Dry Part Research Articles

Diterpenoids from Blumea balsamifera and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activities.

Six new diterpenoids, blusamiferoids A–F (1–6), including four pimarane-type diterpenoids, one rosane-type diterpenoid (3), and one rearranged abietane-type diterpenoid (6), were isolated from the dry aerial parts of Blumea balsamifera. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic and computational methods. In particular, the structures of 1 and 4 were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Compounds 5 and 6 were found to dose-dependently inhibit the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and nitrite oxide, and compound 5 also downregulated NF-κB phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells.

Review of Mausoleopsis amabilis (Schaum, 1844) (Scarabaeidae, Cetoniinae), with Description of a New Species and a New Subspecies

The extremely variable and widespread cetoniine species Mausoleopsis amabilis (Schaum, 1844) is reviewed here using analyses of over 1500 specimens and observations across its entire distribution range. As a result, M. a. heterospila (Gerstaecker, 1867) is reinstated as a valid subspecies and a new subspecies, M. a. interrupta ssp. nov., is also erected, in order to account for the geographically distinct populations occurring across East Africa and the eastern lowlands of southern Africa, respectively. Mausoleopsis a. ruteri Antoine, 1989 is confirmed as a valid subspecies for the West African populations, while M. lerui Antoine, 2004 is synonymised with M. a. heterospila, as it appears to represent an extreme variation of that subspecies. On the other hand, a new species, M. gariepena sp. nov., is described from the Gariep Desert and surrounding arid areas of South Africa and Namibia and compared to its sister species, M. amabilis s. l. The new species appears to be an arid habitat specialist, adapted to survive in the driest part of the subcontinent.

The Skills of Medium-Range Precipitation Forecasts in the Senegal River Basin

Reliable information on medium-range (1–15 day) precipitation forecasts is useful in reservoir operation, among many other applications. Such forecasts are increasingly becoming available from global models. The skills of medium-range precipitation forecasts derived from Global Forecast System (GFS) are assessed in the Senegal River Basin, focusing on the watershed its major hydropower dams: Manantali (located in relatively wet, Southern Sudan climate and mountainous region), Foum Gleita (relatively dry, Sahel climate and low-elevation), and Diama (a large watershed covering almost the entire basin, dominated by Sahel climate). IMERG Final, a satellite product involving rain gauge data for bias correction, is used as reference. GFS has the ability capture the overall spatial and monthly pattern of rainfall in the region. However, GFS tends to overestimate rainfall in the wet parts of the region, and slightly underestimate in the dry part. The skill of daily GFS forecast is low over Manantali (Kling-Gupta Efficiency, KGE of 0.29), but slightly higher over Foum Gleita (KGE of 0.53) and Diama (KGE of 0.59). For 15-day accumulation, GFS forecast shows higher skill over Manantali (KGE of 0.60) and Diama (KGE of 0.79) but does not change much over Foul Gleita (KGE of 0.51) compared to daily rainfall forecasts. IMERG Early, a satellite-only product available at near-real time, has better performance than GFS. This study suggests the need for further improving the accuracy of GFS forecasts, and identifies IMERG Early as a potential source of data that can help in this effort.

Phenolic compounds, in vivo anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of the aqueous extracts from fresh and dry aerial parts of Brocchia cinerea (Vis.)

