bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis and Control of Twist Defects of Aluminum Profiles with Large Z-Section in Roll Bending Process
Authors: Wang Anheng , Xue Hongqian , Bayraktar Emin , Yang Yanli , Saud Shah , Chen Peng
Published: December 2019

This paper focuses on the twist defects and the control strategy in the process of four-roll bending for aluminum alloy Z-section profiles with large cross-section. A 3D finite element model (3D-FEM) of roll bending process has been developed, on the premise of the curvature radius of the profile, the particularly pronounced twist defects characteristic of 7075-O aluminum alloy Z-section profiles were studied by FE method. The simulation results showed that the effective control of the twist defects of the profile could be realized by adjusting the side roller so that the exit guide roll was higher than the entrance one (the side rolls presented an asymmetric loading mode with respect to the main rolls) and increasing the radius of upper roll. Corresponding experimental tests were carried out to verify the accuracy of the numerical analysis. The experimental results indicated that control strategies based on finite element analysis (FEA) had a significant inhibitory function on twist defects in the actual roll bending process.
Nondestructive Evaluation of Thermal Aging in Al6061 Alloy by Measuring Acoustic Nonlinearity of Laser-Generated Surface Acoustic Waves
Authors: Jun Jihyun , Seo Hogeon , Jhang Kyung-Young
Published: December 2019

The structures in high-temperature environments are prone to undergo hardening and embrittlement as a result of thermal aging; this can cause variations in their mechanical properties. Because these changes occur at the microstructural level, it is difficult to evaluate them through linear ultrasonic techniques. In this work, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) was used to measure and compare the acoustic nonlinearity and mechanical properties of Al6061 alloys heat-treated at 220 °C for different durations (0 min, 20 min, 40 min, 1 h, 2 h, 10 h, 100 h, 1000 h). The SAW was generated by a pulsed laser and then received by an interferometer. Moreover, the yield strength, ultimate strength, and elongation to failure were measured by tensile tests. The results demonstrate that the critical variations in the mechanical properties can be detected by monitoring the variation features in the acoustic nonlinearity. Transmission electron microscopy images were captured to observe the microstructural changes, which shows that the acoustic nonlinearity varied according to the change in the precipitation phase. This supports the acoustic nonlinearity measurement using the laser-generated SAW being an effective technique for the fully noncontact nondestructive evaluation of material degradations as well as changes in mechanical properties.
Research on Failure Mechanisms of Broken Strands of Jumper Wires for EHV Transmission Lines in Strong-Wind Areas
Authors: He Peng , Han Jiceng , Li Yongjie , He Cheng , Xiao Wenkai
Published: December 2019

The jumper wires of an extra-high voltage (EHV) transmission line in strong-wind areas in Northwest China frequently break down. We installed some acquisition devices to collect the data of the jumper wires and wind speed in the fault area of one 750-kV transmission line. We also developed a swing simulation machine based on the collected data. The machine could simulate the swing condition of the jumper wires under various wind speeds. We analyzed the broken aluminum wires obtained from the simulation experiment of jumper wires. Yield lines appeared on the surface of the broken aluminum wires in the simulation experiment. Proliferation of dislocation and grain deformation occurred in the broken aluminum wires using transmission electron microscopy observation. The results show that the aluminum wires in the experiment under a Level-6 wind and above were in a full yield state and demonstrated strain-fatigue failure condition. The fracture of the broken aluminum wires showed distinct strain-fatigue fracture characteristics using the scanning electron microscope fracture morphology analysis. From the combination of the abovementioned research, we conclude that the failure mechanism of the broken strands of the jumper wires of the EHV transmission line in the strong-wind area is mainly a strain-fatigue failure mechanism.
Integrated Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Suggest the Global Metabolic Response to 2-Aminoacrylate Stress in Salmonella enterica
Authors: Borchert Andrew J. , Walejko Jacquelyn M. , Guennec Adrien Le , Ernst Dustin C. , Edison Arthur S. , Downs Diana M.
Published: December 2019

In Salmonella enterica, 2-aminoacrylate (2AA) is a reactive enamine intermediate generated during a number of biochemical reactions. When the 2-iminobutanoate/2-iminopropanoate deaminase (RidA; EC: 3.5.99.10) is eliminated, 2AA accumulates and inhibits the activity of multiple pyridoxal 5’-phosphate(PLP)-dependent enzymes. In this study, untargeted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) metabolomics and transcriptomics data were used to uncover the global metabolic response of S. enterica to the accumulation of 2AA. The data showed that elimination of RidA perturbed folate and branched chain amino acid metabolism. Many of the resulting perturbations were consistent with the known effect of 2AA stress, while other results suggested additional potential enzyme targets of 2AA-dependent damage. The majority of transcriptional and metabolic changes appeared to be the consequence of downstream effects on the metabolic network, since they were not directly attributable to a PLP-dependent enzyme. In total, the results highlighted the complexity of changes stemming from multiple perturbations of the metabolic network, and suggested hypotheses that will be valuable in future studies of the RidA paradigm of endogenous 2AA stress.
13C-Metabolic Flux Analysis in Developing Flax (Linum usitatissinum L.) Embryos to Understand Storage Lipid Biosynthesis
Authors: Acket Sébastien , Degournay Anthony , Rossez Yannick , Mottelet Stéphane , Villon Pierre , Troncoso-Ponce Adrian , Thomasset Brigitte
Published: December 2019

