bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Value of Conventional Visual Evoked Potentials Applied to Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Balnytė Renata , Ulozienė Ingrida , Rastenytė Daiva , Vaitkus Antanas , Malcienė Lina , Laučkaitė Kristina
Published: April 2018

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this classical technique employed at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences for the patients with multiple sclerosis and to assess its possible correlations with affected neurological systems. Material and Methods. Pattern shift visual evoked potentials were recorded in 63 patients with multiple sclerosis, 17 (27%) of whom had a history of optic neuritis, and in 63 control patients with other neurological diseases. The latencies and amplitudes of P100 were measured. In total, 126 patients were referred to the inpatient department of neurology for differential diagnosis of demyelinating disorders between January and December of 2007. Results. Abnormalities of visual evoked potentials were observed by 73% more frequently in patients with multiple sclerosis than in control patients (α=0.05, β<0.01). The combined monocular/ interocular test showed a specificity of 90.5% and a sensitivity of 82.5%. The probability of an affection of the pyramidal system was 5 times greater (95% CI, 2.2–11.0; P<0.01) and the probability of the optic pathways involvement was 4.8 times greater (95% CI, 1.9–11.9; P<0.01) in patients with multiple sclerosis than in controls. Conclusion. Conventional visual evoked potentials must be reappraised in light of their diagnostic value in multiple sclerosis given their high diagnostic efficiency, relatively easy, short, and cheap implementation, and easy availability in everyday clinical practice.
The Impact of Myocardial Revascularization After Acute Coronary Syndromes on One-Year Cardiovascular Mortality
Authors: Lukšienė Dalia , Milvidaitė Irena , Šlapikas Rimvydas , Jaruševičius Gediminas , Siudikas Adakrius , Venclovienė Jonė , Žaliūnas Remigijus
Published: April 2018

The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the impact of myocardial revascularization performed after acute coronary syndromes on one-year cardiovascular mortality. Material and Methods. The study population comprised 1226 consecutive patients who were admitted to the Clinic of Cardiology in 2005 because of acute coronary syndromes with significant (≥70%) coronary artery stenoses. The relationship between myocardial revascularization and oneyear cardiovascular mortality was evaluated by applying multivariable logistic regression. Cardiovascular mortality was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. Of all the patients included into the study, 540 had Q-wave myocardial infarction, 339 patients had non–Q-wave myocardial infarction, and 347 patients were treated for unstable angina pectoris. During hospitalization, 496 patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, 373 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting within 60 days following acute coronary syndromes, and 357 patients received pharmacological treatment alone. During one-year follow-up, 105 cases of cardiovascular death were registered. The one-year cardiovascular mortality was significantly lower in patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting comparing with those patients who received only pharmacotherapy (5.4% and 7.8% vs. 14.3%, P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that myocardial revascularization independently reduced one-year cardiovascular mortality (adjusted odds ratio for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, 0.304; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.53; P<0.001, and coronary artery bypass grafting, 0.540; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.90; P=0.018) in patients who were admitted because of acute coronary syndromes. Conclusions. Myocardial revascularization performed after acute coronary syndromes was significantly associated with the reduction of cardiovascular mortality within one-year period independently of clinical variables.
Superficial Siderosis: A Case Report
Authors: Moreira Nuno , Nylander Rūta , Briaukaitė Inesa , Vėlyvytė Severina , Gleiznienė Rymantė , Monastyreckienė Eglė
Published: April 2018

Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system is the result of chronic recurrent hemorrhages (e.g., arteriovenous malformations, tumors, or trauma), which leads to the accumulation of cytotoxic hemosiderin and presents with hearing loss, cerebellar dysfunction, and myelopathy. This article presents a clinical case of an 11-year-old boy in whom the diagnosis of medulloblastoma was established. He underwent surgery, and after a few years, he began to complain of hearing loss. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the cause of the hearing disturbance. The aim of this article is to review the recent literature related to the etiology, clinical and radiologic features of superficial siderosis, emphasizing the role of magnetic resonance imaging.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Properties of Naphthylamine Derivatives Having a Thiazolidinone Moiety
Authors: Petrikaitė Vilma , Tarasevičius Eduardas , Pavilonis Alvydas
Published: April 2018

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of pharmacophores having naphthylamine and nitro groups on the antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activity of thiazolidinone derivatives. Materials and Methods. The initial 5-substituted-2-methylmercaptothiazolidin-4-ones were subjected to S-demethylation to yield 2-amino-substituted thiazolidinones. 4-Nitro-1-naphthylamine, nitrofuran aldehydes, and nitrobenzene aldehydes were used as pharmacophoric compounds having amino or aldehyde groups. Antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activity of the new compounds was tested in vitro against bacterial cultures – Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae – and fungal cultures – Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida kefyr, Candida tropicalis, and Candida parapsilosis. Results. Microbiological analysis showed that all new thiazolidinone derivatives with nitronaphthylamine substituent possessed antibacterial and antifungal properties. New compounds 2a-b showed similar antibacterial activity in vitro against S. aureus and B. subtilis as aminopenicillins. The lowest antibacterial activity of all newly synthesized compounds was against capsule-forming bacteria K. pneumoniae and against gram-negative bacteria E. coli (minimum inhibitory concentration range, 500–1000 μg/mL). Conclusions. The minimum inhibitory concentration of naphthylamine derivatives varied in the range of 0.4–1000 μg/mL, and activity of some newly synthesized compounds was similar to the activity of aminopenicillins and fluconazole, an antifungal preparation. Based on the results, it is possible to separate the perspective group of potential antimicrobial compounds.
Parenting Style, Locus of Control, and Oral Hygiene in Adolescents
Authors: Aleksejūnienė Jolanta , Brukienė Vilma
Published: April 2018

