Implementation of Otsu’s Method in Vein Locator Devices

Abstract—In finding the position of the vein for injection process can bring any difficulty particularly for the patient who has too deep vein position under the skin. Sometimes it causes the nurses do several injections to find the right vein position. This problem will make the patient uncomfortable. The objective of this research tries to solve that patients scaring through modifying normal IR CCTV camera to become a biomedical device in order to visualize vein location on a human hand. The normal IR CCTV camera is modified by removing the IR cut filter to allow mid-infrared wavelengths. In order to find the vein location, a few stages must be done such as remove the background, extracting into the single color plane, reversing the image, filtering, thresholding with Otsu’s method and eroding. This system was named with Vein Scanner System (VSS) which have function look like a scanner. To utilize the scanner recording process, this research used a stepper motor that has a function to perform scanning by moving the camera gradually along the desired point of the human hand. In controlling approach was used raspberry Pi as the core of the VSS to do image processing and to control camera position. Then, the Vein Locator Device was used to compare with the VSS to make sure the right vein. Finally, the VSS has succeeded to visualize the vein on hand

Pneumothorax and mortality in the mechanically ventilated SARS patients: a prospective clinical study

INTRODUCTION: Pneumothorax often complicates the management of mechanically ventilated severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients in the isolation intensive care unit (ICU). We sought to determine whether pneumothoraces are induced by high ventilatory pressure or volume and if they are associated with mortality in mechanically ventilated SARS patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, clinical study. Forty-one mechanically ventilated SARS patients were included in our study. All SARS patients were sedated and received mechanical ventilation in the isolation ICU. RESULTS: The mechanically ventilated SARS patients were divided into two groups either with or without pneumothorax. Their demographic data, clinical characteristics, ventilatory variables such as positive end-expiratory pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, mean airway pressure, tidal volume, tidal volume per kilogram, respiratory rate and minute ventilation and the accumulated mortality rate at 30 days after mechanical ventilation were analyzed. There were no statistically significant differences in the pressures and volumes between the two groups, and the mortality was also similar between the groups. However, patients developing pneumothorax during mechanical ventilation frequently expressed higher respiratory rates on admission, and a lower PaO(2)/FiO(2 )ratio and higher PaCO(2 )level during hospitalization compared with those without pneumothorax. CONCLUSION: In our study, the SARS patients who suffered pneumothorax presented as more tachypnic on admission, and more pronounced hypoxemic and hypercapnic during hospitalization. These variables signaled a deterioration in respiratory function and could be indicators of developing pneumothorax during mechanical ventilation in the SARS patients. Meanwhile, meticulous respiratory therapy and monitoring were mandatory in these patients

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Predictive Factors for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease, and indeed, the SARS epidemic in Taiwan from March to July 2003 had a great impact. This study depicts the clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of patients with SARS treated at Taipei Veterans General Hospital; potential predictive factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are also analyzed.MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed data for 67 SARS patients, who were grouped according to whether or not ARDS developed during the clinical course of SARS.ResultsThere were 32 males (mean age, 50.3 years; range, 20–75 years) and 35 females (mean age, 51.1 years; range, 23–86 years). Twenty-five patients (37.3%) were health care workers. At admission, 50 patients (74.6%) had abnormal chest radiographs, and all patients developed pulmonary infiltrates during the following week. During hospitalization, lymphopenia was found in 57 patients (85.1%); and elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; n = 55; 83.3%), C-reactive protein (n = 55; 83.3%), aminotransferases (n = 44; 65.7%), and creatine kinase (n = 14; 20.9%) were also noted. ARDS developed in 33 patients (49.3%), who were generally older than the patients in whom ARDS did not develop, male, non-health care workers, and who generally had dyspnea at the time of diagnosis, and a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension or cerebrovascular accident. Patients with, versus those without, ARDS also tended to present with more severe lymphopenia and leukocytosis, and with higher levels of LDH and aspartate aminotransferase. The overall mortality rate was 31.3% (21/67), whereas the rate for patients who developed ARDS was 63.6% (21/33). Multivariate analyses showed that age greater than 65 years (odds ratio, OR, 10.6; 95% confidence interval, CI, 2.1–54.1), pre-existing diabetes mellitus (OR, 13.7; 95% CI, 1.3–146.9), and elevated levels of LDH (OR, 8.4; 95% CI, 1.9–36.9) at admission, were independent predictors of ARDS.ConclusionThe clinical manifestations of SARS showed high variability, and were related to the underlying health status of individual patients. Importantly, the development of ARDS was associated with significant mortality, despite aggressive therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjunctive treatment for sternal infection and osteomyelitis after sternotomy and cardiothoracic surgery

