AI in Medical Imaging Informatics: Current Challenges and Future Directions

This paper reviews state-of-the-art research solutions across the spectrum of medical imaging informatics, discusses clinical translation, and provides future directions for advancing clinical practice. More specifically, it summarizes advances in medical imaging acquisition technologies for different modalities, highlighting the necessity for efficient medical data management strategies in the context of AI in big healthcare data analytics. It then provides a synopsis of contemporary and emerging algorithmic methods for disease classification and organ/ tissue segmentation, focusing on AI and deep learning architectures that have already become the de facto approach. The clinical benefits of in-silico modelling advances linked with evolving 3D reconstruction and visualization applications are further documented. Concluding, integrative analytics approaches driven by associate research branches highlighted in this study promise to revolutionize imaging informatics as known today across the healthcare continuum for both radiology and digital pathology applications. The latter, is projected to enable informed, more accurate diagnosis, timely prognosis, and effective treatment planning, underpinning precision medicine

Magnetosphere imager science definition team interim report

For three decades, magnetospheric field and plasma measurements have been made by diverse instruments flown on spacecraft in may different orbits, widely separated in space and time, and under various solar and magnetospheric conditions. Scientists have used this information to piece together an intricate, yet incomplete view of the magnetosphere. A simultaneous global view, using various light wavelengths and energetic neutral atoms, could reveal exciting new data nd help explain complex magnetospheric processes, thus providing a clear picture of this region of space. This report documents the scientific rational for such a magnetospheric imaging mission and provides a mission concept for its implementation

