NEW ALGORITHM FOR BEHAVIOURAL TEST GENERATION

Significant efforts of the test design community have addressed the development of high level test generation algorithms in the last decade. The main problem originates in the insufficiently low gate level fault coverage of test sets generated at the behavioural or functional levels due to oversimplifications which result from the application of highly abstract and technology-independent fault models. In this paper a novel behavioural level test generation algorithm is presented effectively utilizing information on the circuit structure, which is extracted from the high level synthesis process. Experimental results show that the gate level fault coverage of the test sets generated by the new algorithm is similar to those assured by the gate level test generation algorithms

A cirkadián óramű molekuláris jellemzése: Az oszcillátor fehérje Frequency kifejeződésének transzkripciós és poszttranszkripciós szinten történő szabályozása = Molecular characterization of the circadian clockwork: Regulation of the expression of the oscillator protein on the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level

Kutatási munkánk célja a cirkadián oszcillátor működését biztosító, illetve módosító faktorok megismerése és funkcionális jellemzése volt a Neurospora crassa modellorganizmusban. Eredményeink: 1. Létrehoztunk egy olyan számítógépes programot, amely a Neurospora crassa genomjában képes szekvencia-mintázatokat keresni. A cirkadián óra pozitív komponensének ismert kötőhelyeihez hasonló struktúrákat kerestünk és így azonosítottunk egy új, a cirkadián oszcillátor működését befolyásoló faktort, egy feltehetően RasGEF aktivitású fehérjét. 2. A cirkadián óra egyik pozitív komponensének, a White Collar-1 fehérjének a vizsgálata kapcsán azonosítottunk két, a fehérje foszforilációját és ezen keresztül működését alapvetően meghatározó fehérjerégiót. Az egyik régión belül szekvencia homológia alapján valószínűleg egy MAP kináz foszforilációs hely található. 3. Kimutattuk, hogy a VIVID nevű másodlagos fényreceptor a környezeti fényintenzitásra vonatkozó molekuláris memóriaként működik. A cirkadián óra pozitív faktorával kölcsönhatásba lépve gátolja annak fényfüggő aktiválódását és ezáltal természetes fényperiódusok mellett stabilizálja a cirkadián óra működését. 4. Eredményeink szerint a reaktív oxigén származékok (ROS) szintjének változása fontos tényezője a cirkadián óra szabályozásának. A ROS-szint a molekuláris oszcillátorra hat, emelkedése korábbra helyezi a fázist és rövidíti a periódust. A ROS szint változásának hatását valószínűleg a protein foszfatáz 2A közvetíti. | Aim of our work was to functionally characterize factors involved in the regulation of the circadian clockwork of the model organism Neurospora crassa. Our most important results are summarized below: 1. We designed a computer program that enables one to search the genome of Neurospora for special sequence patterns. By searching for possible binding sites of the positive factor of the Neurospora clock we found a gene coding for a putative RasGEF protein. Our observations on a RasGEF mutant suggest that this protein is a modulator of the molecular clockwork. 2. We characterized two regulatory regions of the White Collar-1 protein. Deletion of these regions alters the phosphorylation of the protein and results in severe circadian phenotypes. One of these regions is a putative binding site of the MAP kinase. 3. We showed that the VIVID protein acting as a molecular memory interacts with and inhibits the positive component of the circadian clock and thus stabilizes the circadian rhythm even in naturally ambiguous photoperiods. 4. We found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important factors controlling the circadian clock. Increased ROS production advances the phase and shortens the circadian period. We suggest that the effect of ROS on the molecular oscillator is mediated by the protein phosphatase 2A

Biológiai jelek információjának diagnosztikai célú kutatása rendszerelméleti megközelítéssel = System theory approach of the information of the biological signals for diagnostics

Kidolgoztunk egy új magzati fonokardiográfiás mérési és jelfeldolgozási módszert az FHR hosszú távú robusztus meghatározására. Létrehoztunk egy neurális hálzatokat alkalmazó légzési rendellenesség felismerő rendszert. Megalkottuk számos, a csecsemősírás jellemzésére szolgáló paraméter meghatározásának módszerét, és összehasonlítottuk több száz csecsemő sírását e paraméterek alapján. Több betegségcsoportnál jellemző eltéréseket tapasztaltunk. Neurolingvisztikai kutatásunk során megvalósítottunk egy lingvisztikai adatbázis-struktúrát és a hozzá tartozó adatbázis-kezelő segédprogramot. Nyelvi adatbázisunk struktúráját kiterjesztettük, valamint megvalósítottunk néhány új algoritmust, melyek lehetővé teszik a terápiás gyakorlatok során magasabb nyelvi modalitások felhasználását is. | We've worked out a novel vital phonocardiographic measurement ad signal processing method to determine robustly the longterm fetal heart rate (FHR). We'v created system to recognize respiration disorders containing a neural network. We developed new algorithms and methods in the analysis of the infant cry to check disorders during infancy. We analysed the crying sound from hundreds of infanst and found differences between healthy and unhealthy infants. In our neurolinguistic research we created a novel computer-aided training and rehabilitaion approach to the therapy of aphasia. The system helps to treat and overcome the most severe consequences of this language disorder. The developed system is embedded into a tele-rehabilitation framework, which offers a uniform interface for various telecare applications

