74 research outputs found
Precisie van lijnvolging in digitale beelden
No full textIn digital images lines can be detected using certain digital image processing techniques. The most important goal of this research is to determine the precision of two line following operators. To achieve this, a large scale aerial colour photo has been scanned. The technique which has been applied can be divided in three phases : 1. smoothing Smoothing of noise without affecting the edges in the image. The unweighted conditioned filter, the Kuwahara filter and the median filter have been used. 2. edge detection Determination of an edge image. The normal gradient, the Prewitt and the Sobel operator and the Forstner operator have been applied. 3. line following Connection of the candidate edges by using neighbourhood information. Edge relaxation and dynamic programming have been used.Civil Engineering and Geoscience
Advances in radiation therapy
No full textRadiation therapy (or radiotherapy) and surgery are the two main treatments available for curing solid tumour malignancies. Radiation therapy uses high-energy ionising radiation to destroy the DNA of cancer cells, and can be used to cure cancers, either alone or in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy.
According to the available evidence, one in two patients with cancer in Australia would benefit from receiving radiation therapy as part of their treatment. In cases of incurable disease, radiotherapy relieves distressing
symptoms, such as pain, in two of three patients. Radiation therapy is an effective, safe cancer treatment that is also cost-efficient. Data analysis by Medicare and the federal Department of Health indicate that less than 9 cents of each dollar spent on cancer care in Australia is for radiation therapy. In the past decade, major technological advances have transformed the field,
allowing patients to be treated with greater precision than ever before
Quo vadis, CIUTI?
No full textLe présent article retrace le cheminement de la CIUTI depuis 50 ans, c’est-à-dire son développement en une organisation réputée ayant à son actif 40 membres en Europe et dans le monde. À ses débuts, la CIUTI avait certes comme but essentiel la promotion de la coopération entre ses membres (mobilité des étudiants et des enseignants, échange de connaissances), mais son autre objectif était de promouvoir la traductologie dans les universités en tant que discipline à part entière. L’auteur affirme qu’être membre de la CIUTI a une valeur symbolique qui confère, de ce fait, un capital social valorisant, sur les plans national et international, notamment en ce qui concerne le classement des instituts. En 1994, la CIUTI est devenue une association internationale régie par la loi belge ; en tant que telle, la CIUTI a voulu jouer son rôle en matière de formation afin d’influencer la politique langagière et traductionnelle européenne, en collaboration avec d’autres organisations internationales. Ses actions ont été facilitées par le fait que la CIUTI a aussi été déclarée ONG à Genève en 2003. Cependant, selon l’auteur, le développement interne de la CIUTI n’a pas suivi le même rythme que le rayonnement externe, indéniable, que cette association a connu et connaît encore en tant qu’important acteur international. Aussi, des modifications de la structure décisionnelle seront nécessaires, ainsi que la mise à disposition de moyens financiers liée à l’attribution de plus de pouvoir au Conseil de la CIUTI, de manière à permettre la mise en place d’une gestion professionnelle et efficace des affaires publiques. Une décision délicate incombe à la CIUTI : soit continuer à suivre le chemin déjà tracé et éviter toute forme de risque, soit prendre une voie nouvelle et accepter son rôle en tant qu’acteur clé dans notre ère de mondialisation.This article shows that within 50 years CIUTI has developed into a reputable organization now with 40 member institutes both within and outside of Europe. In the beginning CIUTI was devoted to promoting the cooperation between its members (mobility of students and trainers; exchange of knowledge), but was also anxious to anchor translation studies at universities as a scientific discipline in its own right. The author shows that CIUTI membership is of symbolic value and provides important social capital thus being of advantage to its members in their national and international ranking. In 1994, CIUTI became an international association (association internationale) under Belgian law and then began to play a role in education matters to influence European language and translation politics in collaboration with other international organizations. This was made easier by the fact that CIUTI was registered as a NGO in Geneva in 2003. However, according to the author of this article, the internal development of CIUTI has not kept pace with the external requirements of becoming a global player. That will require changes in its decision making structure and in the disposal of its financial resources by giving the Board (Conseil) more power to implement an appropriately efficient and professional public affairs strategy. CIUTI has a difficult decision to make, either to stay on the beaten track and avoid any risks or to forge a new future for itself and accept its role as a major global player
Nodal parameters of FDG PET/CT performed during radiotherapy for locally advanced mucosal primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma can predict treatment outcomes : SUVmean and response rate are useful imaging biomarkers
