Sample records for geometric morphometric approach
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Fabre, Anne-Claire; Cornette, Raphäel; Huyghe, Katleen; Andrade, Denis V; Herrel, Anthony
2014-09-01
Differences between the sexes may arise because of differences in reproductive strategy, with females investing more in traits related to reproductive output and males investing more in traits related to resource holding capacity and territory defence. Sexual dimorphism is widespread in lizards and in many species males and females also differ in head shape. Males typically have bigger heads than females resulting in intersexual differences in bite force. Whereas most studies documenting differences in head dimensions between sexes use linear dimensions, the use of geometric morphometrics has been advocated as more appropriate to characterize such differences. This method may allow the characterization of local shape differences that may have functional consequences, and provides unbiased indicators of shape. Here, we explore whether the two approaches provide similar results in an analyses of head shape in Tupinambis merianae. The Argentine black and white tegu differs dramatically in body size, head size, and bite force between the sexes. However, whether the intersexual differences in bite force are simply the result of differences in head size or whether more subtle modifications (e.g., in muscle insertion areas) are involved remains currently unknown. Based on the crania and mandibles of 19 lizards with known bite force, we show intersexual differences in the shape of the cranium and mandible using both linear and geometric morphometric approaches. Although both types of analyses showed generally similar results for the mandible, this was not the case for the cranium. Geometric morphometric approaches provided better insights into the underlying functional relationships between the cranium and the jaw musculature, as illustrated by shape differences in muscle insertion areas not detected using linear morphometric data. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Schmieder, Daniela A; Benítez, Hugo A; Borissov, Ivailo M; Fruciano, Carmelo
2015-01-01
External morphology is commonly used to identify bats as well as to investigate flight and foraging behavior, typically relying on simple length and area measures or ratios. However, geometric morphometrics is increasingly used in the biological sciences to analyse variation in shape and discriminate among species and populations. Here we compare the ability of traditional versus geometric morphometric methods in discriminating between closely related bat species--in this case European horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae, Chiroptera)--based on morphology of the wing, body and tail. In addition to comparing morphometric methods, we used geometric morphometrics to detect interspecies differences as shape changes. Geometric morphometrics yielded improved species discrimination relative to traditional methods. The predicted shape for the variation along the between group principal components revealed that the largest differences between species lay in the extent to which the wing reaches in the direction of the head. This strong trend in interspecific shape variation is associated with size, which we interpret as an evolutionary allometry pattern.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Daniela A Schmieder
Full Text Available External morphology is commonly used to identify bats as well as to investigate flight and foraging behavior, typically relying on simple length and area measures or ratios. However, geometric morphometrics is increasingly used in the biological sciences to analyse variation in shape and discriminate among species and populations. Here we compare the ability of traditional versus geometric morphometric methods in discriminating between closely related bat species--in this case European horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae, Chiroptera--based on morphology of the wing, body and tail. In addition to comparing morphometric methods, we used geometric morphometrics to detect interspecies differences as shape changes. Geometric morphometrics yielded improved species discrimination relative to traditional methods. The predicted shape for the variation along the between group principal components revealed that the largest differences between species lay in the extent to which the wing reaches in the direction of the head. This strong trend in interspecific shape variation is associated with size, which we interpret as an evolutionary allometry pattern.
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Symmetry analysis of talus bone: A Geometric morphometric approach.
Islam, K; Dobbe, A; Komeili, A; Duke, K; El-Rich, M; Dhillon, S; Adeeb, S; Jomha, N M
2014-01-01
The main object of this study was to use a geometric morphometric approach to quantify the left-right symmetry of talus bones. Analysis was carried out using CT scan images of 11 pairs of intact tali. Two important geometric parameters, volume and surface area, were quantified for left and right talus bones. The geometric shape variations between the right and left talus bones were also measured using deviation analysis. Furthermore, location of asymmetry in the geometric shapes were identified. Numerical results showed that talus bones are bilaterally symmetrical in nature, and the difference between the surface area of the left and right talus bones was less than 7.5%. Similarly, the difference in the volume of both bones was less than 7.5%. Results of the three-dimensional (3D) deviation analyses demonstrated the mean deviation between left and right talus bones were in the range of -0.74 mm to 0.62 mm. It was observed that in eight of 11 subjects, the deviation in symmetry occurred in regions that are clinically less important during talus surgery. We conclude that left and right talus bones of intact human ankle joints show a strong degree of symmetry. The results of this study may have significance with respect to talus surgery, and in investigating traumatic talus injury where the geometric shape of the contralateral talus can be used as control. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:139-45.
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A geometric morphometric assessment of the optic cup in glaucoma.
Sanfilippo, Paul G; Cardini, Andrea; Sigal, Ian A; Ruddle, Jonathan B; Chua, Brian E; Hewitt, Alex W; Mackey, David A
2010-09-01
The morphologic appearance of the optic disc is of interest in glaucoma. In contrast to descriptive classification systems that are currently used, a quantitative approach to the analysis of optic disc morphology is required. Our goal was to determine the optimal method for quantifying optic cup shape by comparing traditional (ovality, form-factor and neuroretinal rim (NRR) width ratio) and geometric morphometric approaches. Left optic disc stereophotographs of 160 (80 normal and 80 glaucomatous (stratified by severity)) subjects were examined. The optic cup margins were stereoscopically delineated with a custom tracing system and saved as a series of discrete points. The geometric morphometric methods of elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA) and sliding semi-landmark analysis (SSLA) were used to eliminate variation unrelated to shape (e.g. size) and yield a series of shape variables. Differences in optic cup shape between normal and glaucoma groups were investigated. Discriminant functions were computed and the sensitivity and specificity of each technique determined. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated for all methods and evaluated in their potential to discriminate between normal and glaucomatous eyes based on the shape variables. All geometric morphometric methods revealed differences between normal and glaucomatous eyes in optic cup shape, in addition to the traditional parameters of ovality, form-factor and NRR width ratio (pgeometric morphometric approach for discriminating between normal and glaucomatous eyes in optic cup shape is superior to that provided by traditional single parameter shape measures. Such analytical techniques could be incorporated into future automated optic disc screening modalities. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Shaping up: a geometric morphometric approach to assemblage ecomorphology.
Bower, L M; Piller, K R
2015-09-01
This study adopts an ecomorphological approach to test the utility of body shape as a predictor of niche relationships among a stream fish assemblage of the Tickfaw River (Lake Pontchartrain Basin) in southeastern Louisiana, U.S.A. To examine the potential influence of evolutionary constraints, analyses were performed with and without the influence of phylogeny. Fish assemblages were sampled throughout the year, and ecological data (habitat and tropic guild) and body shape (geometric morphometric) data were collected for each fish specimen. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine relationships and differences between body shape and ecological data. Results indicate that a relationship exists between body shape and trophic guild as well as flow regime, but no significant correlation between body shape and substratum was found. Body shape was a reliable indicator of position within assemblage niche space. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
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Geometric morphometrics as a tool for improving the comparative study of behavioural postures.
Fureix, Carole; Hausberger, Martine; Seneque, Emilie; Morisset, Stéphane; Baylac, Michel; Cornette, Raphaël; Biquand, Véronique; Deleporte, Pierre
2011-07-01
Describing postures has always been a central concern when studying behaviour. However, attempts to compare postures objectively at phylogenetical, populational, inter- or intra-individual levels generally either rely upon a few key elements or remain highly subjective. Here, we propose a novel approach, based on well-established geometric morphometrics, to describe and to analyse postures globally (i.e. considering the animal's body posture in its entirety rather than focusing only on a few salient elements, such as head or tail position). Geometric morphometrics is concerned with describing and comparing variation and changes in the form (size and shape) of organisms using the coordinates of a series of homologous landmarks (i.e. positioned in relation to skeletal or muscular cues that are the same for different species for every variety of form and function and that have derived from a common ancestor, i.e. they have a common evolutionary ancestry, e.g. neck, wings, flipper/hand). We applied this approach to horses, using global postures (1) to characterise behaviours that correspond to different arousal levels, (2) to test potential impact of environmental changes on postures. Our application of geometric morphometrics to horse postures showed that this method can be used to characterise behavioural categories, to evaluate the impact of environmental factors (here human actions) and to compare individuals and groups. Beyond its application to horses, this promising approach could be applied to all questions involving the analysis of postures (evolution of displays, expression of emotions, stress and welfare, behavioural repertoires…) and could lead to a whole new line of research.
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von Cramon-Taubadel, Noreen; Frazier, Brenda C; Lahr, Marta Mirazón
2007-09-01
Geometric morphometric methods rely on the accurate identification and quantification of landmarks on biological specimens. As in any empirical analysis, the assessment of inter- and intra-observer error is desirable. A review of methods currently being employed to assess measurement error in geometric morphometrics was conducted and three general approaches to the problem were identified. One such approach employs Generalized Procrustes Analysis to superimpose repeatedly digitized landmark configurations, thereby establishing whether repeat measures fall within an acceptable range of variation. The potential problem of this error assessment method (the "Pinocchio effect") is demonstrated and its effect on error studies discussed. An alternative approach involves employing Euclidean distances between the configuration centroid and repeat measures of a landmark to assess the relative repeatability of individual landmarks. This method is also potentially problematic as the inherent geometric properties of the specimen can result in misleading estimates of measurement error. A third approach involved the repeated digitization of landmarks with the specimen held in a constant orientation to assess individual landmark precision. This latter approach is an ideal method for assessing individual landmark precision, but is restrictive in that it does not allow for the incorporation of instrumentally defined or Type III landmarks. Hence, a revised method for assessing landmark error is proposed and described with the aid of worked empirical examples. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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The Inappropriate Symmetries of Multivariate Statistical Analysis in Geometric Morphometrics.
Bookstein, Fred L
In today's geometric morphometrics the commonest multivariate statistical procedures, such as principal component analysis or regressions of Procrustes shape coordinates on Centroid Size, embody a tacit roster of symmetries -axioms concerning the homogeneity of the multiple spatial domains or descriptor vectors involved-that do not correspond to actual biological fact. These techniques are hence inappropriate for any application regarding which we have a-priori biological knowledge to the contrary (e.g., genetic/morphogenetic processes common to multiple landmarks, the range of normal in anatomy atlases, the consequences of growth or function for form). But nearly every morphometric investigation is motivated by prior insights of this sort. We therefore need new tools that explicitly incorporate these elements of knowledge, should they be quantitative, to break the symmetries of the classic morphometric approaches. Some of these are already available in our literature but deserve to be known more widely: deflated (spatially adaptive) reference distributions of Procrustes coordinates, Sewall Wright's century-old variant of factor analysis, the geometric algebra of importing explicit biomechanical formulas into Procrustes space. Other methods, not yet fully formulated, might involve parameterized models for strain in idealized forms under load, principled approaches to the separation of functional from Brownian aspects of shape variation over time, and, in general, a better understanding of how the formalism of landmarks interacts with the many other approaches to quantification of anatomy. To more powerfully organize inferences from the high-dimensional measurements that characterize so much of today's organismal biology, tomorrow's toolkit must rely neither on principal component analysis nor on the Procrustes distance formula, but instead on sound prior biological knowledge as expressed in formulas whose coefficients are not all the same. I describe the problems
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Weaver, Timothy D; Gunz, Philipp
2018-04-01
Researchers studying extant and extinct taxa are often interested in identifying the evolutionary processes that have lead to the morphological differences among the taxa. Ideally, one could distinguish the influences of neutral evolutionary processes (genetic drift, mutation) from natural selection, and in situations for which selection is implicated, identify the targets of selection. The directional selection gradient is an effective tool for investigating evolutionary process, because it can relate form (size and shape) differences between taxa to the variation and covariation found within taxa. However, although most modern morphometric analyses use the tools of geometric morphometrics (GM) to analyze landmark data, to date, selection gradients have mainly been calculated from linear measurements. To address this methodological gap, here we present a GM approach for visualizing and comparing between-taxon selection gradients with each other, associated difference vectors, and "selection" gradients from neutral simulations. To exemplify our approach, we use a dataset of 347 three-dimensional landmarks and semilandmarks recorded on the crania of 260 primate specimens (112 humans, 67 common chimpanzees, 36 bonobos, 45 gorillas). Results on this example dataset show how incorporating geometric information can provide important insights into the evolution of the human braincase, and serve to demonstrate the utility of our approach for understanding morphological evolution. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.
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Francuski, Lj.; Vujic, A.; Kovacevic, A.; Ludoski, J.; Milankov, V.
2009-01-01
The present study investigates phenotypic differentiation patterns among four species of the Cheilosia variabilis group (Diptera, Syrphidae) using a landmark-based geometric morphometric approach. Herein, wing geometric morphometrics established species boundaries that confirm C. melanopa and C.
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Geometric morphometric footprint analysis of young women
Domjanic, Jacqueline; Fieder, Martin; Seidler, Horst; Mitteroecker, Philipp
2013-01-01
Background Most published attempts to quantify footprint shape are based on a small number of measurements. We applied geometric morphometric methods to study shape variation of the complete footprint outline in a sample of 83 adult women. Methods The outline of the footprint, including the toes, was represented by a comprehensive set of 85 landmarks and semilandmarks. Shape coordinates were computed by Generalized Procrustes Analysis. Results The first four principal components represented t...
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cooper, W. James [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Albertson, R Craig [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States); Jacob, Rick E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Westneat, Mark W. [Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL (United States)
2014-12-01
Here we present a re-description of Abudefduf luridus and reassign it to the genus Similiparma. We supplement traditional diagnoses and descriptions of this species with quantitative anatomical data collected from a family-wide geometric morphometric analysis of head morphology (44 species representing all 30 damselfish genera) and data from cranial micro-CT scans of fishes in the genus Similiparma. The use of geometric morphometric analyses (and other methods of shape analysis) permits detailed comparisons between the morphology of specific taxa and the anatomical diversity that has arisen in an entire lineage. This provides a particularly useful supplement to traditional description methods and we recommend the use of such techniques by systematists. Similiparma and its close relatives constitute a branch of the damselfish phylogenetic tree that predominantly inhabits rocky reefs in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, as opposed to the more commonly studied damselfishes that constitute a large portion of the ichthyofauna on all coral-reef communities.
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Sex determination from the frontal bone: a geometric morphometric study.
Perlaza, Néstor A
2014-09-01
Sex estimation in human skeletal remains when using the cranium through traditional methods is a fundamental pillar in human identification; however, it may be possible to incur in a margin of error due because of the state of preservation in incomplete or fragmented remains. The aim of this investigation was sex estimation through the geometric morphometric analysis of the frontal bone. The sample employed 60 lateral radiographs of adult subjects of both sexes (30 males and 30 females), aged between 18 and 40 years, with mean age for males of 28 ± 4 and 30 ± 6 years for females. Thin-plate splines evidenced strong expansion of the glabellar region in males and contraction in females. No significant differences were found between sexes with respect to size. The findings suggest differences in shape and size in the glabellar region, besides reaffirming the use of geometric morphometrics as a quantitative method in sex estimation. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
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A geometric morphometric study into the sexual dimorphism of the human scapula.
Scholtz, Y; Steyn, M; Pretorius, E
2010-08-01
Sex determination is vital when attempting to establish identity from skeletal remains. Two approaches to sex determination exists: morphological and metrical. The aim of this paper was to use geometric morphometrics to study the shape of the scapula and its sexual dimorphism. The sample comprised 45 adult black male and 45 adult black female scapulae of known sex. The scapulae were photographed and 21 homologous landmarks were plotted to use for geometric morphometric analysis with the 'tps' series of programs, as well as the IMP package. Consensus thin-plate splines and vector plots for males and females were compared. The CVA and TwoGroup analyses indicated that significant differences exist between males and females. The lateral and medial borders of females are straighter while the supraspinous fossa is more convexly curved than that of males. More than 91% of the females and 95% of the males were correctly assigned. Hotelling's T(2)-test yielded a significant p-value of 0.00039. In addition, 100 equidistant landmarks representing the curve only were also assigned. These, however, yielded considerably poorer results. It is concluded that it is better to use homologous landmarks rather than curve data only, as it is most probable that the shape of the outline relative to the fixed homologous points on the scapula is sexually dimorphic.
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Terhune, Claire E
2013-08-01
Functional shape analyses have long relied on the use of shape ratios to test biomechanical hypotheses. This method is powerful because of the ease with which results are interpreted, but these techniques fall short in quantifying complex morphologies that may not have a strong biomechanical foundation but may still be functionally informative. In contrast, geometric morphometric methods are continually being adopted for quantifying complex shapes, but they tend to prove inadequate in functional analyses because they have little foundation in an explicit biomechanical framework. The goal of this study was to evaluate the intersection of these two methods using the great ape temporomandibular joint as a case study. Three-dimensional coordinates of glenoid fossa and mandibular condyle shape were collected using a Microscribe digitizer. Linear distances extracted from these landmarks were analyzed using a series of one-way ANOVAs; further, the landmark configurations were analyzed using geometric morphometric techniques. Results suggest that the two methods are broadly similar, although the geometric morphometric data allow for the identification of shape differences among taxa that were not immediately apparent in the univariate analyses. Furthermore, this study suggests several new approaches for translating these shape data into a biomechanical context by adjusting the data using a biomechanically relevant variable. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Geometric morphometrics in primatology: craniofacial variation in Homo sapiens and Pan troglodytes.
Lynch, J M; Wood, C G; Luboga, S A
1996-01-01
Traditionally, morphometric studies have relied on statistical analysis of distances, angles or ratios to investigate morphometric variation among taxa. Recently, geometric techniques have been developed for the direct analysis of landmark data. In this paper, we offer a summary (with examples) of three of these newer techniques, namely shape coordinate, thin-plate spline and relative warp analyses. Shape coordinate analysis detected significant craniofacial variation between 4 modern human populations, with African and Australian Aboriginal specimens being relatively prognathous compared with their Eurasian counterparts. In addition, the Australian specimens exhibited greater basicranial flexion than all other samples. The observed relationships between size and craniofacial shape were weak. The decomposition of shape variation into affine and non-affine components is illustrated via a thin-plate spline analysis of Homo and Pan cranial landmarks. We note differences between Homo and Pan in the degree of prognathism and basicranial flexion and the position and orientation of the foramen magnum. We compare these results with previous studies of these features in higher primates and discuss the utility of geometric morphometrics as a tool in primatology and physical anthropology. We conclude that many studies of morphological variation, both within and between taxa, would benefit from the graphical nature of these techniques.
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Leaf morphology, taxonomy and geometric morphometrics: a simplified protocol for beginners.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Vincenzo Viscosi
Full Text Available Taxonomy relies greatly on morphology to discriminate groups. Computerized geometric morphometric methods for quantitative shape analysis measure, test and visualize differences in form in a highly effective, reproducible, accurate and statistically powerful way. Plant leaves are commonly used in taxonomic analyses and are particularly suitable to landmark based geometric morphometrics. However, botanists do not yet seem to have taken advantage of this set of methods in their studies as much as zoologists have done. Using free software and an example dataset from two geographical populations of sessile oak leaves, we describe in detailed but simple terms how to: a compute size and shape variables using Procrustes methods; b test measurement error and the main levels of variation (population and trees using a hierachical design; c estimate the accuracy of group discrimination; d repeat this estimate after controlling for the effect of size differences on shape (i.e., allometry. Measurement error was completely negligible; individual variation in leaf morphology was large and differences between trees were generally bigger than within trees; differences between the two geographic populations were small in both size and shape; despite a weak allometric trend, controlling for the effect of size on shape slighly increased discrimination accuracy. Procrustes based methods for the analysis of landmarks were highly efficient in measuring the hierarchical structure of differences in leaves and in revealing very small-scale variation. In taxonomy and many other fields of botany and biology, the application of geometric morphometrics contributes to increase scientific rigour in the description of important aspects of the phenotypic dimension of biodiversity. Easy to follow but detailed step by step example studies can promote a more extensive use of these numerical methods, as they provide an introduction to the discipline which, for many biologists, is
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Mondal, Ritwik; Devi, N Pemola; Jauhari, R K
2015-06-01
Insect wing morphology has been used in many studies to describe variations among species and populations using traditional morphometrics, and more recently geometric morphometrics. A landmark-based geometric morphometric analysis of the wings of three species of Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae), viz. Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus and Ae. pseudotaeniatus, at District Dehradun was conducted belling on the fact that it can provide insight into the population structure, ecology and taxonomic identification. Adult Aedes mosquito specimens were randomly collected using aerial nets and morphologically examined and identified. The landmarks were identified on the basis of landmark based geometric morphometric analysis thin-plate spline (mainly the software tps-Util 1.28; tps-Dig 1.40; tps-Relw 1.53; and tps-Spline 1.20) and integrated morphometrics programme (mainly twogroup win8 and PCA win8) were utilized. In relative warp (RW) analysis, the first two RW of Ae. aegypti accounted for the highest value (95.82%), followed by Ae. pseudotaeniatus (90.89%), while the lowest (90.12%) being recorded for Ae. albopictus. The bending energies of Ae. aegypti and Ae. pseudotaeniatus were quite identical being 0.1882 and 0.1858 respectively, while Ae. albopictus recorded the highest value of 0.9774. The mean difference values of the distances among Aedes species performing Hotelling's T 2 test were significantly high, predicting major differences among the taxa. In PCA analysis, the horizontal and vertical axis summarized 52.41 and 23.30% of variances respectively. The centroid size exhibited significant differences among populations (non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test, H = 10.56, p < 0.01). It has been marked out that the geometric morphometrics utilizes powerful and comprehensive statistical procedures to analyze the shape differences of a morphological feature, assuming that the studied mosquitoes may represent different genotypes and probably come from one diverse gene pool.
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Stolz, J F B; Gonçalves, G L; Leipnitz, L; Freitas, T R O
2013-10-25
The genus Ctenomys (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae) shows several taxonomic inconsistencies. In this study, we used an integrative approach including DNA sequences, karyotypes, and geometric morphometrics to evaluate the taxonomic validity of a nominal species, Ctenomys bicolor, which was described based on only one specimen in 1912 by Miranda Ribeiro, and since then neglected. We sampled near the type locality assigned to this species and collected 10 specimens. A total of 820 base pairs of the cytochrome b gene were sequenced and analyzed together with nine other species and four morphotypes obtained from GenBank. Bayesian analyses showed that C. bicolor is monophyletic and related to the Bolivian-Matogrossense group, a clade that originated about 3 mya. We compared the cranial shape through morphometric geometrics of C. bicolor, including the specimen originally sampled in 1912, with other species representative of the same phylogenetic group (C. boliviensis and C. steinbachi). C. bicolor shows unique skull traits that distinguish it from all other currently known taxa. Our findings confirm that the specimen collected by Miranda Ribeiro is a valid species, and improve the knowledge about Ctenomys in the Amazon region.
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del Castillo, Daniela L; Flores, David A; Cappozzo, Humberto L
2014-12-01
The aim of this work was to study the postnatal ontogenetic development of Pontoporia blainvillei skull, identifying major changes on shape, and relating them to relevant factors in the life history of the species. We analyzed a complete ontogenetic series (73♂, 83♀) with three-dimensional geometric morphometric techniques. Immature dolphins showed a very well-developed braincase and a poorly developed rostrum, and the principal postnatal changes affected the rostrum and the temporal fossa, both structures implied functionally to the feeding apparatus, thus suggesting a specialized mode for catch fast prey in P. blainvillei. Osseous elements associated with sound production were already well developed on immature dolphins, suggesting the importance of this apparatus since the beginning of postnatal life. Sexual dimorphism was detected on both shape and size variables. Females were bigger than males, in accordance with previous studies. Shape differences between sexes were found on the posterior part of premaxillaries and external bony nares (P < 0.01), suggesting that this sexual dimorphism is related to differences on vocalization capabilities. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Exploring Eucladoceros ecomorphology using geometric morphometrics.
Curran, Sabrina C
2015-01-01
An increasingly common method for reconstructing paleoenvironmental parameters of hominin sites is ecological functional morphology (ecomorphology). This study provides a geometric morphometric study of cervid rearlimb morphology as it relates to phylogeny, size, and ecomorphology. These methods are then applied to an extinct Pleistocene cervid, Eucladoceros, which is found in some of the earliest hominin-occupied sites in Eurasia. Variation in cervid postcranial functional morphology associated with different habitats can be summarized as trade-offs between joint stability versus mobility and rapid movement versus power-generation. Cervids in open habitats emphasize limb stability to avoid joint dislocation during rapid flight from predators. Closed-adapted cervids require more joint mobility to rapidly switch directions in complex habitats. Two skeletal features (of the tibia and calcaneus) have significant phylogenetic signals, while two (the femur and third phalanx) do not. Additionally, morphology of two of these features (tibia and third phalanx) were correlated with body size. For the tibial analysis (but not the third phalanx) this correlation was ameliorated when phylogeny was taken into account. Eucladoceros specimens from France and Romania fall on the more open side of the habitat continuum, a result that is at odds with reconstructions of their diet as browsers, suggesting that they may have had a behavioral regime unlike any extant cervid. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Gómez-Robles, Aida; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Martinón-Torres, María; Prado-Simón, Leyre; Arsuaga, Juan Luis
2015-05-01
Lower molars have been extensively studied in the context of hominin evolution using classic and geometric morphometric analyses, 2D and 3D approaches, evaluations of the external (outer enamel surface) and internal anatomy (dentine, pulp chamber, and radicular canals), and studies of the crown and root variation. In this study, we present a 2D geometric morphometric analysis of the crown anatomy of lower first, second, and third molars of a broad sample of hominins, including Pliocene and Lower, Middle, and Upper Pleistocene species coming from Africa, Asia, and Europe. We show that shape variability increases from first to second and third molars. While first molars tend to retain a relatively stable 5-cusped conformation throughout the hominin fossil record, second and third molars show marked distal reductions in later Homo species. This trend to distal reduction is similar to that observed in previous studies of premolars and upper second and third molars, and points to a correlated reduction of distal areas across the whole postcanine dentition. Results on lower molar variation, as well as on other postcanine teeth, show certain trends in European Pleistocene populations from the Atapuerca sites. Middle Pleistocene hominins from Sima de los Huesos show Neanderthal affinities and strong dental reduction, especially in the most distal molars. The degree of dental reduction in this population is stronger than that observed in classic Neanderthals. Homo antecessor hominins from Gran Dolina-TD6 have primitive lower teeth that contrast with their more derived upper teeth. The evolutionary implications of these dental affinities are discussed in light of recent paleogenetic studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Komo, Larissa; Grassberger, Martin
2018-07-01
Tool marks on bones induced by knife blades can be analysed morphometrically in order to enable an allocation of the suspected "inflicting weapon" to the particular morphology of the bone lesions. Until now, geometric morphometrics has not been used to analyse the morphology of knife lesions on fleshed bones in detail. By using twelve experimental knives and a drop weight tower, stab/cut injuries were inflicted on untreated pig ribs. The morphology of the experimentally produced lesions was subsequently recorded with three imaging techniques (μCT, macro photography and SEM) and analysed with different morphometric software (Amira, tps and Morpheus). Based on the measured distances between the walls of the kerf marks, which corresponded to the thickness of the blade, one could conclude to the respective blade thickness with a deviation of max. ±0.35mm and match the injuries to the knives. With subsequent reanalysis after maceration, an average shrinkage factor up to 8.6% was observed. Among the three imaging techniques used in this study, μCT was the most accurate and efficient technique, particularly because it represented the only non-destructive modality to document injuries without maceration, even though μCT is more expensive and time-consuming as well as less accessible than a macro SLR-camera or a SEM. For optimal characterizations of the blades' and kerfs' shapes the software tps proofed to be the best choice. Accordingly, geometric morphometrics could serve as a tool in forensic investigations concerning kerf marks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Leonardo Maiorino
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent assessments of morphological changes in the frill during ontogeny hypothesized that the late Maastrichtian horned dinosaur Torosaurus represents the "old adult" of Triceratops, although acceptance of this finding has been disputed on several lines of evidence. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Examining the cranial morphology of 28 skulls in lateral view and 36 squamosals of Nedoceratops hatcheri, Triceratops spp. and Torosaurus spp. by means of landmark-based geometric morphometrics, we compared ontogenetic trajectories among these taxa. Principal Component Analysis and cluster analysis confirmed different cranial morphologies. Torosaurus shape space is well separated from Triceratops, whereas Triceratops horridus and Triceratops prorsus partially overlap within Triceratops shape space. Linear regressions between shape and size suggest different ontogenetic trajectories among these taxa. Results support the "traditional" taxonomic status of Torosaurus. We hypothesize that ontogeny drives cranial morphology with different patterns between Torosaurus and Triceratops. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Torosaurus is a distinct and valid taxon. Whether looking at entire skulls, skulls without the frill, frills alone, or squamosals, Torosaurus has different morphologies and distinct allometric trajectories compared to Triceratops. This new approach confirms the taxonomic status of Torosaurus as well as the comparatively low diversity of ceratopsids at the end of the Maastrichtian in North America.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Omid Jafari
2015-04-01
Full Text Available This study was conducted to apply the landmark-based geometric morphometrics technique to differentiate three species of the genus Paracobitis (P. iranica, P. malapterura and P. rhadinaeus in Iran based on their body shape, because previous works, using traditional morphometrics, could not distinct them. A total of 150 specimens were sampled from the Zaringol, Madarsoo, Ghomrood, Kordan Rivers and Chahnimeh reservoir. The left side of the specimens was photographed using a digital camera and then fifteen landmark-points were digitized on two-dimensional images using TpsDig2. Landmark data were analyzed after a generalised procrustes analysis using PCA, CVA and cluster analysis. The patterns of body shape differences among the populations were illustrated in the deformation grids in relation to consensus configuration. The results showed a significant differences among the studied species and their populations in terms of morphological traits (P<0.0001. Some differences were found in the length and depth of head, depth of body, caudal peduncle length and position of eye and position of dorsal fin. The result also showed that P. iranica from Kordan River can be considered to be a distinct taxon compared to the Ghomrood taxon based on its morphological characteristics. In addition, our findings revealed that the geometric morphometrics approach can be a proper tool for morphological and taxonomic studies in species with small sizes including Nemachelinae.
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Lockwood, Charles A; Lynch, John M; Kimbel, William H
2002-01-01
The hominid temporal bone offers a complex array of morphology that is linked to several different functional systems. Its frequent preservation in the fossil record gives the temporal bone added significance in the study of human evolution, but its morphology has proven difficult to quantify. In this study we use techniques of 3D geometric morphometrics to quantify differences among humans and great apes and discuss the results in a phylogenetic context. Twenty-three landmarks on the ectocranial surface of the temporal bone provide a high level of anatomical detail. Generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) is used to register (adjust for position, orientation and scale) landmark data from 405 adults representing Homo, Pan, Gorilla and Pongo. Principal components analysis of residuals from the GPA shows that the major source of variation is between humans and apes. Human characteristics such as a coronally orientated petrous axis, a deep mandibular fossa, a projecting mastoid process, and reduced lateral extension of the tympanic element strongly impact the analysis. In phenetic cluster analyses, gorillas and orangutans group together with respect to chimpanzees, and all apes group together with respect to humans. Thus, the analysis contradicts depictions of African apes as a single morphotype. Gorillas and orangutans lack the extensive preglenoid surface of chimpanzees, and their mastoid processes are less medially inflected. These and other characters shared by gorillas and orangutans are probably primitive for the African hominid clade. PMID:12489757
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Rodríguez-González, Abril; Míguez-Lozano, Raúl; Llopis-Belenguer, Cristina; Balbuena, Juan Antonio
2015-04-01
Evaluating phenotypic plasticity in attachment organs of parasites can provide information on the capacity to colonise new hosts and illuminate evolutionary processes driving host specificity. We analysed the variability in shape and size of the dorsal and ventral anchors of Ligophorus cephali from Mugil cephalus by means of geometric morphometrics and multivariate statistics. We also assessed the morphological integration between anchors and between the roots and points in order to gain insight into their functional morphology. Dorsal and ventral anchors showed a similar gradient of overall shape variation, but the amount of localised changes was much higher in the former. Statistical models describing variations in shape and size revealed clear differences between anchors. The dorsal anchor/bar complex seems more mobile than the ventral one in Ligophorus, and these differences may reflect different functional roles in attachment to the gills. The lower residual variation associated with the ventral anchor models suggests a tighter control of their shape and size, perhaps because these anchors seem to be responsible for firmer attachment and their size and shape would allow more effective responses to characteristics of the microenvironment within the individual host. Despite these putative functional differences, the high level of morphological integration indicates a concerted action between anchors. In addition, we found a slight, although significant, morphological integration between roots and points in both anchors, which suggests that a large fraction of the observed phenotypic variation does not compromise the functional role of anchors as levers. Given the low level of genetic variation in our sample, it is likely that much of the morphological variation reflects host-driven plastic responses. This supports the hypothesis of monogenean specificity through host-switching and rapid speciation. The present study demonstrates the potential of geometric
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Macholán, Miloš
2006-01-01
Roč. 270, č. 4 (2006), s. 672-681 ISSN 0952-8369 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA6045307 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : Mus * geometric morphometrics * thin-plate spline Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 1.413, year: 2006
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Galland, Manon; Friess, Martin
2016-09-10
Craniofacial variation in past and present Amerindians has been attributed to the effect of multiple founder events, or to one major migration followed by in situ differentiation and possibly recurrent contacts among Circum-Arctic groups. Our study aims to: (i) detect morphological differences that may indicate several migrations; (ii) test for the presence of genetic isolation; and (iii) test the correlation between shape data and competing settlement hypotheses by taking into account geography, chronology, climate effects, the presence of genetic isolation and recurrent gene flow. We analyzed a large sample of three-dimensional (3D) cranial surface scans (803 specimens) including past and modern groups from America and Australasia. Shape variation was investigated using geometric morphometrics. Differential external gene flow was evaluated by applying genetic concepts to morphometric data (Relethford-Blangero approach). Settlement hypotheses were tested using a matrix correlation approach (Mantel tests). Our results highlight the strong dichotomy between Circum-Arctic and continental Amerindians as well as the impact of climate adaptation, and possibly recurrent gene flow in the Circum-Arctic area. There is also evidence for the impact of genetic isolation on phenetic variation in Baja California. Several settlement hypotheses are correlated with our data. The three approaches used in this study highlight the importance of local processes especially in Baja California, and caution against the use of overly simplistic models when searching for the number of migration events. The results stress the complexity of the settlement of the Americas as well as the mosaic nature of the processes involved in this process. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:646-661, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Assessing dental wear in reindeer using geometric morphometrical methods
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rolf Rødven
2009-01-01
Full Text Available Assessing dental wear is a useful tool for monitoring the interaction between ungulates and their food resources. However, using a univariate measurement for dental wear, like for instance height of the first molar may not capture the variation in dental wear important for the dental functional morphology. We here demonstrate a method for assessing dental wear for ungulates by using geometric morphometrical methods on 11 mandibles from nine Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus. Shape measurements were obtained from a combination of fixed and sliding semi-landmarks, and dental wear was estimated using residual variation of the landmarks. The morphometric measurements obtained showed a good fit when compared to subjective scores of dental wear. We conclude that this method may give a more integrated and robust assessment of dental wear than univariate methods, and suggest it to be used as an alternative or in addition to traditional measurements of dental wear.Abstract in Norwegian / Sammendrag:Vurdering av tannslitasje hos rein ved hjelp av geometrisk morfometriske metoder Vurdering av tannslitasje er en anvendbar metode for å overvåke betydningen av miljøet for livshistorien til hovdyr. Imidlertid vil bruk av et enkelt mål, som for eksempel høyde på første molar, ikke nødvendigvis fange opp variasjonen i tannslitasje som er viktig i forhold til tennenes funksjonelle morfologi. I denne artikkelen viser vi hvordan tannslitasje kan vurderes ved å anvende geometrisk morfometriske metoder på 11 underkjever fra ni Svalbardrein (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus. Formen på tannrekka ble målt ved hjelp av en kombinasjon av fikserte og glidende semi-landemerker, hvor tannslitasje ble estimert ved å bruke residual variasjon av landemerkene. De morfometriske målene stemte godt overens med subjektiv vurdering av tannslitasje. Vi konkluderer at denne metoden kan gi en mer integrert og robust vurdering av tannslitasje enn univariate
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Adília Nogueira
2015-11-01
Full Text Available The South American hypopomid electric fish tribe Microsternarchini includes three small species from the Upper Orinoco and Negro rivers. These are placed in monotypic genera: Microsternarchus, Racenisia and Procerusternarchus. Recent collections from tributaries in Negro, Solimões and Amazonas Basins have revealed new specimens of Microsternarchus with significant variations in external morphology and in Electric Organ Discharge parameters (EOD. In order to estimate the diversity within the genus a previous molecular study was done using DNA barcoding, that suggested the presence of multiple Microsternarchus's lineages with high levels of genetic divergence between them. Here we try to determine if the variation in morphology and EOD parameters in the new specimens meet the genetic divergence found. To test the presence of differences in shape among the different lineages we performed a geometric morphometric analysis, which included a relative warp and multivariate analysis on distances between 14 anatomical landmarks defined on the basis of external morphology and homologous among the lineages. The EOD variations were also explored using multivariate analyses of 20 electrophysiological parameters calculated through an algorithm developed in Matlab. The results show that there are significant differences in body shape and EOD in three lineages of Microsternarchus, and the features that contributed most were related to the shape of the head, the coefficient of variation of the signal and the duration and area of the different phases of the pulse. The discrimination of the three lineages confirms the occurrence of new species in the group that are currently being described.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Christine Mayer
Full Text Available Facial markers of body composition are frequently studied in evolutionary psychology and are important in computational and forensic face recognition. We assessed the association of body mass index (BMI and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR with facial shape and texture (color pattern in a sample of young Middle European women by a combination of geometric morphometrics and image analysis. Faces of women with high BMI had a wider and rounder facial outline relative to the size of the eyes and lips, and relatively lower eyebrows. Furthermore, women with high BMI had a brighter and more reddish skin color than women with lower BMI. The same facial features were associated with WHR, even though BMI and WHR were only moderately correlated. Yet BMI was better predictable than WHR from facial attributes. After leave-one-out cross-validation, we were able to predict 25% of variation in BMI and 10% of variation in WHR by facial shape. Facial texture predicted only about 3-10% of variation in BMI and WHR. This indicates that facial shape primarily reflects total fat proportion, rather than the distribution of fat within the body. The association of reddish facial texture in high-BMI women may be mediated by increased blood pressure and superficial blood flow as well as diet. Our study elucidates how geometric morphometric image analysis serves to quantify the effect of biological factors such as BMI and WHR to facial shape and color, which in turn contributes to social perception.
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Benazzi, S; Stansfield, E; Milani, C; Gruppioni, G
2009-07-01
The process of forensic identification of missing individuals is frequently reliant on the superimposition of cranial remains onto an individual's picture and/or facial reconstruction. In the latter, the integrity of the skull or a cranium is an important factor in successful identification. Here, we recommend the usage of computerized virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometrics for the purposes of individual reconstruction and identification in forensics. We apply these methods to reconstruct a complete cranium from facial remains that allegedly belong to the famous Italian humanist of the fifteenth century, Angelo Poliziano (1454-1494). Raw data was obtained by computed tomography scans of the Poliziano face and a complete reference skull of a 37-year-old Italian male. Given that the amount of distortion of the facial remains is unknown, two reconstructions are proposed: The first calculates the average shape between the original and its reflection, and the second discards the less preserved left side of the cranium under the assumption that there is no deformation on the right. Both reconstructions perform well in the superimposition with the original preserved facial surface in a virtual environment. The reconstruction by means of averaging between the original and reflection yielded better results during the superimposition with portraits of Poliziano. We argue that the combination of computerized virtual reconstruction and geometric morphometric methods offers a number of advantages over traditional plastic reconstruction, among which are speed, reproducibility, easiness of manipulation when superimposing with pictures in virtual environment, and assumptions control.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bertha P. Díaz-Murillo
2017-12-01
Full Text Available ABSTRACT Population-level morphometric variation of the Mountain Mullet (Agonostomus monticola was assessed in 419 adult specimens from 25 sample sites (river basins across its Middle American distribution (Pacific and Atlantic-Caribbean drainages. This analysis was based on 36 standardized linear measurements and 19 landmarks on geometric morphometrics approach. Discriminant function analysis (DFA revealed 19 linear morphological characters with significant variation among groups. Geometrically, the most notable changes were associated to the curvature of the frontal region of the head, the anterior and posterior insertion of the first dorsal and anal fins. The resulting grouping based on the DFA and geometric morphometrics techniques (Pacific-A, Pacific-B and NE México-Caribbean were similar to those previously recovered by genetic techniques, where the Pacific-B (Ayuquila river basin was the most different group. Our results provide morphological evidence for considering Agonostomus monticola as a complex of evolutionary entities, represented by two forms in the Pacific Ocean and another in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Dewulf,Alexandre; De Meulemeester,Thibaut; Dehon,Manuel; Engel,Michael; Michez,Denis
2014-01-01
Abstract Although bees are one of the major lineages of pollinators and are today quite diverse, few well-preserved fossils are available from which to establish the tempo of their diversification/extinction since the Early Cretaceous. Here we present a reassessment of the taxonomic affinities of Melitta willardi Cockerell 1909, preserved as a compression fossil from the Florissant shales of Colorado, USA. Based on geometric morphometric wing shape analyses M. willardi cannot be confidently a...
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MacLaren, Jamie A; Nauwelaerts, Sandra
2017-11-01
The distal forelimb (autopodium) of quadrupedal mammals is a key morphological unit involved in locomotion, body support, and interaction with the substrate. The manus of the tapir (Perissodactyla: Tapirus) is unique within modern perissodactyls, as it retains the plesiomorphic tetradactyl (four-toed) condition also exhibited by basal equids and rhinoceroses. Tapirs are known to exhibit anatomical mesaxonic symmetry in the manus, although interspecific differences and biomechanical mesaxony have yet to be rigorously tested. Here, we investigate variation in the manus morphology of four modern tapir species (Tapirus indicus, Tapirus bairdii, Tapirus pinchaque, and Tapirus terrestris) using a geometric morphometric approach. Autopodial bones were laser scanned to capture surface shape and morphology was quantified using 3D-landmark analysis. Landmarks were aligned using Generalised Procrustes Analysis, with discriminant function and partial least square analyses performed on aligned coordinate data to identify features that significantly separate tapir species. Overall, our results support the previously held hypothesis that T. indicus is morphologically separate from neotropical tapirs; however, previous conclusions regarding function from morphological differences are shown to require reassessment. We find evidence indicating that T. bairdii exhibits reduced reliance on the lateral fifth digit compared to other tapirs. Morphometric assessment of the metacarpophalangeal joint and the morphology of the distal facets of the lunate lend evidence toward high loading on the lateral digits of both the large T. indicus (large body mass) and the small, long limbed T. pinchaque (ground impact). Our results support other recent studies on T. pinchaque, suggesting subtle but important adaptations to a compliant but inclined habitat. In conclusion, we demonstrate further evidence that the modern tapir forelimb is a variable locomotor unit with a range of interspecific features
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Daboul, Amro; Ivanovska, Tatyana; Bülow, Robin; Biffar, Reiner; Cardini, Andrea
2018-01-01
Using 3D anatomical landmarks from adult human head MRIs, we assessed the magnitude of inter-operator differences in Procrustes-based geometric morphometric analyses. An in depth analysis of both absolute and relative error was performed in a subsample of individuals with replicated digitization by three different operators. The effect of inter-operator differences was also explored in a large sample of more than 900 individuals. Although absolute error was not unusual for MRI measurements, including bone landmarks, shape was particularly affected by differences among operators, with up to more than 30% of sample variation accounted for by this type of error. The magnitude of the bias was such that it dominated the main pattern of bone and total (all landmarks included) shape variation, largely surpassing the effect of sex differences between hundreds of men and women. In contrast, however, we found higher reproducibility in soft-tissue nasal landmarks, despite relatively larger errors in estimates of nasal size. Our study exemplifies the assessment of measurement error using geometric morphometrics on landmarks from MRIs and stresses the importance of relating it to total sample variance within the specific methodological framework being used. In summary, precise landmarks may not necessarily imply negligible errors, especially in shape data; indeed, size and shape may be differentially impacted by measurement error and different types of landmarks may have relatively larger or smaller errors. Importantly, and consistently with other recent studies using geometric morphometrics on digital images (which, however, were not specific to MRI data), this study showed that inter-operator biases can be a major source of error in the analysis of large samples, as those that are becoming increasingly common in the 'era of big data'.
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Morphometrics applied to medical entomology.
Dujardin, Jean-Pierre
2008-12-01
Morphometrics underwent a revolution more than one decade ago. In the modern morphometrics, the estimate of size is now contained in a single variable reflecting variation in many directions, as many as there are landmarks under study, and shape is defined as their relative positions after correcting for size, position and orientation. With these informative data, and the corresponding software freely available to conduct complex analyses, significant biological and epidemiological features can be quantified more accurately. We discuss the evolutionary significance of the environmental impact on metric variability, mentioning the importance of concepts like genetic assimilation, genetic accommodation, and epigenetics. We provide examples of measuring the effect of selection on metric variation by comparing (unpublished) Qst values with corresponding (published) Fst. The primary needs of medical entomologists are to distinguish species, especially cryptic species, and to detect them where they are not expected. We explain how geometric morphometrics could apply to these questions, and where there are deficiencies preventing the approach from being utilized at its maximum potential. Medical entomologists in connection with control programs aim to identify isolated populations where the risk of reinfestation after treatment would be low ("biogeographical islands"). Identifying them can be obtained from estimating the number of migrants per generation. Direct assessment of movement remains the most valid approach, but it scores active movement only. Genetic methods estimating gene flow levels among interbreeding populations are commonly used, but gene flow does not necessarily mean the current flow of migrants. Methods using the morphometric variation are neither suited to evaluate gene flow, nor are they adapted to estimate the flow of migrants. They may provide, however, the information needed to create a preliminary map pointing to relevant areas where one could
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Functional morphology and integration of corvid skulls – a 3D geometric morphometric approach
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gunz Philipp
2009-01-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Sympatric corvid species have evolved differences in nesting, habitat choice, diet and foraging. Differences in the frequency with which corvid species use their repertoire of feeding techniques is expected to covary with bill-shape and with the frontal binocular field. Species that frequently probe are expected to have a relatively longer bill and more sidewise oriented orbits in contrast to species that frequently peck. We tested this prediction by analyzing computed tomography scans of skulls of six corvid species by means of three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. We (1 explored patterns of major variation using principal component analysis, (2 compared within and between species relationships of size and shape and (3 quantitatively compared patterns of morphological integration between bill and cranium by means of partial least squares (singular warp analysis. Results Major shape variation occurs at the bill, in the orientation of orbits, in the position of the foramen magnum and in the angle between bill and cranium. The first principal component correlated positively with centroid-size, but within-species allometric relationships differed markedly. Major covariation between the bill and cranium lies in the difference in orbit orientation relative to bill-length and in the angle between bill and cranium. Conclusion Corvid species show pronounced differences in skull shape, which covary with foraging mode. Increasing bill-length, bill-curvature and sidewise orientation of the eyes is associated with an increase in the observed frequency in probing (vice versa in pecking. Hence, the frequency of probing, bill-length, bill-curvature and sidewise orientation of the eyes is progressively increased from jackdaw, to Eurasian jay, to black-billed magpie, to hooded crow, to rook and to common raven (when feeding on carcasses is considered as probing. Our results on the morphological integration suggest that most of the
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Brzobohatá, Hana; Krajíček, V.; Velemínský, P.; Poláček, Lumír; Velemínská, J.
2014-01-01
Roč. 71, č. 3 (2014), s. 219-236 ISSN 0003-5548 Grant - others:GA UK(CZ) 613012 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 ; RVO:68081758 Keywords : geometric morphometrics * tibia * sexual dimorphism * Great Moravian Empire * Early Middle Ages * socioeconomic status * optical scanning Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 0.250, year: 2014
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Katherine Spradley, M; Jantz, Richard L
2016-07-01
Standard cranial measurements are commonly used for ancestry estimation; however, 3D digitizers have made cranial landmark data collection and geometric morphometric (GM) analyses more popular within forensic anthropology. Yet there has been little focus on which data type works best. The goal of the present research is to test the discrimination ability of standard and nonstandard craniometric measurements and data derived from GM analysis. A total of 31 cranial landmarks were used to generate 465 interlandmark distances, including a subset of 20 commonly used measurements, and to generate principal component scores from procrustes coordinates. All were subjected to discriminant function analysis to ascertain which type of data performed best for ancestry estimation of American Black and White and Hispanic males and females. The nonstandard interlandmark distances generated the highest classification rates for females (90.5%) and males (88.2%). Using nonstandard interlandmark distances over more commonly used measurements leads to better ancestry estimates for our current population structure. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
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De Souza, Daiana A; Wang, Ying; Kaftanoglu, Osman; De Jong, David; Amdam, Gro V; Gonçalves, Lionel S; Francoy, Tiago M
2015-01-01
In vitro rearing is an important and useful tool for honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) studies. However, it often results in intercastes between queens and workers, which are normally are not seen in hive-reared bees, except when larvae older than three days are grafted for queen rearing. Morphological classification (queen versus worker or intercastes) of bees produced by this method can be subjective and generally depends on size differences. Here, we propose an alternative method for caste classification of female honey bees reared in vitro, based on weight at emergence, ovariole number, spermatheca size and size and shape, and features of the head, mandible and basitarsus. Morphological measurements were made with both traditional morphometric and geometric morphometrics techniques. The classifications were performed by principal component analysis, using naturally developed queens and workers as controls. First, the analysis included all the characters. Subsequently, a new analysis was made without the information about ovariole number and spermatheca size. Geometric morphometrics was less dependent on ovariole number and spermatheca information for caste and intercaste identification. This is useful, since acquiring information concerning these reproductive structures requires time-consuming dissection and they are not accessible when abdomens have been removed for molecular assays or in dried specimens. Additionally, geometric morphometrics divided intercastes into more discrete phenotype subsets. We conclude that morphometric geometrics are superior to traditional morphometrics techniques for identification and classification of honey bee castes and intermediates.
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Mantini, S; Bruner, E; Colaiacomo, B; Ciccarelli, A; Redaelli, A; Ripani, M
2012-04-01
The plantar support and its modifications are widely studied because of their bearing on posture. In particular, past studies have focused on the support modification during specific athletic tasks to highlight the eventual correlations between foot type and the most frequent sport injuries, due to intrinsic and extrinsic components that involve the structural and functional dynamics that act on the plantar vault during static and dynamic condition. These studies have been conducted by analyzing the morphological variation of the footprint during the performance. In the present study the variation in shape of the baropodometrical footprint of young soccer players, has been analyzed using geometric morphometrics. This approach permits a quantification of the morphological variation of the subjects using Cartesian coordinates placed at specific points on the footprint outline, and to correlate them with physical variables. In the present study the young soccer players displayed a narrowing of the footprint due to a transversal variation on the isthmus, when compared to children of the same age who did not play soccer. These results suggest a physiological and biomechanical organization of the foot type in soccer due to the specific athletic tasks involved. As the foot type, in sport, is strictly associated to recurrent injuries, the result obtained in this study should be considered as indicative for future analysis. In fact, a clear and univocal knowledge of this phenomenon would be useful in the planning of a training protocol to reduce the incidence of sport related injuries.
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Metric and geometric morphometric analysis of new hominin fossils from Maba (Guangdong, China).
Xiao, Dongfang; Bae, Christopher J; Shen, Guanjun; Delson, Eric; Jin, Jennie J H; Webb, Nicole M; Qiu, Licheng
2014-09-01
We present an analysis of a set of previously unreported hominin fossils from Maba (Guangdong, China), a cave site that is best known for the presence of a partial hominin cranium currently assigned as mid-Pleistocene Homo and that has been traditionally dated to around the Middle-Late Pleistocene transition. A more recent set of Uranium series dates indicate that the Maba travertine may date to >237 ka (thousands of years ago), as opposed to the original U-series date, which placed Maba at 135-129 ka. The fossils under study include five upper first and second molars and a partial left mandible with a socketed m3, all recovered from different parts of the site than the cranium or the dated sediments. The results of our metric and 2D geometric morphometric ('GM') study suggest that the upper first molars are likely from modern humans, suggesting a more recent origin. The upper second molars align more closely with modern humans, though the minimum spanning tree from the 2D GM analysis also connects Maba to Homo neanderthalensis. The patterning in the M2s is not as clear as with the M1s. The m3 and partial mandible are morphometrically intermediate between Holocene modern humans and older Homo sapiens. However, a minimum spanning tree indicates that both the partial mandible and m3 align most closely with Holocene modern humans, and they also may be substantially younger than the cranium. Because questions exist regarding the context and the relationship of the dated travertine with the hominin fossils, we suggest caution is warranted in interpreting the Maba specimens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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The shape of the hominoid proximal femur: a geometric morphometric analysis
Harmon, Elizabeth H
2007-01-01
As part of the hip joint, the proximal femur is an integral locomotor component. Although a link between locomotion and the morphology of some aspects of the proximal femur has been identified, inclusive shapes of this element have not been compared among behaviourally heterogeneous hominoids. Previous analyses have partitioned complex proximal femoral morphology into discrete features (e.g. head, neck, greater trochanter) to facilitate conventional linear measurements. In this study, three-dimensional geometric morphometrics are used to examine the shape of the proximal femur in hominoids to determine whether femoral shape co-varies with locomotor category. Fourteen landmarks are recorded on adult femora of Homo, Pan, Gorilla, Pongo and Hylobates. Generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) is used to adjust for position, orientation and scale among landmark configurations. Principal components analysis is used to collapse and compare variation in residuals from GPA, and thin-plate spline analysis is used to visualize shape change among taxa. The results indicate that knucklewalking African apes are similar to one another in femoral shape, whereas the more suspensory Asian apes diverge from the African ape pattern. The shape of the human and orangutan proximal femur converge, a result that is best explained in terms of the distinct requirements for locomotion in each group. These findings suggest that the shape of the proximal femur is brought about primarily by locomotor behaviour. PMID:17310545
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Woods, Christopher; Fernee, Christianne; Browne, Martin; Zakrzewski, Sonia; Dickinson, Alexander
2017-01-01
This paper introduces statistical shape modelling (SSM) for use in osteoarchaeology research. SSM is a full field, multi-material analytical technique, and is presented as a supplementary geometric morphometric (GM) tool. Lower mandibular canines from two archaeological populations and one modern population were sampled, digitised using micro-CT, aligned, registered to a baseline and statistically modelled using principal component analysis (PCA). Sample material properties were incorporated as a binary enamel/dentin parameter. Results were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively using anatomical landmarks. Finally, the technique's application was demonstrated for inter-sample comparison through analysis of the principal component (PC) weights. It was found that SSM could provide high detail qualitative and quantitative insight with respect to archaeological inter- and intra-sample variability. This technique has value for archaeological, biomechanical and forensic applications including identification, finite element analysis (FEA) and reconstruction from partial datasets.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Thomas Cucchi
Full Text Available Pigs have played a major role in the economic, social and symbolic systems of China since the Early Neolithic more than 8,000 years ago. However, the interaction between the history of pig domestication and transformations in Chinese society since then, have not been fully explored. In this paper, we investigated the co-evolution from the earliest farming communities through to the new political and economic models of state-like societies, up to the Chinese Empire, using 5,000 years of archaeological records from the Xiawanggang (XWG and Xinzhai (XZ sites (Henan Province. To trace the changes of pig populations against husbandry practices, we combined the geometric morphometric analysis of dental traits with a study of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone collagen. The domestication process intensified during the Neolithic Yangshao, prompted by greater selective pressure and/or better herd control against wild introgression. After that, pig farming, in XWG, relied on local livestock and a gradual change of husbandry practices overtime. This was characterized by a gentle increase in millet foddering and animal protein intake, until a complete change over to household management during the Han dynasty. The only rupture in this steady trend of husbandry occurred during the Longshan period, with the appearance of small sized and idiosyncratic pigs with specific feeding practices (relying on millet and household scraps. From three exploratory hypothesis, we explored the possibility of anti-elite pig production in XWG during the Longshan period, as a means to resist incorporation into a new economic model promoting intensified domestic production. This exploratory hypothesis is the most suitable to our dataset; however, numerous areas need to be explored further in order to adequately document the role of pigs in the rise of China's complex societies.
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Balasse, Marie; Zhao, Chunqing; Gao, Jiangtao; Hu, Yaowu; Yuan, Jing; Vigne, Jean-Denis
2016-01-01
Pigs have played a major role in the economic, social and symbolic systems of China since the Early Neolithic more than 8,000 years ago. However, the interaction between the history of pig domestication and transformations in Chinese society since then, have not been fully explored. In this paper, we investigated the co-evolution from the earliest farming communities through to the new political and economic models of state-like societies, up to the Chinese Empire, using 5,000 years of archaeological records from the Xiawanggang (XWG) and Xinzhai (XZ) sites (Henan Province). To trace the changes of pig populations against husbandry practices, we combined the geometric morphometric analysis of dental traits with a study of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone collagen. The domestication process intensified during the Neolithic Yangshao, prompted by greater selective pressure and/or better herd control against wild introgression. After that, pig farming, in XWG, relied on local livestock and a gradual change of husbandry practices overtime. This was characterized by a gentle increase in millet foddering and animal protein intake, until a complete change over to household management during the Han dynasty. The only rupture in this steady trend of husbandry occurred during the Longshan period, with the appearance of small sized and idiosyncratic pigs with specific feeding practices (relying on millet and household scraps). From three exploratory hypothesis, we explored the possibility of anti-elite pig production in XWG during the Longshan period, as a means to resist incorporation into a new economic model promoting intensified domestic production. This exploratory hypothesis is the most suitable to our dataset; however, numerous areas need to be explored further in order to adequately document the role of pigs in the rise of China’s complex societies. PMID:27384523
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Cucchi, Thomas; Dai, Lingling; Balasse, Marie; Zhao, Chunqing; Gao, Jiangtao; Hu, Yaowu; Yuan, Jing; Vigne, Jean-Denis
2016-01-01
Pigs have played a major role in the economic, social and symbolic systems of China since the Early Neolithic more than 8,000 years ago. However, the interaction between the history of pig domestication and transformations in Chinese society since then, have not been fully explored. In this paper, we investigated the co-evolution from the earliest farming communities through to the new political and economic models of state-like societies, up to the Chinese Empire, using 5,000 years of archaeological records from the Xiawanggang (XWG) and Xinzhai (XZ) sites (Henan Province). To trace the changes of pig populations against husbandry practices, we combined the geometric morphometric analysis of dental traits with a study of the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone collagen. The domestication process intensified during the Neolithic Yangshao, prompted by greater selective pressure and/or better herd control against wild introgression. After that, pig farming, in XWG, relied on local livestock and a gradual change of husbandry practices overtime. This was characterized by a gentle increase in millet foddering and animal protein intake, until a complete change over to household management during the Han dynasty. The only rupture in this steady trend of husbandry occurred during the Longshan period, with the appearance of small sized and idiosyncratic pigs with specific feeding practices (relying on millet and household scraps). From three exploratory hypothesis, we explored the possibility of anti-elite pig production in XWG during the Longshan period, as a means to resist incorporation into a new economic model promoting intensified domestic production. This exploratory hypothesis is the most suitable to our dataset; however, numerous areas need to be explored further in order to adequately document the role of pigs in the rise of China's complex societies.
