Cortical Dynamics of Visual Motion Perception: Short-Range and Long Range Apparent Motion

This article describes further evidence for a new neural network theory of biological motion perception that is called a Motion Boundary Contour System. This theory clarifies why parallel streams Vl-> V2 and Vl-> MT exist for static form and motion form processing among the areas Vl, V2, and MT of visual cortex. The Motion Boundary Contour System consists of several parallel copies, such that each copy is activated by a different range of receptive field sizes. Each copy is further subdivided into two hierarchically organized subsystems: a Motion Oriented Contrast Filter, or MOC Filter, for preprocessing moving images; and a Cooperative-Competitive Feedback Loop, or CC Loop, for generating emergent boundary segmentations of the filtered signals. The present article uses the MOC Filter to explain a variety of classical and recent data about short-range and long-range apparent motion percepts that have not yet been explained by alternative models. These data include split motion; reverse-contrast gamma motion; delta motion; visual inertia; group motion in response to a reverse-contrast Ternus display at short interstimulus intervals; speed-up of motion velocity as interfiash distance increases or flash duration decreases; dependence of the transition from element motion to group motion on stimulus duration and size; various classical dependencies between flash duration, spatial separation, interstimulus interval, and motion threshold known as Korte's Laws; and dependence of motion strength on stimulus orientation and spatial frequency. These results supplement earlier explanations by the model of apparent motion data that other models have not explained; a recent proposed solution of the global aperture problem, including explanations of motion capture and induced motion; an explanation of how parallel cortical systems for static form perception and motion form perception may develop, including a demonstration that these parallel systems are variations on a common cortical design; an explanation of why the geometries of static form and motion form differ, in particular why opposite orientations differ by 90°, whereas opposite directions differ by 180°, and why a cortical stream Vl -> V2 -> MT is needed; and a summary of how the main properties of other motion perception models can be assimilated into different parts of the Motion Boundary Contour System design.Air Force Office of Scientific Research (90-0175); Army Research Office (DAAL-03-88-K0088); Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (AFOSR-90-0083); Hughes Aircraft Company (S1-903136

openSputnik—a database to ESTablish comparative plant genomics using unsaturated sequence collections

The public expressed sequence tag collections are continually being enriched with high-quality sequences that represent an ever-expanding range of taxonomically diverse plant species. While these sequence collections provide biased insight into the populations of expressed genes available within individual species and their associated tissues, the information is conceivably of wider relevance in a comparative context. When we consider the available expressed sequence tag (EST) collections of summer 2004, most of the major plant taxonomic clades are at least superficially represented. Investigation of the five million available plant ESTs provides a wealth of information that has applications in modelling the routes of plant genome evolution and the identification of lineage-specific genes and gene families. Over four million ESTs from over 50 distinct plant species have been collated within an EST analysis pipeline called openSputnik. The ESTs were resolved down into approximately one million unigene sequences. These have been annotated using orthology-based annotation transfer from reference plant genomes and using a variety of contemporary bioinformatics methods to assign peptide, structural and functional attributes. The openSputnik database is available at http://sputnik.btk.fi

Circuit breaker prognostics using SF6 data

Control decisions within future energy networks may take account of the health and condition of network assets, pushing condition monitoring within the smart grid remit. In order to support maintenance decisions, this paper proposes a circuit breaker prognostic system, which ranks circuit breakers in order of maintenance priority. By monitoring the SF6 density within a breaker, the system not only predicts the number of days to a critical level, but also incorporates uncertainty by giving upper and lower bounds on the prediction. This prognostic model, which performs linear regression, will be described in this paper, along with case studies demonstrating ranking breakers based on maintenance priority and prognosis of a leaking breaker. Providing an asset manager with this type of information could allow improved management of his/her assets, potentially deferring maintenance to a time when an outage is already scheduled

Identifying harmonic attributes from online partial discharge data

Partial discharge (PD) monitoring is a key method of tracking fault progression and degradation of insulation systems. Recent research discovered that the harmonic regime experienced by the plant also affects the PD pattern, questioning the conclusions about equipment health drawn from PD data. This paper presents the design and creation of an online system for harmonic circumstance monitoring of distribution cables, using only PD data. Based on machine learning techniques, the system can assess the prevalence of the 5th and 7th harmonic orders over the monitoring period. This information is key for asset managers to draw correct conclusions about the remaining life of polymeric cable insulation, and prevent overestimation of the degradation trend

The system crisis 2020: The end of neoliberal higher education in the UK?

