Model based methods for locating, enhancing and recognising low resolution objects in video

Visual perception is our most important sense which enables us to detect and recognise objects even in low detail video scenes. While humans are able to perform such object detection and recognition tasks reliably, most computer vision algorithms struggle with wide angle surveillance videos that make automatic processing difficult due to low resolution and poor detail objects. Additional problems arise from varying pose and lighting conditions as well as non-cooperative subjects. All these constraints pose problems for automatic scene interpretation of surveillance video, including object detection, tracking and object recognition.Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to detect, enhance and recognise objects by incorporating a priori information and by using model based approaches. Motivated by the increasing demand for automatic methods for object detection, enhancement and recognition in video surveillance, different aspects of the video processing task are investigated with a focus on human faces. In particular, the challenge of fully automatic face pose and shape estimation by fitting a deformable 3D generic face model under varying pose and lighting conditions is tackled. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is utilised to build an appearance model that is then used within a particle filter based approach to fit the 3D face mask to the image. This recovers face pose and person-specific shape information simultaneously. Experiments demonstrate the use in different resolution and under varying pose and lighting conditions. Following that, a combined tracking and super resolution approach enhances the quality of poor detail video objects. A 3D object mask is subdivided such that every mask triangle is smaller than a pixel when projected into the image and then used for model based tracking. The mask subdivision then allows for super resolution of the object by combining several video frames. This approach achieves better results than traditional super resolution methods without the use of interpolation or deblurring.Lastly, object recognition is performed in two different ways. The first recognition method is applied to characters and used for license plate recognition. A novel character model is proposed to create different appearances which are then matched with the image of unknown characters for recognition. This allows for simultaneous character segmentation and recognition and high recognition rates are achieved for low resolution characters down to only five pixels in size. While this approach is only feasible for objects with a limited number of different appearances, like characters, the second recognition method is applicable to any object, including human faces. Therefore, a generic 3D face model is automatically fitted to an image of a human face and recognition is performed on a mask level rather than image level. This approach does not require an initial pose estimation nor the selection of feature points, the face alignment is provided implicitly by the mask fitting process

Der laterale mittfemorale Ischiadicusblock in Kombination mit einer kontinuierlichen "3 in 1"-Blockade als Anästhesieverfahren sowie in der postoperativen Schmerztherapie beim Kniegelenksersatz:Durchführbarkeit, Morphometrie und Auswirkungen auf die Schmerztherapie, eine prospektive beschreibende Studie

Problem: Ein lateraler Ischiadicusblock wurde auf Durchführung und Einsetzbarkeit beim Kniegelenksersatz untersucht. Die Auswirkungen des Blocks auf die postoperative Schmerztherapie unter 3in1-Blockade wurden bestimmt. Methode: 31 Patienten erhielten 3in1-Katheter und single-shot Ischiadicusblock. Punktionstiefe und Beinmaße, Punktionsdauer und Anschlagszeit wurden erhoben, zudem evt Verfahrensänderungen. Die Patienten wurden nach Schmerzintensität und Analgetikabedarf, Komplikationen und Zufriedenheit befragt. Ergebnisse: Die kombinierte Regionalblockade ist schnell und sicher durchzuführen. Oberschenkelmaße bieten keine Vorhersage zur Punktionstiefe des N. ischiadicus. Eine Narkose war meist notwendig. Analgetikabedarf und Schmerzintensität waren niedrig und stiegen nach Abklingen des Ischiadicusblocks an. Die Daten belegen die Notwendigkeit einer zusätzlichen Ischiadicusblockade zum 3in1-Block nach Gelenkersatz. Es gab keine Komplikationen. Die Zufriedenheit der Patienten war hoch

Exploring Gene Functions and Phage-Host Protein Interactions in Mycobacteriophage Island3

Island3 is an I1 mycobacteriophage that infects Mycobacterium smegmatis mc²155. It has a total of 76 protein coding genes, but only 17 of these genes have functions assigned by bioinformatics. To discover the functions of the additional genes, we cloned 72 of Island3’s genes and are assaying each gene product for two functions when expressed in the host M. smegmatis: the ability to reduce growth of the host (cytotoxicity) and the ability to protect the host from infection by Island3 or another phage (defense). So far, we have assayed more than 60 of Island3’s genes and found 14 genes that exhibited cytotoxicity but none that exhibited definitive defense against phage infection. We are currently analyzing the remaining genes for cytotoxicity and defense. In addition, we are moving forward with bacterial two-hybrid assays on two of the genes that exhibited cytotoxicity, seeking to identify host proteins that interact with the cytotoxic phage gene products in an attempt to understand the mechanism of cytotoxicity.

