Assessment of fused videos using scanpaths: a comparison of data analysis methods

The increased interest in image fusion (combining images of two or more modalities such as infrared and visible light radiation) has led to a need for accurate and reliable image assessment methods. Previous work has often relied upon subjective quality ratings combined with some form of computational metric analysis. However, we have shown in previous work that such methods do not correlate well with how people perform in actual tasks utilising fused images. The current study presents the novel use of an eye-tracking paradigm to record how accurately participants could track an individual in various fused video displays. Participants were asked to track a man in camouflage outfit in various input videos (visible and infrared originals, a fused average of the inputs; and two different wavelet-based fused videos) whilst also carrying out a secondary button-press task. The results were analysed in two ways, once calculating accuracy across the whole video, and by dividing the video into three time sections based on video content. Although the pattern of results depends on the analysis, the accuracy for the inputs was generally found to be significantly worse than that for the fused displays. In conclusion, both approaches have good potential as new fused video assessment methods, depending on what task is carried out.     

High juvenile mortality during migration in a declining population of a long‐distance migratory raptor

Many populations of long‐distance migrants are declining and there is increasing evidence that declines may be caused by factors operating outside the breeding season. Among the four vulture species breeding in the western Palaearctic, the species showing the steepest population decline, the Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, is a long‐distance migrant wintering in Africa. However, the flyways and wintering areas of the species are only known for some populations, and without knowledge of where mortality occurs, effective conservation management is not possible. We tracked 19 juvenile Egyptian Vultures from the declining breeding population on the Balkan Peninsula between 2010 and 2014 to estimate survival and identify important migratory routes and wintering areas for this species. Mortality during the first autumn migration was high (monthly survival probability 0.75) but mortality during migration was exclusively associated with suboptimal navigation. All birds from western breeding areas and three birds from central and eastern breeding areas attempted to fly south over the Mediterranean Sea, but only one in 10 birds survived this route, probably due to stronger tailwind. All eight birds using the migratory route via Turkey and the Middle East successfully completed their first autumn migration. Of 14 individual and environmental variables examined to explain why juvenile birds did or did not successfully complete their first migration, the natal origin of the bird was the most influential. We speculate that in a declining population with fewer experienced adults, an increasing proportion of juvenile birds are forced to migrate without conspecific guidance, leading to high mortality as a consequence of following sub‐optimal migratory routes. Juvenile Egyptian Vultures wintered across a vast range of the Sahel and eastern Africa, and had large movement ranges with core use areas at intermediate elevations in savannah, cropland or desert. Two birds were shot in Africa, where several significant threats exist for vultures at continental scales. Given the broad distribution of the birds and threats, effective conservation in Africa will be challenging and will require long‐term investment. We recommend that in the short term, more efficient conservation could target narrow migration corridors in southern Turkey and the Middle East, and known congregation sites in African wintering areas.     

New Insights into the Hendra Virus Attachment and Entry Process from Structures of the Virus G Glycoprotein and Its Complex with Ephrin-B2

Hendra virus and Nipah virus, comprising the genus Henipavirus, are recently emerged, highly pathogenic and often lethal zoonotic agents against which there are no approved therapeutics. Two surface glycoproteins, the attachment (G) and fusion (F), mediate host cell entry. The crystal structures of the Hendra G glycoprotein alone and in complex with the ephrin-B2 receptor reveal that henipavirus uses Tryptophan 122 on ephrin-B2/B3 as a “latch” to facilitate the G-receptor association. Structural-based mutagenesis of residues in the Hendra G glycoprotein at the receptor binding interface document their importance for viral attachments and entry, and suggest that the stability of the Hendra-G-ephrin attachment complex does not strongly correlate with the efficiency of viral entry. In addition, our data indicates that conformational rearrangements of the G glycoprotein head domain upon receptor binding may be the trigger leading to the activation of the viral F fusion glycoprotein during virus infection.     

