Vessel tractography using an intensity based tensor model with branch detection

In this paper, we present a tubular structure seg- mentation method that utilizes a second order tensor constructed from directional intensity measurements, which is inspired from diffusion tensor image (DTI) modeling. The constructed anisotropic tensor which is fit inside a vessel drives the segmen- tation analogously to a tractography approach in DTI. Our model is initialized at a single seed point and is capable of capturing whole vessel trees by an automatic branch detection algorithm developed in the same framework. The centerline of the vessel as well as its thickness is extracted. Performance results within the Rotterdam Coronary Artery Algorithm Evaluation framework are provided for comparison with existing techniques. 96.4% average overlap with ground truth delineated by experts is obtained in addition to other measures reported in the paper. Moreover, we demonstrate further quantitative results over synthetic vascular datasets, and we provide quantitative experiments for branch detection on patient Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) volumes, as well as qualitative evaluations on the same CTA datasets, from visual scores by a cardiologist expert

Natural Parameterization

The objective of this project has been to develop an approach for imitating physical objects with an underlying stochastic variation. The key assumption is that a set of “natural parameters” can be extracted by a new subdivision algorithm so they reflect what is called the object’s “geometric DNA”. A case study on one hundred wheat grain crosssections (Triticum aestivum) showed that it was possible to extract thirty-six such parameters and to reuse them for Monte Carlo simulation of “new” stochastic phantoms which possessthe same stochastic behavior as the “original” cross-sections

Nanoparticles in medicine: Automating the analysis process of high-throughput microscopy data.

Automated tracking of cells across timelapse microscopy image sequences typically employs complex segmentation routines and/or bio-staining of the tracking objective. Often accurate identification of a cell's morphology is not of interest and the accurate segmentation of cells in pursuit of non-morphological parameters is complex and time consuming. This thesis explores the potential of internalized quantum dot nanoparticles as alternative, bio- and photo-stable optical markers for tracking the motions of cells through time. CdTe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots act as nodes in moving light display networks within A549, epithelial, lung cancer cells over a 40 hour time period. These quantum dot fluorescence sources are identified and interpreted using simplistic algorithms to find consistent, non-subjective centroids that represent cell centre locations. The presented tracking protocols yield an approximate 91% success rate over 24 hours and 78% over the full 40 hours. The nanoparticle moving light displays also provide simultaneous collection of cell motility data, resolution of mitotic traversal dynamics and identification of familial relationships enabling the construction of multi-parameter lineage trees. This principle is then developed further through inclusion of 3 different coloured quantum dots to create cell specific colour barcodes and reduce the number of time points necessary to successfully track cells through time. The tracking software and identification of parameters without detailed morphological knowledge is also demonstrated through automated extraction of DOX accumulation profiles and Cobalt agglomeration accruement statistics from two separate toxicology assays without the need for cell segmentation

A facility to Search for Hidden Particles (SHiP) at the CERN SPS

A new general purpose fixed target facility is proposed at the CERN SPS accelerator which is aimed at exploring the domain of hidden particles and make measurements with tau neutrinos. Hidden particles are predicted by a large number of models beyond the Standard Model. The high intensity of the SPS 400~GeV beam allows probing a wide variety of models containing light long-lived exotic particles with masses below ${\cal O}$(10)~GeV/c$^2$, including very weakly interacting low-energy SUSY states. The experimental programme of the proposed facility is capable of being extended in the future, e.g. to include direct searches for Dark Matter and Lepton Flavour Violation