bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Distribution of Major Non-Timber Forest Plants in Chitwan Annapurna Landscape, Nepal
Authors: Chitale Vishwas , Silwal Ramesh , Matin Mir
Published: October 2018

For many decades, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have been an important livelihood commodity in Nepal as a traditional source of food, fiber, and medicines. However, the importance of NTFPs have been recognized only recently. NTFPs form more than 5% of Nepal’s national gross domestic product and are facing threat due to anthropogenic drivers and changing climate. Understanding of the current distribution and future dynamics of NTFPs is essential for effective conservation planning and management. In the maiden attempt, we used the Maxent model to understand the current and predict the future distribution by 2050 of 10 major NTFPs in Chitwan Annapurna Landscape, Nepal. The prediction accuracy of the models calculated based on the area under curve was high (>90%) and the prediction by 2050 highlights potential increase in distribution range of seven NTFPs and potential decrease in that of three NTFPs in the study area. The results from our study could play an important role in planning and management of these NTFPs considering their high economic and ecological significance and sensitivity to predicted climate change.
Detection and Identification of Remnant PFM-1 ‘Butterfly Mines’ with a UAV-Based Thermal-Imaging Protocol
Authors: Nikulin Alex , De Smet Timothy S. , Baur Jasper , Frazer William D. , Abramowitz Jacob C.
Published: October 2018

Use of landmines as a weapon of unconventional warfare rapidly increased in armed conflicts of the last century and some estimates suggest that at least 100 million remain in place across post-conflict nations. Among munitions and explosives of concern (MECs), aerially deployed plastic anti-personnel mines are particularly challenging in terms of their detection and subsequent disposal. Detection and identification of MECs largely relies on the geophysical principles of magnetometry and electromagnetic-induction (EMI), which makes non-magnetic plastic MECs particularly difficult to detect and extremely dangerous to clear. In a recent study we demonstrated the potential of time-lapse thermal-imaging technology to detect unique thermal signatures associated with plastic MECs. Here, we present the results of a series of field trials demonstrating the viability of low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with infrared cameras to detect and identify the most notorious plastic landmines—the Soviet-era PFM-1 aerially deployed antipersonnel mine. We present results of an experiment simulating analysis of a full-scale ballistic PFM-1 minefield and demonstrate our ability to accurately detect and identify all elements associated with this type of deployment. We report significantly reduced time and equipment costs associated with the use of a UAV-mounted infrared system and anticipate its utility to both the scientific and non-governmental organization (NGO) community.
Potential and Limitations of Open Satellite Data for Flood Mapping
Authors: Notti Davide , Giordan Daniele , Caló Fabiana , Pepe Antonio , Zucca Francesco , Galve Jorge Pedro
Published: October 2018

Satellite remote sensing is a powerful tool to map flooded areas. In recent years, the availability of free satellite data significantly increased in terms of type and frequency, allowing the production of flood maps at low cost around the world. In this work, we propose a semi-automatic method for flood mapping, based only on free satellite images and open-source software. The proposed methods are suitable to be applied by the community involved in flood hazard management, not necessarily experts in remote sensing processing. As case studies, we selected three flood events that recently occurred in Spain and Italy. Multispectral satellite data acquired by MODIS, Proba-V, Landsat, and Sentinel-2 and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected by Sentinel-1 were used to detect flooded areas using different methodologies (e.g., Modified Normalized Difference Water Index, SAR backscattering variation, and supervised classification). Then, we improved and manually refined the automatic mapping using free ancillary data such as the digital elevation model-based water depth model and available ground truth data. We calculated flood detection performance (flood ratio) for the different datasets by comparing with flood maps made by official river authorities. The results show that it is necessary to consider different factors when selecting the best satellite data. Among these factors, the time of the satellite pass with respect to the flood peak is the most important. With co-flood multispectral images, more than 90% of the flooded area was detected in the 2015 Ebro flood (Spain) case study. With post-flood multispectral data, the flood ratio showed values under 50% a few weeks after the 2016 flood in Po and Tanaro plains (Italy), but it remained useful to map the inundated pattern. The SAR could detect flooding only at the co-flood stage, and the flood ratio showed values below 5% only a few days after the 2016 Po River inundation. Another result of the research was the creation of geomorphology-based inundation maps that matched up to 95% with official flood maps.
Improving the Reliability of Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering Remote Sensing Classification Results Using Supervised Learning Algorithms and Cross-Validation
Authors: Routh Devin , Seegmiller Lindsi , Bettigole Charlie , Kuhn Catherine , Oliver Chadwick D. , Glick Henry B.
Published: October 2018

