Labeled dataset for training despeckling filters for SAR imagery.

When training Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning models, especially by using Supervised Learning techniques, a labeled dataset is required to have an input with data and its corresponding labeled output data. In the case of images, for classification, segmentation, or other processing tasks, a pair of images is required in the same sense, one image as an input (the noisy image) and the desired (the denoised image) one as an output. For SAR despeckling applications, the common approach is to have a set of optical images that then are corrupted with synthetic noise, since there is no ground truth available. The corrupted image is considered the input and the optical one is the noiseless one (ground truth). In this paper, we provide a dataset based on actual SAR images. The ground truth was obtained from SAR images of Sentinel 1 of the same region in different instants of time and then they were processed and merged into one single image that serves as the output of the dataset. Every SAR image (noisy and ground truth) was split into 1600 images of 512 × 512 pixels, so a total of 3200 images were obtained. The dataset was also split into 3000 for training and 200 for validation, all of them available in four labeled folders.

Cassava Starch Films with Anthocyanins and Betalains from Agroindustrial by-Products: Their Use for Intelligent Label Development.

The development of biodegradable packaging materials has become a widely addressed topic in recent years. Microparticles generated from Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra (red cabbage, RC) and Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva (beetroot, BR) which contained anthocyanins or betalains, were included in the formulation of edible films based on cassava starch (CS) giving origin to films CSRC, CSBR, or CSBC (mixture of both particles). The inclusion of the filler determined an increase in the stress at rupture from 0.8 MPa (CS) to 1.2 MPa (CSRC) or 1.0 MPa (CSBC), of the contact angle from 2.6° to 13.8° (CSBR) or 19.6° (CSBC). The use of these films for developing a smart label for hake packaging and the study of the TBV-N content, the microbiological characteristics of the muscle, and the color changes of the label with time, allowed us to conclude that the films CSRC and CSBC would be suitable for sensing the deterioration of packaged and chilled hake and that the color change of the label CSBC was completely consistent with fish muscle deterioration. As the microparticles can be obtained from by-products of the production and industrialization of plant tissues, the composite films and the smart labels developed can contribute not only to the development of safe food but also to the addition of value to those residues and to environmental protection.

Regulation of the Intestinal Extra-Adrenal Steroidogenic Pathway Component LRH-1 by Glucocorticoids in Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and can be treated with glucocorticoids (GC), although some patients are unresponsive to this therapy. The transcription factor LRH-1/NR5A2 is critical to intestinal cortisol production (intestinal steroidogenesis), being reduced in UC patients. However, the relationship between LRH-1 expression and distribution with altered corticosteroid responses is unknown. To address this, we categorized UC patients by their steroid response. Here, we found that steroid-dependent and refractory patients presented reduced glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-mediated intestinal steroidogenesis compared to healthy individuals and responder patients, possibly related to increased colonic mucosa GR isoform beta (GRß) content and cytoplasmic LRH-1 levels in epithelial and lamina propria cells. Interestingly, an intestinal epithelium-specific GR-induced knockout (GRiKO) dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-colitis mice model presented decreased epithelial LRH-1 expression, whilst it increased in the lamina propria compared to DSS-treated control mice. Mechanistically, GR directly induced NR5A2 gene expression in CCD841CoN cells and human colonic organoids. Furthermore, GR bound to two glucocorticoid-response elements within the NR5A2 promoter in dexamethasone-stimulated CCD841CoN cells. We conclude that GR contributes to intestinal steroidogenesis by inducing LRH-1 in epithelial cells, suggesting LRH-1 as a potential marker for glucocorticoid-impaired response in UC. However, further studies with a larger patient cohort will be necessary to confirm role of LRH-1 as a therapeutic biomarker.

Clinical characteristics and evolution of hematological patients and COVID-19 in Argentina: a report from the Argentine Society of Hematology.

Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in patients with a hematological disease in Argentina. A completely anonymous survey from the Argentine Society of Hematology was delivered to all the hematologists in Argentina; it started in April 2020. A cut-off to analyze the data was performed in December 2020 and, finally, 419 patients were reported and suitable for the analysis (average age: 58 years, 90% with malignant diseases). After the COVID-19 diagnosis, the 30-day OS for the whole population was 80.2%. From the entire group (419), 101 (24.1%) individuals required intensive care unit admission, where the 30-day OS was 46.6%. Among allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients, the 30-day OS was 70.3%. Factors associated with a low OS were two or more comorbidities, an active hematological disease and history of chemotherapy. In individuals with the three factors, the 30-day OS was 49.6% while the 30-day OS in those without those factors was 100%. Patients with hematological diseases have a higher mortality than the general population. This group represents a challenge and requires careful decision-making of the treatment in order not to compromise the chances of cure.

