Morphological and molecular diagnostics of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Phytoseiulus macropilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

PubMed

Okassa, Mireille; Tixier, Marie-Stéphane; Kreiter, Serge

2010-11-01

This study focuses on the diagnostics of two natural enemy species, belonging to the genus Phytoseiulus in the family Phytoseiidae (sub-family Amblyseiinae): P. macropilis and P. persimilis. These two species are of primary importance in biological control all over the world. However, they are morphologically very similar and specific diagnostics is difficult. This study utilizes mitochondrial molecular markers (12S rRNA and Cytb mtDNA) to differentiate these two species. Morphological analyses showed significant differences between P. persimilis and P. macropilis for 17 morphological characters of the 32 considered. However, despite these significant differences, the ranges of all characters overlap. Only the serration of the macroseta on the basitarsus (StIV) allows the differentiation between P. persimilis and P. macropilis. Despite these small morphological differences, molecular results, for both mitochondrial DNA fragments considered (rRNA and Cytb mtDNA), showed a clear delineation between the specimens of P. macropilis and P. persimilis. This study emphasizes (i) that only one morphological character (serration of the seta StIV) clearly separates these two species, and (ii) the usefulness of an automatical molecular and simple diagnostic tool for accurate differentiation of the two species and ensure the morphological diagnostics. Further studies are proposed, including more DNA sequences especially for P. macropilis.

Small queens and big-headed workers in a monomorphic ponerine ant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Tomonori; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Ohnishi, Hitoshi; Takahashi, Junichi; Nakajima, Yumiko; Tsuji, Kazuki

2008-10-01

Evolution of caste is a central issue in the biology of social insects. Comparative studies on their morphology so far suggest the following three patterns: (1) a positive correlation between queen worker size dimorphism and the divergence in reproductive ability between castes, (2) a negative correlation among workers between morphological diversity and reproductive ability, and (3) a positive correlation between queen worker body shape difference and the diversity in worker morphology. We conducted morphological comparisons between castes in Pachycondyla luteipes, workers of which are monomorphic and lack their reproductive ability. Although the size distribution broadly overlapped, mean head width, head length, and scape length were significantly different between queens and workers. Conversely, in eye length, petiole width, and Weber’s length, the size differences were reversed. The allometries (head length/head width, scape length/head width, and Weber’s length/head width) were also significantly different between queens and workers. Morphological examinations showed that the body shape was different between queens and workers, and the head part of workers was disproportionately larger than that of queens. This pattern of queen worker dimorphism is novel in ants with monomorphic workers and a clear exception to the last pattern. This study suggests that it is possible that the loss of individual-level selection, the lack of reproductive ability, influences morphological modification in ants.

The morphological diversity of dermatoglyphic patterns on fingers: a simple and objective method for measurement.

PubMed

Buchwald, Wiesław

2015-02-01

The paper contains a proposal for a simple way of measuring the morphological diversity of patterns on fingers. The mono/polymorphism index (Imp) is the sum of 45 mutual absolute differences between the numerical values of the patterns depending on their degree of morphological complexity. Wendt's 7-degree scale was used to quantify the patterns. The value Imp=0 denotes monomorphism, i.e., the presence of the same type of pattern on all the fingers of both hands, while high values denote a mosaic of patterns of diverse morphology (polymorphism). Elements of the individual values of the Imp index comprise mutual homolateral differences (10 differences for the fingers of the left hand and 10 differences for the right), on the basis of which an assessment was made between the sides of the body, and additionally 25 heterolateral differences. Generally, greater degree of morphological diversity in patterns is found in males, and on the fingers of the right hand in both sexes. The arithmetic mean of the Imp index differs significantly between males (55.17) and females (52.08). Its values are not directly related to the degree of morphological complexity of patterns included in the Wendt's index. There were found, however, intra-familial connections for this trait. In light of the values of the indices of correlation and association, it may be concluded that there are relatively weak but statistically significant parents-offspring relations, as well as between siblings. An objective way to determine the values of the Imp index would make it possible to use it both for the morphological characterization of dermatoglyphs in different populations and also in clinical, auxological and genetic research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of the skeletal morphology of the temporo-mandibular joint of children and adults.

PubMed

Meng, F; Liu, Y; Hu, K; Zhao, Y; Kong, L; Zhou, S

2008-01-01

The skeletal morphology of the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) is constantly remodeled. A comparative study was undertaken to determine and characterize the differences in the skeletal morphology of TMJ of children and adults. The study was conducted on 30 children cadavers and 30 adult volunteers. Parameters that could reflect TMJ skeletal morphology were measured with a new technology combining helical computed tomography (CT) scan with multi-planar reformation (MPR) imaging. Significant differences between children cadavers and adults were found in the following parameters (P<0.05): Condylar axis inclination, smallest area of condylar neck/largest area of condylar process, inclination of anterior slope in inner, middle, and outer one-third of condyle, anteroposterior/mediolateral dimension of condyle, length of anterior slope/posterior slope in inner and middle one-third of condyle, anteroposterior dimension of condyle/glenoid fossa, mediolateral dimension of condyle/glenoid fossa, inclination of anterior slope of glenoid fossa, depth of glenoid fossa, and anteroposterior/mediolateral dimension of glenoid fossa. There are significant differences of TMJ skeletal morphology between children and adults.

Evaluation of nuclear unrest and p53 immunostaining in Wilms' tumor.

PubMed

Salama, Asmaa; Kamel, Ahmad

2011-03-01

Nuclear unrest is a term applied to Wilms' tumors (WT) that show nuclear abnormalities close to anaplasia but without abnormal mitoses. p53 is claimed to be associated with anaplasia and poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical significance of nuclear unrest and p53 immunostaining in Wilms' tumor. This is a retrospective study of 63 patients who presented at NCI with Wilms' tumors, and underwent preoperative chemotherapy followed by nephrectomy. Histopathologic assessment and p53 immunohistochemistry were done. WT with nuclear unrest grade III closely resembled anaplastic tumors and both of them (group 1) constituted 19% of cases. Group 1 constituted 29% of cases showing blastema dominant morphology compared to 9.4% of cases without blastema dominant morphology with significant statistical difference (p=0.047). Almost 83% of cases that achieved 1st complete remission were stages I, II and III, while 17% were stages IV and V with significant statistical difference (p<0.001). Stage affected the 3-year relapse-free-survival (RFS) significantly (p=0.014) as it was more in stages I, II and III than in stages IV and V (75.4% versus 50%). Blastema dominant morphology and high risk state significantly lowered the 3-year overall survival (OS) into 54.8% in comparison to 80.9% for cases with non-blastema dominant morphology (p=0.042). Regarding p53 immunohistochemistry, group 1 tumors showed positive p53 more than group 2 with significant statistical difference (p=0.014). p53 Positive immunostaining was significantly associated with high risk nephroblastoma (p=0.004). Tumor stage and blastema dominant morphology are potent prognostic factors. p53 is linked to blastema dominant morphology. WT with nuclear unrest grade III closely resembles anaplastic WT. It may be appropriate to group tumors with nuclear unrest grade III with anaplastic histology regarding treatment stratification. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Exposure to coal combustion residues during metamorphosis elevates corticosterone content and adversely affects oral morphology, growth, and development in Rana sphenocephala

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, J.D.; Peterson, V.A.; Mendonca, M.T.

Coal combustion residues (CCRs) are documented to negatively impact oral morphology, growth, and development in larval amphibians. It is currently unclear what physiological mechanisms may mediate these effects. Corticosterone, a glucocorticoid hormone, is a likely mediator because when administered exogenously it, like CCRs, also negatively influences oral morphology, growth, and development in larval amphibians. In an attempt to identify if corticosterone mediates these effects, we raised larval Southern Leopard Frogs, Rana sphenocephala, on either sand or CCR substrate and documented effects of sediment type on whole body corticosterone, oral morphology, and time to and mass at key metamorphic stages. Coalmore » combustion residue treated tadpoles contained significantly more corticosterone than controls throughout metamorphosis. However, significantly more oral abnormalities occurred early in metamorphosis when differences in corticosterone levels between treatments were minimal. Overall, CCR-treated tadpoles took significantly more time to transition between key stages and gained less mass between stages than controls, but these differences between treatments decreased during later stages when corticosterone differences between treatments were greatest. Our results suggest endogenous increase in corticosterone content and its influence on oral morphology, growth and development is more complex than previously thought.« less

Cryptic or pseudocryptic: can morphological methods inform copepod taxonomy? An analysis of publications and a case study of the Eurytemora affinis species complex

PubMed Central

Lajus, Dmitry; Sukhikh, Natalia; Alekseev, Victor

2015-01-01

Interest in cryptic species has increased significantly with current progress in genetic methods. The large number of cryptic species suggests that the resolution of traditional morphological techniques may be insufficient for taxonomical research. However, some species now considered to be cryptic may, in fact, be designated pseudocryptic after close morphological examination. Thus the “cryptic or pseudocryptic” dilemma speaks to the resolution of morphological analysis and its utility for identifying species. We address this dilemma first by systematically reviewing data published from 1980 to 2013 on cryptic species of Copepoda and then by performing an in-depth morphological study of the former Eurytemora affinis complex of cryptic species. Analyzing the published data showed that, in 5 of 24 revisions eligible for systematic review, cryptic species assignment was based solely on the genetic variation of forms without detailed morphological analysis to confirm the assignment. Therefore, some newly described cryptic species might be designated pseudocryptic under more detailed morphological analysis as happened with Eurytemora affinis complex. Recent genetic analyses of the complex found high levels of heterogeneity without morphological differences; it is argued to be cryptic. However, next detailed morphological analyses allowed to describe a number of valid species. Our study, using deep statistical analyses usually not applied for new species describing, of this species complex confirmed considerable differences between former cryptic species. In particular, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the random variation of left and right structures, was significantly different between forms and provided independent information about their status. Our work showed that multivariate statistical approaches, such as principal component analysis, can be powerful techniques for the morphological discrimination of cryptic taxons. Despite increasing cryptic species designations, morphological techniques have great potential in determining copepod taxonomy. PMID:26120427

Leukemia in Iran: Epidemiology and Morphology Trends.

PubMed

Koohi, Fatemeh; Salehiniya, Hamid; Shamlou, Reza; Eslami, Soheyla; Ghojogh, Ziyaeddin Mahery; Kor, Yones; Rafiemanesh, Hosein

2015-01-01

Leukemia accounts for 8% of total cancer cases and involves all age groups with different prevalence and incidence rates in Iran and the entire world and causes a significant death toll and heavy expenses for diagnosis and treatment processes. This study was done to evaluate epidemiology and morphology of blood cancer during 2003-2008. This cross- sectional study was carried out based on re- analysis of the Cancer Registry Center report of the Health Deputy in Iran during a 6-year period (2003 - 2008). Statistical analysis for incidence time trends and morphology change percentage was performed with joinpoint regression analysis using the software Joinpoint Regression Program. During the studied years a total of 18,353 hematopoietic and reticuloendothelial system cancers were recorded. Chi square test showed significant difference between sex and morphological types of blood cancer (P-value<0.001). Joinpoint analysis showed a significant increasing trend for the adjusted standard incidence rate (ASIR) for both sexes (P-value<0.05). Annual percent changes (APC) for women and men were 18.7 and 19.9, respectively. The most common morphological blood cancers were ALL, ALM, MM and CLL which accounted for 60% of total hematopoietic system cancers. Joinpoint analyze showed a significant decreasing trend for ALM in both sexes (P-value<0.05). Hematopoietic system cancers in Iran demonstrate an increasing trend for incidence rate and decreasing trend for ALL, ALM and CLL morphology.

Efficacy of evaluation of rooster sperm morphology using different staining methods.

PubMed

Lukaszewicz, E; Jerysz, A; Partyka, A; Siudzińska, A

2008-12-01

This work focused on inexpensive methods of evaluation fowl sperm morphology, based on eosin-nigrosin smears, which can determine disorders in spermatogenesis and can be recommended for evaluating the fertilising potency and selecting males in flocks reproduced by artificial insemination. Four fowl breeds (Black Minorca, Italian Partridge, Forwerk and Greenleg Partridge) were used to determine the efficacy of sperm morphology evaluation using four eosin-nigrosin staining methods (according to Blom, Bakst and Cecil, Morisson, Jaśkowski) and three examiners of different experience (high, medium, novice). There were significant (P< or = 0.01) differences in sperm morphology between Blom's staining method and those of Bakst and Cecil, Morisson or Jaśkowski, irrespective of fowl breed and examiners experience. Blom stain caused sperm head swelling and showed a drastic reduction in the proportion of live spermatozoa with normal morphology. The staining method had a greater influence on sperm morphology evaluation than the experience of the examiners.

Graphene-Like 2D Porous Carbon Nanosheets Derived from Cornstalk Pith for Energy Storage Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Kezheng; Niu, Qingyuan; Tang, Qiheng; Guo, Yaqing; Wang, Lizhen

2018-01-01

Biomass materials from different organisms or different parts (even different periods) of the same organism have different microscopic morphologies, hierarchical pore structures and even elemental compositions. Therefore, carbon materials inheriting the unique hierarchical microstructure of different biomass materials may exhibit significantly different electrochemical properties. Cornstalk pith and cornstalk skin (dried by freeze-drying) exhibit significantly different microstructures due to their different biological functions. The cornstalk skin-based carbon (S-carbon) exhibits a thick planar morphology, and the Barrett-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area is only about 332.07 m2 g-1. However, cornstalk pith-based carbon (P-carbon) exhibits a graphene-like 2D porous nanosheet structure with a rough, wrinkled morphology, and the BET surface area is about 805.17 m2 g-1. In addition, a P-carbon supercapacitor exhibits much higher specific capacitance and much better rate capability than an S-carbon supercapacitor in 6 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte.

Express yourself: bold individuals induce enhanced morphological defences

PubMed Central

Hulthén, Kaj; Chapman, Ben B.; Nilsson, P. Anders; Hollander, Johan; Brönmark, Christer

2014-01-01

Organisms display an impressive array of defence strategies in nature. Inducible defences (changes in morphology and/or behaviour within a prey's lifetime) allow prey to decrease vulnerability to predators and avoid unnecessary costs of expression. Many studies report considerable interindividual variation in the degree to which inducible defences are expressed, yet what underlies this variation is poorly understood. Here, we show that individuals differing in a key personality trait also differ in the magnitude of morphological defence expression. Crucian carp showing risky behaviours (bold individuals) expressed a significantly greater morphological defence response when exposed to a natural enemy when compared with shy individuals. Furthermore, we show that fish of different personality types differ in their behavioural plasticity, with shy fish exhibiting greater absolute plasticity than bold fish. Our data suggest that individuals with bold personalities may be able to compensate for their risk-prone behavioural type by expressing enhanced morphological defences. PMID:24335987

Variation in tooth morphology of Gorilla gorilla.

PubMed

Uchida, A

1998-01-01

Gorilla gorilla exemplifies a species that shows considerable variation in habitat, behaviour, genetic structure and morphology. This study examines variation of dental morphology in gorillas. Despite the marked size dimorphism, there are no significant shape differences between the sexes within subspecies. Differences in dental morphology, including tooth cusp proportions between the western G. g. gorilla and the eastern G. g. beringei are considerable. Although more similar to G. g. beringei than to the western G. g. gorilla, G. g. graueri also shows distinct morphological features. This indicates that the morphology of G. g. graueri is not merely intermediate, and genetic isolation between the two eastern subspecies could have had a substantial influence. Such extensive variation in dental morphology in Gorilla gorilla can be considered to be the result of an interesting combination of factors, including local dietary adaptations.

Atypical nucleus accumbens morphology in psychopathy: another limbic piece in the puzzle.

PubMed

Boccardi, Marina; Bocchetta, Martina; Aronen, Hannu J; Repo-Tiihonen, Eila; Vaurio, Olli; Thompson, Paul M; Tiihonen, Jari; Frisoni, Giovanni B

2013-01-01

Psychopathy has been associated with increased putamen and striatum volumes. The nucleus accumbens - a key structure in reversal learning, less effective in psychopathy - has not yet received specific attention. Moreover, basal ganglia morphology has never been explored. We examined the morphology of the caudate, putamen and accumbens, manually segmented from magnetic resonance images of 26 offenders (age: 32.5 ± 8.4) with medium-high psychopathy (mean PCL-R=30 ± 5) and 25 healthy controls (age: 34.6 ± 10.8). Local differences were statistically modeled using a surface-based radial distance mapping method (p<0.05; multiple comparisons correction through permutation tests). In psychopathy, the caudate and putamen had normal global volume, but different morphology, significant after correction for multiple comparisons, for the right dorsal putamen (permutation test: p=0.02). The volume of the nucleus accumbens was 13% smaller in psychopathy (p corrected for multiple comparisons <0.006). The atypical morphology consisted of predominant anterior hypotrophy bilaterally (10-30%). Caudate and putamen local morphology displayed negative correlation with the lifestyle factor of the PCL-R (permutation test: p=0.05 and 0.03). From these data, psychopathy appears to be associated with an atypical striatal morphology, with highly significant global and local differences of the accumbens. This is consistent with the clinical syndrome and with theories of limbic involvement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial structure of morphological and neutral genetic variation in Brook Trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kazyak, David C.; Hilderbrand, Robert H.; Keller, Stephen R.; Colaw, Mark C.; Holloway, Amanda E.; Morgan, Raymond P.; King, Timothy L.

2015-01-01

Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis exhibit exceptional levels of life history variation, remarkable genetic variability, and fine-scale population structure. In many cases, neighboring populations may be highly differentiated from one another to an extent that is comparable with species-level distinctions in other taxa. Although genetic samples have been collected from hundreds of populations and tens of thousands of individuals, little is known about whether differentiation at neutral markers reflects phenotypic differences among Brook Trout populations. We compared differentiation in morphology and neutral molecular markers among populations from four geographically proximate locations (all within 24 km) to examine how genetic diversity covaries with morphology. We found significant differences among and/or within streams for all three morphological axes examined and identified the source stream of many individuals based on morphology (52.3% classification efficiency). Although molecular and morphological differentiation among streams ranged considerably (mean pairwise FST: 0.023–0.264; pairwise PST: 0.000–0.339), the two measures were not significantly correlated. While in some cases morphological characters appear to have diverged to a greater extent than expected by neutral genetic drift, many traits were conserved to a greater extent than were neutral genetic markers. Thus, while Brook Trout exhibit fine-scale spatial patterns in both morphology and neutral genetic diversity, these types of biological variabilities are being structured by different ecological and evolutionary processes. The relative influences of genetic drift versus selection and phenotypic plasticity in shaping morphology appear to vary among populations occupying nearby streams.

Carbon nanowall scaffold to control culturing of cervical cancer cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Hitoshi; Kondo, Hiroki; Okamoto, Yukihiro; Hiramatsu, Mineo; Sekine, Makoto; Baba, Yoshinobu; Hori, Masaru

2014-12-01

The effect of carbon nanowalls (CNWs) on the culturing rate and morphological control of cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) was investigated. CNWs with different densities were grown using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and subjected to post-growth plasma treatment for modification of the surface terminations. Although the surface wettability of the CNWs was not significantly dependent on the CNW densities, the cell culturing rates were significantly dependent. Morphological changes of the cells were not significantly dependent on the density of CNWs. These results indicate that plasma-induced surface morphology and chemical terminations enable nanobio applications using carbon nanomaterials.

Separability of Lexical and Morphological Knowledge: Evidence from Language Minority Children

PubMed Central

Shahar-Yames, Daphna; Eviatar, Zohar; Prior, Anat

2018-01-01

Lexical and morphological knowledge of school-aged children are correlated with each other, and are often difficult to distinguish. One reason for this might be that many tasks currently used to assess morphological knowledge require children to inflect or derive real words in the language, thus recruiting their vocabulary knowledge. The current study investigated the possible separability of lexical and morphological knowledge using two complementary approaches. First, we examined the correlations between vocabulary and four morphological tasks tapping different aspects of morphological processing and awareness, and using either real-word or pseudo-word stimuli. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that different morphological tasks recruit lexical knowledge to various degrees. Second, we compared the Hebrew vocabulary and morphological knowledge of 5th grade language minority speaking children to that of their native speaking peers. This comparison allows us to ask whether reduced exposure to the societal language might differentially influence vocabulary and morphological knowledge. The results demonstrate that indeed different morphological tasks rely on lexical knowledge to varying degrees. In addition, language minority students had significantly lower performance in vocabulary and in morphological tasks that recruited vocabulary knowledge to a greater extent. In contrast, both groups performed similarly in abstract morphological tasks with a lower vocabulary load. These results demonstrate that lexical and morphological knowledge may rely on partially separable learning mechanisms, and highlight the importance of distinguishing between these two linguistic components. PMID:29515486

Three-dimensional analysis of facial morphology.

PubMed

Liu, Yun; Kau, Chung How; Talbert, Leslie; Pan, Feng

2014-09-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate sexual dimorphism for facial features within Chinese and African American populations and to compare the facial morphology by sex between these 2 populations. Three-dimensional facial images were acquired by using the portable 3dMDface System, which captured 189 subjects from 2 population groups of Chinese (n = 72) and African American (n = 117). Each population was categorized into male and female groups for evaluation. All subjects in the groups were aged between 18 and 30 years and had no apparent facial anomalies. A total of 23 anthropometric landmarks were identified on the three-dimensional faces of each subject. Twenty-one measurements in 4 regions, including 19 distances and 2 angles, were not only calculated but also compared within and between the Chinese and African American populations. The Student's t-test was used to analyze each data set obtained within each subgroup. Distinct facial differences were presented between the examined subgroups. When comparing the sex differences of facial morphology in the Chinese population, significant differences were noted in 71.43% of the parameters calculated, and the same proportion was found in the African American group. The facial morphologic differences between the Chinese and African American populations were evaluated by sex. The proportion of significant differences in the parameters calculated was 90.48% for females and 95.24% for males between the 2 populations. The African American population had a more convex profile and greater face width than those of the Chinese population. Sexual dimorphism for facial features was presented in both the Chinese and African American populations. In addition, there were significant differences in facial morphology between these 2 populations.

Polymorphisms of blood forms and in vitro metacyclogenesis of Trypanosoma cruzi I, II, and IV.

PubMed

Abegg, Camila Piva; Abreu, Ana Paula de; Silva, Juliane Lopes da; Araújo, Silvana Marques de; Gomes, Mônica Lúcia; Ferreira, Érika Cristina; Toledo, Max Jean de Ornelas

2017-05-01

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of American trypanosomiasis has broad biological and genetic diversity. Remaining to be studied are polymorphisms of the blood forms and metacyclogenesis of different T. cruzi discrete typing units (DTUs). Our goal was to evaluate the relationship between T. cruzi DTUs, the morphology of blood trypomastigotes, and in vitro metacyclogenesis. T. cruzi strains that pertained to DTUs TcI, TcII, and TcIV from different Brazilian states were used. Parameters that were related to the morphology of eight strains were assessed in thin blood smears that were obtained from mice that were inoculated with blood or culture forms, depending on strain. The metacyclogenesis of 12 strains was measured using smears with Liver Infusion Tryptose culture medium and M16 culture medium (which is poor in nutrients and has a low pH) at the exponential phase of growth, both stained with Giemsa. The morphological pattern of TcII strains was consistent with broad forms of the parasite. In TcIV strains, slender forms predominated. The Y strain (TcII) was morphologically more similar to TcIV. Significant differences in polymorphisms were observed between DTUs. Metacyclogenesis parameters, although displaying large standard deviations, differed between the DTUs, with the following descending rank order: TcII > TcI > TcIV. The mean numbers of metacyclic trypomastigotes for TcII were significantly higher than the other DTUs. Although the DTUs presented overlapping characteristics, the general pattern was that different DTUs exhibited significantly different morphologies and metacyclogenesis, suggesting that the genetic diversity of T. cruzi could be related to parameters that are associated with the evolution of infection in mammalian hosts and its ability to disperse in nature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A geometric morphometric analysis of hominin upper premolars. Shape variation and morphological integration.

PubMed

Gómez-Robles, Aida; Martinón-Torres, María; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Prado-Simón, Leyre; Arsuaga, Juan Luis

2011-12-01

This paper continues the series of articles initiated in 2006 that analyse hominin dental crown morphology by means of geometric morphometric techniques. The detailed study of both upper premolar occlusal morphologies in a comprehensive sample of hominin fossils, including those coming from the Gran Dolina-TD6 and Sima de los Huesos sites from Atapuerca, Spain, complement previous works on lower first and second premolars and upper first molars. A morphological gradient consisting of the change from asymmetric to symmetric upper premolars and a marked reduction of the lingual cusp in recent Homo species has been observed in both premolars. Although percentages of correct classification based on upper premolar morphologies are not very high, significant morphological differences between Neanderthals (and European middle Pleistocene fossils) and modern humans have been identified, especially in upper second premolars. The study of morphological integration between premolar morphologies reveals significant correlations that are weaker between upper premolars than between lower ones and significant correlations between antagonists. These results have important implications for understanding the genetic and functional factors underlying dental phenotypic variation and covariation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative and Qualitative Differences in Morphological Traits Revealed between Diploid Fragaria Species

PubMed Central

SARGENT, DANIEL J.; GEIBEL, M.; HAWKINS, J. A.; WILKINSON, M. J.; BATTEY, N. H.; SIMPSON, D. W.

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims The aims of this investigation were to highlight the qualitative and quantitative diversity apparent between nine diploid Fragaria species and produce interspecific populations segregating for a large number of morphological characters suitable for quantitative trait loci analysis. • Methods A qualitative comparison of eight described diploid Fragaria species was performed and measurements were taken of 23 morphological traits from 19 accessions including eight described species and one previously undescribed species. A principal components analysis was performed on 14 mathematically unrelated traits from these accessions, which partitioned the species accessions into distinct morphological groups. Interspecific crosses were performed with accessions of species that displayed significant quantitative divergence and, from these, populations that should segregate for a range of quantitative traits were raised. • Key Results Significant differences between species were observed for all 23 morphological traits quantified and three distinct groups of species accessions were observed after the principal components analysis. Interspecific crosses were performed between these groups, and F2 and backcross populations were raised that should segregate for a range of morphological characters. In addition, the study highlighted a number of distinctive morphological characters in many of the species studied. • Conclusions Diploid Fragaria species are morphologically diverse, yet remain highly interfertile, making the group an ideal model for the study of the genetic basis of phenotypic differences between species through map-based investigation using quantitative trait loci. The segregating interspecific populations raised will be ideal for such investigations and could also provide insights into the nature and extent of genome evolution within this group. PMID:15469944

Analysis of corneal endothelial cell density and morphology after laser in situ keratomileusis using two types of femtosecond lasers

PubMed Central

Tomita, Minoru; Waring, George O; Watabe, Miyuki

2012-01-01

Purpose To compare two different femtosecond lasers used for flap creation during laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery in terms of their effects on the corneal endothelium. Methods We performed LASIK surgery on 254 eyes of 131 patients using IntraLase FS60 (Abbott Medical Optics, Inc, Irvine, CA; IntraLase group) and 254 eyes of 136 patients using Femto LDV (Ziemer Group AG, Port, Switzerland; LDV group) for corneal flap creation. The mean cell density, coefficient of variation, and hexagonality of the corneal endothelial cells were determined and the results were statistically compared. Results There were no statistically significant differences in the corneal morphology between pre and post LASIK results in each group, nor were there significant differences between the results of both groups at 3 months post LASIK. Conclusions Both IntraLase FS60 and Ziemer Femto LDV are able to create flaps without significant adverse effects on the corneal endothelial morphology through 3 months after LASIK surgery. PMID:23055680

A Multivariate Analysis of Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Facial Skeletal Morphology.

PubMed

Starbuck, John M; Ghoneima, Ahmed; Kula, Katherine

2015-07-01

Unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) occurs when the maxillary and nasal facial prominences fail to fuse correctly during development, resulting in a palatal cleft and clefted soft and hard tissues of the dentoalveolus. The UCLP deformity may compromise an individual's ability to eat, chew, and speak. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 7-17-year-old individuals born with UCLP (n = 24) and age- and sex-matched controls (n = 24) were assessed. Coordinate values of three-dimensional anatomical landmarks (n = 32) were recorded from each CBCT image. Data were evaluated using principal coordinates analysis (PCOORD) and Euclidean distance matrix analysis (EDMA). Approximately 40% of morphometric variation is captured by PCOORD axes 1-3, and the negative and positive ends of each axis are associated with specific patterns of morphological differences. Approximately 36% of facial skeletal measures significantly differ by confidence interval testing (α = 0.10) between samples. Although significant form differences occur across the facial skeleton, strong patterns of morphological differences were localized to the lateral and superioinferior aspects of the nasal aperture, particularly on the clefted side of the face. The UCLP deformity strongly influences facial skeletal morphology of the midface and oronasal facial regions, and to a lesser extent the upper and lower facial skeletons. The pattern of strong morphological differences in the oronasal region combined with differences across the facial complex suggests that craniofacial bones are integrated and covary, despite influences from the congenital cleft.

Assessment of the effect of prolonged forced swimming on CD-1 mice sperm morphology with and without antioxidant supplementation.

PubMed

Rodriguez, I; Diaz, A; Vaamonde, D

2016-04-01

As physical exercise has been shown to negatively affect sperm morphology, this study was undertaken to assess the effect of a 3-min forced swimming protocol during 50 days, with and without administration of antioxidants [N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and trans-resveratrol], on sperm morphology in CD-1 mice. Forty-four 13-week-old CD-1 mice were randomly allocated to four different groups: mice not submitted to exercise, control group (CG), mice submitted to swimming without administration of antioxidants (EX), mice submitted to swimming that received trans-resveratrol supplementation [exercise group (EX)+Resv] and mice submitted to swimming exercise that received NAC supplementation (EX+NAC). The EX showed 30.5% of spermatozoa with normal morphology, showing significant differences with regard to the CG, which showed 58.5%. The groups receiving antioxidant supplements showed significantly higher percentages of spermatozoa with normal morphology in comparison with the EX group (EX+Resv: 64.1%, EX+NAC: 48.2%). The imposed model of forced swimming caused alterations in sperm morphology. The antioxidants employed seem to be suitable antioxidants for avoiding exercise-associated sperm morphology anomalies in prolonged forced swimming exercise. Trans-resveratrol has proven to be more efficient for this purpose. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Breast cancer pathology: the impact of molecular taxonomy on morphological taxonomy.

PubMed

Masuda, Shinobu

2012-05-01

The concept of having an 'intrinsic subtype,' or a molecular taxonomy, lets us clearly recognize that breast cancers have characteristically different patterns of gene expression, thus giving newfound significance to morphological taxonomy. In this review, the concept of the 'intrinsic subtype' is discussed, research questions are introduced to refine the significance of morphological taxonomy, and a corresponding example is presented between microarray analysis and 'immunohistochemical subtype,' or histological taxonomy. © 2012 The Author. Pathology International © 2012 Japanese Society of Pathology and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Non-invasive metabolomic profiling of embryo culture media and morphology grading to predict implantation outcome in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

PubMed

Li, Xiong; Xu, Yan; Fu, Jing; Zhang, Wen-Bi; Liu, Su-Ying; Sun, Xiao-Xi

2015-11-01

Assessment of embryo viability is a crucial component of in vitro fertilization and currently relies largely on embryo morphology and cleavage rate. Because morphological assessment remains highly subjective, it can be unreliable in predicting embryo viability. This study investigated the metabolomic profiling of embryo culture media using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for predicting the implantation potential of human embryos in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Spent embryo culture media was collected on day 4 after thawed embryo transfer (n = 621) and analysed using NIR spectroscopy. Viability scores were calculated using a predictive multivariate algorithm of fresh embryos with known pregnancy outcomes. The mean viability indices of embryos resulting in clinical pregnancy following FET were significantly higher than those of non-implanted embryos and differed between the 0, 50, and 100 % implantation groups. Notably, the 0 % group index was significantly lower than the 100 % implantation group index (-0.787 ± 0.382 vs. 1.064 ± 0.331, P < 0.01). To predict implantation outcomes, we examined the area under the ROC curve (AUCROC), which was significantly higher for the viability than for the morphology score (0.94 vs. 0.55; P < 0.01); however, the AUCROCs for the composite and viability scores did not differ significantly (0.92 vs. 0.94; P > 0.05). NIR metabolomic profiling of thawed embryo culture media is independent of morphology and correlates with embryo implantation potential in FET cycles. The viability score alone or in conjunction with morphologic grading is a more objective marker for implantation outcome in FET cycles than morphology alone.

Inheritance of Occlusal Topography: A Twin Study

PubMed Central

Su, C-Y.; Corby, P.M.; Elliot, M.A.; Studen-Pavlovich, D.A.; Ranalli, D.N.; Rosa, B.; Wessel, J.; Schork, N.J.; Hart, T.C.; Bretz, W.A.

2011-01-01

Aim This was to determine the relative contribution of genetic factors on the morphology of occlusal surfaces of mandibular primary first molars by employing the twin study model. Methods The occlusal morphology of mandibular primary first molar teeth from dental casts of 9 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and 12 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs 4 to 7 years old, were digitized by contact-type three-dimensional (3D) scanner. To compare the similarity of occlusal morphology between twin sets, each twin pair of occlusal surfaces was superimposed to establish the best fit by using computerized least squared techniques. Heritability was computed using a variance component model, adjusted for age and gender. Results DZ pairs demonstrated a greater degree of occlusal morphology variance. The total amount of difference in surface overlap was 0.0508 mm (0.0018 (inches) for the MZ (n=18) sample and 0.095 mm (0.0034 inches) for the DZ (n=24) sample and were not statistically significant (p=0.2203). The transformed mean differences were not statistically significantly different (p=0.2203). Heritability estimates of occlusal surface areas for right and left mandibular primary first molars were 97.5% and 98.2% (p<0.0001), respectively. Conclusions Occlusal morphology of DZ twin pairs was more variable than that of MZ twin pairs. Heritability estimates revealed that genetic factors strongly influence occlusal morphology of mandibular primary first molars. PMID:18328234

Sex differences of gray matter morphology in cortico-limbic-striatal neural system in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Kong, Lingtao; Chen, Kaiyuan; Womer, Fay; Jiang, Wenyan; Luo, Xingguang; Driesen, Naomi; Liu, Jie; Blumberg, Hilary; Tang, Yanqing; Xu, Ke; Wang, Fei

2013-06-01

Sex differences are observed in both epidemiological and clinical aspects of major depressive disorder (MDD). The cortico-limbic-striatal neural system, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and striatum, have shown sexually dimorphic morphological features and have been implicated in the dysfunctional regulation of mood and emotion in MDD. In this study, we utilized a whole-brain, voxel-based approach to examine sex differences in the regional distribution of gray matter (GM) morphological abnormalities in medication-naïve participants with MDD. Participants included 29 medication-naïve individuals with MDD (16 females and 13 males) and 33 healthy controls (HC) (17 females and 16 males). Gray matter morphology of the cortico-limbic-striatal neural system was examined using voxel-based morphometry analyzes of high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. The main effect of diagnosis and interaction effect of diagnosis by sex on GM morphology were statistically significant (p < 0.05, corrected) in the left ventral prefrontal cortex, right amygdala, right hippocampus and bilateral caudate when comparing the MDD and HC groups. Posthoc analyzes showed that females with MDD had significant GM decreases in limbic regions (p < 0.05, corrected), compared to female HC; while males with MDD demonstrated significant GM reduction in striatal regions, (p < 0.05, corrected), compared to HC males. The observed sex-related patterns of abnormalities within the cortico-limbic-strial neural system, such as predominant prefrontal-limbic abnormalities in MDD females vs. predominant prefrontal-striatal abnormalities in MDD males, suggest differences in neural circuitry that may mediate sex differences in the clinical presentation of MDD and potential targets for sex-differentiated treatment of the disorder. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative SEM and LM foliar epidermal and palyno-morphological studies of Amaranthaceae and its taxonomic implications.

PubMed

Hussain, Amara Noor; Zafar, Muhammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Khan, Raees; Yaseen, Ghulam; Khan, Muhammad Saleem; Nazir, Abdul; Khan, Amir Muhammad; Shaheen, Shabnum

2018-05-01

Palynological features as well as comparative foliar epidermal using light and scanning electron microscope (SEM) of 17 species (10genera) of Amaranthaceae have been studied for its taxonomic significance. Different foliar and palynological micro-morphological characters were examined to explain their value in resolving the difficulty in identification. All species were amphistomatic but stomata on abaxial surface were more abundant. Taxonomically significant epidermal character including stomata type, trichomes (unicellular, multicellular, and capitate) and epidermal cells shapes (polygonal and irregular) were also observed. Pollens of this family are Polypantoporate, pores large, spheroidal, mesoporous region is sparsely to scabrate, densely psilate, and spinulose. All these characters can be active at species level for identification purpose. This study indicates that at different taxonomic levels, LM and SEM pollen and epidermal morphology is explanatory and significant to identify species and genera. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of morphology on survival for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Europe and the United States.

PubMed

Sant, Milena; Allemani, Claudia; De Angelis, Roberta; Carbone, Antonino; de Sanjosè, Silvia; Gianni, Alessandro M; Giraldo, Pilar; Marchesi, Francesca; Marcos-Gragera, Rafael; Martos-Jiménez, Carmen; Maynadié, Marc; Raphael, Martine; Berrino, Franco

2008-03-01

We explored the influence of morphology on geographic differences in 5-year survival for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) diagnosed in 1990-1994 and followed for 5years: 16,955 cases from 27 EUROCARE-3 cancer registries, and 22,713 cases from 9 US SEER registries. Overall 5-year relative survival was 56.1% in EUROCARE west, 47.1% in EUROCARE east and 56.3% in SEER. Relative excess risk (RER) of death was 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.10) in EUROCARE west, 1.52 (95% CI 1.44-1.60) in EUROCARE east (SEER reference). Excess risk of death was significantly above reference (diffuse B lymphoma) for Burkitt's and NOS lymphoma; not different for lymphoblastic and other T-cell; significantly below reference (in the order of decreasing relative excess risk) for NHL NOS, mantle cell/centrocytic, lymphoplasmacytic, follicular, small lymphocytic/chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, other specified NHL and cutaneous morphologies. Interpretation of marked variation in survival with morphology is complicated by classification inconsistencies. The completeness and standardisation of cancer registry morphology data needs to be improved.

Investigating Methodological Differences in the Assessment of Dendritic Morphology of Basolateral Amygdala Principal Neurons-A Comparison of Golgi-Cox and Neurobiotin Electroporation Techniques.

PubMed

Klenowski, Paul M; Wright, Sophie E; Mu, Erica W H; Noakes, Peter G; Lavidis, Nickolas A; Bartlett, Selena E; Bellingham, Mark C; Fogarty, Matthew J

2017-12-19

Quantitative assessments of neuronal subtypes in numerous brain regions show large variations in dendritic arbor size. A critical experimental factor is the method used to visualize neurons. We chose to investigate quantitative differences in basolateral amygdala (BLA) principal neuron morphology using two of the most common visualization methods: Golgi-Cox staining and neurobiotin (NB) filling. We show in 8-week-old Wistar rats that NB-filling reveals significantly larger dendritic arbors and different spine densities, compared to Golgi-Cox-stained BLA neurons. Our results demonstrate important differences and provide methodological insights into quantitative disparities of BLA principal neuron morphology reported in the literature.

Local versus Generalized Phenotypes in Two Sympatric Aurelia Species: Understanding Jellyfish Ecology Using Genetics and Morphometrics

PubMed Central

Chiaverano, Luciano M.; Bayha, Keith W.; Graham, William M.

2016-01-01

For individuals living in environmentally heterogeneous environments, a key component for adaptation and persistence is the extent of phenotypic differentiation in response to local environmental conditions. In order to determine the extent of environmentally induced morphological variation in a natural population distributed along environmental gradients, it is necessary to account for potential genetic differences contributing to morphological differentiation. In this study, we set out to quantify geographic morphological variation in the moon jellyfish Aurelia exposed at the extremes of a latitudinal environmental gradient in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We used morphological data based on 28 characters, and genetic data taken from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1). Molecular analyses revealed the presence of two genetically distinct species of Aurelia co-occurring in the GoM: Aurelia sp. 9 and Aurelia c.f. sp. 2, named for its divergence from (for COI) and similarity to (for ITS-1) Aurelia sp. 2 (Brazil). Neither species exhibited significant population genetic structure between the Northern and the Southeastern Gulf of Mexico; however, they differed greatly in the degree of geographic morphological variation. The morphology of Aurelia sp. 9 exhibited ecophenotypic plasticity and varied significantly between locations, while morphology of Aurelia c.f. sp. 2 was geographically invariant (i.e., canalized). The plastic, generalist medusae of Aurelia sp. 9 are likely able to produce environmentally-induced, “optimal” phenotypes that confer high relative fitness in different environments. In contrast, the non-plastic generalist individuals of Aurelia c.f. sp. 2 likely produce environmentally-independent phenotypes that provide the highest fitness across environments. These findings suggest the two Aurelia lineages co-occurring in the GoM were likely exposed to different past environmental conditions (i.e., different selective pressures) and evolved different strategies to cope with environmental variation. This study highlights the importance of using genetics and morphometric data to understand jellyfish ecology, evolution and systematics. PMID:27332545

Local versus Generalized Phenotypes in Two Sympatric Aurelia Species: Understanding Jellyfish Ecology Using Genetics and Morphometrics.

PubMed

Chiaverano, Luciano M; Bayha, Keith W; Graham, William M

2016-01-01

For individuals living in environmentally heterogeneous environments, a key component for adaptation and persistence is the extent of phenotypic differentiation in response to local environmental conditions. In order to determine the extent of environmentally induced morphological variation in a natural population distributed along environmental gradients, it is necessary to account for potential genetic differences contributing to morphological differentiation. In this study, we set out to quantify geographic morphological variation in the moon jellyfish Aurelia exposed at the extremes of a latitudinal environmental gradient in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We used morphological data based on 28 characters, and genetic data taken from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1). Molecular analyses revealed the presence of two genetically distinct species of Aurelia co-occurring in the GoM: Aurelia sp. 9 and Aurelia c.f. sp. 2, named for its divergence from (for COI) and similarity to (for ITS-1) Aurelia sp. 2 (Brazil). Neither species exhibited significant population genetic structure between the Northern and the Southeastern Gulf of Mexico; however, they differed greatly in the degree of geographic morphological variation. The morphology of Aurelia sp. 9 exhibited ecophenotypic plasticity and varied significantly between locations, while morphology of Aurelia c.f. sp. 2 was geographically invariant (i.e., canalized). The plastic, generalist medusae of Aurelia sp. 9 are likely able to produce environmentally-induced, "optimal" phenotypes that confer high relative fitness in different environments. In contrast, the non-plastic generalist individuals of Aurelia c.f. sp. 2 likely produce environmentally-independent phenotypes that provide the highest fitness across environments. These findings suggest the two Aurelia lineages co-occurring in the GoM were likely exposed to different past environmental conditions (i.e., different selective pressures) and evolved different strategies to cope with environmental variation. This study highlights the importance of using genetics and morphometric data to understand jellyfish ecology, evolution and systematics.

Bilateral cleft lip and palate: A morphometric analysis of facial skeletal form using cone beam computed tomography.

PubMed

Starbuck, John M; Ghoneima, Ahmed; Kula, Katherine

2015-07-01

Bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) is caused by a lack of merging of maxillary and nasal facial prominences during development and morphogenesis. BCLP is associated with congenital defects of the oronasal facial region that can impair ingestion, mastication, speech, and dentofacial development. Using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, 7- to 18-year old individuals born with BCLP (n = 15) and age- and sex-matched controls (n = 15) were retrospectively assessed. Coordinate values of three-dimensional facial skeletal anatomical landmarks (n = 32) were measured from each CBCT image. Data were evaluated using principal coordinates analysis (PCOORD) and Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis (EDMA). PCOORD axes 1-3 explain approximately 45% of the morphological variation between samples, and specific patterns of morphological differences were associated with each axis. Approximately, 30% of facial skeletal measures significantly differ by confidence interval testing (α = 0.10) between samples. While significant form differences occur across the facial skeleton, strong patterns of differences are localized to the lateral and superioinferior aspects of the nasal aperture. In conclusion, the BCLP deformity significantly alters facial skeletal morphology of the midface and oronasal regions of the face, but morphological differences were also found in the upper facial skeleton and to a lesser extent, the lower facial skeleton. This pattern of strong differences in the oronasal region of the facial skeleton combined with differences across the rest of the facial complex underscores the idea that bones of the craniofacial skeleton are integrated. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Layered zinc hydroxide nanocones: synthesis, facile morphological and structural modification, and properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wei; Ma, Renzhi; Liang, Jianbo; Wang, Chengxiang; Liu, Xiaohe; Zhou, Kechao; Sasaki, Takayoshi

2014-10-01

Layered zinc hydroxide nanocones intercalated with DS- have been synthesized for the first time via a convenient synthetic approach, using homogeneous precipitation in the presence of urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS plays a significant role in controlling the morphologies of as-synthesized samples. Conical samples intercalated with various anions were transformed through an anion-exchange route in ethanol solution, and the original conical structure was perfectly maintained. Additionally, these DS--inserted nanocones can be transformed into square-like nanoplates in aqueous solution at room temperature, fulfilling the need for different morphology-dependent properties. Corresponding ZnO nanocones and nanoplates have been further obtained through the thermal calcination of NO3--intercalating zinc hydroxide nanocones/nanoplates. These ZnO nanostructures with different morphologies exhibit promising photocatalytic properties.Layered zinc hydroxide nanocones intercalated with DS- have been synthesized for the first time via a convenient synthetic approach, using homogeneous precipitation in the presence of urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS plays a significant role in controlling the morphologies of as-synthesized samples. Conical samples intercalated with various anions were transformed through an anion-exchange route in ethanol solution, and the original conical structure was perfectly maintained. Additionally, these DS--inserted nanocones can be transformed into square-like nanoplates in aqueous solution at room temperature, fulfilling the need for different morphology-dependent properties. Corresponding ZnO nanocones and nanoplates have been further obtained through the thermal calcination of NO3--intercalating zinc hydroxide nanocones/nanoplates. These ZnO nanostructures with different morphologies exhibit promising photocatalytic properties. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Typical SEM images, TGA curves and XRD patterns of as-prepared samples. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04166f

Clinically relevant morphological structures in breast cancer represent transcriptionally distinct tumor cell populations with varied degrees of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness

PubMed Central

Denisov, Evgeny V.; Skryabin, Nikolay A.; Gerashchenko, Tatiana S.; Tashireva, Lubov A.; Wilhelm, Jochen; Buldakov, Mikhail A.; Sleptcov, Aleksei A.; Lebedev, Igor N.; Vtorushin, Sergey V.; Zavyalova, Marina V.; Cherdyntseva, Nadezhda V.; Perelmuter, Vladimir M.

2017-01-01

Intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer is represented by different morphological structures (tubular, alveolar, solid, trabecular, and discrete) and contributes to poor prognosis; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we performed 3D imaging, laser microdissection-assisted array comparative genomic hybridization and gene expression microarray analysis of different morphological structures and examined their association with the standard immunohistochemistry scorings and CD44+CD24- cancer stem cells. We found that the intratumor morphological heterogeneity is not associated with chromosomal aberrations. By contrast, morphological structures were characterized by specific gene expression profiles and signaling pathways and significantly differed in progesterone receptor and Ki-67 expression. Most importantly, we observed significant differences between structures in the number of expressed genes of the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes and the association with cancer invasion pathways. Tubular (tube-shaped) and alveolar (spheroid-shaped) structures were transcriptionally similar and demonstrated co-expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Solid (large shapeless) structures retained epithelial features but demonstrated an increase in mesenchymal traits and collective cell migration hallmarks. Mesenchymal genes and cancer invasion pathways, as well as Ki-67 expression, were enriched in trabecular (one/two rows of tumor cells) and discrete groups (single cells and/or arrangements of 2-5 cells). Surprisingly, the number of CD44+CD24- cells was found to be the lowest in discrete groups and the highest in alveolar and solid structures. Overall, our findings indicate the association of intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness and the appeal of this heterogeneity as a model for the study of cancer invasion. PMID:28977854

Altered Calcium Dynamics in Cardiac Cells Grown on Silane-Modified Surfaces

PubMed Central

Ravenscroft-Chang, Melissa S.; Stohlman, Jayna; Molnar, Peter; Natarajan, Anupama; Canavan, Heather E.; Teliska, Maggie; Stancescu, Maria; Krauthamer, Victor; Hickman, J.J.

2013-01-01

Chemically defined surfaces were created using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of hydrophobic and hydrophilic silanes as models for implant coatings, and the morphology and physiology of cardiac myocytes plated on these surfaces were studied in vitro. We focused on changes in intracellular Ca2+ because of its essential role in regulating heart cell function. The SAM-modified coverslips were analyzed using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to verify composition. The morphology and physiology of the cardiac cells were examined using fluorescence microscopy and intracellular Ca2+ imaging. The imaging experiments used the fluorescent ratiometric dye fura-2, AM to establish both the resting Ca2+ concentration and the dynamic responses to electrical stimulation. A significant difference in excitation-induced Ca2+ changes on the different silanated surfaces was observed. However, no significant change was noted based on the morphological analysis. This result implies a difference in internal Ca2+ dynamics, and thus cardiac function, occurs when the composition of the surface is different, and this effect is independent of cellular morphology. This finding has implications for histological examination of tissues surrounding implants, the choice of materials that could be beneficial as implant coatings and understanding of cell-surface interactions in cardiac systems. PMID:19828193

Population genetic structure and its implications for adaptive variation in memory and the hippocampus on a continental scale in food-caching black-capped chickadees.

PubMed

Pravosudov, V V; Roth, T C; Forister, M L; Ladage, L D; Burg, T M; Braun, M J; Davidson, B S

2012-09-01

Food-caching birds rely on stored food to survive the winter, and spatial memory has been shown to be critical in successful cache recovery. Both spatial memory and the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in spatial memory, exhibit significant geographic variation linked to climate-based environmental harshness and the potential reliance on food caches for survival. Such geographic variation has been suggested to have a heritable basis associated with differential selection. Here, we ask whether population genetic differentiation and potential isolation among multiple populations of food-caching black-capped chickadees is associated with differences in memory and hippocampal morphology by exploring population genetic structure within and among groups of populations that are divergent to different degrees in hippocampal morphology. Using mitochondrial DNA and 583 AFLP loci, we found that population divergence in hippocampal morphology is not significantly associated with neutral genetic divergence or geographic distance, but instead is significantly associated with differences in winter climate. These results are consistent with variation in a history of natural selection on memory and hippocampal morphology that creates and maintains differences in these traits regardless of population genetic structure and likely associated gene flow. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Morphological characteristics in peritoneum in patients with neutral peritoneal dialysis solution.

PubMed

Hamada, Chieko; Honda, Kazuho; Kawanishi, Kunio; Nakamoto, Hirotaka; Ito, Yasuhiko; Sakurada, Tsutomu; Tanno, Yudo; Mizumasa, Toru; Miyazaki, Masanobu; Moriishi, Misaki; Nakayama, Masaaki

2015-09-01

Peritoneal dialysis solution (PDS) plays a role in functional and morphological damage to the peritoneum. This study aimed to clarify the effect of neutral PDS in preventing morphological changes by assessing peritoneal damage and comparing morphological alterations between PD patients treated with neutral PDS and acidic PDS. Sixty-one patients participated from seven hospitals. All patients were treated with neutral PDS excluding icodextrin, during their entire PD treatment, and experienced no episode of peritonitis. The thickness of submesothelial compact (SMC) zone and the presence of vasculopathy in the anterior parietal abdominal peritoneum were assessed. The impact of icodextrin, hybrid therapy, and peritoneal rest and lavage in morphological alterations were determined. There was no significant difference in the average SMC thickness between neutral and acidic PDS. The vessel patency in patients using neutral PDS was significantly higher compared to that in acidic PDS at any time during PD. There were no significant suppressive effects from interventions or use of icodextrin with respect to peritoneal morphological injury. A monolayer of mesothelial cell was observed in approximately half the patients, especially in their receiving lavage patients. Neutral PDS, accompanied by other preventive approaches against peritoneal injury, might suppress the development of peritoneal morphological alterations.

Morphological analysis of Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 from southern Chilean rivers using a truss-based system (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae).

PubMed

Colihueque, Nelson; Corrales, Olga; Yáñez, Miguel

2017-01-01

Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 is a small endemic catfish inhabiting the Andean river basins of Chile. In this study, the morphological variability of three T. areolatus populations, collected in two river basins from southern Chile, was assessed with multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA). It is hypothesized that populations must segregate morphologically from each other based on the river basin that they were sampled from, since each basin presents relatively particular hydrological characteristics. Significant morphological differences among the three populations were found with PCA (ANOSIM test, r = 0.552, p < 0.0001) and DFA (Wilks's λ = 0.036, p < 0.01). PCA accounted for a total variation of 56.16% by the first two principal components. The first Principal Component (PC1) and PC2 explained 34.72 and 21.44% of the total variation, respectively. The scatter-plot of the first two discriminant functions (DF1 on DF2) also validated the existence of three different populations. In group classification using DFA, 93.3% of the specimens were correctly-classified into their original populations. Of the total of 22 transformed truss measurements, 17 exhibited highly significant ( p < 0.01) differences among populations. The data support the existence of T. areolatus morphological variation across different rivers in southern Chile, likely reflecting the geographic isolation underlying population structure of the species.

Associations Between Egg Capsule Morphology and Predation Among Populations of the Marine Gastropod, Nucella emarginata.

PubMed

Rawlings, T A

1990-12-01

Intraspecific variation in the morphology of egg capsules is ideal for assessing the costs and benefits of encapsulation, yet little is known about the extent of such variation among populations of a single species. In the present study, I compared capsule morphology among three populations of the intertidal gastropod, Nucella emarginata. Significant differences were found both in capsule wall thickness and capsule strength. Mean capsule wall thickness varied as much as 25% among populations, with the dry weight of capsular cases differing accordingly. Capsule strength, measured as resistance to puncturing and squeezing forces, also varied among populations, but did not directly reflect differences in capsule wall thickness. Despite extensive variation in capsule morphology within this species, the number and size of eggs contained within capsules of equal volume did not differ significantly among populations. I also compared the type of capsule-eating predators that were present at each site. Shore crabs, Hemigrapsus spp., were abundant at all three sites; however, the predatory isopods Idotea wosnesenskii were only present at sites containing relatively thick-walled capsules. Although Hemigrapsus and Idotea were able to chew through both thick- and thin-walled capsules, laboratory experiments revealed that Idotea preferentially opened thin-walled capsules. These results suggest that variation in capsule morphology among populations of N. emarginata may, at least in part, reflect selection for the protection of embryos against predation.

Genetic and morphological variation in Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776 (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) from Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L.

PubMed

Sobecka, E; Szostakowska, B; MacKenzie, K; Hemmingsen, W; Prajsnar, S; Eydal, M

2012-03-01

Previous studies have shown considerable variability in morphological features and the existence of genetically distinct sibling species in the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776. The aim of the present study was to follow up and extend those earlier studies by using a combination of DNA analysis and morphometrics to investigate differences between samples of E. gadi from Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L. caught at five fishing grounds in the Baltic Sea and three in different parts of the North Atlantic. Twelve morphological features were measured in 431 specimens of E. gadi, 99 individuals were studied by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphosm (PCR-RFLP), and selected PCR products were sequenced. The molecular analyses showed the nucleotide sequences of E. gadi rDNA from cod caught at all the sampling sites to be identical. The comparative morphological study, in contrast, revealed significant differences between samples of E. gadi from different sampling sites and showed the separation of E. gadi into two groups corresponding approximately to the systematic classification of cod into the two subspecies, Atlantic G. morhua morhua and Baltic G. morhua callarias. The E. gadi infrapopulation size had a significant effect on some of the morphological features. The results are discussed in relation to cod population biology, the hydrography of the study area and the history of the Baltic Sea formation.

Response of Quiescent Cerebral Cortical Astrocytes to Nanofibrillar Scaffold Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayres, Virginia; Mujdat Tiryaki, Volkan; Xie, Kan; Ahmed, Ijaz; Shreiber, David I.

2013-03-01

We present results of an investigation to examine the hypothesis that the extracellular environment can trigger specific signaling cascades with morphological consequences. Differences in the morphological responses of quiescent cerebral cortical astrocytes cultured on the nanofibrillar matrices versus poly-L-lysine functionalized glass and Aclar, and unfunctionalized Aclar surfaces were demonstrated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and phalloidin staining of F-actin. The differences and similarities of the morphological responses were consistent with differences and similarities of the surface polarity and surface roughness of the four surfaces investigated in this work, characterized using contact angle and AFM measurements. The three-dimensional capability of AFM was also used to identify differences in cell spreading. An initial quantitative immunolabeling study further identified significant differences in the activation of the Rho GTPases: Cdc42, Rac1, and RhoA, which are upstream regulators of the observed morphological responses: filopodia, lamellipodia, and stress fiber formation. The results support the hypothesis that the extracellular environment can trigger preferential activation of members of the Rho GTPase family with demonstrable morphological consequences for cerebral cortical astrocytes. The support of NSF PHY-095776 is acknowledged.

Cellient™ automated cell block versus traditional cell block preparation: a comparison of morphologic features and immunohistochemical staining.

PubMed

Wagner, David G; Russell, Donna K; Benson, Jenna M; Schneider, Ashley E; Hoda, Rana S; Bonfiglio, Thomas A

2011-10-01

Traditional cell block (TCB) sections serve as an important diagnostic adjunct to cytologic smears but are also used today as a reliable preparation for immunohistochemical (IHC) studies. There are many ways to prepare a cell block and the methods continue to be revised. In this study, we compare the TCB with the Cellient™ automated cell block system. Thirty-five cell blocks were obtained from 16 benign and 19 malignant nongynecologic cytology specimens at a large university teaching hospital and prepared according to TCB and Cellient protocols. Cell block sections from both methods were compared for possible differences in various morphologic features and immunohistochemical staining patterns. In the 16 benign cases, no significant morphologic differences were found between the TCB and Cellient cell block sections. For the 19 malignant cases, some noticeable differences in the nuclear chromatin and cellularity were identified, although statistical significance was not attained. Immunohistochemical or special stains were performed on 89% of the malignant cases (17/19). Inadequate cellularity precluded full evaluation in 23% of Cellient cell block IHC preparations (4/17). Of the malignant cases with adequate cellularity (13/17), the immunohistochemical staining patterns from the different methods were identical in 53% of cases. The traditional and Cellient cell block sections showed similar morphologic and immunohistochemical staining patterns. The only significant difference between the two methods concerned the lower overall cell block cellularity identified during immunohistochemical staining in the Cellient cell block sections. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Major Variations in HIV-1 Capsid Assembly Morphologies Involve Minor Variations in Molecular Structures of Structurally Ordered Protein Segments*

PubMed Central

Lu, Jun-Xia; Bayro, Marvin J.; Tycko, Robert

2016-01-01

We present the results of solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on HIV-1 capsid protein (CA) assemblies with three different morphologies, namely wild-type CA (WT-CA) tubes with 35–60 nm diameters, planar sheets formed by the Arg18-Leu mutant (R18L-CA), and R18L-CA spheres with 20–100 nm diameters. The experiments are intended to elucidate molecular structural variations that underlie these variations in CA assembly morphology. We find that multidimensional solid state NMR spectra of 15N,13C-labeled CA assemblies are remarkably similar for the three morphologies, with only small differences in 15N and 13C chemical shifts, no significant differences in NMR line widths, and few differences in the number of detectable NMR cross-peaks. Thus, the pronounced differences in morphology do not involve major differences in the conformations and identities of structurally ordered protein segments. Instead, morphological variations are attributable to variations in conformational distributions within disordered segments, which do not contribute to the solid state NMR spectra. Variations in solid state NMR signals from certain amino acid side chains are also observed, suggesting differences in the intermolecular dimerization interface between curved and planar CA lattices, as well as possible differences in intramolecular helix-helix packing. PMID:27129282

Geographic variation in seed traits within and among forty-two species of Rhododendron (Ericaceae) on the Tibetan plateau: relationships with altitude, habitat, plant height, and phylogeny

PubMed Central

Wang, Yongji; Wang, Jianjian; Lai, Liming; Jiang, Lianhe; Zhuang, Ping; Zhang, Lehua; Zheng, Yuanrun; Baskin, Jerry M; Baskin, Carol C

2014-01-01

Seed mass and morphology are plant life history traits that influence seed dispersal ability, seeding establishment success, and population distribution pattern. Southeastern Tibet is a diversity center for Rhododendron species, which are distributed from a few hundred meters to 5500 m above sea level. We examined intra- and interspecific variation in seed mass and morphology in relation to altitude, habitat, plant height, and phylogeny. Seed mass decreased significantly with the increasing altitude and increased significantly with increasing plant height among populations of the same species. Seed mass differed significantly among species and subsections, but not among sections and subgenera. Seed length, width, surface area, and wing length were significantly negative correlated with altitude and significantly positive correlated with plant height. Further, these traits differed significantly among habitats and varied among species and subsection, but not among sections and subgenera. Species at low elevation had larger seeds with larger wings, and seeds became smaller and the wings of seeds tended to be smaller with the increasing altitude. Morphology of the seed varied from flat round to long cylindrical with increasing altitude. We suggest that seed mass and morphology have evolved as a result of both long-term adaptation and constraints of the taxonomic group over their long evolutionary history. PMID:24963385

Effects of smoking on taste: assessment with contact endoscopy and taste strips.

PubMed

Konstantinidis, Iordanis; Chatziavramidis, Angelos; Printza, Athanasia; Metaxas, Spyros; Constantinidis, Jannis

2010-10-01

This study aims to compare the taste function between smokers and nonsmokers with clinical testing, subjective ratings, and contact endoscopy of the tongue. Cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from 38 smokers (mean age 37 years; 25 female, 23 male) and 34 nonsmokers (mean age 33.5 years; 18 female, 16 male). The parameters assessed were the number of fungiform papillae per square centimeter in a noncontact way and their morphology (surface, capillary vessels) by contact endoscopy. The morphology of the filiform papillae has also been assessed. In addition, clinical testing of gustatory function was performed by means of taste strips and subjective intensity ratings of natural taste stimuli. No significant difference was found in clinical testing and intensity ratings between the two study groups. A trend toward significance was found in taste strip results for decreased bitter taste in heavy smokers (P = .06). The number and the size of fungiform papillae did not significantly differ between the study groups. No sex-related differences were observed. Smokers exhibited significantly more keratin structures on the fungiform papillae surface, less tortuous capillary vessels, and a significant distortion of their filiform papillae. Taste function presents significant resistance to smoking, although changes in morphology of fungiform and filiform papillae have been observed especially in heavy smokers. Laryngoscope, 2010.

Cytological Study of Breast Carcinoma Before and After Oncotherapy with Special Reference to Morphometry and Proliferative Activity.

PubMed

Koley, Sananda; Chakrabarti, Srabani; Pathak, Swapan; Manna, Asim Kumar; Basu, Siddhartha

2015-12-01

Our study was done to assess the cytological changes due to oncotherapy in breast carcinoma especially on morphometry and proliferative activity. Cytological aspirates were collected from a total of 32 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma both before and after oncotherapy. Morphometry was done on the stained cytological smears to assess the different morphological parameters of cell dimension by using the ocular morphometer and the software AutoCAD 2007. Staining was done with Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) as proliferative markers. Different morphological parameters were compared before and after oncotherapy by unpaired Student's t test. Statistically significant differences were found in morphometric parameters, e.g., mean nuclear diameter, mean nuclear area, mean cell diameter, and mean cell area, and in the expression of proliferative markers (Ki-67 and PCNA). Statistical analysis was done by obtaining p values. There are statistically significant differences between morphological parameter of breast carcinoma cells before and after oncotherapy.

Turning maneuvers in sharks: Predicting body curvature from axial morphology.

PubMed

Porter, Marianne E; Roque, Cassandra M; Long, John H

2009-08-01

Given the diversity of vertebral morphologies among fishes, it is tempting to propose causal links between axial morphology and body curvature. We propose that shape and size of the vertebrae, intervertebral joints, and the body will more accurately predict differences in body curvature during swimming rather than a single meristic such as total vertebral number alone. We examined the correlation between morphological features and maximum body curvature seen during routine turns in five species of shark: Triakis semifasciata, Heterodontus francisci, Chiloscyllium plagiosum, Chiloscyllium punctatum, and Hemiscyllium ocellatum. We quantified overall body curvature using three different metrics. From a separate group of size-matched individuals, we measured 16 morphological features from precaudal vertebrae and the body. As predicted, a larger pool of morphological features yielded a more robust prediction of maximal body curvature than vertebral number alone. Stepwise linear regression showed that up to 11 features were significant predictors of the three measures of body curvature, yielding highly significant multiple regressions with r(2) values of 0.523, 0.537, and 0.584. The second moment of area of the centrum was always the best predictor, followed by either centrum length or transverse height. Ranking as the fifth most important variable in three different models, the body's total length, fineness ratio, and width were the most important non-vertebral morphologies. Without considering the effects of muscle activity, these correlations suggest a dominant role for the vertebral column in providing the passive mechanical properties of the body that control, in part, body curvature during swimming. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Position-Related Differences in Selected Morphological Body Characteristics of Top-Level Female Handball Players.

PubMed

Bon, Marta; Pori, Primoz; Sibila, Marko

2015-09-01

The study aimed to establish the main morphological characteristics of Slovenian junior and senior female national handball team players. Morphological characteristics of various player subgroups (goalkeepers, wings, back players and pivots) were also determined so as to establish whether they had distinct profiles. The subjects were 87 handball players who were members of the Slovenian junior and senior female national teams in the period from 2003 to 2009. A standardised anthropometric protocol was used to assess the subjects' morphological characteristics. The measurements included 23 different anthropometric measures. First, basic statistical characteristics of anthropometric measures were obtained for all subjects together and then for each group separately. Somatotypes were determined using Heath-Carter's method. Endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic components were calculated by computer on the basis of formulas. In order to determine differences in the body composition and anthropometric data of the subjects playing in different positions, a one-way analysis of variance was employed. The results show that, on average, the wings differed the most from the other player groups in terms of their morphological body characteristics. The wings differed most prominently from the other player groups in terms of their morphological body parameters as they were significantly smaller and had a statistically significantly lower body mass than the other groups. In terms of transversal measures of the skeleton and the circumferences, the wings significantly differed mainly from the pivots and goalkeepers and less from the backs. The goalkeepers were the tallest, with high values of body mass and low values of transversal measures compared to P. Their skin folds were the most pronounced among all the groups on average and their share of subcutaneous fat in total body mass was the highest. Consequently, their endomorphic component of the somatotype was pronounced. Players in the Pivot position were significantly taller than the Wplayers but were not significantly different from G and B. They had high values of body mass which were significantly higher than that of W but did not differ significantly from the body mass values of B and G. The average values of their circumferences were the highest among all the player groups and the same is true for transversal measures of the skeleton. It is very interesting that, compared to the players in other playing positions, they achieved low values of subcutaneous fat. Their values of the somatotype revealed an endo-mesomorphic somatotype, with a pronounced mesomorphic component. Back players were tall and had the lowest share of subcutaneous fat of all the player groups. Significant differences were established mainly in terms of the structure of the lower extremities. The values of the somato-type characteristics were very balanced between all three components. The results of our study confirm that groups of handball players occupying different positions differed amongst themselves in terms of many measurements. This is a result of the specific requirements of handball play which are to be met by particular players. The tallest players should thus be oriented to back player positions. As regards pivots, the coaches must, besides body height, consider robustness. For goal-keepers, body height is very important; however, the robustness criteria are slightly lower. For wings, body height is not a decisive factor and smaller players can also occupy this position. Both of the above (also taking other criteria into account) facilitate coaches' decisions when orienting players into their playing positions.

Evaluation of styloid process morphology and calcification types in both genders with different ages and dental status.

PubMed

Magat, Guldane; Ozcan, Sevgi

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphology and calcification pattern of the styloid process (SP) and to determine their relations with subjects' age, gender, and dental status. 910 panoramic radiographs were stratified by age, dental status and gender. The distance between the points where SP leaves the tympanic plate of the temporal bone and the bony tip of SP was measured. Calcification patterns were classified as : (A) Region 1, tympanohyal alone (B) Region 2, stylohyal alone (C) Region 1 and 2, separate (D) Regions 1 and 2, continuous (E) Regions 1, 2, and 3, continuous (F) Regions 1, 2, and 3, separate (G) Regions 1 and 2, continuous, but separate from 3 (H) Regions 2 and 3, separate (I) Regions 2 and 3, continuous, but separate from 1 (J) Region 3 alone (K) Region 3 and 4, continuous (may include calcification in one other region) (L) No styloid process visible. The right SPs were found to be longer than the left (p<0.05). Types D (right 42.9%, left 42%) and E (right 33.3%, left 30.8%) were the most common morphological calcifications on both sides. No statistical difference was found for bilateral SP length between gender, age, and dental status groups. A significant difference was found only for right SP morphological calcification types as to age groups in both genders (p<0.05). No significant difference was found for SP morphological calcification types according to gender and dental status. The morphological types are formed at their present area. Even though SP calcification type was determined according to the length of SP, age was not an effective factor on the length, but the morphological calcification type of SP. Therefore, factors other than age may have a role in the development of morphological calcification types. Structural characteristics of SP are not associated with age, gender and dental status.

Hodgkin disease survival in Europe and the U.S.: prognostic significance of morphologic groups.

PubMed

Allemani, Claudia; Sant, Milena; De Angelis, Roberta; Marcos-Gragera, Rafael; Coebergh, Jan Willem

2006-07-15

The survival of patients with Hodgkin disease (HD) varies markedly across Europe and generally is shorter than the survival of patients in the U.S. To investigate these differences, the authors compared population-based HD survival in relation to morphologic type among populations in Europe and the U.S. The authors analyzed 6726 patients from 37 cancer registries that participated in EUROCARE-3 and 3442 patients from 9 U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries. Patients were diagnosed during 1990 to 1994 and were followed for at least 5 years. The European registries were grouped into EUROCARE West, EUROCARE UK, and EUROCARE East. Morphologic groups were nodular sclerosis, mixed cellularity, lymphocyte depletion, lymphocyte predominance, and not otherwise specified (NOS). The influence of morphology on geographic differences in 5-year relative survival was explored by using multiple regression analysis. In the model that was adjusted by age, gender, and years since diagnosis, the relative excess risk (RER) of death was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.81-1.05) in EUROCARE West, 1.15 (95% CI, 1.04-1.28) in EUROCARE UK, and 1.39 (95% CI, 1.21-1.60) in EUROCARE East (compared with the SEER data). When morphology was included, EUROCARE UK and SEER no longer differed (RER, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.95-1.18). Morphology distribution varied markedly across Europe and much less in the U.S., with nodular sclerosis less common in Europe (45.9%) than the U.S. (61.7%). The RER data showed that patients who had lymphocyte depletion, NOS, and mixed cellularity had a significantly worse prognoses compared with patients who had nodular sclerosis, whereas patients who had lymphocyte predominance had the best prognosis. The current results provide population-based evidence that morphology strongly influences the prognosis of patients with HD. However differences in the morphologic case mix explains only some of the geographic variations observed in survival.

Differences in Velopharyngeal Structure during Speech among Asians Revealed by 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging Movie Mode.

PubMed

Nunthayanon, Kulthida; Honda, Ei-ichi; Shimazaki, Kazuo; Ohmori, Hiroko; Inoue-Arai, Maristela Sayuri; Kurabayashi, Tohru; Ono, Takashi

2015-01-01

Different bony structures can affect the function of the velopharyngeal muscles. Asian populations differ morphologically, including the morphologies of their bony structures. The purpose of this study was to compare the velopharyngeal structures during speech in two Asian populations: Japanese and Thai. Ten healthy Japanese and Thai females (five each) were evaluated with a 3-Tesla (3 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner while they produced vowel-consonant-vowel syllable (/asa/). A gradient-echo sequence, fast low-angle shot with segmented cine and parallel imaging technique was used to obtain sagittal images of the velopharyngeal structures. MRI was carried out in real time during speech production, allowing investigations of the time-to-time changes in the velopharyngeal structures. Thai subjects had a significantly longer hard palate and produced shorter consonant than Japanese subjects. The velum of the Thai participants showed significant thickening during consonant production and their retroglossal space was significantly wider at rest, whereas the dimensional change during task performance was similar in the two populations. The 3 T MRI movie method can be used to investigate velopharyngeal function and diagnose velopharyngeal insufficiency. The racial differences may include differences in skeletal patterns and soft-tissue morphology that result in functional differences for the affected structures.

Relation between adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and morphologic somatotypes.

PubMed

LeBlanc, R; Labelle, H; Rivard, C H; Poitras, B

1997-11-01

A prospective and controlled comparative study. To verify the difference in morphologic appearance between a group of adolescents with progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and a control group of normal adolescents. In a previous retrospective study, the possibility of a relation between progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and specific morphotypes was demonstrated. Fifty-two adolescent girls with progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were compared with an age-matched control group of 62 unaffected girls using a classification technique based on morphologic somatotypes. Morphotypes were evaluated with standardized pre-established criteria based on Sheldon's technique. Patients with progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis showed significantly less mesomorphism (mean value of 0.88 +/- 0.51) than control girls (mean value of 1.72 +/- 0.52). Adolescent girls with progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have a morphologic somatotype that is different from the normal adolescent population. Subjects with progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are significantly less mesomorphic than control girls. This observation may be of value as a predictive factor for early identification of subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at greater risk of progression.

Morphological evolution of Bi2Se3 nanocrystalline materials synthesized by microwave assisted solvothermal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bera, Sumit; Behera, P.; Mishra, A. K.; Krishnan, M.; Patidar, M. M.; Singh, D.; Gangrade, M.; Venkatesh, R.; Deshpande, U. P.; Phase, D. M.; Ganesan, V.

2018-04-01

Structural, morphological and spectroscopic properties of Bi2Se3 nanoparticles synthesized by microwave assisted solvothermal method were investigated systematically. A controlled synthesis of different morphologies by a small variation in synthesis procedure is demonstrated. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of single phase. Crystallite and particle size reductions were studied with XRD and AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy). Different morphologies such as hexagonal nanoflakes with cross section of around˜6µm, nanoflower and octahedral agglomerated crystals of nearly ˜60 nm size have been observed in scanning electron microscope while varying the microwave assisted synthesis procedures. A significant blue shift observed in diffuse reflectance spectroscopy evidences the energy gap tuning as a result of morphological evolution. The difference in morphology observed in this three fast, facile and scalable synthesis is advantageous for tuning the thermoelectric figure of merit and for probing the surface states of these topological insulators. Low temperature resistivity remains similar for all three variants depicting a 2D character as evidenced by a -lnT term of localization.

Nonsphericity Index and Size Ratio Identify Morphologic Differences between Growing and Stable Aneurysms in a Longitudinal Study of 93 Cases.

PubMed

Chien, A; Xu, M; Yokota, H; Scalzo, F; Morimoto, E; Salamon, N

2018-01-25

Recent studies have strongly associated intracranial aneurysm growth with increased risk of rupture. Identifying aneurysms that are likely to grow would be beneficial to plan more effective monitoring and intervention strategies. Our hypothesis is that for unruptured intracranial aneurysms of similar size, morphologic characteristics differ between aneurysms that continue to grow and those that do not. From aneurysms in our medical center with follow-up imaging dates in 2015, ninety-three intracranial aneurysms (23 growing, 70 stable) were selected. All CTA images for the aneurysm diagnosis and follow-up were collected, a total of 348 3D imaging studies. Aneurysm 3D geometry for each imaging study was reconstructed, and morphologic characteristics, including volume, surface area, nonsphericity index, aspect ratio, and size ratio were calculated. Morphologic characteristics were found to differ between growing and stable groups. For aneurysms of <3 mm, nonsphericity index ( P < .001); 3-5 mm, nonsphericity index ( P < .001); 5-7 mm, size ratio ( P = .003); >7 mm, volume ( P < .001); surface area ( P < .001); and nonsphericity index ( P = .002) were significant. Within the anterior communicating artery, the nonsphericity index ( P = .008) and, within the posterior communicating artery, size ratio ( P = .004) were significant. The nonsphericity index receiver operating characteristic area under the curve was 0.721 for discriminating growing and stable cases on the basis of initial images. Among aneurysms with similar sizes, morphologic characteristics appear to differ between those that are growing and those that are stable. The nonsphericity index, in particular, was found to be higher among growing aneurysms. The size ratio was found to be the second most significant parameter associated with growth. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Morphology of a Wetland Stream

PubMed

Jurmu; Andrle

1997-11-01

/ Little attention has been paid to wetland stream morphology in the geomorphological and environmental literature, and in the recently expanding wetland reconstruction field, stream design has been based primarily on stream morphologies typical of nonwetland alluvial environments. Field investigation of a wetland reach of Roaring Brook, Stafford, Connecticut, USA, revealed several significant differences between the morphology of this stream and the typical morphology of nonwetland alluvial streams. Six morphological features of the study reach were examined: bankfull flow, meanders, pools and riffles, thalweg location, straight reaches, and cross-sectional shape. It was found that bankfull flow definitions originating from streams in nonwetland environments did not apply. Unusual features observed in the wetland reach include tight bends and a large axial wavelength to width ratio. A lengthy straight reach exists that exceeds what is typically found in nonwetland alluvial streams. The lack of convex bank point bars in the bends, a greater channel width at riffle locations, an unusual thalweg location, and small form ratios (a deep and narrow channel) were also differences identified. Further study is needed on wetland streams of various regions to determine if differences in morphology between alluvial and wetland environments can be applied in order to improve future designs of wetland channels.KEY WORDS: Stream morphology; Wetland restoration; Wetland creation; Bankfull; Pools and riffles; Meanders; Thalweg

Genetic stability assessment of wWasabi plants regenerated from long-term cryopreserved shoot tips using morphological, biochemical and molecular analysis.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Toshikazu; Akihiro, Takashi; Maki, Shinya; Mochida, Kouhei; Kitagawa, Masaru; Tanaka, Daisuke; Yamamoto, Shin-Ichi; Niino, Takao

2013-01-01

This study compared the effect of cryopreserved storage duration of wasabi shoot tips, which derived from the same in vitro mother-plant. We compared the survival of shoot tips and the genetic stability of regenerated plants originating from four experimental groups: shoot tips stored in a -150°C deep-freezer for 10 years; shoot tips stored in liquid nitrogen for 2 h; shoot tips treated with PVS2 vitrification solution; and untreated controls. No significant difference in survival was observed between the four experimental groups. Survival ranged between 93 and 100%. Genetic stability of plants regenerated from cryopreserved shoot tips was assessed over a period of 24 months using morphological, biochemical and molecular markers. While glucose, fructose and glutamic acid concentrations differed slightly between experimental groups after 16 months, these differences disappeared after 24 months. No significant differences were noted for the morphological markers studied (petiole length, shoot number and leaf index). No differences were observed in RAPD profiles obtained with the six primers tested.

Variability and similarities in the structural properties of two related Laminaria kelp species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Pierre-Yves

2018-01-01

Kelps of the genus Laminaria have long been studied and shown to exhibit a seasonal shift in growth and morphology, as nutrients and light levels change during the year. However, the variation of kelp biomechanical properties has been little explored despite the importance of these properties for the interaction of kelp with the flow. Previous research showed that aging does influence the algae biomechanical properties, so this study further investigates the variability of kelp biomechanical properties and morphological characteristics at a given site as a function of the season (growth phase), species, and different kelp parts. Mechanical parameters and morphological characteristics were measured on kelps sampled in winter and summer, and DNA sequencing was used to identify the two related species, L. digitata and L. hyperborea. Descriptive statistics and statistical analysis were used to detect trends in the modulation of kelp mechanical design. Although two distinct species were identified, only minor structural differences were observed between them. The biomechanical properties varied significantly along the kelp, and significant seasonal shifts occurred at the blade level, in relation to the different morphological changes during blade renewal. In general, the variations of the structural properties were mostly linked to the blade growth activity. The absence of significant variation in the mechanical design of the two species highlights the significance of the adaptation to the same local environmental conditions, this adaptation being a key process in vegetation-flow interactions and having implications on the interaction between kelp and hydrodynamics.

Channel morphology effect on water transport through graphene bilayers.

PubMed

Liu, Bo; Wu, Renbing; Law, Adrian Wing-Keung; Feng, Xi-Qiao; Bai, Lichun; Zhou, Kun

2016-12-08

The application of few-layered graphene-derived functional thin films for molecular filtration and separation has recently attracted intensive interests. In practice, the morphology of the nanochannel formed by the graphene (GE) layers is not ideally flat and can be affected by various factors. This work investigates the effect of channel morphology on the water transport behaviors through the GE bilayers via molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results show that the water flow velocity and transport resistance highly depend on the curvature of the graphene layers, particularly when they are curved in non-synergic patterns. To understand the channel morphology effect, the distributions of water density, dipole moment orientation and hydrogen bonds inside the channel are investigated, and the potential energy surface with different distances to the basal GE layer is analyzed. It shows that the channel morphology significantly changes the distribution of the water molecules and their orientation and interaction inside the channel. The energy barrier for water molecules transport through the channel also significantly depends on the channel morphology.

Channel morphology effect on water transport through graphene bilayers

PubMed Central

Liu, Bo; Wu, Renbing; Law, Adrian Wing-Keung; Feng, Xi-Qiao; Bai, Lichun; Zhou, Kun

2016-01-01

The application of few-layered graphene-derived functional thin films for molecular filtration and separation has recently attracted intensive interests. In practice, the morphology of the nanochannel formed by the graphene (GE) layers is not ideally flat and can be affected by various factors. This work investigates the effect of channel morphology on the water transport behaviors through the GE bilayers via molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results show that the water flow velocity and transport resistance highly depend on the curvature of the graphene layers, particularly when they are curved in non-synergic patterns. To understand the channel morphology effect, the distributions of water density, dipole moment orientation and hydrogen bonds inside the channel are investigated, and the potential energy surface with different distances to the basal GE layer is analyzed. It shows that the channel morphology significantly changes the distribution of the water molecules and their orientation and interaction inside the channel. The energy barrier for water molecules transport through the channel also significantly depends on the channel morphology. PMID:27929106

Morphological analysis of Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 from southern Chilean rivers using a truss-based system (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae)

PubMed Central

Colihueque, Nelson; Corrales, Olga; Yáñez, Miguel

2017-01-01

Abstract Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 is a small endemic catfish inhabiting the Andean river basins of Chile. In this study, the morphological variability of three T. areolatus populations, collected in two river basins from southern Chile, was assessed with multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA). It is hypothesized that populations must segregate morphologically from each other based on the river basin that they were sampled from, since each basin presents relatively particular hydrological characteristics. Significant morphological differences among the three populations were found with PCA (ANOSIM test, r = 0.552, p < 0.0001) and DFA (Wilks’s λ = 0.036, p < 0.01). PCA accounted for a total variation of 56.16% by the first two principal components. The first Principal Component (PC1) and PC2 explained 34.72 and 21.44% of the total variation, respectively. The scatter-plot of the first two discriminant functions (DF1 on DF2) also validated the existence of three different populations. In group classification using DFA, 93.3% of the specimens were correctly-classified into their original populations. Of the total of 22 transformed truss measurements, 17 exhibited highly significant (p < 0.01) differences among populations. The data support the existence of T. areolatus morphological variation across different rivers in southern Chile, likely reflecting the geographic isolation underlying population structure of the species. PMID:29134012

DNA barcoding for effective biodiversity assessment of a hyperdiverse arthropod group: the ants of Madagascar

PubMed Central

Smith, M. Alex; Fisher, Brian L; Hebert, Paul D.N

2005-01-01

The role of DNA barcoding as a tool to accelerate the inventory and analysis of diversity for hyperdiverse arthropods is tested using ants in Madagascar. We demonstrate how DNA barcoding helps address the failure of current inventory methods to rapidly respond to pressing biodiversity needs, specifically in the assessment of richness and turnover across landscapes with hyperdiverse taxa. In a comparison of inventories at four localities in northern Madagascar, patterns of richness were not significantly different when richness was determined using morphological taxonomy (morphospecies) or sequence divergence thresholds (Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit(s); MOTU). However, sequence-based methods tended to yield greater richness and significantly lower indices of similarity than morphological taxonomy. MOTU determined using our molecular technique were a remarkably local phenomenon—indicative of highly restricted dispersal and/or long-term isolation. In cases where molecular and morphological methods differed in their assignment of individuals to categories, the morphological estimate was always more conservative than the molecular estimate. In those cases where morphospecies descriptions collapsed distinct molecular groups, sequence divergences of 16% (on average) were contained within the same morphospecies. Such high divergences highlight taxa for further detailed genetic, morphological, life history, and behavioral studies. PMID:16214741

In-stent neoatherosclerosis and tissue characteristics of restenotic lesions following implantation of second generation drug-eluting stents in unrestricted coronary lesions: Optical frequency domain imaging study.

