Le nostre pubblicazioni

 

Volume 31, Issue 2, June 2006, Pages 143-152

A web management service applied to a comprehensive characterization of Visible Human Dataset colour images

Menegoni, F., Pinciroli, F

Abstract

Visible Human Dataset (VHD) is a remarkable piece of raw digital anatomical knowledge still to be fully exploited. Colours of VHD anatomic images are the natural targets of different algorithmic approaches devoted to understanding the content of the complex digital medical images, but they have never been analysed exhaustively. A full colorimetric characterization of all 9000 VHD colour images may help to take advantage of implicit available information in raw data. This study describes a novel colorimetric characterization and a Visual Knowledge Discovery tool, using methods from database field, data visualization, and image analysis. The applied heterogeneous methods allowed us to develop a histogram meta database and make it available remotely. It consists of a histogram-based colorimetric characterization of the all VHD 24-bit colour images. A user-friendly, interactive, and intuitive 3D framework providing 3D services was built and made freely available. It allows real-time analysis of colour component characteristics of a user-defined set of VHD images providing 3D interactive navigation of the histogram meta database. New knowledge can be discovered using our tool and the histogram meta database provided. This work allowed us to propose novel methods for colour image characterization and obtained results using developed service on VHD colour images let us to partially understand the not fully satisfactorily results achieved so far analysing these images.

Le nostre pubblicazioni

Europa Medicophysica

Volume 42, Issue 2, June 2006, Pages 135-143

Functional assessment of the lumbar spine through the optoelectronic ZooMS system: Clinical application

Ciavarro, G.L., Andreoni, G., Negrini, S., Santambrogio, G.C.

Abstract

Aim. The radiographic method remains the main imaging technique for the physiological, anatomical and possibly pathological analysis of the spine thanks to its ease of use, precision and reliability. Despite this, the technique is inadequate for functional and dynamic studies. This paper aims to apply a dedicated noninvasive methodology based on optoelectronic techniques for the functional evaluation of the lumbar spine. Methods. A reference data set for typical movements (i.e. flexion/extension, lateral bending, axial rotation) of the lumbar spine has been developed. Twenty healthy subjects have been recruited (10 males and 10 females) to create the databases of healthy subjects; one subject who suffers from lumbar spine diseases has been analyzed and his mobility has been compared to healthy subjects. Results. Two databases have been created: in the former, the entire movement is normalized in time with respect to its duration; in the latter, all movements are classified hi characteristic phases and each single phase is normalized to a defined duration. These databases include both the global movement of the lumbar tract of the spine and the movement of the single functional units (2 vertebrae, the intervertebral disk and the intervening surrounding soft tissues). Moreover, these data-bases are divided into male and female databases according to the natural differences in range of motion and pattern of movement. A clinical application for pathologic subjects is shown demonstrating the applicability and usability of this protocol. Conclusion. This method allows to assess both the quality and the quantity of lumbar spine movement (both global and metameric level) of the subject and to distinguish the patient from the healthy subject.

Comunicare la scienza: un kit di sporavvivenza

Per chi si occupa di ricerca scientifica è fondamentale comunicare il risultato dei propri studi. I ricercatori sono abituati a farlo “tra pari” pubblicando su riviste di settore, parlando a colleghi. Ma comunicare al grande pubblico è differente: bisogna farsi capire, appassionare il pubblico e conoscere le malizie per sfruttare al meglio ogni mezzo.

Ecco allora una guida preparata dalla Commissione Europea: Communicating science: a scientist’s survival kit

Per scaricare la guida (pdf: 2MB) cliccare qui

Per approfondire: Guide to successfull communcations

Le nostre pubblicazioni

 

Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin
Volume 43, Issue 4, May 2006, Pages 296-300
A human model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Aliverti, A., Macklem, P.T.

Abstract

Expiratory flow-limitation (EFL) during exercise enforces slowing of the velocity of shortening of expiratory muscles, which according to the muscles’ force velocity characteristics will increase the force (measured as pressure) that they develop. It has been suggested that high expiratory pressures might have adverse circulatory effects. To investigate this further we have studied normal subjects during incremental or constant workload exercise with a Starling resistor in the expiratory line which limited flow to ~1 l/s. We found that this intervention: 1) caused a marked increase in expiratory pressures; 2) limited maximal exercise workload (W_max) to 67% of control W _max; 3) led to intolerable dyspnea, attributable largely to expiratory muscle recruitment; 4) caused CO₂ retention not entirely explicable by a reduction in minute ventilation, thus implicating an increased alveolar dead space; 5) shifted blood from trunk to extremities, possibly accounting for the increased dead space and hypercapnia; 6) decreased cardiac output by 10% and systemic O₂ delivery by 15%. EFL during exercise reproduces the main clinical features of COPD, namely, exercise intolerance, prominent dyspnea and carbon dioxide retention and produces a condition similar to acute cor pulmonale. Thus it is a human model of how COPD leads to impairment of ventilatory pump function that is safe and repeatable. The results suggest that patients with COPD who recruit expiratory muscles excessively may limit exercise by decreasing systemic O₂ delivery.

Le nostre pubblicazioni

Radiotherapy and Oncology
Volume 79, Issue 2, May 2006, Pages 170-178

Patient set-up verification by infrared optical localization and body surface sensing in breast radiation therapy

Spadea, M.F., Baroni, G., Riboldi, M., Tagaste, B., Garibaldi, C., Orecchia, R, Pedotti, A.

