bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Positive Correlations between ANRIL and p16-CDKN2A/p15-CDKN2B/p14-ARF Gene Cluster Overexpression in Multi-Tumor Types Suggest Deregulated Activation of an ANRIL–ARF Bidirectional Promoter
Authors: Drak Alsibai Kinan , Vacher Sophie , Meseure Didier , Nicolas Andre , Lae Marick , Schnitzler Anne , Chemlali Walid , Cros Jerome , Longchampt Elisabeth , Cacheux Wulfran , Pignot Geraldine , Callens Celine , Pasmant Eric , Allory Yves , Bieche Ivan
Published: August 2019

The CDKN2B-AS1 gene, also called ANRIL, is located at the human CDKN2A/B locus at 9p21.3 and transcribed by RNA polymerase II into a long non-coding RNA of 3834 bp. The CDKN2B-AS1 gene overlaps a critical region of 125 kb covering the CDKN2B gene. The CDKN2A/B locus encompasses three major tumor suppressors juxtaposed and joined into a p16-CDKN2A/p15-CDKN2B/p14-ARF gene cluster. CDKN2A encodes splice variants p16-CDKN2A and p14-ARF, and CDKN2B encodes p15-CDKN2B. ANRIL shares a bidirectional promoter with the p14-ARF gene and is transcribed from the opposite strand to the cluster. We performed an analysis of the expression level of ANRIL and tumor suppressor p16-CDKN2A, p15-CDKN2B, and p14-ARF genes using quantitative RT-PCR in a multitumor panel. We observed the overexpression of the four genes ANRIL, p16-CDKN2A, p15-CDKN2B, and p14-ARF in the great majority of the 17 different cancer types. ANRIL was upregulated in 13/17 tumors compared to normal tissues, ranging from 5% (prostate cancer) to 91% (cervix cancer), with variable expression of p16-CDKN2A, p15-CDKN2B, and p14-ARF genes. A high positive correlation was identified between levels of expression of ANRIL and the three tumor suppressors. The strongest positive association was observed with p14-ARF (p < 0.001) in all but one (lung squamous cell carcinoma) of the examined tumor types. This correlation suggests coordinated deregulated mechanisms in all cancer types through aberrant activation of a bidirectional p14-ARF/ANRIL promoter. Furthermore, significant positive correlation was unexpectedly established in prostatic carcinomas, in contradiction with previous data.
Vitamin D-Related Genes, Blood Vitamin D Levels and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Western European Populations
Authors: Fedirko Veronika , Mandle Hannah , Zhu Wanzhe , Hughes David , Siddiq Afshan , Ferrari Pietro , Romieu Isabelle , Riboli Elio , Bueno-de-Mesquita Bas , van Duijnhoven Fränzel , Siersema Peter , Tjønneland Anne , Olsen Anja , Perduca Vittorio , Carbonnel Franck , Boutron-Ruault Marie-Christine , Kühn Tilman , Johnson Theron , Krasimira Aleksandrova , Trichopoulou Antonia , Makrythanasis Periklis , Thanos Dimitris , Panico Salvatore , Krogh Vittorio , Sacerdote Carlotta , Skeie Guri , Weiderpass Elisabete , Colorado-Yohar Sandra , Sala Núria , Barricarte Aurelio , Sanchez Maria-Jose , Quirós Ramón , Amiano Pilar , Gylling Björn , Harlid Sophia , Perez-Cornago Aurora , Heath Alicia , Tsilidis Konstantinos , Aune Dagfinn , Freisling Heinz , Murphy Neil , Gunter Marc , Jenab Mazda
Published: August 2019

Higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (25(OH)D) have been found to be associated with lower risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) in prospective studies. Whether this association is modified by genetic variation in genes related to vitamin D metabolism and action has not been well studied in humans. We investigated 1307 functional and tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; individually, and by gene/pathway) in 86 vitamin D-related genes in 1420 incident CRC cases matched to controls from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. We also evaluated the association between these SNPs and circulating 25(OH)D in a subset of controls. We confirmed previously reported CRC risk associations between SNPs in the VDR, GC, and CYP27B1 genes. We also identified additional associations with 25(OH)D, as well as CRC risk, and several potentially novel SNPs in genes related to vitamin D transport and action (LRP2, CUBN, NCOA7, and HDAC9). However, none of these SNPs were statistically significant after Benjamini–Hochberg (BH) multiple testing correction. When assessed by a priori defined functional pathways, tumor growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling was associated with CRC risk (P ≤ 0.001), with most statistically significant genes being SMAD7 (PBH = 0.008) and SMAD3 (PBH = 0.008), and 18 SNPs in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) binding sites (P = 0.036). The 25(OH)D-gene pathway analysis suggested that genetic variants in the genes related to VDR complex formation and transcriptional activity are associated with CRC depending on 25(OH)D levels (interaction P = 0.041). Additional studies in large populations and consortia, especially with measured circulating 25(OH)D, are needed to confirm our findings.
Youth with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Examining Differences by Age, Weight Status, and Symptom Duration
Authors: Duncombe Lowe Kristina , Barnes Timothy L. , Martell Carolyn , Keery Helene , Eckhardt Sarah , Peterson Carol B. , Lesser Julie , Le Grange Daniel
Published: August 2019

The primary purpose of this study was to examine differences among youth with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) by age, weight status, and symptom duration. A secondary goal was to report the frequencies of ARFID using DSM-5 clinical presentations (i.e., fear of aversive consequences, lack of interest in food, sensory sensitivities). Participants (N = 102), ages 8–18 years, were recruited through an eating disorder service within a pediatric hospital. They were evaluated using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Patients were assigned to groups according to age, weight status, and symptom duration. Frequencies of clinical presentations, including combinations of DSM-5 categories, were also examined. Our findings suggest that adolescents presented with higher rates of Depression (p = 0.04). Youth with chronic ARFID symptoms presented with significantly lower weight (p = 0.03), and those with acute symptoms rated significantly higher suicidal ideation and/or self- harm (p = 0.02). Half of patients met criteria for more than one ARFID symptom presentation. This study provides preliminary evidence that youth with ARFID differ in clinical presentation depending on age, weight status, and symptom duration, and highlights safety concerns for those with acute symptoms of ARFID. High rates of overlapping symptom presentations might suggest a dimensional approach in the conceptualization of ARFID.
Gluten and FODMAPS—Sense of a Restriction/When Is Restriction Necessary?
Authors: Dieterich Walburga , Zopf Yurdagül
Published: August 2019

Gluten-free diet (GFD) is enjoying increasingly popularity, although gluten-free products are considerably more expensive. GFD is absolutely necessary for patients with celiac disease, as in this case even minor amounts of gluten can lead to the destruction of the intestinal mucosa. In addition, GFD is currently the best therapy to improve clinical symptoms of patients with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), although the diet may not be as strict as that for patients with celiac disease. Beside gluten, other wheat components such as oligosaccharides and amylase trypsin inhibitors are discussed as triggers of NCGS in this review. An overlap between gastrointestinal symptoms in NCGS and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is described. Patients with NCGS attribute their symptoms to the consumption of gluten, while patients with IBS rarely describe gluten as a trigger. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that the introduction of a low FODMAP (fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet reduced gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBS and this diet is suggested as the first choice of therapy in IBS. However, a low FODMAP diet also eliminates prebiotica and may negatively influence the gut microbiota. For this reason, the diet should be liberalized after symptom improvement. There is no evidence that a GFD is healthier than the standard diet. In contrast, GFD often is accompanied by nutritional deficiencies, mainly minerals and vitamins. Therefore, GFD and low FODMAP diets are not recommended for healthy subjects. Since wheat contains fructans belonging to FODMAPs), a GFD is not only gluten-free but also has less FODMAPs. Thus, symptom improvement cannot be correctly correlated with the reduction of either one or the other.
Consumption and Sources of Saturated Fatty Acids According to the 2019 Canada Food Guide: Data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey
Authors: Harrison Stéphanie , Brassard Didier , Lemieux Simone , Lamarche Benoît
Published: August 2019

The 2019 revised version of Canada’s Food Guide (CFG) recommends limiting the consumption of processed foods that are high in saturated fatty acids (SFA). Yet, the contributions of each CFG group to the total SFA intake of Canadians are not specifically known. The objectives of this study were to quantify the total SFA intake of Canadians, determine the sources of SFA consumed by Canadian adults, and identify potential differences in these sources. A nation representative sample from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS – Nutrition 2015) was used for these analyses. Dietary intakes were measured using a single 24-h recall. Food sources of SFA were classified according to the revised 2019 CFG categories. We have also examined the contribution of foods not included in these three categories to total SFA intake. Among Canadian adults, total SFA contributed to 10.4 ± 0.1% (SE) of total energy intake (E). The “Protein foods” (47.7 ± 0.5% with 23.2 ± 0.4% from milk and alternatives and 24.5 ± 0.4% from meats and alternatives) and “All other foods” (44.2 ± 0.5%) categories were the main sources of total SFA intake. Few differences in SFA sources were identified between sexes, age groups, education levels, and body mass index (BMI) categories. These data show that the mean SFA consumption is greater than the 10% E cut-off previously proposed in Canada. Future studies should examine which food substitution is most likely to contribute to a greater reduction in SFA intake at the population level.
Effect of Steviol Glycosides on Human Health with Emphasis on Type 2 Diabetic Biomarkers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Anker Camilla Christine Bundgaard , Rafiq Shamaila , Jeppesen Per Bendix
Published: August 2019

The natural sweetener from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, steviol glycoside (SG), has been proposed to exhibit a range of antidiabetic properties. The objective of this systematic review was to critically evaluate evidence for the effectiveness of SGs on human health, particularly type 2 diabetic (T2D) biomarkers, collecting data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Electronic searches were performed in PubMed and EMBASE and the bibliography of retrieved full-texts was hand searched. Using the Cochrane criteria, the reporting quality of included studies was assessed. Seven studies, nine RCTs, including a total of 462 participants were included. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the effect of SGs on following outcomes: BMI, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), lipids, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The meta-analysis revealed an overall significant reduction in systolic BP in favour of SGs between SG and placebo, mean difference (MD): −6.32 mm Hg (−7.69 to 0.46). The overall effect of BMI, diastolic BP, FBG, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was a non-significant reduction in favour of SGs, and a non-significant increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride, while no significant effect of HbA1c was found. Heterogeneity was significant for several analyses. More studies investigating the effect of SGs on human health, particularly T2D biomarkers, are warranted.
Neonatal Consumption of Oligosaccharides Greatly Increases L-Cell Density without Significant Consequence for Adult Eating Behavior
Authors: Le Dréan Gwenola , Pocheron Anne-Lise , Billard Hélène , Grit Isabelle , Pagniez Anthony , Parnet Patricia , Chappuis Eric , Rolli-Derkinderen Malvyne , Michel Catherine
Published: August 2019

Oligosaccharides (OS) are commonly added to infant formulas, however, their physiological impact, particularly on adult health programming, is poorly described. In adult animals, OS modify microbiota and stimulate colonic fermentation and enteroendocrine cell (EEC) activity. Since neonatal changes in microbiota and/or EEC density could be long-lasting and EEC-derived peptides do regulate short-term food intake, we hypothesized that neonatal OS consumption could modulate early EECs, with possible consequences for adult eating behavior. Suckling rats were supplemented with fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), beta-galacto-oligosaccharides/inulin (GOS/In) mix, alpha-galacto-oligosaccharides (αGOS) at 3.2 g/kg, or a control solution (CTL) between postnatal day (PND) 5 and 14/15. Pups were either sacrificed at PND14/15 or weaned at PND21 onto standard chow. The effects on both microbiota and EEC were characterized at PND14/15, and eating behavior at adulthood. Very early OS supplementation drastically impacted the intestinal environment, endocrine lineage proliferation/differentiation particularly in the ileum, and the density of GLP-1 cells and production of satiety-related peptides (GLP-1 and PYY) in the neonatal period. However, it failed to induce any significant lasting changes on intestinal microbiota, enteropeptide secretion or eating behavior later in life. Overall, the results did not demonstrate any OS programming effect on satiety peptides secreted by L-cells or on food consumption, an observation which is a reassuring outlook from a human perspective.
Sodium Intake and Hypertension
Authors: Grillo Andrea , Salvi Lucia , Coruzzi Paolo , Salvi Paolo , Parati Gianfranco
Published: August 2019

The close relationship between hypertension and dietary sodium intake is widely recognized and supported by several studies. A reduction in dietary sodium not only decreases the blood pressure and the incidence of hypertension, but is also associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Prolonged modest reduction in salt intake induces a relevant fall in blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive individuals, irrespective of sex and ethnic group, with larger falls in systolic blood pressure for larger reductions in dietary salt. The high sodium intake and the increase in blood pressure levels are related to water retention, increase in systemic peripheral resistance, alterations in the endothelial function, changes in the structure and function of large elastic arteries, modification in sympathetic activity, and in the autonomic neuronal modulation of the cardiovascular system. In this review, we have focused on the effects of sodium intake on vascular hemodynamics and their implication in the pathogenesis of hypertension.
Metabolomic Evaluation of Scenedesmus sp. as a Feed Ingredient Revealed Dose-Dependent Effects on Redox Balance, Intermediary and Microbial Metabolism in a Mouse Model
Authors: Ma Yiwei , Zhou Wenguang , Chen Paul , Urriola Pedro E. , Shurson Gerald C. , Ruan Roger , Chen Chi
Published: August 2019

Scenedesmus is a common green algae genus with high biomass productivity, and has been widely used in biofuel production and waste water management. However, the suitability and metabolic consequences of using Scenedesmus as an animal feed ingredient have not been examined in detail. In this study, the influences of consuming Scenedesmus on the metabolic status of young mice were investigated through growth performance, blood chemistry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics. Compared to the control diet, feeding a diet containing 5% Scenedesmus improved growth performance while the diet containing 20% Scenedesmus suppressed it. Among common macronutrients-derived blood biochemicals, serum triacylglycerols and cholesterol levels were dramatically decreased by feeding the 20% Scenedesmus diet. Metabolomic analysis of liver, serum, feces, and urine samples indicated that Scenedesmus feeding greatly affected the metabolites associated with amino acid, lipid, purine, microbial metabolism, and the endogenous antioxidant system. The growth promotion effect of feeding the 5% Scenedesmus diet was associated with elevated concentrations of antioxidants, an expanded purine nucleotide cycle, and modified microbial metabolism, while the growth suppression effect of feeding the 20% Scenedesmus diet was correlated to oxidative stress, disrupted urea cycle, upregulated fatty acid oxidation, and an imbalanced lipidome. These correlations among Scenedesmus dietary inclusion rate, individual metabolite markers, and growth performance suggest the need to define the dietary inclusion rate threshold for using Scenedesmus and other microalgae supplements as feed ingredients, and also warrant further mechanistic investigations on the biological processes connecting specific constituents of Scenedesmus with the metabolic effects observed in this study.
Nanolipid-Trehalose Conjugates and Nano-Assemblies as Putative Autophagy Inducers
Authors: Colombo Eleonora , Biocotino Michele , Frapporti Giulia , Randazzo Pietro , Christodoulou Michael S. , Piccoli Giovanni , Polito Laura , Seneci Pierfausto , Passarella Daniele
Published: August 2019

The disaccharide trehalose is an autophagy inducer, but its pharmacological application is severely limited by its poor pharmacokinetics properties. Thus, trehalose was coupled via suitable spacers with squalene (in 1:2 and 1:1 stoichiometry) and with betulinic acid (1:2 stoichiometry), in order to yield the corresponding nanolipid-trehalose conjugates 1-Sq-mono, 2-Sq-bis and 3-Be-mono. The conjugates were assembled to produce the corresponding nano-assemblies (NAs) Sq-NA1, Sq-NA2 and Be-NA3. The synthetic and assembly protocols are described in detail. The resulting NAs were characterized in terms of loading and structure, and tested in vitro for their capability to induce autophagy. Our results are presented and thoroughly commented upon.
Long-Term Physical (In)Stability of Spray-Dried Amorphous Drugs: Relationship with Glass-Forming Ability and Physicochemical Properties
Authors: Edueng Khadijah , Bergström Christel A.S. , Gråsjö Johan , Mahlin Denny
Published: August 2019

This study shows the importance of the chosen method for assessing the glass-forming ability (GFA) and glass stability (GS) of a drug compound. Traditionally, GFA and GS are established using in situ melt-quenching in a differential scanning calorimeter. In this study, we included 26 structurally diverse glass-forming drugs (i) to compare the GFA class when the model drugs were produced by spray-drying with that when melt-quenching was used, (ii) to investigate the long-term physical stability of the resulting amorphous solids, and (iii) to investigate the relationship between physicochemical properties and the GFA of spray-dried solids and their long-term physical stability. The spray-dried solids were exposed to dry (<5% RH) and humid (75% RH) conditions for six months at 25 °C. The crystallization of the spray-dried solids under these conditions was monitored using a combination of solid-state characterization techniques including differential scanning calorimetry, Raman spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. The GFA/GS class assignment for 85% of the model compounds was method-dependent, with significant differences between spray-drying and melt-quenching methods. The long-term physical stability under dry condition of the compounds was predictable from GFA/GS classification and glass transition and crystallization temperatures. However, the stability upon storage at 75% RH could not be predicted from the same data. There was no strong correlation between the physicochemical properties explored and the GFA class or long-term physical stability. However, there was a slight tendency for compounds with a relatively larger molecular weight, higher glass transition temperature, higher crystallization temperature, higher melting point and higher reduced glass transition temperature to have better GFA and better physical stability. In contrast, a high heat of fusion and entropy of fusion seemed to have a negative impact on the GFA and physical stability of our dataset.
Advances in Biodegradable Nano-Sized Polymer-Based Ocular Drug Delivery
Authors: Lynch Courtney , Kondiah Pierre P. D. , Choonara Yahya E. , du Toit Lisa C. , Ally Naseer , Pillay Viness
Published: August 2019

The effective delivery of drugs to the eye remains a challenge. The eye has a myriad of defense systems and physiological barriers that leaves ocular drug delivery systems with low bioavailability profiles. This is mainly due to poor permeability through the epithelia and rapid clearance from the eye following administration. However, recent advances in both polymeric drug delivery and biomedical nanotechnology have allowed for improvements to be made in the treatment of ocular conditions. The employment of biodegradable polymers in ocular formulations has led to improved retention time, greater bioavailability and controlled release through mucoadhesion to the epithelia in the eye, amongst other beneficial properties. Nanotechnology has been largely investigated for uses in the medical field, ranging from diagnosis of disease to treatment. The nanoscale of these developing drug delivery systems has helped to improve the penetration of drugs through the various ocular barriers, thus improving bioavailability. This review will highlight the physiological barriers encountered in the eye, current conventional treatment methods as well as how polymeric drug delivery and nanotechnology can be employed to optimize drug penetration to both the anterior and posterior segment of the eye.
Variability and Bias in Measurements of Metals Mass Fractions in Automobile Shredder Residue
Authors: Løvik Amund N. , Figi Renato , Schreiner Claudia , Rösslein Matthias , Widmer Rolf , Bunge Rainer , Pohl Thomas , Korf Nathalie , Kuntz Claudia , Mählitz Paul Martin , Rotter Vera Susanne , Wäger Patrick
Published: August 2019

The treatment of end-of-life vehicles generates large amounts of automobile shredder residue (ASR), a potential source of recycled metals. Reliable measurement methods are required to determine the composition of ASR and evaluate the resource potential. We reported on research undertaken to investigate bias and variability in the process of measuring trace metals in ASR. Two primary samples of shredder light fraction (SLF) underwent extensive physical sample preparation and chemical analysis. The samples were spiked to control random variations and systematic effects during physical sample preparation. Chemical analysis was conducted using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (WD-XRF), a fully validated wet-chemical analysis, and a wet-chemical analysis representing an “in-house” lab procedure. Physical sample preparation introduced deviations up to a factor of 2, likely due to preferential losses and heterogeneity. Deviations for WD-XRF measurements of elements were in the range +100%/−50%. In-house chemical analysis produced results that were in good agreement with validated results for Al, Fe and Sn, but led to biased results or high variability for Cd, Dy, La, Nd, Pb, Pd, Pt and Sb. To improve the chemical analysis of trace metals in SLF, we recommended reducing particle size to less than 0.1 mm before chemical analysis and using a larger number of repeated digestions.
Pattern Statistics Network for Classification of High-Resolution SAR Images
Authors: Liu Xinlong , He Chu , Xiong Dehui , Liao Mingsheng
Published: August 2019

The classification of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is of great importance for rapid scene understanding. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been applied to the classification of single-polarized SAR images. However, it is still difficult due to the random and complex spatial patterns lying in SAR images, especially in the case of finite training data. In this paper, a pattern statistics network (PSNet) is proposed to address this problem. PSNet borrows the idea from the statistics and probability theory and explicitly embeds the random nature of SAR images in the representation learning. In the PSNet, both fluctuation and pattern representations are extracted for SAR images. More specifically, the fluctuation representation does not consider the rigorous relationships between local pixels and only describes the average fluctuation of local pixels. By contrast, the pattern representation is devoted to hierarchically capturing the interactions between local pixels, namely, the spatial patterns of SAR images. The proposed PSNet is evaluated on three real SAR data, including spaceborne and airborne data. The experimental results indicate that the fluctuation representation is useful and PSNet achieves superior performance in comparison with related CNN-based and texture-based methods.
Estimating Forest Volume and Biomass and Their Changes Using Random Forests and Remotely Sensed Data
Authors: Esteban Jessica , McRoberts Ronald , Fernández-Landa Alfredo , Tomé José , Nӕsset Erik
Published: August 2019

Despite the popularity of random forests (RF) as a prediction algorithm, methods for constructing confidence intervals for population means using this technique are still only sparsely reported. For two regional study areas (Spain and Norway) RF was used to predict forest volume or aboveground biomass using remotely sensed auxiliary data obtained from multiple sensors. Additionally, the changes per unit area of these forest attributes were estimated using indirect and direct methods. Multiple inferential frameworks have attracted increased recent attention for estimating the variances required for confidence intervals. For this study, three different statistical frameworks, design-based expansion, model-assisted and model-based estimators, were used for estimating population parameters and their variances. Pairs and wild bootstrapping approaches at different levels were compared for estimating the variances of the model-based estimates of the population means, as well as for mapping the uncertainty of the change predictions. The RF models accurately represented the relationship between the response and remotely sensed predictor variables, resulting in increased precision for estimates of the population means relative to design-based expansion estimates. Standard errors based on pairs bootstrapping within or internal to RF were considerably larger than standard errors based on both pairs and wild external bootstrapping of the entire RF algorithm. Pairs and wild external bootstrapping produced similar standard errors, but wild bootstrapping better mimicked the original structure of the sample data and better preserved the ranges of the predictor variables.
Remote Sensing-Guided Sampling Design with Both Good Spatial Coverage and Feature Space Coverage for Accurate Farm Field-Level Soil Mapping
Authors: Wang Yongji , Jiang Lili , Qi Qingwen , Liu Ying , Wang Jun
Published: August 2019

With the increasing requirements of precision agriculture for massive and various kinds of data, remote sensing technology has become indispensable in acquiring the necessary data for precision agriculture. Understanding the spatial variability of a target soil variable (i.e., soil mapping) is a critical issue in solving many agricultural problems. Field sampling is one of the most commonly used technologies for soil mapping, but sample sizes are restricted by resources, such as field labor, soil physicochemical analysis, and funding. In this paper, we proposed a sampling design method with both good spatial coverage and feature space coverage to achieve more precise spatial variability of farm field-level target soil variables for limited sample sizes. The proposed method used the super-grid to achieve good spatial coverage, and it took advantage of remote sensing products that were highly correlated with the target soil property (SOM content) to achieve good feature space coverage. For the experiments, we employed the ordinary kriging (OK) method to map the soil organic matter (SOM) content. The different sized super-grid comparison experiments showed that the 400 × 400 m2 super-grid had the highest SOM content mapping accuracy. Then, we compared the proposed method to regular grid sampling (good spatial coverage) and k-means sampling (good feature space coverage), and the experimental results indicated that the proposed method had greater potential in the selection of representative samples that could improve the SOM content mapping accuracy.
Stability Assessment of Coastal Cliffs Incorporating Laser Scanning Technology and a Numerical Analysis
Authors: Ossowski Rafal , Przyborski Marek , Tysiac Pawel
Published: August 2019

