bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trace and Rare Earth Elements, and Sr Isotopic Compositions of Fluorite from the Shihuiyao Rare Metal Deposit, Inner Mongolia: Implication for Its Origin
Authors: Duan Zhen-Peng , Jiang Shao-Yong , Su Hui-Min , Zhu Xin-You , Zou Tao , Cheng Xi-Yin
Published: October 2020

Abundant fluorites occur in the Shihuiyao rare metal (Nb-Ta-Rb) deposit in Inner Mongolia of NE China, and they can be classified by their occurrence into three types. Type I occurs disseminated in greisen pockets of albitized granite. Type II occurs in the skarn zone between granite and carbonate host rocks, and it can be subdivided into different subtypes according to color, namely dark purple (II-D), magenta (II-M), green (II-G), light purple (II-P), and white (II-W). Type III are the fluorite-bearing veins in the silty mudstones. On the basis of petrography of the fluorites and their high contents of HFSEs (high field strength elements) and LILEs (large ion lithophile elements), strong negative Eu anomalies, and tetrad effects, we suggest that Type I fluorites crystallized in a late-magmatic stage with all the components derived from the granite. The high Y/Ho ratios suggest that the Type II fluorites crystallized in the early- or late-hydrothermal stage. The rare earth elements (REEs) characterized by various Eu anomalies of the Type II fluorites indicate a mixed origin for ore-forming metals from granite-related fluids and limestones, and the oxygen fugacity increased during fluid migration and cooling. Compared to the Type II fluorites, the similar trace element contents of the Type III suggest a similar origin, and remarkable positive Eu anomalies represent a more oxidizing environment. The Sr isotopic composition (87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.710861) of the Type I fluorites may represent that of the granite-derived fluids, whereas the (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of the Type II (0.710168–0.710380) and Type III (0.709018) fluorites are lower than that of the Type I fluorites but higher than those of the Late Permian-Early Triassic seawater, suggesting a binary mixed Sr source, i.e., granite-derived fluids and marine limestones. Nevertheless, the proportion of limestone-derived Sr in the mixture forming the Type III fluorites is much higher than that of Type II. The rare metal Nb and Ta get into the granite-derived F-rich fluids by complexing with F and precipitate in the form of columbite-group minerals after the Type I fluorites crystallize. Most of Nb and Ta may have deposited as columbite-group minerals during the magmatic stage, resulting in no Nb-Ta mineralization in the hydrothermal stage when the Type II and III fluorites formed. Hence, the Type I fluorites in the Shihuiyao mining area can be used as an important exploration tool for the Nb-Ta mineralization.
Potential Anti-Acetylcholinesterase Activity of Cassia timorensis DC.
Authors: Azman Nurul Amira Nurul , Alhawarri Maram B. , Rawa Mira Syahfriena Amir , Dianita Roza , Gazzali Amirah Mohd , Nogawa Toshihiko , Wahab Habibah A.
Published: October 2020

Seventeen methanol extracts from different plant parts of five different Cassia species, including C. timorensis, C. grandis, C. fistula, C. spectabilis, and C. alata were screened against acetylcholinesterase (AChE). C. timorensis extracts were found to exhibit the highest inhibition towards AChE whereby the leaf, stem, and flower methanol extracts showed 94–97% inhibition. As far as we are aware, C. timorensis is one of the least explored Cassia spp. for bioactivity. Further fractionation led to the identification of six compounds, isolated for the first time from C. timorensis: 3-methoxyquercetin (1), benzenepropanoic acid (2), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (3), β-sitosterol (4), stigmasterol (5), and 1-octadecanol (6). Compound 1 showed moderate inhibition towards AChE (IC50: 83.71 μM), while the other compounds exhibited poor to slightly moderate AChE inhibitory activity. Molecular docking revealed that the methoxy substitution of 1 formed a hydrogen bond with TYR121 at the peripheral anionic site (PAS) and the hydroxyl group at C5 formed a covalent hydrogen bond with ASP72. Additionally, the OH group at the C3′ position formed an interaction with the protein at the acyl pocket (PHE288). This possibly explains the activity of 1 in blocking the entry of acetylcholine (ACh, the neurotransmitter), thus impeding the hydrolysis of ACh.
Preparation, Characterization and Antioxidant Activities of Kelp Phlorotannin Nanoparticles
Authors: Bai Ying , Sun Yihan , Gu Yue , Zheng Jie , Yu Chenxu , Qi Hang
Published: October 2020

Phlorotannins are a group of major polyphenol secondary metabolites found only in brown algae and are known for their bioactivities and multiple health benefits. However, they can be oxidized due to external factors and their bioavailability is low due to their low water solubility. In this study, the potential of utilizing nanoencapsulation with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to improve various activities of phlorotannins was explored. Phlorotannins encapsulated by PVP nanoparticles (PPNPS) with different loading ratios were prepared for characterization. Then, the PPNPS were evaluated for in vitro controlled release of phlorotannin, toxicity and antioxidant activities at the ratio of phlorotannin to PVP 1:8. The results indicated that the PPNPS showed a slow and sustained kinetic release of phlorotannin in simulated gastrointestinal fluids, they were non-toxic to HaCaT keratinocytes and they could reduce the generation of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, PPNPS have the potential to be a useful platform for the utilization of phlorotannin in both pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
4-Oxatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5-dione Derivatives as NMDA Receptor- and VGCC Blockers with Neuroprotective Potential
Authors: Egunlusi Ayodeji O. , Malan Sarel F. , Omoruyi Sylvester I. , Ekpo Okobi E. , Joubert Jacques
Published: October 2020