Objective. The aim of the study was to test if variations in oral hygiene levels in adolescents were associated with locus of control and parenting styles after controlling for demographic factors. Material and Methods. The study sample comprised 237 adolescents aged 12–13 years. The structured questionnaire included demographic characteristics and items about parenting style and locus of control. The Individual Quantitative Plaque % Index (IQPI) and toothbrushing frequency were used as clinical outcome measures. Results. In the bivariate analyses, socioeconomic status (P=0.012), number of children in the family (P=0.003), and frequency of toothbrushing (P=0.001) were related to dental plaque levels. Gender (P<0.001), socioeconomic status (P=0.022), and external locus of control (Spearman rho, –0.144, P=0.027) were statistically significantly associated with toothbrushing frequency. In the multivariate analyses, only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency were statistically significantly related to the IQPI. When toothbrushing frequency as the second outcome variable was used, the IQPI and gender were statistically significant. The association with socioeconomic status did not reach statistical significance (P=0.07). Conclusions. Only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency explained variation in dental plaque levels among adolescents. The expected relationship among parenting styles, locus of control, and oral hygiene levels was not confirmed.
Effect of Gold Nanoparticles in the Treatment of Established Collagen Arthritis in Rats
Authors: Leonavičienė Laima , Kirdaitė Gailutė , Bradūnaitė Rūta , Vaitkienė Dalia , Vasiliauskas Audrius , Zabulytė Danguolė , Ramanavičienė Almira , Ramanavičius Arūnas , Ašmenavičius Teisutis , Mackiewicz Zygmunt
Published: April 2018

Background and objective. The role of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the treatment of autoimmune diseases remains vague. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of AuNPs in the treatment of rats with established collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Material and Methods. A total of 24 Wistar male rats with established CIA were used. AuNPs measuring 13-nm and 50-nm were prepared according to standard procedures, and their size was determined using transmission electron microscopy. These gold particles were injected intra-articularly 5 times a week, 12 injections in total. Body and organ weight, arthritic profiles based on paw swelling, histological changes in the joints and internal organs, blood indices, and serum oxidative products were investigated. Results. An examination of the course of the experimental disease and a subsequent histological analysis as well as hematological studies revealed a nontoxic effect of AuNPs on the vital organs. The treatment of the rats with established CIA by 13-nm and 50-nm gold nanoparticles decreased joint swelling by 49.7% (P<0.002) and 45.03% (P<0.01), respectively. That corresponded to the decrease in statistically significant histological changes in articular tissues. AuNPs showed their antioxidant effect by increasing the level of antioxidant enzyme catalase. Conclusions. The continuous intra-articular administration of AuNPs not only reduced the inflammation, joint swelling, and development of polyarthritis, but also reduced histological changes in articular tissues without toxic effects on the internal organs. The results obtained disclose the role of AuNPs as antioxidant agents.
A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between NAT 2 Polymorphism and Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility
Authors: Liu Hong , Fu Zhong-xue , Wang Chun-yi , Qian Jiang , Xing Lei , Liu Yi-wu
Published: April 2018

Background and Objective. Although the association between N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) polymorphism and colorectal cancer (CRC) susceptibility in humans has been extensively investigated, the results are contradictory. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of published studies to quantitatively summarize the association between NAT2 polymorphism and risk of CRC. Material and Methods. Relevant studies that had investigated NAT2 polymorphism and CRC susceptibility were identified through a comprehensive search of Pubmed, EMBASE, Medline, Biosis, Wiley-Blackwell, ISI Web of Knowledge, CNKI, and Chinese Biomedicine Database until October 2011. After selection based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the relevant data were extracted from each study, and finally a meta-analysis was performed. Results. Eight phenotype studies (791 cases and 1158 controls) and 45 genotype studies (13 875 cases and 18 879 controls) were included in the present meta-analysis. The pooling of phenotype studies showed no significant association between the NAT2 acetylator status and CRC susceptibility (rapid acetylator, OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.92–1.89, P=0.14; slow acetylator, OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.53–1.09, P=0.14). The combined ORs for rapid and slow acetylator status and CRC risk in genotype studies were 1.01 (95% CI, 0.94–1.08; P=0.86) and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.93–1.06; P=0.86), respectively. In the subgroup analysis by regions, no increased risks were found in Asians, Europeans, Americans, or Australasians. Pooling studies were also conducted on the groups of gender, specific tumor sites, and smoking status, but no significant association in genotype distribution between CRC and control was found as well. Conclusions. These results of our meta-analysis suggest that there is no overall association between NAT2 polymorphism and CRC susceptibility.
The Role of Mutation Status of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Gene In Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Vagulienė Neringa , Žemaitis Marius , Šarauskas Valdas , Vitkauskienė Astra , Miliauskas Skaidrius
Published: April 2018

