Direction Estimation of Pedestrian from Images

The capability of estimating the walking direction of people would be useful in many applications such as those involving autonomous cars and robots. We introduce an approach for estimating the walking direction of people from images, based on learning the correct classification of a still image by using SVMs. We find that the performance of the system can be improved by classifying each image of a walking sequence and combining the outputs of the classifier. Experiments were performed to evaluate our system and estimate the trade-off between number of images in walking sequences and performance

Estudos filogenéticos, taxonômicos e nomenclaturais em Vochysiaceae e sinopse de Vochysia no Brasil

Orientador: André Olmos SimõesTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: O presente trabalho apresenta contribuições à sistemática de Vochysiaceae, na forma dos seguintes capítulos: (1) estudo filogenético molecular de Vochysiaceae, acompanhado por investigação de possíveis sinapomorfias morfológicas; (2) tipificações e sinonimizações em Vochysia; (3) nomenclator para as espécies de Vochysia ocorrentes no Brasil; (4) correta atribuição do lectótipo de Vochysia guianensis Aubl. e (5) descrição de uma nova espécie de Qualea. No estudo filogenético foram recuperados três principais clados: Erismeae (Erisma e Erismadelphus), QRC (Qualea, Ruizterania e Callisthene) e VS (Vochysia e Salvertia), mas sem muita resolução sobre a relação entre eles. Erisma surgiu como grupo-irmão de Erismadelphus, a maioria das espécies de Callisthene foi agrupada em um clado, as linhagens de Qualea e Ruizterania formaram uma politomia, e Salvertia surgiu como grupo-irmão de Vochysia. Apesar da formação de um clado, sua relação com C. fasciculata Mart. é incerta, pois não foi encontrada resolução. Ruizterania, por sua vez, foi incorporado a Qualea. Algumas das categorias infragenéricas, previamente baseadas exclusivamente em atributos morfológicos, foram corroboradas como monofiléticas pelos dados moleculares. Entre os caracteres morfológicos mapeados, quatro tiveram estados representados como potenciais sinapomorfias para a família: ausência de glândulas translúcidas nas folhas, presença de cálcar ou proeminência bursiforme na quarta sépala, estame ereto no botão floral e presença de um único estame fértil. Outros nove estados de caráter também foram tidos como potenciais sinapomorfias para alguns clados principais. Em relação aos estudos nomenclaturais de espécies de Vochysia no Brasil, 26 lectotipificações foram propostas, sendo 21 de segundo passo e uma outra associada a um epítipo. Quatro novos sinônimos foram também propostos. O nomenclator apresenta uma compilação e análise de informações dos 86 nomes de espécies de Vochysia ocorrentes no Brasil, além de alguns de variedades. São apresentados publicação original, dados sobre os tipos, sinonímia, posicionamento infragenérico e distribuição geográfica atualizada para as espécies aceitas. A correta atribuição do lectótipo de V. guianensis, espécie-tipo do gênero, foi esclarecida também. O espécime do herbário P (Museu Nacional de História Natural de Paris) havia sido designado antes do espécime do herbário BM (Museu de História Natural de Londres), erroneamente tratado como lectótipo na revisão mais recente de Vochysia. A nova espécie de Qualea do Piauí pertence a Qualea sect. Costatifolium Stafleu e é endêmica da área de Serra das Confusões. Também é fornecida uma comparação com Q. grandiflora Mart. e Q. parviflora Mart., as outras espécies do gênero que ocorrem na CaatingaAbstract: The present work explores the systematics of Vochysiaceae, through the following chapters: (1) molecular phylogenetic study of Vochysiaceae, along with investigation on possible morphological synapomorphies; (2) typifications and synonymizations in Vochysia; (3) nomenclator for the species of Vochysia occurring in Brazil; (4) the correct assignment of the lectotype of Vochysia guianensis Aubl. and (5) description of a new species of Qualea. In the phylogenetic study three main clades were recovered: Erismeae (Erisma and Erismadelphus), QRC (Qualea, Ruizterania and Callisthene) and VS (Vochysia and Salvertia), but there is no strong resolution in their relationships. Erisma emerged as sister group to Erismadelphus, most species of Callisthene was grouped in a clade, Qualea and Ruizterania lineages formed a polytomy, and Salvertia is the sister group to Vochysia. Although the formation of a clade, its relationship with C. fasciculata Mart. is uncertain, because there was no resolution found. Ruizterania, in turn, was incorporated into Qualea. Several of the infrageneric categories, previously based exclusively on morphological traits, were corroborated as monophyletic by the molecular data. Among the morphological traits mapped, four have states represented as potential synapomorphies for the family: absence of translucid glands in the leaves, presence of a spur or bursiform prominence in the fourth sepal, the erect stamen in the flower bud and only one fertile stamen. Other nine character states are also potential synapomorphies for major clades. Regarding the nomenclatural studies of species of Vochysia in Brazil, 26 lectotypifications were proposed, being 21 of second-step and another one associated to an epitype. Four new synonyms were also proposed. The nomenclator presents a compilation and analysis of information for the 86 names of species of Vochysia occurring in Brazil, as well as for some varieties. Original publication, data on types, synonymy, infrageneric placement and updated geographic distribution for the accepted species are given. The correct assignment of the lectotype of V. guianensis, type species of the genus, was also clarified. The specimen from herbarium P (National Museum of Natural History of Paris) was designated before the specimen from herbarium BM (Natural History Museum of London), erroneously treated as lectotype in the most recent revision of Vochysia. The new species of Qualea from Piauí belongs to Qualea sect. Costatifolium Stafleu and is endemic to the Serra das Confusões area. A comparison with Q. grandiflora Mart. and Q. parviflora Mart., the other species of the genus occurring in the Caatinga, is also providedDoutoradoBiologia VegetalDoutor em Biologia Vegetal148174/2012-4CAPESCNP

