Individual Height Research Articles

Effects of Illumination Conditions on Individual Tree Height Extraction Using UAV LiDAR: Pilot Study of a Planted Coniferous Stand

Tree height is one of the key dendrometric parameters for indirectly estimating the timber volume or aboveground biomass of a forest. Field measurement is time-consuming and labor-intensive, while unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne LiDAR is a more efficient tool for acquiring tree heights of large-area forests. Although individual tree heights extracted from point cloud data are of high accuracy, they are still affected by some weather and environment factors. In this study, taking a planted M. glyptostroboides (Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & W.C. Cheng) stand as the study object, we preliminarily assessed the effects of various illumination conditions (solar altitude angle and cloud cover) on tree height extraction using UAV LiDAR. The eight point clouds of the target stand were scanned at four time points (sunrise, noon, sunset, and night) in two consecutive days (sunny and overcast), respectively. The point clouds were first classified into ground points and aboveground vegetation points, which accordingly produced digital elevation model (DEM) and digital surface model (DSM). Then, the canopy height model (CHM) was obtained by subtracting DEM from DSM. Subsequently, individual trees were segmented based on the seed points identified by local maxima filtering. Finally, the individual tree heights of sample trees were separately extracted and assessed against the in situ measured values. As results, the R2 and RMSEs of tree heights obtained in the overcast daytime were commonly better than those in the sunny daytime; the R2 and RMSEs at night were superior among all time points, while those at noon were poorest. These indicated that the accuracy of individual tree height extraction had an inverse correlation with the intensity of illumination. To obtain more accurate tree heights for forestry applications, it is best to acquire point cloud data using UAV LiDAR at night, or at least not at noon when the illumination is generally strongest.

Comparative analysis on growth performance, survival and harvest traits between offspring from wild and mass-selected populations of Crassostrea nippona

Crassostrea nippona has recently been recognized as a preferred alternative to C. gigas in summer due to its firm flesh and high glycogen content. To promote industrial development, the mass selective breeding program was initiated to improve growth performance of C. nippona in 2014. Although a steady genetic gain of approximately 10% for growth traits was achieved in each of the first three generations of the selected strains, little is known about the cumulative genetic progress in desired traits contributed by the selective breeding in the genetic improvement program. In this study, the aquaculture performance of the selected population was comprehensively evaluated by comparing the production performance and reproductive traits of the progeny (WF1 and SF4) from the wild population and the third-generation selected line in commercial farming environments. The results showed that the diameters of eggs from both populations were at similar levels, but the fertilization and hatching rates of the progeny from the selected lines were significantly higher than those of the wild population (P < 0.05). At larval stages, the shell height and cumulative survival rate (CSR) of individuals from SF4 were consistently superior to that of WF1, especially on day 6 post-fertilization, in which CSR of the improved C. nippona was increased by 25.08% compared to that of wild oysters. Meanwhile, a significant 12.10% enhancement in the metamorphosis rate was observed in SF4 when compared with WF1. During the grow-out stage, SF4 displayed distinct advantages in growth performance and survival compared to the wild strain, with 23.19, 33.48, 34.18 and 79.11% improvement in shell height, body weight, CSR and final yield at harvest on day 800, respectively. Meanwhile, relative brood amount (RBA) associated with initial development of offspring was found to be significantly higher in SF4 compared with WF1 (P < 0.05). Remarkably, the gonadal development, sex ratios and biochemical composition of oysters from both populations were at similar levels at final harvest, implying that high-intensity artificial selection had no significant effect on reproductive characteristics and nutritional quality of C. nippona. The encouraging results in the present study suggest that the overall genetic progress contributed by genetic breeding is considerable in the fast-growing strain of C. nippona, and such gains are expected to continue to increase with further selective breeding.

Differential vertebral body growth is maintained after vertebral body tethering surgery for idiopathic scoliosis: 4-year follow-up on 888 peri-apical vertebrae and 592 intervertebral discs.

To radiographically evaluate if vertebral body tethering (VBT) can maintain differential peri-apical vertebral growth at medium-term follow-up of 4years. A prospective, international, multicenter database was queried to identify idiopathic scoliosis patients treated with thoracic VBT. Concave vs. convex vertebral body height, vertebral wedging, and disc wedging of the 3 peri-apical vertebrae were measured by two independent observers at 5 timepoints (pre-operative to 4-year follow-up). 65 skeletally immature patients (60 female, mean 12.8years old, 21 with open triradiate cartilages) met inclusion criteria. Mean pre-operative maximum scoliosis of 50 ± 8° decreased significantly post-operatively to 27 ± 9° (p < 0.001), which remained stable at 4-year follow-up 30 ± 17° (p = 0.38 vs. post-operative). Mean instrumented scoliosis was 21 ± 14° at 4-year follow-up, which was significantly different than 4-year maximum scoliosis (p < 0.001). Mean pre-operative kyphosis of 30 ± 12° did not significantly change post-operatively (p = 1.0) and remained stable at 4-year follow-up (35 ± 18°; p = 0.05). Mean individual convex vertebral height increased from 17.7 ± 1.9mm to 19.8 ± 1.5mm (p < 0.001), while mean individual concave height increased from 14.8 ± 1.9mm to 17.6 ± 1.6mm (p < 0.001). Summing the peri-apical heights, the difference in height from pre-operative to 4-year follow-up was greater on the concave (8.3 ± 4.7mm) than on the convex side (6.2 ± 4.7mm) (p < 0.001). Mean individual vertebral wedging decreased from 6 ± 2° at pre-operative to 4 ± 2° at 4-year follow-up (p < 0.001). Mean total vertebral and disc wedging started at 29 ± 7° pre-operatively, decreased to 16 ± 6° at post-operative (p < 0.001), then further decreased to 14 ± 8° at 4-year follow-up (p < 0.001). Patients with open triradiate cartilages at the time of surgery had a larger height change over the 4years compared to those with closed triradiate cartilages (p < 0.001). Patients with idiopathic scoliosis treated with VBT demonstrated differential vertebral growth which was maintained at minimum 4-year follow-up. This effect was more pronounced in patients whose triradiate cartilages were open at the time of surgery. III.

Analysis of Gait Pattern Affected by Various Disease : A Review

Gait is pattern of walking of individual, is unique pattern of a person. The gait pattern is affected by various disease, ill condition of a person. In this review article we discuss about various diseases by which gait of an individual gets affected. Some disease are ; Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative brain disorder causing shuffled gait, impaired balance, and freezing of gait. Morquio A syndrome, a group of disorders called mucopolysaccharidosis, can lead to vision, hearing, bone, brain, and heart problems. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a key stabilizer in the knee, and a torn ACL can cause instability when walking or changing directions. Examination of the gait pattern of a those person who having a disease such as ; Parkinson’s disease, Morquio A syndrome, Anterior Crucial Ligament, etc. In normal human the Gait Cycle has two phases ; Stance and swing phase. The stance phase covers approx 60% gait cycle and swing phase covers remaining 40% of gait cycle. In further studies we can analysis on how this cycle varies in abnormal walking.These review article summarises about gait pattern affected by various diseases. Study of gait pattern used for solving criminal cases as we can recognize various abnormalities a person may have by the analysis of his or her gait pattern. It is used as secondary evidence. By using gait pattern we can find out individuals age, sex, and height.

What are the drivers of female success in food-deceptive orchids?

A large suite of floral signals, and environmental and biotic characteristics influence the behavior of pollinators, affecting the female success of food-deceptive orchids. In this study, we examined the many factors shaping the reproductive output of three orchid taxa: Dactylorhiza majalis, D. incarnata var. incarnata, and D. fuchsii. We applied a statistical model to correlate female success (number of fruit sets) with individual characteristics (plant and inflorescence height, number of flowers, and spur length), number of pollinaria removed, flowering time, and density of floral units of co-flowering rewarding plants. Our findings suggested that the broad spectrum of variations in Dactylorhiza's morphological traits, floral display, and flowering phenology within different environmental contexts has a significant impact on their reproductive success. The number of fruits increased with an increase in the number of pollinaria removed in the studied Dactylorhiza taxa. In contrast, a higher number of flowers per inflorescence and higher inflorescences in relation to individual height always decreased fruit set. We observed that low number of co-flowering rewarding plants in populations could affect the Dactylorhiza reproductive output as magnets and competitor plants. The synchronization of flowering, or lack thereof, between Dactylorhiza and rewarding plants can limit reproductive success. This demonstrates that the food deception strategy is multidirectional, and reproductive output can vary considerably both spatially and temporally within the context of this strategy.

An Accuracy Assessment of Field and Airborne Laser Scanning–Derived Individual Tree Inventories using Felled Tree Measurements and Log Scaling Data in a Mixed Conifer Forest

Abstract On-the-ground sample-based forest inventory methods have been the standard practice for more than a century, however, remote sensing technologies such as airborne laser scanning (ALS) are providing wall-to-wall inventories based on individual tree measurements. In this study, we assess the accuracy of individual tree height, diameter, and volume derived from field-cruising measurements and three ALS data-derived methods in a 1.1 ha stand using direct measurements acquired on felled trees and log-scale volume measurements. Results show that although height derived from indirect conventional field measurements and ALS were statistically equivalent to felled tree height measurements, ALS measured heights had lower root mean square error (RMSE) and bias. Individual tree diameters modeled using a height-to-diameter-at-breast-height model derived from local forest inventory data and the software ForestView had moderate RMSE (8.3–8.5 cm) and bias (-3.0 – -0.3 cm). The ALS-based methods underdetected trees but accounted for 78%–91% of the field reference harvested merchantable volume and 71%–99% of the merchantable volume scaled at the mill. The results also illustrate challenges of using mill-scaled volume estimates as validation data and highlight the need for more research in this area. Overall, the results provide key insights to forest managers on accuracies associated with conventional field-derived and ALS-derived individual tree inventories. Study Implications: Forest inventory data provide critical information for operational decisions and forest product supply chain planning. Traditionally, forest inventories have used field sampling of stand conditions, which is time-intensive and cost-prohibitive to conduct at large spatial scales. Remote sensing technologies such as airborne laser scanning (ALS) provide wall-to-wall inventories based on individual tree measurements. This study advances our understanding of the accuracy of conventional field-derived and ALS-derived individual tree inventories by evaluating these inventories with felled tree and log scaling data. The results provide key insights to forest managers on errors associated with conventional field and ALS-derived individual tree measurements.

The Relationship Between Height and Income With Potential Application to Treatment of Limb Length Discrepancy.

Purpose When treating limb length discrepancy (LLD), decisions regarding lengthening versus contralateral shortening require careful consideration of deformity and patient factors. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) database, and income as a quantitative representation of overall socioeconomic benefit, we sought to determine the height at which incremental gains in height have the greatest value. Methods Using the NLSY79 database, we collected demographic data, height, yearly income from wages, college education (full- or part-time), and receipt of government financial aid. Multiple-linear regression and graphical analysis were performed. Results The study population included 9,652 individuals, 4,775 (49.5%) males and 4,877 (50.5%) females. Mean heights were 70.0±3.0 inches and 64.3±2.6 inches for males and females, respectively. Multiple-linear regression analysis (adjusted-r²=0.33) demonstrated height had a standardized-ß=0.097 (p<0.001), even when accounting for confounding factors. Using graphical analysis, we estimated cut-offs of 74 inches for males and 69 inches for females, beyond which income decreased with incremental height. Conclusions Using income as a quantitative representation of socioeconomic value, our analysis found income increased with incremental height in individuals with predicted heights up to 74 inches for males and 69 inches for females. Shortening procedures might receive more consideration at predicted heights greater than these cut-offs, while lengthening might be more strongly considered at the lower ranges of height. Additionally, our multiple-linear regression analysis confirms the correlation between height and income, when factoring in other predictors of income.

The Interacting Influence of Fire and Tree Characteristics on Douglas-Fir Beetle Host-Tree Selection Five Years Post-Fire

Fire injury stresses Douglas-fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii) that survive a wildfire event, allowing subsequent Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae) infection to kill trees that may have otherwise survived. This study aimed to determine how fire injury, stand, and tree characteristics drive Douglas-fir beetle host tree selection five years post-fire. We paired 28 adjacent beetle-infected and uninfected stands (infected N = 14) and 140 Douglas-fir trees (infected N = 70) within the 416 Fire burn area in Southwest Colorado. We found no statistically significant differences between infected and uninfected stand characteristics. Individual tree height, DBH, and bark char severity index were significantly higher in infected versus uninfected trees. We created a regression decision tree model to determine the influence of fire injury and tree characteristics on the probability of infection. Trees with a height ≥ 27 m, bark char height &lt; 2.3 m, and DBH &lt; 80 cm had the greatest probability of attack (100%). Trees with a height &lt; 27 m, bark char severity index &lt; 5.5, and DBH &lt; 49 cm had the lowest probability of attack (3.7%). Understanding the influence of fire on Douglas-fir beetle host selection allows land managers to model potential epidemic outbreaks and guide proactive management actions that may reduce beetle outbreak severity or preserve high-value trees not killed by fire.

Application of panoramic radiographs in the diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders.

To evaluate the feasibility of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) diagnosis with panoramic radiography, and provide standardized data for artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis by measuring the differences in the condylar and mandibular ramus heights. A total of 500 panoramic radiographs (219 male and 281 female participants) of healthy individuals were examined. The panoramic machine compatible measurement software, SCANORA 5.2.6, was used to measure the bilateral condylar height and mandibular ramus height, and SPSS 27.0 was used to calculate the left- and right-side differences in condylar height and mandibular ramus height of healthy individuals. Magnetic resonance images of the temporomandibular joint region obtained from 46 outpatients in the Stomatology Department were selected along with their corresponding panoramic radiographs. The left- and right-sided differences were measured and compared with the magnetic resonance imaging results. The measurement data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (mm). t Tests were used to analyze data from healthy male and healthy female groups. The findings revealed that while there was no significant difference (P > .05) in the height of the condyle between men and women, there was a significant difference (P < .05) in the height of the mandibular ramus. In healthy population, the difference in height between the left and right condyle was 1.09 ± 0.99 mm. The difference in height of mandibular ramus in men was 1.26 ± 0.85 mm and that in women was 1.19 ± 0.87 mm. For the diagnosis of TMD, the sensitivity of panoramic radiographs was 94.74% (36/38), specificity was 75.00% (6/8), and diagnostic accuracy was 91.30% (42/46). The height of the right and left lateral condyles was not identical in healthy individuals, resulting in a discernible height discrepancy. In addition, the height of the mandibular ramus varied. By considering the left-right lateral height differences identified in this study along with clinical examination, it is possible to employ this metric as a preliminary screening tool for patients with TMD. Further, the use of panoramic radiographs for initial TMD screening is both viable and significant.

Correlation of Stature with Incisoapical Length of Anterior Teeth Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)

Abstract Background Estimating stature is essential for the purpose of identifying human remains after death. It is common for the extremities or the head to be amputated from the trunk when the body has been severely disfigured. Odontometry's association with stature determination in forensic odontology required an estimate to be established. Objective The objective of this study was to investigate and correlate stature (height) of the individual with the incisoapical length of the tooth Material and Method The study was conducted on 106 participants, in which 53 were female and 53 male cases aged between 21 and 45 years. The study parameters included incisoapical length of maxillary and mandibular central incisor, lateral incisor and canine of both sides measured using cone-beam computed tomography, and height of an individual recorded using stadiometer. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to study the correlation. Results It is observed that the cervicoapical measurement of teeth does not show statistically significant correlation with the stature of the individual with the exception for tooth 22 (r = − 31, p = 0.02), 41(r = − 0.28, p = 0.04), and 42 (r = − 0.30, p = 0.02) among females and tooth 31 (r = − 0.35, p = 0.009) among males. Conclusion A very small number of research on an individual's stature in relation to incisoapical length has been identified in the literature. The majority of an individual's anterior teeth's height was not significantly correlated with height.

Height Assessment Using the Length of Humerus of Selected Group of Hausa Ethnic Students in Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano State

Height assessment from bones plays a vital role in detecting unidentified bodies and parts of bodies or skeletal remnants, the aim of this study was to estimate the height of individual using the length of humerus of selected group of Hausa ethnic Students in Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano State, Nigeria. Two hundred and two (202) subjects were selected from the various faculties of the University, using random sampling method. The age range of the participants was between 18-50 years. Ethical approval was required from the Ethical Committee of the College of Health Science of the institution before the beginning of the research, Informed consents were sought from the participants. Using a stadiometer, standing height of individual was measured to the nearest centimeter (cm) with subject standing barefoot in an anatomical position. The humeral length was measured in between two points:- Distal point-Midpoint of elbow joint and Proximal point- Acromian landmarks, line was measured and documented. Length of humerus obtained was put in regression equation for humerus estimation. From the result obtained indicated that height can be estimated from the humeral length with Coefficient of significance (R=0.628) Coefficient of determinant (R2=0.395). The present study found significant differences between the sex in both humeral length and height of the study population and resolved that the maximum height can be estimated from the length of humerus with effective precision so that may help the archaeological, anthropometric and also forensic investigations.

Designing metainterfaces with specified friction laws.

Many devices, including touchscreens and robotic hands, involve frictional contacts. Optimizing these devices requires fine control of the interface's friction law. We lack systematic methods to create dry contact interfaces whose frictional behavior satisfies preset specifications. We propose a generic surface design strategy to prepare dry rough interfaces that have predefined relationships between normal and friction forces. Such metainterfaces circumvent the usual multiscale challenge of tribology by considering simplified surface topographies as assemblies of spherical asperities. Optimizing the individual asperities' heights enables specific friction laws to be targeted. Through various centimeter-scaled elastomer-glass metainterfaces, we illustrate three types of achievable friction laws, including linear laws with a specified friction coefficient and unusual nonlinear laws. This design strategy represents a scale- and material-independent, chemical-free pathway toward energy-saving and adaptable smart interfaces.

Mapping of individual building heights reveals the large gap of urban-rural living spaces in the contiguous US

&lt;p&gt;Living spaces are a crucial component of communities and social interactions, whereas the vertical structure of buildings in these spaces, particularly at a large-scale, has received limited attention yet. Here, we produced a detailed height map of each building in the conterminous United States (US) in circa 2020. Leveraging multi-source satellite observations and building footprint data, our study aimed to shed light on the spatial variations in building heights and their implications to measure the inequality of living spaces. Our results revealed a significant spatial variation in building heights, with downtown areas exhibiting an average height of 12.4m, more than double the average height of suburban areas at 5.4m. Moreover, our study highlighted the urban-rural gap in living spaces, with urban regions offering limited living spaces compared to rural areas. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge in urban planning and lays the foundation for future investigations aimed at improving living conditions and fostering sustainable communities.&lt;/p&gt;

A multi-factor approach for height estimation of an individual using 2D image

Estimating an individual's height from a two-dimensional (2D) image has emerged as a focal point of investigation within Computer Vision. Notably, the research landscape has witnessed endeavors dedicated to human height estimation from frontal-face and full-body images. Nevertheless, there exists an imperative need for further exploration within this domain, primarily aimed at enhancing the precision of such estimations. Within this context, our study seeks to delve into the nuanced task of height from a solitary full-body image. Leveraging cutting-edge AI methodologies, we have harnessed the capabilities of Yolov7 for human pose estimation, alongside the DeepFace pre-trained model for age, gender, and race estimation, to serve as pivotal feature extraction mechanisms. Notably, our model's efficacy is intrinsically linked to the performance benchmarks set by these two foundational models. Our empirical observations underscore the commendable performance of Yolov7; however, it is incumbent to acknowledge that the DeepFace model has, regrettably, not demonstrated commensurate levels of accuracy in our experimentation. In the present study, we have employed a set of regression and tree-based predictive models, including Linear Regression, AdaBoost Regressor, Decision Tree, and Random Forest. Notably, the AdaBoost Regressor model has exhibited superior performance compared to the other models under consideration. Specifically, it has demonstrated a remarkable mean absolute error of 6.2 cms and a mean squared error of 7.9 cms, thereby establishing its efficacy in minimizing prediction errors in this context.

Visible-Light Optical Coherence Tomography Fibergraphy of the Tree Shrew Retinal Ganglion Cell Axon Bundles.

We seek to develop techniques for high-resolution imaging of the tree shrew retina for visualizing and parameterizing retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon bundles in vivo. We applied visible-light optical coherence tomography fibergraphy (vis-OCTF) and temporal speckle averaging (TSA) to visualize individual RGC axon bundles in the tree shrew retina. For the first time, we quantified individual RGC bundle width, height, and cross-sectional area and applied vis-OCT angiography (vis-OCTA) to visualize the retinal microvasculature in tree shrews. Throughout the retina, as the distance from the optic nerve head (ONH) increased from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, bundle width increased by 30%, height decreased by 67%, and cross-sectional area decreased by 36%. We also showed that axon bundles become vertically elongated as they converge toward the ONH. Ex vivo confocal microscopy of retinal flat-mounts immunostained with Tuj1 confirmed our in vivo vis-OCTF findings.

Optimisation of bonded and hybrid step lap joints of thick carbon fibre/epoxy panels used in aircraft structures

The use of composite materials is widely spread across the Aerospace sector. Scarf and step lap joints are amongst the most commonly used methods for flush joint repairs; they restore original stiffness and nearly original strength. Prior investigations conducted by the authors have shown that bonded and hybrid step lap joints have superior static strength capabilities than bolted joints. Hybrid step lap joints have shown the highest fatigue resistance than its bolted and bonded counterparts. This investigation aims at optimising the previous step lap joint design containing five steps with a 90 mm long overlap length in order to improve joint efficiency. Four new step lap joint configurations are considered based on a parametric study conducted using Abaqus; two of which contain seven steps and a 130 mm long overlap (bonded and hybrid) whilst the other two contain six steps and a 105 mm long overlap (bonded and hybrid) with a tapered outer step region. Experimental tests right through to numerical modelling using three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) models have been investigated. Adhesive non-linear material properties, fastener contacts and friction forces were all included in the 3D FE models. The Multicontinuum Theory (MCT) is used to simulate the progressive failure process and determine the stress states in the four configurations. Overall the FE models are able to accurately predict the bonded and hybrid joint strengths and highlights the importance of not only optimising the number of steps and their lengths but also the individual step heights. This is a parameter which has often been overlooked by fellow researchers. Experimental results showed that all four step lap joint configurations have significant improvement under static and fatigue load cases; the greatest improvement is seen in the two bonded step lap joint configurations. Overall the hybrid joint configuration consistently outperformed the bonded joint configurations. The presence of fasteners supress crack propagation, minimise peak peeling stresses at the ends of the overlap and increase the durability of the joint. This enables early crack detection which can assist composite joint repair certification.

Height estimation of pine (Pinus eldarica) single trees using slope corrected shadow length on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery in a plantation forest

Tree height is one of the key parameters in forest plantations that plays a crucial role in estimation of above-ground biomass (AGB) of trees and stands. The parameter may be obtained by different methods from airborne remotely sensed datasets such shadow length of each tree individual or crown height models (CHMs). However, tree height estimation based on shadow length might be biased considering diverse topography of forest sites. Therefore, this study aims to develop a reliable method to estimate tree height in a plantation forest using shadow length on UAV imagery. First, heights of 151 pine (Pinus eldarica) trees were precisely measured in Pardisan Park, North Khorasan province, Iran. Additionally, a collection of images was captured by a Phantom 4Pro UAV in order to illustrate the study area. Then, two different approaches were considered to estimate the height of trees. In the first approach, tree heights were estimated based on shadow length on the UAV orthomosaic and correcting the effect of slope. The second approach considered the UAV-based CHM and height estimation using CHM segmentation and local maximum filtering. The results showed that tree heights estimated by the first approach were not significantly different from the insitu data (p=0.298). Furthermore, the heights estimated by the slope corrected shadow length showed higher precision compared to the heights estimated by the shadow length without slope correction (Relative root mean squared error, RRMSE 5.6% and 8.2% respectively). However, the heights obtained from the first approach were less precise than the second approach (RRMSE 5.6% and 4.2% respectively). In general, it was concluded that height estimation of pine trees based on shadow length after correction of slope effects can be considered as a reliable approach, although CHM is more efficient in estimating the tree heights. The findings of this study are applicable for height estimation of pine trees within plantation forests on UAV imagery.

High-throughput phenotyping of individual plant height in an oilseed rape population based on Mask-RCNN and UAV images

High-throughput phenotyping of individual plant height in an oilseed rape population based on Mask-RCNN and UAV images

The psoas muscle index as a useful predictor of total hip arthroplasty outcomes.

The aim of this study is to assess the association between the psoas muscle index (PMI) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) outcomes. This is a critical issue as sarcopenia has been associated with poor patient satisfaction post-THA. This was a retrospective case-control study of 205 THAs, with a mean follow-up of 3.6 (range, 2.0-5.5) years. Age, sex, serum immune markers, spinopelvic parameters, PMI (quantified as the cross-sectional area of the psoas, bilaterally, at L3 divided by the individual's height squared), and patient-reported outcomes were compared between patients 'with' (n = 118) and 'without' (n = 87) achievement of a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) improvement in the EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D), post-THA. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to identify predictive factors. A ≥ MCID improvement in the EQ-5D was associated with the PMI (odds ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.91; P = 0.028), prognostic nutritional index (odds ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.94; P = 0.043), and age (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.18; P = 0.044). After adjusting the PMI threshold to 4.0 cm2/m2 for females and 6.4cm2/m2 for males, there were significant differences in serum factors (P = 0.041 for albumin and P = 0.016 for a prognostic nutritional index < 40), MCID (P < 0.001 for EQ-5D, P < 0.001 for low back pain, and P = 0.008 for the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Joint Replacement score), patient satisfaction (P = 0.003), and T1 pelvic angle (P = 0.030). The PMI, which is associated with nutritional status and global sagittal spinal deformity, does predict THA outcomes. Therefore, it can be useful when discussing THA expectations with patients.

Structure and Regeneration Status of Woody Seed Oil Species in Northern Botswana

Abstract Concerns about energy security and environmental risks have sparked interest in edible and non-edible seed oils as potential renewable feedstocks for biodiesel production. A study was conducted to investigate the population structure and regeneration status of woody seed oil species in the districts of Chobe and Ngamiland. The population structure and regeneration condition of woody seed oil species were studied in 20 × 20 m (400 m2) quadrats spaced 50 m apart along a parallel line transect. Data on the identity of all woody species, the number of all live individuals, and the diameter at breast height (DBH) of individuals with DBH &gt; 2 cm of each woody species were collected in each quadrat. The diversity (Hʹ) and evenness (Jʹ) of woody seed oil species were 1.53, 1.42 and 0.71, and 0.85, 0.73 and 0.51 in Parakarungu, Seronga and Shorobe, respectively. Ximenia caffra was the dominant woody seed oil plant in Shorobe and Seronga, and exhibited an inverted J-shaped curve with continuous diameter classes distribution. Trichilia emetica was only found in Parakarungu, where it was the second dominant species and demonstrated excellent recruitment and regeneration. In Shorobe and Seronga, Croton megalobotrys was the second most dominant species. It had low recruitment, which was most likely due to herbivory and predation on seeds and seedlings. The least prevalent species (Sclerocarya birrea, Schinziophyton rautanenii and Guibourtia coleosperma) had no representation in the intermediate diameter-classes, which might be attributed to the selective removal in these diameter-classes. The examination of the population structure of woody seed oil species indicated variations in patterns of diameter-class distribution, indicating differences in the population dynamics of the species across the study areas. The least dominant species experienced hindered recruitment and regeneration due to herbivory and anthropogenic influences.