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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Monte Carlo simulations of electromagnetic wave scattering from a random rough surface with three-dimensional penetrable buried object: mine detection application using the steepest-descent fast multipole method.

We present a statistical study of the electric field scattered from a three-dimensional penetrable object buried under a two-dimensional random rough surface. Monte Carlo simulations using the steepest-descent fast multipole method (SDFMM) are conducted to calculate the average and the standard deviation of the near-zone scattered fields. The SDFMM, originally developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been modified to calculate the unknown surface currents both on the rough ground and on the buried object that are due to excitation by a tapered Gaussian beam. The rough ground medium used is an experimentally measured typical dry Bosnian soil with 3.8% moisture, while the buried object represents a plastic land mine modeled as an oblate spheroid with dimensions and burial depth smaller than the free-space wavelength. Both vertical and horizontal polarizations for the incident waves are studied. The numerical results show that the TNT mine signature is almost 5% of the total field scattered from the ground. Moreover, relatively recognizable object signatures are observed even when the object is buried under the tail of the incident beam. Interestingly, even for the small surface roughness parameters considered, the standard deviation of the object signature is almost 30% of the signal itself, indicating significant clutter distortion that is due to the roughness of the ground.

Journal Article↗

A mathematical model to detect inspiratory flow limitation during sleep.

The physiological significance of inspiratory flow limitation (IFL) has recently been recognized, but methods of detecting IFL can be subjective. We sought to develop a mathematical model of the upper airway pressure-flow relationship that would objectively detect flow limitation. We present a theoretical discussion that predicts that a polynomial function [F(P) = AP(3) + BP(2) + CP + D, where F(P) is flow and P is supraglottic pressure] best characterizes the pressure-flow relationship and allows for the objective detection of IFL. In protocol 1, step 1, we performed curve-fitting of the pressure-flow relationship of 20 breaths to 5 mathematical functions and found that highest correlation coefficients (R(2)) for quadratic (0.88 +/- 0.10) and polynomial (0.91 +/- 0.05; P < 0.05 for both compared with the other functions) functions. In step 2, we performed error-fit calculations on 50 breaths by comparing the quadratic and polynomial functions and found that the error fit was lowest for the polynomial function (3.3 +/- 0.06 vs. 21.1 +/- 19.0%; P < 0.001). In protocol 2, we performed sensitivity/specificity analysis on two sets of breaths (50 and 544 breaths) by comparing the mathematical determination of IFL to manual determination. Mathematical determination of IFL had high sensitivity and specificity and a positive predictive value (>99% for each). We conclude that a polynomial function can be used to predict the relationship between pressure and flow in the upper airway and objectively determine the presence of IFL.

Humans↗

Utilization of ultrasound sensors for anti-collision systems of powered wheelchairs.

Anti-collision systems have been developed for use with powered wheelchairs in order to enable people with cognitive or physical impairments to safely operate a powered wheelchair. Anti-collision systems consist of sensors that have the ability to detect objects near the wheelchair and a computer that can stop the chair if a collision is determined to be likely. This investigation considered the suitability of using ultrasound sensors in such a system when encountering objects typically found within a home or a long-term care facility. An ultrasound sensor's ability to detect an object was dependent on the object's size, shape, specularity, reflectivity, and sound absorption characteristics. Ultrasound sensors, by themselves, were found to be unsuitable for anti-collision systems due to an inability to detect objects commonly encountered in the target environment (the home or long-term care facility) without increasing the complexity of the system to such a degree that it would be prohibitive to deploy this technology to the public.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Amorphous selenium flat panel detectors for digital mammography: validation of a NPWE model observer with CDMAM observer performance experiments.