PubMed

Sabbah, Mahmoud; Kadota, Kazushige; El-Eraky, Azza; Kamal, Hanan M; Abdellah, Ahmed-Tageldien; El Hawary, Ahmed

2017-06-01

Differences in stent platform, polymer coatings, and antirestenotic drugs among the current in use second-generation drug-eluting stents (G2-DESs) may induce significant variations in neointimal response and vascular healing, which may impact the prevalence of neoatherosclerosis (NA) and morphological appearance of the restenotic tissue. Utilizing Optical frequency domain imaging, two independent reviewers, retrospectively compared the prevalence of neoatherosclerosis (NA), and the morphological differences, and tissue characteristics of 50 G2-DESs in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions (35 everolimus-eluting stent [22 cobalt-chromium (CoCr), 13 platinum-chromium (PtCr)], and 15 biolimus-eluting stent [BES]) implanted liberally in unrestricted coronary lesions. More than half of the stents were implanted in type C lesions, while 40% of the stents were implanted primarily in lesions with recanalized chronic total occlusion. NA, defined as a neointima formation with the presence of lipids or calcification, was observed in fewer than half (24/50) of all ISR lesions with no significant in-between group differences (41%, 69%, and 40% in CoCr, PtCr, and BES respectively, P = 0.22), nor were there any significant differences in the morphological appearance or tissue characteristics between all G2-DESs subtypes. Acknowledging some limitations, our results may suggest that the prevalence of NA and the morphological appearance of restenotic lesions might not differ when G2-DESs are implanted in unrestricted, rather complex, coronary lesions. © 2017, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Morphological Segregation in the Surroundings of Cosmic Voids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricciardelli, Elena; Cava, Antonio; Varela, Jesus; Tamone, Amelie

2017-09-01

We explore the morphology of galaxies living in the proximity of cosmic voids, using a sample of voids identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. At all stellar masses, void galaxies exhibit morphologies of a later type than galaxies in a control sample, which represent galaxies in an average density environment. We interpret this trend as a pure environmental effect, independent of the mass bias, due to a slower galaxy build-up in the rarefied regions of voids. We confirm previous findings about a clear segregation in galaxy morphology, with galaxies of a later type being found at smaller void-centric distances with respect to the early-type galaxies. We also show, for the first time, that the radius of the void has an impact on the evolutionary history of the galaxies that live within it or in its surroundings. In fact, an enhanced fraction of late-type galaxies is found in the proximity of voids larger than the median void radius. Likewise, an excess of early-type galaxies is observed within or around voids of a smaller size. A significant difference in galaxy properties in voids of different sizes is observed up to 2 R void, which we define as the region of influence of voids. The significance of this difference is greater than 3σ for all the volume-complete samples considered here. The fraction of star-forming galaxies shows the same behavior as the late-type galaxies, but no significant difference in stellar mass is observed in the proximity of voids of different sizes.

Run for your life, but bite for your rights? How interactions between natural and sexual selection shape functional morphology across habitats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, Verónica; Carretero, Miguel A.; Kaliontzopoulou, Antigoni

2018-02-01

A central issue in evolutionary biology is how morphology, performance, and habitat use coevolve. If morphological variation is tightly associated with habitat use, then differences in morphology should affect fitness through their effect on performance within specific habitats. In this study, we investigate how evolutionary forces mold morphological traits and performance differently given the surrounding environment, at the intraspecific level. For this purpose, we selected populations of the lizard Podarcis bocagei from two different habitat types, agricultural walls and dunes, which we expected to reflect saxicolous vs ground-dwelling habits. In the laboratory, we recorded morphological traits as well as performance traits by measuring sprint speed, climbing capacity, maneuverability, and bite force. Our results revealed fast-evolving ecomorphological variation among populations of P. bocagei, where a direct association existed between head morphology and bite performance. However, we could not establish links between limb morphology and locomotor performance at the individual level. Lizards from walls were better climbers than those from dunes, suggesting a very fast evolutionary response. Interestingly, a significant interaction between habitat and sex was detected in climbing performance. In addition, lizards from dunes bit harder than those from walls, although sexual differentiation was definitely the main factor driving variation in head functional morphology. Taking into account all the results, we found a complex interaction between natural and sexual selection on whole-organism performance, which are, in some cases, reflected in morphological variation.

Run for your life, but bite for your rights? How interactions between natural and sexual selection shape functional morphology across habitats.

PubMed

Gomes, Verónica; Carretero, Miguel A; Kaliontzopoulou, Antigoni

2018-01-02

A central issue in evolutionary biology is how morphology, performance, and habitat use coevolve. If morphological variation is tightly associated with habitat use, then differences in morphology should affect fitness through their effect on performance within specific habitats. In this study, we investigate how evolutionary forces mold morphological traits and performance differently given the surrounding environment, at the intraspecific level. For this purpose, we selected populations of the lizard Podarcis bocagei from two different habitat types, agricultural walls and dunes, which we expected to reflect saxicolous vs ground-dwelling habits. In the laboratory, we recorded morphological traits as well as performance traits by measuring sprint speed, climbing capacity, maneuverability, and bite force. Our results revealed fast-evolving ecomorphological variation among populations of P. bocagei, where a direct association existed between head morphology and bite performance. However, we could not establish links between limb morphology and locomotor performance at the individual level. Lizards from walls were better climbers than those from dunes, suggesting a very fast evolutionary response. Interestingly, a significant interaction between habitat and sex was detected in climbing performance. In addition, lizards from dunes bit harder than those from walls, although sexual differentiation was definitely the main factor driving variation in head functional morphology. Taking into account all the results, we found a complex interaction between natural and sexual selection on whole-organism performance, which are, in some cases, reflected in morphological variation.

Assessment of condylar morphology and position using MSCT in an Asian population.

PubMed

Liu, Qi; Wei, Xiaoer; Guan, Juanjuan; Wang, Ran; Zou, Derong; Yu, Lvfeng

2018-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the volume, surface, morphometric index (MI), and position of the condyle in a normal population by applying Mimics 17.0 software. Then, the difference between left and right sides, sex, and age can be explored, which will contribute to establish the reference value of condylar morphology and position in normal individuals, and help us to study characteristics of condylar morphology and position in abnormal individuals. Three-hundred subjects were enrolled in our study from the radiology department of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital. They were divided into three groups according to the age: group 1 (18-24 years old), group 2 (25-34 years old), and group 3 (35-44 years old). Each group included 100 subjects (with 50 males and 50 females). They were examined using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) after that. All images of condyle were reconstructed by Mimics 17.0 software, so as to measure the volume, surface, and MI of condyle, and to analyze the position of condyle in the articular fossa by means of joint spaces. The differences of condylar volume, surface, and MI between left and right sides were not obvious (P > 0.05). The condylar volume and surface were greater in males than females (P < 0.05), while their condylar MI existed no difference (P > 0.05). No statistical differences were found in volume and surface among three age groups. However, the MI of group 1 was statistically lower than that of group 3 (P < 0.05). On the other hand, no significant differences were found between left and right condylar position (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, there were significant differences of condylar position regarding the gender and age (P < 0.05). This study showed no significant differences in condylar morphology and position between left and right sides, but factors of gender and age were proven to have a certain influence on the morphology and position of the condyle. This information can be clinically useful in establishing the diagnostic criteria for condylar morphology and position in the normal Asian population. Examination of condylar morphology and position is important for evaluating the abnormalities and bony changes that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). So, this will be conducive to the diagnosis and the evaluation of therapeutic effect of temporomandibular joint diseases. Also, it is important to evaluate these indexes prior to commencing orthodontic treatment, because TMJ abnormalities play a critical role in orthodontic treatment planning.

Evolutionary morphology in shape and size of haptoral anchors in 14 Ligophorus spp. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae).

PubMed

Rodríguez-González, Abril; Sarabeev, Volodimir; Balbuena, Juan Antonio

2017-01-01

The search for phylogenetic signal in morphological traits using geometric morphometrics represents a powerful approach to estimate the relative weights of convergence and shared evolutionary history in shaping organismal form. We assessed phylogenetic signal in the form of ventral and dorsal haptoral anchors of 14 species of Ligophorus occurring on grey mullets (Osteichthyes: Mugilidae) from the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The phylogenetic relationships among these species were mapped onto the morphospaces of shape and size of dorsal and ventral anchors and two different tests were applied to establish whether the spatial positions in the morphospace were dictated by chance. Overall significant phylogenetic signal was found in the data. Allometric effects on anchor shape were moderate or non-significant in the case of evolutionary allometry. Relatively phylogenetically distant species occurring on the same host differed markedly in anchor morphology indicating little influence of host species on anchor form. Our results suggest that common descent and shared evolutionary history play a major role in determining the shape and, to a lesser degree in the size of haptoral anchors in Ligophorus spp. The present approach allowed tracing paths of morphological evolution in anchor shape. Species with narrow anchors and long shafts were associated predominately with Liza saliens. This morphology was considered to be ancestral relative to anchors of species occurring on Liza haematocheila and M. cephalus possessing shorter shafts and longer roots. Evidence for phylogenetic signal was more compelling for the ventral anchors, than for the dorsal ones, which could reflect different functional roles in attachment to the gills. Although phylogeny and homoplasy may act differently in other monogeneans, the present study delivers a common framework to address effectively the relationships among morphology, phylogeny and other traits, such as host specificity or niche occupancy.

Mandibular ramus shape variation and ontogeny in Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis.

PubMed

Terhune, Claire E; Ritzman, Terrence B; Robinson, Chris A

2018-04-27

As the interface between the mandible and cranium, the mandibular ramus is functionally significant and its morphology has been suggested to be informative for taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses. In primates, and particularly in great apes and humans, ramus morphology is highly variable, especially in the shape of the coronoid process and the relationship of the ramus to the alveolar margin. Here we compare ramus shape variation through ontogeny in Homo neanderthalensis to that of modern and fossil Homo sapiens using geometric morphometric analyses of two-dimensional semilandmarks and univariate measurements of ramus angulation and relative coronoid and condyle height. Results suggest that ramus, especially coronoid, morphology varies within and among subadult and adult modern human populations, with the Alaskan Inuit being particularly distinct. We also identify significant differences in overall anterosuperior ramus and coronoid shapes between H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis, both in adults and throughout ontogeny. These shape differences are subtle, however, and we therefore suggest caution when using ramus morphology to diagnose group membership for individual specimens of these taxa. Furthermore, we argue that these morphologies are unlikely to be representative of differences in masticatory biomechanics and/or paramasticatory behaviors between Neanderthals and modern humans, as has been suggested by previous authors. Assessments of ontogenetic patterns of shape change reveal that the typical Neanderthal ramus morphology is established early in ontogeny, and there is little evidence for divergent postnatal ontogenetic allometric trajectories between Neanderthals and modern humans as a whole. This analysis informs our understanding of intraspecific patterns of mandibular shape variation and ontogeny in H. sapiens and can shed further light on overall developmental and life history differences between H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spine micromorphology of normal and hyperhydric Mammillaria gracilis Pfeiff. (Cactaceae) shoots.

PubMed

Peharec, P; Posilović, H; Balen, B; Krsnik-Rasol, M

2010-07-01

Artificial conditions of tissue culture affect growth and physiology of crassulacean acid metabolism plants which often results in formation of hyperhydric shoots. In in vitro conditions Mammillaria gracilis Pfeiff. (Cactaceae) growth switches from organized to unorganized way, producing a habituated organogenic callus which simultaneously regenerates morphologically normal as well as altered hyperhydric shoots. In this study, influence of tissue culture conditions on morphology of cactus spines of normal and hyperhydric shoots was investigated. Spines of pot-grown Mammillaria plants and of in vitro regenerated shoots were examined with stereo microscope and scanning electron microscope. The pot-grown plants had 16-17 spines per areole. In vitro grown normal shoots, even though they kept typical shoot morphology, had lower number of spines (11-12) and altered spine morphology. This difference was even more pronounced in spine number (six to seven) and morphology of the hyperhydric shoots. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed remarkable differences in micromorphology of spine surface between pot-grown and in vitro grown shoots. Spines of in vitro grown normal shoots showed numerous long trichomes, which were more elongated on spines of the hyperhydric shoots; the corresponding structures on spine surface of pot-grown plants were noticed only as small protrusions. Scanning electron microscopy morphometric studies showed that the spines of pot-grown plants were significantly longer compared to the spines of shoots grown in tissue culture. Moreover, transverse section shape varies from elliptical in pot-grown plants to circular in normal and hyperhydric shoots grown in vitro. Cluster and correspondence analyses performed on the scanning electron microscope obtained results suggest great variability among spines of pot-grown plants. Spines of in vitro grown normal and hyperhydric shoots showed low level of morphological variation among themselves despite the significant difference in shoot morphology.

The correlation of sperm morphology with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Cao, Xiaodan; Cui, Yun; Zhang, Xiaoxia; Lou, Jiangtao; Zhou, Jun; Wei, Renxiong

2017-01-01

Sperm morphology displays a potential impact on sperm function and may ultimately impact reproductive function. Current studies have investigated the correlation between sperm morphology with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) but have shown inconsistent results. Hence, we systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CNKI databases, as well as the Cochrane Library for studies that examined the association between sperm morphology and unexplained RSA. Fifteen studies were identified, including 883 cases and 530 controls. Our meta-analysis results indicated that the percentage of normal sperm morphology from men with RSA partners was significantly lower than those from normal controls(SMD [95% CI]: − 0.60 [−0.81, −0.40]; P<0.00001) and the percentage of sperm morphologic alterations was significantly higher in patients with RSA compared with the control group (SMD [95% CI]: 0.92 [0.42, 1.43]; P=0.0004). The present study suggested that the percentage of normal sperm morphology may indeed decrease in men from RSA group compared with controls. However, there were some limitations in the study such as the differences in stain techniques and classification criteria. Further evidences are needed to better elucidate the relationship between sperm morphology and unexplained RSA. PMID:28903451

The role of polyploidy in shaping morphological diversity in natural populations of Phlox amabilis.

PubMed

Chansler, Matthew T; Ferguson, Carolyn J; Fehlberg, Shannon D; Prather, L Alan

2016-09-01

Studies of natural populations of polyploids increasingly highlight complex patterns of variation in ploidy and geographic distribution of cytotypes. As our understanding of the complexity of polyploidy grows, our understanding of the morphological correlates of polyploidy should expand as well. Here we examine in what ways, and to what degree, polyploidy affects the overall phenotype of a species across its distribution when there are three ploidies and geographic complexity in cytotype distribution. We measured 31 morphological traits from stems, leaves, and flowers from up to 25 individuals from 11 sites across the distribution of Phlox amabilis. Chromosome counts and flow cytometry confirmed and expanded upon earlier research documenting diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid populations, and also identified a site with two ploidies. Univariate and multivariate statistics were used to characterize the morphological effects of polyploidy. We detected significant associations between morphology and ploidy in 11 traits spread across vegetative and reproductive structures. Generally, diploid individuals differed from polyploid individuals to a greater extent, and in different ways, than tetraploid and hexaploid plants differed from each other. Multivariate morphometrics demonstrated that the two primary axes of overall variation are driven by morphological traits associated with polyploidy, and individuals of different ploidies can be discriminated with 95% success. Polyploidy plays a major role in shaping overall morphological diversity in natural populations of P. amabilis. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Novel Approaches for Phylogenetic Inference from Morphological Data and Total-Evidence Dating in Squamate Reptiles (Lizards, Snakes, and Amphisbaenians).

PubMed

Pyron, R Alexander

2017-01-01

Here, I combine previously underutilized models and priors to perform more biologically realistic phylogenetic inference from morphological data, with an example from squamate reptiles. When coding morphological characters, it is often possible to denote ordered states with explicit reference to observed or hypothetical ancestral conditions. Using this logic, we can integrate across character-state labels and estimate meaningful rates of forward and backward transitions from plesiomorphy to apomorphy. I refer to this approach as MkA, for “asymmetric.” The MkA model incorporates the biological reality of limited reversal for many phylogenetically informative characters, and significantly increases likelihoods in the empirical data sets. Despite this, the phylogeny of Squamata remains contentious. Total-evidence analyses using combined morphological and molecular data and the MkA approach tend toward recent consensus estimates supporting a nested Iguania. However, support for this topology is not unambiguous across data sets or analyses, and no mechanism has been proposed to explain the widespread incongruence between partitions, or the hidden support for various topologies in those partitions. Furthermore, different morphological data sets produced by different authors contain both different characters and different states for the same or similar characters, resulting in drastically different placements for many important fossil lineages. Effort is needed to standardize ontology for morphology, resolve incongruence, and estimate a robust phylogeny. The MkA approach provides a preliminary avenue for investigating morphological evolution while accounting for temporal evidence and asymmetry in character-state changes.

Habitat-Specific Morphological Variation among Threespine Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) within a Drainage Basin

PubMed Central

Webster, Mike M.; Atton, Nicola; Hart, Paul J. B.; Ward, Ashley J. W.

2011-01-01

Habitat-specific morphological variation, often corresponding to resource specialization, is well documented in freshwater fishes. In this study we used landmark based morphometric analyses to investigate morphological variation among threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) from four interconnected habitat types within a single lowland drainage basin in eastern England. These included the upper and lower reaches of the river, the estuary, a connected ditch network and a coastal salt marsh. We found significant habitat-specific differences in morphology, with three axes of variation describing differences in orbit diameter, body depth, caudal peduncle shape and pectoral fin positioning as well as variation in relative dorsal and pelvic spine size. Interestingly, the ditch system, an artificial and heavily managed habitat, is populated by sticklebacks with a characteristic morphology, suggesting that human management of habitats can in some circumstances lead to morphological variation among the animals that inhabit them. We discuss the mechanisms that conceivably underlie the observed morphological variation and the further work necessary to identify them. Finally, we consider the implications of habitat-specific body shape variation for the behavioural ecology of this ecologically generalist species. PMID:21698269

Testing for X-Ray–SZ Differences and Redshift Evolution in the X-Ray Morphology of Galaxy Clusters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nurgaliev, D.; McDonald, M.; Benson, B. A.

We present a quantitative study of the X-ray morphology of galaxy clusters, as a function of their detection method and redshift. We analyze two separate samples of galaxy clusters: a sample of 36 clusters atmore » $$0.35\\lt z\\lt 0.9$$ selected in the X-ray with the ROSAT PSPC 400 deg(2) survey, and a sample of 90 clusters at $$0.25\\lt z\\lt 1.2$$ selected via the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect with the South Pole Telescope. Clusters from both samples have similar-quality Chandra observations, which allow us to quantify their X-ray morphologies via two distinct methods: centroid shifts (w) and photon asymmetry ($${A}_{\\mathrm{phot}}$$). The latter technique provides nearly unbiased morphology estimates for clusters spanning a broad range of redshift and data quality. We further compare the X-ray morphologies of X-ray- and SZ-selected clusters with those of simulated clusters. We do not find a statistically significant difference in the measured X-ray morphology of X-ray and SZ-selected clusters over the redshift range probed by these samples, suggesting that the two are probing similar populations of clusters. We find that the X-ray morphologies of simulated clusters are statistically indistinguishable from those of X-ray- or SZ-selected clusters, implying that the most important physics for dictating the large-scale gas morphology (outside of the core) is well-approximated in these simulations. Finally, we find no statistically significant redshift evolution in the X-ray morphology (both for observed and simulated clusters), over the range of $$z\\sim 0.3$$ to $$z\\sim 1$$, seemingly in contradiction with the redshift-dependent halo merger rate predicted by simulations.« less

Testing for X-Ray–SZ Differences and Redshift Evolution in the X-Ray Morphology of Galaxy Clusters

DOE PAGES

Nurgaliev, D.; McDonald, M.; Benson, B. A.; ...

2017-05-16

We present a quantitative study of the X-ray morphology of galaxy clusters, as a function of their detection method and redshift. We analyze two separate samples of galaxy clusters: a sample of 36 clusters atmore » $$0.35\\lt z\\lt 0.9$$ selected in the X-ray with the ROSAT PSPC 400 deg(2) survey, and a sample of 90 clusters at $$0.25\\lt z\\lt 1.2$$ selected via the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (SZ) effect with the South Pole Telescope. Clusters from both samples have similar-quality Chandra observations, which allow us to quantify their X-ray morphologies via two distinct methods: centroid shifts (w) and photon asymmetry ($${A}_{\\mathrm{phot}}$$). The latter technique provides nearly unbiased morphology estimates for clusters spanning a broad range of redshift and data quality. We further compare the X-ray morphologies of X-ray- and SZ-selected clusters with those of simulated clusters. We do not find a statistically significant difference in the measured X-ray morphology of X-ray and SZ-selected clusters over the redshift range probed by these samples, suggesting that the two are probing similar populations of clusters. We find that the X-ray morphologies of simulated clusters are statistically indistinguishable from those of X-ray- or SZ-selected clusters, implying that the most important physics for dictating the large-scale gas morphology (outside of the core) is well-approximated in these simulations. Finally, we find no statistically significant redshift evolution in the X-ray morphology (both for observed and simulated clusters), over the range of $$z\\sim 0.3$$ to $$z\\sim 1$$, seemingly in contradiction with the redshift-dependent halo merger rate predicted by simulations.« less

Clinical significance of prominent retraction clefts in invasive urothelial carcinoma.

PubMed

Shah, Tanmay S; Kaag, Matthew; Raman, Jay D; Chan, Wilson; Tran, Truc; Kunchala, Sudhir; Shuman, Lauren; DeGraff, David J; Chen, Guoli; Warrick, Joshua I

2017-03-01

Micropapillary morphology in invasive urothelial carcinoma is an established predictor of aggressive disease. It is unknown, however, if prominent retraction is associated with more aggressive disease in the absence of classic micropapillary morphology. We reviewed a retrospective series of 309 radical cystectomy specimens with clinical follow-up data and documented the presence or absence of invasive urothelial carcinoma with prominent retraction clefts, defined as invasive carcinoma with retraction involving the majority of invasive tumor nests in at least one 100× field but without classic micropapillary morphology. Invasive carcinomas with plasmacytoid, sarcomatoid, nested, and small cell morphology were excluded, as were cases without lymph node sampling. In invasive conventional urothelial carcinoma, the presence of prominent retraction clefts was associated lymph node metastasis (odds ratio 4.7, P = .0015, Fisher exact test) but not pathologic tumor stage or several other oncologic parameters (all Ps > .10). Similarly, invasive urothelial carcinoma with micropapillary morphology had lymph node metastasis more frequently than conventional urothelial carcinoma without prominent retraction clefts (P < .001, Fisher exact test), but there was no difference in pathologic tumor stage or oncologic parameters (all Ps > .10). There was no statistically significant difference in rates of lymph node metastasis between invasive urothelial carcinoma with micropapillary morphology and conventional urothelial carcinoma with prominent retraction clefts (P = .54, Fisher exact test). The findings suggest that prominent retraction in invasive urothelial carcinoma may be associated with more aggressive disease, even in the absence of classic micropapillary morphology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale size effects on the mechanical properties of platinum thin films and cross-sectional grain morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, K.; Alaie, S.; Ghasemi Baboly, M.; Elahi, M. M. M.; Anjum, D. H.; Chaieb, S.; Leseman, Z. C.

2016-01-01

The mechanical behavior of polycrystalline Pt thin films is reported for thicknesses of 75 nm, 100 nm, 250 nm, and 400 nm. These thicknesses correspond to transitions between nanocrystalline grain morphology types as found in TEM studies. Thinner samples display a brittle behavior, but as thickness increases the grain morphology evolves, leading to a ductile behavior. During evolution of the morphology, dramatic differences in elastic moduli (105-160 GPa) and strengths (560-1700 MPa) are recorded and explained by the variable morphology. This work suggests that in addition to the in-plane grain size of thin films, the transitions in cross-sectional morphologies of the Pt films significantly affect their mechanical behavior.

Characterization of the surface properties of MgO using paper spray mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zheng, Yajun; Zhang, Xiaoling; Bai, Zongquan; Zhang, Zhiping

2016-08-01

Significant advances have been made in the preparation of different morphologies of magnesium oxide (MgO), but the relationship between MgO morphology and its interactions with therapeutic drugs is rarely studied. Herein, we investigated the interactions between different morphologies of MgO and therapeutic drugs using paper spray mass spectrometry. Different morphologies of MgO including trapezoidal, needle-like, flower-like and nest-like structures were prepared through a facile precipitation method. The as-obtained MgO particles were then coated onto the surface of filter paper via vacuum filtration strategy. The coated papers with different morphologies of MgO were used as the substrates for paper spray mass spectrometry to explore the interactions between different MgO and therapeutic drugs. Through investigating the interactions between different morphologies of MgO coated papers and therapeutic drugs, it demonstrated that, in contrast to the trapezoidal, needle-like and nest-like MgO coated papers, different drugs in dried blood spots (DBS) were more favourably eluted off from the paper coated with flower-like MgO due to its weaker surface basicity. Also, the signal intensities of different drugs during paper spray were highly dependent on their elution behaviours. Paper spray mass spectrometry (MS) provides an avenue to elaborate the surface properties of MgO with different structures. The surface basicity of MgO played a crucial role in determining the elution behaviours of therapeutic drugs in DBS, and a more favourable elution behaviour tended to result in a higher MS signal. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Morphological Asymmetry of the Superior Cervical Facets from C3 through C7 due to Degeneration.

PubMed

Van Vlasselaer, Nicolas; Van Roy, Peter; Cattrysse, Erik

2017-01-01

Knowledge about facet morphology has already been discussed extensively in literature but is limited regarding asymmetry and its relation to facet degeneration. Facet dimensions, surface area, curvature, and degeneration of the superior facets were measured in 85 dried human vertebrae from the anatomical collection of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The vertebrae were analysed using the Microscribe G2X digitizer (Immersion Co., San Jose, CA) and a grading system for the evaluation of cervical facet degeneration. Coordinates were processed mathematically to evaluate articular tropism. The statistical analysis includes the paired t -test and the Pearson correlation. On average, no systematic differences between the left and right facets were found concerning morphology and degeneration. However, there were significant differences regardless of the side-occurrence. There was a significant correlation between the dimensions of the total facet surface and the degree of degeneration but not for the recognizable joint surface. Facet tropism of the upper joint facets occurred often in the cervical spine but without side preference. A bigger difference in degeneration asymmetry was associated with a bigger difference in facet joint dimension asymmetry.

3-Rooted Maxillary First Premolars: An Ex Vivo Study of External and Internal Morphologies.

PubMed

Beltes, Panagiotis; Kalaitzoglou, Maria-Elpida; Kantilieraki, Eleni; Beltes, Charalampos; Angelopoulos, Christos

2017-08-01

This study aimed to analyze the external and internal morphologies of 3-rooted maxillary first premolars using cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging. Fifty-six three-rooted maxillary first premolars were imaged by CBCT imaging and classified into 4 groups on the basis of external root morphology. Internal morphologic features, including the shapes of the buccal and palatal orifices and distances of bifurcation of the buccal-palatal and mesiobuccal-distobuccal root canals from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), were measured. The teeth were classified into 4 groups on the basis of external morphology: group A, separation of the buccal and palatal roots with bifurcation of the former into the mesiobuccal and distobuccal roots (n = 22); group B, fusion of 2 buccal roots with the palatal root being separate (n = 19); group C, complete or partial fusion of the distobuccal and palatal roots (n = 9); and group D, fusion of all 3 roots (n = 6). The buccal orifice was mainly triangular/heart shaped. The distance of bifurcation of the buccal-palatal root canals from the CEJ in group A differed significantly from those in groups B and C (P < .05). There were significant differences in the distance of bifurcation of the mesiobuccal-distobuccal root canals from the CEJ among groups A, B, and C (P < .05). Four teeth exhibited C-shaped root canal systems of different configurations. The external and internal morphologies of 3-rooted maxillary first premolars vary considerably. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender and age related differences in foot morphology.

PubMed

Tomassoni, Daniele; Traini, Enea; Amenta, Francesco

2014-12-01

This study has assessed age-related changes of foot morphology for developing appropriate footwear with particular reference to the elderly. Anatomical parameters such as foot length, circumference and height and ankle length, circumference and height were assessed in a sample of males (n=577) and females (n=528) divided into three age groups. The groups included young-adult, aged between 20 and 25 years; adult, aged between 35 and 55 years; and old, aged between 65 and 70 years individuals. In terms of gender differences, in young-adult individuals the sex-related morphological differences observed, are just related to a significantly lower length of foot in females. In adult subjects morphological parameters investigated were significantly lower in females even after normalization for foot length. In old individuals, no differences of the parameters were found after normalization for foot length. Comparative analysis of morphometric data between young-adult and adult individuals revealed that the instep length was smaller in adults. The opposite was observed for the great toe and medial foot arch height. Length of ankle was higher in adult than in young-adult individuals, whereas ankle circumference and height were smaller. In old vs adult individuals foot circumference showed the most relevant age-related differences. Feet anatomy presents specific characteristics in different ages of life. The ideal footwear should take into account these characteristics. This is true primarily for the elderly for minimizing the risk of falls or of other problems related to inappropriate footwear. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leaf morphological effects predict effective path length and enrichment of 18O in leaf water of different Eucalyptus species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahmen, A.; Merchant, A.; Callister, A.; Dawson, T. E.; Arndt, S. K.

2006-12-01

Stable isotopes have been a valuable tool to study water or carbon fluxes of plants and ecosystems. In particular oxygen isotopes (δ18O) in leaf water or plant organic material are now beginning to be established as a simple and integrative measure for plant - water relations. Current δ18O models, however, are still limited in their application to a broad range of different species and ecosystems. It remains for example unclear, if species-specific effects such as different leaf morphologies need to be included in the models for a precise understanding and prediction of δ18O signals. In a common garden experiment (Currency Creek Arboretum, South Australia), where over 900 different Eucalyptus species are cultivated in four replicates, we tested effects of leaf morphology and anatomy on δ18O signals in leaf water of 25 different species. In particular, we determined for all species enrichment in 18O of mean lamina leaf water above source water (Δ18O) as related to leaf physiology as well as leaf thickness, leaf area, specific leaf area and weight and selected anatomical properties. Our data revealed that diurnal Δ18O in leaf water at steady state was significantly different among the investigated species and with differences up to 10% at midday. Fitting factors (effective path length) of leaf water Δ18O models were also significantly different among the investigated species and were highly affected by species-specific morphological parameters. For example, leaf area explained a high percentage of the differences in effective path length observed among the investigated species. Our data suggest that leaf water δ18O can act as powerful tool to estimate plant - water relations in comparative studies but that additional leaf morphological parameters need to be considered in existing δ18O models for a better interpretation of the observed δ18O signals.

Fast Morphological Effects in First and Second Language Word Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diependaele, Kevin; Dunabeitia, Jon Andoni; Morris, Joanna; Keuleers, Emmanuel

2011-01-01

In three experiments we compared the performance of native English speakers to that of Spanish-English and Dutch-English bilinguals on a masked morphological priming lexical decision task. The results do not show significant differences across the three experiments. In line with recent meta-analyses, we observed a graded pattern of facilitation…

Morphological variation and host range of two Ganoderma species from Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Pilotti, Carmel A; Sanderson, Frank R; Aitken, Elizabeth A B; Armstrong, Wendy

2004-08-01

Two species of Ganoderma belonging to different subgenera which cause disease on oil palms in PNG are identified by basidiome morphology and the morphology of their basidiospores. The names G. boninense and G. tornatum have been applied. Significant pleiomorphy was observed in basidiome characters amongst the specimens examined. This variation in most instances did not correlate well with host or host status. Spore morphology appeared uniform within a species and spore indices varied only slightly. G. tornatum was found to have a broad host range whereas G. boninense appears to be restricted to palms in Papua New Guinea.

Orthogonal P-wave morphology is affected by intra-atrial pressures.

PubMed

Petersson, Richard; Smith, J Gustav; Larsson, David A; Reitan, Öyvind; Carlson, Jonas; Platonov, Pyotr; Holmqvist, Fredrik

2017-12-06

It has previously been shown that the morphology of the P-wave neither depends on atrial size in healthy subjects with physiologically enlarged atria nor on the physiological anatomical variation in transverse orientation of the left atrium. The present study aimed to investigate if different pressures in the left and right atrium are associated with different P-wave morphologies. 38 patients with isolated, increased left atrial pressure, 51 patients with isolated, increased right atrial pressure and 76 patients with biatrially increased pressure were studied. All had undergone right heart catheterization and had 12-lead electrocardiographic recordings, which were transformed into vectorcardiograms for detailed P-wave morphology analysis. Normal P-wave morphology (type 1) was more common in patients with isolated increased pressure in the right atrium while abnormal P-wave morphology (type 2) was more common in the groups with increased left atrial pressure (P = 0.032). Moreover, patients with increased left atrial pressure, either isolated or in conjunction with increased right atrial pressure, had significantly more often a P-wave morphology with a positive deflection in the sagittal plane (P = 0.004). Isolated elevated right atrial pressure was associated with normal P-wave morphology while left-sided atrial pressure elevation, either isolated or in combination with right atrial pressure elevation, was associated with abnormal P-wave morphology.

Foraging strategies in trees of different root morphology: the role of root lifespan.

PubMed

Adams, Thomas S; McCormack, M Luke; Eissenstat, David M

2013-09-01

Resource exploitation of patches is influenced not simply by the rate of root production in the patches but also by the lifespan of the roots inhabiting the patches. We examined the effect of sustained localized nitrogen (N) fertilization on root lifespan in four tree species that varied widely in root morphology and presumed foraging strategy. The study was conducted in a 12-year-old common garden in central Pennsylvania using a combination of data from minirhizotron and root in-growth cores. The two fine-root tree species, Acer negundo L. and Populus tremuloides Michx., exhibited significant increases in root lifespan with local N fertilization; no significant responses were observed in the two coarse-root tree species, Sassafras albidum Nutt. and Liriodendron tulipifera L. Across species, coarse-root tree species had longer median root lifespan than fine-root tree species. Localized N fertilization did not significantly increase the N concentration or the respiration of the roots growing in the N-rich patch. Our results suggest that some plant species appear to regulate the lifespan of different portions of their root system to improve resource acquisition while other species do not. Our results are discussed in the context of different strategies of foraging of nutrient patches in species of different root morphology.

The influence of morphology on charge transport/recombination dynamics in planar perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Man; Wang, Yi; Wang, Hao-Yi; Han, Jun; Qin, Yujun; Zhang, Jian-Ping; Ai, Xi-Cheng

2016-10-01

The photovoltaic performance of planar perovskite solar cell is significantly influenced by the morphology of perovskite film. In this work, five kinds of devices with different perovskite film morphologies were prepared by varying the concentration of CH3NH3Cl in precursor solutions. We found that best morphology of perovskite film results in the excellent photovoltaic performance with an average efficiency of 15.52% and a champion efficiency of 16.38%. Transient photovoltage and photocurrent measurements are performed to elucidate the mechanism of photoelectric conversion processes, which shows that the charge recombination is effectively suppressed and the charge transport is obviously promoted by optimized morphology.

[Banff score changes in kidneys from marginal donors].

PubMed

Borda, Bernadett; Szederkényi, Edit; Ottlakán, Aurél; Kemény, Éva; Szabó, Viktor; Hódi, Zoltán; Lázár, György

2016-02-21

Despite an increase in the number of cadaver donors and the number of overall organ transplantations, the dramatic increase in the waiting list makes it necessary to reconsider donor criteria. The authors examined whether differences could exist in the function and/or morphology of transplanted kidneys originated from marginal and ideal donors one and five years after transplantation. Kidney function and histopathologic findings were analysed and compared one and 5 years after transplantation in 97 patients having marginal donor kidneys and 178 patients who received ideal donor kidneys. Serum creatinine level was significantly higher (p = 0.0001) and estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly lower (p = 0.003) in patients having marginal donor kidneys as compared to those with ideal donor kidneys 5 years after transplantation. Morphological changes in the transplanted kidneys such as tubulitis (p = 0.014) and interstitial inflammation (p = 0.025) were significantly more frequently present in patients with marginal donor kidneys than in those with ideal donor kidneys one year after transplantation. Despite an absence of differences in kidney function one year after kidney transplantation between patients having marginal and ideal donor kidneys, morphologic differences in the transplanted kidneys can be detected between the two groups of patients.

Behavior of osteoblast-like cells on calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite ceramics composed of particles with different shapes and sizes.

PubMed

Kamitakahara, Masanobu; Uno, Yuika; Ioku, Koji

2014-01-01

In designing the biomaterials, it is important to control their surface morphologies, because they affect the interactions between the materials and cells. We previously reported that porous calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics composed of rod-like particles had advantages over sintered porous HA ceramics; however, the effects of the surface morphology of calcium-deficient HA ceramics on cell behavior have remained unclear. Using a hydrothermal process, we successfully prepared porous calcium-deficient HA ceramics with different surface morphologies, composed of plate-like particles of 200-300, 500-800 nm, or 2-3 μm in width and rod-like particles of 1 or 3-5 μm in width, respectively. The effects of these surface morphologies on the behavior of osteoblast-like cells were examined. Although the numbers of cells adhered to the ceramic specimens did not differ significantly among the specimens, the proliferation rates of cells on the ceramics decreased with decreasing particle size. Our results reveal that controlling the surface morphology that is governed by particle shape and size is important for designing porous calcium-deficient HA ceramics.

Research on width control of Metal Fused-coating Additive Manufacturing based on active control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Chuan qi; Wei, Zheng ying; Wang, Xin; Du, Jun; Zhang, Shan; Zhang, Zhitong; Bai, Hao

2017-12-01

Given the stability of the shape of the forming layer is one of the key problems that affect the final quality of the sample morphology, taking a study on the forming process and the control method of morphology make a significant difference to metal fused-coating additive manufacturing (MFCAM) in achieving the efficient and stable forming. To improve the quality and precision of the samples of single-layer single pass, a control method of morphology based on active control was established by this paper. The real-time acquisition of image was realized by CCD and the characteristics of morphology of the forming process were simultaneously extracted. Making analysis of the characteristics of the width during the process, the relationship between the relative difference of different frames and moving speed was given. A large number of experiments are used to verify the response speed and accuracy of the system. The results show that the active system can improve the morphology of the sample and the smoothness of the width of the single channel, and increase the uniformity of width by 55.16%.

The impact of proximal femoral morphology on failure strength with a mid-head resection short-stem hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Olsen, Michael; Al Saied, Mohamed; Morison, Zachary; Sellan, Michael; Waddell, James P; Schemitsch, Emil H

2014-12-01

Mid-head resection short-stem hip arthroplasty is a conservative alternative to conventional total hip replacement and addresses proximal fixation challenges in patients not suitable for hip resurfacing. It is unclear whether proximal femoral morphology impacts the ultimate failure load of mid-head resection implanted femurs, thus the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of native neck-shaft angle (NSA) and coronal implant alignment on proximal femoral strength. In total, 36 synthetic femurs with two different proximal femoral morphologies were utilized in this study. Of them, 18 femurs with a varus NSA of 120° and 18 femurs with a valgus NSA of 135° were each implanted with a mid-head resection prosthesis. Femurs within the two different femoral morphology groups were divided into three equal coronal implant alignment groups: 10° valgus, 10° varus or neutral alignment. Prepared femurs were tested for stiffness and to failure in axial compression. There was no significant difference in stiffness nor failure load between femurs implanted with valgus-, varus- or neutrally aligned implants in femurs with a NSA of 120° (p = 0.396, p = 0.111, respectively). Femurs implanted in valgus orientation were significantly stiffer and failed at significantly higher loads than those implanted in varus alignment in femurs with a NSA of 135° (p = 0.001, p = 0.007, respectively). A mid-head resection short-stem hip arthroplasty seems less sensitive to clinically relevant variations of coronal implant alignment and may be more forgiving upon implantation in some femoral morphologies, however, a relative valgus component alignment is recommended. © IMechE 2014.

Influence of light curing units and fluoride mouthrinse on morphological surface and color stability of a nanofilled composite resin.

PubMed

De Oliveira, Ana Luísa Botta Martins; Botta, Ana Carolina; Campos, Juliana Álvares Duarte Bonini; Garcia, Patrícia Petromilli Nordi Sasso

2014-11-01

Composite resin is a dental material susceptible to color change over time which limits the longevity of restorations made with this material. The influence of light curing units and different fluoride mouthrinses on superficial morphology and color stability of a nanofilled composite resin was evaluated. Specimens (N = 150) were prepared and polished. The experimental groups were divided according to the type of light source (halogen and LED) and immersion media (artificial saliva, 0.05% sodium fluoride solution-manipulated, Fluordent Reach, Oral B, Fluorgard). Specimens remained in artificial saliva for 24-h baseline. For 60 days, they were immersed in solutions for 1 min. Color readout was taken at baseline and after 60 days of immersion. Surface morphology was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) after 60 days of immersion. Color change data were submitted to two-way Analysis of Variance and Tukey tests (α = 0.05). Surface morphology was qualitatively analyzed. The factor light source presented no significant variability (P = 0.281), the immersion media, significant variability (P < 0.001) and interaction between factors, no significant variability (P = 0.050). According to SEM observations, no difference was noted in the surface of the specimens polymerized by different light sources, irrespective of the immersion medium. It was concluded that the light source did not influence the color stability of composite, irrespective of the immersion media, and among the fluoride solutions analyzed, Fluorgard was the one that promoted the greatest color change, however, this was not clinically perceptible. The immersion media did not influence the morphology of the studied resin. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Morphological, morphometrical and molecular (CO1 and ITS) analysis of the rotifer Asplanchna brightwellii from selected freshwater bodies in Central Mexico.

PubMed

Jiménez-Contreras, Jorge; Sarma, S S S; Calderón-Torres, Marissa; Nandini, S

2013-11-01

We evaluated different strains of the rotifer Asplanchna brightwellii collected from central Mexico using morphology, morphometry and molecular tools (CO1 and ITS). Three distinct clonal populations from each of the 3 regions (Mexico City, State of Mexico and State of Guerrero) were established under laboratory conditions. For a given waterbody, morphometric comparisons within the populations of A. brightwellii showed almost stable measurements of trophi and with no statistically significant differences among them (p > 0.05). However, asplanchnid body length and width as well as the cyst diameter varied significantly depending on the waterbody from which A. brightwellii was collected. The smallest adults (about 700 microm) were from Valerio Trujano lake (Guerrero State) samples while the largest were from Xochimilco lake. Similar tendencies were reflected in the diameter of resting eggs. In addition, morphologically the cysts of A. brightwellii from the three waterbodies showed slightly different pattern. The number of globular structures on the surface of cysts was smaller for Valerio Trujano strain, while these were larger and less numerous for both Xochimilco and Zumpango strains. The ITS region tree displayed two groups Xochimilco and Valerio Trujano -Zumpango, this analysis did not reflect the morphological grouping; on the contrary the CO1 gene tree separated the populations according to morphological clusters and location (Xochimilco, Valerio Trujano and Zumpango lakes). When the tree was built using the combination of both ITS and CO1 sequences, the phylogenetic relationships observed on CO1 gene were consistent; but showed differences with the relationships observed on ITS region tree (only two groups).

Cryopreservation of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) zygotic embryos does not induce morphological, cytological or molecular changes in recovered seedlings.

PubMed

Sisunandar; Rival, Alain; Turquay, Patricia; Samosir, Yohannes; Adkins, Steve W

2010-07-01

The present study aimed at exploring the fidelity of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) plants recovered from cryopreservation. Zygotic embryos from various different cultivars were cryopreserved following four successive steps, namely: rapid dehydration, rapid freezing, rapid thawing and in vitro recovery followed by acclimatization. At the end of the acclimatization period, the seedlings were compared to counterparts of the same age, which were produced from non-cryopreserved embryos. Both series were submitted to morphological, cytological and molecular comparisons. No significant differences in terms of growth rates could be measured. In addition, no morphological variation could be detected through the measurement of shoot elongation rates, production of opened leaves, and the number and total length of primary roots. Karyotype analysis revealed the same chromosome number (2n = 32) in all studied cultivars independently of cryopreservation. No significant differences could be observed between control and cryopreserved material concerning the type of chromosomes, the length of the long and short arms, the arm length ratio and the centromeric index. However, idiogram analysis did show a greater number of black banding on chromosomes isolated from cryopreserved material. Genetic and epigenetic fidelity was assessed through microsatellite (SSR) analysis and global DNA methylation rates; no significant differences would be observed between genomic DNAs isolated from seedlings originating from cryopreserved embryos and respective controls. In conclusion, our results suggest that the method of cryopreservation under study did not induce gross morphological, genetic or epigenetic changes, thus suggesting that it is an appropriate method to efficiently preserve coconut germplasm.

[Analysis of the Effect of Non-phacoemulsification Cataract Operation on Corneal Endothelial Cell Nucleus Division].

PubMed

Huang, Zufeng; Miao, Xiaoqing

2015-09-01

To investigate the effect of non-phacoemulsification cataract operation in two different patterns of nucleus delivery on the quantity and morphology of corneal endothelial cells and postoperative visual acuity. Forty patients diagnosed with cataract underwent cataract surgery and were assigned into the direct nuclear delivery and semi-nuclear delivery groups. Lens density was measured and divided into the hard and soft lenses according to Emery-little lens nucleus grading system. Non-phacoemulsification cataract operation was performed. At 3 d after surgery, the quantity and morphology of corneal endothelium were counted and observed under corneal endothelial microscope. During 3-month postoperative follow-up, the endothelial cell loss rate, morphological changes and visual acuity were compared among four groups. Corneal endothelial cell loss rate in the direct delivery of hard nucleus group significantly differed from those in the other three groups before and 3 months after operation (P < 0.01), whereas no statistical significance was found among the direct delivery of soft nucleus, semi-delivery of hard nucleus and semi-delivery soft nucleus groups (all P > 0.05). Preoperative and postoperative 2-d visual acuity did not differ between the semi-delivery of hard nucleus and direct delivery of soft nucleus groups (P = 0.49), significantly differed from those in the semi-delivery of soft nucleus (P = 0.03) and direct delivery of hard nucleus groups (P = 0.14). Visual acuity at postoperative four months did not differ among four groups (P = 0.067). During non-phacoemulsification cataract surgery, direct delivery of hard nucleus caused severe injury to corneal endothelium and semi-delivery of soft nucleus yielded mild corneal endothelial injury. Slight corneal endothelial injury exerted no apparent effect upon visual acuity and corneal endothelial morphology at three months after surgery.

The effect of DMA level on morphology and fertilising ability of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) spermatozoa.

PubMed

Chełmońska, Bronisława; Łukaszewicz, Ewa; Kowalczyk, Artur; Jerysz, Anna

2006-01-20

The effect of different levels (2, 4 or 6%) of DMA (dimethylacetamide) on the morphology and fertilising ability of unfrozen quail spermatozoa was evaluated. Semen was collected from 72 males kept individually in cages and randomly divided into four groups: Group I--control -- fresh undiluted semen (12 males) and three experimental groups (20 males each) - semen diluted 1:1 with Lake's extender and supplemented with 2% (Group II), 4% (Group III) or 6% (Group IV) of DMA (final concentration). Sperm morphology was evaluated at each step of semen preparation, i.e. in fresh and diluted semen, semen supplemented with DMA and semen that remained after insemination. For fertility tests, 36 females were divided into four groups (nine females each). Females in the control group were inseminated with 10 microl of fresh semen, in the experimental groups with 40 microl of diluted semen. Each stage of quail semen treatment had a deleterious effect on sperm morphology. The highest percentage of morphologically normal cells in semen evaluated after insemination, was observed in samples with 2% DMA, and the lowest--in samples with 6% DMA. Semen dilution and DMA addition significantly affected the fertilising potency of spermatozoa. Fertility of eggs collected from the control group (71.5% on average) was significantly higher (P

Intraspecific variation in fine root respiration and morphology in response to in situ soil nitrogen fertility in a 100-year-old Chamaecyparis obtusa forest.

PubMed

Makita, Naoki; Hirano, Yasuhiro; Sugimoto, Takanobu; Tanikawa, Toko; Ishii, Hiroaki

2015-12-01

Soil N fertility has an effect on belowground C allocation, but the physiological and morphological responses of individual fine root segments to variations in N availability under field conditions are still unclear. In this study, the direction and magnitude of the physiological and morphological function of fine roots in response to variable in situ soil N fertility in a forest site were determined. We measured the specific root respiration (Rr) rate, N concentration and morphology of fine root segments with 1-3 branching orders in a 100-year-old coniferous forest of Chamaecyparis obtusa. Higher soil N fertility induced higher Rr rates, root N concentration, and specific root length (SRL), and lower root tissue density (RTD). In all fertility levels, the Rr rates were significantly correlated positively with root N and SRL and negatively with RTD. The regression slopes of respiration with root N and RTD were significantly higher along the soil N fertility gradient. Although no differences in the slopes of Rr and SRL relationship were found across the levels, there were significant shifts in the intercept along the common slope. These results suggest that a contrasting pattern in intraspecific relationships between specific Rr and N, RTD, and SRL exists among soils with different N fertility. Consequently, substantial increases in soil N fertility would exert positive effects on organ-scale root performance by covarying the Rr, root N, and morphology for their potential nutrient and water uptake.

Neurodevelopmental origins of abnormal cortical morphology in dissociative identity disorder.

PubMed

Reinders, A A T S; Chalavi, S; Schlumpf, Y R; Vissia, E M; Nijenhuis, E R S; Jäncke, L; Veltman, D J; Ecker, C

2018-02-01

To examine the two constitutes of cortical volume (CV), that is, cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA), in individuals with dissociative identity disorder (DID) with the view of gaining important novel insights into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms mediating DID. This study included 32 female patients with DID and 43 matched healthy controls. Between-group differences in CV, thickness, and SA, the degree of spatial overlap between differences in CT and SA, and their relative contribution to differences in regional CV were assessed using a novel spatially unbiased vertex-wise approach. Whole-brain correlation analyses were performed between measures of cortical anatomy and dissociative symptoms and traumatization. Individuals with DID differed from controls in CV, CT, and SA, with significantly decreased CT in the insula, anterior cingulate, and parietal regions and reduced cortical SA in temporal and orbitofrontal cortices. Abnormalities in CT and SA shared only about 3% of all significantly different cerebral surface locations and involved distinct contributions to the abnormality of CV in DID. Significant negative associations between abnormal brain morphology (SA and CV) and dissociative symptoms and early childhood traumatization (0 and 3 years of age) were found. In DID, neuroanatomical areas with decreased CT and SA are in different locations in the brain. As CT and SA have distinct genetic and developmental origins, our findings may indicate that different neurobiological mechanisms and environmental factors impact on cortical morphology in DID, such as early childhood traumatization. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gender differences in knee morphology and the prospects for implant design in total knee replacement.

PubMed

Asseln, Malte; Hänisch, Christoph; Schick, Fabian; Radermacher, Klaus

2018-05-14

Morphological differences between female and male knees have been reported in the literature, which led to the development of so-called gender-specific implants. However, detailed morphological descriptions covering the entire joint are rare and little is known regarding whether gender differences are real sexual dimorphisms or can be explained by overall differences in size. We comprehensively analysed knee morphology using 33 features of the femur and 21 features of the tibia to quantify knee shape. The landmark recognition and feature extraction based on three-dimensional surface data were fully automatically applied to 412 pathological (248 female and 164 male) knees undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Subsequently, an exploratory statistical analysis was performed and linear correlation analysis was used to investigate normalization factors and gender-specific differences. Statistically significant differences between genders were observed. These were pronounced for distance measurements and negligible for angular (relative) measurements. Female knees were significantly narrower at the same depth compared to male knees. The correlation analysis showed that linear correlations were higher for distance measurements defined in the same direction. After normalizing the distance features according to overall dimensions in the direction of their definition, gender-specific differences disappeared or were smaller than the related confidence intervals. Implants should not be linearly scaled according to one dimension. Instead, features in medial/lateral and anterior/posterior directions should be normalized separately (non-isotropic scaling). However, large inter-individual variations of the features remain after normalization, suggesting that patient-specific design solutions are required for an improved implant design, regardless of gender. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Anacardiaceae)) in different landscape management regimes: a process of incipient domestication?

PubMed

Lins Neto, Ernani Machado de Freitas; Peroni, Nivaldo; Maranhão, Christine Maria Carneiro; Maciel, Maria Inês Sucupira; de Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino

2012-07-01

Plant domestication is an evolutionary process guided by human groups who modify the landscape for their needs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic variations between populations of Spondias tuberosa Arruda (umbuzeiro) when subjected to different local landscape management strategies. The influence of the landscape management system on these populations was evaluated in five identified regional units (mountains, base of mountains, pastures, cultivated areas and home gardens). Ten individuals were randomly selected from each region and subjected to morphological and chemical fruit analysis. The diversity index, based on Simpson's index, was determined for the different populations. We then evaluated the morphological differences between the individual fruits from the distinct landscape areas. We observed no significant differences in morphological diversity between the areas studied. Our data suggest that the umbuzeiro specimens in this region may be in the process of incipient domestication.

The effects of surfactant on the structure of ZnCr2O4 dendrimer like nanostructures used in degradation of Eriochrome Black T

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabet, Mohammad; Jahangiri, Hasan

2018-01-01

In this experimental work, we synthesized ZnCr2O4 nano dendrimer-like structures via a simple hydrothermal method. Different parameters such as the reaction time and temperature and the surfactant kind were changed to obtain different particle sizes and morphologies. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to obtain the products morphologies. The results showed the product is mainly composed of dendrimer-like structures. Also, it was found the mentioned parameters had significant effects on the product sizes and morphologies. Furthermore, it was found key parameters that determine the morphology of the product is surfactant type and each surfactant creates a unique morphology. The crystallinity and crystallite size were studied by x-ray diffraction pattern. Also, the composition of the product was determined by energy dispersive x-ray analysis. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) was used to the investigation of the optical properties of the product. The results obtained from DRS spectra showed the product has about 3.3 eV band gap. The photocatalytic activity of the product showed that ZnCr2O4 has a significant photocatalytic activity and it can decompose Eriochrome Black T about 91% under ultra violet radiation.

Does metformin affect ovarian morphology in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome? A retrospective cross-sectional preliminary analysis

PubMed Central

Falbo, Angela; Orio, Francesco; Venturella, Roberta; Rania, Erika; Materazzo, Caterina; Tolino, Achille; Zullo, Fulvio; Palomba, Stefano

2009-01-01

Background The significance of polycystic ovarian morphology and its relation to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unclear, but probably it is associated with higher androgen and insulin levels and lower sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in absence of identifiable differences in gonadotropin dynamics. The aim of this study was to evaluate ovarian morphology in patients affected by PCOS with different ovulatory responses to metformin. Methods In this cross-sectional analysis, we studied 20 young normal-weight PCOS patients who had received a six-month course of metformin treatment. Ten of these patients remained anovulatory (anovulatory group), whereas other ten became ovulatory, but failed to conceive (ovulatory group). Other ten age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched PCOS subjects were also enrolled as controls and observed without any treatment (control group). Results After six months of metformin, in both PCOS treated groups, a similar improvement in testosterone (T) and insulin resistance indexes was observed. Moreover, in one (10.0%) and nine (90.0%) subjects from anovulatory and ovulatory PCOS groups, respectively, ovarian morphology changed, whereas a significant reduction in ovarian dimension was observed in the PCOS ovulatory group only. Conclusion PCOS patients under metformin administration demonstrate a change in ovarian morphology closely related to ovulatory response. PMID:19480717

Does metformin affect ovarian morphology in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome? A retrospective cross-sectional preliminary analysis.

PubMed

Falbo, Angela; Orio, Francesco; Venturella, Roberta; Rania, Erika; Materazzo, Caterina; Tolino, Achille; Zullo, Fulvio; Palomba, Stefano

2009-05-31

The significance of polycystic ovarian morphology and its relation to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unclear, but probably it is associated with higher androgen and insulin levels and lower sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in absence of identifiable differences in gonadotropin dynamics. The aim of this study was to evaluate ovarian morphology in patients affected by PCOS with different ovulatory responses to metformin. In this cross-sectional analysis, we studied 20 young normal-weight PCOS patients who had received a six-month course of metformin treatment. Ten of these patients remained anovulatory (anovulatory group), whereas other ten became ovulatory, but failed to conceive (ovulatory group). Other ten age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched PCOS subjects were also enrolled as controls and observed without any treatment (control group). After six months of metformin, in both PCOS treated groups, a similar improvement in testosterone (T) and insulin resistance indexes was observed. Moreover, in one (10.0%) and nine (90.0%) subjects from anovulatory and ovulatory PCOS groups, respectively, ovarian morphology changed, whereas a significant reduction in ovarian dimension was observed in the PCOS ovulatory group only. PCOS patients under metformin administration demonstrate a change in ovarian morphology closely related to ovulatory response.

Morphological divergence and flow-induced phenotypic plasticity in a native fish from anthropogenically altered stream habitats.

PubMed

Franssen, Nathan R; Stewart, Laura K; Schaefer, Jacob F

2013-11-01

Understanding population-level responses to human-induced changes to habitats can elucidate the evolutionary consequences of rapid habitat alteration. Reservoirs constructed on streams expose stream fishes to novel selective pressures in these habitats. Assessing the drivers of trait divergence facilitated by these habitats will help identify evolutionary and ecological consequences of reservoir habitats. We tested for morphological divergence in a stream fish that occupies both stream and reservoir habitats. To assess contributions of genetic-level differences and phenotypic plasticity induced by flow variation, we spawned and reared individuals from both habitats types in flow and no flow conditions. Body shape significantly and consistently diverged in reservoir habitats compared with streams; individuals from reservoirs were shallower bodied with smaller heads compared with individuals from streams. Significant population-level differences in morphology persisted in offspring but morphological variation compared with field-collected individuals was limited to the head region. Populations demonstrated dissimilar flow-induced phenotypic plasticity when reared under flow, but phenotypic plasticity in response to flow variation was an unlikely explanation for observed phenotypic divergence in the field. Our results, together with previous investigations, suggest the environmental conditions currently thought to drive morphological change in reservoirs (i.e., predation and flow regimes) may not be the sole drivers of phenotypic change.

The effects of tungsten's pre-irradiation surface condition on helium-irradiated morphology

DOE PAGES

Garrison, Lauren M.; Kulcinski, Gerald L.

2015-07-17

Erosion is a concern associated with the use of tungsten as a plasma-facing component in fusion reactors. To compare the damage progression, polycrystalline tungsten (PCW) and (110) single crystal tungsten (SCW) samples were prepared with (1) a mechanical polish (MP) with roughness values in the range of 0.018–0.020 μm and (2) an MP and electropolish (MPEP) resulting in roughness values of 0.010–0.020 μm for PCW and 0.003–0.005 μm for SCW samples. Samples were irradiated with 30 keV He + at 1173 K to fluences between 3 × 10 21 and 6 × 10 22 He/m 2. The morphologies that developedmore » after low-fluence bombardment were different for each type of sample—MP SCW, MPEP SCW, MP PCW, and MPEP PCW. At the highest fluence, the SCW MPEP sample lost significantly more mass and developed a different morphology than the MP SCW sample. The PCW samples developed a similar morphology and had similar mass loss at the highest fluence. Surface preparation can have a significant effect on post-irradiation morphology that should be considered for the design of future fusion reactors such as ITER and DEMO.« less

Mouse shoulder morphology responds to locomotor activity and the kinematic differences of climbing and running.

PubMed

Green, David J; Richmond, Brian G; Miran, Sara L

2012-12-01

Mechanical loads play a significant role in determining long bone shape and strength, but less work has explored how these loads influence flat bones like the scapula, which has been shown to vary with locomotor preference among primate taxa. Here, we tested the effects of voluntary running and climbing exercise in mice to examine how the mechanical loads borne from different locomotor patterns influence shoulder morphological development. Ninety-nine female wild-type mice were distributed equally among sedentary control, activity-wheel running, and vertical climbing experimental conditions. Running mice had the lowest body masses, larger intrinsic shoulder muscles, and the most pronounced differences in scapular size and shape relative to the other groups. Climbing mouse scapular morphology also differed significantly from the control individuals, but these differences were not as marked as those between the running and control mice. This might be attributable in part to greater levels of activity in the wheel-runners relative to the climbers. Additionally, climbing mice held their bodies closer to the substrate and maintained more flexed limbs and posterior hand positions compared with the kinematics of running. As a result, climbers differed significantly from both the running and control mice in developing a relatively broader infraspinous region, which is likely related to preferential recruitment of the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles to maintain flexed shoulder postures. The results of this study demonstrate that variation in activity level and type of locomotor regime over a significant portion of the life history influences muscle and bone development in the shoulder. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Morphologies of the Semiconductor Oxides and Their Gas-Sensing Properties

PubMed Central

Lv, Xin; Li, Shuang; Wang, Qingji

2017-01-01

Semiconductor oxide chemoresistive gas sensors are widely used for detecting deleterious gases due to low cost, simple preparation, rapid response and high sensitivity. The performance of gas sensor is greatly affected by the morphology of the semiconductor oxide. There are many semiconductor oxide morphologies, including zero-dimensional, one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional ones. The semiconductor oxides with different morphologies significantly enhance the gas-sensing performance. Among the various morphologies, hollow nanostructures and core-shell nanostructures are always the focus of research in the field of gas sensors due to their distinctive structural characteristics and superior performance. Herein the morphologies of semiconductor oxides and their gas-sensing properties are reviewed. This review also proposes a potential strategy for the enhancement of gas-sensing performance in the future. PMID:29189714

Morphological features of IFN-γ–stimulated mesenchymal stromal cells predict overall immunosuppressive capacity

PubMed Central

Klinker, Matthew W.; Marklein, Ross A.; Lo Surdo, Jessica L.; Wei, Cheng-Hong

2017-01-01

Human mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) lines can vary significantly in their functional characteristics, and the effectiveness of MSC-based therapeutics may be realized by finding predictive features associated with MSC function. To identify features associated with immunosuppressive capacity in MSCs, we developed a robust in vitro assay that uses principal-component analysis to integrate multidimensional flow cytometry data into a single measurement of MSC-mediated inhibition of T-cell activation. We used this assay to correlate single-cell morphological data with overall immunosuppressive capacity in a cohort of MSC lines derived from different donors and manufacturing conditions. MSC morphology after IFN-γ stimulation significantly correlated with immunosuppressive capacity and accurately predicted the immunosuppressive capacity of MSC lines in a validation cohort. IFN-γ enhanced the immunosuppressive capacity of all MSC lines, and morphology predicted the magnitude of IFN-γ–enhanced immunosuppressive activity. Together, these data identify MSC morphology as a predictive feature of MSC immunosuppressive function. PMID:28283659

Comparison of cryopreserved human sperm in vapor and liquid phases of liquid nitrogen: effect on motility parameters, morphology, and sperm function.

PubMed

Punyatanasakchai, Piyaphan; Sophonsritsuk, Areephan; Weerakiet, Sawaek; Wansumrit, Surapee; Chompurat, Deonthip

2008-11-01

To compare the effects of cryopreserved sperm in vapor and liquid phases of liquid nitrogen on sperm motility, morphology, and sperm function. Experimental study. Andrology laboratory at Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand. Thirty-eight semen samples with normal motility and sperm count were collected from 38 men who were either patients of an infertility clinic or had donated sperm for research. Each semen sample was divided into two aliquots. Samples were frozen with static-phase vapor cooling. One aliquot was plunged into liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C), and the other was stored in vapor-phase nitrogen (-179 degrees C) for 3 days. Thawing was performed at room temperature. Motility was determined by using computer-assisted semen analysis, sperm morphology was determined by using eosin-methylene blue staining, and sperm function was determined by using a hemizona binding test. Most of the motility parameters of sperm stored in the vapor phase were not significantly different from those stored in the liquid phase of liquid nitrogen, except in amplitude of lateral head displacement. The percentages of normal sperm morphology in both vapor and liquid phases also were not significantly different. There was no significant difference in the number of bound sperm in hemizona between sperm cryopreserved in both vapor and liquid phases of liquid nitrogen. Cryopreservation of human sperm in a vapor phase of liquid nitrogen was comparable to cryopreservation in a liquid phase of liquid nitrogen.

Morphology of Dwarf Galaxies in Isolated Satellite Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ann, Hong Bae

2017-08-01

The environmental dependence of the morphology of dwarf galaxies in isolated satellite systems is analyzed to understand the origin of the dwarf galaxy morphology using the visually classified morphological types of 5836 local galaxies with z ≲ 0.01. We consider six sub-types of dwarf galaxies, dS0, dE, dE_{bc}, dSph, dE_{blue}, and dI, of which the first four sub-types are considered as early-type and the last two as late-type. The environmental parameters we consider are the projected distance from the host galaxy (r_{p}), local and global background densities, and the host morphology. The spatial distributions of dwarf satellites of early-type galaxies are much different from those of dwarf satellites of late-type galaxies, suggesting the host morphology combined with r_{p} plays a decisive role on the morphology of the dwarf satellite galaxies. The local and global background densities play no significant role on the morphology of dwarfs in the satellite systems hosted by early-type galaxies. However, in the satellite system hosted by late-type galaxies, the global background densities of dE and dSph satellites are significantly different from those of dE_{bc}, dE_{blue}, and dI satellites. The blue-cored dwarf satellites (dE_{bc}) of early-type galaxies are likely to be located at r_{p} > 0.3 Mpc to keep their cold gas from the ram pressure stripping by the hot corona of early-type galaxies. The spatial distribution of dE_{bc} satellites of early-type galaxies and their global background densities suggest that their cold gas is intergalactic material accreted before they fall into the satellite systems.

The neocortex of cetartiodactyls. II. Neuronal morphology of the visual and motor cortices in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis).

PubMed

Jacobs, Bob; Harland, Tessa; Kennedy, Deborah; Schall, Matthew; Wicinski, Bridget; Butti, Camilla; Hof, Patrick R; Sherwood, Chet C; Manger, Paul R

2015-09-01

The present quantitative study extends our investigation of cetartiodactyls by exploring the neuronal morphology in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) neocortex. Here, we investigate giraffe primary visual and motor cortices from perfusion-fixed brains of three subadults stained with a modified rapid Golgi technique. Neurons (n = 244) were quantified on a computer-assisted microscopy system. Qualitatively, the giraffe neocortex contained an array of complex spiny neurons that included both "typical" pyramidal neuron morphology and "atypical" spiny neurons in terms of morphology and/or orientation. In general, the neocortex exhibited a vertical columnar organization of apical dendrites. Although there was no significant quantitative difference in dendritic complexity for pyramidal neurons between primary visual (n = 78) and motor cortices (n = 65), there was a significant difference in dendritic spine density (motor cortex > visual cortex). The morphology of aspiny neurons in giraffes appeared to be similar to that of other eutherian mammals. For cross-species comparison of neuron morphology, giraffe pyramidal neurons were compared to those quantified with the same methodology in African elephants and some cetaceans (e.g., bottlenose dolphin, minke whale, humpback whale). Across species, the giraffe (and cetaceans) exhibited less widely bifurcating apical dendrites compared to elephants. Quantitative dendritic measures revealed that the elephant and humpback whale had more extensive dendrites than giraffes, whereas the minke whale and bottlenose dolphin had less extensive dendritic arbors. Spine measures were highest in the giraffe, perhaps due to the high quality, perfusion fixation. The neuronal morphology in giraffe neocortex is thus generally consistent with what is known about other cetartiodactyls.

Effect of pH on the morphology of kidney stones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Neelesh; Sova, Stacey; Singh, N. B.; Arnold, Brad; Choa, Fow-Sen; Cullum, Brian; Su, Ching-Hua

2016-05-01

The process for the formation of kidney stone is very complex phenomena and has some similarity to the crystal growth from a solution. It is very much dependent on the acidity pH of the fluids. This pH variation affects the content and amount of filtering residue and its morphology. In this study we have performed experiments using carbonate, oxides and urea to simulate and understand the morphologies of the residue filtered and coarsened in different conditions. We observed that different of morphologies of kidney stones can be explained on the basis of acidity and hydration conditions. At lower pH fat prism crystals are observed and as pH increases, long fat needle crystals with large aspect ratio are observed. The coarsening experiments showed further growth of crystals. The remelting experiments showed that during dissolution of kidney stones the joining material breaks first leaving the large faceted crystals undissolved when attempts are made to dissolve into small crystallites. However, the morphology did not change. It was also observed that impurities such as magnesium oxide (MgO) affect the morphology significantly.

Peculiarity of two thermodynamically-stable morphologies and their impact on the efficiency of small molecule bulk heterojunction solar cells

DOE PAGES

Herath, Nuradhika; Das, Sanjib; Keum, Jong K.; ...

2015-08-28

Structural characteristics of the active layers in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices play a critical role in charge generation, separation and transport. Here we report on morphology and structural control of p-DTS(FBTTh 2) 2:PC 71BM films by means of thermal annealing and 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) solvent additive processing, and correlate it to the device performance. By combining surface imaging with nanoscale depth-sensitive neutron reflectometry (NR) and X-ray diffraction, three-dimensional morphologies of the films are reconstituted with information extending length scales from nanometers to microns. DIO promotes the formation of a well-mixed donor-acceptor vertical phase morphology with a large population of small p-DTS(FBTTh2)2more » nanocrystals arranged in an elongated domain network of the film, thereby enhancing the device performance. In contrast, films without DIO exhibit three-sublayer vertical phase morphology with phase separation in agglomerated domains. Our findings are supported by thermodynamic description based on the Flory-Huggins theory with quantitative evaluation of pairwise interaction parameters that explain the morphological changes resulting from thermal and solvent treatments. Our study reveals that vertical phase morphology of small-molecule based OPVs is significantly different from polymer-based systems. Lastly, the significant enhancement of morphology and information obtained from theoretical modeling may aid in developing an optimized morphology to enhance device performance for OPVs.« less

Should congruence between intra- and interspecific ecomorphological relationships be expected? A case study with the great tit, Parus major

PubMed Central

Moreno, E.; Barbosa, A.; Carrascal, L. M.

1997-01-01

We studied the relationship between leg morphology and posture while feeding in a population of great tits (Parus major) under controlled conditions to investigate to what extent morphology and ecology are linked at the individual level. From predictions generated at the interspecific level within the genus Parus (Moreno and Carrascal 1993), we tested whether intra- and interspecific ecomorphological relationships are consistent. Within our population, neither leg bone lengths nor leg muscle morphology were related to the feeding posture of individuals. However, differences in body weight were correlated with inter-individual differences in time spent hanging. These results demonstrate that the association between intra- and interspecific ecomorphological relationships is not uniform. We argue that, at the intraspecific level, body weight overrides the significance of other traits that have a functional meaning at the interspecific level (i.e. leg segment lengths, muscular morphology), due to isometric variation of morphological traits (muscular and skeletal) with body mass. Thus, the discrepancy between the ecomorphological associations at intra- and interspecific levels is the result of a problem of scale (morphological changes in evolutionary time and isometric variation of morphological traits with body mass in ecological time).

Morphological variation in Sarracenia purpurea (Sarraceniaceae): geographic, environmental, and taxonomic correlates.

PubMed

Ellison, Aaron M; Buckley, Hannah L; Miller, Thomas E; Gotelli, Nicholas J

2004-11-01

Geographic variation in morphology reflects phenotypic responses to environmental gradients and evolutionary history of populations and species and may indicate local or regional changes in environmental conditions. The pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) illustrates these principles. At local scales, its morphology reflects nutrient availability. At points along its broad geographic range (from Florida to northern Canada) morphology has been used to distinguish subspecies and varieties, but there has been no detailed study of the continuum of morphological variation across this entire range. Patterns of morphological variation in S. purpurea were characterized as a function of climatic and environmental conditions at 39 sites spanning its range. Differences in pitcher size and shape were strongly correlated with temperature, annual precipitation, and availability of ammonium and calcium in peat pore water. Pitcher shape (lip width, mouth diameter, and pitcher width) in Florida panhandle populations differed significantly from pitcher shape of all other populations, even after accounting for environmental correlations. In contrast, the northern and southern subspecies of S. purpurea (the latter exclusive of the Florida panhandle populations) cannot be distinguished based on these morphological measurements alone. These results support a recent proposal that identifies the Florida populations as a distinct species, Sarracenia rosea.

Morphological change in cranial shape following the transition to agriculture across western Eurasia.

PubMed

Cheronet, Olivia; Finarelli, John A; Pinhasi, Ron

2016-09-13

The Neolithic transition brought about fundamental social, dietary and behavioural changes in human populations, which, in turn, impacted skeletal morphology. Crania are shaped through diverse genetic, ontogenetic and environmental factors, reflecting various elements of an individual's life. To determine the transition's effect on cranial morphology, we investigated its potential impact on the face and vault, two elements potentially responding to different influences. Three datasets from geographically distant regions (Ukraine, Iberia, and the Levant plus Anatolia) were analysed. Craniometric measurements were used to compare the morphology of pre-transition populations with that of agricultural populations. The Neolithic transition corresponds to a statistically significant increase only in cranial breadth of the Ukrainian vaults, while facial morphology shows no consistent transformations, despite expected changes related to the modification of masticatory behaviour. The broadening of Ukrainian vaults may be attributable to dietary and/or social changes. However, the lack of change observed in the other geographical regions and the lack of consistent change in facial morphology are surprising. Although the transition from foraging to farming is a process that took place repeatedly across the globe, different characteristics of transitions seem responsible for idiosyncratic responses in cranial morphology.

Three-dimensional echocardiography of congenital abnormalities of the left atrioventricular valve.

PubMed

Rice, Kathryn; Simpson, John

2015-03-01

Congenital abnormalities of the left atrioventricular (AV) valve are a significant diagnostic challenge. Traditionally, reliance has been placed on two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE) imaging to guide recognition of the specific morphological features. Real-time 3DE can provide unique views of the left AV valve with the potential to improve understanding of valve morphology and function to facilitate surgical planning. This review illustrates the features of congenital abnormalities of the left AV valve assessed by 3DE. The similarities and differences in morphology between different lesions are described, both with respect to the valve itself and supporting chordal apparatus. The potential advantages as well as limitations of this technique in clinical practice are outlined.

Congruence between morphological and molecular markers inferred from the analysis of the intra-morphotype genetic diversity and the spatial structure of Oxalis tuberosa Mol.

PubMed

Pissard, Audrey; Arbizu, Carlos; Ghislain, Marc; Faux, Anne-Michèle; Paulet, Sébastien; Bertin, Pierre

2008-01-01

Oxalis tuberosa is an important crop cultivated in the highest Andean zones. A germplasm collection is maintained ex situ by CIP, which has developed a morphological markers system to classify the accessions into morphotypes, i.e. groups of morphologically identical accessions. However, their genetic uniformity is currently unknown. The ISSR technique was used in two experiments to determine the relationships between both morphological and molecular markers systems. The intra-morphotype genetic diversity, the spatial structures of the diversity and the congruence between both markers systems were determined. In the first experience, 44 accessions representing five morphotypes, clearly distinct from each other, were analyzed. At the molecular level, the accessions exactly clustered according to their morphotypes. However, a genetic variability was observed inside each morphotype. In the second experiment, 34 accessions gradually differing from each other on morphological base were analyzed. The morphological clustering showed no geographical structure. On the opposite, the molecular analysis showed that the genetic structure was slightly related to the collection site. The correlation between both markers systems was weak but significant. The lack of perfect congruence between morphological and molecular data suggests that the morphological system may be useful for the morphotypes management but is not appropriate to study the genetic structure of the oca. The spatial structure of the genetic diversity can be related to the evolution of the species and the discordance between the morphological and molecular structures may result from similar selection pressures at different places leading to similar forms with a different genetic background.

A morphological and life history comparison between desert populations of a sit-and-pursue antlion, in reference to a co-occurring pit-building antlion.

PubMed

Scharf, Inon; Filin, Ido; Subach, Aziz; Ovadia, Ofer

2009-10-01

Although most antlion species do not construct pits, the vast majority of studies on antlions focused on pit-building species. We report here on a transplant experiment aiming to test for morphological and life history differences between two desert populations of a sit-and-pursue antlion species, Lopezus fedtschenkoi (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), originating from habitats, which mainly differ in plant cover and productivity. We raised the antlion larvae in environmental chambers simulating either hyper-arid or Mediterranean climate. We found significant differences in the morphology and life history of L. fedtschenkoi larvae between the two populations. For example, the larvae originating from the more productive habitat pupated faster and had a higher growth rate. In agreement with the temperature-size rule, antlions reached higher final mass in the colder Mediterranean climate and exhibited a higher growth rate, but there was no difference in their developmental time. Observed differences in morphology between populations as well as those triggered by climate growing conditions could be explained by differences in size allometry. We also provide a quantitative description of the allometric growth axis, based on 12 morphological traits. Comparing the responses of L. fedtschenkoi with those observed in a co-occurring pit-building antlion indicated that there were neither shape differences that are independent of size nor was there a difference in the plasticity level between the two species.

A simple and rapid method for preparing the whole section of starchy seed to investigate the morphology and distribution of starch in different regions of seed.

PubMed

Zhao, Lingxiao; Pan, Ting; Guo, Dongwei; Wei, Cunxu

2018-01-01

Storage starch in starchy seed influences the seed weight and texture, and determines its applications in food and nonfood industries. Starch granules from different plant sources have significantly different shapes and sizes, and even more the difference exists in the different regions of the same tissue. Therefore, it is very important to in situ investigate the morphology and distribution of starch in the whole seed. However, a simple and rapid method is deficient to prepare the whole section of starchy seed for investigating the morphology and distribution of starch in the whole seeds for a large number of samples. A simple and rapid method was established to prepare the whole section of starchy seed, especially for floury seed, in this study. The whole seeds of translucent and chalky rice, vitreous and floury maize, and normal barley and wheat were sectioned successfully using the newly established method. The iodine-stained section clearly exhibited the shapes and size of starch granules in different regions of seed. The starch granules with different morphologies and iodine-staining colors existed regionally in the seeds of high-amylose rice and maize. The sections of lotus and kidney bean seeds also showed the feasibility of this method for starchy non-cereal seeds. The simple and rapid method was proven effective for preparing the whole sections of starchy seeds. The whole section of seed could be used to investigate the morphology and distribution of starch granules in different regions of the whole seed. The method was especially suitable for large sample numbers to investigate the starch morphology in short time.

The role of behaviour in adaptive morphological evolution of African proboscideans.

PubMed

Lister, Adrian M

2013-08-15

The fossil record richly illustrates the origin of morphological adaptation through time. However, our understanding of the selective forces responsible in a given case, and the role of behaviour in the process, is hindered by assumptions of synchrony between environmental change, behavioural innovation and morphological response. Here I show, from independent proxy data through a 20-million-year sequence of fossil proboscideans in East Africa, that changes in environment, diet and morphology are often significantly offset chronologically, allowing dissection of the roles of behaviour and different selective drivers. These findings point the way to hypothesis-driven testing of the interplay between habitat change, behaviour and morphological adaptation with the use of independent proxies in the fossil record.

Removal of Micrometer Size Morphological Defects and Enhancement of Ultraviolet Emission by Thermal Treatment of Ga-Doped ZnO Nanostructures

PubMed Central

Manzoor, Umair; Kim, Do K.; Islam, Mohammad; Bhatti, Arshad S.

2014-01-01

Mixed morphologies of Ga-doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are synthesized by vapor transport method. Systematic scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies of different morphologies, after periodic heat treatments, gives direct evidence of sublimation. SEM micrographs give direct evidence that morphological defects of nanostructures can be removed by annealing. Ultra Violet (UV) and visible emission depends strongly on the annealing temperatures and luminescent efficiency of UV emission is enhanced significantly with each subsequent heat treatment. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) results suggest that crystal quality improved by annealing and phase separation may occur at high temperatures. PMID:24489725

Removal of micrometer size morphological defects and enhancement of ultraviolet emission by thermal treatment of Ga-doped ZnO nanostructures.

PubMed

Manzoor, Umair; Kim, Do K; Islam, Mohammad; Bhatti, Arshad S

2014-01-01

Mixed morphologies of Ga-doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are synthesized by vapor transport method. Systematic scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies of different morphologies, after periodic heat treatments, gives direct evidence of sublimation. SEM micrographs give direct evidence that morphological defects of nanostructures can be removed by annealing. Ultra Violet (UV) and visible emission depends strongly on the annealing temperatures and luminescent efficiency of UV emission is enhanced significantly with each subsequent heat treatment. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) results suggest that crystal quality improved by annealing and phase separation may occur at high temperatures.

Three-dimensional morphology of first molars in relation to ethnicity and the occurrence of cleft lip and palate.

PubMed

Echtermeyer, Sandra; Metelmann, Philine H; Hemprich, Alexander; Dannhauer, Karl-Heinz; Krey, Karl-Friedrich

2017-01-01

This study aims to describe morphological peculiarities of maxillary and mandibular first molars in Europeans, Asians and Europeans with cleft lip and palate. Reflex microscopy was used to obtain three-dimensional morphometric landmarks from 40 models (11 Europeans and 13 Asians without cleft lip and palate, 16 Europeans with unilateral cleft lip and palate). The cases were examined using traditional morphometry and geometric morphometry, and visualized using thin-plate splines. Classic morphometry showed no right/left differences in the study groups and no significant differences with regard to the cleft side in patients with cleft lip and palate. In Asians, a significantly greater mesiodistal width was found. Geometric morphometry showed an enlarged centroid size in Asians (maxilla and mandible). In cleft patients, the cleft site did not appear to impact the morphology of first molars. Unilateral clefting did not affect the size and shape of molars; however, characteristic ethnicity-based differences were in fact identified. The results are relevant for orthodontic treatment with preadjusted appliances, and prosthetic CAD/CAM restorations.

Which morphological characteristics are most influenced by the host matrix in downy mildews? A case study in Pseudoperonospora cubensis.

PubMed

Runge, Fabian; Ndambi, Beninweck; Thines, Marco

2012-01-01

Before the advent of molecular phylogenetics, species concepts in the downy mildews, an economically important group of obligate biotrophic oomycete pathogens, have mostly been based upon host range and morphology. While molecular phylogenetic studies have confirmed a narrow host range for many downy mildew species, others, like Pseudoperonospora cubensis affect even different genera. Although often morphological differences were found for new, phylogenetically distinct species, uncertainty prevails regarding their host ranges, especially regarding related plants that have been reported as downy mildew hosts, but were not included in the phylogenetic studies. In these cases, the basis for deciding if the divergence in some morphological characters can be deemed sufficient for designation as separate species is uncertain, as observed morphological divergence could be due to different host matrices colonised. The broad host range of P. cubensis (ca. 60 host species) renders this pathogen an ideal model organism for the investigation of morphological variations in relation to the host matrix and to evaluate which characteristics are best indicators for conspecificity or distinctiveness. On the basis of twelve morphological characterisitcs and a set of twelve cucurbits from five different Cucurbitaceae tribes, including the two species, Cyclanthera pedata and Thladiantha dubia, hitherto not reported as hosts of P. cubensis, a significant influence of the host matrix on pathogen morphology was found. Given the high intraspecific variation of some characteristics, also their plasticity has to be taken into account. The implications for morphological species determination and the confidence limits of morphological characteristics are discussed. For species delimitations in Pseudoperonospora it is shown that the ratio of the height of the first ramification to the sporangiophore length, ratio of the longer to the shorter ultimate branchlet, and especially the length and width of sporangia, as well as, with some reservations, their ratio, are the most suitable characteristics for species delimitation.

Which Morphological Characteristics Are Most Influenced by the Host Matrix in Downy Mildews? A Case Study in Pseudoperonospora cubensis

PubMed Central

Runge, Fabian; Ndambi, Beninweck; Thines, Marco

2012-01-01

Before the advent of molecular phylogenetics, species concepts in the downy mildews, an economically important group of obligate biotrophic oomycete pathogens, have mostly been based upon host range and morphology. While molecular phylogenetic studies have confirmed a narrow host range for many downy mildew species, others, like Pseudoperonospora cubensis affect even different genera. Although often morphological differences were found for new, phylogenetically distinct species, uncertainty prevails regarding their host ranges, especially regarding related plants that have been reported as downy mildew hosts, but were not included in the phylogenetic studies. In these cases, the basis for deciding if the divergence in some morphological characters can be deemed sufficient for designation as separate species is uncertain, as observed morphological divergence could be due to different host matrices colonised. The broad host range of P. cubensis (ca. 60 host species) renders this pathogen an ideal model organism for the investigation of morphological variations in relation to the host matrix and to evaluate which characteristics are best indicators for conspecificity or distinctiveness. On the basis of twelve morphological characterisitcs and a set of twelve cucurbits from five different Cucurbitaceae tribes, including the two species, Cyclanthera pedata and Thladiantha dubia, hitherto not reported as hosts of P. cubensis, a significant influence of the host matrix on pathogen morphology was found. Given the high intraspecific variation of some characteristics, also their plasticity has to be taken into account. The implications for morphological species determination and the confidence limits of morphological characteristics are discussed. For species delimitations in Pseudoperonospora it is shown that the ratio of the height of the first ramification to the sporangiophore length, ratio of the longer to the shorter ultimate branchlet, and especially the length and width of sporangia, as well as, with some reservations, their ratio, are the most suitable characteristics for species delimitation. PMID:23166582

Impact of air pollution on floral morphology of Cassia siamea Lamk.

PubMed

Chauhan, S V S; Chaurasia, Bharati; Rana, Anita

2004-07-01

Cassia siamea plants growing at two different sites (polluted and non-polluted) on two important roads of Agra city exhibited significant differences in their flowering phenology and floral morphology. The flowering in plants growing at polluted site is delayed and there was a marked reduction in flowering density, flowering period, size of floral parts, pollen fertility, fruit and seed-set. SEM observations revealed the presence of well developed glandular structures and reduction in the number and size of large stomata on the anther surface at polluted site. These changes were found to be closely associated with the extent of air pollution caused mainly by significant in the number of automobiles.

Sodium chloride stress induced morphological and ultrastructural changes in Aspergillus repens.

PubMed

Kelavkar, U; Rao, K S; Ghhatpar, H S

1993-06-01

Halotolerant fungus, A. repens, showed a considerable difference in its growth rate, morphology, ultrastructural and molecular composition under NaCl stress as compared to control i.e. non-stressed condition. Light microscopic observations revealed significant differences in their mycelial thickness, their branching and septa. Transmission electron microscopic observations of both the conditions depicted significant differences in the qualitative and quantitative changes in mitochondria. Frequent pinocytotic vesiculation (vacuoles) of plasma membrane was observed in fungus under stress but no such vesiculation in control. The multivesiculate structures observed under stress with their origin from the cell membranes and subsequent release into vacuoles have not been reported in fungi under normal physiological conditions. The observations on pinocytosis are discussed in relation to ion compartmentation and salt tolerance in A. repens.

