bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bacteria Foraging Reinforcement Learning for Risk-Based Economic Dispatch via Knowledge Transfer
Authors: Han Chuanjia , Yang Bo , Bao Tao , Yu Tao , Zhang Xiaoshun
Published: May 2017

This paper proposes a novel bacteria foraging reinforcement learning with knowledge transfer method for risk-based economic dispatch, in which the economic dispatch is integrated with risk assessment theory to represent the uncertainties of active power demand and contingencies during power system operations. Moreover, a multi-agent collaboration is employed to accelerate the convergence of knowledge matrix, which is decomposed into several lower dimension sub-matrices via a knowledge extension, thus the curse of dimension can be effectively avoided. Besides, the convergence rate of bacteria foraging reinforcement learning is increased dramatically through a knowledge transfer after obtaining the optimal knowledge matrices of source tasks in pre-learning. The performance of bacteria foraging reinforcement learning has been thoroughly evaluated on IEEE RTS-79 system. Simulation results demonstrate that it can outperform conventional artificial intelligence algorithms in terms of global convergence and convergence rate.
Global Energy-Optimal Redundancy Resolution of Hydraulic Manipulators: Experimental Results for a Forestry Manipulator
Authors: Nurmi Jarmo , Mattila Jouni
Published: May 2017

This paper addresses the energy-inefficiency problem of four-degrees-of-freedom (4-DOF) hydraulic manipulators through redundancy resolution in robotic closed-loop controlled applications. Because conventional methods typically are local and have poor performance for resolving redundancy with respect to minimum hydraulic energy consumption, global energy-optimal redundancy resolution is proposed at the valve-controlled actuator and hydraulic power system interaction level. The energy consumption of the widely popular valve-controlled load-sensing (LS) and constant-pressure (CP) systems is effectively minimised through cost functions formulated in a discrete-time dynamic programming (DP) approach with minimum state representation. A prescribed end-effector path and important actuator constraints at the position, velocity and acceleration levels are also satisfied in the solution. Extensive field experiments performed on a forestry hydraulic manipulator demonstrate the performance of the proposed solution. Approximately 15–30% greater hydraulic energy consumption was observed with the conventional methods in the LS and CP systems. These results encourage energy-optimal redundancy resolution in future robotic applications of hydraulic manipulators.
A Battery Power Bank with Series-Connected Buck–Boost-Type Battery Power Modules
Authors: Wu Tsung-Hsi , Moo Chin-Sien , Hou Chih-Hao
Published: May 2017

The operation of a battery power bank with series-connected buck–boost-type battery power modules (BPMs) was investigated in this study. Each BPM consisted of a battery pack with an associated buck–boost converter for individually controlling battery currents. With a proposed discharging scenario, load voltage regulation with charge equalization among batteries was performed by controlling the battery currents in accordance with their state-of-charges (SOCs) estimated by real-time battery-loaded voltages detected under the same operating condition. In addition, the fault tolerance was executed to isolate exhausted or faulty batteries from the battery power bank without interrupting the system operation. Experiments were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the discharging scenario for a laboratory battery power bank with four series buck–boost BPMs.
Deadwood Decay in a Burnt Mediterranean Pine Reforestation
Authors: Molinas-González Carlos , Castro Jorge , Leverkus Alexandro
Published: May 2017

Dead wood remaining after wildfires represents a biological legacy for forest regeneration, and its decay is both cause and consequence of a large set of ecological processes. However, the rate of wood decomposition after fires is still poorly understood, particularly for Mediterranean-type ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed deadwood decomposition following a wildfire in a Mediterranean pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada Natural and National Park (southeast Spain). Three plots were established over an elevational/species gradient spanning from 1477 to 2053 m above sea level, in which burnt logs of three species of pines were experimentally laid out and wood densities were estimated five times over ten years. The logs lost an overall 23% of their density, although this value ranged from an average 11% at the highest-elevation plot (dominated by Pinus sylvestris) to 32% at an intermediate elevation (with P. nigra). Contrary to studies in other climates, large-diameter logs decomposed faster than small-diameter logs. Our results provide one of the longest time series for wood decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems and suggest that this process provides spatial variability in the post-fire ecosystem at the scale of stands due to variable speeds of decay. Common management practices such as salvage logging diminish burnt wood and influence the rich ecological processes related to its decay.
Design of Hybrid Gels Based on Gellan-Cholesterol Derivative and P90G Liposomes for Drug Depot Applications
Authors: Zoratto Nicole , Palmieri Francesca , Cencetti Claudia , Montanari Elita , Di Meo Chiara , Manca Maria , Manconi Maria , Matricardi Pietro
Published: May 2017

Gels are extensively studied in the drug delivery field because of their potential benefits in therapeutics. Depot gel systems fall in this area, and the interest in their development has been focused on long-lasting, biocompatible, and resorbable delivery devices. The present work describes a new class of hybrid gels that stem from the interaction between liposomes based on P90G phospholipid and the cholesterol derivative of the polysaccharide gellan. The mechanical properties of these gels and the delivery profiles of the anti-inflammatory model drug diclofenac embedded in such systems confirmed the suitability of these hybrid gels as a good candidate for drug depot applications.
MB0 and MBI Are Independent and Distinct Transactivation Domains in MYC that Are Essential for Transformation
Authors: Zhang Qin , West-Osterfield Kimberly , Spears Erick , Li Zhaoliang , Panaccione Alexander , Hann Stephen
Published: May 2017

