Satellite image analysis using crowdsourcing data for collaborative mapping: current and opportunities

ABSTRACT

Researchers are continually finding new applications of satellite images because of the growing number of high-resolution images with wide spatial coverage. However, the cost of these images is sometimes high, and their temporal resolution is relatively coarse. Crowdsourcing is an increasingly common source of data that takes advantage of local stakeholder knowledge and that provides a higher frequency of data. The complementarity of these two data sources suggests there is great potential for mutually beneficial integration. Unfortunately, there are still important gaps in crowdsourced satellite image analysis by means of crowdsourcing in areas such as land cover classification and emergency management. In this paper, we summarize recent efforts, and discuss the challenges and prospects of satellite image analysis for geospatial applications using crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing can be used to improve satellite image analysis and satellite images can be used to organize crowdsourced efforts for collaborative mapping.     

Antiangiogenic activity of low-temperature lysozyme from a marine bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

We extracted marine low-temperature lysozyme (MLTL), a novel lysozyme, from a marine microorganism through fermentation. Our previous study suggested that a low molecular weight (16 kDa) may exert anti-tumor activity through antiangiogenesis. In this study, we extracted a high weight (39 kDa) and investigated its antiangiogenic activity in vivo and in vitro. Using zebrafish embryos as an in vivo study model, we found that treatment with MLTL significantly inhibited the growth of subintestinal vessels (SIVs) in a dose-dependent manner and that 400 μg/ml MLTL was sufficient to block the growth of SIVs. An in vitro study conducted using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) revealed that MLTL suppressed the proliferation, migration and tube formation of HUVECs in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, assays by flow cytometry and DNA electrophoresis indicated that MLTL was able to induce apoptosis of HUVECs. Moreover, further study demonstrated that the disruption of intracellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis may play an important role in MLTL induced apoptosis of HUVECs. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate for the first time that MLTL inhibits angiogenesis through its pleiotropic effects on vascular endothelial cells and induces apoptosis through regulation of cellular Ca²⁺ levels. The results of this study also revealed a possible mechanism underlying the antiangiogenic effect of MLTL and suggested that MLTL may be a promising new antiangiogenic agent for use in cancer therapy.     

A data collection and analysis system for research on rock fracturing

We have made a data collection and analysis system for recording microcracks in rock to study the three dimensional pattern of fracture and the dynamic properties of rock during pressurization. This system, with 8 channel data detection, records in real-time, from the initial microcracks to the final vibration waveform excited by the master fracture. The detected data are recorded digitally at the hard disk of an IBM computer (or 286, 386 personal computer) as well as transmitted to disk. The sampling rate for each channel is 10 MHz. Collecting every acoustic emission events in the loaded rock sample with 8 channels by this system, mathematically modelling the AE event travel time, and taking the coordinates of the AE event hypocenter and the three components of P wave velocity as unknown parameters, we set up a set of residual equations for joint inversion, so that the three dimensional localization of AE event hypocenters can be completed under variable velocities, which will lay foundations for the research on rock fracture clearly. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismological Sinica,13, 489–495, 1991. The design and development of the system, and the experiments are sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation.     

地震勘探在东兴盐矿的应用

在安徽定远东兴盐矿勘探中,通过采用地震反射波法与钻孔的对比分析,充分说明地震反射波法在第三系地层中寻找石膏矿、岩盐等沉积型矿藏有着良好的应用前景。     

Episodic orogeny deduced from coeval sedimentary sequences in the foreland basin and its implication for uplift process of Longmen Mountain, China

Longmen Mountain located at the boundary between the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau,representing the steepest gradient of any edges of the plateau.Three endmember models of uplift process and mechanism have been proposed,including crustal thickening,crustal flow,and crustal isostatic rebound.Here we use coeval sedimentary sequences in the foreland basin to restraint uplift process and mechanism in the Longmen Mountain.The more than 10,000 m thick Late TriassicQuaternary strata filled in this foreland basin and can be divided into six megasequences that are distinguished as two distinct types.The first type is the wedge-shaped megasequences which are sedimentary response of strong active thrust loading events,characterized by a high rate of subsidence and sediment accumulation,coarsening-upward succession and a dual-sourced sediment supply.This type includes Late Triassic,Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous to Paleogene megasequences.The second type is the tabular megasequences,characterized by the low rate of subsidence and sediment accumulation,finingupward succession,and a single-sourced sediment supply,which is sedimentary response of isostatic rebound and erosion unloading.This type includes the Early to Middle Jurassic,Middle Cretaceous and Neogene to Quaternary megasequences.Basing on sedimentary,active tectonic,geomorphic evidence,we infer that the direction has been reversed from SSWdirected sinistral strike-slip to NNE-directed dextral strike-slip during 40-3.6 Ma,and since 3.6 Ma,the Longmen Mountain thrust belt belong to times of isostatic rebound and erosional unloading with NNEdirected dextral strike-slip.This suggests that crustal isostatic rebound is a primary driver for uplift and topography of the present Longmen Mountain.The Wenchuan(Ms8.0) earthquake,which ruptured a large thrust fault with NNE-directed dextral strikeslip along the range front,is an active manifestation of this crustal isostatic rebound process with dextral strike-slipping and shortening.This process may be the cause for the Wenchuan Earthquake and the apparent paradox of high relief,little shortening,the relative dearth of historical seismicity in the region.     

