Mosaic System Research Articles

Patched and Costal-2 mutations lead to differences in tissue overgrowth autonomy

ABSTRACT Genetic screens are used in Drosophila melanogaster to identify genes key in the regulation of organismal development and growth. These screens have defined signalling pathways necessary for tissue and organismal development, which are evolutionarily conserved across species, including Drosophila. Here, we have used an FLP/FRT mosaic system to screen for conditional regulators of cell growth and cell division in the Drosophila eye. The conditional nature of this screen utilizes a block in the apoptotic pathway to prohibit the mosaic mutant cells from dying via apoptosis. From this screen, we identified two different mutants that mapped to the Hedgehog signalling pathway. Previously, we described a novel Ptc mutation and here we add to the understanding of disrupting the Hh pathway with a novel allele of Cos2. Both of these Hh components are negative regulators of the pathway, yet they depict mutant differences in the type of overgrowth created. Ptc mutations lead to overgrowth consisting of almost entirely wild-type tissue (non-autonomous overgrowth), while the Cos2 mutation results in tissue that is overgrown in both the mutant and wild-type clones (both autonomous and non-autonomous). These differences in tissue overgrowth are consistent in the Drosophila eye and wing. The observed difference is correlated with different deregulation patterns of pMad, the downstream effector of DPP signalling. This finding provides insight into pathway-specific differences that help to better understand intricacies of developmental processes and human diseases that result from deregulated Hedgehog signalling, such as basal cell carcinoma.

A data-driven methodological routine to identify key indicators for social-ecological system archetype mapping

The spatial mapping of social-ecological system (SES) archetypes constitutes a fundamental tool to operationalize the SES concept in empirical research. Approaches to detect, map, and characterize SES archetypes have evolved over the last decade towards more integrative and comparable perspectives guided by SES conceptual frameworks and reference lists of variables. However, hardly any studies have investigated how to empirically identify the most relevant set of indicators to map the diversity of SESs. In this study, we propose a data-driven methodological routine based on multivariate statistical analysis to identify the most relevant indicators for mapping and characterizing SES archetypes in a particular region. Taking Andalusia (Spain) as a case study, we applied this methodological routine to 86 indicators representing multiple variables and dimensions of the SES. Additionally, we assessed how the empirical relevance of these indicators contributes to previous expert and empirical knowledge on key variables for characterizing SESs. We identified 29 key indicators that allowed us to map 15 SES archetypes encompassing natural, mosaic, agricultural, and urban systems, which uncovered contrasting land sharing and land sparing patterns throughout the territory. We found synergies but also disagreements between empirical and expert knowledge on the relevance of variables: agreement on their widespread relevance (32.7% of the variables, e.g. crop and livestock production, net primary productivity, population density); relevance conditioned by the context or the scale (16.3%, e.g. land protection, educational level); lack of agreement (20.4%, e.g. economic level, land tenure); need of further assessments due to the lack of expert or empirical knowledge (30.6%). Overall, our data-driven approach can contribute to more objective selection of relevant indicators for SES mapping, which may help to produce comparable and generalizable empirical knowledge on key variables for characterizing SESs, as well as to derive more representative descriptions and causal factor configurations in SES archetype analysis.

Perch-Mounted Camera Traps Record Predatory Birds in Farmland

Artificial perches can attract raptors to farmland, where the raptors perform an ecosystem service by consuming insect or rodent pests; however, such perches have not enjoyed widespread use. We used an improved camera trap installation method to record birds on perches, and to test perch height preference of raptors and other species. Our study area was in a mosaic agriculture system, the typical farming environment in Asia. Our “double-branch” perches consisted of a main pole with a branch at the top and in the middle, 8 and 4 m from the ground, respectively. Each branch was equipped with a camera trap, with the focus adjusted to close range. From April to July 2020, the installations at five different crop fields provided a total of 83,740 photographs with birds, including 27 avian species. Photographs of raptors and insectivorous birds accounted for 80.1% to 99.7% in each field. The most frequently recorded raptors were the Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) and the Collared Scops-Owl (Otus lettia). The most frequently recorded insectivorous birds were the Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) and the Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus). The kites preferred to stand on the upper branches, whereas the owls and most of the insectivorous birds tended to choose the lower branches. By our method, numerous clear photographs of birds can be obtained and used to analyze visit frequency, activity patterns, and captured prey. Moreover, we showed that different species used artificial perches of different heights. Artificial perches could be more widely used for enhancing and quantifying avian ecosystem services, and promoting raptor-friendly farming.

