3,033 research outputs found
Image Content Enhancement Through Salient Regions Segmentation for People With Color Vision Deficiencies
Color vision deficiencies affect visual perception of colors and, more generally, color images. Several sciences such as genetics, biology, medicine, and computer vision are involved in studying and analyzing vision deficiencies. As we know from visual saliency findings, human visual system tends to fix some specific points and regions of the image in the first seconds of observation summing up the most important and meaningful parts of the scene. In this article, we provide some studies about human visual system behavior differences between normal and color vision-deficient visual systems. We eye-tracked the human fixations in first 3 seconds of observation of color images to build real fixation point maps. One of our contributions is to detect the main differences between the aforementioned human visual systems related to color vision deficiencies by analyzing real fixation maps among people with and without color vision deficiencies. Another contribution is to provide a method to enhance color regions of the image by using a detailed color mapping of the segmented salient regions of the given image. The segmentation is performed by using the difference between the original input image and the corresponding color blind altered image. A second eye-tracking of color blind people with the images enhanced by using recoloring of segmented salient regions reveals that the real fixation points are then more coherent (up to 10%) with the normal visual system. The eye-tracking data collected during our experiments are in a publicly available dataset called Eye-Tracking of Color Vision Deficiencies
Image Content Enhancement Through Salient Regions Segmentation for People With Color Vision Deficiencies.
Color vision deficiencies affect visual perception of colors and, more generally, color images. Several sciences such as genetics, biology, medicine, and computer vision are involved in studying and analyzing vision deficiencies. As we know from visual saliency findings, human visual system tends to fix some specific points and regions of the image in the first seconds of observation summing up the most important and meaningful parts of the scene. In this article, we provide some studies about human visual system behavior differences between normal and color vision-deficient visual systems. We eye-tracked the human fixations in first 3 seconds of observation of color images to build real fixation point maps. One of our contributions is to detect the main differences between the aforementioned human visual systems related to color vision deficiencies by analyzing real fixation maps among people with and without color vision deficiencies. Another contribution is to provide a method to enhance color regions of the image by using a detailed color mapping of the segmented salient regions of the given image. The segmentation is performed by using the difference between the original input image and the corresponding color blind altered image. A second eye-tracking of color blind people with the images enhanced by using recoloring of segmented salient regions reveals that the real fixation points are then more coherent (up to 10%) with the normal visual system. The eye-tracking data collected during our experiments are in a publicly available dataset called Eye-Tracking of Color Vision Deficiencies
Non-Equilibrium Processes in the Solar Corona, Transition Region, Flares, and Solar Wind \textit{(Invited Review)}
We review the presence and signatures of the non-equilibrium processes, both
non-Maxwellian distributions and non-equilibrium ionization, in the solar
transition region, corona, solar wind, and flares. Basic properties of the
non-Maxwellian distributions are described together with their influence on the
heat flux as well as on the rates of individual collisional processes and the
resulting optically thin synthetic spectra. Constraints on the presence of
high-energy electrons from observations are reviewed, including positive
detection of non-Maxwellian distributions in the solar corona, transition
region, flares, and wind. Occurrence of non-equilibrium ionization is reviewed
as well, especially in connection to hydrodynamic and generalized
collisional-radiative modelling. Predicted spectroscopic signatures of
non-equilibrium ionization depending on the assumed plasma conditions are
summarized. Finally, we discuss the future remote-sensing instrumentation that
can be used for detection of these non-equilibrium phenomena in various
spectral ranges.Comment: Solar Physics, accepte
XMM-Newton observations of IGRJ18410-0535: The ingestion of a clump by a supergiant fast X-ray transient
IGRJ18410-0535 is a supergiant fast X-ray transients. This subclass of
supergiant X-ray binaries typically undergoes few- hour-long outbursts reaching
luminosities of 10^(36)-10^(37) erg/s, the occurrence of which has been
