bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distribution of Natural and Planted Forests in the Yanhe River Catchment: Have We Planted Trees on the Right Sites?
Authors: Shi Haijing , Wen Zhongming , Paull David , Jiao Feng
Published: October 2016

Planting trees on the right sites is the first principle in silviculture, but it is not easy to apply at a large scale, especially in complex terrain such as mountainous regions. In hilly and gully landscapes of China’s Loess Plateau, the environmental heterogeneity is so great that it is very difficult to choose the right sites for planting trees. The long history of vegetation destruction makes it difficult to have a reference for restoration programs. In this paper, we compared the distribution of actual forest to an existing potential natural vegetation (PNV) map to see the mismatch with the sites. The differences in environmental conditions between natural forest and mismatched planted forest were investigated. The results showed that significant differences existed in the environmental conditions between them. The mean rainfall and temperature for natural forest were 512.20 ± 11.42 mm and 8.23 ± 0.55 °C, respectively, but 497.96 ± 14.92 mm and 8.72 ± 0.97 °C, respectively, for the mismatched planted forest. Evaporation was not only different in range (816–953 mm vs. 816–1023 mm), but also significantly different in mean values (888.31 ± 14.35 mm natural forest vs. 895.90 ± 30.55 mm planted forest). The slope gradient of natural forest and mismatched planted forest was also significantly different (22.66° ± 8.82° vs. 24.24° ± 9.86°). The results identified that 58% of the existing forest in the Yanhe River catchment is planted forest that grows on steeper slopes, receives lower rainfall, has higher temperatures and higher evaporation. The average soil water content for sites with planted forest was found to be 5.98% ± 0.32% compared to 7.52% ± 0.33% for natural forest. We conclude that the main cause of dwarfed, slender, low productive and sparse planted forest in the Loess Plateau is planting trees at unsuitable sites. Our results highlight the importance of matching sites with the best potential vegetation types. Instead of using water harvesting techniques, we suggest that more focus should be placed on understanding environmental heterogeneity and its capacity to support particular vegetation types. This study is instructive for vegetation restoration planning and existing planted forest management in the future.
Estimation of Voxel-Based Above-Ground Biomass Using Airborne LiDAR Data in an Intact Tropical Rain Forest, Brunei
Authors: Kim Eunji , Lee Woo-Kyun , Yoon Mihae , Lee Jong-Yeol , Son Yowhan , Abu Salim Kamariah
Published: October 2016

The advancement of LiDAR technology has enabled more detailed evaluations of forest structures. The so-called “Volumetric pixel (voxel)” has emerged as a new comprehensive approach. The purpose of this study was to estimate plot-level above-ground biomass (AGB) in different plot sizes of 20 m × 20 m and 30 m × 30 m, and to develop a regression model for AGB prediction. Both point cloud-based (PCB) and voxel-based (VB) metrics were used to maximize the efficiency of low-density LiDAR data within a dense forest. Multiple regression model AGB prediction performance was found to be greatest in the 30 m × 30 m plots, with R2, adjusted R2, and standard deviation values of 0.92, 0.87, and 35.13 Mg∙ha−1, respectively. Five out of the eight selected independent variables were derived from VB metrics and the other three were derived from PCB metrics. Validation of accuracy yielded RMSE and NRMSE values of 27.8 Mg∙ha−1 and 9.2%, respectively, which is a reasonable estimate for this structurally complex intact forest that has shown high NRMSE values in previous studies. This voxel-based approach enables a greater understanding of complex forest structure and is expected to contribute to the advancement of forest carbon quantification techniques.
Air Pollution Exposure in Relation to the Commute to School: A Bradford UK Case Study
Authors: Dirks Kim , Wang Judith , Khan Amirul , Rushton Christopher
Published: October 2016

Walking School Buses (WSBs) provide a safe alternative to being driven to school. Children benefit from the contribution the exercise provides towards their daily exercise target, it gives children practical experience with respect to road safety and it helps to relieve traffic congestion around the entrance to their school. Walking routes are designed largely based in road safety considerations, catchment need and the availability of parent support. However, little attention is given to the air pollution exposure experienced by children during their journey to school, despite the commuting microenvironment being an important contributor to a child’s daily air pollution exposure. This study aims to quantify the air pollution exposure experienced by children walking to school and those being driven by car. A school was chosen in Bradford, UK. Three adult participants carried out the journey to and from school, each carrying a P-Trak ultrafine particle (UFP) count monitor. One participant travelled the journey to school by car while the other two walked, each on opposite sides of the road for the majority of the journey. Data collection was carried out over a period of two weeks, for a total of five journeys to school in the morning and five on the way home at the end of the school day. Results of the study suggest that car commuters experience lower levels of air pollution dose due to lower exposure and reduced commute times. The largest reductions in exposure for pedestrians can be achieved by avoiding close proximity to traffic queuing up at intersections, and, where possible, walking on the side of the road opposite the traffic, especially during the morning commuting period. Major intersections should also be avoided as they were associated with peak exposures. Steps to ensure that the phasing of lights is optimised to minimise pedestrian waiting time would also help reduce exposure. If possible, busy roads should be avoided altogether. By the careful design of WSB routes, taking into account air pollution, children will be able to experience the benefits that walking to school brings while minimizing their air pollution exposure during their commute to and from school.
Work and Wellbeing in the 21st Century
Authors: Litchfield Paul , Cooper Cary , Hancock Christine , Watt Patrick
Published: October 2016

