bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the First Conotoxin from Conus ateralbus, a Vermivorous Cone Snail from the Cabo Verde Archipelago
Authors: Neves Jorge L. B. , Imperial Julita S. , Morgenstern David , Ueberheide Beatrix , Gajewiak Joanna , Antunes Agostinho , Robinson Samuel D. , Espino Samuel , Watkins Maren , Vasconcelos Vitor , Olivera Baldomero M.
Published: July 2019

Conus ateralbus is a cone snail endemic to the west side of the island of Sal, in the Cabo Verde Archipelago off West Africa. We describe the isolation and characterization of the first bioactive peptide from the venom of this species. This 30AA venom peptide is named conotoxin AtVIA (δ-conotoxin-like). An excitatory activity was manifested by the peptide on a majority of mouse lumbar dorsal root ganglion neurons. An analog of AtVIA with conservative changes on three amino acid residues at the C-terminal region was synthesized and this analog produced an identical effect on the mouse neurons. AtVIA has homology with δ-conotoxins from other worm-hunters, which include conserved sequence elements that are shared with δ-conotoxins from fish-hunting Conus. In contrast, there is no comparable sequence similarity with δ-conotoxins from the venoms of molluscivorous Conus species. A rationale for the potential presence of δ-conotoxins, that are potent in vertebrate systems in two different lineages of worm-hunting cone snails, is discussed.
Bioactive Lactones from the Mangrove-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. TGM112
Authors: Bai Meng , Huang Guo-Lei , Mei Rong-Qing , Wang Bin , Luo You-Ping , Nong Xu-Hua , Chen Guang-Ying , Zheng Cai-Juan
Published: July 2019

Three new lactones penicilactones A−C (1−3) were obtained from the mangrove-derived fungus Penicillium sp. TGM112. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by detailed NMR, MS spectroscopic data, Mo2(OAc)4-induced electronic circular dichroism (ECD), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Compound 1 showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC value of 6.25 μg/mL. Compound 2 showed insecticidal activity against newly hatched larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus with the LC50 value of 78.5 (±0.58) μg/mL.
Adjusting Assistance Commensurates with Patient Effort During Robot-Assisted Upper Limb Training for a Patient with Spasticity After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report
Authors: Yoshikawa Kenichi , Koseki Kazunori , Endo Yusuke , Yamamoto Satoshi , Kanae Kyoko , Takeuchi Ryoko , Yozu Arito , Mutsuzaki Hirotaka
Published: July 2019

Limited evidence is available on optimal patient effort and degree of assistance to achieve preferable changes during robot-assisted training (RAT) for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with spasticity. To investigate the relationship between patient effort and robotic assistance, we performed training using an electromyography-based robotic assistance device (HAL-SJ) in an SCI patient at multiple settings adjusted to patient effort. In this exploratory study, we report immediate change in muscle contraction patterns, patient effort, and spasticity in a 64-year-old man, diagnosed with cervical SCI and with American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale C level and C4 neurological level, who underwent RAT using HAL-SJ from post-injury day 403. Three patient effort conditions (comfortable, somewhat hard, and no-effort) by adjusting HAL-SJ’s assists were set for each training session. Degree of effort during flexion and extension exercise was assessed by visual analog scale, muscle contraction pattern by electromyography, modified Ashworth scale, and maximum elbow extension and flexion torques, immediately before and after each training session, without HAL-SJ. The amount of effort during training with the HAL-SJ at each session was evaluated. The degree of effort during training can be set to three effort conditions as we intended by adjusting HAL-SJ. In sessions other than the no-effort setting, spasticity improved, and the level of effort was reduced immediately after training. Spasticity did not decrease in the training session using HAL-SJ with the no-effort setting, but co-contraction further increased during extension after training. Extension torque was unchanged in all sessions, and flexion torque decreased in all sessions. When performing upper-limb training with HAL-SJ in this SCI patient, the level of assistance with some effort may reduce spasticity and too strong assistance may increase co-contraction. Sometimes, a patient’s effort may be seemingly unmeasurable; hence, the degree of patient effort should be further measured.
Energy Loss in a MEMS Disk Resonator Gyroscope
Authors: Xie Jianbing , Hao Yongcun , Yuan Weizheng
Published: July 2019

Analysing and minimizing energy loss is crucial for high performance disk resonator gyroscopes (DRGs). Generally, the primary energy loss mechanism for high vacuum packaged microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonators includes thermoelastic damping, anchor loss, and electronic damping. In this paper, the thermoelastic damping, anchor loss, and electronic damping for our DRG design are calculated by combining finite element analysis and theoretical derivation. Thermoelastic damping is the dominant energy loss mechanism and contributes over 90% of the total dissipated energy. Benefiting from a symmetrical structure, the anchor loss is low and can be neglected. However, the electronic damping determined by the testing circuit contributes 2.6%–9.6% when the bias voltage increases from 10 V to 20 V, which has a considerable impact on the total quality factor (Q). For comparison, the gyroscope is fabricated and seal-packaged with a measured maximum Q range of 141k to 132k when the bias voltage varies. In conclusion, thermoelastic damping and electronic damping essentially determine the Q of the DRG. Thus, optimizing the resonance structure and testing the circuit to reduce energy loss is prioritized for a high-performance DRG design.
Identification of Down-Regulated Proteome in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the Deletion of Yeast Cathepsin D in Response to Nitrogen Stress
Authors: Hu Jingjin , Yu Lingxiao , Shu Qin , Chen Qihe
Published: July 2019

Vacuolar proteinase A (Pep4p) is required for the post-translational precursor maturation of vacuolar proteinases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and important for protein turnover after oxidative damage. The presence of proteinase A in brewing yeast leads to the decline of beer foam stability, thus the deletion or inhibition of Pep4p is generally used. However, the influence of Pep4p deletion on cell metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is still unclear. Herein, we report the identification of differentially down-regulated metabolic proteins in the absence of Pep4p by a comparative proteomics approach. 2D-PAGE (two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) presented that the number of significantly up-regulated spots (the Pep4p-deficient species versus the wild type) was 183, whereas the down-regulated spots numbered 111. Among them, 35 identified proteins were differentially down-regulated more than 10-fold in the Pep4p-deficient compared to the wild-type species. The data revealed that Pep4p was required for the synthesis and maturation of several glycolytic enzymes and stress proteins, including Eno2p, Fba1p, Pdc1p, Tpi1p, Ssa1, Hsp82p, and Trr1p. The transcription and post-translational modifications of glycolytic enzymes like Eno2p and Fba1p were sensitive to the absence of Pep4p; whereas the depletion of the pep4 gene had a negative impact on mitochondrial and other physiological functions. The finding of this study provides a systematic understanding that Pep4p may serve as a regulating factor for cell physiology and metabolic processes in S. cerevisiae under a nitrogen stress environment.
Effect of Fiber Surface Modification on the Interfacial Adhesion and Thermo-Mechanical Performance of Unidirectional Epoxy-Based Composites Reinforced with Bamboo Fibers
Authors: Wang Fang , Lu Min , Zhou Shujue , Lu Zhisong , Ran Siyan
Published: July 2019

In this work, bamboo fibers are chemically modified with NaOH solution of 1, 4, and 7 wt% concentrations at room temperature, respectively, and subsequently the untreated and treated fibers are prepared with epoxy resin for unidirectional composites by hot pressing molding technique. Tensile and micro-bond tests are conducted on the composite specimens to obtain mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and modulus, elongation at break, and interfacial strength. Besides, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is employed to perform morphological observations for constituent damages. In addition, the influence of alkali concentration on the thermal performance of epoxy-based composites is examined by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. It is found that composite tensile strength reaches the maximum when the alkali concentration is 4%, increased by 45.24% compared with untreated composites. The composite elongation at break increases on increasing the concentration. Inversely, the composite modulus decreases as the concentration increases. Besides, the results demonstrate that the chemical treatment on the fiber surface could improve interface adhesion, as observed from its topography by SEM. Micro-bond test reveals that there is maximum interfacial shear strength when the alkali concentration is 4%, which increases by 100.30% in comparison with the untreated samples. In case of thermal properties, the DSC analysis indicates that the glass transition temperature is maximized at 4% alkali concentration, which is increased by 12.95%, compared to those from unmodified fibers. In addition, TG results show that the 4% concentration also facilitates thermal stability improvement, indicative of superior interfacial bonding.
Synthesis, Anti-Cancer and Anti-Migratory Evaluation of 3,6-Dibromocarbazole and 5-Bromoindole Derivatives
Authors: Butler-Fernández Krystal M. , Ramos Zulma , Francis-Malavé Adela M. , Bloom Joseph , Dharmawardhane Suranganie , Hernández Eliud
Published: July 2019

In this study, a new series of N-alkyl-3,6-dibromocarbazole and N-alkyl-5-bromoindole derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated in vitro as anti-cancer and anti-migration agents. Cytotoxic and anti-migratory effects of these compounds were evaluated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines and an insight on the structure-activity relationship was developed. Preliminary investigations of their anti-cancer activity demonstrated that several compounds have moderate antiproliferative effects on cancer cell lines with GI50 values in the range of 4.7–32.2 µM. Moreover, carbazole derivatives 10, 14, 15, 23, and 24 inhibit migration activity of metastatic cell line MDA-MB-231 in the range of 18–20%. The effect of compounds 10, 14, and 15 in extension of invadopodia and filopodia was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and results demonstrated a reduction in actin-based cell extensions by compounds 10 and 15.
Comparison of Data Fusion Methods as Consensus Scores for Ensemble Docking
Authors: Bajusz Dávid , Rácz Anita , Héberger Károly
Published: July 2019

Ensemble docking is a widely applied concept in structure-based virtual screening—to at least partly account for protein flexibility—usually granting a significant performance gain at a modest cost of speed. From the individual, single-structure docking scores, a consensus score needs to be produced by data fusion: this is usually done by taking the best docking score from the available pool (in most cases— and in this study as well—this is the minimum score). Nonetheless, there are a number of other fusion rules that can be applied. We report here the results of a detailed statistical comparison of seven fusion rules for ensemble docking, on five case studies of current drug targets, based on four performance metrics. Sevenfold cross-validation and variance analysis (ANOVA) allowed us to highlight the best fusion rules. The results are presented in bubble plots, to unite the four performance metrics into a single, comprehensive image. Notably, we suggest the use of the geometric and harmonic means as better alternatives to the generally applied minimum fusion rule.
MOFs-Derived Porous NiFe2O4 Nano-Octahedrons with Hollow Interiors for an Excellent Toluene Gas Sensor
Authors: Zhang Yanlin , Jia Chaowei , Wang Qiuyue , Kong Quan , Chen Gang , Guan Hongtao , Dong Chengjun
Published: July 2019

Toluene is extensively used in many industrial products, which needs to be effectively detected by sensitive gas sensors even at low-ppm-level concentrations. Here, NiFe2O4 nano-octahedrons were calcinated from NiFe-bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOFs) octahedrons synthesized by a facile refluxing method. The co-existence of p-Phthalic acid (PTA) and 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) promotes the formation of smooth NiFe-bimetallic MOFs octahedrons. After subsequent thermal treatment, a big weight loss (about 85%) transformed NiFe2O4 nanoparticles (30 nm) into NiFe2O4 porous nano-octahedrons with hollow interiors. The NiFe2O4 nano-octahedron based sensor exhibited excellent gas sensing properties for toluene with a nice stability, fast response, and recovery time (25 s/40 s to 100 ppm toluene), and a lower detection limitation (1 ppm) at 260 °C. The excellent toluene-sensing properties can not only be derived from the hollow interiors combined with porous nano-octahedrons to favor the diffusion of gas molecules, but also from the efficient catalytic activity of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles.
Enhanced Phase Transition Properties of VO2 Thin Films on 6H-SiC (0001) Substrate Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition
Authors: Cheng Xiankun , Gao Qiang , Li Kaifeng , Liu Zhongliang , Liu Qinzhuang , Liu Qiangchun , Zhang Yongxing , Li Bing
Published: July 2019

For growing high quality epitaxial VO2 thin films, the substrate with suitable lattice parameters is very important if considering the lattice matching. In addition, the thermal conductivity between the substrate and epitaxial film should be also considered. Interestingly, the c-plane of hexagonal 6H-SiC with high thermal conductivity has a similar lattice structure to the VO2 (010), which enables epitaxial growth of high quality VO2 films on 6H-SiC substrates. In the current study, we deposited VO2 thin films directly on 6H-SiC (0001) single-crystal substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and systematically investigated the crystal structures and surface morphologies of the films as the function of growth temperature and film thickness. With optimized conditions, the obtained epitaxial VO2 film showed pure monoclinic phase structure and excellent phase transition properties. Across the phase transition from monoclinic structure (M1) to tetragonal rutile structure (R), the VO2/6H-SiC (0001) film demonstrated a sharp resistance change up to five orders of magnitude and a narrow hysteresis width of only 3.3 °C.
Multifunctional Chitosan/Gold Nanoparticles Coatings for Biomedical Textiles
Authors: Silva Iris O. , Ladchumananandasivam Rasiah , Nascimento José Heriberto O. , Silva Késia Karina O.S. , Oliveira Fernando R. , Souto António P. , Felgueiras Helena P. , Zille Andrea
Published: July 2019

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), chemically synthesized by citrate reduction, were for the first time immobilized onto chitosan-treated soybean knitted fabric via exhaustion method. AuNPs were successfully produced in the form of highly spherical, moderated polydisperse, stable structures. Their average size was estimated at ≈35 nm. Successful immobilization of chitosan and AuNPs were confirmed by alterations in the fabric’s spectrophotometric reflectance spectrum and by detection of nitrogen and gold, non-conjugated C=O stretching vibrations of carbonyl functional groups and residual N-acetyl groups characteristic bands by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. XPS analysis confirms the strong binding of AuNPs on the chitosan matrix. The fabrics’ thermal stability increased with the introduction of both chitosan and AuNPs. Coated fabrics revealed an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of +50, which established their effectiveness in ultraviolet (UV) radiation shielding. They were also found to resist up to 5 washing cycles with low loss of immobilized AuNPs. Compared with AuNPs or chitosan alone, the combined functionalized coating on soy fabrics demonstrated an improved antimicrobial effect by reducing Staphylococcus aureus adhesion (99.94%) and Escherichia coli (96.26%). Overall, the engineered fabrics were confirmed as multifunctional, displaying attractive optical properties, UV-light protection and important antimicrobial features, that increase their interest for potential biomedical applications.
Glucose Sensor Using Redox Active Oligonucleotide-Templated Silver Nanoclusters
Authors: Schroeder Kathryn L. , Goreham Renee V. , Nann Thomas
Published: July 2019

Redox active, photoluminescent silver nanoclusters templated with oligonucleotides were developed for glucose sensing. The silver nanoclusters had a photoluminescent emission at 610 nm that reversibly changed to 530 nm upon oxidation. The reversible emission change was measured with photoluminescent spectroscopy and used to detect H2O2, which is a by-product of the reaction of glucose with glucose oxidase. The ratio of the un-oxidised emission peak (610 nm) and the oxidised analogue (530 nm) was used to measure glucose concentrations up to 20 mM, well within glucose levels found in blood. Also, the reversibility of this system enables the silver nanoclusters to be reused.
n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Decrease Long-Term Diabetic Risk of Offspring of Gestational Diabetes Rats by Postponing Shortening of Hepatic Telomeres and Modulating Liver Metabolism
Authors: Gao Jinlong , Xiao Hailong , Li Jiaomei , Guo Xiaofei , Cai Wenwen , Li Duo
Published: July 2019