Mixture tuned matched filtering (MTMF) image classification capitalizes on the increasing spectral and spatial resolutions of available hyperspectral image data to identify the presence, and potentially the abundance, of a given cover type or endmember. Previous studies using MTMF have relied on extensive user input to obtain a reliable classification. In this study, we expand the traditional MTMF classification by using a selection of supervised learning algorithms with rigorous cross-validation. Our approach removes the need for subjective user input to finalize the classification, ultimately enhancing replicability and reliability of the results. We illustrate this approach with an MTMF classification case study focused on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), an invasive forb in Western North America, using free 30-m hyperspectral data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Hyperion sensor. Our protocol shows for our data, a potential overall accuracy inflation between 18.4% and 30.8% without cross-validation and according to the supervised learning algorithm used. We propose this new protocol as a final step for the MTMF classification algorithm and suggest future researchers report a greater suite of accuracy statistics to affirm their classifications’ underlying efficacies.
Double Assurance of Epidural Space Detection Using Fiberoptics-Based Needle Design and Autofluorescence Technologies for Epidural Blockade in Painless Labor
Authors: Gong Cihun-Siyong Alex , Lee Huang-Chang , Chang Yin , Ting Chien-Kun , Tu Po-Hsun
Published: October 2018

Purpose: Technology of reflectance spectroscopy incorporated with auto-fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to increase the safety of epidural placement in regional anesthesia which is generally used for surgery, epidural anesthesia, post-operative pain control and painless childbirth. Method: Ex vivo study of auto-fluorescence spectroscopy was performed for the para-vertebral tissues contained fat, interspinous ligament, supraspinous ligament and ligamentumflavum by multimode microplate reader at wavelength 405 nm for the purpose of tissue differentiation. A specially designed optic-fiber-embedded needle was employed to incorporate with both reflectance and autofluorescence spectroscopies in order to probe the epidural space as double assurance demands. In vivo study was carried out in a Chinese native swine weighted about 30 kg under intubated general anesthesia with ventilation support. The reflective (405 nm) and autofluorescence signals (λ and λ*) were recorded at 5 different sites by an oscilloscope during the needle puncture procedure from skin to epidural space in the back of the swine. Results: Study of either autofluorescence spectroscopy for tissue samples or ex vivo needle puncture in porcine trunk tissues indicates that ligmentumflavum has at least 10-fold higher fluorescence intensity than the other tissues. In the in vivo study, ligamentumflavum shows a double-peak character for both reflectance and autofluorescence signals. The epidural space is located right after the drop from the double-peak. Both peaks of reflectance and fluorescence are coincident which ensures that the epidural space is correctly detected. Conclusions: The fiber-optical technologies of double-assurance demands for tissue discrimination during epidural needle puncture can not only provide an objective visual information in a real-time fashion but also it can help the operator to achieve much higher success rate in this anesthesia procedure.
Towards Smart Urban Regeneration: Findings of an Urban Footprint Survey in Port Louis, Mauritius
Authors: Allam Zaheer , Dhunny A. Zaynah , Siew Gaëtan , Jones David S.
Published: October 2018

The Smart City Scheme, as part of the Smart Mauritius initiative, adopted by the Government of Mauritius in 2014, heavily incentivised the emergence of new smart cities in greenfields. The resulting migration of business and residents from existing cities to new cities affected the liveability standard of existing cities and encouraged property speculation. This shift reduced home pricing affordability further from the grasp of young professionals. With the Mauritian Landlord and Tenant Act of 1999 discouraging investment in Mauritian city centres, property developers were additionally encouraged to invest in housing projects in these emerging Smart Cities. As part of the Smart Urban Regeneration strategy of Port Louis that sought to reduce competition between new and existing cities, the provision of housing was seen as paramount to enabling the Smart Cities concept as promoted by the Government. The findings of this paper, which explores the urban footprint of Port Louis through field survey, provides insights, as to the components of the city, that can assist policy-makers and developers to better shape projects that are more responsive to the Smart Urban Regeneration plan.
Individual Responses to an 8-Week Neuromuscular Training Intervention in Trained Pre-Pubescent Female Artistic Gymnasts
Authors: Moeskops Sylvia , Read Paul J. , Oliver Jon L. , Lloyd Rhodri S.
Published: October 2018

This study examined individual responses in leg stiffness, reactive strength index (RSI), movement proficiency (deep overhead squat and in-line lunge), and trunk muscular endurance (flexor and extensor tests) in young female gymnasts following an 8-week neuromuscular training intervention. Thirty-four pre-peak height velocity (PHV) female gymnasts were divided into either an experimental group (EXP n = 17) or control group (CON n = 17). The EXP replaced their normal gymnastics physical preparation with a neuromuscular training program, while the CON continued with their habitual gymnastics program. Chi square analysis showed that the EXP resulted in significantly more positive responders compared to CON for measures of leg stiffness (41% versus 12% responded positively), extensor muscular endurance, (76% versus 29%), and competency in the deep overhead squat, (76% versus 29%) and in-line lunge (left lead leg) (65% versus 18%). Conversely, the number of positive responders for RSI (53% versus 61%), the flexor endurance test (88% versus 53%), and the right in-line lunge (47% versus 35%) were not significantly different between groups. These findings suggest that most young gymnasts responded positively to neuromuscular training from the perspective of improving movement proficiency and trunk endurance; however, changes in leg stiffness and RSI were more variable and may require higher intensities to realise further adaptations.
Regional Comparisons of Contemporary Construction Industry Sustainable Concepts in the Chinese Context
Authors: Ma Liang , Le Yun , Li Hongyang , Jin Ruoyu , Piroozfar Poorang , Liu Mingqiang
Published: October 2018

