DeMoN: Depth and Motion Network for Learning Monocular Stereo

In this paper we formulate structure from motion as a learning problem. We train a convolutional network end-to-end to compute depth and camera motion from successive, unconstrained image pairs. The architecture is composed of multiple stacked encoder-decoder networks, the core part being an iterative network that is able to improve its own predictions. The network estimates not only depth and motion, but additionally surface normals, optical flow between the images and confidence of the matching. A crucial component of the approach is a training loss based on spatial relative differences. Compared to traditional two-frame structure from motion methods, results are more accurate and more robust. In contrast to the popular depth-from-single-image networks, DeMoN learns the concept of matching and, thus, better generalizes to structures not seen during training.Comment: Camera ready version for CVPR 2017. Supplementary material included. Project page: http://lmb.informatik.uni-freiburg.de/people/ummenhof/depthmotionnet

Microbial keratitis-induced endophthalmitis: incidence, symptoms, therapy, visual prognosis and outcomes

Background: To evaluate symptoms, therapies and outcomes in rare microbial keratitis-induced endophthalmitis. Methods: Retrospective study with 11 patients treated between 2009 and 2014. Clinical findings, corneal diseases, history of steroids and trauma, use of contact lenses, number and type of surgical interventions, determination of causative organisms and visual acuity (VA) were evaluated. Results: The incidence of transformation from microbial keratitis to an endophthalmitis was 0.29% (n = 11/3773). In 90.9% (n = 10/11), there were pre-existent eyelid and corneal problems, in 45.5% (n = 5/11) rubeosis iridis with increased intraocular pressure and corneal decompensation, and in 18.2% (n = 2/11), ocular trauma. Specimens could be obtained in 10 of 11 samples: 33.3% of those 10 specimens were Gram-positive coagulase-negative Staphylococci (n = 3/10) or Gram-negative rods (n = 3/10) and 10.0% Staphylococcus aureus (n = 1/10). In 30% (n = 3/10), no pathogens were identifiable. 72.7% (n = 8/11) of all keratitis-induced endophthalmitis were treated with vitrectomy and 9.1% (n = 1/11) with amniotic-membrane transplantation. In 27.3% (n = 3/11) the infected eye had to be enucleated – 18.2% (n = 2/11) primarily, 9.1% (n = 1/11) secondarily. No patient suffered from sympathetic ophthalmia. The median initial VA was 2.1 logMAR (n = 11/11). At one month, median VA was 2.0 logMAR (n = 7/11), after three months 2.0 logMAR (n = 6/11), and after one year 2.05 logMAR (n = 6/11). The change in VA was not significant (p > 0.99). 36.4% (n = 4/11) of the cases resulted in blindness. Conclusions: The overall outcome is poor. Enucleation should be weighed against the risk of local and systemic spread of the infection, prolonged rehabilitation and sympathetic ophthalmia

Human endogenous retrovirus HERV-K(HML-2) encodes a stable signal peptide with biological properties distinct from Rec

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human endogenous retrovirus HERV-K(HML-2) family is associated with testicular germ cell tumors (GCT). Various HML-2 proviruses encode viral proteins such as Env and Rec.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We describe here that HML-2 Env gives rise to a 13 kDa signal peptide (SP) that harbors a different C-terminus compared to Rec. Subsequent to guiding Env to the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER), HML-2 SP is released into the cytosol. Biochemical analysis and confocal microscopy demonstrated that similar to Rec, SP efficiently translocates to the granular component of nucleoli. Unlike Rec, SP does not shuttle between nucleus and cytoplasm. SP is less stable than Rec as it is subjected to proteasomal degradation. Moreover, SP lacks export activity towards HML-2 genomic RNA, the main function of Rec in the original viral context, and SP does not interfere with Rec's RNA export activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>SP is a previously unrecognized HML-2 protein that, besides targeting and translocation of Env into the ER lumen, may exert biological functions distinct from Rec. HML-2 SP represents another functional similarity with the closely related Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus that encodes an Env-derived SP named p14. Our findings furthermore support the emerging concept of bioactive SPs as a conserved retroviral strategy to modulate their host cell environment, evidenced here by a "retroviral fossil". While the specific role of HML-2 SP remains to be elucidated in the context of human biology, we speculate that it may be involved in immune evasion of GCT cells or tumorigenesis.</p

3D Heads-Up Display vs. Standard Operating Microscope Vitrectomy for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and outcomes of 23-gauge vitreoretinal surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment using a three-dimensional heads-up display (3D HUD) surgical platform as compared to a standard operating microscope (SOM) setting. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Participants: One hundred and forty consecutive eyes of 140 patients with primary retinal detachment. Methods: All eyes underwent 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for primary retinal detachment using either a 3D HUD (NGENUITY;Alcon Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, USA;n = 70 eyes) or a SOM setting (n = 70 eyes);in cases of significant cataract, additional phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation was performed. Minimum follow-up was 2 months. Main Outcome Measures: Primary retinal reattachment rate, rate of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and duration of surgery. Results: There were 70 eyes each in the 3D HUD and the SOM group. Both groups did not differ concerning age (p = 0.70), extent of retinal detachment (p = 0.07), number of retinal tears (p = 0.40), macular involvement (p = 0.99), and preoperative BCVA (p = 0.99). Postoperatively, 3D HUD and SOM were comparable concerning the primary retinal reattachment rate (88.6 vs. 94.3%;p = 0.37), the development of postoperative PVR (12.9% vs. 7.1%;p = 0.40) and final BCVA (0.26 +/- 0.40 vs. 0.21 +/- 0.38 logMAR;p = 0.99). Duration of surgery was significantly longer in the 3D HUD group (66.2 +/- 16.5 vs. 61.2 +/- 17.1 min;p = 0.04), an effect which however vanished after a "learning curve" of the first 35 eyes (p = 0.49). Conclusions: On par results to a conventional operating microscope can be achieved with a 3D HUD setting when performing 23-gauge vitreoretinal surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, including the primary retinal reattachment rate, the incidence of postoperative PVR and final BCVA. However, duration of surgery might initially be slightly longer with 3D HUD, suggesting the effect of a learning curve

