Tree species identity and interaction determine vertical forest structure in young planted forests measured by terrestrial laser scanning

Vertical forest structure is closely linked to multiple ecosystem characteristics,such as biodiversity,habitat,and productivity.Mixing tree species in planted forests has the potential to create diverse vertical forest structures due to the different physiological and morphological traits of the composing tree species.However,the relative importance of species richness,species identity and species interactions for the variation in vertical forest structure remains unclear,mainly because traditional forest inventories do not observe vertical stand structure in detail.Terrestrial laser scanning(TLS),however,allows to study vertical forest structure in an unprecedented way.Therefore,we used TLS single scan data from 126 plots across three experimental planted forests of a largescale tree diversity experiment in Belgium to study the drivers of vertical forest structure.These plots were 9–11years old young pure and mixed forests,characterized by four levels of tree species richness ranging from monocultures to four-species mixtures,across twenty composition levels.We generated vertical plant profiles from the TLS data and derived six stand structural variables.Linear mixed models were used to test the effect of species richness on structural variables.Employing a hierarchical diversity interaction modelling framework,we further assessed species identity effect and various species interaction effects on the six stand structural variables.Our results showed that species richness did not significantly influence most of the stand structure variables,except for canopy height and foliage height diversity.Species identity on the other hand exhibited a significant impact on vertical forest structure across all sites.Species interaction effects were observed to be site-dependent due to varying site conditions and species pools,and rapidly growing tree species tend to dominate these interactions.Overall,our results highlighted the importance of considering both species identity and interaction effects in choosing suitable species combinations for forest management practices aimed at enhancing vertical forest structure.

Algorithm of automatic identification of diabetic retinopathy foci based on ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy

AIM:To propose an algorithm for automatic detection of diabetic retinopathy(DR)lesions based on ultra-widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy(SLO).METHODS:The algorithm utilized the FasterRCNN(Faster Regions with CNN features)+ResNet50(Residua Network 50)+FPN(Feature Pyramid Networks)method for detecting hemorrhagic spots,cotton wool spots,exudates,and microaneurysms in DR ultra-widefield SLO.Subimage segmentation combined with a deeper residual network FasterRCNN+ResNet50 was employed for feature extraction to enhance intelligent learning rate.Feature fusion was carried out by the feature pyramid network FPN,which significantly improved lesion detection rates in SLO fundus images.RESULTS:By analyzing 1076 ultra-widefield SLO images provided by our hospital,with a resolution of 2600×2048 dpi,the accuracy rates for hemorrhagic spots,cotton wool spots,exudates,and microaneurysms were found to be 87.23%,83.57%,86.75%,and 54.94%,respectively.CONCLUSION:The proposed algorithm demonstrates intelligent detection of DR lesions in ultra-widefield SLO,providing significant advantages over traditional fundus color imaging intelligent diagnosis algorithms.

Prophylactic Pattern Scanning Laser Retinal Photocoagulation for Diabetic Retinopathy in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii Fatty Rats: Preliminary Experimental Results

Research Background and Purpose: The number of diabetic patients is rapidly increasing, making it crucial to find methods to prevent diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of blindness. We investigated the effects of prophylactic pattern scanning laser retinal photocoagulation on DR development in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats as a new prevention approach. Methods: Photocoagulation was applied to the right eyes of 8-week-old Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats, with the left eyes serving as untreated controls. Electroretinography at 9 and 39 weeks of age and pathological examinations, including immunohistochemistry for vascular endothelial growth factor and glial fibrillary acidic protein at 24 and 40 weeks of age, were performed on both eyes. Results: There were no significant differences in amplitude and prolongation of the OP waves between the right and left eyes in SDT fatty rats at 39 weeks of age. Similarly, no significant differences in pathology and immunohistochemistry were observed between the right and left eyes in SDT fatty rats at 24 and 40 weeks of age. Conclusion: Prophylactic pattern scanning retinal laser photocoagulation did not affect the development of diabetic retinopathy in SDT fatty rats.

In situ observation of the dissolution kinetics of Al_(2)O_(3) particles in CaO–Al_(2)O_(3)–SiO_(2) slags using laser confocal scanning microscopy

The dissolution kinetics of Al_(2)O_(3) in CaO-Al_(2)O_(3) SiOslags was studied using a high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscope at 1773 to 1873 K.The results show that the controlling step during the Al_(2)O_(3) dissolution was the diffusionin molten slag.It was found that the dissolution curves of Al_(2)O_(3) particles were hardly agreed with the traditional boundary layer diffusion model with the increase of the CaO/Al_(2)O_(3) ratio of slag.A modified diffusion equation considering slag viscosity was developed to study the dissolution mechanism of Al_(2)O_(3) in slag.Diffusion coefficients of Al_(2)O_(3) in slag were calculated as 2.8×10to 4.1×10m~2/s at the temperature of 1773-1873 K.The dissolution rate of Al_(2)O_(3) increased with higher temperature,CaO/Al_(2)O_(3),and particle size.A new model was shown to be v_(Al_(2)O_(3))=0.16×r_(0)^(1.58)×x^(3.52)×(T-T_(mp))^(1.11)to predict the dissolution rate and the total dissolution time of Al_(2)O_(3) inclusions with various sizes,where vAl_(2)O_(3) is the dissolution rate of Al_(2)O_(3) in volume,μm^(3)/s;x is the value of CaO/Al_(2)O_(3) mass ratio;R_(0) is the initial radius of Al_(2)O_(3),μm;T is the temperature,K;T_(mp) is the melting point of slag,K.

Automatic identification of rock discontinuity and stability analysis of tunnel rock blocks using terrestrial laser scanning

Local geometric information and discontinuity features are key aspects of the analysis of the evolution and failure mechanisms of unstable rock blocks in rock tunnels.This study demonstrates the integration of terrestrial laser scanning(TLS)with distinct element method for rock mass characterization and stability analysis in tunnels.TLS records detailed geometric information of the surrounding rock mass by scanning and collecting the positions of millions of rock surface points without contact.By conducting a fuzzy K-means method,a discontinuity automatic identification algorithm was developed,and a method for obtaining the geometric parameters of discontinuities was proposed.This method permits the user to visually identify each discontinuity and acquire its spatial distribution features(e.g.occurrences,spac-ings,trace lengths)in great detail.Compared with hand mapping in conventional geotechnical surveys,the geometric information of discontinuities obtained by this approach is more accurate and the iden-tification is more efficient.Then,a discrete fracture network with the same statistical characteristics as the actual discontinuities was generated with the distinct element method,and a representative nu-merical model of the jointed surrounding rock mass was established.By means of numerical simulation,potential unstable rock blocks were assessed,and failure mechanisms were analyzed.This method was applied to detection and assessment of unstable rock blocks in the spillway and sand flushing tunnel of the Hongshiyan hydropower project after a collapse.The results show that the noncontact detection of blocks was more labor-saving with lower safety risks compared with manual surveys,and the stability assessment was more reliable since the numerical model built by this method was more consistent with the distribution characteristics of actual joints.This study can provide a reference for geological survey and unstable rock block hazard mitigation in tunnels subjected to complex geology and active rockfalls.

Structural plane recognition from three-dimensional laser scanning points using an improved region-growing algorithm based on the robust randomized Hough transform

The staggered distribution of joints and fissures in space constitutes the weak part of any rock mass.The identification of rock mass structural planes and the extraction of characteristic parameters are the basis of rock-mass integrity evaluation,which is very important for analysis of slope stability.The laser scanning technique can be used to acquire the coordinate information pertaining to each point of the structural plane,but large amount of point cloud data,uneven density distribution,and noise point interference make the identification efficiency and accuracy of different types of structural planes limited by point cloud data analysis technology.A new point cloud identification and segmentation algorithm for rock mass structural surfaces is proposed.Based on the distribution states of the original point cloud in different neighborhoods in space,the point clouds are characterized by multi-dimensional eigenvalues and calculated by the robust randomized Hough transform(RRHT).The normal vector difference and the final eigenvalue are proposed for characteristic distinction,and the identification of rock mass structural surfaces is completed through regional growth,which strengthens the difference expression of point clouds.In addition,nearest Voxel downsampling is also introduced in the RRHT calculation,which further reduces the number of sources of neighborhood noises,thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the calculation.The advantages of the method have been verified by laboratory models.The results showed that the proposed method can better achieve the segmentation and statistics of structural planes with interfaces and sharp boundaries.The method works well in the identification of joints,fissures,and other structural planes on Mangshezhai slope in the Three Gorges Reservoir area,China.It can provide a stable and effective technique for the identification and segmentation of rock mass structural planes,which is beneficial in engineering practice.

