Ion transport properties of plant cell walls: Ca/Mg selectivity

A selectivity coefficient K (Ca/Mg) ranging from 2 to 6 was found for isolated cell walls extracted from flax callus. We show that the Ca/Mg mobility ratio is close to the selectivity coefficient. The study in solution of the extracted pectins gives evidence that cation mobility, especially of calcium, is at least partly due to the structure of the pectins. In fact the primary structure of the pectins is a factor which determines the local charge density.     

Noncontact optical imaging in mice with full angular coverage and automatic surface extraction

During the past decade, optical imaging combined with tomographic approaches has proved its potential in offering quantitative three-dimensional spatial maps of chromophore or fluorophore concentration in vivo. Due to its direct application in biology and biomedicine, diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and its fluorescence counterpart, fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT), have benefited from an increase in devoted research and new experimental and theoretical developments, giving rise to a new imaging modality. The most recent advances in FMT and DOT are based on the capability of collecting large data sets by using CCDs as detectors, and on the ability to include multiple projections through recently developed noncontact approaches. For these to be implemented, we have developed an imaging setup that enables three-dimensional imaging of arbitrary shapes in fluorescence or absorption mode that is appropriate for small animal imaging. This is achieved by implementing a noncontact approach both for sources and detectors and coregistering surface geometry measurements using the same CCD camera. A thresholded shadowgrammetry approach is applied to the geometry measurements to retrieve the surface mesh. We present the evaluation of the system and method in recovering three-dimensional surfaces from phantom data and live mice. The approach is used to map the measured in vivo fluorescence data onto the tissue surface by making use of the free-space propagation equations, as well as to reconstruct fluorescence concentrations inside highly scattering tissuelike phantom samples. Finally, the potential use of this setup for in vivo small animal imaging and its impact on biomedical research is discussed.     

Diffractive elements designed to suppress unwanted zeroth order due to surface depth error

Abstract

We consider a design approach to reduce unwanted zero-order intensity due to profile depth error in diffractive elements. Our method is based on addition of local bias phase to a binary element phase, leading to the introduction of a third phase level. We show theoretically and experimentally that gratings obtained with such modifications are more tolerant to profile depth error than conventionally designed binary or multilevel elements, thus reducing the appearance of unwanted zero order.     

Fatty acid profile of three adipose depots in seven Spanish breeds of suckling kids

Intramuscular, subcutaneous and kidney knob fat depot fatty acid profiles were studied in 104 male suckling kids from seven Spanish breeds: Blanca Andaluza, Blanca Celtibérica, Moncaína, Negra Serrana-Castiza, Pirenaica, Malagueña and Murciano-Granadina. Kids were raised in the traditional production system on mother's milk and slaughtered at around 7 kg live weight. Differences were observed between dairy (Malagueña) and meat breeds (Blanca Andaluza, Blanca Celtibérica, Moncaína, Negra Serrana-Castiza, and Pirenaica). Malagueña showed higher monounsaturated and conjugated linoleic fatty acid levels than the other breeds. Highest percentages of saturated fatty acids were observed in meat breeds. For intramuscular fat depot, the range for desirable fatty acids was 66.16–72.27% was. The influence of breed on fatty acid profiles of intramuscular, subcutaneous and kidney knob fat depots studied was evident. Intramuscular fat depot is proposed as a differentiating factor between dairy and meat breed goat kids, but not between meat breed kids.     

Surface Reconstruction for free-space 360 degrees fluorescence molecular tomography and the effects of animal motion.

Complete projection (360 degrees ) free-space fluorescence tomography of opaque media is poised to enable 3-D imaging through entire small animals in vivo with improved depth resolution compared to 360 degrees -projection fiber-based systems or limited-view angle systems. This approach can lead to a new generation of Fluorescence Molecular Tomography (FMT) performance since it allows high spatial sampling of photon fields propagating through tissue at any projection, employing nonconstricted animal surfaces. Herein, we employ a volume carving method to capture 3-D surfaces of diffusive objects and register the captured surface in the geometry of an FMT 360 degrees -projection acquisition system to obtain 3-D fluorescence image reconstructions. Using experimental measurements we evaluate the accuracy of the surface capture procedure by reconstructing the surfaces of phantoms of known dimensions. We then employ this methodology to characterize the animal movement of anaesthetized animals. We find that the effects of animal movement on the FMT reconstructed image were within system resolution limits (approximately 0.07 cm).     

