Body Sections Research Articles

Multichannel Residual Conditional GAN-Leveraged Abdominal Pseudo-CT Generation via Dixon MR Images

Magnetic resonance (MR) images have distinctive advantages in radiation treatment (RT) planning due to their superior, anatomic and functional information compared with computed tomography (CT). For the RT dose calculation, MR images cannot be directly used because of the lack of electron density information. To address this issue, we propose to generate pseudo-CT (pCT) in terms of multiple matching Dixon MR images to support MR-only RT, particularly in the challenging body section of the abdomen. To this end, we design the dedicated multichannel residual conditional generative adversarial network (MCRCGAN). The significance of our efforts is three-fold: 1) The MCRCGAN organically incorporates multiple theories and techniques, such as multichannel residual network (ResNet) and conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN), which facilitate its more authentic pCT generation than many existing methods. 2) The usage of residual modules effectively deepens the network without performance degradation, and the multichannel ResNet helps to simultaneously capture the substance of images, as extensively as possible, which is implicitly contained in the multiple different MR images of the same subject. 3) Due to the designed dedicated network structure, the MCRCGAN is capable of generating satisfactory pCTs under the condition of limited training data as well as prompt prediction response. Experimental studies on ten patients' paired MR-CT images demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed MCRCGAN model on both the pCT generation quality and the performance stability.

Developmental morphology and growth patterns of laboratory-reared giraffe cichlid, Nimbochromis venustus Boulenger, 1908

The giraffe cichlid Nimbochromis venustus Boulenger, 1908 is a well-known species in aquarium trade. The laboratory-reared electric giraffe cichlid was studied in terms of early morphological development and allometric growth pattern from hatching until the juvenile stage i.e.51 dph. Total length increased linearly from hatching until 51 dph, with a high regression coefficient. The yolk sac exhaustion completed throughout 15 days. Significant morphological and morphometric variations occurred before the yolk sac absorption and early juvenile stage by evolving the anterior and posterior body section which improve swimming ability and food capturing. Positive growth coefficient of the body and trunk lengths were occurred after inflexion point coinciding with development of digestive system function. Eye diameter showed negative allometry at the inflexion point of 9.3 mm, continuing with positive growth rate until day 51. Body shape variation in early life history revealed consequent development in anterior and posterior body section in preflexion phase and development of body and trunk length in post flexion phase to support high survival of larvae. The present study emphasizes ontogenic study of different species to interpret biology and ecology of fish in association with evolutionary biology.

Mathematical simulation of the subsonic flow around the lengthening bodies with the flow separation in the region of ground shear with the use of an equivalent body

The procedure of the mathematical simulation of the subsonic flow around the elongated bodies for the flow conditions with the flow breakaway in the environment of the line of ground shear is developed on the base of the concept of binding-inviscid interaction. The subsonic motions of gas with the moderate values of the module of the velocity vector of the incident flow were investigated. Adapted the diagram of flow with the equivalent body, whose flow around of the inviscid flow determined speeds and pressures on the surface being investigated. For the purpose of the reduction of the expenditures of computational power it was proposed not to carry out the complex iterative process of the multilevel refinement of the forms of the nose and tailed sections of the equivalent body. The configuration of the surface of the tail section of the equivalent body it was proposed to assign in the form the totality of sections of sufficiently simple form. The semi-infinite section of tail section downstream departed to infinity, preserving in the cross section the constant value of effective diameter. Transition section connected semi-infinite with the nose section of the equivalent body on the line of flow breakaway. For determining the parameters, which characterize the geometry of the tail section of the equivalent body, were used Horner’s formula for the aerodynamic coefficient of base drag and relationship the theories of distant track.The numerical simulation of the inviscid flow around equivalent body was carried out by the method of single vortices. The results of the mathematical simulation of the flow around axisymmetrical cylindrical bodies with the head part of the ogival form are represented. When, before the ground shear, the additional tapered conical part is present, calculated distribution the pressures were compared with the experimental data. In the case of the absence of the tapered part are represented the dependences, which connect the geometric parameters of the streamlined body and tail section of the equivalent body, and also the distribution of speed and pressure on the surface being investigated.

