An Algorithm for Calculating Perimeter Length

The present paper proposes an algorithm for calculating accurately the perimeter length of a picture. The outline of the algorithm is as follows: for each cell or picture element (i,j) on the perimeter, a coefficient which corresponds to the minute perimeter length at the cell is assigned as a function of the situation of neighbor cells (i,j-l), (i-l,j) and (i-l,j-l), and the number of same situation connected along the perimeter. Then, the total perimeter length can be given as the sum of these coefficientso According to this methods, approximation accurate to 002 percent could be obtained in the blob patterns

Noncovalent Modification Strategy with Achiral Phosphoric Acid Diesters for Designing a Chiral Brønsted Base Organocatalyst

A strategy for designing chiral Brønsted base organocatalysts through noncovalent modification of a chiral dibasic molecule with an achiral phosphoric acid diester is introduced for the first time. Such a molecular modification concept utilizing acid-base interactions may facilitate the on-demand design of asymmetric organocatalysts, as preliminarily demonstrated in this work

A Nondestructive Eggshell Thickness Measurement Technique Using Terahertz Waves

Eggshells play a number of important roles in the avian and reptile kingdom: protection of internal contents and as a major source of minerals for developing embryos. However, when researching these respective roles, eggshell thickness measurement remains a bottleneck due to the lack of a non-destructive measurement techniques. As a result, many avian and reptile research protocols omit consideration of eggshell thickness bias on egg or embryo growth and development. Here, we validate a non-destructive method to estimate eggshell thickness based on terahertz (THz) reflectance spectroscopy using chicken white coloured eggs. Since terahertz waves are reflected from outer air-eggshell interface, as well as the inner eggshell-membrane boundary, the resulting interference signals depend on eggshell thickness. Thus, it is possible to estimate shell thickness from the oscillation distance in frequency-domain. A linear regression-based prediction model for non-destructive eggshell thickness measurement was developed, which had a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.93, RMSEP of 0.009, RPD of 3.45 and RER 13.67. This model can estimate eggshell thickness to a resolution of less than 10 μm. This method has the potential to expand the protocols in the field of avian and reptile research, as well as be applied to industrial grading of eggs

Autofluorescence changes of tomato surface tissues during overripening

We investigated the autofluorescence of tomato surface tissues during overripening at 25 °C for 13 days. Microscopic images and fluorescence spectra of tissues, including the epidermis and cuticle, were examined (excitation at 360 nm), revealing that the autofluorescence changes were related to the epidermis, particularly the fluorophores in the cuticle

Effect of activated protein C on plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor activity in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with alteplase Comparison with unfractionated heparin

AbstractObjectivesWe examined whether activated protein C (APC) is an effective conjunctive therapy to thrombolysis in patients with ST-segment–elevated acute myocardial infarction (AMl).BackgroundActivated protein C possesses both systemic anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been also shown to enhance fibrinolysis by inhibiting plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity in vitro.MethodsAfter successful thrombolysis with alteplase, study patients were assigned to receive one of the two conjunctive therapies for 48 h intravenously: human plasma-derived APC at 0.06 mg/kg per day (APC group, n = 9) or unfractionated heparin at 100 to 400 U/kg per day, adjusted to maintain an activated partial thromboplastin time at 1.5 to 2 times of the control level (heparin group, n = 10).ResultsAdverse events, including reocclusion of the recanalized infarct-related coronary artery and major or minor hemorrhagic complications, occurred more frequently in the heparin group (4 of 10 cases) than in the APC group (none of 9 cases) (p = 0.033). In the heparin group, plasma PAI activity (IU/ml, median value [range]) was increased continuously from 8 to 24 h after thrombolysis and peaked at 24 h (30.9 [11.3 to 38.5]); on the other hand, it was not increased in the APC group at 24 h after thrombolysis (11.3 [0.0 to 31.0], p < 0.01 vs. heparin group).ConclusionsAdministration of APC suppressed increasing of plasma PAI activity observed after thrombolysis in patients with AMI. The effect of APC could be more eligible, compared with heparin, as a conjunctive regimen to thrombolysis in AMI patients

Oncogenic FGFR1 mutation and amplification in common cellular origin in a composite tumor with neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) and pheochromocytoma (PCC) are derived from neural crest cells (NCCs); however, composite tumors with NB and PCC are rare, and their underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. To address this issue, we performed exome and transcriptome sequencing with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples from the NB, PCC, and mixed lesions in a patient with a composite tumor. Whole-exome sequencing revealed that most mutations (80%) were shared by all samples, indicating that NB and PCC evolved from the same clone. Notably, all samples harbored both mutation and focal amplification in the FGFR1 oncogene, resulting in an extraordinarily high expression, likely to be the main driver of this tumor. Transcriptome sequencing revealed undifferentiated expression profiles for the NB lesions. Considering that a metastatic lesion was also composite, most likely, the primitive founding lesions should differentiate into both NB and PCC. This is the first reported case with composite-NB and PCC genetically proven to harbor an oncogenic FGFR1 alteration of a common cellular origin

Automatic Classification of White Blood Cells(Feature Extraction Part 2)

The present paperdeals with the following problems for the automatic white blood cell classification. (1)A technique for extracting a nucleus region of the white blood cell is described. It can be accomplishedby using the histogram of the directional difference. From this histograrm，an optimum threshold value for extracing the nucleus region is obtained. (2)The texture parmeters which express effectively the difference of the texture between white blood cells are proposed. That is，the shape of the chromatin in the nucleus and the amount of the granules are proposed to discriminate the differene between monocytes and large lymphocytes and the difference between eosinophils and basophils， respectively

Monitoring mature tomato (red stage) quality during storage using ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence image

The potential of UV-induced fluorescence imaging was investigated as a non-destructive tool to monitor postharvest quality degradation of tomatoes harvested at the red stage and stored at 25 °C. The fluorescence images (excitation at 365 nm) were found to be a better indicator of tomato quality degradation than color images after color saturation. Tomatoes were stored at 25 °C for 9 d. The changes in color and fluorescence of tomato were evaluated by two types of images: Color and fluorescence images. A conventional colorimeter was also used for as a reference. Changes in the RGB ratio for these two types of images were opposite. In the color images, the G ratio decreased rapidly for the initial 3 or 5 d and then stabilized afterwards. On the other hand, in the fluorescence images, the G ratio increased continuously up to 9 d. Given that temperature conditions during transportation and storage of tomatoes is not always ideal, the results from this research provide the foundation for developing a postharvest monitoring system of mature tomato quality degradation

Photon correlation in GaAs self-assembled quantum dots

We report on photon coincidence measurement in a single GaAs self-assembled quantum dot (QD) using a pulsed excitation light source. At low excitation, when a neutral exciton line was present in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum, we observed nearly perfect single photon emission from an isolated QD at 670 nm wavelength. For higher excitation, multiple PL lines appeared on the spectra, reflecting the formation of exciton complexes. Cross-correlation functions between these lines showed either bunching or antibunching behavior, depending on whether the relevant emission was from a biexciton cascade or a charged exciton recombination.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure