Ideal Image Research Articles

ReRNet: recursive neural network for enhanced image correction in print-cam watermarking

Robust image watermarking that can resist camera shooting has gained considerable attention in recent years due to the need to protect sensitive printed information from being captured and reproduced without authorization. Indeed, the evolution of smartphones has made identity watermarking a feasible and convenient process. However, this process also introduces challenges like perspective distortions, which can significantly impair the effectiveness of watermark detection on freehandedly digitized images. To meet this challenge, ResNet50-based ensemble of randomized neural networks (ReRNet), a recursive convolutional neural network-based correction method, is presented for the print-cam process, specifically applied to identity images. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved Fourier watermarking method based on ReRNet to rectify perspective distortions. Experimental results validate the robustness of the enhanced scheme and demonstrate its superiority over existing methods, especially in handling perspective distortions encountered in the print-cam process.

Subnanometer Tracking of the Oxidation State on Co3O4 Nanoparticles by Identical Location Imaging and Spectroscopy.

Understanding a catalytic reaction requires tools that elucidate the structure of the catalyst surface and subsurface, ideally at atomic resolution and under reaction conditions. Operando electron microscopy meets this requirement in some cases, but fails in others where the required reaction conditions cannot be reached or lead to an unwanted influence of the electron beam on the reactant and catalyst. We introduce ILIAS (identical location imaging and spectroscopy) in combination with a quasi in situ approach to disentangle the effect of heat and gas on the surface of nanoparticles from the effect of the electron beam. With this approach we allow high temperatures and pressures in any gaseous environment on the one hand, and atomic resolution imaging and spectroscopy on the other. As a proof of concept, we resolve the structural evolution of a Co3O4 spinel catalyst using ILIAS and track the oxidation state across the surface before and after heating in a reductive or oxidative environment. We then titrate the surface of the catalyst using CO as a probe molecule to remove highly active oxygen species formed during the thermal treatment, providing unprecedented insight into the interplay between pretreatment and surface reactivity of Co3O4 nanoparticles.

Mitral annulus components in patients with metabolic syndrome and relapse after atrial fibrillation cardioversion

Abstract Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with recurrent episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) due to atrial remodeling. Four-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (4DTEE) is an ideal imaging technique to evaluate these patients' complex morphology of the mitral valve apparatus (MVA). Purpose The study aimed to find some features of MVA components in patients with MetS and persistent AF and if some of them could be indicative of relapse after cardioversion. Methods The study enrolled 101 patients with persistent AF and mild/moderate functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) before cardioversion. According to the latest guidelines, 46(45,54%) of the patients were diagnosed with MetS. After performing two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DTTE), the study included only mild/moderate FMR patients. 4D TEE permitted a detailed examination of the MVA components, using an E95 machine for acquisition and an ECHOPAC 204 for image postprocessing with mitral valve quantification (MVQ) software. The studied measured: annulus area (AA)3D, annulus perimeter (AP), antero-posterior diameter (APD), posteromedial-anterolateral diameter (PM-ALD), commissural diameter (CD), inter-trigonal distance (ITd), annular height (AH), non-planar angle (NPa), mitral-aortic angle (MAa), anterior leaflet area (ALA), posterior leaflet area (PLA), anterior leaflet length (ALL), posterior leaflet length (PLL), anterior leaflet angle (ALa), posterior leaflet angle (PLa), tenting height (TH), tenting area (TA), and tenting volume (TV). Results 1. Relapse after cardioversion were 32,6% in MetS (+) patients and 17,85% in MetS (-) group. 2. Features of MA parameters in patients with or without MetS were: AA3D 13.09 vs. 12.18 (p= 0.02), AP 12.89 vs. 12.11 (P = 0.01), APD 3.75 vs. 3.6 (P = 0.07), PM-ALD 4.18 vs. 3.98 (P = 0.04), CD 4.2 vs. 4.04 (P = 0.08), and 2.91 vs. 2.88 (P = 0.7), AH 5.85 vs. 5.32 (P = 0.03), NPa 160.39 vs. 157.89 (P = 0.2), MAa 124 vs. 123.4 (P = 0.7), ALA 6.74 vs. 6.03 (P = 0.006), PLA 7.64 vs. 6.96 (P = 0.03), ALL 2.21 vs. 2.17 (P = 0.4), PLL 1.74 vs. 1.72 (P = 0.7), Ala 18.26 vs 17.56 (P = 0.6), Pla 23.41 vs 22.56 (P = 0.5), TH 1.43 vs 1.01 (P = 0.004), TA 1.85 vs 1.51 (P = 0.03), TV 2.76 vs 2.18 (P = 0.03). 3. Parameters that showed significant differences in patients with relapse with or without MetS were AA3D 15.25 vs. 13.45 (P = 0.03), AP 4.22 vs. 13.02 (p=0.04), PM-ALD 4.61 vs. 3.99 (P = 0.008), CD 4.75 vs. 4.02 (P < 0.0001), AH 6.37 vs. 4.91 (P = 0.004), and for the leaflets ALA 8.25 vs. 7.18 (P = 0.02), PLA 9.31 vs 7.97 (P = 0.04), TA 2.66 vs 1.79 (P = 0.02), TV 4.03 vs 2.27 (P = 0.006). Conclusions 1. Mitral annulus and mitral leaflet remodeling were more evident in patients with MetS with or without relapse. 2. The annular area, annular perimeter, posteromedial to anterolateral diameter, commissural diameter, leaflets area, and tenting parameters are most damaged in patients with MetS and relapse after the first cardioversion. 4DE reconstruction of the mitral valve Mitral valve apparatus evaluation by MVQ