The impact of excitotoxicity mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor overactivation and voltage gated calcium channel (VGCC) depolarization is prominent among the postulated processes involved in the development of neurodegenerative disorders. NGP1-01, a polycyclic amine, has been shown to be neuroprotective through modulation of the NMDA receptor and VGCC, and attenuation of MPP+-induced neurotoxicity. Recently, we reported on the calcium modulating effects of tricycloundecene derivatives, structurally similar to NGP1-01, on the NMDA receptor and VGCC of synaptoneurosomes. In the present study, we investigated novel 4-oxatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5-dione derivatives for their cytotoxicity, neuroprotective effects via attenuation of MPP+-induced neurotoxicity and calcium influx inhibition abilities through the NMDA receptor and VGCC using neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. All compounds, in general, showed low or no toxicity against neuroblastoma cells at 10–50 µM concentrations. At 10 µM, all compounds significantly attenuated MPP+-induced neurotoxicity as evident by the enhancement in cell viability between 23.05 ± 3.45% to 53.56 ± 9.29%. In comparison to known active compounds, the derivatives demonstrated mono or dual calcium modulating effect on the NMDA receptor and/or VGCC. Molecular docking studies using the NMDA receptor protein structure indicated that the compounds are able to bind in a comparable manner to the crystallographic pose of MK-801 inside the NMDA ion channel. The biological characteristics, together with results from in silico studies, suggest that these compounds could act as neuroprotective agents for the purpose of halting or slowing down the degenerative processes in neuronal cells.
Strong Affinity of Triazolium-Appended Dipyrromethenes (TADs) for BF4−
Authors: Guérin Charles , Zhang Zhan , Jean-Gérard Ludivine , Steinmann Stephan , Michel Carine , Andrioletti Bruno
Published: October 2020

Because BF4− is a labile, non- or weakly coordinating anion, it is generally chosen by chemists who do not want the anion to interfere with the associated cation. Herein, we demonstrate that BF4− actually strongly binds to triazole-appended dipyrromethenes (TADs). In particular, HETCOR NMR experiments and DFT calculations were used to rationalize the results observed with anion titrations. Hence, special care should be taken when considering that BF4− is innocent.
Impact of SiO2 Particles in Polyethylene Textile Membrane for Indoor Personal Heating
Authors: Boutghatin Mohamed , Assaf Salim , Pennec Yan , Carette Michèle , Thomy Vincent , Akjouj Abdellatif , Djafari Rouhani Bahram
Published: October 2020

Keeping the human body in a thermal comfort state inside a room has become a challenge in recent years. While the most common strategy is to heat buildings, it requires a lot of energy. Reducing this energy consumption will have positive impacts, both economically and environmentally. We propose here to act directly on the personal thermal heating of the human body, by modulating the absorption and transmission properties of a synthetic polymer membrane in the mid-infrared (MIR). We show numerically that 5% SiO2 submicron particles inserted in polyethylene (PE) and nanoporous polyethylene (nanoPE) membranes increase the radiative heating of the membrane, reducing the required ambient temperature of a room by more than 1.1 °C. The proposed membrane can be flexible enough to be easily integrated into conventional textiles.
Effect of Maternal Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Supplementation on Offspring Neurodevelopment at 12 Months in India: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Khandelwal Shweta , Kondal Dimple , Chaudhry Monica , Patil Kamal , Swamy Mallaiah Kenchaveeraiah , Metgud Deepa , Jogalekar Sandesh , Kamate Mahesh , Divan Gauri , Gupta Ruby , Prabhakaran Dorairaj , Tandon Nikhil , Ramakrishnan Usha , Stein Aryeh D.
Published: October 2020

Intake of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA 22:6n-3) is very low among Indian pregnant women. Maternal supplementation during pregnancy and lactation may benefit offspring neurodevelopment. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to test the effectiveness of supplementing pregnant Indian women (singleton gestation) from ≤20 weeks through 6 months postpartum with 400 mg/d algal DHA compared to placebo on neurodevelopment of their offspring at 12 months. Of 3379 women screened, 1131 were found eligible; 957 were randomized. The primary outcome was infant neurodevelopment at 12 months, assessed using the Development Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII). Both groups were well balanced on sociodemographic variables at baseline. More than 72% of women took >90% of their assigned treatment. Twenty-five serious adverse events (SAEs), none related to the intervention, (DHA group = 16; placebo = 9) were noted. Of 902 live births, 878 were followed up to 12 months; the DASII was administered to 863 infants. At 12 months, the mean development quotient (DQ) scores in the DHA and placebo groups were not statistically significant (96.6 ± 12.2 vs. 97.1 ± 13.0, p = 0.60). Supplementing mothers through pregnancy and lactation with 400 mg/d DHA did not impact offspring neurodevelopment at 12 months of age in this setting.
The Role of Diet on Insulin Sensitivity
Authors: Mirabelli Maria , Russo Diego , Brunetti Antonio
Published: October 2020

Growing evidence shows that dietary composition has a marked impact on the risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), certain types of endocrine cancer and many other intertwined metabolic and reproductive disorders, all featured by insulin resistance (IR) [...]
Effect of Acute Seawater Temperature Increase on the Survival of a Fish Ectoparasite
Authors: Shodipo Mary O. , Duong Berilin , Graba-Landry Alexia , Grutter Alexandra S. , Sikkel Paul C.
Published: October 2020

Extreme warming events that contribute to mass coral bleaching are occurring with increasing regularity, raising questions about their effect on coral reef ecological interactions. However, the effects of such events on parasite-host interactions are largely ignored. Gnathiid isopods are common, highly mobile, external parasites of coral reef fishes, that feed on blood during the juvenile stage. They have direct and indirect impacts on their fish hosts, and are the major food source for cleaner fishes. However, how these interactions might be impacted by increased temperatures is unknown. We examined the effects of acute temperature increases, similar to those observed during mass bleaching events, on survivorship of gnathiid isopod juveniles. Laboratory experiments were conducted using individuals from one species (Gnathia aureamaculosa) from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), and multiple unknown species from the central Philippines. Fed and unfed GBR gnathiids were held in temperature treatments of 29 °C to 32 °C and fed Philippines gnathiids were held at 28 °C to 36 °C. Gnathiids from both locations showed rapid mortality when held in temperatures 2 °C to 3 °C above average seasonal sea surface temperature (32 °C). This suggests environmental changes in temperature can influence gnathiid survival, which could have significant ecological consequences for host-parasite-cleaner fish interactions during increased temperature events.
First Insight into the Modulation of Noncanonical NF-κB Signaling Components by Poxviruses in Established Immune-Derived Cell Lines: An In Vitro Model of Ectromelia Virus Infection
Authors: Struzik Justyna , Szulc-Dąbrowska Lidia , Mielcarska Matylda B. , Bossowska-Nowicka Magdalena , Koper Michał , Gieryńska Małgorzata
Published: October 2020

Dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages are the first line of antiviral immunity. Viral pathogens exploit these cell populations for their efficient replication and dissemination via the modulation of intracellular signaling pathways. Disruption of the noncanonical nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling has frequently been observed in lymphoid cells upon infection with oncogenic viruses. However, several nononcogenic viruses have been shown to manipulate the noncanonical NF-κB signaling in different cell types. This study demonstrates the modulating effect of ectromelia virus (ECTV) on the components of the noncanonical NF-κB signaling pathway in established murine cell lines: JAWS II DCs and RAW 264.7 macrophages. ECTV affected the activation of TRAF2, cIAP1, RelB, and p100 upon cell treatment with both canonical and noncanonical NF-κB stimuli and thus impeded DNA binding by RelB and p52. ECTV also inhibited the expression of numerous genes related to the noncanonical NF-κB pathway and RelB-dependent gene expression in the cells treated with canonical and noncanonical NF-κB activators. Thus, our data strongly suggest that ECTV influenced the noncanonical NF-κB signaling components in the in vitro models. These findings provide new insights into the noncanonical NF-κB signaling components and their manipulation by poxviruses in vitro.
Role of Protein Kinase CK2 in Aberrant Lipid Metabolism in Cancer
Authors: Guerra Barbara , Issinger Olaf-Georg
Published: October 2020

Uncontrolled proliferation is a feature defining cancer and it is linked to the ability of cancer cells to effectively adapt their metabolic needs in response to a harsh tumor environment. Metabolic reprogramming is considered a hallmark of cancer and includes increased glucose uptake and processing, and increased glutamine utilization, but also the deregulation of lipid and cholesterol-associated signal transduction, as highlighted in recent years. In the first part of the review, we will (i) provide an overview of the major types of lipids found in eukaryotic cells and their importance as mediators of intracellular signaling pathways (ii) analyze the main metabolic changes occurring in cancer development and the role of oncogenic signaling in supporting aberrant lipid metabolism and (iii) discuss combination strategies as powerful new approaches to cancer treatment. The second part of the review will address the emerging role of CK2, a conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, in lipid homeostasis with an emphasis regarding its function in lipogenesis and adipogenesis. Evidence will be provided that CK2 regulates these processes at multiple levels. This suggests that its pharmacological inhibition combined with dietary restrictions and/or inhibitors of metabolic targets could represent an effective way to undermine the dependency of cancer cells on lipids to interfere with tumor progression.
COVID-19: Current Developments and Further Opportunities in Drug Delivery and Therapeutics
Authors: Zafar Saman , Arshad Muhammad Sohail , Fatima Sameen , Ali Amna , Zaman Aliyah , Sayed Elshaimaa , Chang Ming-Wei , Ahmad Zeeshan
Published: October 2020

SARS-CoV-2 has affected people from all age groups, races and ethnicities. Given that many infected individuals are asymptomatic, they transmit the disease to others unknowingly, which has resulted in the spread of infection at an alarming rate. This review aims to provide an overview of the pathophysiology, preventive measures to reduce the disease spread, therapies currently in use, an update on vaccine development and opportunities for vaccine delivery. The World Health Organization has advised several precautions including social distancing, hand washing and the use of PPE including gloves and face masks for minimizing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. At present, several antiviral therapies previously approved for other infections are being repositioned to study their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2. In addition, some medicines (i.e., remdesivir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine) have received emergency use authorisation from the FDA. Plasma therapy has also been authorised for emergency use for the treatment of COVID-19 on a smaller scale. However, no vaccine has been approved so far against this virus. Nevertheless, several potential vaccine targets have been reported, and development of different types of vaccines including DNA, mRNA, viral vector, inactivated, subunit and vaccine-like particles is in process. It is concluded that a suitable candidate delivered through an advanced drug delivery approach would effectively boost the immune system against this coronavirus.
AlGaN-Delta-GaN Quantum Well for DUV LEDs
Authors: Liu Cheng , Melanson Bryan , Zhang Jing
Published: October 2020

AlGaN-delta-GaN quantum well (QW) structures have been demonstrated to be good candidates for the realization of high-efficiency deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, such heterostructures are still not fully understood. This study focuses on investigation of the optical properties and efficiency of the AlGaN-delta-GaN QW structures using self-consistent six-band k⸱p modelling and finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. Structures with different Al contents in the AlxGa1−xN sub-QW and AlyGa1−yN barrier regions are examined in detail. Results show that the emission wavelength (λ) can be engineered through manipulation of delta-GaN layer thickness, sub-QW Al content (x), and barrier Al content (y), while maintaining a large spontaneous emission rate corresponding to around 90% radiative recombination efficiency (ηRAD). In addition, due to the dominant transverse-electric (TE)-polarized emission from the AlGaN-delta-GaN QW structure, the light extraction efficiency (ηEXT) is greatly enhanced when compared to a conventional AlGaN QW. Combined with the large ηRAD, this leads to the significant enhancement of external quantum efficiency (ηEQE), indicating that AlGaN-delta-GaN structures could be a promising solution for high-efficiency DUV LEDs.
On the Role of Polymer Viscoelasticity in Enhanced Oil Recovery: Extensive Laboratory Data and Review
Authors: Rock Alexander , Hincapie Rafael E. , Tahir Muhammad , Langanke Nils , Ganzer Leonhard
Published: October 2020

Polymer flooding most commonly uses partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (HPAM) injected to increase the declining oil production from mature fields. Apart from the improved mobility ratio, also the viscoelasticity-associated flow effects yield additional oil recovery. Viscoelasticity is defined as the ability of particular polymer solutions to behave as a solid and liquid simultaneously if certain flow conditions, e.g., shear rates, are present. The viscoelasticity related flow phenomena as well as their recovery mechanisms are not fully understood and, hence, require additional and more advanced research. Whereas literature reasonably agreed on the presence of these viscoelastic flow effects in porous media, there is a significant lack and discord regarding the viscoelasticity effects in oil recovery. This work combines the information encountered in the literature, private reports and field applications. Self-gathered laboratory data is used in this work to support or refuse observations. An extensive review is generated by combining experimental observations and field applications with critical insights of the authors. The focus of the work is to understand and clarify the claims associated with polymer viscoelasticity in oil recovery by improvement of sweep efficiency, oil ganglia mobilization by flow instabilities, among others.
Recent Advances in the Application of Functionalized Lignin in Value-Added Polymeric Materials
Authors: Wang Yun-Yan , Meng Xianzhi , Pu Yunqiao , J. Ragauskas Arthur
Published: October 2020

The quest for converting lignin into high-value products has been continuously pursued in the past few decades. In its native form, lignin is a group of heterogeneous polymers comprised of phenylpropanoids. The major commercial lignin streams, including Kraft lignin, lignosulfonates, soda lignin and organosolv lignin, are produced from industrial processes including the paper and pulping industry and emerging lignocellulosic biorefineries. Although lignin has been viewed as a low-cost and renewable feedstock to replace petroleum-based materials, its utilization in polymeric materials has been suppressed due to the low reactivity and inherent physicochemical properties of lignin. Hence, various lignin modification strategies have been developed to overcome these problems. Herein, we review recent progress made in the utilization of functionalized lignins in commodity polymers including thermoset resins, blends/composites, grafted functionalized copolymers and carbon fiber precursors. In the synthesis of thermoset resins such as polyurethane, phenol-formaldehyde and epoxy, they are covalently incorporated into the polymer matrix, and the discussion is focused on chemical modifications improving the reactivity of technical lignins. In blends/composites, functionalization of technical lignins is based upon tuning the intermolecular forces between polymer components. In addition, grafted functional polymers have expanded the utilization of lignin-based copolymers to biomedical materials and value-added additives. Different modification approaches have also been applied to facilitate the application of lignin as carbon fiber precursors, heavy metal adsorbents and nanoparticles. These emerging fields will create new opportunities in cost-effectively integrating the lignin valorization into lignocellulosic biorefineries.
Folate-Targeted Curcumin-Encapsulated Micellar Nanosystem for Chemotherapy and Curcumin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Lin Yun Hsuan , Chen Ching-Yi
Published: October 2020

Curcumin (CUR) is a natural phenolic product used as a high-efficiency and low-toxicity anticancer drug and photosensitizer. However, it has a poor aqueous solubility and a lack of target specificity, which limits its clinical applications. Hence, we developed a folate-conjugated polymeric micelle to enhance the efficient delivery of CUR for effective cancer cell targeting and anticancer efficiency. A series of biocompatible folate-conjugated poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylphosphoryl- choline)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (FPM) was synthesized with different hydrophobic lengths and folate contents. The prepared CUR-loaded micelles (CUR-FPM) possessed several superior properties, including an excellent drug loading capacity (6.3 ± 1.2%), improved CUR aqueous stability, fast-sustained CUR release in an acidic environment, and efficient intracellular production of reactive oxygen species. The in vitro cytotoxicity demonstrated that the CUR-FPM micelles efficiently suppressed the growth of HeLa cells (folate-receptor overexpression) compared to that of HT-29 cells, and a competition study showed less cytotoxic effect when free folic acid blocked the folate receptor, indicating the folate conjugation played the role of targeting the specific cells well. Moreover, the CUR-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) by CUR-FPM micelles under irradiation further inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells. All these results indicate that the CUR-FPM micelles could be a promising delivery system for folate-overexpressing cancer cells, complementary chemotherapy, and CUR-mediated photodynamic therapy.
Variability of Diurnal Sea Surface Temperature during Short Term and High SST Event in the Western Equatorial Pacific as Revealed by Satellite Data
Authors: Wirasatriya Anindya , Hosoda Kohtaro , Setiawan Joga Dharma , Susanto R. Dwi
Published: October 2020

Near-surface diurnal warming is an important process in the climate system, driving exchanges of water vapor and heat between the ocean and the atmosphere. The occurrence of the hot event (HE) is associated with the high diurnal sea surface temperature amplitude (δSST), which is defined as the difference between daily maximum and minimum sea surface temperature (SST). However, previous studies still show some inconsistency for the area of HE occurrence and high δSST. The present study produces global δSST data based on the SST, sea surface wind data derived from microwave radiometers, and solar radiation data obtained from visible/infrared radiometers. The value of δSSTs are estimated and validated over tropical oceans and then used for investigating HE in the western equatorial Pacific. A three-way error analysis was conducted using in situ mooring buoy arrays and geostationary SST measurements by the Himawari-8 and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). The standard deviation error of daily and 10-day validation is around 0.3 °C and 0.14–0.19 °C, respectively. Our case study in the western Pacific (from 110°E to 150°W) shows that the area of HE occurrence coincided well with the area of high δSST. Climatological analysis shows that the collocated area between high occurrence rate of HE and high δSST, which coincides with the western Pacific warm pool region in all seasons. Thus, this study provides more persuasive evidence of the relation between HE occurrence and high δSST.
Development of Spectral Disease Indices for Southern Corn Rust Detection and Severity Classification
Authors: Meng Ran , Lv Zhengang , Yan Jianbing , Chen Gengshen , Zhao Feng , Zeng Linglin , Xu Binyuan
Published: October 2020

Southern Corn Rust (SCR) is one of the most destructive diseases in corn production, significantly affecting corn quality and yields globally. Field-based fast, nondestructive diagnosis of SCR is critical for smart agriculture applications to reduce pesticide use and ensure food safety. The development of spectral disease indices (SDIs), based on in situ leaf reflectance spectra, has proven to be an effective method in detecting plant diseases in the field. However, little is known about leaf spectral signatures that can assist in the accurate diagnosis of SCR, and no SDIs-based model has been reported for the field-based SCR monitoring. Here, to address those issues, we developed SDIs-based monitoring models to detect SCR-infected leaves and classify SCR damage severity. In detail, we first collected in situ leaf reflectance spectra (350–2500 nm) of healthy and infected corn plants with three severity levels (light, medium, and severe) using a portable spectrometer. Then, the RELIEF-F algorithm was performed to select the most discriminative features (wavelengths) and two band normalized differences for developing SDIs (i.e., health index and severity index) in SCR detection and severity classification, respectively. The leaf reflectance spectra, most sensitive to SCR detection and severity classification, were found in the 572 nm, 766 nm, and 1445 nm wavelength and 575 nm, 640 nm, and 1670 nm wavelength, respectively. These spectral features were associated with leaf pigment and leaf water content. Finally, by employing a support vector machine (SVM), the performances of developed SCR-SDIs were assessed and compared with 38 stress-related vegetation indices (VIs) identified in the literature. The SDIs-based models developed in this study achieved an overall accuracy of 87% and 70% in SCR detection and severity classification, 1.1% and 8.3% higher than the other best VIs-based model under study, respectively. Our results thus suggest that the SCR-SDIs is a promising tool for fast, nondestructive diagnosis of SCR in the field over large areas. To our knowledge, this study represents one of the first few efforts to provide a theoretical basis for remote sensing of SCR at field and larger scales. With the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with hyperspectral measurement capability, more studies should be conducted to expand our developed SCR-SDIs for SCR monitoring at different study sites and growing stages in the future.
Compact Polarimetry Response to Modeled Fast Sea Ice Thickness
Authors: Dabboor Mohammed , Shokr Mohammed
Published: October 2020

