bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Burden of Mortality and Disease Attributable to Multiple Air Pollutants in Warsaw, Poland
Authors: Holnicki Piotr , Tainio Marko , Kałuszko Andrzej , Nahorski Zbigniew
Published: November 2017

Air pollution is a significant public health issue all over the world, especially in urban areas where a large number of inhabitants are affected. In this study, we quantify the health burden due to local air pollution for Warsaw, Poland. The health impact of the main air pollutants, PM, NOX, SO2, CO, C6H6, BaP and heavy metals is considered. The annual mean concentrations are predicted with the CALPUFF air quality modeling system using the year 2012 emission and meteorological data. The emission field comprises point, mobile and area sources. The exposure to these pollutants was estimated using population data with a spatial resolution of 0.5 × 0.5 km2. Changes in mortality and in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were estimated with relative risk functions obtained from literature. It has been predicted that local emissions cause approximately 1600 attributable deaths and 29,000 DALYs per year. About 80% of the health burden was due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Mobile and area sources contributed 46% and 52% of total DALYs, respectively. When the inflow from outside was included, the burden nearly doubled to 51,000 DALYs. These results indicate that local decisions can potentially reduce associated negative health effects, but a national-level policy is required for reducing the strong environmental impact of PM emissions.
Climatic Variables and Malaria Morbidity in Mutale Local Municipality, South Africa: A 19-Year Data Analysis
Authors: Adeola Abiodun , Botai Joel , Rautenbach Hannes , Adisa Omolola , Ncongwane Katlego , Botai Christina , Adebayo-Ojo Temitope
Published: November 2017

The north-eastern parts of South Africa, comprising the Limpopo Province, have recorded a sudden rise in the rate of malaria morbidity and mortality in the 2017 malaria season. The epidemiological profiles of malaria, as well as other vector-borne diseases, are strongly associated with climate and environmental conditions. A retrospective understanding of the relationship between climate and the occurrence of malaria may provide insight into the dynamics of the disease’s transmission and its persistence in the north-eastern region. In this paper, the association between climatic variables and the occurrence of malaria was studied in the Mutale local municipality in South Africa over a period of 19-year. Time series analysis was conducted on monthly climatic variables and monthly malaria cases in the Mutale municipality for the period of 1998–2017. Spearman correlation analysis was performed and the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model was developed. Microsoft Excel was used for data cleaning, and statistical software R was used to analyse the data and develop the model. Results show that both climatic variables’ and malaria cases’ time series exhibited seasonal patterns, showing a number of peaks and fluctuations. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that monthly total rainfall, mean minimum temperature, mean maximum temperature, mean average temperature, and mean relative humidity were significantly and positively correlated with monthly malaria cases in the study area. Regression analysis showed that monthly total rainfall and monthly mean minimum temperature (R2 = 0.65), at a two-month lagged effect, are the most significant climatic predictors of malaria transmission in Mutale local municipality. A SARIMA (2,1,2) (1,1,1) model fitted with only malaria cases has a prediction performance of about 51%, and the SARIMAX (2,1,2) (1,1,1) model with climatic variables as exogenous factors has a prediction performance of about 72% in malaria cases. The model gives a close comparison between the predicted and observed number of malaria cases, hence indicating that the model provides an acceptable fit to predict the number of malaria cases in the municipality. To sum up, the association between the climatic variables and malaria cases provides clues to better understand the dynamics of malaria transmission. The lagged effect detected in this study can help in adequate planning for malaria intervention.
Effect of AICAR and 5-Fluorouracil on X-ray Repair, Cross-Complementing Group 1 Expression, and Consequent Cytotoxicity Regulation in Human HCT-116 Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Lee Ko-Chao , Lin Chien-Tsong , Chang Shun-Fu , Chen Cheng-Nan , Liu Jing-Lan , Huang Wen-Shih
Published: November 2017

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most common chemotherapy agent of CRC. A high level of X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1) in cancer cells has been associated with the drug resistance occurrence. Moreover, the activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been indicated to regulate the cancer cell survival. Thus, this study was aimed to examine whether XRCC1 plays a role in the 5-FU/AMPK agonist (AICAR)-induced cytotoxic effect on CRC and the underlying mechanisms. Human HCT-116 colorectal cells were used in this study. It was shown that 5-FU increases the XRCC1 expression in HCT-116 cells and then affects the cell survival through CXCR4/Akt signaling. Moreover, 5-FU combined with AICAR further result in more survival inhibition in HCT-116 cells, accompanied with reduced CXCR4/Akt signaling activity and XRCC1 expression. These results elucidate the role and mechanism of XRCC1 in the drug resistance of HCT-116 cells to 5-FU. We also demonstrate the synergistic inhibitory effect of AMPK on 5-FU-inhibited HCT-116 cell survival under the 5-FU and AICAR co-treatment. Thus, our findings may provide a new notion for the future drug regimen incorporating 5-FU and AMPK agonists for the CRC treatment.
Metabolic Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress in Epilepsy
Authors: Pearson-Smith Jennifer , Patel Manisha
Published: November 2017

