bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“The One Time You Have Control over What They Eat”: A Qualitative Exploration of Mothers’ Practices to Establish Healthy Eating Behaviours during Weaning
Authors: Spyreli Eleni , McKinley Michelle C. , Allen-Walker Virginia , Tully Louise , Woodside Jayne V. , Kelly Colette , Dean Moira
Published: March 2019

Background: Weaning marks the transition from a milk-only diet to the consumption of solid foods. It is a time period where nutrition holds an undeniable importance and taste experiences have a long-lasting effect on food preferences. The factors and conditions that form parental feeding practices are yet to be fully understood; doing so can help target problematic behaviours and develop interventions aiming to modify them. Objective: This study used a qualitative methodology to gain a better understanding of parental experiences of weaning a child. Particular emphasis was placed on exploring the factors and conditions that favour the establishment of a healthy relationship with food in infancy and those that impede it. Methods: Thirty-seven mothers of healthy infants 3–14 months with no previous history of allergies or food-related disorders were recruited. Eight semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted, transcribed and analysed thematically. Results: Discussions revealed a number of opportunities to establish healthy eating habits during weaning, as well as relevant challenges. Important opportunities included: acting as a role model for healthy foods; giving multiple opportunities to try a food; food variety “so you don’t have a fussy eater”; and without food variety “things aren’t going to work properly”. Additionally, some of the challenges identified were: misconceptions about the definition of food variety; and distractions occurring during feeding. Conclusions: Mothers were mindful of the need to provide their children with appropriate nutritional stimuli during weaning. They were aware of their role in influencing their infants’ likes and used strategies such as modelling and repeated food exposure. The importance of a diverse diet in infancy was acknowledged, although knowledge gaps exist in relation to its definition. Distractions were tactfully employed by mothers to assist feeding. Findings of this study have applications in developing interventions for nutritional education in the complementary feeding period.
Serum Uric Acid-Lowering Effects of Combined Glycine and Tryptophan Treatments in Subjects with Mild Hyperuricemia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study
Authors: Oshima Shunji , Shiiya Sachie , Nakamura Yasunori
Published: March 2019

We determined the serum uric acid-lowering effects of combined daily supplementation of glycine and tryptophan in patients with mild hyperuricemia using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial design. Japanese healthy adult males and females with mild hyperuricemia (fasting serum uric acid of 6.6–7.9 mg/dL) ingested a powder mixture containing 3.0 g of glycine and 0.2 g of tryptophan or a placebo powder once daily at bedtime for 6 weeks. Combined supplementation with glycine and tryptophan significantly decreased serum uric acid levels (from 7.1 mg/dL to 6.7 mg/dL, p = 0.004) before and after the trial. Serum uric acid concentrations significantly decreased in the subjects supplemented with the amino acid mixture compared with those in placebo-treated subjects (p = 0.028). In addition, the combination treatment with glycine and tryptophan decreased serum triglyceride levels (from 119 mg/dL to 86 mg/dL, p = 0.002). Increased solubility of uric acid caused by urinary pH were likely contributors to the serum uric acid-lowering effects of the amino acid mixture.
Adaptation and Validation of the Hydration Status Questionnaire in a Spanish Adolescent-Young Population: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Laja García Ana Isabel , Samaniego-Vaesken Maria de Lourdes , Partearroyo Teresa , Varela-Moreiras Gregorio
Published: March 2019

The achievement of adequate hydration status is essential for mental and physical performance and for health in general, especially in children and adolescents. Nevertheless, little is known about hydration status of this population, mainly due to the limited availability of research tools; thus, the objective of the current study was to adapt and validate our hydration status questionnaire in a Spanish adolescent-young population. The questionnaire was validated against important hydration markers: urine colour, urine specific gravity, haemoglobin, haematocrit and total body water and involved 128 subjects aged between 12–17 years. Water intake was also estimated through a three-day dietary record and physical activity was assessed through accelerometers. Participants completed the questionnaire twice. Water balance and water intake were correlated with urine specific gravity and with total body water content. Water intake obtained by the questionnaire was correlated with results from the three-day dietary record. The intraclass correlation coefficient indicated moderate concordance between both recordings and the Cronbach’s alpha revealed high consistency. The Bland and Altman method indicated that the limits of agreement were acceptable to reveal the reliability of the estimated measures. In conclusion, this is the first time that a questionnaire is valid and reliable to estimate hydration status of adolescent-young populations.
Comparisons of Estimated Intakes and Plasma Concentrations of Selected Fatty Acids in Pregnancy
Authors: B. Madsen Marie T. , A. Bjerregaard Anne , Furtado Jeremy D. , Halldorsson Thorhallur I. , Ström Marin , Granström Charlotta , Giovannucci Edward , Olsen Sjurdur F.
Published: March 2019

