scholarly journals Towards Ontology-Based Integration of Biomedical Atlases

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurzi Juana Mohd Zaizi ◽  
Albert Burger
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Embryo ◽  
Intelligent Agents ◽  
Graphical Model ◽  
Clinical Analysis ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Mouse Atlas ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Physical Examinations ◽  
The Subject

Medical imaging in clinical analysis has been the subject of significant research for many years. In many cases scan images like CT scan and MRI scan may compliment physical examinations. Linking these scan images to biomedical atlases is fundamental to facilitate analysis. Biomedical atlas provides mapping between the graphical model and the ontology. Mapping from one atlas to another corresponding atlas is complex when it involves atlases from different model organisms. For example, having a general accepted nomenclature for the components of mouse embryo which is in parallel with the human atlas nomenclature provide an efficient means for analysis and modeling in biomedicine. However, this lead to interoperability issue. Therefore, taking the advantage of Semantic Web, Intelligent Agents and Ontology, this project starts with research linking imaging data of mouse embryo MRI to a standard canonical mouse atlas as designed in Edinburgh Mouse Atlas Project and also research on spatial rules to identify matching regions in atlases and images.

scholarly journals The Neurotransmitters Involved in Drosophila Alcohol-Induced Behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie M. Chvilicek ◽  
Iris Titos ◽  
Adrian Rothenfluh
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Alcohol Response

Alcohol is a widely used and abused substance with numerous negative consequences for human health and safety. Historically, alcohol's widespread, non-specific neurobiological effects have made it a challenge to study in humans. Therefore, model organisms are a critical tool for unraveling the mechanisms of alcohol action and subsequent effects on behavior. Drosophila melanogaster is genetically tractable and displays a vast behavioral repertoire, making it a particularly good candidate for examining the neurobiology of alcohol responses. In addition to being experimentally amenable, Drosophila have high face and mechanistic validity: their alcohol-related behaviors are remarkably consistent with humans and other mammalian species, and they share numerous conserved neurotransmitters and signaling pathways. Flies have a long history in alcohol research, which has been enhanced in recent years by the development of tools that allow for manipulating individual Drosophila neurotransmitters. Through advancements such as the GAL4/UAS system and CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, investigation of specific neurotransmitters in small subsets of neurons has become ever more achievable. In this review, we describe recent progress in understanding the contribution of seven neurotransmitters to fly behavior, focusing on their roles in alcohol response: dopamine, octopamine, tyramine, serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and acetylcholine. We chose these small-molecule neurotransmitters due to their conservation in mammals and their importance for behavior. While neurotransmitters like dopamine and octopamine have received significant research emphasis regarding their contributions to behavior, others, like glutamate, GABA, and acetylcholine, remain relatively unexplored. Here, we summarize recent genetic and behavioral findings concerning these seven neurotransmitters and their roles in the behavioral response to alcohol, highlighting the fitness of the fly as a model for human alcohol use.

scholarly journals Leadership style and employee readiness: Basic factors of leadership efficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-65
Author(s):  
Marijana Rodić ◽  
Slobodan Marić
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Style ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Repeated Sampling ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Republic ◽  
New Variables ◽  
The Impact

The scope of this study is based on the Situational Leadership Theory according to the model created by Hersey and Blanchard, predominantly defined by two research sub-fields: leadership style and readiness of employees. This model distinguishes four different leadership styles, while the subject area of readiness of employees comprises two components: readiness of employees based on the competency component and readiness of employees based on a psychological (motivational) component. The subject matter of the study is to identify leadership style as a new variable which will be utilized for determining the interdependence with leadership efficiency levels and readiness of employees. Leadership efficiency is determined by the degree of compatibility between the dominant style of leadership and the level of readiness of employees. In addition to the main objective of the research, aimed at determining leadership efficiency, significant research findings come as a result of specific objectives. That is impact of the dominant leadership style on readiness of employees and leadership results, based on each specific component. The sample will be a random sample from a finite population of units, with repeated sampling and known probability sampling. A sample of size n=100, with a proportion of 0.10, is based on a list of top 100 biggest companies in the Republic of Serbia in 2019. The application of Principal Component Analysis aims to identify new variables in the form of regression coefficient results, while the application of the hierarchical regression model will help determine the impact of each leadership style on readiness of employees. The study findings confirm the basic hypotheses of the aforementioned model, with regard to the results of leadership efficiency, as well as its impact of each leadership style on readiness of employees.

