EC03-702 Precision Agriculture: Applications of Remote Sensing in Site-Specific Management

Precision farming is an emerging agricultural technology that involves managing each crop input on a site-specific basis to reduce waste, increase profits, and maintain the quality of the environment. Remote sensing is a technology that can be used to obtain various spatial layers of information about soil and crop conditions. It allows detection and/or characterization of an object, series of objects, or landscape without having the sensor in physical contact

The Staudinger Ligation

While the Staudinger reaction has first been described a hundred years ago in 1919, the ligation reaction became one of the most important and efficient bioconjugation techniques in the 1990s and this century. It holds the crucial characteristics for bioorthogonal chemistry: biocompatibility, selectivity, and a rapid and high-yielding turnover for a wide variety of applications. In the past years, it has been used especially in chemical biology for peptide/protein synthesis, posttranslational modifications, and DNA labeling. Furthermore, it can be used for cell-surface engineering, development of microarrays, and drug delivery systems. However, it is also possible to use the reaction in synthetic chemistry for general formation of amide bonds. In this review, the three major types, traceless and nontraceless Staudinger Ligation as well as the Staudinger phosphite reaction, are described in detail. We will further illustrate each reaction mechanism and describe characteristic substrates, intermediates, and products. In addition, not only its advantages but also stereochemical aspects, scope, and limitations, in particular side reactions, are discussed. Finally, the method is compared to other bioorthogonal labeling methods

A double dissociation between anterior and posterior superior temporal gyrus for processing audiovisual speech demonstrated by electrocorticography

Human speech can be comprehended using only auditory information from the talker's voice. However, comprehension is improved if the talker's face is visible, especially if the auditory information is degraded as occurs in noisy environments or with hearing loss. We explored the neural substrates of audiovisual speech perception using electrocorticography, direct recording of neural activity using electrodes implanted on the cortical surface. We observed a double dissociation in the responses to audiovisual speech with clear and noisy auditory component within the superior temporal gyrus (STG), a region long known to be important for speech perception. Anterior STG showed greater neural activity to audiovisual speech with clear auditory component, whereas posterior STG showed similar or greater neural activity to audiovisual speech in which the speech was replaced with speech-like noise. A distinct border between the two response patterns was observed, demarcated by a landmark corresponding to the posterior margin of Heschl's gyrus. To further investigate the computational roles of both regions, we considered Bayesian models of multisensory integration, which predict that combining the independent sources of information available from different modalities should reduce variability in the neural responses. We tested this prediction by measuring the variability of the neural responses to single audiovisual words. Posterior STG showed smaller variability than anterior STG during presentation of audiovisual speech with noisy auditory component. Taken together, these results suggest that posterior STG but not anterior STG is important for multisensory integration of noisy auditory and visual speech

The impact of corporate philanthropy on reputation for corporate social performance

This study seeks to examine the mechanisms by which a corporation’s use of philanthropy affects its reputation for corporate social performance (CSP), which the authors conceive of as consisting of two dimensions: CSP awareness and CSP perception. Using signal detection theory (SDT), the authors model signal amplitude (the amount contributed), dispersion (number of areas supported), and consistency (presence of a corporate foundation) on CSP awareness and perception. Overall, this study finds that characteristics of firms' portfolio of philanthropic activities are a greater predictor of CSP awareness than of CSP perception. Awareness increases with signal amplitude, dispersion, and consistency. CSP perception is driven by awareness and corporate reputation. The authors’ contention that corporate philanthropy is a complex variable is upheld, as we find that CSP signal characteristics influence CSP awareness and perception independently and asymmetrically. The authors conclude by proposing avenues for future research

Modelling Cyclic Walking in Femurs With Metastatic Lesions:Femur-Specific Accumulation of Plasticity

Introduction Clinical fracture risk assessment in metastatic bone disease is extremely difficult, but subject-specific finite element (FE) modelling may improve these assessments in the future [Derikx, 2015]. By coupling to musculoskeletal modelling, realistic loading conditions can be implemented in FE analysis. However, it is unknown whether such analyses require complex elastic-plastic material models, or whether a linear elastic calculation already provides a reasonable prediction of fracture. Moreover, plastic deformation may accumulate over time, which is ignored by linear elastic calculations. In this study we compared linear and non-linear fracture predictions under realistic loading conditions in two patients with metastatic bone disease. Methods Two patients (P1, P2) with lytic lesions were included. Patient-specific femoral geometry and bone density were retrieved from quantitative CT-scans; the latter was used for implementing element-specific material behaviour [Keyak, 2005]. Muscle forces and hip contact forces acting on the femur during walking were calculated using musculoskeletal modelling (one typical case, adapted from [Wesseling, 2014]), and subsequently normalized to the patient’s body weight. Muscle forces were applied to attachment points that were morphed onto the patient femurs. Hip contact forces were applied to a cup mimicking the acetabulum, via a control node in the hip joint centre. Two simulations were run for each patient: a linear elastic analysis simulating a single walk cycle and a non-linear elastic-plastic analysis simulating 10 subsequent walk cycles. The safety factor (SF; yield stress/Von Mises stress) and plasticity were studied as measures of femoral failure in the linear and non-linear simulations, respectively, and compared between patients. Results The volume of elements with SF<1 (Figure 1A) as well as the volume of elements that underwent plastic deformation (Figure 1B) was highest in the femur of P1. In P1 the volume of plastic deformation increased over the loading cycles and eventually exceeded the peak volume of elements with SF<1 in the linear analysis. In P2, the volume of plasticity more or less stabilized after two loading cycles, and eventually resembled the volume of elements with SF<1 in the linear analysis. Discussion These preliminary results suggest that accumulation of plasticity under cyclic loading is femur-specific. Due to the variable and local weakening of the bone strength by metastatic lesions, relatively small changes in magnitude or direction of loading may initiate local failure and catalyze progressive failure in subsequent loading cycles. Hence, in some cases a linear analysis is sufficient, while in others it is not. Non-linear material behaviour and cyclic loading conditions are therefore required to capture these phenomena

