bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Egyptian Gold in Prepalatial Crete? A Consideration of the Evidence
Authors: Colburn Cynthia
Published: September 2016

This study analyzes the evidence for the origin of gold found in secure prepalatial contexts in Crete. As there are no natural gold sources on Crete, extra-island interaction was required to procure this raw material. Information regarding the origin of prepalatial gold may, therefore, throw light on Crete’s interactions during this formative period. Unfortunately, there are many difficulties in sourcing ancient gold, which make it impossible to know with certainty where the gold used in the production of prepalatial objects originated. However, careful analysis of the contexts of prepalatial gold objects, which demonstrates the frequent co-occurrence of gold with hippopotamus ivory, and the distribution of gold products and gold working technologies in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, provide intriguing evidence to make a strong case for Egypt as a principal source of gold arriving in Crete during the prepalatial period, likely via the port city of Byblos on the Levantine coast.
Insights into Egyptian Horus Falcon Imagery by Way of Real Falcons and Horus Falcon Influence in the Aegean in the Middle Bronze Age: Part I
Authors: Porter Ray
Published: September 2016

The falcon is the most frequently represented bird in Egyptian art. The discovery that falcons were depicted more often than realized in Aegean art, during the author’s studies of Aegean faunal iconography, prompted this article which delves into their natural history as a way to understand the falcon gods of Egypt as well as Egyptian and Aegean falcon depictions. This study found that in both cultures the traits of the depicted falcons center around the Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) and Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus ) with some Lanner (Falco biarmicus) head traits. The black malar facial stripe, hooked beak, and tomial ‘tooth’ of falcons characterize all Egyptian falcon depictions. In ancient Egypt the falcon was revered and it appears to hold a special place in Egyptian iconography with everyday images of falcon species not being present.
The Obelisks of Augustus: The Significance of a Symbolic Element of the Architectural Landscape in the Transmission of Ideology from Egypt to Rome
Authors: Gregory Steven
Published: September 2016

Following the conquest of Egypt, a pivotal point in his career, Augustus returned to Rome and, other than to avail himself of its economic benefits, historical reports imply that he had little further concern for the country itself and, in contrast to his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, and erstwhile rival for power, Marcus Antonius, was unconcerned with Egypt’s customs or political ideology. Yet the reliability of historical reports seems questionable in the light of Augustus’ use of a particularly symbolic element of Egyptian monumental architecture, the obelisk. Therefore, with emphasis on inferences which may be drawn from the use of obelisks in the ritual landscapes of both Egypt and Rome, together with their supporting texts and iconography, this paper will reconsider the likely extent to which Augustus may have been influenced by pharaonic ideology as, under his direction, the governance of Rome shifted from republic to autocracy.
News from an Old Excavation: Two Hitherto Unnoticed Measure Capacity Signs on an Egyptian Stone Vessel of the Middle Kingdom from Royal Tomb II at Byblos
Authors: Ahrens Alexander
Published: September 2016

Excavated by French Egyptologist P. Montet in the 1920s, Royal Tomb II at Byblos (Bronze Age Gubla) yielded a significant number of Egyptian objects of the Middle Kingdom. Among these finds is a stone vessel with lid that carries the cartouche of a king named Amenemhat, often believed to be Amenemhat IV of the late Middle Kingdom. Hitherto unnoticed by the scholarly community, however, are two Egyptian measure capacity signs on the stone vessel itself. Since measure capacity signs on stone vessels dating to the Middle Kingdom are only rarely attested even in Egypt, the signs on the stone vessel from Royal Tomb II at Byblos therefore contribute considerably to our understanding of the use and application of such signs. The article deals with the examination of these signs and tries to correlate them with the actual capacity of the vessel.
Synagogues and Cemeteries: Evidence for a Jewish Presence in the Fayum
Authors: Muhlestein Kerry , Innes Courtney
Published: September 2016

Current excavations in the Fag el-Gamous necropolis have raised several questions about the ethnic composition of the mummies buried there. Of particular significance is the potential Jewish presence in the cemetery, as this could help explain the early changes in burial practices witnessed at Fag el-Gamous and often posited to be related to the Christianization of the area. However, evidence of a Jewish presence in the Fayum is difficult to pinpoint conclusively due to the integration of Jewish customs with surrounding cultures. Despite this, a sizeable Jewish population within the Fayum can be demonstrated by extrapolating from known societal integration patterns of the period and also by correlating onomastic evidence and recorded ethnicities in day to day proceedings with the mummies buried at Fag el-Gamous. This conclusion will need to be substantiated once other analyses of the Fag el-Gamous mummies become available.
Quantitative Assessment of Mass Flow Boundaries in Continuous Twin-screw Granulation
Authors: Schmidt Adrian , De Waard Hans , Moll Klaus-Peter , Krumme Markus , Kleinebudde Peter
Published: September 2016

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, there is an increasing interest in continuous manufacturing. As an example for fast continuous processes in general of considerable complexity, this study was focussed on improving the understanding of twin-screw wet granulation. The impact of the liquid-to-solid
(L/S) mass flow ratio on product quality (granules) as well as on downstream process operations (tableting) was investigated in detail. Initially two methods were used to define L/S ratio boundaries for the granulation regime in twin-screw wet granulation. It was shown that the first method,
which is based on measuring the wet granule mass flow variation, can be used to define the upper L/S ratio boundary of the granulation regime. The second method, based on measuring the granule size distribution, can be used to define the lower L/S ratio boundary of the regime. Using these
methods, the granulation regime for different formulations could be established. This information was then used to show that the formulation could be optimised such that the process is more robust (i.e. wider L/S ratio boundaries for the granulation regime). Also it could be used to
optimise the formulation considering further downstream processing such as drying (using as little water as possible to reduce drying efforts) or tableting (obtain granules with optimised tableting properties). Preferably, the process should be performed close to the lower L/S ratio boundary
of the granulation regime. In summary, these tools enabled the quantitative establishment of granulation regime boundaries in a twin-screw wet granulation process and can be used to optimise formulation and to create a robust process. Analogies to other continuous processes in completely different
applications can be conceived.
Industry 4.0: Reality, Future or just Science Fiction? How to Convince Today's Management to Invest in Tomorrow's Future! Successful Strategies for Industry 4.0 and Manufacturing IT
Authors: Gentner Stephan
Published: September 2016

Manufacturing IT and Industry 4.0 is the Fourth Industrial Revolution with a potential of 12 bn Euros in Germany's chemicals industry. But Switzerland is currently the best prepared of all countries in Europe. Many of the ideas are still very vague. This article discusses how to identify
what is already reality, which ideas might become reality in the future and which ideas will stay science fiction. As projects in Manufacturing IT and Industry 4.0 are different from classical technical projects other strategies, for example agile project management, are necessary to secure
success.
Longitudinal and Contextual Associations Between Teacher–Student Relationships and Student Engagement
Authors: Quin Daniel
Published: September 2016

This systematic review examined multiple indicators of adolescent students’ engagement in school, and the indicators’ associations with teacher–student relationships (TSRs). Seven psychology, education, and social sciences databases were systematically searched. From this search, 46 published studies (13 longitudinal) were included for detailed analysis. Cross-sectional studies showed better quality TSRs were associated with enhanced engagement in school. These associations with TSRs were demonstrated among multiple indicators of student engagement (i.e., psychological engagement, academic grades, school attendance, disruptive behaviors, suspension, and dropout). Similar associations were found in longitudinal studies. Longitudinal and cross-sectional associations remained when covariates from the individual, family, school, and teacher contexts known to influence student engagement were controlled for. TSRs were shown to have an important but not exclusive role in their association with a comprehensive range of indicators of student engagement.
Mycelial growth observation of Pleurotus eryngii (Higher Basidiomycota) In Vitro
Authors: Owaid Mustafa Nadhim , Al-Saeedi Sajid SS , Abed Idham Ali
Published: September 2016

Five agro-substrates including date palm fibers (fibrillum), wheat straw, white sawdust and their combinations were investigated to grow Pleurotus eryngii. The longer mycelium complete time within bags was 20 days on sawdust (S4), in contrast, the shorter time for mycelium overgrew was completed after 15 days on date palm fiber (S5). In significant (p<0.05), S5 showed the higher growth intensity level (vigorous growth) than other substrates. Thus use of date palm wastes (S5 medium) may be useful for successfully cultivation king oyster mushroom in farm.International Journal of Environment Vol.5(3) 2016, pp.1-10
Introduction and ex-situ conservation of red-list medicinal plants in Andhra University Campus
Authors: Rao J Prakasa , Padal SB
Published: September 2016

Medicinal plants are now under great pressure due to their excessive collection so there is a need to immediate attention for conservation of some important medicinal and red list plants. During the period of 2009-2015 germplasm was collected and introduced in to the Andhra University Botanical Garden. A total of 72 introduced species belonging to 66 genera and 35 families were successfully acclimatized in the botanical garden, included 18 red list plants. After acclimatization all plants are transferred to the garden and special block was maintaining as red list medicinal garden.International Journal of Environment Vol.5(3) 2016, pp.31-42
Variation in soil organic carbon within highland grasslands of Langtang National Park, Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Keshab
Published: September 2016

Grassland also plays important role in food security. The estimated grassland area in Nepal is about 1.75 million ha. Most of the grassland in Nepal is located in higher elevation above, 2000 meter. The aim of this research is to observe difference in SOC of grassland in different altitude. Soil samples were collected from grasslands of altitude: 1500- 2000m, 2001- 2500m, 2501-3000m, 3001- 3500m and 3501- 4000m. The soil samples were collected at successive depths in each grassland i.e. 0 – 10 cm, 10 – 20 cm and 20 – 30 cm. The maximum SOC was found in grassland at altitude 3001 m- 3500m. The lowest was SOC was found in grassland at altitude 3051m – 4000m. Correlation analysis between altitude and SOC shows that SOC is positively correlated with altitude with correlation coefficient 0.850 (significant at P<0.05 level). But SOC decreases sharply in treeline with negative correlation (Significant at P<0.05).International Journal of Environment Vol.5(3) 2016, pp.57-65
Inventory of non-timber forest products in Western Nepal and strategies for sustainable management
Authors: Dhakal Pramila , Paudel Dev R , Baral Dilli Ram
Published: September 2016

Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) play an important role as traditional source for food, fiber, fodder, and medicine and offer income opportunities for poverty alleviation especially in rural households in Nepal who engage in a widespread trade of NTFPs. Adequate planning for sustainable use of NTFPs is imperative so we explored the inventory of multipurpose trees and herbs that are being used as NTFPs in Chitwan, Nepal. 70 households from Sukranagar and Mangalpur VDCs of Chitwan district were randomly selected and personal interviews were taken with them as well as focus group discussions were done. The community had been utilizing 49 plant species from the nearby community forest. Implementation of the policy of community forestry was found to have a positive impact on the sustainable production of NTFPs. More than 80% of the respondents believed that indigenous knowledge promoted sustainable NTFP production. Kurilo (Asparagus officinalis) was found to be the best NTFP for the study site. Various policy level reforms are proposed that will help in improving the sustainable production of NTFPs. Better utilization of NTFPs as well as their conservation is possible with proper trainings given to community forest users.International Journal of Environment Vol.5(3) 2016, pp.87-103
Implementation status of community adaptation plans: a case study from Parbat District, Nepal
Authors: Acharya Reeti , Paudel Ganesh
Published: September 2016

This study was carried out in three community forests of the Parbat District, Nepal with the objective of assessing the implementation status of Community Adaptation Plans (CAPs). Three focus group discussions, observations and several informal discussions were made with the local people. Physical and financial progresses of the CAPs were assessed. Altogether 26 climate change adaptation activities were proposed for the fiscal year 2071/72 among them 46% activities were implemented completely, 19% activities were started but not implemented and 35% activities were not implemented. The physical and financial progresses of the CAPs were 41.79% and 27.47 % respectively. For ensuring the effective implementation of CAPs mainstreaming them into local level development plan is recommended. Analysis of the effectiveness of the implemented CAPs in reducing vulnerability is recommended for future researchers.International Journal of Environment Vol.5(3) 2016, pp.119-126
Implementation of Bethesda system in thyroid aspirate: A cyto-histopathological correlation study
Authors: Choudhary PK , Nepal N , Mainali N , Meenakshi B
Published: September 2016

Background: Thyroid lump is a common clinical problem in Nepal. The risk of malignancy has to be judged prior to surgery for which fine needle aspiration cytology is widely used. To bring the uniform reporting of thyroid aspirates, the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology (TBSRTC) was introduced in 2007. This study was done to evaluate the various cytomorphological patterns of thyroid aspirate and to correlate the Bethesda system with final histopathology report.Materials and Methods: Fine needle aspiration were performed and were evaluated as per TBSRTC criteria. Fine needle aspiration cytology report were compared with biopsy specimen whenever possible.   Result: A total of 386 cases were studied. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and overall accuracy of TBSRTC were 75.2%, 98.2%, 90.0%, 94.7% and 94.03% respectively. Conclusion: Use of TBSRTC in reporting thyroid cytopathology has a greater accuracy; however, benign cases need regular follow up as there are false negative cases.
Impact of urothelial carcinoma with divergent differentiation on tumor stage
Authors: Chalise S , Jha A , Neupane PR , Pradhan SB , Pathak R
Published: September 2016

Background: Urinary bladder cancer is classified as urothelial or non-urothelial. Ninenty percent of bladder cancer are urothelial and has propensity for divergent differentiation. Squamous differentiation is associated with unfavourable prognostic features. The aim of this study is to determine the significance of urothelial carcinoma with divergent differentiation in relation to tumor stage and lymphovascular as well as perineural invasion in radical cystectomy and partial cystectomy specimen.Materials and methods: This prospective study was done among 51 patients who underwent radical cystectomy or partial cystectomy at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital from 1st August 2013 to 31st December 2015. Received specimen was grossed following standard protocol and histopathological evaluation was done in relation to tumor type, depth of invasion, Lymphovascular and perineural invasion.Results: Pure urothelial carcinoma comprises 47.1% of cases. Among the divergent differentiation, urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation was the commonest one (39.2%) followed by glandular differentiation (5.9%), sarcomatoid differentiation (3.9%), clear cell variant (2.0%) and squamous along with sarcomatoid variant (2.0%). Statistical significant correlation was found between urothelial carcinoma with divergent differentiation and tumor stage (p<0.012). Statistically significant correlation was also found between urothelial carcinoma with divergent differentiation and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.012) as well as perineural invasion (p=0.037).Conclusion:  Most common divergent differentiation was squamous differentiation. Urothelial carcinoma with divergent differentiation was associated with higher stage and lymphovascular as well as perineural invasion. So it is mandatory to search for the divergent differentiation in urothelial carcinoma as this may be associated with unfavourable prognosis.
Histopathological evaluation of ulcerative colitis in colonoscopic biopsies
Authors: Dhakhwa R , Shrestha HG , Acharya IL
Published: September 2016

