Upconversion Spectral Rulers for Transcutaneous Displacement Measurements

We describe a method to measure micron to millimeter displacement through tissue using an upconversion spectral ruler. Measuring stiffness (displacement under load) in muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons is important for studying and monitoring healing of injuries. Optical displacement measurements are useful because they are sensitive and noninvasive. Optical measurements through tissue must use spectral rather than imaging approaches because optical scattering in the tissue blurs the image with a point spread function typically around the depth of the tissue. Additionally, the optical measurement should have low background and minimal intensity dependence. Previously, we demonstrated a spectral encoder using either X-ray luminescence or fluorescence, but the X-ray luminescence required an expensive X-ray source and used ionizing radiation, while the fluorescence sensor suffered from interference from autofluorescence. Here, we used upconversion, which can be provided with a simple fiber-coupled spectrometer with essentially autofluorescence-free signals. The upconversion phosphors provide a low background signal, and the use of closely spaced spectral peaks minimizes spectral distortion from the tissue. The small displacement noise level (precision) through tissue was 2 µm when using a microscope-coupled spectrometer to collect light. We also showed proof of principle for measuring strain on a tendon mimic. The approach provides a simple method to study biomechanics using implantable sensors.

Graph-based segmentation with homogeneous hue and texture vertices

This work presents an automated segmentation method, based on graph theory, which processes superpixels that exhibit spatially similarities in hue and texture pixel groups, rather than individual pixels. The graph shortest path includes a chain of neighboring superpixels which have minimal intensity changes. This method reduces graphics computational complexity because it provides large decreases in the number of vertices as the superpixel size increases. For the starting vertex prediction, the boundary pixel in first column which is included in this starting vertex is predicted by a trained deep neural network formulated as a regression task. By formulating the problem as a regression scheme, the computational burden is decreased in comparison with classifying each pixel in the entire image. This feasibility approach, when applied as a preliminary study in electron microscopy and optical coherence tomography images, demonstrated high measures of accuracy: 0.9670 for the electron microscopy image and 0.9930 for vitreous/nerve-fiber and inner-segment/outer-segment layer segmentations in the optical coherence tomography image.

Bio-Degradation Study of ABS Protein Filled Nano Composite

In this work we report the particular preparing as well as properties of nano blend according to acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene terpolymer using improved nano silica, and also casein, in particular, most of us studied the effects of filler injections concentration on morphology, as well as hardware overall performance, paying attention our consideration on the consequence with the biodegradation phenomena with the casein modifiers. ABS/nano Si and casein blends are assumed to be biodegradable since both components are bio-degradable in a variety of microbial circumstances. The particular processing and mechanical properties involving casein and also ABS/nano Si blends have been well investigated and submitted to degradation by dirt interment tests in perforated boxes for 6 months and later analyzed. After destruction, blends along with casein displayed FTIR signals of minimal intensity in comparison to the original blends. These results exposed that ABS/nano Si’s biodegradability may be improved until casein is added to it. as to the actual mechanical properties, the effect of casein content on the strain at break of the nano composites, it is seen that the strain at break and impact strength of the nano composites get worse with the addition of casein where it decreases with increasing casein content while Young's modulus is higher than that of pure ABS.

THE PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT OF PHYSICIANS OF VARIOUS SPECIALTIES

Introduction. The professional burnout is a prevalent phenomenon among physicians confirmed by data of a number of foreign studies. The3 development of professional burnout correlates with rate of medical mistakes and outflow of personnel from the field. At that, there is no studies related to searching of differences in development of professional burnout in various medical specialists which is required for detailed planning of measures on decreasing of prevalence of the mentioned syndrome. Material and methods. The questionnaire MBI (Maslach burnout Inventory) was applied for assessing the level of burnout. a number of originally developed questions was added to establish intensity of labor of physicians. all physicians were stratified on four groups according the profile of specialty (therapeutic, surgical, diagnostic and organizational methodological profiles). Results. The study covered sampling of 1,668 physicians. The obtained data permitted to establish differences in their labor activities and level of professional burnout as related to particular specialties, including urban/rural characteristics. The maximal intensity of labor was specific for physicians of surgical profile. The minimal intensity of labor was established for physicians of organizational methodological profile. The physicians of therapeutic profile were characterized by average level of professional burnout. The symptoms of professional burnout were characteristic for all groups of specialties. At that, 1/5 of all physicians had a low degree of this syndrome. The level of professional burnout in physicians of therapeutic profile in rural area were higher than in urban area by all parameters. The level of professional burnout in surgeons differed at the expense of depersonalization independently of place of employment. Discussion. The obtained data permits to reliably judge about necessity of development of preventive measures with consideration for differences in development of professional burnout in representatives of various medical professions and dictates necessity of further investigation of factors of development of professional burnout in medical specialists.

A Imaterialidade do Inefável: Traços Imponderáveis da Percepção Auditiva e da Experiência Musical em Vladimir Jankélévitch

The concept of the ineffable, employed by Vladimir Jankélévitch’s philosophy of music, seems to imply, besides a limit to verbal expression, the idea of immateriality. This article will initially consider the immaterial tenor of the ineffable in two strands which particularly influenced the philosopher: Christian mysticism and Neoplatonism. A second and larger section will be devoted to the investigation of the theme in Jankélévitchian philosophy of music. Firstly, some “immaterial” features of musical experience and auditory perception, such as its indivisible, non-locatable, non-storable and non-objectifiable character will be identified. Secondly, it will focus on the intentional search of immateriality by Debussy and Fauré, who enhance the immateriality of music through specific procedures, such as the choice of diaphanous motifs, the nocturnal setting, the absence of external references, the exploration of veiled timbers and of sonorities of minimal intensity, the special use of modality and modulation. These aspects will be summed up in the conclusion, which will also question the possibility of inferring the alleged essential immateriality of music from the poetics that cultivate intangible sonorous atmospheres.