Ono što tijelo može postati: kartografija između plesa i filozofije

This thesis does not explore what body is, but what a body can become. It explores the body as event-in-making throughout the concepts such as Body without Organs (Antonin Artaud, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari), bodying (Erin Manning), body-in-making (Erin Manning). What all of those concepts have in common is the same state - a state of becoming. Here, body becomes, and as such - it is a verb, an activity, a force. This thesis does not only explore the body as a force of becoming, but it also explores the becoming of that force - at the molecular, experiential and relational level. As Manning says, a body is always more-than one. Here, we are trying to approach the physical, experiential and relational becomings of a body in movement. That which moves the body from the state of being into the state of becoming is movement. This thesis is trying to show how movement never stops. We always move, therefore, there is a continuity of becoming. A body is never just a form, but a force-form. Movement is that which opens the body toward its becoming of force(s). A moving body is not a form of expression, but a forcefield of expressivity. Movement connects the body to its very field of expressivity where the body starts to dance its capacities to do, produce and become. The body is never predetermined or finished - at the physical, experiential or relational level - but it is an ongoing movement. Movement makes the body, therefore, the body itself is a movement. We are not dancing with the body, we are dancing the body itself. The body is a score, a body-score, of its own becoming. We are not interested in what, for example, a heart is, but we are interested in molecular, experiential and relational becomings of a heart; we are interested in what a heart can become. Organs are not expressions, but flows, intensities, fields of expressivity. This thesis is an attempt to map those flows - performative and conceptual ones - and to redirect them toward new becomings.Ova teza ne istražuje ono što tijelo jest, već ono što tijelo može postati. Ova teza istražuje tijelo kao događaj u nastajanju kroz koncepte kao što su Tijelo bez Organa (Antonon Artaud, Gilles Deleuze i Felix Guattari), bodying (Erin Manning), body-in-making (Erin Manning). Ono što svi ti koncepti dijele jest isto stanje - stanje postajanja. Tijelo neprestano postaje i kao takvo - ono je glagol, aktivnost, sila. Ova teza ne istražuje samo tijelo kao silu postajanja, već i postajanje te sile - na molekularnoj, iskustvenoj i relacijskoj razini. Kao što kaže Manning, tijelo je uvijek više nego "jedno". Ovdje pokušavamo pristupiti fizičkim, iskustvenim i relacijskim postajanjima tijela u pokretu. Ono što pomiče tijelo iz stanja bivanja u stanje postajanja jest pokret. Ova teza pokušava pokazati kako pokret nikada ne prestaje. Kontinuitet pokreta također je i kontinuitetom postajanja. Tijelo nikada nije samo forma, već forma-sila. Pokret otvara tijelo prema njegovom postajanju silom. Tijelo u pokretu nije formom ekspresije, već poljem-silom ekspresivnosti. Pokret povezuje tijelo s njegovim poljem ekspresivnosti gdje tijelo počinje plesati svoj potencijal činjenja, proizvođenja i postajanja. Tijelo nikada nije unaprijed zadano ili dovršeno - na fizičkoj, iskustvenoj ili relacijskoj razini - već je kontinuiranim pokretom. Pokret čini tijelo, dakle, tijelo je pokret. Ne plešemo s tijelom, već plešemo tijelo kao takvo. Tijelo je partitura, tijelo-partitura, vlastitog postajanja. Ne zanima nas što je, na primjer, srce, već nas zanimaju molekularna, iskustvena i relacijska postajanja srca; zanima nas samo ono što srce može postati. Organi nisu ekspresije, već tokovi, intenziteti, polja ekspresivnosti. Ova je teza pokušaj mapiranja tih tokova - performativnih i konceptualnih - te njihova preusmjerenja spram novih postajanja.Cette thèse n'explore pas ce qu'est le corps, mais ce qu'un corps peut devenir. Elle explore le corps comme un événement en train de se faire à travers les concepts tels que le Corps sans Organes (Antonin Artaud, Gilles Deleuze et Félix Guattari), le bodying (Erin Manning), le corps en train de se faire (Erin Manning) et le devenir (Gilles Deleuze et Félix Guattari). Ce que tous ces concepts ont en commun est l'état de devenir. Ici, le corps devient, et en tant que tel - c'est un verbe, une activité, une force. Cette thèse explore non seulement le corps comme une force de devenir, mais elle explore également le devenir de cette force - au niveau moléculaire, expérientiel et relationnel. Comme le dit Manning, un corps est toujours plus qu'un corps. Ici, nous essayons d'aborder les devenirs physiques, expérientiels et relationnels d'un corps en mouvement. Ce qui bouge le corps de l'état d'être vers l'état de devenir est le mouvement. Cette thèse tente de montrer comment le mouvement ne s'arrête jamais. Nous bougeons toujours, donc, il y a une continuité de devenir. Un corps n'est jamais uniquement une forme, il est une force-forme. Le mouvement est celui qui ouvre le corps vers son devenir de force(s). Un corps en mouvement n'est pas une forme d'expression, mais une force d'expressivité. Le mouvement relie le corps à sa force d'expressivité où le corps commence à danser ses capacités à faire, à produire et à devenir. Le corps n'est jamais prédéterminé ou fini - au niveau physique, expérientiel ou relationnel - il est un mouvement continu. Le mouvement fait le corps, par conséquent, le corps lui-même est un mouvement. Nous ne dansons pas avec le corps, nous dansons le corps lui-même. Le corps est une partition, un corps-partition, de son devenir. Nous ne nous intéressons pas, par exemple, à ce qu'est un cœur, mais nous sommes intéressés par les devenirs moléculaires, expérientiels et relationnels d'un cœur ; nous sommes intéressés par ce qu'un cœur peut devenir. Les organes ne sont pas des expressions, mais des flux, des intensités, des champs d'expressivité. Cette thèse tente de cartographier ces flux - performatifs et conceptuels - et de les réorienter vers de nouveaux devenirs

High-throughput ultrastructure screening using electron microscopy and fluorescent barcoding.

