bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity and Low Cytotoxicity against Human Cells of a Peptide Derived from Bovine αS1-Casein
Authors: Hou Juncai , Liu Zhijing , Cao Songsong , Wang Haimei , Jiang Chenggang , Hussain Muhammad Altaf , Pang Shiyue
Published: May 2018

The primary objective of this study was to improve our understanding of the antimicrobial mechanism of protein-derived peptides and to provide evidence for protein-derived peptides as food bio-preservatives by examining the antimicrobial activities, low cytotoxicity, stabilities, and mechanism of Cp1 (LRLKKYKVPQL). In this study, the protein-derived peptide Cp1 was synthesized from bovine αS1-casein, and its potential use as a food biopreservative was indicated by the higher cell selectivity shown by 11-residue peptide towards bacterial cells than human RBCs. It also showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 64–640 μM against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The peptide had low hemolytic activity (23.54%, 512 μM) as well as cytotoxicity. The results of fluorescence spectroscopy, flow cytometry, and electron microscopy experiments indicated that Cp1 exerted its activity by permeabilizing the microbial membrane and destroying cell membrane integrity. We found that Cp1 had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low hemolytic activity, and cytotoxicity. The results also revealed that Cp1 could cause cell death by permeabilizing the cell membrane and disrupting membrane integrity. Overall, the findings presented in this study improve our understanding of the antimicrobial potency of Cp1 and provided evidence of the antimicrobial mechanisms of Cp1. The peptide Cp1 could have potential applications as a food biopreservative.
1,2,6-Thiadiazinones as Novel Narrow Spectrum Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase 2 (CaMKK2) Inhibitors
Authors: Asquith Christopher R. M. , Godoi Paulo H. , Couñago Rafael M. , Laitinen Tuomo , Scott John W. , Langendorf Christopher G. , Oakhill Jonathan S. , Drewry David H. , Zuercher William J. , Koutentis Panayiotis A. , Willson Timothy M. , Kalogirou Andreas S.
Published: May 2018

We demonstrate for the first time that 4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-one (TDZ) can function as a chemotype for the design of ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors. Using insights from a co-crystal structure of a 3,5-bis(arylamino)-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-one bound to calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2), several analogues were identified with micromolar activity through targeted displacement of bound water molecules in the active site. Since the TDZ analogues showed reduced promiscuity compared to their 2,4-dianilinopyrimidine counter parts, they represent starting points for development of highly selective kinase inhibitors.
Isolation and Antimicrobial Activity of Coumarin Derivatives from Fruits of Peucedanum luxurians Tamamsch
Authors: Widelski Jarosław , Luca Simon Vlad , Skiba Adrianna , Chinou Ioanna , Marcourt Laurence , Wolfender Jean-Luc , Skalicka-Wozniak Krystyna
Published: May 2018

As a continuation of searching for phytoconstituents that act as promising agents for antimicrobial therapy, rare coumarins were isolated from fruits of Peucedanum luxurians and tested. In a first step, the content of major compounds in the aerial parts and fruits of P. luxurians were compared. The results clearly showed that the fruits with dichloromethane as a solvent yielded, in most cases, higher concentrations of almost all the analyzed coumarins than the aerial parts, with peucedanin detected as the most abundant compound with a concentration of 4563.94 ± 3.35 mg/100 g. Under this perspective, the dichloromethane extract from the fruits of P. luxurians was further submitted to high performance countercurrent chromatography with a mixture of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water 6:5:6:5 (v/v). Combination of HPCCC and prep-HPLC yielded 6′,7′-dihydroxybergamottin (1), officinalin (2), stenocarpin isobutyrate (3), officinalin isobutyrate (4), 8-methoxypeucedanin (5), and peucedanin (6). Isolated compounds were tested against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains. 6′,7′-Dihydroxybergamottin, peucedanin, and officinalin isobutyrate appeared to be the most active against all tested bacteria strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 1.20 and 4.80 mg/mL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about countercurrent isolation of mentioned coumarins, as well as the first information about their antimicrobial activity.
Calculation of the Surface Tension of Ordinary Organic and Ionic Liquids by Means of a Generally Applicable Computer Algorithm Based on the Group-Additivity Method
Authors: Naef Rudolf , Acree William E.
Published: May 2018

The calculation of the surface tension of ordinary organic and ionic liquids, based on a computer algorithm applying a refined group-additivity method, is presented. The refinement consists of the complete breakdown of the molecules into their constituting atoms, further distinguishing them by their immediate neighbour atoms and bond constitution. The evaluation of the atom-groups’ contributions was carried out by means of a fast Gauss-Seidel fitting method, founded upon the experimental data of 1893 compounds from literature. The result has been tested for plausibility using a 10-fold cross-validation (cv) procedure. The direct calculation and the cv test proved the applicability of the present method by the close similarity and excellent goodness of fit R2 and Q2 of 0.9039 and 0.8823, respectively. The respective standard deviations are ±1.99 and ±2.16 dyn/cm. Some correlation peculiarities have been observed in a series of ordinary and ionic liquids with homologous alkyl chains, as well as with di- and trihydroxy-groups-containing liquids, which have been discussed in detail, exhibiting the limit of the present method.
Density Functional Theory Applied to Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer in Imidazole-, Oxazole-, and Thiazole-Based Systems
Authors: De Carvalho Fabricio , Coutinho Neto Maurício D. , Bartoloni Fernando H. , Homem-de-Mello Paula
Published: May 2018

Excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) is a photoinduced process strongly associated to hydrogen bonding within a molecular framework. In this manuscript, we computed potential energy data using Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) for triphenyl-substituted heterocycles, which evidenced an energetically favorable proton transfer on the excited state (i.e., ESIPT) but not on the ground state. Moreover, we describe how changes on heterocyclic functionalities, based on imidazole, oxazole, and thiazole systems, affect the ESIPT process that converts an enolic species to a ketonic one through photon-induced proton transfer. Structural and photophysical data were obtained theoretically by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and contrasted for the three heterocyclics. Different functionals were used, but B3LYP was the one that adequately predicted absorption data. It was observed that the intramolecular hydrogen bond is strengthened in the excited state, supporting the occurrence of ESIPT. Finally, it was observed that, with the formation of the excited state, there is a decrease in electronic density at the oxygen atom that acts as proton donor, while there is a substantial increase in the corresponding density at the nitrogen atom that serves as proton acceptor, thus, indicating that proton transfer is indeed favored after photon absorption.
The Effect of Light Intensity, Temperature, and Oxygen Pressure on the Photo-Oxidation Rate of Bare PbS Quantum Dots
Authors: Liu Huiyan , Dong Qian , Lopez Rene
Published: May 2018

The oxidation speed of PbS quantum dots has been a subject of controversy for some time. In this study, we reveal the precise functional form of the oxidation rate constant for bare quantum dots through analysis of their photoluminescence as a function of temperature, oxygen pressure, and excitation-laser intensity. The combined effect of these factors results in a reduced energy barrier that allows the oxidation to proceed at a high rate. Each absorbed photon is found to have a 10−8 probability of oxidizing a PbS atomic pair. This highlights the importance of photo-excitation on the speed of the oxidation process, even at low illumination conditions. The procedure used here may set up a quantitative standard useful for characterizing the stability of quantum dots coated with ligands/linkers, and to compare different protection schemes in a fair quantitative way.
Synthesis of Alkanethiolate-Capped Metal Nanoparticles Using Alkyl Thiosulfate Ligand Precursors: A Method to Generate Promising Reagents for Selective Catalysis
Authors: San Khin Aye , Shon Young-Seok
Published: May 2018

Evaluation of metal nanoparticle catalysts functionalized with well-defined thiolate ligands can be potentially important because such systems can provide a spatial control in the reactivity and selectivity of catalysts. A synthetic method utilizing Bunte salts (sodium S-alkylthiosulfates) allows the formation of metal nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, and Ir) capped with alkanethiolate ligands. The catalysis studies on Pd nanoparticles show a strong correlation between the surface ligand structure/composition and the catalytic activity and selectivity for the hydrogenation/isomerization of alkenes, dienes, trienes, and allylic alcohols. The high selectivity of Pd nanoparticles is driven by the controlled electronic properties of the Pd surface limiting the formation of Pd–alkene adducts (or intermediates) necessary for (additional) hydrogenation. The synthesis of water soluble Pd nanoparticles using ω-carboxylate-S-alkanethiosulfate salts is successfully achieved and these Pd nanoparticles are examined for the hydrogenation of various unsaturated compounds in both homogeneous and heterogeneous environments. Alkanethiolate-capped Pt nanoparticles are also successfully synthesized and further investigated for the hydrogenation of various alkynes to understand their geometric and electronic surface properties. The high catalytic activity of activated terminal alkynes, but the significantly low activity of internal alkynes and unactivated terminal alkynes, are observed for Pt nanoparticles.
Pre-Clinical and Clinical Efficiency of Complexes of Oligoribonucleotides with D-Mannitol against Respiratory Viruses
Authors: Melnichuk Nataliia , Zarubaev Vladimir , Iosyk Iaryna , Andreychyn Mychaylo , Semernikova Larisa , Tkachuk Zenoviy
Published: May 2018