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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.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Christopher Woods
Full Text Available This paper introduces statistical shape modelling (SSM for use in osteoarchaeology research. SSM is a full field, multi-material analytical technique, and is presented as a supplementary geometric morphometric (GM tool. Lower mandibular canines from two archaeological populations and one modern population were sampled, digitised using micro-CT, aligned, registered to a baseline and statistically modelled using principal component analysis (PCA. Sample material properties were incorporated as a binary enamel/dentin parameter. Results were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively using anatomical landmarks. Finally, the technique's application was demonstrated for inter-sample comparison through analysis of the principal component (PC weights. It was found that SSM could provide high detail qualitative and quantitative insight with respect to archaeological inter- and intra-sample variability. This technique has value for archaeological, biomechanical and forensic applications including identification, finite element analysis (FEA and reconstruction from partial datasets.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Seth M. Weinberg
2013-11-01
Full Text Available Introduction: Previous research suggests that aspects of facial surface morphology are heritable. Traditionally, heritability studies have used a limited set of linear distances to quantify facial morphology and often employ statistical methods poorly designed to deal with biological shape. In this preliminary report, we use a combination of 3D photogrammetry and landmark-based morphometrics to explore which aspects of face shape show the strongest evidence of heritability in a sample of twins. Methods: 3D surface images were obtained from 21 twin pairs (10 monozygotic, 11 same-sex dizygotic. Thirteen 3D landmarks were collected from each facial surface and their coordinates subjected to geometric morphometric analysis. This involved superimposing the individual landmark configurations and then subjecting the resulting shape coordinates to a principal components analysis. The resulting PC scores were then used to calculate rough narrow-sense heritability estimates. Results: Three principal components displayed evidence of moderate to high heritability and were associated with variation in the breadth of orbital and nasal structures, upper lip height and projection, and the vertical and forward projection of the root of the nose due to variation in the position of nasion. Conclusions: Aspects of facial shape, primarily related to variation in length and breadth of central midfacial structures, were shown to demonstrate evidence of strong heritability. An improved understanding of which facial features are under strong genetic control is an important step in the identification of specific genes that underlie normal facial variation.
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Determination of a novel size proxy in comparative morphometrics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Andrew Gallagher
2015-09-01
Full Text Available Absolute size is a critical determinant of organismal biology, yet there exists no real consensus as to what particular metric of ‘size’ is empirically valid in assessments of extinct mammalian taxa. The methodological approach of JE Mosimann has found extensive favour in ‘size correction’ in comparative morphometrics, but not ‘size prediction’ in palaeontology and palaeobiology. Analyses of five distinct mammalian data sets confirm that a novel size variate (GMSize derived from k=8 dimensions of the postcranial skeleton effectively satisfies all expectations of the Jolicoeur–Mosimann theorem of univariate and multivariate size. On the basis of strong parametric correlations between the k=8 variates and between scores derived from the first principal component and geometric mean size (GMSize in all series, this novel size variable has considerable utility in comparative vertebrate morphometrics and palaeobiology as an appropriate descriptor of individual size in extant and extinct taxa.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Natália Lima Boroni
2017-10-01
Full Text Available ABSTRACT The taxonomic identification of micromammals might be complicated when the study material is fragmented, as it is the case with pellets and fossil material. On the other hand, tooth morphology generally provides accurate information for species identification. Teeth preserve notably well, retaining their original morphology, unlike skulls and mandibles, which can get crushed or have missing parts. Here, we explored a geometric morphometrics approach (GM to identify fragmented specimens of two sympatric Calomys Waterhouse, 1837 species - Calomys tener (Winge, 1888 and Calomys expulsus (Lund, 1841 - using the morphology of intact molars as the basis for identification. Furthermore, we included some specimens of uncertain taxonomic identification to test their affinities and the utility of the shape of the molar to identify incomplete specimens. We evaluated the variations in the shape of the first upper molar (M1 among 46 owl pellets specimens of Calomys, including C. expulsus (n = 15, C. tener (n = 15, and unidentified specimens treated as Calomys sp. (n = 16 through GM analysis using 17 landmarks. The data was explored using PCA, PERMANOVA, and Discriminant analyses over the Procrustes residuals matrix were applied to evaluate inter- and intraspecific shape differences. Also, we evaluated whether allometric shape differences could impact the data, but found no evidence of a correlation between size and shape. Our results support that shape differences in the M1 are effective for discriminating between C. tener and C. expulsus. Moreover, the unidentified specimens do not represent a third shape but could be identified with confidence either as C. tener or C. expulsus. Our results show that even with fragmentary materials, GM is a feasible and useful tool for exploring inter-specific shape differences and assisting in taxonomic identification as a complement to traditional qualitative description of diagnostic features in poorly preserved
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Functional geometric morphometric analysis of masticatory system ontogeny in papionin primates.
Singleton, Michelle
2015-01-01
The three-dimensional configuration of the primate masticatory system is constrained by the need to maximize bite forces while avoiding distraction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Within these bounds, shape variation has predictable effects on functional capacities such as mechanical advantage and gape. In this study, geometric morphometric analysis is used to investigate the ontogeny of masticatory function in papionin monkeys and test the hypothesis that biomechanical constraints determine the location of molar eruption. This "constrained eruption hypothesis" predicts that the distalmost molar (DMX) will occupy a consistent location anterior to the TMJ and that jaw adductor muscles will maintain consistent positions relative to both DMX and TMJ. Craniometric landmarks were digitized on cross-sectional ontogenetic series of nine papionin species. Form-space PCA of Procrustes residuals, visualization of Bookstein shape coordinates, and nonparametric ANOVA were used to identify ontogenetic shape trends and test for significant ontogenetic changes in relative landmark positions. In most taxa, DMX maintains a consistent position relative to the TMJ while the anterior dentition migrates anteriorly. Where significant intraspecific ontogenetic differences occur, they involve anterior migration of DMX in later dental stages, likely due to late adolescent growth of the posterior palate. Attachments of the anterior temporalis and deep masseter also maintain consistent positions relative to the TMJ; however, the superficial masseter migrates anteriorly throughout ontogeny. All muscle attachments migrate laterally relative to the TMJ, reflecting positive scaling of adductor PCSA. Overall, results support the constrained eruption hypothesis and suggest mechanisms by which functional capacity is maintained during ontogeny. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Karen L Baab
Full Text Available The origin of hominins found on the remote Indonesian island of Flores remains highly contentious. These specimens may represent a new hominin species, Homo floresiensis, descended from a local population of Homo erectus or from an earlier (pre-H. erectus migration of a small-bodied and small-brained hominin out of Africa. Alternatively, some workers suggest that some or all of the specimens recovered from Liang Bua are pathological members of a small-bodied modern human population. Pathological conditions proposed to explain their documented anatomical features include microcephaly, myxoedematous endemic hypothyroidism ("cretinism" and Laron syndrome (primary growth hormone insensitivity. This study evaluates evolutionary and pathological hypotheses through comparative analysis of cranial morphology. Geometric morphometric analyses of landmark data show that the sole Flores cranium (LB1 is clearly distinct from healthy modern humans and from those exhibiting hypothyroidism and Laron syndrome. Modern human microcephalic specimens converge, to some extent, on crania of extinct species of Homo. However in the features that distinguish these two groups, LB1 consistently groups with fossil hominins and is most similar to H. erectus. Our study provides further support for recognizing the Flores hominins as a distinct species, H. floresiensis, whose affinities lie with archaic Homo.
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Baab, Karen L.; McNulty, Kieran P.; Harvati, Katerina
2013-01-01
The origin of hominins found on the remote Indonesian island of Flores remains highly contentious. These specimens may represent a new hominin species, Homo floresiensis, descended from a local population of Homo erectus or from an earlier (pre-H. erectus) migration of a small-bodied and small-brained hominin out of Africa. Alternatively, some workers suggest that some or all of the specimens recovered from Liang Bua are pathological members of a small-bodied modern human population. Pathological conditions proposed to explain their documented anatomical features include microcephaly, myxoedematous endemic hypothyroidism (“cretinism”) and Laron syndrome (primary growth hormone insensitivity). This study evaluates evolutionary and pathological hypotheses through comparative analysis of cranial morphology. Geometric morphometric analyses of landmark data show that the sole Flores cranium (LB1) is clearly distinct from healthy modern humans and from those exhibiting hypothyroidism and Laron syndrome. Modern human microcephalic specimens converge, to some extent, on crania of extinct species of Homo. However in the features that distinguish these two groups, LB1 consistently groups with fossil hominins and is most similar to H. erectus. Our study provides further support for recognizing the Flores hominins as a distinct species, H. floresiensis, whose affinities lie with archaic Homo. PMID:23874886
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A geometric morphometric study of a Middle Pleistocene cranium from Hexian, China.
Cui, Yaming; Wu, Xinzhi
2015-11-01
The Hexian calvarium is one of the most complete and well-preserved Homo erectus fossils ever found in east Asia, apart from the Zhoukoudian specimens. Various methods bracket the age of the Hexian fossil to between 150 and 412 ka (thousands of years ago). The Hexian calvarium has been considered to be H. erectus given its morphological similarities to Zhoukoudian and Javan H. erectus. However, discussion continues regarding the affinities of the Hexian specimen with other H. erectus fossils. The arguments mainly focus on its relationships to other Asian H. erectus fossils, including those from both China and Java. To better determine the affinities of the Hexian cranium, our study used 3D landmark and semilandmark geometric morphometric techniques and multivariate statistical analyses to quantify the shape of the neurocranium and to compare the Hexian cranium to other H. erectus specimens. The results of this study confirmed the morphological similarities between Hexian and Chinese H. erectus in overall morphology, and particularly in the structure of the frontal bone and the posterior part of the neurocranium. Although the Hexian specimen shows the strongest connection to Chinese H. erectus, the morphology of the lateral neurocranium resembles early Indonesian H. erectus specimens, possibly suggesting shared common ancestry or gene flow from early Indonesian populations. Overall cranial and frontal bone morphology are strongly influenced by geography. Although geographically intermediate between Zhoukoudian and Indonesian H. erectus, the Hexian specimen does not form part of an obvious morphological gradient with regard to overall cranial shape. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Dewulf, Alexandre; De Meulemeester, Thibaut; Dehon, Manuel; Engel, Michael S; Michez, Denis
2014-01-01
Although bees are one of the major lineages of pollinators and are today quite diverse, few well-preserved fossils are available from which to establish the tempo of their diversification/extinction since the Early Cretaceous. Here we present a reassessment of the taxonomic affinities of Melitta willardiCockerell 1909, preserved as a compression fossil from the Florissant shales of Colorado, USA. Based on geometric morphometric wing shape analyses M. willardi cannot be confidently assigned to the genus Melitta Kirby (Anthophila, Melittidae). Instead, the species exhibits phenotypic affinity with the subfamily Andreninae (Anthophila, Andrenidae), but does not appear to belong to any of the known genera therein. Accordingly, we describe a new genus, Andrenopteryx gen. n., based on wing shape as well as additional morphological features and to accommodate M. willardi. The new combination Andrenopteryx willardi (Cockerell) is established.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alexandre Dewulf
2014-03-01
Full Text Available Although bees are one of the major lineages of pollinators and are today quite diverse, few well-preserved fossils are available from which to establish the tempo of their diversification/extinction since the Early Cretaceous. Here we present a reassessment of the taxonomic affinities of Melitta willardi Cockerell 1909, preserved as a compression fossil from the Florissant shales of Colorado, USA. Based on geometric morphometric wing shape analyses M. willardi cannot be confidently assigned to the genus Melitta Kirby (Anthophila, Melittidae. Instead, the species exhibits phenotypic affinity with the subfamily Andreninae (Anthophila, Andrenidae, but does not appear to belong to any of the known genera therein. Accordingly, we describe a new genus, Andrenopteryx gen. n., based on wing shape as well as additional morphological features and to accommodate M. willardi. The new combination Andrenopteryx willardi (Cockerell is established.
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Intestinal morphometric and biomechanical changes during aging in rats
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Zhao, Jingbo; Gregersen, Hans
2015-01-01
Background and aim: Previously we demonstrated pronounced morphometric and biomechanical remodeling in the rat intestine during physiological growth up to 32 weeks of age. The aim of the present study is to study intestinal geometric and biomechanical changes in aging rats. Materials and methods...... in the circumferential direction. In conclusion pronounced morphometric and biomechanical remodeling occurred in the rat intestine during aging. The observed changes likely reflect the changes of the physiological function of the intestine during ageing, similar to other tissues where function, mechanical loading......: Twenty-four male Wistar rats, aged from 6 to 22 months, were used in the study. The body weight and the wet weight per length of duodenal and ileal segments were measured at the termination of experiment. Morphometric data were obtained by measuring the wall thickness and wall cross-sectional area...
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Aspects of the geometrical approach to supermanifolds
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rogers, A.
1984-01-01
Various topics in the theory and application of the geometrical approach to supermanifolds are discussed. The construction of the superspace used in supergravity over an arbitrary spacetime manifold is described. Super Lie groups and their relation to graded Lie algebras (and more general structures referred to as 'graded Lie modules') are discussed, with examples. Certain supermanifolds, allowed in the geometric approach (using the fine topology), but having no analogue in the algebraic approach, are discussed. Finally lattice supersymmetry, and its relation to the differential geometry of supermanifolds, is discussed. (orig.)
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Werneburg, Ingmar; Wilson, Laura A B; Parr, William C H; Joyce, Walter G
2015-03-01
The unique ability of modern turtles to retract their head and neck into the shell through a side-necked (pleurodiran) or hidden-necked (cryptodiran) motion is thought to have evolved independently in crown turtles. The anatomical changes that led to the vertebral shapes of modern turtles, however, are still poorly understood. Here we present comprehensive geometric morphometric analyses that trace turtle vertebral evolution and reconstruct disparity across phylogeny. Disparity of vertebral shape was high at the dawn of turtle evolution and decreased after the modern groups evolved, reflecting a stabilization of morphotypes that correspond to the two retraction modes. Stem turtles, which had a very simple mode of retraction, the lateral head tuck, show increasing flexibility of the neck through evolution towards a pleurodiran-like morphotype. The latter was the precondition for evolving pleurodiran and cryptodiran vertebrae. There is no correlation between the construction of formed articulations in the cervical centra and neck mobility. An increasing mobility between vertebrae, associated with changes in vertebral shape, resulted in a more advanced ability to retract the neck. In this regard, we hypothesize that the lateral tucking retraction of stem turtles was not only the precondition for pleurodiran but also of cryptodiran retraction. For the former, a kink in the middle third of the neck needed to be acquired, whereas for the latter modification was necessary between the eighth cervical vertebra and first thoracic vertebra. Our paper highlights the utility of 3D shape data, analyzed in a phylogenetic framework, to examine the magnitude and mode of evolutionary modifications to vertebral morphology. By reconstructing and visualizing ancestral anatomical shapes, we provide insight into the anatomical features underlying neck retraction mode, which is a salient component of extant turtle classification. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press
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Kesterke, Matthew J; Judd, Margaret A; Mooney, Mark P; Siegel, Michael I; Elsalanty, Mohammed; Howie, R Nicole; Weinberg, Seth M; Cray, James J
2018-07-01
An estimated 3% of US pregnancies are affected by maternal thyroid dysfunction, with between one and three of every 1000 pregnancies being complicated by overactive maternal thyroid levels. Excess thyroid hormones are linked to neurological impairment and excessive craniofacial variation, affecting both endochondral and intramembranous bone. Using a geometric morphometric approach, this study evaluates the role of in utero thyroxine overexposure on the growth of offspring mandibles in a sample of 241 mice. Canonical variate analysis utilized 16 unilateral mandibular landmarks obtained from 3D micro-computed tomography to assess shape changes between unexposed controls (n = 63) and exposed mice (n = 178). By evaluating shape changes in the mandible among three age groups (15, 20 and 25 days postnatal) and different dosage levels (low, medium and high), this study found that excess maternal thyroxine alters offspring mandibular shape in both age- and dosage-dependent manners. Group differences in overall shape were significant (P < 0.001), and showed major changes in regions of the mandible associated with muscle attachment (coronoid process, gonial angle) and regions of growth largely governed by articulation with the cranial base (condyle) and occlusion (alveolus). These results compliment recent studies demonstrating that maternal thyroxine levels can alter the cranial base and cranial vault of offspring, contributing to a better understanding of both normal and abnormal mandibular development, as well as the medical implications of craniofacial growth and development. © 2018 Anatomical Society.
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Stansfield Bulygina, Ekaterina; Rasskasova, Anna; Berezina, Natalia; Soficaru, Andrei D
2017-09-01
Remains from several Eastern European and Siberian Mesolithic and Neolithic sites are analysed to clarify their biological relationships. We assume that groups' geographical distances correlate with genetic and, therefore, morphological distances between them. Material includes complete male crania from several Mesolithic and Neolithic burial sites across Northern Eurasia and from several modern populations. Geometric morphometrics and multivariate statistical techniques are applied to explore morphological trends, group distances, and correlations with their geographical position, climate, and the time of origin. Despite an overlap in the morphology among the modern and archeological groups, some of them show significant morphological distances. Geographical parameters account for only a small proportion of cranial variation in the sample, with larger variance explained by geography and age together. Expectations of isolation by distance are met in some but not in all cases. Climate accounts for a large proportion of autocorrelation with geography. Nearest-neighbor joining trees demonstrate group relationships predicted by the regression on geography and on climate. The obtained results are discussed in application to relationships between particular groups. Unlike the Ukrainian Mesolithic, the Yuzhny Oleni Ostrov Mesolithic displays a high morphological affinity with several groups from Northern Eurasia of both European and Asian origin. A possibility of a common substrate for the Yuzhny Oleni Ostrov Mesolithic and Siberian Neolithic groups is reviewed. The Siberian Neolithic is shown to have morphological connection with both modern Siberian groups and the Native North Americans. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Omar Mejía
Full Text Available Cichlids of the tribe Heroini have long been a source of taxonomical conflict. In particular, the species included in the Herichthys bartoni group have failed to be recovered as monophyletic in different molecular studies. In this paper we use traditional and geometric morphometrics to evaluate morphological variation in the species included in the H. bartoni complex in order to evaluate the number of species it contains. An update of a previously published DNA barcoding study suggests the existence of three genetic clusters that included the six recognized species analyzed in this study, none of them recovered as monophyletic. On the other hand, geometric morphometrics arise as a useful tool to discriminate species due that traditional morphometrics showed a high overlap in the characters analyzed that prevents the proposal of diagnostic characters.
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Outline-based morphometrics, an overlooked method in arthropod studies?
Dujardin, Jean-Pierre; Kaba, D; Solano, P; Dupraz, M; McCoy, K D; Jaramillo-O, N
2014-12-01
Modern methods allow a geometric representation of forms, separating size and shape. In entomology, as well as in many other fields involving arthropod studies, shape variation has proved useful for species identification and population characterization. In medical entomology, it has been applied to very specific questions such as population structure, reinfestation of insecticide-treated areas and cryptic species recognition. For shape comparisons, great importance is given to the quality of landmarks in terms of comparability. Two conceptually and statistically separate approaches are: (i) landmark-based morphometrics, based on the relative position of a few anatomical "true" or "traditional" landmarks, and (ii) outline-based morphometrics, which captures the contour of forms through a sequence of close "pseudo-landmarks". Most of the studies on insects of medical, veterinary or economic importance make use of the landmark approach. The present survey makes a case for the outline method, here based on elliptic Fourier analysis. The collection of pseudo-landmarks may require the manual digitization of many points and, for this reason, might appear less attractive. It, however, has the ability to compare homologous organs or structures having no landmarks at all. This strength offers the possibility to study a wider range of anatomical structures and thus, a larger range of arthropods. We present a few examples highlighting its interest for separating close or cryptic species, or characterizing conspecific geographic populations, in a series of different vector organisms. In this simple application, i.e. the recognition of close or cryptic forms, the outline approach provided similar scores as those obtained by the landmark-based approach. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Neaux, Dimitri; Guy, Franck; Gilissen, Emmanuel; Coudyzer, Walter; Vignaud, Patrick; Ducrocq, Stéphane
2013-01-01
The organization of the bony face is complex, its morphology being influenced in part by the rest of the cranium. Characterizing the facial morphological variation and craniofacial covariation patterns in extant hominids is fundamental to the understanding of their evolutionary history. Numerous studies on hominid facial shape have proposed hypotheses concerning the relationship between the anterior facial shape, facial block orientation and basicranial flexion. In this study we test these hypotheses in a sample of adult specimens belonging to three extant hominid genera (Homo, Pan and Gorilla). Intraspecific variation and covariation patterns are analyzed using geometric morphometric methods and multivariate statistics, such as partial least squared on three-dimensional landmarks coordinates. Our results indicate significant intraspecific covariation between facial shape, facial block orientation and basicranial flexion. Hominids share similar characteristics in the relationship between anterior facial shape and facial block orientation. Modern humans exhibit a specific pattern in the covariation between anterior facial shape and basicranial flexion. This peculiar feature underscores the role of modern humans' highly-flexed basicranium in the overall integration of the cranium. Furthermore, our results are consistent with the hypothesis of a relationship between the reduction of the value of the cranial base angle and a downward rotation of the facial block in modern humans, and to a lesser extent in chimpanzees.
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Giordani, B F; Andrade, A J; Galati, E A B; Gurgel-Gonçalves, R
2017-12-01
The Lutzomyia subgenus (Diptera: Psychodidae) includes sibling species with morphologically indistinguishable females. The aims of this study were to analyse variations in the size and shape of wings of species within the Lutzomyia subgenus and to assess whether these analyses might be useful in their identification. Wings (n = 733) of 18 species deposited in Brazilian collections were analysed by geometric morphometrics, using other genera and subgenera as outgroups. Shape variation was summarized in multivariate analyses and differences in wing size among species were tested by analysis of variance. The results showed significant variation in the sizes and shapes of wings of different Lutzomyia species. Two clusters within the Lutzomyia subgenus were distinguished in analyses of both males and females. In Cluster 1 (Lutzomyia ischnacantha, Lutzomyia cavernicola, Lutzomyia almerioi, Lutzomyia forattinii, Lutzomyia renei and Lutzomyia battistinii), scores for correct reclassification were high (females, kappa = 0.91; males, kappa = 0.90), whereas in Cluster 2 (Lutzomyia alencari, Lutzomyia ischyracantha, Lutzomyia cruzi, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia gaminarai and Lutzomyia lichyi), scores for correct reclassification were low (females, kappa = 0.42; males, kappa = 0.48). Wing geometry was useful in the identification of some species of the Lutzomyia subgenus, but did not allow the identification of sibling species such as L. longipalpis and L. cruzi. © 2017 The Royal Entomological Society.
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Chatzigianni, Athina; Halazonetis, Demetrios J
2009-10-01
Cervical vertebrae shape has been proposed as a diagnostic factor for assessing skeletal maturation in orthodontic patients. However, evaluation of vertebral shape is mainly based on qualitative criteria. Comprehensive quantitative measurements of shape and assessments of its predictive power have not been reported. Our aims were to measure vertebral shape by using the tools of geometric morphometrics and to evaluate the correlation and predictive power of vertebral shape on skeletal maturation. Pretreatment lateral cephalograms and corresponding hand-wrist radiographs of 98 patients (40 boys, 58 girls; ages, 8.1-17.7 years) were used. Skeletal age was estimated from the hand-wrist radiographs. The first 4 vertebrae were traced, and 187 landmarks (34 fixed and 153 sliding semilandmarks) were used. Sliding semilandmarks were adjusted to minimize bending energy against the average of the sample. Principal components analysis in shape and form spaces was used for evaluating shape patterns. Shape measures, alone and combined with centroid size and age, were assessed as predictors of skeletal maturation. Shape alone could not predict skeletal maturation better than chronologic age. The best prediction was achieved with the combination of form space principal components and age, giving 90% prediction intervals of approximately 200 maturation units in the girls and 300 units in the boys. Similar predictive power could be obtained by using centroid size and age. Vertebrae C2, C3, and C4 gave similar results when examined individually or combined. C1 showed lower correlations, signifying lower integration with hand-wrist maturation. Vertebral shape is strongly correlated to skeletal age but does not offer better predictive value than chronologic age.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Vujić Vukica
2016-01-01
Full Text Available Plants are exposed to increasing levels of diverse human activities that have profound effects on their overall morphology and, specifically, on leaf morphology. Anthropogenic disturbances in urban and suburban forest recreational sites are attracting growing research interest. To explore the persisting recreational impact on leaf shape and size, we conducted a field study on the dioecious forb Mercurialis perennis L. (Euphorbiaceae, typical for undisturbed understory communities. We selected adjacent sites in a suburban forest, which experience contrasting regimes of disturbance by human trampling under otherwise concordant natural conditions. Patterns of leaf shape and size variation and putative sex-specific response to disturbance were analyzed using a geometric morphometric approach. In addition to leaf-level data, plant height, internode and leaf number were analyzed to explore the same response at the whole-plant level. The results show significant variations associated with disturbance at both levels: plants growing under a heavy disturbance regime had shorter stems with a greater number of wider and shorter leaves. Significant differences between sites were also found for leaf size, with larger leaves observed in an undisturbed site. The effects of sex and sex x site interaction on leaf size and shape were nonsignificant, pointing to the absence of sexual dimorphism and sex-specific response to disturbance. Contrary to leaf shape and size, all three analyzed shoot traits showed highly significant sexual dimorphism, with male plants being higher and having higher leaf and internode count. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173025
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On geometric approach to Lie symmetries of differential-difference equations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Hongjing; Wang Dengshan; Wang Shikun; Wu Ke; Zhao Weizhong
2008-01-01
Based upon Cartan's geometric formulation of differential equations, Harrison and Estabrook proposed a geometric approach for the symmetries of differential equations. In this Letter, we extend Harrison and Estabrook's approach to analyze the symmetries of differential-difference equations. The discrete exterior differential technique is applied in our approach. The Lie symmetry of (2+1)-dimensional Toda equation is investigated by means of our approach
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Inês C. Silva
2010-08-01
Full Text Available Carcinus maenas has a planktonic larval phase which can potentially disperse over large distances. Consequently, larval transport is expected to play an important role in promoting gene flow and determining population structure. In the present study, population structuring on the southwest coast of England was analysed using molecular and morphometric approaches. Variation at eight microsatellite loci suggested that the individuals sampled within this region comprise a single genetic population and that gene flow among them is not restricted. Nevertheless, the FST values estimated across loci for all populations suggested that the Tamar population was significantly different from the Exe, Camel and Torridge populations. This differentiation is not explained by isolation by distance, and coastal hydrological events that are apparently influencing larval flux might be the cause of this pattern. Morphometric analysis was also performed. Analysis of carapace and chela shape variation using landmark-based geometric morphometrics revealed extensive morphological variability, as the multivariate analysis of variance showed significant morphometric differences among geographic groups for both sexes. Thus, the morphological differentiation found may be a plastic response to habitat-specific selection pressures.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Shima Bakhshalizadeh
2017-06-01
Full Text Available Study of phenotypic variation is essential for identifying discrete phenotypic stocks. We sampled immature Persian sturgeon from the eastern and western portion of the southern Caspian Sea to test for morphological differences that could predict the ecophenotypic variation of Persian sturgeon. Geometric morphometric methods were used to quantify body shape. Configuration of landmark coordinates of fish body were scaled, translated and rotated using generalized Procrustes analysis, followed by univariate analysis of variance of resulting shape coordinates to evaluate potential morphological differences between regions. A principal component analysis was carried out to reduce the number of dimensions without the loss of information. The discriminate function analysis was performed to determine the efficacy of body landmarks for discrimination by geographic variants. Within-group linkage was inferred for dendrogram clusters using Pearson correlation distance on the basis of the average linkage method as a complement for discriminate analysis. Principle component analysis revealed that the largest differences were in body size. Most notable were differences in distance between head landmarks and the dorsal fin between eastern and western regions. Fish from the western region exhibited a longer distance from head landmarks to the dorsal fin than fish from the eastern region. Furthermore, the ventral portion of fish from the western region was longer than that of the eastern individuals. These findings show that juvenile Persian sturgeon already possess morphological traits that can be used to discriminate fish from different regions. Furthermore, these differences are discernible in spite of the volume of artificially-inseminated sturgeon larva that have been released during the past 40 years.
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Queiroz, Alexya Cunha de; Vallinoto, Marcelo; Sakai, Yoichi; Giarrizzo, Tommaso; Barros, Breno
2018-01-01
The mimetic juveniles of a number of carangid fish species resemble plant parts floating near the water surface, such as leaves, seeds and other plant debris. The present study is the first to verify the morphological similarities and ecomorphological relationships between three carangids (Oligoplites saurus, Oligoplites palometa and Trachinotus falcatus) and their associated plant models. Behavioral observations were conducted in the estuary of Curuçá River, in northeastern Pará (Brazil) between August 2015 and July 2016. Individual fishes and associated floating objects (models) were sampled for comparative analysis using both geometric and morphometric approaches. While the mimetic fish and their models retain their own distinct, intrinsic morphological features, a high degree of morphological similarity was found between each fish species and its model. The morphometric analyses revealed a general tendency of isometric development in all three fish species, probably related to their pelagic habitats, during all ontogenetic stages.
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LENUS (Irish Health Repository)
Hennessy, Robin J
2010-09-01
Any developmental relationship between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia engenders continuing debate. As the brain and face emerge in embryological intimacy, brain dysmorphogenesis is accompanied by facial dysmorphogenesis. 3D laser surface imaging was used to capture the facial surface of 13 male and 14 female patients with bipolar disorder in comparison with 61 male and 75 female control subjects and with 37 male and 32 female patients with schizophrenia. Surface images were analysed using geometric morphometrics and 3D visualisations to identify domains of facial shape that distinguish bipolar patients from controls and bipolar patients from those with schizophrenia. Both male and female bipolar patients evidenced significant facial dysmorphology: common to male and female patients was overall facial widening, increased width of nose, narrowing of mouth and upward displacement of the chin; dysmorphology differed between male and female patients for nose length, lip thickness and tragion height. There were few morphological differences in comparison with schizophrenia patients. That dysmorphology of the frontonasal prominences and related facial regions in bipolar disorder is more similar to than different from that found in schizophrenia indicates some common dysmorphogenesis. Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia might reflect similar insult(s) acting over slightly differing time-frames or slightly differing insult(s) acting over a similar time-frame.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mercedes Okumura
2016-03-01
Full Text Available Bifacial points have been used to characterize the “Umbu” tradition in southern and southeastern Brazil. This archaeological tradition has been related to sites dated from the late Pleistocene-early Holocene boundary to near historical times. Such a huge temporal range and vast territory have suggested the existence of greater diversity within this tradition that has been ignored thus far due to the lack of systematic regional studies of such points. Through geometric morphometric analysis, this article aims to test the hypothesis that there are substantial differences in the Holocene bifacial points associated with the Umbu tradition in southeastern Brazil. Five landmarks were digitized in standardized photographs from 658 points from the states of São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. The results show that points made by groups from southeastern Brazil (São Paulo state present a very distinct morphology (size and shape in comparison to those made by the southern groups (Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. This would indicate a regional identity shared only by some groups from São Paulo (at least regarding the projectile points. It is possible that Umbu tradition presents a more restricted range, both in chronological and spatial terms, than the one proposed so far.
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Muthu Rama Krishnan, M; Pal, Mousumi; Paul, Ranjan Rashmi; Chakraborty, Chandan; Chatterjee, Jyotirmoy; Ray, Ajoy K
2012-06-01
This research work presents a quantitative approach for analysis of histomorphometric features of the basal cell nuclei in respect to their size, shape and intensity of staining, from surface epithelium of Oral Submucous Fibrosis showing dysplasia (OSFD) to that of the Normal Oral Mucosa (NOM). For all biological activity, the basal cells of the surface epithelium form the proliferative compartment and therefore their morphometric changes will spell the intricate biological behavior pertaining to normal cellular functions as well as in premalignant and malignant status. In view of this, the changes in shape, size and intensity of staining of the nuclei in the basal cell layer of the NOM and OSFD have been studied. Geometric, Zernike moments and Fourier descriptor (FD) based as well as intensity based features are extracted for histomorphometric pattern analysis of the nuclei. All these features are statistically analyzed along with 3D visualization in order to discriminate the groups. Results showed increase in the dimensions (area and perimeter), shape parameters and decreasing mean nuclei intensity of the nuclei in OSFD in respect to NOM. Further, the selected features are fed to the Bayesian classifier to discriminate normal and OSFD. The morphometric and intensity features provide a good sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 98.53% and positive predicative accuracy of 97.35%. This comparative quantitative characterization of basal cell nuclei will be of immense help for oral onco-pathologists, researchers and clinicians to assess the biological behavior of OSFD, specially relating to their premalignant and malignant potentiality. As a future direction more extensive study involving more number of disease subjects is observed.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rui Albuquerque
2014-06-01
Full Text Available Seafood plays an important role in the socioeconomic, gastronomy and cultural heritage of Portuguese coastal communities. In the Iberian Peninsula, the goose barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes is the intertidal biological resource most heavily exploited by man, resulting on overexploitation of stocks. In the MPA of BNR P.pollicipes harvesting is however strictly regulated, making it a good example of marine resources management. Analytical methods able to identify the origin of goose barnacle would be an important tool to help the management of the trade. For such purpose, we investigated whether P. pollicipes have site-specific differences based on its elemental microchemistry (EM, fatty acid profile (FA and capitulum shape (CS. The analysis was performed on specimens collected from 3 sites in the BNR and 7 along a 300 km stretch of the Portuguese coast. For each individual we analysed the largest lateral shell for EM using ICP-MS, the FA content of the muscle using GC-FID, and the CS using geometric morphometrics. Discriminant function analyses (DFA for both EM and FA separately provided a high reclassification success (77.6% and 99% respectively, of cross-validated cases correctly classified, while for EM combined with FA allowed for a 100% reclassification success. DFA analysis based only on CS, revealed a low classification success (29.6%. These results show that EM and FA signatures can be a powerful tool to infer goose barnacles origin. Such “fingerprinting” approach can be used to track and identify goose barnacles origin, helping in establishing an origin certificate and increasing the potential value of biological resources from Portuguese MPAs.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Seyedeh Narjes Tabatabei
2014-01-01
Full Text Available Using fish scale to identity species and population is a rapid, safe and low cost method. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the possibility of using geometric and morphometric methods in fish scales for rapid identification of species and populations and compare the efficiency of applying few and/or high number of landmark points. For this purpose, scales of one population of Luciobarbus capito, four populations of Alburnoides eichwaldii and two populations of Rutilus frisii kutum, all belonging to cyprinid family, were examined. On two-dimensional images of the scales 7 and 23 landmark points were digitized in two separate times using TpsDig2, respectively. Landmark data after generalized procrustes analysis were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA, Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA and Cluster Analysis. The results of both methods (using 7 and 23 landmark points showed significant differences of the shape of scales among the three species studied (P0.05. The results also showed that few number of landmarks could display the differences between scale shapes. According to the results of this study, it could be stated that the scale of each species had unique shape patterns which could be utilized as a species identification key.
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Franklin, Daniel; Cardini, Andrea; Flavel, Ambika; Kuliukas, Algis
2012-07-01
A current limitation of forensic practice in Western Australia is a lack of contemporary population-specific standards for biological profiling; this directly relates to the unavailability of documented human skeletal collections. With rapidly advancing technology, however, it is now possible to acquire accurate skeletal measurements from 3D scans contained in medical databases. The purpose of the present study, therefore, is to explore the accuracy of using cranial form to predict sex in adult Australians. Both traditional and geometric morphometric methods are applied to data derived from 3D landmarks acquired in CT-reconstructed crania. The sample comprises multi-detector computed tomography scans of 200 adult individuals; following 3D volume rendering, 46 anatomical landmarks are acquired using OsiriX (version 3.9). Centroid size and shape (first 20 PCs of the Procrustes coordinates) and the inter-landmark (ILD) distances between all possible pairs of landmarks are then calculated. Sex classification effectiveness of the 3D multivariate descriptors of size and shape and selected ILD measurements are assessed and compared; robustness of findings is explored using resampling statistics. Cranial shape and size and the ILD measurements are sexually dimorphic and explain 3.2 to 54.3 % of sample variance; sex classification accuracy is 83.5-88.0 %. Sex estimation using 3D shape appears to have some advantages compared to approaches using size measurements. We have, however, identified a simple and biologically meaningful single non-traditional linear measurement (glabella-zygion) that classifies Western Australian individuals according to sex with a high degree of expected accuracy (87.5-88 %).
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Windhager, Sonja; Schaefer, Katrin; Fink, Bernhard
2011-01-01
Evolutionary psychologists claim that women have adaptive preferences for specific male physical traits. Physical strength may be one of those traits, because recent research suggests that women rate faces of physically strong men as more masculine, dominant, and attractive. Yet, previous research has been limited in its ability to statistically map specific male facial shapes and features to corresponding physical measures (e.g., strength) and ratings (e.g., attractiveness). The association of handgrip strength (together with measures of shoulder width, body height, and body fat) and women's ratings of male faces (concerning dominance, masculinity, and attractiveness) were studied in a sample of 26 Caucasian men (aged 18-32 years). Geometric morphometrics was used to statistically assess the covariation of male facial shape with these measures. Statistical results were visualized with thin-plate spline deformation grids along with image unwarping and image averaging. Handgrip strength together with shoulder width, body fat, dominance, and masculinity loaded positively on the first dimension of covariation with facial shape (explaining 72.6%, P attractive and taller men had longer, narrower jaws and wider/fuller lips. Male physical strength was more strongly associated with changes in face shape that relate to perceived masculinity and dominance than to attractiveness. Our study adds to the growing evidence that attractiveness and dominance/masculinity may reflect different aspects of male mate quality. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Geometrical approach to fluid models
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kuvshinov, B.N.; Schep, T.J.
1997-01-01
Differential geometry based upon the Cartan calculus of differential forms is applied to investigate invariant properties of equations that describe the motion of continuous media. The main feature of this approach is that physical quantities are treated as geometrical objects. The geometrical notion of invariance is introduced in terms of Lie derivatives and a general procedure for the construction of local and integral fluid invariants is presented. The solutions of the equations for invariant fields can be written in terms of Lagrange variables. A generalization of the Hamiltonian formalism for finite-dimensional systems to continuous media is proposed. Analogously to finite-dimensional systems, Hamiltonian fluids are introduced as systems that annihilate an exact two-form. It is shown that Euler and ideal, charged fluids satisfy this local definition of a Hamiltonian structure. A new class of scalar invariants of Hamiltonian fluids is constructed that generalizes the invariants that are related with gauge transformations and with symmetries (Noether). copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics
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Chang, Jonathan; Chang, Jonathan
2015-01-01
1. Advances in genomics and informatics have enabled the production of large phylogenetic trees. However, the ability to collect large phenotypic datasets has not kept pace. 2. Here, we present a method to quickly and accurately gather morphometric data using crowdsourced image-based landmarking. 3. We find that crowdsourced workers perform similarly to experienced morphologists on the same digitization tasks. We also demonstrate the speed and accuracy of our method on seven families of ray-f...
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Paul Reiss
Full Text Available Previously recognized color and pattern variants of adult Cichla temensis in Amazon flood pulse river environments reflect the cycling of individuals through seasonal sexual maturity and spawning. Individuals also vary in shape from blocky to fusiform. To determine if shape differences are related to patterns of fat reserve deposition and utilization, and to quantify the relationship of shape with color and pattern variation and life history status, specimens in each of four previously defined grades of color and pattern variation were compared using geometric morphometric techniques. Progressive shape changes occurred between grades independent of sex and correlated to gonosomatic index (GSI. Thin plate spline deformation visualizations indicate that the observed shape differences are related to fat deposition patterns. The seasonal timing of shape change and its link to color pattern variation, sexual maturity and local water level conditions suggests a relationship between the physiological and behavioral characteristics of C. temensis and the cyclical flood pulse pattern of its habitat.
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Morphometric analysis of the Marmara Sea river basins, Turkey
Elbaşı, Emre; Ozdemir, Hasan
2014-05-01
The drainage basin, the fundamental unit of the fluvial landscape, has been focus of research aimed at understanding the geometric characteristics of the master channel and its tributary network. This geometry is referred to as the basin morphometry and is nicely reviewed by Abrahams (1984). A great amount of research has focused on geometric characteristic of drainage basins, including the topology of the stream networks, and quantitative description of drainage texture, pattern, shape, and relief characteristics. Evaluation of morphometric parameters necessitates the analysis of various drainage parameters such as ordering of the various streams, measurement of basin area and perimeter, length of drainage channels, drainage density (Dd), stream frequency (Fs), bifurcation ratio (Rb), texture ratio (T), basin relief (Bh), Ruggedness number (Rn), time of concentration (Tc), hypsometric curve and integral (Hc and Hi) (Horton, 1932, Schumn, 1956, Strahler, 1957; Verstappen 1983; Keller and Pinter, 2002; Ozdemir and Bird, 2009). These morphometric parameters have generally been used to predict flood peaks, to assess sediment yield, and to estimate erosion rates in the basins. River basins of the Marmara Sea, has an area of approximately 40,000 sqkm, are the most important basins in Turkey based on their dense populations, industry and transportation systems. The primary aim of this study is to determine and analyse of morphometric characteristics of the Marmara Sea river basins using 10 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and to evaluate of the results. For these purposes, digital 10 m contour maps scaled 1:25000 and geological maps scaled 1:100000 were used as the main data sources in the study. 10 m resolution DEM data were created using the contour maps and then drainage networks and their watersheds were extracted using D8 pour point model. Finally, linear, areal and relief morphometries were applied to the river basins using Geographic Information Systems
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Quantum renormalization group approach to geometric phases in spin chains
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jafari, R.
2013-01-01
A relation between geometric phases and criticality of spin chains are studied using the quantum renormalization-group approach. I have shown how the geometric phase evolve as the size of the system becomes large, i.e., the finite size scaling is obtained. The renormalization scheme demonstrates how the first derivative of the geometric phase with respect to the field strength diverges at the critical point and maximum value of the first derivative, and its position, scales with the exponent of the system size
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
C.C. Cabuga
2017-09-01
Full Text Available Pomacea caniculata or Golden Apple Snail (GAS existed to be a rice pest in the Philippines and in Asia. Likewise, geographic location also contributes its increasing populations thus making it invasive among freshwater habitats and rice field areas. This study was conducted in order to describe shell shape variations and sexual dimorphism among the populations of P. caniculata. A total of 180 were randomly collected in the three lakes of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur (Lake Dakong Napo, Lake Oro, and Lake Cebulan, of which each lake comprised of 60 samples (30 males and 30 females. To determine the variations and sexual dimorphism in the shell shape of golden apple snail, coordinates was administered to relative warp analysis and the resulting data were subjected to Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA, Principal Component Analysis (PCA and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA. The results show statistically significant (P<0.05 from the appended male and female dorsal and ventral/apertural portion. While male and female spire height, body size, and shell shape opening also shows significant variations. These phenotypic distinctions could be associated with geographic isolation, predation and nutrient component of the gastropods. Thus, the importance of using geometric morphometric advances in describing sexual dimorphism in the shell shape of P. caniculata.
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Bonatti, Vanessa; Simões, Zilá Luz Paulino; Franco, Fernando Faria; Francoy, Tiago Mauricio
2014-01-01
Melipona subnitida, a tropical stingless bee, is an endemic species of the Brazilian northeast and exhibits great potential for honey and pollen production in addition to its role as one of the main pollinators of the Caatinga biome. To understand the genetic structure and better assist in the conservation of this species, we characterized the population variability of M. subnitida using geometric morphometrics of the forewing and cytochrome c oxidase I gene fragment sequencing. We collected workers from six localities in the northernmost distribution. Both methodologies indicated that the variability among the sampled populations is related both to the environment in which samples were collected and the geographical distance between the sampling sites, indicating that differentiation among the populations is due to the existence of at least evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock data suggest that this differentiation may have begun in the middle Pleistocene, approximately 396 kya. The conservation of all evolutionary lineages is important since they can present differential resistance to environmental changes, as resistance to drought and diseases.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carles Soler
2017-01-01
Full Text Available This work provides information on the blue fox ejaculated sperm quality needed for seminal dose calculations. Twenty semen samples, obtained by masturbation, were analyzed for kinematic and morphometric parameters by using CASA-Mot and CASA-Morph system and principal component (PC analysis. For motility, eight kinematic parameters were evaluated, which were reduced to PC1, related to linear variables, and PC2, related to oscillatory movement. The whole population was divided into three independent subpopulations: SP1, fast cells with linear movement; SP2, slow cells and nonoscillatory motility; and SP3, medium speed cells and oscillatory movement. In almost all cases, the subpopulation distribution by animal was significantly different. Head morphology analysis generated four size and four shape parameters, which were reduced to PC1, related to size, and PC2, related to shape of the cells. Three morphometric subpopulations existed: SP1: large oval cells; SP2: medium size elongated cells; and SP3: small and short cells. The subpopulation distribution differed between animals. Combining the kinematic and morphometric datasets produced PC1, related to morphometric parameters, and PC2, related to kinematics, which generated four sperm subpopulations - SP1: high oscillatory motility, large and short heads; SP2: medium velocity with small and short heads; SP3: slow motion small and elongated cells; and SP4: high linear speed and large elongated cells. Subpopulation distribution was different in all animals. The establishment of sperm subpopulations from kinematic, morphometric, and combined variables not only improves the well-defined fox semen characteristics and offers a good conceptual basis for fertility and sperm preservation techniques in this species, but also opens the door to use this approach in other species, included humans.
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A geometrical approach to free-field quantization
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tabensky, R.; Valle, J.W.F.
1977-01-01
A geometrical approach to the quantization of free relativistic fields is given. Complex probability amplitudes are assigned to the solutions of the classical evolution equation. It is assumed that the evolution is stricly classical, according to the scalar unitary representation of the Poincare group in a functional space. The theory is equivalent to canonical quantization [pt
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ADJUSTMENT OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF WATER BASINS BASED ON DIGITAL TERRAIN MODELS
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Krasil'nikov Vitaliy Mikhaylovich
2012-10-01
Full Text Available The authors argue that effective use of water resources requires accurate morphometric characteristics of water basins. Accurate parameters are needed to analyze their condition, and to assure their appropriate control and operation. Today multiple water basins need their morphometric characteristics to be adjusted and properly stored. The procedure employed so far is based on plane geometric horizontals depicted onto topographic maps. It is described in the procedural guidelines issued in respect of the «Application of water resource regulations governing the operation of waterworks facilities of power plants». The technology described there is obsolete due to the availability of specialized software. The computer technique is based on a digital terrain model. The authors provide an overview of the technique implemented at Rybinsk and Gorkiy water basins in this article. Thus, the digital terrain model generated on the basis of the field data is used at Gorkiy water basin, while the model based on maps and charts is applied at Rybinsk water basin. The authors believe that the software technique can be applied to any other water basin on the basis of the analysis and comparison of morphometric characteristics of the two water basins.
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Martínez-Vargas, Jessica; Muñoz-Muñoz, Francesc; Martinez-Maza, Cayetana; Molinero, Amalia; Ventura, Jacint
2017-08-01
Comparative information on the variation in the temporospatial patterning of mandible growth in wild and laboratory mice during early postnatal ontogeny is scarce but important to understand variation among wild rodent populations. Here, we compare mandible growth between two ontogenetic series from the second to the eighth week of postnatal life, corresponding to two different groups of mice reared under the same conditions: the classical inbred strain C57BL/6J, and Mus musculus domesticus. We characterize the ontogenetic patterns of bone remodeling of the mandibles belonging to these laboratory and wild mice by analyzing bone surface, as well as examine their ontogenetic form changes and bimodular organization using geometric morphometrics. Through ontogeny, the two mouse groups display similar directions of mandible growth, according to the temporospatial distribution of bone remodeling fields. The allometric shape variation of the mandibles of these mice entails the relative enlargement of the ascending ramus. The organization of the mandible into two modules is confirmed in both groups during the last postnatal weeks. However, especially after weaning, the mandibles of wild and laboratory mice differ in the timing and localization of several remodeling fields, in addition to exhibiting different patterns of shape variation and differences in size. The stimulation of dentary bone growth derived from the harder post-weaning diet might account for some features of postnatal mandible growth common to both groups. Nonetheless, a large component of the postnatal growth of the mouse mandible appears to be driven by the inherent genetic programs, which might explain between-group differences. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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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.
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Gómez-Robles, Aida; Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Martinón-Torres, María; Prado-Simón, Leyre; Arsuaga, Juan Luis
2012-09-01
The study of dental morphology by means of geometric morphometric methods allows for a detailed and quantitative comparison of hominin species that is useful for taxonomic assignment and phylogenetic reconstruction. Upper second and third molars have been studied in a comprehensive sample of Plio- and Pleistocene hominins from African, Asian and European sites in order to complete our analysis of the upper postcanine dentition. Intraspecific variation in these two molars is high, but some interspecific trends can be identified. Both molars exhibit a strong reduction of the distal cusps in recent hominin species, namely European Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens, but this reduction shows specific patterns and proportions in the three groups. Second molars tend to show four well developed cusps in earlier hominin species and their morphology is only marginally affected by allometric effects. Third molars can be incipiently reduced in earlier species and they evince a significant allometric component, identified both inter- and intraspecifically. European Middle Pleistocene fossils from Sima de los Huesos (SH) show a very strong reduction of these two molars, even more marked than the reduction observed in Neanderthals and in modern human populations. The highly derived shape of SH molars points to an early acquisition of typical Neanderthal dental traits by pre-Neanderthal populations and to a deviation of this population from mean morphologies of other European Middle Pleistocene groups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Forrest, Frances L; Plummer, Thomas W; Raaum, Ryan L
2018-01-01
The current study describes a new method of mandibular ecological morphology (ecomorphology). Three-dimensional geometric morphometrics (3D GM) was used to quantify mandibular shape variation between extant bovids with different feeding preferences. Landmark data were subjected to generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA), principal components analysis (PCA), and discriminant function analysis (DFA). The PCA resulted in a continuum from grazers to browsers along PC1 and DFA classified 88% or more of the modern specimens to the correct feeding category. The protocol was reduced to a subset of landmarks on the mandibular corpus in order to make it applicable to incomplete fossils. The reduced landmark set resulted in greater overlap between feeding categories but maintained the same continuum as the complete landmark model. The DFA resubstitution and jackknife analyses resulted in classification success rates of 85% and 80%, respectively. The reduced landmark model was applied to fossil mandibles from the Upper Laetolil Beds (∼4.3-3.5 Ma) and Upper Ndolanya Beds (∼2.7-2.6 Ma) at Laetoli, Tanzania in order to assess antelope diet, and indirectly evaluate paleo-vegetation structure. The majority of the fossils were classified by the DFA as browsers or mixed feeders preferring browse. Our results indicate a continuous presence of wooded habitats and are congruent with recent environmental studies at Laetoli indicating a mosaic woodland-bushland-grassland savanna ecosystem. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Drake, Abby Grace
2011-01-01
Heterochrony is an evolutionary mechanism that generates diversity via perturbations of the rate or timing of development that requires very little genetic innovation. As such, heterochrony is thought to be a common evolutionary mechanism in the generation of diversity. Previous research has suggested that dogs evolved via heterochrony and are paedomorphic wolves. This study uses three-dimensional landmark-based coordinate data to investigate heterochronic patterns within the skull morphology of the domestic dog. A total of 677 adult dogs representing 106 different breeds were measured and compared with an ontogenetic series of 401 wolves. Geometric morphometric analysis reveals that the cranial shape of none of the modern breeds of dogs resembles the cranial shapes of adult or juvenile wolves. In addition, investigations of regional heterochrony in the face and neurocranium also reject the hypothesis of heterochrony. Throughout wolf cranial development the position of the face and the neurocranium remain in the same plane. Dogs, however, have a de novo cranial flexion in which the palate is tilted dorsally in brachycephalic and mesaticephalic breeds or tilted ventrally in dolichocephalic and down-face breeds. Dogs have evolved very rapidly into an incredibly morphologically diverse species with very little genetic variation. However, the genetic alterations to dog cranial development that have produced this vast range of phylogenetically novel skull shapes do not coincide with the expectations of the heterochronic model. Dogs are not paedomorphic wolves. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Quantum trajectory approach to the geometric phase: open bipartite systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yi, X X; Liu, D P; Wang, W
2005-01-01
Through the quantum trajectory approach, we calculate the geometric phase acquired by a bipartite system subjected to decoherence. The subsystems that compose the bipartite system interact with each other and then are entangled in the evolution. The geometric phase due to the quantum jump for both the bipartite system and its subsystems is calculated and analysed. As an example, we present two coupled spin-1/2 particles to detail the calculations
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On the geometrical approach to the relativistic string theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barbashov, B.M.; Nesterenko, V.V.
1978-01-01
In a geometrical approach to the string theory in the four-dimensional Minkowski space the relativistic invariant gauge proposed earlier for the string moving in three-dimensional space-time is used. In contrast to the results of previous paper the system of equations for the coefficients of the fundamental forms of the string model world sheet can be reduced now to one nonlinear Lionville equation again but for a complex valued function u. It is shown that in the case of space-time with arbitrary dimension there are such string motions which are described by one non-linear equation with a real function u. And as a consequence the soliton solutions investigated earlier take place in a geometrical approach to the string theory in any dimensional space-time
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Light scattering in porous materials: Geometrical optics and stereological approach
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Malinka, Aleksey V.
2014-01-01
Porous material has been considered from the point of view of stereology (geometrical statistics), as a two-phase random mixture of solid material and air. Considered are the materials having the refractive index with the real part that differs notably from unit and the imaginary part much less than unit. Light scattering in such materials has been described using geometrical optics. These two – the geometrical optics laws and the stereological approach – allow one to obtain the inherent optical properties of such a porous material, which are basic in the radiative transfer theory: the photon survival probability, the scattering phase function, and the polarization properties (Mueller matrix). In this work these characteristics are expressed through the refractive index of the material and the random chord length distribution. The obtained results are compared with the traditional approach, modeling the porous material as a pack of particles of different shapes. - Highlights: • Porous material has been considered from the point of view of stereology. • Properties of a two-phase random mixture of solid material and air are considered. • Light scattering in such materials has been described using geometrical optics. • The inherent optical properties of such a porous material have been obtained
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
C. B. S. Lima
Full Text Available Abstract A geometric morphometrics approach was applied to evaluate differences in forewing patterns of the Jandaira bee (Melipona subnitida Ducke. For this, we studied the presence of fluctuating asymmetry (FA in forewing shape and size of colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or natural tree trunks. We detected significant FA for wing size as well as wing shape independent of the type of housing (rational box or tree trunks, indicating the overall presence of stress during the development of the studied specimens. FA was also significant (p < 0.01 between rational boxes, possibly related to the use of various models of rational boxes used for keeping stingless bees. In addition, a Principal Component Analysis indicated morphometric variation between bee colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or in tree trunks, that may be related to the different origins of the bees: tree trunk colonies were relocated natural colonies while rational box colonies originated from multiplying other colonies. We conclude that adequate measures should be taken to reduce the amount of stress during bee handling by using standard models of rational boxes that cause the least disruption.
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Lima, C B S; Nunes, L A; Carvalho, C A L; Ribeiro, M F; Souza, B A; Silva, C S B
2016-01-01
A geometric morphometrics approach was applied to evaluate differences in forewing patterns of the Jandaira bee (Melipona subnitida Ducke). For this, we studied the presence of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in forewing shape and size of colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or natural tree trunks. We detected significant FA for wing size as well as wing shape independent of the type of housing (rational box or tree trunks), indicating the overall presence of stress during the development of the studied specimens. FA was also significant (p < 0.01) between rational boxes, possibly related to the use of various models of rational boxes used for keeping stingless bees. In addition, a Principal Component Analysis indicated morphometric variation between bee colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or in tree trunks, that may be related to the different origins of the bees: tree trunk colonies were relocated natural colonies while rational box colonies originated from multiplying other colonies. We conclude that adequate measures should be taken to reduce the amount of stress during bee handling by using standard models of rational boxes that cause the least disruption.
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Chaos based on Riemannian geometric approach to Abelian-Higgs dynamical system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kawabe, Tetsuji
2003-01-01
Based on the Riemannian geometric approach, we study chaos of the Abelian-Higgs dynamical system derived from a classical field equation consisting of a spatially homogeneous Abelian gauge field and Higgs field. Using the global indicator of chaos formulated by the sectional curvature of the ambient manifold, we show that this approach brings the same qualitative and quantitative information about order and chaos as has been provided by the Lyapunov exponents in the conventional and phenomenological approach. We confirm that the mechanism of chaos is a parametric instability of the system. By analyzing a close relation between the sectional curvature and the Gaussian curvature, we point out that the Toda-Brumer criterion becomes a sufficient condition to the criterion based on this geometric approach as to the stability condition
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Ríos, Luis; Palancar, Carlos; Pastor, Francisco; Llidó, Susana; Sanchís-Gimeno, Juan Alberto; Bastir, Markus
2017-10-01
The congenital midline non-union of the posterior arch of the atlas is a developmental variant present at a frequency ranging from 0.7% to 3.9%. Most of the reported cases correspond to incidental findings during routine medical examination. In cases of posterior non-union, hypertrophy of the anterior arch and cortical bone thickening of the posterior arches have been observed and interpreted as adaptive responses of the atlas to increased mechanical stress. We sought to determine if the congenital non-union of the posterior arch results in a change in the shape of the atlas. This study is an analysis of the first cervical vertebrae from osteological collections through morphometric geometric techniques. A total of 21 vertebrae were scanned with a high-resolution three-dimensional scanner (Artec Space Spider, Artec Group, Luxembourg). To capture vertebral shape, 19 landmarks and 100 semilandmarks were placed on the vertebrae. Procrustes superimposition was applied to obtain size and shape data (MorphoJ 1.02; Klingenberg, 2011), which were analyzed through principal component analysis (PCA) and mean shape comparisons. The PCA resulted in two components explaining 22.32% and 18.8% of the total shape variance. The graphic plotting of both components indicates a clear shape difference between the control atlas and the atlas with posterior non-union. This observation was supported by statistically significant differences in mean shape comparisons between both types of vertebra (patlas is associated with significant changes in the shape of the vertebra. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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A combined morphometric analysis of foot form and its association with sex, stature, and body mass.
