bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibacterial Activity against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus of Colloidal Polydopamine Prepared by Carbon Dot Stimulated Polymerization of Dopamine
Authors: Maruthapandi Moorthy , Natan Michal , Jacobi Gila , Banin Ehud , Luong John H. T. , Gedanken Aharon
Published: December 2019

A simple one-step process for the polymerization of dopamine has been developed using nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N@C–dots) as the sole initiator. The synthesized amorphous polydopamine (PDA)-doped N@C–dots (PDA–N@C–dots composite) exhibited a negative charge of –39 mV with particle sizes ranging from 200 to 1700 nm. The stable colloidal solution was active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a Gram-negative bacterium. The strong adhesion of the polymer to the bacterial membrane resulted in a limited diffusion of nutrients and wastes in and out of the cell cytosol, which is a generic mechanism to trigger cell death. Another possible route is the autoxidation of the catechol moiety of PDA to form quinone and release reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide radicle and hydrogen peroxide, two well-known ROS with antimicrobial properties against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
Improving the Wear Life of a-C:H Film in High Vacuum by Self-Assembled Reduced Graphene Oxide Layers
Authors: Song Hui , Chen Gang , Chen Jie , Li Hongxuan , Ji Li , Jiang Nan
Published: December 2019

As an energy-efficient surface modification method, self-assembly has been the subject of extensive research. However, its application on carbon film has been rarely reported. In the present work, a novel self-assembled reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was prepared on a-C:H film by a controllable self-assembly method, and the friction behavior of the RGO/a-C:H film was investigated under vacuum environment. Interestingly, the RGO/a-C:H film exhibited significant improvement of anti-wear ability in vacuum conditions under a high applied load of 5 N. As expected, the synergy lubrication effect of the RGO layer and a-C:H film should account for the excellent friction reduction and anti-wear ability of a RGO/a-C:H multilayer film.
Dietary Interventions for Gout and Effect on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review
Authors: Vedder Daisy , Walrabenstein Wendy , Heslinga Maaike , de Vries Ralph , Nurmohamed Michael , van Schaardenburg Dirkjan , Gerritsen Martijn
Published: December 2019

Gout is one of the most prevalent inflammatory rheumatic disease. It is preceded by hyperuricemia and associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, both related to unhealthy diets. The objective of this systematic review is to better define the most appropriate diet addressing both disease activity and traditional cardiovascular risk factors in hyperuricemic patients. We included clinical trials with patients diagnosed with hyperuricemia or gout, investigating the effect of dietary interventions on serum uric acid (SUA) levels, gout flares and—if available—cardiovascular risk factors. Eighteen articles were included, which were too heterogeneous to perform a meta-analysis. Overall, the risk of bias of the studies was moderate to high. We distinguished four groups of dietary interventions: Calorie restriction and fasting, purine-low diets, Mediterranean-style diets, and supplements. Overall, fasting resulted in an increase of SUA, whilst small (SUA change +0.3 to −2.9 mg/dL) but significant effects were found after low-calorie, purine-low, and Mediterranean-style diets. Studies investigating the effect on cardiovascular risk factors were limited and inconclusive. Since Mediterranean-style diets/DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) have shown to be effective for the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors in other at-risk populations, we recommend further investigation of such diets for the treatment of gout.
Determinants of Portion Size in Children and Adolescents: Insights from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (2008–2016)
Authors: Blundell-Birtill Pam , Hetherington Marion M.
Published: December 2019

Large portion sizes have been identified as contributing to overweight and obesity, particularly in children and adolescents. This study examined predictors of portion sizes of high energy snack foods eaten by children aged 1.5–18 years. Specifically, we examined whether portion sizes were adjusted for age, and what external features of the environment might be linked to large portion sizes. Portion sizes were derived from four-day food diaries that form the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Diaries from 5942 children were examined and multilevel models were used to discover whether age, gender, location, time of day, household income, and watching TV while eating predicted portion sizes of savoury snacks, chocolate, confectionery and biscuits. Portion sizes of all the target foods were predicted by age. Boys had larger portions, and portion sizes were larger when target foods were consumed later in the day. Portion sizes were larger outside the home, for example in leisure venues, but the target foods were eaten more frequently in the home. As dietary patterns change to include more snack intake outside the home, these locations could be an important space to target for interventions for portion control.
Human Milk Omega-3 Fatty Acid Composition Is Associated with Infant Temperament
Authors: Hahn-Holbrook Jennifer , Fish Adi , Glynn Laura M.
Published: December 2019