Objective. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations among patients with advanced nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated in our institution and to evaluate the associations between EGFR mutations and clinicopathological characteristics. Materials and Methods. A total of 103 patients with NSCLC were examined from April 2010 to September 2011. The patients were screened for EGFR mutations in exons 19 and 21 using sequence analysis. Results. EGFR mutations were detected in 10 patients (9.71%): 23.1% of women and 5.2% of men (P<0.05), 31.8% of never-smokers and 4.7% of smokers (P<0.05), and 12.3% of patients with adenocarcinomas and 6.25% of patients with large cell carcinomas (P>0.05). Eight mutations (80.0%) were found in exon 21: 7 patients had the L858R mutation and 1 patient had the L861G mutation. Two mutations (20.0%) were found in exon 19: 1 patient had the L747-A748 deletion and 1 patient had the L747-A750insE deletion. The overall response rate was significantly greater in the EGFR mutation-positive group than in the EGFR mutation-negative or control groups (P<0.05). The median progression-free survival in the EGFR mutation-negative group and the control group that received systemic standard chemotherapy was 5.6 months (95% CI, 4.3 to 7.0) and 5.3 months (95% CI, 4.9 to 5.7), respectively, but it was not achieved in the EGFR mutation-positive group that received EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (P<0.05). Conclusions. The frequency of EGFR mutations in our patients with nonsquamous NSCLC was found to be similar to that reported in Europe. EGFR mutations were more frequent in women and never-smokers
Longitudinal Predictors of Aerobic Performance in Adolescent Soccer Players
Authors: Valente-dos-Santos João , Coelho-e-Silva Manuel , Duarte João , Figueiredo António , Liparotti João , Sherar Lauren , Elferink-Gemser Marije , Malina Robert
Published: April 2018

Background. The importance of aerobic performance in youth soccer is well established. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contributions of chronological age (CA), skeletal age (SA), body size, and training to the longitudinal development of aerobic performance in youth male soccer players aged 10 to 18 years. Material and Methods. Players (n=83) were annually followed up during 5 years, resulting in an average of 4.4 observations per player. Decimal CA was calculated, and SA, stature, body weight, and aerobic performance were measured once per year. Fat-free mass (FFM) was estimated from age- and gender-specific anthropometric formulas, and annual volume training was recorded. After testing for multicollinearity, multilevel regression modeling was used to analyze the longitudinal data aligned by CA and SA (Model 1 and 2, respectively) and to develop aerobic performance scores. Results. The following equations provide estimations of the aerobic performance for young soccer players: ŷ(Model 1 [deviance from the null model =388.50; P<0.01]) =57.75+9.06×centered CA– 0.57×centered CA2+0.03×annual volume training and ŷ(Model 2 [deviance from the null model= 327.98; P<0.01])=13.03+4.04×centered SA–0.12×centered SA2+0.99×FFM+0.03×annual volume training. Conclusions. The development of aerobic performance in young soccer players was found to be significantly related to CA, biological development, and volume of training.
Biological Activities of Lactose-Derived Prebiotics and Symbiotic with Probiotics on Gastrointestinal System
Authors: Nath Arijit , Haktanirlar Gokce , Varga Áron , Molnár Máté András , Albert Krisztina , Galambos Ildikó , Koris András , Vatai Gyula
Published: April 2018

Lactose-derived prebiotics provide wide ranges of gastrointestinal comforts. In this review article, the probable biochemical mechanisms through which lactose-derived prebiotics offer positive gastrointestinal health are reported along with the up-to-date results of clinical investigations; this might be the first review article of its kind, to the best of our knowledge. Lactose-derived prebiotics have unique biological and functional values, and they are confirmed as ‘safe’ by the Food and Drug Administration federal agency. Medical practitioners frequently recommend them as therapeutics as a pure form or combined with dairy-based products (yoghurt, milk and infant formulas) or fruit juices. The biological activities of lactose-derived prebiotics are expressed in the presence of gut microflora, mainly probiotics (Lactobacillus spp. in the small intestine and Bifidobacterium spp. in the large intestine). Clinical investigations reveal that galacto-oligosaccharide reduces the risks of several types of diarrhea (traveler’s diarrhea, osmotic diarrhea and Clostridium difficile associated relapsing diarrhea). Lactulose and lactosucrose prevent inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). Lactulose and lactitol reduce the risk of hepatic encephalopathy. Furthermore, lactulose, galacto-oligosaccharide and lactitol prevent constipation in individuals of all ages. It is expected that the present review article will receive great attention from medical practitioners and food technologists.
Response Surface Methodology for Optimization of Copper Leaching from Refractory Flotation Tailings
Authors: Bai Xu , Wen Shuming , Liu Jian , Lin Yilin
Published: April 2018

