bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FHR3 Blocks C3d-Mediated Coactivation of Human B Cells
Authors: Buhlmann Denise , Eberhardt Hannes U. , Medyukhina Anna , Prodinger Wolfgang M. , Figge Marc Thilo , Zipfel Peter F. , Skerka Christine
Published: June 2016

The autoimmune renal disease deficient for complement factor H–related (CFHR) genes and autoantibody-positive form of hemolytic uremic syndrome is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies specific for the central complement regulator, factor H, combined with a homozygous deficiency, mostly in CFHR3 and CFHR1. Because FHR3 and FHR1 bind to C3d and inactivated C3b, which are ligands for complement receptor type 2 (CR2/CD21), the aim of the current study was to examine whether FHR3-C3d or FHR1-C3d complexes modulate B cell activation. Laser-scanning microscopy and automated image-based analysis showed that FHR3, but not FHR1 or factor H, blocked B cell activation by the BCR coreceptor complex (CD19/CD21/CD81). FHR3 bound to C3d, thereby inhibiting the interaction between C3d and CD21 and preventing colocalization of the coreceptor complex with the BCR. FHR3 neutralized the adjuvant effect of C3d on B cells, as shown by inhibited intracellular CD19 and Akt phosphorylation in Raji cells, as well as Ca2+ release in peripheral B cells. In cases of CFHR3/CFHR1 deficiency, the FHR3 binding sites on C3d are occupied by factor H, which lacks B cell–inhibitory functions. These data provide evidence that FHR3, which is absent in patients with the autoimmune form of hemolytic uremic syndrome, is involved in B cell regulation.
A Novel R848-Conjugated Inactivated Influenza Virus Vaccine Is Efficacious and Safe in a Neonate Nonhuman Primate Model
Authors: Holbrook Beth C. , Kim Jong R. , Blevins Lance K. , Jorgensen Matthew J. , Kock Nancy D. , D’Agostino Ralph B. , Aycock S. Tyler , Hadimani Mallinath B. , King S. Bruce , Parks Griffith D. , Alexander-Miller Martha A.
Published: June 2016

Influenza virus infection of neonates poses a major health concern, often resulting in severe disease and hospitalization. At present, vaccines for this at-risk population are lacking. Thus, development of an effective vaccine is an urgent need. In this study, we have used an innovative nonhuman primate neonate challenge model to test the efficacy of a novel TLR 7/8 agonist R848-conjugated influenza virus vaccine. The use of the intact virus represents a step forward in conjugate vaccine design because it provides multiple antigenic targets allowing for elicitation of a broad immune response. Our results show that this vaccine induces high-level virus-specific Ab- and cell-mediated responses in neonates that result in increased virus clearance and reduced lung pathology postchallenge compared with the nonadjuvanted virus vaccine. Surprisingly, the addition of a second TLR agonist (flagellin) did not enhance vaccine protection, suggesting that combinations of TLR that provide increased efficacy must be determined empirically. These data support further exploration of this new conjugate influenza vaccine approach as a platform for use in the at-risk neonate population.
The composition of mixed-species foraging flocks of birds in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Authors: Hausler Guy , Slater Kerry
Published: June 2016

Mixed-species foraging flocks (MSFFs) of birds can be defined as aggregations of more than two species that actively initiate and continue their association while foraging, without being drawn to a single resource. MSFFs have been well documented for terrestrial habitats globally, but rarely in southern Africa. This study describes the composition of MSFFs in two habitat types (Acacia and Combretum) within the southern Kruger National Park, South Africa during the late dry season. Thirty-one MSFFs were recorded in each of the two habitat types, with 1251 individuals of 74 different species being observed. We found that compared to Combretum, (mean: 10.7 ± 5.2 s.d.) Acacia had significantly more individuals per MSFFs (mean: 21.5 ± 12.6 s.d.) and more species per MSFF (Acacia mean: 8.7 ± 3.5 s.d.; Combretum mean: 5.9 ± 1.7 s.d.). The mean number of individuals per species per 31 MSFFs was 9.3 (± 4.5 s.d.) and 7.6 (± 5.6 s.d.) in the Acacia and Combretum habitat types respectively. The most frequently occurring species in both habitat types was the Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis). There was a significant association between certain species pairs in both habitats. Future studies in this area could be done to investigate the reasons behind the differences in MSFF sizes and species numbers between habitats. The season during which this study was performed excluded all summer migrants and a similar investigation in the wet season may reveal a different MSFF composition.Conservation implications: Understanding the dynamics and compositions of MSFFs, could form a valuable component of avian biodiversity monitoring both in and outside of protected areas. Within a given area, changes in the composition and behaviour of MSFFs over time could potentially be used as early indicator of threats to biodiversity.Keywords: avian; habitat; savanna
Why religious human beings need evolutionary epistemology! A theological and evolutionary viewpoint of 'why humans need to embrace evolutionary epistemology'
Authors: Van Rooyen Johan A.
Published: June 2016

I put forward an understanding of evolutionary epistemology that rescues something of the old and venerable idea of freedom, and it means that we as theologians should grasp our very nature realistically, beyond any illusionism and utopian dreams. The author feels that scholars, especially theologians, should firstly take evolution seriously and secondly regard evolutionary epistemology as important as evolution itself, the reason being theologians should know that it is of paramount importance for their systematic-theological intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications, which is embarking on a way of thinking that regards evolutionary epistemology as a friend in their accommodation of their respective theological fields of interest. This accommodation is substantial as it will enhance their respective theological disciplines as �an exhilarating vision of God�. Evolutionary epistemology takes a pragmatic view of humans. Evolutionary epistemologists question how humans really behave and what the true origin of their behaviour is. In contrast to this programme, many conceptions of humans are based on an idealisation of our species.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Evolutionary epistemology takes a pragmatic view of humans. Evolutionary epistemologists question how humans really behave and what the true origin of their behaviour is. In contrast to this programme, many conceptions of humans are based on an idealisation of our species. I then put forward my own understanding of evolutionary epistemology and conclude that evolutionary epistemology recues something of the old and venerable idea of freedom, and it means that we should grasp our very nature realistically, beyond any illusionism and utopian dreams.Keywords: Evolutionary epistemology
Reported Benefits of Insulin Therapy for Better Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetic Patients–-Is this Applicable in Saudi Patients?
Authors: AlSaggaf Wafaa , Asiri Mohammed , Ajlan Balgees , Afif Alaa Bin , Khalil Roaa , Salman Anas Bin , Alghamdi Ahmed , Bashawieh Osama , Alamoudi Atheer , Aljahdali Abeer , Aljahdali Nouf , Patwa Hussam , Bakhaidar Mohammed , Bahijri Suhad M. , Ahmed Maimoona , Al-Shali Khalid , Bokhari Samia , Alhozali Amani , Borai Anwar , Ajabnoor Ghada , Tuomilehto Jaakko
Published: June 2016

Aim

To compare the effect of different treatment regimens (oral hypoglycemic agents [OHGs], insulin therapy, and combination of both) on glycemic control and other cardiometabolic risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Saudi.

Subjects and Methods

Patients with T2DM, but no serious diabetic complications, were randomly recruited from the diabetes clinics at two large hospitals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during June 2013 to July 2014. Only those without change in treatment modality for the last 18 months were included. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were measured. Treatment plan was recorded from the patients' files. Fasting blood sample was obtained to measure glucose, HbA1c, and lipid profile.

Results

A total of 197 patients were recruited; 41.1% were men and 58.9% were women. The mean (±SD) age was 58.5 ± 10.5 years. Most patients (60.7%) were on OHGs, 11.5% on insulin therapy, and 27.7% were using a combination of insulin and OHGs. The mean HbA1c was lower in patients using OHGs only, compared with means in those using insulin, or combined therapy in patients with disease duration of #10 years ( P = 0.001) and also in those with a longer duration of the disease ( P < 0.001). A lower mean diastolic and systolic blood pressure was found among patients on insulin alone ( P < 0.01). No significant differences were found in lipid profiles among the groups.

Conclusion

Insulin therapy, without adequate diabetes education, fails to control hyperglycemia adequately in Saudi T2DM patients. There is a challenge to find out reasons for poor control and the ways as to how to improve glycemic control in T2DM.
Rigidity of extremal quasiregularly elliptic manifolds
Authors: Luisto Rami , Pankka Pekka
Published: June 2016

We show that for a closed

n

-manifold

N

admitting a quasiregular mapping from Euclidean

n

-space the following are equivalent: (1) order of growth of

\pi_1(N)

is

n

, (2)

N

is aspherical, and (3)

\pi_1(N)

is virtually

\Z^n

and torsion free.
Growth tight actions of product groups
Authors: Cashen Christopher H. , Tao Jing
Published: June 2016

A group action on a metric space is called growth tight if the exponential growth rate of the group with respect to the induced pseudo-metric is strictly greater than that of its quotients. A prototypical example is the action of a free group on its Cayley graph with respect to a free generating set. More generally, with Arzhantseva we have shown that group actions with strongly contracting elements are growth tight.

Examples of non-growth tight actions are product groups acting on the

L^1

products of Cayley graphs of the factors.

In this paper we consider actions of product groups on product spaces, where each factor group acts with a strongly contracting element on its respective factor space. We show that this action is growth tight with respect to the

L^p

metric on the product space, for all

1 < p ≤ \infty

. In particular, the

L^\infty

metric on a product of Cayley graphs corresponds to a word metric on the product group. This gives the first examples of groups that are growth tight with respect to an action on one of their Cayley graphs and non-growth tight with respect to an action on another, answering a question of Grigorchuk and de la Harpe.
An upper bound for the length of a traveling salesman path in the Heisenberg group
Authors: Li Sean , Schul Raanan
Published: June 2016

We show that a sufficient condition for a subset

E

in the Heisenberg group (endowed with the Carnot–Carathéodory metric) to be contained in a rectifiable curve is that it satisfies a modified analogue of Peter Jones’s geometric lemma. Our estimates improve on those of [6], allowing for any power

r

< 4 to replace the power 2 of the Jones-

\beta

-number. This complements in an open ended way our work in [13], where we showed that such an estimate was necessary, however with the power

r

= 4.
The system of sets of lengths in Krull monoids under set addition
Authors: Geroldinger Alfred , Schmid Wolfgang Alexander
Published: June 2016

