bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Myofibrillar Protein Catabolism in Development of Glucocorticoid Myopathy: Aging and Functional Activity Aspects
Authors: Seene Teet , Kaasik Priit
Published: May 2016

Muscle weakness in corticosteroid myopathy is mainly the result of the destruction and atrophy of the myofibrillar compartment of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Decrease of titin and myosin, and the ratio of nebulin and MyHC in myopathic muscle, shows that these changes of contractile and elastic proteins are the result of increased catabolism of the abovementioned proteins in skeletal muscle. Slow regeneration of skeletal muscle is in good correlation with a decreased number of satellite cells under the basal lamina of muscle fibers. Aging causes a reduction of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity as the result of the reduced function of the mitochondrial compartment. AMPK activity increases as a result of increased functional activity. Resistance exercise causes anabolic and anticatabolic effects in skeletal muscle: muscle fibers experience hypertrophy while higher myofibrillar proteins turn over. These changes are leading to the qualitative remodeling of muscle fibers. As a result of these changes, possible maximal muscle strength is increasing. Endurance exercise improves capillary blood supply, increases mitochondrial biogenesis and muscle oxidative capacity, and causes a faster turnover rate of sarcoplasmic proteins as well as qualitative remodeling of type I and IIA muscle fibers. The combination of resistance and endurance exercise may be the fastest way to prevent or decelerate muscle atrophy due to the anabolic and anticatabolic effects of exercise combined with an increase in oxidative capacity. The aim of the present short review is to assess the role of myofibrillar protein catabolism in the development of glucocorticoid-caused myopathy from aging and physical activity aspects.
A Comprehensive Review of Optical Stretcher for Cell Mechanical Characterization at Single-Cell Level
Authors: Yang Tie , Bragheri Francesca , Minzioni Paolo
Published: May 2016

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the development of the optical stretcher, a powerful optofluidic device for single cell mechanical study by using optical force induced cell stretching. The different techniques and the different materials for the fabrication of the optical stretcher are first summarized. A short description of the optical-stretching mechanism is then given, highlighting the optical force calculation and the cell optical deformability characterization. Subsequently, the implementations of the optical stretcher in various cell-mechanics studies are shown on different types of cells. Afterwards, two new advancements on optical stretcher applications are also introduced: the active cell sorting based on cell mechanical characterization and the temperature effect on cell stretching measurement from laser-induced heating. Two examples of new functionalities developed with the optical stretcher are also included. Finally, the current major limitation and the future development possibilities are discussed.
Molecularly-Limited Fractal Surface Area of Mineral Powders
Authors: Jandacka Petr , Pistora Jaromir , Valicek Jan , Madr Vilem
Published: May 2016

The topic of the specific surface area (SSA) of powders is not sufficiently described in the literature in spite of its nontrivial contribution to adsorption and dissolution processes. Fractal geometry provides a way to determine this parameter via relation SSA ~ x(D − 3)s(2 − D), where x (m) is the particle size and s (m) is a scale. Such a relation respects nano-, micro-, or macro-topography on the surface. Within this theory, the fractal dimension 2 ≤ D < 3 and scale parameter s plays a significant role. The parameter D may be determined from BET or dissolution measurements on several samples, changing the powder particle sizes or sizes of adsorbate molecules. If the fractality of the surface is high, the SSA does not depend on the particle size distribution and vice versa. In this paper, the SSA parameter is analyzed from the point of view of adsorption and dissolution processes. In the case of adsorption, a new equation for the SSA, depending on the term (2 − D)∙(s2 − sBET)/sBET, is derived, where sBET and s2 are effective cross-sectional diameters for BET and new adsorbates. Determination of the SSA for the dissolution process appears to be very complicated, since the fractality of the surface may change in the process. Nevertheless, the presented equations have good application potential.
Fusarium Toxins in Cereals: Occurrence, Legislation, Factors Promoting the Appearance and Their Management
Authors: Ferrigo Davide , Raiola Alessandro , Causin Roberto
Published: May 2016

Fusarium diseases of small grain cereals and maize cause significant yield losses worldwide. Fusarium infections result in reduced grain yield and contamination with mycotoxins, some of which have a notable impact on human and animal health. Regulations on maximum limits have been established in various countries to protect consumers from the harmful effects of these mycotoxins. Several factors are involved in Fusarium disease and mycotoxin occurrence and among them environmental factors and the agronomic practices have been shown to deeply affect mycotoxin contamination in the field. In the present review particular emphasis will be placed on how environmental conditions and stress factors for the crops can affect Fusarium infection and mycotoxin production, with the aim to provide useful knowledge to develop strategies to prevent mycotoxin accumulation in cereals.
Research on the Composition and Distribution of Organic Sulfur in Coal
Authors: Zhang Lanjun , Li Zenghua , Yang Yongliang , Zhou Yinbo , Li Jinhu , Si Leilei , Kong Biao
Published: May 2016

