bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Analysis of Cold Stress Inducing Lipidomic Changes in Shewanella putrefaciens Using UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS
Authors: Gao Xin , Liu Wenru , Mei Jun , Xie Jing
Published: December 2019

Shewanella putrefaciens is a well-known specific spoilage organism (SSO) and cold-tolerant microorganism in refrigerated fresh marine fish. Cold-adapted mechanism includes increased fluidity of lipid membranes by the ability to finely adjust lipids composition. In the present study, the lipid profile of S. putrefaciens cultivated at 30, 20, 10, 4, and 0 °C was explored using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS) to discuss the effect of lipid composition on cold-adapted tolerance. Lipidomic analysis detected a total of 27 lipid classes and 606 lipid molecular species in S. putrefaciens cultivated at 30, 20, 10, 4, and 0 °C. S. putrefaciens cultivated at 30 °C (SP-30) had significantly higher content of glycerolipids, sphingolipids, saccharolipids, and fatty acids compared with that at 0 °C (SP-0); however, the lower content of phospholipids (13.97%) was also found in SP-30. PE (30:0), PE (15:0/15:0), PE (31:0), PA (33:1), PE (32:1), PE (33:1), PE (25:0), PC (22:0), PE (29:0), PE (34:1), dMePE (15:0/16:1), PE (31:1), dMePE (15:1/15:0), PG (34:2), and PC (11:0/11:0) were identified as the most abundant lipid molecular species in S. putrefaciens cultivated at 30, 20, 10, 4, and 0 °C. The increase of PG content contributes to the construction of membrane lipid bilayer and successfully maintains membrane integrity under cold stress. S. putrefaciens cultivated at low temperature significantly increased the total unsaturated liquid contents but decreased the content of saturated liquid contents.
Adsorptive and Reductive Removal of Chlorophenol from Wastewater by Biomass-Derived Mesoporous Carbon-Supported Sulfide Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron
Authors: Wang Hui , Cai Sixiang , Shan Liang , Zhuang Min , Li Nan , Quan Guixiang , Yan Jinlong
Published: December 2019

Chlorinated compounds in a water environment pose serious threats to humanity. A nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) has desirable properties for water dichlorination, but its reactivity is still limited by agglomeration and oxidation. In this study, the mesoporous carbon (MC) derived from biomass waste was prepared for immobilizing nZVI, and the nZVI@MC was further modified by sulfur (S-nZVI@MC) to relieve surface oxidation. The synergistic effect between nZVI and surface modification, the reaction conditions and the removal mechanism were investigated systematically. The characterization results showed nZVI was successfully loaded on the surface of MC, and the aggregation of nZVI was prevented. Moreover, sulfidation modification resulted in the formation of FeS on the surface of nZVI, which effectively alleviated surface oxidation of nZVI and promoted the electron transfer. Batch experiments demonstrated S-nZVI@MC had greatly enhanced reactivity towards 2,4,6-trichlorphenol (TCP) as compared to MC and nZVI, and the removal rate could reach 100%, which was mainly attributed to the significant synergistic effect of MC immobilization and sulfidation modification. Furthermore, the TCP removal process was well described by a Langmuir adsorption model and pseudo-second-order model. The possible mechanism for enhanced removal of TCP is the fast adsorption onto S-nZVI@MC and effective reduction by S-nZVI. Therefore, with excellent reducing activity and antioxidation, S-nZVI@MC has the potential as a pollutant treatment.
Second Harmonic Generation for Moisture Monitoring in Dimethoxyethane at a Gold-Solvent Interface Using Plasmonic Structures
Authors: Aharon Hannah , Shavit Omer , Galanty Matan , Salomon Adi
Published: December 2019

Second harmonic generation (SHG) is forbidden from most bulk metals because metals are characterized by centrosymmetric symmetry. Adsorption or desorption of molecules at the metal interface can break the symmetry and lead to SHG responses. Yet, the response is relatively low, and minute changes occurring at the interface, especially at solid/liquid interfaces, like in battery electrodes are difficult to assess. Herein, we use a plasmonic structure milled in a gold electrode to increase the overall SHG signal from the interface and gain information about small changes occurring at the interface. Using a specific homebuilt cell, we monitor changes at the liquid/electrode interface. Specifically, traces of water in dimethoxyethane (DME) have been detected following changes in the SHG responses from the plasmonic structures. We propose that by plasmonic structures this technique can be used for assessing minute changes occurring at solid/liquid interfaces such as battery electrodes.
The Fabrication of Micro/Nano Structures by Laser Machining
Authors: Yang Liangliang , Wei Jiangtao , Ma Zhe , Song Peishuai , Ma Jing , Zhao Yongqiang , Huang Zhen , Zhang Mingliang , Yang Fuhua , Wang Xiaodong
Published: December 2019

Micro/nano structures have unique optical, electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties. Studies on the preparation of micro/nano structures are of considerable research value and broad development prospects. Several micro/nano structure preparation techniques have already been developed, such as photolithography, electron beam lithography, focused ion beam techniques, nanoimprint techniques. However, the available geometries directly implemented by those means are limited to the 2D mode. Laser machining, a new technology for micro/nano structural preparation, has received great attention in recent years for its wide application to almost all types of materials through a scalable, one-step method, and its unique 3D processing capabilities, high manufacturing resolution and high designability. In addition, micro/nano structures prepared by laser machining have a wide range of applications in photonics, Surface plasma resonance, optoelectronics, biochemical sensing, micro/nanofluidics, photofluidics, biomedical, and associated fields. In this paper, updated achievements of laser-assisted fabrication of micro/nano structures are reviewed and summarized. It focuses on the researchers’ findings, and analyzes materials, morphology, possible applications and laser machining of micro/nano structures in detail. Seven kinds of materials are generalized, including metal, organics or polymers, semiconductors, glass, oxides, carbon materials, and piezoelectric materials. In the end, further prospects to the future of laser machining are proposed.
Chondroprotective Properties of Human-Enriched Serum Following Polyphenol Extract Absorption: Results from an Exploratory Clinical Trial
Authors: Wauquier Fabien , Mevel Elsa , Krisa Stephanie , Richard Tristan , Valls Josep , Hornedo-Ortega Ruth , Granel Henri , Boutin-Wittrant Line , Urban Nelly , Berger Juliette , Descamps Stéphane , Guicheux Jérôme , Vinatier Claire S. , Beck Laurent , Meunier Nathalie , Blot Adeline , Wittrant Yohann
Published: December 2019

Polyphenols are widely acknowledged for their health benefits, especially for the prevention of inflammatory and age-related diseases. We previously demonstrated that hydroxytyrosol (HT) and procyanidins (PCy), alone or in combination, drive preventive anti-osteoathritic effects in vivo. However, the lack of sufficient clinical evidences on the relationship between dietary phytochemicals and osteoarthritis remains. In this light, we investigated in humans the potential osteoarticular benefit of a grapeseed and olive extract (OPCO) characterized for its hydroxytyrosol (HT) and procyanidins (PCy) content. We first validated, in vitro, the anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective properties of the extract on primary cultured human articular chondrocytes stimulated by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 β). The sparing effect involved a molecular mechanism dependent on the nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. To confirm the clinical relevance of such a nutritional strategy, we designed an innovative clinical approach taking into account the metabolites that are formed during the digestion process and that appear in circulation after the ingestion of the OPCO extract. Blood samples from volunteers were collected following ingestion, absorption, and metabolization of the extract and then were processed and applied on human primary chondrocyte cultures. This original ex vivo methodology confirmed at a clinical level the chondroprotective properties previously observed in vitro and in vivo.
Trends in Dietary Intake of Total Fat and Fatty Acids Among Korean Adolescents from 2007 to 2017
Authors: Song SuJin , Shim Jae Eun
Published: December 2019

We analyzed the trends in dietary intake of total fat and fatty acids among Korean adolescents during 2007–2017. A total of 6406 adolescents from the 2007–2017 Korea National Health and Examination Surveys were selected. Total fat and fatty acids intakes were calculated based on single 24-hour recall data and presented as grams (g) and percentage of energy intake (% kcal) across the survey period. Linear trends in intake across the survey period were compared using the multiple regression model. Total fat intake increased during the 11-year period from 54.3 g (21.7% kcal) to 61.8 g (25.2% kcal). Saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) intakes changed from 17.8 g (7.1% kcal) and 17.2 g (6.8% kcal) to 20.6 g (8.4% kcal) and 20.7 g (8.4% kcal) over time, respectively. For polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-3 fatty acid intake did not change during the survey period. The proportions of individuals who had total fat and SFA above the recommendations increased across the survey period: 13.7% to 27.5% for total fat and 36.0% to 49.7% for SFA. Among Korean adolescents, dietary fat intake increased over time and the increases in SFA and MUFA intake were prominent. Monitoring dietary fat intake is helpful to suggest dietary guidelines and health policies.
Endocytic Pathway of Feline Coronavirus for Cell Entry: Differences in Serotype-Dependent Viral Entry Pathway
Authors: Takano Tomomi , Wakayama Yumeho , Doki Tomoyoshi
Published: December 2019

Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is a pathogen causing a lethal infectious disease in cats, feline infectious peritonitis. It has two serotypes (type I FCoV and type II FCoV). According to our previous study, type I FCoV infection is inhibited by compounds inducing intracellular cholesterol accumulation, whereas type II FCoV infection is not inhibited. Intracellular cholesterol accumulation was reported to disrupt late endosome function. Based on these findings, types I and II FCoV are considered to enter the cytosol through late and early endosomes, respectively. We investigated whether the antiviral activities of a late endosome trafficking inhibitor and cholesterol-accumulating agents are different between the FCoV serotypes. The late endosome trafficking inhibitor did not inhibit type II FCoV infection, but it inhibited type I FCoV infection. Type I FCoV infection was inhibited by cholesterol-accumulating triazoles, but not by non-cholesterol-accumulating triazoles. These phenomena were observed in both feline cell lines and feline primary macrophages. This study provides additional information on the differences in intracellular reproductive cycle between type I and type II FCoV.
Hydrofilm Polyurethane Films Reduce Radiation Dermatitis Severity in Hypofractionated Whole-Breast Irradiation: An Objective, Intra-Patient Randomized Dual-Center Assessment
Authors: Schmeel Leonard , Koch David , Schmeel Frederic , Bücheler Bettina , Leitzen Christina , Mahlmann Birgit , Kunze Dorothea , Heimann Martina , Brüser Dilini , Abramian Alina-Valik , Schoroth Felix , Müdder Thomas , Röhner Fred , Garbe Stephan , Baumert Brigitta , Schild Hans , Wilhelm-Buchstab Timo
Published: December 2019