Evidence for training-induced plasticity in multisensory brain structures: an MEG study

Multisensory learning and resulting neural brain plasticity have recently become a topic of renewed interest in human cognitive neuroscience. Music notation reading is an ideal stimulus to study multisensory learning, as it allows studying the integration of visual, auditory and sensorimotor information processing. The present study aimed at answering whether multisensory learning alters uni-sensory structures, interconnections of uni-sensory structures or specific multisensory areas. In a short-term piano training procedure musically naive subjects were trained to play tone sequences from visually presented patterns in a music notation-like system [Auditory-Visual-Somatosensory group (AVS)], while another group received audio-visual training only that involved viewing the patterns and attentively listening to the recordings of the AVS training sessions [Auditory-Visual group (AV)]. Training-related changes in cortical networks were assessed by pre- and post-training magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings of an auditory, a visual and an integrated audio-visual mismatch negativity (MMN). The two groups (AVS and AV) were differently affected by the training. The results suggest that multisensory training alters the function of multisensory structures, and not the uni-sensory ones along with their interconnections, and thus provide an answer to an important question presented by cognitive models of multisensory training.     

MINOS1 is a conserved component of mitofilin complexes and required for mitochondrial function and cristae organization

The inner membrane of mitochondria is especially protein rich and displays a unique morphology characterized by large invaginations, the mitochondrial cristae, and the inner boundary membrane, which is in proximity to the outer membrane. Mitochondrial inner membrane proteins appear to be not evenly distributed in the inner membrane, but instead organize into functionally distinct subcompartments. It is unknown how the organization of the inner membrane is achieved. We identified MINOS1/MIO10 (C1orf151/YCL057C-A), a conserved mitochondrial inner membrane protein. mio10-mutant yeast cells are affected in growth on nonfermentable carbon sources and exhibit altered mitochondrial morphology. At the ultrastructural level, mutant mitochondria display loss of inner membrane organization. Proteomic analyses reveal MINOS1/Mio10 as a novel constituent of Mitofilin/Fcj1 complexes in human and yeast mitochondria. Thus our analyses reveal new insight into the composition of the mitochondrial inner membrane organizing machinery.     

Dynamic properties of a delayed protein cross talk model

In this paper we investigate how the inclusion of time delay alters the dynamical properties of the Jacob-Monod model, describing the control of the beta-galactosidase synthesis by the lac repressor protein in E. coli. The consequences of a time delay on the dynamics of this system are analysed using Hopf's theorem and Lyapunov-Andronov's theory applied to the original mathematical model and to an approximated version. Our analytical calculations predict that time delay acts as a key bifurcation parameter. This is confirmed by numerical simulations. A critical value of time delay, which depends on the values of the model parameters, is analytically established. Around this critical value, the properties of the system change drastically, allowing under certain conditions the emergence of stable limit cycles, that is self-sustained oscillations. In addition, the features of the end product repression play an essential role in the characterisation of these limit cycles: if cooperativity is considered in the end product repression, time delay higher than the mentioned critical value induce differentiated responses during the oscillations, provoking cycles of all-or-nothing response in the concentration of the species.     

Cortical recovery of swallowing function in wound botulism

Background  

Botulism is a rare disease caused by intoxication leading to muscle weakness and rapidly progressive dysphagia. With adequate therapy signs of recovery can be observed within several days. In the last few years, brain imaging studies carried out in healthy subjects showed activation of the sensorimotor cortex and the insula during volitional swallowing. However, little is known about cortical changes and compensation mechanisms accompanying swallowing pathology.     

Structure of GABARAP in two conformations: implications for GABA(A) receptor localization and tubulin binding.

GABARAP recognizes and binds the gamma2 subunit of the GABA(A) receptor, interacts with microtubules and the N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor, and is proposed to function in GABA(A) receptor trafficking and postsynaptic localization. We have determined the crystal structure of human GABARAP at 1.6 A resolution. The structure comprises an N-terminal helical subdomain and a ubiquitin-like C-terminal domain. Structure-based mutational analysis demonstrates that the N-terminal subdomain is responsible for tubulin binding while the C-terminal domain contains the binding site for the GABA(A). A second GABARAP crystal form was determined at 1.9 A resolution and documents that GABARAP can self-associate in a head-to-tail manner. The structural details of this oligomerization reveal how GABARAP can both promote tubulin polymerization and facilitate GABA(A) receptor clustering.