Using Ant Programming Guided by Grammar for Building Rule-Based Classifiers.

The extraction of comprehensible knowledge is one of the major challenges in many domains. In this paper, an ant programming (AP) framework, which is capable of mining classification rules easily comprehensible by humans, and, therefore, capable of supporting expert-domain decisions, is presented. The algorithm proposed, called grammar based ant programming (GBAP), is the first AP algorithm developed for the extraction of classification rules, and it is guided by a context-free grammar that ensures the creation of new valid individuals. To compute the transition probability of each available movement, this new model introduces the use of two complementary heuristic functions, instead of just one, as typical ant-based algorithms do. The selection of a consequent for each rule mined and the selection of the rules that make up the classifier are based on the use of a niching approach. The performance of GBAP is compared against other classification techniques on 18 varied data sets. Experimental results show that our approach produces comprehensible rules and competitive or better accuracy values than those achieved by the other classification algorithms compared with it.

Rejuvenecimiento periorbitario no invasivo / Non-invasive periorbital rejuvenation

Cirujanos plásticos y médicos estéticos se esfuerzan por lograr resultados satisfactorios y estéticos que mejoren o suavicen el paso del tiempo a nivel facial, con un especial interés o énfasis en el área periorbitaria. Un gran número de pacientes consultan para mejorar esta zona, pero por diferentes motivos desean que los procedimientos que se les realicen sean poco invasivos y con resultados rápidos, permitiéndoles así incorporarse lo antes posible a sus actividades cotidianas. Es fundamental el conocimiento de las proporciones faciales y periorbitarias para lograr resultados naturales. El objetivo de la técnica que proponemos es lograr una bioestimulación local de la piel, restaurar los volúmenes y reducir las arrugas de expresión o dinámicas, consiguiendo así una apariencia relajada y juvenil en el paciente (AU)

Plastic surgeons and aesthetic doctors are making an effort to reach positive aesthetic results. Their aim is to soften the effects of age on facial features stressing in the periorbital area. Many patients come to improve their facial image on this area, but they are asking for non-invasive and fast procedures to keep on their daily life. It is indispensable the knowledge of facial and periorbital proportions to achieve a more naturaleffect. The aim of the technique exposed is to achieve a local bioestimulation on skin, to restore volumes and to reduce expression and dynamical wrinkles. The expected result is a relaxing, youthful appearance (AU)

Uso de factores de crecimiento plaquetar unidos a injertos de grasa para lipofiling facial en ritidectomía / Use of fat grafts enriched with platelet growth factors for facial lipofiling in ritidectomy

Presentamos una serie de pacientes a los que hemos realizado infiltraciones de grasa enriquecida con Factores de Crecimiento Plaquetario (F.C.P.) como único procedimiento. Igualmente presentamos casos donde las infiltraciones van acompañadas con otros procedimientos (liftingtemporal, lifting cérvico-frontal, etc.). También usamos el plasma rico en F.C.P. en forma de coágulo para rellenar el surco de la cuenca orbitaria (“Tear Through”),y como mesoterapia facial enriquecida con nutrientes. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar una revisión detallada de los pasos a seguir para la realización de éste procedimiento, que van desde la simple extracción de sangre para la posterior obtención de F.C.P. hasta la técnica de infiltración de grasa enriquecida con dichos factores a nivel facial. Con esta técnica de enriquecimiento de la grasa hemos logrado tener mejores resultados y con mayor permanencia. Evaluando los postoperatorios de pacientes sometidos a este procedimiento, hemos observado que el volumen infiltrado en áreas como la región malar, se mantiene entre un 90% a 95%. En otras áreas como labios y surcos nasogenianos (áreas de gran movilidad), solo permanece entre el 50% a 60% del volumen infiltrado (AU)

We present a serie of patients with facial fat infiltration enriched with platelet-derived growth factors, some of them associated to other surgical procedures (temporal lifting, cervico-frontal lifting, etc.) We explain how to use this platelet – rich plasma to fill the tear – through and as a facial mesotherapy. Our purpose is to present a detailled review of our method: since blood extraction to the last obtention of the platelet – derived growth factors and the use of this plasma combined with fat infiltration in the facial area. With this methodology we have got better and more permanent results. We have evaluated 90-95 % fat grafts survival in malar region. In other facial areas such as lips or nasogenian folds (big movement areas), we only report about 50 to 60% fat graft survival (AU)

Redescription of Psilotricha acuminata Stein, 1859 and revisions of the genera Psilotricha and Urospinula (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida).

