Jpg Format Research Articles

Metadata Extraction for Calculating Object Perimeter in Images

The objective of this paper is to present the results of a class developed with routines in Java language, and contribution of OpenCV library, for analysis and extraction of metadata from images. To evaluate the developed class, three different figures were produced in cardstock and their perimeters were measured with a millimeter ruler. Then these figures were scanned for further image analysis with aid of the developed class. The images of the figures were initially saved in BMP format. After it, each of the images in BMP format were saved in JPG and PNG file formats resulting, at the end, on nine images. The validation of the correct extraction of the image metadata and so the perimeter value of the object was performed by comparing the valuesobtained by direct measurement perimeter of the figure, with a millimeter ruler, and the values obtained with digital image processing, counting the contour pixels of the image of the figure, and using the image resolution, one of the extracted metadata. For the edge detection and counting of the contour pixels of object, the algorithms cvFindContours() and cvContourPerimeter(), of OpenCV library, were used. It was obtained, for the worst case, a percentage error of 8.0 %, for images with BMP and PNG format. Therefore, the developed class presents satisfactory results and is recommended to extract and calculate measures of an object present in the image.

Staff Letter

Staff Letter

Cultural Heritage: An example of graphical documentation with automated photogrammetric systems

Abstract. In the field of Cultural Heritage, the use of automated photogrammetric systems, based on Structure from Motion techniques (SfM), is widely used, in particular for the study and for the documentation of the ancient ruins. This work has been carried out during the PhD cycle that was produced the "Carta Archeologica del territorio intorno al monte Massico". The study suggests the archeological documentation of the mausoleum "Torre del Ballerino" placed in the south-west area of Falciano del Massico, along the Via Appia. The graphic documentation has been achieved by using photogrammetric system (Image Based Modeling) and by the classical survey with total station, Nikon Nivo C. The data acquisition was carried out through digital camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 17–40 mm f/4L USM @ 20 mm with images snapped in RAW and corrected in Adobe Lightroom. During the data processing, the camera calibration and orientation was carried out by the software Agisoft Photoscans and the final result has allowed to achieve a scaled 3D model of the monument, imported in software MeshLab for the different view. Three orthophotos in jpg format were extracted by the model, and then were imported in AutoCAD obtaining façade’s surveys.

Comparación de la forma de arco anteroinferior individualizado con el método de selección mandibular de Interlandi en modelos con oclusión normal

El objetivo del estudio es encontrar la forma de arco anteroinferior en oclusiones naturales normales y relacionar este hallazgo con el método de Interlandi de selección del arco anterior mandibular. La muestra fue 9 modelos de estudio de la arcada inferior (5 varones y 4 mujeres entre 13-17 años) en normooclusión, con apiñamiento leve, sin faceta de desgaste, sin fracturas coronarias, sin caries ni restauraciones y sin algún tipo de anomalía dentaria en forma, tamaño y número. Se realizó la digitalización de los modelos (con puntos de referencia en cúspide de caninos, punto interincisivo y cara distal de caninos) con un papel milimetrado (para el calibrado en el software Corel Draw x5), con mismas condiciones (brillo, contraste, ampliación al 100%) y guardados en formato jpg. Una vez calibrada la imagen del modelo, se alineó las cúspides de los caninos en el plano horizontal. Se realizó la primera técnica con la formación del segmento de arco individualizado para cada modelo, formado a partir de 3 puntos no alineados (2 puntos: cúspides de caninos y 1 punto: punto interincisivo); Se midió el radio, ángulo, distancia intercanina, y altura del segmento de arco. Así mismo la segunda técnica con método de Interlandi; eligiendo la curva que mejor se adapte de canino a canino, y en cada curva fue trazada las líneas: intercanina, altura del segmento de arco, midiéndose el radio, ángulo, distancia intercanina, y altura del segmento de arco. En esta técnica, se respetó la longitud de arco de la cartilla de Interlandi, y se trazó desde la cara distal de los caninos hacia el origen del segmento de arco de Interlandi, formando el ángulo intercanino total en la plantilla de interlandi y se midió el ángulo total intercanino. Los datos fueron procesados con el SPSS 15, evaluando para cada variable (media, desviación estándar, mínimo, máximo), entre variables en la primera técnica un análisis bivariada (Correlación de Pearson) y comparando las dos técnicas en muestras relacionadas (t de Student). Los resultados obtenidos para el radio del segmento de Arco anterior tiene un promedio de 20,73mm ± 3,76, comparado al radio del segmento en Interlandi con 20,66mm ± 3,67, el ángulo del segmento de Arco anterior tiene un promedio de 87,48° ± 11,54, comparado al ángulo del segmento en Interlandi con 87,68° ± 11,27, la distancia intercanina en el segmento de Arco anterior tiene un promedio de 28,05mm ± 1,75, comparado a la distancia intercanina del segmento en Interlandi con 28,04mm ± 1,78, la altura del segmento de Arco anterior tiene un promedio de 5,61mm ± 0,64, comparado a la altura del segmento en Interlandi con 5,62mm ± 0,62. La correlación entre las variables dentro del segmento de arco anterior, se encontró que existe una fuerte correlación entre el radio y el ángulo, el radio y la distancia intercanina, el radio y la altura, así mismo el ángulo y la distancia intercanina, el ángulo y la altura, pero no existe una correlación entre la distancia intercanina y la altura. Al comparar ambos métodos se observa que no existe una diferencia estadísticamente significativa para el radio, el ángulo, la distancia intercanina y la altura del segmento de arco anterior con los arcos anteriores de Interlandi, que no habría diferencia alguna en usar los diagramas de interlandi para la selección del arco anterio-inferior. Ya que existe diferencia en el ángulo del arco antero-inferior, se observó las diferencia que existe entre el ángulo del segmento de distal de caninos dentro de Interlandi con un promedio de 110,11° ±14,05 y el ángulo de Interlandi que propone en su diagrama de 120°, siendo esto estadísticamente significante entre ambas medidas.

