Report of CE on Semantic DS

The Semantic DS allows describing the world depicted by the AV content and interpreting that world, i.e., the “about” of the AV content or depicted narrative reality, which sometimes is imaginary. This document reports on the core experiment on the Semantic DS [6]. The CE originally started at the Maui meeting in December 1999 [3]. Progress reports of the CE were provided at the Geneva meeting [1] and at the Beijing meeting [2]. In Beijing, some components of the Semantic DS were promoted to the XM: Semantic DS, Object DS, PersonObject DS, Event DS, State DS, MediaOccurrence DS, SemanticTime DS, SemanticLocation DS, UsageLabel D, and some semantic relations. The main tasks of this core experiment have been the following: 1) To refine the specification of the Semantic DS by solving identified issues; 2) To define the Conceptual DSs; 3) To recommend the standardization of more semantic relations; 4) To investigate the use of membership functions to describe the strength of relations; 5) To generate simple and complex semantic descriptions of multimedia material; 6) To implement a retrieval and browsing application/s that uses the generated descriptions and that shows the functionality of the UsageLabel D, the Conceptual DSs, the State DS, and membership functions for relations, especially; 7) To recommend changes and additions to the Semantic DS based on the results of the experiment. The retrieval application that the CE has accomplished two objectives: (1) to show the utility of the components of the Semantic DS in a retrieval scenario, and (2) to be the software for the MPEG-7 XM platform

Report of CE on Semantic DS

This document reports on the core experiment on the Semantic DS [5]. The Semantic DS allows describing the world depicted by the AV content and interpreting that world, i.e., the “about” of the AV content or depicted narrative reality, which sometimes is imaginary. The CE originally started at the Maui meeting in December 1999 [4]. Progress reports of the CE were provided at the Geneva meeting [1], at the Beijing meeting [3], and at the La Baule meeting [2]. In La Baule, some components of the Semantic DS were promoted to the WD - Semantic DS, SemanticBase DS, Object DS, Event DS, AgentObject DS, SemanticPlace DS, SemanticTime DS, MediaOccurrence DS, and semantic relations-, and others were promoted to the XM – SemanticState DS, Concept DS, and AbstractionLevel datatype. The goal of this CE is to continue the refinement and evaluation of the Semantic DS and to continue the evaluation of the use of membership functions to describe relation strength. The AbstractionLevel datatype was promoted to CD before Pisa. At Pisa, the work to update the specification of the the SemanticTime, SemanticPlace, and Event DSs and to explain the methods for abstraction and the use of abstract concepts was started. The main tasks of this core experiment have been the following: 1. To refine the specification of the Semantic DS by solving open issues identified by reviewers and previous CEs; 2. To recommend the standardization of more semantic relations; 3. To continue the investigation of the use of membership functions to describe the strength of relations; 4. To generate simple and complex semantic descriptions of multimedia material, 5. To continue the implementation of a retrieval and browsing application/s that use/s the generated descriptions and that show/s the functionality of the DSs in the MDS XM, and 6. To recommend changes and additions to the Semantic DS based on the results of the experiment. The retrieval application that the CE continued the development of the software that had already been integrated into the XM for the Semantic DS

Report of CE on Semantic DS

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11, MPEG00/M6355, 53rd meeting, Jul. 2000, Beijing, PR

Semantics of Multimedia in MPEG-7

In this paper, we present the tools standardized by MPEG-7 for describing the semantics of multimedia. In particular, we focus on the abstraction model, entities, attributes and relations of MPEG-7 semantic descriptions. MPEG-7 tools can describe the semantics of specific instances of multimedia such as one image or one video segment but can also generalize these descriptions either to multiple instances of multimedia or to a set of semantic descriptions. The key components of MPEG-7 semantic descriptions are semantic entities such as objects and events, attributes of these entities such as labels and properties, and, finally, relations of these entities such as an object being the patient of an event. The descriptive power and usability of these tools has been demonstrated in numerous experiments and applications, these make them key candidates to enable intelligent applications that deal with multimedia at human levels