Assessment of phytoplankton class abundance using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix by parallel factor analysis and nonnegative least squares

The feasibility of using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) along with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and nonnegative least squares (NNLS) method for the differentiation of phytoplankton taxonomic groups was investigated. Forty-one phytoplankton species belonging to 28 genera of five divisions were studied. First, the PARAFAC model was applied to EEMs, and 15 fluorescence components were generated. Second, 15 fluorescence components were found to have a strong discriminating capability based on Bayesian discriminant analysis (BDA). Third, all spectra of the fluorescence component compositions for the 41 phytoplankton species were spectrographically sorted into 61 reference spectra using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and then, the reference spectra were used to establish a database. Finally, the phytoplankton taxonomic groups was differentiated by the reference spectra database using the NNLS method. The five phytoplankton groups were differentiated with the correct discrimination ratios (CDRs) of 100% for single-species samples at the division level. The CDRs for the mixtures were above 91% for the dominant phytoplankton species and above 73% for the subdominant phytoplankton species. Sixteen of the 85 field samples collected from the Changjiang River estuary were analyzed by both HPLC-CHEMTAX and the fluorometric technique developed. The results of both methods reveal that Bacillariophyta was the dominant algal group in these 16 samples and that the subdominant algal groups comprised Dinophyta, Chlorophyta and Cryptophyta. The differentiation results by the fluorometric technique were in good agreement with those from HPLC-CHEMTAX. The results indicate that the fluorometric technique could differentiate algal taxonomic groups accurately at the division level.     

Initiation of primary cell culture from amphioxus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense</Emphasis>

Amphioxus, a cephalochordate, is an important model fish for studies in evolution and comparative biology. A successful cell culture from amphioxus tissues in vitro would help understanding some basic issues. To determine the optimal culture conditions for proliferation of amphioxus cells, primary cultures were initiated from buccal cirri, tail, gill, gut and metapleural fold of amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense. The media tested were L-15, F-12, M 199, MEM, DMEM, PRMI 1640 and LDF, each was supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum. The optimal conditions include tail tissue cultured in L-15 or F-12 with supplement of 20% FBS and 1.5% NaCl at about 25°C. Supported by Doctoral Initial Fund of Ludong University (No.43304)     

钻孔应变仪体应力灵敏系数的影响因素研究

分别计算了水泥弹性模量、水泥层厚度、钢筒厚度、岩石弹性模量等对钻孔应变仪体应力灵敏系数的影响,得出:1)在水泥弹性模量小于某个固定值时,体应力灵敏系数随水泥弹性模量的增大而增大,大于这个值时,体应力灵敏系数又随水泥的弹性模量增大而变小;2)当水泥层厚度比N<2时,体应力灵敏系数变化剧烈,受水泥层厚度影响较大;3)体应力灵敏系数随钢筒厚度及岩石弹性模量的增大而变小。     

Pb distribution and translocation in Jiaozhou Bay

The trends of distribution, translocation and seasonal change of heavy metal Pb were studied based on the surface and bottom water sampling in Jiaozhou Bay in 1979, and compared with those in 1990＇s. The results showed that the source of Pb in the bay was from wastewater and sewage in the east of Jiaozhou Bay from ocean vessels. Pb concentration was higher in spring and lower in summer and autumn, and remained stable through sedimentation in the bottom layer. The overall water quality was good in 1970＇s. Compared with the environmental monitoring data of 1995-1999, Pb pollution had become serious. Therefore, more efforts should be made to protect the bay from Pb pollution.     

Effect of Long-Term Low-Salinity Culture on the Survival,Growth, and Nutrient Composition of Mud Crab Scylla paramamosain

This study investigated the effects of long-term low-salinity on the growth performance,proximate composition,amino acid and fatty acid profiles of Scylla paramamosain.The salinity of the low-salinity-culture group(LC)and maintained-salinity-cul-ture group(MC)were set at 5 and 25 respectively.After rearing for 30 d,the survival rate(SR)of the LC group was significantly lower,whereas the average daily molting frequency(ADMF)was significantly higher than those in MC group(P<0.05).There were no significant difference for weight gain rate(WGR)and specific growth rate(SGR)between the two groups.The moisture content of the LC group was slightly higher than the MC group without significant difference.The contents of ash,crude lipid and crude pro-tein in the LC group were lower than those in the MC group,but no significant differences were found except for ash content.A total of 17 free amino acids and 23 fatty acids were identified from the muscle of S.paramamosain.The total amino acids(TAA),essen-tial amino acids(EAA)and essential amino acid index(EAAI)had no significant difference between the two groups.The crabs from LC group had a significantly higher HUFA,including EPA,DHA,ARA.The percentage of n-3 PUFA and the ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFA were significantly higher in the LC group.These results indicated that S.paramamosain rearing at low salinity had significantly de-creased SR;however,the low-salinity environment significantly promoted the accumulation of unsaturated fatty acids(UFAs),espe-cially the n-3 PUFA,which might be related to the osmoregulation mechanism.