MYC is a transcription factor that is essential for cellular proliferation and development. Deregulation or overexpression of MYC occurs in a variety of human cancers. Ectopic expression of MYC causes hyperproliferation and transformation of cells in culture and tumorigenesis in several transgenic mouse models. Deregulation of MYC can also induce apoptosis through activation of p53 and/or ARF tumor suppressors as a safeguard to prevent tumorigenesis. MYC binds to thousands of genomic sites and regulates hundreds of target genes in a context-dependent fashion to mediate these diverse biological roles. The N-terminal region of MYC contains several conserved domains or MYC Boxes (MB), which influence the different MYC transcriptional and biological activities to varying degrees. However, the specific domains that mediate the ability of MYC to activate transcription remain ill defined. In this report, we have identified a new conserved transactivation domain (TAD), MB0, which is essential for MYC transactivation and target gene induction. We demonstrate that MB0 and MBI represent two distinct and independent TADs within the N-terminal 62 amino acids of MYC. In addition, both MB0 and MBI are essential for MYC transformation of primary fibroblasts in cooperation with activated RAS, while MB0 is necessary for efficient MYC-induced p53-independent apoptosis.
Combination of RNA Interference and Stem Cells for Treatment of Central Nervous System Diseases
Authors: Hou Xue-Qin , Wang Lei , Wang Fu-Gang , Zhao Xiao-Min , Zhang Han-Ting
Published: May 2017

RNA interference (RNAi), including microRNAs, is an important player in the mediation of differentiation and migration of stem cells via target genes. It is used as a potential strategy for gene therapy for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Stem cells are considered vectors of RNAi due to their capacity to deliver RNAi to other cells. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in studies of RNAi pathways in controlling neuronal differentiation and migration of stem cells. We also highlight the utilization of a combination of RNAi and stem cells in treatment of CNS diseases.
Beverage Intake, Smoking Behavior, and Alcohol Consumption in Contemporary China—A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey
Authors: Lee Yen-Han , Wang Zhi , Chiang Timothy , Liu Ching-Ti
Published: May 2017

Chinese residents enjoy various types of beverages in their daily life. With the rapid Westernization of contemporary China, several adverse health concerns—such as diabetes linked to sweetened beverages—have emerged. Until now, no research that examines associations between beverage consumption and smoking/drinking behaviors has been made available, despite the large Chinese populations partaking in such activities. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore the association between beverage intake frequencies and smoking/drinking behaviors in 12,658 adult respondents who participated in the latest wave (2011) of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Further, we applied Tukey’s Honest Significance test for pairwise comparisons. We defined the consumption categories as daily (at least one serving per day), weekly (less than one serving per day, at least one serving per week), monthly (less than one serving per week, at least one serving per month), and less than monthly or none—for sweetened beverage, water, tea, and coffee consumptions. The data showed that both tea and sweetened beverages are associated with smoking/drinking behaviors. Compared to respondents who consume tea and sweetened beverages daily, the odds of smoking behaviors are lower for those who consume such beverages less frequently. Further policy implications are discussed, including higher taxes on sweetened beverages and lessons from other countries.
Exploring the Relationship between the Arid Valley Boundary’s Displacement and Climate Change during 1999–2013 in the Upper Reaches of the Min River, China
Authors: Guo Yalin , Wang Qing , Fan Min
Published: May 2017

The arid valley is a unique type of ecological fragile landscape in the Hengduan Mountain Area, China. The boundary of the arid valley is one of the response indicators to mountainous climate change. Based on the meteorological data from 1999 to 2013 and the SPOT remote sensing images in 1999 and 2013 this study explored the response characteristics of the arid valley boundary to regional climate change in the upper reaches of the Min River in the Hengduan Mountains. The results are as follows: (1) During 1999–2013, the temperature, precipitation, and evaporation increased, and the sunshine duration and relative humidity showed decreasing trends at the rates of 0.008 °C/a, 2.25 mm/a, 5.51 mm/a, −8.72 h/a, and −0.19%/a, respectively. Meanwhile, the climate showed the warm-dry tendency in the southern region and the warm-humid tendency in the central and northern areas. (2) On the whole, the arid valley boundary mainly distributed between 1601–3200 m and moved downward to 2428 m at the speed of −0.76 ± 0.26 m/a along with global warming. The descent speeds in different regions showed the same decreasing order as the regional distributions of precipitation and sunshine duration. (3) The arid valley boundary’s displacement in the whole basin had significant negative correlations with current climate change (p < 0.05), as well as with variations of moisture factors. Additionally, with the enhancements of the drought degree and humidity tendency, the variations of temperature, evaporation, and relative humidity, respectively, became the main factors that had significant correlations with the arid valley boundary’s displacement. Therefore, climate change during 1999–2013 shows beneficial effects on the improvement of the arid valley habitat in the upper reaches of the Min River. The study provides a new method and gives basic data for research on climate change.
Biomarker and Histopathology Evaluation of Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma Treated with Galunisertib, Lomustine, or the Combination of Galunisertib and Lomustine
Authors: Capper David , Von Deimling Andreas , Brandes Alba , Carpentier Antoine , Kesari Santosh , Sepulveda-Sanchez Juan , Wheeler Helen , Chinot Olivier , Cher Lawrence , Steinbach Joachim , Specenier Pol , Rodon Jordi , Cleverly Ann , Smith Claire , Gueorguieva Ivelina , Miles Colin , Guba Susan , Desaiah Durisala , Estrem Shawn , Lahn Michael , Wick Wolfgang
Published: May 2017