Oligoribonucleotides-D-mannitol (ORNs-D-M) complexes possess antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory actions. The aim of the present study was to evaluated an antiviral effect of ORNs-D-M against parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV3); influenza CA709, PR834; avian influenza virus H5N2 (AIV) in vitro by a TCID50; hemadsorption and neuraminidase activity assays; and clinical efficiency of ORNs-D-M in patients with acute respiratory infections (ARIs) of various etiologies by PCR assay and AmpliSens test systems. It was observed that ORNs-D-M have an antiviral activity against the influenza CA709, PR834, PIV3, and AIV in vitro. The injectable dosage form of ORNs-D-M was shown to have a stronger antiviral effect compared to capsule form. It was also detected that the injectable form of ORNs-D-M significantly reduced the neuraminidase activity of influenza PR834. A complex treatment of patients with ORNs-D-M had a positive effect on the course of the disease, it accelerated patients’ recovery. Treatment with ORNs-D-M caused eradication of adeno- and influenza viruses in patients with ARI. This drug contributed to significant decrease in duration of febrile period and cough. Comprehensive treatment with ORNs-D-M improved the disease clinical findings significantly. Collectively, these results suggested that ORNs-D-M may be used at co-infection with influenza and other respiratory viruses as a medical antiviral drug.
Properties and Fabrication of PA66/Surface-Modified Multi-Walled Nanotubes Composite Fibers by Ball Milling and Melt-Spinning
Authors: Chen Tian , Liu Haihui , Wang Xuechen , Zhang Hua , Zhang Xingxiang
Published: May 2018

PA66/surface-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) composite fibers with a better dispersion and a stronger interfacial interaction between MWNTs and polyamide 66 (PA66) matrix were fabricated via the method of ball milling and melt-spinning. The effects of unmodified (U-MWNTs), acid-modified (MWNTs-COOH) and sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate-modified MWNTs (MWNTs-SDBS) on the physical mechanical and thermal properties of PA66 were investigated. The results show that, the surface modified nanotube can provide homogeneous dispersion and there is a strong interfacial bonding between PA66 and MWNTs-COOH. A homogeneous dispersion of MWNTs in PA66 matrices without agglomeration is obtained by a facile ball milling method, which can increase the utilization ratio of MWNTs, reduce the required amount of MWNTs and ultimately improve the mechanical properties at a lower filler loading. The tensile strength of composite fibers reaches a maximum which respectively improved by 27% and 24% than that of PA66 fibers, when the mass fraction of MWNTs-SDBS and MWNTs-COOH is 0.1%. It is helpful for decrease the producing costa of the composite fibers. Moreover, the incorporation of MWNTs into PA66 improves the crystallizing temperature, crystallinity and thermal stability. The research shows that a novel facile method is developed for the fabrication of polymer composite fiber.
The Effects of Hybridization on the Flexural Performances of Carbon/Glass Interlayer and Intralayer Composites
Authors: Wu Weili , Wang Qingtao , Ichenihi Amos , Shen Yongmao , Li Wei
Published: May 2018

The effects of hybridization on the flexural properties of interlayer and intralayer Carbon/Glass (C/G) composites were explored in this work. First, the theoretical analysis of stress distribution on interlayer hybrid composites was discussed. The experimental results showed that the layer structure is the critical factor affecting the flexural properties for interlayer hybrid composites, and the mixed ratio has no obvious impact. Since the carbon fiber is distributed at the top or bottom surface, the interlayer composites can obtain the maximum flexural modulus. Some structures can even achieve the same modulus as the pure carbon composites, and an excellent flexural strength can be attained with the carbon fiber located in the bottom layer. In terms of the intralayer hybrid composites, the fracture strain, flexural modulus, and flexural strength basically change linearly as the glass fiber content increases, which is consistent with the calculated values via the rule of mixture (ROM). Additionally, the C/G mixed ratio has a decisive effect on the flexural properties of intralayer hybrid composites; however, they are affected weakly by the layer structure. In general, some structures of the interlayer hybrid composites exhibit better flexural properties than that of the intralayer hybrid composites at the same C/G hybrid ratio; the alterations in layer structures make it possible to obtain excellent flexural properties for interlayer hybrid composites with less carbon fiber.
The Preparation of Nano-SiO2/Dialdehyde Cellulose Hybrid Materials as a Novel Cross-Linking Agent for Collagen Solutions
Authors: Ding Cuicui , Zhang Yang , Yuan Binhan , Yang Xiaodong , Shi Ronghui , Zhang Min
Published: May 2018

Nano-SiO2 was immobilized onto dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) to prepare SiO2/DAC hybrid materials. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy of SiO2/DAC indicated that nano-SiO2 had been successfully hybridized with DAC. X-ray diffraction suggested that the structure of DAC was influenced by the nano-SiO2. SiO2/DAC was then used as the cross-linker of collagen solutions. Gel electrophoresis patterns and FTIR reflected that cross-linking occurred between DAC and collagen, but that collagen retained the native triple-helix, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the thermal stability of collagen could be effectively improved by SiO2/DAC. Dynamic rheology tests revealed that the flowability of collagens cross-linked by SiO2/DAC was superior to that of those cross-linked by DAC; meanwhile, collagens cross-linked by SiO2/DAC possessed a more homogeneous morphology compared to those cross-linked by DAC. The hybridization of SiO2/DAC as a cross-linker for collagen could effectively prevent the gelation caused by excessive cross-linking, and significantly improve the thermostability of collagen, which could be helpful for collagen being applied in fields including biomaterials, cosmetics, etc.
EPO Dosage Optimization for Anemia Management: Stochastic Control under Uncertainty Using Conditional Value at Risk
Authors: McAllister Jayson , Li Zukui , Liu Jinfeng , Simonsmeier Ulrich
Published: May 2018

