Application of spectral and spatial processing methods to sonar images

The paper proposes the use of the method of renormalization with limitation (MRL) for suppressing the speckle noise of images obtained using sonar. The method is tested on real images obtained by the interferometric side-view sonar. The principal possibility of a significant reduction in the speckle noise level is found due to the fact that the MRL renormalizes the spectrum of the sonar image to the universal reference spectrum (URS) model, which is a model of the spectrum of a "good" quality grayscale image. To increase the overall sharpness of the image, after applying the MRL, it is proposed to use spatial brightness transformations. The study allows us to conclude that the application of MRL to sonar images can significantly reduce speckle noise.

Using high-abundance proteins as guides for fast and effective peptide/protein identification from human gut metaproteomic data

Background A few recent large efforts significantly expanded the collection of human-associated bacterial genomes, which now contains thousands of entities including reference complete/draft genomes and metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs). These genomes provide useful resource for studying the functionality of the human-associated microbiome and their relationship with human health and diseases. One application of these genomes is to provide a universal reference for database search in metaproteomic studies, when matched metagenomic/metatranscriptomic data are unavailable. However, a greater collection of reference genomes may not necessarily result in better peptide/protein identification because the increase of search space often leads to fewer spectrum-peptide matches, not to mention the drastic increase of computation time. Methods Here, we present a new approach that uses two steps to optimize the use of the reference genomes and MAGs as the universal reference for human gut metaproteomic MS/MS data analysis. The first step is to use only the high-abundance proteins (HAPs) (i.e., ribosomal proteins and elongation factors) for metaproteomic MS/MS database search and, based on the identification results, to derive the taxonomic composition of the underlying microbial community. The second step is to expand the search database by including all proteins from identified abundant species. We call our approach HAPiID (HAPs guided metaproteomics IDentification). Results We tested our approach using human gut metaproteomic datasets from a previous study and compared it to the state-of-the-art reference database search method MetaPro-IQ for metaproteomic identification in studying human gut microbiota. Our results show that our two-steps method not only performed significantly faster but also was able to identify more peptides. We further demonstrated the application of HAPiID to revealing protein profiles of individual human-associated bacterial species, one or a few species at a time, using metaproteomic data. Conclusions The HAP guided profiling approach presents a novel effective way for constructing target database for metaproteomic data analysis. The HAPiID pipeline built upon this approach provides a universal tool for analyzing human gut-associated metaproteomic data.

Application of the method of renormalization with limitation to remote sensing images obtained with synthetic aperture radars.

This article proposes an application of the method of renormalization with limitation (MRL) to suppress speckle noise in SAR images. This is because the method of renormalization with limitation, by its definition, renormalizes the SAR image spectrum to a universal reference spectrum (URS) model, which is a "good" quality grayscale spectrum model. To increase the overall sharpness of the image, consistently with the MRL, it is proposed to apply the classical Laplacian. This study allows us to conclude that the application of MRL to SAR images can significantly reduce speckle noise.

Validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR in cardiac tissue of rats induced to obesity and diabetes

The validation of reference genes is an essential step for any RT-qPCR analysis. In this way, the present paper aimed to identify and validate reference genes for RT-qPCR in cardiac tissue of rats of the Rattus norvegicus albinus specie, submitted to obesity associated or not to type 2 diabetes mellitus. For this, the metabolic changes were induced at the 42nd day of life and the euthanasia was performed on the 70th day. The heart apexes were collected and destinates for RNA extraction. The RT-qPCR technique was performed in own thermocycler, the efficiency of the primers found by the LinReg software and the stability of the expression of the reference genes in the samples was analyzed by the RefFinder algorithm. The candidates for reference genes were GAPDH, POLR2A, RPL32, and RPL4 and the target gene used to verify the differences in gene expression of candidates for reference genes was CMA1. The obese animals showed a decrease in CMA1 gene expression when compared to the two most stable reference genes. The opposite occurs when it is compared to the two less stable reference genes. The GAPDH and POLR2A genes are the best to normalize the reactions with the samples in question. There is no universal reference gene for all situations, which requires systematic validation for each situation. The use of unvalidated reference genes may compromise the interpretation of the expression of the target genes, which would prevent the reflection of the actual situation.

Would India Really Touch the Peak of SARS COVID 19 Cases or Deaths in Near Future?

BackgroundThe Government, Health System and even an individual citizen of India is alarmed expecting the height of pandemic of SARS-COVID-19 in near future. Many experts worldwide predict it to happen in India between end of May and end of July.ObjectivesThe aim of this research was to find an answer that whether India would come across the looming conditions of SARS-COVID-19 in coming days given the prevailing circumstances so far.MethodsThe proposed approach used fundamental concept of Statistics by fixing the standard reference to the number of daily new tests conducted by a country. We thus computed the percentage of daily new cases and daily new deaths, in using such references. The trends were studied using simple line chart. The theory of three sigma was also used to build the upper bound for daily new cases and deaths, specifically for India to see the extreme conditions.ResultsThe analysis was done using data from January to till May 18, 2020 for India, Italy, USA and UK. The trend of India was almost fix between ~2% to ~6% till May 18, 2020. On contrary, Italy, USA and UK were touched the Peak on March 29, 2020 (24.38%), April 26, 2020 (23.51%) and April 24, 2020 (24.91%), respectively and declining since then. Similar trends were also noted in daily new deaths, except Italy.ConclusionsThe proposed new concept for fixing universal reference provides a consistent and coherent results. It is thus clear from observed data so far that India is not going to encounter the frightened conditions or peak, like, Italy, USA, and UK for pandemic SARS-COVID-19, given the existing conditions, excluding the current migration.