El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo primario conocer la mortalidad de pacientes con enfermedad hematológica que presentaron infección por COVID-19 en Argentina. Para ello se difundió una encuesta desde la Sociedad Argentina de Hematología (SAH) entre los hematológos para informar sobre los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas y diagnóstico de infección por SARS- CoV-2, entre el 19/4/2020, y el 7/12/2020. Se incluyeron individuos de todas las edades con diagnóstico de enfermedad hematológica benigna o maligna e infección por SARS-CoV-2 confirmada por técnica de RTPCR. Se analizaron 419 pacientes (mediana 58 años; 90% enfermedades malignas). La supervivencia al día 30 fue de 80.2%. La supervivencia fue menor en aquellos que requirieron internación (74.2%), cuidados intensivos (46.6%) y asistencia respiratoria mecánica (36.8%). Entre los trasplantados alogénicos la supervivencia fue 70.3%. Los factores vinculados a la supervivencia global fueron las comorbilidades, el estado de la enfermedad al momento de la infección y el antecedente de quimioterapia. Se pudo establecer un score en el que aquellos que tuvieron un puntaje de 4 alcanzaron una supervivencia del 49.6% al día 30, mientras que la de los pacientes con score 0 fue del 100% a 30 días. En comparación con la población general, los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas presentan una mayor mortalidad vinculada al COVID-19, motivo por el cual es primordial definir pautas destinadas a disminuir la exposición de los mismos sin comprometer las posibilidades de beneficiarse del tratamiento de la enfermedad de base.

Clinical characteristics and evolution of hematological patients and COVID-19 in Argentina: a report from the Argentine Society of Hematology / Características clínicas y evolución de pacientes hematológicos y COVID-19 en Argentina: datos de la Sociedad Argentina de Hematología

Abstract Individuals with malignancies and COVID-19 have a lower survival compared with the general population. However, the information about the impact of COVID-19 on the whole hematological population is scarce. We aimed to describe the 30th day overall survival (OS) after COVID-19 infection in pa tients with a hematological disease in Argentina. A completely anonymous survey from the Argentine Society of Hematology was delivered to all the hematologists in Argentina; it started in April 2020. A cut-off to analyze the data was performed in December 2020 and, finally, 419 patients were reported and suitable for the analysis (average age: 58 years, 90% with malignant diseases). After the COVID-19 diagnosis, the 30-day OS for the whole population was 80.2%. From the entire group (419), 101 (24.1%) individuals required intensive care unit admission, where the 30-day OS was 46.6%. Among allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients, the 30-day OS was 70.3%. Factors associated with a low OS were two or more comorbidities, an active hematological disease and history of chemotherapy. In individuals with the three factors, the 30-day OS was 49.6% while the 30-day OS in those without those factors was 100%. Patients with hematological diseases have a higher mortality than the general population. This group represents a challenge and requires careful decision-making of the treatment in order not to compromise the chances of cure.

Resumen El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo primario conocer la mortalidad de pacientes con enfermedad hematológica que presentaron infección por COVID-19 en Argentina. Para ello se difundió una encuesta desde la Sociedad Argentina de Hematología (SAH) entre los hematológos para informar sobre los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas y diagnóstico de infección por SARS- CoV-2, entre el 19/4/2020, y el 7/12/2020. Se incluyeron individuos de todas las edades con diagnóstico de enfermedad hematológica benigna o maligna e infección por SARS-CoV-2 confirmada por técnica de RT-PCR. Se analizaron 419 pacientes (mediana 58 años; 90% enfermedades malignas). La supervivencia al día 30 fue de 80.2%. La supervivencia fue menor en aquellos que requirieron internación (74.2%), cuidados intensivos (46.6%) y asistencia respiratoria mecánica (36.8%). Entre los trasplantados alogénicos la supervivencia fue 70.3%. Los factores vinculados a la supervivencia global fueron las comorbilidades, el estado de la enfermedad al momento de la infección y el antecedente de quimioterapia. Se pudo establecer un score en el que aquellos que tuvieron un puntaje de 4 alcanzaron una supervivencia del 49.6% al día 30, mientras que la de los pacientes con score 0 fue del 100% a 30 días. En comparación con la población general, los pacientes con enfermedades hematológicas presentan una mayor mortalidad vinculada al COVID-19, motivo por el cual es primordial definir pautas destinadas a disminuir la exposición de los mismos sin comprometer las posibilidades de beneficiarse del tratamiento de la enfermedad de base.

Oral masses in African pygmy hedgehogs.

