bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oocyte Positional Recognition for Automatic Manipulation in ICSI
Authors: Saadat Mozafar , Hajiyavand Amir M. , Singh Bedi Ajai-pal
Published: August 2018

Polar body position detection is a necessary process in the automation of micromanipulation systems specifically used in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) applications. The polar body is an intracellular structure, which accommodates the chromosomes, and the injection must not only avoid this structure but be at the furthest point away from it. This paper aims to develop a vision recognition system for the recognition of the oocyte and its polar body in order to be used to inform the automated injection mechanism to avoid the polar body. The novelty of the paper is its capability to determine the position and orientation of the oocyte and its polar body. The gradient-weighted Hough transform method was employed for the detection of the location of the oocyte and its polar body. Moreover, a new elliptical fitting method was employed for size measurement of the polar bodies and oocytes for the allowance of morphological variance of the oocytes and their polar bodies. The proposed algorithm has been designed to be adaptable with typical commercial inverted microscopes with different criteria. The successful experimental results for this algorithm produce maximum errors of 5% for detection and 10% for reporting respectively.
Cr Release from Cr-Substituted Goethite during Aqueous Fe(II)-Induced Recrystallization
Authors: Hua Jian , Chen Manjia , Liu Chengshuai , Li Fangbai , Long Jian , Gao Ting , Wu Fei , Lei Jing , Gu Minghua
Published: August 2018

The interaction between aqueous Fe(II) (Fe(II)aq) and iron minerals is an important reaction of the iron cycle, and it plays a critical role in impacting the environmental behavior of heavy metals in soils. Metal substitution into iron (hydr)oxides has been reported to reduce Fe atom exchange rates between Fe(II)aq and metal-substituted iron (hydr)oxides and inhibit the recrystallization of iron (hydr)oxides. However, the environmental behaviors of the substituted metal during these processes remain unclear. In this study, Fe(II)aq-induced recrystallization of Cr-substituted goethite (Cr-goethite) was investigated, along with the sequential release behavior of substituted Cr(III). Results from a stable Fe isotopic tracer and Mössbauer characterization studies show that Fe atom exchange occurred between Fe(II)aq and structural Fe(III) (Fe(III)oxide) in Cr-goethites, during which the Cr-goethites were recrystallized. The Cr substitution inhibited the rates of Fe atom exchange and Cr-goethite recrystallization. During the recrystallization of Cr-goethites induced by Fe(II)aq, Cr(III) was released from Cr-goethite. In addition, Cr-goethites with a higher level of Cr-substituted content released more Cr(III). The highest Fe atom exchange rate and the highest amount of released Cr(III) were observed at a pH of 7.5. Under reaction conditions involving a lower pH of 5.5 or a higher pH of 8.5, there were substantially lower rates of Fe atom exchange and Cr(III) release. This trend of Cr(III) release was similar with changes in Fe atom exchange, suggesting that Cr(III) release is driven by Fe atom exchange. The release and reincorporation of Cr(III) occurred simultaneously during the Fe(II)aq-induced recrystallization of Cr-goethites, especially during the late stage of the observed reactions. Our findings emphasize an important role for Fe(II)aq-induced recrystallization of iron minerals in changing soil metal characteristics, which is critical for the evaluation of soil metal activities, especially those in Fe-rich soils.
Revisiting the Organic Template Model through the Microstructural Study of Shell Development in Pinctada margaritifera, the Polynesian Pearl Oyster
Authors: Cuif Jean-Pierre , Dauphin Yannicke , Luquet Gilles , Medjoubi Kadda , Somogyi Andrea , Perez-Huerta Alberto
Published: August 2018

A top-down approach to the mineralized structures and developmental steps that can be separated in the shells of Pinctada margaritifera was carried out. Detailed characterizations show that each of the two major layers usually taken into account (the outer prismatic layer and the inner nacreous layer) is actually the result of a complex process during which the microstructural patterns were progressively established. From its early growing stages in the deeper part of the periostracal grove up to the formation of the most inner nacreous layers, this species provides a demonstrative case study illustrating the leading role of specifically secreted organic structures as determinants of the crystallographic properties of the shell-building units. Gathering data established at various observational scales ranging from morphology to the nanometer level, this study allows for a reexamination of the recent and current biomineralization models.
Exogenous Heat Shock Cognate Protein 70 Suppresses LPS-Induced Inflammation by Down-Regulating NF-κB through MAPK and MMP-2/-9 Pathways in Macrophages
Authors: Sulistyowati Erna , Lee Mei-Yueh , Wu Lin-Chi , Hsu Jong-Hau , Dai Zen-Kong , Wu Bin-Nan , Lin Ming-Chung , Yeh Jwu-Lai
Published: August 2018