Morphological Asymmetry of the Superior Cervical Facets from C3 through C7 due to Degeneration

PubMed Central

Van Roy, Peter

2017-01-01

Introduction Knowledge about facet morphology has already been discussed extensively in literature but is limited regarding asymmetry and its relation to facet degeneration. Method Facet dimensions, surface area, curvature, and degeneration of the superior facets were measured in 85 dried human vertebrae from the anatomical collection of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The vertebrae were analysed using the Microscribe G2X digitizer (Immersion Co., San Jose, CA) and a grading system for the evaluation of cervical facet degeneration. Coordinates were processed mathematically to evaluate articular tropism. The statistical analysis includes the paired t-test and the Pearson correlation. Results On average, no systematic differences between the left and right facets were found concerning morphology and degeneration. However, there were significant differences regardless of the side-occurrence. There was a significant correlation between the dimensions of the total facet surface and the degree of degeneration but not for the recognizable joint surface. Conclusions Facet tropism of the upper joint facets occurred often in the cervical spine but without side preference. A bigger difference in degeneration asymmetry was associated with a bigger difference in facet joint dimension asymmetry. PMID:29359153

Morphology and morphometry of the caudate lobe of the liver in two populations.

PubMed

Sagoo, Mandeep Gill; Aland, R Claire; Gosden, Edward

2018-01-01

The caudate lobe of the liver has portal blood supply and hepatic vein drainage independent of the remainder of the liver and may be differentially affected in liver pathologies. Ultrasonographic measurement of the caudate lobe can be used to generate hepatic indices that may indicate cirrhosis. This study investigated the relationship of metrics of the caudate lobe and other morphological features of human livers from a northwest Indian Punjabi population (n = 50) and a UK Caucasian population (n = 25), which may affect the calculation of hepatic indices. The width of the right lobe of the liver was significantly smaller, while the anteroposterior diameter of the caudate lobe and both Harbin's Index and the Hess Index scores were significantly larger in NWI livers than in UKC livers. The Hess Index score, in particular, is much larger in the NWI population (265 %, p < 0.005). Two caudate lobe features were significantly different between the two populations-the shape of the caudate lobe and the development of the caudate process. This study shows significant population differences exist in several metrics and morphological features of the liver. These differences may affect the calculation of hepatic indices, resulting in a greater percentage of false positives of cirrhosis in the NWI population. Population-specific data are required to correctly determine normal ranges.

Evolutionary morphology in shape and size of haptoral anchors in 14 Ligophorus spp. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae)

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-González, Abril; Sarabeev, Volodimir; Balbuena, Juan Antonio

2017-01-01

The search for phylogenetic signal in morphological traits using geometric morphometrics represents a powerful approach to estimate the relative weights of convergence and shared evolutionary history in shaping organismal form. We assessed phylogenetic signal in the form of ventral and dorsal haptoral anchors of 14 species of Ligophorus occurring on grey mullets (Osteichthyes: Mugilidae) from the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The phylogenetic relationships among these species were mapped onto the morphospaces of shape and size of dorsal and ventral anchors and two different tests were applied to establish whether the spatial positions in the morphospace were dictated by chance. Overall significant phylogenetic signal was found in the data. Allometric effects on anchor shape were moderate or non-significant in the case of evolutionary allometry. Relatively phylogenetically distant species occurring on the same host differed markedly in anchor morphology indicating little influence of host species on anchor form. Our results suggest that common descent and shared evolutionary history play a major role in determining the shape and, to a lesser degree in the size of haptoral anchors in Ligophorus spp. The present approach allowed tracing paths of morphological evolution in anchor shape. Species with narrow anchors and long shafts were associated predominately with Liza saliens. This morphology was considered to be ancestral relative to anchors of species occurring on Liza haematocheila and M. cephalus possessing shorter shafts and longer roots. Evidence for phylogenetic signal was more compelling for the ventral anchors, than for the dorsal ones, which could reflect different functional roles in attachment to the gills. Although phylogeny and homoplasy may act differently in other monogeneans, the present study delivers a common framework to address effectively the relationships among morphology, phylogeny and other traits, such as host specificity or niche occupancy. PMID:28542570

Metric and morphological assessment of facial features: a study on three European populations.

PubMed

Ritz-Timme, S; Gabriel, P; Tutkuviene, J; Poppa, P; Obertová, Z; Gibelli, D; De Angelis, D; Ratnayake, M; Rizgeliene, R; Barkus, A; Cattaneo, C

2011-04-15

Identification from video surveillance systems is becoming more and more frequent in the forensic practice. In this field, different techniques have been improved such as height estimation and gait analysis. However, the most natural approach for identifying a person in everyday life is based on facial characteristics. Scientifically, faces can be described using morphological and metric assessment of facial features. The morphological approach is largely affected by the subjective opinion of the observer, which can be mitigated by the application of descriptive atlases. In addition, this approach requires one to investigate which are the most common and rare facial characteristics in different populations. For the metric approach further studies are necessary in order to point out possible metric differences within and between different populations. The acquisition of statistically adequate population data may provide useful information for the reconstruction of biological profiles of unidentified individuals, particularly concerning ethnic affiliation, and possibly also for personal identification. This study presents the results of the morphological and metric assessment of the head and face of 900 male subjects between 20 and 31 years from Italy, Germany and Lithuania. The evaluation of the morphological traits was performed using the DMV atlas with 43 pre-defined facial characteristics. The frequencies of the types of facial features were calculated for each population in order to establish the rarest characteristics which may be used for the purpose of a biological profile and consequently for personal identification. Metric analysis performed in vivo included 24 absolute measurements and 24 indices of the head and face, including body height and body weight. The comparison of the frequencies of morphological facial features showed many similarities between the samples from Germany, Italy and Lithuania. However, several characteristics were rare or significantly more or less common in one population compared to the other two. On the other hand, all measurements and indices, except for labial width and intercanthal-mouth index showed significant differences between the three populations. As far as comparisons with other samples are concerned, the three European Caucasian samples differed from North American Caucasian, African and Asian groups as concerns the frequency of the morphological traits and the mean values of the metric analysis. The metric and morphological data collected from three European populations may be useful for forensic purposes in the construction of biological profiles and in screening for personal identification. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural Genetic Variation and Candidate Genes for Morphological Traits in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Carreira, Valeria Paula; Mensch, Julián; Hasson, Esteban; Fanara, Juan José

2016-01-01

Body size is a complex character associated to several fitness related traits that vary within and between species as a consequence of environmental and genetic factors. Latitudinal and altitudinal clines for different morphological traits have been described in several species of Drosophila and previous work identified genomic regions associated with such variation in D. melanogaster. However, the genetic factors that orchestrate morphological variation have been barely studied. Here, our main objective was to investigate genetic variation for different morphological traits associated to the second chromosome in natural populations of D. melanogaster along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in Argentina. Our results revealed weak clinal signals and a strong population effect on morphological variation. Moreover, most pairwise comparisons between populations were significant. Our study also showed important within-population genetic variation, which must be associated to the second chromosome, as the lines are otherwise genetically identical. Next, we examined the contribution of different candidate genes to natural variation for these traits. We performed quantitative complementation tests using a battery of lines bearing mutated alleles at candidate genes located in the second chromosome and six second chromosome substitution lines derived from natural populations which exhibited divergent phenotypes. Results of complementation tests revealed that natural variation at all candidate genes studied, invected, Fasciclin 3, toucan, Reticulon-like1, jing and CG14478, affects the studied characters, suggesting that they are Quantitative Trait Genes for morphological traits. Finally, the phenotypic patterns observed suggest that different alleles of each gene might contribute to natural variation for morphological traits. However, non-additive effects cannot be ruled out, as wild-derived strains differ at myriads of second chromosome loci that may interact epistatically with mutant alleles. PMID:27459710

Influence of surface morphology on adsorption of potassium stearate molecules on diamond-like carbon substrate: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Shusen; Cao, Yongzhi; Sun, Tao; Zhang, Junjie; Gu, Le; Zhang, Chuanwei; Xu, Zhiqiang

2018-05-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to provide insights into the influence of nano-scale surface morphology on adsorptive behavior of Potassium stearate molecules on diamond-like carbon (DLC) substrates. Particular focus was given to explain that how the distinctive geometric properties of different surface morphologies affect the equilibrium structures and substrate-molecules interactions of monolayers, which was achieved through adsorptive analysis methods including adsorptive process, density profile, density distribution and surface potential energy. Analysis on surface potential energy demonstrated that the adsorptivity of amorphous smooth substrate is uniformly distributed over the surface, while DLC substrates with different surface morphologies appear to be more potentially corrugated, which improves the adsorptivity significantly. Because of the large distance of molecules from carbon atoms located at the square groove bottom, substrate-molecules interactions vanish significantly, and thus potassium stearate molecules cannot penetrate completely into the square groove. It can be observed that the equilibrium substrate-molecules interactions of triangle groove and semi-circle groove are much more powerful than that of square groove due to geometrically advantageous properties. These findings provided key information of optimally design of solid substrates with controllable adsorptivity.

Trypanosomatids (Protozoa: Kinetoplastida) in three species of Armored Catfish from Mogi-Guaçu river, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Molina, Julia Pereira; Madi, Rubens Riscala; Solferini, Vera Nisaka; Ceccarelli, Paulo Sérgio; Pinheiro, Hildete Prisco; Ueta, Marlene Tiduko

2016-06-07

Trypanosome infections have been reported in several species of fish, in majority of cases described on the basis of morphological characteristics. Trypanosomes in fish are heteroxenous and transmitted by hirudineans. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and density of infections by Trypanosoma sp. in blood from three species of catfish, Hypostomus regani, H. strigaticeps, H. albopunctatus, from the Mogi Guaçu River, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil. Further, this study intends to characterize the Trypanosoma specimens found in the blood of these fish by morphological and molecular techniques. The trypanosomes overall prevalence observed was 47.6% with a general average density of 0.75 parasites/µl of blood. Hypostomus regani and Hypostomus strigaticeps showed a significant difference in prevalence. The average densities of parasites were not significantly different among the three fish species. Similar findings were observed for the monthly variations in densities. The parasites found in the three species of catfish studied showed similar morphological characteristics. The morphological data and the statistical analyses used in this study didn't show the formation of groups. The analyses provided evidence of the presence of pleomorphisms in the trypanosomes found in the three studied fish.

Vaccination and triploidy increase relative heart weight in farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

PubMed

Fraser, T W K; Mayer, I; Hansen, T; Poppe, T T; Skjaeraasen, J E; Koppang, E O; Fjelldal, P G

2015-02-01

Heart morphology is particularly plastic in teleosts and differs between farmed and wild Atlantic salmon. However, little is known about how different culture practices and sex affect heart morphology. This study investigated how vaccination, triploidy and sex affected heart size and heart morphology (ventricle shape, angle of the bulbus arteriosus) in farmed Atlantic salmon for 18 months following vaccination (from c. 50-3000 g body weight). In addition, hearts were examined histologically after 7 months in sea water. All fish sampled were sexually immature. Vaccinated fish had significantly heavier hearts relative to body weight and a more triangular ventricle than unvaccinated fish, suggesting a greater cardiac workload. Irrespective of time, triploids had significantly heavier hearts relative to body weight, a more acute angle of the bulbus arteriosus and less fat deposition in the epicardium than diploids. The ventricle was also more triangular in triploids than diploids at seawater transfer. Sex had transient effects on the angle of the bulbus arteriosus, but no effect on relative heart weight or ventricle shape. From a morphological perspective, the results indicate that vaccination and triploidy increase cardiac workload in farmed Atlantic salmon. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Diurnal Variations in Global Joule Heating Morphology and Magnitude Due To Neutral Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Billett, D. D.; Grocott, A.; Wild, J. A.; Walach, M.-T.; Kosch, M. J.

2018-03-01

In the polar ionosphere, variations in Joule heating are significantly controlled by changes in plasma convection, such as that brought about by changes in the interplanetary magnetic field. However, another important consideration when calculating Joule heating is the velocity difference between this plasma and the neutral thermosphere colocated with the ionosphere. Neutral wind data are often difficult to obtain on a global scale; thus, Joule heating has often previously been calculated assuming that neutral velocities are small and can therefore be neglected. Previous work has shown the effect of neutral winds on Joule heating estimations to be more significant than originally thought; however, the diurnal variations of the neutrals due to changes in solar pressure gradients and Coriolis forces have yet to have their impact on Joule heating assessed. We show this universal time effect to be significant in calculating Joule heating and thus can differ significantly from that calculated by neglecting the neutrals. In this study, we use empirical models for the neutral wind, conductivities, and magnetic field to create Northern Hemispheric patterns of Joule heating for approximately 800,000 individual plasma convection patterns generated using data from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network. From this, a statistical analysis of how Joule heating varies in morphology and magnitude with universal time is shown for differing seasons and levels of geomagnetic activity. We find that neutral winds do play a significant role in the morphology and total energy output of Joule heating.

Morphological variation in the cosmopolitan fish parasite Neobenedenia girellae (Capsalidae: Monogenea).

PubMed

Brazenor, Alexander K; Saunders, Richard J; Miller, Terrence L; Hutson, Kate S

2018-02-01

Intra-species morphological variation presents a considerable problem for species identification and can result in taxonomic confusion. This is particularly pertinent for species of Neobenedenia which are harmful agents in captive fish populations and have historically been identified almost entirely based on morphological characters. This study aimed to understand how the morphology of Neobenedenia girellae varies with host fish species and the environment. Standard morphological features of genetically indistinct parasites from various host fish species were measured under controlled temperatures and salinities. An initial field-based investigation found that parasite morphology significantly differed between genetically indistinct parasites infecting various host fish species. The majority of the morphological variation observed (60%) was attributed to features that assist in parasite attachment to the host (i.e. the posterior and anterior attachment organs and their accessory hooks) which are important characters in monogenean taxonomy. We then experimentally examined the effects of the interaction between host fish species and environmental factors (temperature and salinity) on the morphology of isogenic parasites derived from a single, isolated hermaphroditic N. girellae infecting barramundi, Lates calcarifer. Experimental infection of L. calcarifer and cobia, Rachycentron canadum, under controlled laboratory conditions did not confer host-mediated phenotypic plasticity in N. girellae, suggesting that measured morphological differences could be adaptive and only occur over multiple parasite generations. Subsequent experimental infection of a single host species, L. calcarifer, at various temperatures (22, 30 and 32 °C) and salinities (35 and 40‰) showed that in the cooler environments (22 °C) N. girellae body proportions were significantly smaller compared with warmer temperatures (30 and 32 °C; P < 0.0001), whereas salinity had no effect. This is evidence that temperature can drive phenotypic plasticity in key taxonomic characters of N. girellae under certain environmental conditions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Differential diagnosis of the MDCT features between lung adenocarcinoma preinvasive lesions and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma appearing as ground-glass nodules].

PubMed

Liu, Jia; Li, Wenwu; Huang, Yong; Mu, Dianbin; Yu, Haiying; Li, Shanshan

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) features of preinvasive lesions and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) appearing as ground-glass nodules (GGNs), and to analyze their significance in differential diagnosis. The pathological data and MDCT images of 111 GGNs in 93 patients were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively, to identify the differentiating CT features between preinvasive lesions and MIA and to evaluate their differentiating accuracy. In the 93 patients included in the study, there were 27 cases with preinvasive lesions (38 GGNs) and 66 cases with MIA (73 GGNs). No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of the gender, age and number of lesions between the two groups. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the size of lesion, size of solid portion, content of solid portion, and morphological characteristics of the lesion edge between preinvasive lesions and MIA. ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value of lesion size for differentiating preinvasive lesions from MIA was 13.0 mm (sensitivity, 83.0%; specificity, 80.0%), and that of solid portion size was 2.0 mm (sensitivity, 90.0%; specificity, 97.0%) and that of solid proportion was 12.0% (sensitivity, 88.0%; specificity, 97.0%). The analysis of CT morphological features showed that there were significant differences in the terms of lesion nature (pGGO, mGGO), presence or absence of lobulated sign and spiculated sign (P<0.05) between preinvasive lesions and MIA, but there were no significant differences in terms of the lesion edge, the presence or absence of vacuole sign, bubble lucency and pleural retraction (P>0.05). Preinvasive lesions can be accurately distinguished from MIA by the size of lesion, size of solid portion,solid proportion and morphological characteristics of the lesion edge. The size of lesion, size of solid portion, content of solid proportion and morphological characteristics of the lesion edge are of significance in the differential diagnosis of preinvasive lesions and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung.

High ferritin levels have major effects on the morphology of erythrocytes in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Bester, Janette; Buys, Antoinette V; Lipinski, Boguslaw; Kell, Douglas B; Pretorius, Etheresia

2013-01-01

Unliganded iron both contributes to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and also changes the morphology of erythrocytes (RBCs). We tested the hypothesis that these two facts might be linked, i.e., that the RBCs of AD individuals have a variant morphology, that might have diagnostic or prognostic value. We included a literature survey of AD and its relationships to the vascular system, followed by a laboratory study. Four different microscopy techniques were used and results statistically compared to analyze trends between high and normal serum ferritin (SF) AD individuals. Light and scanning electron microscopies showed little difference between the morphologies of RBCs taken from healthy individuals and from normal SF AD individuals. By contrast, there were substantial changes in the morphology of RBCs taken from high SF AD individuals. These differences were also observed using confocal microscopy and as a significantly greater membrane stiffness (measured using force-distance curves). We argue that high ferritin levels may contribute to an accelerated pathology in AD. Our findings reinforce the importance of (unliganded) iron in AD, and suggest the possibility both of an early diagnosis and some means of treating or slowing down the progress of this disease.

Mutual information analysis and detection of interictal morphological differences in interictal epileptiform discharges of patients with partial epilepsies.

PubMed

Varma, N K; Kushwaha, R; Beydoun, A; Williams, W J; Drury, I

1997-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare the morphological features of interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) in patients with benign epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes to IED of those with symptomatic localization related epilepsies using information theory. Three patients from each clinical group were selected. Two-second epochs centered at the peak negativity of the sharp waves were analyzed from a referential montage during stage I sleep. The epochs from the two groups were compared using parametric and information theory analysis. Information analysis determined the likelihood of correctly identifying the clinical group based on the IED. Standard parametric, morphological and spectral analyses were also performed. We found no significant difference in the morphology of the sharp wave between the two groups. The after-going slow wave contained the greatest information that separated the two groups. This result was supported by morphological and spectral differences in the after-going slow wave. Greater distinguishing information is held in the after-going slow wave than the sharp wave for the identification of clinical groups. Information analysis may assist in differentiating clinical syndromes from EEG signals.

Effects of long-term preservation on amphibian body conditions: implications for historical morphological research

PubMed Central

Shu, Guocheng; Gong, Yuzhou; Xie, Feng; Wu, Nicholas C.

2017-01-01

Measurements of historical specimens are widely applied in studies of taxonomy, systematics, and ecology, but biologists often assume that the effects of preservative chemicals on the morphology of amphibian specimens are minimal in their analyses. We compared the body length and body mass of 182 samples of 13 live and preserved (up to 10 years) anuran species and found that the body length and body mass of preserved specimens significantly decreased by 6.1% and 24.8%, respectively, compared to those measurements of their live counterparts. The changes in body length and mass also exhibited highly significant variations between species. Similarly, there were significant differences in shrinkage of body length and body mass between sexes, where males showed greater shrinkage in body length and body mass compared to females. Preservation distorted the magnitude of the interspecific differences in body length observed in the fresh specimens. Overall, the reduction in body length or mass was greater in longer or heavier individuals. Due to the effects of preservation on amphibian morphology, we propose two parsimonious conversion equations to back-calculate the original body length and body mass of studied anurans for researchers working with historical data, since morphological data from preserved specimens may lead to incorrect biological interpretations when comparing to fresh specimens. Therefore, researchers should correct for errors due to preservation effects that may lead to the misinterpretation of results. PMID:28929024

Structural and morphological approach of Co-Cr dental alloys processed by alternative manufacturing technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porojan, Sorin; Bîrdeanu, Mihaela; Savencu, Cristina; Porojan, Liliana

2017-08-01

The integration of digitalized processing technologies in traditional dental restorations manufacturing is an emerging application. The objective of this study was to identify the different structural and morphological characteristics of Co-Cr dental alloys processed by alternative manufacturing techniques in order to understand the influence of microstructure on restorations properties and their clinical behavior. Metallic specimens made of Co-Cr dental alloys were prepared using traditional casting (CST), and computerized milling (MIL), selective laser sintering (SLS) and selective laser melting (SLM). The structural information of the samples was obtained by X-ray diffraction, the morphology and the topography of the samples were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscope. Given that the microstructure was significantly different, further differences in the clinical behavior of prosthetic restorations manufactured using additive techniques are anticipated.

Twenty Four-Hour Exposure to a 0.12 THz Electromagnetic Field Does Not Affect the Genotoxicity, Morphological Changes, or Expression of Heat Shock Protein in HCE-T Cells.

PubMed

Koyama, Shin; Narita, Eijiro; Shimizu, Yoko; Shiina, Takeo; Taki, Masao; Shinohara, Naoki; Miyakoshi, Junji

2016-08-05

To investigate the cellular effects of terahertz (THz) exposure, human corneal epithelial (HCE-T) cells derived from human eye were exposed to 0.12 THz radiation at 5 mW/cm² for 24 h, then the genotoxicity, morphological changes, and heat shock protein (Hsp) expression of the cells were examined. There was no statistically significant increase in the micronucleus (MN) frequency of cells exposed to 0.12 THz radiation compared with sham-exposed controls and incubator controls, whereas the MN frequency of cells treated with bleomycin for 1 h (positive control) did increase significantly. Similarly, there were no significant morphological changes in cells exposed to 0.12 THz radiation compared to sham-exposed controls and incubator controls, and Hsp expression (Hsp27, Hsp70, and Hsp90α) was also not significantly different between the three treatments. These results indicate that exposure to 0.12 THz radiation using the present conditions appears to have no or very little effect on MN formation, morphological changes, and Hsp expression in cells derived from human eye.

Change in Tongue Morphology in Response to Expiratory Resistance Loading Investigated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Yanagisawa, Yukio; Matsuo, Yoshimi; Shuntoh, Hisato; Mitamura, Masaaki; Horiuchi, Noriaki

2013-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of expiratory resistance load on the tongue area encompassing the suprahyoid and genioglossus muscles. [Subjects] The subjects were 30 healthy individuals (15 males, 15 females, mean age: 28.9 years). [Methods] Magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate morphological changes in response to resistive expiratory pressure loading in the area encompassing the suprahyoid and genioglossus muscles. Images were taken when water pressure was sustained at 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50% of maximum resistive expiratory pressure. We then measured tongue area using image analysis software, and the morphological changes were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance followed by post hoc comparisons. [Results] A significant change in the tongue area was detected in both sexes upon loading. Multiple comparison analysis revealed further significant differences in tongue area as well as changes in tongue area in response to the different expiratory pressures. [Conclusion] The findings demonstrate that higher expiratory pressure facilitates greater reduction in tongue area. PMID:24259824

Morphological Evolution of Pit-Patterned Si(001) Substrates Driven by Surface-Energy Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvalaglio, Marco; Backofen, Rainer; Voigt, Axel; Montalenti, Francesco

2017-09-01

Lateral ordering of heteroepitaxial islands can be conveniently achieved by suitable pit-patterning of the substrate prior to deposition. Controlling shape, orientation, and size of the pits is not trivial as, being metastable, they can significantly evolve during deposition/annealing. In this paper, we exploit a continuum model to explore the typical metastable pit morphologies that can be expected on Si(001), depending on the initial depth/shape. Evolution is predicted using a surface-diffusion model, formulated in a phase-field framework, and tackling surface-energy anisotropy. Results are shown to nicely reproduce typical metastable shapes reported in the literature. Moreover, long time scale evolutions of pit profiles with different depths are found to follow a similar kinetic pathway. The model is also exploited to treat the case of heteroepitaxial growth involving two materials characterized by different facets in their equilibrium Wulff's shape. This can lead to significant changes in morphologies, such as a rotation of the pit during deposition as evidenced in Ge/Si experiments.

Morphological Evolution of Pit-Patterned Si(001) Substrates Driven by Surface-Energy Reduction.

PubMed

Salvalaglio, Marco; Backofen, Rainer; Voigt, Axel; Montalenti, Francesco

2017-09-29

Lateral ordering of heteroepitaxial islands can be conveniently achieved by suitable pit-patterning of the substrate prior to deposition. Controlling shape, orientation, and size of the pits is not trivial as, being metastable, they can significantly evolve during deposition/annealing. In this paper, we exploit a continuum model to explore the typical metastable pit morphologies that can be expected on Si(001), depending on the initial depth/shape. Evolution is predicted using a surface-diffusion model, formulated in a phase-field framework, and tackling surface-energy anisotropy. Results are shown to nicely reproduce typical metastable shapes reported in the literature. Moreover, long time scale evolutions of pit profiles with different depths are found to follow a similar kinetic pathway. The model is also exploited to treat the case of heteroepitaxial growth involving two materials characterized by different facets in their equilibrium Wulff's shape. This can lead to significant changes in morphologies, such as a rotation of the pit during deposition as evidenced in Ge/Si experiments.

The impact of protein disulfide bonds on the amyloid fibril morphology

PubMed Central

Kurouski, Dmitry

2014-01-01

Amyloid fibrils are associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Being formed from more than 20 different proteins that are functionally or structurally unrelated, amyloid fibrils share a common cross-β core structure. It is a well-accepted hypothesis that fibril biological activity and the associated toxicity vary with their morphology. Partial denaturation of a native protein usually precedes the initial stage of fibrillation, namely the nucleation process. Low pH and elevated temperature, typical conditions of amyloid fibril formation in vitro, resulted in partial denaturation of the proteins. Cleavage of disulfide bonds results typically in significant disruption of protein native structure and in the formation of the molten global state. Herein we report on a comparative investigation of fibril formation by apo-α-lactalbumin and its analog that contains only one of the four original disulfide bonds using deep UV resonance and non-resonance Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Significant differences in the aggregation mechanism and the resulting fibril morphology were found. PMID:24693331

Applications of cone-beam computed tomography to assess the effects of labial crown morphologies and collum angles on torque for maxillary anterior teeth.

PubMed

Kong, Wei-Dong; Ke, Jun-Yu; Hu, Xiang-Quan; Zhang, Wu; Li, Shu-Shu; Feng, Yi

2016-11-01

Currently, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been widely used because of its capacity to evaluate the anatomic structures of the maxilla, mandible, and teeth in 3 dimensions. However, articles about the use of CBCT to evaluate the relationships between the morphology of individual teeth and torque expression remain rare. In this study, we aimed to determine the influence of labial crown morphologies and collum angles on torque for maxillary anterior teeth using CBCT. A total of 206 extracted maxillary anterior teeth were selected to establish scanning models using dental wax, and they were scanned by CBCT. Three-dimensionally reconstructed images and median sagittal sections of the teeth were digitized and analyzed with AutoCAD software (Autodesk, San Rafael, Calif). The angle α, formed by the intersection of the tangent at a certain vertical height on the labial surface from the incisal edge with the crown long axis, and the collum angle, were measured. The variations in angle α at different heights from the incisal edge for the same type of tooth were statistically significantly different (P <0.001). Moreover, the variations between collum angles and 0° for any type of maxillary anterior tooth were statistically significant (P <0.01). This study suggested that there are great differences in labial crown morphologies and collum angles for maxillary anterior teeth between persons, indicating that the morphologies of these teeth do play important roles in torque variations. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Comparison of seminal vitamin B12, folate, reactive oxygen species and various sperm parameters between fertile and infertile males].

PubMed

Chen, Q; Ng, V; Mei, J; Chia, S E

2001-03-01

Vitamin B12(VB12), folate and reactive oxygen species(ROS) in human semen from both fertile and infertile males, and their relationships with other parameters were observed. Semen samples from 44 infertile and 176 fentile control subjects were collected and measured based on the guidelines issued by WHO. The results showed that no significant differences on semen VB12 and folate were observed between fertile and infertile groups(P > 0.05). However, the levels of ROS in infertile group were significantly higher than those in fertile group(P < 0.01). The morphological defects and low motility of sperm in infertile group was significantly higher than those in fertile group(P < 0.01). A positive relation was observed between the levels of ROS production and the morphological defect of sperm(P < 0.01). There was a significant negative correlation between the levels of VB12, folate and ROS(P < 0.01) in semen. It is interesting to note that the values of ROS also show a significantly positive correlation with sperm motility (P < 0.01). A significant differences of ROS levels between fertile and infertile group with negative white blood cells in sperm was also observed. It is concluded that the increase of ROS on the morphological defect of sperm is one of the most important factors related to poor sperm quality and human infertility.

Epigenetic Variation in Mangrove Plants Occurring in Contrasting Natural Environment

PubMed Central

Lira-Medeiros, Catarina Fonseca; Parisod, Christian; Fernandes, Ricardo Avancini; Mata, Camila Souza; Cardoso, Monica Aires; Ferreira, Paulo Cavalcanti Gomes

2010-01-01

Background Epigenetic modifications, such as cytosine methylation, are inherited in plant species and may occur in response to biotic or abiotic stress, affecting gene expression without changing genome sequence. Laguncularia racemosa, a mangrove species, occurs in naturally contrasting habitats where it is subjected daily to salinity and nutrient variations leading to morphological differences. This work aims at unraveling how CpG-methylation variation is distributed among individuals from two nearby habitats, at a riverside (RS) or near a salt marsh (SM), with different environmental pressures and how this variation is correlated with the observed morphological variation. Principal Findings Significant differences were observed in morphological traits such as tree height, tree diameter, leaf width and leaf area between plants from RS and SM locations, resulting in smaller plants and smaller leaf size in SM plants. Methyl-Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism (MSAP) was used to assess genetic and epigenetic (CpG-methylation) variation in L. racemosa genomes from these populations. SM plants were hypomethylated (14.6% of loci had methylated samples) in comparison to RS (32.1% of loci had methylated samples). Within-population diversity was significantly greater for epigenetic than genetic data in both locations, but SM also had less epigenetic diversity than RS. Frequency-based (GST) and multivariate (βST) methods that estimate population structure showed significantly greater differentiation among locations for epigenetic than genetic data. Co-Inertia analysis, exploring jointly the genetic and epigenetic data, showed that individuals with similar genetic profiles presented divergent epigenetic profiles that were characteristic of the population in a particular environment, suggesting that CpG-methylation changes may be associated with environmental heterogeneity. Conclusions In spite of significant morphological dissimilarities, individuals of L. racemosa from salt marsh and riverside presented little genetic but abundant DNA methylation differentiation, suggesting that epigenetic variation in natural plant populations has an important role in helping individuals to cope with different environments. PMID:20436669

Novel Anti-Adhesive CMC-PE Hydrogel Significantly Enhanced Morphological and Physiological Recovery after Surgical Decompression in an Animal Model of Entrapment Neuropathy.

PubMed

Urano, Hideki; Iwatsuki, Katsuyuki; Yamamoto, Michiro; Ohnisi, Tetsuro; Kurimoto, Shigeru; Endo, Nobuyuki; Hirata, Hitoshi

2016-01-01

We developed a novel hydrogel derived from sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in which phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was introduced into the carboxyl groups of CMC to prevent perineural adhesions. This hydrogel has previously shown excellent anti-adhesive effects even after aggressive internal neurolysis in a rat model. Here, we confirmed the effects of the hydrogel on morphological and physiological recovery after nerve decompression. We prepared a rat model of chronic sciatic nerve compression using silicone tubing. Morphological and physiological recovery was confirmed at one, two, and three months after nerve decompression by assessing motor conduction velocity (MCV), the wet weight of the tibialis anterior muscle and morphometric evaluations of nerves. Electrophysiology showed significantly quicker recovery in the CMC-PE group than in the control group (24.0 ± 3.1 vs. 21.0± 2.1 m/s (p < 0.05) at one months and MCV continued to be significantly faster thereafter. Wet muscle weight at one month significantly differed between the CMC-PE (BW) and control groups (0.148 ± 0.020 vs. 0.108 ± 0.019%BW). The mean wet muscle weight was constantly higher in the CMC-PE group than in the control group throughout the experimental period. The axon area at one month was twice as large in the CMC-PE group compared with the control group (24.1 ± 17.3 vs. 12.3 ± 9 μm2) due to the higher ratio of axons with a larger diameter. Although the trend continued throughout the experimental period, the difference decreased after two months and was not statistically significant at three months. Although anti-adhesives can reduce adhesion after nerve injury, their effects on morphological and physiological recovery after surgical decompression of chronic entrapment neuropathy have not been investigated in detail. The present study showed that the new anti-adhesive CMC-PE gel can accelerate morphological and physiological recovery of nerves after decompression surgery.

Foot Morphological Difference between Habitually Shod and Unshod Runners.

PubMed

Shu, Yang; Mei, Qichang; Fernandez, Justin; Li, Zhiyong; Feng, Neng; Gu, Yaodong

2015-01-01

Foot morphology and function has received increasing attention from both biomechanics researchers and footwear manufacturers. In this study, 168 habitually unshod runners (90 males whose age, weight & height were 23±2.4 years, 66±7.1 kg & 1.68±0.13 m and 78 females whose age, weight & height were 22±1.8 years, 55±4.7 kg & 1.6±0.11 m) (Indians) and 196 shod runners (130 males whose age, weight & height were 24±2.6 years, 66±8.2 kg & 1.72±0.18 m and 66 females whose age, weight & height were 23±1.5 years, 54±5.6 kg & 1.62±0.15 m) (Chinese) participated in a foot scanning test using the easy-foot-scan (a three-dimensional foot scanning system) to obtain 3D foot surface data and 2D footprint imaging. Foot length, foot width, hallux angle and minimal distance from hallux to second toe were calculated to analyze foot morphological differences. This study found that significant differences exist between groups (shod Chinese and unshod Indians) for foot length (female p = 0.001), width (female p = 0.001), hallux angle (male and female p = 0.001) and the minimal distance (male and female p = 0.001) from hallux to second toe. This study suggests that significant differences in morphology between different ethnicities could be considered for future investigation of locomotion biomechanics characteristics between ethnicities and inform last shape and design so as to reduce injury risks and poor performance from mal-fit shoes.

Foot Morphological Difference between Habitually Shod and Unshod Runners

PubMed Central

Shu, Yang; Mei, Qichang; Fernandez, Justin; Li, Zhiyong; Feng, Neng; Gu, Yaodong

2015-01-01

Foot morphology and function has received increasing attention from both biomechanics researchers and footwear manufacturers. In this study, 168 habitually unshod runners (90 males whose age, weight & height were 23±2.4years, 66±7.1kg & 1.68±0.13m and 78 females whose age, weight & height were 22±1.8years, 55±4.7kg & 1.6±0.11m) (Indians) and 196 shod runners (130 males whose age, weight & height were 24±2.6years, 66±8.2kg & 1.72±0.18m and 66 females whose age, weight & height were 23±1.5years, 54±5.6kg & 1.62±0.15m)(Chinese) participated in a foot scanning test using the easy-foot-scan (a three-dimensional foot scanning system) to obtain 3D foot surface data and 2D footprint imaging. Foot length, foot width, hallux angle and minimal distance from hallux to second toe were calculated to analyze foot morphological differences. This study found that significant differences exist between groups (shod Chinese and unshod Indians) for foot length (female p = 0.001), width (female p = 0.001), hallux angle (male and female p = 0.001) and the minimal distance (male and female p = 0.001) from hallux to second toe. This study suggests that significant differences in morphology between different ethnicities could be considered for future investigation of locomotion biomechanics characteristics between ethnicities and inform last shape and design so as to reduce injury risks and poor performance from mal-fit shoes. PMID:26148059

Three-dimensional echocardiography of congenital abnormalities of the left atrioventricular valve

PubMed Central

Rice, Kathryn

2015-01-01

Congenital abnormalities of the left atrioventricular (AV) valve are a significant diagnostic challenge. Traditionally, reliance has been placed on two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE) imaging to guide recognition of the specific morphological features. Real-time 3DE can provide unique views of the left AV valve with the potential to improve understanding of valve morphology and function to facilitate surgical planning. This review illustrates the features of congenital abnormalities of the left AV valve assessed by 3DE. The similarities and differences in morphology between different lesions are described, both with respect to the valve itself and supporting chordal apparatus. The potential advantages as well as limitations of this technique in clinical practice are outlined. PMID:26693328

Human Platelet Lysate versus Fetal Calf Serum: These Supplements Do Not Select for Different Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

PubMed

Fernandez-Rebollo, Eduardo; Mentrup, Birgit; Ebert, Regina; Franzen, Julia; Abagnale, Giulio; Sieben, Torsten; Ostrowska, Alina; Hoffmann, Per; Roux, Pierre-François; Rath, Björn; Goodhardt, Michele; Lemaitre, Jean-Marc; Bischof, Oliver; Jakob, Franz; Wagner, Wolfgang

2017-07-11

Culture medium of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is usually supplemented with either human platelet lysate (HPL) or fetal calf serum (FCS). Many studies have demonstrated that proliferation and cellular morphology are affected by these supplements - it is therefore important to determine if they favor outgrowth of different subpopulations and thereby impact on the heterogeneous composition of MSCs. We have isolated and expanded human bone marrow-derived MSCs in parallel with HPL or FCS and demonstrated that HPL significantly increases proliferation and leads to dramatic differences in cellular morphology. Remarkably, global DNA-methylation profiles did not reveal any significant differences. Even at the transcriptomic level, there were only moderate changes in pairwise comparison. Furthermore, the effects on proliferation, cytoskeletal organization, and focal adhesions were reversible by interchanging to opposite culture conditions. These results indicate that cultivation of MSCs with HPL or FCS has no systematic bias for specific cell types.

The Neandertal vertebral column 1: the cervical spine.

PubMed

Gómez-Olivencia, Asier; Been, Ella; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Stock, Jay T

2013-06-01

This paper provides a metric analysis of the Neandertal cervical spine in relation to modern human variation. All seven cervical vertebrae have been analysed. Metric data from eight Neandertal individuals are compared with a large sample of modern humans. The significance of morphometric differences is tested using both z-scores and two-tailed Wilcoxon signed rank tests. The results identify significant metric and morphological differences between Neandertals and modern humans in all seven cervical vertebrae. Neandertal vertebrae are mediolaterally wider and dorsoventrally longer than modern humans, due in part to longer and more horizontally oriented spinous processes. This suggests that Neandertal cervical morphology was more stable in both mid-sagittal and coronal planes. It is hypothesized that the differences in cranial size and shape in the Neandertal and modern human lineages from their Middle Pleistocene ancestors could account for some of the differences in the neck anatomy between these species. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association between mid-facial morphology and climate in northeast Europe differs from that in north Asia: Implications for understanding the morphology of Late Pleistocene Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Evteev, Andrej A; Movsesian, Alla A; Grosheva, Alexandra N

2017-06-01

The climate of northeastern Europe is likely to resemble in many ways Late Pleistocene periglacial conditions in Europe, but there have been relatively few studies exploring the association between climate and morphology in the mid-face of modern northeastern European populations. To fill this gap, we sampled 540 male skulls from 22 European and Near Eastern groups, including 314 skulls from 11 populations from northeastern Europe, to test for possible climate-morphology association at the continental scale. Our results found a moderate and highly significant association (R = 0.48, p = 0.0013, Mantel test) between sets of 23 mid-facial measurements and eight climatic variables. A partial least squares analysis revealed this association to be mostly driven by differences between groups from northeastern Europe and populations from the Mediterranean and the Caucasus. Matrices of between-group genetic distances based on Y-chromosome and mtDNA markers, as well as cranial non-metric and geographic distance matrices, were used to control for the possible influence of shared population history. Irrespective of which measure of neutral between-population distances is taken into account, the association between cranial variables and climate remains significant. The pattern of association between climate and morphology of the mid-face in western Eurasia was then compared to that in east and north Asia. Although differences between the two were found, there were also similarities that support existing functional interpretations of morphology for the bony parts of the upper airways. Last, in a preliminary analysis using a reduced set of measurements, mid-facial morphology of several Upper Paleolithic European Homo sapiens specimens was found to be more similar to groups from northern and northeastern Europe than to southern European populations. Thus, the population of northeastern Europe rather than east and north Asian groups should be used as a model when studying climate-mediated mid-facial morphology of Upper Paleolithic European H. sapiens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative proteomic analysis reveals alterations in development and photosynthesis-related proteins in diploid and triploid rice.

PubMed

Wang, Shuzhen; Chen, Wenyue; Yang, Changdeng; Yao, Jian; Xiao, Wenfei; Xin, Ya; Qiu, Jieren; Hu, Weimin; Yao, Haigen; Ying, Wu; Fu, Yaping; Tong, Jianxin; Chen, Zhongzhong; Ruan, Songlin; Ma, Huasheng

2016-09-13

Polyploidy has pivotal influences on rice (Oryza sativa L.) morphology and physiology, and is very important for understanding rice domestication and improving agricultural traits. Diploid (DP) and triploid (TP) rice shows differences in morphological parameters, such as plant height, leaf length, leaf width and the physiological index of chlorophyll content. However, the underlying mechanisms determining these morphological differences are remain to be defined. To better understand the proteomic changes between DP and TP, tandem mass tags (TMT) mass spectrometry (MS)/MS was used to detect the significant changes to protein expression between DP and TP. Results indicated that both photosynthesis and metabolic pathways were highly significantly associated with proteomic alteration between DP and TP based on biological process and pathway enrichment analysis, and 13 higher abundance chloroplast proteins involving in these two pathways were identified in TP. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that 5 of the 13 chloroplast proteins ATPF, PSAA, PSAB, PSBB and RBL in TP were higher abundance compared with those in DP. This study integrates morphology, physiology and proteomic profiling alteration of DP and TP to address their underlying different molecular mechanisms. Our finding revealed that ATPF, PSAA, PSAB, PSBB and RBL can induce considerable expression changes in TP and may affect the development and growth of rice through photosynthesis and metabolic pathways.

Genetic and morphological differences among populations of the Bonin Islands White-eye in Japan.

PubMed

Kawakami, Kazuto; Harada, Sachiko; Suzuki, Tadashi; Higuchi, Hiroyoshi

2008-09-01

The Bonin Islands White-eye, Apalopteron familiare , is the sole endemic avian species surviving on the Bonin Islands. The current distribution of this species is limited to only three islands of the Hahajima Island group: Hahajima, Imotojima, and Mukohjima. Imotojima and Mukohjima, which are small satellite islands of Hahajima, are about 3.6 km and 5.5 km, respectively, from the larger island. To investigate genetic and morphological differences among A. familiare populations on these islands, we assayed 634 bp of mitochondrial control region sequence for 132 birds from five locations among the three islands. We detected five haplotypes: two endemic haplotypes each on Hahajima and Imotojima and one on Mukohjima. Principal component analysis based on eight morphological characters of 162 birds from the three island populations revealed that birds from the small satellite islands had significantly different beak morphological characters. Our findings indicate that over-sea dispersal is rare in A. familiare , even when islands are separated by only a few kilometers, and suggest that little movement occurs on Hahajima. Thus, each population on each island should be conserved as an evolutionarily significant unit. The low dispersal ability of this species suggests that it is vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Although the populations are currently stable and do not require rapid countermeasures, they should be monitored, especially those on the smaller islands.

Influence of morphology and hemodynamic factors on rupture of multiple intracranial aneurysms: matched-pairs of ruptured-unruptured aneurysms located unilaterally on the anterior circulation.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Yang, Xinjian; Wang, Yang; Liu, Jian; Li, Chuanhui; Jing, Linkai; Wang, Shengzhang; Li, Haiyun

2014-12-31

The authors evaluated the impact of morphological and hemodynamic factors on the rupture of matched-pairs of ruptured-unruptured intracranial aneurysms on one patient's ipsilateral anterior circulation with 3D reconstruction model and computational fluid dynamic method simulation. 20 patients with intracranial aneurysms pairs on the same-side of anterior circulation but with different rupture status were retrospectively collected. Each pair was divided into ruptured-unruptured group. Patient-specific models based on their 3D-DSA images were constructed and analyzed. The relative locations, morphologic and hemodynamic factors of these two groups were compared. There was no significant difference in the relative bleeding location. The morphological factors analysis found that the ruptured aneurysms more often had irregular shape and had significantly higher maximum height and aspect ratio. The hemodynamic factors analysis found lower minimum wall shear stress (WSSmin) and more low-wall shear stress-area (LSA) in the ruptured aneurysms than that of the unruptured ones. The ruptured aneurysms more often had WSSmin on the dome. Intracranial aneurysms pairs with different rupture status on unilateral side of anterior circulation may be a good disease model to investigate possible characteristics linked to rupture independent of patient characteristics. Irregular shape, larger size, higher aspect ratio, lower WSSmin and more LSA may indicate a higher risk for their rupture.

Do the feet of German and Australian children differ in structure? Implications for children's shoe design.

PubMed

Mauch, Marlene; Mickle, Karen J; Munro, Bridget J; Dowling, Annaliese M; Grau, Stefan; Steele, Julie R

2008-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were any significant differences in the morphology of the feet of children living on two different continents. The shape and dimensions of the feet of 86 preschool and 419 primary school children from Australia, matched to the same number of German children for age, gender, height and BMI, were compared. The German children display significantly longer and flatter feet relative to their Australian counterparts, whereas the Australian children reveal a significantly smaller ball angle, implying that the forefoot of the Australian children is squarer in shape. These findings imply that footwear must be designed to cater to the unique foot dimensions of children in different continents to ensure that shoe shape matches foot shape. Most footwear companies do not vary the dimensions of their shoe lasts to accommodate intercontinental differences in foot morphology based on racial and/or environmental factors. The results of this study will have immediate implications for the design of comfortable footwear suitable for the developing feet of children.

Leaf micro-morphology of Lepisanthes Blume (Sapindaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Talib, Noraini; Mohammad, Abdul Latiff

2018-04-01

A detail comparative study on leaf micro-morphology was conducted on the genus Lepisanthes from Peninsular Malaysia, five chosen species namely as L. amoena (Hassk.) Leenh., L. fruticosa (Roxb.) Leenh., L. rubiginosa (Roxb.) Leenh., L. senegalensis (Juss. ex Poir.) Leenh. and L. tetraphylla (Vahl.) Radlk. The objective of this study is to identify the leaf micro-morphological characteristics that can give significance impact for species identification and classification. Lepisanthes is an important tropical rare fruit genus in Malaysia and it is important to characterize and documenting additional taxonomic evidences that can be useful in Sapindaceae taxonomy information which is still lacked. The methods involved dehydration process, critical point drying, gold coated and observation under scanning electron microscope. Leaf micro-morphology showed significance taxonomic value in the genus Lepisanthes and can be used as additional data for species identification. Diagnostic character was found in L. fruticosa via the presence of four different types of trichomes on the abaxial and adaxial epidermal surfaces. As a conclusion, variation in cuticular striation, stomata structure, type of waxes and trichome morphology can be used in Lepisanthes species identification.

Clues to unraveling the coral species problem: distinguishing species from geographic variation in Porites across the Pacific with molecular markers and microskeletal traits

PubMed Central

Wellington, Gerrard M.; Fox, George E.; Toonen, Robert J.

2015-01-01

Morphological variation in the geographically widespread coral Porites lobata can make it difficult to distinguish from other massive congeneric species. This morphological variation could be attributed to geographic variability, phenotypic plasticity, or a combination of such factors. We examined genetic and microscopic morphological variability in P. lobata samples from the Galápagos, Easter Island, Tahiti, Fiji, Rarotonga, and Australia. Panamanian P. evermanni specimens were used as a previously established distinct outgroup against which to test genetic and morphological methods of discrimination. We employed a molecular analysis of variance (AMOVA) based on ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequence, principal component analysis (PCA) of skeletal landmarks, and Mantel tests to compare genetic and morphological variation. Both genetic and morphometric methods clearly distinguished P. lobata and P. evermanni, while significant genetic and morphological variance was attributed to differences among geographic regions for P. lobata. Mantel tests indicate a correlation between genetic and morphological variation for P. lobata across the Pacific. Here we highlight landmark morphometric measures that correlate well with genetic differences, showing promise for resolving species of Porites, one of the most ubiquitous yet challenging to identify architects of coral reefs. PMID:25674364

Morphological Consequences of Frustration in ABC Triblock Polymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radlauer, Madalyn R.; Sinturel, Christophe; Asai, Yusuke

2016-12-19

Three poly(styrene)-block-poly(isoprene)-block-poly(lactide) (PS-b-PI-b-PLA, SIL) triblock terpolymers were synthesized and characterized in the bulk and as thin films. The pronounced incompatibility of the covalently connected PI and PLA led to significant frustration and the tendency to minimize their intermaterial dividing surface area. This resulted in the formation of a core–shell cylinder morphology with exaggerated nonconstant mean curvature from triblock polymers with equal block volume fractions rather than the more typical lamellar morphology. The effect of frustration was magnified in thin films by both confinement and interfacial interactions such that the PI domains became discontinuous. Self-consistent field theory (SCFT) calculations emphasize thatmore » the marked difference in the PS/PI and PI/PLA interaction parameters promotes the formation of nonlamellar morphologies. However, SCFT predicts that lamellar morphology is more stable than the observed cylindrical morphology, demonstrating a limitation that arises from the underlying assumptions.« less

Efficacy of cold light bleaching using different bleaching times and their effects on human enamel.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Zhu, Yuhe; Li, Jiajia; Liao, Susan; Ai, Hongjun

2013-01-01

This study investigated the efficacy of cold light bleaching using different bleaching times and the effects thereof on tooth enamel. Before and after bleaching, stained tooth specimens were subjected to visual and instrumental colorimetric assessments using Vita Shade Guide and spectrophotometric shade matching. Enamel surface alterations were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze surface morphology, surface microhardness (SMH) measurement to determine changes in mechanical properties, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to characterize post-bleaching enamel composition. Cold light bleaching successfully improved tooth color, with optimal efficacy when bleaching time was beyond 10 min. Significant differences in surface morphology were observed among the different bleaching times, but no significant differences were observed for enamel composition and surface microhardness among the different bleaching times. Results of this study revealed an association between the bleaching time of cold light bleaching and its whitening efficacy. Together with the results on enamel surface changes, this study provided positive evidence to support cold light bleaching as an in-office bleaching treatment.

Taxonomic review of the species of Mugil (Teleostei: Perciformes: Mugilidae) from the Atlantic South Caribbean and South America, with integration of morphological, cytogenetic and molecular data.

PubMed

Menezes, Naércio A; Nirchio, Mauro; De Oliveira, Cláudio; Siccharamirez, Raquel

2015-01-10

Analysis of morphological, molecular and cytological data helped to define and more precisely characterize the species of Mugil from the Atlantic coasts of South Caribbean and South America, allowing a correction of prior misidentifications and distributional ranges. A new species from Venezuela is described and all the species from the area are redescribed. It is demonstrated that the apparent similarity in morphological traits, which contradicted the results from recent molecular studies, is the result of the misuse of traditional morphological characters, and thus both the molecular and cytological data instead are congruent with the morphological differences that are found among mullet species. The presence of Mugil hospes Jordan & Culver in the western south Atlantic is refuted based on the comparison of type material of this species with specimens from this area that also indicated a very significant morphological difference, what on the other hand justifies the recognition of these specimens as Mugil brevirostris (Ribeiro). The distribution of Mugil incilis Hancock is restricted and the similarities among the species formerly depicted in a prior dendrogram is modified following the inclusion of recently obtained molecular data for Mugil curvidens Valenciennes.

Differences in Pelvic Morphology Between Women With and Without Provoked Vestibulodynia.

PubMed

McLean, Linda; Thibault-Gagnon, Stephanie; Brooks, Kaylee; Goldfinger, Corrie; Pukall, Caroline; Chamberlain, Susan

2016-06-01

Pelvic morphology has been suggested to reflect increased tone and reduced strength of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) in women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) compared to healthy controls. We aimed to determine whether there are differences in pelvic morphology in the resting state, on maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), or on maximum effort Valsalva maneuver (MVM) between women with and without PVD. While imaged using ultrasound, 38 women with PVD and 39 controls relaxed their PFMs, performed 3 MVCs and performed 3 MVMs. Levator plate length (LPL), levator plate angle (LPA), and anorectal angle (ARA) were determined at rest, at MVC and at MVM. The displacement of the bladder neck (BN) on MVC and on MVM was also determined. Two-way ANCOVAs were used to evaluate the main effects of group and task, the interaction between group and task, and the effect of resting morphology on LPL, LPA, and ARA. A 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to determine whether the groups differed in terms of BN displacement during the tasks. Women with PVD had smaller LPLs and LPAs than controls across all tasks. The significant group differences in LPL and LPA at MVC and MVM were no longer significant once the resting values were included as covariates in the models. Bladder neck displacement differed between the groups at MVM but not at MVC. Women with PVD display shorter LPL sand smaller LPAs than controls but their behavior does not differ when MVC and MVMs are performed. Our results do not support the hypothesis that women with PVD demonstrate abnormalities in PFM contractility on MVC or compliance on MVM. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Functional morphology of the douc langur (Pygathrix spp.) scapula.

PubMed

Bailey, Katie E; Lad, Susan E; Pampush, James D

2017-06-01

Most colobine monkeys primarily move through their arboreal environment quadrupedally. Douc langurs (Pygathrix spp.), however, are regularly observed to use suspensory behaviors at the Endangered Primate Rescue Center (EPRC) in Northern Vietnam. Previous work has linked variation in scapular morphology to different modes of primate arboreal locomotion. Here we investigate whether the shape of the Pygathrix scapula resembles obligate brachiators (gibbons) or obligate arboreal quadrupeds (other cercopithecoids). Using a MicroScribe G2X 3D digitizer, the positions of 17 landmarks were recorded on 15 different species of nonhuman primates (n = 100) from three categories of locomotor behavior: brachiator, arboreal quadruped, and unknown (Pygathrix). All analyses were conducted in the R package geomorph. A Procrustes analysis uniformly scaled the shape data and placed specimens into the same morphospace. A Principal Component Analysis was used to examine scapular shape and a Procrustes ANOVA was conducted to test for shape difference in the scapulae. A pairwise analysis was used to compare the means of the locomotor categories and identify any statistically significant differences. A phylogenetically controlled Procrustes ANOVA was also conducted using a phylogeny from 10kTrees. Results show Pygathrix scapular morphology is significantly different from both arboreal colobine quadrupeds (p < 0.01) and hylobatid brachiators (p < 0.01). It does, however, share some features with each including a long vertebral border, like other cercopithecoids, and a more laterally projecting acromion process, like the hylobatids. The principal difference segregating Pygathrix from both the arboreal quadrupeds and the brachiators is the more medially placed superior angle. These nuanced morphological characteristics associated with suspensory behaviors may be useful for inferring suspensory locomotion in the primate fossil record. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A comprehensive study of catalytic, morphological and electronic properties of ligand-protected gold nanoclusters using XPS, STM, XAFS, and TPD techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Qiyuan; Cen, Jiajie; Zhao, Yue

Ultra-small gold nanoclusters were synthesized via a ligand exchange method and deposited onto different TiO2 supports to study their properties. STM imaging revealed that the as-synthesized gold nanoclusters had 2-D morphology consisting of monolayers of gold atoms. In conclusion, subsequent XPS, XAFS, and CO oxidation TPD results indicated that heat treatments of gold clusters at different temperatures significantly altered their electronic and catalytic properties due to ligand deprotection and cluster agglomeration.

A comprehensive study of catalytic, morphological and electronic properties of ligand-protected gold nanoclusters using XPS, STM, XAFS, and TPD techniques

DOE PAGES

Wu, Qiyuan; Cen, Jiajie; Zhao, Yue; ...

2017-12-08

Ultra-small gold nanoclusters were synthesized via a ligand exchange method and deposited onto different TiO2 supports to study their properties. STM imaging revealed that the as-synthesized gold nanoclusters had 2-D morphology consisting of monolayers of gold atoms. In conclusion, subsequent XPS, XAFS, and CO oxidation TPD results indicated that heat treatments of gold clusters at different temperatures significantly altered their electronic and catalytic properties due to ligand deprotection and cluster agglomeration.

De novo comparative transcriptome analysis of genes involved in fruit morphology of pumpkin cultivars with extreme size difference and development of EST-SSR markers.

PubMed

Xanthopoulou, Aliki; Ganopoulos, Ioannis; Psomopoulos, Fotis; Manioudaki, Maria; Moysiadis, Theodoros; Kapazoglou, Aliki; Osathanunkul, Maslin; Michailidou, Sofia; Kalivas, Apostolos; Tsaftaris, Athanasios; Nianiou-Obeidat, Irini; Madesis, Panagiotis

2017-07-30

The genetic basis of fruit size and shape was investigated for the first time in Cucurbita species and genetic loci associated with fruit morphology have been identified. Although extensive genomic resources are available at present for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), melon (Cucumis melo) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), genomic databases for Cucurbita species are limited. Recently, our group reported the generation of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) transcriptome databases from two contrasting cultivars with extreme fruit sizes. In the current study we used these databases to perform comparative transcriptome analysis in order to identify genes with potential roles in fruit morphology and fruit size. Differential Gene Expression (DGE) analysis between cv. 'Munchkin' (small-fruit) and cv. 'Big Moose' (large-fruit) revealed a variety of candidate genes associated with fruit morphology with significant differences in gene expression between the two cultivars. In addition, we have set the framework for generating EST-SSR markers, which discriminate different C. pepo cultivars and show transferability to related Cucurbitaceae species. The results of the present study will contribute to both further understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating fruit morphology and furthermore identifying the factors that determine fruit size. Moreover, they may lead to the development of molecular marker tools for selecting genotypes with desired morphological traits. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Morphological and Hydrodynamic Correlations with Increasing Outflow Facility by Rho-Kinase Inhibitor Y-27632

PubMed Central

Yang, Chen-Yuan Charlie

2014-01-01

Abstract Rho-kinase inhibitors affect actomyosin cytoskeletal networks and have been shown to significantly increase outflow facility and lower intraocular pressure in various animal models and human eyes. This article summarizes common morphological changes in the trabecular meshwork induced by Rho-kinase inhibitors and specifically compares the morphological and hydrodynamic correlations with increased outflow facility by Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632, in bovine, monkey, and human eyes under similar experimental conditions. Interspecies comparison has shown that morphological changes in the juxtacanalicular connective tissue (JCT) of these 3 species were different. However, these different morphological changes in the JCT, no matter if it's separation between the JCT and inner wall in bovine eyes, or separation between the JCT cells or between the JCT cells and their matrix in monkey eyes, or even no separation between the inner wall and the JCT but a more subtle expansion of the JCT in human eyes, appear to correlate with the increased percent change of outflow facility. More importantly, these different morphological changes all resulted in an increase in effective filtration area, which was positively correlated with increased outflow facility in all 3 species. These results suggest a link among changes in outflow facility, tissue architecture, and aqueous outflow pattern. Y-27632 increases outflow facility by redistributing aqueous outflow through a looser and larger area in the JCT. PMID:24460021

Shaping ability of single-file reciprocating and heat-treated multifile rotary systems: a micro-CT study.

PubMed

Marceliano-Alves, M F V; Sousa-Neto, M D; Fidel, S R; Steier, L; Robinson, J P; Pécora, J D; Versiani, M A

2015-12-01

To investigate changes in three-dimensional geometry, in various cross-sectional morphological parameters and in the centring ability of root canals prepared with different preparation systems using microcomputed tomographic imaging technology. Sixty-four mesial canals of mandibular molars were matched based on similar morphological dimensions using micro-CT evaluation and assigned to four experimental groups (n = 16), according to the canal preparation technique: Reciproc, WaveOne, Twisted File and HyFlex CM systems. Changes in several 2D (area, perimeter, form factor, roundness, minor and major diameter) and 3D [volume, surface area, structure model index (SMI)] morphological parameters, as well as canal transportation, were compared with preoperative values using Kruskal-Wallis and anovapost hoc Tukey's tests with the significance level set at 5%. Preparation significantly increased all tested parameters in the experimental groups. No significant differences were observed between groups regarding changes in volume, surface area, SMI, form factor and roundness of the root canal after preparation (P > 0.05). In the apical third, the Reciproc group had significantly greater changes in canal area, perimeter, major and minor diameters than the other groups (P < 0.05). Overall, the Twisted File and HyFlex CM systems were associated with significantly less transportation than the reciprocating instruments, Reciproc and WaveOne (P < 0.05). Shaping procedures led to the enlargement of the root canal space with no evidence of significant preparation errors. Changes in 3D parameters were not different between groups whilst, in the apical third, Reciproc was associated with significantly greater changes in several 2D parameters compared to the other groups. Twisted File and HyFlex CM systems were able to maintain the original canal anatomy with less canal transportation than Reciproc and WaveOne; however, these differences are unlikely to be of clinical significance. © 2014 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Diagnostic index of three-dimensional osteoarthritic changes in temporomandibular joint condylar morphology

PubMed Central

Gomes, Liliane R.; Gomes, Marcelo; Jung, Bryan; Paniagua, Beatriz; Ruellas, Antonio C.; Gonçalves, João Roberto; Styner, Martin A.; Wolford, Larry; Cevidanes, Lucia

2015-01-01

Abstract. This study aimed to investigate imaging statistical approaches for classifying three-dimensional (3-D) osteoarthritic morphological variations among 169 temporomandibular joint (TMJ) condyles. Cone-beam computed tomography scans were acquired from 69 subjects with long-term TMJ osteoarthritis (OA), 15 subjects at initial diagnosis of OA, and 7 healthy controls. Three-dimensional surface models of the condyles were constructed and SPHARM-PDM established correspondent points on each model. Multivariate analysis of covariance and direction-projection-permutation (DiProPerm) were used for testing statistical significance of the differences between the groups determined by clinical and radiographic diagnoses. Unsupervised classification using hierarchical agglomerative clustering was then conducted. Compared with healthy controls, OA average condyle was significantly smaller in all dimensions except its anterior surface. Significant flattening of the lateral pole was noticed at initial diagnosis. We observed areas of 3.88-mm bone resorption at the superior surface and 3.10-mm bone apposition at the anterior aspect of the long-term OA average model. DiProPerm supported a significant difference between the healthy control and OA group (p-value=0.001). Clinically meaningful unsupervised classification of TMJ condylar morphology determined a preliminary diagnostic index of 3-D osteoarthritic changes, which may be the first step towards a more targeted diagnosis of this condition. PMID:26158119

The assessment of lower face morphology changes in edentulous patients after prosthodontic rehabilitation, using two methods of measurement.

PubMed

Jivănescu, Anca; Bratu, Dana Cristina; Tomescu, Lucian; Măroiu, Alexandra Cristina; Popa, George; Bratu, Emanuel Adrian

2015-01-01

Using two measurement methods (a three-dimensional laser scanning system and a digital caliper), this study compares the lower face morphology of complete edentulous patients, before and after prosthodontic rehabilitation with bimaxillary complete dentures. Fourteen edentulous patients were randomly selected from the Department of Prosthodontics, at the Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. The changes that occurred in the lower third of the face after prosthodontic treatment were assessed quantitatively by measuring the vertical projection of the distances between two sets of anthropometric landmarks: Subnasale - cutaneous Pogonion (D1) and Labiale superius - Labiale inferius (D2). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA model design was carried out to test for significant interactions, main effects and differences between the two types of measuring devices and between the initial and final rehabilitation time points. The main effect of the type of measuring device showed no statistically significant differences in the measured distances (p=0.24 for D1 and p=0.39 for D2), between the initial and the final rehabilitation time points. Regarding the main effect of time, there were statistically significant differences in both the measured distances D1 and D2 (p=0.001), between the initial and the final rehabilitation time points. The two methods of measurement were equally reliable in the assessment of lower face morphology changes in edentulous patients after prosthodontic rehabilitation with bimaxillary complete dentures. The differences between the measurements taken before and after prosthodontic rehabilitation proved to be statistically significant.

Influence of multi-wavelength laser irradiation of enamel and dentin surfaces at 0.355, 2.94, and 9.4 μm on surface morphology, permeability, and acid resistance.

PubMed

Chang, Nai-Yuan N; Jew, Jamison M; Simon, Jacob C; Chen, Kenneth H; Lee, Robert C; Fried, William A; Cho, Jinny; Darling, Cynthia L; Fried, Daniel

2017-12-01

Ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) lasers can be used to specifically target protein, water, and mineral, respectively, in dental hard tissues to produce varying changes in surface morphology, permeability, reflectivity, and acid resistance. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of laser irradiation and topical fluoride application on the surface morphology, permeability, reflectivity, and acid resistance of enamel and dentin to shed light on the mechanism of interaction and develop more effective treatments. Twelve bovine enamel surfaces and twelve bovine dentin surfaces were irradiated with various combinations of lasers operating at 0.355 (Freq.-tripled Nd:YAG (UV) laser), 2.94 (Er:YAG laser), and 9.4 μm (CO 2 laser), and surfaces were exposed to an acidulated phosphate fluoride gel and an acid challenge. Changes in the surface morphology, acid resistance, and permeability were measured using digital microscopy, polarized light microscopy, near-IR reflectance, fluorescence, polarization sensitive-optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT), and surface dehydration rate measurements. Different laser treatments dramatically influenced the surface morphology and permeability of both enamel and dentin. CO 2 laser irradiation melted tooth surfaces. Er:YAG and UV lasers, while not melting tooth surfaces, showed markedly different surface roughness. Er:YAG irradiation led to significantly rougher enamel and dentin surfaces and led to higher permeability. There were significant differences in acid resistance among the various treatment groups. Surface dehydration measurements showed significant changes in permeability after laser treatments, application of fluoride and after exposure to demineralization. CO 2 laser irradiation was most effective in inhibiting demineralization on enamel while topical fluoride was most effective for dentin surfaces. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:913-927, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High variability in results of semen analysis in andrology laboratories in Tuscany (Italy): the experience of an external quality control (EQC) programme.

PubMed

Filimberti, E; Degl'Innocenti, S; Borsotti, M; Quercioli, M; Piomboni, P; Natali, I; Fino, M G; Caglieresi, C; Criscuoli, L; Gandini, L; Biggeri, A; Maggi, M; Baldi, E

2013-05-01

We report the results of the first three trials of an external quality control (EQC) programme performed in 71 laboratories executing semen analysis in Tuscany Region (Italy). At the end of the second trial, participants were invited to attend a teaching course illustrating and inviting to adhere to procedures recommended by WHO (V edition). Results of the first three trials of the EQC documented a huge variability in the procedures and the results. The highest variability was found for morphology (CV above 80% for all the trials), followed by count (CV of about 60% for all the trials) and motility (CV below 30% for all the trials). When results of sperm count and morphology were divided according to the used method, mean CV values did not show significant differences. CV for morphology dropped significantly at the third trial for most methods, indicating the usefulness of the teaching course for morphology assessment. Conversely, no differences were observed after the course for motility and for most methods to evaluate count, although CV values were lower at the second and third trial for the laboratories using the Burker cytometer. When results were divided according to tertiles of activity, the lowest mean bias values (difference between each laboratory result and the median value of the results) for count and morphology were observed for laboratories in the third tertile (performing over 200 semen analysis/year). Of interest, mean bias values for concentration dropped significantly at the third trial for low activity laboratories. In conclusion, lack of agreement of results of semen analysis in Tuscany is mainly because of the activity and the experience of the laboratory. Our study points out the importance of participating in EQC programmes and periodical teaching courses as well as the use of WHO recommended standardized procedures to increase precision and to allow the use of WHO reference values. © 2013 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Morphological, physiological, and genetic variation between metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations of Dianthus carthusianorum.

PubMed

Wójcik, Małgorzata; Dresler, Sławomir; Jawor, Emilia; Kowalczyk, Krzysztof; Tukiendorf, Anna

2013-01-01

Waste deposits produced by metal mining and smelting activities provide extremely difficult habitats for plant colonization and growth. Therefore, plants spontaneously colonizing such areas represent a very interesting system for studying evolution of plant adaptation and population differentiation between contaminated and noncontaminated environments. In this study, two populations of Dianthus carthusianorum, one originating from Zn-Pb waste deposit (a metallicolous population, M) and the other from unpolluted soil (a nonmetallicolous population, NM), were analyzed in respect of their morphological and physiological traits as well as genetic markers. It was found that the plants inhabiting the waste heap differed significantly from the NM plants in terms of leaf size and shape, and these differences were persistent between the first generation of the plants of both populations cultivated under uniform, controlled laboratory conditions. In contrast with the evident morphological differences, no significant differentiation between the populations regarding the physiological traits measured (accumulation of proline, anthocyanins, chlorophyll, carotenoids) was found. These traits can be regarded as neither population specific nor stress markers. The genetic variability was analyzed using 17 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and four inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers; this proved that the differentiation between the M and NM populations exists also at the genetic level. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that 24% of the total genetic diversity resided among populations, while 76% - within the populations. However, no significant differences in intrapopulation genetic diversity (Hj) between the M and NM populations of D. carthusianorum was found, which contradicts the theory that acquisition of adaptation mechanisms to adverse, isolated growth habitats is related to reduction in genetic diversity. Distinct genetic differences between the two populations in combination with evident morphological variation support the proposal to regard the M population of D. carthusianorum as a separate calamine ecotype. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphological Integration of Soft-Tissue Facial Morphology in Down Syndrome and Siblings

PubMed Central

Starbuck, John; Reeves, Roger H.; Richtsmeier, Joan

2011-01-01

Down syndrome (DS), resulting from trisomy of chromosome 21, is the most common live-born human aneuploidy. The phenotypic expression of trisomy 21 produces variable, though characteristic, facial morphology. Although certain facial features have been documented quantitatively and qualitatively as characteristic of DS (e.g., epicanthic folds, macroglossia, and hypertelorism), all of these traits occur in other craniofacial conditions with an underlying genetic cause. We hypothesize that the typical DS face is integrated differently than the face of non-DS siblings, and that the pattern of morphological integration unique to individuals with DS will yield information about underlying developmental associations between facial regions. We statistically compared morphological integration patterns of immature DS faces (N = 53) with those of non-DS siblings (N = 54), aged 6–12 years using 31 distances estimated from 3D coordinate data representing 17 anthropometric landmarks recorded on 3D digital photographic images. Facial features are affected differentially in DS, as evidenced by statistically significant differences in integration both within and between facial regions. Our results suggest a differential affect of trisomy on facial prominences during craniofacial development. PMID:21996933

Morphological integration of soft-tissue facial morphology in Down Syndrome and siblings.

PubMed

Starbuck, John; Reeves, Roger H; Richtsmeier, Joan

2011-12-01

Down syndrome (DS), resulting from trisomy of chromosome 21, is the most common live-born human aneuploidy. The phenotypic expression of trisomy 21 produces variable, though characteristic, facial morphology. Although certain facial features have been documented quantitatively and qualitatively as characteristic of DS (e.g., epicanthic folds, macroglossia, and hypertelorism), all of these traits occur in other craniofacial conditions with an underlying genetic cause. We hypothesize that the typical DS face is integrated differently than the face of non-DS siblings, and that the pattern of morphological integration unique to individuals with DS will yield information about underlying developmental associations between facial regions. We statistically compared morphological integration patterns of immature DS faces (N = 53) with those of non-DS siblings (N = 54), aged 6-12 years using 31 distances estimated from 3D coordinate data representing 17 anthropometric landmarks recorded on 3D digital photographic images. Facial features are affected differentially in DS, as evidenced by statistically significant differences in integration both within and between facial regions. Our results suggest a differential affect of trisomy on facial prominences during craniofacial development. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diagnostic index of 3D osteoarthritic changes in TMJ condylar morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, Liliane R.; Gomes, Marcelo; Jung, Bryan; Paniagua, Beatriz; Ruellas, Antonio C.; Gonçalves, João. Roberto; Styner, Martin A.; Wolford, Larry; Cevidanes, Lucia

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate imaging statistical approaches for classifying 3D osteoarthritic morphological variations among 169 Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) condyles. Cone beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scans were acquired from 69 patients with long-term TMJ Osteoarthritis (OA) (39.1 ± 15.7 years), 15 patients at initial diagnosis of OA (44.9 ± 14.8 years) and 7 healthy controls (43 ± 12.4 years). 3D surface models of the condyles were constructed and Shape Correspondence was used to establish correspondent points on each model. The statistical framework included a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and Direction-Projection- Permutation (DiProPerm) for testing statistical significance of the differences between healthy control and the OA group determined by clinical and radiographic diagnoses. Unsupervised classification using hierarchical agglomerative clustering (HAC) was then conducted. Condylar morphology in OA and healthy subjects varied widely. Compared with healthy controls, OA average condyle was statistically significantly smaller in all dimensions except its anterior surface. Significant flattening of the lateral pole was noticed at initial diagnosis (p < 0.05). It was observed areas of 3.88 mm bone resorption at the superior surface and 3.10 mm bone apposition at the anterior aspect of the long-term OA average model. 1000 permutation statistics of DiProPerm supported a significant difference between the healthy control group and OA group (t = 6.7, empirical p-value = 0.001). Clinically meaningful unsupervised classification of TMJ condylar morphology determined a preliminary diagnostic index of 3D osteoarthritic changes, which may be the first step towards a more targeted diagnosis of this condition.

Comparative analysis of Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) from different biotopes of the Black Sea based on its morphological characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kos'yan, A. R.

2013-02-01

The Asian whelk Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda: Muricidae), being tolerant to wide variations in the temperature, salinity, and oxygen concentration, successfully settled down in the Black Sea and eventually became one of the dominant species in the benthic ecosystems. The whelk inhabits all types of grounds all over the Black sea demonstrating a wide spectrum of morphological modifications. The objective of this research is to compare 10 samples of R. venosa from different biotopes of the Black Sea coast from the western Crimea to Sochi. The results of the statistical comparison based on 15 morphological characteristics showed that most of the samples differed from each other with high statistical significance ( p < 0.001). The material fell into five groups on the discriminant analysis diagram corresponding to the biotope in which each was collected. The main ecological factor influencing the morphological variability of the rapa whelk populations is the characteristics of prey items they feed on, i.e., the bivalve species ( Mytilus galloprovincialis, Anadara sp., Chamelea gallina), the prevailing prey size, and its abundance.

Nanoscale Morphology, Dimensional Control and Electrical Properties of Oligoanilines

PubMed Central

Wang, Yue; Tran, Henry D.; Liao, Lei; Duan, Xiangfeng; Kaner, Richard B.

2010-01-01

While nanostructures of organic conductors have generated great interest in recent years, their nanoscale size and shape control remains a significant challenge. Here we report a general method for producing a variety of oligoaniline nanostructures with well-defined morphologies and dimensionalities. 1-D nanowires, 2-D nanoribbons, and 3-D rectangular nanoplates and nanoflowers of tetraaniline are produced by a solvent exchange process in which the dopant acid can be used to tune the oligomer morphology. The process appears to be a general route for producing nanostructures for a variety of other aniline oligomers such as the phenyl-capped tetramer. X-ray diffraction of the tetraniline nanostructures reveals that they possess different packing arrangements, which results in different nanoscale morphologies with different electrical properties for the structures. The conductivity of a single tetraaniline nanostructure is up to two orders of magnitude higher than the highest previously reported value and rivals that of pressed pellets of conventional polyaniline doped with acid. Furthermore, these oligomer nanostructures can be easily processed by a number of methods in order to create thin films composed of aligned nanostructures over a macroscopic area. PMID:20662516

FlowerMorphology: fully automatic flower morphometry software.

PubMed

Rozov, Sergey M; Deineko, Elena V; Deyneko, Igor V

2018-05-01

The software FlowerMorphology is designed for automatic morphometry of actinomorphic flowers. The novel complex parameters of flowers calculated by FlowerMorphology allowed us to quantitatively characterize a polyploid series of tobacco. Morphological differences of plants representing closely related lineages or mutants are mostly quantitative. Very often, there are only very fine variations in plant morphology. Therefore, accurate and high-throughput methods are needed for their quantification. In addition, new characteristics are necessary for reliable detection of subtle changes in morphology. FlowerMorphology is an all-in-one software package to automatically image and analyze five-petal actinomorphic flowers of the dicotyledonous plants. Sixteen directly measured parameters and ten calculated complex parameters of a flower allow us to characterize variations with high accuracy. The program was developed for the needs of automatic characterization of Nicotiana tabacum flowers, but is applicable to many other plants with five-petal actinomorphic flowers and can be adopted for flowers of other merosity. A genetically similar polyploid series of N. tabacum plants was used to investigate differences in flower morphology. For the first time, we could quantify the dependence between ploidy and size and form of the tobacco flowers. We found that the radius of inner petal incisions shows a persistent positive correlation with the chromosome number. In contrast, a commonly used parameter-radius of outer corolla-does not discriminate 2n and 4n plants. Other parameters show that polyploidy leads to significant aberrations in flower symmetry and are also positively correlated with chromosome number. Executables of FlowerMorphology, source code, documentation, and examples are available at the program website: https://github.com/Deyneko/FlowerMorphology .

Changes in very fine root respiration and morphology with time since last fire in a boreal forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makita, Naoki; Pumpanen, Jukka; Köster, Kajar; Berninger, Frank

2016-04-01

We examined the physiological and morphological responses of individual fine root segments in boreal forests stands with different age since the last fire to determine changes in specific fine root respiration and morphological traits during forest succession. We investigated the respiration of fine roots divided into three diameter classes (<0.5, 0.5-1.0, and 1.0-2.0 mm) in a Finnish boreal Pinus sylvestris L. in forest stands with 5, 45, 63, and 155 years since the last fire. Specific respiration rates of <0.5 mm roots in 155-year-old stands were 74%, 38%, and 31% higher than in 5-, 45-, and 63-year-old stands, respectively. However, the respiration rates of thicker diameter roots did not significantly change among stands with respect to time after fire. Similarly, fire disturbance had a strong impact on morphological traits of <0.5 mm roots, but not on thicker roots. Root respiration rates correlated positively with specific root length (length per unit mass) and negatively with root tissue density (mass per unit volume) in all stand ages. The linear regression lines fitted to the relationships between root respiration and specific root length or root tissue density showed significantly higher intercepts in 63- and 155-year-old than in 5-year-old stands. Significant shifts in the intercept of the common slope of respiration vs. morphology indicate the different magnitude of the changes in physiological performance among the fire age class. Despite a specific small geographic area, we suggest that the recovery of boreal forests following wildfire induces a strategy that favors carbon investment in nutrient and water exploitation efficiency with consequences for higher respiration, length, and lower tissue density of very fine roots.

Hippocampal Astrocytes in Migrating and Wintering Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla.

PubMed

Carvalho-Paulo, Dario; de Morais Magalhães, Nara G; de Almeida Miranda, Diego; Diniz, Daniel G; Henrique, Ediely P; Moraes, Isis A M; Pereira, Patrick D C; de Melo, Mauro A D; de Lima, Camila M; de Oliveira, Marcus A; Guerreiro-Diniz, Cristovam; Sherry, David F; Diniz, Cristovam W P

2017-01-01

Seasonal migratory birds return to the same breeding and wintering grounds year after year, and migratory long-distance shorebirds are good examples of this. These tasks require learning and long-term spatial memory abilities that are integrated into a navigational system for repeatedly locating breeding, wintering, and stopover sites. Previous investigations focused on the neurobiological basis of hippocampal plasticity and numerical estimates of hippocampal neurogenesis in birds but only a few studies investigated potential contributions of glial cells to hippocampal-dependent tasks related to migration. Here we hypothesized that the astrocytes of migrating and wintering birds may exhibit significant morphological and numerical differences connected to the long-distance flight. We used as a model the semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla , that migrates from northern Canada and Alaska to South America. Before the transatlantic non-stop long-distance component of their flight, the birds make a stopover at the Bay of Fundy in Canada. To test our hypothesis, we estimated total numbers and compared the three-dimensional (3-D) morphological features of adult C. pusilla astrocytes captured in the Bay of Fundy ( n = 249 cells) with those from birds captured in the coastal region of Bragança, Brazil, during the wintering period ( n = 250 cells). Optical fractionator was used to estimate the number of astrocytes and for 3-D reconstructions we used hierarchical cluster analysis. Both morphological phenotypes showed reduced morphological complexity after the long-distance non-stop flight, but the reduction in complexity was much greater in Type I than in Type II astrocytes. Coherently, we also found a significant reduction in the total number of astrocytes after the transatlantic flight. Taken together these findings suggest that the long-distance non-stop flight altered significantly the astrocytes population and that morphologically distinct astrocytes may play different physiological roles during migration.

Characterization of TiN, TiC and Ti(C,N) in titanium-alloyed ferritic chromium steels focusing on the significance of different particle morphologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michelic, S.K., E-mail: susanne.michelic@unileoben.ac.at; Loder, D.; Reip, T.

2015-02-15

Titanium-alloyed ferritic chromium steels are a competitive option to classical austenitic stainless steels owing to their similar corrosion resistance. The addition of titanium significantly influences their final steel cleanliness. The present contribution focuses on the detailed metallographic characterization of titanium nitrides, titanium carbides and titanium carbonitrides with regard to their size, morphology and composition. The methods used are manual and automated Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy as well as optical microscopy. Additional thermodynamic calculations are performed to explain the precipitation procedure of the analyzed titanium nitrides. The analyses showed that homogeneous nucleation is decisive at an earlymore » process stage after the addition of titanium. Heterogeneous nucleation gets crucial with ongoing process time and essentially influences the final inclusion size of titanium nitrides. A detailed investigation of the nuclei for heterogeneous nucleation with automated Scanning Electron Microscopy proved to be difficult due to their small size. Manual Scanning Electron Microscopy and optical microscopy have to be applied. Furthermore, it was found that during solidification an additional layer around an existing titanium nitride can be formed which changes the final inclusion morphology significantly. These layers are also characterized in detail. Based on these different inclusion morphologies, in combination with thermodynamic results, tendencies regarding the formation and modification time of titanium containing inclusions in ferritic chromium steels are derived. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • The formation and modification of TiN in the steel 1.4520 was examined. • Heterogeneous nucleation essentially influences the final steel cleanliness. • In most cases heterogeneous nuclei in TiN inclusions are magnesium based. • Particle morphology provides important information on inclusion formation.« less

Relating plaque morphology to respiratory syncytial virus subgroup, viral load, and disease severity in children.

PubMed

Kim, Young-In; Murphy, Ryan; Majumdar, Sirshendu; Harrison, Lisa G; Aitken, Jody; DeVincenzo, John P

2015-10-01

Viral culture plaque morphology in human cell lines are markers for growth capability and cytopathic effect, and have been used to assess viral fitness and select preattenuation candidates for live viral vaccines. We classified respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) plaque morphology and analyzed the relationship between plaque morphology as compared to subgroup, viral load and clinical severity of infection in infants and children. We obtained respiratory secretions from 149 RSV-infected children. Plaque morphology and viral load was assessed within the first culture passage in HEp-2 cells. Viral load was measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as was RSV subgroup. Disease severity was determined by hospitalization, length of stay, intensive care requirement, and respiratory failure. Plaque morphology varied between individual subjects; however, similar results were observed among viruses collected from upper and lower respiratory tracts of the same subject. Significant differences in plaque morphology were observed between RSV subgroups. No correlations were found among plaque morphology and viral load. Plaque morphology did not correlate with disease severity. Plaque morphology measures parameters that are viral-specific and independent of the human host. Morphologies vary between patients and are related to RSV subgroup. In HEp-2 cells, RSV plaque morphology appears unrelated to disease severity in RSV-infected children.

Plastic degradation by thermophilic Bacillus sp. BCBT21 isolated from composting agricultural residual in Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Thi Cam Ha; Thang Nguyen, Dang; Thai, Hoang; Chinh Nguyen, Thuy; Thu Hien Tran, Thi; Le, Viet Hung; Huynh Nguyen, Van; Bach Tran, Xuan; Phuong Thao Pham, Thi; Giang Nguyen, Truong; Nguyen, Quang Trung

2018-03-01

Three different kinds of plastic bags HL, VHL, and VN1 with different chemical nature were degraded by a novel thermophilic bacterial strain isolated from composting agricultural residual in Vietnam in shaking liquid medium at 55 °C after 30 d. The new strain was classified in the Bacillus genus by morphological property and sequence of partial 16Sr RNA coding gene and named as Bacillus sp. BCBT21. This strain could produce extracellular hydrolase enzymes including lipase, CMCase, xylanase, chitinase, and protease with different level of activity in the same media. After a 30-d treatment at 55 °C with Bacillus sp. BCBT21, all characteristics including properties and morphology of treated plastic bags had been significantly changed. The weight loss, structure and surface morphology of these bags as well as the change in the average molecular weight of VHL bag were detected. Especially, the average molecular weight of VHL bag was significantly reduced from 205 000 to 116 760. New metabolites from the treated bags indicated biodegradation occurring with the different pathways. This finding suggests that there is high potential to develop an effective integrated method for plastic bags degradation by a combination of extracellular enzymes from bacteria and fungi existing in the composting process.

