bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consistency between In Situ, Model-Derived and High-Resolution-Image-Based Soil Temperature Endmembers: Towards a Robust Data-Based Model for Multi-Resolution Monitoring of Crop Evapotranspiration
Authors: Stefan Vivien , Merlin Olivier , Er-Raki Salah , Escorihuela Maria-José , Khabba Said
Published: August 2015

Due to their image-based nature, “contextual” approaches are very attractive to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) from remotely-sensed land surface temperature (LST) data. Their application is however limited to highly heterogeneous areas where the soil and vegetation temperature endmembers (Tends) can be observed at the thermal sensor resolution. This paper aims to develop a simple theoretical approach to estimate Tends independently from LST images. Soil Tends are simulated by a soil energy balance model forced by meteorological data. Vegetation Tends are obtained from soil Tends and air temperature. Model-derived soil Tends are first evaluated with in situ measurements made over an irrigated area in Morocco. The root mean square difference (RMSD) between modeled and ground-based soil Tends is estimated as 2.4 ºC. Model-derived soil Tends are next compared with the soil Tends retrieved from 90-m resolution ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) data collected over two irrigated areas in Mexico and Spain. Such a comparison reveals a strong consistency between model-derived and high-resolution image-based soil Tends. A recent contextual ET model (SEB-1S) is then applied to 90-m resolution and to 1-km resolution (aggregated) ASTER data using the model-derived or image-based Tends as the input. The RMSD between 90-m resolution SEB-1S and in situ ET is estimated as 65 and 82 W·m-2, and the RMSD between 1-km resolution SEB-1S and aggregated SEB-1S ET is estimated as 78 and 56 W·m-2, for the image-based and model-derived Tends, respectively. In light of the above results, Tends should be estimated a priori when contextual models are applied to low resolution images. Moreover, the consistency over highly heterogeneous areas between model-derived and high-resolution image-based Tends provides a meaningful basis for developing mixed modeling observational approaches.
Automatic In Situ Calibration of a Spinning Beam LiDAR System in Static and Kinematic Modes
Authors: Chan Ting , Lichti Derek
Published: August 2015

The Velodyne LiDAR series is one of the most popular spinning beam LiDAR systems currently available on the market. In this paper, the temporal stability of the range measurements of the Velodyne HDL-32E LiDAR system is first investigated as motivation for the development of a new automatic calibration method that allows quick and frequent recovery of the inherent time-varying errors. The basic principle of the method is that the LiDAR’s internal systematic error parameters are estimated by constraining point clouds of some known and automatically detected cylindrical features such as lamp poles to fit to the 3D cylinder models. This is analogous to the plumb-line calibration method in which the lens distortion parameters are estimated by constraining the image points of straight lines to fit to the 2D line model. The calibration can be performed at every measurement epoch in both static and kinematic modes. Four real datasets were used to verify the method, two of which were captured in static mode and the other two in kinematic mode. The overall results indicate that up to approximately 72% and 41% accuracy improvement were realized as a result of the calibration for the static and kinematic datasets, respectively.
Performance of Burn-Severity Metrics and Classification in Oak Woodlands and Grasslands
Authors: Stambaugh Michael , Hammer Lyndia , Godfrey Ralph
Published: August 2015

Burn severity metrics and classification have yet to be tested for many eastern U.S. deciduous vegetation types, but, if suitable, would be valuable for documenting and monitoring landscape-scale restoration projects that employ prescribed fire treatments. Here we present a performance analysis of the Composite Burn Index (CBI) and its relationship to spectral data (differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) and its relative form (RdNBR)) across an oak woodland - grassland landscape in southwestern Oklahoma, USA. Correlation and regression analyses were used to compare CBI strata, assess models describing burn severity, and determine thresholds for burn severity classes. Confusion matrices were used to assess burn severity classification accuracy. Our findings suggest that dNBR and RdNBR, thresholded using total CBI, can produce an accurate burn severity map in oak woodlands, particularly from an initial assessment period. Lower accuracies occurred for burn severity classifications of grasslands and raises questions related to definitions and detection of burn severity for grasslands, particularly in transition to more densely treed structures such as savannas and woodlands.
Building Façade Recognition Using Oblique Aerial Images
Authors: Yang Xiucheng , Qin Xuebin , Wang Jun , Wang Jianhua , Ye Xin , Qin Qiming
Published: August 2015

This study proposes a method to recognize façades from large-scale urban scenes based on multi-level image features utilizing a recently developed oblique aerial photogrammetry technique. The method involves the use of multi-level image features, a bottom-up feature extraction procedure to produce regions of interest through monoscopic analysis, and then a coarse-to-fine feature matching strategy to characterise and match the regions in a stereoscopic model. Feature extraction from typical urban Manhattan scenes is based on line segments. Windows are re-organised based on the spatial constraints of line segments and the homogeneous structure of the spectrum. Façades as regions of interest are successfully constructed with a remarkable single edge and evidence from windows to get rid of occlusion. Feature matching is hierarchically performed beginning from distinctive facades and regularly distributed windows to the sub-pixel point primitives. The proposed strategy can effectively solve ambiguity and multi-solution problems in the complex urban scene matching process, particularly repetitive and poor-texture façades in oblique view.
Aboveground-Biomass Estimation of a Complex Tropical Forest in India Using Lidar
Authors: Véga Cédric , Vepakomma Udayalakshmi , Morel Jules , Bader Jean-Luc , Rajashekar Gopalakrishnan , Jha Chandra , Ferêt Jérôme , Proisy Christophe , Pélissier Raphaël , Dadhwal Vinay
Published: August 2015

Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) is a state of the art technology to assess forest aboveground biomass (AGB). To date, methods developed to relate Lidar metrics with forest parameters were built upon the vertical component of the data. In multi-layered tropical forests, signal penetration might be restricted, limiting the efficiency of these methods. A potential way for improving AGB models in such forests would be to combine traditional approaches by descriptors of the horizontal canopy structure. We assessed the capability and complementarity of three recently proposed methods for assessing AGB at the plot level using point distributional approach (DM), canopy volume profile approach (CVP), 2D canopy grain approach (FOTO), and further evaluated the potential of a topographical complexity index (TCI) to explain part of the variability of AGB with slope. This research has been conducted in a mountainous wet evergreen tropical forest of Western Ghats in India. AGB biomass models were developed using a best subset regression approach, and model performance was assessed through cross-validation. Results demonstrated that the variability in AGB could be efficiently captured when variables describing both the vertical (DM or CVP) and horizontal (FOTO) structure were combined. Integrating FOTO metrics with those of either DM or CVP decreased the root mean squared error of the models by 4.42% and 6.01%, respectively. These results are of high interest for AGB mapping in the tropics and could significantly contribute to the REDD+ program. Model quality could be further enhanced by improving the robustness of field-based biomass models and influence of topography on area-based Lidar descriptors of the forest structure.
Distributed Density Estimation Based on a Mixture of Factor Analyzers in a Sensor Network
Authors: Wei Xin , Li Chunguang , Zhou Liang , Zhao Li
Published: August 2015

Distributed density estimation in sensor networks has received much attention due to its broad applicability. When encountering high-dimensional observations, a mixture of factor analyzers (MFA) is taken to replace mixture of Gaussians for describing the distributions of observations. In this paper, we study distributed density estimation based on a mixture of factor analyzers. Existing estimation algorithms of the MFA are for the centralized case, which are not suitable for distributed processing in sensor networks. We present distributed density estimation algorithms for the MFA and its extension, the mixture of Student’s t-factor analyzers (MtFA). We first define an objective function as the linear combination of local log-likelihoods. Then, we give the derivation process of the distributed estimation algorithms for the MFA and MtFA in details, respectively. In these algorithms, the local sufficient statistics (LSS) are calculated at first and diffused. Then, each node performs a linear combination of the received LSS from nodes in its neighborhood to obtain the combined sufficient statistics (CSS). Parameters of the MFA and the MtFA can be obtained by using the CSS. Finally, we evaluate the performance of these algorithms by numerical simulations and application example. Experimental results validate the promising performance of the proposed algorithms.
Occurrence and Concentrations of Toxic VOCs in the Ambient Air of Gumi, an Electronics-Industrial City in Korea
Authors: Baek Sung-Ok , Suvarapu Lakshmi , Seo Young-Kyo
Published: August 2015

This study was carried out to characterize the occurrence and concentrations of a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including aliphatic, aromatic, halogenated, nitrogenous, and carbonyl compounds, in the ambient air of Gumi City, where a large number of electronics industries are found. Two field monitoring campaigns were conducted for a one year period in 2003/2004 and 2010/2011 at several sampling sites in the city, representing industrial, residential and commercial areas. More than 80 individual compounds were determined in this study, and important compounds were then identified according to their abundance, ubiquity and toxicity. The monitoring data revealed toluene, trichloroethylene and acetaldehyde to be the most significant air toxics in the city, and their major sources were mainly industrial activities. On the other hand, there was no clear evidence of an industrial impact on the concentrations of benzene and formaldehyde in the ambient air of the city. Overall, seasonal variations were not as distinct as locational variations in the VOCs concentrations, whereas the within-day variations showed a typical pattern of urban air pollution, i.e., increase in the morning, decrease in the afternoon, and an increase again in the evening. Considerable decreases in the concentrations of VOCs from 2003 to 2011 were observed. The reductions in the ambient concentrations were confirmed further by the Korean PRTR data in industrial emissions within the city. Significant decreases in the concentrations of benzene and acetaldehyde were also noted, whereas formaldehyde appeared to be almost constant between the both campaigns. The decreased trends in the ambient levels were attributed not only to the stricter regulations for VOCs in Korea, but also to the voluntary agreement of major companies to reduce the use of organic solvents. In addition, a site planning project for an eco-friendly industrial complex is believed to play a contributory role in improving the air quality of the city.
The Thirty Gigahertz Instrument Receiver for the QUIJOTE Experiment: Preliminary Polarization Measurements and Systematic-Error Analysis
Authors: Casas Francisco , Ortiz David , Villa Enrique , Cano Juan , Cagigas Jaime , Pérez Ana , Aja Beatriz , Terán J. , Fuente Luisa , Artal Eduardo , Hoyland Roger , Génova-Santos Ricardo
Published: August 2015

This paper presents preliminary polarization measurements and systematic-error characterization of the Thirty Gigahertz Instrument receiver developed for the QUIJOTE experiment. The instrument has been designed to measure the polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background radiation from the sky, obtaining the Q, U, and I Stokes parameters of the incoming signal simultaneously. Two kinds of linearly polarized input signals have been used as excitations in the polarimeter measurement tests in the laboratory; these show consistent results in terms of the Stokes parameters obtained. A measurement-based systematic-error characterization technique has been used in order to determine the possible sources of instrumental errors and to assist in the polarimeter calibration process.
Investigating Driver Fatigue versus Alertness Using the Granger Causality Network
Authors: Kong Wanzeng , Lin Weicheng , Babiloni Fabio , Hu Sanqing , Borghini Gianluca
Published: August 2015

Driving fatigue has been identified as one of the main factors affecting drivers’ safety. The aim of this study was to analyze drivers’ different mental states, such as alertness and drowsiness, and find out a neurometric indicator able to detect drivers’ fatigue level in terms of brain networks. Twelve young, healthy subjects were recruited to take part in a driver fatigue experiment under different simulated driving conditions. The Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of the subjects were recorded during the whole experiment and analyzed by using Granger-Causality-based brain effective networks. It was that the topology of the brain networks and the brain’s ability to integrate information changed when subjects shifted from the alert to the drowsy stage. In particular, there was a significant difference in terms of strength of Granger causality (GC) in the frequency domain and the properties of the brain effective network i.e., causal flow, global efficiency and characteristic path length between such conditions. Also, some changes were more significant over the frontal brain lobes for the alpha frequency band. These findings might be used to detect drivers’ fatigue levels, and as reference work for future studies.
Simultaneous Detection of α-Fetoprotein and Carcinoembryonic Antigen Based on Si Nanowire Field-Effect Transistors
Authors: Zhu Kuiyu , Zhang Ye , Li Zengyao , Zhou Fan , Feng Kang , Dou Huiqiang , Wang Tong
Published: August 2015

Primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, resulting in death within six to 20 months. The survival rate can be improved by effective treatments when diagnosed at an early stage. The α-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) have been identified as markers that are expressed at higher levels in PHC patients. In this study, we employed silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (SiNW-FETs) with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels to simultaneously detect AFP and CEA in desalted human serum. Dual-channel PDMS was first utilized for the selective modification of AFP and CEA antibodies on SiNWs, while single-channel PDMS offers faster and more sensitive detection of AFP and CEA in serum. During the SiNW modification process, 0.1% BSA was utilized to minimize nonspecific protein binding from serum. The linear dynamic ranges for the AFP and CEA detection were measured to be 500 fg/mL to 50 ng/mL and 50 fg/mL to 10 ng/mL, respectively. Our work demonstrates the promising potential of fabricated SiNW-FETs as a direct detection kit for multiple tumor markers in serum; therefore, it provides a chance for early stage diagnose and, hence, more effective treatments for PHC patients.
A Hygroscopic Sensor Electrode for Fast Stabilized Non-Contact ECG Signal Acquisition
Authors: Fong Ee-May , Chung Wan-Young
Published: August 2015

A capacitive electrocardiography (cECG) technique using a non-invasive ECG measuring technology that does not require direct contact between the sensor and the skin has attracted much interest. The system encounters several challenges when the sensor electrode and subject’s skin are weakly coupled. Because there is no direct physical contact between the subject and any grounding point, there is no discharge path for the built-up electrostatic charge. Subsequently, the electrostatic charge build-up can temporarily contaminate the ECG signal from being clearly visible; a stabilization period (3–15 min) is required for the measurement of a clean, stable ECG signal at low humidity levels (below 55% relative humidity). Therefore, to obtain a clear ECG signal without noise and to reduce the ECG signal stabilization time to within 2 min in a dry ambient environment, we have developed a fabric electrode with embedded polymer (FEEP). The designed hygroscopic FEEP has an embedded superabsorbent polymer layer. The principle of FEEP as a conductive electrode is to provide humidity to the capacitive coupling to ensure strong coupling and to allow for the measurement of a stable, clear biomedical signal. The evaluation results show that hygroscopic FEEP is capable of rapidly measuring high-accuracy ECG signals with a higher SNR ratio.
Three Three-Axis IEPE Accelerometers on the Inner Liner of a Tire for Finding the Tire-Road Friction Potential Indicators
Authors: Niskanen Arto , Tuononen Ari
Published: August 2015

Direct tire-road contact friction estimation is essential for future autonomous cars and active safety systems. Friction estimation methods have been proposed earlier for driving conditions in the presence of a slip angle or slip ratio. However, the estimation of the friction from a freely-rolling tire is still an unsolved topic. Knowing the existing friction potential would be beneficial since vehicle control systems could be adjusted before any remarkable tire force has been produced. Since accelerometers are well-known and robust, and thus a promising sensor type for intelligent tires, this study uses three three-axis IEPE accelerometers on the inner liner of a tire to detect friction potential indicators on two equally smooth surfaces with different friction levels. The equal roughness was chosen for both surfaces in order to study the friction phenomena by neglecting the effect of surface texture on vibrations. The acceleration data before the contact is used to differentiate the two friction levels between the tire and the road. In addition, the contact lengths from the three accelerometers are used to validate the acceleration data. A method to differentiate the friction levels on the basis of the acceleration signal is also introduced.
Damage Detection Based on Static Strain Responses Using FBG in a Wind Turbine Blade
Authors: Tian Shaohua , Yang Zhibo , Chen Xuefeng , Xie Yong
Published: August 2015

The damage detection of a wind turbine blade enables better operation of the turbines, and provides an early alert to the destroyed events of the blade in order to avoid catastrophic losses. A new non-baseline damage detection method based on the Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in a wind turbine blade is developed in this paper. Firstly, the Chi-square distribution is proven to be an effective damage-sensitive feature which is adopted as the individual information source for the local decision. In order to obtain the global and optimal decision for the damage detection, the feature information fusion (FIF) method is proposed to fuse and optimize information in above individual information sources, and the damage is detected accurately through of the global decision. Then a 13.2 m wind turbine blade with the distributed strain sensor system is adopted to describe the feasibility of the proposed method, and the strain energy method (SEM) is used to describe the advantage of the proposed method. Finally results show that the proposed method can deliver encouraging results of the damage detection in the wind turbine blade.
Visual Sensing for Urban Flood Monitoring
Authors: Lo Shi-Wei , Wu Jyh-Horng , Lin Fang-Pang , Hsu Ching-Han
Published: August 2015

With the increasing climatic extremes, the frequency and severity of urban flood events have intensified worldwide. In this study, image-based automated monitoring of flood formation and analyses of water level fluctuation were proposed as value-added intelligent sensing applications to turn a passive monitoring camera into a visual sensor. Combined with the proposed visual sensing method, traditional hydrological monitoring cameras have the ability to sense and analyze the local situation of flood events. This can solve the current problem that image-based flood monitoring heavily relies on continuous manned monitoring. Conventional sensing networks can only offer one-dimensional physical parameters measured by gauge sensors, whereas visual sensors can acquire dynamic image information of monitored sites and provide disaster prevention agencies with actual field information for decision-making to relieve flood hazards. The visual sensing method established in this study provides spatiotemporal information that can be used for automated remote analysis for monitoring urban floods. This paper focuses on the determination of flood formation based on image-processing techniques. The experimental results suggest that the visual sensing approach may be a reliable way for determining the water fluctuation and measuring its elevation and flood intrusion with respect to real-world coordinates. The performance of the proposed method has been confirmed; it has the capability to monitor and analyze the flood status, and therefore, it can serve as an active flood warning system.
Designing a Microfluidic Device with Integrated Ratiometric Oxygen Sensors for the Long-Term Control and Monitoring of Chronic and Cyclic Hypoxia
Authors: Grist Samantha , Schmok Jonathan , Liu Meng-Chi , Chrostowski Lukas , Cheung Karen
Published: August 2015

Control of oxygen over cell cultures in vitro is a topic of considerable interest, as chronic and cyclic hypoxia can alter cell behaviour. Both static and transient hypoxic levels have been found to affect tumour cell behaviour; it is potentially valuable to include these effects in early, in vitro stages of drug screening. A barrier to their inclusion is that rates of transient hypoxia can be a few cycles/hour, which is difficult to reproduce in traditional in vitro cell culture environments due to long diffusion distances from control gases to the cells. We use a gas-permeable three-layer microfluidic device to achieve spatial and temporal oxygen control with biologically-relevant switching times. We measure the oxygen profiles with integrated, ratiometric optical oxygen sensors, demonstrate sensor and system stability over multi-day experiments, and characterize a pre-bleaching process to improve sensor stability. We show, with both finite-element modelling and experimental data, excellent control over the oxygen levels by the device, independent of fluid flow rate and oxygenation for the operating flow regime. We measure equilibration times of approximately 10 min, generate complex, time-varying oxygen profiles, and study the effects of oxygenated media flow rates on the measured oxygen levels. This device could form a useful tool for future long-term studies of cell behaviour under hypoxia.
Design and Implementation of Real-Time Vehicular Camera for Driver Assistance and Traffic Congestion Estimation
Authors: Son Sanghyun , Baek Yunju
Published: August 2015

As society has developed, the number of vehicles has increased and road conditions have become complicated, increasing the risk of crashes. Therefore, a service that provides safe vehicle control and various types of information to the driver is urgently needed. In this study, we designed and implemented a real-time traffic information system and a smart camera device for smart driver assistance systems. We selected a commercial device for the smart driver assistance systems, and applied a computer vision algorithm to perform image recognition. For application to the dynamic region of interest, dynamic frame skip methods were implemented to perform parallel processing in order to enable real-time operation. In addition, we designed and implemented a model to estimate congestion by analyzing traffic information. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated using images of a real road environment. We found that the processing time improved by 15.4 times when all the proposed methods were applied in the application. Further, we found experimentally that there was little or no change in the recognition accuracy when the proposed method was applied. Using the traffic congestion estimation model, we also found that the average error rate of the proposed model was 5.3%.
An Intelligent System Proposal for Improving the Safety and Accessibility of Public Transit by Highway
Authors: García Carmelo , Quesada-Arencibia Alexis , Cristóbal Teresa , Padrón Gabino , Pérez Ricardo , Alayón Francisco
Published: August 2015

The development of public transit systems that are accessible and safe for everyone, including people with special needs, is an objective that is justified from the civic and economic points of view. Unfortunately, public transit services are conceived for people who do not have reduced physical or cognitive abilities. In this paper, we present an intelligent public transit system by highway with the goal of facilitating access and improving the safety of public transit for persons with special needs. The system is deployed using components that are commonly available in transport infrastructure, e.g., sensors, mobile communications systems, and positioning systems. In addition, the system can operate in non-urban transport contexts, e.g., isolated rural areas, where the availability of basic infrastructure, such as electricity and communications infrastructures, is not always guaranteed. To construct the system, the principles and techniques of Ubiquitous Computing and Ambient Intelligence have been employed. To illustrate the utility of the system, two cases of services rendered by the system are described: the first case involves a surveillance system to guarantee accessibility at bus stops; the second case involves a route assistant for blind people.
Fuzzy Logic-Based Guaranteed Lifetime Protocol for Real-Time Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Shah Babar , Iqbal Farkhund , Abbas Ali , Kim Ki-Il
Published: August 2015

Few techniques for guaranteeing a network lifetime have been proposed despite its great impact on network management. Moreover, since the existing schemes are mostly dependent on the combination of disparate parameters, they do not provide additional services, such as real-time communications and balanced energy consumption among sensor nodes; thus, the adaptability problems remain unresolved among nodes in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). To solve these problems, we propose a novel fuzzy logic model to provide real-time communication in a guaranteed WSN lifetime. The proposed fuzzy logic controller accepts the input descriptors energy, time and velocity to determine each node’s role for the next duration and the next hop relay node for real-time packets. Through the simulation results, we verified that both the guaranteed network’s lifetime and real-time delivery are efficiently ensured by the new fuzzy logic model. In more detail, the above-mentioned two performance metrics are improved up to 8%, as compared to our previous work, and 14% compared to existing schemes, respectively.
An Exploration into Younger and Older Pedestrians’ Risky Behaviours at Train Level Crossings
Authors: Freeman James , McMaster Mitchell , Rakotonirainy Andry
Published: August 2015

Background: Younger and older pedestrians are both overrepresented in train-pedestrian injury and fatality collision databases. However, scant research has attempted to determine the factors that influence level crossing behaviours for these high risk groups. Method: Five focus groups were undertaken with a total of 27 younger and 17 older pedestrian level crossing users (N = 44). Due to the lack of research in the area, a focus group methodology was implemented to gain a deeper exploratory understanding into the sample’s decision making processes through a pilot study. The three main areas of enquiry were identifying the: (a) primary reasons for unsafe behaviour; (b) factors that deter this behaviour and (c) proposed interventions to improve pedestrian safety at level crossings in the future. Results: Common themes to emerge from both groups regarding the origins of unsafe behaviours were: running late and a fatalistic perspective that some accidents are inevitable. However, younger pedestrians were more likely to report motivators to be: (a) non-perception of danger; (b) impulsive risk taking; and (c) inattention. In contrast, older pedestrians reported their decisions to cross are influenced by mobility issues and sensory salience. Conclusion: The findings indicate that a range of factors influence pedestrian crossing behaviours. This paper will further outline the major findings of the research in regards to intervention development and future research direction.
Methodological Approach to the Energy Analysis of Unconstrained Historical Buildings
Authors: Burattini Chiara , Nardecchia Fabio , Bisegna Fabio , Cellucci Lucia , Gugliermetti Franco , Vollaro Andrea , Salata Ferdinando , Golasi Iacopo
Published: August 2015

The goal set by the EU of quasi-zero energy buildings is not easy to reach for a country like Italy, as it holds a wide number of UNESCO sites and most of them are entire historical old towns. This paper focuses on the problem of the improvement of energy performance of historical Italian architecture through simple interventions that respect the building without changing its shape and structure. The work starts from an energy analysis of a building located in the historic center of Tivoli, a town close to Rome. The analysis follows the recommendations of the UNI TS 11300-Part1, which indicates how to evaluate the energy consumptions. The calculations were performed only on the building envelope, based on passive solutions and alternatives. Four passive strategies were examined and applied based on the location of the building and the non-alteration of the structure and the landscape. The obtained results impacted positively on the energy performance of the building: the annual energy saving reached a maximum value of 25%. This work shows how it is possible to improve the energy performance of an existing building achieving a significant energy saving with the respect of the building architecture, shape, function and the surrounding landscape.
Application of Environmental Change Efficiency to the Sustainability of Urban Development at the Neighborhood Level
Authors: Kuo Hsing-Fu , Tsou Ko-Wan
Published: August 2015

