Target differentiation with simple infrared sensors using statistical pattern recognition techniques

Cataloged from PDF version of article.This study compares the performances of various statistical pattern recognition techniques for the differentiation of commonly encountered features in indoor environments, possibly with different surface properties, using simple infrared (IR) sensors. The intensity measurements obtained from such sensors are highly dependent on the location, geometry, and surface properties of the reflecting feature in a way that cannot be represented by a simple analytical relationship, therefore complicating the differentiation process. We construct feature vectors based on the parameters of angular IR intensity scans from different targets to determine their geometry and/or surface type. Mixture of normals classifier with three components correctly differentiates three types of geometries with different surface properties, resulting in the best performance (100%) in geometry differentiation. Parametric differentiation correctly identifies six different surface types of the same planar geometry, resulting in the best surface differentiation rate (100%). However, this rate is not maintained with the inclusion of more surfaces. The results indicate that the geometrical properties of the targets are more distinctive than their surface properties, and surface recognition is the limiting factor in differentiation. The results demonstrate that simple IR sensors, when coupled with appropriate processing and recognition techniques, can be used to extract substantially more information than such devices are commonly employed for. (C) 2007 Pattern Recognition Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

Identification of valid housekeeping genes for quantitative RT-PCR analysis of cardiosphere-derived cells preconditioned under hypoxia or with prolyl-4-hydroxylase inhibitors

Infarction irreversibly damages the heart, with formation of an akinetic scar that may lead to heart failure. Endogenous cardiac stem cells (CSCs) are a promising candidate cell source for restoring lost tissue and thereby preventing heart failure. CSCs may be isolated in vitro, via the formation of cardiospheres, to give cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs). Although qRT-PCR analyses of CDCs have been performed, no justification for the selection of the housekeeping gene has been published. Here, we evaluated the most suitable housekeeping gene for RNA expression analysis in CDCs cultured under normoxia, hypoxia or with prolyl-4-hydroxylase inhibitors (PHDIs), from both neonatal and adult rats, to determine the effects of ageing and different culture conditions on the stability of the housekeeping gene for CDCs. Six candidate housekeeping genes, [glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), beta-actin (Actb), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT-1), beta-2-microtubulin (β2M), 60S acidic ribosomal protein large P1 (RPLP-1) and TATA box binding protein (Tbp)] were evaluated in this study. Analysis using geNorm and NormFinder revealed that GAPDH was the most constant housekeeping gene among all genes tested under normoxia for both neonatal and adult CDCs, whereas Actb was the most stable housekeeping gene under hypoxia. For the PHDI-treated CDCs, overall, GADPH, Actb and β2M were more consistently expressed, whereas HPRT-1, RPLP-1 and Tbp showed unstable expression. The ranking for β2M, HPRT-1 and RPLP-1 stability was different for neonatal and adult cells, indicating that expression of these genes was age-dependent. Lastly, independent of age or culture conditions, Tbp was the least stable housekeeping gene. In conclusion, a combination of Actb and GADPH gave the most reliable normalization for comparative analyses of gene transcription in neonatal and adult rat CDCs preconditioned by hypoxia or PHDIs

Trueness of CAD/CAM digitization with a desktop scanner – an in vitro study

Desktop scanners are devices for digitization of conventional impressions or gypsum casts by indirect Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Assisted Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) in dentistry. The purpose of this in vitro study was: 1, to investigate whether virtual models produced by the extraoral scanner have the same trueness as sectioned casts; and 2, to assess if digitization with an extraoral scanner influences the surface information

Conservative Surgical Treatment of the Jaw Cysts in Children: Case Study of Five Patients

Aims: Conservative treatment of jaw cysts establishes low surgical complication risk and protects vital anatomical structures such as inferior alveolar nerve, maxillary sinus and permanent tooth germs. Marsupialization and decompression have been widely used in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the conservative treatment of jaw cysts in five children. Materials and Methods: This article presents case series of marsupialization in jaw cysts associated with impacted teeth in five children. A total of nine impacted teeth within the cystic lesions were observed. Results: Complete resolution of all cystic lesions and simultaneous eruption of six impacted teeth within the cyst were managed. The other two teeth were erupted orthodontically and one had to be extracted. Conclusions: Marsupialization is effective for the treatment of cystic lesions in growing patients as it preserves vital anatomical structures and enables eruption of the impacted teeth within the cyst.Keywords: Children, conservative treatment, cyst treatment, marsupializatio

ADVENTITIOUS SHOOT REGENERATION FROM DIFFERENT EXPLANTS OF WILD LENTIL (LENS CULINARIS SUBSP. ORIENTALIS)

ABSTRAC

Short-term effects of intravitreal ranibizumab and bevacizumab administration on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring recordings in normotensive patients with age-related macular degeneration

WOS: 000401036900003PubMed ID: 28060360Purpose To evaluate effects of intravitreal ranibizumab and bevacizumab administration on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) recordings in normotensive patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Patients and methods A total of 72 patients (mean age: 61.8(6.2) years, 52.8% were females) diagnosed with AMD were included in this study as divided into ranibizumab (n = 34) and bevacizumab (n = 38) treatment groups. Twenty-four hour, nighttime, and daytime ABMP values for systolic and diastolic BP were recorded in study groups before and after the third intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or bevacizumab. Results Ranibizumab injection had no impact on ABPM recordings and dipping status. In the bevacizumab group, increased daytime (129.0(6.6) vs 127.7(6.6) mm Hg, P = 0.002) and nighttime systolic (116.9(7.5) vs 112.6(7.1) mmHg, p<0.001) BP and decreased daytime diastolic (80.1(6.5) vs 82.4(6.1) mm Hg, P = 0.001) BP were noted in the post-injection period. Also, percentage of non-dippers was significantly increased from 5.3% at pre-injection to 28.9% (P = 0.004) at the post-injection period. Conclusion In conclusion, given that it has no significant impact on ABPM recordings and dipping status, in our study, intravitreal ranibizumab injection may be the better choice in the management of AMD

Prenatal diagnosis in multiple pregnancies with the hemoglobin disorders in Cukurova plain

31st Congress of the Federation-of-European-Biochemical-Societies (FEBS) -- JUN 24-29, 2006 -- Istanbul, TURKEYWOS: 000238914002317…Federat European Biochem So

Cytogenetic effects of grape extracts (Vitis vinifera) and polyphenols on mitomycin C-induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human blood lymphocytes

In the present study, the effects of extracts and polyphenol-rich fractions as well as monomer polyphenols identified in them, from both red and white grapes, on mitomycin C (MMC) induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes were investigated. The grape extracts and two of the three polyphenol-rich fractions promoted MMC-induced SCEs at concentrations from 75 to 300 mu g/mL. However, none of the extracts or fractions alone induced SCEs. Thus, these results suggest caution especially with regard to the use of grape extracts as dietary supplements. On the other hand, the fact that these extracts were not genotoxic alone may indicate a selective activity against genetically damaged cells. This is the first study regarding the clastogenic effects of grape extracts in human cells. Moreover, from the tested polyphenols, caffeic acid, gallic acid, and rutin hydrate enhanced MMC-induced clastogenicity, whereas ferulic acid, protocatechuic acid, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and trans-resveratrol had no effect at concentrations between 5 and 100 mu M. The differences in the chemical structures of the tested polyphenols may account for their differential effects on MMC clastogenicity