Vision-Based Production of Personalized Video

In this paper we present a novel vision-based system for the automated production of personalised video souvenirs for visitors in leisure and cultural heritage venues. Visitors are visually identified and tracked through a camera network. The system produces a personalized DVD souvenir at the end of a visitor’s stay allowing visitors to relive their experiences. We analyze how we identify visitors by fusing facial and body features, how we track visitors, how the tracker recovers from failures due to occlusions, as well as how we annotate and compile the final product. Our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach

The dynamic behaviour of flexible oscillators rocking and sliding on concentrated springs

This study presents the Flexible Rocking Model on Concentrated Springs (FRMCS), developed to investigate 2D laterally flexible oscillators rocking and sliding on deformable support media during ground excitations. In this model, concentrated vertical springs and viscous dampers simulate the contact forces from support medium at the corners of the body; the tensionless vertical contact element is linear in compression. Horizontal concentrated springs and linear viscous dampers simulate the frictional behaviour at the corners; the constitutive law for the springs models elastic deformations and sliding (according to Coulomb's friction law). With these elements, FRMCS can model the response of a rocking body which can experience sliding and free‐flight phases of motion. The consideration of the flexibility of the support medium enables the evaluation of the forces exerted by the support medium on the structure during an impact. In this study, the FRMCS response is first compared to a previous model where the support medium deformability and the effects of sliding and free‐flight are ignored. Then, the responses of four configurations, which feature either stiff or soft lateral springs and stiff or soft high‐grip support media, are examined under the influence of pulse excitations. Finally, to understand the potential influence of sliding, a configuration with a low‐grip support medium is explored. The comparative influence of lateral flexibility and support medium deformability and sliding is quantified with stability diagrams and various response spectra, describing structural force and moment demands

Monopile foundation stiffness estimation of an instrumented offshore wind turbine through model updating

Rapid development of offshore wind foundation models has resulted in a large number of built structures with generally underestimated foundation stiffness properties and a need to update and validate both the individual structural models and the underlying foundation design frameworks. This paper outlines a structural health monitoring approach, based on the combination of output only structural health monitoring methods and model updating, to estimate foundation stiffness parameters using field monitored data. Field monitoring data from an offshore wind turbine under idling conditions, over a large monitoring period, are presented and operational modal analysis is applied to estimate the modal parameters. Those are compared to modal properties predicted by finite element models, employing either old (API/DNVGL) or new (PISA) foundation design properties, which are calibrated using geotechnical site investigation data. A new approach to interpret seabed level statically equivalent foundation stiffness, in terms of effective lateral and rotational stiffness against load eccentricity, is presented. Seabed level statically equivalent foundation properties are updated by comparison against the observed modal behaviour and the optimised foundation parameters are presented, demonstrating a close match to the predictions of the PISA method

Sensitivity of preputial and vaginal exfoliative cytological examination for diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis (Leishmania infantum)

Σκοπός της μελέτης ήταν η εκτίμηση της ευαισθησίας της κυτταρολογικής εξέτασης από δείγματα από την ακροποσθία ή τον κόλπο για διάγνωση της λεϊσμανίωσης του σκύλου, καθώς προηγούμενες μελέτες έχουν δείξει την παρουσία αμαστιγωτών μορφών Leishmania infantum στο πέος και την ακροποσθία των αρσενικών, καθώς και στον κόλπο των θηλυκών σκύλων με λεϊσμανίωση. Η εξέταση αυτή θα μπορούσε να αντικαταστήσει την κυτταρολογική εξέταση των λεμφογαγγλίων, του σπλήνα και του μυελού των οστών που απαιτούν περισσότερο επεμβατική δειγματοληψία. Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν 20 αρσενικοί και 18 θηλυκοί σκύλοι με επιβεβαιωμένη λεϊσμανίωση. Από κάθε αρσενικό σκύλο εξετάστηκαν τρία κυτταρολογικά επιχρίσματα από υλικό από διαφορετικά σημεία της κοιλότητας της ακροποσθίας, ενώ από κάθε θηλυκό σκύλο εξετάστηκε ένα επίχρισμα από την πρόσθια μοίρα του κόλπου. Ύστερα από μικροσκοπική εξέταση σε μεγέθυνση 1.000× επί 20 min δεν διαπιστώθηκαν  αμαστιγωτές μορφές της Leishmania spp. σε κανένα από τα παραπάνω επιχρίσματα. Κατά συνέπεια, η κυτταρολογική εξέταση δειγμάτων από την ακροποσθία ή τον κόλπο δεν αποτελεί ευαίσθητη μέθοδο για τη διάγνωση της λεϊσμανίωσης του σκύλου.Aim of the study was to examine sensitivity of preputial and vaginal exfoliative cytological examination as a noninvasive alternative to lymph node, spleen and bone marrow cytology, for detection of Leishmania infantum amastigotes in dogs with leishmaniosis, as, in previous studies, the protozoa have been observed in the penis and prepuce of male dogs and in the vagina of female dogs with leishmaniosis. In total, 20 male  and 18 female dogs with confirmed leishmaniosis were included inthe study. Three cytology smears were prepared from different sites of the preputial cavity of males and one smear was prepared from the anterior vagina of females. Leishmania amastigotes were not observed in these samples after microscopic examination for 20 min at 1,000× magnification. Therefore, preputial and vaginal exfoliative cytology is not recommended for routine diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis

Quantifying the Effects of Circuitous Routes on the Latency of Intra-Africa Internet Traffic: A Study of Research and Education Networks

Despite an increase in the number of Internet eXchange Points (IXP) in Africa, as well as proliferation of submarine and terrestrial fibre optic cable systems, the level of peering among Africa’s Internet service providers remains low. Using active network measurements, this work characterizes the level of interconnectivity and peering among Africa’s National Research and Education Networks (NRENs),and examines the performance of traffic exchange in terms of latencies. This paper shows that over 75% of Africa’s inter-university traffic follows circuitous inter-continental routes, and is characterised by latencies that are more than double those of traffic exchanged within the continent

An analysis of factors that influence personal exposure to toluene and xylene in residents of Athens, Greece

BACKGROUND: Personal exposure to pollutants is influenced by various outdoor and indoor sources. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of Athens citizens to toluene and xylene, excluding exposure from active smoking. METHODS: Passive air samplers were used to monitor volunteers, their homes and various urban sites for one year, resulting in 2400 measurements of toluene and xylene levels. Since both indoor and outdoor pollution contribute significantly to human exposure, volunteers were chosen from occupational groups who spend a lot of time in the streets (traffic policemen, bus drivers and postmen), and from groups who spend more time indoors (teachers and students). Data on individual and house characteristics were obtained using a questionnaire completed at the beginning of the study; a time-location-activity diary was also completed daily by the volunteers in each of the six monitoring campaigns. RESULTS: Average personal toluene exposure varied over the six monitoring campaigns from 53 to 80 μg/m(3). Urban and indoor concentrations ranged from 47 – 84 μg/m(3 )and 30 – 51 μg/m(3), respectively. Average personal xylene exposure varied between 56 and 85 μg/m(3 )while urban and indoor concentrations ranged from 53 – 88 μg/m(3 )and 27 – 48 μg/m(3), respectively. Urban pollution, indoor residential concentrations and personal exposures exhibited the same pattern of variation during the measurement periods. This variation among monitoring campaigns might largely be explained by differences in climate parameters, namely wind speed, humidity and amount of sunlight. CONCLUSION: In Athens, Greece, the time spent outdoors in the city center during work or leisure makes a major contribution to exposure to toluene and xylene among non-smoking citizens. Indoor pollution and means of transportation contribute significantly to individual exposure levels. Other indoor residential characteristics such as recent painting and mode of heating used might also contribute significantly to individual levels. Groups who may be subject to higher exposures (e.g. those who spent more time outdoors because of occupational activities) need to be surveyed and protected against possible adverse health effects

Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis in primary Sj\uf6gren's Syndrome: Clinical presentation, association with lymphoma and comparison with Hepatitis C-related disease

Objective: To describe the clinical spectrum of cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) in primary Sj\uf6gren's syndrome (pSS), investigate its relation to lymphoma and identify the differences with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related CV. Methods: From a multicentre study population of consecutive pSS patients, those who had been evaluated for cryoglobulins and fulfilled the 2011 classification criteria for CV were identified retrospectively. pSS-CV patients were matched with pSS patients without cryoglobulins (1:2) and HCV-CV patients (1:1). Clinical, laboratory and outcome features were analyzed. A data driven logistic regression model was applied for pSS-CV patients and their pSS cryoglobulin negative controls to identify independent features associated with lymphoma. Results: 1083 pSS patients were tested for cryoglobulins. 115 (10.6%) had cryoglobulinemia and 71 (6.5%) fulfilled the classification criteria for CV. pSS-CV patients had higher frequency of extraglandular manifestations and lymphoma (OR=9.87, 95% CI: 4.7\u201320.9) compared to pSS patients without cryoglobulins. Purpura was the commonest vasculitic manifestation (90%), presenting at disease onset in 39% of patients. One third of pSS-CV patients developed B-cell lymphoma within the first 5 years of CV course, with cryoglobulinemia being the strongest independent lymphoma associated feature. Compared to HCV-CV patients, pSS-CV individuals displayed more frequently lymphadenopathy, type II IgMk cryoglobulins and lymphoma (OR = 6.12, 95% CI: 2.7\u201314.4) and less frequently C4 hypocomplementemia and peripheral neuropathy. Conclusion: pSS-CV has a severe clinical course, overshadowing the typical clinical manifestations of pSS and higher risk for early lymphoma development compared to HCV related CV. Though infrequent, pSS-CV constitutes a distinct severe clinical phenotype of pSS