Improved Biometric Authentication System Using Multimodal Cue Integration

Biometrics is an efficient technology with great possibilities in the area of security system development for official and commercial applications. The biometrics has recently become a significant part of any efficient person authentication solution. The advantage of using biometric traits is that they cannot be stolen, shared or even forgotten. The thesis addresses one of the emerging topics in Authentication System, viz., the implementation of Improved Biometric Authentication System using Multimodal Cue Integration, as the operator assisted identification turns out to be tedious, laborious and time consuming. In order to derive the best performance for the authentication system, an appropriate feature selection criteria has been evolved. It has been seen that the selection of too many features lead to the deterioration in the authentication performance and efficiency. In the work reported in this thesis, various judiciously chosen components of the biometric traits and their feature vectors are used for realizing the newly proposed Biometric Authentication System using Multimodal Cue Integration. The feature vectors so generated from the noisy biometric traits is compared with the feature vectors available in the knowledge base and the most matching pattern is identified for the purpose of user authentication. In an attempt to improve the success rate of the Feature Vector based authentication system, the proposed system has been augmented with the user dependent weighted fusion technique.

The role of the harmonic vector average in motion integration

The local speeds of object contours vary systematically with the cosine of the angle between the normal component of the local velocity and the global object motion direction. An array of Gabor elements whose speed changes with local spatial orientation in accordance with this pattern can appear to move as a single surface. The apparent direction of motion of plaids and Gabor arrays has variously been proposed to result from feature tracking, vector addition and vector averaging in addition to the geometrically correct global velocity as indicated by the intersection of constraints (IOC) solution. Here a new combination rule, the harmonic vector average (HVA), is introduced, as well as a new algorithm for computing the IOC solution. The vector sum can be discounted as an integration strategy as it increases with the number of elements. The vector average over local vectors that vary in direction always provides an underestimate of the true global speed. The HVA, however, provides the correct global speed and direction for an unbiased sample of local velocities with respect to the global motion direction, as is the case for a simple closed contour. The HVA over biased samples provides an aggregate velocity estimate that can still be combined through an IOC computation to give an accurate estimate of the global velocity, which is not true of the vector average. Psychophysical results for type II Gabor arrays show perceived direction and speed falls close to the IOC direction for Gabor arrays having a wide range of orientations but the IOC prediction fails as the mean orientation shifts away from the global motion direction and the orientation range narrows. In this case perceived velocity generally defaults to the HVA.

Analysis of the regional pattern of sea level change due to ocean dynamics and density changes for 1993-2099 in observations and CMIP5 AOGCMs

Predictions of twenty-first century sea level change show strong regional variation. Regional sea level change observed by satellite altimetry since 1993 is also not spatially homogenous. By comparison with historical and pre-industrial control simulations using the atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) of the CMIP5 project, we conclude that the observed pattern is generally dominated by unforced (internal generated) variability, although some regions, especially in the Southern Ocean, may already show an externally forced response. Simulated unforced variability cannot explain the observed trends in the tropical Pacific, but we suggest that this is due to inadequate simulation of variability by CMIP5 AOGCMs, rather than evidence of anthropogenic change. We apply the method of pattern scaling to projections of sea level change and show that it gives accurate estimates of future local sea level change in response to anthropogenic forcing as simulated by the AOGCMs under RCP scenarios, implying that the pattern will remain stable in future decades. We note, however, that use of a single integration to evaluate the performance of the pattern-scaling method tends to exaggerate its accuracy. We find that ocean volume mean temperature is generally a better predictor than global mean surface temperature of the magnitude of sea level change, and that the pattern is very similar under the different RCPs for a given model. We determine that the forced signal will be detectable above the noise of unforced internal variability within the next decade globally and may already be detectable in the tropical Atlantic.