scholarly journals Glocal Participatory System for the Recording, Documentation and Promotion of Cultural Heritage: A Greek Case-Study

Heritage ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitris Psychogyios ◽  
Nick Poulakis
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Collective Memories ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Catalytic Role ◽  
The Subject ◽  
And Diffusion

The recording, documentation and promotion of local cultural heritage has been the subject of significant research from scientists from various fields such as architecture, anthropology, history, folklore, ethnomusicology, and museology. This paper argues that digital technologies could have a catalytic role concerning the operational part of a holistic–interdisciplinary approach to the maintenance of cultural heritage. Simultaneous and bidirectional recording, documentation and promotion of human histories, material elements of space, personal and collective memories, music, dance, singing and other performances, customs, traditions etc. has the effect of improving the understanding of each place and, therefore, contributing to the establishment of sustainable living conditions and environmental balance. At the same time, it facilitates the process of presenting the place’s local identity as well as its tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The paper proposes the design, the creation and the pilot operation of a glocal hybrid (physical and digital) participatory system for monitoring cultural heritage, which consists of (a) spatial recording and projection constructions (open micro-labs); (b) research and documentation centers; and (c) digital databases and mobile applications for interconnection and diffusion of digital content. The system’s implementation domain is considered to be “historic urban landscapes”, i.e., geographical areas with particular cultural features such as traditional settlements, monuments and historical centers, regarded as exceptional universal heritage. In particular, the project’s prime exemplary pilot setup is considered to be operated in specific Greek areas of cultural importance.

Preliminary Investigation of Mesh Stability for Linear Systems

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pete Seiler ◽  
Aniruddha Pant ◽  
J. K. Hedrick
Keyword(s):  
Linear Systems ◽  
Mimo Systems ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
String Stability ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Simple Class ◽  
The Subject ◽  
A Chain ◽  
The One

Abstract Damping of disturbances as they propagate through a chain of interconnected systems, termed string stability, has been the subject of significant research. In this paper, we investigate mesh stability, which is the two-dimensional extension of string stability. We review the key results used for string stability analysis and then generalize the conditions for MIMO systems. These results are then applied to a simple class of linear systems which form a mesh in two-dimensions. It is shown (as in the one-dimensional case) that communicating the velocity and acceleration of the lead vehicle to all subsystems is sufficient for mesh stability. This result is then verified by simulation.

Demonstrating the Identification of Nonlinear Vibrating Systems to Undergraduate Students

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 336-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Dimitriadis ◽  
G. A. Vio
Keyword(s):  
Nonlinear Systems ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Dynamic Systems ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Physical Information ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Vibrating Systems

The identification of nonlinear dynamic systems is increasingly becoming a necessary part of vibration testing and there is significant research effort devoted to it. However, as the current methodologies are still not suitable for the identification of general nonlinear systems, the subject is rarely introduced to undergraduate students. In this paper, recent progress in developing an expert approach to the identification of nonlinear systems is used in order to demonstrate the subject within the context of an undergraduate course or as an introductory tool for postgraduate students. The demonstration is based around a software package of an expert system designed to apply systematically a wide range of identification approaches to the system under investigation. It is shown that the software can be used to demonstrate the need for identification of nonlinear systems, the complexity of the procedure, the possibility of failure and the good chances of success when enough physical information about the system is available.

