bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinect Fusion improvement using depth camera calibration
Authors: Pagliari D. , Menna F. , Roncella R. , Remondino F. , Pinto L.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Scene's 3D modelling, gesture recognition and motion tracking are fields in rapid and continuous development which have caused growing demand on interactivity in video-game and e-entertainment market. Starting from the idea of creating a sensor that allows users to play without having to hold any remote controller, the Microsoft Kinect device was created. The Kinect has always attract researchers in different fields, from robotics to Computer Vision (CV) and biomedical engineering as well as third-party communities that have released several Software Development Kit (SDK) versions for Kinect in order to use it not only as a game device but as measurement system. Microsoft Kinect Fusion control libraries (firstly released in March 2013) allow using the device as a 3D scanning and produce meshed polygonal of a static scene just moving the Kinect around. A drawback of this sensor is the geometric quality of the delivered data and the low repeatability. For this reason the authors carried out some investigation in order to evaluate the accuracy and repeatability of the depth measured delivered by the Kinect. The paper will present a throughout calibration analysis of the Kinect imaging sensor, with the aim of establishing the accuracy and precision of the delivered information: a straightforward calibration of the depth sensor in presented and then the 3D data are correct accordingly. Integrating the depth correction algorithm and correcting the IR camera interior and exterior orientation parameters, the Fusion Libraries are corrected and a new reconstruction software is created to produce more accurate models.
Multispectral calibration to enhance the metrology performance of C-mount camera systems
Authors: Robson S. , MacDonald L. , Kyle S. A. , Shortis M. R.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Low cost monochrome camera systems based on CMOS sensors and C-mount lenses have been successfully applied to a wide variety of metrology tasks. For high accuracy work such cameras are typically equipped with ring lights to image retro-reflective targets as high contrast image features. Whilst algorithms for target image measurement and lens modelling are highly advanced, including separate RGB channel lens distortion correction, target image circularity compensation and a wide variety of detection and centroiding approaches, less effort has been directed towards optimising physical target image quality by considering optical performance in narrow wavelength bands. This paper describes an initial investigation to assess the effect of wavelength on camera calibration parameters for two different camera bodies and the same ‘C-mount’ wide angle lens. Results demonstrate the expected strong influence on principal distance, radial and tangential distortion, and also highlight possible trends in principal point, orthogonality and affinity parameters which are close to the parameter estimation noise level from the strong convergent self-calibrating image networks.
Lidar-equipped uav for building information modelling
Authors: Roca D. , Armesto J. , Lagüela S. , Díaz-Vilariño L.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The trend to minimize electronic devices in the last decades accounts for Unmanned Airborne Vehicles (UAVs) as well as for sensor technologies and imaging devices, resulting in a strong revolution in the surveying and mapping industries. However, only within the last few years the LIDAR sensor technology has achieved sufficiently reduction in terms of size and weight to be considered for UAV platforms. This paper presents an innovative solution to capture point cloud data from a Lidar-equipped UAV and further perform the 3D modelling of the whole envelope of buildings in BIM format. A mini-UAV platform is used (weigh less than 5 kg and up to 1.5 kg of sensor payload), and data from two different acquisition methodologies is processed and compared with the aim at finding the optimal configuration for the generation of 3D models of buildings for energy studies
Segmentation of planar surfaces in LiDAR point clouds of an electrical substation by exploring the structure of points neighbourhood
Authors: Arastounia M. , Lichti D.D.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. According to the Department of Energy of the USA, today’s electrical distribution system is 97.97% reliable. However, power outages and interruptions still impact many people. Many power outages are caused by animals coming into contact with the conductive elements of the electrical substations. This can be prevented by covering the conductive electrical objects with insulating materials. The design of these custom-built insulating covers requires a 3D as-built plan of the substation. This research aims to develop automated methods to create such a 3D as-built plan using terrestrial LiDAR data for which objects first need to be recognized in the LiDAR point clouds. This paper reports on the application of a new algorithm for the segmentation of planar surfaces found at electrical substations. The proposed approach is a region growing method that aggregates points based on their proximity to each other and their neighbourhood dispersion direction. PCA (principal components analysis) is also employed to segment planar surfaces in the electrical substation. In this research two different laser scanners, Leica HDS 6100 and Faro Focus3D, were utilized to scan an electrical substation in Airdrie, a city located in north of Calgary, Canada. In this research, three subsets incorporating one subset of Leica dataset with approximately 1.7 million points and two subsets of the Faro dataset with 587 and 79 thousand points were utilized. The performance of our proposed method is compared with the performance of PCA by performing check point analysis and investigation of computational speed. Both methods managed to detect a great proportion of planar points (about 70%). However, the proposed method slightly outperformed PCA. 95% of the points that were segmented by both methods as planar points did actually lie on a planar surface. This exhibits the high ability of both methods to identify planar points. The results also indicate that the computational speed of our method is superior to that of PCA by 50%. It is concluded that our proposed method achieves better results with higher computational speed than PCA in the segmentation of planar surfaces.
Extracting Rail Track Geometry from Static Terrestrial Laser Scans for Monitoring Purposes
Authors: Soni A. , Robson S , Gleeson B
Published: June 2014

