Building monitoring with differential dsms

The monitoring of building activity (erection of new buildings, demolishing buildings and especially the change of building heights) by manual inspection of space and aerial images is time consuming and a source of errors. A detection of building changes based on the comparison of digital surface models (DSMs) is more reliable. For this study DSMs have been generated based on aerial images, an IKONOS and a GeoEye-1 stereo pair taken from 2007 up to 2009. By pixel based matching with dynamic programming, semiglobal matching and least squares matching the visible surface has been determined. Semiglobal matching leads to sharp building shapes, while the area based least squares matching smoothes the height model and has more problems in areas with little or without contrast. As is shown in the investigation building changes and building height changes in the range of one floor can in many cases be determined with all methods, however building shapes are better determined using semiglobal matching

Comparison of first-line and second-line terlipressin versus sole norepinephrine in fulminant ovine septic shock

The Surviving Sepsis Guidelines suggest the use of vasopressin in case of catecholamine-refractory septic shock. Terlipressin (TP) as a V-1-selective AVP analogue is a potential alternative, though data regarding the first-line administration in septic shock are scarce. The present study explored and compared the effects of first-line vs. second-line infusion of TP or sole norepinephrine regarding organ function, fluid and norepinephrine requirements and survival in fulminant ovine septic shock. Peritoneal sepsis was induced in 23 ewes after laparotomy and faecal withdrawal from the caecum. After onset of shock, causal and supportive sepsis therapy (antibiotics, peritoneal lavage, fluids and open-label norepinephrine) was performed in all animals. Concurrently, animals were randomized to receive 0.9% sodium chloride (control group) or TP (2 mu g.kg(-1).h(-1), first-line group) after shock onset. In the second-line TP group, TP (2 mu g.kg(-1).h(-1)) was started once norepinephrine requirements exceeded 0.5 mu g.kg(-1).min(-1). No significant differences were found between groups regarding survival, haemodynamics as well as fluid-and catecholamine-requirements. Kidney function and electron microscopic kidney injury were comparable between groups. In the present model of fulminant ovine septic shock, first-line TP infusion had no significant effect on fluid and norepinephrine requirements or organ dysfunction as compared to second-line TP infusion or placebo

Cross-polarization effects in sheared 2D grating couplers in a photonic BiCMOS technology

We investigate numerically and experimentally sheared 2D grating couplers in a photonic BiCMOS technology with a focus on their splitting behavior. Two realization forms of a waveguide-to-grating shear angle are considered. The cross-polarization used as a figure-of-merit is shown to be strongly dependent on the grating perturbation strength and is a crucial limitation not only for the grating splitting performance, but also for its coupling efficiency.Comment: This is a preprint version of an article accepted for publication in Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The full Version of Record is available online at DOI: 10.35848/1347-4065/ab8e2

Transcriptomic characterisation and genomic glimpse into the toxigenic dinoflagellate Azadinium spinosum, with emphasis on polykeitde synthase genes

Background: Unicellular dinoflagellates are an important group of primary producers within the marine plankton community. Many of these species are capable of forming harmful algae blooms (HABs) and of producing potent phycotoxins, thereby causing deleterious impacts on their environment and posing a threat to human health. The recently discovered toxigenic dinoflagellate Azadinium spinosum is known to produce azaspiracid toxins. These toxins are most likely produced by polyketide synthases (PKS). Recently, PKS I-like transcripts have been identified in a number of dinoflagellate species. Despite the global distribution of A. spinosum, little is known about molecular features. In this study, we investigate the genomic and transcriptomic features of A. spinosum with a focus on polyketide synthesis and PKS evolution. Results: We identify orphan and homologous genes by comparing the transcriptome data of A. spinosum with a diverse set of 18 other dinoflagellates, five further species out of the Rhizaria Alveolate Stramelopile (RAS)-group, and one representative from the Plantae. The number of orphan genes in the analysed dinoflagellate species averaged 27%. In contrast, within the A. spinosum transcriptome, we discovered 12,661 orphan transcripts (18%). The dinoflagellates toxins known as azaspiracids (AZAs) are structurally polyethers; we therefore analyse the transcriptome of A. spinosum with respect to polyketide synthases (PKSs), the primary biosynthetic enzymes in polyketide synthesis.We find all the genes thought to be potentially essential for polyketide toxin synthesis to be expressed in A. spinosum,whose PKS transcripts fall into the dinoflagellate sub-clade in PKS evolution. Conclusions: Overall, we demonstrate that the number of orphan genes in the A. spinosum genome is relatively small compared to other dinoflagellate species. In addition, all PKS domains needed to produce the azaspiracid carbon backbone are present in A. spinosum. Our study underscores the extraordinary evolution of such gene clusters and, in particular, supports the proposed structural and functional paradigm for PKS Type I genes in dinoflagellates

Transcriptomic characterisation and genomic glimps into the toxigenic dinoflagellate Azadinium spinosum, with emphasis on polykeitde synthase genes