Telomere maintenance during anterior regeneration and aging in the freshwater annelid Aeolosoma viride

Aging is a complex process involving declines in various cellular and physical functionalities, including regenerative ability. Telomere maintenance is thought to be necessary for regeneration, and telomere attrition is one mechanism that contributes to aging. However, it is unclear if aging affects regeneration owing to deterioration of telomeric maintenance. We introduce Aeolosoma viride—a freshwater annelid with strong regenerative abilities—as a new model for studying the effects of aging on telomere functions and regeneration. We show that the anterior regenerative ability of A. viride declines with age. We characterized the A. viride telomere sequence as being composed of TTAGGG repeats and identifyied the telomerase gene Avi-tert. In adult A. viride, telomerase was constantly active and telomere lengths were similar among different body sections and stably maintained with age. Notably, we found that regeneration did not result in telomere shortening at regenerating sites. Moreover, transient up-regulation of Avi-tert expression and telomerase activity was observed at regenerating sites, which might promote telomere lengthening to counteract telomere erosion resulting from cell proliferation. Our study suggests that although aging affects A. viride regeneration independent of steady-state telomere length, timely regulation of telomerase functions is critical for the regeneration process in A. viride.

Study of process of materials grinding in energy-saving complex

The article presents the results of the analysis of the kinetics of the grinding process in a ball mill. The operating modes of grinding loading at various schemes of energy exchange devices installation, in a drum of a ball mill are defined. It is established that the nature of the dynamic action of grinding media in the mill drum is significantly influenced by the mutual location of the energy exchange devices both in the longitudinal and in the cross section of the mill body. The results of experimental studies on the process of grinding the material in an energy-saving complex include: a press roller grinder and a ball mill equipped with energy exchange devices. The influence of load factors of grinding bodies of the first and second chambers of the ball mill, their lengths, angles of inclination and mutual arrangement of energy exchange devices on the output parameters of the grinding process is studied. Their rational values are obtained.

Terrorist explosive belt attacks: specific patterns of bone traumas.

In cases of terrorist bomb attacks, the issue of victim identification is the principal aim. For investigators and justice, terrorists must also be identified in a timely manner. The fragmentation of bodies caused by explosive devices however makes this operation difficult. The cases presented correspond to six autopsies of perpetrators carrying explosives. Their explosive belts produced different body sections on areas correlated with the location on the body of carrying explosive charges. Indeed, cross-sectional areas are the signature of the level of explosive devices on the body, and some fracture features through the damage of certain areas of constitutional weaknesses are specific elements to consider. These elements can allow a quick distinction between victims and terrorists, in order to assist in the medico-legal process of identification.

First report on Guanshan Biota (Cambrian Stage 4) at the stratotype area of Wulongqing Formation in Malong County, Eastern Yunnan, China

Exceptionally preserved fossils, such as those from Cambrian Burgess Shale-type fossil-Lagerstätten are critical because of their unique contributions to knowledge of the phylogenetic radiation and palaeoecological expansion of metazoans during the Cambrian explosion. Critically, these deposits provide information that is usually unobtainable from shelly and skeletonized fossils alone. The Guanshan Biota (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4) in the Yunnan Province of South China, has produced abundant and diverse, exquisitely preserved fossils that often retain soft tissues and organs. To date, most fossils from the Guanshan Biota have been collected from localities such as Gaoloufang and Gangtoucun, which have become inaccessible due to new urban expansions and constructions of residential buildings. Here we present the first report of soft bodied fossils from a new section at Kanfuqing, close to the Wulongqing village in Malong County, approximately 3 km east of the Wulongqing Formation stratotype section. Fossils retain soft morphology, and include brachiopods with delicate marginal setae, priapulids with well-preserved sclerites and vetulicolians with entire sections of body. In addition, this fauna includes rare occurrences of trilobites preserved with soft tissues replicated as pyrite pseudomorphs after weathering. This discovery represents an important palaeogeographical extension of soft-bodied fossils of the Guanshan fauna to the east of the Xiaojiang Fault (related to Tsinning tectonic movements ca. 700 Ma). The fauna from the new Kanfuqing section is similar to that reported from the Wulongqing Formation west of the Xiaojiang Fault, and thus has significant implications for early Cambrian palaeogeography, faunal successions and palaeoenvironments of eastern Yunnan.

