Online Mutual Foreground Segmentation for Multispectral Stereo Videos

The segmentation of video sequences into foreground and background regions is a low-level process commonly used in video content analysis and smart surveillance applications. Using a multispectral camera setup can improve this process by providing more diverse data to help identify objects despite adverse imaging conditions. The registration of several data sources is however not trivial if the appearance of objects produced by each sensor differs substantially. This problem is further complicated when parallax effects cannot be ignored when using close-range stereo pairs. In this work, we present a new method to simultaneously tackle multispectral segmentation and stereo registration. Using an iterative procedure, we estimate the labeling result for one problem using the provisional result of the other. Our approach is based on the alternating minimization of two energy functions that are linked through the use of dynamic priors. We rely on the integration of shape and appearance cues to find proper multispectral correspondences, and to properly segment objects in low contrast regions. We also formulate our model as a frame processing pipeline using higher order terms to improve the temporal coherence of our results. Our method is evaluated under different configurations on multiple multispectral datasets, and our implementation is available online.Comment: Preprint accepted for publication in IJCV (December 2018

Implication des Galectines-3, 7 et 9 dans la réponse immunitaire contre le parasite Leishmania major

La galectine-3, une protéine cytosolique de l’hôte est impliquée dans la réponse immunitaire contre Leishmania major, un parasite protozoaire causant une infection cutanée. Lors d’une infection avec la souche LV39 de L. major, la galectine-3 se libère dans le milieu extracellulaire et participe au recrutement de neutrophiles au site d’infection. La galectine-3 ne semble cependant pas impliquée lors d’infections avec la souche L. major Friedlin qui possède un arrangement de saccarides différent sur ses phosphoglycans. In vitro, les deux souches de L. major sont en mesure de cliver la galectine-3, mais LV39 semble plus efficace. Différents essais ont été effectués in vivo afin de vérifier si les galectines-7 et 9 peuvent aussi avoir un rôle à jouer lors d’infection avec L. major. Alors qu’aucun effet significatif n’a pu être attribué à la galectine-9, l’absence de galectine-7 semble apporter une guérison plus rapide des lésions engendrées par L. major Friedlin.Our recent data suggest that galectin-3, a host cytosolic protein is involved in the immune response against the Leishmania major strain LV39, which induces cutaneous infection. Following infection with this parasite, galectin-3 is released in the extracellular space and plays a role in neutrophil recruitment. In contrast, in another L. major strain called Friedlin, which expresses a different glycan structure on the phosphoglycans, galectin-3 has no impact on the host immune response and disease outcome. Our laboratory previously reported that L. major LV39 cleaves galectin-3. Our data suggest that both L. major strains are able to cleave galectin-3 in vivo, although the cleavage by LV39 is more efficient than that by Friedlin. We also addressed the role of galectins-7 and 9 in a murine L. major infection model. Lack of galectin-9 did not alter the pathogenesis of Leishmania infection. In contrast, lack of galectin-7 contributed to improve healing process

Reproducible Evaluation of Pan-Tilt-Zoom Tracking

Tracking with a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera has been a research topic in computer vision for many years. However, it is very difficult to assess the progress that has been made on this topic because there is no standard evaluation methodology. The difficulty in evaluating PTZ tracking algorithms arises from their dynamic nature. In contrast to other forms of tracking, PTZ tracking involves both locating the target in the image and controlling the motors of the camera to aim it so that the target stays in its field of view. This type of tracking can only be performed online. In this paper, we propose a new evaluation framework based on a virtual PTZ camera. With this framework, tracking scenarios do not change for each experiment and we are able to replicate online PTZ camera control and behavior including camera positioning delays, tracker processing delays, and numerical zoom. We tested our evaluation framework with the Camshift tracker to show its viability and to establish baseline results.Comment: This is an extended version of the 2015 ICIP paper "Reproducible Evaluation of Pan-Tilt-Zoom Tracking

