Parallel Algorithms for Image Histogramming and Connected Components with an Experimental Study

This paper presents efficient and portable implementations of two useful primitives in image processing algorithms, histogramming and connected components. Our general framework is a single-address space, distributed memory programming model. We use efficient techniques for distributing and coalescing data as well as efficient combinations of task and data parallelism. Our connected components algorithm uses a novel approach for parallel merging which performs drastically limited updating during iterative steps, and concludes with a total consistency update at the final step. The algorithms have been coded in S -C and run on a variety of platforms. Our experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analysis and provide the best known execution times for these two primitives, even when compared with machine-specific implementations.     

In Vivo Renin Activity Imaging in the Kidney of Progeroid Ercc1 Mutant Mice

Changes in the renin–angiotensin system, known for its critical role in the regulation of blood pressure and sodium homeostasis, may contribute to aging and age-related diseases. While the renin–angiotensin system is suppressed during aging, little is known about its regulation and activity within tissues. However, this knowledge is required to successively treat or prevent renal disease in the elderly. Ercc1 is involved in important DNA repair pathways, and when mutated causes accelerated aging phenotypes in humans and mice. In this study, we hypothesized that unrepaired DNA damage contributes to accelerated kidney failure. We tested the use of the renin-activatable near-infrared fluorescent probe ReninSense680™ in progeroid Ercc1^d/− mice and compared renin activity levels in vivo to wild-type mice. First, we validated the specificity of the probe by detecting increased intrarenal activity after losartan treatment and the virtual absence of fluorescence in renin knock-out mice. Second, age-related kidney pathology, tubular anisokaryosis, glomerulosclerosis and increased apoptosis were confirmed in the kidneys of 24-week-old Ercc1^d/− mice, while initial renal development was normal. Next, we examined the in vivo renin activity in these Ercc1^d/− mice. Interestingly, increased intrarenal renin activity was detected by ReninSense in Ercc1^d/− compared to WT mice, while their plasma renin concentrations were lower. Hence, this study demonstrates that intrarenal RAS activity does not necessarily run in parallel with circulating renin in the aging mouse. In addition, our study supports the use of this probe for longitudinal imaging of altered RAS signaling in aging.     

The poroelastic role of water in cell walls of the hierarchical composite ��softwood��

Wood is an anisotropic, hierarchically organized material, and the question how the hierarchical organization governs the anisotropy of its mechanical properties (such as stiffness and strength) has kept researchers busy for decades. While the honeycomb structure of softwood or the chemical composition of the cell wall has been fairly well established, the mechanical role of the cell wall water is less understood. The question arises how its capability to carry compressive loads (but not tensile loads) and its pressurization state affect mechanical deformations of the hierarchical composite ??wood??. By extending the framework of poro-micromechanics to more than two material phases, we here provide corresponding answers from a novel hierarchical set of matrix-inclusion problems with eigenstresses: (i) Biot tensors, expressing how much of the cell wall water-induced pore pressure is transferred to the boundary of an overall deformation-free representative volume element (RVE), and (ii) Biot moduli, expressing the porosity changes invoked by a pore pressure within such an RVE, are reported as functions of the material??s composition, in particular of its water content and its lumen space. At the level of softwood, where we transform a periodic homogenization scheme into an equivalent matrix-inclusion problem, all Biot tensor components are found to increase with decreasing lumen volume fraction. A further research finding concerns the strong anisotropy of the Biot tensor with respect to the water content: Transverse components increase with increasing water content, while the relationship ??longitudinal Biot tensor component versus volume fraction of water within the wood cell wall?? exhibits a maximum, representing a trade-off between pore pressure increase (increasing the longitudinal Biot tensor component, dominantly at low water content) and softening of the cell wall (reducing this component, dominantly at high water contents). Soft cell wall matrices reinforced with very stiff cellulose fibers may even result in negative longitudinal Biot tensor components. The aforementioned maximum effect is also noted for the Biot modulus.     