Flax (Linum usitatissinum L.) oil is an important source of α-linolenic (C18:3 ω-3). This polyunsaturated fatty acid is well known for its nutritional role in human and animal diets. Understanding storage lipid biosynthesis in developing flax embryos can lead to an increase in seed yield via marker-assisted selection. While a tremendous amount of work has been done on different plant species to highlight their metabolism during embryo development, a comprehensive analysis of metabolic flux in flax is still lacking. In this context, we have utilized in vitro cultured developing embryos of flax and determined net fluxes by performing three complementary parallel labeling experiments with 13C-labeled glucose and glutamine. Metabolic fluxes were estimated by computer-aided modeling of the central metabolic network including 11 cofactors of 118 reactions of the central metabolism and 12 pseudo-fluxes. A focus on lipid storage biosynthesis and the associated pathways was done in comparison with rapeseed, arabidopsis, maize and sunflower embryos. In our hands, glucose was determined to be the main source of carbon in flax embryos, leading to the conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate. The oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP) was identified as the producer of NADPH for fatty acid biosynthesis. Overall, the use of 13C-metabolic flux analysis provided new insights into the flax embryo metabolic processes involved in storage lipid biosynthesis. The elucidation of the metabolic network of this important crop plant reinforces the relevance of the application of this technique to the analysis of complex plant metabolic systems.
Curative Treatment of Candidiasis by the Live Biotherapeutic Microorganism Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lcr35® in the Invertebrate Model Caenorhabditis elegans: First Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Poupet Cyril , Veisseire Philippe , Bonnet Muriel , Camarès Olivier , Gachinat Marylise , Dausset Caroline , Chassard Christophe , Nivoliez Adrien , Bornes Stéphanie
Published: December 2019

The resistance of Candida albicans to conventional drug treatments, as well as the recurrence phenomena due to dysbiosis caused by antifungal treatments, have highlighted the need to implement new therapeutic methodologies. The antifungal potential of live biotherapeutic products (LBP) has already been demonstrated using preclinical models (cell cultures, laboratory animals). Understanding their mechanisms of action is strategic for the development of new therapeutics for humans. In this study, we investigated the curative anti-C. albicans properties of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lcr35® using the in vitro Caco-2 cell and the in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans models. We showed that Lcr35® does inhibit neither the growth (p = 0.603) nor the biofilm formation (p = 0.869) of C. albicans in vitro. Lcr35® protects the animal from the fungal infection (+225% of survival, p < 2 × 10–16) even if the yeast is detectable in its intestine. In contrast, the Lcr35® cell-free supernatant does not appear to have any antipathogenic effect. At the mechanistic level, the DAF-16/Forkhead Box O transcription factor is activated by Lcr35® and genes of the p38 MAP Kinase signaling pathway and genes involved in the antifungal response are upregulated in presence of Lcr35® after C. albicans infection. These results suggest that the LBM strain acts by stimulating its host via DAF-16 and the p38 MAPK pathway.
Silencing of Phytopathogen Communication by the Halotolerant PGPR Staphylococcus Equorum Strain EN21
Authors: Vega Clara , Rodríguez Miguel , Llamas Inmaculada , Béjar Victoria , Sampedro Inmaculada
Published: December 2019

Increasing world food demand together with soil erosion and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilization highlight the need to adopt sustainable crop production strategies. In this context, a combination of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and pathogen management represents a sustainable and efficient alternative. Though little studied, halophilic and halotolerant PGPR could be a beneficial plant growth promotion strategy for saline and non-saline soils. The virulence of many bacterial phytopathogens is regulated by quorum sensing (QS) systems. Quorum quenching (QQ) involves the enzymatic degradation of phytopathogen-generated signal molecules, mainly N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). In this study, we investigate plant growth-promoting (PGP) activity and the capacity of the halotolerant bacterium Staphylococcus equorum strain EN21 to attenuate phytopathogens virulence through QQ. We used biopriming and in vivo tomato plant experiments to analyse the PGP activity of strain EN21. AHL inactivation was observed to reduce Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato infections in tomato and Arabidopsis plants. Our study of Dickeya solani, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Erwinia amylovora bacteria in potato tubers, carrots and pears, respectively, also demonstrated the effectiveness of QS interruption by EN21. Overall, this study highlights the potential of strain S. equorum EN21 in plant growth promotion and QQ-driven bacterial phytopathogen biocontrol.
Effect of the Sodium Silicate Modulus and Slag Content on Fresh and Hardened Properties of Alkali-Activated Fly Ash/Slag
Authors: Ouyang Xiaowei , Ma Yuwei , Liu Ziyang , Liang Jianjun , Ye Guang
Published: December 2019

