Needle age-related and seasonal photosynthetic capacity variation is negligible for modelling yearly gas exchange of a sparse temperate Scots pine forest

In this study, we quantified the predictive accuracy loss involved with omitting photosynthetic capacity variation for a Scots pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i> L.) stand in Flanders, Belgium. Over the course of one phenological year, we measured the maximum carboxylation capacity at 25 &deg;C (<i>V</i>_m25), the maximum electron transport capacity at 25 &deg;C (<i>J</i>_m25), and the leaf area index (LAI) of different-aged needle cohorts in the upper and lower canopy. We used these measurements as input for a process-based multi-layer canopy model with the objective to quantify the difference in yearly gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and canopy transpiration (<i>E</i>_can) simulated under scenarios in which the observed needle age-related and/or seasonal variation of <i>V</i>_m25 and <i>J</i>_m25 was omitted. We compared simulated GEP with estimations obtained from eddy covariance measurements. Additionally, we measured summer needle N content to investigate the relationship between photosynthetic capacity parameters and needle N content along different needle ages. <br><br> Results show that <i>V</i>_m25 and <i>J</i>_m25 were, respectively, 27% and 13% higher in current-year than in one-year old needles. A significant seasonality effect was found on <i>V</i>_m25, but not on <i>J</i>_m25. Summer needle N content was considerably lower in current-year than in one-year-old needles. As a result, the correlations between <i>V</i>_m25 and needle N content and <i>J</i>_m25 and needle N content were negative and non-significant, respectively. Some explanations for these unexpected correlations were brought forward. Yearly GEP was overestimated by the canopy model by &plusmn;15% under all scenarios. The inclusion and omission of the observed needle age-related <i>V</i>_m25 and <i>J</i>_m25 variation in the model simulations led to statistically significant but ecologically irrelevant differences in simulated yearly GEP and <i>E</i>_can. Omitting seasonal variation did not yield significant simulation differences. Our results indicate that intensive photosynthetic capacity measurements over the full growing season and separate simulation of needle age classes were no prerequisites for accurate simulations of yearly canopy gas exchange. This is true, at least, for the studied stand, which has a very sparse canopy and is exposed to high N deposition and, hence, is not fully representative for temperate Scots pine stands. Nevertheless, we believe well-parameterized process-based canopy models – as applied in this study – are a useful tool to quantify losses of predictive accuracy involved with canopy simplification in modelling

Fine-Scale Spatial Organization of Face and Object Selectivity in the Temporal Lobe: Do Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Optical Imaging, and Electrophysiology Agree?

The spatial organization of the brain's object and face representations in the temporal lobe is critical for understanding high-level vision and cognition but is poorly understood. Recently, exciting progress has been made using advanced imaging and physiology methods in humans and nonhuman primates, and the combination of such methods may be particularly powerful. Studies applying these methods help us to understand how neuronal activity, optical imaging, and functional magnetic resonance imaging signals are related within the temporal lobe, and to uncover the fine-grained and large-scale spatial organization of object and face representations in the primate brain

Sextupole correction magnets for the Large Hadron Collider

About 2500 superconducting sextupole corrector magnets (MCS) are needed for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN to compensate persistent current sextupole fields of the main dipoles. The MCS is a cold bore magnet with iron yoke. The coils are made from a NbTi conductor, which is cooled to 1.9 K. In the original CERN design 6 individual sub-coils, made from a monolithic composite conductor, are assembled and spliced together to form the sextupole. The coils are individually wound around precision-machined central islands and stabilized with matching saddle pieces at both ends. The Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc. (AML) has produced an alternative design, which gives improved performance and reliability at reduced manufacturing cost. In the AML design, the magnet consists of three splice-free sub-coils, which are placed with an automated winding process into pockets of prefabricated G-11 support cylinders. Any assembly process of sub-coils with potential misalignment is eliminated. The AML magnet uses a Kapton-wrapped mini-cable, which allows helium penetration into the vicinity of the conductor, increasing its cryogenic stability. Eliminating all internal splices from the magnet significantly reduces heat loads and the risk of magnet failure during operation. A tested prototype reached the critical current limit of the conductor in the first quench. (3 refs)

How to achieve robustness against scaling in a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring

In the European Esprit project VIVA (Visual Identity Verification Auditor) a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring has been investigated and implemented. On top of the usual requirements for watermarks, the VIVA watermarking system has to satisfy an additional number of constraints. One of the most important constraints in a broadcast environment is the robustness of the watermark against scaling. This paper describes how robustness against scaling is achieved in the VIVA project. Furthermore, a real-time implementation of the algorithms is discussed. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of the algorithms

