An Eye-Contour Extraction Algorithm from Face Image usingDeformable Template Matching

A variety of studies on face components such as eyes, lips, noses, and teeth have been proceeding in medicine, psychology, biometrics authentication, and other areas. In this paper, we present an algorithm of extracting eye contours from a face image using the deformable template matching method. Our template for an eye contour is composed of three quadratic functions for the perimeter and one circle for the pupil. In our algorithm, a digital color face image is rst converted to a binary image of representing eyes, after the region around eyes is identied on the face image by using hues and values of the color image. Then, parameters in the template are optimized by a local search method with a tabu period and a hill-climbing, so as to t the template to the eye contour in the binary image. The accuracy of our algorithm is evaluated through sample face images of students. In addition, the application of our proposal to eye shape indices is investigated in a face image database "HOIP", where recognizable dierence exists in index distributions between males and females

Compact tree plus algorithms for application-level multicast communications in multihome networks

Application-level multicast (ALM) communications replicate packets on host level to deliver them from a single source to multiple clients, so that it can efficiently realize a variety of network applications using moving pictures such as video conferences, distance learning, and video-on-demands. In this paper, we propose the CT+ (compact tree plus) algorithm for finding a better ALM routing tree in terms of delay minimization between hosts. CT+ consists of a tree construction stage from the existing CT algorithm, and a newly added iterative tree improvement stage. Then, we define the extended ALM routing problem and its heuristic algorithm ExCT+, to optimize the effectiveness of the multihome network in ALM communications by selecting multihomed hosts and connections in the ALM routing tree simultaneously. For their evaluations, we construct a network simulation model named MINET (multiple-ISP network simulator), where the topology is composed of multiple ISP backbone networks with IX connections, and the network traffic is generated by following the M/M/1 queuing process. The simulation results using MINET verify the effectiveness of our algorithms.</p

Optical-drop wavelength assignment problem for wavelength reuse in WDM ring metropolitan area networks

This paper presents a formulation of the optical-drop wavelength assignment problem (ODWAP) and its heuristic algorithm for WDM ring networks. The wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology has been popular in communication societies for providing very large communication bands by multiple lightpaths with different wavelengths on a single optical fiber. Particularly, a double-ring optical network architecture based on the packet-over-WDM technology such as the HORNET architecture has been studied as a next generation platform for metropolitan area networks (MANs). Each node in this architecture is equipped with a wavelength-fixed optical-drop and a tunable transmitter so that a lightpath can be established between any pair of nodes without wavelength conversions. In this paper, we formulate ODWAP for efficient wavelength reuse under heterogeneous traffic in this network. Then, we propose a simple heuristic algorithm for ODWAP. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in reducing waiting times for packet transmissions when a small number of wavelengths are available to retain the network cost for MANs

Congenic mapping and allele-specific alteration analysis of Stmm1 locus conferring resistance to early-stage chemically induced skin papillomas.

Genome-wide association studies have revealed that many low-penetrance cancer susceptibility loci are located throughout the genome; however, a very limited number of genes have been identified so far. Using a forward genetics approach to map such loci in a mouse skin cancer model, we previously identified strong genetic loci conferring resistance to early-stage chemically induced skin papillomas on chromosome 7 with a large number of [(FVB/N×MSM/Ms)×FVB/N] F1 backcross mice. In this report, we describe a combination of congenic mapping and allele-specific alteration analysis of the loci on chromosome 7. We used linkage analysis and congenic mouse strains to refine the location of Stmm1 (Skin tumor modifier of MSM 1) locus within a genetic interval of about 3 cM on proximal chromosome 7. In addition, we used patterns of allele-specific imbalances in tumors from F1 backcross and N10 congenic mice to narrow down further the region of Stmm1 locus to a physical distance of about 5.4 Mb. To gain the insight into the function of Stmm1 locus, we carried out a long term BrdU labelling experiments with congenic mice containing Stmm1 locus. Interestingly, we observed a decrease of BrdU-LRCs (Label Retaining Cells) in a congenic strain heterozygous or homozygous for MSM allele of Stmm1. These results suggest that Stmm1 responsible genes may have an influence on papillomagenesis in the two-stage skin carcinogenesis by regulating epidermal quiescent stem cells