Emerging construction practices such as building information modelling (BIM), prefabrication construction, green building, and integrated project delivery methods are gaining momentum in China, with great potential due to the size of its construction market. Through this, the sustainability level of China’s construction industry is expected to be enhanced from the economic, social and environmental perspectives. So far, there has been limited understanding of how BIM, as a digital technology, would affect other contemporary sustainable construction practices from the industry professionals’ point of view. Limited studies have been carried out to study the regional differences of these contemporary sustainable practices in China. This study adopted a questionnaire-based approach targeting industry professionals from three different metropolitan cities (Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Wenzhou).The follow-up comprehensive statistical analysis revealed that with regards to these contemporary sustainable construction practices, survey participants held much varied views on the growth of renovation projects, traditional Design–Bid–Build delivery, and conventional on-site construction methods. These three types were also generally perceived to have weak correlation with BIM application. Regional comparison further conveyed information on differences in perceptions among survey respondents from these three cities. For example, respondents from Wenzhou perceived more positive effects of BIM use in conventional construction projects. This research addressed the inter-correlation among these emerging sustainable construction practices, as well as the regional differences in China’s construction market. The findings provide insights and the big picture for both governmental authorities and industry practitioners on the latest sustainable practices of China’s construction industry. Recommendations are also offered towards improved economic, social and environmental sustainability performance for construction projects in the country.
Deployment of IoT Edge and Fog Computing Technologies to Develop Smart Building Services
Authors: Ferrández-Pastor Francisco-Javier , Mora Higinio , Jimeno-Morenilla Antonio , Volckaert Bruno
Published: October 2018

Advances in embedded systems, based on System-on-a-Chip (SoC) architectures, have enabled the development of many commercial devices that are powerful enough to run operating systems and complex algorithms. These devices integrate a set of different sensors with connectivity, computing capacities and cost reduction. In this context, the Internet of Things (IoT) potential increases and introduces other development possibilities: “Things” can now increase computation near the source of the data; consequently, different IoT services can be deployed on local systems. This paradigm is known as “edge computing” and it integrates IoT technologies and cloud computing systems. Edge computing reduces the communications’ bandwidth needed between sensors and the central data centre. Management of sensors, actuators, embedded devices and other resources that may not be continuously connected to a network (such as smartphones) are required for this method. This trend is very attractive for smart building designs, where different subsystems (energy, climate control, security, comfort, user services, maintenance, and operating costs) must be integrated to develop intelligent facilities. In this work, a method to design smart services based on the edge computing paradigm is analysed and proposed. This novel approach overcomes some drawbacks of existing designs related to interoperability and scalability of services. An experimental architecture based on embedded devices is described. Energy management, security system, climate control and information services are the subsystems on which new smart facilities are implemented.
Intergenerational Equity and the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Spijkers Otto
Published: October 2018

The contribution of the present research is to link the global consensus in international legal scholarship on the principle of intergenerational equity to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The methodology used is, first, to provide a literature review of theories of intergenerational equity developed in international law scholarship, followed by a textual analysis of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that contains the SDGs. To place the SDGs in their proper context, an overview is provided of the most important declarations on sustainable development of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and outcome documents of the most important World Conferences on sustainable development organized under the auspices of the United Nations. Two general conclusions can be drawn from the present research: in international law scholarship and in the SDGs and previous declarations, the earth is generally seen as a resource, to be used by present and future people, and not as something warranting respect regardless of its worth to human beings. Second, the main challenge is to find a proper balance between intergenerational equity—present and future people—and intragenerational equity—the rich and the poor of the present generation.
A Sustainability Lighthouse—Supporting Transition Leadership and Conversations on Desirable Futures
Authors: Holmberg John , Larsson Johan
Published: October 2018

