bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth Characteristics of Ectomycorrhizal Seedlings of Quercus glauca, Quercus salicina, Quercus myrsinaefolia, and Castanopsis cuspidata Planted in Calcareous Soil
Authors: Kayama Masazumi , Yamanaka Takashi
Published: November 2016

To verify the acclimation capacity of evergreen Fagaceae species on calcareous soil, we compared ecophysiological traits between Quercus glauca Thunb., Q. salicina Blume, Q. myrsinaefolia Blume, and Castanopsis cuspidata (Thunb.) Schottky as typical woody species from southwestern Japan. We also examined the inoculation effects of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi Astraeus hygrometricus and Scleroderma citrinum, and planted seedlings in calcareous soil collected from a limestone quarry. We measured growth, ectomycorrhizal colonization, photosynthetic rate, and concentrations of nutrients in plant organs for A. hygrometricus-inoculated, S. citrinum-inoculated, and non-ECM seedlings. Six months after planting on calcareous soil, seedlings of the three Quercus species inoculated with A. hygrometricus were larger than non-ECM seedlings, especially Q. salicina, which showed the greatest increase in dry mass. The dry mass of C. cuspidata seedlings was inferior to that of the three Quercus species. In the nutrient-uptake analysis, phosphorus, manganese, and iron uptakes were suppressed in calcareous soil for each Fagaceae species. However, seedlings of Fagaceae species that showed better growth had increased concentrations of phosphorus in roots. We concluded that seedlings of Q. salicina and Q. glauca inoculated with A. hygrometricus were best suited to calcareous soil and were considered as useful species for the reforestation in limestone quarries.
Self-Reported Ache, Pain, or Numbness in Feet and Use of Computers amongst Working-Age Finns
Authors: Korpinen Leena , Pääkkönen Rauno , Gobba Fabriziomaria
Published: November 2016

The use of the computers and other technical devices has increased. The aim of our work was to study the possible relation between self-reported foot symptoms and use of computers and cell phones using a questionnaire. The study was carried out as a cross-sectional study by posting a questionnaire to 15,000 working-age Finns. A total of 6121 responded, and 7.1% of respondents reported that they very often experienced pain, numbness, and aches in the feet. They also often experienced other symptoms: 52.3% had symptoms in the neck, 53.5% in had problems in the hip and lower back, and 14.6% often had sleeping disorders/disturbances. Only 11.2% of the respondents thought that their symptoms were connected to the use of desktop computers. We found that persons with symptoms in the feet quite often, or more often, had additional physical and mental symptoms. In future studies, it is important to take into account that the persons with symptoms in the feet may very often have other symptoms, and the use of computers can influence these symptoms.
Psychometric Properties of a 36-Item Version of the “Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool”
Authors: Toderi Stefano , Sarchielli Guido
Published: November 2016

The development of supervisors’ behaviours has been proposed as an innovative approach for the reduction of employees’ work stress. The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) developed the “Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool” (SMCIT), designed to be used within a learning and development intervention. However, its psychometric properties have never been evaluated, and the length of the questionnaire (66 items) limits its practical applicability. We developed a brief 36-item version of the questionnaire, assessed its psychometric properties and studied the relationship with the employees’ psychosocial work environment. 353 employees filled in the brief SMCIT and the “Stress Management Indicator Tool”. The latter is a self-report questionnaire developed by the UK HSE, measuring workers’ perceptions of seven dimensions of the psychosocial work environment that if not properly managed can lead to harm. Data were analysed with structural equation modelling and multiple regressions. The results confirmed the factorial structure of the brief SMCIT questionnaire and mainly supported the convergent validity and internal consistency of the scales. Furthermore, with few exceptions, the relations hypothesized between supervisors’ competencies and the psychosocial work environment were confirmed, supporting the criterion validity of the revised questionnaire and the UK HSE framework. We conclude that the brief 36-item version of the SMCIT represents an important step toward the development of interventions directed at supervisors and we discuss the practical implications for work stress prevention.
Soil-Plant Metal Relations in Panax notoginseng: An Ecosystem Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Ou Xiaohong , Wang Li , Guo Lanping , Cui Xiuming , Liu Dahui , Yang Ye
Published: November 2016

This study features a survey of the content of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg and Cu) in root and cultivation soils of Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng), carried out in China’s Yunnan Province. The average contents of Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, and Cu in the soil were 61.6, 0.4, 102.4, 57.1, 0.3, and 35.1 mg·kg−1, respectively. The heavy metals’ pollution indexes can be ranked as follows: As > Cd > Hg > Cu > Cr > Pb. The proportion of soil samples at slight, middle, strong, very strong, and extremely strong levels of potential environmental risk had values of 5.41%, 21.62%, 35.14%, 10.81%, and 27.03%, respectively. The potential environment risk index (RI) showed that 29.73% out of the total sample sites were above the level of strong and extremely strong. The ranges of Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, and Cu content in tuber were 0.04–3.26, 0.04–0.33, 0.22–5.4, 0.10–1.8, 0.00–0.02, and 5.0–20.9 mg·kg−1, respectively. In combination with P. notoginseng consumption data, the estimated heavy metal daily intakes (EDIs) were 0.08–0.23, 0.006–0.019, 0.17–0.52, 0.04–0.12, 0.001–0.002, and 0.59–1.77 μg·kg−1·bw/day. All target hazard quotients (THQs) of individual elements and hazard indexes (HI) were less than one. The present study indicates that most of the P. notoginseng cultivation soil in the province of Yunnan presented slight and moderate ecological risk. Thus, more attention should be given to the heavy metals As, Cd, and Hg when selecting planting areas for the cultivation of P. notoginseng. Health risks associated with the intake of a single element or consumption of the combined metals through P. notoginseng are absent.
Analysing the Effects of Flood-Resilience Technologies in Urban Areas Using a Synthetic Model Approach
Authors: Schinke Reinhard , Kaidel Anna , Golz Sebastian , Naumann Thomas , López-Gutiérrez José , Garvin Stephen
Published: November 2016