Abstract

Background and purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical application of a technique for patient set-up verification in breast cancer radiotherapy, based on the 3D localization of a hybrid configuration of surface control points. Materials and methods: An infrared optical tracker provided the 3D position of two passive markers and 10 laser spots placed around and within the irradiation field on nine patients. A fast iterative constrained minimization procedure was applied to detect and compensate patient set-up errors, through the control points registration with reference data coming from treatment plan (markers reference position, CT-based surface model). Results: The application of the corrective spatial transformation estimated by the registration procedure led to significant improvement of patient set-up. Median value of 3D errors affecting three additional verification markers within the irradiation field decreased from 5.7 to 3.5 mm. Errors variability (25-75%) decreased from 3.2 to 2.1 mm. Laser spots registration on the reference surface model was documented to contribute substantially to set-up errors compensation. Conclusions: Patient set-up verification through a hybrid set of control points and constrained surface minimization algorithm was confirmed to be feasible in clinical practice and to provide valuable information for the improvement of the quality of patient set-up, with minimal requirement of operator-dependant procedures. The technique combines conveniently the advantages of passive markers based methods and surface registration techniques, by featuring immediate and robust estimation of the set-up accuracy from a redundant dataset.

Le nostre pubblicazioni

International Journal of Artificial Organs

Volume 29, Issue 4, April 2006, Pages 434-442

Antibacterial activity of zinc modified titanium oxide surface

Petrini, P., Arciola, C.R., Pezzali, I. , Bozzini, S., Montanaro, L, Tanzi, M.C., Speziale, P., Visai, L.

 

Abstract

Titanium-based implants are successfully used for various biomedical applications. However, in some cases, e.g. in dental implants, failures due to bacterial colonization are reported. Surface modification is a commonly proposed strategy to prevent infections. In this work, titanium oxide, naturally occurring on the surface of titanium, was modified by promoting the formation of a mixed titanium and zinc oxide, on the basis of the idea that zinc oxide on titanium surface may act as the zinc oxide used in pharmaceutical formulation for its lenitive and antibacterial effects. The present work shows that it is possible to form a mixed titanium and zinc oxide on titanium surfaces, as shown by Scanning Electron Microscopy and XPS analysis. To this end titanium was preactivated by UV on crystalline titanium oxide, both in the anatase form or in the co-presence of anatase and rutile. By performing antibacterial assays, we provide evidence of a significant reduction in the viability of five streptococcal oral strains on titanium oxide surfaces modified with zinc. In conclusion, this type of chemical modification of titanium oxide surfaces with zinc might be considered a new way to reduce the risk of bacterial colonization, increasing the lifetime of dental system applications.

Blog e bloggers in vacanza

Il nostro blog si prende una (meritata?!) pausa. Arrivederci al 28 agosto.

Buon ferragosto a tutti!

Le nostre pubblicazioni

International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Volume 35, Issue 7, July 2006, Pages 636-642

Automatic extraction of the mid-facial plane for cranio-maxillofacial surgery planning

De Momi, E., Chapuis, J., Pappas, I., Ferrigno, G., Hallermann, W., Schramm, A., Caversaccio, M.

Per gli utenti di Politecnico l’articolo è disponibile qui

Le nostre pubblicazioni

Medical Physics

Volume 33, Issue 6, June 2006, Pages 1603-1611

Atlas-based identification of targets for functional radiosurgery

Stancanello, J., Romanelli, P., Modugno, N., Cerveri, P., Ferrigno, G., Uggeri, , Cantore, G.

Per gli utenti di Politecnico l’articolo è disponibile qui

Vedi il record in

 

PubMed Central: nasce la versione europea UKPMC

Annunciata la nascita (gennaio 2007) di una versione europea di PubMed Central, l’open archive della letteratura medica sviluppato dal National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Il progetto vede impegnata la British Library, la University of Manchester e l‘European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) e prevede la creazione di un open archive europeo per la letteratura medica con le stesse modalità di PubMed Central americano. L’idea base è quella di obbligare il deposito in UKPMC delle ricerche sicentifiche finanziate con denaro pubblico, così come avviene già negli U.S.A.

UKPMC will ensure that the digital archive of published articles resulting from research paid for by any of the funding consortium will be freely available, fully searchable and extensively linked to other online resources.

Un grosso passo avanti verso la piena accessibilità della ricerca medica finanziata con denaro pubblico.

Per approfondire:

• British Library-led partnership chosen to run UK PubMed Central
• British Library to host UK’s PubMed Central

[via: IWR]

Raccomandazioni per lo sviluppo dell’Editoria Elettronica negli Atenei Italiani

Disponibile gratuitamente l’ebook:

Raccomandazioni per lo sviluppo dell’editoria elettronica negli atenei italiani

a cura di Patrizia Cotoneschi, Giancarlo Pepeu. – Firenze :
Firenze university press – CRUI, 2006.
Il full text è disponibile qui (pdf 559K)

Medical physics: un portale

Lanciato da poco il portale Medical Physics Web rigurdante la medical phyisics. Curato dall’IOP (Institute of physics) richeide una sottoscrizione gratuita per l’accesso a alcuni contenuti

Disponibili i feed rss per tenersi aggiornati sui cintenuti del portale

[via: Science Resources]