Digital Images Of Specimens Research Articles

Interlocking Evaluation of Mesoscopic Skeleton with the Compaction Degree of Hot-Mix Asphalt.

Asphalt mixtures are multi-phase composites composed of aggregates, bitumen, mineral powders, and voids, and various structures are intertwined during the compaction process. Most of the traditional research focuses on the macro-scale domain, and it is difficult to obtain the internal structure of asphalt mixture in different compaction processes. With the continuous development of digital image technology, the influence of the meso-structure of the asphalt mixture on the compaction quality of the asphalt mixture has become a new means to evaluate the performance of the asphalt mixture. In this paper, different numbers of compactions are selected to represent different stages in the compaction process, the digital images of specimens in different compaction stages are obtained by industrial CT scanning technology. Then, the images are processed and reconstructed in three dimensions using improved image segmentation methods, and the position characteristics and geometric information of coarse aggregate are obtained by combining the Oriented Bounding Box (OBB). The meso-response characteristics of the skeleton structure of the asphalt mixture during compaction were studied. The influence of the internal structure of the mixture on the compaction quality of the mixture was obtained, which is of great significance for the study of improving the durability of the pavement. The results show that the "effective coordination number" (the number of aggregate particles that can transmit force in the skeleton structure) is greatly related to the aggregate size. With the compaction process, the centroid of coarse aggregate in the upper layer of the specimen reflects the overall downward movement trend. The inclination angle of the aggregate spindle tends to be in the range of 80°~100°; the anisotropic amplitude of the xy plane increases, and the direction of the aggregate spindle becomes more and more consistent. With the increase in the number of rotational compactions, these four parameters showed obvious rules, indicating that this meso-characteristic index could well characterize the compaction quality of the asphalt mixture in the compaction process.

(270) Proposal to add a Note after Article 40.1 to clarify that elements that cannot serve as types on their own should not be considered as part of a type indication

It is now commonplace for authors to supplement the holotype by citing illustrations, mostly digital images of specimens. Digital images with a caption stating that they are the holotype are also sometimes included when a nomenclatural novelty is published. For orchids in particular, it is common to cite the wild-collected plants that were cultivated and from which a specimen was subsequently made. There has been debate as to whether such names should be considered validly published, because more than one element is cited as the holotype (contrary to Art. 8.1 of the Shenzhen Code, Turland & al. in Regnum Veg. 159. 2018). Even though this should be discouraged, it is now common practice, so we propose a new Note to make it clear that elements cited as part of the type indication that, on their own, cannot serve as a type under Art. 8 and 40 should not be taken into account when assessing whether a name is validly published. “Note n. When elements are cited as part of the type indication that cannot on their own serve as types as defined under Art. 8 and 40 (e.g. living organisms cited contrary to Art. 8.4 or illustrations cited contrary to Art. 40.4), they should not be taken into account and do not affect valid publication of the name.”

MIDS Level 1: Specification, conformance checklist, mapping template and instructions for use

Approved formally as a TDWG Task Group (TG) in September 2020, TG MIDS is working to harmonise a framework for "Minimum Information about a Digital Specimen (MIDS)". MIDS clarifies what is meant by different levels of digitization (MIDS levels) and specifies the minimum information to be captured at each level. Capturing and presenting data in future digitization in standard formats is essential so that data can be more easily understood, compared, analysed and communicated via the Internet. Adopting MIDS and working to achieve specific MIDS levels in digitization ensures that enough data are captured, curated and published such that they are useful for the widest possible range of future research, teaching and learning purposes. Adopting MIDS makes it easier to consistently measure the extent of digitization achieved over time and to set priorities for the remaining work. In the year since MIDS was first introduced at TDWG 2020, the TG has focussed on the details of MIDS level 1, representing the basic minimum level of information to be expected and captured in basic digitization activities such as creating a catalogue record and (optionally) making photographic or other digital images of specimens. To help the community adopt and embed MIDS conformance as a core part of digitization and data publishing/management pipelines, the MIDS specification consists of definitions of the expected information elements, a template for mapping terms/fields in institutional collection management systems and other data management schemas to those information elements, a conformance proforma allowing declaration of how a digitization or data publishing event conforms to MIDs, and instructions for use.

