Epigenetic Profiling Reveals a Developmental Decrease in Promoter Accessibility During Cortical Maturation in vivo

Axon regeneration in adult central nervous system (CNS) is limited in part by a developmental decline in the ability of injured neurons to re-express needed regeneration associated genes (RAGs). Adult CNS neurons may lack appropriate pro-regenerative transcription factors, or may display chromatin structure that restricts transcriptional access to RAGs. Here we performed epigenetic profiling around the promoter regions of key RAGs, and found progressive restriction across a time course of cortical maturation. These data identify a potential intrinsic constraint to axon growth in adult CNS neurons. Neurite outgrowth from cultured postnatal cortical neurons, however, proved insensitive to treatments that improve axon growth in other cell types, including combinatorial overexpression of AP1 factors, overexpression of histone acetyltransferases, and pharmacological inhibitors of histone deacetylases. This insensitivity could be due to intermediate chromatin closure at the time of culture, and highlights important differences in cell culture models used to test potential pro-regenerative interventions

Modeling edges at subpixel accuracy using the local energy approach

In this paper we described new technique for 1-D and 2-D edge feature extraction to subpixel accuracy using edge models and the local energy approach. A candidate edge is modeled as one of a number of parametric edge models, and the fit is refined by a least-squared error fitting technique

Detection of curved edges at subpixel accuracy using deformable models

One approach to the detection of curves at subpixel accuracy involves the reconstruction of such features from subpixel edge data points. A new technique is presented for reconstructing and segmenting curves with subpixel accuracy using deformable models. A curve is represented as a set of interconnected Hermite splines forming a snake generated from the subpixel edge information that minimizes the global energy functional integral over the set. While previous work on the minimization was mostly based on the Euler-Lagrange transformation, the authors use the finite element method to solve the energy minimization equation. The advantages of this approach over the Euler-Lagrange transformation approach are that the method is straightforward, leads to positive m-diagonal symmetric matrices, and has the ability to cope with irregular geometries such as junctions and corners. The energy functional integral solved using this method can also be used to segment the features by searching for the location of the maxima of the first derivative of the energy over the elementary curve set

An investigation into the use of physical modelling for the prediction of various feature types visible from different view points

This paper describes a general purpose flexible technique which uses physical modelling techniques for determining the features of a 3D object that are visible from any predefined view. Physical modelling techniques are used to determine which of many different types of features are visible from a complete set of viewpoints. The power of this technique lies in its ability to detect and parameterise object features, regardless of object complexity. Raytracing is used to simulate the physical process by which object features are visible so that surface properties (eg specularity, transparency) as well as object boundaries can be used in the recognition process. Using this technique occluding and non-occluding edge based features are extracted using image processing techniques and then parameterised. Features caused by specularity are also extracted and qualitative descriptions for these are defined

Anti Urolithiatic and anti hyperlipidemic activity of Coleus aromaticus An explanation of the underlying mechanisms

Leaves paste of Coleus aromaticus is used as a traditional remedy for urolithiasis in India. In the present study, the anti urolithiatic activity of Coleus aromaticus was investigated in ethylene glycol induced urolithiatic rats. There was a significant increase in the levels of calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys as well as lipid levels in the blood serum. Treatment with hydro alcoholic extract of C.aromaticus leaves (CALHAE) significantly reduced cholesterol levels at 300 and 600 mg/kg, and triglyceride levels at 600 mg/kg in urolithiatic rats. Histopathalogical reports confirmed that chronic administration of CALHAE (300 and 600 mg/kg) diminished number of calcium oxalate crystals in kidneys. CALHAE has shown reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in urolithiatic rats. Moreover, CALHAE showed potent in vitro antioxidant activity in DMPD, ABTS radicals (MnO2 method). Results from these studies support the safe and effective use of C.aromaticus leaves for urolithiasis treatment.Keywords: Coleus aromaticus, Calcium oxalate crystals, Hypolipidemic activity, Antioxidant activit

Anti Urolithiatic and anti hyperlipidemic activity of Coleus aromaticus An explanation of the underlying mechanisms

Leaves paste of Coleus aromaticus is used as a traditional remedy for urolithiasis in India. In the present study, the anti urolithiatic activity of Coleus aromaticus was investigated in ethylene glycol induced urolithiatic rats. There was a significant increase in the levels of calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys as well as lipid levels in the blood serum. Treatment with hydro alcoholic extract of C.aromaticus leaves (CALHAE) significantly reduced cholesterol levels at 300 and 600 mg/kg, and triglyceride levels at 600 mg/kg in urolithiatic rats. Histopathalogical reports confirmed that chronic administration of CALHAE (300 and 600 mg/kg) diminished number of calcium oxalate crystals in kidneys. CALHAE has shown reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in urolithiatic rats. Moreover, CALHAE showed potent in vitro antioxidant activity in DMPD, ABTS radicals (MnO2 method). Results from these studies support the safe and effective use of C.aromaticus leaves for urolithiasis treatment.Keywords: Coleus aromaticus, Calcium oxalate crystals, Hypolipidemic activity, Antioxidant activit

Life cycle energy and GHG emission within the Turin metropolitan area urban water cycle

The aim of this study is to analyze the urban water cycle in the Turin Metropolitan Area (Northwestern Italy), with a focus on quantifying the annual life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The study made use Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment methods for a defined urban water cycle system (ATO3) operated by one water utility (SMAT S.p.A.), and examines all main sub-systems of the entire urban water cycle. The study quantified the annual direct and indirect energy consumption and the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions related to system-wide energy consumption and the production and transportation of chemicals used in water treatment and wastewater treatment plants. It is found that the wastewater treatment consumes the biggest share of the total energy (44%), but a significant part of this energy demand is provided by the energy in biogas produced from wastewater sludge. On the basis of this study it was possible to provide strategic recommendations to the water utility on how to improve the water/energy/carbon nexus and contribute better to sustainability performance of urban water cycle systems

Ionospheric response to the 2009 sudden stratospheric warming over the equatorial, low, and middle latitudes in the South American sector

The present study investigates the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) and F-layer response in the Southern Hemisphere equatorial, low, and middle latitudes due to major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event, which took place during January-February 2009 in the Northern Hemisphere. In this study, using 17 ground-based dual frequency GPS stations and two ionosonde stations spanning latitudes from 2.8°N to 53.8°S, longitudes from 36.7°W to 67.8°W over the South American sector, it is observed that the ionosphere was significantly disturbed by the SSW event from the equator to the midlatitudes. During day of year 26 and 27 at 14:00 UT, the TEC was two times larger than that observed during average quiet days. The vertical TEC at all 17 GPS and two ionosonde stations shows significant deviations lasting for several days after the SSW temperature peak. Using one GPS station located at Rio Grande (53.8°S, 67.8°W, midlatitude South America sector), it is reported for the first time that the midlatitude in the Southern Hemisphere was disturbed by the SSW event in the Northern Hemisphere.Fil: Fagundes, P. R.. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Goncharenko, L. P.. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Estados UnidosFil: De Abreu, A. J.. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Venkatesh, K.. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Pezzopane, M.. Istituto Nazionale Di Geofisica E Vulcanologia; ItaliaFil: De Jesus, R.. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba; BrasilFil: Gende, Mauricio Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Coster, A. J.. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Estados UnidosFil: Pillat, V. G.. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba; Brasi