Model observers have been developed which incorporate a specific imaging task, system performance, and human observer characteristics and can potentially overcome some of the limitations in using detective quantum efficiency for optimization and comparison of detectors. In this paper, a modified nonprewhitening matched filter (NPWE) model observer was developed and validated to predict object detectability for an amorphous selenium (a-Se) direct flat-panel imager (FPI) where aliasing is severe. A preclinical a-Se digital mammography FPI with 85 microm pixel size was used in this investigation. Its physical imaging properties including modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum, and DQE were fully characterized. An observer performance study was conducted by imaging the CDMAM 3.4 contrast-detail phantom designed specifically for digital mammography and presenting these images to a panel of seven observers. X-ray attenuation and scatter due to the phantom were determined experimentally for use in development of the model observer. The observer study results were analyzed via threshold averaging and signal detection theory (SDT) based techniques to produce contrast-detail curves where threshold contrast is plotted as a function of disk diameter. Validity of the model was established using SDT analysis of the experimental data. The effect of aliasing on the detectability of small diameter disks was determined using the NPWE model observer. The signal spectrum was calculated using the presampling MTF of the detector with and without including the aliased terms. Our results indicate that the NPWE model based on Fourier domain parameters provides reasonable prediction of object detectability for the signal-known-exactly task in uniform image noise for a-Se direct FPI.

Calibration↗

Mueller matrix imaging of targets in turbid media: effect of the volume scattering function.

Detecting objects in turbid media by use of just radiance signals has been a subject of study for many years. The use of Mueller matrix imaging methods has only recently been used as a tool for target detection. We will show not only that can targets still be detected by Mueller matrix methods even after their detection has escaped normal radiance schemes but also that their surface features can also still be distinguished. We will also show how the shape of the volume scattering function as well as the target and medium albedo strongly influences various elements of the Mueller matrix. One of the more interesting features of Mueller matrix imaging is that the diagonal elements are sensitive to perturbations in the environment surrounding the target. This implies that targets can be detected far beyond their geometric cross section. The methods presented here will have applications to submersible object detection, remote sensing in the atmosphere, and the detection of inhomogeneities in tissue.

Journal Article↗

Quantitative evaluation of a portal film contrast enhancement technique.

A study was conducted to evaluate the subjective improvement in portal film image quality resulting from the contact copy contrast enhancement technique which was introduced six years ago. Five observers were asked to identify and orient polyvinyl chloride cylinder images on both original and contrast-enhanced portal films taken with a 10-MeV linear accelerator. Fixed reviewing periods (T) were alloted of 20, 40, and 60 s as well as unlimited viewing time in order to increase the clinical relevance of this comparison. A scoring system and a probability representation were used to compare the original and enhanced films as a function of T. The results show a substantial increase in object detectability for the enhanced films at the short viewing times (T = 20, 40, and 60 s). For longer times (T greater than or equal to 80 s) the object detectability for enhanced and original films is not statistically different.

Humans↗

Digital retinal images and teleophthalmology for detecting and grading diabetic retinopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Detecting and grading of diabetic retinopathy (DR) by means of digital retinal images sent via the Internet. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Four nonstereoscopic digital retinal images (45 degrees field each) of 126 eye fundus images from 70 diabetic patients were obtained with a nonmydriatic camera at two peripheral units. The images were sent via the Internet using a web-based system to a reference center, where they were diagnosed and graded by one ophthalmologist. These results were compared with those obtained by two other ophthalmologists, one at each peripheral unit, after direct examination of the patients. A modified severity scale of Airlie House was used for grading DR in all cases. Agreement between observers was assessed using unweighted kappa for categorical data and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuous data. RESULTS: Presence of DR was detected in 69 eyes (55%). All eyes with DR (69 of 69, 100%) were correctly identified (kappa = 1) by inspecting the digital images. In 118 eyes (118 of 126, 94%), 57 with no DR and 61 with DR, there was an agreement between the gradation made after the direct examination and the gradation made after the inspection of the images (ICC = 0.92). In eight eyes with DR (8 of 126, 6%), there was disagreement in the grading made with both techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Inspection of digital retinal images sent via the Internet allowed diagnosis and grading of DR. The presence or absence of DR was correctly assessed by inspection of the images in all instances. We also found agreement, in most cases, between retinopathy gradation made from the images and the gradation made by direct examination of the eyes. These findings suggest that this technique is suitable for screening procedures.