Asymptotic expansions for a class of tests for a general covariance structure under a local alternative

AbstractLet S be a p×p random matrix having a Wishart distribution Wp(n,n−1Σ). For testing a general covariance structure Σ=Σ(ξ), we consider a class of test statistics Th=nρh(S,Σ(ξˆ)), where ρh(Σ1,Σ2)=∑i=1ph(λi) is a distance measure from Σ1 to Σ2, λi’s are the eigenvalues of Σ1Σ2−1, and h is a given function with certain properties. Wakaki, Eguchi and Fujikoshi (1990) suggested this class and gave an asymptotic expansion of the null distribution of Th. This paper gives an asymptotic expansion of the non-null distribution of Th under a sequence of alternatives. By using results, we derive the power, and compare the power asymptotically in the class. In particular, we investigate the power of the sphericity tests

Glycolipid α-C-galactosylceramide is a distinct inducer of dendritic cell function during innate and adaptive immune responses of mice

α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) is the prototype compound for studying the presentation of glycolipids on CD1d molecules to natural killer T (NKT) lymphocytes. A single i.v. dose of glycolipid triggers a cascade of events involving the production of several cytokines over the course of a day, a short-lived activation of NKT and natural killer (NK) cells, and a more prolonged adaptive T cell immune response if certain antigens are given together with α-GalCer. We find that a recently described analogue, α-C-galactosylceramide (α-C-GalCer), more potently induces these innate and adaptive immune responses in mice. α-C-GalCer acts as a more effective trigger for IL-12 and IFN-γ production, although it minimally elicits IL-4 and TNF-α release into the serum. Also, α-C-GalCer better mobilizes NKT and natural killer cells to resist B16 melanoma. To help understand these effects, we find that α-C-GalCer binds more stably to dendritic cells than α-GalCer and that dendritic cells loaded with α-C-GalCer induce larger and more long lasting NKT cell responses in vivo. When glycolipid is targeted to dendritic cells in spleen together with antigens in dying cells, such as irradiated tumor cells, α-C-GalCer is active as an adjuvant for T cell-mediated immunity at lower doses, just 20 ng per mouse, where it is also able to up-regulate the required CD40L costimulatory molecule on NKT cells. Therefore, α-C-GalCer represents a glycolipid that binds more stably to dendritic cells and acts as a more effective link between innate and adaptive immunity in vivo