Psilotricha acuminata was described by Stein in 1859 as the type species of the ciliate genus Psilotricha Stein, 1859. The ciliate has rarely been found since, and its infraciliature has never been described with the aid of silver-impregnation techniques. We have found P. acuminata Stein, 1859 in soil samples from upland grassland in Scotland (U.K.). Living and healthy organisms of P. acuminata are oblong in outline, and dorso-ventrally compressed. They closely resemble ciliates of the genus Euplotes. The main morphological features used for identification of P. acuminata are the very long and sparse cirri, and the two macronuclei. When the ciliate crawls, the cirri appear stiff and directed backwards. Specimens observed from the ventral side have a protruding anterior end, a rounded or acuminate posterior pole, and a "beak-like" projection to the left side of the posterior end. The ciliate shares characters with the Euplotidae (body shape and reduced ciliature) and with the Oxytrichidae (marginal rows, macronuclei, reduced number of transverse cirri). Because the arrangement of the silver-impregnated infraciliature was unknown, and as the only description of the ciliate was that of Stein (1859a, b), the genus Psilotricha became confused with other hypotrich genera, especially Urospinula Corliss, 1960. Here we provide a full redescription of P. acuminata based on living and silver-impregnated specimens, and a revision of the genera Psilotricha Stein, 1859 and Urospinula Corliss, 1960. We resurrect the genus Urospinula, and give an emended diagnosis for both genera. The species now included within the genus Psilotricha are P. acuminata Stein, 1859 (type species); Psilotricha viridis (Penard, 1922) Kahl, 1932; and Psilotricha geleii (Gelei, 1954) Stiller, 1974. Psilotricha viridis sensu Kahl, 1932 and Psilotricha dragescoi Grolière, 1975 are considered incertae sedis.

Biodiversity of terrestrial protozoa appears homogeneous across local and global spatial scales.

Free-living microbes are by far the most abundant group of organisms in the biosphere, yet estimates of global species richness remain nebulous, and there is no consensus regarding the likely geographical distribution of species. Both uncertainties are addressed by the suggestion that the vast abundance of microbes may drive their ubiquitous random dispersal; for this would also make it likely that global species richness is relatively low. Here we test the idea of ubiquitous dispersal of testate amoebae and ciliates living in soil. We analysed their abundance and species richness in 150 soil samples collected from the one-hectare grassland site at Sourhope in Scotland, and in comparable published data from 1500 soil samples collected worldwide. Following taxonomic revision and removal of synonyms, there remained a total of 186 taxa (91 testate and 95 ciliate) recorded from both Sourhope and other places in the world. A fundamental pattern of random spatial distribution of species was revealed in species that are relatively rare. This probably arises from random dispersal, for when localised population growth occurs, the distributions become aggregated, as in virtually all metazoan species. We find no evidence for geographically-restricted protozoan morphospecies at spatial scales of 4 m2, 10,000 m2, or worldwide. Species that are locally rare or abundant are similarly rare or abundant on a global scale. Approximately one third of the global diversity of soil protozoa was found at the one-hectare grassland site in Scotland, but this is a minimum figure, for recorded species richness is proportional to sampling effort, as shown here.

Estimating the growth potential of the soil protozoan community.

We have developed a method for determining the potential abundance of free-living protozoa in soil. The method permits enumeration of four major functional groups (flagellates, naked amoebae, testate amoebae, and ciliates) and it overcomes some limitations and problems of the usual 'direct' and 'most probable number' methods. Potential abundance is determined using light microscopy, at specific time intervals, after quantitative re-wetting of air-dried soil with rain water. No exogenous carbon substrates or mineral nutrients are employed, so the protozoan community that develops is a function of the resources and inhibitors present in the original field sample. The method was applied to 100 soil samples (25 plots x 4 seasons) from an upland grassland (Sourhope, Southern Scotland) in the UK. Median abundances for all four functional groups lie close to those derived from the literature on protozoa living in diverse soil types. Flagellates are the most abundant group in soil, followed by the naked amoebae, then the testate amoebae and ciliates. This order is inversely related to typical organism size in each group. Moreover, preliminary evidence indicates that each functional group contains roughly the same number of species. All of these observations would be consistent with soil having fractal structure across the size-scale perceived by protozoa. The method described will be useful for comparing the effects on the soil protozoan community of different soil treatments (e.g. liming and biocides).

Changes in histochemical profile of rat respiratory muscles in hypo- and hyperthyroidism.

Rat respiratory muscles underwent considerable changes in histochemical fibre type profile in response to hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism increased the proportion of type 1 slow oxidative fibres in diaphragm and to a lesser extent in intercostal muscles. Hyperthyroidism resulted in a decreased proportion of type 1 fibres in both diaphragm and intercostals. These changes were broadly comparable to those reported previously in rat limb muscles. In normal rat respiratory muscles, the type 1 fibres were characterized by very high levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase which was thought to contribute to the fatigue-resistance of these muscles. The type 2B fast glycolytic fibres, and to a lesser extent type 2A fast oxidative fibres, contained high levels of mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, an enzyme known to be specifically affected in dysthyroid states. The implications of the observed changes in fibre type profile with respect to the oxidative metabolism of rat respiratory muscles are discussed.