Towards real-time multiple surgical tool tracking

Surgical tool tracking is an essential building block for computer-assisted interventions (CAI) and applications like video summarisation, workflow analysis and surgical navigation. Vision-based instrument tracking in laparoscopic surgical data faces significant challenges such as fast instrument motion, multiple simultaneous instruments and re-initialisation due to out-of-view conditions or instrument occlusions. In this paper, we propose a real-time multiple object tracking framework for whole laparoscopic tools, which extends an existing single object tracker. We introduce a geometric object descriptor, which helps with overlapping bounding box disambiguation, fast motion and optimal assignment between existing trajectories and new hypotheses. We achieve 99.51% and 75.64% average accuracy on ex-vivo robotic data and in-vivo laparoscopic sequences respectively from the Endovis’15 Instrument Tracking Dataset. The proposed geometric descriptor increased the performance on laparoscopic data by 32%, significantly reducing identity switches, false negatives and false positives. Overall, the proposed pipeline can successfully recover trajectories over long-sequences and it runs in real-time at approximately 25–29 fps

Scalable Joint Detection and Segmentation of Surgical Instruments with Weak Supervision

Computer vision based models, such as object segmentation, detection and tracking, have the potential to assist surgeons intra-operatively and improve the quality and outcomes of minimally invasive surgery. Different work streams towards instrument detection include segmentation, bounding box localisation and classification. While segmentation models offer much more granular results, bounding box annotations are easier to annotate at scale. To leverage the granularity of segmentation approaches with the scalability of bounding box-based models, a multi-task model for joint bounding box detection and segmentation of surgical instruments is proposed. The model consists of a shared backbone and three independent heads for the tasks of classification, bounding box regression, and segmentation. Using adaptive losses together with simple yet effective weakly-supervised label inference, the proposed model use weak labels to learn to segment surgical instruments with a fraction of the dataset requiring segmentation masks. Results suggest that instrument detection and segmentation tasks share intrinsic challenges and jointly learning from both reduces the burden of annotating masks at scale. Experimental validation shows that the proposed model obtain comparable results to that of single-task state-of-the-art detector and segmentation models, while only requiring a fraction of the dataset to be annotated with masks. Specifically, the proposed model obtained 0.81 weighted average precision (wAP) and 0.73 mean intersection-over-union (IOU) in the Endovis2018 dataset with 1% annotated masks, while performing joint detection and segmentation at more than 20 frames per second

Прогресс в классификации неходжкинских лимфом

We present the review of literature related to the classification of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, which form the group of morphologically and biologically heterogeneous malignant disorders of lymphoid tissue. The conceptions about these lymphomas have repeatedly undergone changes depending on interpretation of the origin of cells, which constitute the morphological substrate of the tumor. As far as the new data about morphological, immunological and cytogenetic features of lymphoid cells has been accumulated, the classifications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas have been elaborated with respect to histological types and subtypes, which are of clinical significance. The evolution and progress of classification of these tumors are analyzed in this article. The clearly outlined histological types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas were stipulated on the basis of morphological, immunophenotyping, cytogenetic and clinical patterns in the last classification, adopted by World Health Organization in 2001. Those changed the approaches to the examination and differentiated treatment of patients with such pathology.Приведен литературный обзор по классификациям неходжкинских лимфом, представляющих собой группу злокачественных процессов лимфатической ткани неоднородных с точки зрения морфологии и биологии. Концепции об этих лимфомах неоднократно менялись в зависимости от интерпретации происхождения клеток, образующих морфологический субстрат опухоли. По мере накопления новых данных о морфологии лимфоидных клеток, об их иммунологических и цитогенетических особенностях, были разработаны классификации с отражением вариантов и подвариантов неходжкинских лимфом, имеющих клиническую значимость. В этой работе проанализирована эволюция и прогресс классификаций этих опухолей. В самой последней классификации неходжкинских лимфом, принятой ВОЗ в 2001 году, сформулированы хорошо очерченные варианты на основании характеристики морфологии, иммунофенотипирования, цитогенетики и клиники, изменивших подход к исследованию и дифференцированному лечению больных, страдающих этой патологией