The nature of work and the way it is conceptualised has been evolving since the dawn of humankind.[...]
Biophysical Properties and Motility of Human Mature Dendritic Cells Deteriorated by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor through Cytoskeleton Remodeling
Authors: Hu Zu-Quan , Xue Hui , Long Jin-Hua , Wang Yun , Jia Yi , Qiu Wei , Zhou Jing , Wen Zong-Yao , Yao Wei-Juan , Zeng Zhu
Published: October 2016

Dendritic cells (DCs), the most potent antigen-presenting cells, play a central role in the initiation, regulation, and maintenance of the immune responses. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the important cytokines in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and can inhibit the differentiation and functional maturation of DCs. To elucidate the potential mechanisms of DC dysfunction induced by VEGF, the effects of VEGF on the biophysical characteristics and motility of human mature DCs (mDCs) were investigated. The results showed that VEGF had a negative influence on the biophysical properties, including electrophoretic mobility, osmotic fragility, viscoelasticity, and transmigration. Further cytoskeleton structure analysis by confocal microscope and gene expression profile analyses by gene microarray and real-time PCR indicated that the abnormal remodeling of F-actin cytoskeleton may be the main reason for the deterioration of biophysical properties, motility, and stimulatory capability of VEGF-treated mDCs. This is significant for understanding the biological behavior of DCs and the immune escape mechanism of tumors. Simultaneously, the therapeutic efficacies may be improved by blocking the signaling pathway of VEGF in an appropriate manner before the deployment of DC-based vaccinations against tumors.
Tocotrienol Affects Oxidative Stress, Cholesterol Homeostasis and the Amyloidogenic Pathway in Neuroblastoma Cells: Consequences for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Grimm Marcus , Regner Liesa , Mett Janine , Stahlmann Christoph , Schorr Pascal , Nelke Christopher , Streidenberger Olga , Stoetzel Hannah , Winkler Jakob , Zaidan Shatha , Thiel Andrea , Endres Kristina , Grimm Heike , Volmer Dietrich , Hartmann Tobias
Published: October 2016

One of the characteristics of Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is an increased amyloid load and an enhanced level of reactive oxidative species (ROS). Vitamin E has known beneficial neuroprotective effects, and previously, some studies suggested that vitamin E is associated with a reduced risk of AD due to its antioxidative properties. However, epidemiological studies and nutritional approaches of vitamin E treatment are controversial. Here, we investigate the effect of α-tocotrienol, which belongs to the group of vitamin E, on AD-relevant processes in neuronal cell lines. In line with the literature, α-tocotrienol reduced the ROS level in SH-SY5Y cells. In the presence of tocotrienols, cholesterol and cholesterol esters, which have been shown to be risk factors in AD, were decreased. Besides the unambiguous positive effects of tocotrienol, amyloid-β (Aβ) levels were increased accompanied by an increase in the activity of enzymes responsible for Aβ production. Proteins and gene expression of the secretases and their components remained unchanged, whereas tocotrienol accelerates enzyme activity in cell-free assays. Besides enhanced Aβ production, tocotrienols inhibited Aβ degradation in neuro 2a (N2a)-cells. Our results might help to understand the controversial findings of vitamin E studies and demonstrate that besides the known positive neuroprotective properties, tocotrienols also have negative characteristics with respect to AD.
Neuroglobin, a Factor Playing for Nerve Cell Survival
Authors: Guidolin Diego , Tortorella Cinzia , Marcoli Manuela , Maura Guido , Agnati Luigi
Published: October 2016

Cell death represents the final outcome of several pathological conditions of the central nervous system and available evidence suggests that in both acute injuries and neurodegenerative diseases it is often associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, the possibility to prevent mitochondrial events involved in cell death might represent efficient tools to limit neuronal damage. In recent years, increased attention has been paid to the endogenous protein neuroglobin, since accumulating evidence showed that its high expression was associated with preserved mitochondrial function and to an increased survival of nerve cells in vitro and in vivo in a variety of experimental models of cell insult. The biological and structural features of neuroglobin and the mitochondria-related mechanisms of neuroglobin-induced neuroprotection will be here briefly discussed. In this respect, the inhibition of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis emerges as a key neuroprotective effect induced by the protein. These findings could open the possibility to develop efficient neuroglobin-mediated therapeutic strategies aimed at minimizing the neuronal cell death occurring in impacting neurological pathologies like stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.
Transition Metal Intercalators as Anticancer Agents—Recent Advances
Authors: Deo Krishant , Pages Benjamin , Ang Dale , Gordon Christopher , Aldrich-Wright Janice
Published: October 2016