Response surface methodology is used to optimize the leaching process for refractory flotation copper tailings. The proportion of the refractory combination oxide copper (chrysocolla) is 64.84%. At present, few studies have examined the leaching of chrysocolla. In this study, we examine the effects of several variables, including the amount of concentrated sulfuric acid, leaching temperature, and leaching time, on leaching efficiency. Using a response surface methodology, we develop a quadratic model relanbting all the above experimental variables with leaching efficiency. The resulting model is highly consistent with experimental data. According to the model, the factor with the greatest influence on leaching efficiency is the amount of concentrated sulfuric acid. According to the model, the optimal leaching conditions are 85 kg/t concentrated sulfuric acid, a leaching temperature of 68.51 °C, and a leaching time of 4.36 h. The actual measured leaching efficiency under these conditions is 85.86%, which is close to the value of 86.79% predicted by the model. We study the leaching processes using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) surface scan analyses. Both methods allow us to explore the content of the main element and visually observe its distribution, allowing us to develop effective methods for treating low-grade oxide ores.
Defining ‘Unhealthy’: A Systematic Analysis of Alignment between the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Health Star Rating System
Authors: Jones Alexandra , Rådholm Karin , Neal Bruce
Published: April 2018

The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) and Health Star Rating (HSR) front-of-pack labelling system are two national interventions to promote healthier diets. Our aim was to assess the degree of alignment between the two policies. Methods: Nutrition information was extracted for 65,660 packaged foods available in The George Institute’s Australian FoodSwitch database. Products were classified ‘core’ or ‘discretionary’ based on the ADGs, and a HSR generated irrespective of whether currently displayed on pack. Apparent outliers were identified as those products classified ‘core’ that received HSR ≤ 2.0; and those classified ‘discretionary’ that received HSR ≥ 3.5. Nutrient cut-offs were applied to determine whether apparent outliers were ‘high in’ salt, total sugar or saturated fat, and outlier status thereby attributed to a failure of the ADGs or HSR algorithm. Results: 47,116 products (23,460 core; 23,656 discretionary) were included. Median (Q1, Q3) HSRs were 4.0 (3.0 to 4.5) for core and 2.0 (1.0 to 3.0) for discretionary products. Overall alignment was good: 86.6% of products received a HSR aligned with their ADG classification. Among 6324 products identified as apparent outliers, 5246 (83.0%) were ultimately determined to be ADG failures, largely caused by challenges in defining foods as ‘core’ or ‘discretionary’. In total, 1078 (17.0%) were determined to be true failures of the HSR algorithm. Conclusion: The scope of genuine misalignment between the ADGs and HSR algorithm is very small. We provide evidence-informed recommendations for strengthening both policies to more effectively guide Australians towards healthier choices.
Dietary Fiber Intake and Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors among Young South African Adults
Authors: Sekgala Machoene D. , Mchiza Zandile J. , Parker Whadi-ah , Monyeki Kotsedi D.
Published: April 2018

This study attempts to bridge the research gap regarding the importance of dietary fiber in reducing metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors in young rural South Africans. A total of 627 individuals (309 males and 318 females) aged 18–30 years participated in the study. Dietary intake was measured using a validated 24-h recall method. The consumption of different types of dietary fiber (total, soluble, and insoluble) was calculated and presented as grams. Anthropometrics, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profiles were measured according to standard protocols. According to the definition of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the prevalence of MetS was 23.1%. Overall, the total median [interquartile range (IQR)] values for total, insoluble, and soluble fiber consumed were 4.6 g [0.0–48.9], 0.0 g [0.0–18.0], and 0.0 g [0.0–15.0], respectively. Females had a higher median [IQR] intake of total (5.1 g [0.0–48.9] vs. 4.3 g [0.0–43.9]), insoluble (0.0 g [0.0–18.0] vs. 0.0 g [0.0–12.0]), and soluble fiber (0.0 g [0.0–14.9] vs. 0.0 g [0.0–7.3]) than males, respectively. The mean values for waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and total cholesterol were higher in females than males (82.20 cm vs. 75.07 cm; 5.59 mmol/L vs. 5.44 mmol/L; and 4.26 mmol/L vs. 4.03 mmol/L, respectively), with significant differences observed for waist circumference and total cholesterol (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). More than 97% of participants had fiber intakes below the recommended levels. After adjusting for all potential confounders (age, gender, and energy), log total fiber was inversely associated with fasting blood glucose (β = −0.019, 95% CI [−0.042 to 0.003], p < 0.05), systolic blood pressure (β = −0.002, 95% CI [−0.050 to 0.002], p < 0.05) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (β = −0.085, 95% CI [−0.173 to 0.002], p = 0.051) This study may be of public health relevance, providing a potential link between less dietary fiber intake and fasting blood glucose (FBG) and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Therefore, this observational data encourages public health policy measures to increase the consumption of dietary fiber in rural communities in order to lower the burden of MetS and its associated risk factors.
Biocompatible and Antibacterial Nitric Oxide-Releasing Pluronic F-127/Chitosan Hydrogel for Topical Applications
Authors: Pelegrino Milena , De Araujo Lima Bruna , Do Nascimento Mônica , Lombello Christiane , Brocchi Marcelo , Seabra Amedea
Published: April 2018