This paper presents the results of an experimental study performed to investigate the effect of activator modulus (SiO2/Na2O) and slag addition on the fresh and hardened properties of alkali-activated fly ash/slag (AAFS) pastes. Four activator moduli (SiO2/Na2O), i.e., 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0, and five slag-to-binder ratios, i.e., 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, were used to prepare AAFS mixtures. The setting time, flowability, heat evolution, compressive strength, microstructure, and reaction products of AAFS pastes were studied. The results showed that the activator modulus and slag content had a combined effect on the setting behavior and workability of AAFS mixtures. Both the activator modulus and slag content affected the types of reaction products formed in AAFS. The coexistence of N–A–S–H gel and C–A–S–H gel was identified in AAFS activated with high pH but low SiO2 content (low modulus). C–A–S–H gel had a higher space-filling ability than N–A–S–H gel. Thus, AAFS with higher slag content had a finer pore structure and higher heat release (degree of reaction), corresponding to a higher compressive strength. The dissolution of slag was more pronounced when NaOH (modulus of 0.0) was applied as the activator. The use of Na2SiO3 as activator significantly refined the pores in AAFS by incorporating soluble Si in the activator, while further increasing the modulus from 1.5 to 2.0 prohibited the reaction process of AAFS, resulting in a lower heat release, coarser pore structure, and reduced compressive strength. Therefore, in view of the strength and microstructure, the optimum modulus is 1.5.
Organic Thermoelectric Multilayers with High Stretchiness
Authors: Cho Chungyeon , Son Jihun
Published: December 2019

A stretchable organic thermoelectric multilayer is achieved by alternately depositing bilayers (BL) of 0.1 wt% polyethylene oxide (PEO) and 0.03 wt% double walled carbon nanotubes (DWNT), dispersed with 0.1 wt% polyacrylic acid (PAA), by the layer-by-layer assembly technique. A 25 BL thin film (~500 nm thick), composed of a PEO/DWNT-PAA sequence, displays electrical conductivity of 19.6 S/cm and a Seebeck coefficient of 60 µV/K, which results in a power factor of 7.1 µW/m·K2. The resultant nanocomposite exhibits a crack-free surface up to 30% strain and retains its thermoelectric performance, decreasing only 10% relative to the unstretched one. Even after 1000 cycles of bending and twisting, the thermoelectric behavior of this nanocomposite is stable. The synergistic combination of the elastomeric mechanical properties (originated from PEO/PAA systems) and thermoelectric behaviors (resulting from a three-dimensional conjugated network of DWNT) opens up the possibility of achieving various applications such as wearable electronics and sensors that require high mechanical compliance.
Influence of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Char Forming Agent Polymer on Flame Retardancy of Intumescent Flame Retardant Coatings
Authors: Nageswara Rao Tentu , Naidu T. Manohra , Kim Min Soo , Parvatamma Botsa , Prashanthi Y. , Heun Koo Bon
Published: December 2019

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized by a precipitation method, and a new charring–foaming agent (CFA) N-ethanolamine triazine-piperazine, melamine polymer (ETPMP) was synthesized via nucleophilic substitution reaction by using cyanuric chloride, ethanolamine, piperazine, and melamine as precursor molecules. FTIR and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) studies were employed to characterize and confirm the synthesized ETPMP structure. New intumescent flame retardant epoxy coating compositions were prepared by adding ammonium polyphosphate (APP), ETPMP, and ZnO NPs into an epoxy resin. APP and ETPMP were fixed in a 2:1 w/w ratio and used as an intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) system. ZnO NPs were loaded as a synergistic agent in different amounts into the IFR coating system. The synergistic effects of ZnO NPs on IFR coatings were systematically evaluated by limited oxygen index (LOI) tests, vertical burning tests (UL-94 V), TGA, cone calorimeter tests, and SEM. The obtained results revealed that a small amount of ZnO NPs significantly increased the LOI values of the IFR coating and these coatings had a V-0 ratings in UL-94 V tests. From the TGA data, it is clear that the addition of ZnO NPs could change the thermal degradation behaviors of coatings with increasing char residue percentage at high temperatures. Cone calorimeter data reported that ZnO NPs could decrease the combustion parameters including peak heat release rates (PHRRs), and total heat release (THR) rates. The SEM results showed that ZnO NPs could enhance the strength and the compactness of the intumescent char, which restricted the flow of heat and oxygen.
The Dietary Inflammatory Index and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia in the MCC Spain Study
Authors: Flores José Carlos , Gracia-Lavedan Esther , Benavente Yolanda , Amiano Pilar , Romaguera Dora , Costas Laura , Robles Claudia , Gonzalez-Barca Eva , de la Banda Esmeralda , Alonso Esther , Aymerich Marta , Campo Elias , Dierssen-Sotos Trinidad , Marcos-Gragera Rafael , Rodriguez-Suarez Marta María , Solans Marta , Gimeno Eva , Garcia Martin Paloma , Aragones Nuria , Shivappa Nitin , Hébert James R. , Pollan Marina , Kogevinas Manolis , de Sanjose Silvia , Castaño-Vinyals Gemma , Casabonne Delphine
Published: December 2019

