A PCA based method for image and video pose sequencing

Problems exist in image sequence processing that require an ordered set of object views. In some cases, multiple angled images are acquired in random order and the angle of view information is not available. When this occurs, the poses have to be put into proper order. For example, in databases containing images of an object or scene taken over a period of time, each image pose or angled-view with respect to the camera or scene is unknown. This is important to achieve a complete or partial three-dimensional reconstruction. Other applications exist in photogrammetry, machine vision, computer-aided design, and military intelligence. The main contribution of this thesis is an automated method for ordering images of random object views. This method uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a confidence metric in eigenspace. The confidence measure is based on local curvature and correlation of the estimated pose trajectory in a multidimensional manifold. The use of the confidence metric is for detecting areas in the manifold where poses appear similar and ordering becomes difficult. It has been extended for use with synchronized double and multiple camera system by providing a basis for camera selection, choosing the most salient camera view for pose ordering. By adding multiple cameras, a high pose estimation accuracy can be achieved. This thesis compares other classification and recognition methods such as the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Laplacian Eigenmaps. The SIFT algorithm struggles with pose sequencing because it computes local feature spaces for each image and does not consider the entire set of images. Laplacian eigenmaps show better results for ordering, but close analysis show it is better suited for clustering poses than sequencing. Results for ordering many set of objects, theoretical development, and comparison of methods is presented in this research

Pericardial Fat is Associated With Atrial Conduction: The Framingham Heart Study

Background: Obesity is associated with altered atrial electrophysiology and a prominent risk factor for atrial fibrillation. Body mass index, the most widely used adiposity measure, has been related to atrial electrical remodeling. We tested the hypothesis that pericardial fat is independently associated with electrocardiographic measures of atrial conduction. Methods and Results: We performed a cross‐sectional analysis of 1946 Framingham Heart Study participants (45% women) to determine the relation between pericardial fat and atrial conduction as measured by P wave indices (PWI): PR interval, P wave duration (P‐duration), P wave amplitude (P‐amplitude), P wave area (P‐area), and P wave terminal force (P‐terminal). We performed sex‐stratified linear regression analyses adjusted for relevant clinical variables and ectopic fat depots. Each 1‐SD increase in pericardial fat was significantly associated with PR interval (β=1.7 ms, P=0.049), P‐duration (β=2.3 ms, P<0.001), and P‐terminal (β=297 μV·ms, P<0.001) among women; and P‐duration (β=1.2 ms, P=0.002), P‐amplitude (β=−2.5 μV, P<0. 001), and P‐terminal (β=160 μV·ms, P=0.002) among men. Among both sexes, pericardial fat was significantly associated with P‐duration in analyses additionally adjusting for visceral fat or intrathoracic fat; a similar but non‐significant trend existed with P‐terminal. Among women, pericardial fat was significantly associated with P wave area after adjustment for visceral and intrathoracic fat. Conclusions: Pericardial fat is associated with atrial conduction as quantified by PWI, even with adjustment for extracardiac fat depots. Further studies are warranted to identify the mechanisms through which pericardial fat may modify atrial electrophysiology and promote subsequent risk for arrhythmogenesis

Computerized clinical documentation system in the pediatric intensive care unit

BACKGROUND: To determine whether a computerized clinical documentation system (CDS): 1) decreased time spent charting and increased time spent in patient care; 2) decreased medication errors; 3) improved clinical decision making; 4) improved quality of documentation; and/or 5) improved shift to shift nursing continuity. METHODS: Before and after implementation of CDS, a time study involving nursing care, medication delivery, and normalization of serum calcium and potassium values was performed. In addition, an evaluation of completeness of documentation and a clinician survey of shift to shift reporting were also completed. This was a modified one group, pretest-posttest design. RESULTS: With the CDS there was: improved legibility and completeness of documentation, data with better accessibility and accuracy, no change in time spent in direct patient care or charting by nursing staff. Incidental observations from the study included improved management functions of our nurse manager; improved JCAHO documentation compliance; timely access to clinical data (labs, vitals, etc); a decrease in time and resource use for audits; improved reimbursement because of the ability to reconstruct lost charts; limited human data entry by automatic data logging; eliminated costs of printing forms. CDS cost was reasonable. CONCLUSIONS: When compared to a paper chart, the CDS provided a more legible, compete, and accessible patient record without affecting time spent in direct patient care. The availability of the CDS improved shift to shift reporting. Other observations showed that the CDS improved management capabilities; helped physicians deliver care; improved reimbursement; limited data entry errors; and reduced costs