Tuberculous spine infection and metal instrumentation

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of tuberculous infection on metal implants in the spine. Spinal infections include a wide range of illnesses such as discitis, Vertebral osteomyelitis, and spinal epidural abscess. With more advanced surgical methods and diagnostic equipment becoming available, the treatment of spinal infections is changing. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast is the ideal imaging test. Computed tomography-guided biopsy is necessary for choosing antibiotics. Patients with neurological deficit, marked spinal ligamentous instability due to infection, and those who have not improved without surgery are subjected to surgical debridement and metal instrumentation. The cornerstone of therapy is the use of anti-Koch’s drugs. Material and Methods This study is described as a retrospective observational study. This means that it involves the analysis of data collected from past cases rather than a controlled experiment. It appears that the study aimed to analyse the outcomes and effectiveness of the treatment approach (posterior instrumentation and transpeduncular debridement) for spinal tuberculosis in these ten patients. If you have any specific questions or need more information about this study, please feel free to ask. Results We found that despite having active infection on surgical time in case of tubercular mycobacterium no significant complication regarding implants such as implant loosening, breakage, worsening of symptoms after instrumentation, surgical site infection and re-surgery were noted. Conclusion A wide range of illnesses, including discitis, Vertebral osteomyelitis, and sub epidural abscess, are classified as spine infections. Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of pyogenic spine infection, whereas Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most frequent cause of granulomatous infectious disease. The optimum surgical strategy depends on the site, the degree of the infection, and the degree of spine instability.

The effects of social media content on the use of beautifying photo applications among Chinese young adults

ABSTRACT Drawing upon the objectification theory, this study explores the associations between idealized exposure on social media and self-objectification through favorable attitudes toward the ideal body and the associations between self-objectification, self-surveillance, and the use of beautifying photo applications among a Chinese sample. We administered an online cross-sectional survey with 409 Chinese respondents and used structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses. There are several notable insights. First, we found that idealized exposure on social media was significantly associated with favorable attitudes toward ideal body images. Second, changes in attitudes toward the ideal body are positively associated with individuals’ self-objectification, which positively affects the usage of beautifying photo applications as well as self-surveillance. In other words, beautifying photo applications is a significant contribution to the objectification literature in understanding new ways that individuals are subjected to conforming to societal standards of attractiveness. Several research gaps are identified, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Validation of deep-learning accelerated quantitative susceptibility mapping for deep brain nuclei