Heat shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70), a molecular chaperone, is constitutively expressed by mammalian cells to regulate various cellular functions. It is associated with many diseases and is a potential therapeutic target. Although HSC70 also possesses an anti-inflammatory action, the mechanism of this action remains unclear. This current study aimed to assess the anti-inflammatory effects of HSC70 in murine macrophages RAW 264.7 exposed to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and to explain its pathways. Mouse macrophages (RAW 264.7) in 0.1 µg/mL LPS incubation were pretreated with recombinant HSC70 (rHSC70) and different assays (Griess assay, enzyme-linked immune assay/ELISA, electrophoretic mobility shift assay/EMSA, gelatin zymography, and Western blotting) were performed to determine whether rHSC70 blocks pro-inflammatory mediators. The findings showed that rHSC70 attenuated the nitric oxide (NO) generation, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) expressions in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, rHSC70 preconditioning suppressed the activities and expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. Finally, rHSC70 diminished the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and reduced the phosphorylation of extracellular-signal regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K/Akt). We demonstrate that rHSC70 preconditioning exerts its anti-inflammatory effects through NO production constriction; TNF-α, and IL-6 suppression following down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and MMP-2/MMP-9. Accordingly, it ameliorated the signal transduction of MAPKs, Akt/IκBα, and NF-κB pathways. Therefore, extracellular HSC70 plays a critical role in the innate immunity modulation and mechanisms of endogenous protective stimulation.
Anti-Quorum Sensing Activity of 12 Essential Oils on chromobacterium violaceum and Specific Action of cis-cis-p-Menthenolide from Corsican Mentha suaveolens ssp. Insularis
Authors: Poli Jean-Pierre , Guinoiseau Elodie , De Rocca Serra Dominique , Sutour Sylvain , Paoli Mathieu , Tomi Félix , Quilichini Yann , Berti Liliane , Lorenzi Vannina
Published: August 2018

Quorum sensing (QS) is a bacterial communication mechanism used to express various survival or virulence traits leading to enhanced resistance. Chromobacterium violaceum is a commonly used strain that highlights anti-QS action of bioactive substances. Here, we wanted to see if 12 selected essential oils (EO) could exert anti-QS activity. We measured the sublethal minimal QS inhibitory concentration (MQSIC) by assessing violacein production of C. violaceum along with bacterial growth. To confirm the QS disruption, we also proceed to surface bacterial observations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We showed that cis-cis-p-menthenolide extracted and isolated from a plant endemic to occidental Mediterranean Sea islands, Mentha suaveolens ssp. insularis, acts as an inhibitor of violacein production and biofilm formation. Measured MQSIC was much lower than the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.10 mg·mL−1 vs. 3.00 mg·mL−1. Moreover, disturbance of QS-related traits was confirmed by the degradation of C. violaceum biofilm matrix. There is a clear structure–activity relationship between cis-cis-p-menthenolide and anti-QS activity. Indeed, its isomer molecule (mintlactone) exerts a poor anti-QS action. These results indicate that inhibition of violacein production and biofilm formation by cis-cis-p-menthenolide might be related to a disruption in the QS mechanism.
Authentication of the Herbal Medicine Angelicae Dahuricae Radix Using an ITS Sequence-Based Multiplex SCAR Assay
Authors: Noh Pureum , Kim Wook Jin , Yang Sungyu , Park Inkyu , Moon Byeong Cheol
Published: August 2018

The accurate identification of plant species is of great concern for the quality control of herbal medicines. The Korean Pharmacopoeia and the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China define Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baek-Ji in Korean and Bai-zhi in Chinese) as the dried roots of Angelica dahurica or A. dahurica var. formosana belonging to the family Apiaceae. Discrimination among Angelica species on the basis of morphological characteristics is difficult due to their extremely polymorphic traits and controversial taxonomic history. Furthermore, dried roots processed for medicinal applications are indistinguishable using conventional methods. DNA barcoding is a useful and reliable method for the identification of species. In this study, we sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal RNA genes in A. dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana, and the related species A. anomala and A. japonica. Using these sequences, we designed species-specific primers, and developed and optimized a multiplex sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) assay that can simply and rapidly identify respective species, and verify the contamination of adulterant depending on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification without sequencing analysis in a single PCR reaction. This assay successfully identified commercial samples of Angelicae Dahuricae Radix collected from Korean and Chinese herbal markets, and distinguished them from adulterants. This multiplex SCAR assay shows a great potential in reducing the time and cost involved in the identification of genuine Angelicae Dahuricae Radix and adulterant contamination.
Diverse Derivatives of Selenoureas: A Synthetic and Single Crystal Structural Study
Authors: Hua Guoxiong , Cordes David B. , Du Junyi , Slawin Alexandra M. Z. , Woollins J. Derek
Published: August 2018

Reacting aroyl chlorides with an equivalent of potassium selenocyanate, followed by treating with an equivalent of 1,2,4-tri-tert-butylaniline at room temperature, resulted in the expected selenoureas and unusual diselenazoles. The selenation of selenourea by Woollins Reagent gave a new selenoformamide. Nucleophilic addition of selenoureas with acyl bromides led to the formation of new carbamimidoselenoates rather than the expected 1,3-selenazoles. The novel compounds prepared were characterised spectroscopically and crystallographically.
Immobilized and Free Cells of Geotrichum candidum for Asymmetric Reduction of Ketones: Stability and Recyclability
Authors: Liu Hui , De Souza Fayene Zeferino Ribeiro , Liu Lan , Chen Bi-Shuang
Published: August 2018