Cross-Sectional Associations Bet ween Abdominal and Thoracic Adipose Tissue Compartments and Adiponectin and Resistin in the Framingham Heart Study

OBJECTIVE: To test the association of regional fat depots with circulating adiponectin and resistin concentrations and to assess the potential mediating effect of adipokines on associations between abdominal fat depots and cardiometabolic risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants from the Framingham Heart Study offspring cohort (n = 916, 55% women; mean age 59 years) free of cardiovascular disease underwent computed tomography measurement of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), pericardial fat, and intrathoracic fat volumes and assays of circulating adiponectin and resistin. RESULTS: VAT, SAT, pericardial fat, and intrathoracic fat were negatively correlated with adiponectin (r = −0.19 to −0.34, P < 0.001 [women]; r = −0.15 to −0.26, P < 0.01 [men] except SAT) and positively correlated with resistin (r = 0.16–0.21, P < 0.001 [women]; r = 0.11–0.14, P < 0.05 [men] except VAT). VAT increased the multivariable model R2 for adiponectin from 2–4% to 10–13% and for resistin from 3–4% to 3–6%. Adjustment for adipokines did not fully attenuate associations between VAT, SAT, and cardiometabolic risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Adiponectin and resistin are correlated with fat depots cross-sectionally, but none of the adipokines can serve as surrogates for the fat depots. Relations between VAT, SAT, and cardiometabolic risk factors were not fully explained by adiponectin or resistin concentrations.National Insitute's of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study (N01-HC-25195); the National Institutes of Health; National Center for Research Resources; General Clinical Research Centers Program (M01-RR-01066); Career Development Award from the American Diabetes Association; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K24 DK080140, RO1 DK080739); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health (2K24HL04334

Exhaled nitric oxide: a marker of pulmonary hemodynamics in heart failure

AbstractObjectivesWe sought to test the hypothesis that patients with decompensated heart failure (HF) lose a compensatory process whereby nitric oxide (NO) maintains pulmonary vascular tone.BackgroundExhaled nitric oxide (eNO) partially reflects vascular endothelial NO release. Levels of eNO are elevated in patients with compensated HF and correlate inversely with pulmonary artery pressures (PAP), reflecting pulmonary vasodilatory activity.MethodsWe measured the mean mixed expired NO content of a vital-capacity breath using chemiluminescence in patients with compensated HF (n = 30), decompensated HF (n = 7) and in normal control subjects (n = 90). Pulmonary artery pressures were also measured in patients with HF. The eNO and PAP were determined sequentially during therapy with intravenous vasodilators in patients with decompensated HF (n = 7) and in an additional group of patients with HF (n = 13) before and during administration of milrinone.ResultsThe eNO was higher in patients with HF than in control subjects (9.9 ± 1.1 ppb vs. 6.2 ± 0.4 ppb, p = 0.002) and inversely correlated with PAP (r = −0.81, p < 0.00001). In marked contrast, patients with decompensated HF exhibited even higher levels of eNO (20.4 ± 6.2 ppb) and PAP, but there was a loss of the inverse relationship between these two variables. During therapy (7.3 ± 6 days) with sodium nitroprusside and diuresis, hemodynamics improved, eNO concentrations fell (11.2 ± 1.2 ppb vs. before treatment, p < 0.05), and the relationship between eNO and PAP was restored. After milrinone, eNO rose proportionally with decreased PAP (p < 0.05).ConclusionsElevated eNO may reflect a compensatory circulatory mechanism in HF that is lost in patients with clinically decompensated HF. The eNO may be an easily obtainable and quantifiable measure of the response to therapy in advanced HF