There is growing evidence that omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty-acids (PUFAs) are important for the brain development in childhood and are necessary for an optimal health in adults. However, there have been no studies examining how the n-3 PUFA composition of human milk influences infant behavior or temperament. To fill this knowledge gap, 52 breastfeeding mothers provided milk samples at 3 months postpartum and completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ-R), a widely used parent-report measure of infant temperament. Milk was assessed for n-3 PUFAs and omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs using gas-liquid chromatography. The total fat and the ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids in milk were also examined. Linear regression models revealed that infants whose mothers’ milk was richer in n-3 PUFAs had lower scores on the negative affectivity domain of the IBQ-R, a component of temperament associated with a risk for internalizing disorders later in life. These associations remained statistically significant after considering covariates, including maternal age, marital status, and infant birth weight. The n-6 PUFAs, n-6/n-3 ratio, and total fat of milk were not associated with infant temperament. These results suggest that mothers may have the ability to shape the behavior of their offspring by adjusting the n-3 PUFA composition of their milk.
Herbal Medicines Attenuate PD-L1 Expression to Induce Anti-Proliferation in Obesity-Related Cancers
Authors: Yang Yu-Chen S.H. , Li Zi-Lin , Shih Ya-Jung , Bennett James A. , Whang-Peng Jaqueline , Lin Hung-Yun , Davis Paul J. , Wang Kuan
Published: December 2019

Pro-inflammatory hormones and cytokines (leptin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6) rise in obesity. Elevated levels of hormones and cytokines are linked with several comorbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The checkpoint programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) plays an important role in obesity and cancer proliferation. L-thyroxine (T4) and steroid hormones up-regulate PD-L1 accumulation and promote inflammation in cancer cells and diabetics. On the other hand, resveratrol and other herbal medicines suppress PD-L1 accumulation and reduce diabetic effects. In addition, they induce anti-cancer proliferation in various types of cancer cells via different mechanisms. In the current review, we discuss new findings and visions into the antagonizing effects of hormones on herbal medicine-induced anti-cancer properties.
A Dual Role for Macrophages in Modulating Lung Tissue Damage/Repair during L2 Toxocara canis Infection
Authors: Faz-López Berenice , Mayoral-Reyes Héctor , Hernández-Pando Rogelio , Martínez-Labat Pablo , McKay Derek M. , Medina-Andrade Itzel , Olguín Jonadab E. , Terrazas Luis I.
Published: December 2019

Macrophages that are classically activated (M1) through the IFN-γ/STAT1 signaling pathway have a major role in mediating inflammation during microbial and parasitic infections. In some cases, unregulated inflammation induces tissue damage. In helminth infections, alternatively activated macrophages (M2), whose activation occurs mainly via the IL-4/STAT6 pathway, have a major role in mediating protection against excessive inflammation, and has been associated with both tissue repair and parasite clearance. During the lung migratory stage of Toxocara canis, the roles of M1 and M2 macrophages in tissue repair remain unknown. To assess this, we orally infected wild-type (WT) and STAT1 and STAT6-deficient mice (STAT1−/− and STAT6−/−) with L2 T. canis, and evaluated the role of M1 or M2 macrophages in lung pathology. The absence of STAT1 favored an M2 activation pattern with Arg1, FIZZ1, and Ym1 expression, which resulted in parasite resistance and lung tissue repair. In contrast, the absence of STAT6 induced M1 activation and iNOS expression, which helped control parasitic infection but generated increased inflammation and lung pathology. Next, macrophages were depleted by intratracheally inoculating mice with clodronate-loaded liposomes. We found a significant reduction in alveolar macrophages that was associated with higher lung pathology in both WT and STAT1−/− mice; in contrast, STAT6−/− mice receiving clodronate-liposomes displayed less tissue damage, indicating critical roles of both macrophage phenotypes in lung pathology and tissue repair. Therefore, a proper balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses during T. canis infection is necessary to limit lung pathology and favor lung healing.
Tasked with a Challenging Objective: Why Do Neutrophils Fail to Battle Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms
Authors: Geddes-McAlister Jennifer , Kugadas Abirami , Gadjeva Mihaela
Published: December 2019

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections are a leading cause of mortality, affecting approximately 250,000 people in Canada and over 2 million people in the United States, annually. The lack of efficacy of antibiotic-based treatments is often caused by inability of the drug to penetrate bacterial biofilms in sufficient concentrations, posing a major therapeutic challenge. Here, we review the most recent information about the architecture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in vivo and describe how advances in imaging and mass spectroscopy analysis bring about novel therapeutic options and challenge existing dogmas.
Phenotypic Characterization of Rhodococcus equi Biofilm Grown In Vitro and Inhibiting and Dissolving Activity of Azithromycin/Rifampicin Treatment
Authors: Rampacci Elisa , Marenzoni Maria Luisa , Giovagnoli Stefano , Passamonti Fabrizio , Coletti Mauro , Pietrella Donatella
Published: December 2019

