Computed Three-Dimensional Atlas of Subthalamic Nucleus and Its Adjacent Structures for Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease

Background. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is one of the standard surgical treatments for advanced Parkinson's disease. However, it has been difficult to accurately localize the stimulated contact area of the electrode in the subthalamic nucleus and its adjacent structures using a two-dimensional atlas. The goal of this study is to verify the real and detailed localization of stimulated contact of the DBS electrode therapeutically inserted into the STN and its adjacent structures using a novel computed three-dimensional atlas built by a personal computer. Method. A three-dimensional atlas of the STN and its adjacent structures (3D-Subthalamus atlas) was elaborated on the basis of sagittal slices from the Schaltenbrand and Wahren stereotactic atlas on a personal computer utilizing a commercial software. The electrode inserted into the STN and its adjacent structures was superimposed on our 3D-Subthalamus atlas based on intraoperative third ventriculography in 11 cases. Findings. Accurate localization of the DBS electrode was identified using the 3D-Subthalamus atlas, and its clinical efficacy of the electrode stimulation was investigated in all 11 cases. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that the 3D-Subthalamus atlas is a useful tool for understanding the morphology of deep brain structures and for the precise anatomical position findings of the stimulated contact of a DBS electrode. The clinical analysis using the 3D atlas supports the contention that the stimulation of structures adjacent to the STN, particularly the zona incerta or the field of Forel H, is as effective as the stimulation of the STN itself for the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease

Projeto de um Retificador Trifásico PWM Buck Isolado Aplicado como Carregador de Baterias Íon-Lítio

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Campus Joinville. Engenharia Mecatrônica.O trabalho em questão aborda a atual situação dos veículos elétricos (VE), crescimento do mercado, desenvolvimento no setor de baterias e da tecnologia que os envolve, assim como, os problemas e barreiras que ainda enfrentam, por exemplo: autonomia da bateria, infraestrutura necessária, problemas de carga e descarga das baterias do tipo Lítio. Apresenta as normas técnicas e classificações que regem a operação dos carregadores e exigências dos veículos elétricos para os mesmos. Também são mencionadas algumas topologias utilizadas para este tipo de aplicação e é proposto a implementação do Retificador Buck Trifásico Unidirecional isolado em alta frequência em função da redução de custo e massa. Portanto, é escolhido o projeto de um protótipo do retificador com tensão de saída de 60 V e 3000 W de potência para posterior análise dos resultados calculados e simulados. Para isso são apresentadas as etapas de projeto do retificador em questão, dimensionamento e escolha do núcleo do tranformador baseados em critérios de operação especifícados, dimensionamento dos componentes passivos e ativos, como diodos, chaves, indutores e capacitores, através do cálculo dos esforços exigidos em cada um destes. Além disso é feito o dimensionamento e implementação de um circuito amostrador da tensão de sincronismo com a rede e de um driver de potência. Finalmente, com os componentes dimensionados e escolhidos, são realizadas as simulações, onde os cálculos realizados são averiguados através da comparação com os valores simulados.This paper approaches the current situation of electric vehicles (EVs), market growth,development in the battery sector and the technology that surrounds it, as well as theproblems and barriers they still face, for example: battery life, needed infrastructure,charging and discharging problems of Lithium type batteries. It presents the technicalstandards and classifications governing the operation of chargers and the requirementsof electric vehicles for them. Some topologies used for this type of application are alsomentioned and it’s proposed to implement the High Frequency Isolated Three-Way BuckRectifier as function of cost and mass reduction. Therefore, the design of a prototyperectifier with output voltage of60Vand3000Wis chosen for further analysis of thecalculated and simulated results. For this, the design steps of the rectifier mentioned,the sizing and choice of the transformer core based on specified operating criteria, thesizing of the passive and active components, such as diodes, switches, inductors andcapacitors, are presented by calculating the required loads for each one. In addition,the design and implementation of a grid synchronization voltage sampler circuit anda power driver are performed. Finally, with the calculated and chosen components,the simulations are implemented and executed, and with it’s results the performedcalculations are verified through the comparison with the obtained value

Identifying combinatorial regulation of transcription factors and binding motifs

BACKGROUND: Combinatorial interaction of transcription factors (TFs) is important for gene regulation. Although various genomic datasets are relevant to this issue, each dataset provides relatively weak evidence on its own. Developing methods that can integrate different sequence, expression and localization data have become important. RESULTS: Here we use a novel method that integrates chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) data with microarray expression data and with combinatorial TF-motif analysis. We systematically identify combinations of transcription factors and of motifs. The various combinations of TFs involved multiple binding mechanisms. We reconstruct a new combinatorial regulatory map of the yeast cell cycle in which cell-cycle regulation can be drawn as a chain of extended TF modules. We find that the pairwise combination of a TF for an early cell-cycle phase and a TF for a later phase is often used to control gene expression at intermediate times. Thus the number of distinct times of gene expression is greater than the number of transcription factors. We also see that some TF modules control branch points (cell-cycle entry and exit), and in the presence of appropriate signals they can allow progress along alternative pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Combining different data sources can increase statistical power as demonstrated by detecting TF interactions and composite TF-binding motifs. The original picture of a chain of simple cell-cycle regulators can be extended to a chain of composite regulatory modules: different modules may share a common TF component in the same pathway or a TF component cross-talking to other pathways

The Spatial Distribution of mtDNA and Phylogeographic Analysis of the Ant Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Japan

In this study, we investigated the geographical distribution of haplotypes of Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi Terayama in Japan using COI/II mitochondrial DNA. We also examined their genealogy with C. kagutsuchi in other areas and their close relative species. Four haplotypes were found. While two of them were found in a limited area (Ishigaki and Okinawa Islands) separately, the others were distributed widely across Honsyu, Shikoku, and Kyusyu areas in Japan. The newly invaded area by C. kagutsuchi in Japan was Shizuoka prefecture. Their haplotype of Shizuoka were the same as the two haplotypes of the Honsyu, Shikoku, and Kyusyu areas. The haplotype network showed that the two haplotypes were distant from each other. The distance between them was 33, even though the two haplotypes are distributed in the same area. From the phylogenetic tree that we constructed, we found that C. strigifrons was in the same clade as C. kagutsuchi