Image Processing for Face Recognition Rate Enhancement

In this paper, the impact of face image pre-processing in rising the face recognition rate is presented, considering the face images with low contrast, bad or dark lighting. Three preprocessing steps including image adjustment, histogram equalization and image conversion to Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) or (JPG) and Bitmap (BMP) are used to enhance the contrast and the quality of face images respectively. For dimension reduction and feature extraction purposes many techniques are adopted such as Principle Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Kernel Principle Component Analysis KPCA and Kernel Fisher Analysis (KFA) and are used to evaluate the effect of illumination variations and image file formats on these techniques. Our results show that the proposed face databases in JPG and BMP formats produced good enhancement and increased the face recognition rate in all techniques when compared with AT&T ORL face database.

Caracterização das inovações do telejornalismo e a expressividade dos apresentadores

Objetivo : Caracterizar as inovações nos telejornais brasileiros e analisar os impactos na expressividade dos apresentadores, com ênfase nos recursos não verbais. Métodos : O corpus da pesquisa foi constituído por cinco telejornais nacionais brasileiros: Primeiro Jornal (Rede Bandeirantes), Bom Dia Brasil (Rede Globo), Jornal da EPTV (Rede Globo), GloboNews, Edição das 18h (Globo News), Leitura Dinâmica (Rede TV). Os telejornais foram gravados durante cinco semanas, entre os meses de outubro e novembro de 2011. Foi realizada decupagem e edição do material e as cenas selecionadas foram congeladas e transformadas em imagens (formato .jpg ). A análise foi feita pela pesquisadora e por uma fonoaudióloga com experiência e especialização em voz e buscou identificar aspectos das condições de trabalho (cenários, mobiliário, materiais, recursos e/ou equipamentos) e da expressividade dos apresentadores (postura, deslocamentos e comportamento não verbal: expressões corporais, faciais e gestos). Resultados : Foram observados, no contexto das condições de trabalho: cenários com ambientes integrados; ausência da bancada e mobiliário diversificado; novos recursos, tecnologias e equipamentos, como monitores, telas e telões interativos, cenários virtuais, controle remoto de teleprompter pelo apresentador , notebooks, tablets e serviço de acesso à internet. Observou-se uma nova dinâmica de apresentação do telejornal, envolvendo processos interativos diretos, mediados e/ou virtuais. Tais situações, não previstas no modelo tradicional de telejornal, nem na literatura fonoaudiológica em jornalismo, levam o apresentador a realizar diferentes formas de acomodação, posturas, posições, movimentos e deslocamentos, simultaneamente ao emprego dos recursos verbais, vocais e não verbais. Nessa nova dinâmica, o corpo inteiro do jornalista/apresentador mantém-se sob demanda expressiva. Conclusão : Os elementos inovadores no âmbito do telejornalismo interferem na expressividade e precisam ser considerados pela Fonoaudiologia.

Effect of preoperative mastoid ventilation on tympanoplasty success.

Purpose. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between mastoid air cell volumes and graft success after tympanoplasty. Material and Methods. This study was performed retrospectively with patients undergoing type I tympanoplasty and antrostomy. A total of 57 patients (20–35.09% female and 37–64.91% male) with a mean age of 29.69 ± SD (range 12–56 years) were included in the study. The patients were invited for a control at the 1st, 3rd, and 12th months, and otoscopic examinations and audiometric tests were performed. The temporal bone computed tomography images were screened with the 4800 Dpi optic resolution scanner and transferred to the computer environment in JPG format in order to calculate the mastoid air cell volume, and the volumes were calculated using the Autocad 2007 program. Results. Although, the graft success was determined to be better in the well-ventilated group, no significant difference could be found between the groups in terms of graft success at the 1st, 3rd, and 12th months (P > 0.05). No statistically significant difference could be found between the three groups in terms of the preoperative and postoperative hearing gains (P > 0.05).

Categorizing biomedicine images using novel image features and sparse coding representation

BackgroundImages embedded in biomedical publications carry rich information that often concisely summarize key hypotheses adopted, methods employed, or results obtained in a published study. Therefore, they offer valuable clues for understanding main content in a biomedical publication. Prior studies have pointed out the potential of mining images embedded in biomedical publications for automatically understanding and retrieving such images' associated source documents. Within the broad area of biomedical image processing, categorizing biomedical images is a fundamental step for building many advanced image analysis, retrieval, and mining applications. Similar to any automatic categorization effort, discriminative image features can provide the most crucial aid in the process.MethodWe observe that many images embedded in biomedical publications carry versatile annotation text. Based on the locations of and the spatial relationships between these text elements in an image, we thus propose some novel image features for image categorization purpose, which quantitatively characterize the spatial positions and distributions of text elements inside a biomedical image. We further adopt a sparse coding representation (SCR) based technique to categorize images embedded in biomedical publications by leveraging our newly proposed image features.Resultswe randomly selected 990 images of the JPG format for use in our experiments where 310 images were used as training samples and the rest were used as the testing cases. We first segmented 310 sample images following the our proposed procedure. This step produced a total of 1035 sub-images. We then manually labeled all these sub-images according to the two-level hierarchical image taxonomy proposed by [1]. Among our annotation results, 316 are microscopy images, 126 are gel electrophoresis images, 135 are line charts, 156 are bar charts, 52 are spot charts, 25 are tables, 70 are flow charts, and the remaining 155 images are of the type "others". A serial of experimental results are obtained. Firstly, each image categorizing results is presented, and next image categorizing performance indexes such as precision, recall, F-score, are all listed. Different features which include conventional image features and our proposed novel features indicate different categorizing performance, and the results are demonstrated. Thirdly, we conduct an accuracy comparison between support vector machine classification method and our proposed sparse representation classification method. At last, our proposed approach is compared with three peer classification method and experimental results verify our impressively improved performance.ConclusionsCompared with conventional image features that do not exploit characteristics regarding text positions and distributions inside images embedded in biomedical publications, our proposed image features coupled with the SR based representation model exhibit superior performance for classifying biomedical images as demonstrated in our comparative benchmark study.

The World of Virtual Exhibitions

EXTENDED ABSTRACTSpecial collections of the National and University Library (NUK) hide a lot of items of precious value. The Slovenian cultural heritage is stored on paper or on other media as a part of the library’s Manuscripts, Incunabula and Rare Books Collection, Old Prints Collection, Maps and Pictorial Collection, Music Collection, Ephemera Collection, Serials Collection, and Slovenian Diaspora Publications Collection. Only a small part of the treasures is temporary revealed to the public on special exhibitions. The idea of virtual exhibitions of library treasures was born in 2005. The library aimed to exhibit precious items of special collections of high historical or artistic value. In 2008 the first two virtual exhibitions were created in-house offering access to the rich collections of old postcards of Ljubljana at the beginning of 20th century kept in the Maps and Pictorial Collection of NUK. They were soon followed by other virtual exhibitions. At the beginning they were organised in the same way as physical exhibitions, afterwards different programs were used for creation of special effects (for ex. 3D wall). About two years ago it was decided that the creation of virtual exhibitions will be simplified. Files of digitised and borndigital library materials in jpg format are imported to MS PowerPoint 2010. Each jpg file is now formatted by adding a frame, a description … to the slides which are saved as jpg files. The last step is the import of jpg files into Cooliris application used for NUK web exhibitions. In the paper the virtual exhibition design and creation, the technical point of view and criteria for the selection of exhibition content are explained following the example of the virtual exhibitions the Old Postcards of Ljubljana, Photo Ateliers in Slovenia, a collection of photographs Four Seasons by Fran Krašovec and photos of Post-Earthquake Ljubljana in 1895.

Save the WHO Program for Hearing Loss Prevention

Save the WHO Program for Hearing Loss Prevention

In Timor-Leste, a Bumpy, but Rewarding, Road to Hearing Healthcare

In Timor-Leste, a Bumpy, but Rewarding, Road to Hearing Healthcare

CanHEAR Uganda Sets Sights on Sustainability

Figure: Ms. Lefrancois, left, and Ms. Heley, right, have just fitted a child with hearing loss with a hearing aid.In Uganda, hearing losses secondary to infection or medication occur with little warning, and individuals who previously had hearing in the normal range find their lives completely changed. Through a multidisciplinary approach and yearly trips, CanHEAR Uganda aims to enable improvements in clinical care, education, advocacy, and research otolaryngology for our Ugandan colleagues. The Ottawa-based nonprofit is a collaboration between the otolaryngology departments of three North American medical schools: University of British Columbia (UBC), University of Ottawa, and New York University School of Medicine. The team consists of a diverse mix of health care specialists, including audiologists, otolaryngologists, speech-language pathologists, nurses, anesthesiologists, and biomedical engineers. CanHEAR Uganda started in 2000 through the work of Dr. Irwin Stewart, a UBC otolaryngologist. At that time, he was working on a yearly basis in East Africa. On his way home from a trip to Zimbabwe, he visited a colleague in Kampala. Ties were created with the local otolaryngology community, and the project was born. The first official visit was in the winter of 2001, when a team from UBC performed a large study of the prevalence of hearing impairment in Uganda. Their cross-sectional survey demonstrated an 11.7% prevalence of disabling hearing impairment in adults and a 10.2% prevalence in children. In addition, the survey found that correctable causes such as dry perforations, cerumen impaction, and chronic suppurative otitis media resulted in disabling hearing loss in 17% of adult subjects and 41% of children (J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;37[6]:753). After this study, the project truly got under way, with a push for education through temporal bone courses and, eventually, surgical visits, which started in 2006. The main goal of the visits has always been ensuring that an educational experience occurs with every patient encounter for our Ugandan colleagues. An internal audit in 2010 demonstrated that over the course of five years—10 separate visits—just under 200 otologic procedures had been performed using an operating room microscope, which simply did not occur prior to the CanHEAR project. Interestingly, once the local Ugandan otolaryngologists learned these new surgical techniques, they performed almost 100 of the cases independently, without the help of visiting surgeons. The audiology team's mission is to establish optimal, sustainable hearing healthcare services. Depending on the distinct factors of each individual case, recommended next steps for a patient may include amplification, a consultation for surgical treatment, or manual communication. The members of the service perform otoscopy, tympanometry, audiometry, counseling, evaluation of hearing aid candidacy, and hearing aid fittings and follow-up care. They work in close association with the otologists on pre- and postoperative patient assessments. The audiology team also teaches, provides clinical skills training, and offers year-round consultative support.Figure: The local surgical team finishes a case, led by Dr. Michael Awubwa, center.Since 2009, about 80 patients have been fit with hearing aids donated to CanHEAR Uganda. Before our visits, hearing aids were only available to patients who were treated in a private clinic and able to pay in full, keeping this technology out of the reach of most. Now, one of our next challenges is to work with the team at Mulago Hospital to put in place follow-up guidelines and protocols for these patients.Figure: A child with hearing loss has a new hearing aid.The biomedical engineers who participate with the CanHEAR team have been crucial in allowing for successful visits to occur. They often troubleshoot equipment issues for the local institution, helping even beyond the scope of the visit itself. There is considerable need for audiological care in Uganda, where patient presentation is dramatically different compared with North America. CanHEAR Uganda focuses on the otolaryngological and audiological healthcare priorities identified by our Ugandan partners. Together with these partners, we strive to improve the quality of human communication in practical and sustainable ways by building upon past successes and identifying future needs. Audiology Without Borders This column highlights the works of humanitarian hearing healthcare programs and is edited by active humanitarians Jackie Clark, PhD, and King Chung, PhD. Dr. Clark is a clinical associate professor in audiology at the University of Texas at Dallas and a research scholar at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and Dr. Chung is an associate professor of audiology at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Want to see your humanitarian program featured in Audiology Without Borders? Send a 1,000-word manuscript to [email protected]. Photographs are welcome and should be at least 300 dpi in jpg, tif, or gif format. Read past Audiology Without Borders columns in a special collection at http://bit.ly/AudWB. HJ Return to thehearingjournal.com