New trends in the development of complex high-tech systems – mosaic systems (based on the materials of foreign publications)

New trends in the development of complex high-tech systems – mosaic systems (based on the materials of foreign publications)

AirMatch: An Automated Mosaicing System with Video Preprocessing Engine for Multiple Aerial Feeds

AirMatch: An Automated Mosaicing System with Video Preprocessing Engine for Multiple Aerial Feeds

Reconsidering ‘law’ in Hebrews

In this contribution, the notion that the concept of ‘law’ in the Letter to the Hebrews only pertains to the cultic domain is challenged against the discourse on law in the whole letter. Apart from instances in which the law includes moral aspects of the law, the broader theological context in which the concept of ‘law’ is set in Hebrews suggests that the whole Mosaic system is in view throughout the letter. Such a conclusion is drawn on the basis of pertinent contrasts in the letter between the old and new covenants, between the different sources of revelation, between Moses and Jesus, between the ways in which priesthood and sacrifices function in relation to sin, between the outward or physical and the inward or spiritual, and between die earthly and heavenly domains of the respective covenantal systems. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article primarily makes a contribution in respect of biblical exegesis and New Testament theology. In addition, the article reconsiders the discourse on law in the Letter to the Hebrews, which impacts the way in which Christians understand their relationship to the Mosaic Law. It thus impacts the field of systematic theology. The relationship of the believer with the Mosaic Law in Hebrews also impacts church history: It provides us with information on the position of the early church towards the Mosaic Law, as well as how we understand the so-called ‘parting of the ways’ between Christianity and Judaism.

Extreme problem for a mosaic system of points

In the geometric theory of functions of a complex variable, the well-known direction is related to the estimates of the products of the inner radii of pairwise nonoverlapping domains. This direction is called extreme problems in classes of pairwise nonoverlapping domains. One of the problems of this type is considered in the present work.

Separation detection and correction of mosaic errors in mosaic gratings based on two detection lights with the same diffraction order and different incident angles

Grating tiling is an important fabrication technology for large-size gratings. However, when using grating tiling technology to form large-size echelle gratings, the interferometer cannot detect the grating's zero-order diffraction wavefront because the zero-order diffraction light of the echelle grating is weak. This prevents use of the zero-order and non-zero-order diffraction light of the grating to realize separation detection and correction of mosaic errors. To solve this problem, a new method for separation detection and correction of mosaic errors in mosaic gratings based on two detection lights with the same diffraction order but different incident angles is proposed and a mosaic error detection system is designed. Then, the correction steps for mosaic errors are summarized and the error in mosaic error detection system is analyzed. Finally, the measurement uncertainty in detecting the wavefront of the mosaic grating and the mosaic accuracy of the grating wavefront are analyzed. The uncertainty is 0.008λ (λ=632.8 nm) and the mosaic accuracy of the peak-to-valley wavefront is 0.069λ, which shows that high-precision measurements of the wavefront and high-precision mosaic of the wavefront were successfully achieved. The proposed method can be used for the mosaic of all blazed gratings.

A mosaic analysis system with Cre or Tomato expression in the mouse

Somatic mutations are major genetic contributors to cancers and many other age-related diseases. Many disease-causing somatic mutations can initiate clonal growth prior to the appearance of any disease symptoms, yet experimental models that can be used to examine clonal abnormalities are limited. We describe a mosaic analysis system with Cre or Tomato (MASCOT) for tracking mutant cells and demonstrate its utility for modeling clonal hematopoiesis. MASCOT can be induced to constitutively express either Cre-GFP or Tomato for lineage tracing of a mutant and a reference group of cells simultaneously. We conducted mosaic analysis to assess functions of the Id3 and/or Tet2 gene in hematopoietic cell development and clonal hematopoiesis. Using Tomato-positive cells as a reference population, we demonstrated the high sensitivity of this system for detecting cell-intrinsic phenotypes during short-term or long-term tracking of hematopoietic cells. Long-term tracking of Tet2 mutant or Tet2/Id3 double-mutant cells in our MASCOT model revealed a dynamic shift from myeloid expansion to lymphoid expansion and subsequent development of lymphoma. This work demonstrates the utility of the MASCOT method in mosaic analysis of single or combined mutations, making the system suitable for modeling somatic mutations identified in humans.

Extreme problem for a mosaic system of points

In the geometric theory of functions of a complex variable, the well-known direction is related to the estimates of the products of the inner radii of pairwise nonoverlapping domains. This direction is called extreme problems in classes of pairwise nonoverlapping domains. One of the problems of this type is considered in the present work.