Microbial biofilm has been implicated in a wide range of chronic infections. In spite of the fact that Rhodococcus equi is a recognized cause of chronic disease in animals and humans, few studies have focused on the sessile phenotype of R. equi. The aim of this research was to phenotypically characterize the biofilm development of R. equi and its answerability for hypo-responsiveness to macrolides and rifampicin. Biofilm formation is initiated by bacterial adhesion to the surface. In this work, the ability of R. equi to adhere to the surface of human lung epithelial cells was detected by a fluorometric adhesion test performed on 40 clinical isolates. Subsequently, the capability of R. equi to produce biofilm was investigated by colorimetric, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy analysis, revealing a general slow growth of rhodococcal biofilm and different sessile phenotypes among field isolates, some also including filamented bacteria. Azithromycin treatment produced a higher long-term inhibition and dissolution of R. equi biofilms than rifampicin, while the two antibiotics combined boosted the anti-biofilm effect in a statistically significant manner, although this was not equally effective for all R. equi isolates. Increasing the MIC concentrations of drugs tenfold alone and in combination did not completely eradicate pre-formed R. equi biofilms, while a rifampicin-resistant isolate produced an exceptionally abundant extracellular matrix. These results have strengthened the hypothesis that biofilm production may occur as an antibiotic tolerance system in R. equi, potentially determining persistence and, eventually, chronic infection.
Continuous Formulation Approaches of Amorphous Solid Dispersions: Significance of Powder Flow Properties and Feeding Performance
Authors: Szabó Edina , Démuth Balázs , Galata Dorián László , Vass Panna , Hirsch Edit , Csontos István , Marosi György , Nagy Zsombor K.
Published: December 2019

Preparation and formulation of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) are becoming more and more popular in the pharmaceutical field because the dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs can be effectively improved this way, which can lead to increased bioavailability in many cases. During downstream processing of ASDs, technologists need to keep in mind both traditional challenges and the newest trends. In the last decade, the pharmaceutical industry began to display considerable interest in continuous processing, which can be explained with their potential advantages such as smaller footprint, easier scale-up, and more consistent product, better quality and quality assurance. Continuous downstream processing of drug-loaded ASDs opens new ways for automatic operation. Therefore, the formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs may be more effective and safe. However, developments can be challenging due to the poor flowability and feeding properties of ASDs. Consequently, this review pays special attention to these characteristics since the feeding of the components greatly influences the content uniformity in the final dosage form. The main purpose of this paper is to summarize the most important steps of the possible ASD-based continuous downstream processes in order to give a clear overview of current course lines and future perspectives.
Task-Independent Computational Abilities of Semiconductor Lasers with Delayed Optical Feedback for Reservoir Computing
Authors: Harkhoe Krishan , Van der Sande Guy
Published: December 2019

Reservoir computing has rekindled neuromorphic computing in photonics. One of the simplest technological implementations of reservoir computing consists of a semiconductor laser with delayed optical feedback. In this delay-based scheme, virtual nodes are distributed in time with a certain node distance and form a time-multiplexed network. The information processing performance of a semiconductor laser-based reservoir computing (RC) system is usually analysed by way of testing the laser-based reservoir computer on specific benchmark tasks. In this work, we will illustrate the optimal performance of the system on a chaotic time-series prediction benchmark. However, the goal is to analyse the reservoir’s performance in a task-independent way. This is done by calculating the computational capacity, a measure for the total number of independent calculations that the system can handle. We focus on the dependence of the computational capacity on the specifics of the masking procedure. We find that the computational capacity depends strongly on the virtual node distance with an optimal node spacing of 30 ps. In addition, we show that the computational capacity can be further increased by allowing for a well chosen mismatch between delay and input data sample time.
Nutritional Value, Mineral Composition, Secondary Metabolites, and Antioxidant Activity of Some Wild Geophyte Sedges and Grasses
Authors: Al-Rowaily Saud L. , Abd-ElGawad Ahmed M. , Alghanem Suliman M. , Al-Taisan Wafa’a A. , El-Amier Yasser A.
Published: December 2019

Geophytes are plants with underground storage organs including bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes, often physiologically active and able to survive during harsh environmental conditions. This study is conducted to assess the nutritive value, mineral composition, bioactive metabolites, and antioxidant activity of five wild geophytes (Cyperus capitatus, C. conglomeratus, Elymus farctus, Lasiurus scindicus, and Panicum turgidum) collected from the Nile Delta coast and inland desert. The proximate composition including dry matter, moisture content, ash content, fiber, fat, protein, sucrose, and glucose were determined. Also, total carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients (TDN), and nutritive values were calculated. Macro- and micro-minerals were also determined in the studied geophytes. Total phenolics, total flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and tannins were determined. Antioxidant activity was evaluated based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicle scavenging. Based on the nutritive value, the studied geophytes are ranked as follows: E. farctus > C. conglomeratus > L. scindicus > P. turgidum > C. capitatus. The mineral analysis reveals a sufficient amount of macro- and micro-elements in the studied geophytes while the microelements levels in the studied wild plants exist as Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu. Cyperus conglomeratus attained the highest concentrations of all determined secondary metabolites. On the other hand, C. conglomeratus, C. capitatus, and P. turgidum extracts showed strong scavenging activity (EC50 < 1 mg mL−1), while extracts of E. farctus and L. scindicus exhibited moderate scavenging activity (1 ≤ EC50 ≤ 2 mg mL−1). The present data reveal that geophytes under investigation could be used as good forage plants, especially in arid habitats. In addition, C. conglomeratus could be a potentially important candidate for natural antioxidants as it attained high contents of the bioactive constituents.
The Induction and Roles Played by Phi Thickenings in Orchid Roots
Authors: Idris Nurul A. , Collings David A.
Published: December 2019