Marine-derived fungus Geotrichum candidum AS 2.361 was previously reported by our group as an active strain for the enantioselective reduction of ketones. Although some other Geotrichum strains were also found from the terrestrial sources, information on their stability and reusability is scarce. Herein, the stabilities—in terms of pH tolerance, thermostability, and storage stability, and reusability—of G. candidum AS 2.361 were described for the asymmetric reduction of a series of aromatic ketones. Two differently immobilized cells (agar immobilization and calcium alginate immobilization) as well as free cells were prepared. For three substrates (1-(3-bromophenyl) ethan-1-one (1b), 1-(2-chlorophenyl) ethan-1-one (1d), and acetophenone (1g)) immobilized cells on agar showed a great improvement in the bioreduction activities compared to the free cells, increasing yields up to 97% with ee values of 99%. Cells immobilized on agar/calcium alginate could maintain more than 90% of the original activities within the assayed pH ranges of 3.5–11, while free cells were highly sensitive to alkaline and acidic conditions. Concerning thermostability, immobilized cells on agar kept 99% of their original activities after incubation at 60 °C for 1 h, while almost no activity was detected for the free cells under the same condition. Immobilized cells were stable at 4 °C for 80 days without any activity loss, while free cells started to decrease the activity after storage at 4 °C for six days. The immobilized cells retained almost 99% activity after four reuse cycles, while free cells lost almost all the activities at on the third cycle.
Transition-Metal-Free Activation of Amide Bond by Arynes
Authors: Miyabe Hideto
Published: August 2018

Highly reactive arynes activate the N–C and C=O bonds of amide groups under transition metal-free conditions. This review highlights the insertion of arynes into the N–C and C=O bonds of the amide group. The insertion of arynes into the N–C bond gives the unstable four-membered ring intermediates, which are easily converted into ortho-disubstituted arenes. On the other hand, the selective insertion of arynes into the C=O bond is observed when the sterically less-hindered formamides are employed to give a reactive transient intermediate. Therefore, the trapping reactions of transient intermediates with a variety of reactants lead to the formation of oxygen atom-containing heterocycles. As relative functional groups are activated, the reactions of arynes with sulfinamides, phosphoryl amides, cyanamides, sulfonamides, thioureas, and vinylogous amides are also summarized.
Zeylenone Induces Mitochondrial Apoptosis and Inhibits Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Yang Shuxian , Liao Yonghong , Li Liyong , Xu Xudong , Cao Li
Published: August 2018

The mortality of gastric cancer (GC) is increasing due to its high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Zeylenone (Zey), a type of naturally occurring cyclohexene oxide, was demonstrated to be effective in cancer patients. The aim of this study is to explore the anti-cancer effect of Zey against gastric cancer both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the underlying mechanisms. We found that Zey inhibited gastric tumor growth, as demonstrated by in vitro gastric cancer cell lines and in a human gastric cancer xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, Zey induced substantial apoptosis through a mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, involving mitochondrial transmembrane potential loss, caspase-3 activation, anti-apoptotic protein downregulation, and pro-apoptotic protein upregulation. Notably, we revealed for the first time that Zey suppressed invasion and migration by wound healing and transwell chamber assays. Through Western blotting, we further explored the potential mechanism of Zey’s anti-cancer activity. We found that Zey downregulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2/9 (MMP 2/9) and inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. In short, Zey, which induced mitochondrial apoptosis and inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion, may be developed as a novel drug for the treatment of gastric cancer.
Phenolic Composition Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Sour Cherry Liqueurs
Authors: Sokół-Łętowska Anna , Kucharska Alicja Z. , Szumny Antoni , Wińska Katarzyna , Nawirska-Olszańska Agnieszka
Published: August 2018

The aim of the study was to evaluate changes of phenolic and anthocyanin contents, antioxidant activity, aroma compounds and color of sour cherry liqueurs with and without sugar during 6 months of storage at temperatures of 15 °C and 30 °C. Contents of phenolic compounds (HPLC, UPLC-MS) and antiradical activity (ABTS) changes were measured. Color changes were measured by an objective method (ColorQuest XE). During storage fluctuations of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity content were observed. The content of substances which react with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent was comparable before and after 24 weeks. During the 24 weeks of storage, the highest average antioxidant activity against ABTS radicals was shown by sour cherry liqueurs without sugar, stored at 15 °C. Quicker degradation of anthocyanins was observed in liqueurs without sugar, stored at 30 °C (t1/2—5.9 weeks in liqueurs with sugar and 6.6 weeks in liqueurs without sugar). Better stability of red color was observed in liqueurs with sugar, stored at 15 °C. The content of the dominant aroma compound, benzaldehyde, increased during storage. Long-term storage and sugar addition decreases color attributes but increases organoleptic value without of great influence on antioxidant activity. Studies on a half-year period of liqueur storage showed that their characteristic features are almost unchanged if stored at 15 °C and without sugar added, but organoleptic properties were better in samples stored at 30 °C.
Silver Nanomaterial-Immobilized Desalination Systems for Efficient Removal of Radioactive Iodine Species in Water
Authors: Shim Ha Eun , Yang Jung Eun , Jeong Sun-Wook , Lee Chang Heon , Song Lee , Mushtaq Sajid , Choi Dae Seong , Choi Yong Jun , Jeon Jongho
Published: August 2018

