Photodynamic therapy is a relatively new method used in malign tumour detection and treatment. The evaluation of the tumour response to this treatment can be made by optical techniques. In the paper below three optical techniques for tumour detection are presented: steady-state, time-resolved and frequency domain. In the steady- state measurements the light irradiation and detection can be either continuous or pulsed but the length of the pulse is long compared to the propagation time of the photons. The reflected light will consist of two parts: the spectral reflection and the diffuse reflectance, but the only one discussed here is the diffuse reflectance and there are two possible entities that can be measured: the total diffuse reflectance or the local diffuse reflectance. Another technique is the time-resolved one, where the transmitted or diffusely-reflected light from a femto- or picoseconds laser pulse is recorded as a function of time and a mathematical model is used to assess the optical properties. In the frequency-domain technique the optical properties are determined from the measurements of phase shift and demodulation of the detected light. These optical methods are non-invasive and nontoxic and present much interest among scientists and physicians as alternative technique for diagnosis and monitoring of cancer treatment.

A modern and dynamic society cannot be built on a classical, unidirectional educational system. A modern engineer should have the ability to work with other specialists, in a common language in order to develop complex projects. This is why interdisciplinary relationships are so important in the educational process. The brief description of the engineers’ training programs in the "Politehnica" University, presented in this paper, reveals the progress we made to a modern educational system and the things to be done in order to get a healthy study program based on interdisciplinary relationships, discipline and exigency. The interdisciplinary issue in the educational process is the consequence of the exponential development of teaching matters leading to a different vision of reality and to hyper-specialization. This is the reason why we need a strong connection between different knowledge levels: interdisciplinarity.

Rare radio-isotopes can give valuable information in different scientific areas, from medicine to cosmic rays studies. This is the reason why Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) has been developed to perform analyses at highest sensitivities, able to detect radio-isotopes concentrations where other methods fail. AMS with 14C performs precise dating of objects of biologic origin using only very small samples reducing relic destruction. 10Be is a long lived isotope used in historical studies of samples from the last ten million years. It can also be used in geology and its high analysing sensitivity allows measuring the 10Be produced directly inside the rock by the cosmic rays. From only 1 ml of blood AMS can detect the aluminium (26Al) absorption in different human organs. 36Cl is a good atmospheric circulation tracer that can be detected by AMS. 129I has a reduced specific activity but high volatility and can be used efficiently as a tracer of nuclear pollution. The paper will present the method of AMS and will give the reader an introduction into the possibilities of using this analysing method in different research activities.