The growing interest in potential health effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) makes it important to evaluate the method used to assess the fatty acid intake in nutrition research studies. We aimed to validate the questionnaire-based dietary intake of selected PUFAs: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), and arachidonic acid (AA) within the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC), by comparing 345 women’s reported intake with concentration of plasma biomarkers. The applied questionnaire- and biomarker data reflect dietary intake from around the same time point in mid-pregnancy and relationships were investigated by use of Pearson and Spearman correlation and linear regression statistics. We demonstrated moderate but consistent adjusted correlations between dietary intake estimates and the corresponding plasma biomarker concentrations (differences in plasma concentration per 100 mg/day greater intake of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.02; 0.08)) and 0.05 (95% CI: 0.01; 0.08) percentage of total plasma fatty acids for EPA and DHA, respectively). The associations strengthened when restricting the analyses to women with ALA intake below the median intake. We found a weak correlation between the dietary intake of ALA and its plasma biomarker with a difference in plasma concentration of 0.07 (95% CI: 0.03; 0.10) percent of total plasma fatty acids per 1 g/day greater intake, while the dietary intake of LA and AA did not correlate with their corresponding biomarkers.
Molecular Epidemiology and Genetic Diversity of Zika Virus from Field-Caught Mosquitoes in Various Regions of Thailand
Authors: Phumee Atchara , Buathong Rome , Boonserm Rungfar , Intayot Proawpilart , Aungsananta Nucharat , Jittmittraphap Akanitt , Joyjinda Yutthana , Wacharapluesadee Supaporn , Siriyasatien Padet
Published: March 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is an emerging and re-emerging arbovirus disease that is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. ZIKV infections were first described in Thailand in 1954 from the sera of indigenous residents and several travelers returning from Thailand in 2014. However, reported cases in Thailand have been increasing since 2015 and 2016, and epidemiological information about the vectors of ZIKV is unclear. We investigated the molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of ZIKV from mosquitoes collected from different geographic regions experiencing ZIKV outbreaks in Thailand. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the non-structural protein (NS5) gene of ZIKV, which was then sequenced. A total of 1026 mosquito samples (626 females, 367 males, and 33 larvae) were collected from active ZIKV patients’ houses. ZIKV was detected in 79 samples (7.7%), including Aedes aegypti (2.24% female, 1.27% male, and 0.19% larvae), Culex quinquefasciatus (1.85% female, 1.66% male, and 0.29% larvae), and Armigeres subalbatus (0.1% female and 0.1% male), whereas no ZIKV was detected in Aedes albopictus. Phylogenetic analysis of the 79 positive samples were classified into two clades: Those closely related to a previous report in Thailand, and those related to ZIKV found in the Americas. This is the first report of the detection of ZIKV in Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Ar. subalbatus mosquitoes, and genetic variations of ZIKV in the mosquitoes collected from several geographic regions of Thailand were examined. Detection of ZIKV in male and larval mosquitoes suggests that vertical transmission of ZIKV occurred in these mosquito species. This study provides a more in-depth understanding of the patterns and epidemiologic data of ZIKV in Thailand; the data could be used for future development of more effective prevention and control strategies of ZIKV in Thailand.
Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Drug-Drug Interactions of Procainamide and N-Acetylprocainamide with Cimetidine, an Inhibitor of rOCT2 and rMATE1, in Rats
Authors: Jeong Yoo-Seong , Balla Anusha , Chun Kwang-Hoon , Chung Suk-Jae , Maeng Han-Joo
Published: March 2019

Previous observations demonstrated that cimetidine decreased the clearance of procainamide (PA) and/or N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA; the primary metabolite of PA) resulting in the increased systemic exposure and the decrease of urinary excretion. Despite an abundance of in vitro and in vivo data regarding pharmacokinetic interactions between PA/NAPA and cimetidine, however, a mechanistic approach to elucidate these interactions has not been reported yet. The primary objective of this study was to construct a physiological model that describes pharmacokinetic interactions between PA/NAPA and cimetidine, an inhibitor of rat organic cation transporter 2 (rOCT2) and rat multidrug and toxin extrusion proteins (rMATE1), by performing extensive in vivo and in vitro pharmacokinetic studies for PA and NAPA performed in the absence or presence of cimetidine in rats. When a single intravenous injection of PA HCl (10 mg/kg) was administered to rats, co-administration of cimetidine (100 mg/kg) significantly increased systemic exposure and decreased the systemic (CL) and renal (CLR) clearance of PA, and reduced its tissue distribution. Similarly, cimetidine significantly decreased the CLR of NAPA formed by the metabolism of PA and increased the AUC of NAPA. Considering that these drugs could share similar renal secretory pathways (e.g., via rOCT2 and rMATE1), a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model incorporating semi-mechanistic kidney compartments was devised to predict drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Using our proposed PBPK model, DDIs between PA/NAPA and cimetidine were successfully predicted for the plasma concentrations and urinary excretion profiles of PA and NAPA observed in rats. Moreover, sensitivity analyses of the pharmacokinetics of PA and NAPA showed the inhibitory effects of cimetidine via rMATE1 were probably important for the renal elimination of PA and NAPA in rats. The proposed PBPK model may be useful for understanding the mechanisms of interactions between PA/NAPA and cimetidine in vivo.
Pharmacy Technician Review of Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) within Care Homes
Authors: Collins Clare , Tucker Catherine , Walton Carol , Podbur Sian , Barrett Steven
Published: March 2019

