bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic Treatment with Nicotinamide Riboside Is Protective in Two Mouse Models of Retinal Ganglion Cell Damage
Authors: Zhang Xian , Zhang Nan , Chrenek Micah A. , Girardot Preston E. , Wang Jiaxing , Sellers Jana T. , Geisert Eldon E. , Brenner Charles , Nickerson John M. , Boatright Jeffrey H. , Li Ying
Published: June 2021

Glaucoma etiology often includes retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). However, even when IOP is managed well, disease can progress. It is thus important to develop therapeutic approaches that directly protect RGCs in an IOP-independent manner. Compromised nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism occurs in neurodegenerative diseases, including models of glaucoma. Here we report testing the protective effects of prophylactically systemically administered nicotinamide riboside (NR), a NAD+ precursor, in a mouse model of acute RGC damage (optic nerve crush (ONC)), and in a chronic model of RGC degeneration (ocular hypertension induced by intracameral injection of microbeads). For both models, treatment enhanced RGC survival, assessed by counting cells in retinal flatmounts immunostained for Brn3a+. In the ONC model, treatment preserved RGC function, as assessed by pattern electroretinogram, and suppressed retinal inflammation, as assessed by immunofluorescence staining of retinal fixed sections for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). This is the first study to demonstrate that systemic treatment with NR is protective in acute and chronic models of RGC damage. The protection is significant and, considering that NR is highly bioavailable in and well-tolerated by humans, may support the proposition of prospective human subject studies.
Effects of Lapatinib on HER2-Positive and HER2-Negative Canine Mammary Carcinoma Cells Cultured In Vitro
Authors: Leis-Filho Antonio Fernando , de Faria Lainetti Patrícia , Emiko Kobayashi Priscila , Fonseca-Alves Carlos Eduardo , Laufer-Amorim Renée
Published: June 2021

HER2 is a prognostic and predictive marker widely used in breast cancer. Lapatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works by blocking the phosphorylation of the receptor HER2. Its use is related to relatively good results in the treatment of women with HER2+ breast cancer. Thus, this study aimed to verify the effects of lapatinib on four canine primary mammary gland carcinoma cell cultures and two paired metastatic cell cultures. Cultures were treated with lapatinib at concentrations of 100, 500, 1000 and 3000 nM for 24 h and the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for each cell culture was determined. In addition, a transwell assay was performed to assess the ability of lapatinib to inhibit cell migration. Furthermore, we verified HER2 expression by RT-qPCR analysis of cell cultures and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from samples corresponding to those used in cell culture. Lapatinib was able to inhibit cell proliferation in all cell cultures, but it was not able to inhibit migration in all cell cultures. The higher the expression of HER2 in a culture, the more sensitive the culture was to treatment. This relationship may be an indication that the expression of HER2 may be a predictive factor and opens a new perspective for the treatment of primary and metastatic mammary gland cancer.
Obtaining Cocrystals by Reaction Crystallization Method: Pharmaceutical Applications
Authors: Biscaia Isabela Fanelli Barreto , Gomes Samantha Nascimento , Bernardi Larissa Sakis , Oliveira Paulo Renato
Published: June 2021

Cocrystals have gained attention in the pharmaceutical industry due to their ability to improve solubility, stability, in vitro dissolution rate, and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. Conceptually, cocrystals are multicomponent solids that contain two or more neutral molecules in stoichiometric amounts within the same crystal lattice. There are several techniques for obtaining cocrystals described in the literature; however, the focus of this article is the Reaction Crystallization Method (RCM). This method is based on the generation of a supersaturated solution with respect to the cocrystal, while this same solution is saturated or unsaturated with respect to the components of the cocrystal individually. The advantages of the RCM compared with other cocrystallization techniques include the ability to form cocrystals without crystallization of individual components, applicability to the development of in situ techniques for the screening of high quality cocrystals, possibility of large-scale production, and lower cost in both time and materials. An increasing number of scientific studies have demonstrated the use of RCM to synthesize cocrystals, mainly for drugs belonging to class II of the Biopharmaceutics Classification System. The promising results obtained by RCM have demonstrated the applicability of the method for obtaining pharmaceutical cocrystals that improve the biopharmaceutical characteristics of drugs.
Distribution of Gold Nanoparticles in the Anterior Chamber of the Eye after Intracameral Injection for Glaucoma Therapy
Authors: Sonntag Tobias , Froemel Franziska , Stamer W. Daniel , Ohlmann Andreas , Fuchshofer Rudolf , Breunig Miriam
Published: June 2021

