Multi-resolution image analysis for vehicle detection

Proceeding of: Second Iberian Conference, IbPRIA 2005, Estoril, Portugal, June 7-9, 2005Computer Vision can provide a great deal of assistance to Intelligent Vehicles. In this paper an Advanced Driver Assistance Systems for Vehicle Detection is presented. A geometric model of the vehicle is defined where its energy function includes information of the shape and symmetry of the vehicle and the shadow it produces. A genetic algorithm finds the optimum parameter values. As the algorithm receives information from a road detection module some geometric restrictions can be applied. A multi-resolution approach is used to speed up the algorithm and work in realtime. Examples of real images are shown to validate the algorithm.Publicad

Propagation and transformation of upper North Atlantic deep water from the subpolar gyre to 26.5°N

Because new observations have revealed that the Labrador Sea is not the primary source for waters in the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Programme (OSNAP) period, it seems timely to re‐examine the traditional interpretation of pathways and property variability for the AMOC lower limb from the subpolar gyre to 26.5°N. In order to better understand these connections, Lagrangian experiments were conducted within an eddy‐rich ocean model to track upper North Atlantic Deep Water (uNADW), defined by density, between the OSNAP line and 26.5°N as well as within the Labrador Sea. The experiments reveal that 77% of uNADW at 26.5°N is directly advected from the OSNAP West section along the boundary current and interior pathways west of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. More precisely, the Labrador Sea is a main gateway for uNADW sourced from the Irminger Sea, while particles connecting OSNAP East to 26.5°N are exclusively advected from the Iceland Basin and Rockall Trough along the eastern flank of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. Although the pathways between OSNAP West and 26.5°N are only associated with a net formation of 1.1 Sv into the uNADW layer, they show large density changes within the layer. Similarly, as the particles transit through the Labrador Sea, they undergo substantial freshening and cooling that contributes to further densification within the uNADW layer

Propagation and Transformation of Upper North Atlantic Deep Water From the Subpolar Gyre to 26.5°N

Because new observations have revealed that the Labrador Sea is not the primary source for waters in the lower limb of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Programme (OSNAP) period, it seems timely to re‐examine the traditional interpretation of pathways and property variability for the AMOC lower limb from the subpolar gyre to 26.5°N. In order to better understand these connections, Lagrangian experiments were conducted within an eddy‐rich ocean model to track upper North Atlantic Deep Water (uNADW), defined by density, between the OSNAP line and 26.5°N as well as within the Labrador Sea. The experiments reveal that 77% of uNADW at 26.5°N is directly advected from the OSNAP West section along the boundary current and interior pathways west of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. More precisely, the Labrador Sea is a main gateway for uNADW sourced from the Irminger Sea, while particles connecting OSNAP East to 26.5°N are exclusively advected from the Iceland Basin and Rockall Trough along the eastern flank of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. Although the pathways between OSNAP West and 26.5°N are only associated with a net formation of 1.1 Sv into the uNADW layer, they show large density changes within the layer. Similarly, as the particles transit through the Labrador Sea, they undergo substantial freshening and cooling that contributes to further densification within the uNADW layer

Regional Imprints of Changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Eddy-rich Ocean Model VIKING20X

A hierarchy of global 1/4° (ORCA025) and Atlantic Ocean 1/20° nested (VIKING20X) ocean/sea-ice models is described. It is shown that the eddy-rich configurations performed in hindcasts of the past 50–60 years under CORE and JRA55-do atmospheric forcings realistically simulate the large-scale horizontal circulation, the distribution of the mesoscale, overflow and convective processes, and the representation of regional current systems in the North and South Atlantic. The representation, and in particular the long-term temporal evolution, of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) strongly depends on numerical choices for the application of freshwater fluxes. The interannual variability of the AMOC instead is highly correlated among the model experiments and also with observations, including the 2010 minimum observed by RAPID at 26.5° N pointing at a dominant role of the forcing. Regional observations in western boundary current systems at 53° N, 26.5° N and 11° S are explored in respect to their ability to represent the AMOC and to monitor the temporal evolution of the AMOC. Apart from the basin-scale measurements at 26.5° N, it is shown that in particular the outflow of North Atlantic Deepwater at 53° N is a good indicator of the subpolar AMOC trend during the recent decades, if the latter is provided in density coordinates. The good reproduction of observed AMOC and WBC trends in the most reasonable simulations indicate that the eddy-rich VIKING20X is capable in representing realistic forcing-related and ocean-intrinsic trends

The impact of diabetes on the pathogenesis of sepsis

Diabetes is associated with an increased susceptibility to infection and sepsis. Conflicting data exist on whether the mortality of patients with sepsis is influenced by the presence of diabetes, fuelling the ongoing debate on the benefit of tight glucose regulation in patients with sepsis. The main reason for which diabetes predisposes to infection appears to be abnormalities of the host response, particularly in neutrophil chemotaxis, adhesion and intracellular killing, defects that have been attributed to the effect of hyperglycaemia. There is also evidence for defects in humoral immunity, and this may play a larger role than previously recognised. We review the literature on the immune response in diabetes and its potential contribution to the pathogenesis of sepsis. In addition, the effect of diabetes treatment on the immune response is discussed, with specific reference to insulin, metformin, sulphonylureas and thiazolidinediones

Seasonality of the Meridional Overturning Circulation in the subpolar North Atlantic

Understanding the variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is essential for better predictions of our changing climate. Here we present an updated time series (August 2014 to June 2020) from the Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program. The 6-year time series allows us to observe the seasonality of the subpolar overturning and meridional heat and freshwater transports. The overturning peaks in late spring and reaches a minimum in early winter, with a peak-to-trough range of 9.0 Sv. The overturning seasonal timing can be explained by winter transformation and the export of dense water, modulated by a seasonally varying Ekman transport. Furthermore, over 55% of the total meridional freshwater transport variability can be explained by its seasonality, largely owing to overturning dynamics. Our results provide the first observational analysis of seasonality in the subpolar North Atlantic overturning and highlight its important contribution to the total overturning variability observed to date