The epilepsies are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the propensity to experience spontaneous recurrent seizures. Epilepsies can be genetic or acquired, and the underlying mechanisms of seizure initiation, seizure propagation, and comorbid conditions are incompletely understood. Metabolic changes including the production of reactive species are known to result from prolonged seizures and may also contribute to epilepsy development. In this review, we focus on the evidence that metabolic and redox disruption is both cause and consequence of epileptic seizures. Additionally, we discuss the promise of targeting redox processes as a therapeutic option in epilepsy.
In Vivo Imaging of Microglial Calcium Signaling in Brain Inflammation and Injury
Authors: Tvrdik Petr , Kalani M.
Published: November 2017

Microglia, the innate immune sentinels of the central nervous system, are the most dynamic cells in the brain parenchyma. They are the first responders to insult and mediate neuroinflammation. Following cellular damage, microglia extend their processes towards the lesion, modify their morphology, release cytokines and other mediators, and eventually migrate towards the damaged area and remove cellular debris by phagocytosis. Intracellular Ca2+ signaling plays important roles in many of these functions. However, Ca2+ in microglia has not been systematically studied in vivo. Here we review recent findings using genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators and two-photon imaging, which have enabled new insights into Ca2+ dynamics and signaling pathways in large populations of microglia in vivo. These new approaches will help to evaluate pre-clinical interventions and immunomodulation for pathological brain conditions such as stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.
Lignin from Micro- to Nanosize: Applications
Authors: Beisl Stefan , Friedl Anton , Miltner Angela
Published: November 2017

Micro- and nanosize lignin has recently gained interest due to improved properties compared to standard lignin available today. As the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, lignin is readily available but used for rather low-value applications. This review focuses on the application of micro- and nanostructured lignin in final products or processes that all show potential for high added value. The fields of application are ranging from improvement of mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites, bactericidal and antioxidant properties and impregnations to hollow lignin drug carriers for hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances. Also, a carbonization of lignin nanostructures can lead to high-value applications such as use in supercapacitors for energy storage. The properties of the final product depend on the surface properties of the nanomaterial and, therefore, on factors like the lignin source, extraction method, and production/precipitation methods, as discussed in this review.
Lignin-Modified Carbon Nanotube/Graphene Hybrid Coating as Efficient Flame Retardant
Authors: Song Kunlin , Ganguly Indroneil , Eastin Ivan , Dichiara Anthony
Published: November 2017

To reduce fire hazards and expand high-value applications of lignocellulosic materials, thin films comprising graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) pre-adsorbed with alkali lignin were deposited by a Meyer rod process. Lightweight and highly flexible papers with increased gas impermeability were obtained by coating a protective layer of carbon nanomaterials in a randomly oriented and overlapped network structure. Assessment of the thermal and flammability properties of papers containing as low as 4 wt % carbon nanomaterials exhibited self-extinguishing behavior and yielded up to 83.5% and 87.7% reduction in weight loss and burning area, respectively, compared to the blank papers. The maximum burning temperature as measured by infrared pyrometry also decreased from 834 °C to 705 °C with the presence of flame retardants. Furthermore, papers coated with composites of GnPs and CNTs pre-adsorbed with lignin showed enhanced thermal stability and superior fire resistance than samples treated with either component alone. These outstanding flame-retardant properties can be attributed to the synergistic effects between GnPs, CNTs and lignin, enhancing physical barrier characteristics, formation of char and thermal management of the material. These results provide great opportunities for the development of efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable flame retardants.
Physical, Structural, Barrier, and Antifungal Characterization of Chitosan–Zein Edible Films with Added Essential Oils
Authors: Escamilla-García Monserrat , Calderón-Domínguez Georgina , Chanona-Pérez Jorge , Mendoza-Madrigal Angélica , Di Pierro Prospero , García-Almendárez Blanca , Amaro-Reyes Aldo , Regalado-González Carlos
Published: November 2017

Edible films (EFs) have gained great interest due to their ability to keep foods safe, maintaining their physical and organoleptic properties for a longer time. The aim of this work was to develop EFs based on a chitosan–zein mixture with three different essential oils (EOs) added: anise, orange, and cinnamon, and to characterize them to establish the relationship between their structural and physical properties. The addition of an EO into an EF significantly affected (p < 0.05) the a* (redness/greenness) and b* (yellowness/blueness) values of the film surface. The EFs presented a refractive index between 1.35 and 1.55, and thus are classified as transparent. The physical properties of EFs with an added EO were improved, and films that incorporated the anise EO showed significantly lower water vapor permeability (1.2 ± 0.1 g mm h−1 m−2 kPa−1) and high hardness (104.3 ± 3.22 MPa). EFs with an added EO were able to inhibit the growth of Penicillium sp. and Rhizopus sp. to a larger extent than without an EO. Films’ structural changes were the result of chemical interactions among amino acid side chains from zein, glucosamine from chitosan, and cinnamaldehyde, anethole, or limonene from the EOs as detected by a Raman analysis. The incorporation of an EO in the EFs’ formulation could represent an alternative use as coatings to enhance the shelf life of food products.
Glucosinolate-Derived Isothiocyanates Inhibit Arabidopsis Growth and the Potency Depends on Their Side Chain Structure
Authors: Urbancsok János , Bones Atle , Kissen Ralph
Published: November 2017

Isothiocyanates (ITCs), the biologically important glucosinolate breakdown products, can present health-promoting effects, play an important role in plant defense and affect plant cellular mechanisms. Here, we evaluated the biological effects of ITCs on Arabidopsis thaliana by assessing growth parameters after long-term exposure to low concentrations of aliphatic and aromatic ITCs, ranging from 1 to 1000 µM. Treatment with the aliphatic allylisothiocyanate (allyl-ITC) led to a significant reduction of root length and fresh weight in a dose-dependent manner and affected the formation of lateral roots. To assess the importance of a hormonal crosstalk in the allyl-ITC-mediated growth reduction, the response of auxin and ethylene mutants was investigated, but our results did not allow us to confirm a role for these hormones. Aromatic ITCs generally led to a more severe growth inhibition than the aliphatic allyl-ITC. Interestingly, we observed a correlation between the length of their side chain and the effect these aromatic ITCs caused on Arabidopsis thaliana, with the greatest inhibitory effect seen for 2-phenylethyl-ITC. Root growth recovered when seedlings were removed from exposure to ITCs.
In Search of Smartness: The EU e-Justice Challenge
Authors: Velicogna Marco
Published: November 2017

At the EU level, an increasing number of resources are being invested in an attempt to provide better public services through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). While new tools are being designed and implemented, a shift from ‘traditional’ technologies that must be used to provide services to more interactive ‘smart’ technologies is beginning to take place. At the same time, an adequate understanding of the implications of this shift is still missing. This paper focuses on the EU e-Justice experience with the ‘API-for-Justice’ project, which investigates the challenges of opening up the European e-Justice Digital Service Infrastructure to external service providers by means of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). In particular, the exploration of potential services that can be provided by third parties through APIs for Justice shows the potential for a radical redesign of the justice service provision, where, for example, justice services are not requested by the party but are proposed or initiated by smart components of the infrastructure on the basis of inputs from the environment. In this perspective, smart technology research and, in particular, Brenner (2007)’s discussion on law and smart technology help to uncover the still unclear dynamics of change that characterize one of the key pillars of modern society: justice.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Spiroheterocycles via N-Heterocyclic Carbene Organocatalysis
Authors: Liu Yue , Zhang Xiang , Zeng Rong , Zhang Ying , Dai Qing-Song , Leng Hai-Jun , Gou Xiao-Jun , Li Jun-Long
Published: November 2017

Spiroheterocycles are regarded as a privileged framework because of their wide distribution in various natural products and synthetic molecules and promising bioactivities. This review focuses on the recent advances in the synthesis of spiroheterocycles by using the strategy of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organocatalysis, and is organized based on the stereoselectivity and the reactive intermediates. According to the stereochemistry, this review was divided into two main parts, covering racemic and enantioselective versions. In each part, we firstly describe the synthetic transformations using nucleophilic Breslow intermediates, and then discuss the reactions that employ electrophilic acylazolium or radical cation intermediates. With those distinct catalytic activation modes of NHC organocatlysis, we expect this synthetic protocol will possibly produce new molecules with structural novelty and complexity, which may warrant further research in the field of drug discovery.
Design, Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of Fangchinoline Derivatives
Authors: Liu Yazhou , Xia Bin , Lan Junjie , Hu Shengcao , Huang Lan , Chen Chao , Zeng Xueyi , Lou Huayong , Lin Changhu , Pan Weidong
Published: November 2017

Twenty fangchinoline derivatives were synthesized from the natural product fangchinoline, and their anticancer activities on human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line, human prostate cancer PC3 cell line, human melanoma WM9 cell line and human leukaemia HEL and K562 cell lines were evaluated. The biological result showed that those derivatives exhibited potent activities on inhibiting cancer cell growth, and the structure-activity relationships were investigated. Among them, compound 4g, which was protected by benzoyl group in 7-phenolic position and nitrified in 14-position, showed impressive inhibition on all 5 cancer cell lines, especially WM9 cell line, with an IC50 value of 1.07 µM. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that compound 4g may induce cancer cell death by apoptotic means. These research results suggested that compound 4g could be a lead for the further development toward an anticancer agent against human melanoma WM9 in the future.
An Optimized Synthesis, Molecular Structure and Characterization of Benzylic Derivatives of 1,2,4-Triazin-3,5(2H,4H)-dione
Authors: Hwang Long-Chih , Yang Shiun-Yau , Chuang Chung-Lin , Lee Gene-Hsiang
Published: November 2017