Intraocular Lens Power Calculation after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction

With more than 1.5 million Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) procedures having already been performed worldwide in an ageing population, intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation in post-SMILE eyes will inevitably become a common challenge for ophthalmologists. Since no refractive outcomes of cataract surgery following SMILE have been published, there is a lack of empirical data for optimizing IOL power calculation. Using the ray tracing as the standard of reference - a purely physical method that obviates the need for any empirical optimization - we analyzed the agreement of various IOL power calculation formulas derived from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) post-keratorefractive surgery online calculator. In our study of 88 post-SMILE eyes, the Masket formula showed the smallest mean prediction error [-0.36 +/- 0.32 diopters (D)] and median absolute error (0.33D) and yielded the largest percentage of eyes within +/- 0.50D (70%) in reference to ray tracing. Non-inferior refractive prediction errors and +/- 0.50D accuracies were achieved by the Barrett True K, Barrett True K No History and the Potvin-Hill formula. Use of these formulas in conjunction with ray tracing is recommended until sufficient data for empirical optimization of IOL power calculation after SMILE is available

Impact of extreme (flat and steep) keratometry on the safety and efficacy of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE)

Little is known about the connection between preoperative keratometry and postoperative results of myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). To determine the influence of extreme (flat and steep) corneal keratometry on the safety and efficacy of SMILE, the databases of the Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany, and SMILE Eyes Linz, Austria, were screened for patients with steep and flat keratometry who had undergone SMILE. In this cross-sectional matched comparative cohort study, eyes with markedly flat (< 42.0 diopters; D) or steep (≥ 47.0D) preoperative corneal keratometry were matched to a cohort of eyes with regular keratometry (42.0-46.9D) by preoperative manifest refractive spherical equivalent and cylinder, age, corrected distance visual acuity and surgical SMILE parameters. The standardized graphs and terms for refractive surgery results were applied to compare the three groups. Changes in higher order aberrations (HOAs) were evaluated on Scheimpflug imaging. In total, 63 eyes (21 each) of 54 patients with a mean refractive spherical equivalent of - 5.21 ± 1.59 D were followed up for a mean of 9.2 ± 6.1 (minimum ≥ 3) months. Mean baseline keratometry was 41.3 ± 0.7D (flat), 45.5 ± 1.0D (regular) and 47.7 ± 0.6D (steep) (p < 0.0001). Compared to the regular group, the flat and the steep cornea group resulted in a non-inferior percentage of eyes within ± 0.50 D of target refraction (p = 0.20), uncorrected distance visual acuity (p = 0.95) and corrected distance visual acuity (p = 0.20). Flat corneas however experienced a stronger induction of spherical aberration (SA) compared to the steep group (p = 0.0005). In conclusion, non-inferior outcomes of SMILE can also be expected in eyes with steep (≥ 47D) or flat (< 42D) preoperative keratometry, while SMILE however induces more SA in eyes with a flat keratometry

Expression patterns of transcribed human endogenous retrovirus HERV-K(HML-2) loci in human tissues and the need for a HERV Transcriptome Project

Background: A significant proportion of the human genome is comprised of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). HERV transcripts are found in every human tissue. Expression of proviruses of the HERV-K(HML-2) family has been associated with development of human tumors, in particular germ cell tumors (GCT). Very little is known about transcriptional activity of individual HML-2 loci in human tissues, though. Results: By employing private nucleotide differences between loci, we assigned ~1500 HML-2 cDNAs to individual HML-2 loci, identifying, in total, 23 transcriptionally active HML-2 proviruses. Several loci are active in various human tissue types. Transcription levels of some HML-2 loci appear higher than those of other loci. Several HML-2 Rec-encoding loci are expressed in GCT and non-GCT tissues. A provirus on chromosome 22q11.21 appears strongly upregulated in pathologic GCT tissues and may explain high HML-2 Gag protein levels in GCTs. Presence of Gag and Env antibodies in GCT patients is not correlated with activation of individual loci. HML-2 proviruses previously reported capable of forming an infectious HML-2 variant are transcriptionally active in germ cell tissue. Our study furthermore shows that Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) data are insufficient to describe transcriptional activity of HML-2 and other HERV loci in tissues of interest. Conclusion: Our, to date, largest-scale study reveals in greater detail expression patterns of individual HML-2 loci in human tissues of clinical interest. Moreover, large-scale, specialized studies are indicated to better comprehend transcriptional activity and regulation of HERVs. We thus emphasize the need for a specialized HERV Transcriptome Project

The two-proton shell gap in Sn isotopes

We present an analysis of two-proton shell gaps in Sn isotopes. As the theoretical tool we use self-consistent mean-field models, namely the relativistic mean-field model and the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach, both with two different pairing forces, a delta interaction (DI) model and a density-dependent delta interaction (DDDI). We investigate the influence of nuclear deformation as well as collective correlations and find that both effects contribute significantly. Moreover, we find a further significant dependence on the pairing force used. The inclusion of deformation plus correlation effects and the use of DDDI pairing provides agreement with the data.Comment: gzipped tar archiv containing LaTeX source, bibliography file (*.bbl), all figures as *.eps, and the style file