Object distance measurement using a single camera for robotic applications

Visual servoing is defined as controlling robots by extracting data obtained from the vision system, such as the distance of an object with respect to a reference frame, or the length and width of the object. There are three image-based object distance measurement techniques: i) using two cameras, i.e., stereovision; ii) using a single camera, i.e., monovision; and iii) time-of-flight camera. The stereovision method uses two cameras to find the object’s depth and is highly accurate. However, it is costly compared to the monovision technique due to the higher computational burden and the cost of two cameras (rather than one) and related accessories. In addition, in stereovision, a larger number of images of the object need to be processed in real-time, and by increasing the distance of the object from cameras, the measurement accuracy decreases. In the time-of-flight distance measurement technique, distance information is obtained by measuring the total time for the light to transmit to and reflect from the object. The shortcoming of this technique is that it is difficult to separate the incoming signal, since it depends on many parameters such as the intensity of the reflected light, the intensity of the background light, and the dynamic range of the sensor. However, for applications such as rescue robot or object manipulation by a robot in a home and office environment, the high accuracy distance measurement provided by stereovision is not required. Instead, the monovision approach is attractive for some applications due to: i) lower cost and lower computational burden; and ii) lower complexity due to the use of only one camera. Using a single camera for distance measurement, object detection and feature extraction (i.e., finding the length and width of an object) is not yet well researched and there are very few published works on the topic in the literature. Therefore, using this technique for real-world robotics applications requires more research and improvements. This thesis mainly focuses on the development of object distance measurement and feature extraction algorithms using a single fixed camera and a single camera with variable pitch angle based on image processing techniques. As a result, two different improved and modified object distance measurement algorithms were proposed for cases where a camera is fixed at a given angle in the vertical plane and when it is rotating in a vertical plane. In the proposed algorithms, as a first step, the object distance and dimension such as length and width were obtained using existing image processing techniques. Since the results were not accurate due to lens distortion, noise, variable light intensity and other uncertainties such as deviation of the position of the object from the optical axes of camera, in the second step, the distance and dimension of the object obtained from existing techniques were modified in the X- and Y-directions and for the orientation of the object about the Z-axis in the object plane by using experimental data and identification techniques such as the least square method. Extensive experimental results confirmed that the accuracy increased for measured distance from 9.4 mm to 2.95 mm, for length from 11.6 mm to 2.2 mm, and for width from 18.6 mm to 10.8 mm. In addition, the proposed algorithm is significantly improved with proposed corrections compared to existing methods. Furthermore, the improved distance measurement method is computationally efficient and can be used for real-time robotic application tasks such as pick and place and object manipulation in a home or office environment.Master's Thesi

Spinal Fluid Lactate Dehydrogenase Level Differentiates between Structural and Metabolic Etiologies of Altered Mental Status in Children