Central in leadership for sustainability transitions is the capability to create transformative momentum in a sustainable (desirable) direction, calling for meaningful conversations on sustainable futures. The aim of this study is to develop a conceptual framework to inspire and support such conversations. A qualitative literature review of sustainability conceptualizations was conducted, followed by a thematic analysis. The resulting framework consists of an overarching question and an accompanying set of categories for four sustainability dimensions: the social, the economic, the ecological, and ‘human needs and wellbeing’. Furthermore, the framework is visualized as a lighthouse for pedagogical reasons. We foresee that the lighthouse might be of value in processes guiding socio-technical transitions towards sustainability in three different ways: (1) by attempting to bridge the issue of ‘transition’ with that of ‘sustainability’; (2) as part of a backcasting process; and (3) modes of transdisciplinary research where relevant actors take part in the conversation. The study is related to over 20 years of experience from working with a backcasting approach engaging with sustainability transitions in a variety of processes. We invite further dialogue on how one may approach the concept of sustainability to inspire and support conversations on sustainable futures.
Green Governance: New Perspective from Open Innovation
Authors: Li Weian , Xu Jian , Zheng Minna
Published: October 2018

Environmental problems caused by human behaviors have become increasingly serious in recent decades, thereby driving global green governance issue to become an important research agenda. The proper governance structure design and governance mechanism arrangement can effectively coordinate the relationship between human and nature. Literatures have provided mixed evidence of harmonious development of economy, society and environment. However, few studies have examined the balance of interests between human appeal and natural environment from the perspective of governance. Open innovation activities can effectively deal with the externalities of resources and environment and then relatively balance the economic value and green value of organizations, which is an effective green governance mode, reflecting the characteristics of the main subject composition and mechanism operation of green governance. This paper attempts to build a green governance framework for the cooperation based on sustainable development among enterprises, governments, social organizations, the public and the nature. This paper examines the synergy between human and nature by presenting a framework, including related theories of green governance, innovation subjects, innovation mechanisms and innovation mode. Each country and region could use the suggested framework to develop green governance guidelines that are suitable for the environmental carrying capacity of their own countries or regions. Enterprises could use the suggested framework to develop green development strategies to coordinate the economic values and green values.
Evaluation of Safety Measures of a Hydrogen Fueling Station Using Physical Modeling
Authors: Sakamoto Junji , Misono Hitoshi , Nakayama Jo , Kasai Naoya , Shibutani Tadahiro , Miyake Atsumi
Published: October 2018

Hydrogen fueling stations are essential for operating fuel cell vehicles. If multiple safety measures in a hydrogen fueling station fail simultaneously, it could lead to severe consequences. To analyze the risk of such a situation, we developed a physical model of a hydrogen fueling station, which, when using, the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of hydrogen could be simulated under normal and abnormal operating states. The physical model was validated by comparing the analytical results with the experimental results of an actual hydrogen fueling station. By combining the physical model with a statistical method, we evaluated the significance of the safety measures in the event wherein multiple safety measures fail simultaneously. We determined the combinations of failures of safety measures that could lead to accidents, and suggested a measure for preventing and mitigating the accident scenario.
Robust Day-Ahead Scheduling of Electricity and Natural Gas Systems via a Risk-Averse Adjustable Uncertainty Set Approach
Authors: Yao Li , Wang Xiuli , Qian Tao , Qi Shixiong , Zhu Chengzhi
Published: October 2018

The requirement for energy sustainability drives the development of renewable energy technologies and gas-fired power generation. The increasing installation of gas-fired units significantly intensifies the interdependency between the electricity system and natural gas system. The joint scheduling of electricity and natural gas systems has become an attractive option for improving energy efficiency. This paper proposes a robust day-ahead scheduling model for electricity and natural gas system, which minimizes the total cost including fuel cost, spinning reserve cost and cost of operational risk while ensuring the feasibility for all scenarios within the uncertainty set. Different from the conventional robust optimization with predefined uncertainty set, a new approach with risk-averse adjustable uncertainty set is proposed in this paper to mitigate the conservatism. Furthermore, the Wasserstein–Moment metric is applied to construct ambiguity sets for computing operational risk. The proposed scheduling model is solved by the column-and-constraint generation method. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is tested on a 6-bus test system and a 118-bus system.
Performance of UWB Wireless Telecommunication Positioning for Disaster Relief Communication Environment Securing
Authors: Kim Donghyun
Published: October 2018

When an earthquake or a large fire has occurred, it is difficult to secure communication networks for rescue in the building due to the destruction of commercial communication networks. Although analog radio systems such as VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra-High Frequency) are used for rescue operation in general, communication failure occurs in closed spaces, causing difficulties in smooth rescue operations. When the communication infrastructures have been destroyed in a building in the disaster, an emergency wireless telecommunication environment should be constructed to secure a safer disaster response environment. In this study, along with comparison of the performances of diverse communication frequencies, UWB (Ultra-Wide Band) wireless telecommunication networks were evaluated under five building indoor environment conditions including open spaces. UWB communication modules were fabricated to satisfy the IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.15.4a standard performance to measure distances in which communications are possible according to the indoor environment for each of six channels with different UWB communication frequencies. The results indicated that the distances in which communications are possible for each the six channels were average 15.5 m, maximum 20 m in open spaces; average 17.33 m, maximum 20 m in corridors; average 15.3 m, maximum 20 m in indoor office environments with office fixtures; average 4.33 m, maximum 6 m in vertical spaces of stairs; and average 6.5 m, maximum 17 m in closed horizontal spaces with a fire door. In this case, the communication performance and distance performance were shown to be the most excellent at a frequency (Centre Frequency) of 6489.6 and a band of 5980.3–6998.9 MHz, which is UWB 7ch. In conclusion, it is judged that if UWB communication modules are installed in the disaster area at intervals of 20 m and multi-channels are used, communication environments can be constructed even in closed spaces.
A Change Recommendation Approach Using Change Patterns of a Corresponding Test File
Authors: Kim Jungil , Lee Eunjoo
Published: October 2018

Change recommendation improves the development speed and quality of software projects. Through change recommendation, software project developers can find the relevant source files that they must change for their modification tasks. In an existing change-recommendation approach based on the change history of source files, the reliability of the recommended change patterns for a source file is determined according to the change history of the source file. If a source file has insufficient change history to identify its change patterns or has frequently been changed with unrelated source files, the existing change-recommendation approach cannot identify meaningful change patterns for the source file. In this paper, we propose a novel change-recommendation approach to resolve the limitation of the existing change-recommendation method. The basic idea of the proposed approach is to consider the change history of a test file corresponding to a given source file. First, the proposed approach identifies the test file corresponding to a given source file by using a source–test traceability linking method based on the popular naming convention rule. Then, the change patterns of the source and test files are identified according to their change histories. Finally, a set of change recommendations is constructed using the identified change patterns. In an experiment involving six open-source projects, the accuracy of the proposed approach is evaluated. The results show that the accuracy of the proposed approach can be significantly improved from 21% to 62% compared with the existing approach.
A τ-Symmetry Algebra of the Generalized Derivative Nonlinear Schrödinger Soliton Hierarchy with an Arbitrary Parameter
Authors: Zhang Jian-bing , Gongye Yingyin , Ma Wen-Xiu
Published: October 2018

A matrix spectral problem is researched with an arbitrary parameter. Through zero curvature equations, two hierarchies are constructed of isospectral and nonisospectral generalized derivative nonlinear schrödinger equations. The resulting hierarchies include the Kaup-Newell equation, the Chen-Lee-Liu equation, the Gerdjikov-Ivanov equation, the modified Korteweg-de Vries equation, the Sharma-Tasso-Olever equation and a new equation as special reductions. The integro-differential operator related to the isospectral and nonisospectral hierarchies is shown to be not only a hereditary but also a strong symmetry of the whole isospectral hierarchy. For the isospectral hierarchy, the corresponding τ -symmetries are generated from the nonisospectral hierarchy and form an infinite-dimensional symmetry algebra with the K-symmetries.
Novel Hybrid-Size Digit-Serial Systolic Multiplier over GF(2m)
Authors: Hu Zhenji , Xie Jiafeng
Published: October 2018

Because of the efficient tradeoff in area–time complexities, digit-serial systolic multiplier over G F ( 2 m ) has gained substantial attention in the research community for possible application in current/emerging cryptosystems. In general, this type of multiplier is designed to be applicable to one certain field-size, which in fact determines the actual security level of the cryptosystem and thus limits the flexibility of the operation of cryptographic applications. Based on this consideration, in this paper, we propose a novel hybrid-size digit-serial systolic multiplier which not only offers flexibility to operate in either pentanomial- or trinomial-based multiplications, but also has low-complexity implementation performance. Overall, we have made two interdependent efforts to carry out the proposed work. First, a novel algorithm is derived to formulate the mathematical idea of the hybrid-size realization. Then, a novel digit-serial structure is obtained after efficient mapping from the proposed algorithm. Finally, the complexity analysis and comparison are given to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed multiplier, e.g., the proposed one has less area-delay product (ADP) than the best existing trinomial-based design. The proposed multiplier can be used as a standard intellectual property (IP) core in many cryptographic applications for flexible operation.
Identification and Molecular Characterization of a Novel Partitivirus from Trichoderma atroviride NFCF394
Authors: Chun Jeesun , Yang Han-Eul , Kim Dae-Hyuk
Published: October 2018

