bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Calcium Intake in Elderly Australian Women Is Inadequate
Authors: Meng Xingqiong , Kerr Deborah A. , Zhu Kun , Devine Amanda , Solah Vicky , Binns Colin W. , Prince Richard L.
Published: September 2010

The role of calcium in the prevention of bone loss in later life has been well established but little data exist on the adequacy of calcium intakes in elderly Australian women. The aim of this study was to compare the dietary intake including calcium of elderly Australian women with the Australian dietary recommendation, and to investigate the prevalence of calcium supplement use in this population. Community-dwelling women aged 70–80 years were randomly recruited using the Electoral Roll for a 2-year protein intervention study in Western Australia. Dietary intake was assessed at baseline by a 3-day weighed food record and analysed for energy, calcium and other nutrients. A total of 218 women were included in the analysis. Mean energy intake was 7,140 ± 1,518 kJ/day and protein provided 19 ± 4% of energy. Mean dietary calcium intake was 852 ± 298 mg/day, which is below Australian recommendations. Less than one quarter of women reported taking calcium supplements and only 3% reported taking vitamin D supplements. Calcium supplements by average provided calcium 122 ± 427 mg/day and when this was taken into account, total calcium intake increased to 955 ± 504 mg/day, which remained 13% lower than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR, 1,100 mg/day) for women of this age group. The women taking calcium supplements had a higher calcium intake (1501 ± 573 mg) compared with the women on diet alone (813 ± 347 mg). The results of this study indicate that the majority of elderly women were not meeting their calcium requirements from diet alone. In order to achieve the recommended dietary calcium intake, better strategies for promoting increased calcium, from both diet and calcium supplements appears to be needed.
Antiepileptic Drug Discovery and Development: What Have We Learned and Where Are We Going?
Authors: Gerlach Aaron C. , Krajewski Jeffrey L.
Published: September 2010

Current marketed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) consist of a variety of structural classes with different mechanisms of action. These agents typically have non-overlapping efficacy and side-effect profiles presenting multiple treatment options for the patient population. However, approximately 30% of seizure sufferers fail to respond to current therapies often because poorly tolerated side-effects limit adequate dosing. The scope of this review is to summarize selected advances in 2nd and 3rd generation AEDs as well as compounds in development with novel mechanisms of action.
Antifungal Properties of Chenopodium ambrosioides Essential Oil Against Candida Species
Authors: Chekem Marie Stéphanie Goka , Lunga Paul Keilah , Tamokou Jean De Dieu , Kuiate Jules Roger , Tane Pierre , Vilarem Gerard , Cerny Muriel
Published: September 2010

The essential oil of the aerial part (leaves, flowers and stem) of Chenopodium ambrosioides was obtained by hydrodistillation and its chemical composition analyzed by GC and GC/MS, which permitted the identification of 14 components, representing 98.8% of the total oil. Major components were α-terpinene (51.3%), p-cymene (23.4%) and p-mentha-1,8-diène (15.3%). The antifungal properties of this essential oil were investigated in vitro by the well diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The in vitro antifungal activity was concentration dependent and minimum inhibitory concentration values varied from 0.25 to 2 mg/mL. The in vivo antifungal activity was evaluated on an induced vaginal candidiasis rat model. The in vivo activity of the oil on mice vaginal candidiasis was not dose-dependent. Indeed, all the three tested doses; 0.1%, 1% and 10% led to the recovery of mice from the induced infection after 12 days of treatment. The effect of the essential oil on C. albicans ATCC 1663 fatty acid profile was studied. This oil has a relatively important dose-dependent effect on the fatty acids profile.
From Fertilisation to Implantation in Mammalian Pregnancy—Modulation of Early Human Reproduction by the Endocannabinoid System
Authors: Bambang Katerina N. , Karasu Tulay , Gebeh Alpha , Taylor Anthony H. , Marczylo Timothy H. , Lam Patricia , Willets Jonathon M. , Konje Justin C.
Published: September 2010

There is an increasing recognition that the endocannabinoid system is the crucial cytokine-hormone system regulating early human pregnancy. The synchronous development of the fertilized embryo and the endometrium to ensure timely implantation has been shown to be one of the pivotal steps to successful implantation. This development is thought to be regulated by a finely balanced relationship between various components of the endocannabinoid system in the endometrium, the embryo and the Fallopian tube. In addition, this system has also been shown to be involved in the regulation of the development and maturation of the gametes prior to fertilization. In this review, we will examine the evidence from animal and human studies to support the role of the endocannabinoid system in gametogenesis, fertilization, implantation, early pregnancy maintenance, and in immunomodulation of pregnancy. We will discuss the role of the cannabinoid receptors and the enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation of the key endocannabinoid ligands (e.g., anandamide and 2-arachinoylglycerol) in early reproduction.
Mechanisms of Broad-Spectrum Antiemetic Efficacy of Cannabinoids against Chemotherapy-Induced Acute and Delayed Vomiting
Authors: Darmani Nissar A.
Published: September 2010

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a complex pathophysiological condition and consists of two phases. The conventional CINV neurotransmitter hypothesis suggests that the immediate phase is mainly due to release of serotonin (5-HT) from the enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), while the delayed phase is a consequence of release of substance P (SP) in the brainstem. However, more recent findings argue against this simplistic neurotransmitter and anatomical view of CINV. Revision of the hypothesis advocates a more complex, differential and overlapping involvement of several emetic neurotransmitters/modulators (e.g. dopamine, serotonin, substance P, prostaglandins and related arachidonic acid derived metabolites) in both phases of emesis occurring concomitantly in the brainstem and in the GIT enteric nervous system (ENS) [1]. No single antiemetic is currently available to completely prevent both phases of CINV. The standard antiemetic regimens include a 5-HT3 antagonist plus dexamethasone for the prevention of acute emetic phase, combined with an NK1 receptor antagonist (e.g. aprepitant) for the delayed phase. Although NK1 antagonists behave in animals as broad-spectrum antiemetics against different emetogens including cisplatin-induced acute and delayed vomiting, by themselves they are not very effective against CINV in cancer patients. Cannabinoids such as D9-THC also behave as broad-spectrum antiemetics against diverse emetic stimuli as well as being effective against both phases of CINV in animals and patients. Potential side effects may limit the clinical utility of direct-acting cannabinoid agonists which could be avoided by the use of corresponding indirect-acting agonists. Cannabinoids (both phyto-derived and synthetic) behave as agonist antiemetics via the activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in both the brainstem and the ENS emetic loci. An endocannabinoid antiemetic tone may exist since inverse CB1 agonists (but not the corresponding silent antagonists) cause nausea and vomiting.
The Art of Managing Conversions between Antiepileptic Drugs: Maximizing Patient Tolerability and Quality of Life
Authors: Louis Erik K. St.
Published: September 2010

Conversion between anti-epilectic drugs (AEDs) is frequently necessary in epilepsy care, exposing patients to a risk of incurring adverse effects and reduced quality of life. Little practical guidance is available to practitioners to guide conversions between AED monotherapies, or in adding a new adjunctive AED into a polytherapy regimen. This article reviews the impact of adverse effects of AEDs on quality of life in epilepsy patients, then reviews several important patient-related factors such as age, gender, medical and psychiatric co-morbidities, and co-medications that must be considered when selecting AEDs and ensuring tolerable and safe AED conversions. Practical strategies for transitional polytherapy AED conversion are then considered in different commonly encountered clinical scenarios in newly diagnosed and refractory epilepsy care, including inadequate seizure control, intolerable adverse effects, or idiosyncratic safety hazards. Successful conversion between AEDs requires regular monitoring for patient-reported adverse effects and appropriately reactive adjustment of AED therapy to maximize patient quality of life.
Tissue Engineering of Cartilage; Can Cannabinoids Help?
Authors: Gowran Aoife , McKayed Katey , Kanichai Manoj , White Cillian , Hammadi Nissrin , Campbell Veronica
Published: September 2010

This review discusses the role of the cannabinoid system in cartilage tissue and endeavors to establish if targeting the cannabinoid system has potential in mesenchymal stem cell based tissue-engineered cartilage repair strategies. The review discusses the potential of cannabinoids to protect against the degradation of cartilage in inflamed arthritic joints and the influence of cannabinoids on the chondrocyte precursors, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We provide experimental evidence to show that activation of the cannabinoid system enhances the survival, migration and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs, which are three major tenets behind the success of a cell-based tissue-engineered cartilage repair strategy. These findings highlight the potential for cannabinoids to provide a dual function by acting as anti-inflammatory agents as well as regulators of MSC biology in order to enhance tissue engineering strategies aimed at cartilage repair.
The Use of Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs) for the Treatment of Pediatric Aggression and Mood Disorders
Authors: Munshi Kaizad R. , Oken Tanya , Guild Danielle J. , Trivedi Harsh K. , Wang Betty C. , Ducharme Peter , Gonzalez-Heydrich Joseph
Published: September 2010

Aggressive symptomatology presents across multiple psychiatric, developmental, neurological and behavioral disorders, complicating the diagnosis and treatment of the underlying pathology. Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AEDs) have become an appealing alternative in the treatment of aggression, mood lability and impulsivity in adult and pediatric populations, although few controlled trials have explored their efficacy in treating pediatric populations. This review of the literature synthesizes the available data on ten AEDs – valproate, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, lamotrigine, topiramate, levetiracetam, zonisamide, gabapentin and tiagabine – in an attempt to assess evidence for the efficacy of AEDs in the treatment of aggression in pediatric populations. Our review revealed modest evidence that some of the AEDs produced improvement in pediatric aggression, but controlled trials in pediatric bipolar disorder have not been promising. Valproate is the best supported AED for aggression and should be considered as a first line of treatment. When monotherapy is insufficient, combining an AED with either lithium or an atypical anti-psychotic can result in better efficacy. Additionally, our review indicates that medications with predominately GABA-ergic mechanisms of action are not effective in treating aggression, and medications which decrease glutaminergic transmission tended to have more cognitive adverse effects. Agents with multiple mechanisms of action may be more effective.
Oral Hypoglycemic Drugs: Pathophysiological Basis of Their Mechanism of ActionOral Hypoglycemic Drugs: Pathophysiological Basis of Their Mechanism of Action
Authors: Lorenzati Bartolomeo , Zucco Chiara , Miglietta Sara , Lamberti Federico , Bruno Graziella
Published: September 2010

