Volume Increment Research Articles

Wall-to-Wall Mapping of Forest Biomass and Wood Volume Increment in Italy

Several political initiatives aim to achieve net-zero emissions by the middle of the twenty-first century. In this context, forests are crucial as a carbon sink to store unavoidable emissions. Assessing the carbon sequestration potential of forest ecosystems is pivotal to the availability of accurate forest variable estimates for supporting international reporting and appropriate forest management strategies. Spatially explicit estimates are even more important for Mediterranean countries such as Italy, where the capacity of forests to act as sinks is decreasing due to climate change. This study aimed to develop a spatial approach to obtain high-resolution maps of Italian forest above-ground biomass (ITA-BIO) and current annual volume increment (ITA-CAI), based on remotely sensed and meteorological data. The ITA-BIO estimates were compared with those obtained with two available biomass maps developed in the framework of two international projects (i.e., the Joint Research Center and the European Space Agency biomass maps, namely, JRC-BIO and ESA-BIO). The estimates from ITA-BIO, JRC-BIO, ESA-BIO, and ITA-CAI were compared with the 2nd Italian NFI (INFC) official estimates at regional level (NUT2). The estimates from ITA-BIO are in good agreement with the INFC estimates (R2 = 0.95, mean difference = 3.8 t ha−1), while for JRC-BIO and ESA-BIO, the estimates show R2 of 0.90 and 0.70, respectively, and mean differences of 13.5 and of 21.8 t ha−1 with respect to the INFC estimates. ITA-CAI estimates are also in good agreement with the INFC estimates (R2 = 0.93), even if they tend to be slightly biased. The produced maps are hosted on a web-based forest resources management Decision Support System developed under the project AGRIDIGIT (ForestView) and represent a key element in supporting the new Green Deal in Italy, the European Forest Strategy 2030 and the Italian Forest Strategy.

Relationships between soils and productivity of NSW blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis Sm.) forests

Relationships between site factors, soil and foliage nutrients and growth using growth plots established in pure regrowth blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) on the North Coast of NSW were analysed. The plots were located on five different soil parent materials and were part of research into Eucalyptus stand growth dynamics. When all the plots were combined growth (basal area and volume) were related to rainfall, and elevation. Growth was related to soil texture with lower growth on soils high in sand. Growth rate (periodic annual increment) was related to soil nutrients with the highest correlations with soil total phosphorus. The relationships between growth and growth rates and soil parameters differed with soil parent material with texture, soil rooting depth, total phosphorus concentration and exchangeable calcium important factors. The relationships between soil nutrient quantities (kg ha−1) to 40 cm soil depth and volume mean annual increment were analysed, this providing a method to quantitatively related nutrients in biomass or harvesting removals. There was a positive correlation between volume increment and soil nitrogen on soils derived from sands but not on other parent materials where phosphorus and calcium were positively correlated. It was estimated that if the quantity of P and Ca accumulated in stem biomass at age 50 years were removed it would only potentially affect growth by 0.48% on soils derived from sedimentary rocks but by 12% on granitic soils. The information may used to develop an estimate of sensitively to change in site as a result of management practices. Growth was analysed in relation to foliage nutrients and foliage phosphorus was the nutrient most significantly (positively) related to growth with nitrogen and cations positively related but to a lower level of significance. Manganese concentrations were negatively correlated with growth. There is no clear answer to what limits the spatial extent of blackbutt especially at the fertile end of the spectrum, that is, why is it not found on very fertile soils? The question also arises as to whether populations on different soil types, although in close proximity, are different provenances.

Pore Structure Characteristics and Permeability Stress Sensitivity of Jurassic Continental Shale of Dongyuemiao Member of Ziliujing Formation, Fuxing Area, Eastern Sichuan Basin

A shale condensate gas reservoir with a high clay content and a high formation pressure was found in the Jurassic shale of the Dongyuemiao Member in the Fuxing area of the eastern Sichuan Basin. Reservoir characteristics and formation pressure have a significant influence on optimal development. The present study investigated the continental shale of the Dongyuemiao Member in Well F. The petrological properties, physical properties, and pore structure of the Dongyuemiao Member were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), N2 adsorption, and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The permeability stress sensitivity characteristics of the shale reservoirs are discussed based on the change in shale porosity and permeability under overburden pressure. The tested shale samples yielded total organic carbon (TOC) and S1 + S2 values ranging mainly from 1.0 wt.% to 1.5 wt.% and from 0.39 to 2.28 mg/g, respectively, which was in the high maturity stage of the thermal evolution of organic matter (OM). The shales of the Dongyuemiao Member were found to contain high average clay mineral contents (more than 50%) of calcite and quartz, as well as albite, pyrite, dolomite, and halite. The main developments were identified as silica-rich argillaceous shale lithofacies, argillaceous shale lithofacies, and mixed argillaceous shale lithofacies. The pores were found to mainly be plate-like and flake-like interlayer pores of clay minerals and OM pores with various shapes. The pore size was mainly concentrated below 110 nm, and the pore volume increment increased in flakes with pore diameter. The average porosity and permeability of shale were found to be 4.827% and 0.243 mD, respectively. Clay minerals and quartz are beneficial for improving the porosity and permeability of reservoirs, while carbonate minerals have the opposite effect. The permeability of the shale showed a negative exponential change with increasing effective stress under overburden pressure. When the effective confining pressure was greater than 20 MPa, the decline rate of the shale permeability decreased with increases in the effective stress. The higher the clay mineral and TOC content, the stronger the stress sensitivity of shale permeability. The higher the carbonate mineral content, the weaker the stress sensitivity of shale permeability. The porosity sensitivity exponent indicates that matrix pores and micro-fractures are both developed in the Dongyuemiao Member, and the development of internal fractures is the main factor in the strong stress sensitivity of the shale permeability in the study area.

Optimization of collector area and storage volume in domestic solar water heating systems with on–off control—A thermal energy analysis based on a pre-specified system performance

Numerical simulations of solar water heating systems using on–off control were performed for four locations in the Portuguese territory, two collector types, and a wide range of parameters. Two main design parameters were considered: the collector area and the storage volume. An innovative technique was used to investigate the relationship between system performance and system parameters: a pre-specified annual solar fraction is selected and the optimal parameters needed to achieve this solar fraction are then computed. The optimum collector area is almost always higher for a double-glazed than for a single-glazed collector, suggesting that in Portugal, the single-glazed type is more effective for most solar water heating applications. This fact is more significant for lower solar fractions and warmer climates. A small increase in the optimum collector area leads to a very strong decrease in the optimum storage volume (an area increase of 1% leads to a volume decrease of 27%). Collector flow rate and storage volume increments result in lower collector areas. However, high flow rates lead to high pumping losses and lower collector efficiencies, and when the storage tank losses are significant, higher tank sizes may lead to higher collector areas. The solar fraction has a very strong impact on the collector area and storage volume (when the solar fraction increases from 0.5 to 0.99, the optimum collector area and storage volume increase about 17 and 56 times, respectively).

Crystallization Kinetics on Melt Spun and HPT-Processed Zr62Cu22Al10Fe5Dy1 Metallic Glass

The influence of conventional and accumulative HPT (Acc. HPT) process on structural properties of Zr62Cu22Al10Fe5Dy1 metallic glass (MG) phase is examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The XRD results showed that HPT process leads to free volume generation in MG. Free volume increases with the number of anvil turns in the conventional HPT process, while the highest free volume increment was observed in Acc. HPT process. To understand the role of latent crystalline phases on free volume, thermal stability and crystallization kinetics of Zr62Cu22Al10Fe5Dy1 MG are investigated by non-isothermal heating using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thermal investigation indicates Dy addition results in increased activation energy along with lower nucleation rate during crystallization. As the initial amorphous phase significantly influences crystallization behavior, d-spacing analysis of amorphous hump is carried out to predict latent crystalline phases. Strong correlation was observed between latent crystalline phases and intermetallic compounds in devitrified Zr62Cu22Al10Fe5Dy1 alloy.

Urology Residents' Perspectives on the In-House On-Call Systems: A Study in an Accredited Academic Center.

Medical education and training are crucial in maintaining patients' safety and improving patient care quality. Multiple studies have evaluated the effects of restrictive policies on the resident's quality of life and education. Due to the compiling data and the fact that these trials evaluated programs with a substantial number of residents, it remains uncertain whether these conclusions can be extended to urology programs with a small number of residents. Multiple on-call systems have been adopted in residency programs across the world. This study evaluated the residents' quality of life, clinical experience, and education upon transitioning from 24-hour to 12-hour in-house on-call systems. In this observational and questionnaire-based study, the effect of the transition from 24-hour to 12-hour in-house on-call systems was compared in terms of the resident's quality of life and education, surgical case volume, and working hours' rules compliance. Quality of life and education: We adopted a validated survey based on a 5-point Likert scale to assess the residents' perception of the transition to a 12-hour on-call system on their quality of life and education. Surgical case volume: We extracted the number of cases the residents operated on from the operating theater database at our institution. Working hours: compliance and violations: The weekly working hours, compliance, and violations per ACGME-I rules were collected from the MedHub platform. Quality of life and education: Residents rated the 12-hour on-call system superior in terms of quality of life, education, and surgical case volume. Surgical case volume: There was a 45% increment in the surgical case volume (p=0.04) with the 12-hour on-call system. Working hours: compliance and violations There was no significant difference in the mean weekly working hours (p=0.1). However, the total number of duty hours violations decreased in the 12-hour on-call system. The 12-hour system is a better alternative to the 24-hour system in terms of the resident's quality of life, education, surgical case volume, and compliance with duty hour rules.

Ab initio study of RaWO4: Comparison with isoelectronic tungstates

We performed first-principles calculations to study several physical properties of the scheelite RaWO4 tungstate at ambient pressure. This work provides new information that contributes to a better understanding of a compound that is very difficult to synthesize experimentally due to the radioactivity of radium. According to our results from elastic constants and phonon dispersion relation, RaWO4 meets the criteria to be elastically and dynamically stable. RaWO4 behaves as a wide band-gap semiconductor with an energy band-gap value of Eg ​= ​4.65 ​eV, close to other AWO4 tungstates and many other ABO4 compounds. Our results demonstrate that RaWO4 presents a ductile behavior with relatively small values of B, G, E, and HV, which are similar to those reported for BaWO4. Also, we performed the same characterization for isoelectronic tungstates AWO4 (A ​= ​Ca, Sr, Ba) to compare with RaWO4. We found an increasing linear trend of structural parameters, electronic band-gap, and elastic anisotropy with the ionic radius of the cation A. Such behavior occurs due to the increment of AO8 polyhedra volume. In contrast, we observed the opposite behavior in the elastic constants and mechanical properties. The calculations showed that as the ionic radius of cation A increases, the Laplacian of charge density (∇2ρ) of A–O bonds decreases, which means that A–O bonds become weaker, at the same time the ionicity decreases from CaWO4 to RaWO4. In addition, we computed the Bader charges to complement our study and analyze the behavior of the internal stretching modes (ν1 and ν3) of the WO4 polyhedra.

Modeling Tree Growth Responses to Climate Change: A Case Study in Natural Deciduous Mountain Forests

Climate change has significant effects on forest ecosystems around the world. Since tree diameter increment determines forest volume increment and ultimately forest production, an accurate estimate of this variable under future climate change is of great importance for sustainable forest management. In this study, we modeled tree diameter increment under the effects of current and expected future climate change, using multilayer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural networks and linear mixed-effect model in two sites of the Hyrcanian Forest, northern Iran. Using 573 monitoring fixed-area (0.1 ha) plots, we measured and calculated biotic and abiotic factors (i.e., diameter at breast height (DBH), basal area in the largest trees (BAL), basal area (BA), elevation, aspect, slope, precipitation, and temperature). We investigated the effect of climate change in the year 2070 under two reference scenarios; RCP 4.5 (an intermediate scenario) and RCP 8.5 (an extreme scenario) due to the uncertainty caused by the general circulation models. According to the scenarios of climate change, the amount of annual precipitation and temperature during the study period will increase by 12.18 mm and 1.77 °C, respectively. Further, the results showed that the impact of predicted climate change was not very noticeable and the growth at the end of the period decreased by only about 7% annually. The effect of precipitation and temperature on the growth rate, in fact, neutralize each other, and therefore, the growth rate does not change significantly at the end of the period compared to the beginning. Based on the models’ predictions, the MLP model performed better compared to the linear mixed-effect model in predicting tree diameter increment.

Contrast volume and in-hospital outcomes of dialysis patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Toxicity resulting from retained contrast media may cause adverse cardiovascular outcomes (e.g., heart failure and cardiogenic shock) for dialysis patients. However, the association between the administered contrast volume and outcomes of dialysis patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been sufficiently investigated. We evaluated 953 consecutive dialysis patients (age, 67.9 ± 9.9 years; 30.1% with acute coronary syndrome) who underwent PCI between September 2008 and March 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: those with a contrast volume ≥ 200 ml and those with a contrast volume < 200 ml. The cutoff was 200 ml because 100 ml increment of contrast volume is known to raise the risk of acute kidney injury, and 200 ml is more than the average volume used at most PCI centers. The primary endpoint was a composite of in-hospital death, post-PCI cardiogenic shock and post-PCI heart failure. A multivariable logistic regression model and smooth spline curve were constructed to assess the association between contrast volume and the primary endpoint. The median contrast volume was 157 ml (interquartile range, 115–210 ml). The overall primary endpoint incidence was 6.8% (N = 65). A contrast volume ≥ 200 ml was associated with a higher risk of the primary endpoint (odds ratio 2.91; 95% confidence interval 1.42–6.05; P = 0.004). The smooth spline curve demonstrated a linear relationship between the contrast volume and primary endpoint. In conclusions, the contrast volume was associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes of dialysis patients undergoing PCI. Attention should be focused on the contrast volume used for dialysis patients undergoing PCI.

Combining forest growth models and remotely sensed data through a hierarchical model-based inferential framework

Large-area growth estimates can be obtained by coupling growth model predictions with wall-to-wall remotely sensed auxiliary variables through a generalized hierarchical model-based (GHMB) inferential framework. So far, most GHMB variance estimators do not account for the residual errors of the submodels and their spatial correlations. This likely induces an underestimation of the true variance of the point estimator. In this study, we provide an example of large-area growth estimation obtained through the GHMB framework. To do this, we developed a new variance estimator that accounts for residual errors as well as potential spatial correlations among them. We tested this variance estimator through a simulation study and then used it to estimate the annual volume increment for a forest management unit in Quebec, Canada. Our results show that, contrary to our expectation, neglecting the residual errors of the different submodels leads to overestimating the true variance of the point estimator. We observed increases in the overestimation with small populations and spatially correlated residual errors. Our developed variance estimator corrected this overestimation and made it possible to derive reliable confidence intervals for annual volume increments at the population level.

Effect of Species Composition on Growth and Yield in Mixed Beech–Coniferous Stands

Research Highlights: In mixed stands, competitive and supportive relationships occur between trees, illustrated by their dendrometric characteristics. Background and Objectives: We investigated the effect of species composition on growth and yield in mixed beech–coniferous stands in the Romanian Carpathians. Materials and Methods: We selected sites with similar trophicity levels, as determined by the site mapping method. Under the same site conditions, we generated models to determine, for each species (spruce, fir, and beech), the main parameters of the site index, including mean height, dominant height, standing volume yield, and mean annual volume increment for different compositional species proportions (psp) and categories of proportions (i.e., low psp, between 10 and 50%, and high psp, ranging between 60 and 90%). Results: Overall, up to the age of 100 years, mixed stands with low psp had enhanced tree height growth, characterized by mean values 2.2% higher for spruce and 4.8% higher for fir and beech. Dominant height showed similar values, regardless of psp. Mixed stands in which the psp increased (i.e., psp &gt; 50) were more productive, with the mean yield differences at the age of 100 years ranging from +1.7% (for fir) to +3.8% (for spruce and beech), increasing to +6% at 140 years. Conclusions: When setting management targets, the management of mixed forests should be based on an understanding of the relationship between the site, species ecological requirements, and their yield potential. Mixed stands can influence individual tree growth and stand yield through psp.

No matter how much space and light are available, radial growth distribution in Fagus sylvatica L. trees is under strong biomechanical control

Key messageThis study presents the first attempt to quantify how the thigmomorphogenetic syndrome is involved in Fagus sylvatica L. tree growth responses to thinning. An experimental design preventing mechanosensing in half of the trees demonstrated that radial growth distribution in roots and along the tree stem is under strong biomechanical control.ContextStudies on the mechanosensitive control of growth under real forest conditions are rare and those existing to date all deal with conifer species. In the current context of global changes, it is important to disentangle how different biotic and abiotic factors affect tree growth.AimsWhereas growth changes after thinning are usually interpreted as responses to decreased competition for resources, this study investigates the importance of how mechanosensing controls growth distribution inside the tree.MethodsIn an even-aged beech stand, 40 pole-sized trees (size class at first thinning) were selected, half of the plot was thinned and, within each sub-plot (thinned and unthinned), half of the tree were guy-wired in order to remove mechanical stimulations to the lower part of the stem. Four years later, all trees were felled and volume increment, ring width distribution along the tree height, and the largest ring width of the structural roots were measured. The effect of mechanical stimulation in the two treatments (thinned and unthinned) was assessed.ResultsRemoval of mechanical stimulation decreased the volume increment in the lower part of the stem as well as radial root growth but did not affect axial growth. When mechanical strain was removed, the ring width distribution along the stem height changed drastically to an ice-cream cone-like distribution, indicating a strong mechanosensitive control of tree shape.ConclusionIn a forest stand, the growth allocation inside the tree is under strong mechanical control. Mechanical stimulations explain more than 50% of the increment stimulated by thinning, whatever the growth indicator. A further challenge is to better understand how cambial cells perceive strains during growth in order to integrate mechanosensing into process-based tree-growth modeling.

Ultrasound-guided hydrodilatation of glenohumeral joint combined with acupotomy for treatment of frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder (FS), also known as shoulder adhesive capsulitis, is a musculoskeletal disorder associated with pain and functional disability. There is a lack of evidence on the optimal treatment strategy for FS. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided hydrodilatation of glenohumeral joint combined with acupotomy for treatment of FS. In this prospective randomized, double-blind, controlled study, 63 FS patients were recruited, and equally allocated to treatment group and control group. The treatment group was treated with ultrasound-guided hydrodilatation of glenohumeral joint combined with acupotomy, while the control group was only treated with ultrasound-guided hydrodilatation of glenohumeral joint. The pain and mobility of shoulder, overall efficacy and adverse reactions were evaluated 3 months after treatment. At baseline, no significant difference in all characteristic value was found between the treatment group (n= 33) and control group (n= 30). Three months after operation, the joint's Active Range of Motion (AROM) and Constant-Murley Scale (CMS) scores in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the coracohumeral ligament (CHL) thickness and the rate of hypoechoic thickening in rotator cuff space in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (all P< 0.05). The amount of injection volume at the third hydrodilatation was significantly higher in the experimental group than that in the control group (15.8 ± 4.7 vs 12.2 ± 5.2, P= 0.03). After 2 times of treatment, the volume increment of glenohumeral joint Δ2 in the experimental group was greater than that in the control group (3.5 ± 1.8 vs 1.2 ± 1.6, P< 0.001). There were significant differences in the effective rate between the two groups (93.94% vs. 76.67%, P= 0.04). The ultrasound-guided hydrodilatation of glenohumeral joint combined with acupotomy may benefit FS patients.

