Moving objects forecast in image sequences using autoregressive algorithms

The objective of this paper is to present an overall approach to forecasting the future position of the moving objects of an image sequence after processing the images previous to it. The proposed method makes use of classical techniques such as optical flow to extract objects’ trajectories and velocities, and autoregressive algorithms to build the predictive model. Our method can be used in a variety of applications, where videos with stationary cameras are used, moving objects are not deformed and change their position with time. One of these applications is traffic control, which is used in this paper as a case study with different meteorological conditions to compare with.

Relation of stressors and depressive symptoms to clinical progression of viral illness

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to determine whether and in whom stressors and depressive symptoms facilitate clinical recurrence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and progression of HIV. METHOD: Meta-analytic techniques were used to review the relations of stressors and depressive symptoms to clinical recurrence of HSV in 16 published studies and to indicators of HIV progression in 19 published studies. The authors calculated average effect sizes, performed fixed effect and random effect inferential analyses, tested for heterogeneous findings, and identified potential moderating variables. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were associated with a slightly increased risk of HSV recurrence and increased reports of HIV-related symptoms, whereas stressors were not. However, depressive symptoms were not associated with objective indicators of accelerated HIV progression. Stressor studies, especially those that ascertained population-specific life events, found numerical and functional decrements in circulating natural killer cell populations. The candidate moderators identified include, for HSV recurrence, age, sex, and medication status, and for HIV-related symptoms, age, race, disease stage, and co-infection with HSV. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms, but not stressors, increase the risk of HSV recurrence generally. Depressive symptoms do not appear to accelerate HIV progression ubiquitously, although they are associated with increased reporting of HIV-related symptoms. Future studies that ascertain population-specific stressors should determine whether reductions in cytotoxic lymphocytes influence HIV disease progression. Moreover, researcher should investigate the role of the identified moderators and recognize psychoimmune moderators in existing and novel study groups. These analyses could confirm that certain individuals are especially susceptible to the effects on disease progression of stressors, depressive symptoms, or both.     

Pathogenicity of Vibrio alginolyticus for cultured gilt-head sea bream (Sparus aurata L.)

The in vivo and in vitro pathogenic activities of whole cells and extracellular products of Vibrio alginolyticus for cultured gilt-head sea bream were evaluated. The 50% lethal doses ranged from 5.4 x 10(4) to 1.0 x 10(6) CFU/g of body weight. The strains examined had the ability to adhere to skin, gill, and intestinal mucus of sea bream and to cultured cells of a chinook salmon embryo cell line. In addition, the in vitro ability of V. alginolyticus to adhere to mucus and skin cells of sea bream was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy. The biological activities of extracellular products of V. alginolyticus were hydrolytic activities; the products were able to degrade sea bream mucus. V. alginolyticus was cytotoxic for fish cell lines and lethal for sea bream. Moreover, the extracellular products could degrade sea bream tissues. However, experiments performed with the bath immersion inoculation technique demonstrated that V. alginolyticus should be considered a pathogen for sea bream only when the mucus layer is removed and the skin is damaged.     

Study of milk/κ-carrageenan mixtures by atomic force microscopy

Structural characteristics of milk components and milk/κ-carrageenan mixtures were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Samples were adsorbed on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and mica substrates. Sample attachment by physisorption and imaging in air by AFM resulted in a very promising technique to investigate structures and interactions between biological macromolecules under “near-native” conditions. Differences in adsorption of casein micelles on HOPG and mica surfaces were observed. Casein micelles were adsorbed satisfactorily on HOPG while poor adsorption was obtained on mica surface. Topographical images of casein micelles adsorbed on HOPG denoted pseudo-spherical structures forming aggregates which were polydisperse in size and shape. In the case of milk/κ-carrageenan mixtures, it was observed that as κ-carrageenan concentration increased, the amount of casein micelles attached on HOPG surface decreased. An opposite behavior was observed when samples were adsorbed on mica. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions between samples and substrates helped in improving the understanding of the interactions between the macromolecules studied. Our findings agreed with previous studies suggesting a surface level interaction between casein micelles and κ-carrageenan, the structures observed being dependent on polysaccharide concentration. It can also be concluded that mica may be a suitable substrate for imaging milk/κ-carrageenan mixtures.     

Casein Degradation of Fynbo Cheese Salted with NaCl/KCl Brine and Ripened at Various Temperatures

ABSTRACT: Effect of temperature and salt substitution on casein degradation of Fynbo cheese was studied. Fynbo cheeses, salted in solutions of 190 g NaCl/L and of 100 g NaCl/L and 100 g KCl/L and ripened at 5, 12, and 16 °C, were sampled at 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, and 90 d of ripening, at central and external zones. Samples were analyzed for moisture and chloride contents, maturation index, and casein degradation by urea‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. NaCl replacement by KCl did not affect any of the parameters studied. Total salt concentration and ripening temperature affected proteolysis significantly. First‐order kinetics constants for α_s1‐casein degradation were in the range of 0.002 to 0.016 day^‐1 and the activation energy of the reaction was approximately 26 kcal/gmol.     

Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Mifepristone Does Not Alter Innate Anxiety-Like Behavior in Genetically-Selected Marchigian Sardinian (msP) Rats

Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats serve as a unique model of heightened alcohol preference and anxiety disorders. Their innate enhanced stress and poor stress-coping strategies are driven by a genetic polymorphism of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRF1) in brain areas involved in glucocorticoid signaling. The activation of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) regulates the stress response, making GRs a candidate target to treat stress and anxiety. Here, we examined whether mifepristone, a GR antagonist known to reduce alcohol drinking in dependent rats, decreases innate symptoms of anxiety in msPs. Male and female msPs were compared to non-selected Wistar counterparts across three separate behavioral tests. We assessed anxiety-like behavior via the novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH) assay. Since sleep disturbances and hyperarousal are common features of stress-related disorders, we measured sleeping patterns using the comprehensive lab monitoring system (CLAMS) and stress sensitivity using acoustic startle measures. Rats received an acute administration of vehicle or mifepristone (60 mg/kg) 90 min prior to testing on NIH, acoustic startle response, and CLAMS. Our results revealed that both male and female msPs display greater anxiety-like behaviors as well as enhanced acoustic startle responses compared to Wistar counterparts. Male msPs also displayed reduced sleeping bout duration versus Wistars, and female msPs displayed greater acoustic startle responses versus male msPs. Importantly, the enhanced anxiety-like behavior and startle responses were not reduced by mifepristone. Together, these findings suggest that increased expression of stress-related behaviors in msPs are not solely mediated by acute activation of GRs.