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in physiological processes, including vasodilatation, wound healing and antibacterial activities. As NO is a free radical, designing drugs to generate therapeutic amounts of NO in controlled spatial and time manners is still a challenge. In this study, the NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) was incorporated into the thermoresponsive Pluronic F-127 (PL)-chitosan (CS) hydrogel, with an easy and economically feasible methodology. CS is a polysaccharide with known antimicrobial properties. Scanning electron microscopy, rheology and differential scanning calorimetry techniques were used for hydrogel characterization. The results demonstrated that the hydrogel has a smooth surface, thermoresponsive behavior and good mechanical stability. The kinetics of NO release and GSNO diffusion from GSNO-containing PL/CS hydrogel demonstrated a sustained NO/GSNO release, in concentrations suitable for biomedical applications. The GSNO-PL/CS hydrogel demonstrated a concentration-dependent toxicity to Vero cells, and antimicrobial activity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of 0.5 µg·mL−1 of hydrogel, which corresponds to 1 mmol·L−1 of GSNO). Interestingly, the concentration range in which the NO-releasing hydrogel demonstrated an antibacterial effect was not found to be toxic to the Vero mammalian cell. Thus, the GSNO-PL/CS hydrogel is a suitable biomaterial for topical NO delivery applications.
Plasmaspheric Electron Content Inferred from Residuals between GNSS-Derived and TOPEX/JASON Vertical TEC Data
Authors: Liu Lei , Yao Yibin , Kong Jian , Shan Lulu
Published: April 2018

The plasmasphere, which is located above the ionosphere, is a significant component of Earth’s atmosphere, and the plasmasphere electron content (PEC) distribution is determined by different physical mechanisms to those of the ionosphere electron content (IEC). However, the observation for the PEC is very limited. In this study, we introduced a methodology (called zero assumption method, which is based on the assumption that PEC can reach zero) to extract the PEC over TOPEX/JASON (T/J) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) overlapping areas. Results show that the daily systematic bias (T/J vertical TEC > GNSS-derived vertical TEC) for both low (2009) and high (2011) solar activity condition is consistent, and the systematic bias for JASON2 and JASON1 is different. We suggest that systematic biases predominantly arise from the sea state bias (SSB), especially the tracker bias. After removing the systematic bias, we extracted reliable PEC inferred from differences between GNSS-derived vertical TEC and T/J vertical TEC data. Finally, the characteristics of the plasmaspheric component distribution for different local times, latitudes, and seasons were investigated.
Optimization of OpenStreetMap Building Footprints Based on Semantic Information of Oblique UAV Images
Authors: Zhuo Xiangyu , Fraundorfer Friedrich , Kurz Franz , Reinartz Peter
Published: April 2018

Building footprint information is vital for 3D building modeling. Traditionally, in remote sensing, building footprints are extracted and delineated from aerial imagery and/or LiDAR point cloud. Taking a different approach, this paper is dedicated to the optimization of OpenStreetMap (OSM) building footprints exploiting the contour information, which is derived from deep learning-based semantic segmentation of oblique images acquired by the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). First, a simplified 3D building model of Level of Detail 1 (LoD 1) is initialized using the footprint information from OSM and the elevation information from Digital Surface Model (DSM). In parallel, a deep neural network for pixel-wise semantic image segmentation is trained in order to extract the building boundaries as contour evidence. Subsequently, an optimization integrating the contour evidence from multi-view images as a constraint results in a refined 3D building model with optimized footprints and height. Our method is leveraged to optimize OSM building footprints for four datasets with different building types, demonstrating robust performance for both individual buildings and multiple buildings regardless of image resolution. Finally, we compare our result with reference data from German Authority Topographic-Cartographic Information System (ATKIS). Quantitative and qualitative evaluations reveal that the original OSM building footprints have large offset, but can be significantly improved from meter level to decimeter level after optimization.
Multi-Temporal DInSAR to Characterise Landslide Ground Deformations in a Tropical Urban Environment: Focus on Bukavu (DR Congo)
Authors: Nobile Adriano , Dille Antoine , Monsieurs Elise , Basimike Joseph , Bibentyo Toussaint Mugaruka , D’Oreye Nicolas , Kervyn François , Dewitte Olivier
Published: April 2018