Coal bottom ash concrete: Mechanical properties and cracking mechanism of concrete subjected to cyclic load test

Coal waste has gained interest as an alternative aggregate for concrete production. Still, a topic that has been less researched is the serviceability of concrete containing coal waste, and the main concern is whether the namely coal bottom ash (CBA) aggregate affects the cracking of concrete beams. This research aims to elucidate the mechanical properties of concrete with the inclusion of CBA and its cracking mechanism on beams. Thus, concrete specimens were designed into four distinct combination replacements between half (50 %) and full (100 %) of coarse and fine CBA aggregate with the addition of 20 % fly ash to the cement amount. The beams were subjected to a cyclic load test to evaluate the cracking mechanism. The experimental results revealed that the compressive strength of all replacements achieved the targeted strength of 30 MPa at 28 days. However, the splitting tensile and flexural strengths decreased with the increment in volume of CBA in the design mixture. The cyclic load criteria with respect to deviation from linearity (DFL) was found promising to correlate to beam failure according to the deflection in each specific load cycle. Nonetheless, the cracking mechanism of the concrete beams was mainly influenced by the porous structure and high crushing index of coarse CBA, where all tested beams failed by flexural and shear cracks. Therefore, excessively increasing the coarse CBA replacement amount in a concrete mix produces a lower structural performance in beams under cyclic load.

Improving enzymatic saccharification of corn stover via thioglycolic acid-mediated Fenton pretreatment

Fenton pretreatment is known as a green and mild approach, but it is usually time-consuming and inefficient in promoting lignocellulose enzymatic hydrolysis. Here we demonstrate that thioglycolic acid (TA) significantly accelerates Fenton pretreatment (FP) of corn stover (CS) and improves enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and xylan. The results showed that the reducing sugar yield of CS reached 77.0% with TA-assisted FP in only 16 h, while it was only 34.1% and 38.0% with FP alone in 16 h and 72 h, respectively. Via examination of the changes of composition, physical and chemical characteristics of CS before and after pretreatment, it was found that TA-assisted FP greatly improved the removal of hemicellulose and lignin, resulting in increment of the pore volume, pore size and cellulose exposure of CS substrate, which together promoted the enzymatic saccharification of CS.

Eight-year results of precommercial thinning on growth parameters in Picea orientalis (L.) link stands

ABSTRACT The effects of different rates of precommercial thinning (PCT) intensity on the stand developmental parameters in natural Picea orientalis stands were investigated to determine the most suitable thinning rate. The present study was performed in Trabzon province located in the northeastern of Turkey. In PCT plots, four different levels of PCT intensity were applied including control (unthinned), light (1.3–1.5 m spacing), moderate (1.5–2.0 m spacing) and heavy (2.5–3.0 m spacing). The values of diameter and height were measured at the end of the 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 growing seasons. The results indicated statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects of PCT levels on the diameter, total stand volume and total basal area increments in all periods measured. On the other hand, significant differences were at 99% confidence level for 6 and 8-year height increments. Although the diameter increments increased with increasing levels of precommercial thinning, the height increments did not increase. Also, total basal area increments were higher than in the control in all precommercial thinning treatments, except for the heavy PCT. Considering the best results of measured growth parameters, the early results showed that the light and moderate PCT had the most favorable effect on stand development.