Galunisertib, a Transforming growth factor-βRI (TGF-βRI) kinase inhibitor, blocks TGF-β-mediated tumor growth in glioblastoma. In a three-arm study of galunisertib (300 mg/day) monotherapy (intermittent dosing; each cycle =14 days on/14 days off), lomustine monotherapy, and galunisertib plus lomustine therapy, baseline tumor tissue was evaluated to identify markers associated with tumor stage (e.g., histopathology, Ki67, glial fibrillary acidic protein) and TGF-β-related signaling (e.g., pSMAD2). Other pharmacodynamic assessments included chemokine, cytokine, and T cell subsets alterations. 158 patients were randomized to galunisertib plus lomustine (n = 79), galunisertib (n = 39) and placebo+lomustine (n = 40). In 127 of these patients, tissue was adequate for central pathology review and biomarker work. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) negative glioblastoma patients with baseline pSMAD2+ in cytoplasm had median overall survival (OS) 9.5 months vs. 6.9 months for patients with no tumor pSMAD2 expression (p = 0.4574). Eight patients were IDH1 R132H+ and had a median OS of 10.4 months compared to 6.9 months for patients with negative IDH1 R132H (p = 0.5452). IDH1 status was associated with numerically higher plasma macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22), higher whole blood FOXP3, and reduced tumor CD3+ T cell counts. Compared to the baseline, treatment with galunisertib monotherapy preserved CD4+ T cell counts, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and the CD4/CD8 ratio. The T-regulatory cell compartment was associated with better OS with MDC/CCL22 as a prominent prognostic marker.
Effects of Melatonin and Its Analogues on Pancreatic Inflammation, Enzyme Secretion, and Tumorigenesis
Authors: Jaworek Jolanta , Leja-Szpak Anna , Nawrot-Porąbka Katarzyna , Szklarczyk Joanna , Kot Michalina , Pierzchalski Piotr , Góralska Marta , Ceranowicz Piotr , Warzecha Zygmunt , Dembinski Artur , Bonior Joanna
Published: May 2017

Melatonin is an indoleamine produced from the amino acid l-tryptophan, whereas metabolites of melatonin are known as kynuramines. One of the best-known kynuramines is N1-acetyl-N1-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK). Melatonin has attracted scientific attention as a potent antioxidant and protector of tissue against oxidative stress. l-Tryptophan and kynuramines share common beneficial features with melatonin. Melatonin was originally discovered as a pineal product, has been detected in the gastrointestinal tract, and its receptors have been identified in the pancreas. The role of melatonin in the pancreatic gland is not explained, however several arguments support the opinion that melatonin is probably implicated in the physiology and pathophysiology of the pancreas. (1) Melatonin stimulates pancreatic enzyme secretion through the activation of entero-pancreatic reflex and cholecystokinin (CCK) release. l-Tryptophan and AFMK are less effective than melatonin in the stimulation of pancreatic exocrine function; (2) Melatonin is a successful pancreatic protector, which prevents the pancreas from developing of acute pancreatitis and reduces pancreatic damage. This effect is related to its direct and indirect antioxidant action, to the strengthening of immune defense, and to the modulation of apoptosis. Like melatonin, its precursor and AFMK are able to mimic its protective effect, and it is commonly accepted that all these substances create an antioxidant cascade to intensify the pancreatic protection and acinar cells viability; (3) In pancreatic cancer cells, melatonin and AFMK activated a signal transduction pathway for apoptosis and stimulated heat shock proteins. The role of melatonin and AFMK in pancreatic tumorigenesis remains to be elucidated.
Queen Quality and the Impact of Honey Bee Diseases on Queen Health: Potential for Interactions between Two Major Threats to Colony Health
Authors: Amiri Esmaeil , Strand Micheline , Rueppell Olav , Tarpy David
Published: May 2017

Western honey bees, Apis mellifera, live in highly eusocial colonies that are each typically headed by a single queen. The queen is the sole reproductive female in a healthy colony, and because long-term colony survival depends on her ability to produce a large number of offspring, queen health is essential for colony success. Honey bees have recently been experiencing considerable declines in colony health. Among a number of biotic and abiotic factors known to impact colony health, disease and queen failure are repeatedly reported as important factors underlying colony losses. Surprisingly, there are relatively few studies on the relationship and interaction between honey bee diseases and queen quality. It is critical to understand the negative impacts of pests and pathogens on queen health, how queen problems might enable disease, and how both factors influence colony health. Here, we review the current literature on queen reproductive potential and the impacts of honey bee parasites and pathogens on queens. We conclude by highlighting gaps in our knowledge on the combination of disease and queen failure to provide a perspective and prioritize further research to mitigate disease, improve queen quality, and ensure colony health.
Quantitative Assessment of Grapevine Wood Colonization by the Dieback Fungus Eutypa lata
Authors: Moisy Cédric , Berger Gilles , Flutre Timothée , Le Cunff Loïc , Péros Jean-Pierre
Published: May 2017

