Instance Flow Based Online Multiple Object Tracking

We present a method to perform online Multiple Object Tracking (MOT) of known object categories in monocular video data. Current Tracking-by-Detection MOT approaches build on top of 2D bounding box detections. In contrast, we exploit state-of-the-art instance aware semantic segmentation techniques to compute 2D shape representations of target objects in each frame. We predict position and shape of segmented instances in subsequent frames by exploiting optical flow cues. We define an affinity matrix between instances of subsequent frames which reflects locality and visual similarity. The instance association is solved by applying the Hungarian method. We evaluate different configurations of our algorithm using the MOT 2D 2015 train dataset. The evaluation shows that our tracking approach is able to track objects with high relative motions. In addition, we provide results of our approach on the MOT 2D 2015 test set for comparison with previous works. We achieve a MOTA score of 32.1

Einfluss von PD142893 auf die kontraktile Ansprechbarkeit und Hypertrophie adulter Kardiomyozyten unter Endothelin-Stimulation

Die (chronische) Herzinsuffizienz stellt insbesondere in einer alternden Gesellschaft einen zunehmenden sozioökonomischen Faktor dar. Die zunächst hilfreichen, körpereigenen Kompensationsmechanismen enden jedoch in einem Circulus vitiosus und werden u.a. durch das Endothelin (ET)-System beeinflusst. Bisherige Versuche einer Herzinsuffizienz-Therapie mit ET-Rezeptorantagonisten (ERAs) konnten sich allerdings nicht bewähren. Ein Grund hierfür könnte die bisherige, gleichzeitige Modulierung mehrerer ET-Rezeptoruntergruppen sein. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde untersucht, wie der spezifische ETA/B1-Rezeptorantagonist PD142893 unter ET-Stimulation in Teilaspekte der Entwicklung einer Herzinsuffizienz eingreift. Außerdem sollte gezeigt werden, ob kardialen Stressbedingungen wie Hyperglykämie und chronische Hypertension eine weitere Modulation bewirken. Für die Untersuchungen wurden ventrikuläre Herzmuskelzellen normotensiver oder chronisch hypertensiver adulter Ratten isoliert. Diese inkubierten über 1, 6 und 24 Stunden mit ET ± PD142893, ggf. zusätzlich unter hyperglykämen Bedingungen (30 mM Glukose). Es erfolgte die Messung der kontraktilen Ansprechbarkeit im elektrischen Feld, die Bestimmung des Zellquerschnitts als Hypertrophiemarker, sowie die Bestimmung möglicher MAP-Kinasenaktivierungen durch Analyse der Phosphorylierungen von p38, JNK und p42/44. ET bewirkte einen zeitabhängigen, kardiodepressiven Effekt über eine ETB2-Rezeptor-abhängige Aktivierung des JNK-Signalwegs. Außerdem zeigte ET einen prohypertrophen Effekt via einer ETA/ETB1-Rezeptor-abhängigen Aktivierung des p42/44-Signalwegs und bewirkte über ETB2 auch negativ hypertrophe Effekte. Modelle der chronischen Hypertension wie auch der Hyperglykämie zeigten unter anderem aufgrund modifizierter Rezeptorenkopplungen differenzierte Effekte in der lastfreien Zellverkürzung und den Zellgrößenparametern. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt, dass bei der Entwicklung möglicher Ansatzpunkte einer künftigen Herzinsuffizienztherapie mit ERAs ein besonderes Augenmerk auf die selektive Intervention der einzelnen Rezeptorsubgruppen gelegt werden sollte. Die gezeigten Rezeptormodulationen durch die häufig koinzidenten pathophysiologischen Zustände Hyperglykämie und Hypertension erschweren eindeutige Vorhersagen der Wirkung eines Eingriffes in das ET-System

Uncertainty-aware Vision-based Metric Cross-view Geolocalization

This paper proposes a novel method for vision-based metric cross-view geolocalization (CVGL) that matches the camera images captured from a ground-based vehicle with an aerial image to determine the vehicle's geo-pose. Since aerial images are globally available at low cost, they represent a potential compromise between two established paradigms of autonomous driving, i.e. using expensive high-definition prior maps or relying entirely on the sensor data captured at runtime. We present an end-to-end differentiable model that uses the ground and aerial images to predict a probability distribution over possible vehicle poses. We combine multiple vehicle datasets with aerial images from orthophoto providers on which we demonstrate the feasibility of our method. Since the ground truth poses are often inaccurate w.r.t. the aerial images, we implement a pseudo-label approach to produce more accurate ground truth poses and make them publicly available. While previous works require training data from the target region to achieve reasonable localization accuracy (i.e. same-area evaluation), our approach overcomes this limitation and outperforms previous results even in the strictly more challenging cross-area case. We improve the previous state-of-the-art by a large margin even without ground or aerial data from the test region, which highlights the model's potential for global-scale application. We further integrate the uncertainty-aware predictions in a tracking framework to determine the vehicle's trajectory over time resulting in a mean position error on KITTI-360 of 0.78m