Aerial parts of Brocchia cinerea (Vis.) (Asteraceae family) are traditionally used for the treatment of pain, fever and inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the phenolic profile, the acute oral toxicity, and anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of the aqueous extracts from fresh (FBC) and dry (DBC) aerial parts of Brocchia cinerea (Vis.). Phenolic profile from FBC and DBC was characterized by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic of both FBC and DBC were evaluated by carrageenan induced paw edema, acetic acid induced writhing and brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia in Wistar rats, respectively. The results achieved showed that thirteen phenolic compounds were detected in the aqueous extracts obtained from the aerial parts of FBC and DBC, highlighting a quite different quantitative profile. The FBC and DBC administrated orally at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly reduced edema, after 2 h of the injection of carrageenan (p < 0.001) with a percentage inhibition of 47.73% and 50.01% respectively. On the other hand the rats treated with DBC at the same dose significantly lowered the writhing induced by the injection of acetic acid (18.52 ± 0.38) with respect to the ones treated with FBC (20.47 ± 0.92). Moreover, a significant reduction in rectal temperature was observed in rats treated with FBC/DBC and at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg. Furthermore, no acute toxicity symptoms were observed on oral administration of all doses of both FBC and DBC in Wistar rats. The results of the present study indicate that the aerial part of Brocchia cinerea extracts exhibit strongly anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic properties and they can be potentially used in the treatment of inflammation, pain and fever.

On the potential of pristine Cocos nucifera L . tissues for green desalination

Coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera L.) tissues were used as a readily available, low-cost and green adsorbent to desalinate seawater. The tree bark (CB), husk (CH), leaves (CL) and roots (CR) were examined in their fresh (F) and dry (D) forms. The salinity removal (adsorption) efficiency followed the trend: F_CB ≈ F_CR > F_CL > D_CR > F_CL > D_CR. The sorbents from the coastal region desalinated more efficiently than those from a non-coastal region. Also, the fresh tissues were more effective and efficient than the dry parts. The salinity retention ability (desalination:desorption) follows the trend: F_CR (22.2) > F_CB (19.0) ≫ D_CR (12.3) > D_CB (11.0) > D_CL (6.14) ≈ F_CL (6.10) > F_CH (4.3) > D_CH (2.1). Moreover, the desalination fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetics than the pseudo-first-order, suggesting the predominance of chemisorption over physical removal. Overall, water pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids and dissolved oxygen (DO) correlated positively and strongly with desalination. By contrast, the density and redox potential correlated negatively, whereas temperature and DO showed no definite influence. Conclusively, F_CR and F_CB are the most suitable coconut palm tree tissues for desalination. Future studies should include chemical characterization of the tissues and system optimization for upscaling. This article is part of the theme issue 'Developing resilient energy systems'.

A new species of large-bodied Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Western Ghats of India

Abstract A new large (94–107mm SVL) species of gecko of the genus Hemidactylus is described from the drier parts of the Western Ghats of India. The new species is closely related to H. graniticolus, from which it can be distinguished based on dorsal pholidosis at mid-body, the structure of tubercles on the dorsum, dorsal pholidosis on the tail. The new species is also 6.6–7.2% divergent from H. graniticolus in the ND2 mitochondrial gene.

Carbon variation of dry grasslands in Central Asia in response to climate controls and grazing appropriation

Quantification of grassland carbon (C) variations is necessary for understanding how grazing and climate change interact to regulate carbon capture and release. Central Asia (CA) has the largest temperate grassland belt in the world and unique temperate dryland ecosystems, which experienced severe climate change and grazing-induced disturbances. However, the impact of grazing on C dynamics is highly uncertain owing to climate variations. Here, an arid ecosystem model (AEM) supplemented with a grazing module that specifically addressed physiological and ecological characteristics of dryland vegetation was developed to quantitatively simulate grassland C dynamics in response to changes in precipitation, temperature, grazing intensity, and CO2 level in the past decades. The regional simulation results showed that net primary productivity (NPP) was affected mainly by precipitation (in 59% of the studied area). Grazing had a negative effect on NPP and C stocks, whereas overcompensation occurred in 25.71% of the studied area, mainly in the dry western parts. The complex interaction effects of climate, CO2, and grazing negatively affected productivity, with a grassland NPP decrease of − 1.14 g C/m2/a and high interannual variability. We found that the temporal pattern of cumulative C sequestration, especially total C and vegetation C (VEGC), closely followed the annual fluctuations of precipitation. VEGC stocks decreased from 182.22 to 177.82 g C/m2, with a very low value between 1998 and 2008, when precipitation significantly decreased. The results indicate that southern Xinjiang and the Turgay Plateau of Kazakhstan are ecologically fragile areas due to grassland degradation.

