Sight Research Articles

Road object detection method based on improved YOLOv5 algorithm

Aiming at the existing network's poor recognition of distant targets in road traffic scenes, insufficient expression of target features, and inaccurate target positioning, a road target detection method based on the improved YOLOv5 algorithm is proposed. Firstly, the feature extraction structure of the YOLOv5 algorithm is summarized, and the shortcomings of the original network structure are analyzed; secondly, a small target detection layer is added on the basis of the original network, and the recognition ability of the network for distant targets is improved by supplementing the fusion feature layer and introducing an additional detection head; thirdly, the original detection head is decoupled, and the expression ability of the network for target features is improved by changing the bounding box regression and target classification process into two branches; then, the prior frame is re-clustered, and the height-width ratio of the prior frame is adjusted by the K-means++ algorithm to enhance the network's positioning ability for the target; finally, ablation, comparison and visualization verification experiments are carried out with AP, mAP and FPS as evaluation indicators. The results show that the detection speed of the proposed algorithm on the BDD100K dataset is 95.2 frames/second, and the average accuracy reaches 55.6%, which is higher than that of the YOLOv5 algorithm 6.7%. It can be seen that the improved YOLOv5 algorithm has good target detection accuracy while meeting the real-time requirements of detection. It is suitable for road target detection tasks in complex traffic environments and has guiding significance for improving the visual perception ability of autonomous vehicles.

Remembrances of Paul Locher

Paul Locher passed away on 20 August 2024. Paul was an outstanding scientist and a central figure in the field of empirical aesthetics. He made important contributions to numerous areas including the study of symmetry, balance, facial attractiveness, museum behaviour, artwork composition and restoration, and aesthetics of food, but in particular to the study of eye movements in aesthetic appreciation of artworks. Indeed, his research on eye tracking is a touchstone for visual perception in empirical aesthetics. Here, a group of Paul's colleagues remember and celebrate him through a set of recollections that honour how he shaped their research and lives. It is hoped that this will offer a glimpse into the wonderful scholar and human being that Paul was, and why he will be sorely missed.

Understanding the body image perception of pregnant women during their third trimester in a tertiary care setting in Southern India

BackgroundPregnancy is a known physiological phenomenon characterized by various changes in the body. The physical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy may impact the body image which may lead to implications such as body image issues or poor eating habits among pregnant women. This study aimed to analyze the body image perception of pregnant women in their third trimester.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey which involved the administration of a Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), was conducted among pregnant women between 28 and 40 weeks of gestation in a tertiary care setting in Southern India. Descriptive statistics were used to report the demographic characteristics of the respondents. A one-sample t-test was used to analyze the difference between the present sample scores and the published norms of MBSRQ. Univariate Logistic Regression was done to find the association between the demographic variables and subdomains of MBSRQ.ResultsThe mean age of the respondents (n = 246) was 29.5 years, and the period of gestation was 33.4 weeks. With mean scores of subscales of MSRQ as reference values, a greater proportion of women had higher scores on appearance orientation (52.44%), health evaluation (56.91%), and illness orientation (55.28%). Respondents scored less on appearance evaluation (52.03%) and body areas satisfaction scale (50.41%). The study found that pre-pregnancy BMI, abdominal circumference, and weight gain during pregnancy were associated with appearance orientation, overweight preoccupation, and self-classified weight. Health evaluation was associated with weight gain and Instagram use, while moderate-intensity physical activity during pregnancy was associated with higher health orientation.ConclusionAlthough pregnant women in our setting during the third trimester were oriented towards their appearance and considered themselves healthy and fit, almost half of the respondents reported dissatisfaction with their changing bodies and appearance. Self-reported physical activity status, body mass index, weight gain, level of education, use of Instagram app, and type of family were factors found to affect pregnant body image perception. Hence, we conclude that body image perception is affected during pregnancy, and healthcare professionals should be aware of this, and the factors associated with it while addressing the health of pregnant women.Clinical trial registration detailsThe study was registered under the Clinical Trials Registry- India: CTRI/2023/08/056524. https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/rmaindet.php?trialid=89771&EncHid=39880.12369&modid=1&compid=19.