Correlated Prompt Fission Data in Transport Simulations

Detailed information on the fission process can be inferred from the observation, modeling and theoretical understanding of prompt fission neutron and $\gamma$-ray~observables. Beyond simple average quantities, the study of distributions and correlations in prompt data, e.g., multiplicity-dependent neutron and \gray~spectra, angular distributions of the emitted particles, $n$-$n$, $n$-$\gamma$, and $\gamma$-$\gamma$~correlations, can place stringent constraints on fission models and parameters that would otherwise be free to be tuned separately to represent individual fission observables. The FREYA~and CGMF~codes have been developed to follow the sequential emissions of prompt neutrons and $\gamma$-rays~from the initial excited fission fragments produced right after scission. Both codes implement Monte Carlo techniques to sample initial fission fragment configurations in mass, charge and kinetic energy and sample probabilities of neutron and $\gamma$~emission at each stage of the decay. This approach naturally leads to using simple but powerful statistical techniques to infer distributions and correlations among many observables and model parameters. The comparison of model calculations with experimental data provides a rich arena for testing various nuclear physics models such as those related to the nuclear structure and level densities of neutron-rich nuclei, the $\gamma$-ray~strength functions of dipole and quadrupole transitions, the mechanism for dividing the excitation energy between the two nascent fragments near scission, and the mechanisms behind the production of angular momentum in the fragments, etc. Beyond the obvious interest from a fundamental physics point of view, such studies are also important for addressing data needs in various nuclear applications. (See text for full abstract.)Comment: 39 pages, 57 figure files, published in Eur. Phys. J. A, reference added this versio

Conservation of a pH-sensitive structure in the C-terminal region of spider silk extends across the entire silk gene family

Spiders produce multiple silks with different physical properties that allow them to occupy a diverse range of ecological niches, including the underwater environment. Despite this functional diversity, past molecular analyses show a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity between C-terminal regions of silk genes that appear to be independent of the physical properties of the resulting silks; instead, this domain is crucial to the formation of silk fibres. Here we present an analysis of the C-terminal domain of all known types of spider silk and include silk sequences from the spider Argyroneta aquatica, which spins the majority of its silk underwater. Our work indicates that spiders have retained a highly conserved mechanism of silk assembly, despite the extraordinary diversification of species, silk types and applications of silk over 350 million years. Sequence analysis of the silk C-terminal domain across the entire gene family shows the conservation of two uncommon amino acids that are implicated in the formation of a salt bridge, a functional bond essential to protein assembly. This conservation extends to the novel sequences isolated from A. aquatica. This finding is relevant to research regarding the artificial synthesis of spider silk, suggesting that synthesis of all silk types will be possible using a single process

Immunological changes in nestlings growing under predation risk

Predation is one of the most relevant selective forces in nature. However, the physiological mechanisms behind anti-predator strategies have been overlooked, despite their importance to understand predator-prey interactions. In this context, the immune system could be especially revealing due to its relationship with other critical functions and its ability to enhance prey's probabilities of survival to a predator's attack. Developing organisms (e.g. nestlings) are excellent models to study this topic because they suffer a high predation pressure while undergoing the majority of their development, which maximizes potential trade-offs between immunity and other biological functions. Using common blackbirds Turdus merula as model species, we experimentally investigated whether an elevated nest predation risk during the nestling period affects nestlings' immunity and its possible interactions with developmental conditions (i.e. body condition and growth). Experimental nestlings modified some components of their immunity, but only when considering body condition and growth rate, indicating a multifaceted immunological response to predation risk and an important mediator role of nestlings' developmental conditions. Predation risk induced a suppression of IgY but an increase in lymphocytes in nestlings with poor body condition. In addition, experimental but not control nestlings showed a negative correlation between growth and heterophils, demonstrating that nest predation risk can affect the interaction between growth and immunity. This study highlights the importance of immunity in anti-predator response in nestlings and shows the relevance of including physiological components to the study of predation risk.</p

Structural Characterization of Minor Ampullate Spidroin Domains and Their Distinct Roles in Fibroin Solubility and Fiber Formation

10.1371/journal.pone.0056142PLoS ONE82

Publication Delay of Randomized Trials on 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Vaccination

Background: Randomized evidence for vaccine immunogenicity and safety is urgently needed in the setting of pandemics with new emerging infectious agents. We carried out an observational survey to evaluate how many randomized controlled trials testing 2009 H1N1 vaccines were published among those registered, and what was the time lag from their start to publication and from their completion to publication. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE and 9 clinical trial registries were searched for eligible randomized controlled trials. The units of the analysis were single randomized trials on any individual receiving influenza vaccines in any setting. Results: 73 eligible trials were identified that had been registered in 2009–2010. By June 30, 2011 only 21 (29%) of these trials had been published, representing 38 % of the randomized sample size (19905 of 52765). Trials starting later were published less rapidly (hazard ratio 0.42 per month; 95 % Confidence Interval: 0.27 to 0.64; p,0.001). Similarly, trials completed later were published less rapidly (hazard ratio 0.43 per month; 95 % CI: 0.27 to 0.67; p,0.001). Randomized controlled trials were completed promptly (median, 5 months from start to completion), but only a minority were subsequently published. Conclusions: Most registered randomized trials on vaccines for the H1N1 pandemic are not published in the peer-reviewe