scholarly journals Basaltic Outcrops as Centers of Diversity for Xerothermic Plants in the Sudetes Mountains (Central Europe)

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 164
Author(s):  
Paweł Kwiatkowski

Rock outcrops have promoted a high level of species diversity and provided a stable microclimate for long time periods. The present study is devoted to plant diversity of natural Quaternary outcrops of basaltic rocks. Chorological and ecological investigations were carried out at 35 such outcrops, located within five physiogeographic units of the Sudetes Mountains. The focus was on 120 xerothermic taxa of vascular plants: 62 strictly xerothermic (steppe) taxa of the Festuco valesiacae-Brometea erecti class, and 58 thermophilous taxa representing classes Trifolio medii-Geranietea sanguinei and Quercetea pubescentis. Limited geographical ranges of these plants are manifested by variable frequency of their occurrence. Species distribution is determined by natural factors, like surface area of the outcrop, the type of basaltic rock and the type of plant communities developed. Basaltic outcrops in the Sudetes meet the criterion of habitat islands (inselbergs), serve as regional centers of vascular flora, and are refugia for marginal populations of relict species.

2007 ◽  
pp. 106-107
Author(s):  
B. K. Gannibal

Leonid Efimovich Rodin (1907-1990) was a graduate of Leningrad state University. To him, the future is known geobotanica, happened to a course in Botanical geography is still at the N. A. Bush. His teachers were also A. P. Shennikov and A. A. Korchagin, who subsequently headed related Department of geobotany and Botanical geography of Leningrad state University. This was the first school scientist. And since the beginning of the 30s of XX century and until the end of life L. E. was an employee of the Department of geobotany of the Komarov Botanical Institute (RAS), where long time worked together with E. M. Lavrenko, V. B. Sochava, B. A. Tikhomirov, V. D. Alexandrova and many other high-level professionals, first continuing to learn and gain experience, then defining the direction of development of geobotany in the Institute and the country as a whole.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (04) ◽  
pp. 640-642
Author(s):  
Halil Onder

AbstractGait disorders are common in the elderly as there are various causes of neurological and non-neurological conditions. On the other hand, most of the gait parameters do change with advancing age which is identified as age-related physiological changes in gait. At this point, the discrimination between age-related physiological changes and gait disorders may be strictly challenging. After identifying gait as an abnormal pattern, classification of it and making the responsible pathophysiology also require high-level expertise in this regard. Herein, we present a rare patient with corticobasal degeneration (CBD) who had admitted initially due to complaints of gait problems. Over a long time, the patient had received the misdiagnosis of gait abnormality due to musculoskeletal problems by multiple physicians. However, the detailed neurological exam showed a higher level gait disorder (HLGD). Further investigations at this point yielded the diagnosis of CBD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-101
Author(s):  
Samfriati S ◽  
Lilis N ◽  
Mercy N G

Academic procrastination is one of the postponement behaviors in lecture activities that are often found in students, in this study respondents experiencees a high level of procrastination that could hamper academic activities. One of the causes of procrastination is the use of gadgets that are too long to play games, music, entertainment and so on. Goals : The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between the use of gadgets and academic procrastination onNursing Students level II Saint Elisabeth Medan 2019. Method : The study design is Cross Sectional. Total sampling technique sample are112 students. The measuring instrument used is a questionnaire. Result : The results shows that the majority of use of positive gadgets (92.9%) and moderate academic procrastination (63.4%). Based on the Fisher's Exact Test, it obtained p-value 0.026 (p <0.05), thus indicating a relationship between the use of gadgets and academic procrastination on nursing students level II STIKes Saint Elisabeth Medan. Conculsion: It is expected that respondents will be able to manage time well and not use gadgets for a long time for things that are not useful. Respondent s are expected to use gadgets for things that can support learning activities.


Author(s):  
Matiashuk R. ◽  
Tkachenko I.

The sensitivity of the reproductive structures of Forsythiasuspensato the complex influence of undifferentiated environmental factors has been studied.The monitoring sites are located in 15 different park ecosystems in 6 administrative districts of Kyiv. Data from the Borys Sreznevsky Central Geophysical Observatory (air pollution index (API) and meteorological conditions for 2018-2020) were used to assess the conditions of the growthenvironment. The influence of a complex of ecologically important factors during the flowering offorsythia on the quality of the formedpollen is noted. Thus, growing plantsfor a long time in conditions with a low level of air pollution (APIup to 5.0) in abnormal weather conditions in 2020,40-50% less fertile grainswere formed. And forplants, which grow in areas with increasedlevel (API5.0-7.0) and high level (API7.0-14.0) of air pollution, the share of fertile grains in the pollen population decreased by 60-80%. In the closed bud,the pollen has higher resistance to a complex of exogenous growth factors. Forsythia plants, which are located in large parklands, lose less pollen quality in adverse weather conditions and affected byurbotechnogenic factors. F. suspensa is an acceptable indicator of the level of environmental pollution by the deviation of pollen fertility from the control value. In areas with high aerogenic load, for example, areas with large highways (Bus Station «Darnytsia»), as well as with a significant recreational load (HolosiivskyiPark, Recreation Park on the Olena Teliha Street) much smaller pollen is formed. Itis noted that the conditions of forsythia growth affect the quantitative indicators of the formed pollen not only in the flower but also in the closed bud, which confirms the chronic effect of the complex of ingredients of aerotechnogenic emissions on plants of this species. The coefficient of sterility of pollen (CS) was used to objectively compare the data of 2019 and 2020 on the condition of the generative organs of F. suspensa in the studied areas. The calculation of the CS confirmed that in the closedbud pollen has a higher resistance to exogenous factors. In areas with high and increased levels of air pollution,during budding and flowering of plants (March-May,) there is a much higher CS of pollen of F. suspensа. Significant parkland territoriesof the city (for example, HolosiivskyiPark, Botanical Garden named after O. V. Fomin) provide less stressful conditions for growth and development of plants, even with the "very high" level of air pollution (ISA above 14.0) observed in April 2020 on this territory.The study of the susceptibility of F. suspensаpollen to growing conditions will be continued, as the prospects of using this species for bioindication of ecological status and zoning of park ecosystems of Kyiv according to the gradient of anthropogenic impact have been revealed.Key words:forsythia, fertility, coefficient of sterility of pollen, bioindication. Проведене дослідження чутливості репродуктивних структур Forsythiasuspensaдо комплексного впливу недиференційованих факторів навколишнього середовища. Моніторингові ділянки розташовані в 15 різних паркових екосистемах 6 адміністративних районівКиєва. Для оцінки умов середовища вирощування рослин використані дані Центральної геофізичної обсерваторії імені Бориса Срезневського (індекс забруднення атмосферного повітря (ІЗА) та метеорологічні умови за 2018-2020 рр.). Відмічено вплив комплексу екологічно важливих факторів (за показниками відхилення від норми середньої місячної температури повітря та місячної кількості опадів у Києві) уперіод квітування форзиції на якість сформованого пилку. Так, за тривалої експозиції рослин в умовах з низьким рівнем забруднення повітря (ІЗА до 5,0) в аномальних погодних умовах 2020 р. сформувалось на 40-50% менше фертильних зерен. А у форзиції, яка росте на територіях з підвищеним (ІЗА 5,0-7,0) та високим (ІЗА 7,0-14,0) рівнями забруднення частка фертильних зерен в популяції пилку зменшилась на 60-80%. У закритому бутоні пилок має вищу стійкість до комплексу екзогенних факторів середовища зростання. Рослини форзиції, які розташовані у значних за площею паркових насадженнях, менше втрачають якість пилку за несприятливих погодних умов та дії урботехногенних чинників. За відхиленням показника фертильності пилку від контрольного значення F. suspensaє допустимим індикатором рівня забруднення середовища. На територіях з підвищеним аерогенним навантаженням, наприклад, ділянки з автотранспортними магістралями (Автостанція «Дарниця»), а також зі значним рекреаційним навантаженням (Голосіївський парк імені М. Рильського, Парк відпочинку по вул. Олени Теліги)формується значно дрібніший пилок. Відмічено, що умови росту позначаються на кількісних показниках сформованого пилку не лише в квітці, але й в закритому бутоні, що підтверджує хронічний вплив комплексу інгредієнтів аеротехногенних викидів нарослини цього виду. Для об’єктивного співставлення даних 2019 і 2020 рр. щодо стану генеративних органів F. suspensaна досліджених ділянках був використаний коефіцієнт стерильності (КС) пилку. Розрахунок КС підтвердив, що в закритому бутоні пилок має вищу стійкість до впливу екзогенних чинників. Вищий КС був у F. suspense, з ділянок, на яких в період бутонізації і квітування рослин (березень-травень) відмічений високий і підвищений рівень забруднення атмосфери. Значні за площею паркові насадження міста (наприклад, Голосіївський парк, Ботанічний сад ім.акад. О.В. Фоміна) забезпечують менш напружені умови росту і розвитку рослин навіть при відміченому в квітні 2020 р. «дуже високому» рівні забруднення повітря (ІЗА вище 14,0) на цих територіях. Дослідження чутливості пилку F. suspenseдо умов вирощування буде продовжене,оскільки виявлена перспективність використання цього виду для біоіндикації екологічного стану та зонування паркових екосистем Києва за градієнтом антропогенного впливу.Ключові слова: форзиція, фертильність, індекс стерильності, біоіндикація.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 00044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slawomir Gulkowski ◽  
Natalia Zytkowska ◽  
Piotr Dragan