Students’ engagement in school: analysis according to self-concept and grade level

This article is a product of the project PTDC/CPE-CED/114362/2009 - Envolvimento dos Alunos na escola: Diferenciação e Promoção/Students Engagment in School: Differentiation and Promotion, financed by National funding, through the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT).Conceptual Framework: The value and current relevance of the construct students’ engagement in school (SES) have been highlighted in literature, despite of the lack of empirical studies and validated multidimensional instruments. Purpose: the purpose of this study is to study how the relationship between SES and the student’s concept of self (self-concept), varies throughout adolescence. Method: The sample consisted of 685 students from different regions of the country, of both sexes, divided by grade level (6th, 7th, 9th and 10th). Data were collected in classroom context through a survey that included items from “Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale” (PHCSCS) and the questionnaire “Student’s Engagement in School - A Four Dimensional Scale (SES-4DS)”, which includes cognitive, affective, behavioral and agentic dimensions (Veiga, 2013), and shows high psychometric qualities. Results: Results from variance analysis of engagement (anova two-way 2x2), according to grade level (6th and 7th versus 9th and 10th grades) and self-concept (low and high), allowed to find a main effect of the grade level on the cognitive dimension of SES and total scale (p <0.001); the effect of self-concept (ac) manifested itself in all dimensions of SES, with a high level of significance (p <0.001); the significant effects of the interaction of the variables grade level and selfconcept emerged in cognitive and agentic dimensions, as well as in the total scale, and were due to a greater differentiation in the 6th and 7th grades, comparing with the 9th and 10th grades. A greater decrease, over the years, of such dimensions in the higher self-concept group when compared with the lower self-concept group was also found. The study of this same variable in the modality of anova two-way 2x3 (low, medium and high self-concept) confirmed the main effects but not the variables interaction. Conclusions: Considering the lack of studies on these concepts, results are framed within the context of social-cognitive perspective of adolescence development, emphasizing the importance of the activation of variables such as self-concept

The clinicomorphological features of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas in children

Catedra Hematologie şi Oncologie a USMF „N.Testemiţanu”,The clinicomorphological features of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL) have been studied in 106 children of 2-15 years old. We revealed that the children had only the high-grade NHL. The primary tumor focus was situated predominantly in the abdominal cavity (abdominal lymph nodes and ileocecal region of the intestine). Regardless the primary tumor focus NHL initially spread in regional lymph nodes. The central nervous system and the bone marrow was involved more after and during the disease dissemination in children. Au fost studiate particularităţile clinico-morfologice la 106 copii de limfom non-Hodgkin (LNH) în vârstă de la 2 până la 15 ani. S-a stabilit că la copii s-au dezvoltat numai LNH cu grad înalt de malignitate. Focarul primar tumoral a predominat în cavitatea abdominală (ganglionii limfatici intraabdominali şi regiunea ileocecală a intestinului). Indiferent de localizarea focarului primar al LNH, la etapele iniţiale procesul tumoral s-a răspândit în ganglionii limfatici regiunali. În procesul generalizării la copii frecvent au avut loc determinările în sistemul nervos central şi măduva osoasă

Emerging business models in local energy markets: A systematic review of peer-to-peer, community self-consumption, and transactive energy models

The emergence of peer-to-peer, collective or community self-consumption, and transactive energy concepts gives rise to new configurations of business models for local energy trading among a variety of actors. Much attention has been paid in the academic literature to the transition of the underlying energy system with its macroeconomic market framework. However, fewer contributions focus on the microeconomic aspects of the broad set of involved actors. Even though specific case studies highlight single business models, a comprehensive analysis of emerging business models for the entire set of actors is missing. Following this research gap, this paper conducts a systematic literature review of 135 peer-reviewed journal articles to examine business models of actors operating in local energy markets. From 221 businesses in the reviewed literature, nine macro-actor categories are identified. For each type of market actor, a business model archetype is determined and characterised using the business model canvas. The key elements of each business model archetype are discussed, and areas are highlighted where further research is needed. Finally, this paper outlines the differences of business models for their presence in the three local energy market models. Focusing on the identified customers and partner relationships, this study highlights the key actors per market model and the character of the interactions between market participants