Screen exposure time and computer vision syndrome in school-age children during COVID-19 era: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: With the advent of COVID-19 era, teaching activities have migrated from offline to online platform. In this study, we assess whether the increased exposure to visual display terminal (VDT) devices is affecting the health of school-age children with regard to computer vision syndrome (CVS). Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out by means of an online questionnaire. Participants were students ranging from Class 1 to Class 12. Questions were posed to participants pertaining to screen exposure time, physical activity levels, dry eye symptoms, and asthenopia symptoms. The dry eye part was adapted from the 5 Item Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ5 questionnaire), and the asthenopia part was adapted from the questionnaire developed by Ames et al. A total of 554 students were included in the study. The data received were statistically analyzed. Results: An increase in screen exposure time during COVID era was reported by 237 (42.8%) students. The major contributors to screen usage were online classes and assignments (94% of students). The prevalence of headache was higher in students using tablet/iPad and smartphone as the VDT device. The headache, eyeache, DEQ5 scores, and asthenopia scores were significantly correlated with screen exposure time, and a significant increase was observed in parameters from pre-COVID to COVID era. Concentration span in online classes showed a positive correlation with amount of physical activity of the student. Conclusions: Dry eye, asthenopia, and musculoskeletal symptoms of CVS have increased significantly during COVID era. Screen exposure needs to be restricted and adequate attention needs to be given to physical activity.

Vol4 num2-12 Automatic 3D cutting of dry CFRP preforms based on computer vision

Cutting preforms in complex 3D geometries&nbsp; is one of the challeges of carbon fiber manufacturing for both prepreg and dry fibre parts. Even after cutting layer by layer, a subsequent process is still necessary&nbsp; due to possitioning tolerances and the need of trimming of the edges. Nowadays, this process is carried out by hand. These manual cuts are performed on cutting mats and employ specific tooling to keep the preform in a fixed position and shape. Moreover, often it is necessary to move the preform into several cutting positions leading to poor ergonomics, specially for very thick preforms. The process presented here attempts to solve this problem by introducing an automatic cut without any cutting mat nor complex and expensive fixing jig. The greatest difficulty of this approach lies on the flexibility of the preforms as they are not rigid enough to maintain their shape and position during the cut. The solution combines a computer vision system&nbsp; withan ultrasound cutting system embedded on a robotic arm. This may lead to improvements in productivity as well as in quality (Regarding cut tolerances and finish) as well as increased repeatability compared to manual processes, enabling the deveolpment of net preform cutting technologies. Templates are not required and tooling is simpler, so recurring costs plummet as well as set up times. This is specially useful for prototyping and short production series as cutting lines may be easily modified without making new templates since &nbsp;the system is able to identify the new cutting path.

Evaluation of Global Forecast System (GFS) Medium-Range Precipitation Forecasts in the Nile River Basin

Abstract Reliable weather forecasts are valuable in a number of applications, such as agriculture, hydropower, and weather-related disease outbreaks. Global weather forecasts are widely used, but detailed evaluation over specific regions is paramount for users and operational centers to enhance the usability of forecasts and improve their accuracy. This study presents evaluation of the Global Forecast System (GFS) medium-range (1–15 day) precipitation forecasts in the nine subbasins of the Nile basin using NASA’s Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals (IMERG) Final Run satellite–gauge merged rainfall observations. The GFS products are available at a temporal resolution of 3–6 h and a spatial resolution of 0.25°, and the version-15 products are available since 12 June 2019. GFS forecasts are evaluated at a temporal scale of 1–15 days, a spatial scale from 0.25° to all the way to the subbasin scale, and for a period of one year (15 June 2019–15 June 2020). The results show that performance of the 1-day lead daily basin-averaged GFS forecast performance, as measured through the modified Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE), is poor (0 &lt; KGE &lt; 0.5) for most of the subbasins. The factors contributing to the low performance are 1) large overestimation bias in watersheds located in wet climate regimes in the northern hemispheres (Millennium watershed, Upper Atbara and Setit watershed, and Khashm El Gibra watershed), and 2) lower ability in capturing the temporal dynamics of watershed-averaged rainfall that have smaller watershed areas (Roseires at 14 110 km2 and Sennar at 13 895 km2). GFS has better bias for watersheds located in the dry parts of the Northern Hemisphere or wet parts of the Southern Hemisphere, and better ability in capturing the temporal dynamics of watershed-average rainfall for large watershed areas. IMERG Early has better bias than GFS forecast for the Millennium watershed but still comparable and worse bias for the Upper Atbara and Setit and Khashm El Gibra watersheds. The variation in the performance of the IMERG Early could be partly explained by the number of rain gauges used in the reference IMERG Final product, as 16 rain gauges were used for the Millennium watershed but only one rain gauge over each Upper Atbara and Setit and Khashm El Gibra watershed. A simple climatological bias correction of IMERG Early reduces in the bias in IMERG Early over most watersheds, but not all watersheds. We recommend exploring methods to increase the performance of GFS forecasts, including postprocessing techniques through the use of both near-real-time and research-version satellite rainfall products.

The Latest Thermal Spraying Technology to Solve Various Problems in the Paper Machine Dry Part

抄紙機のドライパートで紙の乾燥の役割を持つドライヤーシリンダー，及びカンバスロールの抱える代表的な問題は表面への異物（湿紙，ピッチ等）の付着である。これら付着した異物が紙製品へ転移することで紙製品の重大な欠陥につながっている。従来からこれらのロールは鋳物等鉄製素材が採用され，表面処理としてクロムメッキ，テフロンコーティング，テフロンシート等が採用されてきた。また最近では異物付着対策としてロール表面への薬液噴霧等も採用されている。これら過去から採用されてきた対策品は客先の満足を十分に得るまでに至ってない。当社は20年以上前より上述の問題を解決すべく非粘着溶射TS-NSCをドライヤーシリンダー，カンバスロールに適用してきた。結果ロール表面への異物付着対策として大きな効果を発揮している。しかしドライヤーシリンダーへ溶射を適用するにあたりシリンダを取り外して施工することは高額な費用，長い施工工期が必要であり，効果が認めつつも普及には限界があった。当社では2015年9月に機上で施工可能な溶射皮膜DryOnyxHを市場へ導入し，現在までに50本超の施工実績を有している。非粘着性と耐摩耗性（ドクタブレードが常時使用可能）を兼ね備えた画期的な溶射技術として高い評価を得ている。ドライパートにおける品質問題の解決手段としての溶射技術であるTS-NSC，DryOnyxHは今後各製紙メーカー各社へ普及が進展してくと確信している。

Use of KOH in IBA dissolution and substrate formulation in the rooting of Acer palmatum Thunb. cuttings

Acer palmatum is a species widely used in landscaping in southern Brazil. It has some limitations in propagation via seeds, therefore, cutting is a viable propagation method, especially when plant regulators and plant substrates are properly. The objective was to evaluate substrate and solvent compositions for indolebutyric acid (IBA) dissolution in the rooting of Acer palmatum cuttings. Apical herbaceous cuttings were used and inserted for five seconds in IBA solution (8 g L-1) diluted in hydroalcoholic solvents (50%) and potassium hydroxide (0.5 M KOH). Then, they were established in multicellular trays with substrates carbonized rice husk (CRH) and expanded clay (EXCL), isolates and in mixtures (1:1; 2:1 and 1:2, v/v). The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 x 5 bifactorial scheme (forms of dissolution of IBA x substrates), in four replications of 10 cuttings. The results showed no interaction between the factors. However, the dissolution of IBA in KOH and the substrates CRH and EXCL (1:2 and 2:1, v/v) provided higher rooting and leaf retention. In addition, the substrates showed greater root dry mass and aerial part for cutting development. Therefore, vegetative propagation of Acer palmatum through cuttings is more appropriate with the dissolution of IBA with KOH solvent (66.84% rooting) and formulated substrates CRH and EXCL (1:2 and 2:1, v/v) (66.87% rooting).