Chronotype is associated with psychological well-being depending on the composition of the study sample

Past studies examining the effect of chronotype and social jetlag on psychological well-being have been inconsistent so far. Here, we recruited participants from the general population and enquired about their natural sleeping behavior, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress. Partial correlations were computed between sleep variables and indicators of psychological well-being, controlling for age and sex. Less sleep during work days was found a good indicator for impairments in psychological well-being. In exploratory follow-up analyses, the same correlations were calculated within groups of early, intermediate, and late chronotype. We observed that the composition of the sample in terms of chronotype influenced whether associations between sleep variables and psychological well-being could be observed, a finding that is advised to be taken into account in future studies.Peer Reviewe

Evaluation of dose, volume, and outcome in children with localized, intracranial ependymoma treated with proton therapy within the prospective KiProReg Study

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy (RT) of ependymoma in children is an important part of the interdisciplinary treatment concept. However, feasibility and dose concepts are still under investigation, particularly in very young children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the standard dose and volume of proton therapy (PT) in children with ependymoma. METHODS: In this analysis, 105 patients with localized, intracranial ependymoma under the age of 18 years treated with PT between 2013 and 2018 were included. Patient characteristics, treatment, outcome, and follow-up data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The median age of patients at PT was 2.8 years (0.9-17.0 years). The molecular subgroup analysis was performed in a subset of 50 patients (37 EP-PFA, 2 EP-PFB, 7 EP-RELA, 2 EP-YAP, 2 NEC [not elsewhere classified]). The median total dose was 59.4 Gy (54.0-62.0 Gy). The median follow-up time was 1.9 years. The estimated 3-year overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 93.7%, 74.1%, and 55.6%, respectively. Within univariable analysis, female gender and lower dose had a positive impact on OS, whereas age ≥4 years had a negative impact on OS and PT given after progression had a negative impact on PFS. In the multivariable analysis, multiple tumor surgeries were associated with lower PFS. New ≥3° late toxicities occurred in 11 patients. CONCLUSION: For children with localized ependymoma, PT was effective and well tolerable. Multiple surgeries showed a negative impact on PFS

Stormbreaker8 and A3Wally Bacteriophage Genome Annotations

Stormbreaker8 and A3Wally are two novel bacteriophages isolated and purified on Microbacterium foliorum NRRL B-24224 by students in the Fall 2020 Discovery course. Stormbreaker8, an EA1 cluster lytic phage, was isolated from soil collected in Orange City, IA. Its circular permuted genome contains 41,751 base-pairs with 63.4% GC content. A3Wally, a GD cluster phage, was isolated from soil collected in Sioux Center, IA. Its genome is 60.1% GC, contains 194,724 base-pairs, and its ends are direct terminal repeats. Spring 2021 Genetics students annotated the genomes using bioinformatics software

