Reconstructing Solid Model from 2D Scanned Images of Biological Organs for Finite Element Simulation

This work presents a methodology to reconstruct 3D biological organs from image sequences or other scan data using readily available free softwares with the final goal of using the organs (3D solids) for finite element analysis. The methodology deals with issues such as segmentation, conversion to polygonal surface meshes, and finally conversion of these meshes to 3D solids. The user is able to control the detail or the level of complexity of the solid constructed. The methodology is illustrated using 3D reconstruction of a porcine liver as an example. Finally, the reconstructed liver is imported into the commercial software ANSYS, and together with a cyst inside the liver, a nonlinear analysis performed. The results confirm that the methodology can be used for obtaining 3D geometry of biological organs. The results also demonstrate that the geometry obtained by following this methodology can be used for the nonlinear finite element analysis of organs. The methodology (or the procedure) would be of use in surgery planning and surgery simulation since both of these extensively use finite elements for numerical simulations and it is better if these simulations are carried out on patient specific organ geometries. Instead of following the present methodology, it would cost a lot to buy a commercial software which can reconstruct 3D biological organs from scanned image sequences.

The exploration of Kemp's triacid (KTA) as the core for the synthesis of 3-fold symmetric 2(3)-cyclophane, 2(2)-cyclophane and novel linker directed designs

For the first time, two units of KTA have been linked to three units of cyst-di-OMe. The reaction is noteworthy since it involves the formation of six amide bonds leading to a three-fold symmetric 23-cyclophane (3) harboring a cluster of three S-S bridges. The major product is a di-imide (4), arising from the interaction of a cystine NH with a neighbouring activated ester. A third reaction of tethering KTA with a single cyst-di-OMe unit afforded the flexible compound 6 and, with benzidine, the novel linker directed 7 with orthogonally disposed anchor modules.

Identification of microRNAs and their targets in Finger millet by high throughput sequencing

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs which play an important role in regulating gene expression by mRNA cleavage or by translational repression. The majority of identified miRNAs were evolutionarily conserved; however, others expressed in a species-specific manner. Finger millet is an important cereal crop; nonetheless, no practical information is available on microRNAs to date. In this study, we have identified 95 conserved microRNAs belonging to 39 families and 3 novel microRNAs by high throughput sequencing. For the identified conserved and novel miRNAs a total of 507 targets were predicted. 11 miRNAs were validated and tissue specificity was determined by stem loop RT-qPCR, Northern blot. GO analyses revealed targets of miRNA were involved in wide range of regulatory functions. This study implies large number of known and novel miRNAs found in Finger millet which may play important role in growth and development. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aspectos económicos de la retirada de tierra en Aragón

Desde 1988, como parte de las medidas adoptadas por la Política Agraria Común (PAC) de la UE, se ha aplicado la retirada de tierras de la producción, diseñada inicialmente como una medida con carácter estabilizador estructural. El tema de retirada de tierras es de vigente actualidad, pues la UE ha optado por el sistema, como una medida coyuntural y voluntaria, a partir de 1992, para limitar los excedentes de producción agrícola. En los cuatro años de aplicación del régimen plurianual de 1988, de retiradas de tierras de la producción, en España, la Comunidad de Aragall es la que ha presentado mayor número de solicitudes para retirar superficies de la producción (41,7% del total seguida por Castilla­ Leal (21,1 %) y Castilla-Mancha (18,5 %). El principal destino solicitado para las 41 592 ha de tierras retiradas de la producción, por los productores en Aragón, fue el barbecho, es decir el sistema tradicional de producción (cereal-barbecho), dada la carencia de acciones que vincularán el programa de retirada de tierras con otras alternativas. tales como los programas de reforestación o siembra de cultivos no alimenticios. La superficie retirada de la producción representó el 4,93 % de la superficie de cereales en Aragón, y está muy por debajo de la media de los países con mayor superficie retirada, como son Holanda, Italia y Alemania con un 16,79 %, 12,75% y 7,85% respectivamente, con respecto a la superficie de cereales, sin embargo es semejante a la media comunitaria (4,39 %) y superior a la media española (0,86 %). Las provincias de Huesca (21 966 ha) y Zaragoza (11 491 ha), presentaron mayor número de solicitudes de hectáreas acogidas, 53 % y 42 % respectivamente. Hay que tener en cuenta que, en ambas provincias, se siembra el 81 %de los cereales de Aragón y que en la provincia de Truel solo se aplicó la medida en dos de sus seis comarcas . La superficie retirada correspondió a la vez al 23 % del total de la superficie de las 795 explotaciones acogidas a la medida. A pesar de ser la Comunidad Autónoma con el mayor porcentaje de solicitudes para retirar tierras, no se acogieron las tierras en regadío más productivas (solo el 18% del área total retirada, 3.389 ha), mientras que las tierras menos productivas o de secano, y por lo tanto con mayor riesgo de pérdidas económicas durante la cosecha, representaron el 92% de la superficie retirada (38 203 ha), de las cuales el 38 % (14 362 ha) correspondió a zonas desfavorecidas y el 62 % (23 841 ha) a zonas de secano no desfavorecidas. Una de las causas de esta situación fue la baja cuantía de las ayudas destinadas a la retirada de tierras, de tal manera que solo resultó atractivo para los productores con explotaciones situadas en zonas marginales. En 1992 a través de las declaraciones efectuadas por los agricultores aragoneses, para la petición de pagos compensatorios, en la aplicación de las nuevas medidas establecidas por la PAC, se ha visto reflejada la información referente al total del superficie retirada en el programa quinquenal de 1988, hasta la campaña agrícola 1992/93. Para el caso de Aragón los agricultores declararon un total de 30 579 ha de barbecho (28 016 ha en cultivos de secano y 2 562 ha en cultivo de regadío) pertenecientes al programa de retirada de tierras de 1988, muy por debajo de las superficies correspondientes a las solicitudes aprobadas (41 592 ha). Con la reforma de la PAC de 1992, se prevé una disminución progresiva y •severa de los precios de intervención de los cultivos herbáceos, con el fin de aproximarlos a los precios mundiales, para compensar las pérdidas de renta por parte de los agricultores se ha establecido un conjunto de ayudas. Estas ayudas tienen diferentes modalidades dependiendo de la consideración de pequeño o mediano y gran agricultor (con un límite entre ambos grupos de 92 t de producción). Los agricultores cuyas explotaciones ‘superan las 92 t de producción están sujetos a la condición de retirar como mínimo un 15% o un 20% de la superficie de cultivos, según escojan el sistema rotacional o no, respectivamente, y hasta un máximo voluntario del 50% de la superficie de cultivos herbáceos a partir de 1994. La superficie basa regional para los cultivos herbáceos de secano, exceptuando el maíz, aprobada por la UE para Aragón, ha sido de 724 000 hectáreas. Esta superficie ha sido superada en un 0,8% en Aragón, para la campaña 1992/93. A la vez el Estado español ha legislado sobre los barbechos tradicionales que se practican en los cultivos de secano, estableciendo índices comarcales, para así evitar que los productores abandonen esta práctica para incrementar las superficies subvenciónales. Hay que destacar el alto porcentaje (57 % sobre la superficie de cereales) que representan los tres tipos de barbechos existentes (barbecho tradicional y barbechos por retirada de tierras, de 1988 y 1992) en los secanos aragoneses, determinando primordialmente por el barbecho tradicional. El 15% de la superficie de tierras retiradas en el sistema rotacional en Aragon, establecida por la Reforma de la PAC en 1992, ha sido de 73 732 ha, por lo que el 78% de la superficie de cereales de secano corresponde a explotaciones con una producción superior a 92 t por lo que con ambos sistemas de retiradas de tierras, se obtendrá prácticamente resultados iguales en Jo referente a la disminución de la producción. Se realiza también un análisis económico de la variación de los ingresos del agricultor, según se acoja o no a la condición de pequeño agricultor, tal como define el programa de retirada de tierras, en el contexto de la PAC de 1992, mediante el cálculo de la superficie umbral. Es decir, la superficie bajo la cual se obtiene el mismo margen bruto por unidad de superficie para los dos sistemas (simplificado y general) de declaración de ayudas y pagos y pagos compensatorios. A efectos de cálculo se utiliza el margen bruto resultante de la diferencia, entre los ingresos obtenidos por el valor de la producción y las ayudas y pagos compensatorios, menos los costos directos pagados en los cultivos de secano en Aragón, considerando que este margen bruto es el que determina la posición competitiva del productor frente al mercado. Para las explotaciones cuyas superficies sean inferiores a la superficie umbral, se obtienen un mayor margen bruto por unidad de superficie realizando la declaración de ayudas en el sistema simplificado que en el sistema general. Una explotación con las características definidas como la una explotación tipo de la comunidad de Aragón (rendimiento medio 1 953 kg/ha), rendimiento regional de referencia 1,8 t/ha y costos medios directos pagados por hectárea de cultivo, con un 75% de cebada y un 25 % de teigo, de 33 275 pts/ha), que siembre cereales de secano, no es rentable retirar tierras de la producción -acogerse al sistema general- para recibir a cambio los pagos y ayudas compensatorios a la producción, cuando la superficie de cultivo no excede las 52,95 ha,49,84 ha y 50,33 ha en las campañas de siembra 1992/93 a 1994/95, respectivamente. Una explotación en la que supera las 92 t de producción, cuando se incrementa el margen bruto por unidad de superficie y disminuyen los rendimientos de referencia regionales, es menos rentable retirar tierras de la producción para recibir las ayudas establecidas por la PAC, a medida que se incrementa la superficie de cultivo de la explotación.

Untersuchungen zur chemischen Zusammensetzung und Nematodenbelastung von Stinten (Osmerus eperlanus L.)

Smelt (Osmerus eperlanus L.) from the river Elbe has a long tradition as local food speciality. It is offered baked or fried every year during spring in many restaurants along the river. Information about the composition of the edible part and its changes during fishing season are scarce. In earlier days the fish was mostly sold by local fisherman directly after catch. Today the fish is also offered as ungutted fresh fish in ice on the whole sale market. The freshness of this fish has not been studied. Smelt from the river Elbe is known to contain nematode larvae (Pseudoterranova decipiens) in the muscle meat. Actual quantitative data on the abundance and prevalence in the commercially offered ice stored fish are missing.

Prevalence of endoparasite in some commercially important freshwater fishes of Bida area, Niger State: a preliminary report

The result of this preliminary report highlighted prevalence of an endoparasite (nematode) in order of prevalence. Four non-scaly commercially important fishes, namely:- Clarias sp Hererobranchus bidorsalis. Bagrus sp and Synodontis sp.; and nine scaly fishes, namely; - Gymnarchus sp, Protopterus annectus. Tilapia sp, Lates niloticus. Heterotis niloticus, Mormyrops sp, Channa Obscurus, Labeo sp and Distochodus rostratus of freshwater fadama of the Bida Area, Niger State. The extent of the spread was evaluated. While the reactions of fishermen, middlemen (fishmongers) and fish-eaters in order to appreciate the impacts of the nematode infested fishes on the populace were recorded. The paper suggested areas for further studies towards evoking desirable management strategies for the study area as follows. Such suggested areas are:- Identification and confirmation of the nematode species; life cycle of the nematode species; influence of season on the prevalence, spread and pathology in the nematode infested fishes, etc

Cell fate specification during Caenorhabditis elegans male tail development

The cells of the specialized mating structures of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans adult male tail develop from sex-specific divisions of postembryonic blast cells. One male-specific blast cell, B, is the precursor to all the cells of the copulatory spicules. Both cell interactions and autonomous fate specification mechanisms are utilized in the B lineage to specify fate.

During development the anterior daughter of B, B.a, generates four distinct pairs of cells. Cell ablation experiments indicate that the cells of each pair respond to positional cues provided by other male-specific blast cells. F and U promote anterior fates, Y.p promotes some posterior fates, and the B.a progeny promote posterior fates. The cells within each pair may also interact.

The lin-3/let-23 signalling pathway, identified for its function in C. elegans hermaphrodite vulval induction, mediates the signal from F and U. Reduction-of-function mutations in lin-3 (EGF-like signal), let-23 (receptor), sem-5 (adaptor), let-60 (ras), or lin-45 (raf) disrupt the fates of the anterior cells, and mimic F and U ablation. In addition, ectopically expressed lin-3 disrupts the fates of the posterior cells, and can promote anterior fates even in the absence of F and U.

A genetic screen of over 9000 mutagenized gametes recovered 22 mutations in 20 loci that disrupt fate specification in male tail lineages. Seven of these mutations may represent new genes that play a role in male tail development.

The first division of the B cell is asymmetric. The gene vab-3 is required for specification of B.a fates, and it may represent a factor whose activity is localized to the B.a cell via the gene lin-17. lin-17 acts both at the first division of the B cell and at specific other cell divisions in the lineage.

Nematodenlarven in Heringen aus verschiedenen Fanggebieten

The prevalence of nematodes in herring from five different fishing grounds of the North Sea and west of Scotland were examined. The abundance of nematode larvae in the flesh of the North Sea herring was approximately twice as high and the abundance in the body cavity was more than 6 fold of the herring from fishing grounds west of Scotland. The worm burden in the flesh was not correlated to the length of the fishes but the worm burden of the body cavity tends to increase by length. The frequency distribution of the nematodes in the flesh and the influence of the catching season is also discussed.

Comparative studies of Vulva development in C. briggsae

As evolution progresses, developmental changes occur. Genes lose and gain molecular partners, regulatory sequences, and new functions. As a consequence, tissues evolve alternative methods to develop similar structures, more or less robust. How this occurs is a major question in biology. One method of addressing this question is by examining the developmental and genetic differences between similar species. Several studies of nematodes Pristionchus pacificus and Oscheius CEW1 have revealed various differences in vulval development from the well-studied C. elegans (e.g. gonad induction, competence group specification, and gene function.)

I approached the question of developmental change in a similar manner by using Caenorhabditis briggsae, a close relative of C. elegans. C. briggsae allows the use of transgenic approaches to determine developmental changes between species. We determined subtle changes in the competence group, in 1° cell specification, and vulval lineage.

We also analyzed the let-60 gene in four nematode species. We found conservation in the codon identity and exon-intron boundaries, but lack of an extended 3' untranslated region in Caenorhabditis briggsae.

Experimental research on the development of Ceratium hirundinella O.F.Muller [Translation from: Z.Bot. 14, 337-371, 1922]

The most important aim of this study lay in filling in the great gap in our knowledge of the processes of germination in the Ceratium cyst and the early developmental stages in the standing stock of Ceratium hirundinella. contained rich cysts, we now succeeded extraordinarily well in pursuing the consistent development of Ceratium from the cyst to the completed cell. A series of experiments were carried out on the cysts and the juvenile stages of Ceratium, which showed very interesting results. The author presents in a general descriptive part the normal processes of germination in Ceratium cysts and the development of the juvenile stages in order to show in an experimental part the changes in form of C. hirundinella under the influence of temperature, light and varying salinities.

Baserrietara egindako eskola bisitak: lehen hezkuntzarako material didaktikoen diseinua, ezarpena eta ebaluazioa

58 p.

Disease Risks Associated with Importation of Nonindigenous Marine Animals

Transfers and introductions of marine species have occurred and are occurring on a worldwide basis, largely in response to perceived needs of expanding aquaculture industries. Greatest interest is in salmon (cage rearing and ocean ranching), shrimp, and bivalve mollusks, although other organisms are being considered. Such movements of animals carry an associated risk of moving pathogens into areas where they did not occur previously, possibly resulting in infections in native species. Many case histories of the effects of introduced pathogens and parasites now exist-enough to suggest that national and international action is necessary. Viral pathogens of shrimp and salmon, as well as protozoan parasites of mollusks and nematode parasites of eels, have entered complex "transfer networks" developed by humans, and have been transported globally with their hosts in several well-documented instances. Examining the records of transfers and introductions of marine species, incomplete as they are, permits the statement of emerging principles-foremost of which is that severe disease outbreaks can result from inadequately controlled or uncontrolled movements of marine animals.