Increasing concerns regarding the adverse effects of radioactive iodine waste have inspired the development of a highly efficient and sustainable desalination process for the treatment of radioactive iodine-contaminated water. Because of the high affinity of silver towards iodine species, silver nanoparticles immobilized on a cellulose acetate membrane (Ag-CAM) and biogenic silver nanoparticles containing the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans (Ag-DR) were developed and investigated for desalination performance in removing radioactive iodines from water. A simple filtration of radioactive iodine using Ag-CAM under continuous in-flow conditions (approximately 1.5 mL/s) provided an excellent removal efficiency (>99%) as well as iodide anion-selectivity. In the bioremediation study, the radioactive iodine was rapidly captured by Ag-DR in the presence of high concentration of competing anions in a short time. The results from both procedures can be visualized by using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanning. This work presents a promising desalination method for the removal of radioactive iodine and a practical application model for remediating radioelement-contaminated waters.
Tunable Metal–Organic Frameworks for Heat Transformation Applications
Authors: Chaemchuen Somboon , Xiao Xuan , Klomkliang Nikom , Yusubov Mekhman S. , Verpoort Francis
Published: August 2018

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are a subclass of porous materials that have unique properties, such as varieties of structures from different metals and organic linkers and tunable porosity from a structure or framework design. Moreover, modification/functionalization of the material structure could optimize the material properties and demonstrate high potential for a selected application. MOF materials exhibit exceptional properties that make these materials widely applicable in energy storage and heat transformation applications. This review aims to give a broad overview of MOFs and their development as adsorbent materials with potential for heat transformation applications. We have briefly overviewed current explorations, developments, and the potential of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), especially the tuning of the porosity and the hydrophobic/hydrophilic design required for this specific application. These materials applied as adsorbents are promising in thermal-driven adsorption for heat transformation using water as a working fluid and related applications.
Facile Synthesis of Magnetic Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon from Bimetallic Metal–Organic Frameworks for Efficient Norfloxacin Removal
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhang Xi , Wang Yan , Quan Guixiang , Han Xiangyun , Yan Jinlong
Published: August 2018

Magnetic nitrogen-doped porous carbon (MNPC) has been prepared via self-catalytic pyrolysis of bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The as-obtained MNPC showed favorable features for antibiotics adsorption such as high specific surface area (871 m2 g−1), high pore volume (0.75 cm3 g−1), porous structure, good graphitization degree, and rich N-doping. Moreover, the MNPC has magnetic properties due to the Co species, which is embedded with a high dispersion, so the absorbent can be easily separated. Based on the above excellent characteristics, the MNPC was used as the absorbent for norfloxacin (NOR) removal. The experimental maximum NOR adsorption capacity of MNPC was 55.12 mg g−1 at 298.15 K and a pH of 6.0 with an initial NOR concentration of 50 mg L−1. The data analysis of the kinetics revealed that the experimental data of NOR uptakes versus time agreed with the pseudo-second order model. The isotherm data analysis revealed the favorable application of the Freundlich model. Based on the adsorption results over a wide range of conditions, the dominant adsorption mechanisms were found to be pore-filling, electrostatic interaction, and the H-bond.
Why Are Hungry College Students Not Seeking Help? Predictors of and Barriers to Using an On-Campus Food Pantry
Authors: El Zein Aseel , Mathews Anne E. , House Lisa , Shelnutt Karla P.
Published: August 2018

Background: The number of food pantries on U.S. college campuses has increased in response to students’ food insecurity, but limited information is available to describe the impact of this resource. The objective of this cross-sectional investigation was to examine the relationship between food insecurity and food pantry awareness, use, and perceived barriers to use. Methods: Students attending the University of Florida in fall 2017 (n = 899) completed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Adult Food Security Survey and responded to questions about food pantry awareness and use. Sociodemographic data were also collected and included in multivariate logistic regression models. Results: While most students (70%) were aware of the existing food pantry, nearly a third of respondents were classified as being food insecure. After adjusting for sociodemographic correlates, factors such as identifying as being food insecure, international status, and receiving a student loan or a need-based federal financial aid (Pell grant) increased the likelihood of utilizing the campus food pantry. Despite these predictors, only 38% of food insecure students reported food pantry use. Among students who provided qualitative insights, four main barriers to using the on-campus food pantry were identified: social stigma, insufficient information on pantry use policies, self-identity, and inconvenient hours. Conclusions: Food security interventions and administrative policy should consider a new model of the traditional campus food pantry that reduces concerns of social stigma and is supported by clear and ongoing communications of operational procedures tailored for the college student population.
TGF-β2, EGF, and FGF21 Growth Factors Present in Breast Milk Promote Mesenteric Lymph Node Lymphocytes Maturation in Suckling Rats
Authors: Torres-Castro Paulina , Abril-Gil Mar , Rodríguez-Lagunas María J. , Castell Margarida , Pérez-Cano Francisco J. , Franch Àngels
Published: August 2018

Breast milk, due to its large number of nutrients and bioactive factors, contributes to optimal development and immune maturation in early life. In this study, we aimed to assess the influence of some growth factors present in breast milk, such as transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), on the immune response development. Newborn Wistar rats were supplemented daily with TGF-β2, EGF, or FGF21, throughout the suckling period. At day 14 and 21 of life, lymphocytes from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) were isolated, immunophenotyped, and cultured to evaluate their ability to proliferate and release cytokines. The main results demonstrated that supplementation with TGF-β2, EGF, or FGF21 modified the lymphocyte composition in MLNs. At day 14, all supplementations were able to induce a lower percentage of natural killer (NK) cells with the immature phenotype (CD8+), and they reduced the CD8αα/CD8αβ ratio at day 21. Moreover, the cytokine pattern was modified by the three treatments, with a down regulation of interleukin (IL)-13 secretion. These results showed the contribution of these growth factors in the lymphocytes MLNs immune maturation during the neonatal period.
Antibiotic Stewardship in Community Pharmacies: A Scoping Review
Authors: Jamshed Shazia , Padzil Fadzlan , Shamsudin Siti Hadijah , Bux Siti Halimah , Jamaluddin Abdul Aziz , Bhagavathula Akshaya Srikanth , Azhar Saira , Hassali Mohamed Azmi
Published: August 2018

The increase in antibiotic resistance has frequently been linked to unrestrained antibiotic dispensing. This review was conducted to mainly assess the perception and attitudes of community pharmacists towards antibiotic dispensing. This scoping review was performed between June 2016 and September 2016 to identify published studies related to the perception and attitudes of community pharmacists towards antibiotic dispensing. The combination of terms such as ‘antibiotic dispensing’, ‘antimicrobial resistance’, ‘community pharmacy’, and ‘community pharmacists’ were searched in electronic databases such as PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Only published articles within the last 12 years were included. A total of 13 studies were identified. In general, community pharmacists have good awareness and knowledge of antibiotic dispensing. However, the majority of them are still selling antibiotics to their customers and/or patients for unjustified reasons. The community pharmacists seem well aware of the antimicrobial resistance crisis and considered it a significant health issue. However, many embraced the concept that dispensing antibiotics without medical prescription (DAwMP) can be one of the key features in the dissemination of multidrug resistant bacteria.
Structural Design and Sound Absorption Properties of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber-Polyurethane Foam Composites with Stratified Structure
Authors: Jiang Xueliang , Wang Zhijie , Yang Zhen , Zhang Fuqing , You Feng , Yao Chu
Published: August 2018

Sound absorbing composites with stratified structures, including double-layer and sandwich structures, were prepared through the combination of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and polyurethane foam (PUFM). The effects of the thickness ratio of layers, different stratified structures and the variety of fillers on the sound absorption performance of the NBR-PUFM composites and the sound absorption mechanism were studied. The results show that the NBR-PUFM composite with a sandwich structure and thickness ratio of 1:8:1 displays good sound absorption, which could be improved further by adding fillers. Because the airflow resistivity, resonance absorption, interface dissipation and interface reflection were combined organically in the sandwich structure, the composites show excellent low-frequency sound absorption performance. Moreover, the composite also has advantages in cost and functionalization aspects.
Oral Vaccine Delivery for Intestinal Immunity—Biological Basis, Barriers, Delivery System, and M Cell Targeting
Authors: Kang Sung Hun , Hong Seok Jin , Lee Yong-Kyu , Cho Sungpil
Published: August 2018

Most currently available commercial vaccines are delivered by systemic injection. However, needle-free oral vaccine delivery is currently of great interest for several reasons, including the ability to elicit mucosal immune responses, ease of administration, and the relatively improved safety. This review summarizes the biological basis, various physiological and immunological barriers, current delivery systems with delivery criteria, and suggestions for strategies to enhance the delivery of oral vaccines. In oral vaccine delivery, basic requirements are the protection of antigens from the GI environment, targeting of M cells and activation of the innate immune response. Approaches to address these requirements aim to provide new vaccines and delivery systems that mimic the pathogen’s properties, which are capable of eliciting a protective mucosal immune response and a systemic immune response and that make an impact on current oral vaccine development.
Influences of Egyptian Lotus Symbolism and Ritualistic Practices on Sacral Tree Worship in the Fertile Crescent from 1500 BCE to 200 CE
Authors: McDonald J. Andrew
Published: August 2018