Due to insufficient endogenous production of erythropoietin, chronic kidney disease patients with anemia are often treated by the administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO). The target of the treatment is to keep the patient’s hemoglobin level within a normal range. While conventional methods for guiding EPO dosing used by clinicians normally rely on a set of rules based on past experiences or retrospective studies, model predictive control (MPC) based dosage optimization is receiving attention recently. The objective of this paper is to incorporate the hemoglobin response model uncertainty into the dosage optimization decision making. Two methods utilizing Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) are proposed for hemoglobin control in chronic kidney disease under model uncertainty. The first method includes a set-point tracking controller with the addition of CVaR constraints. The second method involves the use of CVaR directly in the cost function of the optimal control problem. The methods are compared to set-point tracking MPC and Zone-tracking MPC through computer simulations. Simulation results demonstrate the benefits of utilizing CVaR in stochastic predictive control for EPO dosage optimization.
Recycling within the Chemical Industry: The Circular Economy Era
Authors: Cucciniello Raffaele , Cespi Daniele
Published: May 2018

In this present work, we have briefly discussed the importance of recycling within the chemical sector. Recycling is fundamental in promoting a circular economy, which is a new paradigm of sustainability that is able to reduce environmental implications, and in creating new business opportunities. Therefore, to highlight the importance of recycling in the circular economy era, we have reported on some recent examples of strategies helpful to minimize waste by increasing the efficiency of the whole system and promoting a greener/safer chemical industry.
Natural Forest Mapping in the Andes (Peru): A Comparison of the Performance of Machine-Learning Algorithms
Authors: Vega Isuhuaylas Luis , Hirata Yasumasa , Ventura Santos Lenin , Serrudo Torobeo Noemi
Published: May 2018

The Andes mountain forests are sparse relict populations of tree species that grow in association with local native shrubland species. The identification of forest conditions for conservation in areas such as these is based on remote sensing techniques and classification methods. However, the classification of Andes mountain forests is difficult because of noise in the reflectance data within land cover classes. The noise is the result of variations in terrain illumination resulting from complex topography and the mixture of different land cover types occurring at the sub-pixel level. Considering these issues, the selection of an optimum classification method to obtain accurate results is very important to support conservation activities. We carried out comparative non-parametric statistical analyses on the performance of several classifiers produced by three supervised machine-learning algorithms: Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN). The SVM and RF methods were not significantly different in their ability to separate Andes mountain forest and shrubland land cover classes, and their best classifiers showed a significantly better classification accuracy (AUC values 0.81 and 0.79 respectively) than the one produced by the kNN method (AUC value 0.75) because the latter was more sensitive to noisy training data.
Deep Cube-Pair Network for Hyperspectral Imagery Classification
Authors: Wei Wei , Zhang Jinyang , Zhang Lei , Tian Chunna , Zhang Yanning
Published: May 2018

Advanced classification methods, which can fully utilize the 3D characteristic of hyperspectral image (HSI) and generalize well to the test data given only limited labeled training samples (i.e., small training dataset), have long been the research objective for HSI classification problem. Witnessing the success of deep-learning-based methods, a cube-pair-based convolutional neural networks (CNN) classification architecture is proposed to cope this objective in this study, where cube-pair is used to address the small training dataset problem as well as preserve the 3D local structure of HSI data. Within this architecture, a 3D fully convolutional network is further modeled, which has less parameters compared with traditional CNN. Provided the same amount of training samples, the modeled network can go deeper than traditional CNN and thus has superior generalization ability. Experimental results on several HSI datasets demonstrate that the proposed method has superior classification results compared with other state-of-the-art competing methods.
Hyperspectral Measurement of Seasonal Variation in the Coverage and Impacts of an Invasive Grass in an Experimental Setting
Authors: Guo Yuxi , Graves Sarah , Flory S. Luke , Bohlman Stephanie
Published: May 2018

Hyperspectral remote sensing can be a powerful tool for detecting invasive species and their impact across large spatial scales. However, remote sensing studies of invasives rarely occur across multiple seasons, although the properties of invasives often change seasonally. This may limit the detection of invasives using remote sensing through time. We evaluated the ability of hyperspectral measurements to quantify the coverage of a plant invader and its impact on senesced plant coverage and canopy equivalent water thickness (EWT) across seasons. A portable spectroradiometer was used to collect data in a field experiment where uninvaded plant communities were experimentally invaded by cogongrass, a non-native perennial grass, or maintained as an uninvaded reference. Vegetation canopy characteristics, including senesced plant material, the ratio of live to senesced plants, and canopy EWT varied across the seasons and showed different temporal patterns between the invaded and reference plots. Partial least square regression (PLSR) models based on a single season had a limited predictive ability for data from a different season. Models trained with data from multiple seasons successfully predicted invasive plant coverage and vegetation characteristics across multiple seasons and years. Our results suggest that if seasonal variation is accounted for, the hyperspectral measurement of invaders and their effects on uninvaded vegetation may be scaled up to quantify effects at landscape scales using airborne imaging spectrometers.
An Image Fusion Method Based on Image Segmentation for High-Resolution Remotely-Sensed Imagery
Authors: Li Hui , Jing Linhai , Tang Yunwei , Wang Liming
Published: May 2018

