An automated slide scanning system for membrane filter imaging in diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis

Traditionally, automated slide scanning involves capturing a rectangular grid of field-of-view (FoV) images which can be stitched together to create whole slide images, while the autofocusing algorithm captures a focal stack of images to determine the best in-focus image. However, these methods can be time-consuming due to the need for X-, Y- and Z-axis movements of the digital microscope while capturing multiple FoV images. In this paper, we propose a solution to minimise these redundancies by presenting an optimal procedure for automated slide scanning of circular membrane filters on a glass slide. We achieve this by following an optimal path in the sample plane, ensuring that only FoVs overlapping the filter membrane are captured. To capture the best in-focus FoV image, we utilise a hill-climbing approach that tracks the peak of the mean of Gaussian gradient of the captured FoVs images along the Z-axis. We implemented this procedure to optimise the efficiency of the Schistoscope, an automated digital microscope developed to diagnose urogenital schistosomiasis by imaging Schistosoma haematobium eggs on 13 or 25 mm membrane filters. Our improved method reduces the automated slide scanning time by 63.18% and 72.52% for the respective filter sizes. This advancement greatly supports the practicality of the Schistoscope in large-scale schistosomiasis monitoring and evaluation programs in endemic regions. This will save time, resources and also accelerate generation of data that is critical in achieving the targets for schistosomiasis elimination.     

Image reduction using means on discrete product lattices

We investigate the problem of averaging values on lattices and, in particular, on discrete product lattices. This problem arises in image processing when several color values given in RGB, HSL, or another coding scheme need to be combined. We show how the arithmetic mean and the median can be constructed by minimizing appropriate penalties, and we discuss which of them coincide with the Cartesian product of the standard mean and the median. We apply these functions in image processing. We present three algorithms for color image reduction based on minimizing penalty functions on discrete product lattices.     

Experimental and clinical validation of using enterosorption in mechanical jaundice

Experiments in 119 rats with the model of mechanical jaundice have shown the efficiency of enterosorption with polyphepan. The development of the pathological process was found to improve, lethality of the experimental animals to decrease. Favourable changes of the laboratory indices characteristic of endotoxemia were noted. The mechanism of medical action of enterosorption is realized by means of intensification of transfer of masses of metabolites and toxins through the intestine wall and their excretion through the gastrointestinal tract. One of important mechanisms of the medical action of enterosorption is the stimulation of intestinal peristalsis which is confirmed by data of the dynamics of bioelectrical activity. Enterosorption performed in 60 patients with mechanical jaundice was followed by a more rapid improvement of the general state, decrease of the indices characteristic of endotoxicosis as compared with 60 patients of the control group. The frequency of postoperative complications and lethality were reliably lower.     

How to build aggregation operators from data

This article discusses a range of regression techniques specifically tailored to building aggregation operators from empirical data. These techniques identify optimal parameters of aggregation operators from various classes (triangular norms, uninorms, copulas, ordered weighted aggregation (OWA), generalized means, and compensatory and general aggregation operators), while allowing one to preserve specific properties such as commutativity or associativity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The role of metal nanoparticles in remote release of encapsulated materials

Laser mediated remote release of encapsulated fluorescently labeled polymers from nanoengineered polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules containing gold sulfide core/gold shell nanoparticles in their walls is observed in real time on a single capsule level. We have developed a method for measuring the temperature increase and have quantitatively investigated the influence of absorption, size, and surface density of metal nanoparticles using an analytical model. Experimental measurements and numerical simulations agree with the model. The treatment presented in this work is of general nature, and it is applicable to any system where nanoparticles are used as absorbing centers. Potential biomedical applications are highlighted.     

Three-helix bundle DNA tiles self-assemble into 2D lattice or 1D templates for silver nanowires

We present a DNA nanostructure, the three-helix bundle (3HB), which consists of three double helical DNA domains connected by six immobile crossover junctions such that the helix axes are not coplanar. The 3HB motif presents a triangular cross-section with one helix lying in the groove formed by the other two. By differential programming of sticky-ends, 3HB tiles can be arrayed in two distinct lattice conformations: one-dimensional filaments and two-dimensional lattices. Filaments and lattices have been visualized by high-resolution, tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) under buffer. Their dimensions are shown to be in excellent agreement with designed structures. We also demonstrate an electroless chemical deposition for fabricating metallic nanowires templated on self-assembled filaments. The metallized nanowires have diameters down to 20 nm and display Ohmic current-voltage characteristic.     

Class library ranlip for multivariate nonuniform random variate generation

This paper describes generation of nonuniform random variates from Lipschitz-continuous densities using acceptance/rejection, and the class library ranlip which implements this method. It is assumed that the required distribution has Lipschitz-continuous density, which is either given analytically or as a black box. The algorithm builds a piecewise constant upper approximation to the density (the hat function), using a large number of its values and subdivision of the domain into hyperrectangles.The class library ranlip provides very competitive preprocessing and generation times, and yields small rejection constant, which is a measure of efficiency of the generation step. It exhibits good performance for up to five variables, and provides the user with a black box nonuniform random variate generator for a large class of distributions, in particular, multimodal distributions. It will be valuable for researchers who frequently face the task of sampling from unusual distributions, for which specialized random variate generators are not available.

Program summary

Title of program: RanlipCatalogue number: ADVPProgram summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/ADVPProgram obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University of Belfast, N. IrelandComputers: IBM PC; DEC AlphaOperating systems under which the program has been tested: Windows XP, Linux, UnixProgramming language used: C++Memory required to execute with typical data: 32MNo. of bits in a word: 32No. of processors used: 1Has the code been vectorized?: NoNo. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 52 160No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 392 625Distribution format: tar.gzNature of physical problem:This program allows one to generate nonuniform random vectors from a variety of distributions (especially multimodal), using acceptance/rejection approach. Suitable for non-standard distributions for up to five variables.Method of solution:Assuming Lipschitz-continuous density, a tight overestimate (the hat function) is computed. Then random variates are generated using acceptance/rejection approach.Restrictions on the complexity of the problem:If the number of variables exceeds five, computation of the overestimate is inefficient.Typical running time:Preprocessing 1-5000 s, generation .