Covariance structure in the skull of Catarrhini: a case of pattern stasis and magnitude evolution

The study of the genetic variance/covariance matrix (G-matrix) is a recent and fruitful approach in evolutionary biology, providing a window of investigating for the evolution of complex characters. Although G-matrix studies were originally conducted for microevolutionary timescales, they could be extrapolated to macroevolution as long as the G-matrix remains relatively constant, or proportional, along the period of interest. A promising approach to investigating the constancy of G-matrices is to compare their phenotypic counterparts (P-matrices) in a large group of related species; if significant similarity is found among several taxa, it is very likely that the underlying G-matrices are also equivalent. Here we study the similarity of covariance and correlation structure in a broad sample of Old World monkeys and apes (Catarrhini). We made phylogenetically structured comparisons of correlation and covariance matrices derived from 39 skull traits, ranging from between species to the superfamily level. We also compared the overall magnitude of integration between skull traits (r(2)) for all Catarrhim genera. Our results show that P-matrices were not strictly constant among catarrhines, but the amount of divergence observed among taxa was generally low. There was significant and positive correlation between the amount of divergence in correlation and covariance patterns among the 30 genera and their phylogenetic distances derived from a recently proposed phylogenetic hypothesis. Our data demonstrate that the P-matrices remained relatively similar along the evolutionary history of catarrhines, and comparisons with the G-matrix available for a New World monkey genus (Saguinus) suggests that the same holds for all anthropoids. The magnitude of integration, in contrast, varied considerably among genera, indicating that evolution of the magnitude, rather than the pattern of inter-trait correlations, might have played an important role in the diversification of the catarrhine skull. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Evolution of Modularity in the Mammalian Skull I: Morphological Integration Patterns and Magnitudes

Morphological integration refers to the modular structuring of inter-trait relationships in an organism, which could bias the direction and rate of morphological change, either constraining or facilitating evolution along certain dimensions of the morphospace. Therefore, the description of patterns and magnitudes of morphological integration and the analysis of their evolutionary consequences are central to understand the evolution of complex traits. Here we analyze morphological integration in the skull of several mammalian orders, addressing the following questions: are there common patterns of inter-trait relationships? Are these patterns compatible with hypotheses based on shared development and function? Do morphological integration patterns and magnitudes vary in the same way across groups? We digitized more than 3,500 specimens spanning 15 mammalian orders, estimated the correspondent pooled within-group correlation and variance/covariance matrices for 35 skull traits and compared those matrices among the orders. We also compared observed patterns of integration to theoretical expectations based on common development and function. Our results point to a largely shared pattern of inter-trait correlations, implying that mammalian skull diversity has been produced upon a common covariance structure that remained similar for at least 65 million years. Comparisons with a rodent genetic variance/covariance matrix suggest that this broad similarity extends also to the genetic factors underlying phenotypic variation. In contrast to the relative constancy of inter-trait correlation/covariance patterns, magnitudes varied markedly across groups. Several morphological modules hypothesized from shared development and function were detected in the mammalian taxa studied. Our data provide evidence that mammalian skull evolution can be viewed as a history of inter-module parcellation, with the modules themselves being more clearly marked in those lineages with lower overall magnitude of integration. The implication of these findings is that the main evolutionary trend in the mammalian skull was one of decreasing the constraints to evolution by promoting a more modular architecture.

Multiple camera people detection and tracking using support integration

This paper proposes a method to locate and track people by combining evidence from multiple cameras using the homography constraint. The proposed method use foreground pixels from simple background subtraction to compute evidence of the location of people on a reference ground plane. The algorithm computes the amount of support that basically corresponds to the ""foreground mass"" above each pixel. Therefore, pixels that correspond to ground points have more support. The support is normalized to compensate for perspective effects and accumulated on the reference plane for all camera views. The detection of people on the reference plane becomes a search for regions of local maxima in the accumulator. Many false positives are filtered by checking the visibility consistency of the detected candidates against all camera views. The remaining candidates are tracked using Kalman filters and appearance models. Experimental results using challenging data from PETS`06 show good performance of the method in the presence of severe occlusion. Ground truth data also confirms the robustness of the method. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

En SOA utvärderingsmall med fokus på integration, arkitektur och tjänster : Ett praktikfall på Logica

Today, there are no standardized ways to characterize SOA, many are talking about SOA and many say they are using SOA. One way that we have chosen to characterize this phenomenon is through an evaluation that will indicate whether SOA have been used in the development. Basedon a Service Oriented Architecture literature study, we have created an evaluation pattern resulting SOA principles of integration, architecture and services. This evaluation was applied to Logica's own integration system AgrCom through an empirical study to result in a response indicating whether AgrCom is SOA based. The results of the evaluation show that AgrCom is part of an SOA solution but not an SOA as a whole concept. The study shows that it takes morethan just systems in an activity to be referred to as the SOA-based, hence the architecture of anactivity must be taken into account.