How to Cite This Article: Khosroshahi N, Alizadeh P, Khosravi M, Salamati P, Kamrani K. Spinal Fluid Lactate Dehydrogenase Level Differentiates between Structural and Metabolic Etiologies of Altered Mental Status in Children. Iran J Child Neurol. 2015 Winter;9(1):31-36.AbstractObjectiveAltered mental status is a common cause of intensive care unit admission inchildren. Differentiating structural causes of altered mental status from metabolic etiologies is of utmost importance in diagnostic approach and management of the patients. Among many biomarkers proposed to help stratifying patients with altered mental status, spinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase appears to be the most promising biomarker to predict cellular necrosis.Materials & MethodsIn this cross sectional study we measured spinal fluid level of lactatedehydrogenase in children 2 months to 12 years of age admitted to a single center intensive care unit over one year. Spinal fluid level of lactate dehydrogenase in 40 pediatric cases of febrile seizure was also determined as the control group.ResultsThe study group included 35 boys (58.3%) and 25 girls (41.7%). Their meanage was 2.7+/-3 years and their mean spinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase levelwas 613.8+/-190.4 units/liter. The control group included 24 boys (55.8%) and19 girls (44.2%). Their mean age was 1.3+/-1.2 years and their mean spinalfluid lactate dehydrogenase level was 18.9+/-7.5 units/liter. The mean spinalfluid lactate dehydrogenase level in children with abnormal head CT scan was246.3+/-351.5 units/liter compared to 164.5+/-705.7 in those with normal CTscan of the head (p=0.001).ConclusionSpinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase level is useful in differentiating structural andmetabolic causes of altered mental status in children. ReferencesFesk SK. Coma and confusional states: emergency diagnosis and management. Neurol Clin 1998; 16: 237- 56.Cucchiara BL, Kanser SE, Wolk DA, et al. Early impairment in consciousness Predicts mortality after hemispheric ischemic stroke. Crit care med 2004; 32: 241-5.Teasdale G, Jennett B. Assessment of coma and impaired consciousness: a practical scale. Lancet 1974; 2: 81-4.Wityk RJ, Stern BJ. Ischemic stroke: today and tomorrow. Crit care med 1994; 22: 1278-93.Vázquez Jorge Alejandro, Adducci Maria del Carmen, Monzón Daniel Godoy, Iserson Kenneth V. Lactic dehyrogenase in cerebrospinal fluid may differentiate between structural and non-strucfiular central nervous system lesion in patient with diminished levels of consciousness. The Journal of Emergency Medicine2009; 37(1): 93–97.Kärkelä J, Pasanen M, Kaukinen S, Mörsky P, Harmoinen A. Evaluation of hypoxic brain injury with spinal fluid enzymes, lactate, and pyruvate. Crit Care Med. 1992 Mar; 20(3):378-86. 2007: pp. 835. ISBN 0-7817-7087-4.DV Kamat, BP Chakravorty. Comparative values of CSF-LDH isoenzymes in neurological disorders. Indian Journal of Medical Sciences 1999; 53 (1): 1-6.Pollak AN, Gupton CL. Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured. Boston: Jones and Bartlett 2002: pp. 140. ISBN 0-7637-1666-9.Nayak BS, Bhat R. Cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase and glutamine in meningitis. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2005 Jan; 49(1):108-10.A Twijnstra, A P van Zanten, A A Hart, et al. al. Serial lumbar and ventricle cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase activities in patients with leptomeningeal metastases from solid and haematological tumours. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1987 50: 313-320.Nussinovitch M, Finkelstein Y, Politi K, Harel D, Klinger G, Razon Y, Nussinovitch U, Nussinovitch N. Cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in children with bacterial and aseptic meningitis. Translational Research 2009. 154 (4): 214-218.Feldman William E. Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase Activity. Levels in Untreated and Partially Antibiotic-Treated Meningitis. Am J Dis Child. 1975; 129(1): 77-80.Lutsar I, Haldre S, Topman M, Talvik T. Enzymatic changes in the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with infections ofthe central nervous system. Acta Paediatr 1994; 83(11):1146-1150.Kepa L, Oczko-Grzesik B, Błedowski D. Evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma lactate dehydrogenase activity in patients with purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis. Przegl Epidemiol. 2006; 60(2):291-8.Ruzak-Skocir B, Trbojevic-Cepe M. Study of serum and cerebrospinal fluid enzymes in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases. Neurologija. 1990; 39(4):239-50.Nand N, Sharma M, Saini DS. Evaluation of lactic dehydrogenase in cases of meningitis. Indian J Med Sci. 1993; 47(4): 96-100.Neches William, Platt Martin. Cerebrospinal Fluid LDH in 287 Children, Including 53 Cases of Meningitis of Bacterial and non-Bacterial Etiology. Pediatrics 1968; 41:1097-1103.Engelke S; Bridgers S, Saldanha R, Trought W. Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactate Dehydrogenase in Neonatal Intracranial Hemorrhage. American Journal of the Medical Sciences 1986; 291 (6): 391-395.Parakh N, Gupta HL, Jain A. Evaluation of enzymes in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in cases of stroke. Neurology India 2002; 50 (4): 518-9.Lampl Y, Paniri Y, Eshel Y, Sarova-Pinhas I. Cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase levels in early stroke and transient ischemic attacks. Stroke 1990; 21: 854-857.Hall Robert T., Kulkarni Prakash B., Sheehan Michael B., Rhodes Philip G. Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactate Dehydrogenase in Infants with Perinatal Asphyxia. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 1980. 22 (3): 300-307.Nussinovitch M, Volovitz B, Finkelstein Y, Amir J, Harel D. Lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymes in cerebrospinal fluid associated with hydrocephalus. Acta Paediatr 2001; 90: 972-974

Simulation of the spatial distribution of mineral dust and its direct radiative forcing over Australia