Hypersensitivity to Thromboxane Receptor Mediated Cerebral Vasomotion and CBF Oscillations during Acute NO-Deficiency in Rats

), NO-deficiency is often associated with activation of thromboxane receptors (TP). In the present study we hypothesized that in the absence of NO, overactivation of the TP-receptor mediated cerebrovascular signaling pathway contributes to the development of vasomotion and CBF oscillations. synthesis by ozagrel (10 mg/kg iv.) attenuated it. In isolated MCAs U-46619 in a concentration of 100 nM, which induced weak and stable contraction under physiological conditions, evoked sustained vasomotion in the absence of NO, which effect could be completely reversed by inhibition of Rho-kinase by 10 µM Y-27632.These results suggest that hypersensitivity of the TP-receptor – Rho-kinase signaling pathway contributes to the development of low frequency cerebral vasomotion which may propagate to vasospasm in pathophysiological states associated with NO-deficiency

Microglia modulate blood flow, neurovascular coupling, and hypoperfusion via purinergic actions

Microglia, the main immunocompetent cells of the brain, regulate neuronal function, but their contribution to cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation has remained elusive. Here, we identify microglia as important modulators of CBF both under physiological conditions and during hypoperfusion. Microglia establish direct, dynamic purinergic contacts with cells in the neurovascular unit that shape CBF in both mice and humans. Surprisingly, the absence of microglia or blockade of microglial P2Y12 receptor (P2Y12R) substantially impairs neurovascular coupling in mice, which is reiterated by chemogenetically induced microglial dysfunction associated with impaired ATP sensitivity. Hypercapnia induces rapid microglial calcium changes, P2Y12R-mediated formation of perivascular phylopodia, and microglial adenosine production, while depletion of microglia reduces brain pH and impairs hypercapnia-induced vasodilation. Microglial actions modulate vascular cyclic GMP levels but are partially independent of nitric oxide. Finally, microglial dysfunction markedly impairs P2Y12R-mediated cerebrovascular adaptation to common carotid artery occlusion resulting in hypoperfusion. Thus, our data reveal a previously unrecognized role for microglia in CBF regulation, with broad implications for common neurological diseases

Identification of dental root canals and their medial line from micro-CT and cone-beam CT records

Abstract Background Shape of the dental root canal is highly patient specific. Automated identification methods of the medial line of dental root canals and the reproduction of their 3D shape can be beneficial for planning endodontic interventions as severely curved root canals or multi-rooted teeth may pose treatment challenges. Accurate shape information of the root canals may also be used by manufacturers of endodontic instruments in order to make more efficient clinical tools. Method Novel image processing procedures dedicated to the automated detection of the medial axis of the root canal from dental micro-CT and cone-beam CT records are developed. For micro-CT, the 3D model of the root canal is built up from several hundred parallel cross sections, using image enhancement, histogram based fuzzy c-means clustering, center point detection in the segmented slice, three dimensional inner surface reconstruction, and potential field driven curve skeleton extraction in three dimensions. Cone-beam CT records are processed with image enhancement filters and fuzzy chain based regional segmentation, followed by the reconstruction of the root canal surface and detecting its skeleton via a mesh contraction algorithm. Results The proposed medial line identification and root canal detection algorithms are validated on clinical data sets. 25 micro-CT and 36 cone-beam-CT records are used in the validation procedure. The overall success rate of the automatic dental root canal identification was about 92% in both procedures. The algorithms proved to be accurate enough for endodontic therapy planning. Conclusions Accurate medial line identification and shape detection algorithms of dental root canal have been developed. Different procedures are defined for micro-CT and cone-beam CT records. The automated execution of the subsequent processing steps allows easy application of the algorithms in the dental care. The output data of the image processing procedures is suitable for mathematical modeling of the central line. The proposed methods can help automate the preparation and design of several kinds of endodontic interventions.</p