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Computer-assisted 3D reconstruction of the terminal branches of the cerebral arteries. III. Posterior cerebral artery and circle of Willis.

We present a three-dimensional anatomical computer model of the terminal branches of the posterior cerebral artery and circle of Willis, acquired from equidistant serial anatomical slices of three brains. The reconstructions provide a clear picture from all angles of the complicated course of the terminal branches of the cerebral arteries. This can help to identify the arteries in conventional and magnetic resonance angiography. Our rendition of the cerebral arteries can be matched with CT, MR und PET images to indicate the areas of extension of the individual branches, allowing neuromorphological and functional correlations.

Basilar Artery↗

Virtual reality surgical simulator. The first steps.

The virtual-reality surgical simulator signals the beginning of an era of computer simulation for surgery. The surgical resident of the future will learn new perspectives on surgical anatomy and repeatedly practice surgical procedures until they are perfect before performing surgery on patients. Primitive though these initial steps are, they represent the foundation for an educational base that will be as important to surgery as the flight simulator is to aviation. It is anticipated that the full development of the surgical simulator will take less than the 40 years which was required for flight simulators to become an indispensable ingredient of pilot training. As the system evolves, many new and yet-to-be-imagined applications will arise, but we must have understanding and patience as we wait for computer power to improve to a point where VR surgical simulation can emerge from its PacMan era.

Computer Graphics↗

Organization of a complex movement: fixed and variable components of the cockroach escape behavior.

The escape behavior of the cockroach Periplaneta americana was studied by means of high speed filming (250 frames/s) and a computer-graphical analysis of the body and leg movements. The results are as follows: 1. The behavior begins with pure rotation of the body about the posteriorly located cerci, followed by rotation plus forward translation, and finally pure translation (Figs. 1, 2). 2. A consistent inter-leg coordination is used for the entire duration of the turn (Fig. 3A). At the start of the movement, five or all six legs execute their first stance phase (i.e. leg on the ground during locomotion) simultaneously. By the end of the turn the pattern has changed to the alternate 'tripod' coordination characteristic of insect walking. The change-over from all legs working together, to working alternately, occurs by means of a consistent pattern of delays in the stepping of certain legs. 3. The movements made by each leg during its initial stance phase are carried out using consistent movement components in the anterior-posterior (A-P) and the medial-lateral (M-L) axes (Fig. 4A). The movement at a particular joint in each middle leg is found to be diagnostic for the direction of turn. 4. The size and direction of a given leg's M-L movement in its initial stance phase depends on the same leg's prior A-P position (Fig. 5). No such feedback effects were seen among different legs. 5. Animals that are fixed to a slick surface on which they make slipping leg movements show the same inter-leg coordination (Fig. 3B), direction of initial stance movement (Fig. 4B) and dependence of the leg's initial M-L movement on its prior A-P position (Fig. 6), as did free-ranging animals. 6. Cockroaches that are walking at the moment they begin their escape reverse those ongoing leg movements that are contrary to escape movements. 7. These results are discussed in terms of the overall coordination of the complex movements, and in terms of the known properties of the neural circuitry for escape. Possibilities for neurobiological follow-up of certain of the findings presented here are also addressed.

Animals↗

Computer simulation of histo-blood group oligosaccharides: energy maps of all constituting disaccharides and potential energy surfaces of 14 ABH and Lewis carbohydrate antigens.

The three-dimensional structures of fourteen histo-blood groups carbohydrate antigens have been established through a combination of molecular mechanics and conformational searching methods. The conformational space available for each disaccharide, constituents of these determinants, has been throroughly characterized. The results have been organized in a data bank fashion. Larger relatives, i.e. 14 tri- and tetrasaccharides of histo-blood group antigens, have been modelled using a different method for exploring the complex potential energy surface. This approach is aimed at establishing all the possible families of conformations, along with the conformational pathways. Different conformational behaviours are exhibited by these oligosaccharides. Some of them, i.e. Le(x) and Le(y) tri and tetrasaccharides, are very rigid; 99% of their populations belong to the same conformational family. Others, like H type 1, H type 2 or H type 6 oligosaccharides, are essentially rigid, but a secondary conformational family, corresponding to 3-4% of the total population, can arise. Finally, the H types 3 and 4 trisaccharides, and the A type 1 and A type 2 tetrasaccharides are predicted to behave rather flexibly. The information gathered in the present investigation has been used to analyse the body of experimental evidence, either physical or biological, available for this series of carbohydrate antigens. Of special interest are the several different alignments that can be proposed for these molecules. They yield a realistic definition of the three-dimensional features of the epitopes thereby providing essential information about how carbohydrate antigens are recognized by proteins.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Keyboards for the handicapped. A new concept.

A keyboard has been designed and constructed for persons restricted to using a head or mouth stick. The keyboard is not a modification of existing keyboard technology but involves a completely new concept. The keyboard, called a 2DOF keyboard, requires only two degrees of freedom motion for actuation. The problems of simultaneous key requirements, accidental key strikes, and multiple strikes of the same key have been solved. The keyboard is transparent to the personal computer to which it is connected, allowing use of any available software.