BACKGROUND: Unicellular dinoflagellates are an important group of primary producers within the marine plankton community. Many of these species are capable of forming harmful algae blooms (HABs) and of producing potent phycotoxins, thereby causing deleterious impacts on their environment and posing a threat to human health. The recently discovered toxigenic dinoflagellate Azadinium spinosum is known to produce azaspiracid toxins. These toxins are most likely produced by polyketide synthases (PKS). Recently, PKS I-like transcripts have been identified in a number of dinoflagellate species. Despite the global distribution of A. spinosum, little is known about molecular features. In this study, we investigate the genomic and transcriptomic features of A. spinosum with a focus on polyketide synthesis and PKS evolution. RESULTS: We identify orphan and homologous genes by comparing the transcriptome data of A. spinosum with a diverse set of 18 other dinoflagellates, five further species out of the Rhizaria Alveolate Stramelopile (RAS)-group, and one representative from the Plantae. The number of orphan genes in the analysed dinoflagellate species averaged 27%. In contrast, within the A. spinosum transcriptome, we discovered 12,661 orphan transcripts (18%). The dinoflagellates toxins known as azaspiracids (AZAs) are structurally polyethers; we therefore analyse the transcriptome of A. spinosum with respect to polyketide synthases (PKSs), the primary biosynthetic enzymes in polyketide synthesis. We find all the genes thought to be potentially essential for polyketide toxin synthesis to be expressed in A. spinosum, whose PKS transcripts fall into the dinoflagellate sub-clade in PKS evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we demonstrate that the number of orphan genes in the A. spinosum genome is relatively small compared to other dinoflagellate species. In addition, all PKS domains needed to produce the azaspiracid carbon backbone are present in A. spinosum. Our study underscores the extraordinary evolution of such gene clusters and, in particular, supports the proposed structural and functional paradigm for PKS Type I genes in dinoflagellates

Semiautomatic quality control of topographic reference datasets

The usefulness and acceptance of spatial information systems are mainly dependent on the quality of the underlying geodata. This paper describes a system for semiautomatic quality control of existing geospatial data via automatic image analysis using aerial images, high-resolution satellite imagery (IKONOS and RapidEye) and low-resolution satellite imagery (Disaster Monitoring Constellation, DMC) with mono- and multi-temporal approaches focusing on objects which cover most of the area of the topographic dataset. The goal of the developed system is to reduce the manual efforts to a minimum. We shortly review the system design and then we focus on the automatic components and their integration in a semiautomatic workflow for verification and update. A prototype of the system has been in use for several years. From the experience gained during this time we give a detailed report on the system performance in its application as well as an evaluation of the results

Trichostatin A induced histone acetylation causes decondensation of interphase chromatin.

The effect of trichostatin A (TSA)-induced histone acetylation on the interphase chromatin structure was visualized in vivo with a HeLa cell line stably expressing histone H2A, which was fused to enhanced yellow fluorescent protein. The globally increased histone acetylation caused a reversible decondensation of dense chromatin regions and led to a more homogeneous distribution. These structural changes were quantified by image correlation spectroscopy and by spatially resolved scaling analysis. The image analysis revealed that a chromatin reorganization on a length scale from 200 nm to >1 mm was induced consistent with the opening of condensed chromatin domains containing several Mb of DNA. The observed conformation changes could be assigned to the folding of chromatin during G1 phase by characterizing the effect of TSA on cell cycle progression and developing a protocol that allowed the identification of G1 phase cells on microscope coverslips. An analysis by flow cytometry showed that the addition of TSA led to a significant arrest of cells in S phase and induced apoptosis. The concentration dependence of both processes was studied

Fcγ Receptor IIB Controls Skin Inflammation in an Active Model of Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is an autoimmune skin blistering disease characterized by IgG autoantibodies (aAb) against type VII collagen (COL7). The mechanisms controlling the formation of such aAbs and their effector functions in the skin tissue are incompletely understood. Here, we assessed whether the inhibitory IgG Fc receptor, FcγRIIB, controls the development of autoimmune skin blistering disease in an active model of EBA. For this purpose, we immunized congenic EBA-susceptible B6.SJL-H2s (B6.s) and B6.s-Fcgr2b−/− mice with the immunodominant vWFA2 region of COL7. B6.s-Fcgr2b−/− mice developed a strong clinical phenotype with 15 ± 3.3% of affected body surface area at week 4. In contrast, the body surface area in B6.s mice was affected to a maximum of 5% at week 6 with almost no disease signs at week 4. Surprisingly, we already found strong but similar COL7-specific serum IgG1 and IgG2b aAb production at week 2. Further, aAb and C3b deposition in the skin of B6.s and B6.s-Fcgr2b−/− mice increased between weeks 2 and 6 after vWFA2 immunization. Importantly, neutrophil skin infiltration and activation was much stronger in B6s-Fcgr2b−/− than in B6.s mice and already present at week 2. Also, the early aAb response in B6.s-Fcgr2b−/− mice was more diverse than in wt B6.s mice. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) release from infiltrating neutrophils play a crucial role as mediator of skin inflammation in EBA. In line, sera from B6.s and B6.s-Fcgr2b−/− mice induced strong ROS release from bone marrow-neutrophils in vitro. In contrast to the antibody-transfer-induced EBA model, individual targeting of FcγRIII or FcγRIV decreased ROS release to 50%. Combined FcγR blocking abrogated ROS release from BM neutrophils. Also, ROS release induced by COL7-specific serum IgG aAbs was significantly higher using BM neutrophils from B6.s-Fcgr2b−/− than from B6.s mice. Together, our findings identified FcγRIIB as a suppressor of skin inflammation in the active EBA model through inhibition of early epitope spreading, protection from strong early neutrophil infiltration to and activation of neutrophils in the skin and suppression of FcγRIII activation by IgG1 aAbs which drive strong ROS release from neutrophils leading to tissue destruction at the dermal-epidermal junction