Deep learning-based classification of blue light cystoscopy imaging during transurethral resection of bladder tumors

Bladder cancer is one of the top 10 frequently occurring cancers and leads to most cancer deaths worldwide. Recently, blue light (BL) cystoscopy-based photodynamic diagnosis was introduced as a unique technology to enhance the detection of bladder cancer, particularly for the detection of flat and small lesions. Here, we aim to demonstrate a BL image-based artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic platform using 216 BL images, that were acquired in four different urological departments and pathologically identified with respect to cancer malignancy, invasiveness, and grading. Thereafter, four pre-trained convolution neural networks were utilized to predict image malignancy, invasiveness, and grading. The results indicated that the classification sensitivity and specificity of malignant lesions are 95.77% and 87.84%, while the mean sensitivity and mean specificity of tumor invasiveness are 88% and 96.56%, respectively. This small multicenter clinical study clearly shows the potential of AI based classification of BL images allowing for better treatment decisions and potentially higher detection rates

Study of doubly strange systems using stored antiprotons

Bound nuclear systems with two units of strangeness are still poorly known despite their importance for many strong interaction phenomena. Stored antiprotons beams in the GeV range represent an unparalleled factory for various hyperon-antihyperon pairs. Their outstanding large production probability in antiproton collisions will open the floodgates for a series of new studies of systems which contain two or even more units of strangeness at the P‾ANDA experiment at FAIR. For the first time, high resolution γ-spectroscopy of doubly strange ΛΛ-hypernuclei will be performed, thus complementing measurements of ground state decays of ΛΛ-hypernuclei at J-PARC or possible decays of particle unstable hypernuclei in heavy ion reactions. High resolution spectroscopy of multistrange Ξ−-atoms will be feasible and even the production of Ω−-atoms will be within reach. The latter might open the door to the |S|=3 world in strangeness nuclear physics, by the study of the hadronic Ω−-nucleus interaction. For the first time it will be possible to study the behavior of Ξ‾+ in nuclear systems under well controlled conditions

Oxygen partial pressure control for microgravity experiments

A system consisting of a high-temperature yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) based oxygen ion pump and potentiometric sensor enables precise measurement and control of oxygen partial pressure, pO2, at elevated temperatures within 0.2 to 10^-20 bar. <the principle of operation as well as the influence of temperature and gas buffers like H2/H2O on the pO2 is discussed. The ion pump is controlled by a microcontroller system and adjusts the oxygen partial pressure with an uncertainty of Delta-log(pO2)<0.02 and response times between 5 and 90s over the entire pO2 range. The oxygen ion pump is tested in combination with the electromagnetic levitation. Here, the surface tension of molten Ni at 1720 °C as a function of oxygen partial pressure is determined. A good agreement of this measurement with calculated value confirms the applicability of the system for high-temperature measurement and control of pO2. The developed hardware is suitable for the electromagnetic levitation facility onboard the international space station (ISS)