Quantitative measurement of pseudoexfoliation in the anterior segment of the eye performed in visible light

IntroductionPseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is a systemic disease involving the accumulation of pathological material deposits in the tissues of the anterior segment of the eye. The problem of modern ophthalmology is a quantitative assessment of the severity of PEX in the diagnosis and evaluation of the treatment progress in patients.Material and methodFor the purposes of this study, 52 images of the anterior segment of the eye with the resolution of M × N = 1280 × 960 pixels were obtained in jpg format using the slit lamp CSO 450-SL. The patients were aged 50–80 and were recruited from Poland. All patients who participated in the study provided written informed consent after explanation of the nature and possible consequences of the study. The image analysis method proposed by the authors contains the calculation of the direction field, setting a straight perpendicular line passing through each pixel of the edge of the pupil, the calculation of the intersection of straight lines in order to determine the central point of the pupil position, the detection of the contour of PEX and the outer border of the iris with the use of the polar coordinate system. All analyzed parameters were set automatically with one exception parameter chosen manually depending on the slit lamp type.ResultsA fully automatic measurement of PEX was carried out with the proposed method. Quantitative results enable to perform reproducible tests independently of the research centre. Owing to the image analysis method proposed by the authors, it is possible to obtain results in no more than 1 second on the Intel Core 2 Quad CPU 2.50 GHz with a measurement error below 3%. Other known methods of image analysis and processing that are compared in this paper give results with a greater error (4-35%) which depends on the degree of magnification (×6, ×16, ×20) and are not fully automatic.ConclusionsThe methods of image analysis and processing enable a quantitative, repeatable and automatic measurement of the severity and progress of PEX syndrome. They support medical diagnosis and automatic archiving of results.

The Design and Implementation of Intelligent Community Monitoring System

This paper designs a stable, efficient and intelligent video surveillance system, which is based on the review and analysis of the domestic and internation. And it is related research work on the basis of the intelligent security monitoring. The system is used by the Web server and database server model, and it can detect the moving object in scene of monitor. Firstly this paper analyzes the structure of server system, it uses B/S, database, ActiveX technology and is completed finally. Secondly this paper realizes the video image data in bulk storage, read, update and maintenance by using the database. The bmp format will be converted to JPG format effectively to realize the image database compression. It is valued to the video image data storage and management. Finally, the accuracy and response time can be improved in moving object detection, which is based on background subtraction method

Abstract 2885: The NCI-Nature Pathway Interaction Database: A comprehensive resource for cell signaling information

Abstract The NCI-Nature Pathway Interaction Database (PID, http://pid.nci.nih.gov) is a freely available collection of professionally curated and expert-reviewed signaling and regulatory pathways composed of human molecular interactions and cellular processes extracted from the primary literature. As of November 2010, the database contains 116 pathways and networks encompassing 7810 interactions, 3531 proteins, 137 small molecules, 3101 complexes, 5930 peer-reviewed publications and more than 10500 uses of evidence codes, and includes recent additions to the Notch and Wnt pathways along with the AP1 network. Created in a collaboration between the U.S. National Cancer Institute and Nature Publishing Group, the PID offers a range of tools to facilitate pathway exploration. Users can browse pathways and create network maps based on molecule or biological process queries; interactive network maps are displayed in JPG, SVG and Silverlight formats. The Batch query tool allows users to overlay molecule lists, such as those derived from microarray data, onto pathways. Users can also download a list of references used to create the pathway, pathway molecule lists, and complete database content in extensible markup language (XML) or Biological Pathways Exchange (BioPAX) Level 2 or Level 3 formats. The database is updated every month and supplemented by a concise editorial section that provides synopses of recent noteworthy papers in cell signaling and specially commissioned articles on the practical uses of other relevant Biomedical Informatics tools. Users can sign up for email alerts or RSS feeds to receive database content updates. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2885. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2885