18KHT01, a Potent Anti-Obesity Polyherbal Formulation.

Obesity is a life-threatening metabolic disorder necessitating urgent development of safe and effective therapy. Currently, limited such therapeutic measures are available for obesity. The present study was designed to develop a novel, safe and effective herbal therapy for the management of obesity. A polyherbal formulation (18KHT01) was developed by homogeneously mixing a specific proportion of crude Quercus acutissima (acorn jelly powder), Camellia sinensis (dry leaf buds), and Geranium thunbergii (dry aerial part) along with Citrus limon (fruit juice). Synergistic antioxidant, antiadipogenic, and anti-obesity activities were evaluated by in vitro as well as in vivo studies. In vitro experiments revealed strong synergistic antioxidant and anti-adipogenic activities of 18KHT01. Molecular assessment of 18KHT01 showed significant down-regulation of vital adipogenic factors such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, aP2, SREBP-1c, FAS, and LPL. Based on the results of the preliminary toxicity study, 75 and 150 mg/kg, twice daily doses of 18KHT01 were administered to evaluate anti-obesity activity in diet-induced obese (DIO) C57BL/6J mice model. The major obesity-related parameters such as body weight, weight gain, food efficiency ratio, as well as serum lipid profile were significantly reduced by 18KHT01 with potential synergism. Also, the high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance was suggestively alleviated by the formulation, and thus ameliorated fasting blood glucose. Histological evaluation of liver and white adipose tissue revealed that the significant reduction of fat depositions and thus reduction of these tissue weights. Synergy evaluation experiments exhibited that the 18KHT01 offered strong synergism by improving efficacy and reducing the toxicity of its ingredients. Overall results evidenced the 18KHT01 as a safe and potent anti-obesity herbal therapy.

Allelopathic activity of Piptadenia moniliformis Benth. on the physiological potential of seeds of Amburana cearensis Allem.

The adoption of agroforestry systems or reforestation programs contributes to the economy of a region in a sustainable way, since the adopted species can be exploited by the cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical industries. For the establishment of plant species in a given area, studies are needed on the interaction that can develop between them, with emphasis on research on allelopathy. Given the above, the aim of this study was to evaluate the allelopathic effect of the aqueous extract of leaves of the native species Piptadenia moniliformis on the initial development of the forest species Amburana cearensis. The aqueous extract was used at different concentrations. (0 - water, 25, 50, 75 and 100%), adopting a completely randomized design. The following characteristics were evaluated: emergence percentage, emergence speed index, mean emergence time, shoot and root length and total shoot, root and total dry part of normal seedlings. The 100% concentration of the aqueous extract of P. moniliformis leaves reduced the emergence percentage of A. cearensis seedlings. A smaller number of normal seedlings was observed at concentrations of 75 and 100%. The initial development of seedlings was hampered by the increase in extract concentrations. The aqueous extract of fresh leaves of P. moniliformis provides a negative allelopathic effect for both emergence and early development of A. cearensis seedlings, therefore intercropped cultivation among the forest species is not recommended.

