Vegetation mapping with the aid of low-altitude aerial photography

Abstract. A technique for fine-scale vegetation mapping with the aid of low-altitude aerial photography was developed. The procedure is as follows: 1. The site is divided into a lattice pattern - in case the site is too large to fit into a single photograph with satisfactory resolution. The coordinates of every lattice point are surveyed to be used as control points for geometric correction. A photograph of each block of the lattice is taken using a remote-controlled camera system lifted by a captive helium balloon. 2. The vegetation is classified on the basis of a phytosociological survey. 3. The shapes and locations of vegetation patches appearing in the photographs are entered into a computer, using a digitizer. A geometric correction is carried out through coordinate transformation referring to the coordinates of the control points and subsequently a draft vegetation map is produced. Finally, discrepancies are corrected and the map is coloured to produce the final version of the vegetation map. This technique was applied to vegetation mapping at a bar, 500 m wide and 2 km long, in the river Yoshino in Shikoku, Japan. A fine-scale vegetation map was obtained and used to analyse the influence of plants on geomorphic processes and community-specific hydrogeomorphic conditions on the bar.     

Selection and proliferation of rapid growing cell lines from embryo derived cell cultures of yew tree (Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc)

Calli were induced from 300,000 embryos isolated from immature to mature stage of seeds collected on late September from 14 elite trees. When the embryos were cultured onto plastic Petri-dish containing 20 mL of modified B5 basal medium supplemented with 3% (w/v) sucrose, 500 mg/L casein hydrolysate, 250 mg/L myo-inositol, 0.5% (w/v) polyvinyl polypyrrolidon (PVPP), 2×MS vitamins, 0.5 mg/L gibberellic acid, and 10 mg/L 2,4-D after 2 weeks of culture, yellowish-white calli were immediately formed on the surfaces of embryos, and subcultured for 4 weeks in same culture medium. Because most of calli maintained for more than 3 months were revealed differences in their colors, surface texture, and growth rate, visual selection was made for first round screening. When the size of visually selected calli larger than 19 mm in their diameter were inoculated, persistent proliferation was observed. Among the plating methods tested for the selection of rapid growing cell lines at single cell and/or small cell aggregate level, 2-layer spread plating revealed as the best for single cell cloning. To enhance cell growth and maintain high rate of viability for long-term culture of yew cells in bioreactor, final cell volume less than 50% in SCV seemed to be the best. Time course study revealed that 30% of inoculum density was suitable for fed batch culture. Among the tested conditional media, the rate of 1∶2 (old medium: fresh medium) was recorded at the best for cell growth.     

Sex and side differences and correlations between quantitative palmar characteristics in a sample Sardinian population

Differences between the sexes and between the sides and the correlations between four quantitative characteristics of palmar dermatoglyphics in a sample population of 809 individuals (418 males and 391 females) from the city of Cagliari, Sardinia, are tested. Males have a greater number of ridges than females, shown by a greater a-b ridge count and A-d ridge count, and a more transverse slope of the main lines, shown by a greater main line index and papillary number. The left palm shows a greater number of ridges than the right palm between the A line and the triradius d and between the triradii a and b, with a lower main line index and papillary number. The a-b ridge count has a negative correlation with the main line index and with the papillary number and a positive one with the A-d ridge count; these correlations are greater in the left palms, especially in the males.     

小肠CT及双气囊小肠镜诊断克罗恩病患者的差异性分析

目的:探究小肠CT及双气囊小肠镜诊断克罗恩病患者的差异性。方法:选择2017年4月至2019年3月于我院接受治疗的60例克罗恩病患者,分别实施小肠CT及双气囊小肠镜检测,对比两种检测方式对克罗恩病患者诊断准确率及病变范围、病变位置、活动度和并发症的检测差异。结果:CT检出克罗恩病的准确率96.67%,双气囊小肠镜检出克罗恩病的准确率为93.33%,其差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。小肠CT主要表现为肠腔狭窄50例(83.33%),肠壁增厚52例(86.67%),肠外淋巴结46例(76.67%),肠系膜水肿及血管改变21例(35.00%),肠外炎症10例(16.67%),瘘管3例(5.00%),瘘道1例(1.67%);双气囊小肠镜表现为环形溃疡、不规则溃疡、环状溃疡等共计46例(76.67%),阿弗他溃疡22例(36.67%),黏膜充血、水肿等26例(43.33%),结节样增生6例(10.00%),小肠肠腔节段性狭窄16例(26.67%),假性息肉9例(15.00%);经病理学检测表现为淋巴细胞、中性粒细胞、嗜酸性粒细胞等炎性浸润,淋巴组织及肉芽组织出现增生小肠CT发现肠外炎症、瘘道、瘘管等合计14例,而双气囊小肠镜未发现并发症。结论:相比于双气囊小肠镜,小肠CT能够更为准确的判断克罗恩病患者是否处于炎症状态,也能够更有效的发现肠外并发症的存在,但小肠CT及双气囊小肠镜联合应用监测效果更佳。     

Distribution of uterine histological changes in aged captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

The histological effect on the felid uterus of sterilization, via ovariectomy or salpingectomy, is currently unknown. To investigate the association of ovariectomy or salpingectomy with uterine health, it is first necessary to establish if changes are distributed evenly throughout the uterus. Both laparoscopic ovariectomy and salpingectomy with concurrent sampling of the tip of the uterine horn are possible in the cheetah. Currently accepted practice for histopathological screening of the uterus utilizes four biopsy samples. It is not known whether this method accurately reflects the status of the entire uterus. In this study we histologically examined the uteri of six older cheetahs (one 7-year-old and five 10–10.5-year-old animals) via 21 tissue samples (three samples from seven different anatomical regions) per cheetah to determine overall uterine health. Although no defined lesions were detected, mild endometrial gland dilation, assumed to be of no functional consequence, was observed in multiple samples. The odds of observing this dilation was lowest in the uterine body and progressively increased in a cranial direction, being significantly higher at the tip of the uterine horns (OR = 11.5; 95% CI, 2.0-65.1; p = 0.006). This supported the reliability of sampling the tip of the uterine horn to screen for endometrial gland dilation.     

