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Natural landscapes are scenic complexes accessible to the public within national parks. Exploring their aesthetic quality can promote an emotional connection between the public and the landscape, which has a positive significance in enhancing human well-being. In this study, Mount Wuyi National Park in China was considered as the study area, and key dimensions tailored to individual and combined natural landscapes for aesthetic quality evaluation were proposed. Seventeen landscape metrics were selected to comprehensively measure the aesthetic quality level of the natural landscapes within the study area. The results indicated that (1) the spatial distribution of 341 individual natural landscapes exhibited a pattern of denser concentration in the south and east, with a relatively sparse distribution in the north and west. (2) Based on the elements of land cover, vegetation, topography, and landforms, 41 types of combined natural landscapes were identified in Mount Wuyi National Park. (3) Southeastern natural landscapes possess significant advantages in aesthetic service provision, uniqueness, diversity, combination, and coordination, and are concentrated in natural landscapes of high aesthetic quality. Natural landscapes of moderate aesthetic quality were distributed across the northern, southwestern, and some parts of the southeastern areas within the study region. The findings provide a reference for aesthetic quality assessment in natural landscapes at the micro-scale and serve as a basis for the scientific management of natural landscapes in national parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geodiversity is considered a new tool to exploit the resources of regional and local geotourism. Hitherto, few assessments of geodiversity have been conceived for huge geographic units. The spatial pattern of geodiversity in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is the purpose of this study. A total of 96 abiotic units in six geo-groups of hydrology, pedology, landform, elevation, geology, and geosites were quantified and normalized to assess the geodiversity index. Geosites that represent interdisciplinary and specific abiotic elements are included as an independent component in the parameters of geodiversity assessment. The TP was divided into 1145 areas by fishnet, for counting of abiotic units, geodiversity calculation, and visualization of findings. The results indicated that the Pamir Plateau, Mt. Kunlun, the Delingha area, Mt. Qilian, the Xining area, Langmusi Town, Mt. Siguniang, Mt. Hengduan, the Nyainqentanglha Range, and the Lhasa area are the zones with very high geodiversity. The low geodiversity areas are mainly concentrated in the Qaidam Basin, the Qingnan Plateau, and the South Tibet region. In the TP, international tourist destinations such as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites and Global Geoparks, are developed in areas of high geodiversity. The spatial pattern of geodiversity could be indicative of geotourism potential, and be used to guide the development planning of geotourism in the TP. The quantitative assessment of geodiversity also provides a new parameter for geoconservation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Develops a numerical method for solving the two-dimensional Helmholtz equation in a two-layer region bounded by a flat top, a flat bottom and a curved interface. Use of a local orthogonal transformation to flatten the curved interface of the waveguide; Reduction of the boundary value problem to an initial value problem.

Evaluation of land-use suitability can prevent problems, such as environmental disruption, wastage of resources, and ecological disruption, when unsuitable tourism-based exploration is undertaken in an area. This study summarizes a novel concept and proposes the idea of wellness tourism, which constitutes health preservation, sports and recovery, medical healing, and aged nursing, integrated with Chinese culture. A spatial suitability evaluation system for wellness tourism was developed in a mountain area via the integration of the analytic network process-Delphi. As wellness tourism activities diversified, land suitability was assigned to four kinds of wellness tourism activities, while considering their unique requirements. Comparative analysis and five-degree suitable maps of four kinds of activities revealed that Yining City and its peripheral localities have the potential of functioning as a comprehensive and national wellness tourist destination. The counties of Horgos, Huocheng, Qapqal, Zhaosu, Tekes, Tokkuztara, and Narat should make full use of their strengths, as they have the advantage of catering to different wellness tourism activities. This paper discusses some conceptual aspects of wellness tourism, provides an example for the selection of potential areas for wellness tourism in the mountainous regions of China, and provides baseline information that can support the development of wellness tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A young male patient presented with a rapidly growing mass on the left ear. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with nodular fasciitis. The disease is rare in the ear, without obvious clinical features. The diagnosis mainly relies on the postoperative pathological findings.