An Intelligent Safety System for Human-Centered Semi-Autonomous Vehicles

Nowadays, automobile manufacturers make efforts to develop ways to make cars fully safe. Monitoring driver's actions by computer vision techniques to detect driving mistakes in real-time and then planning for autonomous driving to avoid vehicle collisions is one of the most important issues that has been investigated in the machine vision and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The main goal of this study is to prevent accidents caused by fatigue, drowsiness, and driver distraction. To avoid these incidents, this paper proposes an integrated safety system that continuously monitors the driver's attention and vehicle surroundings, and finally decides whether the actual steering control status is safe or not. For this purpose, we equipped an ordinary car called FARAZ with a vision system consisting of four mounted cameras along with a universal car tool for communicating with surrounding factory-installed sensors and other car systems, and sending commands to actuators. The proposed system leverages a scene understanding pipeline using deep convolutional encoder-decoder networks and a driver state detection pipeline. We have been identifying and assessing domestic capabilities for the development of technologies specifically of the ordinary vehicles in order to manufacture smart cars and eke providing an intelligent system to increase safety and to assist the driver in various conditions/situations.Comment: 15 pages and 5 figures, Submitted to the international conference on Contemporary issues in Data Science (CiDaS 2019), Learn more about this project at https://iasbs.ac.ir/~ansari/fara

Induced vertical disparity effects on local and global stereopsis

Purpose: Although significant amounts of vertical misalignment could have a noticeable effect on visual performance, there is no conclusive evidence about the effect of very small amount of vertical disparity on stereopsis and binocular vision. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of induced vertical disparity on local and global stereopsis at near. Materials and Methods: Ninety participants wearing best-corrected refraction had local and global stereopsis tested with 0.5 and 1.0 prism diopter (Δ) vertical prism in front of their dominant and non-dominant eye in turn. This was compared to local and global stereopsis in the same subjects without vertical prism. Data were analyzed in SPSS.17 software using the independent samples T and the repeated measures ANOVA tests. Results: Induced vertical disparity decreases local and global stereopsis. This reduction is greater when vertical disparity is induced in front of the non-dominant eye and affects global more than local stereopsis. Repeated measures ANOVA showed differences in the mean stereopsis between the different measured states for local and global values. Local stereopsis thresholds were reduced by 10s of arc or less on average with 1.0Δ of induced vertical prism in front of either eye. However, global stereopsis thresholds were reduced by over 100s of arc by the same 1.0Δ of induced vertical prism. Conclusion: Induced vertical disparity affects global stereopsis thresholds by an order of magnitude (or a factor of 10) more than local stereopsis. Hence, using a test that measures global stereopsis such as the TNO is more sensitive to vertical misalignment than a test such as the Stereofly that measures local stereopsis. © 2014 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Human Echinococcosis Mortality in the United States, 1990–2007

Human echinococcosis is a parasitic disease that affects an estimated 2–3 million people and results in an annual monetary loss of over $750,000,000 worldwide. It results in the development of life threatening tissue cysts, primarily in the liver and lung, following accidental ingestion of eggs in infected dog, fox or wild canine feces. Echinococcus parasites have a complex, two-host lifecycle (such as in dogs and sheep) in which humans are an aberrant, dead-end host. The vast majority of cases of human echinococcosis occur outside of the United States (US); however, cases within the US do occur. In this study, the authors examined death certificate data of US residents from 1990–2007 in which echinococcosis was listed as one of the diagnoses at death. The analysis demonstrated 41 echinococcosis-related deaths over the 18-year study period with foreign-born persons accounting for the majority of the deaths. This study helps quantify echinococcosis deaths among US residents and adds further support to the importance of funding echinococcosis prevention research

Machine-Part cell formation through visual decipherable clustering of Self Organizing Map

