A Data Fusion Perspective on Human Motion Analysis Including Multiple Camera Applications

Proceedings of: 5th International Work-Conference on the Interplay Between Natural and Artificial Computation, (IWINAC 2013). Mallorca, Spain, June 10-14.Human motion analysis methods have received increasing attention during the last two decades. In parallel, data fusion technologies have emerged as a powerful tool for the estimation of properties of objects in the real world. This papers presents a view of human motion analysis from the viewpoint of data fusion. JDL process model and Dasarathy's input-output hierarchy are employed to categorize the works in the area. A survey of the literature in human motion analysis from multiple cameras is included. Future research directions in the area are identified after this review.Publicad

Multicamera Action Recognition with Canonical Correlation Analysis and Discriminative Sequence Classification

Proceedings of: 4th International Work-Conference on the Interplay Between Natural and Artificial Computation, IWINAC 2011, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, May 30 - June 3, 2011.This paper presents a feature fusion approach to the recognition of human actions from multiple cameras that avoids the computation of the 3D visual hull. Action descriptors are extracted for each one of the camera views available and projected into a common subspace that maximizes the correlation between each one of the components of the projections. That common subspace is learned using Probabilistic Canonical Correlation Analysis. The action classification is made in that subspace using a discriminative classifier. Results of the proposed method are shown for the classification of the IXMAS dataset.Publicad

Broken symmetries and directed collective energy transport

We study the appearance of directed energy current in homogeneous spatially extended systems coupled to a heat bath in the presence of an external ac field E(t). The systems are described by nonlinear field equations. By making use of a symmetry analysis we predict the right choice of E(t) and obtain directed energy transport for systems with a nonzero topological charge Q. We demonstrate that the symmetry properties of motion of topological solitons (kinks and antikinks) are equivalent to the ones for the energy current. Numerical simulations confirm the predictions of the symmetry analysis and, moreover, show that the directed energy current drastically increases as the dissipation parameter $\alpha$ reduces. Our results generalize recent rigorous theories of currents generated by broken time-space symmetries to the case of interacting many-particle systems.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Active Brownian Particles. From Individual to Collective Stochastic Dynamics

We review theoretical models of individual motility as well as collective dynamics and pattern formation of active particles. We focus on simple models of active dynamics with a particular emphasis on nonlinear and stochastic dynamics of such self-propelled entities in the framework of statistical mechanics. Examples of such active units in complex physico-chemical and biological systems are chemically powered nano-rods, localized patterns in reaction-diffusion system, motile cells or macroscopic animals. Based on the description of individual motion of point-like active particles by stochastic differential equations, we discuss different velocity-dependent friction functions, the impact of various types of fluctuations and calculate characteristic observables such as stationary velocity distributions or diffusion coefficients. Finally, we consider not only the free and confined individual active dynamics but also different types of interaction between active particles. The resulting collective dynamical behavior of large assemblies and aggregates of active units is discussed and an overview over some recent results on spatiotemporal pattern formation in such systems is given.Comment: 161 pages, Review, Eur Phys J Special-Topics, accepte

17q21 variant increases the risk of exacerbations in asthmatic children despite inhaled corticosteroids use

_To the Editor,_ Approximately 25% of the asthmatic children suffer from uncontrolled asthma despite regular use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Variation within the 17q21 locus is the strongest genetic determinant for childhood‐onset asthma. Recently, the influence of this locus on treatment outcomes has been shown in several studies. The Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortium is a multiethnic consortium that brings together data from ≥14 000 asthmatic children/young adults from 12 different countries to study the pharmacogenomics of uncontrolled asthma despite treatment. In 14 PiCA populations (with over 4000 asthmatic patients), we studied the association between variation in the 17q21 locus, and asthma exacerbations despite ICS use. We specifically focused on rs7216389, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 17q21 locus strongly associated with childhood asthma and initially identified by Moffatt et al. [...

Optical coherence tomography angiography in Purtscher-like retinopathy associated with dermatomyositis : a case report

Purpose: To describe a multimodal imaging diagnosis of retinopathy in dermatomyositis. Case presentation: A 21-year-old white woman with a history of fatigue and a cutaneous rash complained of visual impairment in her left eye. A funduscopic examination showed multiple confluent cotton-wool spots in both eyes. Swept source-optical coherence tomography presented macular edema in both eyes; optical coherence tomography angiography revealed superficial and deep capillary occlusion in all areas affected by cotton-wool spots; and fluorescein angiography showed vascular walls enhancement, veins dilatation, and capillary leakage. After large doses of intravenously administered glucocorticoid therapy, followed by a cyclophosphamide regimen, best corrected visual acuity returned to 20/20 in both eyes. Conclusions: This case report presents optical coherence tomography angiography clinical findings in a rare case of dermatomyositis-associated retinopathy, remarking the importance of a multi-imaging approach for a correct diagnosis and treatment of eye injuries, in order to avoid serious complications and permanent sequelae

Human metapneumovirus as cause of severe community-acquired pneumonia in adults: insights from a ten-year molecular and epidemiological analysis

Human metapneumovirus; Severe community-acquired pneumonia; BiomarkersMetapneumovirus humano; Neumonía severa adquirida en la comunidad; BiomarcadoresMetapneumovirus humà; Pneumònia greu adquirida a la comunitat; BiomarcadorsBackground Information on the clinical, epidemiological and molecular characterization of human metapneumovirus in critically ill adult patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the role of biomarkers identifying bacterial coinfection is scarce. Methods This is a retrospective epidemiological study of adult patients with hMPV severe CAP admitted to ICU during a ten-year period with admission PSI score ≥ 3. Results The 92.8% of the 28 patients with severe CAP due to human metapneumovirus were detected during the first half of the year. Median age was 62 years and 60.7% were male. The genotyping of isolated human metapneumovirus showed group B predominance (60.7%). All patients had acute respiratory failure. Median APACHE II and SOFA score were 13 and 6.55, respectively. The 25% were coinfected with Streptococcus pneumoniae. 60.7% of the patients had shock at admission and 50% underwent mechanical ventilation. Seven patients developed ARDS, three of them younger than 60 years and without comorbidities. Mortality in ICU was 14.3%. Among survivors, ICU and hospital stay were 6.5 and 14 days, respectively. Plasma levels of procalcitonin were higher in patients with bacterial coinfection (18.2 vs 0.54; p < 0.05). The levels of C-reactive protein, however, were similar. Conclusion Human metapneumovirus was associated with severe CAP requiring ICU admission among elderly patients or patients with comorbidities, but also in healthy young subjects. These patients often underwent mechanical ventilation with elevated health resource consumption. While one out of four patients showed pneumococcal coinfection, plasma procalcitonin helped to implement antimicrobial stewardship

Etest® versus broth microdilution for ceftaroline MIC determination with Staphylococcus aureus: results from PREMIUM, a European multicentre study

Objectives: To compare the concordance of ceftaroline MIC values 24 by reference broth microdilution (BMD) and Etest (BioMérieux, France) for MSSA and MRSA isolates, respectively, in isolates from PREMIUM (D372SL00001), a European multi-centre study.  Methods: Ceftaroline MICs were determined by reference BMD and by Etest for 1,242 MSSA and MRSA from adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia or complicated skin and soft tissue infections collected between February and May 2012; tests were performed across six European laboratories. Selected isolates with ceftaroline resistance in broth (MIC >1 mg/L) were retested in three central laboratories to confirm their behaviour.  Results: Overall concordance between BMD and Etest was good, with >97% essential agreement and >95% categorical agreement. Nevertheless, 12 of the 26 MRSA isolates found resistant by BMD scored as susceptible by Etest, with MICs ≤1 mg/L, thus counting as very major errors, whereas only five of 380 MRSA found ceftaroline susceptible in BMD were mis-categorised as resistant by Etest. Twenty-one of the 26 isolates with MICs of 2 mg/L by BMD were then re-tested twice by each of three central laboratories: BMD MICs of 2 mg/L were consistently found for 19 of the 21 isolates. Among 147 Etest results for these 21 isolates (original plus six repeats per isolate) 112 were >1 mg/L.  Conclusions: BMD and Etest have good overall agreement for ceftaroline against Staphylococcus aureus; nevertheless, reliable Etest-based discrimination of the minority of ceftaroline-resistant (MIC 2 mg/L) MRSA is extremely challenging, requiring careful reading of strips, ideally with duplicate testing

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors Protect Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells Against Oxidation by Modulating Nitric Oxide Release and Autophagy

Background/Aims: the anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), Aflibercept and Ranibizumab, are used for the treatment of macular degeneration. Here we examined the involvement of nitric oxide (NO), mitochondria function and of apoptosis/autophagy in their antioxidant effects in human retinal pigment epithelium cells (RPE). Methods: RPE were exposed to Ranibizumab/Aflibercept in the absence or presence of NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor and of autophagy activator/blocker, rapamicyn/ 3-methyladenine. Specific kits were used for cell viability, NO and reactive oxygen species detection and mitochondrial membrane potential measurement, whereas Western Blot was performed for apoptosis/autophagy markers and other kinases detection. Results: In RPE cultured in physiological conditions, Aflibercept/Ranibizumab increased NO release in a dose and time-dependent way. Opposite results were obtained in RPE pretreated with hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, both the anti-VEGF agents were able to prevent the fall of cell viability and of mitochondrial membrane potential. Those effects were reduced by the NOS inhibitor and 3-methyladenine and were potentiated by rapamycin. Finally, Aflibercept and Ranibizumab counteracted the changes of apoptosis/autophagy markers, NOS, Phosphatidylinositol-3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B and Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 caused by peroxidation. Conclusion: Aflibercept and Ranibizumab protect RPE against peroxidation through the modulation of NO release, apoptosis and autophagy