The structure and distribution of organic sulfur in coals of different rank and different sulfur content were studied by combining mild organic solvent extraction with XPS technology. The XPS results have shown that the distribution of organic sulfur in coal is related to the degree of metamorphism of coal. Namely, thiophenic sulfur content is reduced with decreasing metamorphic degree; sulfonic acid content rises with decreasing metamorphic degree; the contents of sulfate sulfur, sulfoxide and sulfone are rarely related with metamorphic degree. The solvent extraction and GC/MS test results have also shown that the composition and structure of free and soluble organic sulfur small molecules in coal is closely related to the metamorphic degree of coal. The free organic sulfur small molecules in coal of low metamorphic degree are mainly composed of aliphatic sulfides, while those in coal of medium and high metamorphic degree are mainly composed of thiophenes. Besides, the degree of aromatization of organic sulfur small molecules rises with increasing degree of coalification.
Aggregation and Colloidal Stability of Commercially Available Al2O3 Nanoparticles in Aqueous Environments
Authors: Mui Julie , Ngo Jennifer , Kim Bojeong
Published: May 2016

The aggregation and colloidal stability of three, commercially-available, gamma-aluminum oxide nanoparticles (γ-Al2O3 NPs) (nominally 5, 10, and 20–30 nm) were systematically examined as a function of pH, ionic strength, humic acid (HA) or clay minerals (e.g., montmorillonite) concentration using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy techniques. NPs possess pH-dependent surface charges, with a point of zero charge (PZC) of pH 7.5 to 8. When pH < PZC, γ-Al2O3 NPs are colloidally stable up to 100 mM NaCl and 30 mM CaCl2. However, significant aggregation of NPs is pronounced in both electrolytes at high ionic strength. In mixed systems, both HA and montmorillonite enhance NP colloidal stability through electrostatic interactions and steric hindrance when pH ≤ PZC, whereas their surface interactions are quite limited when pH > PZC. Even when pH approximates PZC, NPs became stable at a HA concentration of 1 mg·L−1. The magnitude of interactions and dominant sites of interaction (basal planes versus edge sites) are significantly dependent on pH because both NPs and montmorillonite have pH-dependent (conditional) surface charges. Thus, solution pH, ionic strength, and the presence of natural colloids greatly modify the surface conditions of commercial γ-Al2O3 NPs, affecting aggregation and colloidal stability significantly in the aqueous environment.
Post-Plasma SiOx Coatings of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Thermal Stability and Tunable Photoactivity Applications
Authors: Post Patrick , Jidenko Nicolas , Weber Alfred , Borra Jean-Pascal
Published: May 2016

The plasma-based aerosol process developed for the direct coating of particles in gases with silicon oxide in a continuous chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is presented. It is shown that non-thermal plasma filaments induced in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure trigger post-DBD gas phase reactions. DBD operating conditions are first scanned to produce ozone and dinitrogen pentoxide. In the selected conditions, these plasma species react with gaseous tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) precursor downstream of the DBD. The gaseous intermediates then condense on the surface of nanoparticles and self-reactions lead to homogeneous solid SiOx coatings, with thickness from nanometer to micrometer. This confirms the interest of post-DBD injection of the organo-silicon precursor to achieve stable production of actives species with subsequent controlled thickness of SiOx coatings. SiOx coatings of spherical and agglomerated metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (Pt, CuO, TiO2) are achieved. In the selected DBD operating conditions, the thickness of homogeneous nanometer sized coatings of spherical nanoparticles depends on the reaction duration and on the precursor concentration. For agglomerates, operating conditions can be tuned to cover preferentially the interparticle contact zones between primary particles, shifting the sintering of platinum agglomerates to much higher temperatures than the usual sintering temperature. Potential applications for enhanced thermal stability and tunable photoactivity of coated agglomerates are presented.
Dietary Intake of the Urban Black Population of Cape Town: The Cardiovascular Risk in Black South Africans (CRIBSA) Study
Authors: Steyn Nelia , Jaffer Nasreen , Nel Johanna , Levitt Naomi , Steyn Krisela , Lombard Carl , Peer Nasheeta
Published: May 2016

Introduction: To determine dietary intake of 19 to 64 years old urban Africans in Cape Town in 2009 and examine the changes between 1990 and 2009. Methods: A representative cross-sectional sample (n = 544), stratified by gender and age was randomly selected in 2009 from the same areas sampled in 1990. Socio-demographic data and a 24-h dietary recall were obtained by trained field workers. The associations of dietary data with an asset index and degree of urbanization were assessed. Results: Fat intakes were higher in 19–44-year-old men (32% energy (E)) and women (33.4%E) in 2009 compared with 1990 (men: 25.9%E, women: 27.0%E) while carbohydrate intakes were lower in 2009 (men 53.2%E, women: 55.5%E) than in 1990 (men: 61.3%E; women: 62%E) while sugar intake increased significantly (p < 0.01) in women. There were significant positive correlations between urbanization and total fat (p = 0.016), saturated fat (p = 0.001), monounsaturated fat (p = 0.002) and fat as a %E intake (p = 0.046). Urbanization was inversely associated with intake of carbohydrate %E (p < 0.001). Overall micronutrient intakes improved significantly compared with 1990. It should also be noted that energy and macronutrient intakes were all significant in a linear regression model using mean adequacy ratio (MAR) as a measure of dietary quality in 2009, as was duration of urbanization. Discussion: The higher fat and lower carbohydrate %E intakes in this population demonstrate a transition to a more urbanized diet over last two decades. These dietary changes reflect the nutrition transitions that typically occur as a longer time is spent in urban centers.
Infant Feeding Practices in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Cohort: The GUSTO Study
Authors: Toh Jia , Yip Grace , Han Wee , Fok Doris , Low Yen-Ling , Lee Yung , Rebello Salome , Saw Seang-Mei , Kwek Kenneth , Godfrey Keith , Chong Yap-Seng , Chong Mary
Published: May 2016

