bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bismuth-Doped Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings on Titanium Implants for Improved Radiopacity and Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Ciobanu Gabriela , Harja Maria
Published: November 2019

This study aims to present the possibility to obtain bismuth-doped nanohydroxyapatite coatings on the surface of the titanium implants by using a solution-derived process according to an established biomimetic methodology. The bioactivity of the titanium surface was increased by an alkali-thermal treatment. Then, under biomimetic conditions, the titanium surface was coated with a Bi-doped nanohydroxyapatite layer by using a modified supersaturated calcification solution (SCS) containing a bismuth salt. The apatite deposits were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and digital X-rays radiography method. The results indicate that the Bi-doped nanohydroxyapatite coatings on titanium surface were produced. These coatings exhibit a good radiopacity, thus enhancing their applications in dental and orthopedic fields. Additionally, the Bi-doped nanohydroxyapatite coatings show significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
Optimizing Nutrition Assessment to Create Better Outcomes in Lung Transplant Recipients: A Review of Current Practices
Authors: Weber Gulling Mara , Schaefer Monica , Bishop-Simo Laura , Keller Brian C.
Published: November 2019

Lung transplantation offers patients with end-stage lung disease an opportunity for a better quality of life, but with limited organ availability it is paramount that selected patients have the best opportunity for successful outcomes. Nutrition plays a central role in post-surgical outcomes and, historically, body mass index (BMI) has been used as the de facto method of assessing a lung transplant candidate’s nutritional status. Here, we review the historical origins of BMI in lung transplantation, summarize the current BMI literature, and review studies of alternative/complementary body composition assessment tools, including lean psoas area, creatinine-height index, leptin, and dual x-ray absorptiometry. These body composition measures quantify lean body mass versus fat mass and may provide a more comprehensive analysis of a patient’s nutritional state than BMI alone.
Threshold-Effect Association of Dietary Cholesterol Intake with Dyslipidemia in Chinese Adults: Results from the China Health and Nutrition Survey in 2015
Authors: Huang Qiumin , Jiang Hongru , Zhang Bing , Wang Huijun , Jia Xiaofang , Huang Feifei , Wang Liusen , Wang Zhihong
Published: November 2019

The association of dietary cholesterol intake with dyslipidemia and subtypes is controversial. This study aimed to examine the association of dietary cholesterol intake with dyslipidemia and subtypes in Chinese adults. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 2015, the present study selected 4383 participants aged 18–59 years who were free of diabetes, apoplexy, and myocardial infarction disease. Information was obtained on dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, and blood laboratory measurements. Dietary cholesterol intake was calculated based on the data collected by consecutive 3 days 24 h recalls combined with the weighing of household seasonings and categorized by 11 levels: The first 10 levels in ranges of 50 mg/day and the 11th level at ≥500 mg/day. Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-hypercholesterolemia, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-hypocholesterolemia were defined based on the Chinese adult dyslipidemia prevention guide (2016 edition). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine the association of dietary cholesterol intake levels with dyslipidemia and subtypes. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 37.5% among Chinese adults in 2015 (hypercholesterolemia 9.6%, HDL-hypocholesterolemia 21.1%, LDL-hypercholesterolemia 12.7%, and hypertriglyceridemia 15.2%). The lowest prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and LDL-hypercholesterolemia was 6.7% and 9.4%, respectively, which was relative to a dietary cholesterol intake level of 100.0 to <150.0 mg/day. After adjusting for all potential confounders, adults with the highest dietary cholesterol intake level of ≥500 mg/day compared with the dietary cholesterol intake of 100.0 to <150.0 mg/day showed one-time higher odds of hypercholesterolemia (odds ratios (OR) 2.0, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.3–3.3), as well as LDL-hypercholesterolemia (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3–3.0), but a null association of dietary cholesterol intake with dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and HDL-hypocholesterolemia. The study suggested that a dietary cholesterol intake level of 500 mg/day and above may be a threshold point for high odds of hypercholesterolemia and LDL-hypercholesterolemia.
The Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on the Incidence of Diarrhea in Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Devaraj Navin Kumar , Suppiah Subapriya , Veettil Sajesh K. , Ching Siew Mooi , Lee Kai Wei , Menon Rohit Kunnath , Soo Man Jun , Deuraseh Inas , Hoo Fan Kee , Sivaratnam Dhashani
Published: November 2019

