Mean Tilt Angle Research Articles

Relationship between the Tilt Angles of Sunspot Groups and the Properties of the Next Solar Cycle

Based on the data from the Kodaikanal and Mount Wilson observatories, we investigate the relationships of the tilt angles of sunspot groups, including the mean tilt angle and the tilt-angle scatter, during the declining phase with the parameters of the next solar cycle (SC). The main findings are summarized in the following three points. (1) During the declining phase, the correlation between the mean tilt angle and the tilt-angle scatter is statistically insignificant. (2) Six quantities measured during the declining phase show significant anticorrelations with the strength and amplitude of the next SC and positive correlations with the duration of the ascending phase of the next SC: the standard deviation of the tilt angles, the rms tilt angle, the mean absolute value of the tilt angles, the area-weighted absolute value of the tilt angles, the latitude-weighted absolute value of the tilt angles, and the area- and latitude-weighted absolute value of the tilt angles. (3) The correlations of the mean tilt angle, the area-weighted tilt angle, the latitude-weighted tilt angle, and the area- and latitude-weighted tilt angle during the declining phase with the strength, amplitude, and duration of the ascending phase of the next SC are statistically insignificant. These findings demonstrate that the modulation of the parameters of the next SC by the tilt-angle scatter during the declining phase plays a vital role in regulating SC variability.

Impact of motions on floating wind turbine power production

Floating offshore wind opens new possibilities for harnessing wind energy in deeper waters where it is not feasible to install traditional fixed-bottom turbines. Accessing deeper waters enables the utilization of stronger and more consistent wind resources, potentially leading to higher energy production. However, one of the challenges of floating offshore wind is the impact of increased motions on floating turbine’s power. This paper addresses this challenge by investigating wind field reconstruction and motion compensation algorithms when using a nacelle lidar to characterize floating turbine inflow wind speed. The fully instrumented TetraSpar floating demonstrator with a 3.6 MW wind turbine and a nacelle lidar, offers a unique opportunity to investigate the effect of motions on power production. Observations from real measurements are complemented with numerical simulations, highlighting that motion-compensating for mean tilt angle is an effective correction for 10 min average power performance measurements. Results showed that mean tilt angles causing the lidar beams to shift upwards, result in overestimation of the estimated hub height wind speed if no motion compensation is applied. The paper also assesses the impact of motions induced by different sea states on power production.

How do novel plant growth regulators and cultivation models strategies affect mechanical strength, lodging resistance and maize productivity in semi-arid regions?

Plant growth regulators are synthetic compounds that have become a significant and technical guarantee for agricultural productivity. In China, "Jindeli", which contains active elements of ethephon and cycocel (EC), has been proven to prevent maize stem elongation, improve maize stem thickness, stem morphology and mechanical strength, root growth, lodging resistance, and yield under various cultivation models. Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6) can promote cell division and growth. From 2020–2021, four growth regulators sprays were used to conduct a field experiment; G1: water spraying; G2: EC spraying; G3: DA-6 spraying; G4: EC+DA-6 spraying under two cultivation models; R: ridge covered with plastic film mulching and T: traditional flat planting without plastic mulching. The results indicated that RG4 treatment considerably decreased plant height, internode length, ear height, lodging rate, and center of gravity height, while improved the internode bending strength, cross-sectional area, cortical thickness, and stem vascular bundles as compared with rest of all other treatments. RG4 treatment considerably improved internode diameter, stem mechanical strength, filling degree, root growth, mean tilt angle, and lignin content, while significantly reducing LAI. In addition, RG4 considerably enhanced the quality of corn stems, such as increasing mechanical properties and enhancing the compressive strength of corn stalks that content of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin has been increased. Furthermore, RG4 treatment significantly improved grain yield by optimizing leaf layer structure and increasing bleeding saps levels, increasing the grains per row and ear. Thus, under the RG4 treatment maize lodging rate was decreased 72.1%, and increased WUE (52.8%), and grain yield (46.6%). In conclusion, the results clearly demonstrate that in the semi-arid regions risk of lodging can be avoided by spraying EC+DA-6 with ridge covered plastic film mulching to the enriched stalk quality, shaping plant morphological characteristics, and proving a stable cultivation model to improving maize productivity.

Application of an analytical approach to characterize the target strength of ancillary pelagic fish species

The lack of data on the species-specific Target Strength (TS) on ancillary species limits the application of acoustic surveys in assessing their abundance and distribution worldwide. The TS values of Scomber colias and Trachurus mediterraneus in use in the Mediterranean Sea rely on studies conducted on other species in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Nevertheless, the application of backscattering models offers the possibility to overcome the absence of empirical data handling the parameters that most affect the TS. X-ray scans were performed on 82 specimens to get digital representations of the swimbladder and the fish body which were used as input for the application of the Kirchhoff Ray Mode model to measure the TS as a function of frequency and tilt angle. The morphometric differences between the two species produced divergent relative frequency responses and broadband TS patterns. Moreover, comparing the results with one ex-situ experiment, we found a good agreement considering a mean tilt angle of − 10°, standard deviation = 12°. Our results provide the first theoretical insights into the use of backscattering models as a tool to distinguish between species in the Mediterranean Sea by acoustic method, increasing the knowledge of the acoustic reflectivity of ancillary species.

Potential of Satellite Spectral Resolution Vegetation Indices for Estimation of Canopy Chlorophyll Content of Field Crops: Mitigating Effects of Leaf Angle Distribution

Accurate estimation of canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) is critically important for agricultural production management. However, vegetation indices derived from canopy reflectance are influenced by canopy structure, which limits their application across species and seasonality. For horizontally homogenous canopies such as field crops, LAI and leaf inclination angle distribution or leaf mean tilt angle (MTA) are two biophysical characteristics determining canopy structure. Since CCC is relevant to LAI, MTA is the only structural parameter affecting the correlation between CCC and vegetation indices. To date, there are few vegetation indices designed to minimize MTA effects for CCC estimation. Herein, in this study, CCC-sensitive and MTA-insensitive satellite broadband vegetation indices are developed for crop canopy chlorophyll content estimation. The most efficient broadband vegetation indices for four satellite sensors (Sentinel-2, RapidEye, WorldView-2 and GaoFen-6) with red edge channels were identified (in the context of various vegetation index types) using simulated satellite broadband reflectance based on field measurements and validated with PROSAIL model simulations. The results indicate that developed vegetation indices present strong correlations with CCC and weak correlations with MTA, with overall R2 of 0.76–0.80 and 0.84–0.95 for CCC and R2 of 0.00 and 0.00–0.04 in the field measured data and model simulations, respectively. The best vegetation indices identified in this study are the soil-adjusted index type index SAI (B6, B7) for Sentinel-2, Verrelts’s three-band spectral index type index BSI-V (NIR1, Red, Red Edge) for WorldView-2, Tian’s three-band spectral index type index BSI-T (Red Edge, Green, NIR) for RapidEye and difference index type index DI (B6, B4) for GaoFen-6. The identified indices can potentially be used for crop CCC estimation across species and seasonality. However, real satellite datasets and more crop species need to be tested in further studies.

Molecular Orientation of -PO3H2 and -COOH Functionalized Dyes on TiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, and ITO: A Comparative Study.

Modification of transparent metal oxide (MOx) surfaces with organic monolayers is widely employed to tailor the properties of interfaces in organic electronic devices, and MOx substrates modified with light-absorbing chromophores are a key component of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The effects of an organic modifier on the performance of a MOx-based device are frequently assessed by performing experiments on model monolayer|MOx interfaces, where an "inert" MOx (e.g., Al2O3) is used as a control for an "active" MOx (e.g., TiO2). An underlying assumption in these studies is that the structure of the MOx-monolayer complex is similar between different metal oxides. The validity of this assumption was examined in the present study. Using UV-Vis attenuated total reflection spectroscopy, we measured the mean dipole tilt angle of 4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene)diphosphonic acid (A1P) adsorbed on indium tin oxide (ITO), TiO2, ZrO2, and Al2O3. When the surface roughness of the MOx substrate and the surface coverage (𝛤) of the A1P film were constant, the molecular orientation of A1P was the same on these substrates. The study was extended to 4,4'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene)dicarboxylic acid (A1C) adsorbed on the same group of MOx substrates. The mean tilt angle of A1C and A1P films on ITO was the same, which is likely due the intermolecular interactions resulting from the high and approximately equal 𝛤 of both films. Comparing A1C films at the same 𝛤 on TiO2 and Al2O3 having the same surface roughness, there was no difference in the mean tilt angle. MD simulations of A1C and A1P on TiO2 produced nearly identical tilt angle distributions, which supports the experimental findings. This study provides first experimental support for the assumption that the structure of the MOx-modifer film is the same on an "active" substrate vs. a "inert" control substrate.