Improvement of Binocular Reconstruction Algorithm for Measuring 3D Pavement Texture Using a Single Laser Line Scanning Constraint

The dense and accurate measurement of 3D texture is helpful in evaluating the pavement function.To form dense mandatory constraints and improve matching accuracy,the traditional binocular reconstruction technology was improved threefold.First,a single moving laser line was introduced to carry out global scanning constraints on the target,which would well overcome the difficulty of installing and recognizing excessive laser lines.Second,four kinds of improved algorithms,namely,disparity replacement,superposition synthesis,subregion segmentation,and subregion segmentation centroid enhancement,were established based on different constraint mechanism.Last,the improved binocular reconstruction test device was developed to realize the dual functions of 3D texture measurement and precision self-evaluation.Results show that compared with traditional algorithms,the introduction of a single laser line scanning constraint is helpful in improving the measurement’s accuracy.Among various improved algorithms,the improvement effect of the subregion segmentation centroid enhancement method is the best.It has a good effect on both overall measurement and single pointmeasurement,which can be considered to be used in pavement function evaluation.

Temperature Field in Laser Line Scanning Thermography: Analytical Calculation and Experiment

The temperature field in laser line scanning thermography is investigated comprehensively in this work,including analytical calculation and experiment.Firstly,the principle of laser line scanning thermography is analyzed.On this basis,a physical laser line scanning model is proposed.Afterwards,based on Fourier transform(FT)and segregation variablemethod(SVM),the heat conduction differential equation in laser line scanning thermography is derived in detail.The temperature field of the composite-based coatings model with defects is simulated numerically.The results show that the laser line scanning thermography can effectively detect the defects in the model.The correctness of the analytical calculation is verified by comparing the surface temperature distribution obtained by analytical calculation and numerical simulation.Additionally,an experiment is carried out and the changeable surface temperature obtained by analytical calculation is compared with the experimental results.It shows that the error of maximum temperature obtained by analytical calculation and by experiment is 8%with high accuracy,which proves the correctness of analytical calculation and enriches the theoretical foundation of laser line scanning thermography.

Method for visualizing the shear process of rock joints using 3D laser scanning and 3D printing techniques

This study presents a visualized approach for tracking joint surface morphology.Three-dimensional laser scanning(3DLS)and 3D printing(3DP)techniques are adopted to record progressive failure during rock joint shearing.The 3DP resin is used to create transparent specimens to reproduce the surface morphology of a natural joint precisely.The freezing method is employed to enhance the mechanical properties of the 3DP specimens to reproduce the properties of hard rock more accurately.A video camera containing a charge-coupled device(CCD)camera is utilized to record the evolution of damaged area of joint surface during the direct shear test.The optimal shooting distance and shooting angle are recommended to be 800 mm and 40?,respectively.The images captured by the CCD camera are corrected to quantitatively describe the damaged area on the joint surface.Verification indicates that this method can accurately describe the total sheared areas at different shear stages.These findings may contribute to elucidating the shear behavior of rock joints.

Study on the LAI Single Tree Model Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Leaf area index (LAI) is a key parameter for studying global terrestrial ecology and environment and has great ecological significance. How to accurately measure and calculate structural parameters of trees has become an urgent matter. This paper reports the use of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) as a measurement tool to achieve accurate LAI estimation through point cloud preprocessing measures, the LeWos algorithm, and voxel methods. The accuracy and feasibility of this indirect measurement method were explored. It is found that the single wood structure parameters extracted from TLS have a good linear relationship with manual measurement, and the extraction errors meet the requirements of real-scene conversion. The study also found when the voxel size is consistent with the minimum distance of the point cloud set by TLS instrument, it has a strong correlation with the measured value of canopy analyser. These results lay the foundation for conveniently and quickly obtaining structural parameters of trees, tree growth state detection, and canopy ecological benefit assessment.