The protective effects of probiotic supplementation against radiation-induced diarrhea (RID) have been reported in previous systematic reviews; however so far, only non-conclusive results have been obtained. The objective of this study was to systematically update and evaluate the available evidence for probiotic supplementation. The protocol of this systematic review has been registered (CRD42018106059) with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). The primary efficacy outcome was the incidence of RID. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of watery stool, soft stool, and antidiarrheal medication use. There were eight trials, and a total of 1116 participants were included in the primary analysis. Compared with placebo, probiotics were associated with a lower risk of RID [risk ratio (RR) = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.83]. A requisite heterogeneity-adjusted trial sequential analysis indicated conclusive evidence for this beneficial effect. No statistically significant reduction in RID (RR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.14, 1.91) was observed on subgroup analysis in patients receiving both radiation therapy and chemotherapy. However, those patients receiving only radiation therapy (RT) demonstrated significant benefit (RR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.48, 0.78). There was a significant difference in the antidiarrheal medication use (RR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.35, 0.84) observed with the use of probiotics. However, no significant difference was observed for the incidence of soft and watery stool. The use of probiotics is beneficial in preventing RID in patients receiving RT.
Efficacy and Safety of New Lactobacilli Probiotics for Unconstipated Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Oh Joo Hyun , Jang Yeon Sil , Kang Danbee , Chang Dong Kyung , Min Yang Won
Published: November 2019

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common and chronic gastrointestinal disorder. Probiotics may have the potential to impact the management of IBS; however, the results of trials are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate whether a mixture of lactobacilli probiotics could improve abdominal symptoms in patients with unconstipated IBS. Fifty Vietnamese patients with unconstipated IBS were randomly assigned to either the probiotics or placebo groups. During the intervention, participants took the probiotic supplement, named Foodis Lactobacillus, or placebo capsule once a day. Patients recorded their subject global assessment (SGA) weekly and were assessed with the visual analogue scale (VAS) during the 4-week study period. Patients with SGA score of 2 points or more or a decrease of more than 30% in VAS score were considered responders. Patients who responded weekly for more than 2 of the 4 weeks were considered overall responders. There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics between the groups. Overall responder rates of improvement of global IBS symptoms assessed by SGA score were significantly higher in the probiotics group (80.8%) than in the placebo group (45.8%) (p = 0.009). The overall responder rates assessed by VAS score were also higher in the probiotics group (69.2%, 41.7%, p = 0.048). There were no adverse events in either group during the study period. Our findings suggest that the new combination of Lactobacilli appears to be promising in the relief of abdominal symptoms in Vietnamese patients with unconstipated IBS.
The Use of Tablet-Based Multiple-Pass 24-Hour Dietary Recall Application (MP24Diet) to Collect Dietary Intake of Children under Two Years Old in the Prospective Cohort Study in Indonesia
Authors: Htet Min Kyaw , Fahmida Umi , Do Tran Thanh , Dibley Michael J. , Ferguson Elaine
Published: November 2019

Dietary intake data are crucial for developing or evaluating nutrition interventions to improve the nutritional status of populations. The collection of accurate and reliable dietary data in developing countries, however, remains challenging. The emergence of new technologies, which facilitate electronic data capture, might address some of these challenges. This paper aims to describe an application developed to collect a multiple-pass 24-h dietary recall, using electronic data capture, and compare the results to those estimated using a paper-based method. In this study, a tablet-based application was developed, in the CommCare platform, to evaluate the effectiveness, for improving dietary adequacy, of a package of behavior change interventions to reduce stunting and anemia among 6–23-month-old children in East Java, Indonesia (Baduta project). Dietary intakes of energy and nutrients were estimated using electronic data capture in the cohort study of the Baduta project (n = 680). We compared these results with those estimated using paper-based data capture in the project’s end-line cross-sectional study (n = 2740). We found a higher percentage of children classified as acceptable energy reporters (reported energy intake within the 95% CI of Total Energy Expenditure) with the electronic data capture compared with paper-based data capture (i.e., 60.8%, 72.4% and 80.7% for 6–8-, 9–11- and 12–23-month-old children, respectively, vs. 40.9%, 56.9%, and 54.3%, respectively). The estimated mean energy and nutrient intakes were not significantly different between these dietary data capture methods. These results suggest dietary data collection, using a tablet-based application, is feasible and can improve the quality of dietary data collected in developing countries.
Effects of Treatment with the Hypomethylating Agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine in Murine Type II Collagen-Induced Arthritis
Authors: Petralia Maria Cristina , Mazzon Emanuela , Basile Maria Sofia , Cutuli Marco , Di Marco Roberto , Scandurra Fabiola , Saraceno Andrea , Fagone Paolo , Nicoletti Ferdinando , Mangano Katia
Published: November 2019

The emerging role of epigenetics in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases has recently attracted much interest on the possible use of epigenetic modulators for the prevention and treatment of these diseases. In particular, we and others have shown that drugs that inhibit DNA methylation, such as azacitidine (AZA) and decitabine (DAC), already used for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, exert powerful beneficial effects in rodent models of type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and Guillain Barrè syndrome. Along this line of research, we have presently studied the effects of DAC in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis induced by type II collagen and have demonstrated that DAC administration was associated with a significant amelioration of the clinical condition, along with in vivo and ex vivo modification of the immunological profile of the so-treated mice, that exhibited a diminished production of Th1 and Th17 pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduction of anti-type II collagen autoantibodies.
Parity–Time Symmetry in Bidirectionally Coupled Semiconductor Lasers
Authors: Wilkey Andrew , Suelzer Joseph , Joglekar Yogesh , Vemuri Gautam
Published: November 2019

We report on the numerical analysis of intensity dynamics of a pair of mutually coupled, single-mode semiconductor lasers that are operated in a configuration that leads to features reminiscent of parity–time symmetry. Starting from the rate equations for the intracavity electric fields of the two lasers and the rate equations for carrier inversions, we show how these equations reduce to a simple 2 × 2 effective Hamiltonian that is identical to that of a typical parity–time (PT)-symmetric dimer. After establishing that a pair of coupled semiconductor lasers could be PT-symmetric, we solve the full set of rate equations and show that despite complicating factors like gain saturation and nonlinearities, the rate equation model predicts intensity dynamics that are akin to those in a PT-symmetric system. The article describes some of the advantages of using semiconductor lasers to realize a PT-symmetric system and concludes with some possible directions for future work on this system.
New Insights on Lilium Phylogeny Based on a Comparative Phylogenomic Study Using Complete Plastome Sequences
Authors: Kim Hyoung Tae , Lim Ki-Byung , Kim Jung Sung
Published: November 2019

The genus Lilium L. is widely distributed in the cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is one of the most valuable plant groups in the world. Regarding the classification of the genus Lilium, Comber’s sectional classification, based on the natural characteristics, has been primarily used to recognize species and circumscribe the sections within the genus. Although molecular phylogenetic approaches have been attempted using different markers to elucidate their phylogenetic relationships, there still are unresolved clades within the genus. In this study, we constructed the species tree for the genus using 28 Lilium species plastomes, including three currently determined species (L. candidum, L. formosanum, and L. leichtlinii var. maximowiczii). We also sought to verify Comber’s classification and to evaluate all loci for phylogenetic molecular markers. Based on the results, the genus was divided into two major lineages, group A and B, consisting of eastern Asia + Europe species and Hengduan Mountains + North America species, respectively. Sectional relationships revealed that the ancestor Martagon diverged from Sinomartagon species and that Pseudolirium and Leucolirion are polyphyletic. Out of all loci in that Lilium plastome, ycf1, trnF-ndhJ, and trnT-psbD regions are suggested as evaluated markers with high coincidence with the species tree. We also discussed the biogeographical diversification and long-distance dispersal event of the genus.
Physiological Effects of Exogenously Applied Reflectants and Anti-Transpirants on Leaf Temperature and Fruit Sunburn in Citrus
Authors: Rodriguez Julissa , Anoruo Ambrose , Jifon John , Simpson Catherine
Published: November 2019

High temperatures and drought are common stresses limiting crop growth and productivity in subtropical regions where citrus are produced. In addition to impacts on physiological processes such as transpiration, photosynthesis, and respiration, excessive solar radiation can also reduce fruit productivity by inducing physiological disorders such as sunburn. This study evaluated the effects of radiation reflectants and anti-transpirants on leaf physiology, and fruit sunburn in grapefruit trees (Citrus x paradisi Macfs. cv. Rio Red) in south Texas during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons. Two calcium-based reflectants, and a methene/pinolene-based anti-transpirant were foliar applied to fruit-bearing trees. Reflectants reduced fruit and leaf temperatures by 0.2°C and 0.21°C, respectively, while the anti-transpirant treatments increased fruit and leaf temperature by approximately 0.83°C and 0.2°C relative to the controls. Stomatal conductance decreased by 1.3% and 3.3%, respectively, in response to the reflectant treatments, while anti-transpirant treatments resulted in decreased stomatal conductance (8.3%) relative to the controls. More sunburned fruit were found in anti-transpirant treated trees in both years (6% and 8.2% for 2016 and 2017) and the reflectant treatments reduced sunburn incidence by 4.9% and 1.8% in those years. These observations indicate that reflectant applications could be a viable strategy to mitigate heat/radiation stress and sunburn in grapefruit.
Influence of Bulk Temperature on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures on Polycarbonate
Authors: Mezera Marek , Bonse Jörn , Römer Gert-willem R. B. E.
Published: November 2019

In this paper, the influence of the bulk temperature (BT) of Polycarbonate (PC) on the occurrence and growth of Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) is studied. Ultrashort UV laser pulses with various laser peak fluence levels F 0 and various numbers of overscans ( N OS ) were applied on the surface of pre-heated Polycarbonate at different bulk temperatures. Increased BT leads to a stronger absorption of laser energy by the Polycarbonate. For N OS < 1000 High Spatial Frequency LIPSS (HSFL), Low Spatial Frequency LIPSS perpendicular (LSFL-I) and parallel (LSFL-II) to the laser polarization were only observed on the rim of the ablated tracks on the surface but not in the center of the tracks. For N OS ≥ 1000 , it was found that when pre-heating the polymer to a BT close its glass transition temperature ( T g ), the laser fluence to achieve similar LIPSS as when processed at room temperature decreases by a factor of two. LSFL types I and II were obtained on PC at a BT close to T g and their periods and amplitudes were similar to typical values found in the literature. To the best of the author’s knowledge, it is the first time both LSFL types developed simultaneously and consistently on the same sample under equal laser processing parameters. The evolution of LIPSS from HSFL, over LSFL-II to LSFL I, is described, depending on laser peak fluence levels, number of pulses processing the spot and bulk temperature.
Composite Central Face Design—An Approach to Achieve Efficient Alginate Microcarriers
Authors: Valente J.F.A. , Dias J.R. , Sousa A. , Alves N.
Published: November 2019

