[Pentax AWS-s200: Its Advantages and Possible Problems].

PubMed

Hashimoto, Yuichi; Asai, Takashi; Arai, Takero; Okuda, Yasuhisa

2016-02-01

The Pentax AWS-s200 (Hoya, Japan : s-200) is a new videolaryngoscope. Its weight is 190 g, and it is lighter than the original AWS (AWS-s100L: s-100). It has a USB port, and its screen is wider and clearer than the s-100. The INTROCK for the s-100 is all usable with the s-200. The target mark is positioned at the center of the screen in the s-200. We used the s-200 in 20 patients, and could see a full view of the glottis, and tracheal intubation was successful in all patients. But tracheal intubation was not smooth in 10 of 20 patients, mainly because the tube impacted the right arytenoid. We felt the target mark of the s-200 may be incorrectly positioned.

Acoustic wave (AW) based moisture sensor for use with corrosive gases

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, Kent B.; Frye, Gregory C.; Schneider, Thomas W.

1996-01-01

Moisture corrosive gas stream is measured as a function of the difference in resonant frequencies between two acoustic wave (AW) devices, each with a film which accepts at least one of the components of the gas stream. One AW is located in the gas stream while the other is located outside the gas stream but in the same thermal environment. In one embodiment, the film is a hydrophilic material such as SiO.sub.2. In another embodiment, the SiO.sub.2 is covered with another film which is impermeable to the corrosive gas, such that the AW device in the gas stream measures only the water vapor. In yet another embodiment, the film comprises polyethylene oxide which is hydrophobic and measures only the partial pressure of the corrosive gas. Other embodiments allow for compensation of drift in the system.

Acoustic wave (AW) based moisture sensor for use with corrosive gases

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, K.B.; Frye, G.C.; Schneider, T.W.

1996-11-05

Moisture corrosive gas stream is measured as a function of the difference in resonant frequencies between two acoustic wave (AW) devices, each with a film which accepts at least one of the components of the gas stream. One AW is located in the gas stream while the other is located outside the gas stream but in the same thermal environment. In one embodiment, the film is a hydrophilic material such as SiO{sub 2}. In another embodiment, the SiO{sub 2} is covered with another film which is impermeable to the corrosive gas, such that the AW device in the gas stream measures only the water vapor. In yet another embodiment, the film comprises polyethylene oxide which is hydrophobic and measures only the partial pressure of the corrosive gas. Other embodiments allow for compensation of drift in the system. 8 figs.

Accomplishments of the Abrupt Wing Stall (AWS) Program and Future Research Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Robert M.; Woodson, Shawn H.; Chambers, Joseph R.

2003-01-01

The Abrupt Wing Stall (AWS) Program has addressed the problem of uncommanded lateral motions, such as wing drop and wing rock, at transonic speeds. The genesis of this Program was the experience of the F/A-18E/F Program in the late 199O's, when wing drop was discovered in the heart of the maneuver envelope for the pre-production aircraft. While the F/A-18E/F problem was subsequently corrected by a leading-edge flap scheduling change and the addition of a porous door to the wing fold fairing, the AWS Program was initiated as a national response to the lack of technology readiness available at the time of the F/A-18E/F Development Program. The AWS Program objectives were to define causal factors for the F/A-18E/F experience, to gain insights into the flow physics associated with wing drop, and to develop methods and analytical tools so that future programs could identify this type of problem before going to flight test. The paper reviews, for the major goals of the AWS Program, the status of the technology before the program began, the program objectives, accomplishments, and impacts. Lessons learned are presented for the benefit of future programs that must assess whether a vehicle will have uncommanded lateral motions before going to flight test. Finally, recommended future research needs are presented in light of the AWS Program experience.

In memory of professor Czesław Niżankowski, Head of the Department of Anatomy, Wroclaw Medical University.

PubMed

Kacała, Ryszard R; Wronecki, Krzysztof; Kacała, Arkadiusz; Domagała, Zygmunt; Porwolik, Michał

2018-03-20

Professor Czesław Niżankowski was an academic teacher and researcher at several universities; head of the Department of Anatomy at Wroclaw Medical University (1966-1982); and head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Wrocław School of Physical Education (since 1972 University School of Physical Education in Wrocław), as well as the chancellor there. He contributed greatly to the development of morphological sciences, supervising many doctoral and post-doctoral works. He dedicated considerable time to the preparation of anatomical specimens of lungs, hearts and organs of the gastrointestinal tract. At the Museum of Anatomy, there are over 100 specimens of lungs prepared using the forced air technique improved by Professor Niżankowski, along with specimens of the bronchial tree and vascular system prepared using a corrosive technique. Professor Niżankowski was an active member of scientific societies in Wrocław and in other cities in Poland. For his accomplishments, he received a number of ministerial and state awards, including the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, and was granted an honorary doctorate by Wroclaw Medical University.

47 CFR 27.1176 - Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150... 2150-2160/62 Mhz Band § 27.1176 Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band. (a) Frequencies in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band have been reallocated from the Broadband Radio Service (BRS) to AWS...

47 CFR 27.1176 - Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150... 2150-2160/62 Mhz Band § 27.1176 Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band. (a) Frequencies in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band have been reallocated from the Broadband Radio Service (BRS) to AWS...

Accomplishments of the Abrupt Wing Stall (AWS) Program and Future Research Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Robert M.; Woodson, Shawn H.; Chambers, Joseph R.

2003-01-01

The Abrupt Wing Stall (AWS) Program has addressed the problem of uncommanded lateral motions, such as wing drop and wing rock, at transonic speeds. The genesis of this Program was the experience of the F/A-1 8E/F Program in the late 1990's, when wing drop was discovered in the heart of the maneuver envelope for the pre-production aircraft. While the F/A-1 8E/F problem was subsequently corrected by a leading-edge flap scheduling change and the addition of a porous door to the wing fold fairing, the AWS Program was initiated as a national response to the lack of technology readiness available at the time of the F/A-18E/F Development Program. The AWS Program objectives were to define causal factors for the F/A-18E/F experience, to gain insights into the flow physics associated with wing drop, and to develop methods and analytical tools so that future programs could identify this type of problem before going to flight test. The paper reviews, for the major goals of the AWS Program, the status of the technology before the

[Use of the Pentax-AWS videolaryngoscope for bougie-assisted exchange of tracheal tubes].

PubMed

Kishii, Miki; Asai, Takashi; Nagata, Atsushi; Shingu, Koh

2009-06-01

A gum elastic bougie can be useful for tube exchange. One major problem with this technique is that it may not possible to pass a new tube over the bougie into the trachea, because the tip of the tube can collide with tissues around the glottis. We report a case in which tube exchange using the bougie was difficult, but the Pentax-AWS videolaryngoscope enabled tracheal intubation. In a 62-year-old trauma patient with head and neck stabilized using a Halo vest, was scheduled for emergency fixation of the neck. Exchange of a polyvinylchloride tube to a reinforced tube was planned. A bougie was passed through the old tube, removing the tube, and a new tube was advanced over the bougie, but it was impossible to advance the tube into the trachea. Insertion of a Macintosh laryngoscope did not enable intubation. The new tube was removed from the bougie, attached to the Pentax-AWS videolaryngoscope, and the tube (with the Pentax-AWS) was passed over the bougie. Although it was not possible to see the glottis with the Pentax-AWS, the tube was easily advanced over the bougie into the trachea. Operation went on uneventfully. We believe that, when it is difficult to advance a tracheal tube over a tube exchanger, the use of the Pentax-AWS may facilitate intubation.

Relative survival of four serotypes of Salmonella enterica in low-water activity whey protein powder held at 36 and 70°C at various water activity levels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Salmonella enterica is the leading cause of health burdens in the United States. Although the pathogen is not able to grow at aw levels below 0.94, it can survive in low-moisture foods for long periods of time. Temperature, aw, substrate and serotype affect its persistence. The aim of this study was...

Tank characterization report for double-shell tank 241-AW-105

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sasaki, L.M.

1997-06-05

One of the major functions of the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) is to characterize wastes in support of waste management and disposal activities at the Hanford Site. Analytical data from sampling and analysis, along with other available information about a tank, are compiled and maintained in a tank characterization report (TCR). This report and its appendices serve as the TCR for double-shell tank 241-AW-105. The objectives of this report are to use characterization data in response to technical issues associated with tank 241-AW-105 waste; and to provide a standard characterization of this waste in terms of a best-basis inventorymore » estimate. The response to technical issues is summarized in Section 2.0, and the best-basis inventory estimate is presented in Section 3.0. Recommendations regarding safety status and additional sampling needs are provided in Section 4.0. Supporting data and information are contained in the appendices. This report supports the requirements of the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order milestone Characterization. information presented in this report originated from sample analyses and known historical sources. While only the results of a recent sampling event will be used to fulfill the requirements of the data quality objectives (DQOs), other information can be used to support or question conclusions derived from these results. Historical information for tank 241-AW-105 is provided in Appendix A, including surveillance information, records pertaining to waste transfers and tank operations, and expected tank contents derived from a process knowledge model. The recent sampling event listed, as well as pertinent sample data obtained before 1996, are summarized in Appendix B along with the sampling results. The results of the 1996 grab sampling event satisfied the data requirements specified in the sampling and analysis plan (SAP) for this tank. In addition, the tank headspace flammability was measured, which

47 CFR 27.1176 - Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... All AWS entities who benefit from another AWS entity's clearance of BRS incumbents from this spectrum... licensee enters into a spectrum leasing arrangement and the spectrum lessee triggers a cost-sharing...

The Awá-Guajá Indians of the Brazilian Amazon. Demographic data, serum protein markers and blood groups.

PubMed

de Oliveira, S F; Lopes, D E; Santos, S E; Guerreiro, J F

1998-01-01

The South-American Indian group Awá-Guajá, currently living in the State of Maranhão (Northeastern Brazil), is one of the most recently contacted Indian groups of the Brazilian Amazon. This group is made up by three partially isolated villages named Awá, Guajá and Juriti, and is characterized by having a young population, in which 47.6% of the individuals range from 0 to 14 years old. The sex ratios (male/female) for people of reproductive age are 1.13 for Awá village, 2.00 for Guajá, 3.33 for Juriti and 1.61 for the tribe as a whole. Fst and heterogeneity analysis show that, despite the small differences observed among villages for the eight genetic systems analyzed, the Awá-Guajá tribe is constituted of only one population. Furthermore, comparisons between Awá-Guajá and Urubú-Kaapor tribes indicate that they are still isolated genetically, in spite of the fact that they share territories.

A review of the effect of a/W ratio on fracture toughness (II) —experimental investigation in LEFM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing-Fen; Fu, Yu-Dong; Xu, Xiao-Xue

2005-06-01

In part I of this series, experimental investigation in EPFM (elastic-plastic fracture mechanics) had been discussed. In this paper, experimental investigation in LEFM (linear elastic fracture mechanics) is given. Fracture toughness tests had been carried out on three different strength steels, using both through-cracked specimens with different a/W ratio and semi-elliptical cracked specimens with variable crack size and shape. Results show that the fracture toughness K IC increases with decreasing a/W when a/W<0.3 for three-point-bend specimens, and that for a/W>0.3, it is independent of a/W. Shallow crack specimens, both through-cracked and surface-cracked, gave markedly higher values than deeply notched specimens. However, the effect of crack shape on fracture toughness is negligible. Results also show that the LEFM approach to fracture is not tenable for design stresses where a c is often very small, far less than 2.5(K IC/σ y )2.

47 CFR 27.1160 - Cost-sharing requirements for AWS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cost-sharing requirements for AWS. 27.1160 Section 27.1160 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES 1710-1755 MHz, 2110-2155 MHz, 2000-2020 MHz, and 2180-2200 MHz...

The role of the AWS CWI in a major power plant outage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walsh, T.W.

In March of 1988, an eight-week outage began at the Keystone Electric Generating Station, 35 miles northwest of Johnstown, Pa. This outage encompassed the complete replacement of the reheat section of a 1,7000,000 kW boiler unit, as well as major repairs to the boiler itself. The author discusses how AWS (Certified Welding Inspectors) (CWl's) played a major part in the successful completion of over 7600 ASME butt joint welds during the outage. The welding on these outages is performed in strict accordance with the Pennsylvania Electric Company Quanity Assurance Specification and the applicable codes (ASME, NBIC, ANSI and AWS).

47 CFR 27.1176 - Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... clearance of BRS incumbents from this spectrum, including BRS incumbents occupying the 2150-2162 MHz band on... relocation until the end of the period specified in § 27.1190. If an AWS licensee enters into a spectrum leasing arrangement and the spectrum lessee triggers a cost-sharing obligation, the licensee is the AWS...

Heritage of Stanisław Ostrowski - the only one medical doctor who became state Polish President - Patriae Semper Fidelis.

PubMed

Woltanowska, Martyna; Woltanowski, Piotr; Wincewicz, Andrzej; Woltanowska, Magdalena

2018-01-01

Our purpose was to write a biography of Stanisław Ostrowski that would address in the first place the medical aspect of his professional life, with a comprehensive approach of others fields of his activity. We essentially grounded the paper on primary resources that were papers authored by Ostrowski including his scientific publications, memories, speeches as well as contemporaneous official documents that referred to Ostrowski. Second resources were also used to double check some data from primary resources and to place the biography of Stanisław Ostrowski in a proper background with special care to social, professional and political context. In this study, second resources comprised papers, that were prepared after the death of Stanisław Ostrowski. Stanisław Ostrowski, MD was a meticulous military medical doctor with an academic engagement at the King John Casimir University of Lvov. In addition, he was an excellent organizer, who soon got involved in politics to serve the local community with essential projects in public health particularly anti-tuberculosis campaigns in Lvov district. His quiet and proficient nature made him an ideal statesman with incredible skills to reconcile social, national and political enemies. Ostrowski was elected a member of parliament three times. He also held the position of President of the city of Lvov until World War Two. During the war, he was imprisoned and deported to Siberia, Soviet Union, in years 1939-1941. Subsequently he fought against Nazi Germans in the Polish II Corps. Ostrowski survived the war providing medical service in the various military units. Afterwards, he ran his medical practice in the UK. Stanisław Ostrowski was the only dermatologist who became a state president. He held an office of state president of the Polish Republic on exile in London. His life is not a simple story, but a great lesson that provides clear guidelines how to find a stable ground for lifetime being a medical doctor in the

Heritage of Stanisław Ostrowski - the only one medical doctor who became state Polish President - Patriae Semper Fidelis

PubMed Central

WOLTANOWSKA, MARTYNA; WOLTANOWSKI, PIOTR; WOLTANOWSKA, MAGDALENA

2018-01-01

Aim Our purpose was to write a biography of Stanisław Ostrowski that would address in the first place the medical aspect of his professional life, with a comprehensive approach of others fields of his activity. Methods We essentially grounded the paper on primary resources that were papers authored by Ostrowski including his scientific publications, memories, speeches as well as contemporaneous official documents that referred to Ostrowski. Second resources were also used to double check some data from primary resources and to place the biography of Stanisław Ostrowski in a proper background with special care to social, professional and political context. In this study, second resources comprised papers, that were prepared after the death of Stanisław Ostrowski. Results Stanisław Ostrowski, MD was a meticulous military medical doctor with an academic engagement at the King John Casimir University of Lvov. In addition, he was an excellent organizer, who soon got involved in politics to serve the local community with essential projects in public health particularly anti-tuberculosis campaigns in Lvov district. His quiet and proficient nature made him an ideal statesman with incredible skills to reconcile social, national and political enemies. Ostrowski was elected a member of parliament three times. He also held the position of President of the city of Lvov until World War Two. During the war, he was imprisoned and deported to Siberia, Soviet Union, in years 1939–1941. Subsequently he fought against Nazi Germans in the Polish II Corps. Ostrowski survived the war providing medical service in the various military units. Afterwards, he ran his medical practice in the UK. Stanisław Ostrowski was the only dermatologist who became a state president. He held an office of state president of the Polish Republic on exile in London. Discussion and conclusion His life is not a simple story, but a great lesson that provides clear guidelines how to find a stable ground for

Noise level arrangement in determined zones of homogenous development of green areas on the example of the spa park in Inowrocław

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sztubecka, Małgorzata; Skiba, Marta

2016-11-01

Noise measurements are usually carried out in developed areas as well as in the surroundings of traffic routes providing basis for actions in order to limit its influence on the neighboring areas. Noise measurements in park areas are rare due to belief that these areas are silent zones. Such attitude cannot be justified. This article aims to the assessment of noise appearing in determined subzones of the spa park in Inowrocław. From the research carried out it can be noticed that traffic noise does not have any important meaning for the acoustic climate of the park. It is the people who stay there who generate more noise. Comparative analysis proves the appearance and penetration of noise from the zones with greater level of noise to the ones with lower amount.

Ability of paramedics to perform endotracheal intubation during continuous chest compressions: a randomized cadaver study comparing Pentax AWS and Macintosh laryngoscopes.