The MicroJy and NanoJy Radio Sky: Source Population and Multi-wavelength Properties

I present simple but robust estimates of the types of sources making up the faint, sub-microJy radio sky. These include, not surprisingly, star-forming galaxies and radio-quiet AGN but also two "new" populations, that is low radio power ellipticals and dwarf galaxies, the latter likely constituting the most numerous component of the radio sky. I then estimate for the first time the X-ray, optical, and mid-infrared fluxes these objects are likely to have, which are very important for source identification and the synergy between the upcoming SKA and its various pathfinders with future missions in other bands. On large areas of the sky the SKA, and any other radio telescope producing surveys down to at least the microJy level, will go deeper than all currently planned (and past) sky surveys, with the possible exception of the optical ones from PAN-STARRS and the LSST. SPICA, JWST, and in particular the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) will be a match to the next generation radio telescopes but only on small areas and above ~ 0.1 - 1 microJy (at 1.4 GHz), while even IXO will only be able to detect a small (tiny) fraction of the microJy (nanoJy) population in the X-rays. On the other hand, most sources from currently planned all-sky surveys, with the likely exception of the optical ones, will have a radio counterpart within the reach of the SKA. JWST and the ELTs might turn out to be the main, or perhaps even the only, facilities capable of securing optical counterparts and especially redshifts of microJy radio sources. Because of their sensitivity, the SKA and its pathfinders will have a huge impact on a number of topics in extragalactic astronomy including star-formation in galaxies and its co-evolution with supermassive black holes, radio-loudness and radio-quietness in AGN, dwarf galaxies, and the main contributors to the radio background.[ABRIDGED]Comment: 18 pages, 5 color figures, accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Superimposition of maxillary digital models using the palatal rugae: Does ageing affect the reliability?

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/150535/1/ocr12309.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/150535/2/ocr12309_am.pd

Comparison of symptomatic and functional responses to vagus nerve stimulation in ANTHEM-HF, INOVATE-HF, and NECTAR-HF

AIMS: Clinical studies of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction have had mixed results to date. We sought to compare VNS delivery and associated changes in symptoms and function in autonomic regulation therapy via left or right cervical vagus nerve stimulation in patients with chronic heart failure (ANTHEM-HF), increase of vagal tone in heart failure (INOVATE-HF), and neural cardiac therapy for heart failure (NECTAR-HF) for hypothesis generation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were used to analyse data from the public domain for differences in proportions using Pearson\u27s chi-square test, differences in mean values using Student\u27s unpaired t-test, and differences in changes of mean values using two-sample t-tests. Guideline-directed medical therapy recommendations were similar across studies. Fewer patients were in New York Heart Association 3, and baseline heart rate (HR) was higher in ANTHEM-HF. In INOVATE-HF, VNS was aimed at peripheral neural targets, using closed-loop delivery that required synchronization of VNS to R-wave sensing by an intracardiac lead. Pulse frequency was low (1-2 Hz) because of a timing schedule allowing ≤3 pulses of VNS following at most 25% of detected R waves. NECTAR-HF and ANTHEM-HF used open-loop VNS delivery (i.e. independent of any external signal) aimed at both central and peripheral targets. In NECTAR-HF, VNS delivery at 20 Hz caused off-target effects that limited VNS up-titration in a majority of patients. In ANTHEM-HF, VNS delivery at 10 Hz allowed up-titration until changes in HR dynamics were confirmed. Six months after VNS titration, significant improvements in both HR and HR variability occurred only in ANTHEM-HF. When ANTHEM-HF and NECTAR-HF were compared, greater improvements from baseline were observed in ANTHEM-HF in standard deviation in normal-to-normal R-R intervals (94 ± 26 to 111 ± 50 vs. 146 ± 48 to 130 ± 52 ms; P \u3c 0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction (32 ± 7 to 37 ± 0.4 vs. 31 ± 6 to 33 ± 6; P \u3c 0.05), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure mean score (40 ± 14 to 21 ± 10 vs. 44 ± 22 to 36 ± 21; P \u3c 0.002). When compared with INOVATE-HF, greater improvement in 6-min walk distance was observed in ANTHEM-HF (287 ± 66 to 346 ± 78 vs. 304 ± 111 to 334 ± 111 m; P \u3c 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In this post-hoc analysis, differences in patient demographics were seen and may have caused the differential responses in symptoms and function observed in association with VNS. Major differences in technology platforms, neural targets, VNS delivery, and HR and HR variability responses could have also potentially played a very important role. Further study is underway in a randomized controlled trial with these considerations in mind