Modern dinoflagellate cysts found in surface sediments of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Modern dinoflagellate cysts in surface sediments collected on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, are described, along with other palynomorphs such as microforaminiferal linings, tintinnid loricae, copepod eggs and acritarchs including Domasiella-like micro-remains and Halodinium spp. The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages mainly consisted of Spiniferites cf. scabratus (gonyaulacoid) followed by Brigantedinium spp. and Selenopemphix quanta (peridinioids). No gymnodinioid cysts were found. No remarkable differences in cyst composition and densities were recognized between stations. The cyst assemblages were characterized by low species diversity and low cyst concentrations in comparison with the Pacific coast of Guatemala and Peru. CDF Contribution Number 1019.

Diversidade de respostas de Corynebacterium diphtheriae frente a agentes oxidantes: resistência, adaptação e envolvimento do determinante de resistência ao telurito (TeR) e do sistema OxyR na virulência bacteriana

Corynebacterium diphtheriae é um importante patógeno humano e agente causal da difteria. Embora seja observada uma redução mundial no número de casos da doença, a difteria permanece endêmica em muitos países e surtos são esporadicamente notificados. No Brasil, o último surto ocorreu no estado no Maranhão e revelou mudanças em aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos da doença. Diferentemente da maioria das cepas de difteria brasileiras, que pertencem ao biovar mitis, nesse surto dois diferentes pulsotipos de C. diphtheriae biovar intermedius foram isolados. Além disso, sinais patognomônicos da doença não foram relatados em parte dos casos. C. diphtheriae também vem sendo relacionado com quadros de infecções invasivas, apesar de ser reconhecido como patógeno tipicamente extracelular. Em conjunto, estas mudanças no perfil das infecções por C. diphtheriae sugerem a existência de outros fatores de virulência além da produção da toxina diftérica. Neste sentindo, foram realizadas análises de tipagem molecular e de genômica comparativa para avaliar a diversidade genética e o potencial de virulência de cepas de C. diphtheriae isoladas de difteria clássica e infecções invasivas. Os resultados obtidos demonstram a circulação de diferentes clones invasores no Brasil. Além disso, revelaram diferenças marcantes na presença e na composição de ilhas de patogenicidade entre as amostras, bem como nos genes sob regulação do DtxR e nas sequências dos corinefagos integradas ao cromossomo bacteriano. Uma vez que o potencial invasor bacteriano e a persistência no ambiente podem estar relacionados à tolerância ao estresse oxidativo, foram procurados nos genomas sequenciados, genes possivelmente envolvidos neste processo. Dentre estes, os genes DIP0906, predito como gene de resistência ao oxidante telurito (TeO32-), e DIP1421, codificador do regulador transcricional OxyR, foram caracterizados funcionalmente e tiveram seus papéis na patogenicidade investigados. Ensaios in vivo utilizando o nematódeo Caenorhabditis elegans demonstraram que ambos são importantes para a virulência de C. diphtheriae. Além da resistência ao TeO32, DIP0906 parece contribuir para a resistência ao peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) e para a viabilidade no interior de células respiratórias humanas. Já OxyR, além de controlar negativamente a resposta ao H2O2, parece estar envolvido com a ligação de C. diphtheriae a proteínas plasmáticas e de matriz extracelular. Adicionalmente, foi investigada resistência e a capacidade de adaptação de C. diphtheriae frente a agentes oxidantes, através da indução de resposta adaptativa e/ou resistência cruzada e da formação de biofilme. As cepas de C. diphtheriae apresentaram diferentes níveis de resistência e um comportamento heterogêneo na presença dos agentes oxidantes, o que sugere a existência de diferentes estratégias de sobrevivência e adaptação de C. diphtheriae nas condições de estresse oxidativo.