The optimal introduction of complementary foods provides infants with nutritionally balanced diets and establishes healthy eating habits. The documentation of infant feeding practices in multi-ethnic Asian populations is limited. In a Singapore cohort study (GUSTO), 842 mother-infant dyads were interviewed regarding their feeding practices when the infants were aged 9 and 12 months. In the first year, 20.5% of infants were given dietary supplements, while 5.7% took probiotics and 15.7% homeopathic preparations. At age 9 months, 45.8% of infants had seasonings added to their foods, increasing to 56.3% at 12 months. At age 12 months, 32.7% of infants were given blended food, although 92.3% had begun some form of self-feeding. Additionally, 87.4% of infants were fed milk via a bottle, while a third of them had food items added into their bottles. At both time points, more than a third of infants were provided sweetened drinks via the bottle. Infants of Indian ethnicity were more likely to be given dietary supplements, have oil and seasonings added to their foods and consumed sweetened drinks from the bottle (p < 0.001). These findings provide a better understanding of variations in infant feeding practices, so that healthcare professionals can offer more targeted and culturally-appropriate advice.
Chemical Variations on the p53 Reactivation Theme
Authors: Ribeiro Carlos , Rodrigues Cecília , Moreira Rui , Santos Maria
Published: May 2016

Among the tumor suppressor genes, p53 is one of the most studied. It is widely regarded as the “guardian of the genome”, playing a major role in carcinogenesis. In fact, direct inactivation of the TP53 gene occurs in more than 50% of malignancies, and in tumors that retain wild-type p53 status, its function is usually inactivated by overexpression of negative regulators (e.g., MDM2 and MDMX). Hence, restoring p53 function in cancer cells represents a valuable anticancer approach. In this review, we will present an updated overview of the most relevant small molecules developed to restore p53 function in cancer cells through inhibition of the p53-MDMs interaction, or direct targeting of wild-type p53 or mutated p53. In addition, optimization approaches used for the development of small molecules that have entered clinical trials will be presented.
Mid-Infrared Quantum-Dot Quantum Cascade Laser: A Theoretical Feasibility Study
Authors: Michael Stephan , Chow Weng , Schneider Hans
Published: May 2016

In the framework of a microscopic model for intersubband gain from electrically pumped quantum-dot structures we investigate electrically pumped quantum-dots as active material for a mid-infrared quantum cascade laser. Our previous calculations have indicated that these structures could operate with reduced threshold current densities while also achieving a modal gain comparable to that of quantum well active materials. Here, we study the influence of two important quantum-dot material parameters, namely inhomogeneous broadening and quantum-dot sheet density, on the performance of a proposed quantum cascade laser design. In terms of achieving a positive modal net gain, a high quantum-dot density can compensate for moderately high inhomogeneous broadening, but at a cost of increased threshold current density. However, by minimizing quantum-dot density with presently achievable inhomogeneous broadening and total losses, significantly lower threshold densities than those reported in quantum-well quantum-cascade lasers are predicted by our theory.
The Effect of Lithium Iodide to the Properties of Carboxymethyl κ-Carrageenan/Carboxymethyl Cellulose Polymer Electrolyte and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Performance
Authors: Che Balian Siti , Ahmad Azizan , Mohamed Nor
Published: May 2016

This study was undertaken to investigate the solid biopolymer electrolytes based on a carboxymethyl κ-carrageenan/carboxymethyl cellulose blend complexed with lithium iodide of various weight ratios. The complexation of the doping salt with the polymer blend was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Ionic conductivity of the film was determined by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 4 MHz and in the temperature range of 303–338 K. The ionic conductivity increased with the increase in lithium iodide concentration as well as temperature. The membrane comprising 30 wt % of lithium iodide was found to give the highest conductivity of 3.89 × 10−3 S·cm−1 at room temperature. The increase in conductivity was associated with the increase in the number as well as the mobility of the charge carries. The conductivity increase with temperature followed the Vogel–Tamman–Fulcher model. The fabricated dye-sensitive solar cell, FTO/TiO2-dye/CMKC/CMCE-LiI (30 wt %) +I2/Pt exhibited the highest conversion efficiency of 0.11% at a light intensity of 100 mW·cm−2. This indicated that the biopolymer blend electrolyte system has potential for use in dye-sensitized solar cells.
Papain-Catalyzed Synthesis of Polyglutamate Containing a Nylon Monomer Unit
Authors: Yazawa Kenjiro , Numata Keiji
Published: May 2016