Characterizing the Optical Variability of Bright Blazars: Variability-based Selection of Fermi Active Galactic Nuclei

We investigate the use of optical photometric variability to select and identify blazars in large-scale time-domain surveys, in part to aid in the identification of blazar counterparts to the ∼30% of γ -ray sources in the Fermi 2FGL catalog still lacking reliable associations. Using data from the optical LINEAR asteroid survey, we characterize the optical variability of blazars by fitting a damped random walk model to individual light curves with two main model parameters, the characteristic timescales of variability τ , and driving amplitudes on short timescales σ . Imposing cuts on minimum τ and σ allows for blazar selection with high efficiency E and completeness C. To test the efficacy of this approach, we apply this method to optically variable LINEAR objects that fall within the several arcminute error ellipses of γ -ray sources in the Fermi 2FGL catalog. Despite the extreme stellar contamination at the shallow depth of the LINEAR survey, we are able to recover previously associated optical counterparts to Fermi active galactic nuclei with E ≥ 88% and C = 88% in Fermi 95% confidence error ellipses having semimajor axis r < 8'. We find that the suggested radio counterpart to Fermi source 2FGL J1649.6+5238 has optical variability consistent with other γ -ray blazars and is likely to be the γ -ray source. Our results suggest that the variability of the non-thermal jet emission in blazars is stochastic in nature, with unique variability properties due to the effects of relativistic beaming. After correcting for beaming, we estimate that the characteristic timescale of blazar variability is ∼3 years in the rest frame of the jet, in contrast with the ∼320 day disk flux timescale observed in quasars. The variability-based selection method presented will be useful for blazar identification in time-domain optical surveys and is also a probe of jet physics

Advances in our clinical understanding of autonomic regulation therapy using vagal nerve stimulation in patients living with heart failure

The ANTHEM-HF, INOVATE-HF, and NECTAR-HF clinical studies of autonomic regulation therapy (ART) using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) systems have collectively provided dose-ranging information enabling the development of several working hypotheses on how stimulation frequency can be utilized during VNS for tolerability and improving cardiovascular outcomes in patients living with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Changes in heart rate dynamics, comprising reduced heart rate (HR) and increased HR variability, are a biomarker of autonomic nerve system engagement and cardiac control, and appear to be sensitive to VNS that is delivered using a stimulation frequency that is similar to the natural operating frequency of the vagus nerve. Among prior studies, the ANTHEM-HF Pilot Study has provided the clearest evidence of autonomic engagement with VNS that was delivered using a stimulation frequency that was within the operating range of the vagus nerve. Achieving autonomic engagement was accompanied by improvement from baseline in six-minute walk duration (6MWD), health-related quality of life, and left ventricular EF (LVEF), over and above those achieved by concomitant guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) administered to counteract harmful neurohormonal activation, with relative freedom from deleterious effects. Autonomic engagement and positive directional changes have persisted over time, and an exploratory analysis suggests that improvement in autonomic tone, symptoms, and physical capacity may be independent of baseline NT-proBNP values. Based upon these encouraging observations, prospective, randomized controlled trials examining the effects on symptoms and cardiac function as well as natural history have been warranted. A multi-national, large-scale, randomized, controlled trial is well underway to determine the outcomes associated with ART using autonomic nervous system engagement as a guide for VNS delivery