Direct radiative forcing by mineral dust is important as it significantly affects the climate system by scattering and absorbing short-wave and long-wave radiation. The multi-angle imaging spectro radiometer (MISR) and cloud–aerosol lidar with orthogonal polarisation (CALIOP) aerosol data are used to observe mineral dust distribution over Australia. In addition, the weather research and forecasting with chemistry (WRF/Chem) model is used to estimate direct radiative forcing by dust. At the surface, the model domain clear-sky short-wave and long-wave direct radiative forcing by dust averaged for a 6-month period (austral spring and summer) was estimated to be −0.67 W m−2 and 0.13 W m−2, respectively. The long-wave warming effect of dust therefore offsets 19.4% of its short-wave cooling effect. However, over Lake Eyre Basin where coarse particles are more abundant, the long-wave warming effect of dust offsets 60.9% of the short-wave cooling effect. At the top of the atmosphere (TOA), clear-sky short-wave and long-wave direct radiative forcing was estimated to be −0.26 W m−2 and −0.01 W m−2, respectively. This leads to a net negative direct radiative forcing of dust at the TOA, indicating cooling of the atmosphere by an increase in outgoing radiation. Short-wave and long-wave direct radiative forcing by dust is shown to have a diurnal variation due to changes in solar zenith angle and in the intensity of infrared radiation. Atmospheric heating due to absorption of short-wave radiation was simulated, while the interaction of dust with long-wave radiation was associated with atmospheric cooling. The net effect was cooling of the atmosphere near the surface (below 0.2 km), with warming of the atmosphere at higher altitudes

Epithelial integrity, junctional complexes, and biomarkers associated with intestinal functions

An intact intestinal barrier is crucial for immune homeostasis and its impairment activates the immune system and may result in chronic inflammation. The epithelial cells of the intestinal barrier are connected by tight junctions, which form an anastomosing network sealing adjacent epithelial cells. Tight junctions are composed of transmembrane and cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins. Transmembrane tight junction proteins at the apical-lateral membrane of the cell consist of occludin, claudins, junctional adhesion molecules, and tricellulin. Cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins, including zonula occludens, cingulin and afadin, provide a direct link between transmembrane tight junction proteins and the intracellular cytoskeleton. Each individual component of the tight junction network closely interacts with each other to form an efficient intestinal barrier. This review aims to describe the molecular structure of intestinal epithelial tight junction proteins and to characterize their organization and interaction. Moreover, clinically important biomarkers associated with impairment of gastrointestinal integrity are discussed

Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum probiotics on the serum biochemical parameters, and the vitamin D and leptin receptor genes on mice colon cancer

Objective(s): The preclinical reports have shown that specific probiotics like Bifidobacterium bifidum (B. bifidum) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) can be applied as the biotherapeutic agents in the inhibition or therapy of colorectal cancer via the modification of gut bacteria. In the previous studies, we have assessed the impact of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum probiotics on gut bacteria concentration and also their chemo-protective impact on mice colon cancer. In the following, we assessed the effects of these probiotics on the  gene expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the leptin receptor (LPR) and the serum biochemical parameters on mice colon cancer. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six male BALB/c mice were equally shared into 4 groups; (i) health with routine dietary foods without any treatment, (ii) azoxymethane (AOM)-induced mice colon cancer with common dietary foods, (iii) and (iv) AOM-induced mice colon cancer with oral consumption of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum (1×109 cfu/g) for 5 months, respectively. Then, the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin and also VDR and LPR genes expression were evaluated. Results: Oral consumption of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum probiotics significantly decreased the triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, LDL, and also the VDR and LPR gene expression in mice colon cancer (

The intestinal barrier as an emerging target in the toxicological assessment of mycotoxins

Mycotoxins, the secondary metabolites of fungal species, are the most frequently occurring natural food contaminants in human and animal diets. Risk assessment of mycotoxins focused as yet on their mutagenic, genotoxic and potential carcinogenic effects. Recently, there is an increasing awareness of the adverse effects of various mycotoxins on vulnerable structures in the intestines. In particular, an impairment of the barrier function of the epithelial lining cells and the sealing tight junction proteins has been noted, as this could result in an increased translocation of luminal antigens and pathogens and an excessive activation of the immune system. The current review aims to provide a summary of the available evidence regarding direct effects of various mycotoxins on the intestinal epithelial barrier. Available data, based on different cellular and animal studies, show that food-associated exposure to certain mycotoxins, especially trichothecenes and patulin, affects the intestinal barrier integrity and can result in an increased translocation of harmful stressors. It is therefore hypothesized that human exposure to certain mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol, as the major trichothecene, may play an important role in etiology of various chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, and in the prevalence of food allergies, particularly in children

Erratum – Carrier Status for p.Gly61Glu and p.Arg368His CYP1B1 Mutations Causing Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Iran

This is an Erratum to "Carrier Status for p.Gly61Glu and p.Arg368His CYP1B1 Mutations Causing Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Iran" [J Ophthalmic Vis Res 2021;16(4):574–581] and does not have an abstract. Please download the PDF or view the article HTML

