An electronic travel guide for visually impaired – vehicle board recognition system through computer vision techniques

Abstract

Purpose: In the context of assistive technology, mobility takes the meaning of “moving safely, gracefully, and comfortably”.The aim of this article is to provide a system which will be a convenient means of navigation for the Visually Impaired people, in the public transport system.

Method: A blind regular commuter who travels by public transport facility finds difficulty in identifying the vehicle that is nearing the stop. Hence, a real-time system that dynamically identifies the nearing vehicle and informs the commuters is necessary. This paper proposes such a system namely the “Vehicle Board Recognition System” (VBRS). Computer Vision techniques such as segmentation, object recognition, text detection and optical character recognition are utilized to build the system, which will detect, analyze, derive and communicate the information to the passengers.

Results: Thanks to the rapid development in technology, there are several navigation systems both hand held and wearable, available to help visually impaired (VI) people move comfortably both indoor and outdoor. Many blind people are not comfortable in using these devices or they are not affordable for them. Thus the proposed system gives them the comfort of navigation.

Conclusion: This system can be installed in the bus stop to assist the Visually Impaired, from externally rather than their hand held or wearable assistive devices.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• This proposed system will help the visually impaired to

• ensure secure navigation

• be independent of the others

• develop self confidence.

• overcome the training, affordability of wearable/ handheld devices.

     

Basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor reverse impaired ulcer healing of the rabbit oral mucosa

BACKGROUND: The therapies for refractory ulcers on the oral mucosa are symptomatic and very unsatisfactory. We hypothesized that application of growth factors might be able to achieve successful remission of the lesion. We evaluated the effects of systemic administration and topical application of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on impaired wound healing of ulcers in the rabbit gingiva. METHODS: Almost uniform round ulcers could be created on the gingiva of the rabbits by chemical injury with acetic acid. When the submandibular glands were removed or i.v. injection of cisplatin (CDDP) and peplomycin sulfate was performed before ulcer formation, healing of the ulcers took longer than in untreated rabbits. To ascertain whether or not human EGF and bFGF affect rabbit cells, we first examined the effects of EGF and bFGF on the proliferation of the cells derived from rabbit gingiva. We then applied EGF or bFGF in these impaired healing models. RESULTS: EGF and bFGF promoted proliferation of the fibroblasts, and EGF also promoted proliferation of the keratinocytes isolated from gingival tissue of rabbits in vitro. Systemic injections of EGF and bFGF in rabbits, which had their submandibular glands removed, and topical application of bFGF accelerated healing of ulcers created in rabbits injected with CDDP and peplomycin sulfate. The ability of bFGF to promote the healing of ulcers was much greater than that of EGF. CONCLUSION: Basic FGF may be effective for refractory oral mucosal lesions.     

电针对狗血浆与胃黏膜组织中NO和NOS的影响及其意义

目的　观察电针对狗幽门压力、胃黏膜血流量的调控作用及其与血浆、胃黏膜组织中一氧化氮 (NO) ,一氧化氮合酶 (NOS)水平变化的关系 ,以探讨电针对胃黏膜保护作用的机制。方法　将 2 0只狗随机分为 4组 :空白对照组、非经非穴组、上巨虚组、足三里组 (每组 5只 )。采用胃压测量仪、激光多普勒血流仪监测幽门压力、频率及胃黏膜血流量的变化 ,同步测定血浆及胃黏膜组织中NO ,NOS含量 ,并观察变化规律。结果　电针后足三里组幽门括约肌总压力、基础压下降、频率下降 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,胃黏膜血流量显著升高 (4 .5 1± 0 .73→ 6.90± 1.0 1,P <0 .0 1) ,血浆及胃黏膜组织中NO ,NOS含量显著升高 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,上巨虚组仅幽门括约肌总压力下降 ,血浆NO含量上升。但足三里组各项监测指标变化趋势更明显 ,其他组变化无显著性。结论　电针可使狗幽门压力、频率下降 ,使胃黏膜血流量增加 ,与影响幽门压力、胃黏膜血流量的某些活性物质的含量改变有关 ,并具有一定的经络和穴位特异性。     

体外培养中IFN-γ、L-Arg 及L-NNA对NO合成的影响及NO抗旋毛虫的作用

目的　探讨体外培养中IFN γ、L Arg及L NNA对NO合成的影响及NO抗旋毛虫的作用。 方法　分离、纯化长爪沙鼠腹腔巨噬细胞 ,置RPMI16 4 0培养液中培养。设IFN γ组、L Arg组、L NNA组和对照组 ,每个实验组又分 5个不同的浓度组。分别向含有巨噬细胞的培养瓶中加入不同浓度的IFN γ、L Arg及L NNA进行体外培养。培养 2 4h后 ,用硝酸还原酶法分别测定培养液中的NO含量。将旋毛虫幼虫分别加入上述培养体系中进行体外培养 ,观察旋毛虫幼虫的活动及损伤。结果　①体外培养中 ,激活的巨噬细胞能产生NO ,IFN γ和L Arg能促进NO的合成 ,L NNA则能抑制NO的合成 ,这种促进或抑制NO合成的作用均具有剂量依赖性 ,剂量越高作用越明显。②加入旋毛虫幼虫后 ,在IFN γ和L Arg培养体系中 ,随着NO浓度的升高及作用时间的延长 ,对虫体的抑制及杀伤作用越来越明显 ,导致其活动度减弱 ,虫体破裂 ,最终死亡 ;在L NNA培养体系中 ,L NNA浓度越高 ,对虫体的影响越小。结论　①体外培养中 ,通过激活的巨噬细胞 ,IFN γ和L Arg能促进NO的合成 ,给予L NNA则能抑制NO的合成。②NO对旋毛虫幼虫有抑制及杀伤作用     

