Books on the topic 'Image quality analysis'

This collection of images of Histopathology is the fruit of the authors' thirty years' experience in the performance of practical exercises in General Pathology. It is aimed at students attending lessons of General Pathology on the Degree Courses in Medical Surgery and Biological Sciences. It does not aspire either to be complete from the point of view of the various organic pathologies, or to replace direct and personal observation of the histological preparations through the microscope, but is rather intended as an aid to students preparing for the exam. It does not include the rudiments of cytology and microscopic anatomy, which it is assumed have already been mastered by those approaching General Histopathology, nor are histopathological phenomena systematically addressed, for which the reader is referred to textbooks on General Pathology. The 44 preparations presented here have been grouped in line with the main arguments of General Pathology: Cellular Degeneration, Inflammation, Neoplasia both benign and malign, and Vascular Pathology. They have been selected for their didactic significance and the simplicity and clarity of the lesions present, without taking into account the information to be derived from the clinical case history. The images of the preparations, in which the best possible quality of reproduction has been sought, are presented in progressive enlargements and are accompanied by brief descriptions comprising the explanations essential for identification of the characteristic aspects of the elementary lesion, as well as any eventual defects in the preparations themselves. Effectively, the objective of the work is to enable the student to exercise his understanding of the images. For this reason the casuistics included is as essential as possible, and the method of presentation utilised is designed to avoid mere visual memorisation, stimulating first analysis and then synthesis, and the development of individual logical skills so as to indicate whether aspects of cellular pathology, inflammation or neoplasia are present.

Stress echocardiography has evolved over the last 30 years but image interpretation remains subjective and burdened by the operator’s experience. The objective operator-independent assessment of myocardial ischaemia during stress echocardiography remains a technological challenge. Still, adequate quality of two-dimensional images remains a prerequisite to successful quantitative analysis, even using Doppler and non-Doppler based techniques. No new technology has proved to have a higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional visual wall motion analysis. Tissue Doppler imaging and derivatives may reduce inter-observer variability, but still require a dedicated learning curve and special expertise. The development of contrast media in echocardiography has been slow. In the past decade, transpulmonary contrast agents have become commercially available for clinical use. The approved indication for the use of contrast echocardiography currently lies in improving endocardial border delineation in patients in whom adequate imaging is difficult or suboptimal. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography is potentially useful but limited by low spatial and temporal resolution. It is possible that these technologies may serve as an adjunct to expert visual assessment of wall motion. At present, these quantitative methods require further validation and simplification of analysis techniques.

Modern digital echo laboratories are based on echo scanners working in a network with file server(s) and work-station computers for offline analysis and reporting. They may be based on vendor-specific software, but are preferably based on vendor-independent software solutions, being able to handle data from all brands of scanners. To enable analysis of advanced echocardiographic techniques, plug-ins for vendor-specific solutions should be integrated in the otherwise vendor-independent software. To obtain full efficiency, the system should be integrated with the hospital information system for patient demographics and scheduling, and the approved report should automatically be returned to the electronic patient record without the need for scanning or other handling by manpower. To obtain this, a variety of standards have been developed, most of them for medical imaging in general. Scanners of all major brands deliver data compatible with those standards, even if compatibility problems may occur. When the optimal solution for the individual organization has been established, running the echo lab changes significantly. Digital images are stored on safe repositories without quality loss and are available for viewing outside the echo lab. Offline measurements, structured reporting, education, research, quality control, and financial analyses are available. The lab becomes more efficient and cost-effective.

Person identification at passport control, at borders, in police investigations, and in criminal trials relies critically on the identity verification of people via image-to-image or person-to-image comparison. While this task is known as ‘facial image comparison’ in forensic settings, it has been studied as ‘unfamiliar face matching’ in cognitive science. This book brings together expertise from practitioners, and academics in psychology and law, to draw together what is currently known about these tasks. It explains the problem of identity impostors and how within-person variability and between-person similarity, due to factors such as image quality, lighting direction, and view, affect identification. A framework to develop a cognitive theory of face matching is offered. The face-matching abilities of untrained lay observers, facial reviewers, facial examiners, and super-recognizers are analysed and contrasted. Individual differences between observers, learning and training for face recognition and face matching, and personnel selection are reviewed. The admissibility criteria of evidence from face matching in legal settings are considered, focusing on aspects such as the requirement of relevance, the prohibition on evidence of opinion, and reliability. Key concepts relevant to automatic face recognition algorithms at airports and in police investigations are explained, such as deep convolutional neural networks, biometrics, and human–computer interaction. Finally, new security threats in the form of hyper-realistic mask disguises are considered, including the impact these have on person identification in applied and laboratory settings.