Three-dimensional optical analysis of chest wall motion

1994 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1224-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Ferrigno ◽  
P. Carnevali ◽  
A. Aliverti ◽  
F. Molteni ◽  
G. Beulcke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chest Wall ◽  
Wall Motion ◽  
Geometric Model ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Clinical Analysis ◽  
Abdominal Pressure ◽  
Abdominal Muscles ◽  
Online Computation ◽  
Chest Wall Motion ◽  
The Subject

A method for kinematic analysis of chest wall motion is presented, based on a television-image processor that allows a three-dimensional assessment of volume change of the trunk by automatically computing the coordinates of several passive markers placed on relevant landmarks of the thorax and abdomen. The parallel computation used for the image processing allows for a real time recognition of the passive markers with the necessary accuracy. A geometric model also allows the online computation of the contribution to the chest volume by the different parts. For this purpose, the model presented here is based on 54 tetrahedrons that can be grouped into 9 compartments and 3 sections representing 1) upper thorax (mainly reflecting the action of neck and parasternal muscles and the effect of pleural pressure), 2) lower thorax (mainly reflecting the action of diaphragm and the effect of pleural and abdominal pressure), and 3) abdomen (mainly reflecting the actions of diaphragm and abdominal muscles). By this model, the volume can also be split into three vertical sections pointing out asymmetries between the right and left sides. The method is noninvasive, nonionizing, and leaves the subject maximum freedom of movement during the test, thus being suitable for routine clinical analysis. The monitoring of the subject can be prolonged in time and can be performed in different postures: standing, sitting, and supine. The method was tested on 12 healthy subjects showing its good accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility.

The Influence Irradiation-Induced Microstructure on the Hardening of RPV Steels

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlies Lambrecht ◽  
Abderrahim Almazouzi
Keyword(s):  
Dominant Role ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Vacancy Clusters ◽  
Pressure Vessel Steels ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Complementary Techniques ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Reactor Pressure

The hardening and embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steels has been investigated for many years. Nowadays, a consensus is reached assuming a two-component hardening model of copper-enriched clusters and matrix damage. Nevertheless, despite being the subject of significant research efforts, it is still a debatable question, whether a linear or quadratic superposition law is appropriate. The inaccuracy of either choice might be the effect of the existence of different populations of defects, such as loops, decorated interstitial and vacancy clusters, as every defect contributes to the hardening in a particular way. In this work, a correlation on model alloys is attempted between experimental results on microstructure found by different complementary techniques and a theoretical prediction of the hardening, where each defect is defined by a specific pinning strength. It is found that loops are very strong defects, but due to their low concentration, they only play a minor role in the hardening itself. For the precipitates, the contrary is found, although they are quite soft (due to their very low sizes), they still play the dominant role in the hardening due to their high density. Vacancy clusters are important for the formation of the former two defects, but they will play almost no role in the hardening by themselves.

scholarly journals The Main Sources of Intersubject Variability in Neuronal Activation for Reading Aloud

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 654-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferath Kherif ◽  
Goulven Josse ◽  
Mohamed L. Seghier ◽  
Cathy J. Price
Keyword(s):  
Reading Strategies ◽  
Reading Aloud ◽  
Error Variance ◽  
Gaussian Mixture ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Lower Dimension ◽  
Intersubject Variability ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Neuronal Activation ◽  
The Subject

The aim of this study was to find the most prominent source of intersubject variability in neuronal activation for reading familiar words aloud. To this end, we collected functional imaging data from a large sample of subjects (n = 76) with different demographic characteristics such as handedness, sex, and age, while reading. The subject-by-subject error variance was estimated from a one-sample t test (on all 76 subjects) and was reduced to a lower dimension using principal components decomposition. A Gaussian Mixture Model was then applied to dissociate different subgroups of subjects that explained the main sources of variability in the data. This resulted in the identification of four different subject groups. The comparison of these subgroups to the subjects' demographic details showed that age had a significant effect on the subject partitioning. In addition, a region-by-group dissociation in the dorsal and the ventral inferior frontal cortex was consistent with previously reported dissociations in semantic and nonsemantic reading strategies. In contrast to these significant findings, the groupings did not differentiate subjects on the basis of either sex or handedness, nor did they segregate the subjects with right- versus left-lateralized reading activation. We therefore conclude that, of the variables tested, age and reading strategy were the most prominent source of variability in activation for reading familiar words aloud.