Compact Polarimetric (CP) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is expected to gain more and more ground for Earth observation applications in the coming years. This comes in light of the recently launched RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM), which uniquely provides CP SAR imagery in operational mode. In this study, we present observations about the sensitivity of CP SAR imagery to thickness of thermodynamically-grown fast sea ice during early ice growth (September–December 2017) in the Resolute Bay area, Canadian Central Arctic. Fast ice is most suitable to use for this preliminary study since it exhibits only thermodynamic growth in absence of ice mobility and deformation. Results reveal that ice thickness up to 30 cm can be retrieved using several CP parameters from the tested set. This ice thickness corresponds to the thickness of young ice. We found the surface scattering mechanism to be dominant during the early ice growth, exposing an increasing tendency up to 30 cm thickness with a correlation coefficient with the thickness equal to 0.86. The degree of polarization was found to be the parameter with the highest correlation up to 0.95. While thickness retrieval within the same range is also possible using parameters from Full Polarimetric (FP) SAR parameters as shown in previous studies, the advantage of using CP SAR mode is the much larger swath coverage, which is an operational requirement.
TSCH-Sim: Scaling Up Simulations of TSCH and 6TiSCH Networks
Authors: Elsts Atis
Published: October 2020

TSCH (Time-Slotted Channel Hopping) and 6TiSCH (IPv6 over the TSCH mode of IEEE 802.15.4e) low-power wireless networks are becoming prominent in the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and other areas where high reliability is needed in conjunction with energy efficiency. Due to the complexity of IoT deployments, network simulations are typically used for pre-deployment design and validation. However, it is currently difficult and time-consuming to simulate large-scale IoT networks with thousands of nodes. This paper proposes TSCH-Sim: a new discrete event simulator for IEEE 802.15.4-2015 TSCH and 6TiSCH networks. The evaluation shows that simulation results obtained with TSCH-Sim show a good match with results from other simulators that are commonly used to investigate TSCH networks. At the same time, TSCH-Sim is faster than these alternatives at least by an order of magnitude, making it more practical to carry out simulations of large networks.
Electrically Elicited Force Response Characteristics of Forearm Extensor Muscles for Electrical Muscle Stimulation-Based Haptic Rendering
Authors: Lee Jungeun , Kim Yeongjin , Jung Hoeryong
Published: October 2020

A haptic interface based on electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) has huge potential in terms of usability and applicability compared with conventional haptic interfaces. This study analyzed the force response characteristics of forearm extensor muscles for EMS-based haptic rendering. We introduced a simplified mathematical model of the force response, which has been developed in the field of rehabilitation, and experimentally validated its feasibility for haptic applications. Two important features of the force response, namely the peak force and response time, with respect to the frequency and amplitude of the electrical stimulation were identified by investigating the experimental force response of the forearm extensor muscles. An exponential function was proposed to estimate the peak force with respect to the frequency and amplitude, and it was verified by comparing with the measured peak force. The response time characteristics were also examined with respect to the frequency and amplitude. A frequency-dependent tendency, i.e., an increase in response time with increasing frequency, was observed, whereas there was no correlation with the amplitude. The analysis of the force response characteristics with the application of the proposed force response model may help enhance the fidelity of EMS-based haptic rendering.
A Visual Sensing Concept for Robustly Classifying House Types through a Convolutional Neural Network Architecture Involving a Multi-Channel Features Extraction
Authors: Tavakkoli Vahid , Mohsenzadegan Kabeh , Kyamakya Kyandoghere
Published: October 2020

The core objective of this paper is to develop and validate a comprehensive visual sensing concept for robustly classifying house types. Previous studies regarding this type of classification show that this type of classification is not simple (i.e., tough) and most classifier models from the related literature have shown a relatively low performance. For finding a suitable model, several similar classification models based on convolutional neural network have been explored. We have found out that adding/involving/extracting better and more complex features result in a significant accuracy related performance improvement. Therefore, a new model taking this finding into consideration has been developed, tested and validated. The model developed is benchmarked with selected state-of-art classification models of relevance for the “house classification” endeavor. The test results obtained in this comprehensive benchmarking clearly demonstrate and validate the effectiveness and the superiority of our here developed deep-learning model. Overall, one notices that our model reaches classification performance figures (accuracy, precision, etc.) which are at least 8% higher (which is extremely significant in the ranges above 90%) than those reached by the previous state-of-the-art methods involved in the conducted comprehensive benchmarking.
In Vivo Evaluation of Plane Wave Imaging for Abdominal Ultrasonography
Authors: Bae Sua , Jang Jintae , Choi Moon Hyung , Song Tai-Kyong
Published: October 2020