Let

H

be a Krull monoid with class group

G

and suppose that each class contains a prime divisor. Then every element

a \in H

has a factorization into irreducible elements, and the set

\mathsf L (a)

of all possible factorization lengths for

a

is the set of lengths of

a

. We consider the system

\mathcal L (H) = \{ \mathsf L (a) \mid a \in H \}

of all sets of lengths, and we characterize (in terms of the class group

G

) when

\mathcal L (H)

is additively closed under set addition.
Environmental Effect on Wind Farm Efficiency and Power Production
Authors: Haskew Bennett , Minogue Liam , Woodley Reece , Phaktham Adithep , Randunu Shashikala
Published: June 2016

A meta-study is conducted investigating the effect of wind farm and turbine sites on the thermodynamic factors that affect energy production. Site deviations in surface roughness length, diurnal temperature changes of turbine and generation density and thermally stratified wind distributions are the parameters considered. The environment should be a significant factor in the placement of new wind farm sites. Further it is shown that with increasing wind velocity distributions negatively impacts efficiency of the turbine system and power output is decreased.
Efficiency of 2D Photonic Crystal Emitters in Thermophotovoltaic Systems
Authors: Jones Mitchell , Burdett Lee , Ryan Matthew , Walsh Tomas
Published: June 2016

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems have the potential to convert energy in a very efficient way by using 2D photonic crystal (PhC) emitters. Recent advancements in TPV technology have developed many methods for effectively generating power. These recent advancements propose that emitters can suppress low energy photon emissions while increasing higher energy photon emissions. This can be achieved by utilising new 2D photonic crystal (PhC) structures on the surface of the emitter with varying diameter and shape.In this meta study we consider the multiple design fabrications of photonic crystal emitters and compare the efficiencies, power densities, and their potential use for converting different wavelengths into heat and power. This is done by analysing the thermodynamic factors present in the system that could potentially reduce the efficiency, and therefore power generation, of the thermophotovoltaic cell. This study found that certain shapes and materials can impact on the PhC structure and its ability to emit energy.
Isotopic composition for source identification of mercury in atmospheric fine particles
Authors: Huang Q. , Chen J. B. , Huang W. L. , Fu P. Q. , Guinot B. , Feng X. B. , Shang L. H. , Wang Z. H. , Wang Z. W. , Yuan S. L. , Cai H. M. , Wei L. F. , Yu B.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. The usefulness of mercury (Hg) isotopes for tracing the sources and pathways of Hg (and its vectors) in atmospheric fine particles (PM2.5) is uncertain. Here, we measured Hg isotopic compositions in 30 potential source materials and 23 PM2.5 samples collected in four seasons from the megacity Beijing (China), and combined the seasonal variation of both mass-dependent fractionation (represented by the ratio 202Hg/198Hg, δ202Hg) and mass-independent fractionation of isotopes with odd and even mass numbers (represented by Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg, respectively) with geochemical parameters and meteorological data to identify the sources of PM2.5-Hg and possible atmospheric particulate Hg transformation. All PM2.5 samples were strongly enriched in Hg and other heavy metals, and displayed large ranges of both δ202Hg (−2.18 to 0.51 ‰) and Δ199Hg (−0.53 to 0.57 ‰), and small positive Δ200Hg (0.02 to 0.17 ‰). The results indicated that the seasonal variation of Hg isotopic composition (and elemental concentrations) was likely derived from variable contributions from the anthropogenic sources, with continuous input due to industrial activities (e.g. smelting, cement production and coal combustion) in all seasons, while coal combustion dominated in Winter and biomass burning mainly in Autumn. The significant positive Δ199Hg of PM2.5-Hg in Spring and early Summer was likely derived from long-range transported Hg that had undergone extensive photochemical reduction. The study demonstrated that Hg isotopes are a powerful tool for tracing the sources of particulate Hg and its vectors in the atmosphere.
Simple proxies for estimating the concentrations of monoterpenes and their oxidation products at a boreal forest site
Authors: Kontkanen Jenni , Paasonen Pauli , Aalto Juho , Bäck Jaana , Rantala Pekka , Petäjä Tuukka , Kulmala Markku
Published: June 2016

Abstract. The oxidation products of monoterpenes likely have a crucial role in the formation and growth of aerosol particles in boreal forests. However, the continuous measurements of monoterpene concentrations are usually not available in decadal time scales, and the direct measurements of the concentrations of monoterpene oxidation product are so far scarce. In this study we developed proxies for the concentrations of monoterpenes and their oxidation products at a boreal forest site in Hyytiälä, southern Finland. For deriving the proxies we used the monoterpene concentration measured with a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) during 2006–2013. Our proxies for the monoterpene concentration take into account the temperature-controlled emissions from the forest ecosystem, the dilution caused by the mixing within the boundary layer, and different oxidation processes. All the versions of our proxies captured the seasonal variation of the monoterpene concentration, the typical proxy-to-measurements ratios being between 0.8 and 1.3 in summer and between 0.6 and 2.6 in winter. In addition, the proxies were able to describe the diurnal variation of the monoterpene concentration rather well, especially in summer months. By utilizing one of the proxies, we calculated the concentration of oxidation products of monoterpenes by considering their production in the oxidation and their loss due to condensation on aerosol particles. The concentration of oxidation products was found to have a clear seasonal cycle with the maximum in summer and the minimum in winter. The concentration of oxidation products was lowest in the morning or around noon and highest in the evening. In the future, our proxies for the monoterpene concentration and their oxidation products can be used, for example, in the analysis of new particle formation and growth in boreal environment.
Calibrating regionally downscaled precipitation over Norway through quantile-based approaches
Authors: Bolin David , Frigessi Arnoldo , Guttorp Peter , Haug Ola , Orskaug Elisabeth , Scheel Ida , Wallin Jonas
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Dynamical downscaling of earth system models is intended to produce high-resolution climate information at regional to local scales. Current models, while adequate for describing temperature distributions at relatively small scales, struggle when it comes to describing precipitation distributions. In order to better match the distribution of observed precipitation over Norway, we consider approaches to statistical adjustment of the output from a regional climate model when forced with ERA-40 reanalysis boundary conditions. As a second step, we try to correct downscalings of historical climate model runs using these transformations built from downscaled ERA-40 data. Unless such calibrations are successful, it is difficult to argue that scenario-based downscaled climate projections are realistic and useful for decision makers. We study both full quantile calibrations and several different methods that correct individual quantiles separately using random field models. Results based on cross-validation show that while a full quantile calibration is not very effective in this case, one can correct individual quantiles satisfactorily if the spatial structure in the data are accounted for. Interestingly, different methods are favoured depending on whether ERA-40 data or historical climate model runs are adjusted.
The climatic imprint of bimodal distributions in vegetation cover for western Africa
Authors: Yin Zun , Dekker Stefan C. , van den Hurk Bart J. J. M. , Dijkstra Henk A.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Observed bimodal distributions of woody cover in western Africa provide evidence that alternative ecosystem states may exist under the same precipitation regimes. In this study, we show that bimodality can also be observed in mean annual shortwave radiation and above-ground biomass, which might closely relate to woody cover due to vegetation–climate interactions. Thus we expect that use of radiation and above-ground biomass enables us to distinguish the two modes of woody cover. However, through conditional histogram analysis, we find that the bimodality of woody cover still can exist under conditions of low mean annual shortwave radiation and low above-ground biomass. It suggests that this specific condition might play a key role in critical transitions between the two modes, while under other conditions no bimodality was found. Based on a land cover map in which anthropogenic land use was removed, six climatic indicators that represent water, energy, climate seasonality and water–radiation coupling are analysed to investigate the coexistence of these indicators with specific land cover types. From this analysis we find that the mean annual precipitation is not sufficient to predict potential land cover change. Indicators of climate seasonality are strongly related to the observed land cover type. However, these indicators cannot predict a stable forest state under the observed climatic conditions, in contrast to observed forest states. A new indicator (the normalized difference of precipitation) successfully expresses the stability of the precipitation regime and can improve the prediction accuracy of forest states. Next we evaluate land cover predictions based on different combinations of climatic indicators. Regions with high potential of land cover transitions are revealed. The results suggest that the tropical forest in the Congo basin may be unstable and shows the possibility of decreasing significantly. An increase in the area covered by savanna and grass is possible, which coincides with the observed regreening of the Sahara.
Extreme Flood Impact on Estuarine and Coastal Biogeochemistry: the 2013 Elbe Flood
Authors: Voynova Yoana G. , Brix Holger , Petersen Wilhelm , Weigelt-Krenz Sieglinde , Scharfe Mirco
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Within the context of predicted and observed increase in droughts and floods with climate change, large summer floods are likely to become more frequent. These extreme events can alter typical biogeochemical patterns in coastal systems. The extreme Elbe River flood in June, 2013 not only caused major damages in several European countries, but also generated large scale biogeochemical changes in the Elbe Estuary and the adjacent German Bight. Due to a number of well documented and unusual atmospheric conditions, the early summer of 2013 in Central and Eastern Europe was colder and wetter than usual, with saturated soils, and higher than average cumulative precipitation. Additional precipitation at the end of May, and beginning of June, 2013, caused widespread floods within the Danube and Elbe Rivers, as well as billions of euros in damages. The floods generated the largest summer discharge on record within the last 140 years. The high-frequency monitoring network in the German Bight available within the Coastal Observing System for Northern and Arctic Seas (COSYNA) captured the flood influence on the German Bight. Monitoring data from a FerryBox station in the Elbe Estuary (Cuxhaven) and from a FerryBox platform aboard the M/V Funny Girl Ferry (traveling between Büsum and Helgoland) documented the salinity changes on the German Bight, which persisted for about 2 months after the peak discharge. The flood generated a large influx of nutrients, dissolved and particulate organic carbon on the coast. These conditions subsequently led to the onset of a chlorophyll bloom within the German Bight, observed by dissolved oxygen supersaturation, and higher than usual pH in surface coastal waters. The prolonged stratification also led to widespread bottom water dissolved oxygen depletion, unusual for the south eastern German Bight in the summer.
Unveiling the Si cycle using isotopes in an iron fertilized zone of the Southern Ocean: from mixed layer supply to export
Authors: Closset Ivia , Cardinal Damien , Rembauville Mathieu , Thil François , Blain Stéphane
Published: June 2016

Abstract. A massive diatom-bloom is observed annually in the surface waters of the naturally Fe-fertilized Kerguelen Plateau (Southern Ocean). In this study, silicon isotopic signatures (δ30Si) of silicic acid (DSi) and suspended biogenic silica (BSi) were investigated in the whole water column with an unprecedented spatial resolution in this region, during the KEOPS-2 experiment (spring 2011). We use δ30Si measurements to track the silicon sources that fuel the bloom, and investigate the seasonal evolution of Si biogeochemical cycle in the iron fertilized area. We compare the results from a HNLC reference station with stations characterized by different degrees of iron enrichment and bloom conditions. Dissolved and particulate δ30Si signatures were generally highly variable in the upper 500 m, reflecting the effect of the intense silicon utilization in spring, while they were quite homogeneous in deeper waters. The Si-isotopic and mass balance identified a unique WW Si-source for the iron-fertilized area originating from the southeastern Kerguelen Plateau and spreading northward. However, when reaching a retroflection of the Polar Front (PF), the δ30Si composition of WW silicic acid pool was getting progressively heavier. This would result from sequential diapycnal mixings between these initial WW and ML water masses, highlighting the strong circulation of surface waters that defined this zone. When comparing the results from the two KEOPS expeditions, the relationship between DSi depletion, BSi production and their isotopic composition appears decoupled in the iron fertilized area. This seasonal decoupling could help to explain the low apparent fractionation factor observed here in the ML at the end of summer. Taking into account these considerations, we refined the seasonal net BSi production in the ML of the iron-fertilized area to 3.0 ± 0.3 mol Si m−2 y−1, that was exclusively sustained by surface water phytoplankton populations. These insights confirm that the isotopic composition of dissolved and particulate silicon is a promising tool to improve our understanding on the Si-biogeochemical cycle since the isotopic and mass balance allows resolving the processes involved i.e. uptake, dissolution, mixing.
A numbering algorithm for finite elements on extruded meshes which avoids the unstructured mesh penalty
Authors: Bercea Gheorghe-Teodor , McRae Andrew T. T. , Ham David A. , Mitchell Lawrence , Rathgeber Florian , Nardi Luigi , Luporini Fabio , Kelly Paul H. J.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. We present a generic algorithm for numbering and then efficiently iterating over the data values attached to an extruded mesh. An extruded mesh is formed by replicating an existing mesh, assumed to be unstructured, to form layers of prismatic cells. Applications of extruded meshes include, but are not limited to, the representation of 3D high aspect ratio domains employed by geophysical finite element simulations. These meshes are structured in the extruded direction. The algorithm presented here exploits this structure to avoid the performance penalty traditionally associated with unstructured meshes. We evaluate our algorithm on a range of low compute intensity operations which constitute worst cases for data layout performance exploration. The experiments show that having structure along the extruded direction enables the cost of the indirect data accesses to be amortized after 10–20 layers as long as the underlying mesh is well-ordered. We characterise the resulting spatial and temporal reuse in a representative set of both continuous-Galerkin and discontinuous-Galerkin discretisations. On meshes with realistic numbers of layers the performance achieved is between 70 % and 90 % of a theoretical hardware-specific limit.
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK FOR STUDYING ACTIVE MOBILITY PATTERNS
Authors: Orellana D. , Hermida C. , Osorio P.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Intermediate cities are urged to change and adapt their mobility systems from a high energy-demanding motorized model to a sustainable low-motorized model. In order to accomplish such a model, city administrations need to better understand active mobility patterns and their links to socio-demographic and cultural aspects of the population. During the last decade, researchers have demonstrated the potential of geo-location technologies and mobile devices to gather massive amounts of data for mobility studies. However, the analysis and interpretation of this data has been carried out by specialized research groups with relatively narrow approaches from different disciplines. Consequently, broader questions remain less explored, mainly those relating to spatial behaviour of individuals and populations with their geographic environment and the motivations and perceptions shaping such behaviour. Understanding sustainable mobility and exploring new research paths require an interdisciplinary approach given the complex nature of mobility systems and their social, economic and environmental impacts. Here, we introduce the elements for a multidisciplinary analytical framework for studying active mobility patterns comprised of three components: a) Methodological, b) Behavioural, and c) Perceptual. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework by analysing mobility patterns of cyclists and pedestrians in an intermediate city integrating a range of techniques, including: GPS tracking, spatial analysis, auto-ethnography, and perceptual mapping. The results demonstrated the existence of non-evident spatial behaviours and how perceptual features affect mobility. This knowledge is useful for developing policies and practices for sustainable mobility planning.
POSITIONAL ACCURACY ASSESSMENT OF THE OPENSTREETMAP BUILDINGS LAYER THROUGH AUTOMATIC HOMOLOGOUS PAIRS DETECTION: THE METHOD AND A CASE STUDY
Authors: Brovelli M. A. , Minghini M. , Molinari M. E. , Zamboni G.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is currently the largest openly licensed collection of geospatial data. Being OSM increasingly exploited in a variety of applications, research has placed great attention on the assessment of its quality. This work focuses on assessing the quality of OSM buildings. While most of the studies available in literature are limited to the evaluation of OSM building completeness, this work proposes an original approach to assess the positional accuracy of OSM buildings based on comparison with a reference dataset. The comparison relies on a quasi-automated detection of homologous pairs on the two datasets. Based on the homologous pairs found, warping algorithms like e.g. affine transformations and multi-resolution splines can be applied to the OSM buildings to generate a new version having an optimal local match to the reference layer. A quality assessment of the OSM buildings of Milan Municipality (Northern Italy), having an area of about 180 km2, is then presented. After computing some measures of completeness, the algorithm based on homologous points is run using the building layer of the official vector cartography of Milan Municipality as the reference dataset. Approximately 100000 homologous points are found, which show a systematic translation of about 0.4 m on both the X and Y directions and a mean distance of about 0.8 m between the datasets. Besides its efficiency and high degree of automation, the algorithm generates a warped version of OSM buildings which, having by definition a closest match to the reference buildings, can be eventually integrated in the OSM database.
AN OBJECT-RELATIONAL IFC STORAGE MODEL BASED ON ORACLE DATABASE
Authors: Li Hang , Liu Hua , Liu Yong , Wang Yuan
Published: June 2016

Abstract. With the building models are getting increasingly complicated, the levels of collaboration across professionals attract more attention in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. In order to adapt the change, buildingSMART developed Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) to facilitate the interoperability between software platforms. However, IFC data are currently shared in the form of text file, which is defective. In this paper, considering the object-based inheritance hierarchy of IFC and the storage features of different database management systems (DBMS), we propose a novel object-relational storage model that uses Oracle database to store IFC data. Firstly, establish the mapping rules between data types in IFC specification and Oracle database. Secondly, design the IFC database according to the relationships among IFC entities. Thirdly, parse the IFC file and extract IFC data. And lastly, store IFC data into corresponding tables in IFC database. In experiment, three different building models are selected to demonstrate the effectiveness of our storage model. The comparison of experimental statistics proves that IFC data are lossless during data exchange.
ROAD NETWORK EXTRACTION FROM DSM BY MATHEMATICAL MORPHOLOGY AND REASONING
Authors: Li Yan , Wu Jianliang , Zhu Lin , Tachibana Kikuo
Published: June 2016

Abstract. The objective of this research is the automatic extraction of the road network in a scene of the urban area from a high resolution digital surface model (DSM). Automatic road extraction and modeling from remote sensed data has been studied for more than one decade. The methods vary greatly due to the differences of data types, regions, resolutions et al. An advanced automatic road network extraction scheme is proposed to address the issues of tedium steps on segmentation, recognition and grouping. It is on the basis of a geometric road model which describes a multiple-level structure. The 0-dimension element is intersection. The 1-dimension elements are central line and side. The 2-dimension element is plane, which is generated from the 1-dimension elements. The key feature of the presented approach is the cross validation for the three road elements which goes through the entire procedure of their extraction. The advantage of our model and method is that linear elements of the road can be derived directly, without any complex, non-robust connection hypothesis. An example of Japanese scene is presented to display the procedure and the performance of the approach.
VISUALISATION OF DEPENDENCIES BETWEEN CITY STRUCTURE AND THERMAL BEHAVIOUR IN BRNO
Authors: Novotny J. , Pivovarnik M. , Khalsa S. J. , Zemek F.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Good understanding of a city’s thermal regime and its dependency on the structure of the city provides key knowledge serving as an input for long-term strategic decision-making by local governments. The urban heat island, and more specifically overheating of the streets and adjacent buildings during summer heat waves, has been pointed out as an important issue in the city of Brno, Czech Republic. A complex research effort using remote sensing techniques has started which will analyse the impact of city structure on the thermal behaviour, principally the role of vegetation in the thermal regulation of streets. Two airborne data sets were acquired: hyperspectral data using CASI, SASI and TASI sensors (ITRES, Canada) and lidar mapping using a Riegl 680i instrument (RIEGL, Austria). The thermal data were acquired on two occasions: 7 February 2015 (winter season) and 4 July 2015 (summer season). A laser scanning data-set was acquired on 22 September 2015 with a point cloud density of approximately 15 points/m2. Surface temperature was retrieved from the thermal hyperspectral data by applying a temperature-emissivity separation algorithm. The 3-D structure of the city was classified from the laser scanning data; we distinguished three main classes: bare land, buildings and vegetation. In the paper we present figures comparing thermal behaviour with other features collected along linear transects through the central part of the city.
PREPARATION OF THE DIGITAL ELEVATION MODEL FOR ORTHOPHOTO CR PRODUCTION
Authors: Švec Z. , Pavelka K.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. The Orthophoto CR is produced in co-operation with the Land Survey Office and the Military Geographical and Hydrometeorological Office. The product serves to ensure a defence of the state, integrated crisis management, civilian tasks in support of the state administration and the local self-government of the Czech Republic as well. It covers the whole area of the Republic and for ensuring its up-to-datedness is reproduced in the biennial period. As the project is countrywide, it keeps the project within the same parameters in urban and rural areas as well. Due to economic reasons it can´t be produced as a true ortophoto because it requires large side and forward overlaps of the aerial photographs and a preparation of the digital surface model instead of the digital terrain model. Use of DTM without some objects of DSM for orthogonalization purposes cause undesirable image deformations in the Orthophoto. There are a few data sets available for forming a suitable elevation model. The principal source should represent DTMs made from data acquired by the airborne laser scanning of the entire area of the Czech Republic that was carried out in the years 2009-2013, the DMR4G in the grid form and the DMR5G in TIN form respectively. It can be replenished by some vector objects (bridges, dams, etc.) taken from the geographic base data of the Czech Republic or obtained by new stereo plotting. It has to be taken into account that the option of applying DSM made from image correlation is also available. The article focuses on the possibilities of DTM supplement for ortogonalization. It looks back to the recent transition from grid to hybrid elevation models, problems that occurred, its solution and getting some practical remarks. Afterwards it assesses the current state and deals with the options for updating the model. Some accuracy analysis are included.
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES ALONG A DIKE LANDSIDE SLOPE SAMPLED BY 4D HIGH RESOLUTION TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING
Authors: Herrero-Huertaa Mónica , Lindenbergh Roderik , Ponsioen Luc , van Damme Myron
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Emergence of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology provides new tools for geomorphologic studies improving spatial and temporal resolution of data sampling hydrogeological instability phenomena. Specifically, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) collects high resolution 3D point clouds allowing more accurate monitoring of erosion rates and processes, and thus, quantify the geomorphologic change on vertical landforms like dike landside slopes. Even so, TLS captures observations rapidly and automatically but unselectively. In this research, we demonstrate the potential of TLS for morphological change detection, profile creation and time series analysis in an emergency simulation for characterizing and monitoring slope movements in a dike. The experiment was performed near Schellebelle (Belgium) in November 2015, using a Leica Scan Station C10. Wave overtopping and overflow over a dike were simulated whereby the loading conditions were incrementally increased and 14 successful scans were performed. The aim of the present study is to analyse short-term morphological dynamic processes and the spatial distribution of erosion and deposition areas along a dike landside slope. As a result, we are able to quantify the eroded material coming from the impact on the terrain induced by wave overtopping which caused the dike failure in a few minutes in normal storm scenarios (Q = 25 l/s/m) as 1.24 m3. As this shows that the amount of erosion is measurable using close range techniques; the amount and rate of erosion could be monitored to predict dike collapse in emergency situation. The results confirm the feasibility of the proposed methodology, providing scalability to a comprehensive analysis over a large extension of a dike (tens of meters).
URBAN ROAD DETECTION IN AIRBONE LASER SCANNING POINT CLOUD USING RANDOM FOREST ALGORITHM
Authors: Kaczałek B. , Borkowski A.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. The objective of this research is to detect points that describe a road surface in an unclassified point cloud of the airborne laser scanning (ALS). For this purpose we use the Random Forest learning algorithm. The proposed methodology consists of two stages: preparation of features and supervised point cloud classification. In this approach we consider ALS points, representing only the last echo. For these points RGB, intensity, the normal vectors, their mean values and the standard deviations are provided. Moreover, local and global height variations are taken into account as components of a feature vector. The feature vectors are calculated on a basis of the 3D Delaunay triangulation. The proposed methodology was tested on point clouds with the average point density of 12 pts/m2 that represent large urban scene. The significance level of 15% was set up for a decision tree of the learning algorithm. As a result of the Random Forest classification we received two subsets of ALS points. One of those groups represents points belonging to the road network. After the classification evaluation we achieved from 90% of the overall classification accuracy. Finally, the ALS points representing roads were merged and simplified into road network polylines using morphological operations.
MUTUAL COMPARATIVE FILTERING FOR CHANGE DETECTION IN VIDEOS WITH UNSTABLE ILLUMINATION CONDITIONS
Authors: Sidyakin Sergey V. , Vishnyakov Boris V. , Vizilter Yuri V. , Roslov Nikolay I.
Published: June 2016

Abstract. In this paper we propose a new approach for change detection and moving objects detection in videos with unstable, abrupt illumination changes. This approach is based on mutual comparative filters and background normalization. We give the definitions of mutual comparative filters and outline their strong advantage for change detection purposes. Presented approach allows us to deal with changing illumination conditions in a simple and efficient way and does not have drawbacks, which exist in models that assume different color transformation laws. The proposed procedure can be used to improve a number of background modelling methods, which are not specifically designed to work under illumination changes.
AUTOMATIC EXTRACTION AND REGULARIZATION OF BUILDING OUTLINES FROM AIRBORNE LIDAR POINT CLOUDS
Authors: Albers Bastian , Kada Martin , Wichmann Andreas
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Building outlines are needed for various applications like urban planning, 3D city modelling and updating cadaster. Their automatic reconstruction, e.g. from airborne laser scanning data, as regularized shapes is therefore of high relevance. Today’s airborne laser scanning technology can produce dense 3D point clouds with high accuracy, which makes it an eligible data source to reconstruct 2D building outlines or even 3D building models. In this paper, we propose an automatic building outline extraction and regularization method that implements a trade-off between enforcing strict shape restriction and allowing flexible angles using an energy minimization approach. The proposed procedure can be summarized for each building as follows: (1) an initial building outline is created from a given set of building points with the alpha shape algorithm; (2) a Hough transform is used to determine the main directions of the building and to extract line segments which are oriented accordingly; (3) the alpha shape boundary points are then repositioned to both follow these segments, but also to respect their original location, favoring long line segments and certain angles. The energy function that guides this trade-off is evaluated with the Viterbi algorithm.
AN IMPROVED SNAKE MODEL FOR REFINEMENT OF LIDAR-DERIVED BUILDING ROOF CONTOURS USING AERIAL IMAGES
Authors: Chen Qi , Wang Shugen , Liu Xiuguo
Published: June 2016

Abstract. Building roof contours are considered as very important geometric data, which have been widely applied in many fields, including but not limited to urban planning, land investigation, change detection and military reconnaissance. Currently, the demand on building contours at a finer scale (especially in urban areas) has been raised in a growing number of studies such as urban environment quality assessment, urban sprawl monitoring and urban air pollution modelling. LiDAR is known as an effective means of acquiring 3D roof points with high elevation accuracy. However, the precision of the building contour obtained from LiDAR data is restricted by its relatively low scanning resolution. With the use of the texture information from high-resolution imagery, the precision can be improved. In this study, an improved snake model is proposed to refine the initial building contours extracted from LiDAR. First, an improved snake model is constructed with the constraints of the deviation angle, image gradient, and area. Then, the nodes of the contour are moved in a certain range to find the best optimized result using greedy algorithm. Considering both precision and efficiency, the candidate shift positions of the contour nodes are constrained, and the searching strategy for the candidate nodes is explicitly designed. The experiments on three datasets indicate that the proposed method for building contour refinement is effective and feasible. The average quality index is improved from 91.66% to 93.34%. The statistics of the evaluation results for every single building demonstrated that 77.0% of the total number of contours is updated with higher quality index.
Special issue: Legal education and curriculum renewal
Authors: McNamara Judith , Field Rachael
Published: June 2016

 

Welcome to this special edition of the Journal of Learning Design which focuses on legal education and curriculum renewal in law. At the outset ,we would like to thank the editors of the Journal, Margaret Lloyd and Nan Bahr for agreeing to host this special edition. The special edition is timely as legal education in Australia is enjoying a lively period of renewal.

 
Further Investigation into the Flavonoid Profile of Balsamorhiza macrophylla (Nutt.) A. Gray (Asteraceae)
Authors: Onyilagha Joseph C. , Nnajiofor Francisca N.
Published: June 2016

This research has identified the vacuolar flavonoids of Balsamorhiza macrophylla Nutt., which consist of Quercetin-3-O-galactoside, Quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, and Quercetin-7-O-glucoside. Exudate lipophilic flavonoids were also investigated. Results vary slightly from those of earlier study. This study shows the presence of Quercetin 3 - O - methyl ether, Quercetin 3,6,4'- O - trimethyl ether, Quercetin 3,4'-O-dimethyl ether, 3,3'-O-dimethyl ether and an unknown compound which absorbs at 290nm, possibly a flavanone. The first three compounds agree with earlier results, which also include Tamarexetin, Axillarin and Spinacetin. Workers had reported earlier that flavonoid profiles often vary due to environmental or ecological differences, and whether this applies to Balsamorhiza macrophylla is part of this investigation.
Private kwaliteitsborging als wetgevingsvraagstuk
Authors: Neerhof A.R.
Published: June 2016

Private kwaliteitsborging als wetgevingsvraagstuk

Bij zowel de Europese als de nationale overheid is er al meer dan twee decennia lang een duidelijke belangstelling voor private kwaliteitsborging als een instrument voor regulering en toezicht naast exclusief overheidsoptreden. Dit past bij de gedachte dat in de samenleving ook veel kan worden gereguleerd zonder dat de overheid daar meteen aan te pas hoeft te komen. De auteur bespreekt dit instrument als wetgevingsvraagstuk. Daarbij komen de modaliteiten van private kwaliteitsborging aan bod en welke aandachtspunten in acht moeten worden genomen als de wetgever kiest voor private kwaliteitsborging. Deze aandachtspunten zijn te ontlenen aan beginselen van de democratische rechtsstaat en beginselen van behoorlijke wetgeving, goed bestuur en de open markt. Aan het slot trekt de auteur enkele conclusies over op welke wijze de overheid rekening moet houden met private kwaliteitsborging bij de totstandkoming van wetgeving.