RESUMEN
Recognizing and identifying an individual based on his or her face is a technical and scientific challenge and the objective of our investigation. This article's goal is to establish a method, a foundation and an instrument for carrying out the process of recognizing and identifying an individual. Both the construction of the term and the deepening, conceptualization and epistemology of the process of describing and representing the face through a particular method of recognizing and identifying individuals are described in this article. The proposal of the Prosoporecognographical Chart is an important step in the facial-identification process, establishing taxonomic parameters for the phenotypic manifestations of the elements constituting the face. Based on the proposal presented here, the construction of a protocol for the process of recognizing and identifying an individual can be implemented computationally.
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Envejecimiento/fisiología , Cara/fisiología , Medicina Legal , Identificación Biométrica , Oído/anatomía & histología , Cara/anatomía & histología , Teoría Fundamentada , Cabello/fisiología , Humanos , Modelos Biológicos , Fotograbar , Pigmentación de la Piel/fisiología , Terminología como AsuntoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The precise assessment of embryo viability is an extremely important factor for the optimization of IVF treatments. In order to assess embryo viability, several embryo scoring systems have been developed. However, they rely mostly on a subjective visual analysis of embryo morphological features and thus are subject to inter- and intra-observer variation. In this paper, we propose a method for image segmentation (the dividing of an image into its meaningful constituent regions) and classification of human blastocyst images with the aim of automating embryo grading. METHODS: The delineation of the boundaries (segmentation) of the zona pellucida, trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) were performed using advanced image analysis techniques (level set, phase congruency and fitting of ellipse methods). The fractal dimension and mean thickness of TE and ICM image texture descriptors (texture spectrum and grey-level run lengths) were calculated to characterize the main morphological features of the blastocyst with the aim of automatic grading using Support Vector Machine classifiers. RESULTS: The fractal dimension calculated from the delineated TE boundary provided a good indication of cell number (presented a 0.81 Pearson correlation coefficient with the number of cells), a feature closely associated with blastocyst quality. The classifiers showed different accuracy levels for each grade. They presented accuracy ranges from 0.67 to 0.92 for the embryo development classification, 0.67-0.82 for the ICM classification and 0.53-0.92 for the TE classification. The value 0.92 was the highest accuracy achieved in the tests with 73 blastocysts. CONCLUSIONS: Semi-automatic grading of human blastocysts by a computer is feasible and may offer a more precise comparison of embryos, reducing subjectivity and allowing embryos with apparently identical morphological scores to be distinguished.
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Blastocisto/citología , Fertilización In Vitro/métodos , Fertilización In Vitro/normas , Algoritmos , Automatización , Desarrollo Embrionario , Femenino , Fractales , Humanos , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador , Microscopía/métodos , Técnicas Reproductivas Asistidas , Máquina de Vectores de Soporte , Zona Pelúcida/patologíaRESUMEN
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB-HIV) epidemics remain uncontrolled in many resource-limited regions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The scale of these epidemics requires the consideration of innovative bold interventions and 'out-of-the-box' thinking. To this end, a symposium entitled 'Controversies in HIV' was held at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2009. The first topic debated, entitled 'Annual HIV testing and immediate start of antiretroviral therapy for all HIV-infected persons', received much attention at international conferences and in the literature in 2009. The second topic forms the subject of this article. The rationale for the use of empirical TB treatment is premised on the hypothesis that in settings worst affected by the TB-HIV epidemic, a subset of HIV-infected patients have such a high risk of undiagnosed TB and of associated mortality that their prognosis may be improved by immediate initiation of empirical TB treatment used in conjunction with antiretroviral therapy. In addition to morbidity and mortality reduction, additional benefits may include prevention of nosocomial TB transmission and TB preventive effect. Potential adverse consequences, however, may include failure to consider other non-TB diagnoses, drug co-toxicity, compromised treatment adherence, and logistical and resource challenges. There may also be general reluctance among national TB programmes to endorse such a strategy. Following fruitful debate, the conclusion that this strategy should be carefully evaluated in randomised controlled trials was strongly supported. This paper provides an in-depth consideration of this proposed intervention.
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Antituberculosos/uso terapéutico , Infecciones por VIH/complicaciones , Tuberculosis/tratamiento farmacológico , África del Sur del Sahara/epidemiología , Fármacos Anti-VIH/efectos adversos , Fármacos Anti-VIH/uso terapéutico , Antituberculosos/efectos adversos , Infección Hospitalaria/prevención & control , Infecciones por VIH/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones por VIH/epidemiología , Humanos , Tuberculosis/complicaciones , Tuberculosis/diagnóstico , Tuberculosis/prevención & controlRESUMEN
An innovative application of automatic thresholding is used for the detection of calcification regions in intravascular ultrasound images. A priori knowledge of the acoustic shadow that usually accompanies calcification regions is used to discriminate these from other bright regions in the image. A method for the calculation of the angle of calcification has also been developed. The proposed algorithms are applied to in-vivo images obtained from left anterior descending coronary arteries during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (n = 14). The resulting specificity is 72% and the sensitivity 84%. The receiver operating characteristic curve, the area under the curve being equal to 0.91, is plotted to evaluate the algorithm performance.
