Estimating lighting device inventories with the LANcube v2 multiangular radiometer

This paper is a technical report describing the use of an open source instrument called LANcube v2 to estimate a lighting devices inventory. The LANcube v2 is and instrument having 5 color sensitive sensors, each on a face of a cube. The instrument can be mounted on a car roof in order to create a map of the artificial light at night while roaming the streets and roads. Based on the temporal variations of the detected signal on various cube’s faces, we developed a method of finding the approximate position in 3D of each source. The lamp spectral types can be determined relatively well thanks to the color balance of the raw Red (R), Green (G), Blue (B), and Clear (C) color bands. If one assumes a typical angular photometry of a source with respect to its location, it is possible to estimate roughly its current luminous flux. Such information allows us to build a lighting devices inventory of a territory. One advantage of that new method is that it can provide information about the private sources that are always excluded from public lighting inventories. We compared the inventory extracted with that new methodology with an in situ lamp inventory made for two villages in Canada. This comparison allow us to emphasize the strengths and limitations of the method by comparing to the ground truth. We actually found that we were able to detect 99% of the sources with flux higher than 1000 lumen and located within 15 meters from the road. We also found that we generally overestimate the height of the devices by 21 to 51% depending on the lamp photometry. This overestimate surely reflect in an overestimate of the fluxes. Finally, we found that the proposed method is very efficient to recognize the spectral type of the devices with 99% of success

Molecular Landscape of the Ribosome Pre-initiation Complex during mRNA Scanning: Structural Role for eIF3c and Its Control by eIF5

Citation: Obayashi, E., Luna, R. E., Nagata, T., Martin-Marcos, P., Hiraishi, H., Singh, C. R., . . . Asano, K. (2017). Molecular Landscape of the Ribosome Pre-initiation Complex during mRNA Scanning: Structural Role for eIF3c and Its Control by eIF5. Cell Reports, 18(11), 2651-2663. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2017.02.052During eukaryotic translation initiation, eIF3 binds the solvent-accessible side of the 40S ribosome and recruits the gate-keeper protein eIF1 and eIF5 to the decoding center. This is largely mediated by the N-terminal domain (NTD) of eIF3c, which can be divided into three parts: 3c0, 3c1, and 3c2. The N-terminal part, 3c0, binds eIF5 strongly but only weakly to the ribosome-binding surface of eIF1, whereas 3c1 and 3c2 form a stoichiometric complex with eIF1. 3c1 contacts eIF1 through Arg-53 and Leu-96, while 3c2 faces 40S protein uS15/S13, to anchor eIF1 to the scanning pre-initiation complex (PIC). We propose that the 3c0:eIF1 interaction diminishes eIF1 binding to the 40S, whereas 3c0:eIF5 interaction stabilizes the scanning PIC by precluding this inhibitory interaction. Upon start codon recognition, interactions involving eIF5, and ultimately 3c0:eIF1 association, facilitate eIF1 release. Our results reveal intricate molecular interactions within the PIC, programmed for rapid scanning-arrest at the start codon

Restrained Th17 response and myeloid cell infiltration into the central nervous system by human decidua-derived mesenchymal stem cells during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a widespread inflammatory demyelinating disease. Several immunomodulatory therapies are available, including interferon-β, glatiramer acetate, natalizumab, fingolimod, and mitoxantrone. Although useful to delay disease progression, they do not provide a definitive cure and are associated with some undesirable side-effects. Accordingly, the search for new therapeutic methods constitutes an active investigation field. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to modify the disease course is currently the subject of intense interest. Decidua-derived MSCs (DMSCs) are a cell population obtained from human placental extraembryonic membranes able to differentiate into the three germ layers. This study explores the therapeutic potential of DMSCs. Methods: We used the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal model to evaluate the effect of DMSCs on clinical signs of the disease and on the presence of inflammatory infiltrates in the central nervous system. We also compared the inflammatory profile of spleen T cells from DMSC-treated mice with that of EAE control animals, and the influence of DMSCs on the in vitro definition of the Th17 phenotype. Furthermore, we analyzed the effects on the presence of some critical cell types in central nervous system infiltrates. Results: Preventive intraperitoneal injection of DMSCs resulted in a significant delay of external signs of EAE. In addition, treatment of animals already presenting with moderate symptoms resulted in mild EAE with reduced disease scores. Besides decreased inflammatory infiltration, diminished percentages of CD4+IL17+, CD11b+Ly6G+ and CD11b+Ly6C+ cells were found in infiltrates of treated animals. Early immune response was mitigated, with spleen cells of DMSC-treated mice displaying low proliferative response to antigen, decreased production of interleukin (IL)-17, and increased production of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10. Moreover, lower RORγT and higher GATA-3 expression levels were detected in DMSC-treated mice. DMSCs also showed a detrimental influence on the in vitro definition of the Th17 phenotype. Conclusions: DMSCs modulated the clinical course of EAE, modified the frequency and cell composition of the central nervous system infiltrates during the disease, and mediated an impairment of Th17 phenotype establishment in favor of the Th2 subtype. These results suggest that DMSCs might provide a new cell-based therapy for the control of multiple sclerosis.This work was sponsored by grants from Acción Estratégica en Salud (PI13/00297 and PI11/00581), the Neurosciences and Aging Foundation, the Francisco Soria Melguizo Foundation, Octopharma, and Parkinson Madrid (PI2012/0032).S

