Grid Databases for Shared Image Analysis in the MammoGrid Project

The MammoGrid project aims to prove that Grid infrastructures can be used for collaborative clinical analysis of database-resident but geographically distributed medical images. This requires: a) the provision of a clinician-facing front-end workstation and b) the ability to service real-world clinician queries across a distributed and federated database. The MammoGrid project will prove the viability of the Grid by harnessing its power to enable radiologists from geographically dispersed hospitals to share standardized mammograms, to compare diagnoses (with and without computer aided detection of tumours) and to perform sophisticated epidemiological studies across national boundaries. This paper outlines the approach taken in MammoGrid to seamlessly connect radiologist workstations across a Grid using an "information infrastructure" and a DICOM-compliant object model residing in multiple distributed data stores in Italy and the UKComment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Novel insights into the architecture and protein interaction network of yeast eIF3.

Translation initiation in eukaryotes is a multistep process requiring the orchestrated interaction of several eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs). The largest of these factors, eIF3, forms the scaffold for other initiation factors, promoting their binding to the 40S ribosomal subunit. Biochemical and structural studies on eIF3 need highly pure eIF3. However, natively purified eIF3 comprise complexes containing other proteins such as eIF5. Therefore we have established in vitro reconstitution protocols for Saccharomyces cerevisiae eIF3 using its five recombinantly expressed and purified subunits. This reconstituted eIF3 complex (eIF3(rec)) exhibits the same size and activity as the natively purified eIF3 (eIF3(nat)). The homogeneity and stoichiometry of eIF3(rec) and eIF3(nat) were confirmed by analytical size exclusion chromatography, mass spectrometry, and multi-angle light scattering, demonstrating the presence of one copy of each subunit in the eIF3 complex. The reconstituted and native eIF3 complexes were compared by single-particle electron microscopy showing a high degree of structural conservation. The interaction network between eIF3 proteins was studied by means of limited proteolysis, analytical size exclusion chromatography, in vitro binding assays, and isothermal titration calorimetry, unveiling distinct protein domains and subcomplexes that are critical for the integrity of the protein network in yeast eIF3. Taken together, the data presented here provide a novel procedure to obtain highly pure yeast eIF3, suitable for biochemical and structural analysis, in addition to a detailed picture of the network of protein interactions within this complex

Experiences of Engineering Grid-Based Medical Software

Objectives: Grid-based technologies are emerging as potential solutions for managing and collaborating distributed resources in the biomedical domain. Few examples exist, however, of successful implementations of Grid-enabled medical systems and even fewer have been deployed for evaluation in practice. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the use in clinical practice of a Grid-based imaging prototype and to establish directions for engineering future medical Grid developments and their subsequent deployment. Method: The MammoGrid project has deployed a prototype system for clinicians using the Grid as its information infrastructure. To assist in the specification of the system requirements (and for the first time in healthgrid applications), use-case modelling has been carried out in close collaboration with clinicians and radiologists who had no prior experience of this modelling technique. A critical qualitative and, where possible, quantitative analysis of the MammoGrid prototype is presented leading to a set of recommendations from the delivery of the first deployed Grid-based medical imaging application. Results: We report critically on the application of software engineering techniques in the specification and implementation of the MammoGrid project and show that use-case modelling is a suitable vehicle for representing medical requirements and for communicating effectively with the clinical community. This paper also discusses the practical advantages and limitations of applying the Grid to real-life clinical applications and presents the consequent lessons learned.Comment: 18 pages, 2 tables, 5 figures. In press International Journal of Medical Informatics. Elsevier publisher

Concentração de N na decomposição foliar de espécies lenhosas em sistemas agroflorestais (alley cropping) em Morretes, PR.

Nos sistemas de alley cropping a decomposição e subseqüente liberação de nutrientes das folhas e ramos podem ter importante influência na matéria orgânica e na reserva de nutrientes do solo. Coleman e Crossley (1996) resumem que, em geral, a decomposição é resultado da ação da biota em substratos com diferentes composições, em contraste com o clima.1 CD-ROM

The Effects of Postfire Salvage Logging on Aquatic Ecosystems in the American West

Recent changes in the forest policies, regulations, and laws affecting public lands encourage postfire salvage logging, an activity that all too often delays or prevents recovery. In contrast, the 10 recommendations proposed here can improve the condition of watersheds and aquatic ecosystems

Un système d'acquisition de données pour l'analyse en ligne des photographies de grandes chambres à bulles

Ce travail présente le système d'analyse des clichés de grandes chambres à bulles telles que Gargamelle et BEBC, réalisé au Groupe de Chambre à Bulles à Liquide Lourd à l'aide d'appareils de projection mis en ligne sur ordinateur CDC 1700. Ce travail présente les caractéristiques générales de ces appareils ainsi que celles de l'ordinateur et développe la conception et les fonctions des programmes d'analyse des photographies : prémesures, mesures et gestion des données. L'ensemble du système d'acquisition de données fonctionne dans un contexte de multiprogrammation en temps réel