Landslides can lead to high impacts in less developed countries, particularly in tropical environments where a combination of intense rainfall, active tectonics, steep topography, and high population density can be found. However, the processes controlling landslide initiation and their evolution through time remains poorly understood. Here we show the relevance of the use of the multi-temporal differential radar interferometric (DInSAR) technique to characterise ground deformations associated with landslides in the rapidly-expanding city of Bukavu (DR Congo). We use 70 COSMO-SkyMed synthetic aperture radar images acquired between March 2015 and April 2016 with a mean revisiting time of eight days to produce ground deformation rate maps and displacement time series using the small baseline subset approach. We find that various landslide processes of different ages, mechanisms, and states of activity can be identified. Ground deformations revealed by DInSAR are found consistent with field observations and differential GPS measurements. Our analysis highlights the ability of DInSAR to grasp landslide deformation patterns affecting the complex tropical-urban environment of the city of Bukavu. However, longer time series will be needed to infer landside responses to climate, seismic, and anthropogenic drivers.
Topography and Three-Dimensional Structure Can Estimate Tree Diversity along a Tropical Elevational Gradient in Costa Rica
Authors: Robinson Chelsea , Saatchi Sassan , Clark David , Hurtado Astaiza Johanna , Hubel Anna F. , Gillespie Thomas W.
Published: April 2018

This research seeks to understand how tree species richness and diversity relates to field data (1-ha plots) on forest structure (stems, basal area) and lidar derived data on topography and three-dimensional forest structure along an elevational gradient in Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica. In 2016 we calculated tree species richness and diversity indices for twenty 1-ha plots located along a gradient ranging from 56 to 2814 m in elevation. Field inventory data were combined with large footprint (20 m) airborne lidar data over plots in 2005, in order to quantify variations in topography and three-dimensional structure across plots and landscapes. A distinct pattern revealing an increase in species’ richness and the Shannon diversity index was observed in correlation with increasing elevation, up to about 600 m; beyond that, at higher elevations, a decrease was observed. Stem density and basal area both peaked at the 2800 m site, with a mini-peak at 600 m, and were both negatively associated with species richness and diversity. Species richness and diversity were negatively correlated with elevation, while the two tallest relative height metrics (rh100, rh75) derived from lidar were both significantly positively correlated with species richness and diversity. The best lidar-derived topographical and three-dimensional forest structural models showed a strong relationship with the Shannon diversity index (r2 = 0.941, p < 0.01), with ten predictors; conversely, the best species richness model was weaker (r2 = 0.599, p < 0.01), with two predictors. We realize that our high r² has to be interpreted with caution due to possible overfitting, since we had so few ground plots in which to develop the relationship with the numerous topographical and structural explanatory variables. However, this is still an interesting analysis, even with the issue of overfitting. To reduce issues with overfitting we used ridge regression, which acted as a regularization method, shrinking coefficients in order to decrease their variability and multicollinearity. This study is unique because it uses paired 1-ha plot and airborne lidar data over a tropical elevation gradient, and suggests potential for mapping species richness and diversity across elevational gradients in tropical montane ecosystems using topography and relative height metrics from spaceborne lidar with greater spatial coverage (e.g., GEDI).
Spatiotemporal Patterns of Extreme Temperature across the Huai River Basin, China, during 1961–2014, and Regional Responses to Global Changes
Authors: Sun Peng , Zhang Qiang , Yao Rui , Singh Vijay , Song Changqing
Published: April 2018

Global warming and its relevant effects have aroused increasing human concerns in recent decades. These anomalies are likely influencing vegetation dynamics and ecosystem stability. This paper aims to dissect extreme temperature variations in both space and time, and related regional responses to global warming in the Huai River Basin. Using the daily maximum and minimum air temperature at 153 stations across the Huai River Basin, China, covering the period of 1961–2014, trends and relations amongst extreme air temperature indices were analyzed, and regional responses of the Huai River Basin to global warming process were also investigated. The results indicated that: (1) widespread increasing trends can be observed in maximum and minimum air temperature, with the largest increasing magnitude of 0.4 °C per decade and 1.3 °C per decade, respectively. The minimum air temperature regimes have a larger increasing magnitude than the maximum air temperatures. (2) There is an increasing trend in the extreme maximum temperature indices, and the increasing rates of TN90p and TR20 are greater than those of the other extreme maximum temperature indices. However, the extreme minimum temperature indices, except for consecutive icy days (CID), show significant decreasing trends. The growing season length (GSL) would increase due to the joint action of (i) an increase in maximum temperature indices, and (ii) a decrease in minimum temperatures indices. Although increases in the GSL would be beneficial for increasing the growing time of crops, a decreased extreme minimum temperature and increased extreme maximum temperature may reduce the winter wheat yield. (3) Extreme low temperature indices show a larger changing magnitude than the extreme high temperature indices. Temporally, a larger changing magnitude can be identified for temperature indices during night-time than during daytime. Moreover, a larger changing magnitude and higher significance of trends of extreme temperature indices can be observed in the eastern Huai River Basin than in the western Huai River Basin. Particularly, we detect an even higher changing rate of extreme temperature indices in the southeastern Huai River Basin. These findings can be well explained by urban heat island effects resulting from urban aggregation across the Yangtze Delta. (4) The correlation between the extreme low temperature indices is slightly higher than that of the extreme high temperature indices. The changing trends of the most extreme temperature indices are closely related to latitude and altitude. Trends in the main extreme temperature indices of the Huai River Basin are essentially similar to those in other regions around the world, implying consistent spatial patterns of extreme temperature indices across the globe.
Pricing and Low-Carbon Investment Decisions in an Emission Dependent Supply Chain under a Carbon Labelling Scheme
Authors: Cheng Yonghong , Sun Hui , Jia Fu , Koh Lenny
Published: April 2018