In glaucoma therapy, nanoparticles (NPs) are a favorable tool for delivering drugs to the outflow tissues of the anterior chamber of the eye where disease development and progression take place. In this context, a prerequisite is an efficient enrichment of NPs in the trabecular meshwork with minimal accumulation in off-target tissues such as the cornea, lens, iris and ciliary body. We evaluated the optimal size for targeting the trabecular meshwork by using gold NPs of 5, 60, 80 and 120 nm with a bare surface (AuNPs) or coated with hyaluronic acid (HA-AuNPs). NPs were compared regarding their colloidal stability, distribution in the anterior chamber of the eye ex vivo and cellular uptake in vitro. HA-AuNPs demonstrated an exceptional colloidal stability. Even after application into porcine eyes ex vivo, the HA coating prevented an aggregation of NPs inside the trabecular meshwork. NPs with a diameter of 120 nm exhibited the highest volume-based accumulation in the trabecular meshwork. Off-target tissues in the anterior chamber demonstrated an exceptionally low gold content. Our findings are particularly important for NPs with encapsulated anti-glaucoma drugs because a higher particle volume would be accompanied by a higher drug payload.
Influence of the Surface Roughness of a Silicon Disk Resonator on Its Q-Factor
Authors: Yakuhina Anastasia V. , Kadochkin Alexey S. , Gorelov Dmitry V. , Svetukhin Vyacheslav V. , Generalov Sergey S. , Amelichev Vladimir V.
Published: June 2021

This article presents a silicon disk resonator of the whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) type. The calculated Q-factor of the silicon WGM resonator was 107. Two methods of studying the surface roughness of a silicon WGM resonator with a nonlinear profile by means of Helios 650 scanning electron microscope and Bruker atomic force microscope (AFM) are presented. The results obtained by the two methods agreed well with each other. A comparison of the surface roughness values of WGM resonators manufactured using different technological approaches is presented. Based on the obtained data, a preliminary estimated Q-factor calculation of the resonators was performed, which was refined by numerical calculation using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The effect of the surface roughness of the resonator on its Q-factor was found. Reducing the surface roughness of the resonator from 30 nm to 1–2 nm led to an increase in its Q-factor from 104 to 107.
Thiophene-Based Trimers and Their Bioapplications: An Overview
Authors: Vallan Lorenzo , Istif Emin , Gómez I. Jénnifer , Alegret Nuria , Mantione Daniele
Published: June 2021

Certainly, the success of polythiophenes is due in the first place to their outstanding electronic properties and superior processability. Nevertheless, there are additional reasons that contribute to arouse the scientific interest around these materials. Among these, the large variety of chemical modifications that is possible to perform on the thiophene ring is a precious aspect. In particular, a turning point was marked by the diffusion of synthetic strategies for the preparation of terthiophenes: the vast richness of approaches today available for the easy customization of these structures allows the finetuning of their chemical, physical, and optical properties. Therefore, terthiophene derivatives have become an extremely versatile class of compounds both for direct application or for the preparation of electronic functional polymers. Moreover, their biocompatibility and ease of functionalization make them appealing for biology and medical research, as it testifies to the blossoming of studies in these fields in which they are involved. It is thus with the willingness to guide the reader through all the possibilities offered by these structures that this review elucidates the synthetic methods and describes the full chemical variety of terthiophenes and their derivatives. In the final part, an in-depth presentation of their numerous bioapplications intends to provide a complete picture of the state of the art.
Mechanical Properties and Bioactivity of Polyetheretherketone/Hydroxyapatite/Carbon Fiber Composite Prepared by the Mechanofusion Process
Authors: Jeon In Sung , Lee Moon Hyun , Choi Han-Hyeong , Lee Sangwoon , Chon Joon Woo , Chung Dong June , Park Jong Hyuk , Jho Jae Young
Published: June 2021

The main obstacles in the melt-processing of hydroxyapatite (HA) and carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite are the high melting temperature of PEEK, poor dispersion of HA nanofillers, and poor processability due to high filler content. In this study, we prepared PEEK/HA/CF ternary composite using two different non-melt blending methods; suspension blending (SUS) in ethanol and mechanofusion process (MF) in dry condition. We compared the mechanical properties and bioactivity of the composite in a spinal cage application in the orthopedic field. Results showed that the PEEK/HA/CF composite made by the MF method exhibited higher flexural and compressive strengths than the composite prepared by the SUS method due to the enhanced dispersibility of HA nanofiller. On the basis of in vitro cell compatibility and cell attachment tests, PEEK/HA/CF composite by mechanofusion process showed an improvement in in vitro bioactivity and osteo-compatibility.
Enhancing Weathering Resistance of Wood—A Review
Authors: Jirouš-Rajković Vlatka , Miklečić Josip
Published: June 2021

Wood is a truly sustainable and aesthetically pleasant material used in indoor and outdoor applications. Every material, including wood, is expected to have long-term durability and to retain its original appearance over time. One of the major disadvantages of wood is the deterioration of its surface when exposed outdoors, known as weathering. Although weathering is primarily a surface phenomenon, it is an important issue for wood products as it affects their appearance, service life, and wood-coating performance. To encourage the use of wood as a material for joinery and other building components, the results of research into increasing the weathering resistance of wood are extremely significant. The development of weathering protection methods is of great importance to reduce the maintenance requirements for wood exposed outdoors and can have a major environmental impact. There are various methods of protecting wood surfaces against weathering. This paper provides a literature survey on the recent research results in protecting wood from weathering. The topics covered include surface treatments of wood with photostabilizers; protection with coatings; the deposition of thin film onto wood surfaces; treatments of wood with inorganic metal compounds and bio-based water repellents; the chemical modification of wood; the modification of wood and wood surfaces with thermosetting resins, furfuryl alcohol, and DMDHEU; and the thermal modification of wood.
Load Distribution on PET-G 3D Prints of Honeycomb Cellular Structures under Compression Load
Authors: Basurto-Vázquez Olimpia , Sánchez-Rodríguez Elvia P. , McShane Graham J. , Medina Dora I.
Published: June 2021