Diabetic Retinopathy↗

Visual object recognition in early Alzheimer's disease: deficits in semantic processing.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to divide visual object recognition into different stages and to reveal which of these stages are impaired in early Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Performance in object detection, familiarity detection, semantic name and word categorization, and identification with naming were studied by using two-choice reaction-time tasks. Ten patients with newly diagnosed AD and 14 healthy subjects were studied. RESULTS: Patients with early AD had impairments in several stages of the object recognition process. After controlling for the basic visuomotor slowness, they were as fast and as accurate as the controls in object detection, but had difficulties in all stages that required semantic processing. CONCLUSIONS: Semantic memory impairments contribute to the deficits in visual object recognition in early AD. Thus, the semantic memory deficit may be manifested in several ways in the difficulties that AD patients experience in everyday life.

Aged↗

Gray-scale sonographic characterization of aminoglycoside-induced nephrotoxicosis in a canine model.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The diagnostic usefulness of gray-scale sonography was evaluated in a canine model of aminoglycoside-induced nephrotoxicosis. METHODS: Sonography was performed before and during the onset and progression of nephrotoxicosis induced by administration of a toxic dosage of gentamicin. Subjective visualization of increased renal cortex echogenicity (IRCE) was objectified with digital image analysis methods. Results of both subjective and objective evaluation were correlated with clinicopathologic tests and renal cortex biopsy obtained concurrently. RESULTS: Subjective visualization of IRCE was associated with significant nephrotoxicosis and was superior to serum creatinine elevation in nephrotoxicity detection. Objective detection of IRCE improved nephrotoxicity detection sensitivity to that of increased urine enzymuria. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the above results, subjective visualization of IRCE in patients with aminoglycoside-induced nephrotoxicity may occur before azotemia and is suggestive of significant renal dysfunction; application of digital image analysis methods may lead to earlier sonographic recognition of nephrotoxicity.

Animals↗

Nonlinear prediction for Gaussian mixture image models.

Prediction is an essential operation in many image processing applications, such as object detection and image and video compression. When the images are modeled as Gaussian, the optimal predictor is linear and easy to obtain. However, image texture and clutter are often non-Gaussian, and, in such cases, optimal predictors are difficult to obtain. In this paper, we derive an optimal predictor for an important class of non-Gaussian image models, the block-based multivariate Gaussian mixture model. This predictor has a special nonlinear structure: it is a linear combination of the neighboring pixels, but the combination coefficients are also functions of the neighboring pixels, not constants. The efficacy of this predictor is demonstrated in object detection experiments where the prediction error image is used to identify "hidden" objects. Experimental results indicate that when the background texture is nonlinear, i.e., with fast-switching gray-level patches, it performs significantly better than the optimal linear predictor.

Algorithms↗

Update on the recommended viewing protocol for FAXIL threshold contrast detail detectability test objects used in television fluoroscopy.

The significance of varying the viewing conditions that may affect the perceived threshold contrast of X-ray television fluoroscopy systems has been investigated. Factors investigated include the ambient room lighting and the viewing distance. The purpose of this study is to find the optimum viewing protocol with which to measure the threshold detection index. This is a particular problem when trying to compare the image quality of television fluoroscopy systems in different input field sizes. The results show that the viewing distance makes a significant difference to the perceived threshold contrast, whereas the ambient light conditions make no significant difference. Experienced observers were found to be capable of finding the optimum viewing distance for detecting details of each size, in effect using a flexible viewing distance. This allows the results from different field sizes to be normalized to account for both the magnification and the entrance air kerma rate differences, which in turn allow for a direct comparison of performance in different field sizes.

Clinical Protocols↗

The period evoked potential: objective response detection and 500 Hz thresholds in normally hearing adults.