A low-carbon policy attracts the interests of businesses, consumers, and policy makers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a carbon labelling scheme could be integrated into operational decision-making for manufacturers and retailers. Three game theoretic models of a supply chain with one manufacturer and one retailer are built to investigate a manufacturer and retailer’s pricing and investment decision for products with different initial carbon footprints considering consumer environmental awareness. Through a systematic comparison and numerical analysis, the results show that a carbon labelling scheme can significantly reduce the overall carbon emission supply chain and have an initially negative impact on the manufacturer and retailer’s profits. However, in the medium–long run, manufacturers and retailers could yet achieve profitability through continuously investing in low-carbon technology.
Towards Efficient Energy Management and Power Trading in a Residential Area via Integrating a Grid-Connected Microgrid
Authors: Aslam Sheraz , Javaid Nadeem , Khan Farman Ali , Alamri Atif , Almogren Ahmad , Abdul Wadood
Published: April 2018

Demand side management (DSM) is one of the most challenging areas in smart grids, which provides multiple opportunities for residents to minimize electricity cost. In this work, we propose a DSM scheme for electricity expenses and peak to average ratio (PAR) reduction using two well-known heuristic approaches: the cuckoo search algorithm (CSA) and strawberry algorithm (SA). In our proposed scheme, a smart home decides to buy or sell electricity from/to the commercial grid for minimizing electricity costs and PAR with earning maximization. It makes a decision on the basis of electricity prices, demand and generation from its own microgrid. The microgrid consists of a wind turbine and solar panel. Electricity generation from the solar panel and wind turbine is intermittent in nature. Therefore, an energy storage system (ESS) is also considered for stable and reliable power system operation. We test our proposed scheme on a set of different case studies. The simulation results affirm our proposed scheme in terms of electricity cost and PAR reduction with profit maximization. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is also performed to show the legitimacy and productiveness of CSA and SA.
Emergency Response Cyber-Physical Framework for Landslide Avoidance with Sustainable Electronics †
Authors: Estrela Vania V. , Saotome Osamu , Loschi Hermes J. , Hemanth Jude , Farfan Willian S. , Aroma Jenice , Saravanan Chandran , Grata Edwiges G. H.
Published: April 2018

An Emergency Response (ER) Cyber-Physical System (CPS) to avoid landslides and survey areas located on or near slopes is introduced that handles two problems: electronic waste disposal, and environmental disasters. Uncomplicated detection circuits using salvaged components can pinpoint floods in impoverished regions. CPSs simplify hazard prediction and mitigation in disaster supervision. Nonetheless, few green practices and efforts have been accomplished in this regard. Recent technical advances help landslides studies and the evaluation of suitable risk alleviation measures. This work addresses in situ meters, and cameras to observe ground movements more accurately. The ER-CPS identifies and can help mitigate landslides using techniques based on motion detection that can productively predict and monitor the zone conditions to classify it, and the landslide-related data can be transmitted to inspecting stations to lessen the erosion/sedimentation likelihood while increasing security.
Remembering Jan Svoboda: A Personal Reflection
Authors: Weiss Robin A.
Published: April 2018

The Czech scientist Jan Svoboda was a pioneer of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). In the 1960s, before the discovery of reverse transcriptase, he demonstrated the long-term persistence of the viral genome in non-productive mammalian cells, and he supported the DNA provirus hypothesis of Howard Temin. He showed how the virus can be rescued in the infectious form and elucidated the replication-competent nature of the Prague strain of RSV later used for the identification of the src oncogene. His studies straddled molecular oncology and virology, and he remained an active contributor to the field until his death last year. Throughout the 50 years that I was privileged to know Svoboda as my mentor and friend, I admired his depth of scientific inquiry and his steadfast integrity in the face of political oppression.
Uncertainty of Rainfall Products: Impact on Modelling Household Nutrition from Rain-Fed Agriculture in Southern Africa
Authors: Luetkemeier Robert , Stein Lina , Drees Lukas , Müller Hannes , Liehr Stefan
Published: April 2018