Fusion of high spatial resolution (HSR) multispectral (MS) and panchromatic (PAN) images has become a research focus with the development of HSR remote sensing technology. In order to reduce the spectral distortions of fused images, current image fusion methods focus on optimizing the approach used to extract spatial details from the PAN band, or on the optimization of the models employed during the injection of spatial details into the MS bands. Due to the resolution difference between the MS and PAN images, there is a large amount of mixed pixels (MPs) existing in the upsampled MS images. The fused versions of these MPs remain mixed, although they may correspond to pure PAN pixels. This is one of the reasons for spectral distortions of fusion products. However, few methods consider spectral distortions introduced by the mixed fused spectra of MPs. In this paper, an image fusion method based on image segmentation was proposed to improve the fused spectra of MPs. The MPs were identified and then fused to be as close as possible to the spectra of pure pixels, in order to reduce spectral distortions caused by fused MPs and improve the quality of fused products. A fusion experiment, using three HSR datasets recorded by WorldView-2, WorldView-3 and GeoEye-1, respectively, was implemented to compare the proposed method with several other state-of-the-art fusion methods, such as haze- and ratio-based (HR), adaptive Gram–Schmidt (GSA) and smoothing filter-based intensity modulation (SFIM). Fused products generated at the original and degraded scales were assessed using several widely-used quantitative quality indexes. Visual inspection was also employed to compare the fused images produced using the original datasets. It was demonstrated that the proposed method offers the lowest spectral distortions and more sharpened boundaries between different image objects than other methods, especially for boundaries between vegetation and non-vegetation objects.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Data to Support Monitoring of Dryland Ecosystems
Authors: Pastick Neal J. , Wylie Bruce K. , Wu Zhuoting
Published: May 2018

Drylands are the habitat and source of livelihood for about two fifths of the world’s population and are highly susceptible to climate and anthropogenic change. To understand the vulnerability of drylands to changing environmental conditions, land managers need to effectively monitor rates of past change and remote sensing offers a cost-effective means to assess and manage these vast landscapes. Here, we present a novel approach to accurately monitor land-surface phenology in drylands of the Western United States using a regression tree modeling framework that combined information collected by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) onboard Landsat 8 and the Multispectral Instrument (MSI) onboard Sentinel-2. This highly-automatable approach allowed us to precisely characterize seasonal variations in spectral vegetation indices with substantial agreement between observed and predicted values (R2 = 0.98; Mean Absolute Error = 0.01). Derived phenology curves agreed with independent eMODIS phenological signatures of major land cover types (average r-value = 0.86), cheatgrass cover (average r-value = 0.96), and growing season proxies for vegetation productivity (R2 = 0.88), although a systematic bias towards earlier maturity and senescence indicates enhanced monitoring capabilities associated with the use of harmonized Landsat-8 Sentinel-2 data. Overall, our results demonstrate that observations made by the MSI and OLI can be used in conjunction to accurately characterize land-surface phenology and exclusion of imagery from either sensor drastically reduces our ability to monitor dryland environments. Given the declines in MODIS performance and forthcoming decommission with no equivalent replacement planned, data fusion approaches that integrate observations from multispectral sensors will be needed to effectively monitor dryland ecosystems. While the synthetic image stacks are expected to be locally useful, the technical approach can serve a wide variety of applications such as invasive species and drought monitoring, habitat mapping, production of phenology metrics, and land-cover change modeling.
On the Desiccation of the South Aral Sea Observed from Spaceborne Missions
Authors: Singh Alka , Behrangi Ali , Fisher Joshua B. , Reager John T.
Published: May 2018