Domjanic, Jacqueline; Seidler, Horst; Mitteroecker, Philipp
2015-08-01
Morphometric analysis of footprints is a classic means for orthopedic diagnosis. In forensics and physical anthropology, it is commonly used for the estimation of stature and body mass. We studied individual variation and sexual dimorphism of foot dimensions and footprint shape by a combination of classic foot measurements and geometric morphometric methods. Left and right feet of 134 healthy adult males and females were scanned twice with a 3D optical laser scanner, and stature as well as body mass were recorded. Foot length and width were measured on the 3D scans. The 2D footprints were extracted as the plantar-most 2 mm of the 3D scans and measured with 85 landmarks and semilandmarks. Both foot size and footprint shape are sexually dimorphic and relate to stature and body mass. While dimorphism in foot length largely results from dimorphism in stature, dimorphism in footprint shape partly owes to the dimorphism in BMI. Stature could be estimated well based on foot length (R(2) = 0.76), whereas body mass was more closely related to foot width (R(2) = 0.62). Sex could be estimated correctly for 95% of the individuals based on a combination of foot width and length. Geometric morphometrics proved to be an effective tool for the detailed analysis of footprint shape. However, for the estimation of stature, body mass, and sex, shape variables did not considerably improve estimates based on foot length and width. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Pujol, Aniol; Rissech, Carme; Ventura, Jacint; Badosa, Joaquim; Turbón, Daniel
2014-01-01
In this study we describe the development of the female femur based on the analysis of high-resolution radiographic images by means of geometric morphometrics, while assessing the usefulness of this method in these kinds of studies. The material analysed consisted of digital images in DICOM format (telemetries), corresponding to 184 left femora in anterior view, obtained from the database of the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu of Barcelona (Spain). Bones analysed corresponded to individuals from 9 to 14 years old. Size and shape variation of the entire femur was quantified by 22 two-dimensional landmarks. Landmark digitisation errors were assessed using Procrustes anova test. Centroid size (CS) variation with age was evaluated by an anova test. Shape variation was assessed by principal component analysis. A mancova test between the first five principal components and age, using the CS as covariable, was applied. Results indicated that both size and shape vary significantly with age. Several age-related shape changes remained significant after removing the allometric effect. In general, an increase in the robustness of the bone and noticeable phenotypic changes in certain areas of the femur were observed. During growth in the proximal region of the femur, the collo-diaphyseal angle decreases, the neck of the femur widens and the fovea moves to a lower position, standing more in line with the plane of the neck. Likewise, the size of the greater and lesser trochanters increase. In the distal region, a significant increase of epiphyseal dimensions was recorded, mainly in the medial condyle. The angular remodelling of the neck and the bicondylar region of the femur in females continues until 13 years old. The information provided in the present study increases our knowledge on the timing and morphology of the femur during development, and in particular the morphology of the different femoral ossification centres during development. PMID:24975495
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Kinematic approach to off-diagonal geometric phases of nondegenerate and degenerate mixed states
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tong, D.M.; Oh, C.H.; Sjoeqvist, Erik; Filipp, Stefan; Kwek, L.C.
2005-01-01
Off-diagonal geometric phases have been developed in order to provide information of the geometry of paths that connect noninterfering quantal states. We propose a kinematic approach to off-diagonal geometric phases for pure and mixed states. We further extend the mixed-state concept proposed in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 050403 (2003)] to degenerate density operators. The first- and second-order off-diagonal geometric phases are analyzed for unitarily evolving pairs of pseudopure states
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A Wave-Optics Approach to Paraxial Geometrical Laws Based on Continuity at Boundaries
Linares, J.; Nistal, M. C.
2011-01-01
We present a derivation of the paraxial geometrical laws starting from a wave-optics approach, in particular by using simple continuity conditions of paraxial spherical waves at boundaries (discontinuities) between optical media. Paraxial geometrical imaging and magnification laws, under refraction and reflection at boundaries, are derived for…
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Erika Hingst-Zaher
2000-06-01
Full Text Available Abstract We analyzed ontogenetic patterns of landmarks for 169 laboratory-raised specimens of Calomys expulsus, at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, and 300 days of age, using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. There is sexual dimorphism in size, with males smaller than females at earlier ages, but larger after 50 days. Differences in shape between sexes are strong only until 10 days of age, suggesting that shape is more constrained than size. Combining sexes, there is strong variation in size with age, reduced after 200 days, while most of the variation in shape occurs before 20 days. This dissociation is common for sigmodontine rodents, and might be the basis of heterochronic processes responsible for the morphological variation of this South American group. Centroid size does not show any reduction in the coefficient of variation over ages, while Procrustes distances within sucessive ages are reduced after 20 days. Uniform component and the more global partial warps explain most of the shape changes with age. Cranial and Facial parts of the skull increase in size at different rates with a relative lengthening of the snout and decrease in height of the braincase. We were unable to detect a clear pattern of integration for the rostrum and braincase, besides that shown by landmark displacements.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Radović Sanja
2017-01-01
Full Text Available The Iris flower is a complex morphological structure composed of two trimerous whorls of functionally distinct petaloid organs (the falls and the standards, one whorl of the stamens and one tricarpellary gynoecium. The petal-like style arms of the carpels are banded over the basal part of the falls, forming three pollination tunnels, each of which is perceived by the Iris pollinators as a single bilaterally symmetrical flower. Apart from the stamens, all petaloid floral organs are preferentially involved in advertising rewards to potential pollinators. Here we used the methods of geometric morphometrics to explore the shape variation in falls, standards and style arms of the Iris pumila flowers and to disentangle the symmetric and the asymmetric component of the total shape variance. Our results show that symmetric variation contributes mostly to the total shape variance in each of the three floral organs. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA was the dominant component of the asymmetric shape variation in the falls and the standards, but appeared to be marginally significant in the style arms. The values of FA indexes for the shape of falls (insects’ landing platforms and for the shape of standards (long-distance reward signals were found to be two orders of magnitude greater compared to that of the style arms. Directional asymmetry appeared to be very low, but highly statistically significant for all analyzed floral organs. Because floral symmetry can reliably indicate the presence of floral rewards, an almost perfect symmetry recorded for the style arm shape might be the outcome of pollinator preferences for symmetrical pollination units. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 173007
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Topological charge on the lattice: a field theoretical view of the geometrical approach
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Rastelli, L.; Rossi, P.; Vicari, E.
1997-01-01
We construct sequences of ''field theoretical'' lattice topological charge density operators which formally approach geometrical definitions in 2D CP N-1 models and 4D SU(N) Yang-Mills theories. The analysis of these sequences of operators suggests a new way of looking at the geometrical method, showing that geometrical charges can be interpreted as limits of sequences of field theoretical (analytical) operators. In perturbation theory, renormalization effects formally tend to vanish along such sequences. But, since the perturbative expansion is asymptotic, this does not necessarily lead to well-behaved geometrical limits. It indeed leaves open the possibility that non-perturbative renormalizations survive. (orig.)
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A Differential Geometric Approach to Nonlinear Filtering: The Projection Filter
Brigo, D.; Hanzon, B.; LeGland, F.
1998-01-01
This paper presents a new and systematic method of approximating exact nonlinear filters with finite dimensional filters, using the differential geometric approach to statistics. The projection filter is defined rigorously in the case of exponential families. A convenient exponential family is
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Julian Katzke
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Shape is a natural phenomenon inherent to many different lifeforms. A modern technique to analyse shape is geometric morphometrics (GM, which offers a whole range of methods concerning the pure shape of an object. The results from these methods have provided new insights into biological problems and have become especially useful in the fields of entomology and palaeontology. Despite the conspicuous successes in other hymenopteran groups, GM analysis of wings and fossil wings of Formicidae has been neglected. Here we tested if landmarks defining the wing shape of fossil ants that belong to the genus Titanomyrma are reliable and if this technique is able to expose relationships among different groups of the largest Hymenoptera that ever lived. This study comprises 402 wings from 362 ants that were analysed and assigned with the GM methods linear discriminant function analysis, principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis, and regression. The giant ant genus Titanomyrma and the parataxon Formicium have different representatives that are all very similar but these modern methods were able to distinguish giant ant types even to the level of the sex. Thirty-five giant ant specimens from the Eckfeld Maar were significantly differentiable from a collection of Messel specimens that consisted of 187 Titanomyrma gigantea females and 42 T. gigantea males, and from 74 Titanomyrma simillima females and 21 T. simillima males. Out of the 324 Messel ants, 127 are newly assigned to a species and 223 giant ants are newly assigned to sex with GM analysis. All specimens from Messel fit to the two species. Moreover, shape affinities of these groups and the species Formicium brodiei, Formicium mirabile, and Formicium berryi, which are known only from wings, were investigated. T. gigantea stands out with a possible female relative in one of the Eckfeld specimens whereas the other groups show similar shape patterns that are possibly plesiomorphic. Formicidae
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Katzke, Julian; Barden, Phillip; Dehon, Manuel; Michez, Denis; Wappler, Torsten
2018-01-01
Shape is a natural phenomenon inherent to many different lifeforms. A modern technique to analyse shape is geometric morphometrics (GM), which offers a whole range of methods concerning the pure shape of an object. The results from these methods have provided new insights into biological problems and have become especially useful in the fields of entomology and palaeontology. Despite the conspicuous successes in other hymenopteran groups, GM analysis of wings and fossil wings of Formicidae has been neglected. Here we tested if landmarks defining the wing shape of fossil ants that belong to the genus Titanomyrma are reliable and if this technique is able to expose relationships among different groups of the largest Hymenoptera that ever lived. This study comprises 402 wings from 362 ants that were analysed and assigned with the GM methods linear discriminant function analysis, principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis, and regression. The giant ant genus Titanomyrma and the parataxon Formicium have different representatives that are all very similar but these modern methods were able to distinguish giant ant types even to the level of the sex. Thirty-five giant ant specimens from the Eckfeld Maar were significantly differentiable from a collection of Messel specimens that consisted of 187 Titanomyrma gigantea females and 42 T. gigantea males, and from 74 Titanomyrma simillima females and 21 T. simillima males. Out of the 324 Messel ants, 127 are newly assigned to a species and 223 giant ants are newly assigned to sex with GM analysis. All specimens from Messel fit to the two species. Moreover, shape affinities of these groups and the species Formicium brodiei , Formicium mirabile , and Formicium berryi , which are known only from wings, were investigated. T. gigantea stands out with a possible female relative in one of the Eckfeld specimens whereas the other groups show similar shape patterns that are possibly plesiomorphic. Formicidae are one of the
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Rao, D V; Brunetti, A; Gigante, G E; Takeda, T; Itai, Y; Akatsuka, T
2002-01-01
A new approach is developed to estimate the geometrical factors, solid angle approximation and geometrical efficiency for a system with experimental arrangements using X-ray tube and secondary target as an excitation source in order to produce the nearly monoenergetic K alpha radiation to excite the sample. The variation of the solid angle is studied by changing the radius and length of the collimators towards and away from the source and sample. From these values the variation of the total solid angle and geometrical efficiency is deduced and the optimum value is used for the experimental work. (authors)
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Rao, D.V.; Cesareo, R.; Brunetti, A. [Sassari University, Istituto di Matematica e Fisica (Italy); Gigante, G.E. [Roma Universita, Dipt. di Fisica (Italy); Takeda, T.; Itai, Y. [Tsukuba Univ., Ibaraki (Japan). Inst. of Clinical Medicine; Akatsuka, T. [Yamagata Univ., Yonezawa (Japan). Faculty of Engineering
2002-10-01
A new approach is developed to estimate the geometrical factors, solid angle approximation and geometrical efficiency for a system with experimental arrangements using X-ray tube and secondary target as an excitation source in order to produce the nearly monoenergetic K{alpha} radiation to excite the sample. The variation of the solid angle is studied by changing the radius and length of the collimators towards and away from the source and sample. From these values the variation of the total solid angle and geometrical efficiency is deduced and the optimum value is used for the experimental work. (authors)
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Rao, D. V.; Cesareo, R.; Brunetti, A.; Gigante, G. E.; Takeda, T.; Itai, Y.; Akatsuka, T.
2002-10-01
A new approach is developed to estimate the geometrical factors, solid angle approximation and geometrical efficiency for a system with experimental arrangements using X-ray tube and secondary target as an excitation source in order to produce the nearly monoenergetic Kα radiation to excite the sample. The variation of the solid angle is studied by changing the radius and length of the collimators towards and away from the source and sample. From these values the variation of the total solid angle and geometrical efficiency is deduced and the optimum value is used for the experimental work.
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Watershed-based Morphometric Analysis: A Review
Sukristiyanti, S.; Maria, R.; Lestiana, H.
2018-02-01
Drainage basin/watershed analysis based on morphometric parameters is very important for watershed planning. Morphometric analysis of watershed is the best method to identify the relationship of various aspects in the area. Despite many technical papers were dealt with in this area of study, there is no particular standard classification and implication of each parameter. It is very confusing to evaluate a value of every morphometric parameter. This paper deals with the meaning of values of the various morphometric parameters, with adequate contextual information. A critical review is presented on each classification, the range of values, and their implications. Besides classification and its impact, the authors also concern about the quality of input data, either in data preparation or scale/the detail level of mapping. This review paper hopefully can give a comprehensive explanation to assist the upcoming research dealing with morphometric analysis.
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The algebraic versus geometric approach to quantum field theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schroer, B.
1990-06-01
Some recent developments in algebraic QFT are reviewed and confronted with results obtained by geometric methods. In particular a critical evaluation of the present status of the quantum symmetry discussion is given and the possible relation of the (Gepner-Witten) modularity in conformal QFT 2 and the Tomita modularity (existence of quantum reflections) of the algebraic approach is commented on. (author) 34 refs
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Karsten, M; Addison, P; Jansen van Vuuren, B; Terblanche, J S
2016-07-01
The distribution, spatial pattern and population dynamics of a species can be influenced by differences in the environment across its range. Spatial variation in climatic conditions can cause local populations to undergo disruptive selection and ultimately result in local adaptation. However, local adaptation can be constrained by gene flow and may favour resident individuals over migrants-both are factors critical to the assessment of invasion potential. The Natal fruit fly (Ceratitis rosa) is a major agricultural pest in Africa with a history of island invasions, although its range is largely restricted to south east Africa. Across Africa, C. rosa is genetically structured into two clusters (R1 and R2), with these clusters occurring sympatrically in the north of South Africa. The spatial distribution of these genotypic clusters remains unexamined despite their importance for understanding the pest's invasion potential. Here, C. rosa, sampled from 22 South African locations, were genotyped at 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci and assessed morphologically using geometric morphometric wing shape analyses to investigate patterns of population structure and determine connectedness of pest-occupied sites. Our results show little to no intraspecific (population) differentiation, high population connectivity, high effective population sizes and only one morphological type (R2) within South Africa. The absence of the R1 morphotype at sites where it was previously found may be a consequence of differences in thermal niches of the two morphotypes. Overall, our results suggest high invasion potential of this species, that area-wide pest management should be undertaken on a country-wide scale, and that border control is critical to preventing further invasions. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Fontaneto, Diego; Panisi, Martina; Mandrioli, Mauro; Montardi, Dario; Pavesi, Maurizio; Cardini, Andrea
2017-08-01
Ecological indicators are currently developed to account for the different facets of loss of biological diversity due to direct or indirect effects of human activities. Most ecological indicators include species richness as a metric. Others, such as functional traits and phylogenetic diversity, account for differences in species, even when species richness is the same. Here, we describe and apply a different indicator, called morphoscape dimension, accounting for morphological variability across habitats in a geographical region. We use the case of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in four different habitats in the Po Plain in Northern Italy to exemplify how to quantify the magnitude of the morphological space (i.e. the dimension of the morphoscape) occupied by the species in each habitat using geometric morphometrics. To this aim, we employed a variety of metrics of morphological disparity related to univariate size, and more complex multivariate shape and form. Our `proof of concept' suggests that metrics assessing size and form might largely tend to simply mirror the information provided by species richness, whereas shape morphoscape disparity may be able to account for non-trivial differences in species traits amongst habitats. This is indicated by the woodland morphoscape being on average bigger than that of crops, the most species-rich habitat, despite having almost 20% less species. We conclude suggesting that the analysis of morphoscape dimension has the potential to become a new additional and complimentary tool in the hands of conservation biologists and ecologists to explore and quantify habitat complexity and inform decisions on management and conservation based on a wide set of ecological indicators.
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[Automated morphometric evaluation of the chromatin structure of liver cell nuclei after vagotomy].
Butusova, N N; Zhukotskiĭ, A V; Sherbo, I V; Gribkov, E N; Dubovaia, T K
1989-05-01
The morphometric analysis of the interphase chromatine structure of the hepatic cells nuclei was carried out on the automated TV installation for the quantitative analysis of images "IBAS-2" (by the OPTON firm, the FRG) according to 50 optical and geometric parameters during various periods (1.2 and 4 weeks) after the vagotomy operation. It is determined that upper-molecular organisation of chromatine undergoes the biggest changes one week after operation, and changes of granular component are more informative than changes of the nongranular component (with the difference 15-20%). It was also revealed that chromatine components differ in tinctorial properties, which are evidently dependent on physicochemical characteristics of the chromatine under various functional conditions of the cell. As a result of the correlation analysis the group of morphometric indices of chromatine structure was revealed, which are highly correlated with level of transcription activity of chromatine during various terms after denervation. The correlation quotient of these parameters is 0.85-0.97. The summing up: vagus denervation of the liver causes changes in the morphofunctional organisation of the chromatine.
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Paris, Thomson M; Allan, Sandra A; Hall, David G; Hentz, Matthew G; Croxton, Scott D; Ainpudi, Niharika; Stansly, Philip A
2017-02-01
Phenotypic plasticity provides a mechanism by which an organism can adapt to new or changing environments. Earlier studies have demonstrated the variability of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Asian citrus psyllid) population dynamics, but no analysis of morphological changes induced by seasonal or artificial laboratory-induced conditions has yet been documented. Such morphometric variation has been found to correspond in dispersal capabilities in several insect taxa. In this study, the effects of temperature and photoperiod on morphometric variation of D. citri were examined through laboratory rearing of psyllids under controlled temperatures (20 °C, 28 °C, and 30 °C) and under a short photoperiod of 10.5:13.5 (L:D) h and a long photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. Diaphorina citri were field-collected monthly from three citrus groves in Fort Pierce, Gainesville, and Immokalee, FL, to evaluate potential field-associated environmental effects. Both traditional and geometric morphometric data were used to analyze the correlation between environmental and morphometric variation. A strong correlation was found between temperature and shape change, with larger and broader wings at colder temperatures in the laboratory. Short day length resulted in shorter and narrower wings as well. From the field, temperature, rainfall, and photoperiod were moderately associated with shape parameters. Adult D. citri with blue/green abdomens collected in the laboratory and field studies were larger in size and shape than those with brown/gray abdomens. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.
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Buser, Thaddaeus J; Sidlauskas, Brian L; Summers, Adam P
2018-05-01
We contrast 2D vs. 3D landmark-based geometric morphometrics in the fish subfamily Oligocottinae by using 3D landmarks from CT-generated models and comparing the morphospace of the 3D landmarks to one based on 2D landmarks from images. The 2D and 3D shape variables capture common patterns across taxa, such that the pairwise Procrustes distances among taxa correspond and the trends captured by principal component analysis are similar in the xy plane. We use the two sets of landmarks to test several ecomorphological hypotheses from the literature. Both 2D and 3D data reject the hypothesis that head shape correlates significantly with the depth at which a species is commonly found. However, in taxa where shape variation in the z-axis is high, the 2D shape variables show sufficiently strong distortion to influence the outcome of the hypothesis tests regarding the relationship between mouth size and feeding ecology. Only the 3D data support previous studies which showed that large mouth sizes correlate positively with high percentages of elusive prey in the diet. When used to test for morphological divergence, 3D data show no evidence of divergence, while 2D data show that one clade of oligocottines has diverged from all others. This clade shows the greatest degree of z-axis body depth within Oligocottinae, and we conclude that the inability of the 2D approach to capture this lateral body depth causes the incongruence between 2D and 3D analyses. Anat Rec, 301:806-818, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Saito, K; Niki, K
1983-07-01
We propose a new method of dealing with morphometric synaptology that processes all synapses and boutons around the HRP marked neuron on a large composite electron micrograph, rather than a qualitative or a piecemeal quantitative study of a particular synapse and/or bouton that is not positioned on the surface of the neuron. This approach requires the development of both neuroanatomical procedures, by which a specific whole neuronal profile is identified, and valuable specialized tools, which support the collection and analysis of a great volume of morphometric data from composite electron micrographs, in order to reduce the burden of the morphologist. The present report is also concerned with the total and reliable semi-automatic interactive computer system for gathering and analyzing morphometric data that has been under development in our laboratory. A morphologist performs the pattern recognition portion by using a large-sized tablet digitizer and a menu-sheet command, and the system registers the various morphometric values of many different neurons and performs statistical analysis. Some examples of morphometric measurements and analysis show the usefulness and efficiency of the proposed system and method.
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Geometrical optics in the near field: local plane-interface approach with evanescent waves.
Bose, Gaurav; Hyvärinen, Heikki J; Tervo, Jani; Turunen, Jari
2015-01-12
We show that geometrical models may provide useful information on light propagation in wavelength-scale structures even if evanescent fields are present. We apply a so-called local plane-wave and local plane-interface methods to study a geometry that resembles a scanning near-field microscope. We show that fair agreement between the geometrical approach and rigorous electromagnetic theory can be achieved in the case where evanescent waves are required to predict any transmission through the structure.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bora, B.; Bhuyan, H.; Favre, M.; Wyndham, E.; Chuaqui, H.
2012-01-01
Plasma series resonance (PSR) effect is well known in geometrically asymmetric capacitively couple radio frequency plasma. However, plasma series resonance effect in geometrically symmetric plasma has not been properly investigated. In this work, a theoretical approach is made to investigate the plasma series resonance effect and its influence on Ohmic and stochastic heating in geometrically symmetric discharge. Electrical asymmetry effect by means of dual frequency voltage waveform is applied to excite the plasma series resonance. The results show considerable variation in heating with phase difference between the voltage waveforms, which may be applicable in controlling the plasma parameters in such plasma.
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D'Amore, Domenic C
2015-05-01
Many recent attempts have been made to quantify heterodonty in non-mammalian vertebrates, but the majority of these are limited to Euclidian measurements. One taxon frequently investigated is Varanus niloticus, the Nile monitor. Juveniles possess elongate, pointed teeth (caniniform) along the entirety of the dental arcade, whereas adults develop large, bulbous distal teeth (molariform). The purpose of this study was to present a geometric morphometric method to quantify V. niloticus heterodonty through ontogeny that may be applied to other non-mammalian taxa. Data were collected from the entire tooth row of 19 dry skull specimens. A semilandmark analysis was conducted on the outline of the photographed teeth, and size and shape were derived. Width was also measured with calipers. From these measures, sample ranges and allometric functions were created using multivariate statistical analyses for each tooth position separately, as well as overall measures of heterodonty for each specimen based on morphological disparity. The results confirm and expand upon previous studies, showing measurable shape-size heterodonty in the species with significant differences at each tooth position. Tooth size increases with body size at most positions, and the allometric coefficient increases at more distal positions. Width shows a dramatic increase at the distal positions with ontogeny, often displaying pronounced positive allometry. Dental shape varied in two noticeable ways, with the first composing the vast majority of shape variance: (i) caniniformy vs. molariformy and (ii) mesially leaning, 'rounded' apices vs. distally leaning, 'pointed' apices. The latter was twice as influential in the mandible, a consequence of host bone shape. Mesial teeth show no significant shape change with growth, whereas distal teeth change significantly due primarily to an increase in molariformy. Overall, heterodonty increases with body size concerning both tooth size and shape, but shape
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Geometrical approach to tumor growth.
Escudero, Carlos
2006-08-01
Tumor growth has a number of features in common with a physical process known as molecular beam epitaxy. Both growth processes are characterized by the constraint of growth development to the body border, and surface diffusion of cells and particles at the growing edge. However, tumor growth implies an approximate spherical symmetry that makes necessary a geometrical treatment of the growth equations. The basic model was introduced in a former paper [C. Escudero, Phys. Rev. E 73, 020902(R) (2006)], and in the present work we extend our analysis and try to shed light on the possible geometrical principles that drive tumor growth. We present two-dimensional models that reproduce the experimental observations, and analyze the unexplored three-dimensional case, for which interesting conclusions on tumor growth are derived.
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Rosas, Antonio; Bastir, Markus
2004-06-01
Allometry is an important factor of morphological integration that contributes to the organization of the phenotype and its variation. Variation in the allometric shape of the mandible is particularly important in hominid evolution because the mandible carries important taxonomic traits. Some of these traits are known to covary with size, particularly the retromolar space, symphyseal curvature, and position of the mental foramen. The mandible is a well studied system in the context of the evolutionary development of complex morphological structures because it is composed of different developmental units that are integrated within a single bone. In the present study, we investigated the allometric variation of two important developmental units that are separated by the inferior nerve (a branch of CN V3). We tested the null hypothesis that there would be no difference in allometric variation between the two components. Procrustes-based geometric morphometrics of 20 two-dimensional (2D) landmarks were analyzed by multivariate regressions of shape on size in samples from 121 humans, 48 chimpanzees, and 50 gorillas (all recent specimens), eight fossil hominids from Atapuerca, Sima de los Huesos (AT-SH), and 17 Neandertals. The findings show that in all of the examined species, there was significantly greater allometric variation in the supra-nerve unit than in the infra-nerve unit. The formation of the retromolar space exhibited an allometric relationship with the supra-nerve unit in all of the species studied. The formation of the chin-like morphology is an "apodynamic" feature of the infra-nerve unit in the AT-SH hominids. The results of this study support the hypothesis that allometry contributes to the organization of variation in complex morphological structures. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Rosas, Antonio; Pérez-Criado, Laura; Bastir, Markus; Estalrrich, Almudena; Huguet, Rosa; García-Tabernero, Antonio; Pastor, Juan Francisco; de la Rasilla, Marco
2015-05-01
A new collection of 49,000 year old Neandertal fossil humeri from the El Sidrón cave site (Asturias, Spain) is presented. A total of 49 humeral remains were recovered, representing 10 left and 8 right humeri from adults, adolescents, and a juvenile (not included in the analyses). 3D geometric morphometric (GM) methods as well as classic anthropological variables were employed to conduct a broad comparative analysis by means of mean centroid size and shape comparisons, principal components analysis, and cluster studies. Due to the fragmentary nature of the fossils, comparisons were organized in independent analyses according to different humeral portions: distal epiphysis, diaphysis, proximal epiphysis, and the complete humerus. From a multivariate viewpoint, 3D-GM analyses revealed major differences among taxonomic groups, supporting the value of the humerus in systematic classification. Notably, the Australopithecus anamensis (KP-271) and Homo ergaster Nariokotome (KNM-WT 15000) distal humerus consistently clusters close to those of modern humans, which may imply a primitive condition for Homo sapiens morphology. Australopithecus specimens show a high degree of dispersion in the morphospace. The El Sidrón sample perfectly fits into the classic Neandertal pattern, previously described as having a relatively wide olecranon fossa, as well as thin lateral and medial distodorsal pillars. These characteristics were also typical of the Sima de los Huesos (Atapuerca) sample, African mid-Pleistocene Bodo specimen, and Lower Pleistocene TD6-Atapuerca remains and may be considered as a derived state. Finally, we hypothesize that most of the features thought to be different between Neandertals and modern humans might be associated with structural differences in the pectoral girdle and shoulder joint. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Chovalopoulou, Maria-Eleni; Valakos, Efstratios D; Manolis, Sotiris K
2016-06-01
The aim of this study is to assess sexual dimorphism of adult crania in the vault and midsagittal curve of the vault using three-dimensional geometric morphometric methods. The study sample consisted of 176 crania of known sex (94 males, 82 females) belonging to individuals who lived during the 20th century in Greece. The three-dimensional co-ordinates of 31 ecto-cranial landmarks and 30 semi-landmarks were digitized using a MicroScribe 3DX contact digitizer. Generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) was used to obtain size and shape variables for statistical analysis. Shape, size and form analyses were carried out by logistic regression and three discriminant function analyses. Results indicate that there are shape differences between sexes. Females in the region of the parietal bones are narrower and the axis forming the frontal and occipital bones is more elongated; the frontal bone is more vertical. Sex-specific shape differences give better classification results in the vault (79%) compared with the midsagittal curve of the neurocranium (68.8%). Size alone yielded better results for cranial vault (82%), while for the midsagittal curve of the vault the result is poorer (68.1%). As anticipated, the classification accuracy improves when both size and shape are combined (89.2% for vault, and 79.4% for midsagittal curve of the vault). These latter findings imply that, in contrast to the midsagittal curve of the neurocranium, the shape of the cranial vault can be used as an indicator of sex in the modern Greek population. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
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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.
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Geometric allocation approaches in Markov chain Monte Carlo
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Todo, S; Suwa, H
2013-01-01
The Markov chain Monte Carlo method is a versatile tool in statistical physics to evaluate multi-dimensional integrals numerically. For the method to work effectively, we must consider the following key issues: the choice of ensemble, the selection of candidate states, the optimization of transition kernel, algorithm for choosing a configuration according to the transition probabilities. We show that the unconventional approaches based on the geometric allocation of probabilities or weights can improve the dynamics and scaling of the Monte Carlo simulation in several aspects. Particularly, the approach using the irreversible kernel can reduce or sometimes completely eliminate the rejection of trial move in the Markov chain. We also discuss how the space-time interchange technique together with Walker's method of aliases can reduce the computational time especially for the case where the number of candidates is large, such as models with long-range interactions
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Geometrical approach to central molecular chirality: a chirality selection rule
Capozziello, S.; Lattanzi, A.
2004-01-01
Chirality is of primary importance in many areas of chemistry and has been extensively investigated since its discovery. We introduce here the description of central chirality for tetrahedral molecules using a geometrical approach based on complex numbers. According to this representation, for a molecule having n chiral centres, it is possible to define an index of chirality. Consequently a chirality selection rule has been derived which allows the characterization of a molecule as achiral, e...
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A web-system of virtual morphometric globes
Florinsky, Igor; Garov, Andrei; Karachevtseva, Irina
2017-04-01
Virtual globes — programs implementing interactive three-dimensional (3D) models of planets — are increasingly used in geo- and planetary sciences. We develop a web-system of virtual morphometric globes. As the initial data, we used the following global digital elevation models (DEMs): (1) a DEM of the Earth extracted from SRTM30_PLUS database; (2) a DEM of Mars extracted from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) gridded data record archive; and (3) A DEM of the Moon extracted from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) gridded data record archive. From these DEMs, we derived global digital models of the following 16 local, nonlocal, and combined morphometric variables: horizontal curvature, vertical curvature, mean curvature, Gaussian curvature, minimal curvature, maximal curvature, unsphericity curvature, difference curvature, vertical excess curvature, horizontal excess curvature, ring curvature, accumulation curvature, catchment area, dispersive area, topographic index, and stream power index (definitions, formulae, and interpretations can be found elsewhere [1]). To calculate local morphometric variables, we applied a finite-difference method intended for spheroidal equal angular grids [1]. Digital models of a nonlocal and combined morphometric variables were derived by a method of Martz and de Jong adapted to spheroidal equal angular grids [1]. DEM processing was performed in the software LandLord [1]. The calculated morphometric models were integrated into the testing version of the system. The following main functions are implemented in the system: (1) selection of a celestial body; (2) selection of a morphometric variable; (3) 2D visualization of a calculated global morphometric model (a map in equirectangular projection); (4) 3D visualization of a calculated global morphometric model on the sphere surface (a globe by itself); (5) change of a globe scale (zooming); and (6) globe rotation by an arbitrary angle. The testing version of the system
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Life history dependent morphometric variation in stream-dwelling Atlantic salmon
Letcher, B.H.
2003-01-01
The time course of morphometric variation among life histories for stream-dwelling Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) parr (age-0+ to age-2+) was analyzed. Possible life histories were combinations of parr maturity status in the autumn (mature or immature) and age at outmigration (smolt at age-2+ or later age). Actual life histories expressed with enough fish for analysis in the 1997 cohort were immature/age-2+ smolt, mature/age-2 +smolt, and mature/age-2+ non-smolt. Tagged fish were assigned to one of the three life histories and digital pictures from the field were analyzed using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Results indicated that successful grouping of fish according to life history varied with fish age, but that fish could be grouped before the actual expression of the life histories. By March (age-1+), fish were successfully grouped using a descriptive discriminant function and successful assignment ranged from 84 to 97% for the remainder of stream residence. A jackknife of the discriminant function revealed an average life history prediction success of 67% from age-1+ summer to smolting. Low sample numbers for one of the life histories may have limited prediction success. A MANOVA on the shape descriptors (relative warps) also indicated significant differences in shape among life histories from age-1+ summer through to smolting. Across all samples, shape varied significantly with size. Within samples, shape did not vary significantly with size for samples from December (age-0+) to May (age-1+). During the age-1+ summer however, shape varied significantly with size, but the relationship between shape and size was not different among life histories. In the autumn (age-1+) and winter (age-2+), life history differences explained a significant portion of the change in shape with size. Life history dependent morphometric variation may be useful to indicate the timing of early expressions of life history variation and as a tool to explore temporal and
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jens N. Lallensack
2016-06-01
the ornithopod trackways. Geometric morphometric analysis reveals potential for improvement of existing discriminant methods.
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Lallensack, Jens N; van Heteren, Anneke H; Wings, Oliver
2016-01-01
trackways. Geometric morphometric analysis reveals potential for improvement of existing discriminant methods.
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Geometrical approach to the dynamics of the relativistic string
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barbashov, B.M.; Koshkarov, A.L.
1979-01-01
The dynamics of the relativistic string is considered from the point of view of the gaussian theory of two-dimensional surfaces in the three-dimensional pseudoeuclidean space-epsilon 3 1 according to which the surface is characterized by its first and second quadratic forms. The geometrical approach possesses an advantage which gives the possibility to solve manifestly additional conditions on the vector describing the coordinates of the string world surface. The equations of motion and boundary conditions are written out for the cases of a string with massive ends and a closed string. The basic equations are formulated for the coefficients of the first and second quadratic forms of the string world surface, which represent the known geometric conditions of integration of Gauss and Weingarten derivation formulas. By means of integration of the derivation formulas the representation is obtained for the form of the string world surface in a certain basis, which satisfies the equations of motion as well as additional conditions. A new relativistic invariant gauge is suggested which fixes the second quadratic form of the surface. This representation can be extended to the case of arbitrary dimensional space
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Geometric morphometric differences between Panstrongylus geniculatus from field and laboratory
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nicolás Jaramillo O
2002-07-01
Full Text Available The finding of Panstrongylus geniculatus nymphs inside a house in northeastern Antioquia, Colombia, and the reports related to their increasing presence in homes suggest the need for surveillance methods for monitoring the invasion processes. We analyzed the morphological differences between a wild population and its laboratory descendants, using the techniques of geometric morphometry, with the idea that such differences might parallel those between sylvatic and synanthropic populations. The analyses over five generations showed differences in size but not in shape. Head size and wing size were both reduced from sylvatic to laboratory populations, but the decrease in head size occurred only up to the second generation while the decrease in wing size proceeded up to the fifth generation. In contrast, although a decrease in sexual size dimorphism has been proposed as a marker of colonization in human dwellings, we did not detect any significant loss of dimorphism between sexes of P. geniculatus over the five generations studied. We conclude that size changes may have a physiological origin in response to a change of ecotopes, but more than five generations may be required for the expression of permanent morphological markers of human dwellings colonization.
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Syed, N. H.; Rehman, A. A.; Hussain, D.; Ishaq, S.; Khan, A. A.
2017-11-01
Morphometric analysis is vital for any watershed investigation and it is inevitable for flood risk assessment in sub-watershed basins. Present study undertaken to carry out critical evaluation and assessment of sub watershed morphological parameters for flood risk assessment of Central Karakorum National Park (CKNP), where Geographical information system and remote sensing (GIS & RS) approach used for quantifying the parameter and mapping of sub watershed units. ASTER DEM used as a geo-spatial data for watershed delineation and stream network. Morphometric analysis carried out using spatial analyst tool of ArcGIS 10.2. The parameters included were bifurcation ratio (Rb), Drainage Texture (Rt), Circulatory ratio (Rc), Elongated ratio (Re), Drainage density (Dd), Stream Length (Lu), Stream order (Su), Slope and Basin length (Lb) have calculated separately. The analysis revealed that the stream order varies from order 1 to 6 and the total numbers of stream segments of all orders were 52. Multi criteria analysis process used to calculate the risk factor. As an accomplished result, map of sub watershed prioritization developed using weighted standardized risk factor. These results helped to understand sensitivity of flush floods in different sub watersheds of the study area and leaded to better management of the mountainous regions in prospect of flush floods.
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Error performance analysis in K-tier uplink cellular networks using a stochastic geometric approach
Afify, Laila H.; Elsawy, Hesham; Al-Naffouri, Tareq Y.; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim
2015-01-01
-in-Distribution approach that utilizes stochastic geometric tools to account for the network geometry in the performance characterization. Different from the other stochastic geometry models adopted in the literature, the developed analysis accounts for important
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Implementation and efficiency of two geometric stiffening approaches
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lugris, Urbano; Naya, Miguel A.; Perez, Jose A.; Cuadrado, Javier
2008-01-01
When the modeling of flexible bodies is required in multibody systems, the floating frame of reference formulations are probably the most efficient methods available. In the case of beams undergoing high speed rotations, the geometric stiffening effect can appear due to geometric nonlinearities, and it is often not captured by the aforementioned methods, since it is common to linearize the elastic forces assuming small deformations. The present work discusses the implementation of different existing methods developed to consider such geometric nonlinearities within a floating frame of reference formulation in natural coordinates, making emphasis on the relation between efficiency and accuracy of the resulting algorithms, seeking to provide practical criteria of use
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Geometric Lagrangian approach to the physical degree of freedom count in field theory
Díaz, Bogar; Montesinos, Merced
2018-05-01
To circumvent some technical difficulties faced by the geometric Lagrangian approach to the physical degree of freedom count presented in the work of Díaz, Higuita, and Montesinos [J. Math. Phys. 55, 122901 (2014)] that prevent its direct implementation to field theory, in this paper, we slightly modify the geometric Lagrangian approach in such a way that its resulting version works perfectly for field theory (and for particle systems, of course). As in previous work, the current approach also allows us to directly get the Lagrangian constraints, a new Lagrangian formula for the counting of the number of physical degrees of freedom, the gauge transformations, and the number of first- and second-class constraints for any action principle based on a Lagrangian depending on the fields and their first derivatives without performing any Dirac's canonical analysis. An advantage of this approach over the previous work is that it also allows us to handle the reducibility of the constraints and to get the off-shell gauge transformations. The theoretical framework is illustrated in 3-dimensional generalized general relativity (Palatini and Witten's exotic actions), Chern-Simons theory, 4-dimensional BF theory, and 4-dimensional general relativity given by Palatini's action with a cosmological constant.
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An information geometric approach to least squares minimization
Transtrum, Mark; Machta, Benjamin; Sethna, James
2009-03-01
Parameter estimation by nonlinear least squares minimization is a ubiquitous problem that has an elegant geometric interpretation: all possible parameter values induce a manifold embedded within the space of data. The minimization problem is then to find the point on the manifold closest to the origin. The standard algorithm for minimizing sums of squares, the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, also has geometric meaning. When the standard algorithm fails to efficiently find accurate fits to the data, geometric considerations suggest improvements. Problems involving large numbers of parameters, such as often arise in biological contexts, are notoriously difficult. We suggest an algorithm based on geodesic motion that may offer improvements over the standard algorithm for a certain class of problems.
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Ribeiro, A. I.; Fengler, F. H.; Longo, R. M.; Mello, G. F.; Damame, D. B.; Crowley, D. E.
2015-12-01
Brazil has a high mineral potential that have been explored over the years. A large fraction of these mineral resources are located in Amazon region, which is known for its large biodiversity and world climate importance. As the policies that control the Amazon preservation are relatively new, several mining activities have been exploring the Amazon territory, promoting a large process of degradation. Once the mining activities have a high potential of environmental changes the government created polices to restrain the mining in Amazon forests and obligate mining companies to reclaim theirs minded areas. However, the measurement of reclamation development still is a challenging task for the Professionals involved. The volume and complexity of the variables, allied to the difficulty in identifying the reclamation of ecosystem functionalities are still lack to ensure the reclamation success. In this sense this work aims to investigate the representativeness of morphometric soil aggregates parameters in the understanding of reclamation development. The study area is located in the National Forest of Jamari, State of Rondônia. In the past mining companies explored the region producing eight closed mines that are now in reclamation process. The soil aggregates morphometric measurements: geometric mean diameter (GMD), aggregate circularity index, and aggregate roundness, were choose based in its obtaining facility, and their association to biological activity. To achieve the proposed objective the aggregates of eight sites in reclamation, from different closed mines, where chosen and compared to Amazon forest and open mine soil aggregates. The results were analyzed to one way ANOVA to identifying differences between areas in reclamation, natural ecosystem, and open mine. It was obtained differences for GMD and circularity index. However, only the circularity index allowed to identifying differences between the reclamation sites. The results allowed concluding: (1
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Khlyupin, Aleksey; Aslyamov, Timur
2017-06-01
Realistic fluid-solid interaction potentials are essential in description of confined fluids especially in the case of geometric heterogeneous surfaces. Correlated random field is considered as a model of random surface with high geometric roughness. We provide the general theory of effective coarse-grained fluid-solid potential by proper averaging of the free energy of fluid molecules which interact with the solid media. This procedure is largely based on the theory of random processes. We apply first passage time probability problem and assume the local Markov properties of random surfaces. General expression of effective fluid-solid potential is obtained. In the case of small surface irregularities analytical approximation for effective potential is proposed. Both amorphous materials with large surface roughness and crystalline solids with several types of fcc lattices are considered. It is shown that the wider the lattice spacing in terms of molecular diameter of the fluid, the more obtained potentials differ from classical ones. A comparison with published Monte-Carlo simulations was discussed. The work provides a promising approach to explore how the random geometric heterogeneity affects on thermodynamic properties of the fluids.
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Demystifying the memory effect: A geometrical approach to understanding speckle correlations
Prunty, Aaron C.; Snieder, Roel K.
2017-05-01
The memory effect has seen a surge of research into its fundamental properties and applications since its discovery by Feng et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 61, 834 (1988)]. While the wave trajectories for which the memory effect holds are hidden implicitly in the diffusion probability function [Phys. Rev. B 40, 737 (1989)], the physical intuition of why these trajectories satisfy the memory effect has often been masked by the derivation of the memory correlation function itself. In this paper, we explicitly derive the specific trajectories through a random medium for which the memory effect holds. Our approach shows that the memory effect follows from a simple conservation argument, which imposes geometrical constraints on the random trajectories that contribute to the memory effect. We illustrate the time-domain effects of these geometrical constraints with numerical simulations of pulse transmission through a random medium. The results of our derivation and numerical simulations are consistent with established theory and experimentation.
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MORPHOMETRICAL PARAMETERS OF GUT MICROFLORA IN HUMAN VOLUNTEERS
Wilkinson, M.H.F.; Meijer, B.C
1991-01-01
The morphology of faecal microflora of nine healthy human volunteers was studied by digital image analysis of microscopic slides. Weekly specimens were collected during an 8-week period. Seven morphometrical parameters were derived: the means and medians of components 1, 2 and 3, and morphometrical
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Chacón, M Gema; Détroit, Florent; Coudenneau, Aude; Moncel, Marie-Hélène
2016-01-01
There appears to be little doubt as to the existence of an intentional technological resolve to produce convergent tools during the Middle Palaeolithic. However, the use of these pieces as pointed tools is still subject to debate: i.e., handheld tool vs. hafted tool. Present-day technological analysis has begun to apply new methodologies in order to quantify shape variability and to decipher the role of the morphology of these pieces in relation to function; for instance, geometric morphometric analyses have recently been applied with successful results. This paper presents a study of this type of analysis on 37 convergent tools from level Ga of Payre site (France), dated to MIS 8-7. These pieces are non-standardized knapping products produced by discoidal and orthogonal core technologies. Moreover, macro-wear studies attest to various activities on diverse materials with no evidence of hafting or projectile use. The aim of this paper is to test the geometric morphometric approach on non-standardized artefacts applying the Elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA) to 3D contours and to assess the potential relationship between size and shape, technology and function. This study is innovative in that it is the first time that this method, considered to be a valuable complement for describing technological and functional attributes, is applied to 3D contours of lithic products. Our results show that this methodology ensures a very good degree of accuracy in describing shape variations of the sharp edges of technologically non-standardized convergent tools. EFA on 3D contours indicates variations in deviations of the outline along the third dimension (i.e., dorso-ventrally) and yields quantitative and insightful information on the actual shape variations of tools. Several statistically significant relationships are found between shape variation and use-wear attributes, though the results emphasize the large variability of the shape of the convergent tools, which, in general
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
M Gema Chacón
Full Text Available There appears to be little doubt as to the existence of an intentional technological resolve to produce convergent tools during the Middle Palaeolithic. However, the use of these pieces as pointed tools is still subject to debate: i.e., handheld tool vs. hafted tool. Present-day technological analysis has begun to apply new methodologies in order to quantify shape variability and to decipher the role of the morphology of these pieces in relation to function; for instance, geometric morphometric analyses have recently been applied with successful results. This paper presents a study of this type of analysis on 37 convergent tools from level Ga of Payre site (France, dated to MIS 8-7. These pieces are non-standardized knapping products produced by discoidal and orthogonal core technologies. Moreover, macro-wear studies attest to various activities on diverse materials with no evidence of hafting or projectile use. The aim of this paper is to test the geometric morphometric approach on non-standardized artefacts applying the Elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA to 3D contours and to assess the potential relationship between size and shape, technology and function. This study is innovative in that it is the first time that this method, considered to be a valuable complement for describing technological and functional attributes, is applied to 3D contours of lithic products. Our results show that this methodology ensures a very good degree of accuracy in describing shape variations of the sharp edges of technologically non-standardized convergent tools. EFA on 3D contours indicates variations in deviations of the outline along the third dimension (i.e., dorso-ventrally and yields quantitative and insightful information on the actual shape variations of tools. Several statistically significant relationships are found between shape variation and use-wear attributes, though the results emphasize the large variability of the shape of the convergent tools
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Khelouat, Samir
2012-06-01
This paper deals with the problem of detection and isolation of stator short-circuit failure in a single asynchronous machine using a geometric approach. After recalling the basis of the geometric approach for fault detection and isolation in nonlinear systems, we will study some structural properties which are fault detectability and isolation fault filter existence. We will then design filters for residual generation. We will consider two approaches: a two-filters structure and a single filter structure, both aiming at generating residuals which are sensitive to one fault and insensitive to the other faults. Some numerical tests will be presented to illustrate the efficiency of the method.
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Present State of the Art of Composite Fabric Forming: Geometrical and Mechanical Approaches
Cherouat, Abel; Borouchaki, Houman
2009-01-01
Continuous fibre reinforced composites are now firmly established engineering materials for the manufacture of components in the automotive and aerospace industries. In this respect, composite fabrics provide flexibility in the design manufacture. The ability to define the ply shapes and material orientation has allowed engineers to optimize the composite properties of the parts. The formulation of new numerical models for the simulation of the composite forming processes must allow for reduction in the delay in manufacturing and an optimization of costs in an integrated design approach. We propose two approaches to simulate the deformation of woven fabrics: geometrical and mechanical approaches.
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Entanglement capacity of nonlocal Hamiltonians: A geometric approach
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lari, Behzad; Hassan, Ali Saif M.; Joag, Pramod S.
2009-01-01
We develop a geometric approach to quantify the capability of creating entanglement for a general physical interaction acting on two qubits. We use the entanglement measure proposed by us for N-qubit pure states [Ali Saif M. Hassan and Pramod S. Joag, Phys. Rev. A 77, 062334 (2008)]. This geometric method has the distinct advantage that it gives the experimentally implementable criteria to ensure the optimal entanglement production rate without requiring a detailed knowledge of the state of the two qubit system. For the production of entanglement in practice, we need criteria for optimal entanglement production, which can be checked in situ without any need to know the state, as experimentally finding out the state of a quantum system is generally a formidable task. Further, we use our method to quantify the entanglement capacity in higher level and multipartite systems. We quantify the entanglement capacity for two qutrits and find the maximal entanglement generation rate and the corresponding state for the general isotropic interaction between qutrits, using the entanglement measure of N-qudit pure states proposed by us [Ali Saif M. Hassan and Pramod S. Joag, Phys. Rev. A 80, 042302 (2009)]. Next we quantify the genuine three qubit entanglement capacity for a general interaction between qubits. We obtain the maximum entanglement generation rate and the corresponding three qubit state for a general isotropic interaction between qubits. The state maximizing the entanglement generation rate is of the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger class. To the best of our knowledge, the entanglement capacities for two qutrit and three qubit systems have not been reported earlier.
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Mobile Watermarking against Geometrical Distortions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jing Zhang
2015-08-01
Full Text Available Mobile watermarking robust to geometrical distortions is still a great challenge. In mobile watermarking, efficient computation is necessary because mobile devices have very limited resources due to power consumption. In this paper, we propose a low-complexity geometrically resilient watermarking approach based on the optimal tradeoff circular harmonic function (OTCHF correlation filter and the minimum average correlation energy Mellin radial harmonic (MACE-MRH correlation filter. By the rotation, translation and scale tolerance properties of the two kinds of filter, the proposed watermark detector can be robust to geometrical attacks. The embedded watermark is weighted by a perceptual mask which matches very well with the properties of the human visual system. Before correlation, a whitening process is utilized to improve watermark detection reliability. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed watermarking approach is computationally efficient and robust to geometrical distortions.
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A geometric approach to multiperiod mean variance optimization of assets and liabilities
Leippold, Markus; Trojani, Fabio; Vanini, Paolo
2005-01-01
We present a geometric approach to discrete time multiperiod mean variance portfolio optimization that largely simplifies the mathematical analysis and the economic interpretation of such model settings. We show that multiperiod mean variance optimal policies can be decomposed in an orthogonal set of basis strategies, each having a clear economic interpretation. This implies that the corresponding multi period mean variance frontiers are spanned by an orthogonal basis of dynamic returns. Spec...
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Morphometric analysis of llama (Lama glama) sperm head.
Casaretto, C; Lombardo, D M; Giuliano, S; Gambarotta, M; Carretero, M I; Miragaya, M H
2012-05-01
Llama production in Argentina has increased, as the international interest in breeding this type of animals has grown in the last years. Considering the great polymorphism that llama spermatozoa present at evaluation using light microscopy, the aim of this study was to objectively evaluate llama sperm head morphometry using digital morphometric analysis. Five ejaculates from each of eight males were obtained to evaluate morphometric parameters of 8000 sperm heads stained with Tinción 15(®). The following average results were obtained for each parameter: size parameters: area 20.09 μm(2), length 6.60 μm, width 4.14 μm, equivalent circle diameter 5.06 μm, curve length 5.79 μm and curve width 3.48 μm; boundary parameters: perimeter 18.54 μm and convex perimeter 17.34 μm; and shape parameters: roundness 1.28 and elongation 1.59. Morphometric parameters of sperm head were compared between ejaculates of the same male and between males. Significant differences between ejaculates of the same male were found for all parameters evaluated (P < 0.01). Significant differences between males were found for all morphometric parameters (P < 0.01) except for curve length, curve width and perimeter. The differences detected would indicate that there is not a single morphometric pattern for Lama glama sperm head, because parameter values cannot be standardised. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
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A network approach to the geometric structure of shallow cloud fields
Glassmeier, F.; Feingold, G.
2017-12-01
The representation of shallow clouds and their radiative impact is one of the largest challenges for global climate models. While the bulk properties of cloud fields, including effects of organization, are a very active area of research, the potential of the geometric arrangement of cloud fields for the development of new parameterizations has hardly been explored. Self-organized patterns are particularly evident in the cellular structure of Stratocumulus (Sc) clouds so readily visible in satellite imagery. Inspired by similar patterns in biology and physics, we approach pattern formation in Sc fields from the perspective of natural cellular networks. Our network analysis is based on large-eddy simulations of open- and closed-cell Sc cases. We find the network structure to be neither random nor characteristic to natural convection. It is independent of macroscopic cloud fields properties like the Sc regime (open vs closed) and its typical length scale (boundary layer height). The latter is a consequence of entropy maximization (Lewis's Law with parameter 0.16). The cellular pattern is on average hexagonal, where non-6 sided cells occur according to a neighbor-number distribution variance of about 2. Reflecting the continuously renewing dynamics of Sc fields, large (many-sided) cells tend to neighbor small (few-sided) cells (Aboav-Weaire Law with parameter 0.9). These macroscopic network properties emerge independent of the Sc regime because the different processes governing the evolution of closed as compared to open cells correspond to topologically equivalent network dynamics. By developing a heuristic model, we show that open and closed cell dynamics can both be mimicked by versions of cell division and cell disappearance and are biased towards the expansion of smaller cells. This model offers for the first time a fundamental and universal explanation for the geometric pattern of Sc clouds. It may contribute to the development of advanced Sc parameterizations
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Geometrical approach to tumor growth
Escudero, Carlos
2006-01-01
Tumor growth has a number of features in common with a physical process known as molecular beam epitaxy. Both growth processes are characterized by the constraint of growth development to the body border, and surface diffusion of cells/particles at the growing edge. However, tumor growth implies an approximate spherical symmetry that makes necessary a geometrical treatment of the growth equations. The basic model was introduced in a former article [C. Escudero, Phys. Rev. E 73, 020902(R) (200...
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Morphometric evaluation of Arbor Acre parent stock broilers reared ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Morphometric evaluation of Arbor Acre parent stock broilers reared in ... Economic importance of morphometric parameters such as live weight and body ... (R2) value of 60.30 included forecast indices such as BL, WS, WL, TL, BG and SL.
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Digital Morphometrics: A New Upper Airway Phenotyping Paradigm in OSA.
Schwab, Richard J; Leinwand, Sarah E; Bearn, Cary B; Maislin, Greg; Rao, Ramya Bhat; Nagaraja, Adithya; Wang, Stephen; Keenan, Brendan T
2017-08-01
OSA is associated with changes in pharyngeal anatomy. The goal of this study was to objectively and reproducibly quantify pharyngeal anatomy by using digital morphometrics based on a laser ruler and to assess differences between subjects with OSA and control subjects and associations with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to use digital morphometrics to quantify intraoral risk factors for OSA. Digital photographs were obtained by using an intraoral laser ruler and digital camera in 318 control subjects (mean AHI, 4.2 events/hour) and 542 subjects with OSA (mean AHI, 39.2 events/hour). The digital morphometric paradigm was validated and reproducible over time and camera distances. A larger modified Mallampati score and having a nonvisible airway were associated with a higher AHI, both unadjusted (P digital morphometrics is an accurate, high-throughput, and noninvasive technique to identify anatomic OSA risk factors. Morphometrics may also provide a more reproducible and standardized measurement of the Mallampati score. Digital morphometrics represent an efficient and cost-effective method of examining intraoral crowding and tongue size when examining large populations, genetics, or screening for OSA. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Establishing some Correlations between Certain Morphometric Parameters and Embryo Quality
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nicolae Păcală
2011-05-01
Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to establish some correlations between certain morphometric parameters and embryo quality. The morphometric parameters taken into consideration were: zona pellucida thickness, outer and inner diameter, and outer and inner perimeter. For experiments we used embryos recovered at 24 hours from mouse females superovulated with gonadotrope hormones (eCG and hCG. The embryos recovered were cultivated in KSOM media, supplemented with amino acids, and during the in vitro cultivation they were measured at different time intervals for establishing morphometric parameters. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using Minitab 15, using Fitted Line Plot regression that allows testing of the linear and polynomial regression of one variable. After statistical analyze of the data we found that the thickness of the zona pellucida can constitute a morphometric parameter that can be used as an indicator of subsequent development of the 2 cell embryos to morula and blastocyst stage respectively. The other morphometric parameters studied (outer and inner diameter, and outer and inner perimeter cannot be used as indicators of the embryo development.
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Paolo Citton; Romano, Marco; Salvador, Isabella; Avanzini, Marco
2017-08-01
About thirty human footprints made approximately 12,000 years B.P. inside the 'Sala dei Misteri' Cave of Básura near Toirano, Liguria, northern Italy, were studied by standard ichnological analysis. Eleven of the best-preserved tracks were examined further using morpho-classificatory and morphometric approaches, in order to estimate the minimum number of trackmakers; biometric measurements were also used to tentatively determine their physical characteristics (e.g., height and age). Results indicate at least three different producers, two youths and the third of tender age. Analysis of the data demonstrate the power of 3D, of landmark-based morphometrics, and the utility of methods of forensic anthropology in the determination of human footprints. The study of the number of trackmakers using the principal component analysis (PCA) on 'multi-trampling' surfaces could represent a model in the ichnological study of cave sites.
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Niethammer, Marc; Hart, Gabriel L; Pace, Danielle F; Vespa, Paul M; Irimia, Andrei; Van Horn, John D; Aylward, Stephen R
2011-01-01
Standard image registration methods do not account for changes in image appearance. Hence, metamorphosis approaches have been developed which jointly estimate a space deformation and a change in image appearance to construct a spatio-temporal trajectory smoothly transforming a source to a target image. For standard metamorphosis, geometric changes are not explicitly modeled. We propose a geometric metamorphosis formulation, which explains changes in image appearance by a global deformation, a deformation of a geometric model, and an image composition model. This work is motivated by the clinical challenge of predicting the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries based on time-series images. This work is also applicable to the quantification of tumor progression (e.g., estimating its infiltrating and displacing components) and predicting chronic blood perfusion changes after stroke. We demonstrate the utility of the method using simulated data as well as scans from a clinical traumatic brain injury patient.