Phenotypic divergence and molecular characterization of two sympatric species of genusBarilius(Hamilton) from the River Chenab of Western Himalaya

Barilius bendelisis and Barilius vagra inhabit mostly in the spring-fed streams of Indian Himalaya and constitute an important portion of protein diet of the rural human population residing near the stream banks. In spite of large aquaculture importance of this genus very less morphometric and molecular studies have been conducted. This study addresses morphometric and molecular characterization of B. bendelisis and B. vagra by using truss analysis and mitochondrial COI gene. A total of 293 samples of Barilius bendelisis and 127 samples of Barilius vagra were collected from three different sites of Chenab river basin from March 2015 to April 2017. 14 landmarks were used to measure 90 truss measurements from digital images of specimens using network of three softwares, tpsUtil, tpsDig2 and PAST. A total of 89 distance variables exhibited significant differences among the populations. The principal component analysis generated ten components explaining 89.164% of total variance among six populations of B. bendelisis and B. vagra. 89.0% of individuals of B. bendelisis and B. vagra were classified into their original groups. The Phylogenetic analysis with other published COI sequences revealed distinct nature of these two species. The study may aid in taxonomic identification and phenotypic divergence which will be helpful in proper conservation and management of these species of hill trout in India.

Morphological Differentiation Between Riverine and Lacustrine Populations of Snow Trout Schizopyge niger (Cyprinidae) from Kashmir using Truss Morphometry

Landmark-based morphometrics are examined to evaluate the population status of Schizopyge niger (Heckel, 1838) from Dal Lake and Jhelum River. A total of 180 individuals are collected from the two locations, and a truss network is constructed by interconnecting 12 landmarks to yield 30 distance variables that are extracted from digital images of specimens using tpsDig2 and PAST software. Transformed truss measurements are subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA), where the first component explains 78.43% of total variance, while the second and third components explain 4.62 and 2.91% of total variance respectively. The high component loadings are from the characters which mostly contribute to anterior half of body depth, middle portion of body depth, and head region. The bivariate plot of PC1 and PC2 clearly indicates the separation of the two populations. The cross validation of this analysis reveals that the percentage of correctly classified fishes is 100% both in Dal Lake as well as Jhelum River.

Phenotypic differentiation of Barilius bendelisis (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in four rivers from Central Indian Himalaya.

Barilius bendelisis, commonly known as Indian Hill Trout is an upland water fish of South East Asia. It belongs to the family Cyprinidae and dwells in shallow, clear and cold water. In this study, the intraspecific variation of Barilius bendelisis, on the basis of morphometric characters, was investigated. Altogether, 402 specimens were collected from four rivers in the Central Indian Himalaya. A truss network was constructed by interconnecting 12 landmarks to yield 30 distance variables that were extracted from digital images of specimens using tpsDig2 and PAST software. Allometric transformed truss measurements were subjected to univariate analysis of variance, factor analysis and discriminant analysis. All variables exhibited significant differences between the populations. Altogether 88% of the specimens were classified into their original populations (81.98% under a 'leave-one-out' procedure). With factor analysis measurements of the head region, the middle portion and the caudal region had high loadings on the first and second axis. The results indicated that B. bendelisis has significant phenotypic heterogeneity between the geographically isolated regions of Central Indian Himalaya. We hypothesize that the marked interspecific variation in B. bendelisis is the result of local ecological conditions.