We investigated the cliff coast in Jastrzebia Gora, Poland. The measurements that were taken between 2014 and 2018 by applying terrestrial, mobile, and airborne laser scanning describe a huge geometric modification involving dislocations in a 2.5 m range. Differential maps and a volumetric change analysis made it possible to identify the most deformed cliff’s location. Part of the monitoring of coastal change involved the measurement of a cliff sector in order to determine the soil mass flow down the slope. A full geometric image of the cliff was complemented by a stability assessment that incorporated numerical methods. The analysis showed that the stability coefficients, assuming a particular soil strata layout and geotechnical parameters, are unsafely close to the limit value. Moreover, the numerical computations, which were performed under simplifying assumptions, were not able to capture a multitude of other random factors that may have an impact on the soil mass stability. Thus, displacements of both reinforced soil and gabions were detected that are intended to prevent the cliff from deforming and to protect the infrastructure in its vicinity. The array of applied measurement methods provides a basis for the development of research aimed at optimization of applied tools, safety improvements, and a rapid reaction to threats.
Assessing the Remotely Sensed Evaporative Drought Index for Drought Monitoring over Northeast China
Authors: Zhang Lilin , Yao Yunjun , Bei Xiangyi , Jia Kun , Zhang Xiaotong , Xie Xianhong , Jiang Bo , Shang Ke , Xu Jia , Chen Xiaowei
Published: August 2019

Many existing satellite evapotranspiration (ET)-based drought indices have characterized regional drought condition successfully, but the relatively short time span of ET products limits their use in long-term climatological drought assessment. In this study, we assess Evaporative Drought Index (EDI) as a drought monitoring indicator over Northeast China through a retrospective comparison with drought-related indicators. After verifying its utility for detecting documented regional drought events and impacts of drought on crop production, we apply it to improve our understanding of the variation in dryness over Northeast China from 1982 to 2015. Our results illustrate that EDI is generally effective for characterizing terrestrial moisture condition and its standardized formula, namely, Standardized Evaporative Drought Index (sEDI) corresponds well with historical drought events and inter-annual grain crop yields over Northeast China. Although the calculation of sEDI does not directly incorporate precipitation and soil moisture, statistical analyses indicate sEDI can detect drought in accordance with the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), with the highest correlations found in the west part of Northeast China (R < −0.7). Further analysis illustrates sEDI is more related to commonly-used drought metrics over areas with short canopy vegetation (R < −0.5) than woodland (R < −0.2), which suggests precipitation may not be a good representative of drought condition over areas with deep-rooted vegetation. Then, we find 56.5% of Northeast China shows an upward dry trend from 1982 to 2015, which mainly concentrates in the west part of the study area. Conversely, 14.4% of Northeast China shows a significant wetted trend and most of them locate at cropland areas, due to the improved water management. This study suggests that EDI is a feasible method to monitor spatially distributed drought condition and can provide unique drought information not reflected by rainfall deficits, which also can be used to evaluate traditional precipitation-based indicators.
Retrieval of Cloud Optical Thickness from Sky-View Camera Images using a Deep Convolutional Neural Network based on Three-Dimensional Radiative Transfer
Authors: Masuda Ryosuke , Iwabuchi Hironobu , Schmidt Konrad Sebastian , Damiani Alessandro , Kudo Rei
Published: August 2019

Observation of the spatial distribution of cloud optical thickness (COT) is useful for the prediction and diagnosis of photovoltaic power generation. However, there is not a one-to-one relationship between transmitted radiance and COT (so-called COT ambiguity), and it is difficult to estimate COT because of three-dimensional (3D) radiative transfer effects. We propose a method to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on a 3D radiative transfer model, which enables the quick estimation of the slant-column COT (SCOT) distribution from the image of a ground-mounted radiometrically calibrated digital camera. The CNN retrieves the SCOT spatial distribution using spectral features and spatial contexts. An evaluation of the method using synthetic data shows a high accuracy with a mean absolute percentage error of 18% in the SCOT range of 1–100, greatly reducing the influence of the 3D radiative effect. As an initial analysis result, COT is estimated from a sky image taken by a digital camera, and a high correlation is shown with the effective COT estimated using a pyranometer. The discrepancy between the two is reasonable, considering the difference in the size of the field of view, the space–time averaging method, and the 3D radiative effect.
Automated Built-Up Extraction Index: A New Technique for Mapping Surface Built-Up Areas Using LANDSAT 8 OLI Imagery
Authors: Firozjaei Mohammad Karimi , Sedighi Amir , Kiavarz Majid , Qureshi Salman , Haase Dagmar , Alavipanah Seyed Kazem
Published: August 2019

