Real-time visualization for heterogeneous stand

The perception of landscapes by the public and the prediction of their evolutions according to management plans become an important source of concern in the decision of rural space or forests managers, farmers and local administrations. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) makes the geo-referenced data exploitation easier and allows production of bi-dimensional maps. Techniques for tri-dimensional visualization are less developed and are usually deficient for interactivity. Because of the very low forest growth, it is however necessary to use virtual realistic mock-ups of stands with interactive visualization tools to explore and discuss different exploitation scenarios producing effects on several decades. The realism of the forest models is of main importance to reproduce accurate visual environment. However, the resulting data complexity will be hardly handled by modern computer without simplification schemes and several visual artifacts such as aliasing will appear. This project aims at providing some robust interactive tools for virtual forest visualization. We consider very general 3D stand descriptions based on polygonal representations, such as AMAP descriptions, without limit in the variety or types of trees. Various simplification schemes are used to display tree models according to the view point with adaptative level of details. Our techniques are based on the geometric analysis of plant architectural shape and define adaptative representations of this geometry. Several computer graphics methods, such as texture mapping and anti-aliasing algorithm, are used to enhance reality experience in display. The specific methods we use include: (1) use of a multiscale topological structure to define progressive simplification of complex foliage and flowers; (2) multi-resolutional construction of plant branching geometry; (3) level of details and speed of display can be balanced and controlled by user; (4) plant models with high and low simplification rates can be displayed in the same forestry scene according to their visual importance. During simplification, original visual appearances of tree models are maintained within permission scope. The usefulness of this interface tool for human-computer interaction for virtual forestry growth experiment will be shown with various software demonstrations. (Texte intégral

Has Malpractice Changed Nursing Practice?

Malpractice has positively changed nursing practice by placing responsibility and accountability on the nurses in order to protect the patients and make nurses more aware of their shortcomings.https://digitalcommons.misericordia.edu/research_posters2020/1007/thumbnail.jp

Detrusor overactivity induced by intravesical application of adenosine 5 '-triphosphate under different delivery conditions in rats

Objectives. We investigate the effects of intravesical application of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) on bladder activity to elucidate the role of urothelial barrier function and ecto-ATPase activity in the ATP-mediated mechanism inducing detrusor overactivity. Methods. Continuous cystometry by an intravesical catheter inserted from the bladder dome was performed in conscious female rats. Results. ATP solutions adjusted to pH 6.0 did not elicit significant detrusor overactivity at a concentration of 60 mM. However, in bladders pretreated with protamine sulfate (10 mg/mL) to increase urothelial permeability, ATP solution (pH 6.0) induced detrusor overactivity by decreasing the intercontraction intervals. These irritant effects of ATIP after protamine treatment were antagonized by P2X receptor antagonists, such as pyridoxal-5-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4-disulfonic acid (70 mu mol/kg) and 2',3'-O-(2,4,6, trinitrophenyl) ATP (30 mu mol/kg). These were also suppressed in rats pretreated with systemic capsaicin (125 mg/kg subcutaneously). Alpha,beta-methylene ATP (5 mM, pH 6.0) or ATP (60 mM, pH6) after intravesical infusion of 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (5 mM, pH 6.0), an ecto-ATPase inhibitor, induced detrusor overactivity without protamine pretreatment, but the reduction in intercontraction intervals was smaller compared with that with ATP after protamine treatment. Conclusions. Low permeability of bladder epithelium and ecto-ATPase activity can prevent ATP activation of subepithelial P2X receptors to induce bladder overactivity. Thus, enhanced penetration of endogenous ATIP owing to urothelial damage may contribute to urinary frequency and bladder pain in hypersensitive bladder disorders such as interstitial cystitis.</p

Engineered Bivalent Ligands to Bias ErbB Receptor-mediated Signaling and Phenotypes

The ErbB receptor family is dysregulated in many cancers, and its therapeutic manipulation by targeted antibodies and kinase inhibitors has resulted in effective chemotherapies. However, many malignancies remain refractory to current interventions. We describe a new approach that directs ErbB receptor interactions, resulting in biased signaling and phenotypes. Due to known receptor-ligand affinities and the necessity of ErbB receptors to dimerize to signal, bivalent ligands, formed by the synthetic linkage of two neuregulin-1β (NRG) moieties, two epidermal growth factor (EGF) moieties, or an EGF and a NRG moiety, can potentially drive homotypic receptor interactions and diminish formation of HER2-containing heterodimers, which are implicated in many malignancies and are a prevalent outcome of stimulation by native, monovalent EGF, or NRG. We demonstrate the therapeutic potential of this approach by showing that bivalent NRG (NN) can bias signaling in HER3-expressing cancer cells, resulting in some cases in decreased migration, inhibited proliferation, and increased apoptosis, whereas native NRG stimulation increased the malignant potential of the same cells. Hence, this new approach may have therapeutic relevance in ovarian, breast, lung, and other cancers in which HER3 has been implicated

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization hydrogen/deuterium exchange studies to probe peptide conformational changes

AbstractHydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange chemistry monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry is used to study solution phase conformational changes of bradykinin, α-melanocyte stimulating hormone, and melittin as water is added to methanol-d4, acetonitrile, and isopropanol-d8 solutions. The results are interpreted in terms of a preference for the peptides to acquire more compact conformations in organic solvents as compared to the random conformations. Our interpretation is supported by circular dichroism spectra of the peptides in the same solvent systems and by previously published structural data for the peptides. These results demonstrate the utility of MALDI-TOF as a method to monitor the H/D exchange chemistry of peptides and investigations of solution-phase conformations of biomolecules

CONLAN-a formal construction method for hardware description languages: language derivation

International audienceA CONLAN document has significance only if it is read by a person or machine. that reader (environment) is required to use available facilities to respond to and interact with the document. It must provide the type checking mechanism. It must record the names of defined and declared items and provide the data base they require. It must record signal values. From such records, it can determine facts of importance to continued document evaluation. `System interfaces' are prescribed environment responses, not formally defined via CONLAN syntax

Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling and Basement Membrane Assembly Are Connected during Epithelial Morphogenesis of the Embryoid Body

Fibroblast growth factors and receptors are intimately connected to the extracellular matrix by their affinity to heparan sulfate proteoglycans. They mediate multiple processes during embryonic development and adult life. In this study, embryonic stem cell–derived embryoid bodies were used to model fibroblast growth factor signaling during early epithelial morphogenesis. To avoid redundancy caused by multiple receptors, we employed a dominant negative mutation of Fgfr2. Mutant-derived embryoid bodies failed to form endoderm, ectoderm, and basement membrane and did not cavitate. However, in mixed cultures they displayed complete differentiation induced by extracellular products of the normal cell. Evidence will be presented here that at least one of these products is the basement membrane or factors connected to it. It will be shown that in the mutant, collagen IV and laminin-1 synthesis is coordinately suppressed. We will demonstrate that the basement membrane is required for embryoid body differentiation by rescuing columnar ectoderm differentiation and cavitation in the mutant by externally added basement membrane proteins. This treatment induced transcription of Eomesodermin, an early developmental gene, suggesting that purified basement membrane proteins can activate inherent developmental programs. Our results provide a new paradigm for the role of fibroblast growth factor signaling in basement membrane formation and epithelial differentiation