bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shell Infestation of the Farmed Pacific Oyster Magallana gigas by the Endolith Bivalve Rocellaria dubia
Authors: Mikac Barbara , Tarullo Alessandro , Colangelo Marina Antonia , Abbiati Marco , Costantini Federica
Published: October 2021

Oyster shells are substratum for different epibiontic and endobiontic organisms, including pests and parasites. Rocellaria dubia is endolithic and facultative tube-dwelling bivalve, boring in different calcareous substrates, including the shells of bivalves. In 2020, R. dubia was found as endolithic in the shells of the Pacific oyster Magalana gigas, from an oyster farm off the Sacca di Goro lagoon (Emilia-Romagna region, Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy). The purpose of this study was to describe this newly recorded association. Altogether, 136 specimens of R. dubia were found in 15 oysters, photographed under a stereoscope, and their length was measured. Heavily infested oysters hosted tens of R. dubia borers, which were perforating the whole thickness of the oyster valves. The flesh of these oysters was heavily damaged, suggesting parasitic association. R. dubia specimens were categorized into three age classes (0–1, 1–2, and 2–3 years old). M. gigas/R. dubia might be a widespread association, overlooked due to the very scarce research on macrofauna associated with M. gigas. Considering the negative effects of R. dubia endobiosis on oyster fitness, and possible impacts on oyster aquaculture, further research should be conducted in order to elucidate the distribution and ecological characteristics of this parasitic association.
Analytical Calculations of Some Effects of Tidal Forces on Plants on the International Space Station
Authors: Gouin Henri
Published: October 2021

Among the phenomena attributable to the Moon’s actions on living organisms, one of them seems to be related to analytical fluid mechanics: along the route of the International Space Station around the Earth, experiments on plants have revealed leaf oscillations. A parametric resonance due to a short period of microgravitational forces could explain these oscillations. Indeed, Rayleigh-Taylor’s instabilities occurring at the interfaces between liquid-water and its vapor verify a second-order Mathieu differential equation. This is the case of interfaces existing in the xylem channels of plant stems filled with sap and air-vapor. The magnitude of the instabilities depends on the distances between the Moon, the Sun, and the Earth. They are analogous, but less spectacular, to those that occur during ocean tides.
Comparison of Intra-Annual Xylem and Phloem Formation of Picea crassifolia Stands at Two Latitudes in Northwest China
Authors: Yu Biyun , Li Xuebin , Zhao Ping , Huang Jianguo
Published: October 2021

Understanding the changes in xylem and phloem formation of trees and their relationship along latitudes are important for evaluating and predicting how fragile forests may respond to climate change; however, corresponding studies are still relatively scarce. This study investigated the intra-annual dynamics of xylem and phloem formation of Picea crassifolia and their relationship at two latitudes of arid and semi-arid forests in China. The results showed that both xylem and phloem formation varied at different latitudes. Xylem formation at the low-latitude site (Luoshan) started two weeks earlier than that at the high-latitude site (Helanshan) but ended one week later, resulting in an extended growing season at the low-latitude site. Phloem formation preceded cambium activity and xylogenesis at both sites by 24.6 days in Luoshan, which had warmer conditions, and by 17.3 days in Helanshan. In Luoshan, compared to Helanshan, there occurred significantly more enlarging and wall thickening cells, during (relatively wet) June–August, but significantly fewer enlarging and wall thickening cells as well as total xylem cells, during (relatively dry) April–May. Sample trees produced significantly fewer early phloem cells during the early growing season (April–May) in Luoshan, but generated significantly more late phloem cells during the late growing season in Helanshan. Additionally, different trade-offs between xylem and phloem formation were observed at different sites. The longer duration of early phloem formation might have shortened the duration of xylem lignification in Helanshan; in Luoshan, the date that late phloem reached its maximum growth rate was significantly positively correlated with the date when xylem lignification ended. The results revealed the plasticity of xylem and phloem formation under changing environmental conditions and a complex and site-specific relationship between xylem and phloem formation. These findings could help us better understand and predict the future growth of arid and semi-arid forests in China in response to climate change.
Predicting the Habitat Suitability of Melaleuca cajuputi Based on the MaxEnt Species Distribution Model
Authors: Ab Lah Nor Zafirah , Yusop Zulkifli , Hashim Mazlan , Mohd Salim Jamilah , Numata Shinya
Published: October 2021

