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The Inhibitory Cascade Model was proposed by Kavanagh and colleagues (Nature, 449, 427-433 [2007]) after their experimental studies on the dental development of murine rodent species. These authors described an activator-inhibitor mechanism that has been employed to predict evolutionary size patterns of mammalian teeth, including hominins. In the present study, we measured the crown area of the three lower permanent molars (M1, M2, and M3) of a large recent modern human sample of male and female individuals from a collection preserved at the Institute of Anthropology of the University of Coimbra (Portugal). The main aim of the present study is to test if the size molar patterns observed in this human sample fits the Inhibitory Cascade Model. For this purpose, we first measured the crown area in those individuals preserving the complete molar series. Measurements were taken in photographs, using a planimeter and following well-tested techniques used in previous works. We then plot the M3 /M1 and M2 /M1 size ratios. Our results show that the premise of the Inhibitory Cascade Model, according to which the average of the crown area of M2 is approximately one-third of the sum of the crown area of the three molars, is fulfilled. However, our results also show that the individual values of a significant number of males and females are out of the 95% confidence interval predicted by the Inhibitory Cascade Model in rodents. As a result, the present analyses suggest that neither the sample of males, nor that of females, nor the pooled sample fits the Inhibitory Cascade Model. It is important to notice that, although this model has been successfully tested in a large number of current human populations, to the best of our knowledge this is the first study in which individual data have been obtained in a recent human population rather than using the average of the sample. Our results evince that, at the individual level, some factors not yet known could interfere with this model masking the modulation of the size on the molar series in modern humans. We suggest that the considerable delay in the onset of M3 formation in modern humans could be related to a weakening of the possible activation/inhibition process for this tooth. Finally, and in support of our conclusions, we have checked that the absolute and relative size of M1 and M2 is not related to the M3 agenesis in our sample. In line with other studies in primates, our results do not support the Inhibitory Cascade Model in a recent human sample. Further research is needed to better understand the genetic basis of this mechanism and its relationship to the phenotype. In this way, we may be able to find out which evolutionary changes may be responsible for the deviations observed in many species, including Homo sapiens.

Asma gelişiminin olumsuz etkilenmemesi ve ürün kalitesinin devamı için yaprak miktarı ve alanının optimum düzeyde bulunması gerekmektedir. Çünkü omca için gerekli olan ve çoğunluğu meyve ve odun kısmında depolanan karbonhidratlar, fotosentez sonrası yapraklar aracılığı ile oluşmaktadır. Yaprak alanı ile ilgili bilgiler birçok alanda kullanılabilmektedir. Bunların başında fotosentez kapasitesi ve bitki büyüme oranı gelebilir. Yaprak alanı belirlemede çeşitli aletlerden ve yöntemlerden (planimetre, yaprak alanı ölçer, en-boy çarpımı, ağırlık-alan hesabı, görüntülü işleme programları vb) yararlanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada materyal olarak 3 adet Amerikan asma anacı (5BB, 110 R, 1103 Paulsen ) ile 5 adet üzüm çeşidi (Alphonse Lavallée, Italıa, Mıchele Palıerı ve Narince, Yalova İncisi) kullanılmıştır. Anaç ve çeşitlere ait omcalardan 15-25 boğumlu 20 adet sürgün alınmış ve boğum sırasına göre yaprakların fotokopileri çekilmiştir. Yaprakların gerçek alan değerleri planimetre ile ölçülmüştür. Ayrıca yaprakların yaprak sapı ile ayanın genişlik ve uzunlukları da ölçülmüştür. Yaprak sapı, aya genişliği, aya uzunluğu (L1 damarı), aya genişlik x uzunluk değerleri ve gerçek alan arasında regresyon analizi yapılmıştır. Bir sürgün üzerinde en fazla yaprak alanı anaçlardan 5 BB (2484 cm2), çeşitlerden Narince‘de (2126 cm2) meydana gelmiştir. Her üç anaçta da 9.boğumda bulunan yaprak ortalama değeri vermiştir. Çeşitlere göre ortalama değer veren boğum numarası açısından Alphonse Lavallée, Mıchele Palıerı ve Yalova İncisi çeşitlerinde 11.boğum ön plana çıkmıştır. Narince çeşidinde 13., Italia çeşidinde ise 12.boğum ortalamaya en yakın değer vermiştir.

Although much has been written on the subject of polar planimeters, they still remain relatively obscure instruments. This is unfortunate: not only do they provide a remarkably quick and precise me...

During the Second World War, the U.S. Bureau of the Census published a novel population density map for the U.S. that used minor civil divisions as its areal basis. Prior to that time, the ...

Cilj ovog diplomskog rada bio je usporediti četiri različite metode mjerenja površine dugog leđnog mišića (musculus longissimus dorsi; MLD) goveda. Kao metode mjerenja korišteni su polarni planimetar, prilagođena metoda mreže s točkama, metoda dvije točke te primjena računalnog programa AutoCAD. Površine MLD-a prikupljene su od 131 mladog bika i 19 teladi te preslikane vodootpornim markerom na prozirnu foliju. Za potrebe mjerenja računalnim programom AutoCAD folije su prethodno skenirane i stavljene u JPG oblik. Nakon mjerenja podaci su obrađeni primjenom statističkog paketa SAS V9.4. U istraživanju je utvrđena značajna (p

Resumen En un Oxisol de los Llanos Orientales de Colombia se establecieron y evaluaron tres variedades de caña de azúcar Cenicaña Colombia (CC) (CC 8475, CC 833895, CC 8592) y una de República Dominicana (RD 7511) con el objeto de determinar la producción de biomasa y el área foliar. En un diseño de bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones, cada mes, entre los 7 y 11 meses de edad de cultivo, fueron evaluados el desarrollo agronómico, la producción de biomasa verde, la concentración de sacarosa y el área foliar. La producción total de biomasa (hoja + tallo) fue más alta (P < 0.05) en las variedades CC8475 y RD7511, con rendimientos de 110 y 106 t/ha, y170 y 161 t/ha a 7 meses y 11 meses de edad de cultivo, respectivamente. Se encontró una alta correlación (r2 > 0.90) entre el área foliar medida con planímetro y el producto obtenido de largo x ancho de la hoja en las cuatro variedades evaluadas. No se encontró diferencia (P > 0.05) entre los promedios de área/tallo (6000 cm2) en las variedades. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que las variedades más productivas en la región fueron CC8475 y RD7511. Abstract In an Oxisol in the Eastern Plains of Colombia, three varieties of sugar cane Cenicaña Colombia (CC) (CC 8475, CC 833895, CC 8592) and one from the Dominican Republic (RD 7511) were established and evaluated in order to determine the production biomass and leaf area. In a randomized complete block design with three replications, each month, between 7 and 11 months after sowing, agronomic development, green biomass production, sucrose concentration and leaf area were evaluated. The total biomass production (leaf + stem) was higher (P 0.90) was found between the leaf area measured with a planimeter and the product obtained in length x width of the leaf in the four varieties evaluated. No difference (P> 0.05) was found between the averages of area / stem (6000 cm2) in the varieties. The results obtained show that the most productive varieties in the region were CC8475 and RD7511.

Purpose The objective of this study was to study the difference in upper airway parameters using two different techniques, i.e. with lateral cephalometry vis-a-vis acoustic pharyngometry in skeletal class I and class II subjects and to find any correlation in airway parameters recorded on cephalogram and acoustic pharyngometer. Materials and methods Sixty orthodontic patients with average growth pattern (FMA = 22–28°) were divided in to two groups based on sagittal jaw relationship. Pharyngeal airway dimensions were measured by two different techniques, i.e. on lateral cephalogram and acoustic Pharyngometry. The airway dimensions were compared across both the groups using these techniques. Results The linear airway parameters and total oropharyngeal area measured on lateral cephalogram (P-value 0.008) were significantly higher in skeletal class I patients. Total oropharyngeal area measured using acoustic pharyngometry was significantly higher in skeletal class I patients (P = 0.009). The average area on lateral cephalogram and on acoustic pharyngometry did not differ significantly in skeletal class I group (P = 0.590). The comparison of average area in skeletal class II malocclusion group on lateral cephalogram and acoustic pharyngometry also did not differ significantly (P = 0.603). The average area on lateral cephalogram obtained by digital planimeter and acoustic pharyngometry did not differ significantly in both the classes of malocclusion (P = 0.405). Conclusion The null hypothesis is rejected as there is significant difference in airway dimensions in skeletal class I and class II subjects and there is a positive correlation in airway parameters as recorded on lateral cephalogram and acoustic pharyngometer.

CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior O ensino da matemática está cada vez mais difícil para a maioria dos professores, principalmente quando se trata de geometria. Os estudantes em grande parte não se interessam por esta área, muitas vezes devido as várias abstrações trazidas por ela ou por se sentirem ”bloqueados”a tentar. Afim de desmitificar e minimizar esse terror trazido pela matemática sobretudo pela geometria, neste trabalho é mostrado métodos para cálculo de áreas vistos frequentemente e alguns abordados com menos assiduidade em sala de aula, com o intuito de trazer novidade para professores e alunos, a Fórmula de Pick, Triângulações e o Planímetro são algumas das maneiras de calcular áreas que podem aguçar a curiosidade e o interesse do estudante, uma vez que com isso podemos sair da rotina e trazer algo novo que está totalmente relacionado com o cotidiano. Afinal, desde o princípio medir sempre foi de interesse da humanidade. Mathematics teaching is increasingly difficult for most teachers, especially when it comes to geometry. Students are largely not interested in this area, often due to the various abstractions brought by it or because they feel “blocked” in trying. In order to demystify and minimize this terror brought by mathematics, especially by geometry, in this work methods for calculating areas are shown, which are often seen and some of them approached with less attendance in the classroom. In order to bring novelty to teachers and students, the Pick Formula, Triangulations and Planimeter are some of the ways to calculate areas that can sharpen student curiosity and interested, since with that we can get out of the routine and bring something new that is totally related to everyday life. After all, from the beginning, measuring has always been in the interest of humanity.

Computer vision systems based on digital image processing have been proposed as alternative tools to traditional methods to estimate leaf area, replacing the most time-consuming steps and laboring manual measurements. However, many of the available applications are still based on manual determination of leaf dimensions or require excessive and laborious user interventions before providing results. USPLeaf was designed to process images containing single or multiple leaves, and automatically determine the leaf area without user intervention. The accuracy for leaf area measurements of the software was compared to the results obtained by the standard method, an electronic planimeter (LI-3100). The vegetal species, Mavuno grass (MAV, Urochloa hybrid) and Macrotyloma axillare (MAC), were chosen because they are characterized by different leaf shapes. A smartphone camera was used as image capture device. When using a standard black paper square of 9 cm², both LI-3100 and USPLeaf provided accurate and precise results, with an estimated average area of 8.90 and 9.00 cm² and a standard deviation of 0.17% and 0.00%, respectively. The relative error rate for the vegetal species varied from -6.37 to 2.25%. The regression analysis indicated that the software was a precise tool to estimate leaf area (R²=0.983 for MAV and 0.977 for MAC), but it also revealed that samples inferior to 25 cm² for grasses and 15 cm² for legume species should be avoided. The software can be used as an automated tool in image processing aiming to determine leaf area from digital images.

One of the main objectives of topographic surveys has allowed to draw maps or plans of an area of a limited region or terrain, showing physical characteristics of the terrain, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, roads, forests, rock formations, ponds, dams, dikes, drainage pits or water supply channels. The accuracy of the measurement will depend on the scale of the map, the method and the instruments utilized. This document provides the mathematical fundamentals of the planimeter, that allows to measure the area of uneven or spherical flat surfaces; this instrument is important in topographic engineering. The knowledge, and the analityc foundation, of this instrument, makes the article not only of a pedagogical nature, but also it provides a historical development depicting its evolution and leading to its digital current version.