Radiation-induced skin injury represents the most frequent side effect in breast cancer patients undergoing whole-breast irradiation (WBI). Numerous clinical studies on systemic and topical treatments for radiation dermatitis have failed to provide sustainable treatment strategies. While protective skin products such as dressings are undoubtedly the standard of care in wound care management, their utilization as preventive treatment in radiotherapy has been somewhat neglected in recent years. In this prospective, intra-patient randomized observational study, Hydrofilm polyurethane films were prophylactically applied to either the medial or lateral breast-half of 74 patients with breast cancer undergoing hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation following breast-preserving surgery. Maximum radiation dermatitis severity was assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.03 toxicity scores, photospectrometric erythema and pigmentation measurements and patient-assessed modified Radiation-Induced Skin Reaction Assessment Scale (RISRAS) scale. Phantom studies revealed a clinically negligible dose build-up of less than 0.1% with Hydrofilm. Compared to the control compartments physician-assessed radiation dermatitis severity was reduced in the hydrofilm compartments (mean 0.54 vs. 1.34; p = < 0.001). Objective photospectrometric skin measurements showed decreased erythema (p = 0.0001) and hyperpigmentation (p = 0.002) underneath Hydrofilm. Hydrofilm also completely prevented moist desquamation, and significantly reduced patients’ treatment-related symptoms of itching, burning, pain, and limitations of day-to-day-activities. Significant beneficial effects were observed in terms of radiation dermatitis severity, erythema, hyperpigmentation as well as subjective treatment-related symptom experiences, while adverse reactions were rare and minor. Therefore, a prophylactic application of Hydrofilm polyurethane films can be suggested in hypofractionated WBI.
Compression-Responsive Photonic Crystals Based on Fluorine-Containing Polymers
Authors: Kredel Julia , Gallei Markus
Published: December 2019

Fluoropolymers represent a unique class of functional polymers due to their various interesting and important properties such as thermal stability, resistance toward chemicals, repellent behaviors, and their low refractive indices in comparison to other polymeric materials. Based on the latter optical property, fluoropolymers are particularly of interest for the preparation of photonic crystals for optical sensing application. Within the present study, photonic crystals were prepared based on core-interlayer-shell particles focusing on fluoropolymers. For particle assembly, the melt-shear organization technique was applied. The high order and refractive index contrast of the individual components of the colloidal crystal structure lead to remarkable reflection colors according to Bragg’s law of diffraction. Due to the special architecture of the particles, consisting of a soft core, a comparably hard interlayer, and again a soft shell, the resulting opal films were capable of changing their shape and domain sizes upon applied pressure, which was accompanied with a (reversible) change of the observed reflection colors as well. By the incorporation of adjustable amounts of UV cross-linking agents into the opal film and subsequent treatment with different UV irradiation times, stable and pressure-sensitive opal films were obtained. It is shown that the present strategy led to (i) pressure-sensitive opal films featuring reversibly switchable reflection colors and (ii) that opal films can be prepared, for which the written pattern—resulting from the compressed particles—could be fixed upon subsequent irradiation with UV light. The herein described novel fluoropolymer-containing photonic crystals, with their pressure-tunable reflection color, are promising candidates in the field of sensing devices and as potential candidates for anti-counterfeiting materials.
Nonlinear Thermal Radiation and Chemical Reaction Effects on a (Cu−CuO)/NaAlg Hybrid Nanofluid Flow Past a Stretching Curved Surface
Authors: Ahmed Naveed , Saba Fitnat , Khan Umar , Mohyud-Din Syed Tauseef , Sherif El-Sayed M. , Khan Ilyas
Published: December 2019

The boundary layer flow of sodium alginate ( NaAlg ) based ( Cu − CuO ) hybrid nanofluid, over a curved expanding surface, has been investigated. Heat and mass transport phenomena have also been analyzed. Moreover, the impacts of chemical reaction, magnetic field and nonlinear thermal radiation are also a part of this study. This arrangement has great practical relevance, especially in the polymer and chemical industries. We have extended the Bruggeman model to make it capable of capturing the thermal conductivity of ( Cu − CuO ) / NaAlg hybrid nanofluid. We have employed some suitable transformations to obtain the governing system of nonlinear ODEs. Runge − Kutta − Fehlberg algorithm, accompanied by a shooting technique, has been employed to solve the governing system numerically. The changes in the flow and heat transfer distribution, due to various parameters, have been captured and portrayed in the form of graphs. It has been found that the addition of the nanometer-sized materials, significantly boosts the thermal and heat transport properties of the host fluid, and these phenomena seem to be more prominent, in the case of ( Cu − CuO ) / NaAlg hybrid nanofluid.
Baicalein-Enriched Fraction Extracted from Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth. ex Kurz Leaves Exerts Antioxidant and Inhibitory Effects Against Glioblastoma Multiforme
Authors: Kang In Nee , Nik Salleh Nik Nur Hakimah , Chung Wan Jie , Lee Chong Yew , Tan Suat Cheng
Published: December 2019

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant subtype of primary brain cancer. To date, standard clinical treatment for GBM is limited in effectiveness and could impose additional side effects. Recently, numerous bioactive compounds isolated from natural plants appear to have beneficial anti-cancer properties. Here, the GBM inhibitory effect of baicalein, a bioactive flavonoid extracted from Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth. ex Kurz, was evaluated. Firstly, three solvents were used to extract the baicalein. We found that the binary extraction system, using a combination of petroleum ether and methanol (PM), yielded the highest amount of baicalein (15%) compared to the mono extraction system using methanol (13%) or aqueous (0.04%) only. In order to further enhance the baicalein yield in PM crude extract, it was subjected to an enrichment fractionation procedure, which successfully increased the baicalein by nearly two-fold from the initial crude extract (15%) to the enriched fraction 5 (F5) (29%). The enriched F5 not only showed significantly higher (~2.5-fold) antioxidant properties as compared to the crude extract, it was also found to significantly suppress GBM cell proliferation ~2.5-fold better than the crude extract. In conclusion, this study successfully optimized an extraction procedure for increased yield of baicalein metabolite from O. indicum leaves and enhanced its therapeutic potential for GBM treatment.
Quantifying Coral Reef Composition of Recreational Diving Sites: A Structure from Motion Approach at Seascape Scale
Authors: Palma Marco , Magliozzi Chiara , Rivas Casado Monica , Pantaleo Ubaldo , Fernandes João , Coro Gianpaolo , Cerrano Carlo , Leinster Paul
Published: December 2019

Recreational diving is known to have both direct and indirect impacts on coral habitats. Direct impacts include increasing sedimentation, breaks and diseases that lead to a decrease in the richness and abundances of hard corals. Indirect impacts include urban development, land management and sewage disposal. The ecological effects of scuba diving on the spatial composition metrics of reef benthic communities are less well studied, and they have not been investigated at seascape scale. In this study, we combine orthomosaics derived from Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry and data-mining techniques to study the spatial composition of reef benthic communities of recreational diving sites at seascape scale (>25 m 2 ). The study focuses on the case study area of Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve (Mozambique). Results showed that scuba-diving resistant taxa (i.e., sponges and algae) were abundant at small (>850 m 2 ) and highly dived sites (>3000 dives yr − 1 ), characterized by low diversity and density, and big organisms with complex shapes. Fragile taxa (i.e., Acropora spp.) were abundant at low (365 dives yr − 1 ) and moderately dived sites (1000–3000 dives yr − 1 ) where the greater depth and wider coral reef surfaces attenuate the abrasive effect of waves and re-suspended sediments. Highest taxa diversity and density, and lowest abundance of resistant taxa were recorded at large (>2000 m 2 ) and rarely dived sites. This study highlights the potential applications for a photogrammetric approach to support monitoring programs at Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve (Mozambique), and provides some insight to understand the influence of scuba diving on benthic communities.
Wildfire Detection Probability of MODIS Fire Products under the Constraint of Environmental Factors: A Study Based on Confirmed Ground Wildfire Records
Authors: Ying Lingxiao , Shen Zehao , Yang Mingzheng , Piao Shilong
Published: December 2019

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has been widely used for wildfire occurrence and distribution detecting and fire risk assessments. Compared with its commission error, the omission error of MODIS wildfire detection has been revealed as a much more challenging, unsolved issue, and ground-level environmental factors influencing the detection capacity are also variable. This study compared the multiple MODIS fire products and the records of ground wildfire investigations during December 2002–November 2015 in Yunnan Province, Southwest China, in an attempt to reveal the difference in the spatiotemporal patterns of regional wildfire detected by the two approaches, to estimate the omission error of MODIS fire products based on confirmed ground wildfire records, and to explore how instantaneous and local environmental factors influenced the wildfire detection probability of MODIS. The results indicated that across the province, the total number of wildfire events recorded by MODIS was at least twice as many as that in the ground records, while the wildfire distribution patterns revealed by the two approaches were inconsistent. For the 5145 confirmed ground records, however, only 11.10% of them could be detected using multiple MODIS fire products (i.e., MOD14A1, MYD14A1, and MCD64A1). Opposing trends during the studied period were found between the yearly occurrence of ground-based wildfire records and the corresponding proportion detected by MODIS. Moreover, the wildfire detection proportion by MODIS was 11.36% in forest, 9.58% in shrubs, and 5.56% in grassland, respectively. Random forest modeling suggested that fire size was a primary limiting factor for MODIS fire detecting capacity, where a small fire size could likely result in MODIS omission errors at a threshold of 1 ha, while MODIS had a 50% probability of detecting a wildfire whose size was at least 18 ha. Aside from fire size, the wildfire detection probability of MODIS was also markedly influenced by weather factors, especially the daily relative humidity and the daily wind speed, and the altitude of wildfire occurrence. Considering the environmental factors’ contribution to the omission error in MODIS wildfire detection, we emphasized the importance of attention to the local conditions as well as ground inspection in practical wildfire monitoring and management and global wildfire simulations.
Snow Depth Retrieval in Farmland Based on a Statistical Lookup Table from Passive Microwave Data in Northeast China
Authors: Gu Lingjia , Fan Xintong , Li Xiaofeng , Wei Yanlin
Published: December 2019