This study describes a new assessment model framework, termed the driving forces-pressure-state-impact-policy and pattern (DPSIP) model, for environmental change efficiency in urban land development, based on urban sustainable development and the theory of economic efficiency evaluation. A spatial and measurable efficiency value is defined for environmental changes in urban land development, which provides a comprehensive evaluation index for the efficiency of urban development and its environmental impact. This type of urban interior sustainability is considered new within the context of global environmental changes. We identify nine important indicators to evaluate the relative efficiency of 233 neighborhoods in Tainan, Taiwan. The results indicate that the average environmental change efficiency is 89.44%, which shows clear spatial differentiation. The key indicators affecting the efficiency score are area, population density, location, mixed land uses, the floor area ratio, and the impervious ratio. In the future, urban design can reduce environmental impacts and enhance efficiency values.
Computational and Experimental Investigation for an Optimal Design of Industrial Windows to Allow Natural Ventilation during Wind-Driven Rain
Authors: Prueksakorn Kritana , Piao Cheng-Xu , Ha Hyunchul , Kim Taehyeung
Published: August 2015

With an increased awareness of sustainability issues, natural ventilation has become an elegant method for reducing the costs and environmental effects of the energy that is used to maintain comfortable indoor air quality rather than using mechanical ventilation. The windows in many industrial buildings are continuously open to exhaust pollutants and intake fresh air. Though windows are functional and efficient for natural ventilation, rainwater is able to penetrate through the windows during wind-driven rain. For industries in which the moisture content affects the quality of the product, the intrusion of a large amount of rainwater through windows must be prevented without compromising the effective ventilation. The aim of this research is to determine an innovative design for windows to accomplish the optimum of high ventilation and low rain penetration. For this purpose, windows are variously innovated and tested in full-scale measurements, reduced-scale wind-tunnel measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). An artificial rain and wind velocity to mimic the average of the maximum values in Korea are created. The maximum reduction in rain penetration of over 98% compared to basic 90° open windows is attained with only a 4%–9% decrement of ventilation efficiency in the two recommended designs.
Adaptive Cycle as a Tool to Select Resilient Patterns of Rural Development
Authors: Salvia Rosanna , Quaranta Giovanni
Published: August 2015

Changes in agriculture, including simultaneous intensification and abandonment, have significantly shaped the evolution of rural areas. The assessment of resilience in agricultural systems could provide insights into the ability of many rural areas to survive and regain competitiveness following disturbances. The aim of this study is to use the adaptive cycle heuristic as a diagnostic tool to study dynamics of change in two agricultural sectors (durum wheat/sheep and goat farming) in the Basilicata region of Southern Italy over the last seventy years. The heuristic was applied through a participatory approach in a community of stakeholders who have conceived, in collaboration with researchers, the Manifesto “Let’s Think Basilicata” as a regional instrument of analysis and a laboratory of ideas and development of proposals. Despite some methodological difficulties, the adaptive cycle heuristic proved useful to describe processes of change in the socio-ecological system and could have enormous potential in shaping policy instruments for rural areas. However, much greater research is needed, both in terms of theory and methodology, before policy impacts on resilience in socio-ecological systems can be fully understood.
Sustainability of Water Safety Plans Developed in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Rondi Luca , Sorlini Sabrina , Collivignarelli Maria
Published: August 2015

In developing countries, the drinking water supply is still an open issue. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 68% of the population has access to improved sources of drinking water. Moreover, some regions are affected by geogenic contaminants (e.g., fluoride and arsenic) and the lack of access to sanitation facilities and hygiene practices causes high microbiological contamination of drinking water in the supply chain. The Water Safety Plan (WSP) approach introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2004 is now under development in several developing countries in order to face up to these issues. The WSP approach was elaborated within two cooperation projects implemented in rural areas of Burkina Faso and Senegal by two Italian NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations). In order to evaluate its sustainability, a questionnaire based on five different sustainability elements and a cost and time consumption evaluation were carried out and applied in both the case studies. Results demonstrated that the questionnaire can provide a useful and interesting overview regarding the sustainability of the WSP; however, further surveys in the field are recommended for gathering more information. Time and costs related to the WSP elaboration, implementation, and management were demonstrated not to be negligible and above all strongly dependent on water quality and the water supply system complexity.
Sustaining a Korean Traditional Rural Landscape in the Context of Cultural Landscape
Authors: Jung Hae-Joon , Ryu Je-Hun
Published: August 2015

Traditional rural landscapes emerged from the long term interaction of the natural and anthropogenic environment. These landscapes are now threatened by drastic social-ecological changes. Recent international trends on sustaining cultural landscapes place great emphasis on understanding of multiple values, presented in the landscape, by considering various stakeholder perspectives. It is now recognized that strong community engagement with the landscape should be translated into conservation and management practices. This paper aims to examine the recent conservation activities around endangered traditional rural landscapes in Korea through a case study of Gacheon village. In this village, since 2000, a series of central administrative measures have been implemented to revive the local community, and to conserve its distinctive landscape. By analyzing challenges to the site, by discussing conservation experience and lessons, and by recommending future strategies for sustaining its cultural landscapes, this paper is expected to provide a basis for future policy-making for safeguarding traditional rural landscapes.
The Water Footprint of Data Centers
Authors: Ristic Bora , Madani Kaveh , Makuch Zen
Published: August 2015

The internet and associated Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are diffusing at an astounding pace. As data centers (DCs) proliferate to accommodate this rising demand, their environmental impacts grow too. While the energy efficiency of DCs has been researched extensively, their water footprint (WF) has so far received little to no attention. This article conducts a preliminary WF accounting for cooling and energy consumption in DCs. The WF of DCs is estimated to be between 1047 and 151,061 m3/TJ. Outbound DC data traffic generates a WF of 1–205 liters per gigabyte (roughly equal to the WF of 1 kg of tomatos at the higher end). It is found that, typically, energy consumption constitues by far the greatest share of DC WF, but the level of uncertainty associated with the WF of different energy sources used by DCs makes a comprehensive assessment of DCs’ water use efficiency very challenging. Much better understanding of DC WF is urgently needed if a meaningful evaluation of this rapidly spreading service technology is to be gleaned and response measures are to be put into effect.
Lie and Conditional Symmetries of a Class of Nonlinear (1 + 2)-Dimensional Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Cherniha Roman , King John
Published: August 2015

A new definition of conditional invariance for boundary value problems involving a wide range of boundary conditions (including initial value problems as a special case) is proposed. It is shown that other definitions worked out in order to find Lie symmetries of boundary value problems with standard boundary conditions, followed as particular cases from our definition. Simple examples of direct applicability to the nonlinear problems arising in applications are demonstrated. Moreover, the successful application of the definition for the Lie and conditional symmetry classification of a class of (1 + 2)-dimensional nonlinear boundary value problems governed by the nonlinear diffusion equation in a semi-infinite domain is realised. In particular, it is proven that there is a special exponent, k ≠ -2, for the power diffusivity uk when the problem in question with non-vanishing flux on the boundary admits additional Lie symmetry operators compared to the case k ≠ -2. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the symmetries derived, they are used for reducing the nonlinear problems with power diffusivity uk and a constant non-zero flux on the boundary (such problems are common in applications and describing a wide range of phenomena) to (1 + 1)-dimensional problems. The structure and properties of the problems obtained are briefly analysed. Finally, some results demonstrating how Lie invariance of the boundary value problem in question depends on the geometry of the domain are presented.
Asymmetry Assessment Using Surface Topography in Healthy Adolescents
Authors: Ho Connie , Parent Eric , Watkins Elise , Moreau Marc , Hedden Douglas , El-Rich Marwan , Adeeb Samer
Published: August 2015

The ability to assess geometric asymmetry in the torsos of individuals is important for detecting Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). A markerless technique using Surface Topography (ST) has been introduced as a non-invasive alternative to standard diagnostic radiographs. The technique has been used to identify asymmetry patterns associated with AIS. However, the presence and nature of asymmetries in the healthy population has not been properly studied. The purpose of this study is therefore to identify asymmetries and potential relationships to development factors such as age, gender, hand dominance and unilateral physical activity in healthy adolescents. Full torso scans of 83 participants were analyzed. Using Geomagic, deviation contour maps (DCMs) were created by reflecting the torso along the best plane of sagittal symmetry with each spectrum normalized. Two classes of asymmetry were observed: twist and thickness each with subgroupings. Averaged interobserver and intraobserver Kappas for twist subgroupings were 0.84 and 0.84, respectively, and for thickness subgroupings were 0.53 and 0.63 respectively. Further significant relationships were observed between specific types of asymmetry and gender such as females displaying predominately twist asymmetry, and males with thickness asymmetry. However, no relationships were found between type of asymmetry and age, hand dominance or unilateral physical activity. Understanding asymmetries in healthy subjects will continue to enhance assessment ability of the markerless ST technique.
Determination of Ochratoxin A in Wheat and Maize by Solid Bar Microextraction with Liquid Chromatography and Fluorescence Detection
Authors: Al-Hadithi Nabil , Kössler Philip , Karlovsky Petr
Published: August 2015

