PURPOSE To compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contra... more PURPOSE To compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) involving two region of interest (ROI) sizes with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) to differentiate diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) from Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (CN). METHOD Thirty-one diabetic patients were included in this prospective study. Two readers independently evaluated DWI (apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] and high-b-value signal pathological-to-normal bone ratio [DWIr]) and DCE-MRI parameters (Ktrans, Kep, Ve, internal area under the gadolinium curve at 60 s [iAUC60] and time intensity curve [TIC]) using two different ROI sizes, and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters (visual assessment, SUVmax, delayed SUVmax, and percentage changes between SUVmax and delayed SUVmax). Techniques were compared by univariate analysis using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]. Reliability was analyzed with Kappa and Intraclass correlation [ICC]. RESULTS DWIr, Ktrans and iAUC60 showed better diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.814-0.830) and reliability (ICC > 0.9) for large than for small ROIs (AUC = 0.736-0.750; ICC = 0.6 in Ktrans, 0.8 in DWIr and iAUC60). TIC showed moderate diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.739-0.761) and reliability (κ 0.7). Visual assessment of 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated a significantly higher accuracy (AUC = 0.924) than MRI parameters. Semi-quantitative 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters did not provide significant improvement over visual analysis (AUC = 0.848-0.903). CONCLUSION DWIr, Ktrans and iAUC60 allowed reliable differentiation of DFO and CN, particularly for large ROIs. Visual assessment of 18F-FDG PET/CT was the most accurate technique for differentiation.
Several nuclear receptors (NRs) are still characterized as orphan receptors because endogenous li... more Several nuclear receptors (NRs) are still characterized as orphan receptors because endogenous ligands have not yet been identified for these proteins. Evidence is growing suggesting the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptors (RORs) bind to, and are modulated by oxysterols. Recently, we discovered that the synthetic LXRα agonist T0901317 (ML125) was a potent inverse agonist of RORα and RORγ. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies quickly revealed a strategy to remove the LXRα activity from the ML125 chemical scaffold which led to ML124. ML124 represented the first synthetic RORα/RORγ dual inverse agonist devoid of LXRα activity. While there appear to be clear non-overlapping roles for RORα and RORγ, chemical probes that are isoform selective are needed to dissect this biology. We described the identification of a selective RORα synthetic ligand, ML176, which directly binds to RORα, but not other RORs, and functions as a selective inverse agonist of RORα in cell-based...
Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Information Science and Technology Applications, 2013
This paper describes the modifications required to use advanced, immersive I/O devices such as do... more This paper describes the modifications required to use advanced, immersive I/O devices such as domes and Kinects in videogames (the case study includes four games). A standalone library of components has been created to allow easy adaptation of other games, with few modifications required in the game architecture. The changes include the creation of a cubemap to obtain the whole surroundings of the user in the game, and the use of post-processing GPU shaders to render this cubemap realistically in the curved surfaces. Additionally, the adaptation process of the GUI is described, and additional interaction modes using Kinects are presented.
Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects cartilage and multiple or... more Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects cartilage and multiple organ system. We describe a case of RP presenting with fever, conjunctivitis and inflammatory signs of the right knee. Infectious and neoplastic diseases were excluded by imaging and laboratory examinations. After 17 days of admission the patient reported coughing and odynophagia, and, a physical examination showed red ears. Otorhinolaryngological examination demonstrated arytenoid chondritis. RP was diagnosed based on four McAdam's criteria. The patient was medicated with oral prednisone, and a positive clinical response was noted. Severe disease may require high doses of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents and the biological treatment may be beneficial. Beginning manifestations, such as fever, are often unspecific, leading to RP misdiagnosis. In this case, close attention to the patient's clinical history and a detailed physical examination were fundamental in concluding ...
ABSTRACT This paper describes different interactive, non photorealistic techniques which can be e... more ABSTRACT This paper describes different interactive, non photorealistic techniques which can be easily applied to video games. Based on a study of art and games, an emphasis is put on considering NPR tools as basic elements to provide different styles and moods, to convey different emotional and experiential representations of a game. We restrict ourselves to screen based effects, which permits any existing game to use our framework with practically no integration cost. This allows us not only to comply with user preferences in rendering style, but also the creation of multiple gaming experiences out of the same game. We show the resulting effects in an in-house videogame and in standard Unity demos, and show how the users can change the style of the videogame by means of a menu.
SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, 2010
Dina Cretaceous Field is located in the Upper Magdalena Valley (UMV) Basin, Colombia. Producing r... more Dina Cretaceous Field is located in the Upper Magdalena Valley (UMV) Basin, Colombia. Producing reservoir consist in a marine-transitional depositional environment with good sand continuity and thickness. Ecopetrol S.A operates the field. The field was discovered in 1969. Primary production peaked at 6,500 BOPD. Peripheral water injection started in 1985 reaching a maximum oil production rate of approximately 10,000 BOPD. Current recovery factor is estimated in 32% of the OOIP with water cuts of 96%. Water injection is operating under adverse mobility ratios (M > 4) due to crude oil viscosity (10.8 cp) at reservoir conditions. As a strategy to increase oil recovery an integrated study started in October 2009. Main objective of the multidisciplinary group was to evaluate different IOR/EOR technologies, select the most promising technology and identify areas of the field suitable to implement a pilot project. First phase of the study was a comprehensive evaluation of injection-prod...
2008 10th International Conference on Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision, 2008
We describe a general architecture of vehicle perception system developed in the framework of the... more We describe a general architecture of vehicle perception system developed in the framework of the European project PReVENT-ProFusion 1. Our system consists of two main parts: the first part where the vehicle environment is mapped and moving objects are detected; and the second part where previously detected moving objects are verified and tracked. In this paper, we focus on the first part, using occupancy grid to model the vehicle environment, perform sensor data fusion and detect moving objects. Experimental results on a Volvo Truck equipped with laser scanner and radars show the effectiveness of our approach.
Resumo: La actividad de la fosfatasa alcalina total del plasma [FAT] y de su isoenzima placentari... more Resumo: La actividad de la fosfatasa alcalina total del plasma [FAT] y de su isoenzima placentaria [FAT] fueron estudiadas al momento del parto en un grupos de gestantes, cuyos hijos tuvieron bajo peso al nacer y en un grupos de gestantes que sirvió como control. ...
The role of testosterone in cardiovascular (CV) homeostasis is in controversy, and the exact effe... more The role of testosterone in cardiovascular (CV) homeostasis is in controversy, and the exact effects of testosterone on the cardiovascular system remain poorly understood. Testosterone is metabolized by aromatase into 17b-estradiol and by 5a-reductase into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Thus, identification of these metabolites in the heart may help to explain the controversy regarding the cardiovascular effects of testosterone. We analyzed the expression patterns of these testosterone-metabolizing enzymes and assessed the effect of its enzymatic activity inhibition on ischemia (40 min)/reperfusion (4 h, I/R) via the left anterior descendent coronary artery in intact and gonadectomized male rats. Myocardial damage was measured as percentage of infarcted area vs. area at risk. Aromatase and 5a-reductase protein expression was found in the left ventricle of intact and orchidectomized rats. Exogenous testosterone had no effect on I/R induced myocardial damage in intact male rats, meanwhile exogenous testosterone protects against I/R injury in orchidectomized rats. However, enzymatic inhibition of aromatase increased myocardial damage in the presence of testosterone, while enzymatic inhibition of 5a-reductase significantly decreased the level of myocardial damage. Our results also showed that sub-chronic inhibition of 5a-reductase resulted in myocardial protection in both groups. Furthermore, in orchidectomized and intact male rats IV treatment with DHT induces a significant increase in the myocardial damage induced by I/R. Thus, the effect of testosterone on cardiovascular pathophysiology could be related, at least in part to changes in the balance of testosterone 5a-reduction and aromatization.