Multisource forest inventories: A model-based approach using k-NN to reconcile forest attributes statistics and map products

Forest map products are widely used and have taken benefit from progresses in the multisource forest inventory approaches, which are meant to improve the precision of forest inventory estimates at high spatial resolution. However, estimating errors of pixel-wise predictions remains difficult, and reconciling statistical outcomes with map products is still an open and important question.We address this problem using an original approach relying on a model-based inference framework and k-nearest neighbours (k-NN) models to produce pixel-wise estimations and related quality assessment. Our approach takes advantage of the resampling properties of a model-based estimator and combines it with geometrical convex-hull models to measure respectively the precision and accuracy of pixel predictions. A measure of pixel reliability was obtained by combining precision and accuracy.The study was carried out over a 7,694 km2 area dominated by structurally complex broadleaved forests in centre of France. The targeted forest attributes were growing stock volume, basal area and growing stock volume increment. A total of 819 national forest inventory plots were combined with auxiliary data extracted from a forest map, Landsat 8 images, and 3D point clouds from both airborne laser scanning and digital aerial photogrammetry. k-NN models were built independently for both 3D data sources. Both selected models included 5 auxiliary variables, and were generated using 5 neighbours, and most similar neighbours distance measure. The models showed relative root mean square error ranging from 35.7% (basal area, digital aerial photogrammetry) in calibration to 63.4% (growing stock volume increment, airborne laser scanning) in the validation set. At pixel level, we found that a minimum of 86.4% of the predictions were of high precision as their bootstrapped coefficient of variation fall below calibration’s relative root mean square error. The amount of extrapolation varied from 4.3% (digital aerial photogrammetry) to 6.3% (airborne laser scanning). A relationship was found between extrapolation and k-NN distance, opening new opportunities to correct extrapolation errors. At the population level, airborne laser scanning and digital aerial photogrammetry performed similarly, offering the possibility to use digital aerial photogrammetry for monitoring purposes.The proposed method provided consistent estimates of forest attributes and maps, and also provided spatially explicit information about pixel predictions in terms of precision, accuracy and reliability. The method therefore produced high resolution outputs, significant for either decision making or forest management purposes.

Coupling sludge-based biochar and electrolysis for conditioning and dewatering of sewage sludge: Effect of char properties

The addition of sludge-based biochar during electrochemical pretreatment of sewage sludge, as an efficient hybrid technology, is potentially to be applied in sludge deep-dewatering. The chars functioned as conductors, catalysts and skeleton particles could enhance the sludge dewaterability and increase the calorific value of the dewatered sludge cake. However, the effect of synthesis conditions on the char properties and further on the dewatering performance is still unknown. Herein, the sludge-based particle electrodes (SPEs) under three main synthesis conditions, including liquid-solid ratio, pyrolysis temperature and time, were prepared. The sludge-based biochars (i.e., SPE-400, SPE-600, and SPE-800 pyrolyzed under 400, 600 and 800 °C, respectively) were characterized and utilized as three-dimensional electrodes during sludge electrolysis. The increased pyrolysis temperature (within 400–800 °C) resulted in the enrichment of metallic ions and increment of specific surface area and pore volume of SPE, which led to the increased catalysis and adsorption sites for viscous proteins (PNs). Particularly, the pores of SPE-800 provided more drainage channels as skeleton builders. Compared with raw sludge, the capillary suction time (CST) and the specific resistance of filtration (SRF) of the treated sludge with 3D-SPE-800 were reduced by 58.12% and 81.01%, respectively, but the net sludge solids yield (YN) was increased by 87.05%. The highest decrease of hydrophilic α-Helix content in PNs (from 9.93% to 7.30%) was observed when using SPE-800 as particle electrode, revealing the crucial role of char characteristics on protein reduction and subsequent dewatering enhancement. The synergistic effects of electrolysis and sludge-based biochar provided a new insight for a closed-loop pretreatment of sewage sludge in the wastewater treatment plant.