Genetic screens using high-throughput fluorescent microscopes have generated large datasets, contributing many cell biological insights. Such approaches cannot tackle questions requiring knowledge of ultrastructure below the resolution limit of fluorescent microscopy. Electron microscopy (EM) reveals detailed cellular ultrastructure but requires time-consuming sample preparation, limiting throughput. Here we describe a robust method for screening by high-throughput EM. Our approach uses combinations of fluorophores as barcodes to uniquely mark each cell type in mixed populations and correlative light and EM (CLEM) to read the barcode of each cell before it is imaged by EM. Coupled with an easy-to-use software workflow for correlation, segmentation, and computer image analysis, our method, called "MultiCLEM," allows us to extract and analyze multiple cell populations from each EM sample preparation. We demonstrate several uses for MultiCLEM with 15 different yeast variants. The methodology is not restricted to yeast, can be scaled to higher throughput, and can be used in multiple ways to enable EM to become a powerful screening technique.This work was financially supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB1129 Z2 to J.A.G. Briggs), EMBL (to J.A.G. Briggs), the Medical Research Council (MC_UP_1201/16 to J.A.G. Briggs), and the German Ministry of Education and Research (031A605 to K.R. Patil). The Schuldiner laboratory is supported by the European Research Council CoG 646604 Peroxisystem, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant SFB1190 and a Deutsch-Israelische Projektkooperation [DIP] collaborative grant). N. Gabrielli was supported by the EMBL interdisciplinary postdoctoral program. M. Schuldiner is an incumbent of the Dr. Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling Professorial Chair in Molecular Genetics

Identification of microplastics using Raman spectroscopy: latest developments and future prospects

Widespread microplastic pollution is raising growing concerns as to its detrimental effects upon living organisms. A realistic risk assessment must stand on representative data on the abundance, size distribution and chemical composition of microplastics. Raman microscopy is an indispensable tool for the analysis of very small microplastics (<20 μm). Still, its use is far from widespread, in part due to drawbacks such as long measurement time and proneness to spectral distortion induced by fluorescence. This review discusses each drawback followed by a showcase of interesting and easily available solutions that contribute to faster and better identification of microplastics using Raman spectroscopy. Among discussed topics are: enhanced signal quality with better detectors and spectrum processing; automated particle selection for faster Raman mapping; comprehensive reference libraries for successful spectral matching. A last section introduces non-conventional Raman techniques (non-linear Raman, hyperspectral imaging, standoff Raman) which permit more advanced applications such as real-time Raman detection and imaging of microplastics.publishe

Intuitive interaction: Steps towards an integral understanding of the user experience in interaction design

A critical review of traditional practices and methodologies demonstrates an underplaying of firstly the role of emotions and secondly aspects of exploration in interaction behaviour in favour of a goal orientated focus in the user experience (UX). Consequently, the UX is a commodity that can be designed, measured, and predicted. An integral understanding of the UX attempts to overcome the rationalistic and instrumental mindset of traditional Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) on several levels. Firstly, the thesis seeks to complement a functional view of interaction with a qualitative one that considers the complexity of emotions. Emotions are at the heart of engagement and connect action irreversibly to the moment it occurs; they are intettwined with cognition, and decision making. Furthermore, they introduce the vague and ambiguous aspects of experience and open it up to potentiality of creation. Secondly, the thesis examines the relationship between purposive and non-purposive user behaviour such as exploration, play and discovery. The integral position proposed here stresses the procedurally relational nature and complexity of interaction experience. This requires revisiting and augmenting key themes of HCI practice such as interactivity and intuitive design. Intuition is investigated as an early and unconscious form of learning, and unstructured browsing discussed as random interaction mechanisms as forms of implicit learning. Interactivity here is the space for user's actions, contributions and creativity, not only in the design process but also during interaction as co-authors of their experiences. Finally, I envisage integral forms of usability methods to embrace the vague and the ambiguous, in order to enrich HCI's vocabulary and design potential. Key readings that inform this position cut across contemporary philosophy, media and interaction studies and professional HCI literature. On a practical level, a series of experimental interaction designs for web-browsing aim to augment the user's experience, and create space for user's intuition