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Morphometric Analysis of Didessa River Catchment in Blue Nile ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Morphometric Analysis of Didessa River Catchment in Blue Nile Basin, Western Ethiopia. ... In the present paper an attempt has been made to study the morphometric characteristics of Didessa ... Stream networks and watersheds were delineated in ArcGIS 10.1 software environment by utilizing ... HOW TO USE AJOL.
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Current morphometric methods that comprehensively measure shape cannot compare the disparate leaf shapes found in flowering plants and are sensitive to processing artifacts. Here we describe a persistent homology approach to measuring shape. Persistent homology is a topological method (concerned wit...
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ROUNDSCALE SPEARFISH branchiostegal morphometric data
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The morphometric characteristics that separate white marlin Kajikia albidus from roundscale spearfish Tetrapturus georgii can be difficult for non-experts to...
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Geometric Approaches to Quadratic Equations from Other Times and Places.
Allaire, Patricia R.; Bradley, Robert E.
2001-01-01
Focuses on geometric solutions of quadratic problems. Presents a collection of geometric techniques from ancient Babylonia, classical Greece, medieval Arabia, and early modern Europe to enhance the quadratic equation portion of an algebra course. (KHR)
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Morphometric Characterization of Small Cell Lymphocytic Lymphoma
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chisoi Anca
2014-11-01
Full Text Available The morphometry in histopathology is used to characterize cell populations belonging to different tissues and to identify differences in their parameters with prognostic implications. To achieve morphometric examination were selected 6 of 24 cases identified as small cell lymphocytic lymphoma. For each case analysis was done on five fields, for each field measuring the parameters of 20 cells. The studied parameters were for cytoplasm: cytoplasmic area, maximum and minimum cytoplasmic diameter, cytoplasmic perimeter; for nucleus were measured: nuclear area, minimum and maximum nuclear diameter, nuclear perimeter, nuclear contour index, nuclear ellipticity index, nuclear irregularity index. Also the nucleocytoplasmic ratio was calculated in all studied cases. Small cell lymphocytic lymphoma is characterized in morphometric terms having a small cytoplasmic area (average 29.206 and also a small nuclear area (mean 28.939 having a nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio appearance suggestive for adult lymphocyte. A nuclear contour index small value (3.946, ellipticity index value also small (3.521 and small nuclear irregularity index (3.965. Standard deviations, in any of the studied morphometric categories, is around or below 1 suggesting monomorphic cell appearance. These morphometric and microscopic features characterized mainly by a small population of adult lymphocytes, monomorphic, with rounded hipercromic nuclei, dense chromatin, support the framing into indolent lymphoma group in terms of clinical outcome.
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Asymptotic and geometrical quantization
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Karasev, M.V.; Maslov, V.P.
1984-01-01
The main ideas of geometric-, deformation- and asymptotic quantizations are compared. It is shown that, on the one hand, the asymptotic approach is a direct generalization of exact geometric quantization, on the other hand, it generates deformation in multiplication of symbols and Poisson brackets. Besides investigating the general quantization diagram, its applications to the calculation of asymptotics of a series of eigenvalues of operators possessing symmetry groups are considered
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Macroscopic polarization in crystalline dielectrics: the geometric phase approach
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Resta, R.
1994-01-01
The macroscopic electric polarization of a crystal is often defined as the dipole of a unit cell. In fact, such a dipole moment is ill defined, and the above definition is incorrect. Looking more closely, the quantity generally measured is differential polarization, defined with respect to a ''reference state'' of the same material. Such differential polarizations include either derivatives of the polarization (dielectric permittivity, Born effective charges, piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity) or finite differences (ferroelectricity). On the theoretical side, the differential concept is basic as well. Owing to continuity, a polarization difference is equivalent to a macroscopic current, which is directly accessible to the theory as a bulk property. Polarization is a quantum phenomenon and cannot be treated with a classical model, particularly whenever delocalized valence electrons are present in the dielectric. In a quantum picture, the current is basically a property of the phase of the wave functions, as opposed to the charge, which is a property of their modulus. An elegant and complete theory has recently been developed by King-Smith and Vanderbilt, in which the polarization difference between any two crystal states--in a null electric field--takes the form of a geometric quantum phase. This gives a comprehensive account of this theory, which is relevant for dealing with transverse-optic phonons, piezoelectricity, and ferroelectricity. Its relation to the established concepts of linear-response theory is also discussed. Within the geometric phase approach, the relevant polarization difference occurs as the circuit integral of a Berry connection (or ''vector potential''), while the corresponding curvature (or ''magnetic field'') provides the macroscopic linear response
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Geometric approach to soliton equations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sasaki, R.
1979-09-01
A class of nonlinear equations that can be solved in terms of nxn scattering problem is investigated. A systematic geometric method of exploiting conservation laws and related equations, the so-called prolongation structure, is worked out. The nxn problem is reduced to nsub(n-1)x(n-1) problems and finally to 2x2 problems, which have been comprehensively investigated recently by the author. A general method of deriving the infinite numbers of polynomial conservation laws for an nxn problem is presented. The cases of 3x3 and 2x2 problems are discussed explicitly. (Auth.)
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ichinose, Shoichi
2010-01-01
A geometric approach to general quantum statistical systems (including the harmonic oscillator) is presented. It is applied to Casimir energy and the dissipative system with friction. We regard the (N+1)-dimensional Euclidean coordinate system (X i ,τ) as the quantum statistical system of N quantum (statistical) variables (X τ ) and one Euclidean time variable (t). Introducing paths (lines or hypersurfaces) in this space (X τ ,t), we adopt the path-integral method to quantize the mechanical system. This is a new view of (statistical) quantization of the mechanical system. The system Hamiltonian appears as the area. We show quantization is realized by the minimal area principle in the present geometric approach. When we take a line as the path, the path-integral expressions of the free energy are shown to be the ordinary ones (such as N harmonic oscillators) or their simple variation. When we take a hyper-surface as the path, the system Hamiltonian is given by the area of the hyper-surface which is defined as a closed-string configuration in the bulk space. In this case, the system becomes a O(N) non-linear model. We show the recently-proposed 5 dimensional Casimir energy (ArXiv:0801.3064,0812.1263) is valid. We apply this approach to the visco-elastic system, and present a new method using the path-integral for the calculation of the dissipative properties.
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Parasites and Morphometric Indices of Frozen Fish Sold in Nsukka ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The parasites and morphometric indices of frozen fish sold in Nsukka Urban Market in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria were investigated between June and December 2008 to determine the parasite prevalence, mean intensity and abundance and some morphometric indices associated with ...
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Püschel, Thomas A; Espejo, Jaime; Sanzana, María-José; Benítez, Hugo A
2014-01-01
Sophora toromiro (Phil) Skottsb. is a species that has been extinct in its natural habitat Easter Island (Rapa Nui) for over 50 years. However, seed collections carried out before its extinction have allowed its persistence ex-situ in different botanical gardens and private collections around the world. The progenies of these diverse collections have been classified in different lines, most of them exhibiting high similarity as corroborated by molecular markers. In spite of this resemblance observed between the different lines, one of them (Titze) has dissimilar floral elements, thus generating doubts regarding its species classification. The floral elements (wing, standard and keel) belonging to three different S. toromiro lines and two related species were analyzed using geometric morphometrics. This method was applied in order to quantify the floral shape variation of the standard, wing, and keel between the different lines and control species. Geometric morphometrics analyses were able to distinguish the floral elements at both intra (lines) and inter-specific levels. The present results are on line with the cumulative evidence that supports the Titze line as not being a proper member of the S. toromiro species, but probably a hybridization product or even another species of the Edwardsia section. The reintroduction programs of S. toromiro should consider this information when assessing the authenticity and origin of the lines that will be used to repopulate the island.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Thomas A Püschel
Full Text Available Sophora toromiro (Phil Skottsb. is a species that has been extinct in its natural habitat Easter Island (Rapa Nui for over 50 years. However, seed collections carried out before its extinction have allowed its persistence ex-situ in different botanical gardens and private collections around the world. The progenies of these diverse collections have been classified in different lines, most of them exhibiting high similarity as corroborated by molecular markers. In spite of this resemblance observed between the different lines, one of them (Titze has dissimilar floral elements, thus generating doubts regarding its species classification. The floral elements (wing, standard and keel belonging to three different S. toromiro lines and two related species were analyzed using geometric morphometrics. This method was applied in order to quantify the floral shape variation of the standard, wing, and keel between the different lines and control species. Geometric morphometrics analyses were able to distinguish the floral elements at both intra (lines and inter-specific levels. The present results are on line with the cumulative evidence that supports the Titze line as not being a proper member of the S. toromiro species, but probably a hybridization product or even another species of the Edwardsia section. The reintroduction programs of S. toromiro should consider this information when assessing the authenticity and origin of the lines that will be used to repopulate the island.
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Morphometric features of a low-elevation urban catchment and the ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
River basin morphometric is a geomorphological tool that applies to physical measurements about a river form, from which can be derived quantities that explain its characteristics, such as size, shape, stream network and discharge. This paper used basin morphometric to assess flood occurrence in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
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Reproducibility of morphometric X-ray absorptiometry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Culton, N.; Pocock, N.
1999-01-01
Full text: Morphometric X-ray absorptiometry (MXA) using DXA is potentially a useful clinical tool which may provide additional vertebral fracture information with low radiation exposure. While morphometric analysis is semi-automated, operator intervention is crucial for the accurate positioning of the six data points quantifying the vertebral heights at the anterior, middle and posterior positions. Our study evaluated intra-operator reproducibility of MXA in an elderly patient population and assessed the effect of training and experience on vertebral height precision. Ten patients, with a mean lumbar T score of - 2.07, were studied. Images were processed by a trained operator who had initially only limited morphometric experience. The analysis of the data files were repeated at 2 and 6 weeks, during which time the operator had obtained further experience and training. The intra-operator precision of vertebral height measurements was calculated using the three separate combinations of paired analyses, and expressed as the coefficient of variation. This study confirms the importance of adequate training and attention to detail in MXA analysis. The data indicate that the precision of MXA is adequate for its use in the diagnosis of vertebral fractures, based on a 20% deformity criteria. Use of MXA for monitoring would require approximately an 8% change in vertebral heights to achieve statistical significance
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Geometrical methods for power network analysis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bellucci, Stefano; Tiwari, Bhupendra Nath [Istituto Nazioneale di Fisica Nucleare, Frascati, Rome (Italy). Lab. Nazionali di Frascati; Gupta, Neeraj [Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India). Dept. of Electrical Engineering
2013-02-01
Uses advanced geometrical methods to analyse power networks. Provides a self-contained and tutorial introduction. Includes a fully worked-out example for the IEEE 5 bus system. This book is a short introduction to power system planning and operation using advanced geometrical methods. The approach is based on well-known insights and techniques developed in theoretical physics in the context of Riemannian manifolds. The proof of principle and robustness of this approach is examined in the context of the IEEE 5 bus system. This work addresses applied mathematicians, theoretical physicists and power engineers interested in novel mathematical approaches to power network theory.
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Finsler metrics—a global approach with applications to geometric function theory
Abate, Marco
1994-01-01
Complex Finsler metrics appear naturally in complex analysis. To develop new tools in this area, the book provides a graduate-level introduction to differential geometry of complex Finsler metrics. After reviewing real Finsler geometry stressing global results, complex Finsler geometry is presented introducing connections, Kählerianity, geodesics, curvature. Finally global geometry and complex Monge-Ampère equations are discussed for Finsler manifolds with constant holomorphic curvature, which are important in geometric function theory. Following E. Cartan, S.S. Chern and S. Kobayashi, the global approach carries the full strength of hermitian geometry of vector bundles avoiding cumbersome computations, and thus fosters applications in other fields.
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Morphometric Evaluation of Preeclamptic Placenta Using Light Microscopic Images
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rashmi Mukherjee
2014-01-01
Full Text Available Deficient trophoblast invasion and anomalies in placental development generally lead to preeclampsia (PE but the inter-relationship between placental function and morphology in PE still remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric features of placental villi and capillaries in preeclamptic and normal placentae. The study included light microscopic images of placental tissue sections of 40 preeclamptic and 35 normotensive pregnant women. Preprocessing and segmentation of these images were performed to characterize the villi and capillaries. Fisher’s linear discriminant analysis (FLDA, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA, and principal component analysis (PCA were applied to identify the most significant placental (morphometric features from microscopic images. A total of 10 morphometric features were extracted, of which the villous parameters were significantly altered in PE. FLDA identified 5 highly significant morphometric features (>90% overall discrimination accuracy. Two large subclusters were clearly visible in HCA based dendrogram. PCA returned three most significant principal components cumulatively explaining 98.4% of the total variance based on these 5 significant features. Hence, quantitative microscopic evaluation revealed that placental morphometry plays an important role in characterizing PE, where the villous is the major component that is affected.
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Picard de Muller, Gaël; Ait-Belkacem, Rima; Bonnel, David; Longuespée, Rémi; Stauber, Jonathan
2017-12-01
Mass spectrometry imaging datasets are mostly analyzed in terms of average intensity in regions of interest. However, biological tissues have different morphologies with several sizes, shapes, and structures. The important biological information, contained in this highly heterogeneous cellular organization, could be hidden by analyzing the average intensities. Finding an analytical process of morphology would help to find such information, describe tissue model, and support identification of biomarkers. This study describes an informatics approach for the extraction and identification of mass spectrometry image features and its application to sample analysis and modeling. For the proof of concept, two different tissue types (healthy kidney and CT-26 xenograft tumor tissues) were imaged and analyzed. A mouse kidney model and tumor model were generated using morphometric - number of objects and total surface - information. The morphometric information was used to identify m/z that have a heterogeneous distribution. It seems to be a worthwhile pursuit as clonal heterogeneity in a tumor is of clinical relevance. This study provides a new approach to find biomarker or support tissue classification with more information. [Figure not available: see fulltext.
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Ivanov, M. A.; Yermolaev, O. P.
2018-01-01
Information about morphometric characteristics of relief is necessary for researches devoted to geographic characteristics of territory, its zoning, assessment of erosion processes, geoecological condition and others. For the Volga Federal District for the first time a spatial database of geomorphometric parameters 1: 200 000 scale was created, based on a river basin approach. Watersheds are used as a spatial units created by semi-automated method using the terrain and hydrological modeling techniques implemented in the TAS GIS and WhiteBox GIS. As input data DEMs SRTM and Aster GDEM and hydrographic network vectorized from topographic maps were used. Using DEM highlighted above for each river basin, basic morphometric relief characteristics such as mean height, slope steepness, slope length, height range, river network density and factor LS were calculated. Basins belonging to the geomorphological regions and landscape zones was determined, according to the map of geomorphological zoning and landscape map. Analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant relationship between these characteristics and geomorphological regions and landscape zones. Consequently, spatial trends of changes of analyzed morphometric characteristics were revealed.
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Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)
Jayalakshmy, K.V.; Nair, M.; DileepKumar, R.; Vijayan, M.
morphometric gradient groups (spat and adult), indicating the different phenotypic plasticity between them. The factor scores classified P. indica as a unimodal, positively skewed leptokurtic population and P. viridis as a unimodal, negatively skewed...
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Veen, Berlinda J. van der; Younis, Imad Al; Ajmone-Marsan, Nina; Bax, Jeroen J.; Westenberg, Jos J.M.; Roos, Albert de; Stokkel, Marcel P.M.
2012-01-01
Left ventricular dyssynchrony may predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy and may well predict adverse cardiac events. Recently, a geometrical approach for dyssynchrony analysis of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) was introduced. In this study the feasibility of this geometrical method to detect dyssynchrony was assessed in a population with a normal MPS and in patients with documented ventricular dyssynchrony. For the normal population 80 patients (40 men and 40 women) with normal perfusion (summed stress score ≤2 and summed rest score ≤2) and function (left ventricular ejection fraction 55-80%) on MPS were selected; 24 heart failure patients with proven dyssynchrony on MRI were selected for comparison. All patients underwent a 2-day stress/rest MPS protocol. Perfusion, function and dyssynchrony parameters were obtained by the Corridor4DM software package (Version 6.1). For the normal population time to peak motion was 42.8 ± 5.1% RR cycle, SD of time to peak motion was 3.5 ± 1.4% RR cycle and bandwidth was 18.2 ± 6.0% RR cycle. No significant gender-related differences or differences between rest and post-stress acquisition were found for the dyssynchrony parameters. Discrepancies between the normal and abnormal populations were most profound for the mean wall motion (p value <0.001), SD of time to peak motion (p value <0.001) and bandwidth (p value <0.001). It is feasible to quantify ventricular dyssynchrony in MPS using the geometrical approach as implemented by Corridor4DM. (orig.)
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Olstad, K; Shinn, A P; Bachmann, L; Bakke, T A
2007-12-01
Gyrodactylus salaris is a serious pest of wild pre-smolt Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Norway. The closely related G. thymalli, originally described from grayling (Thymallus thymallus), is assumed harmless to both grayling and salmon. The 2 species are difficult to distinguish using traditional, morphometric methods or molecular approaches. The aim of this study was to explore whether there is a consistent pattern of morphometrical variation between G. salaris and G. thymalli and to analyse the morphometric variation in the context of 'diagnostic realism' (in natural populations). Specimens from the type-material for the 2 species are also included. In total, 27 point-to-point measurements from the opisthaptoral hard parts were used and analysed by digital image processing and uni- and multivariate morphometry. All populations most closely resembled its respective type material, as expected from host species, with the exception of G. thymalli from the Norwegian river Trysilelva. We, therefore, did not find clear support in the morphometrical variation among G. salaris and G. thymalli for an a priori species delineation based on host. The present study also indicates an urgent need for more detailed knowledge on the influence of environmental factors on the phenotype of gyrodactylid populations.
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Proportional-delayed controllers design for LTI-systems: a geometric approach
Hernández-Díez, J.-E.; Méndez-Barrios, C.-F.; Mondié, S.; Niculescu, S.-I.; González-Galván, E. J.
2018-04-01
This paper focuses on the design of P-δ controllers for single-input-single-output linear time-invariant systems. The basis of this work is a geometric approach allowing to partitioning the parameter space in regions with constant number of unstable roots. This methodology defines the hyper-planes separating the aforementioned regions and characterises the way in which the number of unstable roots changes when crossing such a hyper-plane. The main contribution of the paper is that it provides an explicit tool to find P-δ gains ensuring the stability of the closed-loop system. In addition, the proposed methodology allows to design a non-fragile controller with a desired exponential decay rate σ. Several numerical examples illustrate the results and a haptic experimental set-up shows the effectiveness of P-δ controllers.
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A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF THE SELLA TURCICA; GENDER EFFECT
Ashraf Mohamed Elsayed Ali SAKRAN *1, Mohammad Afzal KHAN 2, Faris Mohammed Nour ALTAF 3, Hassan Elsiddig Hassan FARAGALLA 4, Amal Yousif Ahmed Elhaj MUSTAFA 5, Muhammad Mazhar HIJAZI 6, Rayan Abdulshakur NIYAZI 7, Abrar Jamal TAWAKUL 8, Abeer Zubair MALEBARI 9, Amal AbdulAziz SALEM 10.
2015-01-01
Background and objective: Precise anatomical knowledge of the sella turcica is important for neurologists and surgeons operating in the region of cavernous sinus or the surrounding structures. The current study was undertaken to record normal morphometric parameters for future reference and to determine if there is any significance difference in the sella turcica morphometry regarding the gender. Methodology: A Morphometric analysis of the Sella Turcica and structures in vicinity were done...
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A Geometric Fuzzy-Based Approach for Airport Clustering
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Maria Nadia Postorino
2014-01-01
Full Text Available Airport classification is a common need in the air transport field due to several purposes—such as resource allocation, identification of crucial nodes, and real-time identification of substitute nodes—which also depend on the involved actors’ expectations. In this paper a fuzzy-based procedure has been proposed to cluster airports by using a fuzzy geometric point of view according to the concept of unit-hypercube. By representing each airport as a point in the given reference metric space, the geometric distance among airports—which corresponds to a measure of similarity—has in fact an intrinsic fuzzy nature due to the airport specific characteristics. The proposed procedure has been applied to a test case concerning the Italian airport network and the obtained results are in line with expectations.
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Geometric inequalities methods of proving
Sedrakyan, Hayk
2017-01-01
This unique collection of new and classical problems provides full coverage of geometric inequalities. Many of the 1,000 exercises are presented with detailed author-prepared-solutions, developing creativity and an arsenal of new approaches for solving mathematical problems. This book can serve teachers, high-school students, and mathematical competitors. It may also be used as supplemental reading, providing readers with new and classical methods for proving geometric inequalities. .
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A differential-geometric approach to generalized linear models with grouped predictors
Augugliaro, Luigi; Mineo, Angelo M.; Wit, Ernst C.
We propose an extension of the differential-geometric least angle regression method to perform sparse group inference in a generalized linear model. An efficient algorithm is proposed to compute the solution curve. The proposed group differential-geometric least angle regression method has important
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Geometrical Approach to the Grid System in the KOPEC Pilot Code
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lee, E. J.; Park, C. E.; Lee, S. Y.
2008-01-01
KOPEC has been developing a pilot code to analyze two phase flow. The earlier version of the pilot code adopts the geometry with one-dimensional structured mesh system. As the pilot code is required to handle more complex geometries, a systematic geometrical approach to grid system has been introduced. Grid system can be classified as two types; structured grid system and unstructured grid system. The structured grid system is simple to apply but is less flexible than the other. The unstructured grid system is more complicated than the structured grid system. But it is more flexible to model the geometry. Therefore, two types of grid systems are utilized to allow code users simplicity as well as the flexibility
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Geometric Programming Approach to an Interactive Fuzzy Inventory Problem
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nirmal Kumar Mandal
2011-01-01
Full Text Available An interactive multiobjective fuzzy inventory problem with two resource constraints is presented in this paper. The cost parameters and index parameters, the storage space, the budgetary cost, and the objective and constraint goals are imprecise in nature. These parameters and objective goals are quantified by linear/nonlinear membership functions. A compromise solution is obtained by geometric programming method. If the decision maker is not satisfied with this result, he/she may try to update the current solution to his/her satisfactory solution. In this way we implement man-machine interactive procedure to solve the problem through geometric programming method.
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Pelvic Floor Morphometric Differences in Elderly Women with or without Urinary Incontinence.
Fradet, Sarah; Morin, Mélanie; Kruger, Jennifer; Dumoulin, Chantale
2018-01-01
Purpose: Urinary incontinence (UI) affects as many as 50% of women aged 60 years and older, but UI pathophysiology, specifically in elderly women, remains unclear. A better understanding of morphometric differences between continent and urinary incontinent elderly women is needed to improve the effectiveness of conservative treatment approaches. We hypothesized that morphometric differences in the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) among elderly women with and without UI could be observed using three- and four-dimensional (3D/4D) transperineal ultrasound (TPU) imaging. Method: A total of 40 elderly women (20 women with and 20 women without UI), with a mean age of 67.10 (SD 4.94) years, participated in the study. This was a case-control study in which TPU images were taken under three conditions: rest, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and Valsalva. Independent t -tests were conducted to compare measurements between the groups. Results: The study revealed statistically significant differences between the groups. At rest, the levator hiatal area and transverse diameter were bigger, and the PFM position was lower in the incontinent group. During MVC, all axial plane parameters were bigger in the incontinent group. In the sagittal plane, PFM position was again lower in the incontinent group. During Valsalva, the anorectal angle was wider in the women with incontinence. Conclusion: PFM morphometric differences were present and were observed using 3D/4D TPU imaging in elderly women with and without UI.
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Operational geometric phase for mixed quantum states
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Andersson, O; Heydari, H
2013-01-01
The geometric phase has found a broad spectrum of applications in both classical and quantum physics, such as condensed matter and quantum computation. In this paper, we introduce an operational geometric phase for mixed quantum states, based on spectral weighted traces of holonomies, and we prove that it generalizes the standard definition of the geometric phase for mixed states, which is based on quantum interferometry. We also introduce higher order geometric phases, and prove that under a fairly weak, generically satisfied, requirement, there is always a well-defined geometric phase of some order. Our approach applies to general unitary evolutions of both non-degenerate and degenerate mixed states. Moreover, since we provide an explicit formula for the geometric phase that can be easily implemented, it is particularly well suited for computations in quantum physics. (paper)
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Brzobohatá, Hana; Krajíček, V.; Horák, Z.; Velemínská, J.
2016-01-01
Roč. 11, č. 11 (2016), č. článku e0166461. E-ISSN 1932-6203 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : human tibia * geometric morphometrics * sexual dimorphism * surface-based analysis Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 2.806, year: 2016
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Brzobohatá, Hana; Krajíček, V.; Horák, Z.; Velemínská, J.
2015-01-01
Roč. 60, č. 1 (2015), s. 29-40 ISSN 0022-1198 Grant - others:GA UK(CZ) 613012 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : forensic science * geometric morphometrics * sexual dimorphism * optical scanning * computed tomography-derived models * tibia Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 1.322, year: 2015
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Ndiaye, A.; Ba, K.; Aniskin, V. M.; Benazzou, T.; Chevret, P.; Konečný, Adam; Sembene, M.; Tatard, C.; Kergoat, G. J.; Granjon, L.
2012-01-01
Roč. 41, č. 1 (2012), s. 11-28 ISSN 0300-3256 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA6093404 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : geometric morphometrics * Middle Pleistocene * African gerbils * West Africa * taxonomy Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 2.793, year: 2012
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Akçakin, Veysel
2018-01-01
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of using geometric functions approach on 9th grade students' motivation levels toward mathematics in functions unit. Participants of this study were 87 students who were ongoing in the first year of high school in Turkey. In this research, pretest and posttest control group quasiexperimental…
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From the geometric quantization to conformal field theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Alekseev, A.; Shatashvili, S.
1990-01-01
Investigation of 2d conformal field theory in terms of geometric quantization is given. We quantize the so-called model space of the compact Lie group, Virasoro group and Kac-Moody group. In particular, we give a geometrical interpretation of the Virasoro discrete series and explain that this type of geometric quantization reproduces the chiral part of CFT (minimal models, 2d-gravity, WZNW theory). In the appendix we discuss the relation between classical (constant) r-matrices and this geometrical approach. (orig.)
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Lorentz Invariance Violation effects on UHECR propagation: A geometrized approach
Torri, Marco Danilo Claudio; Bertini, Stefano; Giammarchi, Marco; Miramonti, Lino
2018-06-01
We explore the possibility to geometrize the interaction of massive fermions with the quantum structure of space-time, trying to create a theoretical background, in order to explain what some recent experimental results seem to implicate on the propagation of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR). We will investigate part of the phenomenological implications of this approach on the predicted effect of the UHECR suppression, in fact recent evidences seem to involve the modification of the GZK cut-off phenomenon. The search for an effective theory, which can explain this physical effect, is based on Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV), which is introduced via Modified Dispersion Relations (MDRs). Furthermore we illustrate that this perspective implies a more general geometry of space-time than the usual Riemannian one, indicating, for example, the opportunity to resort to Finsler theory.
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Morphometric Atlas Selection for Automatic Brachial Plexus Segmentation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Van de Velde, Joris; Wouters, Johan; Vercauteren, Tom; De Gersem, Werner; Duprez, Fréderic; De Neve, Wilfried; Van Hoof, Tom
2015-01-01
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of atlas selection based on different morphometric parameters, on the accuracy of automatic brachial plexus (BP) segmentation for radiation therapy planning. The segmentation accuracy was measured by comparing all of the generated automatic segmentations with anatomically validated gold standard atlases developed using cadavers. Methods and Materials: Twelve cadaver computed tomography (CT) atlases (3 males, 9 females; mean age: 73 years) were included in the study. One atlas was selected to serve as a patient, and the other 11 atlases were registered separately onto this “patient” using deformable image registration. This procedure was repeated for every atlas as a patient. Next, the Dice and Jaccard similarity indices and inclusion index were calculated for every registered BP with the original gold standard BP. In parallel, differences in several morphometric parameters that may influence the BP segmentation accuracy were measured for the different atlases. Specific brachial plexus-related CT-visible bony points were used to define the morphometric parameters. Subsequently, correlations between the similarity indices and morphometric parameters were calculated. Results: A clear negative correlation between difference in protraction-retraction distance and the similarity indices was observed (mean Pearson correlation coefficient = −0.546). All of the other investigated Pearson correlation coefficients were weak. Conclusions: Differences in the shoulder protraction-retraction position between the atlas and the patient during planning CT influence the BP autosegmentation accuracy. A greater difference in the protraction-retraction distance between the atlas and the patient reduces the accuracy of the BP automatic segmentation result
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Urbanisation and 3d Spatial - a Geometric Approach
Duncan, E. E.; Rahman, A. Abdul
2013-09-01
Urbanisation creates immense competition for space, this may be attributed to an increase in population owing to domestic and external tourism. Most cities are constantly exploring all avenues in maximising its limited space. Hence, urban or city authorities need to plan, expand and use such three dimensional (3D) space above, on and below the city space. Thus, difficulties in property ownership and the geometric representation of the 3D city space is a major challenge. This research, investigates the concept of representing a geometric topological 3D spatial model capable of representing 3D volume parcels for man-made constructions above and below the 3D surface volume parcel. A review of spatial data models suggests that the 3D TIN (TEN) model is significant and can be used as a unified model. The concepts, logical and physical models of 3D TIN for 3D volumes using tetrahedrons as the base geometry is presented and implemented to show man-made constructions above and below the surface parcel within a user friendly graphical interface. Concepts for 3D topology and 3D analysis are discussed. Simulations of this model for 3D cadastre are implemented. This model can be adopted by most countries to enhance and streamline geometric 3D property ownership for urban centres. 3D TIN concept for spatial modelling can be adopted for the LA_Spatial part of the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) (ISO/TC211, 2012), this satisfies the concept of 3D volumes.
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Generalization of the geometric optical series approach for nonadiabatic scattering problems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Herman, M.F.
1982-01-01
The geometric optical series approach of Bremmer is generalized for multisurface nonadiabatic scattering problems. This method yields the formal solution of the Schroedinger equation as an infinite series of multiple integrals. The zeroth order term corresponds to WKB propagation on a single adiabatic surface, while the general Nth order term involves N reflections and/or transitions between surfaces accompanied by ''free,'' single surface semiclassical propagation between the points of reflection and transition. Each term is integrated over all possible transition and reflection points. The adiabatic and diabatic limits of this expression are discussed. Numerical results, in which all reflections are ignored, are presented for curve crossing and noncrossing problems. These results are compared to exact quantum results and are shown to be highly accurate
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Getahun, M N; Cecchi, G; Seyoum, E
2014-10-01
Tsetse flies, like many insects, use pheromones for inter- and intra-specific communication. Several of their pheromones are cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) that are perceived by contact at close range. We hypothesized that for a successful implementation of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), along with proper identification of target area and target species, the target tsetse populations and the sterile flies must chemically communicate with each other. To study the population structuring of Glossina pallidipes in Ethiopia, CHCs were extracted and analyzed from three tsetse belts. As a comparative approach, wing morphometric analysis was performed. The analysis of the relative abundance of CHCs revealed that populations of G. pallidipes from the Rift Valley tsetse belt showed a distinct clustering compared to populations from the other two belts. The spatial pattern of CHC differences was complemented by the wing morphometric analysis. Our data suggest that CHCs of known biological and ecological role, when combined with wing morphometric data, will provide an alternative means for the study of population structuring of Glossina populations. This could aid the planning of area wide control strategies using SIT, which is dependent on sexual competence. Copyright © 2014 International Atomic Energy Agency 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Material inhomogeneities and their evolution a geometric approach
Epstein, Marcelo
2007-01-01
Presents a unified treatment of the inhomogeneity theory using some of the tools of modern differential geometry. This book deals with the geometrical description of uniform bodies and their homogeneity conditions. It also develops a theory of material evolution and discusses its relevance in various applied contexts.
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An algebraic geometric approach to separation of variables
Schöbel, Konrad
2015-01-01
Konrad Schöbel aims to lay the foundations for a consequent algebraic geometric treatment of variable separation, which is one of the oldest and most powerful methods to construct exact solutions for the fundamental equations in classical and quantum physics. The present work reveals a surprising algebraic geometric structure behind the famous list of separation coordinates, bringing together a great range of mathematics and mathematical physics, from the late 19th century theory of separation of variables to modern moduli space theory, Stasheff polytopes and operads. "I am particularly impressed by his mastery of a variety of techniques and his ability to show clearly how they interact to produce his results.” (Jim Stasheff) Contents The Foundation: The Algebraic Integrability Conditions The Proof of Concept: A Complete Solution for the 3-Sphere The Generalisation: A Solution for Spheres of Arbitrary Dimension The Perspectives: Applications and Generalisations Target Groups Scientists in the fie...
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Morphometric variation of extant platyrrhine molars: taxonomic implications for fossil platyrrhines
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mónica Nova Delgado
2016-05-01
Full Text Available The phylogenetic position of many fossil platyrrhines with respect to extant ones is not yet clear. Two main hypotheses have been proposed: the layered or successive radiations hypothesis suggests that Patagonian fossils are Middle Miocene stem platyrrhines lacking modern descendants, whereas the long lineage hypothesis argues for an evolutionary continuity of all fossil platyrrhines with the extant ones. Our geometric morphometric analysis of a 15 landmark-based configuration of platyrrhines’ first and second lower molars suggest that morphological stasis may explain the reduced molar shape variation observed. Platyrrhine lower molar shape might be a primitive retention of the ancestral state affected by strong ecological constraints throughout the radiation of the main platyrrhine families. The Patagonian fossil specimens showed two distinct morphological patterns of lower molars, Callicebus—like and Saguinus—like, which might be the precursors of the extant forms, whereas the Middle Miocene specimens, though showing morphological resemblances with the Patagonian fossils, also displayed new, derived molar patterns, Alouatta—like and Pitheciinae—like, thereby suggesting that despite the overall morphological stasis of molars, phenotypic diversification of molar shape was already settled during the Middle Miocene.
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Morphometric study of Euchiton (Gnaphalieae: Asteraceae)
Flann, C.M.
2010-01-01
A morphometric study was undertaken to survey taxa in the genus Euchiton Cass., distributed across Australia, New Zealand and South-east Asia. Phenetic analyses of herbarium specimens showed several taxa to be well delimited, including E. brassii (Mattf.) Anderb., E. breviscapus (Mattf.) Anderb., E.
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Geometric control theory and sub-Riemannian geometry
Boscain, Ugo; Gauthier, Jean-Paul; Sarychev, Andrey; Sigalotti, Mario
2014-01-01
This volume presents recent advances in the interaction between Geometric Control Theory and sub-Riemannian geometry. On the one hand, Geometric Control Theory used the differential geometric and Lie algebraic language for studying controllability, motion planning, stabilizability and optimality for control systems. The geometric approach turned out to be fruitful in applications to robotics, vision modeling, mathematical physics etc. On the other hand, Riemannian geometry and its generalizations, such as sub-Riemannian, Finslerian geometry etc., have been actively adopting methods developed in the scope of geometric control. Application of these methods has led to important results regarding geometry of sub-Riemannian spaces, regularity of sub-Riemannian distances, properties of the group of diffeomorphisms of sub-Riemannian manifolds, local geometry and equivalence of distributions and sub-Riemannian structures, regularity of the Hausdorff volume.
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Geometric Form Drawing: A Perceptual-Motor Approach to Preventive Remediation (The Steiner Approach)
Ogletree, Earl J.
1975-01-01
Provided is a rationale for geometric form drawing developed by Rudolf Steiner as a tool to develop motor coordination, perceptual skills, and cognition for mentally retarded and perceptually handicapped children. (Author/CL)
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Noncritical String Liouville Theory and Geometric Bootstrap Hypothesis
Hadasz, Leszek; Jaskólski, Zbigniew
The applications of the existing Liouville theories for the description of the longitudinal dynamics of noncritical Nambu-Goto string are analyzed. We show that the recently developed DOZZ solution to the Liouville theory leads to the cut singularities in tree string amplitudes. We propose a new version of the Polyakov geometric approach to Liouville theory and formulate its basic consistency condition — the geometric bootstrap equation. Also in this approach the tree amplitudes develop cut singularities.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D. M. Chernikhovsky
2017-06-01
Full Text Available In the article are shown results of assessment of relationships between quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests and morphometric characteristics of relief on an example model plot in Nanayskoe forest district of Khabarovsk Territory. The relevance of the investigation is connected with need for improvement of the system of forest evaluation operations in the Russian Federation, including with use of the landscape approach. The tasks of the investigation were assessment of relationships between characteristics of relief and characteristics of forest vegetation cover on different levels of forest management; evaluation of morphometric characteristics of relief are important for structure and productivity of forests; comparison of the results obtained through the use of digital terrain models ASTER and SRTM. Geoinformatic projects were formed for a model plot on the basis of digital terrain models and data of forest mensuration and State (National Forest Inventory. On the basis of the developed method with use geoinformatic technologies were estimated morphometric characteristics of relief (average height, standard deviation of height, entropy, exposition and gradient of slopes, indexes of ruggedness and roughness, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests. The multifactor regression analysis, where characteristics of forests (as dependent variables and morphometric characteristics of relief (as independent variables were used, have been done. As a result of research, the set of morphometric characteristics of relief able to influence to variability of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests was identified. The set of linear regression equations able to explain 30–50 % of variability of dependent variables was obtained. The regression equations, obtained on base of digital terrain models ASTER and SRTM, comparable to each other in strength of relations (coefficients of determination, but includes the
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A new approach toward geometrical concept of black hole thermodynamics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hendi, Seyed Hossein [Shiraz University, Physics Department and Biruni Observatory, College of Sciences, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Research Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of Maragha (RIAAM), Maragha (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Panahiyan, Shahram; Panah, Behzad Eslam; Momennia, Mehrab [Shiraz University, Physics Department and Biruni Observatory, College of Sciences, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)
2015-10-15
Motivated by the energy representation of Riemannian metric, in this paper we study different approaches toward the geometrical concept of black hole thermodynamics. We investigate thermodynamical Ricci scalar of Weinhold, Ruppeiner and Quevedo metrics and show that their number and location of divergences do not coincide with phase transition points arisen from heat capacity. Next, we introduce a new metric to solve these problems. We show that the denominator of the Ricci scalar of the new metric contains terms which coincide with different types of phase transitions. We elaborate the effectiveness of the new metric and shortcomings of the previous metrics with some examples. Furthermore, we find a characteristic behavior of the new thermodynamical Ricci scalar which enables one to distinguish two types of phase transitions. In addition, we generalize the new metric for the cases of more than two extensive parameters and show that in these cases the divergencies of thermodynamical Ricci scalar coincide with phase transition points of the heat capacity. (orig.)
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A new approach toward geometrical concept of black hole thermodynamics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hendi, Seyed Hossein; Panahiyan, Shahram; Panah, Behzad Eslam; Momennia, Mehrab
2015-01-01
Motivated by the energy representation of Riemannian metric, in this paper we study different approaches toward the geometrical concept of black hole thermodynamics. We investigate thermodynamical Ricci scalar of Weinhold, Ruppeiner and Quevedo metrics and show that their number and location of divergences do not coincide with phase transition points arisen from heat capacity. Next, we introduce a new metric to solve these problems. We show that the denominator of the Ricci scalar of the new metric contains terms which coincide with different types of phase transitions. We elaborate the effectiveness of the new metric and shortcomings of the previous metrics with some examples. Furthermore, we find a characteristic behavior of the new thermodynamical Ricci scalar which enables one to distinguish two types of phase transitions. In addition, we generalize the new metric for the cases of more than two extensive parameters and show that in these cases the divergencies of thermodynamical Ricci scalar coincide with phase transition points of the heat capacity. (orig.)
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Construction of Individual Morphological Brain Networks with Multiple Morphometric Features
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Chunlan Yang
2017-04-01
Full Text Available In recent years, researchers have increased attentions to the morphological brain network, which is generally constructed by measuring the mathematical correlation across regions using a certain morphometric feature, such as regional cortical thickness and voxel intensity. However, cerebral structure can be characterized by various factors, such as regional volume, surface area, and curvature. Moreover, most of the morphological brain networks are population-based, which has limitations in the investigations of individual difference and clinical applications. Hence, we have extended previous studies by proposing a novel method for realizing the construction of an individual-based morphological brain network through a combination of multiple morphometric features. In particular, interregional connections are estimated using our newly introduced feature vectors, namely, the Pearson correlation coefficient of the concatenation of seven morphometric features. Experiments were performed on a healthy cohort of 55 subjects (24 males aged from 20 to 29 and 31 females aged from 20 to 28 each scanned twice, and reproducibility was evaluated through test–retest reliability. The robustness of morphometric features was measured firstly to select the more reproducible features to form the connectomes. Then the topological properties were analyzed and compared with previous reports of different modalities. Small-worldness was observed in all the subjects at the range of the entire network sparsity (20–40%, and configurations were comparable with previous findings at the sparsity of 23%. The spatial distributions of the hub were found to be significantly influenced by the individual variances, and the hubs obtained by averaging across subjects and sparsities showed correspondence with previous reports. The intraclass coefficient of graphic properties (clustering coefficient = 0.83, characteristic path length = 0.81, betweenness centrality = 0.78 indicates
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Host plant affects morphometric variation of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Thomson M. Paris
2016-11-01
Full Text Available The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is one of the most serious citrus pests worldwide due to its role as vector of huanglongbing or citrus greening disease. While some optimal plant species for ACP oviposition and development have been identified, little is known of the influence of host plants on ACP size and shape. Our goal was to determine how size and shape of ACP wing and body size varies when development occurs on different host plants in a controlled rearing environment. ACP were reared on six different rutaceous species; Bergera koenigii, Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus macrophylla, Citrus maxima, Citrus taiwanica and Murraya paniculata. Adults were examined for morphometric variation using traditional and geometric analysis based on 12 traits or landmarks. ACP reared on C. taiwanica were consistently smaller than those reared on the other plant species. Wing aspect ratio also differed between C. maxima and C. taiwanica. Significant differences in shape were detected with those reared on M. paniculata having narrower wings than those reared on C. macrophylla. This study provides evidence of wing size and shape differences of ACP based on host plant species which potentially may impact dispersal. Further study is needed to determine if behavioral and physiological differences are associated with the observed phenotypic differences.
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Host plant affects morphometric variation of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae).
Paris, Thomson M; Allan, Sandra A; Hall, David G; Hentz, Matthew G; Hetesy, Gabriella; Stansly, Philip A
2016-01-01
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is one of the most serious citrus pests worldwide due to its role as vector of huanglongbing or citrus greening disease. While some optimal plant species for ACP oviposition and development have been identified, little is known of the influence of host plants on ACP size and shape. Our goal was to determine how size and shape of ACP wing and body size varies when development occurs on different host plants in a controlled rearing environment. ACP were reared on six different rutaceous species; Bergera koenigii , Citrus aurantifolia , Citrus macrophylla , Citrus maxima , Citrus taiwanica and Murraya paniculata . Adults were examined for morphometric variation using traditional and geometric analysis based on 12 traits or landmarks. ACP reared on C. taiwanica were consistently smaller than those reared on the other plant species. Wing aspect ratio also differed between C. maxima and C. taiwanica . Significant differences in shape were detected with those reared on M. paniculata having narrower wings than those reared on C. macrophylla . This study provides evidence of wing size and shape differences of ACP based on host plant species which potentially may impact dispersal. Further study is needed to determine if behavioral and physiological differences are associated with the observed phenotypic differences.
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Asymptotic geometric analysis, part I
Artstein-Avidan, Shiri
2015-01-01
The authors present the theory of asymptotic geometric analysis, a field which lies on the border between geometry and functional analysis. In this field, isometric problems that are typical for geometry in low dimensions are substituted by an "isomorphic" point of view, and an asymptotic approach (as dimension tends to infinity) is introduced. Geometry and analysis meet here in a non-trivial way. Basic examples of geometric inequalities in isomorphic form which are encountered in the book are the "isomorphic isoperimetric inequalities" which led to the discovery of the "concentration phenomen
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Blue mussel shell shape plasticity and natural environments: a quantitative approach
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Telesca, Luca; Michalek, Kati; Sanders, Trystan
2018-01-01
Shape variability represents an important direct response of organisms to selective environments. Here, we use a combination of geometric morphometrics and generalised additive mixed models (GAMMs) to identify spatial patterns of natural shell shape variation in the North Atlantic and Arctic blue...... scales analysed. Our results show how shell shape plasticity represents a powerful indicator to understand the alterations of blue mussel communities in rapidly changing environments....
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Geoinformatics for assessing the morphometric control on ...
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
natural disasters are one of the serious geo-hazards, ... Natural features such as land use and land cover, soil and .... steps followed for the generation of morphometric ... language. Infiltration number. Area, perimeter, basin length, min & max.
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Dollion, Alexis Y; Cornette, Raphaël; Tolley, Krystal A; Boistel, Renaud; Euriat, Adelaïde; Boller, Elodie; Fernandez, Vincent; Stynder, Deano; Herrel, Anthony
2015-02-01
The evolutionary history of chameleons has been predominantly studied through phylogenetic approaches as the fossil register of chameleons is limited and fragmented. The poor state of preservation of these fossils has moreover led to the origin of numerous nomen dubia, and the identification of many chameleon fossils remains uncertain. We here examine chameleon fossil fragments from the Early Pliocene Varswater formation, exposed at the locality of Langebaanweg "E" Quarry along the southwestern coast of South Africa. Our aim was to explore whether these fossil fragments could be assigned to extant genera. To do so, we used geometric morphometric approaches based on microtomographic imaging of extant chameleons as well as the fossil fragments themselves. Our study suggests that the fossils from this deposit most likely represent at least two different forms that may belong to different genera. Most fragments are phenotypically dissimilar from the South African endemic genus Bradypodion and are more similar to other chameleon genera such as Trioceros or Kinyongia. However, close phenetic similarities between some of the fragments and the Seychelles endemic Archaius or the Madagascan genus Furcifer suggest that some of these fragments may not contain enough genus-specific information to allow correct identification. Other fragments such as the parietal fragments appear to contain more genus-specific information, however. Although our data suggest that the fossil diversity of chameleons in South Africa was potentially greater than it is today, this remains to be verified based on other and more complete fragments.
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Kocovsky, Patrick
2016-01-01
This study tested the hypothesis that duration of freezing differentially affects whole-body morphometrics of a derived teleost. Whole-body morphometrics are frequently analyzed to test hypotheses of different species, or stocks within a species, of fishes. Specimens used for morphometric analyses are typically fixed or preserved prior to analysis, yet little research has been done on how fixation or preservation methods or duration of preservation of specimens might affect outcomes of multivariate statistical analyses of differences in shape. To determine whether whole-body morphometrics changed as a result of freezing, 23 whole-body morphometrics of age-1 white perch (Morone americana) from western Lake Erie (n = 211) were analyzed immediately after capture, after being held on ice overnight, and after freezing for 100 or 200 days. Discriminant function analysis revealed that all four groups differed significantly from one another (P time to avoid biases related to the length of time they were frozen. Similar experiments should be conducted on other species and also using formalin- and alcohol-preserved specimens.
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Geometrical superresolved imaging using nonperiodic spatial masking.
Borkowski, Amikam; Zalevsky, Zeev; Javidi, Bahram
2009-03-01
The resolution of every imaging system is limited either by the F-number of its optics or by the geometry of its detection array. The geometrical limitation is caused by lack of spatial sampling points as well as by the shape of every sampling pixel that generates spectral low-pass filtering. We present a novel approach to overcome the low-pass filtering that is due to the shape of the sampling pixels. The approach combines special algorithms together with spatial masking placed in the intermediate image plane and eventually allows geometrical superresolved imaging without relation to the actual shape of the pixels.
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Morphometric relations of fractal-skeletal based channel network model
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
B. S. Daya Sagar
1998-01-01
Full Text Available A fractal-skeletal based channel network (F-SCN model is proposed. Four regular sided initiator-basins are transformed as second order fractal basins by following a specific generating mechanism with non-random rule. The morphological skeletons, hereafter referred to as channel networks, are extracted from these fractal basins. The morphometric and fractal relationships of these F-SCNs are shown. The fractal dimensions of these fractal basins, channel networks, and main channel lengths (computed through box counting method are compared with those of estimated length–area measures. Certain morphometric order ratios to show fractal relations are also highlighted.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rafael Vilhena Reis Neto
2012-07-01
Full Text Available The objective of this study was to verify which morphometric measures and ratios are more directly associated with the weight and body yields of rounded fish. A total of 225 specimens of rounded fish (59 pacus, 61 tambaquis, 52 tambacus and 53 paquis with average weight of 972.43 g (±115.52 g were sampled, stunned, slaughtered, weighed, measured, and processed for morphometric and processing yield analysis. The morphometric measures taken were: standard length (CP; head length (CC; head height (AC; body height (A1; and body width (L1. For completeness, the following morphometric ratios were calculated: CC/CP, AC/CP, A1/CP, L1/CP, CC/A1, AC/A1, L1/A1, CC/AC and L1/CC. The yields of carcass, filet, rib and filet with rib were estimated after processing. Initially, a "stepwise" procedure was performed in order to eliminate multicollinearity problems among the morphometric variables, and the phenotypic correlations were then calculated for the dependent variables (weight and body yields and independent variables (morphometric measurements and ratios. These correlations were later deployed in direct and indirect effects through path analysis, and the direct and indirect contributions of each variable were measured in percentage terms. The CC and A1 measures were important for determining the weight of rounded fish. The CC/A1 ratio was the variable most directly associated with carcass yield. For filet, filet with rib and rib yields, the L1/CC ratio was found to be more appropriate and can be used directly.
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Mittra, R.; Rushdi, A.
1979-01-01
An approach for computing the geometrical optic fields reflected from a numerically specified surface is presented. The approach includes the step of deriving a specular point and begins with computing the reflected rays off the surface at the points where their coordinates, as well as the partial derivatives (or equivalently, the direction of the normal), are numerically specified. Then, a cluster of three adjacent rays are chosen to define a 'mean ray' and the divergence factor associated with this mean ray. Finally, the ampilitude, phase, and vector direction of the reflected field at a given observation point are derived by associating this point with the nearest mean ray and determining its position relative to such a ray.
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Geometrical analysis of the interacting boson model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dieperink, A.E.L.
1983-01-01
The Interacting Boson Model is considered, in relation with geometrical models and the application of mean field techniques to algebraic models, in three lectures. In the first, several methods are reviewed to establish a connection between the algebraic formulation of collective nuclear properties in terms of the group SU(6) and the geometric approach. In the second lecture the geometric interpretation of new degrees of freedom that arise in the neutron-proton IBA is discussed, and in the third one some further applications of algebraic techniques to the calculation of static and dynamic collective properties are presented. (U.K.)
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Morphometric analysis of the arteries of Willis Polygon
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Canaz Huseyin
2018-03-01
Full Text Available Objective: Willis polygon forms the basis of the arterial circulation of the cerebrum. Willis polygon is a vascular structure whom variations are not rare. Knowledge of the anatomy and preservation of its integrity is crucial for performing neurovascular surgery and intracranial tumour surgery. Because of the important vascular and neurological structures, approaches to this region are considered extremely risky. One of the main variations in-person basis is the diameter differences of the arteries, which forms Willis polygon, between the left and right hemispheres. About structure and variations, studies of Rhoton and Yasargil had formed the touchstone. Our aim is to contribute to the literature and clinical studies, to be done in the future, by comparing our results with previous studies about variations and morphometric features of Willis polygon.
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The geometric semantics of algebraic quantum mechanics.
Cruz Morales, John Alexander; Zilber, Boris
2015-08-06
In this paper, we will present an ongoing project that aims to use model theory as a suitable mathematical setting for studying the formalism of quantum mechanics. We argue that this approach provides a geometric semantics for such a formalism by means of establishing a (non-commutative) duality between certain algebraic and geometric objects. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.
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A Geometrical Approach to Bell's Theorem
Rubincam, David Parry
2000-01-01
Bell's theorem can be proved through simple geometrical reasoning, without the need for the Psi function, probability distributions, or calculus. The proof is based on N. David Mermin's explication of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm experiment, which involves Stern-Gerlach detectors which flash red or green lights when detecting spin-up or spin-down. The statistics of local hidden variable theories for this experiment can be arranged in colored strips from which simple inequalities can be deduced. These inequalities lead to a demonstration of Bell's theorem. Moreover, all local hidden variable theories can be graphed in such a way as to enclose their statistics in a pyramid, with the quantum-mechanical result lying a finite distance beneath the base of the pyramid.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Christy N Wails
Full Text Available Age is a key component of fitness, affecting survival and reproductive capacities. Where it is not possible to study known individuals from birth, morphometrics (predominantly patterns of plumage development for birds are most often used to estimate age. Although criteria for age estimations exist for many species, the degree to which these criteria improve the precision of estimates remains to be tested, restricting their widespread acceptance. We develop a photographic tool for estimating ages of Common Tern (Sterna hirundo chicks and test it using 100 human observers of varying prior experience across four breeding colonies (three North American sites and one European site and under controlled laboratory conditions. We followed the design approach of other morphometric tools, expanding it to create a user-friendly guide (divided into six age groupings. The majority (86% of observers improved in chick-aging accuracy when using the tool by an average of 20.1% (±1.4 SE and correctly estimated 60.3% (±1.4 of chick ages. This was similar to the intrinsic aging ability of our best field observer (63.3%. Observers with limited experience showed the greatest increases in chick-aging accuracy over experienced observers who likely had established a method for estimating chick ages prior to using the tool. Even the best observers only correctly estimated ages of chicks 62.9% (±2.8 of the time in the field and 84.0% (±2.9 of the time in the lab when using the tool and typically underestimated ages. This indicates that developmental variation between individual chicks can prevent completely reliable age estimates and corroborates the few existing data that suggest that morphometric criteria fail to achieve robust levels of accuracy and may introduce error into studies that rely on them. We conclude that novel approaches for estimating age, not only morphometric criteria, must be pursued.
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The Spacetime Memory of Geometric Phases and Quantum Computing
Binder, B
2002-01-01
Spacetime memory is defined with a holonomic approach to information processing, where multi-state stability is introduced by a non-linear phase-locked loop. Geometric phases serve as the carrier of physical information and geometric memory (of orientation) given by a path integral measure of curvature that is periodically refreshed. Regarding the resulting spin-orbit coupling and gauge field, the geometric nature of spacetime memory suggests to assign intrinsic computational properties to the electromagnetic field.
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Physical and morphometric characterization of indigenous cattle of Assam
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A. Haque
2011-01-01
Full Text Available The present investigation was undertaken to study the physical and morphometric characteristics in indigenous cattle of Assam. The data pertain to 339 indigenous cattle of different categories. The physical characteristics included colour pattern of body coat, muzzle, tail switch, hoof and horn. Body length, height at wither, heart girth, pouch girth, length of tail, switch, neck, ear and head were taken up for morphometric characterization. The main body coat colour of indigenous cattle was brown (31.18% followed by white (28.53%, fawn (15.29%, grey (13.53%, black (4.41% and mixed (7.06%. The prominent colour of tail switch was black (74.53%. Most of animals had black muzzle (86.47%, black hooves (84.71% and black horn (100%. Morphometric characteristics data obtained were classified according to location, age group and sex of the animal. The means for body length, height at wither, heart girth, pouch girth, length of tail, switch, neck, ear and head were 83.668±0.590, 91.942±0.55, 113.146±0.738, 121.181±0.761, 54.196±0.527, 26.098±0.186, 32.705±0.166, 18.131±0.111 and 35.035±0.195 cm respectively. Age and sex had significant effect on all the morphometric characters however, location effect was non significant. The indigenous cattle of Assam are comparatively smaller in size than most of the recognized breeds of cattle however coat colour showed sizeable variation. The data generated for indigenous cattle of Assam would be useful to characterize them.
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Quantification of Runoff as Influenced by Morphometric Characteristics in a Rural Complex Catchment
Abdulkareem, Jabir Haruna; Pradhan, Biswajeet; Sulaiman, Wan Nor Azmin; Jamil, Nor Rohaizah
2018-03-01
This study addresses the critical scientific question of assessing the relationship between morphometric features and the hydrological factors that increase the risk of flooding in Kelantan River basin, Malaysia. Two hypotheses were developed to achieve this aim, namely: the alternate hypothesis (runoff, is influenced by morphometric characteristics in the study watershed) and the null hypothesis (runoff is not influenced by morphometric characteristics). First, the watershed was delineated into four major catchments, namely: Galas, Pergau, Lebir, and Nenggiri. Next, quantitative morphometric characters such as linear aspects, areal aspects, and relief aspects were determined on each of these catchments. Furthermore, HEC-HMS and flood response analyses were employed to simulate the hydrological response of the catchments. From the results of morphometric analysis, profound spatial changes were observed between runoff features of Kelantan River and the morphometric characteristics. The length of overflow that was related to drainage density and constant channel maintenance was found to be 0.12 in Pergau, 0.04 in both Nenggiri and Lebir, and 0.03 in Galas. Drainage density as influenced by geology and vegetation density was found to be low in all the catchments (0.07-0.24). Results of hydrological response indicated that Lebir, Nenggiri, Galas, and Pergau recorded a flood response factor of 0.75, 0.63, 0.40, and 0.05, respectively. Therefore, Lebir and Nenggiri are more likely to be flooded during a rainstorm. There was no clear indication with regard to the catchment that emerged as the most prevailing in all the morphological features. Hence, the alternate hypothesis was affirmed. This study can be replicated in other catchments with different hydrologic setup.
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Geometric modeling in the problem of ball bearing accuracy
Glukhov, V. I.; Pushkarev, V. V.; Khomchenko, V. G.
2017-06-01
The manufacturing quality of ball bearings is an urgent problem for machine-building industry. The aim of the research is to improve the geometric specifications accuracy of bearings based on evidence-based systematic approach and the method of adequate size, location and form deviations modeling of the rings and assembled ball bearings. The present work addressed the problem of bearing geometric specifications identification and the study of these specifications. The deviation from symmetric planar of rings and bearings assembly and mounting width are among these specifications. A systematic approach to geometric specifications values and ball bearings tolerances normalization in coordinate systems will improve the quality of bearings by optimizing and minimizing the number of specifications. The introduction of systematic approach to the international standards on rolling bearings is a guarantee of a significant increase in accuracy of bearings and the quality of products where they are applied.