At present, passive microwave remote sensing is the most efficient method to estimate snow depth (SD) at global and regional scales. Farmland covers 46% of Northeast China and accurate SD retrieval throughout the whole snow season has great significance for the agriculture management field. Based on the results of the statistical analysis of snow properties in Northeast China from December 2017 to January 2018, conducted by the China snow investigation project, snow characteristics such as snow grain size (SGS), snow density, snow thickness, and temperature of the layered snowpack were measured and analyzed in detail. These characteristics were input to the microwave emission model of layered snowpacks (MEMLS) to simulate the brightness temperature (TB) time series of snow-covered farmland in the periods of snow accumulation, stabilization, and ablation. Considering the larger SGS of the thick depth hoar layer that resulted in a rapid decrease of simulated TBs, effective SGS was proposed to minimize the simulation errors and ensure that the MEMLS can be correctly applied to satellite data simulation. Statistical lookup tables (LUTs) for MWRI and AMSR2 data were generated to represent the relationship between SD and the brightness temperature difference (TBD) at 18 and 36 GHz. The SD retrieval results based on the LUT were compared with the actual SD and the SD retrieved by Chang’s algorithm, Foster’s algorithm, the standard MWRI algorithm, and the standard AMSR2 algorithm. The results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm based on the statistical LUT achieved better accuracy than the other algorithms due to its incorporation of the variation in snow characteristics with the age of snow cover. The average root mean squared error of the SD for the whole snow season was approximately 3.97 and 4.22 cm for MWRI and AMSR2, respectively. The research results are beneficial for monitoring SD in the farmland of Northeast China.
A Probability-Based Spectral Unmixing Analysis for Mapping Percentage Vegetation Cover of Arid and Semi-Arid Areas
Authors: Cui Yunlei , Sun Hua , Wang Guangxing , Li Chengjie , Xu Xiaoyu
Published: December 2019

China has been facing serious land degradation and desertification in its north and northwest arid and semi-arid areas. Monitoring the dynamics of percentage vegetation cover (PVC) using remote sensing imagery in these areas has become critical. However, because these areas are large, remote, and sparsely populated, and also because of the existence of mixed pixels, there have been no accurate and cost-effective methods available for this purpose. Spectral unmixing methods are a good alternative as they do not need field data and are low cost. However, traditional linear spectral unmixing (LSU) methods lack the ability to capture the characteristics of spectral reflectance and scattering from endmembers and their interactions within mixed pixels. Moreover, existing nonlinear spectral unmixing methods, such as random forest (RF) and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), are often costly because they require field measurements of PVC from a large number of training samples. In this study, a cost-effective approach to mapping PVC in arid and semi-arid areas was proposed. A method for selection and purification of endmembers mainly based on Landsat imagery was first presented. A probability-based spectral unmixing analysis (PBSUA) and a probability-based optimized k nearest-neighbors (PBOkNN) approach were then developed to improve the mapping of PVC in Duolun County in Inner Mongolia, China, using Landsat 8 images and field data from 920 sample plots. The proposed PBSUA and PBOkNN methods were further validated in terms of accuracy and cost-effectiveness by comparison with two LSU methods, with and without purification of endmembers, and two nonlinear approaches, RF and RBFNN. The cost-effectiveness was defined as the reciprocal of cost timing relative root mean square error (RRMSE). The results showed that (1) Probability-based spectral unmixing analysis (PBSUA) was most cost-effective and increased the cost-effectiveness by 29.3% 29.3%, 33.5%, 50.8%, and 53.0% compared with two LSU methods, PBOkNN, RF, and RBFNN, respectively; (2) PBSUA, RF, and RBFNN gave RRMSE values of 22.9%, 21.8%, and 22.8%, respectively, which were not significantly different from each other at the significance level of 0.05. Compatibly, PBOkNN and LSU methods with and without purification of endmembers resulted in significantly greater RRMSE values of 27.5%, 32.4%, and 43.3%, respectively; (3) the average estimates of the sample plots and predicted maps from PBSUA, PBOkNN, RF, and RBFNN fell in the confidence interval of the test plot data, but those from two LSU methods did not, although the LSU with purification of endmembers improved the PVC estimation accuracy by 25.2% compared with the LSU without purification of endmembers. Thus, this study indicated that the proposed PBSUA had great potential for cost-effectively mapping PVC in arid and semi-arid areas.
Discovering Potential Settlement Areas around Archaeological Tells Using the Integration between Historic Topographic Maps, Optical, and Radar Data in the Northern Nile Delta, Egypt
Authors: Elfadaly Abdelaziz , A. R. Abouarab Mohamed , M. El Shabrawy Radwa R. , Mostafa Wael , Wilson Penelope , Morhange Christophe , Silverstein Jay , Lasaponara Rosa
Published: December 2019