In this paper, we draw on previous conceptual work and theories pertaining to historical waves of reform, in order to reflect upon and locate the recent and current changes in the UK Higher Education (HE) landscape. Moreover, we consider the potentially catastrophic outcomes and consequences facing some HE institutions, and the sector as a whole, arising from the short-sighted and dogged pursuit of neoliberal policies – policies still being followed, we posit, at the precise moment when the current predominant neoliberal wave of reform nears its end. Thus, we present the case that as neoliberalism is confronted with a terminal crisis of legitimacy ‘from within’ (a system crisis), so too are universities. We therefore ask: What next for the HE sector and Universities? Will HE institutions ‘carry on regardless’ pursuing exploitative, ecocidal, meaningless fiscal growth policies that inexorably risk their legitimacy; their very existence? Or will universities turn away from their generative role in this crisis and authentically begin to reclaim, imagine and practise another educational mission

Intelligent monitoring of the health and performance of distribution automation

With a move to 'smarter' distribution networks through an increase in distribution automation and active network management, the volume of monitoring data available to engineers also increases. It can be onerous to interpret such data to produce meaningful information about the health and performance of automation and control equipment. Moreover, indicators of incipient failure may have to be tracked over several hours or days. This paper discusses some of the data analysis challenges inherent in assessing the health and performance of distribution automation based on available monitoring data. A rule-based expert system approach is proposed to provide decision support for engineers regarding the condition of these components. Implementation of such a system using a complex event processing system shell, to remove the manual task of tracking alarms over a number of days, is discussed

Éclair—a web service for unravelling species origin of sequences sampled from mixed host interfaces

The identification of the genes that participate at the biological interface of two species remains critical to our understanding of the mechanisms of disease resistance, disease susceptibility and symbiosis. The sequencing of complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries prepared from the biological interface between two organisms provides an inexpensive way to identify the novel genes that may be expressed as a cause or consequence of compatible or incompatible interactions. Sequence classification and annotation of species origin typically use an orthology-based approach and require access to large portions of either genome, or a close relative. Novel species- or clade-specific sequences may have no counterpart within existing databases and remain ambiguous features. Here we present a web-service, Éclair, which utilizes support vector machines for the classification of the origin of expressed sequence tags stemming from mixed host cDNA libraries. In addition to providing an interface for the classification of sequences, users are presented with the opportunity to train a model to suit their preferred species pair. Éclair is freely available at

Optimization and comparison of different methods for RNA isolation for cDNA library construction from the reindeer lichen Cladonia rangiferina

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The reindeer lichen is the product of a mutualistic relationship between a fungus and an algae. Lichen demonstrate a remarkable capacity to tolerate dehydration. This tolerance is driven by a variety of biochemical processes and the accumulation of specific secondary metabolites that may be of relevance to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agriculture industries. These protective metabolites hinder <it>in vitro </it>enzymatic reactions required in cDNA synthesis. Along with the low concentrations of RNA present within lichen tissues, the process of creating a cDNA library is technically challenging.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>An evaluation of existing commercial and published protocols for RNA extraction from plant or fungal tissues has been performed and experimental conditions have been optimised to balance the need for the highest quality total ribonucleotides and the constraints of budget, time and human resources.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We present a protocol that balances inexpensive RNA extraction methods with commercial RNA clean-up kits to yield sufficient RNA for cDNA library construction. Evaluation of the protocol and the construction of, and sampling from, a cDNA library is used to demonstrate the suitability of the RNA extraction method for expressed sequence tag production.</p

Dryland Wheat variety selection in the Texas High Plain

Selecting the best wheat varieties affects producers’ profit and financial risk. This study identifies the optimal wheat variety selection using the portfolio approach at various risk aversion levels. Results showed that the optimal wheat variety selection was significantly affected by changes in levels of risk aversion of decision makersDryland, Portfolio, risk, wheat Variety, Farm Management,