Phase Diversity For Speckle Reduction

B-mode ultrasound images are characterised by speckle artefact, which results from interference effects between returning echoes, and may make the interpretation of images difficult. Consequently, many methods have been developed to reduce this problematic feature. One widely used method, popular in both medical and non-destructive-testing applications, is a 1D method known as Split Spectrum Processing (SSP), or also as Frequency Diversity. Alhough this method was designed for speckle reduction applications, the final image experiences a resultant loss of resolution, impinging a trade-off between speckle reduction and resolution loss. In order to overcome this problem, we have developed a new method that is an extension of SSP to 2D data using directive filters, called Split Phase Processing (SPP). Instead of using ID narrow band-pass filters as in the SSP method, we use 2D directive filters to split the RF ultrasound image in a set of wide band images with different phases. The use of such filters substantially avoids the resolution loss usually associated with SSP for speckle reduction, because they effectively have the same bandwidth as the original image. It is concluded that the Split Phase Processing, as introduced here, provides a significant improvement over the conventional Split Spectrum Processing.5035414422Burckhardt, C.B., Speckle in ultrasound b-mode scans (1978) IEEE Trans. Sonics and Ultrasonics, 25 (1), pp. 1-6. , JanuaryChen, Y., Yin, R., Hynn, P., Broschat, S., Aggressive region growing for speckle reduction in ultrasound images (2003) Pattern Recognition Letters, 24 (4-5), pp. 677-691. , FebruaryGehlbach, S.M., (1983) Pulse Reflection Imaging and Acoustic Speckle, , Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford UniversityHealey, A.J., Leeman, S., Ferrari, L.A., Removing the ambiguity from single image speckle reduction techniques (1996) Acoustical Imaging, 22, pp. 145-150Li, P.C., Odonnell, M., Evaluational spatial compounding (1994) Ultrasonic Imaging, 16 (3), pp. 176-189Shankar, P.M., Newhouse, V.L., Speckle reduction with improved resolution in ultrasound images (1985) IEEE Trans. Sonics and Ultrasonics, 32 (4), pp. 537-543. , Jul

Variational Principle underlying Scale Invariant Social Systems

MaxEnt's variational principle, in conjunction with Shannon's logarithmic information measure, yields only exponential functional forms in straightforward fashion. In this communication we show how to overcome this limitation via the incorporation, into the variational process, of suitable dynamical information. As a consequence, we are able to formulate a somewhat generalized Shannonian Maximum Entropy approach which provides a unifying "thermodynamic-like" explanation for the scale-invariant phenomena observed in social contexts, as city-population distributions. We confirm the MaxEnt predictions by means of numerical experiments with random walkers, and compare them with some empirical data

Presence of osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells in the bone and nonostotic lesions of Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a disease that can involve one or multiple organ systems characterized by an accumulation of CD1a+ Langerhans-like cells as well as several other myeloid cell types. The precise origin and role of one of these populations, the multinucleated giant cell (MGC), in this disease remains unknown. This work shows that in three different lesional tissues, bone, skin, and lymph node, the MGCs expressed the characteristic osteoclast markers, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and vitronectin receptor, as well as the enzymes cathepsin K and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Although, in bone lesions, the osteoclast-like MGCs were only CD68+, in the nonostotic sites, they coexpressed CD1a. The presence of osteoclast-like MGCs may be explained by the production of osteoclast-inducing cytokines such as receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand and macrophage colony-stimulating factor by both the CD1a+ LCH cells and T cells in these lesions. As osteoclast-derived enzymes play a major role in tissue destruction, the osteoclast-like nature of MGCs in all LCH lesions makes them a potential target for the treatment of this disease

