Confocal microscopic image sequence compression using vector quantization and 3D pyramids

The 3D pyramid compressor project at the University of Glasgow has developed a compressor for images obtained from CLSM device. The proposed method using a combination of image pyramid coder and vector quantization techniques has good performance at compressing confocal volume image data. An experiment was conducted on several kinds of CLSM data using the presented compressor compared to other well-known volume data compressors, such as MPEG-1. The results showed that the 3D pyramid compressor gave higher subjective and objective image quality of reconstructed images at the same compression ratio and presented more acceptable results when applying image processing filters on reconstructed images

‘‘There’s so much more to it than what I initially thought’’: Stepping into researchers’ shoes with a class activity in a first year psychology survey course

In psychology, it is widely agreed that research methods, although central to the discipline, are particularly challenging to learn and teach, particularly at introductory level. This pilot study explored the potential of embedding a student-conducted research activity in a one-semester undergraduate Introduction to Psychology survey course, with the aims of (a) engaging students with the topic of research methods; (b) developing students’ comprehension and application of research methods concepts; and (c) building students’ ability to link research with theory. The research activity explored shoe ownership, examining gender differences and relationships with age, and linking to theories of gender difference and of consumer identity. The process of carrying out the research and reflecting on it created a contextualized, active learning environment in which students themselves raised many issues that research methods lectures seek to cover. Students also wrote richer assignments than standard first year mid-term essay

The significance of subsurface chlorophyll, nitrite and ammonium maxima in relation to nitrogen for phytoplankton growth in stratified waters of the Gulf of Maine

Data on the distributions in summer of phytoplankton and inorganic nutrients in the Gulf of Maine and across Georges Bank are presented. The chlorophyll maximum represents a phytoplankton biomass maximum and occurs at a depth where both light and nitrate availability allow net growth of the population. The dominant species were generally flagellates and included the toxic dinoflagellate, Gonyaulax tamarensis var. excavata, at some stations. The ammonium and nitrite profiles suggest that nitrification is occurring at the base of the pycnocline below the chlorophyll maximum, and this may be an important source of nitrate during the summer months. The highest levels of nitrite and ammonium were found over the slopes of Georges Bank

C60 1,1,2,2-tetra­chloro­ethyl­ene tetra­solvate

In the title complex, C60·4C2Cl4, the C60 mol­ecule is located on an inversion centre and there are two tetra­chloro­ethyl­ene (TCE) mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. Both TCE mol­ecules show positional disorder, with occupancy ratios of 0.75:0.25 and 0.56:0.44. Four fullerene C atoms form short contacts [3.208 (17) and 3.223 (17) Å] with the centres of the TCE double bonds, indicating that C60–solvent inter­actions are largely π–π in nature

Towards a 3D Tongue model for parameterising ultrasound data

This paper describes the process and aims of the manual construction of a 3D mesh modelling the tongue, hyoid and mandible. The mesh building process includes the ability to assign muscles to mesh struts which can be independently contracted to nominal lengths in order to test how the mesh deforms. In this way the behaviour of the mesh can be easily and quickly observed and structures can be amended or enhanced. One such mesh is described which is based on a laminar structure and where the genioglossus is divided into five functionally independent compartments. The model is capable of being deformed to fit midsagittal MRI data of a wide range of distinct articulations by a single speaker and by carefully identifying landmark features and orientation, can also be fitted to ultrasound images for that same speaker.The main aim of this project is to develop research skills in Further Education lecturers who are involved in both FE and HE delivery. Recent developments in FE have recognised the needs to develop research capacity within FE institutions and a number of networks have responded[1] (UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) is a partnership of 15 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Northern Scotland. See also the FE Regional Research Network (FERRN) for Fife and the Lothians. The importance of research is well embedded in both networks), while some recent research has focussed on the role of FE in furthering the government's continuous improvement agenda.Many staff within the colleges that form UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) are in a position of having to teach at both FE and HE level and are increasingly expected to engage with research. Traditionally, however, FE lecturers have not engaged in research and have therefore not developed the required skills[2].This project aims to develop basic research skills through the planning and execution of a small-scale project linked to a relevant literature search that relates to one aspect of the individual's teaching practice. It aims to encourage the development of a community of researching practitioners by establishing a mainly online discussion group to support practitioners[3]. The project thus aims to develop research and collaborative skills whilst also developing a greater understanding of teaching and learning and should therefore encourage reflection on teaching and learning and potentially impact on future delivery.1.Cunningham J. and Doncaster K. Developing a Research Culture in the FE Sector: a case-study of work-based approach to staff development. Journal of Further and Higher Education., Vol. 26, No 1, 20022.Hillier, Y. and Jameson J. Empowering Researchers in FE. Trentham. 20033.Wenger, E. Communities of Practice: learning, meaning and identity. CUP. 1998caslpub3963pub76

