Object tracking

Předmětem této práce je seznámení se s technikami zpracovávání obrazu, pro účel počítačového vidění. Jsou zde použity funkce z knihovny OpenCv zajišťující vyhledávání rohových bodů. Dále jsou zde navržené algoritmy pro vyhledávání shodných bodů na po sobě jdoucích snímcích videosekvence. V práci jsou navržené dvě techniky pro řešení tohoto porovnávání bodů a v závěru práce jsou shrnuté jejich výsledky. Rovněž jsou zde naznačena možná řešení některých nežádoucích vlastností těchto navržených algoritmů.The goal of this thesis is to get familiar with techniques of image processing for computer vision. Functions from OpenCv library were used for corner point location. Furthermore, algorithms designed for identical point location were also used for location of points in sequence of images represented by a video sequence. In the thesis, two techniques were designed for solving this point comparison. Results of these methods are summarized in the end of thesis. Possible solutions of negative properties of these methods are presented.

Effect of chamomile supplements to feeding doses on antimicrobial parameters in poultry

Due to a ban of use of antibiotic growth promoters in the poultry industry it is necessary to look for alternative solutions. The use of some herbs showing antimicrobial effects can be one of such alternatives. In this experiment, effects of three different concentrations of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) extract, (0.3%; 0.6% and 1.2%) in feeding doses on the microbial population in the gastrointestinal tract of growing broiler chickens were studied. The main attention was paid to the population of Clostridium perfringens and to numbers of coliform microbes. Clostridia were cultivated under anaerobic conditions at 46 °C on the Tryptone Sulfite Neomycin (TSN) agar for a period of 24 hours. Coliform microbes were grown on the violet red bile lactose (VRBL) agar at 37 °C for a period of 24 hours. The experiment lasted 39 days and involved 80 chicks that were slaughtered in the course of their growth period at the age of 18, 25, 32 and 39 days; there were 5 chicks in each group. The obtained results indicated that increasing doses of chamomile in the feeding ration decreased numbers of coliform microbes in the digestive tract of chicks and also reduced the population of C. perfingens. © 2014 Potravinarstvo

Influence of garlic extract on antioxidant status of chicken

In 2006 the European Union banned the feeding of antibiotic growth promoters because of possible risk of drug resistance in human pathogens bacteria. This is the reason for the study of various phytogenic additives and their extracts as a natural source of biologically important compounds. Antimicrobial substances are a commonly included in chicken feed rations. They are used mainly as prevention against various diseases, and also to stimulate growth. The beneficial effects of garlic on animal organism resulting from their antimicrobial, antioxidative and antihypertensive properities. Studies focused on growth, conversion and meat quality of different types of animals indicate its positive effects. In our experiment we studied the influence of garlic extract in a dose of 0, 10 g and 15 g per 1 kg of chicken feed mixture. We focused on weight gains and antioxidant status of an organism. The experiment took 39 days. 54 seven-day-old chickens were included in the experiment. The chickens were weighed once a week, when aged 11, 17, 24, 31 and 38 days, at the same time of the day. The chickens had ad libitum access to feed ration and water. The chickens were taken blood sample at the end of the experiment when 39 days old. Their antioxidant status were measured using ABTS, FRAP and DPPH methods. Our results show that owing to higher concentration of garlic extract in feed ration the antioxidant status of observed chickens was increased. DPPH method showed an increase in antioxidant status of both experimental groups by 38% (a group with a dose of 10 g/kg of mixture) and by 46% (a group with a dose of 15 g/kg of mixture) compared to the control group. When using FRAP method, antioxidant status of both G10 and G15 groups increased by 24%, resp. 16%. No evidential differences in antioxidant activity between the experimental groups and control group were found using ABTS method. The supplement of garlic extract into a feed ration did not have any influence on weight gains of chickens. © 2014 Potravinarstvo

CAVER Analyst 1.0: graphic tool for interactive visualization and analysis of tunnels and channels in protein structures

ABSTRACT Summary: The transport of ligands, ions or solvent molecules into proteins with buried binding sites or through the membrane is enabled by protein tunnels and channels. CAVER Analyst is a software tool for calculation, analysis and real-time visualization of access tunnels and channels in static and dynamic protein structures. It provides an intuitive graphic user interface for setting up the calculation and interactive exploration of identified tunnels/channels and their characteristics. Availability and Implementation: CAVER Analyst is a multi-platform software written in JAVA. Binaries and documentation are freely available for non-commercial use at http://www.caver.cz

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation