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ABSTRACTNational and regional data products of the ecosystem structure derived from airborne laser scanning (ALS) surveys with Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) technology are essential for ecology, biodiversity, and ecosystem monitoring. However, noises like powerlines often remain, hindering the accurate measurement of 3D ecosystem structures from LiDAR. Currently, there is a lack of studies assessing powerline noise removal in the context of generating data products of ecosystem structures from ALS point clouds. Here, we assessed the (1) performance and accuracy, (2) effectiveness, and (3) time efficiency and execution time of three powerline extraction methods (i.e. two point-based methods based on deep learning and eigenvalue decomposition, respectively, and one hybrid method) for removing powerline noise when quantifying 3D ecosystem structures in landscapes with varying canopy heights and vegetation openness. Twenty-five LiDAR metrics representing three key dimensions of the ecosystem structure (i.e. vegetation height, cover, and vertical variability) across 10 study areas in the Netherlands were used for our assessment. The deep learning method had the best performance and showed the highest accuracy of powerline removal across various landscape types (average $F1$F1score = 96%), closely followed by the hybrid method (average $F1$F1score = 95%). In contrast, the accuracy of the eigenvalue decomposition method was lower (average $F1$F1score = 82%) and depended on landscape context and vegetation composition (e.g. the $F1$F1score decreased from 96% to 63% when the average canopy height increased across landscapes). Powerline noise removal had the highest effectiveness (i.e. generating LiDAR metrics closest to those derived from manually labeled ground truth data) for LiDAR metrics capturing height and cover of low- and high-vegetation layers. Time efficiency (processed points per second) was highest for the eigenvalue decomposition method, yet the hybrid method reduced the execution time by > 50% compared to the deep learning method (ranging from 20% to 89% in study areas with different landscape composition). Based on our findings, we recommend the hybrid method for upscaling powerline removal on multi-terabyte ALS datasets to a regional or national extent because of its high accuracy and computational efficiency. Remaining misclassifications in LiDAR metrics could be further minimized by improving the training dataset for deep learning models (e.g. including various shapes of transmission towers from different datasets). Our findings provide novel insights into the performance of different powerline extraction methods, how their effectiveness varies for improving vegetation metrics and mapping the 3D ecosystem structure from LiDAR, and their computational efficiency for upscaling powerline removal in multi-terabyte ALS datasets to a national extent.

Mountains are key features of the Earth’s surface and host a substantial proportion of the world’s species. However, the links between the evolution and distribution of biodiversity and the formation of mountains remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate multiple datasets to assess the relationships between species richness in mountains, geology and climate at global and regional scales. Specifically, we analyse how erosion, relief, soil and climate relate to the geographical distribution of terrestrial tetrapods, which include amphibians, birds and mammals. We find that centres of species richness correlate with areas of high temperatures, annual rainfall and topographic relief, supporting previous studies. We unveil additional links between mountain-building processes and biodiversity: species richness correlates with erosion rates and heterogeneity of soil types, with a varying response across continents. These additional links are prominent but under-explored, and probably relate to the interplay between surface uplift, climate change and atmospheric circulation through time. They are also influenced by the location and orientation of mountain ranges in relation to air circulation patterns, and how species diversification, dispersal and refugia respond to climate change. A better understanding of biosphere–lithosphere interactions is needed to understand the patterns and evolution of mountain biodiversity across space and time.

Essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) have been proposed by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) to identify a minimum set of essential measurements that are required for studying, monitoring and reporting biodiversity and ecosystem change. Despite the initial conceptualisation, however, the practical implementation of EBVs remains challenging. There is much discussion about the concept and implementation of EBVs: which variables are meaningful; which data are needed and available; at which spatial, temporal and topical scales can EBVs be calculated; and how sensitive are EBVs to variations in underlying data? To advance scientific progress in implementing EBVs we propose that both scientists and research infrastructure operators need to cooperate globally to serve and process the essential large datasets for calculating EBVs. We introduce GLOBIS-B (GLOBal Infrastructures for Supporting Biodiversity research), a global cooperation funded by the Horizon 2020 research and innovation framework programme of the European Commission. The main aim of GLOBIS-B is to bring together biodiversity scientists, global research infrastructure operators and legal interoperability experts to identify the research needs and infrastructure services underpinning the concept of EBVs. The project will facilitate the multi-lateral cooperation of biodiversity research infrastructures worldwide and identify the required primary data, analysis tools, methodologies and legal and technical bottlenecks to develop an agenda for research and infrastructure development to compute EBVs. This requires development of standards, protocols and workflows that are ‘self-documenting’ and openly shared to allow the discovery and analysis of data across large spatial extents and different temporal resolutions. The interoperability of existing biodiversity research infrastructures will be crucial for integrating the necessary biodiversity data to calculate EBVs, and to advance our ability to assess progress towards the Aichi targets for 2020 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Aims.To study whether employees who disclose a psychiatric diagnosis, such as depression risk stigmatisation and discrimination at the workplace.Methods.Randomised experimental study with 748 managers from German companies incorporating four case vignettes displaying an employee with different ‘diagnoses’ (depression, burnout, private crisis and thyroid dysfunction), but identical unspecific complaints. Main outcome measures were the managers' attitudes and their impact on stigmatisation with respect to job performance.Results.In nearly all aspects of job performance, the diagnosis depression (psychiatric disorder) was seen as more critical than the diagnosis of a thyroid dysfunction (somatic disease). The diagnosis ‘burnout’ did not prove to be less stigmatising than ‘depression’. Likewise ‘private crisis’ was rated less favourably than thyroid dysfunction.Conclusions.Therefore, employees have to evaluate if they disclose their psychiatric disorder or if they conceal it as a somatic illness.

The effect of crustal melt on extension in the central Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand is investigated using a 3D numerical model of rifting. Partial melt bodies are directly inferred from magnetotelluric imaging, and are used to determine heat flow and crustal viscosity in the rift. We show how the pattern and narrow width of active faulting in the modern Taupo Rift and the change in fault strike south of the Okataina Volcanic Centre can be partly explained by the thermal weakening effects of partial melt at depth.

Zusammenfassung: Der Beteiligung von Patienten an medizinischen Entscheidungen kommt eine wachsende Bedeutung zu. Das Modell des Shared Decision Making (SDM) ist ein viel versprechendes Konzept der medizinischen Entscheidungsfindung, das versucht, eine Brücke zwischen patientenzentrierter und evidenzbasierter Medizin zu schlagen. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt das Modell des SDM vor, gibt eine Übersicht zur Studienlage und diskutiert die Implikationen von SDM für den nervenärztlichen Fachbereich vor dem Hintergrund krankheitsspezifischer Besonderheiten.

The European matgrass Nardus stricta has naturalised in New Zealand, often on damp soils within wetlands and grasslands. In this paper, we present for the first time field data on the ecology of this alien invader in New Zealand, from eight kettle-hole wetlands on lateral moraine along the western side of Lake Pukaki, South Canterbury. The invaded wetland sites were all acidic but varied in other soil characteristics. Nardus stricta was the most dominant species within these wetland communities with 40% of all plots showing more than 50% coverage, and 21% having more than 90% cover. Species richness (including vascular plants and mosses) at some sites was relatively high (c. 40 species), but species richness and abundance were significantly reduced in quadrats with high Nardus stricta density. Seedling densities of Nardus stricta were high but variable (overall mean of 38.6 ± 116 seedlings per m2), and establishment mainly occurred on the cushion-forming sedge Oreobolus pectinatus. Most reproductive tussocks (90%) produced up to 1000 florets, but single tussocks were able to produce up to 10000 and more florets. Our results suggest that Nardus stricta is still expanding its local range and, therefore, is likely to increase in abundance and dominance, resulting in further negative effects on native species diversity.

Species richness, the location of exotic species and heterogeneity (investigated via dissimilarity and via species-area relations) were investigated in relation to spatial scale, in an ecotone between Nothofagus forest and sub-alpine shrubland. The rate of change in ordination score as well as tree diameter and the dripline were used to locate the position of the ecotone. Patterns of species richness were largely scale-independent, with species richness lowest in the forest community, intermediate in the ecotone, highest a short distance into the shrubland, and lower again in the shrubland further from the ecotone. High richness just into the shrubland is attributed to the existence of a fine-scale spatial mosaic pattern of vegetation, though the spatial mass effect may have a role. Exotic species were absent in the forest, but occurred sparsely in the ecotone and in the shrubland, possibly with decreasing frequency away from the ecotone. Community pattern, expressed by species-based dissimilarity and species-area curves, also differed. The ecotone community was the most heterogeneous (indicated by higher dissimilarity values and a steeper species-area slope with higher Arrhenius z-values), with the forest the least heterogeneous and the shrubland intermediate. We conclude that z-values are inter-woven with both habitat and spatial scale, and that this argues against a universal relationship between species and area.

