Bayesian Multiple Hypothesis Tracking of Merging and Splitting Targets

International audienceThis paper presents a Bayesian model for the multiple target tracking problem that handles a varying number of splitting and merging targets applied to convective cloud tracking. The model decomposes the tracking solution into events and targets state. The events include target births, deaths, splits, and merges. The target state contains both the target positions and attributes. By updating the target attributes and conditioning the events on their updated values we can include high level domain knowledge into the system. This strategy improves the tracking accuracy and the computational efficiency since we focus only on likely events for each situation. A two-step multiple hypothesis tracking algorithm has been developed to estimate the model state. The proposed approach is tested by both simulation and real data for mesoscale convective systems tracking

Probabilistic Integration of Intensity and Depth Information for Part-Based Vehicle Detection

International audienceIn this paper, an object class recognition method is presented. The method uses local image features and follows the part-based detection approach. It fuses intensity and depth information in a probabilistic framework. The depth of each local feature is used to weigh the probability of finding the object at a given distance. To train the system for an object class, only a database of images annotated with bounding boxes is required, thus automatizing the extension of the system to different object classes. We apply our method to the problem of detecting vehicles from a moving platform. The experiments with a data set of stereo images in an urban environment show a significant improvement in performance when using both information modalities

Resistant Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Sparring Partners

Enhanced target organ damage and cardiovascular morbidity represent common issues observed in both resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea. Common pathophysiological features and risk factors justify their coexistence, especially in individuals with increased upper-body adiposity. Impaired sodium handling, sympathetic activation, accelerated arterial stiffening, and impaired cardiorenal hemodynamics contribute to drug-resistant hypertension development in obstructive sleep apnea. Effective CPAP therapy qualifies as an effective “add-on” to the underlying antihypertensive pharmacological therapy, and emerging evidence underlines the favorable effect of mineralocorticoid antagonists on both resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea treatment

Spermatic cord metastasis presenting as strangulated inguinal hernia – first manifestation of a multifocal colon adenocarcinoma: a case report

Spermatic cord is a rare metastatic site of colorectal cancer. We herein report a case of spermatic cord metastasis of a previous undiagnosed multifocal colon adenocarcinoma, which was clinically presented as a strangulated groin hernia

Integration of visual and depth information for vehicle detection

In this work an object class recognition method is presented. The method uses local image features and follows the part based detection approach. It fuses intensity and depth information in a probabilistic framework. The depth of each local feature is used to weigh the probability of finding the object at a given scale. To train the system for an object class only a database of annotated with bounding boxes images is required, thus automatizing the extension of the system to different object classes. We apply our method to the problem of detecting vehicles from a moving platform. The experiments with a dataset of stereo images in an urban environment show a significant improvement in performance when using both information modalities

Synergy-driven performance enhancement of vision-based 3D hand pose reconstruction

In this work we propose, for the first time, to improve the performance of a Hand Pose Reconstruction (HPR) technique from RGBD camera data, which is affected by self-occlusions, leveraging upon postural synergy information, i.e., a priori information on how human most commonly use and shape their hands in everyday life tasks. More specifically, in our approach, we ignore joint angle values estimated with low confidence through a vision-based HPR technique and fuse synergistic information with such incomplete measures. Preliminary experiments are reported showing the effectiveness of the proposed integration

A cloud-enabled small cell architecture in 5G networks for broadcast/multicast services

© 2019 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes,creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.The evolution of 5G suggests that communication networks become sufficiently flexible to handle a wide variety of network services from various domains. The virtualization of small cells as envisaged by 5G, allows enhanced mobile edge computing capabilities, thus enabling network service deployment and management near the end user. This paper presents a cloud-enabled small cell architecture for 5G networks developed within the 5G-ESSENCE project. This paper also presents the conformity of the proposed architecture to the evolving 5G radio resource management architecture. Furthermore, it examines the inclusion of an edge enabler to support a variety of virtual network functions in 5G networks. Next, the improvement of specific key performance indicators in a public safety use case is evaluated. Finally, the performance of a 5G enabled evolved multimedia broadcast multicast services service is evaluated.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Combined metabolome and transcriptome profiling provides new insights into diterpene biosynthesis in S. pomifera glandular trichomes

Background: Salvia diterpenes have been found to have health promoting properties. Among them, carnosic acid and carnosol, tanshinones and sclareol are well known for their cardiovascular, antitumor, antiinflammatory and antioxidant activities. However, many of these compounds are not available at a constant supply and developing biotechnological methods for their production could provide a sustainable alternative. The transcriptome of S. pomifera glandular trichomes was analysed aiming to identify genes that could be used in the engineering of synthetic microbial systems. Results: In the present study, a thorough metabolite analysis of S. pomifera leaves led to the isolation and structure elucidation of carnosic acid-family metabolites including one new natural product. These labdane diterpenes seem to be synthesized through miltiradiene and ferruginol. Transcriptomic analysis of the glandular trichomes from the S. pomifera leaves revealed two genes likely involved in miltiradiene synthesis. Their products were identified and the corresponding enzymes were characterized as copalyl diphosphate synthase (SpCDS) and miltiradiene synthase (SpMilS). In addition, several CYP-encoding transcripts were identified providing a valuable resource for the identification of the biosynthetic mechanism responsible for the production of carnosic acid-family metabolites in S. pomifera. Conclusions: Our work has uncovered the key enzymes involved in miltiradiene biosynthesis in S. pomifera leaf glandular trichomes. The transcriptomic dataset obtained provides a valuable tool for the identification of the CYPs involved in the synthesis of carnosic acid-family metabolites.General Secretariat of Research and Technology (GSRT) {[}09-SYN-23-879]; grant SEE-ERA. NET PLUS {[}ERA 64/01]; grant KRIPIS {[}MIS 448840

Effects of Eprosartan on Serum Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Essential Hypertension

The effect of the anti-hypertensive drug eprosartan on metabolic parameters is currently not extensively documented. We evaluated the effect of eprosartan on parameters involved in atherogenesis, oxidative stress and clotting activity. This open-label unblinded intervention study included 40 adult patients with essential hypertension taking eprosartan. Eprosartan significantly reduced by 8% (p<0.001) the systolic and by 13% (p<.001) the diastolic blood pressure, and in-creased by 24% the time needed to produce oxidative by-products (p=0.001), a marker of oxidative stress. In contrast, ep-rosartan did not alter 8-isoprostane (8-epiPGF2a) levels, another marker of oxidative stress. Additionally, eprosartan re-duced by 14% aspartate aminotransferase and by 21% then alanine aminotransferase activity, while it had a neutral effect on the lipid profile and apolipoprotein levels and did not influence glucose homeostasis, creatinine and uric acid levels. Eprosartan did not affect the clotting/fibrinolytic status (estimated by plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, tissue plasmino-gen activator and a2 antiplasmin levels), or the enzymatic activity of the lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1). In conclusion, eprosartan should be mainly considered as an anti-hypertensive agent with neutral effects on most of the metabolic parameters in hypertensive patients