Integration eller illusion : et deviance-perspektiv

Integration or illusion – a deviance perspective Denmark experienced one of its most successful periods of economic growth in 2004– 2008 with a tremendous reduction of unemployment, which in June 2008 was around. 1.5 percent, far below the expected level of structural unemployment. In the wake of this development the lack of utilization of migrants’ educations and skills became, once again, a core concern. The political, societal and academic debate followed to a great extent the traditional top-down approach to the problem and revolved around two axes: 1. How effective the labour market was/is to make use of migrants’ skills. 2. Whether there were patterns of over-education as expression of institutional and societal discrimination. The focus of the present study is, however, quite different: We examine the pattern of deviance in relation to labour market participation (not integration), and instead of searching for explanations for the lack of integration, we attempt to identify and explain the deviance pattern as a product of institutionally inherent possibilities and barriers on the one hand and articulating immigrants as rational actors (not victims) on the other. We argue that deviance is not only a more fruitful theoretical and analytical framework than integration and discrimination. Taking departure in empirical evidence on immigrants’ preferences and behaviour as bounded rational actors, and how they actually articulate their everyday life practical experiences, including adjustment of what they want and what they can, the deviance perspective, we believe, also reduces the theoretical and normative biases, that characterises the discrimination and integration framework, and provide more reliable explanations. 

Bone reformation and implant integration following maxillary sinus membrane elevation: An experimental study in primates

Background: Recent clinical studies have described maxillary sinus floor augmentation by simply elevating the maxillary sinus membrane without the use of adjunctive grafting materials. Purpose: This experimental study aimed at comparing the histologic outcomes of sinus membrane elevation and simultaneous placement of implants with and without adjunctive autogenous bone grafts. The purpose was also to investigate the role played by the implant surface in osseointegration under such circumstances. Materials and Methods: Four tufted capuchin primates had all upper premolars and the first molar extracted bilaterally. Four months later, the animals underwent maxillary sinus membrane elevation surgery using a replaceable bone window technique. The schneiderian membrane was kept elevated by insertion of two implants (turned and oxidized, Brånemark System®, Nobel Biocare AB, Göteborg, Sweden) in both sinuses. The right sinus was left with no additional treatment, whereas the left sinus was filled with autogenous bone graft. Implant stability was assessed through resonance frequency analysis (Osstell™, Integration Diagnostics AB, Göteborg, Sweden) at installation and at sacrifice. The pattern of bone formation in the experimental sites and related to the different implant surfaces was investigated using fluorochromes. The animals were sacrificed 6 months after the maxillary sinus floor augmentation procedure for histology and histomorphometry (bone-implant contact, bone area in threads, and bone area in rectangle). Results: The results showed no differences between membrane-elevated and grafted sites regarding implant stability, bone-implant contacts, and bone area within and outside implant threads. The oxidized implants exhibited improved integration compared with turned ones as higher values of bone-implant contact and bone area within threads were observed. Conclusions: The amount of augmented bone tissue in the maxillary sinus after sinus membrane elevation with or without adjunctive autogenous bone grafts does not differ after 6 months of healing. New bone is frequently deposited in contact with the schneiderian membrane in coagulum-alone sites, indicating the osteoinductive potential of the membrane. Oxidized implants show a stronger bone tissue response than turned implants in sinus floor augmentation procedures. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing, Inc.

Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2010-2011: Internacional integration and macroeconomic policy challenges amid global economic turmoil

Includes bibliography

The Netherlands Antilles: trade and integration with CARICOM (revisited)

Includes bibliography

Geological and geophysical data integration for delimitation of mineralized areas in a supergene manganese deposits

Geophysical methods are widely used in mineral exploration. This paper discusses the results of geological and geophysical studies in supergene manganese deposits of southern Brazil. Mineralized zones as described in geological surveys were characterized as of low resistivity (20 Omega.m) and high chargeability (30ms), pattern found also in oxides and sulfite mineral deposits. Pseudo-3D modeling of geophysical data allowed mapping at several depths. A relationship between high chargeability and low resistivity may define a pattern for high grade gonditic manganese ore. Large areas of high chargeability and high resistivity may result in accumulation of manganese and iron hydroxides, due to weathering of the gonditic ore, dissolution, percolation and precipitation.

Bone healing pattern in surgically created circumferential defects around submerged implants: an experimental study in dog

Objective: To describe the healing of marginal defects below or above 1 mm of dimension around submerged implants in a dog model. Material and methods: In 12 Labrador dogs, all mandibular premolars and first molars were extracted bilaterally. After 3 months of healing, full-thickness flaps were elevated in the edentulous region of the right side of the mandible. Two recipient sites were prepared and the marginal 5mm were widened to such an extent to obtain, after implant installation, a marginal gap of 0.5mm at the mesial site (small defect) and of 1.25mm at the distal site (large defect). Titanium healing caps were affixed to the implants and the flaps were sutured allowing a fully submerged healing. The experimental procedures were subsequently performed in the left side of the mandible. The timing of the experiments and sacrifices were planned in such a way to obtain biopsies representing the healing after 5, 10, 20 and 30 days. Ground sections were prepared and histomorphometrically analyzed. Results: The filling of the defect with newly formed bone was incomplete after 1 month of healing in all specimens. Bone formation occurred from the base and the lateral walls of the defects. A larger volume of new bone was formed in the large compared with the small defects. Most of the new bone at the large defect was formed between the 10- and the 20-day period of healing. After 1 month of healing, the outline of the newly formed bone was, however, located at a similar distance from the implant surface (about 0.4mm) at both defect types. Only minor newly formed bone in contact with the implant, starting from the base of the defects, was seen at the large defects (about 0.8mm) while a larger amount was detected at the small defects (about 2.2 mm). Conclusion: Marginal defects around titanium implants appeared to regenerate in 20-30 days by means of a distance osteogenesis. The bone fill of the defects was, however, incomplete after 1 month.

Integration of MFA and LCA methodologies: the anthropogenic aluminium cycle in Italy

MFA and LCA methodologies were applied to analyse the anthropogenic aluminium cycle in Italy with focus on historical evolution of stocks and flows of the metal, embodied GHG emissions, and potentials from recycling to provide key features to Italy for prioritizing industrial policy toward low-carbon technologies and materials. Historical trend series were collected from 1947 to 2009 and balanced with data from production, manufacturing and waste management of aluminium-containing products, using a ‘top-down’ approach to quantify the contemporary in-use stock of the metal, and helping to identify ‘applications where aluminium is not yet being recycled to its full potential and to identify present and future recycling flows’. The MFA results were used as a basis for the LCA aimed at evaluating the carbon footprint evolution, from primary and electrical energy, the smelting process and the transportation, embodied in the Italian aluminium. A discussion about how the main factors, according to the Kaya Identity equation, they did influence the Italian GHG emissions pattern over time, and which are the levers to mitigate it, it has been also reported. The contemporary anthropogenic reservoirs of aluminium was estimated at about 320 kg per capita, mainly embedded within the transportation and building and construction sectors. Cumulative in-use stock represents approximately 11 years of supply at current usage rates (about 20 Mt versus 1.7 Mt/year), and it would imply a potential of about 160 Mt of CO2eq emissions savings. A discussion of criticality related to aluminium waste recovery from the transportation and the containers and packaging sectors was also included in the study, providing an example for how MFA and LCA may support decision-making at sectorial or regional level. The research constitutes the first attempt of an integrated approach between MFA and LCA applied to the aluminium cycle in Italy.