Improvement of vitrification of in vitro produced buffalo embryos with special reference to sex ratio following vitrification

PubMed Central

Mahmoud, K. Gh. M; Scholkamy, T. H; Darwish, S. F

2015-01-01

Cryopreservation and sexing of embryos are integrated into commercial embryo transfer technologies. To improve the effectiveness of vitrification of in vitro produced buffalo embryos, two experiments were conducted. The first evaluated the effect of exposure time (2 and 3 min) and developmental stage (morula and blastocysts) on the viability and development of vitrified buffalo embryos. Morphologically normal embryos and survival rates (re-expansion) significantly increased when vitrified morulae were exposed for 2 min compared to 3 min (P<0.001). On the other hand, morphologically normal and survival rates of blastocysts significantly increased when exposed for 3 min compared to 2 min (P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the two developmental stages (morulae and blastocystes) in the percentages of morphologically normal embryos and re-expansion rates after a 24 h culture. The second experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of viability on the sex ratio of buffalo embryos after vitrification and whether male and female embryos survived vitrification differently. A total number of 61 blastocysts were vitrified for 3 min with the same cryoprotectant as experiment 1. Higher percentages of males were recorded for live as compared to dead embryos; however, this difference was not significant. In conclusion, the post-thaw survival and development of in vitro produced morulae and blastocysts were found to be affected by exposure time rather than developmental stage. Survivability had no significant effect on the sex ratio of vitrified blastocysts; nevertheless, the number of surviving males was higher than dead male embryos. PMID:27175197

Trend of relations between morphological characteristics and motor abilities in preschool children.

PubMed

Bala, Gustav; Jalsić, Damjan; Katić, Ratko

2009-06-01

Measurements of eight anthropometric characteristics and a battery of seven motor tests were applied in a large sample of 1170 children, 565 boys and 605 girls aged 4 to 7.5 decimal years from preschool institutions in three towns in Vojvodina (Novi Sad, Sombor, and Bacha Palanka). Children were selected according to 0.5 decimal years in the mentioned age range. The status of boys and girls according to seven age categories, age-related differences between boys and girls, as well as the relations between anthropometric characteristics and motor abilities were analyzed by use of intercorrelation matrices and canonical correlation analysis. Generally, significant sex differences were found in anthropometric characteristics, i.e., the values of bone growth in length were higher in boys, while the values of voluminosity and subcutaneous adipose tissue were higher in girls. Concerning the space of motor variables, there were significant differences in functioning of the mechanism of movement structuring, the mechanism of synergetic regulation, and the mechanism of excitation duration control, which reached higher values in boys, whereas the functioning of the mechanism of tonus regulation showed higher values in girls. These differences generated morphological and motor structures in boys and girls according to age groups analyzed whose relations showed variable level of statistical significance. The youngest and oldest ages showed generalness of the canonical factor structure, as well as the highest significance of participation in the common variance of the two spaces of the variables applied. Between the above ages, i.e., between 4 and 7 years, the relation between morphological characteristics and motor abilities in children decreased, followed by gradual increase. It was monitored by the coefficient of determination between the first pairs of canonical factors in each age category, in boys and girls alike. This relation tended to be higher in boys in all analyzed age categories except for the youngest age where a considerably higher relation was recorded between morphological and motor structure in girls. Such a result could be interpreted by the trend and growth/development level of morphological structure, development of motor structure, development of the central nervous system, as well as by physical activity that is more intensive in boys than in girls.

Orbit orientation in didelphid marsupials (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae)

PubMed Central

Pilatti, Patricia

2017-01-01

Abstract Usually considered a morphologically conservative group, didelphid marsupials present considerable variation in ecology and body size, some of which were shown to relate to morphological structures. Thus, changes on orbit morphology are likely and could be related to that variation. We calculated orbit orientation in 873 specimens of 16 Didelphidae genera yielding estimates of orbits convergence (their position relative to midsagittal line) and verticality (their position relative to frontal plane). We then compared similarities in these variables across taxa to ecological, morphological and phylogenetic data to evaluate the influencing factors on orbit orientation in didelphids. We found an inverse relation between convergence and verticality. Didelphids orbits have low verticality but are highly convergent, yet orbit orientation differs significantly between taxa, and that variation is related to morphological aspects of the cranium. Rostral variables are the only morphological features correlated with orbit orientation: increasing snout length yields more convergent orbits, whereas increase on snout breadth imply in more vertical orbits. Size and encephalization quotients are uncorrelated with orbit orientation. Among ecological data, diet showed significant correlation whereas locomotion is the factor that less affects the position of orbits. Phylogeny is uncorrelated to any orbital parameters measured. Ecological factors seemingly play a more important role on orbit orientation than previously expected, and differentiation on orbit orientation seems to be more functional than inherited. Thus, despite the apparent homogeneity on didelphid morphology, there is subtle morphological variability that may be directly related to feeding behavior. PMID:29492000

Reappraisal of Morphologic Differences Between Renal Medullary Carcinoma, Collecting Duct Carcinoma, and Fumarate Hydratase-deficient Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Ohe, Chisato; Smith, Steven C; Sirohi, Deepika; Divatia, Mukul; de Peralta-Venturina, Mariza; Paner, Gladell P; Agaimy, Abbas; Amin, Mitual B; Argani, Pedram; Chen, Ying-Bei; Cheng, Liang; Colecchia, Maurizio; Compérat, Eva; Werneck da Cunha, Isabela; Epstein, Jonathan I; Gill, Anthony J; Hes, Ondřej; Hirsch, Michelle S; Jochum, Wolfram; Kunju, Lakshmi P; Maclean, Fiona; Magi-Galluzzi, Cristina; McKenney, Jesse K; Mehra, Rohit; Nesi, Gabriella; Osunkoya, Adeboye O; Picken, Maria M; Rao, Priya; Reuter, Victor E; de Oliveira Salles, Paulo Guilherme; Schultz, Luciana; Tickoo, Satish K; Tomlins, Scott A; Trpkov, Kiril; Amin, Mahul B

2018-03-01

Renal medullary carcinomas (RMCs) and collecting duct carcinomas (CDCs) are rare subsets of lethal high-stage, high-grade distal nephron-related adenocarcinomas with a predilection for the renal medullary region. Recent findings have established an emerging group of fumarate hydratase (FH)-deficient tumors related to hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC-RCCs) syndrome within this morphologic spectrum. Recently developed, reliable ancillary testing has enabled consistent separation between these tumor types. Here, we present the clinicopathologic features and differences in the morphologic patterns between RMC, CDC, and FH-deficient RCC in consequence of these recent developments. This study included a total of 100 cases classified using contemporary criteria and ancillary tests. Thirty-three RMCs (SMARCB1/INI1-deficient, hemoglobinopathy), 38 CDCs (SMARCB1/INI1-retained), and 29 RCCs defined by the FH-deficient phenotype (FH/2SC or FH/2SC with FH mutation, regardless of HLRCC syndromic stigmata/history) were selected. The spectrum of morphologic patterns was critically evaluated, and the differences between the morphologic patterns present in the 3 groups were analyzed statistically. Twenty-five percent of cases initially diagnosed as CDC were reclassified as FH-deficient RCC on the basis of our contemporary diagnostic approach. Among the different overlapping morphologic patterns, sieve-like/cribriform and reticular/yolk sac tumor-like patterns favored RMCs, whereas intracystic papillary and tubulocystic patterns favored FH-deficient RCC. The tubulopapillary pattern favored both CDCs and FH-deficient RCCs, and the multinodular infiltrating papillary pattern favored CDCs. Infiltrating glandular and solid sheets/cords/nested patterns were not statistically different among the 3 groups. Viral inclusion-like macronucleoli, considered as a hallmark of HLRCC-RCCs, were observed significantly more frequently in FH-deficient RCCs. Despite the overlapping morphology found among these clinically aggressive infiltrating high-grade adenocarcinomas of the kidney, reproducible differences in morphology emerged between these categories after rigorous characterization. Finally, we recommend that definitive diagnosis of CDC should only be made if RMC and FH-deficient RCC are excluded.

Tissue-Specific Analysis of Secondary Metabolites Creates a Reliable Morphological Criterion for Quality Grading of Polygoni Multiflori Radix.

PubMed

Liang, Li; Xu, Jun; Liang, Zhi-Tao; Dong, Xiao-Ping; Chen, Hu-Biao; Zhao, Zhong-Zhen

2018-05-08

In commercial herbal markets, Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR, the tuberous roots of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.), a commonly-used Chinese medicinal material, is divided into different grades based on morphological features of size and weight. While more weight and larger size command a higher price, there is no scientific data confirming that the more expensive roots are in fact of better quality. To assess the inherent quality of various grades and of various tissues in PMR and to find reliable morphological indicators of quality, a method combining laser microdissection (LMD) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS) was applied. Twelve major chemical components were quantitatively determined in both whole material and different tissues of PMR. Determination of the whole material revealed that traditional commercial grades based on size and weight of PRM did not correspond to any significant differences in chemical content. Instead, tissue-specific analysis indicated that the morphological features could be linked with quality in a new way. That is, PMR with broader cork and phloem, as seen in a transverse section, were typically of better quality as these parts are where the bioactive components accumulate. The tissue-specific analysis of secondary metabolites creates a reliable morphological criterion for quality grading of PMR.

Ontogeny of the morphology-performance axis in an amphibious fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus).

PubMed

Styga, Joseph M; Houslay, Thomas M; Wilson, Alastair J; Earley, Ryan L

2017-12-01

Establishing links between morphology and performance is important for understanding the functional, ecological, and evolutionary implications of morphological diversity. Relationships between morphology and performance are expected to be age dependent if, at different points during ontogeny, animals must perform in different capacities to achieve high fitness returns. Few studies have examined how the relationship between form and function changes across ontogeny. Here, we assess this relationship in the amphibious mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) fish, a species that is both capable of and reliant on "tail-flip jumping" for terrestrial locomotion. Tail-flip jumping entails an individual transferring its weight to the caudal region of the body, launching itself from the substrate to navigate to new aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. By combining repeated trials of jumping performance in 237 individuals from distinct age classes with a clearing and staining procedure to visualize bones in the caudal region, we test the hypotheses that as age increases (i) average jumping performance (body lengths jumped) will increase, (ii) the amount of variation for each trait will change, and (iii) the patterns of covariation/correlation among traits, which tell us about the integration of form with function, will also change. We find a significant increase in size-adjusted jumping performance with age, and modification to the correlation structure among traits across ontogeny. However, we also find that significant links between form and function evident in young animals disappear at later ontogenetic stages. Our study suggests that different functional mechanisms may be associated with high performance at different stages of development. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differences in morphology and sugar content of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) with potassium treatment at several altitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistiani, R.; Rosmayati; Siregar, L. A. M.; Harahap, F.

2018-02-01

This research was conducted at three locations in low, medium and high plains. This study was aimed to determine the morphological changes and sugar content of sweet potato caused by potassium dose treatment and climate change. Data was analyzed by factorial randomized block design in time series with two factors. The first factor was Altitude: A1 (50 meter above sea level (MASL)), A2 (750 MASL) and A3 (1450 MASL). The second factor was Potassium: K0 (0 kg/ha), K1 (50 kg/ha), K2 (100 kg/ha) and K3 (150 kg/ha). The data of plant morphology change and sugar content was descriptively analized, while agronomic and harvest component data analysis by F test and continued with Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results of morphological observations showed different types of plant growth, which in the lowlands and medium plant growth types spread, twisted, more branches, wider leaf area. However, the plateau of plant growth was relatively dwarf, erect, no twist, huddled and short rods and small leaf area. The tuber weight per plant, number of tuber yield and tuber weight per plot in high altitude were significantly higher than lowland and medium. Similarly, increased altitude will be increased the sugar content significantly.

Anthropometric Study of Three-Dimensional Facial Morphology in Malay Adults

PubMed Central

Majawit, Lynnora Patrick; Mohd Razi, Roziana

2016-01-01

Objectives To establish the three-dimensional (3D) facial soft tissue morphology of adult Malaysian subjects of the Malay ethnic group; and to determine the morphological differences between the genders, using a non-invasive stereo-photogrammetry 3D camera. Material and Methods One hundred and nine subjects participated in this research, 54 Malay men and 55 Malay women, aged 20–30 years old with healthy BMI and with no adverse skeletal deviation. Twenty-three facial landmarks were identified on 3D facial images captured using a VECTRA M5-360 Head System (Canfield Scientific Inc, USA). Two angular, 3 ratio and 17 linear measurements were identified using Canfield Mirror imaging software. Intra- and inter-examiner reliability tests were carried out using 10 randomly selected images, analyzed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was carried out to investigate morphologic differences between genders. Results ICC scores were generally good for both intra-examiner (range 0.827–0.987) and inter-examiner reliability (range 0.700–0.983) tests. Generally, all facial measurements were larger in men than women, except the facial profile angle which was larger in women. Clinically significant gender dimorphisms existed in biocular width, nose height, nasal bridge length, face height and lower face height values (mean difference > 3mm). Clinical significance was set at 3mm. Conclusion Facial soft tissue morphological values can be gathered efficiently and measured effectively from images captured by a non-invasive stereo-photogrammetry 3D camera. Adult men in Malaysia when compared to women had a wider distance between the eyes, a longer and more prominent nose and a longer face. PMID:27706220

In-Kennel Behavior Predicts Length of Stay in Shelter Dogs

PubMed Central

Protopopova, Alexandra; Mehrkam, Lindsay Renee; Boggess, May Meredith; Wynne, Clive David Lawrence

2014-01-01

Previous empirical evaluations of training programs aimed at improving dog adoption rates assume that dogs exhibiting certain behaviors are more adoptable. However, no systematic data are available to indicate that the spontaneous behavior of shelter dogs has an effect on adopter preference. The aim of the present study was to determine whether any behaviors that dogs exhibit spontaneously in the presence of potential adopters were associated with the dogs' length of stay in the shelter. A sample of 289 dogs was videotaped for 1 min daily throughout their stay at a county shelter. To account for differences in adopter behavior, experimenters varied from solitary passive observers to pairs of interactive observers. Dogs behaved more attentively to active observers. To account for adopter preference for morphology, dogs were divided into “morphologically preferred” and “non-preferred” groups. Morphologically preferred dogs were small, long coated, ratters, herders, and lap dogs. No theoretically significant differences in behavior were observed between the two different dog morphologies. When accounting for morphological preference, three behaviors were found to have a significant effect on length of stay in all dogs: leaning or rubbing on the enclosure wall (increased median length of stay by 30 days), facing away from the front of the enclosure (increased by 15 days), and standing (increased by 7 days). When combinations of behaviors were assessed, back and forth motion was found to predict a longer stay (increased by 24 days). No consistent behavioral changes were observed due to time spent at the shelter. These findings will allow shelters to focus behavioral modification efforts only on behaviors likely to influence adopters' choices. PMID:25551460

Corallite skeletal morphological variation in Hawaiian Porites lobata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tisthammer, Kaho H.; Richmond, Robert H.

2018-06-01

Due to their high morphological plasticity and complex evolutionary history, the species boundaries of many reef-building corals are poorly understood. The skeletal structures of corals have traditionally been used for species identification, but these structures can be highly variable, and currently we lack knowledge regarding the extent of morphological variation within species. Porites species are notorious for their taxonomic difficulties, both morphologically and genetically, and currently there are several unresolved species complexes in the Pacific. Despite its ubiquitous presence and broad use in coral research, Porites lobata belongs to one such unresolved species complex. To understand the degree of intraspecific variation in skeletal morphology, 120 corallites from the Hawaiian P. lobata were examined. A subset of samples from two genetically differentiated populations from contrasting high- and low-stress environments in Maunalua Bay, Hawaii, were then quantitatively analyzed using multivariate morphometrics. Our observations revealed high intraspecific variation in corallite morphology, as well as significant morphological differences between the two populations of P. lobata. Additionally, significant correlation was found between the morphological and genetic distances calculated from approximately 18,000 loci generated from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing. The unique morphological characters observed from the genetically differentiated population under environmental stress suggest that these characters may have adaptive values, but how such traits relate to fitness and how much plasticity they can exhibit remain to be determined by future studies. Relatively simple morphometric analyses used in our study can be useful in clarifying the existing ambiguity in skeletal architecture, thus contributing to resolving species issues in corals.

[Morphological differentiations of the gills of two Gymnocypris przewa-lskii subspecies in different habitats and their functional adaptations].

PubMed

Zhang, Ren-Yi; Li, Guo-Gang; Zhang, Cun-Fang; Tang, Yong-Tao; Zhao, Kai

2013-08-01

Gill morphologies of two subspecies of Gymnocypris przewalskii (Gymnocypris przewalskii przewalskii and Gymnocypris przewalskii ganzihonensis) in different habitats were analyzed under scanning electron microscope. Results indicated that G. p. przewalskii had numerous long and dense-lined gill rakers while G. p. ganzihonensis had few short and scatter-lined gill rakers. There were no significant differences in distance between gill filaments (DBF) and distance gill lamella (DBL) between the two subspecies, but gill filaments of G. p. przewalskii were longer than in G. p. ganzihonensis. The electron microscopic study indicated that the pavement epithelium cells of G. p. przewalskii were well defined as irregular ovals, but were hexagonal in G. p. ganzihonensis. Moreover, G. p. przewalskii had more chloride cells than G. p. ganzihonensis, and mucous cells were only found on the surface of gill filaments of G. p. przewalskii. The morphological differences between the two subspecies of G. przewalskii are adaptations to their corresponding diets and habitats.

Assessment of the Genetic Diversity of Different Job's Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) Accessions and the Active Composition and Anticancer Effect of Its Seed Oil

PubMed Central

Xi, Xiu-Jie; Zhu, Yun-Guo; Tong, Ying-Peng; Yang, Xiao-Ling; Tang, Nan-Nan; Ma, Shu-Min; Li, Shan; Cheng, Zhou

2016-01-01

Job’s tears (Coix lachryma-jobi L.) is an important crop used as food and herbal medicine in Asian countries. A drug made of Job’s tears seed oil has been clinically applied to treat multiple cancers. In this study, the genetic diversity of Job’s tears accessions and the fatty acid composition, triglyceride composition, and anti-proliferative effect of Job’s tears seed oil were analyzed using morphological characteristics and ISSR markers, GC-MS, HPLC-ELSD, and the MTT method. ISSR analysis demonstrated low genetic diversity of Job’s tears at the species level (h = 0.21, I = 0.33) and the accession level (h = 0.07, I = 0.10), and strong genetic differentiation (GST = 0.6702) among all accessions. It also clustered the 11 accessions into three cultivated clades corresponding with geographical locations and two evidently divergent wild clades. The grouping patterns based on morphological characteristics and chemical profiles were in accordance with those clustered by ISSR analysis. Significant differences in morphological characteristics, fatty acid composition, triglyceride composition, and inhibition rates of seed oil were detected among different accessions, which showed a highly significant positive correlation with genetic variation. These results suggest that the seed morphological characteristics, fatty acid composition, and triglyceride composition may be mainly attributed to genetic factors. The proportion of palmitic acid and linoleic acid to oleic acid displayed a highly significant positive correlation with the inhibition rates of Job’s tears seed oil for T24 cells, and thus can be an important indicator for quality control for Job’s tears. PMID:27070310

Three-Dimensional Morphometric Analysis of the Iris by Swept-Source Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography in a Caucasian Population.

PubMed

Invernizzi, Alessandro; Giardini, Piero; Cigada, Mario; Viola, Francesco; Staurenghi, Giovanni

2015-07-01

We analyzed by swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (SS-ASOCT) the three-dimensional iris morphology in a Caucasian population, and correlated the findings with iris color, iris sectors, subject age, and sex. One eye each from consecutive healthy emmetropic (refractive spherical equivalent ± 3 diopters) volunteers were selected for the study. The enrolled eye underwent standardized anterior segment photography to assess iris color. Iris images were assessed by SS-ASOCT for volume, thickness, width, and pupil size. Sectoral variations of morphometric data among the superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal sectors were recorded. A total of 135 eyes from 57 males and 78 females, age 49 ± 17 years, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All iris morphometric parameters varied significantly among the different sectors (all P < 0.0001). Iris total volume and thickness were significantly correlated with increasingly darker pigmentation (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0384, respectively). Neither width nor pupil diameter was influenced by iris color. Age did not affect iris volume or thickness; iris width increased and pupil diameter decreased with age (rs = 0.52, rs = -0.58, respectively). There was no effect of sex on iris volume, thickness, or pupil diameter; iris width was significantly greater in males (P = 0.007). Morphology of the iris varied by iris sector, and iris color was associated with differences in iris volume and thickness. Morphological parameter variations associated with iris color, sector, age, and sex can be used to identify pathological changes in suspect eyes. To be effective in clinical settings, construction of iris morphological databases for different ethnic and racial populations is essential.

Metallurgical characterization of orthodontic brackets produced by Metal Injection Molding (MIM).

PubMed

Zinelis, Spiros; Annousaki, Olga; Makou, Margarita; Eliades, Theodore

2005-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the bonding base surface morphology, alloy type, microstructure, and hardness of four types of orthodontic brackets produced by Metal Injection Molding technology (Discovery, Extremo, Freedom, and Topic). The bonding base morphology of the brackets was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Brackets from each manufacturer were embedded in epoxy resin, and after metallographic grinding, polishing and coating were analyzed by x-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) microanalysis to assess their elemental composition. Then, the brackets were subjected to metallographic etching to reveal their metallurgical structure. The same specimen surfaces were repolished and used for Vickers microhardness measurements. The results were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance and Student-Newman-Keuls multiple comparison test at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings of SEM observations showed a great variability in the base morphology design among the brackets tested. The x-ray EDS analysis demonstrated that each bracket was manufactured from different ferrous or Co-based alloys. Metallographic analysis showed the presence of a large grain size for the Discovery, Freedom, and Topic brackets and a much finer grain size for the Extremo bracket. Vickers hardness showed great variations among the brackets (Topic: 287 +/- 16, Freedom: 248 +/- 13, Discovery: 214 +/- 12, and Extremo: 154 +/- 9). The results of this study showed that there are significant differences in the base morphology, composition, microstructure, and microhardness among the brackets tested, which may anticipate significant clinical implications.

Differences in mobility at the range edge of an expanding invasive population of Xenopus laevis in the west of France.

PubMed

Louppe, Vivien; Courant, Julien; Herrel, Anthony

2017-01-15

Theoretical models predict that spatial sorting at the range edge of expanding populations should favor individuals with increased mobility relative to individuals at the center of the range. Despite the fact that empirical evidence for the evolution of locomotor performance at the range edge is rare, data on cane toads support this model. However, whether this can be generalized to other species remains largely unknown. Here, we provide data on locomotor stamina and limb morphology in individuals from two sites: one from the center and one from the periphery of an expanding population of the clawed frog Xenopus laevis in France where it was introduced about 30 years ago. Additionally, we provide data on the morphology of frogs from two additional sites to test whether the observed differences can be generalized across the range of this species in France. Given the known sexual size dimorphism in this species, we also test for differences between the sexes in locomotor performance and morphology. Our results show significant sexual dimorphism in stamina and morphology, with males having longer legs and greater stamina than females. Moreover, in accordance with the predictions from theoretical models, individuals from the range edge had a greater stamina. This difference in locomotor performance is likely to be driven by the significantly longer limb segments observed in animals in both sites sampled in different areas along the range edge. Our data have implications for conservation because spatial sorting on the range edge may lead to an accelerated increase in the spread of this invasive species in France. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Parallel RNAi screens across different cell lines identify generic and cell type-specific regulators of actin organization and cell morphology.

PubMed

Liu, Tao; Sims, David; Baum, Buzz

2009-01-01

In recent years RNAi screening has proven a powerful tool for dissecting gene functions in animal cells in culture. However, to date, most RNAi screens have been performed in a single cell line, and results then extrapolated across cell types and systems. Here, to dissect generic and cell type-specific mechanisms underlying cell morphology, we have performed identical kinome RNAi screens in six different Drosophila cell lines, derived from two distinct tissues of origin. This analysis identified a core set of kinases required for normal cell morphology in all lines tested, together with a number of kinases with cell type-specific functions. Most significantly, the screen identified a role for minibrain (mnb/DYRK1A), a kinase associated with Down's syndrome, in the regulation of actin-based protrusions in CNS-derived cell lines. This cell type-specific requirement was not due to the peculiarities in the morphology of CNS-derived cells and could not be attributed to differences in mnb expression. Instead, it likely reflects differences in gene expression that constitute the cell type-specific functional context in which mnb/DYRK1A acts. Using parallel RNAi screens and gene expression analyses across cell types we have identified generic and cell type-specific regulators of cell morphology, which include mnb/DYRK1A in the regulation of protrusion morphology in CNS-derived cell lines. This analysis reveals the importance of using different cell types to gain a thorough understanding of gene function across the genome and, in the case of kinases, the difficulties of using the differential gene expression to predict function.

Clinal variation or validation of a subspecies? A case study of the Graptemys nigrinoda complex (Testudines: Emydidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ennen, Joshua R.; Kalis, Marley E.; Patterson, Adam L.; Kreiser, Brian R.; Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Godwin, James; Qualls, Carl P.

2014-01-01

Widely distributed species often display intraspecific morphological variation due to the abiotic and biotic gradients experienced across their ranges. Historically, in many vertebrate taxa, such as birds and reptiles, these morphological differences within a species were used to delimit subspecies. Graptemys nigrinoda is an aquatic turtle species endemic to the Mobile Bay Basin. Colour pattern and morphological variability were used to describe a subspecies (G. n. delticola) from the lower reaches of the system, although it and the nominate subspecies also reportedly intergrade over a large portion of the range. Other researchers have suggested that these morphological differences merely reflect clinal variation. Our molecular data (mtDNA) did not support the existence of the subspecies, as the haplotypes were differentiated by only a few base pairs and one haplotype was shared between the putative subspecies. While there were significant morphological and pattern differences among putative specimens of G. n. nigrinoda, G. n. delticola and G. n. nigrinoda × delticola, these differences probably represent clinal variation as they were also related to environmental variables [i.e. cumulative drainage area and drainage (categorical)]. Specimens occupying slow-current, high-turbidity river reaches (e.g. the Tensaw River) exhibited greater relative carapace heights and more dark pigmentation, while specimens occupying fast-current, clearer rivers (e.g. the upper Alabama, Cahaba and Tallapoosa rivers) exhibited lower carapace heights and more yellow pigmentation. Given the absence of clear molecular and morphological differences that are related to drainage characteristics, we suggest that there is not sufficient evidence for the recognition of G. n. delticola as a distinct subspecies.

Soil morphology of canopy and intercanopy sites in a pinon-Juniper woodland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davenport, D.W.; Wilcox, B.P.; Breshear, D.D.

1996-11-01

Pinon-juniper woodlands in the semiarid western USA have expanded as much as fivefold during the last 150 yr, often accompanied by losses of understory vegetation and increasing soil erosion. We conducted this study to determine the differences in soil morphology between canopy and intercanopy locations within a pinon (Pinus edulis Engelm.)-juniper [Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg.] woodland with uniform parent material, topography, and climate. The woodland studied, located near Los Alamos, NM, has a mean tree age of 135 yr. We examined soil morphology by augering 135 profiles in a square grid pattern and comparing soils under pinon and juniper canopiesmore » with intercanopy soils. Only two of the 17 morphological properties compared showed significant differences. The B horizons make up a slightly greater proportion of total profile thickness in intercanopy soils, and there are higher percentages of coarse fragments in the lower portions of canopy soil profiles. Canopy soils have lower mean pH and higher mean organic C than intercanopy soils. Regression analysis showed that most soil properties did not closely correspond with tree size, but total soil thickness and B horizon thickness are significantly greater under the largest pinon trees, and soil reaction is lower under the largest juniper trees. Our findings suggest that during the period in which pinon-juniper woodlands have been expanding, the trees have had only minor effects on soil morphology. 36 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.« less

The morphology and nature of the East Arctic ocean acoustic basement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rekant, Pavel

2017-04-01

As the result of the thorough interpretation and cross-correlation of the large seismic dataset (>150000 km and >600 seismic lines), the depth structure map of the acoustic basement was constrained. Tectonic framework, basement surface morphology and linkage of the deep basin structures with shelves ones, was significantly clarified based on the map. It becomes clear that most morphostructures presently located within deep-water basin are tectonically connected with shelf structures. Acoustic basement contains a number of pre-Cambrian, Caledonian and Mesozoic consolidated blocks. The basement heterogeneity is highlighted by faults framework and basement surface morphology differences, as well thickness and stratigraphy of the sediment cover. The deepest basins of the East Arctic - Hanna Trough, North Chukchi and Podvodnikov Basins form a united mega-depression, wedged between pre-Cambrian continental blocks (Chukchi Borderland - Mendeleev Rise - Toll Saddle) from the north and the Caledonian deformation front from the south. The basement age/origin speculations are consistent with paleontological and U-Pb zircon ages from dredged rock samples. Most of morphological boundaries in the modern Arctic differ considerably from the tectonic framework. Only part of the Arctic morphostructures is constrained by tectonic boundaries. They are: eastern slope of the Lomonosov Ridge, continental slope in the Laptev Sea, upper continental slope in the Podvodnikov Basin, southern slope of the North Chukchi Basin and borders of the Chukchi Borderland. The rest significant part of modern morphological boundaries are caused by sedimentation processes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ricciardelli, Elena; Tamone, Amelie; Cava, Antonio

We explore the morphology of galaxies living in the proximity of cosmic voids, using a sample of voids identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. At all stellar masses, void galaxies exhibit morphologies of a later type than galaxies in a control sample, which represent galaxies in an average density environment. We interpret this trend as a pure environmental effect, independent of the mass bias, due to a slower galaxy build-up in the rarefied regions of voids. We confirm previous findings about a clear segregation in galaxy morphology, with galaxies of a later type being found atmore » smaller void-centric distances with respect to the early-type galaxies. We also show, for the first time, that the radius of the void has an impact on the evolutionary history of the galaxies that live within it or in its surroundings. In fact, an enhanced fraction of late-type galaxies is found in the proximity of voids larger than the median void radius. Likewise, an excess of early-type galaxies is observed within or around voids of a smaller size. A significant difference in galaxy properties in voids of different sizes is observed up to 2 R {sub void}, which we define as the region of influence of voids. The significance of this difference is greater than 3 σ for all the volume-complete samples considered here. The fraction of star-forming galaxies shows the same behavior as the late-type galaxies, but no significant difference in stellar mass is observed in the proximity of voids of different sizes.« less

A quantitative comparison of morphological and histological characteristics of collagen in the rabbit medial collateral ligament.

PubMed

Wan, Chao; Hao, Zhixiu; Wen, Shizhu

2013-12-01

Collagen fiber is one of the critical factors in determining mechanical properties of ligaments and both the morphological and histological characteristics of collagen have been widely studied. However, there was still no consensus about whether the morphological characteristics of collagen correlated with its histological characteristics in physiological ligaments. Rabbit medial collateral ligaments (MCLs) were measured under a transmission electron microscope and a polarized light microscope plus picrosirius red-staining to obtain the distributions of collagen fibril diameters and types at different anatomical sites of rabbit MCLs, respectively. The correlation between the fibril diameter and type was determined by a correlation analysis. The collagen fibril diameters at the different anatomical sites had different distributions (unimodal or bimodal) and mean fibril diameters were found to increase significantly from the anterior part to the posterior part (P=0.0482) as well as from the proximal to the distal sections (P=0.0208). Type I collagen in the core portion of MCLs was significantly less than at the other four peripheral areas (P<0.005) but no significant variation was found in each respective portion (P>0.05). The low coefficient in the correlation analysis (r=0.3759) demonstrated collagen fibril diameters had no correlation with collagen types. This may provide a new view of collagen types in studying the mechanical behavior of ligaments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Lower Lateral Cartilages: An Anatomic and Morphological Study in Noses of Black Southern Africans.

PubMed

McIntosh, Cameron N D; van Wyk, F Carl; Joubert, Gina; Seedat, Riaz Y

2017-03-01

The anatomy of the nose of different ethnic groups has been widely researched in order to facilitate a better understanding of the individual nose as a foundation for improving surgical outcomes. The only anatomical research of the lower lateral cartilages (LLCs) available to the surgeon working with an African patient is to extrapolate data from studies already published on African Americans. The aim of this descriptive cadaveric study was to assess the normal anatomy of the LLCs in noses of Black South Africans and compare this to data from studies on noses from Caucasian, Asian, Korean, and African-American populations. Ninety lower lateral cartilages of 45 cadavers of Black South Africans who did not have previous surgery or trauma to the nose were dissected. The morphological shapes and 12 standard anatomical measurements were recorded. The results were analyzed and compared to data in the literature from studies on lower lateral cartilages of Caucasian, Asian, Korean, and African-American populations. A statistically significant difference was found in terms of overall cartilage dimensions, distance from nasal rim, and morphological shapes, compared to all previously studied groups, including the African-American population. There were significant differences in cartilage dimensions between males and females. This translates to clinically significant data that is useful during reconstructive and aesthetic nasal surgery on patients with a Southern African background. This study sets norms for alar cartilages in Black Southern Africans.

Differences of skin morphology in Bos indicus, Bos taurus, and their crossbreds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jian, Wang; Duangjinda, M.; Vajrabukka, C.; Katawatin, Suporn

2014-08-01

Cutaneous evaporation is the main avenue by which cattle dissipate heat via the involvement of sweat glands and other skin components. The difference in skin morphology between B. indicus and B. taurus has been recognized, as well as differences in their ability to tolerate heat. The objective of this study was to compare skin morphology between B. indicus, B. taurus, and their crossbreds. Skin samples of Sahiwal ( B. indicus) ( n = 10, reddish brown skin) and Holstein Friesian (HF) ( B. taurus) ( n = 10, black and white skin) and crossbred of HF75% ( n = 10, black and white skin) and HF87.5 % ( n = 10, black and white skin) were biopsied for histological study, followed by measurement of skin components. The results indicated that breed significantly affected sweat gland morphology. The shape of the sweat gland, as indicated by the ratio of length/diameter, in Sahiwal was baggier in shape compared to HF (5.99 and 9.52) while values for crossbreds were intermediate (7.82, 8.45). The density and volume of sweat glands in Sahiwal (1,058 glands/cm2; 1.60 μ3 × 10-6) were higher than in HF (920 glands/cm2; 0.51 μ3x10-6) and crossbreds, both HF 75 % (709 glands/cm2; 0.68 μ3 × 10-6) and HF 87.5 % (691 glands/cm2; 0.61 μ3 × 10-6) respectively. However, capillary surface area was greater for HF (2.07 cm2) compared to Sahiwal (1.79 cm2); accordingly, the lower genetic fraction of HF in crossbred cattle showed less capillary surface area (1.83 and 1.9 cm2 for HF75% and HF87.5 %) ( P < 0.01). Nerve density was not significantly different between Sahiwal and HF but was higher in the crossbred ( P < 0.01) cattle. Moreover, the effect of skin color (black and white) was evaluated and it was found that there was an interaction ( P < 0.01) between breed and skin color on the skin components. This study reveals that there are differences in skin morphology among B. indicus, B. taurus and their crossbreds, with these differences being more or less related to the genetic fraction of HF. This may imply that capability for cutaneous evaporative heat loss and tolerance to heat in crossbred cattle could be related to skin morphology.

Effects of interface morphology and TGO thickness on residual stress of EB-PVD thermal barrier coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianwei; Zhao, Yang; Ma, Jian

2015-04-01

The residual stress of electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) thermal barrier coatings (TBC) is complex and difficult to be obtained. In this paper, the interface morphology of TBCs subjected to cyclic heating and cooling was observed by SEM. Based on the thermal elastic-plastic finite method, corresponding interface model of TBCs was established. The residual stress of EB-PVD TBCs with different interface morphologies and TGO thicknesses was calculated using the FE method without regard to the presence of cracks and defects. The result shows that the distribution of residual stress is significantly affected by the interface morphology, and the growth of TGO also has influence on the residual stress of TC and TGO.

Determinants and taxonomic consequences of extreme egg shell variability in Ramazzottius subanomalus (Biserov, 1985) (Tardigrada).

PubMed

Stec, Daniel; Morek, Witold; Gąsiorek, Piotr; Kaczmarek, Łukasz; Michalczyk, Łukasz

2016-12-15

Nearly a half of known eutardigrade species lay ornamented eggs. The ornamentation is thought to provide attachment of the egg to the substrate and protection for the developing embryo, but from the taxonomic point of view chorion morphology may also provide key characters for species differentiation and identification, especially between closely related taxa. Nonetheless, despite the evolutionary and taxonomic importance of the egg shell, the determinants of its morphology are very poorly, if at all, understood. Here, we combine morphological, molecular and experimental approaches in an attempt to separate the genetic and environmental factors that shape egg chorion morphology in Ramazzottius subanomalus (Biserov, 1985). Our integrative study, based on a population of R. subanomalus isolated from a single moss sample, revealed (1) remarkable variation in egg shell morphology, but (2) relatively little variation in animal morphometric traits, and (3) genetic differentiation, expressed as two ITS-2 haplotypes, but no parallel polymorphism in COI. Although animals did not differ morphometrically between the haplotypes, eggs laid by haplotype 1 and 2 females exhibited highly statistically significant differences in all measured traits. The study demonstrates, for the first time, a correlation between phenotypic and genetic variability within a tardigrade species. The revealed congruence between genetic and morphological traits might be viewed as an example of incipient speciation that illustrates early evolutionary steps leading to species complexes that differ primarily in terms of egg shell morphology. Moreover, our data confirm the value of the ITS-2 fragment in distinguishing very closely related tardigrade lineages.

Quantitative morphometrical characterization of human pronuclear zygotes.

PubMed

Beuchat, A; Thévenaz, P; Unser, M; Ebner, T; Senn, A; Urner, F; Germond, M; Sorzano, C O S

2008-09-01

Identification of embryos with high implantation potential remains a challenge in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Subjective pronuclear (PN) zygote scoring systems have been developed for that purpose. The aim of this work was to provide a software tool that enables objective measuring of morphological characteristics of the human PN zygote. A computer program was created to analyse zygote images semi-automatically, providing precise morphological measurements. The accuracy of this approach was first validated by comparing zygotes from two different IVF centres with computer-assisted measurements or subjective scoring. Computer-assisted measurement and subjective scoring were then compared for their ability to classify zygotes with high and low implantation probability by using a linear discriminant analysis. Zygote images coming from the two IVF centres were analysed with the software, resulting in a series of precise measurements of 24 variables. Using subjective scoring, the cytoplasmic halo was the only feature which was significantly different between the two IVF centres. Computer-assisted measurements revealed significant differences between centres in PN centring, PN proximity, cytoplasmic halo and features related to nucleolar precursor bodies distribution. The zygote classification error achieved with the computer-assisted measurements (0.363) was slightly inferior to that of the subjective ones (0.393). A precise and objective characterization of the morphology of human PN zygotes can be achieved by the use of an advanced image analysis tool. This computer-assisted analysis allows for a better morphological characterization of human zygotes and can be used for classification.

Sulfur Nanoparticles with Novel Morphologies Coupled with Brain-Targeting Peptides RVG as a New Type of Inhibitor Against Metal-Induced Aβ Aggregation.

PubMed

Sun, Jing; Xie, Wenjie; Zhu, Xufeng; Xu, Mengmeng; Liu, Jie

2018-04-18

Functionalized nanomaterials, which have been applied widely to inhibit amyloid-β protein (Aβ) aggregation, show enormous potential in the field of prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A significant body of data has demonstrated that the morphology and size of nanomaterials have remarkable effects on their biological behaviors. In this work, we proposed and designed three kinds of brain-targeting sulfur nanoparticles (RVG@Met@SNPs) with novel morphologies (volute-like, tadpole-like, and sphere-like) and investigated the effect of different RVG@Met@SNPs on Aβ-Cu 2+ complex aggregation and their corresponding neurotoxicity. Among them, the sphere-like nanoparticles (RVG@Met@SS) exhibited the most effective inhibitory activity, due to their unique mini size effect, and they reduced 61.6% the Aβ-Cu 2+ complex aggregation and increased 92.4% SH-SY5Y cell viability in a dose of 10 μg/mL. In vitro and in vivo, the abilities of different morphologies of RVG@Met@SNPs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and target brain parenchymal cells were significantly different. Moreover, improvements in learning disability and cognitive loss were shown in the transgenic AD mice model using the Morris water maze test after multiple doses of RVG@Met@SNPs treatment. In general, the purpose of this research is to develop a biological application of sulfur nanoparticles and to provide a novel functionalized nanomaterial to treat AD.

Morphology-controlled synthesis of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} by one step template-free hydrothermal method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Keqing; Liu, Jiajia; Wen, Panyue

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} crystals had been synthesized by one step template-free hydrothermal method. • The H{sub 2}O{sub 2} plays a crucial role in morphological control of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanostructures. • The morphology has significant effect on the optical property of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}. - Abstract: We had developed a facile synthetic route of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} crystals with different morphologies via one step template-free hydrothermal method. The phase and composition of the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectrum. The morphology and structure of the synthesized samples were characterized by scanning electronmore » microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The H{sub 2}O{sub 2} played a crucial role in morphological control of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanostructures. It only obtained Co-based precursor in the absence of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. On the contrary, the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} with different morphologies including nanoparticles, nano-discs and well-defined octahedral nanostructures were synthesized in the presence of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. In addition, the optical property of the obtained Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} samples was investigated by UV–vis spectra.« less

Developmental changes in haemocyte morphology in response to Staphylococcus aureus and latex beads in the beetle Tenebrio molitor L.

PubMed

Urbański, Arkadiusz; Adamski, Zbigniew; Rosiński, Grzegorz

2018-01-01

The evolutionary success of insects is undoubtedly related to a well-functioning immune system. This is especially apparent during insect development by the adaptation of individuals to the changing risk of infection. In addition, current studies show that the insect immune system is characterized by some specificity in response to natural pathogens (for example, bacteria, viruses or fungi) and artificial challengers (for example, latex beads or nylon filaments). However, developmental changes and the specificity of immune system reactions simultaneously have not been analysed. Thus, the aim of the present research was to determine changes in haemocyte morphology in response to attenuated Staphylococcus aureus and latex beads across each developmental stage of the beetle Tenebrio molitor. The results of the present research clearly showed differences in the morphology of T. molitor haemocytes during development. The haemocytes of larvae and 4-day-old adult males were characterized by the highest adhesion ability, which was expressed as the largest average surface area, filopodia length and number of filopodia. In contrast, the haemocytes of pupae and 30-day-old adult males had a significantly lower value for these morphological parameters, which was probably related to metamorphosis (pupae) and immunosenescence (30-day-old adults). The haemocytes of the tested individuals reacted differently to the presence of S. aureus and latex beads. The presence of S. aureus led to a significant decrease in all previously mentioned morphological parameters in larvae and in both groups of adult individuals. In these groups, incubation of haemocytes with latex beads caused only a slight decrease in surface area and filopodia length and number. This morphological response of haemocytes to biotic and artificial challengers might be related to an increase in the migration abilities of haemocytes during infection. However, the differences in haemocyte reactivity towards S. aureus and latex beads might be explained by differences in pathogen recognition. Conversely, increased adhesive abilities of pupal haemocytes were also observed, which might be related to the specificity of metamorphosis and the hormonal titre during this developmental stage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphene-Based Transparent Electrodes for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Rawashdeh, Nathir A. F.; Albiss, Borhan A.; Yousef, Mo'ath H. I.

2018-02-01

Several Zinc Oxide (ZnO) photo-anodes were prepared with different morphologies. For each morphology, two composites containing graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. ZnO sheet-flowers attained the highest efficiency among control samples, owing to the light diffraction that may be caused by such morphology. On the other hand, ZnO rods achieved lower performance than ZnO sheet-flowers, but higher than ZnO flowers, due to their porosity and structure, which may scatter light effectively. The effect of including GO in the photoanode matrix was studied and the results demonstrate a significant increase in short circuit current density (JSC). The addition of GO suggested an overall positive effect on cell performance, where samples of ZnO rods and Flowers had the most significant increase in their performance, due to the inhibition of charge recombination by GO.

Morphological and histomorphometric evaluation of the ventral rectus sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle, fascia lata and pectoral fascia. The beginning of a morphological information bank of human fascias.

PubMed

Morales-Avalos, Rodolfo; Soto-Domínguez, Adolfo; García-Juárez, Jaime; Cardenas-Serna, Marcela; Esparza-Hernández, Claudia N; Carreño-Salcedo, Sofía Alejandra; Montes-de-Oca-Luna, Roberto; Loera-Arias, María de Jesús; Saucedo-Cárdenas, Odila; Elizondo-Omaña, Rodrigo E; Guzmán-López, Santos

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the morphological and histomorphometric characteristics of the pectoral fascia, fascia lata and ventral rectus sheath. Twenty cadaveric samples of these fascias were analyzed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, orcein, Van Gieson, Masson's trichrome and Verhoeff¨s stain (1200 slides in total). Morphological evaluation, semiquantitative, morphometric and microdensitometric analysis of elastic fibers present in each of the tissues and a morphometrical analysis of tissue thickness were performed. The mean value of the pectoral fascia thickness was 612±68.13 μm; 84±246 μm for the fascia lata and 584±92 μm for the ventral rectus sheath. The area occupied by the elastic fibers in the pectoral fascia was 12.24±5.84%; 6,54±3.85% for the fascia lata and 11.11±5.26% for the ventral rectus sheath. There were no statistically significant differences when comparing the mean values between the pectoral fascia and the ventral rectus sheath (p=0.07). There were statistically significant differences when comparing the fascia lata to the pectoral fascia and the ventral rectus sheath (p≤0.001). This study reports other morphological characteristics not described in previous histological studies of the analyzed tissues. The results of the morphometric and densitometric analysis in this study reveal that the fascia lata has the fewest elastic fibers of all the tissues analyzed, and the pectoral fascia has the most. These results will be useful for the beginning of a morphological information bank of human fascias.

Characterization of freshly retrieved preantral follicles using a low-invasive, mechanical isolation method extended to different ruminant species.

PubMed

Langbeen, A; Jorssen, E P A; Fransen, E; Rodriguez, A P A; García, M Chong; Leroy, J L M R; Bols, P E J

2015-10-01

Due to the increased interest in preantral follicular physiology, non-invasive retrieval and morphological classification are crucial. Therefore, this study aimed: (1) to standardize a minimally invasive isolation protocol, applicable to three ruminant species; (2) to morphologically classify preantral follicles upon retrieval; and (3) to describe morphological features of freshly retrieved follicles compared with follicle characteristics using invasive methods. Bovine, caprine and ovine ovarian cortex strips were retrieved from slaughterhouse ovaries and dispersed. This suspension was filtered, centrifuged, re-suspended and transferred to a Petri dish, to which 0.025 mg/ml neutral red (NR) was added to assess the viability of the isolated follicles. Between 59 and 191 follicles per follicle class and per species were collected and classified by light microscopy, based on follicular cell morphology. Subsequently, follicle diameters were measured. The proposed isolation protocol was applicable to all three species and showed a significant, expected increase in diameter with developmental stage. With an average diameter of 37 ± 5 μm for primordial follicles, 47 ± 6.3 μm for primary follicles and 67.1 ± 13.1 μm for secondary follicles, no significant difference in diameter among the three species was observed. Bovine, caprine and ovine follicles (63, 59 and 50% respectively) were graded as viable upon retrieval. Using the same morphological characteristics as determined by invasive techniques [e.g. haematoxylin-eosin (HE) sections], cumulus cell morphology and follicle diameter could be used routinely to classify freshly retrieved follicles. Finally, we applied a mechanical, minimally invasive, follicle isolation protocol and extended it to three ruminant species, yielding viable preantral follicles without compromising further in vitro processing and allowing routine follicle characterization upon retrieval.

Biomotor structures in elite female handball players according to performance.

PubMed

Cavala, Marijana; Rogulj, Nenad; Srhoj, Vatromir; Srhoj, Ljerka; Katić, Ratko

2008-03-01

In order to identify biomotor structures in elite female handball players, factor structures of morphological characteristics and basic motor abilities, and of variables evaluating situation motor abilities of elite female handball players (n = 53) were determined first, followed by determination of differences and relations of the morphological, motor and specific motor space according to handball performance. Factor analysis of 16 morphological measures produced three morphological factors, i.e. factor of absolute voluminosity, i.e. mesoendomorphy, factor of longitudinal skeleton dimensionality, and factor of transverse hand dimensionality. Factor analysis of 15 motor variables yielded five basic motor dimensions, i.e. factor of agility, factor of throwing explosive strength, factor of running explosive strength (sprint), factor of jumping explosive strength and factor of movement frequency rate. Factor analysis of 5 situation motor variables produced two dimensions: factor of specific agility with explosiveness and factor of specific precision with ball manipulation. Analysis of variance yielded greatest differences relative to handball performance in the factor of specific agility and throwing strength, and the factor of basic motoricity that integrates the ability of coordination (agility) with upper extremity throwing explosiveness and lower extremity sprint (30-m sprint) and jumping (standing triple jump). Considering morphological factors, the factor of voluminosity, i.e. mesoendomorphy, which is defined by muscle mass rather than adipose tissue, was found to contribute significantly to the players'performance. Results of regression analysis indicated the handball performance to be predominantly determined by the general specific motor factor based on specific agility and explosiveness, and by the morphological factor based on body mass and volume, i.e. muscle mass. Concerning basic motor abilities, the factor of movement frequency rate, which is associated with the ability of ball manipulation, was observed to predict significantly the handball players' performance.

Microcoaxial torsional cataract surgery 1.8 mm versus 2.2 mm: functional and morphological assessment.

PubMed

Mastropasqua, Leonardo; Toto, Lisa; Vecchiarino, Luca; Di Nicola, Marta; Mastropasqua, Rodolfo

2011-01-01

To compare functional and morphological outcomes of 1.8-mm versus 2.2-mm microincision coaxial cataract surgery (MCCS). Thirty eyes of 30 patients that underwent MCCS were randomized to two groups: 1.8-mm MCCS (group 1: 15 eyes) and 2.2-mm MCCS (group 2: 15 eyes). There were no significant between-group differences in uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, keratometric astigmatism, and endothelial cell count. One day postoperatively, a greater increase of corneal thickness at the incision site was observed in group 1 compared to group 2 using anterior segment optical coherence tomography with no significant differences in tunnel morphometric features and confocal microscopy showed more tunnel edema in group 1 versus group 2 that resolved in both groups. Both 1.8- and 2.2-mm torsional MCCS were safe and efficient with easy surgical maneuvers and excellent functional and morphological results; 1.8-mm MCCS induced slightly greater tunnel edema shortly after surgery that resolved in the medium term. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Morphological three-dimensional analysis of papillary muscles in borderline left ventricles.

PubMed

Velasco Forte, Mari N; Nassar, Mohamed; Byrne, Nick; Silva Vieira, Miguel; Pérez, Israel V; Ruijsink, Bram; Simpson, John; Hussain, Tarique

2017-09-01

Mitral valve anatomy has a significant impact on potential surgical options for patients with hypoplastic or borderline left ventricle. Papillary muscle morphology is a major component regarding this aspect. The purpose of this study was to use cardiac magnetic resonance to describe the differences in papillary muscle anatomy between normal, borderline, and hypoplastic left ventricles. We carried out a retrospective, observational cardiac magnetic resonance study of children (median age 5.36 years) with normal (n=30), borderline (n=22), or hypoplastic (n=13) left ventricles. Borderline and hypoplastic cases had undergone an initial hybrid procedure. Morphological features of the papillary muscles, location, and arrangement were analysed and compared across groups. All normal ventricles had two papillary muscles with narrow pedicles; however, 18% of borderline and 46% of hypoplastic cases had a single papillary muscle, usually the inferomedial type. In addition, in borderline or hypoplastic ventricles, the supporting pedicle occasionally displayed a wide insertion along the ventricular wall. The length ratio of the superolateral support was significantly different between groups (normal: 0.46±0.08; borderline: 0.39±0.07; hypoplastic: 0.36±0.1; p=0.009). No significant difference, however, was found when analysing the inferomedial type (0.42±0.09; 0.38±0.07; 0.39±0.22, p=0.39). The angle subtended between supports was also similar among groups (113°±17°; 111°±51° and 114°±57°; p=0.99). A total of eight children with borderline left ventricle underwent biventricular repair. There were no significant differentiating features for papillary muscle morphology in this subgroup. The superolateral support can be shorter or absent in borderline or hypoplastic left ventricle cases. The papillary muscle pedicles in these patients often show a broad insertion. These changes have important implications on surgical options and should be described routinely.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Prunus mira (Koehne) from the Tibet plateau in China and recommended conservation strategies

PubMed Central

Bao, Wenquan; Li, Tiezhu; Liu, Huimin; Jiang, Zhongmao; Zhu, Xuchun; Du, Hongyan; Bai, Yu-e

2017-01-01

Prunus mira Koehne, an important economic fruit crop with high breeding and medicinal values, and an ancestral species of many cultivated peach species, has recently been declared an endangered species. However, basic information about genetic diversity, population structure, and morphological variation is still limited for this species. In this study, we sampled 420 P. mira individuals from 21 wild populations in the Tibet plateau to conduct a comprehensive analysis of genetic and morphological characteristics. The results of molecular analyses based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers indicated moderate genetic diversity and inbreeding (A = 3.8, Ae = 2.5, He = 0.52, Ho = 0.44, I = 0.95, FIS = 0.17) within P. mira populations. STRUCTURE, GENELAND, and phylogenetic analyses assigned the 21 populations to three genetic clusters that were moderately correlated with geographic altitudes, and this may have resulted from significantly different climatic and environmental factors at different altitudinal ranges. Significant isolation-by-distance was detected across the entire distribution of P. mira populations, but geographic altitude might have more significant effects on genetic structure than geographic distance in partial small-scale areas. Furthermore, clear genetic structure, high genetic differentiation, and restricted gene flow were detected between pairwise populations from different geographic groups, indicating that geographic barriers and genetic drift have significant effects on P. mira populations. Analyses of molecular variance based on the SSR markers indicated high variation (83.7% and 81.7%), whereas morphological analyses revealed low variation (1.30%–36.17%) within the populations. Large and heavy fruits were better adapted than light fruits and nutlets to poor climate and environmental conditions at high altitudes. Based on the results of molecular and morphological analyses, we classified the area into three conservation units and proposed several conservation strategies for wild P. mira populations in the Tibet plateau. PMID:29186199

Genetic diversity and population structure of Prunus mira (Koehne) from the Tibet plateau in China and recommended conservation strategies.

PubMed

Bao, Wenquan; Wuyun, Tana; Li, Tiezhu; Liu, Huimin; Jiang, Zhongmao; Zhu, Xuchun; Du, Hongyan; Bai, Yu-E

2017-01-01

Prunus mira Koehne, an important economic fruit crop with high breeding and medicinal values, and an ancestral species of many cultivated peach species, has recently been declared an endangered species. However, basic information about genetic diversity, population structure, and morphological variation is still limited for this species. In this study, we sampled 420 P. mira individuals from 21 wild populations in the Tibet plateau to conduct a comprehensive analysis of genetic and morphological characteristics. The results of molecular analyses based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers indicated moderate genetic diversity and inbreeding (A = 3.8, Ae = 2.5, He = 0.52, Ho = 0.44, I = 0.95, FIS = 0.17) within P. mira populations. STRUCTURE, GENELAND, and phylogenetic analyses assigned the 21 populations to three genetic clusters that were moderately correlated with geographic altitudes, and this may have resulted from significantly different climatic and environmental factors at different altitudinal ranges. Significant isolation-by-distance was detected across the entire distribution of P. mira populations, but geographic altitude might have more significant effects on genetic structure than geographic distance in partial small-scale areas. Furthermore, clear genetic structure, high genetic differentiation, and restricted gene flow were detected between pairwise populations from different geographic groups, indicating that geographic barriers and genetic drift have significant effects on P. mira populations. Analyses of molecular variance based on the SSR markers indicated high variation (83.7% and 81.7%), whereas morphological analyses revealed low variation (1.30%-36.17%) within the populations. Large and heavy fruits were better adapted than light fruits and nutlets to poor climate and environmental conditions at high altitudes. Based on the results of molecular and morphological analyses, we classified the area into three conservation units and proposed several conservation strategies for wild P. mira populations in the Tibet plateau.

Host Diet Affects the Morphology of Monarch Butterfly Parasites.

PubMed

Hoang, Kevin; Tao, Leiling; Hunter, Mark D; de Roode, Jacobus C

2017-06-01

Understanding host-parasite interactions is essential for ecological research, wildlife conservation, and health management. While most studies focus on numerical traits of parasite groups, such as changes in parasite load, less focus is placed on the traits of individual parasites such as parasite size and shape (parasite morphology). Parasite morphology has significant effects on parasite fitness such as initial colonization of hosts, avoidance of host immune defenses, and the availability of resources for parasite replication. As such, understanding factors that affect parasite morphology is important in predicting the consequences of host-parasite interactions. Here, we studied how host diet affected the spore morphology of a protozoan parasite ( Ophryocystis elektroscirrha ), a specialist parasite of the monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus ). We found that different host plant species (milkweeds; Asclepias spp.) significantly affected parasite spore size. Previous studies have found that cardenolides, secondary chemicals in host plants of monarchs, can reduce parasite loads and increase the lifespan of infected butterflies. Adding to this benefit of high cardenolide milkweeds, we found that infected monarchs reared on milkweeds of higher cardenolide concentrations yielded smaller parasites, a potentially hidden characteristic of cardenolides that may have important implications for monarch-parasite interactions.

The role of foot morphology on foot function in diabetic subjects with or without neuropathy.

PubMed

Guiotto, Annamaria; Sawacha, Zimi; Guarneri, Gabriella; Cristoferi, Giuseppe; Avogaro, Angelo; Cobelli, Claudio

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of foot morphology, related with respect to diabetes and peripheral neuropathy in altering foot kinematics and plantar pressure during gait. Healthy and diabetic subjects with or without neuropathy with different foot types were analyzed. Three dimensional multisegment foot kinematics and plantar pressures were assessed on 120 feet: 40 feet (24 cavus, 20 with valgus heel and 11 with hallux valgus) in the control group, 80 feet in the diabetic (25 cavus 13 with valgus heel and 13 with hallux valgus) and the neuropathic groups (28 cavus, 24 with valgus heel and 18 with hallux valgus). Subjects were classified according to their foot morphology allowing further comparisons among the subgroups with the same foot morphology. When comparing neuropathic subjects with cavus foot, valgus heel with controls with the same foot morphology, important differences were noticed: increased dorsiflexion and peak plantar pressure on the forefoot (P<0.05), decreased contact surface on the hindfoot (P<0.03). While results indicated the important role of foot morphology in altering both kinematics and plantar pressure in diabetic subjects, diabetes appeared to further contribute in altering foot biomechanics. Surprisingly, all the diabetic subjects with normal foot arch or with valgus hallux were no more likely to display significant differences in biomechanics parameters than controls. This data could be considered a valuable support for future research on diabetic foot function, and in planning preventive interventions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of nanoparticle shape on the morphology and properties of porous CdSe assemblies (aerogels).

PubMed

Yu, Hongtao; Brock, Stephanie L

2008-08-01

We demonstrate the effect of differently shaped CdSe nanoscale building blocks (dots, rods, branched nanoparticles, and hyperbranched nanoparticles) on the morphologies, surface characteristics, and optical properties of resultant porous CdSe nanostructured aerogels. Monolithic CdSe aerogels were produced by controlled oxidative removal of surface thiolate ligands from differently shaped CdSe nanoparticles to yield a wet gel, followed by CO(2) supercritical drying. The X-ray diffraction data show that the resultant CdSe aerogels maintain the crystalline phase of the building blocks without significant grain growth. However, the transmission electron microscopy images indicate that the morphology of CdSe aerogels changes from a colloid-type morphology to a polymer-type morphology when the building block changes from dot to rod or the branched nanoparticle. The morphology of the CdSe aerogel assembled from hyperbranched nanoparticles appears to be intermediate between the colloid-type and the polymer-type. Nitrogen physisorption measurements suggest that the surface areas and porosity are a direct function of the shape of the primary building blocks, with aerogels formed from rods or branched particles exhibiting the greatest surface areas (>200 m(2)/g) and those prepared from hyperbranched nanoparticles exhibiting the least (<100 m(2)/g). Band gap measurements and photoluminescence studies show that the as-prepared CdSe aerogels retain to a large extent the intrinsic quantum confinement of the differently shaped building blocks, despite being connected into a 3D network.

Comparison on the Effects and Safety of Tualang Honey and Tribestan in Sperm Parameters, Erectile Function, and Hormonal Profiles among Oligospermic Males

PubMed Central

Ismail, Shaiful Bahari; Bakar, Mohd. Bustamanizan; Nik Hussain, Nik Hazlina; Sulaiman, Siti Amrah; Jaafar, Hasnan; Draman, Samsul; Ramli, Roszaman; Wan Yusoff, Wan Zahanim

2014-01-01

Introduction. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Tualang honey on sperm parameters, erectile function, and hormonal and safety profiles. Methodology. A randomized control trial was done using Tualang honey (20 grams) and Tribestan (750 mg) over a period of 12 weeks. Sperm parameters including sperm concentration, motility, and morphology were analyzed and erectile function was assessed using IIEF-5 questionnaire. Hormonal profiles of testosterone, FSH, and LH were studied. The volunteers were randomized into two groups and the outcomes were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results. A total of 66 participants were involved. A significant increment of mean sperm concentration (P < 0.001), motility (P = 0.015) and morphology (P = 0.008) was seen in Tualang honey group. In Tribestan group, a significant increment of mean sperm concentration (P = 0.007), and morphology (P = 0.009) was seen. No significant differences of sperm concentration, motility, and morphology were seen between Tualang honey and Tribestan group and similar results were also seen in erectile function and hormonal profile. All safety profiles were normal and no adverse event was reported. Conclusion. Tualang honey effect among oligospermic males was comparable with Tribestan in improving sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. The usage of Tualang honey was also safe with no reported adverse event. PMID:25505918

A new species of lithistid sponge hiding within the Isabella mirabilis species complex (Porifera: Demospongiae: Tetractinellida) from seamounts of the Norfolk Ridge.

PubMed

Ekins, Merrick; Erpenbeck, Dirk; Wörheide, Gert; Hooper, John N A

2016-07-07

A population level study of the lithistid ('rock') sponge, Isabella mirabilis, revealed a new species, Isabella tanoa sp. nov., living on five seamounts on the Norfolk Ridge, SW Pacific, and representing the third species to be discovered since the genus was first described in 2005. Comparisons between the three species showed significant differences in morphological characters that corresponded to differences in their respective CO1 barcoding sequences. Conversely, three of the four genotypes of Isabella mirabilis remain unresolved using morphological markers.

Does polyandry really pay off? The effects of multiple mating and number of fathers on morphological traits and survival in clutches of nesting green turtles at Tortuguero.

PubMed

Alfaro-Núñez, Alonzo; Jensen, Michael P; Abreu-Grobois, F Alberto

2015-01-01

Despite the long debate of whether or not multiple mating benefits the offspring, studies still show contradictory results. Multiple mating takes time and energy. Thus, if females fertilize their eggs with a single mating, why to mate more than once? We investigated and inferred paternal identity and number of sires in 12 clutches (240 hatchlings) of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nests at Tortuguero, Costa Rica. Paternal alleles were inferred through comparison of maternal and hatchling genotypes, and indicated multiple paternity in at least 11 of the clutches (92%). The inferred average number of fathers was three (ranging from 1 to 5). Moreover, regression analyses were used to investigate for correlation of inferred clutch paternity with morphological traits of hatchlings fitness (emergence success, length, weight and crawling speed), the size of the mother, and an environmental variable (incubation temperature). We suggest and propose two different comparative approaches for evaluating morphological traits and clutch paternity, in order to infer greater offspring survival. First, clutches coded by the exact number of fathers and second by the exact paternal contribution (fathers who gives greater proportion of the offspring per nest). We found significant differences (P < 0.05) in clutches coded by the exact number of fathers for all morphological traits. A general tendency of higher values in offspring sired by two to three fathers was observed for the length and weight traits. However, emergence success and crawling speed showed different trends which unable us to reach any further conclusion. The second approach analysing the paternal contribution showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) for any of the traits. We conclude that multiple paternity does not provide any extra benefit in the morphological fitness traits or the survival of the offspring, when analysed following the proposed comparative statistical methods.

Study of the Effect of Nanoparticles and Surface Morphology on Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration Membrane Productivity

PubMed Central

Fang, Yuming; Duranceau, Steven J.

2013-01-01

To evaluate the significance of reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) surface morphology on membrane performance, productivity experiments were conducted using flat-sheet membranes and three different nanoparticles, which included SiO2, TiO2 and CeO2. In this study, the productivity rate was markedly influenced by membrane surface morphology. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis of membrane surfaces revealed that the higher productivity decline rates associated with polyamide RO membranes as compared to that of a cellulose acetate NF membrane was due to the inherent ridge-and-valley morphology of the active layer. The unique polyamide active layer morphology was directly related to the surface roughness, and was found to contribute to particle accumulation in the valleys causing a higher flux decline than in smoother membranes. Extended RO productivity experiments using laboratory grade water and diluted pretreated seawater were conducted to compare the effect that different nanoparticles had on membrane active layers. Membrane flux decline was not affected by particle type when the feed water was laboratory grade water. On the other hand, membrane productivity was affected by particle type when pretreated diluted seawater served as feed water. It was found that CeO2 addition resulted in the least observable flux decline, followed by SiO2 and TiO2. A productivity simulation was conducted by fitting the monitored flux data into a cake growth rate model, where the model was modified using a finite difference method to incorporate surface thickness variation into the analysis. The ratio of cake growth term (k1) and particle back diffusion term (k2) was compared in between different RO and NF membranes. Results indicated that k2 was less significant for surfaces that exhibited a higher roughness. It was concluded that the valley areas of thin-film membrane surfaces have the ability to capture particles, limiting particle back diffusion. PMID:24956946

Flight Morphology, Compound Eye Structure and Dispersal in the Bog and the Cranberry Fritillary Butterflies: An Inter- and Intraspecific Comparison.

PubMed

Turlure, Camille; Schtickzelle, Nicolas; Van Dyck, Hans; Seymoure, Brett; Rutowski, Ronald

2016-01-01

Understanding dispersal is of prime importance in conservation and population biology. Individual traits related to motion and navigation during dispersal may differ: (1) among species differing in habitat distribution, which in turn, may lead to interspecific differences in the potential for and costs of dispersal, (2) among populations of a species that experiences different levels of habitat fragmentation; (3) among individuals differing in their dispersal strategy and (4) between the sexes due to sexual differences in behaviour and dispersal tendencies. In butterflies, the visual system plays a central role in dispersal, but exactly how the visual system is related to dispersal has received far less attention than flight morphology. We studied two butterfly species to explore the relationships between flight and eye morphology, and dispersal. We predicted interspecific, intraspecific and intersexual differences for both flight and eye morphology relative to i) species-specific habitat distribution, ii) variation in dispersal strategy within each species and iii) behavioural differences between sexes. However, we did not investigate for potential population differences. We found: (1) sexual differences that presumably reflect different demands on both male and female visual and flight systems, (2) a higher wing loading (i.e. a proxy for flight performance), larger eyes and larger facet sizes in the frontal and lateral region of the eye (i.e. better navigation capacities) in the species inhabiting naturally fragmented habitat compared to the species inhabiting rather continuous habitat, and (3) larger facets in the frontal region in dispersers compared to residents within a species. Hence, dispersers may have similar locomotory capacity but potentially better navigation capacity. Dispersal ecology and evolution have attracted much attention, but there are still significant gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of dispersal. Unfortunately, for many species we lack detailed information on the role of behavioural, morphological and physiological traits for dispersal. Our novel study supports the existence of inter- and intra-specific evolutionary responses in both motion and navigation capacities (i.e. flight and eye morphology) linked to dispersal.

Randomized controlled trial comparing embryo culture in two incubator systems: G185 K-System versus EmbryoScope.

PubMed

Barberet, Julie; Chammas, Jérémy; Bruno, Céline; Valot, Elodie; Vuillemin, Clarisse; Jonval, Lysiane; Choux, Cécile; Sagot, Paul; Soudry, Agnès; Fauque, Patricia

2018-02-01

To study whether the closed culture system, as compared with a benchtop incubator with similar culture conditions, has a positive impact on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. Randomized controlled trial. University hospital. A total of 386 patients undergoing ICSI cycles with at least six mature oocytes were randomized. Of these patients, 195 were assigned to the group with culture in a time-lapse imaging (TLI) system (EmbryoScope) and 191 to the group with culture in the G185 K-System (G185). Rate of implantation (primary endpoint) and embryo morphology grade. No significant differences were found in the implantation rates. The proportion of high-grade embryos on day 2 was significantly higher in the TLI group compared with the G185 group (40.4% vs. 35.2%). The impact of the incubator on embryo morphology remained significant in multivariate analysis, which took into account the woman's age, the rank of attempt, and the smoking status (TLI vs. G185: odds ratio = 1.27; 95% confidence interval, [1.04-1.55]). No difference was found in the mean number of frozen embryos, even though the total proportion of frozen embryos was significantly higher in the TLI group than in the G185 group (29.5% vs. 24.8%). No difference in implantation rate was found between the two incubators for fresh cycles. It remains to be determined whether the observed differences in embryo morphology and the total number of embryos cryopreserved would translate into higher cumulative outcomes with subsequent frozen embryo transfers. NCT02722252. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-definition optical coherence tomography intrinsic skin ageing assessment in women: a pilot study.

PubMed

Boone, M A L M; Suppa, M; Marneffe, A; Miyamoto, M; Jemec, G B E; Del Marmol, V

2015-10-01

Several non-invasive two-dimensional techniques with different lateral resolution and measurable depth range have proved to be useful in assessing and quantifying morphological changes in skin ageing. Among these, only in vivo microscopy techniques permit histometric measurements in vivo. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of chronological (intrinsic) age-related (IAR) morphological changes of epidermis, dermo-epidermal junction (DEJ), papillary dermis (PD), papillary-reticular dermis junction and reticular dermis (RD) have been performed by high-definition optical coherence tomography in real time 3-D. HD-OCT images were taken at the internal site of the right upper arm. Qualitative HD-OCT IAR descriptors were reported at skin surface, at epidermal layer, DEJ, PD and upper RD. Quantitative evaluation of age-related compaction and backscattered intensity or brightness of different skin layers was performed by using the plugin plot z-axis profile of ImageJ(®) software permitting intensity assessment of HD-OCT (DICOM) images (3-D images). Analysis was in blind from all clinical information. Sixty, fair-skinned (Fitzpatrick types I-III) healthy females were analysed retrospectively in this study. The subjects belonged to three age groups: twenty in group I aged 20-39, twenty in group II aged 40-59 and twenty in group III aged 60-79. Only intrinsic ageing in women has been studied. Significant age-related qualitative and quantitative differences could be noticed. IAR changes in dermal matrix fibers morphology/organisation and in microvasculature were observed. The brightness and compaction of the different skin layers increased significantly with intrinsic skin ageing. The depth of visibility of fibers in RD increased significantly in the older age group. In conclusion, HD-OCT allows 3-D in vivo and real time qualitative and quantitative assessment of chronological (intrinsic) age-related morphological skin changes at high resolution from skin surface to a depth of the superficial reticular dermis.

Structural features of resorcinol-formaldehyde resin chars and interfacial behavior of water co-adsorbed with low-molecular weight organics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gun'ko, Vladimir M.; Bogatyrov, Viktor M.; Turov, Vladimir V.; Leboda, Roman; Skubiszewska-Zięba, Jadwiga; Urubkov, Iliya V.

2013-10-01

Products of resorcinol-formaldehyde resin carbonization (chars) are characterized by different morphology (particle shape and sizes) and texture (specific surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution) depending on water content during resin polymerization. At a low amount of water (Cw = 37.8 wt.%) during synthesis resulting in strongly cross-linked polymers, carbonization gives nonporous particles. An increase in the water content to 62.7 wt.% results in a nano/mesoporous char, but if Cw = 73.3 wt.%, a char is purely nanoporous. Despite these textural differences, the Raman spectra of all the chars are similar because of the similarity in the structure of their carbon sheets with a significant contribution of sp3 C atoms. However, the difference in the spatial organization of the carbon sheet stacks in the particles results in the significant differences in the textural and morphological characteristics and in the adsorption properties of chars with respect to water, methane, benzene, hydrogen, methylene chloride, and dimethylsulfoxide.

Cytomorphometric and Morphological Analysis in Women with Trichomonas vaginalis Infection: Micronucleus Frequency in Exfoliated Cervical Epithelial Cells.

PubMed

Safi Oz, Zehra; Doğan Gun, Banu; Gun, Mustafa Ozkan; Ozdamar, Sukru Oguz

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the cytomorphometric and morphological effects of Trichomonas vaginalis in exfoliated epithelial cells. Ninety-six Pap-stained cervical smears were divided into a study group and two control groups as follows: T. vaginalis cases, a first control group with inflammation, and a second control group without inflammation. Micronucleated, binucleated, karyorrhectic, karyolytic, and karyopyknotic cells and cells with perinuclear halos per 1,000 epithelial cells were counted. Nuclear and cellular areas were evaluated in 70 clearly defined cells in each smear using image analysis. The frequencies of morphological parameters in the T. vaginalis cases were higher than the values of the two control groups, and the difference among groups was found to be significant (p < 0.05). The nuclear and cytoplasmic areas of epithelial cells were diminished in patients with trichomoniasis. The mean nucleus/cytoplasm ratio in T. vaginalis patients was higher than the value in the control groups, and the difference between the study group and control group 1 was significant. However, there was no statistically significant increase between the study group and control group 2. T. vaginalis exhibited significant changes in the cellular size and nuclear structure of the cells. The rising frequency of micronuclei, nuclear abnormalities, and changing nucleus/cytoplasm ratio may reflect genotoxic damage in trichomoniasis. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Changes in photosynthesis and leaf characteristics with tree height in five dipterocarp species in a tropical rain forest.

PubMed

Kenzo, Tanaka; Ichie, Tomoaki; Watanabe, Yoko; Yoneda, Reiji; Ninomiya, Ikuo; Koike, Takayoshi

2006-07-01

Variations in leaf photosynthetic, morphological and biochemical properties with increasing plant height from seedlings to emergent trees were investigated in five dipterocarp species in a Malaysian tropical rain forest. Canopy openness increased significantly with tree height. Photosynthetic properties, such as photosynthetic capacity at light saturation, light compensation point, maximum rate of carboxylation and maximum rate of photosynthetic electron transport, all increased significantly with tree height. Leaf morphological and biochemical traits, such as leaf mass per area, palisade layer thickness, nitrogen concentration per unit area, chlorophyll concentration per unit dry mass and chlorophyll to nitrogen ratio, also changed significantly with tree height. Leaf properties had simple and significant relationships with tree height, with few intra- and interspecies differences. Our results therefore suggest that the photosynthetic capacity of dipterocarp trees depends on tree height, and that the trees adapt to the light environment by adjusting their leaf morphological and biochemical properties. These results should aid in developing models that can accurately estimate carbon dioxide flux and biomass production in tropical rain forests.

Molecular and morphological evidence for Penstemon luculentus (Plantaginaceae): a replacement name for Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens

PubMed Central

Johnson, Robert L.; Stevens, Mikel R.; Johnson, Leigh A.; Robbins, Matthew D.; Anderson, Chris D.; Ricks, Nathan J.; Farley, Kevin M.

2016-01-01

Abstract Penstemon luculentus R.L.Johnson & M.R.Stevens, nom. nov. replaces Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens Dorn & Lichvar. The varietal name glabrescens was not elevated because it was already occupied by Penstemon glabrescens Pennell, a different species. This new arrangement is supported by molecular and morphological evidence. An analysis of genetic diversity in populations of both varieties of Penstemon fremontii Torr. & A. Gray (glabrescens and fremontii) from the Piceance Basin, Colorado, using SSR (simple sequences repeats) or microsatellites markers, revealed significant genetic differentiation between the two. Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens was also genetically different from Penstemon gibbensii Dorn and Penstemon scariosus var. garrettii (Pennell) N.H. Holmgren. The combination of hirtellous stems, glabrous leaves, non-glandular inflorescence, and long anther hairs distinguish Penstemon luculentus from other morphologically similar species. PMID:27489478

Climatic effects on the nasal complex: a CT imaging, comparative anatomical, and morphometric investigation of Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis.

PubMed

Márquez, Samuel; Laitman, Jeffrey T

2008-11-01

Previous studies exploring the effects of climate on the nasal region have largely focused on external craniofacial linear parameters, using dry crania of modern human populations. This investigation augments traditional craniofacial morphometrics with internal linear and volumetric measures of the anatomic units comprising the nasal complex (i.e., internal nasal cavity depth, maxillary sinus volumes). The study focuses on macaques (i.e., Macaca mulatta and Macaca fascicularis) living at high and low altitudes, rather than on humans, since the short residency of migratory human populations may preclude using them as reliable models to test the long-term relationship of climate to nasal morphology. It is hypothesized that there will be significant differences in nasal complex morphology among macaques inhabiting different climates. This study integrated three different approaches: CT imaging, comparative anatomy, and morphometrics-in an effort to better understand the morphological structure and adaptive nature of the nasal complex. Results showed statistically significant differences when subsets of splanchnocranial and neurocranial variables were regressed against total maxillary sinus volume for particular taxa. For example, basion-hormion was significant for M. fascicularis, whereas choanal dimensions were significant only for M. mulatta. Both taxa revealed strong correlation between sinus volume and prosthion to staphylion distance, which essentially represents the length of the nasal cavity floor-and is by extension an indicator of the air conditioning capacity of the nasal region. These results clearly show that climatic effects play a major role in shaping the anatomy of the nasal complex in closely related species. The major influence upon these differing structures appears to be related to respiratory-related adaptations subserving differing climatic factors. In addition, the interdependence of the paranasal sinuses with other parts of the complex strongly indicates a functional role for them in nasal complex/upper respiratory functions. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

On the influence of substrate morphology and surface area on phytofauna

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becerra-Munoz, S.; Schramm, H.L.

2007-01-01

The independent effects and interactions between substrate morphology and substrate surface area on invertebrate density or biomass colonizing artificial plant beds were assessed in a clear-water and a turbid playa lake in Castro County, Texas, USA. Total invertebrate density and biomass were consistently greater on filiform substrates than on laminar substrates with equivalent substrate surface areas. The relationship among treatments (substrates with different morphologies and surface areas) and response (invertebrate density or biomass) was assessed with equally spaced surface areas. Few statistically significant interactions between substrate morphology and surface area were detected, indicating that these factors were mostly independent from each other in their effect on colonizing invertebrates. Although infrequently, when substrate morphology and surface area were not independent, the effects of equally spaced changes in substrate surface area on the rate of change of phytofauna density or biomass per unit of substrate surface area were dependent upon substrate morphology. The absence of three-way interactions indicated that effects of substrate morphology and substrate area on phytofauna density or biomass were independent of environmental conditions outside and inside exclosures. ?? 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Effects of polymer surface energy on morphology and properties of silver nanowire fabricated via nanoimprint and E-beam evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhi-Jun; Hwang, Soon Hyoung; Jeon, Sohee; Jung, Joo-Yun; Lee, Jihye; Choi, Dae-Geun; Choi, Jun-Hyuk; Park, Sang-Hu; Jeong, Jun-Ho

2017-10-01

In this paper, we demonstrate that use of different nanoimprint resins as a polymer pattern has a significant effect on the morphology of silver (Ag) nanowires deposited via an E-beam evaporator. RM-311 and Ormo-stamp resins are chosen as a polymer pattern to form a line with dimensions of width (100 nm) × space (100 nm) × height (120 nm) by using nanoimprint lithography (NIL). Their contact angles are then measured to evaluate their surface energies. In order to compare the properties of the Ag nanowires deposited on the various polymer patterns with different surface energies, hydrophobic surface treatment of the polymer pattern surface is implemented using self-assembled monolayers. In addition, gold and aluminum nanowires are fabricated for comparison with the Ag nanowires, with the differences in the nanowire morphologies being determined by the different atomic properties. The monocrystalline and polycrystalline structures of the various Ag nanowire formations are observed using transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the melting temperatures and optical properties of four kinds of Ag nanowire morphologies deposited on various polymer patterns are evaluated using a hot plate and an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrometer, respectively. The results indicate that the morphology of the Ag nanowire determines the melting temperature and the transmission. We believe that these findings will greatly aid the development of NIL, along with physical evaporation and chemical deposition techniques, and will be widely employed in optics, biology, and surface wettability applications.

Intraspecific variation in Cryptocaryon irritans.

PubMed

Diggles, B K; Adlard, R D

1997-01-01

Intraspecific variation in the ciliate Cryptocaryon irritans was examined using sequences of the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) combined with developmental and morphological characters. Amplified rDNA sequences consisting of 151 bases of the flanking 18 S and 5.8 S regions, and the entire ITS-1 region (169 or 170 bases), were determined and compared for 16 isolates of C. irritans from Australia, Israel and the USA. There was one variable base between isolates in the 18 S region and 11 variable bases in the ITS-1 region. Despite their similar morphology, significant sequence variation (4.1% divergence) and developmental differences indicate that Australian C. irritans isolates from estuarine (Moreton Bay) and coral reef (Heron Island) environments are distinct. The Heron Island isolate was genetically closer to morphologically dissimilar isolates from Israel (1.8% divergence) and the USA (2.3% divergence) than it was to the Moreton Bay isolates. Three isolates maintained in our laboratory since February 1994 differed in sequence from earlier laboratory isolates (2.9% to 3.5% divergence), even though all were similar morphologically and originated from the same source. During this time the sequence of the isolates from wild fish in Moreton Bay remained unchanged. These genetic differences indicate the existence of a founder effect in laboratory populations of C. irritans. The genetic variation found here, combined with known morphological and developmental differences, is used to characterise four strains of C. irritans.

Effects of different radiation doses on the microhardness, superficial morphology, and mineral components of human enamel.

PubMed

de Barros da Cunha, Sandra Ribeiro; Fonseca, Felipe Paiva; Ramos, Pedro Augusto Minorin Mendes; Haddad, Cecília Maria Kalil; Fregnani, Eduardo Rodrigues; Aranha, Ana Cecília Corrêa

2017-08-01

To evaluate the effects of three different radiotherapy doses (20, 40, and 70Gy) on the microhardness, superficial morphology, and mineral content (based on Ca and P values) of three different depths of human enamel (cervical, middle, and occlusal). Thirty-four third molars were cut, separated, and prepared. Microhardness samples (n=30) were embedded in acrylic resin and then polished, and depths were delimited. Microhardness tests were performed on cervical, middle, and occlusal enamel pre- and post-radiotherapy with a load of 50g for 30s. For the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis (n=4) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) (n=12), samples were fixed in a 3% glutaraldehyde solution, washed in 0.1M cacodylate solution, and dehydrated in crescent concentrations of ethanol. Microhardness data were tested for significant differences using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test (p<0.05), while SEM and EDS were evaluated qualitatively. The results showed a decrease in microhardness values only in the cervical enamel, regardless of the radiation dose used; no morphological or mineral change was observed. Radiotherapy can affect the microhardness values of only cervical enamel without compromising the morphological or mineral (Ca and P) content at any depth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproducibility of proton MR spectroscopic imaging (PEPSI): comparison of dyslexic and normal-reading children and effects of treatment on brain lactate levels during language tasks.

PubMed

Richards, Todd L; Berninger, Virginia W; Aylward, Elizabeth H; Richards, Anne L; Thomson, Jennifer B; Nagy, William E; Carlisle, Joanne F; Dager, Stephen R; Abbott, Robert D

2002-01-01

We repeated a proton echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (PEPSI) study to test the hypothesis that children with dyslexia and good readers differ in brain lactate activation during a phonologic judgment task before but not after instructional treatment. We measured PEPSI brain lactate activation (TR/TE, 4000/144; 1.5 T) at two points 1-2 months apart during two language tasks (phonologic and lexical) and a control task (passive listening). Dyslexic participants (n = 10) and control participants (n = 8) (boys and girls aged 9-12 years) were matched in age, verbal intelligence quotients, and valid PEPSI voxels. In contrast to patients in past studies who received combined treatment, our patients were randomly assigned to either phonologic or morphologic (meaning-based) intervention between the scanning sessions. Before treatment, the patients showed significantly greater lactate elevation in the left frontal regions (including the inferior frontal gyrus) during the phonologic task. Both patients and control subjects differed significantly in the right parietal and occipital regions during both tasks. After treatment, the two groups did not significantly differ in any brain region during either task, but individuals given morphologic treatment were significantly more likely to have reduced left frontal lactate activation during the phonologic task. The previous finding of greater left frontal lactate elevation in children with dyslexia during a phonologic judgment task was replicated, and brain activation changed as a result of treatment. However, the treatment effect was due to the morphologic component rather than the phonologic component.

Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of talar morphology in extant gorilla taxa from highland and lowland habitats.