Abstract B26: A tumor specific molecular network promotes tumor growth by enforcing a JNK-YKI feed forward loop

Abstract Cancer cells expand rapidly in response to altered cell-cell interactions among tumor and their surrounding cells; however, the molecular mechanisms by which alterations in these interactions promote aggressive metastatic tumor growth remain unclear. Earlier studies showed that increased oncogenic signaling and deregulation of inflammatory cytokines may be underlying tumor growth and progression. To study the nature of these interactions, we made mosaic clones expressing oncogenic forms of Yorkie (Yki) or Ras in polarity deficient cells (RasV12, scrib- or Yki3SA, scrib-) that are marked with GFP in Drosophila imaginal discs. This mosaic system recapitulates the clonal origins of human cancer and provides a distinct advantage in analyzing cell-cell (intratumoral and tumor-surrounding cell) interactions affecting tumor growth. Using these models of oncogenic cooperation, we show that tumor cells grow by activation of a previously unidentified network comprising Wingless (Wg), Dronc (Drosophila Caspase 9 ortholog), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and Yki. Further, Toll-like receptor (TLR) component Cactus is highly expressed in the tumor cells. We show that Wg, Dronc, JNK, and Yki signaling are all required for the growth of tumors (RasV12, scrib-, and other tumor models), and downregulating Cactus affects both tumor progression and invasion. It is notable that Wg, Dronc, JNK, and Yki play a signaling and patterning role in normal development, and act as regulators of cell-cell interactions like cell competition and compensatory proliferation. JNK was previously shown to undergo a paradoxical signaling switch from proapoptosis to proproliferation that leads to activation of Yki. We report that Yki not only regulates the TLR component Cactus, but also positively regulates JNK in the tumor cells to form a JNK-Yki self-reinforcing positive feedback signal-amplification loop downstream of Wg and Dronc. We further demonstrate that the Wg-Dronc-JNK-Yki signaling network promotes tumor growth in other contexts of oncogenic cooperation. Overall, the identification of the Wg-Dronc-Yki-JNK molecular network and the organization of the signaling elements provide novel insights into how altered cell-cell interactions and signaling promote tumorigenesis. Our findings suggest that identification of molecular networks may provide significant insights about the key biologically meaningful changes in signaling pathways and paradoxical signals that promote tumorigenesis. Citation Format: Madhuri Kango-Singh. A tumor specific molecular network promotes tumor growth by enforcing a JNK-YKI feed forward loop [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Hippo Pathway: Signaling, Cancer, and Beyond; 2019 May 8-11; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(8_Suppl):Abstract nr B26.

The barley stripe mosaic virus expression system reveals the wheat C2H2 zinc finger protein TaZFP1B as a key regulator of drought tolerance

BackgroundDrought stress is one of the major factors limiting wheat production globally. Improving drought tolerance is important for agriculture sustainability. Although various morphological, physiological and biochemical responses associated with drought tolerance have been documented, the molecular mechanisms and regulatory genes that are needed to improve drought tolerance in crops require further investigation. We have used a novel 4-component version (for overexpression) and a 3-component version (for underexpression) of a barley stripe mosaic virus-based (BSMV) system for functional characterization of the C2H2-type zinc finger protein TaZFP1B in wheat. These expression systems avoid the need to produce transgenic plant lines and greatly speed up functional gene characterization.ResultsWe show that overexpression of TaZFP1B stimulates plant growth and up-regulates different oxidative stress-responsive genes under well-watered conditions. Plants that overexpress TaZFP1B are more drought tolerant at critical periods of the plant’s life cycle. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that plants overexpressing TaZFP1B reprogram their transcriptome, resulting in physiological and physical modifications that help wheat to grow and survive under drought stress. In contrast, plants transformed to underexpress TaZFP1B are significantly less tolerant to drought and growth is negatively affected.ConclusionsThis study clearly shows that the two versions of the BSMV system can be used for fast and efficient functional characterization of genes in crops. The extent of transcriptome reprogramming in plants that overexpress TaZFP1B indicates that the encoded transcription factor is a key regulator of drought tolerance in wheat.

