Recognition Performance Analysis of a Multimodal Biometric System Based on the Fusion of 3D Ultrasound Hand-Geometry and Palmprint

Multimodal biometric systems are often used in a wide variety of applications where high security is required. Such systems show several merits in terms of universality and recognition rate compared to unimodal systems. Among several acquisition technologies, ultrasound bears great potential in high secure access applications because it allows the acquisition of 3D information about the human body and is able to verify liveness of the sample. In this work, recognition performances of a multimodal system obtained by fusing palmprint and hand-geometry 3D features, which are extracted from the same collected volumetric image, are extensively evaluated. Several fusion techniques based on the weighted score sum rule and on a wide variety of possible combinations of palmprint and hand geometry scores are experimented with. Recognition performances of the various methods are evaluated and compared through verification and identification experiments carried out on a homemade database employed in previous works. Verification results demonstrated that the fusion, in most cases, produces a noticeable improvement compared to unimodal systems: an EER value of 0.06% is achieved in at least five cases against values of 1.18% and 0.63% obtained in the best case for unimodal palmprint and hand geometry, respectively. The analysis also revealed that the best fusion results do not include any combination between the best scores of unimodal characteristics. Identification experiments, carried out for the methods that provided the best verification results, consistently demonstrated an identification rate of 100%, against 98% and 91% obtained in the best case for unimodal palmprint and hand geometry, respectively.

Antihypertensive phytocomplexes of proven efficacy and well-established use: Mode of action and individual characterization of the active constituents

Hypertension has become the leading risk factor for worldwide cardiovascular diseases. Conventional pharmacological treatment, after both dietary and lifestyle changes, is generally proposed. In this review, we present the antihypertensive properties of phytocomplexes from thirteen plants, long ago widely employed in ethnomedicines and, in recent years, increasingly evaluated for their activity in vitro and in vivo, also in humans, in comparison with synthetic drugs acting on the same systems. Here, we focus on the demonstrated or proposed mechanisms of action of such phytocomplexes and of their constituents proven to exert cardiovascular effects. Almost seventy phytochemicals are described and scientifically sound pertinent literature, published up to now, is summarized. The review emphasizes the therapeutic potential of these natural substances in the treatment of the 'high normal blood pressure' or 'stage 1 hypertension', so-named according to the most recent European and U.S. guidelines, and as a supplementation in more advanced stages of hypertension, however needing further validation by clinical trial intensification.

Ruthenium-106 eye plaque brachytherapy in the conservative treatment of uveal melanoma: a mono-institutional experience

BACKGROUND

Traditional treatment for uveal melanoma is the enucleation of the eye with outcomes cosmetically unacceptable and loss of useful vision. Plaque brachytherapy, compared to enucleation, had the advantage to preserve the eye with outcomes cosmetically acceptable and preservation of vision.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From July 1990 to December 2009 one hundred forty-two (142) patients (51 males and 91 females) with small to medium uveal melanoma were treated with 106Ru plaque brachytherapy. The patients underwent a complete staging before brachytherapy with indirect ophthalmoscopy and ultrasounds. Mean tumour thickness was 3.26 mm (1.6-6 mm). The dose scheduled was 80-100 Gy to the apex with a maximum dose of 800 Gy to the sclera.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-two have been treated, nine patients had lost the follow-up and drop out; 133 patients were assessed. Mean follow-up was 7.7 years (6 months-18 years). The overall survival at 5, 10 and 15 years was 92%, 85% and 78% respectively. Cancer fee survival was 95%, 90% and 83%, respectively at 5, 10 and 15 year. Radiation-induced toxicity was represented in 47 patients with a 5 year actuarial survival rate free from complications of 54%.

CONCLUSIONS

106Ru plaque brachytherapy is a valid approach for treatment of uveal melanoma. This technique is efficacy and safe, with a low toxicity profile.

Chronic anemia due to mitomycin C is drug dose-dependent, normocytic, progressive, related to erythropoietin levels and quantitatively predictable: implications for radiochemotherapy