Type 2 diabetes is a syndrome characterized by relative insulin deficiency, insulin resistance and increased hepatic glucose output. Medications used to treat the disease are designed to correct one or more of these metabolic abnormalities. Current recommendations of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) include diet and exercise as first-line therapy plus hypoglycemic drugs. Actually there are seven distinct classes of anti-hyperglicemic agents, each of them displaying unique pharmacologic properties. The aim of this review is to describe the pathophysiological basis of their mechanism of action, a necessary step to individualize treatment of diabetic people, taking into proper consideration potential benefits and secondary effects of drugs.
Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacogenomic Differences between Adults and Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
Authors: Marfo Kwaku , Altshuler Jerry , Lu Amy
Published: September 2010

Tacrolimus is a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant that has seen considerable use in both adult and pediatric solid organ transplant recipients. Though there is much pharmacokinetic data available for tacrolimus in the adult population, the literature available for children is limited. Furthermore, very little is known about the pharmacogenomic differences in the two patient groups. Based on what information is currently available, clinically significant differences may exist between the two populations in terms of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. In addition, inherent physiological differences exist in the young child including: less effective plasma binding proteins, altered expression of intestinal P-glycoprotein, and increased expression of phase 1 metabolizing enzymes, therefore one would expect to see clinically significant differences when administering tacrolimus to a child. This paper examines available literature in an attempt to summarize the potential pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenomic variability that exists between the two populations.
Expression of Drug-Resistant Factor Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy with Platinum Complex by Arterial Infusion
Authors: Sakurada Tomoya , Yoshikawa Masaharu , Sunaga Masahiko , Kobayashi Eriko , Satoh Nobunori , Yokosuka Osamu , Ueda Shiro
Published: September 2010

This study investigated gene expression of drug resistance factors in biopsy tissue samples from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing chemotherapy by platinum complex. Liver biopsy was performed to collect tissue from the tumor site (T) and the non-tumor site (NT) prior to the start of treatment. For drug-resistant factors, drug excretion transporters cMOAT and MDR-1, intracellular metal binding protein MT2, DNA repair enzyme ERCC-l and inter-nucleic cell transport protein MVP, were investigated. The comparison of the expression between T and NT indicated a significant decrease of MT2 and MDR-1 in T while a significant increase in ERCC-1 was noted in T. Further, expression was compared between the response cases and non-response cases using the ratios of expression in T to those in NT. The response rate was significantly low in the high expression group when the cutoff value of cMOAT and MT2 was set at 1.5 and 1.0, respectively. Furthermore, when the patients were classified into A group (cMOAT ≧ 1.5 or MT2 ≧ 1.0) and B group (cMOAT < 1.5 and MT2 < 1.0), the response rate of A group was significantly lower than B group when we combined the cutoff values of cMOAT and MT2. It is considered possible to estimate the therapeutic effect of platinum complex at a high probability by combining the expression condition of these two genes.
The Use of Polymers in the Treatment of Retinal Detachment: Current Trends and Future Perspectives
Authors: Baino Francesco
Published: September 2010

Procedures for the treatment of retinal detachment and related conditions have been successfully improved upon in recent years thanks to the advent of new therapies and biomaterials. This review, after giving an overview on eye structure and function, focuses on the treatment of retinal detachment and examines the role and features of the materials used in vitreoretinal surgery, emphasizing scleral buckling and short-term/long-term vitreous tamponade. Specifically, the limitations of existing biomaterials are underlined, based on experimental studies and with particular reference to cells/material interactions. Finally, current and future trends of biomaterials’ research in the field of vitreoretinal surgery are considered and discussed.
Flood Risk Mapping Using LiDAR for Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: Webster Tim L.
Published: September 2010