Flapless and Conjunctiva-Sparing Technique for Transscleral Fixation of Intraocular Lens to Correct Refractive Errors in Eyes without Adequate Capsular Support.

To evaluate refractive outcomes, intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation, and IOL position following a novel conjunctiva-sparing transscleral fixation technique. Forty-one eyes of 40 patients managed with a flapless transscleral-sutured technique were included. Preoperative and postoperative refractive errors (spherical equivalents, SE) were compared. IOL position was assessed on the Scheimpflug images. IOL power was calculated by SRK/T, Holladay 1, and Hoffer Q formulas. The mean age was 57.39 ± 14.83 years (range: 26 to 79 years), and the mean follow-up was 7.46 ± 6.42 months (range: 1 to 24 months). Surgical indications were aphakia (n = 14), subluxated lenses (n = 3), and IOL dislocation (n = 24). The SE was 4.50 ± 6.38 diopter (D) (range: -3.75 to 13.75 D) preoperatively and -1.68 ± 1.57 D (range: -5.50 to 1.13 D) postoperatively (P < 0.001). The mean tilt angle and decentration were 2.90° ± 1.93° (range: 0.39° to 9.10°) and 0.23 ± 0.19 mm (range: 0.02 to 0.94 mm) vertically, and 1.75° ± 1.41° (range: 0.24° to 7.65°) and 0.18 ± 0.19 mm (range: 0.02 to 1.06 mm) horizontally, which were clinically insignificant. All three IOL formulas produced myopic errors (range: -0.29 to -0.50 D). The SRK/T had the lowest median absolute error (0.55 D), followed by the Holladay 1 (0.70 D) and the Hoffer Q (0.74 D). The three formulas had the same percentage of prediction errors (PEs) within ±0.5 D (43.48%), while the Hoffer Q had the highest percentage of PEs within ±1.0 D (82.61%). The present technique can serve as an alternative approach for transscleral IOL fixation and refractive correction in eyes with compromised capsular support, ensuring the stability of IOLs and reasonable IOL power calculation accuracy.

Effects of preoperative spinopelvic compensation states on the patient-reported outcomes of adult spinal deformity surgery: three-dimensional motion analysis results.

This study aimed to investigate how preoperative motion analysis results affect the postoperative clinical outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD). Patients who underwent surgery for ASD and whose motion analysis results were available were included. All patients underwent preoperative three-dimensional gait analysis using a motion analysis system. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine the predictive parameters of the 12-month postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). According to the mean anterior pelvic tilt (Ant-PT) angle in the motion analysis, the patients were divided into two groups: small and high Ant-PT angle groups. The 12-month postoperative ODI between the two groups was compared. A total of 111 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. In the multivariate regression analysis, the preoperative sacral slope and mean Ant-PT angle were significant predictors of the 12-month postoperative ODI (p = 0.013 and p = 0.009, respectively). The high Ant-PT angle group showed a poorer 12-month postoperative ODI than did the small Ant-PT angle group, with a mean ODI of 21.9 ± 8.4 and 16.7 ± 8.5, respectively (p = 0.002). Simple linear regression analysis revealed that the Ant-PT angle was positively correlated with the postoperative sagittal vertical axis in all follow-up periods. The study highlights that a high preoperative Ant-PT angle in motion analyses is associated with poor clinical outcomes after surgery for ASD. Therefore, it is necessary to observe and consider the dynamic gait pattern related to the compensatory mechanism for sagittal imbalance in the decision-making process for ASD surgery.