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>A retrospective study to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy on sternal infection and osteomyelitis following median sternotomy.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>A retrospective analysis of patients who received sternotomy and cardiothoracic surgery which developed sternal infection and osteomyelitis between 2002 and 2009. Twelve patients who received debridement and antibiotic treatment were selected, and six of them received additional HBO2 therapy. Demographic, clinical characteristics and outcome were compared between patients with and without HBO2 therapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HBO2 therapy did not cause any treatment-related complication in patients receiving this additional treatment. Comparisons of the data between two study groups revealed that the length of stay in ICU (8.7 ± 2.7 days vs. 48.8 ± 10.5 days, p < 0.05), duration of invasive (4 ± 1.5 days vs. 34.8 ± 8.3 days, p < 0.05) and non-invasive (4 ± 1.9 days vs. 22.3 ± 6.2 days, p < 0.05) positive pressure ventilation were all significantly lower in patients with additional HBO2 therapy, as compared to patients without HBO2 therapy. Hospital mortality was also significantly lower in patients who received HBO2 therapy (0 case vs. 3 cases, p < 0.05), as compared to patients without the HBO2 therapy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In addition to primary treatment with debridement and antibiotic use, HBO2 therapy may be used as an adjunctive and safe treatment to improve clinical outcomes in patients with sternal infection and osteomyelitis after sternotomy and cardiothoracic surgery.</p

Atomic-scale visualization of quasiparticle interference on a type-II Weyl semimetal surface

We combine quasiparticle interference simulation (theory) and atomic resolution scanning tunneling spectro-microscopy (experiment) to visualize the interference patterns on a type-II Weyl semimetal Mo$_{x}$W$_{1-x}$Te$_2$ for the first time. Our simulation based on first-principles band topology theoretically reveals the surface electron scattering behavior. We identify the topological Fermi arc states and reveal the scattering properties of the surface states in Mo$_{0.66}$W$_{0.34}$Te$_2$. In addition, our result reveals an experimental signature of the topology via the interconnectivity of bulk and surface states, which is essential for understanding the unusual nature of this material.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Automatic calibration system for micro-displacement devices

With the industrial development and the advances in micro - displacement technology, the demands on piezo transducers are increasing. For piezo transducers, the error inspections of the non-linearity and the hysteresis are necessary procedure before piezo transducers utilized. Due to the possible decline or damage during the employment of the transducers, it is important to provide the automatic calibration system. In this investigation, a self-developed automatic calibration system for micro-displacement devices is proposed. The automatic system according to the international specification of ASTM-E2309 has been developed. This system designed for the calibration of piezo transducers is based on the interferometric structure of the common optical path and possesses the resolution of the nanometer order. The experimental verifications demonstrate that the repeatability of the Fabry-Perot interferometer is less than 11 nm. Experimental results of the synchronic measurement with the self-developed interferometer and a commercial interferometer reveal that the differences of the maximum nonlinearity error and maximum hysteresis error are less than 1%. With the proposed correct equations, the maximum non-linearity error can be minimized to 1% and the maximum hysteresis error will be less than 5.2%

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as rescue therapy for pediatric frosted branch angiitis with Purtscher-like retinopathy: A case report

IntroductionFrosted branch angiitis (FBA) is an uncommon uveitis characterized by fulminant retinal vasculitis. Purtscher-like retinopathy (PuR) is a rare retinal angiopathy associated with a non-traumatic etiology. Both FBA and PuR can cause profound visual impairments.Case reportWe describe the case of a 10-year-old male who presented with sudden bilateral painless visual loss due to FBA with concurrent PuR, with notable viral prodrome 1 month prior to presentation. Systemic investigations revealed a recent herpes simplex virus 2 infection with a high titer of IgM, positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) (1:640), and abnormal liver function tests. After administration of systemic corticosteroids, anti-viral agents, and subsequent immunosuppressive medications, the FBA was gradually alleviated. However, fundoscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed persistent PuR and macular ischemia. Hence, hyperbaric oxygen therapy was administered as a rescue strategy, which resulted in gradual bilateral visual acuity improvement.ConclusionHyperbaric oxygen therapy may be a beneficial rescue treatment for retinal ischemia secondary to FBA with PuR