4-Benzyl-1,2,4-triazin-3,5(2H,4H)-dione (3-benzyl-6-azauracil, 2), and 2,4-dibenzyl-1,2,4-triazin-3,5(2H,4H)-dione (1,3-dibenzyl-6-azauracil, 3) were synthesized by the reaction of 1,2,4-triazin-3,5(2H,4H)-dione (6-azauracil, 1) with benzyl bromide and potassium carbonate in dry acetone via the 18-crown-6-ether catalysis. In these reaction methods, we developed more convenient and efficient methodologies to afford compounds 2 and 3 in good yields. These compounds were characterized by 1H- and 13C-NMR, MS spectrum, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The structure of 2 was verified by 2D-NMR measurements, including gHSQC and gHMBC measurements. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiment indicated that compound 3, with the molecular formula C17H15N3O2, crystallized from a CH3OH/CH2Cl2 diffusion solvent system in a monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 13.7844(13), b = 8.5691(8), c = 13.0527(12) Å, β = 105.961(2)°, V = 1482.3(2) Å3, Z = 4, resulting in a density Dcalc of 1.314 g/cm3. The crystal structure of compound 3 is tightly stabilized by contact with five other molecules from the six short contacts formed by intermolecular C−O···H−Car, C−H···Car, and weakly π···π stacking interactions. The dihedral angle 31.90° is formed by the mean planes of the benzene rings of the N-2 and N-4 benzyl groups.
Anticancer and Immunogenic Properties of Cardiac Glycosides
Authors: Schneider Naira , Cerella Claudia , Simões Cláudia Maria Oliveira , Diederich Marc
Published: November 2017

Cardiac glycosides (CGs) are natural compounds widely used in the treatment of several cardiac conditions and more recently have been recognized as potential antitumor compounds. They are known to be ligands for Na/K-ATPase, which is a promising drug target in cancer. More recently, in addition to their antitumor effects, it has been suggested that CGs activate tumor-specific immune responses. This review summarizes the anticancer aspects of CGs as new strategies for immunotherapy and drug repositioning (new horizons for old players), and the possible new targets for CGs in cancer cells.
Current Status of Legislation on Dietary Products for Sportspeople in a European Framework
Authors: Martínez-Sanz José , Sospedra Isabel , Baladía Eduard , Arranz Laura , Ortiz-Moncada Rocío , Gil-Izquierdo Angel
Published: November 2017

The consumption of nutritional ergogenic aids is conditioned by laws/regulations, but standards/regulations vary between countries. The aim of this review is to explore legislative documents that regulate the use of nutritional ergogenic aids intended for sportspeople in a Spanish/European framework. A narrative review has been developed from official websites of Spanish (Spanish Agency of the Consumer, Food Safety, and Nutrition) and European (European Commission and European Food Safety Authority) bodies. A descriptive analysis of documents was performed. Eighteen legislative documents have been compiled in three sections: (1) Advertising of any type of food and/or product; (2) Composition, labeling, and advertising of foods; (3) Nutritional ergogenic aids. In spite of the existence of these legal documents, the regulation lacks guidance on the use/application of nutritional ergogenic aids for sportspeople. It is essential to prevent the introduction or dissemination of false, ambiguous, or inexact information and contents that induce an error in the receivers of the information. In this field, it is worth highlighting the roles of the European Food Safety Authority and the World Anti-Doping Agency, which provide information about consumer guidelines, prescribing practices, and recommendations for the prudent use of nutritional ergogenic aids.
Potential of Spaceborne Lidar Measurements of Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions from Strong Point Sources
Authors: Kiemle Christoph , Ehret Gerhard , Amediek Axel , Fix Andreas , Quatrevalet Mathieu , Wirth Martin
Published: November 2017

Emissions from strong point sources, primarily large power plants, are a major portion of the total CO2 emissions. International climate agreements will increasingly require their independent monitoring. A satellite-based, double-pulse, direct detection Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) Lidar with the capability to actively target point sources has the potential to usefully complement the current and future GHG observing system. This initial study uses simple approaches to determine the required Lidar characteristics and the expected skill of spaceborne Lidar plume detection and emission quantification. A Gaussian plume model simulates the CO2 or CH4 distribution downstream of the sources. A Lidar simulator provides the instrument characteristics and dimensions required to retrieve the emission rates, assuming an ideal detector configuration. The Lidar sampling frequency, the footprint distance to the emitting source and the error of an individual measurement are of great importance. If wind speed and direction are known and environmental conditions are ideal, an IPDA Lidar on a 500-km orbit with 2 W average power in the 1.6 µm CO2 absorption band, 500 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 50 m footprint at sea level and 0.7 m telescope diameter can be expected to measure CO2 emission rates of 20 Mt/a with an average accuracy better than 3% up to a distance of 3 km away from the source. CH4 point source emission rates can be quantified with comparable skill if they are larger than 10 kt/a, or if the Lidar pulse repetition frequency is augmented.
A New Low-Rank Representation Based Hyperspectral Image Denoising Method for Mineral Mapping
Authors: Gao Lianru , Yao Dan , Li Qingting , Zhuang Lina , Zhang Bing , Bioucas-Dias José
Published: November 2017

