A Novel System for Non-Invasive Method of Animal Tracking and Classification in Designated Area Using Intelligent Camera System

This paper proposed a novel system for non-invasive method of animal tracking and classification in designated area. The system is based on intelligent devices with cameras, which are situated in a designated area and a main computing unit (MCU) acting as a system master. Intelligent devices track animals and then send data to MCU to evaluation. The main purpose of this system is detection and classification of moving animals in a designated area and then creation of migration corridors of wild animals. In the intelligent devices, background subtraction method and CAMShift algorithm are used to detect and track animals in the scene. Then, visual descriptors are used to create representation of unknown objects. In order to achieve the best accuracy in classification, key frame extraction method is used to filtrate an object from detection module. Afterwards, Support Vector Machine is used to classify unknown moving animals

Thermodynamic and structural characterization of an optimized peptide based inhibitor of the influenza polymerase PA PB1 subunit interaction

Influenza virus causes severe respiratory infection in humans. Current antivirotics target three key proteins in the viral life cycle neuraminidase, the M2 channel and the endonuclease domain of RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Due to the development of novel pandemic strains, additional antiviral drugs targetting different viral proteins are still needed. The protein protein interaction between polymerase subunits PA and PB1 is one such possible target. We recently identified a modified decapeptide derived from the N terminus of the PB1 subunit with high affinity for the C terminal part of the PA subunit. Here, we optimized its amino acid hotspots to maintain the inhibitory potency and greatly increase peptide solubility. This allowed thermodynamic characterization of peptide binding to PA. Solving the X ray structure of the peptide PA complex provided structural insights into the interaction. Additionally, we optimized intracellular delivery of the peptide using a bicyclic strategy that led to improved inhibition in cell based assay

Pre-semantically defined temporal windows for cognitive processing

Neuronal oscillations of different frequencies are hypothesized to be basic for temporal perception; this theoretical concept provides the frame to discuss two temporal mechanisms that are thought to be essential for cognitive processing. One such mechanism operates with periods of oscillations in the range of some tens of milliseconds, and is used for complexity reduction of temporally and spatially distributed neuronal activities. Experimental evidence comes from studies on temporal-order threshold, choice reaction time, single-cell activities, evoked responses in neuronal populations or latency distributions of oculomotor responses. The other mechanism refers to pre-semantic integration in the temporal range of approximately 2–3 s. Experimental evidence comes from studies on temporal reproduction, sensorimotor synchronization, intentional movements, speech segmentation, the shift rate of ambiguous stimuli in the visual or auditory modality or the temporal modulation of the mismatch negativity. These different observations indicate the existence of a universal process of temporal integration underlying the mental machinery. This process is believed to be basic for maintenance and change of perceptual identity. Owing to the omnipresence of this kind of temporal segmentation, it is suggested to use this process for a pragmatic definition of the states of being conscious or the ‘subjective presence’