Development of a 750-mm-long stripline kicker for HEPS

The superfast kickers are required for the HEPS storage ring on-axis injection system due to its very small dynamic aperture. A 750-mm-long stripline pair type of kicker prototype was researched and developed to demonstrate achieved performance of bandwidth, impedance, kicker strength, field uniformity and beam power loss. The cross sections of the kicker main body and the end of taper part are optimized for a good impedance matching and field uniformity. 3D simulation further optimizes the taper part to minimize the beam power loss and maintain a lower reflection. The high-voltage feedthrough is also designed and optimized by 3D CST. RF and high-voltage measurements are taken to verify the design of kicker assembly. The testing transmission odd-mode impedance is 50 ± 0.5 Ω, the even-mode impedance is 60 ± 0.5 Ω, and return loss is less than − 13 dB. The peak voltage and the rise time of pulse width inserting kicker assembly just decrease 3% of 20 kV and slow down 80 ps, respectively. RF testing results agree well with the simulation ones, which meet the design specification. The kicker assembly works well at ± 20 kV pulse.

Approaching cellular resolution and reliable identification in mass spectrometry imaging of tryptic peptides

On-tissue digestion has become the preferred method to identify proteins in mass spectrometry (MS) imaging. In this study, we report advances in data acquisition and protein identification for MS imaging after on-tissue digestion. Tryptic peptides in a coronal mouse brain section were measured at 50 μm pixel size and revealed detailed histological structures, e.g., the ependyma (consisting of one to two cell layers), which was confirmed by H&E staining. This demonstrates that MS imaging of tryptic peptides at or close to cellular resolution is within reach. We also describe a detailed identification workflow which resulted in the identification of 99 proteins (with 435 corresponding peptides), based on comparison with LC-MS/MS data and in silico digest. These results were obtained with stringent parameters, including high mass accuracy in imaging mode (RSME < 3 ppm) and at least two unique peptides per protein showing consistent spatial distribution. We identified almost 50% of proteins with at least four corresponding peptides. As there is no agreed approach for identification of proteins after on-tissue digestion yet, we discuss our workflow in detail and make the corresponding mass spectral data available as “open data” via ProteomeXchange (identifier PXD003172). With this, we would like to contribute to a more effective discussion and the development of new approaches for tryptic peptide identification in MS imaging. From an experimental point of view, we demonstrate the improvement due to the combination of high spatial resolution and high mass resolution/mass accuracy on a measurement at 25 μm pixel size in mouse cerebellum tissue. A whole body section of a mouse pub imaged at 50 μm pixel size (40 GB, 230,000 spectra) demonstrates the stability of our protocol. For this data set, we developed a workflow that is based on conversion to the common data format imzML and sequential application of freely available software tools. In combination, the presented results for spatial resolution, protein identification, and data processing constitute significant improvements for the field of on-tissue digestion.Graphical abstractMS imaging of coronal mouse brain cerebellum with a pixel size of 25 μm: A Optical image, B myelin staining, C H&E staining, and D MS image overlay (RGB) of tryptic peptides m/z = 726.4045 ± 0.005, HGFLPR + H+ (red), m/z = 536.3173 ± 0.005, AKPAK + Na+ (green), and m/z = 994.5436 ± 0.005, WRQLIEK + Na+ (blue)

Rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) exploitation in Level F at the Caune de l'Arago (Tautavel, Pyrénéés‐Orientales, France) during MIS 12