Optimal irrigation amount can increase cotton lint yield by improving canopy structure and microenvironment under non-film deep drip irrigation

In the arid region of Northwest China, exploring the feasibility of using non-film deep drip irrigation (DDI) instead of film drip irrigation to solve the problem of residual film pollution is an urgent task. Therefore, in this study, we hypothesized that efficient and clean production can be achieved by optimizing the irrigation amount of non-film cotton, thus improving the canopy environment and increasing the accumulation and distribution of biomass. A 2-year field experiment was performed to compare the cotton canopy microenvironment, biomass accumulation, lint cotton yield and fibre quality attributes under various irrigation levels. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with five irrigation amount treatments (m3 ha−1): 2649 (W1); 2925 (W2); 3201 (W3); 3477 (W4); and 3753 (W5). The results revealed that an increase in the irrigation amount decreased the transmittance of canopy photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by 4.1–18.7%, while the cotton plant biomass (CPB) and reproductive organ biomass (ROB) were significantly increased by 7.6–5.9% and 22.0–54.1%, respectively. The fibre quality did not differ significantly among treatments. Moreover, under the W4 treatment, the leaf area index (LAI), mean tilt angle (MTA), canopy humidity and cotton lint yield were increased by 1.4–22.3%, 0.3–8.7%, 0.6–2.9% and 4.4–18.7%, respectively, and the canopy temperature was decreased by 0.2–2.2% as compared to the other treatments. The lint cotton yield was negatively correlated with the canopy humidity from the initial squaring stage to the full boll stage. This comprehensive evaluative analysis suggests that the optimal irrigation amount of non-film cotton is 3477 m3 ha−1 under the studied conditions, and this irrigation method is recommended as an alternative to film drip irrigation as it allows cotton to be planted without worrying about plastic pollution in irrigated agricultural areas. This study enriches the high-efficiency cotton planting technologies of non-film DDI and provides scientific guidance for the further popularization and application of non-film cotton.

Estimation of Canopy Structure of Field Crops Using Sentinel-2 Bands with Vegetation Indices and Machine Learning Algorithms

Leaf angle distribution (LAD), or the leaf mean tilt angle (MTA) capturing its central value, is used to quantify the direction of the leaf surface in a canopy and is one of the most important canopy structuraltraits. Combined with the other important structure parameter, leaf area index (LAI), LAD determines the light interception of a crop canopy. However, unlike LAI, only few studies have addressed the direct retrieval of LAD or MTA from remote sensing data. Recently, it has been shown that the red edge is a key spectral region where the effect of leaf angle on crop spectral reflectance can be separated from that of other structural variables. The Multispectral imager (MSI) onboard the Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite has two specially designed red-edge channels in this spectral region and thus can potentially be used for large-scale mapping of MTA at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Unfortunately, no field data on leaf angles at the scale of S2 pixel are available. Therefore, we simulated 5000 observations of different crops using the PROSAIL canopy reflectance model. Further, we used the MTA and LAI data of six crop species growing in 162 experimental plots in Finland and simulated their reflectance signal in S2 bands by resampling AISA airborne imaging spectroscopy data. Four common machine learning regression algorithms (random forest, support vector machine, multilayer perceptron network and partial least squares regression) were examined for retrieving canopy structure parameters, including leaf angle, from the simulated reflectances. Further, we analyzed the utility of 12 vegetation indices (VIs) well known to be sensitive to canopy structure for canopy structure estimation. Six of the studied indices used information from the visible part of the spectrum and the near infrared (NIR) while another six were selected to also utilize the red edge bands specific to S2. We found that S2 band 6 in the red edge had a strong correlation with MTA (R2 = 0.79 in model simulation and R2 = 0.87 in field measurements) but a low correlation with LAI (R2 = 0.07 in model simulation and R2= 0.06 in field measurements). Of the six red edge-based VIs, four (NDVIRE, CIRE, WDRVIRE and MSRRE) depended less on MTA than the visible NIR-based VIs and thus could be useful for estimating LAI for any LAD. The other two red edge-based VIs, IRECI and S2REP, had stronger correlations with MTA (R2 = 0.67 and 0.52, respectively) than LAI (R2 = 0.24 and 0.19, respectively). Additionally, MTA was accurately estimated (RMSE = 1.1–2.4° in model simulations and RMSE = 2.2–3.9° in field measurements) using the four 10 m spatial resolution bands with the RF, SVM and MLP algorithms, without information in the red edge. These promising results indicate the capability of S2 in accurately mapping the MTA of field crops on a large scale.