Occupational therapy in palliative care aims to help patients achieve their optimum independence in activities that are important to them. The specific functional difficulties may include extreme fatigue, anxiety and shortness of breath due to advanced disease including metastatic spinal cord compression, fractures, or peripheral neuropathies. Patients may have problems with cognition and perception, body image, life role, and spiritual issues as well as physical disabilities. This chapter describes the broad range of areas in which the occupational therapist works in palliative care together with the interprofessional team. They take a key role in organizing and facilitating safe discharge and care at home, with the aim of achieving best quality of life and avoiding re-admission to hospital wherever possible. The occupational therapist analyses and assesses specific problems and provides a treatment programme or solution to help the patient remain as independent as possible, using clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.

Is journalism under threat? The image of journalists, as helmeted war correspondents protected by bullet-proof vests and armed only with cameras and microphones, springs to mind. Physical threats are only the most visible dangers, however. Journalists and journalism itself are facing other threats such as censorship, political and economic pressure, intimidation, job insecurity and attacks on the protection of journalists’ sources. Social media and digital photography mean that anyone can now publish information, which is also upsetting the ethics of journalism. How can these threats be tackled? In this book, 10 experts from different backgrounds analyse the situation from various angles. At a time when high-quality, independent journalism is more necessary than ever – and yet when the profession is facing many different challenges – they explore the issues surrounding the role of journalism in democratic societies. With contributions by Onur Andreotti, Nils Muižnieks, Tarlach McGonagle, Sejal Parmar, Başak Çalı, Dirk Voorhoof , Kerem Altıparmak, Yaman Akdeniz, Katharine Sarikakis, Aidan White, Eugenia Siapera, Pierre Haski

Stress echocardiography is the combination of echocardiography with a physical, pharmacological, or electrical stress. Good quality images are absolutely necessary and a quad-screen format should be applied for comparative analysis. Different stress echo protocols can be used in different pathologies. Exercise echocardiography has the advantages of its wide availability, low cost, and versatility for the assessment of various cardiac conditions. The most usual pathologies are suspected or known ischaemic heart disease, mitral and aortic valve diseases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. Among exercise-independent stresses, dobutamine and dipyridamole are the most frequently used. Dobutamine is widely accepted for the evaluation of myocardial viability. The two tests have comparable accuracy for the detection of coronary artery disease. Ergonovine echo is highly feasible, accurate, and safe for the diagnosis of coronary vasospasm. High-rate pacing is especially appropriate in patients with a permanent pacemaker because non-invasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease in these patients is an extremely difficult task.