Types and composition of diseases and pests of restructured forest and pasture plants in the dry part of the Aral Sea

Studies on the dried bottom of the Aral Sea have shown that dominant disease from 3 species of them in Haloxylon plant is Podosphaera leucotricha and the dominant species from 34 species of pests is Big Dwarf Haloxylon Locust (D. albidula) and Small Haloxylon Locust (D. annulata roseipen). Chemical and biological control measures were taken against this disease and pests. When using anti-inflammatory drugs Redomil gold, Dnox, Fundazol and Sporagin, their effectiveness is as follows: Redomil gold - 68% sp (2.0–2.5 kg / ha), Fundazol -50% ke (2.0 l / ha), Dnox - 40% ke (2.0 l / ha) and Sporagin (4.0, l / ha) were tested using fungicides in the norms. Of the drugs used in the experimental variant, Redomil gold, 68% s.p. (2.0-2.5 kg / ha) was the highest biological efficacy against powdery mildew in the variant in which the fungicides were applied, was 91.3%.

Monitoring water storage decline over the Middle East

Water scarcity and environmental challenges are affecting many parts of the world, particularly the arid Middle East region. Limited water resources, urbanization, groundwater over-extraction, and water usage for irrigation and agriculture have exacerbated the situation over this region and is risking the future development of its growing population. This study investigates the changes in various water storage components including groundwater, surface water, and soil moisture in the Middle East. To this end, a long-term reanalysis of land-hydrologic water storage components was generated from 1980 to 2019 by combining multiple satellite remote sensing observations and a hydrological model via a state-of-art data assimilation approach. The results indicate that assimilating multivariate satellite remote sensing significantly improves the model performance. The reanalysis data also outperforms some of existing model outputs. Based on the results, a considerable water storage depletion is observed across the Middle East region, not only over the dryer parts but also in areas with above-average annual rainfall including countries located close to the Mediterranean Sea. The water depletion is most pronounced for groundwater and over arid and semiarid areas in the central to southern parts involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Water storage decline is further found in the region’s eastern, north-western, and western parts. The results also reveal a close link between water storage declines and other environmental factors such as dust storms and loss of vegetation canopies.

Fatigue Stress Estimation for Submerged and Sub-Soil Welds of Offshore Wind Turbines on Monopiles Using Modal Expansion

The design of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines is most often driven by fatigue. With the foundation price contributing to the total price of a turbine structure by more than 30%, wind farm operators seek to gain knowledge about the amount of consumed fatigue. Monitoring concepts are developed to uncover structural reserves coming from conservative designs in order to prolong the lifetime of a turbine. Amongst promising concepts is a wide array of methods using in-situ measurement data and extrapolating these results to desired locations below water surface and even seabed using models. The modal decomposition algorithm is used for this purpose. The algorithm obtains modal amplitudes from acceleration and strain measurements. In the subsequent expansion step these amplitudes are expanded to virtual measurements at arbitrary locations. The algorithm uses a reduced order model that can be obtained from either a FE model or measurements. In this work, operational modal analysis is applied to obtain the required stress and deflection shapes for optimal validation of the method. Furthermore, the measurements that are used as input for the algorithms are constrained to measurements from the dry part of the substructure. However, with subsoil measurement data available from a dedicated campaign, even validation for locations below mud-line is possible. After reconstructing strain history in arbitrary locations on the substructure, fatigue assessment over various environmental and operational conditions is carried out. The technique is found capable of estimating fatigue with high precision for locations above and below seabed.

Variation in biomass and nutrients allocation of Corydalis hendersonii on the Tibetan Plateau with increasing rainfall continentality and altitude