Although plane wave imaging (PWI) has been extensively employed for ultrafast ultrasound imaging, its potential for sectorial B-mode imaging with a convex array transducer has not yet been widely recognized. Recently, we reported an optimized PWI approach for sector scanning that exploits the dynamic transmit focusing capability. In this paper, we first report the clinical applicability of the optimized PWI for abdominal ultrasonography by in vivo image and video evaluations and compare it with conventional focusing (CF) and diverging wave imaging (DWI), which is another dynamic transmit focusing technique generally used for sectorial imaging. In vivo images and videos of the liver, kidney, and gallbladder were obtained from 30 healthy volunteers using PWI, DWI, and CF. Three radiologists assessed the phantom images, 156 in vivo images, and 66 in vivo videos. PWI showed significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) spatial resolution, contrast, and noise and artifact reduction, and a 4-fold higher acquisition rate compared to CF and provided similar performances compared to DWI. Because the computations required for PWI are considerably lower than that for DWI, PWI may represent a promising technique for sectorial imaging in abdominal ultrasonography that provides better image quality and eliminates the need for focal depth adjustment.
Blockchain and Demand Response: Zero-Knowledge Proofs for Energy Transactions Privacy
Authors: Pop Claudia Daniela , Antal Marcel , Cioara Tudor , Anghel Ionut , Salomie Ioan
Published: October 2020

Nowadays, the adoption of demand response programs is still lagging due to the prosumers’ lack of awareness, fear of losing control and privacy of energy data, etc. Programs decentralization, by adopting promising technologies such as blockchain, may bring significant advantages in terms of transparency, openness, improved control, and increased active participation of prosumers. Nevertheless, even though in general the transparency of the public blockchain is a desirable feature in the energy domain, the prosumer energy data is sensitive and rather private, thus, a privacy-preserving solution is required. In this paper, we present a decentralized implementation of demand response programs on top of the public blockchain which deals with the privacy of the prosumer’s energy data using zero-knowledge proofs and validates on the blockchain the prosumer’s activity inside the program using smart contracts. Prosumer energy data is kept private, while on the blockchain it is stored a zero-knowledge proof that is generated by the prosumer itself allowing the implementation of functions to validate potential deviations from the request and settle prosumer’s activity. The solution evaluation results are promising in terms of ensuring the privacy of prosumer energy data stored in the public blockchain and detecting potential data inconsistencies.
A Patient-Specific 3D+t Coronary Artery Motion Modeling Method Using Hierarchical Deformation with Electrocardiogram
Authors: Yoon Siyeop , Yoon Changhwan , Chun Eun Ju , Lee Deukhee
Published: October 2020

Cardiovascular-related diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. An understanding of heart movement based on images plays a vital role in assisting postoperative procedures and processes. In particular, if shape information can be provided in real-time using electrocardiogram (ECG) signal information, the corresponding heart movement information can be used for cardiovascular analysis and imaging guides during surgery. In this paper, we propose a 3D+t cardiac coronary artery model which is rendered in real-time, according to the ECG signal, where hierarchical cage-based deformation modeling is used to generate the mesh deformation used during the procedure. We match the blood vessel’s lumen obtained from the ECG-gated 3D+t CT angiography taken at multiple cardiac phases, in order to derive the optimal deformation. Splines for 3D deformation control points are used to continuously represent the obtained deformation in the multi-view, according to the ECG signal. To verify the proposed method, we compare the manually segmented lumen and the results of the proposed method for eight patients. The average distance and dice coefficient between the two models were 0.543 mm and 0.735, respectively. The required time for registration of the 3D coronary artery model was 23.53 s/model. The rendering speed to derive the model, after generating the 3D+t model, was faster than 120 FPS.
Short-Term Foreshocks as Key Information for Mainshock Timing and Rupture: The Mw6.8 25 October 2018 Zakynthos Earthquake, Hellenic Subduction Zone
Authors: Papadopoulos Gerassimos A. , Agalos Apostolos , Minadakis George , Triantafyllou Ioanna , Krassakis Pavlos
Published: October 2020

Significant seismicity anomalies preceded the 25 October 2018 mainshock (Mw = 6.8), NW Hellenic Arc: a transient intermediate-term (~2 yrs) swarm and a short-term (last 6 months) cluster with typical time-size-space foreshock patterns: activity increase, b-value drop, foreshocks move towards mainshock epicenter. The anomalies were identified with both a standard earthquake catalogue and a catalogue relocated with the Non-Linear Location (NLLoc) algorithm. Teleseismic P-waveforms inversion showed oblique-slip rupture with strike 10°, dip 24°, length ~70 km, faulting depth ~24 km, velocity 3.2 km/s, duration 18 s, slip 1.8 m within the asperity, seismic moment 2.0 × 1026 dyne*cm. The two largest imminent foreshocks (Mw = 4.1, Mw = 4.8) occurred very close to the mainshock hypocenter. The asperity bounded up-dip by the foreshocks area and at the north by the foreshocks/swarm area. The accelerated foreshocks very likely promoted slip accumulation contributing to unlocking the asperity and breaking with the mainshock. The rupture initially propagated northwards, but after 6 s stopped at the north bound and turned southwards. Most early aftershocks concentrated in the foreshocks/swarm area. This distribution was controlled not only by stress transfer from the mainshock but also by pre-existing stress. In the frame of a program for regular monitoring and near real-time identification of seismicity anomalies, foreshock patterns would be detectable at least three months prior the mainshock, thus demonstrating the significant predictive value of foreshocks.
Efficient Unsupervised Classification of Hyperspectral Images Using Voronoi Diagrams and Strong Patterns
Authors: Bilius Laura Bianca , Pentiuc Ştefan Gheorghe
Published: October 2020