The diverse anticancer utility of cisplatin has stimulated significant interest in the development of additional platinum-based therapies, resulting in several analogues receiving clinical approval worldwide. However, due to structural and mechanistic similarities, the effectiveness of platinum-based therapies is countered by severe side-effects, narrow spectrum of activity and the development of resistance. Nonetheless, metal complexes offer unique characteristics and exceptional versatility, with the ability to alter their pharmacology through facile modifications of geometry and coordination number. This has prompted the search for metal-based complexes with distinctly different structural motifs and non-covalent modes of binding with a primary aim of circumventing current clinical limitations. This review discusses recent advances in platinum and other transition metal-based complexes with mechanisms of action involving intercalation. This mode of DNA binding is distinct from cisplatin and its derivatives. The metals focused on in this review include Pt, Ru and Cu along with examples of Au, Ni, Zn and Fe complexes; these complexes are capable of DNA intercalation and are highly biologically active.
Retrocausality in Quantum Phenomena and Chemical Evolution
Authors: Matsuno Koichiro
Published: October 2016

The interplay between retrocausality and the time-reversal symmetry of the dynamical law of quantum mechanics underscores the significance of the measurement dynamics with the use of indivisible and discrete quantum particles to be mediated. One example of empirical evidence demonstrating the significance of retrocausality going along with time-reversal symmetry is seen in the operation of a reaction cycle to be expected in chemical evolution. A reaction cycle can hold itself when the causative operation of the cycle remains robust, even when facing frequent retrocausal interventions of a quantum-mechanical origin. Quantum mechanics in and of itself has potential in raising a reaction cycle in the prebiotic phase of chemical evolution, even without any help of artefactual scaffoldings of an external origin.
Lazy Management for Frequency Table on Hardware-Based Stream Lossless Data Compression
Authors: Marumo Koichi , Yamagiwa Shinichi , Morita Ryuta , Sakamoto Hiroshi
Published: October 2016

The demand for communicating large amounts of data in real-time has raised new challenges with implementing high-speed communication paths for high definition video and sensory data. It requires the implementation of high speed data paths based on hardware. Implementation difficulties have to be addressed by applying new techniques based on data-oriented algorithms. This paper focuses on a solution for this problem by applying a lossless data compression mechanism on the communication data path. The new lossless data compression mechanism, called LCA-DLT, provides dynamic histogram management for symbol lookup tables used in the compression and the decompression operations. When the histogram memory is fully used, the management algorithm needs to find the least used entries and invalidate these entries. The invalidation operations cause the blocking of the compression and the decompression data stream. This paper proposes novel techniques to eliminate blocking by introducing a dynamic invalidation mechanism, which allows achievement of a high throughput data compression.
Investigation of Electric Field–Induced Structural Changes at Fe-Doped SrTiO3 Anode Interfaces by Second Harmonic Generation
Authors: Ascienzo David , Yuan Haochen , Greenbaum Steve , Bayer Thorsten , Maier Russell , Wang Jian-Jun , Randall Clive , Dickey Elizabeth , Zhao Haibin , Ren Yuhang
Published: October 2016

We report on the detection of electric field–induced second harmonic generation (EFISHG) from the anode interfaces of reduced and oxidized Fe-doped SrTiO3 (Fe:STO) single crystals. For the reduced crystal, we observe steady enhancements of the susceptibility components as the imposed dc-voltage increases. The enhancements are attributed to a field-stabilized electrostriction, leading to Fe:Ti-O bond stretching and bending in Fe:Ti-O6 octahedra. For the oxidized crystal, no obvious structural changes are observed below 16 kV/cm. Above 16 kV/cm, a sharp enhancement of the susceptibilities occurs due to local electrostrictive deformations in response to oxygen vacancy migrations away from the anode. Differences between the reduced and oxidized crystals are explained by their relative oxygen vacancy and free carrier concentrations which alter internal electric fields present at the Pt/Fe:STO interfaces. Our results show that the optical SHG technique is a powerful tool for detecting structural changes near perovskite-based oxide interfaces due to field-driven oxygen vacancy migration.
In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Embothrium coccineum Used as Traditional Medicine in Patagonia against Multiresistant Bacteria
Authors: Canales Nicole , Montenegro Iván , Párraga Mario , Olguín Yusser , Godoy Patricio , Werner Enrique , Madrid Alejandro
Published: October 2016