PubMed

Knigge, Ryan P; Tocheri, Matthew W; Orr, Caley M; Mcnulty, Kieran P

2015-01-01

Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) are known to climb significantly more often than eastern gorillas (Gorilla beringei), a behavioral distinction attributable to major differences in their respective habitats (i.e., highland vs. lowland). Genetic evidence suggests that the lineages leading to these taxa began diverging from one another between approximately 1 and 3 million years ago. Thus, gorillas offer a special opportunity to examine the degree to which morphology of recently diverged taxa may be "fine-tuned" to differing ecological requirements. Using three-dimensional (3D) geometric morphometrics, we compared talar morphology in a sample of 87 specimens including western (lowland), mountain (highland), and grauer gorillas (lowland and highland populations). Talar shape was captured with a series of landmarks and semilandmarks superimposed by generalized Procrustes analysis. A between-group principal components analysis of overall talar shape separates gorillas by ecological habitat and by taxon. An analysis of only the trochlea and lateral malleolar facet identifies subtle variations in trochlear shape between western lowland and lowland grauer gorillas, potentially indicative of convergent evolution of arboreal adaptations in the talus. Lastly, talar shape scales differently with centroid size for highland and lowland gorillas, suggesting that ankle morphology may track body-size mediated variation in arboreal behaviors differently depending on ecological setting. Several of the observed shape differences are linked biomechanically to the facilitation of climbing in lowland gorillas and to stability and load-bearing on terrestrial substrates in the highland taxa, providing an important comparative model for studying morphological variation in groups known only from fossils (e.g., early hominins). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Drosophila development, physiology, behavior, and lifespan are influenced by altered dietary composition

PubMed Central

Ormerod, Kiel G.; LePine, Olivia K.; Abbineni, Prabhodh S.; Bridgeman, Justin M.; Mercier, A. Joffre; Tattersall, Glenn J.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Diet profoundly influences the behavior of animals across many phyla. Despite this, most laboratories using model organisms, such as Drosophila, use multiple, different, commercial or custom-made media for rearing their animals. In addition to measuring growth, fecundity and longevity, we used several behavioral and physiological assays to determine if and how altering food media influence wild-type (Canton S) Drosophila melanogaster, at larval, pupal, and adult stages. Comparing 2 commonly used commercial food media we observed several key developmental and morphological differences. Third-instar larvae and pupae developmental timing, body weight and size, and even lifespan significantly differed between the 2 diets, and some of these differences persisted into adulthood. Diet was also found to produce significantly different thermal preference, locomotory capacity for geotaxis, feeding rates, and lower muscle response to hormonal stimulation. There were no differences, however, in adult thermal preferences, in the number or viability of eggs laid, or in olfactory learning and memory between the diets. We characterized the composition of the 2 diets and found particularly significant differences in cholesterol and (phospho)lipids between them. Notably, diacylglycerol (DAG) concentrations vary substantially between the 2 diets, and may contribute to key phenotypic differences, including lifespan. Overall, the data confirm that 2 different diets can profoundly influence the behavior, physiology, morphology and development of wild-type Drosophila, with greater behavioral and physiologic differences occurring during the larval stages. PMID:28277941

Harnessing 3D models of mammary epithelial morphogenesis. An off the beaten path approach to identify candidate biomarkers of early stage breast cancer

PubMed Central

Rossetti, Stefano; Bshara, Wiam; Reiners, Johanna A.; Corlazzoli, Francesca; Miller, Austin; Sacchi, Nicoletta

2016-01-01

Regardless of the etiological factor, an aberrant morphology is the common hallmark of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is a highly heterogeneous disease. To test if critical core morphogenetic mechanisms are compromised by different mutations, we performed proteomics analysis of five mammary epithelial HME1 mutant lines that develop a DCIS-like morphology in three dimensional (3D) culture. Here we show first, that all HME1 mutant lines share a common protein signature highlighting an inverse deregulation of two annexins, ANXA2 and ANXA8. Either ANXA2 downregulation or ANXA8 upregulation in the HME1 cell context are per se sufficient to confer a 3D DCIS-like morphology. Seemingly, different mutations impinged on a common mechanism that differentially regulates the two annexins. Second, we show that ANXA8 expression is significantly higher in DCIS tissue samples versus normal breast tissue and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). Apparently, ANXA8 expression is significantly more upregulated in ER- negative versus ER-positive cases, and significantly correlates with tumor stage, grade and positive lymph node. Based on our study, 3D mammary morphogenesis models can be an alternate/complementary strategy for unraveling new DCIS mechanisms and biomarkers. PMID:27422542

Comparative morphology of the scales of roundscale spearfish Tetrapturus georgii and white marlin Kajikia albida.

PubMed

Loose, E L; Hilton, E J; Graves, J E

2017-04-01

The comparative morphology of the scales of roundscale spearfish Tetrapturus georgii and white marlin Kajikia albida was investigated. In addition, variation in scale morphology across different body regions within each species was analysed. Although considerable morphological variation was observed among scales from different body regions in both species, scales of K. albida generally have pointed anterior ends, fewer posterior points and are more heavily imbricated than those of T. georgii, which are frequently rounded anteriorly, often have many posterior points and are separated farther within the skin. In all sampled body regions and individuals, scales of T. georgii are significantly broader and have a lower length-to-width aspect ratio than those of K. albida. Superficial to the scales are denticular plates, which are ossified formations occurring on the surface layer of the epidermis; these were observed and described for T. georgii, K. albida and blue marlin Makaira nigricans. Detailed scale descriptions allow for a more accurate characterization of the variation within and differences between these two species and could potentially be a valuable tool for investigating istiophorid systematics. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Styles of crater gradation in Southern Ismenius Lacus, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, J. A.; Schultz, P. H.

1991-01-01

Preserved morphology around selected impact craters together with results from study of long term gradational evolution are used to assess processes responsible for crater modification in southern Ismenius Lacus. Results are compared with the gradational styles of selected terrestrial craters. Although most craters in the region display complex primary morphologies, some first order comparisons with the gradational styles around simple terrestrial craters may be valid. Nearly complete high resolution coverage provides a basis for studying morphologic features at scales comparable to those observed in LANDSAT TM images of terrestrial craters. It is concluded that the relative importance of gradational processes differs around the terrestrial and Martian craters considered here: Martian rimless morphologies are produced by mass wasting, eolian deposition/erosion, and limited fluvial incisement resulting in downwasting and significant backwasting of crater walls.

AFM study of the morphologic change of HDPE surface photografted with glycidyl methacrylate.

PubMed

Wang, Huiliang; Han, Jianmei

2009-05-01

The UV-induced grafting of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and the atomic force microscopy (AFM) study of the morphologic change of the grafted surface are reported. The grafting was carried out in GMA acetone solutions with different monomer concentrations. Grafting was much faster in a solution with a higher monomer concentration. FTIR analyses proved that GMA had been successfully grafted onto HDPE. The morphologies of grafted HDPE surfaces changed with UV irradiation time. The monomer concentration had a significant effect on the morphologies of the grafted HDPE surfaces. The HDPE surface grafted in a solution with a higher monomer concentration was much rougher than that grafted in a solution with a lower monomer concentration. The growth models of the grafted granules or clusters are also proposed.

Comparison of Cryopreserved Human Sperm between Ultra Rapid Freezing and Slow Programmable Freezing: Effect on Motility, Morphology and DNA Integrity.

PubMed

Tongdee, Pattama; Sukprasert, Matchuporn; Satirapod, Chonticha; Wongkularb, Anna; Choktanasiri, Wicham

2015-05-01

Cryopreservation of sperm is common methods to preserve male fertility. Sperm freezing, suggest slow programmable freezing caused lower change of sperm morphology than sperm freezing in vapor of liquid nitrogen. Ultra rapid freezing is easy to be worked on, less time, low cost and does not need high experience. To compare the effect on sperm motility, morphology and DNA integrity of post-thawed sperm after ultra rapid freezing and slow programmable freezing methods. Experimental study at laboratory of infertility unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital. Thirty-seven semen samples with normal semen analysis according to World Health Organization (WHO) 1999 [normal sperm volume ( 2 ml) and normal sperm concentration (≥ 20 x10(6)/ml) and sperm motility (≥ 50%)]. Semen samples were washed. Then each semen sample was divided into six cryovials. Two cryovials, 0.5 ml each, were cryopreserved by slow programmable freezing. Four 0.25 ml containing cryovials, were cryopreserved by ultra rapidfreezing method. After cryopreservationfor 1 month, thawedprocess was carried out at room temperature. Main outcomes are sperm motility was determined by Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA), sperm morphology was determined by eosin-methylene blue staining and sperm DNA integrity was assessed by TUNEL assay. Sperm motility was reduced significantly by both methods, from 70.4 (9.0)% to 29.1 (12.3)% in slowprogrammable freezing and to 19.7 (9.8)% in ultra rapid freezing (p < 0.05). Sperm motility decreased significantly more by ultra rapid freezing (p < 0.001). The percentage of normal sperm morphology and DNA integrity were also reduced significantly by both methods. However, no significant difference between the two methods was found (p > 0.05). Cryopreservation of human sperm for 1 month significantly decreased sperm motility, morphology and DNA integrity in both methods. However sperm motility was decreased more by ultra rapid freezing.

The effect of immature oocytes quantity on the rates of oocytes maturity and morphology, fertilization, and embryo development in ICSI cycles.

PubMed

Halvaei, Iman; Ali Khalili, Mohammad; Razi, Mohammad Hossein; Nottola, Stefania A

2012-08-01

The goal was to evaluate the role of the number of retrieved immature oocytes on mature oocyte counts and morphology, and also the rates of fertilization and embryo development in ICSI cycles. 101 ICSI cycles were included in this prospective evaluation. Patients were divided into 2 groups of A (≤ 2 immature oocytes) and B (> 2 immature oocytes). In sub-analysis, the impacts of the number of GV and MI oocytes were assessed on the rates of fertilization and embryo development. Also, correlations between the numbers of immature and mature oocytes, as well as maternal age between two groups were analyzed. Assessments of oocyte morphology, fertilization, embryo quality and development were done accordingly. There was no correlation between the immature oocytes quantity with the number of mature ones. There were insignificant differences for embryo development between two groups, but fertilization rate was higher in group A (P = 0.03). In sub-analysis, insignificant differences were observed between two groups of ≤ and >2 GV and MI oocytes for rates of fertilization and embryo development. Also, the rates of clinical pregnancy and delivery were insignificant between groups. The rate of morphologically abnormal oocytes had no significant difference between two groups, except for wide perivitelline space (PVS) which was higher in group A (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference for maternal age between two groups. In cases with few retrieved immature oocytes, rates of fertilization and incidence of wide PVS may increase, although immature oocytes may not have any negative impacts on early embryo development, or the rates on number of mature oocytes.

Sex differences in aneurysm morphologies and clinical outcomes in ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms: a retrospective study

PubMed Central

Lin, Boli; Chen, Weijian; Ruan, Lei; Chen, Yongchun; Zhong, Ming; Zhuge, Qichuan; Fan, Liang Hao; Zhao, Bing; Yang, Yunjun

2016-01-01

Objectives Ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms occur more frequently in men. The purpose of the study was to investigate sex difference in aneurysm morphologies and clinical outcomes in patients with ruptured ACoA aneurysms. Setting A tertiary referral hospital. Participants A total of 574 consecutive patients with ACoA aneurysms were admitted to our hospital from December 2007 to February 2015. In all, 474 patients (257 men and 217 women) with ruptured ACoA aneurysms were included in the study. Main outcome measures Aneurysm morphologies were measured using computed tomographic angiography and clinical outcomes were measured with Glasgow coma score at discharge. Results The aneurysm sizes (p=0.001), aneurysm heights (p=0.011), size ratios (p<0.001), flow angles (p=0.047) and vessel angles (p=0.046) were larger in the male patients than in the females. The female patients more often had larger vessel sizes (p=0.002). Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that significant differences in aneurysm morphologies between men and women were aneurysm size (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.3; p=0.036), aneurysm height (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0. to 0.9; p=0.006) and size ratio (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.7; p=0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the outcomes between men and women (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.6 to 1.7, p=0.857). Conclusions The men were independently associated with larger aneurysm sizes, greater aneurysm heights and larger size ratios. Sex was not a risk factor for poor outcome in patients with ruptured ACoA aneurysms. PMID:27084272

Ag films deposited on Si and Ti: How the film-substrate interaction influences the nanoscale film morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffino, F.; Torrisi, V.

2017-11-01

Submicron-thick Ag films were sputter deposited, at room temperature, on Si, covered by the native SiO2 layer, and on Ti, covered by the native TiO2 layer, under normal and oblique deposition angle. The aim of this work was to study the morphological differences in the grown Ag films on the two substrates when fixed all the other deposition parameters. In fact, the surface diffusivity of the Ag adatoms is different on the two substrates (higher on the SiO2 surface) due to the different Ag-SiO2 and Ag-TiO2 atomic interactions. So, the effect of the adatoms surface diffusivity, as determined by the adatoms-substrate interaction, on the final film morphology was analyzed. To this end, microscopic analyses were used to study the morphology of the grown Ag films. Even if the homologous temperature prescribes that the Ag film grows on both substrates in the zone I described by the structure zone model some significant differences are observed on the basis of the supporting substrate. In the normal incidence condition, on the SiO2/Si surface a dense close-packed Ag film exhibiting a smooth surface is obtained, while on the TiO2/Ti surface a more columnar film morphology is formed. In the oblique incidence condition the columnar morphology for the Ag film occurs both on SiO2/Si and TiO2/Ti but a higher porous columnar film is obtained on TiO2/Ti due to the lower Ag diffusivity. These results indicate that the adatoms diffusivity on the substrate as determined by the adatom-surface interaction (in addition to the substrate temperature) strongly determines the final film nanostructure.

Galaxy Zoo: Morphological Classification of Galaxy Images from the Illustris  Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Hugh; Fortson, Lucy; Lintott, Chris; Scarlata, Claudia; Willett, Kyle; Bamford, Steven; Beck, Melanie; Cardamone, Carolin; Galloway, Melanie; Simmons, Brooke; Keel, William; Kruk, Sandor; Masters, Karen; Vogelsberger, Mark; Torrey, Paul; Snyder, Gregory F.

2018-02-01

Modern large-scale cosmological simulations model the universe with increasing sophistication and at higher spatial and temporal resolutions. These ongoing enhancements permit increasingly detailed comparisons between the simulation outputs and real observational data. Recent projects such as Illustris are capable of producing simulated images that are designed to be comparable to those obtained from local surveys. This paper tests the degree to which Illustris achieves this goal across a diverse population of galaxies using visual morphologies derived from Galaxy Zoo citizen scientists. Morphological classifications provided by these volunteers for simulated galaxies are compared with similar data for a compatible sample of images drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Legacy Survey. This paper investigates how simple morphological characterization by human volunteers asked to distinguish smooth from featured systems differs between simulated and real galaxy images. Significant differences are identified, which are most likely due to the limited resolution of the simulation, but which could be revealing real differences in the dynamical evolution of populations of galaxies in the real and model universes. Specifically, for stellar masses {M}\\star ≲ {10}11 {M}ȯ , a substantially larger proportion of Illustris galaxies that exhibit disk-like morphology or visible substructure, relative to their SDSS counterparts. Toward higher masses, the visual morphologies for simulated and observed galaxies converge and exhibit similar distributions. The stellar mass threshold indicated by this divergent behavior confirms recent works using parametric measures of morphology from Illustris simulated images. When {M}\\star ≳ {10}11 {M}ȯ , the Illustris data set contains substantially fewer galaxies that classifiers regard as unambiguously featured. In combination, these results suggest that comparison between the detailed properties of observed and simulated galaxies, even when limited to reasonably massive systems, may be misleading.

3D relativistic MHD numerical simulations of X-shaped radio sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, P.; Bodo, G.; Capetti, A.; Massaglia, S.

2017-10-01

Context. A significant fraction of extended radio sources presents a peculiar X-shaped radio morphology: in addition to the classical double lobed structure, radio emission is also observed along a second axis of symmetry in the form of diffuse wings or tails. In a previous investigation we showed the existence of a connection between the radio morphology and the properties of the host galaxies. Motivated by this connection we performed two-dimensional numerical simulations showing that X-shaped radio sources may naturally form as a jet propagates along the major axis a highly elliptical density distribution, because of the fast expansion of the cocoon along the minor axis of the distribution. Aims: We intend to extend our analysis by performing three-dimensional numerical simulations and investigating the role of different parameters in determining the formation of the X-shaped morphology. Methods: The problem is addressed by numerical means, carrying out three-dimensional relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of bidirectional jets propagating in a triaxial density distribution. Results: We show that only jets with power ≲ 1044 erg s-1 can give origin to an X-shaped morphology and that a misalignment of 30° between the jet axis and the major axis of the density distribution is still favourable to the formation of this kind of morphology. In addition we compute synthetic radio emission maps and polarization maps. Conclusions: In our scenario for the formation of X-shaped radio sources only low power FRII can give origin to such kind of morphology. Our synthetic emission maps show that the different observed morphologies of X-shaped sources can be the result of similar structures viewed under different perspectives.

Changes in Intraocular Straylight and Visual Acuity with Age in Cataracts of Different Morphologies

PubMed Central

Reus, Nicolaas J.; van den Berg, Thomas J. T. P.

2017-01-01

Purpose To investigate the significance of difference in straylight of cataract eyes with different morphologies, as a function of age and visual acuity. Methods A literature review to collect relevant papers on straylight, age, and visual acuity of three common cataract morphologies leads to including five eligible papers for the analysis. The effect of morphology was incorporated to categorize straylight dependency on the two variables. We also determined the amount of progression in a cataract group using a control group. Results The mean straylight was 1.22 log units ± 0.20 (SD) in nuclear (592 eyes), 1.26 log units ± 0.23 in cortical (776 eyes), and 1.48 log units ± 0.34 in posterior subcapsular (75 eyes) groups. The slope of straylight-age relationship was 0.009 (R 2 = 0.20) in nuclear, 0.012 (R 2 = 0.22) in cortical, and 0.014 (R 2 = 0.11) in posterior subcapsular groups. The slope of straylight-visual acuity relationship was 0.62 (R 2 = 0.25) in nuclear, 0.33 (R 2 = 0.13) in cortical, and 1.03 (R 2 = 0.34) in posterior subcapsular groups. Conclusion Considering morphology of cataract provides a better insight in assessing visual functions of cataract eyes, in posterior subcapsular cataract, particularly, in spite of notable elevated straylight, visual acuity might not manifest severe loss. PMID:28831307

Analysis of microstructures and macrotextures for different apple cultivars based on parenchyma morphology.

PubMed

Hou, Jumin; Sun, Yonghai; Chen, Fangyuan; Yu, Libo; Mao, Qian; Wang, Lu; Guo, Xiaolei; Liu, Chao

2016-04-01

Fuji, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold parenchyma were imaged by confocal laser scanning microscopy to be extracted morphology characteristics, which were used to analyze the relationship with macrotexture of apples tested by penetration and compression. Before analyzing the relationship, the significantly different morphology parameters were reduced in dimensions by principal component analysis and were proved to be availably used for distinguishing the different apple cultivars. For compression results, cell did not absolutely determine the hardness in different apple cultivars, and the pore should also be taken into consideration. With the same size in cell feret diameter, the bigger the pore feret diameter was, the softer the apple became. If no difference existed in pore feret diameter size, the cultivar became harder with a narrower distribution in cell feret diameter. The texture parameters were compared with the roundness parameters in the same or inverse changing trends to explore the relationship. High correlations were found between the texture parameters (energy required in whole penetration (Wt), fracture force (Fp), crispness) and pore solidity (R(2)  > 0.924, P < 0.001). Compactness of parenchyma played an important role in fruit texture. This research could provide the comprehension about relationship between microstructure and macrotexture of apple cultivars and morphological values for modeling apple parenchyma, contributing to numerical simulation for constitutive relation of fruit. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extraction of multi-scale landslide morphological features based on local Gi* using airborne LiDAR-derived DEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Wenzhong; Deng, Susu; Xu, Wenbing

2018-02-01

For automatic landslide detection, landslide morphological features should be quantitatively expressed and extracted. High-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data allow fine-scale morphological features to be extracted, but noise in DEMs influences morphological feature extraction, and the multi-scale nature of landslide features should be considered. This paper proposes a method to extract landslide morphological features characterized by homogeneous spatial patterns. Both profile and tangential curvature are utilized to quantify land surface morphology, and a local Gi* statistic is calculated for each cell to identify significant patterns of clustering of similar morphometric values. The method was tested on both synthetic surfaces simulating natural terrain and airborne LiDAR data acquired over an area dominated by shallow debris slides and flows. The test results of the synthetic data indicate that the concave and convex morphologies of the simulated terrain features at different scales and distinctness could be recognized using the proposed method, even when random noise was added to the synthetic data. In the test area, cells with large local Gi* values were extracted at a specified significance level from the profile and the tangential curvature image generated from the LiDAR-derived 1-m DEM. The morphologies of landslide main scarps, source areas and trails were clearly indicated, and the morphological features were represented by clusters of extracted cells. A comparison with the morphological feature extraction method based on curvature thresholds proved the proposed method's robustness to DEM noise. When verified against a landslide inventory, the morphological features of almost all recent (< 5 years) landslides and approximately 35% of historical (> 10 years) landslides were extracted. This finding indicates that the proposed method can facilitate landslide detection, although the cell clusters extracted from curvature images should be filtered using a filtering strategy based on supplementary information provided by expert knowledge or other data sources.

Effect of eccentric exercise program for early tibialis posterior tendinopathy.

PubMed

Kulig, Kornelia; Lederhaus, Eric S; Reischl, Steve; Arya, Shruti; Bashford, Greg

2009-09-01

Morphology and vascularization of painful tibialis posterior (TP) tendons before and after an intervention targeting the degenerated tendon were examined. Functional status and pain level were also assessed. A10-week twice daily, progressive eccentric tendon loading, calf stretching program with orthoses was implemented with ten, early stage TP tendinopathy subjects. TP tendons were imaged by grayscale and Doppler ultrasound at INITIAL and POST evaluations to assess the tendon's morphology and signs of neovascularization. The Foot Functional Index (FFI), Physical Activity Scale (PAS), 5-Minute Walk Test, and single heel raise (SHR) test were completed at INITIAL and POST evaluations. The Global Rating Scale (GRS) was completed at 6 months followup. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the FFI at INITIAL, POST, and 6-MONTH time points. Paired t-tests were used to compare means between the remaining variables. The level of significance was p = 0.05. There was a significant difference in FFI total, pain, and disability at the three time-points. Post-hoc paired t-tests revealed that the FFI scores were lower for the total score and pain and disability subcategories when comparing from INITIAL to POST and INITIAL to 6-MONTH evaluations (p < 0.05 for all). The number of SHR increased significantly on the involved side from INITIAL to POST evaluation (p = 0.041). The GRS demonstrated minimum clinically important differences for improvements in symptoms at 6-MONTH. Tendon morphology and vascularization remained abnormal following the intervention. A 10-week tendon specific eccentric program resulted in improvements in symptoms and function without changes in tendon morphology or neovascularization.

Morphological and Physiological Responses of Morning Glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.) Grown in a Lead- and Chelate-Amended Soil

PubMed Central

Kambhampati, Murty S.; Begonia, Gregorio B.; Begonia, Maria F. T.; Bufford, Yolanda

2005-01-01

Lead (Pb) is one of the most toxic metals in the environment and may cause drastic morphological and physiological deformities in Ipomoea lacunosa. The goal of this research was to evaluate some morphological and physiological responses of morning glory grown on a Pb- and chelate-amended soil. Soil samples were analyzed, at Mississippi State University Soil Laboratory, for physico-chemical parameters, such as soil texture (73% sand, 23% silt, 4.4% clay), organic matter (6.24 ± 0.60%), and pH (7.95 ± 0.03), to establish soil conditions at the beginning of the experiments. Five EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5mM) and four lead (0, 500, 1000, 2000mg/L) treatments were arranged in factorial in a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with five replications. Duncan’s multiple comparison range test showed that the mean difference values of stomatal density were significant between 500 and 1000mg/L Pb and between 1000 and 2000mg/L Pb. Two way ANOVA (at 1% level) indicated that interaction between Pb and EDTA had a significant effect on the stomatal density and photosynthetic rates, and at 5% level Pb had a significant effect on chlorophyll concentrations. Lowest concentrations of chlorophyll were recorded at 2000mg/L Pb and 5mM EDTA and exhibited a decreasing trend specifically in the ranges of 1000 and 2000mg/L Pb and 1.0 and 5.0mM EDTA. Duncan’s multiple comparison range test confirmed that mean differences between the control treatment vs. 2000mg/L Pb, and 500mg/L vs. 2000mg/L Pb were significantly different at p>0.05. There was a decrease in leaf net photosynthetic rate with increasing concentrations of Pb from 0 to 2000mg/L. In conclusion, I. lacunosa L. plants were grown to maturity in all treatments with no significant and/or apparent morphological disorders, which indicated that this species might be highly tolerant even at 2000mg/L Pb concentrations in the soil. PMID:16705831

Morphological and physiological responses of morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.) grown in a lead- and chelate-amended soil.

PubMed

Kambhampati, Murty S; Begonia, Gregorio B; Begonia, Maria F T; Bufford, Yolanda

2005-08-01

Lead (Pb) is one of the most toxic metals in the environment and may cause drastic morphological and physiological deformities in Ipomoea lacunosa. The goal of this research was to evaluate some morphological and physiological responses of morning glory grown on a Pb- and chelate-amended soil. Soil samples were analyzed, at Mississippi State University Soil Laboratory, for physico-chemical parameters, such as soil texture (73% sand, 23% silt, 4.4% clay), organic matter (6.24 +/- 0.60%), and pH (7.95 +/- 0.03), to establish soil conditions at the beginning of the experiments. Five EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5mM) and four lead (0, 500, 1000, 2000mg/L) treatments were arranged in factorial in a Randomized Complete Block (RCB) design with five replications. Duncan's multiple comparison range test showed that the mean difference values of stomatal density were significant between 500 and 1000mg/L Pb and between 1000 and 2000mg/L Pb. Two way ANOVA (at 1% level) indicated that interaction between Pb and EDTA had a significant effect on the stomatal density and photosynthetic rates, and at 5% level Pb had a significant effect on chlorophyll concentrations. Lowest concentrations of chlorophyll were recorded at 2000mg/L Pb and 5mM EDTA and exhibited a decreasing trend specifically in the ranges of 1000 and 2000mg/L Pb and 1.0 and 5.0mM EDTA. Duncan's multiple comparison range test confirmed that mean differences between the control treatment vs. 2000mg/L Pb, and 500mg/L vs. 2000mg/L Pb were significantly different atp>0.05. There was a decrease in leaf net photosynthetic rate with increasing concentrations of Pb from 0 to 2000mg/L. In conclusion, I. lacunosa L. plants were grown to maturity in all treatments with no significant and/or apparent morphological disorders, which indicated that this species might be highly tolerant even at 2000mg/L Pb concentrations in the soil.

MC3T3-E1 Cells on Titanium Surfaces with Nanometer Smoothness and Fibronectin Immobilization

PubMed Central

Hayakawa, Tohru; Yoshida, Eiji; Yoshimura, Yoshitaka; Uo, Motohiro; Yoshinari, Masao

2012-01-01

The present study was aimed to evaluate the viability and total protein contents of osteoblast-like cells on the titanium surface with different surface mechanical treatment, namely, nanometer smoothing (Ra: approximately 2.0 nm) and sandblasting (Ra: approximately 1.0 μm), and biochemical treatment, namely, with or without fibronectin immobilization. Fibronectin could be easily immobilized by tresyl chloride-activation technique. MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded on the different titanium surfaces. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. At 1 day of cell culture, there were no significant differences in cell viability among four different titanium surfaces. At 11 days, sandblasted titanium surface with fibronectin immobilization showed the significantly highest cell viability than other titanium surface. No significant differences existed for total protein contents among four different titanium surfaces at 11 days of cell culture. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that smoothness of titanium surface produced more spread cell morphologies, but that fibronectin immobilization did not cause any changes of the morphologies of attached cells. Fibronectin immobilization provided greater amount of the number of attached cells and better arrangement of attached cells. In conclusion, the combination of sandblasting and fibronectin immobilization enhanced the cell viability and fibronectin immobilization providing better arrangements of attached cells. PMID:22675359

Morphology of the Corneal Limbus Following Standard and Accelerated Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking (9 mW/cm2) for Keratoconus.

PubMed

Uçakhan, Ömür Ö; Bayraktutar, Betül

2017-01-01

To evaluate the morphological features of the corneal limbus as measured by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) following standard and accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) for keratoconus. Patients with progressive keratoconus scheduled to undergo standard CXL (group 1; 31 patients, 3 mW/cm, 370 nm, 30 minutes), or accelerated CXL (group 2; 20 patients, 9 mW/cm, 370 nm, 10 minutes) in the worse eye were included in this prospective study. Thirty eyes of 30 age-matched patients served as controls (group 3). All patient eyes underwent IVCM scanning of the central cornea and the inferior limbal area at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after CXL. After CXL, epithelial regrowth was complete by day 4 in both groups 1 and 2. There were no statistically significant differences between the baseline mean central corneal wing or basal cell density, limbus-palisade middle or basal cell densities of groups 1, 2, or 3. At postoperative months 1, 3, and 6, there were no statistically significant differences in either central or limbus-palisade epithelial cell densities or diameters in keratoconic eyes that underwent standard or accelerated CXL (P > 0.05). The morphology of the limbal cells was preserved as well. The morphology of limbus structures seems to be preserved following standard and accelerated CXL in short-term follow-up, as measured using IVCM.

Influences of palatoplasty by the push-back procedure on craniofacial morphology and growth.

PubMed

Iwasaki, Hiroshi; Kudo, Motonori; Yamamoto, Yuko

2012-12-01

For patients with a cleft palate, the push-back procedure which accompanies posterior shifting of palatal flap is thought to be most effective way of. achieving adequate velopharyngeal function. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influences of the push-back procedure on the craniofacial morphology and its growth. Using cephalometry we compared the craniofacial morphology and growth of three groups of Japanese children, living in the same region (Hokkaido, Japan). 1) 28 children (13 girls and 15 boys) with operated submucous cleft palates at the ages of 9 and 14 respectively. 2) 12 age-matched children (7 girls and 5 boys) with unoperated submucous cleft palates. 3) 60 age-matched non-cleft children (30 girls and 30 boys) with normal occlusion. None of them received dentofacial orthopaedic treatment. While the patients who had been operated on had significant differences in posterior upper facial height and inclination of the palatal plane when compared with non-cleft children or unoperated cleft children, they showed no statistically significant difference in anteroposterior positioning of anterior part of the maxilla, compared with the unoperated. The influences of palatoplasty by the push-back procedure with posterior positioning of the palatal flaps on craniofacial morphology are additional to the cleft palate, and of minor concern. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palyno-morphological characteristics of gymnosperm flora of pakistan and its taxonomic implications with LM and SEM methods.

PubMed

Khan, Raees; Ul Abidin, Sheikh Zain; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Zafar, Muhammad; Liu, Jie; Amina, Hafiza

2018-01-01

The present study is intended to assess gymnosperms pollen flora of Pakistan using Light Microscope (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for its taxonomic significance in identification of gymnosperms. Pollens of 35 gymnosperm species (12 genera and five families) were collected from its various distributional sites of gymnosperms in Pakistan. LM and SEM were used to investigate different palyno-morphological characteristics. Five pollen types (i.e., Inaperturate, Monolete, Monoporate, Vesiculate-bisaccate and Polyplicate) were observed. Six In equatorial view seven types of pollens were observed, in which ten species were sub-angular, nine species were Traingular, six species were Perprolate, three species were Rhomboidal, three species were semi-angular, two species were rectangular and two species were prolate. While five types of pollen were observed in polar view, in which ten species were Spheroidal, nine species were Angular, eight were Interlobate, six species were Circular, two species were Elliptic. Eighteen species has rugulate and 17 species has faveolate ornamentation. Eighteen species has verrucate and 17 have gemmate type sculpturing. The data was analysed through cluster analysis. The study showed that these palyno-morphological features have significance value in classification and identification of gymnosperms. Based on these different palyno-morphological features, a taxonomic key was proposed for the accurate and fast identifications of gymnosperms from Pakistan. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Morphological awareness as a function of semantics, phonology, and orthography and as a predictor of reading comprehension in Chinese.

PubMed

Li, Hong; Dronjic, Vedran; Chen, X I; Li, Yixun; Cheng, Yahua; Wu, Xinchun

2017-09-01

This study investigates the contributions of semantic, phonological, and orthographic factors to morphological awareness of 413 Chinese-speaking students in Grades 2, 4, and 6, and its relationship with reading comprehension. Participants were orally presented with pairs of bimorphemic compounds and asked to judge whether the first morphemes of the words shared a meaning. Morpheme identity (same or different), whole-word semantic relatedness (high or low), orthography (same or different), and phonology (same or different) were manipulated. By Grade 6, children were able to focus on meaning similarities across morphemes while ignoring the distraction of form, but they remained influenced by whole-word semantic relatedness. Children's ability to overcome the distraction of phonology consistently improved with age, but did not reach ceiling, whereas the parallel ability for orthography reached ceiling at Grade 6. Morphological judgment performance was a significant unique predictor of reading comprehension when character naming and vocabulary knowledge were accounted for.

Shape plasticity in response to water velocity in the freshwater blenny Salaria fluviatilis.

PubMed

Laporte, M; Claude, J; Berrebi, P; Perret, P; Magnan, P

2016-03-01

A non-random association between an environmental factor and a given trait could be explained by directional selection (genetic determinism) and by phenotypic plasticity (environmental determinism). A previous study showed a significant relationship between morphology and water velocity in Salaria fluviatilis that conformed to functional expectations. The objective of this study was to test whether this relationship could be explained by phenotypic plasticity. Salaria fluviatilis from a Corsican stream were placed in four experimental channels with different water velocities (0, 10, 20 and 30 cm s(-1)) to test whether there was a morphological response associated with this environmental factor. After 28 days, fish shape changed in response to water velocity without any significant growth. Fish in higher water velocities exhibited a more slender body shape and longer anal and caudal fins. These results indicate a high degree of morphological plasticity in riverine populations of S. fluviatilis and suggest that the previous relationship between morphology and water velocity observed in the field may largely be due to an environmental determinism. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Smoking is associated with the retention of cytoplasm by human spermatozoa.

PubMed

Mak, V; Jarvi, K; Buckspan, M; Freeman, M; Hechter, S; Zini, A

2000-09-01

To determine whether cigarette smoking is associated with the abnormal retention of residual sperm cytoplasm in infertile men. Semen samples were obtained from 87 consecutive non-azoospermic men with idiopathic infertility (18 smokers and 69 nonsmokers) and from 20 men presenting for vasectomy (fertile controls). Standard semen parameters and the percentage of spermatozoa with residual cytoplasm (on Papanicolaou smears) were recorded. Subject age, semen volume, and sperm density, motility, and morphology were not significantly different between the two groups of infertile men. However, a significant difference was found in the mean +/- SEM percentages of sperm with cytoplasm droplets between smokers and nonsmokers (12.9% +/- 1.7% and 8.1% +/- 0.9%, respectively; P < 0.001). Our data suggest that cigarette smoking is associated with retention of sperm cytoplasmic droplets in infertile men, a morphologic characteristic associated with impaired sperm function.

Sex-specific differences in mitochondria biogenesis, morphology, respiratory function, and ROS homeostasis in young mouse heart and brain.

PubMed

Khalifa, Abdel Rahman M; Abdel-Rahman, Engy A; Mahmoud, Ali M; Ali, Mohamed H; Noureldin, Maha; Saber, Saber H; Mohsen, Mahmoud; Ali, Sameh S

2017-03-01

Sex-specific differences in mitochondrial function and free radical homeostasis are reported in the context of aging but not well-established in pathogeneses occurring early in life. Here, we examine if sex disparity in mitochondria function, morphology, and redox status starts early and hence can be implicated in sexual dimorphism in cardiac as well as neurological disorders prevalent at young age. Although mitochondrial activity in the heart did not significantly vary between sexes, female brain exhibited enhanced respiration and higher reserve capacity. This was associated with lower H 2 O 2 production in female cardiac and brain tissues. Using transmission electron microscopy, we found that the number of female cardiac mitochondria is moderately greater (117 ± 3%, P  = 0.049, N  = 4) than male's, which increased significantly for cortical mitochondria (134 ± 4%, P  = 0.001, N  = 4). However, male's cardiac mitochondria exhibited fragmented, circular, and smaller mitochondria relative to female's mitochondria, while no morphologic sex-dependent differences were observed in cortical mitochondria. No sex differences were detected in Nox2 and Nox4 proteins or O 2 -consuming/H 2 O 2 -producing activities in brain homogenate or synaptosomes. However, a strong trend of increased EPR-detected NOX superoxide in male synaptosomes hinted at higher superoxide dismutase activity in female brains, which was confirmed by two independent protocols. We also provide direct evidence that respiring mitochondria generally produce an order-of-magnitude lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) proportions than currently estimated. Our results indicate that sex differences in mitochondrial biogenesis, bioenergetics, and morphology may start at young age and that sex-dependent SOD capacity may be responsible for differences in ROS homeostasis in heart and brain. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve alterations in developing spontaneously hypertensive rats.

PubMed

da Silva, Greice Anne Rodrigues; Mendes, Vania Alice de Aguiar; Genari, Adriana Borges; Castania, Jaci Ayrton; Salgado, Hélio Cesar; Fazan, Valéria Paula Sassoli

2016-01-01

It is well known that the recurrent laryngeal nerve not only innervates the larynx but also contains baroreceptor fibers, as demonstrated by physiological studies. Because hypertension has a negative impact on both peripheral nerve morphology and the baroreflex, we investigated the recurrent laryngeal nerve morphological alterations related to the development of hypertension. We compared morphological and morphometric aspects of different segments of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats in different ages: 5, 8, and 20 weeks (n = 6 per group). Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded in anesthetized animals, followed by removal of the right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves for epoxy resin embedding and light microscopy analysis. Computer software was used for morphometric analysis. The blood pressure was significantly higher in 20-week-old animals compared to those at 5 weeks. Body weight increased significantly with age, as did the nerve fascicles. For the myelinated fibers and respective axons, there was a reduction of fiber size, more evident on the axon, associated with a reduction of the small myelinated fibers percentage in animals with high blood pressure. Also, 20-week-old animals showed a significant reduction of the blood vessel percentage of occupancy compared to younger ages. No differences were observed between genders. Hypertension development impaired axon growth, affecting mainly the small myelinated fibers. Males and females were affected equally. The alterations of the endoneural blood vessels probably played an important role on the small fibers alterations. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Stereophotogrammetric analysis of nasolabial morphology among Asian Malays: influence of age and sex.

PubMed

Al-Khatib, Ali R; Rajion, Zainul A; Masudi, Sam'an M; Hassan, Rozita; Anderson, Peter J; Townsend, Grant C

2012-07-01

It is clear that population-specific norms should be used when planning plastic and reconstructive surgery for selected patients. In this study, we aimed to generate nasal and labial reference values by applying a stereophotogrammetric technique. A further aim was to investigate the effect of sexual dimorphism, age-related changes, and the interrelation between nasal and labial morphology. Cross-sectional study. The data were collected from different locations on the Malaysian peninsula. A total of 276 Asian Malays (138 males and 138 females) were included in this study, and a three-dimensional system was used for capturing data. The sample was divided into three age groups: 13 to 14, 15 to 17, and 18 to 36 years. Twenty-five dimensions of the nose and lips were measured and analyzed separately in males and females. Significant differences between males and females were identified in 11 distances, and significant effects of age were found in most of the dimensions (p < .05). Significant correlations between the nasal and labial dimensions were recorded, particularly between lateral lip height and width of the ala insertion. A principal component analysis showed interrelationships between the nasal width distances and upper lip height. This study has provided a new three-dimensional database for nose and lip morphology in Malays and demonstrated patterns of variation that can be used by surgeons to make comparisons within and between different human populations and also to develop treatment plans for their patients.

Effects of leptin on sperm count and morphology in Sprague-Dawley rats and their reversibility following a 6-week recovery period.

PubMed

Almabhouh, F A; Osman, K; Siti Fatimah, I; Sergey, G; Gnanou, J; Singh, H J

2015-09-01

Altered epididymal sperm count and morphology following leptin treatment has been reported recently. This study examined the effects of 42 days of leptin treatment on sperm count and morphology and their reversibility during a subsequent 56-day recovery period. Twelve-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into four leptin and four saline-treated control groups (n = 6). Intraperitoneal injections of leptin were given daily (60 μg Kg(-1) body weight) for 42 days. Controls received 0.1 ml of 0.9% saline. Leptin-treated animals and their respective age-matched controls were euthanised on either day 1, 21, 42 or 56 of recovery for collection of epididymal spermatozoa. Sperm concentration was determined using a Makler counting chamber. Spermatozoa were analysed for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and DNA fragmentation (Comet assay). Data were analysed using anova. Sperm concentration was significantly lower but fraction of abnormal spermatozoa, and levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine were significantly higher in leptin-treated rats on day 1 of recovery. Comet assays revealed significant DNA fragmentation in leptin-treated rats. These differences were reduced by day 56 of recovery. It appears that 42 days of leptin treatment to Sprague-Dawley rats has significant adverse effects on sperm count and morphology that reverse following discontinuation of leptin treatment. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Comparison of Perturbed Pathways in Two Different Cell Models for Parkinson's Disease with Structural Equation Model.

PubMed

Pepe, Daniele; Do, Jin Hwan

2015-12-16

Increasing evidence indicates that different morphological types of cell death coexist in the brain of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but the molecular explanation for this is still under investigation. In this study, we identified perturbed pathways in two different cell models for PD through the following procedures: (1) enrichment pathway analysis with differentially expressed genes and the Reactome pathway database, and (2) construction of the shortest path model for the enriched pathway and detection of significant shortest path model with fitting time-course microarray data of each PD cell model to structural equation model. Two PD cell models constructed by the same neurotoxin showed different perturbed pathways. That is, one showed perturbation of three Reactome pathways, including cellular senescence, chromatin modifying enzymes, and chromatin organization, while six modules within metabolism pathway represented perturbation in the other. This suggests that the activation of common upstream cell death pathways in PD may result in various down-stream processes, which might be associated with different morphological types of cell death. In addition, our results might provide molecular clues for coexistence of different morphological types of cell death in PD patients.

INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE IMPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT MORPHOLOGICAL DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA HAVING INSUFFICIENT RESPONSE TO RANIBIZUMAB.

PubMed

Kaldırım, Havva; Yazgan, Serpil; Atalay, Kursat; Gurez, Ceren; Savur, Fatma

2018-05-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a single intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant in resistant diabetic macular edema that have different morphological types. In this retrospective study, 31 patients (35 eyes) with persistent diabetic macular edema, who underwent a single injection of dexamethasone implant, were evaluated. Diabetic macular edema was classified into three types: diffuse retinal thickening (n = 10), cystoid macular edema (n = 13), and serous retinal detachment (n = 12). Primary outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity, and central macular thickness. The three subgroups were similar in terms of age and gender (P > 0.05). Total duration of diabetes was significantly less in the serous retinal detachment subgroup (P = 0.01). There were no differences in the best corrected visual acuity between the three subgroups until the sixth month. However, the best corrected visual acuity was significantly better in the diffuse retinal thickness subgroup at the sixth month (P = 0.008). Regarding the central macular thickness values, it was statistically better in serous retinal detachment than in diffuse retinal thickening and cystoid macular edema subgroups till the sixth month (P = 0.001). However, at the sixth month, there was not any statistical difference between subgroups regarding central macular thickness values. Antiglaucomatous agents were required in 4 (11.4%) patients throughout the study. Treatment algorithms should differ according to the morphology of diabetic macular edema; however, more data is needed to give specific recommendations.

Semicircular canals in Anolis lizards: ecomorphological convergence and ecomorph affinities of fossil species.

PubMed

Dickson, Blake V; Sherratt, Emma; Losos, Jonathan B; Pierce, Stephanie E

2017-10-01

Anoli s lizards are a model system for the study of adaptive radiation and convergent evolution. Greater Antillean anoles have repeatedly evolved six similar forms or ecomorphs: crown-giant, grass-bush, twig, trunk, trunk-crown and trunk-ground. Members of each ecomorph category possess a specific set of morphological, ecological and behavioural characteristics which have been acquired convergently. Here we test whether the semicircular canal system-the organ of balance during movement-is also convergent among ecomorphs, reflecting the shared sensory requirements of their ecological niches. As semicircular canal shape has been shown to reflect different locomotor strategies, we hypothesized that each Anolis ecomorph would have a unique canal morphology. Using three-dimensional semilandmarks and geometric morphometrics, semicircular canal shape was characterized in 41 Anolis species from the Greater Antilles and the relationship between canal shape and ecomorph grouping, phylogenetic history, size, head dimensions, and perch characteristics was assessed. Further, canal morphology of modern species was used to predict the ecomorph affinity of five fossil anoles from the Miocene of the Dominican Republic. Of the covariates tested, our study recovered ecomorph as the single-most important covariate of canal morphology in modern taxa; although phylogenetic history, size, and head dimensions also showed a small, yet significant correlation with shape. Surprisingly, perch characteristics were not found to be significant covariates of canal shape, even though they are important habitat variables. Using posterior probabilities, we found that the fossil anoles have different semicircular canals shapes to modern ecomorph groupings implying extinct anoles may have been interacting with their Miocene environment in different ways to modern Anolis species.

Semicircular canals in Anolis lizards: ecomorphological convergence and ecomorph affinities of fossil species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickson, Blake V.; Sherratt, Emma; Losos, Jonathan B.; Pierce, Stephanie E.

2017-10-01

Anolis lizards are a model system for the study of adaptive radiation and convergent evolution. Greater Antillean anoles have repeatedly evolved six similar forms or ecomorphs: crown-giant, grass-bush, twig, trunk, trunk-crown and trunk-ground. Members of each ecomorph category possess a specific set of morphological, ecological and behavioural characteristics which have been acquired convergently. Here we test whether the semicircular canal system-the organ of balance during movement-is also convergent among ecomorphs, reflecting the shared sensory requirements of their ecological niches. As semicircular canal shape has been shown to reflect different locomotor strategies, we hypothesized that each Anolis ecomorph would have a unique canal morphology. Using three-dimensional semilandmarks and geometric morphometrics, semicircular canal shape was characterized in 41 Anolis species from the Greater Antilles and the relationship between canal shape and ecomorph grouping, phylogenetic history, size, head dimensions, and perch characteristics was assessed. Further, canal morphology of modern species was used to predict the ecomorph affinity of five fossil anoles from the Miocene of the Dominican Republic. Of the covariates tested, our study recovered ecomorph as the single-most important covariate of canal morphology in modern taxa; although phylogenetic history, size, and head dimensions also showed a small, yet significant correlation with shape. Surprisingly, perch characteristics were not found to be significant covariates of canal shape, even though they are important habitat variables. Using posterior probabilities, we found that the fossil anoles have different semicircular canals shapes to modern ecomorph groupings implying extinct anoles may have been interacting with their Miocene environment in different ways to modern Anolis species.

Morphological and physicochemical characterization of porous starches obtained from different botanical sources and amylolytic enzymes.

PubMed

Benavent-Gil, Yaiza; Rosell, Cristina M

2017-10-01

Porous starches might offer an attractive alternative as bio-adsorbents of a variety of compounds. However, morphology and physicochemical properties of starches must be understood before exploring their applications. Objective was to study the action of different amylolytic enzymes for producing porous starches. Wheat, rice, potato and cassava starches were treated with Amyloglucosidase (AMG), α-amylase (AM) and cyclodextrin-glycosyltransferase (CGTase). Morphological characteristics, chemical composition, adsorptive capacity and pasting/thermal properties were assessed. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed porous structures with diverse pore size distribution, which was dependent on the enzyme type and starch source, but no differences were observed in the total granule surface occupied by pores. The adsorptive capacity analysis revealed that modified starches had high water absorptive capacity and showed different oil adsorptive capacity depending on the enzyme type. Amylose content analysis revealed different hydrolysis pattern of the amylases, suggesting that AMG mainly affected crystalline region meanwhile AM and CGTase attacked amorphous area. A heatmap illustrated the diverse pasting properties of the different porous starches, which also showed significant different thermal properties, with different behavior between cereal and tuber starches. Therefore, it is possible to modulate the properties of starches through the use of different enzymes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differences in the morphology of distal border synovial invaginations of the distal sesamoid bone in the horse as evaluated by computed tomography compared with radiography.

PubMed

Claerhoudt, S; Bergman, H J; Van Der Veen, H; Duchateau, L; Raes, E V; Saunders, J H

2012-11-01

Distal border synovial invaginations of the distal sesamoid bone are radiographically assessed during the selection process of horses admitted as breeding stallions or in purchase examinations. Nowadays, many moderately or some deeply penetrating proximally enlarged synovial invaginations are considered as moderate or severe radiographic findings. To measure the difference between and agreement of the morphology of distal border synovial invaginations on radiography vs. computed tomography (CT). It was hypothesised that the morphology of distal border synovial invaginations would be better evaluable on CT compared with radiography. Computed tomography scans and 3 dorsoproximal-palmarodistal oblique (DPr-PaDiO) radiographs were obtained on 50 cadaver forefeet from 25 Warmblood horses. Computed tomography was assumed to be the gold standard. The number, shape and depth of penetration of distal border synovial invaginations into the distal sesamoid bone were evaluated with both methods, and the comparison of their measurements was statistically described. A statistically significant mean difference for number of distal synovial invaginations between CT and all 3 DPr-PaDiO projections was found and was approximately equal to 2, meaning that CT permits visualisation of an average of 2 more invaginations than radiography. In none of the cases did radiography have a higher number observed than CT. A large variation in the difference of measurements for depth of penetration against their mean difference between CT and the 3 radiographic projections was seen. Radiography underestimated the depth of invaginations, and more so when these were deeper. There was no statistically significant mean difference found between the techniques for depth. A moderate to good agreement between measurements on CT and the three DPr-PaDiO projections for shape was seen, in which the D55°Pr-PaDiO projection showed the best agreement. A high specificity (90-99%) and low sensitivity (65%) for all projections for shape were found. Radiography differs considerably from CT concerning the morphology of distal navicular border synovial invaginations. For the evaluation of the number, depth and shape of distal synovial invaginations in the distal sesamoid bone, radiography shows only partially the morphology seen on CT. © 2012 EVJ Ltd.

Use of the Combined First-Trimester Screen in High- and Low-Risk Patient Populations After Introduction of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing.

PubMed

Larion, Sebastian; Warsof, Steven L; Romary, Letty; Mlynarczyk, Margaret; Peleg, David; Abuhamad, Alfred Z

2015-08-01

To report changes in the use of the combined first-trimester screen (FTS) in patients classified as high and low risk for fetal aneuploidy, including after introduction of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT). A prospectively collected database was reviewed to investigate changes in FTS use before and after American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Practice Bulletin No. 77 (Obstet Gynecol 2007; 109:217-227), which recommended that all patients be offered aneuploidy screening, and after NIPT introduction. High-risk patients were classified as 35 years or older at the estimated time of delivery or those with an abnormal prior screen, abnormal ultrasound findings, or family history of aneuploidy. Data were normalized per 100 morphologic ultrasound examinations to account for changes in patient number over time. Statistical significance was defined as P < .05. A total of 10,125 FTSs were recorded during the 88-month study period, including 2962 in high-risk patients and 7163 in low-risk patients. The total number of FTSs performed per 100 morphologic ultrasound examinations significantly increased after ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 77 and significantly decreased after NIPT introduction. In high-risk patients, the total number of FTSs performed per 100 morphologic ultrasound examinations significantly increased after ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 77 but significantly decreased after NIPT introduction. In contrast, in low-risk patients, the total number of FTSs performed per 100 morphologic ultrasound examinations significantly increased after ACOG Practice Bulletin No.77 but was not statistically different after NIPT introduction. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Bulletin No. 77 significantly increased patient use of FTS. The introduction of NIPT significantly decreased FTS use in the high-risk population but not in the low-risk population. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Comparative morphology among northern populations of breeding Cooper's Hawks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenfield, Robert N.; Rosenfield, Laura J.; Bielefeldt, John; Murphy, Robert K.; Stewart, Andrew C.; Stout, William E.; Driscoll, Timothy G.; Bozek, Michael A.

2010-01-01

Few studies at a broad geographical scale have characterized intraspecific variation in morphology of woodland hawks in the genus Accipiter. From 1999 to 2007 we investigated morphological variation in large samples of live Cooper's Hawks (A. cooperii) nesting in four study areas: coniferous woodland around Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, isolated deciduous woodlands in short-grass prairies of northwestern North Dakota, towns and rural deciduous woodlands along the border of North Dakota and Minnesota, and urban and rural mixed deciduous and coniferous landscapes of Wisconsin. These sites span 2660 km across the northern part of the species' breeding range. We measured body mass (i.e., size), wing chord, tail length, tarsus diameter, hallux length, and culmen length of breeding adults, finding significant and clinal variation in body mass (or size). The smallest and most similar-sized birds occurred in British Columbia and western North Dakota, larger birds along the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, and the largest birds in Wisconsin. Several other characters varied significantly when mass was used as a covariate. Variation by study site in mean indices of sexual size dimorphism was negligible and not significant. We speculate that the morphological differences we found, in part, are the result of geographic isolation, where diets, migratory behavior, and structural characteristics of nesting habitats vary across landscape types.

Morphology and isozyme band-profile as sexual determinant of nutmeg plant (Myristica fragrants Houttj).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karmanah; Maslahat, M.; Nurhayati, dan L.

2016-01-01

Sex information in nutmeg plant is important to distinguish between male and female species. The recommendation of optimum sex-ratio for a nutmeg plantation is 1:10. This research is aimed to discover the morphological characteristic of nutmeg plant and the difference of leaf pattern as sexual determinant between male and female plant with the comparison of isozyme analysis. The result of morphological identification provided from 3 research farm location indicated that female nutmeg was higher, with longer and wider leaf, more vein, bigger diameter of stem and branching angle as compared to male nutmeg. Two parameters which were widht of leaf and branching angle showed significant differences, where female nutmeg plants have wider leaves and branching angle. Isozyme analysis suggested that the analysis of peroxidase enzyme (PER) was better and able to provide more information than aspartarte amino transferase (AAT) and acid phospatase (ACP) Enzymes.

Morphology and Pattern Control of Diphenylalanine Self-Assembly via Evaporative Dewetting.

PubMed

Chen, Jiarui; Qin, Shuyu; Wu, Xinglong; Chu, And Paul K

2016-01-26

Self-assembled peptide nanostructures have unique physical and biological properties and promising applications in electrical devices and functional molecular recognition. Although solution-based peptide molecules can self-assemble into different morphologies, it is challenging to control the self-assembly process. Herein, controllable self-assembly of diphenylalanine (FF) in an evaporative dewetting solution is reported. The fluid mechanical dimensionless numbers, namely Rayleigh, Marangoni, and capillary numbers, are introduced to control the interaction between the solution and FF molecules in the self-assembly process. The difference in the film thickness reflects the effects of Rayleigh and Marangoni convection, and the water vapor flow rate reveals the role of viscous fingering in the emergence of aligned FF flakes. By employing dewetting, various FF self-assembled patterns, like concentric and spokelike, and morphologies, like strips and hexagonal tubes/rods, can be produced, and there are no significant lattice structural changes in the FF nanostructures.

Corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in Phramongkutklao Hospital

PubMed Central

Sopapornamorn, Narumon; Lekskul, Manapon; Panichkul, Suthee

2008-01-01

Objective To describe the corneal endothelial density and morphology in patients of Phramongkutklao Hospital and the relationship between endothelial cell parameters and other factors. Methods Four hundred and four eyes of 202 volunteers were included. Noncontact specular microscopy was performed after taking a history and testing the visual acuity, intraocular pressure measurement, Schirmer’s test and routine eye examination by slit lamp microscope. The studied parameters included mean endothelial cell density (MCD), coefficient of variation (CV), and percentage of hexagonality. Results The mean age of volunteers was 45.73 years; the range being 20 to 80 years old. Their MCD (SD), mean percentage of CV (SD) and mean (SD) percentage of hexagonality were 2623.49(325) cell/mm2, 39.43(8.23)% and 51.50(10.99)%, respectively. Statistically, MCD decreased significantly with age (p < 0.01). There was a significant difference in the percentage of CV between genders. There was no statistical significance between parameters and other factors. Conclusion The normative data of the corneal endothelium of Thai eyes indicated that, statistically, MCD decreased significantly with age. Previous studies have reported no difference in MCD, percentage of CV, and percentage of hexagonality between gender. Nevertheless, significantly different percentages of CV between genders were presented in this study. PMID:19668398

Morphologic changes in the mesolimbic pathway in Parkinson's disease motor subtypes.

PubMed

Nyberg, Eric M; Tanabe, Jody; Honce, Justin M; Krmpotich, Theodore; Shelton, Erika; Hedeman, Jessica; Berman, Brian D

2015-05-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder associated with gray matter atrophy. Cortical atrophy patterns may further help distinguish between PD motor subtypes. Comparable differences in subcortical volumes have not been found. Twenty-one cognitively intact and treated PD patients, including 12 tremor dominant (TD) subtype, Nine postural instability gait dominant (PIGD) subtype, and 20 matched healthy control subjects underwent 3.0 T high-resolution structural MRI scanning. Subcortical volumetric analysis was performed using FreeSurfer and shape analysis was performed with FIRST to assess for differences between PD patients and controls and between PD subtypes. No significant differences in subcortical volumes were found between motor PD subtypes, but comparing grouped PD patients with controls revealed a significant increase in hippocampal volume in PD patients (p = 0.03). A significant shape difference was detected in the right nucleus accumbens (NAcc) between PD and controls and between motor subtypes. Shape differences were driven by positive deviations in the TD subtype. Correlation analysis revealed a trend between hippocampal volume and decreasing MDS-UPDRS (p = 0.06). While no significant differences in subcortical volumes between PD motor subtypes were found, increased hippocampal volumes were observed in PD patients compared to controls. Right NAcc shape differences in PD patients were driven by changes in the TD subtype. These unexpected findings may be related to the effects of chronic dopaminergic replacement on the mesolimbic pathway. Further studies are needed to replicate and determine the clinical significance of such morphologic changes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Slice cultures of the imprinting-relevant forebrain area MNH of the domestic chick: quantitative characterization of neuronal morphology.

PubMed

Hofmann, H; Braun, K

1995-05-26

The persistence of morphological features of neurons in slice cultures of the imprinting-relevant forebrain area MNH (mediorostral neostriatum and hyperstriatum ventrale) of the domestic chick was analysed at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days in vitro. After having been explanted and kept in culture the neurons in vitro have larger soma areas, longer and more extensively branched dendritic trees and lower spine frequencies compared to the neurons in vivo. During the analyzed culturing period, the parameters soma area, total and mean dendritic length, number of dendrites, number of dendritic nodes per dendrite and per neuron as well as the spine densities in different dendritic segments showed no significant differences between early and late periods. Highly correlated in every age group were the total dendritic length and the number of dendritic nodes per neuron, indicating regular ramification during dendritic growth. Since these morphological parameters remain stable during the first 4 weeks in vitro, this culture system may provide a suitable model to investigate experimentally induced morphological changes.

Effects of organic solvents on drug incorporation into polymeric carriers and morphological analyses of drug-incorporated polymeric micelles.

PubMed

Harada, Yoshiko; Yamamoto, Tatsuhiro; Sakai, Masaru; Saiki, Toshiharu; Kawano, Kumi; Maitani, Yoshie; Yokoyama, Masayuki

2011-02-14

We incorporated an anticancer agent, camptothecin (CPT), into polymeric micelle carriers by using two different solvents (TFE and chloroform) in the solvent-evaporation drug incorporation process. We observed significant differences in the drug-incorporation behaviors, in the morphologies of the incorporated drug and the polymeric micelles, and in the pharmacokinetic behaviors between the two solvents' cases. In particular, the CPT-incorporated polymeric micelles prepared with TFE as the incorporation solvent exhibited more stable circulation in blood than those prepared with chloroform. This contrast indicates a novel technological perspective regarding the drug incorporation into polymeric micelle carriers. Morphological analyses of the inner core have revealed the presence of the directed alignment of the CPT molecules and CPT crystals in the micelle inner core. This is the first report of the morphologies of the drug incorporated into the polymeric micelle inner cores. We believe these analyses are very important for further pharmaceutical developments of polymeric micelle drug-carrier systems. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Mediterranean Pistacia lentiscus genotypes by random amplified polymorphic DNA, chemical, and morphological analyses.

PubMed

Barazani, Oz; Dudai, Nativ; Golan-Goldhirsh, Avi

2003-08-01

Characterization of the genetic variability of Mediterranean Pistacia lentiscus genotypes by RAPD, composition of essential oils, and morphology is presented. High polymorphism in morphological parameters was found among accessions, with no significant differences in relation to geographical origin, or to gender. GC-MS analysis of leaves extracted by t-butyl methyl ether, showed 12 monoterpenes, seven sesquiterpenes, and one linear nonterpenic compound. Cluster analysis divided the accessions into two main groups according to the relative content of the major compounds, with no relation to their geographical origin. In contrast, a dendrogram based on RAPD analysis gave two main clusters according to their geographical origins. Low correlation was found between genetic and essential oil content matrices. High morphological and chemical variability on one hand, and genotypic polymorphism on the other, provide ecological advantages that might explain the distribution of Pistacia lentiscus over a wide range of habitats. The plants under study were grown together in the same climatic and environmental conditions, thus pointing to the plausible genetic basis of the observed phenotypic differences.

Semi-crystalline morphologies of linear and cyclic poly(ɛ-caprolactones) in the diffusion-limited film thickness regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Giovanni; Bergeson, Amelia; Haque, Farihah; Grayson, Scott; Albert, Julie

Thin and ultrathin films of semi-crystalline polymers have been studied for decades due to their far-reaching applications including opto-electronic materials and biological studies of drug delivery and cell adhesion. This body of work has focused on every aspect of crystallization, from the fundamental thermodynamics and kinetics of crystal growth to methods for affecting crystalline morphologies via blending with other polymers. Due to significant synthetic challenges, one area where progress has lagged behind is the study of non-linear architectures, especially ring polymers. However, pioneering work by polymer chemists around the world has closed that gap, and we are beginning to observe important differences between ring and linear polymers in bulk materials. As a complement to those advances, this work aims to compare the morphologies of linear and cyclic poly(ɛ-caprolactones) (PCL) observed in heavily-confined ultrathin films where crystal growth is diffusion-limited. Understanding how confinement effects alter morphology will provide invaluable insight into differences in crystal growth as a function of molecular architecture.

Galaxy Zoo: Comparing the visual morphology of synthetic galaxies from the Illustris simulation with those in the real Universe.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Hugh; Lintott, Chris; Scarlata, Claudia; Fortson, Lucy; Bamford, Steven; Cardamone, Carolin; Keel, William C.; Kruk, Sandor; Masters, Karen; Simmons, Brooke D.; Vogelsberger, Mark; Torrey, Paul; Snyder, Gregory; Galaxy Zoo Science Team

2018-01-01

We present a comparision between the Illustris simulations and classifications from Galaxy Zoo, aiming to test the ability of modern large-scale cosmological simulations to accurately reproduce the local galaxy population. This comparison is enabled by the increasingly high spatial and temporal resolution obtained by such surveys.Using classifications that were accumulated via the Galaxy Zoo citizen science interface, we compare the visual morphologies for simulated images of Illustris galaxies with a compatible sample of images drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Legacy Survey.For simulated galaxies with stellar masses less than 1011 M⊙, significant differences are identified, which are most likely due to the limited resolution of the simulation, but could be revealing real differences in the dynamical evolution of populations of galaxies in the real and model universes. Above 1011 M⊙, Illustris galaxy morphologies correspond better with those of their SDSS counterparts, although even in this mass range the simulation appears to underproduce obviously disk-like galaxies. Morphologies of Illustris galaxies less massive than 1011 M⊙ should be treated with care.

Morphology of Arabidopsis Grown under Chronic Centrifugation and on the Clinostat 123

PubMed Central

Brown, Allan H.; Dahl, A. Orville; Chapman, David K.

1976-01-01

Morphological measurements were made on populations of Arabidopsis thaliana grown from seed for 21 days under essentially constant environmental conditions except for the influence of gravitational or centrifugal accelerations. Growth conditions were what had been proposed for experiments in an artificial satellite. Observations are reported for plants grown at normal 1-g upright or on horizontal clinostats and for plants grown on a centrifuge. Increased g-force, up to 15 times normal, was found to have significant but small effects on some morphological end points. The plants' sensitivity to the magnitude of the g-force was much less than to its vector direction. Data from centrifuge experiments (which determined the g-functions for particular characters) were extrapolated to zero-g to predict a set of morphological characteristics of a plant developing in the satellite environment. As an alternative means of predicting properties of a zero-g plant, characteristics of plants grown on horizontal clinostats were measured. The results of these two predictive methods were not in agreement. Clinostat grown plants were morphologically distinct from upright stationary controls. When plants were grown while rotating in the upright position on vertical clinostats they were similar to stationary plants also grown upright, but there were small differences some of which were statistically significant. PMID:16659483

Lack of association between venous hemodynamics, venous morphology and the postthrombotic syndrome after upper extremity deep venous thrombosis.

PubMed

Czihal, M; Paul, S; Rademacher, A; Bernau, C; Hoffmann, U

2015-03-01

To explore the association of the postthrombotic syndrome with venous hemodynamics and morphological abnormalities after upper extremity deep venous thrombosis. Thirty-seven patients with a history of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis treated with anticoagulation alone underwent a single study visit (mean time after diagnosis: 44.4 ± 28.1 months). Presence and severity postthrombotic syndrome were classified according to the modified Villalta score. Venous volume and venous emptying were determined by strain-gauge plethysmography. The arm veins were assessed for postthrombotic abnormalities by ultrasonography. The relationship between postthrombotic syndrome and hemodynamic and morphological sequelae was evaluated using univariate significance tests and Spearman's correlation analysis. Fifteen of 37 patients (40.5%) developed postthrombotic syndrome. Venous volume and venous emptying of the arm affected by upper extremity deep venous thrombosis did not correlate with the Villalta score (rho = 0.17 and 0.19; p = 0.31 and 0.25, respectively). Residual morphological abnormalities, as assessed by ultrasonography, did not differ significantly between patients with and without postthrombotic syndrome (77.3% vs. 86.7%, p = 0.68). Postthrombotic syndrome after upper extremity deep venous thrombosis is not associated with venous hemodynamics or residual morphological abnormalities. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

The identification of sympatric cryptic free-living nematode species in the Antarctic intertidal

PubMed Central

Canales-Aguirre, Cristian B.; Nuñez, Daniela; Pérez, Karla; Hernández, Crisitan E.; Brante, Antonio

2017-01-01

The diversity of free-living nematodes in the beaches of two Antarctic islands, King George and Deception islands was investigated. We used morphological and molecular (LSU, and two fragments of SSU sequences) approaches to evaluate 236 nematodes. Specimens were assigned to at least genera using morphology and were assessed for the presence of cryptic speciation. The following genera were identified: Halomonhystera, Litoditis, Enoploides, Chromadorita, Theristus, Oncholaimus, Viscosia, Gammanema, Bathylaimus, Choanolaimus, and Paracanthonchus; along with specimens from the families Anticomidae and Linhomoeidae. Cryptic speciation was identified within the genera Halomonhystera and Litoditis. All of the cryptic species identified live sympatrically. The two cryptic species of Halomonhystera exhibited no significant morphological differences. However, Litoditis species 2 was significantly larger than Litoditis species 1. The utility of molecular data in confirming the identifications of some of the morphologically more challenging families of nematodes was demonstrated. In terms of which molecular sequences to use for the identification of free-living nematodes, the SSU sequences were more variable than the LSU sequences, and thus provided more resolution in the identification of cryptic speciation. Finally, despite the considerable amount of time and effort required to put together genetic and morphological data, the resulting advance in our understanding of diversity and ecology of free-living marine nematodes, makes that effort worthwhile. PMID:28982192

Morphological and biochemical variations in the gills of 12 aquatic air-breathing anabantoid fish.

PubMed

Huang, Chun-Yen; Lin, Chung-Ping; Lin, Hui-Chen

2011-01-01

All fish species in the Anabantoidei suborder are aquatic air-breathing fish. These species have an accessory air-breathing organ, called the labyrinth organ, in the branchial cavity and can engulf air at the surface of the water to assist in gas exchange. It is therefore necessary to examine the extent of gill modification among anabantoid fish species and the potential trade-offs in their function. The experimental hypothesis that we aimed to test is whether anabantoid fishes have both morphological and functional variations in the gills among different species. We examined the gills of 12 species from three families and nine genera of Anabantoidei. Though the sizes of the fourth gill arch in three species of Trichogaster were reduced significantly, not all anabantoid species had morphological and functional variations in the gills. In these three species, the specific enzyme activity and relative protein abundance of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase were significantly higher in the anterior gills as compared with the posterior gills and the labyrinth organ. The relative abundance of cytosolic carbonic anhydrase, an indicator of gas exchange, was found to be highest in the labyrinth organ. The phylogenetic distribution of the fourth gill's morphological differentiation suggests that these variations are lineage specific, which may imply a phylogenetic influence on gill morphology in anabantoid species.

Functional and morphological assessment of ocular structures and follow-up of patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Hasanov, Samir; Demirkilinc Biler, Elif; Acarer, Ahmet; Akkın, Cezmi; Colakoglu, Zafer; Uretmen, Onder

2018-05-09

To evaluate and follow-up of functional and morphological changes of the optic nerve and ocular structures prospectively in patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease. Nineteen patients with a diagnosis of early-stage Parkinson's disease and 19 age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. All participants were examined minimum three times at the intervals of at least 6 month following initial examination. Pattern visually evoked potentials (VEP), contrast sensitivity assessments at photopic conditions, color vision tests with Ishihara cards and full-field visual field tests were performed in addition to measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness of four quadrants (top, bottom, nasal, temporal), central and mean macular thickness and macular volumes. Best corrected visual acuity was observed significantly lower in study group within all three examinations. Contrast sensitivity values of the patient group were significantly lower in all spatial frequencies. P100 wave latency of VEP was significantly longer, and amplitude was lower in patient group; however, significant deterioration was not observed during the follow-up. Although average peripapillary RNFL thickness was not significant between groups, RNFL thickness in the upper quadrant was thinner in the patient group. While there was no difference in terms of mean macular thickness and total macular volume values between the groups initially, a significant decrease occurred in the patient group during the follow-up. During the initial and follow-up process, a significant deterioration in visual field was observed in the patient group. Structural and functional disorders shown as electro-physiologically and morphologically exist in different parts of visual pathways in early-stage Parkinson's disease.

Host-associated differences in morphometric traits of parasitic larvae Hirsutiella zachvatkini (Actinotrichida: Trombiculidae).

PubMed

Moniuszko, Hanna; Zaleśny, Grzegorz; Mąkol, Joanna

2015-09-01

Examination of host-associated variation in the chigger mite Hirsutiella zachvatkini (Schluger) revealed morphological differences among larvae infesting sympatric hosts: Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus. The analysis included 61 variables of larvae obtained from their gnathosoma, idiosoma and legs (measurements and counts). Statistically significant differences were observed for metric characters of the legs as opposed to the scutum. In view of the conspecificity of the mites, supported by comparison of COI gene products obtained from larvae and laboratory-reared deutonymphs, the observed variation is attributed to phenotypic plasticity. The knowledge of larval morphology, including intraspecific variation of metric characters, supported by molecular and host range data, places H. zachvatkini among the most comprehensively defined members of Trombiculidae.

Hippocampal Astrocytes in Migrating and Wintering Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla

PubMed Central

Carvalho-Paulo, Dario; de Morais Magalhães, Nara G.; de Almeida Miranda, Diego; Diniz, Daniel G.; Henrique, Ediely P.; Moraes, Isis A. M.; Pereira, Patrick D. C.; de Melo, Mauro A. D.; de Lima, Camila M.; de Oliveira, Marcus A.; Guerreiro-Diniz, Cristovam; Sherry, David F.; Diniz, Cristovam W. P.

2018-01-01

Seasonal migratory birds return to the same breeding and wintering grounds year after year, and migratory long-distance shorebirds are good examples of this. These tasks require learning and long-term spatial memory abilities that are integrated into a navigational system for repeatedly locating breeding, wintering, and stopover sites. Previous investigations focused on the neurobiological basis of hippocampal plasticity and numerical estimates of hippocampal neurogenesis in birds but only a few studies investigated potential contributions of glial cells to hippocampal-dependent tasks related to migration. Here we hypothesized that the astrocytes of migrating and wintering birds may exhibit significant morphological and numerical differences connected to the long-distance flight. We used as a model the semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla, that migrates from northern Canada and Alaska to South America. Before the transatlantic non-stop long-distance component of their flight, the birds make a stopover at the Bay of Fundy in Canada. To test our hypothesis, we estimated total numbers and compared the three-dimensional (3-D) morphological features of adult C. pusilla astrocytes captured in the Bay of Fundy (n = 249 cells) with those from birds captured in the coastal region of Bragança, Brazil, during the wintering period (n = 250 cells). Optical fractionator was used to estimate the number of astrocytes and for 3-D reconstructions we used hierarchical cluster analysis. Both morphological phenotypes showed reduced morphological complexity after the long-distance non-stop flight, but the reduction in complexity was much greater in Type I than in Type II astrocytes. Coherently, we also found a significant reduction in the total number of astrocytes after the transatlantic flight. Taken together these findings suggest that the long-distance non-stop flight altered significantly the astrocytes population and that morphologically distinct astrocytes may play different physiological roles during migration. PMID:29354035

[Morphological study of the adrenals of rats exposed on the Kosmos-690 satellite].

PubMed

Savina, E A; Alekseev, E I

1979-01-01

Adrenals of 12 rats flown aboard the biosatellite Cosmos-690 and 30 rats used in the ground-based experiments Control-1 and Control-2 were studied morphologically. The animals were sacrificed on the 2nd and 27th days after completion of the experiments (i. e., on the 12 and 37th days after irradiation at a total dose of 800 rad). A comparative study of morphological changes in the adrenals of flight and control rats did not show any distinct differences. It is therefore concluded that space flight factors did not produce a significant effect on the adrenal response to irradiation at a dose of 800 rad.

Study on the Property Change of Rhizoma Coptidis and Its Ginger Juice Processed Products Based on 5-Ht Level and Brain Tissues Morphology of Rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Lingyun; Tong, Hengli; Lv, Mu; Deng, Yufen

2017-09-01

According to the theory of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all Chinese materia medica need to be processed using Pao zhi which is a processing technology before being used in clinic. Ginger juice, made from dried or fresh ginger, is one of the main TCM processing accessories and always used to help change some Chinese materia medica’s properties for its warm or hot nature. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of ginger juice on Rhizoma Coptidis (RC) by determining 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) content and observing morphological changes in the harns tissue of rats. Raw Rhizoma Coptidis (RRC), fresh ginger juice processed Rhizoma Coptidis (FGJPRC), dried juice processed Rhizoma Coptidis (DGJPRC), dried ginger juice (DGJ) and fresh ginger juice (FGJ) were prepared using appropriate methods. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the distribution of 5-HT and fluorescence spectrophotometry was applied to determine 5-hydroxytryptamine content in the brain tissue of rats. 5 - HT in brain tissue of the rats of RRC group was distributed most densely, with the highest content. Compared to the blank group, RRC and different ginger processed RC groups could lead to increasing content of 5-HT in rat encephalon, and significant differences in RRC. Compared with the RRC, the 5-HT content in rat encephalon in DGJPRC, FGJPRC, FGJ and DGJ groups reduced, and DGJPRC, FGJPRC groups showed significant difference, FGJ and DGJ groups showed extreme significant differences. The research showed that processing with hot, warm accessories would moderate the cold nature of RC. The cold and hot nature of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica could be expressed by the difference of 5-HT contents and morphological changes of rats’ brain tissue. Simultaneously, the research showed the different excipient of ginger juice would have different effects on the processing of RC.

Pinus Monophylla (Single Needled Pinyon Pine) show morphological changes in needle cell size and stomata over the past 100 years of rising CO2 in Western Arid Ecosystems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van De Water, P. K.

2016-12-01

The size, frequency, and morphology of leaf surface stomata is used to reconstruct past levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide over geologic time. This technique relies on measuring cell and cell-clusters to correlate with changes of known carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, not all plants are suitable because the occurrence and placement of stomatal cell-complexes differ significantly between plant families. Monocot and dicot angiosperms exhibit different types of stomata and stomatal complexes that lack order and thus are unsuitable. But, in gymnosperms, the number and distribution of stomata and pavement cells is formalized and can be used to reconstruct past atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. However, characteristic of each plant species must still be considered. For example, conifers are useful but are divided into two-needle to five-needle pines, or have irregular surface morphology (Pseudotsuga sp. and Tsuga sp. needles). This study uses Pinus monophylla an undivided needle morphology, that being a cylinder has no interior surface cells. Pinus monophylla (single needle pinyon) needles were collected along Geiger Grade (Nevada State Highway 341, Reno) in 2005 and 2013 from 1500m to 2195m. Herbarium samples were also collected from 13 historic collections made between 1911 and 1994. The study determined changes with elevation and/or over time using in these populations. Using Pinus monophylla, insured needles represented a single surface with stomata, stomatal complex cells, and co-occurring pavement cell types. Results show decreased stomatal densities (stomata/area), stomatal index (stomata/stomata + epidermal cells) and stable stomata per row (stomata/row) . Epidermal cell density (Epidermal Cells /Area), and Pavement cell density (Pavement cell/area) track stomatal density similarly. Data comparison, using elevation in the 2005 and 2013 collections showed no-significant trends. Individual stomatal complexes show no differences in the size and shape over time or with elevation. Stomata morphology and the stomatal pores appear conservative. However some complex cells show a morphology suggesting they are not fully formed and functional. These characteristics appear often in the modern material suggesting some stomata never fully develop.

Performance, gut morphology and carcass characteristics of fattening rabbits as affected by particle size of pelleted diets.

PubMed

Tufarelli, Vincenzo; Desantis, Salvatore; Zizza, Sara; Laudadio, Vito

2010-10-01

A review of past literature revealed inconsistencies in recommended feed particle size for optimal growth and productive performance of rabbits. Changing diet formulation and subsequent processing conditions may improve pellet texture and potentially affect rabbit performance. In the current study, two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous pelleted diets were formulated, which varied in the particle size of the concentrates (2 and 8 mm, respectively). The objective was to evaluate the effect of different particle sizes of compound diets on performance, nutrient utilisation, gut morphology, and carcass characteristics of fattening Italian White breed rabbits. The finely ground diet led to a significant improvement in feed efficiency and apparent digestibility of crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre and NDF, without any negative effect on gut morphology. Furthermore, a smaller particle size of concentrates in pelleted diets improved carcass traits. Meat colour parameters showed significant differences in longissimus lumborum and biceps femoris due to dietary treatments, but in both muscles pH values 1 h and 24 h after slaughter remained unchanged. It is concluded that a finely ground pelleted diet can be used to improve growth performance of rabbits without affecting carcass parameters.

Morphological Awareness and Its Role in Compensation in Adults with Dyslexia.

PubMed

Law, Jeremy M; Wouters, Jan; Ghesquière, Pol

2015-08-01

This study examines the role of morphological awareness (MA) in literacy achievement and compensation in word reading of adults with dyslexia through an exploration of three questions: (1) Do adult dyslexics demonstrate a deficit in MA, and how is this potential deficit related to phonological awareness (PA)? (2) Does MA contribute independently to literacy skills equally in dyslexics and control readers? and (3) Do MA and PA skills differ in compensated and noncompensated dyslexics? A group of dyslexic and normal reading university students matched for age, education and IQ participated in this study. Group analysis demonstrated an MA deficit in dyslexics; as well, MA was found to significantly predict a greater proportion of word reading and spelling within the dyslexic group compared with the controls. Compensated dyslexics were also found to perform significantly better on the morphological task than noncompensated dyslexics. Additionally, no statistical difference was observed in MA between the normal reading controls and the compensated group (independent of PA and vocabulary). Results suggest that intact and strong MA skills contribute to the achieved compensation of this group of adults with dyslexia. Implications for MA based intervention strategies for people with dyslexia are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Potent Nematicidal Activity and New Hybrid Metabolite Production by Disruption of a Cytochrome P450 Gene Involved in the Biosynthesis of Morphological Regulatory Arthrosporols in Nematode-Trapping Fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora.

PubMed

Song, Tian-Yang; Xu, Zi-Fei; Chen, Yong-Hong; Ding, Qiu-Yan; Sun, Yu-Rong; Miao, Yang; Zhang, Ke-Qin; Niu, Xue-Mei

2017-05-24

Types of polyketide synthase-terpenoid synthase (PKS-TPS) hybrid metabolites, including arthrosporols with significant morphological regulatory activity, have been elucidated from nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. A previous study suggested that the gene cluster AOL_s00215 in A. oligospora was involved in the production of arthrosporols. Here, we report that disruption of one cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene AOL_s00215g280 in the cluster resulted in significant phenotypic difference and much aerial hyphae. A further bioassay indicated that the mutant showed a dramatic decrease in the conidial formation but developed numerous traps and killed 85% nematodes within 6 h in contact with prey, in sharp contrast to the wild-type strain with no obvious response. Chemical investigation revealed huge accumulation of three new PKS-TPS epoxycyclohexone derivatives with different oxygenated patterns around the epoxycyclohexone moiety and the absence of arthrosporols in the cultural broth of the mutant ΔAOL_s00215g280. These findings suggested that a study on the biosynthetic pathway for morphological regulatory metabolites in nematode-trapping fungus would provide an efficient way to develop new fungal biocontrol agents.

Assessment of the effects of multiple extreme floods on flow and transport processes under competing flood protection and environmental management strategies.

PubMed

Tu, Tongbi; Carr, Kara J; Ercan, Ali; Trinh, Toan; Kavvas, M Levent; Nosacka, John

2017-12-31

Extreme floods are regarded as one of the most catastrophic natural hazards and can result in significant morphological changes induced by pronounced sediment erosion and deposition processes over the landscape. However, the effects of extreme floods of different return intervals on the floodplain and river channel morphological evolution with the associated sediment transport processes are not well explored. Furthermore, different basin management action plans, such as engineering structure modifications, may also greatly affect the flood inundation, sediment transport, solute transport and morphological processes within extreme flood events. In this study, a coupled two-dimensional hydrodynamic, sediment transport and morphological model is applied to evaluate the impact of different river and basin management strategies on the flood inundation, sediment transport dynamics and morphological changes within extreme flood events of different magnitudes. The 10-year, 50-year, 100-year and 200-year floods are evaluated for the Lower Cache Creek system in California under existing condition and a potential future modification scenario. Modeling results showed that select locations of flood inundation within the study area tend to experience larger inundation depth and more sediment is likely to be trapped in the study area under potential modification scenario. The proposed two dimensional flow and sediment transport modeling approach implemented with a variety of inflow conditions can provide guidance to decision-makers when considering implementation of potential modification plans, especially as they relate to competing management strategies of large water bodies, such as the modeling area in this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphology, biometry, and taxonomy of freshwater and marine interstitial cyphoderia (cercozoa: euglyphida).

PubMed

Todorov, Milcho; Golemansky, Vassil; Mitchell, Edward A D; Heger, Thierry J

2009-01-01

Good taxonomy is essential for ecological, biogeographical, and evolutionary studies of any group of organisms. Therefore, we performed detailed light- and scanning electron microscopy investigations on the shell ultrastructure and biometric analyses of the morphometric variability of five freshwater and marine interstitial testate amoebae of the genus Cyphoderia (C. trochus var. amphoralis, C. ampulla, C. margaritacea var. major, C. compressa, and C. littoralis), isolated from different populations in Bulgaria and Switzerland. Our aims were (1) to clarify the morphological characteristics of these taxa, and (2) to compare the morphology of a given taxon (C. ampulla) among different locations in Bulgaria and Switzerland as a first step towards an assessment of the geographical variation within a supposedly cosmopolitan taxon. Four of the studied taxa are characterized by a well-expressed main-size class and by a small size range of all the characters and can be defined as size-monomorphic species. Based on these results, the following systematic changes are proposed: C. major (Penard, 1891) n. comb. (Syn.: C. margaritacea var. major (Penard, 1891) and C. amphoralis (Wailes & Penard, 1911) n. comb. (Syn.: C. trochus var. amphoralis (Wailes & Penard, 1911)). However, we also show significant morphological variability between the Swiss and Bulgarian populations of C. ampulla, suggesting the possible existence of more than one taxon within this species. Further studies are required to assess (1) if these two morphologically different taxa represent individual species, (2) if so, if more species exist, and if this diversity is due to limited distribution ranges (endemism) or if several closely related taxa occur together in different geographical areas.

Comparative neuronal morphology of the cerebellar cortex in afrotherians, carnivores, cetartiodactyls, and primates

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Bob; Johnson, Nicholas L.; Wahl, Devin; Schall, Matthew; Maseko, Busisiwe C.; Lewandowski, Albert; Raghanti, Mary A.; Wicinski, Bridget; Butti, Camilla; Hopkins, William D.; Bertelsen, Mads F.; Walsh, Timothy; Roberts, John R.; Reep, Roger L.; Hof, Patrick R.; Sherwood, Chet C.; Manger, Paul R.

2014-01-01

Although the basic morphological characteristics of neurons in the cerebellar cortex have been documented in several species, virtually nothing is known about the quantitative morphological characteristics of these neurons across different taxa. To that end, the present study investigated cerebellar neuronal morphology among eight different, large-brained mammalian species comprising a broad phylogenetic range: afrotherians (African elephant, Florida manatee), carnivores (Siberian tiger, clouded leopard), cetartiodactyls (humpback whale, giraffe) and primates (human, common chimpanzee). Specifically, several neuron types (e.g., stellate, basket, Lugaro, Golgi, and granule neurons; N = 317) of the cerebellar cortex were stained with a modified rapid Golgi technique and quantified on a computer-assisted microscopy system. There was a 64-fold variation in brain mass across species in our sample (from clouded leopard to the elephant) and a 103-fold variation in cerebellar volume. Most dendritic measures tended to increase with cerebellar volume. The cerebellar cortex in these species exhibited the trilaminate pattern common to all mammals. Morphologically, neuron types in the cerebellar cortex were generally consistent with those described in primates (Fox et al., 1967) and rodents (Palay and Chan-Palay, 1974), although there was substantial quantitative variation across species. In particular, Lugaro neurons in the elephant appeared to be disproportionately larger than those in other species. To explore potential quantitative differences in dendritic measures across species, MARSplines analyses were used to evaluate whether species could be differentiated from each other based on dendritic characteristics alone. Results of these analyses indicated that there were significant differences among all species in dendritic measures. PMID:24795574

Semen analysis in fertile patients undergoing vasectomy: reference values and variations according to age, length of sexual abstinence, seasonality, smoking habits and caffeine intake.