Pattern of Phenotypic Variation Among Three Populations of Indian Major Carp, Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822) Using Truss Network System in the Ganga Basin, India

Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822) is a commercially important freshwater cyprinid distributed widely in India and adjacent countries. In total 142 specimens of C. catla were collected from three geographically separate watersheds of Ganga basin. A truss network was constructed by interconnecting 12 landmarks to yield 30 distance variables that were extracted from digital images of specimens using tpsDig2 and PAST software. Transformed truss measurements were subjected to univariate analysis of variance, factor analysis and discriminant function analysis (DFA). A total of 28 distance variables exhibited significant differences between the populations. The principal component analysis generated seven components explaining 86.40 % of total intraspecific variance in populations. By applying step-wise DFA, 100 % of the specimens were classified into their original populations (98.5 % under a ‘leave-one-out’ procedure). The occurrence of distinct populations may be due to differences in physical and ecological parameters of the three tributaries of the Ganga basin.

Anatomic Variability of 120 L5 Spondylolytic Defects

Study Design Adult human osteologic specimens were assessed for spondylolytic defects and characterized. Objectives To characterize and determine the prevalence of spondylolytic defects in an osteological collection. Methods Lumbar vertebrae from the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History were examined. Digital images of specimens with L5 isthmic spondylolytic defects were analyzed, examining the distance of the pars defect in the sagittal plane in relation to the caudal aspect of the pedicle. Results There were 95 bilateral complete (BC), 16 unilateral incomplete (UI), 5 unilateral complete (UC), and 4 unilateral complete defects with an incomplete defect on the contralateral side. The mean distance of BC defects from the pedicle and inferior vertebral end plate was 4.03 mm and 4.88 mm, respectively. The mean distance of the defect from the inferior end plate on the left and right sides were 5.31 mm and 4.44 mm, respectively (p = 0.001, correlation coefficient = 0.56). The mean distance of UI and UC defects from the inferior end plate was 6.38 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively. Conclusion L5 spondylolytic defects were found in 3.87% of the sample. This large-scale description of isthmic spondylolytic defects reveals that significant variability exists in the location of the defect. The anatomic location of the pars defect likely plays a role in the development of L5 nerve root compression and radiculopathy in this clinical scenario. Classifying these defects might allow surgeons to better identify those patients who might benefit from fusion alone without posterior decompression.

Phenotypic variation in the Snowtrout Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832) (Actinopterygii: Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from the Indian Himalayas

We investigated intraspecific variation of the Snowtrout, Schizothorax richardsonii on the basis of morphometric characters. Altogether, 217 specimens were collected from four rivers in the Western and Central Indian Himalaya. A truss network was constructed by interconnecting 14 landmarks to yield 31 distance variables that were extracted from digital images of specimens using tpsDig2 and PAST software. Transformed truss measurements were subjected to univariate analysis of variance, factor analysis and discriminant analysis. All variables exhibited significant differences between the populations. Altogether 86.6% of the specimens were classified into their original populations (82.9 % under a ‘leave-one-out’ procedure). With factor analysis measurements of the head region, the middle portion and the caudal region had high loadings on the on first and second axis. The results indicated that S. richardsonii has significant phenotypic heterogeneity between the Western and Central Indian Himalayas. We hypothesize that the marked interspecific variation in S. richardsonii is the result of local ecological conditions.

Percentage of gutta‐percha in mesial canals of mandibular molars obturated by lateral compaction or single cone techniques

The aim of this study was to compare the percentage of gutta-percha (PGP) in mesial root canals of mandibular molars obturated with LC (Lateral Compaction) or SC (Single Cone) ProTaper Universal System techniques at different levels of the root. Mesial root canals of 20 human permanent molars with similar anatomical characteristics were instrumented using the ProTaper Universal rotary system technique until the F2 instrument, with 20 canals filled by SC ProTaper Universal technique and 20 canals by the LC technique. The mesial roots were sectioned transversely to 3, 5, and 7 mm from the root apex. Digital images of specimens were obtained at MIC-D digital microscope in increases of 30 to 35X. The gutta-percha area was measured using ImageTool software. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni test (α = 0.05). The SC technique provided greater PGP than the LC technique in the apical third (3 mm) (P < 0.001). In the other thirds (5 and 7 mm) there was no statistical difference between the two techniques regarding the PGP (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between thirds of the root canal for both techniques (P > 0.05). It was concluded that SC technique provided greater PGP than the LC technique in the apical third of mesial root canals of mandibular molars. There was no difference between the two techniques regarding the PGP in the cervical and middle thirds.