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Calcinosis/diagnóstico por imagen , Estenosis Coronaria/diagnóstico por imagen , Ultrasonografía Intervencional/métodos , Algoritmos , Angioplastia Coronaria con Balón , Estenosis Coronaria/terapia , Humanos , Interpretación de Imagen Asistida por Computador/métodos , Curva ROC , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Fully automatic tissue characterization in intravascular ultrasound systems is still a challenge for the researchers. The present work aims to evaluate the feasibility of using the Higuchi fractal dimension of intravascular ultrasound radio frequency signals as a feature for tissue characterization. METHODS: Fractal dimension images are generated based on the radio frequency signals obtained using mechanically rotating 40 MHz intravascular ultrasound catheter (Atlantis SR Plus, Boston Scientific, USA) and compared with the corresponding correlation images. CONCLUSION: An inverse relation between the fractal dimension images and the correlation images was revealed indicating that the hard or slow moving tissues in the correlation image usually have low fractal dimension and vice-versa. Thus, the present study suggests that fractal dimension images may be used as a feature for intravascular ultrasound tissue characterization and present better resolution then the correlation images.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad Coronaria/diagnóstico por imagen , Fractales , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador/métodos , Ultrasonografía Intervencional , Anciano , Algoritmos , Humanos , Ondas de RadioRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To describe a new more efficient method of endocardial cardiac stimulation, which produces a narrower QRS without using the coronary sinus or cardiac veins. METHODS: We studied 5 patients with severe dilated cardiomyopathy, chronic atrial fibrillation and AV block, who underwent definitive endocardial pacemaker implantation, with 2 leads, in the RV, one in the apex and the other in the interventricular septum (sub pulmonary), connected, respectively, to ventricular and atrial bicameral pacemaker outputs. Using Doppler echocardiography, we compared, in the same patient, conventional (VVI), high septal ("AAI") and bifocal ("DDT" with AV interval approximately 0) stimulation. RESULTS: The RV bifocal stimulation had the best results with an increase in ejection fraction and cardiac output and reduction in QRS duration, mitral regurgitation and in the left atrium area (p
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Estimulación Cardíaca Artificial/métodos , Cardiomiopatía Dilatada/terapia , Adulto , Anciano , Fibrilación Atrial/terapia , Cardiomiopatía Dilatada/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedad Crónica , Electrodos Implantados , Femenino , Bloqueo Cardíaco/terapia , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Mitral/diagnóstico por imagen , Insuficiencia de la Válvula Mitral/terapia , Marcapaso Artificial , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
PIP: The Grupo Pela Vidda (GPV) in Rio de Janeiro established the Rio Buddy Project in 1997 when it became clear that GPV could not provide medical assistance but would only provide other aid to people with HIV/AIDS (PHA). The project partnered with the nongovernmental organization Arco-Iris to manage the buddy project. The project relies on volunteers who are trained and supported by the project. The volunteers, about 20% of whom are PHA, must deal with stress and challenging situations in which counseling and emotional support are greatly and constantly needed. In 1988, GPV organized its first mini-training session for relatives of PHA. After the training, the buddies attend a monthly self-help meeting where they discuss the difficulties they experience in their work, their limitations, and the challenges they encounter. GPV and Arco-Iris provide counseling, self-help activities, information networks and contacts in the public health system that are helpful for referrals for special treatment and hospitalization. Benefits include free psychological support by private professionals through a partner project or lower-cost therapy. In the first 2 years, the Rio Buddy Project only targeted gay men, but as the epidemic started to affect women and heterosexual men, the demand changed and today female and male heterosexuals are also served by the project.^ieng
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Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida , Servicios de Salud Comunitaria , Infecciones por VIH , Organizaciones , Investigación , Américas , Brasil , Atención a la Salud , Países en Desarrollo , Enfermedad , Salud , Servicios de Salud , América Latina , Organización y Administración , Atención Primaria de Salud , América del Sur , VirosisRESUMEN
A study was carried out in 6 districts of Cubatão county, S. Paulo State, Brazil on a sample of 251 children aged between 1 and 10. The concentration of heavy metals (lead and mercury) in hair was tested. The lead concentration in the hair of 229 children was tested, and in 189 (82.5%) levels varying from 2.5 to 71.4 micrograms/g were detected. The average concentration of the lead found in hair was of 7.25 +/- 8.51 micrograms/g. The concentration of mercury in the hair of 217 children was checked and all of them were found to have levels varying from 0.2 to 3.0 micrograms/g. The average concentration of mercury was of 0.82 +/- 0.48 microgram/g. No statistical difference (p > 0.05) was observed between the averages found for lead and mercury in the hair of those who consumed and those who did not consume aquatic organisms.
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Cabello/química , Plomo/análisis , Mercurio/análisis , Distribución por Edad , Análisis de Varianza , Brasil , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Distribución por SexoRESUMEN
A study of a sample of 251 children aged between 1 and 10 was carried out in 6 districts of Cubatão county, S. Paulo State, Brazil. This study showed the presence of organochlorine pesticides in the blood serum of 242 children. p-p' DDE was detected in 73 of the samples (30%) and HCH in 47 of them (19%). The mean value of p-p' DDE was 0.85 +/- 2.13 micrograms/l. and that of HCH was 0.28 +/- 0.79 micrograms/l. Lead and mercury were also detected in the blood serum. The mean value for lead was 17.8 +/- 5.8 micrograms/l. and for mercury was 9.1 +/- 0.79 micrograms/l. The levels found in consumers of aquatic organisms taken from the rivers of Cubatão showed a mean mercury level (mean = 14.7 +/- 7.1 micrograms/l.) higher than (p < 0.04) that of those who did not consume any aquatic organisms at all (mean = 10.0 +/- 6.5 micrograms/l.).
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Hidrocarburos Clorados , Insecticidas/sangre , Plomo/sangre , Mercurio/sangre , Factores de Edad , Animales , Niño , Preescolar , Encuestas sobre Dietas , Femenino , Peces , Alimentos , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Factores SexualesRESUMEN
When food is presented to P. paulensis, as well as to several other decapods, the animals exhibit a typical feeding behavior. The possible inducer of this response was determined by observing and analyzing their behavior when different chemicals were placed in the water, especially substances normally found in their food. L-isoleucine seems to be the most important substance in inducing such reactions.