Towards a 3D Tongue model for parameterising ultrasound data

This paper describes the process and aims of the manual construction of a 3D mesh modelling the tongue, hyoid and mandible. The mesh building process includes the ability to assign muscles to mesh struts which can be independently contracted to nominal lengths in order to test how the mesh deforms. In this way the behaviour of the mesh can be easily and quickly observed and structures can be amended or enhanced. One such mesh is described which is based on a laminar structure and where the genioglossus is divided into five functionally independent compartments. The model is capable of being deformed to fit midsagittal MRI data of a wide range of distinct articulations by a single speaker and by carefully identifying landmark features and orientation, can also be fitted to ultrasound images for that same speaker.The main aim of this project is to develop research skills in Further Education lecturers who are involved in both FE and HE delivery. Recent developments in FE have recognised the needs to develop research capacity within FE institutions and a number of networks have responded[1] (UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) is a partnership of 15 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Northern Scotland. See also the FE Regional Research Network (FERRN) for Fife and the Lothians. The importance of research is well embedded in both networks), while some recent research has focussed on the role of FE in furthering the government's continuous improvement agenda.Many staff within the colleges that form UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) are in a position of having to teach at both FE and HE level and are increasingly expected to engage with research. Traditionally, however, FE lecturers have not engaged in research and have therefore not developed the required skills[2].This project aims to develop basic research skills through the planning and execution of a small-scale project linked to a relevant literature search that relates to one aspect of the individual's teaching practice. It aims to encourage the development of a community of researching practitioners by establishing a mainly online discussion group to support practitioners[3]. The project thus aims to develop research and collaborative skills whilst also developing a greater understanding of teaching and learning and should therefore encourage reflection on teaching and learning and potentially impact on future delivery.1.Cunningham J. and Doncaster K. Developing a Research Culture in the FE Sector: a case-study of work-based approach to staff development. Journal of Further and Higher Education., Vol. 26, No 1, 20022.Hillier, Y. and Jameson J. Empowering Researchers in FE. Trentham. 20033.Wenger, E. Communities of Practice: learning, meaning and identity. CUP. 1998caslpub3963pub76

Carbon export and transfer to depth across the Southern Ocean Great Calcite Belt

Sequestration of carbon by the marine biological pump depends on the processes that alter, remineralize, and preserve particulate organic carbon (POC) during transit to the deep ocean. Here, we present data collected from the Great Calcite Belt, a calcite-rich band across the Southern Ocean surface, to compare the transformation of POC in the euphotic and mesopelagic zones of the water column. The [superscript 234]Th-derived export fluxes and size-fractionated concentrations of POC, particulate inorganic carbon (PIC), and biogenic silica (BSi) were measured from the upper 1000 m of 27 stations across the Atlantic and Indian sectors of the Great Calcite Belt. POC export out of the euphotic zone was correlated with BSi export. PIC export was not, but did correlate positively with POC flux transfer efficiency. Moreover, regions of high BSi concentrations, which corresponded to regions with proportionally larger particles, exhibited higher attenuation of > 51 μm POC concentrations in the mesopelagic zone. The interplay among POC size partitioning, mineral composition, and POC attenuation suggests a more fundamental driver of POC transfer through both depth regimes in the Great Calcite Belt. In particular, we argue that diatom-rich communities produce large and labile POC aggregates, which not only generate high export fluxes but also drive more remineralization in the mesopelagic zone. We observe the opposite in communities with smaller calcifying phytoplankton, such as coccolithophores. We hypothesize that these differences are influenced by inherent differences in the lability of POC exported by different phytoplankton communities

Mg2+ Effect on Argonaute and RNA Duplex by Molecular Dynamics and Bioinformatics Implications

RNA interference (RNAi), mediated by small non-coding RNAs (e.g., miRNAs, siRNAs), influences diverse cellular functions. Highly complementary miRNA-target RNA (or siRNA-target RNA) duplexes are recognized by an Argonaute family protein (Ago2), and recent observations indicate that the concentration of Mg2+ ions influences miRNA targeting of specific mRNAs, thereby modulating miRNA-mRNA networks. In the present report, we studied the thermodynamic effects of differential [Mg2+] on slicing (RNA silencing cycle) through molecular dynamics simulation analysis, and its subsequent statistical analysis. Those analyses revealed different structural conformations of the RNA duplex in Ago2, depending on Mg2+ concentration. We also demonstrate that cation effects on Ago2 structural flexibility are critical to its catalytic/functional activity, with low [Mg2+] favoring greater Ago2 flexibility (e.g., greater entropy) and less miRNA/mRNA duplex stability, thus favoring slicing. The latter finding was supported by a negative correlation between expression of an Mg2+ influx channel, TRPM7, and one miRNA’s (miR-378) ability to downregulate its mRNA target, TMEM245. These results imply that thermodynamics could be applied to siRNA-based therapeutic strategies, using highly complementary binding targets, because Ago2 is also involved in RNAi slicing by exogenous siRNAs. However, the efficacy of a siRNA-based approach will differ, to some extent, based on the Mg2+ concentration even within the same disease type; therefore, different siRNA-based approaches might be considered for patient-to-patient needs

Segmentation of Skin Lesions Using Level Set Method

Diagnosis of skin cancers with dermoscopy has been widely accepted as a clinical routine. However, the diagnostic accuracy using dermoscopy relies on the subjective judgment of the dermatologist. To solve this problem, a computer-aided diagnosis system is demanded. Here, we propose a level set method to fulfill the segmentation of skin lesions presented in dermoscopic images. The differences between normal skin and skin lesions in the color channels are combined to define the speed function, with which the evolving curve can be guided to reach the boundary of skin lesions. The proposed algorithm is robust against the influences of noise, hair, and skin textures, and provides a flexible way for segmentation. Numerical experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of the novel algorithm