Enhancement of Iris Recognition System Based on Phase Only Correlation

Iris recognition system is one of biometric based recognition/identification systems. Numerous techniques have been implemented to achieve a good recognition rate, including the ones based on Phase Only Correlation (POC). Significant and higher correlation peaks suggest that the system recognizes iris images of the same subject (person), while lower and unsignificant peaks correspond to recognition of those of difference subjects. Current POC methods have not investigated minimum iris point that can be used to achieve higher correlation peaks. This paper proposed a method that used only one-fourth of full normalized iris size to achieve higher (or at least the same) recognition rate. Simulation on CASIA version 1.0 iris image database showed that averaged recognition rate of the proposed method achieved 67%, higher than that of using one-half (56%) and full (53%) iris point. Furthermore, all (100%) POC peak values of the proposed method was higher than that of the method with full iris points.    

A Longitudinal Analysis on the Feasibility of Iris Recognition Performance for Infants 0-2 Years Old

The focus of this study was to longitudinally evaluate iris recognition for infants between the ages of 0 to 2 years old. Image quality metrics of infant and adult irises acquired on the same iris camera were compared. Matching performance was evaluated for four groups, infants 0 to 6 months, 7 to 12 months, 13 to 24 months, and adults. A mixed linear regression model was used to determine if infants’ genuine similarity scores changed over time. This study found that image quality metrics were different between infants and adults but in the older group, (13 to 24 months old) the image quality metric scores were more likely to be similar to adults. Infants 0 to 6 months old had worse performance at an FMR of 0.01% than infants 7 to 12 months, 13 to 24 months, and adults

Functional and Structural Characterization of a Human H4 Histone Gene Promoter: a Thesis

Expression of the cell cycle dependent FO10S human H4 histone gene is regulated at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. We have investigated the 5\u27 promoter elements mediating the transcriptional aspects of its regulation. A detailed in vivo and in vitro transcriptional analysis of promoter deletion mutants from this gene has identified three positive regulatory elements and two potentially negative regulatory elements within the first 1000 base pairs upstream of the transcription initiation site. In addition, the minimal promoter located within the first 70 base pairs is required for accurate transcription initiation and contains one of two in vivo identified protein-DNA interactions, site II. Binding of the nuclear factor HiNF-D to this region was correlated with the turn-on of histone gene transcription following stimulation of quiescent normal diploid fibroblasts to re-enter the proliferative phase. The most proximal positive regulatory element contains the other in vivo identified protein-DNA interaction, site I. Results from a series of in vitroprotein-DNA interaction studies revealed the binding of two nuclear factors to this element. One protein, HiNF-C, is indistinguishable from the transcription factor Sp1 while the other, HiNF-E, is a novel, potentially histone-specific member of the ATF transcription factor family. Binding of HiNF-C was required to stabilize the interaction of HiNF-E and together this region stimulated transcription 5 fold. The near-distal transcription activator region lies between -418 and -213 base pairs and forms a single protein- DNA complex, H4UA-1. The interaction domain for H4UA-1 contains recognition sequences for both the thyroid hormone receptor and the nuclear factor CTF/NF-1. The far-distal activator region (-730 and -589 base pairs) was the strongest positive regulatory element identified in the H4 promoter. This region increased transcription 10 fold and contains three protein-DNA interactions. One of the factors, H4UA-2, is an ATF transcription factor closely related to the HiNF-E interaction in the proximal positive element. These studies have defined the functional human H4 histone promoter to be a complex, modular structure extending at least 1000 base pairs

BioTwist - overcoming severe distortions in ridge-based biometrics for successful identication