Hyperspectral imaging technology has been used for geological analysis for many years wherein mineral mapping is the dominant application for hyperspectral images (HSIs). The very high spectral resolution of HSIs enables the identification and the diagnosis of different minerals with detection accuracy far beyond that offered by multispectral images. However, HSIs are inevitably corrupted by noise during acquisition and transmission processes. The presence of noise may significantly degrade the quality of the extracted mineral information. In order to improve the accuracy of mineral mapping, denoising is a crucial pre-processing task. By leveraging on low-rank and self-similarity properties of HSIs, this paper proposes a state-of-the-art HSI denoising algorithm that implements two main steps: (1) signal subspace learning via fine-tuned Robust Principle Component Analysis (RPCA); and (2) denoising the images associated with the representation coefficients, with respect to an orthogonal subspace basis, using BM3D, a self-similarity based state-of-the-art denoising algorithm. Accordingly, the proposed algorithm is named Hyperspectral Denoising via Robust principle component analysis and Self-similarity (HyDRoS), which can be considered as a supervised version of FastHyDe. The effectiveness of HyDRoS is evaluated in a series of mineral mapping experiments using noise-reduced AVIRIS and Hyperion HSIs. In these experiments, the proposed denoiser yielded systematically state-of-the-art performance.
Estimation of High-Resolution Surface Shortwave Radiative Fluxes Using SARA AOD over the Southern Great Plains
Authors: Javadnia Eslam , Abkar Ali , Schubert Per
Published: November 2017

Atmospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) plays a determinant role in estimations of surface shortwave (SW) radiative fluxes. Therefore, this study aims to develop a hybrid scheme to produce surface SW fluxes, based on AOD at 1-km spatial resolution retrieved from the Simplified Aerosol Retrieval Algorithm (SARA) and several Terra MODIS land and atmospheric products (i.e., geolocation properties, water vapor amount, total ozone column, surface reflectance, and top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance). Estimations based on SARA were made over the Southern Great Plains (SGP) under cloud-free conditions in 2014 and compared with estimations based on the latest Terra MODIS AOD product at 3-km resolution. Validation against ground-based measurements showed that SARA-based fluxes obtain lower RMSE and bias values compared with MODIS-based estimations. MODIS-based downward and net fluxes are satisfactory, while the direct and diffuse components are less reliable. The results demonstrate that the SARA-based scheme produces better surface SW radiative fluxes than the MODIS-based estimates provided in this and other similar studies and that these fluxes are comparable to existing CERES data products which have been tested over the SGP.
Measurement of Precipitation in the Alps Using Dual-Polarization C-Band Ground-Based Radars, the GPM Spaceborne Ku-Band Radar, and Rain Gauges
Authors: Gabella Marco , Speirs Peter , Hamann Ulrich , Germann Urs , Berne Alexis
Published: November 2017

The complex problem of quantitative precipitation estimation in the Alpine region is tackled from four different points of view: (1) the modern MeteoSwiss network of automatic telemetered rain gauges (GAUGE); (2) the recently upgraded MeteoSwiss dual-polarization Doppler, ground-based weather radar network (RADAR); (3) a real-time merging of GAUGE and RADAR, implemented at MeteoSwiss, in which a technique based on co-kriging with external drift (CombiPrecip) is used; (4) spaceborne observations, acquired by the dual-wavelength precipitation radar on board the Global Precipitation Measuring (GPM) core satellite. There are obviously large differences in these sampling modes, which we have tried to minimize by integrating synchronous observations taken during the first 2 years of the GPM mission. The data comprises 327 “wet” overpasses of Switzerland, taken after the launch of GPM in February 2014. By comparing the GPM radar estimates with the MeteoSwiss products, a similar performance was found in terms of bias. On average (whole country, all days and seasons, both solid and liquid phases), underestimation is as large as −3.0 (−3.4) dB with respect to RADAR (GAUGE). GPM is not suitable for assessing what product is the best in terms of average precipitation over the Alps. GPM can nevertheless be used to evaluate the dispersion of the error around the mean, which is a measure of the geographical distribution of the error inside the country. Using 221 rain-gauge sites, the result is clear both in terms of correlation and in terms of scatter (a robust, weighted measure of the dispersion of the multiplicative error around the mean). The best agreement was observed between GPM and CombiPrecip, and, next, between GPM and RADAR, whereas a larger disagreement was found between GPM and GAUGE. Hence, GPM confirms that, for precipitation mapping in the Alpine region, the best results are obtained by combining ground-based radar with rain-gauge measurements using a geostatistical approach. The GPM mission is adding significant new coverage to mountainous areas, especially in poorly instrumented parts of the world and at latitudes not previously covered by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). According to this study, one could expect an underestimation of the precipitation product by the dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) also in other mountainous areas of the world.
Assessment of In-Season Cotton Nitrogen Status and Lint Yield Prediction from Unmanned Aerial System Imagery
Authors: Ballester Carlos , Hornbuckle John , Brinkhoff James , Smith John , Quayle Wendy
Published: November 2017