Good quality data on precipitation are a prerequisite for applications like short-term weather forecasts, medium-term humanitarian assistance, and long-term climate modelling. In Sub-Saharan Africa, however, the meteorological station networks are frequently insufficient, as in the Cuvelai-Basin in Namibia and Angola. This paper analyses six rainfall products (ARC2.0, CHIRPS2.0, CRU-TS3.23, GPCCv7, PERSIANN-CDR, and TAMSAT) with respect to their performance in a crop model (APSIM) to obtain nutritional scores of a household’s requirements for dietary energy and further macronutrients. All products were calibrated to an observed time series using Quantile Mapping. The crop model output was compared against official yield data. The results show that the products (i) reproduce well the Basin’s spatial patterns, and (ii) temporally agree to station records (r = 0.84). However, differences exist in absolute annual rainfall (range: 154 mm), rainfall intensities, dry spell duration, rainy day counts, and the rainy season onset. Though calibration aligns key characteristics, the remaining differences lead to varying crop model results. While the model well reproduces official yield data using the observed rainfall time series (r = 0.52), the products’ results are heterogeneous (e.g., CHIRPS: r = 0.18). Overall, 97% of a household’s dietary energy demand is met. The study emphasizes the importance of considering the differences among multiple rainfall products when ground measurements are scarce.
Evaluating Structural, Chlorophyll-Based and Photochemical Indices to Detect Summer Maize Responses to Continuous Water Stress
Authors: Li Meng , Chu Ronghao , Yu Qian , Islam Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul , Chou Shuren , Shen Shuanghe
Published: April 2018

This study evaluates the performance of structural, chlorophyll-based, and photochemical indices to detect maize water status and to assess production based on five years of field experiments (2013–2017) during the primary growth stages. We employed three categories of indicators, including water condition and productive and thermal indicators, to quantify the responses of summer maize under continuous water stress from drought to waterlogging conditions. Furthermore, we adopted several spectral indices to assess their sensitivity to three categories of metrics. The results showed the association is the best between the treatment level and Leaf Water Content (LWC). The waterlogging treatment influenced Leaf Water Potential (LWP) in moderate drought stress. Severe drought stress caused the strongest reduction in productivity from both Leaf Area Index (LAI) and chlorophyll content. In terms of sensitivity of various indices, red-edge-position (REP) was sensitive to maize water conditions LWP, LAI and chlorophyll content. Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were the most and second most sensitive indices to productive indicators, respectively. The results also showed that no indices were capable of capturing the information of Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI).
GLOBAL REGULARITY TO THE NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS FOR A CLASS OF LARGE INITIAL DATA
Authors: Han Bin , Chen Yukang
Published: April 2018

In [5], Chemin, Gallagher and Paicu proved the global regularity of solutions to the classical Navier-Stokes equations with a class of large initial data on T2 × R. This data varies slowly in vertical variable and has a norm which blows up as the small parameter ( represented by ǫ in the paper) tends to zero. However, to the best of our knowledge, the result is still unclear for the whole spaces R3. In this paper, we consider the generalized Navier-Stokes equations on Rn(n ≥ 3):
∂tu + u · ∇u + Dsu + ∇P = 0, div u = 0.
For some suitable number s, we prove that the Cauchy problem with initial data of the form u0ǫ(x) = (v0h(xǫ), ǫ−1v0n(xǫ))T , xǫ = (xh, ǫxn)T , is globally well-posed for all small ǫ > 0, provided that the initial velocity proﬁle v0 is analytic in xn and certain norm of v0 is suﬃciently small but independent of ǫ. In particular, our result is true for the n-dimensional classical Navier-Stokes equations with n ≥ 4 and the fractional Navier-Stokes equations with 1 ≤ s < 2 in 3D.
Magnetic Fields Recorded by Chondrules Formed in Nebular Shocks
Authors: Mai Chuhong , Desch Steven J. , Boley Aaron C. , Weiss Benjamin P.
Published: April 2018

Recent laboratory efforts have constrained the remanent magnetizations of chondrules and the magnetic field strengths to which the chondrules were exposed as they cooled below their Curie points. An outstanding question is whether the inferred paleofields represent the background magnetic field of the solar nebula or were unique to the chondrule-forming environment. We investigate the amplification of the magnetic field above background values for two proposed chondrule formation mechanisms, large-scale nebular shocks and planetary bow shocks. Behind large-scale shocks, the magnetic field parallel to the shock front is amplified by factors of ∼10–30, regardless of the magnetic diffusivity. Therefore, chondrules melted in these shocks probably recorded an amplified magnetic field. Behind planetary bow shocks, the field amplification is sensitive to the magnetic diffusivity. We compute the gas properties behind a bow shock around a 3000 km radius planetary embryo, with and without atmospheres, using hydrodynamics models. We calculate the ionization state of the hot, shocked gas, including thermionic emission from dust, thermal ionization of gas-phase potassium atoms, and the magnetic diffusivity due to Ohmic dissipation and ambipolar diffusion. We find that the diffusivity is sufficiently large that magnetic fields have already relaxed to background values in the shock downstream where chondrules acquire magnetizations, and that these locations are sufficiently far from the planetary embryos that chondrules should not have recorded a significant putative dynamo field generated on these bodies. We conclude that, if melted in planetary bow shocks, chondrules probably recorded the background nebular field.