Machine-part cell formation is used in cellular manufacturing in order to process a large variety, quality, lower work in process levels, reducing manufacturing lead-time and customer response time while retaining flexibility for new products. This paper presents a new and novel approach for obtaining machine cells and part families. In the cellular manufacturing the fundamental problem is the formation of part families and machine cells. The present paper deals with the Self Organising Map (SOM) method an unsupervised learning algorithm in Artificial Intelligence, and has been used as a visually decipherable clustering tool of machine-part cell formation. The objective of the paper is to cluster the binary machine-part matrix through visually decipherable cluster of SOM color-coding and labelling via the SOM map nodes in such a way that the part families are processed in that machine cells. The Umatrix, component plane, principal component projection, scatter plot and histogram of SOM have been reported in the present work for the successful visualization of the machine-part cell formation. Computational result with the proposed algorithm on a set of group technology problems available in the literature is also presented. The proposed SOM approach produced solutions with a grouping efficacy that is at least as good as any results earlier reported in the literature and improved the grouping efficacy for 70% of the problems and found immensely useful to both industry practitioners and researchers.Comment: 18 pages,3 table, 4 figure

Allergic inflammation does not impact chemical-induced carcinogenesis in the lungs of mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the relationship between allergic inflammation and lung carcinogenesis is not clearly defined, several reports suggest an increased incidence of lung cancer in patients with asthma. We aimed at determining the functional impact of allergic inflammation on chemical carcinogenesis in the lungs of mice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Balb/c mice received single-dose urethane (1 g/kg at day 0) and two-stage ovalbumin during tumor initiation (sensitization: days -14 and 0; challenge: daily at days 6-12), tumor progression (sensitization: days 70 and 84; challenge: daily at days 90-96), or chronically (sensitization: days -14 and 0; challenge: daily at days 6-12 and thrice weekly thereafter). In addition, interleukin (IL)-5 deficient and wild-type C57BL/6 mice received ten weekly urethane injections. All mice were sacrificed after four months. Primary end-points were number, size, and histology of lung tumors. Secondary end-points were inflammatory cells and mediators in the airspace compartment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ovalbumin provoked acute allergic inflammation and chronic remodeling of murine airways, evident by airspace eosinophilia, IL-5 up-regulation, and airspace enlargement. Urethane resulted in formation of atypical alveolar hyperplasias, adenomas, and adenocarcinomas in mouse lungs. Ovalbumin-induced allergic inflammation during tumor initiation, progression, or continuously did not impact the number, size, or histologic distribution of urethane-induced pulmonary neoplastic lesions. In addition, genetic deficiency in IL-5 had no effect on urethane-induced lung tumorigenesis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Allergic inflammation does not impact chemical-induced carcinogenesis of the airways. These findings suggest that not all types of airway inflammation influence lung carcinogenesis and cast doubt on the idea of a mechanistic link between asthma and lung cancer.</p

Potassium Dependent Regulation of Astrocyte Water Permeability Is Mediated by cAMP Signaling

Astrocytes express potassium and water channels to support dynamic regulation of potassium homeostasis. Potassium kinetics can be modulated by aquaporin-4 (AQP4), the essential water channel for astrocyte water permeability regulation. We investigated whether extracellular potassium ([K+]o) can regulate astrocyte water permeability and the mechanisms of such an effect. Studies were performed on rat primary astrocytes and a rat astrocyte cell line transfected with AQP4. We found that 10mM [K+]o caused an immediate, more than 40%, increase in astrocyte water permeability which was sustained in 5min. The water channel AQP4 was a target for this regulation. Potassium induced a significant increase in intracellular cAMP as measured with a FRET based method and with enzyme immunoassay. We found that protein kinase A (PKA) could phosphorylate AQP4 in vitro. Further elevation of [K+]o to 35mM induced a global intracellular calcium response and a transient water permeability increase that was abolished in 5min. When inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir)-channels were blocked, 10mM [K+]o also induced a calcium increase and the water permeability increase no longer persisted. In conclusion, we find that elevation of extracellular potassium regulates AQP4 and astrocyte water permeability via intracellular signaling involving cAMP. A prolonged increase of astrocyte water permeability is Kir-channel dependent and this response can be impeded by intracellular calcium signaling. Our results support the concept of coupling between AQP4 and potassium handling in astrocytes

Neutrophils in cancer: neutral no more

Neutrophils are indispensable antagonists of microbial infection and facilitators of wound healing. In the cancer setting, a newfound appreciation for neutrophils has come into view. The traditionally held belief that neutrophils are inert bystanders is being challenged by the recent literature. Emerging evidence indicates that tumours manipulate neutrophils, sometimes early in their differentiation process, to create diverse phenotypic and functional polarization states able to alter tumour behaviour. In this Review, we discuss the involvement of neutrophils in cancer initiation and progression, and their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets

Immunohistochemical localization and mRNA expression of aquaporins in the macula utriculi of patients with Meniere’s disease and acoustic neuroma

Meniere’s disease is nearly invariably associated with endolymphatic hydrops (the net accumulation of water in the inner ear endolymphatic space). Vestibular maculae utriculi were acquired from patients undergoing surgery for Meniere’s disease and acoustic neuroma and from autopsy (subjects with normal hearing and balance). Quantitative immunostaining was conducted with antibodies against aquaporins (AQPs) 1, 4, and 6, Na+K+ATPase, Na+K+2Cl co-transporter (NKCC1), and α-syntrophin. mRNA was extracted from the surgically acquired utricles from subjects with Meniere’s disease and acoustic neuroma to conduct quantitative real-time reverse transcription with polymerase chain reaction for AQP1, AQP4, and AQP6. AQP1 immunoreactivity (−IR) was located in blood vessels and fibrocytes in the underlying stroma, without any apparent alteration in Meniere’s specimens when compared with acoustic neuroma and autopsy specimens. AQP4-IR localized to the epithelial basolateral supporting cells in Meniere’s disease, acoustic neuroma, and autopsy. In specimens from subjects with Meniere’s disease, AQP4-IR was significantly decreased compared with autopsy and acoustic neuroma specimens. AQP6-IR occurred in the sub-apical vestibular supporting cells in acoustic neuroma and autopsy samples. However, in Meniere’s disease specimens, AQP6-IR was significantly increased and diffusely redistributed throughout the supporting cell cytoplasm. Na+K+ATPase, NKCC1, and α-syntrophin were expressed within sensory epithelia and were unaltered in Meniere’s disease specimens. Expression of AQP1, AQP4, or AQP6 mRNA did not differ in vestibular endorgans from patients with Meniere’s disease. Changes in AQP4 (decreased) and AQP6 (increased) expression in Meniere’s disease specimens suggest that the supporting cell might be a cellular target

Vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor and angiogenesis in non-small-cell lung cancer

High microvessel density, an indirect measure of angiogenesis, has been shown to correlate with increased tumour size, lymph node involvement and poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tumour cell vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) expression correlate with angiogenesis and a poor outcome in this disease. In a retrospective study VEGF and PD-ECGF expression and microvessel density were evaluated immunohistochemically in surgically resected specimens (T1–3, N0–2) from 223 patients with operable NSCLC using the VG1, P-GF.44C and JC70 monoclonal antibodies respectively. High VEGF immunoreactivity was seen in 104 (46.6%) and PD-ECGF in 72 (32.3%) cases and both were associated with high vascular grade tumours (P = 0.009 and P = 0.05 respectively). Linear regression analysis revealed a weak positive correlation between VEGF and PD-ECGF expression in cancer cells (r = 0.21;P = 0.002). Co-expression of VEGF and PD-ECGF was not associated with a higher microvessel density than VEGF or PD-ECGF only expressing tumours. Furthermore a proportion of high vascular grade tumours expressed neither growth factor. Univariate analysis revealed tumour size, nodal status, microvessel density and VEGF and PD-ECGF expression as significant prognostic factors. Tumour size (P< 0.02) and microvessel density (P< 0.04) remained significant on multivariate analysis. In conclusion, VEGF and PD-ECGF are important angiogenic growth factors and have prognostic significance in NSCLC. Furthermore the study underlines the prognostic significance of microvessel density in operable NSCLC. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig