Single-shot layered reflectance separation using a polarized light field camera

We present a novel computational photography technique for single shot separation of diffuse/specular reflectance as well as novel angular domain separation of layered reflectance. Our solution consists of a two-way polarized light field (TPLF) camera which simultaneously captures two orthogonal states of polarization. A single photograph of a subject acquired with the TPLF camera under polarized illumination then enables standard separation of diffuse (depolarizing) and polarization preserving specular reflectance using light field sampling. We further demonstrate that the acquired data also enables novel angular separation of layered reflectance including separation of specular reflectance and single scattering in the polarization preserving component, and separation of shallow scattering from deep scattering in the depolarizing component. We apply our approach for efficient acquisition of facial reflectance including diffuse and specular normal maps, and novel separation of photometric normals into layered reflectance normals for layered facial renderings. We demonstrate our proposed single shot layered reflectance separation to be comparable to an existing multi-shot technique that relies on structured lighting while achieving separation results under a variety of illumination conditions

Quantitative (Non-qualitative) Changes of IgG Anti-Mumps After Freeze-‎Thaw Cycles

Object. The result of freeze-thaw (FT) tested sera is always doubtful, and is a matter of question which is accompanied by false negative results. Aim: To determine the effect of repeated FT cycles, on the assay results of mumps IgG antibody. Material and Methods. This prospective laboratory study includes 25 volunteers. 25 sera underwent tests for first Mumps IgG antibody, and then were frozen at -20 degrees centigrade. One week later, they were thawed and stored again at 4 degrees centigrade for one more week when the second assays, were performed. The results for mumps IgG ELISA as an effect of two FT cycles and storage temperature were reported. The results were recorded by first and second Immune Serum Ratio (ISR) value (for first and second assay) and the percentage change of ISR. A linear regression model applied for analyzing ISR change percentage. Results. There were three kinds of ISR value change as: 1-The stable ISR value (44%). 2-The decreasing change of ISR value (32%) mainly among males, older in age (14-19 years) and the first ISR more than the value of four. 3-The increasing change of ISR value (24%) which occurred in males 10-12 years with the first ISR value of 1-2 (lowest concentration). Based on regression model, level of the first ISR and group of test were significant factor for change percentage of ISR, but neither gender nor age, were significant. Discussions. Mumps IgG antibody , as a function of two FT cycles, was affected by quantitative but not qualitative alteration. If the first ISR has value of 3-4, most probably it wills no any significant changes due to at least two FT cycles

Upregulated expression of the growth arrest-specific-2 (gas2) gene in colorectal cancer, and its relation to cancer progression and prognosis

Background: Growth arrest-specific 2 (GAS2) gene is implicated in a variety of cellular functions such as cell cycle, apoptosis, and proliferation, and may be potentially involved in cancer progression. However, whether GAS2 is associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and prognosis remains to be uncovered. Thus, this study investigated the association of GAS2 expression in tumor with CRC progression and prognosis. Methods: In the case-control study, surgical tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 40 patients with CRC were collected at Cancer Institute of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran, and relative expression level of GAS2 in the tissues was assayed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method. The correlation of tumor GAS2 expression with the clinicopathological features and overall survival rate of patients was determined. Findings: The relative expression level of GAS2 in tumor tissues was significantly elevated compared to the adjacent normal tissues 1.96 (1.17-3.40) vs. 1.10 (1.00-1.31), P < 0.001. Moreover, the expression levels of GAS2 in tumor tissues were significantly associated with clinicopathological features of cancer including tumor stage in Tumor spread, Lymph node spread, and Metastasis (TNM) staging (P = 0.010), grade (P = 0.010), size (P = 0.030), and lymphatic (P = 0.030) and vascular invasion (P = 0.040) as well as the decreased overall survival (P = 0.040). Conclusion: Elevated expression of GAS2 in CRC is associated with cancer progression indices and poor prognosis; hence it may be served as a prognostic biomarker in CRC. © 2019, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved

Measurement and Predictors of Resilience Among Community-Dwelling Elderly in Kashan, Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: As the ability to cope with challenging conditions, resilience results in personal growth and development after experiencing tragic conditions. There are limited studies regarding resilience and its associated factors in elderly patients in Iran. Given that the cultural, social, religious characteristics might affect the level of resilience, we conducted the present study among an elderly population in Kashan. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the resilience and its associated factors among elderly in Kashan City, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 individuals who were selected through a two-stage randomized cluster sampling methods among elderly residents of 8 urban health care facilities in Kashan, Iran. Data collection was performed using a five-part instrument including a demographics questionnaire and abbreviated mental test scale, the Connor-Davidson resilience scale, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and general health questionnaire28. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, analysis of variance and multivariate regression analysis. Results: A significant direct association was found between resilience and the self-esteem scores (r = 0.461, P < 0.001). Conversely, an indirect correlation was found between resilience and mental health scores (r = - 0.510, P < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that self-esteem and mental health could explain 32% of the variance of resilience in older adults. Significant relationships were found between resilience and variables such as age, sex, marital status, income, job, education, and life arrangement (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Several factors including personal characteristics, self-esteem and mental health of the elderly can affect their resilience. Choosing some strategies to modify and improve some of the influencing variables may be effective in increasing the resilience in older adults

Motion Segmentation of Truncated Signed Distance Function based Volumetric Surfaces

© 2015 IEEE.Truncated signed distance function (TSDF) based volumetric surface reconstructions of static environments can be readily acquired using recent RGB-D camera based mapping systems. If objects in the environment move then a previously obtained TSDF reconstruction is no longer current. Handling this problem requires segmenting moving objects from the reconstruction. To this end, we present a novel solution to the motion segmentation of TSDF volumes. The segmentation problem is cast as CRF-based MAP inference in the voxel space. We propose: a novel data term by solving sparse multi-body motion segmentation and computing likelihoods for each motion label in the RGB-D image space, and, a novel pair wise term based on gradients of the TSDF volume. Experimental evaluation shows that the proposed approach achieves successful segmentations on reconstructions acquired with Kinect Fusion. Unlike the existing solutions which only work if the objects move completely from their initially occupied spaces, the proposed method permits segmentation of objects when they start to move

Identification and differentiation of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica using a simple PCR-restriction enzyme method

Accurate morphological differentiation between the liver fluke species Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica is difficult. We evaluated PCR-restriction enzyme profiles of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) that could aid in their identification. Fifty F. hepatica and 30 F. gigantica specimens were collected from different hosts in three provinces of Iran. For DNA extraction, we crushed fragments of the worms between two glass slides as a new method to break down the cells. DNA from the crushed materials was then extracted with a conventional phenol-chloroform method and with the newly developed technique, commercial FTA cards. A primer pair was selected to amplify a 463-bp region of the ITS1 sequence. After sequencing 14 samples and in silico analysis, cutting sites of all known enzymes were predicted and TasI was selected as the enzyme that yielded the most informative profile. Crushing produced enough DNA for PCR amplification with both the phenol-chloroform and commercial FTA card method. The DNA extracted from all samples was successfully amplified and yielded a single sharp band of the expected size. Digestion of PCR products with TasI allowed us to distinguish the two species. In all samples, molecular identification was consistent with morphological identification. Our PCR-restriction enzyme profile is a simple, rapid and reliable method for differentiating F. hepatica and F. gigantica, and can be used for diagnostic and epidemiological purposes. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

The vanishing of two-point functions for three-loop superstring scattering amplitudes

In this paper we show that the two-point function for the three-loop chiral superstring measure ansatz proposed by Cacciatori, Dalla Piazza, and van Geemen vanishes. Our proof uses the reformulation of ansatz in terms of even cosets, theta functions, and specifically the theory of the $\Gamma_{00}$ linear system on Jacobians introduced by van Geemen and van der Geer. At the two-loop level, where the amplitudes were computed by D'Hoker and Phong, we give a new proof of the vanishing of the two-point function (which was proven by them). We also discuss the possible approaches to proving the vanishing of the two-point function for the proposed ansatz in higher genera