African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) frequently develop oral neoplasms, and most of these neoplasms are malignant. We characterized oral masses detected in hedgehogs at clinical examination. During a 1-y period, we diagnosed oral cavity masses in 27 privately owned hedgehogs; 16 were female and 11 were male, with ages of 2-7 y (mean: 4.3 y). Eight masses were non-neoplastic and were diagnosed as gingival hyperplasia (GH). Nineteen masses were neoplastic, of which 17 were squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 2 were mesenchymal tumors (1 spindle cell tumor of probable neural origin, and 1 hemangiosarcoma). The GHs were noninvasive, exophytic, and did not recur after surgical excision. The SCCs were highly invasive tumors that induced facial deformation and were located in the caudal portion of the oral cavity, with 12 of them arising from the right-caudal maxilla. Thus, clinical signs, growth pattern, and anatomic location can be used to suspect a diagnosis of SCC among the other possible diagnoses, such as GH, in this location. However, histopathology is necessary for confirmation. Also, hemangiosarcoma should be considered among the differential diagnoses.

Xenopus laevis as a Bioindicator of Endocrine Disruptors in the Region of Central Chile.

One of the direct causes of biodiversity loss is environmental pollution resulting from the use of chemicals. Different kinds of chemicals, such as persistent organic pollutants and some heavy metals, can be endocrine disruptors, which act at low doses over a long period of time and have a negative effect on the reproductive and thyroid system in vertebrates worldwide. Research on the effects of endocrine disruptors and the use of bioindicators in neotropical ecosystems where pressure on biodiversity is high is scarce. In Chile, although endocrine disruptors have been detected at different concentrations in the environments of some ecosystems, few studies have been performed on their biological effects in the field. In this work, Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog), an introduced species, is used as a bioindicator for the presence of endocrine disruptors in aquatic systems with different degrees of contamination in a Mediterranean zone in central Chile. For the first time for Chile, alterations are described that can be linked to exposure to endocrine disruptors, such as vitellogenin induction, decreased testosterone in male frogs, and histological changes in gonads. Dioxin-like and oestrogenic activity was detected in sediments at locations where it seem to be related to alterations found in the frogs. In addition, an analysis of land use/cover use revealed that urban soil was the best model to explain the variations in frog health indicators. This study points to the usefulness of an invasive species as a bioindicator for the presence of endocrine-disruptive chemicals.

Cerebellar cortical degeneration associated with feline leukemia virus infection and cerebellar lymphoma in a young cat.

Background: Cerebellar cortical degeneration (CCD) is the premature death of cerebellar neurons of heterogeneous etiology that is uncommonly observed as a neurological complication of certain neoplasia. Case Description: Here, we report an 8-month-old male domestic cat with altered consciousness, symmetric ataxia, hypermetric gait, vertical positional nystagmus, mydriasis, strabismus, intention tremor of the head, and increased patellar reflexes. Neuroanatomical diagnosis suggested a multifocal brain dysfunction (cerebellar and cerebral). The cat tested seropositive for feline leukemia virus. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis indicated mononuclear and neutrophilic pleocytosis. Contrast computed tomography imaging revealed multiple hypodense heterogeneous areas in both cerebral hemispheres, mild ventriculomegaly at the level of the caudal fossa, and a circular sharply marginated, homogeneously hyperdense mass occupying the right cerebellar hemisphere. Postmortem study indicated a 1.1 × 1.3 × 1.2 cm mass in the right cerebellar hemisphere close to the vermis. Histopathological analysis showed diffuse and severe Purkinje cell loss with a decrease in granular cell density and moderate gliosis compatible with CCD. Further, numerous neoplastic lymphoid cells were observed in the infiltrated mass, consistent with a diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry showed CD20 expression, indicative of a B-cell immunophenotype. In humans, CCD is reported as a rare paraneoplastic syndrome in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. CNS lymphoma and/or Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) infection were both considered as a possible cause of CCD in this case. Conclusion: This is the first described case of possible paraneoplastic cerebellar cortical degeneration associated with CNS lymphoma and/or FeLV infection in a domestic cat.

Sobrepeso, obesidad e ingesta de líquidos en niños y adolescentes en Capital, Central y Caaguazu, 2016

Introducción: En niños y adolescentes de países latinoamericanos la tendencia en el aumento de obesidad es alarmante, esta población tiene una alta probabilidad de padecer a edades más tempranas, enfermedades no transmisibles. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de sobrepeso, obesidad e ingesta de líquidos en niños y adolescentes de Capital, Central y Caaguazú durante el año 2016. Material y Métodos: Estudio Observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal, con muestreo probabilístico estratificado, en niños y adolescentes de Capital, Central y Caaguazu, durante el 2016. Se realizaron 3 recordatorios de ingesta de líquidos en las 24 horas anteriores a la entrevista y determinación de las medidas antropométricas en las instituciones educativas de los departamentos. Los datos se expresan en medidas de tendencia central (Media) y dispersión (Desvío Estándar). Resultados: Participaron del estudio 2279 niños y adolescentes de Capital, Central y Caaguazu, de los cuales el 51,2% (1166) fue del sexo femenino, y el 54,9% (1245) tenía una edad comprendida entre 10 a 14 años. El 18,6% y 26,8% presentaron obesidad y sobrepeso respectivamente. El sobrepeso en las edades de 7 a 9, 10 a 14 y 15 y más años fue de 25,3%, 19,1% y 5,8% respectivamente (p<0,05). El volumen de ingesta diaria de agua, infusiones, jugos naturales y líquidos carbonatados se incrementa con la edad (p<0,05), en cambio el volumen de ingesta diaria de leche disminuye con la edad (p<0,05). Conclusión: La proporción de niños y adolescentes con sobrepeso y obesidad en de Capital, Central, y Caaguazu fue elevada, se ha visto una disminución en la proporción de sobrepeso a mayor edad, el incremento en el promedio del volumen diario ingerido de leche disminuye con la edad, en cambio se incrementa el de líquidos carbonatados.

Introduction: In Latin American children and adolescents the increasing tendencies in obesity rates are alarming. This population has a high probability of suffering from noncommunicable diseases at an earlier age. Objective: To determine the prevalence of overweight, obesity and fluid intake in children and adolescents in the Capital, Central and Caaguazu in 2016. Material and Methods: This was an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with stratified probabilistic sampling in children and adolescents of the Capital, Central and Caaguazu, during 2016. We sent participants 3 reminders to intake fluid during the 24 hours prior to the interview and we performed determination of anthropometric measures at the Departments' educational institutions. The data are expressed in measures of central tendency (Median) and dispersion (Standard deviation). Results: 2279 children and adolescents from the Capital, Central and Caaguazu participated in the study, of which 51.2% (1166) were female, and 54.9% (1245) were between 10 and 14 years old. 18.6% and 26.8% were obese and overweight, respectively. Overweight rates at ages 7 to 9, 10 to 14 and 15 and over were 25.3%, 19.1% and 5.8% respectively (p <0.05). The volume of daily intake of water, infusions, natural juices and carbonated beverages increased with age (p <0.05), while the volume of daily milk intake decreased with age (p <0.05). Conclusion: The proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight and obese the Capital, Central and Caaguazu was high. There has been a decrease in the proportion of overweight at older ages, the expected increase in the average daily volume of ingested milk decreases with age while that of carbonated beverages increases.

La problemáticas psicosociales en Medellín: una reflexión desde las experiencias institucionales / Psychosocal problems in Medellín: reflection around institutional experiences

Las reflexiones en torno a las experiencias de intervención psicosocial, organizadas por la Mesa de Salud Mental de la Facultad Nacional de Salud Pública de la Universidad de Antioquia durante los años 2003 y 2004, y en la cual participaron 93 organizaciones e instituciones de naturaleza pública y privada, adscritas a los sectores educativo, social-comunitario, salud y eclesiástico, permitieron conocer y comprender los conceptos de intervención psicosocial, los fundamentos teóricos, los enfoques de trabajo y problemas priorizados sobre los que fundamentaron el trabajo psicosocial. La metodología cualitativa del estudio, se orientó bajo un enfoque hermenéutico, transcribiendo y analizando los relatos obtenidos en los grupos focales de cinco seminarios taller.

The reflections around the experiences of psychosocial intervention, organized by the working of Mental Health of the University of Antioquia during the years 2003 and 2004, with 93 organizations and institutions of public and private nature, attributed to the educational, social and community, health and ecclesiastical sectors, they allowed to know and to understand the concepts of the psychosocial intervention, the theoretical foundations, the work focuses and problems prioritized on those that base the work psychosocial. The qualitative methodology of the study, was guided under a hermeneutic focus, transcribing and analyzing the stories under a ned in the focal groups of five seminars-workshop.

Age at menopause in Latin America.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the age at menopause (AM) in Latin America urban areas. DESIGN: A total of 17,150 healthy women, aged 40 to 59 years, accompanying patients to healthcare centers in 47 cities of 15 Latin American countries, were surveyed regarding their age, educational level, healthcare coverage, history of gynecological surgery, smoking habit, presence of menses, and the use of contraception or hormone therapy at menopause. The AM was calculated using logit analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the entire sample was 49.4 +/- 5.5 years. Mean educational level was 9.9 +/- 4.5 years, and the use of hormone therapy and oral contraception was 22.1% and 7.9%, respectively. The median AM of women in all centers was 48.6 years, ranging from 43.8 years in Asuncion (Paraguay) to 53 years in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). Logistic regression analysis determined that women aged 49 living in cities at 2,000 meters or more above sea level (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.4-2.9, P < 0.001) and those with lower educational level (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.8, P < 0.001) or living in countries with low gross national product (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.5-2.9, P < 0.001) were more prone to an earlier onset of menopause. CONCLUSIONS: The AM varies widely in Latin America. Lower income and related poverty conditions influence the onset of menopause.