1,139 research outputs found
Homology of the mapping class group for surfaces of genus 2 with boundary
We report on the computation of the integral homology of the mapping class
group of genus g surfaces with one boundary curve and m punctures, when 2g + m
is smaller than 6. In particular, it includes the genus 2 case with no or one
puncture.Comment: This is the version published by Geometry & Topology Monographs on 29
April 200
Shape mode analysis exposes movement patterns in biology: flagella and flatworms as case studies
We illustrate shape mode analysis as a simple, yet powerful technique to
concisely describe complex biological shapes and their dynamics. We
characterize undulatory bending waves of beating flagella and reconstruct a
limit cycle of flagellar oscillations, paying particular attention to the
periodicity of angular data. As a second example, we analyze non-convex
boundary outlines of gliding flatworms, which allows us to expose stereotypic
body postures that can be related to two different locomotion mechanisms.
Further, shape mode analysis based on principal component analysis allows to
discriminate different flatworm species, despite large motion-associated shape
variability. Thus, complex shape dynamics is characterized by a small number of
shape scores that change in time. We present this method using descriptive
examples, explaining abstract mathematics in a graphic way.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in PLoS On
Serial stereotactic biopsy of brainstem lesions in adults improves diagnostic accuracy compared with MRI only.
Objective: The aim of the current prospective study was
to analyse the validity of MRI based diagnosis of
brainstem gliomas which was verified by stereotactic
biopsy and follow-up evaluation as well as to assess
prognostic factors and risk profile.
Methods: Between 1998 and 2007, all consecutive adult
patients with radiologically suspected brainstem glioma
were included. The MRI based diagnosis of the lesions
was made independently by an experienced neuroradiologist.
Histopathological evaluation was performed in all
patients from paraffin embedded specimens obtained by
multimodal image guided stereotactic serial biopsy
technique. Histopathological results were compared with
prior radiological assessment. Length of survival was
estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method and prognostic
factors were calculated using the Cox model.
Results: 46 adult patients were included. Histological
evaluation revealed pilocytic astrocytoma (n=2), WHO
grade II glioma (n=14), malignant glioma (n=12),
metastasis (n=7), lymphoma (n=5), cavernoma
(n=1), inflammatory disease (n=2) or no tumour/
gliosis (n=3). Perioperative morbidity was 2.5% (n=1).
There was no permanent morbidity and no mortality. All
patients with ‘‘no tumour’’ or ‘‘inflammatory disease’’
survived. Patients with low grade glioma and malignant
glioma showed a 1 year survival rate of 75% and 25%,
respectively; the 1 year survival rate for patients with
lymphoma or metastasis was 30%. In the subgroup with a
verified brainstem glioma, negative predictors for length of
survival were higher tumour grade (p=0.002) and
Karnofsky performance score (70 (p=0.004).
Conclusion: Intra-axial brainstem lesions with a radiological
pattern of glioma represent a very heterogeneous
tumour group with completely different outcomes.
Radiological features alone are not reliable for diagnostic
classification. Stereotactic biopsy is a safe method to
obtain a valid tissue diagnosis, which is indispensible for
treatment decision
Determination of islet cell antibodies using an ELISA system with a preparation of rat insulinoma (RIN A2) cells
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established for the detection of islet cell antibodies in human sera. The antigen was prepared from rat insulinoma (RIN A2) cells. Cells were dissociated in lysis buffer and the lysate was centrifuged at 100,000 x g. The supernatant was used to coat microtiter ELISA plates (10 micrograms protein/ml in PBS pH 7.2). Non-specific binding sites on the plates were blocked with 2% PBS-BSA. Human test sera were preabsorbed on separate plates using 2% PBS-BSA and incubated on precoated plates at an optimal dilution of 1/10 in 60 mM PBS for 60 min at 37 degrees C. Phosphatase-labeled anti-human IgG serum and phosphatase substrate were applied and the reaction was stopped by adding 3 M NaOH. Out of 90 sera from type I diabetic patients, 47 (52.2%) reacted in the new ELISA whereas none of 15 type II diabetics, 50 sera containing non-islet specific antibodies or 100 normal controls were positive. In the same group of patients, ICA were positive in 63.3%. When both, the ELISA and conventional ICA testing were applied, the number of positives was increased to 83%. The ICA-ELISA with the above described antigen preparation provides a well standardized and reproducible test method which is highly specific for type I diabetes. It may therefore be useful for large screening procedures
Scaling and regeneration of self-organized patterns
Biological patterns generated during development and regeneration often scale
with organism size. Some organisms, e.g., flatworms, can regenerate a rescaled
body plan from tissue fragments of varying sizes. Inspired by these examples,
we introduce a generalization of Turing patterns that is self-organized and
self-scaling. A feedback loop involving diffusing expander molecules regulates
the reaction rates of a Turing system, thereby adjusting pattern length scales
proportional to system size. Our model captures essential features of body plan
regeneration in flatworms as observed in experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 3 color figure
The Markovian metamorphosis of a simple turbulent cascade model
Markovian properties of a discrete random multiplicative cascade model of
log-normal type are discussed. After taking small-scale resummation and
breaking of the ultrametric hierarchy into account, qualitative agreement with
Kramers-Moyal coefficients, recently deduced from a fully developed turbulent
flow, is achieved.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure
Cenomanian/Turonian benthic foraminiferal faunas of the Demerara Rise depth transect (ODP Leg 207)
Abstrac
Sensorfusion und Regelung eines Roboters am kontinuierlich bewegten Band
Der Artikel beschreibt die Montage eines Anbauteils an ein kontinuierlich bewegtes
Basisbauteil, dessen Bewegung durch unterschiedliche Sensoren gemessen wird. Dabei
werden u. a. die Ergebnisse einer Bildverarbeitung mit den Auslenkungen eines
nachgiebigen Kraft- Momentensensors fusioniert. Aus den Bahnpunkten wird dann eine
geglättete Solltrajektorie für das Anbauteil bestimmt. Die Regelung des Roboters wird durch
Vorsteuerungen ergänzt, die die dynamischen Verzögerungen und Schwingungen von
Roboter und Endeffektor prädiktiv kompensieren
Making the best of mixed-field orientation of polar molecules: A recipe for achieving adiabatic dynamics in an electrostatic field combined with laser pulses
We have experimentally and theoretically investigated the mixed-field
orientation of rotational-state-selected OCS molecules and we achieve strong
degrees of alignment and orientation. The applied moderately intense nanosecond
laser pulses are long enough to adiabatically align molecules. However, in
combination with a weak dc electric field, the same laser pulses result in
nonadiabatic dynamics in the mixed-field orientation. These observations are
fully explained by calculations employing, both, adiabatic and non-adiabatic
time-dependent models.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
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