Artificial Intelligence↗

Colour contrast sensitivity in patients with soft drusen, an early stage of ARM.

The present institutional study was undertaken in order to determine whether testing of colour contrast sensitivity is valuable in detecting early functional changes in patients at initial stages of age-related maculopathy (ARM). The study included 27 patients with soft drusen as an early sign of ARM and 29 age-matched normals. The area occupied by drusen was determined using a computer program. Colour contrast sensitivity was measured with a computer graphics system. Visual acuity, central visual field (Humphrey Field Analyser) and colour vision (D-15 panel) were normal in both groups. Mean colour contrast sensitivity was significantly lower in patients with early ARM (for the protan axis: p = 0.00019, for the deutan axis: p = 0.000078 and for the tritan axis: p = 0.000096) than in the controls. Interindividual variations were large. There was a tendency towards a bimodal distribution for all three colour axes, most evident for the tritan axis. We found a correlation of the drusen area with the protan and deutan thresholds for the fundus colour photographs r = 0.5 (p < 0.01) and r = 0.4 (p < 0.05), respectively, and with the tritan threshold for the angiograms r = 0.5 (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that colour contrast sensitivity may offer an additional possibility of predicting exudative ARM. Whether the patients with the highest thresholds are those who will be the first to show progression with indications of exudative ARM is not yet known. The patient group will be followed up in order to elucidate this question.

Aged↗

Stereotactic anatomy of the posterior cranial fossa. A study of the transcerebellar approach to the brainstem.

The stereotactic transcerebellar (suboccipital) approach to the brainstem is one of the most accessible routes to reach targets located in the pons or in the medulla oblongata. Its use requires a perfect knowledge of the stereotactic anatomy of the posterior cranial fossa, and a standard reference system related to structures of the brainstem itself which can easily be visualized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The present work consists in a three-dimensional variability study of the human posterior cranial fossa with its main contents, based on the investigation of 30 normal specimens (hemifossae). A new stereotactic reference system is proposed for the pons and the medulla, comprising three orthogonal** planes: the midsagittal plane, the IVth ventricular floor plane and the pontomedullary junction plane. A standard "safety access tunnel" was defined for the transcerebellar approach to the pons and, with some limitations, to the medulla. A complementary investigation, based upon angiographic studies, was carried out to define a safe "entry zone" to the posterior cranial fossa of the occipital bone beneath the transverse venous sinus.

Adult↗

Forces in molecular recognition: comparison of experimental data and molecular mechanics calculations.

NMR studies of the rotation barrier of the disaccharide of the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin have been used to test the performance of computer simulation techniques using molecular mechanics. In the absence of any solvated water, no correlation could be found between experiment and calculation. By introducing solvent water molecules into the binding region of the antibiotic, the NMR results could be simulated both qualitatively and quantitatively within experimental error without using massive computational resources.

Binding Sites↗

Computer assisted localizer for planning of surgery and intra-operative orientation.

There is discrepancy between the exact representation of anatomical structures and tumours in the CT or MRI scan and the more or less accurate intra-operative localisation methods based mostly upon landmarks of the skull and extracerebral space and visible abnormalities of the cerebral surface. To overcome these problems of exact intra-operative localisation a Computer Assisted Localizer (CAL) is presented which allows precise intra-operative orientation without these aids. It consists of a mechanically articulated arm with six degrees of freedom with a high precision digital incremental and an image processor for 3 D data of the head. MRI and/or CT investigation is done pre-operatively with four reference markers fixed on the patient's head. They are visible on the CT or MRI slices and are used as reference points during surgery for adjustment of the device. The co-ordinates of the digitalizer arm tip are projected into the corresponding axial, sagittal and coronal CT slices so that the system simultaneously presents three orthogonal multiplanar CT reconstructions with a reticule indicating the position of the tip of the arm. As the surgeon directs the arm to the region of interest the corresponding CT slices are displayed on the monitor at a rate of 20 slices/sec determined by the motion of the arm. The accuracy of measurement of the device itself lies within 1 mm. The accuracy is somewhat reduced however by the thickness of CT or MRI slices (routinely 2 mm slices were taken) and by deviations of the reference markers on the skin surface which amount up to 3 mm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

A model of the human lumbar vertebral column: a preliminary study.

Finite element modelling of the human lumbar vertebral column employs data-processing procedures for study of the linear and nonlinear elasticity of materials such as are currently used in mechanics or in civil engineering. Thanks to developments in computer science, requiring a close collaboration between doctors and engineers, we put forward in this preliminary study a linear computerised model of the lumbar column comprising 4824 meshes and 6813 nodes. By reducing the simplificatory hypotheses and integrating new parameters, this model as developed is capable of important clinical applications in surgery and ergonomics.

Computer Graphics↗

Computer-aided molecular modeling of a D2-agonist dopamine pharmacophore.