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy for predicting chemical, instrumental and sensory quality of beef

The aim of this study was to assess near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy as a tool for determining sensory and texture characteristics of beef. Chemical, instrumental, texture and sensory characteristics were predicted by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy carried out on longissimus dorsi muscle samples from 190 young bulls. The use of first derivative gave best predictions together with NIR spectra, except for myoglobin and water holding capacity, which had an R(2) of prediction of 0.91 and 0.82, respectively, using visible and NIR spectra. Tenderness was the best-predicted variable (R(2)=0.98) demonstrating the potential of NIR spectroscopy in the prediction of sensory variables. Chemical composition variables and Warner-Bratzler shear force were predicted with an R(2) of prediction of around 0.7, but protein was not predicted with accuracy.     

An asynchronous and iterative load balancing algorithm for discrete load model

Diffusion algorithms are some of the most popular algorithms for dynamic load balancing in which loads move from heavily loaded processors to lightly loaded neighbor processors. To achieve a global load balance in a parallel computer, the algorithm is iterated until the load difference between any two processors is smaller than a specified value. Therefore, one fundamental property to be studied is algorithm convergence. Several analytical works on the convergence of different diffusion load balancing algorithms have been carried out, but they treat loads as non-negative real quantities. In this paper, we describe the Diffusion Algorithm Searching Unbalanced Domains (DASUD) algorithm, which uses loads as non-negative integer values and, unlike existing algorithms, reaches a local balance situation where the maximum load difference between any two processor in the set of neighbor processors for each processor is one load unit. The convergence property of an asynchronous implementation of DASUD using integer loads is proven theoretically.     

Nursing achievement. Measurement of nursing time

OBJECTIVE: To study the nursing duties according to pathology, measuring the time required to give the necessary patient care. Both direct and indirect activities were analyzed. The patients were classified according to the Diagnostically Related Group (DRG) system. METHODS: The study was conducted with hospitalized ophthalmology patients. To increase accuracy the different methods of measuring the work loads were adjusted. A modified Delphi method was used as a time standard. The amount of time spent on direct and indirect activities per patient was analyzed according to the DRG for each day in the hospital as well as each shift. Differences between pathologies were also accounted for. RESULTS: The patients in the various groups had the following mean times per activity: DRG 036-1010.5 minutes; DRG 042 912.3 minutes; DRG 039-335.3 minutes; DRG 040-302.9 minutes. There are some significant differences between some pathologies but if they are adjusted for their average say they are not significant. CONCLUSION: The work load of ophthalmology nurses depends basically in the average stay in the hospital and not the pathology.     

Radiotherapy alone versus neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and irradiation in the treatment of carcinoma of the cavum

Radiation therapy is the usual treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, in recent years the use of neoadyuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of local and regionally advanced carcinoma has been investigated. We report the results of a retrospective study of two treatments used in our center. The study included 68 patients: 34 (group A) who received radiotherapy alone and 34 (group B) who received neoadyuvant chemotherapy before radiotherapy. In group A, 70.6% achieved a complete clinical response: 23.5% relapsed: 5 patients presented distant metastases. Survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 53% and 27% respectively; the disease-free survival was 71.4% at 5 years and 54% at 10 years. In group B, the complete clinical response rate to neoadyuvant chemotherapy was 35.3%, which increased to 73.5% when the treatment was complemented with radiotherapy. The relapse rate was 14.7%; the survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 49.5% and 49%, respectively; and the disease-free survival was 77.2% at 5 and 10 years.