Chronic inflammation plays a role in the development of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), and diet might modulate chronic inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and CLL. A total of 366 CLL cases and 1643 controls of the Spanish multicase-control (MCC) Spain study were included. The inflammatory potential of the diet was assessed using the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) based on 30 items from a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression models controlling for potential confounders. Overall, a modest, non-statistically significant, positive association was observed between CLL and E-DII scores (OR for a one-unit increase in E-DII: 1.05 (CI 95%: 0.99, 1.12), p-value = 0.09 and by tertiles: ORT2vsT1: 1.20 (CI 95%: 0.90, 1.59); OR T3vsT1: 1.21 (CI 95%: 0.90, 1.62), p trend = 0.21). These results were independent from disease severity (p-het: 0.70), time from diagnosis (p-het: 0.67) and CLL treatment received (p-het: 0.56). No interactions were detected. In conclusion, the consumption of a diet with high pro-inflammatory components was not significantly associated with CLL. Changes towards a more pro-inflammatory dietary pattern in younger generations not included here warrant future research.
Is Eating Raisins Healthy?
Authors: Olmo-Cunillera Alexandra , Escobar-Avello Danilo , Pérez Andy J. , Marhuenda-Muñoz María , Lamuela-Raventós Rosa Mª , Vallverdú-Queralt Anna
Published: December 2019

Raisins are dried grapes consumed worldwide that contain beneficial components for human health. They are rich in fiber and phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds. Despite a 60% sugar content, several studies have reported health-promoting properties for raisins and this review compiles the intervention studies, as well as the cell line and animal model studies carried out to date. It has been demonstrated that raisins possess a low-to-moderate glycemic index, which makes them a healthy snack. They seem to contribute to a better diet quality and may reduce appetite. Their antioxidant capacity has been correlated to the phenolic content and this may be involved in the improvement of cardiovascular health. In addition, raisins maintain a good oral health due to their antibacterial activity, low adherence to teeth and an optimum oral pH. Raisin consumption also seems to be favorable for colon function, although more studies should be done to conclude this benefit. Moreover, gut microbiota could be affected by the prebiotic content of raisins. Cell line and animal model studies show other potential benefits in specific diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. However, deeper research is required and future intervention studies with humans are needed. Overall, incorporating an 80–90 g portion of raisins (half a cup) into the daily diet may be favorable for human health.
Changes in Antioxidant System during Grain Development of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Relationship with Protein Composition under FHB Stress
Authors: Spanic Valentina , Viljevac Vuletic Marija , Horvat Daniela , Sarkanj Bojan , Drezner Georg , Zdunic Zvonimir
Published: December 2019

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is found in both temperate and semi-tropical regions and causes losses in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) resulting in reduced yield, deteriorated grain quality, and contamination of the grains with mycotoxins, primarily deoxynivalenol (DON). In this study, we focused on the identification of protein components in Fusarium-inoculated and non-inoculated wheat samples along with the major antioxidant enzymes that Fusarium can encounter during FHB infection process in six winter wheat varieties when FHB symptoms started to occur. Our hypothesis was that wheat antioxidants and H2O2 may play a role against Fusarium infections, consequently preserving protein grain components. Results showed that in more resistant varieties (Olimpija and Vulkan) DON content of inoculated flour was less accumulated and thus the major gluten network was not significantly attacked by Fusarium spp. The maximum increase in guaiacol peroxidase (POD) activity in response to FHB treatment was detected in the FHB-resistant varieties Olimpija and Vulkan, while the lowest increase in H2O2 content was detected in the FHB-susceptible variety Golubica. A particular reduction in the content of both total glutenin and high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits was detected in susceptible wheat varieties after serious artificial infection, along with increased DON accumulation. The defense mechanism in wheat varieties differed, where resistant varieties’ protein composition depended on POD activity as a detoxification agent.
Polysaccharides in Ocular Drug Delivery
Authors: Dubashynskaya Natallia , Poshina Daria , Raik Sergei , Urtti Arto , Skorik Yury A.
Published: December 2019

Polysaccharides, such as cellulose, hyaluronic acid, alginic acid, and chitosan, as well as polysaccharide derivatives, have been successfully used to augment drug delivery in the treatment of ocular pathologies. The properties of polysaccharides can be extensively modified to optimize ocular drug formulations and to obtain biocompatible and biodegradable drugs with improved bioavailability and tailored pharmacological effects. This review discusses the available polysaccharide choices for overcoming the difficulties associated with ocular drug delivery, and it explores the reasons for the dependence between the physicochemical properties of polysaccharide-based drug carriers and their efficiency in different formulations and applications. Polysaccharides will continue to be of great interest to researchers endeavoring to develop ophthalmic drugs with improved effectiveness and safety.
Insight into Composition of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds in Leaves and Flowers of Green and Purple Basil
Authors: Prinsi Bhakti , Morgutti Silvia , Negrini Noemi , Faoro Franco , Espen Luca
Published: December 2019

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a culinary, medicinal, and ornamental plant appreciated for its antioxidant properties, mainly attributed to high content of rosmarinic acid. This species also includes purple varieties, characterized by the accumulation of anthocyanins in leaves and flowers. In this work, we compared the main morphological characteristics, the antioxidant capacity and the chemical composition in leaves, flowers, and corollas of green (‘Italiano Classico’) and purple (‘Red Rubin’ and ‘Dark Opal’) basil varieties. The LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of individual compounds allowed quantifying 17 (poly)phenolic acids and 18 flavonoids, differently accumulated in leaves and flowers of the three varieties. The study revealed that in addition to rosmarinic acid, basil contains several members of the salvianolic acid family, only scarcely descripted in this species, as well as, especially in flowers, simple phenolic acids, such as 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and salvianic acid A. Moreover, the study revealed that purple leaves mainly contain highly acylated anthocyanins, while purple flowers accumulate anthocyanins with low degree of decoration. Overall, this study provides new biochemical information about the presence of not yet characterized bioactive compounds in basil that could contribute to boosting the use of this crop and to gaining new knowledge about the roles of these compounds in plant physiology.
Design, Optimization, and Evaluation of Additively Manufactured Vintiles Cellular Structure for Acetabular Cup Implant
Authors: Abate Kalayu Mekonen , Nazir Aamer , Chen Jia-En , Jeng Jeng-Ywan
Published: December 2019

Cellular materials with very highly regulated micro-architectures are promising applicant materials for orthopedic medical uses while requiring implants or substituting for bone due to their ability to promote increased cell proliferation and osseointegration. This study focuses on the design of an acetabular cup (AC) cellular implant which was built using a vintiles cellular structure with an internal porosity of 56–87.9% and internal pore dimensions in the range of 600–1200 μm. The AC implant was then optimized for improving mechanical performance to reduce stress shielding by adjusting the porosity to produce stiffness (elastic modulus) to match with the bone, and allowing for bone cell ingrowth. The optimized and non-optimized AC cellular implant was fabricated using the SLM additive manufacturing process. Simulation (finite element analysis, FEA) was carried out and all cellular implants are finally tested under static loading conditions. The result showed that on the finite element model of an optimized implant, cellular has shown 69% higher stiffness than non-optimized. It has been confirmed by experimental work shown that the optimized cellular implant has a 71% higher ultimate compressive strength than the non-optimized counterpart. Finally, we developed an AC implant with mechanical performance adequately close to that of human bone.
A Simple and Efficient Image Stabilization Method for Coastal Monitoring Video Systems
Authors: Rodriguez-Padilla Isaac , Castelle Bruno , Marieu Vincent , Morichon Denis
Published: December 2019

Fixed video camera systems are consistently prone to importune motions over time due to either thermal effects or mechanical factors. Even subtle displacements are mostly overlooked or ignored, although they can lead to large geo-rectification errors. This paper describes a simple and efficient method to stabilize an either continuous or sub-sampled image sequence based on feature matching and sub-pixel cross-correlation techniques. The method requires the presence and identification of different land-sub-image regions containing static recognizable features, such as corners or salient points, referred to as keypoints. A Canny edge detector ( C E D ) is used to locate and extract the boundaries of the features. Keypoints are matched against themselves after computing their two-dimensional displacement with respect to a reference frame. Pairs of keypoints are subsequently used as control points to fit a geometric transformation in order to align the whole frame with the reference image. The stabilization method is applied to five years of daily images collected from a three-camera permanent video system located at Anglet Beach in southwestern France. Azimuth, tilt, and roll deviations are computed for each camera. The three cameras showed motions on a wide range of time scales, with a prominent annual signal in azimuth and tilt deviation. Camera movement amplitude reached up to 10 pixels in azimuth, 30 pixels in tilt, and 0.4° in roll, together with a quasi-steady counter-clockwise trend over the five-year time series. Moreover, camera viewing angle deviations were found to induce large rectification errors of up to 400 m at a distance of 2.5 km from the camera. The mean shoreline apparent position was also affected by an approximately 10–20 m bias during the 2013/2014 outstanding winter period. The stabilization semi-automatic method successfully corrects camera geometry for fixed video monitoring systems and is able to process at least 90% of the frames without user assistance. The use of the C E D greatly improves the performance of the cross-correlation algorithm by making it more robust against contrast and brightness variations between frames. The method appears as a promising tool for other coastal imaging applications such as removal of undesired high-frequency movements of cameras equipped in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Evaluation of Backscattering Models and Support Vector Machine for the Retrieval of Bare Soil Moisture from Sentinel-1 Data
Authors: Ezzahar Jamal , Ouaadi Nadia , Zribi Mehrez , Elfarkh Jamal , Aouade Ghizlane , Khabba Said , Er-Raki Salah , Chehbouni Abdelghani , Jarlan Lionel
Published: December 2019