Microparticulated drug delivery systems have been used as promising encapsulation systems for protecting drugs for in vitro and in vivo applications, enhancing its stability, providing an increased surface to volume ratio, reducing adverse effects, and hence an improvement in bioavailability. Among the studied microparticles, there is a rising interest in the research of alginate microparticles for pharmaceutical and biomedical fields confirming its potential to be used as an effective matrix for drug and cell delivery. Moreover, calcium alginate has been one of the most extensively forming microparticles in the presence of divalent cations providing prolonged drug release and suitable mucoadhesive properties. Regarding the above mentioned, in this research work, we intended to produce Ca-alginate micro-vehicles through electrospraying, presenting high encapsulation efficiency (EE%), reduced protein release across the time, reduced swelling effect, and high sphericity coefficient. To quickly achieve these characteristics and to perform an optimal combination among the percentage of alginate and CaCl2, design of Experiments was applied. The obtained model presented to be statistically significant (p-value < 0.05), with a coefficient of determination of 0.9207, 0.9197, 0.9499, and 0.9637 for each output (EE%, release, swelling, and sphericity, respectively). Moreover, the optimal point (4% of alginate and 6.6% of CaCl2) was successfully validated.
Phytic Acid Intercalated Graphene Oxide for Anticorrosive Reinforcement of Waterborne Epoxy Resin Coating
Authors: Wang Na , Gao Huiying , Zhang Jing , Qin Ye , Wang Deyi
Published: November 2019

Epoxy resin coatings were prepared with phytic acid-doped graphene oxide (PA-GO) to modify epoxy resins (EP). The aim was to improve the dispersion of GO in waterborne epoxy resin, and thus to improve the corrosion resistance of steel structures. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that PA-GO was successfully prepared and has a better dispersion in epoxy resin. This is mainly due to the PA insert, which increased the layer spacing of the GO. The results obtained under the controlled corrosive environment showed that the specimen coated with EP containing 1.0 wt.% PA-GO had better corrosion resistance than other samples. This resistance was also two orders of magnitude higher than pure epoxy coating. The main reason for this is that the dispersion of GO in waterborne epoxy resin had been improved.
Comparison of Two Low-Profile Prosthetic Retention System Interfaces: Preliminary Data of an In Vitro Study
Authors: Cervino Gabriele , Montanari Marco , Santonocito Dario , Nicita Fabiana , Baldari Riccardo , De Angelis Claudio , Storni Gianni , Fiorillo Luca
Published: November 2019

In recent years, a major research goal of companies has been to create mechanical components suitable for rehabilitation that are safer and more reliable. Evaluating their biomechanical features could be a way to improve them. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the different biomechanical features of low-profile retentive systems (Rhein®). Two different attachment systems were tested: OT Equator® Smart Box and Locator® R-TX. Once a machine was created for the simulation of the connection and disconnection of the attacks in a combined manner, it was possible to evaluate these parameters over time. Attachments were mounted in two different configurations of the divergence angle: 10° and 50°. The drop retention force proved to be stable over time. The Locator® R-TX attachment experienced a more rapid decrement of the retention force than the OT Equator® Smart Box. Both tested systems experienced a high drop in retention; this drop tended to stabilize after 1.5 years of use, and it was correlated with the divergence angle. The OT Equator® Smart Box system underwent this loss of retention more gradually than the Locator® R-TX. This study demonstrates preliminary results from a bioengineering and biomechanical point of view, providing useful information for the continuous improvement of these devices and, therefore, for the quality of patients’ oral health.
Application of GeoSHM System in Monitoring Extreme Wind Events at the Forth Road Bridge
Authors: Meng Xiaolin , Nguyen Dinh Tung , Owen John S. , Xie Yilin , Psimoulis Panagiotis , Ye George
Published: November 2019

Implementation of Structural Health Monitoring systems on long-span bridges has become mandatory in many countries to ascertain the safety of these structures and the public, taking into account an increase in usage and threats due to extreme loading conditions. However, the successful delivery of such a system is facing many challenges including the failure to extract damage and reliability information from monitoring data to assist bridge operators with their maintenance planning and activities. Supported by the European Space Agency under the Integrated Applications Promotion scheme, the project ‘GNSS and Earth Observation for Structural Health Monitoring of Long-span Bridges’ or GeoSHM aims to address some of these shortcomings (GNSS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System). In this paper, the background of the GeoSHM project as well as the GeoSHM sensor system on the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) in Scotland will be briefly described. The bridge response and wind data collected over a two-year period from 15 October 2015 to 15 October 2017 will be analysed to demonstrate the high susceptibility of the bridge to wind loads. Close examination of the data associated with an extreme wind event in 2018—Storm Ali—will be conducted to reveal the relationship between the wind speed and some monitored parameters such as the bridge response and modal frequencies.
Seven-Component Model-Based Decomposition for PolSAR Data with Sophisticated Scattering Models
Authors: Fan Hui , Quan Sinong , Dai Dahai , Wang Xuesong , Xiao Shunping
Published: November 2019