PurposeTo test the feasibility and consistency of a deep-learning (DL) accelerated QSM method for deep brain nuclei evaluation.MethodsParticipants were scanned with both parallel imaging (PI)-QSM and DL-QSM methods. The PI- and DL-QSM scans had identical imaging parameters other than acceleration factors (AF). The DL-QSM employed Poisson disk style under-sampling scheme and a previously developed cascaded CNN based reconstruction model, with acquisition time of 4:35, 3:15, and 2:11 for AF of 3, 4, and 5, respectively. For PI-QSM acquisition, the AF was 2 and the acquisition time was 6:46. The overall image similarity was assessed between PI- and DL-QSM images using the structural similarity index (SSIM) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). QSM values from 7 deep brain nuclei were extracted and agreements between images with different Afs were assessed. Finally, the correlations between age and QSM values in the selected deep brain nuclei were evaluated.Results59 participants were recruited. Compared to PI-QSM images, the mean SSIM of DL images were 0.87, 0.86, and 0.85 for AF of 3, 4, and 5. The mean PSNR were 44.56, 44.53, and 44.23. Susceptibility values from DL-QSM were highly consistent with routine PI-QSM images, with differences of less than 5% at the group level. Furthermore, the associations between age and QSM values could be consistently revealed.ConclusionDL-QSM could be used for measuring susceptibility values of deep brain nucleus. An AF up to 5 did not significantly impact the correlation between age and susceptibility in deep brain nuclei.

Scan/rescan reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used to estimate the geometric dimensions of lower lumbar vertebrae. While MRI-based measurements have demonstrated good reliability with interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of 0.80 or higher, many evaluations focus solely on the comparison of identical MRI images. This approach primarily reflects analyst dexterity and does not assess the reliability of the entire process, including imaging and image selection. To evaluate the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the entire process of using MRI to measure biomechanically relevant lumbar spinal characteristics, incorporating imaging, image selection, and analysis. A dataset of 144 low-back MRI scans was analyzed. Reliability assessments were performed under different conditions: (1) identical scans rated by the same analyst at different times (intra-rater reliability) and (2) distinct scans of the same subject obtained by different MRI operators and analyzed by different analysts (inter-rater reliability). Mean absolute differences in measurements were calculated, and sources of variability, such as breathing artifacts, were noted. Larger discrepancies were observed when comparing distinct scans analyzed by different MRI operators and analysts. In the "worst-case" scenario, where both the MRI operator and analyst differed, a 4.05% mean absolute difference was noted for anterior endplate measurements. This was higher than the 2.76% difference observed when analysts re-rated their own scans after one month. Despite these discrepancies, the variability in measurements was relatively low and primarily attributed to factors like breathing artifacts. The process of using MRI to derive biomechanical measures, particularly for bony structures, demonstrates robust reliability. Variability in measurements is minimal even under challenging conditions, supporting the use of MRI for biomechanical assessments.

Repeatability of radiomic features in myocardial T1 and T2 mapping.

To investigate the test-retest repeatability of radiomic features in myocardial native T1 and T2 mapping. In this prospective study, 50 healthy volunteers (29 women and 21 men, mean age 39.4 ± 13.7 years) underwent two identical cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at 1.5 T. The protocol included native T1 and T2 mapping in both short-axis and long-axis orientation. For T1 mapping, we investigated standard (1.9 × 1.9 mm) and high (1.4 × 1.4 mm) spatial resolution. After manual segmentation of the left ventricular myocardium, 100 radiomic features from seven feature classes were extracted and analyzed. Test-retest repeatability of radiomic features was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and classified as poor (ICC < 0.50), moderate (0.50-0.75), good (0.75-0.90), and excellent (> 0.90). For T1 maps acquired in short-axis orientation at standard resolution, repeatability was excellent for 6 features, good for 29 features, moderate for 19 features, and poor for 46 features. We identified 15 features from 6 classes which showed good to excellent reproducibility for T1 mapping in all resolutions and all orientations. For short-axis T2 maps, repeatability was excellent for 6 features, good for 25 features, moderate for 23 features, and poor for 46 features. 12 features from 5 classes were found to have good to excellent repeatability in T2 mapping independent of slice orientation. We have identified a subset of features with good to excellent repeatability independent of slice orientation and spatial resolution. We recommend using these features for further radiomics research in myocardial T1 and T2 mapping. Question The study addresses the need for reliable radiomic features for quantitative analysis of the myocardium to ensure diagnostic consistency in cardiac MRI. Findings We have identified a subset of radiomic features demonstrating good to excellent repeatability in native T1 and T2 mapping independent of slice orientation and resolution. Clinical relevanceRadiomic features have been proposed as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various heart diseases. By identifying a subset of particularly reproducible radiomic features our study serves to inform the selection of radiomic features in future research and clinical applications.