scholarly journals Centromere-specific antibody-mediated karyotyping of Okinawan Oikopleura dioica suggests the presence of three chromosomes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew W. Liu ◽  
Yongkai Tan ◽  
Aki Masunaga ◽  
Charles Plessy ◽  
Nicholas M. Luscombe
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Microscopy ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Evolutionary Development ◽  
Specific Marker ◽  
Ryukyu Islands ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Oikopleura Dioica ◽  
Biological Interest ◽  
The Ryukyu Islands ◽  
Genome Assemblies

AbstractOikopleura dioica is a ubiquitous marine tunicate of biological interest due to features that include dioecious reproduction, short life cycle, and vertebrate-like dorsal notochord while possessing a relatively compact genome. The use of tunicates as model organisms, particularly with these characteristics, offers the advantage of facilitating studies in evolutionary development and furthering understanding of enduring attributes found in the more complex vertebrates. At present, we are undertaking an initiative to sequence the genomes of Oikopleura individuals in populations found among the seas surrounding the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan. To facilitate and validate genome assemblies, karyotyping was employed to count individual animals’ chromosomes in situ using centromere-specific antibodies directed against H3S28P, a prophase-metaphase cell cycle-specific marker of histone H3. New imaging data of embryos and oocytes stained with two different antibodies were obtained; interpretation of these data lead us to conclude that the Okinawan Oikopleura dioica has three pairs of chromosomes, akin to previous results from genomic assemblies in Atlantic populations. The imaging data have been deposited to the open-access EBI BioImage Archive for reuse while additionally providing representative images of two commercially available anti-H3S28P antibodies’ staining properties for use in epifluorescent and confocal based fluorescent microscopy.

scholarly journals The Problem of the Subject in Artificial Nature

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
Nesterov Alexander Yu. ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Intelligent Agents ◽  
Philosophy Of Technology ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Second Nature ◽  
The Third ◽  
Technological Singularity ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Artificial Nature

The article discusses the situation with the subject and subjectivity that arises in the conditions of scientific and technological progress. The concept of the subject is introduced through the distinction between reflex (natural) and reflexive (artificial) processes of self-awareness, the subject is understood as a way of connecting “worlds” in the sense of K. R. Popper. The forms of reflection that create subjectivity are introduced as philosophical inventions in the sense of I. I. Lapshin as an aphorism, dialogue and system. The research methodology is of a general semiotic and neo-Kantian character: the function of subjectivity for artificial environments of human life is considered as a reflexive basis for constructing theories and carrying out technical activities, the performance of this function leads to a consistent transformation of nature due to the accumulation of artifacts in the sensually accessible physical world (the first artificial nature), in the rational world of logical-grammatical forms (the second artificial nature), in the world of reason or intellectual reflection (the third artificial nature). Based on the analysis of subjectivity in the first, second and third artificial nature, we conclude that the crisis of the subject and human subjectivity observed in the information society, expressed in the models of the subject-free objectivity of the technosphere or technological singularity is evidence of the exhaustion of the methodological resources of the subject’s analysis. The third artificial nature, i. e. a man-made technical environment that includes intellectual artifacts, autonomous intelligent agents of making socially significant decisions, needs a new philosophical invention that allows for self-awareness procedures. In the conclusion, the assumption is formulated that as such a new philosophical invention, the “environment” can be discussed that removes the “system” in the same sense in which the “system” removes the “dialogue”, and the latter – “aphorism”. Keywords: subject, technology, philosophy of technology, artificial nature, second nature, third nature, technological singularity

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document