Shape matters: the relationship between cell geometry and diversity in phytoplankton

Size and shape profoundly influence an organism’s ecophysiological performance and evolutionary fitness, suggesting a link between morphology and diversity. However, not much is known about how body shape is related to taxonomic richness, especially in microbes. Here we analyse global datasets of unicellular marine phytoplankton, a major group of primary producers with an exceptional diversity of cell sizes and shapes and, additionally, heterotrophic protists. Using two measures of cell shape elongation, we quantify taxonomic diversity as a function of cell size and shape. We find that cells of intermediate volume have the greatest shape variation, from oblate to extremely elongated forms, while small and large cells are mostly compact (e.g. spherical or cubic). Taxonomic diversity is strongly related to cell elongation and cell volume, together explaining up to 92% of total variance. Taxonomic diversity decays exponentially with cell elongation and displays a log-normal dependence on cell volume, peaking for intermediate-volume cells with compact shapes. These previously unreported broad patterns in phytoplankton diversity reveal selective pressures and ecophysiological constraints on the geometry of phytoplankton cells which may improve our understanding of marine ecology and the evolutionary rules of life

Large-scale testing of phytoplankton diversity indices for environmental assessment in Mediterranean sub-regions (Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Seas)

Abstract According to the methodological standards established by Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the assessment for the pelagic habitat under the Biodiversity Descriptor should be carried out at the regional or sub-regional level. In the case of Mediterranean Sea, the sub-regional assessment seems optimal to take into account biogeographic differences in species composition and functional characteristics. Previous research has shown that phytoplankton diversity indicators are efficient for reliable environmental assessments, although more effort has been recommended to test these indicators on a wide spatial scale to cover wider gradients of natural and anthropogenic pressures. In this work, a set of eight diversity indices was tested against the pressure levels within a common data set of the structure and abundance of phytoplankton communities from the Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Seas. Expert knowledge was used to define four categories of impacts that take into account partial pressures, such as point and non-point pollution, industry, ports and fisheries. At the level of the common data set, most of the diversity, evenness and dominance indices could only distinguish between the highest level of impact and the rest of impact categories. These indices maintained the distinction between two levels of subsequently dichotomised impacts (no to low impact vs. high impact) across latitudinal and longitudinal gradients. On average, the indices were less sensitive to impacts in the northernmost and westernmost areas than in the southernmost and easternmost areas, although they still showed a significant response. The results also suggest that phytoplankton communities become more uniform and less dominated by a single taxon as sampling depth increases at sites with low impact, while evenness and dominance at impacted sites remain similar at all depths. In order to establish meaningful definitions of good environmental status and targets for pelagic habitats in the Mediterranean Sea, it is necessary to establish spatially specific thresholds by additional examination of indices of good performance

Changes occured in the psychological behavior in children with a surgically corrected congenital heart disease

University of Medicine and Pharmacy Targu Mures, Romania, The 6th International Medical Congress for Students and Young Doctors, May 12-14, 2016Introduction: Congenital heart disease is a malformation of the heart, aorta or other large blood vessels, thatis the most frequent form of major birth defect in newborns.The objective of the study is to analyze the psychological changes that occur in patients after corrective surgery for congenital heart disease and the relation between the type of congenital heart disease and the psychological symptoms. Material and Metods: This is a retrospective study on a number of 43 patients admitted in the section Pediatric Cardiology III of Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Transplant Targu Mures, between 01.01.2008-31.12.2015, diagnosed with congenital heart disease who undergo surgery and psychological evaluation. Discussion results: 86% of the studied patiens had complex congenital heart disease and only 14% presented simple congenital heart disease.67% of them are males, 33% females and 60% were from an urban background and 40% from a rural background.In 88% of the patients occured changes in their psychological behavior and the results show a correlation between emotional lability, hipersensitivity and female genders.No correlation were found between the type of the congenital heart disease the the psychologial symptoms. Conclusion: The type of the congenital heart disease has no effect on the psychological symptoms that occur in patients after corrective surgery for congenital heart disease

A rare case of multiple myeloma in a patient with an unresponsive to chemo-and radiotherapy frontoparietal gygantic plasmacytoma

University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Targu Mures, Romania, The 6th International Medical Congress for Students and Young Doctors, May 12-14, 2016Introduction: Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for producing antibodies. In multiple myeloma, collections of abnormal plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow, where they interfere with the production of normal blood cells. Most cases of multiple myeloma also feature the production of a paraprotein - an abnormal antibody which can cause bone lesions and hypercalcemia. Plasmacytoma refers to a tumour consisting of abnormal plasma cells that grows within the soft tissue or bony skeleton in the context of multiple myeloma disease. Objective: We will present the case of a 56 years old female patient admitted in the Medical Clinic I - Department of Hematology of Targu Mures, suffering from a rare hematological cancer - multiple myeloma of which onset was the appearance of a solitary extramedullary gigantic frontoparietal plasmacytoma which also did not responded at all to chemo-and radiotherapy treatment still increasing its size. Clinical case: We monitored the patient over a period of 13 months and we will display the evolution chronologically.Conclusions: Usually radiotherapy provides excellent local and regional control of plasmacytomas, but in our case it had no positive effect. The patient is having an evolution which leads to an continue worsening without obtaining remission, therefore the long-term prognosis is reserved while the medium one is favorable

Birth after IVF: caesarean only?

