A model-based approach to recovering the structure of a plant from images

We present a method for recovering the structure of a plant directly from a small set of widely-spaced images. Structure recovery is more complex than shape estimation, but the resulting structure estimate is more closely related to phenotype than is a 3D geometric model. The method we propose is applicable to a wide variety of plants, but is demonstrated on wheat. Wheat is made up of thin elements with few identifiable features, making it difficult to analyse using standard feature matching techniques. Our method instead analyses the structure of plants using only their silhouettes. We employ a generate-and-test method, using a database of manually modelled leaves and a model for their composition to synthesise plausible plant structures which are evaluated against the images. The method is capable of efficiently recovering accurate estimates of plant structure in a wide variety of imaging scenarios, with no manual intervention

Use of quick response coding to create interactive patient and provider resources.

BACKGROUND: Since their creation more than 20 years ago, the proliferation of Quick Response (QR) codes has expanded tremendously. Little was found in the literature to support the innovative use of QR coding in the classroom or in health care provision. Thus, the authors created a doctoral-level practicum experience using QR coding to create interactive, individualized patient or provider resource guides. METHOD: Short, descriptive surveys were used before and after implementation of the practicum experience to determine students\u27 comfort level using QR technology, their knowledge base, ease of use, and overall satisfaction with the practicum. RESULTS: Students reported high levels of satisfaction with this exercise, and all agreed that use of QR coding could have important implications in the clinical environment. CONCLUSION: This practicum experience was a creative, practical, and valuable example of integrating emerging technology into individualized patient care. [J Nurs Educ. 2015;54(4):224-227.]

Quantification of optical pulsed-plane-wave-shaping by chiral sculptured thin films

The durations and average speeds of ultrashort optical pulses transmitted through chiral sculptured thin films (STFs) were calculated using a finite-difference time-domain algorithm. Chiral STFs are a class of nanoengineered materials whose microstructure comprises parallel helicoidal nanowires grown normal to a substrate. The nanowires are $\sim$10-300 nm in diameter and $\sim1-10 \mu$m in length. Durations of transmitted pulses tend to increase with decreasing (free-space) wavelength of the carrier plane wave, while average speeds tend to increase with increasing wavelength. An increase in nonlinearity, as manifested by an intensity-dependent refractive index in the frequency domain, tends to increase durations of transmitted pulses and decrease average speeds. The circular Bragg phenomenon exhibited by a chiral STFs manifests itself in the frequency domain as high reflectivity for normally incident carrier plane waves whose circular polarization state is matched to the structural handedness of the film and whose wavelength falls in a range known as the Bragg regime; films of the opposite structural handedness reflect such plane waves little. This effect tends to distort the shapes of transmitted pulses with respect to the incident pulses, and such shaping can cause sharp changes in some measures of average speed with respect to carrier wavelength. A local maximum in the variation of one measure of the pulse duration with respect to wavelength is noted and attributed to the circular Bragg phenomenon. Several of these effects are explained via frequency-domain arguments. The presented results serve as a foundation for future theoretical and experimental studies of optical pulse propagation through causal, nonlinear, nonhomogeneous, and anisotropic materials.Comment: To appear in Journal of Modern Optic

Splinters in the fingernails, heart and brain: thromboembolic complications of non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis despite treatment with a direct-acting oral anticoagulant

Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) is a rare condition characterized by non-infectious vegetations affecting the cardiac valves. Although systemic thromboembolism is a commonly associated condition, antiphospholipid syndrome is less common. Nevertheless, treatment generally involves long-term anticoagulation. We report a case of a patient with previously undiagnosed NBTE who suffered systemic thromboembolic events despite pre-existing treatment with a direct-acting oral anticoagulant

Family caregiver challenges in dementia care in a country with undeveloped dementia services

Author version made available in accordance with Publisher's copyright policy. This is the accepted version of the following article: Wang J., Xiao L.D., He G.-P. & De Bellis A. (2014) Family caregiver challenges in dementia care in a country with undeveloped dementia services. Journal of Advanced Nursing 70(6), 1369–1380. , which has been published in final form at [doi: 10.1111/jan.12299]. In addition, authors may also transmit, print and share copies with colleagues, provided that there is no systematic distribution of the submitted version, e.g. posting on a listserve, network or automated delivery.Aims To examine socially, culturally and politically constructed factors affecting family caregiver practice in dementia care, and to identify possible changes in a country with undeveloped dementia services. Background In China and many other low- and middle-income countries, social transformations are weakening the family care model, which has an impact on the population with dementia. Exploring the challenges that caregivers face may help the international healthcare community to improve dementia services. Design A double hermeneutic approach informed by Giddens' Structuration Theory was used. Methods In-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 family caregivers of people with dementia were conducted in 2012. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed. Findings Analyses revealed three consequences of socially constructed factors in dementia care, which constrained caregiver practice. First, caregivers were unable to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Untreated aggressive behaviours caused harm to the person with dementia and endangered the caregiver and the public. Second, the burden on the primary caregiver was evident and caregivers received limited support. Third, there was little coordination between primary and specialist care services for people with dementia. On critical reflection of potential changes that could improve dementia services, caregivers suggested that community nurses have a leading role in coordinating dementia services and supporting caregivers. Conclusion Relying on family caregivers to care for people with dementia without the prevision of dementia services by the public healthcare system generates negative health outcomes for both care recipients and caregivers. The nursing workforce should be developed to support dementia services

A new electrophoresis technique to separate microsatellite alleles*

Analysis of large numbers of SSR (simple sequence repeats: microsatellites) reactions can be tedious, time-consuming and expensive. The objective of this study was to report a new electrophoresis method to analyze and visualize SSR data quickly and accurately and compare it to the ability of four other electrophoresis methods. Individual PCR reactions consisting of DNA from several Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood) cultivars and two SSR primer pairs were assembled for analysis using the following three methods: agarose gel, polyacrylamide gel and QIAxcel System. Two separate PCRreactions consisting of the same components plus a fluorescent-labeled primer were set up for analyses using the CEQTM 8000 Genetic Analysis System and ABI 3130xl DNA Sequencer. These fiveelectrophoretic methods were assessed for advantages and disadvantages. Polyacrylamide gels had highest resolution of alleles, whereas agarose gels had the lowest. However, with both separationmedia, it was difficult to score the size of alleles. Capillary electrophoresis with the CEQTM 8000 Genetic Analysis System and ABI 3130xl DNA Sequencer easily separated products and determined allelic size, but was more expensive than electrophoresis using either agarose or polyacrlamide gels. The QIAxcel System had lower  esolution than CEQTM 8000 Genetic Analysis System and ABI 3130xl DNA Sequencer. However, QIAxcel System was rapid and cost effective compared to the two widely used capillary sequencers, and also provided a computer generated gel image. For researchers in small to intermediate-sized laboratories, the QIAxcel System using a twelve channel, sieving-gel cartridge is an affordable device for SSR assays used for mapping and population diversity analysis

Factors contributing to caregiver burden in dementia in a country without formal caregiver support

This items is under embargo for 12 months from the date of publication according to Publisher's copyright policy. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Aging & Mental Health on 31 Mar 2014, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13607863.2014.899976Objectives: To investigate caregiver burden in dementia and explore factors associated with different types of burden in a country without formal caregiver support using a province in China as a case.Method: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey was used to collect data. One hundred and fifty-two family caregivers of people with dementia in community settings were recruited from 2012 to 2013 using convenience sampling. Objective burden was measured by caregiving hours and dementia-related financial burden. Subjective burden was measured and analysed using the Caregiver Burden Inventory and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire. Multivariate regression models were employed to analyse factors associated with each type of subjective burden.Results: Five types of subjective burden were measured by the Caregiver Burden Inventory, namely, physical burden, emotional burden, time-dependence burden, developmental burden, and social burden. Caregiver distress, as a subjective burden, was measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire and reported by relating to the severity of care recipients’ behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. This caregiver cohort showed a high level of physical, time-dependence, and developmental burdens, but a low level of emotional and social burdens. Factors contributing to each type of subjective burden measured by the Caregiver Burden Inventory differed from each other.Conclusion: The high level of objective and subjective burdens identified in this study suggests that government-funded formal caregiver support should be established and services should be designed to target different types of burdens and factors contributing to these burdens