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.

Serum proteomics of hepatitis C virus infection reveals retinol-binding protein 4 as a novel regulator

Persistent infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which are currently diagnosed by invasive liver biopsy. Approximately 15-20% of cases of chronic liver diseases in India are caused by HCV infection. In North India, genotype 3 is predominant, whereas genotype 1 is predominant in southern parts of India. The aim of this study was to identify differentially regulated serum proteins in HCV-infected Indian patients (genotypes 1 and 3) using a two-dimensional electrophoresis approach. We identified eight differentially expressed proteins by MS. Expression levels of one of the highly upregulated proteins, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), was validated by ELISA and Western blotting in two independent cohorts. We also confirmed our observation in the JFH1 infectious cell culture system. Interestingly, the HCV core protein enhanced RBP4 levels and partial knockdown of RBP4 had a positive impact on HCV replication, suggesting a possible role for this cellular protein in regulating HCV infection. Analysis of RBP4-interacting partners using a bioinformatic approach revealed novel insights into the possible involvement of RBP4 in HCV-induced pathogenesis. Taken together, this study provided information on the proteome profile of the HCV-infected Indian population, and revealed a link between HCV infection, RBP4 and insulin resistance.

An evaluation of antigen capture assays for detecting active filarial antigens

Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease of tropical countries. This is a disfiguring and painful disease contracted in childhood, but the symptoms become apparent only in later years. Diagnosis of filarial infection is very crucial for the management of the disease. The main objective of this study was to develop a filarial antigen-based immunological assay for the diagnosis and surveillance of the disease. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were raised to the recombinant protein Brugia malayi vespid allergen homologue (VAH). Capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was standardized utilizing various combinations of antibodies and evaluated with serum samples of endemic normal (EN, n = 110), microfilaraemic (MF, n = 65), chronic pathology (CP, n = 45) and non-endemic normal (NEN, n = 10) individuals. Of the 230 samples tested, VAHcapture assay detected circulating antigen in 97.91% of bancroftian and 100% of brugian microfilaraemic individuals, and 5% of endemic normal individuals, comparable to the earlier reported SXP-1 antigen detection assay. However, the combination of VAH and SXP-1 (VS) capture ELISA was found to be more robust, detecting 100% of microfilaraemic individuals and with higher binding values. Thus an antigen capture immunoassay has been developed, which can differentiate active infection from chronic infection by detecting circulating filarial antigens in clinical groups of endemic areas.

Sero-Prevalence of Rodent Pathogens in India

Health monitoring is an integral part of laboratory animal quality standards. However, current or past prevalence data as well as regulatory requirements dictate the frequency, type and the expanse of health monitoring. In an effort to understand the prevalence of rodent pathogens in India, a preliminary study was carried out by sero-epidemiology. Sera samples obtained from 26 public and private animal facilities were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against minute virus of mice (MVM), ectromelia virus (ECTV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), Sendai virus (SeV), and Mycoplasma pulmonis in mice, and SeV, rat parvo virus (RPV), Kilham's rat virus (KRV) and sialodacryoadenitis virus (SDAV) in rats, by sandwich ELISA. It was observed that MHV was the most prevalent agent followed by Mycoplasma pulmonis and MVM in mice, and SDAV followed by RPV were prevalent in rats. On the other hand, none of the samples were positive for ECTV in mice, or SeV or KRV in rats. Multiple infections were common in both mice and rats. The incidence of MHV and Mycoplasma pulmonis was higher in facilities maintained by public organizations than in vivaria of private organizations, although the difference was not statistically different. On the other hand the prevalence of rodent pathogens was significantly higher in the northern part of India than in the South. These studies form the groundwork for detailed sero-prevalence studies which should further lay the foundations for country-specific guidelines for health monitoring of laboratory animals.

Quantitative metabolic profiling of NMR spectral signatures of branched chain amino acids in blood serum

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are related to different aspects of diseases like pathogenesis, diagnosis and even prognosis. While in some diseases, levels of all the BCAAs are perturbed; in some cases, perturbation occurs in one or two while the rest remain unaltered. In case of ischemic heart disease, there is an enhanced level of plasma leucine and isoleucine but valine level remains unaltered. In `Hypervalinemia', valine is elevated in serum and urine, but not leucine and isoleucine. Therefore, identification of these metabolites and profiling of individual BCAA in a quantitative manner in body-fluid like blood plasma/serum have long been in demand. H-1 NMR resonances of the BCAAs overlap with each other which complicates quantification of individual BCAAs. Further, the situation is limited by the overlap of broad resonances of lipoprotein with the resonances of BCAAs. The widely used commercially available kits cannot differentially estimate the BCAAs. Here, we have achieved proper identification and characterization of these BCAAs in serum in a quantitative manner employing a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-based technique namely T-2-edited Correlation Spectroscopy (COSY). This approach can easily be extended to other body fluids like bile, follicular fluids, saliva, etc.

Production and preliminary evaluation of Trypanosoma evansi HSP70 for antibody detection in Equids

The present immuno-diagnostic method using soluble antigens from whole cell lysate antigen for trypanosomosis have certain inherent problems like lack of standardized and reproducible antigens, as well as ethical issues due to in vivo production, that could be alleviated by in vitro production. In the present study we have identified heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) from T. evansi proteome. The nucleotide sequence of T. evansi HSP70 was 2116 bp, which encodes 690 amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analysis of T. evansi HSP70 showed that T. evansi occurred within Trypanosoma clade and is most closely related to T. brucei brucei and T. brucei gambiense, whereas T. congolense HSP70 laid in separate clade. The two partial HSP70 sequences (HSP-1 from N-terminal region and HSP-2 from C-terminal region) were expressed and evaluated as diagnostic antigens using experimentally infected equine serum samples. Both recombinant proteins detected antibody in immunoblot using serum samples from experimental infected donkeys with T. evansi. Recombinant HSP-2 showed comparable antibody response to Whole cell lysate (WCL) antigen in immunoblot and ELISA. The initial results indicated that HSP70 has potential to detect the T. evansi infection and needs further validation on large set of equine serum samples.