bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urine Caffeine Concentration in Doping Control Samples from 2004 to 2015
Authors: Aguilar-Navarro Millán , Muñoz Gloria , Salinero Juan José , Muñoz-Guerra Jesús , Fernández-Álvarez María , Plata María del Mar , Del Coso Juan
Published: January 2019

The ergogenic effect of caffeine is well-established, but the extent of its consumption in sport is unknown at the present. The use of caffeine was considered “prohibited” until 2004, but this stimulant was moved from the List of Prohibited Substances to the Monitoring Program of the World Anti-Doping Agency to control its use by monitoring urinary caffeine concentration after competition. However, there is no updated information about the change in the use of caffeine as the result of its inclusion in the Monitoring Program. The aim of this study was to describe the changes in urine caffeine concentration from 2004 to 2015. A total of 7488 urine samples obtained in official competitions held in Spain and corresponding to athletes competing in Olympic sports (2788 in 2004, 2543 in 2008, and 2157 in 2015) were analyzed for urine caffeine concentration. The percentage of samples with detectable caffeine (i.e., >0.1 μg/mL) increased from ~70.1%, in 2004–2008 to 75.7% in 2015. The median urine caffeine concentration in 2015 (0.85 μg/mL) was higher when compared to the median value obtained in 2004 (0.70 μg/mL; p < 0.05) and in 2008 (0.70 μg/mL; p < 0.05). The urine caffeine concentration significantly increased from 2004 to 2015 in aquatics, athletics, boxing, judo, football, weightlifting, and rowing (p < 0.05). However, the sports with the highest urine caffeine concentration in 2015 were cycling, athletics, and rowing. In summary, the concentration of caffeine in the urine samples obtained after competition in Olympic sports in Spain increased from 2004 to 2015, particularly in some disciplines. These data indicate that the use of caffeine has slightly increased since its removal from the list of banned substances, but urine caffeine concentrations suggest that the use of caffeine is moderate in most sport specialties. Athletes of individual sports or athletes of sports with an aerobic-like nature are more prone to using caffeine in competition.
Dietary Intake Patterns among Lactating and Non-Lactating Women of Reproductive Age in Rural Zambia
Authors: Kaliwile Chisela , Michelo Charles , Titcomb Tyler J. , Moursi Mourad , Donahue Angel Moira , Reinberg Chelsea , Bwembya Pheobe , Alders Robyn , Tanumihardjo Sherry A.
Published: January 2019

Insufficient dietary intake, micronutrient deficiencies, and infection may result in malnutrition. In Zambia, an estimated 14% of women are vitamin A-deficient, ~50% are anemic, 10% are underweight, and 23% are overweight/obese. A cross-sectional survey determined food and nutrient intakes of randomly selected Zambian women (n = 530) of reproductive age (15–49 years). Dietary intake data were collected using interactive multiple-pass 24-h recalls. Carbohydrate, fat, protein, and selected micronutrient intakes were estimated. Prevalence of adequate intakes were determined using the estimated average requirement (EAR) cut-point method and comparisons between lactating and non-lactating women were made by two-sample t-tests. The response rate was 98.7%. Overweight/obesity occurred in 20.7% (95% confidence interval (CI: 17.2, 24.5)). Almost all micronutrient intakes were inadequate, with values between 22.3% and 99.9%. Mean iron intake was >EAR, and 8.2% of women tested (12/146, 95% CI: 4.1, 13.0) were anemic (hemoglobin <115 g/L). Calcium intake was higher in lactating than non-lactating women (p = 0.004), but all intakes need improvement. Vitamin intakes in rural Zambian women are inadequate, suggesting a need for health promotion messages to encourage intake of locally available micronutrient-dense foods as well as supplementation, fortification, and biofortification initiatives. Nutritional support is important because maternal nutrition directly impacts child health.
Vitamin D Status and Association of VDR Genetic Polymorphism to Risk of Breast Cancer in Ethiopia
Authors: Ahmed Jemal Hussien , Makonnen Eyasu , Fotoohi Alan , Yimer Getnet , Seifu Daniel , Assefa Mathewos , Tigeneh Wondmagegnehu , Aseffa Abraham , Howe Rawleigh , Aklillu Eleni
Published: January 2019

Emerging evidence associates vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor (VDR) genetic variations with risk for breast cancer. This study investigated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with tumor characteristics and the implications of VDR genetic variations for risk of breast cancer in Ethiopia. This unmatched case–control study involved 392 female breast cancer patients and 193 controls. The plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D3) level was quantified in chemotherapy-naïve (N = 112) and tamoxifen-treated patients (N = 89). Genotyping for the VDR common variant alleles rs7975232 (ApaI), rs2228570 (FokI), and rs731236 (TaqI) was done. Eighty-six percent of the patients were vitamin D deficient (<50 nmol/L). Chemotherapy-naïve breast cancer patients had a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (91.9% vs. 78.3%) compared to the tamoxifen-treated group (p < 0.001). The prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/L) was significantly higher in chemotherapy-naïve (41.1%) than tamoxifen-treated (11.2%) patients. Vitamin D deficiency was not significantly associated with tumor characteristics or VDR genotype. The rs2228570 GG genotype was associated with increased risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.44, 95% confidence interval = 1.01−2.06). Our result indicates that rs2228570 might be a moderate risk factor for breast cancer development in the Ethiopian population. The high prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency in treatment-naïve breast cancer patients indicates the need for nutritional supplementation of vitamin D at the time of chemotherapy initiation.
Resistant Maltodextrin Ameliorates Altered Hepatic Lipid Homeostasis via Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in a High-Fat Diet-Fed Rat Model
Authors: Liu Shing-Hwa , Chiu Chen-Yuan , Huang Lin-Hui , Chiang Meng-Tsan
Published: January 2019