Evaluating the association between artificial light-at-night exposure and breast and prostate cancer risk in Spain (MCC-Spain Study)

Background: Night shift work, exposure to light at night (ALAN) and circadian disruption may increase the risk of hormone-dependent cancers. Objectives: We evaluated the association of exposure to ALAN during sleeping time with breast and prostate cancer in a population based multicase–control study (MCC-Spain), among subjects who had never worked at night. We evaluated chronotype, a characteristic that may relate to adaptation to light at night. Methods: We enrolled 1,219 breast cancer cases, 1,385 female controls, 623 prostate cancer cases, and 879 male controls from 11 Spanish regions in 2008–2013. Indoor ALAN information was obtained through questionnaires. Outdoor ALAN was analyzed using images from the International Space Station (ISS) available for Barcelona and Madrid for 2012–2013, including data of remotely sensed upward light intensity and blue light spectrum information for each geocoded longest residence of each MCC-Spain subject. Results: Among Barcelona and Madrid participants with information on both indoor and outdoor ALAN, exposure to outdoor ALAN in the blue light spectrum was associated with breast cancer [adjusted odds ratio (OR) for highest vs. lowest tertile, OR=1.47 ; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.17] and prostate cancer (OR=2.05 ; 95% CI: 1.38, 3.03). In contrast, those exposed to the highest versus lowest intensity of outdoor ALAN were more likely to be controls than cases, particularly for prostate cancer. Compared with those who reported sleeping in total darkness, men who slept in “quite illuminated” bedrooms had a higher risk of prostate cancer (OR=2.79 ; 95% CI: 1.55, 5.04), whereas women had a slightly lower risk of breast cancer (OR=0.77 ; 95% CI: 0.39, 1.51). Conclusion: Both prostate and breast cancer were associated with high estimated exposure to outdoor ALAN in the blue-enriched light spectrum. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP183

Commentary: Multiple Angle Observations Would Benefit Visible Band Remote Sensing using Night Lights

The spatial and angular emission patterns of artificial and natural light emitted, scattered, and reflected from the Earth at night are far more complex than those for scattered and reflected solar radiation during daytime. In this commentary, we use examples to show that there is additional information contained in the angular distribution of emitted light. We argue that this information could be used to improve existing remote sensing retrievals based on night lights, and in some cases could make entirely new remote sensing analyses possible. This work will be challenging, so we hope this article will encourage researchers and funding agencies to pursue further study of how multi-angle views can be analyzed or acquired