Due to incomprehensive and inaccurate scattering modeling, the state-of-the-art polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) model-based target decompositions are incapable of effectively depicting the scattering mechanism of obliquely oriented urban areas. In this paper, a seven-component model-based decomposition scheme is proposed by constructing several sophisticated scattering models. First, an eigenvalue-based obliquely-oriented dihedral scattering model is presented to reasonably distribute the co-polarization and cross-polarization scattering powers in obliquely oriented urban areas, thus accurately characterizing the urban scattering. Second, the ±45° oriented dipole and ±45° quarter-wave reflector scattering models are incorporated for the purpose of accounting for the real and imaginary components of the T 13 element in the coherency matrix so as to fully utilize polarimetric information. Finally, according to their mathematical forms, several strategies for model parameter solutions are designed, and the seven-component decomposition is fulfilled. Experimental results conducted on different PolSAR data demonstrate that the proposed method considerably improves the PolSAR scattering interpretation in a more physical manner compared to other existing model-based decomposition, which can be applied for urban area detection, classification, and other urban planning applications.
Building Footprint Extraction from Multispectral, Spaceborne Earth Observation Datasets Using a Structurally Optimized U-Net Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Pasquali Giorgio , Iannelli Gianni Cristian , Dell’Acqua Fabio
Published: November 2019

Building footprint detection and outlining from satellite imagery represents a very useful tool in many types of applications, ranging from population mapping to the monitoring of illegal development, from urban expansion monitoring to organizing prompter and more effective rescuer response in the case of catastrophic events. The problem of detecting building footprints in optical, multispectral satellite data is not easy to solve in a general way due to the extreme variability of material, shape, spatial, and spectral patterns that may come with disparate environmental conditions and construction practices rooted in different places across the globe. This difficult problem has been tackled in many different ways since multispectral satellite data at a sufficient spatial resolution started making its appearance on the public scene at the turn of the century. Whereas a typical approach, until recently, hinged on various combinations of spectral–spatial analysis and image processing techniques, in more recent times, the role of machine learning has undergone a progressive expansion. This is also testified by the appearance of online challenges like SpaceNet, which invite scholars to submit their own artificial intelligence (AI)-based, tailored solutions for building footprint detection in satellite data, and automatically compare and rank by accuracy the proposed maps. In this framework, after reviewing the state-of-the-art on this subject, we came to the conclusion that some improvement could be contributed to the so-called U-Net architecture, which has shown to be promising in this respect. In this work, we focused on the architecture of the U-Net to develop a suitable version for this task, capable of competing with the accuracy levels of past SpaceNet competition winners using only one model and one type of data. This achievement could pave the way for achieving better performances than the current state-of-the-art. All these results, indeed, have yet to be augmented through the integration of techniques that in the past have demonstrated a capability of improving the detection accuracy of U-net-based footprint detectors. The most notable cases are represented by an ensemble of different U-Net architectures, the integration of distance transform to improve boundary detection accuracy, and the incorporation of ancillary geospatial data on buildings. Our future work will incorporate those enhancements.
Modelling Three-Dimensional Spatiotemporal Distributions of Forest Photosynthetically Active Radiation Using UAV-Based Lidar Data
Authors: Zeng Kuo , Zheng Guang , Ma Lixia , Ju Weimin , Pang Yong
Published: November 2019

The three dimensional (3-D) spatiotemporal variations of forest photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) dictate the exchange rates of matter and energy in the carbon and water cycle processes between the plant-soil system and the atmosphere. It is still challenging to explicitly simulate spatial PAR values at any specific position within or under a discontinuous forest canopy. In this study, we propose a novel lidar-based approach to estimate both direct and diffuse forest PAR components from a 3-D perspective. An improved path length-based direct PAR estimation method was developed by incorporating the point density along a light transmission path, and we also obtained the diffuse PAR components using a point-based sky view analysis by assuming the anisotropic sky diffuse distribution. We compared the total PAR modelled using three light path length-based parameters with reference data measured by radiometers on a five-minute time scale during a daily solar course. Our results show that, in a discontinuous forest canopy, the effective path length is a feasible and powerful (R2 = 0.92, p < 0.01) parameter to capture the spatiotemporal variations of total PAR along a light transmission path with a mean bias of −53.04 μmol·m−2·s−1(−6.8%). Furthermore, incorporating point density and spatial distribution factors will further improve the final estimation accuracy (R2 = 0.97, p < 0.01). In the meantime, diffuse PAR tends to be overestimated by 17% at noon and underestimated by about 10% at sunrise and sunset periods by assuming the isotropic sky diffuse distribution. The proposed lidar-based 3-D PAR model will provide a solid foundation to various process-based eco-hydrological models for simulating plant physiological processes such as photosynthesis and evapotranspiration, intra-species competition and succession, and snowmelt dynamics purposes.
Improved Mapping of Mountain Shrublands Using the Sentinel-2 Red-Edge Band
Authors: Bayle Arthur , Carlson Bradley , Thierion Vincent , Isenmann Marc , Choler Philippe
Published: November 2019