An increasing number of novel mycoviruses have been described in fungi. Here, we report the molecular characteristics of a novel bisegmented double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus from the fungus Trichoderma atroviride NFCF394. We designated this mycovirus as Trichoderma atroviride partitivirus 1 (TaPV1). Electron micrographs of negatively stained, purified viral particles showed an isometric structure approximately of 30 nm in diameter. The larger segment (dsRNA1) of the TaPV1 genome comprised 2023 bp and contained a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding 614 amino acid (AA) residues of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The smaller segment (dsRNA2) consisted of 2012 bp with a single ORF encoding 577 AA residues of capsid protein (CP). The phylogenetic analysis, based on deduced amino acid sequences of RdRp and CP, indicated that TaPV1 is a new member of the genus Alphapartitivirus in the family Partitiviridae. Virus-cured isogenic strains did not show significant changes in colony morphology. In addition, no changes in the enzymatic activities of β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase were observed in virus-cured strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an Alphapartitivirus in T. atroviride.
Herbal Gel Formulation Developed for Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 Activity Also Inhibits In Vitro HSV-2 Infection
Authors: Mishra Nripendra Nath , Kesharwani Ajay , Agarwal Aakanksha , Polachira Suja Kizhiyedath , Nair Reshmi , Gupta Satish Kumar
Published: October 2018

Herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) infection is the most common cause of genital ulcers. The impact of ulcers also demonstrates a strong link to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Complications, drug resistance, and side-effects of anti-viral drugs make the treatment of HSV-2 infection challenging. Herbal medicines have shown potential against HSV-2 and HIV infections. In this context, polyherbal gel formulation comprising 50% ethanolic extracts from Acacia catechu, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Terminalia chebula and Phyllanthus emblica has been developed. The gel formulation significantly exhibited virucidal activity against both HIV-1 and HSV-2 infections with IC50, 55.93 ± 5.30 µg/mL and 27.26 ± 4.87 µg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited HSV-2 attachment and penetration to the Vero cells with an IC50 = 46.55 ± 1.25 µg/mL and 54.94 ± 2.52 µg/mL respectively, which were significantly lower than acyclovir. However, acyclovir is more potent in post-infection assay with an IC50 = 0.065 ± 0.01 µg/mL whereas gel formulation showed an IC50 = 469.05 ± 16.65 µg/mL under similar conditions. Gel formulation showed no inhibitory effect on the viability of lactobacilli, human vaginal keratinocyte cells (Vk2/E6E7), and the integrity of the Caco-2 cells monolayer. Gel formulation did not lead to any significant increase in the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mutagenic index. The proposed gel formulation may be a promising candidate microbicide for the prevention of sexually transmitted HIV-1 and HSV-2.
Changes in Fixation Stability with Time during Binocular and Monocular Viewing in Maculopathy
Authors: Samet Saba , González Esther G. , Mandelcorn Mark S. , Brent Michael H. , Tarita-Nistor Luminita
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in fixation stability over time during binocular and monocular viewing in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Seventeen patients with AMD and 17 controls were enrolled. Using an EyeLink eyetracker (SR Research Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), fixation stability was recorded binocularly and monocularly with each eye for a duration of 15 s while the fellow eye was covered. Fixation stability was analyzed over 3 s intervals for each condition using a 68% bivariate contour ellipse area. Fixation stability did not change with time during binocular viewing for both groups, both monocular conditions for the control group, and monocular viewing with the better eye for the AMD group. However, during monocular viewing with the worse eye, the test of within-subject contrasts showed linear improvement in fixation stability with time (p = 0.016). In conclusion, in patients with AMD, monocular fixational control with the worse eye is poor, but improves with time.
“E = mc2” of Environmental Flows: A Conceptual Framework for Establishing a Fish-Biological Foundation for a Regionally Applicable Environmental Low-Flow Formula
Authors: Parasiewicz Piotr , Prus Paweł , Suska Katarzyna , Marcinkowski Paweł
Published: October 2018

Determination of environmental flows at the regional scale has been complicated by the fine-scale variability of the needs of aquatic organisms. Therefore, most regional methods are based on observation of hydrological patterns and lack evidence of connection to biological responses. In contrast, biologically sound methods are too detailed and resource-consuming for applications on larger scales. The purpose of this pilot project was to develop an approach that would breach this gap and provide biologically sound rules for environmental flow (eflow) estimation for the region of Poland. The concept was developed using seven river sites, which represent the four of six fish-ecological freshwater body types common in Poland. Each of these types was distinguished based on a specific fish community structure, composed of habitat-use guilds. The environmental significance of the flows for these communities was established with help of the habitat simulation model MesoHABSIM computed for each of the seven sites. The established seasonal environmental flow thresholds were standardized to the watershed area and assigned to the corresponding water body type. With these obtained environmental flow coefficients, a standard-setting formula was created, which is compatible with existing standard-setting approaches while maintaining biological significance. The proposed approach is a first attempt to use habitat suitability models to justify a desktop formula for the regional scale eflow criteria.
Risk Assessment of Soil Salinization Due to Tomato Cultivation in Mediterranean Climate Conditions
Authors: Libutti Angela , Cammerino Anna Rita Bernadette , Monteleone Massimo
Published: October 2018