ascribed to the combined effect of the intense magnetic field and rotation of
the compact object hosted in them and/or the presence of dense structures
("clumps") in the wind of their supergiant companion. IGR J18410-0535 was
observed for 45 ks by XMM-Newton as part of a program designed to study the
quiescent emission of supergiant fast X-ray transients and clarify the origin
of their peculiar X-ray variability. We carried out an in-depth spectral and
timing analysis of these XMM-Newton data. IGR J18410-0535 underwent a bright
X-ray flare that started about 5 ks after the beginning of the observation and
lasted for \sim15 ks. Thanks to the capabilities of the instruments on-board
XMM-Newton, the whole event could be followed in great detail. The results of
our analysis provide strong convincing evidence that the flare was produced by
the accretion of matter from a massive clump onto the compact object hosted in
this system. By assuming that the clump is spherical and moves at the same
velocity as the homogeneous stellar wind, we estimate a mass and radius of Mcl
\simeq1.4\times10^(22) g and Rcl \simeq8\times10^(11) cm. These are in
qualitative agreement with values expected from theoretical calculations. We
found no evidence of pulsations at \sim4.7 s after investigating coherent
modulations in the range 3.5 ms-100 s. A reanalysis of the archival ASCA and
Swift data of IGR J18410-0535, for which these pulsations were previously
detected, revealed that they were likely to be due to a statistical fluctuation
and an instrumental effect, respectively.Comment: Accepted for publication on A&A. V2: Inserted correct version of
Fig.1
K+ accumulation and clearance in the calyx synaptic cleft of type I mouse vestibular hair cells
Vestibular organs of Amniotes contain two types of sensory cells, named Type I and Type II hair cells. While Type II hair cells are contacted by several small bouton nerve terminals, Type I hair cells receive a giant terminal, called a calyx, which encloses their basolateral membrane almost completely. Both hair cell types release glutamate, which depolarizes the afferent terminal by binding to AMPA post-synaptic receptors. However, there is evidence that non-vesicular signal transmission also occurs at the Type I hair cell-calyx synapse, possibly involving direct depolarization of the calyx by K+ exiting the hair cell. To better investigate this aspect, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from mouse Type I hair cells or their associated calyx. We found that [K+] in the calyceal synaptic cleft is elevated at rest relative to the interstitial (extracellular) solution and can increase or decrease during hair cell depolarization or repolarization, respectively. The change in [K+] was primarily driven by GK,L, the low-voltage-activated, non-inactivating K+ conductance specifically expressed by Type I hair cells. Simple diffusion of K+ between the cleft and the extracellular compartment appeared substantially restricted by the calyx inner membrane, with the ion channels and active transporters playing a crucial role in regulating intercellular [K+]. Calyx recordings were consistent with K+ leaving the synaptic cleft through postsynaptic voltage-gated K+ channels involving KV1 and KV7 subunits. The above scenario is consistent with direct depolarization and hyperpolarization of the calyx membrane potential by intercellular K+
Provinciality and the Art World: The Midland Group 1961- 1977
This paper takes as its focus the Midland Group Gallery in order to first, make a case for the consideration of the geographies of art galleries. Second, highlight the importance of galleries in the context of cultural geographies of the sixties. Third, discuss the role of provinciality in the operation of art worlds. In so doing it explicates one set of geographies surrounding the gallery
– those of the local, regional and international networks that connected to produce art works and art space. It reveals how the interactions between places and practices outside of metropolitan and regional hierarchies provides a more nuanced insight into how art worlds operated during the
sixties, a period of growing internationalism of art, and how contested definitions of the provincial played an integral role in this. The paper charts the operations of the Midland Group Gallery and the spaces that it occupied to demonstrate how it was representative of a post-war
discourse of provincialism and a corresponding re-evaluation of regional cultural activity
A preliminary study for quantitative assessment with HFUS (High-frequency ultrasound) of nodular skin melanoma breslow thickness in adults before surgery: Interdisciplinary team experience