Up to 42% of patients admitted to care homes are at risk of malnutrition. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) can be prescribed to increase nutritional intake when diet alone is insufficient to meet daily nutritional requirements. Where ONS are inappropriately initiated or continued beyond treatment goals this can contribute to significant waste and unnecessary costs. This study reviewed whether pharmacy technicians working in care home settings can support the cost-effective use of ONS. A quality improvement project using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology was undertaken by pharmacy technicians working in care homes to review the prescribing and monitoring of ONS. A sample of 330 residents were reviewed across 5 care homes. 45 residents were prescribed ONS, 16 of whom were unknown to dietitians. In collaboration with the dietetic service an oral nutritional support flow chart was developed and tested. Thirteen of the 16 residents unknown to the dietetic team did not require ONS and could be considered for alternative dietary options. Through collaborative working with dietetic services, pharmacy technicians can support effective use and review of ONS for care home residents, reduce unnecessary prescribing, and ensure appropriate referral to dietitians where indicated.
Numerical Study on the Soliton Mode-Locking of the Er3+-Doped Fluoride Fiber Laser at ~3 μm with Nonlinear Polarization Rotation
Authors: Zhang Feijuan , Yan Wenyan , Liang Shengnan , Tan Chao , Tang Pinghua
Published: March 2019

Recent interest in the application of mid-infrared (mid-IR) lasers has made the generation of ~3 µm ultrafast pulses a hot topic. Recently, the generation of femtosecond-scale pulses in Er3+-doped fluoride fiber lasers has been realized by nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR). However, a numerical study on these fiber lasers has not been reported yet. In this work, the output properties of the NPR passively mode-locked Er3+-doped fluoride fiber ring laser in ~3 µm have been numerically investigated based on the coupled Ginzburg–Landu equation. The simulation results indicate that stable uniform solitons (0.75 nJ) with the pulse duration of femtosecond-scale can be generated from this fiber laser. This numerical investigation can provide some reference for developing the high energy femtosecond soliton fiber lasers in the mid-IR.
Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells via Surface-Confined Silver Nanoparticles on Transparent Polyimide Substrates
Authors: Liu Xiangfu , Hu Lin , Wang Rongwen , Li Junli , Gu Honggang , Liu Shiyuan , Zhou Yinhua , Tu Guoli
Published: March 2019

We report about a flexible substrate incorporating surface-confined silver nanoparticles on transparent polyimide (PI). The incorporated silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), which possessed excellent adhesive strength with the PI substrate, induced localized surface plasmon resonance and light scattering effects by changing the particle size and interparticle distance to promote light harvesting in the perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the reduced sheet resistance was beneficial for the charge extraction and transportation in the devices when high-conductivity poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS, PH1000) was deposited on the Ag NP-confined PI serving as a flexible bottom electrode. A power conversion efficiency of 10.41% was obtained for the flexible perovskite solar cells based on a Ag NP-confined PI substrate (the particle size of the Ag NPs was 25 nm mixed with 40 nm), which was obviously enhanced in all parameters. Especially, a 61% improvement existed in the short-circuit current density compared to that based on the bare PI substrates. It indicates that the substrate would be a promising candidate for the development of flexible electronics.
Preparation of Hierarchical Porous Carbon Aerogels by Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Process for Supercapacitors
Authors: Cai Xueqing , Tan Guiming , Deng Zhentao , Liu Jianhong , Gui Dayong
Published: March 2019

Low-cost resorcinol formaldehyde (RF) organic aerogels were prepared by using resorcinol and formaldehyde as precursors, and sodium hydroxide as a catalyst through a single-mode microwave radiation-assisted sol-gel method and ambient temperature drying. Because of the ring focusing and power-max technology, the fabrication procedure of carbon aerogels (CAs) are much easier, faster, and cheaper than traditional methods. The RF aerogels were then pyrolysized at 900 °C, and the KOH activation process was used to further dredge micropores in the carbon aerogels. The CAs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption/desorption, and a series of electrochemical tests. The KOH activated carbon aerogels with 3D-nano-network structure exhibited a high specific surface area of 2230 m2 g−1 with appropriate pore volumes of micro-, meso-, and macropores. The specific capacitance of CAs activated by KOH measured in a two-electrode cell was 170 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 with excellent rate capability and cycle stability in 6 M KOH electrolyte.
Different Dependence of Tear Strength on Film Orientation of LLDPE Made with Different Co-Monomer
Authors: Ren Yi , Shi Ying , Yao Xuerong , Tang Yujing , Liu Li-Zhi
Published: March 2019

Crystal orientations, tear strength and shrinkage of Linear Low-Density PolyEthylene (LLDPE) films made with different processes (compressed, cast and blown) were investigated. The films were made with three different LLDPE resins, respectively, which have similar density and molecular weight but are made with different comonomers (1-butene, 1-hexene and 1-octene), in order to investigate if tear strength in Machine Direction (MD) of the LLDPE films made with different comonomer has similar dependence on crystal orientation. Our study indicates that the films made of 1-hexene and 1-octene based LLDPE resins have significantly higher intrinsic tear strength and less decrease in MD tear strength for a given film orientation. That is, for a given orientation in MD, the MD tear drops dramatically for films made with butene-based resin but much less decrease for the films made with hexene and octene-based resins. The shrinkage property at high temperature shows a good correlation with crystal orientation and the fraction of the crystals melted at this temperature.
Using an Ionic Liquid to Reduce the Electrical Percolation Threshold in Biobased Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Graphene Nanocomposites
Authors: Aranburu Nora , Otaegi Itziar , Guerrica-Echevarria Gonzalo
Published: March 2019

Biobased thermoplastic polyurethane (bTPU)/unmodified graphene (GR) nanocomposites (NCs) were obtained by melt-mixing in a lab-scaled conventional twin-screw extruder. Alternatively, GR was also modified with an ionic liquid (GR-IL) using a simple preparation method with the aim of improving the dispersion level. XRD diffractograms indicated a minor presence of well-ordered structures in both bTPU/GR and bTPU/GR-IL NCs, which also showed, as observed by TEM, nonuniform dispersion. Electrical conductivity measurements pointed to an improved dispersion level when GR was modified with the IL, because the bTPU/GR-IL NCs showed a significantly lower electrical percolation threshold (1.99 wt%) than the bTPU/GR NCs (3.21 wt%), as well as higher conductivity values. Young’s modulus increased upon the addition of the GR (by 65% with 4 wt%), as did the yield strength, while the ductile nature of the bTPU matrix maintained in all the compositions, with elongation at break values above 200%. This positive effect on the mechanical properties caused by the addition of GR maintained or slightly increased when GR-IL was used, pointing to the success of this method of modifying the nanofiller to obtain bTPU/GR NCs.
Topological Methods for Polymeric Materials: Characterizing the Relationship Between Polymer Entanglement and Viscoelasticity
Authors: Panagiotou Eleni , Millett Kenneth C. , Atzberger Paul J.
Published: March 2019

We develop topological methods for characterizing the relationship between polymer chain entanglement and bulk viscoelastic responses. We introduce generalized Linking Number and Writhe characteristics that are applicable to open linear chains. We investigate the rheology of polymeric chains entangled into weaves with varying topologies and levels of chain density. To investigate viscoelastic responses, we perform non-equilibrium molecular simulations over a range of frequencies using sheared Lees–Edwards boundary conditions. We show how our topological characteristics can be used to capture key features of the polymer entanglements related to the viscoelastic responses. We find there is a linear relation over a significant range of frequencies between the mean absolute Writhe W r and the Loss Tangent tan ( δ ) . We also find an approximate inverse linear relationship between the mean absolute Periodic Linking Number L K P and the Loss Tangent tan ( δ ) . Our results show some of the ways topological methods can be used to characterize chain entanglements to better understand the origins of mechanical responses in polymeric materials.
Functionalized Boron Nitride Nanosheets/Poly(l-lactide) Nanocomposites and Their Crystallization Behavior
Authors: Kong Deyu , Zhang Deli , Guo Hongge , Zhao Jian , Wang Zhaobo , Hu Haiqing , Xu Junting , Fu Cuiliu
Published: March 2019

In this work, hydroxyl-functionalized boron nitride nanosheet (OH-BNNS) was prepared and was blended with poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) to yield PLLA/OH-BNNS nanocomposites with excellent dispersion of OH-BNNS via the interaction of carbonyl in PLLA and hydroxyl in OH-BNNS. The effects of OH-BNNS on the crystallization and melting behaviors, isothermal crystallization kinetics, macroscopic crystal morphology and crystal structure of PLLA were studied by means of various techniques. The addition of OH-BNNS nanofillers can effectively accelerate the crystallization of PLLA and enhance the nucleation density, leading to a smaller spherulite size, increased crystallinity, a more obvious crystallization peak upon cooling but weakened cold crystallization behavior upon heating. Low OH-BNNS loading can increase the relative content of α-crystal, but the relative content of less perfect α′-crystal is increased at high OH-BNNS loading due to the strong interaction between PLLA and OH-BNNS.
Air-Core-Liquid-Ring (ACLR) Atomization: Influences of Gas Pressure and Atomizer Scale Up on Atomization Efficiency
Authors: Wittner Marc O. , Karbstein Heike P. , Gaukel Volker
Published: March 2019

Air-core-liquid-ring (ACLR) atomizers present a specific type of internal mixing pneumatic atomizers, which can be used for efficient atomization of high viscous liquids. Generally, atomization efficiency is considered as a correlation between energy input and resulting droplet size. In pneumatic atomization, air-to-liquid ratio by mass (ALR) is commonly used as reference parameter of energy input. However, the pressure energy of the atomization gas is not considered in the calculation of ALR. In internal mixing ACLR atomizers, it can be assumed that this energy contributes to liquid disintegration by expansion of the gas core after exiting the atomizer. This leads to the hypothesis that droplet sizes decrease with increasing gas pressure at constant ALR. Therefore, the use of volumetric energy density (EV) as a reference parameter of energy input was investigated at different gas pressures between 0.4 and 0.8 MPa. Furthermore, scale up-related influences on the atomization efficiency of ACLR atomization were investigated by use of an atomizer with enlarged exit orifice diameter. We can conclude that EV can be applied as a reference parameter of ACLR atomization processes with different gas pressures. However, within the range investigated no clear influence of gas pressure on atomization efficiency was found. Up-scaling of ACLR atomizers allows production of similar droplet sizes, but atomization efficiency decreases with increasing exit orifice diameter.
On the Use of Starch in Emulsion Polymerizations
Authors: Cummings Shidan , Zhang Yujie , Smeets Niels , Cunningham Michael , Dubé Marc
Published: March 2019

The substitution of petroleum-based synthetic polymers in latex formulations with sustainable and/or bio-based sources has increasingly been a focus of both academic and industrial research. Emulsion polymerization already provides a more sustainable way to produce polymers for coatings and adhesives, because it is a water-based process. It can be made even more attractive as a green alternative with the addition of starch, a renewable material that has proven to be extremely useful as a filler, stabilizer, property modifier and macromer. This work provides a critical review of attempts to modify and incorporate various types of starch in emulsion polymerizations. This review focusses on the method of initiation, grafting mechanisms, starch feeding strategies and the characterization methods. It provides a needed guide for those looking to modify starch in an emulsion polymerization to achieve a target grafting performance or to incorporate starch in latex formulations for the replacement of synthetic polymers.
Highly Selective Syngas/H2 Production via Partial Oxidation of CH4 Using (Ni, Co and Ni–Co)/ZrO2–Al2O3 Catalysts: Influence of Calcination Temperature
Authors: Hamza Fakeeha Anis , Arafat Yasir , Aidid Ibrahim Ahmed , Shaikh Hamid , Atia Hanan , Elhag Abasaeed Ahmed , Armbruster Udo , Sadeq Al-Fatesh Ahmed
Published: March 2019

In this study, Ni, Co and Ni–Co catalysts supported on binary oxide ZrO2–Al2O3 were synthesized by sol-gel method and characterized by means of various analytical techniques such as XRD, BET, TPR, TPD, TGA, SEM, and TEM. This catalytic system was then tested for syngas respective H2 production via partial oxidation of methane at 700 °C and 800 °C. The influence of calcination temperatures was studied and their impact on catalytic activity and stability was evaluated. It was observed that increasing the calcination temperature from 550 °C to 800 °C and addition of ZrO2 to Al2O3 enhances Ni metal-support interaction. This increases the catalytic activity and sintering resistance. Furthermore, ZrO2 provides higher oxygen storage capacity and stronger Lewis basicity which contributed to coke suppression, eventually leading to a more stable catalyst. It was also observed that, contrary to bimetallic catalysts, monometallic catalysts exhibit higher activity with higher calcination temperature. At the same time, Co and Ni–Co-based catalysts exhibit higher activity than Ni-based catalysts which was not expected. The Co-based catalyst calcined at 800 °C demonstrated excellent stability over 24 h on stream. In general, all catalysts demonstrated high CH4 conversion and exceptionally high selectivity to H2 (~98%) at 700 °C.
Parent’s Just Don’t Understand: Parental Support, Religion and Depressive Symptoms among Same-Race and Interracial Relationships
Authors: Henderson Andrea K. , Brantley Mia J.
Published: March 2019

Research finds that individuals in interracial relationships have poorer mental health than those in same-race relationships. Family support, or lack thereof, may play an important role in explaining the psychological risks for such individuals. Growing attention has focused on the complex interplay between religion, health, and family life, particularly the stress-buffering role of religious involvement. However, little attention has been given to the possible mitigating effects of religion in the face of limited family support among same-race and interracial couples. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), this study addresses two important questions: (1) Is weak family support associated with depressive symptoms among individuals in same-race and interracial relationships?; and (2) Does religious involvement buffer the association between weak family support and depressive symptoms for individuals engaged in these romantic ties? Results suggest that weak parental support is associated with depressive symptoms for individuals in both same-race and interracial relationships, however we find limited support of religion protecting against weak parental support for individuals in interracial unions. The results highlight the complex interplay between religion, health, and family in contemporary American life.
V2SOM: A Novel Safety Mechanism Dedicated to a Cobot’s Rotary Joints
Authors: Ayoubi Younsse , Laribi Med , Zeghloul Said , Arsicault Marc
Published: March 2019

Unlike “classical” industrial robots, collaborative robots, known as cobots, implement a compliant behavior. Cobots ensure a safe force control in a physical interaction scenario within unknown environments. In this paper, we propose to make serial robots intrinsically compliant to guarantee safe physical human–robot interaction (pHRI), via our novel designed device called V2SOM, which stands for Variable Stiffness Safety-Oriented Mechanism. As its name indicates, V2SOM aims at making physical human–robot interaction safe, thanks to its two basic functioning modes—high stiffness mode and low stiffness mode. The first mode is employed for normal operational routines. In contrast, the low stiffness mode is suitable for the safe absorption of any potential blunt shock with a human. The transition between the two modes is continuous to maintain a good control of the V2SOM-based cobot in the case of a fast collision. V2SOM presents a high inertia decoupling capacity which is a necessary condition for safe pHRI without compromising the robot’s dynamic performances. Two safety criteria of pHRI were considered for performance evaluations, namely, the impact force (ImpF) criterion and the head injury criterion (HIC) for, respectively, the external and internal damage evaluation during blunt shocks.
Evaluation of RadCalNet Output Data Using Landsat 7, Landsat 8, Sentinel 2A, and Sentinel 2B Sensors
Authors: Jing Xin , Leigh Larry , Teixeira Pinto Cibele , Helder Dennis
Published: March 2019

In 2013, the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV) Infrared and Visible Optical Sensors Subgroup (IVOS) established the Radiometric Calibration Network (RadCalNet), consisting of four international test sites providing automated in situ measurements and estimates of propagated top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. This work evaluates the ‘reliability’ of RadCalNet TOA reflectance data at three of these sites—RVUS, LCFR, and GONA—using Landsat 7 ETM+, Landsat 8 operational land imager (OLI), and Sentinel 2A/2B (S2A/S2B) MSI TOA reflectance data. This work identified a viewing angle effect in the MSI data at the RVUS and LCFR sites; when corrected, the overall standard deviation in relative reflectance differences decreased by approximately 2% and 0.5% at the RVUS and LCFR sites, respectively. Overall, the relative mean differences between the RadCalNet surface data and sensor data for the RVUS and GONA sites are within 5% for ETM+, OLI, and S2A MSI, with an approximately 2% higher difference in the S2B MSI data at the RVUS site. The LCFR site is different from the other two sites, with relative mean differences ranging from approximately -10% to 1%, even after performing the viewing angle effect correction on the MSI data. The data from RadCalNet are easy to acquire and use. More effort is needed to better understand the behavior at LCFR. One significant improvement on the accuracy of the RadCalNet data might be the development of a site-specific BRDF characterization and correction.
Exploiting Time Series of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Imagery to Detect Meadow Phenology in Mountain Regions
Authors: Stendardi Laura , Karlsen Stein Rune , Niedrist Georg , Gerdol Renato , Zebisch Marc , Rossi Mattia , Notarnicola Claudia
Published: March 2019

A synergic integration of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical time series offers an unprecedented opportunity in vegetation phenology monitoring for mountain agriculture management. In this paper, we performed a correlation analysis of radar signal to vegetation and soil conditions by using a time series of Sentinel-1 C-band dual-polarized (VV and VH) SAR images acquired in the South Tyrol region (Italy) from October 2014 to September 2016. Together with Sentinel-1 images, we exploited corresponding Sentinel-2 images and ground measurements. Results show that Sentinel-1 cross-polarized VH backscattering coefficients have a strong vegetation contribution and are well correlated with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values retrieved from optical sensors, thus allowing the extraction of meadow phenological phases. Particularly for the Start Of Season (SOS) at low altitudes, the mean difference in days between Sentinel-1 and ground sensors is compatible with the acquisition time of the SAR sensor. However, the results show a decrease in accuracy with increasing altitude. The same trend is observed for senescence. The main outcomes of our investigations in terms of inter-satellite comparison show that Sentinel-1 is less effective than Sentinel-2 in detecting the SOS. At the same time, Sentinel-1 is as robust as Sentinel-2 in defining mowing events. Our study shows that SAR-Optical data integration is a promising approach for phenology detection in mountain regions.
Evaluating the Spatial Representativeness of the MODerate Resolution Image Spectroradiometer Albedo Product (MCD43) at AmeriFlux Sites
Authors: Zhou Hongmin , Liang Shunlin , He Tao , Wang Jindi , Bo Yanchen , Wang Dongdong
Published: March 2019

Land surface albedo is a key parameter in regulating surface radiation budgets. The gridded remote sensing albedo product often represents information concerning an area larger than the nominal spatial resolution because of the large viewing angles of the observations. It is essential to quantify the spatial representativeness of remote sensing products to better guide the sampling strategy in field experiments and match products from different sources. This study quantifies the spatial representativeness of the MODerate Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (collection V006) 500 m daily albedo product (MCD43A3) using the high-resolution product as intermediate data for different land cover types. A total of 1820 paired high-resolution Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and coarse-resolution (MODIS) albedo data from five land cover types were used. The TM albedo data was used as the spatial-complete high resolution data to evaluate the spatial representativeness of the MODIS albedo product. Semivarioagrams were estimated from 30 m Landsat data at different spatial scales. Surface heterogeneity was evaluated with sill value and relative coefficient of variation. The 30 m Landsat albedo data was aggregated to 450 m–1800 m using two different methods and compared with MODIS albedo product. The spatial representativeness of MODIS albedo product was determined according to the surface heterogeneity and the consistency of MODIS data and the aggregated TM value. Results indicated that for evergreen broadleaf forests, deciduous broadleaf forests, open shrub lands, woody savannas and grasslands, the MODIS 500 m daily albedo product represents a spatial scale of approximately 630 m. For mixed forests and croplands, the representative spatial scale was approximately 690 m. The difference obtained was primarily because of the complexity of the landscape structure. For mixed forests and croplands, the structure of the landscape was relatively complex due to the presence of different forest and plant types in the pixel area, whereas the other landscape structures were considerably simpler.
Hyperspectral and LiDAR Data Fusion Classification Using Superpixel Segmentation-Based Local Pixel Neighborhood Preserving Embedding
Authors: Li Yunsong , Ge Chiru , Sun Weiwei , Peng Jiangtao , Du Qian , Wang Keyan
Published: March 2019

A new method of superpixel segmentation-based local pixel neighborhood preserving embedding (SSLPNPE) is proposed for the fusion of hyperspectral and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data based on the extinction profiles (EPs), superpixel segmentation and local pixel neighborhood preserving embedding (LPNPE). A new workflow is proposed to calibrate the Goddard’s LiDAR, hyperspectral and thermal (G-LiHT) data, which allows our method to be applied to actual data. Specifically, EP features are extracted from both sources. Then, the derived features of each source are fused by the SSLPNPE. Using the labeled samples, the final label assignment is produced by a classifier. For the open standard experimental data and the actual data, experimental results prove that the proposed method is fast and effective in hyperspectral and LiDAR data fusion.
Road Extraction from High-Resolution Remote Sensing Imagery Using Refined Deep Residual Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Gao Lin , Song Weidong , Dai Jiguang , Chen Yang
Published: March 2019

Road extraction is one of the most significant tasks for modern transportation systems. This task is normally difficult due to complex backgrounds such as rural roads that have heterogeneous appearances with large intraclass and low interclass variations and urban roads that are covered by vehicles, pedestrians and the shadows of surrounding trees or buildings. In this paper, we propose a novel method for extracting roads from optical satellite images using a refined deep residual convolutional neural network (RDRCNN) with a postprocessing stage. RDRCNN consists of a residual connected unit (RCU) and a dilated perception unit (DPU). The RDRCNN structure is symmetric to generate the outputs of the same size. A math morphology and a tensor voting algorithm are used to improve RDRCNN performance during postprocessing. Experiments are conducted on two datasets of high-resolution images to demonstrate the performance of the proposed network architectures, and the results of the proposed architectures are compared with those of other network architectures. The results demonstrate the effective performance of the proposed method for extracting roads from a complex scene.
Analysis and Reduction of Solar Stray Light in the Nighttime Imaging Camera of Luojia-1 Satellite
Authors: Zhong Xing , Su Zhiqiang , Zhang Guo , Chen Zhigang , Meng Yao , Li Deren , Liu Yong
Published: March 2019

As one of the experimental payloads on Luojia-1 satellite, the nighttime imaging camera works with a high sensitivity to acquire nighttime light on earth. Solar stray light is a fatal problem for optical satellite works in the polar orbit, even for nighttime scene imaging, resulting in image saturation and light signal detection failure. To solve this problem, an analysis of the range of solar incident angles was conducted firstly. Based on the result, a special-shaped baffle was designed to avoid direct sunlight incidence. Moreover, the capability of stray light elimination of the lens was enhanced by an order of magnitude via optimizing the internal structure. An evaluation of secondary scattering stray lights into the camera from surrounding parts was performed based on a real satellite model. The results showed that the stray light elimination reaches a 10−10 order, meeting design requirements. Utilizing on-orbit images, the ability of satellites in illuminated areas to obtain artificial lights in dawn-dusk area was verified, proving the effectiveness of the stray light elimination design.
Portable Microwave Radar Systems for Short-Range Localization and Life Tracking: A Review
Authors: Peng Zhengyu , Li Changzhi
Published: March 2019

Short-range localization and life tracking have been hot research topics in the fields of medical care, consumer electronics, driving assistance, and indoor robots/drones navigation. Among various sensors, microwave and mm-wave continuous-wave (CW) radar sensors are gaining more popularity in their intrinsic advantages such as simple architecture, easy system integration, high accuracy, relatively low cost, and penetration capability. This paper reviews the recent advances in CW radar systems for short-range localization and life tracking applications, including system improvement, signal processing, as well as the emerging applications integrated with machine learning.
Comparison of Landsat and Land-Based Phenology Camera Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for Dominant Plant Communities in the Great Basin
Authors: Snyder Keirith A. , Huntington Justin L. , Wehan Bryce L. , Morton Charles G. , Stringham Tamzen K.
Published: March 2019