Abstract. This paper presents the capabilities of detecting relevant geometry of railway track for monitoring purposes from static terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) systems at platform level. The quality of the scans from a phased based scanner (Scanner A) and a hybrid timeof- flight scanner (Scanner B) are compared by fitting different sections of the track profile to its matching standardised rail model. The various sections of track investigated are able to fit to the model with an RMS of less than 3 mm. Both scanners show that once obvious noise and artefacts have been removed from the data, the most confident fit of the point cloud to the model is the section closest to the scanner position. The results of the fit highlight the potential to use this method as a bespoke track monitoring tool during major redevelopment projects where traditional methods, such as robotic total stations, results in missed information, for example due to passing trains or knocked prisms and must account for offset target locations to compute track parameters.
A comparison of multi-view 3D reconstruction of a rock wall using several cameras and a laser scanner
Authors: Thoeni K. , Giacomini A. , Murtagh R. , Kniest E.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. This work presents a comparative study between multi-view 3D reconstruction using various digital cameras and a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS). Five different digital cameras were used in order to estimate the limits related to the camera type and to establish the minimum camera requirements to obtain comparable results to the ones of the TLS. The cameras used for this study range from commercial grade to professional grade and included a GoPro Hero 1080 (5 Mp), iPhone 4S (8 Mp), Panasonic Lumix LX5 (9.5 Mp), Panasonic Lumix ZS20 (14.1 Mp) and Canon EOS 7D (18 Mp). The TLS used for this work was a FARO Focus 3D laser scanner with a range accuracy of ±2 mm. The study area is a small rock wall of about 6 m height and 20 m length. The wall is partly smooth with some evident geological features, such as non-persistent joints and sharp edges. Eight control points were placed on the wall and their coordinates were measured by using a total station. These coordinates were then used to georeference all models. A similar number of images was acquired from a distance of between approximately 5 to 10 m, depending on field of view of each camera. The commercial software package PhotoScan was used to process the images, georeference and scale the models, and to generate the dense point clouds. Finally, the open-source package CloudCompare was used to assess the accuracy of the multi-view results. Each point cloud obtained from a specific camera was compared to the point cloud obtained with the TLS. The latter is taken as ground truth. The result is a coloured point cloud for each camera showing the deviation in relation to the TLS data. The main goal of this study is to quantify the quality of the multi-view 3D reconstruction results obtained with various cameras as objectively as possible and to evaluate its applicability to geotechnical problems.
Indoor Modelling Benchmark for 3D Geometry Extraction
Authors: Thomson C. , Boehm J.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. A combination of faster, cheaper and more accurate hardware, more sophisticated software, and greater industry acceptance have all laid the foundations for an increased desire for accurate 3D parametric models of buildings. Pointclouds are the data source of choice currently with static terrestrial laser scanning the predominant tool for large, dense volume measurement. The current importance of pointclouds as the primary source of real world representation is endorsed by CAD software vendor acquisitions of pointcloud engines in 2011. Both the capture and modelling of indoor environments require great effort in time by the operator (and therefore cost). Automation is seen as a way to aid this by reducing the workload of the user and some commercial packages have appeared that provide automation to some degree. In the data capture phase, advances in indoor mobile mapping systems are speeding up the process, albeit currently with a reduction in accuracy. As a result this paper presents freely accessible pointcloud datasets of two typical areas of a building each captured with two different capture methods and each with an accurate wholly manually created model. These datasets are provided as a benchmark for the research community to gauge the performance and improvements of various techniques for indoor geometry extraction. With this in mind, non-proprietary, interoperable formats are provided such as E57 for the scans and IFC for the reference model. The datasets can be found at: http://indoor-bench.github.io/indoor-bench.
Systems based on photogrammetry to evaluation of built heritage: tentative guidelines and control parameters
Authors: Valença J.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Technological innovations based on close-range imaging have arisen. The developments are related with both the advances in mathematical algorithms and acquisition equipment. This evolution allows to acquire data with large and powerful sensors and the fast and efficient processing of data. In general, the preservation of built heritage have applied these technological innovations very successfully in their different areas of intervention, namely, photogrammetry, digital image processing and multispectral image analysis. Furthermore, commercial packages of software and hardware have emerged. Thus, guidelines to best-practice procedures and to validate the results usually obtained should be established. Therefore, simple and easy to understand concepts, even for nonexperts in the field, should relate the characteristics of: (i) objects under study; (ii) acquisition conditions; (iii) methods applied; and (iv) equipment applied. In this scope, the limits of validity of the methods and a comprehensive protocol to achieve the required precision and accuracy for structural analysis is a mandatory task. Application of close-range photogrammetry to build 3D geometric models and for evaluation of displacements are herein presented. Parameters such as distance-to-object, sensor size and focal length, are correlated to the precision and accuracy achieved for displacement in both experimental and on site environment. This paper shows an early stage study. The aim consist in defining simple expressions to estimate the characteristics of the equipment and/or the conditions for image acquisition, depending on the required precision and accuracy. The results will be used to define tentative guidelines considered the all procedure, from image acquisition to final results of coordinates and displacements.
Robust Global Motion Estimation with Matrix Completion
Authors: Arrigoni F. , Rossi B. , Malapelle F. , Fragneto P. , Fusiello A.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. In this paper we address the problem of estimating the attitudes and positions of a set of cameras in an external coordinate system. Starting from a conventional global structure-from-motion pipeline, we present some substantial advances. In order to detect outlier relative rotations extracted from pairs of views, we improve a state-of-the-art algorithm based on cycle consistency, by introducing cycle bases. We estimate the angular attitudes of the cameras by proposing a novel gradient descent algorithm based on low-rank matrix completion, that naturally copes with the case of missing data. As for position recovery, we analyze an existing technique from a theoretical point of view, providing some insights on the conditions that guarantee solvability. We provide experimental results on both synthetic and real image sequences for which ground truth calibration is provided.
Photogrammetric Deformation Monitoring of the Second Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul
Authors: Avsar Ö. , Akca D. , Altan O.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Improving the efficiency of bridge inspection and minimizing the impact of dynamic load on the long term deterioration of the bridge structure reduces maintenance and upkeep costs whilst also improving bridge longevity and safety. This paper presents the results of an on-going project whose ultimate goal is the real-time photogrammetric monitoring the structural deformations of the second Bosphorus Bridge of Istanbul.
A Quality Evaluation of Single and Multiple Camera Calibration Approaches for an Indoor Multi Camera Tracking System
Authors: Adduci M. , Amplianitis K. , Reulke R.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Human detection and tracking has been a prominent research area for several scientists around the globe. State of the art algorithms have been implemented, refined and accelerated to significantly improve the detection rate and eliminate false positives. While 2D approaches are well investigated, 3D human detection and tracking is still an unexplored research field. In both 2D/3D cases, introducing a multi camera system could vastly expand the accuracy and confidence of the tracking process. Within this work, a quality evaluation is performed on a multi RGB-D camera indoor tracking system for examining how camera calibration and pose can affect the quality of human tracks in the scene, independently from the detection and tracking approach used. After performing a calibration step on every Kinect sensor, state of the art single camera pose estimators were evaluated for checking how good the quality of the poses is estimated using planar objects such as an ordinate chessboard. With this information, a bundle block adjustment and ICP were performed for verifying the accuracy of the single pose estimators in a multi camera configuration system. Results have shown that single camera estimators provide high accuracy results of less than half a pixel forcing the bundle to converge after very few iterations. In relation to ICP, relative information between cloud pairs is more or less preserved giving a low score of fitting between concatenated pairs. Finally, sensor calibration proved to be an essential step for achieving maximum accuracy in the generated point clouds, and therefore in the accuracy of the produced 3D trajectories, from each sensor.
Numerical modelling of sediment transport in the Adriatic Sea
Authors: Guarnieri A. , Souza A. J. , Pinardi N. , Traykovski P.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. A new sediment transport model, considering currents, tides and waves is presented for the Adriatic Sea basin. The simulations concentrate on the winter of 2002–2003 because of field data availability and interesting intermittent processes occurrence. A process oriented analysis is performed to investigate the impact that Sirocco and Bora wind regimes have on sediment transport. The comparisons of the simulations with the observed data show that the model is capable to capture the main dynamics of sediment transport along the Italian coasts and the sediment concentration within the water column. This latter can reach values up to several g L−1, especially within the first centimetres above the bottom. The sediments are transported mainly southwards along the Italian coasts, consistently with the known literature results, except during Sirocco wind events, which can be responsible for reversing the coastal circulation in the northern area of the basin, and consequently the sediment transport. The resuspension of sediments is also related to the specific wave regimes induced by Bora and Sirocco, the former inducing resuspension events near the coasts while the latter causing a more diffused resuspension regime in the Northern Adriatic basin. Beside the realistic representation of short timescales resuspension/deposition events due to storms, the model was also used to investigate persistent erosion or deposition areas in the Adriatic Sea. Two main depocenters were identified: one, very pronounced, in the surroundings of the Po river delta, and another one a few kilometres off the coast in front of the Ancona promontory. A third region of accumulation, even if less intense, was found to be offshore the southernmost limit of the Gargano region. On the contrary the whole western coast within a distance of a few kilometres from the shore was found to be subject to prevailing erosion. The comparison with observed accumulation and erosion data shows that the model captures well the main depocenters in the domain and the erosion within the very coastal belt of the western side of the basin, but seems to be too erosive in a few areas, in particular those where the contribution of sediment inflow to the sea of some minor but intermittently important rivers is not considered in a realistic way as input to the model.
Whole Grain Gluten-Free Vegetable Savory Snacks
Authors: Kahlon Talwinder S. , Avena-Bustillos Roberto J. , Chiu Mei-Chin M. , Hidalgo Marlene B.
Published: June 2014