Revue du processus de formulation de projet de coopération technique au sein de l'organisation de l'aviation civile internationale

C’est dans le cadre du programme de maîtrise en administration publique de l’ÉNAP, concentration administration internationale, que j’ai eu la chance de compléter un stage d’une durée de 4 mois au sein de l’Organisation de l’Aviation Civile Internationale. À mon plus grand bonheur, 2014 était le 70e anniversaire de l’organisation; j’ai par conséquent été honoré de participer aux nombreuses célébrations prévues au cours du mois de décembre qui ont eu lieu à la Maison de l’OACI sur la rue Université à Montréal. Ma participation aux célébrations m’a initialement permis de mieux comprendre l’histoire de l’Organisation, mais aussi de mieux conceptualiser le contexte dans lequel celle-ci a vu le jour. Ma participation au GACS (Global Aviation Collaboration Symposium) dès la première semaine de mon stage, m’a aussi été extrêmement bénéfique en me catapultant directement dans le feu de l’action et en me donnant immédiatement quantité d’informations sur la Direction de la coopération technique, le bureau qui allait m’accueillir pour les 4 mois qui allaient suivre. Mon mandat en tant que stagiaire au sein de l’équipe de développement de projet consistait à passer en revue le processus de formulation de projet de coopération technique en me basant sur les travaux des auteurs Bachir Mazouz et Jean Leclerc en matière de Gestion par Résultats. Mes recommandations, aux nombres de quinze, visent à mettre une plus grande emphase sur le rôle de prospection et le développement d’affaires, ainsi que l’implantation d’un système d’informations plus efficace et l’optimisation des ressources déjà présentes au sein des équipes de la Direction de la coopération technique. Tout cela dans le but de venir solidifier le rôle de leader de l’OACI dans le domaine de l’aviation civile internationale. En plus de venir contribuer à l’équipe de développement de projet dans sa quête de perfectionnement de ses documents de projet, face à un accroissement de la demande pour ses services et l’augmentation de l’offre de service analogue par des firmes de consultation privée

Are Paleomagnetic Records From U‐Channels Appropriate for Studies of Reversals and Excursions?

Sampling of sediment cores using plastic U‐channels has made possible the acquisition of detailed records of paleomagnetic secular variation, geomagnetic polarity, environmental magnetic studies, and relative paleointensity over the past several million years. U‐channel measurements provide the great advantage of rapid measurements of long sediment cores, but the signal resolution is attenuated by the response function of the magnetometer sensors, which therefore restrains the recovery of rapid and large‐amplitude field changes. Here we focus on the suitability of the dynamics of reversals and excursions derived from U‐channel measurements. We compare successive individual paleomagnetic directions of 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm cubic discrete samples with those of a 1.5‐m equivalent U‐channel sample train obtained by placing the samples adjacent to each other. We use varying excursion and transition lengths and generate transitional directions that resemble those of the most detailed paleomagnetic records. Excursions with opposite polarity directions recorded over less than 7.5 cm are barely detected in U‐channel measurements. Regarding reversals, U‐channel measurements smooth the signal of low‐resolution records and generate artificial transitional directions. Despite producing misleading similarities with the overall structure of transition records, longer transitional intervals fail also to reproduce the complexity of field changes. Finally, we test the convolution of magnetization by different response functions. The simulation reveals that even small response function changes can generate significant differences in results. -- Keywords : geomagnetic reversals ; geomagnetic excursions ; paleomagnetic measurements

Late Pleistocene and Holocene transgression inferred from the sediments of the Gulf of San Jorge, central Patagonia, Argentina