Energy resulting from an impact is manifested through unwanted damage to objects or persons. New materials made of cellular structures have enhanced energy absorption (EA) capabilities. The hexagonal honeycomb is widely known for its space-filling capacity, structural stability, and high EA potential. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have been effectively useful in a vast range of applications. The evolution of these technologies has been studied continuously, with a focus on improving the mechanical and structural characteristics of three-dimensional (3D)-printed models to create complex quality parts that satisfy design and mechanical requirements. In this study, 3D honeycomb structures of novel material polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) were fabricated by the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method with different infill density values (30%, 70%, and 100%) and printing orientations (edge, flat, and upright). The effectiveness for EA of the design and the effect of the process parameters of infill density and layer printing orientation were investigated by performing in-plane compression tests, and the set of parameters that produced superior results for better EA was determined by analyzing the area under the curve and the welding between the filament layers in the printed object via FDM. The results showed that the printing parameters implemented in this study considerably affected the mechanical properties of the 3D-printed PET-G honeycomb structure. The structure with the upright printing direction and 100% infill density exhibited an extension to delamination and fragmentation, thus, a desirable performance with a long plateau region in the load–displacement curve and major absorption of energy.
Fabrication and Characterization of Nylon 66/PAN Nanofibrous Film Used as Separator of Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Nien Yu-Hsun , Chang Chih-Ning , Chuang Pao-Lin , Hsu Chun-Han , Liao Jun-Lun , Lee Chen-Kai
Published: June 2021

In recent years, portable electronic devices have flourished, and the safety of lithium batteries has received increasing attention. In this study, nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning using different ratios of nylon 66/polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and their properties were studied and compared with commercial PP separators. The experimental results show that the addition of PAN in nylon 66/PAN nanofibrous film used as separator of lithium-ion battery can enhance the porosity up to 85%. There is also no significant shrinkage in the shrinkage test, and the thermal dimensional stability is good. When the Li/LiFePO4 lithium battery is prepared by nylon 66/PAN nanofibrous film used as separator, the capacitor can be maintained at 140 mAhg−1 after 20 cycles at 0.1 C, and the coulombic efficiency is still maintained at 99%, which has excellent electrochemical performance.
Effect of Synergistic Aging on Bauxite Residue Dust Reduction Performance via the Application of Colloids, an Orthogonal Design-Based Study
Authors: Ding Xuhan , Xu Guang , Wang Dengfei , Luo Zhenmin , Wang Tao
Published: June 2021

The application of polymer colloids is a promising approach for bauxite residue dust pollution control. However, due to the existence of synergistic aging, the efficiency of colloid dynamic viscosity to predict the dust control performance of bauxite residue is unclear. Previous studies were also rarely performed under synergistic aging conditions. Thus, this paper investigates the relationship between colloids’ viscosity and dust control performance under synergistic aging modes. Results illustrated that the binary colloid achieved better dust control performance than unitary colloid for their higher viscosity and penetration resistance. For both unitary and binary colloid, higher viscosity results in better crust strength. A logarithmic relationship was found for viscosity and dust erosion resistance under unitary aging. However, Only the dynamic viscosity of colloids in solid-liquid two-phase conditions, rather than dissolved in deionized water, can effectively predict the dust control performance under synergistic aging conditions.
Ambient-Pressured Acid-Catalysed Ethylene Glycol Organosolv Process: Liquefaction Structure–Activity Relationships from Model Cellulose–Lignin Mixtures to Lignocellulosic Wood Biomass
Authors: Jasiukaitytė-Grojzdek Edita , Vicente Filipa A. , Grilc Miha , Likozar Blaž
Published: June 2021

Raising the awareness of carbon dioxide emissions, climate global warming and fossil fuel depletion has renewed the transition towards a circular economy approach, starting by addressing active bio-economic precepts that all portion amounts of wood are valorised as products. This is accomplished by minimizing residues formed (preferably no waste materials), maximizing reaction productivity yields, and optimising catalysed chemical by-products. Within framework structure determination, the present work aims at drawing a parallel between the characterisation of cellulose–lignin mixture (derived system model) liquefaction and real conversion process in the acidified ethylene glycol at moderate process conditions, i.e., 150 °C, ambient atmospheric pressure and potential bio-based solvent, for 4 h. Extended-processing liquid phase is characterized considering catalyst-transformed reactant species being produced, mainly recovered lignin-based polymer, by quantitative 31P, 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as well as the size exclusion- (SEC) or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation for higher or lower molecular weight compound compositions, respectively. Such mechanistic pathway analytics help to understand the steps in mild organosolv biopolymer fractionation, which is one of the key industrial barriers preventing a more widespread manufacturing of the biomass-derived (hydroxyl, carbonyl or carboxyl) aromatic monomers or oligomers for polycarbonates, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes and (epoxy) resins.
Pool Boiling Performance of Water and Self-Rewetting Fluids on Hybrid Functionalized Aluminum Surfaces
Authors: Može Matic , Vajc Viktor , Zupančič Matevž , Šulc Radek , Golobič Iztok
Published: June 2021

The boiling performance of functionalized hybrid aluminum surfaces was experimentally investigated for water and self-rewetting mixtures of water and 1-butanol. Firstly, microstructured surfaces were produced via chemical etching in hydrochloric acid and the effect of the etching time on the surface morphology was evaluated. An etching time of 5 min was found to result in pitting corrosion and produced weakly hydrophilic microstructured surfaces with many microcavities. Observed cavity-mouth diameters between 3.6 and 32 μm are optimal for efficient nucleation and provided a superior boiling performance. Longer etching times of 10 and 15 min resulted in uniform corrosion and produced superhydrophilic surfaces with a micropeak structure, which lacked microcavities for efficient nucleation. In the second stage, hybrid surfaces combining lower surface energy and a modified surface microstructure were created by hydrophobization of etched aluminum surfaces using a silane agent. Hydrophobized surfaces were found to improve boiling heat transfer and their boiling curves exhibited a significantly lower superheat. Significant heat transfer enhancement was observed for hybrid microcavity surfaces with a low surface energy. These surfaces provided an early transition into nucleate boiling and promoted bubble nucleation. For a hydrophobized microcavity surface, heat transfer coefficients of up to 305 kW m−2 K−1 were recorded and an enhancement of 488% relative to the untreated reference surface was observed. The boiling of self-rewetting fluids on functionalized surfaces was also investigated, but a synergistic effect of developed surfaces and a self-rewetting working fluid was not observed. An improved critical heat flux was only obtained for the untreated surface, while a lower critical heat flux and lower heat transfer coefficients were measured on functionalized surfaces, whose properties were already tailored to promote nucleate boiling.
Geopolitics of Catholic Pilgrimage: On the Double Materiality of (Religious) Politics in the Virtual Age
Authors: Kratochvíl Petr
Published: June 2021

This article explores geopolitical aspects of Catholic pilgrimage in Europe. By exploring the representations of pilgrimage on Catholic social media, it shows that the increasing influence of the virtual is accompanied by a particular reassertion of the material aspects of pilgrimage. Two types of Catholic pilgrimage emerge, each with a particular spatial and political orientation. The first type of pilgrimage is predominantly politically conservative, but also spatially static, focusing on objects, be they human bodies or sacred sites. The second type is politically progressive, but also spatially dynamic, stressing pilgrimage as movement or a journey. The classic Turnerian conceptualization of a pilgrimage as a three-phase kinetic ritual thus falls apart, with liminality appropriated by the progressive type and aggregation almost entirely taken over by the conservative, apparitional pilgrimage. As a result, pilgrimage has once again become a geopolitical reflection of the broader ideological contestation both within Christianity and beyond.
Introduction to Special Issue: The Mutual Influence of Religion and Science in the Human Understanding and Exploration of Outer Space
Authors: Weibel Deana L. , Swanson Glen E.
Published: June 2021

When considering the exploration of outer space people typically think about technology, engineering, physics, and the use of the scientific method to understand what is out there, beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, from the nearby Moon to distant galaxies only visible through the use of high-powered telescopes [...]
Russian-Speaking Digital Buddhism: Neither Cyber, nor Sangha
Authors: Ostrovskaya Elena , Badmatsyrenov Timur , Khandarov Fyodor , Aktamov Innokentii
Published: June 2021

The paper presents the results of a study that implemented a mixed methods approach to explore the question of correlation between online and offline activities of Buddhist organizations and communities in Russia. The research was carried out in 2019–2020 and addressed the following key issues: How do Buddhist websites and social media communities actually interact with offline organizations and Russian-speaking Buddhist communities? How do the ideological specifics of Buddhist organizations and communities influence their negotiations with the Internet and strategies towards new media technologies? Within the methodological frame of the religious–social shaping of technology approach by Heidi Campbell, we used the typology of religious digital creatives to reveal the strategies created by the Russian-speaking Buddhist communities developing their own identity, authority, and boundaries by means of digital technologies. In the first stage, we used quantitative software non-reactive methods to collect data from social media with the application of mathematical modeling techniques to build a graph model of Buddhist online communities in the vk.com social network and identify and describe its clusters. The second stage of the research combined biographical narratives of Buddhist digital creatives and expert interviews.
Efficiency of Money Laundering Countermeasures: Case Studies from European Union Member States
Authors: (Bodescu) Cotoc Corina-Narcisa , Nițu Maria , Șcheau Mircea Constantin , Cozma Adeline-Cristina
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study is to present the trends and effectiveness of money laundering countermeasures from the perspective of a number of suspicious transactions reported to the Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), a number of analysis results submitted to law enforcement authorities, and the typologies of cases in European Union Member States. In order to determine the impact of the joint effort in the fight against money laundering, we used descriptive statistics to process the data and case studies from annual reports of the European FIUs for 2018 and 2019. The results of our study highlight the increase in the number of suspicious transactions notices, as well as in their quality level. There is an increasing tendency towards information exchange between European Union countries regarding the suspicion of money laundering, but there is no stable trend for referring cases to law enforcement and other responsible institutions. Based on the available data, it can be concluded that the EU anti money laundering measures are efficient, but further steps are needed to achieve higher international coordination and cooperation.
A V-SLAM Guided and Portable System for Photogrammetric Applications
Authors: Torresani Alessandro , Menna Fabio , Battisti Roberto , Remondino Fabio
Published: June 2021