No full textPurpose: To evaluate the prognostic utility of nodal metabolic parameters derived from FDG PET/CT performed before radiotherapy (prePET) and during the third week of radiotherapy (iPET) in patients with mucosal primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (MPHNSCC). Methods: This analysis included 75 patients with newly diagnosed locally advanced node-positive MPHNSCC treated with radical radiotherapy and concurrent systemic therapy who underwent prePET and iPET: N1 11 patients, N2a 38, N2b 12, N2c 9, N3 5. The median follow-up was 28 months (9 – 70 months). The maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUVmax and SUVmean), metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesional glycolysis (TLG) of the index lymph node (node with the highest TLG) and the combined total lymph nodes, and their percentage reductions on iPET were determined, and the results were correlated with 3-year Kaplan-Meier locoregional, regional and distant metastatic failure-free survival (FFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Optimal cut-off values were derived from receiver operating characteristic curves. Cox regression univariate and multivariate analyses with clinical covariates were performed. Results: Based on assessment of residual nodal metabolic burden during treatment, the iPET index node SUVmean (optimal cut-off value 2.95 g/ml) and the total node SUVmean (optimal cut-off value 3.25) were the best independent predictors of outcome in the multivariate analysis: index node SUVmean for DFS and OS p = 0.033 and 0.003, respectively, and the total node SUVmean for locoregional FFS, DFS and OS p = 0.028, 0.025 and 0.014, respectively. Based on the assessment of response rates during treatment, a reduction of more than 50 % in the total node TLG was the best biomarker for locoregional and regional FFS, DFS and OS in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.001, 0.016, 0.001 and 0.004, respectively), and reduction in the total node MTV for locoregional FFS, DFS and OS (p = 0.026, 0.003 and 0.014, respectively). There were no significant correlations between oncological outcomes and prePET nodal parameters. Conclusion: We demonstrated that the index node and total node SUVmean on iPET and a reduction of more than 50 % in MTV and TLG are useful imaging biomarkers, and can potentially identify those patients with MPHNSCC who have a high risk of locoregional metastatic failure and death
Bóg sprawiedliwości i Bóg miłosierdzia w świetle Wj 33, 19 i Wj 34, 6-7
No full textUndertaking the theme of justice and charity of God, the author wants to show that these “attributes” of God do not exclude each other mutually. They mutually complete each other and are inseparably and existentially related to each other. Both come from God, in Him have their beginning and the source. Justice and charity are God’s gifts for us. We are their continuous recipients. If we begin to contrast justice and charity, sooner or later they will lose their sense and meaning in our life, and through this we will destroy also their beneficial character planned by God in his economy of salvation. Justice without charity will become “a cold” doctrine, and charity without justice will prove only a servile, meaningless gesture
Bóg sprawiedliwości i Bóg miłosierdzia w świetle Wj 33, 19 i Wj 34, 6-7
No full textUndertaking the theme of justice and charity of God, the author wants to show that these “attributes” of God do not exclude each other mutually. They mutually complete each other and are inseparably and existentially related to each other. Both come from God, in Him have their beginning and the source. Justice and charity are God’s gifts for us. We are their continuous recipients. If we begin to contrast justice and charity, sooner or later they will lose their sense and meaning in our life, and through this we will destroy also their beneficial character planned by God in his economy of salvation. Justice without charity will become “a cold” doctrine, and charity without justice will prove only a servile, meaningless gesture
Transoral robotic surgery-based therapy for HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
No full textBackground: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for the treatment of early human papillomavirus- related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPVOPSCC) is a well-established treatment modality. It requires a distinctive skill set from the head and neck surgeon to achieve optimal oncological and functional outcomes. The aim of this study is to demonstrate oncological outcomes of HPVOPSCC treated with TORS and guideline indicated adjuvant therapy.
Methods: A consecutive case series of adult patients with HPVOPSCC undergoing primary surgical treatment by a single fellowship trained robotic head and neck surgeon in Australia was performed. Adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy) was delivered based on current guidelines. The primary outcomes were to determine complete resection of the primary tumour, locoregional recurrence, disease specific survival, and overall survival. The secondary outcomes were to determine complications; post-operative haemorrhage, salivary leak, and need for percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) insertion.
Results: A total of 41 patients were assessed. Adjuvant therapy was indicated in 15 (36.6%) patients (radiotherapy: 14; chemoradiotherapy: 1). The follow-up was 51 [interquartile range (IQR) 24] months. The positive margin rate on histopathology analysis was 4.9% (n=2). The locoregional recurrence rate was4.9% (n=2). The disease-specific survival and overall survival rate was 100% at 3 years, and 95.1% at 5 years. TORS-related complications occurred in 5 patients (12.1%), of which 2 patients (4.9%) had a secondary haemorrhage, 1 patient (2.4%) had a salivary leak, and 2 patients (4.9%) required short-term PEG insertion.