The retro-calcaneal bursa presents a synovial and a non-synovial osseous part of variable dimensions. Studies objectively measuring the variability of the size of this osseous bursal surface cannot be found in literature. The objective of this study was to investigate (i) the dimension variability of the bony part of the bursa and (ii) the relationship of this surface to other articulating areas of the calcaneus. A digital planimeter was used to measure the bursae (n=86) and other articular surface areas of the calcaneus and statistically compared with ANOVA and correlation estimations. The osseous area measured 1.12 (±0.55) cm2, with only the superior articulating area demonstrating a weak correlation to this osseous surface. The osseous area presents a weak correlation with the axial articulating area of the calcaneus. Information on the size of the bony bursa may help safe excision of retrocalcaneal exostoses and in Achille's tendon repair around the posterior tuberosity.

xperimental study was carried out at the Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Omar El- Mokhtar University, Al-Beida, Libya. The objective of this study to develop apparatus for measuring plant leaf area based on the changes on resistance of air pressure as related to surface area of plant leaf.The results showed that, for predicting the change of leaf area at different air pressure, a series of simple regression analysis was employed. The analysis related the change in leaf area with air pressure. The regression analysis could relate the change in leaf area strongly with the air pressure as indicated by the high regression coefficients of the obtained equations. On the other hand, it can be seen power relationship between the leaf area (Y) (cm2) and air pressure(X) (m.bar), and this relationship submitted to the following equation: Y  9.8624X 0.6945 R2  0.9564 The accounting data of leave areas using the apparatus and a standardplanimeterwere recorded to obtain correction factor. The correction factor was 0.84, 0.85, 0.86, 0.87, 0.90, 0.92, 1.02, 1.05, 1.08 and 1.09 for leaves area; Olive, Lemon adalia, Marble, Bots, Almond, Garonaa, Grape, Roses, Peach and Plum, respectively. The average value of correction factor was found to be 0.96 of plant leaf area.

Objectives: Bones of the foot form longitudinal and transverse arches which absorb and distribute downward forces from the body during standing and moving on different surfaces. The medial longitudinal arch is the longest, highest and most important in static position and moving. Studies classify the medial longitudinal arch as high, normal, and flat. This study was designed to determine the factors that affect the development of the medial longitudinal foot arch. Methods: Cross-sectional study design was employed, 424 subjects were selected using quota sampling method. The footprint areas were measured using a planimeter. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regressions were used for data analysis and p value

Runeson (Scandanavian Journal of Psychology 18:172-179, 1977) suggested that the polar planimeter might serve as an informative model system of perceptual mechanism. The key aspect of the polar planimeter is that it registers a higher order property of the environment without computational mediation on the basis of lower order properties, detecting task-specific information only. This aspect was posited as a hypothesis for the perception of jumping and reaching affordances for the self and another person. The findings supported this hypothesis. The perception of reaching while jumping significantly differed from an additive combination of jump-without-reaching and reach-without-jumping perception. The results are consistent with Gibson's (The senses considered as perceptual systems, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA; Gibson, The senses considered as perceptual systems, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1966; The ecological approach to visual perception, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA; Gibson, The ecological approach to visual perception, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1979) theory of information-that aspects of the environment are specified by patterns in energetic media.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate skeletal and soft tissue changes with surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) and intermaxillary Class III elastics. Methods: A total of 15 patients (mean age: 19.58 years) were included in the study. Each patient underwent SARME with the use of Class III elastics (500 g) applied through miniscrews to stimulate maxillary advancement. Lateral cephalograms and posteroanterior radiographs obtained before treatment (T1), after SARME and elastic use (T2), and after treatment (T3) were analyzed to determine the changes in each phase of treatment. Planimeter was used to evaluate facial soft tissue changes. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate the changes that occur during treatment. Results: SARME provided permanent and efficient maxillary expansion at both skeletal and dental levels (p

