bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Some Novel Pyrrolizine Derivatives as COX Inhibitors with Anti-Inflammatory/Analgesic Activities and Low Ulcerogenic Liability
Authors: Gouda Ahmed , Ali Hamed , Almalki Waleed , Azim Mohamed , Abourehab Mohammed , Abdelazeem Ahmed
Published: February 2016

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory and pain relief medications. However, their use is associated with many drawbacks, including mainly serious gastric and renal complications. In an attempt to circumvent these risks, a set of N-(4-bromophenyl)-7-cyano-6-substituted-H-pyrrolizine-5-carboxamide derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated as dual COX/5-LOX inhibitors. The structural elucidation, in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities using a carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model and hot plate assay, were performed, respectively. From the results obtained, it was found that the newly synthesized pyrrolizines exhibited IC50 values in the range of 2.45–5.69 µM and 0.85–3.44 µM for COX-1 and COX-2, respectively. Interestingly, compounds 12, 13, 16 and 17 showed higher anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities compared to ibuprofen. Among these derivatives, compounds 16 and 19 displayed better safety profile than ibuprofen in acute ulcerogenicity and histopathological studies. Furthermore, the docking studies revealed that compound 17 fits nicely into COX-1 and COX-2 binding sites with the highest binding affinity, while compound 16 exerted the highest binding affinity for 5-LOX. In light of these findings, these novel pyrrolizine-5-carboxamide derivatives represent a promising scaffold for further development into potential dual COX/5-LOX inhibitors with safer gastric profile.
A Continuous Procedure Based on Column Chromatography to Purify Anthocyanins from Schisandra chinensis by a Macroporous Resin plus Gel Filtration Chromatography
Authors: Yue Daran , Yang Lei , Liu Shouxin , Li Jian , Li Wei , Ma Chunhui
Published: February 2016

In our previous study, as natural food colorants and antioxidants, the color and content stabilities of Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) anthocyanins were investigated. In this work, the purification process parameters of S. chinensis anthocyanins using a macroporous resin and gel filtration chromatography were evaluated. The optimized parameters of static adsorption and desorption were as follows. The selected resin is HPD-300 (nonpolar copolymer styrene type resin), and the anthocyanins adsorption saturation capacity of HPD-300 resin was 0.475 mg/g dry resin. Adsorption time was 4 h, and 0.517 mg/mL of S. chinensis anthocyanins was adsorbed on the resin column with a flow rate of 39 mL/h (3 BV/h). After adsorption, the anthocyanins were completely desorpted with 2.5 BV of 90% (v/v) ethanol solution, and the desorption flow rate was 13 mL/h (1 BV/h). After purification by dynamic adsorption and desorption, the anthocyanins content in the effluent increased from 47.6 mg/g to 128.4 mg/g, the purity of anthocyanins increased six-fold from 5.08% to 30.43%, and the anthocyanins recovery was 96.5%. The major constituent of S. chinensis anthocyanins was isolated with Bio-Gel P2 gel filtration chromatography, and it was detected by liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) as cyanidin-3-O-xylosylrutinoside. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of S. chinensis anthocyanins were investigated. After purification using the HPD-300 resin, the antioxidant activities of anthocyanins were increased 1.2-fold (FRAP) and 1.7-fold (ABTS).
Identification and Determination of the Polyhydroxylated Alkaloids Compounds with α-Glucosidase Inhibitor Activity in Mulberry Leaves of Different Origins
Authors: Ji Tao , Li Jun , Su Shu-Lan , Zhu Zhen-Hua , Guo Sheng , Qian Da-Wei , Duan Jin-Ao
Published: February 2016

Mulberry leaves have commonly been utilized in China as a herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes for thousands of years. To evaluate the quality, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) method was developed for identification of polyhydroxylated alkaloids with α-glucosidase inhibitor activity in mulberry leaf. As a result, five alkaloid compounds were identiﬁed or tentatively characterized. Among them, the compound 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) was selected as the most typical and active chemical marker and quantiﬁed using an improved high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) normal phase coupled with evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) method. The developed method was fully validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision and repeatability, as well as recovery, and subsequently applied to evaluate twenty-nine batches of mulberry leaves from different collections. From the analytical data it was discovered that the average content of DNJ is 1.53 mg/g, while the total contents of DNJ in the 29 mulberry leaf sample ranged from 0.20 to 3.88 mg/g, which suggested remarkable differences, although it reached the highest levels in early August. These data may provide an important reference for the quality of mulberry leaves used as herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes or as a material to obtain the DNJ of α-glucosidase inhibitor or as a functional food.
Selenium and Metabolic Disorders: An Emphasis on Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Authors: Ogawa-Wong Ashley N. , Berry Marla J. , Seale Lucia A.
Published: February 2016

Selenium (Se) is a micronutrient that maintains biological functions through the action of Se containing proteins known as selenoproteins. Due to the known antioxidant effects of Se, supplements containing Se have been on the rise. While Se supplementation may be beneficial for Se deficient populations, few are at risk for Se deficiency due to the transportation of food from Se-rich regions and the rise of Se-enriched foods. Alarmingly, Se supplementation may have adverse effects in people who already receive an adequate Se supply. Specifically, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes has been reported in individuals with high baseline Se levels. However, this effect was restricted to males, suggesting the relationship between Se and glucose homeostasis may be sexually dimorphic. This review will discuss the current understanding of the interaction between Se and glucose homeostasis, including any sex differences that have been described.
A Common Variant in the SETD7 Gene Predicts Serum Lycopene Concentrations
Authors: D’Adamo Christopher R. , D’Urso Antonietta , Ryan Kathleen A. , Yerges-Armstrong Laura M. , Semba Richard D. , Steinle Nanette I. , Mitchell Braxton D. , Shuldiner Alan R. , McArdle Patrick F.
Published: February 2016

Dietary intake and higher serum concentrations of lycopene have been associated with lower incidence of prostate cancer and other chronic diseases. Identifying determinants of serum lycopene concentrations may thus have important public health implications. Prior studies have suggested that serum lycopene concentrations are under partial genetic control. The goal of this research was to identify genetic predictors of serum lycopene concentrations using the genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach among a sample of 441 Old Order Amish adults that consumed a controlled diet. Linear regression models were utilized to evaluate associations between genetic variants and serum concentrations of lycopene. Variant rs7680948 on chromosome 4, located in the intron region of the SETD7 gene, was significantly associated with serum lycopene concentrations (p = 3.41 × 10−9). Our findings also provided nominal support for the association previously noted between SCARB1 and serum lycopene concentrations, although with a different SNP (rs11057841) in the region. This study identified a novel locus associated with serum lycopene concentrations and our results raise a number of intriguing possibilities regarding the nature of the relationship between SETD7 and lycopene, both of which have been independently associated with prostate cancer. Further investigation into this relationship might help provide greater mechanistic understanding of these associations.
Propofol and AZD3043 Inhibit Adult Muscle and Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes
Authors: Jonsson Fagerlund Malin , Krupp Johannes , Dabrowski Michael
Published: February 2016

Propofol is a widely used general anaesthetic with muscle relaxant properties. Similarly as propofol, the new general anaesthetic AZD3043 targets the GABAA receptor for its anaesthetic effects, but the interaction with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has not been investigated. Notably, there is a gap of knowledge about the interaction between propofol and the nAChRs found in the adult neuromuscular junction. The objective was to evaluate whether propofol or AZD3043 interact with the α1β1δε, α3β2, or α7 nAChR subtypes that can be found in the neuromuscular junction and if there are any differences in affinity for those subtypes between propofol and AZD3043. Human nAChR subtypes α1β1δε, α3β2, and α7 were expressed into Xenopus oocytes and studied with an automated voltage-clamp. Propofol and AZD3043 inhibited ACh-induced currents in all of the nAChRs studied with inhibitory concentrations higher than those needed for general anaesthesia. AZD3043 was a more potent inhibitor at the adult muscle nAChR subtype compared to propofol. Propofol and AZD3043 inhibit nAChR subtypes that can be found in the adult NMJ in concentrations higher than needed for general anaesthesia. This finding needs to be evaluated in an in vitro nerve-muscle preparation and suggests one possible explanation for the muscle relaxant effect of propofol seen during higher doses.
A Study on How Industrial Pharmacists Rank Competences for Pharmacy Practice: A Case for Industrial Pharmacy Specialization
Authors: Atkinson Jeffrey , De Paepe Kristien , Pozo Antonio , Rekkas Dimitrios , Volmer Daisy , Hirvonen Jouni , Bozic Borut , Skowron Agnieska , Mircioiu Constantin , Marcincal Annie , Koster Andries , Wilson Keith , Van Schravendijk Chris
Published: February 2016

This paper looks at the way in which industrial pharmacists rank the fundamental competences for pharmacy practice. European industrial pharmacists (n = 135) ranked 68 competences for practice, arranged into 13 clusters of two types (personal and patient care). Results show that, compared to community pharmacists (n = 258), industrial pharmacists rank competences centering on research, development and production of drugs higher, and those centering on patient care lower. Competences centering on values, communication skills, etc. were ranked similarly by the two groups of pharmacists. These results are discussed in the light of the existence or not of an “industrial pharmacy” specialization.
Comparison of the Calibration Algorithms and SI Traceability of MODIS, VIIRS, GOES, and GOES-R ABI Sensors
Authors: Datla Raju , Shao Xi , Cao Changyong , Wu Xiangqian
Published: February 2016

The radiometric calibration equations for the thermal emissive bands (TEB) and the reflective solar bands (RSB) measurements of the earth scenes by the polar satellite sensors, (Terra and Aqua) MODIS and Suomi NPP (VIIRS), and geostationary sensors, GOES Imager and the GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) are analyzed towards calibration algorithm harmonization on the basis of SI traceability which is one of the goals of the NOAA National Calibration Center (NCC). One of the overarching goals of NCC is to provide knowledge base on the NOAA operational satellite sensors and recommend best practices for achieving SI traceability for the radiance measurements on-orbit. As such, the calibration methodologies of these satellite optical sensors are reviewed in light of the recommended practice for radiometric calibration at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The equivalence of some of the spectral bands in these sensors for their end products is presented. The operational and calibration features of the sensors for on-orbit observation of radiance are also compared in tabular form. This review is also to serve as a quick cross reference to researchers and analysts on how the observed signals from these sensors in space are converted to radiances.
“Use of 3D Point Clouds in Geohazards” Special Issue: Current Challenges and Future Trends
Authors: Abellan Antonio , Derron Marc-Henri , Jaboyedoff Michel
Published: February 2016

The fast proliferation of new satellite, aerial and terrestrial remote sensing techniques has undoubtedly provided new technological and scientific opportunities to society during the last few decades. [...]
Airborne Hyperspectral Data Predict Fine-Scale Plant Species Diversity in Grazed Dry Grasslands
Authors: Möckel Thomas , Dalmayne Jonas , Schmid Barbara , Prentice Honor , Hall Karin
Published: February 2016

Semi-natural grasslands with grazing management are characterized by high fine-scale species richness and have a high conservation value. The fact that fine-scale surveys of grassland plant communities are time-consuming may limit the spatial extent of ground-based diversity surveys. Remote sensing tools have the potential to support field-based sampling and, if remote sensing data are able to identify grassland sites that are likely to support relatively higher or lower levels of species diversity, then field sampling efforts could be directed towards sites that are of potential conservation interest. In the present study, we examined whether aerial hyperspectral (414–2501 nm) remote sensing can be used to predict fine-scale plant species diversity (characterized as species richness and Simpson’s diversity) in dry grazed grasslands. Vascular plant species were recorded within 104 (4 m × 4 m) plots on the island of Öland (Sweden) and each plot was characterized by a 245-waveband hyperspectral data set. We used two different modeling approaches to evaluate the ability of the airborne spectral measurements to predict within-plot species diversity: (1) a spectral response approach, based on reflectance information from (i) all wavebands, and (ii) a subset of wavebands, analyzed with a partial least squares regression model, and (2) a spectral heterogeneity approach, based on the mean distance to the spectral centroid in an ordinary least squares regression model. Species diversity was successfully predicted by the spectral response approach (with an error of ca. 20%) but not by the spectral heterogeneity approach. When using the spectral response approach, iterative selection of important wavebands for the prediction of the diversity measures simplified the model but did not improve its predictive quality (prediction error). Wavebands sensitive to plant pigment content (400–700 nm) and to vegetation structural properties, such as above-ground biomass (700–1300 nm), were identified as being the most important predictors of plant species diversity. We conclude that hyperspectral remote sensing technology is able to identify fine-scale variation in grassland diversity and has a potential use as a tool in surveys of grassland plant diversity.
Deformation and Source Parameters of the 2015 Mw 6.5 Earthquake in Pishan, Western China, from Sentinel-1A and ALOS-2 Data
Authors: Wen Yangmao , Xu Caijun , Liu Yang , Jiang Guoyan
Published: February 2016

In this study, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) was used to determine the seismogenic fault and slip distribution of the 3 July 2015 Pishan earthquake in the Tarim Basin, western China. We obtained a coseismic deformation map from the ascending and descending Sentinel-1A satellite Terrain Observation with Progressive Scans (TOPS) mode and the ascending Advanced Land Observation Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) satellite Fine mode InSAR data. The maximum ground uplift and subsidence were approximately 13.6 cm and 3.2 cm, respectively. Our InSAR observations associated with focal mechanics indicate that the source fault dips to southwest (SW). Further nonlinear inversions show that the dip angle of the seimogenic fault is approximate 24°, with a strike of 114°, which is similar with the strike of the southeastern Pishan fault. However, this fault segment responsible for the Pishan event has not been mapped before. Our finite fault model reveals that the peak slip of 0.89 m occurred at a depth of 11.6 km, with substantial slip at a depth of 9–14 km and a near-uniform slip of 0.2 m at a depth of 0–7 km. The estimated moment magnitude was approximately Mw 6.5, consistent with seismological results.
Assessment of GPM-IMERG and Other Precipitation Products against Gauge Data under Different Topographic and Climatic Conditions in Iran: Preliminary Results
Authors: Sharifi Ehsan , Steinacker Reinhold , Saghafian Bahram
Published: February 2016

The new generation of weather observatory satellites, namely Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) constellation satellites, is the lead observatory of the 10 highly advanced earth orbiting weather research satellites. Indeed, GPM is the first satellite that has been designed to measure light rain and snowfall, in addition to heavy tropical rainfall. This work compares the final run of the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) product, the post real time of TRMM and Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA-3B42) and the Era-Interim product from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) against the Iran Meteorological Organization (IMO) daily precipitation measured by the synoptic rain-gauges over four regions with different topography and climate conditions in Iran. Assessment is implemented for a one-year period from March 2014 to February 2015. Overall, in daily scale the results reveal that all three products lead to underestimation but IMERG performs better than other products and underestimates precipitation slightly in all four regions. Based on monthly and seasonal scale, in Guilan all products, in Bushehr and Kermanshah ERA-Interim and in Tehran IMERG and ERA-Interim tend to underestimate. The correlation coefficient between IMERG and the rain-gauge data in daily scale is far superior to that of Era-Interim and TMPA-3B42. On the basis of daily timescale of bias in comparison with the ground data, the IMERG product far outperforms ERA-Interim and 3B42 products. According to the categorical verification technique in this study, IMERG yields better results for detection of precipitation events on the basis of Probability of Detection (POD), Critical Success Index (CSI) and False Alarm Ratio (FAR) in those areas with stratiform and orographic precipitation, such as Tehran and Kermanshah, compared with other satellite/model data sets. In particular, for heavy precipitation (>15 mm/day), IMERG is superior to the other products in all study areas and could be used in future for meteorological and hydrological models, etc.
Wide-Area Landslide Deformation Mapping with Multi-Path ALOS PALSAR Data Stacks: A Case Study of Three Gorges Area, China
Authors: Shi Xuguo , Liao Mingsheng , Li Menghua , Zhang Lu , Cunningham Cory
Published: February 2016

In recent years, satellite synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) has been adopted as a spaceborne geodetic tool to successfully measure surface deformation of a few well-known landslides in the Three Gorges area. In consideration of the fact that most events of slope failure happened at places other than those famous landslides since the reservoir impoundment in 2003, focusing on a limited number of slopes is insufficient to meet the requirements of regional-scale landslide disaster prevention and early warning. As a result, it has become a vital task to evaluate the overall stability of slopes across the vast area of Three Gorges using wide-coverage InSAR datasets. In this study, we explored the approach of carrying out joint analysis of multi-path InSAR data stacks for wide-area landslide deformation mapping. As an example, three ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite) PALSAR (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar) data stacks of neighboring ascending paths covering the area along the Yangtze River from Fengjie to Zigui were analyzed. A key problem to be solved is the separation of the tropospheric signal from the interferometric phase, for which we employed a hybrid description model of the atmospheric phase screen (APS) to improve APS estimation from time series interferograms. The estimated atmospheric phase was largely correlated with the seasonal rainfall in the temporal dimension. The experimental results show that about 30 slopes covering total areas of 48 km2 were identified to be landslides in active deformation and should be kept under routine surveillance. Analyses of time series displacement measurements revealed that most landslides in the mountainous area far away from Yangtze River suffered from linear deformation, whereas landslides located on the river bank were destabilized predominantly by the influences of reservoir water level fluctuation and rainfall.
Soumi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band Stray Light Characterization and Correction Using Calibration View Data
Authors: Lee Shihyan , Cao Changyong
Published: February 2016

The Soumi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (DNB) nighttime imagery quality is affected by stray light contamination. In this study, we examined the relationship between the Earth scene stray light and the signals in VIIRS’s calibrators to better understand stray light characteristics and to improve upon the current correction method. Our analyses showed the calibrator signal to be highly predictive of Earth scene stray light and can provide additional stray light characteristics that are difficult to obtain from Earth scene data alone. In the current stray light correction regions (mid-to-high latitude), the stray light onset angles can be tracked by calibration view data to reduce correction biases. In the southern hemisphere, it is possible to identify the angular extent of the additional stray light feature in the calibration view data and develop a revised correction method to remove the additional stray light occurring during the southern hemisphere springtime. Outside of current stray light correction region, the analysis of calibration view data indicated occasional stray light contamination at low latitude and possible background biases caused by Moon illumination. As stray light affects a significant portion of nighttime scenes, further refinement in characterization and correction is important to ensure VIIRS DNB imagery quality for Soumi NPP and future missions.
Modeling of Rate-Dependent Hysteresis Using a GPO-Based Adaptive Filter
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Ma Yaopeng
Published: February 2016

A novel generalized play operator-based (GPO-based) nonlinear adaptive filter is proposed to model rate-dependent hysteresis nonlinearity for smart actuators. In the proposed filter, the input signal vector consists of the output of a tapped delay line. GPOs with various thresholds are used to construct a nonlinear network and connected with the input signals. The output signal of the filter is composed of a linear combination of signals from the output of GPOs. The least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm is used to adjust the weights of the nonlinear filter. The modeling results of four adaptive filter methods are compared: GPO-based adaptive filter, Volterra filter, backlash filter and linear adaptive filter. Moreover, a phenomenological operator-based model, the rate-dependent generalized Prandtl-Ishlinskii (RDGPI) model, is compared to the proposed adaptive filter. The various rate-dependent modeling methods are applied to model the rate-dependent hysteresis of a giant magnetostrictive actuator (GMA). It is shown from the modeling results that the GPO-based adaptive filter can describe the rate-dependent hysteresis nonlinear of the GMA more accurately and effectively.
Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy with Right-Angle Prism
Authors: Liu Yongning , Chang Jun , Lian Jie , Liu Zhaojun , Wang Qiang , Qin Zengguang
Published: February 2016

A right-angle prism was used to enhance the acoustic signal of a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) system. The incident laser beam was parallelly inverted by the right-angle prism and passed through the gap between two tuning fork prongs again to produce another acoustic excitation. Correspondingly, two pairs of rigid metal tubes were used as acoustic resonators with resonance enhancement factors of 16 and 12, respectively. The QEPAS signal was enhanced by a factor of 22.4 compared with the original signal, which was acquired without resonators or a prism. In addition, the system noise was reduced a little with double resonators due to the Q factor decrease. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was greatly improved. Additionally, a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NNEA) of 5.8 × 10−8 W·cm−1·Hz−1/2 was achieved for water vapor detection in the atmosphere.
Poly(Ionic Liquid) Semi-Interpenetrating Network Multi-Responsive Hydrogels
Authors: Tudor Alexandru , Florea Larisa , Gallagher Simon , Burns John , Diamond Dermot
Published: February 2016

Herein we describe poly(ionic liquid) hydrogel actuators that are capable of responding to multiple stimuli, namely temperature, ionic strength and white light irradiation. Using two starting materials, a crosslinked poly ionic liquid (PIL) and a linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-spiropyran-co-acrylic acid), several semi-interpenetrating (sIPN) hydrogels were synthesised. The dimensions of hydrogels discs were measured before and after applying the stimuli, to quantify their response. Samples composed of 100% crosslinked PIL alone showed an average area reduction value of ~53% when the temperature was raised from 20 °C to 70 °C, ~24% when immersed in 1% w/w NaF salt solution and no observable photo-response. In comparison, sIPNs containing 300% w/w linear polymer showed an average area reduction of ~45% when the temperature was raised from 20 °C to 70 °C, ~36% when immersed in 1% NaF w/w salt solution and ~10% after 30 min exposure to white light irradiation, respectively. Moreover, by varying the content of the linear component, fine-control over the photo-, thermo- and salt response, swelling-deswelling rate and mechanical properties of the resulting sIPN was achieved.
Comparison of Thermal Detector Arrays for Off-Axis THz Holography and Real-Time THz Imaging
Authors: Hack Erwin , Valzania Lorenzo , Gäumann Gregory , Shalaby Mostafa , Hauri Christoph , Zolliker Peter
Published: February 2016

In terahertz (THz) materials science, imaging by scanning prevails when low power THz sources are used. However, the application of array detectors operating with high power THz sources is increasingly reported. We compare the imaging properties of four different array detectors that are able to record THz radiation directly. Two micro-bolometer arrays are designed for infrared imaging in the 8–14 μm wavelength range, but are based on different absorber materials (i) vanadium oxide; (ii) amorphous silicon; (iii) a micro-bolometer array optimized for recording THz radiation based on silicon nitride; and (iv) a pyroelectric array detector for THz beam profile measurements. THz wavelengths of 96.5 μm, 118.8 μm, and 393.6 μm from a powerful far infrared laser were used to assess the technical performance in terms of signal to noise ratio, detector response and detectivity. The usefulness of the detectors for beam profiling and digital holography is assessed. Finally, the potential and limitation for real-time digital holography are discussed.
Application of 2D Non-Graphene Materials and 2D Oxide Nanostructures for Biosensing Technology
Authors: Shavanova Kateryna , Bakakina Yulia , Burkova Inna , Shtepliuk Ivan , Viter Roman , Ubelis Arnolds , Beni Valerio , Starodub Nickolaj , Yakimova Rositsa , Khranovskyy Volodymyr
Published: February 2016

The discovery of graphene and its unique properties has inspired researchers to try to invent other two-dimensional (2D) materials. After considerable research effort, a distinct “beyond graphene” domain has been established, comprising the library of non-graphene 2D materials. It is significant that some 2D non-graphene materials possess solid advantages over their predecessor, such as having a direct band gap, and therefore are highly promising for a number of applications. These applications are not limited to nano- and opto-electronics, but have a strong potential in biosensing technologies, as one example. However, since most of the 2D non-graphene materials have been newly discovered, most of the research efforts are concentrated on material synthesis and the investigation of the properties of the material. Applications of 2D non-graphene materials are still at the embryonic stage, and the integration of 2D non-graphene materials into devices is scarcely reported. However, in recent years, numerous reports have blossomed about 2D material-based biosensors, evidencing the growing potential of 2D non-graphene materials for biosensing applications. This review highlights the recent progress in research on the potential of using 2D non-graphene materials and similar oxide nanostructures for different types of biosensors (optical and electrochemical). A wide range of biological targets, such as glucose, dopamine, cortisol, DNA, IgG, bisphenol, ascorbic acid, cytochrome and estradiol, has been reported to be successfully detected by biosensors with transducers made of 2D non-graphene materials.
Agricultural Tractor Selection: A Hybrid and Multi-Attribute Approach
Authors: García-Alcaraz Jorge , Maldonado-Macías Aidé , Hernández-Arellano Juan , Blanco-Fernández Julio , Jiménez-Macías Emilio , Sáenz-Díez Muro Juan
Published: February 2016