University of Medicine and Pharmacy Targu Mures, No I Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Targu Mures, Romania, The 6th International Medical Congress for Students and Young Doctors, May 12-14, 2016Introduction: Assisted reproduction technology ( ART )represents a current problem in the treatment of couple sterility ( feminine and masculin). In vitro fertilization ( IVF ) is an advanced method within human assisted reproduction. Being fond of this issue I have initiated this study. Object: The identification of birth assistance modality at the after IVF pregnant women in the casuistry of Clinica Obstetrica – Ginecologie I, Targu Mures Materialy and methods: The work represents a retrospective analytical study during the period between 01.01.2013 – 31. 01.2013 on the casuistry of SCJU Mures, No I Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic.The inclusion criteria is formed by the assisted birth at No I Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic,Targu Mures, during birth obtained with IVF. Their report was made at the total number of birth during the year 2013, depending on some parameters: total births 2013: 1095; total births at term: 916; total premature: 179; total vaginal births: 616; total caesarean births: 479. After IVF: total births: 13; total births at term: 6; total premature: 7; total vaginal births: 1; total caesarean births: 12. Inclusion criteria: after IVF and assisted birth at No I Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Targu Mures. Results: From the total number of births after IVF:: 7,69 % vaginal births; 92,30 % caesarean births; 46,15 % at term; 53,84 % premature. Caesarean indications because of obstetrical causes: 6 ( 50% ) and human assisted reproduction ( IVF ): 6 (50% ). The rate of vaginal births after IVF: 7,69 % from the total number of assisted birth during the period of the study. Conclusions: 1.In the study group, the caesarean birth represents a rule almost. 2. The rate of vaginal births with IVF ist lower despite the multiple services dedicated to this problem 3.The prematurity ist higher possibly because of the multiple pregnancy

Towards Semantic Data Management in LifeWatch Italy: the Phytoplankton Study Case

LifeWatch Italy, the Italian node of LifeWatch-ERIC, has promoted and stimulated the debate on the use of semantic in the biodiversity data management. Actually, information from biodiversity and ecosystems is very heterogeneous and needs to be better managed in order to improve the actual scientific knowledge, as well as to address the urgent societal challenges concerning environmental issues. Here we present the Phytoplankton Study Case, where the semantic approach was used to address data harmonisation, integration and discovery. An interdisciplinary team of LifeWatch Italy has developed a thesaurus on phytoplankton functional traits and linked its concepts to other existing conceptual schema related to the specific domain. In the meantime, the team has produced the LifeWatch Core Ontology, a customization of the OBOE core ontology, for the semantic description/capture of basic concepts and relationships in ecological studies. This framework ontology is based on 7 main concepts (classes) as Domain, Entity, Observation, Characteristic, Measurement, Protocol, Standard, providing a structured yet generic approach for semantic data annotation, and for developing domain-specific ecological ontologies as the Phytoplankton Trait Ontology (PhyTO). To date, LifeWatch e-Infrastructure stores and manages data and metadata using an mix of Database Management Systems (the Relational MySQL and the NoSQL MONGO DB); for the purpose of the study case, we selected the VIRTUOSO Triple Store as semantic repository and we developed different modules to automate the management workflow. A first software module has been developed to allow the data annotation with classes, subclasses and properties of the PhyTO (i.e. Semantic Annotation). The designed module allows to map metadata and data stored in the LifeWatch Data Portal with the OWL schema of the PhyTO and to produce .rdf output files. A second developed module uses as input the .rdf files and store the data in the VIRTUOSO Graph to make them available for the semantic search. Moreover, a user-friendly search interface (i.e. Java Portlet) has been implemented to retrieve annotated data with queries suggested by the data users. This approach facilitates data discovery and integration, and can provide guidance for, and automate, data aggregation and summary

Aspects Regarding the Performance of Differential Current Measurement

In this paper is presented the study on Hall current sensors for differential current measurement, aiming to be used in a smart protection device for leakage current in low voltage lines. Experiments have highlighted solutions but also various deficiencies. The paper also proposes measures to enhance measurement errors

Retromode Imaging in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Background and Objectives: Retromode is a relatively new retinal-imaging technique that is based on the transillumination principle and is obtained with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope that uses light in the infrared spectrum. The laser light penetrates into the deep retinal layers and the choroid. Retromode images are captured with a laterally displaced aperture, and the detector captures only the scattered light. The result is a high-contrast pseudo-three-dimensional image. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disabling retinal disease. AMD is characterized in its early stage by small and intermediate drusen formation, while the signs of intermediate AMD are large drusen and/or pigmentary abnormalities. Late AMD has two forms, geographic atrophy, which is the advanced form of dry AMD, and wet AMD. Most of the lesions of AMD are located in the outer layers of the retina. This new imaging method can provide a glimpse of the deep retinal layers’ topographic changes in a non-invasive, fast, and effective way that can match the other imaging tools available. Materials and Methods: The literature review was performed by searching the PubMed database using the following combination of keywords: retromode imaging and age-related macular degeneration. Relevant images similar to the ones in the literature were identified and used as models. Results: The purpose of this article is to highlight the utility of incorporating retromode imaging into the multimodal evaluation of the retina in patients with AMD and to gather and integrate these findings into a brief but comprehensive paper. Conclusions: Retromode imaging is a good screening, diagnosis, and monitoring tool for patients with AMD