AbstractCaune de l'Arago is a Middle Pleistocene site in Southern France, where Acheulean artefacts and hominin fossils were excavated. Rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) remains from Level F (MIS 12) were studied from a zooarchaeological and taphonomic perspective to investigate the potential human exploitation of this large taxon. The well‐represented butchering marks, as well as scarce carnivore marks, indicate primary access to rhinoceros carcasses by hominins. The juvenile‐dominated mortality profile further suggests aggressive scavenging or occasional opportunistic hunting. Furthermore, differential skeletal representation shows that humans selectively transported the nutrient‐rich body sections. In addition, thorough processing of the carcasses for consumption inside the cave is highlighted by the frequent cut marks, intensive fragmentation, and regular spatial distribution. The analyses of the Arago Level F rhinoceros confirm the rhinoceros exploitation by humans during the Lower Palaeolithic; however, the rhinoceros mortality profile differs from that of large mammals such as equids, argali, and all other game species of this archaeological layer. Caune de l'Arago is the earliest hominin site where the systematic exploitation of rhinoceros has been documented.

Communication Vagueness in the Literature Review Section of Journal Article Submissions

Evidence has been provided about the importance of avoiding American Psychological Association (APA) errors in the abstract, body, reference list, and table sections of empirical research articles. Specifically, authors are significantly more likely to have their manuscripts rejected for publication if they fail to avoid APA violations—and, thus, do not write with discipline—in these sections. In addition to adhering to APA, writing with discipline also includes avoiding communication vagueness. Thus, I analyzed communication vagueness in the literature review section of 71 manuscripts submitted to the journal Research in the Schools over a 3-year period. Findings revealed that the frequency of communication vagueness differed in relation to the following: (a) number of APA errors, (b) gender of lead author, (c) genre of manuscript, and (d) adjudication decisions. In particular, certain communication vagueness categories were statistically significant and practically significant predictors of whether or not a manuscript is rejected for publication by the editor. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Conservation of Body Sections and Organs of the Narrownose Smooth-hound, Mustelus schmitti (Pisces, Chondrichthyes), by Silicone Injection at Room Temperature to be Used in Comparative Anatomy learning

Fil: Popp, Albertina Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Bahia Blanca. Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas y Biomedicas del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biologia, Bioquimica y Farmacia. Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas y Biomedicas del Sur; Argentina

3-D Contrast Source Inversion-Electrical Properties Tomography.

Contrast source inversion-electrical properties tomography (CSI-EPT) is an iterative reconstruction method to retrieve the electrical properties (EPs) of tissues from magnetic resonance data. The method is based on integral representations of the electromagnetic field and has been shown to allow EP reconstructions of small structures as well as tissue boundaries with compelling accuracy. However, to date, the CSI-EPT has been implemented for 2-D configurations only, which limits its applicability. In this paper, a full 3-D extension of the CSI-EPT method is presented, to enable CSI-EPT to be applied to realistic 3-D scenarios. Here, we demonstrate a proof-of-principle of 3-D CSI-EPT and present the reconstructions of a 3-D abdominal body section and a 3-D head model using different settings of the transmit coil. Numerical results show that the full 3-D approach yields accurate reconstructions of the EPs, even at tissue boundaries and is most accurate in regions where the absolute value of the electric field is highest.

A multi-band switchable antenna for Wi-Fi, 3G Advanced, WiMAX, and WLAN wireless applications

AbstractThis paper presents a hexa-band frequency reconfigurable planar antenna, printed on a 1.6 mm thicker FR 4 substrate and backed by a truncated ground plane. The given antenna operates in four different frequency modes, depending on the state of the two lumped element switches. The proposed antenna works at six frequencies, 2.10, 2.40, 3.35, 3.50, 5.28, and 5.97 GHz. These frequency bands are dedicated to useful wireless applications, including 3G Advanced (2.10 GHz), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (2.40 GHz), WiMAX (3.35 GHz), WiMAX (3.5 GHz), WLAN (5.28 GHz) and fixed-satellite and mobile satellite services (5.97 GHz). Satisfactory gain of 1.96, 2.20, 2.671, 2.81, 3.80, and 3.88 dBi, efficiency of 92.5, 94.5, 94.56, 95.0, 93.8, and 97.0% and bandwidth of 332, 485, 1020, 1080, 512, and 465 MHz has been obtained at 2.10, 2.40, 3.35, 3.50, 5.28, and 5.97 GHz, respectively. The modeling and simulations are conducted in CST MWS (2014). The simulated reflection coefficient and radiation pattern are validated in antenna measurement facility. In addition, the specific absorption rate of the antenna on a flat section of human body is also studied. The antenna is compact, low profile, and vastly suitable for multi-band wireless devices.

Coupling Effect of Morphology and Mechanical Properties Contributes to the Tribological Behaviors of Snake Scales

It is known that the tribological behaviors of snake skins are contributed by the synergistic action of multiple factors, such as surface morphology and mechanical properties, which has inspired fabrication of scale-like surface textures in recent years. However, the coupling effect and mechanism remain to be elucidated. In this work, the morphology and mechanical properties of the scales from different body sections (leading body half, middle trunk and tailing body half) and positions (dorsal, lateral and ventral) of Boa constrictor and Eryx tataricus were characterized and compared to investigate the corresponding effects on the tribological behaviors and to probe the possible coupling mechanism. The morphological characterizations of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed significant differences between the two species that the scales from Boa constrictor are rougher in general. The mechanical properties measured by nanoindentation corroboratively demonstrated substantial differences in elastic modulus and hardness. Interestingly, the ventral scales with lower surface roughness, together with relatively larger elastic modulus and hardness, manifest higher friction coefficients. A “double-crossed” hypothesis was proposed to explain the observed coupling effect of morphology and mechanical properties on friction, which may afford valuable insights for the design of bionic surface with desirable tribological performance.

Load-computational methods of anti-slide piles

Anti-slide piles composed of reinforced concrete are commonly used in landslide mitigation engineering. How to calculate the load acting on the piles plays a crucial role in their design process. To estimate the load exerted on anti-slide piles based on the partial safety factor numerical method and limit equilibrium method, the landslide body is subdivided into two independent parts according to the positions of piles: the lower part of the landslide body and the upper one of the landslide body. The corresponding loads acting on the anti-slide piles are respectively computed, and the shear strength of the upper section of the landslide body can be determined according to the given designed safety factors. The locations of the piles are set as the fixed boundary, and the horizontal stress exerted on the anti-slide piles from the upper one of the landslide body is taken as the landslide thrust. The thrust forces are then applied to the lower portion of the landslide body, and the maximum force that the lower of the landslide body can effectively resist, and that satisfies well the given designed safety factors is taken as the maximum resistance of the lower portion of the landslide body. Comparing the results of the numerical computational method, the strict slice method and transfer coefficient method, it is found that the computational results agree well with each other. However, the numerical computational method is employed here in this research because the load distribution can be directly derived, which favors the subsequent calculation process and shortens the computational time.

Nitrification in intertidal sponge Cinachyrella cavernosa

The nitrification process in different sections of the sponges remains unresolved, despite several studies on the nitrogen cycling pathways in the tissues of temperate and Arctic sponges. In this study, the abundance, diversity and activity of the associated nitrifying organisms in intracellular, intercellular, extracellular and cortex of a tropical intertidal sponge, Cinachyrella cavernosa, were investigated using most probable number, next-generation sequencing and incubation method, respectively. The nitrification rate and the abundance of nitrifying bacteria showed significant difference among different sections. The nitrification rate in C. cavernosa was 2–12× higher than the reported values in other sponge species from temperate and Arctic regions. Nitrification rate in sponge cortex was 2× higher than in intercellular and extracellular sections. Ammonium and nitrite oxidisers ranged from 103 to 104 CFU g−1 in the sponge with a high number of ammonium and nitrite oxidisers in the cortex. Nitrifiers belonging to Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira, Nitrospina, Nitrobacter and Nitrosopumilus were present in different sections of the sponge, with nitrifying archaea dominating the intracellular section and nitrifying bacteria dominating other sections. This study reports for the first time the nitrification inside the sponge cells. The study also suggests that the intertidal sponge, C. cavernosa, harbours metabolically active nitrifiers in different sections of the sponge body with different rates of nitrification. Thus, nitrifiers play an important role in ammonia detoxification within the sponge and also contribute to the nitrogen budget of the coastal ecosystem.