Usually, agricultural tractor investments are assessed using traditional economic techniques that only involve financial attributes, resulting in reductionist evaluations. However, tractors have qualitative and quantitative attributes that must be simultaneously integrated into the evaluation process. This article reports a hybrid and multi-attribute approach to assessing a set of agricultural tractors based on AHP-TOPSIS. To identify the attributes in the model, a survey including eighteen attributes was given to agricultural machinery salesmen and farmers for determining their importance. The list of attributes was presented to a decision group for a case of study, and their importance was estimated using AHP and integrated into the TOPSIS technique. In this case, one tractor was selected from a set of six alternatives, integrating six attributes in the model: initial cost, annual maintenance cost, liters of diesel per hour, safety of the operator, maintainability and after-sale customer service offered by the supplier. Based on the results obtained, the model can be considered easy to apply and to have good acceptance among farmers and salesmen, as there are no special software requirements for the application.
Landsat Imagery-Based Above Ground Biomass Estimation and Change Investigation Related to Human Activities
Authors: Wu Chaofan , Shen Huanhuan , Wang Ke , Shen Aihua , Deng Jinsong , Gan Muye
Published: February 2016

Forest biomass is a significant indicator for substance accumulation and forest succession, and a spatiotemporal biomass map would provide valuable information for forest management and scientific planning. In this study, Landsat imagery and field data cooperated with a random forest regression approach were used to estimate spatiotemporal Above Ground Biomass (AGB) in Fuyang County, Zhejiang Province of East China. As a result, the AGB retrieval showed an increasing trend for the past decade, from 74.24 ton/ha in 2004 to 99.63 ton/ha in 2013. Topography and forest management were investigated to find their relationships with the spatial distribution change of biomass. In general, the simulated AGB increases with higher elevation, especially in the range of 80–200 m, wherein AGB acquires the highest increase rate. Moreover, the forest policy of ecological forest has a positive effect on the AGB increase, particularly within the national level ecological forest. The result in this study demonstrates that human activities have a great impact on biomass distribution and change tendency. Furthermore, Landsat image-based biomass estimates would provide illuminating information for forest policy-making and sustainable development.
Impact of Inter‐Basin Water Transfer Projects on Regional Ecological Security from a Telecoupling Perspective
Authors: Quan Yuan , Wang Chenxing , Yan Yan , Wu Gang , Zhang Hongxun
Published: February 2016

Inter‐basin water transfer projects (IBWTPs) offer one of the most important means to solve the mismatch between supply and demand of regional water resources. IBWTPs have impacts on the complex ecosystems of the areas from which water is diverted and to which water is received. These impacts increase damage or risk to regional ecological security and human wellbeing. However, current methods make it difficult to achieve comprehensive analysis of the impacts of whole ecosystems, because of the long distance between ecosystems and the inconsistency of impact events. In this study, a model was proposed for the analysis of the impacts of IBWTPs on regional ecological security. It is based on the telecoupling framework, and the Driver‐Pressure‐State‐ Impact‐Response (DPSIR) model was used to improve the analysis procedure within the telecoupling framework. The Middle Line of the South‐to‐North Water Diversion Project was selected as a case study to illustrate the specific analysis procedure. We realized that information sharing is a key issue in the management of regional security, and that the ecological water requirement, in the form of a single index, could be used to quantitatively assess the impacts on ecological security from IBWTPs.
Announcing the 2016 Toxins Travel Awards for Post-Doctoral Fellows and Ph.D. Students
Authors: Tesh Vernon
Published: February 2016

With the goal of promoting the development of early career investigators in the field of toxinology, Toxins welcomed applications for the 2016 Toxins Travel Awards for post-doctoral fellows and Ph.D. students. [...]
An Alternative Vaccination Approach for The Prevention of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Subtype H5N1 in The Red River Delta, Vietnam —A Geospatial-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Authors: Tran Chinh , Yanagida John , Saksena Sumeet , Fox Jefferson
Published: February 2016

This study addresses the tradeoff between Vietnam’s national poultry vaccination program, which implemented an annual two-round HPAI H5N1 vaccination program for the entire geographical area of the Red River Delta during the period from 2005–2010, and an alternative vaccination program which would involve vaccination for every production cycle at the recommended poultry age in high risk areas within the Delta. The ex ante analysis framework was applied to identify the location of areas with high probability of HPAI H5N1 occurrence for the alternative vaccination program by using boosted regression trees (BRT) models, followed by weighted overlay operations. Cost-effectiveness of the vaccination programs was then estimated to measure the tradeoff between the past national poultry vaccination program and the alternative vaccination program. Ex ante analysis showed that the focus areas for the alternative vaccination program included 1137 communes, corresponding to 50.6% of total communes in the Delta, and located primarily in the coastal areas to the east and south of Hanoi. The cost-effectiveness analysis suggested that the alternative vaccination program would have been more successful in reducing the rate of disease occurrence and the total cost of vaccinations, as compared to the national poultry vaccination program.
Hazard Ratings of Debris Flow Evacuation Sites in Hillside Communities of Ershui Township, Changhua County, Taiwan
Authors: Peng Szu-Hsien
Published: February 2016

Global warming in recent years has resulted in climate change. To cope with future climate change and natural environment changes, much of our planning and thinking needs to be adjusted. To this end, safety and rapidness of evacuation have become primary research goals. In this study, geographic information and fuzzy expert systems are applied to debris flow evacuation sites in Ershui Township, Changhua County, for evaluating their hazard ratings. After a geographic information system is used to overlay the environmental sensitivity, FLO-2D is applied to simulate debris flow situations, and the results are utilized to establish a fuzzy expert system that successfully evaluates the hazard ratings of such sites in hillside areas. For future applications, another evaluation reference based on original evacuation sites and routes or evacuation mechanisms and disaster prevention models is proposed as a source of essential assistance to relevant sectors.
Isolation and characterization of 13 microsatellites for the rare endemic shrub Tetratheca erubescens (Elaeocarpaceae)
Authors: Anthony Janet M. , Allcock Richard J. N. , Krauss Siegfried L.
Published: February 2016

Premise of the study:

Microsatellite markers were developed for the rare Tetratheca erubescens (Elaeocarpaceae) to assess genetic diversity and spatial structuring.