Peptides have the potential to serve as an alternative for petroleum-based polymers to support a sustainable society. However, they lack thermoplasticity, owing to their strong intermolecular interactions. In contrast, nylon is famous for its thermoplasticity and chemical resistance. Here, we synthesized peptides containing a nylon unit to modify their thermal properties by using papain-catalyzed chemoenzymatic polymerization. We used l-glutamic acid alkyl ester as the amino acid monomer and nylon 1, 3, 4, and 6 alkyl esters as the nylon unit. Papain catalyzed the copolymerization of glutamic acid with nylon 3, 4, and 6 alkyl esters, whereas the nylon 1 unit could not be copolymerized. Other proteases used in this study, namely, bromelain, proteinase K, and Candida antarctica lipase (CALB), were not able to copolymerize with any nylon units. The broad substrate specificity of papain enabled the copolymerization of l-glutamic acid with a nylon unit. The peptides with nylon units demonstrated different thermal profiles from that of oligo(l-glutamic acid). Therefore, the resultant peptides with various nylon units are expected to form fewer intermolecular hydrogen bonds, thus altering their thermal properties. This finding is expected to broaden the applications of peptide materials and chemoenzymatic polymerization.
Critical Minerals and Energy–Impacts and Limitations of Moving to Unconventional Resources
Authors: McLellan Benjamin , Yamasue Eiji , Tezuka Tetsuo , Corder Glen , Golev Artem , Giurco Damien
Published: May 2016

The nexus of minerals and energy becomes ever more important as the economic growth and development of countries in the global South accelerates and the needs of new energy technologies expand, while at the same time various important minerals are declining in grade and available reserves from conventional mining. Unconventional resources in the form of deep ocean deposits and urban ores are being widely examined, although exploitation is still limited. This paper examines some of the implications of the transition towards cleaner energy futures in parallel with the shifts through conventional ore decline and the uptake of unconventional mineral resources. Three energy scenarios, each with three levels of uptake of renewable energy, are assessed for the potential of critical minerals to restrict growth under 12 alternative mineral supply patterns. Under steady material intensities per unit of capacity, the study indicates that selenium, indium and tellurium could be barriers in the expansion of thin-film photovoltaics, while neodymium and dysprosium may delay the propagation of wind power. For fuel cells, no restrictions are observed.
Community Analysis of Global Financial Markets
Authors: Vodenska Irena , Becker Alexander , Zhou Di , Kenett Dror , Stanley H. , Havlin Shlomo
Published: May 2016

We analyze the daily returns of stock market indices and currencies of 56 countries over the period of 2002–2012. We build a network model consisting of two layers, one being the stock market indices and the other the foreign exchange markets. Synchronous and lagged correlations are used as measures of connectivity and causality among different parts of the global economic system for two different time intervals: non-crisis (2002–2006) and crisis (2007–2012) periods. We study community formations within the network to understand the influences and vulnerabilities of specific countries or groups of countries. We observe different behavior of the cross correlations and communities for crisis vs. non-crisis periods. For example, the overall correlation of stock markets increases during crisis while the overall correlation in the foreign exchange market and the correlation between stock and foreign exchange markets decrease, which leads to different community structures. We observe that the euro, while being central during the relatively calm period, loses its dominant role during crisis. Furthermore we discover that the troubled Eurozone countries, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain, form their own cluster during the crisis period.
Impact of MODIS Quality Control on Temporally Aggregated Urban Surface Temperature and Long-Term Surface Urban Heat Island Intensity
Authors: Gawuc Lech , Struzewska Joanna
Published: May 2016

Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) is a phenomenon of high spatial and temporal variability. However, studies that investigate urban land surface temperature (LST) observed in different seasons frequently utilize a single satellite measurement and do not incorporate temporal composites. Temporally aggregated data increase clear sky coverage, which is important in many aspects of urban climatology. However, it is critical to account for possible errors and quality of the data that are utilized. The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of MODIS Quality Control (QC) and the view angle on temporally aggregated urban surface temperature and long-term SUHI intensity. To achieve this, a weighted arithmetic mean was utilized whose weights were based on the view angle of satellite observation and the MODIS QC flags; namely, LST retrieval errors and emissivity errors. In order to investigate the impact of the MODIS QC on long-term LST composites, five exponential powers were applied to weights during the temporal aggregation process, resulting in five thresholds of best quality pixel promotion. It was found that there are significant differences between temporal composites that take into account the MODIS QC and the view angle and those that do not (obtained by means of a simple arithmetic mean with no weights applied), in terms of spatial distribution and density distribution of urban and rural LST. The differences were more distinctive in spring or daytime cases than in autumn or nighttime cases. The impact of the MODIS QC and the view angle on temporal composites was highest in the city center. Ten SUHI indicators were utilized. It was found that the impact on long-term SUHI intensity is weaker than on the spatial pattern of LST and that SUHI indicators are inconsistent.
LiCHy: The CAF’s LiDAR, CCD and Hyperspectral Integrated Airborne Observation System
Authors: Pang Yong , Li Zengyuan , Ju Hongbo , Lu Hao , Jia Wen , Si Lin , Guo Ying , Liu Qingwang , Li Shiming , Liu Luxia , Xie Binbin , Tan Bingxiang , Dian Yuanyong
Published: May 2016

We describe the design, implementation and performance of a novel airborne system, which integrates commercial waveform LiDAR, CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) camera and hyperspectral sensors into a common platform system. CAF’s (The Chinese Academy of Forestry) LiCHy (LiDAR, CCD and Hyperspectral) Airborne Observation System is a unique system that permits simultaneous measurements of vegetation vertical structure, horizontal pattern, and foliar spectra from different view angles at very high spatial resolution (~1 m) on a wide range of airborne platforms. The horizontal geo-location accuracy of LiDAR and CCD is about 0.5 m, with LiDAR vertical resolution and accuracy 0.15 m and 0.3 m, respectively. The geo-location accuracy of hyperspectral image is within 2 pixels for nadir view observations and 5–7 pixels for large off-nadir observations of 55° with multi-angle modular when comparing to LiDAR product. The complementary nature of LiCHy’s sensors makes it an effective and comprehensive system for forest inventory, change detection, biodiversity monitoring, carbon accounting and ecosystem service evaluation. The LiCHy system has acquired more than 8000 km2 of data over typical forests across China. These data are being used to investigate potential LiDAR and optical remote sensing applications in forest management, forest carbon accounting, biodiversity evaluation, and to aid in the development of similar satellite configurations. This paper describes the integration of the LiCHy system, the instrument performance and data processing workflow. We also demonstrate LiCHy’s data characteristics, current coverage, and potential vegetation applications.
Long Term Validation of Land Surface Temperature Retrieved from MSG/SEVIRI with Continuous in-Situ Measurements in Africa
Authors: Göttsche Frank-M. , Olesen Folke-S. , Trigo Isabel , Bork-Unkelbach Annika , Martin Maria
Published: May 2016

Since 2005, the Land Surface Analysis Satellite Application Facility (LSA SAF) operationally retrieves Land Surface Temperature (LST) for the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG). The high temporal resolution of the Meteosat satellites and their long term availability since 1977 make their data highly valuable for climate studies. In order to ensure that the LSA SAF LST product continuously meets its target accuracy of 2 °C, it is validated with in-situ measurements from four dedicated LST validation stations. Three stations are located in highly homogenous areas in Africa (semiarid bush, desert, and Kalahari semi-desert) and typically provide thousands of monthly match-ups with LSA SAF LST, which are used to perform seasonally resolved validations. An uncertainty analysis performed for desert station Gobabeb yielded an estimate of total in-situ LST uncertainty of 0.8 ± 0.12 °C. Ignoring rainy seasons, the results for the period 2009–2014 show that LSA SAF LST consistently meets its target accuracy: the highest mean root-mean-square error (RMSE) for LSA SAF LST over the African stations was 1.6 °C while mean absolute bias was 0.1 °C. Nighttime and daytime biases were up to 0.7 °C but had opposite signs: when evaluated together, these partially compensated each other.
Analysis of Red and Far-Red Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Their Ratio in Different Canopies Based on Observed and Modeled Data
Authors: Rossini Micol , Meroni Michele , Celesti Marco , Cogliati Sergio , Julitta Tommaso , Panigada Cinzia , Rascher Uwe , Van der Tol Christiaan , Colombo Roberto
Published: May 2016

Sun-induced canopy chlorophyll fluorescence in both the red (FR) and far-red (FFR) regions was estimated across a range of temporal scales and a range of species from different plant functional types using high resolution radiance spectra collected on the ground. Field measurements were collected with a state-of-the-art spectrometer setup and standardized methodology. Results showed that different plant species were characterized by different fluorescence magnitude. In general, the highest fluorescence emissions were measured in crops followed by broadleaf and then needleleaf species. Red fluorescence values were generally lower than those measured in the far-red region due to the reabsorption of FR by photosynthetic pigments within the canopy layers. Canopy chlorophyll fluorescence was related to plant photosynthetic capacity, but also varied according to leaf and canopy characteristics, such as leaf chlorophyll concentration and Leaf Area Index (LAI). Results gathered from field measurements were compared to radiative transfer model simulations with the Soil-Canopy Observation of Photochemistry and Energy fluxes (SCOPE) model. Overall, simulation results confirmed a major contribution of leaf chlorophyll concentration and LAI to the fluorescence signal. However, some discrepancies between simulated and experimental data were found in broadleaf species. These discrepancies may be explained by uncertainties in individual species LAI estimation in mixed forests or by the effect of other model parameters and/or model representation errors. This is the first study showing sun-induced fluorescence experimental data on the variations in the two emission regions and providing quantitative information about the absolute magnitude of fluorescence emission from a range of vegetation types.
Application of Open Source Coding Technologies in the Production of Land Surface Temperature (LST) Maps from Landsat: A PyQGIS Plugin
Authors: Isaya Ndossi Milton , Avdan Ugur
Published: May 2016

This paper presents a Python QGIS (PyQGIS) plugin, which has been developed for the purpose of producing Land Surface Temperature (LST) maps from Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 TIRS, Thermal Infrared (TIR) imagery. The plugin has been developed purposely to ease the process of LST extraction from Landsat Visible, Near Infrared (VNIR) and TIR imagery. It has the ability to estimate Land Surface Emissivity (LSE), calculating at-sensor radiance, calculating brightness temperature and performing correction of brightness temperature against atmospheric interference though the Plank function, Mono Window Algorithm (MWA), Single Channel Algorithm (SCA) and the Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE). Using the plugin, LST maps of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada have been produced for Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 TIRS. The study put much more emphasis on the examination of LST derived from the different algorithms of LST extraction from VNIR and TIR satellite imagery. In this study, the best LST values derived from Landsat 5 TM were obtained from the RTE and the Planck function with RMSE of 2.64 °C and 1.58 °C, respectively. While the RTE and the Planck function produced the best results for Landsat 7 ETM+ with RMSE of 3.75 °C and 3.58 °C respectively and for Landsat 8 TIRS LST retrieval, the best results were obtained from the Planck function and the SCA with RMSE of 2.07 °C and 3.06 °C, respectively.
Determination of Ignitable Liquids in Fire Debris: Direct Analysis by Electronic Nose
Authors: Ferreiro-González Marta , Barbero Gerardo , Palma Miguel , Ayuso Jesús , Álvarez José , Barroso Carmelo
Published: May 2016

Arsonists usually use an accelerant in order to start or accelerate a fire. The most widely used analytical method to determine the presence of such accelerants consists of a pre-concentration step of the ignitable liquid residues followed by chromatographic analysis. A rapid analytical method based on headspace-mass spectrometry electronic nose (E-Nose) has been developed for the analysis of Ignitable Liquid Residues (ILRs). The working conditions for the E-Nose analytical procedure were optimized by studying different fire debris samples. The optimized experimental variables were related to headspace generation, specifically, incubation temperature and incubation time. The optimal conditions were 115 °C and 10 min for these two parameters. Chemometric tools such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were applied to the MS data (45–200 m/z) to establish the most suitable spectroscopic signals for the discrimination of several ignitable liquids. The optimized method was applied to a set of fire debris samples. In order to simulate post-burn samples several ignitable liquids (gasoline, diesel, citronella, kerosene, paraffin) were used to ignite different substrates (wood, cotton, cork, paper and paperboard). A full discrimination was obtained on using discriminant analysis. This method reported here can be considered as a green technique for fire debris analyses.
Development of a Biomarker for Penconazole: A Human Oral Dosing Study and a Survey of UK Residents’ Exposure
Authors: Sams Craig , Jones Kate , Galea Karen , MacCalman Laura , Cocker John , Teedon Paul , Cherrie John , Van Tongeren Martie
Published: May 2016

Penconazole is a widely used fungicide in the UK; however, to date, there have been no peer-reviewed publications reporting human metabolism, excretion or biological monitoring data. The objectives of this study were to i) develop a robust analytical method, ii) determine biomarker levels in volunteers exposed to penconazole, and, finally, to iii) measure the metabolites in samples collected as part of a large investigation of rural residents’ exposure. An LC-MS/MS method was developed for penconazole and two oxidative metabolites. Three volunteers received a single oral dose of 0.03 mg/kg body weight and timed urine samples were collected and analysed. The volunteer study demonstrated that both penconazole-OH and penconazole-COOH are excreted in humans following an oral dose and are viable biomarkers. Excretion is rapid with a half-life of less than four hours. Mean recovery of the administered dose was 47% (range 33%–54%) in urine treated with glucuronidase to hydrolyse any conjugates. The results from the residents’ study showed that levels of penconazole-COOH in this population were low with >80% below the limit of detection. Future sampling strategies that include both end of exposure and next day urine samples, as well as contextual data about the route and time of exposure, are recommended.
Determination of Asymmetric and Symmetric Dimethylarginine in Serum from Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: UPLC-MS/MS versus ELISA
Authors: Boelaert Jente , Schepers Eva , Glorieux Griet , Eloot Sunny , Vanholder Raymond , Lynen Frédéric
Published: May 2016

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, and its structural isomer symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) are uremic toxins accumulating in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a robust UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of ADMA and SDMA in human serum. Chromatographic separation after butyl ester derivatization was achieved on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column, followed by tandem mass spectrometric detection. After validation, the applicability of the method was evaluated by the analysis of serum samples from 10 healthy controls and 77 CKD patients on hemodialysis (CKD5HD). Both ADMA (0.84 ± 0.19 µM vs. 0.52 ± 0.07 µM) and SDMA concentrations (2.06 ± 0.82 µM vs. 0.59 ± 0.13 µM) were significantly (p < 0.001) elevated in CKD5HD patients compared to healthy controls. In general, low degrees of protein binding were found for both ADMA and SDMA. In addition, an established commercially available ELISA kit was utilized on the same samples (n = 87) to compare values obtained both with ELISA and UPLC-MS/MS. Regression analysis between these two methods was significant (p < 0.0001) but moderate for both ADMA (R = 0.78) and SDMA (R = 0.72).
Sensitive, Rapid, Quantitative and in Vitro Method for the Detection of Biologically Active Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Type E
Authors: Rasooly Reuven , Do Paula , Hernlem Bradley
Published: May 2016

Staphylococcus aureus is a major bacterial cause of clinical infections and foodborne illnesses through its production of a group of enterotoxins (SEs) which cause gastroenteritis and also function as superantigens to massively activate T cells. In the present study, we tested Staphylococcal enterotoxin type E (SEE), which was detected in 17 of the 38 suspected staphylococcal food poisoning incidents in a British study and was the causative agent in outbreaks in France, UK and USA. The current method for detection of enterotoxin activity is an in vivo monkey or kitten bioassay; however, this expensive procedure has low sensitivity and poor reproducibility, requires many animals, is impractical to test on a large number of samples, and raises ethical concerns with regard to the use of experimental animals. The purpose of this study is to develop rapid sensitive and quantitative bioassays for detection of active SEE. We apply a genetically engineered T cell-line expressing the luciferase reporter gene under the regulation of nuclear factor of activated T-cells response element (NFAT-RE), combined with a Raji B-cell line that presents the SEE-MHC (major histocompatibility complex) class II to the engineered T cell line. Exposure of the above mixed culture to SEE induces differential expression of the luciferase gene and bioluminescence is read out in a dose dependent manner over a 6-log range. The limit of detection of biologically active SEE is 1 fg/mL which is 109 times more sensitive than the monkey and kitten bioassay.
Where Does the Physics of Extreme Gravitational Collapse Reside?
Authors: Barceló Carlos , Carballo-Rubio Raúl , Garay Luis
Published: May 2016

The gravitational collapse of massive stars serves to manifest the most severe deviations of general relativity with respect to Newtonian gravity: the formation of horizons and spacetime singularities. Both features have proven to be catalysts of deep physical developments, especially when combined with the principles of quantum mechanics. Nonetheless, it is seldom remarked that it is hardly possible to combine all these developments into a unified theoretical model, while maintaining reasonable prospects for the independent experimental corroboration of its different parts. In this paper we review the current theoretical understanding of the physics of gravitational collapse in order to highlight this tension, stating the position that the standard view on evaporating black holes stands for. This serves as the motivation for the discussion of a recent proposal that offers the opposite perspective, represented by a set of geometries that regularize the classical singular behavior and present modifications of the near-horizon Schwarzschild geometry as the result of the propagation of non-perturbative ultraviolet effects originated in regions of high curvature. We present an extensive exploration of the necessary steps on the explicit construction of these geometries, and discuss how this proposal could change our present understanding of astrophysical black holes and even offer the possibility of detecting genuine ultraviolet effects in gravitational-wave experiments.
A Methodology to Assess and Evaluate Rainwater Harvesting Techniques in (Semi-) Arid Regions
Authors: Adham Ammar , Riksen Michel , Ouessar Mohamed , Ritsema Coen
Published: May 2016

Arid and semi-arid regions around the world face water scarcity problems due to lack of precipitation and unpredictable rainfall patterns. For thousands of years, rainwater harvesting (RWH) techniques have been applied to cope with water scarcity. Researchers have used many different methodologies for determining suitable sites and techniques for RWH. However, limited attention has been given to the evaluation of RWH structure performance. The aim of this research was to design a scientifically-based, generally applicable methodology to better evaluate the performance of existing RWH techniques in (semi-) arid regions. The methodology integrates engineering, biophysical and socio-economic criteria using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) supported by the Geographic Information System (GIS). Jessour/Tabias are the most traditional RWH techniques in the Oum Zessar watershed in south-eastern Tunisia, which were used to test this evaluation tool. Fifty-eight RWH locations (14 jessr and 44 tabia) in three main sub-catchments of the watershed were assessed and evaluated. Based on the criteria selected, more than 95% of the assessed sites received low or moderate suitability scores, with only two sites receiving high suitability scores. This integrated methodology, which is highly flexible, saves time and costs, is easy to adapt to different regions and can support designers and decision makers aiming to improve the performance of existing and new RWH sites.
Identification of Genomic Loci Associated with the Photochemical Reflectance Index by Genome‐Wide Association Study in Soybean
Authors: Herritt Matthew , Dhanapal Arun Prabhu , Fritschi Felix B.
Published: May 2016

The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) is determined from canopy spectral reflectance measurements and can provide important information about photosynthesis. The PRI can be used to assess the epoxidation state of xanthophyll pigments, which provides information on nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) and the amount of energy used for photosynthesis. Genome‐wide association analyses were conducted to identify single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genomic loci associated with PRI using data from a soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] diversity panel grown under field conditions over 2 yr. Based on a mixed linear model (MLM), 31 unique candidate SNPs that identify 15 putative loci on 11 chromosomes were identified. Several candidate genes known to be associated with NPQ, photosynthesis, and sugar transport processes were identified in the proximity of 10 putative loci. Violaxanthin de‐epoxidase, one of the identified genes, is directly involved in the xanthophyll cycle, which plays a major role in NPQ. This study is the first to identify genomic loci for PRI and illustrates the potential of canopy spectral reflectance measurements for high‐throughput phenotyping of a photosynthesis related trait. Significant SNPs, candidate genes, and genotypes contrasting for PRI identified in this study may prove useful for crop improvement efforts.
Candidate Gene Sequence Analyses toward Identifying Rsv3‐Type Resistance to Soybean Mosaic Virus
Authors: Redekar N. R. , Clevinger E. M. , Laskar M. A. , Biyashev R. M. , Ashfield T. , Jensen R. V. , Jeong S. C. , Tolin S. A. , Saghai Maroof M. A.
Published: May 2016

Rsv3 is one of three genetic loci conferring strain‐specific resistance to Soybean mosaic virus (SMV). The Rsv3 locus has been mapped to a 154‐kb region on chromosome 14, containing a cluster of five nucleotide‐binding leucine‐rich repeat (NB‐LRR) resistance genes. High sequence similarity between the Rsv3 candidate genes challenges fine mapping of the locus. Among the five, Glyma14g38533 showed the highest transcript abundance in 1 to 3 h of SMV‐G7 inoculation. Comparative sequence analyses were conducted with the five Rsv3 candidate NB‐LRR genes from susceptible (rsv‐type) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar Williams 82, resistant (Rsv3‐type) cultivar Hwangkeum, and resistant lines L29 and RRR. Sequence comparisons revealed that Glyma14g38533 had far more polymorphisms than the other candidate genes. Interestingly, Glyma14g38533 gene from Rsv3‐type lines exhibited 150 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP and six insertion–deletion (InDel) markers relative to rsv‐type line, Furthermore, the polymorphisms identified in three Rsv3‐type lines were highly conserved. Several polymorphisms were validated in 18 Rsv3‐type resistant and six rsv‐type susceptible lines and were found associated with their disease response. The majority of the polymorphisms were located in LRR domain encoding region, which is involved in pathogen recognition via protein–protein interactions. These findings associating Glyma14g38533 with Rsv3‐type resistance to SMV suggest it is the most likely candidate gene for Rsv3.
Genome‐Wide Association and Prediction Reveals Genetic Architecture of Cassava Mosaic Disease Resistance and Prospects for Rapid Genetic Improvement
Authors: Wolfe Marnin D. , Rabbi Ismail Y. , Egesi Chiedozie , Hamblin Martha , Kawuki Robert , Kulakow Peter , Lozano Roberto , Carpio Dunia Pino Del , Ramu Punna , Jannink Jean‐Luc
Published: May 2016

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a crucial, under‐researched crop feeding millions worldwide, especially in Africa. Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) has plagued production in Africa for over a century. Biparental mapping studies suggest primarily a single major gene mediates resistance. To investigate this genetic architecture, we conducted the first genome‐wide association mapping study in cassava with up to 6128 genotyping‐by‐sequenced African breeding lines and 42,113 reference genome‐mapped single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. We found a single region on chromosome 8 that accounts for 30 to 66% of genetic resistance in the African cassava germplasm. Thirteen additional regions with small effects were also identified. Further dissection of the major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 8 revealed the presence of two possibly epistatic loci and/or multiple resistance alleles, which may account for the difference between moderate and strong disease resistances in the germplasm. Search of potential candidate genes in the major QTL region identified two peroxidases and one thioredoxin. Finally, we found genomic prediction accuracy of 0.53 to 0.58 suggesting that genomic selection (GS) will be effective both for improving resistance in breeding populations and identifying highly resistant clones as varieties.
FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS OF KEPLER ECLIPSING BINARIES. I. KIC 5738698
Authors: Matson Rachel A. , Gies Douglas R. , Guo Zhao , Orosz Jerome A.
Published: May 2016

Eclipsing binaries serve as a valuable source of stellar masses and radii that inform stellar evolutionary models and provide insight into additional astrophysical processes. The exquisite light curves generated by space-based missions such as Kepler offer the most stringent tests to date. We use the Kepler light curve of the 4.8 day eclipsing binary KIC 5739896 with ground based optical spectra to derive fundamental parameters for the system. We reconstruct the component spectra to determine the individual atmospheric parameters, and model the Kepler photometry with the binary synthesis code Eclipsing Light Curve to obtain accurate masses and radii. The two components of KIC 5738698 are F-type stars with

M

1

=

1.39
±
0.04

M

⊙

,

M

2

=

1.34
±
0.06

M

⊙

, and

R

1

=

1.84
±
0.03

R

⊙

,

R

2

=

1.72
±
0.03

R

⊙

. We also report a small eccentricity (

e
≲
0.0017

) and unusual albedo values that are required to match the detailed shape of the Kepler light curve. Comparison with evolutionary models indicate an approximate age of 2.3 Gyr for the system.