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A simple geometrical approach to particle production in collisions with nuclei
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dias de Deus, J.
1975-11-01
It is argued that hadron collisions with nuclei are similar to hadron-hadron collisions, having similar properties for the impact parameter distributions and the leading particle spectra. The relevant existing high energy data, including the universality of multiplicity distributions and the possibility of geometrical scaling in reactions with nuclei, are easily understood in the framework of geometrical models by extending to p-nucleus collisions what was learnt about impact parameter and leading particles in p-p collisions. The question of forward-backward correlations and photo and electroproduction are briefly discussed. (author)
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Vehicle ego-motion estimation with geometric algebra
Mark, W. van der; Fontijne, D.; Dorst, L.; Groen, F.C.A.
2003-01-01
A method for estimating ego-motion with vehicle mounted stereo cameras is presented. This approach is based on finding corresponding features in stereo images and tracking them between succeeding stereo frames. Our approach estimates stereo ego-motion with geometric algebra techniques. Starting with
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Morphometric Analysis of the Mandible in Subjects with Class III Malocclusion
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jin-Yun Pan
2006-07-01
Full Text Available This study evaluated the deformations that contribute to Class III mandibular configuration, employing geometric morphometric analysis. Lateral cephalograms of male and female groups of 100 young adults and 70 children with Class III malocclusion were compared to those of counterparts with normal occlusion. The sample included an equal number of both genders. The cephalographs were traced, and 12 homologous landmarks were identified and digitized. Average mandibular geometries were generated by means of Procrustes analysis. Thin-plate spline analysis was then applied to mandibular configurations to determine local form differences in male and female groups of adults and children with normal occlusion and Class III malocclusion. The mandibular morphology was significantly different between these two groups of male and female adults, and children (p < 0.0001. This spline analysis revealed an anteroposterior elongation of the mandible along the condylion-gnathion axis, showing an extension in the regions of the mandibular condyle and ramus, and of the anteroinferior portion of the mandibular symphysis in Class III groups. More extension was evident in Class III adults. The deformations in subjects with Class III malocclusion may represent a developmental elongation of the mandible anteroposteriorly, which leads to the appearance of a prognathic mandibular profile.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data contains monthly morphometric measurements on captive reared sea turtles at the Galveston, TX NOAA lab. Morphometric measurements are taken to track growth...
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Martínez-Guerra, Rafael; Gómez-Cortés, Gian Carlo
2015-01-01
This book provides a general overview of several concepts of synchronization and brings together related approaches to secure communication in chaotic systems. This is achieved using a combination of analytic, algebraic, geometrical and asymptotical methods to tackle the dynamical feedback stabilization problem. In particular, differential-geometric and algebraic differential concepts reveal important structural properties of chaotic systems and serve as guide for the construction of design procedures for a wide variety of chaotic systems. The basic differential algebraic and geometric concepts are presented in the first few chapters in a novel way as design tools, together with selected experimental studies demonstrating their importance. The subsequent chapters treat recent applications. Written for graduate students in applied physical sciences, systems engineers, and applied mathematicians interested in synchronization of chaotic systems and in secure communications, this self-contained text requires only...
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Agić, Ante
2007-06-01
Knowledge of the foot morphometry is important for proper foot structure and function. Foot structure as a vital part of human body is important for many reasons. The foot anthropometric and morphology phenomena are analyzed together with hidden biomechanical descriptors in order to fully characterize foot functionality. For Croatian student population the scatter data of the individual foot variables were interpolated by multivariate statistics. Foot morphometric descriptors are influenced by many factors, such as life style, climate, and things of great importance in human society. Dominant descriptors related to fit and comfort are determined by the use 3D foot shape and advanced foot biomechanics. Some practical recommendations and conclusions for medical, sportswear and footwear practice are highlighted.
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Retrospective Morphometric Analysis of the Infraorbital Foramen ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Objective: The aim of our study is to examine the morphometric characteristics of the infraorbital foramen (IOF) and its anatomic localization by using conebeam computerized tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: In our study, the anatomic characteristics of the IOF were identified by studying retrospectively the CBCT ...
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Vitamin B12 deficiency: Characterization of psychometrics and MRI morphometrics.
Hsu, Yen-Hsuan; Huang, Ching-Feng; Lo, Chung-Ping; Wang, Tzu-Lan; Tu, Min-Chien
2016-01-01
Vitamin B12 is essential for the integrity of the central nervous system. However, performances in different cognitive domains relevant to vitamin B12 deficiency remain to be detailed. To date, there have been limited studies that examined the relationships between cognitions and structural neuroimaging in a single cohort of low-vitamin B12 status. The present study aimed to depict psychometrics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphometrics among patients with vitamin B12 deficiency, and to examine their inter-relations. We compared 34 consecutive patients with vitamin B12 deficiency (serum level ≤ 250 pg/ml) to 34 demographically matched controls by their cognitive performances and morphometric indices of brain MRI. The correlations between psychometrics and morphometrics were analyzed. The vitamin B12 deficiency group had lower scores than the controls on total scores of Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) (both P psychometric and morphometric indices, pronounced correlations between bicaudate ratio and long-term memory, mental manipulation, orientation, language, and verbal fluency were noted (all P < 0.01). Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with a global cognition decline with language, orientation, and mental manipulation selectively impaired. Preferential atrophy in frontal regions is the main neuroimaging feature. Although the frontal ratio highlights the relevant atrophy among patients, the bicaudate ratio might be the best index on the basis of its strong association with global cognition and related cognitive domains, implying dysfunction of fronto-subcortical circuits as the fundamental pathogenesis related to vitamin B12 deficiency.
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Song, Chao; Zheng, Shi-Biao; Zhang, Pengfei; Xu, Kai; Zhang, Libo; Guo, Qiujiang; Liu, Wuxin; Xu, Da; Deng, Hui; Huang, Keqiang; Zheng, Dongning; Zhu, Xiaobo; Wang, H
2017-10-20
Geometric phase, associated with holonomy transformation in quantum state space, is an important quantum-mechanical effect. Besides fundamental interest, this effect has practical applications, among which geometric quantum computation is a paradigm, where quantum logic operations are realized through geometric phase manipulation that has some intrinsic noise-resilient advantages and may enable simplified implementation of multi-qubit gates compared to the dynamical approach. Here we report observation of a continuous-variable geometric phase and demonstrate a quantum gate protocol based on this phase in a superconducting circuit, where five qubits are controllably coupled to a resonator. Our geometric approach allows for one-step implementation of n-qubit controlled-phase gates, which represents a remarkable advantage compared to gate decomposition methods, where the number of required steps dramatically increases with n. Following this approach, we realize these gates with n up to 4, verifying the high efficiency of this geometric manipulation for quantum computation.
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Ray, S. Saha
2018-04-01
In this paper, the symmetry analysis and similarity reduction of the (2+1)-dimensional Bogoyavlensky-Konopelchenko (B-K) equation are investigated by means of the geometric approach of an invariance group, which is equivalent to the classical Lie symmetry method. Using the extended Harrison and Estabrook’s differential forms approach, the infinitesimal generators for (2+1)-dimensional B-K equation are obtained. Firstly, the vector field associated with the Lie group of transformation is derived. Then the symmetry reduction and the corresponding explicit exact solution of (2+1)-dimensional B-K equation is obtained.
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Morphometric analysis of cinder cones on Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain): results and applications
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Doniz Paez, F. J.
2009-01-01
This paper applied morphometric to the cinder cones of Tenerife. The technical morphometric allows to establish simple models of morphology, and size to the most frequent volcanoes of Tenerife's mafic volcanism. The obtained classification allow to distinguish four morphological types of scoria cones and three size groups, which is also extended to other volcanic regions. (Author) 5 refs.
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Histopathological and Digital Morphometrical Evaluation of Uterine Leiomyoma in Brazilian Women
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ana Paula Fernandes da Silva
2016-01-01
Full Text Available The current study aims to evaluate histopathological and digital morphometrical aspects associated with uterine leiomyomas in one hundred and fifty (150 patients diagnosed with leiomyoma. Uterine tissues were subjected to the histopathological and digital morphometric analyses of the interstitial collagen distribution. The analysis of medical records indicates that most of the women diagnosed with uterine leiomyomas (68.7% are between 37 and 48 years old. As for the anatomic location of the tumors, approximately 61.4% of the patients had intramural and subserosal lesions. In 50% of the studied cases, the patients developed uterine leiomyomatosis (with more than eight tumors. As for the morphometric study, the average size of the interstitial collagen distribution held approximately 28.53% of the capture area, whereas it was of 7.43% in the normal tissue adjacent to the tumor. Another important aspect observed in the current study was the high rate of young women subjected to total hysterectomy, a fact that resulted in early and definitive sterility.
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Geometric mean for subspace selection.
Tao, Dacheng; Li, Xuelong; Wu, Xindong; Maybank, Stephen J
2009-02-01
Subspace selection approaches are powerful tools in pattern classification and data visualization. One of the most important subspace approaches is the linear dimensionality reduction step in the Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (FLDA), which has been successfully employed in many fields such as biometrics, bioinformatics, and multimedia information management. However, the linear dimensionality reduction step in FLDA has a critical drawback: for a classification task with c classes, if the dimension of the projected subspace is strictly lower than c - 1, the projection to a subspace tends to merge those classes, which are close together in the original feature space. If separate classes are sampled from Gaussian distributions, all with identical covariance matrices, then the linear dimensionality reduction step in FLDA maximizes the mean value of the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergences between different classes. Based on this viewpoint, the geometric mean for subspace selection is studied in this paper. Three criteria are analyzed: 1) maximization of the geometric mean of the KL divergences, 2) maximization of the geometric mean of the normalized KL divergences, and 3) the combination of 1 and 2. Preliminary experimental results based on synthetic data, UCI Machine Learning Repository, and handwriting digits show that the third criterion is a potential discriminative subspace selection method, which significantly reduces the class separation problem in comparing with the linear dimensionality reduction step in FLDA and its several representative extensions.
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Experimental realization of universal geometric quantum gates with solid-state spins.
Zu, C; Wang, W-B; He, L; Zhang, W-G; Dai, C-Y; Wang, F; Duan, L-M
2014-10-02
Experimental realization of a universal set of quantum logic gates is the central requirement for the implementation of a quantum computer. In an 'all-geometric' approach to quantum computation, the quantum gates are implemented using Berry phases and their non-Abelian extensions, holonomies, from geometric transformation of quantum states in the Hilbert space. Apart from its fundamental interest and rich mathematical structure, the geometric approach has some built-in noise-resilience features. On the experimental side, geometric phases and holonomies have been observed in thermal ensembles of liquid molecules using nuclear magnetic resonance; however, such systems are known to be non-scalable for the purposes of quantum computing. There are proposals to implement geometric quantum computation in scalable experimental platforms such as trapped ions, superconducting quantum bits and quantum dots, and a recent experiment has realized geometric single-bit gates in a superconducting system. Here we report the experimental realization of a universal set of geometric quantum gates using the solid-state spins of diamond nitrogen-vacancy centres. These diamond defects provide a scalable experimental platform with the potential for room-temperature quantum computing, which has attracted strong interest in recent years. Our experiment shows that all-geometric and potentially robust quantum computation can be realized with solid-state spin quantum bits, making use of recent advances in the coherent control of this system.
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Damstra, Janalt; Fourie, Zacharias; De Wit, Marnix; Ren, Yijin
2012-02-01
Morphometric methods are used in biology to study object symmetry in living organisms and to determine the true plane of symmetry. The aim of this study was to determine if there are clinical differences between three-dimensional (3D) cephalometric midsagittal planes used to describe craniofacial asymmetry and a true symmetry plane derived from a morphometric method based on visible facial features. The sample consisted of 14 dry skulls (9 symmetric and 5 asymmetric) with metallic markers which were imaged with cone-beam computed tomography. An error study and statistical analysis were performed to validate the morphometric method. The morphometric and conventional cephalometric planes were constructed and compared. The 3D cephalometric planes constructed as perpendiculars to the Frankfort horizontal plane resembled the morphometric plane the most in both the symmetric and asymmetric groups with mean differences of less than 1.00 mm for most variables. However, the standard deviations were often large and clinically significant for these variables. There were clinically relevant differences (>1.00 mm) between the different 3D cephalometric midsagittal planes and the true plane of symmetry determined by the visible facial features. The difference between 3D cephalometric midsagittal planes and the true plane of symmetry determined by the visible facial features were clinically relevant. Care has to be taken using cephalometric midsagittal planes for diagnosis and treatment planning of craniofacial asymmetry as they might differ from the true plane of symmetry as determined by morphometrics.
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A morphometry map and a new method for honey bee morphometric analysis by using the ArcGIS
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hossam F. Abou-Shaara
2013-12-01
Full Text Available The morphometric analysis of honey bees has a substantial importance for honey bee subspecies characterization and discrimination while the ArcGIS is a geographical program for data analysis. In the present research, the combination between the morphometric data and the spatial analysis options of the ArcGIS was done and subsequently tested in creating a morphometry map for honey bees from some regions in Egypt as well as for the discrimination between two honey bee subspecies. Therefore, I present a model for creating the morphometry maps and a new method for the morphometric analysis by the transformation of the morphometric data to raster data layers. The obtained results showed that the created morphometry map classified the regions successfully according to the morphological character means. The morphometric analysis was successfully performed by using trend analysis and raster difference range. The analysis of the morphometric data as raster layers showed high sensitivity for the differences between subspecies and regions. The presented model and the method are effective and can be applied for the discrimination between subspecies, regions and colonies as well as can be used with other insects.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kozinda, O.; Bruveris, Z.
2006-01-01
The aim and objective of the investigation were to make the diagnosis of the hip dysplasia as impartial and precise as possible by using several x-ray morphometrical measurements, to make a comparative analysis of these measurements by using a linear regression analysis, and finally to calculate the value of these parameters and ranks. In total 36 radiogrammes of Rottweiler breed dogs and 24 radiogrammes of other breed dogs of different ages of both sexes, which belonged to owners, were used for the research. In each of the radiogramme 7 morhometrical measurements of the right and left hip joint were made: the Norberg angle, the inclination angle, the tangential angle, the geometrical centre placement of the CFH; the width of the lateral joint fissure gap the width of the medial joint fissure gap and distraction index. From the obtained results the following conclusions can be drawn: to make the diagnosis in dogs of Rottweiler breed, the most essential parameters are distraction index on right hip joint and the tangential angle and width of medial joint fissure on left hip joint
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MORPHOMETRIC EVIDENCE FOR NUTRITIONAL STRESS IN ENGLISH SOLE
We present an application of the powerful thin plate spline method of morphometric analysis to demonstrate its utility for detecting environmental stress in an estuarine flatfish. Juvenile English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) were captured from Yaquina Bay, Oregon, photographed w...
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Understanding geometric algebra for electromagnetic theory
Arthur, John W
2011-01-01
"This book aims to disseminate geometric algebra as a straightforward mathematical tool set for working with and understanding classical electromagnetic theory. It's target readership is anyone who has some knowledge of electromagnetic theory, predominantly ordinary scientists and engineers who use it in the course of their work, or postgraduate students and senior undergraduates who are seeking to broaden their knowledge and increase their understanding of the subject. It is assumed that the reader is not a mathematical specialist and is neither familiar with geometric algebra or its application to electromagnetic theory. The modern approach, geometric algebra, is the mathematical tool set we should all have started out with and once the reader has a grasp of the subject, he or she cannot fail to realize that traditional vector analysis is really awkward and even misleading by comparison"--Provided by publisher.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains standard external morphometrics and internal oral cavity morphometrics from wild and captive reared loggerhead sea turtles in size classes...
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Geometrical themes inspired by the n-body problem
Herrera, Haydeé; Herrera, Rafael
2018-01-01
Presenting a selection of recent developments in geometrical problems inspired by the N-body problem, these lecture notes offer a variety of approaches to study them, ranging from variational to dynamical, while developing new insights, making geometrical and topological detours, and providing historical references. A. Guillot’s notes aim to describe differential equations in the complex domain, motivated by the evolution of N particles moving on the plane subject to the influence of a magnetic field. Guillot studies such differential equations using different geometric structures on complex curves (in the sense of W. Thurston) in order to find isochronicity conditions. R. Montgomery’s notes deal with a version of the planar Newtonian three-body equation. Namely, he investigates the problem of whether every free homotopy class is realized by a periodic geodesic. The solution involves geometry, dynamical systems, and the McGehee blow-up. A novelty of the approach is the use of energy-balance in order t...
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Morphometric analyses of the river basins in Goa
Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)
Iyer, S.D.; Wagle, B.G.
Morphometric analyses of seven river basins in Goa, India have been carried out. The linear and areal aspects of these basins are reported here. The plots of stream order versus stream numbers and stream orders versus mean stream lengths are found...
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Morphometric and landsliding analyses in chain domain: the Roccella basin, NE Sicily, Italy
Rapisarda, Francesco
2009-10-01
The dynamic interaction of endogenic and exogenic processes in active geodynamic context leads to the deterioration of the physico-mechanical characteristics of the rocks, inducing slopes instability. In such context, the morphometric parameters and the analysis of landslide distribution contribute to appraise the evolutive state of hydrographic basins. The aim of the study is the morphometric characterization of the Roccella Torrent basin (Rtb) located in South Italy. Landsliding and tectonic structure dynamically interact with the drainage pattern that records these effects and permits the definition of the evolutive geomorphic stage of the basin. The Air Photograph Investigation and field surveys permitted to draw the main geomorphic features, the drainage pattern of the Rtb, to calculate the morphometric parameters and to delimit the landslides’ bodies. Detailed analysis about the landslide distribution within a test site 17 km2 wide were carried out to elaborate indicative indexes of the landslides type and to single out the lithotypes that are more involved in slope instability phenomena. The morphometric parameters indicate the rejuvenation state within the Rtb where the stream reaches show the effects of increased energy relief in agreement with the geological settings of this sector of the Apennine-Maghrebian Chain.
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GEOMETRIZATION OF NONHOLONOMIC MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND THEIR SOLVABILITY
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
慕小武; 郭仲衡
1990-01-01
A new geometrization approach to nonholonomic mechanical systems is proposed and a series of solvability conditions under the proposed geometric frame are given. The proposed frame differs essentially from Hermann’s. The limitations of Hermann’s frame are also discussed. It is shown that a system under Hermann’s frame is solvable only if its constraints are given by natural conservation laws of the corresponding constraint-free system.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ho-Jung Cho
2015-01-01
Full Text Available We measured 28 parameters of 202 femurs from Koreans by an automated geometric computation program using 3D models generated from computed tomography images. The measurement parameters were selected with reference to physical and forensic anthropology studies as well as orthopedic implant design studies. All measurements were calculated using 3D reconstructions on a computer using scientific computation language. We also analyzed sex and population differences by comparison with data from previous studies. Most parameters were larger in males than in females. The height, head diameter, head center offset, and chord length of the diaphysis, most parameters in the distal femur, and the isthmic width of the medullary canal were smaller in Koreans than in other populations. However, the neck-shaft angle, subtense, and width of the intercondylar notch in the distal femur were larger than those in other populations. The results of this study will be useful as a reference for physical and forensic anthropology as well as the design of medical devices suitable for Koreans.
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Morphometric analysis of the mandible in the Durban Metropolitan population of South Africa.
Ishwarkumar, S; Pillay, P; Haffajee, M R; Satyapal, K S
2017-01-01
The identification of an individual from skeletal remains plays a vital role in forensic investigation as it is essential for the identification of the individual's age, sex, and/or race and further analysis. Skeletal characteristics differ from one population group to another since population-specific osteometric standards exist for sex determination. Since the mandible is the largest, strongest and most durable compact facial bone, it is the best preserved after death. While sexual dimorphism of the mandible is indicated by its shape and size, morphometric analysis is more accurate in the determination of sex from the skull. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric parameters of the mandible in the Durban Metropolitan population. Various morphometric parameters of the mandible were measured and assessed in 265 digital panoramic radiographs aged between 16 and 30 years (n = 530). Each parameter recorded was statistically analysed using SPSS to determine if a relationship existed between the parameter, and sex and age. In this study the morphometric parameters of the male mandibles were greater than that of the females. This concurred with the findings of previous studies. The length of the mandibular ramus on the right and left sides was statistically significant with sex. This correlated with previous studies, indicating that the length of the mandibular ramus generally has higher sexual dimorphism than any other morphometric mandibular parameter (p = 0.000). However, only the length of the right mandibular body was statistically significant when compared with sex (p = 0.040). The findings of this study may assist forensic investigators, anatomists, anthropologists and maxillo-facial surgeons.
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Vergence, Vision, and Geometric Optics
Keating, Michael P.
1975-01-01
Provides a definition of vergence in terms of the curvature of the wave fronts, and gives examples to illustrate the advantages of this approach. The vergence treatment of geometrical optics provides both conceptual and algebraic advantages, particularly for the life science student, over the traditional object distance-image distance-focal length…
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Geometric approach to a massive p form duality
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Arias, Pio J.; Leal, Lorenzo; Perez-Mosquera, J. C.
2003-01-01
Massive theories of Abelian p forms are quantized in a generalized path representation that leads to a description of the phase space in terms of a pair of dual nonlocal operators analogous to the Wilson loop and the 't Hooft disorder operators. Special attention is devoted to the study of the duality between the topologically massive and self-dual models in 2+1 dimensions. It is shown that these models share a geometric representation in which just one nonlocal operator suffices to describe the observables
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Geometrical optics approach in liquid crystal films with three-dimensional director variations.
Panasyuk, G; Kelly, J; Gartland, E C; Allender, D W
2003-04-01
A formal geometrical optics approach (GOA) to the optics of nematic liquid crystals whose optic axis (director) varies in more than one dimension is described. The GOA is applied to the propagation of light through liquid crystal films whose director varies in three spatial dimensions. As an example, the GOA is applied to the calculation of light transmittance for the case of a liquid crystal cell which exhibits the homeotropic to multidomainlike transition (HMD cell). Properties of the GOA solution are explored, and comparison with the Jones calculus solution is also made. For variations on a smaller scale, where the Jones calculus breaks down, the GOA provides a fast, accurate method for calculating light transmittance. The results of light transmittance calculations for the HMD cell based on the director patterns provided by two methods, direct computer calculation and a previously developed simplified model, are in good agreement.
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STUDY OF MORPHOMETRIC CHANGES OF FOETAL STOMACH
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mohammed Aneesur Rahman
2017-07-01
Full Text Available BACKGROUND Interest in human development is very widespread largely because of the curiosity about our beginnings and desire to improve the quality of life. Understanding of the processes involved in the formation of various organs and systems has unrevealed most cryptic secrets of the nature. Human development begins at fertilisation when a male gamete or sperm unites with a female gamete or oocyte to form a single cell, a zygote. With the formation of zygote (single-celled stage, foetal development begins. The aim of the study is to- 1 Study the morphometric parameters of foetal stomach at various gestational ages. 2 Compare these observations with the previous studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS Present work was the cross-sectional study carried out in the Department of Anatomy in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at SRTRGMC and Hospital, Ambajogai Dist., Beed, Maharashtra. For this, approval of Institutional Ethical Committee was taken. 30 aborted human foetuses of different age groups ranging from 12 to 36 weeks of fertilisation were taken from the Department of OB-GYN. Foetuses were preserved by using 10% formalin. Age of foetuses were determined by crown-rump length and history given by mother. Foetuses were dissected after preservation for 15 days and morphometric studies were done on stomach. RESULTS Various quantitative parameters like weight of foetus, crown-rump length, total length of stomach, weight of stomach, length of greater curvature, lesser curvature, width of cardia and width of pylorus were used. For the purpose of study and comparison with other researchers, the foetuses were divided into 3 groups. Morphometric changes were observed in different groups and compared with previous studies. CONCLUSION With the increase in the body weight, crown-rump length and gestational age of the foetus, there is gradual increase on various parameters of stomach.
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Pertoldi, Cino; Sonne, Christian; Wiig, Øystein; Baagøe, Hans J; Loeschcke, Volker; Bechshøft, Thea Østergaard
2012-06-01
A morphometric study was conducted on four skull traits of 37 male and 18 female adult East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus) collected 1892-1968, and on 54 male and 44 female adult Barents Sea polar bears collected 1950-1969. The aim was to compare differences in size and shape of the bear skulls using a multivariate approach, characterizing the variation between the two populations using morphometric traits as an indicator of environmental and genetic differences. Mixture analysis testing for geographic differentiation within each population revealed three clusters for Barents Sea males and three clusters for Barents Sea females. East Greenland consisted of one female and one male cluster. A principal component analysis (PCA) conducted on the clusters defined by the mixture analysis, showed that East Greenland and Barents Sea polar bear populations overlapped to a large degree, especially with regards to females. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) showed no significant differences in morphometric means between the two populations, but differences were detected between clusters from each respective geographic locality. To estimate the importance of genetics and environment in the morphometric differences between the bears, a PCA was performed on the covariance matrix derived from the skull measurements. Skull trait size (PC1) explained approx. 80% of the morphometric variation, whereas shape (PC2) defined approx. 15%, indicating some genetic differentiation. Hence, both environmental and genetic factors seem to have contributed to the observed skull differences between the two populations. Overall, results indicate that many Barents Sea polar bears are morphometrically similar to the East Greenland ones, suggesting an exchange of individuals between the two populations. Furthermore, a subpopulation structure in the Barents Sea population was also indicated from the present analyses, which should be considered with regards to future management
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Simulation Experiment on Landing Site Selection Using a Simple Geometric Approach
Zhao, W.; Tong, X.; Xie, H.; Jin, Y.; Liu, S.; Wu, D.; Liu, X.; Guo, L.; Zhou, Q.
2017-07-01
Safe landing is an important part of the planetary exploration mission. Even fine scale terrain hazards (such as rocks, small craters, steep slopes, which would not be accurately detected from orbital reconnaissance) could also pose a serious risk on planetary lander or rover and scientific instruments on-board it. In this paper, a simple geometric approach on planetary landing hazard detection and safe landing site selection is proposed. In order to achieve full implementation of this algorithm, two easy-to-compute metrics are presented for extracting the terrain slope and roughness information. Unlike conventional methods which must do the robust plane fitting and elevation interpolation for DEM generation, in this work, hazards is identified through the processing directly on LiDAR point cloud. For safe landing site selection, a Generalized Voronoi Diagram is constructed. Based on the idea of maximum empty circle, the safest landing site can be determined. In this algorithm, hazards are treated as general polygons, without special simplification (e.g. regarding hazards as discrete circles or ellipses). So using the aforementioned method to process hazards is more conforming to the real planetary exploration scenario. For validating the approach mentioned above, a simulated planetary terrain model was constructed using volcanic ash with rocks in indoor environment. A commercial laser scanner mounted on a rail was used to scan the terrain surface at different hanging positions. The results demonstrate that fairly hazard detection capability and reasonable site selection was obtained compared with conventional method, yet less computational time and less memory usage was consumed. Hence, it is a feasible candidate approach for future precision landing selection on planetary surface.
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SIMULATION EXPERIMENT ON LANDING SITE SELECTION USING A SIMPLE GEOMETRIC APPROACH
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
W. Zhao
2017-07-01
Full Text Available Safe landing is an important part of the planetary exploration mission. Even fine scale terrain hazards (such as rocks, small craters, steep slopes, which would not be accurately detected from orbital reconnaissance could also pose a serious risk on planetary lander or rover and scientific instruments on-board it. In this paper, a simple geometric approach on planetary landing hazard detection and safe landing site selection is proposed. In order to achieve full implementation of this algorithm, two easy-to-compute metrics are presented for extracting the terrain slope and roughness information. Unlike conventional methods which must do the robust plane fitting and elevation interpolation for DEM generation, in this work, hazards is identified through the processing directly on LiDAR point cloud. For safe landing site selection, a Generalized Voronoi Diagram is constructed. Based on the idea of maximum empty circle, the safest landing site can be determined. In this algorithm, hazards are treated as general polygons, without special simplification (e.g. regarding hazards as discrete circles or ellipses. So using the aforementioned method to process hazards is more conforming to the real planetary exploration scenario. For validating the approach mentioned above, a simulated planetary terrain model was constructed using volcanic ash with rocks in indoor environment. A commercial laser scanner mounted on a rail was used to scan the terrain surface at different hanging positions. The results demonstrate that fairly hazard detection capability and reasonable site selection was obtained compared with conventional method, yet less computational time and less memory usage was consumed. Hence, it is a feasible candidate approach for future precision landing selection on planetary surface.
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Geometrical Optimization Approach to Isomerization: Models and Limitations.
Chang, Bo Y; Shin, Seokmin; Engel, Volker; Sola, Ignacio R
2017-11-02
We study laser-driven isomerization reactions through an excited electronic state using the recently developed Geometrical Optimization procedure. Our goal is to analyze whether an initial wave packet in the ground state, with optimized amplitudes and phases, can be used to enhance the yield of the reaction at faster rates, driven by a single picosecond pulse or a pair of femtosecond pulses resonant with the electronic transition. We show that the symmetry of the system imposes limitations in the optimization procedure, such that the method rediscovers the pump-dump mechanism.
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Morphometric analysis of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don), a critically ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Admin
2012-07-12
Jul 12, 2012 ... interplay of climate, geographical history and evolutionary dynamics in ... morphometric analysis of living plant (Dressler and. Dodson, 1960) and to the .... Number of flowers. 25. UPPINT ..... Classification and phylogeny in the.
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Multiscale geometric modeling of macromolecules I: Cartesian representation
Xia, Kelin; Feng, Xin; Chen, Zhan; Tong, Yiying; Wei, Guo-Wei
2014-01-01
This paper focuses on the geometric modeling and computational algorithm development of biomolecular structures from two data sources: Protein Data Bank (PDB) and Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB) in the Eulerian (or Cartesian) representation. Molecular surface (MS) contains non-smooth geometric singularities, such as cusps, tips and self-intersecting facets, which often lead to computational instabilities in molecular simulations, and violate the physical principle of surface free energy minimization. Variational multiscale surface definitions are proposed based on geometric flows and solvation analysis of biomolecular systems. Our approach leads to geometric and potential driven Laplace-Beltrami flows for biomolecular surface evolution and formation. The resulting surfaces are free of geometric singularities and minimize the total free energy of the biomolecular system. High order partial differential equation (PDE)-based nonlinear filters are employed for EMDB data processing. We show the efficacy of this approach in feature-preserving noise reduction. After the construction of protein multiresolution surfaces, we explore the analysis and characterization of surface morphology by using a variety of curvature definitions. Apart from the classical Gaussian curvature and mean curvature, maximum curvature, minimum curvature, shape index, and curvedness are also applied to macromolecular surface analysis for the first time. Our curvature analysis is uniquely coupled to the analysis of electrostatic surface potential, which is a by-product of our variational multiscale solvation models. As an expository investigation, we particularly emphasize the numerical algorithms and computational protocols for practical applications of the above multiscale geometric models. Such information may otherwise be scattered over the vast literature on this topic. Based on the curvature and electrostatic analysis from our multiresolution surfaces, we introduce a new concept, the
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Multiscale geometric modeling of macromolecules I: Cartesian representation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Xia, Kelin [Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, MI 48824 (United States); Feng, Xin [Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, MI 48824 (United States); Chen, Zhan [Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, MI 48824 (United States); Tong, Yiying [Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, MI 48824 (United States); Wei, Guo-Wei, E-mail: wei@math.msu.edu [Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, MI 48824 (United States); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, MI 48824 (United States)
2014-01-15
This paper focuses on the geometric modeling and computational algorithm development of biomolecular structures from two data sources: Protein Data Bank (PDB) and Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB) in the Eulerian (or Cartesian) representation. Molecular surface (MS) contains non-smooth geometric singularities, such as cusps, tips and self-intersecting facets, which often lead to computational instabilities in molecular simulations, and violate the physical principle of surface free energy minimization. Variational multiscale surface definitions are proposed based on geometric flows and solvation analysis of biomolecular systems. Our approach leads to geometric and potential driven Laplace–Beltrami flows for biomolecular surface evolution and formation. The resulting surfaces are free of geometric singularities and minimize the total free energy of the biomolecular system. High order partial differential equation (PDE)-based nonlinear filters are employed for EMDB data processing. We show the efficacy of this approach in feature-preserving noise reduction. After the construction of protein multiresolution surfaces, we explore the analysis and characterization of surface morphology by using a variety of curvature definitions. Apart from the classical Gaussian curvature and mean curvature, maximum curvature, minimum curvature, shape index, and curvedness are also applied to macromolecular surface analysis for the first time. Our curvature analysis is uniquely coupled to the analysis of electrostatic surface potential, which is a by-product of our variational multiscale solvation models. As an expository investigation, we particularly emphasize the numerical algorithms and computational protocols for practical applications of the above multiscale geometric models. Such information may otherwise be scattered over the vast literature on this topic. Based on the curvature and electrostatic analysis from our multiresolution surfaces, we introduce a new concept, the
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Craniofacial morphometric analysis of individuals with X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.
Goodwin, Alice F; Larson, Jacinda R; Jones, Kyle B; Liberton, Denise K; Landan, Maya; Wang, Zhifeng; Boekelheide, Anne; Langham, Margaret; Mushegyan, Vagan; Oberoi, Snehlata; Brao, Rosalie; Wen, Timothy; Johnson, Ramsey; Huttner, Kenneth; Grange, Dorothy K; Spritz, Richard A; Hallgrímsson, Benedikt; Jheon, Andrew H; Klein, Ophir D
2014-09-01
Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is the most prevalent type of ectodermal dysplasia (ED). ED is an umbrella term for a group of syndromes characterized by missing or malformed ectodermal structures, including skin, hair, sweat glands, and teeth. The X-linked recessive (XL), autosomal recessive (AR), and autosomal dominant (AD) types of HED are caused by mutations in the genes encoding ectodysplasin (EDA1), EDA receptor (EDAR), or EDAR-associated death domain (EDARADD). Patients with HED have a distinctive facial appearance, yet a quantitative analysis of the HED craniofacial phenotype using advanced three-dimensional (3D) technologies has not been reported. In this study, we characterized craniofacial morphology in subjects with X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED) by use of 3D imaging and geometric morphometrics (GM), a technique that uses defined landmarks to quantify size and shape in complex craniofacial morphologies. We found that the XLHED craniofacial phenotype differed significantly from controls. Patients had a smaller and shorter face with a proportionally longer chin and midface, prominent midfacial hypoplasia, a more protrusive chin and mandible, a narrower and more pointed nose, shorter philtrum, a narrower mouth, and a fuller and more rounded lower lip. Our findings refine the phenotype of XLHED and may be useful both for clinical diagnosis of XLHED and to extend understanding of the role of EDA in craniofacial development.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jelena Ačanski
2016-10-01
Full Text Available Several recent studies have detected and described complexes of cryptic and sibling species in the genus Merodon (Diptera, Syrphidae. One representative of these complexes is the Merodon avidus complex that contains four sibling species, which have proven difficult to distinguish using traditional morphological characters. In the present study, we use two geometric morphometric approaches, as well as molecular characters of the 5’-end of the mtDNA COI gene, to delimit sibling taxa. Analyses based on these data were used to strengthen species boundaries within the complex, and to validate the status of a previously-recognized cryptic taxon from Lesvos Island (Greece, here described as Merodon megavidus Vujić & Radenković sp. nov. Geometric morphometric results of both wing and surstylus shape confirm the present classification for three sibling species－M. avidus (Rossi, 1790, M. moenium Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822 and M. ibericus Vujić, 2015－and, importantly, clearly discriminate the newly-described taxon Merodon megavidus sp. nov. In addition to our geometric morphometric results, supporting characters were obtained from molecular analyses of mtDNA COI sequences, which clearly differentiated M. megavidus sp. nov. from the other members of the M. avidus complex. Molecular analyses revealed that the earliest divergence of M. ibericus occurred around 800 ky BP, while the most recent separation happened between M. avidus and M. moenium around 87 ky BP.
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An insight into morphometric descriptors of cell shape that pertain to regenerative medicine.
Lobo, Joana; See, Eugene Yong-Shun; Biggs, Manus; Pandit, Abhay
2016-07-01
Cellular morphology has recently been indicated as a powerful indicator of cellular function. The analysis of cell shape has evolved from rudimentary forms of microscopic visual inspection to more advanced methodologies that utilize high-resolution microscopy coupled with sophisticated computer hardware and software for data analysis. Despite this progress, there is still a lack of standardization in quantification of morphometric parameters. In addition, uncertainty remains as to which methodologies and parameters of cell morphology will yield meaningful data, which methods should be utilized to categorize cell shape, and the extent of reliability of measurements and the interpretation of the resulting analysis. A large range of descriptors has been employed to objectively assess the cellular morphology in two-dimensional and three-dimensional domains. Intuitively, simple and applicable morphometric descriptors are preferable and standardized protocols for cell shape analysis can be achieved with the help of computerized tools. In this review, cellular morphology is discussed as a descriptor of cellular function and the current morphometric parameters that are used quantitatively in two- and three-dimensional environments are described. Furthermore, the current problems associated with these morphometric measurements are addressed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Quantitative diagnosis of bladder cancer by morphometric analysis of HE images
Wu, Binlin; Nebylitsa, Samantha V.; Mukherjee, Sushmita; Jain, Manu
2015-02-01
In clinical practice, histopathological analysis of biopsied tissue is the main method for bladder cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The diagnosis is performed by a pathologist based on the morphological features in the image of a hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained tissue sample. This manuscript proposes algorithms to perform morphometric analysis on the HE images, quantify the features in the images, and discriminate bladder cancers with different grades, i.e. high grade and low grade. The nuclei are separated from the background and other types of cells such as red blood cells (RBCs) and immune cells using manual outlining, color deconvolution and image segmentation. A mask of nuclei is generated for each image for quantitative morphometric analysis. The features of the nuclei in the mask image including size, shape, orientation, and their spatial distributions are measured. To quantify local clustering and alignment of nuclei, we propose a 1-nearest-neighbor (1-NN) algorithm which measures nearest neighbor distance and nearest neighbor parallelism. The global distributions of the features are measured using statistics of the proposed parameters. A linear support vector machine (SVM) algorithm is used to classify the high grade and low grade bladder cancers. The results show using a particular group of nuclei such as large ones, and combining multiple parameters can achieve better discrimination. This study shows the proposed approach can potentially help expedite pathological diagnosis by triaging potentially suspicious biopsies.
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Rajakumaran, P; Vaseeharan, B; Jayakumar, R; Chidambara, R
2014-01-01
Understanding of accurate phylogenetic relationship among Penaeidae shrimp is important for academic and fisheries industry. The Morphometric and Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to make the phylogenetic relationsip among 13 Penaeidae shrimp. For morphometric analysis forty variables and total lengths of shrimp were measured for each species, and removed the effect of size variation. The size normalized values obtained was subjected to UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) cluster analysis. For RAPD analysis, the four primers showed reliable differentiation between species, and used correlation coefficient between the DNA banding patterns of 13 Penaeidae species to construct UPGMA dendrogram. Phylogenetic relationship from morphometric and molecular analysis for Penaeidae species found to be congruent. We concluded that as the results from morphometry investigations concur with molecular one, phylogenetic relationship obtained for the studied Penaeidae are considered to be reliable.
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Geometric leaf placement strategies
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fenwick, J D; Temple, S W P; Clements, R W; Lawrence, G P; Mayles, H M O; Mayles, W P M
2004-01-01
Geometric leaf placement strategies for multileaf collimators (MLCs) typically involve the expansion of the beam's-eye-view contour of a target by a uniform MLC margin, followed by movement of the leaves until some point on each leaf end touches the expanded contour. Film-based dose-distribution measurements have been made to determine appropriate MLC margins-characterized through an index d 90 -for multileaves set using one particular strategy to straight lines lying at various angles to the direction of leaf travel. Simple trigonometric relationships exist between different geometric leaf placement strategies and are used to generalize the results of the film work into d 90 values for several different strategies. Measured d 90 values vary both with angle and leaf placement strategy. A model has been derived that explains and describes quite well the observed variations of d 90 with angle. The d 90 angular variations of the strategies studied differ substantially, and geometric and dosimetric reasoning suggests that the best strategy is the one with the least angular variation. Using this criterion, the best straightforwardly implementable strategy studied is a 'touch circle' approach for which semicircles are imagined to be inscribed within leaf ends, the leaves being moved until the semicircles just touch the expanded target outline
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DNA immunisation. New histochemical and morphometric data
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
D Ehirchiou
2010-01-01
Full Text Available Splenic germinal center reactions were measured during primary response to a plasmidic DNA intramuscular injection. Cardiotoxin-pretreated Balb/c mice were immunized with DNA plasmids encoding or not the SAG1 protein, a membrane antigen of Toxoplasma gondii. Specific anti-SAG1 antibodies were detected on days 16 and 36 after injection of coding plasmids. The results of ELISAs showed that the SAG1-specific antibodies are of the IgG2a class. Morphometric analyses were done on serial immunostained cryosections of spleen and draining or non-draining lymph nodes. This new approach made it possible to evaluate the chronological changes induced by DNA immunisation in the germinal centres (in number and in size. Significant increases in the number of germinal centres were measured in the spleen and only in draining lymph nodes after plasmid injection. the measured changes of the germinal centers appeared to result from the adjuvant stimulatory effect of the plasmidic DNA since both the coding and the noncoding plasmid DNA induced them. No measurable changes were recorded in the Tdependent zone of lymph organs.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Vahid Raissi Dehkordi
2009-01-01
Full Text Available This paper deals with the robust performance problem of a linear time-invariant control system in the presence of robust controller uncertainty. Assuming that plant uncertainty is modeled as an additive perturbation, a geometrical approach is followed in order to find a necessary and sufficient condition for robust performance in the form of a bound on the magnitude of controller uncertainty. This frequency domain bound is derived by converting the problem into an optimization problem, whose solution is shown to be more time-efficient than a conventional structured singular value calculation. The bound on controller uncertainty can be used in controller order reduction and implementation problems.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Natalia Brachetta Aporta
2015-12-01
Full Text Available El análisis de la morfología craneofacial durante la ontogenia es una línea central en los estudios evolutivos, del desarrollo y biomédicos. El complejo craneofacial ha sido estudiado desde dos perspectivas: el análisis de la forma y el tamaño mediante morfometría lineal y geométrica, y el estudio de los procesos subyacentes mediante el análisis histológico de la superficie del hueso. El objetivo de este trabajo es integrar estas dos líneas para analizar los cambios morfológicos de la mandíbula y ofrecer un modelo de crecimiento que dé cuenta de los mismos. Se analizó una muestra de mandíbulas humanas de individuos subadultos y adultos de procedencia europea. La variación en forma fue registrada a partir de coordenadas de landmarks y análisis de regresión sobre el tamaño. Los campos de formación y reabsorción ósea fueron identificados sobre réplicas de alta resolución de la superficie ósea. Los resultados indican que la variación a escala anatómica descrita mediante técnicas morfométricas fue, en líneas generales, concordante con la inferida a partir de la distribución de las áreas de modelado óseo. Sin embargo, cambios importantes como los movimientos de rotación de la mandíbula con el crecimiento sólo pudieron detectarse a través del análisis morfométrico. Asimismo, ambos tipos de datos mostraron diferencias en las direcciones de cambio inferidas para la sínfisis mandibular. Este trabajo señala la importancia de integrar datos histológicos y morfométricos para comprender los patrones y procesos de cambio morfológico en la ontogenia. PALABRAS CLAVE crecimiento; modelado óseo; forma y tamaño The analysis of craniofacial morphology during ontogeny has a central role in evolutionary, developmental, and biomedical studies. The craniofacial complex has been studied from two main perspectives: the analysis of its shape and size by means of linear and geometric morphometrics, and the study of
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Geometric and Algebraic Approaches in the Concept of Complex Numbers
Panaoura, A.; Elia, I.; Gagatsis, A.; Giatilis, G.-P.
2006-01-01
This study explores pupils' performance and processes in tasks involving equations and inequalities of complex numbers requiring conversions from a geometric representation to an algebraic representation and conversions in the reverse direction, and also in complex numbers problem solving. Data were collected from 95 pupils of the final grade from…
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Morphometric and landuse analysis: implications on flood hazards ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This study assessed the morphometric, landuse and lithological attributes of five basins (Iwaraja, Ilesa, Olupona, Osogbo I and Osogbo II) with particular reference to flood hazards in Ilesa and Osogbo metropolis, Osun State Nigeria. Ilesa town is situated within Iwaraja and Ilesa basins while Osogbo metropolis spread ...
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Hybridization within a Pilosella population: a morphometric analysis
Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Urfus, Tomáš; Krahulec, František; Krahulcová, Anna
2014-01-01
Roč. 49, č. 2 (2014), s. 223-238 ISSN 1211-9520 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/08/0890 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : hybridization * introgression * multivariate morphometrics Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.778, year: 2014
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ANALISIS KARAKTER TRUSS MORPHOMETRICS PADA IKAN KEMPRIT (Ilisha megaloptera FAMILIA PRISTIGASTERIDAE
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tri Wijayanti
2017-06-01
Full Text Available The fish auction site at Ocean Fishing Port of Cilacap is one of the major fish landings sites in Indonesia. Fishes landed in this port mainly of large pelagic fish, bycatch, crustaceans including kemprit fish (Ilisha megaloptera Swainson,1839. Kemprit fish is a member of the family Pristigasteridae, which has an elongated body shape-sprawl. Fishers use this fish as the main ingredient to produce fish crackers and dried salted fish. Overfishing is the greatest threat to kemprit fish, and without conservation efforts the future population is uncertain. Fish farming is one right answer in kemprit fish conservation. However, information on this fish biology is insufficient. One of the biological aspects is sexual dimorphism, the morphological properties that can be used to distinguish between male and female fish. Truss morphometrics can measure the morphological traits differences of male and female. This technique in which the measurement of the distance Truss morphometrics in certain parts, by the benchmark points (dots Truss morphometrics, then compared with standard size. The result of the preliminary survey indicated that kemprit fish did not show sexual dimorphism, therefore truss morphometric technique applies to distinguish sexes of this fish. This research was a survey, and purposive sampling techniques were used to collect data. Data were then analyzed using the “t” test. The results showed that distinct truss distance between male and female fish was the distance between the anterior base of the dorsal fin to the anterior base of the ventral fins and the distance between the posterior base of the dorsal fin to the anterior base of the anal fin.
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Hernández-Ortiz, Vicente; Canal, Nelson A.; Salas, Juan O. Tigrero; Ruíz-Hurtado, Freddy M.; Dzul-Cauich, José F.
2015-01-01
Abstract Previous morphometric studies based on linear measurements of female structures of the aculeus, mesonotum, and wing revealed the existence of seven morphotypes within the Anastrepha fraterculus cryptic species complex along the Neotropical Region. The current research followed linear and geometric morphometric approaches in 40 population samples of the nominal species Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) spread throughout the Meso-American and Pacific Neotropical dominions (including Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru). The goals were to explore the phenotypic relationships of the morphotypes in these biogeographical areas; evaluate the reliability of procedures used for delimitation of morphotypes; and describe their current distribution. Findings determined that morphotypes previously recognized via the linear morphometrics were also supported by geometric morphometrics of the wing shape. In addition, we found an eighth morphotype inhabiting the highlands of Ecuador and Peru. Morphotypes are related into three natural phenotypic groups nominated as Mesoamerican-Caribbean lineage, Andean lineage, and Brazilian lineage. The hypothesis that lineages are not directly related to each other is discussed, supported by their large morphological divergence and endemicity in these three well-defined biogeographic areas. In addition, this hypothesis of the non-monophyly of the Anastrepha fraterculus complex is also supported by evidence from other authors based on molecular studies and the strong reproductive isolation between morphs from different lineages. PMID:26798256
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MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF RED BLOOD CELLS OF Telestes metohiensis (Steindachner, 1901
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Radoslav Dekić
2013-02-01
Full Text Available The paper presents the morphometric characteristics of red blood cells of endemic fish species of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Telestes metohiensis (Steindachner, 1901 inhabiting the Vrijeka river in the Dabar field. A total of 30 fish were sampled during August, 2010. Morphological measurements included the following parameters: axes of the red blood cells and nuclei, the surface of the red blood cells and nuclei and the thickness of the red blood cells. Morphometric characteristics of the erythrocyte maturation stages (acidophilic and polychromatic erythroblasts were also studied as well as their proportion in the peripheral blood. 100 mature forms were measured for each individual. The propotion of the immature forms was expressed per 1000 erythrocytes. Results showed that dimensions of the erythrocytes differed in systematic categories as well as fish types. Dimensions of mature erythrocytes and their maturation stages of the same species differed in shape and size of the nuclei. Proportion of the erythrocyte maturation stages was very low in comparison with the mature erythrocytes, indicating the optimal environmental conditions for the studied species.Key words: morphometric characteristics, erythrocytes, Telestes metohiensis, proportion of immature stages
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Morphometric analysis of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don), a critically ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The morphometric study was conducted during 2009 to 2010. About 28 morphological characters were measured under 13 natural populations of Dactylorhiza hatagirea. Geographic variation in morphology reflects phenotypic responses to environmental gradients and evolutionary history of populations and species.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Aldama GR
2013-01-01
Full Text Available Morphometric characteristics of a tropical shallow reservoir situated in the Southern Mexican Highlands were studied. Seventeen morphometric parameters were measured. Results of the morphometric parameters showed that this reservoir presented a soft and roughness bottom, with an ellipsoid form and a concave depression that allow the mix up of water and sediments, causing turbidity and broken thermal gradients; its slight slopes allowed the colonization of submerged macrophyte and halophyte plants and they improve the incidence of sunlight on water surface increasing evaporation and primary productivity. Tropical shallow reservoirs have fluctuations in area and volume according to the amount of rainfall, the effect of evaporation, the temperature levels, lost of volume due to irrigation, and other causes.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mao Li
2018-04-01
Full Text Available Current morphometric methods that comprehensively measure shape cannot compare the disparate leaf shapes found in seed plants and are sensitive to processing artifacts. We explore the use of persistent homology, a topological method applied as a filtration across simplicial complexes (or more simply, a method to measure topological features of spaces across different spatial resolutions, to overcome these limitations. The described method isolates subsets of shape features and measures the spatial relationship of neighboring pixel densities in a shape. We apply the method to the analysis of 182,707 leaves, both published and unpublished, representing 141 plant families collected from 75 sites throughout the world. By measuring leaves from throughout the seed plants using persistent homology, a defined morphospace comparing all leaves is demarcated. Clear differences in shape between major phylogenetic groups are detected and estimates of leaf shape diversity within plant families are made. The approach predicts plant family above chance. The application of a persistent homology method, using topological features, to measure leaf shape allows for a unified morphometric framework to measure plant form, including shapes, textures, patterns, and branching architectures.
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Floating-point geometry: toward guaranteed geometric computations with approximate arithmetics
Bajard, Jean-Claude; Langlois, Philippe; Michelucci, Dominique; Morin, Géraldine; Revol, Nathalie
2008-08-01
Geometric computations can fail because of inconsistencies due to floating-point inaccuracy. For instance, the computed intersection point between two curves does not lie on the curves: it is unavoidable when the intersection point coordinates are non rational, and thus not representable using floating-point arithmetic. A popular heuristic approach tests equalities and nullities up to a tolerance ɛ. But transitivity of equality is lost: we can have A approx B and B approx C, but A not approx C (where A approx B means ||A - B|| < ɛ for A,B two floating-point values). Interval arithmetic is another, self-validated, alternative; the difficulty is to limit the swell of the width of intervals with computations. Unfortunately interval arithmetic cannot decide equality nor nullity, even in cases where it is decidable by other means. A new approach, developed in this paper, consists in modifying the geometric problems and algorithms, to account for the undecidability of the equality test and unavoidable inaccuracy. In particular, all curves come with a non-zero thickness, so two curves (generically) cut in a region with non-zero area, an inner and outer representation of which is computable. This last approach no more assumes that an equality or nullity test is available. The question which arises is: which geometric problems can still be solved with this last approach, and which cannot? This paper begins with the description of some cases where every known arithmetic fails in practice. Then, for each arithmetic, some properties of the problems they can solve are given. We end this work by proposing the bases of a new approach which aims to fulfill the geometric computations requirements.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Recami, E.; Tonin-Zanchin, V.
1991-01-01
Since more than a decade, a bi-scale, unified approach to strong and gravitational interactions has been proposed, that uses the geometrical methods of general relativity, and yielded results similar to strong gravity theory's. We fix our attention, in this note, on hadron structure, and show that also the strong interaction strength α s, ordinarily called the (perturbative) coupling-constant square, can be evaluated within our theory, and found to decrease (increase) as the distance r decreases (increases). This yields both the confinement of the hadron constituents for large values of r, and their asymptotic freedom [for small values of r inside the hadron]: in qualitative agreement with the experimental evidence. In other words, our approach leads us, on a purely theoretical ground, to a dependence of α s on r which had been previously found only on phenomenological and heuristical grounds. We expect the above agreement to be also quantitative, on the basis of a few checks performed in this paper, and of further work of ours about calculating meson mass-spectra. (author)
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Geometrically Consistent Mesh Modification
Bonito, A.
2010-01-01
A new paradigm of adaptivity is to execute refinement, coarsening, and smoothing of meshes on manifolds with incomplete information about their geometry and yet preserve position and curvature accuracy. We refer to this collectively as geometrically consistent (GC) mesh modification. We discuss the concept of discrete GC, show the failure of naive approaches, and propose and analyze a simple algorithm that is GC and accuracy preserving. © 2010 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
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Morphometric studies on a part of Central Indian Ocean
Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)
Kodagali, V.N.
Morphometric and slope angle studies carried out on a part of Indian Ocean Basin have shown that gentle slope angle ranges dominate, 92% of the area represented by 0-3 degrees slopes. Young's hypothesis of log-normal distribution of slope angle...
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GEOMETRIC MODELLING OF TREE ROOTS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DETAIL
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
J. I. Guerrero Iñiguez
2017-09-01
Full Text Available This paper presents a geometric approach for modelling tree roots with different Levels of Detail, suitable for analysis of the tree anchoring, potentially occupied underground space, interaction with urban elements and damage produced and taken in the built-in environment. Three types of tree roots are considered to cover several species: tap root, heart shaped root and lateral roots. Shrubs and smaller plants are not considered, however, a similar approach can be considered if the information is available for individual species. The geometrical approach considers the difficulties of modelling the actual roots, which are dynamic and almost opaque to direct observation, proposing generalized versions. For each type of root, different geometric models are considered to capture the overall shape of the root, a simplified block model, and a planar or surface projected version. Lower detail versions are considered as compatibility version for 2D systems while higher detail models are suitable for 3D analysis and visualization. The proposed levels of detail are matched with CityGML Levels of Detail, enabling both analysis and aesthetic views for urban modelling.
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Geometric Modelling of Tree Roots with Different Levels of Detail
Guerrero Iñiguez, J. I.
2017-09-01
This paper presents a geometric approach for modelling tree roots with different Levels of Detail, suitable for analysis of the tree anchoring, potentially occupied underground space, interaction with urban elements and damage produced and taken in the built-in environment. Three types of tree roots are considered to cover several species: tap root, heart shaped root and lateral roots. Shrubs and smaller plants are not considered, however, a similar approach can be considered if the information is available for individual species. The geometrical approach considers the difficulties of modelling the actual roots, which are dynamic and almost opaque to direct observation, proposing generalized versions. For each type of root, different geometric models are considered to capture the overall shape of the root, a simplified block model, and a planar or surface projected version. Lower detail versions are considered as compatibility version for 2D systems while higher detail models are suitable for 3D analysis and visualization. The proposed levels of detail are matched with CityGML Levels of Detail, enabling both analysis and aesthetic views for urban modelling.
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The effect of allometric growth on morphometric traits of wolf (Canis lupus using geometric truss
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rasoul Khosravi
2012-12-01
Full Text Available Iranian wolf is found in different habitats of Iran and possesses different morphological characteristics with respect to its cranium shape based on its distribution. This study was conducted to investigate the allometric growth and geometric changes of cranium in relation to its growth .A total of 35 skulls were collected from different regions and divided into two groups (adult and subadult. Seventeen angles that were drown by joining the measuring points on the whole, neurocranium, and viscerocranium. The correlation between skull index and angle measurements were analyzed in three categories. The decreasing of angles among dorsal face point on the external occipital crest, junction on the median plane of the right and left nasofrontal sutures, the most lateral point of the zygomatic arch and anterior end of the interincisive suture located between the roots of the upper central incisor teeth showed width of the skull increased more than the skull length with age, therefore, skull index increased with age. Results of geometry surveys showed that cranial width did not increase as much compared to the length of neurocranium length. Therefore, the angles of this section increased with age. Also, viscerocranium width increased more than viscerocranium length and the skull became widened with age.
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Discriminant analysis of morphometric differentiation in the West ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This study evaluated the usefulness of morphological characteristics to distinguish two important indigenous goat breeds in Nigeria. Fifteen morphometric traits were measured on West African Dwarf – WAD (n = 160) and Red Sokoto – RS (n = 142) goats that ranged in age of up to 19 months and were reared extensively in ...
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External morphometric study of hatchery reared mahseer ( Tor ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Different samples of Mahseer (Tor putitora) were examined for the study of external morphometric characters of the fish. Slopes of log transformed data were used for comparison with an isometric slopes (b=1, b= 0.33 or b= 3). Relationships between wet body weight and external body parts lengths showed that increasing ...
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Renormgroup symmetries in problems of nonlinear geometrical optics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kovalev, V.F.