Shrub encroachment into grassland and rocky habitats is a noticeable land cover change currently underway in temperate mountains and is a matter of concern for the sustainable management of mountain biodiversity. Current land cover products tend to underestimate the extent of mountain shrublands dominated by Ericaceae (Vaccinium spp. (species) and Rhododendron ferrugineum). In addition, mountain shrubs are often confounded with grasslands. Here, we examined the potential of anthocyanin-responsive vegetation indices to provide more accurate maps of mountain shrublands in a mountain range located in the French Alps. We relied on the multi-spectral instrument onboard the Sentinel-2A and 2B satellites and the availability of red-edge bands to calculate a Normalized Anthocyanin Reflectance Index (NARI). We used this index to quantify the autumn accumulation of anthocyanin in canopies dominated by Vaccinium spp. and Rhododendron ferrugineum and compared the effectiveness of NARI to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as a basis for shrubland mapping. Photointerpretation of high-resolution aerial imagery, intensive field campaigns, and floristic surveys provided complementary data to calibrate and evaluate model performance. The proposed NARI-based model performed better than the NDVI-based model with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 against 0.58. Validation of shrub cover maps based on NARI resulted in a Kappa coefficient of 0.67, which outperformed existing land cover products and resulted in a ten-fold increase in estimated area occupied by Ericaceae-dominated shrublands. We conclude that the Sentinel-2 red-edge band provides novel opportunities to detect seasonal anthocyanin accumulation in plant canopies and discuss the potential of our method to quantify long-term dynamics of shrublands in alpine and arctic contexts.
Hyperspectral Image Super-Resolution via Adaptive Dictionary Learning and Double

ℓ
1

Constraint
Authors: Tang Songze , Xu Yang , Huang Lili , Sun Le
Published: November 2019

Hyperspectral image (HSI) super-resolution (SR) is an important technique for improving the spatial resolution of HSI. Recently, a method based on sparse representation improved the performance of HSI SR significantly. However, the spectral dictionary was learned under a fixed size, empirically, without considering the training data. Moreover, most of the existing methods fail to explore the relationship among the sparse coefficients. To address these crucial issues, an effective method for HSI SR is proposed in this paper. First, a spectral dictionary is learned, which can adaptively estimate a suitable size according to the input HSI without any prior information. Then, the proposed method exploits the nonlocal correlation of the sparse coefficients. Double ℓ 1 regularized sparse representation is then introduced to achieve better reconstructions for HSI SR. Finally, a high spatial resolution HSI is generated by the obtained coefficients matrix and the learned adaptive size spectral dictionary. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, we conduct experiments on two famous datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that it can outperform some relatively state-of-the-art methods in terms of the popular universal quality evaluation indexes.
Directional and Zonal Analysis of Urban Thermal Environmental Change in Fuzhou as an Indicator of Urban Landscape Transformation
Authors: Zhang Youshui , Wang Xiaoqin , Balzter Heiko , Qiu Bingwen , Cheng Jingyuan
Published: November 2019

Urban expansion results in landscape pattern changes and associated changes in land surface temperature (LST) intensity. Spatial patterns of urban LST are affected by urban landscape pattern changes and seasonal variations. Instead of using LST change data, this study analysed the variation of LST aggregation which was evaluated by hotspot analysis to measure the spatial dependence for each LST pixel, indicating the relative magnitudes of the LST values in the neighbourhood of the LST pixel and the area proportion of the hotspot area to gain new insights into the thermal effects of increasing impervious surface area (ISA) caused by urbanization in Fuzhou, China. The spatio-temporal relationship between urban landscape patterns, hotspot locations reflecting urban land cover change in space and the thermal environment were analysed in different sectors. The linear spectral unmixing method of fully constrained least squares (FCLS) was used to unmix the bi-temporal Landsat TM/OLI imagery to derive subpixel ISA and the accuracy of the percent ISA was assessed. Then, a minimum change threshold was chosen to remove random noise, and the change of ISA between 2000 and 2016 was analysed. The urban area was divided into three circular consecutive urban zones in the cardinal directions from the city centre and each circular zone was further divided into eight segments; thus, a total of 24 spatial sectors were derived. The LST aggregation was analysed in different directions and urban segments and hotspot density was further calculated based on area proportion of hotspot areas in each sector. Finally, variations of mean normalized LST (NLST), area proportion of ISA, area proportion of ISA with high LST, and area proportion of hotspot area were quantified for all sectors for 2000 and 2016. The four levels of hotspot density were classified for all urban sectors by proportional ranges of 0%–25%, 25%–50%, 50%–75% and 75%–100% for low-, medium-, sub-high, and high density, and the spatial dynamics of hotspot density between the two dates showed that urbanization mainly dominated in sectors south–southeast 2 (SSE2), south–southwest 2 (SSW2), west–southwest 2 (WSW2), west–northwest 2 (WNW2), north–southwest 2 (NSW2), south–southeast 3 (SSE3) and south–southwest 3 (SSW3). This paper suggests a methodology for characterizing the urban thermal environment and a scientific basis for sustainable urban development.
Retrieval and Validation of Cloud Top Temperature from the Geostationary Satellite INSAT-3D
Authors: Lima Chaluparambil B. , Prijith Sudhakaran S. , Sesha Sai Mullapudi V. R. , Rao Pamaraju V. N. , Niranjan Kandula , Ramana Muvva V.
Published: November 2019

Investigation of cloud top temperature (CTT) and its diurnal variation is highly reliant on high spatial and temporal resolution satellite data, which is lacking over the Indian region. An algorithm has been developed for detection of clouds and retrieval of CTT from the geostationary satellite INSAT-3D. These retrievals are validated (inter-compared) with collocated in-situ (satellite) measurements with specific intent to generate climate-quality data. The cloud detection algorithm employs nine different tests, in accordance with solar illumination, satellite angle and surface type conditions to generate pixel-resolution cloud mask. Validation of cloud mask with cloud-aerosol lidar with orthogonal polarization (CALIOP) shows that probability of detection (POD) of cloudy (clear) sky is 81% (85%), with 83% hit rate. The algorithm is also implemented on similar channels of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), which provides 88% (83%) POD of cloudy (clear) sky, with 86% hit rate. CTT retrieval is done at the pixel level, for all cloud pixels, by employing appropriate methods for various types of clouds. Comparison of CTT with radiosonde and cloud-aerosol lidar and infrared pathfinder satellite observations (CALIPSO) shows mean absolute error less than 3%. The study also examines sensitivity of retrieved CTT to the cloud classification scheme and retrieval criteria. Validation results and their close agreements with those of similar satellites demonstrate the reliability of the retrieved product for climate studies.
EU-Net: An Efficient Fully Convolutional Network for Building Extraction from Optical Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Kang Wenchao , Xiang Yuming , Wang Feng , You Hongjian
Published: November 2019

Automatic building extraction from high-resolution remote sensing images has many practical applications, such as urban planning and supervision. However, fine details and various scales of building structures in high-resolution images bring new challenges to building extraction. An increasing number of neural network-based models have been proposed to handle these issues, while they are not efficient enough, and still suffer from the error ground truth labels. To this end, we propose an efficient end-to-end model, EU-Net, in this paper. We first design the dense spatial pyramid pooling (DSPP) to extract dense and multi-scale features simultaneously, which facilitate the extraction of buildings at all scales. Then, the focal loss is used in reverse to suppress the impact of the error labels in ground truth, making the training stage more stable. To assess the universality of the proposed model, we tested it on three public aerial remote sensing datasets: WHU aerial imagery dataset, Massachusetts buildings dataset, and Inria aerial image labeling dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed EU-Net is superior to the state-of-the-art models of all three datasets and increases the prediction efficiency by two to four times.
Efficient Kernel-Based Subsequence Search for Enabling Health Monitoring Services in IoT-Based Home Setting
Authors: Candelieri Antonio , Fedorov Stanislav , Messina Enza
Published: November 2019

This paper presents an efficient approach for subsequence search in data streams. The problem consists of identifying coherent repetitions of a given reference time-series, also in the multivariate case, within a longer data stream. The most widely adopted metric to address this problem is Dynamic Time Warping (DTW), but its computational complexity is a well-known issue. In this paper, we present an approach aimed at learning a kernel approximating DTW for efficiently analyzing streaming data collected from wearable sensors, while reducing the burden of DTW computation. Contrary to kernel, DTW allows for comparing two time-series with different length. To enable the use of kernel for comparing two time-series with different length, a feature embedding is required in order to obtain a fixed length vector representation. Each vector component is the DTW between the given time-series and a set of “basis” series, randomly chosen. The approach has been validated on two benchmark datasets and on a real-life application for supporting self-rehabilitation in elderly subjects has been addressed. A comparison with traditional DTW implementations and other state-of-the-art algorithms is provided: results show a slight decrease in accuracy, which is counterbalanced by a significant reduction in computational costs.
Flexible Insole Sensors with Stably Connected Electrodes for Gait Phase Detection
Authors: Heng Wenzheng , Pang Gaoyang , Xu Feihong , Huang Xiaoyan , Pang Zhibo , Yang Geng
Published: November 2019

Gait analysis is an important assessment tool for analyzing vital signals collected from individuals and for providing physical information of the human body, and it is emerging in a diverse range of application scenarios, such as disease diagnosis, fall prevention, rehabilitation, and human–robot interaction. Herein, a kind of surface processed conductive rubber was designed and investigated to develop a pressure-sensitive insole to monitor planar pressure in a real-time manner. Due to a novel surface processing method, the pressure sensor was characterized by stable contact resistance, simple manufacturing, and high mechanical durability. In the experiments, it was demonstrated that the developed pressure sensors were easily assembled with the inkjet-printed electrodes and a flexible substrate as a pressure-sensitive insole while maintaining good sensing performance. Moreover, resistive signals were wirelessly transmitted to computers in real time. By analyzing sampled resistive data combined with the gait information monitored by a visual-based reference system based on machine learning method (k-Nearest Neighbor algorithm), the corresponding relationship between plantar pressure distribution and lower limb joint angles was obtained. Finally, the experimental validation of the ability to accurately divide gait into several phases was conducted, illustrating the potential application of the developed device in healthcare and robotics.
Capacity Fade in Lithium-Ion Batteries and Cyclic Aging over Various State-of-Charge Ranges
Authors: Gantenbein Sophia , Schönleber Michael , Weiss Michael , Ivers-Tiffée Ellen
Published: November 2019

In order to develop long-lifespan batteries, it is of utmost importance to identify the relevant aging mechanisms and their relation to operating conditions. The capacity loss in a lithium-ion battery originates from (i) a loss of active electrode material and (ii) a loss of active lithium. The focus of this work is the capacity loss caused by lithium loss, which is irreversibly bound to the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on the graphite surface. During operation, the particle surface suffers from dilation, which causes the SEI to break and then be rebuilt, continuously. The surface dilation is expected to correspond with the well-known graphite staging mechanism. Therefore, a high-power 2.6 Ah graphite/LiNiCoAlO2 cell (Sony US18650VTC5) is cycled at different, well-defined state-of-charge (SOC) ranges, covering the different graphite stages. An open circuit voltage model is applied to quantify the loss mechanisms (i) and (ii). The results show that the lithium loss is the dominant cause of capacity fade under the applied conditions. They experimentally prove the important influence of the graphite stages on the lifetime of a battery. Cycling the cell at SOCs slightly above graphite Stage II results in a high active lithium loss and hence in a high capacity fade.
Integrated Hydrological-Hydraulic Model for Flood Simulation in Tropical Urban Catchment
Authors: Hasan Hasrul Hazman , Mohd Razali Siti Fatin , Ahmad Zaki Ahmad Zafuan Ibrahim , Mohamad Hamzah Firdaus
Published: November 2019

In recent decades, Malaysia has become one of the world’s most urbanized nations, causing severe flash flooding. Urbanization should meet the population’s needs by increasing the development of paved areas, which has significantly changed the catchment’s hydrological and hydraulic characteristics. Therefore, the frequency of flash flooding in Malaysia’s urban areas has grown year after year. Numerous techniques have been used, including the statistical approach, modeling, and storm design methods, in flood simulation. This research integrated hydrology and hydraulic models to simulate the urban flood events in the Aur River catchment. The primary objective is to determine water level and forecast peak flow based on hydrological assessment in the drainage system using XPSWMM software. The rainfall data for 60 min was used for this study in the hydrological analysis by obtaining an intensity-duration-frequency curve and peak flow value (Q peak). XPSWMM is used to simulate the response of a catchment to rainfall events in which runoff, water depth profile, and outflow hydrograph are obtained. Peak runoff is also obtained from the modified rational method for validation purposes. The proposed method was verified by comparing the result with the standard method. This is essential to identify flash flooding, which can lead to efficient flood mitigation planning and management in the urban catchment. The increase in residential areas results in the alteration of time of concentration, water quantity, and flow rate. Thus, to mitigate present and future problems, the effects of urbanization on water resources and flood should be analyzed.
Integrating Teaching and Learning with Inter-Disciplinary Action Research in Support of Climate Resilient Urban Development
Authors: McEvoy Darryn , Iyer-Raniga Usha , Ho Serene , Mitchell David , Jegatheesan Veeriah , Brown Nick
Published: November 2019

The capital cities of the South Pacific are experiencing rapid urbanisation pressures as increasing numbers of people migrate to the primary cities either in search of employment and greater access to healthcare and education, or as a consequence of environmental ‘push’ factors. However, the limited capacity of municipal Governments to respond to the scale and pace of change is leading to a growth of informal settlements in peri-urban locations. Factors of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity combine to make these informal settlements the most vulnerable areas to natural hazards. In response to this critical urban resilience agenda, this paper looks at how participatory action research is providing inter-disciplinary scientific support for the implementation of urban resilience and climate actions in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Adaptation measures involve a combination of hard and soft actions; as well as activities designed to strengthen local capacity to respond to contemporary resilience challenges. Addressing the adaptive capacity component, this paper also highlights the opportunities for Australian universities to integrate teaching and learning with action research to achieve a substantive real-world impact in the Pacific region, as well as illustrating the capacity strengthening benefits that can be achieved through sustained engagement and collaborative partnerships with local organisations.