Hyperspectral images (HSIs) are a powerful tool to classify the elements from an area of interest by their spectral signature. In this paper, we propose an efficient method to classify hyperspectral data using Voronoi diagrams and strong patterns in the absence of ground truth. HSI processing consumes a great deal of computing resources because HSIs are represented by large amounts of data. We propose a heuristic method that starts by applying Parafac decomposition for reduction and to construct the abundances matrix. Furthermore, the representative nodes from the abundances map are searched for. A multi-partition of these nodes is found, and based on this, strong patterns are obtained. Then, based on the hierarchical clustering of strong patterns, an optimum partition is found. After strong patterns are labeled, we construct the Voronoi diagram to extend the classification to the entire HSI.
African American Experiences in the Historic Dunbar Neighborhood in San Marcos, Texas: A Case Study of Counter-Life Stories
Authors: Ashford-Hanserd Shetay , Sarmiento Eric , Myles Colleen C. , Rayburn Steven W. , Roundtree Aimee Kendall , Hayton Mary-Patricia , Ybarra Edward , Benitez Sarai , Clifford Theresa M. , Pierce Christopher , Williams Chad D. , Maleki Shadi
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this participatory research project is to examine the lived experiences (counter-life stories) of current and former Dunbar residents and congregants of Dunbar churches to demonstrate how local stories counter the dominant perspective about the experiences of American Americans in the Dunbar community. Once a thriving community at the center of civil rights activities in Hays County, Texas, the neighborhood has evolved in many ways in the past several decades, contrary to popular belief. This case study employs counter-life story methodology to uncover the hidden truths about Dunbar residents and congregants’ experiences to generate new knowledge about the experiences of African Americans in San Marcos, Texas, and Hays County. Thematic analysis of unfiltered commentary from Dunbar community members revealed three emergent themes: history of racism and slavery, impact of environmental and social racism, and rebuilding and restoring the community. Individual and shared strengths make the community unique and resilient. In-migration of new community members has been outpaced by outmigration. Finally, issues of taxation, representation, and the ongoing deterioration of neighborhood infrastructure are forefront in community members’ minds. In sum, the bedrock of personal and community values and hard work has not changed, but external forces continue to affect the community and compel it to pivot and make plans for change. Personal and communal strengths make the community unique and resilient. Future work will enlist geographic data and methods to help further investigate changes over time.
A Research Roadmap for Sustainable Design Methods and Tools
Authors: Faludi Jeremy , Hoffenson Steven , Kwok Sze Yin , Saidani Michael , Hallstedt Sophie I. , Telenko Cassandra , Martinez Victor
Published: October 2020

Sustainable design methods and tools abound, but their implementation in practice remains marginal. This article brings together results from previous literature reviews and analyses of sustainable design methods and tools, as well as input from design researchers and professional practitioners to identify the needs and gaps in the area. It results in a shared vision of how sustainable design methods and tools can be more tightly integrated into mainstream product design and development, as well as the current state of practice and research in relation to four central questions: What are the needs and values of industry regarding sustainable design? What improvements in sustainable design methods and tools would most drive industry forward? How should researchers move forward with developing more useful sustainable design methods and tools? How can sustainable design be more effectively integrated into industry? A roadmap for the international sustainable design research community is proposed with descriptions of short-, medium-, and long-term tasks for addressing each question. The purpose is to support collective progress and discussions on method and tool development and adoption, and to enable more tangible success in mainstreaming sustainable design practices in industry.
The Critical Factors Affecting the Consumer Reselling of Limited Edition Products: A Case in the Korean Fashion Sector
Authors: Kim Woodong , Kim Boyoung
Published: October 2020

Since e-commerce has revitalized recently in the form of live commerce and Instagram shopping, both purchase and sales have become promoted among consumers while reselling has been facilitated in second-hand item markets and among consumers. Particularly, the new trend of consuming products, rather than merely owning products, has become a mainstream factor in the market. Accordingly, consumers show extraordinary consumption, focusing on the act of purchasing limited edition products of high scarcity and placing more importance on one-off experience rather than ordinary new products or premium products. This study suggests critical factors that facilitate the reselling of limited edition products among consumers for the purpose of examining the consumer reselling of limited edition products, which has been a rapidly growing trend in the fashion market. Based on relevant studies, this research presents four basic factor areas: personal needs, value, experience, and environment. It also defines 20 sub-factors and analyzes the weight of each factor by means of the AHP method. In conclusion, it turned out that factors of personal needs were of the most significant influence. Particularly, it was verified that the need for joining was the most critical factor facilitating consumers’ reselling of limited edition products.