Using high abundance proteins as guides for fast and effective peptide/protein identification from metaproteomic data

BackgroundA few recent large efforts significantly expanded the collection of human-associated bacterial genomes, which now contains thousands of entities including reference complete/draft genomes and metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs). These genomes provide useful resource for studying the functionality of the human-associated microbiome and their relationship with human health and diseases. One application of these genomes is to provide a universal reference for database search in metaproteomic studies, when matched metagenomic/metatranscriptomic data are unavailable. However, a greater collection of reference genomes may not necessarily result in better peptide/protein identification because the increase of search space often leads to fewer spectrum-peptide matches, not to mention the drastic increase of computation time.MethodsHere, we present a new approach that uses two steps to optimize the use of the reference genomes and MAGs as the universal reference for human gut metaproteomic MS/MS data analysis. The first step is to use only the High Abundance Proteins (HAPs) (i.e., ribosomal proteins and elongation factors) for metaproteomic MS/MS database search and, based on the identification results, to derive the taxonomic composition of the underlying microbial community. The second step is to expand the search database by including all proteins from identified abundant species. We call our approach HAPiID (HAPs guided metaproteomics IDentification).ResultsWe tested our approach using human gut metaproteomic datasets from a previous study and compared it to the state-of-the-art reference database search method MetaPro-IQ for metaproteomic identification in studying human gut microbiota. Our results show that our two-steps method not only performed significantly faster but also was able to identify more peptides. We further demonstrated the application of HAPiID to revealing protein profiles of individual human-associated bacterial species, one or a few species at a time, using metaproteomic data.ConclusionsThe HAP guided profiling approach presents a novel effective way for constructing target database for metaproteomic data analysis. The HAPiID pipeline built upon this approach provides a universal tool for analyzing human gut-associated metaproteomic data.

Ivan Rakovsky as en European encyclopediographer

The article offers an overview of the life of anthropologist Ivan Rakovsky who is an editor in chief of the Ukrainian General Encyclopedia (1930–1935) as the first Ukrainian universal reference work. The biographical information of the scientist is described through the vision of his formation as an encyclopediographer, the creation of UGE, its compiling, as well as activities in the Shevchenko Scientific Society.

Artworks and the Paradoxes of Media-Transmitted Reality

This article analyzes selected classic art that influences contemporary images. The basis of this study is an analysis of the transformation of long-established and internationally-recognized artwork through digital technology and social media. This investigation also highlights the symbolic meaning behind the representation and reproduction of media images concerning the political impact of global visual culture.Visual culture consists of images of reality that are constantly being reconfigured. Thus, the visual arts develop consensually, based on democratic ideals and freedom of expression. Nonetheless, transgression occurs due to a lack of universal reference criteria and a dissolution of common human values. This situation explains why visual culture is often misunderstood and remains unassimilated. In addition, actual tragedies in life even become confused with art due to the fact that art so often closely imitates reality.Visual arts, a significant area of concern for media outlets, involves deciphering the meaning of images that have been manipulated and instrumentalized according to particular political and ideological interests. The objective of the current proposal is to help people discern fact from fiction and to look at and understand society’s emergence and relationship to democracy. Therefore, visual arts will be analyzed through a historical and iconological lens to investigate it as a form of communication and current social effects of political images.Finally, it is also considered the artifice of images and the absolute reference values of human existence on visual arts in the face of technological progress and their effects on social networks.Article received: May 14, 2019; Article accepted: July 6, 2019; Published online: October 15, 2019; Original scholarly paperHow to cite this article: Wagner, Christiane. "Artworks and the Paradoxes of Media-Transmitted Reality." AM Journal of Art and Media Studies 20 (2019): 71-85. doi: 10.25038/am.v0i20.324.

Twentieth-Century Longitude: When Greenwich Moved

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the meridian passing though the Royal Observatory at Greenwich had become a near-universal reference for place and time. It was the zero of longitude. But our current standard of zero longitude is about 100 metres away from the original. That mobility needs historical context: Greenwich began to move in the years after the First World War, when wireless techniques for the astronomical determination of longitude and the standardisation of time were developed, and has carried on moving ever since. In this article, I describe how twentieth-century techniques for the determination of longitude not only brought improved precision but also led to fundamental changes in our long-standing conventions of longitude. And I show how – despite its mobility – our current standard of zero longitude continues to respect the original.