Carrier Status for p.Gly61Glu and p.Arg368His CYP1B1 Mutations Causing Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Iran

Purpose: To estimate carrier frequencies of CYP1B1 mutations p.Gly61Glu and p.Arg368His, respectively, in Talesh and the east of Guilan province in Iran with a maximum error of 2%. Previously, it was shown that these CYP1B1 mutations may be relatively prevalent in these regions. Methods: Population-based screenings were performed. DNA was extracted from saliva samples of 1036 individuals from Talesh and 3029 individuals from the east of Guilan. P.Gly61Glu and p.Arg368His screenings were performed, respectively, by RFLP and ARMS-based PCR protocols. For confirmation, the DNA of individuals with mutations was sequenced using the Sanger protocol. Results: Nine individuals from Talesh (0.86%; 95%CI: 0.45–1.64%) carried the p.Gly61Glu mutation, and 73 from the east of Guilan (2.41%; 95%CI: 1.91–3.04%) carried p.Arg368His. There was no significant difference in frequencies between urban and rural regions of the various cities, nor among four cities within the east of Guilan. Conclusion: The frequencies of p.Gly61Glu carriers in Talesh and of p.Arg368His carriers in the east of Guilan were within the 95% confidence interval of a previous study based on screenings of fewer individuals. The reliability of the recent estimates is higher, as the confidence interval for p.Gly61Glu decreased from 6.5% to 1.19% and the interval for p.Arg368His decreased from 4% to 1.13%. Based on the new findings, the maximum expected frequency of p.Gly61Glu carriers in Talesh is 1.64%, and of p.Arg368His carriers in the east of Guilan is 3%. The need for performing premarital screenings in the respective cities can be evaluated

Molecular characterization of Hymenolepis nana based on nuclear rDNA ITS2 gene marker

Introduction: Hymenolepis nana is a zoonotic tapeworm with widespread distribution. The goal of the present study was to identify the parasite in the specimens collected from NorthWestern regions of Iran using PCR-sequencing method. Methods: A total of 1521 stool samples were collected from the study individuals. Initially, the identification of hymenolepis nana was confirmed by parasitological method including direct wet-mount and formalin-ethyl acetate concentration methods. Afterward, PCR-sequencing analysis of ribosomal ITS2 fragment was targeted to investigate the molecular identification of the parasite. Results: Overall, 0.65% (10/1521) of the isolates were contaminated with H. nana in formalin-ethyl acetate concentration. All ten isolates were succefully amplified by PCR and further sequenced. The determined sequences were deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers MH337810 -MH337819. Conclusion: Our results clarified the presence of H. nana among the patients in the study areas. In addition, the molecular technique could be accessible when the human eggs are the only sources available to identify and diagnose the parasite. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.6 Cite as: Shahnazi M, Mehrizi MZ, Alizadeh SA, Heydarian P, Saraei M, Alipour M, Hajialilo E. Molecular characterization of Hymenolepis nana (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Hymenolepididae) based on nuclear rDNA ITS2 gene marker. Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1): 1346- 1352. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.

Molecular characterization of fasciola and dicrocoelium species isolated from ruminant livestock in Qazvin, Iran

Introduction: Fascioliasis and dicrocoeliasis are the most frequent zoonotic diseases with increasing human health problems in different parts of Iran. Two species, Fasciola hepatica (F. hepatica) and Fasciola gigantica (F. gigantica), are spread in the country. Molecular approaches have a decisive role in identifying both the species. The aim of this study was to detect Fasciola spp. and Dicrocoelium spp. by amplifying the ITS-2 and 28S rDNA gene sequence. Methods: Overall, 30 infected liver samples were collected from the livestock of Qazvin, Iran. The adult flukes were collected from different livestock. DNA extraction and PCR amplification of ribosomal RNA gene region (ITS2) and 28S rDNA gene fragment were conducted and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Result: All the isolates obtained from the cattle (No: 7) and 82.6% (No: 19) of sheep isolates were infected with F. hepatica species, whereas 17.4% (No: 4) of sheep isolates were infected with F. gigantica. It was also shown that F. hepatica was the predominant species of Fasciola present in the region. All the specimens were infected with Dicrocoelium dendriticum (D. dendriticum). Conclusion: Both the species of Fasciola were found in Qazvin. D. dendriticum was the sole infecting species of the Dicrocoelium genus in the livestock of the city of Qazvin. Further research studies are needed to determine the intermediate host of the parasites in the region