The present work assessed the usefulness of a set of spectral indices obtained from an unmanned aerial system (UAS) for tracking spatial and temporal variability of nitrogen (N) status as well as for predicting lint yield in a commercial cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) farm. Organic, inorganic and a combination of both types of fertilizers were used to provide a range of eight N rates from 0 to 340 kg N ha−1. Multi-spectral images (reflectance in the blue, green, red, red edge and near infrared bands) were acquired on seven days throughout the season, from 62 to 169 days after sowing (DAS), and data were used to compute structure- and chlorophyll-sensitive vegetation indices (VIs). Above-ground plant biomass was sampled at first flower, first cracked boll and maturity and total plant N concentration (N%) and N uptake determined. Lint yield was determined at harvest and the relationships with the VIs explored. Results showed that differences in plant N% and N uptake between treatments increased as the season progressed. Early in the season, when fertilizer applications can still have an effect on lint yield, the simplified canopy chlorophyll content index (SCCCI) was the index that best explained the variation in N uptake and plant N% between treatments. Around first cracked boll and maturity, the linear regression obtained for the relationships between the VIs and both plant N% and N uptake was statistically significant, with the highest r2 values obtained at maturity. The normalized difference red edge (NDRE) index, and SCCCI were generally the indices that best distinguished the treatments according to the N uptake and total plant N%. Treatments with the highest N rates (from 307 to 340 kg N ha−1) had lower normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) than treatments with 0 and 130 kg N ha−1 at the first measurement day (62 DAS), suggesting that factors other than fertilization N rate affected plant growth at this early stage of the crop. This fact affected the earliest date at which the structure-sensitive indices NDVI and the visible atmospherically resistant index (VARI) enabled yield prediction (97 DAS). A statistically significant linear regression was obtained for the relationships between SCCCI and NDRE with lint yield at 83 DAS. Overall, this study shows the practicality of using an UAS to monitor the spatial and temporal variability of cotton N status in commercial farms. It also illustrates the challenges of using multi-spectral information for fertilization recommendation in cotton at early stages of the crop.
Fiber Bragg Grating Dilatometry in Extreme Magnetic Field and Cryogenic Conditions
Authors: Jaime Marcelo , Corvalán Moya Carolina , Weickert Franziska , Zapf Vivien , Balakirev Fedor , Wartenbe Mark , Rosa Priscila , Betts Jonathan , Rodriguez George , Crooker Scott , Daou Ramzy
Published: November 2017

In this work, we review single mode SiO2 fiber Bragg grating techniques for dilatometry studies of small single-crystalline samples in the extreme environments of very high, continuous, and pulsed magnetic fields of up to 150 T and at cryogenic temperatures down to <1 K. Distinct millimeter-long materials are measured as part of the technique development, including metallic, insulating, and radioactive compounds. Experimental strategies are discussed for the observation and analysis of the related thermal expansion and magnetostriction of materials, which can achieve a strain sensitivity (ΔL/L) as low as a few parts in one hundred million (≈10−8). The impact of experimental artifacts, such as those originating in the temperature dependence of the fiber’s index of diffraction, light polarization rotation in magnetic fields, and reduced strain transfer from millimeter-long specimens, is analyzed quantitatively using analytic models available in the literature. We compare the experimental results with model predictions in the small-sample limit, and discuss the uncovered discrepancies.
A Smartphone Step Counter Using IMU and Magnetometer for Navigation and Health Monitoring Applications
Authors: Khedr Maan , El-Sheimy Nasser
Published: November 2017

The growing market of smart devices make them appealing for various applications. Motion tracking can be achieved using such devices, and is important for various applications such as navigation, search and rescue, health monitoring, and quality of life-style assessment. Step detection is a crucial task that affects the accuracy and quality of such applications. In this paper, a new step detection technique is proposed, which can be used for step counting and activity monitoring for health applications as well as part of a Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) system. Inertial and Magnetic sensors measurements are analyzed and fused for detecting steps under varying step modes and device pose combinations using a free-moving handheld device (smartphone). Unlike most of the state of the art research in the field, the proposed technique does not require a classifier, and adaptively tunes the filters and thresholds used without the need for presets while accomplishing the task in a real-time operation manner. Testing shows that the proposed technique successfully detects steps under varying motion speeds and device use cases with an average performance of 99.6%, and outperforms some of the state of the art techniques that rely on classifiers and commercial wristband products.
Modeling and Positioning of a PZT Precision Drive System
Authors: Liu Che , Guo Yanling
Published: November 2017

The fact that piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) precision drive systems in 3D printing are faced with nonlinear problems with respect to positioning, such as hysteresis and creep, has had an extremely negative impact on the precision of laser focusing systems. To eliminate the impact of PZT nonlinearity during precision drive movement, mathematical modeling and theoretical analyses of each module comprising the system were carried out in this study, a micro-displacement measurement circuit based on Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) is constructed, followed by the establishment of system closed-loop control and creep control models. An XL-80 laser interferometer (Renishaw, Wotton-under-Edge, UK) was used to measure the performance of the precision drive system, showing that system modeling and control algorithms were correct, with the requirements for precision positioning of the drive system satisfied.
A Systematic Review of Urban Sustainability Assessment Literature
Authors: Cohen Matthew
Published: November 2017