Assessment of Eating Disorder Risk According to Sport Level, Sex, and Social Media Use among Polish Football Players: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: Eating disorders (EDs) pose a significant health issue affecting athletes, with risk factors varying by sport level, sex, and social media use. This study assesses the risk of EDs among professional and amateur football players, considering these factors, and compares findings with a control group of non-athletes. Methods: The study involved 170 participants, including non-athletes as a control group, categorized by sex and sport level. The mean age of participants was 24.3 ± 4.20, with an age range of 18–36. The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and body mass index (BMI) assessments were used to determine ED risk. Results: Results showed a higher prevalence of ED risk among professional athletes, especially women, compared to amateurs and non-athletes. Social media use and body comparisons were linked to increased ED risk, with professional athletes exhibiting higher vulnerability due to performance pressures. Women, particularly those in professional sports, showed a higher risk of EDs than men, influenced by social and aesthetic pressures. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, promoting healthier body image perceptions and addressing social media’s role in shaping body dissatisfaction. Psychological support and sex-specific strategies should be integrated into athlete care programs to mitigate these risks.

Level of Gamification Instruction in Language, Literacy, and Communication Domains for Kindergarten

This study aimed to assess the level of gamification instruction in language, literacy, and communication domains for kindergarten, in private schools, in a highly urbanized city in Central Philippines during the school year 2023-2024. Data for this descriptive study was collected from 34 kindergarten teachers using a self-made data-gathering instrument that underwent a stringent validity and reliability test with scores of 4.51 and 0.848, respectively. The results reveal that teachers’ level of gamification instruction was generally very high. Subsequent analysis indicated no significant difference in the level of gamification instruction in auditory perception and discrimination, oral language, alphabet knowledge, and study skills when grouped by age, area of concentration, length of service, and number of trainings attended. Meanwhile, a significant difference was observed in auditory perception and discrimination, visual perception discrimination, alphabet knowledge, and study skills when grouped by highest educational attainment. Likewise, there was a significant difference in visual perception and discrimination when grouped by highest educational attainment and length of service. Hence, this study recommends professional development for younger teachers, tailored gamified activities pieces of training, and the creation of a climate conducive to learning in the research environment. Keywords: Gamification Instruction, Language, Literacy, Communication, Kindergarten

Assessment of Quality of Life, Self-Esteem and Body Image Perception According to Marital Status in Employed Women

Assessment of Quality of Life, Self-Esteem and Body Image Perception According to Marital Status in Employed Women

Expectation generation and its effect on subsequent pain and visual perception.

Bayesian accounts of perception, such as predictive processing, suggest that perceptions integrate expectations and sensory experience, and thus assimilate to expected values. Furthermore, more precise expectations should have stronger influences on perception. We tested these hypotheses in a paradigm that manipulates both the mean value and the precision of cues within-person. Forty-five participants observed cues-presented as ratings from 10 previous participants-with varying cue means, variances (precision), and skewness across trials. Participants reported expectations regarding the painfulness of thermal stimuli or the visual contrast of flickering checkerboards. Subsequently, similar cues were each followed by a visual or noxious thermal stimulus. While perceptions assimilated to expected values in both modalities, cues' precision mainly affected visual ratings. Furthermore, behavioral and computational models revealed that expectations were biased towards extreme values in both modalities, and towards low-pain cues specifically. fMRI analysis revealed that the cues affected systems related to higher-level affective and cognitive processes-including assimilation to the cue mean in a neuromarker of endogenous contributions to pain and in the nucleus accumbens, and activity consistent with aversive prediction-error-like encoding in the periaqueductal gray during pain perception-but not systems related to early perceptual processing. Our findings suggest that predictive processing theories should be combined with mechanisms such as selective attention to better fit empirical findings, and that expectation generation and its perceptual effects are mostly modality-specific and operate on higher-level processes rather than early perception.