Many studies have shown that resistant maltodextrin (RMD) possesses blood cholesterol lowering and anti-obesity effects. In order to investigate the effect of RMD on lipid metabolism in the liver, rats were fed with a high-fat (HF) diet for 7 weeks to induce hyperlipidemia and fatty liver. Normal control rats were fed with a normal diet. HF-diet-fed rats were treated with 5% RMD for 8 weeks. The results showed that the increased plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, the increased hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, and fatty liver in HF-diet-fed rats were significantly decreased after supplementation with RMD. Supplementation with RMD significantly (1) induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation; (2) inhibited the activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR); (3) suppressed the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)-γ; (4) increased β-oxidation of fatty acids by increasing the protein expression carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1α (CPT-1α) in the livers of HF-diet-fed rats. Taken together, supplementation of RMD was capable of inhibiting lipogenic enzyme activities and inducing fatty acid β-oxidation through increasing AMPK activation, thereby reducing lipid accumulation in the liver.
Correction: Mateusz, S., et al. Iron Supplementation in Suckling Piglets: An Ostensibly Easy Therapy of Neonatal Iron Deficiency Anemia. Pharmaceuticals 2018, 11, 128
Authors: Szudzik Mateusz , Starzyński Rafał , Jończy Aneta , Mazgaj Rafał , Lenartowicz Małgorzata , Lipiński Paweł
Published: January 2019

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: the term “liposomal” should be replaced with the term “sucrosomial” in the following places [...]
Syringeable Self-Organizing Gels that Trigger Gold Nanoparticle Formation for Localized Thermal Ablation
Authors: Cabana-Montenegro Sonia , Barbosa Silvia , Taboada Pablo , Concheiro Angel , Alvarez-Lorenzo Carmen
Published: January 2019

Block copolymer dispersions that form gels at body temperature and that additionally are able to reduce a gold salt to nanoparticles (AuNPs) directly in the final formulation under mild conditions were designed as hybrid depots for photothermal therapy. The in situ gelling systems may retain AuNPs in the application zone for a long time so that localized elevations of temperature can be achieved each time the zone is irradiated. To carry out the work, dispersions were prepared covering a wide range of poloxamine Tetronic 1307:gold salt molar ratios in NaCl media (also varying from pure water to hypertonic solution). Even at copolymer concentrations well above the critical micelle concentration, the reducing power of the copolymer was maintained, and AuNPs were formed in few hours without extra additives. Varying the copolymer and NaCl concentrations allowed a fine tuning of nanoparticles’ shape from spherical to triangular nanoplates, which determined that the surface plasmon resonance showed a maximum intensity at 540 nm or at 1000 nm, respectively. The information gathered on the effects of (i) the poloxamine concentration on AuNPs’ size and shape under isotonic conditions, (ii) the AuNPs on the temperature-induced gelling transition, and (iii) the gel properties on the photothermal responsiveness of the AuNPs during successive irradiation cycles may help the rational design of one-pot gels with built-in temperature and light responsiveness.
Localized Therapy of Vaginal Infections and Inflammation: Liposomes-In-Hydrogel Delivery System for Polyphenols
Authors: Jøraholmen May Wenche , Basnet Purusotam , Tostrup Mia Jonine , Moueffaq Sabrin , Škalko-Basnet Nataša
Published: January 2019

Natural polyphenols, such as resveratrol (RES) or epicatechin (EPI), are attractive for treatments of various diseases, including vaginal infections and inflammation, because of their strong anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their low solubility and consequent poor bioavailability limit their therapeutic uses. To overcome these limitations, a vaginal delivery system comprising either RES or EPI liposomes-in-hydrogel was developed. This system permits therapeutic action of both liposomal polyphenol (RES or EPI) and chitosan-based hydrogel. Liposomes of around 200 nm and entrapment efficiency of 81% and 77% for RES and EPI, respectively, were incorporated into chitosan hydrogel, respectively. Medium molecular weight chitosan (2.5%, w/w) was found to have optimal texture properties and mucoadhesiveness in ex vivo conditions. The in vitro release studies confirmed the sustained release of polyphenols from the system. Both liposomal polyphenols and polyphenols-in-liposomes-in-hydrogel exhibited only minor effects on cell toxicity. EPI showed superior radical scavenging activity at lower concentrations compared to antioxidants vitamin C and E. Anti-inflammatory activity expressed as the inhibitory activity of formulations on the NO production in the LPS-induced macrophages (RAW 264.7) confirmed the superiority of EPI liposomes-in-hydrogel. The plain liposomes-in-hydrogel also exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting that chitosan hydrogel acts in synergy regarding anti-inflammatory effect of formulation.
Dendritic Cell-Targeted pH-Responsive Extracellular Vesicles for Anticancer Vaccination
Authors: Lee Hyuk , Park Hongsuk , Yu Hyeong Sup , Na Kun , Oh Kyung Taek , Lee Eun Seong
Published: January 2019

