Analysis and Visualization of the Brain Shift Phenomenon in Neurosurgery

. In this paper we present a method for analyzing the brain shift. The brain shift is a brain deformation phenomenon, that occurs during surgical operations on the opened head. This deformation makes navigation within the brain very difficult for the surgeon, as preoperative magnetic resonance images invalidate very quickly after the beginning of the operation. Up to now not enough is known about this deformation phenomenon in order to come up with solutions for corrective action. The aim of the tool which is presented here is to prepare ground for a better understanding by visualizing the deformation between two 3D brain data sets, where one has been taken preoperatively and the second one during the operation after the brain shift has occured. We propose a new method for the modeling of the deformation by means of efficient distance determination of two deformable surface approximations. Color coding and semi-transparent overlay of the surfaces provides qualitative and quantitative i..

The genomics of phenotypically differentiated Asellus

Organisms well suited for the study of ecotype formation have wide distribution ranges, where they adapt to multiple drastically different habitats repeatedly over space and time. Here we study such ecotypes in a Crustacean model, Asellus aquaticus, a commonly occurring isopod found in freshwater habitats as diverse as streams, caves and lakes. Previous studies focusing on cave vs. surface ecotypes have attributed depigmentation, eye loss and prolonged antennae to several south European cave systems. Likewise, surveys across multiple Swedish lakes have identified the presence of dark-pigmented "reed" and light-pigmented "stonewort" ecotypes, which can be found within the same lake. In this study, we sequenced the first draft genome of A. aquaticus, and subsequently use this to map reads and call variants in surface stream, cave and two lake ecotypes. In addition, the draft genome was combined with a RADseq approach to perform a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping study using a laboratory bred F-2 and F-4 cave x surface intercross. We identified genomic regions associated with body pigmentation, antennae length and body size. Furthermore, we compared genome-wide differentiation between natural populations and found several genes potentially associated with these habitats. The assessment of the cave QTL regions in the light-dark comparison of lake populations suggests that the regions associated with cave adaptation are also involved with genomic differentiation in the lake ecotypes. These demonstrate how troglomorphic adaptations can be used as a model for related ecotype formation.Funding Agencies|National Genomics Infrastructure in Genomics Production Stockholm - Science for Life Laboratory; LiU Neuro Framework; Swedish Research Council (VR)Swedish Research Council</p