The Digital Fish Library: Using MRI to Digitize, Database, and Document the Morphological Diversity of Fish

Museum fish collections possess a wealth of anatomical and morphological data that are essential for documenting and understanding biodiversity. Obtaining access to specimens for research, however, is not always practical and frequently conflicts with the need to maintain the physical integrity of specimens and the collection as a whole. Non-invasive three-dimensional (3D) digital imaging therefore serves a critical role in facilitating the digitization of these specimens for anatomical and morphological analysis as well as facilitating an efficient method for online storage and sharing of this imaging data. Here we describe the development of the Digital Fish Library (DFL, http://www.digitalfishlibrary.org), an online digital archive of high-resolution, high-contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the soft tissue anatomy of an array of fishes preserved in the Marine Vertebrate Collection of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. We have imaged and uploaded MRI data for over 300 marine and freshwater species, developed a data archival and retrieval system with a web-based image analysis and visualization tool, and integrated these into the public DFL website to disseminate data and associated metadata freely over the web. We show that MRI is a rapid and powerful method for accurately depicting the in-situ soft-tissue anatomy of preserved fishes in sufficient detail for large-scale comparative digital morphology. However these 3D volumetric data require a sophisticated computational and archival infrastructure in order to be broadly accessible to researchers and educators

Non-pharmacological Management of Behavioral Symptoms in Frontotemporal and Other Dementias

Worldwide prevalence of dementia is predicted to double every 20 years. The most common cause in individuals over 65 is Alzheimer's disease (AD), but in those under 65, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is as frequent. The physical and cognitive decline that characterizes these diseases is commonly accompanied by troublesome behavioral symptoms. These behavioral symptoms contribute to significant morbidity and mortality among both patients and caregivers. Medications have been largely ineffective in managing these symptoms and carry significant adverse effects. Non-pharmacological interventions have been recommended to precede the utilization of pharmacological treatments. This article reviews the research about these interventions with special attention to the variations by etiology, especially FTD. The authors offer recommendations for improving utilization of these strategies and future research recommendations