The Tibetan Plateau is considered as one of most sensitive region to global change. Nutrient (N and P) availability is an important limiting ecological factor in cold terrestrial ecosystems such as the alpine belt of the Tibetan Plateau. We focused on Corydallis hendersonii, an endemic alpine species of the Tibetan Plateau. Exploring the N and P below- and above-ground responses of C. hendersonii to climatic factors is crucial for biodiversity conservation of the alpine Tibetan plateau under global change. We used the Outlying Mean Index and regression analyses to assess N and P stoichiometry and biomass responses in leaves and roots of C. hendersonii along climatic gradients. We found that investment and allocation of nutrient and biomass in C. hendersonii were mainly driven by rainfall continentality. In the eastern less-continental wet area of the Tibetan plateau, C. hendersonii had higher biomass in leaf, and lower N and P investment in roots than in the western more continental dry part. Specifically, 300 mm year−1 Mean annual precipitation (MAP) and ca. 80° Rainfall continentality index (GAMS) were threshold values of climate stress inducing strong nutrient limitation for C. hendersonii across the Tibetan Plateau. Our results suggest that rainfall continentality is the primary climatic driver of variation in biomass and nutrients allocation of C. hendersonii on the Tibetan Plateau. Thus, global warming and drying should induce a decrease in total biomass, a reduction in leaf N and P concentrations and an increase in root/shoot ratio in the alpine region of the Tibetan Plateau.

Eucalyptus bakeri: a potential source species for eucalyptus oil production in the subtropics

ABSTRACT There is a paucity of eucalypt species in tropical Australia that produce a foliar essential oil in high concentration and rich in 1,8-cineole, the sought-after component of medicinal eucalyptus oils. Eucalyptus bakeri, a mallee from the dry subtropical parts of northern New South Wales and Queensland, is an exception, with limited earlier studies reporting that this species produced foliar oil with commercial characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the variation in foliar oil characteristics throughout the natural range of E. bakeri as a precursor to the more intensive field-testing of the species as a commercial source of eucalyptus oil. Mature leaves and, when available, coppice leaves for comparison were collected over three separate field trips in 2020 from individual trees representing each of 17 provenances throughout the natural range of E. bakeri in Queensland. Foliar oil concentrations on a fresh-weight basis throughout the provenances sampled were relatively high, averaging 2.3% for mature leaves and 2.8% for coppice leaves, with an individual tree high of 4.1% for both leaf categories. 1,8-Cineole was the dominant compound in all foliar oils sampled, averaging 89.3% (range 70.2–94.6%) in oils from mature leaves and 87.6% (range 79–92.5%) from coppice leaves. Sabinene levels, restricted to a maximum of 0.3% in some oil standards, averaged 0.3% (range trace – 1.5%) in oils from mature leaves and 0.4% (range trace – 0.7%) from coppice leaves. The high foliar oil concentrations and consistency in oil qualities mark this species as a potential candidate as a eucalyptus oil source species for the dry subtropics. Provenance/progeny trials are now needed to determine which provenances produce adequate growth rates and the silviculture required to manage the species as an oil-producing crop, as well as to investigate variations in oil characteristics, including sabinene levels, when all sources are grown at a common site.

Efficiency of dry bone inspection compared with two-dimensional os coxal images for age estimation in a Thai population

The auricular surface and pubic symphysis are commonly used in age estimation. This study aimed to compare the results of age estimation between dry bones and 2D images of the os coxae and to develop a tool specifically for Thai individuals. The total samples were 250 left os coxal dry bones divided into 200 samples (100 males, 100 females) for the training set and 50 samples for the test set. The age range was 26 – 94 years. We used the Suchey-Brooks method and Berg method for observing the pubic symphysis and the Buckberry-Chamberlain method for observing the auricular surface. Afterward we compared the dry bones and photo parts. Our results showed sex did not play a significant role in estimating the age-at-death. In both parts, the auricular surface yielded the highest accuracy (80 – 84%) with SEE = 13.99 – 14.24 years. The pubic symphysis showed an accuracy of 74 – 76% and SEE = 14.37 – 14.44 years. The results of the dry bone and photo parts did not differ significantly. In both dry bone and photo parts, the intra-observer agreement performed moderate to almost perfect agreement. On the other hand, the inter-observer agreement was slight to fair. In conclusion, our study can be potentially applied for distant consultation for age estimation using 2D pelvic images with a forensic anthropologist for estimating biological profiles.