The long-term influence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on offspring and the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on GDM offspring are poorly understood. We studied the long-term diabetic risk in GDM offspring and evaluated the effect of n-3 PUFA intervention. Healthy offspring rats were fed standard diet (soybean oil) after weaning. GDM offspring were divided into three groups: GDM offspring (soybean oil), n-3 PUFA adequate offspring (fish oil), and n-3 PUFA deficient offspring (safflower oil), fed up to 11 months old. The diabetic risk of GDM offspring gradually increased from no change at weaning to obvious impaired glucose and insulin tolerance at 11 months old. n-3 PUFA decreased oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver of older GDM offspring. There was a differential effect of n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA on hepatic telomere length in GDM offspring. Non-targeted metabolomics showed that n-3 PUFA played a modulating role in the liver, in which numerous metabolites and metabolic pathways were altered when GDM offspring grew to old age. Many metabolites were related to diabetes risk, such as α-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, ceramide, oxaloacetic acid, tocotrienol, tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol, andniacinamide. In summary, GDM offspring exhibited obvious diabetes risk at old age, whereas n-3 PUFA decreased this risk.
Mitigation of Muscle Loss in Stressed Physiology: Military Relevance
Authors: Church David D. , Gwin Jess A. , Wolfe Robert R. , Pasiakos Stefan M. , Ferrando Arny A.
Published: July 2019

Military personnel may be exposed to circumstances (e.g., large energy deficits, sleep deprivation, cognitive demands, and environmental extremes) of external stressors during training and combat operations (i.e., operational stressors) that combine to degrade muscle protein. The loss of muscle protein is further exacerbated by frequent periods of severe energy deficit. Exposure to these factors results in a hypogonadal state that may contribute to observed decrements in muscle mass. In this review, lessons learned from studying severe clinical stressed states and the interventions designed to mitigate the loss of muscle protein are discussed in the context of military operational stress. For example, restoration of the anabolic hormonal status (e.g., testosterone, insulin, and growth hormone) in stressed physiological states may be necessary to restore the anabolic influence derived from dietary protein on muscle. Based on our clinical experiences, restoration of the normal testosterone status during sustained periods of operational stress may be advantageous. We demonstrated that in severe burn patients, pharmacologic normalization of the anabolic hormonal status restores the anabolic stimulatory effect of nutrition on muscle by improving the protein synthetic efficiency and limiting amino acid loss from skeletal muscle. Furthermore, an optimal protein intake, and in particular essential amino acid delivery, may be an integral ingredient in a restored anabolic response during the stress state. Interventions which improve the muscle net protein balance may positively impact soldier performance in trying conditions.
Association of Adherence to The Mediterranean Diet with Urinary Factors Favoring Renal Lithiasis: Cross-Sectional Study of Overweight Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Prieto Rafael M. , Rodriguez Adrian , Sanchis Pilar , Morey Margalida , Fiol Miquel , Grases Felix , Castañer Olga , Martínez-González Miguel A. , Salas-Salvadó Jordi , Romaguera Dora
Published: July 2019

Our purpose was to study the relationship of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) with urinary factors that favor the formation of renal calcium and uric acid stones in overweight and obese participants who had metabolic syndrome. This cross-sectional study examined 267 participants. A well-known MedDiet score (range 0–9) was calculated for each patient, and patients were then categorized has having low (≤3), medium (4–5), or high (≥6) adherence to the MedDiet. Baseline characteristics and urinary parameters were also analyzed. High calcium salt urinary crystallization risk (CaUCR) and high uric acid urinary crystallization risk (UrUCR) were calculated from urinary parameters using pre-defined criteria. More than half of patients with MedDiet scores ≤3 had high UrUCR (55.4%) and high CaUCR (53.8%). In contrast, fewer patients with high adherence (≥6) to the MedDiet had high UrUCR (41.2%) and high CaUCR (29.4%). Relative to those with low adherence, individuals with high adherence had a prevalence ratio (PR) of 0.77 for a high UrUCR (95% CI: 0.46–1.12; p for trend: 0.069) and a PR of 0.51 for a high CaUCR (95% CI: 0.26–0.87; p for trend: 0.012) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, type 2 diabetes, and total energy intake. Our findings indicate that greater adherence to the MedDiet was associated with a reduced CaUCR and a reduced UrUCR. This suggests that adequate dietary management using the MedDiet patterns may prevent or reduce the incidence and recurrence of calcium salt and uric acid renal stones.
A Sensor-Network-Supported Mobile-Agent-Search Strategy for Wilderness Rescue
Authors: Chong Lee Shin Jason , Kashino Zendai , Nejat Goldie , Benhabib Beno
Published: July 2019

Mobile target search is a problem pertinent to a variety of applications, including wilderness search and rescue. This paper proposes a hybrid approach for target search utilizing a team of mobile agents supported by a network of static sensors. The approach is novel in that the mobile agents deploy the sensors at optimized times and locations while they themselves travel along their respective optimized search trajectories. In the proposed approach, mobile-agent trajectories are first planned to maximize the likelihood of target detection. The deployment of the static-sensor network is subsequently planned. Namely, deployment locations and times are optimized while being constrained by the already planned mobile-agent trajectories. The latter optimization problem, as formulated and solved herein, aims to minimize an overall network-deployment error. This overall error comprises three main components, each quantifying a deviation from one of three main objectives the network aims to achieve: (i) maintaining directional unbiasedness in target-motion consideration, (ii) maintaining unbiasedness in temporal search-effort distribution, and, (iii) maximizing the likelihood of target detection. We solve this unique optimization problem using an iterative heuristic-based algorithm with random starts. The proposed hybrid search strategy was validated through the extensive simulations presented in this paper. Furthermore, its performance was evaluated with respect to an alternative hybrid search strategy, where it either outperformed or performed comparably depending on the search resources available.
Seasonal Variability of Upwelling off Central-Southern Chile
Authors: Pinochet Andre , Garcés-Vargas José , Lara Carlos , Olguín Francisco
Published: July 2019

The central and northern Chilean coasts are part of the Humboldt Current System, which sustains one of the largest fisheries in the world due to upwelling. There are several upwelling focal points along the Chilean coast; however, from a physical standpoint, the region between 39° and 41° S has not been studied in detail despite being one of the most productive zones for pelagic extraction in Chile. Here, we evaluated the seasonal variability of coastal upwelling off central-southern Chile using principally daily sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface wind (SSW), and 8-day composite chlorophyll-a concentration between 2003 and 2017. Through the seasonal evaluation of the net surface heat flux and its relationship with the SST as well as daily SST variability, we determined the “maximum upwelling” on our area. The direction of surface winds is controlled throughout the year by the Southeast Pacific Subtropical Anticyclone, which produces a cold tongue and an upwelling shadow north of Punta Galera (40° S) in austral spring and summer. A cross-correlation analysis showed a decrease of SST follow the alongshore SSW with a lag of 2 days in the months favorable to the upwelling. However, the correlations were not as high as what would be expected, indicating that there is a large advection of waters from the south that could be related to the greater volume of subantarctic water present in the zone.
Reconstruction of a Segment of the UNESCO World Heritage Hadrian’s Villa Tunnel Network by Integrated GPR, Magnetic–Paleomagnetic, and Electric Resistivity Prospections
Authors: Ghezzi Annalisa , Schettino Antonio , Pierantoni Pietro Paolo , Conyers Lawrence , Tassi Luca , Vigliotti Luigi , Schettino Erwin , Melfi Milena , Gorrini Maria Elena , Boila Paolo
Published: July 2019

Hadrian’s Villa is an ancient Roman archaeological site built over an ignimbritic tuff and characterized by abundant iron oxides, strong remnant magnetization, and elevated magnetic susceptibility. These properties account for the high-amplitude magnetic anomalies observed in this site and were used as a primary tool to detect deep archaeological features consisting of air-filled and soil-filled cavities of the tuff. An integrated magnetic, paleomagnetic, radar, and electric resistivity survey was performed in the Plutonium-Inferi sector of Hadrian’s Villa to outline a segment of the underground system of tunnels that link different zones of the villa. A preliminary paleomagnetic analysis of the bedrock unit and a high-resolution topographic survey by aerial photogrammetry allowed us to perform a computer-assisted modelling of the observed magnetic anomalies, with respect to the archaeological sources. The intrinsic ambiguity of this procedure was reduced through the analysis of ground penetrating radar and electric resistivity profiles, while a comprehensive picture of the buried archaeological features was built by integration of the magnetization model with radar amplitude maps. The final subsurface model of the Plutonium-Inferi complex shows that the observed anomalies are mostly due to the presence of tunnels, skylights, and a system of ditches excavated in the tuff.
Retrieval of Total Precipitable Water from Himawari-8 AHI Data: A Comparison of Random Forest, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Deep Neural Network
Authors: Lee Yeonjin , Han Daehyeon , Ahn Myoung-Hwan , Im Jungho , Lee Su Jeong
Published: July 2019

Total precipitable water (TPW), a column of water vapor content in the atmosphere, provides information on the spatial distribution of moisture. The high-resolution TPW, together with atmospheric stability indices such as convective available potential energy (CAPE), is an effective indicator of severe weather phenomena in the pre-convective atmospheric condition. With the advent of high performing imaging instrument onboard geostationary satellites such as Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard Himawari-8 of Japan and Advanced Meteorological Imager (AMI) onboard GeoKompsat-2A of Korea, it is expected that unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution data (e.g., AMI plans to provide 2 km resolution data at every 2 min over the northeast part of East Asia) will be provided. To derive TPW from such high-resolution data in a timely fashion, an efficient algorithm is highly required. Here, machine learning approaches—random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and deep neural network (DNN)—are assessed for the TPW retrieved from AHI over the clear sky in Northeast Asia area. For the training dataset, the nine infrared brightness temperatures (BT) of AHI (BT8 to 16 centered at 6.2, 6.9, 7.3, 8.6, 9.6, 10.4, 11.2, 12.4, and 13.3 μ m , respectively), six dual channel differences and observation conditions such as time, latitude, longitude, and satellite zenith angle for two years (September 2016 to August 2018) are used. The corresponding TPW is prepared by integrating the water vapor profiles from InterimEuropean Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis data (ERA-Interim). The algorithm performances are assessed using the ERA-Interim and radiosonde observations (RAOB) as the reference data. The results show that the DNN model performs better than RF and XGB with a correlation coefficient of 0.96, a mean bias of 0.90 mm, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.65 mm when compared to the ERA-Interim. Similarly, DNN results in a correlation coefficient of 0.95, a mean bias of 1.25 mm, and an RMSE of 5.03 mm when compared to RAOB. Contributing variables to retrieve the TPW in each model and the spatial and temporal analysis of the retrieved TPW are carefully examined and discussed.
Retrieving Total and Inorganic Suspended Sediments in Amazon Floodplain Lakes: A Multisensor Approach
Authors: Maciel Daniel , Novo Evlyn , Sander de Carvalho Lino , Barbosa Cláudio , Flores Júnior Rogério , de Lucia Lobo Felipe
Published: July 2019

Remote sensing imagery are fundamental to increasing the knowledge about sediment dynamics in the middle-lower Amazon floodplains. Moreover, they can help to understand both how climate change and how land use and land cover changes impact the sediment exchange between the Amazon River and floodplain lakes in this important and complex ecosystem. This study investigates the suitability of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 spectral characteristics in retrieving total (TSS) and inorganic (TSI) suspended sediments on a set of Amazon floodplain lakes in the middle-lower Amazon basin using in situ Remote Sensing Reflectance (Rrs) measurements to simulate Landsat 8/OLI (Operational Land Imager) and Sentinel 2/MSI (Multispectral Instrument) bands and to calibrate/validate several TSS and TSI empirical algorithms. The calibration was based on the Monte Carlo Simulation carried out for the following datasets: (1) All-Dataset, consisting of all the data acquired during four field campaigns at five lakes spread over the lower Amazon floodplain (n = 94); (2) Campaign-Dataset including samples acquired in a specific hydrograph phase (season) in all lakes. As sample size varied from one season to the other, n varied from 18 to 31; (3) Lake-Dataset including samples acquired in all seasons at a given lake with n also varying from 17 to 67 for each lake. The calibrated models were, then, applied to OLI and MSI scenes acquired in August 2017. The performance of three atmospheric correction algorithms was also assessed for both OLI (6S, ACOLITE, and L8SR) and MSI (6S, ACOLITE, and Sen2Cor) images. The impact of glint correction on atmosphere-corrected image performance was assessed against in situ glint-corrected Rrs measurements. After glint correction, the L8SR and 6S atmospheric correction performed better with the OLI and MSI sensors, respectively (Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) = 16.68% and 14.38%) considering the entire set of bands. However, for a given single band, different methods have different performances. The validated TSI and TSS satellite estimates showed that both in situ TSI and TSS algorithms provided reliable estimates, having the best results for the green OLI band (561 nm) and MSI red-edge band (705 nm) (MAPE < 21%). Moreover, the findings indicate that the OLI and MSI models provided similar errors, which support the use of both sensors as a virtual constellation for the TSS and TSI estimate over an Amazon floodplain. These results demonstrate the applicability of the calibration/validation techniques developed for the empirical modeling of suspended sediments in lower Amazon floodplain lakes using medium-resolution sensors.
Potato Yield Prediction Using Machine Learning Techniques and Sentinel 2 Data
Authors: Gómez Diego , Salvador Pablo , Sanz Julia , Casanova Jose Luis
Published: July 2019

Traditional potato growth models evidence certain limitations, such as the cost of obtaining the input data required to run the models, the lack of spatial information in some instances, or the actual quality of input data. In order to address these issues, we develop a model to predict potato yield using satellite remote sensing. In an effort to offer a good predictive model that improves the state of the art on potato precision agriculture, we use images from the twin Sentinel 2 satellites (European Space Agency—Copernicus Programme) over three growing seasons, applying different machine learning models. First, we fitted nine machine learning algorithms with various pre-processing scenarios using variables from July, August and September based on the red, red-edge and infra-red bands of the spectrum. Second, we selected the best performing models and evaluated them against independent test data. Finally, we repeated the previous two steps using only variables corresponding to July and August. Our results showed that the feature selection step proved vital during data pre-processing in order to reduce multicollinearity among predictors. The Regression Quantile Lasso model (11.67% Root Mean Square Error, RMSE; R2 = 0.88 and 9.18% Mean Absolute Error, MAE) and Leap Backwards model (10.94% RMSE, R2 = 0.89 and 8.95% MAE) performed better when predictors with a correlation coefficient > 0.5 were removed from the dataset. In contrast, the Support Vector Machine Radial (svmRadial) performed better with no feature selection method (11.7% RMSE, R2 = 0.93 and 8.64% MAE). In addition, we used a random forest model to predict potato yields in Castilla y León (Spain) 1–2 months prior to harvest, and obtained satisfactory results (11.16% RMSE, R2 = 0.89 and 8.71% MAE). These results demonstrate the suitability of our models to predict potato yields in the region studied.
A Rapid Terrestrial Laser Scanning Method for Coastal Erosion Studies: A Case Study at Freeport, Texas, USA
Authors: Xiong Lin , Wang Guoquan , Bao Yan , Zhou Xin , Wang Kuan , Liu Hanlin , Sun Xiaohan , Zhao Ruibin
Published: July 2019

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has become a powerful data acquisition technique for high-resolution high-accuracy topographic and morphological studies. Conventional static TLS surveys require setting up numerous reflectors (tie points) in the field for point clouds registration and georeferencing. To reduce surveying time and simplify field operational tasks, we have developed a rapid TLS surveying method that requires only one reflector in the field. The method allows direct georeferencing of point clouds from individual scans to an East–North–Height (ENH) coordinate system tied to a stable geodetic reference frame. TLS datasets collected at a segment of the beach–dune–wetland area in Freeport, Texas, USA are used to evaluate the performance of the rapid surveying method by comparing with kinematic GPS measurements. The rapid surveying method uses two GPS units mounted on the scanner and a reflector for calculating the northing angle of the scanner’s own coordinate system (SOCS). The Online Positioning User Service (OPUS) is recommended for GPS data processing. According to this study, OPUS Rapid-Static (OPUS-RS) solutions retain 1–2 cm root mean square (RMS) accuracy in the horizontal directions and 2–3 cm accuracy in the vertical direction for static observational sessions of approximately 30 min in the coastal region of Texas, USA. The rapid TLS surveys can achieve an elevation accuracy (RMS) of approximately 3–5 cm for georeferenced points and 2–3 cm for digital elevation models (DEMs). The elevation errors superimposed into the TLS surveying points roughly fit a normal distribution. The proposed TLS surveying method is particularly useful for morphological mapping over time in coastal regions, where strong wind and soft sand prohibit reflectors from remaining strictly stable for a long period. The theories and results presented in this paper are beneficial to researchers who frequently utilize TLS datasets in their research, but do not have opportunities to be involved in field data acquisition.
Effect of Imperfections Due to Material Heterogeneity on the Offset of Polysilicon MEMS Structures
Authors: Ghisi Aldo , Mariani Stefano
Published: July 2019

Monte Carlo analyses on statistical volume elements allow quantifying the effect of polycrystalline morphology, in terms of grain topology and orientation, on the scattering of the elastic properties of polysilicon springs. The results are synthesized through statistical (lognormal) distributions depending on grain size and morphology: such statistical distributions are an accurate and manageable alternative to numerically-burdensome analyses. Together with this quantification of material property uncertainties, the effect of the scattering of the over-etch on the stiffness of the supporting springs can also be accounted for, by subdividing them into domains wherein statistical fluctuations are assumed not to exist. The effectiveness of the proposed stochastic approach is checked with the problem of the quantification of the offset from the designed configuration, due to the residual stresses, for a statically-indeterminate MEMS structure made of heterogeneous (polycrystalline) material.
Evaluation of Inter-Apparatus Separation Method Transferability in Countercurrent Chromatography and Centrifugal Partition Chromatography
Authors: Roehrer Simon , Minceva Mirjana
Published: July 2019

In the countercurrent chromatography and centrifugal partition chromatography, separation method transfer and scale-up is often described as an easy and straightforward procedure. Separation methods are usually developed on lab scale columns and subsequently transferred using linear scale-up factors to semi-preparative or preparative columns of the same column design. However, the separation methods described in the literature have been developed on various columns of different design and size. This is accompanied by differences in the separation behavior of the columns and therefore makes separation method transfer difficult. In the current study, the separation performances of different columns were evaluated and compared. Linear correlations of stationary phase retention and column efficiency as a function of flow rate were found to be applicable for the calculation of separation resolution in the typical operating range of each column. In this context, a two-point short-cut approach for a fast column characterization is recommended. This allows a quick prediction of the separation method transferability between columns, which saves experimental time and effort. In the current study, the transferability between five different columns from lab scale countercurrent chromatography (CCC) (18 mL) to semi-preparative centrifugal partition chromatography (CPCs) (250 mL) with different cell numbers and design is investigated.
Embodied Resistance: Multiracial Identity, Gender, and the Body
Authors: Gonzales Gabrielle G.
Published: July 2019

This article explores the importance of the physical body in the development of gendered racial and ethnic identities through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 multiracial/multiethnic women. From a critical mixed race and critical feminist perspective, I argue that the development of an embodied and gendered multiracial and multiethnic identity is a path to questioning and resisting the dominant monoracial order in the United States. Interviews reveal that respondents develop these embodied identities both through understandings of themselves as gendered and raced subjects and through relationships with monoracial individuals. The process by which these women understand their physical bodies as multiracial subjects illustrates a critical embodied component of the social construction of race and ethnicity in the United States.
An Integrated Global Food and Energy Security System Dynamics Model for Addressing Systemic Risk
Authors: Pasqualino Roberto , Monasterolo Irene , Jones Aled
Published: July 2019

In 1972, The Limits to Growth, using the World3 System Dynamics model, modeled for the first time the long-term risk of food security, which would emerge from the complex relation between capital and population growth within the limits of the planet. In this paper, we present a novel system dynamics model to explore the short-term dynamics of the food and energy system within the wider global economic framework. By merging structures of the World3, Money, and Macroeconomy Dynamics (MMD) and the Energy Transition and the Economy (ETE) models, we present a closed system global economy model, where growth is driven by population growth and government debt. The agricultural sector is a general disequilibrium productive sector grounded on World3, where capital investment and land development decisions are made to meet population food need, thus generating cascade demands for the energy and capital sector. Energy and Capital Sectors employ a more standard economic approach in line with MMD and ETE. By taking into account the role of financial, real, and natural capital, the model can be used to explore alternative scenarios driven by uncertainty and risk, such as climate extreme events and their impacts on food production. The paper presents scenario analysis of the impact of an exogenous price, production, and subsidies shock in the food and/or energy dimensions on the economic system, understanding the sources of potential cascade effects, thus providing a systemic risk assessment tool to inform global food security policies.
Evolution of Grazing Practices in Belgian Dairy Farms: Results of Two Surveys
Authors: Lessire Françoise , Jacquet Samuel , Veselko Didier , Piraux Emile , Dufrasne Isabelle
Published: July 2019

Numerous publications have highlighted the potential role of grassland in the mitigation of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the agricultural sector. Yet, the preservation of grassland is included in the main objectives of the greening policies of the European Union (EU). To assess how this greening program has influenced the behaviour and perceptions of the dairy sector, two surveys were foreseen during the project LIFE dairyclim and sent to all the dairy farmers of Wallonia (Belgium) at three-year intervals (2016 – 2019). The answer rates reached 32.6%. Questions concerned four topics: General farm description, grazing practices, perceptions and expectations, and general grassland management. Following the results of these surveys, a large majority of lactating dairy cows grazed in Wallonia (96.5%). The main differences between 2016 and 2019 were the increase in size of the dairy farms in terms of surface (77.2 ha in 2016 to 84.4 ha in 2019) and production, the disappearance of small farms of less than 60 cows, and the progression of the organic sector from 9.3% to 11.7%. Perceptions of farmers on grazing differed following their grazing practices: No-grazing farmers were very sceptical about the advantages of grazing. On the opposite hand, organic farmers were very enthusiastic. Awareness of farmers about the preservation of landscape and the image of the sector for the consumers has increased during the three-year period. The requirements of the dairy industry and authorities were cited as incentives to keep grazing. The expectations of the farmers differed from 2016 to 2019 with a smaller proportion desiring to increase their grazing practices and more, staying stable. These results seem to indicate that the support of farmers and the involvement of authorities and stakeholders could contribute to maintain grazing.
Perspectives from 2037—Can Environmental Impact Assessment be the Solution for an Early Consideration of Climate Change-related Impacts?
Authors: Jiricka-Pürrer Alexandra , Wachter Thomas F. , Driscoll Patrick
Published: July 2019

Consideration of climate change in environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a rather novel topic, which became partly mandatory through the revised EU Directive on EIA. Through a mixed-methods approach involving key-actors from EIA practice, decision making and climate adaptation planning, this study presents a transdisciplinary point of view on barriers and opportunities to tackle climate change adaptation in the environmental assessment of large-scale projects. It is based on both a retrospective ex-post evaluation of existing practices in Austria and Germany as well as prescriptive examination and development of outcomes for practice through the development of a climate-fit toolkit that supports the incorporation of climate change impacts into EIAs. The scenario analysis applied with a backcasting approach provided the opportunity to look beyond limitations related to legal compliance and partly lack of data identified by previous research. Three scenario narratives were elaborated based on nine key impact factors based on literature review, content analysis of EIA documents and interviews with EIA actors. The groups of actors carried out a prioritization of actions towards consideration of climate change in EIA. Finally, the actors were involved in co-production of an online tool-kit for Austrian and German EIA practice.
Flood Assessment for Risk-Informed Planning along the Sirba River, Niger
Authors: Tiepolo Maurizio , Rosso Maurizio , Massazza Giovanni , Belcore Elena , Issa Souradji , Braccio Sarah
Published: July 2019

South of the Sahara, flood vulnerability and risk assessments at local level rarely identify the exposed areas according to the probability of flooding or the actions in place, or localize the exposed items. They are, therefore, of little use for local development, risk prevention, and contingency planning. The aim of this article is to assess the flood risk, providing useful information for local planning and an assessment methodology useful for other case studies. As a result, the first step involves identifying the information required by the local plans most used south of the Sahara. Four rural communities in Niger, frequently flooded by the Sirba River, are then considered. The risk is the product of the probability of a flood multiplied by the potential damage. Local knowledge and knowledge derived from a hydraulic numerical model, digital terrain model, very high resolution multispectral orthoimages, and daily precipitation are used. The assessment identifies the probability of fluvial and pluvial flooding, the exposed areas, the position, quantity, type, replacement value of exposed items, and the risk level according to three flooding scenarios. Fifteen actions are suggested to reduce the risk and to turn adversity into opportunity.