1996-01-01
Utilization and further development of the previously announced approach [1,2] enables one to construct renormgroup symmetries for a boundary value problem for the system of equations which describes propagation of a powerful radiation in a nonlinear medium in geometrical optics approximation. With the help of renormgroup symmetries new rigorous and approximate analytical solutions of nonlinear geometrical optics equations are obtained. Explicit analytical expressions are presented that characterize spatial evolution of laser beam which has an arbitrary intensity dependence at the boundary of the nonlinear medium. (author)
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A Geometric Dictionary Learning Based Approach for Fluorescence Spectroscopy Image Fusion
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Zhiqin Zhu
2017-02-01
Full Text Available In recent years, sparse representation approaches have been integrated into multi-focus image fusion methods. The fused images of sparse-representation-based image fusion methods show great performance. Constructing an informative dictionary is a key step for sparsity-based image fusion method. In order to ensure sufficient number of useful bases for sparse representation in the process of informative dictionary construction, image patches from all source images are classified into different groups based on geometric similarities. The key information of each image-patch group is extracted by principle component analysis (PCA to build dictionary. According to the constructed dictionary, image patches are converted to sparse coefficients by simultaneous orthogonal matching pursuit (SOMP algorithm for representing the source multi-focus images. At last the sparse coefficients are fused by Max-L1 fusion rule and inverted to fused image. Due to the limitation of microscope, the fluorescence image cannot be fully focused. The proposed multi-focus image fusion solution is applied to fluorescence imaging area for generating all-in-focus images. The comparison experimentation results confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed multi-focus image fusion solution.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Raluca Cristina ANDREI(GURIENCU
2017-11-01
Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to analyze some morphometric characteristics and the correlation between them for Russian sturgeon juveniles (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii reared in a recirculating aquaculture system fed at different fed with different ratio: 1% body weight (BW, 1.5% BW, 2% BW and ad libitum feeding (which was around 2.8% BW.Fish, with an average body mass around 248.194 ± 1.59 g. Following biometric measurements were made for each fish, including weight (W, total length (TL, standard length (SL, fork length (FL, maximum body depth (last depth of caudal peduncle, H; preanal distance (AD, predorsal distance (PD, length of head (C, preorbital distance (PO, length of pectoral fin (LPF, interorbital distance (ID, maximum width of head (MH, width of mouth (WM, width of the head at the level of the mouth (WHM. The obtained results showed significant differences between all morphometric measurements (p<0.05 for all the experimental variants, emphasizing that in the ad libitum feeding all morphometric measurements were significantly higher than in the other experimental variants. In order to highlight more eloquent these differences, were developed some linear regressions between the morphometric measurements and significant positive correlation (p<0.05 between dependent and independent variables were found.
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Morphometrical Analysis and Peak Runoff Estimation for the Sub-Lower Niger River Basin, Nigeria
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Salami Adebayo Wahab
2016-03-01
Full Text Available This study utilized Spatial Information Technology (SIT such as Remote Sensing (RS, a Geographical Information System (GIS, the Global Positioning System (GPS and a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM for a morphometrical analysis of five sub-basins within the Lower Niger River Basin, Nigeria. Morpho-metrical parameters, such as the total relief, relative relief, relief ratio, ruggedness number, texture ratio, elongation ratio, circularity ratio, form factor ratio, drainage density, stream frequency, sinuosity factor and bifurcation ratio, have been computed and analyzed. The study revealed that the contribution of the morphometric parameters to flooding suggest catchment No. 1 has the least concentration time and the highest runoff depth. Catchment No. 4 has the highest circularity ratio (0.35 as the most hazardous site where floods could reach a great volume over a small area.
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Weight and morphometric growth of different strains of tilapia (Oreochromis sp
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ivan Bezerra Allaman
2013-05-01
Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphometric growth and weight gain of strains of tilapia (Thai, Red, UFLA and Commercial by nonlinear models. Initially, 500 male fingerlings of each strain, at 85 (Red and UFLA and 86 (Thai and Commercial days of age, were stocked separately in raceways with 56 m³. Twenty fish of each strain were randomly sampled, weighed and measured monthly. Five nonlinear models (Brody, von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, logistic and exponential were tested, choosing one that best fit to the data. The variables studied were: weight, standard length (SL, head length (HL, height 1 (H1, height 2 (H2, height 3 (H3, first distance (D1, second distance (D2, first width (W1, second width (W2 and third width (W3. The exponential model had the best fit to weight and morphometric data, with the exception of W2, in which the best fitted model was von Bertalanffy. The convergence of the exponential model to data indicates that the cultivation period studied was not enough for the strains to reach maturity weight. The UFLA strain presented the lowest value for parameter "a" (initial weight estimate, 8.71 g, and the highest for parameter k (specific growth rate, 0.0127, when compared with other evaluated strains. However, the highest k of UFLA was not enough to overcome the final weight observed for the Commercial strain (603.1 g, which was higher than all other strains. Regarding the morphometric measurements, the UFLA strain also had the highest k for the variables SL, HL, HH, H1, H2, H3 and D2, and similar k to Commercial and Thai strains for the variables D1 and W3 respectively. The strains differ as to weight gain and morphometric growth.
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morphometric features of a low-elevation urban catchment
African Journals Online (AJOL)
PROF EKWUEME
River basin morphometric is a geomorphological tool that applies to physical ... Harcourt region's drainage as it pertains to flooding described the area as ... floods in several sub-basins of a river that posed risks to ... Bight of Bonny, off the Gulf of Guinea into the Atlantic ..... the extreme; because such forest will be thick and.
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Solórzano, Sofía; Oyama, Ken
2010-03-01
The resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) is an endemic Mesoamerican bird species of conservation concern. Within this species, the subspecies P. m. costaricensis and P. m. mocinno, have been recognized by apparent morphometric differences; however, presently there is no sufficient data for confirmation. We analyzed eight morphometric attributes of the body from 41 quetzals: body length, tarsus and cord wing, as well as the length, wide and depth of the bill, body weight; and in the case of the males, the length of the long upper-tail cover feathers. We used multivariate analyses to discriminate morphometric differences between subspecies and contrasted each morphometric attribute between and within subspecies with paired non-parametric Wilcoxon test. In order to review the intraspecific taxonomic status of this bird, we added phylogenetic analysis, and genetic divergence and differentiation based on nucleotide variations in four sequences of mtDNA. The nucleotide variation was estimated in control region, subunit NDH6, and tRNAGlu and tRNAPhe in 26 quetzals from eight localities distributed in five countries. We estimated the genetic divergence and differentiation between subspecies according to a mutation-drift equilibrium model. We obtained the best mutation nucleotide model following the procedure implemented in model test program. We constructed the phylogenetic relationships between subspecies by maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood using PAUP, as well as with Bayesian statistics. The multivariate analyses showed two different morphometric groups, and individuals clustered according to the subspecies that they belong. The paired comparisons between subspecies showed strong differences in most of the attributes analyzed. Along the four mtDNA sequences, we identified 32 nucleotide positions that have a particular nucleotide according to the quetzals subspecies. The genetic divergence and the differentiation was strong and markedly showed two groups
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Rejuvenating Allen's Arc with the Geometric Mean.
Phillips, William A.
1994-01-01
Contends that, despite ongoing criticism, Allen's arc elasticity formula remains entrenched in the microeconomics principles curriculum. Reviews the evolution and continuing scrutiny of the formula. Argues that the use of the geometric mean offers pedagogical advantages over the traditional arithmetic mean approach. (CFR)
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On Kaehler's geometric description of dirac fields
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Goeckeler, M.; Joos, H.
1983-12-01
A differential geometric generalization of the Dirac equation due to E. Kaehler seems to be an appropriate starting point for the lattice approximation of matter fields. It is the purpose of this lecture to illustrate several aspects of this approach. (orig./HSI)
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Morphometric variation in the Tunisian green frog, Rana saharica ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Rana saharica is the most widely distributed anuran in Tunisia. We examined morphological variation in 124 specimens as a function of their geographical origin, using univariate and multivariate statistics with traditional morphometrics. Our results supported the existence of three morphotypes of this species, correctly ...
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A morphometric analysis of the genus Ficus Linn. (moraceae ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Foliar parameters of Ficus in Nigeria were subjected to quantitative analysis. The morphometric analysis is based on ten quantitative parameters of the leaves of species. Principal compound analysis produced six groups whose characters are described. Highly significant positive correlation exists between leaf length and ...
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Asymptotic approach to the pricing of geometric asian options under the CEV model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lee, Min-Ku
2016-01-01
This paper studies the pricing of Asian options whose payoffs depend on the average value of an underlying asset during the period to a maturity. Since the Asian option is not so sensitive to the value of underlying asset, the possibility of manipulation is relatively small than the other options such as European vanilla and barrier options. We derive the pricing formula of geometric Asian options under the constant elasticity of variance (CEV) model that is one of local volatility models, and investigate the implication of the CEV model for geometric Asian options.
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Visualizing the Geometric Series.
Bennett, Albert B., Jr.
1989-01-01
Mathematical proofs often leave students unconvinced or without understanding of what has been proved, because they provide no visual-geometric representation. Presented are geometric models for the finite geometric series when r is a whole number, and the infinite geometric series when r is the reciprocal of a whole number. (MNS)
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Lyapunov vs. geometrical stability analysis of the Kepler and the restricted three body problems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yahalom, A.; Levitan, J.; Lewkowicz, M.; Horwitz, L.
2011-01-01
In this Letter we show that although the application of standard Lyapunov analysis predicts that completely integrable Kepler motion is unstable, the geometrical analysis of Horwitz et al. predicts the observed stability. This seems to us to provide evidence for both the incompleteness of the standard Lyapunov analysis and the strength of the geometrical analysis. Moreover, we apply this approach to the three body problem in which the third body is restricted to move on a circle of large radius which induces an adiabatic time dependent potential on the second body. This causes the second body to move in a very interesting and intricate but periodic trajectory; however, the standard Lyapunov analysis, as well as methods based on the parametric variation of curvature associated with the Jacobi metric, incorrectly predict chaotic behavior. The geometric approach predicts the correct stable motion in this case as well. - Highlights: → Lyapunov analysis predicts Kepler motion to be unstable. → Geometrical analysis predicts the observed stability. → Lyapunov analysis predicts chaotic behavior in restricted three body problem. → The geometric approach predicts the correct stable motion in restricted three body problem.
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Bray, Hubert L; Mazzeo, Rafe; Sesum, Natasa
2015-01-01
This volume includes expanded versions of the lectures delivered in the Graduate Minicourse portion of the 2013 Park City Mathematics Institute session on Geometric Analysis. The papers give excellent high-level introductions, suitable for graduate students wishing to enter the field and experienced researchers alike, to a range of the most important areas of geometric analysis. These include: the general issue of geometric evolution, with more detailed lectures on Ricci flow and Kähler-Ricci flow, new progress on the analytic aspects of the Willmore equation as well as an introduction to the recent proof of the Willmore conjecture and new directions in min-max theory for geometric variational problems, the current state of the art regarding minimal surfaces in R^3, the role of critical metrics in Riemannian geometry, and the modern perspective on the study of eigenfunctions and eigenvalues for Laplace-Beltrami operators.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Asa, Kensuke; Sakurai, Takashi; Kashima, Isamu; Kumasaka, Satsuki
2005-01-01
The objectives of this study was to investigate the reliability of two-dimensional (2D) skeletal structure parameters obtained using radiological bone morphometric analysis. The 2D skeletal parameters in the regions of interest (ROIs) were measured on computed radiography (CR) images of first phalanges from racehorses, using radiological bone morphometric analysis. Cancellous bone blocks were made from the phalanges in the same position as the ROI determined on CR images. Three-dimensional (3D) trabecular parameters were measured using micro-computed tomography (μCT). The correlations between the 2D skeletal parameters and 3D trabecular parameters were evaluated in relation to the measured bone strength. The following 2D skeletal structure parameters were correlated with bone strength (r=0.61-0.69): skeletal perimeter (Sk.Pm), skeletal number (Sk.N), skeletal separation (Sk.Sp), skeletal spacing (Sk.Spac), fractal dimension (FD), and skeletal pattern factor (SkPf). The 3D trabecular structure parameters were closely correlated with bone strength (r=0.74-0.86). The 2D skeletal parameters Sk.N, Sk.Pm, FD, SkPf, and Sk.Spac were correlated with the 3D trabecular parameters (r=0.61-0.70). The 2D skeletal parameters obtained using radiological bone morphometric analysis may be useful indicators of trabecular strength. (author)
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On bivariate geometric distribution
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
K. Jayakumar
2013-05-01
Full Text Available Characterizations of bivariate geometric distribution using univariate and bivariate geometric compounding are obtained. Autoregressive models with marginals as bivariate geometric distribution are developed. Various bivariate geometric distributions analogous to important bivariate exponential distributions like, Marshall-Olkin’s bivariate exponential, Downton’s bivariate exponential and Hawkes’ bivariate exponential are presented.
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On geometric optics and surface waves for light scattering by spheres
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liou, K.N.; Takano, Y.; Yang, P.
2010-01-01
A geometric optics approach including surface wave contributions has been developed for homogeneous and concentrically coated spheres. In this approach, a ray-by-ray tracing program was used for efficient computation of the extinction and absorption cross sections. The present geometric-optics surface-wave (GOS) theory for light scattering by spheres considers the surface wave contribution along the edge of a particle as a perturbation term to the geometric-optics core that includes Fresnel reflection-refraction and Fraunhofer diffraction. Accuracies of the GOS approach for spheres have been assessed through comparison with the results determined from the exact Lorenz-Mie (LM) theory in terms of the extinction efficiency, single-scattering albedo, and asymmetry factor in the size-wavelength ratio domain. In this quest, we have selected a range of real and imaginary refractive indices representative of water/ice and aerosol species and demonstrated close agreement between the results computed by GOS and LM. This provides the foundation to conduct physically reliable light absorption and scattering computations based on the GOS approach for aerosol aggregates associated with internal and external mixing states employing spheres as building blocks.
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13 Morphometric Analysis of Ogunpa and Ogbere Drainage Basins ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
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significance of these landscape parameters was ... reported that the geomorphic characteristics of a drainage basins play ... form and process of drainage basins that may ... tropical rain forest of Nigeria occupying an area of .... morphometric parameters such as relief, shape ... on floodplains can be pulled down while areas.
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Autocorrelated process control: Geometric Brownian Motion approach versus Box-Jenkins approach
Salleh, R. M.; Zawawi, N. I.; Gan, Z. F.; Nor, M. E.
2018-04-01
Existing of autocorrelation will bring a significant effect on the performance and accuracy of process control if the problem does not handle carefully. When dealing with autocorrelated process, Box-Jenkins method will be preferred because of the popularity. However, the computation of Box-Jenkins method is too complicated and challenging which cause of time-consuming. Therefore, an alternative method which known as Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) is introduced to monitor the autocorrelated process. One real case of furnace temperature data is conducted to compare the performance of Box-Jenkins and GBM methods in monitoring autocorrelation process. Both methods give the same results in terms of model accuracy and monitoring process control. Yet, GBM is superior compared to Box-Jenkins method due to its simplicity and practically with shorter computational time.
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Morphometrics and Theriology. Homage to Marco Corti
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Anna Loy
2008-02-01
Full Text Available Abstract This paper discusses the role of museum theriological collections in the context of twenty years of morphometric progresses. It also recalls twenty years of collaboration and friendship with Marco Corti, Italian theriologist and morphometrician, died on January 2007. The synthesis is addressed to the many young students that are picking up the baton and will likely contribute to the growth of the Italian school of morphometrics, to which Marco Corti dedicated most of his work at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". Riassunto Morfometria e teriologia. Omaggio a Marco Corti. Il lavoro discute il ruolo delle collezioni teriologiche alla luce di venti anni di progressi della morfometria. Esso rappresenta anche la sintesi di un’esperienza umana e professionale, avendo l’autore condiviso molte tappe della ‘rivoluzione morfometrica’ degli anni ottanta con molti dei suoi protagonisti, alcuni dei quali oggi non sono più con noi. In particolare Marco Corti, teriologo e morfometrista, scomparso nel 2007. La sintesi è anche dedicata ai molti giovani studenti e ricercatori che stanno contribuendo alla crescita della scuola italiana di morfometria, cui Marco Corti ha dedicato gli ultimi venti anni di insegnamento e ricerca all’Università di Roma "La Sapienza".
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Spherical projections and liftings in geometric tomography
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Goodey, Paul; Kiderlen, Markus; Weil, Wolfgang
2011-01-01
We consider a variety of integral transforms arising in Geometric Tomography. It will be shown that these can be put into a common framework using spherical projection and lifting operators. These operators will be applied to support functions and surface area measures of convex bodies and to rad......We consider a variety of integral transforms arising in Geometric Tomography. It will be shown that these can be put into a common framework using spherical projection and lifting operators. These operators will be applied to support functions and surface area measures of convex bodies...... and to radial functions of star bodies. We then investigate averages of lifted projections and show that they correspond to self-adjoint intertwining operators. We obtain formulas for the eigenvalues of these operators and use them to ascertain circumstances under which tomographic measurements determine...... the original bodies. This approach via mean lifted projections leads us to some unexpected relationships between seemingly disparate geometric constructions....
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
F. Martins-Hatano
Full Text Available The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphometric variation of laelapine populations (Acari, Mesostigmata associated with neotropical oryzomyine rodents at different geographic localities in Brazil. Three nominal mite species were selected for study, all infesting the pelage of small mammals at different localities in Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, and the Federal District, Brazil. To analyse morphometric characteristics, thirty-seven morphological characters distributed across the whole body of each specimen were measured. We use the Analysis of Principal Components, extracting the three first axes and projecting each mite in these axes. Major species level changes in the taxonomy of the host mammals allows an independent examination of morphometric variation of mites infesting a set of distinctly different host species at different geographic localities. Gigantolaelaps vitzthumi and Laelaps differens are associated with oryzomyine rodents of the genus Cerradomys, and consistently showed a tendency to cluster by host phylogeny. Laelaps manguinhosi associated with Nectomys rattus in central Brazil is morphometrically distinct from mites infesting N. squamipes in the coastal restingas of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. The results obtained here indicate that laelapine mite populations can vary among geographic areas and among phylogenetically related host species. Clearly, the study of these mites at the population level can be an important tool for clarifying the taxonomy of both mites and hosts.
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Martins-Hatano, F; Gettinger, D; Manhães, M L; Bergallo, H G
2012-08-01
The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphometric variation of laelapine populations (Acari, Mesostigmata) associated with neotropical oryzomyine rodents at different geographic localities in Brazil. Three nominal mite species were selected for study, all infesting the pelage of small mammals at different localities in Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, and the Federal District, Brazil. To analyse morphometric characteristics, thirty-seven morphological characters distributed across the whole body of each specimen were measured. We use the Analysis of Principal Components, extracting the three first axes and projecting each mite in these axes. Major species level changes in the taxonomy of the host mammals allows an independent examination of morphometric variation of mites infesting a set of distinctly different host species at different geographic localities. Gigantolaelaps vitzthumi and Laelaps differens are associated with oryzomyine rodents of the genus Cerradomys, and consistently showed a tendency to cluster by host phylogeny. Laelaps manguinhosi associated with Nectomys rattus in central Brazil is morphometrically distinct from mites infesting N. squamipes in the coastal restingas of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. The results obtained here indicate that laelapine mite populations can vary among geographic areas and among phylogenetically related host species. Clearly, the study of these mites at the population level can be an important tool for clarifying the taxonomy of both mites and hosts.
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The differential-geometric aspects of integrable dynamical systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Prykarpatsky, Y.A.; Samoilenko, A.M.; Prykarpatsky, A.K.; Bogolubov, N.N. Jr.; Blackmore, D.L.
2007-05-01
The canonical reduction method on canonically symplectic manifolds is analyzed in detail, and the relationships with the geometric properties of associated principal fiber bundles endowed with connection structures are described. Some results devoted to studying geometrical properties of nonabelian Yang-Mills type gauge field equations are presented. A symplectic theory approach is developed for partially solving the problem of algebraic-analytical construction of integral submanifold embeddings for integrable (via the abelian and nonabelian Liouville-Arnold theorems) Hamiltonian systems on canonically symplectic phase spaces. The fundamental role of the so-called Picard-Fuchs type equations is revealed, and their differential-geometric and algebraic properties are studied in detail. Some interesting examples of integrable Hamiltonian systems are are studied in detail in order to demonstrate the ease of implementation and effectiveness of the procedure for investigating the integral submanifold embedding mapping. (author)
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Error performance analysis in K-tier uplink cellular networks using a stochastic geometric approach
Afify, Laila H.
2015-09-14
In this work, we develop an analytical paradigm to analyze the average symbol error probability (ASEP) performance of uplink traffic in a multi-tier cellular network. The analysis is based on the recently developed Equivalent-in-Distribution approach that utilizes stochastic geometric tools to account for the network geometry in the performance characterization. Different from the other stochastic geometry models adopted in the literature, the developed analysis accounts for important communication system parameters and goes beyond signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio characterization. That is, the presented model accounts for the modulation scheme, constellation type, and signal recovery techniques to model the ASEP. To this end, we derive single integral expressions for the ASEP for different modulation schemes due to aggregate network interference. Finally, all theoretical findings of the paper are verified via Monte Carlo simulations.
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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ebata, T [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Coll. of General Education
1976-06-01
The geometrical distribution inferred from the inelastic cross section is assumed to be proportional to the partial waves. The precocious scaling and the Q/sup 2/-dependence of various quantities are treated from the geometrical point of view. It is shown that the approximate conservation of the orbital angular momentum may be a very practical rule to understand the helicity structure of various hadronic and electromagnetic reactions. The rule can be applied to inclusive reactions as well. The model is also applied to large angle processes. Through the discussion, it is suggested that many peculiar properties of the quark-parton can be ascribed to the geometrical effects.
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Morphometric characteristics in the horseshoe crab Tachypleus gigas (Arthropoda: Merostomata)
Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)
Vijayakumar, R.; Das, S.; Chatterji, A.; Parulekar, A.H.
comparative morphometry. This study also emphasizes that care must be taken to apply morphometric for a uniform size group of horseshoe crab populations. It is known that the changes in the form of an animal cannot be described satisfactorily...
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Morphometric Changes in the Cortical Microvascular Network in Alzheimer's Disease
Richard, E.; van Gool, W.A.; Hoozemans, J.J.M.; van Haastert, E.S.; Eikelenboom, P.; Rozemuller, A.J.M.; van de Berg, W.D.J.
2010-01-01
Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is accompanied by abnormalities of the microvasculature. Despite the potential importance of morphometric changes in the cortical capillary network on neuronal dysfunction and cognitive impairment, few autopsy studies have addressed this issue. In the present
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Lashkari, Mohammadreza; Hentz, Matthew G; Boykin, Laura M
2015-01-01
The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vector of citrus greening disease pathogen, Huanglongbing (HLB), is considered the most serious pest of citrus in the world. Prior molecular based studies have hypothesized a link between the D. citri in Iran and the USA (Florida). The purpose of this study was to collect morphometric data from D. citri populations from Iran (mtCOI haplotype-1), Florida (mtCOI haplotype-1), and Pakistan (mtCOI haplotype-6), to determine whether different mtCOI haplotypes have a relationship to a specific morphometric variation. 240 samples from 6 ACP populations (Iran-Jiroft, Chabahar; Florida-Ft. Pierce, Palm Beach Gardens, Port St. Lucie; and Pakistan-Punjab) were collected for comparison. Measurements of 20 morphological characters were selected, measured and analysed using ANOVA and MANOVA. The results indicate differences among the 6 ACP populations (Wilks' lambda = 0.0376, F = 7.29, P citri species in this study, (1) Iran, (2) USA (Florida) and (3) Pakistan population. Morphometric comparisons provided further resolution to the mtCOI haplotypes and distinguished the Florida and Iranian populations.
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Improved Object Proposals with Geometrical Features for Autonomous Driving
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Yiliu Feng
2017-01-01
Full Text Available This paper aims at generating high-quality object proposals for object detection in autonomous driving. Most existing proposal generation methods are designed for the general object detection, which may not perform well in a particular scene. We propose several geometrical features suited for autonomous driving and integrate them into state-of-the-art general proposal generation methods. In particular, we formulate the integration as a feature fusion problem by fusing the geometrical features with existing proposal generation methods in a Bayesian framework. Experiments on the challenging KITTI benchmark demonstrate that our approach improves the existing methods significantly. Combined with a convolutional neural net detector, our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on all three KITTI object classes.
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Mendoza, F J; Estepa, J C; Gonzalez-De Cara, C A; Aguilera-Aguilera, R; Toribio, R E; Perez-Ecija, A
2015-05-01
Donkeys are commonly afflicted by endocrine and metabolic disturbances but few studies have investigated endocrine variables involved in energy regulation and their association with morphometric indices, age or gender in this species. Hemostatic and clinical differences have been demonstrated between horses and donkeys, so to consider both species as metabolically and endocrinologically similar could lead to misdiagnosis. In this study, plasma concentrations of glucose, triglycerides and endocrine factors involved in energy homeostasis (insulin, glucagon, leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin and insulin-like growth factor [IGF]-1) were measured and their association with morphometric variables (body condition score, neck scoring and body mass index), gender and age was determined in 62 healthy donkeys. In addition, a neck scoring system specific for donkeys was developed. Insulin, glucagon, leptin and IGF-1 concentrations were found to be similar between donkeys and other species, but adiponectin and active ghrelin were lower in donkeys than horses. Donkeys with larger neck scores and body mass indices had higher triglyceride, leptin and IGF-1 concentrations. A sexual dimorphism was observed on all morphometric measurements and plasma glucose concentrations independent of adiposity. Younger animals had lower morphometric measurements and triglyceride and leptin concentrations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Analysis of Geometric Thinking Students’ and Process-Guided Inquiry Learning Model
Hardianti, D.; Priatna, N.; Priatna, B. A.
2017-09-01
This research aims to analysis students’ geometric thinking ability and theoretically examine the process-oriented guided iquiry (POGIL) model. This study uses qualitative approach with descriptive method because this research was done without any treatment on subjects. Data were collected naturally. This study was conducted in one of the State Junior High School in Bandung. The population was second grade students and the sample was 32 students. Data of students’ geometric thinking ability were collected through geometric thinking test. These questions are made based on the characteristics of geometry thinking based on van hiele’s theory. Based on the results of the analysis and discussion, students’ geometric thinking ability is still low so it needs to be improved. Therefore, an effort is needed to overcome the problems related to students’ geometric thinking ability. One of the efforts that can be done by doing the learning that can facilitate the students to construct their own geometry concept, especially quadrilateral’s concepts so that students’ geometric thinking ability can enhance maximally. Based on study of the theory, one of the learning models that can enhance the students’ geometric thinking ability is POGIL model.
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Further results on geometric operators in quantum gravity
Loll, R.
1996-01-01
We investigate some properties of geometric operators in canonical quantum gravity in the connection approach `a la Ashtekar, which are associated with volume, area and length of spatial regions. We motivate the construction of analogous discretized lattice quantities, compute various quantum
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Advanced Geometric Optics on a Programmable Pocket Calculator.
Nussbaum, Allen
1979-01-01
Presents a ray-tracing procedure based on some ideas of Herzberger and the matrix approach to geometrical optics. This method, which can be implemented on a programmable pocket calculator, applies to any conic surface, including paraboloids, spheres, and planes. (Author/GA)
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MORPHOMETRIC ASPECTS IN THE BÂRLAD BASIN
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
BĂLAN OANA
2015-03-01
Full Text Available Bârlad valley morphometry is strongly influenced by lithology, geological structure and climatic conditions. Between its springs and the outflow we noticed notable deviations from valley monocline structure and from the consecvent overall direction of the river system. Morphometric analysis of the Bârlad valley cumulates and summarizes the sequence of events that occurred in its hydrographic basin, which in turn has been actively reflected in indices such as generated the altimetry, the relief depth fragmentation.
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Lelièvre, Peter G.; Grey, Melissa
2017-08-01
Quantitative morphometric analyses of form are widely used in palaeontology, especially for taxonomic and evolutionary research. These analyses can involve several measurements performed on hundreds or even thousands of samples. Performing measurements of size and shape on large assemblages of macro- or microfossil samples is generally infeasible or impossible with traditional instruments such as vernier calipers. Instead, digital image processing software is required to perform measurements via suitable digital images of samples. Many software packages exist for morphometric analyses but there is not much available for the integral stage of data collection, particularly for the measurement of the outlines of samples. Some software exists to automatically detect the outline of a fossil sample from a digital image. However, automatic outline detection methods may perform inadequately when samples have incomplete outlines or images contain poor contrast between the sample and staging background. Hence, a manual digitization approach may be the only option. We are not aware of any software packages that are designed specifically for efficient digital measurement of fossil assemblages with numerous samples, especially for the purposes of manual outline analysis. Throughout several previous studies, we have developed a new software tool, JMorph, that is custom-built for that task. JMorph provides the means to perform many different types of measurements, which we describe in this manuscript. We focus on JMorph's ability to rapidly and accurately digitize the outlines of fossils. JMorph is freely available from the authors.
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Geometrical methods in learning theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Burdet, G.; Combe, Ph.; Nencka, H.
2001-01-01
The methods of information theory provide natural approaches to learning algorithms in the case of stochastic formal neural networks. Most of the classical techniques are based on some extremization principle. A geometrical interpretation of the associated algorithms provides a powerful tool for understanding the learning process and its stability and offers a framework for discussing possible new learning rules. An illustration is given using sequential and parallel learning in the Boltzmann machine
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
ZAINAL ABIDIN MUCHLISIN
2014-10-01
Full Text Available Muchlisin ZA, Zulkarnaini B, Purnawan S, Muhadjier A, Fadli N, Cheng SH. 2014. Morphometric variations of three species of harvested cephalopods found in northern sea of Aceh Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 15: 142-146. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the morphometrics of three harvested cephalopods, Sepioteuthis lessoniana, Sepia officinalis and Uroteuthis sp. found in northern sea of Aceh Province, Indonesia. Sampling was conducted for six months from July to December 2012 in one week interval. A total of 318 cephalopods; 139 Sepioteuthis lessoniana, 139 Uroteuthis sp. and 40 Sepia officinalis were analyzed for morphometric study and 13 anatomical characters were measured to the nearest 0.01 mm using a digital calipers. Morphometric measurements were significantly different between the different species of cephalopods (ANOVA, p<0.05. S. officinalis differed in six morphological characters (head length, head width, tentacles length, gladius width, rancis width and length from the squid species. Fin width and length were significantly greater in S. lessoniana than in S. officinalis and Uroteuthis sp. On the other hand, Uroteuthis sp. had significantly greater mantle lengths, standard lengths and gladius lengths than the other two cephalopod species (Duncan Test, p<0.05. However, fin width was similar between S. lessoniana and Uroteuthis sp., while eye diameter was similar between S. officinalis and Uroteuthis sp. A Discriminant Function Analysis scatter plot successfully discriminated the three species indicating significant differences in morphological variation. This analysis also indicates that morphometrically, S. lessoniana and S. officinalis are more similar to each other despite being in different orders.
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Federal Laboratory Consortium — Purpose: The mission of the Geometric Design Laboratory (GDL) is to support the Office of Safety Research and Development in research related to the geometric design...
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The geometric approach to sets of ordinary differential equations and Hamiltonian dynamics
Estabrook, F. B.; Wahlquist, H. D.
1975-01-01
The calculus of differential forms is used to discuss the local integration theory of a general set of autonomous first order ordinary differential equations. Geometrically, such a set is a vector field V in the space of dependent variables. Integration consists of seeking associated geometric structures invariant along V: scalar fields, forms, vectors, and integrals over subspaces. It is shown that to any field V can be associated a Hamiltonian structure of forms if, when dealing with an odd number of dependent variables, an arbitrary equation of constraint is also added. Families of integral invariants are an immediate consequence. Poisson brackets are isomorphic to Lie products of associated CT-generating vector fields. Hamilton's variational principle follows from the fact that the maximal regular integral manifolds of a closed set of forms must include the characteristics of the set.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
LI Jian-Wei
2014-08-01
Full Text Available On the basis of the cluster validity function based on geometric probability in literature [1, 2], propose a cluster analysis method based on geometric probability to process large amount of data in rectangular area. The basic idea is top-down stepwise refinement, firstly categories then subcategories. On all clustering levels, use the cluster validity function based on geometric probability firstly, determine clusters and the gathering direction, then determine the center of clustering and the border of clusters. Through TM remote sensing image classification examples, compare with the supervision and unsupervised classification in ERDAS and the cluster analysis method based on geometric probability in two-dimensional square which is proposed in literature 2. Results show that the proposed method can significantly improve the classification accuracy.
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Geometric Models for Collaborative Search and Filtering
Bitton, Ephrat
2011-01-01
This dissertation explores the use of geometric and graphical models for a variety of information search and filtering applications. These models serve to provide an intuitive understanding of the problem domains and as well as computational efficiencies to our solution approaches. We begin by considering a search and rescue scenario where both…
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Wang, Yong-Long; Jiang, Hua; Zong, Hong-Shi
2017-08-01
In the spirit of the thin-layer quantization approach, we give the formula of the geometric influences of a particle confined to a curved surface embedded in three-dimensional Euclidean space. The geometric contributions can result from the reduced commutation relation between the acted function depending on normal variable and the normal derivative. According to the formula, we obtain the geometric potential, geometric momentum, geometric orbital angular momentum, geometric linear Rashba, and cubic Dresselhaus spin-orbit couplings. As an example, a truncated cone surface is considered. We find that the geometric orbital angular momentum can provide an azimuthal polarization for spin, and the sign of the geometric Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling can be flipped through the inclination angle of generatrix.
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Geometric scaling behavior of the scattering amplitude for DIS with nuclei
Kormilitzin, Andrey; Levin, Eugene; Tapia, Sebastian
2011-12-01
The main question, that we answer in this paper, is whether the initial condition can influence on the geometric scaling behavior of the amplitude for DIS at high energy. We re-write the non-linear Balitsky-Kovchegov equation in the form which is useful for treating the interaction with nuclei. Using the simplified BFKL kernel, we find the analytical solution to this equation with the initial condition given by the McLerran-Venugopalan formula. This solution does not show the geometric scaling behavior of the amplitude deeply in the saturation region. On the other hand, the BFKL Pomeron calculus with the initial condition at x=1/mR given by the solution to Balitsky-Kovchegov equation, leads to the geometric scaling behavior. The McLerran-Venugopalan formula is the natural initial condition for the Color Glass Condensate (CGC) approach. Therefore, our result gives a possibility to check experimentally which approach: CGC or BFKL Pomeron calculus, is more satisfactory.
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Geometric scaling behavior of the scattering amplitude for DIS with nuclei
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kormilitzin, Andrey; Levin, Eugene; Tapia, Sebastian
2011-01-01
The main question, that we answer in this paper, is whether the initial condition can influence on the geometric scaling behavior of the amplitude for DIS at high energy. We re-write the non-linear Balitsky–Kovchegov equation in the form which is useful for treating the interaction with nuclei. Using the simplified BFKL kernel, we find the analytical solution to this equation with the initial condition given by the McLerran–Venugopalan formula. This solution does not show the geometric scaling behavior of the amplitude deeply in the saturation region. On the other hand, the BFKL Pomeron calculus with the initial condition at x A =1/mR A given by the solution to Balitsky–Kovchegov equation, leads to the geometric scaling behavior. The McLerran–Venugopalan formula is the natural initial condition for the Color Glass Condensate (CGC) approach. Therefore, our result gives a possibility to check experimentally which approach: CGC or BFKL Pomeron calculus, is more satisfactory.
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Image Retrieval based on Integration between Color and Geometric Moment Features
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Saad, M.H.; Saleh, H.I.; Konbor, H.; Ashour, M.
2012-01-01
Content based image retrieval is the retrieval of images based on visual features such as colour, texture and shape. .the Current approaches to CBIR differ in terms of which image features are extracted; recent work deals with combination of distances or scores from different and usually independent representations in an attempt to induce high level semantics from the low level descriptors of the images. content-based image retrieval has many application areas such as, education, commerce, military, searching, commerce, and biomedicine and Web image classification. This paper proposes a new image retrieval system, which uses color and geometric moment feature to form the feature vectors. Bhattacharyya distance and histogram intersection are used to perform feature matching. This framework integrates the color histogram which represents the global feature and geometric moment as local descriptor to enhance the retrieval results. The proposed technique is proper for precisely retrieving images even in deformation cases such as geometric deformations and noise. It is tested on a standard the results shows that a combination of our approach as a local image descriptor with other global descriptors outperforms other approaches.
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Genetic parameters and trends of morphometric traits of GIFT tilapia under selection for weight gain
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rafael Vilhena Reis Neto
2014-08-01
Full Text Available The main factor considered in breeding programs for fish is growth, which can be assessed in terms of a gain in either weight or body measurements. This study was undertaken to evaluate the morphometric traits of GIFT strain tilapia (Oreochromis sp. selected for weight gain. The data set used contained information on 6,650 animals. The genetic values of 8,590 animals in a relationship matrix of five generations were predicted. The following morphometric measurements were evaluated: standard length; body depth and body width. Body area and volume were also calculated. Bi-character analyses involving morphometric traits were used to estimate (covariance components. Heritability, larval and fingerling common environmental effects were estimated for each trait, together with the genetic and phenotypic correlations between traits. Bayesian procedures were utilised by Gibbs chains, and the convergence of the chains was tested using the Heidelberger and Welch method. Genetic trends were estimated by segmented regression of the fish breeding values of the generations considered in this study. Estimates of heritability (0.28 a 0.31 had moderate to high magnitudes for all traits. Genetic correlations between traits were all above 0.8, and the genetic gains were satisfactory from the third generation onwards. From the estimates of the genetic parameters and genetic gain the morphometric traits evaluated have good potential for selection.
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Tykocki, Tomasz; Kostkiewicz, Bogusław
2014-09-01
Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) located in the posterior circulation are considered to have higher annual bleed rates than those in the anterior circulation. The aim of the study was to compare the morphometric factors differentiating between IAs located in the anterior and posterior cerebral circulation. A total number of 254 IAs diagnosed between 2009 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients qualified for diagnostic, three-dimensional rotational angiography. IAs were assigned to either the anterior or posterior cerebral circulation subsets for the analysis. Means were compared with a t-test. The univariate and stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of morphometric differences between the groups. For the defined predictors, ROC (receiver-operating characteristic) curves and interactive dot diagrams were calculated with the cutoff values of the morphometric factors. The number of anterior cerebral circulation IAs was 179 (70.5 %); 141 (55.5 %) aneurysms were ruptured. Significant differences between anterior and posterior circulation IAs were found for: the parent artery size (5.08 ± 1.8 mm vs. 3.95 ± 1.5 mm; p 45) and aspect ratio (AR) (1.91 ± 0.8 vs. 2.75 ± 1.8; p = 0.02). Predicting factors differentiating anterior and posterior circulation IAs were: the AR (OR = 2.20; 95 % CI 1.80-270; Is 270 correct or should it be 2.70 and parent artery size (OR = 0.44; 95 % CI 0.38-0.54). The cutoff point in the ROC curve was 2.185 for the AR and 4.89 mm for parent artery size. Aspect ratio and parent artery size were found to be predictive morphometric factors in differentiating between anterior and posterior cerebral IAs.
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Morphometric Studies Of The Cerebellum And Forebrain Of The ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Morphometric studies were undertaken using the brains of six African giant rats. The mean of weights and lengths (tip of the olfactory bulb to the caudal border of the cerebellum) were observed tobe 4.88 0.183g and 4.40 0.193g, respectively. Similarly, the mean weight and length of the cerebellum and the forebrain ...
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Effect of Genotype and Age on Some Morphometric, Body Linear ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
A population of 231 roosters of the Nigerian indigenous chickens of normal feathered frizzle feathered and naked neck genotypes was evaluated for the effect of genotype and age on some morphometric body linear measurements and semen characteristics of three Nigerian chicken genotypes. 20 roosters from each ...
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Modeling thermodynamic distance, curvature and fluctuations a geometric approach
Badescu, Viorel
2016-01-01
This textbook aims to briefly outline the main directions in which the geometrization of thermodynamics has been developed in the last decades. The textbook is accessible to people trained in thermal sciences but not necessarily with solid formation in mathematics. For this, in the first chapters a summary of the main mathematical concepts is made. In some sense, this makes the textbook self-consistent. The rest of the textbook consists of a collection of results previously obtained in this young branch of thermodynamics. The manner of presentation used throughout the textbook is adapted for ease of access of readers with education in natural and technical sciences.
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Machine Learning for Nuclear Mechano-Morphometric Biomarkers in Cancer Diagnosis.
Radhakrishnan, Adityanarayanan; Damodaran, Karthik; Soylemezoglu, Ali C; Uhler, Caroline; Shivashankar, G V
2017-12-20
Current cancer diagnosis employs various nuclear morphometric measures. While these have allowed accurate late-stage prognosis, early diagnosis is still a major challenge. Recent evidence highlights the importance of alterations in mechanical properties of single cells and their nuclei as critical drivers for the onset of cancer. We here present a method to detect subtle changes in nuclear morphometrics at single-cell resolution by combining fluorescence imaging and deep learning. This assay includes a convolutional neural net pipeline and allows us to discriminate between normal and human breast cancer cell lines (fibrocystic and metastatic states) as well as normal and cancer cells in tissue slices with high accuracy. Further, we establish the sensitivity of our pipeline by detecting subtle alterations in normal cells when subjected to small mechano-chemical perturbations that mimic tumor microenvironments. In addition, our assay provides interpretable features that could aid pathological inspections. This pipeline opens new avenues for early disease diagnostics and drug discovery.
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Bio-mechanical and morphometric evaluation of late radiation-induced changes in the mouse rectum
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lundby, L.
1998-01-01
The overall aim of this thesis was to study the development of late radiation induced damage of the rectum and describe the histopathological and morphometric characteristics of the late injury. This required the design of a new, small probe for rectal measurements of cross-sectional area and distension pressure in mice. The impedance planimetric method was developed and validated in vitro and applied in in vivo studies of normal mice. The study of radiation induced damage of the rectum also required a new set-up for selective irradiation of a specific part of the rectum, shielding other organs. Mice were irradiated with varying single doses and followed with impedance planimetric measurements at regular intervals until death of the animals. In order to compare observed changes of the functional properties of the rectum following irradiation, a description of morphometric and morphologic characteristics by a stereolic technique was planned. A simplified stereological method has been applied to this study to describe late morphometric changes in the different intestinal layers after irradiation with varying single doses. (EG)
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Geometric algebra with applications in science and engineering
Sobczyk, Garret
2001-01-01
The goal of this book is to present a unified mathematical treatment of diverse problems in mathematics, physics, computer science, and engineer ing using geometric algebra. Geometric algebra was invented by William Kingdon Clifford in 1878 as a unification and generalization of the works of Grassmann and Hamilton, which came more than a quarter of a century before. Whereas the algebras of Clifford and Grassmann are well known in advanced mathematics and physics, they have never made an impact in elementary textbooks where the vector algebra of Gibbs-Heaviside still predominates. The approach to Clifford algebra adopted in most of the ar ticles here was pioneered in the 1960s by David Hestenes. Later, together with Garret Sobczyk, he developed it into a unified language for math ematics and physics. Sobczyk first learned about the power of geometric algebra in classes in electrodynamics and relativity taught by Hestenes at Arizona State University from 1966 to 1967. He still vividly remembers a feeling ...
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Control of the spin geometric phase in semiconductor quantum rings.
Nagasawa, Fumiya; Frustaglia, Diego; Saarikoski, Henri; Richter, Klaus; Nitta, Junsaku
2013-01-01
Since the formulation of the geometric phase by Berry, its relevance has been demonstrated in a large variety of physical systems. However, a geometric phase of the most fundamental spin-1/2 system, the electron spin, has not been observed directly and controlled independently from dynamical phases. Here we report experimental evidence on the manipulation of an electron spin through a purely geometric effect in an InGaAs-based quantum ring with Rashba spin-orbit coupling. By applying an in-plane magnetic field, a phase shift of the Aharonov-Casher interference pattern towards the small spin-orbit-coupling regions is observed. A perturbation theory for a one-dimensional Rashba ring under small in-plane fields reveals that the phase shift originates exclusively from the modulation of a pure geometric-phase component of the electron spin beyond the adiabatic limit, independently from dynamical phases. The phase shift is well reproduced by implementing two independent approaches, that is, perturbation theory and non-perturbative transport simulations.
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The effect of photometric and geometric context on photometric and geometric lightness effects.
Lee, Thomas Y; Brainard, David H
2014-01-24
We measured the lightness of probe tabs embedded at different orientations in various contextual images presented on a computer-controlled stereo display. Two background context planes met along a horizontal roof-like ridge. Each plane was a graphic rendering of a set of achromatic surfaces with the simulated illumination for each plane controlled independently. Photometric context was varied by changing the difference in simulated illumination intensity between the two background planes. Geometric context was varied by changing the angle between them. We parsed the data into separate photometric effects and geometric effects. For fixed geometry, varying photometric context led to linear changes in both the photometric and geometric effects. Varying geometric context did not produce a statistically reliable change in either the photometric or geometric effects.
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Frame-Based Facial Expression Recognition Using Geometrical Features
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Anwar Saeed
2014-01-01
Full Text Available To improve the human-computer interaction (HCI to be as good as human-human interaction, building an efficient approach for human emotion recognition is required. These emotions could be fused from several modalities such as facial expression, hand gesture, acoustic data, and biophysiological data. In this paper, we address the frame-based perception of the universal human facial expressions (happiness, surprise, anger, disgust, fear, and sadness, with the help of several geometrical features. Unlike many other geometry-based approaches, the frame-based method does not rely on prior knowledge of a person-specific neutral expression; this knowledge is gained through human intervention and not available in real scenarios. Additionally, we provide a method to investigate the performance of the geometry-based approaches under various facial point localization errors. From an evaluation on two public benchmark datasets, we have found that using eight facial points, we can achieve the state-of-the-art recognition rate. However, this state-of-the-art geometry-based approach exploits features derived from 68 facial points and requires prior knowledge of the person-specific neutral expression. The expression recognition rate using geometrical features is adversely affected by the errors in the facial point localization, especially for the expressions with subtle facial deformations.
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Optimal Route Searching with Multiple Dynamical Constraints—A Geometric Algebra Approach
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Dongshuang Li
2018-05-01
Full Text Available The process of searching for a dynamic constrained optimal path has received increasing attention in traffic planning, evacuation, and personalized or collaborative traffic service. As most existing multiple constrained optimal path (MCOP methods cannot search for a path given various types of constraints that dynamically change during the search, few approaches for dynamic multiple constrained optimal path (DMCOP with type II dynamics are available for practical use. In this study, we develop a method to solve the DMCOP problem with type II dynamics based on the unification of various types of constraints under a geometric algebra (GA framework. In our method, the network topology and three different types of constraints are represented by using algebraic base coding. With a parameterized optimization of the MCOP algorithm based on a greedy search strategy under the generation-refinement paradigm, this algorithm is found to accurately support the discovery of optimal paths as the constraints of numerical values, nodes, and route structure types are dynamically added to the network. The algorithm was tested with simulated cases of optimal tourism route searches in China’s road networks with various combinations of constraints. The case study indicates that our algorithm can not only solve the DMCOP with different types of constraints but also use constraints to speed up the route filtering.
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Morphometric Analysis of Mandibular Growth in Skeletal Class III Malocclusion
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jenny Zwei-Chieng Chang
2006-01-01
Conclusion: We conclude that thin-plate spline analysis and the finite element morphometric method are efficient for the localization and quantification of size and shape changes that occur during mandibular growth. Plots of maximum and minimum principal directions can provide useful information about the trends of growth changes.
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Geometric Modeling of Cellular Materials for Additive Manufacturing in Biomedical Field: A Review.
Savio, Gianpaolo; Rosso, Stefano; Meneghello, Roberto; Concheri, Gianmaria
2018-01-01
Advances in additive manufacturing technologies facilitate the fabrication of cellular materials that have tailored functional characteristics. The application of solid freeform fabrication techniques is especially exploited in designing scaffolds for tissue engineering. In this review, firstly, a classification of cellular materials from a geometric point of view is proposed; then, the main approaches on geometric modeling of cellular materials are discussed. Finally, an investigation on porous scaffolds fabricated by additive manufacturing technologies is pointed out. Perspectives in geometric modeling of scaffolds for tissue engineering are also proposed.
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Niu, Ye; Qi, Lin; Zhang, Fen; Zhao, Yi
2018-07-30
Core/shell hydrogel microcapsules attract increasing research attention due to their potentials in tissue engineering, food engineering, and drug delivery. Current approaches for generating core/shell hydrogel microcapsules suffer from large geometric variations. Geometrically defective core/shell microcapsules need to be removed before further use. High-throughput geometric characterization of such core/shell microcapsules is therefore necessary. In this work, a continuous-flow device was developed to measure the geometric properties of microcapsules with a hydrogel shell and an aqueous core. The microcapsules were pumped through a tapered microchannel patterned with an array of interdigitated microelectrodes. The geometric parameters (the shell thickness and the diameter) were derived from the displacement profiles of the microcapsules. The results show that this approach can successfully distinguish all unencapsulated microparticles. The geometric properties of core/shell microcapsules can be determined with high accuracy. The efficacy of this method was demonstrated through a drug releasing experiment where the optimization of the electrospray process based on geometric screening can lead to controlled and extended drug releasing profiles. This method does not require high-speed optical systems, simplifying the system configuration and making it an indeed miniaturized device. The throughput of up to 584 microcapsules per minute was achieved. This study provides a powerful tool for screening core/shell hydrogel microcapsules and is expected to facilitate the applications of these microcapsules in various fields. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Robust Geometric Control of a Distillation Column
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kymmel, Mogens; Andersen, Henrik Weisberg
1987-01-01
A frequency domain method, which makes it possible to adjust multivariable controllers with respect to both nominal performance and robustness, is presented. The basic idea in the approach is that the designer assigns objectives such as steady-state tracking, maximum resonance peaks, bandwidth, m...... is used to examine and improve geometric control of a binary distillation column....
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Functional geometric method for solving free boundary problems for harmonic functions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Demidov, Aleksander S [M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow (Russian Federation)
2010-01-01
A survey is given of results and approaches for a broad spectrum of free boundary problems for harmonic functions of two variables. The main results are obtained by the functional geometric method. The core of these methods is an interrelated analysis of the functional and geometric characteristics of the problems under consideration and of the corresponding non-linear Riemann-Hilbert problems. An extensive list of open questions is presented. Bibliography: 124 titles.
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Right-invertibility for a class of nonlinear control systems: A geometric approach
Nijmeijer, Henk
1986-01-01
In recent years it has become evident that various synthesis problems known from linear system theory can also be solved for nonlinear control systems by using differential geometric methods. The purpose of this paper is to use this mathematical framework for giving a preliminary account on the
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Orhan, Kaan; Misirli, Melis; Aksoy, Secil; Seki, Umut; Hincal, Evren; Ormeci, Tugrul; Arslan, Ahmet
2016-01-01
The aim of this study was to examine the anatomy and variations of the infraorbital foramen and its surroundings via morphometric measurements using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans derived from a 3D volumetric rendering program. 354 sides of CBCT scans from 177 patients were examined in this study. DICOM data from these images were exported to Maxilim® software in order to generate 3D surface models. The morphometric measurements were done for infraorbital foramen (IOF), infraorbital groove (IOG) and infraorbital canal (IOC). All images were evaluated by 1 radiologist. To assess intra-observer reliability, the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test was used. Differences between sex, side, age and measurements were evaluated using chi-square and paired t-test and measurements were evaluated using 1-way ANOVA tests. Differences were considered significant when p0.05). No significant difference was found according to age groups (p>0.05). These results provide detailed knowledge of the anatomical characteristics in this particular area. CBCT imaging with lower radiation dose and thin slices can be a powerful tool for anesthesia procedures like infra orbital nerve blocks, for surgical approaches like osteotomies and neurectomies and also for generating artificial prostheses.
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Plasma geometric optics analysis and computation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Smith, T.M.
1983-01-01
Important practical applications in the generation, manipulation, and diagnosis of laboratory thermonuclear plasmas have created a need for elaborate computational capabilities in the study of high frequency wave propagation in plasmas. A reduced description of such waves suitable for digital computation is provided by the theory of plasma geometric optics. The existing theory is beset by a variety of special cases in which the straightforward analytical approach fails, and has been formulated with little attention to problems of numerical implementation of that analysis. The standard field equations are derived for the first time from kinetic theory. A discussion of certain terms previously, and erroneously, omitted from the expansion of the plasma constitutive relation is given. A powerful but little known computational prescription for determining the geometric optics field in the neighborhood of caustic singularities is rigorously developed, and a boundary layer analysis for the asymptotic matching of the plasma geometric optics field across caustic singularities is performed for the first time with considerable generality. A proper treatment of birefringence is detailed, wherein a breakdown of the fundamental perturbation theory is identified and circumvented. A general ray tracing computer code suitable for applications to radiation heating and diagnostic problems is presented and described
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A Geometric Approach to CP Violation: Applications to the MCPMFV SUSY Model
Ellis, John; Pilaftsis, Apostolos
2010-01-01
We analyze the constraints imposed by experimental upper limits on electric dipole moments (EDMs) within the Maximally CP- and Minimally Flavour-Violating (MCPMFV) version of the MSSM. Since the MCPMFV scenario has 6 non-standard CP-violating phases, in addition to the CP-odd QCD vacuum phase \\theta_QCD, cancellations may occur among the CP-violating contributions to the three measured EDMs, those of the Thallium, neutron and Mercury, leaving open the possibility of relatively large values of the other CP-violating observables. We develop a novel geometric method that uses the small-phase approximation as a starting point, takes the existing EDM constraints into account, and enables us to find maximal values of other CP-violating observables, such as the EDMs of the Deuteron and muon, the CP-violating asymmetry in b --> s \\gamma decay, and the B_s mixing phase. We apply this geometric method to provide upper limits on these observables within specific benchmark supersymmetric scenarios, including extensions t...
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Druţu, Cornelia
2018-01-01
The key idea in geometric group theory is to study infinite groups by endowing them with a metric and treating them as geometric spaces. This applies to many groups naturally appearing in topology, geometry, and algebra, such as fundamental groups of manifolds, groups of matrices with integer coefficients, etc. The primary focus of this book is to cover the foundations of geometric group theory, including coarse topology, ultralimits and asymptotic cones, hyperbolic groups, isoperimetric inequalities, growth of groups, amenability, Kazhdan's Property (T) and the Haagerup property, as well as their characterizations in terms of group actions on median spaces and spaces with walls. The book contains proofs of several fundamental results of geometric group theory, such as Gromov's theorem on groups of polynomial growth, Tits's alternative, Stallings's theorem on ends of groups, Dunwoody's accessibility theorem, the Mostow Rigidity Theorem, and quasiisometric rigidity theorems of Tukia and Schwartz. This is the f...
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Strahler, Alan H.; Jupp, David L. B.
1990-01-01
Geometric-optical discrete-element mathematical models for forest canopies have been developed using the Boolean logic and models of Serra. The geometric-optical approach is considered to be particularly well suited to describing the bidirectional reflectance of forest woodland canopies, where the concentration of leaf material within crowns and the resulting between-tree gaps make plane-parallel, radiative-transfer models inappropriate. The approach leads to invertible formulations, in which the spatial and directional variance provides the means for remote estimation of tree crown size, shape, and total cover from remotedly sensed imagery.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mackay, C; Hayward, D; Mulholland, A J; McKee, S; Pethrick, R A
2005-01-01
An inverse problem motivated by the nondestructive testing of adhesively bonded structures used in the aircraft industry is studied. Using transmission line theory, a model is developed which, when supplied with electrical and geometrical parameters, accurately predicts the reflection coefficient associated with such structures. Particular attention is paid to modelling the connection between the structures and the equipment used to measure the reflection coefficient. The inverse problem is then studied and an optimization approach employed to recover these electrical and geometrical parameters from experimentally obtained data. In particular the approach focuses on the recovery of spatially varying geometrical parameters as this is paramount to the successful reconstruction of electrical parameters. Reconstructions of structure geometry using this method are found to be in close agreement with experimental observations
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2013-01-01
Background Cerebellar abiotrophy (CA) is a rare but significant disease in Arabian horses caused by progressive death of the Purkinje cells resulting in cerebellar ataxia characterized by a typical head tremor, jerky head movements and lack of menace response. The specific role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to support clinical diagnosis has been discussed. However, as yet MR imaging has only been described in one equine CA case. The role of MR morphometry in this regard is currently unknown. Due to the hereditary nature of the disease, genetic testing can support the diagnosis of CA. Therefore, the objective of this study was to perform MR morphometric analysis and genetic testing in four CA-affected Arabian horses and one German Riding Pony with purebred Arabian bloodlines in the third generation. Results CA was diagnosed pathohistologically in the five affected horses (2 months - 3 years) supported by clinical signs, necropsy, and genetic testing which confirmed the TOE1:g.2171G>A SNP genotype A/A in all CA-affected horses. On MR images morphometric analysis of the relative cerebellar size and relative cerebellar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space were compared to control images of 15 unaffected horses. It was demonstrated that in MR morphometric analyses, CA affected horses displayed a relatively smaller cerebellum compared to the entire brain mass than control animals (P = 0.0088). The relative cerebellar CSF space was larger in affected horses (P = 0.0017). Using a cut off value of 11.0% for relative cerebellar CSF space, the parameter differentiated between CA-affected horses and controls with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 93.3%. Conclusions In conclusion, morphometric MRI and genetic analysis could be helpful to support the diagnosis of CA in vivo. PMID:23702154
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Geometric Modeling of Cellular Materials for Additive Manufacturing in Biomedical Field: A Review
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Gianpaolo Savio
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Advances in additive manufacturing technologies facilitate the fabrication of cellular materials that have tailored functional characteristics. The application of solid freeform fabrication techniques is especially exploited in designing scaffolds for tissue engineering. In this review, firstly, a classification of cellular materials from a geometric point of view is proposed; then, the main approaches on geometric modeling of cellular materials are discussed. Finally, an investigation on porous scaffolds fabricated by additive manufacturing technologies is pointed out. Perspectives in geometric modeling of scaffolds for tissue engineering are also proposed.
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Geometric Modeling of Cellular Materials for Additive Manufacturing in Biomedical Field: A Review
Rosso, Stefano; Meneghello, Roberto; Concheri, Gianmaria
2018-01-01
Advances in additive manufacturing technologies facilitate the fabrication of cellular materials that have tailored functional characteristics. The application of solid freeform fabrication techniques is especially exploited in designing scaffolds for tissue engineering. In this review, firstly, a classification of cellular materials from a geometric point of view is proposed; then, the main approaches on geometric modeling of cellular materials are discussed. Finally, an investigation on porous scaffolds fabricated by additive manufacturing technologies is pointed out. Perspectives in geometric modeling of scaffolds for tissue engineering are also proposed. PMID:29487626
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On geometrized gravitation theories
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Logunov, A.A.; Folomeshkin, V.N.