Gluten-free savory snacks were formulated and evaluated to offer nutritious treats for all and healthy option for gluten intolerance individuals. Four kinds of savory snacks (gluten-free, whole grains with fresh vegetables, low in fat and salt) were developed using base formulation (BF) of brown rice flour (45%), sorghum flour (20%), tapioca flour (7%), mashed potato (8%), canola oil (6%), guar gum (2%), baking powder (1.5%) and salt (0.5%). Fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli, spinach, and red onion) were chopped and mixed with the base formulation (1:1). Chopped fresh garlic (5%) was added to carrot, broccoli and spinach (base-vegetable mix, BFV). Snack dough was prepared using 100 mL water per 100 g BFV. Two portions of snack dough (about 10 g each) were placed on the preheated KrumKake Baker and cooked for 2 minutes. Sixty two in-house volunteers judged Broccoli-Garlic snacks as significantly (p ? 0.05) better in color/appearance than Carrot-Garlic, Spinach-Garlic and Red Onion savory snacks. A 30 g serving of these low salt, low fat healthy snacks would provide 5-7% of daily recommended dose of dietary fiber and potassium. This is the first report of developed whole grain gluten-free, 50% vegetable snacks. Texture and water activity of the developed snacks suggests the crispiness and potential long shelf stability. Tasters judged Carrot-Garlic (88%), Broccoli-Garlic (77%), Spinach-Garlic (68%) and Red Onion (65%) acceptable. Data suggest that the acceptability of gluten-free whole grain vegetable savory snacks is very encouraging and offers healthy alternative for all and especially for those sensitive to gluten.
Inhibitory Effect of the Methanolic Extract of Verbascum latisepalum Hub.-Mor. on Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation in Rat Thoracic Aorta
Authors: Bozkurt T. Emrah , Tatli I. Irem , Kahraman Cigdem , Akdemir Zeliha S. , Sahin-Erdemli Inci
Published: June 2014