Correlation between lumbar intervertebral disc height and lumbar spine sagittal alignment among asymptomatic Asian young adults

BackgroundTo investigate the distribution and characteristics of the lumbar intervertebral disc height (IDH) in asymptomatic Asian population and to determine whether the lumbar IDH is related to the lumbar spine sagittal alignment.MethodsA cohort of 169 cases of asymptomatic volunteers was enrolled from January 2014 to July 2016. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine and panoramic radiography of the spine. Panoramic radiographs of the spine were taken to evaluate pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) using Surgimap® software. Roussouly classification was utilized to categorize all subjects according to the four subtypes of sagittal alignment. The IDH was measured on the MRI mid-saggital section of the vertebral body. The relationships between lumbar IDH and spine-pelvic parameters were also assessed using the Spearman correlation analysis.ResultsThe reference value ranges of IDH in asymptomatic Asian volunteers between L1/2, L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S1 were (6.25, 10.99), (6.97, 12.08), (7.42, 13.3), (7.76, 14.57),and (7.11, 13.12) mm, respectively. Based on the above reference value, the high lumbar intervertebral space is defined as more than 14 mm. According to the Roussouly Classification, there are 33 cases in type I, 48 in type II, 66 in type III, and 22 in type IV. According to the definition of the high IDH, there are two cases in type I, three in type II, nine in type III, and eight in type IV. The results indicated that people in the Roussouly III and IV subtypes had greater values for IDH compared to those of Roussouly I and II subtypes, and the spinopelvic parameters were partly correlated with IDH in different subtypes. In addition, levels L4–L5 showed the highest IDH for all four groups followed by the L3–L4 and L5–S1 levels, and the value of L3–L4 is equivalent to that of L5–S1. All type groups showed moderate and positive correlations between the PI and IDH except the level of L1–L2 in type IV.ConclusionsThe IDH may influence the lumbar spine sagittal alignment in asymptomatic Asian adults. Moreover, pre-operative evaluation of IDH is useful for selection of optimal cage size and reconstruction of spinal alignment.

Design optimization of HRSG inlet duct geometry for improving flow uniformity using meta-heuristic algorithm

The HRSG extensively affects all performance of CCPPs. The inlet duct geometry of an HRSG is the most essential part for determining heat exchange in the main body, in terms of flow uniformity. In the present study, numerical analysis of the HRSG flow characteristics and design optimization of inlet duct geometry for improving flow uniformity at the front section of the main body were performed to meet the trend requirements. A new inlet duct geometry, which has maximum flow uniformity, was proposed through design optimization procedures using a genetic algorithm. Specifically, the actual operating condition of the D-top model HRSG was applied and the pressure recovery coefficient and diffuser efficiency were considered. In the optimized design, a recirculation area was formed at the top internal wall of the second expansion stage. Results indicate that the forming of the recirculation area improves flow uniformity by rotating movement and spreading the high-speed flow.

Pilot study about the micro hydropower generation by use of flow induced vibration phenomenon

In order to construct a micro power generation system using a piezo-electric element, power generation was tried using excitation oscillation of the bluff cylinder by the vortex shedding from the bluff cylinder. The bluff cylinder consists of a board spring section in which the piezo-electric element was attached, and a body section. The bluff cylinder was inserted into the water flow, the shape and the submersion depth of the bluff cylinder, and the flow velocity were varied, and the power generation characteristic was investigated. As a result, it was found that it can generate electricity by vortex excitation. It was found that the length and the submersion depth of the body section influence power generation. It was shown that the power generation characteristic changes with cross-sectional shape of the bluff cylinder. The most suitable state was the case where the submersion depth was set to 140 mm with a circular cylinder with a span length of 250 mm. It is important to choose the power generation object which suited the use purpose.