Phenology of plants is important for ecological interactions. The timing and development of green leaves, plant maturity, and senescence affects biophysical interactions of plants with the environment. In this study we explored the agreement between land-based camera and satellite-based phenology metrics to quantify plant phenology and phenophases dates in five plant community types characteristic of the semi-arid cold desert region of the Great Basin. Three years of data were analyzed. We calculated the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for both land-based cameras (i.e., phenocams) and Landsat imagery. NDVI from camera images was calculated by taking a standard RGB (red, green, and blue) image and then a near infrared (NIR) plus RGB image. Phenocam NDVI was calculated by extracting the red digital number (DN) and the NIR DN from images taken a few seconds apart. Landsat has a spatial resolution of 30 m2, while phenocam spatial resolution can be analyzed at the single pixel level at the scale of cm2 or area averaged regions can be analyzed with scales up to 1 km2. For this study, phenocam regions of interest were used that approximated the scale of at least one Landsat pixel. In the tall-statured pinyon and juniper woodland sites, there was a lack of agreement in NDVI between phenocam and Landsat NDVI, even after using National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery to account for fractional coverage of pinyon and juniper versus interspace in the phenocam data. Landsat NDVI appeared to be dominated by the signal from the interspace and was insensitive to subtle changes in the pinyon and juniper tree canopy. However, for short-statured sagebrush shrub and meadow communities, there was good agreement between the phenocam and Landsat NDVI as reflected in high Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r > 0.75). Due to greater temporal resolution of the phenocams with images taken daily, versus the 16-day return interval of Landsat, phenocam data provided more utility in determining important phenophase dates: start of season, peak of season, and end of season. More specific species-level information can be obtained with the high temporal resolution of phenocams, but only for a limited number of sites, while Landsat can provide the multi-decadal history and spatial coverage that is unmatched by other platforms. The agreement between Landsat and phenocam NDVI for short-statured plant communities of the Great Basin, shows promise for monitoring landscape and regional-level plant phenology across large areas and time periods, with phenocams providing a more comprehensive understanding of plant phenology at finer spatial scales, and Landsat extending the historical record of observations.
Adaptive Node Clustering Technique for Smart Ocean under Water Sensor Network (SOSNET)
Authors: Durrani Mehr Yahya , Tariq Rehan , Aadil Farhan , Maqsood Muazzam , Nam Yunyoung , Muhammad Khan
Published: March 2019

Smart ocean is a term broadly used for monitoring the ocean surface, sea habitat monitoring, and mineral exploration to name a few. Development of an efficient routing protocol for smart oceans is a non-trivial task because of various challenges, such as presence of tidal waves, multiple sources of noise, high propagation delay, and low bandwidth. In this paper, we have proposed a routing protocol named adaptive node clustering technique for smart ocean underwater sensor network (SOSNET). SOSNET employs a moth flame optimizer (MFO) based technique for selecting a near optimal number of clusters required for routing. MFO is a bio inspired optimization technique, which takes into account the movement of moths towards light. The SOSNET algorithm is compared with other bio inspired algorithms such as comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization (CLPSO), ant colony optimization (ACO), and gray wolf optimization (GWO). All these algorithms are used for routing optimization. The performance metrics used for this comparison are transmission range of nodes, node density, and grid size. These parameters are varied during the simulation, and the results indicate that SOSNET performed better than other algorithms.
Impacts of Internet of Things on Supply Chains: A Framework for Warehousing
Authors: Mostafa Noha , Hamdy Walaa , Alawady Hisham
Published: March 2019

The emergence of new digital industrial technology, known as Industry 4.0, has a positive impact on the performance of the supply chain. Warehouses are a basic part of the supply chain; they are used to store products and manage the inventory level. A sound warehouse management system can lead to cost reduction and also can improve customer satisfaction. Traditional warehouse management models have become less efficient and unsuitable for today’s increasing market requirements. For the past decades, information and communication technology has been used for warehouse management. This paper presents a new approach for warehouse management by utilizing one of the main pillars of Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things. This new technology enables the connection of several objects through collecting real-time data and sharing them; the resulting information can then be used to support automated decision-making. The architecture of this application is illustrated and its potential benefits are overviewed. A framework is proposed to implement this approach in warehousing management, which can help in providing real-time visibility of everything in the warehouse, increasing speed and efficiency, and preventing inventory shortage and counterfeiting. This proposal gives an effective roadmap for enterprises to improve their warehouses by using the Internet of Things.
Power and Public Space: A Historical Observation of Seoul Plaza
Authors: Kim Hyung Jin , Min Byoungwook
Published: March 2019

Power creates and changes space. Power may be various forms of authority, individual or social structure, complex situations or an unidentifiable force. This study focuses on understanding how power influences a space which is a social product of the exercise of power, thus re-defining power in spatial practices as an extensive introduction to the literature on power. This historical observation study conducts a case review on Seoul Plaza, a socio-political center of downtown Seoul, South Korea. A systematic review of widespread media coverage of the space and its events was performed, using newspaper articles and governmental database search systems for the time period from 1922 to 2016. Believing that power is as an endless structural process of competition and positing in which three social entities, authority, market and people, interplay towards an equilibrium stage of the process, this study concludes that a public space can be formed, transformed or characterized based on outcomes of such power competitions among social entities depending on their social status and how they are displayed.