Background: Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most severe skin diseases. Nodular melanoma is the second melanoma subtype in order of frequency. The prognosis of skin melanoma depends on the vertical growth of the tumor (Breslow index). For this measurement, excisional biopsy is strongly recommended. This is, however, an invasive procedure and may cause damage to the lymphatic drainage system. The HFUS system,, can be extremely useful for determining tumor thickness in the preoperative phase, given its high resolution capacity. The aim of this preliminary study is to define the role of HFUS for the nodular skin melanoma Breslow thickness in adults before surgery by making a comparison with histological features. Methods: In this study, 14 melanocytic lesions (8 male and 6 female) were evaluated with derma-toscopic clinical features strongly indicative of nodular melanoma. Out of these, excisional biopsy of 7 lesions was requested. The ultrasounds were performed preoperatively. The images were acquired through the first ultrasound scanner with ultra-high frequency probes (range from 50MHz to 70 MHz) available on the market under the EEC mark (Vevo "MD, FUJIFILM Visual Sonics, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) equipped with a linear probe of 50-70 MHz. Results: From the ultrasonographic analysis of 14 nodular melanoma thickness was determined for the presence of two hyperechogenic laminae, separated by a hypo / anechoic space. The twelve lesions were in situ while the other two lesions showed ultrasonography for example; the satellite lesions (less than two centimeters from the primary lesion) and in transit (localizable to more than two centimeters from the primary lesion). Four of these lesions were ulcerated. A comparsion was made the 7 lesions on between the thickness calculated with this method, and that obtained on the bioptic piece. The presence of a positive concordance has been evident in all of the cases. Conclusion: If further studies are needed to support its widespread clinical use, its is believed that, in expert hands and with an interdisciplinary team, HFUS is already capable to reliably calculate a Breslow index in a large majority of patients with cutaneous melanoma
Ursodeoxycholic acid for liver disease associated with cystic fibrosis: A double-blind multicenter trial
Optical clock intercomparison with precision in one hour
Improvements in atom-light coherence are foundational to progress in quantum
information science, quantum optics, and precision metrology. Optical atomic
clocks require local oscillators with exceptional optical coherence due to the
challenge of performing spectroscopy on their ultra-narrow linewidth clock
transitions. Advances in laser stabilization have thus enabled rapid progress
in clock precision. A new class of ultrastable lasers based on cryogenic
silicon reference cavities has recently demonstrated the longest optical
coherence times to date. In this work we utilize such a local oscillator, along
with a state-of-the-art frequency comb for coherence transfer, with two Sr
optical lattice clocks to achieve an unprecedented level of clock stability.
Through an anti-synchronous comparison, the fractional instability of both
clocks is assessed to be for an averaging time
in seconds. Synchronous interrogation reveals a quantum projection noise
dominated instability of , resulting in a
precision of after a single hour of averaging. The
ability to measure sub- level frequency shifts in such short
timescales will impact a wide range of applications for clocks in quantum
sensing and fundamental physics. For example, this precision allows one to
resolve the gravitational red shift from a 1 cm elevation change in only 20
minutes
AA amyloidosis. A single institution cohort study.
There is limited epidemiological information on AA amyloidosis in Argentina, so the objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of this disease in a tertiary hospital in our country. We designed a prospective clinical cohort of all consecutive patients with AA amyloidosis confirmed by immunohistochemistry in tissue from the Institutional Registry of Amyloidosis of the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, in the period 04/01/2012- 12/31/2017. Of the 121 patients in the registry, 18 were included with AA for the analysis. Of the total included, 50% (9) were female, with a median age of 53.5 (interquartile range, RII 46-61) years. The 88.9% (16) of cohort presented renal compromise, all had proteinuria, and 6 required dialysis. Six had amyloid infiltration of the digestive system. The latency between the onset of the underlying disease and the diagnosis of AA had a median of 27 (RII 8-35) years. The underlying disease was of inflammatory origin in 6 cases. In 50% (9) of the patients the cause of AA amyloidosis was unknown. In the remaining 50%, these causes resemble those observed in developed countries. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of their differential diagnosis to identify the most appropriate treatment or follow-up according to the situation presented by each patient
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