PubMed

Sobreiro, Bernardo Passos; Lucon, Antonio Marmo; Pasqualotto, Fábio Firmbach; Hallak, Jorge; Athayde, Kelly Silveira; Arap, Sami

2005-07-07

Recent studies have shown regional and population differences in semen characteristics. The objective was to establish reference values for semen analysis and to verify the effect that age, length of sexual abstinence, seasonality, smoking habits and coffee consumption have on fertile individuals' semen characteristics. Prospective study in the Urology Division, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade de São Paulo. Between September 1999 and August 2002, 500 fertile men requesting a vasectomy for sterilization purposes were asked to provide a semen sample before the vasectomy. We evaluated the effects of age, sexual abstinence, seasonality, smoking and coffee consumption on semen characteristics. Compared with World Health Organization values, 87.2% of the patients presented sperm morphology below the normal level. A significant decline in semen volume, sperm motility and sperm morphology in patients over 45 years of age was observed. In patients with 5 days or more of abstinence, there was reduced sperm motility. The lowest values for sperm concentration, motility and morphology were observed in summer and the highest in winter. No differences in semen parameters relating to smoking were detected. Patients who drank six or more cups of coffee per day presented higher sperm motility. Our sample had a very low percentage of normal sperm morphology. Only sperm morphology showed a high abnormality rate. Differences in semen parameters with regard to age, length of sexual abstinence, seasonality and coffee consumption were identified. No differences relating to smoking were detected.

Sexual dimorphism in bite performance drives morphological variation in chameleons.

PubMed

da Silva, Jessica M; Herrel, Anthony; Measey, G John; Tolley, Krystal A

2014-01-01

Phenotypic performance in different environments is central to understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive adaptive divergence and, ultimately, speciation. Because habitat structure can affect an animal's foraging behaviour, anti-predator defences, and communication behaviour, it can influence both natural and sexual selection pressures. These selective pressures, in turn, act upon morphological traits to maximize an animal's performance. For performance traits involved in both social and ecological activities, such as bite force, natural and sexual selection often interact in complex ways, providing an opportunity to understand the adaptive significance of morphological variation with respect to habitat. Dwarf chameleons within the Bradypodion melanocephalum-Bradypodion thamnobates species complex have multiple phenotypic forms, each with a specific head morphology that could reflect its use of either open- or closed-canopy habitats. To determine whether these morphological differences represent adaptations to their habitats, we tested for differences in both absolute and relative bite performance. Only absolute differences were found between forms, with the closed-canopy forms biting harder than their open-canopy counterparts. In contrast, sexual dimorphism was found for both absolute and relative bite force, but the relative differences were limited to the closed-canopy forms. These results indicate that both natural and sexual selection are acting within both habitat types, but to varying degrees. Sexual selection seems to be the predominant force within the closed-canopy habitats, which are more protected from aerial predators, enabling chameleons to invest more in ornamentation for communication. In contrast, natural selection is likely to be the predominant force in the open-canopy habitats, inhibiting the development of conspicuous secondary sexual characteristics and, ultimately, enforcing their overall diminutive body size and constraining performance.

Sexual Dimorphism in Bite Performance Drives Morphological Variation in Chameleons

PubMed Central

da Silva, Jessica M.; Herrel, Anthony; Measey, G. John; Tolley, Krystal A.

2014-01-01

Phenotypic performance in different environments is central to understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive adaptive divergence and, ultimately, speciation. Because habitat structure can affect an animal’s foraging behaviour, anti-predator defences, and communication behaviour, it can influence both natural and sexual selection pressures. These selective pressures, in turn, act upon morphological traits to maximize an animal’s performance. For performance traits involved in both social and ecological activities, such as bite force, natural and sexual selection often interact in complex ways, providing an opportunity to understand the adaptive significance of morphological variation with respect to habitat. Dwarf chameleons within the Bradypodion melanocephalum-Bradypodion thamnobates species complex have multiple phenotypic forms, each with a specific head morphology that could reflect its use of either open- or closed-canopy habitats. To determine whether these morphological differences represent adaptations to their habitats, we tested for differences in both absolute and relative bite performance. Only absolute differences were found between forms, with the closed-canopy forms biting harder than their open-canopy counterparts. In contrast, sexual dimorphism was found for both absolute and relative bite force, but the relative differences were limited to the closed-canopy forms. These results indicate that both natural and sexual selection are acting within both habitat types, but to varying degrees. Sexual selection seems to be the predominant force within the closed-canopy habitats, which are more protected from aerial predators, enabling chameleons to invest more in ornamentation for communication. In contrast, natural selection is likely to be the predominant force in the open-canopy habitats, inhibiting the development of conspicuous secondary sexual characteristics and, ultimately, enforcing their overall diminutive body size and constraining performance. PMID:24475183

Sampling diverse characters improves phylogenies: Craniodental and postcranial characters of vertebrates often imply different trees.

PubMed

Mounce, Ross C P; Sansom, Robert; Wills, Matthew A

2016-03-01

Morphological cladograms of vertebrates are often inferred from greater numbers of characters describing the skull and teeth than from postcranial characters. This is either because the skull is believed to yield characters with a stronger phylogenetic signal (i.e., contain less homoplasy), because morphological variation therein is more readily atomized, or because craniodental material is more widely available (particularly in the palaeontological case). An analysis of 85 vertebrate datasets published between 2000 and 2013 confirms that craniodental characters are significantly more numerous than postcranial characters, but finds no evidence that levels of homoplasy differ in the two partitions. However, a new partition test, based on tree-to-tree distances (as measured by the Robinson Foulds metric) rather than tree length, reveals that relationships inferred from the partitions are significantly different about one time in three, much more often than expected. Such differences may reflect divergent selective pressures in different body regions, resulting in different localized patterns of homoplasy. Most systematists attempt to sample characters broadly across body regions, but this is not always possible. We conclude that trees inferred largely from either craniodental or postcranial characters in isolation may differ significantly from those that would result from a more holistic approach. We urge the latter. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

A prostate MRI atlas of biochemical failures following cancer treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu, Mirabela; Kurhanewicz, John; Tewari, Ashutosh; Madabhushi, Anant

2014-03-01

Radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiation therapy (RT) are the most common treatment options for prostate cancer (PCa). Despite advancements in radiation delivery and surgical procedures, RP and RT can result in failure rates as high as 40% and >25%, respectively. Treatment failure is characterized by biochemical recurrence (BcR), which is defined in terms of prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentrations and its variation following treatment. PSA is expected to decrease following treatment, thereby its presence in even small concentrations (e.g 0.2 ng/ml for surgery or 2 ng/ml over the nadir PSA for radiation therapy) is indicative of treatment failure. Early identification of treatment failure may enable the use of more aggressive or neo-adjuvant therapies. Moreover, predicting failure prior to treatment may spare the patient from a procedure that is unlikely to be successful. Our goal is to identify differences on pre-treatment MRI between patients who have BcR and those who remain disease-free at 5 years post-treatment. Specifically, we focus on (1) identifying statistically significant differences in MRI intensities, (2) establishing morphological differences in prostatic anatomic structures, and (3) comparing these differences with the natural variability of prostatic structures. In order to attain these objectives, we use an anatomically constrained registration framework to construct BcR and non-BcR statistical atlases based on the pre-treatment magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the prostate. The patients included in the atlas either underwent RP or RT and were followed up for at least 5 years. The BcR atlas was constructed from a combined population of 12 pre-RT 1.5 Tesla (T) MRI and 33 pre-RP 3T MRI from patients with BcR within 5 years of treatment. Similarly, the non-BcR atlas was built based on a combined cohort of 20 pre-RT 1.5T MRI and 41 pre-RP 3T MRI from patients who remain disease-free 5 years post treatment. We chose the atlas framework as it enables the mapping of MR images from all subjects into the same canonical space, while constructing both an imaging and a morphological statistical atlas. Such co-registration allowed us to perform voxel-by-voxel comparisons of MRI intensities and capsule and central gland morphology to identify statistically significant differences between the BcR and non-BcR patient populations. To assess whether the morphological differences are valid, we performed an additional experiment where we constructed sub-population atlases by randomly sampling RT patients to construct the BcR and non-BcR atlases. Following these experiments we observed that: (1) statistically significant MRI intensity differences exist between BcR and non-BcR patients, specifically on the border of the central gland; (2) statistically significant morphological differences are visible in the prostate and central gland, specifically in the proximity of the apex, and (3) the differences between the BcR and non-BcR cohorts in terms of shape appeared to be consistent across these sub-population atlases as observed in our RT atlases.

Extreme climate, rather than population history, explains mid-facial morphology of Northern Asians.

PubMed

Evteev, Andrej; Cardini, Andrea L; Morozova, Irina; O'Higgins, Paul

2014-03-01

Previous studies have examined mid-facial cold adaptation among either widely dispersed and genetically very diverse groups of humans isolated for tens of thousands of years, or among very closely related groups spread over climatically different regions. Here we present a study of one East Asian and seven North Asian populations in which we examine the evidence for convergent adaptations of the mid-face to a very cold climate. Our findings indicate that mid-facial morphology is strongly associated with climatic variables that contrast the temperate climate of East Asians and the very cold and dry climate of North Asians. This is also the case when either maxillary or nasal cavity measurements are considered alone. The association remains significant when mtDNA distances among populations are taken into account. The morphological contrasts between populations are consistent with physiological predictions and prior studies of mid-facial cold adaptation in more temperate regions, but among North Asians there appear to be some previously undescribed morphological features that might be considered as adaptive to extreme cold. To investigate this further, analyses of the seven North Asian populations alone suggest that mid-facial morphology remains strongly associated with climate, particularly winter precipitation, contrasting coastal Arctic and continental climates. However, the residual covariation among North Asian mid-facial morphology and climate when genetic distances are considered, is not significant. These findings point to modern adaptations to extreme climate that might be relevant to our understanding of the mid-facial morphology of fossil hominins that lived during glaciations. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of Hydrogen and Carbamide Peroxide in Bleaching, Enamel Morphology, and Mineral Composition: In vitro Study.

PubMed

Llena, Carmen; Esteve, Irene; Forner, Leopoldo

2017-07-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the bleaching effect, morphological changes, and variations in calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) in the enamel with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and carbamide peroxide (CP) after the use of different application regimens. Four groups of five teeth were randomly assigned, according to the treatment protocol: HP 37.5% applied for 30 or 60 minutes (HP30, HP60), CP 16% applied for 14 or 28 hours (CP14, CP28). Changes in dental color were evaluated, according to the following formula: ΔE = [(L a -L b ) 2 +(a a -a b ) 2 + (b a -b b ) 2 ] 1/2 . Enamel morphology and Ca and P compositions were evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscope and environmental scanning electron microscopy. ΔE HP30 was significantly greater than CP14 (10.37 ± 2.65/8.56 ± 1.40), but not between HP60 and CP28. HP60 shows greater morphological changes than HP30. No morphological changes were observed in the groups treated with CP. The reduction in Ca and P was significantly greater in HP60 than in CP28 (p < 0.05). Both formulations improved tooth color; HP produced morphological changes and Ca and P a gradual decrease, while CP produced no morphological changes, and the decrease in mineral component was smaller. CP 16% applied during 2 weeks could be equally effective and safer for tooth whitening than to administer two treatment sessions with HP 37.5%.

A comparative analysis of temporomandibular joint morphology in the African apes.

PubMed

Taylor, Andrea B

2005-06-01

A number of researchers have suggested a functional relationship between dietary variation and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) morphology, yet few studies have evaluated TMJ form in the African apes. In this study, I compare TMJ morphology in adults and during ontogeny in Gorilla (G.g. beringei, G.g. graueri, and G.g. gorilla) and Pan (P. paniscus, P. troglodytes troglodytes, P.t. schweinfurthii, and P.t. verus). I test two hypotheses: first, compared to all other African apes, G.g. beringei exhibits TMJ morphologies that would be predicted for a primate that consumes a diet comprised primarily of moderately to very tough, leafy vegetation; and second, all gorillas exhibit the same predicted morphologies compared to Pan. Compared to all adult African apes, G.g. beringei has higher rami and condyles positioned further above the occlusal plane of the mandible, relative to jaw length. Thus, mountain gorillas have the potential to generate relatively more muscle force, more evenly distribute occlusal forces along the postcanine teeth, and generate relatively greater jaw adductor moment. G.g. beringei also exhibits relatively wider mandibular condyles, suggesting these folivorous apes are able to resist relatively greater compressive loads along the lateral and/or medial aspect of the condyle. All gorillas likewise exhibit these same shape differences compared to Pan. These morphological responses are the predicted consequences of intensification of folivory and, as such, provide support for functional hypotheses linking these TMJ morphologies to degree of folivory. The African apes to not, however, demonstrate a systematic pattern of divergence in relative condylar area as a function of intensification of folivory. The ontogenetic trajectories for gorillas are significantly elevated above those of Pan, and to a lesser but still significant degree, mountain gorillas similarly deviate from lowland gorillas (G.g. gorilla and G.g. graueri). Thus, adult shape differences in ramal and condylar heights do not result from the simple extrapolation of common growth allometries relative to jaw length. As such, they are suggestive of an adaptive shift towards a tougher, more folivorous diet. However, the allometric patterning for condylar area and condylar width does not systematically conform to predictions based on dietary specialization. Thus, while differences in condylar shapes may confer functional advantages both during growth and as adults, there is no evidence to suggest selection for altered condylar proportions, independent of the effects of changes in jaw size.

Prevalence of disruptive selection predicts extent of species differentiation in Lake Victoria cichlids.

PubMed

van Rijssel, Jacco C; Moser, Florian N; Frei, David; Seehausen, Ole

2018-01-31

Theory suggests that speciation with gene flow is most likely when both sexual and ecological selection are divergent or disruptive. Divergent sexual and natural selection on the visual system have been demonstrated before in sympatric, morphologically similar sister species of Lake Victoria cichlids, but this does not explain the subtle morphological differences between them. To investigate the significance of natural selection on morphology during speciation, we here ask whether the prevalence of disruptive ecological selection differs between sympatric sister species that are at different stages of speciation. Some of our species pairs do ( Pundamilia ) and others do not ( Neochromis ) differ distinctively in sexually selected male nuptial coloration. We find that (i) evidence for disruptive selection, and for evolutionary response to it, is prevalent in traits that are differentiated between sister species; (ii) prevalence of both predicts the extent of genetic differentiation; and (iii) genetic differentiation is weaker in species pairs with conserved male nuptial coloration. Our results speak to the existence of two different mechanisms of speciation with gene flow: speciation mainly by sexual selection tightly followed by ecological character displacement in some cases and speciation mainly by divergent ecological selection in others. © 2018 The Author(s).

Influence of aggregated morphology on carbon dioxide uptake of polythiophene conjugated organic networks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qiao, Shanlin; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Du, Zhengkun

2014-04-01

Two novel thiophene-based conjugated networks CMPs-TTT and CMPs-DTBT were designed and prepared with different steric configuration building blocks by FeCl{sub 3} oxidative coupling polymerization. UV–vis spectra, FE-SEM and TEM images showed CMPs-TTT and CMPs-DTBT having the different aggregated morphologies. After porous analysis and gas adsorption test, the result showed CO{sub 2} uptake capacity of CMPs-DTBT with amorphous aggregation model is 2.88 times and 2.66 times greater than that of CMPs-TTT with large lamellar structure model at 273 K and 298 K (1.0 bar), respectively. As a result, this communication proved that change the topological structure of the polymer can influencemore » the CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity significantly. - Graphical abstract: Two thiophene-based conjugated networks were prepared with different steric configuration building blocks, and they show various CO{sub 2} uptake capacity and sorption isosteric enthalpies, although they have identical chemical constitution. - Highlights: • Topological-directed design and synthesis two conjugated porous polymers. • Two thiophene-based CMPs show different aggregated morphologies. • They exhibit similar porosity structure and different CO{sub 2} uptake capacity.« less

Growth temperature modulates the spatial variability of leaf morphology and chemical elements within crowns of climatically divergent Acer rubrum genotypes.

PubMed

Shahba, Mohamed A; Bauerle, William L

2009-07-01

Our understanding of leaf acclimation in relation to temperature of fully grown or juvenile tree crowns is mainly based on research involving spatially uncontrolled growth temperature. In this study, we test the hypothesis that leaf morphology and chemical elements are modulated by within-crown growth temperature differences. We ask whether within-species variation can influence acclimation to elevated temperatures. Within-crown temperature dependence of leaf morphology, carbon and nitrogen was examined in two genotypes of Acer rubrum L. (red maple) from different latitudes, where the mean annual temperature varies between 7.2 and 19.4 degrees C. Crown sections were grown in temperature-controlled chambers at three daytime growth temperatures (25, 33 and 38 degrees C). Leaf growth and resource acquisition were measured at regular intervals over long-term (50 days) controlled daytime growth temperatures. We found significant intraspecific variation in temperature dependence of leaf carbon and nitrogen accumulation between genotypes. Additionally, there was evidence that leaf morphology depended on inherited adaptation. Leaf dry matter and nitrogen content decreased as growth temperature was elevated above 25 degrees C in the genotype native to the cooler climate, whereas they remained fairly constant in response to temperature in the genotype native to the warmer climate. Specific leaf area (SLA) was correlated positively to leaf nitrogen content in both genotypes. The SLA and the relative leaf dry matter content (LM), on the other hand, were correlated negatively to leaf thickness. However, intraspecific variation in SLA and LM versus leaf thickness was highly significant. Intraspecific differences in leaf temperature response between climatically divergent genotypes yielded important implications for convergent evolution of leaf adaptation. Comparison of our results with those of previous studies showed that leaf carbon allocation along a vertical temperature gradient was modulated by growth temperature in the genotype native to the cooler climate. This indicates that within-crown temperature-induced variations in leaf morphology and chemical content should be accounted for in forest ecosystem models.

Morphological and behavioral differences in the gastropod Trophon geversianus associated to distinct environmental conditions, as revealed by a multidisciplinary approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márquez, Federico; Nieto Vilela, Rocío Aimé; Lozada, Mariana; Bigatti, Gregorio

2015-01-01

The gastropod Trophon geversianus exhibits shell polymorphisms along its distribution in subtidal and intertidal habitats. Our hypothesis is that morphological and behavioral patterns of T. geversianus represent habitat-specific constrains; subsequently we expect an association between shell morphology, attachment behavior, and habitat. In order to test this hypothesis we compared individuals from intertidal and subtidal habitats, at three sites in Golfo Nuevo (Argentina). We analyzed shell morphology using classic morphometric variables, 3D geometric morphometrics and computing tomography scan. The results were complemented with field observations of attachment to substrate and turning time behavior, as well as of the number of shell scars produced by crab predation. Our results showed differences in shell size and shape between intertidal and subtidal-collected individuals. Centroid size, total weight and shell weight, as well as shell density and thickness were significantly lower in intertidal individuals than in subtidal ones. Gastropods from intertidal habitats presented a low-spired shell and an expanded aperture which might allow better attachment to the bottom substrate, while subtidal individuals presented a slender and narrower shell shape. The number of crab scars was significantly higher in shells from subtidal individuals. Observations of the behavior of gastropods placed at the intertidal splash zone showed 100% of attachment to the bottom in the intertidal individuals, while subtidal specimens only attached in average in 32% of the cases. These latter took 12 times longer to re-attach to the bottom when faced up. Phylogenetic analysis of COI gene fragments showed no consistent differences among individuals sampled in both habitats. All these results suggest that T. geversianus has developed two ecomorphs with distinct morphological and behavioral responses to physically stressful conditions registered in north Patagonian intertidals, as opposed to lower physical stress but higher predation pressure in the subtidal habitats. The findings of this work constitute a starting point in the study of ecological adaptation processes in gastropods from Patagonian coastal environments.

Functional morphology of the bovid astragalus in relation to habitat: controlling phylogenetic signal in ecomorphology.

PubMed

Barr, W Andrew

2014-11-01

Bovid astragali are one of the most commonly preserved bones in the fossil record. Accordingly, astragali are an important target for studies seeking to predict the habitat preferences of fossil bovids based on bony anatomy. However, previous work has not tested functional hypotheses linking astragalar morphology with habitat while controlling for body size and phylogenetic signal. This article presents a functional framework relating the morphology of the bovid astragalus to habitat-specific locomotor ecology and tests four hypotheses emanating from this framework. Highly cursorial bovids living in structurally open habitats are hypothesized to differ from their less cursorial closed-habitat dwelling relatives in having (1) relatively short astragali to maintain rotational speed throughout the camming motion of the rotating astragalus, (2) a greater range of angular excursion at the hock, (3) relatively larger joint surface areas, and (4) a more pronounced "spline-and-groove" morphology promoting lateral joint stability. A diverse sample of 181 astragali from 50 extant species was scanned using a Next Engine laser scanner. Species were assigned to one of four habitat categories based on the published ecological literature. A series of 11 linear measurements and three joint surface areas were measured on each astragalus. A geometric mean body size proxy was used to size-correct the measurement data. Phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) was used to test for differences between habitat categories while controlling for body size differences and phylogenetic signal. Statistically significant PGLS results support Hypotheses 1 and 2 (which are not mutually exclusive) as well as Hypothesis 3. No support was found for Hypothesis 4. These findings confirm that the morphology of the bovid astragalus is related to habitat-specific locomotor ecology, and that this relationship is statistically significant after controlling for body size and phylogeny. Thus, this study validates the use of this bone as an ecomorphological indicator. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ameliorated effect of L-arginine supplementation on gingival morphology in cyclosporin-treated rats.

PubMed

Fu, E; Tz-Chong, C; Liu, D; Chiu, S C

2000-11-01

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of cyclosporin (CsA)-induced gingival overgrowth is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of NO substrate (L-arginine) and blockade (N-nitro-L-arginine methylester-hydrochloride, L-NAME) on the gingival morphology in CsA-fed rats. Sixty CsA-fed (10 mg/kg/day) male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 3 groups. Animals in 2 experimental groups received L-arginine (1% weight/weight) in rat chowder or L-NAME (50 mg/l) in drinking water, respectively, for 4 weeks. Rats in the control group were fed a normal diet and water. At week 0, 2, and 4, dental stone models were made from the mandibular anterior region and the gingival dimensions (width, depth, and height) were measured. The tail cuff blood pressure and the plasma nitrate level were also measured at week 4 to monitor the effects of L-arginine and L-NAME treatment. No significant difference in the gingival dimensions was noticed at week 0; however, significant differences were observed at weeks 2 and 4, except the buccolingual depth at week 2. While the magnitude of gingival dimensions was large, moderate, and small in control, L-NAME, and L-arginine groups, respectively, we found significantly reduced gingival dimensions in both L-arginine supplement and L-NAME groups. Nevertheless, the reduced gingival overgrowth in the L-NAME treatment group was far less than that in the exogenous NO treatment group. Plasma NO2-/NO3- concentrations were also significantly different; i.e., from the highest to the lowest levels were the L-arginine, CsA control, and L-NAME group, respectively. A significantly increased mean and diastolic blood pressure was found in the L-NAME group compared to the L-arginine group. Gingival morphology in CsA-fed rats was evaluated after NO substrate (L-arginine) and blockade (L-NAME) treatment for 4 weeks. Significantly decreased dimensions were noted in the L-arginine group compared to the CsA group at weeks 2 and 4. Although an inhibitory effect on the gingival morphology was also observed in the L-NAME group, another unknown mechanism might be involved. Within the limitations of the study, we suggest that NO may have an important role in the mechanism of CsA-induced gingival overgrowth.

Influence of Football on Physiological Cardiac Indexes in Professional and Young Athletes

PubMed Central

Francavilla, Cristian V.; Sessa, Francesco; Salerno, Monica; Albano, Giuseppe D.; Villano, Ines; Messina, Giovanni; Triolo, Fabio; Todaro, Lorenzo; Ruberto, Maria; Marsala, Gabriella; Cascio, Orazio; Mollica, Maria P.; Monda, Vincenzo; Cibelli, Giuseppe; Valenzano, Anna; Zammit, Christian; Monda, Marcellino; Messina, Antonietta

2018-01-01

Background: After long-term intensive training, considerable morphological and functional heart changes occur in professional athletes. Such changes arise progressively and regress upon interruption of the physical activity. Morphological and functional alterations on heart are known as “Athlete's heart” condition. Objective: This study aims to compare echocardiographic parameters in two different groups of professional athletes. Furthermore, a prospective study is performed analyzing the echocardiographic changes occurring in 12 professional players in 3 years of follow-up. Materials and Methods: 78 football players were examined from July 2011 to May 2016 (40 enrolled in Group A and 38 in Group B). Twelve players of GROUP A were followed for 3 consecutive seasons. The general clinical examination, the cardiopulmonary evaluation, the ECG, the ergometer stress test, the spirometric examination and the standard cardiac eco color doppler test were recorded. Results: Left ventricle dimensions, left atrium dimensions, and interventricular septum dimensions were higher in A players than in B players. Moreover, following up 12 players for 3 years, a statistically significant increase of such values was observed. Discussion: In A players, higher dimensions of the left chambers and the interventricular septum were observed, compared to B players. No statistically significant difference was found regarding the ejection fraction. The 3 years follow-up showed a statistically significant increase of both left chambers and interventricular septum dimensions, particularly in the second and third year. Conclusions: These findings demonstrated that A players have higher echocardiographic parameters respect to B players. The results of this study support the scientific theory that long-term intensive training influences heart function, inducing “athlete's heart” with morphological adaptations. No significant echocardiographic variation within the examined sample was observed for different roles (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, or attacker) or skills of individual players. PMID:29541036

Morphological response contributes to patient selection for rescue liver resection in chemotherapy patients with initially un-resectable colorectal liver metastasis.

PubMed

Suzuki, Koichi; Muto, Yuta; Ichida, Kosuke; Fukui, Taro; Takayama, Yuji; Kakizawa, Nao; Kato, Takaharu; Hasegawa, Fumi; Watanabe, Fumiaki; Kaneda, Yuji; Kikukawa, Rina; Saito, Masaaki; Tsujinaka, Shingo; Futsuhara, Kazushige; Takata, Osamu; Noda, Hiroshi; Miyakura, Yasuyuki; Kiyozaki, Hirokazu; Konishi, Fumio; Rikiyama, Toshiki

2017-08-01

Morphological response is considered an improved surrogate to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) model with regard to predicting the prognosis for patients with colorectal liver metastases. However, its use as a decision-making tool for surgical intervention has not been examined. The present study assessed the morphological response in 50 patients who underwent chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab for initially un-resectable colorectal liver metastases. Changes in tumor morphology between heterogeneous with uncertain borders and homogeneous with clear borders were defined as an optimal response (OR). Patients were also assessed as having an incomplete response (IR), and an absence of marked changes was assessed as no response (NR). No significant difference was observed in progression-free survival (PFS) between complete response/partial response (CR/PR) and stable disease/progressive disease (SD/PD), according to RECIST. By contrast, PFS for OR/IR patients was significantly improved compared with that for NR patients (13.2 vs. 8.7 months; P=0.0426). Exclusion of PD enhanced the difference in PFS between OR/IR and NR patients (15.1 vs. 9.3 months; P<0.0001), whereas no difference was observed between CR/PR and SD. The rate of OR and IR in patients treated with bevacizumab was 47.4% (9/19), but only 19.4% (6/31) for patients that were not administered bevacizumab. Comparison of the survival curves between OR/IR and NR patients revealed similar survival rates at 6 months after chemotherapy, but the groups exhibited different survival rates subsequent to this period of time. Patients showing OR/IR within 6 months appeared to be oncologically stable and could be considered as candidates for surgical intervention, including rescue liver resection. Comparing the pathological and morphological features of the tumor with representative optimal response, living tumor cells were revealed to be distributed within the area of vascular reconstruction induced by bevacizumab, resulting in a predictive value for prognosis in the patients treated with bevacizumab. The present findings provided the evidence for physicians to consider patients with previously un-resectable metastatic colorectal cancer as candidates for surgical treatment. Morphological response is a useful decision-making tool for evaluating these patients for rescue liver resection following chemotherapy.

Shear bond strength and SEM morphology evaluation of different dental adhesives to enamel prepared with ER:YAG laser

PubMed Central

Pires, Patrícia T.; Ferreira, João C.; Oliveira, Sofia A.; Azevedo, Álvaro F.; Dias, Walter R.; Melo, Paulo R.

2013-01-01

Context: Early observations of enamel surfaces prepared by erbium lasers motivated clinicians to use laser as an alternative to chemical etching. Aims: Evaluate shear bond strength (SBS) values of different dental adhesives on Erbium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:YAG) laser prepared enamel and to evaluate possible etching patterns correlations between dental adhesives and SBS values. Subjects and Methods: One hundred bovine incisors were randomly assigned to SBS tests on enamel (n = 15) and to enamel morphology analysis (n = 5) after Er:YAG laser preparation as follows: Group I – 37% phosphoric acid (PA)+ ExciTE®; Group II – ExciTE®; Group III – AdheSE® self-etching; Group IV – FuturaBond® no-rinse. NR; Group V – Xeno® V. Teeth were treated with the adhesive systems and subjected to thermal cycling. SBS were performed in a universal testing machine at 5 mm/min. Statistical Analysis Used: One-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests (P < 0.05). For the morphology evaluation, specimens were immersed in Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and the etching pattern analyzed under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Results: Mean bond strengths were Group I – 47.17 ± 1.61 MPa (type I etching pattern); Group II – 32.56 ± 1.64 MPa, Group III – 29.10 ± 1.34 MPa, Group IV – 23.32 ± 1.53 MPa (type III etching pattern); Group V – 24.43 MPa ± 1.55 (type II etching pattern). Conclusions: Different adhesive systems yielded significantly different SBSs. Acid etching significantly increased the adhesion in laser treated enamel. No differences in SBS values were obtained between AdheSE® and ExciTE® without condition with PA. FuturaBond® NR and Xeno® V showed similar SBS, which was lower in comparison to the others adhesives. No correlation between enamel surface morphology and SBS values was observed, except when PA was used. PMID:23853447

Shear bond strength and SEM morphology evaluation of different dental adhesives to enamel prepared with ER:YAG laser.

PubMed

Pires, Patrícia T; Ferreira, João C; Oliveira, Sofia A; Azevedo, Alvaro F; Dias, Walter R; Melo, Paulo R

2013-01-01

Early observations of enamel surfaces prepared by erbium lasers motivated clinicians to use laser as an alternative to chemical etching. Evaluate shear bond strength (SBS) values of different dental adhesives on Erbium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:YAG) laser prepared enamel and to evaluate possible etching patterns correlations between dental adhesives and SBS values. One hundred bovine incisors were randomly assigned to SBS tests on enamel (n = 15) and to enamel morphology analysis (n = 5) after Er:YAG laser preparation as follows: Group I - 37% phosphoric acid (PA)+ ExciTE(®); Group II - ExciTE(®); Group III - AdheSE(®) self-etching; Group IV - FuturaBond(®) no-rinse. NR; Group V - Xeno(®) V. Teeth were treated with the adhesive systems and subjected to thermal cycling. SBS were performed in a universal testing machine at 5 mm/min. One-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests (P < 0.05). For the morphology evaluation, specimens were immersed in Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and the etching pattern analyzed under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Mean bond strengths were Group I - 47.17 ± 1.61 MPa (type I etching pattern); Group II - 32.56 ± 1.64 MPa, Group III - 29.10 ± 1.34 MPa, Group IV - 23.32 ± 1.53 MPa (type III etching pattern); Group V - 24.43 MPa ± 1.55 (type II etching pattern). Different adhesive systems yielded significantly different SBSs. Acid etching significantly increased the adhesion in laser treated enamel. No differences in SBS values were obtained between AdheSE(®) and ExciTE(®) without condition with PA. FuturaBond(®) NR and Xeno(®) V showed similar SBS, which was lower in comparison to the others adhesives. No correlation between enamel surface morphology and SBS values was observed, except when PA was used.

The genetics of colony form and function in Caribbean Acropora corals.

PubMed

Hemond, Elizabeth M; Kaluziak, Stefan T; Vollmer, Steven V

2014-12-17

Colonial reef-building corals have evolved a broad spectrum of colony morphologies based on coordinated asexual reproduction of polyps on a secreted calcium carbonate skeleton. Though cnidarians have been shown to possess and use similar developmental genes to bilaterians during larval development and polyp formation, little is known about genetic regulation of colony morphology in hard corals. We used RNA-seq to evaluate transcriptomic differences between functionally distinct regions of the coral (apical branch tips and branch bases) in two species of Caribbean Acropora, the staghorn coral, A. cervicornis, and the elkhorn coral, A. palmata. Transcriptome-wide gene profiles differed significantly between different parts of the coral colony as well as between species. Genes showing differential expression between branch tips and bases were involved in developmental signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Notch, and BMP, as well as pH regulation, ion transport, extracellular matrix production and other processes. Differences both within colonies and between species identify a relatively small number of genes that may contribute to the distinct "staghorn" versus "elkhorn" morphologies of these two sister species. The large number of differentially expressed genes supports a strong division of labor between coral branch tips and branch bases. Genes involved in growth of mature Acropora colonies include the classical signaling pathways associated with development of cnidarian larvae and polyps as well as morphological determination in higher metazoans.

'Ogura'-based 'CMS' lines with different nuclear backgrounds of cabbage revealed substantial diversity at morphological and molecular levels.

PubMed

Parkash, Chander; Kumar, Sandeep; Singh, Rajender; Kumar, Ajay; Kumar, Satish; Dey, Shyam Sundar; Bhatia, Reeta; Kumar, Raj

2018-01-01

A comprehensive study on characterization and genetic diversity analysis was carried out in 16 'Ogura'-based 'CMS' lines of cabbage using 14 agro-morphological traits and 29 SSR markers. Agro-morphological characterization depicted considerable variations for different horticultural traits studied. The genotype, ZHA-2, performed better for most of the economically important quantitative traits. Further, gross head weight (0.76), head length (0.60) and head width (0.83) revealed significant positive correlation with net head weight. Dendrogram based on 10 quantitative traits exhibited considerable diversity among different CMS lines and principle component analysis (PCA) indicated that net and gross head weight, and head length and width are the main components of divergence between 16 CMS lines of cabbage. In molecular study, a total of 58 alleles were amplified by 29 SSR primers, averaging to 2.0 alleles in each locus. High mean values of Shannon's Information index (0.62), expected (0.45) and observed (0.32) heterozygosity and polymorphic information content (0.35) depicted substantial polymorphism. Dendrogram based on Jaccard's similarity coefficient constructed two major groups and eight sub-groups, which revealed substantial diversity among different CMS lines. In overall, based on agro-morphological and molecular studies genotype RRMA, ZHA-2 and RCA were found most divergent. Hence, they have immense potential in future breeding programs for the high-yielding hybrid development in cabbage.

The effect of low energy helium ion irradiation on tungsten-tantalum (W-Ta) alloys under fusion relevant conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonderman, S.; Tripathi, J. K.; Novakowski, T. J.; Sizyuk, T.; Hassanein, A.

2017-08-01

Currently, tungsten remains the best candidate for plasma-facing components (PFCs) for future fusion devices because of its high melting point, low erosion, and strong mechanical properties. However, continued investigation has shown tungsten to undergo severe morphology changes under fusion-like conditions. These results motivate the study of innovative PFC materials which are resistant to surface morphology evolution. The goal of this work is to examine tungsten-tantalum (W-Ta) alloys, a potential PFC material, and their response to low energy helium ion irradiation. Specifically, W-Ta samples are exposed to 100 eV helium irradiations with a flux of 1.15 × 1021 ions m-2 s-1, at 873 K, 1023 K, and 1173 K for 1 h duration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals significant changes in surface deterioration due to helium ion irradiation as a function of both temperature and tantalum concentration in W-Ta samples. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) studies show a slight lattice parameter expansion in W-Ta alloy samples compared to pure W samples. The observed lattice parameter expansion in W-Ta alloy samples (proportional to increasing Ta wt.% concentrations) reflect significant differences observed in the evolution of surface morphology, i.e., fuzz development processes for both increasing Ta wt.% concentration and target temperature. These results suggest a correlation between the observed morphology differences and the induced crystal structure change caused by the presence of tantalum. Shifts in the XRD peaks before and after 100 eV helium irradiation with a flux of 1.15 × 1021 ions m-2 s-1, 1023 K, for 1 h showed a significant difference in the magnitude of the shift. This has suggested a possible link between the atomic spacing of the material and the accumulated damage. Ongoing research is needed on W-Ta alloys and other innovative materials for their application as irradiation resistant materials in future fusion or irradiation environments.

Does morphology predict trophic niche differentiation? Relationship between feeding habits and body shape in four co-occurring juvenile species (Pisces: Perciformes, Sparidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventura, Daniele; Bonhomme, Vincent; Colangelo, Paolo; Bonifazi, Andrea; Jona Lasinio, Giovanna; Ardizzone, Giandomenico

2017-05-01

Feeding habits, diet overlap and morphological correlates of four juvenile species of the genus Diplodus were investigated during their settlement periods, along the Tyrrhenian coast. Stomach content analysis showed that the diets of D. sargus and D. puntazzo mainly comprised benthic prey such as harpacticoid copepods, amphipods and polychaetes. On the other hand, D. vulgaris and D. annularis fed mainly on planktonic prey such as ciclopoids, calanoids copepods and fish larvae. A biologically significant diet overlap, calculated using the Schoener index, was recorded between D. sargus and D. puntazzo and between D. vulgaris and D. annularis. Morphological characters related to feeding such as gape height and gut length with their relative growth patterns suggested that different trophic preferences have led to a morphological diversification of feeding structures. Therefore, a geometric morphometric outline method, namely Elliptic Fourier Analysis (EFA) was used to examine shape modification of the head and body regions. The multivariate analyses performed on shape descriptors demonstrated that the four species were morphologically distinct due to different feeding habits: the two species which feed mainly on benthic prey presented a discoidal shape, with broad profiles and rounded head; by contrast, the other two species which relied mostly on planktonic prey, presented a streamlined and more elongated body shape.

Effect of amylose, particle size & morphology on the functionality of starches of traditional rice cultivars.

PubMed

Bhat, Farhan Mohiuddin; Riar, Charanjit Singh

2016-11-01

The research was carried out to investigate the effect of starch powder particle size, morphology, amylose content and varietal effect on physicochemical, X-ray diffraction pattern, thermal and pasting characteristics. The results indicated that starches isolated from seven traditional rice cultivars of temperate region of India have possessed higher yield (82.47-86.83%) with lower degree of granule damage and higher level of starch crystallinity (36.55-39.15%). The water and oil binding capacities were observed to correlate positively with amylose content. The bulk density and color parameters of starches were found to have linked with starch powder particle size coupled with arrangement and morphology of the starch granules. The rice cultivars having smaller starch powder particle size indicated lowest degree of crystallinity. Morphological studies revealed that the starches with tightly packed granules had greater mean granular width, while granules with openly spaced granular morphology depicted the higher values for mean granular length. The peak height index (PHI) among different starches ranged from 1.01 to 2.57 whereas the gelatinization range varied from 10.66 to 10.88. Concluding, the differences in distributional pattern of starch granule size and shape and powder particle size indicated a significant effect on the functional properties of starch. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlations between the Dielectric Properties and Exterior Morphology of Cells Revealed by Dielectrophoretic Field-Flow Fractionation

PubMed Central

Gascoyne, Peter R. C.; Shim, Sangjo; Noshari, Jamileh; Becker, Frederick F.; Stemke-Hale, Katherine

2013-01-01

Although dielectrophoresis (DEP) has great potential for addressing clinical cell isolation problems based on cell dielectric differences, a biological basis for predicting the DEP behavior of cells has been lacking. Here, the dielectric properties of the NCI-60 panel of tumor cell types have been measured by dielectrophoretic (DEP) field-flow fractionation, correlated with the exterior morphologies of the cells during growth, and compared with the dielectric and morphological characteristics of the subpopulations of peripheral blood. In agreement with earlier findings, cell total capacitance varied with both cell size and plasma membrane folding and the dielectric properties of the NCI-60 cell types in suspension reflected the plasma membrane area and volume of the cells at their growth sites. Therefore, the behavior of cells in DEP-based manipulations is largely determined by their exterior morphological characteristics prior to release into suspension. As a consequence, DEP is able to discriminate between cells of similar size having different morphological origins, offering a significant advantage over size-based filtering for isolating circulating tumor cells, for example. The findings provide a framework for anticipating cell dielectric behavior on the basis of structure-function relationships and suggest that DEP should be widely applicable as a surface marker-independent method for sorting cells. PMID:23172680

Changes in tendon spatial frequency parameters with loading.

PubMed

Pearson, Stephen J; Engel, Aaron J; Bashford, Gregory R

2017-05-24

To examine and compare the loading related changes in micro-morphology of the patellar tendon. Fifteen healthy young males (age 19±3yrs, body mass 83±5kg) were utilised in a within subjects matched pairs design. B mode ultrasound images were taken in the sagittal plane of the patellar tendon at rest with the knee at 90° flexion. Repeat images were taken whilst the subjects were carrying out maximal voluntary isometric contractions. Spatial frequency parameters related to the tendon morphology were determined within regions of interest (ROI) from the B mode images at rest and during isometric contractions. A number of spatial parameters were observed to be significantly different between resting and contracted images (Peak spatial frequency radius (PSFR), axis ratio, spatial Q-factor, PSFR amplitude ratio, and the sum). These spatial frequency parameters were indicative of acute alterations in the tendon micro-morphology with loading. Acute loading modifies the micro-morphology of the tendon, as observed via spatial frequency analysis. Further research is warranted to explore its utility with regard to different loading induced micro-morphological alterations, as these could give valuable insight not only to aid strengthening of this tissue but also optimization of recovery from injury and treatment of conditions such as tendinopathies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Position-related differences in selected morphological body characteristics of top-level handball players.

PubMed

Sibila, Marko; Pori, Primoz

2009-12-01

We aimed to establish the main morphological characteristics of Slovenian junior and senior national handball team players. Morphological characteristics for various player subgroups (goalkeepers, wings, back players and pivots) were also determined so as to establish whether they had distinct profiles. The subjects were 78 handball players who were members of the Slovenian junior and senior national team in the period from 2000 to 2007. A standardised anthropometric protocol was used to assess the subjects' morphological characteristics. The measurements included 23 different anthropometric measures. Data were processed with the SPSS computer programme. First, basic statistical characteristics of anthropometric measures were obtained for all subjects together and then for each group separately. Somatotypes were determined using Heath-Carter's method. Endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic components were calculated by computer on the basis of formulas. In order to determine differences in the body composition and anthropometric data of the subjects playing in different positions, a one-way analysis of variance was employed. The results show that on average the wings differ the most from the other player groups in terms of their morphological body characteristics. The values of their body height, body mass and the quantity of subcutaneous fat are statistically significantly lower than those of players in the other groups. Goalkeepers are relatively tall, with high values of body mass and low values of transuersal measures. Their skin folds are the most pronounced among all groups on average and their share of subcutaneous fat in total body mass is the highest. Consequently, their endomorphic component of the somatotype is pronounced. Pivots and back players are becoming increasingly similar in terms of their morphological body characteristics. Pivots maintain greater robustness, have a higher quantity of muscle mass as well as more pronounced transversal measures and a mesomorphic component of the somatotype. The results of our study confirm that groups of handball players occupying different positions differ amongst themselves in terms of many measurements. This is a result of specific requirements of handball play which are to be fulfilled by players.

The role of calcium and predation on plate morph evolution in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus).

PubMed

Smith, Carl; Spence, Rowena; Barber, Iain; Przybylski, Mirosław; Wootton, Robert J

2014-09-01

While the genetic basis to plate morph evolution of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is well described, the environmental variables that select for different plate and spine morphs are incompletely understood. Using replicate populations of three-spined sticklebacks on North Uist, Scotland, we previously investigated the role of predation pressure and calcium limitation on the adaptive evolution of stickleback morphology and behavior. While dissolved calcium proved a significant predictor of plate and spine morph, predator abundance did not. Ecol. Evol., xxx, 2014 and xxx performed a comparable analysis to our own to address the same question. They failed to detect a significant effect of dissolved calcium on morphological evolution, but did establish a significant effect of predation; albeit in the opposite direction to their prediction.

Comparison of Selected Morphological, Rheological and Biochemical Parameters of Winter Swimmers' Blood at the End of One Winter Swimming Season and at the Beginning of Another.

PubMed

Teległów, Aneta; Marchewka, Jakub; Tabarowski, Zbigniew; Rembiasz, Konrad; Głodzik, Jacek; Scisłowska-Czarnecka, Anna

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine potential differences in the morphological, rheological and biochemical blood parameters of winter swimmers who remained physically active during the period between the end of one winter swimming season and the beginning of another. The study included a group of healthy winter swimmers (n = 17, all between 30 and 60 years of age). Six months following the end of winter season, the levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular hemoglobin turned out to be significantly higher, while erythrocyte count and hematocrit level significantly lower than at the baseline. Moreover, the break in winter swimming was reflected by a significant increase in median erythrocyte elongation index at all shear stress levels ≥ 1.13 Pa. The only significant changes in biochemical parameters of the blood pertained to an increase in the concentration of transferrin and to a decrease in the total protein, albumin and beta-1 globulin concentrations. Seasonal effort of winter swimmers between the end of one winter swimming season and the beginning of another has a positive influence on morphological, rheological and biochemical blood parameters.

[Three-dimensional evaluation of condylar morphology remodeling after orthognathic surgery in mandibular retrognathism by cone-beam computed tomography].

PubMed

Chen, Shuo; Liu, Xiao-jing; Li, Zi-li; Liang, Cheng; Wang, Xiao-xia; Fu, Kai-yuan; Yi, Biao

2015-08-18

To evaluate the effect of orthognathic surgery on condylar morphology changes by comparing three-dimension surface reconstructions of condyles using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data. In the study, 18 patients with mandible retrognathism deformities were included and CBCT data of 36 temporomandibular joints were collected before surgery and 12 months after surgery. Condyles were reconstructed and superimposed pre- and post-operatively to compare the changes of condylar surfaces. One-sample t test and χ2 test were performed for the analysis of three-dimension metric measurement and condylar head remodeling signs. P<0.05 was considered significant. The root-mean-square (RMS) of condylar surface changes before and after the surgery was (0.37±0.11) mm, which was significant statistically (P<0.05). The distribution of condylar remodeling signs showed significant difference (P<0.05). Bone resorption occurred predominantly in the posterior area of condylar head and bone formation occurred mainly in the anterior area. Three-dimension superimposition method based on CBCT data showed that condylar morphology had undergone remodeling after mandibular advancement.

Morphological, physicochemical, and antioxidant profile of noncommercial banana cultivars

PubMed Central

Anyasi, Tonna A; Jideani, Afam IO; Mchau, Godwin A

2015-01-01

Banana cultivars––Luvhele (MusaABB), Mabonde (MusaAAA), and Muomva-red (Musa balbisiana) ––were characterized for morphological, physicochemical, and antioxidant properties. All three cultivars varied significantly (P < 0.05) in their morphology, pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids with no significant difference in their ash content. Individual cultivars showed variations in flour starch granule when observed using a scanning electron microscope. Characterization of cultivars for total polyphenols (TPs) and antioxidant activity upon pretreatment with ascorbic, citric, and lactic acid shows that the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay of samples varied significantly as Muomva-red cultivar (1.02 ± 0.01 mg GA/g) expressed the highest DPPH activity at lactic acid concentration of 20 g/L. Total polyphenol content was also highest for Muomva-red [1091.76 ± 122.81 mg GAE/100 g (d.w.)]. The high amount of TPs present in these cultivars make them suitable source of bio-nutrients with great medicinal and health functions. PMID:25987997

Segmentation of Brain Lesions in MRI and CT Scan Images: A Hybrid Approach Using k-Means Clustering and Image Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Ritu; Sharma, Manisha; Singh, Bikesh Kumar

2018-04-01

Manual segmentation and analysis of lesions in medical images is time consuming and subjected to human errors. Automated segmentation has thus gained significant attention in recent years. This article presents a hybrid approach for brain lesion segmentation in different imaging modalities by combining median filter, k means clustering, Sobel edge detection and morphological operations. Median filter is an essential pre-processing step and is used to remove impulsive noise from the acquired brain images followed by k-means segmentation, Sobel edge detection and morphological processing. The performance of proposed automated system is tested on standard datasets using performance measures such as segmentation accuracy and execution time. The proposed method achieves a high accuracy of 94% when compared with manual delineation performed by an expert radiologist. Furthermore, the statistical significance test between lesion segmented using automated approach and that by expert delineation using ANOVA and correlation coefficient achieved high significance values of 0.986 and 1 respectively. The experimental results obtained are discussed in lieu of some recently reported studies.

Multi-Parametric Analysis and Modeling of Relationships between Mitochondrial Morphology and Apoptosis

PubMed Central

Reis, Yara; Wolf, Thomas; Brors, Benedikt; Hamacher-Brady, Anne; Eils, Roland; Brady, Nathan R.

2012-01-01

Mitochondria exist as a network of interconnected organelles undergoing constant fission and fusion. Current approaches to study mitochondrial morphology are limited by low data sampling coupled with manual identification and classification of complex morphological phenotypes. Here we propose an integrated mechanistic and data-driven modeling approach to analyze heterogeneous, quantified datasets and infer relations between mitochondrial morphology and apoptotic events. We initially performed high-content, multi-parametric measurements of mitochondrial morphological, apoptotic, and energetic states by high-resolution imaging of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. Subsequently, decision tree-based analysis was used to automatically classify networked, fragmented, and swollen mitochondrial subpopulations, at the single-cell level and within cell populations. Our results revealed subtle but significant differences in morphology class distributions in response to various apoptotic stimuli. Furthermore, key mitochondrial functional parameters including mitochondrial membrane potential and Bax activation, were measured under matched conditions. Data-driven fuzzy logic modeling was used to explore the non-linear relationships between mitochondrial morphology and apoptotic signaling, combining morphological and functional data as a single model. Modeling results are in accordance with previous studies, where Bax regulates mitochondrial fragmentation, and mitochondrial morphology influences mitochondrial membrane potential. In summary, we established and validated a platform for mitochondrial morphological and functional analysis that can be readily extended with additional datasets. We further discuss the benefits of a flexible systematic approach for elucidating specific and general relationships between mitochondrial morphology and apoptosis. PMID:22272225

Morphological and biochemical studies of the elastic fibres in the craniomandibular joint articular disc of the tight-skin mouse.

PubMed

O'dell, N L; Burlison, S K; Starcher, B C; Pennington, C B

1996-05-01

The tight-skin (TSK) mouse is characterized by the hyperplasia of loose connective tissues, and of excessive growth of cartilage and of bones including the mandible. Since the fibroelastic connective tissues of the craniomandibular joint (CMJ) are essential to the functions of this joint, the present histological study compared the presence and general distribution of elastic fibres in CMJ discal tissues of TSK and normal mice. The excised CMJs were processed for light microscopy. The tissues were fixed, demineralized, embedded in paraffin, sectioned and then stained with resorcin-fuchsin to demonstrate elastic fibres. There were no obvious histological differences in either the amount or the distribution of elastic fibres in the discs from the two groups. In both groups, elastic fibres were found in the disc and in many of the attachments of the disc to the mandible and squamosal bone. In addition to the morphological preparations, articular discs and samples of lung tissue were excised from other mice and subjected to a radioimmunoassay for desmosine in order to estimate the amounts of elastin in these tissues; the amount of elastin was significantly reduced in the TSK lung, but the amounts of elastin in the TSK and normal CMJ discal tissues were not significantly different statistically. These morphological and histochemical results suggest that the distribution and quantity of elastic fibres in the TSK mouse disc are not significantly different from those in the normal mouse articular disc. Moreover, these data may be interpreted to either suggest a differential effect on the elastic fibres in different TSK tissues, or to support the suggestion that abnormal degradation of elastic fibres may not be characteristic of the TSK mouse.

Leaf Morphology, Photosynthetic Performance, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Stomatal Development of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Exposed to Different Ratios of Red Light to Blue Light.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Lu, Wei; Tong, Yuxin; Yang, Qichang

2016-01-01

Red and blue light are both vital factors for plant growth and development. We examined how different ratios of red light to blue light (R/B) provided by light-emitting diodes affected photosynthetic performance by investigating parameters related to photosynthesis, including leaf morphology, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal development, light response curve, and nitrogen content. In this study, lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.) were exposed to 200 μmol⋅m(-2)⋅s(-1) irradiance for a 16 h⋅d(-1) photoperiod under the following six treatments: monochromatic red light (R), monochromatic blue light (B) and the mixture of R and B with different R/B ratios of 12, 8, 4, and 1. Leaf photosynthetic capacity (A max) and photosynthetic rate (P n) increased with decreasing R/B ratio until 1, associated with increased stomatal conductance, along with significant increase in stomatal density and slight decrease in stomatal size. P n and A max under B treatment had 7.6 and 11.8% reduction in comparison with those under R/B = 1 treatment, respectively. The effective quantum yield of PSII and the efficiency of excitation captured by open PSII center were also significantly lower under B treatment than those under the other treatments. However, shoot dry weight increased with increasing R/B ratio with the greatest value under R/B = 12 treatment. The increase of shoot dry weight was mainly caused by increasing leaf area and leaf number, but no significant difference was observed between R and R/B = 12 treatments. Based on the above results, we conclude that quantitative B could promote photosynthetic performance or growth by stimulating morphological and physiological responses, yet there was no positive correlation between P n and shoot dry weight accumulation.

Leaf Morphology, Photosynthetic Performance, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Stomatal Development of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Exposed to Different Ratios of Red Light to Blue Light

PubMed Central

Wang, Jun; Lu, Wei; Tong, Yuxin; Yang, Qichang

2016-01-01

Red and blue light are both vital factors for plant growth and development. We examined how different ratios of red light to blue light (R/B) provided by light-emitting diodes affected photosynthetic performance by investigating parameters related to photosynthesis, including leaf morphology, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal development, light response curve, and nitrogen content. In this study, lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.) were exposed to 200 μmol⋅m−2⋅s−1 irradiance for a 16 h⋅d−1 photoperiod under the following six treatments: monochromatic red light (R), monochromatic blue light (B) and the mixture of R and B with different R/B ratios of 12, 8, 4, and 1. Leaf photosynthetic capacity (Amax) and photosynthetic rate (Pn) increased with decreasing R/B ratio until 1, associated with increased stomatal conductance, along with significant increase in stomatal density and slight decrease in stomatal size. Pn and Amax under B treatment had 7.6 and 11.8% reduction in comparison with those under R/B = 1 treatment, respectively. The effective quantum yield of PSII and the efficiency of excitation captured by open PSII center were also significantly lower under B treatment than those under the other treatments. However, shoot dry weight increased with increasing R/B ratio with the greatest value under R/B = 12 treatment. The increase of shoot dry weight was mainly caused by increasing leaf area and leaf number, but no significant difference was observed between R and R/B = 12 treatments. Based on the above results, we conclude that quantitative B could promote photosynthetic performance or growth by stimulating morphological and physiological responses, yet there was no positive correlation between Pn and shoot dry weight accumulation. PMID:27014285

Electron microscopy studies of the morphological evolution in hydrothermally derived lead titanate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhiyuan

Hydrothermal processing is a promising technique to synthesize perovskite ceramic powders. Understanding the reaction mechanisms and the factors that affect the particle morphologies is essential to optimize the hydrothermal processing. In this dissertation, the reaction mechanisms and nucleation processes in hydrothermally derived lead titanate (PbTiO3) are examined and established by morphological studies. The initial concentration of potassium hydroxide [KOH]i had a strong influence on the reaction. As [KOH] i increased from 0.01 M to 0.1 M to 1.0 M, the resultant morphology changed from irregular spherical to dendritic to faceted rectangular platelet morphology. The morphological evolution was well explained in the context of a supersaturation-nucleation relation. As the [KOH]i increased, the supersaturation increased and the nucleation mechanism changed from weak heterogeneous nucleation to strong heterogeneous nucleation or even homogeneous nucleation. These different nucleation mechanisms resulted in the different morphologies. Kinetic and morphological studies suggest that the reaction starting from nanocrystalline titania is dominated by dissolution-precipitation. The titanium precursors strongly affected the reaction. Increasing the particle size of precursors significantly reduced the reaction rate, especially at the low [KOH]i case. In situ transformations play important roles under the conditions of low [KOH] i and/or large particle size of precursors. Investigation using amorphous titania indicated that the nucleation of lead titanate at low and intermediate [KOH]i is via a in situ transformation while at high [KOH]i a dissolution-precipitation mechanism dominates. Ferro electricity of PbTiO3 also affects the particle morphology. The hydrothermal lead titanate particles could grow as a single domain during the processing. The ferroelectric polarization of PbTiO3 induced different local ionic environment between the positively and negatively charged surfaces, resulting a one-sided dendritic morphology at intermediate [KOH] i. The platelet morphology at high [KOH]i gave rise to a new type of size effect. For platelets with size less than a critical size of ˜70 nm, the domain polarization reoriented from perpendicular to the platelet during the processing, to parallel to the platelet after the particles were washed and dried (so that the depolarization energy builds up). This domain reorientation is attributed to strong depolarization effects and anisotropic geometry factors.

Morphological awareness intervention with kindergartners and first and second grade students from low SES homes: a small efficacy study.

PubMed

Apel, Kenn; Diehm, Emily

2014-01-01

We investigated the efficacy of a morphological awareness intervention on the morphological awareness and reading skills of students from low-socioeconomic-status homes; we also examined whether the intervention was similarly effective for intervention students who differed in their initial morphological awareness abilities. The 8-week intervention was designed to increase awareness of affixes and the relations between base words and their inflected and derived forms for kindergarteners (n = 27) and first- (n = 22) and second-grade (n = 26) students. Students randomly assigned to the small group intervention were provided instruction four times a week, 25 min a day, whereas students assigned to the control group received "business as usual." Kindergarten and first- and second-grade students receiving the intervention showed statistically significant gains in morphological awareness with large effect sizes on most measures. Students in all three grades who received the intervention demonstrated nonsignificant gains in literacy abilities with null to small effect sizes. Further, students with low morphological awareness abilities at the onset of the study demonstrated similar gains from the intervention as their peers with typical morphological awareness abilities. Our results suggest that explicit morphological awareness instruction may produce gains of practical importance to young elementary students at risk for future literacy difficulties.

The effects of ecology and evolutionary history on robust capuchin morphological diversity.

PubMed

Wright, Kristin A; Wright, Barth W; Ford, Susan M; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Izar, Patricia; Norconk, Marilyn; Masterson, Thomas; Hobbs, David G; Alfaro, Michael E; Lynch Alfaro, Jessica W

2015-01-01

Recent molecular work has confirmed the long-standing morphological hypothesis that capuchins are comprised of two distinct clades, the gracile (untufted) capuchins (genus Cebus, Erxleben, 1777) and the robust (tufted) capuchins (genus Sapajus Kerr, 1792). In the past, the robust group was treated as a single, undifferentiated and cosmopolitan species, with data from all populations lumped together in morphological and ecological studies, obscuring morphological differences that might exist across this radiation. Genetic evidence suggests that the modern radiation of robust capuchins began diversifying ∼2.5 Ma, with significant subsequent geographic expansion into new habitat types. In this study we use a morphological sample of gracile and robust capuchin craniofacial and postcranial characters to examine how ecology and evolutionary history have contributed to morphological diversity within the robust capuchins. We predicted that if ecology is driving robust capuchin variation, three distinct robust morphotypes would be identified: (1) the Atlantic Forest species (Sapajus xanthosternos, S. robustus, and S. nigritus), (2) the Amazonian rainforest species (S. apella, S. cay and S. macrocephalus), and (3) the Cerrado-Caatinga species (S. libidinosus). Alternatively, if diversification time between species pairs predicts degree of morphological difference, we predicted that the recently diverged S. apella, S. macrocephalus, S. libidinosus, and S. cay would be morphologically comparable, with greater variation among the more ancient lineages of S. nigritus, S. xanthosternos, and S. robustus. Our analyses suggest that S. libidinosus has the most derived craniofacial and postcranial features, indicative of inhabiting a more terrestrial niche that includes a dependence on tool use for the extraction of imbedded foods. We also suggest that the cranial robusticity of S. macrocephalus and S. apella are indicative of recent competition with sympatric gracile capuchin species, resulting in character displacement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cerebral morphology and dopamine D2/D3receptor distribution in humans: A combined [18F]fallypride and voxel-based morphometry study

PubMed Central

Woodward, Neil D.; Zald, David H.; Ding, Zhaohua; Riccardi, Patrizia; Ansari, M. Sib; Baldwin, Ronald M.; Cowan, Ronald L.; Li, Rui; Kessler, Robert M.

2009-01-01

The relationship between cerebral morphology and the expression of dopamine receptors has not been extensively studied in humans. Elucidation of such relationships may have important methodological implications for clinical studies of dopamine receptor ligand binding differences between control and patient groups. The association between cerebral morphology and dopamine receptor distribution was examined in 45 healthy subjects who completed T1-weighted structural MRI and PET scanning with the D2/D3 ligand [18F]fallypride. Optimized voxel-based morphometry was used to create grey matter volume and density images. Grey matter volume and density images were correlated with binding potential (BPND) images on a voxel-by-voxel basis using the Biological Parametric Mapping toolbox. Associations between cerebral morphology and BPND were also examined for selected regions-of-interest (ROIs) after spatial normalization. Voxel-wise analyses indicated that grey matter volume and density positively correlated with BPND throughout the midbrain, including the substantia nigra. Positive correlations were observed in medial cortical areas, including anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex, and circumscribed regions of the temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes. ROI analyses revealed significant positive correlations between BPND and cerebral morphology in the caudate, thalamus, and amygdala. Few negative correlations between morphology and BPND were observed. Overall, grey matter density appeared more strongly correlated with BPND than grey matter volume. Cerebral morphology, particularly grey matter density, correlates with [18F]fallypride BPND in a regionally specific manner. Clinical studies comparing dopamine receptor availability between clinical and control groups may benefit by accounting for potential differences in cerebral morphology that exist even after spatial normalization. PMID:19457373

Cerebral morphology and dopamine D2/D3 receptor distribution in humans: a combined [18F]fallypride and voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Woodward, Neil D; Zald, David H; Ding, Zhaohua; Riccardi, Patrizia; Ansari, M Sib; Baldwin, Ronald M; Cowan, Ronald L; Li, Rui; Kessler, Robert M

2009-05-15

The relationship between cerebral morphology and the expression of dopamine receptors has not been extensively studied in humans. Elucidation of such relationships may have important methodological implications for clinical studies of dopamine receptor ligand binding differences between control and patient groups. The association between cerebral morphology and dopamine receptor distribution was examined in 45 healthy subjects who completed T1-weighted structural MRI and PET scanning with the D(2)/D(3) ligand [(18)F]fallypride. Optimized voxel-based morphometry was used to create grey matter volume and density images. Grey matter volume and density images were correlated with binding potential (BP(ND)) images on a voxel-by-voxel basis using the Biological Parametric Mapping toolbox. Associations between cerebral morphology and BP(ND) were also examined for selected regions-of-interest (ROIs) after spatial normalization. Voxel-wise analyses indicated that grey matter volume and density positively correlated with BP(ND) throughout the midbrain, including the substantia nigra. Positive correlations were observed in medial cortical areas, including anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex, and circumscribed regions of the temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes. ROI analyses revealed significant positive correlations between BP(ND) and cerebral morphology in the caudate, thalamus, and amygdala. Few negative correlations between morphology and BP(ND) were observed. Overall, grey matter density appeared more strongly correlated with BP(ND) than grey matter volume. Cerebral morphology, particularly grey matter density, correlates with [(18)F]fallypride BP(ND) in a regionally specific manner. Clinical studies comparing dopamine receptor availability between clinical and control groups may benefit by accounting for potential differences in cerebral morphology that exist even after spatial normalization.

Hip morphology in elite golfers: asymmetry between lead and trail hips.

PubMed

Dickenson, Edward; O'Connor, Philip; Robinson, Philip; Campbell, Robert; Ahmed, Imran; Fernandez, Miguel; Hawkes, Roger; Charles, Hutchinson; Griffin, Damian

2016-09-01

During a golf swing, the lead hip (left hip in a right-handed player) rotates rapidly from external to internal rotation, while the opposite occurs in the trail hip. This study assessed the morphology and pathology of golfers' hips comparing lead and trail hips. A cohort of elite golfers were invited to undergo MRI of their hips. Hip morphology was evaluated by measuring acetabular depth (pincer shape=negative measure), femoral neck antetorsion (retrotorsion=negative measure) and α angles (cam morphology defined as α angle >55° anteriorly) around the axis of the femoral neck. Consultant musculoskeletal radiologists determined the presence of intra-articular pathology. 55 players (mean age 28 years, 52 left hip lead) underwent MRI. No player had pincer morphology, 2 (3.6%) had femoral retrotorsion and 9 (16%) had cam morphology. 7 trail hips and 2 lead hips had cam morphology (p=0.026). Lead hip femoral neck antetorsion was 16.7° compared with 13.0° in the trail hip (p<0.001). The α angles around the femoral neck were significantly lower in the lead compared with trail hips (p<0.001), with the greatest difference noted in the anterosuperior portion of the head neck junction; 53° vs 58° (p<0.001) and 43° vs 47° (p<0.001). 37% of trail and 16% of lead hips (p=0.038) had labral tears. Golfers' lead and trail hips have different morphology. This is the first time side-to-side asymmetry of cam prevalence has been reported. The trail hip exhibited a higher prevalence of labral tears. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Are there any differences in power performance and morphological characteristics of Croatian adolescent soccer players according to the team position?

PubMed

Sporis, Goran; Vucetić, Vlatko; Jovanović, Mario; Milanović, Zoran; Rucević, Marijan; Vuleta, Dinko

2011-12-01

The aim of the study was to analyze differences in power performance and morphological characteristics of young Croatian soccer players with respect to their team positions and to establish correlations between the power performance variables. Anthropometric characteristics and jumping and sprint performances were analyzed for 45 soccer players (age 14-15; mean body height 175.4 +/- 6.61 cm; body weight 63.6 +/- 8.06 kg) according to their team positions (defender, midfielder, forward). Pearsons coefficient of correlation was used to determine the relationship between the power performance variables. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the power performance of players according to their team position. The only significant differences between players were in some of the anthropometric characteristics, such as height and weight linear relationship was determined between almost all the power performance variables. Since the players in this study were very young and their sports careers have not reached their peak performance, it is possible that their nominal team positions may change during their soccer careers.

Effect of Different Ceramic Crown Preparations on Tooth Structure Loss: An In Vitro Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimpour, Ashkan

Objective: To quantify and compare the amount of tooth-structure reduction following the full-coverage preparations for crown materials of porcelain-fused-to-metal, lithium disilicate glass-ceramic and yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline for three tooth morphologies. Methods: Groups of resin teeth of different morphologies were individually weighed to high precision, then prepared following the preparation guidelines. The teeth were re-weighed after preparation and the amount of structural reduction was calculated. Statistical analyses were performed to find out if there was a significant difference among the groups. Results: Amount of tooth reduction for zirconia crown preparations was the lowest and statistically different compared with the other two materials. No statistical significance was found between the amount of reduction for porcelain-fused-to-metal and lithium disilicate glass-ceramic crowns. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, more tooth structure can be saved when utilizing zirconia full-coverage restorations compared with lithium disilicate glass-ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns in maxillary central incisors, first premolars and first molars.

Comparative study of plant responses to carbon-based nanomaterials with different morphologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lahiani, Mohamed H.; Dervishi, Enkeleda; Ivanov, Ilia

The relationship between the morphology of carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) and the specific response of plants exposed to CBNs has not been studied systematically. Here, we prove that CBNs with different morphologies can activate cell growth, germination, and plant growth. A tobacco cell culture growth was found to increase by 22%–46% when CBNs such as helical multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), few-layered graphene, long MWCNTs, and short MWCNTs were added to the growth medium at a concentration of 50 μg ml –1. The germination of exposed tomato seeds, as well as the growth of exposed tomato seedlings, were significantly enhanced by themore » addition of all tested CBNs. The presence of CBNs inside exposed seeds was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The effects of helical MWCNTs on gene expression in tomato seeds and seedlings were investigated by microarray technology and real time-PCR. Helical MWCNTs affected a number of genes involved in cellular and metabolic processes and response to stress factors. It was shown that the expression of the tomato water channel gene in tomato seeds exposed to helical MWCNTs was upregulated. Furthermore, these established findings demonstrate that CBNs with different morphologies can cause the same biological effects and share similar mechanisms in planta.« less

Comparative study of plant responses to carbon-based nanomaterials with different morphologies

DOE PAGES

Lahiani, Mohamed H.; Dervishi, Enkeleda; Ivanov, Ilia; ...

2016-05-19

The relationship between the morphology of carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) and the specific response of plants exposed to CBNs has not been studied systematically. Here, we prove that CBNs with different morphologies can activate cell growth, germination, and plant growth. A tobacco cell culture growth was found to increase by 22%–46% when CBNs such as helical multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), few-layered graphene, long MWCNTs, and short MWCNTs were added to the growth medium at a concentration of 50 μg ml –1. The germination of exposed tomato seeds, as well as the growth of exposed tomato seedlings, were significantly enhanced by themore » addition of all tested CBNs. The presence of CBNs inside exposed seeds was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The effects of helical MWCNTs on gene expression in tomato seeds and seedlings were investigated by microarray technology and real time-PCR. Helical MWCNTs affected a number of genes involved in cellular and metabolic processes and response to stress factors. It was shown that the expression of the tomato water channel gene in tomato seeds exposed to helical MWCNTs was upregulated. Furthermore, these established findings demonstrate that CBNs with different morphologies can cause the same biological effects and share similar mechanisms in planta.« less

Comparative study of plant responses to carbon-based nanomaterials with different morphologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahiani, Mohamed H.; Dervishi, Enkeleda; Ivanov, Ilia; Chen, Jihua; Khodakovskaya, Mariya

2016-07-01

The relationship between the morphology of carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) and the specific response of plants exposed to CBNs has not been studied systematically. Here, we prove that CBNs with different morphologies can activate cell growth, germination, and plant growth. A tobacco cell culture growth was found to increase by 22%-46% when CBNs such as helical multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), few-layered graphene, long MWCNTs, and short MWCNTs were added to the growth medium at a concentration of 50 μg ml-1. The germination of exposed tomato seeds, as well as the growth of exposed tomato seedlings, were significantly enhanced by the addition of all tested CBNs. The presence of CBNs inside exposed seeds was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The effects of helical MWCNTs on gene expression in tomato seeds and seedlings were investigated by microarray technology and real time-PCR. Helical MWCNTs affected a number of genes involved in cellular and metabolic processes and response to stress factors. It was shown that the expression of the tomato water channel gene in tomato seeds exposed to helical MWCNTs was upregulated. These established findings demonstrate that CBNs with different morphologies can cause the same biological effects and share similar mechanisms in planta.

Foot dimensions and morphology in healthy weight, overweight and obese males.

PubMed

Price, Carina; Nester, Christopher

2016-08-01

Overweight and obesity are increasing in prevalence. However, despite reports of poor foot health, the influence of obesity and overweight on adult foot morphology has received limited attention. The objective of this work is to accurately and appropriately quantify the foot morphology of adults who are overweight and obese. The foot morphology of 23 healthy weight (BMI=22.9kg.m(-2)), overweight (27.5kg.m(-2)) and obese (32.9kg.m(-2)) age (60years) matched males was quantified using a 3D scanner (all size UK 9). Data analysis computed normalised (to foot length) standard anatomical measures, and widths, heights and circumferences of 31 evenly spaced cross-sections of right feet. Anatomical measures of foot, ball and heel width, ball and heel circumference and ball height were all greater in the obese group than the healthy weight (P<0.05). Cross-sectional measures were significantly wider than the healthy group for the majority of measures from 14 to 67% (P=0.025-1.000) of heel-to-toe length. Also, the obese group had significantly higher midfoot regions (P=0.024-0.025). This increased foot height was not evident from anatomical measures, which were not sensitive enough to detect dimensional differences in this foot region. Feet of obese adults differ from healthy and overweight individuals, notably they are wider. Data needs to avoid reliance upon discrete anatomical landmarks to describe foot morphology. In the obese, changes in foot shape do not coincide with traditional anatomical landmarks and more comprehensive foot shape data are required to inform footwear design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trophic ecology and gill raker morphology of seven catostomid species in Iowa rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spiegel, J.R.; Quist, M.C.; Morris, J.E.

2011-01-01

Understanding the trophic ecology of closely-related species is important for providing insight on inter-specific competition and resource partitioning. Although catostomids often dominate fish assemblages in lotic systems, little research has been conducted on their ecology. This study was developed to provide information on the trophic ecology of catostomids in several Iowa rivers. Food habits, diet overlap, and gill raker morphology were examined for highfin carpsucker Carpiodes velifer, quillback C.??cyprinus, river carpsucker C.??carpio, golden redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum, shorthead redhorse M.??macrolepidotum, silver redhorse M.??anisurum, and northern hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans sampled from four Iowa rivers (2009). Diet overlap among all species was calculated with Morista's index (C). Food habit niche width was quantified with Levin's index (B) and similarity in gill raker morphology was compared with analysis of covariance. Values from Morista's index suggested significant overlap in the diets of highfin carpsucker and river carpsucker (C=0.81), quillback and river carpsucker (C=0.66), and shorthead redhorse and silver redhorse (C=0.67). Levin's index indicated that golden redhorse (B=0.32), quillback (B=0.53), and river carpsucker (B=0.41) had the most generalized feeding strategies as their food niche widths were substantially wider than the other species. Gill raker length and spacing were positively correlated with the standard length of the fish for all species (gill raker length: r2=0.67-0.88, P???0.01; gill raker spacing: r2=0.63-0.73, P???0.01). Slopes of regression of gill raker length and spacing to standard lengths were significantly (P???0.05) different among species, indicating that rates of change in gill raker morphology with body length varied among species. Differences in gill raker morphology likely allow catostomids to partition resources and reduce competitive interactions. ?? 2011.

The Physical Origin of Galaxy Morphologies and Scaling Laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinmetz, Matthias; Navarro, Julio F.

2002-01-01

We propose a numerical study designed to interpret the origin and evolution of galaxy properties revealed by space- and ground-based imaging and spectroscopical surveys. Our aim is to unravel the physical processes responsible for the development of different galaxy morphologies and for the establishment of scaling laws such as the Tully-Fisher relation for spirals and the Fundamental Plane of ellipticals. In particular, we plan to address the following major topics: (1) The morphology and observability of protogalaxies, and in particular the relationship between primordial galaxies and the z approximately 3 'Ly-break' systems identified in the Hubble Deep Field and in ground-based searches; (2) The origin of the disk and spheroidal components in galaxies, the timing and mode of their assembly, the corresponding evolution in galaxy morphologies and its sensitivity to cosmological parameters; (3) The origin and redshift evolution of the scaling laws that link the mass, luminosity size, stellar content, and metal abundances of galaxies of different morphological types. This investigation will use state-of-the-art N-body/gasdynamical codes to provide a spatially resolved description of the galaxy formation process in hierarchically clustering universes. Coupled with population synthesis techniques. our models can be used to provide synthetic 'observations' that can be compared directly with observations of galaxies both nearby and at cosmologically significant distances. This study will thus provide insight into the nature of protogalaxies and into the formation process of galaxies like our own Milky Way. It will also help us to assess the cosmological significance of these observations within the context of hierarchical theories of galaxy formation and will supply a theoretical context within which current and future observations can be interpreted.

Possible natural hybridization of two morphologically distinct species of Acropora (Cnidaria, Scleractinia) in the Pacific: fertilization and larval survival rates.

PubMed

Isomura, Naoko; Iwao, Kenji; Fukami, Hironobu

2013-01-01

Natural hybridization of corals in the Indo-Pacific has been considered rather rare. However, field studies have observed many corals with intermediate interspecific or unusual morphologies. Given that the existence of F1 hybrids with intermediate interspecific morphologies has been proven in the Caribbean, hybrids may also inhabit the Indo-Pacific and occur more frequently than expected. In this study, we focused on two morphologically different species, Acropora florida and A. intermedia, and performed crossing experiments at Akajima Island, Japan. Results showed that these species could hybridize in both directions via eggs and sperm, but that fertilization rates significantly differed according to which species provided eggs. These results are similar to those reported from the Caribbean. Although all embryos developed normally to the planular larval stage, the developmental processes of some hybrid embryos were delayed by approximately 1 h compared with conspecific embryos, suggesting that fertilization occurred 1 h later in interspecific crosses than in intraspecific crosses. More successful hybridization could occur under conditions with low numbers of conspecific colonies. Additionally, a comparison of survival rates between hybrid and intraspecific larvae revealed that intra- and interspecific larvae produced from eggs of A. florida survived for significantly longer than those produced from eggs of A. intermedia. Considering these data, under specific conditions, hybrids can be expected to be produced and survive in nature in the Pacific. Furthermore, we identified one colony with intermediate morphology between A. florida and A. intermedia in the field. This colony was fertilized only by eggs of A. florida, with high fertilization rates, suggesting that this colony would be a hybrid of these two species and might be backcrossed.

Fine root morphological adaptations in Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch along a latitudinal gradient in boreal forests.

PubMed

Ostonen, Ivika; Lõhmus, Krista; Helmisaari, Heljä-Sisko; Truu, Jaak; Meel, Signe

2007-11-01

Variability in short root morphology of the three main tree species of Europe's boreal forest (Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth)) was investigated in four stands along a latitudinal gradient from northern Finland to southern Estonia. Silver birch and Scots pine were present in three stands and Norway spruce was present in all stands. For three fertile Norway spruce stands, fine root biomass and number of root tips per stand area or unit basal area were assessed from north to south. Principal component analysis indicated that short root morphology was significantly affected by tree species and site, which together explained 34.7% of the total variability. The range of variation in mean specific root area (SRA) was 51-74, 60-70 and 84-124 m(2) kg(-1) for Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch, respectively, and the corresponding ranges for specific root length were 37-47, 40-48 and 87-97 m g(-1). The range of variation in root tissue density of Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch was 113-182, 127-158 and 81-156 kg m(-3), respectively. Sensitivity of short root morphology to site conditions decreased in the order: Norway spruce > silver birch > Scots pine. Short root SRA increased with site fertility in all species. In Norway spruce, fine root biomass and number of root tips per m(2) decreased from north to south. The differences in morphological parameters among sites were significant but smaller than the site differences in fine root biomass and number of root tips.

Prostate Cancer in Iran: Trends in Incidence and Morphological and Epidemiological Characteristics.

PubMed

Pakzad, Reza; Rafiemanesh, Hosein; Ghoncheh, Mahshid; Sarmad, Arezoo; Salehiniya, Hamid; Hosseini, Sayedehafagh; Sepehri, Zahra; Afshari-Moghadam, Amin

2016-01-01

Prostate cancer is second most common cancer in men overall in the world, whereas it is the third most common cancer in men and the sixth most common cancer in Iran. Few studies have been conducted on the epidemiology of prostate cancer in Iran. Since ethnicity of Iranian men is different from Asian people and given the epidemiologic and demographic transition taking place in Iran, this study aimed to investigate trends of incidence and morphology of prostate cancer during 2003 - 2008 in the country. Data were collected retrospectively reviewing all new prostate cancer patients in the Cancer Registry Center of the Health Deputy for Iran during a 6-year period. Also carcinoma, NOS and adenocarcinoma, NOS morphology were surveyed. Trends analysis of incidence and morphology was by joinpoint regression. During the six years a total of 16,071 cases of prostate cancer were recorded in Iran. Most were adenocarcinomas at 95.2 percent. Trend analysis of incidence (ASR) There was a significant increase incidence, with annual percentage change (APC) of 17.3% and for morphology change percentage trends there was a significant decrease in adenocarcinoma with an APC of -1.24%. Prostate cancer is a disease of older men and the incidence is increasing in Iran. The most common morphology is adenocarcinoma this appears to be decreasing over time. Due to the changing lifestyles and the aging of the population, epidemiological studies and planning assessment of the etiology of prostate cancer and its early detection are essential.

How Orthography Modulates Morphological Priming: Subliminal Kanji Activation in Japanese.

PubMed

Nakano, Yoko; Ikemoto, Yu; Jacob, Gunnar; Clahsen, Harald

2016-01-01

The current study investigates to what extent masked morphological priming is modulated by language-particular properties, specifically by its writing system. We present results from two masked priming experiments investigating the processing of complex Japanese words written in less common (moraic) scripts. In Experiment 1, participants performed lexical decisions on target verbs; these were preceded by primes which were either (i) a past-tense form of the same verb, (ii) a stem-related form with the epenthetic vowel -i, (iii) a semantically-related form, and (iv) a phonologically-related form. Significant priming effects were obtained for prime types (i), (ii), and (iii), but not for (iv). This pattern of results differs from previous findings on languages with alphabetic scripts, which found reliable masked priming effects for morphologically related prime/target pairs of type (i), but not for non-affixal and semantically-related primes of types (ii), and (iii). In Experiment 2, we measured priming effects for prime/target pairs which are neither morphologically, semantically, phonologically nor - as presented in their moraic scripts-orthographically related, but which-in their commonly written form-share the same kanji, which are logograms adopted from Chinese. The results showed a significant priming effect, with faster lexical-decision times for kanji-related prime/target pairs relative to unrelated ones. We conclude that affix-stripping is insufficient to account for masked morphological priming effects across languages, but that language-particular properties (in the case of Japanese, the writing system) affect the processing of (morphologically) complex words.

How Orthography Modulates Morphological Priming: Subliminal Kanji Activation in Japanese

PubMed Central

Nakano, Yoko; Ikemoto, Yu; Jacob, Gunnar; Clahsen, Harald

2016-01-01

The current study investigates to what extent masked morphological priming is modulated by language-particular properties, specifically by its writing system. We present results from two masked priming experiments investigating the processing of complex Japanese words written in less common (moraic) scripts. In Experiment 1, participants performed lexical decisions on target verbs; these were preceded by primes which were either (i) a past-tense form of the same verb, (ii) a stem-related form with the epenthetic vowel -i, (iii) a semantically-related form, and (iv) a phonologically-related form. Significant priming effects were obtained for prime types (i), (ii), and (iii), but not for (iv). This pattern of results differs from previous findings on languages with alphabetic scripts, which found reliable masked priming effects for morphologically related prime/target pairs of type (i), but not for non-affixal and semantically-related primes of types (ii), and (iii). In Experiment 2, we measured priming effects for prime/target pairs which are neither morphologically, semantically, phonologically nor - as presented in their moraic scripts—orthographically related, but which—in their commonly written form—share the same kanji, which are logograms adopted from Chinese. The results showed a significant priming effect, with faster lexical-decision times for kanji-related prime/target pairs relative to unrelated ones. We conclude that affix-stripping is insufficient to account for masked morphological priming effects across languages, but that language-particular properties (in the case of Japanese, the writing system) affect the processing of (morphologically) complex words. PMID:27065895

Probing the Role of Zr Addition versus Textural Properties in Enhancement of CO 2 Adsorption Performance in Silica/PEI Composite Sorbents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakwa-Novak, Miles A.; Holewinski, Adam; Hoyt, Caroline B.

2015-08-08

Polymeric amines such as poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) supported on mesoporous oxides are promising candidate adsorbents for CO 2 capture processes. One important aspect to the design and optimization of these materials is a fundamental understanding of how the properties of the oxide support such as pore structure, particle morphology, and surface properties affect the efficiency of the guest polymer in its interactions with CO 2. Previously, the efficiency of impregnated PEI to adsorb CO 2 was shown to increase upon the addition of Zr as a surface modifier in SBA-15. But, the efficacy of this method to tune the adsorption performancemore » has not been explored in materials of differing textural and morphological nature. These issues are directly addressed via the preparation of an array of SBA-15 support materials with varying textural and morphological properties, as well as varying content of zirconium doped into the material. Zirconium is incorporated into the SBA-15 either during the synthesis of the SBA-15, or postsynthetically via deposition of Zr species onto pure-silica SBA-15. The method of Zr incorporation alters the textural and morphological properties of the parent SBA-15 in different ways. Importantly, the CO 2 capacity of SBA-15 impregnated with PEI increases by a maximum of ~60% with the quantity of doped Zr for a “standard” SBA-15 containing significant microporosity, while no increase in the CO 2 capacity is observed upon Zr incorporation for an SBA-15 with reduced microporosity and a larger pore size, pore volume, and particle size. Finally, adsorbents supported on SBA-15 with controlled particle morphology show only modest increases in CO 2 capacity upon inclusion of Zr to the silica framework. The data demonstrate that the textural and morphological properties of the support have a more significant impact on the ability of PEI to capture CO 2 than the support surface composition.« less

Probing the Role of Zr Addition versus Textural Properties in Enhancement of CO₂ Adsorption Performance in Silica/PEI Composite Sorbents.

