A stereo line matching technique for aerial images based on a pair-wise relation approach

In this study, we developed a new pair-wise relation based approach for the matching of line features from stereo aerial images. To solve the final matching inconsistencies, we propose an iterative pair based post-processing algorithm in which the matching inconsistencies are eliminated using three novel measures and a final similarity voting scheme. The approach is tested over four urban test sites with various built-up characteristics, and for all test sites, we achieved a stereo line matching performance of 98%. The overall results indicate that the proposed approach is highly robust for the line features extracted in (very) dense urban areas

Increased systemic oxidative stress in patients with keratoconus

PurposeTo establish the effect of systemic oxidative stress on the pathogenesis of keratoconus by measuring serum total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) in patients with keratoconus.MethodsTwenty-five patients with keratoconus (keratoconus group) and 25 age-sex-matched healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in the study. Exclusion criteria were smoking habit, history of any other corneal pathology, systemic disease or inflammation, and current antioxidant or anti-inflammatory therapies. All participants underwent a detailed ophthalmological examination and corneal topography. Serum samples were obtained from all participants. Oxidative stress markers (TAS and TOS) were measured using a commercial kit and oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated.ResultsThe study comprised 25 patients with keratoconus (mean age of 26.4±1.7 years) and 25 healthy control subjects (mean age of 26.6±1.7 years) (P>0.05). The serum TOS and OSI values were significantly higher in patients with keratoconus compared with those of the controls (P=0.036 and 0.037, respectively). However, serum TAS did not show significant difference between the keratoconus and control groups (P=0.497).ConclusionsThe higher levels of serum oxidant status and OSI in patients with keratoconus suggest that systemic oxidative stress might be involved in the pathogenesis of keratoconus. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited

Anthropometric measurements of the orbita and gender prediction with three-dimensional computed tomography images

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the orbital anthropometric variations in the normal population using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) images and to define the effects of age and gender on orbital anthropometry.Materials and methods: Three-dimensional orbita CT of 280 patients, obtained for various reasons, were retrospectively evaluated in 772-bed referral and tertiary-care hospital between April 2011 and June 2012. Using 3D images, orbital width, height, biorbital-interorbital diameter and orbital index were measured. Measurements were obtained comparing right and left sides and male to female. The relation of the results with age and gender was analysed.Results: Right orbit was found to be wider than left (p < 0.0001). Male patients had wider (p < 0.0001) and higher (p = 0.0001) orbits. Right orbital index was found to be smaller than the left one (p = 0.005). No differences were found between the genders in terms of right and left orbital indexes (p > 0.05). Biorbital (p < 0.0001) and interorbital (p = 0.01) widths were found to be higher in males. There was no relation between the age change and the parameters defined (p > 0.05).Conclusions: No relation was found between age and orbital measurements. It was concluded that orbital images obtained with 3D-CT may be used as a method for gender evaluation

A new straight line reconstruction methodology from multi-spectral stereo aerial images

In this study, a new methodology for the reconstruction of line features from multispectral stereo aerial images is presented. We take full advantage of the existing multispectral information in aerial images all over the steps of pre-processing and edge detection. To accurately describe the straight line segments, a principal component analysis technique is adapted. The line to line correspondences between the stereo images are established using a new pair-wise stereo matching approach. The approach involves new constraints, and the redundancy inherent in pair relations gives us a possibility to reduce the number of false matches in a probabilistic manner. The methodology is tested over three different urban test sites and provided good results for line matching and reconstruction

Accurate matching and reconstruction of line features from ultra high resolution stereo aerial images

In this study, a new reconstruction approach is proposed for the line segments that are nearly-aligned(<= 10 degrees) with the epipolar line. The method manipulates the redundancy inherent in line pair-relations to generate artificial 3D point entities and utilize those entities during the estimation process to improve the height values of the reconstructed line segments. The best point entities for the reconstruction are selected based on a newly proposed weight function. To test the performance of the proposed approach, we selected three test patches over a built up area of the city of Vaihingen-Germany. Based on the results, the proposed approach produced highly promising reconstruction results for the line segments that are nearly-aligned with the epipolar line

RNA interference in Lepidoptera: an overview of successful and unsuccessful studies and implications for experimental design

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Enhancing the thermoelectric properties of single and double filled p-type skutterudites synthesized by an up-scaled ball-milling process

The single and double filled p-type skutterudites Ce0.8Fe3CoSb12 and Ce0.5Yb0.5Fe3.25Co0.75Sb12 have been prepared by mechanical alloying. This offers a rapid method for the preparation of skutterudites that could be scaled up for adoption at industrial level. The large-scale samples prepared by ball-milling exhibit enhanced figures of merit ZT, compared with materials prepared by conventional solid-state reaction. At room temperature ZT is increased by ca. 19 % for both single and double filled skutterudites. Maximum figures of merit, ZT = 0.68 and ZT = 0.93 are attained for Ce0.8Fe3CoSb12 at 773 K and Ce0.5Yb0.5Fe3.25Co0.75Sb12 at 823 K respectively. The improvement in thermoelectric values at room temperature may be traced to a reduction in thermal conductivity in the ball-milled samples arising from the reduced grain size. The influence of the microstructure on the thermoelectric properties, together with the stability in air and the performance of the materials after several heating and cooling cycles has been studied and are detailed in this work. The densified samples prepared by ball-milling also show a higher resistance to oxidation, which starts at 694 K for Ce0.8Fe3CoSb12 and at 783 K for Ce0.5Yb0.5Fe3.25Co0.75Sb12

Analytic philosophy for biomedical research: the imperative of applying yesterday's timeless messages to today's impasses

The mantra that "the best way to predict the future is to invent it" (attributed to the computer scientist Alan Kay) exemplifies some of the expectations from the technical and innovative sides of biomedical research at present. However, for technical advancements to make real impacts both on patient health and genuine scientific understanding, quite a number of lingering challenges facing the entire spectrum from protein biology all the way to randomized controlled trials should start to be overcome. The proposal in this chapter is that philosophy is essential in this process. By reviewing select examples from the history of science and philosophy, disciplines which were indistinguishable until the mid-nineteenth century, I argue that progress toward the many impasses in biomedicine can be achieved by emphasizing theoretical work (in the true sense of the word 'theory') as a vital foundation for experimental biology. Furthermore, a philosophical biology program that could provide a framework for theoretical investigations is outlined