Investigation of Long and Short-Term Water Surface Area Changes in Coastal Ramsar Sites in Turkey with Google Earth Engine

Deltas and lagoons, which contain many flora and fauna, have rich coastal ecological and biological environments, and are wetlands of vital importance for humans. In this study, the current problems in all coastal Ramsar sites in Turkey are summarized, and changes in water surface areas are investigated using Landsat and Sentinel 1/2 satellite images on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform. Landsat TM and OLI images were used in the long-term analysis, and time series were created by taking annual and July to September averages between 1985 and 2020. In the short-term analysis, monthly averages were determined using Sentinel 2 images between 2016 and 2020. Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images were used in the months when optical data were not suitable for use in monthly analysis. The Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) was used to extract water surface areas from the optical images. Afterwards, a thresholding process was used for both optical and radar images to determine the changes. The changes were analyzed together with the meteorological data and the information obtained from the management plans and related studies in the literature. Changes in the water surface areas of all coastal Ramsar sites in Turkey were determined from 1985 to 2020 at different rates. There was a decreasing trend in the Goksu and Kızılırmak Deltas, which also have inland wetlands. The decreasing rates from 1985 to 2020 were −24.52% and −2.86%, for annual average water surfaces for the Goksu and Kızılırmak Deltas, respectively, and −21.64% and −6.34% for the dry season averages, respectively. However, Akyatan Lagoon, which also has inland wetlands, showed an increasing trend. Observing the annual average surface area from 1985 to 2020, an increase of 438 ha was seen, corresponding to 7.65%. Every year, there was an increasing trend in the Gediz Delta and Yumurtalık Lagoons, that do not have inland wetlands. The increasing rates from 1985 to 2020 were 46.01% and 17.31% for the annual average surface area, for the Gediz Delta and Yumurtalık Lagoons, respectively, and 38.34% and 21.04% for the dry season average, respectively. The obtained results reveal the importance of using remote sensing methods in formulating strategies for the sustainable management of wetlands.

Bioengineering the ameloblastoma tumour to study its effect on bone nodule formation

Ameloblastoma is a benign, epithelial cancer of the jawbone, which causes bone resorption and disfigurement to patients affected. The interaction of ameloblastoma with its tumour stroma drives invasion and progression. We used stiff collagen matrices to engineer active bone forming stroma, to probe the interaction of ameloblastoma with its native tumour bone microenvironment. This bone-stroma was assessed by nano-CT, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy and gene analysis. Furthermore, we investigated gene correlation between bone forming 3D bone stroma and ameloblastoma introduced 3D bone stroma. Ameloblastoma cells increased expression of MMP-2 and -9 and RANK temporally in 3D compared to 2D. Our 3D biomimetic model formed bone nodules of an average surface area of 0.1 mm2 and average height of 92.37 $$\pm $$ ± 7.96 μm over 21 days. We demonstrate a woven bone phenotype with distinct mineral and matrix components and increased expression of bone formation genes in our engineered bone. Introducing ameloblastoma to the bone stroma, completely inhibited bone formation, in a spatially specific manner. Multivariate gene analysis showed that ameloblastoma cells downregulate bone formation genes such as RUNX2. Through the development of a comprehensive bone stroma, we show that an ameloblastoma tumour mass prevents osteoblasts from forming new bone nodules and severely restricted the growth of existing bone nodules. We have identified potential pathways for this inhibition. More critically, we present novel findings on the interaction of stromal osteoblasts with ameloblastoma.

Numerical Modeling of Microfluid Dynamics in Xylem Vessels of Khaya grandifoliola

Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) can be used to quantify the internal flow variables of xylem conducting vessels. This study aims to analyze through numerical simulations the xylem water ascent of African mahogany (Khaya grandifoliola) cultivated under different irrigation regimes. We determined a geometric model, defined through the variability of the anatomical structures of the species, observing characteristics of the xylem vessels such as diameter, length, number of pits, and average surface area of the pits. Then we applied numerical simulation through an Eulerian mathematical model with the discretization of volumes via CFD. Compared to other models, we observed that numerical simulation using CFD represented the xylem microstructures in a greater level of detail, contributing to the understanding of the flow of xylem vessels and the interference of its various structures. Analyzing the micrographs, we observed the non-irrigated vessels had a higher number of pits in the secondary wall thickening when compared to the irrigated treatments. This trend influenced the variability of the radial flow of the xylem vessels, causing greater fluid movement in this region and decreasing the influence of the smooth part of the wall, resulting in a lower total resistance of these vessels.