Gelam tree or Melaleuca cajuputi (M. cajuputi) is an important species for the local economy as well as coastal ecosystem protection in Terengganu, Malaysia. This study aimed at producing a current habitat suitability map and predicting future potential habitat distribution for M. cajuputi in Terengganu based on Species distribution modeling (SDM) using the Maximum Entropy principle. Our modeling results show that for the current potential distribution of M. cajuputi species, only 10.82% (1346.5 km2) of Terengganu area is suitable habitat, which 0.96% of the areas are under high, 2.44% moderate and 7.42% poor habitat suitability. The model prediction for future projection shows that the habitat suitability for M. cajuputi would decrease significantly in the year 2050 under RCP 4.5 where the largest contraction from suitable to unsuitable habitat area is about 442.1 km2 and under RCP 2.6 is the highest expansion from unsuitable to suitable habitat area (267.5 km2). From the future habitat suitability projection, we found that the habitat suitability in Marang would degrade significantly under all climate scenarios, while in Setiu the habitat suitability for M. cajuputi remains stable throughout the climate change scenarios. The modeling prediction shows a significant influence on the soil properties, temperature, and precipitation during monsoon months. These results could benefit conservationist and policymakers for decision making. The present model could also give a perception into potential habitat suitability of M. cajuputi in the future and to improve our understanding of the species’ response under the changing climate.
Lung Clearance Index in Children with Cystic Fibrosis during Pulmonary Exacerbation
Authors: Walicka-Serzysko Katarzyna , Postek Magdalena , Milczewska Justyna , Sands Dorota
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Pulmonary exacerbation (PEx) is one of the main factors affecting the quality of life and life expectancy in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Our study aimed to evaluate the change in selected pulmonary function parameters, including lung clearance index (LCI), in patients with CF diagnosed with PEx. (2) Methods: We enrolled 40 children with CF aged 6–17. They performed spirometry and multiple breath nitrogen washout (MBNW) tests during a stable condition period at the beginning and the end of intravenous antibiotic treatment. (3) Results: LCI increased by 65% and FEV1 decreased by ≥10% in 40% of patients with CF during PEx. An absolute change in LCI between a stable condition period and PEx was 1.05 (±1.92) units, which corresponds to a relative change of 11.48% (±18.61) of the baseline. The relative decrease in FEV1 was −9.22% (±12.00) and the z-score was −0.67 (±1.13). After the PEx treatment, FEV1 increased by 11.05% (±9.04) on average, whereas LCI decreased by 1.21 ± 1.59 units on average, which represented 9.42% ± 11.40 compared to the value at the beginning of PEx. (4) Conclusions: The change in LCI captures a higher proportion of events with functional impairment than FEV1 in school-age children with CF.
Extraction of Value-Added Minerals from Various Agricultural, Industrial and Domestic Wastes
Authors: Yadav Virendra Kumar , Yadav Krishna Kumar , Tirth Vineet , Gnanamoorthy Govindhan , Gupta Nitin , Algahtani Ali , Islam Saiful , Choudhary Nisha , Modi Shreya , Jeon Byong-Hun
Published: October 2021

Environmental pollution is one of the major concerns throughout the world. The rise of industrialization has increased the generation of waste materials, causing environmental degradation and threat to the health of living beings. To overcome this problem and effectively handle waste materials, proper management skills are required. Waste as a whole is not only waste, but it also holds various valuable materials that can be used again. Such useful materials or elements need to be segregated and recovered using sustainable recovery methods. Agricultural waste, industrial waste, and household waste have the potential to generate different value-added products. More specifically, the industrial waste like fly ash, gypsum waste, and red mud can be used for the recovery of alumina, silica, and zeolites. While agricultural waste like rice husks, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut shells can be used for recovery of silica, calcium, and carbon materials. In addition, domestic waste like incense stick ash and eggshell waste that is rich in calcium can be used for the recovery of calcium-related products. In agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors, several raw materials are used; therefore, it is of high economic interest to recover valuable minerals and to process them and convert them into merchandisable products. This will not only decrease environmental pollution, it will also provide an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for materials synthesis. These value-added materials can be used for medicine, cosmetics, electronics, catalysis, and environmental cleanup.
Synthesis and Effect of the Structure of Bithienyl-Terminated Surfactants for Dielectric Layer Modification in Organic Transistor
Authors: Feriancová Lucia , Kmentová Iveta , Micjan Michal , Pavúk Milan , Weis Martin , Putala Martin
Published: October 2021

A series of bithienyl-terminated surfactants with various alkyl chain lengths (from C8 to C13) and phosphono or chlorodimethylsilyl anchoring groups were synthesized by palladium-catalyzed hydrophosphonation, or platinum-catalyzed hydrosilylation as a key step. Surfactants were tested in pentacene or α-sexithiophene-based organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) for the modification of the dielectric surface. The studied surfactants increased the effective mobility of the α-sexithiophene-based device by up to one order of magnitude. The length of alkyl chain showed to be significant for the pentacene-based device, as the effective mobility only increased in the case of dielectric modification with bithienylundecylphosphonic acid. AFM allowed a better understanding of the morphology of semiconductors on bare SiO2 and surfaces treated with bithienylundecylphosphonic acid.
Theoretical Study on Widening Bandwidth of Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester with Nonlinear Characteristics
Authors: Qichang Zhang , Yang Yang , Wei Wang
Published: October 2021

In order to make a piezoelectric vibration energy harvester collect more energy on a broader frequency range, nonlinearity is introduced into the system, allowing the harvester to produce multiple steady states and deflecting the frequency response curve. However, the harvester can easily maintain intra-well motion rather than inter-well motion, which seriously affects its efficiency. The aim of this paper is to analyze how to take full advantage of the nonlinear characteristics to widen the bandwidth of the piezoelectric vibration energy harvester and obtain more energy. The influence of the inter-permanent magnet torque on the bending of the piezoelectric cantilever beam is considered in the theoretical modeling. The approximate analytical solutions of the primary and 1/3 subharmonic resonance of the harvester are obtained by using the complex dynamic frequency (CDF) method so as to compare the energy acquisition effect of the primary resonance and subharmonic resonance, determine the generation conditions of subharmonic resonance, and analyze the effect of primary resonance and subharmonic resonance on broadening the bandwidth of the harvester under different external excitations. The results show that the torque significantly affects the equilibrium point and piezoelectric output of the harvester. The effective frequency band of the bistable nonlinear energy harvester is 270% wider than that of the linear harvester, and the 1/3 subharmonic resonance broadens the band another 92% so that the energy harvester can obtain more than 0.1 mW in the frequency range of 18 Hz. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the influence of torque when modeling. The introduction of nonlinearity can broaden the frequency band of the harvester when it is in primary resonance, and the subharmonic resonance can make the harvester obtain more energy in the global frequency range.
Prevalence of Zinc Deficiency in Healthy 1–3-Year-Old Children from Three Western European Countries
Authors: Vreugdenhil Mirjam , Akkermans Marjolijn D. , van der Merwe Liandré F. , van Elburg Ruurd M. , van Goudoever Johannes B. , Brus Frank
Published: October 2021

Zinc deficiency (ZnD) has adverse health consequences such as stunted growth. Since young children have an increased risk of developing ZnD, it is important to determine its prevalence and associated factors in this population. However, only a few studies have reported on ZnD prevalence in young children from Western high-income countries. This study evaluated ZnD prevalence and associated factors, including dietary Zn intake, in healthy 1–3-year-old children from Western European, high-income countries. ZnD was defined as serum Zn concentration <9.9 µmol/L. A total of 278 children were included with a median age of 1.7 years (Q1–Q3: 1.2–2.3). The median Zn concentration was 11.0 µmol/L (Q1–Q3: 9.0–12.2), and ZnD prevalence was 31.3%. No significant differences were observed in the socio-economic characteristics between children with and without ZnD. Dietary Zn intake was not associated with ZnD. ZnD is common in healthy 1–3-year-old children from Western European countries. However, the use of currently available cut-off values defining ZnD in young children has its limitations since these are largely based on reference values in older children. Moreover, these values were not evaluated in relation to health consequences, warranting further research.
Impact of Fetal Growth Restriction on the Neonatal Microglial Proteome in the Rat
Authors: Zinni Manuela , Pansiot Julien , Colella Marina , Faivre Valérie , Delahaye-Duriez Andrée , Guillonneau François , Bruce Johanna , Salnot Virginie , Mairesse Jérôme , Knoop Marit , Possovre Marie-Laure , Vaiman Daniel , Baud Olivier
Published: October 2021

Microglial activation is a key modulator of brain vulnerability in response to intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). However, the consequences of IUGR on microglial development and the microglial proteome are still unknown. We used a model of IUGR induced by a gestational low-protein diet (LPD) in rats. Microglia, isolated from control and growth-restricted animals at P1 and P4, showed significant changes in the proteome between the two groups. The expression of protein sets associated with fetal growth, inflammation, and the immune response were significantly enriched in LPD microglia at P1 and P4. Interestingly, upregulation of protein sets associated with the oxidative stress response and reactive oxygen species production was observed at P4 but not P1. During development, inflammation-associated proteins were upregulated between P1 and P4 in both control and LPD microglia. By contrast, proteins associated with DNA repair and senescence pathways were upregulated in only LPD microglia. Similarly, protein sets involved in protein retrograde transport were significantly downregulated in only LPD microglia. Overall, these data demonstrate significant and multiple effects of LPD-induced IUGR on the developmental program of microglial cells, leading to an abnormal proteome within the first postnatal days.
Impact of Optimal Timing of Intake of Multi-Ingredient Performance Supplements on Sports Performance, Muscular Damage, and Hormonal Behavior across a Ten-Week Training Camp in Elite Cyclists: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Fernández-Lázaro Diego , Mielgo-Ayuso Juan , del Valle Soto Miguel , Adams David P. , Gutiérrez-Abejón Eduardo , Seco-Calvo Jesús
Published: October 2021

Multi-ingredient performance supplements (MIPS), ingested pre- or post-workout, have been shown to increase physiological level effects and integrated metabolic response on exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of pre-and post-training supplementation with its own MIPS, associated with CHO (1 g·kg−1) plus protein (0.3 g·kg−1) on exercise-related benchmarks across a training camp for elite cyclists. Thirty elite male cyclists participated in a randomized non-placebo-controlled trial for ten weeks assigned to one of three groups (n = 10 each): a control group treated with CHO plus protein after training (CG); a group treated with MIPS before training and a CHO plus protein after training, (PRE-MIPS); a group treated with CHO plus protein plus MIPS after training, (POST-MIPS). Performance parameters included (VO2max, peak; median and minimum power (W) and fatigue index (%)); hormonal response (Cortisol; Testosterone; and Testosterone/Cortisol ratio); and muscle biomarkers (Creatine kinase (CK), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and Myoglobin (Mb)) were assessed. MIPS administered before or after training (p ≤ 0.05) was significantly influential in attenuating CK, LDH, and MB; stimulating T response and modulating C; and improved on all markers of exercise performance. These responses were greater when MIPS was administered post-workout.
Evidence Use in the Development of the Australian Dietary Guidelines: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Wingrove Kate , Lawrence Mark A. , Russell Cherie , McNaughton Sarah A.
Published: October 2021