Update in non small- cell lung cancer staging

Significant progress has been made with the introduction of the TNM-7 staging system for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Constituting the first major revision in 12 years, the seventh edition of NSCLC TNM (TNM-7) is based on the recommendations from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Lung Cancer Staging Project of 2007. This new TNM iteration includes a subset analysis on SCLC and carcinoid tumors. A thorough understanding of its principles by the radiologist is helpful to increase efficiency and to improve communication with the referring clinicians

How to achieve robustness against scaling in a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring

In the European Esprit project VIVA (Visual Identity Verification Auditor) a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring has been investigated and implemented. On top of the usual requirements for watermarks, the VIVA watermarking system has to satisfy an additional number of constraints. One of the most important constraints in a broadcast environment is the robustness of the watermark against scaling. This paper describes how robustness against scaling is achieved in the VIVA project. Furthermore, a real-time implementation of the algorithms is discussed. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of the algorithms

A comparison of different methods for assessing leaf area index in four canopy types

The agreement of Leaf Area Index (LAI) assessments from three indirect methods, i.e. the LAI–2200 Plant Canopy Analyzer, the SS1 SunScan Canopy Analysis System and Digital Hemispherical Photography (DHP) was evaluated for four canopy types, i.e. a short rotation coppice plantation (SRC) with poplar, a Scots pine stand, a Pedunculate oak stand and amaize field. In the SRC and in the maize field, the indirect measurements were compared with direct measurements (litter fall and harvesting). In the low LAI range (0 to 2) the discrepancies of the SS1 were partly explained by the inability to properly account for clumping and the uncertainty of the ellipsoidal leaf angle distribu tion parameter. The higher values for SS1 in the medium (2 to 6) to high (6 to 8) ranges might be explained by gap fraction saturation for LAI–2200 and DHP above certain values. Wood area index –understood as the woody light blocking elements from the canopy with respect to diameter growth– accounted for overestimation by all indirect methods when compared to direct methods in the SRC. The inter-comparison of the three indirect methods in the four canopy types showed a general agreement for all methods in the medium LAI range (2 to 6). LAI–2200 and DHP revealed the best agreement among the indirect methods along the entire range of LAI (0 to 8) in all canopy types. SS1 showed some discrepancies with the LAI–2200 and DHP at low (0 to 2) and high ranges of LAI (6 to 8

A Preference for Contralateral Stimuli in Human Object- and Face-Selective Cortex

Visual input from the left and right visual fields is processed predominantly in the contralateral hemisphere. Here we investigated whether this preference for contralateral over ipsilateral stimuli is also found in high-level visual areas that are important for the recognition of objects and faces. Human subjects were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they viewed and attended faces, objects, scenes, and scrambled images in the left or right visual field. With our stimulation protocol, primary visual cortex responded only to contralateral stimuli. The contralateral preference was smaller in object- and face-selective regions, and it was smallest in the fusiform gyrus. Nevertheless, each region showed a significant preference for contralateral stimuli. These results indicate that sensitivity to stimulus position is present even in high-level ventral visual cortex

Electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of the high temperature crystal structures of GexSb2Te3+x (x=1,2,3) phase change material

The crystal structures of GeSb2Te4, Ge2Sb2Te5, and Ge3Sb2Te6 were determined using electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The structure determined for the former two crystals deviates from the ones proposed in the literature. These crystal structures were developed jointly upon cooling of liquid Ge2Sb2Te5. A stacking disorder parallel to the basal plane was observed that increases with increasing cooling rates. For the GexSb2Te3+x (x=1,2,3) crystals it is shown that an a,b,c stacking holds with an alternating stacking of x GeTe double layers identically present in binary GeTe and one Te-Sb-Te-Te-Sb- repeat unit also present in binary Sb2Te3. A stacking disorder is a logical consequence of building crystals with these two principal units. On the other hand, it is likely that all stable crystals of the Ge-Sb-Te systems are an ordered sequence of these two units. Some of the implications of these findings of the stable and metastable crystal structures that develop from amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 are presented so as to understand the crucial crystallization process in Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material

Septic Thrombophlebitis of the Right Ovarian Vein

Background: A 26-year-old woman presented at the emergency department with a painful abdomen and fever up to 39°C, despite antibiotics. She had given prematurely birth by caesarian section to a twin 8 days earlier. On clinical examination she had a diffuse painful and tender abdomen, especially on the right side and suprapubic region. Laboratory findings showed an increased c-reactive protein of 24 mg/dL (normal < 0,3) and increased white blood cell count of 13 Å~ 10E9/L (normal 4,3-10 Å~ 10E9/L). There was also a decreased hemoglobin level of 8,4 g/dL (normal 12-15 g/dL). An ultrasonography was performed by the gynecologist and revealed a large heterogeneous fluid collection anteriorly of the uterus