Using computer-aided molecular modeling techniques to analyze models recently proposed for the receptor binding sites of dopaminergic agonists, we superimposed the chemical structures of various compounds that mimic the pharmacological behavior of dopamine, as well as inactive enantiomers, on a postulated three-dimensional frame of reference. We analyzed the vector directionalities of the lone pairs of the nitrogen common to these molecules, and the acidic hydrogen of phenols (in aminoindanes, aminotetralins, apomorphines, p-phenol-piperazines, octahydrobenzo(g)quinolines, octahydrobenzo(f)quinolines, and benzazepines) or of nitrogen (in ergoline-type compounds and related structures). This model, when expressed as distances from that of the reference compound pergolide, correlates with the dopaminergic binding affinity observed in compounds previously reported to act on the dopaniergic system in the central nervous system (CNS). The regression analysis of log KD with respect to the distances of the vectors of the acidic hydrogen support the hypothesis that these compounds bind to the receptor as donors in hydrogen bond formation.

Computer Graphics↗

A theoretical study of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

INDO molecular orbital calculations are reported for 35 selected angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. QSARs are developed between pI50 data and molecular electronic indices. The QSARs obtained reflect the importance of both charge-charge interactions between inhibitor and receptor and of specific interactions between groups on the inhibitor with points around the molecule which are postulated to correspond to binding sites at the receptor.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Structure-activity relationships for apomorphine congeners. Conformational energies vs. biological activities.

A series of apomorphine congeners has been studied with respect to their ability to mimic the structural requirements of the dopamine pharmacophore in the potent and stereoselective dopamine receptor agonist (R)-apomorphine. Conformational energies of the mimicking structures calculated by molecular mechanics (MMP2) correlate well with the observed biological activities.

Apomorphine↗

The active analog approach applied to the pharmacophore identification of benzodiazepine receptor ligands.

Applied to seven potent benzodiazepine-receptor ligands belonging to chemically different classes, the active analog approach allowed the stepwise identification of the pharmacophoric pattern associated with the recognition by the benzodiazepine receptor. A unique pharmacophore model was derived which involves six critical zones: (a) a pi-electron rich aromatic (PAR) zone; (b) two electron-rich zones delta 1 and delta 2 placed at 5.0 and 4.5 A respectively from the reference centroid in the PAR zone; (c) a freely rotating aromatic ring (FRA) region; (d) an out-of-plane region (OPR), strongly associated with agonist properties; and (e) an additional hydrophobic region (AHR). The model accommodates all presently known ligands of the benzodiazepine receptor, identifies sensitivity to steric hindrance close to the delta 1 zone, accounts for R and S differential affinities and distinguishes requirements for agonist versus non-agonist activity profiles.

Carbolines↗

Evolutionary conservation of chymotrypsinogen gene: genomic analysis and protein modeling.

Chymotrypsinogen is widely present in various animal pancreases. To study evolutionary relationship of chymotrypsinogen gene in species, we used a cDNA probe of human prechymotrypsinogen to investigate the species distribution of chymotrypsinogen gene, and designed oligodeoxynucleotide primers to investigate the genomic organization in the three domains of active sites. The genomic analyses showed that chymotrypsinogen gene is evolutionary conserved in species. On the basis of the deduced amino acid residues, a three-dimensional model for human chymotrypsinogen was further built by computer graphics. The model showed high similarity to the X-ray crystal structure of bovine chymotrypsinogen A, thus, demonstrated that the three-dimensional structure is more conserved in evolution than protein sequences.

Animals↗

Contribution of unusual arginine-arginine short-range interactions to stabilization and recognition in proteins.

Although the majority of the ion pairs found in proteins consists of two charges of opposite sign, the observation of some unusual arrangements of two arginines led us to a search of such occurrences in the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank. We have found 41 Arginine-Arginine interactions with a C zeta ... C zeta distance less than 5 A. Computer graphics analysis of these structures shows that most of the Arg-Arg pairs are found in the vicinity of the surface of the proteins, in an easily hydrated region. In order to determine which factors could stabilize such arrangements of species of similar charge, we have carried out AM1 semi-empirical calculations on a model of two guanidinium ions surrounded by several water molecules. The results show the existence of stable clusters with six or more water molecules, with distances between C zeta atoms around 3 A. The bridging role of the water molecules is an important structural and energetic feature and we find bridges of two and three molecules between the guanidinium ions. These results are in good agreement with the structures found in our search of the experimental data. Enhancement of the electrostatic potential around these clusters, when compared to one of the guanidinium ions alone, is also demonstrated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Precise mapping of the EGF receptor gene on the human chromosome 7p12 using an improved fish technique.

The gene for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been localized to the p14-p12 region of human chromosome 7 by somatic cell hybridization and radioisotope in situ hybridization techniques. In this paper, we report the precise mapping of the EGFR gene to the band p12 of chromosome 7 using a novel method in which fluorescence images from in situ hybridization and Q-banding are computer graphically merged. The novel procedure is described in detail.

Cells, Cultured↗