Camera Calibration with Radial Distortion - the Radial Essential Matrix

In der Bildverarbeitung wird die beobachtende Kamera meist als Lochkamera modelliert: ein Modell, das zahlreiche theoretische Vorteile bietet. So kann etwa das Abbildungsverhalten als projektive Abbildung aufgefasst werden. In einem Stereokamerasystem dieses Modells stehen korrespondierende Punkte – das sind Bildpunkte desselben 3D-Punktes – in einem linearen Zusammenhang, der auch ohne Kenntnis der Kameraparameter aus beobachteten Korrespondenzen geschätzt werden kann. Für die meisten Kameras, insbesondere für solche mit Weitwinkelobjektiven, ist die Modellannahme einer Lochkamera allerdings sichtbar unzureichend. Deshalb müssen zusätzlich zur Lochkamera noch Verzeichnungsabbildungen ins Modell integriert werden. In dieser Arbeit wird gezeigt, dass bei polynomialer radialer Verzeichnung die Parameter der Projektionsabbildung die Verzeichnungsparameter bestimmen. Dieses theoretische Ergebnis fließt in Algorithmen zur Kamerakalibrierung, d.h. zur Bestimmung der Parameter eines Kameramodells, ein. Diese wurden experimentell getestet und mit bestehenden Verfahren verglichen. Weiterhin wird die radiale essentielle Matrix eingeführt, die die Beziehung von korrespondierenden Punkten im Stereokamerafall bei radialer Verzeichnung beschreibt. Es werden vier Algorithmen vorgestellt, die diese theoretische Beziehung verwerten. Sie geben an, wie aus korrespondierenden Punkten die radiale essentielle Matrix geschätzt werden kann und welche Kameraparameter daraus gewonnen werden können. Damit ist beispielsweise eine Nachkalibrierung möglich. Auch diese Verfahren wurden implementiert und evaluiert. Umgekehrt ist bei bekannter radialer essentieller Matrix eine Einschränkung des Suchraums für korrespondierende Punkte möglich, die für die Rekonstruktion benötigt werden

Loss of LAT1 sex-dependently delays recovery after caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis

Background: The expression of amino acid transporters is known to vary during acute pancreatitis (AP) except for LAT1 (slc7a5), the expression of which remains stable. LAT1 supports cell growth by importing leucine and thereby stimulates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity, a phenomenon often observed in cancer cells. The mechanisms by which LAT1 influences physiological and pathophysiological processes and affects disease progression in the pancreas are not yet known. Aim: To evaluate the role of LAT1 in the development of and recovery from AP. Methods: AP was induced with caerulein (cae) injections in female and male mice expressing LAT1 or after its knockout (LAT1 Cre/LoxP). The development of the initial AP injury and its recovery were followed for seven days after cae injections by daily measuring body weight, assessing microscopical tissue architecture, mRNA and protein expression, protein synthesis, and enzyme activity levels, as well as by testing the recruitment of immune cells by FACS and ELISA. Results: The initial injury, evaluated by measurements of plasma amylase, lipase, and trypsin activity, as well as the gene expression of dedifferentiation markers, did not differ between the groups. However, early metabolic adaptations that support regeneration at later stages were blunted in LAT1 knockout mice. Especially in females, we observed less mTOR reactivation and dysfunctional autophagy. The later regeneration phase was clearly delayed in female LAT1 knockout mice, which did not regain normal expression of the pancreas-specific differentiation markers recombining binding protein suppressor of hairless-like protein (rbpjl) and basic helix-loop-helix family member A15 (mist1). Amylase mRNA and protein levels remained lower, and, strikingly, female LAT1 knockout mice presented signs of fibrosis lasting until day seven. In contrast, pancreas morphology had returned to normal in wild-type littermates. Conclusion: LAT1 supports the regeneration of acinar cells after AP. Female mice lacking LAT1 exhibited more pronounced alterations than male mice, indicating a sexual dimorphism of amino acid metabolism

