The different between Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is that ROV is connected with the main computer by the electronic cable, so the operator can control the vehicle depending on the environment showing on the monitor; However, AUV is dependent on the received data to autonomously respond the condition via controlling program. In our research, we wanted to use the General Purpose Controller, which had been developed in the previous experiment, in the mission-mode to construct our AUV system for remaining the original ROV controlling system and switching mode between AUV system and ROV system. The mission was divided into primary and secondary mission written by the txt file which is known as mission script, including execute time, target, and mission type etc. In addition, we used the Watch Dog Timer (WDT) in our AUV for the security procedure. When the mission is failed or over the setting time, the AUV will change to the security mode and go forward to the water surface. The other topic in this research wanted to use the Seafloor Laser Scanner (SLS), which was mounted on the AUV, to improve the scanning efficiency. However, when the scanner was working, the AUV had to maintain the stable altitude to the sea floor, so the accurately output power of thruster is needed to be considered and tested. In this part, we found out the properly controlling way in the small water tank first, and then checked the attitude and scanning system in the swimmer pool and towing tank in NCKU respectively, to prove the ability of SLS of AUV system.

Environmental factors such as ambient temperature and oxygen availability are variation in different altitude. Individuals within a species, living in variable environments often display phenotypic plasticity by changing morphology, behavior, reproduction, and physiology to meet the individual¡¦s ability to survive demanding conditions. This study was aimed to investigate the expression of angiotensin receptor and nitric oxide synthase genes of individuals resided at differential altitude, in an attempt to find the role of these molecules in cardiovascular adaptation to altitude. Spiny rats (Niviventer coxingi) are widely elevational distributed in Taiwan. They were studied under more natural conditions to provide an ecological context data on physiological plasticity between the different altitudes. I examined the body weight, blood pressure, heart rate and the expression of angiotensin type 1 or type 2 (ATI or ATII) receptor and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) genes in tissues (cortex, hypothalamus, medulla, lung, heart, aorta, adrenal gland and kidney) of spiny rats resided at differential altitude and during the domesticated period. The results of the study showed that spiny rats resided at higher altitudes were lighter than that at lower altitudes (750 m: 178.6¡Ó35.8 g and 1600 m: 122.3¡Ó29.3 g). Spiny rats resided at 1600 m did not change their body weight during the domesticated period, but rats resided at 750 m gradually reduced their body weight. Blood pressure and heart rate were similar between rats resided at different altitudes, and did not change during the domesticated period. ATI receptor, endothelelial NOS (eNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) mRNA expression in these tissues were similar between rats resided at different altitudes. ATII receptor mRNA expressed in these tissues under our detection limit. Rats resided at 750 m declined the level of nNOS in heart, when they were domesticated at 100 m. ATI receptor in kidney reduced at first, but subsequently increase to same level like native. Moreover, rats resided at 1600 m declined the level of iNOS in heart, when they were domesticated at 100 m. Together, these results indicate that heart rate, blood pressure, ATI receptor, eNOS, iNOS and nNOS mRNA expressions in these tissues were similar between rats resided at different altitudes. If there was no other compensatory mechanism, individuals resided at higher altitude were limited in low available oxygen. A reduced body weight could help in adaptation to high-altitude.

Subarctic and alpine areas are sensitive to climatic change when they lie at the margin of permafrost occurrence. Patterned ground in such areas is generated from an interplay among different mechanisms such as temperature, hydrology, soil texture, snow cower and vegetation. The aim of this study is to describe the connection between patterned ground characteristics and altitude and to evaluate the impact different variables have on the appearance of patterned ground. To understand these interactions is a discussion of self-organization processes, threshold effects and feedback mechanisms essential.  In this investigation, characteristics of patterned ground are examined along an elevation gradient in the Abisko area in Northern Sweden. The study is limited to formations that are categorized into non-sorted circles on flat ground. To detect significant correlations between the characteristics of patterned ground and altitude nine places between 400 and 1400 m above sea level with at least 100 m difference in altitudes were investigated. These sites were categorized into six ridges and three sinks to evaluate the importance of topography. Non-sorted circles have less dwarf shrub, more moss-lichen cover and more cryptogam crust than surrounding ground. Outside the formations the amount of dwarf shrub decreases and the moss-lichen cover increases above 1000 m above sea level. At the highest altitude also a cryptogam crust is occurring around non sorted circles. Significant correlations exist between declining ground temperature and altitude, declining distance between non-sorted circles and altitude, and less dwarf shrub vegetation on non-sorted circles and altitude. These relationships are expected and can be connected to cryoturbation and abiotic stress. Shorter distance between formations can be linked to increased abiotic stress and less coverage soil stabilizing dwarf shrub vegetation. Formations are larger in sinks than ridges and surrounded by less dwarf shrub and more moss-lichen vegetation. This difference can be explained by longer snow duration, humid soil conditions and prolonged freezing processes in ground. Non-sorted circles on an east aspect slope ridge at about 900 meters altitude is characterized by low soil temperatures, high soil moisture, low height and low coverage plants. Around these formations is a well-developed ground cover consisting primarily of dwarf shrub vegetation. These observations are a sign of positive interaction resulting in strong self-generating soil movements that have exceeded a threshold when breaking through vegetation cover. Low soil temperature and high moisture at the time of measurement might be explained by existing ice-front and free water convection. These patterned ground characteristics can be linked to permafrost, the inflow of water from higher leeward slopes and thin snow cower.