A significant portion of the Canadian Maritime coastline has been surveyed with airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). The purpose of these surveys has been to map the risk of flooding from storm surges and projected long-term sea‑level rise from climate change and to include projects in all three Maritime Provinces: Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. LiDAR provides the required details in order to map the flood inundation from 1 to 2 m storm surge events, which cause coastal flooding in many locations in this region when they occur at high tide levels. The community of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, adjacent to the Bay of Fundy, has been surveyed with LiDAR and a 1 m DEM (Digital Elevation Model) was constructed for the flood inundation mapping. Validation of the LiDAR using survey grade GPS indicates a vertical accuracy better than 30 cm. A benchmark storm, known as the Groundhog Day storm (February 1–3, 1976), was used to assess the flood maps and to illustrate the effects of different sea-level rise projections based on climate change scenarios if it were to re-occur in 100 years time. Near shore bathymetry has been merged with the LiDAR and local wind observations used to model the impact of significant waves during this benchmark storm. Long-term (ca. greater than 30 years) time series of water level observations from across the Bay of Fundy in Saint John, New Brunswick, have been used to estimate return periods of water levels under present and future sea-level rise conditions. Results indicate that under current sea-level rise conditions this storm has a 66 year return period. With a modest relative sea-level (RSL) rise of 80 cm/century this decreases to 44 years and, with a possible upper limit rise of 220 cm/century, this decreases further to 22 years. Due to the uncertainty of climate change scenarios and sea-level rise, flood inundation maps have been constructed at 10 cm increments up to the 9 m contour which represents an upper flood limit estimate in 100 years, based on the highest predicted tide, plus a 2 m storm surge and a RSL of 220 cm/century.
Terrain Segmentation of Egypt from Multi-Temporal Night LST Imagery and Elevation Data
Authors: Miliaresis George , Partsinevelos Panagiotis
Published: September 2010

Monthly night averaged land surface temperature (LST) MODIS imagery was analyzed throughout a year-period (2006), in an attempt to segment the terrain of Egypt into regions with different LST seasonal variability, and represent them parametrically. Regions with distinct spatial and temporal LST patterns were outlined using several clustering techniques capturing aspects of spatial, temporal and temperature homogeneity or differentiation. Segmentation was supplemented, taking into consideration elevation, morphological features and landcover information. The northern coastal region along the Mediterranean Sea occupied by lowland plain areas corresponds to the coolest clusters indicating a latitude/elevation dependency of seasonal LST variability. On the other hand, for the inland regions, elevation and terrain dissection plays a key role in LST seasonal variability, while an east to west variability of clusters’ spatial distribution is evident. Finally, elevation biased clustering revealed annual LST differences among the regions with the same physiographic/terrain characteristics. Thermal terrain segmentation outlined the temporal variation of LST during 2006, as well as the spatial distribution of LST zones.
On the Critical Behaviour of Observed and Simulated Spatial Soil Moisture Fields during SGP97
Authors: Laguardia Giovanni , Di Domenico Antonella , Gebremichael Mekonnen
Published: September 2010

The aircraft-based ESTAR soil moisture fields from the Southern Great Plains 1997 (SGP97) Hydrology Experiment are compared to the simulated ones obtained by Bertoldi et al. [1] with the GEOtop model [2], with a particular focus on their capability in capturing the critical point behaviour in their space-time dynamics (see [3]). The critical point behaviour should denote the transition of soil moisture spatial patterns from an unorganized to organized appearance, as conditions become wetter. The study region is the Little Washita watershed, located in the southwest Oklahoma, in the Southern Great Plains region of the USA. The case study takes place from June 27 to July 16 and encompasses wetting and drying cycles allowing for exploring the behaviour under transient conditions. Results show that the critical probability value is 0.85 for GEOtop, and 0.80 for ESTAR. The GEOtop patterns appear more fragmented, being more reluctant to organization, as confirmed by the higher value of critical probability. Such behaviour is probably inherited by the model’s parameterization: land use and soil classes impose additional spatial structures to those related to the meteorological forcings and the hillslope morphology, driving to higher degrees of heterogeneity.
Building Damage Estimation by Integration of Seismic Intensity Information and Satellite L-band SAR Imagery
Authors: Matsuoka Masashi , Nojima Nobuoto
Published: September 2010

For a quick and stable estimation of earthquake damaged buildings worldwide, using Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) loaded on the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) satellite, a model combining the usage of satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)-scale seismic intensity is proposed. In order to expand the existing C-band SAR based damage estimation model into L-band SAR, this paper rebuilds a likelihood function for severe damage ratio, on the basis of dataset from Japanese Earth Resource Satellite-1 (JERS-1)/SAR (L-band SAR) images observed during the 1995 Kobe earthquake and its detailed ground truth data. The model which integrates the fragility functions of building damage in terms of seismic intensity and the proposed likelihood function is then applied to PALSAR images taken over the areas affected by the 2007 earthquake in Pisco, Peru. The accuracy of the proposed damage estimation model is examined by comparing the results of the analyses with field investigations and/or interpretation of high-resolution satellite images.
Determination of Backscatter-Extinction Coefficient Ratio for LIDAR-Retrieved Aerosol Optical Depth Based on Sunphotometer Data
Authors: Chan Pak Wai
Published: September 2010