Pulmonary Veins Morphometric Characteristics and Spatial Orientation Influence on Its Cryoballoon Isolation Results.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effect of pulmonary vein (PV) morphometric characteristics and spatial orientation on the results of cryoballoon ablation (CBA). Methods: A randomized, prospective, single-center controlled study was conducted, enrolling 230 patients with drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared procedural and long-term outcomes in patients who underwent their first procedure of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for AF with either radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (n = 108) or CBA (n = 122) and assessed their interaction with the different pattern of PV anatomy, morphometric characteristics, and spatial orientation. The primary efficacy endpoint was any documented atrial arrhythmia recurrence (AF, atrial flutter, or atrial tachycardia) lasting over 30 s during a 12-month follow-up after a 90-day blanking period and discontinuation of antiarrhythmic drugs. The procedure’s endpoint was the achievement of PVI. Before the intervention, all patients underwent computed tomography (CT) to assess the PV anatomical variant, maximum and minimum diameters of the PV’s ostia, their cross-sectional area, orifice ovality index, and PV tilt angles. Results: The mean follow-up period was 14 months (12; 24). Long-term efficacy in the cryoablation group was 78.8% and in the RFA group—83.3% (OR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.41–1.3; p = 0.31). The RFA results did not depend on PV anatomy. The «difficult» occlusion of the right inferior PV (RIPV) occurred in 12 patients and was associated with a more horizontal PV position in the frontal plane; the mean tilt angle was −15.2 ± 6.2° versus −26.5 ± 6.3° in the absence of technical difficulties (p = 0.0001). In 11 cases (9%), during ablation of the right superior PV (RSPV), phrenic nerve injury (PNI) occurred and was associated with the maximum and minimum RSPV diameter, 20.0–20.4 mm (OR = 13.2; 95% CI: 4.7–41.9, p < 0.05) and 17.5–20 mm (OR = 12.5; 95% CI 3.4–51, p < 0.05), respectively. Patients with arrhythmia recurrence were characterized by significantly larger diameters and ovality of the left superior PV (LSPV). The spatial orientation of the PV does not affect the long-term results of cryoablation. Conclusion: Preprocedural evaluation of PV morphology and orientation using cardiac CT might help choose the optimal technology for the individual patient.

Role of observable nonlinearities in solar cycle modulation

Context. Two candidate mechanisms have recently been considered with regard to the nonlinear modulation of solar cycle amplitudes. Tilt quenching (TQ) comprises the negative feedback between the cycle amplitude and the mean tilt angle of bipolar active regions relative to the azimuthal direction. Latitude quenching (LQ) consists of a positive correlation between the cycle amplitude and average emergence latitude of active regions. Aims. Here, we explore the relative importance and the determining factors behind the LQ and TQ effects. Methods. We systematically probed the degree of nonlinearity induced by TQ and LQ, as well as a combination of both using a grid based on surface flux transport (SFT) models. The roles played by TQ and LQ are also explored in the successful 2×2D dynamo model, which has been optimized to reproduce the statistical behaviour of real solar cycles. Results. The relative importance of LQ versus TQ is found to correlate with the ratio u0/η in the SFT model grid, where u0 is the meridional flow amplitude and η is the diffusivity. An analytical interpretation of this result is given, further demonstrating that the main underlying parameter is the dynamo effectivity range, λR, which is, in turn, determined by the ratio of equatorial flow divergence to diffusivity. The relative importance of LQ versus TQ is shown to scale as $ C_1+C_2/\lambda_R^2 $. The presence of a latitude quenching effect is seen in the 2×2D dynamo, contributing to the nonlinear modulation by an amount that is comparable to TQ. For other dynamo and SFT models considered in the literature, the contribution of LQ to the modulation covers a broad range – from entirely insignificant to serving as a dominant source of feedback. On the other hand, the contribution of a TQ effect (with the usually assumed amplitude) is never shown to be negligible.

