbidity in the sexual sphere. The reduction in penile length after RP is a common complaint in urologic practice, but there is no data regarding this issue in a long follow-up period. The determination of the natural history of penile length after RP and possible risk factor is necessary for the counseling and treatment of patients undergoing this surgery. The objective of this study is to determine the natural history of penile length after RP in a five years follow-up and to investigate the role of erectile function in the penile length variation. We prospectively evaluated the penile length of 105 patients with localized prostate cancer submitted to open RP. Participation in penile rehabilitation programs and anatomical deformities of the penis were considered exclusion criteria. Measurements of the real length under maximum penile traction (RSLmax) were performed before and after RP at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months postoperatively. The erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) was used to assess erectile function. There was a mean reduction of 1 cm in RSLmax in 3 months after the PR and this difference remained up to 24 months (p <0.001). After this period, the difference decreased gradually and was not statistically significant at 48 months (-0.3 cm, p = 0.080) and 60 months (+0.4 cm, p = 0.065). Erectile function was a predictor for the early recovery of penile length. In conclusion, a mean penile shortening about 1 cm is expected in the first 24 months after RP. However, there is a tendency for the recovery of this length after 24 months postoperatively, with a return to the original length at 48 months. The normal erectile function after RP is a predictor for early recovery...

Efficacy, adherence and tolerability of once daily tenofovir DF-containing antiretroviral therapy in former injecting drug users with HIV-1 receiving opiate treatment: results of a 48-week open-label study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess efficacy, adherence and tolerability of once daily antiretroviral therapy containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF) 300 mg in HIV-1-infected former injecting drug users receiving opiate treatment (IVDU). METHODS: European, 48-week, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study. Patients were either antiretroviral therapy-naive, restarting therapy after treatment discontinuation without prior virological failure or switching from existing stable treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in the study and 41 patients completed treatment. In the primary analysis (intent-to-treat missing=failure) at week 48, 34% of patients (23/67; 95% CI: 23%-47%) had plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL. Using an intent-to-treat missing=excluded approach, the week 48 proportion of patients with plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL increased to 56% (23/41; 95% CI: 40%-72%). Mean (standard deviation) increase from baseline in CD4+ cell count at week 48 was 176 (242) cells/mm(3). Although self-reported adherence appeared high, there were high levels of missing data and adherence results should be treated with caution. No new safety issues were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of missing data were high in this difficult-to-treat population, but potent antiretroviral suppression was achieved in a substantial proportion of HIV-infected IVDU-patients.

Antiviral activity and safety of aplaviroc, a CCR5 antagonist, in combination with lopinavir/ritonavir in HIV-infected, therapy-naïve patients: results of the EPIC study (CCR100136).

BACKGROUND: This phase IIb study explored the antiviral activity and safety of the investigational CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) antagonist aplaviroc (APL) in antiretroviral-naïve patients harbouring R5- or R5X4-tropic virus. METHODS: A total of 191 patients were randomized 2:2:2:1 to one of three APL dosing regimens or to lamivudine (3TC)/zidovudine (ZDV) twice daily (bid), each in combination with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) 400 mg/100 mg bid. Efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed. RESULTS: This study was terminated prematurely because of APL-associated idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity. A total of 141 patients initiated treatment early enough to have been able to complete 12 weeks on treatment [modified intent-to-treat (M-ITT) population]; of these, 133 completed the 12-week treatment phase. The proportion of subjects in the M-ITT population with HIV-1 RNA <400 copies/mL at week 12 was 50, 48, 54 and 75% in the APL 200 mg bid, APL 400 mg bid, APL 800 mg once a day (qd) and 3TC/ZDV arms, respectively. Similar responses were seen in the few subjects harbouring R5X4-tropic virus (n=17). Common clinical adverse events (AEs) were diarrhoea, nausea, fatigue and headache. APL demonstrated nonlinear pharmacokinetics with high interpatient variability. CONCLUSIONS: While target plasma concentrations of APL were achieved, the antiviral activity of APL+LPV/r did not appear to be comparable to that of 3TC/ZDV+LPV/r.

Recovering articulated pose: a comparison of two pre and postimposed constraint methods.

We contrast the performance of two methods of imposing constraints during the tracking of articulated objects, the first method preimposing the kinematic constraints during tracking and, thus, using the minimum degrees of freedom, and the second imposing constraints after tracking and, hence, using the maximum. Despite their very different formulations, the methods recover the same pose change. Further comparisons are drawn in terms of computational speed and algorithmic simplicity and robustness, and it is the last area which is the most telling. The results suggest that using built-in constraints is well-suited to tracking individual articulated objects, whereas applying constraints afterward is most suited to problems involving contact and breakage between articulated (or rigid) objects, where the ability to test tracking performance quickly with constraints turned on or off is desirable.