Backscattered power data from the Doppler LIght Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) systems at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) could be used to obtain the extinction coefficient of the troposphere by combining with the meteorological optical range (MOR) data from the nearby forward scatter sensor. The Range-height Indicator (RHI) scan of the LIDAR is then utilized to derive the vertical profile of extinction coefficient, which is integrated with height to obtain the aerosol optical depth (AOD). In the retrieval of extinction coefficient profile, there is a power exponent of unknown value relating the backscattered power and the extinction coefficient. This exponent (called the backscatter-extinction coefficient ratio) depends on the optical properties of the aerosol in the air, and is normally assumed to be 1. In the present study, the value of this ratio is established by comparing the AOD measurements by a hand-held sunphotometer and the LIDAR-based AOD estimate in one winter (October 2008 to January 2009), which is the season with the largest number of haze episodes, and one summer-winter-spring period of the following year (July 2009 to May 2010) at HKIA. It is found to be about 1.4. The sensitivity of extinction coefficient profile to the value of the ratio is also examined for two cases in the study period, one good visibility day and one hazy day.
Meteorological Influence on Predicting Air Pollution from MODIS-Derived Aerosol Optical Thickness: A Case Study in Nanjing, China
Authors: Gao Jay , Zha Yong
Published: September 2010

Whether the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) products derived from MODIS data can be used as a reliable proxy of air pollutants measured near the surface depends on meteorological influence. This study attempts to assess the influence of four meteorological parameters (air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and wind velocity) on predicting air pollution from MODIS AOT data for the city of Nanjing, China. It is found that PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter
What Do Observational Datasets Say about Modeled Tropospheric Temperature Trends since 1979?
Authors: Christy John R. , Herman Benjamin , Pielke Roger , Klotzbach Philip , McNider Richard T. , Hnilo Justin J. , Spencer Roy W. , Chase Thomas , Douglass David
Published: September 2010

Updated tropical lower tropospheric temperature datasets covering the period 1979–2009 are presented and assessed for accuracy based upon recent publications and several analyses conducted here. We conclude that the lower tropospheric temperature (TLT) trend over these 31 years is +0.09 ± 0.03 °C decade−1. Given that the surface temperature (Tsfc) trends from three different groups agree extremely closely among themselves (~ +0.12 °C decade−1) this indicates that the “scaling ratio” (SR, or ratio of atmospheric trend to surface trend: TLT/Tsfc) of the observations is ~0.8 ± 0.3. This is significantly different from the average SR calculated from the IPCC AR4 model simulations which is ~1.4. This result indicates the majority of AR4 simulations tend to portray significantly greater warming in the troposphere relative to the surface than is found in observations. The SR, as an internal, normalized metric of model behavior, largely avoids the confounding influence of short-term fluctuations such as El Niños which make direct comparison of trend magnitudes less confident, even over multi-decadal periods.
A Study of the Correlation between Earthquakes and NOAA Satellite Energetic Particle Bursts
Authors: Fidani Cristiano , Battiston Roberto , Burger William J.
Published: September 2010

Over the last two decades, potentially interesting phenomena in the ionosphere-magnetosphere transition region have been studied; anomalous particle fluxes detected by several space experiments and correlated with earthquakes. These phenomena are characterized by short-term increases in high energy particle counting rates, called particle bursts. In this work we have used the NOAA electron flux data to study the time correlation between particle rate fluctuations and earthquakes. With respect to previous studies, we have analyzed contiguous particle bursts in order to distinguish correlations with seismic activity from seasonal variations of particle flux and solar activity. Earthquake clustering was initially included to study the types and causes of false correlations.
Cereal Yield Modeling in Finland Using Optical and Radar Remote Sensing
Authors: Laurila Heikki , Karjalainen Mika , Kleemola Jouko , Hyyppä Juha
Published: September 2010

During 1996–2006, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland (MAFF), MTT Agrifood Research and the Finnish Geodetic Institute performed a joint remote sensing satellite research project. It evaluated the applicability of optical satellite (Landsat, SPOT) data for cereal yield estimations in the annual crop inventory program. Four Optical Vegetation Indices models (I: Infrared polynomial, II: NDVI, III: GEMI, IV: PARND/FAPAR) were validated to estimate cereal baseline yield levels (yb) using solely optical harmonized satellite data (Optical Minimum Dataset). The optimized Model II (NDVI) yb level was 4,240 kg/ha (R2 0.73, RMSE 297 kg/ha) for wheat and 4390 kg/ha (R2 0.61, RMSE 449 kg/ha) for barley and Model I yb was 3,480 kg/ha for oats (R2 0.76, RMSE 258 kg/ha). Optical VGI yield estimates were validated with CropWatN crop model yield estimates using SPOT and NOAA data (mean R2 0.71, RMSE 436 kg/ha) and with composite SAR/ASAR and NDVI models (mean R2 0.61, RMSE 402 kg/ha) using both reflectance and backscattering data. CropWatN and Composite SAR/ASAR & NDVI model mean yields were 4,754/4,170 kg/ha for wheat, 4,192/3,848 kg/ha for barley and 4,992/2,935 kg/ha for oats.
A Hierarchical Spatio-Temporal Markov Model for Improved Flood Mapping Using Multi-Temporal X-Band SAR Data
Authors: Martinis Sandro , Twele André
Published: September 2010

In this contribution, a hybrid multi-contextual Markov model for unsupervised near real-time flood detection in multi-temporal X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data is presented. It incorporates scale-dependent, as well as spatio-temporal contextual information, into the classification scheme, by combining hierarchical marginal posterior mode (HMPM) estimation on directed graphs with noncausal Markov image modeling related to planar Markov random fields (MRFs). In order to increase computational performance, marginal posterior-based entropies are used for restricting the iterative bi-directional exchange of spatio-temporal information between consecutive images of a time sequence to objects exhibiting a low probability, to be classified correctly according to the HMPM estimation. The Markov models, originally developed for inference on regular graph structures of quadtrees and planar lattices, are adapted to the variable nature of irregular graphs, which are related to information driven image segmentation. Entropy based confidence maps, combined with spatio-temporal relationships of potentially inundated bright scattering vegetation to open water areas, are used for the quantification of the uncertainty in the labeling of each image element in flood possibility masks. With respect to accuracy and computational effort, experiments performed on a bi-temporal TerraSAR-X ScanSAR data-set from the Caprivi region of Namibia during flooding in 2009 and 2010 confirm the effectiveness of integrating hierarchical as well as spatio-temporal context into the labeling process, and of adapting the models to irregular graph structures.
Applications of Ferro-Nanofluid on a Micro-Transformer
Authors: Tsai Tsung-Han , Kuo Long-Sheng , Chen Ping-Hei , Lee Da-sheng , Yang Chin-Ting
Published: September 2010

An on-chip transformer with a ferrofluid magnetic core has been developed and tested. The transformer consists of solenoid-type coil and a magnetic core of ferrofluid, with the former fabricated by MEMS technology and the latter by a chemical co-precipitation method. The performance of the MEMS transformer with a ferrofluid magnetic core was measured and simulated with frequencies ranging from 100 kHz to 100 MHz. Experimental results reveal that the presence of the ferrofluid increases the inductance of coils and the coupling coefficient of transformer; however, it also increases the resistance owing to the lag between the external magnetic field and the magnetization of the material.
Micro Cantilever Movement Detection with an Amorphous Silicon Array of Position Sensitive Detectors
Authors: Contreras Javier , Costa Daniel , Pereira Sonia , Fortunato Elvira , Martins Rodrigo , Wierzbicki Rafal , Heerlein Holger , Ferreira Isabel
Published: September 2010

The movement of a micro cantilever was detected via a self constructed portable data acquisition prototype system which integrates a linear array of 32 1D amorphous silicon position sensitive detectors (PSD). The system was mounted on a microscope using a metal structure platform and the movement of the 30 µm wide by 400 µm long cantilever was tracked by analyzing the signals acquired by the 32 sensor array electronic readout system and the relevant data algorithm. The obtained results show a linear behavior of the photocurrent relating X and Y movement, with a non-linearity of about 3%, a spatial resolution of less than 2 µm along the lateral dimension of the sensor as well as of less than 3 µm along the perpendicular dimension of the sensor, when detecting just the micro-cantilever, and a spatial resolution of less than 1 µm when detecting the holding structure.
Odours Influence Visually Induced Emotion: Behavior and Neuroimaging
Authors: Walla Peter , Deecke Lüder
Published: September 2010

The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of olfaction on subjective valence intensity ratings of visual presentations. Pictures of five different categories (baby, flower, erotic, fear and disgust) were presented each being associated with five different odour conditions [no odour, low and high concentrations of phenylethyl alcohol (positive odour) and low and high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide (negative odour)]. Study participants had to rate the emotional content of each picture with respect to valence and intensity while brain activities were recorded with a whole-cortex magnetoencephalograph (MEG). A significant interaction between odour condition and picture category with respect to rating performance was found. In particular, positive valence intensity ratings related to flowers were increased in positive and negative odour conditions. Negative valence intensity ratings related to disgusting pictures were also increased in positive and negative odour conditions. The only decrease was found in the baby category in the high concentration negative odour condition. No behavioural effects were found for the categories erotic and fear. Around 300 ms after stimulus onset odour-related brain activity effects were found for all picture categories. On the other hand, around 700 ms after stimulus onset odour-related brain activity effects occurred only in the flower, fear and disgust picture categories. We interpret that early information processing demonstrates more pronounced olfactory and visually induced emotion interaction than later information processing. Since the early time window more likely reflects subconscious information processing we interpret that interaction between olfaction and visually induced emotion mostly occurs below the level of consciousness. Later, rather conscious information processing, seems to be differently influenced by simultaneous olfaction depending on the kind of emotion elicited through the sense of vision.
Assessment of Relative Accuracy of AHN-2 Laser Scanning Data Using Planar Features
Authors: Sande Corné van der , Soudarissanane Sylvie , Khoshelham Kourosh
Published: September 2010

AHN-2 is the second part of the Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland project, which concerns the acquisition of high-resolution altimetry data over the entire Netherlands using airborne laser scanning. The accuracy assessment of laser altimetry data usually relies on comparing corresponding tie elements, often points or lines, in the overlapping strips. This paper proposes a new approach to strip adjustment and accuracy assessment of AHN-2 data by using planar features. In the proposed approach a transformation is estimated between two overlapping strips by minimizing the distances between points in one strip and their corresponding planes in the other. The planes and the corresponding points are extracted in an automated segmentation process. The point-to-plane distances are used as observables in an estimation model, whereby the parameters of a transformation between the two strips and their associated quality measures are estimated. We demonstrate the performance of the method for the accuracy assessment of the AHN-2 dataset over Zeeland province of The Netherlands. The results show vertical offsets of up to 4 cm between the overlapping strips, and horizontal offsets ranging from 2 cm to 34 cm.
The Coverage Problem in Video-Based Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey
Authors: Costa Daniel G. , Guedes Luiz Affonso
Published: September 2010