Estimation of leaf area index using inclined smartphone camera

Measurements of leaf area index (LAI) are important for modeling microclimate in vegetation research. Among the instruments for measuring the LAI, smartphone cameras are becoming an attractive alternative to special LAI instruments. However, the narrow full field of view (FOV) of the common smartphones offer only an effective viewing zenith angle (VZA) of less than 35° when the camera is pointing straight up. To overcome this limitation, we propose a method to estimate LAI from an inclined smartphone camera that can enlarge the range of the sensor’s effective VZA. With the directional gap fractions extracted from the images taken by the inclined smartphone camera, a curve matching algorithm is used to iteratively search for the simulated G functions, i.e. functions of mean tilt angle (MTA) and VZA. The MTAs corresponding to the matched G functions are selected as ancillary parameters to help calculate the LAI. The proposed method is validated using data collected over crops and trees by a LAI-2200 instrument and a Huawei Honor 7 smartphone. The results reveal that an inclination angle of 30° from zenith is superior to other angles of 0, 45 and 60°. A good agreement between the LAI measurements from the proposed method and those from the LAI-2200 supports the accurate estimation of MTAs. The success of the MTA estimates and thus LAI measurements is attributed to the enlarged VZA ranging from 4° to 60°, and this VZA is comparable with that of the LAI-2200 instrument. The attraction of the proposed method is that it does not rely on the empiric al G value or MTA, providing an affordable alternative to traditional commercial instruments. Future efforts can be directed to automatically capture images when the smartphone is inclined to the desired angle.

Investigation of the floating IEA Wind 15 MW RWT using vortex methods Part I: Flow regimes and wake recovery

AbstractFloating wind turbines have the potential to enable global exploitation of offshore wind energy, but there is a need to further understand the complex aerodynamic phenomena they can encounter due to floater induced rotor motion. Aerodynamic models traditionally used in the wind energy sector, like the Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory, may not be capable of capturing the dynamic phenomena that occur when the rotor moves in and out of its own wake. In the present paper, we therefore compare an industry standard BEM‐based code to a state of the art vortex solver, to investigate the phenomena in detail and further clarify the capabilities and limitations of both methods. An initial benchmark of the two codes using the IEA Wind 15 MW RWT mounted on the WindCrete spar‐buoy floater is carried out. Three different scenarios are taken into account: a bottom‐fixed, a floating case, and a floating case subject to regular waves. Growing discrepancies between the codes have been observed with the increasing complexity of the simulations. Moreover, large differences between the wake generated by a bottom fixed and a floating turbine have been observed, with the latter one experiencing a faster recovery. To further explore the floating turbines behaviors that can affect the rotor performance and wake, a systematic investigation of the mean tilt angle influence in the wake development has been carried out. Further, to account for the oscillatory motion of a floating turbine, a parametric study where the floater motion is prescribed in both pitch and surge degrees of freedom (DoF) is designed. The study covers a large variety of scenarios; a wide range of relevant frequencies and amplitudes are taken into account in under and above‐rated wind conditions. A total of more than 28 unique cases have been defined and simulated with both fidelity models. The results include the downstream evolution of the wake recovery and intensity of the turbulent disturbances induced by the rotor. The generic nature of the study allows to characterize the flow and performance effects and enables subsequent generalization to floater designs of given natural frequency and motion amplitude. It has been found that the BEM and LL predictions of the maximum loading in the blade root and tower bottom compare quite well, except for the case of large oscillation frequency in above rated conditions, where the BEM method under‐predicts the loads. Moreover, the use of a vortex solver makes it possible to look in depth into the wake characteristics, in which large differences are observed between the bottom‐fixed and the floating case in non‐turbulent inflow conditions. It has been found that the frequency and amplitude of the turbine oscillations can have a strong impact on the recovery of the wake. Moreover, we have found a link between short time intervals of large FA blade tip displacements and a faster break down of the wake. Finally it has been shown that a floating wind turbine with large and fast oscillations can transition between the different rotor states, including the non‐conventional propeller and vortex ring states, which are identified and characterized.

Cochlear Pathomorphogenesis of Incomplete Partition Type II in Slc26a4-Null Mice.

Incomplete partition type II (IP-II) is frequently identified in ears with SLC26A4 mutations. Cochleae with IP-II are generally observed to have 1½ turns; the basal turns are normally formed, and the apical turn is dilated or cystic. The objective of this study was to characterize the pathomorphogenesis of the IP-II cochlear anomaly in Slc26a4-null mice. Otic capsules were dissected from Slc26a4Δ/+ and Slc26a4Δ/Δ mice at 1 and 8days of age and at 1 and 3months of age. X-ray micro-computed tomography was used to image samples. We used a multiplanar view and three-dimensional reconstructed models to calculate the cochlear duct length, cochlear turn rotation angle, and modiolus tilt angle. The number of inner hair cells was counted, and the length of the cochlear duct was measured in a whole-mount preparation of the membranous labyrinth. X-ray micro-computed tomography mid-modiolar planar views demonstrated cystic apical turns in Slc26a4Δ/Δ mice resulting from the loss or deossification of the interscalar septum, which morphologically resembles IP-II in humans. Planes vertical to the modiolus showed a similar mean rotation angle between Slc26a4Δ/+ and Slc26a4Δ/Δ mice. In contrast, the mean cochlear duct length and mean number of inner hair cells in Slc26a4Δ/Δ mice were significantly smaller than in Slc26a4Δ/+ mice. In addition, there were significant differences in the mean tilt angle and mean width of the modiolus. Our analysis of Slc26a4-null mice suggests that IP-II in humans reflects loss or deossification of the interscalar septum but not a decreased number of cochlear turns.

Influence of Intraspecific Competition Stress on Soil Fungal Diversity and Composition in Relation to Tree Growth and Soil Fertility in Sub-Tropical Soils under Chinese Fir Monoculture

Soil microorganisms provide valuable ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, soil remediation, and biotic and abiotic stress resistance. There is increasing interest in exploring total belowground biodiversity across ecological scales to understand better how different ecological aspects, such as stand density, soil properties, soil depth, and plant growth parameters, influence belowground communities. In various environments, microbial components of belowground communities, such as soil fungi, respond differently to soil features; however, little is known about their response to standing density and vertical soil profiles in a Chinese fir monoculture plantation. This research examined the assemblage of soil fungal communities in different density stands (high, intermediate, and low) and soil depth profiles (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm). This research also looked into the relationship between soil fungi and tree canopy characteristics (mean tilt angle of the leaf (MTA), leaf area index (LAI), and canopy openness index (DIFN)), and general growth parameters, such as diameter, height, and biomass. The results showed that low-density stand soil had higher fungal alpha diversity than intermediate- and high-density stand soils. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mucromycota, and Mortierellomycota were the most common phyla of the soil fungal communities, in that order. Saitozyma, Penicillium, Umbelopsis, and Talaromyces were the most abundant fungal genera. Stand density composition was the dominant factor in changing fungal community structure compared to soil properties and soil depth profiles. The most significant soil elements in soil fungal community alterations were macronutrients. In addition, the canopy openness index and fungal community structure have a positive association in the low-density stand. Soil biota is a nutrient cycling driver that can promote better plant growth in forest ecosystems by supporting nutrient cycling. Hence, this research will be critical in understanding soil fungal dynamics, improving stand growth and productivity, and improving soil quality in intensively managed Chinese fir plantations.

Improving maize grain yield by formulating plant growth regulator strategies in North China

