The effect of different harvesting times on seed-set efficiency in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties

This study was undertaken in the South Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons to investigate the seed set efficiencies (SSE) of ten cotton cultivars grown in semi-arid climatic conditions. SSE changed by year by approximately 1-2%, averaging 87-88% in both of the study years, respectively. Mean values for varieties ranged from 86.5% (SG-125) to 89.9% (DPL-5111) in 2006 and from 86.2% (SG-125) to 89.5% (Fantom) in 2007. There were significant differences (p<0.05) among the cultivars according to harvesting time, except for the first harvest in 2006. Although differences were small, generally, it was observed that SSE diminished in flowers opened at the end of the growing season. The results showed that SSE was significantly affected (p<0.05) by cultivars, harvesting times and years. Additionally, SSE was significantly (p<0.05) and positively (r= 0.39* and r= 0.44*) correlated to seed cotton yield and seed yield in 2007. There was a significant difference in the number of seeds within the bolls formed early or late in the season, indicating bolls harvested at different times throughout the growing season could not be used for seed production. However, study results strongly indicated that seeds from the first harvest should be used for cotton seed production.Key words: Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., variety, harvesting time, seed-set efficiency

Fourier transform magnetic resonance current density imaging (FT-MRCDI) from one component of magnetic flux density

Fourier transform (FT)-based algorithms for magnetic resonance current density imaging (MRCDI) from one component of magnetic flux density have been developed for 2D and 3D problems. For 2D problems, where current is confined to the xy-plane and z-component of the magnetic flux density is measured also on the xy-plane inside the object, an iterative FT-MRCDI algorithm is developed by which both the current distribution inside the object and the z-component of the magnetic flux density on the xy-plane outside the object are reconstructed. The method is applied to simulated as well as actual data from phantoms. The effect of measurement error on the spatial resolution of the current density reconstruction is also investigated. For 3D objects an iterative FT-based algorithm is developed whereby the projected current is reconstructed on any slice using as data the Laplacian of the z-component of magnetic flux density measured for that slice. In an injected current MRCDI scenario, the current is not divergence free on the boundary of the object. The method developed in this study also handles this situation. © 2010 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine

Noise Reduction in Photoacoustic Imaging using Wavelet Transform

Fotoakustik mikroskop (Photoacoustic Microscopy, PAM) fotoakustik etki temeline dayanan ve son yıllarda geliştirilmeye başlayan hibrid bir görüntüleme tekniğidir. Optik kontrastı akustik olarak algılayan sistem yapısı sayesinde optik difüzyon sınırının ötesinde derin bir görüntülemeyi yüksek çözünürlükle sunabilmektedir. PAM sistemi ile görüntülemede kaydedilen sinyaller, sistem bileşenleri ve çevresel etkilerle gürültüye maruz kalmaktadır. Yapılan çalışmanın ilk aşamasında akustik dalga denkleminin çözümüyle oluşturulan akustik sinyal üzerine belirli oranlarda sentetik gürültüler eklenmiştir. Gürültülü sinyallere farklı ana dalgacıklar kullanılarak ayrık dalgacık dönüşümü ile filtreleme işlemi uygulanmış ve filtreleme performansının değerlendirilmesi için sinyaller üzerinde gürültü metrikleri hesaplanmıştır. İkinci aşamada, ilk aşamada elde edilen veriler doğrultusunda PA sinyallerin filtrelenmesi için uygun ana dalgacıklar seçilmiş filtrelenen sinyaller ile görüntüler oluşturularak, görüntüler üzerinde gürültü metrikleri incelenmiştir // Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is a hybrid imaging technique based on the photoacoustic effect and which has begun to develop in recent years. Thanks to the system structure that senses the optical contrast acoustically, it is able to present deep imaging with high resolution beyond the optical diffusion limit. Signals recorded in imaging with the PAM system are exposed to noise by system components and environmental effectcs. In the first stage of the work, a synthetic noise is added at a certain rate on the acoustic signal generated by the solution of the acoustic wave equation. Noisy signals are filtered using discrete wavelet transforms using different main wavelets and noise metrics are calculated on the signals to evaluate the filtering performance. In the second step, the noise metrics are examined on the images by generating the images with the filtered wavelet signals, which are suitable for filtering the PA signals in the direction of the data obtained in the first stage

The Neuropeptide Allatostatin A Regulates Metabolism and Feeding Decisions in Drosophila

Coordinating metabolism and feeding is important to avoid obesity and metabolic diseases, yet the underlying mechanisms, balancing nutrient intake and metabolic expenditure, are poorly understood. Several mechanisms controlling these processes are conserved in Drosophila, where homeostasis and energy mobilization are regulated by the glucagon-related adipokinetic hormone (AKH) and the Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs). Here, we provide evidence that the Drosophila neuropeptide Allatostatin A (AstA) regulates AKH and DILP signaling. The AstA receptor gene, Dar-2, is expressed in both the insulin and AKH producing cells. Silencing of Dar-2 in these cells results in changes in gene expression and physiology associated with reduced DILP and AKH signaling and animals lacking AstA accumulate high lipid levels. This suggests that AstA is regulating the balance between DILP and AKH, believed to be important for the maintenance of nutrient homeostasis in response to changing ratios of dietary sugar and protein. Furthermore, AstA and Dar-2 are regulated differentially by dietary carbohydrates and protein and AstA-neuronal activity modulates feeding choices between these types of nutrients. Our results suggest that AstA is involved in assigning value to these nutrients to coordinate metabolic and feeding decisions, responses that are important to balance food intake according to metabolic needs

Unravelling the evolution of the Allatostatin-Type A, KISS and Galanin Peptide-Receptor gene families in Bilaterians: insights from Anopheles Mosquitoes