Photovoltaic systems are designed to operate for a very long time according to the modules’ warranty that guarantees at least of 80% of the nominal power production after 20 years of use. In order to assure the continuous power production with a high level for a long time, thermographic analysis should be performed to detect incipient anomalies in individual modules and junction boxes. This safe, convenient and noncontact method allows carrying out the inspection for working system without any contact with live wiring and without disconnecting the PV systems. Temperature distribution of the module surface can reveal many different types of anomalies, i.e. hot spots caused by local shading, microcracking or cell breakage. This paper shows the results of the infrared thermography analysis of the operating PV systems consisting of different technological modules: polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si), copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe). The average working temperature of each different kind of technological module as well as overheated areas were investigated in this study. Temperature of the MC4 connectors was also analysed.


1997 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. McCUTCHEON ◽  
H. E. ANDERSON ◽  
P. T. ROBINSON

Stratigraphic, petrographic and geochemical evidence indicate that the volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Late Devonian Piskahegan Group, located in the northern Appalachians of southwestern New Brunswick, represent the eroded remnants of a large epicontinental caldera complex. This complex – the Mount Pleasant Caldera – is one of few recognizable pre-Cenozoic calderas and is divisible into Exocaldera, Intracaldera and Late Caldera-Fill sequences. The Intracaldera Sequence comprises four formations that crop out in a triangular-shaped area and includes: thick ash flow tuffs, thick sedimentary breccias that dip inward, and stocks of intermediate to felsic composition that intrude the volcanic pile or are localized along caldera-margin faults. The Exocaldera Sequence contains ash flow tuffs, mafic lavas, alluvial redbeds and porphyritic felsic lavas that comprise five formations. The Late Caldera-Fill Sequence contains rocks that are similar to those of the outflow facies and comprises two formations and two minor intrusive units. Geochemical and mineralogical data support the stratigraphic subdivision and indicate that the basaltic rocks are mantle-derived and have intraplate chemical affinities. The andesites were probably derived from basaltic magma by fractional crystallization and assimilation of crustal material. The various felsic units are related by episodes of fractional crystallization in a high-level, zoned magma chamber. Fractionation was repeatedly interrupted by eruption of material from the roof zone such that seven stages of caldera development have been identified. The genesis of the caldera is related to a period of lithospheric thinning that followed the Acadian Orogeny in the northern Appalachians.