1977-01-01
General properties of the geometrized gravitation theories have been considered. Geometrization of the theory is realized only to the extent that by necessity follows from an experiment (geometrization of the density of the matter Lagrangian only). Aor a general case the gravitation field equations and the equations of motion for matter are formulated in the different Riemann spaces. A covariant formulation of the energy-momentum conservation laws is given in an arbitrary geometrized theory. The noncovariant notion of ''pseudotensor'' is not required in formulating the conservation laws. It is shown that in the general case (i.e., when there is an explicit dependence of the matter Lagrangian density on the covariant derivatives) a symmetric energy-momentum tensor of the matter is explicitly dependent on the curvature tensor. There are enlisted different geometrized theories that describe a known set of the experimental facts. The properties of one of the versions of the quasilinear geometrized theory that describes the experimental facts are considered. In such a theory the fundamental static spherically symmetrical solution has a singularity only in the coordinate origin. The theory permits to create a satisfactory model of the homogeneous nonstationary Universe
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Type II Superstring Field Theory: Geometric Approach and Operadic Description
Jurco, Branislav
2013-01-01
We outline the construction of type II superstring field theory leading to a geometric and algebraic BV master equation, analogous to Zwiebach's construction for the bosonic string. The construction uses the small Hilbert space. Elementary vertices of the non-polynomial action are described with the help of a properly formulated minimal area problem. They give rise to an infinite tower of superstring field products defining a $\\mathcal{N}=1$ generalization of a loop homotopy Lie algebra, the genus zero part generalizing a homotopy Lie algebra. Finally, we give an operadic interpretation of the construction.
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Optical rectification using geometrical field enhancement in gold nano-arrays
Piltan, S.; Sievenpiper, D.
2017-11-01
Conversion of photons to electrical energy has a wide variety of applications including imaging, solar energy harvesting, and IR detection. A rectenna device consists of an antenna in addition to a rectifying element to absorb the incident radiation within a certain frequency range. We designed, fabricated, and measured an optical rectifier taking advantage of asymmetrical field enhancement for forward and reverse currents due to geometrical constraints. The gold nano-structures as well as the geometrical parameters offer enhanced light-matter interaction at 382 THz. Using the Taylor expansion of the time-dependent current as a function of the external bias and oscillating optical excitation, we obtained responsivities close to quantum limit of operation. This geometrical approach can offer an efficient, broadband, and scalable solution for energy conversion and detection in the future.
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Morphometric traits in arbor-acres broiler chicken ( Gallus gallus )fed ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Fifty sixth day morphometric and body weight measurements were taken on one hundred and forty eight Arbor Acres broiler chickens reared under the Deep Litter system in the guinea savana Zone of Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the effects of substituting treated and untreated Cocoa Bean Shell (CBS) at 50 and ...
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Honório, Leonardo M; Barbosa, Daniele A; Oliveira, Edimar J; Garcia, Paulo A Nepomuceno; Santos, Murillo F
2018-03-01
This work presents a new approach for solving classification and learning problems. The Successive Geometric Segmentation technique is applied to encapsulate large datasets by using a series of Oriented Bounding Hyper Box (OBHBs). Each OBHB is obtained through linear separation analysis and each one represents a specific region in a pattern's solution space. Also, each OBHB can be seen as a data abstraction layer and be considered as an individual Kernel. Thus, it is possible by applying a quadratic discriminant function, to assemble a set of nonlinear surfaces separating each desirable pattern. This approach allows working with large datasets using high speed linear analysis tools and yet providing a very accurate non-linear classifier as final result. The methodology was tested using the UCI Machine Learning repository and a Power Transformer Fault Diagnosis real scenario problem. The results were compared with different approaches provided by literature and, finally, the potential and further applications of the methodology were also discussed. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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A practical guide to experimental geometrical optics
Garbovskiy, Yuriy A
2017-01-01
A concise, yet deep introduction to experimental, geometrical optics, this book begins with fundamental concepts and then develops the practical skills and research techniques routinely used in modern laboratories. Suitable for students, researchers and optical engineers, this accessible text teaches readers how to build their own optical laboratory and to design and perform optical experiments. It uses a hands-on approach which fills a gap between theory-based textbooks and laboratory manuals, allowing the reader to develop their practical skills in this interdisciplinary field, and also explores the ways in which this knowledge can be applied to the design and production of commercial optical devices. Including supplementary online resources to help readers track and evaluate their experimental results, this text is the ideal companion for anyone with a practical interest in experimental geometrical optics.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ana Laura Ibáñez-Aguirre
2006-03-01
Full Text Available A population of Mugil curema in the Gulf of Mexico was compared with one in the Pacific Ocean using nine morphometric variables. The allometries of each measurement were estimated in relation to total length. Morphometric variations were analyzed using the normalization of the individuals of each group and two multivariate methods: correspondence analysis, used to explore the information, and discriminant analysis. Results indicated that the diameter of the eye differentiated the populations of both coasts, the Atlantic population showed a larger eye diameter. However, other than this and the body width (which can be strongly influenced by sexual maturation there was no difference between the shapes of both populations. We discuss the larger morphometric variability of the Atlantic population which may be due to the presence of more than one population unlike the Pacific population.
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Gross and morphometric anatomical changes of the thyroid gland in ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Gross and morphometric anatomical changes of the thyroid gland in the West African Dwarf Goat ( Capra hircus ) during the foetal and post-natal periods of development. ... The right lobe was more cranially located on the larynx and trachea than the left lobe in all age groups. Thyroid isthmus was absent in few foetal thyroid ...
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Geometric Scaling in New Combined Hadron-Electron Ring Accelerator Data
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhou Xiao-Jiao; Qi Lian; Kang Lin; Xiang Wen-Chang; Zhou Dai-Cui
2014-01-01
We study the geometric scaling in the new combined data of the hadron-electron ring accelerator by using the Golec-Biernat—Wüsthoff model. It is found that the description of the data is improved once the high accurate data are used to determine the model parameters. The value of x 0 extracted from the fit is larger than the one from the previous study, which indicates a larger saturation scale in the new combined data. This makes more data located in the saturation region, and our approach is more reliable. This study lets the saturation model confront such high precision new combined data, and tests geometric scaling with those data. We demonstrate that the data lie on the same curve, which shows the geometric scaling in the new combined data. This outcome seems to support that the gluon saturation would be a relevant mechanism to dominate the parton evolution process in deep inelastic scattering, due to the fact that the geometric scaling results from the gluon saturation mechanism
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Application of Multilevel Models to Morphometric Data. Part 2. Correlations
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
O. Tsybrovskyy
2003-01-01
Full Text Available Multilevel organization of morphometric data (cells are “nested” within patients requires special methods for studying correlations between karyometric features. The most distinct feature of these methods is that separate correlation (covariance matrices are produced for every level in the hierarchy. In karyometric research, the cell‐level (i.e., within‐tumor correlations seem to be of major interest. Beside their biological importance, these correlation coefficients (CC are compulsory when dimensionality reduction is required. Using MLwiN, a dedicated program for multilevel modeling, we show how to use multivariate multilevel models (MMM to obtain and interpret CC in each of the levels. A comparison with two usual, “single‐level” statistics shows that MMM represent the only way to obtain correct cell‐level correlation coefficients. The summary statistics method (take average values across each patient produces patient‐level CC only, and the “pooling” method (merge all cells together and ignore patients as units of analysis yields incorrect CC at all. We conclude that multilevel modeling is an indispensable tool for studying correlations between morphometric variables.
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Morphometric analysis of peroxisome proliferation by phthalate esters in rat liver
Dormans JAMA; Jansen EHJM; de Vlugt-van den Koedijk FM; Riool-Nesselaar G
1992-01-01
Morphometric analysis was performed on liver sections of rats at light (LM) and electron microscopical (EM) level to demonstrate proliferation of peroxisomes after administration of di (2-ethylhexyl)phthalate at dietary levels of 0, 60, 200, 600, 2000 and 6000 mg/kg diet for 2 weeks. Enzyme
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Morphometric growth characteristics and body composition of bullfrog tadpoles in captivity
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cleber Menegasso Mansano
2014-10-01
Full Text Available Feed management needs to be improved in frog farming to reduce the indirect effects of inadequate feeding and, consequently, to increase growth rates and nutrient deposition, obtaining better quality animals. The objective of this study was to establish morphometric growth curves for bullfrog tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus and to determine nutrient deposition in the carcass. A total of 6,480 bullfrogs (Gosner stage 25 received an experimental diet (26.23% digestible protein and 32.68% crude protein and a commercial diet (37.92% crude protein ad libitum. A Gompertz model was used to describe the growth curve. Tadpoles fed the experimental diet presented higher final protein deposition. In addition, the sigmoidal curve was much more homogenous, indicating a more constant daily protein deposition rate. The Gompertz model provided an excellent fit of the data to describe the morphometric growth curve and carcass nutrient deposition of bullfrog tadpoles, showing that animals fed the experimental diet presented a better growth rate and nutrient deposition.
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Geometric approximation algorithms
Har-Peled, Sariel
2011-01-01
Exact algorithms for dealing with geometric objects are complicated, hard to implement in practice, and slow. Over the last 20 years a theory of geometric approximation algorithms has emerged. These algorithms tend to be simple, fast, and more robust than their exact counterparts. This book is the first to cover geometric approximation algorithms in detail. In addition, more traditional computational geometry techniques that are widely used in developing such algorithms, like sampling, linear programming, etc., are also surveyed. Other topics covered include approximate nearest-neighbor search, shape approximation, coresets, dimension reduction, and embeddings. The topics covered are relatively independent and are supplemented by exercises. Close to 200 color figures are included in the text to illustrate proofs and ideas.
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Shakir, Muhammad
2011-12-01
In this paper, we introduce a new detector referred to as Geometric mean detector (GEMD) which is based on the ratio of the largest eigenvalue to the Geometric mean of the eigenvalues for collaborative spectrum sensing. The decision threshold has been derived by employing Gaussian approximation approach. In this approach, the two random variables, i.e. The largest eigenvalue and the Geometric mean of the eigenvalues are considered as independent Gaussian random variables such that their cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) are approximated by a univariate Gaussian distribution function for any number of cooperating secondary users and received samples. The approximation approach is based on the calculation of exact analytical moments of the largest eigenvalue and the Geometric mean of the eigenvalues of the received covariance matrix. The decision threshold has been calculated by exploiting the CDF of the ratio of two Gaussian distributed random variables. In this context, we exchange the analytical moments of the two random variables with the moments of the Gaussian distribution function. The performance of the detector is compared with the performance of the energy detector and eigenvalue ratio detector. Analytical and simulation results show that our newly proposed detector yields considerable performance advantage in realistic spectrum sensing scenarios. Moreover, our results based on proposed approximation approach are in perfect agreement with the empirical results. © 2011 IEEE.
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Geometric Modeling and Reasoning of Human-Centered Freeform Products
Wang, Charlie C L
2013-01-01
The recent trend in user-customized product design requires the shape of products to be automatically adjusted according to the human body’s shape, so that people will feel more comfortable when wearing these products. Geometric approaches can be used to design the freeform shape of products worn by people, which can greatly improve the efficiency of design processes in various industries involving customized products (e.g., garment design, toy design, jewel design, shoe design, and design of medical devices, etc.). These products are usually composed of very complex geometric shapes (represented by free-form surfaces), and are not driven by a parameter table but a digital human model with free-form shapes or part of human bodies (e.g., wrist, foot, and head models). Geometric Modeling and Reasoning of Human-Centered Freeform Products introduces the algorithms of human body reconstruction, freeform product modeling, constraining and reconstructing freeform products, and shape optimization for improving...
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Geometric Mixing, Peristalsis, and the Geometric Phase of the Stomach.
Arrieta, Jorge; Cartwright, Julyan H E; Gouillart, Emmanuelle; Piro, Nicolas; Piro, Oreste; Tuval, Idan
2015-01-01
Mixing fluid in a container at low Reynolds number--in an inertialess environment--is not a trivial task. Reciprocating motions merely lead to cycles of mixing and unmixing, so continuous rotation, as used in many technological applications, would appear to be necessary. However, there is another solution: movement of the walls in a cyclical fashion to introduce a geometric phase. We show using journal-bearing flow as a model that such geometric mixing is a general tool for using deformable boundaries that return to the same position to mix fluid at low Reynolds number. We then simulate a biological example: we show that mixing in the stomach functions because of the "belly phase," peristaltic movement of the walls in a cyclical fashion introduces a geometric phase that avoids unmixing.
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Geometric Mixing, Peristalsis, and the Geometric Phase of the Stomach.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Jorge Arrieta
Full Text Available Mixing fluid in a container at low Reynolds number--in an inertialess environment--is not a trivial task. Reciprocating motions merely lead to cycles of mixing and unmixing, so continuous rotation, as used in many technological applications, would appear to be necessary. However, there is another solution: movement of the walls in a cyclical fashion to introduce a geometric phase. We show using journal-bearing flow as a model that such geometric mixing is a general tool for using deformable boundaries that return to the same position to mix fluid at low Reynolds number. We then simulate a biological example: we show that mixing in the stomach functions because of the "belly phase," peristaltic movement of the walls in a cyclical fashion introduces a geometric phase that avoids unmixing.
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Kwintarini, Widiyanti; Wibowo, Agung; Arthaya, Bagus M.; Yuwana Martawirya, Yatna
2018-03-01
The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy of three-axis CNC Milling Vertical engines with a general approach by using mathematical modeling methods of machine tool geometric errors. The inaccuracy of CNC machines can be caused by geometric errors that are an important factor during the manufacturing process and during the assembly phase, and are factors for being able to build machines with high-accuracy. To improve the accuracy of the three-axis vertical milling machine, by knowing geometric errors and identifying the error position parameters in the machine tool by arranging the mathematical modeling. The geometric error in the machine tool consists of twenty-one error parameters consisting of nine linear error parameters, nine angle error parameters and three perpendicular error parameters. The mathematical modeling approach of geometric error with the calculated alignment error and angle error in the supporting components of the machine motion is linear guide way and linear motion. The purpose of using this mathematical modeling approach is the identification of geometric errors that can be helpful as reference during the design, assembly and maintenance stages to improve the accuracy of CNC machines. Mathematically modeling geometric errors in CNC machine tools can illustrate the relationship between alignment error, position and angle on a linear guide way of three-axis vertical milling machines.
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Geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor in viscoelastic turbulence
Hameduddin, Ismail; Meneveau, Charles; Zaki, Tamer A.; Gayme, Dennice F.
2018-05-01
This work introduces a mathematical approach to analysing the polymer dynamics in turbulent viscoelastic flows that uses a new geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor, along with associated scalar measures of the polymer fluctuations. The approach circumvents an inherent difficulty in traditional Reynolds decompositions of the conformation tensor: the fluctuating tensor fields are not positive-definite and so do not retain the physical meaning of the tensor. The geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor yields both mean and fluctuating tensor fields that are positive-definite. The fluctuating tensor in the present decomposition has a clear physical interpretation as a polymer deformation relative to the mean configuration. Scalar measures of this fluctuating conformation tensor are developed based on the non-Euclidean geometry of the set of positive-definite tensors. Drag-reduced viscoelastic turbulent channel flow is then used an example case study. The conformation tensor field, obtained using direct numerical simulations, is analysed using the proposed framework.
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Phase-space networks of geometrically frustrated systems.
Han, Yilong
2009-11-01
We illustrate a network approach to the phase-space study by using two geometrical frustration models: antiferromagnet on triangular lattice and square ice. Their highly degenerated ground states are mapped as discrete networks such that the quantitative network analysis can be applied to phase-space studies. The resulting phase spaces share some comon features and establish a class of complex networks with unique Gaussian spectral densities. Although phase-space networks are heterogeneously connected, the systems are still ergodic due to the random Poisson processes. This network approach can be generalized to phase spaces of some other complex systems.
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Femtosecond pulse shaping using the geometric phase.
Gökce, Bilal; Li, Yanming; Escuti, Michael J; Gundogdu, Kenan
2014-03-15
We demonstrate a femtosecond pulse shaper that utilizes polarization gratings to manipulate the geometric phase of an optical pulse. This unique approach enables circular polarization-dependent shaping of femtosecond pulses. As a result, it is possible to create coherent pulse pairs with orthogonal polarizations in a 4f pulse shaper setup, something until now that, to our knowledge, was only achieved via much more complex configurations. This approach could be used to greatly simplify and enhance the functionality of multidimensional spectroscopy and coherent control experiments, in which multiple coherent pulses are used to manipulate quantum states in materials of interest.
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Geometrical optical illusionists.
Wade, Nicholas J
2014-01-01
Geometrical optical illusions were given this title by Oppel in 1855. Variants on such small distortions of visual space were illustrated thereafter, many of which bear the names of those who first described them. Some original forms of the geometrical optical illusions are shown together with 'perceptual portraits' of those who described them. These include: Roget, Chevreul, Fick, Zöllner, Poggendorff, Hering, Kundt, Delboeuf Mach, Helmholtz, Hermann, von Bezold, Müller-Lyer, Lipps, Thiéry, Wundt, Münsterberg, Ebbinghaus, Titchener, Ponzo, Luckiesh, Sander, Ehrenstein, Gregory, Heard, White, Shepard, and. Lingelbach. The illusions are grouped under the headings of orientation, size, the combination of size and orientation, and contrast. Early theories of illusions, before geometrical optical illusions were so named, are mentioned briefly.
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Modelling and experimental investigation of geometrically graded NiTi shape memory alloys
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shariat, Bashir S; Liu, Yinong; Rio, Gerard
2013-01-01
To improve actuation controllability of a NiTi shape memory alloy component in applications, it is desirable to create a wide stress window for the stress-induced martensitic transformation in the alloy. One approach is to create functionally graded NiTi with a geometric gradient in the actuation direction. This geometric gradient leads to transformation load and displacement gradients in the structure. This paper reports a study of the pseudoelastic behaviour of geometrically graded NiTi by means of mechanical model analysis and experimentation using three types of sample geometry. Closed-form solutions are obtained for nominal stress–strain variation of such components under cyclic tensile loading and the predictions are validated with experimental data. The geometrically graded NiTi samples exhibit a distinctive positive stress gradient for the stress-induced martensitic transformation and the slope of the stress gradient can be adjusted by sample geometry design. (paper)
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Changhui Jiang
Full Text Available Stationary digital breast tomosynthesis (sDBT with distributed X-ray sources based on carbon nanotube (CNT field emission cathodes has been recently proposed as an approach that can prevent motion blur produced by traditional DBT systems. In this paper, we simulate a geometric calibration method based on a proposed multi-source CNT X-ray sDBT system. This method is a projection matrix-based approach with seven geometric parameters, all of which can be obtained from only one projection datum of the phantom. To our knowledge, this study reports the first application of this approach in a CNT-based multi-beam X-ray sDBT system. The simulation results showed that the extracted geometric parameters from the calculated projection matrix are extremely close to the input values and that the proposed method is effective and reliable for a square sDBT system. In addition, a traditional cone-beam computed tomography (CT system was also simulated, and the uncalibrated and calibrated geometric parameters were used in image reconstruction based on the filtered back-projection (FBP method. The results indicated that the images reconstructed with calibrated geometric parameters have fewer artifacts and are closer to the reference image. All the simulation tests showed that this geometric calibration method is optimized for sDBT systems but can also be applied to other application-specific CT imaging systems.
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Jiang, Changhui; Zhang, Na; Gao, Juan; Hu, Zhanli
2017-01-01
Stationary digital breast tomosynthesis (sDBT) with distributed X-ray sources based on carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission cathodes has been recently proposed as an approach that can prevent motion blur produced by traditional DBT systems. In this paper, we simulate a geometric calibration method based on a proposed multi-source CNT X-ray sDBT system. This method is a projection matrix-based approach with seven geometric parameters, all of which can be obtained from only one projection datum of the phantom. To our knowledge, this study reports the first application of this approach in a CNT-based multi-beam X-ray sDBT system. The simulation results showed that the extracted geometric parameters from the calculated projection matrix are extremely close to the input values and that the proposed method is effective and reliable for a square sDBT system. In addition, a traditional cone-beam computed tomography (CT) system was also simulated, and the uncalibrated and calibrated geometric parameters were used in image reconstruction based on the filtered back-projection (FBP) method. The results indicated that the images reconstructed with calibrated geometric parameters have fewer artifacts and are closer to the reference image. All the simulation tests showed that this geometric calibration method is optimized for sDBT systems but can also be applied to other application-specific CT imaging systems.
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D. M. Chernikhovsky
2017-01-01
In the article are shown results of assessment of relationships between quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forests and morphometric characteristics of relief on an example model plot in Nanayskoe forest district of Khabarovsk Territory. The relevance of the investigation is connected with need for improvement of the system of forest evaluation operations in the Russian Federation, including with use of the landscape approach. The tasks of the investigation were assessment of rela...
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Bioinformatic and Biometric Methods in Plant Morphology
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Surangi W. Punyasena
2014-08-01
Full Text Available Recent advances in microscopy, imaging, and data analyses have permitted both the greater application of quantitative methods and the collection of large data sets that can be used to investigate plant morphology. This special issue, the first for Applications in Plant Sciences, presents a collection of papers highlighting recent methods in the quantitative study of plant form. These emerging biometric and bioinformatic approaches to plant sciences are critical for better understanding how morphology relates to ecology, physiology, genotype, and evolutionary and phylogenetic history. From microscopic pollen grains and charcoal particles, to macroscopic leaves and whole root systems, the methods presented include automated classification and identification, geometric morphometrics, and skeleton networks, as well as tests of the limits of human assessment. All demonstrate a clear need for these computational and morphometric approaches in order to increase the consistency, objectivity, and throughput of plant morphological studies.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Matthew V Caruana
Full Text Available Percussive technology continues to play an increasingly important role in understanding the evolution of tool use. Comparing the archaeological record with extractive foraging behaviors in nonhuman primates has focused on percussive implements as a key to investigating the origins of lithic technology. Despite this, archaeological approaches towards percussive tools have been obscured by a lack of standardized methodologies. Central to this issue have been the use of qualitative, non-diagnostic techniques to identify percussive tools from archaeological contexts. Here we describe a new morphometric method for distinguishing anthropogenically-generated damage patterns on percussive tools from naturally damaged river cobbles. We employ a geomatic approach through the use of three-dimensional scanning and geographical information systems software to statistically quantify the identification process in percussive technology research. This will strengthen current technological analyses of percussive tools in archaeological frameworks and open new avenues for translating behavioral inferences of early hominins from percussive damage patterns.
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Quantifying Traces of Tool Use: A Novel Morphometric Analysis of Damage Patterns on Percussive Tools
Caruana, Matthew V.; Carvalho, Susana; Braun, David R.; Presnyakova, Darya; Haslam, Michael; Archer, Will; Bobe, Rene; Harris, John W. K.
2014-01-01
Percussive technology continues to play an increasingly important role in understanding the evolution of tool use. Comparing the archaeological record with extractive foraging behaviors in nonhuman primates has focused on percussive implements as a key to investigating the origins of lithic technology. Despite this, archaeological approaches towards percussive tools have been obscured by a lack of standardized methodologies. Central to this issue have been the use of qualitative, non-diagnostic techniques to identify percussive tools from archaeological contexts. Here we describe a new morphometric method for distinguishing anthropogenically-generated damage patterns on percussive tools from naturally damaged river cobbles. We employ a geomatic approach through the use of three-dimensional scanning and geographical information systems software to statistically quantify the identification process in percussive technology research. This will strengthen current technological analyses of percussive tools in archaeological frameworks and open new avenues for translating behavioral inferences of early hominins from percussive damage patterns. PMID:25415303
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Wan, Wai-Yin; Chan, Jennifer S K
2009-08-01
For time series of count data, correlated measurements, clustering as well as excessive zeros occur simultaneously in biomedical applications. Ignoring such effects might contribute to misleading treatment outcomes. A generalized mixture Poisson geometric process (GMPGP) model and a zero-altered mixture Poisson geometric process (ZMPGP) model are developed from the geometric process model, which was originally developed for modelling positive continuous data and was extended to handle count data. These models are motivated by evaluating the trend development of new tumour counts for bladder cancer patients as well as by identifying useful covariates which affect the count level. The models are implemented using Bayesian method with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms and are assessed using deviance information criterion (DIC).
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Geometric Constructions with the Computer.
Chuan, Jen-chung
The computer can be used as a tool to represent and communicate geometric knowledge. With the appropriate software, a geometric diagram can be manipulated through a series of animation that offers more than one particular snapshot as shown in a traditional mathematical text. Geometric constructions with the computer enable the learner to see and…
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ingrid Paine
2016-04-01
Full Text Available Mathematics is often used to model biological systems. In mammary gland development, mathematical modeling has been limited to acinar and branching morphogenesis and breast cancer, without reference to normal duct formation. We present a model of ductal elongation that exploits the geometrically-constrained shape of the terminal end bud (TEB, the growing tip of the duct, and incorporates morphometrics, region-specific proliferation and apoptosis rates. Iterative model refinement and behavior analysis, compared with biological data, indicated that the traditional metric of nipple to the ductal front distance, or percent fat pad filled to evaluate ductal elongation rate can be misleading, as it disregards branching events that can reduce its magnitude. Further, model driven investigations of the fates of specific TEB cell types confirmed migration of cap cells into the body cell layer, but showed their subsequent preferential elimination by apoptosis, thus minimizing their contribution to the luminal lineage and the mature duct.
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BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF PRE-LARVAE OF THREE SALMONIDS SPECIES AT ONE-DAY AGE
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Ye. Barylo
2016-06-01
Full Text Available Purpose. To study and analyze the morphometric and some biochemical parameters of pre-larval brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout in post-embryonic period under the conditions of "Rybnyi Potik” farm in the Transcarpathian region for further use of the obtained data in scientific and practical works related to the cultivation of the juveniles of valuable salmonid species. Methodology. One-day free embryos (pre-larvae of brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout we used as study materials. Morphometric parameters we studied by the methods of N. O. Lange, E. N. Dmitrieva. The content of total lipids was determined in accordance with Folch. in the tissuesm, which were taken for biochemical studies. Separate classes of lipids were received by thin layer chromatography. Findings. We carried out a comparative analysis of morphometric measurements and biochemical parameters of one-day pre-larval brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout based on the obtained data. We investigated morphometric and biochemical specific features of pre-larvae in post-embryonic period and showed the species differences of morphometric measurements. Significant differences were observed between the content of lipids in the body and yolk sac of free embryos. In particular, a higher content of phospholipids and triglycerides was observed in the body of brook trout compared to brown trout. We also recorded higher contents of mono- and diacylglycerols, free cholesterol, non-etherified fatty acids (NEFA, triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters in the yolk sac of brook trout. Compared to brown trout, rainbow trout had a significant increase in mono- and diacylglycerols, free cholesterol and NEFA in both body and yolk sac as well higher levels of total lipids, triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters were registered in yolk sac. Originality. For the first time we carried out and compared the specific features of pre-larval brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout in the
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Rao, D. V.; Takeda, T.; Itai, Y.; Akatsuka, T.; Seltzer, S. M.; Hubbell, J. H.; Cesareo, R.; Brunetti, A.; Gigante, G. E.
Atomic Rayleigh scattering cross-sections for low, medium and high Z atoms are measured in vacuum using X-ray tube with a secondary target as an excitation source instead of radioisotopes. Monoenergetic Kα radiation emitted from the secondary target and monoenergetic radiation produced using two secondary targets with filters coupled to an X-ray tube are compared. The Kα radiation from the second target of the system is used to excite the sample. The background has been reduced considerably and the monochromacy is improved. Elastic scattering of Kα X-ray line energies of the secondary target by the sample is recorded with Hp Ge and Si (Li) detectors. A new approach is developed to estimate the solid angle approximation and geometrical efficiency for a system with experimental arrangement using X-ray tube and secondary target. The variation of the solid angle is studied by changing the radius and length of the collimators towards and away from the source and sample. From these values the variation of the total solid angle and geometrical efficiency is deduced and the optimum value is used for the experimental work. The efficiency is larger because the X-ray fluorescent source acts as a converter. Experimental results based on this system are compared with theoretical estimates and good agreement is observed in between them.
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A scheme of measurement of quantum-vacuum geometric phases in a noncoplanar fibre system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shen Jianqi
2004-01-01
We study the quantum-vacuum geometric phases resulting from the vacuum fluctuation of photon fields in a Tomita-Chiao-Wu noncoplanar curved fibre system, and suggest a scheme to test for the potential existence of such a vacuum effect. Since the signs of the quantum-vacuum geometric phases of left- and right-handed (LRH) circularly polarized light are opposite, the sum of the geometric phases at the vacuum level is necessarily zero in the fibre experiments performed previously by other authors. By using the present approach where a fibre made of gyroelectric media is employed, the quantum-vacuum geometric phases of LRH light cannot be exactly cancelled, and it may therefore be possible to test this experimentally. (letter to the editor)
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Volume-based geometric modeling for radiation transport calculations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li, Z.; Williamson, J.F.
1992-01-01
Accurate theoretical characterization of radiation fields is a valuable tool in the design of complex systems, such as linac heads and intracavitary applicators, and for generation of basic dose calculation data that is inaccessible to experimental measurement. Both Monte Carlo and deterministic solutions to such problems require a system for accurately modeling complex 3-D geometries that supports ray tracing, point and segment classification, and 2-D graphical representation. Previous combinatorial approaches to solid modeling, which involve describing complex structures as set-theoretic combinations of simple objects, are limited in their ease of use and place unrealistic constraints on the geometric relations between objects such as excluding common boundaries. A new approach to volume-based solid modeling has been developed which is based upon topologically consistent definitions of boundary, interior, and exterior of a region. From these definitions, FORTRAN union, intersection, and difference routines have been developed that allow involuted and deeply nested structures to be described as set-theoretic combinations of ellipsoids, elliptic cylinders, prisms, cones, and planes that accommodate shared boundaries. Line segments between adjacent intersections on a trajectory are assigned to the appropriate region by a novel sorting algorithm that generalizes upon Siddon's approach. Two 2-D graphic display tools are developed to help the debugging of a given geometric model. In this paper, the mathematical basis of our system is described, it is contrasted to other approaches, and examples are discussed
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Johana Andrea Ciro Galeano
2016-01-01
Full Text Available Global trends for animal production have seen a decrease in the use of antimicrobial compounds in feed, generating the need to implement new nutritional strategies that stimulate growth and promote intestinal health. This study aimed to determine whether the addition of E. faecium in drinking water improves intestinal morphometric parameters in post- weaning pigs compared with the probiotics strains L. acidophilus and L. casei on days 1 (21 days of age, 15 and 30 postweaning. The small intestine was completely removed to evaluate the morphometric parameters (length and width of villi and crypts in the different intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. They were fed for 30 days with two diets: commercial diet with or without antibiotics. The different probiotics, L. acidophillus, L. casei and E. faecium, were administered in the drinking water of the animals that consumed the commercial diet without antibiotics. A randomized block design in split-plot arrangement was used. There was a significant increase (P<0.01 in the width and length of villi, and a decrease (P<0.01 in the values obtained for the width and depth of crypts in the animals that consumed E .faecium, as compared to those that consumed the diet with addition of antibiotics. The use of probiotics, especially E. faecium, is a nutritional treatment strategy when antimicrobial compound are used, improving the intestinal morphometric parameters and, at the same time, the digestive and productive parameters of the animals. Work is in progress to investigate the effects of probiotic supplementation on the mofication of gut microbiota of post-weaning piglets
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The analysis of morphometric data on rocky mountain wolves and artic wolves using statistical method
Ammar Shafi, Muhammad; Saifullah Rusiman, Mohd; Hamzah, Nor Shamsidah Amir; Nor, Maria Elena; Ahmad, Noor’ani; Azia Hazida Mohamad Azmi, Nur; Latip, Muhammad Faez Ab; Hilmi Azman, Ahmad
2018-04-01
Morphometrics is a quantitative analysis depending on the shape and size of several specimens. Morphometric quantitative analyses are commonly used to analyse fossil record, shape and size of specimens and others. The aim of the study is to find the differences between rocky mountain wolves and arctic wolves based on gender. The sample utilised secondary data which included seven variables as independent variables and two dependent variables. Statistical modelling was used in the analysis such was the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results showed there exist differentiating results between arctic wolves and rocky mountain wolves based on independent factors and gender.
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On a multiorbit geometrical action for the integrable systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gorsky, A.S.; Olshanetsky, M.A.; Selivanov, K.G.
1990-10-01
The Lagrangian approach to the two dimensional integrable systems (IS) is discussed. The Lagrangians proposed have the form of the interacting geometrical actions for the Kac-Moody and Virasoro groups. In one approach when the first principle is the gauge invariance of the action the scale symmetry is broken by introducing the nontrivial representatives (monodromies) for each orbit. We also have discussed the Lagrangians with the broken gauge symmetry but without the bare massive parameters. (author). 22 refs
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Geometrical-confinement effects on excitons in quantum disks
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Song, J.; Ulloa, S.E.
1995-01-01
Excitons confined to flat semiconductor quantum dots with elliptical cross sections are considered as we study geometrical effects on exciton binding energy, electron-hole separation, and the resulting linear optical properties. We use numerical matrix diagonalization techniques with appropriately large and optimized basis sets in an effective-mass Hamiltonian approach. The linear optical susceptibilities of GaAs and InAs dots for several different size ratios are discussed and compared to experimental photoluminescence spectra obtained on GaAs/Al x Ga 1-x As and InAs/GaAs quantum dots. For quantum dots of several nm in size, there is a strong blueshift of the luminescence due to geometrical-confinement effects. Also, transition peaks are split and shifted towards higher energy, in comparison with dots with circular cross sections
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Multiscale unfolding of real networks by geometric renormalization
García-Pérez, Guillermo; Boguñá, Marián; Serrano, M. Ángeles
2018-06-01
Symmetries in physical theories denote invariance under some transformation, such as self-similarity under a change of scale. The renormalization group provides a powerful framework to study these symmetries, leading to a better understanding of the universal properties of phase transitions. However, the small-world property of complex networks complicates application of the renormalization group by introducing correlations between coexisting scales. Here, we provide a framework for the investigation of complex networks at different resolutions. The approach is based on geometric representations, which have been shown to sustain network navigability and to reveal the mechanisms that govern network structure and evolution. We define a geometric renormalization group for networks by embedding them into an underlying hidden metric space. We find that real scale-free networks show geometric scaling under this renormalization group transformation. We unfold the networks in a self-similar multilayer shell that distinguishes the coexisting scales and their interactions. This in turn offers a basis for exploring critical phenomena and universality in complex networks. It also affords us immediate practical applications, including high-fidelity smaller-scale replicas of large networks and a multiscale navigation protocol in hyperbolic space, which betters those on single layers.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Franco Marinozzi
2012-01-01
Full Text Available Morphometric and architectural bone parameters change in diseases such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. The mechanical strength of bone is primarily influenced by bone quantity and quality. Bone quality is defined by parameters such as trabecular thickness, trabecular separation, trabecular density and degree of anisotropy that describe the micro-architectural structure of bone. Recently, many studies have validated microtomography as a valuable investigative technique to assess bone morphometry, thanks to micro-CT non-destructive, non-invasive and reliability features, in comparison to traditional techniques such as histology. The aim of this study is the analysis by micro-computed tomography of six specimens, extracted from patients affected by osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, in order to observe the tridimensional structure and calculate several morphometric parameters.
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Ekizoglu, Oguzhan; Inci, Ercan; Hocaoglu, Elif; Sayin, Ibrahim; Kayhan, Fatma Tulin; Can, Ismail Ozgur
2014-05-01
Gender determination is an important step in identification. For gender determination, anthropometric evaluation is one of the main forensic evaluations. In the present study, morphometric analysis of maxillary sinuses was performed to determine gender. For morphometric analysis, coronal and axial paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) scan with 1-mm slice thickness was used. For this study, 140 subjects (70 women and 70 men) were enrolled (age ranged between 18 and 63). The size of each subject's maxillary sinuses was measured in anteroposterior, transverse, cephalocaudal, and volume directions. In each measurement, the size of the maxillary sinus is significantly small in female gender (P discrimination analysis was performed, the accuracy rate was detected as 80% for women and 74.3% for men with an overall rate of 77.15%. With the use of 1-mm slice thickness CT, morphometric analysis of maxillary sinuses will be helpful for gender determination.
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Transmuted Complementary Weibull Geometric Distribution
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Ahmed Z. A fify
2014-12-01
Full Text Available This paper provides a new generalization of the complementary Weibull geometric distribution that introduced by Tojeiro et al. (2014, using the quadratic rank transmutation map studied by Shaw and Buckley (2007. The new distribution is referred to as transmuted complementary Weibull geometric distribution (TCWGD. The TCWG distribution includes as special cases the complementary Weibull geometric distribution (CWGD, complementary exponential geometric distribution(CEGD,Weibull distribution (WD and exponential distribution (ED. Various structural properties of the new distribution including moments, quantiles, moment generating function and RØnyi entropy of the subject distribution are derived. We proposed the method of maximum likelihood for estimating the model parameters and obtain the observed information matrix. A real data set are used to compare the exibility of the transmuted version versus the complementary Weibull geometric distribution.
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Association between morphometric variables and nocturnal desaturation in sickle-cell anemia.
Salles, Cristina; Bispo, Marcelo; Trindade-Ramos, Regina Terse
2014-01-01
to evaluate associations between morphometric variables, cervical circumference (CC), and abdominal circumference (AC) with the presence of nocturnal desaturation in children and adolescents with sickle-cell anemia. all patients were submitted to baseline polysomnography, oral cavity measurements (maxillary intermolar distance, mandibular intermolar distance, and overjet), and CC and AC measurements. a total of 85 patients were evaluated. A positive correlation was observed between the height/age Z-score and CC measurement (r = 0.233, p = 0.031). The presence of nocturnal desaturation was associated with CC (59.2± 9.3 vs. 67.5 ± 10.7, p = 0.006) and AC measurements (27.0 ± 2.0 vs. 29.0± 2.1, p = 0.028). There was a negative correlation between desaturation and maxillary intermolar distance (r = -0.365, p = 0.001) and mandibular intermolar distance (r = -0.233, p = 0.037). the morphometric variables of CC and AC may contribute to raise suspicion of nocturnal desaturation in children and adolescents with sickle-cell anemia. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
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Association between morphometric variables and nocturnal desaturation in sickle-cell anemia
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cristina Salles
2014-07-01
Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to evaluate associations between morphometric variables, cervical circumference (CC, and abdominal circumference (AC with the presence of nocturnal desaturation in children and adolescents with sickle-cell anemia. METHODS: all patients were submitted to baseline polysomnography, oral cavity measurements (maxillary intermolar distance, mandibular intermolar distance, and overjet, and CC and AC measurements. RESULTS: a total of 85 patients were evaluated. A positive correlation was observed between the height/age Z-score and CC measurement (r = 0.233, p = 0.031. The presence of nocturnal desaturation was associated with CC (59.2± 9.3 vs. 67.5 ± 10.7, p = 0.006 and AC measurements (27.0 ± 2.0 vs. 29.0± 2.1, p = 0.028. There was a negative correlation between desaturation and maxillary intermolar distance (r = -0.365, p = 0.001 and mandibular intermolar distance (r = -0.233, p = 0.037. CONCLUSIONS: the morphometric variables of CC and AC may contribute to raise suspicion of nocturnal desaturation in children and adolescents with sickle-cell anemia.
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Morphometric aspects of the foramen magnum and the orbit in Brazilian dry skulls
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lucas A. S. Pires
2016-04-01
Full Text Available Morphometric analysis of crania structures are of great significance to anatomists, forensic doctors, anthropologists, and surgeons. We performed a morphometric study regarding the foramen magnum and the bony orbit on the right side of the cranium in 77 skulls with the purpose of identifying a correlation between these measures, as they are often employed alone to identify the genre and race of a skeleton with no other remains, since the cranium is a structure that can resist fire, explosions, and mutilations. The foramen magnum receives special attention, as it is located in a region together with many strong muscles and ligaments. The measures were taken with a sliding digital caliper. Our results showed that the foramen magnum had a mean anteroposterior diameter of 34.23±2.54 mm, and the mean transverse diameter was 28.62±2.83 mm. The most common shape for the foramen magnum was oval. The mean right orbital height was 32.89±2.45 mm, and the mean right orbital breadth was 37.15±2.68 mm. There was a weak to moderate correlation between these measures. Furthermore, the foramen magnum and the orbit are regions of surgical and clinical significance, thus requiring knowledge regarding the morphometric aspects of such areas, since they can often suffer morphological changes due to a number of diseases and they undergo surgical procedures in order to treat these conditions.
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Radioprotective effect of vitamin E in parotid glands: a morphometric analysis in rats
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gomes, Carolina Cintra; Boscolo, Frab Norberto; Almeida, Solange Maria de; Ramos-Perez, Flavia Maria de Moraes; Perez, Danyel Elias da Cruz; Novaes, Pedro Duarte
2013-01-01
The aim of this study was to evaluate the radioprotective effect of vitamin E on rat parotid glands by morphometric analysis. Sixty male rats were divided into 5 groups (n=6): control, in which animals received olive oil solution; olive oil/irradiated, in which animals received olive oil and were irradiated with a dose of 15 Gy of gamma radiation; irradiated, in which animals were irradiated with a dose of 15 Gy gamma radiation; vitamin E, which received α-tocopherol acetate solution; vitamin E/irradiated, which received α-tocopherol acetate solution before irradiation with a dose of 15 Gy gamma rays. Half of the animals were euthanized at 8 h, and the remaining at 30 days after irradiation. Both parotid glands were surgically removed and morphometric analysis of acinar cells was performed. Data were subjected to two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α=0.05). Morphometric analysis showed a significant reduction in the number of parotid acinar cells at 30 days in olive oil/irradiated and irradiated groups. In groups evaluated over time a significant reduction was shown at 30 days in olive oil/irradiated and irradiated groups, indicating that ionizing radiation caused tissue damage. The vitamin E/irradiated group presented more acinar cells than the irradiated group, but no statistically significant difference was observed (p>0.05). In conclusion, vitamin E seems to have failed as a radioprotective agent on acinar cells in rat parotid glands. (author)
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Radioprotective effect of vitamin E in parotid glands: a morphometric analysis in rats
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gomes, Carolina Cintra; Boscolo, Frab Norberto; Almeida, Solange Maria de [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Diagnostico Oral; Ramos-Perez, Flavia Maria de Moraes; Perez, Danyel Elias da Cruz, E-mail: flavia.ramosperez@ufpe.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Clinica e Odontologia Preventiva; Novaes, Pedro Duarte [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Escola de Odontologia. Dept. de Morfologia
2013-11-01
The aim of this study was to evaluate the radioprotective effect of vitamin E on rat parotid glands by morphometric analysis. Sixty male rats were divided into 5 groups (n=6): control, in which animals received olive oil solution; olive oil/irradiated, in which animals received olive oil and were irradiated with a dose of 15 Gy of gamma radiation; irradiated, in which animals were irradiated with a dose of 15 Gy gamma radiation; vitamin E, which received {alpha}-tocopherol acetate solution; vitamin E/irradiated, which received {alpha}-tocopherol acetate solution before irradiation with a dose of 15 Gy gamma rays. Half of the animals were euthanized at 8 h, and the remaining at 30 days after irradiation. Both parotid glands were surgically removed and morphometric analysis of acinar cells was performed. Data were subjected to two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test ({alpha}=0.05). Morphometric analysis showed a significant reduction in the number of parotid acinar cells at 30 days in olive oil/irradiated and irradiated groups. In groups evaluated over time a significant reduction was shown at 30 days in olive oil/irradiated and irradiated groups, indicating that ionizing radiation caused tissue damage. The vitamin E/irradiated group presented more acinar cells than the irradiated group, but no statistically significant difference was observed (p>0.05). In conclusion, vitamin E seems to have failed as a radioprotective agent on acinar cells in rat parotid glands. (author)
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mohammadreza Lashkari
2015-05-01
Full Text Available The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae, vector of citrus greening disease pathogen, Huanglongbing (HLB, is considered the most serious pest of citrus in the world. Prior molecular based studies have hypothesized a link between the D. citri in Iran and the USA (Florida. The purpose of this study was to collect morphometric data from D. citri populations from Iran (mtCOI haplotype-1, Florida (mtCOI haplotype-1, and Pakistan (mtCOI haplotype-6, to determine whether different mtCOI haplotypes have a relationship to a specific morphometric variation. 240 samples from 6 ACP populations (Iran—Jiroft, Chabahar; Florida—Ft. Pierce, Palm Beach Gardens, Port St. Lucie; and Pakistan—Punjab were collected for comparison. Measurements of 20 morphological characters were selected, measured and analysed using ANOVA and MANOVA. The results indicate differences among the 6 ACP populations (Wilks’ lambda = 0.0376, F = 7.29, P < 0.0001. The body length (BL, circumanal ring length (CL, antenna length (AL, forewing length (WL and Rs vein length of forewing (RL were the most important characters separating the populations. The cluster analysis showed that the Iran and Florida populations are distinct from each other but separate from the Pakistan population. Thus, three subgroups can be morphologically discriminated within D. citri species in this study, (1 Iran, (2 USA (Florida and (3 Pakistan population. Morphometric comparisons provided further resolution to the mtCOI haplotypes and distinguished the Florida and Iranian populations.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Phalguni Srimani
2017-10-01
Full Text Available Introduction: Morphologic and morphometric evaluation of mandible is clinically important. Considering the close relationship of lingula with neurovascular structures entering through mandibular foramen, lingula is often used as an important bony landmark during oral and maxillofacial surgical approach and inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthesia. Inadequate anatomical knowledge may result various intra operative complications like haemorrhge, fractures and nerve injury. Also, structural variations of lingula followed by inaccurate localization of mandibular foramen have been implicated as causative factor for unsuccessful inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthesia. Aim: To determine morphological and morphometric variations related to lingula of mandible in localizing mandibular foramen and to compare the results with similar type of osteological studies performed earlier on different population group. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 36 adult dry human mandibles on both sides to categorize lingula according to its various shapes and determine the location of lingula based on surrounding mandibular landmarks by using Vernier caliper as 5 distances from tip of lingula as follows: i to anterior border of ramus of mandible; ii to posterior border of ramus of mandible; iii to centre of mandibular notch; iv to the alveolar socket of second molar tooth; and v to the base of mandible. The present study also indicated bilingual distance between tips of lingula of both sides. Data collected were analyzed statistically. Results: The most common shape of lingula was observed as triangular (51.39% followed by truncated (23.61%, then nodular (20.83% and assimilated (4.17% as least prevalent type. The average distances of tip of lingula from anterior and posterior borders of ramus of mandible were 18.21±1.50 mm and 16.33±1.21 mm respectively. On average, the tip of lingula was situated at 18.17±1.51 mm, 33.40±2.11 mm and 32.07±2.68 mm
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Geometric phases in discrete dynamical systems
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cartwright, Julyan H.E., E-mail: julyan.cartwright@csic.es [Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC–Universidad de Granada, E-18100 Armilla, Granada (Spain); Instituto Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada (Spain); Piro, Nicolas, E-mail: nicolas.piro@epfl.ch [École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Piro, Oreste, E-mail: piro@imedea.uib-csic.es [Departamento de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Tuval, Idan, E-mail: ituval@imedea.uib-csic.es [Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, CSIC–Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07190 Mallorca (Spain)
2016-10-14
In order to study the behaviour of discrete dynamical systems under adiabatic cyclic variations of their parameters, we consider discrete versions of adiabatically-rotated rotators. Parallelling the studies in continuous systems, we generalize the concept of geometric phase to discrete dynamics and investigate its presence in these rotators. For the rotated sine circle map, we demonstrate an analytical relationship between the geometric phase and the rotation number of the system. For the discrete version of the rotated rotator considered by Berry, the rotated standard map, we further explore this connection as well as the role of the geometric phase at the onset of chaos. Further into the chaotic regime, we show that the geometric phase is also related to the diffusive behaviour of the dynamical variables and the Lyapunov exponent. - Highlights: • We extend the concept of geometric phase to maps. • For the rotated sine circle map, we demonstrate an analytical relationship between the geometric phase and the rotation number. • For the rotated standard map, we explore the role of the geometric phase at the onset of chaos. • We show that the geometric phase is related to the diffusive behaviour of the dynamical variables and the Lyapunov exponent.
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Arulbalaji, P.; Gurugnanam, B.
2017-11-01
A morphometric analysis of Sarabanga watershed in Salem district has been chosen for the present study. Geospatial tools, such as remote sensing and GIS, are utilized for the extraction of river basin and its drainage networks. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM-30 m resolution) data have been used for morphometric analysis and evaluating various morphometric parameters. The morphometric parameters of Sarabanga watershed have been analyzed and evaluated by pioneer methods, such as Horton and Strahler. The dendritic type of drainage pattern is draining the Sarabanga watershed, which indicates that lithology and gentle slope category is controlling the study area. The Sarabanga watershed is covered an area of 1208 km2. The slope of the watershed is various from 10 to 40% and which is controlled by lithology of the watershed. The bifurcation ratio ranges from 3 to 4.66 indicating the influence of geological structure and suffered more structural disturbances. The form factor indicates elongated shape of the study area. The total stream length and area of watershed indicate that mean annual rainfall runoff is relatively moderate. The basin relief expressed that watershed has relatively high denudation rates. The drainage density of the watershed is low indicating that infiltration is more dominant. The ruggedness number shows the peak discharges that are likely to be relatively higher. The present study is very useful to plan the watershed management.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baum, C; Alber, M; Birkner, M; Nuesslin, F
2004-01-01
Geometric uncertainties arise during treatment planning and treatment and mean that dose-dependent parameters such as EUD are random variables with a patient specific probability distribution. Treatment planning with highly conformal treatment techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy requires new evaluation tools which allow us to estimate this influence of geometrical uncertainties on the probable treatment dose for a planned dose distribution. Monte Carlo simulations of treatment courses with recalculation of the dose according to the daily geometric errors are a gold standard for such an evaluation. Distribution histograms which show the relative frequency of a treatment quality parameter in the treatment simulations can be used to evaluate the potential risks and chances of a planned dose distribution. As treatment simulations with dose recalculation are very time consuming for sufficient statistical accuracy, it is proposed to do treatment simulations in the dose parameter space where the result is mainly determined by the systematic and random component of the geometrical uncertainties. Comparison of the parameter space simulation method with the gold standard for prostate cases and a head and neck case shows good agreement as long as the number of fractions is high enough and the influence of tissue inhomogeneities and surface curvature on the dose is small
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Depth-of-field effects in wiggler radiation sources: Geometrical versus wave optics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Richard P. Walker
2017-02-01
Full Text Available A detailed analysis is carried out of the optical properties of synchrotron radiation emitted by multipole wigglers, concentrating on the effective source size and brightness and the so-called “depth of field” effects, concerning which there has been some controversy in the literature. By comparing calculations made with both geometrical optics and wave optics methods we demonstrate that the two approaches are not at variance, and that the wave optics results tend towards those of geometrical optics under well-defined conditions.
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Wall-corner classification using sonar: a new approach based on geometric features.
Martínez, Milagros; Benet, Ginés
2010-01-01
Ultrasonic signals coming from rotary sonar sensors in a robot gives us several features about the environment. This enables us to locate and classify the objects in the scenario of the robot. Each object and reflector produces a series of peaks in the amplitude of the signal. The radial and angular position of the sonar sensor gives information about location and their amplitudes offer information about the nature of the surface. Early works showed that the amplitude can be modeled and used to classify objects with very good results at short distances-80% average success in classifying both walls and corners at distances less than 1.5 m. In this paper, a new set of geometric features derived from the amplitude analysis of the echo is presented. These features constitute a set of characteristics that can be used to improve the results of classification at distances from 1.5 m to 4 m. Also, a comparative study on classification algorithms widely used in pattern recognition techniques has been carried out for sensor distances ranging between 0.5 to 4 m, and with incidence angles ranging between 20° to 70°. Experimental results show an enhancement on the success in classification rates when these geometric features are considered.
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Lepton and quark generations in the geometrical Rishon model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Elbaz, E.; Uschersohn, J.; Meyer, J.
1981-12-01
We propose a concrete representation of leptons and quarks in different generations in the geometrical approach to the rishon model where rishons behave as the fundamental representations of the SU(3)sub(C) x SU(3)sub(H) group. The model allows a unified description of both hadronic and leptonic decays of elementary particles
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Applications of wavelets in morphometric analysis of medical images
Davatzikos, Christos; Tao, Xiaodong; Shen, Dinggang
2003-11-01
Morphometric analysis of medical images is playing an increasingly important role in understanding brain structure and function, as well as in understanding the way in which these change during development, aging and pathology. This paper presents three wavelet-based methods with related applications in morphometric analysis of magnetic resonance (MR) brain images. The first method handles cases where very limited datasets are available for the training of statistical shape models in the deformable segmentation. The method is capable of capturing a larger range of shape variability than the standard active shape models (ASMs) can, by using the elegant spatial-frequency decomposition of the shape contours provided by wavelet transforms. The second method addresses the difficulty of finding correspondences in anatomical images, which is a key step in shape analysis and deformable registration. The detection of anatomical correspondences is completed by using wavelet-based attribute vectors as morphological signatures of voxels. The third method uses wavelets to characterize the morphological measurements obtained from all voxels in a brain image, and the entire set of wavelet coefficients is further used to build a brain classifier. Since the classification scheme operates in a very-high-dimensional space, it can determine subtle population differences with complex spatial patterns. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed methods.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Igor V. Karyakin
2018-03-01
Full Text Available Sexual dimorphism among nestlings of the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis is poorly manifested. Thus, determining of sex by morphometric methods encountered many difficulties and could be completed only by the most experienced ornithologists who knows the species very well. This article presents a morphometric method for determining sex of nestlings of the Steppe Eagles from different breeding populations that belongs to different size classes. The method is based on classification formula obtained via linear discriminant analysis conducted for the data set of measurements of Steppe Eagle’s nestlings from Central Kazakhstan and Altai Republic in 2017. To control the sex determination of nestlings a molecular-genetics method was used.
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Simple and practical approach for computing the ray Hessian matrix in geometrical optics.
Lin, Psang Dain
2018-02-01
A method is proposed for simplifying the computation of the ray Hessian matrix in geometrical optics by replacing the angular variables in the system variable vector with their equivalent cosine and sine functions. The variable vector of a boundary surface is similarly defined in such a way as to exclude any angular variables. It is shown that the proposed formulations reduce the computation time of the Hessian matrix by around 10 times compared to the previous method reported by the current group in Advanced Geometrical Optics (2016). Notably, the method proposed in this study involves only polynomial differentiation, i.e., trigonometric function calls are not required. As a consequence, the computation complexity is significantly reduced. Five illustrative examples are given. The first three examples show that the proposed method is applicable to the determination of the Hessian matrix for any pose matrix, irrespective of the order in which the rotation and translation motions are specified. The last two examples demonstrate the use of the proposed Hessian matrix in determining the axial and lateral chromatic aberrations of a typical optical system.
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Geometrical Description of fractional quantum Hall quasiparticles
Park, Yeje; Yang, Bo; Haldane, F. D. M.
2012-02-01
We examine a description of fractional quantum Hall quasiparticles and quasiholes suggested by a recent geometrical approach (F. D. M. Haldane, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 116801 (2011)) to FQH systems, where the local excess electric charge density in the incompressible state is given by a topologically-quantized ``guiding-center spin'' times the Gaussian curvature of a ``guiding-center metric tensor'' that characterizes the local shape of the correlation hole around electrons in the fluid. We use a phenomenological energy function with two ingredients: the shear distortion energy of area-preserving distortions of the fluid, and a local (short-range) approximation to the Coulomb energy of the fluctuation of charge density associated with the Gaussian curvature. Quasiparticles and quasiholes of the 1/3 Laughlin state are modeled as ``punctures'' in the incompressible fluid which then relax by geometric distortion which generates Gaussian curvature, giving rise to the charge-density profile around the topological excitation.
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Image-Based Geometric Modeling and Mesh Generation
2013-01-01
As a new interdisciplinary research area, “image-based geometric modeling and mesh generation” integrates image processing, geometric modeling and mesh generation with finite element method (FEM) to solve problems in computational biomedicine, materials sciences and engineering. It is well known that FEM is currently well-developed and efficient, but mesh generation for complex geometries (e.g., the human body) still takes about 80% of the total analysis time and is the major obstacle to reduce the total computation time. It is mainly because none of the traditional approaches is sufficient to effectively construct finite element meshes for arbitrarily complicated domains, and generally a great deal of manual interaction is involved in mesh generation. This contributed volume, the first for such an interdisciplinary topic, collects the latest research by experts in this area. These papers cover a broad range of topics, including medical imaging, image alignment and segmentation, image-to-mesh conversion,...
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The geometric Hopf invariant and surgery theory
Crabb, Michael
2017-01-01
Written by leading experts in the field, this monograph provides homotopy theoretic foundations for surgery theory on higher-dimensional manifolds. Presenting classical ideas in a modern framework, the authors carefully highlight how their results relate to (and generalize) existing results in the literature. The central result of the book expresses algebraic surgery theory in terms of the geometric Hopf invariant, a construction in stable homotopy theory which captures the double points of immersions. Many illustrative examples and applications of the abstract results are included in the book, making it of wide interest to topologists. Serving as a valuable reference, this work is aimed at graduate students and researchers interested in understanding how the algebraic and geometric topology fit together in the surgery theory of manifolds. It is the only book providing such a wide-ranging historical approach to the Hopf invariant, double points and surgery theory, with many results old and new. .
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Probability density cloud as a geometrical tool to describe statistics of scattered light.
Yaitskova, Natalia
2017-04-01
First-order statistics of scattered light is described using the representation of the probability density cloud, which visualizes a two-dimensional distribution for complex amplitude. The geometric parameters of the cloud are studied in detail and are connected to the statistical properties of phase. The moment-generating function for intensity is obtained in a closed form through these parameters. An example of exponentially modified normal distribution is provided to illustrate the functioning of this geometrical approach.