Allatostatin type A receptors (AST-ARs) are a group of G-protein coupled receptors activated by members of the FGL-amide (AST-A) peptide family that inhibit food intake and development in arthropods. Despite their physiological importance the evolution of the AST-A system is poorly described and relatively few receptors have been isolated and functionally characterised in insects. The present study provides a comprehensive analysis of the origin and comparative evolution of the AST-A system. To determine how evolution and feeding modified the function of AST-AR the duplicate receptors in Anopheles mosquitoes, were characterised. Phylogeny and gene synteny suggested that invertebrate AST-A receptors and peptide genes shared a common evolutionary origin with KISS/GAL receptors and ligands. AST-ARs and KISSR emerged from a common gene ancestor after the divergence of GALRs in the bilaterian genome. In arthropods, the AST-A system evolved through lineage-specific events and the maintenance of two receptors in the flies and mosquitoes (Diptera) was the result of a gene duplication event. Speciation of Anophelesmosquitoes affected receptor gene organisation and characterisation of AST-AR duplicates (GPRALS1 and 2) revealed that in common with other insects, the mosquito receptors were activated by insect AST-A peptides and the iCa(2+)-signalling pathway was stimulated. GPRALS1 and 2 were expressed mainly in mosquito midgut and ovaries and transcript abundance of both receptors was modified by feeding. A blood meal strongly up-regulated expression of both GPRALS in the midgut (p < 0.05) compared to glucose fed females. Based on the results we hypothesise that the AST-A system in insects shared a common origin with the vertebrate KISS system and may also share a common function as an integrator of metabolism and reproduction. Highlights: AST-A and KISS/GAL receptors and ligands shared common ancestry prior to the protostome-deuterostome divergence. Phylogeny and gene synteny revealed that AST-AR and KISSR emerged after GALR gene divergence. AST-AR genes were present in the hemichordates but were lost from the chordates. In protostomes, AST-ARs persisted and evolved through lineage-specific events and duplicated in the arthropod radiation. Diptera acquired and maintained functionally divergent duplicate AST-AR genes.Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal (FCT) [PTDC/BIA-BCM/114395/2009]; European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) COMPETE - Operational Competitiveness Programme; Portuguese funds through FCT Foundation for Science and Technology [PEst-C/MAR/LA0015/2013, UID/Multi/04326/2013, PEst-OE/SAU/LA0018/2013]; FCT [SFRH/BPD/89811/2012, SFRH/BPD/80447/2011, SFRH/BPD/66742/2009]; auxiliary research contract FCT Pluriannual funds [PEst-C/MAR/LA0015/2013, UID/Multi/04326/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Electrical impedance tomography using the magnetic field generated by injected currents

In 2D EIT imaging, the internal distribution of the injected currents generate a magnetic field in the imaging region which can be measured by magnetic resonance imaging techniques. This magnetic field is perpendicular to the imaging region on the imaging region and it can be used in reconstructing the conductivity distribution inside the imaging region. For this purpose, internal current distribution is found using the finite element method. The magnetic fields due to this current is found using Biot-Savart law. Sensitivity of magnetic field distribution to inner conductivity perturbations for different current injection profiles is studied. it is found that, to achieve a uniform spatial resolution, a current profile which generates uniform current inside the imaging region is to be applied. The condition number of the sensitivity matrix obtained for this case is found to be very low. Several images are obtained using simulation data

Imaging electrical current density using 0.15T Magnetic Resonance Imaging system

In this study, imaging of electrical current density in conducting objects, which contain nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) active nuclei is planned using 0.15T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. Current to be imaged is externally applied to the object in synchrony with a standard spin-echo pulse sequence. Applied current is a bipolar DC current pulse, which creates a DC current density at each cycle within the object. The applied current pulse creates a measurable magnetic flux density. The component of magnetic flux density parallel to the main magnetic field accumulates an additional phase in the phase of the complex MR image. Magnetic flux density can be extracted using two phase images acquired with and without the current pulse. Measurement of all three components of magnetic flux density makes the reconstruction of current density possible with a spatial resolution equal to the half of the MR resolution. Experiments performed on several phantoms and the results are presented

Current constrained voltage scaled reconstruction (CCVSR) algorithm for MR-EIT and its performance with different probing current patterns

Conventional injected-current electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques can be combined to reconstruct high resolution true conductivity images. The magnetic flux density distribution generated by the internal current density distribution is extracted from MR phase images. This information is used to form a fine detailed conductivity image using an Ohm's law based update equation. The reconstructed conductivity image is assumed to differ from the true image by a scale factor. EIT surface potential measurements are then used to scale the reconstructed image in order to find the true conductivity values. This process is iterated until a stopping criterion is met. Several simulations are carried out for opposite and cosine current injection patterns to select the best current injection pattern for a 2D thorax model. The contrast resolution and accuracy of the proposed algorithm are also studied. In all simulation studies, realistic noise models for voltage and magnetic flux density measurements are used. It is shown that, in contrast to the conventional EIT techniques, the proposed method has the capability of reconstructing conductivity images with uniform and high spatial resolution. The spatial resolution is limited by the larger element size of the finite element mesh and twice the magnetic resonance image pixel size

Magnetic resonance-conductivity imaging using 0.15 Tesla MRI scanner

A novel imaging method for electrical impedance tomography is implemented. In this method, the magnetic flux density generated by current flowing in a 2D slice is measured using MRI scanner and recorded data is used to reconstruct relative conductivity images. The measurements are done from all parts of the imaging region, and therefore sensitivity is space independent. The magnetic flux density is extracted from phase images of the MRI image and a sensitivity based image reconstruction algorithm is used to reconstruct relative conductivity images. The magnetic flux density measured and the conductivity image reconstructed for an insulator object placed in the middle of the imaging region are presented