A new cloud detection algorithm for NOAA AVHRR imagery

1999 IEEE TENCO

Environmental fluctuations of the Lake Chany complex in western Siberia based on NOAA images

The Lake Chany complex, located in Western Siberia, consists of the large shallow lakes with an average depth of about 2m. The lake area fluctuates according to water level that depends closely on the amount of inflow( snow-melt) and the evaporation, since the lake complex has no outflow river. Based on NOAA/AVHRR satellite normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data of the ice-free periods in 2000 and 2001, we evaluated the seasonal changes in the lake area and the surroundingu vegetations of the Lake Chany complex. In late April or early May, the maximum lake area was abserved and the lake area decreased drastically until late May or early June. Then, the lake area decreased gradually from early June to late August. The lake area in August was about 70% of the maximum. Then, the area tends to increase by early October. Compared with the ground truth in August 2001, the seasonally fluctuated areas on NOAA images corresponded to the vast vegetations with several km in width of reed (Phragmites communis) stands which seem to be influenced by the inflow of snow meltwater and the growth of reeds.Article信州大学山地水環境教育研究センター研究報告 2: 1-4(2004)departmental bulletin pape

Overexpression of the human MNB/DYRK1A gene induces formation of multinucleate cells through overduplication of the centrosome

BACKGROUND: Previously we cloned the human MNB/DYRK1A gene from the "Down syndrome critical region" on chromosome 21. This gene encodes a dual specificity protein kinase that catalyzes its autophosphorylation on serine/threonine and tyrosine residues. But, the functions of the MNB/DYRK1A gene in cellular processes are unknown. RESULTS: In this study, we examined HeLa cells transfected with cDNA encoding a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-MNB/DYRK1A fusion protein and found 2 patterns of expression: In one group of transfected cells, GFP-MNB/DYRK1A was localized as dots within the nucleus; and in the other group, it was overexpressed and had accumulated all over the nucleus. In the cells overexpressing GFP-MNB/DYRK1A, multinucleation was clearly observed; whereas in those with the nuclear dots, such aberrant nuclei were not found. Furthermore, in the latter cells, essential processes such as mitosis and cytokinesis occurred normally. Multinucleation was dependent on the kinase activity of MNB/DYRK1A, because it was not observed in cells overexpressing kinase activity-negative mutants, GFP-MNB/DYRK1A (K179R) and GFP-MNB/DYRK1A (Y310F/Y312F). Immunostaining of GFP-MNB/DYRK1A-overexpressing cells with specific antibodies against α- and γ-tubulin revealed that multiple copies of centrosomes and aberrant multipolar spindles were generated in these cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that overexpression of MNB/DYRK1A induces multinucleation in HeLa cells through overduplication of the centrosome during interphase and production of aberrant spindles and missegregation of chromosomes during mitosis

Endometrial Cancer Arising in Adenomyosis That Could Not Be Diagnosed by Endometrial Biopsy: A Case Report

Uterine adenomyosis is an estrogen-dependent tumor and one of the most common benign diseases in sexually mature women. The frequency of endometrial cancer associated with adenomyosis has been reported to be 18%–66%. On the other hand, endometrial cancer arising in adenomyosis (EC-AIA) is extremely rare. EC-AIA is now considered a different entity from and has a worse prognosis than endometrial cancer with adenomyosis (EC-A). In the present study, we report a case of endometrial cancer with adenomyosis in which endometrial biopsy failed to provide a definitive diagnosis. A 63-year-old female patient presented with endometrial thickening. Endometrial cytology was positive, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed small lesions suggestive of endometrial cancer with shallow invasion and adenomyosis. However, an endometrial biopsy showed only metaplasia, and careful follow-up was initiated. Subsequent endometrial cytology showed enlarged and round nuclei, uniform chromatin distribution, no thickening of nuclear margins, and abundant cytoplasm appearing in a sheet-like arrangement, suggesting atypical cells of endometrial glands with metaplasia. Three suspicious positive results and one positive result were observed, but repeated biopsies did not lead to the diagnosis of malignancy. The patient underwent diagnostic hysterectomy 19 months after the initial visit. The postoperative histopathological diagnosis was stage IA endometrial cancer (endometrioid carcinoma G1). This case of endometrial cancer associated with adenomyosis was difficult to diagnose. Our findings demonstrate that EC-AIA should be considered even if no lesions were detected by endometrial biopsy

Genet assignment and population structure analysis in a clonal forest-floor herb, Cardamine leucantha, using RAD-seq

To study the genetic structure of clonal plant populations, genotyping and genet detection using genetic markers are necessary to assign ramets to corresponding genets. Assignment is difficult as it involves setting a robust threshold of genetic distance for genet distinction as neighbouring genets in a plant population are often genetically related. Here, we used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) for a rhizomatous clonal herb, Cardamine leucantha [Brassicaceae] to accurately determine genet structure in a natural population. We determined a draft genome sequence of this species for the first time, which resulted in 66,617 scaffolds with N50 = 6,086 bp and an estimated genome size of approximately 253 Mbp. Using genetic distances based on the RAD-seq analysis, we successfully distinguished ramets that belonged to distinct genets even from a half-sib family. We applied these methods to 372 samples of C. leucantha collected at 1-m interval grids within a 20 × 20 m plot in a natural population in Hokkaido, Japan. From these samples, we identified 61 genets with high inequality in terms of genet size and patchy distribution. Spatial autocorrelation analyses indicated significant aggregation within 7 and 4 m at ramet and genet levels, respectively. An analysis of parallel DNA microsatellite loci (simple sequence repeats, SSR) suggested that RAD-seq can provide data that allows robust genet assignment. It remains unclear whether the large genets identified here became dominant stochastically or deterministically. Precise identification of genets will assist further study and characterization of dominant genets