OBJECTIVES The aim of this case-control study was to assess sella turcica area and skeletal maturity in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and compare with those of non-cleft children. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION A total of 85 UCLP patients aged 7.5-17.08 years (Group 1: age 7-11 years, Group 2: age 11-14 years and Group 3: age 14-18 years) were compared with 85 control subjects without clefts who were divided into similar age groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hand-wrist radiographs and cervical vertebra maturation stages (CVMS) were used to evaluate growth. Lateral cephalograms were traced, and reference points of sella were determined. Sella turcica area was measured using a digital planimeter. RESULTS Comparison of overall growth on hand-wrist radiographs revealed no significant difference between cleft and non-cleft subjects. However, according to the chronological age groups, Group 1-UCLP showed statistically significant delay in skeletal maturation when compared with the age-matched control subjects (P = .05). This difference was due to the delay among male subjects (P = .05). As for CVMS, more significant maturation delay was observed in Group 1-UCLP (P = .001) and was attributable to both male and female subjects (P = .05). Comparison of sella turcica area showed no significant difference between UCLP patients and controls. CONCLUSION Although children with CLP showed significant delay in growth when they are younger compared with the non-cleft children, sella turcica area measurements were similar for individuals in both groups.

The development of software for automated image processing, with particular emphasis on agricultural monitoring applications, has increased in the last years. Leaf area measurements are important for several crops and pastures, once the leaf area index is related with growth and photosynthesis rates, being an essential parameter of process-based models of vegetation. The processing algorithms implemented in most software for leaf area measurements currently available require the determination of leaf dimensions. Hence, the automated processing of samples with multiple leaves is still limited, frequently requiring manual pre-processing of the images. In order to develop a new software system aimed at processing images of samples composed of multiple leaves without any requirements of manual pre-processing of the images, the USP-Leaf software was developed. The software’s performance was compared by using different devices for image acquisition: a semiprofessional digital camera (Sony, resolution of 12 megapixels); a mobile phone (Lenovo k5, resolution of 5 megapixels) and a desktop scanner (HP B20, 300 dpi corresponding to 3.508 × 2.480 pixels). The results were validated by comparing the values obtained with the standard method (electronic planimeter model Li-Cor 3100). The experiment was carried out at the Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil. The leaf samples were obtained from Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. cv. Basilisk pastures. A total of 20 samples comprising 15 leaves were collected, from which the images were acquired with each device. Edge detection, filtering and thresholding algorithms were applied to identify the leaf section of the image against the background. Considering the leaf area measured with the electronic planimeter, the relative error rate of the software’s estimates was lower than 7%, being highest when the scanner was used and lower with the digital camera. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were higher than 95%, regardless of the device used for image capturing, indicating that the software was able to provide accurate estimates of leaf area. The linear regression equation associated with the estimated leaf area using the mobile phone showed the highest values for the intercept and the higher standard error associated with this parameter (2.9 ± 5.69), despite showing a slope close to 1 (1.0 ± 0.07). The leaf area estimates were close to the standard method, showing that the software’s performance was not affected by the device used for image acquisition.

déjà dans HAL; International audience; This article presents a model-based segmentation method applied to 3D data acquired on sunflower plants. Our objective is the quantification of the plant growth using observations made automatically from sensors moved around plants. Here, acquisitions are made on isolated plants: a 3D point cloud is computed using Structure from Motion with RGB images acquired all around a plant. Then the proposed method is applied in order to segment and label the plant leaves, i.e. to split up the point cloud in regions corresponding to plant organs: stem, petioles, and leaves. Every leaf is then reconstructed with NURBS and its area is computed from the triangular mesh. Our segmentation method is validated comparing these areas with the ones measured manually using a planimeter: it is shown that differences between automatic and manual measurements are less than 10%. The present results open interesting perspectives in direction of high-throughput sunflower phenotyping

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the pharyngeal airway dimensions of cleft lip and palate (CLP) and skeletal Class I patients. Materials and Method: The study was carried out in 91 subjects asking for orthodontic treatment in Ankara University, Turkey. The patients were selected from the archives of the Orthodontics Department. Forty-eight of the patients had CLP and 43 were skeletal Class I patients. Both control and CLP groups were divided into 3 subgroups according to the ages 7–11, 11–14, and 15 years and older. The number of subjects was matched in the same age groups. The pretreatment lateral cephalometric head films of the subjects were used in the study. Airway dimensions were evaluated with area measurements using planimeter. The airway was divided into 3 parts, and measurements were done on those areas. SNA, SNB, ANB, and GoGnSN angles were measured in all cephalograms by the same examiner. The values were compared within the same age group in both the CLP and...

