Are Horn Morphological Patterns Able to Differentiate the Two Closely Related Species Copris klugi Harold and Copris sierrensis Matthews?

Several thousand species of beetles evolved impressive, exaggerated horns or horn-like structures. The horn phenotypic patterns and the developmental mechanisms are well documented especially in the Scarabaeidae, the family most predominated by species with horns. The regulation of horn expression appears to be extremely evolutionary labile to the extent that horn allometric patterns have been seen to rapidly diverge between closely related species. For this reason, it has been suggested that horn morphological pattern may be able to differentiate closely related and sibling species even when other traits fail. In this study, we used horn morphological pattern (shape and allometric variation) as a "tool" to evaluate the differentiation of two closely related scarab species, Copris klugi Harold and Copris sierrensis Matthews whose full species status has long been debated due to their high similarity. Combining traditional and geometric morphometric methods, we evidenced that male head horn phenotypic pattern is able to clearly differentiate C. klugi from C. sierrensis, supporting the hypothesis that they are two true species.

Improvement in volume estimation from confocal sections after image deconvolution.

The confocal microscope can image a specimen in its natural environment forming a 3D image of the whole structure by scanning it and collecting light through a small aperture (pinhole), allowing in vivo and in vitro observations. So far, the confocal fluorescence microscope (CFM) is considered a true volume imager because of the role of the pinhole that rejects information coming from out-of-focus planes. Unfortunately, intrinsic imaging properties of the optical scheme presently employed yield a corrupted image that can hamper quantitative analysis of successive image planes. By a post-image collection restoration, it is possible to obtain an estimate, with respect to a given optimization criterium, of the true object, utilizing the impulse response of system or Point Spread Function (PSF). The PSF can be measured or predicted so as to have a mathematical and physical model of the image-formation process. Further modelling and recording noise as an additive Gaussian process has used the regularized Iterative Constrained Tykhonov Miller (ICTM) restoration algorithm for solving the inverse problem. This algorithm finds the best estimate iteratively searching among the possible positive solutions; in the Fourier domain, such an approach is relatively fast and elegant. In order to compare the effective improvement in the quantitative image information analysis, we measured the volume of reference objects before and after image restoration, using the isotropic Fakir method.

Thymidine phosphorylase profiles in nonmalignant and malignant pancreatic tissue. Potential therapeutic role of capecitabine on tumoral and endothelial cells and tumor-infiltrating macrophages.

The drug capecitabine (CAP) is a thymidine Pi-deoxyribosyltransferase (TP) activated oral fluorpyrimidine that generates 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), preferentially, within tumors. Here, in 38 patients with pancreatic cancer we analyzed immunohistochemical TP expression in pancreatic cancer tissue (PCT) and adjacent nonmalignant pancreatic tissue (ANMPT). In addition, a correlation with the main clinical pathological features was made. Furthermore, TP-positive macrophages (MO) isolated from neoplastic tissue were determined. The mean of TP-positive epithelial cells and endothelial cells in terms of microvessel density was significantly higher in PCT than in ANMPT. Because pancreatic cancer is sensitive to 5-FU, TP-activated oral CAP in tumoral and endothelial cells and tumor infiltrating MO could increase the concentration of 5-FU at tumor site, thus resulting in an enhanced antitumor activity.

The involvement of the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police in drug abuse control.

The International Association of Airport and Seaport Police is an international organization comprised of law enforcement agencies. Its responsibility is to enforce criminal law at airports and seaports, ensuring that those facilities are not used for illicit activity. The Association was established in March 1970 to satisfy a long-standing need to improve coordination and communication among security agencies of the world's major commercial ports and facilities. Programmes have been developed and implemented that contribute to reducing the incidence of drug smuggling and related criminal activity. The Association stands ready to assist its members, as well as others involved in dealing with illicit drug activity.