An ecomorphospace for the Ammonoidea

Paleobiology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonny A. Walton ◽  
Dieter Korn

AbstractThe fossil conchs of ammonoids provide valuable information about the life habits of this extinct group. A new conch measurement, the apertural surface area (ASarea), is introduced here along with modeled sizes of the buccal mass and the hyponome, based on ratios of these organs in comparison with the aperture height from the RecentNautilus pompilius. A principal components analysis was performed using the three main characters: (1) apertural surface area index (i.e., the ratio of the apertural surface and the conch diameter), (2) buccal mass area index (i.e., the ratio between the buccal mass area and the ASarea), and (3) coiling rate of the conch. It revealed an ecomorphospace where life history traits can be tentatively assigned to species of the Ammonoidea. In this morphospace, RecentNautilushas a marginal position, being one of the ectocochleate cephalopods with best properties for active life (capacity for handling large food items, rather good mobility). In contrast, most ammonoids possessed, at comparable conch sizes, much smaller buccal apparatuses and hyponomes, suggesting a more passive life history with reduced mobility potential and reduced capacities for larger prey items.

2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (3) ◽  
pp. H1218-H1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsi-Yu Yu ◽  
Mao-Yuan Su ◽  
Yih-Sharng Chen ◽  
Fang-Yue Lin ◽  
Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng

The present study tests the hypothesis that a mitral tetrahedron (MT) is a useful geometrical surrogate for assessment of chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (CIMR). Fifty-eight subjects were divided into three groups on the basis of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the presence or absence of CIMR: LVEF ≥0.5 and negative CIMR ( group 1, n = 28), LVEF <0.5 and negative CIMR ( group 2, n = 12), and LVEF <0.5 and positive CIMR ( group 3, n = 18). MT was defined by its four vertices at the anterior annulus, posterior annulus, and medial and lateral papillary muscle roots, determined by MRI at peak systole. The results showed no clear cutoff values of MT parameters between groups 2 and 1. In contrast, all MT indexes were significantly different between groups 3 and 2 ( P < 0.05), and significant cutoff values differentiated the two groups. A scoring system employing parameters of the whole MT confirmed the absence of CIMR with total edge length index <268 mm/BSA1/3, total surface area index <2,528 mm2/BSA2/3, and volume index <5,089 mm3/BSA (where BSA is body surface area). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 1.00. This preliminary study demonstrates that MT might serve as a good geometrical surrogate for assessing CIMR. The derived geometrical criteria of MT may be useful in surgical correction of CIMR.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e16312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Dunstan ◽  
Peter D. Ward ◽  
N. Justin Marshall

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahyar Aboutalebi ◽  
Alfonso F. Torres-Rua ◽  
Mac McKee ◽  
William P. Kustas ◽  
Hector Nieto ◽  
...  

In recent years, the deployment of satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has led to production of enormous amounts of data and to novel data processing and analysis techniques for monitoring crop conditions. One overlooked data source amid these efforts, however, is incorporation of 3D information derived from multi-spectral imagery and photogrammetry algorithms into crop monitoring algorithms. Few studies and algorithms have taken advantage of 3D UAV information in monitoring and assessment of plant conditions. In this study, different aspects of UAV point cloud information for enhancing remote sensing evapotranspiration (ET) models, particularly the Two-Source Energy Balance Model (TSEB), over a commercial vineyard located in California are presented. Toward this end, an innovative algorithm called Vegetation Structural-Spectral Information eXtraction Algorithm (VSSIXA) has been developed. This algorithm is able to accurately estimate height, volume, surface area, and projected surface area of the plant canopy solely based on point cloud information. In addition to biomass information, it can add multi-spectral UAV information to point clouds and provide spectral-structural canopy properties. The biomass information is used to assess its relationship with in situ Leaf Area Index (LAI), which is a crucial input for ET models. In addition, instead of using nominal field values of plant parameters, spatial information of fractional cover, canopy height, and canopy width are input to the TSEB model. Therefore, the two main objectives for incorporating point cloud information into remote sensing ET models for this study are to (1) evaluate the possible improvement in the estimation of LAI and biomass parameters from point cloud information in order to create robust LAI maps at the model resolution and (2) assess the sensitivity of the TSEB model to using average/nominal values versus spatially-distributed canopy fractional cover, height, and width information derived from point cloud data. The proposed algorithm is tested on imagery from the Utah State University AggieAir sUAS Program as part of the ARS-USDA GRAPEX Project (Grape Remote sensing Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration eXperiment) collected since 2014 over multiple vineyards located in California. The results indicate a robust relationship between in situ LAI measurements and estimated biomass parameters from the point cloud data, and improvement in the agreement between TSEB model output of ET with tower measurements when employing LAI and spatially-distributed canopy structure parameters derived from the point cloud data.