A revision of the mantispid genus Nampista (Neuropterida, Mantispidae)

The poorly known mantispid genus Nampista is revised, which has previously been considered to contain its type species, Nampista auriventris (Guerin-Meneville, 1838), only. The genus is diagnosed and briefly compared with Euclimacia. Two species-group names are newly transferred to Nampista: Euclimacia africana (Esben-Petersen, 1927) and Euclimacia africana ragazziana (Navas, 1929), the latter raised to full species rank. The three species now placed in Nampista are keyed, diagnosed and described. All available information on collecting records and geographic distribution are provided. Digital images of specimens of all species are given. A considerable amount of sexual dimorphism in Nampista is recorded: Both sexes have disc-shaped antennal segments, but they are markedly wider in male Nampista (relative to the rest of the body) than in females. This is the first case of sexual dimorphism in antennal morphology reported in Mantispidae. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Power of a multidisciplinary approach: use of morphological, molecular and digital methods in the study of harpacticoid cryptic species

A multidisciplinary approach amenable to auto- mation and involving digital techniques in conjunction with detailed taxonomical observations and molecular genetic analyses was used to assess the phenotypic and genetic vari- ability of 3 harpacticoid copepods previously identified as Cletocamptus deitersi. C. deitersi may be the most problem- atic species among congeners due to its intraspecific morpho- logical variability. Specimens of C. deitersi collected from inland and coastal habitats in Alabama, California and Louis- iana were analyzed to determine the degree of separation between specimens. Levels of extreme genetic differentiation at both mitochondrial and nuclear loci and incipient but congruent morphological differences among specimens of the 3 populations strongly suggest that each genetic lineage belongs to a different species. Discrimination among species was also detected using a digital correlation method invariant to position and rotation. This analysis involved an algorithm using the square module of the fast Fourier transform. Digital images of specimens from the 3 populations were processed to obtain their diffraction patterns. To discriminate among species, all diffraction patterns were correlated with a special filter containing different random fixed views of each species. Results indicate that new identification methods of micro- scopic organisms could be developed to reduce the amount of time of direct observation. In order to build these methods on a solid taxonomic validation, it is necessary to implement a multidisciplinary approach in which expertise in taxonomy, molecular biology and digital processing work in conjunction to maximize their reliability and precision.

VPlants: a Virtual Herbarium of the Chicago Region

Three major botanical institutions, the Morton Arboretum, Field Museum of Natural History, and Chicago Botanic Garden, are developing an online searchable herbarium (vPlants, or plants) that will provide herbarium specimen data and digital images of specimens and labels to anyone with Internet access. This Web-based system will include a portal, housed at the Morton Arboretum, and three separate databases housed at and maintained by each participating institution. This virtual herbarium will be designed using state-of-the-art computer and Web-based technology, current standards for the searching and retrieving of data sets, ease of accessibility by any user, and ease of future expansion (enlarged data sets as well as new participants).

Multiresolutional image analysis of wood and other materials

The gloss of wood is a unique texture compared to that of other materials. To express it quantitatively, two digital-image analyses were performed. One method was multiresolutional contrast analysis, which was the new method developed in this study. The other method was fractal image analysis. Twenty-four specimens, including solid woods, wood-plastic composites (WPCs), printed grains, and granites, were prepared. Digital images of specimens were obtained in five sizes and in two illuminant directions (perpendicular and parallel to the grain). The multiresolutional contrast values of perpendicular illuminated images were calculated and compared among specimens. The result of this quantitative analysis was that the gloss of wood was characterized by bright spots in a relatively small area. Using fractal analysis, the fractal dimension of a digital image was used as an index of brightness changes, not for expressing the self-similarity. These indices showed results similar to those of the multiresolutional contrast analysis.