Embothrium coccineum J.R. Forst. & G. Forst is an evergreen tree that has been used as a folk remedy for the treatment of neuralgia, tooth pains, wound healing, and glandular conditions, as well as an antiseptic agent against bacterial infection. The antibacterial activities of sequential extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol) from the leaves of E. coccineum were evaluated by means of the micro-dilution assay against six (Escherichia coli; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Proteus mirabilis; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) multiresistant bacteria strains. Ethyl acetate extract showed the best spectra of antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria, and was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for its composition. The results of the present work provide useful baseline information for the potential development and use of nanoparticles and/or nanofibers doped with extracts of E. coccineum in the fight against multiresistant bacteria, which would allow the validation of the traditional use of E. coccineum by native peoples of Patagonia as an antimicrobial agent in the biomedical Field.
Characterisation of the Broadly-Specific O-Methyl-transferase JerF from the Late Stages of Jerangolid Biosynthesis
Authors: Friedrich Steffen , Hemmerling Franziska , Lindner Frederick , Warnke Anna , Wunderlich Johannes , Berkhan Gesche , Hahn Frank
Published: October 2016

We describe the characterisation of the O-methyltransferase JerF from the late stages of jerangolid biosynthesis. JerF is the first known example of an enzyme that catalyses the formation of a non-aromatic, cyclic methylenolether. The enzyme was overexpressed in E. coli and the cell-free extracts were used in bioconversion experiments. Chemical synthesis gave access to a series of substrate surrogates that covered a broad structural space. Enzymatic assays revealed a broad substrate tolerance and high regioselectivity of JerF, which makes it an attractive candidate for an application in chemoenzymatic synthesis with particular usefulness for late stage application on 4-methoxy-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one-containing natural products.
The Effects of Pre-Fermentative Addition of Oenological Tannins on Wine Components and Sensorial Qualities of Red Wine
Authors: Chen Kai , Escott Carlos , Loira Iris , Del Fresno Juan , Morata Antonio , Tesfaye Wendu , Calderon Fernando , Benito Santiago , Suárez-Lepe Jose
Published: October 2016

Today in the wine industry, oenological tannins are widely used to improve wine quality and prevent oxidation in wine aging. With the development of tannin products, new oenological tannins are developed with many specific functions, such as modifying antioxidant effect, colour stabilization and aroma modifications. The aim of this work is to investigate effects of pre-fermentative addition of oenological tannins on wine colour, anthocyanins, volatile compounds and sensorial properties. In this case, Syrah juice was extracted with classic flash thermovinification from fresh must in order to release more colour and tannins. Three types of oenological tannins, which are, respectively, derived from grape skin, seed (Vitis vinifera) and French oak (Quercus robur and Querrus petraea), were selected to carry out the experiments with seven treatments. Results indicated that tannin treatments significantly improved wine aroma complexity and sensorial properties. However, the concentration of some stable pigments such as Vitisin A, Vitisin A-Ac and Vitisin B was negatively affected by tannin additions. Nevertheless, by means of cluster analysis and principal component analysis, it was observed that higher alcohols were significantly promoted by grape seed tannin while most anthocyanins can be improved by addition of grape tannins. In conclusion, low amount of oenological tannin derived from grape seed is a promising method to be applied especially for young red wine making.
Urinary Metabolomic Profiling in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Glimepiride, Metformin, and Their Combination
Authors: Dong Yu , Chen Yi-Tao , Yang Yuan-Xiao , Shou Dan , Li Chang-Yu
Published: October 2016

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a high incidence metabolic disease. Glimepiride, metformin, and their combination are the most commonly used therapeutics for T2DM in the clinic, but little is known about the metabolic responses of these therapies. In this study, ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS)-based metabolomics was applied to detect changes in the urinary metabolomic profile of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats in response to these treatments. Additionally, standard biochemical parameters (e.g., fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, oral glucose tolerance, urinary glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and insulin) and liver histopathology were monitored and observed. Six metabolites, including 3-galactosyl lactose, citric acid, sphingosine, phytosphingosine, ribothymidine, and succinoadenosine, were found significantly reverted to the normal level after these therapies. The present study is the first to present citric acid and sphinganine as the potential markers of T2DM, which could be used as indicators to observe the anti-diabetic effects of glimepiride, metformin, and their combination treatments.
Direct Selective Oxidative Functionalization of C–H Bonds with H2O2: Mn-Aminopyridine Complexes Challenge the Dominance of Non-Heme Fe Catalysts
Authors: Ottenbacher Roman , Talsi Evgenii , Bryliakov Konstantin
Published: October 2016

Non-heme iron(II) complexes are widespread synthetic enzyme models, capable of conducting selective C–H oxidation with H2O2 in the presence of carboxylic acid additives. In the last years, structurally similar manganese(II) complexes have been shown to catalyze C–H oxidation with similarly high selectivity, and with much higher efficiency. In this mini-review, recent catalytic and mechanistic data on the selective C–H oxygenations with H2O2 in the presence of manganese complexes are overviewed. A distinctive feature of catalyst systems of the type Mn complex/H2O2/carboxylic is the existence of two alternative reaction pathways (as found for the oxidation of cumenes), one leading to the formation of alcohol, and the other to ester. The mechanisms of formation of the alcohol and the ester are briefly discussed.
Heat-Killed Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus johnsonii Reduce Liver Injury Induced by Alcohol In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Chuang Cheng-Hung , Tsai Cheng-Chih , Lin En-Shyh , Huang Chin-Shiu , Lin Yun-Yu , Lan Chuan-Ching , Huang Chun-Chih
Published: October 2016

The aim of the present study was to determine whether Lactobacillus salivarius (LS) and Lactobacillus johnsonii (LJ) prevent alcoholic liver damage in HepG2 cells and rat models of acute alcohol exposure. In this study, heat-killed LS and LJ were screened from 50 Lactobacillus strains induced by 100 mM alcohol in HepG2 cells. The severity of alcoholic liver injury was determined by measuring the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), lipid peroxidation, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol. Our results indicated that heat-killed LS and LJ reduced AST, ALT, γ-GT and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and outperformed other bacterial strains in cell line studies. We further evaluated these findings by administering these strains to rats. Only LS was able to reduce serum AST levels, which it did by 26.2%. In addition LS significantly inhibited serum TG levels by 39.2%. However, both strains were unable to inhibit ALT levels. In summary, we demonstrated that heat-killed LS and LJ possess hepatoprotective properties induced by alcohol both in vitro and in vivo.
Black Phosphorus: Critical Review and Potential for Water Splitting Photocatalyst
Authors: Lee Tae , Kim Soo , Jang Ho
Published: October 2016

A century after its first synthesis in 1914, black phosphorus has been attracting significant attention as a promising two-dimensional material in recent years due to its unique properties. Nowadays, with the development of its exfoliation method, there are extensive applications of black phosphorus in transistors, batteries and optoelectronics. Though, because of its hardship in mass production and stability problems, the potential of the black phosphorus in various fields is left unexplored. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of crystal structure, electronic, optical properties and synthesis of black phosphorus. Recent research works about the applications of black phosphorus is summarized. Among them, the possibility of black phosphorous as a solar water splitting photocatalyst is mainly discussed and the feasible novel structure of photocatalysts based on black phosphorous is proposed.
Differential Effects of Red Meat/Refined Grain Diet and Dairy/Chicken/Nuts/Whole Grain Diet on Glucose, Insulin and Triglyceride in a Randomized Crossover Study
Authors: Kim Yoona , Keogh Jennifer , Clifton Peter
Published: October 2016

Epidemiological studies suggest that a diet high in processed meat, with a high glycemic index is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. It is not clear if this is due to altered insulin sensitivity or an enhanced postprandial glucose. We aimed to compare the acute metabolic response of two different types of meals after ingestion of the matching diet for four weeks. The study was a randomized, crossover acute meal study. Volunteers consumed either a red meat/refined grain meal or a dairy/chicken/nuts/wholegrain meal after four weeks of the matching diet. After a three-week washout period and four weeks of the alternate diet, they consumed the matching meal. The diets differed with respect to both protein and carbohydrate sources. Blood samples were taken for 180 min for the measurement of glucose, insulin, C-peptide and triglyceride. Fifty-one participants (age: 35.1 ± 15.6 years; body mass index: 27.7 ± 6.9 kg/m2, 17 with normal and 34 with impaired glucose tolerance) completed two meal tests. The area under the curve (p < 0.001) and incremental area under the curve (p = 0.001) for insulin was significantly higher after the red meat/refined grain diet than after the dairy/chicken/nuts/whole grain diet. There was an interaction between meal and glucose tolerance group (p < 0.05) in the area under the curve (AUC) and the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) of glucose; the red meat/refined grain diet increased glucose relative to the dairy/chicken/nuts/whole grain diet only in the normal group (+2.5 mmol/L/3 h). The red meat/refined grain diet increased glucose and insulin responses compared with the dairy/chicken/nuts/whole grain diet. This meal pattern would increase pancreatic stress long term and may account for the increased risk of type 2 diabetes with this diet.
Drinking Water Intake Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality among French Adults
Authors: Gazan Rozenn , Sondey Juliette , Maillot Matthieu , Guelinckx Isabelle , Lluch Anne
Published: October 2016

This study aimed to examine the association between drinking water intake and diet quality, and to analyse the adherence of French men and women to the European Food Safety Authority 2010 Adequate Intake (EFSA AI). A representative sample of French adults (≥18) from the Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA2) was classified, by sex, into small, medium, and large drinking water consumers. Diet quality was assessed with several nutritional indices (mean adequacy ratio (MAR), mean excess ratio (MER), probability of adequate intakes (PANDiet), and solid energy density (SED)). Of the total sample, 72% of men and 46% of women were below the EFSA AI. This percentage of non-adherence decreased from the small to the large drinking water consumers (from 95% to 34% in men and from 81% to 9% in women). For both sexes, drinking water intake was associated with higher diet quality (greater MAR and PANDiet). This association remained significant independently of socio-economic status for women only. Low drinking water consumers did not compensate with other sources (beverages and food moisture) and a high drinking water intake was not a guarantee for reaching the EFSA AI, meaning that increasing consumption of water should be encouraged in France.
Herbal Products in Italy: The Thin Line between Phytotherapy, Nutrition and Parapharmaceuticals; A Normative Overview of the Fastest Growing Market in Europe
Authors: Biagi Marco , Pecorari Rita , Appendino Giovanni , Miraldi Elisabetta , Magnano Anna , Governa Paolo , Cettolin Giulia , Giachetti Daniela
Published: October 2016

The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based “parapharmaceuticals”.
Silicon Drift Detectors with the Drift Field Induced by PureB-Coated Trenches
Authors: Knežević Tihomir , Nanver Lis , Suligoj Tomislav
Published: October 2016

Junction formation in deep trenches is proposed as a new means of creating a built-in drift field in silicon drift detectors (SDDs). The potential performance of this trenched drift detector (TDD) was investigated analytically and through simulations, and compared to simulations of conventional bulk-silicon drift detector (BSDD) configurations. Although the device was not experimentally realized, the manufacturability of the TDDs is estimated to be good on the basis of previously demonstrated photodiodes and detectors fabricated in PureB technology. The pure boron deposition of this technology allows good trench coverage and is known to provide nm-shallow low-noise p+n diodes that can be used as radiation-hard light-entrance windows. With this type of diode, the TDDs would be suitable for X-ray radiation detection down to 100 eV and up to tens of keV energy levels. In the TDD, the drift region is formed by varying the geometry and position of the trenches while the reverse biasing of all diodes is kept at the same constant voltage. For a given wafer doping, the drift field is lower for the TDD than for a BSDD and it demands a much higher voltage between the anode and cathode, but also has several advantages: it eliminates the possibility of punch-through and no current flows from the inner to outer perimeter of the cathode because a voltage divider is not needed to set the drift field. In addition, the loss of sensitive area at the outer perimeter of the cathode is much smaller. For example, the simulations predict that an optimized TDD geometry with an active-region radius of 3100 µm could have a drift field of 370 V/cm and a photo-sensitive radius that is 500-µm larger than that of a comparable BSDD structure. The PureB diodes on the front and back of the TDD are continuous, which means low dark currents and high stability with respect to leakage currents that otherwise could be caused by radiation damage. The dark current of the 3100-µm TDD will increase by only 34% if an interface trap concentration of 1012 cm−2 is introduced to approximate the oxide interface degradation that could be caused during irradiation. The TDD structure is particularly well-suited for implementation in multi-cell drift detector arrays where it is shown to significantly decrease the cross-talk between segments. The trenches will, however, also present a narrow dead area that can split the energy deposited by high-energy photons traversing this dead area. The count rate within a cell of a radius = 300 µm in a multi-cell TDD array is found to be as high as 10 Mcps.
Characterization of SPAD Array for Multifocal High-Content Screening Applications
Authors: Tsikouras Anthony , Peronio Pietro , Rech Ivan , Hirmiz Nehad , Deen M. , Fang Qiyin
Published: October 2016

Current instruments used to detect specific protein-protein interactions in live cells for applications in high-content screening (HCS) are limited by the time required to measure the lifetime. Here, a 32 × 1 single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array was explored as a detector for fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) in HCS. Device parameters and characterization results were interpreted in the context of the application to determine if the SPAD array could satisfy the requirements of HCS-FLIM. Fluorescence lifetime measurements were performed using a known fluorescence standard; and the recovered fluorescence lifetime matched literature reported values. The design of a theoretical 32 × 32 SPAD array was also considered as a detector for a multi-point confocal scanning microscope.
Spatial-Temporal Sub-Pixel Mapping Based on Swarm Intelligence Theory
Authors: He Da , Zhong Yanfei , Feng Ruyi , Zhang Liangpei
Published: October 2016

In the past decades, sub-pixel mapping algorithms have been extensively developed due to the large number of different applications. However, most of the sub-pixel mapping algorithms are based on single-temporal images, and the results are usually compromised without auxiliary information due to the ill-posed problem of sub-pixel mapping. In this paper, a novel spatial-temporal sub-pixel mapping algorithm based on swarm intelligence theory is proposed for multitemporal remote sensing imagery. Swarm intelligence theory involves clonal selection sub-pixel mapping (CSSM), which evolves the solution by emulating the biological advantage of the human immune system, and differential evolution sub-pixel mapping (DESM), which optimizes the solution by intelligent operations and heuristic searching in the solution pool. In addition, considering the under-determined problem of sub-pixel mapping, the spatial-temporal sub-pixel mapping method is used to obtain the distribution information at a fine spatial resolution from the bitemporal image pair, which exactly regularizes the ill-posed problem. Furthermore, the short-interval temporal information and the fine spatial distribution information within the bitemporal image pair can be integrated for further use, such as timely and detailed land-cover change detection (LCCD). To verify the validation of the swarm intelligence theory based spatial-temporal sub-pixel mapping algorithm, the proposed algorithm was compared with several traditional sub-pixel mapping algorithms, in both synthetic and real image experiments. The experimental results confirm that the proposed algorithm outperforms the traditional approaches, achieving a better sub-pixel mapping result both qualitatively and quantitatively, as well as improving the subsequent LCCD performance.
Direct Measurements of Bedrock Incision Rates on the Surface of a Large Dip-slope Landslide by Multi-Period Airborne Laser Scanning DEMs
Authors: Hsieh Yu-Chung , Chan Yu-Chang , Hu Jyr-Ching , Chen Yi-Zhong , Chen Rou-Fei , Chen Mien-Ming
Published: October 2016

This study uses three periods of airborne laser scanning (ALS) digital elevation model (DEM) data to analyze the short-term erosional features of the Tsaoling landslide triggered by the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in Taiwan. Two methods for calculating the bedrock incision rate, the equal-interval cross section selection method and the continuous swath profiles selection method, were used in the study after nearly ten years of gully incision following the earthquake-triggered dip-slope landslide. Multi-temporal gully incision rates were obtained using the continuous swath profiles selection method, which is considered a practical and convenient approach in terrain change studies. After error estimation and comparison of the multi-period ALS DEMs, the terrain change in different periods can be directly calculated, reducing time-consuming fieldwork such as installation of erosion pins and measurement of topographic cross sections on site. The gully bedrock incision rate calculated by the three periods of ALS DEMs on the surface of the Tsaoling landslide ranged from 0.23 m/year to 3.98 m/year. The local gully incision rate in the lower part of the landslide surface was found to be remarkably faster than that of the other regions, suggesting that the fast incision of the toe area possibly contributes to the occurrence of repeated landslides in the Tsaoling area.
Information Fusion of Conflicting Input Data
Authors: Mönks Uwe , Dörksen Helene , Lohweg Volker , Hübner Michael
Published: October 2016

Sensors, and also actuators or external sources such as databases, serve as data sources in order to realise condition monitoring of industrial applications or the acquisition of characteristic parameters like production speed or reject rate. Modern facilities create such a large amount of complex data that a machine operator is unable to comprehend and process the information contained in the data. Thus, information fusion mechanisms gain increasing importance. Besides the management of large amounts of data, further challenges towards the fusion algorithms arise from epistemic uncertainties (incomplete knowledge) in the input signals as well as conflicts between them. These aspects must be considered during information processing to obtain reliable results, which are in accordance with the real world. The analysis of the scientific state of the art shows that current solutions fulfil said requirements at most only partly. This article proposes the multilayered information fusion system MACRO (multilayer attribute-based conflict-reducing observation) employing the μBalTLCS (fuzzified balanced two-layer conflict solving) fusion algorithm to reduce the impact of conflicts on the fusion result. The performance of the contribution is shown by its evaluation in the scope of a machine condition monitoring application under laboratory conditions. Here, the MACRO system yields the best results compared to state-of-the-art fusion mechanisms. The utilised data is published and freely accessible.
An Accurate Direction Finding Scheme Using Virtual Antenna Array via Smartphones
Authors: Wang Xiaopu , Xiong Yan , Huang Wenchao
Published: October 2016

With the development of localization technologies, researchers solve the indoor localization problems using diverse methods and equipment. Most localization techniques require either specialized devices or fingerprints, which are inconvenient for daily use. Therefore, we propose and implement an accurate, efficient and lightweight system for indoor direction finding using common smartphones and loudspeakers. Our method is derived from a key insight: By moving a smartphone in regular patterns, we can effectively emulate the sensitivity and functionality of a Uniform Antenna Array to estimate the angle of arrival of the target signal. Specifically, a user only needs to hold his smartphone still in front of him, and then rotate his body around 360 ∘ duration with the smartphone at an approximate constant velocity. Then, our system can provide accurate directional guidance and lead the user to their destinations (normal loudspeakers we preset in the indoor environment transmitting high frequency acoustic signals) after a few measurements. Major challenges in implementing our system are not only imitating a virtual antenna array by ordinary smartphones but also overcoming the detection difficulties caused by the complex indoor environment. In addition, we leverage the gyroscope of the smartphone to reduce the impact of a user’s motion pattern change to the accuracy of our system. In order to get rid of the multipath effect, we leverage multiple signal classification to calculate the direction of the target signal, and then design and deploy our system in various indoor scenes. Extensive comparative experiments show that our system is reliable under various circumstances.
Towards Contactless Silent Speech Recognition Based on Detection of Active and Visible Articulators Using IR-UWB Radar
Authors: Shin Young , Seo Jiwon
Published: October 2016

People with hearing or speaking disabilities are deprived of the benefits of conventional speech recognition technology because it is based on acoustic signals. Recent research has focused on silent speech recognition systems that are based on the motions of a speaker’s vocal tract and articulators. Because most silent speech recognition systems use contact sensors that are very inconvenient to users or optical systems that are susceptible to environmental interference, a contactless and robust solution is hence required. Toward this objective, this paper presents a series of signal processing algorithms for a contactless silent speech recognition system using an impulse radio ultra-wide band (IR-UWB) radar. The IR-UWB radar is used to remotely and wirelessly detect motions of the lips and jaw. In order to extract the necessary features of lip and jaw motions from the received radar signals, we propose a feature extraction algorithm. The proposed algorithm noticeably improved speech recognition performance compared to the existing algorithm during our word recognition test with five speakers. We also propose a speech activity detection algorithm to automatically select speech segments from continuous input signals. Thus, speech recognition processing is performed only when speech segments are detected. Our testbed consists of commercial off-the-shelf radar products, and the proposed algorithms are readily applicable without designing specialized radar hardware for silent speech processing.
Understanding the Potential of WO3 Based Sensors for Breath Analysis
Authors: Staerz Anna , Weimar Udo , Barsan Nicolae
Published: October 2016

Tungsten trioxide is the second most commonly used semiconducting metal oxide in gas sensors. Semiconducting metal oxide (SMOX)-based sensors are small, robust, inexpensive and sensitive, making them highly attractive for handheld portable medical diagnostic detectors. WO3 is reported to show high sensor responses to several biomarkers found in breath, e.g., acetone, ammonia, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, toluene, and nitric oxide. Modern material science allows WO3 samples to be tailored to address certain sensing needs. Utilizing recent advances in breath sampling it will be possible in the future to test WO3-based sensors in application conditions and to compare the sensing results to those obtained using more expensive analytical methods.
Wafer-Level Vacuum Packaging of Smart Sensors
Authors: Hilton Allan , Temple Dorota
Published: October 2016

The reach and impact of the Internet of Things will depend on the availability of low-cost, smart sensors—“low cost” for ubiquitous presence, and “smart” for connectivity and autonomy. By using wafer-level processes not only for the smart sensor fabrication and integration, but also for packaging, we can further greatly reduce the cost of sensor components and systems as well as further decrease their size and weight. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in the wafer-level vacuum packaging technology of smart sensors. We describe the processes needed to create the wafer-scale vacuum microchambers, focusing on approaches that involve metal seals and that are compatible with the thermal budget of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits. We review choices of seal materials and structures that are available to a device designer, and present techniques used for the fabrication of metal seals on device and window wafers. We also analyze the deposition and activation of thin film getters needed to maintain vacuum in the ultra-small chambers, and the wafer-to-wafer bonding processes that form the hermetic seal. We discuss inherent trade-offs and challenges of each seal material set and the corresponding bonding processes. Finally, we identify areas for further research that could help broaden implementations of the wafer-level vacuum packaging technology.
A Photoactivated Gas Detector for Toluene Sensing at Room Temperature Based on New Coral-Like ZnO Nanostructure Arrays
Authors: Yeh Li-Ko , Luo Jie-Chun , Chen Min-Chun , Wu Chih-Hung , Chen Jian-Zhang , Cheng I-Chun , Hsu Cheng-Che , Tian Wei-Cheng
Published: October 2016

A photoactivated gas detector operated at room temperature was microfabricated using a simple hydrothermal method. We report that the photoactivated gas detector can detect toluene using a UV illumination of 2 μW/cm2. By ultraviolet (UV) illumination, gas detectors sense toluene at room temperature without heating. A significant enhancement of detector sensitivity is achieved because of the high surface-area-to-volume ratio of the morphology of the coral-like ZnO nanorods arrays (NRAs) and the increased number of photo-induced oxygen ions under UV illumination. The corresponding sensitivity (ΔR/R0) of the detector based on coral-like ZnO NRAs is enhanced by approximately 1022% compared to that of thin-film detectors. The proposed detector greatly extends the dynamic range of detection of metal-oxide-based detectors for gas sensing applications. We report the first-ever detection of toluene with a novel coral-like NRAs gas detector at room temperature. A sensing mechanism model is also proposed to explain the sensing responses of gas detectors based on coral-like ZnO NRAs.
An Integrated Wireless Wearable Sensor System for Posture Recognition and Indoor Localization
Authors: Huang Jian , Yu Xiaoqiang , Wang Yuan , Xiao Xiling
Published: October 2016

In order to provide better monitoring for the elderly or patients, we developed an integrated wireless wearable sensor system that can realize posture recognition and indoor localization in real time. Five designed sensor nodes which are respectively fixed on lower limbs and a standard Kalman filter are used to acquire basic attitude data. After the attitude angles of five body segments (two thighs, two shanks and the waist) are obtained, the pitch angles of the left thigh and waist are used to realize posture recognition. Based on all these attitude angles of body segments, we can also calculate the coordinates of six lower limb joints (two hip joints, two knee joints and two ankle joints). Then, a novel relative localization algorithm based on step length is proposed to realize the indoor localization of the user. Several sparsely distributed active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are used to correct the accumulative error in the relative localization algorithm and a set-membership filter is applied to realize the data fusion. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.