The leaves and flowers of Verbascum species are used to treat respiratory disorders, haemorrhoids, rheumatic pain, and wounds as well as for the treatment of eczema and other types of inflammatory skin conditions in traditional Turkish medicine. We examined the effect of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Verbascum latisepalum Hub.-Mor. on the endothelium-dependent relaxation response in rat aortic rings which is mediated by nitric oxide (NO). Six fractions, A- F, were obtained from the methanolic extract through bioassay-guided fractionation procedures. The phenylethanoid glycoside verbascoside was isolated from fraction D and its structure elucidated by spectral techniques. The inhibitory effects of the extract, its fractions, and verbascoside on the acetylcholineinduced relaxation response in phenylephrine-precontracted aorta was examined in the absence and presence of L-arginine, a precursor in the synthesis of NO. The observation that the effects of the methanolic extract, of fraction D, and of verbascoside were reversed by L-arginine, indicates that verbascoside has an inhibitory effect on the synthesis of NO. This effect should be taken into consideration in view of the wide range of uses of Verbascum species in Turkish folk medicine
Flavone Composition and Antihypercholesterolemic and Antihyperglycemic Activities of Chrysanthemum coronarium L.
Authors: Abd-Alla Howaida I. , Albalawy Marzougah A. , Aly Hanan F. , Shalaby Nagwa M. M. , Shaker Kamel H.
Published: June 2014

Five flavones were isolated from Chrysanthemum coronarium L., four of which were isolated for the first time from the genus Chrysanthemum. Two were the flavonoid aglycones 5,7- dihydroxy-3,6,4’-trimethoxyflavone (1) and scutellarin-6,7-dimethyl ether (2). A new flavonoid glycoside, apigenin-7-O-[2’’(6’’’-O-b-ß-acetylglucopyranosyl)]-6’’-O-acetylglucopyranoside (3), along with two known ones, i. e. apigenin-7-O-(2’’-O-b-ß-glucopyranosyl)-b-ß-glucopyranoside (4) and 6-methoxy quercetin-7-O-b-ß-glucopyranoside (5), were identified. Structures were elucidated by NMR and MS. The therapeutic value of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts, respectively, in rats suffering from hypercholesterolemia - as a consequence of high-fat diet - and hyperglycemia - as a consequence of hypercholesterolemia and low doses of streptozotocin - was investigated through determination of biochemical markers and histopathology. The ethyl acetate and methanol extracts showed remarkable results, followed by the petroleum ether extract
Microbial Metabolism of Danazol: A Contribution to Doping Analysis
Authors: Marzouk Amani M. , Maatooq Galal T.
Published: June 2014

Microbial metabolism of danazol (17α-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno[2,3-d]isoxazol-17ß-ol) by Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159 and Glyocladium viride ATCC 10097 afforded four metabolites. The isolated metabolites were identified by different spectroscopic techniques as 6ß- hydroxy danazol, which is a not yet reported danazol metabolite, 17ß-hydroxy-17α-pregn-4-en- 20-yn-3-one (ethisterone) and 17ß-hydroxy-2α-(hydroxymethyl)-17α-pregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one (2α- hydroxymethyl ethisterone), which represent the major danazol metabolites detected in human urine. The last metabolite, 6ß,17ß-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-17α-pregna-1,4-dien-20-yn-3-one, is also a minor human metabolite, for which the NMR data are described here for the first time. The metabolites were isolated in quantities that allowed their use for direct comparison in routine doping analysis
Cytotoxic Saponins from the Seeds of Pittosporum angustifolium
Authors: Bäcker Christian , Jenett-Siems Kristina , Siems Karsten , Wurster Martina , Bodtke Anja , Lindequist Ulrike
Published: June 2014

