Other realms

Can a system existing in rigid order be taken back to a state of malleability, a space of potential not yet actualized? If creation reduces the infinite to produce the finite, then in the simplest sense, creation is the process of bringing something tangible, real, out of the ether—out of the primordial chaos of possibility. The technique of defamiliarization can be viewed as an agent of de-creation, the active reversal of creation, in order to make creation possible once again. As such it holds spiritual power in its own right. In pursuit of this state of renewed potentiality, I use methods of defamiliarization to draw my audiences into immersive, participatory narrative environments that precipitate encounters with and within alternate non-social contexts—nature, death, deep space, the dreaming world. In these often ineffably vast spaces, rigid spatial, temporal, and sensory parameters are manipulated, disrupting perceptual orientation. There is an infinite stepping in and stepping out of this space of potential, allowing for symbolic expressions of an inward story to unfold. From this suspended vantage point, the present is turned into uncharted territory

Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Nanosystems for Photodynamic Therapy

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of improving the efficiency of a photosensitizer utilizing colloidal semiconductor quantum dots as light-harvesting nanoantenna and reveal the mechanism of this enhancement. Keywords: quantum dots, photosensitizer, photodynamic therapy, FRET, charge transfe

Etude des mouvements oculaires comme outil pédagogique en imagerie médicale : résultats et défis méthodologiques

Titre : Etude des mouvements oculaires comme outil pédagogique en imagerie médicale : résultats et défis méthodologiques Auteurs: George Rakovich, Stéphane Carignan, François Marquis, Serge Dubé, avec la participation d’une équipe de psychologie de l’Université de Montréal. Contexte : Les modalités de formation en imagerie médicale ne se fondent pas sur des stratégies pédagogiques adaptées. Or certaines études suggèrent qu’on pourrait utiliser les mouvements oculaires pour enseigner une stratégie de recherche visuelle experte et systématique. Objectif: Mesurer les effets d’enseigner la stratégie de recherche visuelle d’un radiologiste aux étudiants de médecine. Matériel et méthodes : Un logiciel pédagogique a été conçu à partir des trajectoires de balayage visuel d’un radiologiste. Suivant un devis randomisé, les étudiants formés avec ce logiciel ont été comparés à un groupe contrôle à partir de l’observation de 20 radiographies pulmonaires. Résultats : Quatre séries de données de chaque groupe étaient disponibles pour analyse. Le taux d’exactitude diagnostique était de 61,25% +/- 6,29% et de 63,75% +/-14,3% pour les groupes expérimental et contrôle, respectivement (test t, p=0,38; alpha 0,05). Les valeurs des vecteurs de Damerau-Levenshtein (mesures des mouvements oculaires) étaient de 99,13 +/- 4,26 et de 97,43 +/- 3,01 pour les groupes expérimental et contrôle, respectivement (test t, p=0,0022; alpha 0,05). Discussion et conclusion : L’exactitude diagnostique était faible et comparable. Ce résultat peut être dû à un manque de puissance de l’étude due au petit nombre de participants, un logiciel inefficace, ou une utilisation sous-optimale du logiciel due à un temps de formation insuffisant. Le groupe expérimental avait aussi une stratégie de recherche visuelle moins systématique (valeur supérieure du vecteur de Damerau-Levenshtein). Ces résultats exigent une réévaluation de notre compréhension de l’expertise en imagerie médicale. Cependant la faible participation et l’absence de données supplémentaires sur les mouvements oculaires en raison de problèmes méthodologiques limitent les tentatives d’interprétation.Title: A study of eye movements as a training tool in medical image interpretation: results and methodological challenges Authors: George Rakovich, Stéphane Carignan, François Marquis, Serge Dubé, with the participation of a psychology team of the Université de Montréal. Context: Training methods in medical image interpretation are not founded on adapted pedagogical strategies. Some studies suggest that eye movements can be used to teach an expert and systematic visual search strategy to novices. Objective: To measure the effects of teaching a radiologist’s visual search strategy to medical students. Materials and methods: A pedagogical software program was designed using a radiologist’s visual scanning path. Using a randomized experimental design, students trained with this software were compared to a control group on the basis of the observation of 20 lung X-rays. Results: Four series of data from each group were available for analysis. Mean diagnostic accuracy rates were 61.5% +/- 6.29% and 63.75% +/-14.3% for the experimental and control groups, respectively (t test, p=0.38; alpha 0,05). Mean values for the Damerau-Levenshtein vectors (a measure of eye movements) were 99.13 +/- 4.26 and 97.43 +/- 3.01 for the experimental and control groups, respectively (t test, p=0.0022; alpha 0,05). Discussion and conclusion: Diagnostic accuracy rates were low and comparable. This may be due to a lack of power of the study, an ineffective software program, or suboptimal use of software due to insufficient training time. The experimental group also had a less systematic visual search strategy (a higher value of the Damerau-Levenshtein vector). These results require a reevaluation of our understanding of the radiologist’s expertise. However, low participation rates and the lack of other eye movement data because of methodological issues limit any further interpretation