The monograph reflects the problems of Russian psycholinguistics from the moment of its inception in Russia to the present day and presents its main directions that are currently developing. In addition, theoretical developments and practical results obtained in the framework of different directions and research centers are described in a concise form. The task of the book is to reflect, as far as it is possible in one edition, firstly, the history of the formation of Russian psycholinguistics; secondly, its methodology and developed methods; thirdly, the results obtained in different research centers and directions in different regions of Russia; fourthly, to outline the main directions of the further development of Russian psycholinguistics. There is no doubt that in the theoretical, methodological and applied aspects, the main problems and the results of their development by Russian psycholinguistics have no analogues in world linguistics and psycholinguistics, or are represented by completely original concepts and methods. We have tried to show this uniqueness of the problematics and the methodological equipment of Russian psycholinguistics in this book. The main role in the formation of Russian psycholinguistics was played by the Moscow psycholinguistic school of A.A. Leontyev. It still defines the main directions of Russian psycholinguistics. Russian psycholinguistics (the theory of speech activity - TSA) is based on the achievements of Russian psychology: a cultural-historical approach to the analysis of mental phenomena L.S. Vygotsky and the system-activity approach of A.N. Leontyev. Moscow is the most "psycholinguistic region" of Russia - INL RAS, Moscow State University, Moscow State Linguistic University, RUDN, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Sechenov University, Moscow State University and other Moscow universities. Saint Petersburg psycholinguists have significant achievements, especially in the study of neurolinguistic problems, ontolinguistics. The most important feature of Russian psycholinguistics is the widespread development of psycholinguistics in the regions, the emergence of recognized psycholinguistic research centers - St. Petersburg, Tver, Saratov, Perm, Ufa, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Voronezh, Yekaterinburg, Kursk, Chelyabinsk; psycholinguistics is represented in Cherepovets, Ivanovo, Volgograd, Vyatka, Kaluga, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Vladivostok, Abakan, Maikop, Barnaul, Ulan-Ude, Yakutsk, Syktyvkar, Armavir and other cities; in Belarus - Minsk, in Ukraine - Lvov, Chernivtsi, Kharkov, in the DPR - Donetsk, in Kazakhstan - Alma-Ata, Chimkent. Our researchers work in Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, China, France, Switzerland. There are Russian psycholinguists in Canada, USA, Israel, Austria and a number of other countries. All scientists from these regions and countries have contributed to the development of Russian psycholinguistics, to the development of psycholinguistic theory and methods of psycholinguistic research. Their participation has not been forgotten. We tried to present the main Russian psycholinguists in the Appendix - in the sections "Scientometrics", "Monographs and Manuals" and "Dissertations", even if there is no information about them in the Electronic Library and RSCI. The principles of including scientists in the scientometric list are presented in the Appendix. Our analysis of the content of the resulting monograph on psycholinguistic research in Russia allows us to draw preliminary conclusions about some of the distinctive features of Russian psycholinguistics: 1. cultural-historical approach to the analysis of mental phenomena of L.S.Vygotsky and the system-activity approach of A.N. Leontiev as methodological basis of Russian psycholinguistics; 2. theoretical nature of psycholinguistic research as a characteristic feature of Russian psycholinguistics. Our psycholinguistics has always built a general theory of the generation and perception of speech, mental vocabulary, linked specific research with the problems of ontogenesis, the relationship between language and thinking; 3. psycholinguistic studies of speech communication as an important subject of psycholinguistics; 4. attention to the psycholinguistic analysis of the text and the development of methods for such analysis; 5. active research into the ontogenesis of linguistic ability; 6. investigation of linguistic consciousness as one of the important subjects of psycholinguistics; 7. understanding the need to create associative dictionaries of different types as the most important practical task of psycholinguistics; 8. widespread use of psycholinguistic methods for applied purposes, active development of applied psycholinguistics. The review of the main directions of development of Russian psycholinguistics, carried out in this monograph, clearly shows that the direction associated with the study of linguistic consciousness is currently being most intensively developed in modern Russian psycholinguistics. As the practice of many years of psycholinguistic research in our country shows, the subject of study of psycholinguists is precisely linguistic consciousness - this is a part of human consciousness that is responsible for generating, understanding speech and keeping language in consciousness. Associative experiments are the core of most psycholinguistic techniques and are important both theoretically and practically. The following main areas of practical application of the results of associative experiments can be outlined. 1. Education. Associative experiments are the basis for constructing Mind Maps, one of the most promising tools for systematizing knowledge, assessing the quality, volume and nature of declarative knowledge (and using special techniques and skills). Methods based on smart maps are already widely used in teaching foreign languages, fast and deep immersion in various subject areas. 2. Information search, search optimization. The results of associative experiments can significantly improve the quality of information retrieval, its efficiency, as well as adaptability for a specific person (social group). When promoting sites (promoting them in search results), an associative experiment allows you to increase and improve the quality of the audience reached. 3. Translation studies, translation automation. An associative experiment can significantly improve the quality of translation, take into account intercultural and other social characteristics of native speakers. 4. Computational linguistics and automatic word processing. The results of associative experiments make it possible to reveal the features of a person's linguistic consciousness and contribute to the development of automatic text processing systems in a wide range of applications of natural language interfaces of computer programs and robotic solutions. 5. Advertising. The use of data on associations for specific words, slogans and texts allows you to predict and improve advertising texts. 6. Social relationships. The analysis of texts using the data of associative experiments makes it possible to assess the tonality of messages (negative / positive moods, aggression and other characteristics) based on user comments on the Internet and social networks, in the press in various projections (by individuals, events, organizations, etc.) from various social angles, to diagnose the formation of extremist ideas. 7. Content control and protection of personal data. Associative experiments improve the quality of content detection and filtering by identifying associative fields in areas subject to age restrictions, personal information, tobacco and alcohol advertising, incitement to ethnic hatred, etc. 8. Gender and individual differences. The data of associative experiments can be used to compare the reactions (and, in general, other features of thinking) between men and women, different social and age groups, representatives of different regions. The directions for the further development of Russian psycholinguistics from the standpoint of the current state of psycholinguistic science in the country are seen by us, first of all:  in the development of research in various areas of linguistic consciousness, which will contribute to the development of an important concept of speech as a verbal model of non-linguistic consciousness, in which knowledge revealed by social practice and assigned by each member of society during its inculturation is consolidated for society and on its behalf;  in the expansion of the problematics, which is formed under the influence of the growing intercultural communication in the world community, which inevitably involves the speech behavior of natural and artificial bilinguals in the new object area of psycholinguistics;  in using the capabilities of national linguistic corpora in the interests of researchers studying the functioning of non-linguistic and linguistic consciousness in speech processes;  in expanding research on the semantic perception of multimodal texts, the scope of which has greatly expanded in connection with the spread of the Internet as a means of communication in the life of modern society;  in the inclusion of the problems of professional communication and professional activity in the object area of psycholinguistics in connection with the introduction of information technologies into public practice, entailing the emergence of new professions and new features of the professional ethos;  in the further development of the theory of the mental lexicon (identifying the role of different types of knowledge in its formation and functioning, the role of the word as a unit of the mental lexicon in the formation of the image of the world, as well as the role of the natural / internal metalanguage and its specificity in speech activity);  in the broad development of associative lexicography, which will meet the most diverse needs of society and cognitive sciences. The development of associative lexicography may lead to the emergence of such disciplines as associative typology, associative variantology, associative axiology;  in expanding the spheres of applied use of psycholinguistics in social sciences, sociology, semasiology, lexicography, in the study of the brain, linguodidactics, medicine, etc. This book is a kind of summarizing result of the development of Russian psycholinguistics today. Each section provides a bibliography of studies on the relevant issue. The Appendix contains the scientometrics of leading Russian psycholinguists, basic monographs, psycholinguistic textbooks and dissertations defended in psycholinguistics. The content of the publications presented here is convincing evidence of the relevance of psycholinguistic topics and the effectiveness of the development of psycholinguistic problems in Russia.