Conclusions: TORS for the treatment of early stage HPVOPSCC can result in complete resection, low rates of recurrence, and acceptable complication profile
Employment for radiation oncologists in Australia and New Zealand: Recent graduates survey of experiences and perspectives
No full textA review of the predictive role of functional imaging in patients with mucosal primary head and neck cancer treated with radiation therapy
No full textAdvanced radiotherapy techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy, have been reported to reduce toxicities by improving the dose conformity in mucosal primary head and neck cancer (MPHNC). However, to further optimize the therapeutic ratio, details on individual patient and disease characteristics may be necessary to tailor treatments. This is likely to include identifying poor responders for treatment intensification and good responders for de-escalation strategies. Non-invasive, repeatable imaging biomarkers are attractive modalities in both pre-treatment and intra-treatment response prediction with a view to individualized treatment options. This review has assessed the current literature on the prognostic/predictive role of widely available functional imaging (FI) studies such as fMRI(functional magnetic resonance imaging), functional computed tomography (fCT) and positron-emission-tomography(PET). A literature search was carried out using Medline, Embase and PubMed. Studies were included if imaging was undertaken pre and/or during radiotherapy (with or without the addition of chemotherapy and/or surgery). A total of 99 relevant studies were identified: 14 fMRI, 10 fCT, 59 FDG-PET and 16 non-FDG-PET studies. These articles were reviewed to identify imaging parameters demonstrating a correlation with patient outcome or a factor considered to impact on patient outcome and thus likely to be of potential predictive value in MPHNC and associated future radiotherapy treatment directions. Several studies have demonstrated that both pre-treatment and mid-treatment FDG-PET is predictive of outcomes. However, further studies are required to confirm the role of other imaging studies including fMRI and PET using other tracers. There is large heterogeneity within and between published studies, including tumour sites, treatment options, outcome endpoints and parameters assessed. We propose a minimum set of factors that should be reported and make recommendations for studies evaluating the predictive utility in MPHNC
Prognostic utility of 18F-FDG PET-CT performed prior to and during primary radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma : index node is a useful prognostic imaging biomarker site
No full textPurpose: To evaluate the prognostic value of 18F-FDG-PET-CT performed prior to (prePET) and during the third week (iPET) of radiation therapy (RT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and methods: Thirty-patients with newly diagnosed loco-regionally advanced NPC treated with radical RT underwent prePET and iPET. The median follow-up was 26 months (8–66.9). The maximum standardised-uptake-value (SUVmax), metabolic-tumour-volume (MTV) and total-lesional-glycolysis (TLG) of the primary tumour (PT), index-node (IN) (lymph node with highest TLG), total-lymph-nodes (TN) and combined primary-tumour and nodal (PTN), and their % reductions in iPET were analysed, and results were correlated with 2-year Kaplan–Meier loco-recurrence-free-survival (LRFS), regional failure-free-survival (RFFS), distant-metastatic-failure-free-survival (DMFFS), disease-free-survival (DFS), and overall-survival (OS). Optimal-cut offs (OC) were derived from Receiver-Operating-Characteristic curves.
Results: For LRFS, the only predictor was reduction in PT MTV by >50%: 95.2% vs. 75.0%, p = 0.024. Results: For other treatment outcomes, only nodal or PTN predicted outcomes. The IN SUVmax (pre-PET-OC = 10.45 g/mL and iPET-OC = 8.15) and TLG (prePET-OC = 90 g and iPET-OC = 33.4) were the best predictors of outcome: RFFS (iPET SUVmax/TLG): 100% vs. 50%, p < 0.001 and 100% vs. 44%,
p = 0.032; DMFFS (prePET SUVmax/TLG); 100% vs. 51.9%, p = 0.004 and 100% vs. 47.6%, p = 0.002; DFS (prePET TLG and iPET SUVmax): 87.5% vs. 33%, p = 0.045 and 78.7% vs. 20%, p = 0.01; and OS (prePET TLG): 100% vs 66.3%, p = 0.036.
Conclusions: We have demonstrated IN of prePET and iPET to be a feasible and potentially useful novel imaging biomarker to predict for patients with NPC who have a high risk of regional or distant metastatic failure. Future work is required to validate our findings in a well-powered, prospective study with a
standardised treatment protocol, and their potential use to guide individualised therapy for NPC
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