FORGETTER2 protein phosphatase and phospholipase D modulate heat stress memory in Arabidopsis

Summary Plants can mitigate environmental stress conditions through acclimation. In the case of fluctuating stress conditions such as high temperatures, maintaining a stress memory enables a more efficient response upon recurring stress. In a genetic screen for Arabidopsis thaliana mutants impaired in the memory of heat stress (HS) we have isolated the FORGETTER2 (FGT2) gene which encodes a type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2C) of the D-clade. Mutants in fgt2 acquire thermotolerance normally; however, they are defective in the memory of HS. FGT2 interacts with phospholipase Dα2 (PLDα2), which is involved in metabolizing membrane phospholipids, and PLDα2 is also required for HS memory. In summary, we uncover a previously unknown component of HS memory and identify the FGT2 protein phosphatase and PLDα2 as crucial players, suggesting that phosphatidic acid-dependent signaling or membrane composition dynamics underlie HS memory

Heteromeric HSFA2/HSFA3 complexes drive transcriptional memory after heat stress in <i>Arabidopsis</i>

Moderate heat stress primes plants to acquire tolerance to subsequent, more severe heat stress. Here the authors show that the HSFA3 transcription factor forms a heteromeric complex with HSFA2 to sustain activated transcription of genes required for acquired thermotolerance by promoting H3K4 hyper-methylation

Endothelial NOS (NOS3) impairs myocardial function in developing sepsis

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS)3-derived nitric oxide (NO) modulates inotropic response and diastolic interval for optimal cardiac performance under non-inflammatory conditions. In sepsis, excessive NO production plays a key role in severe hypotension and myocardial dysfunction. We aimed to determine the role of NOS3 on myocardial performance, NO production, and time course of sepsis development. NOS3(−/−) and C57BL/6 wildtype mice were rendered septic by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). Cardiac function was analyzed by serial echocardiography, in vivo pressure and isolated heart measurements. Cardiac output (CO) increased to 160 % of baseline at 10 h after sepsis induction followed by a decline to 63 % of baseline after 18 h in wildtype mice. CO was unaltered in septic NOS3(−/−) mice. Despite the hyperdynamic state, cardiac function and mean arterial pressure were impaired in septic wildtype as early as 6 h post CLP. At 12 h, cardiac function in septic wildtype was refractory to catecholamines in vivo and respective isolated hearts showed impaired pressure development and limited coronary flow reserve. Hemodynamics remained stable in NOS3(−/−) mice leading to significant survival benefit. Unselective NOS inhibition in septic NOS3(−/−) mice diminished this survival benefit. Plasma NO(x)- and local myocardial NO(x)- and NO levels (via NO spin trapping) demonstrated enhanced NO(x)- and bioactive NO levels in septic wildtype as compared to NOS3(−/−) mice. Significant contribution by inducible NOS (NOS2) during this early phase of sepsis was excluded. Our data suggest that NOS3 relevantly contributes to bioactive NO pool in developing sepsis resulting in impaired cardiac contractility. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00395-013-0330-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Chemical and Enzymatic Synthesis of Sialylated Glycoforms of Human Erythropoietin

Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) is the main therapeutic glycoprotein for the treatment of anemia in cancer and kidney patients. The in‐vivo activity of EPO is carbohydrate‐dependent with the number of sialic acid residues regulating its circulatory half‐life. EPO carries three N‐glycans and thus obtaining pure glycoforms provides a major challenge. We have developed a robust and reproducible chemoenzymatic approach to glycoforms of EPO with and without sialic acids. EPO was assembled by sequential native chemical ligation of two peptide and three glycopeptide segments. The glycopeptides were obtained by pseudoproline‐assisted Lansbury aspartylation. Enzymatic introduction of the sialic acids was readily accomplished at the level of the glycopeptide segments but even more efficiently on the refolded glycoprotein. Biological recognition of the synthetic EPOs was shown by formation of 1:1 complexes with recombinant EPO receptor

Eddy covariance raw data processing for CO2 and energy fluxes calculation at ICOS ecosystem stations