PubMed

Truszewski, Zenon; Czyzewski, Lukasz; Smereka, Jacek; Krajewski, Paweł; Fudalej, Marcin; Madziala, Marcin; Szarpak, Lukasz

2016-09-01

The aim of the trial was to compare the time parameters for intubation with the use of the Macintosh (MAC) laryngoscope and Pentax AWS-S100 videolaryngoscope (AWS; Pentax Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) with and without chest compression (CC) by paramedics during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a cadaver model. This was a randomized crossover cadaver trial. Thirty-five paramedics with no experience in videolaryngoscopy participated in the study. They performed intubation in two emergency scenarios: scenario A, normal airway without CC; scenario B, normal airway with continuous CC. The median time to first ventilation with the use of the AWS and the MAC was similar in scenario A: 25 (IQR, 22-27) seconds vs. 24 (IQR, 22.5-26) seconds (P=.072). A statistically significant difference in TTFV between AWS and MAC was noticed in scenario B (P=.011). In scenario A, the first endotracheal intubation (ETI) attempt success rate was achieved in 97.1% with AWS compared with 94.3% with MAC (P=.43). In scenario B, the success rate after the first ETI attempt with the use of the different intubation methods varied and amounted to 88.6% vs. 77.1% for AWS and MAC, respectively (P=.002). The Pentax AWS offered a superior glottic view as compared with the MAC laryngoscope, which was associated with a higher intubation rate and a shorter intubation time during an uninterrupted CC scenario. However, in the scenario without CC, the results for AWS and MAC were comparable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous Photometric and Spectroscopic Solution for AW Cam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, J. R.; Angione, R. J.; Sievers, J. R.

2010-07-01

We present the first four color Stromgren uvby photometric observations of the eclipsing binary system AW Cam along with the first simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic solution. This solution produced a detached system with a mass ratio of 0.45 consisting of an A1 primary and an F8 secondary, both in the main sequence band. The Hipparcos/Tycho Catalogue gives V = 8.24 and a parallax = 2.17 mas.

73. New addition building 500 floor plan, drawing number AW600201, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

73. New addition building 500 floor plan, drawing number AW-60-02-01, dated 26 January, 1970 - Offutt Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command Headquarters & Command Center, Headquarters Building, 901 SAC Boulevard, Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE

Effect of technological factors on water activity of extruded corn product with an addition of whey proteins.

PubMed

Makowska, Agnieszka; Cais-Sokolińska, Dorota; Lasik, Agata

2014-01-01

The value of water activity in extruded products constitutes a significant indicator of their quality and stability. The state, in which water is found in extruded products, is an indicator of the conducted extrusion process and the used raw material. The aim of the study was to assess water activity in extruded products made from a mixture of com grits with 12.5 and 15.0% moisture contents and different level of addition of whey proteins. It was shown that the degree of mixture moisture content did not have an effect on the value of aw in produced puffs. The greatest difference was recorded when introducing 3% proteins in comparison to aw of puffs produced solely from corn grits. Δaw = 0.023. The greater the content of whey proteins, the lower the aw value. A 3-month storage at a temperature of 18 ±0.5°C influenced aw of snacks produced from a mixture with a higher moisture content.

75 FR 70739 - Domtar A.W. LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-2021-000] Domtar A.W. LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section... of Domtar A.W. LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff...

75 FR 70738 - Domtar A.W. LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER11-2021-000] Domtar A.W. LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section... of Domtar A.W. LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate tariff...

[Genetic analysis of the putative remains of general Władysław Sikorski].

PubMed

Kupiec, Tomasz; Branicki, Wojciech

2009-01-01

The paper presents results of genetic identification studies carried out in material collected during exhumation of the putative body of general Władysław Sikorski, buried in a sarcophagus in Saint Leonard's crypt in the Wawel Cathedral. The analysis of STR-type autosomal markers, Y-STR markers and sequences of HVI and HVII regions of mitochondrial DNA carried out in samples collected for genetic analysis--fragments of the thigh bone and a tooth--yielded a full set of results. The same mtDNA profile was also determined in hair revealed on the underpants and shirt secured from the studied body. The mitochondrial DNA profile determined in the bone material and also in the hair matched the profile characteristic for a female relative through the maternal line of general Władysław Sikorski. The obtained evidence supports the hypothesis that the studied body is that of general Sikorski. An additional analysis of position SNP rs12913832 located on the HERC2 gene revealed the presence of genotype C/C, which suggests that general Władysław Sikorski had light (most probably blue) eyes.

Wounded Warriors (AW2), 5th Anniversary Report, 2004-2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

7 History ... Saffrons continue their commitment to the Army and wounded warriors. Recently SSG Saffron and his spouse, Colleen, accepted more than 400 holiday cards...from Harker Heights High School band students for the AW2 Soldiers at Fort Hood, TX, in December 2008. Colleen Saffron , who is extremely involved in

Costs of Urbanisation in Poland, Based on the Example of Wrocław

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hełdak, Maria; Płuciennik, Monika

2017-10-01

The paper deals with the issue of charging communes with the costs of realisation of the provisions contained in local spatial development plans. When such local spatial development plan enters into force, it leads to economic consequences. In Poland, these consequences are specified in the forecast of the financial impact, which contains a prognosis of own revenues as well as of costs incurred by the budget of the commune. The research consisted in the analysis of the costs of urbanisation of land located in Wrocław, in the southern part of the Krzyki district (Poland). This area is undeveloped to a major extent, consisting mainly of agricultural land, and its development requires the construction of technological and social infrastructure facilities. The expected costs of the realisation of local spatial development plans that are binding for the southern part of Wrocław demonstrate significant costs of the construction of sewage network and municipal roads. The planned development of residential districts is not supported by the existing infrastructure. Additionally, the development of new areas will require the city of Wrocław to take over the real properties on which public goals are planned to be realised. The estimated costs of land acquisition for the realisation of public goals amount to EUR 3 728 500.

Structural analysis of color video camera installation on tank 241AW101 (2 Volumes)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strehlow, J.P.

1994-08-24

A video camera is planned to be installed on the radioactive storage tank 241AW101 at the DOE` s Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. The camera will occupy the 20 inch port of the Multiport Flange riser which is to be installed on riser 5B of the 241AW101 (3,5,10). The objective of the project reported herein was to perform a seismic analysis and evaluation of the structural components of the camera for a postulated Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) per the reference Structural Design Specification (SDS) document (6). The detail of supporting engineering calculations is documented in URS/Blume Calculation No. 66481-01-CA-03 (1).

AWS-Glacier As A Storage Foundation For AWS-EC2 Hosted Scientific Data Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, J. H. R.; Potter, N.

2016-12-01

Using AWS Glacier as a base level data store for a scientific data service presents new challenges for the web accessible data services, along with their software clients and human operators. All meaningful Glacier transactions take at least 4 hours to complete. This is in contrast to the various web APIs for data such as WMS, WFS, WCS, DAP2, and Netcdf tools which were all written based on the premise that the response will be (nearly) immediate. Only DAP4 and WPS contain an explicit asynchronous component to their respective protocols which allows for "return later" behaviors. We were able to put Hyrax (a DAP4 server) in front of Glacier-held resources, but there were significant issues. Any kind of probing of the datasets happens at the cost of the Glacier retrieval period, 4 hours. A couple of crucial things fall out of this: The first is that the service must cache metadata, including coordinate map arrays, so that a client can have enough information available in the "immediate" time frame to make a decisions about what to ask for from the dataset. This type of request planning is important because a data access request will take 4 hours to complete unless the data resource has been cached. The second thing is that the clients need to change their behavior when accessing datasets in an asynchronous system, even if the metadata is cached. Commonly, client applications will request a number of data components from a DAP2 service in the course of "discovering" the dataset. This may not be a well-supported model of interaction with Glacier or any other high latency data store.

Air and Water System (AWS) Design and Technology Selection for the Vision for Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry; Kliss, Mark

2005-01-01

This paper considers technology selection for the crew air and water recycling systems to be used in long duration human space exploration. The specific objectives are to identify the most probable air and water technologies for the vision for space exploration and to identify the alternate technologies that might be developed. The approach is to conduct a preliminary first cut systems engineering analysis, beginning with the Air and Water System (AWS) requirements and the system mass balance, and then define the functional architecture, review the International Space Station (ISS) technologies, and discuss alternate technologies. The life support requirements for air and water are well known. The results of the mass flow and mass balance analysis help define the system architectural concept. The AWS includes five subsystems: Oxygen Supply, Condensate Purification, Urine Purification, Hygiene Water Purification, and Clothes Wash Purification. AWS technologies have been evaluated in the life support design for ISS node 3, and in earlier space station design studies, in proposals for the upgrade or evolution of the space station, and in studies of potential lunar or Mars missions. The leading candidate technologies for the vision for space exploration are those planned for Node 3 of the ISS. The ISS life support was designed to utilize Space Station Freedom (SSF) hardware to the maximum extent possible. The SSF final technology selection process, criteria, and results are discussed. Would it be cost-effective for the vision for space exploration to develop alternate technology? This paper will examine this and other questions associated with AWS design and technology selection.

Impact of automatization in temperature series in Spain and comparison with the POST-AWS dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar, Enric; López-Díaz, José Antonio; Prohom Duran, Marc; Gilabert, Alba; Luna Rico, Yolanda; Venema, Victor; Auchmann, Renate; Stepanek, Petr; Brandsma, Theo

2016-04-01

Climate data records are most of the times affected by inhomogeneities. Especially inhomogeneities introducing network-wide biases are sometimes related to changes happening almost simultaneously in an entire network. Relative homogenization is difficult in these cases, especially at the daily scale. A good example of this is the substitution of manual observations (MAN) by automatic weather stations (AWS). Parallel measurements (i.e. records taken at the same time with the old (MAN) and new (AWS) sensors can provide an idea of the bias introduced and help to evaluate the suitability of different correction approaches. We present here a quality controlled dataset compiled under the DAAMEC Project, comprising 46 stations across Spain and over 85,000 parallel measurements (AWS-MAN) of daily maximum and minimum temperature. We study the differences between both sensors and compare it with the available metadata to account for internal inhomogeneities. The differences between both systems vary much across stations, with patterns more related to their particular settings than to climatic/geographical reasons. The typical median biases (AWS-MAN) by station (comprised between the interquartile range) oscillate between -0.2°C and 0.4 in daily maximum temperature and between -0.4°C and 0.2°C in daily minimum temperature. These and other results are compared with a larger network, the Parallel Observations Scientific Team, a working group of the International Surface Temperatures Initiative (ISTI-POST) dataset, which comprises our stations, as well as others from different countries in America, Asia and Europe.

NIR technology for on-line determination of superficial a(w) and moisture content during the drying process of fermented sausages.

PubMed

Collell, Carles; Gou, Pere; Arnau, Jacint; Muñoz, Israel; Comaposada, Josep

2012-12-01

Three different NIR equipment were evaluated based on their ability to predict superficial water activity (a(w)) and moisture content in two types of fermented sausages (with and without moulds on surface), using partial least squares (PLS) regression models. The instruments differed mainly in wavelength range, resolution and measurement configuration. The most accurate equipment was used in a new experiment to achieve robust models in sausages with different salt contents and submitted to different drying conditions. The models developed showed determination coefficients (R(2)(P)) values of 0.990, 0.910 and 0.984, and RMSEP values of 1.560%, 0.220% and 0.007% for moisture, salt and a(w) respectively. It was demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy could be a suitable non-destructive method for on-line monitoring and control of the drying process in fermented sausages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A factor confirmation and convergent validity of the “areas of worklife scale” (AWS) to Spanish translation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Perceived incongruity between the individual and the job on work-life areas such as workload, control, reward, fairness, community and values have implications for the dimensions of burnout syndrome. The “Areas of Work-life Scale” (AWS) is a practical instrument to measure employees´ perceptions of their work environments. AIMS: Validate a Spanish translation of the AWS, and it relationship with Masclach Burnout Inventory dimensions. Methods The study was conducted in three medium-sized hospitals and seven rural and urban Primary Care centres (N = 871) in Spain. The “Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey” (MBI-GS) and AWS were applied. We developed a complete psychometric analysis of its reliability, and validity. Results Data on the reliability supported a good internal consistency (Cronbach α between .71, and .85). Construct validity was confirmed by a six factor model of the AWS as a good measure of work environments (χ2(352) = 806.21, p < 0.001; χ2/df = 2.29; CFI = 0.935, RMSEA = 0.039); concurrent validity was analysed for its relationship with other measures (opposing dimensions to burnout, and MBI), and each correlation between dimensions and sub-dimensions were statistically significant; as well, predictive validity, by a series of Multiple Regression Analysis examined the resulting patterns of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirms the relationship between the work-life areas and burnout dimensions. Conclusions Leiter and Maslach’s AWS has been an important instrument in exploring several work-life factors that contribute to burnout. This scale can now be used to assess the quality of work-life in order to design and assess the need for intervention programs in Spanish-speaking countries. PMID:23596987

[The helminth fauna structure of wild rodents from differential sites of Wrocław area].

PubMed

Hildebrand, Joanna

2008-01-01

The parasite fauna of rodents was studied in the Wrocław area from 2001 to 2005. The first location was irrigation fields (Wrocław Osobowice), the second--a water distribution area (Wrocław Mokry Dwór). Helminthological material was collected during parasitological examination of 447 specimens of wildlife rodents (belonging to 7 species of Muridae). The helminth population and the helminth communities' structure were analyzed, their qualitative and quantitative characteristics were described by parasitological and ecological parameters. Significance of differences was tested by the chi-square test. Prevalence data was analysed by maximum likelihood techniques based on log-linear analysis of contingency tables using Statistica v.7.1. for ecological analysis Estimates was used. A total of 7787 helminth specimens belonging to 32 taxa were found: 16 nematodes, 12 cestodes and 4 digeneans. Any species of Acanthocephala was reported. The prevalence of helminths was 73.8%, mean intensity of infection--23.6 and mean abundance--17.4. In results of this research the new species of fluke Brachylecithum galreoli was described. Four species of nematodes were reported as new for Polish helminth fauna. Seventeen helminth species were found for the first time in Lower Silesia. The study showed qualitative and quantitative differences in the compound community and component community structure of helminths depending on site-specific conditions. A comparison of the helminth communities of Apodemus flavicollis revealed the biggest differences. This research did not reveal a statistically significant influence of host sex on total prevalence of infection. The differences in seasonal activity of small rodents had influence on prevalence of helminths. The parasites occurred proportional more frequently in summer and autumn in rodent populations. Co-occurrence of helminth species in individual host was observed (56.1% of rodents infected). The most frequent co-occurrence was of two

Final Report for the Erosion-Corrosion Anaysis of Tank 241-AW-02E Feed Pump Pit Jumpers B-2 and 1-4 Removed from Service in 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Page, Jason S.

2014-04-07

This document is the final report summarizing the results in the examination of two pipe sections (jumpers) from the tank 241-AW-02E feed pump pit in the 241-AW tank farm. These pipe section samples consisted of jumper AW02E-WT-J-[B – 2] and jumper AW02E-WT-J-[1 – 4]. For the remainder of this report, these jumpers will be referred to as B – 2 and 1 – 4.

Isotopic composition of sulphates from meteoric precipitation as an indicator of pollutant origin in Wrocław (SW Poland).

PubMed

Gorka, Maciej; Jedrysek, Mariusz-Orion; Strapoc, Dariusz

2008-06-01

This paper describes the results of isotopic analyses of (i) hydrogen and oxygen in water (delta DH2O and delta18OH2O ) and (ii) sulphur and oxygen in sulphates (delta34Ssulphate and delta18Osulphate) from atmospheric precipitation collected within a one-year period between 25 May 2004 and 25 May 2005 in Wrocław (SW Poland). The resulting equation of Local Meteoric Water Line for Wrocław is delta D=6.373xdelta18O-0.047, (r2=0.97, n=32). The delta34Ssulphate varies from 1.1 to 4.2 per thousand (with an average of 2.5 per thousand), delta18Osulphate varies from 9.0 to 16.7 per thousand (with an average of 13.8 per thousand) and delta18OH2O varies from-0.8 to-16.3 per thousand (with an average of-8.2 per thousand). The above results indicate two main sources of sulphates in Wrocław precipitation: (i) low-temperature secondary sulphates forming in situ in Wrocław from the atmospheric SO2 as well as precipitation water (heterogeneous and homogeneous pathways oxidation) and (ii) high-temperature primary sulphates forming in rapid high-temperature hydratation of SO3- in an immediate proximity of industrial chimneys. We hypothesise that the secondary low-temperature type of sulphates is probably formed from the local sulphur and oxygen reservoirs, whereas the primary high-temperature type is allochthonous and it is probably transported from industrial areas located outside of Wrocław.

Inter and intrasite analyses of cultural materials from U20aw, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hicks, P.A.; Pippin, L.C.; Henton, G.H.

1991-12-01

In the Spring of 1986 Desert Research Institute (DRI) conducted a Class III archaeological survey of Drill Hole U20aw on the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. Seven archaeological sites were located during the course of this survey including two temporary camps, four lithic scatters, and a possible pinyon cache. This report presents the results of the analyses of the data derived from all sites investigated during the data recovery operations on Drill Hole U20aw. Detailed analyses were focused on the spatial distribution of artifacts and features within and between sites in the southern portion of the study area (26Ny4867,more » 26Ny4869, and 26Ny4871). These analyses indicate that 26Ny4871 served principally as a temporary camp, while the area around the canyonhead to the east (which includes 26Ny4867 and 26Ny4869) seems to have been used as a site for both temporary camps and special activity loci. Projectile point styles suggest that the area was occupied from the Early Archaic into the early Historic period. Analyses of the artifacts that were recovered indicate that obsidian was the preferred material for all classes of flaked stone tools. All stages of lithic reduction are represented on the sites, but core reduction and thinning of bifaces appear to have been the primary activities. Processing of floral foods is indicated by the presence of several ground stone artifacts. Pinyon nuts and other items appear to have been stored in the area of 26Ny4869 and to the north of the drill hole as evidenced by the presence of several rock features that may have served as caches.« less

14. Photocopy of a photographca. 1902taken by A.W. Peters showing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. Photocopy of a photograph--ca. 1902--taken by A.W. Peters showing Eastwood and his party surveying for the Big Creek Project. The surveying party is visible in the upper right corner. Courtesy Mr. Charles Allan Whitney. - Little Rock Creek Dam, Little Rock Creek, Littlerock, Los Angeles County, CA

The discovery of DLT17aw/AT2017drh with PROMPT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sand, D.; Wyatt, S.; Valenti, S.; Bostroem, K. A.; Tartaglia, L.; Reichart, D. E.; Haislip, J. B.; Kouprianov, V.

2017-05-01

We report the discovery of DLT17aw/AT2017drh. The object was discovered on 2017-05-03.36 UT at R 17.9 mag, during the ongoing D20.5) on 2017-04-29.36 UT. All images were taken in a 'Clear' filter which was calibrated to an approximate R-band magnitude using the USNO-B1 catalog.

Comparisons of the Pentax-AWS, Glidescope, and Macintosh Laryngoscopes for Intubation Performance during Mechanical Chest Compressions in Left Lateral Tilt: A Randomized Simulation Study of Maternal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

PubMed Central

Lee, Sanghyun; Kim, Wonhee; Kang, Hyunggoo; Oh, Jaehoon; Lim, Tae Ho; Lee, Yoonjae; Kim, Changsun; Cho, Jun Hwi

2015-01-01

Purpose. Rapid advanced airway management is important in maternal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This study aimed to compare intubation performances among Pentax-AWS (AWS), Glidescope (GVL), and Macintosh laryngoscope (MCL) during mechanical chest compression in 15° and 30° left lateral tilt. Methods. In 19 emergency physicians, a prospective randomized crossover study was conducted to examine the three laryngoscopes. Primary outcomes were the intubation time and the success rate for intubation. Results. The median intubation time using AWS was shorter than that of GVL and MCL in both tilt degrees. The time to visualize the glottic view in GVL and AWS was significantly lower than that of MCL (all P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between the two video laryngoscopes (in 15° tilt, P = 1; in 30° tilt, P = 0.71). The progression of tracheal tube using AWS was faster than that of MCL and GVL in both degrees (all P < 0.001). Intubations using AWS and GVL showed higher success rate than that of Macintosh laryngoscopes. Conclusions. The AWS could be an appropriate laryngoscope for airway management of pregnant women in tilt CPR considering intubation time and success rate. PMID:26161426

Historical Allotment Gardens in Wrocław - The Need to Protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kononowicz, Wanda; Gryniewicz-Balińska, Katarzyna

2016-06-01

Since about the mid-nineteenth century, together with the changing socio-economic situation, different types of allotments appeared in Wrocław. Initially, they were rented gardens, gardens for the poor or for factory workers. At the beginning of the twentieth century, school gardens and the so called Schreber gardens with a large common square were set up as part of Dr. Schreber's educational health program. In 1914-1918, "war" vegetable gardens were commonly cultivated. In the 1920s allotment gardens began to be systematically introduced to the city plan as permanent, purposefully designed elements of urban greenery. They were often designed together with urban parks, or so called "Folk Parks" of a recreational and sport character. In the 1930s, during the economic crisis, allotments with garden houses were adapted for the unemployed and the homeless to live in. Wrocław allotment gardens have undeniable historical, social, recreational, economic and compositional value. These gardens are a cultural heritage that should be protected. In Western Europe we are witnessing a renaissance of the idea of allotments, while in Poland - a tendency to eliminate them from urban landscapes.

All-weld-metal design for AWS E10018M, E11018M and E12018M type electrodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Surian, E.S.; Vedia, L.A. de

This paper presents the results of a research program conducted to design the all-weld metal deposited with AWS A5.5-81 E10018M, E11018M and E12018M SMAW-type electrodes. The role that different alloying elements such as manganese, carbon and chromium play on the tensile properties, hardness and toughness as well as on the microstructure was studied. Criteria for selecting the weld metal composition leading to optimum combination of tensile strength and toughness are suggested. The effect of the variation of heat input, within the requirements of the AWS standard, on the mentioned properties was also analyzed. It was found that the E11018M andmore » E12018M all-weld-metal tensile properties are very sensitive to variations in heat input. For certain values of chemical composition, welding parameter ranges suitable to guarantee the fulfillment of AWS requirements were determined.« less

Life at low water activity.

PubMed Central

Grant, W D

2004-01-01

Two major types of environment provide habitats for the most xerophilic organisms known: foods preserved by some form of dehydration or enhanced sugar levels, and hypersaline sites where water availability is limited by a high concentration of salts (usually NaCl). These environments are essentially microbial habitats, with high-sugar foods being dominated by xerophilic (sometimes called osmophilic) filamentous fungi and yeasts, some of which are capable of growth at a water activity (a(w)) of 0.61, the lowest a(w) value for growth recorded to date. By contrast, high-salt environments are almost exclusively populated by prokaryotes, notably the haloarchaea, capable of growing in saturated NaCl (a(w) 0.75). Different strategies are employed for combating the osmotic stress imposed by high levels of solutes in the environment. Eukaryotes and most prokaryotes synthesize or accumulate organic so-called 'compatible solutes' (osmolytes) that have counterbalancing osmotic potential. A restricted range of bacteria and the haloarchaea counterbalance osmotic stress imposed by NaCl by accumulating equivalent amounts of KCl. Haloarchaea become entrapped and survive for long periods inside halite (NaCl) crystals. They are also found in ancient subterranean halite (NaCl) deposits, leading to speculation about survival over geological time periods. PMID:15306380

Cultural Heritage Protection Issues In Leśnica, The Settlement Of Wrocław

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kononowicz, Alena

2015-09-01

Leśnica, today the settlement on the western edge of Wrocław, formerly was an independent town, located on a previously wooded area, with a linear street system. It developed in the Middle Ages around the castle and church playing a service role for the Silesian Piast court on their way to Legnica and during hunting. In the thirteenth century it received city rights, and lost them in the eighteenth century. After the Piast dynasty had died out, it was sold by John of Luxembourg, and repeatedly changed its owners. In the nineteenth century it developed thanks to the industry, tourism and a convenient railway connection to Wrocław as well as hotel and restaurant facilities. In 1928, Leśnica was incorporated into Wrocław. After the Second World War, it lost its cultural continuity. In the 1970's, middle-heigh and high prefabricated buildings were built in the vicinity of a residential district. At the end of the twentieth and early twenty-first century, local industries were liquidated, and intensive land development started, causing the systematic blurring of its small-town character and its urban space started to acquire a character of a big city. In 2004, the old part of Leśnica was entered in the Register of Monuments. Also a ring road was planned, moving the cumbersome and dangerous transit traffic away from historic Średzka Street beyond the southern border of the settlement.

Therapeutic effects of nandrolone and testosterone in adult male HIV patients with AIDS wasting syndrome (AWS): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

Sardar, Partha; Jha, Ayan; Roy, Deeptarka; Majumdar, Uddalak; Guha, Pradipta; Roy, Sabyasachi; Banerjee, Ramtanu; Banerjee, Amit Kumar; Bandyopadhyay, Dipanjan

2010-01-01

We aimed to compare therapeutic effects of intramuscular (IM) nandrolone decanoate and IM testosterone enanthate in male HIV patients with AIDS wasting syndrome (AWS) with placebo control. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial, 104 patients with AWS who satisfied our inclusion criteria were randomly allotted in a 2:2:1 ratio to the 3 intervention groups: nandrolone, testosterone, and placebo. We administered 150 mg nandrolone and 250 mg testosterone (both IM, biweekly). The primary outcome measure was a comparison of absolute change in weight at 12 weeks between the nandrolone decanoate, testosterone, and placebo groups. Intent-to-treat analysis was done. The nandrolone group recorded maximum mean increase in weight (3.20 kg; post hoc P < .01 compared to placebo). Body mass index (BMI) of subjects in the nandrolone group had a significantly greater increase (mean = 1.28) compared to both testosterone (post hoc P < .05) and placebo (post hoc P < .01). Waist circumference and triceps skinfold thickness of patients on nandrolone showed similar results. Nandrolone also ensured a better quality of life. Patients with low testosterone level (<3 ng/mL) benefited immensely from nandrolone therapy, which increased their weight and BMI significantly compared to placebo (P < .05). Our trial demonstrates the superior therapeutic effects of nandrolone in male AWS patients, including the androgen deficient.

Carbon dioxide mediates the response to temperature and water activity levels in Aspergillus flavus during infection of maize kernels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aspergillus flavus is a saprophytic fungus that may colonize several important crops, including cotton, maize, peanuts and tree nuts. Concomitant with A. flavus colonization is its potential to secrete mycotoxins, of which the most prominent is aflatoxin. Temperature, water activity (aw) and carbon ...

[Professor Wacław Kuśnierczyk (1908-1997)--Pro Memoria in the century of birthday].

PubMed

Brozek, Krzysztof; Kozakiewicz, Jacek; Kierzek, Andrzej

2009-01-01

Wacław Kuśnierczyk was born in 1908 in Sniatyń. He received the degree in medicine at Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów in 1932. He did his PhD degree under Professor Zaleski supervision in 1938 at Jan Kazimierz University. At that time he concentrated his scientific activity on research on tuberculosis. In 1953 he obtained the title of second degree specialist in ear, nose and throat diseases. He became a chief of Otolaryngology at Urban Hospital No 4 in Katowice in 1960. Since then this eminent physician was working on tumours located in upper respiratory tract and the possibility of its endoscopic diagnosis at Silesian Academy of Medicine in Katowice. As one of the first he pointed out the negative influence of smoking cigarettes on cancer of larynx. It was Wacław Kuśnierczyk who implemented new priorities for integrated programs in patient care, research, education and cancer prevention. He has published widely in peer reviewed journals and has edited or contributed to many books. He has given many major lectures and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for his scientific accomplishments. The achievement of Professor Kuśnierczyk were the valuable source of information for the physicians. In 1997, on the 31st of January he died in Katowice.

Survival and Filamentation of Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis PT4 and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium DT104 at Low Water Activity

PubMed Central

Mattick, K. L.; Jørgensen, F.; Legan, J. D.; Cole, M. B.; Porter, J.; Lappin-Scott, H. M.; Humphrey, T. J.

2000-01-01

In this study we investigated the long-term survival of and morphological changes in Salmonella strains at low water activity (aw). Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis PT4 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium DT104 survived at low aw for long periods, but minimum humectant concentrations of 8% NaCl (aw, 0.95), 96% sucrose (aw, 0.94), and 32% glycerol (aw, 0.92) were bactericidal under most conditions. Salmonella rpoS mutants were usually more sensitive to bactericidal levels of NaCl, sucrose, and glycerol. At a lethal aw, incubation at 37°C resulted in more rapid loss of viability than incubation at 21°C. At aw values of 0.93 to 0.98, strains of S. enterica serovar Enteritidis and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium formed filaments, some of which were at least 200 μm long. Filamentation was independent of rpoS expression. When the preparations were returned to high-aw conditions, the filaments formed septa, and division was complete within approximately 2 to 3 h. The variable survival of Salmonella strains at low aw highlights the importance of strain choice when researchers produce modelling data to simulate worst-case scenarios or conduct risk assessments based on laboratory data. The continued increase in Salmonella biomass at low aw (without a concomitant increase in microbial count) would not have been detected by traditional microbiological enumeration tests if the tests had been performed immediately after low-aw storage. If Salmonella strains form filaments in food products that have low aw values (0.92 to 0.98), there are significant implications for public health and for designing methods for microbiological monitoring. PMID:10742199

Modeling with the logistic regression of the growth/no growth interface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in relation to 2 antimicrobial terpenes (citral and linalool), pH, and a(w).

PubMed

Tabanelli, Giulia; Montanari, Chiara; Patrignani, Francesca; Siroli, Lorenzo; Lanciotti, Rosalba; Gardini, Fausto

2014-03-01

The antimicrobial effects of 2 terpenes (citral and linalool) on a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain isolated from spoiled soft drink have been evaluated, alone or in combination, in relation to pH and aw using in vitro assays. The obtained data were fitted with the logit model to find the growth/no growth boundary regions of the 2 terpenes, focusing the attention on the type of interaction exerted by citral and linalool. In particular, the results showed an increase of citral antimicrobial effect in growth media characterized by low aw value, as well as a higher linalool antimicrobial effect in media at low pH. Moreover, the interactive effects of the 2 terpenes were exploited. The results obtained with the model were validated in an independent experiment. The knowledge of the interactions of essential oil molecules with enhanced antimicrobial activity, in relation to some of the most important chemicophysical variables, can have important industrial applications, since these substances are able to assure the desired antimicrobial effect without negatively modifying the product flavor profile. The effects of the main chemicophysical parameters (such as aw and pH) on the antimicrobial activity of bioactive terpenes are necessary for the definition of an industrially applicable preservation strategy based on the use of essential oils as natural antimicrobials aimed to prolong shelf life of food products. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Determination of the influence of factors (ethanol, pH and a(w) ) on the preservation of cosmetics using experimental design.

PubMed

Berthele, H; Sella, O; Lavarde, M; Mielcarek, C; Pense-Lheritier, A-M; Pirnay, S

2014-02-01

Ethanol, pH and water activity are three well-known parameters that can influence the preservation of cosmetic products. With the new constraints regarding the antimicrobial effectiveness and the restrictive use of preservatives, a D-optimal design was set up to evaluate the influence of these three parameters on the microbiological conservation. To monitor the effectiveness of the different combination of these set parameters, a challenge test in compliance with the International standard ISO 11930: 2012 was implemented. The formulations established in our study could support wide variations of ethanol concentration, pH values and glycerin concentration without noticeable effects on the stability of the products. In the conditions of the study, determining the value of a single parameter, with the tested concentration, could not guarantee microbiological conservation. However, a high concentration of ethanol associated with an extreme pH could inhibit bacteria growth from the first day (D0). Besides, it appears that despite an aw above 0.6 (even 0.8) and without any preservatives incorporated in formulas, it was possible to guarantee the microbiological stability of the cosmetic product when maintaining the right combination of the selected parameters. Following the analysis of the different values obtained during the experimentation, there seems to be a correlation between the aw and the selected parameters aforementioned. An application of this relationship could be to define the aw of cosmetic products by using the formula, thus avoiding the evaluation of this parameter with a measuring device. © 2013 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Relationship between environmental factors, dry matter loss and mycotoxin levels in stored wheat and maize infected with Fusarium species.

PubMed

Mylona, Kalliopi; Sulyok, Michael; Magan, Naresh

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between storage environmental factors (water activity (a(w)) (0.89-0.97) and temperature (15°C-30°C)), colonisation of wheat and maize by Fusarium graminearum and F. verticillioides respectively and the dry matter losses (DMLs) caused and quantified by contamination with deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisins (FUMs) during storage. Fungal growth was assessed by the amount of CO(2) produced under different interacting conditions of a(w) and temperature. DMLs were quantified using the cumulative CO(2) data, and these were shown to increase as temperature and a(w) increased. The amount of DON, ZEA (wheat for human consumption) and FUMs (feed maize) produced was significantly affected by the storage conditions. The three toxins however showed different patterns of production. Optimum for DON was at the wettest conditions (0.97a(w)) and the highest temperature assessed (30°C), whereas for ZEA this shifted to 25°C. FUMs were produced in higher amounts in maize at 30°C and 0.97a(w); however, at intermediate a(w) levels (0.955a(w)), the highest production occurred at 25°C followed by 20°C. Polynomial models were developed for the effect of the storage factors on DMLs and toxin production. DMLs under different environmental conditions were significantly correlated with DON and FUMs. DON contamination was above the EU limits in at least 80% of the wheat samples with DMLs >1%, whereas at least 70% of the same samples contained ZEA above the respective EU legislative limits. Similarly, at least 75% of the maize samples with DMLs ≥ 0.9% exceeded the EU limits for the sum of FUMs in feed. These results show that it may be possible to use temporal CO(2) production during storage of grains as an indicator of the level of contamination of the grain with mycotoxins.

Effects of a GABA-ergic medication combination and initial alcohol withdrawal severity on cue-elicited brain activation among treatment-seeking alcoholics.

PubMed

Schacht, Joseph P; Anton, Raymond F; Randall, Patrick K; Li, Xingbao; Henderson, Scott; Myrick, Hugh

2013-06-01

Many studies have reported medication effects on alcohol cue-elicited brain activation or associations between such activation and subsequent drinking. However, few have combined the methodological rigor of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) with follow-up assessments to determine whether cue-elicited activation predicts relapse during treatment, the crux of alcoholism. This study analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 48 alcohol-dependent subjects enrolled in a 6-week RCT of an investigational pharmacotherapy. Subjects were randomized, based on their level of alcohol withdrawal (AW) at study entry, to receive either a combination of gabapentin (GBP; up to 1,200 mg for 39 days) and flumazenil (FMZ) infusions (2 days) or two placebos. Midway through the RCT, subjects were administered an fMRI alcohol cue reactivity task. There were no main effects of medication or initial AW status on cue-elicited activation, but these factors interacted, such that the GBP/FMZ/higher AW and placebo/lower AW groups, which had previously been shown to have relatively reduced drinking, demonstrated greater dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) activation to alcohol cues. Further analysis suggested that this finding represented differences in task-related deactivation and was associated with greater control over alcohol-related thoughts. Among study completers, regardless of medication or AW status, greater left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation predicted more post-scan heavy drinking. These data suggest that alterations in task-related deactivation of dACC, a component of the default mode network, may predict better alcohol treatment response, while activation of DLPFC, an area associated with selective attention, may predict relapse drinking.