补肾法对实验性绝经后动脉粥样硬化作用机理的实验研究

为探讨补肾法对实验性绝经后动脉粥样硬化作用机理，将家兔以除卵巢和高脂饲料喂养的方法造模，在此基础上给于补肾中药（淫阳藿，菟丝,泽泻，熟地黄等），并与肌注雌二醇组对照，12周后观察动物血脂，血一氧化氮（NO），内皮素（ET），超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和丙二醛（MDA）的含量，结果：造模兔与正常兔相比，血脂，ET，MDA含量升高，而NO含量，SOD活性降低；中，西药物治疗组动物的上述指标均有恢复正常的趋势（P＜0．05－0．01），但两治疗组之间无明显差异，提示补肾中药可替代雌二醇，用于防治绝经后动脉粥样硬化。     

补益脾肾方佐治小儿哮喘的临床研究

目的比较小儿支气管哮喘中、西医治疗疗效.方法将64例支气管哮喘患儿随机分为两组治疗组32例,给予常规西药治疗及对症处理;中药组32例,在常规西药治疗的基础上加服中药(补益脾肾方),监测两组的ET-1、NO水平,比较两组的临床疗效.结果急性期ET-1、NO显著增高,入院时两组比较,差异无显著性(P＞0.05).治疗2w后,中药组ET-1、NO明显下降,两组比较,差异有显著性(P＜0.05).1年后随访患儿中,中药组(23例)轻度哮喘2例,中度哮喘3例,重度哮喘2例;治疗组(20例)依次分别为5例、4例、4例;1年内中药组与治疗组患儿哮喘发作次数比较未发作(例)61,发作＞3次(例)15,两组比较差异有显著性(P＜0.01).结论补益脾肾中药可降低支气管哮喘患儿的血ET-1、NO水平,减轻哮喘发作时的症状;随访1年患儿哮喘发作次数明显减少.我们认为补益脾肾中药可提高支气管哮喘患儿的机体抵抗力,减轻气管炎症损伤,对防治小儿支气管哮喘有效.     

填髓益脑法对大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的观察填髓益脑法对局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤后脑组织的保护作用。方法雄性成年SD大鼠40只随机分为假手术组、造模组、通络组、填髓益脑组。线栓法制作大鼠局灶性脑缺血模型。填髓益脑组、通络组均采用相应药物灌胃，假手术组和造模组以等量生理盐水灌胃。观察再灌注24h时神经行为学评分，检测NO、GLU及SOD。结果造模组神经行为学评分明显高于填髓益脑组与通络组，填髓益脑组与通络组相近：填髓益脑组与通络组NO、GLU、SOD较之造模组有明显差异。结论填髓益脑法对局灶性脑缺血再灌注损伤有明显的保护作用，其效果与通络法相同。其作用机制可能是通过阻止脑组织SOD活性降低、减少GLU的释放、降低NO含量而发挥神经保护作用。     

Incidence of Type 2 diabetes in England and its association with baseline impaired fasting glucose: the Ely study 1990-2000.

AIM: To determine the incidence of Type 2 diabetes and to examine the effect of different cut-points for impaired fasting glucose (IFG) on diabetes incidence. METHODS: Population-based longitudinal study (1990-2000) with clinical, anthropometric and biochemical measurements, including an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), in 1040 non-diabetic adults aged 40-69 years at baseline. Baseline glucose status was defined as normoglycaemia < 5.6, IFG-lower 5.6-6.0 and IFG-original 6.1-6.9 mmol/l. The all-IFG group included fasting glucose values of 5.6-6.9 mmol/l. RESULTS: The 10-year cumulative incidence of diabetes was 7.3 per 1000 person-years. Diabetes incidence was 2.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2, 4.8], 6.2 (4.0, 9.8) and 17.5 (12.5, 24.5) per 1000 person-years in those with normoglycaemia, IFG-lower and IFG-original, respectively. Compared with normoglycaemia, the age/sex-adjusted risk [hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI] for incident diabetes was greatest in the IFG-original category (HR 6.9; 3.1, 15.2) and increased to a lesser degree in the IFG-lower (HR 2.5; 1.1, 5.7) and all-IFG categories (HR 4.1; 1.9, 8.7). When adjusted for confounding factors, the magnitude and direction of associations persisted, with HR 1.9, 4.4 and 2.9, for the categories IFG-lower, IFG-original and all-IFG, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes incidence is more strongly related to IFG defined as fasting glucose between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/l than to the lower category of 5.6-6.0 mmol/l, or entire range of 5.6-6.9 mmol/l. Future studies should examine the association of IFG with cardiovascular outcomes, but for diabetes risk our study supports the use of the IFG cut-point at 6.1 mmol/l.     

妊娠期糖耐量受损与妊娠结局的关系

①目的　探讨妊娠期糖耐量受损 (GIGT)对妊娠结局的影响。②方法　以妊娠期GIGT孕妇 1 31例(GIGT组 ) ,妊娠期糖尿病 (GDM)孕妇 1 6 6例 (GDM组 ) ,糖耐量正常孕妇 1 6 0例 (正常对照组 )为研究对象 ,对孕妇及其围生儿结局进行对比研究。③结果　GIGT组及GDM组妊娠高血压综合征、巨大儿、羊水过多、胎膜早破、剖宫产及新生儿疾病发生情况均高于对照组 (χ2 =4 .0 2～ 81 .31 ,P <0 .0 5、0 .0 1 )。④结论　GIGT对妊娠可造成不同程度的危害 ,GIGT是影响孕妇及围生儿结局的重要因素。对妊娠期GIGT均应进行监测和处理