Self Correcting Tracking of Moving Objects in Video

Apparatus, methods, systems and devices for identifying and tracking a human hand in a video. The steps for identifying the hand includes detecting parallel lines (bars), detecting curved fingertips (curves), grouping the detected parallel lines and curved fingertips according to a parallel line decision tree and a curved fignertip decision tree, respectively, and merging the parallel line group and the curved fingertip group to identify candidate hands

Stock Liquidity as a Determinant of Credit Default Swap Spreads

This research investigates the effect of stock liquidity on credit default swap spreads. The relationship between stock liquidity and CDS spreads is tested empirically using a panel data of 82 companies spanning a period of 64 months. To ensure the accuracy of our findings, we use three proxies for stock liquidity, namely the bid-ask spread, Amihud illiquidity measure and the turnover ratio. When controlling for other known firm-level factors, we obtain a relationship between stock liquidity measures and CDS spreads, indicating that higher stock liquidity leads to lower CDS spread. This relation also holds when macroeconomic factors are used as control variables. Thereby, we manage to find a link between the stock market and the CDS market. This relationship helps predict the movement of CDS spreads by analyzing stock liquidity in the developed equity market

Evaluation of 2D combination of eye-tracking metrics for task distinction

Eye-tracking techniques enable researchers to observe human behaviors by using eye tracking metrics. Machine learning is one of the techniques used in task inference. However, in our research in order to decrease the effort to analyze the task inference, we consider two combinations of different metrics on a two-dimensional scatter plot. Also, we analyze the data with K-Means clustering and correlation analysis to determine the task inference. Two-dimensional scatter plot let the analyst interact with the data in a better manner. In this thesis, we reduced the metrics dimensions, for example, calculating the mean value of the fixation durations that gave us a single value. We examined a few metrics such as crossings of saccades, first fixation duration after the onset of a stimulus, fixation duration mean, and fixation duration median. Furthermore, we created some custom metrics specifically for this research to analyze the tasks for the participants better. Next, we developed a simple game. In the game, there were three game modes for building distinctive gaze behavior. Those game modes include changes in the color tint information, size changes of the stimulus, and as a control mode, a text-only representation which does not contain any color or size differences. Finally, we made a study with six participants. They played our game to give us a dataset which we can work in the analysis with K-means clustering. Nevertheless, the results were promising and helpful in distinguishing human behavior on different tasks. However, this research is not enough for task inference, and there are further improvements which could achieve a better result than the current state

Caracterización química y morfológica de Allium tuncelianum (Amaryllidaceae) y potenciales antioxidantes y anticolinesterasa

Alzheimer’s disease is the main reason for dementia, which increases with age. Cholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant potentials of extracts and essential oils from bulbs of A. tuncelianum (Kollmann) Özhatay & al., an endemic species to Tunceli (easthern Turkey), were evaluated. The fraction extracted of ethyl acetate had the highest phenolics level, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, and thiobarbituric acid antioxidant capacity. Also, the ethyl acetate fraction presented the highest acetylcholinesterase (15.98 ± 2.76%), and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (47.33 ± 3.27%). Diallyl disulfide (49.8%), diallyl trisulfide (27.9%) and allyl methyl trisulfide (6.9%) were found to be the major components of essential oil. This paper shows that the ethyl acetate fraction of A. tuncelianum could be a potent source of antioxidant and anticholinesterase components.La enfermedad de Alzheimer es la causa principal de la demencia, cuya aparición aumenta según la edad. Se evaluaron la inhibición de la colinesterasa y el potencial antioxidante de los extractos y los aceites esenciales de los bulbos de A. tuncelianum (Kollmann) Özhatay & al., una especie endémica de Tunceli (este de Turquía). La fracción extraida de acetato de etilo presentó los niveles más altos de fenoles, 1,1-difenil- 2-picrilhidrazilo y capacidad antioxidante, ácido tiobarbitúrico. Asimismo, la fracción de etil acetato presentó la mayor capacidad de inhibición de acetilcolinesterasa (15.98 ± 2.76%) y butirilcolinesterasa (47.33 ± 3.27%). El disulfuro de dialilo (49.8%), el trisulfuro de dialilo (27.9%) y el trisulfuro de metil alilo (6.9%) fueron los componentes principales del aceite esencial. Este artículo muestra que la fracción de etil acetato de A. tuncelianum podría ser una fuente potencial novedosa de componentes antioxidantes y anticolinesterasa

The role of performing a routine four-quadrant cervical biopsy in patients with negative colposcopic findings in increasing the identification rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasms

Aim: In patients with high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV), there is no consensus on the inclusion of cervical biopsy for diagnostic purposes in cases whereas there is no pathological finding in colposcopy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of simultaneous routine cervical biopsy in patients with normal colposcopic findings on the rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia diagnosis. Methods: This retrospective study included 119 patients with colposcopy indications who had no cervical pathology between January 2015 and March 2017 and the histopathological results were evaluated. Results: The mean age of the population was 45.75±9.52 years. The histopathological results obtained in our study patients are as follows; 38.7% (n=46) LSIL, 28.7% (n=33) chronic cervicitis, 15, 3 % (n=19) coilositosis, 9.2% (n=11) HSIL, 2.5% (n=5) adenocarcinoma, 1.7% (n=2) carcinoma in situ and 2.1% (n=3) squamous carcinoma. LSIL 33 (27.5%), HSIL and advanced lesion 11 (9.2%) were detected in patients with normal cervical cytology before colposcopy. LSIL 26 (21.7%), HSIL and advanced lesion were found to be 13 (10.8%) in patients with abnormal cervical cytology. There was no significant difference in terms of biopsy pathology results between normal and non-normal cervical cytology results. Conclusions: In patients with HPV positive and normal colposcopic findings, adding simultaneous routine four-quadrant cervical biopsy to the colposcopy might increase the detection rate of cervical intraepithelial lesions. &nbsp

Analysis of the relationships between Bitcoin and exchange rate, commodities and global indexes by asymmetric causality test

This study investigates the asymmetric causal relations between Bitcoin and gold, Brent oil, US dollar, S&P 500 and BIST 100 Indexes for the weekly data of the period between November 2013 and July 2018 via by Hatemi-J (2012) test. The results indicate only a causal link going from the Bitcoin price to S&P 500 Index. Consequently, a change in Bitcoin prices appears to influence the investors’ decisions on the S&P 500 Index. Therefore, it can be said that the investors in S&P 500 Index have closely followed the new macro-financial developments in the market and have been active on the S&P 500 market. However, the presence of a causality relation between Bitcoin price and other variables cannot be determined. Thus, it is supposed that Bitcoin may exist in association with the commodity market and other global indicators in the future, along with the recognition of the Bitcoin currency by countries, its being accepted as a means of exchange and its increased reliability

Cognitive Evaluation of Bupropion Sustained Release in Heavy Tobacco Smokers Using Event-Related Potentials

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of bupropion sustained release (SR) on cognitive function, evaluated by event-related potentials (ERPs), in heavy tobacco smokers

Simultaneous forequarter amputation and radical mastectomy for metastatic breast carcinoma in a male patient: a case report

Although the majority of forequarter amputations are performed for high-grade bone and soft tissue sarcomas or extensive osteomyelitis of the upper extremity, this radical operation may also be indicated for the curative treatment of recurrent breast cancer and for the palliation of locally advanced breast cancer. We report a male patient with metastatic breast adenocarcinoma who underwent simultaneous mastectomy and forequarter amputation for the management of both his primary and metastatic disease

Contamination of Low Frictional Elastomeric Ligatures by Streptococcus mutans: A Prospective RT-PCR and AFM Study

Objective: To compare Streptococcus mutans colonization between low-friction elastomeric ligatures and to correlate microbial colonization levels with the surface roughness status.Methods: The study included 160 premolars of 10 patients. During the study period, which consisted of 4 sessions each lasting 4 weeks, the ligature types Slide™ Low-Friction Ligature (Leone, Firenze, Italy), Tough-O Energy™ (Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Denver, USA), and Sili Ties™ (Dentsply Sirona, Surrey KT13 0NY, UK), and steel ligatures (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, USA) as a control, were fixed to the premolar teeth by clockwise rotation among the jaw quadrants. The plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) were obtained before bonding (T0), 6 weeks after bonding (T1), and subsequently every 4 weeks (T2, T3, T4). Presence of S. mutans was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction at T1, T2, T3, T4. Surface roughness was evaluated with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) before ligation (Ra0) and after (Ra1) ligation. The paired t-test, ANOVA, repeated measures of ANOVA, and the Kruskal–Wallis test were used for the statistical analysis.Results: S. mutans colonization was significantly higher on the Slide group (P .05).Conclusion:S. mutans colonization showed variations in low-friction elastomeric ligatures independent of surface roughness. Ringshaped low-friction elastomeric ligatures were not different from the steel ligature in terms of S. mutans colonization

Long-Term Results of Reconstruction with Pelvic Allografts after Wide Resection of Pelvic Sarcomas

Reconstruction after the resection of a pelvic tumor is a challenging procedure in orthopedic oncology. The main advantage of allograft reconstruction is restoration of the bony architecture of the complex pelvic region. However, high complication rates such as infection and allograft resorption had been reported in the literature. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively review nine patients treated with pelvic resection and structural pelvic allograft reconstruction. Functional results, complications, and survival of the patients and the allografts were evaluated. At a mean follow-up of 79 months, three patients were dead. Major complications were detected in eight of the nine patients. Infection (four of the nine patients) and allograft resorption (three of the nine patients) were the most common causes of failure. The cumulative survival of the patients was 66.7 percent at 70 months. However, allograft survival was only 26.7 percent at 60 months. Mean MSTS score was 69. In conclusion, we suggest that other reconstruction options should be preferred after pelvic resections because of the high complication rates associated with massive allograft reconstruction