Eutypa lata is a fungal pathogen causing severe dieback in vineyards worldwide. This fungus colonizes vines through pruning wounds, eventually causing a brown sectorial necrosis in wood as well as stunted vegetative growth. Several years may pass between infection and the expression of external symptoms, hindering the rapid evaluation of both grapevine cultivars susceptibility and E. lata variation in aggressiveness. We aimed to develop a rapid quantitative method for the assessment of wood colonization after inoculation of cuttings in controlled conditions. We used several grape cultivars varying in susceptibility in the vineyard and fungal isolates with different levels of aggressiveness to monitor wood colonization during a maximum period of 2 months. Re-isolation allowed demonstration of the effects of both cultivars and fungal isolates on the rate of wood colonization. We also developed a real-time PCR method that was efficient in measuring fungal biomass, which was found to be correlated with isolate aggressiveness based on foliar symptom severity. The real-time PCR approach appears to be a useful technology to evaluate grapevine susceptibility to E. lata, and could be adapted to other pathogens associated with grapevine trunk diseases.
Tuning the Mechanical and Antimicrobial Performance of a Cu-Based Metallic Glass Composite through Cooling Rate Control and Annealing
Authors: Villapún Victor M. , Esat F. , Bull S. , Dover L.G. , González S.
Published: May 2017

The influence of cooling rate on the wear and antimicrobial performance of a Cu52Z41Al7 (at. %) bulk metallic glass (BMG) composite was studied and the results compared to those of the annealed sample (850 °C for 48 h) and to pure copper. The aim of this basic research is to explore the potential use of the material in preventing the spread of infections. The cooling rate is controlled by changing the mould diameter (2 mm and 3 mm) upon suction casting and controlling the mould temperature (chiller on and off). For the highest cooling rate conditions CuZr is formed but CuZr2 starts to crystallise as the cooling rate decreases, resulting in an increase in the wear resistance and brittleness, as measured by scratch tests. A decrease in the cooling rate also increases the antimicrobial performance, as shown by different methodologies (European, American and Japanese standards). Annealing leads to the formation of new intermetallic phases (Cu10Zr7 and Cu2ZrAl) resulting in maximum scratch hardness and antimicrobial performance. However, the annealed sample corrodes during the antimicrobial tests (within 1 h of contact with broth). The antibacterial activity of copper was proved to be higher than that of any of the other materials tested but it exhibits very poor wear properties. Cu-rich BMG composites with optimised microstructure would be preferable for some applications where the durability requirements are higher than the antimicrobial needs.
Surface Roughness Modeling Using Q-Sequence
Authors: Ullah A.M.M.
Published: May 2017

Dynamical systems play a vital role in studying highly non-linear phenomena. One of the families of the dynamical systems is integer sequences. There is an integer sequence called Q-sequence: Q(n) = Q(n − Q(n − 1)) + Q(n − Q(n − 2)); for n = 3, 4, …; and Q(1) = Q(2) = 1. It exhibits a unique chaotic-order that might help develop approximate models of highly nonlinear phenomena. We explore this possibility and show how to modify a segment of the Q-sequence so that the modified segment becomes an approximate model of surface roughness (a highly non-linear phenomena that results from the material removal processes (e.g., turning, milling, grinding, and so on). The Q-sequence-based models of surface roughness can be used to recreate the surface heights whenever necessary. As such, it is a helpful means for developing simulation systems for virtual manufacturing.
Synthesis of Ultramarine from Reservoir Silts
Authors: Hsiao Yin-Hsiu , Shen Yun-Hwei , Ray Dah-Tong
Published: May 2017

Ultramarine blue was synthesized by using reservoir silts as a major raw material to replace traditional kaolin clay. The reservoir silts were pretreated to collect the fines, in which the main mineral composition is illite clay. The fine part was mixed with sodium carbonate, sulfur, and activated carbon, and calcined at 800°C for 8 h. The products were examined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to identify the mineral phases and particle morphology. The color characteristics were measured according to the CIELab system. Brilliant blue ultramarine powders were successfully synthesized with a chroma of 52.4, which is competitive with the commercial ultramarine.
New Applications of Heparin and Other Glycosaminoglycans
Authors: Lima Marcelo , Rudd Timothy , Yates Edwin
Published: May 2017

Heparin, the widely used pharmaceutical anticoagulant, has been in clinical use for well over half a century. Its introduction reduced clotting risks substantially and subsequent developments, including the introduction of low-molecular-weight heparin, made possible many major surgical interventions that today make heparin an indispensable drug. There has been a recent burgeoning of interest in heparin and related glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polysaccharides, such as chondroitin sulfates, heparan sulfate, and hyaluronate, as potential agents in various applications. This ability arises mainly from the ability of GAGs to interact with, and alter the activity of, a wide range of proteins. Here, we review new developments (since 2010) in the application of heparin and related GAGs across diverse fields ranging from thrombosis and neurodegenerative disorders to microbiology and biotechnology.
Isotactic and Syndiotactic Alternating Ethylene/Propylene Copolymers Obtained Through Non-Catalytic Hydrogenation of Highly Stereoregular cis-1,4 Poly(1,3-diene)s
Authors: Ricci Giovanni , Boccia Antonella , Leone Giuseppe , Pierro Ivana , Zanchin Giorgia , Scoti Miriam , Auriemma Finizia , De Rosa Claudio
Published: May 2017