Self or children? Navigating intensive mothering ideology and maternal agency for rural-to-urban migrant working mothers in China

ABSTRACT The prevalent norm of motherhood in contemporary societies is intensive mothering, which is child-centred. As a result, mothers are characterized positively only when they sacrifice unconditionally for their children. Chinese rural-to-urban migrant working mothers (RUMWMs) are low-class working mothers who must relocate for higher wages because of their living circumstances and are forced to leave their children behind. This leads to difficulty in achieving the ideal image of a good mother. This article draws on in-depth interviews with 31 RUMWMs in China to examine whether their responses to the ideology of intensive mothering (in both thoughts and actions) are self-focused or child-oriented. The findings suggest that these mothers’ tactics fit into one of four categories. Most of the mothers’ responses demonstrate their maternal agency as they boldly redefine competent mothering in their own ways. This article provides an agency-oriented perspective on how lower-class mothers redefine or negotiate the dominant mainstream intensive mothering ideology.

Cancer Detection Using Artificial Intelligence: A Paradigm in Early Diagnosis

AbstractCancer detection has long been a continuous key performer in oncological research. The revolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and its application in the field of cancer turned out to be more promising in the recent years. This paper provides a detailed review of the various aspects of AI in different cancers and their staging. The role of AI in interpreting and processing the imaging data, its accuracy and sensitivity to detect the tumors is examined. The images obtained through imaging modalities like MRI, CT, ultrasound etc. are considered in this review. Further the review highlights the implementation of AI algorithms in 12 types of cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer etc. as discussed in the recent oncological studies. The review served to summarize the challenges involved with AI application. It revealed the efficacy of AI in detecting the region, size, and grade of cancer. While CT and ultrasound proved to be the ideal imaging modalities for cancer detection, MRI was helpful for cancer staging. The review bestows a roadmap to fully utilize the potential of AI in early cancer detection and staging to enhance patient survival.

The impact of large-scale sports events on national identity: a structural equation model based on the residents' perspective.

Large-scale sports events have a profound impact on the enhancement of residents' national identity. The study takes the Hangzhou Asian Games as an opportunity to investigate the influence of such events on national identity and the underlying factors. The study takes the impact of residents' involvement in the Asian Games on their national identity as the research object, constructs a theoretical model with subjective well-being and city image as the mediator variables, randomly selects 1,096 residents by questionnaire survey, and analyzes their interrelationships as well as deeper influencing factors by using structural equation modeling and bootstrap. The results show that the involvement of Hangzhou residents in the Asian Games has a significant positive impact on national identity, subjective well-being and city image (Estimate = 0.237/0.287/0.3). Furthermore, subjective well-being and city image have a significant positive impact on national identity (Estimate = 0.321/0.141), and city image has a significant positive effect on subjective well-being (Estimate = 0.264). It can be concluded that the degree of involvement in major sports events has a direct positive effect on national identity, and subjective well-being and city image play a partially mediating role in this effect. The results of the study provide a resident's perspective for assessing the impact of large-scale sports events, and provide elements that can be used as a reference for governments, city planners and event organizers to assess large-scale sports events.

Parasocial Relationships as a Predictor of General Belongingness among Senior High School Students