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are artificially synthesized compounds that have become an important technical guarantee for agricultural production. EDAH (containing 27% ethephon and 3% DA-6) has been proven to inhibit stalk elongation, promote stalk bold and increase mechanical strength and number of vascular bundles. DA-6 could enhance plant photosynthetic capacity and promote cell division and growth. In our study, experiments were performed at summer maize growing season during 2018–2019. The result showed that plant height, ear height and center of gravity height of maize with EDAH+DA-6 treatment were decreased by 10.18, 16.77 and 13.21%, respectively; leaf area and leaf area index also significantly (P<0.001) decreased by 24.11 and 60.15%, respectively; the value of mean tilt angle significantly (P<0.001) increased by 16.72% compared with the control plants, which meant that EDAH+DA-6 could shape more compact plant type. Therefore, lodging rate of maize with EDAH+DA-6 treatment decreased by 6.95% compared with control plants, and the grain yield was increased by 15.51%. In addition, EDAH+DA-6 treatment significantly improved the quality of maize base stalks, such as improving mechanical properties, which increased maize base stalk crushing strength by 22.23%; increased the hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin contents by 6.93, 3.87 and 30.21%, respectively. In conclusion, EDAH+DA-6 treatment could improve summer maize yield by shaping plant morphological characteristics and group photosynthesis.

Gaze-evoked deformations of the optic nerve head in thyroid eye disease

PurposeTo assess gaze evoked deformations of the optic nerve head (ONH) in thyroid eye disease (TED), using computational modelling and optical coherence tomography (OCT).MethodsMultiple finite element models were constructed: one...

Simultaneous measurements of corn leaf area index and mean tilt angle from multi-directional sunlit and shaded fractions using downward-looking photography

Accurate, efficient, timely, and affordable measurements of crop structural parameters such as leaf area index (LAI) and mean tilt angle (MTA) are needed for crop growth modeling and precision field management. In this paper, a novel method was proposed to simultaneously measure corn (Zea mays L.) LAI and MTA using a low-cost indirect approach. The proposed method is based on multi-directional fractions of sunlit and shaded leaf and soil components obtained from nadir-viewing field photos captured under different solar angles. LAI and MTA were retrieved using a look-up-table (LUT) established using a Pov-Ray based geometrical canopy model. The method was validated using LAI-2200C field-measured data. Results showed that the estimated LAI were consistent with the LAI-2200C measurements, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.11, relative MAE (RMAE) of 5%, and coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.89. The estimated average MTA was also close to that measured using the LAI-2200C, with the MAE of 5.9°, RMAE of 11% and R2 of 0.40. The proposed method provides accurate and efficient measurements of corn crop structural parameters. Thus, it is recommended as an affordable and effective field data collection method.

A novel plant growth regulator improves the grain yield of high-density maize crops by reducing stalk lodging and promoting a compact plant type

• DHEAP is a novel plant growth regulator. • DHEAP improved maize lodging resistance. • DHEAP shaped a compact maize plant type. • DHEAP is helpful to increases summer maize planting density in NCP. Increasing the planting density (PD) of maize ( Zea mays L.) crops is the most efficient method for enhancing maize grain yield, but supra-optimum PD leads to an increase in lodged maize, which alters the maize canopy structure. In this study, N, N-Diethyl-2-hexanoyl oxygen radicals-ethyl amine (2-ethyl chloride) phosphonic acid salt (DHEAP, a single compound), a novel plant growth regulator, was sprayed at the seven-expanded-leaf stage under two different PDs (75,000, and 90,000 plants ha -1 ) using two maize hybrids, ZD958 (lodging-resistance) and XY335 (lodging-susceptible), to reduce maize lodging rates and improve the maize canopy structure under high PD. After DHEAP treatment, the maize lodging rate of ZD958 and XY335 decreased by 70.87% and 75.22%, respectively, through a change in the morphological structure (i.e., reduced plant and ear heights and increased mean tilt angle) and an improvement in the basal internode quality (i.e., increased diameter, dry weight per unit length, crushing strength, cellulose content, lignin content, and vascular area, and reduced length). In addition, DHEAP treatment significantly reduced gibberellin (GA 3 ) contents in maize basal internodes. Moreover, the increase in the mean tilt angle (MTA) above the maize ear leaf after DHEAP treatment improved the light penetration in the middle leaf strata, which increased the chlorophyll content (SPAD), net photosynthetic rate (P n ), and Rubisco enzyme activities. Finally, DHEAP treatment increased the grain yield of ZD958 and XY335 under 90,000 PD by 22.28% and 43.14%, respectively. Thus, it was concluded that the spraying of DHEAP effectively reduced maize lodging rates and improved the photosynthetic performance of the maize ear leaf, which increased maize grain yield under high PDs.