Research on 3D Laser Scanning Reconstruction of Ancient Buildings Combined with BIM Technology

After more than 30 years of scientific and social development, surveying and mapping technology by leaps and bounds, engineering surveying technology has undergone tremendous changes. In the process of protecting ancient buildings, it is necessary to obtain the precise dimensions of architectural details. In this study, the path of 3D laser scanning combined with BIM technology is explored. Taking the observation and protection of the ancestral hall of the Liu family as an example, this study aims to draw drawings that reflect the relevant information about the ancient buildings, the accurate three-dimensional model of ancient buildings is established with BIM technology, which provides new methods and ideas for the research and protection of ancient buildings. .

Solidification process of conventional superalloy by confocal scanning laser microscope

The solidification process of a conventional superalloy, IN718, was investigated by confocal scanning laser microscope （CSLM）. The liquid fraction during solidification was obtained as a function of real time and temperature in reference with the in-situ observation. The characteristics of L→γ transformation were analyzed and the γ growing rate of each stage was also calculated. Scheil equation was employed to predict the segregation behavior, and the predict results are in consistence with the experimental results. As a result, the confocal scanning laser microscope shows a great potential for solidification process research.

基于SEM的土体微观结构三维分析与分维计算方法

土体微观结构研究很早就建立了三维空间的分形模型,但分形维数计算所需参数很难由常规土工试验得到,限制了分形理论在土体研究中的应用。基于陕西定边与甘肃兰州原状土样的扫描电镜(SEM)试验,提出了三维化处理与三角形网格原理联合方法,可以得到土体颗粒(孔隙)不同测量尺度对应的表面积与体积计算值,由此实现分形维数的计算,并通过分形理论在土水特征中的应用验证了方法的有效性与可靠性。另外,三维化处理还可获取视孔隙率、比面等土体微观结构参数,可以作为土体微观结构定量分析研究的新途径。

Laser Scanning的基本原理及其应用前景

首先介绍了激光测距仪的发展历程,针对应用领域的不同,分别对3维激光成像仪和机载/星载激光测高仪的测量原理进行了阐述,并分别介绍了两种激光测距仪的工作流程以及数据处理流程,最后对两种激光测距仪的应用范围进行了阐述,并把两种激光测距技术和普通摄影测量进行了比较,指出了激光测距技术相对于普通摄影测量的优点,即高精度性、穿透性、实时性。

Integration system research and development for three-dimensional laser scanning information visualization in goaf

An integration processing system of three-dimensional laser scanning information visualization in goaf was developed. It is provided with multiple functions, such as laser scanning information management for goaf, cloud data de-noising optimization, construction, display and operation of three-dimensional model, model editing, profile generation, calculation of goaf volume and roof area, Boolean calculation among models and interaction with the third party soft ware. Concerning this system with a concise interface, plentiful data input/output interfaces, it is featured with high integration, simple and convenient operations of applications. According to practice, in addition to being well-adapted, this system is favorably reliable and stable.

Application of Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning and Surveying in Geological Investigation of High Rock Slope

The appearance of 3D laser scanning technology is one of the most important technology revolutions in surveying and mapping field. It can be widely used in many interrelated fields, such as engineering constructions and 3D measurements, owing to its prominent characteristics of the high efficiency and high precision. At present its application is still in the initial state, and it is quite rarely used in China, especially in geotechnical engineering and geological engineering fields. Starting with a general introduction of 3D laser scanning technology, this article studies how to apply the technology to high rock slope investigations. By way of a case study, principles and methods of quick slope documentation and occurrence measurement of discontinuities are discussed and analyzed. Analysis results show that the application of 3D laser scanning technology to geotechnical and geological engineering has a great prospect and value.

Three-dimensional image of hepatocellular carcinoma under confocal laser scanning microscope

AIM To investigate the application of confocallaser scanning microscopy(CLSM)in tumorpathology and three-dimensional( 3-D )reconstruction by CLSM in pathologic specimensof hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS The 30μm thick sections were cutfrom the paraffin-embedded tissues of HCC,hyperplasia and normal liver,stained with DNAfluorescent probe YOYO-1 iodide and examinedby CLSM to collect optical sections of nuclei and3-D images reconstructed.RESULTS HCC displayed chaotic arrangementof carcinoma cell nuclei,marked pleomorphism,indented and irregular nuclear surface,andirregular and coarse chromatin texture.CONCLUSION The serial optical tomograms ofCLSM can be used to create 3-D reconstruction ofcancer cell nuclei.Such 3-D impressions mightbe helpful or even essential in making anaccurate diagnosis.