Methods and Results:

We generated ca. 2.7 million sequence reads using a Personal Genome Machine (PGM) semiconductor sequencer. Using the QDD pipeline, we designed primers for >12,000 sequences with PCR product lengths of 80–480 bp. From these, 30 primer pairs were selected and screened using PCR, from which 11 loci were found to be polymorphic and amplified reliably. For a sample of 95 plants from three populations, the number of alleles observed for these 11 loci ranged from two to seven and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.06 to 0.72. No consistent evidence for null alleles or departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was found for any of the 11 loci.

Conclusions:

These markers will enable the quantification of genetic impact of proposed mining activities on the narrow endemic T. erubescens.
The CHUM: A Frame Supplementation Procedure for Address-Based Sampling
Authors: Shook-Sa Bonnie , Harter Rachel , McMichael Joseph , Ridenhour Jamie , Dever Jill
Published: February 2016

RTI developed the check for housing units missed (CHUM) methodology to compensate for housing unit undercoverage of address-based sampling (ABS) frames for in-person, area probability surveys. The CHUM systematically identifies housing units missing from the ABS frame, giving each housing unit a chance of selection with known probability. The CHUM poses several advantages over alternative supplementation approaches. Because only a subset of housing units within selected areas must be evaluated, the CHUM is less costly than supplementation techniques that require the verification of all addresses within selected areas. Because it is conducted after housing units are selected instead of the frame-building stage, the CHUM provides timelier frame updates. This paper presents details for designing ABS studies that incorporate the CHUM, appropriately incorporating missed units into area probability samples, and training field personnel to implement the CHUM. It also compares the CHUM with other frame supplementation approaches and discusses the advantages and limitations of each approach.
SEARCHING FOR COOL DUST IN THE MID-TO-FAR INFRARED: THE MASS-LOSS HISTORIES OF THE HYPERGIANTS μ Cep, VY CMa, IRC+10420, AND ρ Cas*
Authors: Shenoy Dinesh , Humphreys Roberta M. , Jones Terry J. , Marengo Massimo , Gehrz Robert D. , Helton L. Andrew , Hoffmann William F. , Skemer Andrew J. , Hinz Philip M.
Published: February 2016

We present mid- and far-IR imaging of four famous hypergiant stars: the red supergiants μ Cep and VY CMa, and the warm hypergiants IRC +10420 and ρ Cas. Our 11–37 μm SOFIA/FORCAST imaging probes cool dust not detected in visual and near-IR imaging studies. Adaptive optics 8–12 μm imaging of μ Cep and IRC +10420 with MMT/MIRAC reveals extended envelopes that are the likely sources of these stars’ strong silicate emission features. We find μ Cep’s mass-loss rate to have declined by about a factor of five over a 13,000 year history, ranging from 5 × 10−6 down to ∼1× 10−6
M
⊙ yr−1. The morphology of VY CMa indicates a cooler dust component coincident with the highly asymmetric reflection nebulae seen in the visual and near-IR. The lack of cold dust at greater distances around VY CMa indicates that its mass-loss history is limited to the last ∼1200 years, with an average rate of 6 × 10−4
M
⊙ yr−1. We find two distinct periods in the mass-loss history of IRC +10420 with a high rate of 2 × 10−3
M
⊙ yr−1 until approximately 2000 years ago, followed by an order of magnitude decrease in the recent past. We interpret this change as evidence of its evolution beyond the RSG stage. Our new infrared photometry of ρ Cas is consistent with emission from the expanding dust shell ejected in its 1946 eruption, with no evidence of newer dust formation from its more recent events.
QUASI-PERIODICITIES AT YEAR-LIKE TIMESCALES IN BLAZARS
Authors: Sandrinelli A. , Covino S. , Dotti M. , Treves A.
Published: February 2016

We searched for quasi-periodicities on year-like timescales in the light curves of six blazars in the optical—near-infrared bands and we made a comparison with the high energy emission. We obtained optical/NIR light curves from Rapid Eye Mounting photometry plus archival Small & Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System data and we accessed the Fermi light curves for the γ-ray data. The periodograms often show strong peaks in the optical and γ-ray bands, which in some cases may be inter-related. The significance of the revealed peaks is then discussed, taking into account that the noise is frequency dependent. Quasi-periodicities on a year-like timescale appear to occur often in blazars. No straightforward model describing these possible periodicities is yet available, but some plausible interpretations for the physical mechanisms causing periodic variabilities of these sources are examined.
THE START OF THE SAGITTARIUS SPIRAL ARM (SAGITTARIUS ORIGIN) AND THE START OF THE NORMA SPIRAL ARM (NORMA ORIGIN): MODEL-COMPUTED AND OBSERVED ARM TANGENTS AT GALACTIC LONGITUDES −20° < l < +23°
Authors: Vallée Jacques P.
Published: February 2016