The Mediterranean climate is marked by arid climate conditions in summer; therefore, crop irrigation is crucial to sustain plant growth and productivity in this season. If groundwater is utilized for irrigation, an impressive water pumping system is needed to satisfy crop water requirements at catchment scale. Consequently, irrigation water quality gets worse, specifically considering groundwater salinization near the coastal areas due to seawater intrusion, as well as triggering soil salinization. With reference to an agricultural coastal area in the Mediterranean basin (southern Italy), close to the Adriatic Sea, an assessment of soil salinization risk due to processing tomato cultivation was carried out. A simulation model was first arranged, then validated, and finally applied to perform a water and salt balance along a representative soil profile on a daily basis. In this regard, long-term weather data and physical soil characteristics of the considered area (both taken from international databases) were utilized in applying the model, as well as considering three salinity levels of irrigation water. Based on the climatic analysis performed and the model outputs, the probability of soil salinity came out very high, such as to seriously threaten tomato yield. Autumn–winter rainfall frequently proved to be insufficient to leach excess salts away from the soil profile and reach sustainable conditions of tomato cultivation. Therefore, alternative cropping strategies were investigated.
Optimal Design of Circular Baffles on Sloshing in a Rectangular Tank Horizontally Coupled by Structure
Authors: Jamalabadi Mohammad Yaghoub Abdollahzadeh , Ho-Huu Vinh , Nguyen Truong Khang
Published: October 2018

Parametric studies on the optimization of baffles on vibration suppression of partially filled tanks coupled by structure have been widely conducted in literature. However, few studies focus on the effect of the position of the baffles on fluid flow stratification and dampening the motion. In the present study, a numerical investigation, an engineering analysis, and optimal design study were performed to determine the effect of external flow on circular obstacle baffles performance on suppressing the vibrations of coupled structure in a closed basin. The single degree of freedom model (mass–spring–damper) is used to model the structure that holds the tank. The coupled system is released from an initial displacement without a velocity. The governing mass, turbulent Navier–Stokes momentum, volume of fluid, and one degree of freedom structure equations are solved by the Pressure-Implicit with Splitting of Operators algorithm in fluids and Newmark method in structure. Based on a detailed study of transient structure motion coupled with sloshing dynamics, the optimal baffle location was achieved. Optimal position of the baffle and its width are systematically obtained with reference to the quiescent free surface.
Verification and Validation of URANS Simulations of the Round Buoyant Jet in Counterflow
Authors: Xiao Yizhou , Huai Wenxin , Ji Bin , Yang Zhonghua
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a study on the verification and validation (V&V) of numerical solutions for round buoyant jets in counterflow. The unsteady flow was simulated using an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) solver with a two-phase mixture model. This work aimed to quantitatively investigate the reliability and applicability of various uncertainty estimators in the simulation of a buoyant jet in counterflow. Analysis of the discretization uncertainty estimation results revealed that the factor of safety (FS) and the modified FS (FS1) methods were the appropriate evaluation estimators in the simulation of a buoyant jet in counterflow. Validation by comparison with the experimental data indicated that the area without achieving the validation at the validation level was strongly related to the shear layer between the jet flow and the ambient fluid. Moreover, the predicted concentration contours, coherent structures, and centerline concentration were strongly affected by the grid resolution.
I-123-MIBG scintigraphy in patients with neuroblastoma
Authors: Amthauer Holger , Furth Christian , Hundsdoerfer Patrick , Wedel Florian , Schatka Imke , Rogasch Julian M.M.
Published: October 2018

Aim: According to German guidelines, I-123-MIBG scintigraphy in neuroblastoma (NB) is preferably performed as early (about 4 h p.i.) and late (24 h p.i.) planar imaging and single- photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or SPECT/CT 24 h p.i. This study evaluated if the work-up could be reduced to a single timepoint.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 37 examinations in 26 patients (f:8; m:18; age, 0.5–23.5a) with NB (initial, 15; restaging, 22). All 74 (early + late) pairs of ventral/dorsal planar whole-body images were reviewed by 3 independent readers in random order blinded to clinical data (1, certainly physiological; 2, likely physiological; 3, likely malignant; 4, certainly malignant). CT/MRI or SPECT served as standard of reference if planar images were equivocal.

Results: Two-hundred malignant lesions were rated (1–23 lesions per examination). The lesions’ mean score was higher at late vs. early imaging for all readers (3.6 vs. 3.4, 3.7 vs. 3.2, 3.5 vs. 3.2; each p < 0.01). Fifty-one lesions (25.5 %) were considerably underrated at early vs. late imaging (score difference ≥2) by any reader (29/153 skeletal lesions, 12/28 primary tumors [PT], 10/18 abdominal lymph nodes [LN]). Early image did not detect any lesion in 6 patients with PT only. In contrast, 9 lesions (4.5 %) were underrated by late vs. early imaging: 5 skeletal lesions (pelvis, 2; femoral shaft, 3), 1 PT, 3 LN, and 0/1 liver lesions. Tumor spread was underestimated thereby at late vs. early imaging in 1 patient (LN) but SPECT was correct.