The primary objective of this study is to leverage the integration of surface mapping data derived from optical, radar, and historic topographical studies with archaeological sampling to identify ancient settlement areas in the Northern Nile Delta, Egypt. This study employed the following methods: digitization of topographic maps, band indices techniques on optical data, the creation of a 3D model from SRTM data, and Sentinel-1 interferometric wide swath (IW) analysis. This type of study is particularly relevant to the search for evidence of otherwise hidden ancient settlements. Due to its geographical situation and the fertility of the Nile, Egypt witnessed the autochthonous development of predynastic and dynastic civilizations, as well as an extensive history of external influences due to Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic, and Colonial-era interventions. Excavation work at Buto (Tell el-Fara’in) in 2017–18, carried out by the Kafrelsheikh University (KFS) in cooperation with the Ministry of Antiquities, demonstrated that remote sensing data offers considerable promise as a tool for developing regional settlement studies and excavation strategies. This study integrates the mission work in Buto with the satellite imagery in and around the area of the excavation. The results of the initial Buto area research serve as a methodological model to expand the study area to the North Delta with the goal of detecting the extent of the ancient kingdoms of Buto and Sakha. The results of this research include the creation of a composite historical database using ancient references and early topographical maps (1722, 1941, 1950, and 1997), Optical Corona (1965), Landsat MSS (Multispectral Scanner System) (1973, 1978, and 1988), TM (Thematic Mapper) (2005) data, and Radar SRTM (2014) and Sentinel1 (2018 and 2019) data. The data in this study have been analyzed using the ArcMap, Envi, and SNAP software. The results from the current investigation highlight the rapid changes in the land use/land cover in the last century in which many ancient sites were lost due to agriculture and urban development. Three potential settlement areas have been identified with the Sentinel1 Radar data, and have been integrated with the early maps. These discoveries will help develop excavation strategies aimed at elucidating the ancient settlement dynamics and history of the region during the next phase of research.
A Convolutional Neural Network for Compound Micro-Expression Recognition
Authors: Zhao Yue , Xu Jiancheng
Published: December 2019

Human beings are particularly inclined to express real emotions through micro-expressions with subtle amplitude and short duration. Though people regularly recognize many distinct emotions, for the most part, research studies have been limited to six basic categories: happiness, surprise, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. Like normal expressions (i.e., macro-expressions), most current research into micro-expression recognition focuses on these six basic emotions. This paper describes an important group of micro-expressions, which we call compound emotion categories. Compound micro-expressions are constructed by combining two basic micro-expressions but reflect more complex mental states and more abundant human facial emotions. In this study, we firstly synthesized a Compound Micro-expression Database (CMED) based on existing spontaneous micro-expression datasets. These subtle feature of micro-expression makes it difficult to observe its motion track and characteristics. Consequently, there are many challenges and limitations to synthetic compound micro-expression images. The proposed method firstly implemented Eulerian Video Magnification (EVM) method to enhance facial motion features of basic micro-expressions for generating compound images. The consistent and differential facial muscle articulations (typically referred to as action units) associated with each emotion category have been labeled to become the foundation of generating compound micro-expression. Secondly, we extracted the apex frames of CMED by 3D Fast Fourier Transform (3D-FFT). Moreover, the proposed method calculated the optical flow information between the onset frame and apex frame to produce an optical flow feature map. Finally, we designed a shallow network to extract high-level features of these optical flow maps. In this study, we synthesized four existing databases of spontaneous micro-expressions (CASME I, CASME II, CAS(ME)2, SAMM) to generate the CMED and test the validity of our network. Therefore, the deep network framework designed in this study can well recognize the emotional information of basic micro-expressions and compound micro-expressions.
Improved Classification Method Based on the Diverse Density and Sparse Representation Model for a Hyperspectral Image
Authors: Li Na , Wang Ruihao , Zhao Huijie , Wang Mingcong , Deng Kewang , Wei Wei
Published: December 2019

To solve the small sample size (SSS) problem in the classification of hyperspectral image, a novel classification method based on diverse density and sparse representation (NCM_DDSR) is proposed. In the proposed method, the dictionary atoms, which learned from the diverse density model, are used to solve the noise interference problems of spectral features, and an improved matching pursuit model is presented to obtain the sparse coefficients. Airborne hyperspectral data collected by the push-broom hyperspectral imager (PHI) and the airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) are applied to evaluate the performance of the proposed classification method. Results illuminate that the overall accuracies of the proposed model for classification of PHI and AVIRIS images are up to 91.59% and 92.83% respectively. In addition, the kappa coefficients are up to 0.897 and 0.91.
Vascular Adhesion Protein 1 Mediates Gut Microbial Flagellin-Induced Inflammation, Leukocyte Infiltration, and Hepatic Steatosis
Authors: Toivonen  , Vanhatalo  , Hollmén  , Munukka  , Keskitalo  , Pietilä  , Elo  , Huovinen  , Jalkanen  , Pekkala
Published: December 2019

