Robust Real-time Vision-based Human Detection and Tracking

In the last couple of decades technology has made its way into our everyday lives including our homes, our offices and the vehicles we use for travelling. Many modern devices interact with humans in a more or less intuitive way and some of them use cameras for observing or interacting with humans. Nevertheless, teaching a machine to detect humans in an image or a video is a very difficult task. There are many aspects that contribute to the complexity of this task, such as the many variations in the humans' perceived appearances: their constitution, the clothes they wear and the dynamic nature of the activities performed by humans. The focus of this thesis is on the development of reliable algorithms for real-time vision-based human detection and tracking in indoor as well as in outdoor applications. In order to achieve this, the algorithms presented in this thesis were developed for traditional passive cameras, as they perform well in both environments. The novel approaches for vision-based human detection and tracking are presented for three different applications: gait analysis, pedestrian detection and human-robot interaction. All these approaches have in common the need for real-time human detection and tracking in video sequences in order to extract application-specific data regarding the tracked human. In order to cope with human detection and tracking as a computational expensive task, novel hardware-specific optimizations of the proposed image processing algorithms are presented, that allow the algorithms to run in real-time. For this purpose GPU implementations are presented for pedestrian detection and the processing times are compared to CPU and FPGA implementations. In the case of human-robot interaction the real-time human tracking is achieved by using distributed computing

Estudio del efecto de los hábitos de vida sobre la utilización de los servicios sanitarios Canarios

El objetivo de este trabajo es contrastar si existe una relación entre los estilos de vida poco saludables y la utilización de servicios de medicina general y preventiva de la población en las Islas Canarias. Con base en la Encuesta de Salud Canaria (ESC) de 2015, se analiza, mediante un modelo de regresión logística, el efecto del estilo de vida sobre la utilización sanitaria, una vez ajustado por el estado de salud y otras variables socioeconómicas y demográficas. Los resultados muestran que si existe un efecto positivo de los estilos de vida saludables sobre la utilización sanitaria. Las autoridades sanitarias deben ser conscientes que una mejora de los estilos de vida de la población -deseables para la mejora de la salud poblacional- tendrán un mayor coste a corto plazo en términos del uso de servicios sanitarios.The objective of this paper is to verify whether there is a relationship between unhealthy lifestyles and the use of general and preventive healthcare services of the population in the Canary Islands. Based on the 2015 Canary Islands Health Survey (ESC), the effect of lifestyle on health use, adjusted by health status and other socio-economic and demographic variables, is analyzed using a logistic regression model. The results show that there is a positive effect of healthy lifestyles on health use. Health authorities should be aware that an improvement in the lifestyles of the population, desirable for the improvement of public health, will have a greater cost in the short term in terms of the use of health services

CORBYS cognitive control architecture for robotic follower

In this paper the novel generic cognitive robot control architecture CORBYS is presented. The objective of the CORBYS architecture is the integration of high-level cognitive modules to support robot functioning in dynamic environments including interacting with humans. This paper presents the preliminary integration of the CORBYS architecture to support a robotic follower. Experimental results on high-level empowerment-based trajectory planning have demonstrated the effectiveness of ROS-based communication between distributed modules developed in a multi-site research environment as typical for distributed collaborative projects such as CORBYS

LOW-LEVEL SENSOR FUSION-BASED HUMAN TRACKING FOR MOBILE ROBOT

In this paper, a novel sensor-based human tracking method that enables a mobile robot to follow a human with high robustness and responsiveness is presented. The method is based on low-level sensor data fusion combining depth data from a stereo camera and an infrared 2D laser range finder (LRF) to detect target human in the near surrounding of the robot. After initial position of target human is located by sensor fusion-based human detection, a novel tracking algorithm that combines a laser data-based search window and Kalman filter is used to recursively predict and update estimations of target human position in robot’s coordinate system. The use of tracking window contributes to reduction of computational cost by defining region of interest (ROI) enabling so real-time performance. The performance of proposed system was tested in several indoor scenarios. Experimental results show that the proposed human detection algorithm is robust and human tracking algorithm is able to handle fast human movements and keep tracking of target human in various scenarios

Чрезвычайные ситуации – проблема общественного здоровья с социально-экономическими последствиями

USMF Nicolae Testemiţanu, Centrul Republican de Instruire al Serviciului Protecţie Civilă şi Situaţii ExcepţionaleThe work is a study regarding the impact of emergency situations recorded inthe Republic of Moldova in 2010-2014. In order to consider the impact of emergency situations on public health, the economic losses inflicted by society were analysed. In this respect, the main information notifications issued by the Civil Protection and Emergency Situations Service of the Republic of Moldova have been assessed. The number of emergency situations in Moldova increased, the annual average of material injury caused by different disasters, including fi res is of 655.5 million lei, which represents a significant economic impact on Moldova’s budget. Adirect impact on public health is set for emergency situations, determined by biological and social disasters, technogenic disasters and fi res. Different categories of people, including children (13.1%), may be affected by emergency situations. Children are considered vulnerable persons in emergency situations, therate of mortality among children being rather high (14.2%), compared to similar rate in adults (8.8%). It is necessary to conduct studies directed to consider the direct impact on public health, determined by: psychological factor, which may worsen the health condition of victims of disasters by worsening chronic diseases; restricted access to qualitative food products and drinking water; no access to medical services and no condition to observe personal hygiene, etcСтатья представляет собой исследование отрицательного влияния чрезвычайных ситуаций на общественное здоровье. Были проанализированы основные документы, выданные Службой Гражданской Защиты и Чрезвычайных Ситуаций Республики Молдова. Установлен рост количества чрезвычайных ситуаций в Р. Молдова. Установлено прямое влияние на здоровье населения определенных стихийных бедствий и пожаров. В среднем, материальный ущерб как результат различных бедствий, в том числе пожаров, исчисляется в 655,5 млн. леев, что составляют существенные экономические потери для бюджета страны. Было установлено, что чрезвычайные ситуации могут затронуть различные категории людей, в том числе детей (13,1%). Доказано, что дети считаются наиболее уязвимыми при стихийных бедствиях, в том числе смертность значительно выше среди детей (14,2%), по сравнению с аналогичным показателем у взрослых (8,8%). Считается необходимым проведение исследований с целью оценки косвенного влияния катастроф на здоровье населения, в том числе: анализа психологического фактора, который может ухудшить состояние здоровья пострадавших как результат обострения хронических заболеваний; ограничение доступа к доброкачественным пищевым продуктам и питьевой воде; ограничение доступа к медицинским услугам и отсутствие условий соблюдения личной гигиены и т.

Mouse TEX15 is essential for DNA double-strand break repair and chromosomal synapsis during male meiosis

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes undergo synapsis and recombination. We identify TEX15 as a novel protein that is required for chromosomal synapsis and meiotic recombination. Loss of TEX15 function in mice causes early meiotic arrest in males but not in females. Specifically, TEX15-deficient spermatocytes exhibit a failure in chromosomal synapsis. In mutant spermatocytes, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are formed, but localization of the recombination proteins RAD51 and DMC1 to meiotic chromosomes is severely impaired. Based on these data, we propose that TEX15 regulates the loading of DNA repair proteins onto sites of DSBs and, thus, its absence causes a failure in meiotic recombination

Arginylation-Dependent Neural Crest Cell Migration Is Essential for Mouse Development

Coordinated cell migration during development is crucial for morphogenesis and largely relies on cells of the neural crest lineage that migrate over long distances to give rise to organs and tissues throughout the body. Recent studies of protein arginylation implicated this poorly understood posttranslational modification in the functioning of actin cytoskeleton and in cell migration in culture. Knockout of arginyltransferase (Ate1) in mice leads to embryonic lethality and severe heart defects that are reminiscent of cell migration–dependent phenotypes seen in other mouse models. To test the hypothesis that arginylation regulates cell migration during morphogenesis, we produced Wnt1-Cre Ate1 conditional knockout mice (Wnt1-Ate1), with Ate1 deletion in the neural crest cells driven by Wnt1 promoter. Wnt1-Ate1 mice die at birth and in the first 2–3 weeks after birth with severe breathing problems and with growth and behavioral retardation. Wnt1-Ate1 pups have prominent defects, including short palate and altered opening to the nasopharynx, and cranial defects that likely contribute to the abnormal breathing and early death. Analysis of neural crest cell movement patterns in situ and cell motility in culture shows an overall delay in the migration of Ate1 knockout cells that is likely regulated by intracellular mechanisms rather than extracellular signaling events. Taken together, our data suggest that arginylation plays a general role in the migration of the neural crest cells in development by regulating the molecular machinery that underlies cell migration through tissues and organs during morphogenesis

TEX11 is mutated in infertile men with azoospermia and regulates genome-wide recombination rates in mouse

Genome‐wide recombination is essential for genome stability, evolution, and speciation. Mouse Tex11, an X‐linked meiosis‐specific gene, promotes meiotic recombination and chromosomal synapsis. Here, we report that TEX11 is mutated in infertile men with non‐obstructive azoospermia and that an analogous mutation in the mouse impairs meiosis. Genetic screening of a large cohort of idiopathic infertile men reveals that TEX11 mutations, including frameshift and splicing acceptor site mutations, cause infertility in 1% of azoospermic men. Functional evaluation of three analogous human TEX11 missense mutations in transgenic mouse models identified one mutation (V748A) as a potential infertility allele and found two mutations non‐causative. In the mouse model, an intronless autosomal Tex11 transgene functionally substitutes for the X‐linked Tex11 gene, providing genetic evidence for the X‐to‐autosomal retrotransposition evolution phenomenon. Furthermore, we find that TEX11 protein levels modulate genome‐wide recombination rates in both sexes. These studies indicate that TEX11 alleles affecting expression level or substituting single amino acids may contribute to variations in recombination rates between sexes and among individuals in humans.Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Award)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH/NIGMS grant R01GM076327

Alpha-Amino-Beta-Carboxy-Muconate-Semialdehyde Decarboxylase Controls Dietary Niacin Requirements for NAD+ Synthesis

NAD+ is essential for redox reactions in energy metabolism and necessary for DNA repair and epigenetic modification. Humans require sufficient amounts of dietary niacin (nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and nicotinamide riboside) for adequate NAD+ synthesis. In contrast, mice easily generate sufficient NAD+ solely from tryptophan through the kynurenine pathway. We show that transgenic mice with inducible expression of human alpha-amino-beta-carboxy-muconate-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD) become niacin dependent similar to humans when ACMSD expression is high. On niacin-free diets, these acquired niacin dependency (ANDY) mice developed reversible, mild-to-severe NAD+ deficiency, depending on the nutrient composition of the diet. NAD deficiency in mice contributed to behavioral and health changes that are reminiscent of human niacin deficiency. This study shows that ACMSD is a key regulator of mammalian dietary niacin requirements and NAD+ metabolism and that the ANDY mouse represents a versatile platform for investigating pathologies linked to low NAD+ levels in aging and neurodegenerative diseases