The homogeneous non-catalytic hydrogenation of cis-1,4 poly(isoprene), isotactic cis-1,4 poly(1,3-pentadiene) and syndiotactic cis-1,4 poly(1,3-pentadiene) with diimide, formed by thermal decomposition of para-toluenesulfonylhydrazide, is examined. Perfectly alternating ethylene/propylene copolymers having different tacticity (i.e., isotactic and syndiotactic), which are difficult to synthesize by stereospecific copolymerization of the corresponding monomers, are obtained. Both isotactic and syndiotactic alternating ethylene/propylene copolymers are amorphous, with very low glass transition temperatures.
The Functional Characterization of a Site-Specific Apigenin 4′-O-methyltransferase Synthesized by the Liverwort Species Plagiochasma appendiculatum
Authors: Liu Hui , Xu Rui-Xue , Gao Shuai , Cheng Ai-Xia
Published: May 2017

Apigenin, a widely distributed flavone, exhibits excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties. In addition, the methylation of apigenin is generally considered to result in better absorption and greatly increased bioavailability. Here, four putative Class II methyltransferase genes were identified from the transcriptome sequences generated from the liverwort species Plagiochasma appendiculatum. Each was heterologously expressed as a His-fusion protein in Escherichia coli and their methylation activity against apigenin was tested. One of the four Class II OMT enzymes named 4′-O-methyltransferase (Pa4′OMT) was shown to react effectively with apigenin, catalyzing its conversion to acacetin. Besides the favorite substrate apigenin, the recombinant PaF4′OMT was shown to catalyze luteolin, naringenin, kaempferol, quercetin, genistein, scutellarein, and genkwanin to the corresponding 4′-methylation products. In vivo feeding experiments indicated that PaF4′OMT could convert apigenin to acacetin efficiently in E. coli and approximately 88.8 µM (25.2 mg/L) of product was synthesized when 100 µM of apigenin was supplemented. This is the first time that a Class II plant O-methyltransferase has been characterized in liverworts.
Phytochemical Profiles and Antimicrobial Activities of Allium cepa Red cv. and A. sativum Subjected to Different Drying Methods: A Comparative MS-Based Metabolomics
Authors: Farag Mohamed , Ali Sara , Hodaya Rashad , El-Seedi Hesham , Sultani Haider , Laub Annegret , Eissa Tarek , Abou-Zaid Fouad , Wessjohann Ludger
Published: May 2017

Plants of the Allium genus produce sulphur compounds that give them a characteristic (alliaceous) flavour and mediate for their medicinal use. In this study, the chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of Allium cepa red cv. and A. sativum in the context of three different drying processes were assessed using metabolomics. Bulbs were dried using either microwave, air drying, or freeze drying and further subjected to chemical analysis of their composition of volatile and non-volatile metabolites. Volatiles were collected using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with 42 identified volatiles including 30 sulphur compounds, four nitriles, three aromatics, and three esters. Profiling of the polar non-volatile metabolites via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution MS (UPLC/MS) annotated 51 metabolites including dipeptides, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids. Major peaks in GC/MS or UPLC/MS contributing to the discrimination between A. sativum and A. cepa red cv. were assigned to sulphur compounds and flavonoids. Whereas sulphur conjugates amounted to the major forms in A. sativum, flavonoids predominated in the chemical composition of A. cepa red cv. With regard to drying impact on Allium metabolites, notable and clear separations among specimens were revealed using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA scores plot of the UPLC/MS dataset showed closer metabolite composition of microwave dried specimens to freeze dried ones, and distant from air dried bulbs, observed in both A. cepa and A. sativum. Compared to GC/MS, the UPLC/MS derived PCA model was more consistent and better in assessing the impact of drying on Allium metabolism. A phthalate derivative was found exclusively in a commercial garlic preparation via GC/MS, of yet unknown origin. The freeze dried samples of both Allium species exhibited stronger antimicrobial activities compared to dried specimens with A. sativum being in general more active than A. cepa red cv.
Inferring the Genetic Determinants of Fruit Colors in Tomato by Carotenoid Profiling
Authors: Yoo Hee , Park Woo , Lee Gyu-Myung , Oh Chang-Sik , Yeam Inhwa , Won Dong-Chan , Kim Chang , Lee Je
Published: May 2017

Carotenoids are essential for plant and animal nutrition, and are important factors in the variation of pigmentation in fruits, leaves, and flowers. Tomato is a model crop for studying the biology and biotechnology of fleshy fruits, particularly for understanding carotenoid biosynthesis. In commercial tomato cultivars and germplasms, visual phenotyping of the colors of ripe fruits can be done easily. However, subsequent analysis of metabolic profiling is necessary for hypothesizing genetic factors prior to performing time-consuming genetic analysis. We used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), employing a C30 reverse-phase column, to efficiently resolve nine carotenoids and isomers of several carotenoids in yellow, orange, and red colored ripe tomatoes. High content of lycopene was detected in red tomatoes. The orange tomatoes contained three dominant carotenoids, namely δ-carotene, β-carotene, and prolycopene. The yellow tomatoes showed low levels of carotenoids compared to red or orange tomatoes. Based on the HPLC profiles, genes responsible for overproducing δ-carotene and prolycopene were described as lycopene ε-cyclase and carotenoid isomerase, respectively. Subsequent genetic analysis using DNA markers for segregating population and germplasms were conducted to confirm the hypothesis. This study establishes the usefulness of metabolic profiling for inferring the genetic determinants of fruit color.
Association between Picky Eating Behaviors and Nutritional Status in Early Childhood: Performance of a Picky Eating Behavior Questionnaire
Authors: Kwon Kyung , Shim Jae , Kang Minji , Paik Hee-Young
Published: May 2017

