Avaliação da Qualidade Geométrica das Imagens RapidEye Ortorretificadas

RapidEye imagery has quickly increased in importance for Brazilian users of remote sensing data, mainly due to its high temporal availability as well as special features related to spatial, spectral and radiometric resolutions. RapidEye imagery can be purchased in two processing levels: the first includes only radiometric correction and band-to-band registration; the second is an orthorectified product, which includes all previous corrections of the basic product. Recently, Brazilian government has purchased a complete territorial coverage under a special license that allows those images to be used for all federal government agencies, as well as environmental state agencies. This paper presents a case study on geometric evaluation of 3A RapidEye images. The main goal is to estimate their accuracy for localization purposes and measurements of distances, angles, and areas. The performed evaluation is divided, according to its nature, into relative and absolute. Relative evaluation is based on comparison of positions measured directly onto a set of multi-temporal 3A images, from which a set of parameters related to their relative accuracy and state of satellite constellation is estimated, while absolute evolution derived another set of parameters from the comparison of those positions with a set of control points measured over the terrain and used as ground truth. The obtained results in both relative and absolute evaluations showed a great temporal stability of the entire RapidEye constellation, as well as the high geometric quality of RapidEye images. Some evaluation parameters indicate their usability for mapping projects at scales greater or equal to 1:50.000.Pages: 1213-122

Phrenic nerve diabetic neuropathy in rats: unmyelinated fibers morphometry

We have demonstrated that phrenic nerves` large myelinated fibers in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats show axonal atrophy, which is reversed by insulin treatment. However, studies on structural abnormalities of the small myelinated and the unmyelinated fibers in the STZ-model of neuropathy are limited. Also, structural changes in the endoneural vasculature are not clearly described in this model and require detailed study. We have undertaken morphometric studies of the phrenic nerve in insulin-treated and untreated STZ-diabetic rats and non-diabetic control animals over a 12-week period. The presence of neuropathy was assessed by means of transmission electron microscopy, and morphometry of the unmyelinated fibers was performed. The most striking finding was the morphological evidence of small myelinated fiber neuropathy due to the STZ injection, which was not protected or reversed by conventional insulin treatment. This neuropathy was clearly associated with severe damage of the endoneural vessels present on both STZ groups, besides the insulin treatment. The STZ-diabetes model is widely used to investigate experimental diabetic neuropathies, but few studies have performed a detailed assessment of either unmyelinated fibers or capillary morphology in this animal model. The present study adds useful information for further investigations on the ultrastructural basis of nerve function in diabetes.FAPESP[07/08498-7]FAPESP[04/09139-2]FAPESP[04-01390-8]FAPESP[06/03200-7]FAPESP[06/06362-8]CNPq[303802/2006-5]CNPq[202079/2007-4

Taxonomic relationships and population differentiation of the south-western Eurasian Zelkova species inferred in leaf morphology

The relict tree species Zelkova abelicea and Z. sicula (Ulmaceae) occur in Crete and Sicily, respec- tively. Zelkova abelicea grows in approximately 40 localities in the mountains of Crete, while Z. sicula has been found in only two stands in Sicily. We compared 25 morphological characters of the leaves of both species and used statistical methods (Tuk- ey’s test, discrimination analysis, principal component analysis, agglomeration) to reveal the differences between these two species, their relation to Z. carpinifolia (the third Zelkova south-west Eurasian species), and between the leaves from different shoot types. Our study represents the first comparative biometric analysis of the three Zelkova species localized in the western edge of the current geographic range of the genus. We found that the species differed from each other both, in terms of leaf form characters and level of leaf variation. Zelkova carpinifolia was clearly differ- ent from Z. abelicea, while the two populations of Z. sicula, SIB and SIA, were more similar to Z. carpinifolia and Z. abelicea, respectively. The latter finding supports the results of recent molecular studies suggesting the hybrid origin of Z. sicula. Zelkova abelicea, Z. sicula and Z. carpinifolia differ each other in the leaf characteristics and level of phenotypic variation