Toll-like receptor 5 ligand, flagellin, and Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) are involved in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to determine whether VAP-1 mediates flagellin-induced hepatic fat accumulation. The effects of flagellin on adipocyte VAP-1 expression were first studied in vitro. Then, flagellin (100 ng/mouse) or saline was intraperitoneally injected to C57BL/6J WT and C57BL/6-Aoc3-/- (VAP-1 KO) mice on high-fat diet twice a week every two weeks for 10-weeks. After that, the effects on inflammation, insulin signaling, and metabolism were studied in liver and adipose tissues. Hepatic fat was quantified histologically and biochemically. Because flagellin challenge increased VAP-1 expression in human adipocytes, we used VAP-1 KO mice to determine whether VAP-1 regulates the inflammatory and metabolic effects of flagellin in vivo. In mice, VAP-1 mediated flagellin-induced inflammation, leukocyte infiltration and lipolysis in visceral adipose tissue. Consequently, increased release of glycerol led to hepatic steatosis in WT but not KO mice. Flagellin-induced hepatic fibrosis was not mediated by VAP-1. VAP-1 KO mice harbored more inflammation-related microbes than WT, while flagellin did not affect the gut microbiota. Our results suggest that by acting on visceral adipose tissue, flagellin increased leukocyte infiltration that induced lipolysis. Further, the released glycerol participated in hepatic fat accumulation. In conclusion, the results describe that gut microbial flagellin through VAP-1 induced hepatic steatosis.
On the Relationship between Perceived Conflict and Interactional Justice Influenced by Job Satisfaction and Group Identity
Authors: Fernández-Salinero Samuel , Navarro Abal Yolanda , Topa Gabriela
Published: December 2019

The main aim of this research is to explore the relationships between perceived conflict and interactional justice. Specifically, we will try to shed light on how this relationship is mediated by a higher group identity and moderated by job satisfaction. The sample includes 308 workers from the teaching and research staff of a Spanish public university. We found that conflict has a significant direct impact on organizational justice. Group identification strongly influences organizational justice. The interaction of perceived conflict and job satisfaction over group identification is statistically significant. We discuss the main conclusions and limitations.
LDA-Based Model for Defect Management in Residential Buildings
Authors: Kim Byeol , Ahn Yonghan , Lee Sanghyo
Published: December 2019

This study systematically analyzes various defect patterns that occur during the warranty period of residential buildings using the loss distribution approach (LDA). This paper examines 16,108 defects from 133 residential buildings where defect disputes occurred between 2008 and 2018 in South Korea. The analysis results showed that the defect losses were relatively high in reinforcement concrete (RC) work (3/5/10 years), waterproof work (5 years), and finish work (2 years). It is shown that RC work has a high frequency of defects, such as cracks in concrete in public spaces affected by external factors. In addition, it was analyzed that the type of defect needed high repair cost because the area where the defect—such as incorrect installation and missing task—occurred, needed construction again. According to the level of frequency and severity, losses were divided within four zones to provide detailed strategies (by period). This will effectively contribute to minimizing unnecessary losses from defects as quantifying the losses of defects.
A Literature Review to Propose a Systematic Procedure to Develop “Nexus Thinking” Considering the Water–Energy–Food Nexus
Authors: Fernandes Torres Cássia Juliana , Peixoto de Lima Camilla Hellen , Suzart de Almeida Goodwin Bárbara , Rebello de Aguiar Junior Terencio , Sousa Fontes Andrea , Veras Ribeiro Daniel , Saldanha Xavier da Silva Rodrigo , Dantas Pinto Medeiros Yvonilde
Published: December 2019

There is a growing interest in the literature on the theme of the water–energy–food nexus, as there is growing recognition that sectors that share natural resources have interdependent and interconnected systems. Despite the widespread popularity of nexus thinking, it still lacks standardized procedures and methodologies to assist in its development. Therefore, this paper proposes, from a literature review, a systematic procedure to assist in the development of management models based on nexus thinking. To this end, 304 papers were analyzed using the following criteria: nexus concept, type of approach, geographic scale, elements in the nexus system, application context, and types of assessment methods and tools. The results of the review served as the basis for determining the procedure, which consisted of four steps: (a) understanding nexus thinking, (b) identification of composing variables, (c) evaluation (diagnosis and prognosis), and (d) decision-making. In addition to the standardization of these steps, the main information used to compose the procedure was organized and synthesized with a mind map.
The Response of Catchment Ecosystems in Eutrophic Agricultural Reservoirs to Water Quality Management Using DOM Fluorescence
Authors: Jin Mei-Yan , Lee Jong-Jun , Oh Hye-Ji , Nam Gui-Sook , Jeong Kwang-Seuk , Oh Jong-Min , Chang Kwang-Hyeon
Published: December 2019