The South Aral Sea has been massively affected by the implementation of a mega-irrigation project in the region, but ground-based observations have monitored the Sea poorly. This study is a comprehensive analysis of the mass balance of the South Aral Sea and its basin, using multiple instruments from ground and space. We estimate lake volume, evaporation from the lake, and the Amu Darya streamflow into the lake using strengths offered by various remote-sensing data. We also diagnose the attribution behind the shrinking of the lake and its possible future fate. Terrestrial water storage (TWS) variations observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission from the Aral Sea region can approximate water level of the East Aral Sea with good accuracy (1.8% normalized root mean square error (RMSE), and 0.9 correlation) against altimetry observations. Evaporation from the lake is back-calculated by integrating altimetry-based lake volume, in situ streamflow, and Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) precipitation. Different evapotranspiration (ET) products (Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), the Water Gap Hydrological Model (WGHM)), and Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Global Evapotranspiration Project (MOD16) significantly underestimate the evaporation from the lake. However, another MODIS based Priestley-Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) ET estimate shows remarkably high consistency (0.76 correlation) with our estimate (based on the water-budget equation). Further, streamflow is approximated by integrating lake volume variation, PT-JPL ET, and GPCP datasets. In another approach, the deseasonalized GRACE signal from the Amu Darya basin was also found to approximate streamflow and predict extreme flow into the lake by one or two months. They can be used for water resource management in the Amu Darya delta. The spatiotemporal pattern in the Amu Darya basin shows that terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the central region (predominantly in the primary irrigation belt other than delta) has increased. This increase can be attributed to enhanced infiltration, as ET and vegetation index (i.e., normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) from the area has decreased. The additional infiltration might be an indication of worsening of the canal structures and leakage in the area. The study shows how altimetry, optical images, gravimetric and other ancillary observations can collectively help to study the desiccating Aral Sea and its basin. A similar method can be used to explore other desiccating lakes.
Performance of Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Estimating Water-Use Efficiency in a Temperate Forest
Authors: Lu Xiaoliang , Liu Zhunqiao , Zhou Yuyu , Liu Yaling , Tang Jianwu
Published: May 2018

Water-use efficiency (WUE) is a critical variable describing the interrelationship between carbon uptake and water loss in land ecosystems. Different WUE formulations (WUEs) including intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), inherent water use efficiency (IWUE), and underlying water use efficiency (uWUE) have been proposed. Based on continuous measurements of carbon and water fluxes and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) at a temperate forest, we analyze the correlations between SIF emission and the different WUEs at the canopy level by using linear regression (LR) and Gaussian processes regression (GPR) models. Overall, we find that SIF emission has a good potential to estimate IWUE and uWUE, especially when a combination of different SIF bands and a GPR model is used. At an hourly time step, canopy-level SIF emission can explain as high as 65% and 61% of the variances in IWUE and uWUE. Specifically, we find that (1) a daily time step by averaging hourly values during daytime can enhance the SIF-IWUE correlations, (2) the SIF-IWUE correlations decrease when photosynthetically active radiation and air temperature exceed their optimal biological thresholds, (3) a low Leaf Area Index (LAI) has a negative effect on the SIF-IWUE correlations due to large evaporation fluxes, (4) a high LAI in summer also reduces the SIF-IWUE correlations most likely due to increasing scattering and (re)absorption of the SIF signal, and (5) the observation time during the day has a strong impact on the SIF-IWUE correlations and SIF measurements in the early morning have the lowest power to estimate IWUE due to the large evaporation of dew. This study provides a new way to evaluate the stomatal regulation of plant-gas exchange without complex parameterizations.
Type and Location of Wearable Sensors for Monitoring Falls during Static and Dynamic Tasks in Healthy Elderly: A Review
Authors: Rucco Rosaria , Sorriso Antonietta , Liparoti Marianna , Ferraioli Giampaolo , Sorrentino Pierpaolo , Ambrosanio Michele , Baselice Fabio
Published: May 2018

In recent years, the meaning of successful living has moved from extending lifetime to improving the quality of aging, mainly in terms of high cognitive and physical functioning together with avoiding diseases. In healthy elderly, falls represent an alarming accident both in terms of number of events and the consequent decrease in the quality of life. Stability control is a key approach for studying the genesis of falls, for detecting the event and trying to develop methodologies to prevent it. Wearable sensors have proved to be very useful in monitoring and analyzing the stability of subjects. Within this manuscript, a review of the approaches proposed in the literature for fall risk assessment, fall prevention and fall detection in healthy elderly is provided. The review has been carried out by using the most adopted publication databases and by defining a search strategy based on keywords and boolean algebra constructs. The analysis aims at evaluating the state of the art of such kind of monitoring, both in terms of most adopted sensor technologies and of their location on the human body. The review has been extended to both dynamic and static analyses. In order to provide a useful tool for researchers involved in this field, the manuscript also focuses on the tests conducted in the analyzed studies, mainly in terms of characteristics of the population involved and of the tasks used. Finally, the main trends related to sensor typology, sensor location and tasks have been identified.
Feature Extraction and Selection for Myoelectric Control Based on Wearable EMG Sensors
Authors: Phinyomark Angkoon , N. Khushaba Rami , Scheme Erik
Published: May 2018

