Vehicle detection by means of stereo vision-based obstacles features extraction and monocular pattern analysis.

This paper presents a stereo vision system for the detection and distance computation of a preceding vehicle. It is divided in two major steps. Initially, a stereo vision-based algorithm is used to extract relevant three-dimensional (3-D) features in the scene, these features are investigated further in order to select the ones that belong to vertical objects only and not to the road or background. These 3-D vertical features are then used as a starting point for preceding vehicle detection; by using a symmetry operator, a match against a simplified model of a rear vehicle's shape is performed using a monocular vision-based approach that allows the identification of a preceding vehicle. In addition, using the 3-D information previously extracted, an accurate distance computation is performed.     

Residues at the subunit interfaces of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that contribute to alpha-conotoxin M1 binding

The two binding sites in the pentameric nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of subunit composition alpha2 beta gamma delta are formed by nonequivalent alpha-gamma and alpha-delta subunit interfaces, which produce site selectivity in the binding of agonists and antagonists. We show by sedimentation analysis that 125I-alpha-conotoxin M1 binds with high affinity to the alpha-delta subunit dimers, but not to alpha-gamma dimers, nor to alpha, gamma, and delta monomers, a finding consistent with alpha-conotoxin M1 selectivity for the alpha delta interface in the intact receptor measured by competition against alpha-bungarotoxin binding. We also extend previous identification of alpha-conotoxin M1 determinants in the gamma and delta subunits to the alpha subunit interface by mutagenesis of conserved residues in the alpha subunit. Most mutations of the alpha subunit affect affinity similarly at the two sites, but Tyr93Phe, Val188Lys, Tyr190Thr, Tyr198Thr, and Asp152Asn affect affinity in a site-selective manner. Mutant cycle analysis reveals only weak or no interactions between mutant alpha and non-alpha subunits, indicating that side chains of the alpha subunit do not interact with those of the gamma or delta subunits in stabilizing alpha-conotoxin M1. The overall findings suggest different binding configurations of alpha-conotoxin M1 at the alpha-delta and alpha-gamma binding interfaces.     

Inpainting of binary images using the Cahn-Hilliard equation.

Image inpainting is the filling in of missing or damaged regions of images using information from surrounding areas. We outline here the use of a model for binary inpainting based on the Cahn-Hilliard equation, which allows for fast, efficient inpainting of degraded text, as well as super-resolution of high contrast images.     

Statistical Density Estimation Using Threshold Dynamics for Geometric Motion

Our goal is to estimate a probability density based on discrete point data via segmentation techniques. Since point data may represent certain activities, such as crime, our method can be successfully used for detecting regions of high activity. In this work we design a binary segmentation version of the well-known Maximum Penalized Likelihood Estimation (MPLE) model, as well as a minimization algorithm based on thresholding dynamics originally proposed by Merriman et al. (The Computational Crystal Growers, pp. 73–83, 1992). We also present some computational examples, including one with actual residential burglary data from the San Fernando Valley.     

Carbohydrate sulfotransferases: mediators of extracellular communication

Sulfated carbohydrates mediate diverse extracellular recognition events in both normal and pathological processes. The sulfotransferases that generate specific carbohydrate 'sulfoforms' have recently been recognized as key modulators of these processes and therefore represent potential therapeutic targets.     

An Expanded Set of Fluorogenic Sulfatase Activity Probes

Fluorogenic probes that are activated by an enzymatic transformation are ideally suited for profiling enzyme activities in biological systems. Here, we describe two fluorogenic enzyme probes, 3‐O‐methylfluorescein‐sulfate and resorufin‐sulfate, that can be used to detect sulfatases in mycobacterial lysates. Both probes were validated with a set of commercial sulfatases and used to reveal species‐specific sulfatase banding patterns in a gel‐resolved assay of mycobacterial lysates. The fluorogenic probes described here are suitable for various assays and provide a starting point for creating new sulfatase probes with improved selectivity for mycobacterial sulfatases.