Visual Information Retrieval in Endoscopic Video Archives

In endoscopic procedures, surgeons work with live video streams from the inside of their subjects. A main source for documentation of procedures are still frames from the video, identified and taken during the surgery. However, with growing demands and technical means, the streams are saved to storage servers and the surgeons need to retrieve parts of the videos on demand. In this submission we present a demo application allowing for video retrieval based on visual features and late fusion, which allows surgeons to re-find shots taken during the procedure.Comment: Paper accepted at the IEEE/ACM 13th International Workshop on Content-Based Multimedia Indexing (CBMI) in Prague (Czech Republic) between 10 and 12 June 201

Genética bioquímica del calamar argentino, Illex Argentinus

Previously reported results on natural populations of the Argentinean squid, Illex argentinus, urged further studies using electrophoretically detectable loci. The muscles of 202 adult squids caught in the Argentinean Sea were examined. Electrophoretic and staining methods for the 46 enzymes studied are given in detail. Forty-seven loci were detected (20 polymorphic), 45 of which are considered useable in population genetics screening. The expression of the loci coding for these enzymes is described and interpreted, and the presented results will serve as a basis for a more detailed examination of genetic variation in Argentinean squid populations.Estudios biológicos previos realizados en el calamar argentino, Illex argentinus, han sugerido la conveniencia de profundizar en el conocimiento de la estructura poblacional de la especie, utilizando el análisis genético de proteínas detectables electroforéticamente. Con esta finalidad se analizó el músculo esquelético de un total de 202 individuos capturados en el Mar Argentino. Se utilizó la técnica de electroforesis horizontal en gel de almidón al 11%. Se estudiaron 46 sistemas enzimáticos distintos. La expresión de los loci para estos enzimas son descritos e interpretados en detalle. Un total de 47 loci fueron detectados (20 polimórficos), de los cuales 45 se consideran utilizables para el análisis de la estructura poblacional de la especie

Optical conductivity of disordered graphene beyond the Dirac cone approximation

In this paper we systemically study the optical conductivity and density of states of disordered graphene beyond the Dirac cone approximation. The optical conductivity of graphene is computed by using the Kubo formula, within the framework of a full p-band tight-binding model. Different types of noncorrelated and correlated disorder are considered, such as random or Gaussian potentials, random or Gaussian nearest-neighbor hopping parameters, randomly distributed vacancies or their clusters, and randomly adsorbed hydrogen atoms or their clusters. For a large enough concentration of resonant impurities, an additional peak in the optical conductivity is found, associated with transitions between the midgap states and the Van Hove singularities of the main pi band. We further discuss the effect of doping on the spectrum, and find that small amounts of resonant impurities are enough to obtain a background contribution to the conductivity in the infrared part of the spectrum, in agreement with recent experiments.</p

Distinct ubiquitin binding modes exhibited by SH3 domains: Molecular determinants and functional implications

SH3 domains constitute a new type of ubiquitin-binding domains. We previously showed that the third SH3 domain (SH3-C) of CD2AP binds ubiquitin in an alternative orientation. We have determined the structure of the complex between first CD2AP SH3 domain and ubiquitin and performed a structural and mutational analysis to decipher the determinants of the SH3-C binding mode to ubiquitin. We found that the Phe-to-Tyr mutation in CD2AP and in the homologous CIN85 SH3-C domain does not abrogate ubiquitin binding, in contrast to previous hypothesis and our findings for the first two CD2AP SH3 domains. The similar alternative binding mode of the SH3-C domains of these related adaptor proteins is characterised by a higher affinity to C-terminal extended ubiquitin molecules. We conclude that CD2AP/CIN85 SH3-C domain interaction with ubiquitin constitutes a new ubiquitin-binding mode involved in a different cellular function and thus changes the previously established mechanism of EGF-dependent CD2AP/CIN85 mono-ubiquitination. © 2013 Ortega Roldan et al

Linking the evolution of catalytic properties and structural changes in copper-zinc nanocatalysts using operando EXAFS and neural-networks

Understanding the evolution of unique structural motifs in bimetallic catalysts under reaction conditions, and linking them to the observed catalytic properties is necessary for the rational design of the next generation of catalytic materials. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy is a premier experimental method to address this issue, providing the possibility to track the changes in the structure of working catalysts. Unfortunately, the intrinsic heterogeneity and enhanced disorder characteristic of catalytic materials experiencing structural transformations under reaction conditions, as well as the low signal-to-noise ratio that is common for in situ EXAFS spectra hinder the application of conventional data analysis approaches. Here we address this problem by employing machine learning methods (artificial neural networks) to establish the relationship between EXAFS features and structural motifs in metals as well as oxide materials. We apply this approach to time-dependent EXAFS spectra acquired from copper–zinc nanoparticles during the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to reveal the details of the composition-dependent structural evolution and brass alloy formation, and their correlation with the catalytic selectivity of these materials

Searching for tidal tails - investigating galaxy harassment

Galaxy harassment has been proposed as a physical process that morphologically transforms low surface density disc galaxies into dwarf elliptical galaxies in clusters. It has been used to link the observed very different morphology of distant cluster galaxies (relatively more blue galaxies with 'disturbed' morphologies) with the relatively large numbers of dwarf elliptical galaxies found in nearby clusters. One prediction of the harassment model is that the remnant galaxies should lie on low surface brightness tidal streams or arcs. We demonstrate in this paper that we have an analysis method that is sensitive to the detection of arcs down to a surface brightness of 29 B mag/arcsec^2 and then use this method to search for arcs around 46 Virgo cluster dwarf elliptical galaxies. We find no evidence for tidal streams or arcs and consequently no evidence for galaxy harassment as a viable explanation for the relatively large numbers of dwarf galaxies found in the Virgo cluster.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Crystallographic Orientation Dependence of Surface Segregation and Alloying on PdCu Catalysts for CO₂ Hydrogenation

The influence of the crystallographic orientation on surface segregation and alloy formation in model PdCu methanol synthesis catalysts was investigated in situ using near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy under CO2 hydrogenation conditions. Combined with scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory calculations, the study showed that submonolayers of Pd undergo spontaneous alloy formation on Cu(110) and Cu(100) surfaces in vacuum, whereas they do not form an alloy on Cu(111). Upon heating in H2, inward diffusion of Pd into the Cu lattice is favored, facilitating alloying on all Cu surfaces. Under CO2 hydrogenation reaction conditions, the alloying trend becomes stronger, promoted by the reaction intermediate HCOO*, especially on Pd/Cu(110). This work demonstrates that surface alloying may be a key factor in the enhancement of the catalytic activity of PdCu catalysts as compared to their monometallic counterparts. Furthermore, it sheds light on the hydrogen activation mechanism during catalytic hydrogenation on copper-based catalysts

Highly selective plasma-activated copper catalystsfor carbon dioxide reduction to ethylene

There is an urgent need to develop technologies that use renewable energy to convert waste products such as carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuels. Carbon dioxide can be electrochemically reduced to hydrocarbons over copper catalysts, although higher efficiency is required. We have developed oxidized copper catalysts displaying lower overpotentials for carbon dioxide electroreduction and record selectivity towards ethylene (60%) through facile and tunable plasma treatments. Herein we provide insight into the improved performance of these catalysts by combining electrochemical measurements with microscopic and spectroscopic characterization techniques. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy show that copper oxides are surprisingly resistant to reduction and copper+ species remain on the surface during the reaction. Our results demonstrate that the roughness of oxide-derived copper catalysts plays only a partial role in determining the catalytic performance, while the presence of copper+ is key for lowering the onset potential and enhancing ethylene selectivity