Conclusion: The early planar image provided no relevant information over the late image in any patient and may only be performed after weighting of risks (stress) and benefits – especially if SPECT or SPECT/CT is routinely performed. Vice versa, early planar image alone does not suffice.
Entwicklung eines kompetenzbasierten Lernzielkatalogs Nuklearmedizin für das Studium der Humanmedizin in Deutschland
Authors: Brenner Winfried , Buck Andreas , Franzius Christiane , Freudenberg Lutz , Gotthardt Martin , Lindner Oliver , Mottaghy Felix , Hellwig Dirk , Marienhagen Jörg
Published: October 2018

Ziele: Umsetzung der Vorgaben des Nationalen Kompetenzbasierten Lernzielkatalogs Medizin (NKLM, 2015) für ein Curriculum Nuklearmedizin im Auftrag des Ausschusses Fort- und Weiterbildung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Nuklearmedizin (DGN). Methoden: 100 Lernziele (LZ) in 7 Domänen wurden in einem Delphi-Verfahren unter Einbeziehung aller habilitierten Mitglieder der DGN als Experten durch einen Fragebogen einer Priorisierung in 3 Kategorien (A, B und C) unterzogen. Kategorie A definierte für die jeden Arzt unerlässlichen LZ. Die Priorisierung} erfolgte durch Rangbildung nach dem Anteil der A- Klassifikationen. Eine LZ-Liste mit den Rangplätzen 1–5 in jeder Domäne wurde in der 2. Stufe des Delphi-Verfahrens den Experten der ersten Runde als Kern-Curriculum mit der Frage nach Akzeptanz bzw. Modifikationen vorgelegt. Ergebnisse: Die Ergebnisse der 1. Stufe des Delphi-Verfahrens) zeigte einen Rücklauf der Fragebögen von 29 % (55 von 184). Die 2. Runde erbrachte einen Rücklauf von 30,9 % (57 von 184) und eine uneingeschränkte Akzeptanz der vorgeschlagenen LZ in allen LZ-Domänen bei im Median 72 % der befragten Experten (61 % – 81 %). Die vorliegende Endfassung enthält 37 kompetenzbasierte LZ in den LZ-Domänen „Gesetzliche Grundlagen und Strahlenschutz”, „naturwissenschaftliche Grundlagen”, Indikationen und Kontraindikationen zu „PET/CT”, „Szintigraphie und SPECT”, „Patientenvorbereitung”, „Befundanalyse und -interpretation” sowie „Therapie”. Ausblick: Der kompetenzbasierte LZ-Katalog Nuklearmedizin beschreibt die Kenntnisse und Kompetenzen, über die jeder Arzt am Ende seines Studiums verfügen sollte. Der LZ-Katalog ist ein lebendes Dokument, das fortlaufend an den Fortschritt der medizinischen und technologischen Entwicklung angepasst werden muss.
Application of Accelerated Time Models to Compare Performance of Two Comorbidity-adjusting Methods with APACHE II in Predicting Short-term Mortality Among the Critically Ill
Authors: Bish Melanie , Fletcher Jason , Knott Cameron , Stephenson John , Mnatzaganian George
Published: October 2018

Objective: This study aimed to determine how the abilities of the Charlson Index and Elixhauser comorbidities compared with the chronic health components of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) to predict in-hospital 30 day mortality among adult critically ill patients treated inside and outside of Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Methods: A total of 701 critically ill patients, identified in a prevalence study design on four randomly selected days in five acute care hospitals, were followed up from the date of becoming critically ill for 30 days or until death, whichever occurred first. Multiple data sources including administrative, clinical, pathology, microbiology and laboratory patient records captured the presence of acute and chronic illnesses. The exponential, Gompertz, Weibull, and log-logistic distributions were assessed as candidate parametric distributions available for the modelling of survival data. Of these, the log-logistic distribution provided the best fit and was used to construct a series of parametric survival models.

Results: Of the 701 patients identified in the initial prevalence study, 637 (90.9%) had complete data for all fields used to calculate APACHE II score. Controlling for age, sex and Acute Physiology Score (APS), the chronic health components of the APACHE II score, as a group, were better predictors of survival than Elixhauser comorbidities and Charlson Index. Of the APACHE II chronic health components, only the relatively uncommon conditions of liver failure (3.4%) and immunodeficiency (9.6%) were statistically associated with inferior patient survival with acceleration factors of 0.35 (95% CI 0.17, 0.72) for liver failure, and 0.42 (95% CI 0.26, 0.72) for immunodeficiency. Sensitivity analyses on an imputed dataset that also included the 64 individuals with imputed APACHE II score showed identical results.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that, in acute critical illness, most co-existing comorbidities are not major determinants of shortterm survival, indicating that observed variations in ICU patient 30-day mortality may not be confounded by lack of adjustment to pre-existing comorbidities.