bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Iodine and Selenium Intakes of Postmenopausal Women in New Zealand
Authors: Brough Louise , Gunn Caroline , Weber Janet , Coad Jane , Jin Ying , Thomson Jasmine , Mauze Mathilde , Kruger Marlena
Published: March 2017

Iodine and selenium are required for thyroid function. This study investigated iodine and selenium intakes in healthy, women aged 50–70 years (n = 97) from three cities in the North Island of New Zealand, after mandatory fortification of bread with iodised salt. Iodine and selenium concentrations were determined in 24-h urine samples; daily intakes were extrapolated from amounts in urine (90% and 55% of daily intake, respectively). Three day diet diaries (3DDD) also estimated selenium and iodine (excluding iodised salt) intake. Median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was 57 (41, 78) µg/L, indicating mild iodine deficiency. Estimated median iodine intake based on urine was 138 (100, 172) µg/day, below Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) (150 µg/day) with 25% below Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) (100 µg/day). Estimated median selenium intake was 50 (36, 71) µg/day based on urine and 45 (36, 68) µg/day using 3DDD, below RDI (60 µg/day) with 49%–55% below EAR (50 µg/day). Median bread intakes were low at 1.8 (1.1, 2.7) serves/day; 25% consumed ≤1 serve/day. Although population iodine intakes improved following mandatory fortification, some had low intakes. Selenium intakes remain low. Further research should investigate thyroid function of low consumers of iodine fortified bread and/or selenium in New Zealand.
Synthesis and Characterization of Methyl Cellulose/Keratin Hydrolysate Composite Membranes
Authors: Liebeck Bernd , Hidalgo Natalia , Roth Georg , Popescu Crisan , Böker Alexander
Published: March 2017

It is known that aqueous keratin hydrolysate solutions can be produced from feathers using superheated water as solvent. This method is optimized in this study by varying the time and temperature of the heat treatment in order to obtain a high solute content in the solution. With the dissolved polypeptides, films are produced using methyl cellulose as supporting material. Thereby, novel composite membranes are produced from bio-waste. It is expected that these materials exhibit both protein and polysaccharide properties. The influence of the embedded keratin hydrolysates on the methyl cellulose structure is investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Adsorption peaks of both components are present in the spectra of the membranes, while the X-ray analysis shows that the polypeptides are incorporated into the semi-crystalline methyl cellulose structure. This behavior significantly influences the mechanical properties of the composite films as is shown by tensile tests. Since further processing steps, e.g., crosslinking, may involve a heat treatment, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is applied to obtain information on the thermal stability of the composite materials.
Bio-Inspired Polymer Membrane Surface Cleaning
Authors: Schulze Agnes , Breite Daniel , Kim Yongkyum , Schmidt Martin , Thomas Isabell , Went Marco , Fischer Kristina , Prager Andrea
Published: March 2017

To generate polyethersulfone membranes with a biocatalytically active surface, pancreatin was covalently immobilized. Pancreatin is a mixture of digestive enzymes such as protease, lipase, and amylase. The resulting membranes exhibit self-cleaning properties after “switching on” the respective enzyme by adjusting pH and temperature. Thus, the membrane surface can actively degrade a fouling layer on its surface and regain initial permeability. Fouling tests with solutions of protein, oil, and mixtures of both, were performed, and the membrane’s ability to self-clean the fouled surface was characterized. Membrane characterization was conducted by investigation of the immobilized enzyme concentration, enzyme activity, water permeation flux, fouling tests, porosimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy.
Potential of RapidEye and WorldView-2 Satellite Data for Improving Rice Nitrogen Status Monitoring at Different Growth Stages
Authors: Huang Shanyu , Miao Yuxin , Yuan Fei , Gnyp Martin , Yao Yinkun , Cao Qiang , Wang Hongye , Lenz-Wiedemann Victoria , Bareth Georg
Published: March 2017