瑞舒伐他汀对高胆固醇血症患者的降脂疗效及对血管内皮舒张功能 的影响

目的:探讨瑞舒伐他汀对高胆固醇血症患者的降脂疗效及对血管内皮舒张功能(FMD)的影响。方法:选择我院92例高胆固醇血症患者作为实验组并给予瑞舒伐他汀治疗,另选择同期来我院参加健康体检的健康志愿者42例作为对照组,检测治疗前(T0),以及治疗1个月(T1)、2个月后(T2)的血脂水平及肱动脉FMD和非依赖性血管内皮舒张功能(NMD),并对其治疗的不良反应情况进行统计分析。结果:治疗前,实验组患者血浆中TC、TG和LDL-C水平明显高于对照组,而HDL-C水平显著低于对照组,且差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。相对于T0,实验组患者T1和T2血浆中TC、TG和LDL-C水平明显下降,而HDL-C水平显著升高,且差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。患者T2时血浆中TC和LDL-C水平明显低于T1的水平(P0.05),而TG和HDL-C水平与T1之间的差异无统计学意义(P0.05);治疗前,实验组患者的FMD值明显低于对照组的健康志愿者(P0.05)。经过瑞舒伐他汀干预2个月后,实验组患者T2时FMD值明显高于T0(P0.05),而T2的NMD与T0之间的差异无统计学意义(P0.05);治疗期间并未出现严重的不良反应。结论:瑞舒伐他汀对老年高胆固醇血症患者降脂效果显著,且有改善FMD的作用。     

Cook双球囊联合改良B-Lynch缝合术对产后出血的治疗效果观察

目的:探讨Cook双球囊联合改良B-Lynch缝合术对产后出血的治疗效果。方法:选取2015年6月～2018年6月在我院经剖宫产术分娩并发生产后出血的产妇81例进行回顾性分析。根据术中止血方法的不同分为两组,对照组40例采用Cook双球囊进行止血,观察组41例在对照组的基础上应用改良B-Lynch缝合术进行止血。对两组患者的手术相关指标、止血成功率、子宫切除率、术后恢复情况和并发症发生情况进行比较。结果:观察组的术中出血量、术后24 h出血量和输血量显著低于对照组(P0.05),止血时间显著短于对照组(P0.05);观察组患者的止血成功率显著高于对照组(P0.05),子宫切除率和切口恢复时间显著低于对照组(P0.05),两组患者的住院时间和并发症发生率比较无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:Cook双球囊联合改良B-Lynch缝合术对剖宫产产后出血患者的临床效果显著优于单用Cook双球囊,且安全性较高。     

Measurement of extracellular pH,K(+), and lactate in ischemic heart

Simultaneous and continuous measurements of extracellular pH, potassium (K(+)), and lactate (L(-)) in ischemic rabbit papillary muscle are presented for the first time. Potentiometric pH and K(+) sensors and an amperometric lactate biosensor were used. These miniature electrodes were previously developed and individually tested for this purpose. The pH sensor was based on an iridium oxide layer electrodeposited on a planar platinum electrode fabricated on a flexible substrate. The potentiometric K(+) sensor was based on a polymeric membrane and valinomycin ionophore. The L(-) biosensor was based on lactate oxidase and an organic conducting salt polarized at 0.15V vs Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The utility of this novel analytical system to cardiovascular research was demonstrated by using the system to study the interrelationship of cellular K(+) and lactate loss in ischemic myocardium, and the role of extracellular pH and buffer capacity on this relationship. The results indicated: (i) sequential brief episodes of ischemia produced reproducible trends of L(-), pH, and K(+) changes during the first three episodes, (ii) extracellular L(-) increased with increasing buffer capacity of extracellular compartment, (iii) the patterns of extracellular L(-) and K(+) changes were not related directly, and (iv) L(-) transport and lactic acid diffusion were not the primary cause of extracellular acidosis during ischemia.     

Pollen content study of the lower atmosphere in León (Spain) by use of a tethered balloon

This study was undertaken in order to understand thebehaviour of airborne pollen grains, namely therelationship between their concentrations andconcomitant meteorological parameters, at differentaltitudes (ground level, 200, 400 and 600 m) of thelower atmosphere and its daily variations over onesite (the experimental farm of the University ofLeón). The experimental design involved a tetheredballoon (2.25 m³), an ADAS remote meteorologicalstation and an original radio controlled three headedpollen and spore sampler (called GABIS) using theRotorod design. Each head sampled a differentaltitude, while two control samples were taken atground level. Twenty-one takeoffs could be realized inthe 5 weeks period between end of May and end of June1997. Sampling was done early in the morning and sampling time at each altitudewas of 15 minutes. Results show that 45 differenttypes of pollen grains could be collected at this timeof the year and that significant variations could beobserved in the behaviour of the pollen cloud on a dayto day basis, probably because of differentmeteorological situations. Contrary to what isgenerally believed, pollen was in most cases moreabundant at higher altitude – on average by 30% ascompared to ground level – making evident anaerobiological layer of transport at about 500 m aboveground. This was especially the case for trees (Quercus and Castanea). The atmosphere MixingRatio was the most explicative factor at 200 m, whiletemperature dominated significance analysis at both400 and 600 m.