Parasocial relationships have become increasingly popular among adolescents due to emerging technological advancement and rampant digital engagement. This parasocial experience shifted how senior high school students fulfill their sense of belongingness, especially in schools. Several studies have reported the underlying benefits of parasocial relationships toward the development of identity, career trajectory, and body image among adolescents and its adverse effects, such as digital distress and connection overload, on their general well-being. Many studies have investigated the connection between parasocial relationships and mental health; however, few have explored the role of parasocial relationships in fulfilling belongingness among senior high school students in the Philippine context. This study employed a predictive correlational design to examine the relationship and prediction between parasocial relationships and general belongingness among senior high school students (n=384) in a public secondary school in Navotas City, Philippines. Using JAMOVI 2.4.14, the study found a significant (p. &lt;0.008) weak positive correlation (R=0.14) between parasocial relationships and general belongingness among adolescents. Moreover, only 2% of parasocial relationships can predict general belongingness. This one-sided, illusionary relationship between students and celebrities/personas can only influence their belongingness in a tiny fraction. These findings suggested that family, peers, teachers, and institutions may be the primary sources of strong belongingness development. Hence, with the dominant presence of the digital world, a need to balance parasocial relationships and in-person interactions is highly encouraged. School administrators must enhance programs for media literacy, self-awareness, and active participation among senior high school students in school activities such as sports and peer-mentoring initiatives. The researcher recommended that school counselors develop effective interventions that promote a healthy balance between real-life experiences and the digital landscape, leading to students’ success

가정과교육의 인재상에 대한 탐색: 아리스토텔레스의 ‘실천적 지혜를 가진 사람’을 중심으로

In the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, when education emphasizes talents that define problems rather than talents that solve them, and talents that are competency-centered, this study explores the ideal talent in Home Economics Education through literature research, focusing on Aristotle's ‘person of practical wisdom’. Under these research objectives, we first analyzed the concept of ideal talent, the educational human image presented in the curriculum, and the ideal talent image required in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution. Based on this analysis, we examined Aristotle’s ‘practical wisdom’ and discussed ‘a person with practical wisdom’ as the ideal talent image of Home Economics Education, and derived implications. As a result, it was found that ‘a person with practical wisdom’ is very suitable as a ideal talent in Home Economics Education. This is because Home Economics Education teaches the skills to solve real-life problems, make moral judgments, and adopt sustainable lifestyles necessary to enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Based on the findings of this literature review, it is expected that follow-up research that includes the process of agreement among specialists in Home Economics Education will be specifically conducted.

Конструирование правовой субъектности в восточных дискурсивных практиках: постановка проблемы

Introduction. The article deals with the problem of understanding legal subjectivity; it is noted that the image, social purpose and ontological essence of the subject of legal relations itself depends on the type of legal understanding. The Eastern legal tradition, in contrast to the individualistic Western one, revealed a collective subject to the world. Individuality of this subject is maintained in potency and manifests itself only under special conditions and within a certain social structure. To understand legal subjectivity in the civilisational (broad) sense, a new approach taking into account the diversity of human existence forms is needed. Methods. This article proposes a post-classical anthropological legal approach that highlights the contextuality of legal phenomena and actualises their relativity. Results. The article provides evidence that legal subjectivity is not reducible to individualistic interaction alone. Eastern cultures shape legal identity differently, and discursive practices highlight different variations of mutual recognition in which the individual, status group and society as a whole act towards each other with different degrees of dominance. The author argues that each culture creates its own ideal image of a human being in the world of law: sometimes it acts as a “creator”, sometimes as a “creation”, and sometimes it combines both at the same time. This, in turn, implies a certain set of values that adapt a person to the social system in which he actually lives and realises his socially significant needs. The article actualises the idea that legal subjectivity is a construct formed by a person as a social being at all stages of his formation, potentially claiming a universal legal order.

The Perception of Unilateral Recessions in the Maxillary Esthetic Zone: A Survey Among Dentists andNon-Professionals.

Esthetic dental features, especially the maxillary anterior teeth, significantly influence perceived attractiveness. Gingival recessions can negatively affect smile esthetics, particularly when asymmetrical. This study aimed to investigate the perception of dentists and non-professionals regarding subtle variations in the apically displaced soft tissue surrounding a lateral or central incisor. Based on an ideal image of the esthetic zone, asymmetrical modifications of either a central or lateral incisor in the maxillary anterior were created and used in a digital survey asking participants to assess the overall appearance of the smile, using a visual analog scale (VAS). The dental expertise, age, and gender of the participants were recorded. For each image, the question was posed to identify if any of the teeth caused a visible irritation. The mean results of each tooth alteration and the correlation between dental expertise were statistically analyzed. A total of 114 participants were polled. There was a significant difference in the esthetic perception between the central and lateral incisors (p < 0.001). The perception threshold for a noticeable asymmetrical recession was 1.2 mm for the central and 2.0 mm for the lateral incisor. Gender and age showed no significant difference in the esthetic evaluation, and dental expertise was only significantly different for larger recessions (p < 0.05). The asymmetric changes were more noticeable for the central incisor than the lateral incisor. A unilateral recession change of 0.8 mm did not appear to influence the assessment of the overall smile. The dental expertise, age, or gender of the participants did not significantly correlate with a stricter esthetic perception. The present study highlights that the perception of unilateral recession changes in the anterior maxilla varies between central and lateral incisors, with lateral incisor recessions being less impactful on the overall appearance of the smile. These findings suggest that small gingival changes can be acceptable for the overall esthetic outcome, underscoring the importance of discussing patient expectations and treatment options before restoration or orthodontic treatment and prioritizing the gingival margin of the central incisor which appeared more noticeable.