For in-season site-specific nitrogen (N) management of rice to be successful, it is crucially important to diagnose rice N status efficiently across large areas within a short time frame. In recent studies, the FORMOSAT-2 satellite images with traditional blue (B), green (G), red (R), and near-infrared (NIR) wavebands have been used to estimate rice N status due to its high spatial resolution, daily revisit capability, and relatively lower cost. This study aimed to evaluate the potential improvements of RapidEye and WorldView-2 data over FORMOSAT-2 for rice N status monitoring, as the former two sensors provide additional wavelengths besides the traditional four wavebands. Ten site-year N rate experiments were conducted in Jiansanjiang, Heilongjiang Province of Northeast China from 2008 to 2011. Plant samples and field hyperspectral data were collected at three growth stages: panicle initiation (PI), stem elongation (SE), and heading (HE). The canopy-scale hyperspectral data were upscaled to simulate the satellite bands. Vegetation index (VI) analysis, stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR), and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were performed to derive plant N status indicators. The results indicated that the best-performed VIs calculated from the simulated RapidEye and WorldView-2 bands, especially those based on the red edge (RE) bands, explained significantly more variability for above ground biomass (AGB), plant N uptake (PNU), and nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) estimations than their FORMOSAT-2-based counterparts did, especially at the PI and SE stages. The SMLR and PLSR models based on the WorldView-2 bands generally had the best performance, followed by the ones based on the RapidEye bands. The SMLR results revealed that both the NIR and RE bands were important for N status estimation. In particular, the NIR1 band (760–900 nm from RapidEye or 770–895 nm from WorldView-2) was most important for estimating all the N status indicators. The RE band (690–730 nm or 705–745 nm) improved AGB, PNU, and NNI estimations at all three stages, especially at the PI and SE stages. AGB and PNU were best estimated using data across the stages while plant N concentration (PNC) and NNI were best estimated at the HE stage. The PLSR analysis confirmed the significance of the NIR1 band for AGB, PNU, and NNI estimations at all stages except for the HE stage. It also showed the importance of including extra bands (coastal, yellow, and NIR2) from the WorldView-2 sensor for N status estimation. Overall, both the RapidEye and WorldView-2 data with RE bands improved the results relative to FORMOSAT-2 data. However, the WorldView-2 data with three extra bands in the visible and NIR regions showed the highest potential in estimating rice N status.
Mapping Forest Ecosystem Biomass Density for Xiangjiang River Basin by Combining Plot and Remote Sensing Data and Comparing Spatial Extrapolation Methods
Authors: Zhu Jia , Huang Zhihong , Sun Hua , Wang Guangxing
Published: March 2017

The distribution of forest biomass in a river basin usually has obvious spatial heterogeneity in relation to the locations of the upper and lower reaches of the basin. In the subtropical region of China, a large amount of forest biomass, comprising diverse forest types, plays an important role in maintaining the balance of the regional carbon cycle. However, accurately estimating forest ecosystem aboveground biomass density (AGB) and mapping its spatial variability at a scale of river basin remains a great challenge. In this study, we attempted to map the current AGB in the Xiangjiang River Basin in central southern China. Three approaches, including a multivariate linear regression (MLR) model, a logistic regression (LR) model, and an improved k-nearest neighbors (kNN) algorithm, were compared to generate accurate estimates and their spatial distribution of forest ecosystem AGB in the basin. Forest inventory data from 782 field plots across the basin and remote sensing images from Landsat 5 in the same period were combined. A stepwise regression method was utilized to select significant spectral variables and a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) technique was employed to compare their predictions and assess the methods. Results demonstrated the high spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of AGB across the basin. Moreover, the improved kNN algorithm with 10 nearest neighbors showed stronger ability of spatial interpolation than other two models, and provided greater potential of accurately generating population and spatially explicit predictions of forest ecosystem AGB in the complicated basin.
Fast Segmentation and Classification of Very High Resolution Remote Sensing Data Using SLIC Superpixels
Authors: Csillik Ovidiu
Published: March 2017

Speed and accuracy are important factors when dealing with time-constraint events for disaster, risk, and crisis-management support. Object-based image analysis can be a time consuming task in extracting information from large images because most of the segmentation algorithms use the pixel-grid for the initial object representation. It would be more natural and efficient to work with perceptually meaningful entities that are derived from pixels using a low-level grouping process (superpixels). Firstly, we tested a new workflow for image segmentation of remote sensing data, starting the multiresolution segmentation (MRS, using ESP2 tool) from the superpixel level and aiming at reducing the amount of time needed to automatically partition relatively large datasets of very high resolution remote sensing data. Secondly, we examined whether a Random Forest classification based on an oversegmentation produced by a Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) superpixel algorithm performs similarly with reference to a traditional object-based classification regarding accuracy. Tests were applied on QuickBird and WorldView-2 data with different extents, scene content complexities, and number of bands to assess how the computational time and classification accuracy are affected by these factors. The proposed segmentation approach is compared with the traditional one, starting the MRS from the pixel level, regarding geometric accuracy of the objects and the computational time. The computational time was reduced in all cases, the biggest improvement being from 5 h 35 min to 13 min, for a WorldView-2 scene with eight bands and an extent of 12.2 million pixels, while the geometric accuracy is kept similar or slightly better. SLIC superpixel-based classification had similar or better overall accuracy values when compared to MRS-based classification, but the results were obtained in a fast manner and avoiding the parameterization of the MRS. These two approaches have the potential to enhance the automation of big remote sensing data analysis and processing, especially when time is an important constraint.
Fabrication of Polymer Optical Fibre (POF) Gratings
Authors: Luo Yanhua , Yan Binbin , Zhang Qijin , Peng Gang-Ding , Wen Jianxiang , Zhang Jianzhong
Published: March 2017

Gratings inscribed in polymer optical fibre (POF) have attracted remarkable interest for many potential applications due to their distinctive properties. This paper overviews the current state of fabrication of POF gratings since their first demonstration in 1999. In particular we summarize and discuss POF materials, POF photosensitivity, techniques and issues of fabricating POF gratings, as well as various types of POF gratings.
Robust Scale Adaptive Tracking by Combining Correlation Filters with Sequential Monte Carlo
Authors: Ma Junkai , Luo Haibo , Hui Bin , Chang Zheng
Published: March 2017

A robust and efficient object tracking algorithm is required in a variety of computer vision applications. Although various modern trackers have impressive performance, some challenges such as occlusion and target scale variation are still intractable, especially in the complex scenarios. This paper proposes a robust scale adaptive tracking algorithm to predict target scale by a sequential Monte Carlo method and determine the target location by the correlation filter simultaneously. By analyzing the response map of the target region, the completeness of the target can be measured by the peak-to-sidelobe rate (PSR), i.e., the lower the PSR, the more likely the target is being occluded. A strict template update strategy is designed to accommodate the appearance change and avoid template corruption. If the occlusion occurs, a retained scheme is allowed and the tracker refrains from drifting away. Additionally, the feature integration is incorporated to guarantee the robustness of the proposed approach. The experimental results show that our method outperforms other state-of-the-art trackers in terms of both the distance precision and overlap precision on the publicly available TB-50 dataset.
Design of an Acoustic Target Intrusion Detection System Based on Small-Aperture Microphone Array
Authors: Zu Xingshui , Guo Feng , Huang Jingchang , Zhao Qin , Liu Huawei , Li Baoqing , Yuan Xiaobing
Published: March 2017

Automated surveillance of remote locations in a wireless sensor network is dominated by the detection algorithm because actual intrusions in such locations are a rare event. Therefore, a detection method with low power consumption is crucial for persistent surveillance to ensure longevity of the sensor networks. A simple and effective two-stage algorithm composed of energy detector (ED) and delay detector (DD) with all its operations in time-domain using small-aperture microphone array (SAMA) is proposed. The algorithm analyzes the quite different velocities between wind noise and sound waves to improve the detection capability of ED in the surveillance area. Experiments in four different fields with three types of vehicles show that the algorithm is robust to wind noise and the probability of detection and false alarm are 96.67% and 2.857%, respectively.
Humidity Sensing Properties of Paper Substrates and Their Passivation with ZnO Nanoparticles for Sensor Applications
Authors: Niarchos Georgios , Dubourg Georges , Afroudakis Georgios , Georgopoulos Markos , Tsouti Vasiliki , Makarona Eleni , Crnojevic-Bengin Vesna , Tsamis Christos
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we investigated the effect of humidity on paper substrates and propose a simple and low-cost method for their passivation using ZnO nanoparticles. To this end, we built paper-based microdevices based on an interdigitated electrode (IDE) configuration by means of a mask-less laser patterning method on simple commercial printing papers. Initial resistive measurements indicate that a paper substrate with a porous surface can be used as a cost-effective, sensitive and disposable humidity sensor in the 20% to 70% relative humidity (RH) range. Successive spin-coated layers of ZnO nanoparticles then, control the effect of humidity. Using this approach, the sensors become passive to relative humidity changes, paving the way to the development of ZnO-based gas sensors on paper substrates insensitive to humidity.
Spectroscopic On-Line Monitoring of Cu/W Contacts Erosion in HVCBs Using Optical-Fibre Based Sensor and Chromatic Methodology
Authors: Wang Zhixiang , Jones Gordon , Spencer Joseph , Wang Xiaohua , Rong Mingzhe
Published: March 2017

Contact erosion is one of the most crucial factors affecting the electrical service lifetime of high-voltage circuit breakers (HVCBs). On-line monitoring the contacts’ erosion degree is increasingly in demand for the sake of condition based maintenance to guarantee the functional operation of HVCBs. A spectroscopic monitoring system has been designed based upon a commercial 245 kV/40 kA S F 6 live tank circuit breaker with copper–tungsten (28 wt % and 72 wt %) arcing contacts at atmospheric S F 6 pressure. Three optical-fibre based sensors are used to capture the time-resolved spectra of arcs. A novel approach using chromatic methods to process the time-resolved spectral signal has been proposed. The processed chromatic parameters have been interpreted to show that the time variation of spectral emission from the contact material and quenching gas are closely correlated to the mass loss and surface degradation of the plug arcing contact. The feasibility of applying this method to online monitoring of contact erosion is indicated.
5 V Compatible Two-Axis PZT Driven MEMS Scanning Mirror with Mechanical Leverage Structure for Miniature LiDAR Application
Authors: Ye Liangchen , Zhang Gaofei , You Zheng
Published: March 2017

The MEMS (Micro-Electronical Mechanical System) scanning mirror is an optical MEMS device that can scan laser beams across one or two dimensions. MEMS scanning mirrors can be applied in a variety of applications, such as laser display, bio-medical imaging and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). These commercial applications have recently created a great demand for low-driving-voltage and low-power MEMS mirrors. However, no reported two-axis MEMS scanning mirror is available for usage in a universal supplying voltage such as 5 V. In this paper, we present an ultra-low voltage driven two-axis MEMS scanning mirror which is 5 V compatible. In order to realize low voltage and low power, a two-axis MEMS scanning mirror with mechanical leverage driven by PZT (Lead zirconate titanate) ceramic is designed, modeled, fabricated and characterized. To further decrease the power of the MEMS scanning mirror, a new method of impedance matching for PZT ceramic driven by a two-frequency mixed signal is established. As experimental results show, this MEMS scanning mirror reaches a two-axis scanning angle of 41.9° × 40.3° at a total driving voltage of 4.2 Vpp and total power of 16 mW. The effective diameter of reflection of the mirror is 2 mm and the operating frequencies of two-axis scanning are 947.51 Hz and 1464.66 Hz, respectively.
The Novel Design of a Single-Sided MRI Probe for Assessing Burn Depth
Authors: He Zhonghua , He Wei , Wu Jiamin , Xu Zheng
Published: March 2017

Burn depth assessment in clinics is still inaccurate because of the lack of feasible and practical testing devices and methods. Therefore, this process often depends on subjective judgment of burn surgeons. In this study, a new unilateral magnetic resonance imaging (UMRI) sensor equipped with a 2D gradient coil system was established, and we attempted to assess burns using unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance devices. A reduced Halbach magnet was utilized to generate a magnetic field that was relatively homogeneous on a target plane with a suitable field of view for 2D spatial localization. A uniplanar gradient coil system was designed by utilizing the mainstream target field method, and a uniplanar RF (radio frequency) coil was designed by using a timeharmonic inverse method for the UMRI sensor. A 2D image of the cross sections of a simple burn model was obtained by a fast 2D pure-phase encoding imaging method. The design details of the novel single-sided MRI probe and imaging tests are also presented.
Enhanced Passive RF-DC Converter Circuit Efficiency for Low RF Energy Harvesting
Authors: Chaour Issam , Fakhfakh Ahmed , Kanoun Olfa
Published: March 2017

For radio frequency energy transmission, the conversion efficiency of the receiver is decisive not only for reducing sending power, but also for enabling energy transmission over long and variable distances. In this contribution, we present a passive RF-DC converter for energy harvesting at ultra-low input power at 868 MHz. The novel converter consists of a reactive matching circuit and a combined voltage multiplier and rectifier. The stored energy in the input inductor and capacitance, during the negative wave, is conveyed to the output capacitance during the positive one. Although Dickson and Villard topologies have principally comparable efficiency for multi-stage voltage multipliers, the Dickson topology reaches a better efficiency within the novel ultra-low input power converter concept. At the output stage, a low-pass filter is introduced to reduce ripple at high frequencies in order to realize a stable DC signal. The proposed rectifier enables harvesting energy at even a low input power from −40 dBm for a resistive load of 50 kΩ. It realizes a significant improvement in comparison with state of the art solutions.
A Multimodality Hybrid Gamma-Optical Camera for Intraoperative Imaging
Authors: Lees John , Bugby Sarah , Alqahtani Mohammed , Jambi Layal , Dawood Numan , McKnight William , Ng Aik , Perkins Alan
Published: March 2017

The development of low profile gamma-ray detectors has encouraged the production of small field of view (SFOV) hand-held imaging devices for use at the patient bedside and in operating theatres. Early development of these SFOV cameras was focussed on a single modality—gamma ray imaging. Recently, a hybrid system—gamma plus optical imaging—has been developed. This combination of optical and gamma cameras enables high spatial resolution multi-modal imaging, giving a superimposed scintigraphic and optical image. Hybrid imaging offers new possibilities for assisting clinicians and surgeons in localising the site of uptake in procedures such as sentinel node detection. The hybrid camera concept can be extended to a multimodal detector design which can offer stereoscopic images, depth estimation of gamma-emitting sources, and simultaneous gamma and fluorescence imaging. Recent improvements to the hybrid camera have been used to produce dual-modality images in both laboratory simulations and in the clinic. Hybrid imaging of a patient who underwent thyroid scintigraphy is reported. In addition, we present data which shows that the hybrid camera concept can be extended to estimate the position and depth of radionuclide distribution within an object and also report the first combined gamma and Near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescence images.
Gender Differences in the Early Employment Outcomes of STEM Doctorates
Authors: Shauman Kimberlee
Published: March 2017

The representation of women among STEM doctorates has grown over the past decades but the underrepresentation of women in the STEM labor force persists. This paper examines the immediate post-degree employment outcomes of nine cohorts of STEM doctorates who attained their degrees between 1995 and 2013. The results reveal both progress toward gender equity and persistent inequities. Contrary to historical gender disparities, a small female advantage has emerged in the attainment of tenure-track faculty positions, women are increasingly less likely than men to enter postdoctoral positions, and the flow of STEM doctorates into business and industry, which was once male dominated, is now gender neutral. Among the doctorates who do not follow the doctorate-to-faculty career path, women are as likely as men to “stay in STEM,” but less likely to attain research-oriented jobs. Gender segregation in occupational attainment and significant gender gaps in earnings, however, continue to be defining characteristics of the STEM labor force. The results show that the labor market disparities vary across STEM fields but are largely not attributable to the gendered impact of parenthood and dual-career marriage.
Managing Reputational Risk through Environmental Management and Reporting: An Options Theory Approach
Authors: Pineiro-Chousa Juan , Vizcaíno-González Marcos , López-Cabarcos María , Romero-Castro Noelia
Published: March 2017

Reputation is a complex and multidimensional concept that may be organized in downside and upside reputational risk. In this article, we present a formal modelling for the management capabilities of environmental management and reporting over reputational risk, considering that reputational risk is becoming increasingly important for organizations and it directly depends on the information available about companies’ environmental performances. As long as the effectiveness of communication and disclosure plays a key role in the process, the usefulness of environmental management and reporting as a hedging instrument for reputational risk is addressed through different levels of information transparency. When considering a scenario of voluntary reporting, we show that environmentally concerned companies can reduce the cost of environmental management as a reputational risk strategy, as well as reducing the potential loss of reputational value from reputational threats and increasing the potential profit from reputational opportunities. In the context of mandatory reporting, we highlight the role of assurance companies as bearers of the risk of bad reputations for non-concerned companies. As a result, this novel approach applies theoretical oriented research from options theory to reputational risk management literature, so that it benefits from the option’s well known theory, robustness, and conclusions.
An Investigation of GIS Overlay and PCA Techniques for Urban Environmental Quality Assessment: A Case Study in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Authors: Faisal Kamil , Shaker Ahmed
Published: March 2017

The United Nations estimates that the global population is going to be double in the coming 40 years, which may cause a negative impact on the environment and human life. Such an impact may instigate increased water demand, overuse of power, anthropogenic noise, etc. Thus, modelling the Urban Environmental Quality (UEQ) becomes indispensable for a better city planning and an efficient urban sprawl control. This study aims to investigate the ability of using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to model the UEQ with a case study in the city of Toronto via deriving different environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. Remote sensing, GIS and census data were first obtained to derive environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. Two techniques, GIS overlay and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), were used to integrate all of these environmental, urban and socio-economic parameters. Socio-economic parameters including family income, higher education and land value were used as a reference to assess the outcomes derived from the two integration methods. The outcomes were assessed through evaluating the relationship between the extracted UEQ results and the reference layers. Preliminary findings showed that the GIS overlay represents a better precision and accuracy (71% and 65%), respectively, comparing to the PCA technique. The outcomes of the research can serve as a generic indicator to help the authority for better city planning with consideration of all possible social, environmental and urban requirements or constraints.
Pricing Policies of a Dual-Channel Supply Chain Considering Channel Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Chen Shan , Wang Xu , Wu Yingbo , Zhou Fuli
Published: March 2017

This paper examines the dual-channel supply chain in which the differentiation of the environmental sustainability of channels is considered. We analyze the influences of the level of environmental sustainability of channels on the pricing policies for the supply chain members in both centralized and decentralized models using the Stackelberg game model under inconsistent price policy. We obtain the optimal level of environmental sustainability of channels and pricing decisions for the players in the centralized and decentralized dual-channel supply chains. Results show that the influence mechanisms of the level of environmental sustainability of channels on the pricing decisions are different in the centralized and decentralized models. Furthermore, numerical analysis has been conducted to investigate the effects of the cross-environmental-sustainability sensitivity factor and the initial proportion of consumers who prefer the retail channel on the level of environmental sustainability of channels, pricing policies and players’ profits.
Social Media Research, Human Behavior, and Sustainable Society
Authors: Li Quan , Wei Wenbo , Xiong Nian , Feng Daici , Ye Xinyue , Jiang Yongsheng
Published: March 2017

A bibliometric analysis was conducted to review social media research from different perspectives during the period of 2008–2014 based on the Science Citation Index and Social Science Citation Index database. Using a collection of 10,042 articles related to social media, the bibliometric analysis revealed some interesting patterns and trend of the scientific outputs, major journals, subject categories, spatial distribution, international collaboration, and temporal evolution in keywords usage in social media studies. The research on social media has been characterized by rapid growth and dynamic collaboration, with a rising number of publications and citation. Communication, Sociology, Public, Environment & Occupational Health, Business, and Multidisciplinary Psychology were the five most common categories. Computers in Human Behavior was the journal with the most social media publications, and Computers & Education ranked first according to the average citations. The two most productive countries were the U.S. and UK, delivering about half of the publications. The proportion of China’s internationally collaborative publications was the highest. The University of Wisconsin, the University of Michigan, and Harvard University were three most productive institutions. Several keywords, such as “Facebook”, “Twitter”, “communication”, “Social Networking Sites”, “China”, “climate change”, “big data” and “social support” increasingly gained the popularity during the study period, indicating the research trends on human behavior and sustainability.
The Impact of Policy Instruments on Soil Multifunctionality in the European Union
Authors: Vrebos Dirk , Bampa Francesca , Creamer Rachel , Gardi Ciro , Ghaley Bhim , Jones Arwyn , Rutgers Michiel , Sandén Taru , Staes Jan , Meire Patrick
Published: March 2017

Agricultural ecosystems provide a range of benefits that are vital to human well-being. These benefits are dependent on several soil functions that are affected in different ways by legislation from the European Union, national, and regional levels. We evaluated current European Union soil-related legislation and examples of regional legislation with regard to direct and indirect impacts on five soil functions: the production of food, fiber, and fuel; water purification and regulation; carbon sequestration and climate regulation; habitat for biodiversity provisioning; and the recycling of nutrients/agro-chemicals. Our results illustrate the diversity of existing policies and the complex interactions present between different spatial and temporal scales. The impact of most policies, positive or negative, on a soil function is usually not established, but depends on how the policy is implemented by local authorities and the farmers. This makes it difficult to estimate the overall state and trends of the different soil functions in agricultural ecosystems. To implement functional management and sustainable use of the different soil functions in agricultural ecosystems, more knowledge is needed on the policy interactions as well as on the impact of management options on the different soil functions.
Toxic Dimethylarginines: Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) and Symmetric Dimethylarginine (SDMA)
Authors: Tain You‐Lin , Hsu Chien‐Ning
Published: March 2017

Asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA and SDMA, respectively) are toxic, non‐proteinogenic amino acids formed by post‐translational modification and are uremic toxins that inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production and play multifunctional roles in many human diseases. Both ADMA and SDMA have emerged as strong predictors of cardiovascular events and death in a range of illnesses. Major progress has been made in research on ADMA‐lowering therapies in animal studies; however, further studies are required to fill the translational gap between animal models and clinical trials in order to treat human diseases related to elevated ADMA/SDMA levels. Here, we review the reported impacts of ADMA and SDMA on human health and disease, focusing on the synthesis and metabolism of ADMA and SDMA; the pathophysiological roles of these dimethylarginines; clinical conditions and animal models associated with elevated ADMA and SDMA levels; and potential therapies against ADMA and SDMA. There is currently no specific pharmacological therapy for lowering the levels and counteracting the deleterious effects of ADMA and SDMA. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the impact of ADMA and SDMA on a wide range of human diseases is essential to the development of specific therapies against diseases related to ADMA and SDMA.
Multiple Stressors at the Land-Sea Interface: Cyanotoxins at the Land-Sea Interface in the Southern California Bight
Authors: Tatters Avery , Howard Meredith , Nagoda Carey , Busse Lilian , Gellene Alyssa , Caron David
Published: March 2017

Blooms of toxic cyanobacteria in freshwater ecosystems have received considerable attention in recent years, but their occurrence and potential importance at the land-sea interface has not been widely recognized. Here we present the results of a survey of discrete samples conducted in more than fifty brackish water sites along the coastline of southern California. Our objectives were to characterize cyanobacterial community composition and determine if specific groups of cyanotoxins (anatoxins, cylindrospermopsins, microcystins, nodularins, and saxitoxins) were present. We report the identification of numerous potentially harmful taxa and the co-occurrence of multiple toxins, previously undocumented, at several locations. Our findings reveal a potential health concern based on the range of organisms present and the widespread prevalence of recognized toxic compounds. Our results raise concerns for recreation, harvesting of finfish and shellfish, and wildlife and desalination operations, highlighting the need for assessments and implementation of monitoring programs. Such programs appear to be particularly necessary in regions susceptible to urban influence.
Use of Meta-Heuristic Techniques in Rainfall-Runoff Modelling
Authors: Chau Kwok-wing
Published: March 2017

Each year, extreme floods, which appear to be occurring more frequently in recent years (owing to climate change), lead to enormous economic damage and human suffering around the world. It is therefore imperative to be able to accurately predict both the occurrence time and magnitude of peak discharge in advance of an impending flood event. The use of meta-heuristic techniques in rainfall-runoff modeling is a growing field of endeavor in water resources management. These techniques can be used to calibrate data-driven rainfall-runoff models to improve forecasting accuracies. This Special Issue of the journal Water is designed to fill the analytical void by including papers concerning advances in the contemporary use of meta-heuristic techniques in rainfall-runoff modeling. The information and analyses can contribute to the development and implementation of effective hydrological predictions, and thus, of appropriate precautionary measures.
Multiobjective Automatic Parameter Calibration of a Hydrological Model
Authors: Jung Donghwi , Choi Young , Kim Joong
Published: March 2017

This study proposes variable balancing approaches for the exploration (diversification) and exploitation (intensification) of the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) with simulated binary crossover (SBX) and polynomial mutation (PM) in the multiobjective automatic parameter calibration of a lumped hydrological model, the HYMOD model. Two objectives—minimizing the percent bias and minimizing three peak flow differences—are considered in the calibration of the six parameters of the model. The proposed balancing approaches, which migrate the focus between exploration and exploitation over generations by varying the crossover and mutation distribution indices of SBX and PM, respectively, are compared with traditional static balancing approaches (the two dices value is fixed during optimization) in a benchmark hydrological calibration problem for the Leaf River (1950 km2) near Collins, Mississippi. Three performance metrics—solution quality, spacing, and convergence—are used to quantify and compare the quality of the Pareto solutions obtained by the two different balancing approaches. The variable balancing approaches that migrate the focus of exploration and exploitation differently for SBX and PM outperformed other methods.
L'histoire des Tulipes lyonnaises continue ! Récit de deux redécouvertes exceptionnelles
Authors: Munoz François , Dutartre Gilles
Published: March 2017

Nous présentons ici la redécouverte cette année de deux localités de tulipes sauvages dans la région lyonnaise : une de tulipe précoce (Tulipa raddii Reboul), quai Saint-Vincent à Lyon, oubliée, semble-t-il, depuis 1896, et une de tulipe sylvestre (Tulipa sylvestris L. ssp sylvestris), près de Charnay (Rhône), mentionnées par Cariot (1889) mais considérée depuis longtemps comme disparue. Ces populations sont de surcroît remarquables par l'abondance des individus. Dans la continuité de Georges Nétien (1995a), nous proposons ici un historique des différentes espèces de tulipes lyonnaises, et replaçons nos découvertes dans ce contexte.
Noms de remplacement pour deux genres de Cetoniidae (Col. Scarabaeoidea)
Authors: Keith Denis , Delpont Michel
Published: March 2017

Des noms de remplacement sont proposés pour deux noms de genres préoccupés et actuellement en usage pour des Cetoniidae orientaux.
Contribution à l'étude systématique et écologique des micromycètes parasites des plantes spontanées des Alpes françaises : l'Oisans (Isère)
Authors: Pellicier Philippe
Published: March 2017

Nous présentons 112 espèces dont 11 Oomycètes (Péronosporales), 7 Ascomycètes (2 Hélotiales, 2 Érysiphales, 1 Sphériale et 2 Dothidéales), 35 Basidiomycètes (1 Microbotryale, 2 Ustilaginales et 32 Urédinales) et 59 Deutéromycètes dont 31 Hyphomycètes (dont 17 Ramularia) et 28 Colomycètes (dont 11 Septoria). Parmi les raretés, on peut mention¬ ner 4 espèces nouvelles pour la France (Rhynchosporium orthosporum, Spermosporina grami-nella, Septoria unedonis var. vellenensis, Staganospora bromi), 4 secondes récoltes françaises et 4 troisièmes récoltes françaises. Nous pouvons également souligner la récolte d'espèces non retrouvées en France depuis plus de 50 ans.
Révision du complexe «Cordyceps sphecocephala » 2e partie : les mouches végétales
Authors: Van Vooren Nicolas , Audibert Cédric
Published: March 2017

Cordyceps forquignonii, espèce parasitant les mouches, est décrite et illustrée. Sa conspécificité avec Cordyceps ditmarii est discutée. Présentation de son anamorphe présumé Hymenostilbe muscarici.
Influence des pratiques culturales sur les populations d'arthropodes dans un contexte de maraîchage rhônalpin
Authors: Lamy Fabrice , Bolland Patrice , Viannay Dominique , Pintureau Bernard
Published: March 2017

Le nombre de pucerons et d'arthropodes prédateurs a été comparé sur des salades cultivées dans cinq exploitations du département du Rhône aux pratiques diverses, allant de l'agriculture conventionnelle à l'agriculture biologique. L'exploitation conventionnelle ayant malencontreusement éliminé les prédateurs par des traitements chimiques a montré le plus de pucerons en nombre d'individus. Peu de différences ont par contre été relevées entre exploitations durable et biologique où les prédateurs sont en nombre suffisant pour contrôler les pucerons.
Descriptions de neuf nouveaux taxons chinois des genres Archastes et Nebria (Coleoptera Nebriidae)
Authors: Ledoux Georges , Roux Philippe
Published: March 2017

Description de six nouveaux Archastes et de trois nouvelles Nebria de Chine : Archastes dubitatus n. sp., Archastes giachinoi n. sp., Archastes mingyii n. sp., Archastes politissimus n. sp., Archastes similis n. sp., Archastes simplex n. sp., Nebria (Eonebria) obscura n. sp., Nebria (Eonebria) persimilis n. sp. et Nebria (Eunebria) tetungi al/egroi n. ssp.
Contribution à l'étude de divers genres d'Araneidae (Araneae) de Guyane française
Authors: Dierkens Michaël
Published: March 2017

De nouvelles données relatives à onze genres d'Araneidae de Guyane française sont présentées. Quatre genres et huit espèces sont signalés pour la première fois de ce département.
Etude des Carabidae (Coleoptera) de la plaine agricole de Pierrelatte-Tricastin. Eléments nouveaux ou intéressants
Authors: Chapelin-Viscardi Jean-David , Rabourdin Nina , Coulon Jacques
Published: March 2017

Study of Carabidae (Coleoptera) communities on the Pierrelatte-Tricastin plain (S.-E. France). Conspicuous species for Ardèche and Drôme departments and for Rhône-Alpes region. - Communities of Coleoptera Carabidae on several agricultural plots in Pierrelatte-Tricastin plain (France) has been studied over two consecutive years (2009 and 2010). In total, 123 taxa were collected. Among them, 29 species seem to be conspicuous at a local division scale (Drôme and Ardèche French departments) and at a regional scale (Rhône-Alpes). We discuss and give, for these species, biological and ecological informations. The presence of these species shows the entomological interest of this area which seems to be under-prospected.
Ophrys fuciflora (EW. Schmidt) Moench subsp. montiliensis Aubenas et Scappaticci subsp. nova (Orchidaceae), un nom nouveau pour l'«Ophrys tardif du Roubion»
Authors: Aubenas André , Scappaticci Gil
Published: March 2017

Après la description récente de plusieurs taxons proches d'Ophrys fuciflora, et dans le but de continuer à clarifier la situation des Ophrys tardifs du groupe d'O. fuciflora du sud-est de la France, le taxon découvert par l'un des auteurs (A. A.) en 1996 dans la plaine de Montélimar (Drôme), connu sous le nom provisoire d'«Ophrys du Roubion», est décrit au rang de sous-espèce d'Ophrys fuciflora.
Un supplément à la liste des syrphes (Diptera, Syrphidae) de l'Ain et du Rhône, et liste préliminaire de ceux de la Loire
Authors: Withers Philippe , Goy Daniel
Published: March 2017

La liste des Syrphidae pour les départements de l'Ain et du Rhône est mise à jour. Une première liste est fournie pour la Loire.
Découverte en France de Theridion uhligi Martin, 1 974 (Araneae, Theridndae)
Authors: Déjean Sylvain
Published: March 2017

Discovery in France of Theridion uhligi Martin, 1974 (Araneae, Theridiidae). - A new species for France, Theridion uhligi , was found very frequently in the Midi-Pyrenees area. The author reminds the criteria for the determination of the species and provides high quality photographs of the genitalia and habitus. The ecology of the species is discussed and a distribution map of the species is provided for France.
Knockdown of SOX9 Inhibits the Proliferation, Invasion, and EMT in Thyroid Cancer Cells
Authors: Huang Jie , Guo Li
Published: March 2017

Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (SOX9) is a member of the SOX transcription factor family. Increasing evidence has reported that SOX9 plays different roles in various types of malignancies. However, the role of SOX9 in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is still unclear. The aim of
this study was to investigate the role of SOX9 in PTC. Our results showed that SOX9 was upregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines. In addition, knockdown of SOX9 significantly inhibited PTC proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion, as well as epithelial‐mesenchymal transition
(EMT) phenotype in TPC-1 and BCPAP cells. Moreover, knockdown of SOX9 significantly inhibited the expression levels of β-catenin, cyclin D1, and c-Myc in PTC cells. In conclusion, this is the first report demonstrating that knockdown of SOX9 inhibited PTC cell proliferation, invasion,
and the EMT process via suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, SOX9 may act as a novel molecular target for the prevention and treatment of PTC.
Long Noncoding RNA CRNDE Promotes Multiple Myeloma Cell Growth by Suppressing miR-451
Authors: Meng Yi-Bin , He Xin , Huang Yun-Fei , Wu Qi-Ning , Zhou Yong-Cun , Hao Ding-Jun
Published: March 2017

It has been determined that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are identified as a potential regulatory factor in multiple tumors as well as multiple myeloma (MM). However, the role of colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) in the pathogenesis of MM remains unclear. In this
study, we found that the CRNDE expression level, in MM samples and cell lines, is higher than that in the control detected by real-time qPCR, which is also closely related to tumor progression and poor survival in MM patients. Knockdown of CRNDE significantly inhibits the proliferative vitality
of MM cells (U266 and RPMI-8226), induces cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase, and promotes apoptosis. After being transfected with siRNA, miR-451 expression observably increases. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assay reveal the interaction by complementary bonding
between CRNDE and miR-451. Pearsons correlation shows that CRNDE is negatively correlated to miR-451 expression in human MM samples. Subsequently, miR-451 inhibitor rescues the inhibited tumorigenesis induced by CRNDE knockdown. Our study illustrates that lncRNA CRNDE induces the proliferation
and antiapoptosis capability of MM by acting as a ceRNA or molecular sponge via negatively targeting miR-451, which could act as a novel diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for MM.
Recent Advances in Whale-Watching Research: 2015–2016
Authors: Parsons E. C. M. , Brown Danielle M.
Published: March 2017

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, from monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic
aspects of whale watching. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published June 2015 to May 2016.
Information Content Analysis for Selection of Optimal JWST Observing Modes for Transiting Exoplanet Atmospheres
Authors: Batalha Natasha E. , Line M. R.
Published: March 2017

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is nearing its launch date of 2018, and is expected to revolutionize our knowledge of exoplanet atmospheres. In order to specifically identify which observing modes will be most useful for characterizing a diverse range of exoplanetary atmospheres, we use an information content (IC) based approach commonly used in the studies of solar system atmospheres. We develop a system based upon these IC methods to trace the instrumental and atmospheric model phase space in order to identify which observing modes are best suited for particular classes of planets, focusing on transmission spectra. Specifically, the atmospheric parameter space we cover is T = 600–1800 K, C/O = 0.55–1, [M/H] = 1–100 × Solar for an R = 1.39 R

J
, M = 0.59 M

J
planet orbiting a WASP-62-like star. We also explore the influence of a simplified opaque gray cloud on the IC. We find that obtaining broader wavelength coverage over multiple modes is preferred over higher precision in a single mode given the same amount of observing time. Regardless of the planet temperature and composition, the best modes for constraining terminator temperatures, C/O ratios, and metallicity are NIRISS SOSS+NIRSpec G395. If the target’s host star is dim enough such that the NIRSpec prism is applicable, then it can be used instead of NIRISS SOSS+NIRSpec G395. Lastly, observations that use more than two modes should be carefully analyzed because sometimes the addition of a third mode results in no gain of information. In these cases, higher precision in the original two modes is favorable.