Dietary guidelines are important nutrition policy reference standards that should be informed by the best available evidence. The types of evidence that are reviewed and the evidence review methods that are used have implications for evidence translation. The aim of this study was to explore perceived advantages, disadvantages, and practicalities associated with the synthesis and translation of evidence from nutrient-based, food-based, and dietary patterns research in dietary guideline development. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with people involved in the development of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs). Transcripts were analysed thematically. To inform future ADGs, there was support for reviewing evidence on a range of dietary exposures (including dietary patterns, foods and food groups, nutrients and food components, and eating occasions) and health outcomes, as well as evidence on environmental sustainability and equity. At the evidence synthesis stage, practicalities associated with planning the evidence review and conducting original systematic reviews were discussed. At the evidence translation stage, practicalities associated with integrating the evidence and consulting stakeholders were described. To ensure that the best available evidence is translated into future ADGs, evidence review methods should be selected based on the exposures and outcomes of interest.
Additive Effects of L-Ornithine on Preferences to Basic Taste Solutions in Mice
Authors: Mizuta Haruno , Kumamoto Natsuko , Ugawa Shinya , Yamamoto Takashi
Published: October 2021

In addition to the taste receptors corresponding to the six basic taste qualities—sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, and fatty—another type of taste receptor, calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), is found in taste-bud cells. CaSR is called the ‘kokumi’ receptor because its agonists increase sweet, salty and umami tastes to induce ‘koku’, a Japanese word meaning the enhancement of flavor characters such as thickness, mouthfulness, and continuity. Koku is an important factor for enhancing food palatability. However, it is not well known whether other kokumi-receptors and substances exist. Here, we show that ornithine (L-ornithine but not D-ornithine) at low concentrations that do not elicit a taste of its own, enhances preferences to sweet, salty, umami, and fat taste solutions in mice. Increased preference to monosodium glutamate (MSG) was the most dominant effect. Antagonists of G-protein-coupled receptor family C group 6 subtype A (GPRC6A) abolished the additive effect of ornithine on MSG solutions. The additive effects of ornithine on taste stimuli are thought to occur in the oral cavity, and are not considered post-oral events because ornithine’s effects were confirmed in a brief-exposure test. Moreover, the additive effects of ornithine and the action of the antagonist were verified in electrophysiological taste nerve responses. Immunohistochemical analysis implied that GPRC6A was expressed in subsets of type II and type III taste cells of mouse circumvallate papillae. These results are in good agreement with those reported for taste modulation involving CaSR and its agonists. The present study suggests that ornithine is a kokumi substance and GPRC6A is a newly identified kokumi receptor.
Human Milk Growth Factors and Their Role in NEC Prevention: A Narrative Review
Authors: York Daniel J. , Smazal Anne L. , Robinson Daniel T. , De Plaen Isabelle G.
Published: October 2021

Growing evidence demonstrates human milk’s protective effect against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Human milk derives these properties from biologically active compounds that influence intestinal growth, barrier function, microvascular development, and immunological maturation. Among these protective compounds are growth factors that are secreted into milk with relatively high concentrations during the early postnatal period, when newborns are most susceptible to NEC. This paper reviews the current knowledge on human milk growth factors and their mechanisms of action relevant to NEC prevention. It will also discuss the stability of these growth factors with human milk pasteurization and their potential for use as supplements to infant formulas with the goal of preventing NEC.
Esophageal Eosinophilia and Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Celiac Children: A Ten Year Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Cristofori Fernanda , D’Abramo Fulvio Salvatore , Rutigliano Vincenzo , Dargenio Vanessa Nadia , Castellaneta Stefania , Piscitelli Domenico , De Benedittis Davide , Indrio Flavia , Raguseo Lidia Celeste , Barone Michele , Francavilla Ruggiero
Published: October 2021

The association between eosinophilic esophagitis and celiac disease is still controversial and its prevalence is highly variable. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of esophageal eosinophilia and eosinophilic esophagitis in a large group of children with celiac disease, prospectively followed over 11 years. Methods: Prospective observational study performed between 2008 and 2019. Celiac disease diagnosis was based on ESPGHAN criteria. At least four esophageal biopsies were sampled in patients who underwent endoscopy. The presence of at least 15 eosinophils/HPF on esophageal biopsies was considered suggestive of esophageal eosinophilia; at the same time, eosinophilic esophagitis was diagnosed according to the International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Results: A total of 465 children (M 42% mean age 7.1 years (range: 1–16)) were diagnosed with celiac disease. Three hundred and seventy patients underwent endoscopy, and esophageal biopsies were available in 313. The prevalence of esophageal eosinophilia in children with celiac disease was 1.6% (95% CI: 0.54–2.9%). Only one child was diagnosed as eosinophilic esophagitis; we calculated a prevalence of 0.3% (95% CI: 0.2–0.5%). The odds ratio for an association between eosinophilic esophagitis and celiac disease was at least 6.5 times higher (95% CI: 0.89–47.7%; p = 0.06) than in the general population. Conclusion: The finding of an increased number of eosinophils (>15/HPF) in celiac patients does not have a clinical implication or warrant intervention, and therefore we do not recommend routine esophageal biopsies unless clinically indicated.
Effects of Inositol-Enhanced Bonded Arginine Silicate Ingestion on Cognitive and Executive Function in Gamers
Authors: Sowinski Ryan , Gonzalez Drew , Xing Dante , Yoo Choongsung , Jenkins Victoria , Nottingham Kay , Dickerson Broderick , Humphries Megan , Leonard Megan , Ko Joungbo , Faries Mark , Kephart Wesley , Rasmussen Christopher J. , Kreider Richard B.
Published: October 2021