Using MATLAB software with Tomcat server and Java platform for remote image analysis in pathology

BackgroundThe Matlab software is a one of the most advanced development tool for application in engineering practice. From our point of view the most important is the image processing toolbox, offering many built-in functions, including mathematical morphology, and implementation of a many artificial neural networks as AI. It is very popular platform for creation of the specialized program for image analysis, also in pathology. Based on the latest version of Matlab Builder Java toolbox, it is possible to create the software, serving as a remote system for image analysis in pathology via internet communication. The internet platform can be realized based on Java Servlet Pages with Tomcat server as servlet container.MethodsIn presented software implementation we propose remote image analysis realized by Matlab algorithms. These algorithms can be compiled to executable jar file with the help of Matlab Builder Java toolbox. The Matlab function must be declared with the set of input data, output structure with numerical results and Matlab web figure. Any function prepared in that manner can be used as a Java function in Java Servlet Pages (JSP). The graphical user interface providing the input data and displaying the results (also in graphical form) must be implemented in JSP. Additionally the data storage to database can be implemented within algorithm written in Matlab with the help of Matlab Database Toolbox directly with the image processing. The complete JSP page can be run by Tomcat server.ResultsThe proposed tool for remote image analysis was tested on the Computerized Analysis of Medical Images (CAMI) software developed by author. The user provides image and case information (diagnosis, staining, image parameter etc.). When analysis is initialized, input data with image are sent to servlet on Tomcat. When analysis is done, client obtains the graphical results as an image with marked recognized cells and also the quantitative output. Additionally, the results are stored in a server database. The internet platform was tested on PC Intel Core2 Duo T9600 2.8GHz 4GB RAM server with 768x576 pixel size, 1.28Mb tiff format images reffering to meningioma tumour (x400, Ki-67/MIB-1). The time consumption was as following: at analysis by CAMI, locally on a server – 3.5 seconds, at remote analysis – 26 seconds, from which 22 seconds were used for data transfer via internet connection. At jpg format image (102 Kb) the consumption time was reduced to 14 seconds.ConclusionsThe results have confirmed that designed remote platform can be useful for pathology image analysis. The time consumption is depended mainly on the image size and speed of the internet connections. The presented implementation can be used for many types of analysis at different staining, tissue, morphometry approaches, etc. The significant problem is the implementation of the JSP page in the multithread form, that can be used parallelly by many users. The presented platform for image analysis in pathology can be especially useful for small laboratory without its own image analysis system.

Axillary or Forearm Crutches: Comparing Postural Sway in Single Leg Stance and Perceptions of Safety

An abstract of the article suitable for electronic indexing services such as EBSCO is to be included. It should be generally be less than 200 words and contain headings appropriate to the type of article. These headings generally include Purpose, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. Other types should include a minimum of Purpose, Methods, and Conclusions. Protection of Subjects The name of the Institutional Review Board or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee that approved the research protocol must be included in the Methods section of the manuscript. Remove the name of the IRB or IACUC in the masked version. Biographical Sketch Include a 2-3 sentence biographical sketch for each author in a separate file to aid in masking the identity of authors during review. This information will not be distributed to reviewers or Associate Editors. Include the professional title, affiliation of each author, and an address (may be e-mail) where readers may contact an author for further information. All funding sources supporting the work should be acknowledged following the biographical sketch at the end of the article. References Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy follows the referencing style outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Medical Association (AMA). Examples of the use of AMA Style can be found in JACPT as well as a large number of medical and health-related journals. Tables and Illustrations Captions for Illustrations as well as tables must be submitted in a separate document, i.e., list of tables and list of figures. Captions or titles may not be embedded in illustrations or tables. Placing labels within illustrations is discouraged. If text labels are included in a figure, they must be of sufficient size to be legible when the illustration is reduced to the width of one column of the publication. Authors must obtain and submit written permission to publish photographs in which patients are recognizable. Black and white photographs copy best. Electronic .jpg format is preferred and must have a minimum resolution of 150 dpi. Reprints We provide all authors with single copies of the issue in which their articles appear. If an article has multiple authors, we prefer to send copies to the lead author to distribute. If this is geographically difficult, please supply our Editor with mailing addresses for those individuals who will require separate mailings. Complete instructions for authors may be obtained from the Acute Care Section’s website www.acutept.org ADVERTISING JACPT accepts advertising that conforms to the standards of the APTA. We offer advertising space inside the front and back covers, on the back cover and within other available space inside the journal. Sizes available include full-page, half-page, quarter-page, and business card. We prefer submissions in digital format. All advertising is subject to the approval of the Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy Editor. The Editor reserves the right to decline an advertisement deemed inappropriate for publication. The acceptance of any advertisement does not constitute endorsement by the APTA or the Section. Please contact the Acute Care Section’s management office at studio@aptanj.org or 888-762-2427 for rates and other information. Clinical Decision Making in the Acute Care Environment: A Survey of Practicing Clinicians Ellen Costello, PT, PhD is Assistant Professor, Program in Physical Therapy at the George Washington University 900 23rd St, 6155, NW, Washington, DC 20037 (Correspondence Address) Dr. Elrod, PT, PhD is an Associate Professor, Program in Physical Therapy, Marymount University, 2807 North Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22207 Dr. Tepper, PT, PhD is President of Rehab Essentials, Monkton, MD 21111 Ellen Costello, Cathy Elrod, Steven Tepper