Visual Quality Analysis of Diyarbakır Sur District's Historical Buildings and Surroundings

Historical sites are structures, monuments, or areas that carry the traces of the past and hold significant importance in the collective memory of society. The cultural, historical, and architectural value of historic places is important for visual perception. Visual quality analysis aims to assess the physical condition and appearance of these historic places and to identify their conservation and maintenance needs. This analysis plays an important role in the decisions to be taken for the preservation of the place. The parameters that influence visual quality reflect the preservation and maintenance of the place, the visitor experience, the importance of cultural heritage for conservation, tourism and economy, and social awareness. Visual perception of historic places refers to how people perceive these places and how this perception is associated with the historical, cultural, and architectural features of the place. The visual perception of historic places may vary depending on various factors. The visual perception of historic places is important for their preservation, visitor experience and the continuation of cultural heritage. While a positive visual perception of historic places can make them more valuable and important in society, a negative perception can damage their reputation and make it difficult to preserve them. For this reason, the visual perception of historical places is an important factor that should be taken into account in determining conservation and maintenance strategies and in the promotion of places. In this study, thirty historical places in Diyarbakır Sur District were evaluated by 10 experts according to visual quality parameters. As a result, with the scores obtained in the visual perception of historical places, suggestions were made for the protection of these places, their importance in terms of tourism and the continuation of cultural heritage.

Non-orthogonal spectacle correction for irregular astigmatism.

To investigate the potential improvement in visual acuity and subjective perception of image quality in patients with keratoconus using non-orthogonal correction (NOC) cylinder trial lenses where the steep and flat power meridians are set at angles less or greater than 90°. A set of NOC plano/cylindrical trial lenses, where the axes between the power meridians were set at a range of non-orthogonal angles, were used to refract 18 participants with keratoconus in whom 23 eyes were used for testing. Corneal elevation data were processed by bespoke MATLAB code from Pentacam Scheimpflug tomographer scans. Each participant first underwent subjective refraction using standard orthogonal cylinder trial lenses, and the monocular best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, logMAR) was recorded for each eye. They then underwent a second subjective refraction using NOC cylinder trial lenses created for the study and completed a questionnaire to elicit their subjective appraisal of letter clarity and ghosting. Fourteen (61%) eyes demonstrated an increase in objective BCVA with the NOC versus the orthogonal correction; seven (30%) eyes showed no change and in two (9%) eyes, the BCVA was slightly worse. Further, 87% and 79% experienced an increase in letter clarity and a reduction in ghosting, respectively, independent of changes in BCVA. The majority of non-orthogonal angles were in the range of 80°-85°, and it was possible to refine the cylinder and axis of the NOC further compared with the orthogonal correction. All but one of the participants said they would be interested in trying non-orthogonal spectacles if the opportunity arose. Correcting irregular astigmatism in keratoconic individuals with non-orthogonal spectacle correction may provide benefit in terms of increased visual acuity, improvements in letter clarity and a reduction of ghosting effects. This type of correction has the potential to improve the overall quality of life for patients with keratoconus.

Francisco de Melo’s theory of vision

ABSTRACT As a complement to his version of Euclid’s Optics, the Portuguese mathematician Francisco the Melo (1490-1536) wrote a short treatise on the principles of vision that also included a summary description of the components of the eye. Combining arguments of geometric and anatomical nature, that text helps us to understand some of the conflicting ideas of the Renaissance period, before Kepler, but it also invites us to reread the contributions of a number of authors from the Middle Ages, with a particular focus on Alhacen and Witelo. Although Melo's theory of vision cannot be classified as exactly groundbreaking, it presents many interesting and singular peculiarities. In particular the way in which Melo justifies the existence of rays emitted by the eye while incorporating, at the same time, some elements of the intromission theories, and the clear steps he gives to single out the perpendicular ray in the mechanism behind a faithful and distinct vision.

Pre-stimulus neural activity and visual perception in schizophrenia

Pre-stimulus neural activity and visual perception in schizophrenia

Learning Internal Representations of 3D Transformations From 2D Projected Inputs.

We describe a computational model for inferring 3D structure from the motion of projected 2D points in an image, with the aim of understanding how biological vision systems learn and internally represent 3D transformations from the statistics of their input. The model uses manifold transport operators to describe the action of 3D points in a scene as they undergo transformation. We show that the model can learn the generator of the Lie group for these transformations from purely 2D input, providing a proof-of-concept demonstration for how biological systems could adapt their internal representations based on sensory input. Focusing on a rotational model, we evaluate the ability of the model to infer depth from moving 2D projected points and to learn rotational transformations from 2D training stimuli. Finally, we compare the model performance to psychophysical performance on structure-from-motion tasks.