Solid bar microextraction (SBME), followed by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD), for the quantification of ochratoxin A in wheat and maize was developed. Ground wheat and maize grains were extracted with acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (79:20:1, v/v/v), followed by defatting with cyclohexane, and subjected to SBME-LC-FLD analysis. SBME devices were constructed by packing 2 mg sorbent (C18) into porous polypropylene micro-tubes (2.5 cm length, 600 μm i.d., and 0.2 μm pore size). SBME devices were conditioned with methanol and placed into 5 mL stirred sample solutions for 70 min. After extraction, OTA was desorbed into 200 μL of methanol for 15 min, the solution was removed in vacuum, the residue was dissolved in 50 μL of methanol-water (1:1, v/v) and ochratoxin A content was determined by HPLC-FLD. Under optimized extraction conditions, the limit of detection of 0.9 μg·kg−1 and 2.5 μg·kg−1 and the precision of 3.4% and 5.0% over a concentration range of 1 to 100 μg·kg−1 in wheat and maize flour, respectively, were obtained.
Increased Proinflammatory Cytokine Production and Decreased Cholesterol Efflux Due to Downregulation of ABCG1 in Macrophages Exposed to Indoxyl Sulfate
Authors: Matsuo Koji , Yamamoto Suguru , Wakamatsu Takuya , Takahashi Yoshimitsu , Kawamura Kazuko , Kaneko Yoshikatsu , Goto Shin , Kazama Junichiro , Narita Ichiei
Published: August 2015

One of the possible causes of enhanced atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the accumulation of uremic toxins. Since macrophage foam cell formation is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, we examined the direct effect of indoxyl sulfate (IS), a representative uremic toxin, on macrophage function. Macrophages differentiated from THP-1 cells were exposed to IS in vitro. IS decreased the cell viability of THP-1 derived macrophages but promoted the production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IS 1.0 mM: 101.8 ± 21.8 pg/mL vs. 0 mM: 7.0 ± 0.3 pg/mL, TNF-α, IS 1.0 mM: 96.6 ± 11.0 pg/mL vs. 0 mM: 15.1 ± 3.1 pg/mL) and reactive oxygen species. IS reduced macrophage cholesterol efflux (IS 0.5 mM: 30.3% ± 7.3% vs. 0 mM: 43.5% ± 1.6%) and decreased ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 expression. However, lipid uptake into cells was not enhanced. A liver X receptor (LXR) agonist, T0901317, improved IS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines as well as reduced cholesterol efflux. In conclusion, IS induced inflammatory reactions and reduced cholesterol efflux in macrophages. Both effects of IS were improved with activation of LXR. Direct interactions of uremic toxins with macrophages may be a major cause of atherosclerosis acceleration in patients with CKD.
Generalized ƒ(R,Φ, X) Gravity and the Late-Time Cosmic Acceleration
Authors: Bahamonde Sebastian , Böhmer Christian , Lobo Francisco , Sáez-Gómez Diego
Published: August 2015

High-precision observational data have confirmed with startling evidence that the Universe is currently undergoing a phase of accelerated expansion. This phase, one of the most important and challenging current problems in cosmology, represents a new imbalance in the governing gravitational equations. Historically, physics has addressed such imbalances by either identifying sources that were previously unaccounted for or by altering the gravitational theory. Several candidates, responsible for this expansion, have been proposed in the literature, in particular dark energy models and modified gravity models, amongst others. Outstanding questions are related to the nature of this so-called “dark energy” that is driving this acceleration, and whether it is due to the vacuum energy or a dynamical field. On the other hand, the late-time cosmic acceleration may be due to modifications of general relativity. In this work, we explore a generalised modified gravity theory, namely ƒ(R,Φ, X) gravity, where R is the Ricci scalar, R is a scalar field and X is a kinetic term. This theory contains a wide range of dark energy and modified gravity models. We considered specific models and applications to the late-time cosmic acceleration.
Autophagy Activated by Bluetongue Virus Infection Plays a Positive Role in Its Replication
Authors: Lv Shuang , Xu Qingyuan , Sun Encheng , Yang Tao , Li Junping , Feng Yufei , Zhang Qin , Wang Haixiu , Zhang Jikai , Wu Donglai
Published: August 2015

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an important pathogen of wild and domestic ruminants. Despite extensive study in recent decades, the interplay between BTV and host cells is not clearly understood. Autophagy as a cellular adaptive response plays a part in many viral infections. In our study, we found that BTV1 infection triggers the complete autophagic process in host cells, as demonstrated by the appearance of obvious double-membrane autophagosome-like vesicles, GFP-LC3 dots accumulation, the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and increased levels of autophagic flux in BSR cells (baby hamster kidney cell clones) and primary lamb lingual epithelial cells upon BTV1 infection. Moreover, the results of a UV-inactivated BTV1 infection assay suggested that the induction of autophagy was dependent on BTV1 replication. Therefore, we investigated the role of autophagy in BTV1 replication. The inhibition of autophagy by pharmacological inhibitors (3-MA, CQ) and RNA interference (siBeclin1) significantly decreased viral protein synthesis and virus yields. In contrast, treating BSR cells with rapamycin, an inducer of autophagy, promoted viral protein expression and the production of infectious BTV1. These findings lead us to conclude that autophagy is activated by BTV1 and contributes to its replication, and provide novel insights into BTV-host interactions.