Investigating the Putative RecA-Like Recombinase Gene

Our Biochemistry: Molecular Genetics class has partnered with the Immunology class to investigate the expression of JacoRen57’s gene 50. The bacteriophage JacoRen57 – found in Sioux Center, Iowa (accession: MK279840). JacoRen57’s genome has sequenced by Pittsburg SEA-PHAGES Institute and fully annotated by Northwestern College students in 2018. A region between gene 49 and 50 caught our attention as there is a large gap between these genes. Almail et al., investigated if this is a transcription regulatory region for genes 49 and/or 50 (2021). This work demonstrated the region has a regulatory function in the direction of gene 50. Based on comparison genomics, gene 50 is a putative RecA-like recombinase (Almail et al., 2019). This protein has several functions including guiding the recombination of DNA within a gene. RecA-like recombinase allows the virus to evolve into new variants which can improve infection and replication. This is crucial for creating diversity in the genome and DNA repair mechanisms (Galletto and Kowalczykowski, 2007). To continue examination of gene 50 expression, we are working towards developing antibodies for this protein. To do this, the first step is to create an expression construct (Figure 1), express the protein in bacteria, purify the protein, and then use the purified protein to inoculate mice. This poster describes the construction of the expression vector. This work will provide valuable insight into the expression of gene 50, the RecA-like recombinase

Early Switch from Intravenous to Oral Antibiotics in Skin- and Soft-tissue Infections: An Algorithm-based Prospective Multicentre Pilot Trial.

BACKGROUND: In hospitalized patients with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), intravenous (IV) empiric antibiotic treatment is initiated. The best time point for switching from IV to oral treatment is unknown. We used an algorithm-based decision tree for the switch from IV to oral antibiotics within 48 hours and aimed to investigate the treatment outcome of this concept. METHODS: In a nonrandomized trial, we prospectively enrolled 128 patients hospitalized with SSTI from July 2019 to May 2021 at 3 institutions. Clinical and biochemical response data during the first week and at follow-up after 30 days were analyzed. Patients fulfilling criteria for the switch from IV to oral antibiotics were assigned to the intervention group. The primary outcome was a composite definition consisting of the proportion of patients with clinical failure or death of any cause. RESULTS: Ninety-seven (75.8%) patients were assigned to the intervention group. All of them showed signs of clinical improvement (ie, absence of fever or reduction of pain) within 48 hours of IV treatment, irrespective of erythema finding or biochemical response. The median total antibiotic treatment duration was 11 (interquartile range [IQR], 9–13) days in the invention group and 15 (IQR, 11–24) days in the nonintervention group (P < .001). The median duration of hospitalization was 5 (IQR, 4–6) days in the intervention group and 8 (IQR, 6–12) days in the nonintervention group (P < .001). There were 5 (5.2%) failures in the intervention group and 1 (3.2%) in the nonintervention group after a median follow-up of 37 days. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot trial, the proposed decision algorithm for early switch from IV to oral antibiotics for SSTI treatment was successful in 95% of cases. Clinical Trials Registration. ISRCTN1524549

Routine clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance in paediatric and adult congenital heart disease: patients, protocols, questions asked and contributions made

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) has become routine clinical practice. However, existing CMR protocols focus predominantly on patients with ischemic heart disease, and information is limited on the types of patient with CHD who benefit from CMR investigation, and in what ways. Therefore the aim of this study was to answer the questions: What type of patients were studied by CMR in a centre specializing in paediatric and adult CHD management? What questions were asked, which protocols were used and were the questions successfully answered? To answer these questions, we conducted a cohort study of all 362 patients that received routine clinical CMR during 2007 at the Department of Paediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease at the Deutsches Herzzentrum München.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Underlying diagnosis was in 33% Fallot's tetralogy, 17% aortic coarctation, 8% Ebstein's disease, 6% Marfan's disease, 4% single ventricle with Fontan-like circulation, and 32% others. Median age was 26 years (7 days – 75 years). Ventricular volumes were assessed in 67% of the patients; flow in 74%; unknown anatomy only in 9%; specific individual morphology of known anatomy in 83%; myocardial fibrosis in 8%; stress-induced myocardial perfusion defects in 1%. Only in 3% of the cases the question could not be fully answered.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Contrary to common belief, routine CMR of patients with CHD was not requested to address global anatomical questions so much as to clarify specific questions of morphology and function of known anatomy. The CMR protocols used differed markedly from those widely used in patients with ischemic heart disease.</p

A dual function for chaperones SSB–RAC and the NAC nascent polypeptide–associated complex on ribosomes

In addition to assisting with protein folding, SSB and NAC also regulate ribosome biogenesis (see also companion paper from Albanèse et al. in this issue)