A fuzzy c-means classification of elevation derivatives to extract the morphometric classification of landforms in Snowdonia, Wales

The increasing global coverage of high resolution/large-scale digital elevation data has allowed the study of geomorphological form to receive renewed attention by providing accessible datasets for the characterisation and quantification of land surfaces. Digital elevation models (DEMs) provide quantitative elevation data, but it is the characterisation and extraction of geomorphologically significant measures (morphometric indices) from these raw data that form more informative and useful datasets. Common to many geographical measures, morphometric measures derived from DEMs are dependent on the scale of observation. This paper reports results of employing a fuzzy c-means classification for a sample DEM from Snowdonia, Wales, with a number of morphometric measures at different resolutions as input, and morphometric classification of landforms at each resolution as output. The classifications reveal that different landscape components or morphometric classes are important at different resolutions, and that morphometric classes exhibit resolution dependency in their geographical extents. Examination of the scale dependency and behaviour of morphometric classifications of landforms at different resolutions provides a fuller and more holistic view of the classes present than a single-scale analysis.     

Analysis of solid renal dysplasia by flow cytometry: malignant potential?

The iron-chelating agent desferrioxamine now finds extensive use in the treatment and diagnosis of aluminum-related diseases in renal patients. We review the chemistry and pharmacokinetics of desferrioxamine in chelation therapy for patients on hemodialysis.     

Cervical spinal cord compression caused by ossification of the posterior vertebral ligament. Apropos of a case

In eight Japanese patients, three different laparoscopic procedures were used to excise an early gastric carcinoma; partial resection in four, intragastric resection of the gastric mucosa in two, and laparoscopic-assisted distal partial gastrectomy with the abdominal wall-elevating method in two patients. Histological examinations revealed that the lesions were completely resected, and there was no evidence of lymphatic metastasis. The operation time ranged from 2 to 4 h. These forms of laparoscopic gastric surgery for patients with early gastric carcinomas may be useful from the standpoint of minimal access, rapid recovery, less pain, and good cosmesis.     

Serum HIV-1 RNA levels and time to development of AIDS in the Multicenter Hemophilia Cohort Study

Normal women produce small amounts of active androgens. When androgen levels are elevated, such as for example in the polycystic ovary syndrome, this is followed by the development of male physical characteristics and muscle mass, structure and function as well as android adipose tissue distribution and function. Psychological features and stress reactions also seem similar to those of men. Such women have an increased risk of developing hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Recent data have shown that these physical, and psychological characteristics, as well as risk of ill health, are also found in the population of women selected at random. Women in the lowest quintiles of levels of sex-hormone-binding globulin--an indicator inversely related to active androgens--are at risk of developing hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular mortality. The mechanism probably includes muscular insulin resistance, following a relative androgen excess. It is thus apparent that androgens, even within the highest levels of the nonselected population of women, are powerful predictors of serious disease development. The population at risk might be as large as about 20% of middle-aged women. This is an area of female disease risk which requires more attention in screening and intervention procedures.