Differentiating between nighttime and daytime brain images in cases with restless legs syndrome and studying responsible areas

In this study, a software has been developed to detect the regions that could be responsible for areas in the nervous system of the disorders of cases with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). This software produces three distinct results, processing the brain perfusion SPECT image during a time when the patient has no disorders and the brain perfusion image at the time of patient’s disorder, with image-processing algorithms. In this study, the initial image recordings of patients were made with a gamma camera, one at daytime during when the RLS patients had no disorder and at nighttime when the disorder appeared. Then, those recorded images in the format of DICOM were converted into the jpg format. In total, 59 daytime and 59 nighttime images taken from different sections of the patients’ brain were determined by using image processing algorithms. The images were subtracted from one another to obtain the first resulting image belonging to the co-images of the same section of the brains of RLS patients. In order to obtain the second resulting image, Gaussian filter was applied on the co-images and then the images were subtracted. Lastly, after the subtraction of images by histogram matching on the co-images, the final resulting image was obtained. The different regions in the resulting images were marked as coloring blue to be able to assist in easy recognition of which, brain lobes and sections were active during the RLS disorder. Key words: Image processing, restless legs syndrome, brain perfusion SPECT.

Geometric morphometric analysis of the use of mandibular gonial eversion in sex determination

Physical anthropologists are continually looking for new ways to determine sex from skeletal remains. Determination of sex is done either metrically or descriptively (morphologically). Many characteristics cannot be metrically assessed and descriptive characteristics cannot always be objectively compared. Geometric morphometrics is a relatively new method that provides a mechanism to quantify descriptive morphological characteristics and provides statistics to interpret findings. In this study gonial eversion as a sexually dimorphic trait was re-evaluated, with the use of geometric morphometrics. Twenty-eight adult black female mandibles and 46 adult black male mandibles from South Africa were used. Photographs were taken of the posterior aspect of each mandible with a digital camera in a fixed position. The mandibles were positioned so as to optimise the demonstration of the gonial eversion.The captured electronic images (in jpg format) were then analysed with the tps series of programs (thin-plate spline analysis of digitized landmarks). Statistical analysis revealed that 71.4% of females and 73.9% of males could be accurately sexed by using the shape of the posterior aspect of the mandible. The males had a more variable shape, while the females were more similar to each other. A smaller gonial eversion involving the lower part of the mandibular ramus was seen in the females while the males tend to have a uniform and much wider curve involving the whole ramus. There was, however, considerable overlap between the sexes. Although different tendencies exist between the gonial eversion of the mandible of males and females, the extent of these differences is not adequate to predict the sex of a single individual.

Expression and Characterization of Full-length Human Huntingtin, an Elongated HEAT Repeat Protein

Huntington disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by expanded CAG trinucleotide repeats, resulting in a polyglutamine stretch of >37 on the N terminus of the protein huntingtin (htt). htt is a large (347 kDa), ubiquitously expressed protein. The precise functions of htt are not clear, but its importance is underscored by the embryonic lethal phenotype in htt knock-out mice. Despite the fact that the htt gene was cloned 13 years ago, little is known about the properties of the full-length protein. Here we report the expression and preliminary characterization of recombinant full-length wild-type human htt. Our results support a model of htt composed entirely of HEAT repeats that stack to form an elongated superhelix.