Babesia Bovis Ligand-Receptor Interaction: AMA-1 Contains Small Regions Governing Bovine Erythrocyte Binding

Apical membrane antigen 1 is a microneme protein which plays an indispensable role during Apicomplexa parasite invasion. The detailed mechanism of AMA-1 molecular interaction with its receptor on bovine erythrocytes has not been completely defined in Babesia bovis. This study was focused on identifying the minimum B. bovis AMA-1-derived regions governing specific and high-affinity binding to its target cells. Different approaches were used for detecting ama-1 locus genetic variability and natural selection signatures. The binding properties of twelve highly conserved 20-residue-long peptides were evaluated using a sensitive and specific binding assay based on radio-iodination. B. bovis AMA-1 ectodomain structure was modelled and refined using molecular modelling software. NetMHCIIpan software was used for calculating B- and T-cell epitopes. The B. bovis ama-1 gene had regions under functional constraint, having the highest negative selective pressure intensity in the Domain I encoding region. Interestingly, B. bovis AMA-1-DI (¹⁰⁰YMQKFDIPRNHGSGIYVDLG¹¹⁹ and ¹²⁰GYESVGSKSYRMPVGKCPVV¹³⁹) and DII (³⁰²CPMHPVRDAIFGKWSGGSCV³²¹)-derived peptides had high specificity interaction with erythrocytes and bound to a chymotrypsin and neuraminidase-treatment sensitive receptor. DI-derived peptides appear to be exposed on the protein’s surface and contain predicted B- and T-cell epitopes. These findings provide data (for the first-time) concerning B. bovis AMA-1 functional subunits which are important for establishing receptor-ligand interactions which could be used in synthetic vaccine development.     

Convolutional Neural Network Auto Encoder Channel Estimation Algorithm in MIMO-OFDM System

Higher transmission rate is one of the technological features of prominently used wireless communication namely Multiple Input Multiple Output-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (MIMO–OFDM). One among an effective solution for channel estimation in wireless communication system, specifically in different environments is Deep Learning (DL) method. This research greatly utilizes channel estimator on the basis of Convolutional Neural Network Auto Encoder (CNNAE) classifier for MIMO-OFDM systems. A CNNAE classifier is one among Deep Learning (DL) algorithm, in which video signal is fed as input by allotting significant learnable weights and biases in various aspects/objects for video signal and capable of differentiating from one another. Improved performances are achieved by using CNNAE based channel estimation, in which extension is done for channel selection as well as achieve enhanced performances numerically, when compared with conventional estimators in quite a lot of scenarios. Considering reduction in number of parameters involved and re-usability of weights, CNNAE based channel estimation is quite suitable and properly fits to the video signal. CNNAE classifier weights updation are done with minimized Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Bit Error Rate (BER) and Mean Square Error (MSE).     

基于光谱尺度空间与管道滤波的红外目标检测

为了准确地从复杂干扰背景下检测出真实弱小目标，本文引入视觉显著性，设计了基于快速光谱尺度空间与动态管道滤波的红外目标检测算法。基于真实目标与背景内容之间的整体差异，引入快速光谱尺度空间与阈值分割技术，设计视觉显著性机制，对红外图像完成处理，输出全局显著性映射，以高效过滤干扰背景内容。考虑目标与背景的局部特征差异，构建自适应局部对比度增强机制，对粗检测结果实施处理，获取对应的局部显著性映射，改善视觉显著性区域内目标的对比度。引入高斯差分理论，通过估算每一帧红外图像中的目标像素直径，形成动态管道滤波，充分消除虚警，准确识别出弱小目标。多组实验数据显示：较已有的红外目标检测技术而言，在各种不同的复杂背景干扰下，所提算法呈现出更好的检测能力，拥有更理想的接收机工作特性ROC曲线。     

Comparative analysis of inbreeding parameters and runs of homozygosity islands in 2 Italian autochthonous cattle breeds mainly raised in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production region

Reggiana and Modenese are autochthonous cattle breeds, reared in the North of Italy, that can be mainly distinguished for their standard coat color (Reggiana is red, whereas Modenese is white with some pale gray shades). Almost all milk produced by these breeds is transformed into 2 mono-breed branded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, from which farmers receive the economic incomes needed for the sustainable conservation of these animal genetic resources. After the setting up of their herd books in 1960s, these breeds experienced a strong reduction in the population size that was subsequently reverted starting in the 1990s (Reggiana) or more recently (Modenese) reaching at present a total of about 2,800 and 500 registered cows, respectively. Due to the small population size of these breeds, inbreeding is a very important cause of concern for their conservation programs. Inbreeding is traditionally estimated using pedigree data, which are summarized in an inbreeding coefficient calculated at the individual level (F_PED). However, incompleteness of pedigree information and registration errors can affect the effectiveness of conservation strategies. High-throughput SNP genotyping platforms allow investigation of inbreeding using genome information that can overcome the limits of pedigree data. Several approaches have been proposed to estimate genomic inbreeding, with the use of runs of homozygosity (ROH) considered to be the more appropriate. In this study, several pedigree and genomic inbreeding parameters, calculated using the whole herd book populations or considering genotyping information (GeneSeek GGP Bovine 150K) from 1,684 Reggiana cattle and 323 Modenese cattle, were compared. Average inbreeding values per year were used to calculate effective population size. Reggiana breed had generally lower genomic inbreeding values than Modenese breed. The low correlation between pedigree-based and genomic-based parameters (ranging from 0.187 to 0.195 and 0.319 to 0.323 in the Reggiana and Modenese breeds, respectively) reflected the common problems of local populations in which pedigree records are not complete. The high proportion of short ROH over the total number of ROH indicates no major recent inbreeding events in both breeds. ROH islands spread over the genome of the 2 breeds (15 in Reggiana and 14 in Modenese) identified several signatures of selection. Some of these included genes affecting milk production traits, stature, body conformation traits (with a main ROH island in both breeds on BTA6 containing the ABCG2, NCAPG, and LCORL genes) and coat color (on BTA13 in Modenese containing the ASIP gene). In conclusion, this work provides an extensive comparative analysis of pedigree and genomic inbreeding parameters and relevant genomic information that will be useful in the conservation strategies of these 2 iconic local cattle breeds.     

