A novel Markov logic rule induction strategy for characterizing sports video footage

The grounding of high-level semantic concepts is a key requirement of video annotation systems. Rule induction can thus constitute an invaluable intermediate step in characterizing protocol-governed domains, such as broadcast sports footage. We here set out a novel “clause grammar template” approach to the problem of rule-induction in video footage of court games that employs a second-order meta grammar for Markov Logic Network construction. The aim is to build an adaptive system for sports video annotation capable, in principle, both of learning ab initio and also adaptively transferring learning between distinct rule domains. The method is tested with respect to both a simulated game predicate generator and also real data derived from tennis footage via computer-vision based approaches including HOG3D based player-action classification, Hough-transform based court detection, and graph-theoretic ball-tracking. Experiments demonstrate that the method exhibits both error resilience and learning transfer in the court domain context. Moreover the clause template approach naturally generalizes to any suitably-constrained, protocol-governed video domain characterized by feature noise or detector error

Kernel Discriminant Analysis Using Triangular Kernel for Semantic Scene Classification

Semantic scene classification is a challenging research problem that aims to categorise images into semantic classes such as beaches, sunsets or mountains. This prob-lem can be formulated as multi-labeled classification prob-lem where an image can belong to more than one concep-tual class such as sunsets and beaches at the same time. Re-cently, Kernel Discriminant Analysis combined with spec-tral regression (SR-KDA) has been successfully used for face, text and spoken letter recognition. But SR-KDA method works only with positive definite symmetric matri-ces. In this paper, we have modified this method to support both definite and indefinite symmetric matrices. The main idea is to use LDLT decomposition instead of Cholesky decomposition. The modified SR-KDA is applied to scene database involving 6 concepts. We validate the advocated approach and demonstrate that it yields significant perfor-mance gains when conditionally positive definite triangular kernel is used instead of positive definite symmetric kernels such as linear, polynomial or RBF. The results also indicate performance gains when compared with the state-of-the art multi-label methods for semantic scene classification.

Investigation of emitter homogeneity on laser doped emitters

The selective emitter formation by laser doping is a well known process to increase the efficiency of silicon solar cells [1], [2]. For the characterization of laser doped emitters, SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy) and ECV (Electrochemical Capacitance Voltage Measurement) techniques are used to analyze the emitter profile [3]. It is very difficult to get acceptable result by SIMS on a textured surface, so only ECV can be used. It has been shown, that a charge carrier depth profile can be measured on a homogeneous emitter only by ECV. The use of laser doping results in a non-homogeneous emitter. We have shown that the emitter depth is not just a function of the pulse power, but in addition of the surface structure of the wafer. The texture seems responsible for a strong variability in the doping profile. It has been shown, that the ECV measurement is not applicable to characterize the emitter depth on laser doped areas, because of the microscopic inhomogeneities in the emitter on the macroscopic measurement area. The real emitter profiles are to complex to be characterized by SIMS or ECV. We have shown that the variation in the emitter profile is resulting from the texture in the laser-doped regions

Investigation of emitter homogeneity on laser doped emitters

The selective emitter formation by laser doping is a well known process to increase the efficiency of silicon solar cells [1], [2]. For the characterization of laser doped emitters, SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy) and ECV (Electrochemical Capacitance Voltage Measurement) techniques are used to analyze the emitter profile [3]. It is very difficult to get acceptable result by SIMS on a textured surface, so only ECV can be used. It has been shown, that a charge carrier depth profile can be measured on a homogeneous emitter only by ECV. The use of laser doping results in a non-homogeneous emitter. We have shown that the emitter depth is not just a function of the pulse power, but in addition of the surface structure of the wafer. The texture seems responsible for a strong variability in the doping profile. It has been shown, that the ECV measurement is not applicable to characterize the emitter depth on laser doped areas, because of the microscopic inhomogeneities in the emitter on the macroscopic measurement area. The real emitter profiles are to complex to be characterized by SIMS or ECV. We have shown that the variation in the emitter profile is resulting from the texture in the laser-doped regions

Neuronal activity mediated regulation of glutamate transporter GLT-1 surface diffusion in rat astrocytes in dissociated and slice cultures.

The astrocytic GLT-1 (or EAAT2) is the major glutamate transporter for clearing synaptic glutamate. While the diffusion dynamics of neurotransmitter receptors at the neuronal surface are well understood, far less is known regarding the surface trafficking of transporters in subcellular domains of the astrocyte membrane. Here, we have used live-cell imaging to study the mechanisms regulating GLT-1 surface diffusion in astrocytes in dissociated and brain slice cultures. Using GFP-time lapse imaging, we show that GLT-1 forms stable clusters that are dispersed rapidly and reversibly upon glutamate treatment in a transporter activity-dependent manner. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and single particle tracking using quantum dots revealed that clustered GLT-1 is more stable than diffuse GLT-1 and that glutamate increases GLT-1 surface diffusion in the astrocyte membrane. Interestingly, the two main GLT-1 isoforms expressed in the brain, GLT-1a and GLT-1b, are both found to be stabilized opposed to synapses under basal conditions, with GLT-1b more so. GLT-1 surface mobility is increased in proximity to activated synapses and alterations of neuronal activity can bidirectionally modulate the dynamics of both GLT-1 isoforms. Altogether, these data reveal that astrocytic GLT-1 surface mobility, via its transport activity, is modulated during neuronal firing, which may be a key process for shaping glutamate clearance and glutamatergic synaptic transmission

Современное состояние и перспективы развития ООПТ Томской области

В работе дана характеристика сети особо охраняемых природных территорий Томской области, ее роли в поддержании эколого-хозяйственного баланса области. Определены этапы формирования сети ООПТ. Дан анализ географического разнообразия сети ООПТ и представленности ее в административных районах области. Определена роль сети ООПТ в сохранении редких и исчезающих видов растений и животных. Разработана и реализована методика комплексной оценки эффективности сети ООПТ. Предложены пути ее развития и оптимизации.In work the characteristic of the network of specially protected natural territories of the Tomsk region, its role in maintaining ecological and economic balance of the region. The stages of forming a network of protected areas. The analysis of the geographic diversity of the PA network and its representation in the administrative districts of the region. Defined the role of the network of protected areas in the conservation of rare and endangered species of plants and animals. Developed and implemented a methodology of comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the PA network. The proposed ways of its development and optimization

Effects of mesenchymal stromal cells versus serum on tendon healing in a controlled experimental trial in an equine model

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have shown promising results in the treatment of tendinopathy in equine medicine, making this therapeutic approach seem favorable for translation to human medicine. Having demonstrated that MSC engraft within the tendon lesions after local injection in an equine model, we hypothesized that they would improve tendon healing superior to serum injection alone. Methods Quadrilateral tendon lesions were induced in six horses by mechanical tissue disruption combined with collagenase application 3 weeks before treatment. Adipose-derived MSC suspended in serum or serum alone were then injected intralesionally. Clinical examinations, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging were performed over 24 weeks. Tendon biopsies for histological assessment were taken from the hindlimbs 3 weeks after treatment. Horses were sacrificed after 24 weeks and forelimb tendons were subjected to macroscopic and histological examination as well as analysis of musculoskeletal marker expression. Results Tendons injected with MSC showed a transient increase in inflammation and lesion size, as indicated by clinical and imaging parameters between week 3 and 6 (p < 0.05). Thereafter, symptoms decreased in both groups and, except that in MSC-treated tendons, mean lesion signal intensity as seen in T2w magnetic resonance imaging and cellularity as seen in the histology (p < 0.05) were lower, no major differences could be found at week 24. Conclusions These data suggest that MSC have influenced the inflammatory reaction in a way not described in tendinopathy studies before. However, at the endpoint of the current study, 24 weeks after treatment, no distinct improvement was observed in MSC-treated tendons compared to the serum-injected controls. Future studies are necessary to elucidate whether and under which conditions MSC are beneficial for tendon healing before translation into human medicine

Life remade: critical animation in the digital age

Introduction to Special Issue of animation: an interdisciplinary journal. Animation and contemporary life are enmeshed like never before. A growing number of the media images we consume are in animated form (from fully animated features to CGI laden blockbusters and advertisements); recourse to common animation software and aesthetic approaches significantly blur the lines between previously distinct artistic and design practices (from video games, to special effects, to architecture and contemporary art); and through techniques of computational modelling and visualization, animation is increasingly fundamental to processes of knowledge production and the creation of various modes or elements of life. This appears therefore to be a particularly 'critical' moment to ponder animation's expanded cultural and political role. This special issue also provides an opportunity to consider animation's own powers of critique – the ways in which the digital animated image is increasingly being deployed explicitly as a means of intervening in social and political arenas ranging from human rights advocacy to ecological activism. And finally, we hope this collection of essays serves to further the already rich examination of the politics of more traditional forms of animation in the current digital age. This special issue thus builds upon recent scholarship that has already begun to contend with animation's expanded presence and its inherent political and critical significance..