The eddy covariance is a powerful technique to estimate the surface-atmosphere exchange of different scalars at the ecosystem scale. The EC method is central to the ecosystem component of the Integrated Carbon Observation System, a monitoring network for greenhouse gases across the European Continent. The data processing sequence applied to the collected raw data is complex, and multiple robust options for the different steps are often available. For Integrated Carbon Observation System and similar networks, the standardisation of methods is essential to avoid methodological biases and improve comparability of the results. We introduce here the steps of the processing chain applied to the eddy covariance data of Integrated Carbon Observation System stations for the estimation of final CO2, water and energy fluxes, including the calculation of their uncertainties. The selected methods are discussed against valid alternative options in tenns of suitability and respective drawbacks and advantages. The main challenge is to warrant standardised processing for all stations in spite of the large differences in e.g. ecosystem traits and site conditions. The main achievement of the Integrated Carbon Observation System eddy covariance data processing is making CO2 and energy flux results as comparable and reliable as possible, given the current micrometeorological understanding and the generally accepted state-of-the-art processing methods.Peer reviewe

Rapid Electron Transfer within the III-IV Supercomplex in Corynebacterium glutamicum

Complex III in C. glutamicum has an unusual di-heme cyt. c1 and it co-purifies with complex IV in a supercomplex. Here, we investigated the kinetics of electron transfer within the supercomplex and in the cyt. aa3 alone (cyt. bc1 was removed genetically). In the reaction of the reduced cyt. aa3 with O2, we identified the same sequence of events as with other A-type oxidases. However, even though this reaction is associated with proton uptake, no pH dependence was observed in the kinetics. For the cyt. bc1-cyt. aa3 supercomplex, we observed that electrons from the c-hemes were transferred to CuA with time constants 0.1-1 ms. The b-hemes were oxidized with a time constant of 6.5 ms, indicating that this electron transfer is rate-limiting for the overall quinol oxidation/O2 reduction activity (~210 e-/s). Furthermore, electron transfer from externally added cyt. c to cyt. aa3 was significantly faster upon removal of cyt. bc1 from the supercomplex, suggesting that one of the c-hemes occupies a position near CuA. In conclusion, isolation of the III-IV-supercomplex allowed us to investigate the kinetics of electron transfer from the b hemes, via the di-heme cyt. c1 and heme a to the heme a3-CuB catalytic site of cyt. aa3

Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Transport, Atmosphere and Climate

The "4th International Conference on Transport, Atmosphere and Climate (TAC-4)" held in Bad Kohlgrub (Germany), 2015, was organised with the objective of updating our knowledge on the impacts of transport on the composition of the atmosphere and on climate, three years after the TAC-3 conference in Prien am Chiemsee (Germany). The TAC-4 conference covered all aspects of the impact of the different modes of transport (aviation, road transport, shipping etc.) on atmospheric chemistry, microphysics, radiation and climate, in particular

<i>Arabidopsis</i> FORGETTER1 mediates stress-induced chromatin memory through nucleosome remodeling

Plants as sessile organisms can adapt to environmental stress to mitigate its adverse effects. As part of such adaptation they maintain an active memory of heat stress for several days that promotes a more efficient response to recurring stress. We show that this heat stress memory requires the activity of the FORGETTER1 (FGT1) locus, with fgt1 mutants displaying reduced maintenance of heat-induced gene expression. FGT1 encodes the Arabidopsis thaliana orthologue of Strawberry notch (Sno), and the protein globally associates with the promoter regions of actively expressed genes in a heat-dependent fashion. FGT1 interacts with chromatin remodelers of the SWI/SNF and ISWI families, which also display reduced heat stress memory. Genomic targets of the BRM remodeler overlap significantly with FGT1 targets. Accordingly, nucleosome dynamics at loci with altered maintenance of heat-induced expression are affected in fgt1. Together, our results suggest that by modulating nucleosome occupancy, FGT1 mediates stress-induced chromatin memory.</jats:p