Augmented Reality and Gesture-Based Control

This research investigates methods for interacting with 3D visualizations of science data. Even with higher resolution, large format, and stereoscopic displays, most visualization still involves the user looking at the result rendered on a flat panel. Changing perspective, zooming, and interpreting depth is often disorienting and frustrating. Specialized hardware and software solutions like large format displays and CAVEs address these issues with infrastructure limited by cost, complexity, and size. We investigate low cost commercial hardware solutions for their potential application to this problem. The Leap Motion Controller and Kinect Motion Sensor are assessed for gesture-based visualization control. The Oculus Rift is considered for immersive virtual reality combining head tracking and close-to-eye wide angle display. Finally, Android devices are used for augmented reality by overlaying rendered 3D objects on a camera video stream to react to a user’s perspective. These devices are integrated with the Unity 3D gaming engine as a tool for connecting input from the sensors to both the Oculus and flat panel displays. The visualizations use example models created from scientific data

Strategy for efficient generation of numerous full-length cDNA clones of classical swine fever virus for haplotyping

Abstract Background Direct molecular cloning of full-length cDNAs derived from viral RNA is an approach to identify the individual viral genomes within a virus population. This enables characterization of distinct viral haplotypes present during infection. Results In this study, we recover individual genomes of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), present in a pig infected with vKos that was rescued from a cDNA clone corresponding to the highly virulent CSFV Koslov strain. Full-length cDNA amplicons (ca. 12.3 kb) were made by long RT-PCR, using RNA extracted from serum, and inserted directly into a cloning vector prior to detailed characterization of the individual viral genome sequences. The amplicons used for cloning were deep sequenced, which revealed low level sequence variation (< 5%) scattered across the genome consistent with the clone-derived origin of vKos. Numerous full-length cDNA clones were generated using these amplicons and full-genome sequencing of individual cDNA clones revealed insights into the virus diversity and the haplotypes present during infection. Most cDNA clones were unique, containing several single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and phylogenetic reconstruction revealed a low degree of order. Conclusions This optimized methodology enables highly efficient construction of full-length cDNA clones corresponding to individual viral genomes present within RNA virus populations

Using acoustic indices in ecology : guidance on study design, analyses and interpretation

TBL was supported by Leverhulme Trust, research grant number RPG-2020-160; the Lorentz Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands; and UKAN+. AE and OM were supported by UKAN+.The rise of passive acoustic monitoring and the rapid growth in large audio datasets is driving the development of analysis methods that allow ecological inferences to be drawn from acoustic data. Acoustic indices are currently one of the most widely applied tools in ecoacoustics. These numerical summaries of the sound energy contained in digital audio recordings are relatively straightforward and fast to calculate but can be challenging to interpret. Misapplication and misinterpretation have produced conflicting results and led some to question their value. To encourage better use of acoustic indices, we provide nine points of guidance to support good study design, analysis and interpretation. We offer practical recommendations for the use of acoustic indices in the study of both whole soundscapes and individual taxa and species, and point to emerging trends in ecoacoustic analysis. In particular, we highlight the critical importance of understanding the links between soundscape patterns and acoustic indices. Acoustic indices can offer insights into the state of organisms, populations, and ecosystems, complementing other ecological research techniques. Judicious selection, appropriate application and thorough interpretation of existing indices is vital to bolster robust developments in ecoacoustics for biodiversity monitoring, conservation and future research.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Elementary Statistics (GHC)

This Grants Collection for Elementary Statistics was created under a Round Eleven ALG Textbook Transformation Grant. Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process. Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials: Linked Syllabus Initial Proposal Final Reporthttps://oer.galileo.usg.edu/mathematics-collections/1039/thumbnail.jp

Virus adaptation and selection following challenge of animals vaccinated against classical swine fever virus

Vaccines against classical swine fever have proven very effective in protecting pigs from this deadly disease. However, little is known about how vaccination impacts the selective pressures acting on the classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Here we use high-throughput sequencing of viral genomes to investigate evolutionary changes in virus populations following the challenge of naïve and vaccinated pigs with the highly virulent CSFV strain “Koslov”. The challenge inoculum contained an ensemble of closely related viral sequences, with three major haplotypes being present, termed A, B, and C. After the challenge, the viral haplotype A was preferentially located within the tonsils of naïve animals but was highly prevalent in the sera of all vaccinated animals. We find that the viral population structure in naïve pigs after infection is very similar to that in the original inoculum. In contrast, the viral population in vaccinated pigs, which only underwent transient low-level viremia, displayed several distinct changes including the emergence of 16 unique non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were not detectable in the challenge inoculum. Further analysis showed a significant loss of heterogeneity and an increasing positive selection acting on the virus populations in the vaccinated pigs. We conclude that vaccination imposes a strong selective pressure on viruses that subsequently replicate within the vaccinated animal

KSU Men\u27s Ensemble and Chamber Singers, Mass

KSU School of Music presents Men\u27s Ensemble and Chamber Singers, Mass.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1216/thumbnail.jp