Three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy was used to investigate the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in five typical eutrophic agricultural reservoirs. Based on catchment ecosystem, the five reservoirs were divided into three pollution sources of livestock, living, and farmland sources. The quantities and qualities of DOM in the reservoirs were analyzed. Our results showed that DOM characteristics were different in eutrophic reservoirs based on source. More protein-like components were observed in the reservoirs with the living sources, while more humic-like components were seen in the reservoir with farmland sources. Additionally, correlation analysis showed different sources for protein-like and humic-like components. Protein-like components originated mainly from phytoplankton (endogenous sources), and humic-like components were from terrestrial sources. Furthermore, the high values of specific fluorescence parameters were consistent with a dominant role of endogenous DOM in eutrophic water bodies, with FI values (fluorescence index) of approximately 1.9, and β:α values (freshness index) greater than 0.7. This result indicated that mixed features dominated endogenous sources in the reservoirs, regardless of terrestrial pollution sources. By comparing our fluorescence characteristics and historical references, we confirmed that catchment ecosystems related to human activities are important factors in determination of the characteristics of DOM in aquatic environments. However, complex and extensive eutrophication requires endogenous control of water bodies, which will play a central role in improving water environments and sustainable use of reservoirs. Therefore, this study provides an effective basis for water quality assessment of eutrophic agricultural reservoirs.
Pastoral Population Growth and Land Use Policy Has Significantly Impacted Livestock Structure in Inner Mongolia—A Case Study in the Xilinhot Region
Authors: Jiang Ye , Zhang Qing , Niu Jianming , Wu Jianguo
Published: December 2019

The traditional livestock industry in Inner Mongolia has evolved rapidly in response to social and economic transformations during recent decades, resulting in substantial impacts on the rural economy and livelihoods of pastoralists. Improved understanding of these changes and potential drivers may help foster strategies to sustain the pastoral system of this region. Using long-term climate, social-economic, and livestock (cattle, horses, sheep, and goats) population data from 1970 to 2010, we analyzed the dynamics of the livestock industry and main driving factors in the Xilinhot region—a central part of the Inner Mongolia Grassland. Our results show that the total livestock population increased dramatically in the past four decades, especially during 1987–2010. Livestock composition also changed substantially, with increasing sheep, goat, and cattle populations but a decreasing horse population. Pastoral population growth and land use policy were the primary drivers for livestock dynamics during 1970–2010. Livestock structure became differentiated progressively with changes in land use policy. Also, climate factors had an important influence on livestock production. The current study suggests that sustainable animal husbandry in this region requires government policies that promote ecological urbanization, livestock production efficiency, incentive systems for grassland conservation, and collective action and cooperation for enhancing social capital and resilience.
User, Public, and Professional Perceptions of the Greenways in the Pearl River Delta, China
Authors: Zhao Nannan , Liu Zheng , Lin Yanliu , De Meulder Bruno
Published: December 2019

The perception of greenways has been intensively investigated to understand the attitudes of stakeholders and to study the preferences of greenway users. In the Pearl River Delta, there has been a long-term debate on the form and function of greenways in campaign-style development, but few studies have focused on the public perception of greenways. Through both onsite and online investigations, this study obtained first-hand data about the user perceptions of greenways in selected case studies and developed an overall understanding of the public perception of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) greenways. Moreover, to examine the academic debate, we further distributed questionnaires to groups that had professional educational backgrounds related to greenway planning. The results showed that, in contrast with the academic debate, the user, public and professional perceptions were positive toward PRD greenways. Although it has been commonly recognized that bikeways compose the primary form of PRD greenways, the results suggested that the public has multiple needs for greenways, in which the primary demands are recreation and transportation. The investigation also identified many issues in greenway practices regarding the accessibility of greenway spaces, the coherence of nonmotorized routes, and the landscape characteristics of the greenways. Finally, this study suggests that more effort should be placed on the everyday demands of greenways, including accessible recreational resources and safe, comfortable, and coherent nonmotorized routes.
An Empirical Investigation to the “Skew” Phenomenon in Stock Index Markets: Evidence from the Nikkei 225 and Others
Authors: Bai Yizhou , Guo Zhiyu
Published: December 2019

The skew processes have recently received much attention, owing to their capacity to describe controlled dynamics. In this paper, we employ the skew geometric Brownian motion (SGBM) to depict nine major stock index markets. The skew process not only shows us where the “support” and “resistance” levels are, but also how strong the force is. However, the densities of the skew processes make it challenging to estimate the parameters in a convenient manner. For the sake of overcoming this challenge, we adopt a Bayesian approach, which plays an important role in allowing us to estimate the parameters by conditional probability densities without having to evaluate complex integrals. Furthermore, we also propose the likelihood ratio tests and significance tests for the skew probability. In the empirical study, our findings reveal that skew phenomenon exists in the global stock markets and that the SGBM model works better than the traditional GBM model, as well as performing competitively, compared to the GBM-jump model (GBM-J) and Markov regime switching GBM model (GBM-MRS). In addition, we explore the possible reasons behind the skew phenomenon in stock markets, the price clustering phenomenon and herd behaviors can help to explain the skew phenomenon.