bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microscale Heterogeneous Distribution and Speciation of Phosphorus in Soils Amended with Mineral Fertilizer and Cattle Manure Compost
Authors: Yamaguchi Noriko , Ohkura Toshiaki , Hikono Atsuko , Hashimoto Yohey , Suda Aomi , Yamamoto Taku , Ando Kaori , Kasuya Masahiro , Northrup Paul , Wang Shan-Li , Hesterberg Dean
Published: January 2021

Global concerns for the sustainability of agriculture have emphasized the need to reduce the use of mineral fertilizer. Although phosphorus (P) is accumulated in farmland soils due to the long-term application of fertilizer, most soil P is not readily available to plants. The chemical speciation of P in soils, which comprise heterogeneous microenvironments, cannot be evaluated with a high degree of specificity using only macroscopic analyses. In this study, we investigated the distribution and speciation of P accumulated in soils by using both macro- and microscopic techniques including chemical extraction, solution and solid-state 31P NMR, bulk- and micro- P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Soil samples were collected from a field in which cabbage was cultivated under three amendment treatments: i) mineral fertilizer (NPK), ii) mineral fertilizer and compost (NPK + compost), and iii) mineral fertilizer plus compost but without nitrogen fertilizer (PK + compost). Macro-scale analyses suggested that accumulated P was predominantly inorganic P and associated with Al-bearing minerals. The repeated application of compost to the soils increased the proportion of P associated with Ca which accounted for 17% in the NPK + compost plot and 40% in the PK + compost plot. At the microscale, hot spots of P were heterogeneously distributed, and P was associated with Fe and Ca in hot spots of the NPK + compost (pH 6) and PK + compost (pH 7) treated samples, respectively. Our results indicate that application of compost contributed to creating diverse microenvironments hosting P in these soils.
An Overview of the Synthesis and Antimicrobial, Antiprotozoal, and Antitumor Activity of Thiazole and Bisthiazole Derivatives
Authors: Borcea Anca-Maria , Ionuț Ioana , Crișan Ovidiu , Oniga Ovidiu
Published: January 2021

Thiazole, a five-membered heteroaromatic ring, is an important scaffold of a large number of synthetic compounds. Its diverse pharmacological activity is reflected in many clinically approved thiazole-containing molecules, with an extensive range of biological activities, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antihelmintic, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. Due to its significance in the field of medicinal chemistry, numerous biologically active thiazole and bisthiazole derivatives have been reported in the scientific literature. The current review provides an overview of different methods for the synthesis of thiazole and bisthiazole derivatives and describes various compounds bearing a thiazole and bisthiazole moiety possessing antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, and antitumor activity, encouraging further research on the discovery of thiazole-containing drugs.
Structural and Energetic Characterization of the Denatured State from the Perspectives of Peptides, the Coil Library, and Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Authors: Paiz Elisia A. , Lewis Karen A. , Whitten Steven T.
Published: January 2021

The α and polyproline II (PPII) basins are the two most populated regions of the Ramachandran map when constructed from the protein coil library, a widely used denatured state model built from the segments of irregular structure found in the Protein Data Bank. This indicates the α and PPII conformations are dominant components of the ensembles of denatured structures that exist in solution for biological proteins, an observation supported in part by structural studies of short, and thus unfolded, peptides. Although intrinsic conformational propensities have been determined experimentally for the common amino acids in short peptides, and estimated from surveys of the protein coil library, the ability of these intrinsic conformational propensities to quantitatively reproduce structural behavior in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), an increasingly important class of proteins in cell function, has thus far proven elusive to establish. Recently, we demonstrated that the sequence dependence of the mean hydrodynamic size of IDPs in water and the impact of heat on the coil dimensions, provide access to both the sequence dependence and thermodynamic energies that are associated with biases for the α and PPII backbone conformations. Here, we compare results from peptide-based studies of intrinsic conformational propensities and surveys of the protein coil library to those of the sequence-based analysis of heat effects on IDP hydrodynamic size, showing that a common structural and thermodynamic description of the protein denatured state is obtained.
Cryogenic Transport Characteristics of P-Type Gate-All-Around Silicon Nanowire MOSFETs
Authors: Gu Jie , Zhang Qingzhu , Wu Zhenhua , Yao Jiaxin , Zhang Zhaohao , Zhu Xiaohui , Wang Guilei , Li Junjie , Zhang Yongkui , Cai Yuwei , Xu Renren , Xu Gaobo , Xu Qiuxia , Yin Huaxiang , Luo Jun , Wang Wenwu , Ye Tianchun
Published: January 2021

A 16-nm-Lg p-type Gate-all-around (GAA) silicon nanowire (Si NW) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) was fabricated based on the mainstream bulk fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) technology. The temperature dependence of electrical characteristics for normal MOSFET as well as the quantum transport at cryogenic has been investigated systematically. We demonstrate a good gate-control ability and body effect immunity at cryogenic for the GAA Si NW MOSFETs and observe the transport of two-fold degenerate hole sub-bands in the nanowire (110) channel direction sub-band structure experimentally. In addition, the pronounced ballistic transport characteristics were demonstrated in the GAA Si NW MOSFET. Due to the existence of spacers for the typical MOSFET, the quantum interference was also successfully achieved at lower bias.
Green Salad Intake Is Associated with Improved Oral Cancer Survival and Lower Soluble CD44 Levels
Authors: Bell Elizabeth Bradford , Reis Isildinha M. , Cohen Erin R. , Almuhaimid Turki , Smith Drew H. , Alotaibi Faisal , Gordon Claudia , Gomez-Fernandez Carmen , Goodwin W. Jarrard , Franzmann Elizabeth J.
Published: January 2021

Deficiencies in fruit and vegetable intake have been associated with oral cancer (oral cavity and oropharyngeal). Salivary rinses contain measurable biomarkers including soluble CD44 (solCD44) and total protein, which are known markers of oral cancer risk. This study investigates the effect of nutritional factors on solCD44 and protein levels to evaluate oral cancer risk and survival. We evaluated solCD44 and protein levels from 150 patients with oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 150 frequency-matched controls. We subsequently characterized the effect of food group consumption and these biomarkers on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Patients reported eating fewer servings of salad (p = 0.015), while controls reported eating fewer servings of potatoes (p < 0.001). Oral cancer patients who consumed at least one serving per week of green salad were found to have significantly lower CD44 levels than those who ate salad less frequently (mean of log2[solCD44]1.73 versus 2.25, p = 0.014). Patients who consumed at least one serving per week of “salad or other vegetables” had significantly longer PFS (median 43.5 versus 9.1 months, p = 0.003, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.39 p = 0.014) and OS (median 83.6 versus 10 months, p = 0.008, adjusted HR = 0.04 p = 0.029). These findings suggest that dietary factors, namely greater green salad and vegetable intake, may be associated with lower CD44 levels and better prognosis in oral cancer patients.
Feed Composition Differences Resulting from Organic and Conventional Farming Practices Affect Physiological Parameters in Wistar Rats—Results from a Factorial, Two-Generation Dietary Intervention Trial
Authors: Barański Marcin , Średnicka-Tober Dominika , Rempelos Leonidas , Hasanaliyeva Gultakin , Gromadzka-Ostrowska Joanna , Skwarło-Sońta Krystyna , Królikowski Tomasz , Rembiałkowska Ewa , Hajslova Jana , Schulzova Vera , Cakmak Ismail , Ozturk Levent , Hallmann Ewelina , Seal Chris , Iversen Per Ole , Vigar Vanessa , Leifert Carlo
Published: January 2021

Recent human cohort studies reported positive associations between organic food consumption and a lower incidence of obesity, cancer, and several other diseases. However, there are very few animal and human dietary intervention studies that provide supporting evidence or a mechanistic understanding of these associations. Here we report results from a two-generation, dietary intervention study with male Wistar rats to identify the effects of feeds made from organic and conventional crops on growth, hormonal, and immune system parameters that are known to affect the risk of a number of chronic, non-communicable diseases in animals and humans. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used to separate the effects of contrasting crop protection methods (use or non-use of synthetic chemical pesticides) and fertilizers (mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizers vs. manure use) applied in conventional and organic crop production. Conventional, pesticide-based crop protection resulted in significantly lower fiber, polyphenol, flavonoid, and lutein, but higher lipid, aldicarb, and diquat concentrations in animal feeds. Conventional, mineral NPK-based fertilization resulted in significantly lower polyphenol, but higher cadmium and protein concentrations in feeds. Feed composition differences resulting from the use of pesticides and/or mineral NPK-fertilizer had a significant effect on feed intake, weight gain, plasma hormone, and immunoglobulin concentrations, and lymphocyte proliferation in both generations of rats and in the second generation also on the body weight at weaning. Results suggest that relatively small changes in dietary intakes of (a) protein, lipids, and fiber, (b) toxic and/or endocrine-disrupting pesticides and metals, and (c) polyphenols and other antioxidants (resulting from pesticide and/or mineral NPK-fertilizer use) had complex and often interactive effects on endocrine, immune systems and growth parameters in rats. However, the physiological responses to contrasting feed composition/intake profiles differed substantially between the first and second generations of rats. This may indicate epigenetic programming and/or the generation of “adaptive” phenotypes and should be investigated further.
Astaxanthin Prevents Atrophy in Slow Muscle Fibers by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species via a Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis Pathway
Authors: Sun Luchuanyang , Miyaji Nobuyuki , Yang Min , Mills Edward M. , Taniyama Shigeto , Uchida Takayuki , Nikawa Takeshi , Li Jifeng , Shi Jie , Tachibana Katsuyasu , Hirasaka Katsuya
Published: January 2021

Astaxanthin (AX) is a carotenoid that exerts potent antioxidant activity and acts in the lipid bilayer. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AX on muscle-atrophy-mediated disturbance of mitochondria, which have a lipid bilayer. Tail suspension was used to establish a muscle-atrophied mouse model. AX diet fed to tail-suspension mice prevented loss of muscle weight, inhibited the decrease of myofiber size, and restrained the increase of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production in the soleus muscle. Additionally, AX improved downregulation of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I and III in the soleus muscle after tail suspension. Meanwhile, AX promoted mitochondrial biogenesis by upregulating the expressions of adenosine 5′-monophosphate–activated protein kinase (AMPK) α-1, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, and creatine kinase in mitochondrial (Ckmt) 2 in the soleus muscle of tail-suspension mice. To confirm the AX phenotype in the soleus muscle, we examined its effects on mitochondria using Sol8 myotubes derived from the soleus muscle. We found that AX was preferentially detected in the mitochondrial fraction; it significantly suppressed mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in Sol8 myotubes. Moreover, AX inhibited the activation of caspase 3 via inhibiting the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol in antimycin A–treated Sol8 myotubes. These results suggested that AX protected the functional stability of mitochondria, alleviated mitochondrial oxidative stress and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, and thus, prevented muscle atrophy.
Deep Dive Into the Effects of Food Processing on Limiting Starch Digestibility and Lowering the Glycemic Response
Authors: Cesbron-Lavau Gautier , Goux Aurélie , Atkinson Fiona , Meynier Alexandra , Vinoy Sophie
Published: January 2021

During processing of cereal-based food products, starch undergoes dramatic changes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of food processing on the starch digestibility profile of cereal-based foods using advanced imaging techniques, and to determine the effect of preserving starch in its native, slowly digestible form on its in vivo metabolic fate. Four different food products using different processing technologies were evaluated: extruded products, rusks, soft-baked cakes, and rotary-molded biscuits. Imaging techniques (X-ray diffraction, micro-X-ray microtomography, and electronic microscopy) were used to investigate changes in slowly digestible starch (SDS) structure that occurred during these different food processing technologies. For in vivo evaluation, International Standards for glycemic index (GI) methodology were applied on 12 healthy subjects. Rotary molding preserved starch in its intact form and resulted in the highest SDS content (28 g/100 g) and a significantly lower glycemic and insulinemic response, while the three other technologies resulted in SDS contents below 3 g/100 g. These low SDS values were due to greater disruption of the starch structure, which translated to a shift from a crystalline structure to an amorphous one. Modulation of postprandial glycemia, through starch digestibility modulation, is a meaningful target for the prevention of metabolic diseases.
Childhood Obesity and COVID-19 Lockdown: Remarks on Eating Habits of Patients Enrolled in a Food-Education Program
Authors: Nicodemo Mirella , Spreghini Maria Rita , Manco Melania , Wietrzykowska Sforza Rita , Morino Giuseppe
Published: January 2021

Childhood obesity is a worldwide health emergency. In many cases, it is directly linked to inappropriate eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. During lockdown aimed at containing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, children have been forced to stay at home. The present study aimed at investigating the lifestyles of outpatients (aged 5–17 years) with complicated obesity enrolled in the day-hospital food education program at the Children’s Hospital Bambino Gesù in Rome. A survey was performed based on a structured questionnaire, investigating dietary habits and lifestyles. The questionnaire answers were rated as “yes/no/sometimes” or “often/never/sometimes”. Eighty-eight families correctly completed the questionnaire between March and May 2020. The results highlighted that 85.2% (N = 75) of the patients ate breakfast regularly, and 64.3% (N = 72) consumed fruit as an afternoon snack. However, 21.6% (N = 19) did just “often” home workouts, and 50.0% (N = 44) reported an increase of feeling hungry with “sometimes” frequency. There is a significant relationship of feeling hungry with gender (p < 0.0001) and age (p = 0.048) and, also, between gender with having breakfast (p = 0.020) and cooking (p = 0.006). Living a healthy lifestyle during lockdown was difficult for the outpatients, mainly due to the increase in a sedentary lifestyle and the increase in feeling hungry, but some healthy eating habits were maintained, as advised during the food education program provided before lockdown.
Ursolic Acid Inhibits Collective Cell Migration and Promotes JNK-Dependent Lysosomal Associated Cell Death in Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells
Authors: Conway Gillian E. , Zizyte Deimante , Mondala Julie Rose Mae , He Zhonglei , Lynam Lorna , Lecourt Mathilde , Barcia Carlos , Howe Orla , Curtin James F.
Published: January 2021

Ursolic acid (UA) is a bioactive compound which has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in a variety of cancer cell lines. UA activates various signalling pathways in Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and offers a promising starting point in drug discovery; however, understanding the relationship between cell death and migration has yet to be elucidated. UA induces a dose dependent cytotoxic response demonstrated by flow cytometry and biochemical cytotoxicity assays. Inhibitor and fluorescent probe studies demonstrate that UA induces a caspase independent, JNK dependent, mechanism of cell death. Migration studies established that UA inhibits GBM collective cell migration in a time dependent manner that is independent of the JNK signalling pathway. Cytotoxicity induced by UA results in the formation of acidic vesicle organelles (AVOs), speculating the activation of autophagy. However, inhibitor and spectrophotometric analysis demonstrated that autophagy was not responsible for the formation of the AVOs. Confocal microscopy and isosurface visualisation determined co-localisation of lysosomes with the previously identified AVOs, thus providing evidence that lysosomes are likely to be playing a role in UA induced cell death. Collectively, our data identify that UA rapidly induces a lysosomal associated mechanism of cell death in addition to UA acting as an inhibitor of GBM collective cell migration.
Monoclonal Antibodies as Neurological Therapeutics
Authors: Gklinos Panagiotis , Papadopoulou Miranta , Stanulovic Vid , Mitsikostas Dimos D. , Papadopoulos Dimitrios
Published: January 2021

Over the last 30 years the role of monoclonal antibodies in therapeutics has increased enormously, revolutionizing treatment in most medical specialties, including neurology. Monoclonal antibodies are key therapeutic agents for several neurological conditions with diverse pathophysiological mechanisms, including multiple sclerosis, migraines and neuromuscular disease. In addition, a great number of monoclonal antibodies against several targets are being investigated for many more neurological diseases, which reflects our advances in understanding the pathogenesis of these diseases. Untangling the molecular mechanisms of disease allows monoclonal antibodies to block disease pathways accurately and efficiently with exceptional target specificity, minimizing non-specific effects. On the other hand, accumulating experience shows that monoclonal antibodies may carry class-specific and target-associated risks. This article provides an overview of different types of monoclonal antibodies and their characteristics and reviews monoclonal antibodies currently in use or under development for neurological disease.
Understanding In Vivo Fate of Nucleic Acid and Gene Medicines for the Rational Design of Drugs
Authors: Fumoto Shintaro , Yamamoto Tsuyoshi , Okami Kazuya , Maemura Yuina , Terada Chisato , Yamayoshi Asako , Nishida Koyo
Published: January 2021

Nucleic acid and genetic medicines are increasingly being developed, owing to their potential to treat a variety of intractable diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the in vivo fate of these agents is vital for the rational design, discovery, and fast and straightforward development of the drugs. In case of intravascular administration of nucleic acids and genetic medicines, interaction with blood components, especially plasma proteins, is unavoidable. However, on the flip side, such interaction can be utilized wisely to manipulate the pharmacokinetics of the agents. In other words, plasma protein binding can help in suppressing the elimination of nucleic acids from the blood stream and deliver naked oligonucleotides and gene carriers into target cells. To control the distribution of these agents in the body, the ligand conjugation method is widely applied. It is also important to understand intracellular localization. In this context, endocytosis pathway, endosomal escape, and nuclear transport should be considered and discussed. Encapsulated nucleic acids and genes must be dissociated from the carriers to exert their activity. In this review, we summarize the in vivo fate of nucleic acid and gene medicines and provide guidelines for the rational design of drugs.
Time to Wake Up: Epigenetic and Small-RNA-Mediated Regulation during Seed Germination
Authors: Luján-Soto Eduardo , Dinkova Tzvetanka D.
Published: January 2021

Plants make decisions throughout their lifetime based on complex networks. Phase transitions during seed growth are not an exception. From embryo development through seedling growth, several molecular pathways control genome stability, environmental signal transduction and the transcriptional landscape. Particularly, epigenetic modifications and small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) have been extensively studied as significant handlers of these processes in plants. Here, we review key epigenetic (histone modifications and methylation patterns) and sRNA-mediated regulatory networks involved in the progression from seed maturation to germination, their relationship with seed traits and crosstalk with environmental inputs.
Recovery of Raw Materials from Ceramic Waste Materials for the Refractory Industry
Authors: Seifert Severin , Dittrich Sebastian , Bach Jürgen
Published: January 2021

Products of the refractory industry are key for the production of heavy industry goods such as steel and iron, cement, aluminum and glass. Corresponding industries are dependent on thermal processes to manufacture their products, which in turn would not be possible if there were no refractory materials, such as refractory bricks or refractory mixes. For the production of refractory materials, primary raw materials or semi-finished products such as corundum, bauxite or zircon are used. Industrial recycling of refractory raw materials would reduce dependencies, conserve resources and reduce global CO2 emissions. Today, only a small quantity of the refractory materials used can be recycled because raw materials (regenerates) obtained from end-of-life materials are of insufficient quality. In this study, regenerates from different refractory waste products could be obtained using the innovative processing method of electrodynamic fragmentation. It was shown that these regenerates have a high chemical purity and are therefore of high quality. It could be confirmed that the use of these regenerates in refractory materials does not affect the characteristic properties, such as refractoriness and mechanical strength. Thus, electrodynamic fragmentation is a process, which is able to provide high-quality raw materials for the refractory industry from used materials.
A Fault Identification Method in Distillation Process Based on Dynamic Mechanism Analysis and Signed Directed Graph
Authors: Tian Wende , Zhang Shifa , Cui Zhe , Liu Zijian , Wang Shaochen , Zhao Ya , Zou Hao
Published: January 2021

Due to the complexity of materials and energy cycles, the distillation system has numerous working conditions difficult to troubleshoot in time. To address the problem, a novel DMA-SDG fault identification method that combines dynamic mechanism analysis based on process simulation and signed directed graph is proposed for the distillation process. Firstly, dynamic simulation is employed to build a mechanism model to provide the potential relationships between variables. Secondly, sensitivity analysis and dynamic mechanism analysis in process simulation are introduced to the SDG model to improve the completeness of this model based on expert knowledge. Finally, a quantitative analysis based on complex network theory is used to select the most important nodes in SDG model for identifying the severe malfunctions. The application of DMA-SDG method in a benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX) hydrogenation prefractionation system shows sound fault identification performance.
Study on Nonlinear Stochastic Process of Deck Slamming on Floating Offshore Platform
Authors: Nam Hyun-Seung , Kim Yonghwan
Published: January 2021

In this paper, a semi-analytic method is introduced to predict the deck-slamming probability and corresponding loads. This method is based on a nonlinear statistical approach that takes into account the linear and second-order components of the relative wave elevation up to the second order. The linear and second-order wave elevation is assumed to be a two-term Volterra series. The joint probability density function of the relative wave elevation and velocity are formulated using the Hermite-moment method, and the probability distributions of the wave crest and relative wave velocity are calculated. These probability distributions are verified using the data sampled from the linear and second-order relative wave elevation. Based on this formulation, the probabilities of deck slamming and slamming-induced loads are estimated. This method is applied to a tension leg platform (TLP) model, and the effects of the second-order component of the relative wave elevation on the deck slamming are investigated.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Psych in 2020
Authors:   Psych Editorial Office
Published: January 2021

Peer review is the driving force of journal development, and reviewers are gatekeepers who ensure that Psych maintains its standards for the high quality of its published papers [...]
Quantum Biology: An Update and Perspective
Authors: Kim Youngchan , Bertagna Federico , D’Souza Edeline M. , Heyes Derren J. , Johannissen Linus O. , Nery Eveliny T. , Pantelias Antonio , Sanchez-Pedreño Jimenez Alejandro , Slocombe Louie , Spencer Michael G. , Al-Khalili Jim , Engel Gregory S. , Hay Sam , Hingley-Wilson Suzanne M. , Jeevaratnam Kamalan , Jones Alex R. , Kattnig Daniel R. , Lewis Rebecca , Sacchi Marco , Scrutton Nigel S. , Silva S. Ravi P. , McFadden Johnjoe
Published: January 2021

Understanding the rules of life is one of the most important scientific endeavours and has revolutionised both biology and biotechnology. Remarkable advances in observation techniques allow us to investigate a broad range of complex and dynamic biological processes in which living systems could exploit quantum behaviour to enhance and regulate biological functions. Recent evidence suggests that these non-trivial quantum mechanical effects may play a crucial role in maintaining the non-equilibrium state of biomolecular systems. Quantum biology is the study of such quantum aspects of living systems. In this review, we summarise the latest progress in quantum biology, including the areas of enzyme-catalysed reactions, photosynthesis, spin-dependent reactions, DNA, fluorescent proteins, and ion channels. Many of these results are expected to be fundamental building blocks towards understanding the rules of life.
Framework for Accounting Reference Levels for REDD+ in Tropical Forests: Case Study from Xishuangbanna, China
Authors: Liu Guifang , Feng Yafei , Xia Menglin , Lu Heli , Guan Ruimin , Harada Kazuhiro , Zhang Chuanrong
Published: January 2021

The United Nations’ expanded program for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) aims to mobilize capital from developed countries in order to reduce emissions from these sources while enhancing the removal of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by forests. To achieve this goal, an agreement between the Parties on reference levels (RLs) is critical. RLs have profound implications for the effectiveness of the program, its cost efficiency, and the distribution of REDD+ financing among countries. In this paper, we introduce a methodological framework for setting RLs for REDD+ applications in tropical forests in Xishuangbanna, China, by coupling the Good Practice Guidance on Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and land use scenario modeling. We used two methods to verify the accuracy for the reliability of land classification. Firstly the accuracy reached 84.43%, 85.35%, and 82.68% in 1990, 2000, and 2010, respectively, based on high spatial resolution image by building a hybrid matrix. Then especially, the 2010 Globeland30 data was used as the standard to verify the forest land accuracy and the extraction accuracy reached 86.92% and 83.66% for area and location, respectively. Based on the historical land use maps, we identified that rubber plantations are the main contributor to forest loss in the region. Furthermore, in the business-as-usual scenario for the RLs, Xishuangbanna will lose 158,535 ha (158,535 × 104 m2) of forest area in next 20 years, resulting in approximately 0.23 million t (0.23 × 109 kg) CO2e emissions per year. Our framework can potentially increase the effectiveness of the REDD+ program in Xishuangbanna by accounting for a wider range of forest-controlled GHGs.
A Climate Hyperspectral Infrared Radiance Product (CHIRP) Combining the AIRS and CrIS Satellite Sounding Record
Authors: Strow L. Larrabee , Hepplewhite Chris , Motteler Howard , Buczkowski Steven , DeSouza-Machado Sergio
Published: January 2021

A Climate Hyperspectral Infrared Radiance Product (CHIRP) is introduced combining data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on NASA’s EOS-AQUA platform, the Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) sounder on NASA’s SNPP platform, and continuing with CRIS sounders on the NOAA/NASA Joint Polar Satellite Series (JPSS) of polar satellites. The CHIRP product converts the parent instrument’s radiances to a common Spectral Response Function (SRF) and removes inter-satellite biases, providing a consistent inter-satellite radiance record. The CHIRP record starts in September 2002 with AIRS, followed by CrIS SNPP and the JPSS series of CrIS instruments. The CHIRP record should continue until the mid-2040’s as additional JPSS satellites are launched. These sensors, in CHIRP format, provide the climate community with a homogeneous sensor record covering much of the infrared. We give an overview of the conversion of AIRS and CrIS to CHIRP, and define the SRF for common CHIRP format. Considerable attention is paid to removing static bias offsets among these three sensors. The CrIS instrument on NASA’s SNPP satellite is used as the calibration standard. Simultaneous Nadir Overpasses (SNOs) as well as large statistical samplings of radiances from these three satellites are used to derive the instrument bias offsets and estimate the bias offset accuracy, which is ~0.03 K. In addition, possible scene-dependent calibration differences between CHIRP derived from AIRS and CHIRP derived from CrIS on the SNPP platform are presented.
Quality Control of Outsourced LiDAR Data Acquired with a UAV: A Case Study
Authors: Pereira Luísa Gomes , Fernandez Paulo , Mourato Sandra , Matos Jorge , Mayer Cedric , Marques Fábio
Published: January 2021

Over the last few decades, we witnessed a revolution in acquiring very high resolution and accurate geo-information. One of the reasons was the advances in photonics and LiDAR, which had a remarkable impact in applications requiring information with high accuracy and/or elevated completeness, such as flood modelling, forestry, construction, and mining. Also, miniaturization within electronics played an important role as it allowed smaller and lighter aerial cameras and LiDAR systems to be carried by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). While the use of aerial imagery acquired with UAV is becoming a standard procedure in geo-information extraction for several applications, the use of LiDAR for this purpose is still in its infancy. In several countries, companies have started to commercialize products derived from LiDAR data acquired using a UAV but not always with the necessary expertise and experience. The LIDAR-derived products’ price has become very attractive, but their quality must meet the contracted specifications. Few studies have reported on the quality of outsourced LiDAR data acquired with UAV and the problems that need to be handled during production. There can be significant differences between the planning and execution of a commercial project and a research field campaign, particularly concerning the size of the surveyed area, the volume of the acquired data, and the strip processing. This work addresses the quality control of LiDAR UAV data through outsourcing to develop a modelling-based flood forecast and alert system. The contracted company used the Phoenix Scout-16 from Phoenix LiDAR Systems, carrying a Velodyne VLP-16 and mounted on a DJI Matrice 600 PRO Hexacopter for an area of 560 ha along a flood-prone area of the Águeda River in Central Portugal.
A New Method to Predict Gully Head Erosion in the Loess Plateau of China Based on SBAS-InSAR
Authors: Jiang Chengcheng , Fan Wen , Yu Ningyu , Nan Yalin
Published: January 2021

Gully head erosion causes serious land degradation in semiarid regions. The existing studies on gully head erosion are mainly based on measuring the gully volume in small-scale catchments, which is a labor-intensive and time-consuming approach. Therefore, it is necessary to explore an accurate method quantitatively over large areas and long periods. The objective of this study was to develop a model to assess gully head erosion in the Loess Plateau of China using a method based on the SBAS-InSAR technique. The gully heads were extracted from the digital elevation model and validated by field investigation and aerial images. The surface deformation was estimated with SBAS-InSAR and 22 descending ALOS PALSAR datasets from 2007 to 2011. A gully head erosion model was developed; this model can incorporate terrain factors and soil types, as well as provides erosion rate predictions consistent with the SBAS-InSAR measurements (R2 = 0.889). The results show that gully head erosion significantly depends on the slope angle above the gully head, slope length, topographic wetness index, and catchment area. The relationship between these factors and the gully head erosion rate is a power function, and the average rate of gully head erosion is 7.5 m3/m2/year, indicating the high erosional vulnerability of the area. The accuracy of the model can be further improved by considering other factors, such as the stream power factor, curvature, and slope aspect. This study indicates that the erosion rate of gully heads is almost unaffected by soil type in the research area. An advantage of this model is that the gully head area and surface deformation can be easily extracted and measured from satellite images, which is effective for assessing gully head erosion at a large scale in combination with SBAS-InSAR results and terrain attributes.
Modelling Accessibility to Urban Green Areas Using Open Earth Observations Data: A Novel Approach to Support the Urban SDG in Four European Cities
Authors: Giuliani Gregory , Petri Ekkehard , Interwies Eduard , Vysna Veronika , Guigoz Yaniss , Ray Nicolas , Dickie Ian
Published: January 2021

Cities are recognised as key enablers for the world’s sustainable future. Urban sprawl and inefficient use of land are important issues significantly impacting the provision and use of open green spaces. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 11.7.1 aims at globally monitoring the amount of land that is dedicated by cities for public space. In Europe, the indicator “Share of urban population without green urban areas in their neighbourhood” is supposed to correspond to the SDG11.7.1 but is currently on-hold due to methodological issues and lack of data. Moreover, to efficiently assess public space conditions, timely and spatially disaggregated information is essential but not yet widely adopted by urban practitioners. Hereafter, we use a combination of satellite and crowdsourced Earth Observations (EO) to model physical accessibility to urban green spaces in four European cities. Findings suggest that it is technically feasible to derive information on the share of urban population without green urban areas in their neighbourhood. Results demonstrate that the proposed methodology represents a consistent, valid, reliable, low-cost, timely and continuous source of information for sustainable urban development. Open and free EO data can be a good complement to enhance official and traditional statistics on urban areas facilitating EU reporting against the SDG indicator for better comparison between EU countries.
Measurements and Analysis of the Doppler Signature of a Human Moving within the Forest in UHF-Band
Authors: Manfredi Giovanni , Hinostroza Israel D. Sáenz , Menelle Michel , Saillant Stéphane , Ovarlez Jean-Philippe , Thirion-Lefevre Laetitia
Published: January 2021

Measurements of the Doppler signature in UHF-band of a human moving in outdoor sites are presented in this paper. A radar campaign has been carried out, observing a subject walking and running outside, near and within a forest. A bistatic radar has been employed working in continuous wave (CW) at 1 GHz and 435 MHz. The spectrograms acquired in VV polarization are shown and discussed. This study aims to prove the feasibility of detecting people moving in forested areas at low frequencies. Besides, we highlight the impact of the frequencies and the different sites on the Doppler spectrum of the human motions. The Doppler frequency signature of the moving man has been well detected at 1 GHz and 435 MHz for each motor activity and scene. The working frequency 435 MHz has proved to be more efficient for the detection and classification of the physical activities.
Spatiotemporal Variability in the Glacier Snowline Altitude across High Mountain Asia and Potential Driving Factors
Authors: Guo Zhongming , Geng Lei , Shen Baoshou , Wu Yuwei , Chen Anan , Wang Ninglian
Published: January 2021

The glacier snowline altitude (SLA) at the end of the melt season is an indicator of the glacier equilibrium line altitude and can be used to estimate glacier mass balance and reconstruct past climate. This study analyzes the spatiotemporal variability in glacier SLA across High Mountain Asia, including the Altai Mountains, Karakoram Mountains, Western Himalayas, Gongga Mountains, Tian Shan, and Nyainqentanglha Mountains, over the past 30 years (1989–2019) to better elucidate the state of these mountain glaciers. Remote-sensing data are processed to delineate the glacier SLA across these mountainous regions, and nearby weather station data are incorporated to determine the potential relationships between SLA and temperature/precipitation. The mean SLAs across the Altai and Karakoram mountains ranged from 2860 ± 169 m to 3200 ± 152 m and from 5120 ± 159 m to 5320 ± 240 m, respectively, with both regions experiencing an average increase of up to 137 m over the past 30 years. Furthermore, the mean glacier SLAs across the Western Himalayas and Gongga Mountains increased by 190–282 m over the past 30 years, with both regions experiencing large fluctuations. In particular, the mean glacier SLA across the Western Himalayas varied from 4910 ± 190 m in 1989 to 5380 ± 164 m in 2000, and that across the Gongga Mountains varied from 4960 ± 70 m in 1989 to 5330 ± 100 m in 2012. Correlation analyses between glacier SLA and temperature/precipitation suggest that temperature is the primary factor influencing glacier SLA across these High Mountain Asia glaciers. There is a broad increase in glacier SLA from the Altai Mountains to the Karakoram Mountains, with a decrease in glacier SLA with decreasing latitude across the Himalayas; the maximum SLA occurs near the northern slopes of the Western Himalayas. The glacier SLA is lower on the eastern side of the Tibetan Plateau and exhibits a longitudinal distribution pattern. These results are expected to provide useful information for evaluating the state of High Mountain Asia glaciers, as well as their response and feedback to climate change.
The Impact of Assimilating Satellite Radiance Observations in the Copernicus European Regional Reanalysis (CERRA)
Authors: Wang Zheng Qi , Randriamampianina Roger
Published: January 2021

The assimilation of microwave and infrared (IR) radiance satellite observations within numerical weather prediction (NWP) models have been an important component in the effort of improving the accuracy of analysis and forecast. Such capabilities were implemented during the development of the high-resolution Copernicus European Regional Reanalysis (CERRA), funded by the Copernicus Climate Change Services (C3S). The CERRA system couples the deterministic system with the ensemble data assimilation to provide periodic updates of the background error covariance matrix. Several key factors for the assimilation of radiances were investigated, including appropriate use of variational bias correction (VARBC), surface-sensitive AMSU-A observations and observation error correlation. Twenty-one-day impact studies during the summer and winter seasons were conducted. Generally, the assimilation of radiances has a small impact on the analysis, while greater impacts are observed on short-range (12 and 24-h) forecasts with an error reduction of 1–2% for the mid and high troposphere. Although, the current configuration provided less accurate forecasts from 09 and 18 UTC analysis times. With the increased thinning distances and the rejection of IASI observation over land, the errors in the analyses and 3 h forecasts on geopotential height were reduced up to 2%.
GNSS Receiver-Related Pseudorange Biases: Characteristics and Effects on Wide-Lane Ambiguity Resolution
Authors: Cheng Lingyue , Wang Wei , Liu Jingnan , Lv Yifei , Geng Tao
Published: January 2021

Satellite chip shape distortions lead to signal tracking errors in pseudorange measurements, which are related to the receiver manufacturers, called receiver-related pseudorange biases. Such biases will lead to adverse effects for differential code bias (DCB) and satellite clock estimation, single point positioning (SPP) and precise point positioning (PPP) applications with pseudoranges. In order to assess the characteristics of receiver-related pseudorange biases for global positioning system (GPS), Galileo navigation satellite system (Galileo) and BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS), seven short baselines from the Multi-GNSS experiment (MGEX) network are tested. The results demonstrate that there are significant inconsistences of pseudorange biases according to satellites, frequencies, receiver and antenna types. For the baselines using the same receivers of TRIMBLE, pseudorange biases are within ±0.2 ns with the same antennas, while they increase to ±0.6 ns with the different antennas. As for baselines with mixed receiver types, pseudorange biases can reach up to 2.5 ns. Among GPS/Galileo/BDS, Galileo shows the smallest pseudorange biases, and the obvious inconsistences of pseudorange biases are observed between BDS-2 and BDS-3, and Galileo in-orbit validation (IOV) satellites and full operational configuration (FOC) satellites. In order to validate receiver-related pseudorange biases, we carry out relative positioning experiments using short baselines. The results show that the RMS values of position errors are reduced 12.6% and 11.4% in horizontal and vertical components with biases correction. The impacts of receiver-related pseudorange biases on wide-lane (WL) ambiguity are also discussed. The results indicate that the percentage of the fractional parts within ±0.1 cycles have an obvious increase with the pseudorange biases correction, and RMS values of the fractional parts are reduced 28.9% and 67.6% for GPS and BDS, respectively.
Distance–Intensity Image Strategy for Pulsed LiDAR Based on the Double-Scale Intensity-Weighted Centroid Algorithm
Authors: Yan Shiyu , Yang Guohui , Li Qingyan , Zhang Bin , Wang Yu , Zhang Yu , Wang Chunhui
Published: January 2021

We report on a self-adaptive waveform centroid algorithm that combines the selection of double-scale data and the intensity-weighted (DSIW) method for accurate LiDAR distance–intensity imaging. A time window is set to adaptively select the effective data. At the same time, the intensity-weighted method can reduce the influence of sharp noise on the calculation. The horizontal and vertical coordinates of the centroid point obtained by the proposed algorithm are utilized to record the distance and echo intensity information, respectively. The proposed algorithm was experimentally tested, achieving an average ranging error of less than 0.3 ns under the various noise conditions in the listed tests, thus exerting better precision compared to the digital constant fraction discriminator (DCFD) algorithm, peak (PK) algorithm, Gauss fitting (GF) algorithm, and traditional waveform centroid (TC) algorithm. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is fairly robust, with remarkably successful ranging rates of above 97% in all tests in this paper. Furthermore, the laser echo intensity measured by the proposed algorithm was proved to be robust to noise and to work in accordance with the transmission characteristics of LiDAR. Finally, we provide a distance–intensity point cloud image calibrated by our algorithm. The empirical findings in this study provide a new understanding of using LiDAR to draw multi-dimensional point cloud images.
Using Different Combinations of Body-Mounted IMU Sensors to Estimate Speed of Horses—A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Darbandi Hamed , Serra Bragança Filipe , van der Zwaag Berend Jan , Voskamp John , Gmel Annik Imogen , Haraldsdóttir Eyrún Halla , Havinga Paul
Published: January 2021

Speed is an essential parameter in biomechanical analysis and general locomotion research. It is possible to estimate the speed using global positioning systems (GPS) or inertial measurement units (IMUs). However, GPS requires a consistent signal connection to satellites, and errors accumulate during IMU signals integration. In an attempt to overcome these issues, we have investigated the possibility of estimating the horse speed by developing machine learning (ML) models using the signals from seven body-mounted IMUs. Since motion patterns extracted from IMU signals are different between breeds and gaits, we trained the models based on data from 40 Icelandic and Franches-Montagnes horses during walk, trot, tölt, pace, and canter. In addition, we studied the estimation accuracy between IMU locations on the body (sacrum, withers, head, and limbs). The models were evaluated per gait and were compared between ML algorithms and IMU location. The model yielded the highest estimation accuracy of speed (RMSE = 0.25 m/s) within equine and most of human speed estimation literature. In conclusion, highly accurate horse speed estimation models, independent of IMU(s) location on-body and gait, were developed using ML.
Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensors Based on Copper Sulfides: Effect of Binder-Particles Interactions in Drop-Casted Suspensions on Electrodes Electrochemical Performance
Authors: Mazurków Julia , Kusior Anna , Radecka Marta
Published: January 2021

The constant progress in novel nanomaterials synthesis has contributed to the rapid development of nonenzymatic glucose sensors. For working electrodes preparation, drop casting proved to be the most convenient and thus most widely applied method. However, appropriate interpretation of obtained electrochemical signal requires in-depth knowledge of limitations related to this technique. In this study, we prepared solutions based on commonly reported polymers for nanostructures immobilization and investigated their influence on copper sulfides distribution on the electrode. Characterization of suspensions properties and behavior of particles during droplet drying revealed that nonionic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was favorable for electrodes modification with copper sulfides in comparison with Nafion and chitosan. It ensured homogeneity of the suspension as well as the uniform coverage of the electrode surface with particles, what resulted in increased active surface area and, therefore, higher signal from glucose addition. On the other hand, when cationic chitosan was used as a binder, suspensions were agglomerated and, within dry deposits, a coffee-ring effect was observed. Appropriate adjustment of material and polymer interactions led to enhanced electrode electrochemical performance.