Photorefractive intrastromal corneal crosslinking for treatment of low myopia: clinical outcomes using the transepithelial approach with supplemental oxygen.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of photorefractive intrastromal corneal crosslinking (PiXL) for the treatment of low myopia using the epithelium-on approach with supplemental oxygen. The Eye Foundation, Coimbatore, India. Prospective interventional case series. Myopic nonectatic eyes underwent PiXL using the Mosaic system. Ultraviolet-A (UV-A) irradiation of 365 nm wavelength was delivered in an accelerated (30 mW/cm) pulsed approach to provide a total fluence of 15 J/cm. Supplemental oxygen (concentration greater than 95%) was provided to increase the efficacy of the epithelium-on approach during the UV-A irradiation. Efficacy was determined by improvement in mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE), uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), and keratometric flattening. Safety was determined by loss of lines of corrected distance visual acuity, endothelial cell loss, and adverse events. Fifty eyes of 26 patients with a mean age of 22.73 ± 3.74 years were included. A significant improvement in UDVA from baseline (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] 0.63 ± 0.25) was noted at the 3-month (logMAR 0.08 ± 0.15) and 6-month (logMAR 0.13 ± 0.18) follow-up visits (P < .001). Significant keratometric flattening from baseline was noted at all follow-up visits (P < .001). No significant endothelial cell loss or adverse effects were noted. A significant correlation was noted between the change in MRSE and preoperative corneal biomechanics (deformation amplitude ratio, P = .029). Transepithelial PiXL with supplemental oxygen might be a safe and effective approach for reduction of myopia. The change in MRSE and keratometric flattening was greater in comparison with earlier protocols, including the epithelium-off approach.

The Study of Silviculture System for Selective Cutting and Line Planting (TPTJ) and Indonesian Selective Cutting and Planting (TPTI) Application at PT Intracawood Manufacturing Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan

Selective Cutting and Line Planting (TPTJ) silvicultural systems and Indonesian Selective Cutting and Planting (TPTI) are two of the five silvicultural systems that have been determined by the Ministry of Forestry Regulation No. P.11 / Menhut-II / 2009 juncto P.65 / Menhut-II / 2014 concerning silvicultural systems in the area of timber forest product utilization permits (IUPHHK) in production forests. Three other silvicultural systems based on the regulation are the Gap Logging silviculture system, the Fully Made Rejuvenation System, and the Multi Silviculture System. This study aims to examine the implementation of the TPTJ and TPTI systems in the PT Intracawood Manufacturing (PT Intraca) area, Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan. The methodology of this research is through the approach of growth analysis, comparison of stand increment, observation of environmental conditions, interviews and literature study. Based on the field research, it was found that the diameter increments of Shorea leprosula, Shorea dasyphila, and Shorea parvifolia were greater in the TPTJ system compared to TPTI. However, the TPTI silviculture system at PT Intraca is easier to apply in the field than the TPTJ silviculture system. The TPTJ system has become less effective because planting in the TPTJ system has been carried out by making a 3-meter wide track with a length of approximately 1 km in a plot and if there is potential for the wood to become ineffective. In the area of PT Intraca, to improve the effectiveness of the TPTJ system a mosaic system is used where the planting path is made only in areas with less potential and representative for planting. The types of plants planted in the TPTJ system are far superior, perspective, and are faster than the types of plants in the TPTI system. Planting/enrichment in the TPTI system is easier because it does not need to make a planting path. Planting with seedlings from the extraction is only a transfer from the growth of tillers from areas with an excessive potential for tillers.

Partial FMRP expression is sufficient to normalize neuronal hyperactivity in Fragile X neurons.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common genetic form of intellectual disability caused by a CGG repeat expansion in the 5′‐UTR of the Fragile X mental retardation gene FMR1, triggering epigenetic silencing and the subsequent absence of the protein, FMRP. Reactivation of FMR1 represents an attractive therapeutic strategy targeting the genetic root cause of FXS. However, largely missing in the FXS field is an understanding of how much FMR1 reactivation is required to rescue FMRP‐dependent mutant phenotypes. Here, we utilize FXS patient‐derived excitatory neurons to model FXS in vitro and confirm that the absence of FMRP leads to neuronal hyperactivity. We further determined the levels of FMRP and the percentage of FMRP‐positive cells necessary to correct this phenotype utilizing a mixed and mosaic neuronal culture system and a combination of CRISPR, antisense and expression technologies to titrate FMRP in FXS and WT neurons. Our data demonstrate that restoration of greater than 5% of overall FMRP expression levels or greater than 20% FMRP‐expressing neurons in a mosaic pattern is sufficient to normalize a FMRP‐dependent, hyperactive phenotype in FXS iPSC‐derived neurons.

Overview of MARCM-Related Technologies in Drosophila Neurobiological Research.

Mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker (MARCM)-related technologies are positive genetic mosaic labeling systems that have been widely applied in studies of Drosophila brain development and neural circuit formation to identify diverse neuronal types, reconstruct neural lineages, and investigate the function of genes and molecules. Two types of MARCM-related technologies have been developed: single-colored and twin-colored. Single-colored MARCM technologies label one of two twin daughter cells in otherwise unmarked background tissues through site-specific recombination of homologous chromosomes during mitosis of progenitors. On the other hand, twin-colored genetic mosaic technologies label both twin daughter cells with two distinct colors, enabling the retrieval of useful information from both progenitor-derived cells and their subsequent clones. In this overview, we describe the principles and usage guidelines for MARCM-related technologies in order to help researchers employ these powerful genetic mosaic systems in their investigations of intricate neurobiological topics. © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dynamics of secondary forest and its perspective under the Satoyama system in Saitama prefecture, Japan

ABSTRACT The Satoyama landscape is a mosaic system of land use in Japan, comprising secondary forests, croplands and settlements. The various ecosystem services provided by the interactions between humans and the environment at the landscape level are together known as the “Satoyama system”. Land use and structural changes in secondary forest were quantitatively evaluated based on analysis of land and forest distribution and dynamics in 1961, 1975 and 2016 within the Satoyama landscape of Saitama prefecture, central Japan. Most secondary forests were replaced by settlements, which was driven by typical socio-economic factors (i.e. a rise in land value) and land use change largely relating to the decline in the agricultural demand for compost made from forest litterfall. The dynamics and structural changes of land and forest revealed that land use in the Satoyama landscape had become more uniform as a result of changing human activities and land use. Organic carbon and nitrogen contents were smaller in secondary forest that was still being managed by the collection of litterfall than abandoned secondary forest with no litterfall collection, especially to a depth of 0.25 to 0.30 m. This has resulted in a decline in CO2 sequestration in managed secondary forest although abandoned secondary forest and/or plant-derived organic matter inputted cropland keep or increase CO2 sequestration. Considering a mosaic system of land use comprising secondary forests, croplands and settlements, an adaptive management procedure suited for present-day needs, is therefore required to maintain sustainable use of the Satoyama landscape in the future.

Vectorialization practices of the image drawing of the floor mosaics of the Basilica of Nativity in Bethlehem

The research deals with the different image vectorialization techniques for the development of reliable drawings on mosaic systems. Following the restoration of the floor mosaics of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, surveys were conducted with digital technologies that produced a 3D database on considerable mosaic surfaces. The problem of the graphic representation, linked to the drawing of these systems, concerns both the optimization of the methodological processes to the advantage of a more performing drawing activity, and the definition of the appropriate languages to satisfy requirements related to the documentation and the work restoration. Technical drawers have worked alongside restorers to produce technical drawings and a model from which interact with the mosaic system, developing an informative model that can facilitate construction activities and, at the same time, enhance the entire artwork.

Structure-Function Analysis Reveals the Singularity of Plant Mitochondrial DNA Replication Components: A Mosaic and Redundant System.

Plants are sessile organisms, and their DNA is particularly exposed to damaging agents. The integrity of plant mitochondrial and plastid genomes is necessary for cell survival. During evolution, plants have evolved mechanisms to replicate their mitochondrial genomes while minimizing the effects of DNA damaging agents. The recombinogenic character of plant mitochondrial DNA, absence of defined origins of replication, and its linear structure suggest that mitochondrial DNA replication is achieved by a recombination-dependent replication mechanism. Here, I review the mitochondrial proteins possibly involved in mitochondrial DNA replication from a structural point of view. A revision of these proteins supports the idea that mitochondrial DNA replication could be replicated by several processes. The analysis indicates that DNA replication in plant mitochondria could be achieved by a recombination-dependent replication mechanism, but also by a replisome in which primers are synthesized by three different enzymes: Mitochondrial RNA polymerase, Primase-Helicase, and Primase-Polymerase. The recombination-dependent replication model and primers synthesized by the Primase-Polymerase may be responsible for the presence of genomic rearrangements in plant mitochondria.

Design and implementation of tunnel image mosaic system based on open CV

With the development of transportation, more and more tunnels have appeared. However, the monitoring system in the tunnel is not perfect. It is difficult to monitor the complete tunnel situation and increase the vehicle traffic risk index in the tunnel. Therefore, this paper proposes a tunnel image mosaic technology based on ORB algorithm. This technique splicing images captured by a scattering camera in a tunnel into a complete tunnel image. It also facilitates monitoring of conditions within the tunnel and reducing traffic accidents. The main processes include image preprocessing, image registration, feature point matching, and image fusion. Experiments show that this technology can be applied to the tunnel monitoring system and is widely recognized.