Mitomycin C (MC) is used as therapy against solid tumors, also combined with other chemotherapeutic agents or radiotherapy. It may cause acute, subacute, or chronic anemia capable of modifying the results of chemo- and radiotherapy. Erythropoietin may be lowered by cancer itself or because of chemoradiotherapy. There are few studies investigating the relationship between erythropoietin and chronic anemia.We prospectively analyzed the chronic anemia and erythropoietin in 38 patients with solid cancer. Patients were 40 to 82 years of age. MC was randomly given every 3 weeks as a single drug at 10 or 20 mg/m². When myelotoxicity occurred the next therapy cycle was delayed until recovery. RBC indices, hemolysis, erythropoietin, liver and kidney function were studied. MC cycles were 136 (3.6 ± 1.4 per pt), 32 being delayed because of myelotoxicity.Hematocrit, hemoglobin and RBC were inversely related to the cumulative dose (r = 0.70 to 0.86; p 0.03 to 0.01) of MC. Other tests remained stable. Anemia occurred almost twofold earlier in the 20 mg/m² group (p=0.049). basal erythropoietin, already lower than in age and sex watched 81 non cancerous subjects (p<0.001), decreased during MC therapy (p<0.01). For each given MC mg/m² a 0.0372 Hb mg/dl reduction occurred. Chronic anemia due to MC is accompanied by erythropoietin reduction. These results can help in designing chemoradiotherapy.

Metabolic responses in non-small cell lung cancer after hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy PET and hypofractionated radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

The aim of our study was to evaluate the pattern of local failure after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) lesions relating to different type of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) response.

METHODS

Thirteen NSCLC patients for a total of 15 lesions (primary early or locally advanced and metastases) underwent PET before and 6 months after SBRT. Maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) <2.5 was considered as cut off for complete response (CR) while lesion reduction > or =50% with residual value above 2.5 for partial response (PR).

RESULTS

With a median follow up of 30 months pre- and post-SBRT mean SUV max values were 8.2 (range 14.2-3.7) and 2.4 (range 12.9-0), respectively. No "in field recurrence" was observed while 3 cases of "out field recurrence" occurred as regional nodes progression at 7.8 and 14 months after treatment. Three years overall survival, local control and distant metastases free survival were respectively 66.7%, 63.3% and 44.4%. Actuarial 75% and 53.3% 3-year local control, 60% and 40% 3-years distant metastases free survival were observed for complete and partial PET response, respectively, after SBRT. Thereafter, 60% and 50% 3-year overall survival were observed for complete and partial response.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical results were significantly better for "responder" than "non responder" and for "complete" than "partial response" group. Moreover, our data seem to confirm that a significant subset of patients maintain a low metabolic activity without developing local relapse on longer follow up.

Synergy characterization for Enterococcus faecalis strains displaying moderately high-level gentamicin and streptomycin resistance

Synergy of 14 Enterococcus faecalis strains displaying moderately high-level aminoglycoside resistance (MICs, 500 and 256 to 1,000 micrograms/ml for gentamicin and streptomycin, respectively) was characterized by time-kill studies. All strains proved resistant to penicillin plus the respective aminoglycoside. Strains with moderately high-level aminoglycoside resistance should be considered to exhibit high-level resistance in severe infections.

Histochemical location of ketose-reductase in the placenta and fetal tissues

Images

The histochemical distribution of fructose metabolism enzymes in bovine spermatogenesis

Images

Histochemical studies of bovine seminal vesicles during postnatal development

The location of aldose and ketose reductases and of isocitric, succinic, malic and α-ketoglutaric dehydrogenases was studied by histochemical methods in the seminal vesicles of the bull, bull calf and castrated bulls.

The appearance of aldose and ketose reductase activity coincides with that of significant quantities of fructose collected from the accessory glands of calves of 5·5 months of age.

The enzymes of the Krebs' cycle, isocitric, succinic, malic and α-ketoglutaric dehydrogenases, could not be histochemically demonstrated in the seminal vesicles of bulls, bull calves and castrated young bulls.

The factors determining the high citric acid concentrations in bull seminal vesicles are discussed.

Location of L-iditol: NAD oxidoreductase (D-sorbital tetrazolium reductase or ketose-reductase) in the genital tract of the bull

The histochemical technique for the demonstration of the d-sorbitol dehydrogenase activity gave intensely positive results in the epithelium of the seminal vesicles and the glands of the ampulla of the ductus deferens of the bull. The enzymic activity was lower in the prostatic epithelium of the ductus deferens and the epididymis. The reaction was negative in the epithelium of the bulbo-urethral glands of Cowper.

The enzymic activity detected is connected with the synthesis of fructose, but in organs with a low concentration of fructose, such as the prostate gland and the ductus epididymidis the presence of the enzyme may be connected with the synthesis of sorbitol, also present in the semen.

In the seminal vesicles d-sorbitol dehydrogenase activity was found in the epithelium of the glandular tubules and in the material contained in those tubules. Using this technique, we have observed in the epithelium different types of cells which may correspond to different stages of a secretory cycle. The cells with greater deposits of diformazan appear to be related to the secretion of a product with enzymic activity.