Environment Influence On Pspl-based Digital Dental Radiology Systems

Photo-stimulable phosphor luminescence technology (PSPL) has been used in Digora (Soredex, Finland) and Denoptix (CEDH Gendex, Italy) digital dental radiology imaging systems. PSPL plates store X-ray energy during exposition, being later processed by a laser reader and digitizer. Afterward they are erased and re-used. The large band of energy absorption provides PSPL systems with an extensive dynamic scale but at the same time a high sensibility to the incoming noise of environmental radiations. We have measured environment influences (electromagnetic radiation) for Digora and Denoptix plates after X-ray exposure and before digital processing. We have first compared the processing of PSPL plates "in dark" against "in light" environments. In another experiment, the exposed plates were also processed after being positioned 10 cm away from a 17 inches video monitor screen and to its laterals for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes (plates protected against light). The acquired images were used to calculate the noise power spectra (NPS) in each case. We have noticed that there was an increase in the noise spectra energy of "in light" processing compared to "in dark" processing. There was also an increment in the NPS energy when the images were processed after the exposition of the plates to the radiation emanated from video monitor.4320219226Huda, W., Comparison of a photostimulable phosphor system with film for dental radiology (1997) Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology, 84, pp. 725-731Brettle, D.S., The imaging performance of a storage phosphor system for dental radiography (1996) The British Journal of Radiology, 69, pp. 256-261Xinhua, A novel algorithm for measuring the MTF of a digital radiographic system with a CCD array detector (2000) SPIE, 3977, pp. 580-587Knüpfer, W., Novel X-ray detectors for medical imaging (1999) Nuclear Physics, 78, pp. 610-615Hildebold, C.F., Dental photostimulable phosphor radiology (2000) Dental Clinics of North America, 44 (2), pp. 273-297Stamatakis, Dose response of a storage phosphor system for intraoral radiography (1999) Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, 28, pp. 272-276Yoshiura, K., Physical evaluation of a system for direct digital intra-oral radiography based on a charged-coupled device (1999) Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, 28, pp. 277-283Workman, A., Brettle, D.S., Physical performance measures of radiographic imaging systems (1997) Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, 26, pp. 139-146Granfors, P.R., Performance characteristics of an amorphous silicon flat panel X-ray imaging detector (1999) SPIE, 3659, pp. 480-490Yoshiura, K., Physical evaluation of a system for direct digital intra-oral radiography based on a charged-coupled device (1999) Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, 28, pp. 277-283Kengyelics, S.M., Image quality evaluation of a direct digital radiology detector operating in a UK radiology department (1999) SPIE, 3659, pp. 24-35Granfords, P.R., Aufrichtig, P.R.R., DQE(f) of an amorphous silicon flat panel X-ray detector: Detector parameter influences and measurement methodology (2000) SPIE, 3977, pp. 2-13Dobbins III, J.T., DQE(f) of four generations of computed radiography devices (1995) Medical Physics, 22, pp. 1581-1593Cowen, A.R., Workman, A., A physical image quality evaluation of a digital spot flurography system (1992) Phys. Med. Biol., 37, pp. 325-342Daint, J.C., Shaw, R., (1976) Image Science - Principles, Analyses and Evaluation of Photographic-Type Imaging Process, , Academic Press, London, UKBethea, R.M., Duran, B.S., Benllion, T.L., (1995) Statistical Methods for Engineers and Scientists, , Mc Hill Reckker, New York, NYZanella, G., Zannoni, R., DQE of imaging detectors in terms of spatial frequency (1999) Nuclear Instruments and Methods Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 437, pp. 163-167Zanella, G., Zannoni, R., The role of the quantum efficiency on the DQE of an imaging detector (1996) Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 381, pp. 157-160Costa, S., DQE measurement in a scintillating glass optical fiber detector for X-ray imaging (1996) Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 380, pp. 568-571Meyer, R.R., Experimental characterization of CCD cameras for HREM at 300kV (2000) Ultramicroscopy, 85, pp. 9-13Onttonello, P., MTF and DQE measurement in imaging detectors by their single-event response (1998) Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A, 419, pp. 731-735Kandarakis, I., An experimental method for the determination of spatial-frequency-dependent detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of scintillators used in X-ray imaging detectors (1997) Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A, 399, pp. 335-34