Sepsis-induced long-term immune paralysis – results of a descriptive, explorative study

Background: Long-lasting impairment of the immune system is believed to be the underlying reason for delayed deaths after surviving sepsis. We tested the hypothesis of persisting changes to the immune system in survivors of sepsis for the first time. Methods: In our prospective, cross-sectional pilot study, eight former patients who survived catecholamine-dependent sepsis and eight control individuals matched for age, sex, diabetes and renal insufficiency were enrolled. Each participant completed a questionnaire concerning morbidities, medications and infection history. Peripheral blood was collected for determination of i) immune cell subsets (CD4+, CD8+ T cells; CD25+ CD127- regulatory T cells; CD14+ monocytes), ii) cell surface receptor expression (PD-1, BTLA, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, Dectin-1, PD-1 L), iii) HLA-DR expression, and iv) cytokine secretion (IL-6, IL10, TNF-α, IFN-γ) of whole blood stimulated with either α-CD3/28, LPS or zymosan. Results: After surviving sepsis, former patients presented with increased numbers of clinical apparent infections, including those typically associated with an impaired immune system. Standard inflammatory markers indicated a low-level inflammatory situation in former sepsis patients. CD8+ cell surface receptor as well as monocytic HLA-DR density measurements showed no major differences between the groups, while CD4+ T cells tended towards two opposed mechanisms of negative immune cell regulation via PD-1 and BTLA. Moreover, the post-sepsis group showed alterations in monocyte surface expression of distinct pattern recognition receptors; most pronouncedly seen in a decrease of TLR5 expression. Cytokine secretion in response to important activators of both the innate (LPS, zymosan) and the adaptive immune system (α-CD3/28) seemed to be weakened in former septic patients. Conclusions: Cytokine secretion as a reaction to different activators of the immune system seemed to be comprehensively impaired in survivors of sepsis. Among others, this could be based on trends in the downregulation of distinct cell surface receptors. Based on our results, the conduct of larger validation studies seems feasible, aiming to characterize alterations and to find potential therapeutic targets to engage

Multicenter Observational Study to Evaluate the Diagnostic Value of Sonography in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis

(1) Background: Computed tomography (CT) is considered mandatory for assessing the extent of pathologies in the paranasal sinuses (PNS) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, there are few evidence-based data on the value of ultrasound (US) in CRS. This multicenter approach aimed to compare diagnostic imaging modalities in relation to findings during surgery. (2) Methods: 127 patients with CRS were included in this prospective multicenter study. Patients received preoperative US and CT scans. The sensitivity and specificity of CT and US were extrapolated from intraoperative data. (3) Results: CT scans showed the highest sensitivity (97%) and specificity (67%) in assessing CRS. Sensitivities of B-scan US were significantly lower regarding the maxillary sinus (88%), the ethmoid sinus (53%), and the frontal sinus (45%). The highest overall sensitivity was observed for assessing the pathology of the maxillary sinus. (4) Conclusions: We observed high accuracy with CT, confirming its importance in preoperative imaging in CRS. Despite the high US expertise of all investigators and a standardized examination protocol, the validity of CT was significantly higher than US. Ultrasound of the PNS sinuses is applicable in everyday clinical practice but lacks diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, it might serve as a complementary hands-on screening tool to directly correlate the clinical findings in patients with PNS disease

Multicenter observational study to evaluate the diagnostic value of sonography in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

(1) Background: Computed tomography (CT) is considered mandatory for assessing the extent of pathologies in the paranasal sinuses (PNS) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, there are few evidence-based data on the value of ultrasound (US) in CRS. This multicenter approach aimed to compare diagnostic imaging modalities in relation to findings during surgery. (2) Methods: 127 patients with CRS were included in this prospective multicenter study. Patients received preoperative US and CT scans. The sensitivity and specificity of CT and US were extrapolated from intraoperative data. (3) Results: CT scans showed the highest sensitivity (97%) and specificity (67%) in assessing CRS. Sensitivities of B-scan US were significantly lower regarding the maxillary sinus (88%), the ethmoid sinus (53%), and the frontal sinus (45%). The highest overall sensitivity was observed for assessing the pathology of the maxillary sinus. (4) Conclusions: We observed high accuracy with CT, confirming its importance in preoperative imaging in CRS. Despite the high US expertise of all investigators and a standardized examination protocol, the validity of CT was significantly higher than US. Ultrasound of the PNS sinuses is applicable in everyday clinical practice but lacks diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, it might serve as a complementary hands-on screening tool to directly correlate the clinical findings in patients with PNS disease