This is the first scholarly art-historical appraisal of Anglo-Saxon coinage, from its inception in the late sixth century to Offa's second reform of the penny c.792. Outside numismatic circles, this material has largely been ignored because of its complexity, yet artistically this is the most vibrant period of English coinage, with die-cutters showing flair and innovation and employing hundreds of different designs in their work. By analysing the iconography of the early coinage, this book intends to introduce its rich legacy to a wide audience. Anna Gannon divides the designs of the coins into four main categories: busts (including attributes and drapery), human figures, animals and geometrical patterns, presenting prototypes, sources of the repertoire and parallels with contemporary visual arts for each motif. The comparisons demonstrate the central role of coins in the eclectic visual culture of the time, with the advantages of official sanctioning and wide circulation to support and diffuse new ideas and images. The sources of the motifs clarify the relationship between the many designs of the complex Secondary phase (c.710-50). Contemporary literature and theological writings often offer the key to the interpretation of motifs, hinting at a universal preoccupation with religious themes. The richness of designs and display of learning point to a sophisticated patronage with access to exotic prototypes, excellent craftsmanship and wealth; it is likely that minsters, as rich, learned, and well-organized institutions, were behind some of the coinage. After the economic crises of the mid-eighth century this flamboyant iconography was swept away: with the notable exeption of the coins of Offa, still displaying exciting designs of high quality and inventiveness, reformed issues bore royal names and titles, and strove towards uniformity.