Specialized myoelectric sensors have been used in prosthetics for decades, but, with recent advancements in wearable sensors, wireless communication and embedded technologies, wearable electromyographic (EMG) armbands are now commercially available for the general public. Due to physical, processing, and cost constraints, however, these armbands typically sample EMG signals at a lower frequency (e.g., 200 Hz for the Myo armband) than their clinical counterparts. It remains unclear whether existing EMG feature extraction methods, which largely evolved based on EMG signals sampled at 1000 Hz or above, are still effective for use with these emerging lower-bandwidth systems. In this study, the effects of sampling rate (low: 200 Hz vs. high: 1000 Hz) on the classification of hand and finger movements were evaluated for twenty-six different individual features and eight sets of multiple features using a variety of datasets comprised of both able-bodied and amputee subjects. The results show that, on average, classification accuracies drop significantly ( p < 0.05) from 2% to 56% depending on the evaluated features when using the lower sampling rate, and especially for transradial amputee subjects. Importantly, for these subjects, no number of existing features can be combined to compensate for this loss in higher-frequency content. From these results, we identify two new sets of recommended EMG features (along with a novel feature, L-scale) that provide better performance for these emerging low-sampling rate systems.
SPR Biosensors in Direct Molecular Fishing: Implications for Protein Interactomics
Authors: Florinskaya Anna , Ershov Pavel , Mezentsev Yuri , Kaluzhskiy Leonid , Yablokov Evgeniy , Medvedev Alexei , Ivanov Alexis
Published: May 2018

We have developed an original experimental approach based on the use of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors, applicable for investigation of potential partners involved in protein–protein interactions (PPI) as well as protein–peptide or protein–small molecule interactions. It is based on combining a SPR biosensor, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), mass spectrometric identification of proteins (LC-MS/MS) and direct molecular fishing employing principles of affinity chromatography for isolation of potential partner proteins from the total lysate of biological samples using immobilized target proteins (or small non-peptide compounds) as ligands. Applicability of this approach has been demonstrated within the frame of the Human Proteome Project (HPP) and PPI regulation by a small non-peptide biologically active compound, isatin.
Study of CMOS-SOI Integrated Temperature Sensing Circuits for On-Chip Temperature Monitoring
Authors: Malits Maria , Brouk Igor , Nemirovsky Yael
Published: May 2018

This paper investigates the concepts, performance and limitations of temperature sensing circuits realized in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) silicon on insulator (SOI) technology. It is shown that the MOSFET threshold voltage (Vt) can be used to accurately measure the chip local temperature by using a Vt extractor circuit. Furthermore, the circuit’s performance is compared to standard circuits used to generate an accurate output current or voltage proportional to the absolute temperature, i.e., proportional-to-absolute temperature (PTAT), in terms of linearity, sensitivity, power consumption, speed, accuracy and calibration needs. It is shown that the Vt extractor circuit is a better solution to determine the temperature of low power, analog and mixed-signal designs due to its accuracy, low power consumption and no need for calibration. The circuit has been designed using 1 µm partially depleted (PD) CMOS-SOI technology, and demonstrates a measurement inaccuracy of ±1.5 K across 300 K–500 K temperature range while consuming only 30 µW during operation.
Differences among Three Measures of Reaction Time Based on Hand Laterality in Individual Sports
Authors: Badau Dana , Baydil Bilgehan , Badau Adela
Published: May 2018

(1) Aim: The study aimed at assessing simple-reaction, recognition and cognitive-reaction times to visual stimuli among student athletes: boxing, gymnastics, taekwondo, judo, karate and wrestling, using computer games tests. (2) Methods: Our study involved 332 students and athletes. We applied three types of computer tests to measure the dominant and non-dominant hands: the simple motor reaction time through the Human Benchmark test, the recognition time by the Hit-the-dots and the cognitive reaction time by the Trail making test part B. (3) Results: For dominant and non-dominant hands, better results of individual sports were for: simply reaction time—boxing; recognition reaction time—taekwondo; cognitive reaction—judo. (4) Conclusions: Athletes had better simple reaction with the left hand than with the right hand. Athletes had better recognition and cognitive reaction time with the right hand than with the left hand regardless of the dominant hand. The outcomes of our study indicate that the reaction times of left and right hands were influenced by the hand laterality, the type of applied stimulus, the stress complexity of tests and the type of practiced sport.
Cyborgs, Robots and Society: Implications for the Future of Society from Human Enhancement with In-The-Body Technologies
Authors: Fox Stephen
Published: May 2018

Some well-known scientists and technologists have expressed concern that robots may take over the world. More generally, there is concern that robots will take over human jobs and leave billions of people suffering long-term unemployment. Yet, such concerns do not take into account the potential for human beings to enhance their natural capabilities with in-the-body technologies and so become cyborgs with superior capabilities to robots. Types of cyborgs include: human beings with mass produced biomedical implants; human beings with mass imagineered body hacks; and human beings with mass customized insideables. In this paper, human enhancement with in-the-body technologies is analyzed through the theoretical frameworks of mass paradigms, technology domestication, and cultural capital. The implications of the findings of these analyses are related to debates about the future of society. In particular, opportunity versus exploitation, utopia versus dystopia, and emancipation versus extinction. It is explained that that debates about the future of society are flawed if they focus more upon robots than cyborgs. This is because cyborgs can provide more highly advanced embodied cognition, and the number of cyborgs continues to increase as enterprises introduce new in-the-body technologies while individuals seek to increase cultural capital through body projects. Accordingly, debates about the future of society should consider the potential of cyborgs, as well as robots, replacing human beings.
Morphology Control of Nanocrystallized C60 Thin Films Prepared by Poor Solvent Immersion
Authors: Umemoto Kazuki , Takeda Masaki , Tezuka Yuki , Doi Miho , Lyu Bozhang , Masuhara Akito
Published: May 2018