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Abdelhady, Ahmed Awad
2016-03-01
The negative impacts of degradation in the coastal zone of the Red Sea are becoming well known in upper portions of the trophic web (e.g., humans and fish), but are less well known among the benthic primary consumers. In addition, the degree to which heavy metals are entering the trophic web can be better-quantified using macrobenthos. Two-gastropod genera encompassing Echinolittorina subnodosa and Planaxis sulcatus from three different localities on the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea were examined in order to deduce the impact of environmental deterioration on the morphology of shells. The examined sites include clean pristine, slightly polluted, and markedly polluted rocky shores. Phosphate/lead industry is the main source of pollution in this zone. Because landmarks on the rugose Echinolittorina are difficult to define and to ensure finer resolution of the analyses, a newly 'grid-based' landmarks was implemented. Both Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) and Thin Plate Spline (TPS) were particularly capable to capture and terrace the minor morphological variations accurately. Two phenotypes portioned among the environmentally different populations were recognized and interpreted as ecotypes with many intermediate forms. The first ecotype has a higher spire and smaller aperture and dominating the pristine site North of Marsa Alam, whereas the second ecotype has a globular shell shape with big aperture and dominating the markedly polluted site. The intermediate forms dominating the slightly polluted site. The shape differences are interpreted as an adaptive differentiation to different metal concentrations. As the morphological variation between the two-ecotypes of both taxa is still minors, and both ecotypes occur together with many intermediate forms, the phenotypic divergence stage has not yet accomplished. The gradational shape change among the investigated populations was positively correlated with index of Pollution (IP). As the human activities were the main driver of the phenotypic changes, hence anthropogenic impact may shift the evolution and/or the extinction rates.
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High prevalence of morphometric vertebral deformities in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Heijckmann, Anna Caroline; Huijberts, Maya S P; Schoon, Erik J; Geusens, Piet; de Vries, Jolanda; Menheere, Paul P C A; van der Veer, Eveline; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H R; Stockbrugger, Reinhold W; Dumitrescu, Bianca; Nieuwenhuijzen Kruseman, Arie C
2008-08-01
Earlier studies have documented that the prevalence of decreased bone mineral density (BMD) is elevated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of vertebral deformities in inflammatory bowel disease patients and their relation with BMD and bone turnover. One hundred and nine patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 72 with ulcerative colitis (UC) (age 44.5+/-14.2 years) were studied. BMD of the hip (by dual X-ray absorptiometry) was measured and a lateral single energy densitometry of the spine for assessment of vertebral deformities was performed. Serum markers of bone resorption (carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen) and formation (procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide) were measured, and determinants of prevalent vertebral deformities were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Vertebral deformities were found in 25% of both CD and UC patients. Comparing patients with and without vertebral deformities, no significant difference was found between Z-scores and T-scores of BMD, or levels of serum carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen and serum procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide. Using logistic regression analysis the only determinant of any morphometric vertebral deformity was sex. The presence of multiple vertebral deformities was associated with older age and glucocorticoid use. The prevalence of morphometric vertebral deformities is high in CD and UC. Male sex, but neither disease activity, bone turnover markers, clinical risk factors, nor BMD predicted their presence. The determinants for having more than one vertebral deformity were age and glucocorticoid use. This implies that in addition to screening for low BMD, morphometric assessment of vertebral deformities is warranted in CD and UC.
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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Van de Velde, Joris; Wouters, Johan; Vercauteren, Tom; De Gersem, Werner; Achten, Eric; De Neve, Wilfried; Van Hoof, Tom
2015-01-01
The present study aimed to measure the effect of a morphometric atlas selection strategy on the accuracy of multi-atlas-based BP autosegmentation using the commercially available software package ADMIRE® and to determine the optimal number of selected atlases to use. Autosegmentation accuracy was measured by comparing all generated automatic BP segmentations with anatomically validated gold standard segmentations that were developed using cadavers. Twelve cadaver computed tomography (CT) atlases were included in the study. One atlas was selected as a patient in ADMIRE®, and multi-atlas-based BP autosegmentation was first performed with a group of morphometrically preselected atlases. In this group, the atlases were selected on the basis of similarity in the shoulder protraction position with the patient. The number of selected atlases used started at two and increased up to eight. Subsequently, a group of randomly chosen, non-selected atlases were taken. In this second group, every possible combination of 2 to 8 random atlases was used for multi-atlas-based BP autosegmentation. For both groups, the average Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Jaccard index (JI) and Inclusion index (INI) were calculated, measuring the similarity of the generated automatic BP segmentations and the gold standard segmentation. Similarity indices of both groups were compared using an independent sample t-test, and the optimal number of selected atlases was investigated using an equivalence trial. For each number of atlases, average similarity indices of the morphometrically selected atlas group were significantly higher than the random group (p < 0,05). In this study, the highest similarity indices were achieved using multi-atlas autosegmentation with 6 selected atlases (average DSC = 0,598; average JI = 0,434; average INI = 0,733). Morphometric atlas selection on the basis of the protraction position of the patient significantly improves multi-atlas-based BP autosegmentation accuracy
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Matching Real and Synthetic Panoramic Images Using a Variant of Geometric Hashing
Li-Chee-Ming, J.; Armenakis, C.
2017-05-01
This work demonstrates an approach to automatically initialize a visual model-based tracker, and recover from lost tracking, without prior camera pose information. These approaches are commonly referred to as tracking-by-detection. Previous tracking-by-detection techniques used either fiducials (i.e. landmarks or markers) or the object's texture. The main contribution of this work is the development of a tracking-by-detection algorithm that is based solely on natural geometric features. A variant of geometric hashing, a model-to-image registration algorithm, is proposed that searches for a matching panoramic image from a database of synthetic panoramic images captured in a 3D virtual environment. The approach identifies corresponding features between the matched panoramic images. The corresponding features are to be used in a photogrammetric space resection to estimate the camera pose. The experiments apply this algorithm to initialize a model-based tracker in an indoor environment using the 3D CAD model of the building.
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GEOMETRIC AND MATERIAL NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS AT FIRE ENVIRONMENT
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ayad A. Abdul -Razzak
2013-05-01
Full Text Available In the present study a nonlinear finite element analysis is presented to predict the fire resistance of reinforced concrete slabs at fire environment. An eight node layered degenerated shell element utilizing Mindlin/Reissner thick plate theory is employed. The proposed model considered cracking, crushing and yielding of concrete and steel at elevated temperatures. The layered approach is used to represent the steel reinforcement and discretize the concrete slab through the thickness. The reinforcement steel is represented as a smeared layer of equivalent thickness with uniaxial strength and rigidity properties.Geometric nonlinear analysis may play an important role in the behavior of reinforced concrete slabs at high temperature. Geometrical nonlinearity in the layered approach is considered in the mathematical model, which is based on the total Lagrangian approach taking into account Von Karman assumptions.Finally two examples for which experimental results are available are analyzed, using the proposed model .The comparison showed good agreement with experimental results.
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Geometric Algebra Techniques in Flux Compactifications
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Coman, Ioana Alexandra; Lazaroiu, Calin Iuliu; Babalic, Elena Mirela
2016-01-01
We study “constrained generalized Killing (s)pinors,” which characterize supersymmetric flux compactifications of supergravity theories. Using geometric algebra techniques, we give conceptually clear and computationally effective methods for translating supersymmetry conditions into differential and algebraic constraints on collections of differential forms. In particular, we give a synthetic description of Fierz identities, which are an important ingredient of such problems. As an application, we show how our approach can be used to efficiently treat N=1 compactification of M-theory on eight manifolds and prove that we recover results previously obtained in the literature.
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Five reasons to doubt the existence of a geometric module.
Twyman, Alexandra D; Newcombe, Nora S
2010-09-01
It is frequently claimed that the human mind is organized in a modular fashion, a hypothesis linked historically, though not inevitably, to the claim that many aspects of the human mind are innately specified. A specific instance of this line of thought is the proposal of an innately specified geometric module for human reorientation. From a massive modularity position, the reorientation module would be one of a large number that organized the mind. From the core knowledge position, the reorientation module is one of five innate and encapsulated modules that can later be supplemented by use of human language. In this paper, we marshall five lines of evidence that cast doubt on the geometric module hypothesis, unfolded in a series of reasons: (1) Language does not play a necessary role in the integration of feature and geometric cues, although it can be helpful. (2) A model of reorientation requires flexibility to explain variable phenomena. (3) Experience matters over short and long periods. (4) Features are used for true reorientation. (5) The nature of geometric information is not as yet clearly specified. In the final section, we review recent theoretical approaches to the known reorientation phenomena. Copyright © 2009 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.
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Lie-Hamilton systems on curved spaces: a geometrical approach
Herranz, Francisco J.; de Lucas, Javier; Tobolski, Mariusz
2017-12-01
A Lie-Hamilton system is a nonautonomous system of first-order ordinary differential equations describing the integral curves of a t-dependent vector field taking values in a finite-dimensional Lie algebra, a Vessiot-Guldberg Lie algebra, of Hamiltonian vector fields relative to a Poisson structure. Its general solution can be written as an autonomous function, the superposition rule, of a generic finite family of particular solutions and a set of constants. We pioneer the study of Lie-Hamilton systems on Riemannian spaces (sphere, Euclidean and hyperbolic plane), pseudo-Riemannian spaces (anti-de Sitter, de Sitter, and Minkowski spacetimes) as well as on semi-Riemannian spaces (Newtonian spacetimes). Their corresponding constants of motion and superposition rules are obtained explicitly in a geometric way. This work extends the (graded) contraction of Lie algebras to a contraction procedure for Lie algebras of vector fields, Hamiltonian functions, and related symplectic structures, invariants, and superposition rules.
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A morphometric system to distinguish sheep and goat postcranial bones.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lenny Salvagno
Full Text Available Distinguishing between the bones of sheep and goat is a notorious challenge in zooarchaeology. Several methodological contributions have been published at different times and by various people to facilitate this task, largely relying on a macro-morphological approach. This is now routinely adopted by zooarchaeologists but, although it certainly has its value, has also been shown to have limitations. Morphological discriminant criteria can vary in different populations and correct identification is highly dependent upon a researcher's experience, availability of appropriate reference collections, and many other factors that are difficult to quantify. There is therefore a need to establish a more objective system, susceptible to scrutiny. In order to fulfil such a requirement, this paper offers a comprehensive morphometric method for the identification of sheep and goat postcranial bones, using a sample of more than 150 modern skeletons as a basis, and building on previous pioneering work. The proposed method is based on measurements-some newly created, others previously published-and its use is recommended in combination with the more traditional morphological approach. Measurement ratios, used to translate morphological traits into biometrical attributes, are demonstrated to have substantial diagnostic potential, with the vast majority of specimens correctly assigned to species. The efficacy of the new method is also tested with Discriminant Analysis, which provides a successful verification of the biometrical indices, a statistical means to select the most promising measurements, and an additional line of analysis to be used in conjunction with the others.
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A morphometric system to distinguish sheep and goat postcranial bones.
Salvagno, Lenny; Albarella, Umberto
2017-01-01
Distinguishing between the bones of sheep and goat is a notorious challenge in zooarchaeology. Several methodological contributions have been published at different times and by various people to facilitate this task, largely relying on a macro-morphological approach. This is now routinely adopted by zooarchaeologists but, although it certainly has its value, has also been shown to have limitations. Morphological discriminant criteria can vary in different populations and correct identification is highly dependent upon a researcher's experience, availability of appropriate reference collections, and many other factors that are difficult to quantify. There is therefore a need to establish a more objective system, susceptible to scrutiny. In order to fulfil such a requirement, this paper offers a comprehensive morphometric method for the identification of sheep and goat postcranial bones, using a sample of more than 150 modern skeletons as a basis, and building on previous pioneering work. The proposed method is based on measurements-some newly created, others previously published-and its use is recommended in combination with the more traditional morphological approach. Measurement ratios, used to translate morphological traits into biometrical attributes, are demonstrated to have substantial diagnostic potential, with the vast majority of specimens correctly assigned to species. The efficacy of the new method is also tested with Discriminant Analysis, which provides a successful verification of the biometrical indices, a statistical means to select the most promising measurements, and an additional line of analysis to be used in conjunction with the others.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Atang Atang
2015-01-01
Full Text Available A study on The Gender Determination Of Betutu Germ (Oxyeleotris marmorata Blkr. by Truss Morphometrics used survey method with Simple Random Sampling design, Betutu’s germ as sample were taken from Penjalin reservoir, Brebes. The 26 distance of 13 pile points were based or Truss Morphometrics it were recorded as variables. The result of this research indicated that the size of Betutu’s A2 (origin anterior tip of snout at upper jaw – most posterior aspect of neurocranium, A4 (origin posterior point maxillary – origin of pelvic fin, B5 (origin of pelvic fin – origin of dorsal fin, B6 (origin of pelvic fin – origin of anal fin, D1 (insertion of anal fin – origin of lower caudal fin and D3 (insertion of dorsal II fin – origin of lower caudal fin can differentiate the gender of Betutu’s germ.
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Changes in mast cells during acute radiation sickness(a morphometric study)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Datsenko, A.V.; Shikhodyrov, V.V.
1985-01-01
Changes in the morphometric parameters of rat mast cells during acute radiation sickness have been studied. The most significant deviation of the quantitative indices of mast cells from the control values were noted at the height of the bone-marrow, at the terminal stage of the intestinal, and during the first few hours of the cerebral forms of acute radiation sickness
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Vipin; Sharma, Vinita; Sharma, Chandra Prakash; Kumar, Ved Prakash; Goyal, Surendra Prakash
2016-09-01
The illegal trade in wildlife is a serious threat to the existence of wild animals throughout the world. The short supply and high demand for wildlife articles have caused an influx of many different forms of fake wildlife articles into this trade. The task of identifying the materials used in making such articles poses challenges in wildlife forensics as different approaches are required for species identification. Claws constitute 3.8% of the illegal animal parts (n=2899) received at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for species identification. We describe the identification of seized suspected tiger claws (n=18) using a combined approach of morphometric and DNA-based analysis. The differential keratin density, determined using X-ray radiographs, indicated that none of the 18 claws were of any large cat but were fake. We determined three claw measurements, viz. ac (from the external coronary dermo-epidermal interface to the epidermis of the skin fold connecting the palmar flanges of the coronary horn), bc (from the claw tip to the epidermis of the skin fold connecting the palmar flanges of the coronary horn) and the ratio bc/ac, for all the seized (n=18), tiger (n=23) and leopard (n=49) claws. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. A scatter plot generated using canonical discriminant function analysis revealed that of the 18 seized claws, 14 claws formed a cluster separate from the clusters of the tiger and leopard claws, whereas the remaining four claws were within the leopard cluster. Because a discrepancy was observed between the X-ray images and the measurements of these four claws, one of the claw that clustered with the leopard claws was chosen randomly and DNA analysis carried out using the cyt b (137bp) and 16S rRNA (410bp) genes. A BLAST search and comparison with the reference database at WII indicated that the keratin material of the claw was derived from Bos taurus (cattle). This is a pioneering discovery, and
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Geometrical Lagrangian for a Supersymmetric Yang-Mills Theory on the Group Manifold
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Borges, M. F.
2002-01-01
Perhaps one of the main features of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity is that spacetime is not flat itself but curved. Nowadays, however, many of the unifying theories like superstrings on even alternative gravity theories such as teleparalell geometric theories assume flat spacetime for their calculations. This article, an extended account of an earlier author's contribution, it is assumed a curved group manifold as a geometrical background from which a Lagrangian for a supersymmetric N=2, d=5 Yang-Mills - SYM, N=2, d=5 - is built up. The spacetime is a hypersurface embedded in this geometrical scenario, and the geometrical action here obtained can be readily coupled to the five-dimensional supergravity action. The essential idea that underlies this work has its roots in the Einstein-Cartan formulation of gravity and in the 'group manifold approach to gravity and supergravity theories'. The group SYM, N=2, d=5, turns out to be the direct product of supergravity and a general gauge group G:G=GxSU(2,2/1)-bar
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Geometrical model of multiple production
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chikovani, Z.E.; Jenkovszky, L.L.; Kvaratshelia, T.M.; Struminskij, B.V.
1988-01-01
The relation between geometrical and KNO-scaling and their violation is studied in a geometrical model of multiple production of hadrons. Predictions concerning the behaviour of correlation coefficients at future accelerators are given
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Effect of geometric imperfections on the ultimate moment capacity of cold-formed sigma-shape se
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bassem L. Gendy
2017-08-01
Full Text Available In recent years, cold formed steel sections are used more and more as primary framing components and as a secondary structural system. They are used as purlins and side rails or floor joist, and after that in the building envelops. Beams are not perfectly straight and are usually associated with geometric imperfections. Initial geometric imperfections can significantly influence the stability response of cold-formed steel members. This paper reports a numerical investigation concerning the effect of these imperfections on the behavior of the simply supported beams subjected to a uniform bending moment. The beam profile is cold formed sigma sections. Group of beams with different overall member slenderness ratios were studied. Several approaches have been utilized to model the geometric imperfections. First, the elastic buckling modes were considered as the imperfect beam shape. In this approach, the elastic buckling analysis was done first to get the elastic buckling modes. In the second approach, the imperfections were considered by assuming the beam bent in a half sine wave along its length. Finally, combination of these two approaches was considered. Results reveal that, the ultimate bending moments of beams with short and intermediate overall slenderness ratios are sensitive to the imperfect shape that comprise compression flange local buckling.
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Pragmatic geometric model evaluation
Pamer, Robert
2015-04-01
Quantification of subsurface model reliability is mathematically and technically demanding as there are many different sources of uncertainty and some of the factors can be assessed merely in a subjective way. For many practical applications in industry or risk assessment (e. g. geothermal drilling) a quantitative estimation of possible geometric variations in depth unit is preferred over relative numbers because of cost calculations for different scenarios. The talk gives an overview of several factors that affect the geometry of structural subsurface models that are based upon typical geological survey organization (GSO) data like geological maps, borehole data and conceptually driven construction of subsurface elements (e. g. fault network). Within the context of the trans-European project "GeoMol" uncertainty analysis has to be very pragmatic also because of different data rights, data policies and modelling software between the project partners. In a case study a two-step evaluation methodology for geometric subsurface model uncertainty is being developed. In a first step several models of the same volume of interest have been calculated by omitting successively more and more input data types (seismic constraints, fault network, outcrop data). The positions of the various horizon surfaces are then compared. The procedure is equivalent to comparing data of various levels of detail and therefore structural complexity. This gives a measure of the structural significance of each data set in space and as a consequence areas of geometric complexity are identified. These areas are usually very data sensitive hence geometric variability in between individual data points in these areas is higher than in areas of low structural complexity. Instead of calculating a multitude of different models by varying some input data or parameters as it is done by Monte-Carlo-simulations, the aim of the second step of the evaluation procedure (which is part of the ongoing work) is to
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The effect of morphometric scaling on deposition and clearance of inhaled radionuclides
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bergmann, R.; Hofmann, W.; Koblinger, L.
1996-01-01
The linear dimensions of present lung models are based on morphometric measurements on fully inflated lungs. To simulate deposition and clearance of inhaled radionuclides in human lungs under normal breathing conditions, airway diameters and lengths have to be scaled down to the smaller dimensions at functional residual capacity of about 3000 ml
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Smith, Tony E.; Lee, Ka Lok
2012-01-01
There is a common belief that the presence of residual spatial autocorrelation in ordinary least squares (OLS) regression leads to inflated significance levels in beta coefficients and, in particular, inflated levels relative to the more efficient spatial error model (SEM). However, our simulations show that this is not always the case. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine this question from a geometric viewpoint. The key idea is to characterize the OLS test statistic in terms of angle cosines and examine the geometric implications of this characterization. Our first result is to show that if the explanatory variables in the regression exhibit no spatial autocorrelation, then the distribution of test statistics for individual beta coefficients in OLS is independent of any spatial autocorrelation in the error term. Hence, inferences about betas exhibit all the optimality properties of the classic uncorrelated error case. However, a second more important series of results show that if spatial autocorrelation is present in both the dependent and explanatory variables, then the conventional wisdom is correct. In particular, even when an explanatory variable is statistically independent of the dependent variable, such joint spatial dependencies tend to produce "spurious correlation" that results in over-rejection of the null hypothesis. The underlying geometric nature of this problem is clarified by illustrative examples. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of some possible remedies for this problem.
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Van Cann, Joannes; Virgilio, Massimiliano; Jordaens, Kurt; De Meyer, Marc
2015-01-01
Previous attempts to resolve the Ceratitis FAR complex (Ceratitis fasciventris, Ceratitis anonae, Ceratitis rosa, Diptera, Tephritidae) showed contrasting results and revealed the occurrence of five microsatellite genotypic clusters (A, F1, F2, R1, R2). In this paper we explore the potential of wing morphometrics for the diagnosis of FAR morphospecies and genotypic clusters. We considered a set of 227 specimens previously morphologically identified and genotyped at 16 microsatellite loci. Seventeen wing landmarks and 6 wing band areas were used for morphometric analyses. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance detected significant differences both across morphospecies and genotypic clusters (for both males and females). Unconstrained and constrained ordinations did not properly resolve groups corresponding to morphospecies or genotypic clusters. However, posterior group membership probabilities (PGMPs) of the Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) allowed the consistent identification of a relevant proportion of specimens (but with performances differing across morphospecies and genotypic clusters). This study suggests that wing morphometrics and PGMPs might represent a possible tool for the diagnosis of species within the FAR complex. Here, we propose a tentative diagnostic method and provide a first reference library of morphometric measures that might be used for the identification of additional and unidentified FAR specimens.
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Wu, Chensheng; Nelson, William; Davis, Christopher C.
2014-10-01
Plenoptic functions are functions that preserve all the necessary light field information of optical events. Theoretical work has demonstrated that geometric based plenoptic functions can serve equally well in the traditional wave propagation equation known as the "scalar stochastic Helmholtz equation". However, in addressing problems of 3D turbulence simulation, the dominant methods using phase screen models have limitations both in explaining the choice of parameters (on the transverse plane) in real-world measurements, and finding proper correlations between neighboring phase screens (the Markov assumption breaks down). Though possible corrections to phase screen models are still promising, the equivalent geometric approach based on plenoptic functions begins to show some advantages. In fact, in these geometric approaches, a continuous wave problem is reduced to discrete trajectories of rays. This allows for convenience in parallel computing and guarantees conservation of energy. Besides the pairwise independence of simulated rays, the assigned refractive index grids can be directly tested by temperature measurements with tiny thermoprobes combined with other parameters such as humidity level and wind speed. Furthermore, without loss of generality one can break the causal chain in phase screen models by defining regional refractive centers to allow rays that are less affected to propagate through directly. As a result, our work shows that the 3D geometric approach serves as an efficient and accurate method in assessing relevant turbulence problems with inputs of several environmental measurements and reasonable guesses (such as Cn 2 levels). This approach will facilitate analysis and possible corrections in lateral wave propagation problems, such as image de-blurring, prediction of laser propagation over long ranges, and improvement of free space optic communication systems. In this paper, the plenoptic function model and relevant parallel algorithm computing
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A geometric form of the canonical commutation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Guz, W.
1987-01-01
Some aspects of a geometric approach to quantum theory, in which the quantum-mechanical position and momentum operators are represented by covariant derivatives, are here developed. Here, the previously estabilished formalism of Caianiello and his co-workers is extended to the case of an integrable almost complex Hermitian manifold. The general theory is then applied to the two-dimensional case, where the structure of the 'quantum geometry' induced in the manifold by the quantum-mechanical CCR can be explicitly determined
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[Some morphometric parameters of nucleoli and nuclei in invasive ductal breast carcinomas in women].
Karpinska-Kaczmarczyk, Katarzyna
2009-01-01
The purpose of this study was to correlate seven morphometric parameters of nucleoli and nuclei of invasive ductal cancer cells with some clinico-pathological factors such as age, tumor size, axillary lymph node status, MIB-1 proliferation index, and estrogen receptor expression in tumor cells. Methyl green-pyronin Y (MG-PY) was used for simultaneous staining of nuclei and nucleoli in histological sections of 150 invasive ductal breast carcinomas. Next, morphometric parameters of nucleoli and nuclei of tumor cells were measured with computerized image analysis. Nuclear area and number of nucleoli in breast tumor cells were greater in younger axillary node-negative patients. The number of nucleoli and nucleolar shape polymorphism were reduced in tumors measuring 20 mm or less or with lower histological grade. Nuclear area, nucleolar number, and nucleolar polymorphism in carcinomas with low proliferation index and estrogen receptor expression were smaller than in carcinomas with high proliferation index and no estrogen receptor expression. Nucleolar area in primary tumors without axillary node involvement was greater than in tumors with more than three axillary nodes positive. MG-PY selectively and simultaneously stains nucleoli and nuclei of tumor cells enabling standardized and reproducible examination of these structures with computerized image analysis. Univariate statistical analysis disclosed that some morphometric parameters of nucleoli and nuclei of tumor cells correlated with several established clinico-pathological prognostic factors. Therefore, the prognostic significance of these parameters should be studied in a larger group of patients with invasive ductal breast carcinomas.
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Graphene geometric diodes for terahertz rectennas
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhu Zixu; Joshi, Saumil; Grover, Sachit; Moddel, Garret
2013-01-01
We demonstrate a new thin-film graphene diode called a geometric diode that relies on geometric asymmetry to provide rectification at 28 THz. The geometric diode is coupled to an optical antenna to form a rectenna that rectifies incoming radiation. This is the first reported graphene-based antenna-coupled diode working at 28 THz, and potentially at optical frequencies. The planar structure of the geometric diode provides a low RC time constant, on the order of 10 −15 s, required for operation at optical frequencies, and a low impedance for efficient power transfer from the antenna. Fabricated geometric diodes show asymmetric current–voltage characteristics consistent with Monte Carlo simulations for the devices. Rectennas employing the geometric diode coupled to metal and graphene antennas rectify 10.6 µm radiation, corresponding to an operating frequency of 28 THz. The graphene bowtie antenna is the first demonstrated functional antenna made using graphene. Its response indicates that graphene is a suitable terahertz resonator material. Applications for this terahertz diode include terahertz-wave and optical detection, ultra-high-speed electronics and optical power conversion. (paper)
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Geometric Computing for Freeform Architecture
Wallner, J.
2011-06-03
Geometric computing has recently found a new field of applications, namely the various geometric problems which lie at the heart of rationalization and construction-aware design processes of freeform architecture. We report on our work in this area, dealing with meshes with planar faces and meshes which allow multilayer constructions (which is related to discrete surfaces and their curvatures), triangles meshes with circle-packing properties (which is related to conformal uniformization), and with the paneling problem. We emphasize the combination of numerical optimization and geometric knowledge.
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Tentative purely geometrical Machian framework for describing gravity and inertia
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Goldoni, R [Pisa Univ. (Italy). Ist. di Matematica
1979-03-03
The purely geometrical Machian approach to gravitation presented in this letter improves an already published one. In any non vacuum cosmos the gravitational equations in gravitational units are identical to Einstein's equations, while the equations describing the gravitational field in local atomic units are integrodifferential equations in agreement with the available experimental data.
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Towards the automated identification of Chrysomya blow flies from wing images.
Macleod, N; Hall, M J R; Wardhana, A H
2018-04-15
The Old World screwworm fly (OWSF), Chrysomya bezziana (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is an important agent of traumatic myiasis and, as such, a major human and animal health problem. In the implementation of OWSF control operations, it is important to determine the geographical origins of such disease-causing species in order to establish whether they derive from endemic or invading populations. Gross morphological and molecular studies have demonstrated the existence of two distinct lineages of this species, one African and the other Asian. Wing morphometry is known to be of substantial assistance in identifying the geographical origin of individuals because it provides diagnostic markers that complement molecular diagnostics. However, placement of the landmarks used in traditional geometric morphometric analysis can be time-consuming and subject to error caused by operator subjectivity. Here we report results of an image-based approach to geometric morphometric analysis for delivering wing-based identifications. Our results indicate that this approach can produce identifications that are practically indistinguishable from more traditional landmark-based results. In addition, we demonstrate that the direct analysis of digital wing images can be used to discriminate between three Chrysomya species of veterinary and forensic importance and between C. bezziana genders. © 2018 The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London. Medical and Veterinary Entomology © 2018 Royal Entomological Society.
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Geometric solitons of Hamiltonian flows on manifolds
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Song, Chong, E-mail: songchong@xmu.edu.cn [School of Mathematical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Sun, Xiaowei, E-mail: sunxw@cufe.edu.cn [School of Applied Mathematics, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081 (China); Wang, Youde, E-mail: wyd@math.ac.cn [Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)
2013-12-15
It is well-known that the LIE (Locally Induction Equation) admit soliton-type solutions and same soliton solutions arise from different and apparently irrelevant physical models. By comparing the solitons of LIE and Killing magnetic geodesics, we observe that these solitons are essentially decided by two families of isometries of the domain and the target space, respectively. With this insight, we propose the new concept of geometric solitons of Hamiltonian flows on manifolds, such as geometric Schrödinger flows and KdV flows for maps. Moreover, we give several examples of geometric solitons of the Schrödinger flow and geometric KdV flow, including magnetic curves as geometric Schrödinger solitons and explicit geometric KdV solitons on surfaces of revolution.
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EVOLUTION OF MORPHOMETRIC MEASURES IN THE MANGALARGA MARCHADOR BREED
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
JULIANO MARTINS SANTIAGO
2016-01-01
Full Text Available The Mangalarga Marchador breed accounts for the largest horse herd in Brazil and has been experiencing national and international expansion. Nevertheless, there is little scientific production on the evolution of this breed and there are no studies on the morphometric transformations that took place during its formation. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the evolution in morphometric measures of the Mangalarga Marchador breed between 1970 and 2010. The research used information archived at the Brazilian Association of Mangalarga Marchador Breeders from 23,148 males and 92,980 females in a completely randomized experimental design. The six treatments consisted of the animals measured between 1970 and 1979, 1980 and 1989, 1990 and 1994, 1995 and 1999, 2000 and 2004, and 2005 and 2010, respectively. The measures assessed were: height at withers and croup, length of the head, neck, back, croup, shoulder, and body, width of the head and croup, thoracic circumference, and cannon circumference Over the period analyzed, males and females experienced a reduction in thoracic circumference, in the lengths of the head, back, croup, and shoulder, and in the widths of the head and croup. In the males, neck length and cannon circumference also decreased, while body length increased in females. Over time, breed selection led to smaller head, higher stature, and shorter trunk length. However, important measures for the breed’s functionality, such as shoulder length and thoracic circumference, decreased.
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DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lindgaard, Esben; Lund, Erik
2012-01-01
This paper presents a novel FEM-based approach for fiber angle optimal design of laminated composite structures exhibiting complicated nonlinear buckling behavior, thus enabling design of lighter and more cost-effective structures. The approach accounts for the geometrically nonlinear behavior of...
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A toric varieties approach to geometrical structure of multi partite states
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Heydari, Hoshang
2010-01-01
We investigate the geometrical structures of multipartite states based on construction of toric varieties. In particular, we describe pure quantum systems in terms of affine toric varieties and projective embedding of these varieties in complex projective spaces. We show that a quantum system can be corresponds to a toric variety of a fan which is constructed by gluing together affine toric varieties of polytopes. Moreover, we show that the projective toric varieties are the spaces of separable multipartite quantum states. The construction is a generalization of the complex multi-projective Segre variety. Our construction suggests a systematic way of looking at the structures of multipartite quantum systems.
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Geometric Computing for Freeform Architecture
Wallner, J.; Pottmann, Helmut
2011-01-01
Geometric computing has recently found a new field of applications, namely the various geometric problems which lie at the heart of rationalization and construction-aware design processes of freeform architecture. We report on our work in this area
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A new geometrical gravitational theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Obata, T.; Chiba, J.; Oshima, H.
1981-01-01
A geometrical gravitational theory is developed. The field equations are uniquely determined apart from one unknown dimensionless parameter ω 2 . It is based on an extension of the Weyl geometry, and by the extension the gravitational coupling constant and the gravitational mass are made to be dynamical and geometrical. The fundamental geometrical objects in the theory are a metric gsub(μν) and two gauge scalars phi and psi. The theory satisfies the weak equivalence principle, but breaks the strong one generally. u(phi, psi) = phi is found out on the assumption that the strong one keeps holding good at least for bosons of low spins. Thus there is the simple correspondence between the geometrical objects and the gravitational objects. Since the theory satisfies the weak one, the inertial mass is also dynamical and geometrical in the same way as is the gravitational mass. Moreover, the cosmological term in the theory is a coscalar of power -4 algebraically made of psi and u(phi, psi), so it is dynamical, too. Finally spherically symmetric exact solutions are given. The permissible range of the unknown parameter ω 2 is experimentally determined by applying the solutions to the solar system. (author)
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Time as a geometric property of space
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
James Michael Chappell
2016-11-01
Full Text Available The proper description of time remains a key unsolved problem in science. Newton conceived of time as absolute and universal which it `flows equably without relation to anything external'}. In the nineteenth century, the four-dimensional algebraic structure of the quaternions developed by Hamilton, inspired him to suggest that they could provide a unified representation of space and time. With the publishing of Einstein's theory of special relativity these ideas then lead to the generally accepted Minkowski spacetime formulation in 1908. Minkowski, though, rejected the formalism of quaternions suggested by Hamilton and adopted rather an approach using four-vectors. The Minkowski framework is indeed found to provide a versatile formalism for describing the relationship between space and time in accordance with Einstein's relativistic principles, but nevertheless fails to provide more fundamental insights into the nature of time itself. In order to answer this question we begin by exploring the geometric properties of three-dimensional space that we model using Clifford geometric algebra, which is found to contain sufficient complexity to provide a natural description of spacetime. This description using Clifford algebra is found to provide a natural alternative to the Minkowski formulation as well as providing new insights into the nature of time. Our main result is that time is the scalar component of a Clifford space and can be viewed as an intrinsic geometric property of three-dimensional space without the need for the specific addition of a fourth dimension.
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Morphometric analysis of sub-watershed in parts of Western Ghats, South India using ASTER DEM
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Evangelin Ramani Sujatha
2015-05-01
Full Text Available Morphometric analysis is a key to understand the hydrological process and hence is a prerequisite for the assessment of hydrological characteristics of surface water basin. Morphometric analysis to determine the drainage characteristics of Palar sub-watershed, a part of Shanmukha watershed in the Amaravati sub-catchment is done using Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM data, and is supplemented with topographical maps in geographical information systems platform. This study uses ASTER GDEM data to extract morphometric features of a mountain stream at micro-watershed level. The sub-watershed is divided into six micro-watersheds. The sub-watershed includes a sixth-order stream. Lower stream orders, in particular first-order streams, dominate the sub-watershed. Development of stream segments is controlled by slope and local relief. Drainage pattern of the sub-watershed and micro-watersheds is dendritic in general. The mean bifurcation ratio of the sub-watershed is 3.69 but its variation between the various stream orders suggests structural control in the development of stream network. The shape factors reveal the elongation of the sub-watershed and micro-watersheds.The relief ratio reveals the high discharge capability of the sub-watershed and meagre groundwater potential. This study is a useful tool for planning strategies in control of soil erosion and soil conservation.
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Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database
Žikić, V.; Tomanović, Ž.; Kavallieratos, N. G.; Starý, Petr; Ivanović, A.
2010-01-01
Roč. 10, č. 5 (2010), s. 373-380 ISSN 1439-6092 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IBS5007102 Grant - others:The Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia(SR) 143006B Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : allometry * morphometric variability * geometric morphometrics Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology Impact factor: 1.581, year: 2010
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Cova Matteo
2014-06-01
Full Text Available Fatigue strength is known to decrease with increasing dimension of the component. This is due to a technological size effect, related to the production process, and to a geometrical size effect, due to a higher probability of finding a large defect. To investigate the latter, an heavy-walled component made of Ductile Cast Iron (DCI has been trepanned and a fatigue test plan has been carried out using 4 different specimen geometries. An attempt has been made to relate the resulting fatigue strength using a weakest-link approach based on the effective volumes and surfaces. This approach seems to work well only in cases of different specimen's lengths. Some of the fracture surfaces were analyzed by means of SEM and the initiating defects were identified and measured. An approach in which the defects population can be randomly distributed in the specimen has been tried. Virtual fatigue tests have been carried out by considering pure propagation of the worst defect. The resulting fatigue curves showed that this approach is promising but needs further description of the initiation phase.
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Does skull morphology constrain bone ornamentation? A morphometric analysis in the Crocodylia.
Clarac, F; Souter, T; Cubo, J; de Buffrénil, V; Brochu, C; Cornette, R
2016-08-01
Previous quantitative assessments of the crocodylians' dermal bone ornamentation (this ornamentation consists of pits and ridges) has shown that bone sculpture results in a gain in area that differs between anatomical regions: it tends to be higher on the skull table than on the snout. Therefore, a comparative phylogenetic analysis within 17 adult crocodylian specimens representative of the morphological diversity of the 24 extant species has been performed, in order to test if the gain in area due to ornamentation depends on the skull morphology, i.e. shape and size. Quantitative assessment of skull size and shape through geometric morphometrics, and of skull ornamentation through surface analyses, produced a dataset that was analyzed using phylogenetic least-squares regression. The analyses reveal that none of the variables that quantify ornamentation, be they on the snout or the skull table, is correlated with the size of the specimens. Conversely, there is more disparity in the relationships between skull conformations (longirostrine vs. brevirostrine) and ornamentation. Indeed, both parameters GApit (i.e. pit depth and shape) and OArelat (i.e. relative area of the pit set) are negatively correlated with snout elongation, whereas none of the values quantifying ornamentation on the skull table is correlated with skull conformation. It can be concluded that bone sculpture on the snout is influenced by different developmental constrains than on the skull table and is sensible to differences in the local growth 'context' (allometric processes) prevailing in distinct skull parts. Whatever the functional role of bone ornamentation on the skull, if any, it seems to be restricted to some anatomical regions at least for the longirostrine forms that tend to lose ornamentation on the snout. © 2016 Anatomical Society.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ewa Skopińska-Rózewska
2006-09-01
Full Text Available Even most commonly consumed beverages like tea, coffee, chocolate and cocoa contain methylxanthines, biogenic amines and polyphenols, among them catechins, that exhibit significant biological activity and might profoundly affect the organism homeostasis. We have previously shown that 400 mg of bitter chocolate or 6 mg of theobromine added to the daily diet of pregnant and afterwards lactating mice affected embryonic angiogenesis and caused bone mineralization disturbances as well as limb shortening in 4-weeks old offspring. The aim of the present study was the morphometric and functional evaluation of kidneys in the 4-weeks old progeny mice fed according to the protocol mentioned above. Progeny from the mice fed chocolate presented considerable morphometric abnormalities in the kidney structure, with the lower number of glomeruli per mm2 and their increased diameter. Moreover, higher serum creatinine concentration was observed in that group of offspring. No morphometric or functional irregularities were found in the progeny of mice fed theobromine. Abnormalities demonstrated in the offspring of mice fed chocolate are not related to its theobromine content. Consequently, identification of active compound(s responsible for the observed effects is of vital importance.
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tiago Rozário da Silva
2014-02-01
Full Text Available Freshwater crabs are important elements in the aquatic biota of brooks, rivers, lakes and ponds, from both ecological and the socio-economic aspects. Trichodactylidae comprises 51 endemic species from the Neotropical region. Among all the species of this family, Trichodactylus fluviatilis Latreille, 1828 has the widest geographic distribution throughout Brazil. Despite that, there are few published contributions on the biology of this species. The present study investigated the following aspects of T. fluviatilis: relative growth, mean size at onset of morphometric maturity, sexual dimorphism, laterality and heterochely. Specimens were collected monthly from September 2010 through August 2011, from the Velha Eugênia Brook, municipality of Santa Teresinha, State of Bahia. Carapace width (CW, carapace length (CL, major cheliped length (MaCL and minor cheliped length (MiCL, major cheliped height (MaCH and minor cheliped height (MiCH, and width of the fifth abdominal segment (5AB were measured to evaluate the presence of sexual dimorphism; the major difference between the sexes was in the CW vs. 5AB ratio. Heterochely was observed in males and females,with the right cheliped larger than the left in 89% of males and 81% of females. Crab size at the onset of morphometric maturity (= puberty molt was estimated based on the ratio between CL, cheliped dimensions, 5AB and CW (independent variable. Females were larger than males when they reached morphometric maturity in all studied relations. We recommend the use of chelipeds and abdominal width relationships to estimate the size at the morphometric maturity in males and females, respectively.
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Geometrical factors in the perception of sacredness
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Costa, Marco; Bonetti, Leonardo
2016-01-01
Geometrical and environmental factors in the perception of sacredness, dominance, and attractiveness were assessed by 137 participants in five tests. In the first test, a two-alternative forced-choice paradigm was used to test the perception of sacredness, dominance, and attractiveness in geometr......Geometrical and environmental factors in the perception of sacredness, dominance, and attractiveness were assessed by 137 participants in five tests. In the first test, a two-alternative forced-choice paradigm was used to test the perception of sacredness, dominance, and attractiveness...... in geometrical figures differing in shape, verticality, size, and symmetry. Verticality, symmetry, and convexity were found to be important factors in the perception of sacredness. In the second test, participants had to mark the point inside geometrical surfaces that was perceived as most sacred, dominant....... Geometrical factors in the perception of sacredness, dominance, and attractiveness were largely overlapping....
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Navigability of Random Geometric Graphs in the Universe and Other Spacetimes.
Cunningham, William; Zuev, Konstantin; Krioukov, Dmitri
2017-08-18
Random geometric graphs in hyperbolic spaces explain many common structural and dynamical properties of real networks, yet they fail to predict the correct values of the exponents of power-law degree distributions observed in real networks. In that respect, random geometric graphs in asymptotically de Sitter spacetimes, such as the Lorentzian spacetime of our accelerating universe, are more attractive as their predictions are more consistent with observations in real networks. Yet another important property of hyperbolic graphs is their navigability, and it remains unclear if de Sitter graphs are as navigable as hyperbolic ones. Here we study the navigability of random geometric graphs in three Lorentzian manifolds corresponding to universes filled only with dark energy (de Sitter spacetime), only with matter, and with a mixture of dark energy and matter. We find these graphs are navigable only in the manifolds with dark energy. This result implies that, in terms of navigability, random geometric graphs in asymptotically de Sitter spacetimes are as good as random hyperbolic graphs. It also establishes a connection between the presence of dark energy and navigability of the discretized causal structure of spacetime, which provides a basis for a different approach to the dark energy problem in cosmology.
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Gelfand spectra in Grothendieck toposes using geometric mathematics
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bas Spitters
2014-07-01
Full Text Available In the (covariant topos approach to quantum theory by Heunen, Landsman and Spitters, one associates to each unital C*-algebra, A, a topos T(A of sheaves on a locale and a commutative C*-algebra, a, within that topos. The Gelfand spectrum of a is a locale S in this topos, which is equivalent to a bundle over the base locale. We further develop this external presentation of the locale S, by noting that the construction of the Gelfand spectrum in a general topos can be described using geometric logic. As a consequence, the spectrum, seen as a bundle, is computed fibrewise. As a by-product of the geometricity of Gelfand spectra, we find an explicit external description of the spectrum whenever the topos is a functor category. As an intermediate result we show that locally perfect maps compose, so that the externalization of a locally compact locale in a topos of sheaves over a locally compact locale is locally compact, too.
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Geometric inequalities for black holes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dain, Sergio
2013-01-01
Full text: A geometric inequality in General Relativity relates quantities that have both a physical interpretation and a geometrical definition. It is well known that the parameters that characterize the Kerr-Newman black hole satisfy several important geometric inequalities. Remarkably enough, some of these inequalities also hold for dynamical black holes. This kind of inequalities, which are valid in the dynamical and strong field regime, play an important role in the characterization of the gravitational collapse. They are closed related with the cosmic censorship conjecture. In this talk I will review recent results in this subject. (author)
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Optical traps with geometric aberrations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Roichman, Yael; Waldron, Alex; Gardel, Emily; Grier, David G.
2006-01-01
We assess the influence of geometric aberrations on the in-plane performance of optical traps by studying the dynamics of trapped colloidal spheres in deliberately distorted holographic optical tweezers. The lateral stiffness of the traps turns out to be insensitive to moderate amounts of coma, astigmatism, and spherical aberration. Moreover holographic aberration correction enables us to compensate inherent shortcomings in the optical train, thereby adaptively improving its performance. We also demonstrate the effects of geometric aberrations on the intensity profiles of optical vortices, whose readily measured deformations suggest a method for rapidly estimating and correcting geometric aberrations in holographic trapping systems
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Geometric inequalities for black holes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Dain, Sergio [Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (Argentina)
2013-07-01
Full text: A geometric inequality in General Relativity relates quantities that have both a physical interpretation and a geometrical definition. It is well known that the parameters that characterize the Kerr-Newman black hole satisfy several important geometric inequalities. Remarkably enough, some of these inequalities also hold for dynamical black holes. This kind of inequalities, which are valid in the dynamical and strong field regime, play an important role in the characterization of the gravitational collapse. They are closed related with the cosmic censorship conjecture. In this talk I will review recent results in this subject. (author)
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A geometric theory of swimming: Purcell's swimmer and its symmetrized cousin
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Avron, J E; Raz, O
2008-01-01
We develop a qualitative geometric approach to swimming at low Reynolds numbers which avoids solving differential equations and uses instead landscape figures describing the swimming and dissipation. This approach gives complete information about swimmers that swim on a line without rotations and gives the main qualitative features of general swimmers that can also rotate. We illustrate this approach for a symmetric version of Purcell's swimmer, which we solve by elementary analytical means within slender body theory. We then apply the theory to derive the basic qualitative properties of Purcell's swimmer
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Image understanding using geometric context
Zhang, Xiaochun; Liu, Chuancai
2017-07-01
A Gibbs Sampler based topic model for image annotation, which takes into account the interaction between visual geometric context and related topic, is presented. Most of the existing topic models for scene annotation use segmentation-based algorithm. However, topic models using segmentation algorithm alone sometimes can produce erroneous results when used to annotate real-life scene pictures. Therefore, our algorithm makes use of peaks of image surface instead of segmentation regions. Existing approaches use SIFT algorithm and treat the peaks as round blob features. In this paper, the peaks are treated as anisotropic blob features, which models low level visual elements more precisely. In order to better utilize visual features, our model not only takes into consideration visual codeword, but also considers influence of visual properties to topic formation, such as orientation, width, length and color. The basic idea is based on the assumption that different topics will produce distinct visual appearance, and different visual appearance is helpful to distinguish topics. During the learning stage, each topic will be associated with a set of distributions of visual properties, which depicts appearance of the topic. This paper considers more geometric properties, which will reduce topic uncertainty and learn the images better. Tested with Corel5K, SAIAPR-TC12 and Espgame100k Datasets, our method performs moderately better than some state of the arts methods.
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Morphometric and Histological Study of Osteophytes in Human Cadaveric Lumbar Vertebrae
Ashwini Aithal Padur; Naveen Kumar; Swamy Ravindra Shanthakumar; Arijit Bishnu
2017-01-01
Introduction: Osteophytes are bony outgrowth on the vertebral column. Its prevalence in the lumbar region and clinical importance mandates to conduct a detailed study of lumbar osteophytes in the cadaveric vertebral column. Aim: The present study was conducted to study the detailed features of lumbar osteophytes and document its prevalence, morphometric and histological structure. Materials and Methods: This was an observational study in which frequency of occurrence of lumbar osteophyt...
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Paas, Fred G.W.C.; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J.G.; van Merrienboer, J.J.G.
1994-01-01
Four computer-based training strategies for geometrical problem solving in the domain of computer numerically controlled machinery programming were studied with regard to their effects on training performance, transfer performance, and cognitive load. A low- and a high-variability conventional
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Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Walter Y. Bechara
2012-06-01
Full Text Available En Venezuela, la escorpiofauna consta de 17 géneros y 202 especies. En algunos grupos la taxonomía no ha sido aclarada; por lo tanto, son necesarias investigaciones adicionales que contribuyan a mejorar el conocimiento sobre la identidad taxonómica y relaciones entre sus componentes. La morfometría geométrica es una herramienta que ha sido utilizada como apoyo a la sistemática en distintos organismos. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la conformación y tamaño isométrico en 5 especies de escorpiones. Se fotografiaron 266 individuos de 4 especies de Buthidae: Centruroides testaceus, Rhopalurus laticauda, Tityus clathratus y T. discrepans, y una de Scorpionidae: Tarsoporosus yustizi. Se registraron configuraciones de coordenadas (x,y en 5 estructuras a partir de puntos anatómicos de referencia (PAR y PAR deslizantes. Los resultados mostraron separación completa de las especies de Buthidae por medio de tricobotrias dorsales en la patela del pedipalpo, y una consistente separación en el nivel familiar en las estructuras restantes. Las placas delgadas permitieron la visualización de compresión horizontal del esternón en las especies de Buthidae y compresión vertical en la de Scorpionidae. Se determinó la similitud de coxas, quela y caparazón entre R. laticauda y C. testaceus. La disposición de tricobotrias y la conformación del esternón permitió la diferenciación entre T. discrepans y T. clathratus.The Venezuelan scorpionfauna comprises 17 genera and 202 species. In some taxa the taxonomy is unclear, and additional studies that contribute to the knowledge about taxonomic identity and relationships are necessary. Geometric morphometrics is a tool that has been used as support to the systematics in different organisms. The goal was to analize the isometric size and conformation in five scorpions species. We photographed 266 individuals of four speceis of Buthidae: Centruroides testaceus, Rhopalurus laticauda, Tityus
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Time Series Analysis Using Geometric Template Matching.
Frank, Jordan; Mannor, Shie; Pineau, Joelle; Precup, Doina
2013-03-01
We present a novel framework for analyzing univariate time series data. At the heart of the approach is a versatile algorithm for measuring the similarity of two segments of time series called geometric template matching (GeTeM). First, we use GeTeM to compute a similarity measure for clustering and nearest-neighbor classification. Next, we present a semi-supervised learning algorithm that uses the similarity measure with hierarchical clustering in order to improve classification performance when unlabeled training data are available. Finally, we present a boosting framework called TDEBOOST, which uses an ensemble of GeTeM classifiers. TDEBOOST augments the traditional boosting approach with an additional step in which the features used as inputs to the classifier are adapted at each step to improve the training error. We empirically evaluate the proposed approaches on several datasets, such as accelerometer data collected from wearable sensors and ECG data.
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Kanaji, Y; Kishida, M; Watanabe, Y; Kawamura, T; Xie, S; Yamashita, Y; Sassa, C; Tsukamoto, Y
2010-10-01
Variations in otolith patterns, sizes and body morphometrics of jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus juveniles were investigated. Under transmitted light, translucent (W(t)) and opaque otoliths (W(o)) were detected in juveniles collected from Wakasa Bay between July 2005 and April 2006, whereas only opaque otoliths (G(o)) were detected in Goto-nada Sea individuals between May and June 2006. Three groups of juveniles were distinguished based on differences in hatch season, otolith size and growth history, and body morphometrics. As T. japonicus has different spawning seasons according to spawning grounds, each group was estimated to hatch in different waters. Juveniles with W(t) otoliths were considered to have stayed in coastal habitat longer, as the hatch area was estimated to be near Wakasa Bay. Juveniles with W(o) and G(o) otoliths appear to recruit to coastal waters at larger size, since their hatch areas were estimated to be far from each collection area. Larger otoliths of W(t) were attributed to otolith accretion after the second growth flexion, which was observed only for W(t) . Standard length of W(t) fish at the second otolith growth flexion was estimated to correspond to recruitment size to coastal rocky reefs in Wakasa Bay. Body morphometrics were correlated with otolith size after removing body size effect, suggesting that morphological variations of T. japonicus juveniles were also associated with the timing of recruitment to coastal habitat. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
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Exfoliative Cytology in the Oral Mucosa of Patients with Fanconi Anaemia: A Morphometric Approach
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Maria Angela Naval Machado
2017-04-01
Full Text Available Patients with Fanconi anaemia (FA are prone to develop squamous cell carcinomas at an early age. Exfoliative cytology can be used to detect changes to the health of the oral mucosa. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate morphometrical and morphological changes using exfoliative cytology and to analyse and quantify the proliferative activity using silver nucleolar organiser regions (AgNOR in epithelial cells of the tongue in FA patients,after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT. Methods: Oral smears were collected from the tongues of 20 FA children and adolescents after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (FA and 20 healthy children (C using exfoliative cytology. The smears were stained using the Papanicolaou technique and silver impregnation. The cells were morphologically analysed and the nuclear area (NA, the cytoplasmic area (CA, and the nucleusto-cytoplasm area ratio (NA/CA were calculated. Results: Mean values for the FA and C groups were: NA (71.85 and 55.21μm.; p< 0.01; CA (2127.48 and 1441.61μm.; p< 0.01; NA/CA (0.03 and 0.04; p< 0.01, respectively. A significant increase in the NA and CA for the FA group (p< 0.01 was seen, and an alteration in the NA/CA ratio. No morphological differences were found between the groups. Class I smears were predominant in both groups. No differences were found between the groups for the mean values of AgNORs per nucleus. Conclusion: This study suggests that morphological changes occurred in the oral epithelium cells of children and adolescents with Fanconi anaemia when subjected to HSCT.
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Graph-based geometric-iconic guide-wire tracking.
Honnorat, Nicolas; Vaillant, Régis; Paragios, Nikos
2011-01-01
In this paper we introduce a novel hybrid graph-based approach for Guide-wire tracking. The image support is captured by steerable filters and improved through tensor voting. Then, a graphical model is considered that represents guide-wire extraction/tracking through a B-spline control-point model. Points with strong geometric interest (landmarks) are automatically determined and anchored to such a representation. Tracking is then performed through discrete MRFs that optimize the spatio-temporal positions of the control points while establishing landmark temporal correspondences. Promising results demonstrate the potentials of our method.
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Geometric phases for nonlinear coherent and squeezed states
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yang Dabao; Chen Ying; Chen Jingling; Zhang Fulin
2011-01-01
The geometric phases for standard coherent states which are widely used in quantum optics have attracted considerable attention. Nevertheless, few physicists consider the counterparts of nonlinear coherent states, which are useful in the description of the motion of a trapped ion. In this paper, the non-unitary and non-cyclic geometric phases for two nonlinear coherent and one squeezed states are formulated, respectively. Moreover, some of their common properties are discussed, such as gauge invariance, non-locality and nonlinear effects. The nonlinear functions have dramatic impacts on the evolution of the corresponding geometric phases. They speed the evolution up or down. So this property may have an application in controlling or measuring geometric phase. For the squeezed case, when the squeezed parameter r → ∞, the limiting value of the geometric phase is also determined by a nonlinear function at a given time and angular velocity. In addition, the geometric phases for standard coherent and squeezed states are obtained under a particular condition. When the time evolution undergoes a period, their corresponding cyclic geometric phases are achieved as well. And the distinction between the geometric phases of the two coherent states may be regarded as a geometric criterion.
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Theoretical frameworks for the learning of geometrical reasoning
Jones, Keith
1998-01-01
With the growth in interest in geometrical ideas it is important to be clear about the nature of geometrical reasoning and how it develops. This paper provides an overview of three theoretical frameworks for the learning of geometrical reasoning: the van Hiele model of thinking in geometry, Fischbein’s theory of figural concepts, and Duval’s cognitive model of geometrical reasoning. Each of these frameworks provides theoretical resources to support research into the development of geometrical...
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Sperm morphological and morphometric evaluation in captive collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Patrícia C. Sousa
2013-07-01
Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare different staining methods for the evaluation of sperm morphology by light microscopy and also to describe the morphometry of the entire sperm in collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu. Semen from 10 males was obtained by electroejaculation and evaluated for sperm motility, vigor, and concentration. Semen smears were prepared through three different staining methods: Bengal rose, brome-phenol blue, and eosin-nigrosin. Smears were evaluated under light microscopy and sperm morphologic alterations were determined in percentage. In addition, sperm morphometric analysis was conducted by light microscopy coupled to image analyzer software. The smears stained with Bengal Rose provide the best results for the visualization of the sperm tail, midpiece, and head. The use of eosin-nigrosin stain did not allow an adequate impregnation, and some sperm presented a few contrasts with the background. A higher incidence of bent coiled tails was verified in the use of brome-phenol blue staining (P<0.05. Through morphometric evaluation, it was observed that the tail occupies the greatest proportion (89% of the sperm which presents a discretely elongated head. According to the results, the use of the Bengal Rose stain is recommended for the morphologic evaluation of the collared peccary sperm.
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Fracture mechanics of hydroxyapatite single crystals under geometric confinement.
Libonati, Flavia; Nair, Arun K; Vergani, Laura; Buehler, Markus J
2013-04-01
Geometric confinement to the nanoscale, a concept that refers to the characteristic dimensions of structural features of materials at this length scale, has been shown to control the mechanical behavior of many biological materials or their building blocks, and such effects have also been suggested to play a crucial role in enhancing the strength and toughness of bone. Here we study the effect of geometric confinement on the fracture mechanism of hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystals that form the mineralized phase in bone. We report a series of molecular simulations of HAP crystals with an edge crack on the (001) plane under tensile loading, and we systematically vary the sample height whilst keeping the sample and the crack length constant. We find that by decreasing the sample height the stress concentration at the tip of the crack disappears for samples with a height smaller than 4.15nm, below which the material shows a different failure mode characterized by a more ductile mechanism with much larger failure strains, and the strength approaching that of a flaw-less crystal. This study directly confirms an earlier suggestion of a flaw-tolerant state that appears under geometric confinement and may explain the mechanical stability of the reinforcing HAP platelets in bone. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Morphometric findings in avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
Kamal, Diana; Trăistaru, Rodica; Alexandru, D O; Kamal, C K; Pirici, D; Pop, O T; Mălăescu, D Gh
2012-01-01
Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is an illness with a controversial etiology, the trigger event being the suppression of blood flow to the femoral head. The disease affects mostly young adults within their third and fifth decade, the majority of the patients being men. The main risk factors are trauma, chronic alcohol consumption, smoking, corticotherapy. The main goal of our study is to describe the morphometric changes found in the bone tissue of patients diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the femoral head, with different risk factors, by comparing the area of bone trabeculae inside the area of necrosis with that from the adjacent viable tissue. The morphometric study used biological material from 16 patients with ages between 29 and 57 years, who underwent surgery for avascular necrosis of the femoral head. They were admitted in the Orthopedics Department at the Emergency County Hospital in Craiova between 2010 and 2011 and were split into four groups. Group I presented trauma as the main risk factor, Group II had corticotherapy as the defining risk factor, Group III presented chronic alcohol consumption and Group IV was represented by the patients who smoked and exhibited chronic alcohol consumption. There was not a significant statistical difference between the areas of bone trabeculae of the four groups when we compared viable bone tissue to the necrotized one. Knowing the risk factors of the avascular necrosis of the femoral head is critical to the management of the disease, because diagnosing it in an early stage is a necessity for obtaining a good result for conservative treatment.