Evaluating the effectiveness and acceptability of two positive body image media micro-interventions among children aged 4–6 years old – a study protocol

BackgroundChildren’s online media perpetuates appearance idealised images and can negatively impact the way children feel about their own and other people’s bodies (e.g., weight bias) at a young age. The development and evaluation of body image interventions for young children to counteract this, are scarce. There is a need for prevention efforts to nurture the development of positive body image among this group to help mitigate potential body image concerns in later childhood. Media-based approaches promoting positive body image messages have shown preliminary efficacy. In collaboration with industry partners, we have developed two positive body image media micro-interventions (a 15-minute episode and a music video) to be evaluated in a fully powered RCT.MethodsWe aim to recruit 440 children between the ages of 4 and 6 years to be randomised into one of four conditions: (i) 15-minute episode intervention, (ii) 15-minute episode control, (iii) 3-minute music video intervention, or (iv) 3-minute music video control. This study will be conducted face-to-face, whereby children and a parent attend a media screening session and children complete pre-and post-intervention measures of positive body image and weight bias. Both the child and parent will watch their assigned media, together on a tablet device. Due to their age, children will complete outcome measures with a trained moderator in a play-based interview pre-intervention (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2) and one-week follow up (T3). A corresponding parent will complete a questionnaire on intervention acceptability at T2, and re-watch of their assigned media at T3. The primary outcome will be the change in body appreciation, and secondary outcomes include change in functionality appreciation and weight bias. Exploratory analyses will determine any effect of gender (girls vs. boys), year group (reception vs. year 1) dosage or delayed effects. Moderator fidelity will be also assessed.DiscussionThis study will evaluate two positive body image micro-interventions among children 4–6 years old. These interventions have the potential to bolster children’s positive body image and reduce weight bias. A dissemination plan is in place with project stakeholders such that the interventions can reach millions of children worldwide.Trial registrationThe trial is registered with Clinical Trial.gov, Ref number: NCT06146647.

Photon counting CT versus energy-integrating CT: A comparative evaluation of advances in image resolution, noise, and dose efficiency.

Photon counting computed tomography (PCCT) employs direct and spectrally resolved counting of individual x-ray quanta, enhancing image quality compared to the standard energy-integrating CT (EICT). To evaluate the quantitative improvements in CT image quality metrics by comparing the first medical PCCT with a state-of-the-art EICT. The PCCT versus EICT noise improvement ratio R was derived from the quantum statistics of the measurement process and measured across the clinical x-ray flux range for both systems. Detector and system modulation transfer functions (MTFs) were obtained using tilted-slit and wire phantom measurements. Image root mean square (RMS) noise, noise power spectrum (NPS), and x-ray patient dose were compared using a CatPhan phantom at two identical clinical target resolutions. The measurement of the PCCT noise improvement ratio R showed an elimination of electronic noise and a 10% noise transfer advantage. The PCCT detector MTF exhibited 3x higher angular resolution limits in comparison to EICT and close to ideal sinc behavior due to the electromagnetic formation of pixels in the PCCT semiconductor detector. This translated to 3.5x enhancements in CT system MTF ratios at 10 LP/cm, reflecting a significant improvement in millimeter range CT imaging. Both the improved quantum detection and the system MTF ratio improvement contribute to the measured 3x enhancements in image NPS at 10 LP/cm for identical image target resolution. An improvement of up to 1.7x in RMS image noise was observed accordingly. For low and ultra-low dose imaging with image filtering, dose efficiency increased between 2x and 10x, demonstrating the PCCT's capability to advance CT ultra-low dose imaging. The direct counting detection in PCCT has been shown to significantly improve sinogram noise and detector MTF ratios compared to energy integrating EICT. The observed translations into CT system MTF, image NPS, image noise, and dose ratios reflect a paradigm shift for CT image quality and dose efficiency.