A Longitudinal Study on Body Image Perception and Size among Italian Early Adolescents: Changes over Time and Discrepancies between Genders.

The discrepancy between the current perceived body image (BI) and beauty ideals leads to dissatisfaction, which is believed to be common among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the stability in BI perceptions and dissatisfaction during early adolescence. Another aim was to highlight differences in dissatisfaction according to Body Mass Index (BMI) and inconsistencies in weight status perception. Two hundred and nine participants (mean age at first survey: 11.33 ± 0.38 years) were enrolled in this longitudinal study with three years of follow-up. Data on size and BI perceptions were collected through individual interviews. Stature and weight were directly measured. Findings indicated significant changes over three years in anthropometric traits but not in weight status prevalence or BI perception and dissatisfaction, except for the ideal figure in males and weight control in females. The results also indicated a significant difference in BI perception and dissatisfaction by BMI categories. Self-reported body measurements were found to be unreliable with a weak-to-moderate agreement between self-perceived and actual weight status. BI perception appears quite stable across the three years considered. Dissatisfaction is similar in both genders, although a tendency toward different gender aesthetic ideals is already appreciable in early adolescence. We suggest that the lower frequency of normal-weight adolescents compared with peers in previous studies is attributable to the effects of the recent pandemic. Given the growing dissatisfaction with increasing BMI and misinterpretations of weight status, school actions to promote a healthy lifestyle and positive BI should be undertaken.

The Influence Of Brand Image, Taste, And Price Perception On Purchasing Decisions For Sarimi Instant Noodles In Surabaya

Sarimi is a brand of instant noodles in Indonesia produced by Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur which was launched in 1982. Just like other instant noodle products, sarimi is sold in various types of products and flavors according to consumer needs. With so many brands of instant noodles in Indonesia, the reality is that sales of Sarimi instant noodles have decreased from year to year. This research aims to determine the influence of brand image, taste and price perception on purchasing decisions for sarimi instant noodles. The population of this study were Active Students of UPN "Veteran" East Java who had purchased and consumed sarimi instant noodles in Surabaya. This research used a quantitative method with 80 respondents collected using purposive sampling, namely, the sampling technique was determined using special or specific criteria for the sample. Meanwhile, the analysis used was Partial Least Square (PLS). The research results show that brand image, taste and price perception have a positive and significant effect on purchasing decisions for sarimi instant noodles.

Efficacy of an Animal-Assisted Therapy Program in the Development of Children With Down Syndrome

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a dog-assisted intervention program in occupational therapy (OT) sessions in the treatment of children with Down syndrome (DS). A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 14 children with DS (9–12 years old) randomly distributed into two groups: control and experimental. Both received 12 OT sessions, one per week. The experimental group also received dog-assisted therapy. To evaluate the effects of the program, the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI), the Test of Playfulness (ToP), an ethogram of positive and negative social behaviors, and comparisons of vasopressin levels in the urine of children upon awakening and after sessions were used. The results showed that after the conventional intervention, the control group had a significant increase in visual perception and attention scores. The experimental group showed a significantly higher frequency of satisfaction and interactivity behaviors. We found that the presence of the dog maximizes the social skills of children with DS and increases their engagement in positive social interactions; however, conventional OT sessions were more effective with visual-motor performance. No physiological changes were observed in either group after the intervention.

From pathogens to paintings: A preliminary investigation into the behavioral immune system’s influence on visual aesthetic appreciation and perception.

From pathogens to paintings: A preliminary investigation into the behavioral immune system’s influence on visual aesthetic appreciation and perception.

Sensory-memory interactions via modular structure explain errors in visual working memory.

Errors in stimulus estimation reveal how stimulus representation changes during cognitive processes. Repulsive bias and minimum variance observed near cardinal axes are well-known error patterns typically associated with visual orientation perception. Recent experiments suggest that these errors continuously evolve during working memory, posing a challenge that neither static sensory models nor traditional memory models can address. Here, we demonstrate that these evolving errors, maintaining characteristic shapes, require network interaction between two distinct modules. Each module fulfills efficient sensory encoding and memory maintenance, which cannot be achieved simultaneously in a single-module network. The sensory module exhibits heterogeneous tuning with strong inhibitory modulation reflecting natural orientation statistics. While the memory module, operating alone, supports homogeneous representation via continuous attractor dynamics, the fully connected network forms discrete attractors with moderate drift speed and nonuniform diffusion processes. Together, our work underscores the significance of sensory-memory interaction in continuously shaping stimulus representation during working memory.

