SHIRAZ: an automated histology image annotation system for zebrafish phenomics

Histological characterization is used in clinical and research contexts as a highly sensitive method for detecting the morphological features of disease and abnormal gene function. Histology has recently been accepted as a phenotyping method for the forthcoming Zebrafish Phenome Project, a large-scale community effort to characterize the morphological, physiological, and behavioral phenotypes resulting from the mutations in all known genes in the zebrafish genome. In support of this project, we present a novel content-based image retrieval system for the automated annotation of images containing histological abnormalities in the developing eye of the larval zebrafish

Knock-Down of Cathepsin D Affects the Retinal Pigment Epithelium, Impairs Swim-Bladder Ontogenesis and Causes Premature Death in Zebrafish

The lysosomal aspartic protease Cathepsin D (CD) is ubiquitously expressed in eukaryotic organisms. CD activity is essential to accomplish the acid-dependent extensive or partial proteolysis of protein substrates within endosomal and lysosomal compartments therein delivered via endocytosis, phagocytosis or autophagocytosis. CD may also act at physiological pH on small-size substrates in the cytosol and in the extracellular milieu. Mouse and fruit fly CD knock-out models have highlighted the multi-pathophysiological roles of CD in tissue homeostasis and organ development. Here we report the first phenotypic description of the lack of CD expression during zebrafish (Danio rerio) development obtained by morpholino-mediated knock-down of CD mRNA. Since the un-fertilized eggs were shown to be supplied with maternal CD mRNA, only a morpholino targeting a sequence containing the starting ATG codon was effective. The main phenotypic alterations produced by CD knock-down in zebrafish were: 1. abnormal development of the eye and of retinal pigment epithelium; 2. absence of the swim-bladder; 3. skin hyper-pigmentation; 4. reduced growth and premature death. Rescue experiments confirmed the involvement of CD in the developmental processes leading to these phenotypic alterations. Our findings add to the list of CD functions in organ development and patho-physiology in vertebrates

Damage accumulation in stress concentration zones of parts with hardened surface under low cycle tension-compression and bending

This paper provides experimental and analytical evaluation of durability of nonhardened and hardened by EMT specimens of grade 45 steel with stress concentrators, under low cycle tension-compression and pure bending. For both type of loading modes was carried out durability analysis, taking into account fatigue and quasi-static damage depending on loading level and number of s. Stress and strain concentration coefficients were calculated by analytical and finite element methods (FEM) under elastic plastic cyclic loading. Performed analytical investigation showed, that suggested method for quasi-static and fatigue damage summation, when accumulated plastic strain and the width of the hysteresis loop are taken into account, provides a very good agreement with the experimental results at stress concentration zones of surface-hardened pans under tension-compression and bending

Kazlų Rūdos priemestinių pušynų augimo ypatumai

Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

The features of low-lying 0+states of the 16O nucleus taking into account multi quantum excitations

Rusiškos žurnalo versijos ISSN 0044-0027Fizikos instituta

Some Aspects of Wood Use in the Architecture of Lithuania in the Soviet Period

<p>The paper analyses wood use in a certain period of time. It is maintained that wood was used only for the smallest dwelling houses in the first decades of the soviet period. It is noted that, though until the end of the 7^th decade there were many attempts to find coherence with traditional folk architecture, wood as a building material was practically replaced by other materials. However, at the end of the 7^th decade worldwide ideas of regionalism „genius loci“ and modernism again encouraged the architects of Lithuania to use wood. Since that time the typology of wooden or partly wooden buildings and their geography expanded. <br />Although the soviet wooden architecture is spare, it is exclusive, interesting and important in the history of the Lithuanian architecture and demands more attention of researchers.</p><p>Article in Lithuanian</p