Tinglong Zhang

The Mu Us Sandy Land is a key region of man-made desert control and farmland to forest (grass) return in China. Despite global change and the strong influence of human activities, the vegetation in this region has been significantly improved and restored. In this study, multisource remote sensing data and multiple indicators were used to quantitatively monitor and evaluate the vegetation restoration status in this area. The driving factors were also analysed. The results show that in the past 20 years, nearly the entire Mu Us Sandy Land significantly and substantively recovered. The regional fractional vegetation cover increased, with an average annual growth rate of 0.59% and obvious spatial heterogeneity. The nine most important driving factors could comprehensively account for 58.38% of the spatial distribution of the vegetation coverage. Factors such as land use and land cover, the aridity index, and gross domestic product had the most significant impact, followed by precipitation and temperature. The results confirmed that the vegetation was restored and improved in the Mu Us Sandy Land and determined the main driving factors, which is helpful for vegetation restoration and ecological improvement on sandy land similar to the Mu Us Sandy Land.

Tertiary syphilis can manifest as gummatous disease, but gumma of the spine has been extremely rarely reported. A 61-year-old male complained of worsening pain and numbness in both lower legs for four weeks. Syphilis of the Lumbar Spine. Pedicle screw fixation (L3-S1) and posterior decompression of the vertebral canal at L4-5 were performed. The postoperative VAS score of both lower extremities decline to 2 from 7 at admission. Dorsal thumb extensor motor power (left/right) at day 7 postoperatively was 3/3 (versus admission: 1/1). Laboratory examinations showed normal white blood cell count (versus admission: 13.8 × 109/L; reference value: 4.00−10.00 × 109/L) and decline in C-reactive protein (20.35 mg/L versus admission: 77.43 mg/L; reference value: 0.00−10.00 mg/mL) and ESR (58 mm versus admission: 73 mm; reference value: 0–15 mm). Our case illustrates that although gummatous disease of the spine may be extremely rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of tuberculosis or malignancy of the spine so as to avoid a wrong diagnosis and incorrect treatment.

Analysis of soil resistivity in Haikou City for nearly one year, the soil moisture data, and the meteorological data information provided by automatic meteorological station, the results show that soil resistivity of Haikou shows the distribution features of the east side lower than the west; soil resistivity of volcanic ash soil changes in inverse u-shaped curve with the seasons, while the red soil and sand soil resistivity changes with the seasons in u-shaped curve, and soil resistivity of the volcanic ash is not reduced due to the rainy season, instead it increases; soil resistivity of volcanic ash rises with the increase of soil humidity, while the soil resistivity of red soil and sand soil decreases with the increase of soil humidity. The soil resistivity of volcanic ash and red soil decreases with the increase of soil temperature, while the soil resistivity of sand soil rises with the increase of soil temperature. The soil resistivity of volcanic ash and red soil rises with precipitation, while soil resistivity of sand and red soil rises with precipitation. The decline of red soil was most pronounced.