Background: Histopathologic evaluation of colonoscopic mucosal biopsy remains one of the earliest modalities of investigation in patients clinically suspected of ulcerative colitis. Pathologists should be aware of classical histomorphological features to avoid misdiagnosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate histopathologic features as well as to determine possible atypical presentation.Materials and Methods: Forty newly diagnosed cases of ulcerative colitis were included in the study. Colonoscopic biopsies taken from rectum as well as various areas of colon and ileum depending upon clinical extent of involvement were submitted for histopathological evaluation. Diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was made by correlating clinical, endoscopic and histopathologic findings.Results: Out of 47 cases suspected of ulcerative colitis, histopathologic features were consistent with Ulcerative colitis in 40 cases. Almost all cases (97.5%) showed diffuse active colitis. Cryptitis (100%), crypt abscesses (75%) and basal plasmacytosis (85%) along with crypt architectural abnormalities (75%) and goblet cell depletion (70%) were classical histological changes associated with ulcerative colitis in active phase.  Atypical presentations noticed were focal active colitis (2.5%), backwash ileitis (2.5%), rectal sparing (2.5%) and skip areas (5%).Conclusion: Accurate diagnosis of ulcerative colitis requires elaborate knowledge of histopathologic features along with awareness of possible atypical presentation.
Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among patients with dyspepsia and correlation between endoscopic and histological diagnosis
Authors: K.C. Shiva Raj , Lakhey A , Koirala K , Amatya GL
Published: September 2016

Background: Dyspepsia is a prevalent complaint in general practice and gastrointestinal clinics. Helicobacter pylori have major causal relationship with gastro duodenal disease. The following study seeks to identify the prevalence of H. pylori based on histology and to correlate endoscopic findings with histopathology.Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted in GRP Polyclinic and Om Hospital and research centre from April 2015-September 2015. The upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings were recorded and were correlated with histopathological findings. All the relevant data were collected and analysed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 16 for windows.  Results: Endoscopy finding was divided into reflux esophagitis, antral gastritis, duodenitis, duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, and gastric cancer. Duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer was noted more frequently in males than in females (55.0% vs. 45.0% and 58.2% vs. 41.8%), respectively, P < 0.001).Chronic follicular gastritis was the most common in gastric ulcer (41.7%), whereas chronic persistent gastritis was common in non-ulcerative disease. Chronic active gastritis and chronic follicular gastritis were more common in ulcerative diseases, whereas chronic persistent gastritis was more common in gastritis and duodenitis (P < 0.001). The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 68.1% with male preponderance. Chronic active gastritis had highest prevalence of H. pylori (84.8%), followed by chronic follicular gastritis (84.1%) and chronic persistent gastritis (p value < 0.001.Conclusion: Rate of H. pylori infected patients with dyspepsia was high. Ulcerative lesions were more common in males than in females with higher rate of infection with H. Pylori.  Histological diagnosis of chronic active gastritis and chronic follicular gastritis was the most common pathologies in ulcerative lesions.
Diagnosis of Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: K.C. Geetika
Published: September 2016

Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is the deposition of fat in liver in absence of excessive of alcohol consumption. Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ranges from simple steatosis to Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. Most cases (90%) of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease have simple steatosis with benign prognosis. Ten to thirty percent of Non -Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease progresses to NASH and 25-40% of Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis undergoes progressive liver fibrosis.Ultimately 20-30% of Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis will go into cirrhosis during their lifetime. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis has higher chances of (2.6% per year) going into hepatocellular carcinoma. There are several risk factors noted for Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Some of which includes increasing age, metabolic syndrome, dietary factors etc. Investigations regarding liver function test can be divided into invasive and noninvasive types. Under invasive procedures comes liver biopsy and non-invasive includes radiological tests and various biochemical tests. This article tries to analyze different scoring systems and their significance in diagnosing steatohepatitis and fibrosis.
The Paris System – A new insight into reporting urine cytology
Authors: Ghosh A
Published: September 2016

Urine cytology helps in the diagnosis of urothelial malignancies. There were no universally accepted reporting system despite several systems were suggested in the past. As a part of irst international effort to standardize urine cytology, The Paris System Working Group was formed comprising pathologists and urologists who met in 2013 at the International Congress of Cytology in Paris and proposed The Paris System (TPS). It was unanimously decided that the main aim of urine cytology was to detect high grade urothelial carcinoma. TPS consists of 7 diagnostic categories and also tries to deine several morphological criteria. TPS Atlas was published in 2016. This article tries to summarize and highlight essential points of The Paris System.
Extra nodal Rosai Dorfman disease of nasal septal mucosa without lymphadenopathy
Authors: Raje P , Vyas P
Published: September 2016

Rosai–Dorman disease, also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, typically presents as massive enlargement of lymph nodes accompanied by systemic symptoms. Extranodal involvement is also known usually in head and neck regions. Rarely the disease presents at extranodal sites only without involvement of lymph nodes.We present a case of 58 years-old female who presented with mass in nasal septum without involvement of lymph nodes. The mass was removed surgically and diagnosis was made on histological grounds with classical indings of histiocytic proliferation and emperipolesis.
Acute Toxicity and Ecological Risk Assessment of Benzophenone and N,N-Diethyl-3 Methylbenzamide in Personal Care Products
Authors: Sun Hong-Qin , Du Yang , Zhang Zi-Yang , Jiang Wen-Jing , Guo Yan-Min , Lu Xi-Wu , Zhang Yi-Min , Sun Li-Wei
Published: September 2016

Benzophenone (BP) and N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) are two chemicals often used in personal care products (PCPs). There is a lack of systematic ecotoxicological evaluations about the two chemicals to aquatic organisms. In the present study, the acute toxic effects on Chlorella vulgaris, Daphnia Magana, and Brachydanio rerio were tested and the ecotoxicological risks were evaluated. For BP, the 96-h half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) on C. vulgaris was 6.86 mg/L; the 24-h median lethal concentration (LC50) on D. magana was 7.63 mg/L; the 96-h LC50 on B. rerio was 14.73 mg/L. For DEET, those were 270.72 mg/L, 40.74 mg/L, and 109.67 mg/L, respectively. The mixture toxicity of BP and DEET, on C. vulgaris, D. magana, and B. rerio all showed an additive effect. The induced predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) for BP and DEET by assessment factor (AF) method are 0.003 mg/L and 0.407 mg/L, respectively. Both are lower than the concentrations detected from environment at present, verifying that BP and DEET are low-risk chemicals to the environment.
Three-Dimensional Network Model for Coupling of Fracture and Mass Transport in Quasi-Brittle Geomaterials
Authors: Grassl Peter , Bolander John
Published: September 2016

Dual three-dimensional networks of structural and transport elements were combined to model the effect of fracture on mass transport in quasi-brittle geomaterials. Element connectivity of the structural network, representing elasticity and fracture, was defined by the Delaunay tessellation of a random set of points. The connectivity of transport elements within the transport network was defined by the Voronoi tessellation of the same set of points. A new discretisation strategy for domain boundaries was developed to apply boundary conditions for the coupled analyses. The properties of transport elements were chosen to evolve with the crack opening values of neighbouring structural elements. Through benchmark comparisons involving non-stationary transport and fracture, the proposed dual network approach was shown to be objective with respect to element size and orientation.
Effect of High-Frequency Sea Waves on Wave Period Retrieval from Radar Altimeter and Buoy Data
Authors: Wang Xifeng , Ichikawa Kaoru
Published: September 2016

Wave periods estimated from satellite altimetry data behave differently from those calculated from buoy data, especially in low-wind conditions. In this paper, the geometric mean wave period T a is calculated from buoy data, rather than the commonly used zero-crossing wave period T z . The geometric mean wave period uses the fourth moment of the wave frequency spectrum and is related to the mean-square slope of the sea surface measured using altimeters. The values of T a obtained from buoys and altimeters agree well (root mean square difference: 0.2 s) only when the contribution of high-frequency sea waves is estimated by a wavenumber spectral model to complement the buoy data, because a buoy cannot obtain data from waves having wavelengths that are shorter than the characteristic dimension of the buoy.
The Sensitivity of AOD Retrieval to Aerosol Type and Vertical Distribution over Land with MODIS Data
Authors: Wu Yerong , De Graaf Martin , Menenti Massimo
Published: September 2016

This study is to evaluate the sensitivity of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD τ) to aerosol vertical profile and type, using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) collection 6 algorithm over land. Four experiments were performed, using different aerosol properties including 3 possible non-dust aerosol models and 14 vertical distributions. The algorithm intrinsic uncertainty was investigated as well as the interplay effect of aerosol vertical profile and type on the retrieval. The results show that the AOD retrieval is highly sensitive to aerosol vertical profile and type. With 4 aerosol vertical distributions, the algorithm with a fixed vertical distribution gives about 5% error in the AOD retrieval with aerosol loading τ ≤ 0 . 5 . With pure aerosols (smoke and dust), the retrieval of AOD shows errors ranging from 2% to 30% for a series of vertical distributions. Errors in aerosol type assumption in the algorithm can lead to errors of up to 8% in the AOD retrieval. The interplay effect can give the AOD retrieval errors by over 6%. In addition, intrinsic algorithm errors were found, with a value of >3% when τ> 3.0. This is due to the incorrect estimation of the surface reflectance. The results suggest that the MODIS algorithm can be improved by considering a realistic aerosol model and its vertical profile, and even further improved by reducing the algorithm intrinsic errors.
High-Resolution NDVI from Planet’s Constellation of Earth Observing Nano-Satellites: A New Data Source for Precision Agriculture
Authors: Houborg Rasmus , McCabe Matthew
Published: September 2016

Planet Labs (“Planet”) operate the largest fleet of active nano-satellites in orbit, offering an unprecedented monitoring capacity of daily and global RGB image capture at 3–5 m resolution. However, limitations in spectral resolution and lack of accurate radiometric sensor calibration impact the utility of this rich information source. In this study, Planet’s RGB imagery was translated into a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI): a common metric for vegetation growth and condition. Our framework employs a data mining approach to build a set of rule-based regression models that relate RGB data to atmospherically corrected Landsat-8 NDVI. The approach was evaluated over a desert agricultural landscape in Saudi Arabia where the use of near-coincident (within five days) Planet and Landsat-8 acquisitions in the training of the regression models resulted in NDVI predictabilities with an r2 of approximately 0.97 and a Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) on the order of 0.014 (~9%). The MAD increased to 0.021 (~14%) when the Landsat NDVI training image was further away (i.e., 11–16 days) from the corrected Planet image. In these cases, the use of MODIS observations to inform on the change in NDVI occurring between overpasses was shown to significantly improve prediction accuracies. MAD levels ranged from 0.002 to 0.011 (3.9% to 9.1%) for the best performing 80% of the data. The technique is generic and extendable to any region of interest, increasing the utility of Planet’s dense time-series of RGB imagery.
Exploratory Analysis of Dengue Fever Niche Variables within the Río Magdalena Watershed
Authors: Stanforth Austin , Moreno-Madriñán Max , Ashby Jeffrey
Published: September 2016

Previous research on Dengue Fever have involved laboratory tests or study areas with less diverse temperature and elevation ranges than is found in Colombia; therefore, preliminary research was needed to identify location specific attributes of Dengue Fever transmission. Environmental variables derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellites were combined with population variables to be statistically compared against reported cases of Dengue Fever in the Río Magdalena watershed, Colombia. Three-factor analysis models were investigated to analyze variable patterns, including a population, population density, and empirical Bayesian estimation model. Results identified varying levels of Dengue Fever transmission risk, and environmental characteristics which support, and advance, the research literature. Multiple temperature metrics, elevation, and vegetation composition were among the more contributory variables found to identify future potential outbreak locations.
Voxel-Based Spatial Filtering Method for Canopy Height Retrieval from Airborne Single-Photon Lidar
Authors: Tang Hao , Swatantran Anu , Barrett Terence , DeCola Phil , Dubayah Ralph
Published: September 2016

Airborne single-photon lidar (SPL) is a new technology that holds considerable potential for forest structure and carbon monitoring at large spatial scales because it acquires 3D measurements of vegetation faster and more efficiently than conventional lidar instruments. However, SPL instruments use green wavelength (532 nm) lasers, which are sensitive to background solar noise, and therefore SPL point clouds require more elaborate noise filtering than other lidar instruments to determine canopy heights, particularly in daytime acquisitions. Histogram-based aggregation is a commonly used approach for removing noise from photon counting lidar data, but it reduces the resolution of the dataset. Here we present an alternate voxel-based spatial filtering method that filters noise points efficiently while largely preserving the spatial integrity of SPL data. We develop and test our algorithms on an experimental SPL dataset acquired over Garrett County in Maryland, USA. We then compare canopy attributes retrieved using our new algorithm with those obtained from the conventional histogram binning approach. Our results show that canopy heights derived using the new algorithm have a strong agreement with field-measured heights (r2 = 0.69, bias = 0.42 m, RMSE = 4.85 m) and discrete return lidar heights (r2 = 0.94, bias = 1.07 m, RMSE = 2.42 m). Results are consistently better than height accuracies from the histogram method (field data: r2 = 0.59, bias = 0.00 m, RMSE = 6.25 m; DRL: r2 = 0.78, bias = −0.06 m and RMSE = 4.88 m). Furthermore, we find that the spatial-filtering method retains fine-scale canopy structure detail and has lower errors over steep slopes. We therefore believe that automated spatial filtering algorithms such as the one presented here can support large-scale, canopy structure mapping from airborne SPL data.
Analysis of MABEL Bathymetry in Keweenaw Bay and Implications for ICESat-2 ATLAS
Authors: Forfinski-Sarkozi Nicholas , Parrish Christopher
Published: September 2016

In 2018, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is scheduled to launch the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2), with a new six-beam, green-wavelength, photon-counting lidar system, Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS). The primary objectives of the ICESat-2 mission are to measure ice-sheet elevations, sea-ice thickness, and global biomass. However, if bathymetry can be reliably retrieved from ATLAS data, this could assist in addressing a key data need in many coastal and inland water body areas, including areas that are poorly-mapped and/or difficult to access. Additionally, ATLAS-derived bathymetry could be used to constrain bathymetry derived from complementary data, such as passive, multispectral imagery and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). As an important first step in evaluating the ability to map bathymetry from ATLAS, this study involves a detailed assessment of bathymetry from the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL), NASA’s airborne ICESat-2 simulator, flown on the Earth Resources 2 (ER-2) high-altitude aircraft. An interactive, web interface, MABEL Viewer, was developed and used to identify bottom returns in Keweenaw Bay, Lake Superior. After applying corrections for refraction and channel-specific elevation biases, MABEL bathymetry was compared against National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data acquired two years earlier. The results indicate that MABEL reliably detected bathymetry in depths of up to 8 m, with a root mean square (RMS) difference of 0.7 m, with respect to the reference data. Additionally, a version of the lidar equation was developed for predicting bottom-return signal levels in MABEL and tested using the Keweenaw Bay data. Future work will entail extending these results to ATLAS, as the technical specifications of the sensor become available.
Flash Flood Hazard Susceptibility Mapping Using Frequency Ratio and Statistical Index Methods in Coalmine Subsidence Areas
Authors: Cao Chen , Xu Peihua , Wang Yihong , Chen Jianping , Zheng Lianjing , Niu Cencen
Published: September 2016

This study focused on producing flash flood hazard susceptibility maps (FFHSM) using frequency ratio (FR) and statistical index (SI) models in the Xiqu Gully (XQG) of Beijing, China. First, a total of 85 flash flood hazard locations (n = 85) were surveyed in the field and plotted using geographic information system (GIS) software. Based on the flash flood hazard locations, a flood hazard inventory map was built. Seventy percent (n = 60) of the flooding hazard locations were randomly selected for building the models. The remaining 30% (n = 25) of the flooded hazard locations were used for validation. Considering that the XQG used to be a coal mining area, coalmine caves and subsidence caused by coal mining exist in this catchment, as well as many ground fissures. Thus, this study took the subsidence risk level into consideration for FFHSM. The ten conditioning parameters were elevation, slope, curvature, land use, geology, soil texture, subsidence risk area, stream power index (SPI), topographic wetness index (TWI), and short-term heavy rain. This study also tested different classification schemes for the values for each conditional parameter and checked their impacts on the results. The accuracy of the FFHSM was validated using area under the curve (AUC) analysis. Classification accuracies were 86.61%, 83.35%, and 78.52% using frequency ratio (FR)-natural breaks, statistical index (SI)-natural breaks and FR-manual classification schemes, respectively. Associated prediction accuracies were 83.69%, 81.22%, and 74.23%, respectively. It was found that FR modeling using a natural breaks classification method was more appropriate for generating FFHSM for the Xiqu Gully.
ANFIS-Based Modeling for Photovoltaic Characteristics Estimation
Authors: Bi Ziqiang , Ma Jieming , Pan Xinyu , Wang Jian , Shi Yu
Published: September 2016

Due to the high cost of photovoltaic (PV) modules, an accurate performance estimation method is significantly valuable for studying the electrical characteristics of PV generation systems. Conventional analytical PV models are usually composed by nonlinear exponential functions and a good number of unknown parameters must be identified before using. In this paper, an adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based modeling method is proposed to predict the current-voltage characteristics of PV modules. The effectiveness of the proposed modeling method is evaluated through comparison with Villalva’s model, radial basis function neural networks (RBFNN) based model and support vector regression (SVR) based model. Simulation and experimental results confirm both the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Integrating Artificial Neural Networks into the VIC Model for Rainfall-Runoff Modeling
Authors: Meng Changqing , Zhou Jianzhong , Tayyab Muhammad , Zhu Shuang , Zhang Hairong
Published: September 2016

A hybrid rainfall-runoff model was developed in this study by integrating the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model with artificial neural networks (ANNs). In the proposed model, the prediction interval of the ANN replaces separate, individual simulation (i.e., single simulation). The spatial heterogeneity of horizontal resolution, subgrid-scale features and their influence on the streamflow can be assessed according to the VIC model. In the routing module, instead of a simple linear superposition of the streamflow generated from each subbasin, ANNs facilitate nonlinear mappings of the streamflow produced from each subbasin into the total streamflow at the basin outlet. A total of three subbasins were delineated and calibrated independently via the VIC model; daily runoff errors were simulated for each subbasin, then corrected by an ANN bias-correction model. The initial streamflow and corrected runoff from the simulation for individual subbasins serve as inputs to the ANN routing model. The feasibility of this proposed method was confirmed according to the performance of its application to a case study on rainfall-runoff prediction in the Jinshajiang River Basin, the headwater area of the Yangtze River.
Reduced Expression of Jumonji AT-Rich Interactive Domain 2 (JARID2) in Glioma Inhibits Tumor Growth In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Li Zhenjiang , Xu Chenyang , Gao Ming , Ding Bingqian , Wei Xinting , Ji Nan
Published: September 2016