As the world rapidly urbanizes, there is much focus on achieving sustainability outcomes within cities. Accomplishing this goal requires not only envisioning sustainable cities and implementing strategies, but it also demands assessing progress towards sustainable urban development. Despite a growing literature on sustainability assessment, there is room to further understand the application of sustainability assessment in urban contexts. This paper presents a systematic review of urban sustainability assessment literature to (1) identify the most common methods used for urban sustainability assessment, (2) identify the most common framings for urban sustainability assessment, and (3) identify the most common categories for organizing indicators that measure urban sustainability. This research finds that urban sustainability assessment in general lacks a unifying framing and that it could be better aligned with common sustainability principles. The paper provides recommendations for future urban sustainability assessment research, including the employment of mixed-methods research among other strategies. In closing, this research offers a generic framework around which to structure urban sustainability assessment and within which to assign indicators for measuring progress towards sustainable urban development.
Spatiotemporal Effects of Main Impact Factors on Residential Land Price in Major Cities of China
Authors: Yang Shengfu , Hu Shougeng , Li Weidong , Zhang Chuanrong , Torres José
Published: November 2017

With the rapid development of land marketization in China, the spatial patterns of residential land prices in different regions have become increasingly complicated. The very high and continuously rising residential land prices in many cities are causing significant challenges to economic development and social stability. Yet, there has only been a limited amount of attempts made to model and analyze the regional dynamic changes of residential land price systematically, especially in term of the spatially varying effects of key demographic and economic factors. In this study we provided a perspective analysis of the changes of residential land prices in 2008, 2011 and 2014 based on the land price monitoring records of 105 cities and then conducted a geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis on the relationships between residential land price and three major impact factors (i.e., immigrant population, gross domestic product (GDP) and investment in residential buildings). Results show that the areas in which GDP had relatively strong positive impacts on residential land price expanded with time. The negative effects of immigrant population on residential land price were mainly concentrated in the cities around the Bohai Rim and the area with negative effects gradually shrank in the three studied years. Conversely, the areas with negative correlation between investment in residential buildings and residential land price gradually expanded in size over time. A geographical detector was used to examine the relative importance of factors to residential land price. It was found that the GDP had more significant influence on residential land price than other factors and the influence of the three factors to overall variation in residential land price increased over the three studied years. These results underscore the importance of taking spatially varying effects of major driving factors into account in policy-making on regional land market.
Awareness and Prevalence of Mycotoxin Contamination in Selected Nigerian Fermented Foods
Authors: Adekoya Ifeoluwa , Njobeh Patrick , Obadina Adewale , Chilaka Cynthia , Okoth Sheila , De Boevre Marthe , De Saeger Sarah
Published: November 2017

Fermented food samples (n = 191) including maize gruel (ogi), sorghum gruel (ogi-baba), melon seed (ogiri), locust bean (iru) and African oil bean seed (ugba) from Southwest Nigeria were quantified for 23 mycotoxins, including aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), fumonisin B1 (FB1), and sterigmatocystin (STE) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The practices, perceived understanding and health risks related to fungal and mycotoxin contamination amongst fermented food sellers was also established. Data obtained revealed that 82% of the samples had mycotoxins occurring singly or in combination. FB1 was present in 83% of ogi-baba samples, whereas 20% of ugba samples contained AFB1 (range: 3 to 36 µg/kg) and STE was present in 29% of the ogi samples. In terms of multi-mycotoxin contamination, FB1 + FB2 + FB3 + STE + AFB1 + alternariol + HT-2 co-occurred within one sample. The awareness study revealed that 98% of respondents were unaware of mycotoxin contamination, and their education level slightly correlated with their level of awareness (p < 0.01, r = 0.308). The extent to which the analyzed mycotoxins contaminated these food commodities, coupled with the poor perception of the population under study on fungi and mycotoxins, justifies the need to enact fungal and mycotoxin mitigation strategies along the food chain.
Characterization of Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor-Associated Mutations in the RNase H Region of HIV-1 Subtype C Infected Individuals
Authors: Ngcapu Sinaye , Theys Kristof , Libin Pieter , Marconi Vincent , Sunpath Henry , Ndung’u Thumbi , Gordon Michelle
Published: November 2017

The South African national treatment programme includes nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in both first and second line highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens. Mutations in the RNase H domain have been associated with resistance to NRTIs but primarily in HIV-1 subtype B studies. Here, we investigated the prevalence and association of RNase H mutations with NRTI resistance in sequences from HIV-1 subtype C infected individuals. RNase H sequences from 112 NRTI treated but virologically failing individuals and 28 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive individuals were generated and analysed. In addition, sequences from 359 subtype C ART-naive sequences were downloaded from Los Alamos database to give a total of 387 sequences from ART-naive individuals for the analysis. Fisher’s exact test was used to identify mutations and Bayesian network learning was applied to identify novel NRTI resistance mutation pathways in RNase H domain. The mutations A435L, S468A, T470S, L484I, A508S, Q509L, L517I, Q524E and E529D were more prevalent in sequences from treatment-experienced compared to antiretroviral treatment naive individuals, however, only the E529D mutation remained significant after correction for multiple comparison. Our findings suggest a potential interaction between E529D and NRTI-treatment; however, site-directed mutagenesis is needed to understand the impact of this RNase H mutation.
Gamma-Ray Flux Distribution and Nonlinear Behavior of Four LAT Bright AGNs
Authors: Kushwaha Pankaj , Sinha Atreyee , Misra Ranjeev , Singh K. P. , de Gouveia Dal Pino E. M.
Published: November 2017