Inositol stabilized arginine silicate (ASI) ingestion has been reported to increase nitric oxide levels while inositol (I) has been reported to enhance neurotransmission. The current study examined whether acute ASI + I (Inositol-enhanced bonded arginine silicate) ingestion affects cognitive function in e-sport gamers. In a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, and crossover trial, 26 healthy male (n = 18) and female (n = 8) experienced gamers (23 ± 5 years, 171 ± 11 cm, 71.1 ± 14 kg, 20.7 ± 3.5 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to consume 1600 mg of ASI + I (nooLVL®, Nutrition 21) or 1600 mg of a maltodextrin placebo (PLA). Prior to testing, participants recorded their diet, refrained from consuming atypical amounts of stimulants and foods high in arginine and nitrates, and fasted for 8 h. During testing sessions, participants completed stimulant sensitivity questionnaires and performed cognitive function tests (i.e., Berg-Wisconsin Card Sorting task test, Go/No-Go test, Sternberg Task Test, Psychomotor Vigilance Task Test, Cambridge Brain Sciences Reasoning and Concentration test) and a light reaction test. Participants then ingested treatments in a randomized manner. Fifteen minutes following ingestion, participants repeated tests (Pre-Game). Participants then played their favorite video game for 1-h and repeated the battery of tests (Post-Game). Participants observed a 7–14-day washout period and then replicated the study with the alternative treatment. Data were analyzed by General Linear Model (GLM) univariate analyses with repeated measures using weight as a covariate, paired t-tests (not adjusted to weight), and mean changes from baseline with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Pairwise comparison revealed that there was a significant improvement in Sternberg Mean Present Reaction Time (ASI + I vs. PLA; p < 0.05). In Post-Game assessments, 4-letter Absent Reaction Time (p < 0.05), 6-letter Present Reaction Time (p < 0.01), 6-letter Absent Reaction Time (p < 0.01), Mean Present Reaction Time (p < 0.02), and Mean Absent Reaction Time (p < 0.03) were improved with ASI + I vs. PLA. There was a non-significant trend in Pre-Game Sternberg 4-letter Present Reaction time in ASI + I vs. PLA (p < 0.07). ASI + I ingestion better maintained changes in Go/No-Go Mean Accuracy and Reaction Time, Psychomotor Vigilance Task Reaction Time, and Cambridge Post-Game Visio-spatial Processing and Planning. Results provide evidence that ASI + I ingestion prior to playing video games may enhance some measures of short-term and working memory, reaction time, reasoning, and concentration in experienced gamers.
Evaluation of Gallic Acid-Coated Gold Nanoparticles as an Anti-Aging Ingredient
Authors: Wu Yun-Zhen , Tsai Yen-Yu , Chang Long-Sen , Chen Ying-Jung
Published: October 2021

Hyperglycemic environment-induced oxidative stress-mediated matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) plays a crucial role in the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which might contribute to premature skin aging. Synthesized, environmentally friendly gallic acid-coated gold nanoparticles (GA–AuNPs) have been evaluated as an anti-aging antioxidant. Their microstructure was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which showed that GA–AuNPs are spherical when prepared at pH 11. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed that the average hydrodynamic diameter of a GA–AuNP is approximately 40 nm and with a zeta potential of −49.63 ± 2.11 mV. Additionally, the present data showed that GA–AuNPs have a superior ability to inhibit high glucose-mediated MMP-1-elicited type I collagen degradation in dermal fibroblast cells. Collectively, our data indicated that high-glucose-mediated ROS production was reduced upon cell treatment with GA–AuNPs, which blocked p38 MAPK/ERK-mediated c-Jun, c-Fos, ATF-2 phosphorylation, and the phosphorylation of NFκB, leading to the down-regulation of MMP-1 mRNA and protein expression in high glucose-treated cells. Our findings suggest that GA-AuNPs have a superior ability to inhibit high-glucose-mediated MMP-1-elicited ECM degradation, which highlights its potential as an anti-aging ingredient.
An Efficient and Robust Framework for Hyperspectral Anomaly Detection
Authors: Tang Linbo , Li Zhen , Wang Wenzheng , Zhao Baojun , Pan Yu , Tian Yibing
Published: October 2021