Accurate built-up area extraction is one of the most critical issues in land-cover classification. In previous studies, various techniques have been developed for built-up area extraction using Landsat images. However, the efficiency of these techniques under different technical and geographical conditions, especially for bare and sandy areas, is not optimal. One of the main challenges of built-up area extraction techniques is to determine an optimum and stable threshold with the highest possible accuracy. In many of these techniques, the optimum threshold value fluctuates substantially in different parts of the image scene. The purpose of this study is to provide a new index to improve built-up area extraction with a stable optimum threshold for different environments. In this study, the developed Automated Built-up Extraction Index (ABEI) is presented to improve the classification accuracy in areas containing bare and sandy surfaces. To develop and evaluate the accuracy of the new method for built-up area extraction with Landsat 8 OLI reflective bands, five test sites located in the Iranian cities (Babol, Naqadeh, Kashmar, Bam and Masjed Soleyman), eleven European cities (Athens, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Ciechanow, Hamburg, Lyon, Madrid, Riga, Rome and Porto) and high resolution layer imperviousness (HRLI) data were used. Each site has varying environmental and complex surface coverage conditions. To determine the optimal weights for each of the Landsat 8 OLI reflective bands, the pure pixel sets for different classes and the improved gravitational search algorithm (IGSA) optimization were used. The Kappa coefficient and overall error were calculated to evaluate the accuracy of the built-up extraction map. Additionally, the ABEI performance was compared with the urban index (UI) and normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) performances. In each of the five test sites and eleven cities, the extraction accuracy of the built-up areas using the ABEI was higher than that using the UI, and NDBI (P-value of 0.01). The relative standard deviations of the optimal threshold values for the ABEI and UI were 27 and 155% (at five test sites) and were 16 and 37% (at eleven European cities), respectively, which indicates the stability of the ABEI threshold value when the location and environmental conditions change. The results of this study demonstrated that the ABEI can be used to extract built-up areas from other land covers. This index is effective even in bare soil and sandy areas, where other indices experience major challenges.
An Edge-Fog Secure Self-Authenticable Data Transfer Protocol
Authors: Venčkauskas Algimantas , Morkevicius Nerijus , Jukavičius Vaidas , Damaševičius Robertas , Toldinas Jevgenijus , Grigaliūnas Šarūnas
Published: August 2019

Development of the Internet of Things (IoT) opens many new challenges. As IoT devices are getting smaller and smaller, the problems of so-called “constrained devices” arise. The traditional Internet protocols are not very well suited for constrained devices comprising localized network nodes with tens of devices primarily communicating with each other (e.g., various sensors in Body Area Network communicating with each other). These devices have very limited memory, processing, and power resources, so traditional security protocols and architectures also do not fit well. To address these challenges the Fog computing paradigm is used in which all constrained devices, or Edge nodes, primarily communicate only with less-constrained Fog node device, which collects all data, processes it and communicates with the outside world. We present a new lightweight secure self-authenticable transfer protocol (SSATP) for communications between Edge nodes and Fog nodes. The primary target of the proposed protocol is to use it as a secure transport for CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol) in place of UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security), which are traditional choices in this scenario. SSATP uses modified header fields of standard UDP packets to transfer additional protocol handling and data flow management information as well as user data authentication information. The optional redundant data may be used to provide increased resistance to data losses when protocol is used in unreliable networks. The results of experiments presented in this paper show that SSATP is a better choice than UDP with DTLS in the cases, where the CoAP block transfer mode is used and/or in lossy networks.
Fiber Ring Laser Directional Torsion Sensor with Ultra-Wide Linear Response
Authors: Liu Xianjin , Wang Fengjuan , Yang Jiuru , Zhang Xudong , Du Xiliang
Published: August 2019

In this paper, a comprehensive passive torsion measurement is performed firstly in a 40-cm-long polarization maintaining fiber-based Sagnac interferometer (PMF-SI), and the non-linear torsion response is found and investigated. Then, a fiber laser torsion sensor (FLTS) with a dual-ring-cavity structure is proposed and experimentally demonstrated, in which the PMF-SI is utilized as the optical filter as well as the sensing unit. In particular, the highly sensitive linear range is adjusted through fine phase modulation, and owing to the flat-top feature of fringes, an ~83.6% sensitivity difference is effectively compressed by the generated lasing. The experimental results show that, without any pre-twisting, the ultra-wide linear response from –175 to 175 rad/m is gained, and the torsion sensitivities are 2.46 and 1.55 nm/rad with high linearity (>0.99) in the clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, respectively. Additionally, a high extinction ratio (>42 dB) and small line-width (~0.14 nm) are obtained in the proposed FLTS, and the corresponding detection limit reaches 0.015 rad/m.
Pressure-Pair-Based Floor Localization System Using Barometric Sensors on Smartphones
Authors: Yi Chungheon , Choi Wonik , Jeon Youngjun , Liu Ling
Published: August 2019

As smartphone technology advances and its market penetration increases, indoor positioning for smartphone users is becoming an increasingly important issue. Floor localization is especially critical to indoor positioning techniques. Numerous research efforts have been proposed for improving the floor localization accuracy using information from barometers, accelerometers, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Wi-Fi signals. Despite these existing efforts, no approach has been able to determine what floor smartphone users are on with near 100% accuracy. To address this problem, we present a novel pressure-pair based method called FloorPair, which offers near 100% accurate floor localization. The rationale of FloorPair is to construct a relative pressure map using highly accurate relative pressure values from smartphones with two novel features: first, we marginalized the uncertainty from sensor drifts and unreliable absolute pressure values of barometers by paring the pressure values of two floors, and second, we maintained high accuracy over time by applying an iterative optimization method, making our method sustainable. We evaluated the validity of the FloorPair approach by conducting extensive field experiments in various types of buildings to show that FloorPair is an accurate and sustainable floor localization method.
Development of an Eye Tracking-Based Human-Computer Interface for Real-Time Applications
Authors: Bozomitu Radu Gabriel , Păsărică Alexandru , Tărniceriu Daniela , Rotariu Cristian
Published: August 2019