The main objective of this work was to retrieve surface soil moisture (SSM) by using scattering models and a support vector machine (SVM) technique driven by backscattering coefficients obtained from Sentinel-1 satellite images acquired over bare agricultural soil in the Tensfit basin of Morocco. Two backscattering models were selected in this study due to their wide use in inversion procedures: the theoretical integral equation model (IEM) and the semi-empirical model (Oh). To this end, the sensitivity of the SAR backscattering coefficients at V V ( σ v v ∘ ) and V H ( σ v h ∘ ) polarizations to in situ soil moisture data were analyzed first. As expected, the results showed that over bare soil the σ v v ∘ was well correlated with SSM compared to the σ v h ∘ , which showed more dispersion with correlation coefficients values (r) of about 0.84 and 0.61 for the V V and V H polarizations, respectively. Afterwards, these values of σ v v ∘ were compared to those simulated by the backscatter models. It was found that IEM driven by the measured length correlation L slightly underestimated SAR backscatter coefficients compared to the Oh model with a bias of about − 0.7 dB and − 1.2 dB and a root mean square (RMSE) of about 1.1 dB and 1.5 dB for Oh and IEM models, respectively. However, the use of an optimal value of L significantly improved the bias of IEM, which became near to zero, and the RMSE decreased to 0.9 dB. Then, a classical inversion approach of σ v v ∘ observations based on backscattering model is compared to a data driven retrieval technic (SVM). By comparing the retrieved soil moisture against ground truth measurements, it was found that results of SVM were very encouraging and were close to those obtained by IEM model. The bias and RMSE were about 0.28 vol.% and 2.77 vol.% and − 0.13 vol.% and 2.71 vol.% for SVM and IEM, respectively. However, by taking into account the difficultly of obtaining roughness parameter at large scale, it was concluded that SVM is still a useful tool to retrieve soil moisture, and therefore, can be fairly used to generate maps at such scales.
Mapping Evapotranspiration, Vegetation and Precipitation Trends in the Catchment of the Shrinking Lake Poopó
Authors: Torres-Batlló Juan , Martí-Cardona Belén , Pillco-Zolá Ramiro
Published: December 2019

Lake Poopó is located in the Andean Mountain Range Plateau or Altiplano. A general decline in the lake water level has been observed in the last two decades, coinciding roughly with an intensification of agriculture exploitation, such as quinoa crops. Several factors have been linked with the shrinkage of the lake, including climate change, increased irrigation, mining extraction and population growth. Being an endorheic catchment, evapotranspiration (ET) losses are expected to be the main water output mechanism and previous studies demonstrated ET increases using Earth observation (EO) data. In this study, we seek to build upon these earlier findings by analyzing an ET time series dataset of higher spatial and temporal resolution, in conjunction with land cover and precipitation data. More specifically, we performed a spatio-temporal analysis, focusing on wet and dry periods, that showed that ET changes occur primarily in the wet period, while the dry period is approximately stationary. An analysis of vegetation trends performed using 500 MODIS vegetation index products (NDVI) also showed an overall increasing trend during the wet period. Analysis of NDVI and ET across land cover types showed that only croplands had experienced an increase in NDVI and ET losses, while natural covers showed either constant or decreasing NDVI trends together with increases in ET. The larger increase in vegetation and ET losses over agricultural regions, strongly suggests that cropping practices exacerbated water losses in these areas. This quantification provides essential information for the sustainable planning of water resources and land uses in the catchment. Finally, we examined the spatio-temporal trends of the precipitation using the newly available Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS-v2) product, which we validated with onsite rainfall measurements. When integrated over the entire catchment, precipitation and ET showed an average increasing trend of 5.2 mm yr−1 and 4.3 mm yr−1, respectively. This result suggests that, despite the increased ET losses, the catchment-wide water storage should have been offset by the higher precipitation. However, this result is only applicable to the catchment-wide water balance, and the location of water may have been altered (e.g., by river abstractions or by the creation of impoundments) to the detriment of the Lake Poopó downstream.
Using Machine Learning for the Calibration of Airborne Particulate Sensors
Authors: Wijeratne Lakitha O.H. , Kiv Daniel R. , Aker Adam R. , Talebi Shawhin , Lary David J.
Published: December 2019

Airborne particulates are of particular significance for their human health impacts and their roles in both atmospheric radiative transfer and atmospheric chemistry. Observations of airborne particulates are typically made by environmental agencies using rather expensive instruments. Due to the expense of the instruments usually used by environment agencies, the number of sensors that can be deployed is limited. In this study we show that machine learning can be used to effectively calibrate lower cost optical particle counters. For this calibration it is critical that measurements of the atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature are also made.
Development of an Objective Portable Measurement Device for Spinal Joint Accessory Motion Testing
Authors: Wu Hsiao-Kuan , Lai Hung-Jen , Teng Ting , Yu Chung-Huang
Published: December 2019

Joint accessory motion testing (JAMT) is a standard procedure used by manual therapists to assess and treat musculoskeletal disorders. Joint accessory motion (JAM) is movement that occurs between joint surfaces, and can be induced by applying force. The motion amount, end feel, symptoms, and resistance perceived by therapists during test procedures are recorded as evidence for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment decision making, and intervention outcome. However, previous studies have shown that accessory motion tests have insufficient reliability. Recently, many instruments have been developed to increase test reliability, but these instruments quantify the test results with a single probe and utilize the external environment as a reference. Therefore, the measured displacement amount may be affected by other spinal segments. This study proposes an objective portable measurement device with two indenter probes for spinal JAMT, wherein the JAM was quantified by displacement and force measurements between two bones. The instrument was verified with a homemade spinal simulator and computer simulation. The results showed that the force-displacement curves measured by the JAMT device (JAMTD) and those simulated by the computer model exhibited similar characteristics. Moreover, a two-probe measurement could distinguish the differences in stiffness better than a one-probe measurement.
Applying Mobile Augmented Reality (AR) to Teach Interior Design Students in Layout Plans: Evaluation of Learning Effectiveness Based on the ARCS Model of Learning Motivation Theory
Authors: Chang Yuh-Shihng , Hu Kuo-Jui , Chiang Cheng-Wei , Lugmayr Artur
Published: December 2019