Land-Use Change and Bioenergy Production: Soil Consumption and Characterization of Anaerobic Digestion Plants

The exploitation of bioenergy plays a key role in the process of decarbonising the economic system. Huge efforts have been made to develop bioenergy and other renewable energy systems, but it is necessary to investigate the costs and problems associated with these technologies. Soil consumption and, in particular, soil sealing are some of these aspects that should be carefully evaluated. Agricultural biogas plants (ABPs) often remove areas dedicated to agricultural activities and require broad paved areas for the associated facilities. This study aimed to (i) assess the surfaces destined to become facilities and buildings in ABPs, (ii) correlate these surfaces with each other and to the installed powers of the plants, and (iii) estimate the consumption of soil in bioenergy applications in Italy. Two hundred ABPs were sampled from an overall population of 1939, and the extents of the facilities were measured by aerial and satellite observations. An ABP with an installed power of 1000 kW covers an average surface area of up to 23,576 m2. Most of this surface, 97.9%, is obtained from previously cultivated areas. The ABP analysis proved that 24.7 m2 of surface area produces 1 kW of power by bioenergy. The obtained model estimated a total consumption of soil by ABPs in Italy of 31,761,235 m2. This research can support stakeholders in cost-benefit analyses to design energy systems based on renewable energy sources.

The Retroauricular Incision as an Effective and Safe Alternative Incision for Decompressive Hemicraniectomy

BACKGROUND The reverse question mark (RQM) incision has been traditionally utilized to perform decompressive hemicraniectomies (DHC) to relieve refractory intracranial hypertension. Alternative incisions have been proposed in the literature but have not been compared directly. OBJECTIVE To present the retroauricular (RA) incision as an alternative incision that we hypothesize will increase calvarium exposure to maximize the removal of the hemicranium and will decrease wound-related complications compared to the RQM incision. METHODS This study is a retrospective review of all DHCs performed at our institution over a span of 34 mo, stratified based on the type of scalp incision. The surface areas of the cranial defects were calculated, normalizing to their respective skull diameters. For those patients surviving beyond 1 wk, complications were examined from both cohorts. RESULTS A total of 63 patients in the RQM group and 43 patients in the RA group were included. The average surface area for the RA and RQM incisions was 117.0 and 107.8 cm2 (P = .0009), respectively. The ratio of average defect size to skull size for RA incision was 0.81 compared to 0.77 for the RQM group (P = .0163). Of those who survived beyond 1 wk, the absolute risk for surgical site complications was 14.0% and 8.3% for RQM and RA group (P = .5201), respectively. CONCLUSION The RA incision provides a safe and effective alternative incision to the traditional RQM incision used for DHC. This incision affords a potentially larger craniectomy while mitigating postoperative wound complications.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MEMBRAMO, SUPERWIN, AND CIMELATI RICES

Determination of the physical properties of rice is intended to facilitate the processing and handling to produce final product with best quality. These properties include geometry, surface area, volume, density, bulk density, porosity, and angle of repose. Determination of the physical properties of rice in terms of geometry is carried out by measuring length (L), width (W), and thickness (T). The measurement of these parameters uses a digital caliper with an accuracy of 0.01 mm. The volume of rice can be determined based on dimensional parameters. Density, bulk density and porosity of rice were determined by measuring its mass using a digital scale with an accuracy of 0.001 gr and based on the determination of the volume. Angle of repose is determined by spilling rice on the flat surface of a container so that the height (h) of the pile of rice and the diameter (D) is known. Based on the research results, it is known that the geometry of Membramo, Superwin, and Cimelati rices does not have a significant difference, in fact there are similarities in the eccentricity aspect, where all three have the same value, namely 0.96. The average surface area value of Cimelati rice is greater than that of Membramo and Superwin rice, as well as its volume. The average of surface area and volume of Cimelati rice were 23.89 mm2 and 13.41 mm3, respectively. Meanwhile, Superwin rice has the largest individual and bulk densities, 1.42 gr/cm3 and 0.80 gr/cm3, respectively. In addition, Superwin and Cimelati rices have the lowest porosity and angle of repose, namely 40.69% and 26.59o.

CADASTRAL EFFECTS OF THE CONSOLIDATION PROCEDURE

Agricultural land consolidation schemes have been implemented in Poland with European Union financial support since 2004. The improvement of farm layout facilitates the achievement of economic benefits by farmers. However, methods for full evaluation of the economic viability of consolidation projects are still lacking. The aim of the paper was an attempt at determining the cadastral effects of consolidation proceedings received by land owners and county administrator offices as a result of sorting out plot borders and land registration as a consequence of the consolidation procedure. Conducted analyses show that, in entities characterised by the most fragmented area structure of farms, the overall non-productive benefits obtained jointly by land owners and county administrator offices, as a result of completing the consolidation procedure, can exceed the total cost of carrying out consolidation. However, where farms are characterised by a larger average surface area of agricultural plots subject to consolidation and where the shapes of such plots are regular, much smaller benefits should be expected. The proposed solutions require further improvement and adaptation to local conditions. Still, even these pioneer studies clearly demonstrate that cadastral effects of consolidation proceedings can prove important in the discussion over the economic viability of consolidation projects. It can encourage land owners and county administrator offices to take advantage of consolidation schemes, and constitute a strong argument in favour of continuing to finance consolidation projects from public funds.