Immunotherapy can potentially treat cancers on a patient-dependent manner. Most of the efforts expended on anticancer vaccination parallel the efforts expended on prototypical immunization in infectious diseases. In this study, we designed and synthesized pH-responsive extracellular vesicles (EVs) coupled with hyaluronic acid (HA), 3-(diethylamino)propylamine (DEAP), monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), and mucin 1 peptide (MUC1), referred to as HDEA@EVAT. HDEA@EVAT potentiated the differentiation and maturation of monocytes into dendritic cells (DCs) and the priming of CD8+ T-cells for cancer therapy. MPLA and HA enabled HDEA@EVAT to interact with the toll-like receptor 4 and the CD44 receptor on DCs, followed by endosomal escape, owing to the protonation of pH-sensitive DEAP on the EV in conjunction with MUC1 release. The MUC1 was then processed and presented to DCs to activate CD8+ T-cells for additional anticancer-related immune reactions. Our findings support the anticancer vaccine activity by which HDEA@EVAT expedites the interaction between DCs and CD8+ T-cells by inducing DC-targeted maturation and by presenting the cancer-associated peptide MUC1.
Advances of Non-Ionic Surfactant Vesicles (Niosomes) and Their Application in Drug Delivery
Authors: Ge Xuemei , Wei Minyan , He Suna , Yuan Wei-En
Published: January 2019

Non-Ionic surfactant based vesicles, also known as niosomes, have attracted much attention in pharmaceutical fields due to their excellent behavior in encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic agents. In recent years, it has been discovered that these vesicles can improve the bioavailability of drugs, and may function as a new strategy for delivering several typical of therapeutic agents, such as chemical drugs, protein drugs and gene materials with low toxicity and desired targeting efficiency. Compared with liposomes, niosomes are much more stable during the formulation process and storage. The required pharmacokinetic properties can be achieved by optimizing components or by surface modification. This novel delivery system is also easy to prepare and scale up with low production costs. In this paper, we summarize the structure, components, formulation methods, quality control of niosome and its applications in chemical drugs, protein drugs and gene delivery.
The Encultured Primate: Thresholds and Transitions in Hominin Cultural Evolution
Authors: Buskes Chris
Published: February 2019

This article tries to shed light on the mystery of human culture. Human beings are the only extant species with cumulative, evolving cultures. Many animal species do have cultural traditions in the form of socially transmitted practices but they typically lack cumulative culture. Why is that? This discrepancy between humans and animals is even more puzzling if one realizes that culture seems highly advantageous. Thanks to their accumulated knowledge and techniques our early ancestors were able to leave their cradle in Africa and swarm out across the planet, thereby adjusting themselves to a whole range of new environments. Without culture this would have been impossible. So we may ask once again: if cumulative culture is so useful, why don’t other animals have it? In order to explain this mystery I won’t appeal to the major transitions in human evolution—like walking upright, crafting stone tools and controlling fire, etc.—because that would be question begging. Instead I try to unearth the mechanisms that caused those evolutionary turning points to occur in the first place. It seems that unlike other animals, humans are predisposed to efficiently acquire, store and transmit cultural information in such ways that our cultures can genuinely evolve.
Chiral MnIII (Salen) Immobilized on Organic Polymer/Inorganic Zirconium Hydrogen Phosphate Functionalized with 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane as an Efficient and Recyclable Catalyst for Enantioselective Epoxidation of Styrene
Authors: Zou Xiaochuan , Wang Yue , Wang Cun , Shi Kaiyun , Ren Yanrong , Zhao Xin
Published: January 2019

Organic polymers/inorganic zirconium hydrogen phosphate (ZSPP, ZPS-IPPA, and ZPS-PVPA) functionalized with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane were prepared and used to support chiral MnIII (salen) complexes (Jacobsen’s catalyst). Different characterization methods demonstrated that the chiral MnIII (salen) complexes was successfully supported on the surface of the carrier (ZSPP, ZPS-IPPA, or ZPS-PVPA) through a 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane group spacer. The supported catalysts effectively catalyzed epoxidation of styrene with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA) as an oxidant in the presence of N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMO) as an axial base. These results (ee%, 53.3–63.9) were significantly better than those achieved under a homogeneous counterpart (ee%, 46.2). Moreover, it is obvious that there was no significant decrease in catalytic activity after the catalyst 3 was recycled four times (cons%: from 95.0 to 92.6; ee%: from 64.7 to 60.1). Further recycles of catalyst 3 resulted in poor conversions, although the enantioselectivity obtained was still higher than that of corresponding homogeneous catalyst even after eight times. After the end of the eighth reaction, the solid catalyst was allowed to stand in 2 mol/L of dilute hydrochloric acid overnight, prompting an unexpected discovery that the catalytic activity of the catalyst was recovered again at the 9th and 10th cycles of the catalyst.
Extraction Optimization and Effects of Extraction Methods on the Chemical Structures and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Snow Chrysanthemum (Coreopsis Tinctoria)
Authors: Guo Huan , Yuan Qin , Fu Yuan , Liu Wen , Su Ya-Hong , Liu Hui , Wu Chao-Yi , Zhao Li , Zhang Qing , Lin De-Rong , Chen Hong , Qin Wen , Wu Ding-Tao
Published: January 2019