Wireless sensor networks typically consist of a great number of tiny low-cost electronic devices with limited sensing and computing capabilities which cooperatively communicate to collect some kind of information from an area of interest. When wireless nodes of such networks are equipped with a low-power camera, visual data can be retrieved, facilitating a new set of novel applications. The nature of video-based wireless sensor networks demands new algorithms and solutions, since traditional wireless sensor networks approaches are not feasible or even efficient for that specialized communication scenario. The coverage problem is a crucial issue of wireless sensor networks, requiring specific solutions when video-based sensors are employed. In this paper, it is surveyed the state of the art of this particular issue, regarding strategies, algorithms and general computational solutions. Open research areas are also discussed, envisaging promising investigation considering coverage in video-based wireless sensor networks.
Electrochemical Glucose Sensors—Developments Using Electrostatic Assembly and Carbon Nanotubes for Biosensor Construction
Authors: Harper Alice , Anderson Mark R.
Published: September 2010

In 1962, Clark and Lyons proposed incorporating the enzyme glucose oxidase in the construction of an electrochemical sensor for glucose in blood plasma. In their application, Clark and Lyons describe an electrode in which a membrane permeable to glucose traps a small volume of solution containing the enzyme adjacent to a pH electrode, and the presence of glucose is detected by the change in the electrode potential that occurs when glucose reacts with the enzyme in this volume of solution. Although described nearly 50 years ago, this seminal development provides the general structure for constructing electrochemical glucose sensors that is still used today. Despite the maturity of the field, new developments that explore solutions to the fundamental limitations of electrochemical glucose sensors continue to emerge. Here we discuss two developments of the last 15 years; confining the enzyme and a redox mediator to a very thin molecular films at electrode surfaces by electrostatic assembly, and the use of electrodes modified by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to leverage the electrocatalytic effect of the CNTs to reduce the oxidation overpotential of the electrode reaction or for the direct electron transport to the enzyme.
Study of a QCM Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Sensor Based on a ZnO-Modified Nanowire-Structured Manganese Dioxide Film
Authors: Pei Zhifu , Ma Xingfa , Ding Pengfei , Zhang Wuming , Luo Zhiyuan , Li Guang
Published: September 2010

Sensitive, selective and fast detection of chemical warfare agents is necessary for anti-terrorism purposes. In our search for functional materials sensitive to dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a simulant of sarin and other toxic organophosphorus compounds, we found that zinc oxide (ZnO) modification potentially enhances the absorption of DMMP on a manganese dioxide (MnO2) surface. The adsorption behavior of DMMP was evaluated through the detection of tiny organophosphonate compounds with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors coated with ZnO-modified MnO2 nanofibers and pure MnO2 nanofibers. Experimental results indicated that the QCM sensor coated with ZnO-modified nanostructured MnO2 film exhibited much higher sensitivity and better selectivity in comparison with the one coated with pure MnO2 nanofiber film. Therefore, the DMMP sensor developed with this composite nanostructured material should possess excellent selectivity and reasonable sensitivity towards the tiny gaseous DMMP species.
A Flexible Strain Sensor Based on a Conductive Polymer Composite for in situ Measurement of Parachute Canopy Deformation
Authors: Cochrane Cédric , Lewandowski Maryline , Koncar Vladan
Published: September 2010

A sensor based on a Conductive Polymer Composite (CPC), fully compatible with a textile substrate and its general properties, has been developed in our laboratory, and its electromechanical characterization is presented herein. In particular the effects of strain rate (from 10 to 1,000 mm/min) and of repeated elongation cycles on the sensor behaviour are investigated. The results show that strain rate seems to have little influence on sensor response. When submitted to repeated tensile cycles, the CPC sensor is able to detect accurately fabric deformations over each whole cycle, taking into account the mechanical behaviour of the textile substrate. Complementary information is given concerning the non-effect of aging on the global resistivity of the CPC sensor. Finally, our sensor was tested on a parachute canopy during a real drop test: the canopy fabric deformation during the critical inflation phase was successfully measured, and was found to be less than 9%.
Modeling and Experimental Study on Characterization of Micromachined Thermal Gas Inertial Sensors
Authors: Zhu Rong , Ding Henggao , Su Yan , Yang Yongjun
Published: September 2010