Picky eating behaviors are frequently observed in childhood, leading to concern that an unbalanced and inadequate diet will result in unfavorable growth outcomes. However, the association between picky eating behaviors and nutritional status has not been investigated in detail. This study was conducted to assess eating behaviors and growth of children aged 1–5 years from the Seoul Metropolitan area. Primary caregivers completed self-administered questionnaires and 3-day diet records. Differences in the nutrient intake and growth indices between picky and non-picky eaters were tested by analysis of covariance. Children “eating small amounts” consumed less energy and micronutrients (with the exception of calcium intake), but picky behaviors related to a “limited variety” resulted in a significant difference regarding nutrient density for some micronutrients. Children with the behavior of “eating small amounts” had a lower weight-for-age than that of non-picky eaters; especially, the older children with the behaviors of “eating small amounts” or “refusal of specific food groups” had lower height-for-age compared with non-picky eaters. These results suggest that specific picky eating behaviors are related to different nutrient intake and unfavorable growth patterns in early childhood. Thus, exploration of potential interventions according to specific aspects of picky eating and their efficacy is required.
Zeolite-Containing Mixture Supplementation Ameliorated Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Mice by Suppressing the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathway and Improving Apoptosis in Colon Mucosa
Authors: Lyu Weida , Jia Huijuan , Deng Chuanzong , Saito Kenji , Yamada Seigo , Kato Hisanori
Published: May 2017

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is induced by multiple environmental factors, and there is still no known treatment capable of curing the disease completely. We propose a zeolite-containing mixture (Hydryeast®, HY)—a multi-component nutraceutical of which the main ingredients are Azumaceramics (mixture of zeolite and oyster shell burned under high temperature), citric acid, red rice yeast (monascus) and calcium stearate—as a nutraceutical intervention in IBD to ameliorate dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. We show the mechanism through integrated omics using transcriptomics and proteomics. C57BL6 mice were given an AIN-93G basal diet or a 0.8% HY containing diet and sterilized tap water for 11 days. Colitis was then induced by 1.5% (w/v) DSS-containing water for 9 days. HY fed mice showed significantly improved disease activity index and colon length compared to DSS mice. Colonic mucosa microarray analysis plus RT-PCR results indicate HY supplementation may ameliorate inflammation by inhibiting the intestinal inflammatory pathway and suppress apoptosis by curbing the expression of genes like tumor protein 53 and epidermal growth factor receptor and by upregulating epithelial protection-related proteins such as epithelial cell adhesion molecule and tenascin C, thus maintaining mucosal immune homeostasis and epithelial integrity, mirroring the proteome analysis results. HY appears to have a suppressive effect on colitis.
Soy-Based Adhesive Cross-Linked by Phenol-Formaldehyde-Glutaraldehyde
Authors: Wu Zhigang , Xi Xuedong , Lei Hong , Du Guanben
Published: May 2017

To prepare a low-formaldehyde soy-based adhesive with good water resistance, phenol-formaldehyde modified with glutaraldehyde (PFG) with lower free phenol and free formaldehyde contents was used to cross-link the soy-based adhesive. The results showed that the mechanical properties and water resistance of plywood prepared with soy-based adhesive with PFG was better than that of plywood with the same amount of phenol-formaldehyde (PF). The reaction between phenol and glutaraldehyde was proved by 13C-NMR. Under the optimized preparation conditions for plywood, that is to say, press temperature 160 °C, press time 4 min and resin loading 320 g·m−2, type I plywood could be prepared with 9% PFG as a cross-linker of soy-based adhesive. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) result confirmed the cross-linking reaction between soy-based adhesive and PFG or PF. The activation energy of soy-based adhesive with cross-linker PFG was higher than that with PF resin.
Risk Management under Omega Measure
Authors: Metel Michael , A. Pirvu Traian , Wong Julian
Published: May 2017

We prove that the Omega measure, which considers all moments when assessing portfolio performance, is equivalent to the widely used Sharpe ratio under jointly elliptic distributions of returns. Portfolio optimization of the Sharpe ratio is then explored, with an active-set algorithm presented for markets prohibiting short sales. When asymmetric returns are considered, we show that the Omega measure and Sharpe ratio lead to different optimal portfolios.
Quantifying Changes of Villages in the Urbanizing Beijing Metropolitan Region: Integrating Remote Sensing and GIS Analysis
Authors: Wang Kun , Zhou Weiqi , Xu Kaipeng , Liang Hanmei , Yu Wenjuan , Li Weifeng
Published: May 2017