Three new acylated R1-barrigenol triterpene glycosides, 1 - 3, were isolated from the seeds of Pittosporum angustifolium Lodd. together with four known glycosides, 4 - 7, containing R1- and A1-barrigenol backbones. On the basis of spectroscopic, spectrometric, and chemical analyses the novel compounds were named pittangretosides N- P and established as 21ß-acetoxy- 22α-angeloyloxy- (1), 21ß-acetoxy-22α-(2-acetoxy-2-methylbutyroyloxy)- (2), and 21ß-(2-methylbutyroyloxy)- 22α-acetoxy-3ß-[b-D-glucopyranosyl- (1→2)]-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-[α- L-arabinofuranosyl-(1!4)]-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyloxyolean-12-ene-15α,16α,28-triol (3). Evaluation of the in vitro cytotoxicity against three tumour cell lines and one non-tumourigenic cell line revealed antiproliferative effects with IC50 values in a range of 1:74 - 34:1 μM
Calibration of the Multi-camera Registration System for Visual Navigation Benchmarking
Authors: Schmidt Adam , Kasiński Andrzej , Kraft Marek , Fularz Michał , Domagała Zuzanna
Published: June 2014

This paper presents the complete calibration procedure of a multi-camera system for mobile robot motion registration. Optimization-based, purely visual methods for the estimation of the relative poses of the motion registration system cameras, as well as the relative poses of the cameras and markers placed on the mobile robot were proposed. The introduced methods were applied to the calibration of the system and the quality of the obtained results was evaluated. The obtained results compare favourably with the state of the art solutions, allowing the use of the considered motion registration system for the accurate reconstruction of the mobile robot trajectory and to register new datasets suitable for the benchmarking of indoor, visual-based navigation algorithms.
Efficient Generation of Integration-Free Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells From Keratinocytes by Simple Transfection of Episomal Vectors
Authors: Piao Yulan , Hung Sandy Shen-Chi , Lim Shiang Y. , Wong Raymond Ching-Bong , Ko Minoru S.H.
Published: June 2014

Keratinocytes represent an easily accessible cell source for derivation of human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells, reportedly achieving higher reprogramming efficiency than fibroblasts. However, most studies utilized a retroviral or lentiviral method for reprogramming of keratinocytes, which introduces undesirable transgene integrations into the host genome. Moreover, current protocols of generating integration-free hiPS cells from keratinocytes are mostly inefficient. In this paper, we describe a more efficient, simple-to-use, and cost-effective method for generating integration-free hiPS cells from keratinocytes. Our improved method using lipid-mediated transfection achieved a reprogramming efficiency of ∼0.14% on average. Keratinocyte-derived hiPS cells showed no integration of episomal vectors, expressed stem cell-specific markers and possessed potentials to differentiate into all three germ layers by in vitro embryoid body formation as well as in vivo teratoma formation. To our knowledge, this represents the most efficient method to generate integration-free hiPS cells from keratinocytes.
Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy Is Associated With Increased Adenovirus-Associated but Not Cytomegalovirus-Associated Mortality in Children With Severe Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Authors: Calkoen Friso G.J. , Vervat Carly , van Halteren Astrid G.S. , Welters Marij J.P. , Veltrop-Duits Louise A. , Lankester Arjan C. , Egeler R. Maarten , Ball Lynne M. , van Tol Maarten J.D.
Published: June 2014

Beneficial effects of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in patients with severe steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) have been reported. However, controversy exists about the effect of MSCs on virus-specific T cells. We evaluated 56 patients with grade II-IV aGvHD who responded to steroids (n = 21) or were steroid refractory receiving either MSCs (n = 22) or other second-line therapy (n = 13). Although the overall incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus, and human adenovirus (HAdV) infections was not significantly increased, HAdV infection was associated with decreased survival in children treated with MSCs. Thus, we investigated in vitro the effects of MSCs on virus-specific T cells. Both CMV-specific and, to a lesser extent, HAdV-specific T-cell activation and proliferation were negatively affected by MSCs either after induction of a response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or after restimulation of virus-specific T-cell lines. In patient-derived PBMCs, CMV-specific proliferative responses were greatly decreased on first-line treatment of aGvHD with systemic steroids and slowly recovered after MSC administration and tapering of steroids. HAdV-specific T-cell proliferation could not be detected. In contrast, the proportion of CMV- and HAdV-specific effector T cells, measured as interferon-γ-secreting cells, remained stable or increased after treatment with MSCs. In conclusion, although in vitro experimental conditions indicated a negative impact of MSCs on CMV- and HAdV-specific T-cell responses, no solid evidence was obtained to support such an effect of MSCs on T-cell responses in vivo. Still, the susceptibility of steroid-refractory severe aGvHD patients to viral reactivation warrants critical viral monitoring during randomized controlled trials on second-line treatment including MSCs.
Proneural Transcription Factor Atoh1 Drives Highly Efficient Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Into Dopaminergic Neurons
Authors: Sagal Jonathan , Zhan Xiping , Xu Jinchong , Tilghman Jessica , Karuppagounder Senthilkumar S. , Chen Li , Dawson Valina L. , Dawson Ted M. , Laterra John , Ying Mingyao
Published: June 2014

Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are a promising cell resource for various applications in regenerative medicine. Highly efficient approaches that differentiate human PSCs into functional lineage-specific neurons are critical for modeling neurological disorders and testing potential therapies. Proneural transcription factors are crucial drivers of neuron development and hold promise for driving highly efficient neuronal conversion in PSCs. Here, we study the functions of proneural transcription factor Atoh1 in the neuronal differentiation of PSCs. We show that Atoh1 is induced during the neuronal conversion of PSCs and that ectopic Atoh1 expression is sufficient to drive PSCs into neurons with high efficiency. Atoh1 induction, in combination with cell extrinsic factors, differentiates PSCs into functional dopaminergic (DA) neurons with >80% purity. Atoh1-induced DA neurons recapitulate key biochemical and electrophysiological features of midbrain DA neurons, the degeneration of which is responsible for clinical symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Atoh1-induced DA neurons provide a reliable disease model for studying PD pathogenesis, such as neurotoxin-induced neurodegeneration in PD. Overall, our results determine the role of Atoh1 in regulating neuronal differentiation and neuron subtype specification of human PSCs. Our Atoh1-mediated differentiation approach will enable large-scale applications of PD patient-derived midbrain DA neurons in mechanistic studies and drug screening for both familial and sporadic PD.
Maltodextrins Based Solid Membranes for the Enantioanalysis of L-Cysteine
Authors: Staden Raluca-Ioana Stefan-van , Holo Luxolo
Published: June 2014

Three enantioselective membranes based on maltodextrins with different values of dextrose equivalent (DE) were proposed for the enantioanalysis of L-cysteine. The membranes were used for the design of potentiometric sensors. The slopes of the sensors were near-Nernstian (higher than 58.00mV/decade of concentration) with limits of detection of magnitude order of 10-11 and 10-12 mol/L. The surfaces of the membranes were stable for more than 6 months of continuous use. They can be renewed by polishing on alumina paper.
Operating Conditions of Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane for Phenol Extraction from Coal Gasification Wastewater
Authors: Jie Yao , Chao Cai , Dandan Zhang , Hong You , Yahong Han , Shuren Yang , Hongxia Guo , Bangjun Han , Ziwei Du , Agtmaal Sjack van , Chunhui Feng
Published: June 2014

The extraction and recycling of phenol from high concentration coal gasification wastewater has been studied using polypropylene (PP) hollow fiber membrane and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane as liquid membrane support, the mixture of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and kerosene as liquid membrane phase, and sodium hydroxide as stripping agent in the process of extraction. The experiments investigated the effect of the operating conditions of the hollow fiber supported liquid membrane, such as aqueous phase temperature and the connection forms of membrane modules, on the extraction efficiency of phenol from high concentration coal gasification wastewater. The conclusions obtained from lab scale experiments provided guidance for scale-up experiments. So, in the scale-up experiments, three membrane modules connected in parallel, then three membrane modules connected in series were used to increase the treatment capacity and improve the treatment effect, under the operating conditions of wastewater temperature 20 ˚C, PH 7.5~8.1, flow rate 100 L/h and the concentration of stripping phase 0.1 mol/L, stripping phase flow rate 50 L/h, the extraction efficiency of the PP-TBP supported liquid membrane system was 87.02% and the phenol concentration of effluent was 218.14mg/L. And the phenol concentration of effluent met the requirements of further biodegradation treatment.
The filamentary structure of mixing fronts and its control on reaction kinetics in porous media flows
Authors: de Anna Pietro , Dentz Marco , Tartakovsky Alexandre , Le Borgne Tanguy
Published: June 2014

The mixing dynamics resulting from the combined action of diffusion, dispersion, and advective stretching of a reaction front in heterogeneous flows leads to reaction kinetics that can differ by orders of magnitude from those measured in well‐mixed batch reactors. The reactive fluid invading a porous medium develops a filamentary or lamellar front structure. Fluid deformation leads to an increase of the front length by stretching and consequently a decrease of its width by compression. This advective front deformation, which sharpens concentration gradients across the interface, is in competition with diffusion, which tends to increase the interface width and thus smooth concentration gradients. The lamella scale dynamics eventually develop into a collective behavior through diffusive coalescence, which leads to a disperse interface whose width is controlled by advective dispersion. We derive a new approach that quantifies the impact of these filament scale processes on the global mixing and reaction kinetics. The proposed reactive filament model, based on the elementary processes of stretching, coalescence, and fluid particle dispersion, provides a new framework for predicting reaction front kinetics in heterogeneous flows.
Limitations of the potential predictability of meridional mass and heat transports in the North Atlantic
Authors: Tiedje Bente , Baehr Johanna
Published: June 2014

The climatological relevance of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) stems from its capability to transport heat meridionally. The variability of AMOC and the meridional heat transport (MHT) are intimately linked, but not interchangeable. Here we ask to what extend AMOC's predictability may be used as a proxy for MHT's predictability. We find that the geostrophic parts of MHT and AMOC show similar potential predictability (0∘–45∘N), which originates from the potential predictability of the density field at the western boundary (above 1700 m). Maximum timescales of potential predictability are found for both MHT's and AMOC's geostrophic parts between the subpolar and the subtropical gyre, while meridionally propagating density anomalies at the western boundary limit the potential predictability north and south of the gyre boundary. The inference of MHT predictability from AMOC predictability is thus limited to the geostrophic parts of MHT and AMOC, and particularly adequate at the gyre boundary.
Saturn chorus latitudinal variations
Authors: Menietti J. D. , Hospodarsky G. B. , Shprits Y. Y. , Gurnett D. A.
Published: June 2014

The variation of propagation properties of whistler mode chorus as a function of latitude is not well known at Saturn but is important for the calculation of pitch angle diffusion and nonlinear growth of chorus. The Cassini spacecraft has spent a portion of its orbital time in high‐inclination orbits, allowing traversal of the magnetic equator at nearly constant L shell for several passes. This is important since chorus is believed to propagate dominantly close to the magnetic field direction. We have investigated the change of wave normal angle, whistler mode magnetic intensity, and ambient magnetic field inhomogeneity as a function of latitude observed by the Radio and Plasma Wave investigation onboard the Cassini instrument. We find that wave normal angles along a nearly constant L shell remain close to field‐aligned, except nearest the equator, and whistler mode wave intensity increases from the magnetic equator, according to a power law. The ambient magnetic field shows an inhomogeneity that is lower than Earth's, but there is a lack of drifting‐frequency signatures nearest the equator. The bandwidth of the chorus emission can be described by a simple exponential. The bandwidth increases from the equator, peaking a few degrees away in a region of strong nonlinear growth and then decreases at higher latitudes.
Spatial Bayesian inversion with localized likelihoods: An exact sampling alternative to MCMC
Authors: Walker Matthew , Curtis Andrew
Published: June 2014

Geoscientists often use spatially discretized cellular models of the Earth where data in each grid cell provide independent information about the model parameters of interest at that location. In Bayesian inference this information is given as a set of likelihoods describing the (unnormalized) probability of the parameters, given only the data in each cell. Preexisting information about the model parameters' values and their spatial correlations may be described by a prior probability distribution. The prior, likelihoods, and Bayes' rule together specify a posterior probability distribution that describes the resultant state of information over all model parameters. However, due to the high dimensionality of typical models, the posterior is usually only known up to a multiplicative constant and only at specific, numerically evaluated points in the model space (i.e., it is not known analytically). Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are typically used to produce an ensemble of correlated samples from the posterior. These ensembles are slow to converge in distribution to the posterior; indeed, they may not converge in finite time, and detecting their state of convergence is often impossible in practice. Thus, estimates of the posterior obtained in this way may be biased. We derive a recursive algorithm which samples the posterior exactly, so as to avoid these convergence issues. Its computational cost scales with the size of the parameters' sample space, the prior's spatial range of dependency, and the shortest edge dimension of the grid. We develop an approximation to the algorithm such that it may be used on large 2‐D (and potentially 3‐D) model grids. We apply it to synthetic seismic attribute data and obtain results which compare favorably to the results of MCMC (Gibbs) sampling—which exhibits convergence problems.
Triarylphosphine Ligands with Hemilabile Alkoxy Groups: Ligands for Nickel(II)‐Catalyzed Olefin Dimerization Reactions. Hydrovinylation of Vinylarenes, 1,3‐Dienes, and Cycloisomerization of 1,6‐Dienes
Authors: Biswas Souvagya , Zhang Aibin , Raya Balaram , RajanBabu T. V.
Published: June 2014

Substitution of one of the phenyl groups of triphenylphosphine with a 2‐benzyloxy‐, 2‐benzyloxymethyl‐ or 2‐benzyloxyethyl‐phenyl moiety results in a set of simple ligands, which exhibit strikingly different behaviour in various nickel(II)‐catalyzed olefin dimerization reactions. Complexes of ligands with 2‐benzyloxyphenyl‐ and 2‐benzyloxymethylphenyldiphenylphosphine (L5 and L6, respectively) are most active for hydrovinylation (HV) of vinylarenes, with the former leading to extensive isomerization of the primary 3‐aryl‐1‐butenes into the conjugated 2‐aryl‐2‐butenes even at −55 °C. However, 2‐benzyloxymethyl‐substituted ligand L6 is slightly less active, affording up to quantitative yields of the primary products of HV at ambient temperature with no trace of isomerization, thus providing the best option for a practical synthesis of these compounds. In sharp contrast, hydrovinylation of a variety of 1,3‐dienes is best catalyzed by nickel(II) complexes of 2‐benzyloxyphenyldiphenylphosphine, L5. The other two ligands, 2‐benzyloxymethyl‐ (L6) and 2‐benzyloxyethyldiphenylphosphine (L7) are much less effective in the HV of 1,3‐dienes. Nickel(II)‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,6‐dienes into methylenecyclopentanes, a reaction mechanistically related to the other hydrovinylation reactions, is also uniquely effected by nickel(II) complexes of L5, but not of L6 or L7. In an attempt to prepare authentic samples of the methylencyclohexane products, nickel(II) complexes of N‐heterocyclic carbene ligands were examined. In sharp contrast to the phosphines, which give the methylenecyclopentanes, methylenecyclohexanes are the major products in the (N‐heterocyclic carbene)nickel(II)‐mediated reactions.