Objective: To determine and compare change in the position and area of the upper and lower lips in patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion treated with and without tooth extraction. Materials and Method: This retrospective study included 40 female adolescent patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion who were divided into an extraction treatment group (group E, n=20) and a nonextraction treatment group (group NE, n=20). Pretreatment (T1) and posttreatment (T2) cephalometric variables, and upper-lower lip area (via digital planimeter) were measured on lateral cephalometric radiographs. For soft tissue profile area measurement the upper lip was divided into 2 parts (area 1 and 2), and the lower lip was divided into 3 parts (area 3, 4, and 5). The paired t test was used to determine intragroup differences, and the Student t test was used to determine intergroup differences. Results: Mean age in group E was 15.8 years vs 15.4 years in group NE. A wide range of individual responses to the t...

Drawing on a didactic gap detected between the elementary concept of area and the infinitesimal approach to it within the Italian secondary school curriculum, the notion of swept area is introduced in grades 10–11. The idea of swept area is introduced through the mediation of an artifact, the Polar Planimeter, both as a concrete physical-tool and as a virtual-object. It triggers and supports the semiotic productions of the students so that they can grasp the new concept. The notion of didactic cycle is used for designing students’ learning sequences. The activities in such sequences are of two types: sensory-motor and symbolic. The mediation of the artifact allows intertwining the two types so that the one can constantly be built on the other. Indeed, the practices mentioned above show a deep intertwining between their cultural and cognitive components.

Aims: To study and compare the morphometric alteration in the umbilical cord obtained from thirty normal pregnancies (Group-I) and thirty pre-eclamptic pregnancies (Group-II). Methods: Morphological changes in umbilical cords were examined on formalin fixed paraffin embedded section. Various parameters were measured by planimeter. Results: In pre-eclamptic group total vessel area, total vein area, total luminal area of vein, and wall thickness of arteries were increased, whereas jelly area and wall thickness of vein were decreased as compared to normal group. Conclusion: Increased umbilical arterial thickness, decreased umbilical vein wall thickness and increased luminal area of vein which could be a predictor of intrauterine growth retardation in term pre-eclamptic patients. Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Vol 7 / No. 1 / Issue 13 / Jan- June, 2012 / 28-32 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njog.v7i1.8832

Leaf area plays an important role in plant growth analysis and photosynthesis. Traditionally leaf area is measured by regression equitation, grid count method, gravimetric method and planimeter. In this paper a simple, fast and accurate algorithm for leaf area measurement using image processing is implemented. Image is acquired using digital camera and stored in JPEG format. RGB image is color transformed into CIELAB color space. Color transformed image is segmented using threshold technique. Threshold is calculated using OTSU‟s method. Holes in leaf region are filled using region filling technique. Number of pixels in square object and leaf region are calculated and leaf area is measured by number of pixels statistics. Accuracy of algorithm is above 99% which is confirmed by comparing the results of proposed algorithm with grid count method. General Terms Digital Image Processing, Image Segmentation.

This study evaluated the correlation between measurements of rib-eye areas of sheep carcasses by traditional methods and those obtained by scanned images. Thirty pictures of the longissimus dorsi muscle of sheep carcasses were drawn on tracing paper and analyzed for muscle area (rib-eye) using four methods: scanned images, which utilizes the software DDA -Determinador Digital de Áreas (Digital Area Determiner); measurements "A" and "B" applied to the equation: (A/2 × B/2) × π; Planimeter method and rib-eye grid method. All rib-eye area figures were measured five times by each method, setting up a completely randomized experiment with four treatments and five replicates. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and means were compared by the Tukey test, Pearson correlation and linear regression by the SAS software. Easiness and difficulties perceived by the evaluators in the performance of each method were also recorded. The method of scanned images analyzed by the software DDA showed high correlation with the methods traditionally used, and can be considered feasible to determine carcass rib-eye area, with the advantage of being easy to operate, flexible, and economical.