Flood protection systems with their spatial effects play an important role in managing and reducing flood risks. The planning and decision process as well as the technical implementation are well organized and often exercised. However, building-related flood-resilience technologies (FReT) are often neglected due to the absence of suitable approaches to analyse and to integrate such measures in large-scale flood damage mitigation concepts. Against this backdrop, a synthetic model-approach was extended by few complementary methodical steps in order to calculate flood damage to buildings considering the effects of building-related FReT and to analyse the area-related reduction of flood risks by geo-information systems (GIS) with high spatial resolution. It includes a civil engineering based investigation of characteristic properties with its building construction including a selection and combination of appropriate FReT as a basis for derivation of synthetic depth-damage functions. Depending on the real exposition and the implementation level of FReT, the functions can be used and allocated in spatial damage and risk analyses. The application of the extended approach is shown at a case study in Valencia (Spain). In this way, the overall research findings improve the integration of FReT in flood risk management. They provide also some useful information for advising of individuals at risk supporting the selection and implementation of FReT.
The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Aleurocanthus camelliae: Insights into Gene Arrangement and Genome Organization within the Family Aleyrodidae
Authors: Chen Shi-Chun , Wang Xiao-Qing , Li Pin-Wu , Hu Xiang , Wang Jin-Jun , Peng Ping
Published: November 2016

There are numerous gene rearrangements and transfer RNA gene absences existing in mitochondrial (mt) genomes of Aleyrodidae species. To understand how mt genomes evolved in the family Aleyrodidae, we have sequenced the complete mt genome of Aleurocanthus camelliae and comparatively analyzed all reported whitefly mt genomes. The mt genome of A. camelliae is 15,188 bp long, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 21 tRNA genes and a putative control region (GenBank: KU761949). The tRNA gene, trnI, has not been observed in this genome. The mt genome has a unique gene order and shares most gene boundaries with Tetraleurodes acaciae. Nineteen of 21 tRNA genes have the conventional cloverleaf shaped secondary structure and two (trnS1 and trnS2) lack the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. Using ARWEN and homologous sequence alignment, we have identified five tRNA genes and revised the annotation for three whitefly mt genomes. This result suggests that most absent genes exist in the genomes and have not been identified, due to be lack of technology and inference sequence. The phylogenetic relationships among 11 whiteflies and Drosophila melanogaster were inferred by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Aleurocanthus camelliae and T. acaciae form a sister group, and all three Bemisia tabaci and two Bemisia afer strains gather together. These results are identical to the relationships inferred from gene order. We inferred that gene rearrangement plays an important role in the mt genome evolved from whiteflies.
Cell-Free RNA Content in Peripheral Blood as Potential Biomarkers for Detecting Circulating Tumor Cells in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Authors: Yu Xin-Min , Wu Yi-Chen , Liu Xiang , Huang Xian-Cong , Hou Xiu-Xiu , Wang Jiu-Li , Cheng Xiang-Liu , Mao Wei-Min , Ling Zhi-Qiang
Published: November 2016

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been implicated in tumor progression and prognosis. Techniques detecting CTCs in the peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) may help to identify individuals likely to benefit from early systemic treatment. However, the detection of CTCs with a single marker is challenging, owing to low specificity and sensitivity and due to the heterogeneity and rareness of CTCs. Herein, the probability of cell-free RNA content in the peripheral blood as a potential biomarker for detecting CTCs in cancer patients was investigated. An immunomagnetic enrichment of real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) technology for analysis of CTCs in NSCLC patients was also developed. The mRNA levels of four candidate genes, cytokeratin 7 (CK7), E74-like factor 3 (ELF3), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor B4 (EphB4) that were significantly elevated in tumor tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined. The expression of CK7 and ELF3 in tumor tissues and EGFR in PBMCs was associated with lymph node metastasis (all p < 0.05). The expression of CK7 in PBMCs was correlated with age and EphB4 in PBMCs correlated with histopathological type, respectively (all p < 0.05). The expression of all four genes in tumor tissues and PBMCs was significantly correlated with the clinical stage (all p < 0.01). Survival analysis showed that the patients with enhanced expression of CK7, ELF3, EGFR, and EphB4 mRNA in PBMCs had poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than those without (all p < 0.0001). The present study showed that this alteration of cell-free RNA content in peripheral blood might have clinical ramifications in the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC patients.
A Novel Role of Dickkopf-Related Protein 3 in Macropinocytosis in Human Bladder Cancer T24 Cells
Authors: Tsujimura Nonoka , Yamada Nami , Kuranaga Yuki , Kumazaki Minami , Shinohara Haruka , Taniguchi Kohei , Akao Yukihiro
Published: November 2016