Here, we fitted a four-arm spiral model to the more accurate data on global arm pitch angle and arm longitude tangents to get the start of each spiral arm near the galactic nucleus. We find that the tangent to the “start of the Sagittarius” spiral arm (arm middle) is at l = −17° ± 0.°5, while the tangent to the “start of the Norma” spiral arm (arm middle) is at l = +20° ± 0.°5. Earlier, we published a compilation of observations and analysis of the tangent to each spiral arm tracer from longitudes +23° to +340°; in this paper we cover the arm tracers in the remaining longitudes +340 (=−20°) to +23°. Our model arm tangents are confirmed through the recent observed masers data (at the arm's inner edge). Observed arm tracers in the inner Galaxy show an offset from the mid arm; this was also found elsewhere in the Milky Way disk. In addition, we collated the observed tangents to the so-called 3 kpc arm features; statistically they are found to be near l = −18° ± 2° and near l = +21° ± 2°, after excluding misidentified spiral arms. We find that the model-computed arm tangents in the inner Galaxy are spatially coincident with the mean longitude of the observed tangents to the 3 kpc arm features (same galactic longitudes, within the errors). These spatial similarities may be suggestive of a contiguous space.
MEASUREMENTS OF COSMIC-RAY HYDROGEN AND HELIUM ISOTOPES WITH THE PAMELA EXPERIMENT
Authors: Adriani O. , Barbarino G. C. , Bazilevskaya G. A. , Bellotti R. , Boezio M. , Bogomolov E. A. , Bongi M. , Bonvicini V. , Bottai S. , Bruno A. , Cafagna F. , Campana D. , Carlson P. , Casolino M. , Castellini G. , Donato C. De , Santis C. De , Simone N. De , Felice V. Di , Formato V. , Galper A. M. , Karelin A. V. , Koldashov S. V. , Koldobskiy S. , Krutkov S. Y. , Kvashnin A. N. , Leonov A. , Malakhov V. , Marcelli L. , Martucci M. , Mayorov A. G. , Menn W. , Mergè M , Mikhailov V. V. , Mocchiutti E. , Monaco A. , Mori N. , Munini R. , Osteria G. , Palma F. , Panico B. , Papini P. , Pearce M. , Picozza P. , Ricci M. , Ricciarini S. B. , Sarkar R. , Scotti V. , Simon M. , Sparvoli R. , Spillantini P. , Stozhkov Y. I. , Vacchi A. , Vannuccini E. , Vasilyev G. , Voronov S. A. , Yurkin Y. T. , Zampa G. , Zampa N.
Published: February 2016

The cosmic-ray hydrogen and helium (1H, 2H, 3He, 4He) isotopic composition has been measured with the satellite-borne experiment
PAMELA
, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on 2006 June 15. The rare isotopes 2H and 3He in cosmic rays are believed to originate mainly from the interaction of high-energy protons and helium with the galactic interstellar medium. The isotopic composition was measured between 100 and 1100 MeV/n for hydrogen and between 100 and 1400 MeV/n for helium isotopes using two different detector systems over the 23rd solar minimum from 2006 July to 2007 December.
MEASUREMENTS OF DIFFUSE SKY EMISSION COMPONENTS IN HIGH GALACTIC LATITUDES AT 3.5 AND 4.9 μm USING DIRBE AND WISE DATA
Authors: Sano K. , Kawara K. , Matsuura S. , Kataza H. , Arai T. , Matsuoka Y.
Published: February 2016

Using all-sky maps obtained from the Cosmic Background Explorer/Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) at 3.5 and 4.9 μm, we present a reanalysis of diffuse sky emissions such as zodiacal light (ZL), diffuse Galactic light (DGL), integrated starlight (ISL), and isotropic residual emission including the extragalactic background light (EBL). Our new analysis, which includes an improved estimate of ISL using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer data, enabled us to find the DGL signal in a direct linear correlation between diffuse near-infrared and 100 μm emission at high Galactic latitudes (

). At 3.5 μm, the high-latitude DGL result is comparable to the low-latitude value derived from the previous DIRBE analysis. In comparison with models of the DGL spectrum assuming a size distribution of dust grains composed of amorphous silicate, graphite, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), the measured DGL values at 3.5 and 4.9 μm constrain the mass fraction of PAH particles in the total dust species to be more than ∼2%. This was consistent with the results of Spitzer/IRAC toward the lower Galactic latitude regions. The derived residual emission of 8.9 ± 3.4 nWm−2 sr−1 at 3.5 μm is marginally consistent with the level of integrated galaxy light and the EBL constraints from the γ-ray observations. The residual emission at 4.9 μm is not significantly detected due to the large uncertainty in the ZL subtraction, the same as in previous studies. Combined with our reanalysis of the DIRBE data at 1.25 and 2.2 μm, the residual emission in the near-infrared exhibits the Rayleigh–Jeans spectrum.