Jumonji AT-rich interactive domain 2 (JARID2) is a member of the Jumonji family of proteins and has been proposed as an oncogene in several types of human cancer. However, the role of JARID2 in human glioma has not yet been understood. The present study was designed to determine the
roles of JARID2 in the proliferation and migration in human glioma cells and the growth of glioma cells in nude mice. Our data indicate that JARID2 is upregulated in human glioma tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of JARID2 obviously inhibits the proliferation of U87MG cells and tumor growth
in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of JARID2 inhibits migration and invasion as well as the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in U87MG cells. Mechanistically, knockdown of JARID2 reduces the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt in U87MG cells. In summary, our study is the
first one in our knowledge to indicate that JARID2 plays an important role in glioma development and progression. Therefore, JARID2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of glioma.
Seasonal changes in tissue‐water relations for eight species of ferns during historic drought in California
Authors: Holmlund Helen I. , Lekson Victoria M. , Gillespie Breahna M. , Nakamatsu Nicole A. , Burns Amanda M. , Sauer Kaitlyn E. , Pittermann Jarmila , Davis Stephen D.
Published: September 2016

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

California experienced severe drought between 2012 and 2016. During this period, we compared seasonal changes in tissue‐water relations among eight fern species in the Santa Monica Mountains of southern California to elucidate differential mechanisms of drought survival and physiological performance during extreme water deficits.

METHODS:

We monitored seasonal changes in water potential (Ψmd) and dark‐adapted chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), assessed tissue‐water relations including osmotic potential at saturation and the turgor loss point (Ψπ, sat and Ψπ, tlp), and measured, for two evergreen species, xylem‐specific and leaf‐specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks and Kl) and vulnerability of stem xylem to water stress‐induced embolism (water potential at 50% loss hydraulic conductivity, Ψ50).

KEY RESULTS:

Species grew in either riparian or chaparral understory. The five chaparral species had a wider range of seasonal water potentials, root depths, and frond phenological traits, including one evergreen, two summer‐deciduous, and two desiccation‐tolerant (resurrection) species. Evergreen species were especially diverse, with an evergreen riparian species maintaining seasonal water potentials above −1.3 MPa, while an evergreen chaparral species had seasonal water potentials below −8 MPa. In those two species the Ψ50 values were −2.5 MPa and −4.3 MPa, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Observed differences in physiological performance among eight fern species reflected niche partitioning in water utilization and habitat preference associated with distinct phenological traits. We predict differential survival among fern species as future drought events in California intensify, with desiccation‐tolerant resurrection ferns being the most resistant.
Lost crops of the Incas: Origins of domestication of the Andean pulse crop tarwi, Lupinus mutabilis
Authors: Atchison Guy W. , Nevado Bruno , Eastwood Ruth J. , Contreras‐Ortiz Natalia , Reynel Carlos , Madriñán Santiago , Filatov Dmitry A. , Hughes Colin E.
Published: September 2016

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

The Andean highlands are a hotspot of domestication, yet our understanding of the origins of early Andean agriculture remains fragmentary. Key questions of where, when, how many times, and from what progenitors many Andean crops were domesticated remain unanswered. The Andean lupine crop tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) is a regionally important pulse crop with exceptionally high seed protein and oil content and is the focus of modern breeding efforts, but its origins remain obscure.

METHODS:

A large genome‐wide DNA polymorphism data set was generated using nextRADseq to infer relationships among more than 200 accessions of Andean Lupinus species, including 24 accessions of L. mutabilis and close relatives. Phylogenetic and demographic analyses were used to identify the likely progenitor of tarwi and elucidate the area and timing of domestication in combination with archaeological evidence.

KEY RESULTS:

We infer that tarwi was domesticated once in northern Peru, most likely in the Cajamarca region within, or adjacent to the extant distribution of L. piurensis, which is the most likely wild progenitor. Demographic analyses suggest that tarwi split from L. piurensis around 2600 BP and suffered a classical domestication bottleneck. The earliest unequivocal archaeological evidence of domesticated tarwi seeds is from the Mantaro Valley, central Peru ca. 1800 BP.

CONCLUSIONS:

A single origin of tarwi from L. piurensis in northern Peru provides a robust working hypothesis for the domestication of this regionally important crop and is one of the first clear‐cut examples of a crop originating in the highlands of northern Peru.
The complete chloroplast genome sequences for four Amaranthus species (Amaranthaceae)
Authors: Chaney Lindsay , Mangelson Ryan , Ramaraj Thiruvarangan , Jellen Eric N. , Maughan Peter J.
Published: September 2016

Premise of the study:

The amaranth genus contains many important grain and weedy species. We further our understanding of the genus through the development of a complete reference chloroplast genome.

Methods and Results:

A high‐quality Amaranthus hypochondriacus (Amaranthaceae) chloroplast genome assembly was developed using long‐read technology. This reference genome was used to reconstruct the chloroplast genomes for two closely related grain species (A. cruentus and A. caudatus) and their putative progenitor (A. hybridus). The reference genome was 150,518 bp and possesses a circular structure of two inverted repeats (24,352 bp) separated by small (17,941 bp) and large (83,873 bp) single‐copy regions; it encodes 111 genes, 72 for proteins. Relative to the reference chloroplast genome, an average of 210 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 122 insertion/deletion polymorphisms (indels) were identified across the analyzed genomes.

Conclusions:

This reference chloroplast genome, along with the reported simple sequence repeats, SNPs, and indels, is an invaluable genetic resource for studying the phylogeny and genetic diversity within the amaranth genus.