N8 - Global Environmental Effects of Artificial Nighttime Lighting

The presentation will detail the proposed N8 (Night) mission – Global Environmental Effects of Artificial Nighttime Lighting. It was originally proposed as Earth Explorer 11 to ESA (European Space Agency). At any moment, one half of the Earth’s surface is experiencing daytime and one half nighttime. Most Earth surface observation missions focus on the first half. The remote sensing N8 mission would focus on the half that is experiencing nighttime and on the quantification of the global environmental effects of artificial nighttime. The natural light regime of a substantial, and growing, proportion of Earth’s surface is being eroded as a consequence of the direct illumination and sky brightening that result from the introduction of artificial light sources at night. These sources are associated with human settlements and activities, including public, private business and residential areas, and associated land, water, and air transport infrastructure. By enabling activities that are largely or entirely independent of natural light, artificial lighting of the nighttime has brought enormous benefits to humankind, and has shaped societies in dramatic ways. However, it is predicted to have significant impacts on human health and well-being and the natural environment, given that natural biological systems are organized foremost by light, and particularly by daily and seasonal cycles of light and dark, and that there have been no natural analogues, at any timescale, to the extent, nature, distribution, or timing of spread of artificial lighting. A large body of observational and experimental studies - most of it arising in just the last few years - has illustrated that these adverse effects on human health and the natural environment occur, and has begun to characterize their sensitivity to the form of the lighting. However, to date, it has not been possible to map and evaluate the associated biological risks and opportunities in the way that has been achieved for other anthropogenic pressures on the environment, that enables the impacts of artificial light to be incorporated into local, national, and international strategies and policies for addressing these pressures. This is because the globally consistent characterization of the spectral-spatial-temporal dynamics of artificial nighttime lighting has been inadequate, and has had to rely entirely on remote sensing systems that were not explicitly designed to measure lighting in the most appropriate ways. The N8 mission would resolve this challenge. Its core objective is to enable the creation and update of a validated model of spectral-spatial-temporal variation in nighttime artificial lighting and thence of the human health and environmental effects that it causes. This requires characterization of how much artificial outdoor light or radiation is emitted (intensity), in what form (spectral wavelength λ, source light type), where (spatial directions d,α, light distribution), and when (time t, light use). The acquisition of this information requires global, frequent, high-resolution, multi-spectral, multi-angular optical remote sensing nighttime low-light (NTL) data at multiple local times providing a unique view of the activities of humans on Earth’s surface. The dynamics of outdoor nighttime artificial lighting and the global dynamic maps of its influences on a wide range of parameters will be used to answer key research questions on human health and environmental effects. Different forms, occurrences, and timings of light emissions result in different influences. Key parameters will be deliverables of relevance to scientific researchers in diverse disciplines. For human health (e.g. sleep quality, obesity, breast and prostate cancer risk) the α-optic radiances in the five human photoreceptor bands and the photopic and scotopic bands are of importance. The melatonin suppression index and circadian stimulus index are measures for one of the key drivers of biological rhythms in a wide array of organisms, whose disruption can have major health and disease implications, and its production is highly responsive to light spectrum, intensity, and timing. For animals (e.g. physiology, behavior, life histories from reproduction to mortality, abundance, and distribution, ecosystem function) the radiances in photometric bands of ecological interest by taxonomic group of focal interest (e.g. moths, sea turtles, birds, bats) are of importance to the resultant influences of artificial nighttime lighting. This is also true for plants, with light receptors being key to determining the timing of many activities (e.g. germination, growth, flowering), with the additional potential to affect levels of photosynthesis (as measured by the induced photosynthesis index). In order to enable appropriate changes in policies to reduce impacts of artificial nighttime lighting on the global environment, it is important also to determine the nature of the sources from which it has been produced. This includes the lighting technology, shielding and temporal usage. Estimations are feasible of associated levels of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, enabling fuller evaluation of costs and benefits of patterns of usage of artificial nighttime lighting and of interactions with other environmental changes (e.g. atmospheric pollution). Most Earth observing missions monitor the effects of climate change. Here, the causes are addressed and this will support strategies to combat climate change. Scientific methods with which to analyze remote sensing data for the different applications mentioned are now feasible and extendable by applying artificial intelligence and data fusion techniques beside multivariate statistics. Extending beyond the immediate focus, data on artificial nighttime lighting and its short- and long-term variation have been found to be valuable in understanding patterns of human density, urbanization, economy size and the occurrence of disasters and conflicts. Despite their inadequacies (e.g. in spectral sensitivity, geometry of acquisition, daily timing) for determining the impacts on human health and well-being and the natural environment, the data on artificial nighttime lighting that have previously been collected from satellite platforms provide valuable historical information on how this lighting has varied spatially and changed through time. The data especially from the Day-Night Band (DNB) of the VIIRS instruments (operated since 2011), will be cross-calibrated with that from this mission enhancing its value. The N8 mission would acquire all populated land surfaces at night to achieve the objectives. These areas will be observed at least once every 90 days, at least for 12 almost equally distributed local times (to consider short-term changes in nights in the same season), and for at least 3 years (to consider long-term changes between nights of different seasons). This will be achieved in the repeat orbit of 214 orbits in 15 days with a drift of 480 sec/day (12 hours/90 days sufficient by considering ascending and descending orbits) by one satellite with a swath of 284 km (Field-of-View of 20.5°). Acquisitions will be performed in 144+2/3 orbits close to nadir viewing (to consider vertical light emissions) and in twice 35+2/3 orbits close below limb viewing (to consider horizontal light emission) from two directions close to orthogonal to each other (limiting occlusion in both close below limb views, e.g. consider straight streets with high buildings). In the visible and near infrared (VIS/NIR) one panchromatic band at ≤ 10 m (to detect single street lamps having a common distance of ≥ 25 m) and seven multi-spectral broad and narrow bands (specific to nighttime artificial light sources, to consider the lighting characteristics) at ≤ 20 m will be achieved at nadir view and in the longwave infrared (LWIR) two spectral bands at ≤ 100 m (to consider temperatures and atmosphere). The three multi-angular acquisitions of an area is one of the major differences to all proposed NTL so far, besides the acquisitions at multiple local times. Because of low-light conditions, e.g. for PAN a radiometric range 5×10-8 (detection limit) to 8×10-4 (saturation) Wm-2sr-1nm-1 is required, time delayed integration (TDI) detectors will be applied resulting with state-of-the-art optics in a Signal-to-Noise Ratio ≥ 10 at reference radiance 5×10-7 Wm-2sr-1nm-1. This requires a highly stable platform with precise yaw steering. Finally, view and access to the products at various processing levels will be provided through the official Copernicus digital platform services to fulfil user demands for modelling and mapping. To obtain required Bottom-of-Atmosphere observations based on Top-of-Atmosphere measurements this implies an accurate consideration of the nocturnal atmosphere which is a supported research topic on its own. The sustained and quality-controlled observations of the proposed N8 mission would revolutionize understanding of artificial nighttime lighting and its human and environmental impacts. The review of the proposal by ESA highlights the important novel aspects. They represent long-standing observational gaps and address some urgent scientific and societal questions of the Living Planet Challenges. Adaptions of the originally proposed N8 mission will focus on more specific research questions allowing to pare down the N8 mission