In this paper we present a mobile augmented reality (MAR) application supporting teaching activities in interior design. The application supports students in learning interior layout design, interior design symbols, and the effects of different design layout decisions. Utilizing the latest AR technology, users can place 3D models of virtual objects as e.g., chairs or tables on top of a design layout plan and interact with these on their mobile devices. Students can experience alternative design decision in real-time and increases the special perception of interior designs. Our system fully supports the import of interior deployment layouts and the generation of 3D models based on design artefacts based on typical design layout plan design symbols and allows the user to investigate different design alternatives. We applied John Keller’s Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) learning motivation model to validate our solution to examine the students’ willingness and verify the ability of students to improve learning through MAR technology. We compared a sample experimental group of N = 52 test-subjects with a sample of N = 48 candidates in a control group. Learning indicators as learning interest, confidence, satisfaction and effective have been utilized to assess the students’ learning motivation through the use of MAR technology. The learning results have been determined by the independent sample t testing. The significance of the post-test had a p-value < 0.05 difference. The result of the study clearly shows that the reference group utilizing MAR technology as a learning aid show a higher learning effectiveness as the control group. Thus, we conclude that MAR technology does enhance students’ learning ability for interior design and making appropriate design decisions.
Structural Health Monitoring System Based on FBG Sensing Technique for Chinese Ancient Timber Buildings
Authors: Jiang Shao-Fei , Qiao Ze-Hui , Li Ni-Lei , Luo Jian-Bin , Shen Sheng , Wu Ming-Hao , Zhang Ying
Published: December 2019

Due to the long-term service, Chinese ancient timber buildings show varying degrees of wear. Thus, structural health monitoring (SHM) for these cultural and historical treasures is desperately needed to evaluate the service status. Although there are some FBG sensing-based SHM systems, they are not suitable for Chinese ancient timber buildings due to the differences in architectural types, structural loads, materials, and environment. Besides, a technical gap in Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing-based column inclination monitoring exists. To overcome these weaknesses, this paper develops an FBG sensing-based structural health monitoring system for Chinese ancient Chuan-dou-type timber buildings that aims at monitoring structural deformation, i.e., beam deflection and column inclination, temperature, humidity, and fire around the building. An in-situ test and simulation analyses were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the developed SHM system. To validate the long-term-operation of the developed SHM system, monitoring data within 15 months were analyzed. The results show good agreement between the developed SHM system in this paper and other methods. In addition, the SHM system operated well in the first year after its deployment. This implies that the developed SHM system is applicable and effective in the health state monitoring of Chinese ancient Chuan-dou-type timber buildings, laying a foundation for damage prognosis of such types of timber buildings.
Distributed Architecture to Integrate Sensor Information: Object Recognition for Smart Cities
Authors: Poza-Lujan Jose-Luis , Posadas-Yagüe Juan-Luis , Simó-Ten José-Enrique , Blanes Francisco
Published: December 2019

Object recognition, which can be used in processes such as reconstruction of the environment map or the intelligent navigation of vehicles, is a necessary task in smart city environments. In this paper, we propose an architecture that integrates heterogeneously distributed information to recognize objects in intelligent environments. The architecture is based on the IoT/Industry 4.0 model to interconnect the devices, which are called smart resources. Smart resources can process local sensor data and offer information to other devices as a service. These other devices can be located in the same operating range (the edge), in the same intranet (the fog), or on the Internet (the cloud). Smart resources must have an intelligent layer in order to be able to process the information. A system with two smart resources equipped with different image sensors is implemented to validate the architecture. Our experiments show that the integration of information increases the certainty in the recognition of objects by 2–4%. Consequently, in intelligent environments, it seems appropriate to provide the devices with not only intelligence, but also capabilities to collaborate closely with other devices.
High Efficient and Ultra Wide Band Monopole Antenna for Microwave Imaging and Communication Applications
Authors: Ullah Shahid , Ruan Cunjun , Sadiq Muhammad Shahzad , Haq Tanveer Ul , He Wenlong
Published: December 2019

The paper presents a highly efficient, low cost, ultra-wideband, microstrip monopole antenna for microwave imaging and wireless communications applications. A new structure (z-shape, ultra-wideband (UWB) monopole) is designed, which consists of stepped meander lines to achieve super-wide bandwidth and high efficiency. Three steps are used to design the proposed structure for the purpose to achieve high efficiency and wide bandwidth. The antenna bandwidth is enhanced by varying the length of meander line slots, optimization of the feeding line and with the miniaturization of the ground width. The simulated and measured frequency bands are 2.7–22.5 GHz and 2.8–22.7 GHz (156% fractional bandwidth), respectively. The dimensions of the antenna are 38 mm × 35 mm × 1.57 mm, and its corresponding electrical size is 2.41 λg × 2.22 λg × 0.09 λg, where guided wavelength λg is at the center frequency (12.75 GHz). This antenna achieved a high bandwidth ratio (8.33:1). The realized gain is varying from 1.6–6.4 dBi, while that of efficiency is 70% to 93% for the whole band. Radiation patterns are measured at four operating frequencies. It has an acceptable group delay, fidelity factor, and phase variation results that satisfy the limit of ultra-wideband in the form of the time domain.
SPICE-ML Algorithm for Direction-of-Arrival Estimation
Authors: Zheng Yu , Liu Lutao , Yang Xudong
Published: December 2019

