Francesca Murgia

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection following ruxolitinib treatment in a patient with myelofibrosis

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection following ruxolitinib treatment in a patient with myelofibrosis

Unfocused plenoptic camera calibration

Calibration prepares the plenoptic data for subsequent processing in order to obtain high quality images or scene depth information. This paper investigates the process of calibrating plenoptic signals as acquired from unfocused plenoptic camera. An algorithm for plenoptic signal calibration is presented and obtained results are discussed.

3D reconstruction from plenoptic image

Novel plenoptic cameras sample the light field crossing the main camera lens. The information available in a plenoptic image can be processed, in order to create the depth map of the scene, from a single camera shot. In this paper a novel algorithm, for the reconstruction of 3D point cloud of the scene from a single plenoptic image, taken with a consumer plenoptic camera, is proposed. Experimental analysis is conducted on several test images, and results are compared with state of the art methodology. The results are very promising, as the quality of the 3D point cloud from plenoptic image, is comparable with the quality obtained with current methodologies, that necessitates of more than one image.

An analysis of 3D point cloud reconstruction from light field images

Current methodologies for the generation of 3D point cloud from real world scenes rely upon a set of 2D images capturing the scene from several points of view. Novel plenoptic cameras sample the light field crossing the main camera lens creating a light field image. The information available in a plenoptic image must be processed in order to render a view or create the depth map of the scene. This paper analyses a method for the reconstruction of 3D models. The reconstruction of the model is obtained from a single image shot. Exploiting the properties of plenoptic images, a point cloud is generated and compared with a point cloud of the same object but generated with a different plenoptic camera.

Modulation of bone marrow microenvironment following ruxolitinib therapy in myelofibrosis

Myelofibrosis (MF) is characterized by progressive bone marrow fibrosis, ineffective hematopoiesis and extramedullary hematopoiesis with splenomegaly. The primary symptoms resulting from peripheral cytopenias and massive spleen enlargement are often associated to constitutional symptoms such as fever, weight loss and night sweats. The constitutive activation of the Janus kinase (JAK)STAT signaling pathway is a hallmark of MF. The JAK2 V617F mutation is one of the factors responsible for upregulation of this pathway and is present in 50% of MF patients [1]. Calreticulin (CALR) mutations are also involved and so far have been ascertained in 25% of patients with JAK2 and MPL unmutated primary MF [2]. Despite the availability of a wide range of conventional treatment strategies, none has so far been able to change the natural course of the disease. The JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib has recently been approved for the treatment of intermediate-2 and high risk MF, either primary or post-polycythemia vera (PV) or essential thrombocytemia (ET). Data emerging from two large randomized studies known as COMFORT (Controlled myelofibrosis study with oral JAK inhibitor treatment) I and II provide evidence of significant improvement in splenomegaly and symptoms [3,4]. Further study suggests that ruxolitinib therapy may offer an advantage in survival over traditional therapy [5]. Interestingly, some single case reports and abstracts indicate that the drug is capable of achieving an improvement in bone marrow (BM) fibrosis [6–10]. Newly emerging data suggest that ruxolitinib therapy may lead to a modulation of BM microenvironment. Kvasnicka et al. [11–13] observed, alongside a significant decrease in fibrosis, macrophages and mast cells, a significant reduction of microvascular density (MVD) and microvessel area (MVA) as well as several changes in the shape and tortuosity of BM vessel structure. These results encouraged us to investigate the BM microenvironment in 10 MF patients treated with ruxolitinib. Eight patients with primary MF were enrolled in the open-label, multi-center, expanded access study JUMP CINC424A2401 and another two patients with post-ET MF were enrolled within the compassionate use program INCB018424. Both studies were approved by the local institutional ethical committee and conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The primary objective of these studies was to collect additional data on the safety of ruxolitinib treatment, irrespective of JAK2 mutation status, in patients with intermediate-high risk MF who had either been previously treated with commercially available agents or had never been treated. All patients were given 15 or 20 mg of oral ruxolitinib twice daily (BID) depending on baseline platelet count (100 000/mL to 200 000/mL or 4200 000/mL, respectively). The protocol permitted dose escalation to 25 mg BID in patients with an inadequate response; dose reduction was mandatory when platelet counts dropped to5 100 000/mL and the drug was stopped altogether with levels below 50 000/ mL. Specimens were collected and screened for the JAK2 V617F, CALR and MPL mutations. All patients underwent BM trephine biopsy at baseline and were re-evaluated after a median of 31 months (range1⁄4 12–40) of starting treatment with ruxolitinib. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with hematoxylin-eosin, factor VIII, glycoforin A (JC 159), reticulin (Dako stainer) and antiCD34 monoclonal antibody (QBEnd 10). Stained biopsy specimens were assessed by three independent pathologists for cellularity (%); megakaryocyte proliferation [3-point scoring system based on the number of

A comparison of raw light field lossless data compression algorithms

Novel digital photo cameras are able to sample the light field. In order to develop applications for efficiently storing and transmitting such information, it is important to study image coding architectures providing high compression ratios. This paper aims at exploring the performance of state-of-the-art lossless image compression algorithms applied to raw light field images. The obtained results are discussed in order to define future research directions in the area of light field image coding.

A database for evaluating the quality of experience in light field applications

Light fields captured by a new generation of digital photo cameras are processed in order to render different representation of the same scene. Evaluating the quality of experience in light field imaging applications requires publicly available databases in order to allow the research community to fairly compare the obtained results. This paper presents an open access database of light field images and corresponding views rendered at several refocusing and perspective changes.

Low cost plenoptic camera for 3D modelling

A method for processing plenoptic images and reconstructing 3D models of real objects is presented in this paper. The reconstruction of the object is made by using the capability of the plenoptic camera to perceive the depth. Through six shots, which shoot the object in a central perspective, it will be shown how it is possible to recreate the object in a digital 3D space, in its entirety, at low computational complexity.