Astronomy popularization at the University of Wrocław

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preś, Paweł; Cader-Sroka, Barbara; Berlicki, Arkadiusz

2016-06-01

Science popularization found many expressions in the history of the Astronomical Institute of the University of Wrocław. The long-lasting is the tradition of popular astronomy lectures. Occasional celestial events are the base of public observations. Since 1998 the Institute boldly participates in the Lower-Silesian Science Festival. The rising public interest in astronomy encouraged us to establish ''Planetarium'' laboratory in 2008. Together with the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic we established in 2009 the very first trans-border dark-sky park in the location of Izera Mountains, where since then the public can benefit from excellent observational conditions and the astronomers' support.

The binary companion of the classical Cepheid AW Per

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Nancy Remage

1989-01-01

An analysis of IUE spectra of the companion of AW Per shows it to be an extreme BpSi/HeW star with a spectral type of B7 V to B8 V. The flux of the composite spectrum from 1200 A through V is found to be well matched by F7 Ib and B8 V standard stars with Delta M(V) = 3.1 mag. The results suggest that the mass of the Cepheid must be greater than 4.7 solar masses. The flux distribution of the star and the mass limits from the orbit are consistent with a companion that is itself a binary.

Influence of water activity and temperature on growth and mycotoxin production by Alternaria alternata on irradiated soya beans.

PubMed

Oviedo, Maria Silvina; Ramirez, Maria Laura; Barros, Germán Gustavo; Chulze, Sofia Noemi

2011-09-15

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of water activity (a(w)) (0.99-0.90), temperature (15, 25 and 30°C) and their interactions on growth and alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) production by Alternaria alternata on irradiated soya beans. Maximum growth rates were obtained at 0.980 a(w) and 25°C. Minimum a(w) level for growth was dependent on temperature. Both strains were able to grow at the lowest a(w) assayed (0.90). Maximum amount of AOH was produced at 0.98 a(w) but at different temperatures, 15 and 25°C, for the strains RC 21 and RC 39 respectively. Maximum AME production was obtained at 0.98 a(w) and 30°C for both strains. The concentration range of both toxins varied considerably depending on a(w) and temperature interactions. The two metabolites were produced over the temperature range 15 to 30°C and a(w) range 0.99 to 0.96. The limiting a(w) for detectable mycotoxin production is slightly greater than that for growth. Two-dimensional profiles of a(w)× temperature were developed from these data to identify areas where conditions indicate a significant risk from AOH and AME accumulation on soya bean. Knowledge of AOH and AME production under marginal or sub-optimal temperature and a(w) conditions for growth can be important since improper storage conditions accompanied by elevated temperature and moisture content in the grain can favour further mycotoxin production and lead to reduction in grain quality. This could present a hazard if the grain is used for human consumption or animal feedstuff. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

47 CFR 27.1176 - Cost-sharing requirements for AWS in the 2150-2160/62 MHz band.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... from this spectrum, including BRS incumbents occupying the 2150-2162 MHz band on a primary basis, must... § 27.1190. If an AWS licensee enters into a spectrum leasing arrangement and the spectrum lessee...

Guide for the Training and Qualification of Welding Personnel. Level III - Expert Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This guide is designed to help education and training facilities develop and administer competency-based training programs to qualify and certify trainees in accordance with American Welding Society (AWS) requirements for level III (expert) welders. Presented first are the scope/objectives/requirements of the AWS qualification/certification…

Heat treatment condition of EN AW-7075 influencing the anodic oxidation process and coating properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgenstern, R.; Scharf, I.; Lampke, T.

2018-06-01

The age-hardenable aluminium alloy EN AW-7075 exhibits outstanding specific mechanical properties and therefore offers a high potential for lightweight construction. Anodising in aqueous oxalic acid solutions is suitable to produce a protective oxide ceramic conversion layer on this alloy. This study examines the influence of the precipitation state of the substrate alloy on microstructure and properties of anodic oxide layers. Therefore, EN AW-7075 sheets in the heat treatment conditions T4, T6 and T73 were anodized in 0.8 M oxalic acid solution at constant voltage. The current efficiency was determined on the basis of the electrical charge quantity, coating thickness and coating mass. Instrumented indentation tests were applied in order to evaluate the coating hardness. The microstructure of the anodic oxide layer was illustrated using field emission electron microscopy. It was shown that the current efficiency strongly depends on the heat treatment condition.

Reliability of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Jan D.; And Others

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the volume of empirical research directed toward the issue of sex-roles, including the development of evaluative instruments such as the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). The United States Military Academy's Project Athena, designed to examine…

Photometric Analyses of the Short-Period Contact Binaries HY Pavonis, AW Virginis, and BP Velorum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapasset, Emilio; Gomez, Mercedes; Farinas, Raul

1996-04-01

We present BV light curve synthetic analyses of three short period contact (W UMa) binaries: HY Pavonis (P ~0.35 days), AW Virginis (P ~0.35 days), and BP Velorum (P ~0.26 days). Different possible configurations for a wide range of the mass ratio were explored in each case making use of the Wilson-Divinney code. The photometric parameters of the systems were determined from the synthetic light curve solutions that best fit the observations. AW Vir has two components of very similar temperatures and therefore the subtype (A or W) remains undetermined. HY Pav and BP Vel are best modeled by W-type configurations and the asymmetries in the light curves are reproduced by introducing cool spots on the more massive secondary components. Even when BP Vel lies in the region of the open cluster Cr 173, its distance modulus, in principle, rules it out as a cluster member. (SECTION: Stars)

Cloud Computing for Pharmacometrics: Using AWS, NONMEM, PsN, Grid Engine, and Sonic.

PubMed

Sanduja, S; Jewell, P; Aron, E; Pharai, N

2015-09-01

Cloud computing allows pharmacometricians to access advanced hardware, network, and security resources available to expedite analysis and reporting. Cloud-based computing environments are available at a fraction of the time and effort when compared to traditional local datacenter-based solutions. This tutorial explains how to get started with building your own personal cloud computer cluster using Amazon Web Services (AWS), NONMEM, PsN, Grid Engine, and Sonic.

Effects of temperature, water activity and incubation time on fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 production by toxinogenic Aspergillus flavus isolates on sorghum seeds.

PubMed

Lahouar, Amani; Marin, Sonia; Crespo-Sempere, Ana; Saïd, Salem; Sanchis, Vicente

2016-01-01

Sorghum, which is consumed in Tunisia as human food, suffers from severe colonization by several toxigenic fungi and contamination by mycotoxins. The Tunisian climate is characterized by high temperature and humidity that stimulates mold proliferation and mycotoxin accumulation in foodstuffs. This study investigated the effects of temperature (15, 25 and 37°C), water activity (aw, between 0.85 and 0.99) and incubation time (7, 14, 21 and 28 d) on fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production by three Aspergillus flavus isolates (8, 10 and 14) inoculated on sorghum grains. The Baranyi model was applied to identify the limits of growth and mycotoxin production. Maximum diameter growth rates were observed at 0.99 a(w) at 37°C for two of the isolates. The minimum aw needed for mycelial growth was 0.91 at 25 and 37°C. At 15°C, only isolate 8 grew at 0.99 a(w). Aflatoxin B1 accumulation could be avoided by storing sorghum at low water activity levels (≤0.91 a(w)). Aflatoxin production was not observed at 15°C. This is the first work on the effects of water activity and temperature on A. flavus growth and AFB1 production by A. flavus isolates on sorghum grains. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Running climate model on a commercial cloud computing environment: A case study using Community Earth System Model (CESM) on Amazon AWS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiuhong; Huang, Xianglei; Jiao, Chaoyi; Flanner, Mark G.; Raeker, Todd; Palen, Brock

2017-01-01

The suites of numerical models used for simulating climate of our planet are usually run on dedicated high-performance computing (HPC) resources. This study investigates an alternative to the usual approach, i.e. carrying out climate model simulations on commercially available cloud computing environment. We test the performance and reliability of running the CESM (Community Earth System Model), a flagship climate model in the United States developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), on Amazon Web Service (AWS) EC2, the cloud computing environment by Amazon.com, Inc. StarCluster is used to create virtual computing cluster on the AWS EC2 for the CESM simulations. The wall-clock time for one year of CESM simulation on the AWS EC2 virtual cluster is comparable to the time spent for the same simulation on a local dedicated high-performance computing cluster with InfiniBand connections. The CESM simulation can be efficiently scaled with the number of CPU cores on the AWS EC2 virtual cluster environment up to 64 cores. For the standard configuration of the CESM at a spatial resolution of 1.9° latitude by 2.5° longitude, increasing the number of cores from 16 to 64 reduces the wall-clock running time by more than 50% and the scaling is nearly linear. Beyond 64 cores, the communication latency starts to outweigh the benefit of distributed computing and the parallel speedup becomes nearly unchanged.

Cloud Computing for Pharmacometrics: Using AWS, NONMEM, PsN, Grid Engine, and Sonic

PubMed Central

Sanduja, S; Jewell, P; Aron, E; Pharai, N

2015-01-01

Cloud computing allows pharmacometricians to access advanced hardware, network, and security resources available to expedite analysis and reporting. Cloud-based computing environments are available at a fraction of the time and effort when compared to traditional local datacenter-based solutions. This tutorial explains how to get started with building your own personal cloud computer cluster using Amazon Web Services (AWS), NONMEM, PsN, Grid Engine, and Sonic. PMID:26451333

Influence of temperature, water activity and pH on growth of some xerophilic fungi.

PubMed

Gock, Melissa A; Hocking, Ailsa D; Pitt, John I; Poulos, Peter G

2003-02-25

The combined effects of water activity (aw), pH and temperature on the germination and growth of seven xerophilic fungi important in the spoilage of baked goods and confectionery were examined. Eurotium rubrum, E. repens, Wallemia sebi, Aspergillus penicillioides, Penicillium roqueforti, Chrysosporium xerophilum and Xeromyces bisporus were grown at 25, 30 and 37 degrees C on media with pH values of 4.5, 5.5, 6.5 and 7.5 and a range of water activities (aw) from 0.92 to 0.70. The aw of the media was controlled with a mixture of equal parts of glucose and fructose. Temperature affected the minimum aw for germination for most species. For example, P. roqueforti germinated at 0.82 aw at 25 degrees C, 0.86 aw at 30 degrees C and was unable to germinate at 37 degrees C. E. repens germinated at 0.70 aw at 30 degrees C, but at 25 and 37 degrees C, its minimum aw for germination was 0.74. C. xerophilum and X. bisporus germinated at 0.70 aw at all three temperatures. The optimum growth occurred at 25 degrees C for P. roqueforti and W. sebi, at 30 degrees C for Eurotium species, A. penicillioides and X. bisporus and at 37 degrees C for C. xerophilum. These fungi all grew faster under acidic than neutral pH conditions. The data presented here provide a matrix that will be used in the development of a mathematical model for the prediction of the shelf life of baked goods and confectionery.

AHR-related activities in a creosote-adapted population of adult atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, two decades post-EPA superfund status at the Atlantic Wood Site, Portsmouth, VA USA.

PubMed

Wojdylo, Josephine V; Vogelbein, Wolfgang; Bain, Lisa J; Rice, Charles D

2016-08-01

Atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, are adapted to creosote-based PAHs at the US EPA Superfund site known as Atlantic Wood (AW) on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River, VA USA. Subsequent to the discovery of the AW population in the early 1990s, these fish were shown to be recalcitrant to CYP1A induction by PAHs under experimental conditions, and even to the time of this study, killifish embryos collected from the AW site are resistant to developmental deformities typically associated with exposure to PAHs in reference fish. Historically, however, 90 +% of the adult killifish at this site have proliferative hepatic lesions including cancer of varying severity. Several PAHs at this site are known to be ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). In this study, AHR-related activities in AW fish collected between 2011 and 2013 were re-examined nearly 2 decades after first discovery. This study shows that CYP1A mRNA expression is three-fold higher in intestines of AW killifish compared to a reference population. Using immunohistochemistry, CYP1A staining in intestines was uniformly positive compared to negative staining in reference fish. Livers of AW killifish were examined by IHC to show that CYP1A and AHR2 protein expression reflect lesions-specific patterns, probably representing differences in intrinsic cellular physiology of the spectrum of proliferative lesions comprising the hepatocarcinogenic process. We also found that COX2 mRNA expression levels were higher in AW fish livers compared to those in the reference population, suggesting a state of chronic inflammation. Overall, these findings suggest that adult AW fish are responsive to AHR signaling, and do express CYP1A and AHR2 proteins in intestines at a level above what was observed in the reference population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AHR-related Activities in a Creosote-Adapted Population of Adult Atlantic Killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, Two Decades Post-EPA Superfund Status at the Atlantic Wood Site, Portsmouth, VA USA

PubMed Central

Wojdylo, Josephine V.; Vogelbein, Wolfgang; Bain, Lisa J.; Rice, Charles D.

2016-01-01

Atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, are adapted to creosote-based PAHs at the US EPA Superfund site known as Atlantic Wood (AW) on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River, VA USA. Subsequent to the discovery of the AW population in the early 1990s, these fish were shown to be recalcitrant to CYP1A induction by PAHs under experimental conditions, and even to the time of this study, killifish embryos collected from the AW site are resistant to developmental deformities typically associated with exposure to PAHs in reference fish. Historically, however, 90+% of the adult killifish at this site have proliferative hepatic lesions including cancer of varying severity. Several PAHs at this site are known to be ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). In this study, AHR-related activities in AW fish collected between 2011–2013 were re-examined nearly 2 decades after first discovery. This study shows that CYP1A mRNA expression is three-fold higher in intestines of AW killifish compared to a reference population. Using immunohistochemistry, CYP1A staining in intestines was uniformly positive compared to negative staining in reference fish. Livers of AW killifish were examined by IHC to show that CYP1A and AHR2 protein expression reflect lesions-specific patterns, probably representing differences in intrinsic cellular physiology of the spectrum of proliferative lesions comprising the hepatocarcinogenic process. We also found that COX2 mRNA expression levels were higher in AW fish livers compared to those in the reference population, suggesting a state of chronic inflammation. Overall, these findings suggest that adult AW fish are responsive to AHR signaling, and do express CYP1A and AHR2 proteins in intestines at a level above what was observed in the reference population. PMID:27262937

Sporulation boundaries and spore formation kinetics of Bacillus spp. as a function of temperature, pH and a(w).

PubMed

Baril, Eugénie; Coroller, Louis; Couvert, Olivier; El Jabri, Mohammed; Leguerinel, Ivan; Postollec, Florence; Boulais, Christophe; Carlin, Frédéric; Mafart, Pierre

2012-10-01

Sporulation niches in the food chain are considered as a source of hazard and are not clearly identified. Determining the sporulation environmental boundaries could contribute to identify potential sporulation niches. Spore formation was determined in a Sporulation Mineral Buffer. The effect of incubation temperature, pH and water activity on time to one spore per mL, maximum sporulation rate and final spore concentration was investigated for a Bacillus weihenstephanensis and a Bacillus licheniformis strain. Sporulation boundaries of B. weihenstephanensis and of B. licheniformis were similar to, or included within, the range of temperatures, pH and water activities supporting growth. For instance, sporulation boundaries of B. weihenstephanensis were evaluated at 5°C, 35°C, pH 5.2 and a(w) 0.960 while growth boundaries were observed at 5°C, 37°C, pH 4.9 and a(w) 0.950. Optimum spore formation was determined at 30°C pH 7.2 for B. weihenstephanensis and at 45°C pH 7.2 for B. licheniformis. Lower temperatures and pH delayed the sporulation process. For instance, the time to one spore per mL was tenfold longer when sporulation occurred at 10°C and 20°C, for each strain respectively, than at optimum sporulation temperature. The relative effect of temperature and pH on sporulation rates and on growth rates is similar. This work suggests that the influence of environmental factors on the quantitative changes in sporulation boundaries and rates was similar to their influence on changes in growth rate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inter and intrasite analyses of cultural materials from U20aw, Nye County, Nevada. Technical report No. 66

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hicks, P.A.; Pippin, L.C.; Henton, G.H.

1991-12-01

In the Spring of 1986 Desert Research Institute (DRI) conducted a Class III archaeological survey of Drill Hole U20aw on the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. Seven archaeological sites were located during the course of this survey including two temporary camps, four lithic scatters, and a possible pinyon cache. This report presents the results of the analyses of the data derived from all sites investigated during the data recovery operations on Drill Hole U20aw. Detailed analyses were focused on the spatial distribution of artifacts and features within and between sites in the southern portion of the study area (26Ny4867,more » 26Ny4869, and 26Ny4871). These analyses indicate that 26Ny4871 served principally as a temporary camp, while the area around the canyonhead to the east (which includes 26Ny4867 and 26Ny4869) seems to have been used as a site for both temporary camps and special activity loci. Projectile point styles suggest that the area was occupied from the Early Archaic into the early Historic period. Analyses of the artifacts that were recovered indicate that obsidian was the preferred material for all classes of flaked stone tools. All stages of lithic reduction are represented on the sites, but core reduction and thinning of bifaces appear to have been the primary activities. Processing of floral foods is indicated by the presence of several ground stone artifacts. Pinyon nuts and other items appear to have been stored in the area of 26Ny4869 and to the north of the drill hole as evidenced by the presence of several rock features that may have served as caches.« less

Influence of clinical experience of the Macintosh laryngoscope on performance with the Pentax-AWS Airway Scope(®), a rigid video-laryngoscope, by paramedics in Japan.