Nanocrystallized C60 thin films of such as hexagonal, plate-like, and rod-like morphologies were recrystallized by poor solvent immersion, employing 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and butanol respectively. A C60 thin film fabricated by evaporation was immersed in the poor solvent, partially dissolving the surface C60. This was followed by the solvent rapidly reaching a supersaturated state, resulting in the induced recrystallization of the C60. C60 fine high-density crystals were successfully prepared using propanol, with crystal sizes varying between 84 and 141 nm by changing the immersion time. In addition, due to the 1-propanol recrystallizing solvated crystals which were formed through interactions between the solvent and the C60, uniform C60 fine crystals were obtained by the formation of a large number of nucleation sites.
The Health Effects of Strongyloidiasis on Pregnant Women and Children: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Paltridge Matthew , Traves Aileen
Published: May 2018

Strongyloidiasis is a helminth infection that remains under-researched despite its ability to cause significant illness. Women and children may be at particular risk of health consequences from this parasite. This systematic literature review aims to examine research on the long-term health effects that strongyloidiasis has in pregnant women and children. We conducted a structured search using multiple databases to collect all primary studies discussing health effects of strongyloidiasis in the aforementioned groups. The review included 20 results: 16 primary studies and four case reports. The methodological quality of studies was substandard, and there was substantial heterogeneity to the statistical analysis and outcomes assessed in the literature. Statistically significant associations were found between strongyloidiasis and low birth weight, as well as wasting. No links were found between strongyloidiasis and anaemia. Due to testing methods used in the studies, the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis in these studies was probably under-estimated. Current research is suggestive that strongyloidiasis has long-term adverse health effects on the offspring of infected mothers and in chronically-infected children. Data analysis was hindered by both methodological and statistical flaws, and as such, reliable conclusions regarding the health impacts could not be formed.
Avian Influenza Virus Subtype H9N2 Affects Intestinal Microbiota, Barrier Structure Injury, and Inflammatory Intestinal Disease in the Chicken Ileum
Authors: Li Hongxin , Liu Xiaolin , Chen Feiyang , Zuo Kejing , Wu Che , Yan Yiming , Chen Weiguo , Lin Wencheng , Xie Qingmei
Published: May 2018

Avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 (H9N2 AIV) has caused significant losses to the poultry industry due to the high mortality associated with secondary infections attributable to E. coli. This study tries to address the underlying secondary mechanisms after H9N2 AIV infection. Initially, nine day-old specific pathogen-free chickens were assigned to control (uninfected) and H9N2-infected groups, respectively. Using Illumina sequencing, histological examination, and quantitative real-time PCR, it was found that H9N2 AIV caused intestinal microbiota disorder, injury, and inflammatory damage to the intestinal mucosa. Notably, the genera Escherichia, especially E. coli, significantly increased (p < 0.01) at five days post-infection (dpi), while Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and other probiotic organisms were significantly reduced (p < 0.01). Simultaneously, the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin 3, and occludin), TFF2, and Muc2 were significantly reduced (p < 0.01), indicating the destruction of the intestinal epithelial cell tight junctions and the damage of mucin layer construction. Moreover, the mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-22, IFN-α, and IL-17A in intestinal epithelial cells were significantly upregulated, resulting in the inflammatory response and intestinal injury. Our findings may provide a theoretical basis for observed gastroenteritis-like symptoms such as diarrhea and secondary E. coli infection following H9N2 AIV infection.
Evaluation of the Water Allocation and Delivery Performance of Jiamakou Irrigation Scheme, Shanxi, China
Authors: Fan Yumiao , Gao Zhanyi , Wang Shaoli , Chen Haorui , Liu Jing
Published: May 2018

Irrigation performance assessment is an important step in ensuring sustainable agricultural development and improving the capacity of irrigation water management. In this paper, we examined irrigation water management in the Jiamakou Irrigation Scheme in the province of Shanxi (China) using four typical indicators, namely adequacy, efficiency, dependability, and equity. These indicators were calculated both globally and by grouping the data according to different irrigation processes (water allocation and water delivery). Results show that water was poorly allocated, and crop water requirements calculated through the FAO56 Penman-Monteith method was not met timely by scheduled water. They indicate that the overall performance of the scheme was relatively poor, owing to dismal water allocation. Nevertheless, water delivery performance was good, indicating that the scheme was able to deliver adequate and dependable water in an equitable and efficient manner. Our findings suggest that farmers should be trained in allocating irrigation water. The study provides insights into the current behavior of the irrigation scheme and may be used as a base for improvement of irrigation performance.