Hyperspectral images contain distinguishing spectral information and show great potential in the anomaly detection (AD) task which aims to extract discrepant targets from the background. However, most of the popular hyperspectral AD techniques are time consuming and suffer from poor detection performance due to noise disturbance. To address these issues, we propose an efficient and robust AD method for hyperspectral images. In our framework, principal component analysis (PCA) is adopted for spectral dimensionality reduction and to enhance the anti-noise ability. An improved guided filter with edge weight is constructed to purify the background and highlight the potential anomalies. Moreover, a diagonal matrix operation is designed to quickly accumulate the energy of each pixel and efficiently locate the abnormal targets. Extensive experiments conducted on the real-world hyperspectral datasets qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrate that, compared with the existing state-of-the-art approaches, the proposed method achieves higher detection accuracy with faster detection speed which verifies the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Detecting the Complex Relationships and Driving Mechanisms of Key Ecosystem Services in the Central Urban Area Chongqing Municipality, China
Authors: Wang Fang , Yuan Xingzhong , Zhou Lilei , Liu Shuangshuang , Zhang Mengjie , Zhang Dan
Published: October 2021

Ecosystem services (ESs) are highly vulnerable to human activities. Understanding the relationships among multiple ESs and driving mechanisms are crucial for multi-objective management in complex social-ecological systems. The goals of this study are to quantitatively evaluate and identify ESs hotspots, explore the relationships among ESs and elucidate the driving mechanisms. Taking central urban area Chongqing municipality as the study area, biodiversity (BI), carbon fixation (CF), soil conservation (SC) and water conservation (WC) were evaluated based on the InVEST model and ESs hotspots were identified. The complex interactions among multiple ESs were determined by utilizing multiple methods: spearman correlation analysis, bivariate local spatial autocorrelation and K-means clustering. The linear or nonlinear relationships between ESs and drivers were discussed by generalized additive models (GAMs). The results showed that during 2000–2018, except for CF that exhibited no obvious change, all other ESs showed a decrease tendency. High ESs were clustered in mountains, while ESs in urban areas were lowest. At administrative districts scale, ESs were relatively higher in Beibei, Banan and Yubei, and drastically decreased in Jiangbei. Multiple ES hotspots demonstrated clear spatial heterogeneity, which were mainly composed of forestland and distributed in mountainous areas with high altitude and steep slope. The relationships between ES pairs were synergistic at the entire scale. However, at grid scale, the synergies were mainly concentrated in the high-high and low-low clusters, i.e., mountainous areas and urban central areas. Five ESs bundles presented the interactions among multiple ESs, which showed well correspondence with social-ecological conditions. GAMs indicated that forestland and grassland had positive impact on BI and CF. Additionally, SC was mainly determined by geomorphological factors, while WC were mainly influenced by precipitation. Furthermore, policy factors were confirmed to have a certain positive effect on ESs. This study provides credible references for ecosystem management and urban planning.
Multitemporal and Multisensor InSAR Analysis for Ground Displacement Field Assessment at Ischia Volcanic Island (Italy)
Authors: Beccaro Lisa , Tolomei Cristiano , Gianardi Roberto , Sepe Vincenzo , Bisson Marina , Colini Laura , De Ritis Riccardo , Spinetti Claudia
Published: October 2021

Volcanic islands are often affected by ground displacement such as slope instability, due to their peculiar morphology. This is the case of Ischia Island (Naples, Italy) dominated by the Mt. Epomeo (787 m a.s.l.), a volcano-tectonic horst located in the central portion of the island. This study aims to follow a long temporal evolution of ground deformations on the island through the interferometric analysis of satellite SAR data. Different datasets, acquired during Envisat, COSMO-SkyMed and Sentinel-1 satellite missions, are for the first time processed in order to obtain the island ground deformations during a time interval spanning 17 years, from November 2002 to December 2019. In detail, the multitemporal differential interferometry technique, named small baseline subset, is applied to produce the ground displacement maps and the associated displacement time series. The results, validated through the analysis and the comparison with a set of GPS measurements, show that the northwestern side of Mt. Epomeo is the sector of the island characterized by the highest subsidence movements (maximum vertical displacement of 218 mm) with velocities ranging from 10 to 20 mm/yr. Finally, the displacement time series allow us to correlate the measured ground deformations with the seismic swarm started with the Mw 3.9 earthquake that occurred on 21 August 2017. Such correlations highlight an acceleration of the ground, following the mainshock, characterized by a subsidence displacement rate of 0.12 mm/day that returned to pre-earthquake levels (0.03 mm/day) after 6 months from the event.
A Remote Sensing Approach for Surface Urban Heat Island Modeling in a Tropical Colombian City Using Regression Analysis and Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Garzón Julián , Molina Iñigo , Velasco Jesús , Calabia Andrés
Published: October 2021