Measurement of radioactivity levels of the Sirt gulf,Libya

The paper presents the results of measurements on air and soil samples collected for their natural and artificial radioactivity content. The radionuclides studied under this programme are ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs. Average activity concentrations in surface air of ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs were found to be 1920 and 2.1 μBq m^‐3, respectively. ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration in surface soil is found to be 450m Bq kg^‐1. Estimated effective doses to adult from inhaled ⁷Be and ¹³⁷Cs were found to be 1 and 0.13 nSvy^‐1, respectively.

The average outdoors absorbed dose rate in air, 1 m above the ground level was found to be (48 ± 4.0 nGy h^‐1), based on the analysis of thermoluminescence dosimeters data collected.     

Effect of ethnicity on erythropoietin therapy response for hemodialysis patients: A retrospective study

Anemia is a common feature in chronic kidney disease patients due to deficiency of erythropoietin (EPO). Diseased kidneys are unable to produce EPO, which enhances red blood cell production from the bone marrow. Recombinant human EPO in hemodialysis patients was introduced with perfect outcomes as a hormonal substitutive treatment. Some ethnic minority groups have high prevalence of anemia associated with chronic kidney diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences between African Caribbeans and Caucasians’ EPO therapy response with regard to hemoglobin (Hb), some factors affecting it and some comorbid conditions. A retrospective study for 6 months of 100 patients on hemodialysis was conducted on two ethnic minorities groups; 46 patients were African Caribbean and 54 patients were Caucasian, who received EPO therapy at once or three times weekly dose at the Hanbury Dialysis Unit of Royal London Hospital. There were three types of EPO therapy used: Aranesp, Mircera and Neorecormon. Forty‐six patients were African Caribbean and 54 patients were Caucasian. There were 63.4% of patients treated by Aranesp while 13% were given Mircera; 22.8% of the sample used Neorecorman. It was shown that the chosen comorbid conditions had higher percentage in the African Caribbeans than in Caucasians. Diabetic and/or hypertensive patients are almost double the patient numbers. In addition, sickle cell anemia is only present in African Caribbeans. There were 43.5% of African Caribbeans and 81.1% of Caucasians who met the standards of Hb level. There was no significant difference between African Caribbeans and Caucasians regarding parathyroid hormone, c‐reactive protein, B12, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, and folate. In this study, there was a significant difference in the Hb levels between African Caribbean and Caucasian groups. Sixty percent of African Caribbeans had mean Hb less than normal levels. However, they received lower EPO dose than Caucasians. As a result, this may affect the whole treatment and therapy which may lead to anemic complications.     

In vivo examination of the local inflammatory response after implantation of Ti6Al4V samples with a combined low-temperature plasma treatment using pulsed magnetron sputtering of copper and plasma-polymerized ethylenediamine

Copper (Cu) could serve as antibacterial coating for Ti6Al4V implants. An additional cell-adhesive layer might compensate Cu cytotoxicity. This study aimed at in vitro and in vivo evaluation of low-temperature plasma treatment of Ti6Al4V plates with Ti/Cu magnetron sputtering (Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu), plasma-polymerized ethylenediamine (Ti6Al4V–PPEDA), or both (Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu–PPEDA). Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu and Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu–PPEDA had comparable in vitro Cu release and antibacterial effectiveness. Following intramuscular implantation of Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu, Ti6Al4V–PPEDA, Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu–PPEDA and Ti6Al4V controls for 7, 14 and 56 days with 8 rats/day, peri-implant tissue was immunohistochemically examined for different inflammatory cells. Ti6Al4V–PPEDA had more mast cells and NK cells than Ti6Al4V, and more tissue macrophages, T lymphocytes, mast cells and NK cells than Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu–PPEDA. Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu had more mast cells than Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu–PPEDA. Results indicate that PPEDA-mediated cell adhesion counteracted Cu cytotoxicity. Ti6Al4V–Ti/Cu–PPEDA differed from Ti6Al4V only for mast cells on day 56. Altogether, implants with both plasma treatments had antibacterial properties and did not increase inflammatory reactions.     

Ein neues hochempfindliches Wechselstrommeßgerät für Nieder- und Mittelfrequenz zur Messung von Betrag und Phase

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