PubMed

Ota, Kohei; Sadamori, Takuma; Kusunoki, Shinji; Otani, Tadatsugu; Tamura, Tomoko; Une, Kazunobu; Kida, Yoshiko; Itai, Junji; Iwasaki, Yasumasa; Hirohashi, Nobuyuki; Nakao, Masakazu; Tanigawa, Koichi

2015-10-01

We sought to establish the clinical utility of the Pentax-AWS Airway Scope(®) (AWS) when used by paramedics to intubate the trachea, and to evaluate whether their performance was influenced by previous clinical experience with the Macintosh laryngoscope (ML). Twenty paramedics attempted tracheal intubation using the AWS in five patients each in the operating room. We recorded the success rate, the number of intubation attempts, and the time for intubation and adverse events, and compared these based on the paramedics' previous clinical experience with the ML. Ten paramedics had no prior clinical experience of the ML (group A) and 10 had used it on more than 30 occasions (group B). The intubation success rate was 99 % (99/100). Notably, 96 % (47/49) of intubations were achieved on the first attempt by the inexperienced paramedics in group A, compared with 64 % (32/50) by the experienced paramedics in group B (p = 0.0001). The time to intubation (mean ± SD) was significantly shorter in group A than in group B (37 ± 24 vs. 48 ± 21 s, p = 0.002). There were marked variations in the times taken to intubate, but no apparent improvement as the intubators gained experience between their first and fifth cases. No complications were encountered in either group. We found that paramedics could achieve a high tracheal intubation success rate using the AWS independent of previous airway management experience. Better intubation performance with the AWS was observed in paramedics without clinical experience with the ML.

The orbit of the Cepheid AW Per

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Welch, Douglas L.

1988-01-01

An orbit for the classical Cepheid AW Per was derived. Phase residuals from the light curve are consistent with the light-time effect from the orbit. The companion was studied using IUE spectra. The flux distribution from 1300 to 1700 A is unusual, probably an extreme PbSi star, comparable to a B7V or B8V star. The flux of the composite spectrum from 1200 A through V is well matched by F7Ib and B8V standard stars with Delta M(sub upsilon) = 3(m) multiplied by 1. The mass function from the orbit indicates that the mass of the Cepheid must be greater that 4.7 solar mass if it is the more massive component. A B7V to B8V companion is compatible with the 1 sigma lower limit (3.5 solar mass) from the mass function. This implies that the Cepheid has the same mass, but the large magnitude difference rules this out. It is likely that the companion is itself a binary.

Effect of Shielding Gas on the Properties of AW 5083 Aluminum Alloy Laser Weld Joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vyskoč, Maroš; Sahul, Miroslav; Sahul, Martin

2018-04-01

The paper deals with the evaluation of the shielding gas influence on the properties of AW 5083 aluminum alloy weld joints produced with disk laser. Butt weld joints were produced under different shielding gas types, namely Ar, He, Ar + 5 vol.% He, Ar + 30 vol.% He and without shielding weld pool. Light and electron microscopy, computed tomography, microhardness measurements and tensile testing were used for evaluation of weld joint properties. He-shielded weld joints were the narrowest ones. On the other hand, Ar-shielded weld joints exhibited largest weld width. The choice of shielding gas had significant influence on the porosity level of welds. The lowest porosity was observed in weld joint produced in Ar with the addition of 5 vol.% He shielding atmosphere (only 0.03%), while the highest level of porosity was detected in weld joint produced in pure He (0.24%). Except unshielded aluminum alloy weld joint, the lowest tensile strength was recorded in He-shielded weld joints. On the contrary, the highest average microhardness was measured in He-shielded weld joints.

Women's Stereotypic Roles: A Replication and Standardization of the AWS and PAQ for Selected Ethnic Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Edwin E.; And Others

A replication of two previous studies, this study examined the effect of both sex and ethnicity on attitudes toward women, self-reported masculinity-femininity, and masculine-feminine stereotypic attitudes. The Attitudes Toward Women Scale (AWS) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) were administered to 367 college students (112 Anglos,…

Initial Approaches to Mitigating the Impacts of the AWS-3 Auction (1755-1780 MHz)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-13

band. Specifically, the impact of new Long Term Evolution – Advanced ( LTE -A) services on AMT operations at the Edwards Range. 15. SUBJECT TERMS...AWS-3, Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry, LTE -A, Transition Plan, Transmitters, Receivers, Antenna Systems, Bandwidth Efficient Modulation, Spectrum 16...occupants of the adjacent band which is expected to be 4G LTE -Advanced services • More potential for RF interference from commercial services • Band will

Pro Memoria. Professor Bolesław Jałowy (1906-1943): Mortui viventes obligant - the livings are obligated to the dead.

PubMed

Wincewicz, Andrzej

2016-01-01

Professor Bolesław Jałowy (1906-1943) was a chairman of Department of Histology and Embryology at Faculty of Medicine of King John Casimir University (Polish: Universytet Jana Kazimierza: UJK) in Lvov. He succeeded Professor Władysław Szymonowicz (1869-1939) who held this position for decades. As the most skillful followers of his tutor, Bolesław Jałowy was a great investigator of physiology of human tissue, embryogenesis, histological consequences of female sex hormones on blood clotting action as well as regeneration of nerves in addition to description of silver staining technique for reticulin fibers of skin. He was a hard working person with gentle attitude to such a subtle matter as microscopic structure of human body. However, he happened to live in brutal conditions of nationalistic struggles. His example shows how much a dedicated scientist could do in a very short time as his life was tragically ended with murdering him during World War Two. His story is a great lesson for generations of academic workers how to meet high moral standards with efficient and creative scientific work in evil and destructive, nationalistic climate that occurs usually in wartime.

Free-living cross-comparison of two wearable monitors for sleep and physical activity in healthy young adults.

PubMed

Cellini, Nicola; McDevitt, Elizabeth A; Mednick, Sara C; Buman, Matthew P

2016-04-01

There is a growing need for free-living monitoring of the full 24 h spectrum of behaviors with a single or integrated set of sensors. The validity of field standard wearable monitors in sleep and physical activity have yet to be assessed for the complementary behavior in the context of 24 h continuous monitoring. We conducted a free-living comparison study of the Actigraph GT3X+ (GT3X+) to assess sleep parameters as compared with the Actiwatch-64 (AW-64) and concurrently, the AW-64 to assess sedentary and physical activity behaviors as compared with the GT3X+. Thirty young adults (15 female, 19.2±0.86 years) wore both monitors for 3 consecutive days and 2 consecutive nights. Agreement of sleep, sedentary, and physical activity metrics were evaluated using analyses of variance, intraclass correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman plots with associated confidence limits, mean absolute percentage of errors and equivalence tests. For sleep, the GT3X+ showed high agreement for total sleep time and sleep efficiency, but underestimated wakefulness after sleep onset and sleep onset latency relative to the AW-64. For sedentary behavior and physical activity, the AW-64 showed a moderate agreement for activity energy expenditure, but not for sedentary, light or moderate-vigorous physical activities relative to the GT3X+. Overall our results showed good agreement of the GT3X+ with AW-64 for assessing sleep but a lack of agreement between AW-64 and GT3X+ for physical activity and sedentary behaviors. These results are likely due to the monitor placement (wrist vs hip), as well as the algorithm employed to score the data. Future validation work of existing and emerging technologies that may hold promise for 24 h continuous monitoring is needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Medicine and politics in the lives of Kazimierz Noiszewski, Józef Piłsudski, Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski and Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski].

PubMed

Polak, Agnieszka; Rejdak, Robert; Czepita, Damian; Rekas, Marek; Wróbel, Andrzej

2015-01-01

Changes in the economy in Poland in the years 1864-1914 generated changes in the structure of society. A new social stratum, the intelligentsia, was formed from the educated children of rich landowners. To meet social needs Polish universities in Cracow and Lviv opened new departments of medicine. The article presents fragments of the biographies of 4 Poles: Kazimierz Noiszewski, Józef Piłsudski, Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski and Stanislaw Sławoj Składkowski to illustrate how their study of medicine affected their further activity as patriots and politicians. Kazimierz Noiszewski was an emigrant who lived and worked as an ophthalmologist in Russia. He tried to support the Polish community and Polish medical knowledge. For Józef Pilsudski and Stanisław Sławoj Składkowski medical studies gave freedom of thought and the opportunity to meet other patriots. Boleslaw Wieniawa-Długoszowski was a man of many interests, and after graduating from a medical university in Lviv, and a short stay in Paris, he became engaged in military service for his country.

Treatment strategy for metastatic prostate cancer with extremely high PSA level: reconsidering the value of vintage therapy.

PubMed

Yamada, Yasutaka; Sakamoto, Shinichi; Amiya, Yoshiyasu; Sasaki, Makoto; Shima, Takayuki; Komiya, Akira; Suzuki, Noriyuki; Akakura, Koichiro; Ichikawa, Tomohiko; Nakatsu, Hiroomi

2018-05-04

The prognostic significance of initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level for metastatic prostate cancer remains uncertain. We investigated the differences in prognosis and response to hormonal therapies of metastatic prostate cancer patients according to initial PSA levels. We analyzed 184 patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and divided them into three PSA level groups as follows: low (<100 ng ml -1 ), intermediate (100-999 ng ml -1 ), and high (≥1000 ng ml -1 ). All patients received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) immediately. We investigated PSA progression-free survival (PFS) for first-line ADT and overall survival (OS) within each of the three groups. Furthermore, we analyzed response to antiandrogen withdrawal (AW) and alternative antiandrogen (AA) therapies after development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). No significant differences in OS were observed among the three groups (P = 0.654). Patients with high PSA levels had significantly short PFS for first-line ADT (P = 0.037). Conversely, patients in the high PSA level group had significantly longer PFS when treated with AW than those in the low PSA level group (P = 0.047). Furthermore, patients with high PSA levels had significantly longer PFS when provided with AA therapy (P = 0.049). PSA responders to AW and AA therapies had significantly longer survival after CRPC development than nonresponders (P = 0.011 and P < 0.001, respectively). Thus, extremely high PSA level predicted favorable response to vintage sequential ADT and AW. The current data suggest a novel aspect of extremely high PSA value as a favorable prognostic marker after development of CRPC.

[Case of awake intubation in semi-sitting position for a patient with myasthenia gravis combined with cervical disc hernia utilizing Pentax-AWS Airwayscope].

PubMed

Komasawa, Nobuyasu; Ueki, Ryusuke; Tomita, Yukihiko; Kaminoh, Yoshiroh; Tashiro, Chikara

2011-01-01

We report a case of awake intubation utilizing Pentax-AWS Airwayscope in semi-sitting position. A 74-year-old man with myasthenia gravis and cervical disc hernia was scheduled for distal gastrectomy under general anesthesia. He could not move his head due to severe cervical disc hernia and also could not sufficiently breathe due to the fatigue of respiratory muscles by myasthenia gravis in supine position. With fentanyl bolus administration and lidocaine spray for laryngotracheal anesthesia, we performed awake intubation in semi-sitting position with AWS from cranial side. The patient did not buck during intubation and no hemodynamic change was observed.

Many particle approximation of the Aw-Rascle-Zhang second order model for vehicular traffic.

PubMed

Francesco, Marco Di; Fagioli, Simone; Rosini, Massimiliano D

2017-02-01

We consider the follow-the-leader approximation of the Aw-Rascle-Zhang (ARZ) model for traffic flow in a multi population formulation. We prove rigorous convergence to weak solutions of the ARZ system in the many particle limit in presence of vacuum. The result is based on uniform BV estimates on the discrete particle velocity. We complement our result with numerical simulations of the particle method compared with some exact solutions to the Riemann problem of the ARZ system.

Functional brain activation differences in stuttering identified with a rapid fMRI sequence

PubMed Central

Kraft, Shelly Jo; Choo, Ai Leen; Sharma, Harish; Ambrose, Nicoline G.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether brain activity related to the presence of stuttering can be identified with rapid functional MRI (fMRI) sequences that involved overt and covert speech processing tasks. The long-term goal is to develop sensitive fMRI approaches with developmentally appropriate tasks to identify deviant speech motor and auditory brain activity in children who stutter closer to the age at which recovery from stuttering is documented. Rapid sequences may be preferred for individuals or populations who do not tolerate long scanning sessions. In this report, we document the application of a picture naming and phoneme monitoring task in three minute fMRI sequences with adults who stutter (AWS). If relevant brain differences are found in AWS with these approaches that conform to previous reports, then these approaches can be extended to younger populations. Pairwise contrasts of brain BOLD activity between AWS and normally fluent adults indicated the AWS showed higher BOLD activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), right temporal lobe and sensorimotor cortices during picture naming and and higher activity in the right IFG during phoneme monitoring. The right lateralized pattern of BOLD activity together with higher activity in sensorimotor cortices is consistent with previous reports, which indicates rapid fMRI sequences can be considered for investigating stuttering in younger participants. PMID:22133409

Short communication: Little change takes place in Camembert-type cheese water activities throughout ripening in terms of relative humidity and salt.

PubMed

Leclercq-Perlat, M-N; Hélias, A; Corrieu, G

2013-01-01

Water activity (a(w)) affects the growth and activity of ripening microorganisms. Moreover, it is generally accepted that a(w) depends on relative humidity (RH) and salt content; these 3 variables were usually measured on a given day in a cheese without the microorganism layer and without accounting for a distinction between the rind, the underrind, and the core. However, a(w) dynamics have never been thoroughly studied throughout cheese ripening. Experimental Camembert cheeses were ripened under controlled and aseptic conditions (temperature, gaseous atmosphere, and RH) for 14 d. In this study, only RH was varied. Samples were taken from the cheese (microorganism layer)-air interface, the rind, and the core. The aw of the cheese-air interface did not change over ripening when RH varied between 91 and 92% or between 97 and 98%. However, on d 5, we observed a small but significant increase in a(w), which coincided with the beginning of growth of Penicillium camemberti mycelia. After d 3, no significant differences were found between the a(w) of the cheese-air interface, the rind, and the core. From d 0 to 3, cheese rind a(w) increased from 0.94 to 0.97, which was probably due to the diffusion of salt from the rind to the core: NaCl content in the rind decreased from 3.7 to 1.6% and NaCl content in the core increased from 0.0 to 1.6%. Nevertheless, aw did not significantly vary in the core, raising questions about the real effect of salt on a(w).

Processing ARM VAP data on an AWS cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, T.; Macduff, M.; Shippert, T.

2017-12-01

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Management Facility (DMF) manages over 18,000 processes and 1.3 TB of data each day. This includes many Value Added Products (VAPs) that make use of multiple instruments to produce the derived products that are scientifically relevant. A thermodynamic and cloud profile VAP is being developed to provide input to the ARM Large-eddy simulation (LES) ARM Symbiotic Simulation and Observation (LASSO) project (https://www.arm.gov/capabilities/vaps/lasso-122) . This algorithm is CPU intensive and the processing requirements exceeded the available DMF computing capacity. Amazon Web Service (AWS) along with CfnCluster was investigated to see how it would perform. This cluster environment is cost effective and scales dynamically based on demand. We were able to take advantage of autoscaling which allowed the cluster to grow and shrink based on the size of the processing queue. We also were able to take advantage of the Amazon Web Services spot market to further reduce the cost. Our test was very successful and found that cloud resources can be used to efficiently and effectively process time series data. This poster will present the resources and methodology used to successfully run the algorithm.

Correlates of Abusing and Misusing Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers Among Adult Population of Wrocław (Poland).

PubMed

Wójta-Kempa, Monika; Krzyżanowski, Dominik M

2016-01-01

Almost 90% of households in Poland buy medicines on their own initiative. The most popular OTC medicines bought by Polish consumers are painkillers and non-steroid-anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of this article was to recognize and describe the most important predictive factors of the abuse and misuse of over-the-counter pain relievers among adults in Wrocław (Poland). The groups of users were selected and described. Some examples of misuse were analyzed. Three hundred eighty six adult inhabitants of Wrocław took part in the survey. The quota sample was representative referring to the most important socio-demographic factors (sex and median age). Almost 91% of participants declare taking OTC pain relievers, and 1.3% of them are their daily users. Only 6.2% of adult inhabitants of Wrocław never take OTC pain relievers. The category of "heavy users" embraces 11% of participants. The most important risk factors of overusing OTC pain relievers are sex (female), age over 55 years and the low health status. Only half of participants read the box label regularly and 25% of users admit they have modified recommended doses. Over 60% shortened recommended intervals between doses and 16% took two or more different pain medications (containing different substances). The non-medical purposes of using OTC pain relievers were: tiredness (7%), stressful situations (5.4%), and discomfort (18.4%). Some users take pain medications to cure hangovers (26%), or instead of the appropriate medicine (7%). About 20% take pain medications without a doctor's advice for longer than the recommended 3 days, and 10% never consult taking such medications with doctors. Pain should be treated aggressively and successfully, especially among chronically ill patients. We should monitor the consumption of OTC pain relievers and limit their current excessively supply and high availability.

Evaluation of TanDEM-X DEMs on selected Brazilian sites: Comparison with SRTM, ASTER GDEM and ALOS AW3D30

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grohmann, Carlos H.

2018-06-01

A first assessment of the TanDEM-X DEMs over Brazilian territory is presented through a comparison with SRTM, ASTER GDEM and ALOS AW3D30 DEMs in seven study areas with distinct geomorphological contexts, vegetation coverage and land use. Visual analysis and elevation histograms point to a finer effective spatial resolution of TanDEM-X compared to SRTM and ASTER GDEM. In areas of open vegetation, TanDEM-X lower elevations indicate a better penetration of the radar signal. DEMs of differences (DoDs) allowed the identification of issues inherent to the production methods of the analyzed DEMs, such as mast oscillations in SRTM data and mismatch between adjacent scenes in ASTER GDEM and ALOS AW3D30. A systematic difference in elevations between TanDEM-X 12m, TanDEM-X 30m and SRTM was observed in the steep slopes of the coastal ranges, related to the moving-window process used to resample the 12m data to a 30m pixel size. Due its simplicity, it is strongly recommended to produce a DoD with SRTM before using ASTER GDEM or ALOS AW3D30 in any analysis, to evaluate if the area of interest is affected by these problems. The DoDs also highlighted changes in land use in the time span between the acquisition of SRTM (2000) and TanDEM-X (2013) data, whether by natural causes or by human interference in the environment.