In this paper, the development of an eye-tracking-based human–computer interface for real-time applications is presented. To identify the most appropriate pupil detection algorithm for the proposed interface, we analyzed the performance of eight algorithms, six of which we developed based on the most representative pupil center detection techniques. The accuracy of each algorithm was evaluated for different eye images from four representative databases and for video eye images using a new testing protocol for a scene image. For all video recordings, we determined the detection rate within a circular target 50-pixel area placed in different positions in the scene image, cursor controllability and stability on the user screen, and running time. The experimental results for a set of 30 subjects show a detection rate over 84% at 50 pixels for all proposed algorithms, and the best result (91.39%) was obtained with the circular Hough transform approach. Finally, this algorithm was implemented in the proposed interface to develop an eye typing application based on a virtual keyboard. The mean typing speed of the subjects who tested the system was higher than 20 characters per minute.
Furthering Internal Border Area Studies: An Analysis of Dysfunctions and Cooperation Mechanisms in the Water and River Management of Catalonia, Aragon and the Valencian Community (Spain)
Authors: Santasusagna Riu Albert , Galindo Caldés Ramon , Tort Donada Joan
Published: August 2019

Cooperation between countries or regions that share a political border is one of the primary concerns of border studies. However, while cooperation between states is a well-established field based on international agreements, the cooperation between internal-state regions is not as well understood and requires more exhaustive study. Cooperation agreements between regions are frequently based on the shared and collaborative management of environmental resources such as river basins. This paper aimed to identify mechanisms of river basin cooperation in the internal border area between Catalonia, Aragon and the Valencian Community (Spain), with the objective of analyzing dysfunctions in their water management and identifying the territorial needs for the efficient management of these resources. Focus group sessions were conducted with 84 public administration stakeholders and a total of 53 border municipalities were involved in the project. In our study area, we identified a considerable number of dysfunctions that affected different levels of water management (e.g., supply, navigation and reservoirs) and which impeded effective cooperation between different administrations (above all, between town councils and the public water agencies). However, we also identified several interesting initiatives to promote water management in both the medium and long term, including river contracts, river commonwealths and river tourism projects managed by border municipalities.
A CFD Based Application of Support Vector Regression to Determine the Optimum Smooth Twist for Wind Turbine Blades
Authors: Kaya Mustafa
Published: August 2019

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool to estimate accurately the aerodynamic loads on wind turbine blades at the expense of high requirements like the duration of computation. Such requirements grow in the case of blade shape optimization in which several analyses are needed. A fast and reliable way to mimic the CFD solutions is to use surrogate models. In this study, a machine learning technique, the support vector regression (SVR) method based on a set of CFD solutions, is used as the surrogate model. CFD solutions are calculated by solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equation with the k-epsilon turbulence model using a commercial solver. The support vector regression model is then trained to give a functional relationship between the spanwise twist distribution and the generated torque. The smooth twist distribution is defined using a three-node cubic spline with four parameters in total. The optimum twist is determined for two baseline blade cases: the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Phase II and Phase VI rotor blades. In the optimization process, extremum points that give the maximum torque are easily determined since the SVR gives an analytical model. Results show that it is possible to increase the torque generated by the NREL VI blade more than 10% just by redistributing the spanwise twist without carrying out a full geometry optimization of the blade shape with many shape-defining parameters. The increase in torque for the NREL II case is much higher.
Entrepreneurship as Catalyst for Sustainable Development: Opening the Black Box
Authors: Filser Matthias , Kraus Sascha , Roig-Tierno Norat , Kailer Norbert , Fischer Ulrike
Published: August 2019

In the last decades, sustainable development has become an important topic of discussion for scholars and practitioners concerned with environmental issues. Since the publication of the Brundtland Report, which represents a milestone in triggering awareness for sustainability issues, sustainable development has steadily gained popularity to become one of the most important environmental discourses today. Together with innovation, the United Nations identified entrepreneurship as a key element for addressing sustainable development challenges. Due to its growing recognition as a driver of sustainable development, entrepreneurship is subject to research across many scientific disciplines. To systemize the current state of knowledge, the purpose of this paper is to systematically review recent literature and to outline how sustainable development influences entrepreneurial activities and vice versa. In addition, it investigates whether and under what circumstances entrepreneurship can contribute to the economic, environmental and social dimension of sustainable development. The systematic literature review shows that several research areas, such as opportunities, motivations, competencies, strategies and business models of sustainability-oriented entrepreneurs, have already received wide coverage by academic literature. However, our knowledge about how entrepreneurial activities contribute to the achievement of the United Nations sustainable development goals is still limited and should be addressed by further research.