基于种群划分与变异策略的粒子群优化算法

粒子群算法因其形式比较简洁，参数设置灵活，操作简便易行，并且能够快速收敛，从而引起广泛关注。但是传统的粒子群算法也有缺陷：收敛速度慢以及容易陷入局部最优等。针对这些问题，本文借鉴小生境的方法，在进化初始阶段，对种群进行划分，将初始种群分为子种群，对不同的子种群进行不同的变异策略；在进化过程中，针对不同的子种群，设置不同的惯性权重因子ω，用来增强全局搜索能力与局部搜索能力。实验结果表明，本文提出的算法较传统的粒子群算法具有较快的收敛性以及找寻的全局最优解更接近真实解集，收敛精度比较高。     

A new linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer for reconstructing EEG sparse sources

Brain source imaging based on EEG aims to reconstruct the neural activities producing the scalp potentials. This includes solving the forward and inverse problems. The aim of the inverse problem is to estimate the activity of the brain sources based on the measured data and leadfield matrix computed in the forward step. Spatial filtering, also known as beamforming, is an inverse method that reconstructs the time course of the source at a particular location by weighting and linearly combining the sensor data. In this paper, we considered a temporal assumption related to the time course of the source, namely sparsity, in the Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance (LCMV) beamformer. This assumption sounds reasonable since not all brain sources are active all the time such as epileptic spikes and also some experimental protocols such as electrical stimulations of a peripheral nerve can be sparse in time. Developing the sparse beamformer is done by incorporating L1-norm regularization of the beamformer output in the relevant cost function while obtaining the filter weights. We called this new beamformer SParse LCMV (SP-LCMV). We compared the performance of the SP-LCMV with that of LCMV for both superficial and deep sources with different amplitudes using synthetic EEG signals. Also, we compared them in localization and reconstruction of sources underlying electric median nerve stimulation. Results show that the proposed sparse beamformer can enhance reconstruction of sparse sources especially in the case of sources with high amplitude spikes.     

Evolution of Local Structural Ordering and Chemical Distribution upon Delithiation of a Rock Salt–Structured Li1.3Ta0.3Mn0.4O2 Cathode

Lithium‐rich disordered rock‐salt oxides have attracted great interest owing to their promising performance as Li‐ion battery cathodes. While experimental and theoretical efforts are critical in advancing this class of materials, a fundamental understanding of key property changes upon Li extraction is largely missing. In the present study, single‐crystal synthesis of a new disordered rock‐salt cathode material, Li_1.3Ta_0.3Mn_0.4O₂ (LTMO), and its use as a model compound to investigate Li concentration–driven evolution of local cationic ordering, charge compensation, and chemical distribution are reported. Through the combined use of 2D and 3D X‐ray nanotomography, it is shown that Li removal accompanied by oxygen oxidation is correlated with the development of morphological defects such as particle cracking. Chemical heterogeneity, quantified by subparticle level distribution of Mn valence state, is minimal during Mn redox, which drastically increases upon the formation of cracks during oxygen redox. Density functional theory and bond valence sum mismatch calculations reveal the presence of local short‐range ordering in the pristine oxide, which gradually disappears along with the extraction of Li. The study suggests that with cycling the transformation into true cation–disordered state can be expected, which likely impacts the voltage profile and obtainable energy density of the oxide cathodes.     

基于平面不封闭图形切割的路径规划

在平面切割环节中，如何确定更短切割路径以减少加工成本、降低设备损耗和提升切割质量是工业应用和学术研究的重点。目前国内外对平面切割路径的研究主要集中于封闭图形，为此，针对在激光刀模行业中不封闭图形的问题，提出一种基于禁忌搜索的贪婪算法和贪婪准则的局部优化。首先使用构建型的贪婪算法和改进型的禁忌搜索算法相结合的方式对加工过程中的图元路径进行优化排序，随后提出贪婪准则的局部优化系数，削弱贪婪算法的“贪心”思想，解决加工路径的规划和优化问题。实验数据表明，禁忌搜索的贪婪算法和局部优化在对切割路径的规划和空行程优化上有显著效果，空行程减少50%以上，并且其优化性能和图元数量成正比，能有效地解决刀模行业以及其他激光雕刻行业中图形不封闭的切割难题。     

基于结构化遮挡编码和极限学习机的局部遮挡人脸识别

提出使用结构化遮挡编码（SOC）结合极限学习机（ELM）的算法来处理人脸识别中的遮挡问题。首先，使用SOC去除图像上的遮挡物，将遮挡物体与人脸分离开；同时，通过局部性约束字典（LCD）来估计遮挡物的位置，建立遮挡字典和人脸字典。然后，将建立好的人脸字典矩阵进行归一化处理，并利用ELM对归一化的数据进行分类识别。最后，在AR人脸库上进行的仿真实验结果表明，所提方法对不同遮挡物和不同区域遮挡的图像具有较好的识别率和鲁棒性。