Many conventional features of world tree motifs in the ancient Near East—including stalked palmettes, aureoles of water lily palmettes connected by pliant stems, floral rosettes, winged disks and bud-and-blossom motifs—trace largely from Egyptian practices in lotus symbolism around 2500 BCE, more than a millennium before they appear, migrate and dominate plant symbolism across the Fertile Crescent from 1500 BCE to 200 CE. Several of these motifs were associated singularly or collectively with the Egyptian sema-taui and ankh signs to symbolize the eternal recurrence and everlasting lives of Nilotic lotus deities and deceased pharaohs. The widespread use of lotus imagery in iconographic records on both sides of the Red Sea indicates strong currents of cultural diffusion between Nilotic and Mesopotamian civilizations, as does the use of lotus flowers in religious rituals and the practice of kingship, evidence for which is supported by iconographic, cuneiform and biblical records. This perspective provides new insights into sacral tree symbolism and its role in mythic legacies of Egypt and the Middle East before and during the advent of Christianity. Closer scholarly scrutiny is still needed to fully comprehend the underlying meaning of immortalizing plants in the mythic traditions of Egypt, the Levant and Mesopotamia.
A VaR-Type Risk Measure Derived from Cumulative Parisian Ruin for the Classical Risk Model
Authors: Lkabous Mohamed Amine , Renaud Jean-François
Published: August 2018

In this short paper, we study a VaR-type risk measure introduced by Guérin and Renaud and which is based on cumulative Parisian ruin. We derive some properties of this risk measure and we compare it to the risk measures of Trufin et al. and Loisel and Trufin.
On the Evaluation of the Distribution of a General Multivariate Collective Model: Recursions versus Fast Fourier Transform
Authors: Vernic Raluca
Published: August 2018

With the purpose of introducing dependence between different types of claims, multivariate collective models have recently gained a lot of attention. However, when it comes to the evaluation of the corresponding compound distribution, the problems increase with the dimensionality of the model. In this paper, we consider a multivariate collective model that generalizes a model already studied from the point of view of recursive and FFT evaluation of its distribution, and we extend the same study to the general model. With the intention to see which method works better for this general model, we compare the recursive method with the FFT technique, and emphasize the advantages and drawbacks of each one, based on numerical examples.
Validation of CryoSat-2 SARIn Data over Austfonna Ice Cap Using Airborne Laser Scanner Measurements
Authors: Sandberg Sørensen Louise , Simonsen Sebastian B. , Langley Kirsty , Gray Laurence , Helm Veit , Nilsson Johan , Stenseng Lars , Skourup Henriette , Forsberg René , Davidson Malcolm W. J.
Published: August 2018

The study presented here is focused on the assessment of surface elevations derived from CryoSat-2 SARIn level 1b data over the Austfonna ice cap, Svalbard, in 2016. The processing chain that must be applied to the CryoSat-2 waveforms to derive heights is non-trivial, and consists of multiple steps, all requiring subjective choices of methods such as the choice of retracker, geo-relocation, and outlier rejection. Here, we compare six CryoSat-2 level-2 type data sets of surface elevations derived using different SARIn processing chains. These data sets are validated against surface elevation data collected from an airborne laser scanner, during a dedicated CryoSat validation experiment field campaign carried out in April 2016. The flight pattern of the airborne campaign was designed so that elevations were measured in a grid pattern rather than along single lines, as has previously been the standard procedure. The flight grid pattern was chosen to optimize the comparison with the CryoSat-2 SARIn elevation data, the location of which can deviate from nadir by several kilometers due to topography within the satellite footprint. The processing chains behind the six data sets include different outlier/error rejection approaches, and do not produce the same number of data points in our region of interest. To make a consistent analysis, we provide statistics from the validation of both the full data sets from each processing chain, and on only those data that all the six data sets provide a geo-located elevation estimate for. We find that the CryoSat-2 data sets that agree best with the validation data are those derived from dedicated land ice processing schemes. This study may serve as a benchmark for future CryoSat-2 retracker developments, and the evaluation software and data set are made publicly available.
Integration of Low-Resolution ALS and Ground-Based SfM Photogrammetry Data. A Cost-Effective Approach Providing an ‘Enhanced 3D Model’ of the Hound Tor Archaeological Landscapes (Dartmoor, South-West England)
Authors: Holata Lukáš , Plzák Jindřich , Světlík Radek , Fonte João
Published: August 2018

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) data is increasingly distributed freely for ever larger territories, albeit usually in only low resolution. This data source is extensively used in archaeology; however, various remains of past human activities are not recorded in sufficient detail, or are missing completely. The main purpose of this paper is to present a cost-effective approach providing reliable and accurate 3D documentation of the deserted medieval settlement of Hound Tor, a complex site consisting of preserved stone building walls and field system remains. The proposed procedure integrates ALS data with structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry into a single data source (point cloud). Taking advantage of the benefits of both techniques (reclassified ALS data documents the hinterland, while SfM records the residential area in high detail), an enhanced 3D model has been created surpassing the available ALS data and reflecting the actual state of preserved features. The final outputs will help with the management of the site, its presentation to the general public, and also to enrich understanding of it. As both data sources are currently easily accessible and the proposed procedure has only limited budget requirements, it can be easily adopted and applied extensively (e.g., for virtual preservation of threatened complex sites and areas).
In-Situ and Remote Sensing Platforms for Mapping Fine-Fuels and Fuel-Types in Sonoran Semi-Desert Grasslands
Authors: Sesnie Steven , Eagleston Holly , Johnson Lacrecia , Yurcich Emily
Published: August 2018

Fire has historically played an important role in shaping the structure and composition of Sonoran semi-desert grassland vegetation. Yet, human use and land management activities have significantly altered arid grassland ecosystems over the last century, often producing novel fuel conditions. The variety of continuously updated satellite remote sensing systems provide opportunities for efficiently mapping combustible fine-fuels and fuel-types (e.g., grass, shrub, or tree cover) over large landscapes that are helpful for evaluating fire hazard and risk. For this study, we compared field ceptometer leaf area index (LAI) measurements to conventional means for estimating fine-fuel biomass on 20, 50 m × 20 m plots and 431, 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrats on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (BANWR) in southern Arizona. LAI explained 65% of the variance in fine-fuel biomass using simple linear regression. An additional 19% of variance was explained from Random Forest regression tree models that included herbaceous plant height and cover as predictors. Field biomass and vegetation measurements were used to map fine-fuel and vegetation cover (fuel-type) from plots on BANWR comparing outcomes from multi-date (peak green and dormant period) Worldview-3 (WV3) and Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery. Fine-fuel biomass predicted from WV3 imagery combined with terrain information from a digital elevation model explained greater variance using regression tree models (65%) as compared to OLI models (58%). Vegetation indices developed using red-edge bands as well as modeled bare ground and herbaceous cover were important to improve WV3 biomass estimates. Land cover classification for 11 cover categories with high spatial resolution WV3 imagery showed 80% overall accuracy and highlighted areas dominated by non-native grasses with 87% user’s class accuracy. Mixed native and non-native grass and shrublands showed 59% accuracy and less common areas dominated by native grasses on plots showed low class accuracy (23%). Digital data layers from WV3 models showed a significantly positive relationship (r2 = 0.68, F = 119.2, p < 0.001) between non-native grass cover (e.g., Eragrostis lehmanniana) and average fine-fuel biomass within refuge fire management units. Overall, both WV3 and OLI produced similar fine-fuel biomass estimates although WV3 showed better model performance and helped characterized fine-scale changes in fuel-type and continuity across the study area.
The Offset-Compensated Nonlocal Filtering of Interferometric Phase
Authors: Sica Francescopaolo , Cozzolino Davide , Verdoliva Luisa , Poggi Giovanni
Published: August 2018

The nonlocal approach, proposed originally for additive white Gaussian noise image filtering, has rapidly gained popularity in many applicative fields and for a large variety of tasks. It has proven especially successful for the restoration of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images: single-look and multi-look amplitude images, multi-temporal stacks, polarimetric data. Recently, powerful nonlocal filters have been proposed also for Interferometric SAR (InSAR) data, with excellent results. Nonetheless, a severe decay of performance has been observed in regions characterized by a uniform phase gradient, which are relatively common in InSAR images, as they correspond to constant slope terrains. This inconvenience is ultimately due to the rare patch effect, the lack of suitable predictors for the target patch. In this paper, to address this problem, we propose the use of offset-compensated similarity measures in nonlocal filtering. With this approach, the set of candidate predictors is augmented by including patches that differ from the target only for a constant phase offset, which is automatically estimated and compensated. We develop offset-compensated versions of both basic nonlocal means and InSAR-Block-Matching 3D (BM3D), a state-of-the-art InSAR phase filter. Experiments on simulated images and real-world TanDEM-X SAR interferometric pairs prove the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Sentinel-1 SAR Interferometry for Surface Deformation Monitoring in Low-Land Permafrost Areas
Authors: Strozzi Tazio , Antonova Sofia , Günther Frank , Mätzler Eva , Vieira Gonçalo , Wegmüller Urs , Westermann Sebastian , Bartsch Annett
Published: August 2018

Low-land permafrost areas are subject to intense freeze-thaw cycles and characterized by remarkable surface displacement. We used Sentinel-1 SAR interferometry (InSAR) in order to analyse the summer surface displacement over four spots in the Arctic and Antarctica since 2015. Choosing floodplain or outcrop areas as the reference for the InSAR relative deformation measurements, we found maximum subsidence of about 3 to 10 cm during the thawing season with generally high spatial variability. Sentinel-1 time-series of interferograms with 6–12 day time intervals highlight that subsidence is often occurring rather quickly within roughly one month in early summer. Intercomparison of summer subsidence from Sentinel-1 in 2017 with TerraSAR-X in 2013 over part of the Lena River Delta (Russia) shows a high spatial agreement between both SAR systems. A comparison with in-situ measurements for the summer of 2014 over the Lena River Delta indicates a pronounced downward movement of several centimetres in both cases but does not reveal a spatial correspondence between InSAR and local in-situ measurements. For the reconstruction of longer time-series of deformation, yearly Sentinel-1 interferograms from the end of the summer were considered. However, in order to infer an effective subsidence of the surface through melting of excess ice layers over multi-annual scales with Sentinel-1, a longer observation time period is necessary.
Radar and Visual Odometry Integrated System Aided Navigation for UAVS in GNSS Denied Environment
Authors: Mostafa Mostafa , Zahran Shady , Moussa Adel , El-Sheimy Naser , Sesay Abu
Published: August 2018