Treatment of patients with the disorders of hematopoietic system at the day-stationary hospital

Catedra Hematologie, Oncologie şi Terapie de Campanie a U.S.M.F. „N. Testemiţanu” Institutul Oncologic din MoldovaThe options for rendering the specialized hematological assistance were studied in 830 patients with different disorders of hematopoietic system within the frame of the day-stationary hospital. The principles of rational organization of this assistance, as well as the problems of medical and social rehabilitation of patients have been discussed. Sunt studiate posibilităţile de acordare a asistenţei hematologice specializate la 830 pacienţi cu diferite patologii ale sistemului hematopoietic în condiţiile staţionarului de zi. Se discută principiile de organizarea ei raţională, precum şi problemele reabilitării medicale şi sociale ale bolnavilor

Intelligent libraries and apomediators: distinguishing between Library 3.0 and Library 2.0.

Many terms and concepts have appeared in and disappeared from the history of librarianship. Currently, the use of “point oh” naming system to label developments in librarianship is prevalent. Debate on the appropriateness, basis and syntax of this naming system is ongoing. Specifically, the profession has been lately engrossed in discourses in various contexts to unravel the real meaning and potential of Library 2.0. But even before this debate is settled, a new term, Library 3.0, is seeking space in the core librarianship lexicon. This development is causing confusion among librarianship scholars, practitioners and students especially on whether there is any significant difference between the two models. Through documentary analysis, the authors explored the true meanings of these terms and have concluded that Library 2.0 and Library 3.0 are indeed different. The authors have also concluded that whereas Library 2.0 could be seen as attempting to weaken the role of librarians in the emerging information environment, Library 3.0 projects librarians as prominent apomediaries standing by and guiding the library users on how best to locate, access and use credible information in myriad formats from diverse sources, at the point of need. The authors therefore note that the prospect of the Library 3.0 model has revived hope amongst the librarians who were uncomfortable with the crowd intelligence architecture on which the Library 2.0 model was founded. Similarly, the authors have concluded that Library 3.0 provides the tools and framework to organize the infosphere that the Library 2.0 threw into disarray. Thus Library 3.0 is generally understood to be an improvement of Library 2.0 tools and techniques. The authors propose that a 3.0 library be perceived as a personalizable, intelligent, sensitive and living institution created and sustained by a seamless engagement of library users, librarians and subject experts on a federated network of information pathways

Semantic Web Tools and Decision-Making

Semantic Web technologies are intertwined with decision-making processes. In this paper the general objectives of the semantic web tools are reviewed and characterized, as well as the categories of decision support tools, in order to establish an intersection of utility and use. We also elaborate on actual and foreseen possibilities for a deeper integration, considering the actual implementation, opportunities and constraints in the decision-making context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Atoh8, a bHLH Transcription Factor, Is Required for the Development of Retina and Skeletal Muscle in Zebrafish

Math6/atoh8, a bHLH transcription factor, is thought to be indispensable for early embryonic development and likely has important roles in vertebrate tissue-specific differentiation. However, the function of Atoh8 during early development is not clear because homozygous knockout causes embryonic lethality in mice. We have examined the effects of the atoh8 gene on the differentiation of retina and skeletal muscle during early development in zebrafish.We isolated a Math6 homologue in zebrafish, designated as zebrafish atoh8. Whole -mount in situ hybridization analysis showed that zebrafish atoh8 is dynamically expressed mainly in developing retina and skeletal muscle. Atoh8-MO knock-down resulted in reduced eye size with disorganization of retinal lamination. The reduction of atoh8 function also affected the arrangement of paraxial cells and differentiated muscle fibers during somite morphogenesis.Our results show that Atoh8 is an important regulator for the development of both the retina and skeletal muscles necessary for neural retinal cell and myogenic differentiation during zebrafish embryogenesis