In this study an investigation of the period evoked potential (PEP) (a variant of the frequency following response) recorded from 27 ears in 15 normally hearing adults was performed. Response waveforms were averaged over 5008 cycles (acquisition time = 10.016 s) and 50080 cycles (100.16 s) of 500 Hz pure tone stimuli, at intensities ranging between 15 and 75 dB SPL. Responses were assessed using both subjective visual coherence and objective measures based on RMS voltage, magnitude squared coherence and phase coherence. Thresholds derived from subjective and objective measures ranged from 25 dB SPL to >75 dB SPL, with RMS voltage giving significantly the poorest performance. Subjective visual coherence estimates of threshold were not significantly different from objective coherence estimates, but the latter were preferred since they eliminate tester bias. The best inter-ear average threshold was 35 dB SL and was obtained using magnitude squared coherence calculated from waveforms averaged over 50080 cycles of the stimulus.

Auditory Threshold↗

In situ single-molecule imaging with attoliter detection using objective total internal reflection confocal microscopy.

Confocal microscopy is widely used for acquiring high spatial resolution tissue sample images of interesting fluorescent molecules inside cells. The fluorescent molecules are often tagged proteins participating in a biological function. The high spatial resolution of confocal microscopy compared to wide field imaging comes from an ability to optically isolate and image exceedingly small volume elements made up of the lateral (focal plane) and depth dimensions. Confocal microscopy at the optical diffraction limit images volumes on the order of approximately 0.5 femtoliter (10(-15) L). Further resolution enhancement can be achieved with total internal reflection microscopy (TIRM). With TIRM, an exponentially decaying electromagnetic field (near-field) established on the surface of the sample defines a subdiffraction limit dimension that, when combined with conventional confocal microscopy, permits image formation from <7 attoL (10(-18) L) volumes [Borejdo et al. (2006) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, in press]. Demonstrated here is a new variation of TIRM, focused TIRM (fTIRM) that decreases the volume element to approximately 3 attoL. These estimates were verified experimentally by measuring characteristic times for Brownian motion of fluorescent nanospheres through the volume elements. A novel application for TIRM is in situ single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. Single-molecule studies of protein structure and function are well-known to avoid the ambiguities introduced by ensemble averaging. In situ, proteins are subjected to the native forces of the crowded environment in the cell that are not present in vitro. The attoL fluorescence detection volume of TIRM permits isolation of single proteins in situ. Muscle tissue contains myosin at a approximately 120 microM concentration. Evidence is provided that >75% of the bleachable fluorescence detected with fTIRM is emitted by five chromophore-labeled myosins in a muscle fiber.

Animals↗

"Small-tufted" ganglion cells and two visual systems for the detection of object motion in rabbit retina.

Small-tufted (ST) ganglion cells of rabbit retina are divided into eight types based upon morphology, branching pattern, level of dendritic stratification, and quantitative dimensional analysis. Only one of these types has been previously characterized in Golgi preparations, and four may be discerned in the work of others. Given their small dendritic-field size, and assuming uniform mosaics of each across the retina, ST cells comprise about 45% of all rabbit ganglion cells, and are therefore of major functional significance. Four ST cells occur as two paramorphic (a/b) pairs, and thus belong to class III, as previously defined. Four branch in sublaminae a and b of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) and therefore belong to class IV. ST cells have small cell bodies 10-15 microm in diameter, small axons 0.7-1.3 microm in diameter, and small dendritic-field diameters, 40-110 microm in mid-visual streak. The dendrites of ST cells are highly branched, and bear spines and appendages of varying length, but vary from type to type. Class III.2 cells and class III.3 cells are partly bistratified. Class IV small-tufted cells differ characteristically in multiple features of dendritic branching and stratification. Class III small-tufted cells apparently have concentric (ON-center and OFF-center) receptive fields and may have "sluggish-transient" (class III.2) and "sluggish-sustained" (class III.3) physiology. Class IV cells include the "local-edge-detector" (LED) (class IVst1), and are all expected to give ON-OFF responses to small, centered, slowly moving visual stimuli. Based upon systematic variation in dendritic-field size across the retina, ST cells may be divided into two groups. In this "universal prey" species, they may belong to two systems of motion detection, typified by ON-OFF directionally selective and LED ganglion cells, respectively, specialized for detection of rapid motion at the horizon for land-based predators, and slow motion for airborne predators.