PubMed

Sakwa-Novak, Miles A; Holewinski, Adam; Hoyt, Caroline B; Yoo, Chun-Jae; Chai, Song-Hai; Dai, Sheng; Jones, Christopher W

2015-09-01

Polymeric amines such as poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) supported on mesoporous oxides are promising candidate adsorbents for CO2 capture processes. An important aspect to the design and optimization of these materials is a fundamental understanding of how the properties of the oxide support such as pore structure, particle morphology, and surface properties affect the efficiency of the guest polymer in its interactions with CO2. Previously, the efficiency of impregnated PEI to adsorb CO2 was shown to increase upon the addition of Zr as a surface modifier in SBA-15. However, the efficacy of this method to tune the adsorption performance has not been explored in materials of differing textural and morphological nature. Here, these issues are directly addressed via the preparation of an array of SBA-15 support materials with varying textural and morphological properties, as well as varying content of zirconium doped into the material. Zirconium is incorporated into the SBA-15 either during the synthesis of the SBA-15, or postsynthetically via deposition of Zr species onto pure-silica SBA-15. The method of Zr incorporation alters the textural and morphological properties of the parent SBA-15 in different ways. Importantly, the CO2 capacity of SBA-15 impregnated with PEI increases by a maximum of ∼60% with the quantity of doped Zr for a "standard" SBA-15 containing significant microporosity, while no increase in the CO2 capacity is observed upon Zr incorporation for an SBA-15 with reduced microporosity and a larger pore size, pore volume, and particle size. Finally, adsorbents supported on SBA-15 with controlled particle morphology show only modest increases in CO2 capacity upon inclusion of Zr to the silica framework. The data demonstrate that the textural and morphological properties of the support have a more significant impact on the ability of PEI to capture CO2 than the support surface composition.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakwa-Novak, Miles A.; Holewinski, Adam; Hoyt, Caroline B.

Polymeric amines such as poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) supported on mesoporous oxides are promising candidate adsorbents for CO2 capture processes. An important aspect to the design and optimization of these materials is a fundamental understanding of how the properties of the oxide support such as pore structure, particle morphology, and surface properties affect the efficiency of the guest polymer in its interactions with CO2. Previously, the efficiency of impregnated PEI to adsorb CO2 was shown to increase upon the addition of Zr as a surface modifier in SBA-15. However, the efficacy of this method to tune the adsorption performance has not beenmore » explored in materials of differing textural and morphological nature. Here, these issues are directly addressed via the preparation of an array of SBA-15 support materials with varying textural and morphological properties, as well as varying content of zirconium doped into the material. Zirconium is incorporated into the SBA-15 either during the synthesis of the SBA-15, or postsynthetically via deposition of Zr species onto pure-silica SBA-15. The method of Zr incorporation alters the textural and morphological properties of the parent SBA-15 in different ways. Importantly, the CO2 capacity of SBA-15 impregnated with PEI increases by a maximum of ~60% with the quantity of doped Zr for a “standard” SBA-15 containing significant microporosity, while no increase in the CO2 capacity is observed upon Zr incorporation for an SBA-15 with reduced microporosity and a larger pore size, pore volume, and particle size. Finally, adsorbents supported on SBA-15 with controlled particle morphology show only modest increases in CO2 capacity upon inclusion of Zr to the silica framework. The data demonstrate that the textural and morphological properties of the support have a more significant impact on the ability of PEI to capture CO2 than the support surface composition.« less

Intraspecific divergence in sperm morphology of the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis: implications for selection in broadcast spawners

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Sperm morphology can be highly variable among species, but less is known about patterns of population differentiation within species. Most studies of sperm morphometric variation are done in species with internal fertilization, where sexual selection can be mediated by complex mating behavior and the environment of the female reproductive tract. Far less is known about patterns of sperm evolution in broadcast spawners, where reproductive dynamics are largely carried out at the gametic level. We investigated variation in sperm morphology of a broadcast spawner, the green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis), within and among spawnings of an individual, among individuals within a population, and among populations. We also examined population-level variation between two reproductive seasons for one population. We then compared among-population quantitative genetic divergence (QST) for sperm characters to divergence at neutral microsatellite markers (FST). Results All sperm traits except total length showed strong patterns of high diversity among populations, as did overall sperm morphology quantified using multivariate analysis. We also found significant differences in almost all traits among individuals in all populations. Head length, axoneme length, and total length had high within-male repeatability across multiple spawnings. Only sperm head width had significant within-population variation across two reproductive seasons. We found signatures of directional selection on head length and head width, with strong selection possibly acting on head length between the Pacific and West Atlantic populations. We also discuss the strengths and limitations of the QST-FST comparison. Conclusion Sperm morphology in S. droebachiensis is highly variable, both among populations and among individuals within populations, and has low variation within an individual across multiple spawnings. Selective pressures acting among populations may differ from those acting within, with directional selection implicated in driving divergence among populations and balancing selection as a possible mechanism for producing variability among males. Sexual selection in broadcast spawners may be mediated by different processes from those acting on internal fertilizers. Selective divergence in sperm head length among populations is associated with ecological differences among populations that may play a large role in mediating sexual selection in this broadcast spawner. PMID:18851755

Morphological analysis of the pancreas and liver in diabetic KK-A(y) mice treated with zinc and oxovanadium complexes.

PubMed

Moroki, Takayasu; Yoshikawa, Yutaka; Yoshizawa, Katsuhiko; Tsubura, Airo; Yasui, Hiroyuki

2014-09-01

The relationship between biometals, such as zinc (Zn(2+)), vanadium, copper, cobalt, and magnesium ions, and diabetes therapy has been recognized for several years. In particular, the antidiabetic activities of Zn(2+) and oxovanadium (VO(2+)) complexes have been measured using biochemical approaches. In the present study, diabetic KK-A(y) mice were treated with bis(1-oxy-2-pyridine-thiolato)Zn(2+) (Zn(opt)2) and bis(1-oxy-2-pyridine-thiolato)VO(2+) (VO(opt)2) for 4 weeks, and the antidiabetic activities of these metal complexes were evaluated using biochemical and morphological methods. Additionally, zinc gluconate (Zn(glc)2) and bis(ethylmaltolato)VO(2+) (VO(emal)2) were used as reference compounds. Pancreatic islet cells were smaller, and there was a tendency towards a lower islet cell area ratio in Zn(opt)2-treated mice compared with nontreated KK-A(y) mice. Furthermore, plasma insulin concentrations were significantly reduced to 27.2% of insulin concentrations in nontreated KK-A(y) mice. These results suggest that Zn(opt)2 administration provides morphological and biochemical improvements in hyperinsulinaemia. In contrast, in mice that received Zn(glc)2 and VO(2+) complexes, the islet cell size and islet cell area ratio did not differ from those in nontreated controls. Zn(opt)2- and VO(opt)2-treated mice exhibited significantly lower fat deposition and fat deposition area ratio in the liver (63.6% and 65.8% of nontreated KK-A(y) mice, respectively) compared to those observed in nontreated KK-A(y) mice. The differences in morphological improvements of the pancreas and liver owing to Zn(opt)2 or VO(opt)2 treatment may be explained by differences in the sites of actions of Zn(2+) and VO(2+) complexes in different organs in KK-A(y) mice. In conclusion, Zn(opt)2 exhibited superior antidiabetic effects over those of VO(opt)2, and this was owing to greater amelioration of the morphological parameters of the liver and pancreas.

Morphological driven photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Khaldoon N.; Bidin, Noriah

2017-02-01

Using a simple combination of pulse laser ablation in liquid and hydrothermal (PLAL-H) approaches, we control the morphology of ZnO nanostructures (ZNSs) to determine the feasibility of their photocatalytic efficacy. These ZNSs are deposited on Si (100) substrates and two different morphologies are achieved. In this synergistic approach, PLAL synthesized NSs are used as a nutrient solution with different pH for further hydrothermal treatment at 110 °C under varying growth time (5, 30 and 60 min). Surface morphology, structure, composition, and optical characteristics of the prepared ZNSs are determined using FESEM, XRD, FTIR and Photoluminescence (PL) and UV-vis absorption measurements. The morphology revealed remarkable transformation from nanorods (NRs)/nanoflowers (NFs) (at pH 7.6) to nanoparticles (NPs)-like (at pH 10.5) structure. XRD patterns showed better polycrystallinity for NPs with enlarged band gap than NR/NF-like structures. Both PL and UV-vis spectral analysis of ZNPs exhibited higher surface area and deep level defects density dependent morphology, where the nutrient pH and growth time variation are found to play a significant role towards structural evolution. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activities of, such ZNSs are evaluated via sunlight driven photo-degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The photocatalytic efficiency of ZNPs is demonstrated to be much superior (97.4%) than ZNRs/ZNFs-like morphology (86%). Such enhanced photocatalytic activities of as-synthesized ZNPs is attributed to the synergism of the improved surface area and defects density, which is useful for promoting the adsorption of the MB dye and suppressed surface recombination of photo-generated charge carriers.

Relationship between Angiographic Results and Morphology in Sidewall Intracranial Aneurysms after Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization.

PubMed

Nii, Kouhei; Aikawa, Hiroshi; Tsutsumi, Masanori; Eto, Ayumu; Iko, Minoru; Sakamoto, Kimiya; Inoue, Ritsuro; Mitsutake, Takafumi; Hanada, Hayatsura; Kazekawa, Kiyoshi

2016-03-01

Stent-assisted coil embolization (SACE) is used to address wide-necked or complex aneurysms. However, as they may recanalize after SACE, predictors of recanalization are needed. We investigated the relationship between follow-up angiographic results and the morphology of sidewall (SW) aneurysms in patients treated by SACE. Between September 2010 and September 2014, we performed 80 SACE procedures for SW intracranial aneurysms. Angiographic findings, obtained immediately after the procedure, 3-6 months thereafter, and when aneurysmal recanalization was suspected on MR angiogram scan, were recorded. Morphologically, the SW aneurysms were classified as "outside" (OS) and "partially inside" (PI) based on the curve of the axes of the proximal or distal parent artery with respect to the aneurysmal neck. Follow-up angiographic studies on OS- and PI SW aneurysms were compared. On the initial angiograms, we classified 42 aneurysms as OS and 38 as PI. Immediately after SACE, there was no significant difference in the angiographic findings on OS and PI aneurysms. However, on follow-up angiograms, there was a significant difference in the rate of spontaneous improvement (4 of 42 [OS] versus 21 of 38 [PI], P = .001). We performed additional coil embolization to treat 3 recanalized OS aneurysms. SW aneurysms classified morphologically as PI tended to occlude progressively even after incomplete occlusion by SACE. In contrast, aneurysms classified as OS must be observed carefully after SACE. Copyright © 2016 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparative evaluation of semen parameters in pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina human population.

PubMed

Baran, Caner; Hellstrom, Wayne J; Sikka, Suresh C

2015-01-01

A natural disaster leading to accumulation of environmental contaminants may have substantial effects on the male reproductive system. Our aim was to compare and assess semen parameters in a normospermic population residing in the Southern Louisiana, USA area pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina. We retrospectively evaluated semen analyses data (n = 3452) of 1855 patients who attended the Tulane University Andrology/Fertility Clinic between 1999 and 2013. The study inclusion criteria were men whose semen analyses showed ≥ 1.5 ml volume; ≥15 million ml -1 sperm concentration; ≥39 million total sperm count; ≥40% motility; >30% morphology, with an abstinence interval of 2-7 days. After the inclusion criteria applied to the population, 367 normospermic patients were included in the study. Descriptive statistics and group-based analyses were performed to interpret the differences between the pre-Katrina (Group 1, 1999-2005) and the post-Katrina (Group 2, 2006-2013) populations. There were significant differences in motility, morphology, number of white blood cell, immature germ cell count, pH and presence of sperm agglutination, but surprisingly there were no significant differences in sperm count between the two populations. This long-term comparative analysis further documents that a major natural disaster with its accompanied environmental issues can influence certain semen parameters (e.g., motility and morphology) and, by extension, fertility potential of the population of such areas.

Preliminary analysis of the distribution of water in human hair by small-angle neutron scattering.

PubMed

Kamath, Yash; Murthy, N Sanjeeva; Ramaprasad, Ram

2014-01-01

Diffusion and distribution of water in hair can reveal the internal structure of hair that determines the penetration of various products used to treat hair. The distribution of water into different morphological components in unmodified hair, cuticle-free hair, and hair saturated with oil at various levels of humidity was examined using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) by substituting water with deuterium oxide (D(2)O). Infrared spectroscopy was used to follow hydrogen-deuterium exchange. Water present in hair gives basically two types of responses in SANS: (i) interference patterns, and (ii) central diffuse scattering (CDS) around the beam stop. The amount of water in the matrix between the intermediate filaments that gives rise to interference patterns remained essentially constant over the 50-98% humidity range without swelling this region of the fiber extensively. This observation suggests that a significant fraction of water in the hair, which contributes to the CDS, is likely located in a different morphological region of hair that is more like pores in a fibrous structure, which leads to significant additional swelling of the fiber. Comparison of the scattering of hair treated with oil shows that soybean oil, which diffuses less into hair, allows more water into hair than coconut oil. These preliminary results illustrate the utility of SANS for evaluating and understanding the diffusion of deuterated liquids into different morphological structures in hair.

Obstetric and perinatal outcomes of singletons after single blastocyst transfer: is there any difference according to blastocyst morphology?

PubMed

Bouillon, Céline; Celton, Noémie; Kassem, Sandra; Frapsauce, Cynthia; Guérif, Fabrice

2017-08-01

A strong correlation between blastocyst morphology and implantation has been shown by many studies. The consequences and effects of assisted reproductive techniques on children's short and long-term health have always been a source of discussion. The obstetric and perinatal outcome of singletons according to blastocyst morphology has rarely been evaluated. The aim of this observational study is to determine whether a relationship exists between blastocyst morphology and obstetric and perinatal outcomes. A total of 799 singleton clinical pregnancies were analysed after transfer of a single fresh blastocyst on day 5 between 2006 and 2013. Blastocysts were divided into four groups based on their morphology on day 5: group 1 = good morphology blastocysts; group 2 = fair morphology blastocysts; group 3 = poor morphology blastocysts and group 4 = early (B1/B2) blastocysts. Obstetric and perinatal outcomes were compared between the four groups. After adjustment for some confounding variables, main obstetric and perinatal outcomes after transfer of blastocysts with poor morphological characteristics were not associated with increased adverse obstetric and perinatal events. Sex ratio was significantly higher in group 1 compared with groups 2, 3 and 4, and in Group 2 compared with Group 3 (P < 0.001) even after adjustment (P < 0.05). Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphological study of the palatal rugae in western Indian population.

PubMed

Gondivkar, Shailesh M; Patel, Swetal; Gadbail, Amol R; Gaikwad, Rahul N; Chole, Revant; Parikh, Rima V

2011-10-01

The aim of this study was to identify and compare the different morphological rugae patterns in males and females of western Indian population, which may be an additional method of identification in cases of crimes or aircraft accidents. A total of 108 plaster casts, equally distributed between the sexes and belonging to similar age-group, were examined for different biometric characteristics of the palatal rugae including number, shape, length, direction and unification and their incidence recorded. Association between these rugae biometric characteristics and sex were tested using chi-square analysis and statistical descriptors were identified for each of these parameters using the SPSS 15.0. The study revealed a statistically significant difference in the total number of rugae between the two sexes (P = 0.000). The different types of rugae between the males and females were statistically compared. The female showed a highly significant difference in the sinuous (P = 0.002) and primary type (P = 0.000) while the male had a significant difference in the unification (P = 0.005). The predominant direction of the rugae was found to be forward relative to backward. It may be concluded that the rugae pattern can be an additional method of differentiation between the male and female in conjunction with the other methods such as visual, fingerprints, and dental characteristics in forensic sciences. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Genes with mutation significance were highly associated with the clinical pattern of patients with breast cancer.

PubMed

Ding, Wan-Jun; Zeng, Tao; Wang, Li-Jun; Lei, Hong-Bo; Ge, Wei; Wang, Zhi

2017-11-17

In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Over the past 20 years, breast cancer incidence and mortality rates increased rapidly in developing regions. We aimed to identify the gene mutation patterns that associated with the clinical patterns, including survival status, histo-pathological classes and so forth, of breast cancer. We retrieved 1098 cases of the clinical information, and level-3 legacy data of mRNA expression level, protein expression data and mutation files from GDC data portal. The genes with mutation significance were obtained. We studied the impacts of mutation types on the expression levels of mRNA and protein. Different statistics methods were used to calculate the correlation between the mutation types and the expression data or histo-clinical measures. There were 24 genes with mutation significance identified. The most mutated genes were selected to study the role of specific mutations played on the patients with breast cancer. One interesting finding was the missense mutations on TP53 were related with high expression levels of mRNA and protein. The missense mutations on TP53 were highly related with the morphology, race, ER status, PR status and HER2 Status, while the truncated mutations were only related with the morphology, ER status and PR status. The missense mutation on PIK3CA was highly associated with the morphology, race, ER status and PR status. The mutants with different mutants and the wild type of the most mutated genes had different impacts on the histo-clinical measures that might help personalized therapy.

Brain nuclei in actively courting red-sided garter snakes: a paradigm of neural trimorphism.

PubMed

Krohmer, Randolph W; DeMarchi, Geno A; Baleckaitis, Daniel D; Lutterschmidt, Deborah I; Mason, Robert T

2011-03-28

During the breeding season, two distinct male phenotypes are exhibited by red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis), with courtship behavior being directed not only toward females, but also toward a sub-population of males called she-males. She-males are morphologically identical to other males except for a circulating androgen level three times that of normal males and their ability to produce a female-like pheromone. As in other vertebrates, limbic nuclei in the red-sided garter snake brain are involved in the control of sexual behaviors. For example, an intact anterior hypothalamus pre-optic area (AHPOA) is essential for the initiation and maintenance of reproduction. To determine if brain morphology varies among the three behavioral phenotypes (i.e., males, she-males, and females) during the breeding season, we examined the volume, cell size and cell density of the AHPOA as well as a control region, the external nucleus of the optic tract (ENOT). We used Luxol Fast Blue and Ziehl's Fuchsin to visualize neurons and glial cells, respectively. No significant differences were observed among the three behavioral phenotypes in the volume, cell size or density in the control region. In contrast, the volume, cell size and density of the AHPOA of she-males were significantly greater than those of both male and female snakes. While the volume of the AHPOA was significantly greater in females compared to males, no differences were observed in cell size or density. These differences in brain morphology suggest a possible underlying mechanism for phenotypic-specific behavioral patterns. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trophic specialization and morphological divergence between two sympatric species in Lake Catemaco, Mexico.

PubMed

Ornelas-García, Claudia Patricia; Córdova-Tapia, Fernando; Zambrano, Luis; Bermúdez-González, María Pamela; Mercado-Silva, Norman; Mendoza-Garfias, Berenit; Bautista, Amando

2018-05-01

The association of morphological divergence with ecological segregation among closely related species could be considered as a signal of divergent selection in ecological speciation processes. Environmental signals such as diet can trigger phenotypic evolution, making polymorphic species valuable systems for studying the evolution of trophic-related traits. The main goal of this study was to analyze the association between morphological differences in trophic-related traits and ecological divergence in two sympatric species, Astyanax aeneus and A. caballeroi, inhabiting Lake Catemaco, Mexico. The trophic differences of a total of 70 individuals (35 A. aeneus and 35 A. caballeroi ) were examined using stable isotopes and gut content analysis; a subset of the sample was used to characterize six trophic and six ecomorphological variables. In our results, we recovered significant differences between both species in the values of stable isotopes, with higher values of δ 15 N for A. caballeroi than for A. aeneus . Gut content results were consistent with the stable isotope data, with a higher proportion of invertebrates in A. caballeroi (a consumption of invertebrates ten times higher than that of A. aeneus , which in turn consumed three times more vegetal material than A. caballeroi ). Finally, we found significant relationship between ecomorphology and stable isotopes ( r  = .24, p  < .01), hence, head length, preorbital length, eye diameter, and δ 15 N were all positively correlated; these characteristics correspond to A. caballeroi . While longer gut and gill rakers, deeper bodies, and vegetal material consumption were positively correlated and corresponded to A. aeneus . Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that morphological divergence in trophic-related traits could be associated with niche partitioning, allowing the coexistence of closely related species and reducing interspecific competition.

An anatomical study of wormian bones from the eastern part of India: is genetic influence a primary determinant of their morphogenesis?

PubMed

Ghosh, Sanjib Kumar; Biswas, Sudipa; Sharma, Suranjali; Chakraborty, Soumya

2017-06-01

Over the years a number of investigators have analysed the morphology of wormian bones in different population groups across the world. There have been significant variations between findings reported in these studies, and this has prompted researchers to focus on the influence of genetic factors on the morphology of these bones. In the light of the above observation, we considered it justified to conduct anatomical studies on wormian bones in different population groups; hence, we undertook the present study to look into the morphological details of these bones among a population in the eastern part of India. We observed a total of 120 adult dry human skulls of unknown age and sex, and noted the anatomical details of wormian bones when present. It was observed that wormian bones were present in 45 % of skulls, and that 30 % of skulls had more than one wormian bone. We also found that 2.5 % of the skulls had ten or more wormian bones, which is considered as pathognomonic. Maximum incidence (53.33 %) was observed at the lambdoid suture and minimum incidence at the bregma and metopic suture (0.61 % in each case). We noted a high incidence (21.21 %) of Inca bone/lambdoid ossicle, and bilaterally symmetrical wormian bones were present in 12.5 % study skulls. There were statistically significant (P < 0.05) variations between the findings of the present study and values reported in previous studies conducted in other regions of India and different parts of the world. Our observations favour the view that genetic influence primarily determines the morphology of wormian bones.

Molecular and Phenotypic Evaluation of Lichtheimia corymbifera (Formerly Absidia corymbifera) Complex Isolates Associated with Human Mucormycosis: Rehabilitation of L. ramosa▿

PubMed Central

Garcia-Hermoso, Dea; Hoinard, Damien; Gantier, Jean-Charles; Grenouillet, Frédéric; Dromer, Françoise; Dannaoui, Eric

2009-01-01

Thirty-eight isolates (including 28 isolates from patients) morphologically identified as Lichtheimia corymbifera (formerly Absidia corymbifera) were studied by sequence analysis (analysis of the internal transcribed spacer [ITS] region of the ribosomal DNA, the D1-D2 region of 28S, and a portion of the elongation factor 1α [EF-1α] gene). Phenotypic characteristics, including morphology, antifungal susceptibility, and carbohydrate assimilation, were also determined. Analysis of the three loci uncovered two well-delimited clades. The maximum sequence similarity values between isolates from both clades were 66, 95, and 93% for the ITS, 28S, and EF-1α loci, respectively, with differences in the lengths of the ITS sequences being detected (763 to 770 bp for isolates of clade 1 versus 841 to 865 bp for isolates of clade 2). Morphologically, the shapes and the sizes of the sporangiospores were significantly different among the isolates from both clades. On the basis of the molecular and morphological data, we considered isolates of clade 2 to belong to a different species named Lichtheimia ramosa because reference strains CBS 269.65 and CBS 270.65 (which initially belonged to Absidia ramosa) clustered within this clade. As neotype A. corymbifera strain CBS 429.75 belongs to clade 1, the name L. corymbifera was conserved for clade 1 isolates. Of note, the amphotericin B MICs were significantly lower for L. ramosa than for L. corymbifera (P < 0.005) but were always ≤0.5 μg/ml for both species. Among the isolates tested, the assimilation of melezitose was positive for 67% of the L. ramosa isolates and negative for all L. corymbifera isolates. In conclusion, this study reveals that two Lichtheimia species are commonly associated with mucormycosis in humans. PMID:19759217

Differences in hydraulic architecture between mesic and xeric Pinus pinaster populations at the seedling stage.

PubMed

Corcuera, Leyre; Gil-Pelegrín, Eustaquio; Notivol, Eduardo

2012-12-01

We studied the intraspecific variability of maritime pine in a set of morphological and physiological traits: soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance, intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE, estimated by carbon isotope composition, δ(13)C), root morphology, xylem anatomy, growth and carbon allocation patterns. The data were collected from Pinus pinaster Aiton seedlings (25 half-sib families from five populations) grown in a greenhouse and subjected to water and water-stress treatments. The aims were to relate this variability to differences in water availability at the geographic location of the populations, and to study the potential trade-offs among traits. The drought-stressed seedlings demonstrated a decrease in hydraulic conductance and root surface area and increased WUE and root tip number. The relationships among the growth, morphological, anatomical and physiological traits changed with the scale of study: within the species, among/within populations. The populations showed a highly significant relationship between the percentage reduction in whole-plant hydraulic conductance and WUE. The differences among the populations in root morphology, whole-plant conductance, carbon allocation, plant growth and WUE were significant and consistent with dryness of the site of seed origin. The xeric populations exhibited lower growth and a conservative water use, as opposed to the fast-growing, less water-use-efficient populations from mesic habitats. The xeric and mesic populations, Tamrabta and San Cipriano, respectively, showed the most contrasting traits and were clustered in opposite directions along the main axis in the canonical discriminant analysis under both the control and drought treatments. The results suggest the possibility of selecting the Arenas population, which presents a combination of traits that confer increased growth and drought resistance.

Lexical gaps and morphological decomposition: Evidence from German.

PubMed

Schuster, Swetlana; Lahiri, Aditi

2018-04-26

On the evidence of four lexical-decision tasks in German, we examine speakers' sensitivity to internal morphological composition and abstract morphological rules during the processing of derived words, real and novel. In a lexical-decision task with delayed priming, speakers were presented with two-step derived nouns such as Heilung "healing" derived from the adjective heil "intact" via the verb heilen "to heal." These were compared with two sets of derived novel words, one with and the other without an intermediate verb; for example, *Spitzung "sharpening" from spitz "sharp" via spitzen "sharpen" (Experiment 1) and *Hübschung "beautifying" from hübsch "pretty" via *hübschen "beautify" (Experiment 2). The question was whether there would be a difference between the two types of novel words. Both sets were morphologically viable in terms of combinatory possibilities. Results indicated that extant and novel complex words activated their respective base forms; that is, Heilung, *Spitzung, *Hübschung all primed heil, spitz, hübsch. Both sets of novel words were then combined in a third (delayed priming) experiment, where again they primed their bases, but were nevertheless significantly different from each other. Items with real words in the intermediate position (*Spitzung) showed stronger priming effects. Controls that were only related in form or semantics did not prime; neither did structurally unviable pseudowords show priming. A final experiment (Experiment 4), comparing the two types of novel words (*Spitzung vs. *Hübschung) in a simple lexical-decision task, also revealed significant differences across these sets, suggesting that the lexical status of the intermediate derivation affects the processing of novel forms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevalence and morphology of druse types in the macula and periphery of eyes with age-related maculopathy.

PubMed

Rudolf, Martin; Clark, Mark E; Chimento, Melissa F; Li, Chuan-Ming; Medeiros, Nancy E; Curcio, Christine A

2008-03-01

Macular drusen are hallmarks of age-related maculopathy (ARM), but these focal extracellular lesions also appear with age in the peripheral retina. The present study was conducted to determine regional differences in morphology that contribute to the higher vulnerability of the macula to advanced disease. Drusen from the macula (n = 133) and periphery (n = 282) were isolated and concentrated from nine ARM-affected eyes. A semiquantitative light microscopic evaluation of 1-mum-thick sections included 12 parameters. Significant differences were found between the macula and periphery in ease of isolation, distribution of druse type, composition qualities, and substructures. On harvesting, macular drusen were friable, with liquefied or crystallized contents. Peripheral drusen were resilient and never crystallized. On examination, soft drusen appeared in the macula only, had homogeneous content without significant substructures, and had abundant basal laminar deposits (BlamD). Several substructures, previously postulated as signatures of druse biogenesis, were found primarily in hard drusen. Specific to hard drusen, which appeared everywhere, were central subregions and reduced RPE coverage. Macular hard drusen with a rich substructure profile differed from primarily homogeneous peripheral hard drusen. Compound drusen, found in the periphery only, exhibited a composition profile that was not intermediate between hard and soft. The data confirm regional differences in druse morphology, composition, and physical properties, most likely based on different formative mechanisms that may contribute to macular susceptibility for ARM progression. Two other reasons that only the macula is at high risk despite having relatively few drusen are the exclusive presence of soft drusen and the abundant BlamD in this region.

Star formation quenching in green valley galaxies at 0.5 ≲ z ≲ 1.0 and constraints with galaxy morphologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogueira-Cavalcante, J. P.; Gonçalves, T. S.; Menéndez-Delmestre, K.; Sheth, K.

2018-01-01

We calculate the star formation quenching time-scales in green valley galaxies at intermediate redshifts (z ∼ 0.5-1) using stacked zCOSMOS spectra of different galaxy morphological types: spheroidal, disc-like, irregular and merger, dividing disc-like galaxies further into unbarred, weakly barred and strongly barred, assuming a simple exponentially decaying star formation history model and based on the H δ absorption feature and the 4000 Å break. We find that different morphological types present different star formation quenching time-scales, reinforcing the idea that the galaxy morphology is strongly correlated with the physical processes responsible for quenching star formation. Our quantification of the star formation quenching time-scale indicates that discs have typical time-scales 60 per cent to five times longer than that of galaxies presenting spheroidal, irregular or merger morphologies. Barred galaxies, in particular, present the slowest transition time-scales through the green valley. This suggests that although secular evolution may ultimately lead to gas exhaustion in the host galaxy via bar-induced gas inflows that trigger star formation activity, secular agents are not major contributors in the rapid quenching of galaxies at these redshifts. Galaxy interaction, associated with the elliptical, irregular and merger morphologies, contributes, to a more significant degree, to the fast transition through the green valley at these redshifts. In light of previous works suggesting that both secular and merger processes are responsible for the star formation quenching at low redshifts, our results provide an explanation to the recent findings that star formation quenching happened at a faster pace at z ∼ 0.8.

Morphology-flow interactions lead to stage-selective vertical transport of larval sand dollars in shear flow.

PubMed

Clay, T W; Grünbaum, D

2010-04-01

Many larvae and other plankton have complex and variable morphologies of unknown functional significance. We experimentally and theoretically investigated the functional consequences of the complex morphologies of larval sand dollars, Dendraster excentricus (Eschscholtz), for hydrodynamic interactions between swimming and turbulent water motion. Vertical shearing flows (horizontal gradients of vertical flow) tilt organisms with simple geometries (e.g. spheres, ellipsoids), causing these organisms to move horizontally towards downwelling water and compromising their abilities to swim upwards. A biomechanical model of corresponding hydrodynamic interactions between turbulence-induced shear and the morphologically complex four-, six- and eight-armed stages of sand dollar larvae suggests that the movements of larval morphologies differ quantitatively and qualitatively across stages and shear intensities: at shear levels typical of calm conditions in estuarine and coastal environments, all modeled larval stages moved upward. However, at higher shears, modeled four- and eight-armed larvae moved towards downwelling, whereas six-armed larvae moved towards upwelling. We also experimentally quantified larval movement by tracking larvae swimming in low-intensity shear while simultaneously mapping the surrounding flow fields. Four- and eight-armed larvae moved into downwelling water, but six-armed larvae did not. Both the model and experiments suggest that stage-dependent changes to larval morphology lead to differences in larval movement: four- and eight-armed stages are more prone than the six-armed stage to moving into downwelling water. Our results suggest a mechanism by which differences can arise in the vertical distribution among larval stages. The ability to mitigate or exploit hydrodynamic interactions with shear is a functional consequence that potentially shapes larval evolution and development.

Active Sensing System with In Situ Adjustable Sensor Morphology

PubMed Central

Nurzaman, Surya G.; Culha, Utku; Brodbeck, Luzius; Wang, Liyu; Iida, Fumiya

2013-01-01

Background Despite the widespread use of sensors in engineering systems like robots and automation systems, the common paradigm is to have fixed sensor morphology tailored to fulfill a specific application. On the other hand, robotic systems are expected to operate in ever more uncertain environments. In order to cope with the challenge, it is worthy of note that biological systems show the importance of suitable sensor morphology and active sensing capability to handle different kinds of sensing tasks with particular requirements. Methodology This paper presents a robotics active sensing system which is able to adjust its sensor morphology in situ in order to sense different physical quantities with desirable sensing characteristics. The approach taken is to use thermoplastic adhesive material, i.e. Hot Melt Adhesive (HMA). It will be shown that the thermoplastic and thermoadhesive nature of HMA enables the system to repeatedly fabricate, attach and detach mechanical structures with a variety of shape and size to the robot end effector for sensing purposes. Via active sensing capability, the robotic system utilizes the structure to physically probe an unknown target object with suitable motion and transduce the arising physical stimuli into information usable by a camera as its only built-in sensor. Conclusions/Significance The efficacy of the proposed system is verified based on two results. Firstly, it is confirmed that suitable sensor morphology and active sensing capability enables the system to sense different physical quantities, i.e. softness and temperature, with desirable sensing characteristics. Secondly, given tasks of discriminating two visually indistinguishable objects with respect to softness and temperature, it is confirmed that the proposed robotic system is able to autonomously accomplish them. The way the results motivate new research directions which focus on in situ adjustment of sensor morphology will also be discussed. PMID:24416094

[Effects of water table manipulation on leaf photosynthesis, morphology and growth of Phragmites australis and Imperata cylindrica in the reclaimed tidal wetland at Dongtan of Chongming Island, China].

PubMed

Zhong, Qi-Cheng; Wang, Jiang-Tao; Zhou, Jian-Hong; Ou, Qiang; Wang, Kai-Yun

2014-02-01

During the growing season of 2011, the leaf photosynthesis, morphological and growth traits of Phragmites australis and Imperata cylindrica were investigated along a gradient of water table (low, medium and high) in the reclaimed tidal wetland at the Dongtan of Chongming Island in the Yangtze Estuary of China. A series of soil factors, i. e., soil temperature, moisture, salinity and inorganic nitrogen content, were also measured. During the peak growing season, leaf photosynthetic capacity of P. australis in the wetland with high water table was significantly lower than those in the wetland with low and medium water tables, and no difference was observed in leaf photosynthetic capacity of I. cylindrica at the three water tables. During the entire growing season, at the shoot level, the morphological and growth traits of P. australis got the optimum in the wetland with medium water table, but most of the morphological and growth traits of I. cylindrica had no significant differences at the three water tables. At the population level, the shoot density, leaf area index and aboveground biomass per unit area were the highest in the wetland with high water table for P. australis, but all of the three traits were the highest in the wetland with low water table for I. cylindrica. At the early growing season, the rhizome biomass of P. australis in the 0-20 cm soil layer had no difference at the three water tables, and the rhizome biomass of I. cylindrica in the 0-20 cm soil layer in the wetland with high water table was significantly lower than those in the wetland with low and medium water table. As a native hygrophyte before the reclamation, the variations of performances of P. australis at the three water tables were probably attributed to the differences in the soil factors as well as the intensity of competition from I. cylindrica. To appropriately manipulate water table in the reclaimed tidal wetland may restrict the growth and propagation of the mesophyte I. cylindrica, and facilitate the restoration of P. australis-dominated marsh plant community.

In vitro biofilm formation on resin-based composites after different finishing and polishing procedures.

PubMed

Cazzaniga, Gloria; Ottobelli, Marco; Ionescu, Andrei C; Paolone, Gaetano; Gherlone, Enrico; Ferracane, Jack L; Brambilla, Eugenio

2017-12-01

To evaluate the influence of surface treatments of different resin-based composites (RBCs) on S. mutans biofilm formation. 4 RBCs (microhybrid, nanohybrid, nanofilled, bulk-filled) and 6 finishing-polishing (F/P) procedures (open-air light-curing, light-curing against Mylar strip, aluminum oxide discs, one-step rubber point, diamond bur, multi-blade carbide bur) were evaluated. Surface roughness (SR) (n=5/group), gloss (n=5/group), scanning electron microscopy morphological analysis (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) (n=3/group), and S. mutans biofilm formation (n=16/group) were assessed. EDS analysis was repeated after the biofilm assay. A morphological evaluation of S. mutans biofilm was also performed using confocal laser-scanning microscopy (CLSM) (n=2/group). The data were analyzed using Wilcoxon (SR, gloss) and two-way ANOVA with Tukey as post-hoc tests (EDS, biofilm formation). F/P procedures as well as RBCs significantly influenced SR and gloss. While F/P procedures did not significantly influence S. mutans biofilm formation, a significant influence of RBCs on the same parameter was found. Different RBCs showed different surface elemental composition. Both F/P procedures and S. mutans biofilm formation significantly modified this parameter. The tested F/P procedures significantly influenced RBCs surface properties but did not significantly affect S. mutans biofilm formation. The significant influence of the different RBCs tested on S. mutans biofilm formation suggests that material characteristics and composition play a greater role than SR. F/P procedures of RBCs may unexpectedly play a minor role compared to that of the restoration material itself in bacterial colonization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation between corneal thickness and optic disc morphology in normal tension glaucoma using modern technical analysis.

PubMed

Coman, Laurenţiu; Costescu, Monica; Alecu, Mihail; Coman, Oana Andreia

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between central corneal thickness (CCT) and optic disc morphology in normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Patients with NTG underwent eye examination, optic disc imaging with Heildelberg Retina Tomograph II (HRT II) and ultrasound corneal pachymetry. The morphological parameters of the optic discs were used to classify the eyes into four groups: generalized enlargement (GE) type, myopic glaucomatous (MY) type, focal ischemic (FI) type and senile sclerotic (SS) type. A correlation between CCT and optic disc morphology obtained by HRT II was calculated. Multiple comparison and post hoc tests were performed in order to determine the significance of the differences between the four groups. The strongest correlation was between CCT and the parameters of optic disc imaging obtained at HRT II in the GE type of optic disc.

Otolith patterns of rockfishes from the northeastern Pacific.

PubMed

Tuset, Victor M; Imondi, Ralph; Aguado, Guillermo; Otero-Ferrer, José L; Santschi, Linda; Lombarte, Antoni; Love, Milton

2015-04-01

Sagitta otolith shape was analysed in twenty sympatric rockfishes off the southern California coast (Northeastern Pacific). The variation in shape was quantified using canonical variate analysis based on fifth wavelet function decomposition of otolith contour. We selected wavelets because this representation allow the identifications of zones or single morphological points along the contour. The entire otoliths along with four subsections (anterior, ventral, posterodorsal, and anterodorsal) with morphological meaning were examined. Multivariate analyses (MANOVA) showed significant differences in the contours of whole otolith morphology and corresponding subsection among rockfishes. Four patterns were found: fusiform, oblong, and two types of elliptic. A redundancy analysis indicated that anterior and anterodorsal subsections contribute most to define the entire otolith shape. Complementarily, the eco-morphological study indicated that the depth distribution and strategies for capture prey were correlated to otolith shape, especially with the anterodorsal zone. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Effects of different surface treatments on the zirconia-resin cement bond strength].

PubMed

Liao, Y; Liu, X Q; Chen, L; Zhou, J F; Tan, J G

2018-02-18

To evaluate the effects of different surface treatments on the shear bond strength between zirconia and resin cement. Forty zirconia discs were randomly divided into four groups (10 discs in each group) for different surface treatments: control, no surface treatment; sandblast, applied air abrasion with aluminum oxide particles; ultraviolet (UV), the zirconia sample was placed in the UV sterilizer at the bottom of the UV lamp at 10 mm, and irradiated for 48 h; cold plasma, the discs were put in the cold plasma cabinet with the cold plasma generated from the gas of He for 30 s. Specimens of all the groups were surface treated prior to cementation with Panavia F 2.0 cement. The surface morphology and contact angle of water were measured. The shear bond strengths were tested and the failure modes were examined with a stereomicroscope. Surface morphology showed no difference between the UV/cold plasma group and the control group. Sandblasted zirconia displayed an overall heterogeneous distribution of micropores. The contact angle of the control group was 64.1°±2.0°. After sandblasting, UV irradiation and cold plasma exposure, the values significantly decreased to 48.8°±2.6°, 27.1°±3.6° and 32.0°±3.3°. The values of shear bond strength of the specimens with sandblasted (14.82±2.01) MPa were higher than those with no treatment (9.41±1.07) MPa with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The values of shear bond strength of the specimens with UV irradiation (10.02±0.64) MPa were higher than those with no treatment (9.41±1.07) MPa, but without statistically significant difference (P>0.05). The values of cold plasma group (18.34±3.05) MPa were significantly higher than those of control group (9.41±1.07) MPa, even more than those with sandblast(14.82±2.01) MPa (P<0.05). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed increase in oxygen (O) and decrease in carbon (C) elements after UV and cold plasma treatment. The surface C/O ratio also decreased after UV and cold plasma treatment. Zirconia specimens treated with UV and cold plasma could significantly improve the hydrophilicity. The surface morphology was unaffected by the UV irradiation and cold plasma treatments. The improvements of ziconia shear bond strength were slight in UV group without statistically significant difference. Cold plasma treatment significantly improved the shear bond strength between zirconia and resin cement.

Three-dimensional morphological changes of the temporomandibular joint and functional effects after mandibulotomy.

PubMed

Al-Saleh, Mohammed A Q; Punithakumar, Kumaradevan; Lagravere, Manuel; Boulanger, Pierre; Jaremko, Jacob L; Wolfaardt, John; Major, Paul W; Seikaly, Hadi

2017-01-28

The midline and paramedian mandibulotomy are surgical procedures that divide the mandibular bone into two halves and disconnects the condylar heads of the TMJ from each other. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) functional and morphological changes after mandibulotomy using a reconstructed 3D models of the TMJ. Sixteen adult patients diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal tumors with planned surgical mandibulotomy (test group, 9 patients) or transoral (control group, seven patients) treatments were included in the study. MRI and CBCT images were obtained immediately preceeding surgery and 6-8 weeks after surgery. Using the MRI-CBCT registered images, TMJ tissues were segmented at the two occasions by the same operator and 3D models were reconstructed for morphological assessment. Changes across time were measured using the volume overlap and Hausdorff distance of the disc and condyle 3D models. Disc-condyle relationship was measured using point-based and color map analysis. To assess the early functional changes, the Jaw function limitation scale (JFLS) and the maximum mouth opening were measured. Two-sample Hotelling T 2 t-test was performed to determine the significance of the morphological and clinical outcomes' differences between the two groups. The two-sample Hotelling T 2 t-test showed significant differences (T 2 (df1,df2) = 0.97 (5,26), p <0.01) between the mean values of all outcomes among the 2 groups. The change in disc displacement was significantly different between the two groups (p <0.05). However, the condylar displacement was not significantly different between the two groups (p =0.3). The average of the JFLS score was five times larger after mandibulotomy, and was 2 times larger after transoral surgery (p < 0.01). Patients showed decrease in the average of the maximum interincisal mouth opening by 11 mm after mandibulotomy, and by 5.4 mm after transoral surgery. The quantitative assessment of the TMJ showed minimal changes of the condylar position and variable degrees of articular disc displacement associated with the paramedian split mandibulotomy. As well, limited jaw functions and vertical mouth opening were noticed more in the mandibultomy group compared to the transoral group in 6- weeks after surgery.

Geographical variations of the skull in the red fox Vulpes vulpes on the Japanese Islands: an exception to Bergmann's rule.

PubMed

Oishi, Takuya; Uraguchi, Kohji; Abramov, Alexei V; Masuda, Ryuichi

2010-12-01

In order to clarify the morphological differences between two subspecies of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) on the Japanese Islands and test the validity of Bergmann's rule, we examined geographical variations in 25 cranial and 24 dental characters in V. v. schrencki from Hokkaido and V. v. japonica from the other main islands of Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu). Many skull measurements, including the male greatest length, condylobasal length, and the length of upper and lower tooth rows, were significantly larger for V. v. japonica than for V. v. schrencki, whereas most tooth measurements, especially the length of molars and premolars, in V. v. schrencki were larger than those in V. v. japonica. Although the two subspecies were morphologically well-differentiated from each other, the results did not support that they have evolved following Bergmann's rule of adaptation to cold climates. Based on consideration of the relatively large differences of their tooth sizes, which are not easily influenced by food abundance, and previous genetic research on the different migration histories of the two subspecies, the morphological differences detected in the present study may have resulted not only from the present ecological differences between the two subspecies, but also from the difference of migration history and evolutionary constraints.

Histomorphometric Parameters of the Growth Plate and Trabecular Bone in Wild-Type and Trefoil Factor Family 3 (Tff3)-Deficient Mice Analyzed by Free and Open-Source Image Processing Software.

PubMed

Bijelić, Nikola; Belovari, Tatjana; Stolnik, Dunja; Lovrić, Ivana; Baus Lončar, Mirela

2017-08-01

Trefoil factor family 3 (Tff3) peptide is present during intrauterine endochondral ossification in mice, and its deficiency affects cancellous bone quality in secondary ossification centers of mouse tibiae. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze parameters describing the growth plate and primary ossification centers in tibiae of 1-month-old wild-type and Tff3 knock-out mice (n=5 per genotype) by using free and open-source software. Digital photographs of the growth plates and trabecular bone were processed by open-source computer programs GIMP and FIJI. Histomorphometric parameters were calculated using measurements made with FIJI. Tff3 knock-out mice had significantly smaller trabecular number and significantly larger trabecular separation. Trabecular bone volume, trabecular bone surface, and trabecular thickness showed no significant difference between the two groups. Although such histomorphological differences were found in the cancellous bone structure, no significant differences were found in the epiphyseal plate histomorphology. Tff3 peptide probably has an effect on the formation and quality of the cancellous bone in the primary ossification centers, but not through disrupting the epiphyseal plate morphology. This work emphasizes the benefits of using free and open-source programs for morphological studies in life sciences.

Morphology of the tympanic-basicranial region in Mirounga leonina (Phocidae, Carnivora), postnatal ontogeny and sexual dimorphism

PubMed Central

Loza, C M; Scarano, A C; Soibelzon, L H; Negrete, J; Carlini, A A

2015-01-01

The auditory region of pinnipeds has seldom been described. Here we describe and analyze the ontogenetic trajectory of the tympanic bulla of the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (Phocidae, Mammalia). This species is extremely sexually dimorphic and highly polygynous (organized in harems). We examined 118 specimens, arranged in three age classes (CI, CII, and CIII), ranging from newborn to adults (males and females). To analyze the overall size and shape of the tympanic bulla we performed a geometric morphometric analysis including 87 skulls. Females reach definitive shape and size of the bulla at earlier ontogenetic stages than males, in agreement with their earlier involvement in reproductive activities. The internal anatomy of the tympanic region (e.g. form and extension of the paries) does not show remarkable differences between sexes or age classes. The greatest differences between age classes are related to bone thickness, resulting from the apposition of new annual layers. An examination of possible sex-related external differences among age classes shows significant shape differences between males and females in CIII. The morphology observed in neonates is conserved across all individuals from CI, which included specimens up to 1 year old. Clear morphological differences were observed between CI individuals, on one hand, and CII individuals plus CIII females on the other. During cranial development of both male and females, the glenoid cavity expands and compresses the bulla; this condition reaches its maximum expression in CIII males. CIII males showed the greatest morphological differences, with respect to both CI and CII individuals, and CIII females. PMID:25827162

Investigation of diseases through red blood cells' shape using photoacoustic response technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, Deblina; Gorey, Abhijeet; Chen, Goerge C. K.; Sharma, Norman; Vasudevan, Srivathsan

2015-03-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a non-invasive real-time technique, widely applied to many biomedical imaging studies in the recent years. While most of these studies have been focussed on obtaining an image after reconstruction, various features of time domain signal (e.g. amplitude, width, rise and relaxation time) would provide very high sensitivity in detecting morphological changes in cells during a biological study. Different haematological disorders (e.g., sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia) exhibit significant morphological cellular changes. In this context, this study explores the possibility of utilizing the developed photoacoustic response technique to apply onto blood samples. Results of our preliminary study demonstrate that there is a significant change in signal amplitude due to change in concentration of the blood. Thus it shows the sensitivity of the developed photoacoustic technique towards red blood cell count (related to haematological disease like anaemia). Subsequently, morphological changes in RBC (i.e. swollen and shrunk compared to normal RBC) induced by hypotonic and hypertonic solutions respectively were also experimented. The result shows a distinct change in PA signal amplitude. This would serve as a diagnostic signature for many future studies on cellular morphological disorders.

Morphology characterization of organic solar cell materials and blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roehling, John Daniel

The organization of polymers and fullerenes, both in their pure states and mixed together, have a large impact on their macroscopic properties. For mixtures used in organic solar cells, the morphology of the mixture has a very large impact upon the mixture's ability to efficiently convert sunlight into useful electrical energy. Understanding how the morphology can change under certain processing conditions and in turn, affect the characteristics of the solar cell is therefore important to improving the function of organic solar cells. Conventional poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) solar cells have served as a staple system to study organic solar cell function for nearly a decade. Much of the understanding of how to make these "poorly"conductive organic materials efficiently convert sunlight into electricity has come from the study of P3HT:PCBM. It has long been understood that in order for a polymer:fullerene (electron donor and acceptor, respectively) mixture to function well as a solar cell, two major criteria for the morphology must be met; first, the interface between the two materials must be large to efficiently create charges, and secondly, there must be continous pathways through the "pure" materials for charges to be efficiently collected at the electrodes. This makes it advantageous for OPV materials to phase-separate into interconnected domains with very small domain sizes, a structure that P3HT:PCBM seems to naturally self-assemble. Despite P3HT:PCBM's ability to reach an optimal morphology, a complete understanding of exactly how the morphology affects device performance has not been realized. Completely different morphological models can end up predicting the same device performance characteristics. Much of the problem comes from the assumed morphology within a particular model, which can often be incorrect. The problem lies in the fact that obtaining real, accurate morphological information is difficult. An often neglected morphological feature is the existence of a third mixed phase, which is often unaccounted for because much about its composition and location are poorly understood. Obtaining this information and measuring the full morphology of OPV layers would therefore enable further understanding of device function. It is the aim of this thesis to demonstrate a technique which can measure the morphology of OPV layers accurately, accounting for the third phase and its composition. By using a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) in conjunction with electron tomography (ET) and an easily resolved fullerene component, the morphology of P3HT:fullerene layers are herein investigated. The combination of materials and techniques are demonstrated to accurately measure the morphology, illustrated by results which corroborate previous studies in the literature. It will be shown that not only can the position of each of the three phases present be measured, but their compositions can also be determined. Through this technique, morphologies formed under different processing conditions are quantitatively compared. The technique reveals differences between conventional processing methods that are not obvious through other measurements. Differences in the materials distribution throughout the thickness of the layer are also demonstrated and shown to give implications toward device function. Additionally, the precise changes in morphology which occur from different processing conditions are determined and shown to have a significant impact upon the properties of an OPV layer as a solar energy harvester. Not only does the morphology of the mixed materials affect the solar cell properties, but the local structure of the component materials themselves can strongly influence the macroscopic properties. By removing the fullerene component and forming pure domains of P3HT, the effects of internal structure on the properties of P3HT and how the structure is formed is also herein investigated. Through these techniques, the morphology and structure of different organic solar cell mixtures can now be thoroughly investigated. Through this work and future studies, the exact effects of morphology can be more fully understood. With the availability of accurate morphological data, it may now be possible to decouple morphology from other factors which govern device function.

Genotype and elevation influence Spartina alterniflora colonization and growth in a created salt marsh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Proffitt, C.E.; Travis, S.E.; Edwards, K.R.

2003-01-01

Colonization, growth, and clonal morphology differ with genotype and are influenced by elevation. Local adaptation of Spartina alterniflora to environmental conditions may lead to dominance by different suites of genotypes in different locations within a marsh. In a constructed marsh, we found reduced colonization in terms of density of clones with increasing distance from edge in a 200-ha mudflat created in 1996; however, growth in diameter was not different among three 100-m-long zones that differed in distance from site edge. Distance from edge was confounded by elevation in this comparison of natural colonization. The rate of clonal expansion in diameter was 3.1 m/yr, and clonal growth was linear over the 28 mo of the study. The area dominated by S. alterniflora in the three distance zones increased concomitantly with clonal growth. However, the lower initial clonal densities and colonization by other plant species resulted in reduced overall dominance by S. alterniflora in the two more-interior locations. Seedling recruitment was an important component of S. alterniflora colonization at all elevations and distances from edge two years after site creation. Seedlings were spatially very patchy and tended to occur near clones that probably produced them. A field experiment revealed that S. alterniflora height and total stem length varied with genotype, while stem density and flowering stem density did not. Differences between edge and center of clonal patches also occurred for some response variables, and there were also significant interactions with genotype. Differences between edge and center are interpreted as differences in clone morphology. Elevation differences over distances of a few meters influenced total stem length and flowering stem density but not other response variables. Clones that were larger in diameter also tended to have greater stem heights and total stem lengths. A number of plant morphological measures were found to vary significantly among the five genotypes and had broad-sense heritabilities ranging up to 0.71. These results indicate that S. alterniflora populations developing on new substrata colonize broadly, but growth and reproduction vary with genotype and are influenced by changes in elevation (range: 11.8 cm), and probably other environmental factors, over relatively small distances. Differences in growth and clone morphology of different genets, and the frequent occurrence of seedlings throughout the site, underscore the importance of genetic variability in natural and created populations.

Morphological alterations induced by boric acid and fipronil in the midgut of worker honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) larvae : Morphological alterations in the midgut of A. mellifera.

PubMed

da Silva Cruz, Aline; da Silva-Zacarin, Elaine C M; Bueno, Odair C; Malaspina, Osmar

2010-04-01

Morphological alterations, by means of histological and ultrastructural analysis, have been used to determine the effects of boric acid and fipronil on midgut tissues of honeybee worker, Apis mellifera L. larvae. In order to observe possible morphological alterations in the midgut, two groups of bioassays were performed. In the first one, the larvae were chronically treated with different concentrations of boric acid added to the food (1.0, 2.5 and 7.5 mg/g). In the second group, the larvae were fed with diets containing different concentrations of fipronil (0.1 and 1 microg/g) and compared with control groups without these chemical compounds. In the first bioassay, the larvae were collected on day 3 and in the second bioassay on day 4, when the mortality rate obtained in the toxicological bioassay was not very high. The larval midguts were removed and processed for morphological analyses using a light and transmission electron microscopy. We observed cytoplasmic vacuolizations, with the absence of autophagic vacuoles, and chromatinic compacting in most of the cells in the groups treated with pesticides. The morphological alterations were far greater in the larvae treated with boric acid than in the larvae treated with fipronil. Our data suggest that the midgut cell death observed was in response to boric acid and fipronil action. This study significantly improves the understanding of the toxicological effect of these insecticides from the ecotoxicological perspective.

Global morphological analysis of marine viruses shows minimal regional variation and dominance of non-tailed viruses.

PubMed

Brum, Jennifer R; Schenck, Ryan O; Sullivan, Matthew B

2013-09-01

Viruses influence oceanic ecosystems by causing mortality of microorganisms, altering nutrient and organic matter flux via lysis and auxiliary metabolic gene expression and changing the trajectory of microbial evolution through horizontal gene transfer. Limited host range and differing genetic potential of individual virus types mean that investigations into the types of viruses that exist in the ocean and their spatial distribution throughout the world's oceans are critical to understanding the global impacts of marine viruses. Here we evaluate viral morphological characteristics (morphotype, capsid diameter and tail length) using a quantitative transmission electron microscopy (qTEM) method across six of the world's oceans and seas sampled through the Tara Oceans Expedition. Extensive experimental validation of the qTEM method shows that neither sample preservation nor preparation significantly alters natural viral morphological characteristics. The global sampling analysis demonstrated that morphological characteristics did not vary consistently with depth (surface versus deep chlorophyll maximum waters) or oceanic region. Instead, temperature, salinity and oxygen concentration, but not chlorophyll a concentration, were more explanatory in evaluating differences in viral assemblage morphological characteristics. Surprisingly, given that the majority of cultivated bacterial viruses are tailed, non-tailed viruses appear to numerically dominate the upper oceans as they comprised 51-92% of the viral particles observed. Together, these results document global marine viral morphological characteristics, show that their minimal variability is more explained by environmental conditions than geography and suggest that non-tailed viruses might represent the most ecologically important targets for future research.

Morphology parameters for intracranial aneurysm rupture risk assessment.

PubMed

Dhar, Sujan; Tremmel, Markus; Mocco, J; Kim, Minsuok; Yamamoto, Junichi; Siddiqui, Adnan H; Hopkins, L Nelson; Meng, Hui

2008-08-01

The aim of this study is to identify image-based morphological parameters that correlate with human intracranial aneurysm (IA) rupture. For 45 patients with terminal or sidewall saccular IAs (25 unruptured, 20 ruptured), three-dimensional geometries were evaluated for a range of morphological parameters. In addition to five previously studied parameters (aspect ratio, aneurysm size, ellipticity index, nonsphericity index, and undulation index), we defined three novel parameters incorporating the parent vessel geometry (vessel angle, aneurysm [inclination] angle, and [aneurysm-to-vessel] size ratio) and explored their correlation with aneurysm rupture. Parameters were analyzed with a two-tailed independent Student's t test for significance; significant parameters (P < 0.05) were further examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed on each parameter. Statistically significant differences were found between mean values in ruptured and unruptured groups for size ratio, undulation index, nonsphericity index, ellipticity index, aneurysm angle, and aspect ratio. Logistic regression analysis further revealed that size ratio (odds ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.92) and undulation index (odds ratio, 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.11) had the strongest independent correlation with ruptured IA. From the receiver operating characteristic analysis, size ratio and aneurysm angle had the highest area under the curve values of 0.83 and 0.85, respectively. Size ratio and aneurysm angle are promising new morphological metrics for IA rupture risk assessment. Because these parameters account for vessel geometry, they may bridge the gap between morphological studies and more qualitative location-based studies.

Pineal gland as an endocrine gravitational lunasensor: manifestation of moon-phase dependent morphological changes in mice.

PubMed

Gerasimov, A V; Kostyuchenko, V P; Solovieva, A S; Olovnikov, A M

2014-10-01

We found that some morphological properties of the pineal gland and submandibular salivary gland of mice are significantly distinct at the new and full moon. We suppose that the differences are initiated by the displacements of the electron-dense concretions in the secretory vesicles of pinealocytes. This presumably occurs under the influence of the gravitational field, which periodically changes during different phases of the moon. It seems that the pinealocyte is both an endocrine and gravisensory cell. A periodic secretion of the pineal gland probably stimulates, in a lunaphasic mode, the neuroendocrine system that, in turn, periodically exerts influence on different organs of the body. The observed effect probably serves, within the lifelong clock of a brain, to control development and aging in time.

Morphometric variability of Arctodiaptomus salinus (Copepoda) in the Mediterranean-Black Sea region.

PubMed

Anufriieva, Elena V; Shadrin, Nickolai V

2015-11-18

Inter-species variability in morphological traits creates a need to know the range of variability of characteristics in the species for taxonomic and ecological tasks. Copepoda Arctodiaptomus salinus, which inhabits water bodies across Eurasia and North Africa, plays a dominant role in plankton of different water bodies-from fresh to hypersaline. This work assesses the intra- and inter-population morphometric variability of A. salinus in the Mediterranean-Black Sea region and discusses some observed regularities. The variability of linear body parameters and proportions was studied. The impacts of salinity, temperature, and population density on morphological characteristics and their variability can manifest themselves in different ways at the intra- and inter-population levels. A significant effect of salinity, pH and temperature on the body proportions was not found. Their intra-population variability is dependent on temperature and salinity. Sexual dimorphism of A. salinus manifests in different linear parameters, proportions, and their variability. There were no effects of temperature, pH and salinity on the female/male parameter ratio. There were significant differences in the body proportions of males and females in different populations. The influence of temperature, salinity, and population density can be attributed to 80%-90% of intra-population variability of A. salinus. However, these factors can explain less than 40% of inter-population differences. Significant differences in the body proportions of males and females from different populations may suggest that some local populations of A. salinus in the Mediterranean-Black Sea region are in the initial stages of differentiation.

Cerium Improves Growth of Maize Seedlings via Alleviating Morphological Structure and Oxidative Damages of Leaf under Different Stresses.

PubMed

Hong, Fashui; Qu, Chunxiang; Wang, Ling

2017-10-18

It had been indicated that cerium (Ce) could promote maize growth involving photosynthetic improvement under potassium (K) deficiency, salt stress, and combined stress of K + deficiency and salt stress. However, whether the improved growth is related to leaf morphological structure, oxidative stress in maize leaves is not well understood. The present study showed that K + deficiency, salt stress, and their combined stress inhibited growth of maize seedlings, affecting the formation of appendages of leaf epidermal cells, and stomatal opening, which may be due to increases in H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde levels, and reductions in Ca 2+ content, ratios of glutathione/oxidized glutathione, ascorbic acid/dehydroascorbic acid, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbic acid peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and glutathione reductase in leaves under different stresses. The adverse effects caused by combined stress were higher than those of single stress. Furthermore, our findings demonstrated that adding Ce 3+ could significantly promote seedling growth, and alleviate morphological and structural damage of leaf, decrease oxidative stress and increase antioxidative capacity in maize leaves caused by different stresses.

Ethnic Differences in Bony Hip Morphology in a Cohort of 445 Professional Male Soccer Players.

PubMed

Mosler, Andrea B; Crossley, Kay M; Waarsing, Jan H; Jomaah, Nabil; Weir, Adam; Hölmich, Per; Agricola, Rintje

2016-11-01

Participation in high-impact athletic activities has recently been associated with a higher prevalence of cam deformity. Bony hip morphology has also emerged as an important factor in the development of hip osteoarthritis. However, it is unknown whether bony morphology differs between ethnicities in athletes participating in high-impact sports. To investigate whether the prevalence of specific bony hip morphological abnormalities differed between professional male soccer players of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Professional male soccer players from an entire league attending preparticipation screening were invited to participate in this study. Ethnicity was registered, and standardized radiographs of anteroposterior pelvic and Dunn views were obtained. Cam and pincer deformity, and acetabular dysplasia were quantified using the alpha angle, triangular index, and lateral center-edge angle (LCEA). Regression analyses with generalized estimating equations were used to determine prevalence differences in bony hip morphology. A total of 445 male soccer players (890 hips; mean age ± SD, 25 ± 4.9 years) participated in the study, representing the following ethnic groups: Arabic (59%), black (24%), Persian (7%), white (6%), East Asian (2%), and other (2%). The prevalence of cam deformity (alpha angle >60°) ranged from 57.5% to 71.7% across 4 of the groups, but East Asians had a significantly lower prevalence (18.8%; P ≤ .032). A large cam deformity (alpha angle >78°) was more prevalent in white (33.3%) compared with black soccer players (17.8%; P = .041) and was absent in East Asian players. Pincer deformity (LCEA >40°) was uncommon (3%) in all ethnicities. The prevalence of acetabular dysplasia (LCEA <20°) ranged from 8.0% to 16.7%, apart from the white group, in which prevalence was only 1.9% (P = .03). The prevalence of a cam deformity and acetabular dysplasia differed between ethnicities in this cohort of professional male soccer players. These findings suggest that there may be ethnic differences in both acetabular morphology and femoral bony response to athletic load. © 2016 The Author(s).

Nanosecond laser-induced damage at different initial temperatures of Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} films prepared by dual ion beam sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Cheng, E-mail: xucheng@cumt.edu.cn; Jia, Jiaojiao; Fan, Heliang

2014-08-07

Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} films were deposited by dual ion beam sputtering method. The nanosecond laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) at different initial temperatures and time of the films was investigated by an in situ high temperature laser-induced damage testing platform. It was shown that, when the initial temperature increased from 298 K to 383 K, the LIDT at 1064 nm and 12 ns significantly decreased by nearly 14%. Then the LIDT at 1064 nm and 12 ns decreased slower with the same temperature increment. Different damage morphologies were found at different initial temperatures. At low initial temperatures, it was the defects-isolated damage while at high initial temperaturesmore » it was the defects-combined damage. The theoretical calculations based on the defect-induced damage model revealed that both the significant increase of the highest temperature and the duration contributed to the different damage morphologies. With the initial temperature being increased, the thermal-stress coupling damage mechanism transformed gradually to the thermal dominant damage mechanism.« less

Variation in sport participation, fitness and motor coordination with socioeconomic status among Flemish children.

PubMed

Vandendriessche, Joric B; Vandorpe, Barbara F R; Vaeyens, Roel; Malina, Robert M; Lefevre, Johan; Lenoir, Matthieu; Philippaerts, Renaat M

2012-02-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) is often indicated as a factor that influences physical activity and associated health outcomes. This study examined the relationship between SES and sport participation, morphology, fitness and motor coordination in a sample of 1955 Flemish children 6-11 years of age. Gender, age and SES-specific values for morphologic dimensions, amount and type of sport participation and fitness and motor coordination tests were compared. SES was positively and significantly associated with sport participation and sports club membership in both sexes. Although differences were not consistently significant, morphologic dimensions and tests of fitness and motor coordination showed a trend in favor of children from higher SES. The results suggest that public and local authorities should consider providing equal opportunities for children in all social strata and especially those in the lower SES to experience the beneficial effects of sport participation through which they can enhance levels of physical fitness and motor coordination.

Impact of Tortuosity on Charge-Carrier Transport in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heiber, Michael C.; Kister, Klaus; Baumann, Andreas; Dyakonov, Vladimir; Deibel, Carsten; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen

2017-11-01

The impact of the tortuosity of the charge-transport pathways through a bulk heterojunction film on the charge-carrier mobility is theoretically investigated using model morphologies and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. The tortuosity descriptor provides a quantitative metric to characterize the quality of the charge-transport pathways, and model morphologies with controlled domain size and tortuosity are created using an anisotropic domain growth procedure. The tortuosity is found to be dependent on the anisotropy of the domain structure and is highly tunable. Time-of-flight charge-transport simulations on morphologies with a range of tortuosity values reveal that tortuosity can significantly reduce the magnitude of the mobility and the electric-field dependence relative to a neat material. These reductions are found to be further controlled by the energetic disorder and temperature. Most significantly, the sensitivity of the electric-field dependence to the tortuosity can explain the different experimental relationships previously reported, and exploiting this sensitivity could lead to simpler methods for characterizing and optimizing charge transport in organic solar cells.

Comparative morphology of the mechanosensory lateral line system in a clade of New Zealand triplefin fishes.

PubMed

Wellenreuther, Maren; Brock, Michelle; Montgomery, John; Clements, Kendall D

2010-01-01

The mechanoreceptive lateral line system in fishes detects hydrodynamic stimuli and plays a critical role in many fundamental behaviours, including orientation to water currents and the detection of stationary objects, prey and predators. Interspecific variation in lateral line structure may result from a process of functional adaptation, with the background level of hydrodynamic activity proposed as an important selective pressure. Here we use the eight species of the ecologically diverse New Zealand marine triplefin fish of the genus Forsterygion and one species from the sister genus Notoclinops to investigate interspecific differences in lateral line morphology and to assess the relationship between lateral line characteristics and exposure to wave energy (fetch/depth ratio). Overall, the results show that lateral line traits are divergent between species, and these differences could in part be related to the wave exposure of the habitats that the species occupy. Specifically, numbers of canal neuromasts differed significantly between species, and most canal groupings increased in neuromast number with fetch/depth ratio, while the number and area of some superficial neuromast groupings decreased significantly with exposure. Distribution of superficial neuromasts along the trunk in the semi-pelagic and paedomorphic species F. maryannae differed from the other, demersal species, which may be associated with the unique lifestyle of this species and/or developmental processes. Canal architecture also differed considerably between species, but displayed no relationship with fetch/depth ratio. The results from this study indicate that some interspecific differences in lateral line organs may be a by-product of selection for habitat divergence. Future work should explore additional causal factors that might have influenced the evolution of lateral morphology in these species, including phylogenetic and allometric effects. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Accurate diagnosis of thyroid follicular lesions from nuclear morphology using supervised learning.

PubMed

Ozolek, John A; Tosun, Akif Burak; Wang, Wei; Chen, Cheng; Kolouri, Soheil; Basu, Saurav; Huang, Hu; Rohde, Gustavo K

2014-07-01

Follicular lesions of the thyroid remain significant diagnostic challenges in surgical pathology and cytology. The diagnosis often requires considerable resources and ancillary tests including immunohistochemistry, molecular studies, and expert consultation. Visual analyses of nuclear morphological features, generally speaking, have not been helpful in distinguishing this group of lesions. Here we describe a method for distinguishing between follicular lesions of the thyroid based on nuclear morphology. The method utilizes an optimal transport-based linear embedding for segmented nuclei, together with an adaptation of existing classification methods. We show the method outputs assignments (classification results) which are near perfectly correlated with the clinical diagnosis of several lesion types' lesions utilizing a database of 94 patients in total. Experimental comparisons also show the new method can significantly outperform standard numerical feature-type methods in terms of agreement with the clinical diagnosis gold standard. In addition, the new method could potentially be used to derive insights into biologically meaningful nuclear morphology differences in these lesions. Our methods could be incorporated into a tool for pathologists to aid in distinguishing between follicular lesions of the thyroid. In addition, these results could potentially provide nuclear morphological correlates of biological behavior and reduce health care costs by decreasing histotechnician and pathologist time and obviating the need for ancillary testing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Associations between sperm abnormalities, breed, age, and scrotal circumference in beef bulls

PubMed Central

Menon, Ajitkumar G.; Barkema, Herman W.; Wilde, Randy; Kastelic, John P.; Thundathil, Jacob C.

2011-01-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the associations of breed, age, and scrotal circumference (SC), and their interaction, on the prevalence of sperm abnormalities in beef bulls in Alberta, Canada, and the percentage of satisfactory potential breeders identified during breeding soundness examination solely due to normal sperm morphology. Eosin-nigrosin stained semen smears and evaluation reports of 1642 bull breeding soundness evaluations were procured from 6 veterinary clinics in Alberta. Sperm morphology was determined for at least 100 sperm per bull. The most common defects were detached head [4.86% ± 5.71%; mean ± standard deviation (s)], distal midpiece reflex (6.19% ± 9.13%), and bent tail (1.01% ± 1.54%). Although breed, age, and SC did not significantly affect the prevalence of head or midpiece defects, morphologically normal or abnormal sperm, tail defects were more prevalent in Angus and Hereford bulls compared with other breeds. Overall, solely on the basis of sperm morphology, 1363 (83.0%) bulls were classified as satisfactory potential breeders and the remainder 279 (17.0%) as unsatisfactory (> 30% abnormal sperm, > 20% defective heads, or both). Although not significantly different, the breed with the highest percentage of satisfactory potential breeders was Limousin (90.6%) and the lowest was Hereford (78.8%). That 17% of bulls subjected to breeding soundness evaluation were designated as unsatisfactory solely on the basis of sperm morphology highlights its importance. PMID:22468020

Semantic processing during morphological priming: an ERP study.

PubMed

Beyersmann, Elisabeth; Iakimova, Galina; Ziegler, Johannes C; Colé, Pascale

2014-09-04

Previous research has yielded conflicting results regarding the onset of semantic processing during morphological priming. The present study was designed to further explore the time-course of morphological processing using event-related potentials (ERPs). We conducted a primed lexical decision study comparing a morphological (LAVAGE - laver [washing - wash]), a semantic (LINGE - laver [laundry - wash]), an orthographic (LAVANDE - laver [lavender - wash]), and an unrelated control condition (HOSPICE - laver [nursing home - wash]), using the same targets across the four priming conditions. The behavioral data showed significant effects of morphological and semantic priming, with the magnitude of morphological priming being significantly larger than the magnitude of semantic priming. The ERP data revealed significant morphological but no semantic priming at 100-250 ms. Furthermore, a reduction of the N400 amplitude in the morphological condition compared to the semantic and orthographic condition demonstrates that the morphological priming effect was not entirely due to the semantic or orthographic overlap between the prime and the target. The present data reflect an early process of semantically blind morphological decomposition, and a later process of morpho-semantic decomposition, which we discuss in the context of recent morphological processing theories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How accurate replicates the Thermafil System the morphology of the apical endodontic space? An ex vivo study.

PubMed

Stratul, S I; Didilescu, Andreea; Grigorie, Mihaela; Ianes, Emilia; Rusu, D; Nica, Luminiţa

2011-01-01

To evaluate the morphology of the root canal in its apical third and the capacity of the Thermafil System to reproduce the entire morphology of the cleaned and shaped root canal. Thirty-two roots of periodontally compromised teeth were prepared using the ProTaper System to an apical size 30 and filled with the Thermafil obturation technique and sealer. The roots were surgically amputated and prepared for metallographic evaluation by incremental reductions of 0.5 mm each, starting with the apical foramen. Photomicrographs of each section were taken at a magnification of 500x and 100x. The images were analyzed and processed. The position of the apical foramen with respect to the anatomical apex was identified and marked. Additional morphological details as lateral canals and recesses were also recorded. The cross-sectioned area of the canal and gutta-percha, the total perimeter, the shaped perimeter and the filled perimeter were recorded for each sample and the results were expressed as percentages. Multiple images of successive sections were used to create a 3D reconstruction of the apical anatomy of the tooth. The ANOVA test was performed to assess mean differences between evaluations of perimeters/areas at different levels. The anatomical apical foramen was found at the tip of the root in 50% of the evaluated samples. In the remaining samples, the foramen was located between 0.5 and 2.5 mm from the centre of the apex. Lateral canals, which opened in accessory foramens, were recorded in 25% of the evaluated samples. Statistical significant differences (p<0.05) were found between different levels of preparation and obturation. The complex morphology of the apical third of the root canal is satisfactory microstructurally replicated by the Thermafil System. Moreover, polarized light microscopy and the 3D reconstruction offered a discriminative vision of morphological details as lateral canals, recesses, the gutta-percha and debris.

Qualitatively different effect of repeated stress during adolescence on principal neuron morphology across lateral and basal nuclei of the rat amygdala

PubMed Central

Padival, Mallika A.; Blume, Shannon R.; Vantrease, Jaime E.; Rosenkranz, J. Amiel

2015-01-01

Repeated stress can elicit symptoms of depression and anxiety. The amygdala is a significant contributor to the expression of emotion and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a major target for the effects of stress on emotion. The adolescent time period may be particularly susceptible to the effects of stress on emotion. While repeated stress has been demonstrated to modify the morphology of BLA neurons in adult rats, little is known about its effects on BLA neurons during adolescence. This study tests the effects of repeated stress during adolescence on BLA neuronal morphology, and whether these are similar to the effects of stress during adulthood. The BLA includes the basal (BA) and lateral (LAT) nuclei, which are differentially responsive to stress in adults. Therefore, effects of stress during adolescence were compared between the BA and LAT nuclei. Morphological features of reconstructed BLA neurons were examined using Golgi-Cox stained tissue from control or repeated restraint stress exposed rats. We found subtle dendritic growth coupled with loss of spines after repeated stress during adolescence. The magnitude and dendritic location of these differences varied between the BA and LAT nuclei in strong contrast to the stress-induced increases in spine number seen in adults. These results demonstrate that repeated stress during adolescence has markedly different effects on BLA neuronal morphology, and the extent of these changes are BLA nucleus-dependent. Moreover, altered neuroanatomy was associated with age-dependent effects of repeated stress on generalization of fear, and may point to the necessity for different approaches to target stress-induced changes in adolescents. PMID:25701125

Listening to galaxies tuning at z ~ 2.5-3.0: The first strikes of the Hubble fork

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talia, M.; Cimatti, A.; Mignoli, M.; Pozzetti, L.; Renzini, A.; Kurk, J.; Halliday, C.

2014-02-01

Aims: We investigate the morphological properties of 494 galaxies selected from the Galaxy Mass Assembly ultra-deep Spectroscopic Survey (GMASS) at z > 1, primarily in their optical rest frame, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) infrared images, from the Cosmic Assembly Near-IR Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). Methods: The morphological analysis of Wield Field Camera (WFC3) H160 band images was performed using two different methods: a visual classification identifying traditional Hubble types, and a quantitative analysis using parameters that describe structural properties, such as the concentration of light and the rotational asymmetry. The two classifications are compared. We then analysed how apparent morphologies correlate with the physical properties of galaxies. Results: The fractions of both elliptical and disk galaxies decrease between redshifts z ~ 1 to z ~ 3, while at z > 3 the galaxy population is dominated by irregular galaxies. The quantitative morphological analysis shows that, at 1 < z < 3, morphological parameters are not as effective in distinguishing the different morphological Hubble types as they are at low redshift. No significant morphological k-correction was found to be required for the Hubble type classification, with some exceptions. In general, different morphological types occupy the two peaks of the (U - B)rest colour bimodality of galaxies: most irregulars occupy the blue peak, while ellipticals are mainly found in the red peak, though with some level of contamination. Disks are more evenly distributed than either irregulars and ellipticals. We find that the position of a galaxy in a UVJ diagram is related to its morphological type: the "quiescent" region of the plot is mainly occupied by ellipticals and, to a lesser extent, by disks. We find that only ~33% of all morphological ellipticals in our sample are red and passively evolving galaxies, a percentage that is consistent with previous results obtained at z < 1. Blue galaxies morphologically classified as ellipticals show a remarkable structural similarity to red ones. We search for correlations between our morphological and spectroscopic galaxy classifications. Almost all irregulars have a star-forming galaxy spectrum. In addition, the majority of disks show some sign of star-formation activity in their spectra, though in some cases their red continuum is indicative of old stellar populations. Finally, an elliptical morphology may be associated with either passively evolving or strongly star-forming galaxies. Conclusions: We propose that the Hubble sequence of galaxy morphologies takes shape at redshift 2.5 < z < 3. The fractions of both ellipticals and disks decrease with increasing lookback time at z > 1, such that at redshifts z = 2.5-2.7 and above, the Hubble types cannot be identified, and most galaxies are classified as irregular. Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Alligators and Crocodiles Have High Paracellular Absorption of Nutrients, But Differ in Digestive Morphology and Physiology.

PubMed

Tracy, Christopher R; McWhorter, Todd J; Gienger, C M; Starck, J Matthias; Medley, Peter; Manolis, S Charlie; Webb, Grahame J W; Christian, Keith A

2015-12-01

Much of what is known about crocodilian nutrition and growth has come from animals propagated in captivity, but captive animals from the families Crocodilidae and Alligatoridae respond differently to similar diets. Since there are few comparative studies of crocodilian digestive physiology to help explain these differences, we investigated young Alligator mississippiensis and Crocodylus porosus in terms of (1) gross and microscopic morphology of the intestine, (2) activity of the membrane-bound digestive enzymes aminopeptidase-N, maltase, and sucrase, and (3) nutrient absorption by carrier-mediated and paracellular pathways. We also measured gut morphology of animals over a larger range of body sizes. The two species showed different allometry of length and mass of the gut, with A. mississippiensis having a steeper increase in intestinal mass with body size, and C. porosus having a steeper increase in intestinal length with body size. Both species showed similar patterns of magnification of the intestinal surface area, with decreasing magnification from the proximal to distal ends of the intestine. Although A. mississippiensis had significantly greater surface-area magnification overall, a compensating significant difference in gut length between species meant that total surface area of the intestine was not significantly different from that of C. porosus. The species differed in enzyme activities, with A. mississippiensis having significantly greater ability to digest carbohydrates relative to protein than did C. porosus. These differences in enzyme activity may help explain the differences in performance between the crocodilian families when on artificial diets. Both A. mississippiensis and C. porosus showed high absorption of 3-O methyl d-glucose (absorbed via both carrier-mediated and paracellular transport), as expected. Both species also showed surprisingly high levels of l-glucose-uptake (absorbed paracellularly), with fractional absorptions as high as those previously seen only in small birds and bats. Analyses of absorption rates suggested a relatively high proportional contribution of paracellular (i.e., non-mediated) uptake to total uptake of nutrients in both species. Because we measured juveniles, and most paracellular studies to date have been on adults, it is unclear whether high paracellular absorption is generally high within crocodilians or whether these high values are specific to juveniles. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationship between increasing concentrations of two carcinogens and statistical image descriptors of foci morphology in the cell transformation assay.

PubMed

Callegaro, Giulia; Corvi, Raffaella; Salovaara, Susan; Urani, Chiara; Stefanini, Federico M

2017-06-01

Cell Transformation Assays (CTAs) have long been proposed for the identification of chemical carcinogenicity potential. The endpoint of these in vitro assays is represented by the phenotypic alterations in cultured cells, which are characterized by the change from the non-transformed to the transformed phenotype. Despite the wide fields of application and the numerous advantages of CTAs, their use in regulatory toxicology has been limited in part due to concerns about the subjective nature of visual scoring, i.e. the step in which transformed colonies or foci are evaluated through morphological features. An objective evaluation of morphological features has been previously obtained through automated digital processing of foci images to extract the value of three statistical image descriptors. In this study a further potential of the CTA using BALB/c 3T3 cells is addressed by analysing the effect of increasing concentrations of two known carcinogens, benzo[a]pyrene and NiCl 2 , with different modes of action on foci morphology. The main result of our quantitative evaluation shows that the concentration of the considered carcinogens has an effect on foci morphology that is statistically significant for the mean of two among the three selected descriptors. Statistical significance also corresponds to visual relevance. The statistical analysis of variations in foci morphology due to concentration allowed to quantify morphological changes that can be visually appreciated but not precisely determined. Therefore, it has the potential of providing new quantitative parameters in CTAs, and of exploiting all the information encoded in foci. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Morphology and digitally aided morphometry of the human paracentral lobule.

PubMed

Spasojević, Goran; Malobabic, Slobodan; Pilipović-Spasojević, Olivera; Djukić-Macut, Nataša; Maliković, Aleksandar

2013-02-01

The human paracentral lobule, the junction of the precentral and postcentral gyri at the medial hemispheric surface, contains several important functional regions, and its variable morphology requires exact morphological and quantitativedata. In order to obtain precise data we investigated the morphology of the paracentral lobule and quantified its visible (extrasulcal) surface. This surface corresponds to commonly used magnetic resonance imaging scout images. We studied 84 hemispheres of adult persons (42 brains; 26 males and 16 females; 20-65 years) fixed in neutral formalin for at least 4 weeks. The medial hemispheric surface was photographed at standard distance and each digital photo was calibrated. Using the intercommissural line system (commissura anterior-commissura posterior or CA-CP line), we performed standardised measurements of the paracentral lobule. Exact determination of its boundaries and morphological types was followed by digital morphometry of its extrasulcal surface using AutoCAD software. We found two distinct morphological types of the human paracentral lobule: continuous type, which was predominant (95.2%), and rare segmented type (4.8%). In hemispheres with segmented cingulate sulcus we also found the short transitional lobulo-limbic gyrus (13.1%). The mean extrasulcal surface of the left paracentral lobule was significantly larger, both in males (left 6.79 cm2 vs. right 5.76 cm2) and in females (left 6.05 cm2 vs. right 5.16 cm2). However, even larger average surfaces in males were not significantly different than the same in females. Reported morphological and quantitative data will be useful during diagnostics and treatment of pathologies affecting the human paracentral lobule, and in further studies of its cytoarchitectonic and functional parcellations.

Diversity and population structure of a dominant deciduous tree based on morphological and genetic data

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qin-di; Jia, Rui-Zhi; Meng, Chao; Ti, Chao-Wen; Wang, Yi-Ling

2015-01-01

Knowledge of the genetic diversity and structure of tree species across their geographic ranges is essential for sustainable use and management of forest ecosystems. Acer grosseri Pax., an economically and ecologically important maple species, is mainly distributed in North China. In this study, the genetic diversity and population differentiation of 24 natural populations of this species were evaluated using sequence-related amplified polymorphism markers and morphological characters. The results show that highly significant differences occurred in 32 morphological traits. The coefficient of variation of 34 characters was 18.19 %. Principal component analysis indicated that 18 of 34 traits explained 60.20 % of the total variance. The phenotypic differentiation coefficient (VST) was 36.06 % for all morphological traits. The Shannon–Wiener index of 34 morphological characters was 6.09, while at the population level, it was 1.77. The percentage of polymorphic bands of all studied A. grosseri populations was 82.14 %. Nei's gene diversity (He) and Shannon's information index (I) were 0.35 and 0.50, respectively. Less genetic differentiation was detected among the natural populations (GST = 0.20, ΦST = 0.10). Twenty-four populations of A. grosseri formed two main clusters, which is consistent with morphological cluster analysis. Principal coordinates analysis and STRUCTURE analysis supported the UPGMA-cluster dendrogram. There was no significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances among populations. Both molecular and morphological data suggested that A. grosseri is rich in genetic diversity. The high level of genetic variation within populations could be affected by the biological characters, mating system and lifespan of A. grosseri, whereas the lower genetic diversity among populations could be caused by effective gene exchange, selective pressure from environmental heterogeneity and the species' geographical range. PMID:26311734

Environmental determinism, and not interspecific competition, drives morphological variability in Australasian warblers (Acanthizidae).

PubMed

García-Navas, Vicente; Rodríguez-Rey, Marta; Marki, Petter Z; Christidis, Les

2018-04-01

Interspecific competition is thought to play a key role in determining the coexistence of closely related species within adaptive radiations. Competition for ecological resources can lead to different outcomes from character displacement to, ultimately, competitive exclusion. Accordingly, divergent natural selection should disfavor those species that are the most similar to their competitor in resource use, thereby increasing morphological disparity. Here, we examined ecomorphological variability within an Australo-Papuan bird radiation, the Acanthizidae, which include both allopatric and sympatric complexes. In addition, we investigated whether morphological similarities between species are related to environmental factors at fine scale (foraging niche) and/or large scale (climate). Contrary to that predicted by the competition hypothesis, we did not find a significant correlation between the morphological similarities found between species and their degree of range overlap. Comparative modeling based on both a priori and data-driven identification of selective regimes suggested that foraging niche is a poor predictor of morphological variability in acanthizids. By contrast, our results indicate that climatic conditions were an important factor in the formation of morphological variation. We found a significant negative correlation between species scores for PC1 (positively associated to tarsus length and tail length) and both temperature and precipitation, whereas PC2 (positively associated to bill length and wing length) correlated positively with precipitation. In addition, we found that species inhabiting the same region are closer to each other in morphospace than to species outside that region regardless of genus to which they belong or its foraging strategy. Our results indicate that the conservative body form of acanthizids is one that can work under a wide variety of environments (an all-purpose morphology), and the observed interspecific similarity is probably driven by the common response to environment.