Drones are becoming increasingly significant for vast applications, such as firefighting, and rescue. While flying in challenging environments, reliable Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements cannot be guaranteed all the time, and the Inertial Navigation System (INS) navigation solution will deteriorate dramatically. Although different aiding sensors, such as cameras, are proposed to reduce the effect of these drift errors, the positioning accuracy by using these techniques is still affected by some challenges, such as the lack of the observed features, inconsistent matches, illumination, and environmental conditions. This paper presents an integrated navigation system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in GNSS denied environments based on a Radar Odometry (RO) and an enhanced Visual Odometry (VO) to handle such challenges since the radar is immune against these issues. The estimated forward velocities of a vehicle from both the RO and the enhanced VO are fused with the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), barometer, and magnetometer measurements via an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to enhance the navigation accuracy during GNSS signal outages. The RO and VO are integrated into one integrated system to help overcome their limitations, since the RO measurements are affected while flying over non-flat terrain. Therefore, the integration of the VO is important in such scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed system’s ability to significantly enhance the 3D positioning accuracy during the GNSS signal outage.
Creating and Exploring Semantic Annotation for Behaviour Analysis
Authors: Yordanova Kristina , Krüger Frank
Published: August 2018

Providing ground truth is essential for activity recognition and behaviour analysis as it is needed for providing training data in methods of supervised learning, for providing context information for knowledge-based methods, and for quantifying the recognition performance. Semantic annotation extends simple symbolic labelling by assigning semantic meaning to the label, enabling further reasoning. In this paper, we present a novel approach to semantic annotation by means of plan operators. We provide a step by step description of the workflow to manually creating the ground truth annotation. To validate our approach, we create semantic annotation of the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) grand challenge dataset, which is often cited, but, due to missing and incomplete annotation, almost never used. We show that it is possible to derive hidden properties, behavioural routines, and changes in initial and goal conditions in the annotated dataset. We evaluate the quality of the annotation by calculating the interrater reliability between two annotators who labelled the dataset. The results show very good overlapping (Cohen’s κ of 0.8) between the annotators. The produced annotation and the semantic models are publicly available, in order to enable further usage of the CMU grand challenge dataset.
RFID Data-Driven Vehicle Speed Prediction via Adaptive Extended Kalman Filter
Authors: Huang Yupin , Qian Liping , Feng Anqi , Wu Yuan , Zhu Wei
Published: August 2018

The traditional speed prediction generally utilizes the Global Position System (GPS) and video images, and thus, the prediction precision mainly depends on environmental factors (i.e., weather, ionosphere, troposphere, air, and electromagnetic waves). We study the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) data-driven vehicle speed prediction and proposed an improved extended kalman filter (i.e., the adaptive extended kalman filter, AEKF) algorithm. Firstly, the on-board RFID reader equipped in the vehicle reads the information (i.e., current speed and time) from the tag deployed on the road. Secondly, the received information is transmitted to the on-board information processing unit, and it is demodulated and decoded into available information. Finally, based on the vehicle state space model, the AEKF algorithm is proposed to predict vehicle speed and improve the prediction results, so that the vehicle speed gradually approaches the actual vehicle speed. The simulation results show that compared with the conventional extended kalman filter (EKF) algorithm, our proposed AEKF algorithm improves the dynamic performance of the filtering and better suppresses the filtering divergence process. Moreover, the AEKF algorithm also improves the precision of the Mean Square Error (MSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) by 57.4% and 32.4%, respectively.
Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization for Multi-Sensor Data Fusion
Authors: Kim Hyunseok , Suh Dongjun
Published: August 2018

A hybrid particle swarm optimization (PSO), able to overcome the large-scale nonlinearity or heavily correlation in the data fusion model of multiple sensing information, is proposed in this paper. In recent smart convergence technology, multiple similar and/or dissimilar sensors are widely used to support precisely sensing information from different perspectives, and these are integrated with data fusion algorithms to get synergistic effects. However, the construction of the data fusion model is not trivial because of difficulties to meet under the restricted conditions of a multi-sensor system such as its limited options for deploying sensors and nonlinear characteristics, or correlation errors of multiple sensors. This paper presents a hybrid PSO to facilitate the construction of robust data fusion model based on neural network while ensuring the balance between exploration and exploitation. The performance of the proposed model was evaluated by benchmarks composed of representative datasets. The well-optimized data fusion model is expected to provide an enhancement in the synergistic accuracy.