Biometrics rely on a physical trait's permanence and stability over time, as well as its individuality, robustness and ease to be captured. Challenges arise when working with newborns or infants because of the tininess and fragility of an infant's features, their uncooperative nature and their rapid growth. The last of these is particularly relevant when one tries to verify an infant's identity based on captures of a biometric taken at an earlier age. Finding a physical trait that is feasible for infants is often referred to as the infant biometric problem. This thesis explores the quality aspect of adult fingermarks and the correlation between image quality and the mark’s usefulness for an ongoing forensic investigation, and researches various aspects of the “ballprint” as an infant biometric. The ballprint, the friction ridge skin area of the foot pad under the big toe, exhibits similar properties to fingerprint but the ball possesses larger physical structures and a greater number of features. We collected a longitudinal ballprint database from 54 infants within 3 days of birth, at two months old, at 6 months and at 2 years. It has been observed that the skin of a newborn's foot dries and cracks so the ridge lines are often not visible to the naked eye and an adult fingerprint scanner cannot capture them. This thesis presents the physiological discovery that the ballprint grows isotropically during infancy and can be well approximated by a linear function of the infant's age. Fingerprint technology developed for adult fingerprints can match ballprints if they are adjusted by a physical feature (the inter-ridge spacing) to be of a similar size to adult fingerprints. The growth in ballprint inter-ridge spacing mirrors infant growth in terms of length/height. When growth is compensated for by isotropic rescaling, impressive verification scores are achieved even for captures taken 22 months apart. The scores improve even further when low-quality prints are rejected; the removal of the bottom third improves the Equal Error Rate from 1-2% to 0%. In conclusion, this thesis demonstrates that the ballprint is a feasible solution to the infant biometric problem

Assessment of Automated Analyses of Cell Migration on Flat and Nanostructured Surfaces

Motility studies of cells often rely on computer software that analyzes time-lapse recorded movies and establishes cell trajectories fully automatically. This raises the question of reproducibility of results, since different programs could yield significantly different results of such automated analysis. The fact that the segmentation routines of such programs are often challenged by nanostructured surfaces makes the question more pertinent. Here we illustrate how it is possible to track cells on bright field microscopy images with image analysis routines implemented in an open-source cell tracking program, PACT (Program for Automated Cell Tracking). We compare the automated motility analysis of three cell tracking programs, PACT, Autozell, and TLA, using the same movies as input for all three programs. We find that different programs track overlapping, but different subsets of cells due to different segmentation methods. Unfortunately, population averages based on such different cell populations, differ significantly in some cases. Thus, results obtained with one software package are not necessarily reproducible by other software

The doctoral research abstracts. Vol:12 2017 / Institute of Graduate Studies, UiTM

Foreword: Congratulation to IGS on your continuous efforts to publish the 12th issue of the Doctoral Research Abstracts which highlights research in various disciplines from science and technology, business and administration to social sciences and humanities. This research abstract features the abstracts from 71 PhD doctorates who will receive their scrolls in this 87th UiTM momentous convocation ceremony. To the 71 doctorates, you have most certainly done UiTM proud by journeying through the scholarly world with its endless challenges and obstacles, and by persevering right till the very end. Graduands, your success in achieving the highest academic qualification has demonstrated that you have indeed engineered your destiny well. The action of registering for a PhD program was not by chance but by choice. It was a choice made to realise your self-actualization level that is the highest level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, while at the same time unleashing your potential in scholarly research. Again, congratulations to all PhD graduates. As you leave the university as alumni we hope a new relationship will be fostered between you and the faculty in soaring UiTM to greater heights. I wish you all the best in your future endeavor. Keep UiTM close to your heart and be our ambassador wherever you go. / Prof Emeritus Dato’ Dr Hassan Said Vice Chancellor Universiti Teknologi MAR

Optical imaging and spectroscopy for the study of the human brain: status report.

This report is the second part of a comprehensive two-part series aimed at reviewing an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain health and function. While the first report focused on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies, here, we highlight optical spectroscopy and imaging methods relevant to noninvasive human brain studies. We outline current state-of-the-art technologies and software advances, explore the most recent impact of these technologies on neuroscience and clinical applications, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions

Optical imaging and spectroscopy for the study of the human brain: status report

This report is the second part of a comprehensive two-part series aimed at reviewing an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain health and function. While the first report focused on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies, here, we highlight optical spectroscopy and imaging methods relevant to noninvasive human brain studies. We outline current state-of-the-art technologies and software advances, explore the most recent impact of these technologies on neuroscience and clinical applications, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions

Optical imaging and spectroscopy for the study of the human brain: status report

This report is the second part of a comprehensive two-part series aimed at reviewing an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain health and function. While the first report focused on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies, here, we highlight optical spectroscopy and imaging methods relevant to noninvasive human brain studies. We outline current state-of-the-art technologies and software advances, explore the most recent impact of these technologies on neuroscience and clinical applications, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions. Keywords: DCS; NIRS; diffuse optics; functional neuroscience; optical imaging; optical spectroscop

Transcriptional regulators of nestin in the rat central nervous system

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology, 1996.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-157).by Richard Eric Josephson.Ph.D