Eggshell-Membrane-Derived Carbon Coated on Li2FeSiO4 Cathode Material for Li-Ion Batteries

Lithium iron orthosilicate (LFS) cathode can be prepared via the polyol-assisted ball milling method with the incorporation of carbon derived from eggshell membrane (ESM) for improving inherent poor electronic conduction. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirmed the diffraction peaks without any presence of further impure phase. Overall, 9 wt.% of carbon was loaded on the LFS, which was identified using thermogravimetric analysis. The nature of carbon was described using parameters such as monolayer, and average surface area was 53.5 and 24 m2 g−1 with the aid of Langmuir and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area respectively. The binding energy was observed at 285.66 eV for C–N owing to the nitrogen content in eggshell membrane, which provides more charge carriers for conduction. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images clearly show the carbon coating on the LFS, the porous nature of carbon, and the atom arrangements. From the cyclic voltammetry (CV) curve, the ratio of the anodic to the cathodic peak current was calculated as 1.03, which reveals that the materials possess good reversibility. Due to the reversibility of the redox mechanism, the material exhibits discharge specific capacity of 194 mAh g−1 for the first cycle, with capacity retention and an average coulombic efficiency of 94.7% and 98.5% up to 50 cycles.

Optimizing the Accuracy of Cortical Volumetric Analysis in Traumatic Brain Injury

Cortical volumetric analysis is widely used to study the anatomic basis of neurological deficits in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, patients with TBI-related lesions are often excluded from analysis, because cortical lesions may compromise the accuracy of reconstructed surfaces upon which volumetric measurements are based. Here, we propose a novel FreeSurfer-based lesion correction method and illustrate its impact on cortical volume measures in patients with chronic moderate-to-severe TBI. We performed MRI in 87 patients at mean+/−SD 10.9+/−9.1 years post-injury using a T1-weighted multi-echo MPRAGE sequence at 1 mm resolution. Following surface reconstruction, we parcellated the cerebral cortex into seven functional networks using FreeSurfer’s standard pipeline. Next, we manually labeled vertices on the cortical surface where lesions caused inaccuracies and removed them from network-based cortical volumetric measures. After performing this lesion correction procedure, we measured the surface area of lesion overlap with each network and the percent volume of each network affected by lesions. We identified 120 lesions that caused inaccuracies in the cortical surface in 46 patients. In these 46 patients, the most commonly lesioned networks were the limbic and default mode networks (95.7% each), followed by the executive control (78.3%), and salience (71.7%) networks. The limbic network had the largest average surface area of lesion overlap (4.4+/−3.7%) and the largest percent volume affected by lesions (12.7+/−9.7%). The lesion correction method has the potential to improve the accuracy of cortical volumetric measurements and permit inclusion of patients with lesioned brains in quantitative analyses, providing new opportunities to elucidate network-based mechanisms of neurological deficits in patients with TBI.

Regression of corneal neovascularization: Adiponectin versus bevacizumab eye drops

Purpose: Comparing the effect of adiponectin versus bevacizumab in decreasing corneal neovascularization. Methods: This study was conducted on 30 eyes of 30 New Zealand Albino male rabbits. Corneal neovascularization was induced by a single 7-0 silk suture 2 mm long and 1 mm in front of the limbus for 2 weeks. Rabbits were randomly divided into three groups of adiponectin (20 µg/mL), bevacizumab (5 mg/mL) and artificial tears. The treatments continued up to 14 days. Results: At the end of 14 days, the average length of vessels in rabbits treated with adiponectin, bevacizumab and control groups decreased from 2.12 ± 0.32 mm to 0.89 ± 0.46 mm (57.68% ± 19.98%) (P < 0.001), 2.30 ± 0.41 mm to 1.30 ± 0.58 mm (42.49% ± 27.17%) (P = 0.048) and from 2.12 ± 0.44 mm to 1.81 ± 0.42 mm (14.81% ± 5.64%) (P = 0.112), respectively. The length of vessels decreased 57.68% ± 19.98% and 42.49% ± 27.17% in adiponectin versus bevacizumab groups, respectively (P = 0.527). The average surface area of vessels in rabbits treated with adiponectin, bevacizumab and control groups reduced from 5.02 ± 1.50 mm2 to 1.40 ± 0.75 mm2 (70.64% ± 17.76%) (P < 0.001) 0.34 ± 1.1 mm2 to 2.80 ± 1.04 mm2 (48.24% ± 19.23%) (P = 0.039) and 5.12 ± 2.92 mm2 to 4.4 ± 2.55 mm2 (14.68% ± 4.19%) (P = 0.117). Mean surface area of vascularization decreased 70.64% ± 17.76% and 48.24% ± 19.23% in adiponectin versus bevacizumab, respectively (P = 0.013). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that topical adiponectin can decrease recent corneal neovascularization.