The Surface Urban Heat Islands (SUHI) phenomenon has adverse environmental consequences on human activities, biophysical and ecological systems. In this study, Land Surface Temperature (LST) from Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellites is used to investigate the contribution of potential factors that generate the SUHI phenomenon. We employ Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) techniques to model the main temporal and spatial SUHI patterns of Cartago, Colombia, for the period 2001–2020. We test and evaluate the performance of three different emissivity models to retrieve LST. The fractional vegetation cover model using Sentinel-2 data provides the best results with R2 = 0.78, while the ASTER Global Emissivity Dataset v3 and the land surface emissivity model provide R2 = 0.27 and R2 = 0.26, respectively. Our SUHI model reveals that the factors with the highest impact are the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the Normalized Difference Build-up Index (NDBI). Furthermore, we incorporate a weighted Naïve Bayes Machine Learning (NBML) algorithm to identify areas prone to extreme temperatures that can be used to define and apply normative actions to mitigate the negative consequences of SUHI. Our NBML approach demonstrates the suitability of the new SUHI model with uncertainty within 95%, against the 88% given by the Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach.
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Geologic Hazards in Shaanxi Province
Authors: Liang Shizhengxiong , Chen Dong , Li Donghuan , Qi Youcun , Zhao Zhanfeng
Published: October 2021

The spatio-temporal distribution of geological hazards, including collapses, landslides, and debris flows, in Shaanxi province, China was studied based on data from 1951 to 2018. The potential impact factors, including the geomorphologic types, rivers, roads, rainfall, and earthquakes, were analyzed using Random Forests. The results indicated that most hazards occurred in summer (i.e., July–September) and were triggered by rainstorms. The freeze–thaw effect had a considerable contribution to hazards in the north. Spatially, most hazards in the north occurred in valley terraces of the Loess Plateau, while medium-relief terrane (relief ranged from 500 to 1000 m) in the southern Qinling Mountains were hazard-prone areas. The collapses and landslides were mainly affected by human factors in Northern Shaanxi, whereas in Southern Shaanxi geomorphology was the primary factor. Permeability was a dominant factor for debris flows. In addition, the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake had a remarkable influence on the spatial distribution of hazards. In contrast, for the situation in the Sichuan province, which was close to the earthquake epicenter, the Wenchuan earthquake triggered many collapse and landslide events in the southwest regions of Shaanxi province only on 12 May 2008. The thresholds for the three hazard types in the north and south regions were almost the same despite their distinctly different geologic characteristics. Through a sensitivity analysis, we found an appropriate dry period of 12 h for the area.
A Low-Cost, Easy-Way Workflow for Multi-Scale Archaeological Features Detection Combining LiDAR and Aerial Orthophotography
Authors: Ortiz-Villarejo Antonio J. , Gutiérrez Soler Luís-M.
Published: October 2021

The difficulty of obtaining funding often places the continuity of research projects at risk, forcing researchers to resort to low-cost methodologies. Such methodologies sometimes require a high degree of technical knowledge which, in many cases, poses an insurmountable obstacle to the development of a project. This article shows a low-cost, easy-way methodology for diachronically analysing terrain in search of archaeological evidence on different scales (micro and semi-micro) in both already known and new archaeological sites through the analysis of orthophotographs taken with UAVs, the DEMs generated from them, and public LiDAR data. It allows researchers with small budgets but with a basic knowledge of GIS and photogrammetry to undertake some aspects of their project without necessarily having to call on the assistance or support of specialists. Thanks to this methodology, the researcher will be able to continue until they are able to obtain the funding that will enable them to take their research further, with specialists. This article presents the first conclusions obtained after applying the proposed methodology at the Giribaile (Vilches, Spain) archaeological site—a site of interest in its territory which possibly functioned as an advance defensive post for the town, a hypothesis based on the towers and numerous internal structures that have been identified.
Accuracy Evaluation on Geolocation of the Chinese First Polar Microsatellite (Ice Pathfinder) Imagery
Authors: Zhang Ying , Chi Zhaohui , Hui Fengming , Li Teng , Liu Xuying , Zhang Baogang , Cheng Xiao , Chen Zhuoqi
Published: October 2021

Ice Pathfinder (Code: BNU-1), launched on 12 September 2019, is the first Chinese polar observation microsatellite. Its main payload is a wide-view camera with a ground resolution of 74 m at the subsatellite point and a scanning width of 744 km. BNU-1 takes into account the balance between spatial resolution and revisit frequency, providing observations with finer spatial resolution than Terra/Aqua MODIS data and more frequent revisits than Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2 MSI. It is a valuable supplement for polar observations. Geolocation is an essential step in satellite image processing. This study aims to geolocate BNU-1 images; this includes two steps. For the first step, a geometric calibration model is applied to transform the image coordinates to geographic coordinates. The images calibrated by the geometric model are the Level1A (L1A) product. Due to the inaccuracy of satellite attitude and orbit parameters, the geometric calibration model also exhibits errors, resulting in geolocation errors in the BNU-1 L1A product. Then, a geometric correction method is applied as the second step to find the control points (CPs) extracted from the BNU-1 L1A product and the corresponding MODIS images. These CPs are used to estimate and correct geolocation errors. The BNU-1 L1A product corrected by the geometric correction method is processed to the Level1B (L1B) product. Although the geometric correction method based on CPs has been widely used to correct the geolocation errors of visible remote sensing images, it is difficult to extract enough CPs from polar images due to the high reflectance of snow and ice. In this study, the geometric correction employs an image division and an image enhancement method to extract more CPs from the BNU-1 L1A products. The results indicate that the number of CPs extracted by the division and image enhancements increases by about 30% to 182%. Twenty-eight images of Antarctica and fifteen images of Arctic regions were evaluated to assess the performance of the geometric correction. The average geolocation error was reduced from 10 km to ~300 m. In general, this study presents the geolocation method, which could serve as a reference for the geolocation of other visible remote sensing images for polar observations.
A NIRS-Aided Methodology to Elucidate the Nutrition of the Endangered Mountain Gazelle (Gazella gazella) Using Samples of Rumen Contents from Roadkills
Authors: Arnon Amir , Landau Serge Yan , Izhaki Ido , Malkinson Dan , Levy-Paz Yaniv , Deutch-Traubman Tova , Voet Hillary , Segev Ori , Dovrat Guy
Published: October 2021