Thermal inactivation of Salmonella enteritidis PT 30 in almond kernels as influenced by water activity.

PubMed

Villa-Rojas, Rossana; Tang, Juming; Wang, Shaojin; Gao, Mengxiang; Kang, Dong-Hyun; Mah, Jae-Hyung; Gray, Peter; Sosa-Morales, Maria Elena; López-Malo, Aurelio

2013-01-01

Salmonellosis outbreaks related to consumption of raw almonds have encouraged the scientific community to study the inactivation kinetics of pathogens in this dry commodity. However, the low moisture content of the product presents a challenge for thermal control, because the time required to achieve the desired thermal inactivation of microorganisms increases sharply with reduced moisture content and water activity. In this study, we explored and modeled the heat inactivation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis PT 30 in almond cultivar 'Nonpareil' kernel flour at four water activity (a(w)) values (0.601, 0.720, 0.888, and 0.946) using four temperatures for each a(w). The results showed that the inactivation was well fitted by both Weibull distribution (R(2) = 0.93 to 1.00) and first-order kinetics (R(2) = 0.82 to 0.96). At higher a(w) values, the rate of inactivation increased and less time was needed to achieve the required population reduction. These results suggest that, to avoid deterioration of product quality, shorter process times at lower temperatures may be used to achieve desired inactivation levels of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 by simply increasing the moisture content of almonds. These goals could be achieved with the use of existing procedures already practiced by the food industry, such as washing or prewetting scalding before heat inactivation.

21 CFR 110.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... temperature to partially or completely inactivate the naturally occurring enzymes and to effect other physical..., storage, and distribution. The maximum safe moisture level for a food is based on its water activity (aw... procedures or identify recommended equipment. (r) Water activity (aw) is a measure of the free moisture in a...

21 CFR 110.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... temperature to partially or completely inactivate the naturally occurring enzymes and to effect other physical..., storage, and distribution. The maximum safe moisture level for a food is based on its water activity (aw... procedures or identify recommended equipment. (r) Water activity (aw) is a measure of the free moisture in a...

LiDAR and 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography as a Supplement of Geomorphological Investigations in Urban Areas: a Case Study from the City of Wrocław (SW Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasprzak, Marek; Traczyk, Andrzej

2014-06-01

In urbanized areas, particularly in lowland terrains and floors of large river valleys, the natural land configuration is often hard to recognize due to a long history of human activity. Accordingly, archaeological works in cities, which supply knowledge on settlement conditions, are usually accompanied by geological and geomophological research. Lately, data from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) have become a valuable source of information on urban land configuration. Geophysical methods are also becoming increasingly popular in background studies. The paper presents a method of using and linking these sources of spatial information about landforms in such areas. The main aim is to identify to what extent these complementary sources of data and the proposed method can be used in such a specific environment to reconstruct natural, buried terrain morphology. The city of Wrocław in Central Europe serves as an example. To this end geomorphometric studies were conducted with the use of digital elevation models (DEMs) based on LiDAR scanning and derivated land-surface parameters—SAGA Wetness Index, Channel Network Base Level and Altitude above Channel Network. The study also involved determining morphological edges and measurements of the meanders of the Odra, as well as expanding information on the spatial distribution of alluvia and the structure of slope breaks. To this end, geophysical measurements were conducted using the Two-Dimensional Electrical Resistivity Tomography method. Additionally, five typical sequences of man-made ground present within the perimeter of the city were distinguished. As a result, a map of the main landforms of Wrocław is presented. Finally, we argue that although high resolution DEM and derivate land-surface parameters are very useful in terrain analysis, places with thick man-made ground or strongly levelled areas must be recognized by geoarchaeological excavations or geological bore holes. The geophysical survey is useful to

Reorganization of brain function after a short-term behavioral intervention for stuttering.

PubMed

Lu, Chunming; Zheng, Lifen; Long, Yuhang; Yan, Qian; Ding, Guosheng; Liu, Li; Peng, Danling; Howell, Peter

2017-05-01

This study investigated changes in brain function that occurred over a 7-day behavioral intervention for adults who stutter (AWS). Thirteen AWS received the intervention (AWS+), and 13 AWS did not receive the intervention (AWS-). There were 13 fluent controls (FC-). All participants were scanned before and after the intervention. Whole-brain analysis pre-intervention showed significant differences in task-related brain activation between AWS and FC- in the right inferior frontal cortex (IFC) and left middle temporal cortex, but there were no differences between the two AWS groups. Across the 7-day period of the intervention, AWS+ alone showed a significant increase of brain activation in the left ventral IFC/insula. There were no changes in brain function for the other two groups. Further analysis revealed that the change did not correlate with resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) that AWS showed in the cerebellum (Lu et al., 2012). However, both changes in task-related brain function and RSFC correlated with changes in speech fluency level. Together, these findings suggest that functional reorganization in a brain region close to the left IFC that shows anomalous function in AWS, occurs after a short-term behavioral intervention for stuttering. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is there a common water-activity limit for the three domains of life?

PubMed Central

Stevenson, Andrew; Cray, Jonathan A; Williams, Jim P; Santos, Ricardo; Sahay, Richa; Neuenkirchen, Nils; McClure, Colin D; Grant, Irene R; Houghton, Jonathan DR; Quinn, John P; Timson, David J; Patil, Satish V; Singhal, Rekha S; Antón, Josefa; Dijksterhuis, Jan; Hocking, Ailsa D; Lievens, Bart; Rangel, Drauzio E N; Voytek, Mary A; Gunde-Cimerman, Nina; Oren, Aharon; Timmis, Kenneth N; McGenity, Terry J; Hallsworth, John E

2015-01-01

Archaea and Bacteria constitute a majority of life systems on Earth but have long been considered inferior to Eukarya in terms of solute tolerance. Whereas the most halophilic prokaryotes are known for an ability to multiply at saturated NaCl (water activity (aw) 0.755) some xerophilic fungi can germinate, usually at high-sugar concentrations, at values as low as 0.650–0.605 aw. Here, we present evidence that halophilic prokayotes can grow down to water activities of <0.755 for Halanaerobium lacusrosei (0.748), Halobacterium strain 004.1 (0.728), Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and Halococcus morrhuae (0.717), Haloquadratum walsbyi (0.709), Halococcus salifodinae (0.693), Halobacterium noricense (0.687), Natrinema pallidum (0.681) and haloarchaeal strains GN-2 and GN-5 (0.635 aw). Furthermore, extrapolation of growth curves (prone to giving conservative estimates) indicated theoretical minima down to 0.611 aw for extreme, obligately halophilic Archaea and Bacteria. These were compared with minima for the most solute-tolerant Bacteria in high-sugar (or other non-saline) media (Mycobacterium spp., Tetragenococcus halophilus, Saccharibacter floricola, Staphylococcus aureus and so on) and eukaryotic microbes in saline (Wallemia spp., Basipetospora halophila, Dunaliella spp. and so on) and high-sugar substrates (for example, Xeromyces bisporus, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Aspergillus and Eurotium spp.). We also manipulated the balance of chaotropic and kosmotropic stressors for the extreme, xerophilic fungi Aspergillus penicilloides and X. bisporus and, via this approach, their established water-activity limits for mycelial growth (∼0.65) were reduced to 0.640. Furthermore, extrapolations indicated theoretical limits of 0.632 and 0.636 aw for A. penicilloides and X. bisporus, respectively. Collectively, these findings suggest that there is a common water-activity limit that is determined by physicochemical constraints for the three domains of life. PMID:25500507

Effect of temperature, water activity, and pH on growth and production of ochratoxin A by Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus carbonarius from Brazilian grapes.

PubMed

Passamani, Fabiana Reinis Franca; Hernandes, Thais; Lopes, Noelly Alves; Bastos, Sabrina Carvalho; Santiago, Wilder Douglas; Cardoso, Maria das Graças; Batista, Luís Roberto

2014-11-01

The growth of ochratoxigenic fungus and the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in grapes and their derivatives can be caused by a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological factors. The determination of interactions between these factors and fungal species from different climatic regions is important in designing models for minimizing the risk of OTA in wine and grape juice. This study evaluated the influence of temperature, water activity (aw), and pH on the development and production of OTA in a semisynthetic grape culture medium by Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus niger strains. To analyze the growth conditions and production of OTA, an experimental design was conducted using response surface methodology as a tool to assess the effects of these abiotic variables on fungal behavior. A. carbonarius showed the highest growth at temperatures from 20 to 33°C, aw between 0.95 and 0.98, and pH levels between 5 and 6.5. Similarly, for A. niger, temperatures between 24 and 37°C, aw greater than 0.95, and pH levels between 4 and 6.5 were optimal. The greatest toxin concentrations for A. carbonarius and A. niger (10 μg/g and 7.0 μg/g, respectively) were found at 15°C, aw 0.99, and pH 5.35. The lowest pH was found to contribute to greater OTA production. These results show that the evaluated fungi are able to grow and produce OTA in a wide range of temperature, aw, and pH. However, the optimal conditions for toxin production are generally different from those optimal for fungal growth. The knowledge of optimal conditions for fungal growth and production of OTA, and of the stages of cultivation in which these conditions are optimal, allows a more precise assessment of the potential risk to health from consumption of products derived from grapes.

EN AW-4032 T6 Piston Alloy After High-Temperature Exposure: Residual Strength and Microstructural Features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balducci, Eleonora; Ceschini, Lorella; Morri, Alessandro; Morri, Andrea

2017-08-01

This study aims to evaluate the effects of prolonged thermal exposure on both microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the EN AW-4032 T6 piston alloy. For the purpose, the experimental activities have been carried out on samples machined from forged and heat-treated automotive pistons. The effects of overaging have been investigated in the temperature range of 140-290 °C, firstly by evaluating the time-temperature-hardness curves and then by carrying out room-temperature tensile tests on overaged samples. The material softening was substantial and extremely rapid when the soaking temperature exceeded 250 °C. During overaging, both the tensile strength and the residual hardness considerably decreased, and a relationship between these parameters has been established. The alloy behavior in the plastic field has been modeled according to the Hollomon's equation, showing that both the strain hardening exponent and the strength coefficient are a function of the residual hardness. The results were finally related to the corresponding microstructural changes: OM and FEG-SEM metallographic and fractographic analyses on overaged samples gave evidence of coarsened precipitates along the grain boundaries.

Hygroscopic growth and cloud droplet activation of xanthan gum as a proxy for marine hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, K. W.; Petters, M. D.; Meskhidze, N.; Petters, S. Suda; Kreidenweis, S. M.

2016-10-01

Knowledge of the physical characteristics and chemical composition of marine organic aerosols is needed for the quantification of their effects on cloud microphysical processes and solar radiative transfer. Here we use xanthan gum (XG)—a bacterial biopolymer—as a proxy for marine hydrogels. Measurements were performed for pure XG particles and mixtures of XG with sodium chloride, calcium nitrate, and calcium carbonate. The aerosol hygroscopicity parameter (κ) is derived from hygroscopic growth factor measurements (κgf) at variable water activity (aw) and from cloud condensation nuclei activation efficiency (κccn). The Zdanovskii, Stokes, and Robinson (ZSR) hygroscopicity parameter derived for multicomponent systems (κmix, sol) is used to compare measurements of κgf and κccn. Pure XG shows close agreement of κgf (at aw = 0.9) and κccn of 0.09 and 0.10, respectively. Adding salts to the system results in deviations of κgf (at aw = 0.9) from κccn. The measured κgf and ZSR-derived hygroscopicity parameter (κmix, sol) values for different solutions show close agreement at aw > 0.9, while κgf is lower in comparison to κmix, sol at aw < 0.9. The differences between predicted κmix, sol and measured κgf and κccn values are explained by the effects of hydration and presence of salt ions on the structure of the polymer networks. Results from this study imply that at supersaturations of 0.1 and 0.5%, the presence of 30% sea salt by mass can reduce the activation diameter of pure primary marine organic aerosols from 257 to 156 nm and from 87 to 53 nm, respectively.

21 CFR 110.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... procedures or identify recommended equipment. (r) Water activity (aw) is a measure of the free moisture in a food and is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of..., storage, and distribution. The maximum safe moisture level for a food is based on its water activity (aw...

21 CFR 110.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... procedures or identify recommended equipment. (r) Water activity (aw) is a measure of the free moisture in a food and is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of..., storage, and distribution. The maximum safe moisture level for a food is based on its water activity (aw...

21 CFR 110.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... procedures or identify recommended equipment. (r) Water activity (aw) is a measure of the free moisture in a food and is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of..., storage, and distribution. The maximum safe moisture level for a food is based on its water activity (aw...

Genetic Instability at the Agouti Locus of the Mouse (Mus Musculus). I. Increased Reverse Mutation Frequency to the A(w) Allele in a/a Heterozygotes

PubMed Central

Sandulache, R.; Neuhauser-Klaus, A.; Favor, J.

1994-01-01

We have compiled the reverse mutation rate data to the white bellied agouti (A(w)) allele in heterozygous A/a mice and shown it to be increased by a factor of at least 350 in comparison to the reverse mutation rate in homozygous a/a mice. Employing tightly linked flanking restriction fragment length polymorphism DNA markers, we have shown that reversion to A(w) is associated with crossing over in the vicinity of the agouti locus. The non-agouti (a) allele has been recently shown to contain an 11-kb insert within the first intron of the agouti gene. Together with our present results, these observations suggest possible mechanisms to explain the reversion events. PMID:7982562

GT-WGS: an efficient and economic tool for large-scale WGS analyses based on the AWS cloud service.

PubMed

Wang, Yiqi; Li, Gen; Ma, Mark; He, Fazhong; Song, Zhuo; Zhang, Wei; Wu, Chengkun

2018-01-19

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) plays an increasingly important role in clinical practice and public health. Due to the big data size, WGS data analysis is usually compute-intensive and IO-intensive. Currently it usually takes 30 to 40 h to finish a 50× WGS analysis task, which is far from the ideal speed required by the industry. Furthermore, the high-end infrastructure required by WGS computing is costly in terms of time and money. In this paper, we aim to improve the time efficiency of WGS analysis and minimize the cost by elastic cloud computing. We developed a distributed system, GT-WGS, for large-scale WGS analyses utilizing the Amazon Web Services (AWS). Our system won the first prize on the Wind and Cloud challenge held by Genomics and Cloud Technology Alliance conference (GCTA) committee. The system makes full use of the dynamic pricing mechanism of AWS. We evaluate the performance of GT-WGS with a 55× WGS dataset (400GB fastq) provided by the GCTA 2017 competition. In the best case, it only took 18.4 min to finish the analysis and the AWS cost of the whole process is only 16.5 US dollars. The accuracy of GT-WGS is 99.9% consistent with that of the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) best practice. We also evaluated the performance of GT-WGS performance on a real-world dataset provided by the XiangYa hospital, which consists of 5× whole-genome dataset with 500 samples, and on average GT-WGS managed to finish one 5× WGS analysis task in 2.4 min at a cost of $3.6. WGS is already playing an important role in guiding therapeutic intervention. However, its application is limited by the time cost and computing cost. GT-WGS excelled as an efficient and affordable WGS analyses tool to address this problem. The demo video and supplementary materials of GT-WGS can be accessed at https://github.com/Genetalks/wgs_analysis_demo .

Effect of water activity and pH on growth and toxin production by Clostridium botulinum type G.

PubMed Central

Briozzo, J; de Lagarde, E A; Chirife, J; Parada, J L

1986-01-01

The combined effect of water activity (aw) and pH on growth and toxin production by Clostridium botulinum type G strain 89 was investigated. The minimum aw at which growth and toxin formation occurred was 0.965, for media in which the pH was adjusted with either sodium chloride or sucrose. The minimum pH (at the optimum aw) for growth and toxin production of C. botulinum type G was found to be 5.6. Optimum conditions for toxin activation were a trypsin concentration of 0.1%, a pH of the medium of 6.5, and an incubation for 45 min at 37 degrees C. These data did not show evidence of heat-labile spores, since a heat shock of 75 degrees C for 10 min did not significantly decrease the spore count of strain 89G in media at pH 7.0 or 5.6. It was frequently observed that cells grown at reduced aw or pH experienced severe morphological changes. PMID:3518631

An Overview of the Components of AW-IPM Campaigns against the New World Screwworm

PubMed Central

Mastrangelo, Thiago; Welch, John B.

2012-01-01

The New World Screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), is one of the most damaging parasites of livestock, causing millions of dollars in annual losses to producers. The fly is an obligate parasite of warm-blooded animals, including humans. After a successful 50-year eradication campaign, C. hominivorax has been eradicated from the USA, Mexico and Central America by an area-wide integrated pest management approach. Recently, Caribbean and South American countries have expressed an interest in this approach. Aiming to support forthcoming projects in these countries, this review describes the main technical components of past and ongoing AW-IPM campaigns against C. hominivorax. PMID:26466720

Habituation of Salmonella spp. at Reduced Water Activity and Its Effect on Heat Tolerance

PubMed Central

Mattick, K. L.; Jørgensen, F.; Legan, J. D.; Lappin-Scott, H. M.; Humphrey, T. J.

