Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia with Graves' disease: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), which is caused by a mutation of the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) gene. Affected patients are usually characterized by adrenal insufficiency in the first year of life, salt loss, glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficiency, and female external genitalia, regardless of chromosomal karyotype. Patients with non-classical lipoid CAH usually develop glucocorticoid deficiency and mild mineralocorticoid deficiency at 2-4 years of age. CASE SUMMARY: Herein, We report the case of a woman with non-classic lipoid CAH combined with Graves' disease. Her chromosome karyotype was 46, XX, and high-throughput sequencing revealed two missense variants in the StAR gene: c.229C > T (p.Q77X) and c.814C > T (p.R272C), which were inherited from both parents (non-close relatives). The patient was treated for Graves' disease in a timely manner and the dosage of glucocorticoid was adjusted during the treatment of Graves' disease. CONCLUSION: This is the first case of non-classic lipoid CAH combined with Graves' disease reported in the Chinese population. In addition to conventional glucocorticoid replacement therapy, timely adjustments were made to the dosages of thyroid hormone and glucocorticoid to avoid adrenal crisis as a consequence of the increased demand and accelerated metabolism of glucocorticoids when the patient was diagnosed with Graves' disease.

[High Resolution Remote Sensing Monitoring and Assessment of Secondary Geological Disasters Triggered by the Lushan Earthquake].

The secondary geological disasters triggered by the Lushan earthquake on April 20, 2013, such as landslides, collapses, debris flows, etc., had caused great casualties and losses. We monitored the number and spatial distribution of the secondary geological disasters in the earthquake-hit area from airborne remote sensing images, which covered areas about 3 100 km2. The results showed that Lushan County, Baoxing County and Tianquan County were most severely affected; there were 164, 126 and 71 secondary geological disasters in these regions. Moreover, we analyzed the relationship between the distribution of the secondary geological disasters, geological structure and intensity. The results indicate that there were 4 high-hazard zones in the monitored area, one focused within six kilometers from the epicenter, and others are distributed along the two main fault zones of the Longmen Mountain. More than 97% secondary geological disasters occurred in zones with a seismic intensity of VII to IX degrees, a slope between 25 A degrees and 50 A degrees, and an altitude of between 800 and 2 000 m. At last, preliminary suggestions were proposed for the rehabilitation and reconstruction planning of Lushan earthquake. According to the analysis result, airborne and space borne remote sensing can be used accurately and effectively in almost real-time to monitor and assess secondary geological disasters, providing a scientific basis and decision making support for government emergency command and post-disaster reconstruction.

[Study on the method of recognizing abandoned farmlands based on multispectral remote sensing].

Being abandoned for farmland seriously affected China's grain output for farmlands. It has become an important phenomenon over the past 20 years in China. Multispectral remote sensing has the advantage of wide range and high speed in requiring data. It has great potential in the research on land use. Therefore, to extract abandoned farmland in China, the authors' used the NDVI data of Modis/Terra from 2000 to 2009 which is one of multispectral remote sensing data and the Remote Sensing Image of ALOS satellite in Japan. The authors' used the parameter of NDVI of time series to describe the character of the main land use types. After drawing the time-series curves of the main land use type samples, the authors' analyzed them with consulting the life character of these types. Then, the authors' compared these curves; finally we recognized abandoned farmland from the others. At last the authors' went to experimental plot to survey the land use. The results demonstrated that the method of using multispectral remote sensing data can abstract abandoned farmland and classify the main kind of land use, and the accuracy is as high as 90%. So the method is feasible in recognizing abandoned farmland.

[Investigation and assessment of damage in earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai based on multi-spectral remote sensing].

The devastating Yushu Earthquake occurred in Qinghai Province, northwest China, with a magnitude of 7.1 on April 14, 2010, which has caused huge destructive losses. Most buildings along the seismic zone were ruined, especially the old and the basic civil structure houses completely destroyed. The earthquake also triggered geological disasters, such as landslides, collapses, debris flows, etc. In the present study, the remote sensing technique was used to assess and analyze the situation of the earthquake damage. There are four classes of feature which can be interpreted according to the remote sensing imageries: (1) the damage degree of buildings, like civilian homes, temples; (2) the field disasters of earthquake, such as ground fissures, landslides, collapses, debris flows, and earthquake subsidence; (3) the damage degree of structures, such as dam; (4) the damage degree of the lifeline, for example, the highway. The features can be obtained according to high spatial resolution of remote sensing imageries, through image processing and interpretation methods. Post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction phase should fully consider the regional seismotectonic background and the carrying capacity of resources and environment. With the assessment results of earthquake disaster remote sensing, at last, preliminary suggestions were proposed for the rehabilitation and reconstruction planning of Yushu earthquake.

[Application and prospect of multi-spectral remote sensing in major natural disaster assessment].

After the occurrence of major natural disasters, it is of great significance that disaster states are assessed timely and accurately for decision-making departments to draw up effective response programs. Multi-spectral remote sensing has a great advantage and potential in disaster assessment, with the characteristics of a wide range of data acquisition, high speed, etc. In several major natural disaster assessments in China, multi-spectral remote sensing technology has played an important role. Firstly, the present paper takes earthquake disasters, floods disasters and drought disasters as examples to summarize the specific applications of major natural disaster assessment based on the multi-spectral remote sensing. Secondly, in these specific applications they suffer from both relative shortage of data sources and limited breadth and depth of application; both of these problems are analyzed. Finally, the future development direction of major natural disaster assessment based on the multi-spectral remote sensing, such as the expansion of multi-spectral remote sensing data acquisition means, the establishment of major natural disasters assessment index system based on remote sensing, and the improvement of the assessment technology system based on multi-spectral remote sensing are also discussed.

[Vegetation water content retrieval and application of drought monitoring using multi-spectral remote sensing].

The vegetation is one of main drying carriers. The change of Vegetation Water Content (VWC) reflects the spatial-temporal distribution of drought situation and the degree of drought. In the present paper, a method of retrieving the VWC based on remote sensing data is introduced and analyzed, including the monitoring theory, vegetation water content indicator and retrieving model. The application was carried out in the region of Southwest China in the spring, 2010. The VWC data was calculated from MODIS data and spatially-temporally analyzed. Combined with the meteorological data from weather stations, the relationship between the EWT and weather data shows that precipitation has impact on the change in vegetation moisture to a certain extent. However, there is a process of delay during the course of vegetation absorbing water. So precipitation has a delaying impact on VWC. Based on the above analysis, the probability of drought monitoring and evaluation based on multi-spectral VWC data was discussed. Through temporal synthesis and combined with auxiliary data (i. e. historical data), it will help overcome the limitation of data itself and enhance the application of drought monitoring and evaluation based on the multi-spectral remote sensing.