Mobile and handheld mapping systems are becoming widely used nowadays as fast and cost-effective data acquisition systems for 3D reconstruction purposes. While most of the research and commercial systems are based on active sensors, solutions employing only cameras and photogrammetry are attracting more and more interest due to their significantly minor costs, size and power consumption. In this work we propose an ARM-based, low-cost and lightweight stereo vision mobile mapping system based on a Visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (V-SLAM) algorithm. The prototype system, named GuPho (Guided Photogrammetric System), also integrates an in-house guidance system which enables optimized image acquisitions, robust management of the cameras and feedback on positioning and acquisition speed. The presented results show the effectiveness of the developed prototype in mapping large scenarios, enabling motion blur prevention, robust camera exposure control and achieving accurate 3D results.
Fusion of China ZY-1 02D Hyperspectral Data and Multispectral Data: Which Methods Should Be Used?
Authors: Lu Han , Qiao Danyu , Li Yongxin , Wu Shuang , Deng Lei
Published: June 2021

ZY-1 02D is China’s first civil hyperspectral (HS) operational satellite, developed independently and successfully launched in 2019. It can collect HS data with a spatial resolution of 30 m, 166 spectral bands, a spectral range of 400~2500 nm, and a swath width of 60 km. Its competitive advantages over other on-orbit or planned satellites are its high spectral resolution and large swath width. Unfortunately, the relatively low spatial resolution may limit its applications. As a result, fusing ZY-1 02D HS data with high-spatial-resolution multispectral (MS) data is required to improve spatial resolution while maintaining spectral fidelity. This paper conducted a comprehensive evaluation study on the fusion of ZY-1 02D HS data with ZY-1 02D MS data (10-m spatial resolution), based on visual interpretation and quantitative metrics. Datasets from Hebei, China, were used in this experiment, and the performances of six common data fusion methods, namely Gram-Schmidt (GS), High Pass Filter (HPF), Nearest-Neighbor Diffusion (NND), Modified Intensity-Hue-Saturation (IHS), Wavelet Transform (Wavelet), and Color Normalized Sharping (Brovey), were compared. The experimental results show that: (1) HPF and GS methods are better suited for the fusion of ZY-1 02D HS Data and MS Data, (2) IHS and Brovey methods can well improve the spatial resolution of ZY-1 02D HS data but introduce spectral distortion, and (3) Wavelet and NND results have high spectral fidelity but poor spatial detail representation. The findings of this study could serve as a good reference for the practical application of ZY-1 02D HS data fusion.
Evaluation of the MODIS (C6) Daily Albedo Products for Livingston Island, Antarctic
Authors: Corbea-Pérez Alejandro , Calleja Javier F. , Recondo Carmen , Fernández Susana
Published: June 2021

Although extensive research of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) albedo data is available on the Greenland Ice Sheet, there is a lack of studies evaluating MODIS albedo products over Antarctica. In this paper, MOD10A1, MYD10A1, and MCD43 (C6) daily albedo products were compared with the in situ albedo data on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands (SSI), Antarctica, from 2006 to 2015, for both all-sky and clear-sky conditions, and for the entire study period and only the southern summer months. This is the first evaluation in which MYD10A1 and MCD43 are also included, which can be used to improve the accuracy of the snow BRDF/albedo modeling. The best correlation was obtained with MOD10A1 in clear-sky conditions (r = 0.7 and RMSE = 0.042). With MCD43, only data from the backup algorithm could be used, so the correlations obtained were lower (r = 0.6). However, it was found that there was no significant difference between the values obtained for all-sky and for clear-sky data. In addition, the MODIS products were found to describe the in situ data trend, with increasing albedo values in the range between 0.04 decade−1 and 0.16 decade−1. We conclude that MODIS daily albedo products can be applied to study the albedo in the study area.
Retrieve Ice Velocities and Invert Spatial Rigidity of the Larsen C Ice Shelf Based on Sentinel-1 Interferometric Data
Authors: Gong Faming , Zhang Kui , Liu Shujun
Published: June 2021

The Larsen C Ice Shelf (LCIS) is the largest ice shelf in the Antarctica Peninsula, and its state can be considered to be an indicator of local climate change. The goal of this paper is to invert the rigidity of the LCIS based on the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique using Sentinel-1 images. A targeted processing chain is first used to obtain reliable interferometric phase measurements under the circumstance of rapid ice flow. Unfortunately, only the descending data are available, which disallows the corresponding 2-D velocity field to be directly obtained from such measurements. A new approach is thus proposed to estimate the interferometric phase-based 2-D velocity field with the assistance of speckle tracking offsets. This approach establishes an implicit relationship between range and azimuth displacements based on speckle tracking observations. By taking advantage of such a relationship, the equivalent interferometric signals in the azimuth direction are estimated, thereby recovering the interferometric phase-based 2-D ice velocity field of the LCIS. To further investigate the state of the LCIS, the recovered 2-D velocity field is utilized to invert the ice rigidity. The shallow-shelf approximation (SSA) is the core of the reverse model, which is closely dependent on boundary conditions, including kinematic and dynamic conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that the spatial distribution of the rigidity varies approximately from 70 MPa·s1/3 to 300 MPa·s1/3. This rigidity distribution can reproduce a similar ice flow pattern to the observations.
Erratum: Zuo et al. Studying the Regional Transmission and Inferring the Local/External Contribution of Fine Particulate Matter Based on Multi-Source Observation: A Case Study in the East of North China Plain. Remote Sens. 2020, 12, 3936
Authors: Zuo Xin , Cheng Tianhai , Gu Xingfa , Guo Hong , Wu Yu , Shi Shuaiyi
Published: June 2021

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
The Suitability of Remote Sensing Images at Different Resolutions for Mapping of Gullies in the Black Soil Region, Northeast China
Authors: Wang Biwei , Zhang Zengxiang , Wang Xiao , Zhao Xiaoli , Yi Ling , Hu Shunguang
Published: June 2021

Remote sensing images with different spatial resolutions have different performance capabilities for gully extraction, so it is very important to study the suitability of different spatial resolutions for this purpose. In this study, part of the black soil area in Northeast China with serious gully erosion was taken as the study area, and Google Earth images with seven spatial resolutions ranging from 0.51 to 32.64 m, commonly used in gully erosion research, were selected as data sources. Combined with auxiliary data, gullies were extracted by visual interpretation. The interpretation results of images of different spatial resolutions were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, and the interpretation suitability of images of different spatial resolutions for different types of gullies under different classification systems was emphatically explored. The results indicate that the image with a spatial resolution of 1.02 m has the best performance when not considering the types of gullies. However, the image with a spatial resolution of 2.04 m is the most cost-effective and, therefore, the most suitable for general research. When it is necessary to distinguish the type of gully, the image with a spatial resolution of 0.51 m can be adapted for all situations. However, research on ephemeral gullies is of little practical significance. Therefore, the image with a spatial resolution of 1.02 m is the most universally useful image, being cheaper and easier to obtain. When the spatial resolution is 2.04 m or lower, it is necessary to select the spatial resolution according to the gully type required for practical application. When the spatial resolution is 8.16 or lower, the interpretation of gullies becomes very difficult or even impossible.
Full-Wave Modeling and Inversion of UWB Radar Data for Wave Propagation in Cylindrical Objects
Authors: Gao Lan , Dachena Chiara , Wu Kaijun , Fedeli Alessandro , Pastorino Matteo , Randazzo Andrea , Wu Xiaoping , Lambot Sébastien
Published: June 2021

The nondestructive characterization of cylindrical objects is needed in many fields, such as medical diagnostics, tree trunk inspection, or concrete column testing. In this study, the radar equation of Lambot et al. is combined with cylindrical Green’s functions to fully model and invert ultra-wideband (UWB) ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data and retrieve the properties of cylindrical objects. Inversion is carried out using a lookup table (LUT) approach followed by local optimization to ensure retrieval of the global minimum of the objective function. Numerical experiments were conducted to analyze the capabilities of the developed inversion procedure to estimate the radius, permittivity, and conductivity of the cylinders. The full-wave model was validated in laboratory conditions on metallic and plastic pipes of different sizes. The adopted radar system consists of a lightweight vector network analyzer (VNA) connected to a single transmitting and receiving horn antenna. The numerical experiments highlighted the complexity of the inverse problem, mainly originating from the multiple propagation modes within cylindrical objects. The laboratory measurements demonstrated the accuracy of the forward modeling and reconstructions in far-field conditions.
Low-PAPR Waveforms with Shaped Spectrum for Enhanced Low Probability of Intercept Noise Radars
Authors: Savci Kubilay , Galati Gaspare , Pavan Gabriele
Published: June 2021

Noise radars employ random waveforms in their transmission as compared to traditional radars. Considered as enhanced Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) radars, they are resilient to interference and jamming and less vulnerable to adversarial exploitation than conventional radars. At its simplest, using a random waveform such as bandpass Gaussian noise as a probing signal provides limited radar performance. After a concise review of a particular noise radar architecture and related correlation processing, this paper justifies the rationale for having synthetic (tailored) noise waveforms and proposes the Combined Spectral Shaping and Peak-to-Average Power Reduction (COSPAR) algorithm, which can be utilized for synthesizing noise-like sequences with a Taylor-shaped spectrum under correlation sidelobe level constraints and assigned Peak-to-Average-Power-Ratio (PAPR). Additionally, the Spectral Kurtosis measure is proposed to evaluate the LPI property of waveforms, and experimental results from field trials are reported.
A Review of Nanocomposite-Modified Electrochemical Sensors for Water Quality Monitoring
Authors: Kanoun Olfa , Lazarević-Pašti Tamara , Pašti Igor , Nasraoui Salem , Talbi Malak , Brahem Amina , Adiraju Anurag , Sheremet Evgeniya , Rodriguez Raul D. , Ben Ali Mounir , Al-Hamry Ammar
Published: June 2021

Electrochemical sensors play a significant role in detecting chemical ions, molecules, and pathogens in water and other applications. These sensors are sensitive, portable, fast, inexpensive, and suitable for online and in-situ measurements compared to other methods. They can provide the detection for any compound that can undergo certain transformations within a potential window. It enables applications in multiple ion detection, mainly since these sensors are primarily non-specific. In this paper, we provide a survey of electrochemical sensors for the detection of water contaminants, i.e., pesticides, nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus, water hardeners, disinfectant, and other emergent contaminants (phenol, estrogen, gallic acid etc.). We focus on the influence of surface modification of the working electrodes by carbon nanomaterials, metallic nanostructures, imprinted polymers and evaluate the corresponding sensing performance. Especially for pesticides, which are challenging and need special care, we highlight biosensors, such as enzymatic sensors, immunobiosensor, aptasensors, and biomimetic sensors. We discuss the sensors’ overall performance, especially concerning real-sample performance and the capability for actual field application.
Robust Korean License Plate Recognition Based on Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Wang Hanxiang , Li Yanfen , Dang L.-Minh , Moon Hyeonjoon
Published: June 2021

With the rapid rise of private vehicles around the world, License Plate Recognition (LPR) plays a vital role in supporting the government to manage vehicles effectively. However, an introduction of new types of license plate (LP) or slight changes in the LP format can break previous LPR systems, as they fail to recognize the LP. Moreover, the LPR system is extremely sensitive to the conditions of the surrounding environment. Thus, this paper introduces a novel deep learning-based Korean LPR system that can effectively deal with existing challenges. The main contributions of this study include (1) a robust LPR system with the integration of three pre-processing techniques (defogging, low-light enhancement, and super-resolution) that can effectively recognize the LP under various conditions, (2) the establishment of two original Korean LPR approaches for different scenarios, including whole license plate recognition (W-LPR) and single-character license plate recognition (SC-LPR), and (3) the introduction of two Korean LPR datasets (synthetic data and real data) involving a new type of LP introduced by the Korean government. Through several experiments, the proposed LPR framework achieved the highest recognition accuracy of 98.94%.
Structural Analysis of a Genetically Encoded FRET Biosensor by SAXS and MD Simulations
Authors: Reinartz Ines , Sarter Mona , Otten Julia , Höfig Henning , Pohl Martina , Schug Alexander , Stadler Andreas M. , Fitter Jörg
Published: June 2021

Inspired by the modular architecture of natural signaling proteins, ligand binding proteins are equipped with two fluorescent proteins (FPs) in order to obtain Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors. Here, we investigated a glucose sensor where the donor and acceptor FPs were attached to a glucose binding protein using a variety of different linker sequences. For three resulting sensor constructs the corresponding glucose induced conformational changes were measured by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and compared to recently published single molecule FRET results (Höfig et al., ACS Sensors, 2018). For one construct which exhibits a high change in energy transfer and a large change of the radius of gyration upon ligand binding, we performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations for the ligand-free and the ligand-bound state. Our analysis indicates that a carefully designed attachment of the donor FP is crucial for the proper transfer of the glucose induced conformational change of the glucose binding protein into a well pronounced FRET signal change as measured in this sensor construct. Since the other FP (acceptor) does not experience such a glucose induced alteration, it becomes apparent that only one of the FPs needs to have a well-adjusted attachment to the glucose binding protein.
An Evolving TinyML Compression Algorithm for IoT Environments Based on Data Eccentricity
Authors: Signoretti Gabriel , Silva Marianne , Andrade Pedro , Silva Ivanovitch , Sisinni Emiliano , Ferrari Paolo
Published: June 2021

Currently, the applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) generate a large amount of sensor data at a very high pace, making it a challenge to collect and store the data. This scenario brings about the need for effective data compression algorithms to make the data manageable among tiny and battery-powered devices and, more importantly, shareable across the network. Additionally, considering that, very often, wireless communications (e.g., low-power wide-area networks) are adopted to connect field devices, user payload compression can also provide benefits derived from better spectrum usage, which in turn can result in advantages for high-density application scenarios. As a result of this increase in the number of connected devices, a new concept has emerged, called TinyML. It enables the use of machine learning on tiny, computationally restrained devices. This allows intelligent devices to analyze and interpret data locally and in real time. Therefore, this work presents a new data compression solution (algorithm) for the IoT that leverages the TinyML perspective. The new approach is called the Tiny Anomaly Compressor (TAC) and is based on data eccentricity. TAC does not require previously established mathematical models or any assumptions about the underlying data distribution. In order to test the effectiveness of the proposed solution and validate it, a comparative analysis was performed on two real-world datasets with two other algorithms from the literature (namely Swing Door Trending (SDT) and the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT)). It was found that the TAC algorithm showed promising results, achieving a maximum compression rate of 98.33%. Additionally, it also surpassed the two other models regarding the compression error and peak signal-to-noise ratio in all cases.
Safe Path Planning Algorithms for Mobile Robots Based on Probabilistic Foam
Authors: Nascimento Luís B. P. , Barrios-Aranibar Dennis , Santos Vitor G. , Pereira Diego S. , Ribeiro William C. , Alsina Pablo J.
Published: June 2021

The planning of safe paths is an important issue for autonomous robot systems. The Probabilistic Foam method (PFM) is a planner that guarantees safe paths bounded by a sequence of structures called bubbles that provides safe regions. This method performs the planning by covering the free configuration space with bubbles, an approach analogous to a breadth-first search. To improve the propagation process and keep the safety, we present three algorithms based on Probabilistic Foam: Goal-biased Probabilistic Foam (GBPF), Radius-biased Probabilistic Foam (RBPF), and Heuristic-guided Probabilistic Foam (HPF); the last two are proposed in this work. The variant GBPF is fast, HPF finds short paths, and RBPF finds high-clearance paths. Some simulations were performed using four different maps to analyze the behavior and performance of the methods. Besides, the safety was analyzed considering the new propagation strategies.
A Segmentation Model of ECU Excitation Signal Based on Characteristic Parameters
Authors: Zheng Xingjian , Wang Bo , Ge Yongqi
Published: June 2021

According to the basic structure and working principle of the excitation signal sensors of a diesel engine electronic control unit (ECU), a segmentation model of an ECU excitation signal based on characteristic parameters (ESCP-SM) is proposed. In the ESCP-SM, the ECU excitation signal is divided into several parts, and each part has its characteristic parameters model. By using the same global parameters and strictly controlling each part’s proportional parameters, the ESCP-SM can achieve signal alignment and dynamic frequency modulation. Based on the simulation experiment, spectrum analysis proves that this modeling method ensures that the original signal’s effective information is not lost. Pearson similarity analysis shows that the similarity between the simulation signal and practical signal reaches 74%, exhibiting strong correlation. In addition, we set up a physical testing environment. ESCP-SM is realized based on virtual instrument technology, and provides excitation signals for a Komatsu 8 ECU. By modifying the parameter configuration, the ECU can drive the injector to work correctly.
A Real-Time Method for Improving Stability of Monolithic Quartz Crystal Microbalance Operating under Harsh Environmental Conditions
Authors: Fernández Román , Calero María , Jiménez Yolanda , Arnau Antonio
Published: June 2021

Monolithic quartz crystal microbalance (MQCM) has recently emerged as a very promising technology suitable for biosensing applications. These devices consist of an array of miniaturized QCM sensors integrated within the same quartz substrate capable of detecting multiple target analytes simultaneously. Their relevant benefits include high throughput, low cost per sensor unit, low sample/reagent consumption and fast sensing response. Despite the great potential of MQCM, unwanted environmental factors (e.g., temperature, humidity, vibrations, or pressure) and perturbations intrinsic to the sensor setup (e.g., mechanical stress exerted by the measurement cell or electronic noise of the characterization system) can affect sensor stability, masking the signal of interest and degrading the limit of detection (LoD). Here, we present a method based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to improve the stability of the resonance frequency and dissipation signals in real time. The method takes advantage of the similarity among the noise patterns of the resonators integrated in an MQCM device to mitigate disturbing factors that impact on sensor response. Performance of the method is validated by studying the adsorption of proteins (neutravidin and biotinylated albumin) under external controlled factors (temperature and pressure/flow rate) that simulate unwanted disturbances.
Citywide Energy-Related CO2 Emissions and Sustainability Assessment of the Development of Low-Carbon Policy in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Authors: Sugsaisakon Sittisak , Kittipongvises Suthirat
Published: June 2021

Cities are one of the key contributors to the environment and sustainability. This study aims to quantify citywide energy-related CO2 emissions and assess the sustainability feasibility of implementing climate change mitigation policies in Chiang Mai, Thailand. By employing the GPC method, it was found that the average energy-related CO2 emission in Chiang Mai from 2015 to 2019 was 2,146,060 tCO2eq. Residences, industries (i.e., food preservation industries), and commercial and governmental buildings were the top three energy consumption-related GHG emitters. According to the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), in terms of mitigation measures, LED lighting presented the highest score (0.380), followed by improving air conditioning efficiency (0.278), and the use of energy-efficient appliances (0.203). Energy-efficient technologies would be more feasible than the development of renewable energy technologies to lower CO2 emissions. In terms of sustainability, political, technical, and economic feasibility criteria presented the highest AHP score (0.789), followed by human and social dimensions criteria (0.129), and environmental performance criteria (0.073). Policy possibility had the highest AHP score, while direct contribution to climate benefits as GHG reduction presented the lowest score. The integration of climate mitigation opportunities into national policies, the green industry scheme, and promoting residents’ self-determined motivation are urgently recommended.