A Detailed geophysical investigation was conducted on Knossos territory of Crete Island. Main scope was the detection of underground archaeological settlements. Geophysical prospecting applied by an experienced geophysical team. According to area dimensions in relation to geological and structural conditions, the team designed specific geophysical techniques, by adopted non-catastrophic methods. Three different types of geophysical techniques performed gradually. Geophysical investigation consisted of the application of geoelectric mapping and geomagnetic prospecting. Electric mapping focusses on recording soil resistance distribution. Geomagnetic survey was performed by using two different types of magnetometers. Firstly, recorded distribution of geomagnetic intensity and secondly alteration of vertical gradient. Measured stations laid along the south-north axis with intervals equal to one meter. Both magnetometers were adjusted on a quiet magnetic station. Values were stored in files readable by geophysical interpretation software in XYZ format. Oasis Montaj was adopted for interpretation of measured physical properties distribution. Interpretation results were illustrated as color scale maps. Further processing applied on magnetic measurements. Results are confirmed by overlaying results from three different techniques. Geoelectric mapping contributed to detection of a few archaeological targets. Most of them were recorded by geomagnetic technique. Total intensity aimed to report the existence of magnetized bodies. Vertical gradient detected subsurface targets with clearly geometrical characteristics.

The possibility of preoperative prediction of pathologic complete response in rectal cancer has been studied in order to identify patients who would respond to neoadjuvant therapy and to individualize therapeutic strategies. Endoscopic ultrasound of the rectum is an accurate method for the evaluation of local tumor and lymph node invasion. Objective: To evaluate the potential of endoscopic ultrasound as a predictor of complete pathological response to neoadjuvant treatment in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Material and methods: Retrospective study of patients with rectal cancer from January 2014 to December 2016. Results: We obtained a statistical association between T stage by endoscopic ultrasound and complete pathological response (p = 0.015). It is not so for N, sphincter involvement, circumferential involvement and maximum tumor thickness (p = 0.723, p = 0.510, p = 0.233 and p = 0.114, respectively). When multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the degree of influence of the predictor variables on pathologic response, none of these variables was associated with complete pathologic response. Conclusion: Prediction of pathologic complete response in rectal cancer has been considered as the crucial point upon which treatments for rectal cancer could be individualized. So far, no imaging method has been able to demonstrate efficacy in predicting complete pathologic response, and in turn there is no direct association between any endosonographic finding that can accurately predict it.

In order to strengthen the study of soil-landscape relationships in mountain areas, a digital soil mapping approach based on fuzzy set theory was applied. Initially, soil properties were estimated with the regression kriging (RK) method, combining soil data and auxiliary information derived from a digital elevation model (DEM) and satellite images. Subsequently, the grouping of soil properties in raster format was performed with the fuzzy c-means (FCM) algorithm, whose final product resulted in a fuzzy soil class variation model at a semi-detailed scale. The validation of the model showed an overall reliability of 88% and a Kappa index of 84%, which shows the usefulness of fuzzy clustering in the evaluation of soil-landscape relationships and in the correlation with soil taxonomic categories.

In order to evaluate the temporal changes in tree diversity of forest vegetation in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, the study collected tree diversity data from four main forest vegetation in the region through a quadrat survey including tropical rainforest (TRF), tropical coniferous forest (COF), tropical lower mountain evergreen broad-leaved forest (TEBF), tropical seasonal moist forest (TSMF). We extracted the distribution of four forest vegetation in the region in four periods of 1992, 2000, 2009, and 2016 in combination with remote sensing images, using simp son Shannon Wiener and scaling species diversity indexes compare to the differences of tree evenness of four forest vegetation and use the scaling ecological diversity index and grey correlation evaluation model to evaluate the temporal changes of forest tree diversity in the region in four periods. The results show that: (1) The proportion of forest area has a trend of decreasing first and then increasing, which is shown by the reduction from 65.5% in 1992 to 53.42% in 2000, to 52.49% in 2009, and then to 54.73% in 2016. However, the tropical rainforest shows a continuous decreasing trend. (2) There are obvious differences in the contributions of the four kinds of forest vegetation to tree diversity. The order of evenness is tropical rainforest > tropical mountain (low mountain) evergreen broad-leaved forest > warm coniferous forest > tropical seasonal humid forest, and the order of richness is tropical rainforest > tropical mountain (low mountain) evergreen broad-leaved forest > tropical seasonal humid forest > warm coniferous forest, The order of contribution to tree diversity in tropical rainforest > tropical mountain (low mountain) evergreen broad-leaved forest > tropical seasonal humid forest > warm tropical coniferous forest. (3) The tree diversity of tropical rainforests and tropical seasonal humid forests showed a continuous decreasing trend. The tree diversity of forest vegetation in Xishuangbanna in four periods was 1992 > 2009 > 2016 > 2000. The above results show that economic activities are an important factor affecting the biodivesity of Xishuangbanna, and the protection of tropical rainforest is of great significance to maintain the biodiversity of the region.

In this paper, the pollination and biology of apricot in Hongfeng and New Century were studied. The results are as follows: (1) The est pollination with the red variety is early, new century's best pollinating varieties is camel yellow. (2) The flowering period of different cultivars was different, and the flowering period of Hongfeng and other varieties was 3 - 7 days later than that of Baxing water apricot and other varieties, which provided germplasm for further breeding of late flowering varieties. (3) Hongfeng, the new century and other varieties of self-flowering rate of 0 - 3.61% range, is self-incompatible varieties. (4) The pollen germination rate of different cultivars was higher than 50%, which indicated that the pollen was mature and the fertility was strong, and the reason of low percentage of self-pollination was pollen abortion, the main reason was self and so on.

A gradually detailed geophysical investigation took place on Ancient Marina territory. In that area was extended Ancient Tritaea, according to responsible Archaeological Services. The first approach had been attempted since 1988 by applied electric mapping based on a twin-probe array. Later, the survey extended to the peripheral zone under the relative request from the 6th Archaeological Antiquity. A new approach was implemented by combining three different geophysical techniques, like electrical mapping, total intensity, and vertical gradient. These were applied on discrete geophysical grids. Electric mapping tried to separate the area into low and high-interest subareas according to soil resistance allocation. That technique detected enough geometrical characteristics, which worked as the main lever for the application of two other geophysical techniques. The other two techniques would be to certify the existence of geometrical characteristics, which divorced them from geological findings. Magnetic methods were characterized as a rapid technique with greater sensitivity in relation to electric mapping. Also, vertical gradient focuses on the horizontal extension of buried remains. Processing of magnetic measurements (total and vertical) certified the results from electric mapping. Also, both of the techniques confirmed the existence of human activity results, which were presented as a cross-section of two perpendicular parts. The new survey results showed that the new findings related to results from the previous approach. Geophysical research in that area is continuing.