Author(s):  
Abd El Rahman Shabayek ◽  
Olivier Morel ◽  
David Fofi

For long time, it was thought that the sensing of polarization by animals is invariably related to their behavior, such as navigation and orientation. Recently, it was found that polarization can be part of a high-level visual perception, permitting a wide area of vision applications. Polarization vision can be used for most tasks of color vision including object recognition, contrast enhancement, camouflage breaking, and signal detection and discrimination. The polarization based visual behavior found in the animal kingdom is briefly covered. Then, the authors go in depth with the bio-inspired applications based on polarization in computer vision and robotics. The aim is to have a comprehensive survey highlighting the key principles of polarization based techniques and how they are biologically inspired.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Gostev ◽  
Semen Leyn ◽  
Alexander Kruglov ◽  
Daria Likholetova ◽  
Olga Kalinogorskaya ◽  
...  

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) for a long time were considered avirulent constituents of the human and warm-blooded animal microbiota. However, at present, S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, and S. hominis are recognized as opportunistic pathogens. Although linezolid is not registered for the treatment of CoNS infections, it is widely used off-label, promoting emergence of resistance. Bioinformatic analysis based on maximum-likelihood phylogeny and Bayesian clustering of the CoNS genomes obtained in the current study and downloaded from public databases revealed the existence of international linezolid-resistant lineages, each of which probably had a common predecessor. Linezolid-resistant S. epidermidis sequence-type (ST) 2 from Russia, France, and Germany formed a compact group of closely related genomes with a median pairwise single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference of fewer than 53 SNPs, and a common ancestor of this lineage appeared in 1998 (1986–2006) before introduction of linezolid in practice. Another compact group of linezolid-resistant S. epidermidis was represented by ST22 isolates from France and Russia with a median pairwise SNP difference of 40; a common ancestor of this lineage appeared in 2011 (2008–2013). Linezolid-resistant S. hominis ST2 from Russia, Germany, and Brazil also formed a group with a high-level genome identity with median 25.5 core-SNP differences; the appearance of the common progenitor dates to 2003 (1996–2012). Linezolid-resistant S. hominis isolates from Russia demonstrated associated resistance to teicoplanin. Analysis of a midpoint-rooted phylogenetic tree of the group confirmed the genetic proximity of Russian and German isolates; Brazilian isolates were phylogenetically distant. repUS5-like plasmids harboring cfr were detected in S. hominis and S. haemolyticus.


Author(s):  
Nicolas Bougie ◽  
Ryutaro Ichise

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) methods traditionally struggle with tasks where environment rewards are sparse or delayed, which entails that exploration remains one of the key challenges of DRL. Instead of solely relying on extrinsic rewards, many state-of-the-art methods use intrinsic curiosity as exploration signal. While they hold promise of better local exploration, discovering global exploration strategies is beyond the reach of current methods. We propose a novel end-to-end intrinsic reward formulation that introduces high-level exploration in reinforcement learning. Our curiosity signal is driven by a fast reward that deals with local exploration and a slow reward that incentivizes long-time horizon exploration strategies. We formulate curiosity as the error in an agent’s ability to reconstruct the observations given their contexts. Experimental results show that this high-level exploration enables our agents to outperform prior work in several Atari games.


Author(s):  
Megha Deshmukh ◽  
Vineeta Saxena Nigam

Diabetic Retinopathy is a diabetic disease that directly affects the vision that causes damaged blood vessels at the back end of the eyes. It a complicated disease that cannot be recognized from normal eyes; a fundus imaging can reflect the impairments over the retina that causes partial or complete blindness that cannot be cured. It is mandatory for a routine examination that may lead to prevent from complete blindness because it can be prevented from current damaged blood vessels but it cannot be revert or treated. In the field of image processing; various diseases can be diagnosed automatically that saves humans life along with easiness for medical professionals. If a person pertains diabetes for a long time may have highest possibility for diabetic retinopathy. Here, the system has been proposed that can diagnose this disease with high level of accuracy with minimal false alarm rate. System uses Prewitt Edge Detection and Color Mapping techniques for recognizing diabetic retinopathy symptoms or damaged blood vessels from fundus imaging. Prewitt is highly sensitive for extracting impairments along with blood vessels and system is able to mask the unwanted area by using color correction tool.


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