How Heart Valves Evolve to Adapt to an Extreme-Pressure System: Morphologic and Biomechanical Properties of Giraffe Heart Valves.

PubMed

Amstrup Funder, Jonas; Christian Danielsen, Carl; Baandrup, Ulrik; Martin Bibby, Bo; Carl Andelius, Ted; Toft Brøndum, Emil; Wang, Tobias; Michael Hasenkam, J

2017-01-01

Heart valves which exist naturally in an extreme-pressure system must have evolved in a way to resist the stresses of high pressure. Giraffes are interesting as they naturally have a blood pressure twice that of humans. Thus, knowledge regarding giraffe heart valves may aid in developing techniques to design improved pressure-resistant biological heart valves. Heart valves from 12 giraffes and 10 calves were explanted and subjected to either biomechanical or morphological examinations. Strips from the heart valves were subjected to cyclic loading tests, followed by failure tests. Thickness measurements and analyses of elastin and collagen content were also made. Valve specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, elastic van Gieson stain, Masson's trichrome and Fraser-Lendrum stain, as well as immunohistochemical reactions for morphological examinations. The aortic valve was shown to be 70% (95% CI 42-103%) stronger in the giraffe than in its bovine counterpart (p <0.001). No significant difference was found between mitral or pulmonary valves. After normalization for collagen, no significant differences were found in strength between species. The giraffe aortic valve was found to be significantly stiffer than the bovine aortic valve (p <0.001), with no significant difference between mitral and pulmonary valves. On a dry weight basis, the aortic (10.9%), pulmonary (4.3%), and mitral valves (9.6%) of giraffes contained significantly more collagen than those of calves. The elastin contents of the pulmonary valves (2.5%) and aortic valves (1.5%) were also higher in giraffes. The greater strength of the giraffe aortic valve is most likely due to a compact collagen construction. Both, collagen and elastin contents were higher in giraffes than in calves, which would make giraffe valves more resistant to the high-pressure forces. However, collagen also stiffens and thickens the valves. The mitral leaflets showed similar (but mostly insignificant) trends in strength, stiffness, and collagen content.

Morphological selection in an extreme flow environment: body shape and waterfall-climbing success in the Hawaiian stream fish Sicyopterus stimpsoni.

PubMed

Blob, Richard W; Bridges, William C; Ptacek, Margaret B; Maie, Takashi; Cediel, Roberto A; Bertolas, Morgan M; Julius, Matthew L; Schoenfuss, Heiko L

2008-12-01

Flow characteristics are a prominent factor determining body shapes in aquatic organisms, and correlations between body shape and ambient flow regimes have been established for many fish species. In this study, we investigated the potential for a brief period of extreme flow to exert selection on the body shape of juvenile climbing Hawaiian gobiid fishes. Because of an amphidromous life history, juvenile gobies that complete an oceanic larval phase return to freshwater habitats, where they become adults. Returning juveniles often must scale waterfalls (typically with the use of a ventral sucker) in order to reach the habitats they will use as adults, thereby exposing these animals to brief periods of extreme velocities of flow. Hydrodynamic theory predicts that bodies with larger suckers and with lower heights that reduce drag would have improved climbing success and, thus, be well suited to meet the demands of the flows in waterfalls. To test the potential for the flow environment of waterfalls to impose selection that could contribute to differences in body shape between islands, we subjected juvenile Sicyopterus stimpsoni to climbing trials up artificial waterfalls (∼100 body lengths) and measured differences in body shape between successful and unsuccessful climbers. Waterfalls appear to represent a significant selective barrier to these fishes, as nearly 30% failed our climbing test. However, the effects of selection on morphology were not straightforward, as significant differences in shape between successful and unsuccessful climbers did not always match hydrodynamic predictions. In both selection experiments and in adult fish collected from habitats with different prevailing conditions of flow (the islands of Hawai'i versus Kaua'i), lower head heights were associated with exposure to high-flow regimes, as predicted by hydrodynamic theory. Thus, a premium appears to be placed on the reduction of drag via head morphology throughout the ontogeny of this species. The congruence of phenotypic selection patterns observed in our experiments, with morphological character divergence documented among adult fish from Hawai'i and Kaua'i, suggests that differences in morphology between subpopulations of adult climbing gobies may result, at least in part, from the selective pressures of high-velocity flows encountered by migrating juveniles.

The role of calcium and predation on plate morph evolution in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

PubMed Central

Smith, Carl; Spence, Rowena; Barber, Iain; Przybylski, Mirosław; Wootton, Robert J

2014-01-01

While the genetic basis to plate morph evolution of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is well described, the environmental variables that select for different plate and spine morphs are incompletely understood. Using replicate populations of three-spined sticklebacks on North Uist, Scotland, we previously investigated the role of predation pressure and calcium limitation on the adaptive evolution of stickleback morphology and behavior. While dissolved calcium proved a significant predictor of plate and spine morph, predator abundance did not. Ecol. Evol., xxx, 2014 and xxx performed a comparable analysis to our own to address the same question. They failed to detect a significant effect of dissolved calcium on morphological evolution, but did establish a significant effect of predation; albeit in the opposite direction to their prediction. PMID:25478147

Cellulose effects on morphology and elasticity of Vibrio fischeri biofilms.

PubMed

Ziemba, Christopher; Shabtai, Yael; Piatkovsky, Maria; Herzberg, Moshe

2016-01-01

Cellulose effects on Vibrio fischeri biofilm morphology were tested for the wild-type and two of its isogenic mutants that either exhibit increased cellulose production or do not produce cellulose at all. Confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging of each biofilm revealed that total sessile volume increases with cellulose expression, but the size of colonies formed with cellulose was smaller, creating a more diffuse biofilm. These morphological differences were not attributed to variations in bacterial deposition, extracellular polymeric substances affinity to the surface or bacterial growth. A positive correlation was found between cellulose expression, Young's (elastic) modulus of the biofilm analyzed with atomic force microscope and shear modulus of the related extracellular polymeric substances layers analyzed with quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. Cellulose production also correlated positively with concentrations of extracellular DNA. A significant negative correlation was observed between cellulose expression and rates of diffusion through the extracellular polymeric substances. The difference observed in biofilm morphology is suggested as a combined result of cellulose and likely extracellular DNA (i) increasing biofilm Young's modulus, making shear removal more difficult, and (ii) decreased diffusion rate of nutrients and wastes into and out of the biofilm, which effectively limits colony size.

Effects of vitrification cryopreservation on follicular morphology and stress relaxation behaviors of human ovarian tissues: sucrose versus trehalose as the non-permeable protective agent.

PubMed

Tian, Ting; Zhao, Gang; Han, Dan; Zhu, Kaixuan; Chen, Dawei; Zhang, Zhiguo; Wei, Zhaolian; Cao, Yunxia; Zhou, Ping

2015-04-01

Is sucrose more effective than trehalose in human ovarian tissue cryopreservation? The effect of sucrose as a cryoprotective agent (CPA) was not significantly different from that of trehalose in human ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Sugars have the ability to keep the cell membrane intact and can decrease the toxicity of CPAs. Sucrose is the most commonly used non-permeable CPA, while trehalose is rarely used in human ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Although various methods are utilized to evaluate the efficiency of human ovarian tissue cryopreservation, few studies have evaluated the effect of cryopreservation from the viewpoint of biomechanics. A total of 15 ovarian tissue samples were collected from 15 patients (20-41 years old) with benign ovarian tumors or malignancies, and each was dissected into six slices. Two slices were taken as the fresh control group. The remaining four slices were vitrified using different vitrification protocols. After warming, samples in each group were either fixed for histological evaluation or destined for stress relaxation test. The CPA solutions for the control and vitrified groups were composed of EDS and EDT (E, ethylene glycol; D, dimethylsulphoxide; S, sucrose; T, trehalose). The stress relaxation experiments were carried out at room temperature using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. Ovarian tissue samples were assessed for both their morphology and viscoelasticity. Stress relaxation data (SRD) were calculated as a percentage, representing the ability to maintain the initial stress after stretching. The percentage of morphologically normal follicles was compared between groups, which was represented by morphologic preservation ratio. The morphologic preservation ratio of the primordial follicles in the fresh control group (87.58%) was higher than that in group S (72.33%) (P = 0.000) and group T (79.56%) (P = 0.002). Although not statistically significant, compared with the S group, vitrification with T suggested a trend toward a higher morphologic preservation ratio of the primordial follicles. The SRD in the fresh control group (0.6433 ± 0.7233) was significantly different from that in group S (0.5200 ± 0.8331, P = 0.000) or in group T (0.5667 ± 0.6415, P = 0.000). However, no significant difference was found between groups S and T. Experimental samples were directly exposed to the air, which will result in a discrepancy in the viscoelastic properties between experimental tissues and in vivo tissues. Our study suggested a trend toward a higher morphologic preservation ratio of the primordial follicles after vitrification in trehalose compared with sucrose, which may provide a basis for further optimizing human ovarian tissue vitrification. In addition, it was possible to evaluate the effect of ovarian tissue cryopreservation from a biomechanics perspective. This study was supported by the grants from the Medical Scientific Research Subject, Health Ministry of Anhui Province (2010B014) and National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2012CB944704), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51276179 and 51476160). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this original paper. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

European Veterinary Renal Pathology Service: A Survey Over a 7-Year Period (2008-2015).

PubMed

Aresu, L; Martini, V; Benali, S L; Brovida, C; Cianciolo, R E; Dalla Riva, R; Trez, D; Van Der Lugt, J J; Van Dongen, A; Zini, E

2017-09-01

The European Veterinary Renal Pathology Service (EVRPS) is the first Web-based registry for canine renal biopsy specimens in Europe. The aim was to verify whether differences exist between the clinical and laboratory presentation of dogs with nephropathy according to renal pathological findings, as defined by light and electron microscopy of renal biopsy specimens submitted to EVRPS. Renal biopsy specimens of dogs were collected from the archive of the service (n = 254). Cases were included if both light and electron microscopy were available (n = 162). Renal biopsy specimens were classified based on the morphological diagnoses. Thereafter, they were grouped into 3 disease categories, including immune-complex-mediated glomerulonephritis (ICGN), non-immune-complex-mediated GN (non-ICGN), and renal lesions not otherwise specified (RL-NOS). Differences among morphological diagnoses and among disease categories were investigated for clinical and laboratory variables. Serum albumin concentration was lower in dogs with ICGN than in those with non-ICGN (P = 0.006) or RL-NOS (P = 0.000), and the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) was significantly higher in ICGN than in the other 2 disease categories. Regarding morphological diagnoses, albumin was significantly lower in amyloidosis (AMY) and membranous (MGN), membranoproliferative (MPGN) or mixed glomerulonephritis (MixGN) than in minimal change disease, primary (FSGS I) or secondary (FSGS II) focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis and juvenile nephropathies (JN). The UPC was higher in MPGN than in FSGS I and FSGS II. Dogs with ICGN, in particular MPGN, had higher protein loss than those with non-ICGN or RL-NOS, leading to more severe hypoalbuminemia. Clinical and laboratory differentiation among dogs with the different morphological diagnoses and among dogs with different disease categories was difficult due to overlapping results. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Ablation in the Conceptus Has Limited Effects on Placental Morphology, Function and Pregnancy Outcome

PubMed Central

Laurence, Jessica A.; Leemaqz, Shalem; O’Leary, Sean; Bianco-Miotto, Tina; Du, Jing; Anderson, Paul H.; Roberts, Claire T.

2015-01-01

Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several pregnancy complications attributed to impaired or abnormal placental function, but there are few clues indicating the mechanistic role of vitamin D in their pathogenesis. To further understand the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR)-mediated activity in placental function, we used heterozygous Vdr ablated C57Bl6 mice to assess fetal growth, morphological parameters and global gene expression in Vdr null placentae. Twelve Vdr +/- dams were mated at 10–12 weeks of age with Vdr +/- males. At day 18.5 of the 19.5 day gestation in our colony, females were euthanised and placental and fetal samples were collected, weighed and subsequently genotyped as either Vdr +/+, Vdr +/- or Vdr -/-. Morphological assessment of placentae using immunohistochemistry was performed and RNA was extracted and subject to microarray analysis. This revealed 25 genes that were significantly differentially expressed between Vdr +/+ and Vdr -/- placentae. The greatest difference was a 6.47-fold change in expression of Cyp24a1 which was significantly lower in the Vdr -/- placentae (P<0.01). Other differentially expressed genes in Vdr -/- placentae included those involved in RNA modification (Snord123), autophagy (Atg4b), cytoskeletal modification (Shroom4), cell signalling (Plscr1, Pex5) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling (Deptor and Prr5). Interrogation of the upstream sequence of differentially expressed genes identified that many contain putative vitamin D receptor elements (VDREs). Despite the gene expression differences, this did not contribute to any differences in overall placental morphology, nor was function affected as there was no difference in fetal growth as determined by fetal weight near term. Given our dams still expressed a functional VDR gene, our results suggest that cross-talk between the maternal decidua and the placenta, as well as maternal vitamin D status, may be more important in determining pregnancy outcome than conceptus expression of VDR. PMID:26121239

Quality Variation of Goji (Fruits of Lycium spp.) in China: A Comparative Morphological and Metabolomic Analysis

PubMed Central

Yao, Ruyu; Heinrich, Michael; Zou, Yuanfeng; Reich, Eike; Zhang, Xiaolei; Chen, Yu; Weckerle, Caroline S.

2018-01-01

Goji (fruits of Lycium barbarum L. and L. chinense Mill.) has been used in China as food and medicine for millennia, and globally has been consumed increasingly as a healthy food. Ningxia, with a semi-arid climate, always had the reputation of producing best goji quality (daodi area). Recently, the increasing market demand pushed the cultivation into new regions with different climates. We therefore ask: How does goji quality differ among production areas of various climatic regions? Historical records are used to trace the spread of goji production in China over time. Quality measurements of 51 samples were correlated with the four main production areas in China: monsoon (Hebei), semi-arid (Ningxia, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia), plateau (Qinghai) and arid regions (Xinjiang). We include morphological characteristics, sugar and polysaccharide content, antioxidant activity, and metabolomic profiling to compare goji among climatic regions. Goji cultivation probably began in the East (Hebei) of China around 100 CE and later shifted westward to the semi-arid regions. Goji from monsoon, plateau and arid regions differ according to its fruit morphology, whereas semi-arid goji cannot be separated from the other regions. L. chinense fruits, which are exclusively cultivated in Hebei (monsoon), are significantly lighter, smaller and brighter in color, while the heaviest and largest fruits (L. barbarum) stem from the plateau. The metabolomic profiling separates the two species but not the regions of cultivation. Lycium chinense and samples from the semi-arid regions have significantly (p < 0.01) lower sugar contents and L. chinense shows the highest antioxidant activity. Our results do not justify superiority of a specific production area over other areas. Instead it will be essential to distinguish goji from different regions based on the specific morphological and chemical traits with the aim to understand what its intended uses are. PMID:29535631

[Growth adaptability of Zostera marina at different habitats of the Swan Lake in Rongcheng, China].

PubMed

Guo, Mei Yu; Li, Wen Tao; Yang, Xiao Long; Zhang, Xiu Mei; Liu, Jian Ying; Li, Chang Jun

2017-05-18

Eelgrass (Zostera marina), a seagrass species widely distributed in the coastal regions of northern hemisphere, has suffered with a great decline due to a variety of anthropogenic and environmental stresses. In order to examine the adaptability of eelgrass to different environmental stresses, studies on the morphology and reproductive capacity of eelgrass had been carried out monthly from November 2014 to October 2015 at four different habitats of the Swan Lake, including patch area inintertidal area and subtidal area, eelgrass meadow edge, and eelgrass meadow area. The results showed significant spatio-temporal variations in the morphological parameters and branch frequency of eelgrass shoots at different habitats of the Swan Lake. The highest values of leaf length, leaf width, aboveground/belowground biomass, and internode length/diameter were observed in the meadow area, i.e., 78.54 cm, 7.93 mm, 7.03 and 3.88, respectively, while the highest branch frequency was observed in the meadow edge (88.4%). The plasticity index for aboveground/belowground biomass was higher (ranging from 0.77 to 0.92) at the four habitats, but those for the leaf width was slightly lower (ranging from 0.41 to 0.64). The number of spathes in each shoot showed no significant difference at different habitats, whereas the number of spathes per unit area was significantly different. Clonal reproduction was more dominant in meadow area than in the patch area where human disturbance was high.

Geographic divergence in upper thermal limits across insect life stages: does behavior matter?

PubMed

MacLean, Heidi J; Higgins, Jessica K; Buckley, Lauren B; Kingsolver, Joel G

2016-05-01

Insects with complex life cycles vary in size, mobility, and thermal ecology across life stages. We examine how differences in the capacity for thermoregulatory behavior influence geographic differences in physiological heat tolerance among egg and adult Colias butterflies. Colias adults exhibit differences in morphology (wing melanin and thoracic setal length) along spatial gradients, whereas eggs are morphologically indistinguishable. Here we compare Colias eriphyle eggs and adults from two elevations and Colias meadii from a high elevation. Hatching success and egg development time of C. eriphyle eggs did not differ significantly with the elevation of origin. Egg survival declined in response to heat-shock temperatures above 38-40 °C and egg development time was shortest at intermediate heat-shock temperatures of 33-38 °C. Laboratory experiments with adults showed survival in response to heat shock was significantly greater for Colias from higher than from lower elevation sites. Common-garden experiments at the low-elevation field site showed that C. meadii adults initiated heat-avoidance and over-heating behaviors significantly earlier in the day than C. eriphyle. Our study demonstrates the importance of examining thermal tolerances across life stages. Our findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that thermoregulatory behavior inhibits the geographic divergence of physiological traits in mobile stages, and suggest that sessile stages may evolve similar heat tolerances in different environments due to microclimatic variability or evolutionary constraints.

Morphometric and ultrastructural comparison of the olfactory system in elasmobranchs: the significance of structure-function relationships based on phylogeny and ecology.

PubMed

Schluessel, Vera; Bennett, Michael B; Bleckmann, Horst; Blomberg, Simon; Collin, Shaun P

2008-11-01

This study investigated the relationship between olfactory morphology, habitat occupancy, and lifestyle in 21 elasmobranch species in a phylogenetic context. Four measures of olfactory capability, that is, the number of olfactory lamellae, the surface area of the olfactory epithelium, the mass of the olfactory bulb, and the mass of the olfactory rosette were compared between individual species and groups, comprised of species with similar habitat and/or lifestyle. Statistical analyses using generalized least squares phylogenetic regression revealed that bentho-pelagic sharks and rays possess significantly more olfactory lamellae and larger sensory epithelial surface areas than benthic species. There was no significant correlation between either olfactory bulb or rosette mass and habitat type. There was also no significant difference between the number of lamellae or the size of the sensory surface area in groups comprised of species with similar diets, that is, groups preying predominantly on crustaceans, cephalopods, echinoderms, polychaetes, molluscs, or teleosts. However, some groups had significantly larger olfactory bulb or rosette masses than others. There was little evidence to support a correlation between phylogeny and morphology, indicating that differences in olfactory capabilities are the result of functional rather than phylogenetic adaptations. All olfactory epithelia exhibited microvilli and cilia, with microvilli in both nonsensory and sensory areas, and cilia only in sensory areas. Cilia over the sensory epithelia originated from supporting cells. In contrast to teleosts, which possess ciliated and microvillous olfactory receptor types, no ciliated olfactory receptor cells were observed. This is the first comprehensive study comparing olfactory morphology to several aspects of elasmobranch ecology in a phylogenetic context.

Controllable synthesis of Ln3+ (Ln = Tb, Eu) doped zinc phosphate nano-/micro-structured materials: phase, morphology and luminescence properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, Dan; Lu, Wei; Li, Chunyang; Zhang, Xinlei; Liu, Chunxia; Wang, Zhenling

2014-01-01

Ln3+ (Ln = Tb, Eu) doped zinc phosphate tetrahydrate (ZPT:Ln3+) and ammonium zinc phosphate (AZP:Ln3+) nano-/micro-structured materials were synthesized in aqueous solution without the addition of any structure-directing agent. The phase structures, morphologies and luminescence properties of the as-synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and lifetime. These investigations indicate that different phosphate sources MnH(3-n)PO4 (M = NH4+ or Na+, n = 1, 2, 3) can lead to the altering of morphology from nanosheet to microflower, but have no significant effect on the phase structure of the samples. The microlump, nanosheet, and microflower (constructed by the primary microlumps or nanosheets) of orthorhombic ZPT:Ln3+ could be selectively prepared by adjusting the pH value from 3.5 to 7.0. A mixture of orthorhombic ZPT:Ln3+ and monoclinic AZP:Ln3+ with a microflower morphology was obtained when the pH value was adjusted to 8.0. Monoclinic AZP:Ln3+ microplate, microcube and nanoparticle morphologies were obtained at pH values of 8.5, 9.0 and 11.0 respectively. The phase transformation and growth mechanism of the diverse morphologies were proposed, and ZPT:Ln3+ (Ln3+ = Eu or Tb) samples exhibit red or green emission under the excitation of UV light.Ln3+ (Ln = Tb, Eu) doped zinc phosphate tetrahydrate (ZPT:Ln3+) and ammonium zinc phosphate (AZP:Ln3+) nano-/micro-structured materials were synthesized in aqueous solution without the addition of any structure-directing agent. The phase structures, morphologies and luminescence properties of the as-synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and lifetime. These investigations indicate that different phosphate sources MnH(3-n)PO4 (M = NH4+ or Na+, n = 1, 2, 3) can lead to the altering of morphology from nanosheet to microflower, but have no significant effect on the phase structure of the samples. The microlump, nanosheet, and microflower (constructed by the primary microlumps or nanosheets) of orthorhombic ZPT:Ln3+ could be selectively prepared by adjusting the pH value from 3.5 to 7.0. A mixture of orthorhombic ZPT:Ln3+ and monoclinic AZP:Ln3+ with a microflower morphology was obtained when the pH value was adjusted to 8.0. Monoclinic AZP:Ln3+ microplate, microcube and nanoparticle morphologies were obtained at pH values of 8.5, 9.0 and 11.0 respectively. The phase transformation and growth mechanism of the diverse morphologies were proposed, and ZPT:Ln3+ (Ln3+ = Eu or Tb) samples exhibit red or green emission under the excitation of UV light. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional XRD patterns, EDX, SEM and TEM images, dependence of the average lifetimes on the different doping concentrations of Eu3+ and Tb3+. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03749e

Arabic morphology in the neural language system.

PubMed

Boudelaa, Sami; Pulvermüller, Friedemann; Hauk, Olaf; Shtyrov, Yury; Marslen-Wilson, William

2010-05-01

There are two views about morphology, the aspect of language concerned with the internal structure of words. One view holds that morphology is a domain of knowledge with a specific type of neurocognitive representation supported by specific brain mechanisms lateralized to left fronto-temporal cortex. The alternate view characterizes morphological effects as being a by-product of the correlation between form and meaning and where no brain area is predicted to subserve morphological processing per se. Here we provided evidence from Arabic that morphemes do have specific memory traces, which differ as a function of their functional properties. In an MMN study, we showed that the abstract consonantal root, which conveys semantic meaning (similarly to monomorphemic content words in English), elicits an MMN starting from 160 msec after the deviation point, whereas the abstract vocalic word pattern, which plays a range of grammatical roles, elicits an MMN response starting from 250 msec after the deviation point. Topographically, the root MMN has a symmetric fronto-central distribution, whereas the word pattern MMN lateralizes significantly to the left, indicating stronger involvement of left peri-sylvian areas. In languages with rich morphologies, morphemic processing seems to be supported by distinct neural networks, thereby providing evidence for a specific neuronal basis for morphology as part of the cerebral language machinery.

Seasonal variations in body melanism and size of the wolf spider Pardosa astrigera (Araneae: Lycosidae).

PubMed

Yang, Jinjian; Wu, Qijia; Xiao, Rong; Zhao, Jupeng; Chen, Jian; Jiao, Xiaoguo

2018-04-01

Variations in species morphology and life-history traits strongly correlate with geographic and climatic characteristics. Most studies on morphological variations in animals focus on ectotherms distributed on a large geographic scale across latitudinal and/or altitudinal gradient. However, the morphological variations of spiders living in the same habitats across different seasons have not been reported. In this study, we used the wolf spider, Pardosa astrigera , as a model to determine seasonal differences in adult body size, melanism, fecundity, and egg diameter both in the overwintering and the first generation for 2010 and 2016. The results showed that in 2010, both females and males of the overwintering generation were significantly darker than the first generation. Moreover, the overwintering females were markedly larger and produced more and bigger eggs than the first generation in both 2010 and 2016. Considering the overwintering P. astrigera experiencing low temperature and/or desiccation stress, these results suggest that substantially darker and larger body of the overwintering generation is adaptive to adverse conditions.

Femtosecond laser patterning of biological materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoropoulos, Costas P.; Jeon, Hojeong; Hidai, Hirofumi; Hwang, David J.

2011-03-01

This paper aims at presenting a review of work at the Laser Thermal Laboratory on the microscopic laser modification of biological materials using ultrafast laser pulses. We have devised a new method for fabricating high aspect ratio patterns of varying height by using two-photon polymerization process in order to study contact guidance and directed growth of biological cells. Studies using NIH-3T3 and MDCK cells indicate that cell morphology on fiber scaffolds is influenced by the pattern of actin microfilament bundles. Cells experienced different strength of contact guidance depending on the ridge height. Cell morphology and motility was investigated on micronscale anisotropic cross patterns and parallel line patterns having different aspect ratios. A significant effect on cell alignment and directionality of migration was observed. Cell morphology and motility were influenced by the aspect ratio of the cross pattern, the grid size, and the ridge height. Cell contractility was examined microscopically in order to measure contractile forces generated by individual cells on self-standing fiber scaffolds.

Dental Wear: A Scanning Electron Microscope Study

PubMed Central

Levrini, Luca; Di Benedetto, Giulia

2014-01-01

Dental wear can be differentiated into different types on the basis of morphological and etiological factors. The present research was carried out on twelve extracted human teeth with dental wear (three teeth showing each type of wear: erosion, attrition, abrasion, and abfraction) studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study aimed, through analysis of the macro- and micromorphological features of the lesions (considering the enamel, dentin, enamel prisms, dentinal tubules, and pulp), to clarify the different clinical and diagnostic presentations of dental wear and their possible significance. Our results, which confirm current knowledge, provide a complete overview of the distinctive morphology of each lesion type. It is important to identify the type of dental wear lesion in order to recognize the contributing etiological factors and, consequently, identify other more complex, nondental disorders (such as gastroesophageal reflux, eating disorders). It is clear that each type of lesion has a specific morphology and mechanism, and further clinical studies are needed to clarify the etiological processes, particularly those underlying the onset of abfraction. PMID:25548769

Predator-induced morphological plasticity across local populations of a freshwater snail.

PubMed

Brönmark, Christer; Lakowitz, Thomas; Hollander, Johan

2011-01-01

The expression of anti-predator adaptations may vary on a spatial scale, favouring traits that are advantageous in a given predation regime. Besides, evolution of different developmental strategies depends to a large extent on the grain of the environment and may result in locally canalized adaptations or, alternatively, the evolution of phenotypic plasticity as different predation regimes may vary across habitats. We investigated the potential for predator-driven variability in shell morphology in a freshwater snail, Radix balthica, and whether found differences were a specialized ecotype adaptation or a result of phenotypic plasticity. Shell shape was quantified in snails from geographically separated pond populations with and without molluscivorous fish. Subsequently, in a common garden experiment we investigated reaction norms of snails from populations' with/without fish when exposed to chemical cues from tench (Tinca tinca), a molluscivorous fish. We found that snails from fish-free ponds had a narrow shell with a well developed spire, whereas snails that coexisted with fish had more rotund shells with a low spire, a shell morphology known to increase survival rate from shell-crushing predators. The common garden experiment mirrored the results from the field survey and showed that snails had similar reaction norms in response to chemical predator cues, i.e. the expression of shell shape was independent of population origin. Finally, we found significant differences for the trait means among populations, within each pond category (fish/fish free), suggesting a genetic component in the determination of shell morphology that has evolved independently across ponds.

The Epoch of Disk Formation: z is Approximately l to Today

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kassin, Susan; Gardner, Jonathan; Weiner, Ben; Faber, Sandra

2012-01-01

We present data on galaxy kinematics, morphologies, and star-formation rates over 0.1 less than z less than 1.2 for approximately 500 blue galaxies. These data show how systems like our own Milky-Way have come into being. At redshifts around 1, about half the age of the Universe ago, Milky-Way mass galaxies were different beasts than today. They had a significant amount of disturbed motions, disturbed morphologies, shallower potential wells, higher specific star-formation rates, and likely higher gas fractions. Since redshift approximately 1, galaxies have decreased in disturbed motions, increased in rotation velocity and potential well depth, become more well-ordered morphologically, and decreased in specific star-formation rate. We find interrelationships between these measurements. Galaxy kinematics are correlated with morphology and specific star-formation rate such that galaxies with the fastest rotation velocities and the least amounts of disturbed motions have the most well-ordered morphologies and the lowest specific star-formation rates. The converse is true. Moreover, we find that the rate at which galaxies become more well-ordered kinematically (i.e., increased rotation velocity, decreased disturbed motions) and morphologically is directly proportional to their stellar mass.

Morphological Diversity and the Roles of Contingency, Chance and Determinism in African Cichlid Radiations

PubMed Central

Young, Kyle A.; Snoeks, Jos; Seehausen, Ole

2009-01-01

Background Deterministic evolution, phylogenetic contingency and evolutionary chance each can influence patterns of morphological diversification during adaptive radiation. In comparative studies of replicate radiations, convergence in a common morphospace implicates determinism, whereas non-convergence suggests the importance of contingency or chance. Methodology/Principal Findings The endemic cichlid fish assemblages of the three African great lakes have evolved similar sets of ecomorphs but show evidence of non-convergence when compared in a common morphospace, suggesting the importance of contingency and/or chance. We then analyzed the morphological diversity of each assemblage independently and compared their axes of diversification in the unconstrained global morphospace. We find that despite differences in phylogenetic composition, invasion history, and ecological setting, the three assemblages are diversifying along parallel axes through morphospace and have nearly identical variance-covariance structures among morphological elements. Conclusions/Significance By demonstrating that replicate adaptive radiations are diverging along parallel axes, we have shown that non-convergence in the common morphospace is associated with convergence in the global morphospace. Applying these complimentary analyses to future comparative studies will improve our understanding of the relationship between morphological convergence and non-convergence, and the roles of contingency, chance and determinism in driving morphological diversification. PMID:19270732

Multimodal nonlinear optical imaging of cartilage development in mouse model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Sicong; Xue, Wenqian; Sun, Qiqi; Li, Xuesong; Huang, Jiandong; Qu, Jianan Y.

2017-02-01

Kinesin-1 is a kind of motor protein responsible for intracellular transportation and has been studied in a variety of tissues. However, its roles in cartilage development are not clear. In this study, a kinesin-1 heavy chain (Kif5b) knockout mouse model is used to study the functions of kinesin-1 in the cartilage development. We developed a multimodal nonlinear optical (NLO) microscope system integrating stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), second harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) to investigate the morphological and biomedical characteristics of fresh tibial cartilage from normal and mutant mice at different developmental stages. The combined forward and backward SHG imaging resolved the fine structure of collagen fibrils in the extracellular matrix of cartilage. Meanwhile, the chondrocyte morphology in different zones of cartilage was visualized by label-free SRS and TPEF images. The results show that the fibrillar collagen in the superficial zone of cartilage in postnatal day 10 and 15 (P10 and P15) knockout mice was significantly less than that of control mice. Moreover, we observed distorted morphology and disorganization of columnar arrangement of chondrocytes in the growth plate cartilage of mutant mice. This study reveals the significant roles of kinesin-1 in collagen formation and chondrocyte morphogenesis.

Effect of foliar application of α-tocopherol on vegetative growth and some biochemical constituents of two soybean genotypes under salt stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmawati, N.; Damanik, R. I. M.

2018-02-01

Foliar spray of plant growth regulating compounds including antioxidants is an effective strategy to overcome the adverse effects of environmental constraints on different plants. A field experiment was conducted on May - July 2017 at the experimental farm in Paluh Merbau Village Deli Serdang (EC 6 - 7 dS/m). The aim was to study the effects of foliar spray of α-tocopherol (0, 250, 500, 500 ppm) on vegetative growth and some chemical constituents of 2 soybean genotypes (Grobogan x Grobogan and Grobogan x Anjasmoro) under salt stress (EC 6 - 7 dS/m). Most of morphological and biochemical parameters were significantly affected by application of α-tocopherol. The α-tocopherol at 500 ppm recorded the best value of root fresh weight, shoot and root dry weight, number of leaves, chlorophyll b, and soluble protein content. There was significant difference found between plants treated with α-tocopherol in terms of number of branch, shoot fresh weight, and chlorophyll a. Soybean genotypes showed diverse morphology and physiological responses to salt stress. Grobogan x Anjasmoro genotype was salt-sensitive based on all variable, while Grobogan x Grobogan genotype was more tolerant based on morphological and biochemical characters.

[Karyometry of BBN-induced precancerosis of the urothelium : An experimental analysis].

PubMed

Dahm, H H; Lehnen-Holtum, V; Rübben, H

2016-10-01

The morphology of experimental precancerous lesions of the urinary bladder has been interpreted quite differently by various authors. The aim of this investigation was to quantify these lesions by karyometry and, thus, to gain a more reliable understanding of the process. A total of 60 Wistar rats were fed with N‑butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) at a concentration of 0.05 % in their drinking water to induce preneoplastic changes of the urothelium. After the second week of BBN exposition, 6 animals were killed every 2 weeks up to week 20. Smears of the scraped off urothelium of 3 urinary bladders of each group were analyzed cytologically and karyometrically. BBN exposition led to statistically significant changes of the karyometric values using the χ 2 test to differentiate the control animals from the ones that had ingested BBN and the 2‑week groups from each other. These changes consisted mainly in significant deviations of the size of the nuclear area within the different groups. Morphological and karyometrical analysis showed that biologically relevant stages in the development of chemically induced urothelial precancerous lesions could be realized much earlier than had been assumed in recent publications. Karyometric analysis offered a valid basis to describe the early morphologic alterations of carcinogenesis.

Zirconium tungstate/epoxy nanocomposites: effect of nanoparticle morphology and negative thermal expansivity.

PubMed

Wu, Hongchao; Rogalski, Mark; Kessler, Michael R

2013-10-09

The ability to tailor the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a polymer is essential for mitigating thermal residual stress and reducing microcracks caused by CTE mismatch of different components in electronic applications. This work studies the effect of morphology and thermal expansivity of zirconium tungstate nanoparticles on the rheological, thermo-mechanical, dynamic-mechanical, and dielectric properties of ZrW2O8/epoxy nanocomposites. Three types of ZrW2O8 nanoparticles were synthesized under different hydrothermal conditions and their distinct properties were characterized, including morphology, particle size, aspect ratio, surface area, and CTE. Nanoparticles with a smaller particle size and larger surface area led to a more significant reduction in gel-time and glass transition temperature of the epoxy nanocomposites, while a higher initial viscosity and significant shear thinning behavior was found in prepolymer suspensions containing ZrW2O8 with larger particle sizes and aspect ratios. The thermo- and dynamic-mechanical properties of epoxy-based nanocomposites improved with increasing loadings of the three types of ZrW2O8 nanoparticles. In addition, the introduced ZrW2O8 nanoparticles did not negatively affect the dielectric constant or the breakdown strength of the epoxy resin, suggesting potential applications of ZrW2O8/epoxy nanocomposites in the microelectronic insulation industry.

The Impact of Simulated Microgravity on the Growth of Different Genotypes of the Model Legume Plant Medicago truncatula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lionheart, Gemma; Vandenbrink, Joshua P.; Hoeksema, Jason D.; Kiss, John Z.

2018-05-01

Simulated microgravity has been a useful tool to help understand plant development in altered gravity conditions. Thirty-one genotypes of the legume plant Medicago truncatula were grown in either simulated microgravity on a rotating clinostat, or in a static, vertical environment. Twenty morphological features were measured and compared between these two gravity treatments. Within-species genotypic variation was a significant predictor of the phenotypic response to gravity treatment in 100% of the measured morphological and growth features. In addition, there was a genotype-environment interaction (G × E) for 45% of the response variables, including shoot relative growth rate (p < 0.0005), median number of roots (p ˜ 0.02), and root dry mass (p < 0.005). Our studies demonstrate that genotype does play a significant role in M. truncatula morphology and affects the response of plants to the gravity treatment, influencing both the magnitude and direction of the gravity response. These findings are discussed in the context of improving future studies in plant space biology by controlling for genotypic differences. Thus, manipulation of genotype effects, in combination with M. truncatula's symbiotic relationships with bacteria and fungi, will be important for optimizing legumes for cultivation on long-term space missions.

Genetic and morphologic variation in 'Phyllodoce empetriformis' and 'P. glanduliflora' (Ericaceae) in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rochefort, Regina M.; Peterson, D.L.

2001-01-01

Genetic and morphological diversity of Phyllodoce empetriformis (Sw.) D. Don and Phyllodoce glanduliflora (hook.) Cov. were surveyed in Mount Rainier National Park in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Paired populations at high and low elevations were sampled at three study areas between 1720- and 2451-m elevation. Allozyme analysis of four polymorphic loci indicates high levels of genetic diversity within populations (P. empetriformis = 94.2% and P. glanduliflora = 93.4% of total diversity) and significant differences in allele frequencies among populations and study areas. Individual populations are composed of multiple clones with high ratios of local to widespread genotypes. The proportion of distinguishable clones ranges from 32 to 83% within individual populations. Within individual populations, 18-67% of genotypes were restricted to one population. Patterns of morphologic variation, estimated through measurements of leaf width, leaf length, stem extension, and plant height paralleled those displayed by allozyme analysis. Significant differences were found in leaf width and stem length for P. empetriformis and among greenhouse populations for leaf width (P. empetriformis) and leaf length (P. glanduliflora). Species conservation strategies for Phyllodoce should concentrate on the maintenance of within-population levels of diversity, protection of adjacent populations, and protection of safe sites for recruitment of new populations.

Cornea nerve fiber quantification and construction of phenotypes in patients with fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Oudejans, Linda; He, Xuan; Niesters, Marieke; Dahan, Albert; Brines, Michael; van Velzen, Monique

2016-01-01

Cornea confocal microscopy (CCM) is a novel non-invasive method to detect small nerve fiber pathology. CCM generally correlates with outcomes of skin biopsies in patients with small fiber pathology. The aim of this study was to quantify the morphology of small nerve fibers of the cornea of patients with fibromyalgia in terms of density, length and branching and further phenotype these patients using standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST). Small fiber pathology was detected in the cornea of 51% of patients: nerve fiber length was significantly decreased in 44% of patients compared to age- and sex-matched reference values; nerve fiber density and branching were significantly decreased in 10% and 28% of patients. The combination of the CCM parameters and sensory tests for central sensitization, (cold pain threshold, mechanical pain threshold, mechanical pain sensitivity, allodynia and/or windup), yielded four phenotypes of fibromyalgia patients in a subgroup analysis: one group with normal cornea morphology without and with signs of central sensitization, and a group with abnormal cornea morphology parameters without and with signs of central sensitization. In conclusion, half of the tested fibromyalgia population demonstrates signs of small fiber pathology as measured by CCM. The four distinct phenotypes suggest possible differences in disease mechanisms and may require different treatment approaches. PMID:27006259

Facial biometry of Amazon indigenous people of the Xingu River - Perspectives on genetic and environmental contributions to variation in human facial morphology.

PubMed

Barbosa, M; Vieira, E P; Quintão, C C A; Normando, D

2016-08-01

To evaluate facial morphology of non-mixed indigenous people living in the Xingu region. Studies on these populations report that the total genetic diversity is as high as that observed for other continental populations. On the other hand, eating habits are different between indigenous and urban population, as indigenous people still have traditional habits. The sample consisted of 106 indigenous subjects, in permanent dentition stage, belonging to four groups: Arara-Laranjal (n = 35), Arara-Iriri (n = 20), Xikrin-Kaiapó (n = 24), and Assurini (n = 27). Standardized facial photographs were obtained, and fourteen measurements were analyzed. Intra- and intergroup homogeneities were examined by discriminant analysis, followed by anova and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Sexual dimorphism to each village was analyzed by Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test, at p < 0.05. Significant facial differences were found between male and female, indicating that sex data should not be grouped for intergroup comparison. Discriminant analysis showed a large intergroup heterogeneity, while an intragroup homogeneity was found, especially for females. It was also observed that some morphological features of the face are specific to some villages, regardless of ethnicity. Facial morphological characteristics were strongly different among groups, even comparing villages from the same ethnicity. Furthermore, a low diversity within groups was observed. Our findings, supported by previous reports on genetics and eating habits in these populations, reinforce the role of the genetic determination on craniofacial morphology. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Voxel-Wise Comparisons of the Morphology of Diffusion Tensors Across Groups of Experimental Subjects

PubMed Central

Bansal, Ravi; Staib, Lawrence H.; Plessen, Kerstin J.; Xu, Dongrong; Royal, Jason; Peterson, Bradley S.

2007-01-01

Water molecules in the brain diffuse preferentially along the fiber tracts within white matter, which form the anatomical connections across spatially distant brain regions. A diffusion tensor (DT) is a probabilistic ellipsoid composed of 3 orthogonal vectors, each having a direction and an associated scalar magnitude, that represent the probability of water molecules diffusing in each of those directions. The 3D morphologies of DTs can be compared across groups of subjects to reveal disruptions in structural organization and neuroanatomical connectivity of the brains of persons with various neuropsychiatric illnesses. Comparisons of tensor morphology across groups have typically been performed on scalar measures of diffusivity, such as Fractional Anisotropy (FA), rather than directly on the complex 3D morphologies of DTs. Scalar measures, however, are related in nonlinear ways to the eigenvalues and eigenvectors that create the 3D morphologies of DTs. We present a mathematical framework that permits the direct comparison across groups of mean eigenvalues and eigenvectors of individual DTs. We show that group-mean eigenvalues and eigenvectors are multivariate Gaussian distributed, and we use the Delta method to compute their approximate covariance matrices. Our results show that the theoretically computed Mean Tensor (MT) eigenvectors and eigenvalues match well with their respective true values. Furthermore, a comparison of synthetically generated groups of DTs highlights the limitations of using FA to detect group differences. Finally, analyses of in vivo DT data using our method reveal significant between-group differences in diffusivity along fiber tracts within white matter, whereas analyses based on FA values failed to detect some of these differences. PMID:18006284

Voice classification and vocal tract of singers: a study of x-ray images and morphology.

PubMed

Roers, Friederike; Mürbe, Dirk; Sundberg, Johan

2009-01-01

This investigation compares vocal tract dimensions and the classification of singer voices by examining an x-ray material assembled between 1959 and 1991 of students admitted to the solo singing education at the University of Music, Dresden, Germany. A total of 132 images were available to analysis. Different classifications' values of the lengths of the total vocal tract, the pharynx, and mouth cavities as well as of the relative position of the larynx, the height of the palatal arch, and the estimated vocal fold length were analyzed statistically, and some significant differences were found. The length of the pharynx cavity seemed particularly influential on the total vocal tract length, which varied systematically with classification. Also studied were the relationships between voice classification and the body height and weight and the body mass index. The data support the hypothesis that there are consistent morphological vocal tract differences between singers of different voice classifications.

Reassessment of Morphological Diagnostic Characters and Species Boundaries Requires Taxonomical Changes for the Genus Orthopyxis L. Agassiz, 1862 (Campanulariidae, Hydrozoa) and Some Related Campanulariids

PubMed Central

Cunha, Amanda F.; Genzano, Gabriel N.; Marques, Antonio C.

2015-01-01

The genus Orthopyxis is widely known for its morphological variability, making species identification particularly difficult. A number of nominal species have been recorded in the southwestern Atlantic, although most of these records are doubtful. The goal of this study was to infer species boundaries in the genus Orthopyxis from the southwestern Atlantic using an integrative approach. Intergeneric limits were also tested using comparisons with specimens of the genus Campanularia. We performed DNA analyses using the mitochondrial genes 16S and COI and the nuclear ITS1 and ITS2 regions. Orthopyxis was monophyletic in maximum likelihood analyses using the combined dataset and in analyses with 16S alone. Four lineages of Orthopyxis were retrieved for all analyses, corresponding morphologically to the species Orthopyxis sargassicola (previously known in the area), Orthopyxis crenata (first recorded for the southwestern Atlantic), Orthopyxis caliculata (= Orthopyxis minuta Vannucci, 1949 and considered a synonym of O. integra by some authors), and Orthopyxis mianzani sp. nov. A re-evaluation of the traditional morphological diagnostic characters, guided by our molecular analyses, revealed that O. integra does not occur in the study area, and O. caliculata is the correct identification of one of the lineages occurring in this region, corroborating the validity of that species. Orthopyxis mianzani sp. nov. resembles O. caliculata with respect to gonothecae morphology and a smooth hydrothecae rim, although it shows significant differences for other characters, such as perisarc thickness, which has traditionally been thought to have wide intraspecific variation. The species O. sargassicola is morphologically similar to O. crenata, although they differ in gonothecae morphology, and these species can only be reliably identified when this structure is present. PMID:25723572

Therapeutic Hypothermia Following Traumatic Spinal Injury: Morphological and Functional Correlates.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

oxide synthase inhibitor ( agmatine ) following traumatic spinal cord injury. The major findings of these studies have shown that significant...Similarly, significant differences were observed following systemic administration of agmatine for 14 days post-injury. Unfortunately, no synergistic or...additive effects were achieved when agmatine and hypothermia were combined. Overall, the results support the original hypothesis of this proposal that

Phytotoxicity of pesticides mancozeb and chlorpyrifos: correlation with the antioxidative defence system in Allium cepa.

PubMed

Fatma, Firdos; Verma, Sonam; Kamal, Aisha; Srivastava, Alka

2018-02-01

Pesticides are a group of chemical substances which are widely used to improve agricultural production. However, these substances could be persistent in soil and water, accumulative in sediment or bio-accumulative in biota depending on their solubility, leading to different types of environmental pollution. The present study was done to assess the impact of pesticides-mancozeb and chlorpyrifos, via morphological and physiological parameters using Allium cepa test system. Phytotoxic effects of pesticides were examined via germination percentage, survival percentage, root and shoot length, root shoot length ratio, seedling vigor index, percentage of phytotoxicity and tolerance index. Oxidative stress on Allium seedlings caused by pesticides was also assessed by investigating the activity of antioxidative enzymes viz. catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Correlation was worked out between morphological parameters and antioxidative enzymes to bring out the alliance between them. Mancozeb and chlorpyrifos concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with the activity of antioxidative enzymes and negatively correlated with morphological parameters. Significant positive correlation between various morphological parameters showed their interdependency. However, negative correlation was obtained between activity of antioxidative enzymes and morphological parameters. The enzymes however, showed positive correlation with each other. Based on our result we can conclude that all morphological parameters were adversely affected by the two pesticides as reflected by phytotoxicity in Allium . Their negative correlation with activity of antioxidative enzymes indicates that upregulation of antioxidative enzymes is not sufficient to overcome the toxic effect, thereby signifying the threat being caused by the regular use of these pesticides.

[Study on morphology, quality and germination characteristics of Acanthopanax trifoliatus seeds under different habitats].

PubMed

Xiao, Juan

2014-05-01

To preliminary explore the difference of the morphological, quality and germinal characteristics of Acanthopanax trifoliatus seeds under different habitats. Collect the wild seeds from different habitats in West Mountain, and then observe their external appearances and internal structure, and test the thousand seeds weight,water content and seed vigor. What's more, the influence to germination rates of the seeds from different temperatures and light intensities in artificial bioclimatic chamber was studied. Orthogonal test in experimental plots was carried out to screen the different sowing dates, matrix types and soil depths which may influence germination rate. The external appearances and quality characteristics of wild seeds from three habitats were different. Seeds could germinate in the both light and dark, the germination rate of the habitat II was as high as 70.5% at the optimum temperature 20 degrees C in artificial bioclimatic chamber. The optimal combination A1, B1, C1 was screened out through orthogonal test, namely, the germination rate would be the highest when the seeds sowed in autumn covering with 2 cm depth of matrix type which component of the ratio of soil, sand and organic fertilizer was 6: 3: 1. There was significant difference in the morphology and germination rate of the three habitats seeds. The habitat II seeds were the optimal choice when culture seedling. The influences of different temperatures on germination rate were different, and the dried seeds should sow in current autumn, better than the next spring.

Rat-strain dependent changes of dendritic and spine morphology in the hippocampus after cocaine self-administration.

PubMed

Selvas, Abraham; Coria, Santiago M; Kastanauskaite, Asta; Fernaud-Espinosa, Isabel; DeFelipe, Javier; Ambrosio, Emilio; Miguéns, Miguel

2017-01-01

We previously showed that cocaine self-administration increases spine density in CA1 hippocampal neurons in Lewis (LEW) but not in Fischer 344 (F344) rats. Dendritic spine morphology is intimately related to its function. Thus, we conducted a 3D morphological analysis of CA1 dendrites and dendritic spines in these two strains of rats. Strain-specific differences were observed prior to cocaine self-administration: LEW rats had significantly larger dendritic diameters but lower spine density than the F344 strain. After cocaine self-administration, proximal dendritic volume, dendritic surface area and spine density were increased in LEW rats, where a higher percentage of larger spines were also observed. In addition, we found a strong positive correlation between dendritic volume and spine morphology, and a moderate correlation between dendritic volume and spine density in cocaine self-administered LEW rats, an effect that was not evident in any other condition. By contrast, after cocaine self-administration, F334 rats showed decreased spine head volumes. Our findings suggest that genetic differences could play a key role in the structural plasticity induced by cocaine in CA1 pyramidal neurons. These cocaine-induced alterations could be related to differences in the memory processing of drug reward cues that could potentially explain differential individual vulnerability to cocaine addiction. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

New insights into the biology and origin of mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas by combined epigenomic, genomic, and transcriptional profiling.

PubMed

Martín-Subero, José I; Kreuz, Markus; Bibikova, Marina; Bentink, Stefan; Ammerpohl, Ole; Wickham-Garcia, Eliza; Rosolowski, Maciej; Richter, Julia; Lopez-Serra, Lidia; Ballestar, Esteban; Berger, Hilmar; Agirre, Xabier; Bernd, Heinz-Wolfram; Calvanese, Vincenzo; Cogliatti, Sergio B; Drexler, Hans G; Fan, Jian-Bing; Fraga, Mario F; Hansmann, Martin L; Hummel, Michael; Klapper, Wolfram; Korn, Bernhard; Küppers, Ralf; Macleod, Roderick A F; Möller, Peter; Ott, German; Pott, Christiane; Prosper, Felipe; Rosenwald, Andreas; Schwaenen, Carsten; Schübeler, Dirk; Seifert, Marc; Stürzenhofecker, Benjamin; Weber, Michael; Wessendorf, Swen; Loeffler, Markus; Trümper, Lorenz; Stein, Harald; Spang, Rainer; Esteller, Manel; Barker, David; Hasenclever, Dirk; Siebert, Reiner

2009-03-12

Lymphomas are assumed to originate at different stages of lymphocyte development through chromosomal aberrations. Thus, different lymphomas resemble lymphocytes at distinct differentiation stages and show characteristic morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional features. Here, we have performed a microarray-based DNA methylation profiling of 83 mature aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (maB-NHLs) characterized for their morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional features, including molecular Burkitt lymphomas and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Hierarchic clustering indicated that methylation patterns in maB-NHLs were not strictly associated with morphologic, genetic, or transcriptional features. By supervised analyses, we identified 56 genes de novo methylated in all lymphoma subtypes studied and 22 methylated in a lymphoma subtype-specific manner. Remarkably, the group of genes de novo methylated in all lymphoma subtypes was significantly enriched for polycomb targets in embryonic stem cells. De novo methylated genes in all maB-NHLs studied were expressed at low levels in lymphomas and normal hematopoietic tissues but not in nonhematopoietic tissues. These findings, especially the enrichment for polycomb targets in stem cells, indicate that maB-NHLs with different morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional background share a similar stem cell-like epigenetic pattern. This suggests that maB-NHLs originate from cells with stem cell features or that stemness was acquired during lymphomagenesis by epigenetic remodeling.

Protonation of Different Goethite Surfaces - Unified Models for NaNO3 and NaCl Media.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lutzenkirchen, Johannes; Boily, Jean F.; Gunneriusson, Lars

2008-01-01

Acid-base titration data for two goethites samples in sodium nitrate and sodium chloride media are discussed. The data are modelled based on various surface complexation models in the framework of the MUlti SIte Complexation (MUSIC) model. Various assumptions with respect to the goethite morphology are considered in determining the site density of the surface functional groups. The results from the various model applications are not statistically significant in terms of goodness of fit. More importantly, various published assumptions with respect to the goethite morphology (i.e. the contributions of different crystal planes and their repercussions on the “overall” site densities ofmore » the various surface functional groups) do not significantly affect the final model parameters. The simultaneous fit of the chloride and nitrate data results in electrolyte binding constants, which are applicable over a wide range of electrolyte concentrations including mixtures of chloride and nitrate. Model parameters for the high surface area goethite sample are in excellent agreement with parameters that were independently obtained by another group on different goethite titration data sets.« less

Influence of red light on reproductive performance, eggshell ultrastructure, and eye morphology in Thai-native hens.

PubMed

Gongruttananun, N

2011-12-01

In total, 120 Thai-native pullets (Gallus domesticus) aged 18 wk were housed in floor pens, located in a conventional open-sided shed under natural daylight (12L:12D) and randomly divided into 3 groups; Groups 1 (DF) and 2 (DR) were reared under natural daylight and supplemented with fluorescent or red light, respectively, whereas group 3 (R) was maintained in light-controlled pens and exposed only to red light. The red light was produced by light-emitting diodes. All treatments were provided with 16 h of light per day (16L:8D) during a 26-wk egg-laying period, and there were 4 replicate pens of 10 hens for each treatment. Photostimulation of these light sources was initiated at 18 wk of age and subsequent effects on reproductive performance were observed during the experimental period. Morphological characteristics of the eyes and eggshell microstructure were examined at the end of the study. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. There were no significant differences in BW, feed intake, egg weight, egg quality, or mortality rate due to the treatment. Pullets in the R and DR treatment groups commenced egg production significantly earlier than those in the DF treatment group. In early-season egg production (0-8 wk), cumulative egg number was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for the R treatment (25.9 eggs/hen) than for the DR (20.9) and DF (19.5) treatment groups. No significant differences in total egg production per hen occurred among the treatment groups. At 2 wk following photostimulation, hens in the R treatment group had significantly (P < 0.05) higher serum estradiol concentrations compared with hens in the other treatment groups. Neither eggshell structure nor eye morphology was affected by the treatments. It was concluded that the spectrum of red light did not affect live performance, egg production, egg quality, eggshell microstructure, or eye morphology of Thai-native hens, except for in accelerating sexual development. The light-emitting diode lighting system would be beneficial for energy savings and the reduction of rearing costs.

Quantifying Species Diversity with a DNA Barcoding-Based Method: Tibetan Moth Species (Noctuidae) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

PubMed Central

Jin, Qian; Han, Huilin; Hu, XiMin; Li, XinHai; Zhu, ChaoDong; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Ward, Robert D.; Zhang, Ai-bing

2013-01-01

With the ongoing loss of biodiversity, there is a great need for fast and effective ways to assess species richness and diversity: DNA barcoding provides a powerful new tool for this. We investigated this approach by focusing on the Tibetan plateau, which is one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots. There have been few studies of its invertebrates, although they constitute the vast majority of the region's diversity. Here we investigated species diversity of the lepidopteran family Noctuidae, across different environmental gradients, using measurements based on traditional morphology as well as on DNA barcoding. The COI barcode showed an average interspecific K2P distance of , which is about four times larger than the mean intraspecific distance (). Using six diversity indices, we did not detect any significant differences in estimated species diversity between measurements based on traditional morphology and on DNA barcoding. Furthermore, we found strong positive correlations between them, indicating that barcode-based measures of species diversity can serve as a good surrogate for morphology-based measures in most situations tested. Eastern communities were found to have significantly higher diversity than Western ones. Among 22 environmental factors tested, we found that three (precipitation of driest month, precipitation of driest quarter, and precipitation of coldest quarter) were significantly correlated with species diversity. Our results indicate that these factors could be the key ecological factors influencing the species diversity of the lepidopteran family Noctuidae on the Tibetan plateau. PMID:23741330

Evaluation of biogeneric design techniques with CEREC CAD/CAM system

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate occlusal contacts generated by 3 different biogeneric design modes (individual (BI), copy (BC), reference (BR)) of CEREC software and to assess the designs subjectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten pairs of maxillary and mandibular casts were obtained from full dentate individuals. Gypsum cast contacts were quantified with articulating paper and digital impressions were taken. Then, all ceramic crown preparation was performed on the left first molar teeth and digital impressions of prepared teeth were made. BI, BC, and BR crowns were designed. Occlusal images of designs including occlusal contacts were superimposed on the gypsum cast images and corresponding contacts were determined. Three designs were evaluated by the students. RESULTS The results of the study revealed that there was significant difference among the number of contacts of gypsum cast and digital models (P<.05). The comparison of the percentage of virtual contacts of three crown designs which were identical to the contacts of original gypsum cast revealed that BI and BR designs showed significantly higher percentages of identical contacts compared with BC design (P<.05). Subjective assessment revealed that students generally found BI designs and BR designs natural regarding naturalness of fissure morphology and cusp shape and cusp tip position. For general occlusal morphology, student groups generally found BI design "too strong" or "perfect", BC design "too weak", and BR design "perfect". CONCLUSION On a prepared tooth, three different biogeneric design modes of a CAD/CAM software reveals different crown designs regarding occlusal contacts and morphology. PMID:26816572

Investigating spatial variability of vertical water fluxes through the streambed in distinctive stream morphologies using temperature and head data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Liping; Jiang, Weiwei; Song, Jinxi; Dou, Xinyi; Guo, Hongtao; Xu, Shaofeng; Zhang, Guotao; Wen, Ming; Long, Yongqing; Li, Qi

2017-08-01

Investigating the interaction of groundwater and surface water is key to understanding the hyporheic processes. The vertical water fluxes through a streambed were determined using Darcian flux calculations and vertical sediment temperature profiles to assess the pattern and magnitude of groundwater/surface-water interaction in Beiluo River, China. Field measurements were taken in January 2015 at three different stream morphologies including a meander bend, an anabranching channel and a straight stream channel. Despite the differences of flux direction and magnitude, flux directions based on vertical temperature profiles are in good agreement with results from Darcian flux calculations at the anabranching channel, and the Kruskal-Wallis tests show no significant differences between the estimated upward fluxes based on the two methods at each site. Also, the upward fluxes based on the two methods show similar spatial distributions on the streambed, indicating (1) that higher water fluxes at the meander bend occur from the center of the channel towards the erosional bank, (2) that water fluxes at the anabranching channel are higher near the erosional bank and in the center of the channel, and (3) that in the straight channel, higher water fluxes appear from the center of the channel towards the depositional bank. It is noted that higher fluxes generally occur at certain locations with higher streambed vertical hydraulic conductivity ( K v) or where a higher vertical hydraulic gradient is observed. Moreover, differences of grain size, induced by stream morphology and contrasting erosional and depositional conditions, have significant effects on streambed K v and water fluxes.

Physical activity alters limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology.

PubMed

Wallace, Ian J; Winchester, Julia M; Su, Anne; Boyer, Doug M; Konow, Nicolai

2017-06-01

Studies of ancient human skeletal remains frequently proceed from the assumption that individuals with robust limb bones and/or rugose, hypertrophic entheses can be inferred to have been highly physically active during life. Here, we experimentally test this assumption by measuring the effects of exercise on limb bone structure and entheseal morphology in turkeys. Growing females were either treated with a treadmill-running regimen for 10 weeks or served as controls. After the experiment, femoral cortical and trabecular bone structure were quantified with μCT in the mid-diaphysis and distal epiphysis, respectively, and entheseal morphology was quantified in the lateral epicondyle. The results indicate that elevated levels of physical activity affect limb bone structure but not entheseal morphology. Specifically, animals subjected to exercise displayed enhanced diaphyseal and trabecular bone architecture relative to controls, but no significant difference was detected between experimental groups in entheseal surface topography. These findings suggest that diaphyseal and trabecular structure are more reliable proxies than entheseal morphology for inferring ancient human physical activity levels from skeletal remains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of nitrogen and phosphorous on the growth and root morphology of Acer mono

PubMed Central

Zhang, Peng; Shen, Hai-long; Salahuddin

2017-01-01

Nitrogen and phosphorous are critical determinants of plant growth and productivity, and both plant growth and root morphology are important parameters for evaluating the effects of supplied nutrients. Previous work has shown that the growth of Acer mono seedlings is retarded under nursery conditions; we applied different levels of N (0, 5, 10, and 15 g plant-1) and P (0, 4, 6 and 8 g plant-1) fertilizer to investigate the effects of fertilization on the growth and root morphology of four-year-old seedlings in the field. Our results indicated that both N and P application significantly affected plant height, root collar diameter, chlorophyll content, and root morphology. Among the nutrient levels, 10 g N and 8 g P were found to yield maximum growth, and the maximum values of plant height, root collar diameter, chlorophyll content, and root morphology were obtained when 10 g N and 8 g P were used together. Therefore, the present study demonstrates that optimum levels of N and P can be used to improve seedling health and growth during the nursery period. PMID:28234921

Morphological cladistic analysis of eight popular Olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia using Numerical Taxonomic System for personal computer to detect phyletic relationship and their proximate fruit composition

PubMed Central

Al-Ruqaie, I.; Al-Khalifah, N.S.; Shanavaskhan, A.E.

2015-01-01

Varietal identification of olives is an intrinsic and empirical exercise owing to the large number of synonyms and homonyms, intensive exchange of genotypes, presence of varietal clones and lack of proper certification in nurseries. A comparative study of morphological characters of eight olive cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia was carried out and analyzed using NTSYSpc (Numerical Taxonomy System for personal computer) system segregated smaller fruits in one clade and the rest in two clades. Koroneiki, a Greek cultivar with a small sized fruit shared arm with Spanish variety Arbosana. Morphologic analysis using NTSYSpc revealed that biometrics of leaves, fruits and seeds are reliable morphologic characters to distinguish between varieties, except for a few morphologically very similar olive cultivars. The proximate analysis showed significant variations in the protein, fiber, crude fat, ash and moisture content of different cultivars. The study also showed that neither the size of fruit nor the fruit pulp thickness is a limiting factor determining crude fat content of olives. PMID:26858547

Galaxy Zoo: Infrared and Optical Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carla Shanahan, Jesse; Lintott, Chris; Zoo, Galaxy

2018-01-01

We present the detailed, visual morphologies of approximately 60,000 galaxies observed by the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey and then classified by participants in the Galaxy Zoo project. Our sample is composed entirely of nearby objects with redshifts of z ≤ 0.3, which enables us to robustly analyze their morphological characteristics including smoothness, bulge properties, spiral structure, and evidence of bars or rings. The determination of these features is made via a consensus-based analysis of the Galaxy Zoo project data in which inconsistent and outlying classifications are statistically down-weighted. We then compare these classifications of infrared morphology to the objects’ optical classifications in the Galaxy Zoo 2 release (Willett et al. 2013). It is already known that morphology is an effective tool for uncovering a galaxy’s dynamical past, and previous studies have shown significant correlations with physical characteristics such as stellar mass distribution and star formation history. We show that majority of the sample has agreement or expected differences between the optical and infrared classifications, but also present a preliminary analysis of a subsample of objects with striking discrepancies.

Corticospinal tract asymmetry and handedness in right- and left-handers by diffusion tensor tractography.

PubMed

Seizeur, Romuald; Magro, Elsa; Prima, Sylvain; Wiest-Daesslé, Nicolas; Maumet, Camille; Morandi, Xavier

2014-03-01

Cerebral hemispheres represent both structural and functional asymmetry, which differs among right- and left-handers. The left hemisphere is specialised for language and task execution of the right hand in right-handers. We studied the corticospinal tract in right- and left-handers by diffusion tensor imaging and tractography. The present study aimed at revealing a morphological difference resulting from a region of interest (ROI) obtained by functional MRI (fMRI). Twenty-five healthy participants (right-handed: 15, left-handed: 10) were enrolled in our assessment of morphological, functional and diffusion tensor MRI. Assessment of brain fibre reconstruction (tractography) was done using a deterministic algorithm. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were studied on the tractography traces of the reference slices. We observed a significant difference in number of leftward fibres based on laterality. The significant difference in regard to FA and MD was based on the slices obtained at different levels and the laterality index. We found left-hand asymmetry and right-hand asymmetry, respectively, for the MD and FA. Our study showed the presence of hemispheric asymmetry based on laterality index in right- and left-handers. These results are inconsistent with some studies and consistent with others. The reported difference in hemispheric asymmetry could be related to dexterity (manual skill).

Unilateral posterior crossbite and mastication.

PubMed

Rilo, Benito; da Silva, José Luis; Mora, María Jesús; Cadarso-Suárez, Carmen; Santana, Urbano

2007-05-01

This study was designed to characterize masticatory-cycle morphology, and distance of the contact glide in the closing masticatory stroke, in adult subjects with uncorrected unilateral posterior crossbite (UPXB), comparing the results obtained with those obtained in a parallel group of normal subjects. Mandibular movements (masticatory movements and laterality movements with dental contact) were registered using a gnathograph (MK-6I Diagnostic System) during unilateral chewing of a piece of gum. Traces were recorded on the crossbite and non-crossbite sides in the crossbite group, and likewise on both sides in the non-crossbite group. Mean contact glide distance on the crossbite side in the UPXB group was significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.001), and mean contact glide distance on the non-crossbite side in the UPXB group was significantly lower than in the control group (p=0.042). Cycle morphology was abnormal during chewing on the crossbite side, with the frequency distribution of cycle types differing significantly from that for the noncrossbite side and that for the control group (p<0.001). Patients with crossbite showed alterations in both contact glide distances and masticatory cycle morphology. These alterations are probably adaptive responses allowing maintenance of adequate masticatory function despite the crossbite.

[Effects of glucagon-like peptide 2 on the adaptation of residual small bowel in a rat model of short bowel syndrome].

PubMed

Wu, Guo-Hao; Chen, Ji; Li, Hang; Wu, Zhao-Han

2006-09-01

To investigate the effects of glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) on the morphology and functional adaptation of the residual small bowel in rat model of short bowel syndrome. Twenty rats with 75% of the midjejunoileum removed were randomly divided into two groups, and received intra-peritoneal injection of GLP-2(250 micro*gd*kg-1*d-1) or subcutaneous injection saline(0.5 ml, twice one day) after operation. On postoperative day 6, the morphological changes of the residual jejunum and ileum, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), and the mRNA expressions of Na-D-glucose cotransporters (SGLT1) and peptide cotransporters (PEPT1) were determined. The intestinal glucose absorption data per unit length as well as per unit weight of ileum were measured by in vivo circulatory perfusion experiment. The morphological parameters of the residual gut such as the thickness of mucosa, height of villus, depth of crypt, and PCNA positive index were significantly higher, while the apoptosis rate per unit of mucosal square was significantly lower in GLP-2 treatment group than those in the control group. The expressions of mRNA SGTLl and PEPT1 in the residual ileum were significantly higher than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in glucose absorption rate per gram of mucosal wet weight between the two groups (P > 0.05). GLP-2 could improve morphological and functional adaptation of the residual small bowel by stimulating enterocyte proliferation and decreasing enterocyte apoptosis in short bowel syndrome.

Ontogenetic scaling of caudal fin shape in Squalus acanthias (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii): a geometric morphometric analysis with implications for caudal fin functional morphology.

PubMed

Reiss, Katie L; Bonnan, Matthew F

2010-07-01

The shark heterocercal caudal fin and its contribution to locomotion are of interest to biologists and paleontologists. Current hydrodynamic data show that the stiff dorsal lobe leads the ventral lobe, both lobes of the tail are synchronized during propulsion, and tail shape reflects its overall locomotor function. Given the difficulties surrounding the analysis of shark caudal fins in vivo, little is known about changes in tail shape related to ontogeny and sex in sharks. A quantifiable analysis of caudal fin shape may provide an acceptable proxy for inferring gross functional morphology where direct testing is difficult or impossible. We examined ontogenetic and sex-related shape changes in the caudal fins of 115 Squalus acanthias museum specimens, to test the hypothesis that significant shape changes in the caudal fin shape occur with increasing size and between the sexes. Using linear and geometric morphometrics, we examined caudal shape changes within the context of current hydrodynamic models. We found no statistically significant linear or shape difference between sexes, and near-isometric scaling trends for caudal dimensions. These results suggest that lift and thrust increase linearly with size and caudal span. Thin-plate splines results showed a significant allometric shape change associated with size and caudal span: the dorsal lobe elongates and narrows, whereas the ventral lobe broadens and expands ventrally. Our data suggest a combination of caudal fin morphology with other body morphology aspects, would refine, and better elucidate the hydrodynamic factors (if any) that underlie the significant shape changes we report here for S. acanthias.

Scale characters analysis for gully structure in the watersheds of loess landforms based on digital elevation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hongchun; Zhao, Yipeng; Liu, Haiying

2018-04-01

Scale is the basic attribute for expressing and describing spatial entity and phenomena. It offers theoretical significance in the study of gully structure information, variable characteristics of watershed morphology, and development evolution at different scales. This research selected five different areas in China's Loess Plateau as the experimental region and used DEM data at different scales as the experimental data. First, the change rule of the characteristic parameters of the data at different scales was analyzed. The watershed structure information did not change along with a change in the data scale. This condition was proven by selecting indices of gully bifurcation ratio and fractal dimension as characteristic parameters of watershed structure information. Then, the change rule of the characteristic parameters of gully structure with different analysis scales was analyzed by setting the scale sequence of analysis at the extraction gully. The gully structure of the watershed changed with variations in the analysis scale, and the change rule was obvious when the gully level changed. Finally, the change rule of the characteristic parameters of the gully structure at different areas was analyzed. The gully fractal dimension showed a significant numerical difference in different areas, whereas the variation of the gully branch ratio was small. The change rule indicated that the development degree of the gully obviously varied in different regions, but the morphological structure was basically similar.

Scale characters analysis for gully structure in the watersheds of loess landforms based on digital elevation models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hongchun; Zhao, Yipeng; Liu, Haiying

2018-06-01

Scale is the basic attribute for expressing and describing spatial entity and phenomena. It offers theoretical significance in the study of gully structure information, variable characteristics of watershed morphology, and development evolution at different scales. This research selected five different areas in China's Loess Plateau as the experimental region and used DEM data at different scales as the experimental data. First, the change rule of the characteristic parameters of the data at different scales was analyzed. The watershed structure information did not change along with a change in the data scale. This condition was proven by selecting indices of gully bifurcation ratio and fractal dimension as characteristic parameters of watershed structure information. Then, the change rule of the characteristic parameters of gully structure with different analysis scales was analyzed by setting the scale sequence of analysis at the extraction gully. The gully structure of the watershed changed with variations in the analysis scale, and the change rule was obvious when the gully level changed. Finally, the change rule of the characteristic parameters of the gully structure at different areas was analyzed. The gully fractal dimension showed a significant numerical difference in different areas, whereas the variation of the gully branch ratio was small. The change rule indicated that the development degree of the gully obviously varied in different regions, but the morphological structure was basically similar.

Convergent and divergent patterns of morphological differentiation provide more evidence for reproductive character displacement in a wood cricket Gryllus fultoni (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

PubMed Central

Jang, Yikweon; Won, Yong-Jin; Choe, Jae Chun

2009-01-01

Background In ecological character displacement, traits involved in reproductive isolation may not evolve in arbitrary directions when changes in these traits are by-products of adaptation to an ecological niche. In reproductive character displacement, however, selection acts directly on reproductive characters to enhance the degree of reproductive isolation between sympatric populations. Thus, the direction of change in reproductive characters may be arbitrary in relation to changes in other morphological characters. We characterized both tegminal characters and characters indicative of body size in sympatric and allopatric populations of Gryllus fultoni, a species displaying character displacement in its calling song characters in areas of sympatry with G. vernalis populations, to infer the nature and direction of selection acting on reproductive and morphological characters in sympatry. Results Except for mirror area, the number of teeth in a file, and ovipositor length of G. fultoni, all male and female morphological characters in G. fultoni and G. vernalis exhibited a uniform tendency to decrease in size with increasing latitude. There was no significant variation in female morphological characters between sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations. However, males of sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations significantly differed in head width, hind femur length, and mirror area even after controlling for clinal factors. Head width and hind femur length of G. fultoni were more similar to those of G. vernalis in sympatric populations than in allopatric populations, resulting in morphological convergence of G. fultoni and G. vernalis in sympatry. However, the mirror area of G. fultoni displayed the divergent pattern in relation to the sympatric G. vernalis populations. Conclusion Divergence-enhancing selection may be acting on mirror area as well as calling song characters, whereas local adaptation or clinal effects may explain variation in other morphological characters in sympatric populations of G. fultoni. This study also suggests that structures and behaviors that directly enhance reproductive isolation may evolve together, independently of other morphological traits. PMID:19183503

Convergent and divergent patterns of morphological differentiation provide more evidence for reproductive character displacement in a wood cricket Gryllus fultoni (Orthoptera: Gryllidae).

PubMed

Jang, Yikweon; Won, Yong-Jin; Choe, Jae Chun

2009-02-01

In ecological character displacement, traits involved in reproductive isolation may not evolve in arbitrary directions when changes in these traits are by-products of adaptation to an ecological niche. In reproductive character displacement, however, selection acts directly on reproductive characters to enhance the degree of reproductive isolation between sympatric populations. Thus, the direction of change in reproductive characters may be arbitrary in relation to changes in other morphological characters. We characterized both tegminal characters and characters indicative of body size in sympatric and allopatric populations of Gryllus fultoni, a species displaying character displacement in its calling song characters in areas of sympatry with G. vernalis populations, to infer the nature and direction of selection acting on reproductive and morphological characters in sympatry. Except for mirror area, the number of teeth in a file, and ovipositor length of G. fultoni, all male and female morphological characters in G. fultoni and G. vernalis exhibited a uniform tendency to decrease in size with increasing latitude. There was no significant variation in female morphological characters between sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations. However, males of sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations significantly differed in head width, hind femur length, and mirror area even after controlling for clinal factors. Head width and hind femur length of G. fultoni were more similar to those of G. vernalis in sympatric populations than in allopatric populations, resulting in morphological convergence of G. fultoni and G. vernalis in sympatry. However, the mirror area of G. fultoni displayed the divergent pattern in relation to the sympatric G. vernalis populations. Divergence-enhancing selection may be acting on mirror area as well as calling song characters, whereas local adaptation or clinal effects may explain variation in other morphological characters in sympatric populations of G. fultoni. This study also suggests that structures and behaviors that directly enhance reproductive isolation may evolve together, independently of other morphological traits.

Dynamics in the Chromosphere Imaged at Four Second Cadence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmit, D.; De Pontieu, B.

2017-12-01

In this work we present analysis of rapid intensity fluctuations that are observed in the chromosphere and transition region using the slit-jaw datasets of IRIS and CLASP. While chromospheric oscillations have been a topic of interest for 30 years, the instrumentation to image those dynamics at high-cadence has only recently been developed. We use filtergraph data from 1215A, 2800A, and 1400A to examine the occurrence rate and morphology of rapid intensity fluctuations in different magnetic environments. There are indications of rapidly propagating disturbances with phase speeds greater than 100 km/s in all passbands although the morphology of the features differs significantly between passbands. The relationship between intensity fluctuations, spicules, and waves is discussed.

Alternative Thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene Isoindigo Polymers for Solar Cell Applications.

PubMed

Neophytou, Marios; Bryant, Daniel; Lopatin, Sergei; Chen, Hu; Hallani, Rawad K; Cater, Lewis; McCulloch, Iain; Yue, Wan

2018-03-05

This work reports the synthesis, characterization, photophysical, and photovoltaic properties of five new thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene isoindigo (TBTI)-containing low bandgap donor-acceptor conjugated polymers with a series of comonomers and different side chains. When TBTI is combined with different electron-rich moieties, even small structural variations can have significant impact on thin film morphology of the polymer:phenyl C70 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blends. More importantly, high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy is used to investigate the phase-separated bulk heterojunction domains, which can be accurately and precisely resolved, enabling an enhanced correlation between polymer chemical structure, photovoltaic device performance, and morphology. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A study of structural and mechanical properties of nano-crystalline tungsten nitride film synthesis by plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussnain, Ali; Singh Rawat, Rajdeep; Ahmad, Riaz; Hussain, Tousif; Umar, Z. A.; Ikhlaq, Uzma; Chen, Zhong; Shen, Lu

2015-02-01

Nano-crystalline tungsten nitride thin films are synthesized on AISI-304 steel at room temperature using Mather-type plasma focus system. The surface properties of the exposed substrate against different deposition shots are examined for crystal structure, surface morphology and mechanical properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope, field emission scanning electron microscope and nano-indenter. The XRD results show the growth of WN and WN2 phases and the development of strain/stress in the deposited films by varying the number of deposition shots. Morphology of deposited films shows the significant change in the surface structure with different ion energy doses (number of deposition shots). Due to the effect of different ion energy doses, the strain/stress developed in the deposited film leads to an improvement of hardness of deposited films.

Morphological Evaluation of Meibomian Glands in Children and Adolescents Using Noncontact Infrared Meibography.

PubMed

Wu, Yuan; Li, Haili; Tang, Yun; Yan, Xiaoming

2017-03-01

To compare, in vivo, differences in meibomian gland morphology between children and adolescents. Sixty-nine patients were included in this study and divided into two groups: children (n = 31; age range: 3 to 11 years) and adolescents (n = 39; age range: 12 to 18 years). Images of meibomian glands were obtained by infrared meibography and analyzed using ImageJ software (developed by the National Institutes of Health; available at http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/download.html). Meibomian gland loss, the number of meibomian gland ducts, the relative width of the meibomian gland ducts, and the percent area of the meibomian gland acini were compared between the two groups. Meibomian gland loss was found in both groups, but the meiboscore was not significantly different between the two groups (0.35 ± 0.6 vs 0.41 ± 0.8, t = -0.314, P > .05). The number of meibomian gland ducts (25.85 ± 3.25 vs 23.23 ± 3.06, t = -3.437, P < .05), relative width of the meibomian gland ducts (69.62% ± 5% vs 66.1% ± 7%, t = -2.454, P < .05), and percent area of the meibomian gland acini (57.7% ± 4% vs 55.5% ± 4%, t = 2.571, P < .05) in the upper eyelid were significantly greater in adolescents than in children. However, no significant differences were found in the lower eyelid between the two groups. Meibography is useful for the assessment of ocular surface conditions in children and adolescents. Meibomian gland loss occurs in both children and adolescents. The meibomian glands of the upper eyelid exhibit more morphological changes in adolescents than in children. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2017;54(2):78-83.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

The effect of vegetation height and biomass on the sediment budget of a European saltmarsh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reef, Ruth; Schuerch, Mark; Christie, Elizabeth K.; Möller, Iris; Spencer, Tom

2018-03-01

Sediment retention in saltmarshes is often attributed to the presence of vegetation, which enhances accretion by slowing water flow, reduces erosion by attenuating wave energy and increases surface stability through the presence of organic matter. Saltmarsh vegetation morphology varies considerably on a range of spatial and temporal scales, but the effect of different above ground morphologies on sediment retention is not well characterised. Understanding the biophysical interaction between the canopy and sediment trapping in situ is important for improving numerical shoreline models. In a novel field flume study, we measured the effect of vegetation height and biomass on sediment trapping using a mass balance approach. Suspended sediment profilers were placed at both openings of a field flume built across-shore on the seaward boundary of an intertidal saltmarsh in the Dengie Peninsula, UK. Sequential removal of plant material from within the flume resulted in incremental loss of vegetation height and biomass. The difference between the concentration of suspended sediment measured at each profiler was used to determine the sediment budget within the flume. Deposition of material on the plant/soil surfaces within the flume occurred during flood tides, while ebb flow resulted in erosion (to a lesser degree) from the flume area, with a positive sediment budget of on average 6.5 g m-2 tide-1 with no significant relationship between sediment trapping efficiency and canopy morphology. Deposition (and erosion) rates were positively correlated to maximum inundation depth. Our results suggest that during periods of calm conditions, changes to canopy morphology do not result in significant changes in sediment budgets in marshes.

Effects of simulated acid rain on the morphology, phenology and dry biomass of a local variety of maize (Suwan-1) in Southwestern Nigeria.

PubMed

Macaulay, Babajide Milton; Enahoro, Gloria Ebarunosen

2015-10-01

Effects of acid rain on the morphology, phenology and dry biomass of maize (Suwan-1 variety) were investigated. The maize seedlings were subjected to different pH treatments (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0) of simulated acid rain (SAR) with pH 7.0 as the control for a period of 90 days. The common morphological defects due to SAR application were necrosis and chlorosis. It was observed that necrosis increased in severity as the acidity increased whilst chlorosis was dominant as the acidity decreased. SAR encouraged rapid floral and cob growth but with the consequence of poor floral and cob development in pH 1.0 to 3.0 treatments. The result for the dry biomass indicates that pH treatments 2.0 to 7.0 for total plant biomass were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from one another, but were all significantly higher (P < 0.05) than pH 1.0. Therefore, it may be deduced that Suwan-1 has the potential to withstand acid rain but with pronounced morphological and phenological defects which, however, have the capacity to reduce drastically the market value of the crop. Therefore, it may be concluded that Suwan-1 tolerated acid rain in terms of the parameters studied at pH 4.0 to 7.0 which makes it a suitable crop in acid rain-stricken climes. This research could also serve as a good reference for further SAR studies on maize or other important cereals.

CT Examination of Nose and Paranasal Sinuses of Egyptian Mummies and Three Distinct Human Population Groups: Anthropological and Clinical Implications.

PubMed

Márquez, Samuel; Lawson, William; Mowbray, Kenneth; Delman, Bradley N; Laitman, Jeffrey T

2015-06-01

The interaction of nasal morphology and climatic conditions has resulted in diverse hard- and soft-tissue configurations across human population groups. While the processes of skull pneumatization are not fully understood, the invasions of the paranasal sinuses [PNS] into the cranium have contributed to assorted morphologies. Human migratory patterns and the strong association with climatic variables through time and space may explain this diversity. This study examined four multiregional populations of which two are from Egypt but of widely divergent eras. Three Egyptian mummies [EG-M] from the middle kingdom were CT scanned providing a unique opportunity to investigate the status of PNS anatomy within a time frame from 1567 BCE to 600 CE and compare it to a contemporary Egyptian [EG] (n = 12) population. Dry skulls of Inuit [IT] (n = 10) and East African [EA] (n = 8) provide out-group comparisons, as one group represents an isolated geographic environment far different from that of Egypt and the other group inhabiting distinct environmental conditions albeit located within the same continent. Results showed EG-M and EG frontal sinus volumes were diminutive in size with no statistically significant difference between them. Maxillary sinus size values of EG-M and EG clustered together while IT and EA significantly differed from each other (P = 0.002). The multiregional groups exhibited population specific morphologies in their PNS anatomy. Ecogeographic localities revealed anatomical differences among IT and EA, while the potential time span of about 3,500 years produced only a negligible difference between the Egyptian groups. The small sample sizes incorporated into this research requires confirmation of the results by analyses of larger samples from each geographic region and with the integration of a larger group of Egyptian mummified remains. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The African baobab (Adansonia digitata, Malvaceae): genetic resources in neglected populations of the Nuba Mountains, Sudan.

PubMed

Wiehle, Martin; Prinz, Kathleen; Kehlenbeck, Katja; Goenster, Sven; Mohamed, Seifeldin Ali; Finkeldey, Reiner; Buerkert, Andreas; Gebauer, Jens

2014-09-01

• Adansonia digitata L. is one of the most important indigenous fruit trees of mainland Africa. Despite its significance for subsistence and income generation of local communities, little is known about the genetic and morphological variability of East African populations of A. digitata, including those of Sudan. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to analyze genetic and morphological variability of different baobab populations in Kordofan, Sudan and to estimate the effect of human intervention on genetic differentiation and diversity.• A total of 306 trees were randomly sampled from seven spatially separated locations in the Nuba Mountains, Sudan, to cover a wide range of differing environmental gradients and management regimes ('homesteads' and 'wild'). Genetic analyses were conducted using nine microsatellite markers. Because of the tetraploid nature of A. digitata, different approaches were applied to estimate patterns of genetic diversity. Investigations were completed by measurements of dendrometric and fruit morphological characters.• Genetic diversity was balanced and did not differ between locations or management regimes, although tendencies of higher diversity in 'homesteads' were observed. A Bayesian cluster approach detected two distinct gene pools in the sample set, mainly caused by one highly diverse population close to a main road. The variability of tree characters and fruit morphometries was high, and significantly different between locations.• Results indicated a rather positive effect with human intervention. The observed populations provide a promising gene pool and likely comprise ecotypes well-adapted to environmental conditions at the northern distribution range of the species, which should be considered in conservation and management programs. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.