Sparse iterative covariance-based estimation, an iterative direction-of-arrival approach based on covariance fitting criterion, can simultaneously estimate the angle and power of incident signal. However, the signal power estimated by sparse iterative covariance-based estimation approach is inaccurate, and the estimation performance is limited to direction grid. To solve the problem above, an algorithm combing the sparse iterative covariance-based estimation approach and maximum likelihood estimation is proposed. The signal power estimated by sparse iterative covariance-based estimation approach is corrected by a new iterative process based on the asymptotically minimum variance criterion. In addition, a refinement procedure is derived by minimizing a maximum likelihood function to overcome the estimation accuracy limitation imposed by direction grid. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Compared with sparse iterative covariance-based estimation approach, the proposed algorithm can achieve more accurate signal power and improved estimation performance.
Integrating Interactive Clothing and Cyber-Physical Systems: A Humanistic Design Perspective
Authors: Wang Weizhen , Fang Yuan , Nagai Yukari , Xu Dong , Fujinami Tsutomu
Published: December 2019

This study is aimed at bridging the gap from a transdisciplinary perspective between cyber-physical systems (CPS) architecture in the field of information science and emotional design in the field of humanistic science for interactive fashion innovation. Information related to a familiar feeling in the process of interactive clothing design is used to explain how the transformation could be realized from data. By creating the cyber-physical-clothing systems (CPCS), the architecture model in the hyper world and takes the development process of an interactive parent-child clothing as a case study for analyzing the transformation from the physical signal input to the social symbol recognition output. The experimental results, which from the perspective of clothing art design rather than information discipline, show that interactive parent-child clothing is not only suitable for the rehabilitation of autistic children but also recognized by most parents. The reasonable embedding of sensing technology can greatly enhance the added value of clothing products. This study provides a fruitful practical application reference for designers who are engaged in the field of art and design but not familiar with the relevant information technology. Furthermore, the application principle and the technical process of CPCS for further interactive clothing design is explained.
Patient-Generated Health Data Integration and Advanced Analytics for Diabetes Management: The AID-GM Platform
Authors: Salvi Elisa , Bosoni Pietro , Tibollo Valentina , Kruijver Lisanne , Calcaterra Valeria , Sacchi Lucia , Bellazzi Riccardo , Larizza Cristiana
Published: December 2019

Diabetes is a high-prevalence disease that leads to an alteration in the patient’s blood glucose (BG) values. Several factors influence the subject’s BG profile over the day, including meals, physical activity, and sleep. Wearable devices are available for monitoring the patient’s BG value around the clock, while activity trackers can be used to record his/her sleep and physical activity. However, few tools are available to jointly analyze the collected data, and only a minority of them provide functionalities for performing advanced and personalized analyses. In this paper, we present AID-GM, a web application that enables the patient to share with his/her diabetologist both the raw BG data collected by a flash glucose monitoring device, and the information collected by activity trackers, including physical activity, heart rate, and sleep. AID-GM provides several data views for summarizing the subject’s metabolic control over time, and for complementing the BG profile with the information given by the activity tracker. AID-GM also allows the identification of complex temporal patterns in the collected heterogeneous data. In this paper, we also present the results of a real-world pilot study aimed to assess the usability of the proposed system. The study involved 30 pediatric patients receiving care at the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Hospital in Pavia, Italy.
Self-Imaging Effect in Liquid-Filled Hollow-Core Capillary Waveguide for Sensing Applications
Authors: Huang Yijian , Liu Shuhui , Zhang Lichao , Wang Yiping , Wang Ying
Published: December 2019

A high sensitivity fiber-optic sensor based on self-imaging effect in a hollow-core capillary waveguide (HCCW) is presented for sensing applications. The sensor is composed of a section of HCCW fusion spliced between single mode fibers (SMFs). The self-imaging effect in the HCCW is investigated with different fiber lengths and arc-fusion parameters. By infiltrating the hollow core with index matching liquids, the peak wavelength of the proposed device shifts towards longer wavelengths. The temperature and refractive index (RI) responses of the sensor are studied systematically. When temperature is increased from 25 °C to 75 °C, the temperature sensitivity of the device can be improved significantly with the infiltrated structure, and reaches −0.49 nm/°C, compared with that of the un-filled device, which is 9.8 pm/°C. For the RI response, the liquid-filled structure achieves sensitivity of 12,005 nm/RIU in the range between 1.448 and 1.450, slightly higher than the 11,920 nm/RIU achieved by the un-filled one. The proposed sensor exhibits the advantages of simple structure, high sensitivity and low cost, which may find potential applications in physical and chemical sensing.