TRPV1-expressing primary afferents generate behavioral responses to pruritogens via multiple mechanisms

The mechanisms that generate itch are poorly understood at both the molecular and cellular levels despite its clinical importance. To explore the peripheral neuronal mechanisms underlying itch, we assessed the behavioral responses (scratching) produced by s.c. injection of various pruritogens in PLCβ3- or TRPV1-deficient mice. We provide evidence that at least 3 different molecular pathways contribute to the transduction of itch responses to different pruritogens: 1) histamine requires the function of both PLCβ3 and the TRPV1 channel; 2) serotonin, or a selective agonist, α-methyl-serotonin (α-Me-5-HT), requires the presence of PLCβ3 but not TRPV1, and 3) endothelin-1 (ET-1) does not require either PLCβ3 or TRPV1. To determine whether the activity of these molecules is represented in a particular subpopulation of sensory neurons, we examined the behavioral consequences of selectively eliminating 2 nonoverlapping subsets of nociceptors. The genetic ablation of MrgprD^+ neurons that represent ≈90% of cutaneous nonpeptidergic neurons did not affect the scratching responses to a number of pruritogens. In contrast, chemical ablation of the central branch of TRPV1+ nociceptors led to a significant behavioral deficit for pruritogens, including α-Me-5-HT and ET-1, that is, the TRPV1-expressing nociceptor was required, whether or not TRPV1 itself was essential. Thus, TRPV1 neurons are equipped with multiple signaling mechanisms that respond to different pruritogens. Some of these require TRPV1 function; others use alternate signal transduction pathways

Toward accurate CO_2 and CH_4 observations from GOSAT

The column-average dry air mole fractions of atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane (X_(CO_2) and X_(CH_4)) are inferred from observations of backscattered sunlight conducted by the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). Comparing the first year of GOSAT retrievals over land with colocated ground-based observations of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON), we find an average difference (bias) of −0.05% and −0.30% for X_(CO_2) and X_(CH_4) with a station-to-station variability (standard deviation of the bias) of 0.37% and 0.26% among the 6 considered TCCON sites. The root-mean square deviation of the bias-corrected satellite retrievals from colocated TCCON observations amounts to 2.8 ppm for X_(CO_2) and 0.015 ppm for X_(CH_4). Without any data averaging, the GOSAT records reproduce general source/sink patterns such as the seasonal cycle of X_(CO_2) suggesting the use of the satellite retrievals for constraining surface fluxes

Low-Energy \Lambda-\p Scattering Parameters from the pp→pK+Λpp \to pK^+\Lambda Reaction

Constraints on the spin-averaged $\Lambda p$ scattering length and effective range have been obtained from measurements of the $pp\to pK^+\Lambda$ reaction close to the production threshold by comparing model phase-space Dalitz plot occupations with experimental ones. The data fix well the position of the virtual bound state in the $\Lambda p$ system. Combining this with information from elastic $\Lambda p$ scattering measurements at slightly higher energies, together with the fact that the hyperdeuteron is not bound, leads to a new determination of the low energy $\Lambda p$ scattering parameters.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure

Disease Combinations Associated with Physical Activity Identified: The SMILE Cohort Study

In the search of predictors of inadequate physical activity, an investigation was conducted into the association between multimorbidity and physical activity (PA). So far the sum of diseases used as a measure of multimorbidity reveals an inverse association. How specific combinations of chronic diseases are associated with PA remains unclear. The objective of this study is to identify clusters of multimorbidity that are associated with PA. Cross-sectional data of 3,386 patients from the 2003 wave of the Dutch cohort study SMILE were used. Ward's agglomerative hierarchical clustering was executed to establish multimorbidity clusters. Chi-square statistics were used to assess the association between clusters of chronic diseases and PA, measured in compliance with the Dutch PA guideline. The highest rate of PA guideline compliance was found in patients the majority of whom suffer from liver disease, back problems, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and inflammatory joint disease (62.4%). The lowest rate of PA guideline compliance was reported in patients with heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus (55.8%). Within the group of people with multimorbidity, those suffering from heart disease, respiratory disease, and/or diabetes mellitus may constitute a priority population as PA has proven to be effective in the prevention and cure of all three disorders

Synergistic Effects of Six Chronic Disease Pairs on Decreased Physical Activity: The SMILE Cohort Study

Little is known about whether and how two chronic diseases interact with each other in modifying the risk of physical inactivity. The aim of the present study is to identify chronic disease pairs that are associated with compliance or noncompliance with the Dutch PA guideline recommendation and to study whether specific chronic disease pairs indicate an extra effect on top of the effects of the diseases individually. Cross-sectional data from 3,386 participants of cohort study SMILE were used and logistic regression analysis was performed to study the joint effect of the two diseases of each chronic disease pair for compliance with the Dutch PA guideline. For six chronic disease pairs, patients suffering from both diseases belonging to these disease pairs in question show a higher probability of noncompliance to the Dutch PA guideline, compared to what one would expect based on the effects of each of the two diseases alone. These six chronic disease pairs were chronic respiratory disease and severe back problems; migraine and inflammatory joint disease; chronic respiratory disease and severe kidney disease; chronic respiratory disease and inflammatory joint disease; inflammatory joint disease and rheumatoid arthritis; and rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of the knees, hips, and hands