Cognitive Functions in Adolescent Girls with Anorexia Nervosa during Nutritional Rehabilitation.

The present study aimed to evaluate cognitive function and laboratory parameters in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa (AN) before and after nutritional rehabilitation (NR) compared to healthy female peers (CG). We evaluated 36 girls with AN at two-time points, during acute malnutrition (AN1) and after NR, in a partially normalized weight status (AN2). We compared their cognitive functions and laboratory parameters to 48 healthy CG subjects. Cognitive function was assessed using a Cognitive Assessment Battery (CAB) assessment, depressive symptom levels were assessed using a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) assessment, and eating disorders were assessed using an Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26). The AN1 group scored better in total cognition, attention, estimation, and spatial perception than the CG group (p < 0.05), with scores increasing in the AN2 group. Shifting and visual perception values did not differ between the study groups (p = 0.677, p = 0.506, respectively). Laboratory tests showed no significant abnormalities and did not differ significantly between groups (p > 0.05). There was a negative correlation for EAT-26 and CAB in the AN1 group (rho = -0.43, p = 0.01), but not for BDI. Cognitive function in adolescent girls with AN was better than CG and correlated with EAT-26 score. These results highlight the high compensatory capacity of the adolescent body to maintain cognitive function despite severe malnutrition. Our results suggest that although normalization of body weight is crucial, other factors can significantly influence improvements in cognitive function. Cognitive deficits and laboratory tests may not be biomarkers of early forms of AN.

A Near-Infrared Retinomorphic Device with High Dimensionality Reservoir Expression.

Physical reservoir-based reservoir computing (RC) systems for intelligent perception have recently gained attention because they require fewer computing resources. However, the system remains limited in infrared (IR) machine vision, including materials and physical reservoir expression power. Inspired by biological visual perception systems, the study proposes a near-infrared (NIR) retinomorphic device that simultaneously perceives and encodes narrow IR spectral information (at ≈980nm). The proposed device, featuring core-shell upconversion nanoparticle/poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanocomposite channels, enables the absorption and conversion of NIR into high-energy photons to excite more photo carriers in P3HT. The photon-electron-coupled dynamics under the synergy of photovoltaic and photogating effects influence the nonlinearity and high dimensionality of the RC system under narrow-band NIR irradiation. The device also exhibits multilevel data storage capability (≥8 levels), excellent stability (≥2000 s), and durability (≥100 cycles). The system accurately identifies NIR static and dynamic handwritten digit images, achieving recognition accuracies of 91.13% and 90.07%, respectively. Thus, the device tackles intricate computations like solving second-order nonlinear dynamic equations with minimal errors (normalized mean squared errorof 1.06 × 10⁻3 during prediction).

Thalamic Roles in Conscious Perception Revealed by Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation.

The neural basis of conscious perception remains incompletely understood. While cortical mechanisms of conscious content have been extensively investigated, the role of subcortical structures, including the thalamus, remains less explored. We aim to elucidate the causal contributions of different thalamic regions to conscious perception using transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) neuromodulation. We hypothesize that modulating different thalamic regions would result in distinct perceptual outcomes. We apply LIFU in human volunteers to investigate region-specific and sonication parameter-dependent effects. We target anterior (transmodal-dominant) and posterior (unimodal-dominant) thalamic regions, further divided into ventral and dorsal regions, while participants perform a near-threshold visual perception task. Task performance is evaluated using Signal Detection Theory metrics. We find that the high duty cycle stimulation of the ventral anterior thalamus enhanced object recognition sensitivity. We also observe a general (i.e., region-independent) effect of LIFU on decision bias (i.e., a tendency toward a particular response) and object categorization accuracy. Specifically, high duty cycle stimulation decreases categorization accuracy, whereas low duty cycle shifts decision bias towards a more conservative stance. In conclusion, our results provide causal insight into the functional organization of the thalamus in shaping human visual experience and highlight the unique role of the transmodal-dominant ventral anterior thalamus.