In order to explore snow chrysanthemum polysaccharides (SCPs) as functional food ingredients and natural antioxidants for industrial applications, both microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) were firstly optimized for the extraction of SCPs. Furthermore, the effects of conventional hot water extraction, UAE, and MAE on the chemical structures and antioxidant activities of SCPs were investigated. The maximum extraction yields of SCPs extracted by UAE (4.13 ± 0.24%) and MAE (4.26 ± 0.21%) were achieved at the optimized extraction parameters as follows: ultrasound amplitude (68%) and microwave power (500 W), ultrasound extraction time (21 min) and microwave extraction time (6.5 min), and ratio of liquid to raw material (42.0 mL/g for UAE and 59.0 mL/g for MAE). In addition, different extraction methods significantly affected the contents of uronic acids, the molecular weights, the molar ratio of constituent monosaccharides, and the degree of esterification of SCPs. SCPs exhibited remarkable DPPH (IC50 ≤ 1.702 mg/mL), ABTS (IC50 ≤ 1.121 mg/mL), and nitric oxide (IC50 ≤ 0.277 mg/mL) radical scavenging activities, as well as reducing power (≥ 80.17 ± 4.8 μg Trolox/mg), which suggested that SCPs might be one of the major contributors toward the antioxidant activities of snow chrysanthemum tea. The high antioxidant activities (DPPH, IC50 = 0.693 mg/mL; ABTS, IC50 = 0.299 mg/mL; nitric oxide, IC50 = 0.105 mg/mL; and reducing power, 127.79 ± 2.57 μg Trolox/mg) observed in SCP-M extracted by the MAE method might be partially attributed to its low molecular weight and high content of unmethylated galacturonic acids. Results suggested that the MAE method could be an efficient technique for the extraction of SCPs with high antioxidant activity, and SCPs could be further explored as natural antioxidants for industrial application.
New Triphenylamine-Based Oligomeric Schiff Bases Containing Tetraphenylsilane Moieties in the Backbone
Authors: Sobarzo Patricio A. , González Alexis F. , Schott Eduardo , Tagle Luis H. , Tundidor-Camba Alain , González-Henríquez Carmen , Jessop Ignacio A. , Terraza Claudio A.
Published: January 2019

Three new triphenylamine-based oligomeric Schiff bases (polySB1, polySB2 and polySB3) containing tetraphenylsilane core (TPS-core) in the main chain were obtained from TPS-core-based diamines and bis(4-formylphenyl)phenylamine by a high-temperature polycondensation reaction. These new oligomers were structurally characterized by FT-IR, NMR and elemental analysis. All polySBs were highly soluble in common organic solvents, such as chloroform, tetrahydrofuran and chlorobenzene. Samples showed moderate molecular average molecular weight (Mw) and a high thermal stability above 410 °C. Likewise, polySBs showed absorption near 400 nm in the UV-vis range and photoluminescence. The HOMO levels and band-gap values were found in the ranges of −6.06 to −6.18 eV and 2.65–2.72 eV, respectively. The lowest band-gap value was observed for polySB2, which could be attributed to a more effective π-conjugation across the main chain. The results suggest that silicon-containing polySBs are promising wide-band-gap semiconductors materials for optoelectronic applications.
Modeling the Optimal Conditions for Improved Efficacy and Crosslink Depth of Photo-Initiated Polymerization
Authors: Lin Jui-Teng , Liu Hsia-Wei , Chen Kuo-Ti , Cheng Da-Chuan
Published: January 2019

Optimal conditions for maximum efficacy of photoinitiated polymerization are theoretically presented. Analytic formulas are shown for the crosslink time, crosslink depth, and efficacy function. The roles of photoinitiator (PI) concentration, diffusion depth, and light intensity on the polymerization spatial and temporal profiles are presented for both uniform and non-uniform cases. For the type I mechanism, higher intensity may accelerate the polymer action process, but it suffers a lower steady-state efficacy. This may be overcome by a controlled re-supply of PI concentration during the light exposure. In challenging the conventional Beer–Lambert law (BLL), a generalized, time-dependent BLL (a Lin-law) is derived. This study, for the first time, presents analytic formulas for curing depth and crosslink time without the assumption of thin-film or spatial average. Various optimal conditions are developed for maximum efficacy based on a numerically-fit A-factor. Experimental data are analyzed for the role of PI concentration and light intensity on the gelation (crosslink) time and efficacy.
Improved Mechanical and Electrochemical Properties of XNBR Dielectric Elastomer Actuator by Poly(dopamine) Functionalized Graphene Nano-Sheets
Authors: Yang Dan , Kong Xinxin , Ni Yufeng , Ruan Mengnan , Huang Shuo , Shao Puzhen , Guo Wenli , Zhang Liqun
Published: January 2019

In this work, graphene nano-sheets (GNS) functionalized with poly(dopamine) (PDA) (denoted as GNS-PDA) were dispersed in a carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber (XNBR) matrix to obtain excellent dielectric composites via latex mixing. Because hydrogen bonds were formed between –COOH groups of XNBR and phenolic hydroxyl groups of PDA, the encapsulation of GNS-PDA around XNBR latex particles was achieved, and led to a segregated network structure of filler formed in the GNS-PDA/XNBR composite. Thus, the XNBR composite filled with GNS-PDA showed improved filler dispersion, enhanced dielectric constant and dielectric strength, and decreased conductivity compared with the XNBR composite filled with pristine GNS. Finally, the GNS-PDA/XNBR composite displayed an actuated strain of 2.4% at 18 kV/mm, and this actuated strain was much larger than that of pure XNBR (1.3%) at the same electric field. This simple, environmentally friendly, low-cost, and effective method provides a promising route for obtaining a high-performance dielectric elastomer with improved mechanical and electrochemical properties.
Polymer-Magnetic Composite Particles of Fe3O4/Poly(o-anisidine) and Their Suspension Characteristics under Applied Magnetic Fields
Authors: Lee Jin Hee , Lu Qi , Lee Jae Yun , Choi Hyoung Jin
Published: January 2019

Fe3O4/poly(o-anisidine) (POA) magnetic composite nanoparticles with their core-shell structure were synthesized by chemical oxidation polymerization technique and adopted as a magneto-responsive magnetorheological (MR) material. The chemical structure and morphology of core-shell nanoparticles were identified by FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and elemental analyzer. Pycnometer and vibrating sample magnetometer showed that the magnetic saturation and density of the Fe3O4/POA particles were reduced by the POA shell coatings. The rheological properties of the MR suspension dispersed in a silicone oil at various magnetic field strengths were investigated using a rotating rheometer under a magnetic field. The resulting MR suspension showed a typical Newtonian fluid behavior in the absence of external stimuli. When an external magnetic field was applied, it formed a strong chain structure, acting like a solid with a yield stress. Further solid-like behaviors were observed from storage shear relaxation and viscoelastic tests. Finally, the Fe3O4/POA nanoparticles showed better dispersion stability than pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles with 50% improvement.
Mechanism of Heat Transfer through Porous Media of Inorganic Intumescent Coating in Cone Calorimeter Testing
Authors: Kang Sungwook , Choi J. Yoon , Choi Sengkwan
Published: January 2019

This work discusses the heat transfer process through a particular form of porous media: an inorganic-based intumescent coating in full-expansion state. Although the thermal mechanism in porous media has been vigorously studied for polymeric/ceramic/metallic foams, less information is available on its application with intumescent-type polymers. This examination demonstrates the procedure of (1) the optimisation of the coating’s internal multicellular structure for numerical modelling, based on topological analyses; (2) the finite element simulation for the coating-sample tested with cone calorimetry; and (3) the quantitative evaluation of the thermal insulation performance of its porous structure by adopting effective thermal conductivity. The modelling technique was verified using measurable data from the cone calorimeter tests. Consistent agreement between the numerical predictions and experimental measurements was achieved over the whole steel-substrate temperature history, based on the clarified thermal boundaries of the specimen and modelling of the combined conduction-radiation transfer. This numerical approach exhibits the impacts of porosity, pore-size, and external thermal load on the medium’s performance, as well as the individual contributions of the component heat transfer modes to the overall process. The full understanding of this thermal mechanism can contribute to the enhancement and optimisation of the thermal insulation performance of a porous-type refractory polymer.
SISAL: Bringing Added Value to Speleothem Research
Authors: Comas-Bru Laia , Harrison Sandy
Published: February 2019

Isotopic records from speleothems are an important source of information about past climates and, given the increase in the number of isotope-enabled climate models, are likely to become an important tool for climate model evaluation. SISAL (Speleothem Isotopes Synthesis and Analysis) have created a global database of isotopic records from speleothems in order to facilitate regional analyses and data-model comparison. The papers in this Special Issue showcase the use of the database for regional analyses. In this paper, we discuss some of the important issues underpinning the use of speleothems and how the existence of this database assists palaeoclimate research. We also highlight some of the lessons learned in the creation of the SISAL database and outline potential research going forward.
Thinking Spirituality Differently: Michel Foucault on Spiritual Self-Practices, Counter-Conducts, and Power-Knowledge Constellations
Authors: Westerink Herman
Published: January 2019

In contemporary debates on the so-called “return of religion” in new forms and practices of spirituality, the spiritual practices are often seen as emerging on the ruins of a fragmented and outdated religious tradition. In this article an attempt is made to conceptualize spirituality beyond the religion-secularization divide. An alternative perspective on spirituality is developed through a reading of Michel Foucault’s writings and lectures on spiritual practices in antique philosophy and in Christianity. In this perspective the modalities of individual spiritual practices are largely dependent on interactions with dominant power-knowledge regimes and problematizations of individual lives. This article argues that this perspective on the spiritual practices in the West has the potential of making a valuable contribution to interpretations of present-day spirituality and lived religiosity.
Religion and Spirituality in Pregnancy and Birth: The Views of Birth Practitioners in Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Ohaja Magdalena , Murphy-Lawless Jo , Dunlea Margaret
Published: January 2019

Religion and spirituality have been acknowledged as crucial aspects of health and wellbeing. Nigeria, the most populous African country, is a multi-religious society where plural health systems (traditional and modern) co-exist. Religion is part of everyday conversation within the country and traditional healthcare providers are believed to have spiritual healing powers. Correspondingly, Nigerian women in their quest for a meaningful and comprehensive maternity care experience continue to use the plural health systems during the pregnancy birth continuum. Drawing from data collected through interviewing midwives (n = 7) and traditional birth attendants (n = 5), this paper explored the place of religion and spirituality within maternity care in the context of Igbo-Nigeria, through the lens of hermeneutic-phenomenology. Ethical approval was granted by relevant institutions and consent was obtained from each participant prior to the interviews. The findings revealed divergent views of the birth practitioners, influenced on one hand by conventional Western scientific ways of thinking, and on the other hand by traditional/cultural orientation. Healthcare professionals’ views on the place of religion and spirituality within maternity care in Igbo-Nigeria reflect societal norms, impacting either positively or negatively on women’s needs for a meaningful maternity care experience. In order to improve women’s satisfaction with their pregnancy and birth experience, it is important for the healthcare providers to pay attention to and reflect on their own religious and spiritual belief systems.
Sacred Music and Hindu Religious Experience: From Ancient Roots to the Modern Classical Tradition
Authors: Beck Guy L.
Published: January 2019

While music plays a significant role in many of the world’s religions, it is in the Hindu religion that one finds one of the closest bonds between music and religious experience extending for millennia. The recitation of the syllable OM and the chanting of Sanskrit Mantras and hymns from the Vedas formed the core of ancient fire sacrifices. The Upanishads articulated OM as Śabda-Brahman, the Sound-Absolute that became the object of meditation in Yoga. First described by Bharata in the Nātya-Śāstra as a sacred art with reference to Rasa (emotional states), ancient music or Sangīta was a vehicle of liberation (Mokṣa) founded in the worship of deities such as Brahmā, Vishnu, Śiva, and Goddess Sarasvatī. Medieval Tantra and music texts introduced the concept of Nāda-Brahman as the source of sacred music that was understood in terms of Rāgas, melodic formulas, and Tālas, rhythms, forming the basis of Indian music today. Nearly all genres of Indian music, whether the classical Dhrupad and Khayal, or the devotional Bhajan and Kīrtan, share a common theoretical and practical understanding, and are bound together in a mystical spirituality based on the experience of sacred sound. Drawing upon ancient and medieval texts and Bhakti traditions, this article describes how music enables Hindu religious experience in fundamental ways. By citing several examples from the modern Hindustani classical vocal tradition of Khayal, including text and audio/video weblinks, it is revealed how the classical songs contain the wisdom of Hinduism and provide a deeper appreciation of the many musical styles that currently permeate the Hindu and Yoga landscapes of the West.
Natives Need Prison: The Sanctification of Racialized Incarceration
Authors: Graber Jennifer
Published: January 2019

This paper draws on literary scholar Susan Ryan’s work to show how Americans worked out national as well as racial identities through benevolent activity, including forms of reformative incarceration. Reformers operated as true citizens by sustaining themselves and providing for others. Recipients, on the other hand, functioned as people in need. Ryan argues that benevolent activists ascribed need to entire groups of people. As a result, “the categories of blackness, Indianness, and Irishness…came to signify need itself.” Elite Americans thereby “raced” need, assigning essential difference to populations they sought to relieve. Ryan’s work on racialized need can help us understand the connections between Christianity, race, and mass incarceration. I explore how one nineteenth-century military prison—and the disciplinary institutions later modeled on it—was created in direct response to presumed (and raced) need among Native Americans. I also consider how Christian reformers obscured and concealed the racialized nature of this institution—and how, in that avoidance, they came to sanctify mass incarceration for racial minorities. Finally, I look at two incarcerated Native artists’ drawings to show how people caught up in racialized renderings of their need have something else to say about who they are and what prison is.
Security, Religion, and Political Culture: A Defense of Weak Disestablishment
Authors: Prud’homme Joseph
Published: January 2019

Many, especially in the West, have long argued against state religious establishments on the ethical grounds of the rights of freedom of conscience and personal autonomy. Situating the question of religious establishment within the field of Religion and Security—an important and growing aspect of the Religious Studies discipline—allows for new interpretive possibilities. This paper explores the impact of religious disestablishment on the state’s task of provisioning security from violent religious extremism. Could it be that states which have disestablished a formal or deeply embedded informal tie with religion are less able to provide security to their citizenry? I examine this question and develop the contention that religious disestablishment in the West has actually harmed the state’s capacity to deal effectively with violent religious extremism. In turn, this finding requires us to reconsider the normative bases of strict church/state separation and provides one element within a range of arguments for what I label ‘weak disestablishment.’
Earth and Rock-Filled Dam Monitoring by High-Resolution X-Band Interferometry: Gongming Dam Case Study
Authors: Li Tao , Motagh Mahdi , Wang Mingzhou , Zhang Wei , Gong Chunlong , Xiong Xunan , He Jinping , Chen Lulu , Liu Jingnan
Published: January 2019

Middle-sized earth- and rock-filled dams with clay cores continue to settle by approximately 0.5–1.5% of their height for approximately 1–3 years after their construction phase. This paper investigates the use of high-resolution spaceborne Synthetic aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry to monitor this settlement process, with the case of the Gongming dam in China. The varieties of slope foreshortening and stretching in the radar coordinates are attributed to the radar’s local incidence angle and the dam’s slope heading, which are analysed in detail. Focusing on the embankment slope settlement analysis, the equations for calculating foreshortening and the line-of-sight deformation decomposition are derived in detail for the adjustment and data fusing. The scattering characteristics of different materials on the dam surface are analysed, including the grass slope, concrete slope, top road (crest), top wall, step, and ditch. According to the analysis of the precipitation data from a local meteorological station, the coherence losses on the slopes are mainly caused by surface moisture. Both the TerraSAR-X Spotlight (TSX-SL) data and the COSMO-SkyMed Strip Mode (CSK-SM) data are analysed by the stacking method to assess the slopes’ deformations. The TSX-SL data results show the highest rate of settlement as 2 cm/yr on the top of the dam slope, consistent with the clay core shrinking process. The CSK-SM data show a similar trend in the lower part of the dam slope but underestimate the deformation in the upper part of the slope.
Improving Remote Sensing Image Super-Resolution Mapping Based on the Spatial Attraction Model by Utilizing the Pansharpening Technique
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhang Gong , Hao Siyuan , Wang Liguo
Published: January 2019

The spatial distribution information of remote sensing images can be derived by the super-resolution mapping (SRM) technique. Super-resolution mapping, based on the spatial attraction model (SRMSAM), has been an important SRM method, due to its simplicity and explicit physical meanings. However, the resolution of the original remote sensing image is coarse, and the existing SRMSAM cannot take full advantage of the spatial–spectral information from the original image. To utilize more spatial–spectral information, improving remote sensing image super-resolution mapping based on the spatial attraction model by utilizing the pansharpening technique (SRMSAM-PAN) is proposed. In SRMSAM-PAN, a novel processing path, named the pansharpening path, is added to the existing SRMSAM. The original coarse remote sensing image is first fused with the high-resolution panchromatic image from the same area by the pansharpening technique in the novel pansharpening path, and the improved image is unmixed to obtain the novel fine-fraction images. The novel fine-fraction images from the pansharpening path and the existing fine-fraction images from the existing path are then integrated to produce finer-fraction images with more spatial–spectral information. Finally, the values predicted from the finer-fraction images are utilized to allocate class labels to all subpixels, to achieve the final mapping result. Experimental results show that the proposed SRMSAM-PAN can obtain a higher mapping accuracy than the existing SRMSAM methods.
Supervised Image Classification by Scattering Transform with Application to Weed Detection in Culture Crops of High Density
Authors: Rasti Pejman , Ahmad Ali , Samiei Salma , Belin Etienne , Rousseau David
Published: January 2019

In this article, we assess the interest of the recently introduced multiscale scattering transform for texture classification applied for the first time in plant science. Scattering transform is shown to outperform monoscale approaches (gray-level co-occurrence matrix, local binary patterns) but also multiscale approaches (wavelet decomposition) which do not include combinatory steps. The regime in which scatter transform also outperforms a standard CNN architecture in terms of data-set size is evaluated ( 10 4 instances). An approach on how to optimally design the scatter transform based on energy contrast is provided. This is illustrated on the hard and open problem of weed detection in culture crops of high density from the top view in intensity images. An annotated synthetic data-set available under the form of a data challenge and a simulator are proposed for reproducible science. Scatter transform only trained on synthetic data shows an accuracy of 85 % when tested on real data.
Discriminating between C3, C4, and Mixed C3/C4 Pasture Grasses of a Grazed Landscape Using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1a Data
Authors: Crabbe Richard Azu , Lamb David William , Edwards Clare
Published: January 2019

In livestock grazing environments, the knowledge of C3/C4 species composition of a pasture field is invaluable, since such information assists graziers in making decisions around fertilizer application and stocking rates. The general aim of this research was to explore the potential of multi-temporal Sentinel-1 (S1) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to discriminate between C3, C4, and mixed-C3/C4 compositions. In this study, three Random Forest (RF) classification models were created using features derived from polarimetric SAR (polSAR) and grey-level co-occurrence textural metrics (glcmTEX). The first RF model involved only polSAR features and produced a prediction accuracy of 68% with a Kappa coefficient of 0.49. The second RF model used glcmTEX features and produced prediction accuracies of 76%, 62%, and 75% for C3, C4, and mixed C3/C4 grasses, respectively. The glcmTEX model achieved an overall prediction accuracy of 73% with a Kappa coefficient of 0.57. The polSAR and glcmTEX features were then combined (COMB model) to improve upon their individual classification performances. The COMB model produced prediction accuracies of 89%, 81%, and 84% for C3, C4, and mixed C3/C4 pasture grasses, and an overall prediction accuracy of 86% with a Kappa coefficient of 0.77. The contribution of the various model features could be attributed to the changes in dominant species between sampling sites through time, not only because of climatic variability but also because of preferential grazing.
Assessment of Level-3 Gridded Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Products Over Oceans
Authors: Khan Sana , Maggioni Viviana
Published: January 2019

The performance of Level-3 gridded Global Precipitation Mission (GPM)-based precipitation products (IMERG, Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM) is assessed against two references over oceans: the OceanRAIN dataset, derived from oceanic shipboard disdrometers, and a satellite-based radar product (the Level-3 Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar, 3DPRD). Daily IMERG products (early, late, final) and microwave-only (MW) and Infrared-only (IR) precipitation components are evaluated at four different spatial resolutions (0.5°, 1°, 2°, and 3°) during a 3-year study period (March 2014–February 2017). Their performance is assessed based on both categorical and continuous performance metrics, including correlation coefficient, probability of detection, success ratio, bias, and root mean square error (RMSE). A triple collocation analysis (TCA) is also presented to further investigate the performance of these satellite-based products. Overall, the IMERG products show an underestimation with respect to OceanRAIN. Rain events in OceanRAIN are correctly detected by all IMERG products ~80% of the times. IR estimates show relatively large errors and low correlations with OceanRAIN compared to the other products. On the other hand, the MW component performs better than other products in terms of both categorical and continuous statistics. TCA reveals that 3DPRD performs consistently better than OceanRAIN in terms of RMSE and coefficient of determination at all spatial resolutions. This work is part of a larger effort to validate GPM products over nontraditional regions such as oceans.
Multi-Sensor SAR Geodetic Imaging and Modelling of Santorini Volcano Post-Unrest Response
Authors: Papageorgiou Elena , Foumelis Michael , Trasatti Elisa , Ventura Guido , Raucoules Daniel , Mouratidis Antonios
Published: January 2019

Volcanic history of Santorini over recent years records a seismo-volcanic unrest in 2011–12 with a non-eruptive behavior. The volcano deformation state following the unrest was investigated through multi-sensor Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) time series. We focused on the analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-1, Radarsat-2 and TerraSAR-X Multi-temporal SAR Interferometric (MT-InSAR) results, for the post-unrest period 2012–17. Data from multiple Sentinel-1 tracks and acquisition geometries were used to constrain the E-W and vertical components of the deformation field along with their evolution in time. The interpretation of the InSAR observations and modelling provided insights on the post-unrest deformation pattern of the volcano, allowing the further re-evaluation of the unrest event. The increase of subsidence rates on Nea Kameni, in accordance with the observed change of the spatial deformation pattern, compared to the pre-unrest period, suggests the superimposition of various deformation sources. Best-fitting inversion results indicate two deflation sources located at southwestern Nea Kameni at 1 km depth, and in the northern intra-caldera area at 2 km depth. A northern sill-like source interprets the post-unrest deflation attributed to the passive degassing of the magma intruded at 4 km during the unrest, while an isotropic source at Nea Kameni simulates a prevailing subsidence occurring since the pre-unrest period (1992–2010).
Geodetic Mass Balances and Area Changes of Echaurren Norte Glacier (Central Andes, Chile) between 1955 and 2015
Authors: Farías-Barahona David , Vivero Sebastián , Casassa Gino , Schaefer Marius , Burger Flavia , Seehaus Thorsten , Iribarren-Anacona Pablo , Escobar Fernando , Braun Matthias H.
Published: January 2019

The Echaurren Norte Glacier is a reference glacier for the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) network and has the longest time series of glacier mass balance data in the Southern Hemisphere. The data has been obtained by the direct glaciological method since 1975. In this study, we calculated glacier area changes using satellite images and historical aerial photographs, as well as geodetic mass balances for different periods between 1955 and 2015 for the Echaurren Norte Glacier in the Central Andes of Chile. Over this period, this glacier lost 65% of its original area and disaggregated into two ice bodies in the late 1990s. The geodetic mass balances were calculated by differencing digital elevation models derived from several sources. The results indicated a mean cumulative glacier wide mass loss of −40.64 ± 5.19 m w.e. (−0.68 ± 0.09 m w.e. a−1). Within this overall downwasting trend, a positive mass balance of 0.54 ± 0.40 m w.e. a−1 was detected for the period 2000–2009. These estimates agree with the results obtained with the glaciological method during the same time span. Highly negative mass change rates were found from 2010 onwards, with −1.20 ± 0.09 m w.e. a−1 during an unprecedented drought in Central Andes of Chile. The observed area and the elevation changes indicate that the Echaurren Norte Glacier may disappear in the coming years if negative mass balance rates prevail.
Temporal Transferability of Pine Forest Attributes Modeling Using Low-Density Airborne Laser Scanning Data
Authors: Domingo Darío , Alonso Rafael , Lamelas María Teresa , Montealegre Antonio Luis , Rodríguez Francisco , de la Riva Juan
Published: January 2019

This study assesses model temporal transferability using airborne laser scanning (ALS) data acquired over two different dates. Seven forest attributes (i.e. stand density, basal area, squared mean diameter, dominant diameter, tree dominant height, timber volume, and total tree biomass) were estimated using an area-based approach in Mediterranean Aleppo pine forests. Low-density ALS data were acquired in 2011 and 2016 while 147 forest inventory plots were measured in 2013, 2014, and 2016. Single-tree growth models were used to generate concomitant field data for 2011 and 2016. A comparison of five selection techniques and five regression methods were performed to regress field observations against ALS metrics. The selection of the best regression models fitted for each stand attribute, and separately for both 2011 and 2016, was performed following an indirect approach. Model performance and temporal transferability were analyzed by extrapolating the best fitted models from 2011 to 2016 and inversely from 2016 to 2011 using the direct approach. Non-parametric support vector machine with radial kernel was the best regression method with average relative % root mean square error differences of 2.13% for 2011 models and 1.58% for 2016 ones.