On Real-Time Synthetic Primate Vision

The primate vision system exhibits numerous capabilities. Some important basic visual competencies include: 1) a consistent representation of visual space across eye movements; 2) egocentric spatial perception; 3) coordinated stereo fixation upon and pursuit of dynamic objects; and 4) attentional gaze deployment. We present a synthetic vision system that incorporates these competencies.We hypothesize that similarities between the underlying synthetic system model and that of the primate vision system elicit accordingly similar gaze behaviors. Psychophysical trials were conducted to record human gaze behavior when free-viewing a reproducible, dynamic, 3D scene. Identical trials were conducted with the synthetic system. A statistical comparison of synthetic and human gaze behavior has shown that the two are remarkably similar

Multimodal Pain Therapy for Perioperative Pain

Pain is an expected reaction from tissue injury in the postoperative setting, yet it is commonly inadequately managed. The literature has exposed some clear-cut guidelines to manage acute pain, and the consequences poorly managed pain. Pain management is expected to be individualized, timely, safe, evidence based and multi modal. An extensive literature review of the cement research of multimodal pain management was conducted. Specifically, the use of opiates along with at least one non-opioid (Tylenol, NSA1Ds, gabapentin and pregabalin). The evidence illustrates the positive effects of multimodal pain management, better pain control and a decrease in the side effects of opioids. At the conclusion of the project, a presentation on the findings and recommendations were shared with the community hospital in order to persuade a positive change toward evidence- based pain managemen

ATM electrical interface

Bending test data on electrical cable harnesses for Apollo telescope moun

Aspects of birth history and outcome in diplegics attending specialised educational facilities

Aim. We aimed to study functional mobility and visual performancein spastic diplegic children and adolescents attending specialisedschools.Methods. Spastic diplegia (SD) was confirmed by clinical examination. Birth and related history were added to explore relationships between SD, birth weight (BW) and duration of pregnancy. Place of birth, BW, gestational age (GA) and length of hospital stay were obtained by means of parental recall. Outcome measures included the functional mobility scale (FMS) and Beery tests of visuomotor integration (VMI) and visual perception (VIS).Results. Forty participants were included (age 7 years 5 months – 19 years 6 months). Term and preterm births were almost equally represented. Functional mobility assessments showed that 20 were walking independently in school and community settings and the remainder used walking aids or wheelchairs. There were no significant correlations between BW or GA and outcomes (FMS, VIS-z-scores or VMI-z-scores) and z-scores were low. VIS scores correlated significantly with chronological age (p=0.024). There were also significant correlations between VIS and VMI scores and school grade appropriateness (p=0.004; p=0.027, respectively). Interpretation. Both term and preterm births were represented, and outcomes were similar regardless of GA. VIS and VMIwere affected in both groups. Half of the group used assistive mobility devices and three-quarters were delayed in terms of their educational level. These problems require specialised teaching strategies, appropriate resources and a school environment that caters for mobility limitations

Performance Evaluation of Vision-Based Algorithms for MAVs

An important focus of current research in the field of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) is to increase the safety of their operation in general unstructured environments. Especially indoors, where GPS cannot be used for localization, reliable algorithms for localization and mapping of the environment are necessary in order to keep an MAV airborne safely. In this paper, we compare vision-based real-time capable methods for localization and mapping and point out their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, we describe algorithms for state estimation, control and navigation, which use the localization and mapping results of our vision-based algorithms as input.Comment: Presented at OAGM Workshop, 2015 (arXiv:1505.01065

A Holocene Record of Changing Arctic Ocean Ice Drift Analogous to the Effects of the Arctic Oscillation

The Arctic Oscillation (AO) controls the configuration of the Transpolar Drift (TPD). If thicker ice from the Beaufort Gyre were exported, the volume of fresh water/sea ice in the Nordic seas would significantly increase, decreasing the formation of North Atlantic deep water. This would cool large parts of the Northern Hemisphere and affect global climate. Therefore, in order to understand how the global climate system functions, it is imperative to know how the TPD changed over the last millennium or more. The provenance of grains in a sediment core located near the confluence of the TPD and the Beaufort Gyre provides a direct proxy for changes in seaice drift owing to these circulation systems. The core has more than 200 cm of Holocene sediment, with intervals dominated by grains from the Russian shelves alternating with intervals of abundant grains from North American sources. Grains matched to Russian shelves indicate that the TPD was shifted toward North America, similar to what occurs during a more positive phase of the AO. This condition alternated with intervals where few grains matched to Russian sources, presumably because the TPD was restricted to the Russian half of the Arctic, far from the core site. During the last 1300 years, increased influx of Russian grains occurred approximately every 50-150 years. This fluctuation might represent the long-term oscillation of the AO, which modulates the same TPD shift today

Why do we look at people's eyes?

We have previously shown that when observers are presented with complex natural scenes that contain a number of objects and people, observers look mostly at the eyes of the people. Why is this? It cannot be because eyes are merely the most salient area in a scene, as relative to other objects they are fairly inconspicuous. We hypothesized that people look at the eyes because they consider the eyes to be a rich source of information. To test this idea, we tested two groups of participants. One set of participants, called the Told Group, was informed that there would be a recognition test after they were shown the natural scenes. The second set, the Not Told Group, was not informed that there would be a subsequent recognition test. Our data showed that during the initial and test viewings, the Told Group fixated the eyes more frequently than the Not Told group, supporting the idea that the eyes are considered an informative region in social scenes. Converging evidence for this interpretation is that the Not Told Group fixated the eyes more frequently in the test session than in the study session

Integrated Diamond Optics for Single Photon Detection

Optical detection of single defect centers in the solid state is a key element of novel quantum technologies. This includes the generation of single photons and quantum information processing. Unfortunately the brightness of such atomic emitters is limited. Therefore we experimentally demonstrate a novel and simple approach that uses off-the-shelf optical elements. The key component is a solid immersion lens made of diamond, the host material for single color centers. We improve the excitation and detection of single emitters by one order of magnitude, as predicted by theory.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Functional and antigenic properties of GlpO from Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC: characterization of a flavin adenine dinucleotide-binding site deletion mutant

L-α-glycerophosphate oxidase (GlpO) plays a central role in virulence of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, a severe bacterial pathogen causing contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). It is involved in production and translocation of toxic H2O2 into the host cell, causing inflammation and cell death. The binding site on GlpO for the cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) has been identified as Gly 12−Gly13−Gly 14−Ile15−Ile16−Gly 17. Recombinant GlpO lacking these six amino acids (GlpOΔFAD) was unable to bind FAD and was also devoid of glycerophosphate oxidase activity, in contrast to non-modified recombinant GlpO that binds FAD and is enzymatically active. Polyclonal monospecific antibodies directed against GlpOΔFAD, similarly to anti-GlpO antibodies, neutralised H2O2 production of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC grown in the presence of glycerol, as well as cytotoxicity towards embryonic calf nasal epithelial (ECaNEp) cells. The FAD-binding site of GlpO is therefore suggested as a valuable target site for the future construction of deletion mutants to yield attenuated live vaccines of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC necessary to efficiently combat CBPP