The populations of the endangered mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella), which inhabit large parts of Israel, across various ecosystems and climatic conditions, shrunk drastically over the last decades. To date, data on gazelle nutrition, how these relate with individual characteristics and respond to seasonal and environmental changes, have not been available. We analyzed 110 samples from gazelle rumen contents collected throughout the country from occasional fatalities, mainly roadkills, and tested the feasibility of using them for near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) calibrations. Although NIR calibrations for crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility, and ash were reasonable, we found that using calibrations based on local forage and feed plant species performed better, and used these to estimate several nutritional constituents in gazelle rumens, using NIRS. We tested how constituents relate to the sex, age-class, and weight of the individual gazelle, and to season and ecosystem type, and found that season plays a major role in gazelle nutrition. Winter is the most propitious season, when crude protein, ash and digestibility are highest, and acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio are lowest. Autumn, being the harshest season, mirrors winter conditions, and summer and spring show intermediate levels. Yet the relative changes between seasons were mild: about 30%, for crude protein, digestibility, and ash, and 14–22% for ADF, NDF, and C:N ratio. Ecosystem type affected several constituents, and nutrition was slightly better in Mediterranean than in dry ecosystems. Gazelle sex, weight, and age-class had minor effects on nutrition. Overall, it seems that the adaptation of gazelles to their environment is germane to keeping relatively steady nutrition throughout the year. Our results, which do not show a dramatic decline in the quality of gazelle nutrition during any season or among the climatic regions that were studied, suggest that nutrition is not a major driver of the survival of gazelles in the populations surveyed.
Effectiveness of Health Promotion Strategies on Malaria Preventive Behaviors in Woyla Public Health Centers (Puskesmas)
Authors: Duana Maiza , Fera Dian , Nabela Danvil , Herlambang Tri Mulyono , Anasril Anasril
Published: October 2021

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by intracellular obligate protozoa of the genus Plasmodium. The disease is naturally transmitted through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. West Aceh Regency Is a district with a high incidence of malaria. West Aceh regency ranks second only to Aceh Jaya in terms of the number of malaria sufferers. West Aceh district is also not included in the 14 districts that have been certified for malaria elimination in Aceh Province in 2016. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of health promotion strategies against changes in people's behaviour in preventing malaria in the East Woyla Subdistrict. This type of research is an experimental study with participatory action research (PAR) design, which is a process where researchers and participants systematically dig and solve problems. The population in this study were all community leaders, health workers, health cadres, and the entire community in East Woyla Subdistrict. A sample of 44 people. The sampling method in this study uses a random sampling quota method. Samples will represent each village in East Woyla Sub-district according to the proportion of the population in each village. The results showed that the Health Promotion strategy effectively changed people's behaviour in malaria prevention efforts. The statistical test results showed the value of Z-score = 5,781 (Z-score > 1.96), and p-value = 0.000 (p<0.05). So it can be decided that the community's health promotion strategy is effective against malaria prevention behaviour. It is recommended that the East Woyla Health Center implement a comprehensive and continuous health promotion strategy for the common goal of achieving malaria elimination in its working area of public health.
Analisis Peran Public Relations Dalam Membentuk Citra Hotel Ra Premiere Simatupang Melalui Kampanye “We Act”
Authors: Sukmananda Febrilian Aulia , Panindriya Sri Tunggul
Published: October 2021

Industri perhotelan kini mengalami peningkatan yang cukup signifikan. Salah satu hotel yang berdiri tahun 2017, berkonsep “eco friendly hotel” adalah Hotel Ra Premiere Simatupang. Peneliti menganalisa “Peran Public Relations dalam Membentuk Citra Hotel Ra Premiere Simatupang melalui Kampanye “We Act”” menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan wawancara. Data dilengkapi dengan data sekunder dari penelitian sebelumnya, arsip, serta berita terkait dengan topik penelitian. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui peran public relations dalam membentuk citra Hotel Ra Premiere Simatupang di mata para tamu melalui Kampanye Public Relations “We Act”. Penelitian ini juga menggunakan teori peran public relations oleh Ruslan, dengan menghasilkan peran sebagai communicator, membina relationship, sebagai backup management, sebagai corporate image. Hambatan yang ditemukan peran public relations yaitu kurangnya intensitas terhadap publik internal. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa public relations memiliki peran penting dan sudah menjalani perannya sesuai dengan teori yang digunakan untuk membentuk citra Hotel Ra Premiere Simatupang.