Precise calculation of total body surface area (TBSA) or premarked surface areas (P-MSAs) is of great importance in many biomedical applications. The aim of the paper was to present a simple procedure of measurement of P-MSAs in small animals and to determine a more accurate Meeh's constant ( k), for a commonly used weight range of laboratory rats. A series of 30 Wistar rats, weighing 195–240 g, were anaesthetized and weighted. The TBSA of each animal was measured using a clear pocket and a planimeter. The data obtained were entered into the Meeh's formula (TBSA = kW2/3), the most commonly used for small experimental animals, so that a k value for each animal as well as a mean k value (9.83) were obtained. The TBSA of the animals was also calculated using the aforementioned mean k value and compared with that obtained using k values reported in previous studies. According to our findings, the new mean k value, determined with the use of our procedure of surface area measurement, ensured greater accuracy in the determination of the TBSA of experimental rats of a specific weight range. We also suggest a new procedure of surface area measurement which is easy, accurate and does not require animal sacrifice.

The present study was conducted to compare histomorphometric parameters of umbilical cord and its vessels in intrauterine growth retarded fetuses and normally grown fetuses. The study was conducted on umbilical cords taken from thirty intrauterine growth retarded (IUGR) fetuses and thirty normally grown fetuses (NGA). Histomorphometric parameters were measured with the help of planimeter. In the present study it was found that in cross section the total umbilical cord area in IUGR group is 59.00+3.67 mm2 and in the control group is 75.91+4.77mm2 (p

This paper compares two different approaches to calculate the average cross-sectional area of breakup fragments. The first one is described in the NASA standard breakup model 1998 revision. This approach visually classifies fragments into several shapes, and then applies formulae developed for each shape to calculate the average cross-sectional area. The second approach was developed jointly by the Kyushu University and the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office. This new approach automatically classifies fragments into plate- or irregular-shapes based on their aspect ratio and thickness, and then applies formulae developed for each shape to calculate the average cross-sectional area. The comparison between the two approaches is demonstrated in the area-to-mass ratio ( A/m ) distribution of fragments from two microsatellite impact experiments completed in early 2008. A major difference between the two approaches comes from the calculation of the average cross-sectional area of plates. In order to determine which of the two approaches provides a better description of the actual A/m distribution of breakup fragments, a theoretical analysis in the calculation of the average cross-sectional area of an ideal plate is conducted. This paper also investigates the average cross-sectional area of multi-layer insulation fragments. The average cross-sectional area of 214 multi-layer insulation fragments was measured by a planimeter, and then the data were used to benchmark the average cross-sectional areas estimated by the two approaches. The uncertainty in the calculation of the average cross-sectional area with the two approaches is also discussed in terms of size and thickness.

The goal of the authors was to evaluate the repeatability and accuracy of real-time ultrasound technique under Hungarian conditions. Ribeye area was measured at first time on live animals, before the day of slaughtering with Falco 100 ultrasound equipment in Charolais fattening bulls. Ultrasound pictures were traced at two times by the same operator. After slaughtering, ribeye area (REA) was measured on the carcass by planimeter at the same anatomical point like ultrasound measurements. Statistical analysis was carried out to examine the relationship between carcass and ultrasound REA. After it, repeatabilty was established by comparing the ultrasound pictures twice.

The camera lucida drawing method with planimetric area measurements was compared with direct microscopy and systematic point count in a quantitative study of glomeruli, the study including differential counts of nuclei and determination of the total and mesangial areas. Good reproducibility was found using both methods, but the camera lucida drawing method was found to be at least three times more time-consuming than direct microscopy for total and differential counts of nuclei and systematic point count for mesangial area determination. Measurement of total glomerular area was done planimetrically, by point counting and by determination of the area as an ellipse or a circle. The results obtained planimetrically and by point counting did not differ significantly, whereas the difference between the results of the planimeter measurements and the results obtained by applying the formula of an ellipse or a circle on glomerular sections was found to be statistically significant. If central sections were compared with random sections of glomeruli, deviation of results was found to be greater in the random sections, and it was calculated that 10 central and about 30 random sections have approximately the same value in quantitative examination of a renal tissue specimen. Thus, it appears advisable to use direct microscopy for total and differential counts of nuclei, systematic point count for mesangial area determination, planimetric measurement or point counting for total glomerular area determination and to apply this method on central sections of glomeruli.