Rapid urbanization has resulted in great changes in rural landscapes globally. Using remote sensing data to quantify the distribution of rural settlements and their changes has received increasing attention in the past three decades, but remains a challenge. Previous studies mostly focused on the residential changes within a grid or administrative boundary, but not at the individual village level. This paper presents a new change detection approach for rural residential settlements, which can identify different types of rural settlement changes at the individual village level by integrating remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses. Using multi-temporal Landsat TM image data, this approach classifies villages into five types: “no change”, “totally lost”, “shrinking”, “expanding”, and “merged”, in contrast to the commonly used “increase” and “decrease”. This approach was tested in the Beijing metropolitan area from 1984 to 2010. Additionally, the drivers of such changes were investigated using multinomial logistic regression models. The results revealed that: (1) 36% of the villages were lost, but the total area of developed lands in existing villages increased by 34%; (2) Changes were dominated by the type of ‘expansion’ in 1984–1990 (accounted for 43.42%) and 1990–2000 (56.21%). However, from 2000 to 2010, 49.73% of the villages remained unchanged; (3) Both topographical factors and distance factors had significant effects on whether the villages changed or not, but their impacts changed through time. The topographical driving factors showed decreasing effects on the loss of rural settlements, while distance factors had increasing impacts on settlement expansion and merging. This approach provides a useful tool for better understanding the changes in rural residential settlements and their associations with urbanization.
Hyperspectral Alteration Information from Drill Cores and Deep Uranium Exploration in the Baiyanghe Uranium Deposit in the Xuemisitan Area, Xinjiang, China
Authors: Xu Qing-Jun , Ye Fa-Wang , Liu Shao-Feng , Zhang Zhi-Xin , Zhang Chuan
Published: May 2017

The Baiyanghe uranium deposit is a currently important medium-sized deposit in the Xuemisitan area, Xinjiang. The hydrothermal alteration in this deposit is closely related to the uranium mineralization of the deposit. In this study, hyperspectral data are collected from drill cores in the Baiyanghe uranium deposit using a FieldSpec4 visible-shortwave infrared spectrometer to study the hydrothermal alteration. The results reveal that the altered mineral assemblages have obvious zonation characteristics: (1) the upper section comprises long-wavelength illite and minor hematite and montmorillonite; (2) the middle section contains three types of illite (long-, medium- and short-wavelength illite) and hematite; and (3) the lower section includes short-wavelength illite, chlorite and carbonate. Additionally, the variety in the characteristic absorption-peak wavelength of illite at 2200 nm gradually shifts to shorter wavelength and ranges between 2195 nm and 2220 nm with increasing depth, while the SWIR-IC (short-wavelength infrared illite crystallinity, a dimensionless quantity) of the drill holes gradually increases from 0.2 to 2.1. These patterns reflect the hydrothermal fluid activity in the deposit, which features relatively high-temperature, high-pressure hydrothermal fluid in the deeper section and low-temperature, low-pressure hydrothermal fluid in the shallower section. Additionally, the uranium mineralization is located near the fracture zone, which represents the center of hydrothermal fluid activity or mineralization. This area has abundant alteration minerals, and the minerals illite (short- and medium-wavelength), hematite and fluorite can be used as uranium-prospecting indicators for uranium exploration in the deeper sections of the Baiyanghe uranium deposit.
Hyperspectral Dimensionality Reduction by Tensor Sparse and Low-Rank Graph-Based Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Pan Lei , Li Heng-Chao , Deng Yang-Jun , Zhang Fan , Chen Xiang-Dong , Du Qian
Published: May 2017

Recently, sparse and low-rank graph-based discriminant analysis (SLGDA) has yielded satisfactory results in hyperspectral image (HSI) dimensionality reduction (DR), for which sparsity and low-rankness are simultaneously imposed to capture both local and global structure of hyperspectral data. However, SLGDA fails to exploit the spatial information. To address this problem, a tensor sparse and low-rank graph-based discriminant analysis (TSLGDA) is proposed in this paper. By regarding the hyperspectral data cube as a third-order tensor, small local patches centered at the training samples are extracted for the TSLGDA framework to maintain the structural information, resulting in a more discriminative graph. Subsequently, dimensionality reduction is performed on the tensorial training and testing samples to reduce data redundancy. Experimental results of three real-world hyperspectral datasets demonstrate that the proposed TSLGDA algorithm greatly improves the classification performance in the low-dimensional space when compared to state-of-the-art DR methods.
Evaluation of Urbanization Dynamics and its Impacts on Surface Heat Islands: A Case Study of Beijing, China
Authors: Chen Wei , Zhang Yao , Pengwang Chongyu , Gao Weijun
Published: May 2017