FLORESTA ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethania Cristiane Herrmann ◽  
Efraim Rodrigues ◽  
André De Lima

Fragmentos florestais diferem em sua estrutura espacial afetando a composição de espécies em suas bordas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a influência dos índices da paisagem sobre as bordas de fragmentos florestais próximos à cidade de Londrina - PR. As características estruturais dos fragmentos aqui consideradas incluem área, forma, área central e índice de área central; e as características estruturais da paisagem: área da classe, tamanho médio e coeficiente de variação do tamanho dos fragmentos de floresta, distância média até o fragmento florestal mais próximo e total de bordas de floresta. A relação entre composição de espécies, fragmentos florestais e índices de paisagem foi estudada através de Análise de Correspondência Canônica. Os índices de maior importância foram: área, forma e área central dos fragmentos. Godoy, fragmento com 2371,14 ha e inclui o Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoy, apresentou maior variação na composição de espécies quando comparado com os demais. The landscape as conditioning of edges of forest fragments Abstract Forests fragments differ in their spatial structure afecting the species composition of edges. The objective of this paper was to analyze the influence of some landscape index over sapling species composition in edges of forests fragments near Londrina - PR. The spatial structures of fragments considered in this paper involved area, shape, core area and core area index; and the spatial structures of landscape: class area, mean patch size, coefficient of variation of the size of the patch (%), mean nearest neighbor distance and total edge of forest. The relationship between sapling species composition, forests fragments and landscape index were evaluated through Principal Components Analysis. Godoy, fragment with 2371,14 ha showed more variation in the species composition when compared with other fragments.


Endocrinology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 151 (4) ◽  
pp. 1846-1852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan I. Lebovic ◽  
Jason M. Mwenda ◽  
Daniel C. Chai ◽  
Alessandro Santi ◽  
Xiao Xu ◽  
...  

A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted in a baboon model to determine if a thiazolidinedione agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, pioglitazone, can impede the development of endometriosis. Endometriosis was induced using laparoscopic, intrapelvic injection of eutopic menstrual endometrium, previously incubated with placebo or pioglitazone for 30 min, in 12 female baboons with a normal pelvis that had undergone at least one menstrual cycle since the time of captivity. At this point, the 12 baboons were randomized into two groups and treated from the day of induction. They received either PBS tablets (n = 6, placebo control, placebo tablets once a day by mouth) or pioglitazone (n = 6, test drug, 7.5 mg by mouth each day). A second and final laparoscopy was performed in the baboons to record the extent of endometriotic lesions between 24 and 42 d after induction (no difference in length of treatment between the two groups, P = 0.38). A videolaparoscopy was performed to document the number and surface area of endometriotic lesions. The surface area and volume of endometriotic lesions were significantly lower in pioglitazone treated baboons than the placebo group (surface area, 48.6 vs. 159.0 mm2, respectively, P = 0.049; vol, 23.7 vs. 131.8 mm3, respectively, P = 0.041). The surface area (3.5 vs. 17.8 mm2, P = 0.017, pioglizatone vs. placebo) and overall number (1.5 vs. 9.5, P = 0.007, pioglizatone vs. placebo) of red lesions were lower in the pioglitazone group. A peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ ligand, pioglitazone, effectively reduced the initiation of endometriotic disease in the baboon endometriosis model. Using this animal model, we have shown that thiazolidinedione is a promising drug for preventive treatment of endometriosis.