Animals↗

A secreted form of the beta-amyloid precursor protein (sAPP695) improves spatial recognition memory in OF1 mice.

The beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) plays a central role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and appears to be a multifunctional protein. Secreted forms of APP (sAPP) have memory-enhancing effects in certain behavioral paradigms. To investigate sAPP's role in spatial memory processes, we adapted a spatial recognition task and evaluated (1) the performance of OF1 mice after massed training (single 15-min acquisition session) and distributed training (three 5-min acquisition sessions), (2) the decline of spatial recognition performance by introducing different delays (5min, 1, 3, and 24h) between the acquisition and retention phases, and (3) the effects of sAPP(695) on spatial recognition memory. In the present study, mice selectively reacted to a change in the spatial configuration of five objects. Indeed, 3min post-acquisition, mice performed similarly in the massed and distributed versions of the task, by re-exploring the two displaced objects only, whereas mice exposed to the same spatial configuration did not. Additionally, all mice did react to a novel object in a subsequent object recognition phase. Mice detected object displacements 5min, 1h, or 3h post-acquisition, but no more at a 24h-delay. Finally, mice treated with sAPP(695) intracerebroventricularly at a dose of 0.5pg/4microL/mouse, 20-min pre-acquisition or 5-min post-acquisition, still reacted to a spatial change in objects position 24h post-acquisition, in marked contrast to NaCl-treated mice. Our data demonstrate that sAPP(695) significantly improves a form of spatial memory, and confirms the hypothesis of an action of this protein on early memory processes.

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗

Dichromats detect colour-camouflaged objects that are not detected by trichromats.

To explain the surprisingly high frequency of congenital red-green colour blindness, the suggestion has been made that dichromats might be at an advantage in breaking certain kinds of colour camouflage. We have compared the performance of dichromats and normal observers in a task in which texture is camouflaged by colour. The texture elements in a target area differed in either orientation or size from the background elements. In one condition, the texture elements were all of the same colour; in the camouflage condition they were randomly coloured red or green. For trichromats, it proved to be more difficult to detect the target region in the camouflage condition, even though colour was completely irrelevant to the task. Dichromats (n = 7) did not show this effect, and indeed performed better than trichromats in the camouflage condition. We conclude that colour can interfere with segregation based upon texture, and that dichromats are less susceptible to such interference.

Color Perception↗

A new synaptic plasticity rule for networks of spiking neurons.

In this paper, we describe a new Synaptic Plasticity Activity Rule (SAPR) developed for use in networks of spiking neurons. Such networks can be used for simulations of physiological experiments as well as for other computations like image analysis. Most synaptic plasticity rules use artificially defined functions to modify synaptic connection strengths. In contrast, our rule makes use of the existing postsynaptic potential values to compute the value of adjustment. The network of spiking neurons we consider consists of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Each neuron is implemented as an integrate-and-fire model that accurately mimics the behavior of biological neurons. To test performance of our new plasticity rule we designed a model of a biologically-inspired signal processing system, and used it for object detection in eye images of diabetic retinopathy patients, and lung images of cystic fibrosis patients. The results show that the network detects the edges of objects within an image, essentially segmenting it. Our ultimate goal, however, is not the development of an image segmentation tool that would be more efficient than nonbiological algorithms, but developing a physiologically correct neural network model that could be applied to a wide range of neurological experiments. We decided to validate the SAPR by using it in a network of spiking neurons for image segmentation because it is easy to visually assess the results. An important thing is that image segmentation is done in an entirely unsupervised way.

Algorithms↗