As the capital of China, Beijing has experienced a continued and rapid urbanization process in the past few decades. One of the key environmental impacts of rapid urbanization is the effect of urban heat island (UHI). The objective of this study was to estimate the urbanization indexes of Beijing from 1992 to 2013 based on the stable nighttime light (NTL) data derived from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Line Scanner System (DMSP/OLS), which has became a widely used remote sensing database after decades of development. The annual average value nighttime light Digital Number (NTL-DN), and the total lit number and urban area proportion within Beijing’s boundary were calculated and compared with social-economic statistics parameters to estimate the correlation between them. Four Landsat thematic mapper (TM) images acquired in 1995 and 2009 were applied to estimate the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized land surface temperature (LSTnor), and spatial correlation analysis was then carried out to investigate the relationship between the urbanization level and NDVI and LSTnor. Our results showed a strong negative linear relationship between the NTL-DN value and NDVI; however, in contrast, a strong positive linear relationship between existed between the NTL-DN value and LSTnor. By conducting a spatial comparison analysis of 1995 and 2009, the vegetation coverage change and surface temperature difference were calculated and compared with the NTL-DN difference. Our result revealed that the regions of fast urbanization resulted in a decrease of NDVI and increase of LSTnor. In addition, choropleth maps showing the spatial pattern of urban heat island zones were produced based on different temperatures, and the analysis result indicated that the spatial distribution of surface temperature was closely related with the NTL-DN and NDVI. These findings are helpful for understanding the urbanization process as well as urban ecology, which both have significant implications for urban planning and minimize the potential environmental impacts of urbanization in Beijing.
Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity Retrieval from Field-Measured Hyperspectral Thermal Infrared Data Using Wavelet Transform
Authors: Zhang Yu-Ze , Wu Hua , Jiang Xiao-Guang , Jiang Ya-Zhen , Liu Zhao-Xia , Nerry Franҫoise
Published: May 2017

Currently, the main difficulty in separating the land surface temperature (LST) and land surface emissivity (LSE) from field-measured hyperspectral Thermal Infrared (TIR) data lies in solving the radiative transfer equation (RTE). Based on the theory of wavelet transform (WT), this paper proposes a method for accurately and effectively separating LSTs and LSEs from field-measured hyperspectral TIR data. We show that the number of unknowns in the RTE can be reduced by decomposing and reconstructing the LSE spectrum, thus making the RTE solvable. The final results show that the errors introduced by WT are negligible. In addition, the proposed method usually achieves a greater accuracy in a wet-warm atmosphere than that in a dry-cold atmosphere. For the results under instrument noise conditions (NE∆T = 0.2 K), the overall accuracy of the LST is approximately 0.1–0.3 K, while the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the LSEs is less than 0.01. In contrast to the effects of instrument noise, our method is quite insensitive to noises from atmospheric downwelling radiance, and all the RMSEs of our method are approximately zero for both the LSTs and the LSEs. When we used field-measured data to better evaluate our method’s performance, the results showed that the RMSEs of the LSTs and LSEs were approximately 1.1 K and 0.01, respectively. The results from both simulated data and field-measured data demonstrate that our method is promising for decreasing the number of unknowns in the RTE. Furthermore, the proposed method overcomes some known limitations of current algorithms, such as singular values and the loss of continuity in the spectrum of the retrieved LSEs.
Airborne LiDAR and Aerial Imagery to Assess Potential Burrow Locations for the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)
Authors: Young Michael , Andrews John , Caldwell Todd , Saylam Kutalmis
Published: May 2017

The Southwestern United States desert serves as the host for several threatened and endangered species, one of which is the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). The goal of this study was to develop a fine-scale, remote-sensing-based approach that indicates favorable burrow locations for G. agassizii in the Boulder City (Nevada) Conservation Easement area (35,500 ha). This was done by analyzing airborne LiDAR data (5–7 points/m2) and color imagery (four bands, 0.15-m resolution) and determining the percent vegetation cover; shrub height and area; Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); and several geomorphic characteristics including slope, azimuth, and roughness. Other field data used herein include estimates of canopy area and species richness using 1271 line transects, and shrub height and canopy area using plant-specific measurements of ~200 plants. Larrea tridentata and Ambrosia dumosa shrubs were identified using an algorithm that obtained an optimum combination of NDVI and average reflectance of the four bands (IR, R, G, and B) from pixels in each image. The results, which identified more than 65 million shrubs across the study area, indicate that percent vegetation cover from aerial imagery across the site (13.92%) compared favorably (14.52%) to the estimate obtained from line transects, though the LiDAR method yielded shrub heights approximately 60% those of measured shrub heights. Landscape and plant properties were combined with known locations of tortoise burrows, as visually observed in 2014. Masks were created using roughness coefficient, slope percent, azimuth of burrow openings, elevation, and percent vegetation cover to isolate areas more likely to host burrows. Combined, the masks isolated 55% of the total survey area, which will help target future field surveys. Overall, the approach provides areas where tortoise burrows are more likely to be found, though additional ecological data would help refine the overall method.
FM-UWB: Towards a Robust, Low-Power Radio for Body Area Networks
Authors: Kopta Vladimir , Farserotu John , Enz Christian
Published: May 2017

The Frequency Modulated Ultra-Wideband (FM-UWB) is known as a low-power, low-complexity modulation scheme targeting low to moderate data rates in applications such as wireless body area networks. In this paper, a thorough review of all FM-UWB receivers and transmitters reported in literature is presented. The emphasis is on trends in power reduction that exhibit an improvement by a factor 20 over the past eight years, showing the high potential of FM-UWB. The main architectural and circuit techniques that have led to this improvement are highlighted. Seldom explored potential of using higher data rates and more complex modulations is demonstrated as a way to increase energy efficiency of FM-UWB. Multi-user communication over a single Radio Frequency (RF) channel is explored in more depth and multi-channel transmission is proposed as an extension of standard FM-UWB. The two techniques provide means of decreasing network latency, improving performance, and allow the FM-UWB to accommodate the increasing number of sensor nodes in the emerging applications such as High-Density Wireless Sensor Networks.