This study presents the first detailed description of the upper sedimentary succession of the late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits in the Gulf of San Jorge (Patagonia) based on several hundred kilometers of high-resolution seismic (sparker) profiles and numerous sediment cores. High-resolution seismic stratigraphy confirms the existence of a paleo-fluvial network formed during sea-level lowstands and buried by central basin estuarine deposits during the last marine transgression. Analyses of lithostratigraphy and radiocarbon ages indicate the onset of subtidal sedimentation at ~14 cal ka bp. Before the onset of subtidal conditions, the first steps of marine incursion seem to have led to the development of lagoonal/wind–tidal flat environments, advocating for a sea-level stillstand. An abrupt increase in the log(Ti/Ca) ratio in a distinct multi-centimeter-thick layer and the identification of a wave-ravinement surface suggest rapid sea-level rise in the gulf prior to ~14 cal ka bp, consistent with Meltwater Pulse 1A. Overall, this study highlights the significant impact of sea-level rise on sedimentation in the gulf from the onset of marine incursions to the mid-Holocene, as well as the reduced contribution, as currently observed, of riverine inputs due to the progressive diminution and withdrawal of glacial drainage starting before the Holocene. -- Keywords : elemental geochemistry ; incised valleys ; MWP-1A ; Patagonia ; postglacial sea-level changes

Recent sedimentation in three adjacent fjord-lakes on the Québec North Shore (eastern Canada): facies analysis, laminae preservation, and potential for varve formation

Cet article analyse de courtes carottes gravitaires échantillonnées le long de transects dans trois lacs de fjord profonds adjacents (les lacs Pentecôte, Walker et Pasteur) sur la Côte-Nord du Québec (est du Canada), afin d’évaluer la répartition de sédiments laminés et le potentiel de formation de varves. L’analyse des faciès basée sur la description lithologique, des photos numériques, des images par tomodensitométrie et des données bathymétriques, a permis l’identification de quatre principaux faciès sédimentaires : des sédiments laminés, des sédiments partiellement laminés, des sédiments bioturbés et des sédiments massifs. Des preuves directes sur la stratification thermique du Lac Walker ont été acquises de 2014 à 2016. Les taux de sédimentation moyens et les flux de sédimentation postglaciaires dans les bassins distaux des trois lacs étudiés sont ≤0,12 cm a−1 et de 0,03 à 0,16 g cm−2 a−1, respectivement, à la lumière de la datation aux 210Pb, 137Cs et radiocarbone par SMA. Sur la base de l’analyse d’images de lames minces et d’un modèle de chronologie du 210Pb (CIC), le Lac Pentecôte contient des sédiments principalement massifs à partiellement laminés, alors que le Lac Pasteur contient des sédiments partiellement laminés et des sédiments laminés non annuels ressemblants à des varves. Le Lac Walker contient toutefois des sédiments laminés qui sont vraisemblablement des varves. Le plus grand potentiel de préservation de laminations observé pour le lac Walker par rapport aux lacs Pentecôte et Pasteur est associé à des caractéristiques morphologiques plus favorables, dont sa profondeur relative, sa profondeur moyenne, sa profondeur maximum et son exposition topographique plus importantes. -- Keywords : Limnogeology ; sedimentary structures ; laminations ; varves ; CT-scan ; Québec North Shore

Galectin-3 and N-acetylglucosamine promote myogenesis and improve skeletal muscle function in the mdx model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The muscle membrane, sarcolemma, must be firmly attached to the basal lamina. The failure of proper attachment results in muscle injury, which is the underlying cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), where mutations in the dystrophin gene disrupts the firm adhesion. In DMD patients, even moderate contraction causes damage, leading to progressive muscle degeneration. The damaged muscles are repaired through myogenesis. Consequently, myogenesis is highly active in DMD patients, and the repeated activation of myogenesis leads to the exhaustion of the myogenic stem cells. Therefore, approaches to reducing the risk of the exhaustion are to develop a treatment that strengthens the interaction between the sarcolemma and the basal lamina, and increases the efficiency of myogenesis. Galectin-3 is an oligosaccharide-binding protein and known to be involved in cell–cell interactions and cell–matrix interactions. Galectin-3 is expressed in myoblasts and skeletal muscle while its function in muscle remains elusive. In this study, we found evidence that galectin-3 and the monosaccharide N-acetylglucosamine, which increases the ligands (oligosaccharides) of galectin-3, promotes myogenesis in vitro. Moreover, in the mdx mouse model of DMD, treatment with N-acetylglucosamine increased the muscle force production. Our results demonstrate that treatment with N-acetylglucosamine can mitigate the burden of DMD

Autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs are present in ~4% of uninfected individuals over 70 years old and account for ~20% of COVID-19 deaths

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved.Circulating autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing high concentrations (10 ng/ml; in plasma diluted 1:10) of IFN-alpha and/or IFN-omega are found in about 10% of patients with critical COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pneumonia but not in individuals with asymptomatic infections. We detect auto-Abs neutralizing 100-fold lower, more physiological, concentrations of IFN-alpha and/or IFN-omega (100 pg/ml; in 1:10 dilutions of plasma) in 13.6% of 3595 patients with critical COVID-19, including 21% of 374 patients >80 years, and 6.5% of 522 patients with severe COVID-19. These antibodies are also detected in 18% of the 1124 deceased patients (aged 20 days to 99 years; mean: 70 years). Moreover, another 1.3% of patients with critical COVID-19 and 0.9% of the deceased patients have auto-Abs neutralizing high concentrations of IFN-beta. We also show, in a sample of 34,159 uninfected individuals from the general population, that auto-Abs neutralizing high concentrations of IFN-alpha and/or IFN-omega are present in 0.18% of individuals between 18 and 69 years, 1.1% between 70 and 79 years, and 3.4% >80 years. Moreover, the proportion of individuals carrying auto-Abs neutralizing lower concentrations is greater in a subsample of 10,778 uninfected individuals: 1% of individuals 80 years. By contrast, auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-beta do not become more frequent with age. Auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs predate SARS-CoV-2 infection and sharply increase in prevalence after the age of 70 years. They account for about 20% of both critical COVID-19 cases in the over 80s and total fatal COVID-19 cases.Peer reviewe

Severe Asthma Standard-of-Care Background Medication Reduction With Benralizumab: ANDHI in Practice Substudy

Background: The phase IIIb, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled ANDHI double-blind (DB) study extended understanding of the efficacy of benralizumab for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Patients from ANDHI DB could join the 56-week ANDHI in Practice (IP) single-arm, open-label extension substudy. Objective: Assess potential for standard-of-care background medication reductions while maintaining asthma control with benralizumab. Methods: Following ANDHI DB completion, eligible adults were enrolled in ANDHI IP. After an 8-week run-in with benralizumab, there were 5 visits to potentially reduce background asthma medications for patients achieving and maintaining protocol-defined asthma control with benralizumab. Main outcome measures for non-oral corticosteroid (OCS)-dependent patients were the proportions with at least 1 background medication reduction (ie, lower inhaled corticosteroid dose, background medication discontinuation) and the number of adapted Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) step reductions at end of treatment (EOT). Main outcomes for OCS-dependent patients were reductions in daily OCS dosage and proportion achieving OCS dosage of 5 mg or lower at EOT. Results: For non-OCS-dependent patients, 53.3% (n = 208 of 390) achieved at least 1 background medication reduction, increasing to 72.6% (n = 130 of 179) for patients who maintained protocol-defined asthma control at EOT. A total of 41.9% (n = 163 of 389) achieved at least 1 adapted GINA step reduction, increasing to 61.8% (n = 110 of 178) for patients with protocol-defined EOT asthma control. At ANDHI IP baseline, OCS dosages were 5 mg or lower for 40.4% (n = 40 of 99) of OCS-dependent patients. Of OCS-dependent patients, 50.5% (n = 50 of 99) eliminated OCS and 74.7% (n = 74 of 99) achieved dosages of 5 mg or lower at EOT. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate benralizumab's ability to improve asthma control, thereby allowing background medication reduction