Low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma of the falciform ligament: a case report

BACKGROUND: Low grade fibromyxoid sarcomas (LGFMS) are very rarely seen. They commonly arise from deep soft tissues of the lower extremities. Very few cases of intra-abdominal location have been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 37 year old man who presented with an abdominal mass and dragging pain. Pre-operative imaging suggested the possibility of a subcapsular hemangioma of liver. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy was useful to locate the tumor as arising from falciform ligament and made the subsequent surgery simpler. This is one of the large fibromyxoid sarcomas to be reported

Identifying Water Stress in Potatoes Using Leaf Reflectance as an Indicator of Soil Water Content

Soil water content must be monitored and maintained at adequate level for optimal productivity. Accuracy of traditional sensors used to monitor soil water content depends on the installation technique and proper contact between soil and sensor, which is difficult to achieve in light textured sandy soils. Non-contact sensing technique does not have the limitation of contact with soil and can monitor plant status continuously. In this study, hyperspectral imaging was used as a non-contact technique for detecting changes in spectral reflectance of Umatilla Russet potato plants grown under varying soil water content. An experiment was carried out in a greenhouse to subject potato plants at different levels of soil water content from extreme stress to surplus. Yield data was also collected, which showed that maximum yield for Umatilla Russet potato can be achieved at 18% to 21% soil moisture content. Various spectral indices were calculated using spectral reflectance data at different water stress levels. Principal component analysis was used to identify indices that represented maximum variability in the data. Simple Ratio Index and Modified Red Edge Simple Ratio Index were identified as the two most relevant indices for differentiating soil water content. K-Means clustering with these two indices resulted in an accuracy of 75% in identifying highly stressed plants and 92% accuracy in identifying stressed plants (that included both high and low stress levels). These results showed a promise for development of a non-contact sensor for detecting plant water stress in potatoes, which may lead to an automated irrigation system for maintaining optimal soil water content during potato growing season

Distribution of rainfall and soil moisture content in the soil profile under citrus tree canopy and at the dripline

The plant canopy intercepts rain and thus can alter the distribution of water under the canopy as compared to that along the dripline. The effects of a citrus (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) tree (25-year-old, Valencia orange) canopy on the distribution of rainfall and soil moisture content within the soil profile either along the dripline (D) or under the canopy near the trunk (inner side; I), and midway between I and Dripline (M) were evaluated, on the east and west sides of trees planted along north-south rows. Results of eleven storm events in 1995 (mean of east and west sides) revealed that the amounts of precipitation at the D, M, and I positions were 97-140, 47-94, and 52-79% of the incident rainfall, respectively. Thus, canopy interception of incident rainfall was quite appreciable. The soil moisture content was greater along the dripline compared to that at the M and I positions, particularly in the deeper (≥60 cm) soil profile. The water flux was significantly greater at the dripline than under the canopy indicating a greater leaching potential of soil-applied fertilizers and other chemicals when placed along the dripline. A substantial reduction in the rainfall and water flux under the canopy as a result of canopy interception suggests that application of fertilizer and chemicals under the canopy could minimize leaching losses