We present a statistical characterization of the γ-ray emission from the four Fermi-LAT sources: FR I radio galaxy NGC 1275, BL Lac Mrk 421, FSRQs B2 1520+31, and PKS 1510-089 detected almost continuously over a time integration of three days between 2008 August and 2015 October. The observed flux variation is large, spanning

orders of magnitude between the extremes, except for Mrk 421. We compute the flux distributions and compare with Gaussian and lognormal ones. We find that the three blazars have distributions consistent with a lognormal, suggesting that the variability is of a nonlinear, multiplicative nature. This is further supported by the computation of the flux-rms relation, which is observed to be linear for the three blazars. However, for NGC 1275, the distribution does not seem to be represented either by a lognormal or a Gaussian, while its flux-rms relation is still found to be linear. We also compute the power spectra, which suggest the presence of a break, but are consistent with typical scale-free power-law shot noise. The results are broadly consistent with the statistical properties of the magnetic reconnection powered minijets-in-a-jet model. We discuss other possible scenarios and implications of these observations on jet processes and connections with the central engine.
Effects of Solar Activity on the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field Observed by Voyager 1 and IBEX
Authors: Schwadron N. A. , McComas D. J.
Published: November 2017

Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) observations have shown enhanced energetic neutral atom emission from a narrow, circular ribbon likely centered on the direction of the magnetic field in the local interstellar medium (LISM). IBEX observations are compared to Voyager 1's direct observations of the magnetic field in the LISM, which reveals structured changes that are shown here to be driven by pressure fluctuations transmitted across the heliopause boundary separating the LISM from the shocked solar wind beyond the termination shock. The changes in the local interstellar magnetic field observed by Voyager 1 occurred in 2015 and 2016, when the most powerful coronal mass ejections released from the Sun over the last 11-year solar cycle arrived in the outer heliosphere. These events propagated over more than two years through the solar system, ultimately pounding the heliopause and causing transient deviations of the magnetic fields detected by Voyager 1 in the LISM. Thus, we identify the response in pressure variations at Voyager 1 in the LISM with the activity of major solar events several years earlier, during the most active period of the last solar maximum.
The Effect of Turbulence on Nebular Emission Line Ratios
Authors: Gray William J. , Scannapieco Evan
Published: November 2017

Motivated by the observed differences in the nebular emission of nearby and high redshift galaxies, we carry out a set of direct numerical simulations of turbulent astrophysical media exposed to a UV background. The simulations assume a metallicity of

and explicitly track ionization, recombination, charge transfer, and ion-by-ion radiative cooling for several astrophysically important elements. Each model is run to a global steady state that depends on the ionization parameter U, and the one-dimensional turbulent velocity dispersion,

, and the turbulent driving scale. We carry out a suite of models with a T = 42,000 K blackbody spectrum, n

e
 = 100 cm−3, and

ranging between 0.7 and 42 km

corresponding to turbulent Mach numbers varying between 0.05 and 2.6. We report our results as several nebular diagnostic diagrams and compare them to observations of star-forming galaxies at a redshift of

, whose higher surface densities may also lead to more turbulent interstellar media. We find that subsonic, transsonic turbulence, and turbulence driven on scales of 1 parsec or greater, have little or no effect on the line ratios. Supersonic, small-scale turbulence, on the other hand, generally increases the computed line emission. In fact with a driving scale

pc, a moderate amount of turbulence,

 = 21–28 km

can reproduce many of the differences between high and low redshift observations without resorting to harder spectral shapes.
Le renouveau du vitrail religieux à Bayeux au xix e siècle
Authors: Duplessis Marie
Published: November 2017

Bayeux, ville épiscopale riche de nombreux édifices religieux dont une cathédrale gothique, contient l’un des ensembles vitrés du xix e siècle les mieux conservés de la région. Épargnés par les bombardements de 1944, les vitraux du xix e siècle illustrent l’évolution de cette technique artistique tout au long du siècle, de sa redécouverte dans les années 1830 au développement de sa production sérielle à la fin du siècle ; ses caractéristiques iconographiques sont intimement liées au sentiment religieux de l’époque et au culte local. Le corpus étudié permet enfin de retracer les mécanismes de commande qui entourent la pose de nouveaux vitraux dans les édifices religieux.
Sédation profonde et continue : élaborations de bonnes pratiques
Authors: Guirimand Frédéric , Broucke Marion
Published: November 2017

Comme l’écrivent les auteurs, « les professionnels de soins palliatifs se sont mobilisés pour clarifier les concepts, mieux préciser leurs pratiques sédatives, les expliquer, créer et diffuser des outils expliquant les bonnes pratiques à tous les professionnels de santé, bien au-delà des acteurs de soins palliatifs. » L’article de Frédéric Guirimand et Marion Broucke répond à cet objectif, en ne fuyant pas l’abord des questions délicates que soulève la sédation profonde.