Zusammenfassung: Wir berichten von einem Patienten mit metachromatischer Leukodystrophie (MLD), der im Alter von 16 Jahren ein Kind tötete. Bei der klinischen Untersuchung zeigte er ein hebephrenes Syndrom mit veränderter Affektivität, formalen Denkstörungen und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten. Bei der neuropsychologischen Testung wurde eine starke Beeinträchtigung von Planen und Problemlösen bei insgesamt überdurchschnittlicher Intelligenz nachgewiesen. Die neurologischen und internistischen Befunde waren unauffällig. Anhaltspunkte für eine MLD fanden sich im Magnetresonanztomogramm (MRT) und wurden biochemisch bestätigt.

New concepts are introduced to describe single-component two-phase flow under gravity. The phases can flow simultaneously in opposite directions (counterflow), but information travels either up or down, depending on the sign of the wavespeedC. Wavespeed, saturation and other quantities are defined on a two-sheeted surface over the mass-energy flow plane, the sheets overlapping in the counterflow region. A saturation shock is represented as an instantaneous displacement along a line of constant volume fluxJQ in the flow plane. Most shocks are of the wetting type, that is, they leave the environment more saturated after their passage. When flow is horizontal all shocks are wetting, but it is a feature of vertical two-phase flow that for sufficiently small mass and energy flows there also exist drying shocks associated with lower final saturations.

In the absence of capillarity the single-component two-phase porous medium equations have the structure of a nonlinear parabolic pressure (equivalently, temperature) diffusion equation, with derivative coupling to a nonlinear hyperbolic saturation wave equation. The mixed parabolic-hyperbolic system is capable of substaining saturation shock waves. The Rankine-Hugoniot equations show that the volume flux is continuous across such a shock.

The steady, vertical transport of water, energy and carbon dioxide in a two-phase porous medium is analysed when capillarity can be ignored. Such flows are possible only if a compatibility condition on saturation holds. Conditions are derived which allow three values of saturation for a given flux of mass, energy and carbon dioxide. The typical case has a significant fraction of the energy flux transported conductively. The corresponding high temperature gradients restrict such states to narrow vertical zones in which the rapid variation of temperature is coupled to rapid changes in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide. This conductive mode of transport, together with convective transport in the vapour and liquid phases, provide three different methods for vertical energy transport.

Medium-sized enterprises generally need business structures that allow flexible and uncomplicated responses to changing market situations. Their management, particularly in companies operating in a narrow market gap, is forced to display more dynamic activities. The demands on their time are characterised by frequent problems, such as failure to deliver in due time, order processing that is difficult to understand, and ever increasing periods for delivery with ever-increasing stocks. The causes for these problems can be found, in most cases, in obscure departmental organisation and workflow structures. Functional enterprise structures developed over the years no longer meet market demands. Structural adaptations and changes are often overdue, but fail because of the sheer complexity of the task. We describe a six-level model-the fractal enterprise-for the design and realisation of vital enterprise structures, which has proved to stand the test in several industrial projects.

Endogenous depressive and schizophrenic patients demonstrated the same frequency of pathological DST results after admission. After 3 weeks of psychopharmacological treatment the percentage of abnormal DST results was significantly reduced in both groups, although the treatment conditions were different. A correlation between the DST non-suppression and intensity of depression was observed only in the depressive group, not in the schizophrenic group. Normalization of DST results in depressive patients was mostly associated with an improvement of depressive scores. Other course patterns of DST results did not seem to be combined with psychopathological changes. From this data it has to be concluded that DST non-suppression is in some part related to depressive symptoms, but is not characteristic or specific for endogenous depression or for depressivity.

Six manic patients were treated with high doses of d-propranolol or d- and dl-propranolol in a double-blind, placebo controlled study. The following variables were measured: propranolol dosage, propranolol serum concentration, pulse frequency, blood pressure, and psychotic behavior. In all cases an improvement was noticed. High dosages were necessary to obtain sufficient effect. The antimanic property of d-propranolol was approximately 50% smaller than the antimanic property of dl-propranolol. We conclude that at least some part of the antimanic action of beta-blockers is independent from the beta-blocking property.

Therapeutic trials with hemodialysis have been performed in three cases of chronic schizophrenia. The severely ill patients had been hospitalized for more than ten years and had not responded to different types of conventional somatic treatment. Psychopathology was evaluated by use of the IMPS, BPRS, and NOSIE scales. No improvement could be observed as a consequence of 12 (11 in one case) hemodialysis treatments. Rather, some deterioration occurred in two of the patients. This result is not in accord with the markedly positive findings of Wagemaker and Cade (1977). However, further studies appear necessary to render final conclusions.

Transport processes within a liquid-filled fractured reservoir can be modelled using a double-diffusive mechanism in fracture and block. Then it is commonly assumed that the flow in the block is purely one-dimensional (e.g. vertical). Lateral flow within the block will, however, become significant at long times. Avdonin has given an analytic solution for the pressure response in an infinite fissure bounded by two homogeneous half-spaces, allowing vertical flow only in the blocks. We extend this solution to include horizontal flow in the blocks. There are significant qualitative differences between the two cases. In particular, we find that if fluid is injected at a constant rate into the fissure and horizontal flow in the blocks is allowed, then the long-time pressure response of the fissure/block assembly has the same character as that due to a line source in a homogeneous anisotropic porous medium.

A possible antimanic property of the GABA-ergic anticonvulsant valproate was examined by use of a double-blind placebo-controlled ABA design in 5 acutely ill manic patients. In 4 cases a marked improvement was observed after valproate medication whereas one patient showed no response. Seven further patients with frequently recurrent episodes of a manic or maniform schizoaffective psychosis, irresponsive to lithium prophylaxis, were chronically treated with valproate in combination with low doses of lithium (one case only with valproate). Over an observation period of 1 1/2–3 years none of the patients exhibited a relapse. It is proposed that, in general, GABA-ergic anticonvulsants possess antimanic properties and that the specific antimanic effect of lithium is due to a GABA-ergic mode of action. The possible role of GABA-systems in affective disorders and in organic types of psychoses (e.g., porphyria-psychosis, delirium tremens) is discussed on the basis of pharmacopsychiatric considerations.

Results of a subanalysis of data from the multinational risperidone trial (RIS-INT-2) are reported. Patients with chronic schizophrenia were treated with risperidone at 1 mg/day (n= 25), 4 mg/day (n= 27), 8 mg/day (n= 29), 12 mg/day (n= 31), or 16 mg/day (n= 29), or 10 mg/day of haloperidol for 8 weeks. According to the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total and subscale scores, improvements were noted in each treatment group from baseline to treatment endpoint. On each scale the magnitude of improvement was greater in the risperidone patients than in the haloperidol patients. The onset of action of risperidone was faster than haloperidol. By treatment week 2, over half of the patients receiving ≥ 4 mg/day of risperidone were clinically improved (≥ 20% reduction in total PANSS scores). This rate of improvement was not seen until week 6 in the haloperidol patients. Severity of extrapyramidal symptoms (scores on the Extrapyramidal Symptom Scale) was significantly lower in patients receiving 1 or 4 mg/day of risperidone than in patients receiving higher risperidone doses and in haloperidol patients. The optimal dose of risperidone, in terms of both efficacy and safety, was 4 mg/day. These results confirm the findings of the controlled trials of risperidone conducted in North America and the multinational trial.

AbstractThe observations in this paper were carried out as part of a program co-ordinated by the Occultation Section of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand.On 6 August 1989 minor planet (9) Metis occulted the magnitude 8.7 star SAO 190531. The occultation was observed by two visual observers in Tasmania, and at one photoelectric and two visual sites in New Zealand. From the five chords obtained we have deduced an average cross-sectional diameter for this minor planet of 173.5 km at the time of the occultation. This is in good agreement with previous radiometric and polarimetric results.

Current global warming is particularly pronounced in the Arctic and arthropods are expected to respond rapidly to these changes. Long-term studies of individual arthropod species from the Arctic are, however, virtually absent. We examined butterfly specimens collected from yellow pitfall traps over 14 years (1996–2009) at Zackenberg in high-arctic, north-east Greenland. Specimens were previously sorted to the family level. We identified them to the species level and examined long-term species-specific phenological responses to recent summer warming. Two species were rare in the samples (Polaris fritillary Bolo-ria polaris and Arctic blue Plebejus glandon) and statistical analyses of phenological responses were therefore restricted to the two most abundant species (Arctic fritillary, B. chariclea and Northern clouded yellow Colias hecla). Our analyses demonstrated a trend towards earlier flight seasons in B. chariclea, but not in C. hecla. The timing of onset, peak and end of the flight season in B. chariclea were closely related to snowmelt, July temperature and their interaction, whereas onset, peak and end of the flight season in C. hecla were only related to timing of snowmelt. The duration of the butterfly flight season was significantly positively related to the temporal overlap with floral resources in both butterfly species. We further demonstrate that yellow pitfall traps are a useful alternative to transect walks for butterfly recording in tundra habitats. More phenological studies of Arctic arthropods should be carried out at the species level and ideally be analysed in context with interacting species to assess how ongoing climate change will affect Arctic biodiversity in the near future.