Phi thickenings are specialised secondary wall thickenings present in the root cortex of many plant species, including both angiosperms and gymnosperms. While environmental stresses induce phi thickenings, their role(s) in the root remain unclear. Suggested functions include regulation of transport through the apoplast in a manner similar to the Casparian strip, limiting fungal infections, and providing mechanical support to the root. We investigated phi thickening induction and function in Miltoniopsis sp., an epiphytic orchid. As movement of a fluorescent tracer through the apoplast was not blocked by phi thickenings, and as phi thickenings developed in the roots of sterile cultures in the absence of fungus and did not prevent fungal colonisation of cortical cells, the phi thickenings in Miltoniopsis did not function as a barrier. Phi thickenings, absent in roots grown on agar, remained absent when plants were transplanted to moist soil, but were induced when plants were transplanted to well-drained media, and by the application of water stress. We suggest that it is likely that phi thickenings stabilise to the root during water stress. Nevertheless, the varied phi thickening induction responses present in different plant species suggest that the phi thickenings may play multiple adaptive roles depending on species.
The Effect of Bi-Functionalized MMT on Morphology, Thermal Stability, Dynamic Mechanical, and Tensile Properties of Epoxy/Organoclay Nanocomposites
Authors: Sand Chee Siew , Jawaid Mohammad
Published: December 2019

In this work, the optimum filler loading to prepare epoxy/organoclay nanocomposites by the in-situ polymerization method was studied. Bi-functionalized montmorillonite at different filler loading (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 wt %) was dispersed in epoxy resin by using a high shear speed homogenizer. The effect on morphology, thermal, dynamic mechanical, and tensile properties of the epoxy/organoclay nanocomposites were studied in this work. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) studies revealed that possible intercalated structures were obtained in epoxy/organoclay nanocomposites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that epoxy/organoclay nanocomposites exhibit higher thermal stability at the maximum and final decomposition temperature, as well as higher char content, compared to pristine epoxy. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicate that storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E″), cross-link density and glass transition temperature (Tg) of the nanocomposites were improved with organoclay loading up to 1 wt %. Beyond this loading limit, the deterioration of properties was observed. A similar trend was also observed on tensile strength and modulus. We concluded from this study that organoclay loading up to 1 wt % is suitable for further study to fabricate hybrid nanocomposites for various applications.
Influence of Infiltration Pressure on the Microstructure and Properties of 2D-CFRP Prepared by the Vacuum Infiltration Hot Pressing Molding Process
Authors: Ma Yuqin , Zhao Yatao , Zhang Yun , Wang Jie , Chen Yi , Li Kaifu , Ju Luyan , Yu Ying
Published: December 2019

The critical infiltration pressures of the matrix in a two-dimensional (2D) carbon fiber preform were calculated theoretically, and the calculated values of the static and dynamic models were 0.115 and 0.478 MPa, respectively. Compared with the dynamic model, there is no viscous resistance or infiltration front gas pressure in the static model, so the static value is obviously lower than the dynamic value. To verify the rationality of theoretical calculation, 2D carbon fiber reinforced plastics (2D-CFRP) with infiltration pressures of 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 MPa were prepared by the vacuum infiltration hot pressing molding process. The microstructure of the composite was observed and the bending strength was tested by three-point bending test. The results show that the infiltration pressure has an important influence on the infiltration effect and the bending fracture morphology. When the infiltration pressure is 0.7 MPa, the composite has an excellent infiltration effect. The fibers distribute reasonable in the fracture. Stress can be effectively transferred when the composite material is loaded. And the bending strength of the composite material reaches 627 MPa at this time.
Evaluation of Nano Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) Activity in Solution and Immobilized in Hydrophilic PVDF Membrane for Drimaren Red X-6BN and Bisphenol-a Removal in Water
Authors: L. S. Silva Larissa , A. Caldara Júlio , Maria Rocco Ana , P. Borges Cristiano , V. Fonseca Fabiana
Published: December 2019

Fenton reactions that involve nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) have shown high promise in the removal of organic pollutants. In this work, nZVI stabilized with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was evaluated for drimaren red X-6BN (DRX-6BN, 10 mg/L) and bisphenol-a (BPA, 800 mg/L) removal. Oxidation reactions were conducted for removal of both compounds by varying nZVI/CMC concentration (0.01–5 g/L), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 0.01–0.1 g/L), and pH (3–9). DRX-6BN degradation rate was the highest (kinetic constant (kobs) = 4.622 h−1) when working at pH 3 and 3 g/L of nZVI/CMC. Increasing H2O2 concentration could not improve the reaction. For BPA, all the conditions tested showed removals of more than 96% with 0.02 g/L of H2O2. This result was compared with the activity of nZVI loaded in hydrophilic PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride) membranes by polyacrylic acid (PAA) to entrap nanoparticles to the membrane surface. As expected, the attachment of nZVI onto the membranes diminished nanoparticles’ activity; however, it is important to highlight the need for preparing a stable catalytic membrane, which could enhance pollutant removal of microfiltration membranes’ systems. This was confirmed by the percentage of iron leaching from functionalized membranes, where a higher concentration of iron in the bulk solution leads to enhancement on BPA removal. Issues with BPA diffusion resistance inside the pores were overcome by conducting the nZVI/PAA/PVDF membranes in the cross-flow system, reaching 40% of BPA removal after 3 h of permeation.
Electrically Conductive Electrospun Polymeric Mats for Sensing Dispersed Vegetable Oil Impurities in Wastewater
Authors: Moghaddasi Abdolali , Sobolčiak Patrik , Popelka Anton , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar , Spitalsky Zdeno , Krupa Igor
Published: December 2019

This paper addresses the preparation of electrically conductive electrospun mats on a base of styrene-isoprene-styrene copolymer (SIS) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their application as active sensing elements for the detection of vegetable oil impurities dispersed within water. The most uniform mats without beads were prepared using tetrahydrofuran (THF)/dimethyl formamide (DMF) 80:20 (v/v) as the solvent and 13 wt.% of SIS. The CNT content was 10 wt.%, which had the most pronounced changes in electrical resistivity upon sorption of the oil component. The sensors were prepared by deposition of the SIS/CNT layer onto gold electrodes through electrospinning and applied for sensing of oil dispersed in water for 50, 100, and 1000 ppm.
Role of Ionic Headgroups on the Thermal, Rheological, and Foaming Properties of Novel Betaine-Based Polyoxyethylene Zwitterionic Surfactants for Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Kamal Muhammad Shahzad , Hussain Syed Muhammad Shakil , Fogang Lionel Talley
Published: December 2019

Long-term thermal stability of surfactants under harsh reservoir conditions is one of the main challenges for surfactant injection. Most of the commercially available surfactants thermally degrade or precipitate when exposed to high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. In this work, we designed and synthesized three novel betaine-based polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactants containing different head groups (carboxybetaine, sulfobetaine, and hydroxysulfobetaine) and bearing an unsaturated tail. The impact of the surfactant head group on the long-term thermal stability, foam stability, and surfactant–polymer interactions were examined. The thermal stability of the surfactants was assessed by monitoring the structural changes when exposed at high temperature (90 °C) for three months using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and FTIR analysis. All surfactants were found thermally stable regardless of the headgroup and no structural changes were evidenced. The surfactant–polymer interactions were dominant in deionized water. However, in seawater, the surfactant addition had no effect on the rheological properties. Similarly, changing the headgroup of polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactants had no major effect on the foamability and foam stability. The findings of the present study reveal that the betaine-based polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactant can be a good choice for enhanced oil recovery application and the nature of the headgroup has no major impact on the thermal, rheological, and foaming properties of the surfactant in typical harsh reservoir conditions (high salinity, high temperature).
Spontaneous Wave Function Collapse with Frame Dragging and Induced Gravity
Authors: Diósi Lajos
Published: December 2019

I impose the Newtonian criteria of inertial frames on the c.o.m.trajectories of massive objects undergoing spontaneous collapse of their wave function. The corresponding modification of the so far used stochastic Schrödinger equation eliminates the Brownian motion of the c.o.m., and restores the exact inertial motion for free masses. For the collapse of Schrödinger cat states the Born rule is satisfied invariably. The proposed machinery comes from the radical assumption that, in the vicinity of the spontaneously localized mass, the stochastic fluctuations of the c.o.m.—inevitable in the collapse process—would drag the physical inertial frame with themselves. The perspective of a general theory is presented where the spontaneous-collapse-caused breakdown of local energy-momentum conservation could be remedied by altering the metric, resulting in collapse-induced curvature of the space-time. My assumption of frame-drag by quantized masses is independent of the general relativistic frame-drag by classical masses.
From Climatic to Anthropogenic Drivers: A Multi-Proxy Reconstruction of Vegetation and Peatland Development in the French Jura Mountains
Authors: Gauthier Emilie , Jassey Vincent E.J. , Mitchell Edward A.D. , Lamentowicz Mariusz , Payne Richard , Delarue Frédéric , Laggoun-Defarge Fatima , Gilbert Daniel , Richard Hervé
Published: December 2019

A 4 m core was extracted from the center of a peatland located in the Drugeon valley (France). Thirteen radiocarbon dates were used to build a robust age model. Testate amoebae were used for reconstructing mire surface wetness. High-resolution pollen analysis of the sequence reconstructed 9 millennia of development of the peatland and its surrounding vegetation. During the early/middle Holocene (9500 to 5800 cal BP), warm conditions led to high evapotranspiration and low water levels. The vegetation history is characterized by the development of a Pinus and a mixed Quercus forest. From 5800 cal BP, testate amoebae show wetter conditions, indicating the onset of the cooler Neoglacial period. The cooling is also evidenced by the development of Abies and Fagus trees, replacing the oak forest. The first indicators of human impact appear at about 4800 cal BP, and indicators of farming activity remains very rare until ca. 2600 cal BP, at the beginning of the Iron Age. The development of the peatland responded to climatic fluctuation until 2600 cal BP, after which human impact became the main driver. The last millennium has been characterized by sudden drying and the spread of pine on the peatland.
Evaluation of Two SMAP Soil Moisture Retrievals Using Modeled- and Ground-Based Measurements
Authors: Bai Li , Lv Xin , Li Xiaojun
Published: December 2019

A comprehensive evaluation of the performance of satellite-based soil moisture (SM) retrievals is undoubtedly very important to improve its quality and evaluate its potential application in hydrology, climate, and natural disasters (drought, flood, etc.). Since the release of the SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) mission data in April 2015, the associated SM retrieval algorithms have developed rapidly, and their improvement work is still in progress. However, some newly developed SM retrievals have not been fully assessed and inter-compared. One such product is the new multi-temporal dual-channel retrieval algorithm (MT-DCA) SM retrievals, which was recently retrieved using the so-called MT-DCA algorithm. To solve this, we aim to assess the MT-DCA SM retrievals along with the SMAP-enhanced level three SM products (SPL3SMP_E, version 2). More specifically, in this paper we evaluated and inter-compared the two SMAP SM retrievals with the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) modeled SM and ISMN (International Soil Moisture Network) in situ observations by applying four statistical scores: Pearson correlation coefficient (R), root mean square difference (RMSD), bias, and unbiased RMSD (ubRMSD). It was found that both SMAP SM retrievals can better capture the seasonal variations of ECMWF-modeled SM and ground-based measurements according to correlations, and MT-DCA SM was drier than SPL3SMP_E SM by ~0.018 m3/m3 on average on a global scale. With respect to the ISMN ground-based measurements, the performance of SPL3SMP_E SM compared better than the MT-DCA SM. The median ubRMSD of SPL3SMP_E SM and MT-DCA SM with ground measurements computed over all selected ISMN sites were 0.058 m3/m3 and 0.070 m3/m3, respectively.
Three-Dimensional Cloud Structure Reconstruction from the Directional Polarimetric Camera
Authors: Yu Haixiao , Ma Jinji , Ahmad Safura , Sun Erchang , Li Chao , Li Zhengqiang , Hong Jin
Published: December 2019

Clouds affect radiation transmission through the atmosphere, which impacts the Earth’ s energy balance and climate. Currently, the study of clouds is mostly based on a two-dimensional (2-D) plane rather than a three-dimensional (3-D) space. However, 3-D cloud reconstruction is playing an important role not only in a radiation transmission calculation but in forecasting climate change as well. Currently, the study of clouds is mostly based on 2-D single angle satellite observation data while the importance of a 3-D structure of clouds in atmospheric radiation transmission is ignored. 3-D structure reconstruction would improve the radiation transmission accuracy of the cloudy atmosphere based on multi-angle observations data. Characterizing the 3-D structure of clouds is crucial for an extensive study of this complex intermediate medium in the atmosphere. In addition, it is also a great carrier for visualization of its parameters. Special attributes and the shape of clouds can be clearly illustrated in a 3-D cloud while these are difficult to describe in a 2-D plane. It provides a more intuitive expression for the study of complex cloud systems. In order to reconstruct a 3-D cloud structure, we develop and explore a ray casting algorithm applied to data from the Directional Polarimetric Camera (DPC), which is onboard the GF-5 satellite. In this paper, we use DPC with characteristics of imaging multiple angles of the same target, and characterize observations of clouds from different angles in 3-D space. This feature allows us to reconstruct 3-D clouds from different angles of observations. In terms of verification, we use cloud profile data provided by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) to compare with the results of reconstructed 3-D clouds based on DPC data. This shows that the reconstruction method has good accuracy and effectiveness. This 3-D cloud reconstruction method would lay a scientific reference for future analysis on the role of clouds in the atmosphere and for the construction of 3-D structures of aerosols.
Atomic Clock Performance Assessment of BeiDou-3 Basic System with the Noise Analysis of Orbit Determination and Time Synchronization
Authors: Jia Xiaolin , Zeng Tian , Ruan Rengui , Mao Yue , Xiao Guorui
Published: December 2019

The basic system of the BeiDou global navigation satellite system (BDS-3) with 18 satellites has been deployed since December 2018. As the primary frequency standard, BDS-3 satellites include two clock types with the passive hydrogen maser (PHM) and the rubidium atomic frequency standard (RAFS). Based on the final precise orbit and clock product from Xi’an Research Institute of Surveying and Mapping (XRS), the atomic clock performance of BDS-3 satellites is evaluated, including the frequency accuracy, frequency drift rate, and frequency stability, and compared with GPS block IIF satellites with RAFS, Galileo satellites with PHM, and BDS-2 satellites. A data auto-editing procedure to preprocess clock data and assess the clock performance is developed, where the assessed results are derived at each continuous data arc and the outliers are excluded properly. The stability of XRS product noise is given by using some stations equipped with high-precision active hydrogen masers (AHM). The best stability is 8.93 × 10−15 and 1.85 × 10−15 for the averaging time of 10,000 s and 1 day, which is basically comparable to one-third of the in-orbit PHM frequency stability. The assessed results show the average frequency accuracy and drift rate of BDS-3 with RAFS are slightly worse while the stability is better than BDS-2 medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites. The 10,000 s stability is better but the 1-day stability is worse than GPS, which may be related to the performance of the BDS-3 RAFS clock. As for BDS-3 with PHM, the frequency accuracy is slightly worse than Galileo PHM satellites; the drift rate, when excluding C34 and C35, is basically comparable to Galileo and significantly better than GPS satellites; the stability is comparable to Galileo, where the 10,000 s stability is slightly worse than Galileo and better than GPS. The 1-day stability among BDS-3 PHM, GPS IIF RAFS, and Galileo PHM satellites is basically comparable.
An Enhanced Deep Convolutional Model for Spatiotemporal Image Fusion
Authors: Tan Zhenyu , Di Liping , Zhang Mingda , Guo Liying , Gao Meiling
Published: December 2019

Earth observation data with high spatiotemporal resolution are critical for dynamic monitoring and prediction in geoscience applications, however, due to some technique and budget limitations, it is not easy to acquire satellite images with both high spatial and high temporal resolutions. Spatiotemporal image fusion techniques provide a feasible and economical solution for generating dense-time data with high spatial resolution, pushing the limits of current satellite observation systems. Among existing various fusion algorithms, deeplearningbased models reveal a promising prospect with higher accuracy and robustness. This paper refined and improved the existing deep convolutional spatiotemporal fusion network (DCSTFN) to further boost model prediction accuracy and enhance image quality. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, the fusion result is improved considerably with brand-new network architecture and a novel compound loss function. Experiments conducted in two different areas demonstrate these improvements by comparing them with existing algorithms. The enhanced DCSTFN model shows superior performance with higher accuracy, vision quality, and robustness. Second, the advantages and disadvantages of existing deeplearningbased spatiotemporal fusion models are comparatively discussed and a network design guide for spatiotemporal fusion is provided as a reference for future research. Those comparisons and guidelines are summarized based on numbers of actual experiments and have promising potentials to be applied for other image sources with customized spatiotemporal fusion networks.
A Comparison of the Influence of Vegetation Cover on the Precision of an UAV 3D Model and Ground Measurement Data for Archaeological Investigations: A Case Study of the Lepelionys Mound, Middle Lithuania
Authors: Česnulevičius Algimantas , Bautrėnas Artūras , Bevainis Linas , Ovodas Donatas
Published: December 2019

The aim of this research was to conduct a comparative analysis of the precision of ground geodetic data versus the three-dimensional (3D) measurements from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), while establishing the impact of herbaceous vegetation on the UAV 3D model. Low (up to 0.5 m high) herbaceous vegetation can impede the establishment of the anthropogenic roughness of the surface. The identification of minor surface alterations, which enables the determination of their anthropogenic origin, is of utmost importance in archaeological investigations. Vegetation cover is regarded as one of the factors influencing the identification of such minor forms of relief. The research was conducted on the Lepelionys Mound (Prienai District Municipality, Lithuania). Ground measurements were obtained using Trimble GPS, and UAV “Inspire 1” was used for taking aerial photographs. Following the data from the ground measurements and aerial photographs, large scale surface maps were drawn and the errors in the measurement of the position of the isolines were compared. The results showed that the largest errors in the positional measurements of fixed objects were conditioned by the height of grass. Grass with a height of up to 0.1 m resulted in discrepancies of up to 0.5 m, whereas grass that was up to 0.5 m high led to discrepancies up to 1.3 m high.
Energy Efficient Resource Allocation for M2M Devices in LTE/LTE-A
Authors: Rekhissa Hajer Ben , Belleudy Cecile , Bessaguet Philippe
Published: December 2019

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication consists of the communication between intelligent devices without human intervention. Long term evolution (LTE) and Long-term evolution-advanced (LTE-A) cellular networks technologies are excellent candidates to support M2M communication as they offer high data rates, low latencies, high capacities and more flexibility. However, M2M communication over LTE/LTE-A networks faces some challenges. One of these challenges is the management of resource radios especially on the uplink. LTE schedulers should be able to meet the needs of M2M devices, such as power management and the support of large number of devices, in addition to handling both human-to-human (H2H) and M2M communications. Motivated by the fundamental requirement of extending the battery lives of M2M devices and managing an LTE network system, including both M2M devices and H2H users, in this paper, two channel-aware scheduling algorithms on the uplink are proposed. Both of them consider the coexistence of H2H and M2M communications and aim to reduce energy consumption in M2M devices. The first algorithm, called FDPS-carrier-by-carrier modified (CBC-M), takes into account channel quality and power consumption while allocating radio resources. Our second algorithm, recursive maximum expansion modified (RME-M), offers a balance between delay requirement and energy consumption. Depending on the system requirements, RME-M considers both channel quality and system deadlines in an adjustable manner according to M2M devices needs. Simulation results show that the proposed schedulers outperform the round-robin scheduler in terms of energy efficiency and have better cell spectral efficiency.
Using 3D Convolutional Neural Networks for Tactile Object Recognition with Robotic Palpation
Authors: Pastor Francisco , Gandarias Juan M. , García-Cerezo Alfonso J. , Gómez-de-Gabriel Jesús M.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, a novel method of active tactile perception based on 3D neural networks and a high-resolution tactile sensor installed on a robot gripper is presented. A haptic exploratory procedure based on robotic palpation is performed to get pressure images at different grasping forces that provide information not only about the external shape of the object, but also about its internal features. The gripper consists of two underactuated fingers with a tactile sensor array in the thumb. A new representation of tactile information as 3D tactile tensors is described. During a squeeze-and-release process, the pressure images read from the tactile sensor are concatenated forming a tensor that contains information about the variation of pressure matrices along with the grasping forces. These tensors are used to feed a 3D Convolutional Neural Network (3D CNN) called 3D TactNet, which is able to classify the grasped object through active interaction. Results show that 3D CNN performs better, and provide better recognition rates with a lower number of training data.
Adaptive Filtering on GPS-Aided MEMS-IMU for Optimal Estimation of Ground Vehicle Trajectory
Authors: Ahmed Haseeb , Ullah Ihsan , Khan Uzair , Qureshi Muhammad Bilal , Manzoor Sajjad , Muhammad Nazeer , Shahid Khan Muhammad Usman , Nawaz Raheel
Published: December 2019

Fusion of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation of ground vehicles is an extensively researched topic for military and civilian applications. Micro-electro-mechanical-systems-based inertial measurement units (MEMS-IMU) are being widely used in numerous commercial applications due to their low cost; however, they are characterized by relatively poor accuracy when compared with more expensive counterparts. With a sudden boom in research and development of autonomous navigation technology for consumer vehicles, the need to enhance estimation accuracy and reliability has become critical, while aiming to deliver a cost-effective solution. Optimal fusion of commercially available, low-cost MEMS-IMU and the GPS may provide one such solution. Different variants of the Kalman filter have been proposed and implemented for integration of the GPS and the INS. This paper proposes a framework for the fusion of adaptive Kalman filters, based on Sage-Husa and strong tracking filtering algorithms, implemented on MEMS-IMU and the GPS for the case of a ground vehicle. The error models of the inertial sensors have also been implemented to achieve reliable and accurate estimations. Simulations have been carried out on actual navigation data from a test vehicle. Measurements were obtained using commercially available GPS receiver and MEMS-IMU. The solution was shown to enhance navigation accuracy when compared to conventional Kalman filter.
Radiolocation Devices for Detection and Tracking Small High-Speed Ballistic Objects—Features, Applications, and Methods of Tests
Authors: Brzozowski Marek , Pakowski Mariusz , Nowakowski Mirosław , Myszka Mirosław , Michalczewski Mirosław
Published: December 2019

This article describes radiolocation devices dedicated to the detection and tracking of small high-speed ballistic objects and multifunctional radars. This functionality is implemented by applying space search technology and adaptive algorithms for detection and tracking of air objects in parallel with classic search and tracking of objects in controlled airspace. This article presents examples of the construction of both types of devices produced by foreign companies and Polish industry. The following sections present methods for testing radars with the function of tracking small high-speed ballistic objects along with examples of results of observations of combat ammunition.
A Bayesian Approach for Remote Depth Estimation of Buried Low-Level Radioactive Waste with a NaI(Tl) Detector
Authors: Kim Jinhwan , Lim Kyung Taek , Park Kyeongjin , Cho Gyuseong
Published: December 2019

This study reports on the implementation of Bayesian inference to improve the estimation of remote-depth profiling for low-level radioactive contaminants with a low-resolution NaI(Tl) detector. In particular, we demonstrate that this approach offers results that are more reliable because it provides a mean value with a 95% credible interval by determining the probability distributions of the burial depth and activity of a radioisotope in a single measurement. To evaluate the proposed method, the simulation was compared with experimental measurements. The simulation showed that the proposed method was able to detect the depth of a Cs-137 point source buried below 60 cm in sand, with a 95% credible interval. The experiment also showed that the maximum detectable depths for weakly active 0.94-μCi Cs-137 and 0.69-μCi Co-60 sources buried in sand was 21 cm, providing an improved performance compared to existing methods. In addition, the maximum detectable depths hardly degraded, even with a reduced acquisition time of less than 60 s or with gain-shift effects; therefore, the proposed method is appropriate for the accurate and rapid non-intrusive localization of buried low-level radioactive contaminants during in situ measurement.
An Improved Normalized Mutual Information Variable Selection Algorithm for Neural Network-Based Soft Sensors
Authors: Sun Kai , Tian Pengxin , Qi Huanning , Ma Fengying , Yang Genke
Published: December 2019

In this paper, normalized mutual information feature selection (NMIFS) and tabu search (TS) are integrated to develop a new variable selection algorithm for soft sensors. NMIFS is applied to select influential variables contributing to the output variable and avoids selecting redundant variables by calculating mutual information (MI). A TS based strategy is designed to prevent NMIFS from falling into a local optimal solution. The proposed algorithm performs the variable selection by combining the entropy information and MI and validating error information of artificial neural networks (ANNs); therefore, it has advantages over previous MI-based variable selection algorithms. Several simulation datasets with different scales, correlations and noise parameters are implemented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm. A set of actual production data from a power plant is also used to check the performance of these algorithms. The experiments showed that the developed variable selection algorithm presents better model accuracy with fewer selected variables, compared with other state-of-the-art methods. The application of this algorithm to soft sensors can achieve reliable results.