In uence of Particle Size on Laser Absorption and Scanning Track Formation Mechanisms of Pure Tungsten Powder During Selective Laser Melting

A three-dimensional laser absorption model based on ray tracing was established to describe the coupled interaction of a laser beam with particles in the powder layers of pure tungsten(W)material processed by selective laser melting(SLM).The influence of particle size on the powder-to-laser absorptivity and underlying absorption behavior was investigated.An intrinsic relationship between the absorption,distribution of absorbed irradiance within the powder layers,and surface morphology and geometric characteristics(e.g.,contact angle,width and height of tracks,and remelted depth)of the laser scanning tracks is presented here.Simulation conclusions indicate that the absorptivity of the powder layers considerably exceeds the single powder particle value or the dense solid material value.With an increase in particle size,the powder layer absorbs less laser energy.The maximum absorptivity of theWpowder layers reached 0.6030 at the particle size of 5 lm.The distribution of laser irradiance on the particle surface was sensitive to particle size,azimuthal angle,and the position of the powder particles on the substrate.The maximum irradiance in the powder layers decreased from 1.117×10^–3 to 0.85×10^–3W·μm^-2 and the contour of the irradiance distribution in the center of the irradiated area gradually contracted when the particle size increased from 5 to 45 lm.An experimental study on the surface morphologies and cross-sectional geometric characteristics of SLM-fabricated W material was performed,and the experimental results validated the mechanisms of the powder-to-laser-absorption behavior that were obtained in simulations.This work provides a scientific basis for the application of the ray-tracing model to predict the wetting and spreading ability of melted tracks during SLM additive manufacturing in order to yield a sound laser processability.

Long-term effects of pattern scan laser pan-retinal photocoagulation on diabetic retinopathy in Chinese patients: a retrospective study

●AIM:To evaluate the long-term effects of pattern scan laser(PASCAL)pan-retinal photocoagulation(PRP)on diabetic retinopathy(DR)in Chinese patients.●METHODS:In this retrospective study,we evaluated clinical data of 29 patients(53 eyes)with severe non-proliferative DR(SNPDR)or proliferative DR(PDR)who received PRP and follow-up at our hospital from 2008 to 2013.Sixteen patients(29 eyes)received PASCAL PRP and 13 patients(24 eyes)received 100-ms conventional laser PRP.●RESULTS:After long-term follow-up(mean,min-max days:719.8,290-1666 for PASCAL PRP vs 743.5,240-1348 for conventional PRP,P=0.569),patients receiving PASCAL PRP required fewer photocoagulation sessions than the conventional PRP group(2.6±1.0 vs 3.9±0.9,P<0.01).Best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)was reduced slightly in PASCAL PRP group while reduced significantly in conventional PRP group.At last visit,24 eyes in the PASCAL group(88.9%)and 21 eyes in the conventional group(91.7%)were improved or stable.Two eyes in PASCAL PRP group(7.4%)and 3 eyes in the conventional PRP group(12.5%)developed vitreous hemorrhage or vitreous fibrovascular proliferation.●CONCLUSION:PASCAL PRP is as effective and may be more conducive to maintaining visual acuity with less treatment sessions for DR treatment compared to conventional laser PRP.

Application of laser scanning for rock mass characterization and discrete fracture network generation in an underground limestone mine

Terrestrial laser scanning(TLS) is a useful technology for rock mass characterization. A laser scanner produces a massive point cloud of a scanned area, such as an exposed rock surface in an underground tunnel,with millimeter precision. The density of the point cloud depends on several parameters from both the TLS operational conditions and the specifications of the project, such as the resolution and the quality of the laser scan, the section of the tunnel, the distance between scanning stations, and the purpose of the scans. One purpose of the scan can be to characterize the rock mass and statistically analyze the discontinuities that compose it for further discontinuous modeling. In these instances, additional data processing and a detailed analysis should be performed on the point cloud to extract the parameters to define a discrete fracture network(DFN) for each discontinuity set. I-site studio is a point cloud processing software that allows users to edit and process laser scans. This software contains a set of geotechnical analysis tools that assist engineers during the structural mapping process, allowing for greater and more representative data regarding the structural information of the rock mass, which may be used for generating DFNs. This paper presents the procedures used during a laser scan for characterizing discontinuities in an underground limestone mine and the results of the scan as applied to the generation of DFNs for further discontinuous modeling.