Pfl�gers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 2001
The effects of long-term depolarization on the level of &... more The effects of long-term depolarization on the level of &#331s and on L-type Ca2+ currents of skeletal muscle were investigated. Long-term depolarization (14 h) caused a 50% decrease of &#331s, revealed with the Western blot technique. This decline was prevented by preincubation with the Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine. Electrophysiological experiments using the voltage-clamp technique were performed to measure the actions
PURPOSE To compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contra... more PURPOSE To compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) involving two region of interest (ROI) sizes with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) to differentiate diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) from Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (CN). METHOD Thirty-one diabetic patients were included in this prospective study. Two readers independently evaluated DWI (apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC] and high-b-value signal pathological-to-normal bone ratio [DWIr]) and DCE-MRI parameters (Ktrans, Kep, Ve, internal area under the gadolinium curve at 60 s [iAUC60] and time intensity curve [TIC]) using two different ROI sizes, and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters (visual assessment, SUVmax, delayed SUVmax, and percentage changes between SUVmax and delayed SUVmax). Techniques were compared by univariate analysis using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]. Reliability was analyzed with Kappa and Intraclass correlation [ICC]. RESULTS DWIr, Ktrans and iAUC60 showed better diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.814-0.830) and reliability (ICC > 0.9) for large than for small ROIs (AUC = 0.736-0.750; ICC = 0.6 in Ktrans, 0.8 in DWIr and iAUC60). TIC showed moderate diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.739-0.761) and reliability (κ 0.7). Visual assessment of 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated a significantly higher accuracy (AUC = 0.924) than MRI parameters. Semi-quantitative 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters did not provide significant improvement over visual analysis (AUC = 0.848-0.903). CONCLUSION DWIr, Ktrans and iAUC60 allowed reliable differentiation of DFO and CN, particularly for large ROIs. Visual assessment of 18F-FDG PET/CT was the most accurate technique for differentiation.
Several nuclear receptors (NRs) are still characterized as orphan receptors because endogenous li... more Several nuclear receptors (NRs) are still characterized as orphan receptors because endogenous ligands have not yet been identified for these proteins. Evidence is growing suggesting the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptors (RORs) bind to, and are modulated by oxysterols. Recently, we discovered that the synthetic LXRα agonist T0901317 (ML125) was a potent inverse agonist of RORα and RORγ. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies quickly revealed a strategy to remove the LXRα activity from the ML125 chemical scaffold which led to ML124. ML124 represented the first synthetic RORα/RORγ dual inverse agonist devoid of LXRα activity. While there appear to be clear non-overlapping roles for RORα and RORγ, chemical probes that are isoform selective are needed to dissect this biology. We described the identification of a selective RORα synthetic ligand, ML176, which directly binds to RORα, but not other RORs, and functions as a selective inverse agonist of RORα in cell-based...
Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Information Science and Technology Applications, 2013
This paper describes the modifications required to use advanced, immersive I/O devices such as do... more This paper describes the modifications required to use advanced, immersive I/O devices such as domes and Kinects in videogames (the case study includes four games). A standalone library of components has been created to allow easy adaptation of other games, with few modifications required in the game architecture. The changes include the creation of a cubemap to obtain the whole surroundings of the user in the game, and the use of post-processing GPU shaders to render this cubemap realistically in the curved surfaces. Additionally, the adaptation process of the GUI is described, and additional interaction modes using Kinects are presented.
Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects cartilage and multiple or... more Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects cartilage and multiple organ system. We describe a case of RP presenting with fever, conjunctivitis and inflammatory signs of the right knee. Infectious and neoplastic diseases were excluded by imaging and laboratory examinations. After 17 days of admission the patient reported coughing and odynophagia, and, a physical examination showed red ears. Otorhinolaryngological examination demonstrated arytenoid chondritis. RP was diagnosed based on four McAdam's criteria. The patient was medicated with oral prednisone, and a positive clinical response was noted. Severe disease may require high doses of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents and the biological treatment may be beneficial. Beginning manifestations, such as fever, are often unspecific, leading to RP misdiagnosis. In this case, close attention to the patient's clinical history and a detailed physical examination were fundamental in concluding ...
ABSTRACT This paper describes different interactive, non photorealistic techniques which can be e... more ABSTRACT This paper describes different interactive, non photorealistic techniques which can be easily applied to video games. Based on a study of art and games, an emphasis is put on considering NPR tools as basic elements to provide different styles and moods, to convey different emotional and experiential representations of a game. We restrict ourselves to screen based effects, which permits any existing game to use our framework with practically no integration cost. This allows us not only to comply with user preferences in rendering style, but also the creation of multiple gaming experiences out of the same game. We show the resulting effects in an in-house videogame and in standard Unity demos, and show how the users can change the style of the videogame by means of a menu.
SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, 2010
Dina Cretaceous Field is located in the Upper Magdalena Valley (UMV) Basin, Colombia. Producing r... more Dina Cretaceous Field is located in the Upper Magdalena Valley (UMV) Basin, Colombia. Producing reservoir consist in a marine-transitional depositional environment with good sand continuity and thickness. Ecopetrol S.A operates the field. The field was discovered in 1969. Primary production peaked at 6,500 BOPD. Peripheral water injection started in 1985 reaching a maximum oil production rate of approximately 10,000 BOPD. Current recovery factor is estimated in 32% of the OOIP with water cuts of 96%. Water injection is operating under adverse mobility ratios (M > 4) due to crude oil viscosity (10.8 cp) at reservoir conditions. As a strategy to increase oil recovery an integrated study started in October 2009. Main objective of the multidisciplinary group was to evaluate different IOR/EOR technologies, select the most promising technology and identify areas of the field suitable to implement a pilot project. First phase of the study was a comprehensive evaluation of injection-prod...
2008 10th International Conference on Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision, 2008
We describe a general architecture of vehicle perception system developed in the framework of the... more We describe a general architecture of vehicle perception system developed in the framework of the European project PReVENT-ProFusion 1. Our system consists of two main parts: the first part where the vehicle environment is mapped and moving objects are detected; and the second part where previously detected moving objects are verified and tracked. In this paper, we focus on the first part, using occupancy grid to model the vehicle environment, perform sensor data fusion and detect moving objects. Experimental results on a Volvo Truck equipped with laser scanner and radars show the effectiveness of our approach.
Resumo: La actividad de la fosfatasa alcalina total del plasma [FAT] y de su isoenzima placentari... more Resumo: La actividad de la fosfatasa alcalina total del plasma [FAT] y de su isoenzima placentaria [FAT] fueron estudiadas al momento del parto en un grupos de gestantes, cuyos hijos tuvieron bajo peso al nacer y en un grupos de gestantes que sirvió como control. ...
The role of testosterone in cardiovascular (CV) homeostasis is in controversy, and the exact effe... more The role of testosterone in cardiovascular (CV) homeostasis is in controversy, and the exact effects of testosterone on the cardiovascular system remain poorly understood. Testosterone is metabolized by aromatase into 17b-estradiol and by 5a-reductase into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Thus, identification of these metabolites in the heart may help to explain the controversy regarding the cardiovascular effects of testosterone. We analyzed the expression patterns of these testosterone-metabolizing enzymes and assessed the effect of its enzymatic activity inhibition on ischemia (40 min)/reperfusion (4 h, I/R) via the left anterior descendent coronary artery in intact and gonadectomized male rats. Myocardial damage was measured as percentage of infarcted area vs. area at risk. Aromatase and 5a-reductase protein expression was found in the left ventricle of intact and orchidectomized rats. Exogenous testosterone had no effect on I/R induced myocardial damage in intact male rats, meanwhile exogenous testosterone protects against I/R injury in orchidectomized rats. However, enzymatic inhibition of aromatase increased myocardial damage in the presence of testosterone, while enzymatic inhibition of 5a-reductase significantly decreased the level of myocardial damage. Our results also showed that sub-chronic inhibition of 5a-reductase resulted in myocardial protection in both groups. Furthermore, in orchidectomized and intact male rats IV treatment with DHT induces a significant increase in the myocardial damage induced by I/R. Thus, the effect of testosterone on cardiovascular pathophysiology could be related, at least in part to changes in the balance of testosterone 5a-reduction and aromatization.
Pfl�gers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 2001
The effects of long-term depolarization on the level of &... more The effects of long-term depolarization on the level of &#331s and on L-type Ca2+ currents of skeletal muscle were investigated. Long-term depolarization (14 h) caused a 50% decrease of &#331s, revealed with the Western blot technique. This decline was prevented by preincubation with the Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine. Electrophysiological experiments using the voltage-clamp technique were performed to measure the actions
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