X-ray microtomography study of carious dentine and a comparison of its removal by three techniques

The wisdom on mechanical removal of carious dentine based on hardness has been challenged and chemo-mechanical technique has been proposed as a more conservative method. However, the extent and comparison of excessive removal of sound dentine and insufficient removal of carious dentine have not been studied. The aims of the present study are to use X-ray microtomography (XMT) to determine the mineral concentrations of sound and carious dentine, and the excavated dentine using a hand excavation (HE) technique, a hand excavation technique aided by Caries Detector Dye (CD) and a chemo-mechanical removal technique using Carisolv (CSS). Comparison of the three techniques with respect to the mineral concentrations of the excavated dentine caries and the volumes of sound dentine removed were investigated. It was aimed to identify the boundary between ―infected‖ and ―affected‖ using the X-ray linear attenuation coefficients (LAC) from the XMT results and the ultrastructural images obtained from the Back Scattered Electron (BSE) imaging and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Thirty eight deciduous molars with open carious cavities were sectioned in half. One half of each molar had the carious tissue removed by HE and the other by CSS or hand excavation plus CD. XMT images were taken before and after caries removal. From the data set, an assessor, who was ‗blind‘ to which technique was used, used LAC histograms to assess the efficacy of the excavation techniques. The volumes of sound dentine removed by the 3 techniques were calculated and compared. Detailed analyses were carried out using XMT slices to investigate the mineral concentration of removed and residual dentine. Remineralisation experiments of residual dentine were performed 7 after caries removal. Backscattered electron (BSE) microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate the ultrastructure of the carious dentine. The results showed that CSS was a better technique; conforming to the principles of minimally invasive dentistry. Volume analyses showed that both CSS and CD were effective in removing less sound dentine than conventional hand excavation. It was shown for the first time that the partially demineralised layer of dentine in a natural carious lesion, which was maintained by the CSS technique, had the potential to remineralise up to 80% of the mineral level for sound dentine. Combining XMT results with AFM and BSE images, ultrastructural changes were found at the boundary around a LAC value of 0.8 cm-1 which corresponded to a KHN of 7.66 kgmm-2. It was concluded that carious dentine removal up to a hardness level of 7.66 kgmm-2 could be recommended in order to preserve dentine that has potential to remineralise

Architecture of the Mouse Brain Synaptome

Synapses are found in vast numbers in the brain and contain complex proteomes. We developed genetic labeling and imaging methods to examine synaptic proteins in individual excitatory synapses across all regions of the mouse brain. Synapse catalogs were generated from the molecular and morphological features of a billion synapses. Each synapse subtype showed a unique anatomical distribution, and each brain region showed a distinct signature of synapse subtypes. Whole-brain synaptome cartography revealed spatial architecture from dendritic to global systems levels and previously unknown anatomical features. Synaptome mapping of circuits showed correspondence between synapse diversity and structural and functional connectomes. Behaviorally relevant patterns of neuronal activity trigger spatiotemporal postsynaptic responses sensitive to the structure of synaptome maps. Areas controlling higher cognitive function contain the greatest synapse diversity, and mutations causing cognitive disorders reorganized synaptome maps. Synaptome technology and resources have wide-ranging application in studies of the normal and diseased brain

Working Papers: Astronomy and Astrophysics Panel Reports

The papers of the panels appointed by the Astronomy and Astrophysics survey Committee are compiled. These papers were advisory to the survey committee and represent the opinions of the members of each panel in the context of their individual charges. The following subject areas are covered: radio astronomy, infrared astronomy, optical/IR from ground, UV-optical from space, interferometry, high energy from space, particle astrophysics, theory and laboratory astrophysics, solar astronomy, planetary astronomy, computing and data processing, policy opportunities, benefits to the nation from astronomy and astrophysics, status of the profession, and science opportunities