2000-01-01

The effect of habituation at reduced water activity (aw) on heat tolerance of Salmonella spp. was investigated. Stationary-phase cells were exposed to aw 0.95 in broths containing glucose-fructose, sodium chloride, or glycerol at 21°C for up to a week prior to heat challenge at 54°C. In addition, the effects of different aws and heat challenge temperatures were investigated. Habituation at aw 0.95 resulted in increased heat tolerance at 54°C with all solutes tested. The extent of the increase and the optimal habituation time depended on the solute used. Exposure to broths containing glucose-fructose (aw 0.95) for 12 h resulted in maximal heat tolerance, with more than a fourfold increase in D54 values. Cells held for more than 72 h in these conditions, however, became as heat sensitive as nonhabituated populations. Habituation in the presence of sodium chloride or glycerol gave rise to less pronounced but still significant increases in heat tolerance at 54°C, and a shorter incubation time was required to maximize tolerance. The increase in heat tolerance following habituation in broths containing glucose-fructose (aw 0.95) was RpoS independent. The presence of chloramphenicol or rifampin during habituation and inactivation did not affect the extent of heat tolerance achieved, suggesting that de novo protein synthesis was probably not necessary. These data highlight the importance of cell prehistory prior to heat inactivation and may have implications for food manufacturers using low-aw ingredients. PMID:11055944

Differences in neural activation to depictions of physical exercise and sedentary activity: an fMRI study of overweight and lean Chinese women.

PubMed

Jackson, T; Gao, X; Chen, H

2014-09-01

Neuroimaging studies have documented differences in neural responses to food cues in obese versus lean samples but little is known about weight status differences in responsiveness to other key features of obesogenic environments, particularly cues reflecting physical activity. To address this gap, patterns of activation related to visual depictions of sedentary activities and vigorous physical exercise were assessed in overweight (O-W) and average weight (A-W) samples via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirteen O-W and 13 A-W Chinese women were instructed to imagine engaging in 90 physical exercise activities and 90 sedentary activities and to watch 90 landscape images presented during three runs of an fMRI scan within a cross-sectional design. Behavioral results indicated O-W women endorsed more negative attitudes toward physical activity than A-W did. Imaging analyses indicated that body mass index had a significant negative association with activation of the right putamen and a positive correlation with activation in the right medial frontal gyrus, specifically Brodmann Area 10 in the exercise-sedentary image contrast condition. For the sedentary-control contrast, significantly less activation in an insula area related to negative affect was observed for the O-W group. Finally, for the exercise-control contrast, O-W women also displayed comparatively weaker activation in a cingulate gyrus area implicated in kinesthetic memory of body movements and the re-experiencing real events. Together, results supported contentions that exposure to depictions of physical exercise corresponds to reduced activation of reward centers and heightened activation in regions associated with negative affect regulation among O-W women compared with leaner peers.

Effect of interaction between Aspergillus carbonarius and non-ochratoxigenic grape-associated fungal isolates on growth and ochratoxin A production at different water activities and temperatures.

PubMed

Kogkaki, Efstathia A; Natskoulis, Pantelis I; Magan, Naresh; Panagou, Efstathios Z

2015-04-01

The effect of water activity (0.90, 0.94, and 0.98 aw) and temperature (15, 20, and 25 °C) on the in vitro interactions between three ochratoxigenic strains of Aspergillus carbonarius (Ac-28, Ac-29, and Ac-33) and eleven non ochratoxigenic grape-associated fungal strains was assessed in this study. Fungal strains were allowed to grow in dual cultures on Synthetic Grape-juice Medium (SGM) for 15 days and fungal interactions were given a numerical score to obtain an Index of Dominance (ID) for each fungus. Results showed that in most cases A. carbonarius toxigenic strains were dominant against other fungal species. However, A. carbonarius presented mutual antagonism with A. section Nigri strains regardless of water activity (aw) and temperature. Moreover, interactions with Penicillium spinulosum and Cladosporium spp. at 15 °C, as well as Botrytis cinerea at 20 °C, showed that the antagonists were more competitive against A. carbonarius. In some cases, growth rates of A. carbonarius strains were either slightly stimulated or inhibited after interaction in dual cultures, depending on temperature, aw and competing species. Regarding OTA production, the presence of other species sometimes decreased the production or slightly enhanced it, depending on fungal competitor and environmental conditions. Overall, OTA production was higher at 15 °C/0.98 aw and 20 °C/0.98 aw for all target strains and at 20 °C/0.94 aw for Ac-33 strain only, but decreased at higher temperatures regardless of aw and interacting species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro control of growth and fumonisin production by Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum using antioxidants under different water availability and temperature regimes.

PubMed

Etcheverry, M; Torres, A; Ramirez, M L; Chulze, S; Magan, N

2002-01-01

To examine the effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), trihydroxybutyrophenone and propylparaben (PP) (at concentrations of 1-20 mmol l(-1)) on growth of and fumonisin production by Argentinian strains of Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum. Studies on lag phases prior to growth, relative growth rates and fumonisin concentrations were carried out in vitro in relation to water activity (0.995-0.93 a(w)) and temperature (18 and 25 degrees C) on a maize meal agar. Overall, PP was the antioxidant which was most effective at inhibiting strains of both species. The lag phase prior to growth and growth rates were significantly decreased by PP and BHA at 10 and 20 mmol l(-1), regardless of the temperature or aw level tested. Total fumonisin production was higher at 0.98 a(w) and decreased by about 45-50% at 0.995 and 0.95 a(w). Overall, BHT only inhibited fumonisin production at 0.95 aw at 10 and 20 mmol l(-1), while BHA was effective at most a(w) levels tested at 10 and 20 mmol l(-1). Propylparaben completely inhibited fumonisin production by both F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum at > 1 mmol l(-1), regardless of the temperature or a(w) level. Small interstrain differences in the levels of inhibition by the antioxidants were observed for three F. verticillioides and four F. proliferatum strains at 0.995, 0.98 and 0.95 a(w). Propylparaben and BHA completely inhibited the growth of both species at the concentrations evaluated, regardless of the a(w) level. Two antioxidants show promise for the control of growth of and fumonisin production by these species over a wide range of environmental conditions. Potential exists for using such food-grade preservatives for prevention of mycotoxigenic fungi and their toxins entering the food chain.

Long-term kinetics of Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 survival on peanuts and peanut confectionery products

PubMed Central

Carminati, Joyce A.; Morishita, Karen N.; Amorim Neto, Dionísio P.; Pinheiro, Hildete P.; Maia, Rafael P.

2018-01-01

Due to recent large outbreaks, peanuts have been considered a product of potential risk for Salmonella. Usually, peanut products show a low water activity (aw) and high fat content, which contribute to increasing the thermal resistance and survival of Salmonella. This study evaluated the long-term kinetics of Salmonella survival on different peanut products under storage at 28°C for 420 days. Samples of raw in-shell peanuts (aw = 0.29), roasted peanuts (aw = 0.39), unblanched peanut kernel (aw = 0.54), peanut brittle (aw = 0.30), paçoca (aw = 0.40) and pé-de-moça (aw = 0.68) were inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 at two inoculum levels (3 and 6 log cfu/ g). The Salmonella behavior was influenced (p<0.05) by aw, lipid, carbohydrate and protein content. In most cases for both inoculum levels, the greatest reductions were seen after the first two weeks of storage, followed by a slower decline phase. The lowest reductions were verified in paçoca and roasted peanuts, with counts of 1.01 and 0.87 log cfu/ g at low inoculum level and 2.53 and 3.82 log cfu/ g at high inoculum level at the end of the storage time. The highest loss of viability was observed in pé-de-moça, with absence of Salmonella in 10-g after 180 days at low inoculum level. The Weibull model provided a suitable fit to the data (R2≥0.81), with δ value ranging from 0.06 to 49.75 days. Therefore, the results demonstrated that Salmonella survives longer in peanut products, beyond the shelf life (>420 days), especially in products with aw around 0.40. PMID:29401480

Specification for Qualification and Certification for Level II - Advanced Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This document defines the requirements and program for the American Welding Society (AWS) to certify advanced-level welders through an evaluation process entailing performance qualification and practical knowledge tests requiring the use of advanced reading, computational, and manual skills. The following items are included: statement of the…

Ice nucleation activity of silicates and aluminosilicates in pure water and aqueous solutions - Part 1: The K-feldspar microcline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anand; Marcolli, Claudia; Luo, Beiping; Peter, Thomas

2018-05-01

Potassium-containing feldspars (K-feldspars) have been considered as key mineral dusts for ice nucleation (IN) in mixed-phase clouds. To investigate the effect of solutes on their IN efficiency, we performed immersion freezing experiments with the K-feldspar microcline, which is highly IN active. Freezing of emulsified droplets with microcline suspended in aqueous solutions of NH3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4HSO4, NH4NO3, NH4Cl, Na2SO4, H2SO4, K2SO4 and KCl, with solute concentrations corresponding to water activities aw = 0.9-1.0, were investigated by means of a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The measured heterogeneous IN onset temperatures, Thet(aw), deviate strongly from ThetΔawhet(aw), the values calculated from the water-activity-based approach (where ThetΔawhet(aw) = Tmelt(aw + Δawhet) with a constant offset Δawhet with respect to the ice melting point curve). Surprisingly, for very dilute solutions of NH3 and NH4+ salts (molalities ≲1 mol kg-1 corresponding to aw ≳ 0.96), we find IN temperatures raised by up to 4.5 K above the onset freezing temperature of microcline in pure water (Thet(aw = 1)) and 5.5 K above ThetΔawhet(aw), revealing NH3 and NH4+ to significantly enhance the IN of the microcline surface. Conversely, more concentrated NH3 and NH4+ solutions show a depression of the onset temperature below ThetΔawhet(aw) by as much as 13.5 K caused by a decline in IN ability accompanied with a reduction in the volume fraction of water frozen heterogeneously. All salt solutions not containing NH4+ as cation exhibit nucleation temperatures Thet(aw) < ThetΔawhet(aw) even at very small solute concentrations. In all these cases, the heterogeneous freezing peak displays a decrease as solute concentration increases. This deviation from Δawhet = const. indicates specific chemical interactions between particular solutes and the microcline surface not captured by the water-activity-based approach. One such interaction is the exchange of K+ available on the

Multiplication of microbes below 0.690 water activity: implications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial life.

PubMed

Stevenson, Andrew; Burkhardt, Jürgen; Cockell, Charles S; Cray, Jonathan A; Dijksterhuis, Jan; Fox-Powell, Mark; Kee, Terence P; Kminek, Gerhard; McGenity, Terry J; Timmis, Kenneth N; Timson, David J; Voytek, Mary A; Westall, Frances; Yakimov, Michail M; Hallsworth, John E

2015-02-01

Since a key requirement of known life forms is available water (water activity; aw ), recent searches for signatures of past life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments have targeted places known to have contained significant quantities of biologically available water. However, early life on Earth inhabited high-salt environments, suggesting an ability to withstand low water-activity. The lower limit of water activity that enables cell division appears to be ∼ 0.605 which, until now, was only known to be exhibited by a single eukaryote, the sugar-tolerant, fungal xerophile Xeromyces bisporus. The first forms of life on Earth were, though, prokaryotic. Recent evidence now indicates that some halophilic Archaea and Bacteria have water-activity limits more or less equal to those of X. bisporus. We discuss water activity in relation to the limits of Earth's present-day biosphere; the possibility of microbial multiplication by utilizing water from thin, aqueous films or non-liquid sources; whether prokaryotes were the first organisms able to multiply close to the 0.605-aw limit; and whether extraterrestrial aqueous milieux of ≥ 0.605 aw can resemble fertile microbial habitats found on Earth. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2): a case study in designing a nonmedical case management program for severely wounded, injured, and ill service members and their families.

PubMed

Hudak, Ronald P; Morrison, Christine; Carstensen, Mary; Rice, James S; Jurgersen, Brent R

2009-06-01

This case study describes the innovative and unique U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), which provides nonmedical case management to the most severely wounded, injured, and ill soldiers and their families. The study describes the program and identifies the features for a successful nonmedical case management program of an identified population who has complex medical needs. Although the article focuses primarily on the role of the AW2 advocate, key components of the program are discussed, including successful initiatives as well as areas that required adjustment. The lessons learned are identified as well as recommendations for future nonmedical case management initiatives.

Effect of Challenge Temperature and Solute Type on Heat Tolerance of Salmonella Serovars at Low Water Activity

PubMed Central

Mattick, K. L.; Jørgensen, F.; Wang, P.; Pound, J.; Vandeven, M. H.; Ward, L. R.; Legan, J. D.; Lappin-Scott, H. M.; Humphrey, T. J.

2001-01-01

Salmonella spp. are reported to have an increased heat tolerance at low water activity (aw; measured by relative vapor pressure [rvp]), achieved either by drying or by incorporating solutes. Much of the published data, however, cover only a narrow treatment range and have been analyzed by assuming first-order death kinetics. In this study, the death of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium DT104 when exposed to 54 combinations of temperature (55 to 80°C) and aw (rvp 0.65 to 0.90, reduced using glucose-fructose) was investigated. The Weibull model (LogS = −btn) was used to describe microbial inactivation, and surface response models were developed to predict death rates for serovar Typhimurium at all points within the design surface. The models were evaluated with data generated by using six different Salmonella strains in place of serovar Typhimurium DT104 strain 30, two different solutes in place of glucose-fructose to reduce aw, or six low-aw foods artificially contaminated with Salmonella in place of the sugar broths. The data demonstrate that, at temperatures of ≥70°C, Salmonella cells at low aw were more heat tolerant than those at a higher aw but below 65°C the reverse was true. The same patterns were generated when sucrose (rvp 0.80 compared with 0.90) or NaCl (0.75 compared with 0.90) was used to reduce aw, but the extent of the protection afforded varied with solute type. The predictions of thermal death rates in the low-aw foods were usually fail-safe, but the few exceptions highlight the importance of validating models with specific foods that may have additional factors affecting survival. PMID:11526015

Influence of Bacillus spp. isolated from maize agroecosystem on growth and aflatoxin B(1) production by Aspergillus section Flavi.

PubMed

Bluma, Romina V; Etcheverry, Miriam G

2006-03-01

A total of 59 bacteria of the Bacillus genus were isolated from different components of a maize agroecosystem and their antifungal activity against Aspergillus section Flavi was evaluated. Thirty-three and 46% of these bacteria were able to inhibit Aspergillus flavus Link and A. parasiticus Speare respectively at water activity (a(w)) 0.982; however, when a(w) was 0.955, these percentages were decreased and only three isolates were able to inhibit Aspergillus section Flavi. The majority of bacilli acted as contact antagonists, while a small number of isolates were able to form inhibition zones. In maize meal extract agar, Aspergillus section Flavi growth rate and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) production were significantly reduced when these strains were paired at a(w) 0.982 with bacilli at all inoculum levels studied. However, two bacilli isolated were able to reduce growth rate and aflatoxin production when a(w) was 0.955. Lag phase increase followed the same general pattern as growth rate reduction. When Aspergillus section Flavi was grown in sterile maize in the presence of three Bacillus strains at a(w) 0.982, the reduction in count (colony-forming units (cfu) g(-1) maize) was less than 30%, except when Aspergillus section Flavi grew with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens UNRCLR. However, levels of detectable AFB(1) were significantly reduced in these interactions at a(w) 0.982.

[The Influence of Preoperative Oral Carbohydrate Administration on Perioperative Blood Sugar Levels and Patients' Satisfaction].

PubMed

Morita, Tomotaka; Kita, Takashi; Masada, Kyoko; Nagata, Takako; Sasaki, Shigeta

2016-06-01

After introducing preoperative oral carbohydrate as a part of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols, we assessed the influence of carbohydrate administration on the perioperative blood sugar levels (BS), the variation of vital signs and patients' satisfaction. After IRB's approval and obtaining patients' consent, patients were divided into two groups; taking carbohydrate (Group AW) or not (Group NAW). Anesthesia was induced and maintained with total intravenous anesthesia using propofol, remifentanil and rocuronium. We measured BS six times during perioperative period. We also compared blood pressures and heart rates during induction of anesthesia. Moreover, we carried out questionnaire surveys about degree of satisfaction for ERAS among patients and nurses. Heart rates were significantly higher in Group AW (P < 0.05), but there were no significant difference in blood pressures or BS between the groups. Patients in Group AW had more anxiety for surgeries (P = 0.003), but more than 85% of patients and nurses were satisfied with carbohydrates. The carbohydrate administration had little influence on the perioperative vital signs. However, we gained high reputations from patients and paramedics.

Guide for the Training and Qualification of Welding Personnel. Level II - Advanced Welders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

This guide is designed to help education and training facilities develop and administer competency-based training programs to qualify and certify trainees in accordance with the American Welding Society (AWS) requirements for level II (advanced) welders. Presented first are the scope, objectives, and requirements of the AWS…

Use of the Stanford Brief Activity Survey for physical activity assessment in postpartum Latinas: a validation study of a linguistically translated Spanish version.

PubMed

Joseph, Rodney P; Ainsworth, Barbara E; Vega-López, Sonia; Keller, Colleen S

2014-01-01

This study assessed the concurrent validity of the English and a linguistic Spanish translation of the Stanford Brief Activity Survey (SBAS) with pedometer-measured physical activity (PA) among postpartum Latinas. Latinas (n 97) completed the SBAS in either English (n 47) or Spanish (n 50) and wore pedometers 7 days at three different assessment periods. The English version demonstrated significant trends (p .01) for differentiating aerobic walking steps (AWS) and aerobic walking time (AWT) across SBAS intensity categories at two of the three assessment periods. The Spanish version showed marginally significant trends for differentiating AWS (p .048) and AWT (p .052) across SBAS intensity categories at only one assessment period. The English version of the SBAS is effective in assessing PA status among Latinas; however, the Spanish version indicates a need for research to further explore cultural and linguistic adaptations of the SBAS.