Micromachined thermal gas inertial sensors based on heat convection are novel devices that compared with conventional micromachined inertial sensors offer the advantages of simple structures, easy fabrication, high shock resistance and good reliability by virtue of using a gaseous medium instead of a mechanical proof mass as key moving and sensing elements. This paper presents an analytical modeling for a micromachined thermal gas gyroscope integrated with signal conditioning. A simplified spring-damping model is utilized to characterize the behavior of the sensor. The model relies on the use of the fluid mechanics and heat transfer fundamentals and is validated using experimental data obtained from a test-device and simulation. Furthermore, the nonideal issues of the sensor are addressed from both the theoretical and experimental points of view. The nonlinear behavior demonstrated in experimental measurements is analyzed based on the model. It is concluded that the sources of nonlinearity are mainly attributable to the variable stiffness of the sensor system and the structural asymmetry due to nonideal fabrication.
FPGA-based Fused Smart Sensor for Real-Time Plant-Transpiration Dynamic Estimation
Authors: Millan-Almaraz Jesus Roberto , Romero-Troncoso Rene de Jesus , Guevara-Gonzalez Ramon Gerardo , Contreras-Medina Luis Miguel , Carrillo-Serrano Roberto Valentin , Osornio-Rios Roque Alfredo , Duarte-Galvan Carlos , Rios-Alcaraz Miguel Angel , Torres-Pacheco Irineo
Published: September 2010

Plant transpiration is considered one of the most important physiological functions because it constitutes the plants evolving adaptation to exchange moisture with a dry atmosphere which can dehydrate or eventually kill the plant. Due to the importance of transpiration, accurate measurement methods are required; therefore, a smart sensor that fuses five primary sensors is proposed which can measure air temperature, leaf temperature, air relative humidity, plant out relative humidity and ambient light. A field programmable gate array based unit is used to perform signal processing algorithms as average decimation and infinite impulse response filters to the primary sensor readings in order to reduce the signal noise and improve its quality. Once the primary sensor readings are filtered, transpiration dynamics such as: transpiration, stomatal conductance, leaf-air-temperature-difference and vapor pressure deficit are calculated in real time by the smart sensor. This permits the user to observe different primary and calculated measurements at the same time and the relationship between these which is very useful in precision agriculture in the detection of abnormal conditions. Finally, transpiration related stress conditions can be detected in real time because of the use of online processing and embedded communications capabilities.
Sturdy Positioning with High Sensitivity GPS Sensors Under Adverse Conditions
Authors: Trajkovski Klemen Kozmus , Sterle Oskar , Stopar Bojan
Published: September 2010

High sensitivity GPS receivers have extended the use of GNSS navigation to environments which were previously deemed unsuitable for satellite signal reception. Under adverse conditions the signals become attenuated and reflected. High sensitivity receivers achieve signal reception by using a large number of correlators and an extended integration time. Processing the observation data in dynamic and rapidly changing conditions requires a careful and consistent treatment. Code-based autonomous solutions can cause major errors in the estimated position, due primarily to multipath effects. A custom procedure of autonomous GPS positioning has been developed, boosting the positioning performance through appropriate processing of code and Doppler observations. Besides the common positioning procedures, robust estimation methods have been used to minimise the effects of gross observation errors. In normal conditions, differential GNSS yields good results, however, under adverse conditions, it fails to improve significantly the receiver’s position. Therefore, a so-called conditional DGPS has been developed which determines the position differentially by using data from the strong signals only. These custom-developed procedures have been tested in different conditions in static and kinematic cases and the results have been compared to those processed by the receiver.
Minimum Expected Delay-Based Routing Protocol (MEDR) for Delay Tolerant Mobile Sensor Networks
Authors: Feng Yong , Liu Ming , Wang Xiaomin , Gong Haigang
Published: September 2010

It is a challenging work to develop efficient routing protocols for Delay Tolerant Mobile Sensor Networks (DTMSNs), which have several unique characteristics such as sensor mobility, intermittent connectivity, energy limit, and delay tolerability. In this paper, we propose a new routing protocol called Minimum Expected Delay-based Routing (MEDR) tailored for DTMSNs. MEDR achieves a good routing performance by finding and using the connected paths formed dynamically by mobile sensors. In MEDR, each sensor maintains two important parameters: Minimum Expected Delay (MED) and its expiration time. According to MED, messages will be delivered to the sensor that has at least a connected path with their hosting nodes, and has the shortest expected delay to communication directly with the sink node. Because of the changing network topology, the path is fragile and volatile, so we use the expiration time of MED to indicate the valid time of the path, and avoid wrong transmissions. Simulation results show that the proposed MEDR achieves a higher message delivery ratio with lower transmission overhead and data delivery delay than other DTMSN routing approaches.
Color Regeneration from Reflective Color Sensor Using an Artificial Intelligent Technique
Authors: Saracoglu Ömer Galip , Altural Hayriye
Published: September 2010

A low-cost optical sensor based on reflective color sensing is presented. Artificial neural network models are used to improve the color regeneration from the sensor signals. Analog voltages of the sensor are successfully converted to RGB colors. The artificial intelligent models presented in this work enable color regeneration from analog outputs of the color sensor. Besides, inverse modeling supported by an intelligent technique enables the sensor probe for use of a colorimetric sensor that relates color changes to analog voltages.