Dickkopf-related protein 3 (Dkk-3) is a potential tumor suppressor reported in various cancer entities. However, we found that Dkk-3 was exceptionally upregulated in bladder cancer T24 cells. To validate the biological role of Dkk-3 other than a tumor suppressor, we examined the function of Dkk-3 in T24 cells. Gene silencing of Dkk-3 inhibited cell growth through inducing G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest. Furthermore, Dkk-3 knock-down caused macropinocytosis accompanied by autophagy, which were canceled in part by their inhibitors 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA) and 3-methyladenine (3-MA). The macropinocytosis was induced by the Dkk-3 knock-down when there were sufficient extracellular nutrients. On the other hand, when the nutritional condition was poor, the autophagy was mainly induced by the Dkk-3 knock-down. These data indicated that Dkk-3 has a role in modulating macropinocytotic and autophagic pathways, a distinct function other than a Wnt antagonist.
Hydrostatic Compress Force Enhances the Viability and Decreases the Apoptosis of Condylar Chondrocytes through Integrin-FAK-ERK/PI3K Pathway
Authors: Ma Dandan , Kou Xiaoxing , Jin Jing , Xu Taotao , Wu Mengjie , Deng Liquan , Fu Lusi , Liu Yi , Wu Gang , Lu Haiping
Published: November 2016

Reduced mechanical stimuli in many pathological cases, such as hemimastication and limited masticatory movements, can significantly affect the metabolic activity of mandibular condylar chondrocytes and the growth of mandibles. However, the molecular mechanisms for these phenomena remain unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that integrin-focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-ERK (extracellular signal–regulated kinase)/PI3K (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase) signaling pathway mediated the cellular response of condylar chondrocytes to mechanical loading. Primary condylar chondrocytes were exposed to hydrostatic compressive forces (HCFs) of different magnitudes (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kPa) for 2 h. We measured the viability, morphology, and apoptosis of the chondrocytes with different treatments as well as the gene, protein expression, and phosphorylation of mechanosensitivity-related molecules, such as integrin α2, integrin α5, integrin β1, FAK, ERK, and PI3K. HCFs could significantly increase the viability and surface area of condylar chondrocytes and decrease their apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. HCF of 250 kPa resulted in a 1.51 ± 0.02-fold increase of cell viability and reduced the ratio of apoptotic cells from 18.10% ± 0.56% to 7.30% ± 1.43%. HCFs could significantly enhance the mRNA and protein expression of integrin α2, integrin α5, and integrin β1 in a dose-dependent manner, but not ERK1, ERK2, or PI3K. Instead, HCF could significantly increase phosphorylation levels of FAK, ERK1/2, and PI3K in a dose-dependent manner. Cilengitide, the potent integrin inhibitor, could dose-dependently block such effects of HCFs. HCFs enhances the viability and decreases the apoptosis of condylar chondrocytes through the integrin-FAK-ERK/PI3K pathway.
Credit Scoring by Fuzzy Support Vector Machines with a Novel Membership Function
Authors: Shi Jian , Xu Benlian
Published: November 2016

Due to the recent financial crisis and European debt crisis, credit risk evaluation has become an increasingly important issue for financial institutions. Reliable credit scoring models are crucial for commercial banks to evaluate the financial performance of clients and have been widely studied in the fields of statistics and machine learning. In this paper a novel fuzzy support vector machine (SVM) credit scoring model is proposed for credit risk analysis, in which fuzzy membership is adopted to indicate different contribution of each input point to the learning of SVM classification hyperplane. Considering the methodological consistency, support vector data description (SVDD) is introduced to construct the fuzzy membership function and to reduce the effect of outliers and noises. The SVDD-based fuzzy SVM model is tested against the traditional fuzzy SVM on two real-world datasets and the research results confirm the effectiveness of the presented method.
Mechanical Properties of Auxetic Cellular Material Consisting of Re-Entrant Hexagonal Honeycombs
Authors: Zhang Xiangwen , Yang Deqing
Published: November 2016

A preliminary study of the mechanical properties of auxetic cellular material consisting of re-entrant hexagonal honeycombs is presented. For different scales of the honeycombs, the finite element method (FEM) and experimental models are used to perform a parametric analysis on the effects of the Poisson’s ratio (cell angle) and the relative density (cell thickness) of honeycombs on bearing capacity and dynamic performance of the auxetic material. The analysis demonstrates that the ultimate bearing capacity of the presented auxetic cellular material is scale-independent when the Poisson’s ratio and the relative density are kept constant. The relationship between the geometric parameters and vibration level difference of the honeycombs is also revealed, which can be divided into two converse parts around the Poisson’s ratio v = − 1.5 . When v is smaller than −1.5, increasing the cell thickness leads to an increase in the vibration level difference of the honeycombs. Moreover, the dynamic performance of thin-walled honeycombs is greatly influenced by the scale of the honeycombs, especially for the ones with small Poisson’s ratio. These conclusions are verified by a frequency response test and a good agreement between the numerical results and experimental data is achieved.
Linear and Nonlinear Guided Wave Imaging of Impact Damage in CFRP Using a Probabilistic Approach
Authors: Hettler Jan , Tabatabaeipour Morteza , Delrue Steven , Van Den Abeele Koen
Published: November 2016

The amount and variety of composite structures that need to be inspected for the presence of impact damage has grown significantly in the last few decades. In this paper, an application of a probabilistic ultrasonic guided wave imaging technique for impact damage detection in carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) is presented. On the one hand, a linear, baseline-dependent, technique utilizing the well-known correlation-based RAPID method and an array of piezoelectric transducers is applied to detect impact-induced damage in plate-like composite structures. Furthermore, a baseline-independent nonlinear extension of the standard RAPID method is proposed, and its performance is demonstrated both numerically and experimentally. Compared to the conventional RAPID, the baseline-free version suffers from a somewhat lower imaging quality. However, this drawback is compensated by the fact that no damage-free (intact) baseline is necessary for successful imaging of damage.
Sputtering Power Effects on Growth and Mechanical Properties of Cr2AlC MAX Phase Coatings
Authors: Naveed Muhammad , Obrosov Aleksei , Zak Andrzej , Dudzinski Wlodzimierz , Volinsky Alex , Weiß Sabine
Published: November 2016

Coating growth and mechanical properties of nanolamellar Cr2AlC coatings at various sputtering power were investigated in the present study. Cr2AlC coating was deposited on the IN 718 superalloy and (100) Si wafers by DC magnetron sputtering at different sputtering powers. The structure and properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoindentation. It was found that coatings had columnar structure with nanocrystalline substructure. Deposition rate increased with the sputtering power. XRD results showed the presence of the Cr2AlC MAX phase, intermetallic AlCr2 and Cr7C3 carbide phases, along with the change in preferential coating growth orientation. TEM observations confirmed the occurrence of these phases, and the SAED patterns demonstrated significant texture of the coatings. Hardness values were measured in the range between 11–14 GPa, showing a slight increase with the sputtering power.
Electrothermal Actuators for SiO2 Photonic MEMS
Authors: Peters Tjitte-Jelte , Tichem Marcel
Published: November 2016

This paper describes the design, fabrication and characterization of electrothermal bimorph actuators consisting of polysilicon on top of thick (>10 μ m ) silicon dioxide beams. This material platform enables the integration of actuators with photonic waveguides, producing mechanically-flexible photonic waveguide structures that are positionable. These structures are explored as part of a novel concept for highly automated, sub-micrometer precision chip-to-chip alignment. In order to prevent residual stress-induced fracturing that is associated with the release of thick oxide structures from a silicon substrate, a special reinforcement method is applied to create suspended silicon dioxide beam structures. The characterization includes measurements of the post-release deformation (i.e., without actuation), as well as the deflection resulting from quasi-static and dynamic actuation. The post-release deformation reveals a curvature, resulting in the free ends of 800 μ m long silicon dioxide beams with 5 μ m-thick polysilicon to be situated approximately 80 μ m above the chip surface. Bimorph actuators that are 800 μ m in length produce an out-of-plane deflection of approximately 11 μ m at 60 mW dissipated power, corresponding to an estimated 240 ∘ C actuator temperature. The delivered actuation force of the 800 μ m-long bimorph actuators having 5 μ m-thick polysilicon is calculated to be approximately 750 μN at 120 mW .
“Miswak” Based Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: Evaluation and Comparison of Their Microbicidal Activities with the Chemical Synthesis
Authors: Shaik Mohammed , Albalawi Ghadeer , Khan Shams , Khan Merajuddin , Adil Syed , Kuniyil Mufsir , Al-Warthan Abdulrahman , Siddiqui Mohammed , Alkhathlan Hamad , Khan Mujeeb
Published: November 2016

Microbicidal potential of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) can be drastically improved by improving their solubility or wettability in the aqueous medium. In the present study, we report the synthesis of both green and chemical synthesis of Ag-NPs, and evaluate the effect of the dispersion qualities of as-prepared Ag-NPs from both methods on their antimicrobial activities. The green synthesis of Ag-NPs is carried out by using an aqueous solution of readily available Salvadora persica L. root extract (RE) as a bioreductant. The formation of highly crystalline Ag-NPs was established by various analytical and microscopic techniques. The rich phenolic contents of S. persica L. RE (Miswak) not only promoted the reduction and formation of NPs but they also facilitated the stabilization of the Ag-NPs, which was established by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. Furthermore, the influence of the volume of the RE on the size and the dispersion qualities of the NPs was also evaluated. It was revealed that with increasing the volume of RE the size of the NPs was deteriorated, whereas at lower concentrations of RE smaller size and less aggregated NPs were obtained. During this study, the antimicrobial activities of both chemically and green synthesized Ag-NPs, along with the aqueous RE of S. persica L., were evaluated against various microorganisms. It was observed that the green synthesized Ag-NPs exhibit comparable or slightly higher antibacterial activities than the chemically obtained Ag-NPs.
Correction: Ramírez-Vélez, R.; et al. Performance of Two Bioelectrical Impedance Analyses in the Diagnosis of Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents: The FUPRECOL Study. Nutrients 2016, 8, 575
Authors: Ramírez-Vélez Robinson , Correa-Bautista Jorge , Martínez-Torres Javier , González-Ruíz Katherine , González-Jiménez Emilio , Valle Jacqueline , Garcia-Hermoso Antonio
Published: November 2016

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Decreasing Ore Grades in Global Metallic Mining: A Theoretical Issue or a Global Reality?
Authors: Calvo Guiomar , Mudd Gavin , Valero Alicia , Valero Antonio
Published: November 2016

Mining industry requires high amounts of energy to extract and process resources, including a variety of concentration and refining processes. Using energy consumption information, different sustainability issues can be addressed, such as the relationship with ore grade over the years, energy variations in electricity or fossil fuel use. A rigorous analysis and understanding of the energy intensity use in mining is the first step towards a more sustainable mining industry and, globally, better resource management. Numerous studies have focused on the energy consumption of mining projects, with analysis carried out primarily in one single country or one single region. This paper quantifies, on a global level, the relationship between ore grade and energy intensity. With the case of copper, the study has shown that the average copper ore grade is decreasing over time, while the energy consumption and the total material production in the mine increases. Analyzing only copper mines, the average ore grade has decreased approximately by 25% in just ten years. In that same period, the total energy consumption has increased at a higher rate than production (46% energy increase over 30% production increase).
A New Empirical Model for Radar Scattering from Bare Soil Surfaces
Authors: Baghdadi Nicolas , Choker Mohammad , Zribi Mehrez , Hajj Mohammad , Paloscia Simonetta , Verhoest Niko , Lievens Hans , Baup Frederic , Mattia Francesco
Published: November 2016

The objective of this paper is to propose a new semi-empirical radar backscattering model for bare soil surfaces based on the Dubois model. A wide dataset of backscattering coefficients extracted from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and in situ soil surface parameter measurements (moisture content and roughness) is used. The retrieval of soil parameters from SAR images remains challenging because the available backscattering models have limited performances. Existing models, physical, semi-empirical, or empirical, do not allow for a reliable estimate of soil surface geophysical parameters for all surface conditions. The proposed model, developed in HH, HV, and VV polarizations, uses a formulation of radar signals based on physical principles that are validated in numerous studies. Never before has a backscattering model been built and validated on such an important dataset as the one proposed in this study. It contains a wide range of incidence angles (18°–57°) and radar wavelengths (L, C, X), well distributed, geographically, for regions with different climate conditions (humid, semi-arid, and arid sites), and involving many SAR sensors. The results show that the new model shows a very good performance for different radar wavelengths (L, C, X), incidence angles, and polarizations (RMSE of about 2 dB). This model is easy to invert and could provide a way to improve the retrieval of soil parameters.
Seasonal Habitat Patterns of Japanese Common Squid (Todarodes Pacificus) Inferred from Satellite-Based Species Distribution Models
Authors: Alabia Irene , Dehara Mariko , Saitoh Sei-Ichi , Hirawake Toru
Published: November 2016

The understanding of the spatio-temporal distributions of the species habitat in the marine environment is central to effectual resource management and conservation. Here, we examined the potential habitat distributions of Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus) in the Sea of Japan during a four-year period. The seasonal patterns of preferential habitat were inferred from species distribution models, built using squid occurrences detected from night-time visible images and remotely-sensed environmental factors. The predicted squid habitat (i.e., areas with high habitat suitability) revealed strong seasonal variability, characterized by a reduction of potential habitat, confined off of the southern part of the basin during the winter–spring period (December–May). Apparent expansion of preferential habitat occurred during summer–autumn months (June–November), concurrent with the formation of highly suitable habitat patches in certain regions of the Sea of Japan. These habitat distribution patterns were in response to changes in oceanographic conditions and synchronous with seasonal migration of squid. Moreover, the most important variables regulating the spatio-temporal patterns of suitable habitat were sea surface temperature, depth, sea surface height anomaly, and eddy kinetic energy. These variables could affect the habitat distributions through their impacts on growth and survival of squid, local nutrient transport, and the availability of favorable spawning and feeding grounds.
Multi-Sensor SAR Image Registration Based on Object Shape
Authors: Rui Jie , Wang Chao , Zhang Hong , Jin Fei
Published: November 2016

Owing to significant differences in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images caused by diverse imaging mechanisms and imaging conditions, inconsistent features and relationship correspondences constitute key problems for traditional image registration algorithms. This study presents a novel SAR image registration method based on the shape information of distinct ground objects, which is obtained via object extraction and morphological operations. We utilize a shape context descriptor to compare the contours of objects and detect invariant control points. The experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve a reliable and stable registration performance for SAR images of different sensors.
Europe’s Green Arteries—A Continental Dataset of Riparian Zones
Authors: Weissteiner Christof , Ickerott Martin , Ott Hannes , Probeck Markus , Ramminger Gernot , Clerici Nicola , Dufourmont Hans , De Sousa Ana
Published: November 2016

Riparian zones represent ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and are of utmost importance to biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Modelling/mapping of these valuable and fragile areas is needed for improved ecosystem management, based on an accounting of changes and on monitoring of their functioning over time. In Europe, the main legislative driver behind this goal is the European Commission’s Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, on the one hand aiming at halting biodiversity loss, on the other hand enhancing ecosystem services by 2020, and restoring them as far as is feasible. A model, based on Earth Observation data, including Digital Elevation Models, hydrological, soil, land cover/land use data, and vegetation indices is employed in a multi-modular and stratified approach, based on fuzzy logic and object based image analysis, to delineate potential, observed and actual riparian zones. The approach is designed in an open modular way, allowing future modifications and repeatability. The results represent a first step of a future monitoring and assessment campaign for European riparian zones and their implications on biodiversity and on ecosystem functions and services. Considering the complexity and the enormous extent of the area, covering 39 European countries, including Turkey, the level of detail is unprecedented. Depending on the accounting modus, 0.95%–1.19% of the study area can be attributed as actual riparian area (considering Strahler’s stream orders 3–8, based on the Copernicus EU-Hydro dataset), corresponding to 55,558–69,128 km2. Similarly, depending on the accounting approach, the potential riparian zones cover an area about 3–5 times larger. Land cover/land use in detected riparian areas was mainly of semi-natural characteristics, while the potential riparian areas are predominately covered by agriculture, followed by semi-natural and urban areas.
Interference Mitigation Achieved with a Reconfigurable Stepped Frequency GPR System
Authors: Persico Raffaele , Leucci Giovanni
Published: November 2016

In this contribution, some possible effects of large band electromagnetic interferences on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data are shown, and a possible way to counteract them is shown, too. The mitigation of the interferences is implemented thanks to a prototypal reconfigurable stepped frequency GPR system, that allows to program the integration time of the harmonic tones vs. the frequency. In particular, an algorithm for the measurement of the effects of the interferences in the field (linked to the signal to interference ratio) is proposed and tested vs. experimental data. The paper will show some advantages and some drawbacks of the proposed procedure.
Multi-Domain SDN Survivability for Agricultural Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Huang Tao , Yan Siyu , Yang Fan , Liu Jiang
Published: November 2016

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been widely applied in agriculture field; meanwhile, the advent of multi-domain software-defined networks (SDNs) have improved the wireless resource utilization rate and strengthened network management. In recent times, multi-domain SDNs have been applied to agricultural sensor networks, namely multi-domain software-defined wireless sensor networks (SDWSNs). However, when the SDNs controlling agriculture networks suddenly become unavailable, whether intra-domain or inter-domain, sensor network communication is abnormal because of the loss of control. Moreover, there are controller and switch info-updating problems even if the controller becomes available again. To resolve these problems, this paper proposes a new approach based on an Open vSwitch extension for multi-domain SDWSNs, which can enhance agriculture network survivability and stability. We achieved this by designing a connection-state mechanism, a communication mechanism on both L2 and L3, and an info-updating mechanism based on Open vSwitch. The experimental results show that, whether it is agricultural inter-domain or intra-domain during the controller failure period, the sensor switches can enter failure recovery mode as soon as possible so that the sensor network keeps a stable throughput, a short failure recovery time below 300 ms, and low packet loss. Further, the domain can smoothly control the domain network again once the controller becomes available. This approach based on an Open vSwitch extension can enhance the survivability and stability of multi-domain SDWSNs in precision agriculture.
Power Transmission Tower Series Extraction in PolSAR Image Based on Time-Frequency Analysis and A-Contrario Theory
Authors: Peng Dongqing , Zhang Haijian , Guo Wei , Yang Wen
Published: November 2016

Based on Time-Frequency (TF) analysis and a-contrario theory, this paper presents a new approach for extraction of linear arranged power transmission tower series in Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PolSAR) images. Firstly, the PolSAR multidimensional information is analyzed using a linear TF decomposition approach. The stationarity of each pixel is assessed by testing the maximum likelihood ratio statistics of the coherency matrix. Then, based on the maximum likelihood log-ratio image, a Cell-Averaging Constant False Alarm Rate (CA-CFAR) detector with Weibull clutter background and a post-processing operator is used to detect point-like targets in the image. Finally, a searching approach based on a-contrario theory is applied to extract the linear arranged targets from detected point-like targets. The experimental results on three sets of PolSAR data verify the effectiveness of this approach.
Calorimetry Minisensor for the Localised Measurement of Surface Heat Dissipated from the Human Body
Authors: Socorro Fabiola , Rodríguez de Rivera Pedro , Rodríguez de Rivera Manuel
Published: November 2016

We have developed a calorimetry sensor that can perform a local measurement of the surface heat dissipated from the human body. The operating principle is based on the law of conductive heat transfer: heat dissipated by the human body passes across a thermopile located between the individual and a thermostat. Body heat power is calculated from the signals measured by the thermopile and the amount of power dissipated across the thermostat in order to maintain a constant temperature. The first prototype we built had a detection area measuring 6 × 6 cm2, while the second prototype, which is described herein, had a 2 × 2 cm2 detection area. This new design offers three advantages over the initial one: (1) greater resolution and three times greater thermal sensitivity; (2) a twice as fast response; and (3) it can take measurements from smaller areas of the body. The sensor has a 5 mW resolution, but the uncertainty is greater, up to 15 mW, due to the measurement and calculation procedure. The order of magnitude of measurements made in healthy subjects ranged from 60 to 300 mW at a thermostat temperature of 28 °C and an ambient room temperature of 21 °C. The values measured by the sensor depend on the ambient temperature and the thermostat’s temperature, while the power dissipated depends on the individual’s metabolism and any physical and/or emotional activity.
Financial Perceptions on Oil Spill Disasters: Isolating Corporate Reputational Risk
Authors: Feria-Domínguez José , Jiménez-Rodríguez Enrique , Merino Fdez-Galiano Inés
Published: November 2016

The aim of this paper is to isolate the corporate reputational risk faced by US oil and gas companies—as listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)—after recent oil spill disasters. For this purpose, we have conducted a standard short-horizon daily event study analysis aimed at the calibration of the financial perceptions caused by these environmental episodes between 2005 and 2011, and the drop effect on the market value of the firms analyzed. We not only find significant negative impact on the stock prices of the companies analyzed but also significant cumulative negative abnormal returns (CAR) around the accidental spillages, especially for the longest event windows. Corporate reputational risk is also identified and even measured by adjusting abnormal returns by a certain loss ratio. A new metric, CAR(Rep), is then proposed to disentangle operational losses and the reputational damage derived from such negative financial perceptions.
Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Urban Sprawl in Chinese Port Cities from 1979 to 2013
Authors: Li Minmin , Zhang Zengxiang , Lo Seen Danny , Sun Jian , Zhao Xiaoli
Published: November 2016

China has been through a period of remarkable urban sprawl since the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, with the highest urbanization occurring in the coastal zones. Sustainable urban development requires a better understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristics of urbanization. This study systematically explored urban sprawl in Chinese coastal cities with a visual interpretation method from 1979 to 2013. The results show that urban built-up areas kept increasing at a faster pace during the study period (i.e., increased about 9-fold in 34 years), especially in the first decade of the 21st century. Spatially, urban sprawl intensity generally peaked in the urban fringe. Urban built-up areas expanded mostly at a cost to cultivated land and non-urban built-up land, and became more irregular and less compact through the study period. Land-use policies, economic development levels, port developments and locations are all closely related with urban sprawl in these port cities. The results also suggest that improving the utilization efficiency of urban land and coordinating the development of city and port are necessary and important for sustainable development in coastal cities.
Design and Implementation of a Microgrid Energy Management System
Authors: Lee Eun-Kyu , Shi Wenbo , Gadh Rajit , Kim Wooseong
Published: November 2016

A microgrid is characterized by the integration of distributed energy resources and controllable loads in a power distribution network. Such integration introduces new, unique challenges to microgrid management that have never been exposed to traditional power systems. To accommodate these challenges, it is necessary to redesign a conventional Energy Management System (EMS) so that it can cope with intrinsic characteristics of microgrids. While many projects have shown excellent research outcomes, they have either tackled portions of the characteristics or validated their EMSs only via simulations. This paper proposes a Microgrid Platform (MP), an advanced EMS for efficient microgrid operations. We design the MP by taking into consideration (i) all the functional requirements of a microgrid EMS (i.e., optimization, forecast, human–machine interface, and data analysis) and (ii) engineering challenges (i.e., interoperability, extensibility, and flexibility). Moreover, a prototype system is developed and deployed in two smart grid testbeds: UCLA Smart Grid Energy Research Center and Korea Institute of Energy Research. We then conduct experiments to verify the feasibility of the MP design in real-world settings. Our testbeds and experiments demonstrate that the MP is able to communicate with various energy devices and to perform an energy management task efficiently.
Using a VGI and GIS-Based Multicriteria Approach for Assessing the Potential of Rural Tourism in Extremadura (Spain)
Authors: González-Ramiro Abel , Gonçalves Gil , Sánchez-Ríos Alonso , Jeong Jin
Published: November 2016

Extremadura (Spain), being one of the less-developed EU regions, is also eligible for European funds, including those related with the development of tourism activities in rural areas. To assess the spatial distribution of rural tourism potential (RTP), a methodological approach was followed by combining the synergetic use of geographic information systems (GIS) and the analytical hierarchical process (AHP). For the evaluation model, six factors were examined and hierarchized by a panel of eighteen experts: tourism accommodation offer, activities in natural areas, gastronomic offer, cultural activities, bath offer in natural environments, and activities in active tourism. These factors were then decomposed into thirty-two evaluation criteria and the relative importance of their weights was estimated using pairwise judgments. Using publicly available data and volunteered geographic information (VGI) platforms, the related spatial and non-spatial data were collected, collated, and standardized, employing appropriate tools developed with open-source GIS software. The results, represented by a series of intensity maps, indicate the RTP scores, highlight the strengths and weaknesses in each county, and could serve as a planning tool for public and/or private investments.
Reply to Comment on Detection of Mycotoxins in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Toxins 2013, 5, 605–617 by John W. Osterman, M.D.
Authors: Brewer Joseph , Thrasher Jack , Hooper Dennis
Published: November 2016

This paper [1] was an observational case study.[...]
Reply to Comment on Detection of Mycotoxin in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Toxins 2013, 5, 605-617” by Mark J. Mendell
Authors: Brewer Joseph , Thrasher Jack , Hooper Dennis
Published: November 2016

The authors of [1] have received further correspondence from Mark J. Mendell [2] concerning the above paper.[...]
Replicon RNA Viral Vectors as Vaccines
Authors: Lundstrom Kenneth
Published: November 2016

Single-stranded RNA viruses of both positive and negative polarity have been used as vectors for vaccine development. In this context, alphaviruses, flaviviruses, measles virus and rhabdoviruses have been engineered for expression of surface protein genes and antigens. Administration of replicon RNA vectors has resulted in strong immune responses and generation of neutralizing antibodies in various animal models. Immunization of mice, chicken, pigs and primates with virus-like particles, naked RNA or layered DNA/RNA plasmids has provided protection against challenges with lethal doses of infectious agents and administered tumor cells. Both prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy has been achieved in cancer immunotherapy. Moreover, recombinant particles and replicon RNAs have been encapsulated by liposomes to improve delivery and targeting. Replicon RNA vectors have also been subjected to clinical trials. Overall, immunization with self-replicating RNA viruses provides high transient expression levels of antigens resulting in generation of neutralizing antibody responses and protection against lethal challenges under safe conditions.
Edwardsiella tarda OmpA Encapsulated in Chitosan Nanoparticles Shows Superior Protection over Inactivated Whole Cell Vaccine in Orally Vaccinated Fringed-Lipped Peninsula Carp (Labeo fimbriatus)
Authors: Dubey Saurabh , Avadhani Kiran , Mutalik Srinivas , Sivadasan Sangeetha , Maiti Biswajit , Girisha Shivani , Venugopal Moleyur , Mutoloki Stephen , Evensen Øystein , Karunasagar Indrani , Munang′andu Hetron
Published: November 2016

The use of oral vaccination in finfish has lagged behind injectable vaccines for a long time as oral vaccines fall short of injection vaccines in conferring protective immunity. Biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) have shown potential to serve as antigen delivery systems for oral vaccines. In this study the recombinant outer membrane protein A (rOmpA) of Edwardsiella tarda was encapsulated in chitosan NPs (NP-rOmpA) and used for oral vaccination of Labeo fimbriatus. The rOmpA purity was 85%, nanodiameter <500 nm, encapsulation efficiency 60.6%, zeta potential +19.05 mV, and there was an in vitro release of 49% of encapsulated antigen within 48 h post incubation in phosphate-buffered saline. Empty NPs and a non-formulated, inactivated whole cell E. tarda (IWC-ET) vaccine were used as controls. Post-vaccination antibody levels were significantly (p = 0.0458) higher in the NP-rOmpA vaccinated fish (Mean OD450 = 2.430) than in fish vaccinated with inactivated whole cell E. tarda (IWC-ET) vaccine (Mean OD450 = 1.735), which corresponded with post-challenge survival proportions (PCSP) of 73.3% and 48.28% for the NP-rOmpA and IWC-ET groups, respectively. Serum samples from NP-rOmpA-vaccinated fish had a higher inhibition rate for E. tarda growth on tryptic soy agar (TSA) than the IWC-ET group. There was no significant difference (p = 0.989) in PCSPs between fish vaccinated with empty NPs and the unvaccinated control fish, while serum from both groups showed no detectable antibodies against E. tarda. Overall, these data show that the NP-rOmpA vaccine produced higher antibody levels and had superior protection over the IWC-ET vaccine, showing that encapsulating OmpA in chitosan NPs confer improved protection against E. tarda mortality in L. fimbriatus. There is a need to elucidate the possible adjuvant effects of chitosan NPs and the immunological mechanisms of protective immunity induced by OMPs administered orally to fish.
Potential for Combined Biocontrol Activity against Fungal Fish and Plant Pathogens by Bacterial Isolates from a Model Aquaponic System
Authors: Sirakov Ivaylo , Lutz Matthias , Graber Andreas , Mathis Alex , Staykov Yordan , Smits Theo , Junge Ranka
Published: November 2016

One of the main challenges in aquaponics is disease control. One possible solution for this is biological control with organisms exerting inhibitory effects on fish and plant pathogens. The aim of this study was to examine the potential of isolating microorganisms that exert an inhibitory effect on both plant and fish pathogens from an established aquaponic system. We obtained 924 isolates on selective King’s B agar and 101 isolates on MRS agar from different compartments of a model aquaponic system and tested them for antagonism against the plant pathogen Pythium ultimum and fish pathogen Saprolegnia parasitica. Overall, 42 isolates were able to inhibit both fungi. Although not yet tested in vivo, these findings open new options for the implementation of biological control of diseases in aquaponics, where plants and fish are cultivated in the same water recirculating system.