Exploring Transfer Learning Approaches for Head Pose Classification from Multi-view Surveillance Images

Head pose classification from surveillance images acquired with distant, large field-of-view cameras is difficult as faces are captured at low-resolution and have a blurred appearance. Domain adaptation approaches are useful for transferring knowledge from the training (source) to the test (target) data when they have different attributes, minimizing target data labeling efforts in the process. This paper examines the use of transfer learning for efficient multi-view head pose classification with minimal target training data under three challenging situations: (i) where the range of head poses in the source and target images is different, (ii) where source images capture a stationary person while target images capture a moving person whose facial appearance varies under motion due to changing perspective, scale and (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii). On the whole, the presented methods represent novel transfer learning solutions employed in the context of multi-view head pose classification. We demonstrate that the proposed solutions considerably outperform the state-of-the-art through extensive experimental validation. Finally, the DPOSE dataset compiled for benchmarking head pose classification performance with moving persons, and to aid behavioral understanding applications is presented in this work.     

A cassette system for systematic cryostorage of low-temperature scanning electron microscopy stubs

A system is described for the storage of cylindrical (10 × 3.5 mm) stubs for low-temperature scanning electron microscopy. The system facilitates rapid retrieval of mounted specimens, maximizes the capacity of the low-temperature (liquid nitrogen) specimen store, locates each stub exactly in a protected well, and eliminates the possibility of specimen damage from conventional hazards during transport between the storage facility and microscope.     

The Impact of Personality on the Subjective Assessment of Usability

The system usability scale (SUS) has been widely employed in both the field and the laboratory as a valid and reliable measure of system usability. Although its psychometric properties are relatively well understood, the impact that differences in users’ personality traits have on their perceived usability of products, services, and systems has not been deeply explored—even though people’s scores on personality traits have been shown to be reliable and predict a staggering array of societally important outcomes in work, school, and life domains. In this study, 268 users assessed the usability of 20 different products retrospectively with the SUS. Five broad personality traits were then measured using the Mini-IPIP scale. Results indicated that measured personality traits do correlate with the rated usability of products, where measures of Openness to Experience and Agreeableness have the strongest positive correlations with subjective usability assessment. Implications for practitioners, designers, and researchers are discussed.     

Optical properties of PMMA doped with erbium(III) and ytterbium(III) complexes

In this article, we report the fabrication and optical/spectroscopic properties of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) doped with rare earth (RE) (Er³⁺ and Er³⁺/Yb³⁺) ions. Infrared spectroscopy revealed only very weak O? H stretching vibration peaks in the samples, which is important if satisfactory photoluminescence is to be observed at 1530 nm. Measurement of transmission spectra in the wavelength ranges from 300 to 700 nm for Er³⁺‐doped samples and from 900 to 1050 nm for Yb³⁺‐doped samples enabled us to observe the ⁴G_11/2 (377 nm) and ²H_11/2 (519 nm) transmission bands typical for Er³⁺‐doped samples, as well as the ²F_5/2 (975 nm) band typical for Yb³⁺‐doped samples. Under excitation at 980 nm, at room temperature, the characteristic Er³⁺ emission at 1530 nm was also observed with improving trend when the higher RE concentrations were applied. The results indicate that the PMMA reveals very low tendency to the RE clustering, which together with low cost and easy fabrication make it a material with a great potential in the active photonics devices. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Understanding how people process health information: A comparison of tailored and nontailored weight-loss materials.

Health information tailored to meet individuals' unique needs has been shown to be more effective than generic information in promoting risk-reducing behavior changes. To explore mechanisms underlying tailoring's effectiveness, this study randomly assigned 198 overweight adults to receive weight-loss materials that were either (a) tailored to the individual, (b) in an American Heart Association (AHA) brochure, or (c) AHA-content formatted to look like tailored materials. Participants who received tailored materials had more positive thoughts about the materials, positive personal connections to the materials, positive self-assessment thoughts, and positive thoughts indicating behavioral intention than those who received either of the untailored materials. The tailoring of health information can significantly improve the chances the information will be thoughtfully considered and can stimulate prebehavioral changes such as self-assessment and intention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Protein Abundance of Drug Transporters in Human Hepatitis C Livers

Transmembrane drug transport in hepatocytes is one of the major determinants of drug pharmacokinetics. In the present study, ABC transporters (P-gp, MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, MRP4, BCRP, and BSEP) and SLC transporters (MCT1, NTCP, OAT2, OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1, OCT1, and OCT3) were quantified for protein abundance (LC-MS/MS) and mRNA levels (qRT-PCR) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected liver samples from the Child–Pugh class A (n = 30), B (n = 21), and C (n = 7) patients. Protein levels of BSEP, MRP3, MCT1, OAT2, OATP1B3, and OCT3 were not significantly affected by HCV infection. P-gp, MRP1, BCRP, and OATP1B3 protein abundances were upregulated, whereas those of MRP2, MRP4, NTCP, OATP2B1, and OCT1 were downregulated in all HCV samples. The observed changes started to be seen in the Child–Pugh class A livers, i.e., upregulation of P-gp and MRP1 and downregulation of MRP2, MRP4, BCRP, and OATP1B3. In the case of NTCP, OATP2B1, and OCT1, a decrease in the protein levels was observed in the class B livers. In the class C livers, no other changes were noted than those in the class A and B patients. The results of the study demonstrate that drug transporter protein abundances are affected by the functional state of the liver in hepatitis C patients.     

Approximate Bayesian multibody tracking

Visual tracking of multiple targets is a challenging problem, especially when efficiency is an issue. Occlusions, if not properly handled, are a major source of failure. Solutions supporting principled occlusion reasoning have been proposed but are yet unpractical for online applications. This paper presents a new solution which effectively manages the trade-off between reliable modeling and computational efficiency. The hybrid joint-separable (HJS) filter is derived from a joint Bayesian formulation of the problem, and shown to be efficient while optimal in terms of compact belief representation. Computational efficiency is achieved by employing a Markov random field approximation to joint dynamics and an incremental algorithm for posterior update with an appearance likelihood that implements a physically-based model of the occlusion process. A particle filter implementation is proposed which achieves accurate tracking during partial occlusions, while in cases of complete occlusion, tracking hypotheses are bound to estimated occlusion volumes. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm is efficient, robust, and able to resolve long-term occlusions between targets with identical appearance.     

Tunable Bragg filters based on polymer swelling

We report on the optical properties of Bragg mirrors and filters fabricated from photo-cross-linked standard optical polymers. The transmittance spectra of these devices in the visible to near-infrared spectral range were measured. We demonstrate efficient tuning of the filter peak of the polymer Bragg filters over several hundred nanometers by adding organic solvents to the surrounding atmosphere of the filter. This represents what we believe to be a novel tuning principle for Bragg filters relying on the use of polymeric materials.