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Preparation, Characterization, Thermal, and Dielectric Properties of Polypyrrole/h‐BN Nanocomposites
Authors: Madakbaş Seyfullah , Şen Ferhat , Vezir Kahraman Memet , Dumludağ Fatih
Published: June 2014

The aim of this study was to improve thermal stability and dielectric properties of polypyrrole (PPy) by adding hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN). PPy was synthesized, and PPy/h‐BN nanocomposites were prepared by adding various proportions of h‐BN to PPy. The chemical structures of the samples were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermal properties of the nanocomposites were determined by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. X‐ray diffraction analysis of the samples was carried out. The surface morphologies of the samples were investigated by a scanning electron microscopy‐energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS). The obtained results prove that the nanocomposite system is more thermally stable than the pure PPy. Dielectric measurements revealed that the dielectric constant of the pellets increased with increasing temperature and decreased with increasing frequency. It is also observed that the dielectric constant of the pellets decreased with increasing nano‐hBN content (between 1 and 4 wt%).
Preterm delivery as a predictor of diurnal cortisol profiles in adulthood: Evidence from Cebu, Philippines
Authors: Lee James , Fried Ruby , Thayer Zaneta , Kuzawa Christopher W.
Published: June 2014

Objectives

Fetal exposure to elevated maternal cortisol can permanently modify hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis function, and thereby have long‐term health impacts. Maternal cortisol steadily increases throughout normal pregnancy, but is abnormally high in preterm deliveries (<37 weeks). Prematurity remains a widespread public health problem, yet little is known about its potential long‐term effects on adult HPA function. Here we test the hypothesis that diurnal cortisol profiles measured in young adulthood will vary based upon an individual's preterm status.

Methods

Diurnal salivary cortisol profiles, a marker of HPA‐axis function, were measured in 1,403 young adults (ages 21–23 years) participating in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, located in Metropolitan Cebu City, Philippines.

Results

Males who had been born preterm exhibited lower morning cortisol and non‐significantly elevated evening cortisol, resulting in a more adverse, flatter rate of decline across the day. In contrast, there were no significant differences by preterm status in cortisol measured at any time of day in females.

Conclusions

These findings point to potential long‐term effects of having been born preterm on adult HPA‐axis function, and add to evidence from this and other populations for sex differences in the biological and health impacts of prenatal stress exposure. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:598–602, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The upper respiratory pyramid: Early factors and later treatment utilization in World Trade Center exposed firefighters
Authors: Niles Justin K. , Webber Mayris P. , Liu Xiaoxue , Zeig‐Owens Rachel , Hall Charles B. , Cohen Hillel W. , Glaser Michelle S. , Weakley Jessica , Schwartz Theresa M. , Weiden Michael D. , Nolan Anna , Aldrich Thomas K. , Glass Lara , Kelly Kerry J. , Prezant David J.
Published: June 2014

Background

We investigated early post 9/11 factors that could predict rhinosinusitis healthcare utilization costs up to 11 years later in 8,079 World Trade Center‐exposed rescue/recovery workers.

Methods

We used bivariate and multivariate analytic techniques to investigate utilization outcomes; we also used a pyramid framework to describe rhinosinusitis healthcare groups at early (by 9/11/2005) and late (by 9/11/2012) time points.

Results

Multivariate models showed that pre‐9/11/2005 chronic rhinosinusitis diagnoses and nasal symptoms predicted final year healthcare utilization outcomes more than a decade after WTC exposure. The relative proportion of workers on each pyramid level changed significantly during the study period.

Conclusions

Diagnoses of chronic rhinosinusitis within 4 years of a major inhalation event only partially explain future healthcare utilization. Exposure intensity, early symptoms and other factors must also be considered when anticipating future healthcare needs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:857–865, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cytogenomic delineation and clinical follow‐up of two siblings with an 8.5 Mb 6q24.2‐q25.2 deletion inherited from a paternal insertion
Authors: Meloni Vera Ayres , Guilherme Roberta Santos , Oliveira Mariana Moyses , Migliavacca Michele , Takeno Sylvia Satomi , Sobreira Nara Lygia Macena , de Fatima Faria Soares Maria , de Mello Claudia Berlim , Melaragno Maria Isabel
Published: June 2014

The chromosomal segment 6q24‐q25 comprises a contiguous gene microdeletion syndrome characterized by intrauterine growth retardation, growth delay, intellectual disability, cardiac anomalies, and a dysmorphic facial phenotype. We describe here a 10‐year follow‐up with detailed clinical, neuropsychological, and cytomolecular data of two siblings, male and female, who presented with developmental delay, microcephaly, short stature, characteristic facial dysmorphisms, multiple organ anomalies, and intellectual disability. Microarray analysis showed an 8.5 Mb 6q24.2‐q25.2 interstitial deletion. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses confirmed the deletions and identified an insertion of 6q into 8q13 in their father, resulting in a high recurrence risk. This is the first report in sibs with distinct neuropsychological involvement, one of them with stenosis of the descending branch of the aorta. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.