Novel Feature Extraction Methodology with Evaluation in Artificial Neural Networks Based Fingerprint Recognition System

Fingerprint recognition is one of the most common biometric recognition systems that includes feature extraction and decision modules. In this work, these modules are achieved via artificial neural networks and image processing operations. The aim of the work is to define a new method that requires less computational load and storage capacity, can be an alternative to existing methods, has high fault tolerance, convenient for fraud measures, and is suitable for development. In order to extract the feature points called minutia points of each fingerprint sample, Multilayer Perceptron algorithm is used. Furthermore, the center of the fingerprint is also determined using an improved orientation map. The proposed method gives approximate position information of minutiae points with respect to the core point using a fairly simple, orientation map-based method that provides ease of operation, but with the use of artificial neurons with high fault tolerance, this method has been turned to an advantage. After feature extraction, General Regression Neural Network is used for identification. The system algorithm is evaluated in UPEK and FVC2000 database. The accuracies without rejection of bad images for the database are 95.57% and 91.38% for UPEK and FVC2000 respectively

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Automatic methods for content -based access and summarization of video sequences

Depending on the specific information they are seeking, users desire flexible and intuitive methods to search and browse multimedia libraries. However, the cost of manually extracting the metadata to support such functionalities may be unrealistically high. Therefore, over the last decade there has been a great interest in designing and building systems that automatically analyze and index multimedia data, and retrieve its relevant parts. In this work we describe algorithms that facilitate browsing, searching, and summarization of video sequences. We propose shot transition detection algorithms for the detection of cut and dissolve types of shot transitions based on a binary tree regression classifiers framework. Our system is able to detect these transitions with high accuracy. We discuss stochastic models to model video program genres, such as news programs or sitcoms, and show how these can be applied to automatically detect the genre of a given program. We investigate the use of hidden Markov Models (HMMs) and stochastic context-free grammars (SCFGs) for modeling. Since the computational complexity of SCFG training is high, we develop a hybrid HMM-SCFG model that reduces the training time of the models considerably. Deriving compact representations of video sequences that are intuitive for users and let them easily and quickly browse large collections of video data is fast becoming one of the most important topics in content-based video processing. Such representations, which we will collectively refer to as video summaries, rapidly provide the user with information about the content of the particular sequence being examined, while preserving the essential message. We propose an automated method to generate video skims for information-rich video programs, such as documentaries, educational videos, and presentations, using statistical analysis based on speech transcripts that are obtained by automatic speech recognition (ASR) from the audio. Ideally one would like the generated summaries to be both detailed and covering most of the important points of the full program they were derived from. Clearly, for high summarization ratios it is impossible to stiff both of these constraints. Our summarization approach quantifies these two concepts and maximizes a weighted sum of both detail and coverage functions to obtain a trade-off between the two. We also study objective evaluation methods for video summaries. We evaluate summaries produced by a number of algorithms using a question and answer evaluation scheme and discuss other methods of summary evaluation. In the final part of the dissertation we describe a real-world video processing application that makes use of many algorithms introduced in this work. In this application we generate a list of unique people appearing in a news program using a combination of visual and audio features. This system greatly facilitates the indexing of news programs and also may be used as part of a automatic open caption insertion system

Hybrid face recognition under adverse conditions using appearance‐based and dynamic features of smile expression

Abstract Although recent deep‐learning‐based face recognition methods give remarkable accuracies on large databases, their performance has been shown to degrade under adverse conditions (e.g. severe illumination and contrast variations; blur and noise). Under such conditions, soft‐biometric features such as facial dynamics are expected to increase the performance if they are used together with appearance‐based features. We propose a novel hybrid face recognition, which uses appearance‐based features extracted using deep convolutional networks and statistical facial dynamics features extracted from facial landmark positions during smile expression. We evaluated the performances of three different state‐of‐the‐art pre‐trained deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) under a variety of severe image distortions with different parameters. The experimental results show that, although the face recognition performance using only DCNN‐based features drops significantly under adverse conditions, the utilization of facial dynamics features together with DCNN‐based features can compensate for the performance loss and increase the accuracy significantly. We believe the proposed system can be useful when face recognition is performed using videos obtained from systems, which may contain blurry and noisy images with a wide range of illumination variations

The effects of early or late treatment of osteochondral defects on joint homoeostasis: an experimental study in rabbits

WOS: 000266482200003PubMed ID: 19083207A 3.5 x 4 mm tubular osteochondral defect was created on the right medial femoral condyles of 51 adult rabbits. In the control group (CG), defects were left untreated. In the early-(ETG) and late-(LTG) treatment groups, defects were treated by an osteoperiosteal graft 1 and 12 weeks, respectively, after the index procedure. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected regularly and proteoglycan fragments (PF), total collagen (TC) and collagenase (MMP-1) levels were measured. Rabbits were killed at 4 (early period), 12 (intermediate period), or 24 (late period) weeks postoperatively. Histological examination indicated a more successful healing in both grafting groups than in the CG, but without any difference at any time period between the grafting groups. In the CG, PF, and TC levels in SF increased continuously until the late period, indicating an ongoing degenerative activity in the joints. In contrast, SF marker levels in both grafting groups indicated that normalization in joint metabolism could be achieved-at least partially-after treatment. However, PF levels in the SF showed that the treatment of defects in earlier stages might result in better outcomes since the negative effects were more prominent in chronic stages, presumably due to the more prolonged period of disturbed homeostasis. Thus, histological values and SF marker levels indicated that treatment of osteochondral defects at any time of the disease had a positive effect on healing when compared to no treatment. Early treatment might better assist the recovery of joint homeostasis than late treatment.Ege University Research FundEge University [98/TIP/006]; Ege University Science and Technology CenterEge UniversityWe thank Dr. Emin Taskiran and Dr. Veli Lok for their helpful suggestions in planning this research. All authors declare that these experiments comply with the current laws of our country. We also want to acknowledge financial support from Ege University Research Fund (Research Project No: 98/TIP/006) and Ege University Science and Technology Center, Co-funding of Research Projects Programme

Changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness after spinal surgery in the prone position: a prospective study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Changes in ocular perfusion play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic optic neuropathy. Ocular perfusion pressure is equal to mean arterial pressure minus intraocular pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the intraocular pressure and the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients undergoing spinal surgery in the prone position. METHODS: This prospective study included 30 patients undergoing spinal surgery. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were measured one day before and after the surgery by using optical coherence tomography. Intraocular pressure was measured by tonopen six times at different position and time-duration: supine position (baseline); 10 min after intubation (Supine 1); 10 (Prone 1), 60 (Prone 2), 120 (Prone 3) min after prone position; and just after postoperative supine position (Supine 2). RESULTS: Our study involved 10 male and 20 female patients with the median age of 57 years. When postoperative retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were compared with preoperative values, a statistically significant thinning was observed in inferior and nasal quadrants (p = 0.009 and p = 0.003, respectively). We observed a statistically significant intraocular pressure decrease in Supine 1 and an increase in both Prone 2 and Prone 3 when compared to the baseline. Mean arterial pressure and ocular perfusion pressure were found to be significantly lower in Prone 1, Prone 2 and Prone 3, when compared with the baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown increase in intraocular pressure during spinal surgery in prone position. A statistically significant retinal nerve fiber layer thickness thinning was seen in inferior and nasal quadrants one day after the spinal surgery

Alteraciones del espesor de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina después de la cirugía de la columna vertebral en pronación: estudio prospectivo

ResumenJustificación y objetivosLas alteraciones en la perfusión ocular desempeñan un rol importante en la patogénesis de la neuropatía óptica isquémica. La presión de perfusión ocular es igual a la presión arterial media menos la presión intraocular. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las alteraciones de la presión intraocular y del espesor de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina en pacientes sometidos a cirugía de la columna vertebral en pronación.MétodosEste estudio prospectivo incluyó a 30 pacientes sometidos a cirugía de la columna vertebral. El espesor de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina se midió un día antes y uno después de la cirugía, con la tomografía de coherencia óptica. La presión intraocular se midió 6 veces con tonopen y el tiempo de duración en posiciones diferentes: en supinación (basal), 10min después de la intubación (supinación 1); después de la pronación a los 10min (pronación 1), 60min (pronación 2) y 120min (pronación 3), y justo después de la supinación en el período postoperatorio (supinación 2).ResultadosNuestro estudio contó con la participación de 10 pacientes del sexo masculino y 20 del femenino, con un promedio de edad de 57 años. En el postoperatorio, cuando las medidas del espesor de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina fueron comparadas con los valores del preoperatorio, se observó un adelgazamiento estadísticamente significativo de la retina en los cuadrantes nasales e inferiores (p=0,009 y p=0,003, respectivamente). Observamos una disminución de la presión intraocular estadísticamente significativa en supinación 1 y un aumento en pronación 2 y 3, en comparación con los valores basales. La presión arterial media y la presión de perfusión ocular fueron significativamente más bajas en pronación 1, pronación 2 y pronación 3, en comparación con los valores basales.ConclusionesNuestro estudio mostró un aumento de la presión intraocular durante la cirugía de la columna vertebral en pronación. Se observó un adelgazamiento estadísticamente significativo del espesor de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina en los cuadrantes nasales e inferiores un día después de la cirugía de columna vertebral.AbstractBackground and objectivesChanges in ocular perfusion play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic optic neuropathy. Ocular perfusion pressure is equal to mean arterial pressure minus intraocular pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the intraocular pressure and the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients undergoing spinal surgery in the prone position.MethodsThis prospective study included 30 patients undergoing spinal surgery. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were measured one day before and after the surgery by using optical coherence tomography. Intraocular pressure was measured by tonopen six times at different position and time-duration: supine position (baseline); 10min after intubation (supine 1); 10min (prone 1), 60min (prone 2), 120min (prone 3) after prone position; and just after postoperative supine position (supine 2).ResultsOur study involved 10 male and 20 female patients with the median age of 57 years. When postoperative retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were compared with preoperative values, a statistically significant thinning was observed in inferior and nasal quadrants (P=.009 and P=.003, respectively). We observed a statistically significant intraocular pressure decrease in Supine 1 and an increase in both Prone 2 and Prone 3 when compared to the baseline. Mean arterial pressure and ocular perfusion pressure were found to be significantly lower in prone 1, prone 2 and prone 3, when compared with the baseline.ConclusionsOur study has shown increase in intraocular pressure during spinal surgery in prone position. A statistically significant retinal nerve fiber layer thickness thinning was seen in inferior and nasal quadrants one day after the spinal surgery