Analysis of deep inspiration breath-hold technique to improve dosimetric and clinical advantages in postoperative intensity-modulated radiation therapy for thymomas.

BackgroundRadiation therapy is one of the essential treatment modalities for invasive thymomas. Clinically, respiratory motion poses a challenge for the radiotherapy of thoracic tumors. One method to address this issue is to train patients to hold their breath at the end of deep inspiration. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the dosimetric and clinical advantages of the deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) technique in postoperative intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for thymomas.MethodsThymoma patients undergoing postoperative IMRT were included. Each patient underwent two computed tomography (CT) scans, one under free breath (FB) and the other under DIBH. Dosimetric parameters of organs at risk (OARs) were evaluated in three series plans. Dose analysis and volume comparisons were conducted during FB-3 mm (FB with 3 mm internal target volume margin), FB-10 mm (FB with 10 mm internal target volume margin), and DIBH and compared using a paired sample Student’s t-test. Normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCP) for lungs and heart were calculated and compared.ResultsThe total lung volume significantly increased by 31% (4,216±198 vs. 2,884±166 mL) and the heart volume reduced by 12% (552±25 vs. 636±35 mL) between DIBH acquisitions compared to FB. A significant improvement was observed in all the dosimetric parameters (Dmean, V20, V5) of the lung on DIBH compared to FB-3 mm (54%±2.85% vs. 47%±2.90%, P<0.001; 15%±1.37% vs. 12%±1.32%, P=0.004; and 10.28±0.58 vs. 8.76±0.57 Gy, P<0.001, respectively), as well as in the Dmax and D2% of the esophagus and spine. The lung volume increment was related to a reduction in the mean dose of lungs, with a correlation coefficient of r=0.27, P=0.03. The NTCP values for pneumonitis significantly reduced with DIBH compared to the FB state (0.6% vs. 1.1%, P<0.001).ConclusionsThe radiation dose to the OARs can be significantly reduced by using the DIBH technique in postoperative IMRT for thymomas. The increased volume of lungs using DIBH acquisitions can significantly reduce the incidence of pneumonitis.

Clinical pattern of retinal detachment at the university of gondar tertiary eye care and training center, north-west ethiopia

Objective: Due to increment in volume of cataract surgery and diabetic retinopathy, the incidence of retinal detachment (RD) is expected to rise in the future. However, little is known about the clinical patterns and risk factor of RD in Ethiopia. This study was aimed to determine the clinical pattern and risk factors of RD at University of Gondar Tertiary eye care and training center (UOG-TECTC). Methods: A hospital based prospective cross sectional study was done involving all consecutive patients with retinal detachment seen over six months period at the UOG-TECTC. Structured questionnaire was used to extract the required data which included demography, ophthalmic history and clinical examination results. Data were entered into SPSS version 20 and analyzed. Results: A total of 73 eyes of 65 patients with RD were analyzed. Two-third of patients were males 42(64.6%) and the median age was 49 years. Rhegmatogenous RD (RRD) was the commonest type of RD found in 58(89.2%) patients. Three quarter of the patients, 49 (75 %), came after 1 month of the symptom occurrence; out of which 20 (41%) visited the center after 1year duration. The commonest identified risk factors were trauma 19(29%) followed by pseudophakia 11(17%). More than three-quarter of the patients 53(81.5%) had detached macula and 60 (92.3%) of the involved eyes were blind at presentation. Conclusion and recommendations: RRD was the commonest type of RD seen in our patients. Majority of the patients visited our center late after macular detachment and trauma was the commonest risk factor. People should be educated to seek health care immediately after the onset of symptoms. Ocular safety precautions should be advised to decrease the risk of ocular trauma. The center should be equipped to manage patients with RD.