Pulsed Direct And Constant Direct Currents In The Pilocarpine Iontophoresis Sweat Chloride Test

Background: The classic sweat test (CST) is the golden standard for cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis. Then, our aim was compare the production and volume of sweat, and side effects caused by pulsed direct current (PDC) and constant direct current (CDC). To determine the optimal stimulation time (ST) for the sweat collection. To verify the PDC as CF diagnosis option. Methods: Prospective study with cross-sectional experimental intervention. Experiment 1 (right arm): PDC and CDC. ST at 10 min and sweat collected at 30 min. Currents of 0.5; 0.75; 1.0 and 1.5 mA and frequencies of 0, 200, 1,000 and 5,000 Hz applied. Experiment 2 (left arm): current of 1.0 mA, ST at 5 and 10 min and sweat collected at 15 and 30 min with frequencies of 0; 200; 1,000 and 5,000 Hz applied Experiments 1 and 2 were performed with current density (CD) from 0.07 to 0.21 mA/cm2. Experiment 3: PDC was used in typical CF patients with two CFTR mutations screened and or with CF diagnosis by rectal biopsy and patients with atypical CF. Results: 48 subjects (79.16% female) with average of 29.54 ± 8.87 years old were enrolled. There was no statistical difference between the interaction of frequency and current in the sweat weight (p = 0.7488). Individually, positive association was achieved between weight sweat and stimulation frequency (p = 0.0088); and current (p = 0.0025). The sweat production was higher for 10 min of stimulation (p = 0.0023). The sweat collection was better for 30 min (p = 0.0019). The skin impedance was not influenced by ST and sweat collection (p > 0.05). The current frequency was inversely associated with the skin impedance (p < 0.0001). The skin temperature measured before stimulation was higher than after (p < 0.0001). In Experiment 3 (29 subjects) the PDC showed better kappa index compared to CDC (0.9218 versus 0.5205, respectively). 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Non-western contexts: the invisible half

Like many other disciplines within the broad area of social sciences (e.g., anthropology, gender studies, psychology, sociology, etc.), consumer research is also highly navigated by scholars from Western countries. This, however, does not mean, by any means, that consumer research is devoted to studying Western contexts only. As evident from the ever-increasing number of regional conferences (e.g., Asia-Pacific and Latin American conferences of the Association for Consumer Research) and non-Western students' enrolment in doctoral programs at Western universities, there are many more researchers (from non-Western countries) who are entering the field and enriching it by their colourful contributions. Yet, given the low number of publications on consumer research in non-Western contexts, it seems that our current knowledge in these societies has a long way to go to flourish. More specifically, and in the domain of consumption culture research, this gap is even further widened by the fact that the culture of consumption in such contexts is largely interpreted with reference to the 'grand narratives' of Western scholars (e.g., Foucault, Mafessoli, Bourdieu, Deleuze, Baudrillard, Nietzsche, Durkheim, Derrida, etc.). Therefore, from an ontological perspective, it seems that our existing knowledge about non-Western societies lies heavily on the 'theoretical structures' that are 'constructed' by Western philosophy as a set of ideas, beliefs, and practices (Said, 1978). As Belk (1995) reminds us, consumption culture always existed in all human societies. What makes contemporary societies different from that of our predecessors' is not the fact that consumption culture did not exist in those societies, but that consumption culture has become a prevailing feature in modern society (Slater, 1997; Lury, 1996; Fırat and Venkatesh, 1995; McCracken, 1988). Therefore, the nature and dynamics of consumption culture in each society should be studied not only against the sociocultural, historical, and economic background of a given context (Western or non-Western) but also with reference to the philosophical and epistemological viewpoints that analyse and interpret cultural practices of that society from within that culture. Addressing such issues, this paper discusses some of the key reasons for lack of theory development in the field from non-western contexts. The paper invites scholars in non-Western contexts to introduce the less articulated, and sometime hidden, body of knowledge from their own contexts into the field of marketing in general and consumer research in particular