Use of polyethylene glycol as an alternative to optimal cutting temperature medium in freeze sectioning for plant histochemical studies.

Plant anatomical and histochemical studies are concerned with the structural organization of tissues as well as localization of various metabolites and enzyme activity inside cells and tissues. Traditionally, rotary microtomes are used for paraffin and resin-embedded samples which provide excellent preservation of tissue morphology but removes enzymes, lipid components, and various specialized metabolites. Freeze sectioning apparently remained unexplored in plant histology because of the presence of rigid cell walls and highly vacuolated cytoplasm in plant tissues. In this study, we have described a simple cryostat-based sectioning technique using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as embedding medium after glycerol infiltration that protects the plant tissues from freezing and thawing damage. We have also compared the suitability of inexpensive aqueous PEG solution as compared to commercially available optimal cutting temperature (OCT) medium and obtained identical microscopic images. Diverse plant organs from different genera were sectioned to check the application of this method in plant anatomical studies. In all the cases, cross sections were shown to be well preserved similar to paraffin-embedded plant tissues. In addition, histochemical analyses showed retention of metabolites and even enzymes in the tissues, which can make this method an alternate choice in cryo-microtomy replacing the expensive OCT medium.

Calibration-free estimation of field dependent aberrations for single molecule localization microscopy across large fields of view.

Image quality in single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) depends largely on the accuracy and precision of the localizations. While under ideal imaging conditions the theoretically obtainable precision and accuracy are achieved, in practice this changes if (field dependent) aberrations are present. Currently there is no simple way to measure and incorporate these aberrations into the Point Spread Function (PSF) fitting, therefore the aberrations are often taken constant or neglected all together. Here we introduce a model-based approach to estimate the field-dependent aberration directly from single molecule data without a calibration step. This is made possible by using nodal aberration theory to incorporate the field-dependency of aberrations into our fully vectorial PSF model. This results in a limited set of aberration fit parameters that can be extracted from the raw frames without a bead calibration measurement, also in retrospect. The software implementation is computationally efficient, enabling fitting of a full 2D or 3D dataset within a few minutes. We demonstrate our method on 2D and 3D localization data of microtubuli and nuclear pore complexes over fields of view (FOV) of up to 180 μm and compare it with spline-based fitting and a deep learning based approach.

Цариград в спомените на Ефрем Каранов: илюзии и (раз)очарования

From September 1864 to January 1867, Efrem Karanov (Kratovo, 1852 – Kyustendil, 1927) was a student at the Bulgarian School on the banks of the Golden Horn in the imperial capital. In the last years of his life, he dictated to his loved ones his memories concerning the short, but left a deep impression on his mind and soul time spent at the said school. The memoir, which remained in manuscript, was published almost half a century after the death of its author. “On the Bulgarian church in Constantinople 60 years ago (student memories)” is the most valuable work in the modest literary legacy of Efrem Karanov, which begins with pictures of life in his native Kratovo and continues with the description of the author’s journey with his brother and father via Thessaloniki and Kavala to Istanbul. Quite naturally, most pages in the memoir are devoted to the imperial capital. The memory of the past is reconstructed after more than half a century, but in this case the temporal distance is an advantage, as it helps the maximum crystallization of the memory particles; for the sedimentation in the folds of memory of only the most vivid impressions. 12-year-old Efrem builds an ideal image of the capital in advance through mediated ways - from what he reads, hears, tells and listens to from third parties. The present text aims to trace the collapse of illusions, the shattering of the idealized children’s idea of the Bulgarian church and the school associated with it in the imperial capital. The disillusionment born after the collision with reality is gradually replaced by a fascination that hides under the veil of the colorful everyday life of the crowded city.