This study resulted from the identification of gaps in the literature pertaining to the morphological descriptions of the tadpoles occurring at high altitudes in the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. These tadpoles are exposed to low temperatures, high desiccation risk, elevated ultraviolet radiation, competition, and predation and inhabit the clear, flowing streams and marsh areas of the mountain. Highly varying environmental conditions caused tadpoles to have considerable intraspecific variation. The high degree of plasticity necessitated extensive descriptive studies of tadpole morphology in order to document intraspecific variation and set up reliable keys for species identification. Specified adaptations to the extreme montane conditions are present in tadpoles of certain species. An especially interesting adaptation is the elygium, a hemispherical pigmented area above the eye, which apparently protects the retina from harmful ultraviolet radiation. There are no known studies of elygium plasticity in tadpole eyes in relation to variation in ultraviolet radiation. Particular attention was given to the functionality and cytology of this structure. Detailed measurements of tadpoles of six frog species of the high altitude Drakensberg Mountains were made. Morphological adaptations were described on the basis of these measurements. The cytological origin of the elygium of Amietia vertebralis was revealed through histological and cellular ultrastructure studies. The change in elygium morphology over time was studied as a function of ultraviolet intensity by exposing tadpoles to different levels of ultraviolet radiation. From the detailed morphological descriptions a more reliable binomial key was constructed, which made it possible to distinguish between Amietia umbraculata and A. vertebralis. A new amended definition of the epidermal elygium can now be given as an area of melanophores originating from the pigmented epithelium of the retina, forming a hemispherical shape from the dorsal margin of the iris. It is positioned in such a way as to protect the retina when light enters directly from above. This empirical study of the functional significance of the elygium showed that elygium morphology was considerably plastic, and that there were differences in elygium area and base length in the presence or absence of UVB radiation. In the presence of high UV radiation tadpoles produced an elygium with a broader base rather than longer elygia with a larger area. A wider elygium base shaded the pupil more effectively, thus protecting the retina from harmful UV radiation. The presence of a ventral elygium was also discovered. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Environmental Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study resulted from the identification of gaps in the literature pertaining to the morphological descriptions of the tadpoles occurring at high altitudes in the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. These tadpoles are exposed to low temperatures, high desiccation risk, elevated ultraviolet radiation, competition, and predation and inhabit the clear, flowing streams and marsh areas of the mountain. Highly varying environmental conditions caused tadpoles to have considerable intraspecific variation. The high degree of plasticity necessitated extensive descriptive studies of tadpole morphology in order to document intraspecific variation and set up reliable keys for species identification. Specified adaptations to the extreme montane conditions are present in tadpoles of certain species. An especially interesting adaptation is the elygium, a hemispherical pigmented area above the eye, which apparently protects the retina from harmful ultraviolet radiation. There are no known studies of elygium plasticity in tadpole eyes in relation to variation in ultraviolet radiation. Particular attention was given to the functionality and cytology of this structure. Detailed measurements of tadpoles of six frog species of the high altitude Drakensberg Mountains were made. Morphological adaptations were described on the basis of these measurements. The cytological origin of the elygium of Amietia vertebralis was revealed through histological and cellular ultrastructure studies. The change in elygium morphology over time was studied as a function of ultraviolet intensity by exposing tadpoles to different levels of ultraviolet radiation. From the detailed morphological descriptions a more reliable binomial key was constructed, which made it possible to distinguish between Amietia umbraculata and A. vertebralis. A new amended definition of the epidermal elygium can now be given as an area of melanophores originating from the pigmented epithelium of the retina, forming a hemispherical shape from the dorsal margin of the iris. It is positioned in such a way as to protect the retina when light enters directly from above. This empirical study of the functional significance of the elygium showed that elygium morphology was considerably plastic, and that there were differences in elygium area and base length in the presence or absence of UVB radiation. In the presence of high UV radiation tadpoles produced an elygium with a broader base rather than longer elygia with a larger area. A wider elygium base shaded the pupil more effectively, thus protecting the retina from harmful UV radiation. The presence of a ventral elygium was also discovered. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Environmental Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Tinamous (Tinamidae) have the smallest heart in relation to body mass compared to any other flying bird today (Bishop 1997). This means that heart size is likely to restrict aerobic metabolism. Tinamous inhabit areas from sea level to 4800 m a.s.l., which means that the high altitude living species, Nothoprocta ornata (NO), is exposed to hypoxia. In this study the activity of the two metabolic enzymes Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) and Citrate Synthase (CS) was measured and the ratio between the enzyme activities calculated to examine if the small heart of the tinamous affects their aerobic/anaerobic metabolism. The activity of the two enzymes was measured in the heart and the gastrocnemius muscle in the three species Nothoprocta ornata (NO), Nothoprocta perdicaria (NP) and Gallus gallus (GG). CS activity was significantly higher in the heart compared to the skeletal muscle and LDH activity was significant higher in the skeletal muscle than in the heart in all three species. The LDH/CS ratio was significantly higher in NO’s skeletal muscle than in chickens but there was no significant difference between species in the heart. The higher ratio in NO´s muscle could be a sign of a higher anaerobic metabolism that is used in the muscles to compensate for the small heart NO have. In conclusion, the Tinamous

Some animals have adapted to hypoxia by increasing their haemoglobin affinity for oxygen, but in vitro studies have not shown any change of haemoglobin affinity for oxygen in human high altitude natives or lowlanders acutely acclimatized to high altitude. We conducted the first in vivo study of the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve by progressively reducing arterial PO2 while maintaining normocapnia in lowlanders at sea level, lowlanders sojourning at 3600m for two weeks and native Andeans at the same altitude. We found that the in vivo PO2 at which haemoglobin is half-saturated (P50) is higher in lowlanders at sea level (32 mmHg) than that measured in vitro (27 mmHg) and that lowlanders and highlanders do significantly increase the in vivo affinity of their haemoglobin for oxygen with exposure to high altitude. These results indicate the value of an in vivo approach for studying the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve.

Some animals have adapted to hypoxia by increasing their haemoglobin affinity for oxygen, but in vitro studies have not shown any change of haemoglobin affinity for oxygen in human high altitude natives or lowlanders acutely acclimatized to high altitude. We conducted the first in vivo study of the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve by progressively reducing arterial PO2 while maintaining normocapnia in lowlanders at sea level, lowlanders sojourning at 3600m for two weeks and native Andeans at the same altitude. We found that the in vivo PO2 at which haemoglobin is half-saturated (P50) is higher in lowlanders at sea level (32 mmHg) than that measured in vitro (27 mmHg) and that lowlanders and highlanders do significantly increase the in vivo affinity of their haemoglobin for oxygen with exposure to high altitude. These results indicate the value of an in vivo approach for studying the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve.

Humans can only survive the low barometric pressure of altitudes above 6000m by making a complex series of adaptations. The energetics of human survival at such extreme altitudes have not been widely studied. Objectives were to compare the doubly labelled water (DLW) and intake-balance (IB) methods to estimate daily energy expenditure while climbing between 6000 and 8046m and to investigate the putative metabolic cost involved with the process of acclimatization to extreme altitude. Reliability of the DLW method to provide an accurate and portable means to measure human energy expenditure depends upon a series of assumptions regarding the flux of tracer and tracee across the physiological compartments of measurement. Additional objectives were to review and examine the proficiency of these assumptions to account for perturbations experienced while using DLW while climbing at extreme altitude. Findings suggest that the use of DLW at extreme altitudes requires special consideration towards elevated rates of fractional isotope loss, inter-subject isotope transfer, alterations in total body water, changes in background isotopic abundance, and choice of sampling technique. Revised strategies directed at achieving these aims are calculated. Results from extreme altitude indicate that IB and DLW techniques each provide similar estimates of group mean energy expenditure despite substantial changes in body weight and composition and that the metabolic cost for the process of acclimatization accounts for roughly 12% of total daily energy expenditure. Problems associated with maintaining energy balance while climbing at extreme altitude are related to low energy intakes, approximately only 70% of energy demands, and energy expenditure values that are comparable to those of highly trained endurance athletes at sea-level.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.