bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Density Functional Theory Study on the Surface Properties and Floatability of Hemimorphite and Smithsonite
Authors: Han Cong , Li Tingting , Zhang Wei , Zhang Hao , Zhao Sikai , Ao Yuxin , Wei Dezhou , Shen Yanbai
Published: November 2018

Hemimorphite and smithsonite are all-important zinc oxide minerals. The beneficiation and separation of them using flotation method is usually considered difficultly. Minerals surface wettability and its regulation are the core issues in the flotation process, which closely correlate with the surface properties of the minerals. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the surface properties of the two minerals is of great significance for the study of the flotation technology of them. In this study, the surface properties of the hemimorphite (110) surface and the simthsointe (101) surface, and their relationships to the mineral floatability have been investigated by first-principle calculation method based on density functional theory. The calculation results demonstrated that the hemimorphite (110) surface exhibited more obviously surface reconstruction. For the orbital energy level of the surface atoms of two minerals, the O 2p orbital is closer to the Fermi level than the Zn 3d. Chemical bond Mulliken population value indicated that the ionicity of the unsaturated linkage on the smithsonite (101) surface was stronger than that on the hemimorphite (110) surface. The absolute values of the ratios of negative charges to positive charges on the surfaces of hemimorphite and smithsonite were 1.529 and 1.256 respectively. These results implied that the O atoms on hemimorphite (110) surface are more impede collector molecule, such as hydroximic acid, bond with Zn atom, hemimorphite (110) surface is more readily wetted by water. This study provides comprehension at an atomic level to the relationship between surface properties and the floatability of hemimorphite and smithsonite.
Is Cr-Spinel Geochemistry Enough for Solving the Provenance Dilemma? Case Study from the Palaeogene Sandstones of the Western Carpathians (Eastern Slovakia)
Authors: Bónová Katarína , Mikuš Tomáš , Bóna Ján
Published: November 2018

The provenance of the Proč and Strihovce sandstones is crucial for understanding the relationship between the Pieniny Klippen (PKB) and Flysch (FB) belts in the easternmost part of the Western Carpathian realm. Detrital Cr-spinels in these tectonic units were assertively interpreted as sourced from the southern sources representing the Meliata mélange. In this study, we use the geochemistry of detrital chromian spinels to identify the mafic and ultramafic source of the sediments and to compare them each other. Simultaneously, we compare their chemical compositions with those from the different Western Carpathian geological units, which could feed the Proč and Krynica basins during the Paleogene, where the Proč and Strihovce formations (fms), respectively, were deposited. Chromian spinels from the Proč and Strihovce fms exhibit similar geochemical characteristics (Cr# = 0.44–0.88 and 0.29–0.89, Mg# = 0.17–0.68 and 0.2–0.72, TiO2 = 0.0–3.67 and 0.01–2.08 wt.%, respectively). The spinels show both supra-subduction zone (SSZ) peridotite signatures and volcanic origin. Whereas volcanic spinels from the Proč Formation (Fm.) were formed under an ocean island basalt (OIB) and back-arc basin basalt (BABB) geodynamic setting, those from the Strihovce Fm. suggest a predominantly mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) origin. To avoid mistakes in the provenance interpretations, the data from garnet geochemistry of both formations is supplied. The analysed Cr-spinels do not absolutely overlap with spinels reported from the Meliata Unit, and their composition indicates at least two independent sources.
Discovery of Non-Peptidic Compounds against Chagas Disease Applying Pharmacophore Guided Molecular Modelling Approaches
Authors: Rampogu Shailima , Lee Gihwan , Baek Ayoung , Son Minky , Park Chanin , Zeb Amir , Yoon Sang Hwa , Park Suhyeon , Lee Keun Woo
Published: November 2018

Chagas disease is one of the primary causes of heart diseases accounting to 50,000 lives annually and is listed as the neglected tropical disease. Because the currently available therapies have greater toxic effects with higher resistance, there is a dire need to develop new drugs to combat the disease. In this pursuit, the 3D QSAR ligand-pharmacophore (pharm 1) and receptor-based pharmacophore (pharm 2) search was initiated to retrieve the candidate compounds from universal natural compounds database. The validated models were allowed to map the universal natural compounds database. The obtained lead candidates were subjected to molecular docking against cysteine protease (PDB code: 1ME3) employing -Cdocker available on the discovery studio. Subsequently, two Hits have satisfied the selection criteria and were escalated to molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculations. These Hits have demonstrated higher dock scores, displayed interactions with the key residues portraying an ideal binding mode complemented by mapping to all the features of pharm 1 and pharm 2. Additionally, they have rendered stable root mean square deviation (RMSD) and potential energy profiles illuminating their potentiality as the prospective antichagastic agents. The study further demonstrates the mechanism of inhibition by tetrad residues compromising of Gly23 and Asn70 holding the ligand at each ends and the residues Gly65 and Gly160 clamping the Hits at the center. The notable feature is that the Hits lie in close proximity with the residues Glu66 and Leu67, accommodating within the S1, S2 and S3 subsites. Considering these findings, the study suggests that the Hits may be regarded as effective therapeutics against Chagas disease.
Sodium Phenylbutyrate Ameliorates Inflammatory Response Induced by Staphylococcus aureus Lipoteichoic Acid via Suppressing TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 Pathways in MAC-T Cells
Authors: Wang Xin , Zhang Mengmeng , Jiang Ning , Zhang Aizhong
Published: November 2018

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties of sodium phenylbutyrate (SPB) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-stimulated bovine mammary alveolar (MAC-T) cells. Quantitative PCR was performed to examine the effect of SPB on inflammatory cytokines and host defense peptide (HDP) gene expression. Western blot wanalysis was used to detect the effect of SPB on the TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. The results showed that SPB significantly suppressed the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6; meanwhile, the markedly decreased expression of LTA-stimulated TLR2, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β, and the inhibited IkBα and p65 phosphorylation were also observed. However, increased TAP and Bac5 expression in LTA-stimulated MAC-T cells was further detected. In summary, these results suggest that SPB ameliorates the inflammatory response induced by S. aureus LTA via suppressing the TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway, which indicates that SPB may be a potential agent for the treatment of bovine mastitis.
Modular Synthesis and Biological Investigation of 5-Hydroxymethyl Dibenzyl Butyrolactones and Related Lignans
Authors: Davidson Samuel J. , Pilkington Lisa I. , Dempsey-Hibbert Nina C. , El-Mohtadi Mohamed , Tang Shiying , Wainwright Thomas , Whitehead Kathryn A. , Barker David
Published: November 2018

Dibenzyl butyrolactone lignans are well known for their excellent biological properties, particularly for their notable anti-proliferative activities. Herein we report a novel, efficient, convergent synthesis of dibenzyl butyrolactone lignans utilizing the acyl-Claisen rearrangement to stereoselectively prepare a key intermediate. The reported synthetic route enables the modification of these lignans to give rise to 5-hydroxymethyl derivatives of these lignans. The biological activities of these analogues were assessed, with derivatives showing an excellent cytotoxic profile which resulted in programmed cell death of Jurkat T-leukemia cells with less than 2% of the incubated cells entering a necrotic cell death pathway.
On the Mechanism of Action of Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Hypericin: An In Silico Study Pointing to the Relevance of Janus Kinases Inhibition
Authors: Dellafiora Luca , Galaverna Gianni , Cruciani Gabriele , Dall’Asta Chiara , Bruni Renato
Published: November 2018

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) flowers are commonly used in ethnomedical preparations with promising outcomes to treat inflammation both per os and by topical application. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms need to be described toward a rational, evidence-based, and reproducible use. For this purpose, the aptitude of the prominent Hypericum metabolite hypericin was assessed, along with that of its main congeners, to behave as an inhibitor of janus kinase 1, a relevant enzyme in inflammatory response. It was used a molecular modeling approach relying on docking simulations, pharmacophoric modeling, and molecular dynamics to estimate the capability of molecules to interact and persist within the enzyme pocket. Our results highlighted the capability of hypericin, and some of its analogues and metabolites, to behave as ATP-competitive inhibitor providing: (i) a likely mechanistic elucidation of anti-inflammatory activity of H. perforatum extracts containing hypericin and related compounds; and (ii) a rational-based prioritization of H. perforatum components to further characterize their actual effectiveness as anti-inflammatory agents.
Cytisine-Pterocarpan Derived Compounds: Biomimetic Synthesis and Apoptosis-Inducing Activity in Human Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Peng Ting-Ting , Sun Xuan-Rong , Liu Ren-Hao , Hua Lu-Xia , Cheng Dong-Ping , Mao Bin , Li Xing-Nuo
Published: November 2018

Cytisine-pterocarpan derived compounds were biomimetically synthesized with (-)-cytisine and (-)-maackiain via a N,N-4-dimethyl-4-aminopyridine (DMAP)-mediated synthetic strategy in a mild manner. In the present study, tonkinensine B (4) was elaborated in good and high yields with the optimized reaction conditions. The in vitro cytotoxicity of compound 4 was evaluated against breast cancer cell lines and showed that 4 had a better cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 19.2 μM). Depending on the research on cytotoxicities of 4 against RAW 264.7 and BV2 cells, it was suggested that 4 produced low cytotoxic effects on the central nervous system. Further study indicated that 4 demonstrated cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 cells and the cytotoxic activity was induced by apoptosis. The results implied that the apoptosis might be induced by mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis via regulating the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and promoting the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrion to the cytoplasm in MDA-MB-231 cells.
Cuscuta chinensis and C. campestris Attenuate Scopolamine-Induced Memory Deficit and Oxidative Damage in Mice
Authors: Lin Ming-Kuem , Lee Meng-Shiou , Huang Hui-Chi , Cheng Tun-Jen , Cheng Yih-Dih , Wu Chi-Rei
Published: November 2018

The seeds of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. and C. campestris Yuncker have been commonly used as Chinese medical material for preventing aging. Our previous studies have found that C. chinensis and C. campestris possess anti-inflammatory activities in rodents. However, their other biological activities, such as memory-improving properties, have not yet been explored. In the present study, we examined the memory-improving effects of the extracts of C. chinensis and C. campestris on scopolamine (SCOP)-induced memory deficit and explored their underlying mechanism in mice. Both Cuscuta species improved SCOP-induced memory deficits in the passive avoidance test, elevated plus-maze, and spatial performance test of the Morris water maze in mice. In addition, compared with mice injected with SCOP, mice pretreated with both Cuscuta species stayed for a longer time on the platform for the probe test of the Morris water maze. Moreover, both Cuscuta species reduced brain acetylcholinesterase activity and malondialdehyde levels that were increased by SCOP, and the species restored the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and the levels of glutathione that were decreased by SCOP in the brains of mice. Both Cuscuta species further decreased brain interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α levels that were elevated by SCOP. We demonstrated that both Cuscuta species exhibited a protective activity against SCOP-induced memory deficit, cholinergic dysfunction, oxidative damage, and neuroinflammation in mice, and C. campestris has better potential than C. chinensis. In addition, we provided evidence that the seeds of C. campestris can be used as Cuscutae Semen in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Proteome Investigation of Rat Lungs Subjected to Ex Vivo Perfusion (EVLP)
Authors: Roffia Valentina , De Palma Antonella , Lonati Caterina , Di Silvestre Dario , Rossi Rossana , Mantero Marco , Gatti Stefano , Dondossola Daniele , Valenza Franco , Mauri Pierluigi , Blasi Francesco
Published: November 2018

Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is an emerging procedure that allows organ preservation, assessment and reconditioning, increasing the number of marginal donor lungs for transplantation. However, physiological and airflow measurements are unable to unveil the molecular mechanisms responsible of EVLP beneficial effects on lung graft and monitor the proper course of the treatment. Thus, it is urgent to find specific biomarkers that possess these requirements but also accurate and reliable techniques that identify them. The purpose of this study is to give an overview on the potentiality of shotgun proteomic platforms in characterizing the status and the evolution of metabolic pathways during EVLP in order to find new potential EVLP-related biomarkers. A nanoLC-MS/MS system was applied to the proteome analysis of lung tissues from an optimized rat model in three experimental groups: native, pre- and post-EVLP. Technical and biological repeatability were evaluated and, together with clustering analysis, underlined the good quality of data produced. In-house software and bioinformatics tools allowed the label-free extraction of differentially expressed proteins among the three examined conditions and the network visualization of the pathways mainly involved. These promising findings encourage further proteomic investigations of the molecular mechanisms behind EVLP procedure.
Angelica Stem: A Potential Low-Cost Source of Bioactive Phthalides and Phytosterols
Authors: Zhao Chengke , Jia Yuan , Lu Fachuang
Published: November 2018

Chinese Angelica is a significant medical plant due to the various therapeutic constituents in its root; whereas the aerial part is considered worthless and often discarded as agricultural waste. In this work, phytochemicals from the stem were first systematically analyzed by means of GC–MS after derivatization and HPLC–MS/MS in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Phthalides, ferulic acid, and coniferyl ferulate were detected in the stem; although their content is relatively low in comparison with the root. Some specific compounds, such as p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, 4-hydroxyphenyl-1, 2-ethanediol, thymol-β-d-glucopyranoside, etc. and a significant amount of phytosterols (1.36 mg/g stem, mainly β-sitosterol) were detected in the stem. The extracted oil from the stem contained a considerable amount of phthalides (48.5 mg/g), β-sitosterol (56.21 mg/g), and stigmasterol (14.03 mg/g); no other bioactive compounds were found that could be potentially used as pharmaceuticals or additives to healthcare food.
Role for Astroglia-Derived BDNF and MSK1 in Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Lalo Ulyana , Bogdanov Alexander , Moss Guy W. J. , Frenguelli Bruno G. , Pankratov Yuriy
Published: November 2018

Homeostatic scaling of synaptic strength in response to environmental stimuli may underlie the beneficial effects of an active lifestyle on brain function. Our previous results highlighted a key role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1) in experience-related homeostatic synaptic plasticity. Astroglia have recently been shown to serve as an important source of BDNF. To elucidate a role for astroglia-derived BDNF, we explored homeostatic synaptic plasticity in transgenic mice with an impairment in the BDNF/MSK1 pathway (MSK1 kinase dead knock-in (KD) mice) and impairment of glial exocytosis (dnSNARE mice). We observed that prolonged tonic activation of astrocytes caused BDNF-dependent upregulation of excitatory synaptic currents accompanied by enlargement of synaptic boutons. We found that exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) and caloric restriction (CR) strongly upregulated excitatory but downregulated inhibitory synaptic currents in old wild-type mice, thus counterbalancing the impact of ageing on synaptic transmission. In parallel, EE and CR enhanced astrocytic Ca2+-signalling. Importantly, we observed a significant deficit in the effects of EE and CR on synaptic transmission in the MSK1 KD and dnSNARE mice. Combined, our results strongly support the importance of astrocytic exocytosis of BDNF for the beneficial effects of EE and CR on synaptic transmission and plasticity in the ageing brain.
College Students and Eating Habits: A Study Using An Ecological Model for Healthy Behavior
Authors: Sogari Giovanni , Velez-Argumedo Catalina , Gómez Miguel I. , Mora Cristina
Published: November 2018

Overweightness and obesity rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States (US). Unhealthy dietary habits are among the factors that can have adverse effects on weight status in young adulthood. The purpose of this explorative study was to use a qualitative research design to analyze the factors (barriers and enablers) that US college students perceived as influencing healthy eating behaviors. A group of Cornell University students (n = 35) participated in six semi-structured focus groups. A qualitative software, CAQDAS Nvivo11 Plus, was used to create codes that categorized the group discussions while using an Ecological Model. Common barriers to healthy eating were time constraints, unhealthy snacking, convenience high-calorie food, stress, high prices of healthy food, and easy access to junk food. Conversely, enablers to healthy behavior were improved food knowledge and education, meal planning, involvement in food preparation, and being physically active. Parental food behavior and friends’ social pressure were considered to have both positive and negative influences on individual eating habits. The study highlighted the importance of consulting college students when developing healthy eating interventions across the campus (e.g., labeling healthy food options and information campaigns) and considering individual-level factors and socio-ecological aspects in the analysis.
Probiotics in Celiac Disease
Authors: Cristofori Fernanda , Indrio Flavia , Miniello Vito Leonardo , De Angelis Maria , Francavilla Ruggiero
Published: November 2018

Recently, the interest in the human microbiome and its interplay with the host has exploded and provided new insights on its role in conferring host protection and regulating host physiology, including the correct development of immunity. However, in the presence of microbial imbalance and particular genetic settings, the microbiome may contribute to the dysfunction of host metabolism and physiology, leading to pathogenesis and/or the progression of several diseases. Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic autoimmune enteropathy triggered by dietary gluten exposure in genetically predisposed individuals. Despite ascertaining that gluten is the trigger in CD, evidence has indicated that intestinal microbiota is somehow involved in the pathogenesis, progression, and clinical presentation of CD. Indeed, several studies have reported imbalances in the intestinal microbiota of patients with CD that are mainly characterized by an increased abundance of Bacteroides spp. and a decrease in Bifidobacterium spp. The evidence that some of these microbial imbalances still persist in spite of a strict gluten-free diet and that celiac patients suffering from persistent gastrointestinal symptoms have a desert gut microbiota composition further support its close link with CD. All of this evidence gives rise to the hypothesis that probiotics might play a role in this condition. In this review, we describe the recent scientific evidences linking the gut microbiota in CD, starting from the possible role of microbes in CD pathogenesis, the attempt to define a microbial signature of disease, the effect of a gluten-free diet and host genetic assets regarding microbial composition to end in the exploration of the proof of concept of probiotic use in animal models to the most recent clinical application of selected probiotic strains.
Extended SSH Model: Non-Local Couplings and Non-Monotonous Edge States
Authors: Li Chao , Miroshnichenko Andrey
Published: November 2018

We construct a generalized system by introducing an additional long-range hopping to the well-known Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model. This system exhibits richer topological properties including non-trivial topological phases and associated localized edge states. We study the zero-energy edge states in detail and derive the edge-state wave functions using two different methods. Furthermore, we propose a possible setup using octupole moments optically excited on an array of dielectric particles for the realization of the system, and by adjusting the coupling strengths between neighboring particles we can control the hotspots (near-field enhancement) in such structures.
Biological Activities of Extracts from Aerial Parts of Salvia pachyphylla Epling Ex Munz
Authors: Almada-Taylor Gabriela , Díaz-Rubio Laura , Salazar-Aranda Ricardo , Waksman de Torres Noemí , Uranga-Solis Carla , Delgadillo-Rodríguez José , Ramos Marco A. , Padrón José M. , Hernández-Martínez Rufina , Córdova-Guerrero Iván
Published: November 2018

The antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and enzyme inhibitory properties of five extracts from aerial parts of Salvia pachyphylla Epling ex Munz were examined to assess the prospective of this plant as a source of natural products with therapeutic potential. These properties were analyzed by performing a set of standard assays. The extract obtained with dichloromethane showed the most variety of components, as they yielded promising results in all completed assays. Furthermore, the extract obtained with ethyl acetate exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity, as well as the best xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. Remarkably, both extracts obtained with n-hexane or dichloromethane revealed significant antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria; additionally, they showed greater antiproliferative activity against three representative cell lines of the most common types of cancers in women worldwide, and against a cell line that exemplifies cancers that typically develop drug resistance. Despite that, other extracts were less active, such as the methanolic or aqueous; their results are promising for the isolation and identification of novel bioactive molecules.
Novel Pathway for Efficient Covalent Modification of Polyester Materials of Different Design to Prepare Biomimetic Surfaces
Authors: Korzhikov-Vlakh Viktor , Averianov Ilia , Sinitsyna Ekaterina , Nashchekina Yuliya , Polyakov Dmitry , Guryanov Ivan , Lavrentieva Antonina , Raddatz Lukas , Korzhikova-Vlakh Evgenia , Scheper Thomas , Tennikova Tatiana
Published: November 2018

To form modern materials with biomimic surfaces, the novel pathway for surface functionalization with specific ligands of well-known and widely used polyester-based rigid media was developed and optimized. Two types of material bases, namely, poly(lactic acid) and poly(ε-caprolactone), as well as two types of material design, e.g., supermacroporous matrices and nanoparticles (NPs), were modified via covalent attachment of preliminary oxidized polyvinylsaccharide poly(2-deoxy-N-methacryloylamido-d-glucose) (PMAG). This polymer, being highly biocompatible and bioinspired, was used to enhance hydrophilicity of the polymer surface and to provide the elevated concentration of reactive groups required for covalent binding of bioligands of choice. The specialties of the interaction of PMAG and its preliminary formed bioconjugates with a chemically activated polyester surface were studied and thoroughly discussed. The supermacroporous materials modified with cell adhesion motifs and Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptide (RGD-peptide) were tested in the experiments on bone tissue engineering. In turn, the NPs were modified with bioligands (“self-peptide” or camel antibodies) to control their phagocytosis that can be important, for example, for the preparation of drug delivery systems.
A New Method for the Process Division and Effect Evaluation of Coagulation Based on Particle Size Fractal Dimension
Authors: Zhu Yuwen , Li Haoyu
Published: November 2018

To divide, control, and predict the effects of the coagulation process in water treatment, a characteristic analysis of the change in particle size distribution (particle number and fractal dimension) during aided coagulation with hydrated MnO2 was performed. The results showed that the process of coagulation could be divided into three characteristic stages based on the first derivative of the particle size fractal dimension. In the primary stage, most of the microflocs aggregated to form small flocs; in the growth stage, most of the small flocs aggregated to form large flocs; and in the stable stage, some large flocs broke apart and reformed. The first derivative of the particle size fractal dimension had a good linear relationship with the coagulation time in the primary stage and growth stage, and its slope had a power function relationship with the particle number in settled water; the first derivative could thus be used to evaluate the coagulation effect. In the stable stage, the rate of change in particle size fractal dimension fluctuated along the fitted line, and the mean residual sum of squares had a linear relation with the particle number in settled water; therefore, this parameter could be used as an indicator of the coagulation effect.
Re-Formative Polymer Composites from Plastic Waste: Novel Infrastructural Product Application
Authors: Turner Richard P. , Kelly Catherine A. , Fox Rod , Hopkins Bill
Published: November 2018

A novel re-formative polymer composite manufacturing route has been developed by UK and Qatar-based Universities. This novel process recycles domestic-waste thermoplastic material, without the requirement for intensive filtering or washing operations. The produced polymer can be reinforced with recycled glass fibres, forming a structurally load-bearing composite, which may potentially be suitable for use in applications, including utility poles, railway sleepers, and fencing. Thus, infra-red (IR) analysis showed the presence of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the commingled material. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine glass transition temperatures and melting temperatures of each of the associated polymer types. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was used to determine the storage and loss modulus of the bulk commingled component. Lastly, flexural and tensile strengths of the re-formative polymer with differing proportions of glass fibre were assessed, giving a range of strengths at each glass fibre proportion for possible compositional variation in the polymer type. The recycled polymer is considered a viable structural material for replacing both wooden and concrete components, generating a polymer recycling route with concomitant environmental benefits. This plastic recycling route therefore offers a solution towards achieving climate change targets with a purposeful end-product component.
Religion in the Age of Development
Authors: Feener R. Michael , Fountain Philip
Published: November 2018

Religion has been profoundly reconfigured in the age of development. Over the past half century, we can trace broad transformations in the understandings and experiences of religion across traditions in communities in many parts of the world. In this paper, we delineate some of the specific ways in which ‘religion’ and ‘development’ interact and mutually inform each other with reference to case studies from Buddhist Thailand and Muslim Indonesia. These non-Christian cases from traditions outside contexts of major western nations provide windows on a complex, global history that considerably complicates what have come to be established narratives privileging the agency of major institutional players in the United States and the United Kingdom. In this way we seek to move discussions toward more conceptual and comparative reflections that can facilitate better understandings of the implications of contemporary entanglements of religion and development.
Linear Programming-Based Cropland Allocation to Enhance Performance of Smallholder Crop Production: A Pilot Study in Abaro Kebele, Ethiopia
Authors: Mellaku Meselu Tegenie , Reynolds Travis W. , Woldeamanuel Teshale
Published: November 2018

Smallholder farmer crop production is a mainstay of the Ethiopian economy. A series of agricultural extension programs have been implemented since the 1950s in an effort to improve smallholder productivity. In this study, we argue that the limited attention that is given to cropland allocation by smallholders is one key driver of low performance of crop production as well as a key factor in environmental degradation. Drawing on data from a household survey of 75 randomly selected households in Abaro Kebele, Ethiopia, combined with focus-group discussions, key informant interviews, and secondary data sources, we use linear programming to highlight the impact of cropland allocation decisions on the performance of rural smallholder crop production systems. We find that under current land use practices households are not able to meet their consumption needs. The average profitability of farms under the current cropland allocation is also significantly below the estimated level of profit that could be realized by reallocating cropland while using linear programming. Additionally, survey results suggest that low crop production performance (in terms of meeting both household food crop production needs and profit goals) is the primary reason why households do not participate in conservation efforts and sustainable resource management practices. This study suggests that linear programming-based cropland allocation modeling might be applied to enhance the profit performance of smallholder crop production, help meet household food crop production requirements, and thereby promote the sustainable utilization of environmental resources.
CubeSats Enable High Spatiotemporal Retrievals of Crop-Water Use for Precision Agriculture
Authors: Aragon Bruno , Houborg Rasmus , Tu Kevin , Fisher Joshua , McCabe Matthew
Published: November 2018

Remote sensing based estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) provides a direct accounting of the crop water use. However, the use of satellite data has generally required that a compromise between spatial and temporal resolution is made, i.e., one could obtain low spatial resolution data regularly, or high spatial resolution occasionally. As a consequence, this spatiotemporal trade-off has tended to limit the impact of remote sensing for precision agricultural applications. With the recent emergence of constellations of small CubeSat-based satellite systems, these constraints are rapidly being removed, such that daily 3 m resolution optical data are now a reality for earth observation. Such advances provide an opportunity to develop new earth system monitoring and assessment tools. In this manuscript we evaluate the capacity of CubeSats to advance the estimation of ET via application of the Priestley-Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) retrieval model. To take advantage of the high-spatiotemporal resolution afforded by these systems, we have integrated a CubeSat derived leaf area index as a forcing variable into PT-JPL, as well as modified key biophysical model parameters. We evaluate model performance over an irrigated farmland in Saudi Arabia using observations from an eddy covariance tower. Crop water use retrievals were also compared against measured irrigation from an in-line flow meter installed within a center-pivot system. To leverage the high spatial resolution of the CubeSat imagery, PT-JPL retrievals were integrated over the source area of the eddy covariance footprint, to allow an equivalent intercomparison. Apart from offering new precision agricultural insights into farm operations and management, the 3 m resolution ET retrievals were shown to explain 86% of the observed variability and provide a relative RMSE of 32.9% for irrigated maize, comparable to previously reported satellite-based retrievals. An observed underestimation was diagnosed as a possible misrepresentation of the local surface moisture status, highlighting the challenge of high-resolution modeling applications for precision agriculture and informing future research directions.
Characterisation of Functional-Trait Dynamics at High Spatial Resolution in a Mediterranean Forest from Sentinel-2 and Ground-Truth Data
Authors: Schauman Santiago , Verger Aleixandre , Filella Iolanda , Peñuelas Josep
Published: November 2018

The characterisation of functional-trait dynamics of vegetation from remotely sensed data complements the structural characterisation of ecosystems. In this study we characterised for the first time the spatial heterogeneity of the intra-annual dynamics of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) as a functional trait of the vegetation in Prades Mediterranean forest in Catalonia, Spain. FAPAR was derived from the Multispectral Instrument (MSI) on the Sentinel-2 satellite and validated by comparison with the ground measurements acquired in June 2017 at the annual peak of vegetation activity. The validation results showed that most of points were distributed along the 1:1 line, with no bias nor scattering: R2 = 0.93, p < 0.05; with a root mean square error of 0.03 FAPAR (4.3%). We classified the study area into nine vegetation groups with different dynamics of FAPAR using a methodology that is objective and repeatable over time. This functional classification based on the annual magnitude (FAPAR-M) and the seasonality (FAPAR-CV) from the data on one year (2016–2017) complements structural classifications. The internal heterogeneity of the FAPAR dynamics in each land-cover type is attributed to the environmental and to the specific species composition variability. A spatial autoregressive (SAR) model for the main type of land cover, evergreen holm oak forest (Quercus ilex), indicated that topographic aspect, slope, height, and the topographic aspect x slope interaction accounted for most of the spatial heterogeneity of the functional trait FAPAR-M, thus improving our understanding of the explanatory factors of the annual absorption of photosynthetically active radiation by the vegetation canopy for this ecosystem.
MISR Radiance Anomalies Induced by Stratospheric Volcanic Aerosols
Authors: Wu Dong , Wang Tao , Várnai Tamás , Limbacher James , Kahn Ralph , Taha Ghassan , Lee Jae , Gong Jie , Yuan Tianle
Published: November 2018

The 16-year MISR monthly radiances are analyzed in this study, showing significant enhancements of anisotropic scattering at high latitudes after several major volcanic eruptions with injection heights greater than 14 km. The anomaly of deseasonalized radiance anisotropy between MISR’s DF and DA views (70.5° forward and aft) is largest in the blue band with amplitudes amounting to 5–15% of the mean radiance. The anomalous radiance anisotropy is a manifestation of the stronger forward scattering of reflected sunlight due to the direct and indirect effects of stratospheric volcanic aerosols (SVAs). The perturbations of MISR radiance anisotropy from the Kasatochi (August 2008), Sarychev (June 2009), Nabro (June 2011) and Calbuco (April 2015) eruptions are consistent with the poleward transported SVAs observed by CALIOP and OMPS-LP. In a particular scene over the Arctic Ocean, the stratospheric aerosol mid-visible optical depth can reach as high as 0.2–0.5. The enhanced global forward scattering by SVAs has important implications for the shortwave radiation budget.
Measurement and Calibration of Plant-Height from Fixed-Wing UAV Images
Authors: Han Xiongzhe , Thomasson J. Alex , Bagnall G. Cody , Pugh N. Ace , Horne David W. , Rooney William L. , Jung Jinha , Chang Anjin , Malambo Lonesome , Popescu Sorin C. , Gates Ian T. , Cope Dale A.
Published: November 2018

Continuing population growth will result in increasing global demand for food and fiber for the foreseeable future. During the growing season, variability in the height of crops provides important information on plant health, growth, and response to environmental effects. This paper indicates the feasibility of using structure from motion (SfM) on images collected from 120 m above ground level (AGL) with a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to estimate sorghum plant height with reasonable accuracy on a relatively large farm field. Correlations between UAV-based estimates and ground truth were strong on all dates (R2 > 0.80) but are clearly better on some dates than others. Furthermore, a new method for improving UAV-based plant height estimates with multi-level ground control points (GCPs) was found to lower the root mean square error (RMSE) by about 20%. These results indicate that GCP-based height calibration has a potential for future application where accuracy is particularly important. Lastly, the image blur appeared to have a significant impact on the accuracy of plant height estimation. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.85) was observed between image quality and plant height RMSE and the influence of wind was a challenge in obtaining high-quality plant height data. A strong relationship (R2 = 0.99) existed between wind speed and image blurriness.
Research on an Improved Method for Foot-Mounted Inertial/Magnetometer Pedestrian-Positioning Based on the Adaptive Gradient Descent Algorithm
Authors: Wang Qiuying , Yin Juan , Noureldin Aboelmagd , Iqbal Umar
Published: November 2018

Foot-mounted Inertial Pedestrian-Positioning Systems (FIPPSs) based on Micro Inertial Measurement Units (MIMUs), have recently attracted widespread attention with the rapid development of MIMUs. The can be used in challenging environments such as firefighting and the military, even without augmenting with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Zero Velocity Update (ZUPT) provides a solution for the accumulated positioning errors produced by the low precision and high noise of the MIMU, however, there are some problems using ZUPT for FIPPS, include fast-initial alignment and unobserved heading misalignment angle, which are addressed in this paper. Our first contribution is proposing a fast-initial alignment algorithm for foot-mounted inertial/magnetometer pedestrian positioning based on the Adaptive Gradient Descent Algorithm (AGDA). Considering the characteristics of gravity and Earth’s magnetic field, measured by accelerometers and magnetometers, respectively, when the pedestrian is standing at one place, the AGDA is introduced as the fast-initial alignment. The AGDA is able to estimate the initial attitude and enhance the ability of magnetic disturbance suppression. Our second contribution in this paper is proposing an inertial/magnetometer positioning algorithm based on an adaptive Kalman filter to solve the problem of the unobserved heading misalignment angle. The algorithm utilizes heading misalignment angle as an observation for the Kalman filter and can improve the accuracy of pedestrian position by compensating for magnetic disturbances. In addition, introducing an adaptive parameter in the Kalman filter is able to compensate the varying magnetic disturbance for each ZUPT instant during the walking phase of the pedestrian. The performance of the proposed method is examined by conducting pedestrian test trajectory using MTi-G710 manufacture by XSENS. The experimental results verify the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method.
LSTM-Guided Coaching Assistant for Table Tennis Practice
Authors: Lim Se-Min , Oh Hyeong-Cheol , Kim Jaein , Lee Juwon , Park Jooyoung
Published: November 2018

Recently, wearable devices have become a prominent health care application domain by incorporating a growing number of sensors and adopting smart machine learning technologies. One closely related topic is the strategy of combining the wearable device technology with skill assessment, which can be used in wearable device apps for coaching and/or personal training. Particularly pertinent to skill assessment based on high-dimensional time series data from wearable sensors is classifying whether a player is an expert or a beginner, which skills the player is exercising, and extracting some low-dimensional representations useful for coaching. In this paper, we present a deep learning-based coaching assistant method, which can provide useful information in supporting table tennis practice. Our method uses a combination of LSTM (Long short-term memory) with a deep state space model and probabilistic inference. More precisely, we use the expressive power of LSTM when handling high-dimensional time series data, and state space model and probabilistic inference to extract low-dimensional latent representations useful for coaching. Experimental results show that our method can yield promising results for characterizing high-dimensional time series patterns and for providing useful information when working with wearable IMU (Inertial measurement unit) sensors for table tennis coaching.
Confined Concrete in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Partially Wrapped Square Columns: Axial Compressive Behavior and Strain Distributions by a Particle Image Velocimetry Sensing Technique
Authors: Guo Yong-Chang , Xiao Shu-Hua , Luo Jun-Wei , Ye Yu-Yi , Zeng Jun-Jie
Published: November 2018

Strengthening existing reinforced concrete (RC) columns using a partial wrapping strengthening technique (PWST) by fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strips has been widely implemented. However, compared with the confinement mechanism of confined concrete in columns strengthened with the FRP full wrapping strengthening technique (FWST), the confinement mechanism of confined concrete in FRP partially wrapped columns is less understood. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into the behavior of confined concrete in FRP partially wrapped square columns under axial compression. The effects of FRP strip width and thickness on stress–strain behavior were thoroughly investigated. The novel particle image velocimetry (PIV) non-contact strain sensing technique was adopted to measure the strain in the specimens. Results show that the axial strains as well as the hoop strains are generally larger at the mid-plane of adjacent FRP strips than those at the mid-plane of each FRP strip, and considerable variation in hoop strains along the height of the specimens was observed. Comparisons between the experimental results and predictions by existing design-oriented stress–strain models were carried out to examine the accuracy of the models. A new design-oriented stress–strain model is proposed for confined concrete in FRP partially wrapped square columns and the comparisons between laboratory results and predictions from the proposed model show that the proposed model is superior to the existing models.
Cloud Update of Tiled Evidential Occupancy Grid Maps for the Multi-Vehicle Mapping
Authors: Jo Kichun , Cho Sungjin , Kim Chansoo , Resende Paulo , Bradai Benazouz , Nashashibi Fawzi , Sunwoo Myoungho
Published: November 2018

Nowadays, many intelligent vehicles are equipped with various sensors to recognize their surrounding environment and to measure the motion or position of the vehicle. In addition, the number of intelligent vehicles equipped with a mobile Internet modem is increasing. Based on the sensors and Internet connection, the intelligent vehicles are able to share the sensor information with other vehicles via a cloud service. The sensor information sharing via the cloud service promises to improve the safe and efficient operation of the multiple intelligent vehicles. This paper presents a cloud update framework of occupancy grid maps for multiple intelligent vehicles in a large-scale environment. An evidential theory is applied to create the occupancy grid maps to address sensor disturbance such as measurement noise, occlusion and dynamic objects. Multiple vehicles equipped with LiDARs, motion sensors, and a low-cost GPS receiver create the evidential occupancy grid map (EOGM) for their passing trajectory based on GraphSLAM. A geodetic quad-tree tile system is applied to manage the EOGM, which provides a common tiling format to cover the large-scale environment. The created EOGM tiles are uploaded to EOGM cloud and merged with old EOGM tiles in the cloud using Dempster combination of evidential theory. Experiments were performed to evaluate the multiple EOGM mapping and the cloud update framework for large-scale road environment.
AES Impact Evaluation With Integrated Farm Data: Combining Statistical Matching and Propensity Score Matching
Authors: D’Alberto Riccardo , Zavalloni Matteo , Raggi Meri , Viaggi Davide
Published: November 2018

A large share of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is allocated to agri-environmental schemes (AESs), whose goal is to foster the provision of a wide range of environmental public goods. Despite this effort, little is known on the actual environmental and economic impact of the AESs, due to the non-experimental conditions of the assessment exercise and several data availability issues. The main objective of the paper is to explore the feasibility of combining the non-parametric statistical matching (SM) method and propensity score matching (PSM) counterfactual approach analysis and to test its usefulness and practicability on a case study represented by selected impacts of the AESs in Emilia-Romagna. The work hints at the potentialities of the combined use of SM and PSM as well as of the systematic collection of additional information to be included in EU-financed project surveys in order to enrich and complete data collected in the official statistics. The results show that the combination of the two methods enables us to enlarge and deepen the scope of counterfactual analysis applied to AESs. In a specific case study, AESs seem to reduce the amount of rent-in land and decrease the crop mix diversity.
Exploring How Land Tenure Affects Farmers’ Landscape Values: Evidence from a Choice Experiment
Authors: Monroy-Sais Sofía , García-Frapolli Eduardo , Mora Francisco , Skutsch Margaret , Casas Alejandro , Gerritsen Peter Rijnaldus Wilhelmus , González-Jiménez David
Published: November 2018

Values play an important role in farmers’ land management decisions, becoming increasingly relevant when designing environmental policy. One key element that influences farming decisions is the land tenure under which farmers and their land are embedded, which represents different sets of rights for farmers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elicit farmers’ values regarding the social and ecological attributes of the landscape, and determine how these values vary according to differences in land rights. We performed this exercise in the two most important land tenure systems in rural Mexico. We carried out a choice experiment to understand preferences for different landscape attributes such as vegetation cover, surface water, terrain slope, and type of property. Then, we probed how these preferences change according to the land rights that farmers hold. We found that surface water was consistently the most important landscape attribute. However, there were clear differences that were related to land rights for some values, such as for example, vegetation cover. Institutional mechanisms such as boundary rules and conflicting values are part of the explanation of these differences. These results provide a bridge to understanding farmers’ management decisions, and in the future, improving sustainable development.