1990 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence E. Armstrong ◽  
Jane P. De Luca ◽  
Elaine L. Christensen ◽  
Roger W. Hubbard
Keyword(s):  

2008 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 1095-1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lija I. Flude ◽  
Guy M. Narbonne

Rangeomorphs, an extinct group of Ediacaran organisms with a fractal architecture and modular construction, occur abundantly in the Mistaken Point assemblage (575–560 Ma) of the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland. Bradgatia is represented by hundreds of specimens, collectively permitting analysis of its morphology, growth mode, and life habits. Bradgatia is a petalage that consists of a radial array of up to eight petals, each exhibiting up to four visible orders of rangeomorph branching. The taphonomy and ontogeny of Bradgatia are tightly linked by a change in preserved morphology, from juvenile I- to V-shaped specimens to larger U-shaped specimens, to the largest and ontogenetically oldest O-shaped specimens. Bradgatia probably maintained a constant number of petals that gradually spread out with age. The number of frondlets per petal does not correlate with length, suggesting either fractal or inflationary growth. Presence of a structure from which petals branch, abundance of contour-parallel specimens, differential preservation within specimens, and specimens overlying spindles and discs all imply that Bradgatia had an attached, epifaunal, suspension-feeding lifestyle. Bradgatia's multiple thin petals would have helped to filter water more efficiently, while its lack of a stem would have allowed for suspension feeding along the entire length of each petal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1984-1989
Author(s):  
Nizam Ahmed ◽  
Aftab Alam Khanzada ◽  
Muhammad Rafique Joyo ◽  
Tanveer Afzal ◽  
Niaz Hussain keerio ◽  
...  

The unique characteristics of natural honey obtained in any source in topical chronic nonhealing ulcers have been decreased discomfort, oedema, inflammation, deodorization, disinfect, neo-vascularization, collagen synthesis, granulation, epithelization and hence the ulcer treatment method. In that study, 200 patients were treated in a forward-looking, unrandomized experiment, with persistent, unhealing ulcers found in various areas of their body in the two groups keeping 100 in Group A and used honey dressing and Group B managed without using honey. Natural honey from multiple sources has been used. The main explanation for reduced mobility and loss of work illustrates productivity being pain and fever. The leading causes of healing delays were bacterial infection, necrotic tissue involvement, bedridden state, age, fatigue, Ulcer located near the joint. The quality, the simplicity of application and the efficiency make the control of recurrent nonhealing Ulcers easier for natural honey. For low cost, easy access, and improved healing make it a valuable option for natural honey to handle chronic, nonhealing ulcers, as well as healthy use in diabetic patients. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidas Stakėnas ◽  
Iveta Varnagirytė-Kabašinskienė ◽  
Audrius Kabašinskas

Among other measurement techniques applied for the assessment of leaf area index, direct methods are still valued as the most accurate measures and often implemented as calibration tools. Even though more attention has been given to indirect measurements of tree crown properties in forest ecosystems over the last decades, the present study was designed to discuss the direct (destructive) and indirect (non-destructive) methods used for the assessment of crown measures in the stands defoliated from 20 to 90%. The stands with similar stand characteristics and representing relatively wide range of defoliation served as an appropriate target for the assessment of foliage mass variations. Overall, this study showed that the foliage mass or its surface area and defoliation at the stand level can be determined by the conventional methods used for the assessment of defoliation in forest monitoring programme as well as the PAR transmission methods. The findings showed that needle surface area decreased with the increase of tree defoliation; however, the changes of branch and stem surface areas were insignificant. Otherwise, the branch and shoot area contribute significantly to the total vegetation surface area at least in Scots pine stands. This study also strengthened the idea that the indirect measurement of vegetation area index underestimated vegetation area index at least in Scots pine stands defoliated less than 60%. The multivariate regression models were developed using tree diameter at breast height and tree crown defoliation ranges to estimate needle surface area. Keywords: Pinus sylvestris, crown defoliation, needle area index, regression model


Author(s):  
Patrik BURG ◽  
Jana BURGOVÁ ◽  
Vladimír MAŠÁN ◽  
Miroslav VACHŮN

Experimental measurements focused on evaluation of grapevine leaf surface area development in nine varieties, in the viticultural conditions of South Moravia. The dynamics of leaf surface area development was measured by using a device called leaf area meter AM 300. The device operates on the principle of a scanner and the resulting values are expressed through the leaf area index - LAI. The measurements were carried out in five dates during phenophases of growth, flowering, initial development of fruits, and ripening of berries. The results show a significant differences in increase in leaf area between the evaluated varieties, especially during flowering. The size of the leaf area, depending on the year, corresponds to values between 7.615 and 13.483 square metres per hectare. The largest leaf area was reached in growth stage 8, which is ripening of fruit. The leaf area reached the largest size in the varieties Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt, and Sauvignon, with values ranging from 20.560 to 26.481 square metres per hectare. The results suggest that a significant proportion of leaf area is also represented by lateral shoots whose size in the ripening phase, depending on variety, ranges from 33.7 to 52.9 per cent of the total leaf area.


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