Coupling of whispering-gallery modes in size-mismatched microdisk photonic molecules

Mechanisms of whispering-gallery (WG) modes coupling in microdisk photonic molecules (PMs) with slight and significant size mismatch are numerically investigated. The results reveal two different scenarios of modes interaction depending on the degree of this mismatch and offer new insight into how PM parameters can be tuned to control and modify WG-modes wavelengths and Q-factors. From a practical point of view, these findings offer a way to fabricate PM microlaser structures that exhibit low thresholds and directional emission, and at the same time are more tolerant to fabrication errors than previously explored coupled-cavity structures composed of identical microresonators.Comment: 3 pages with 5 figures (to appear in Opt. Lett. 2007

Strong optical force induced by morphology dependent resonances

We consider the resonant optical force acting on a pair of transparent microspheres by the excitation of the Morphology Dependent Resonance (MDR). The bonding and anti-bonding modes of the MDR correspond to strong attractions and repulsions respectively. The dependence of the force on separation and the role of absorption are discussed. At resonance, the force can be enhanced by orders of magnitude so that it will dominate over other relevant forces. We find that a stable binding configuration can be induced by the resonant optical force.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Whispering gallery modes in photoluminescence and Raman spectra of a spherical microcavity with CdTe quantum dots: anti-Stokes emission and interference effects

We have studied the photoluminescence and Raman spectra of a system consisting of a polystyrene latex microsphere coated by CdTe colloidal quantum dots. The cavity-induced enhancement of the Raman scattering allows the observation of Raman spectra from only a monolayer of CdTe quantum dots. Periodic structure with very narrow peaks in the photoluminescence spectra of a single microsphere was detected both in the Stokes and anti-Stokes spectral regions, arising from the coupling between the emission of quantum dots and spherical cavity modes

Semiconductor nanowires self-assembled from colloidal CdTe nanocrystal building blocks: optical properties and application perspectives

Solution-based self-assembly of quasi-one-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures (nanowires) from quasi-zero-dimensional (quantum dots) colloidal nanocrystal building blocks has proven itself as a powerful and flexible preparation technique. Polycrystalline CdTe nanowires self-assembled from light-emitting thiol-capped CdTe nanocrystals are the focus of this Feature Article. These nanowires represent an interesting model system for quantum dot solids, where electronic coupling between the individual nanocrystals can be optically accessed and controlled. We provide a literature-based summary of the formation mechanism and the morphology-related aspects of self-assembled CdTe nanowires, and highlight several fundamental and application-related optical properties of these nanostructures. These include fundamental aspects of polarization anisotropies in photoluminescence excitation and emission, the electronic coupling between individual semiconductor nanocrystals constituting the nanowires, and more applied, waveguiding properties of CdTe nanowire bundles and anti-Stokes photoluminescence in a prototypical structure of co-axial nanowires. The optical properties of self-assembled CdTe nanowires considered here render them potential candidates for photonic nanoscale devices

Entrepreneurial potential of rural territories as an object of scientific research

Purpose. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the prospects of theoretical, methodological and applied provision of entrepreneurial potential of rural areas taking into account the current trends in the development of socio-economic-territorial systems. Methodology / approach. The methodological basis of the research is the abstract-logical method, methods of analysis and synthesis, by means of which theoretical generalizations of the concepts of the entrepreneurial potential of territories, classification of periods of their development and transformations were made. Results. The need to study the problems of entrepreneurial potential of rural areas is due to the lack of experience and knowledge of the leaders of various organizations, heads of private peasant farms in relation to its formation and reproduction, the implementation of business communications, inadequate methodological and applied to ensure its adaptation to the existing conditions of territorial development. The article analyzes the content of the economic category «entrepreneurial potential of rural territories», identifies the preconditions for forming the theoretical basis of entrepreneurial potential of rural territories, identifies the stages of its evolution and outlines the prospects for its theoretical, methodological and applied support. Originality / scientific novelty. The originality of the research is determined by the classification of the evolution of the concept of entrepreneurial potential of rural territories with the allocation of six stages, in which there is a manifestation of causal relationships of economic development of territories with entrepreneurial activity, oriented on the economic growth of socio-economic-territorial systems. Practical value / implications. The significance of the research is due to the prospects of the theoretical, methodological and applied provision of entrepreneurial potential of rural areas in particular, considering its integration (aggregate) features, the resource component, the environment for its reproduction, the effective use of institutional, managerial, and endogenous potentials