Zinc thermal spray coatings for reinforced concrete: An AWS process standard

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sulit, R.A.

Zinc and aluminum thermal spray coatings (TSC) have been used for lining concrete weir in Great Britain since the 1950`s to maintain the dimensions of the weir for flow control concomitant with reduced wear and erosion of the concrete surfaces. This paper reports the development and the content of the ANSI/AWS C2.20-XX standard for the application of An TSC on concrete using flame and arc spray processes. This standard is formatted as an industrial process instruction: job description; safety; feedstock materials; equipment; a step-by-step method for surface preparation, thermal spraying; quality control; repair and maintenance of surface preparation, thermal spraying;more » quality control; repair and maintenance of Zn TSC on concrete; and a Job Control Record. Job planning and training and certification requirements are presented for An TSC inspectors and thermal spray operators. Four annexes are included in the standard: (a) historical summary of Zn TSC on concrete (b) sample job control record; (c) thermal spray operator qualification; and (d) portable adhesion testing for An TSC on concrete. This standard is based on the current literature and industrial equipment, process, and practices.« less

Cultural, Transcriptomic, and Proteomic Analyses of Water-Stressed Cells of Actinobacterial Strains Isolated from Compost: Ecological Implications in the Fed-Batch Composting Process.

PubMed

Narihiro, Takashi; Kanosue, Yuji; Hiraishi, Akira

2016-06-25

This study was undertaken to examine the effects of water activity (aw) on the viability of actinobacterial isolates from a fed-batch composting (FBC) process by comparing culturability and stainability with 5-cyano-2,3-ditoryl tetrazolium chloride (CTC). The FBC reactor as the source of these bacteria was operated with the daily loading of household biowaste for 70 d. During this period of composting, aw in the reactor decreased linearly with time and reached approximately 0.95 at the end of operation. The plate counts of aerobic chemoorganotrophic bacteria were 3.2-fold higher than CTC-positive (CTC+) counts on average at the fully acclimated stage (after 7 weeks of operation), in which Actinobacteria predominated, as shown by lipoquinone profiling and cultivation methods. When the actinobacterial isolates from the FBC process were grown under aw stress, no significant differences were observed in culturability among the cultures, whereas CTC stainability decreased with reductions in aw levels. A cDNA microarray-based transcriptomic analysis of a representative isolate showed that many of the genes involved in cellular metabolism and genetic information processing were down-regulated by aw stress. This result was fully supported by a proteomic analysis. The results of the present study suggest that, in low aw mature compost, the metabolic activity of the community with Actinobacteria predominating is temporarily reduced to a level that hardly reacts with CTC; however, these bacteria are easily recoverable by exposure to a high aw culture medium. This may be a plausible reason why acclimated FBC reactors in which Actinobacteria predominate yields higher plate counts than CTC+ counts.

Control of Aspergillus growth and aflatoxin production using antioxidants at different conditions of water activity and pH.

PubMed

Nesci, A; Rodriguez, M; Etcheverry, M

2003-01-01

The effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), trihydroxybutyrophenone (THB) and propyl paraben (PP) (at concentrations of 1, 10 and 20 mmol l(-1)) on germination, growth and aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus section Flavi was evaluated. Studies on the percentage of spore germination, elongation rate, growth rate and aflatoxin B1 production were carried out in vitro in relation to water activity (aw) at 0.982, 0.937, 0.809 and 0.747 values. At 0.809 and 0.747aw values none of the isolates was able to germinate. Overall, PP and BHA were the antioxidants most effective at inhibiting germination of both species. In the presence of the lowest concentration of BHA and PP (1 mmol l(-1)) the conidial germination percentage ranged from 2 to 19% after 15 h of incubation at the highest water activity tested. BHA and PP at 10-20 mmol l(-1) completely inhibited conidial germination. The antioxidants more efficient in controlling Aspergillus elongation rate were PP, BHT and BHA. All strains were much more sensitive to all antioxidants tested on the percentage of spore germination and growth rate at 0.937aw. The antioxidants PP and BHA completely inhibited aflatoxin B1 production by all strains when added at 1 mmol l(-1). Decreased aflatoxin B1 levels in comparison with the control, were observed with BHT at 1, 10 and 20 mmol(-1) with the strain T20 at 0.982aw. In contrast, stimulation was observed with the antioxidant THB at 10 and 20 mmol l(-1) at 0.937aw with the strains T20 and T23. The effect of BHA and PP at 1 mmol l(-1) on lag phase and growth rate was maintained in the pH range between 6 and 8. At all pH values the inhibitory effect of BHA was higher than PP. No aflatoxin B1 was detected at all pH values. The data show that BHA and PP could be considered as effective fungitoxicants for A. flavus and A. parasiticus. The information obtained show promise for controlling growth and aflatoxin B1 in stored maize. Futher studies should be

Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nym. ex A.W. Hill, Apiaceae) extracts on some biochemical parameters of oxidative stress in mice treated with CCl(4).

PubMed

Popović, Mira; Kaurinović, Biljana; Jakovljević, Vida; Mimica-Dukic, Neda; Bursać, Marija

2007-08-01

The in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity of different extracts of leaves and root of parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nym. ex A.W. Hill, Apiaceae) were studied. Free radical scavenging capacity (RSC) was evaluated measuring the scavenging activity on the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) and OH radicals. Also, the effects on lipid peroxidation (LP) were evaluated. The results obtained showed that all examined extracts act as good scavengers of DPPH and OH radicals and reduce the intensity of LP. The in vivo effects were evaluated on some antioxidant systems (activities of LPx, GSH-Px, Px, CAT and XOD, and GSH content) in the mice liver and blood after treatment with the examined parsley extracts, or in combination with carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). On the basis of the results obtained it can be concluded that the examined extracts exhibited a certain protective effect. However, combined treatments with CCl(4) and the examined extracts showed both positive and negative synergism, inducing or suppressing the influence of CCl(4) alone. (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A survey of water activity and pH values in fresh pasta packed under modified atmosphere manufactured in Argentina and Uruguay.

PubMed

Schebor, C; Chirife, J

2000-07-01

The water activity (a(w)) and pH values of commercially available filled fresh pasta and gnocchi packed under modified atmosphere and manufactured in Argentina and Uruguay were examined. The retail survey included 58 samples (several brands) of filled pasta and 11 samples of gnocchi. Fillings consisted of different combinations of cheese (various types), beef, ricotta, ham, chicken, and spinach. The survey revealed that the a(w) values of the 58 samples of filled pasta ranged from 0.916 to 0.973, and their pH values ranged from 5.2 to 7.0. The a(w) of gnocchi was consistently higher and ranged from 0.936 to 0.983, with pH values from 4.8 to 6.4. Some samples of filled pasta and most gnocchi samples were found to have a(w) and pH values that would support growth of spores of Clostridium botulinum, if present, under conditions of temperature abuse (i.e., 30 degrees C).

The effect of welding parameters on high-strength SMAW all-weld-metal. Part 1: AWS E11018-M

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vercesi, J.; Surian, E.

Three AWS A5.5-81 all-weld-metal test assemblies were welded with an E110180-M electrode from a standard production batch, varying the welding parameters in such a way as to obtain three energy inputs: high heat input and high interpass temperature (hot), medium heat input and medium interpass temperature (medium) and low heat input and low interpass temperature (cold). Mechanical properties and metallographic studies were performed in the as-welded condition, and it was found that only the tensile properties obtained with the test specimen made with the intermediate energy input satisfied the AWS E11018-M requirements. With the cold specimen, the maximal yield strengthmore » was exceeded, and with the hot one, neither the yield nor the tensile minimum strengths were achieved. The elongation and the impact properties were high enough to fulfill the minimal requirements, but the best Charpy-V notch values were obtained with the intermediate energy input. Metallographic studies showed that as the energy input increased the percentage of the columnar zones decreased, the grain size became larger, and in the as-welded zone, there was a little increment of both acicular ferrite and ferrite with second phase, with a consequent decrease of primary ferrite. These results showed that this type of alloy is very sensitive to the welding parameters and that very precise instructions must be given to secure the desired tensile properties in the all-weld-metal test specimens and under actual working conditions.« less

Utility of the Stanford Brief Activity Survey for physical activity assessment in postpartum Latinas: A validation study of a linguistically translated Spanish version

PubMed Central

Joseph, Rodney P.; Ainsworth, Barbara E.; Vega-López, Sonia; Keller, Colleen S.

2014-01-01

This study assessed the concurrent validity of the English and a linguistic Spanish translation of the Stanford Brief Activity Survey (SBAS) with pedometer measured physical activity (PA) among postpartum Latinas. Latinas (n = 97) completed the SBAS in either English (n = 47) or Spanish (n = 50) and wore pedometers seven days at three different assessment periods. The English version demonstrated significant trends (p < .01) for differentiating aerobic walking steps (AWS) and aerobic walking time (AWT) across SBAS intensity categories at two of the three assessment periods. The Spanish version showed marginally significant trends for differentiating AWS (p = .048) and AWT (p = .052) across SBAS intensity categories at only one assessment period. The English version of the SBAS is effective in assessing PA status among Latinas; however, the Spanish version indicates a need for research to further explore cultural and linguistic adaptations of the SBAS. PMID:25239211

Study of benzoate, propionate, and sorbate salts as mould spoilage inhibitors on intermediate moisture bakery products of low pH (4.5-5.5).

PubMed

Guynot, M E; Ramos, A J; Sanchis, V; Marín, S

2005-05-25

A hurdle technology approach has been applied to control common mold species causing spoilage of intermediate moisture bakery products (Eurotium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Penicillium corylophilum), growing on a fermented bakery product analogue (FBPA). The factors studied included a combination of different levels of weak acid preservatives (potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, and sodium benzoate; 0-0.3%), pH (4.5-5.5), and water activity (a(w); 0.80-0.90). Potassium sorbate was found to be the most effective in preventing fungal spoilage of this kind of products at the maximum concentration tested (0.3%) regardless of a(w). The same concentration of calcium propionate and sodium benzoate was effective only at low a(w) levels. On the other hand, potassium sorbate activity was slightly reduced at pH 5.5, the 0.3% being only effective at 0.80 a(w). These findings indicate that potassium sorbate may be a suitable preserving agent to inhibit deterioration of a FBPA of slightly acidic pH (near 4.5) by xerophilic fungi. Further studies have to be done in order to adjust the minimal inhibitory concentration necessary to obtain a product with the required shelf life.

Modeling Growth and Toxin Production of Toxigenic Fungi Signaled in Cheese under Different Temperature and Water Activity Regimes

PubMed Central

Camardo Leggieri, Marco; Decontardi, Simone; Bertuzzi, Terenzio; Pietri, Amedeo; Battilani, Paola

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro and model the effect of temperature (T) and water activity (aw) conditions on growth and toxin production by some toxigenic fungi signaled in cheese. Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium camemberti, P. citrinum, P. crustosum, P. nalgiovense, P. nordicum, P. roqueforti, P. verrucosum were considered they were grown under different T (0–40 °C) and aw (0.78–0.99) regimes. The highest relative growth occurred around 25 °C; all the fungi were very susceptible to aw and 0.99 was optimal for almost all species (except for A. versicolor, awopt = 0.96). The highest toxin production occurred between 15 and 25 °C and 0.96–0.99 aw. Therefore, during grana cheese ripening, managed between 15 and 22 °C, ochratoxin A (OTA), penitrem A (PA), roquefortine-C (ROQ-C) and mycophenolic acid (MPA) are apparently at the highest production risk. Bete and logistic function described fungal growth under different T and aw regimes well, respectively. Bete function described also STC, PA, ROQ-C and OTA production as well as function of T. These models would be very useful as starting point to develop a mechanistic model to predict fungal growth and toxin production during cheese ripening and to help advising the most proper setting of environmental factors to minimize the contamination risk. PMID:28029129

Assessment of topsoil contamination near the Stanisław Siedlecki Polish Polar Station in Hornsund, Svalbard, using magnetic methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonet, T.; Górka-Kostrubiec, B.; Łuczak-Wilamowska, B.

2018-03-01

Topsoil contamination near the Stanisław Siedlecki Polish Polar Station (PPS), Hornsund, Svalbard, has been assessed using magnetic methods supplemented by chemical analyses and microscopic observations. Analysis of magnetic parameters has enabled to evaluate the concentration, magnetic mineralogy, and grain-size distribution of anthropogenic magnetic particles. Heavy-metal contamination near the PPS originates primarily from local sources. Anthropogenic spherical, magnetite-like particles were found near the station, whereas uncontaminated topsoil is devoid of such particles. Magnetic studies indicate that magnetite and goethite are the primary magnetic phases, with magnetite levels being higher in polluted area. Magnetic fraction of contaminated topsoil includes a mixture of single-domain and multi-domain grains, while uncontaminated topsoil contains smaller grains. Results show a clear correspondence between Pollution Load Index and magnetic susceptibility anomalies, and that the areal extent of PPS impact on the environment has not expanded significantly since 2004 (although a new contamination source, the scrap yard, is now present). A comparison of magnetic susceptibility measurements with metal analyses indicates that magnetic methods can be used as a rapid, inexpensive, non-invasive, and sensitive tool for the evaluation of topsoil contamination.

A new method for multicomponent activity coefficients of electrolytes in aqueous atmospheric aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaveri, Rahul A.; Easter, Richard C.; Wexler, Anthony S.

2005-01-01

Three-dimensional models of atmospheric inorganic aerosols need accurate and computationally efficient parameterizations of activity coefficients of various electrolytes in multicomponent aqueous solutions. In this paper, we extend the Taylor's series expansion mixing rule used by C. Wagner in 1952 for estimating activity coefficients in dilute alloy solutions to aqueous electrolyte solutions at any concentration. The resulting method, called the multicomponent Taylor expansion method (MTEM), estimates the mean activity coefficient of an electrolyte in a multicomponent solution on the basis of its values in binary solutions of all the electrolytes present in the mixture at the solution water activity aw, assuming aw is equal to the ambient relative humidity. MTEM is applied here for atmospheric aerosol systems containing H+, NH4+, Na+, Ca2+, SO42-, HSO4-, NO3-, and Cl- ions. The aerosol water content is calculated using the Zdanovskii-Stokes-Robinson (ZSR) method. For self-consistency, most of the MTEM and ZSR parameters are derived using the comprehensive Pitzer-Simonson-Clegg model at 298.15 K and are valid for an aw range of 0.2-0.97. Because CaSO4 is sparingly soluble, it is treated as a solid in the model over the entire aw range. MTEM is evaluated for several multicomponent systems representing various continental and marine aerosols and is contrasted against the mixing rule of C. L. Kusik and H. P. Meissner and of L. A. Bromley and the newer approach of S. Metzger and colleagues. Predictions of MTEM are found to be generally within a factor of 0.8-1.25 of the comprehensive Pitzer-Simonson-Clegg model and are shown to be significantly more accurate than predictions of the other three methods. MTEM also yields a noniterative solution of the bisulfate ion dissociation in sulfate-rich systems: a major computational advantage over other ionic-strength-based methods that require an iterative solution. CPU time requirements of MTEM relative to other methods for

Adult-Supplied Structure and Children's Activity Levels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, C. J.; And Others

This study investigated the relationship between preschool children's participation in play activities structured by adults and the level of motor activity children exhibited while in those activities, to test the hypothesis that children's motor activity levels vary according to the level of structure imposed on activities by adults. Subjects…

Active Wiki Knowledge Repository

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

data using SPARQL queries or RESTful web-services; ‘gardening’ tools for examining the semantically tagged content in the wiki; high-level language tool...Tagging & RDF triple-store Fusion and inferences for collaboration Tools for Consuming Data SPARQL queries or RESTful WS Inference & Gardening tools...other stores using AW SPARQL queries and rendering templates; and 4) Interactively share maps and other content using annotation tools to post notes

Using stochastic activity networks to study the energy feasibility of automatic weather stations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cassano, Luca; Cesarini, Daniel; Avvenuti, Marco

Automatic Weather Stations (AWSs) are systems equipped with a number of environmental sensors and communication interfaces used to monitor harsh environments, such as glaciers and deserts. Designing such systems is challenging, since designers have to maximize the amount of sampled and transmitted data while considering the energy needs of the system that, in most cases, is powered by rechargeable batteries and exploits energy harvesting, e.g., solar cells and wind turbines. To support designers of AWSs in the definition of the software tasks and of the hardware configuration of the AWS we designed and implemented an energy-aware simulator of such systems.more » The simulator relies on the Stochastic Activity Networks (SANs) formalism and has been developed using the Möbius tool. In this paper we first show how we used the SAN formalism to model the various components of an AWS, we then report results from an experiment carried out to validate the simulator against a real-world AWS and we finally show some examples of usage of the proposed simulator.« less

Comparing Nonsynergy Gamma Models and Interaction Models To Predict Growth of Emetic Bacillus cereus for Combinations of pH and Water Activity Values ▿

PubMed Central

Biesta-Peters, Elisabeth G.; Reij, Martine W.; Zwietering, Marcel H.; Gorris, Leon G. M.

2011-01-01

This research aims to test the absence (gamma hypothesis) or occurrence of synergy between two growth-limiting factors, i.e., pH and water activity (aw), using a systematic approach for model selection. In this approach, preset criteria were used to evaluate the performance of models. Such a systematic approach is required to be confident in the correctness of the individual components of the combined (synergy) models. With Bacillus cereus F4810/72 as the test organism, estimated growth boundaries for the aw-lowering solutes NaCl, KCl, and glucose were 1.13 M, 1.13 M, and 1.68 M, respectively. The accompanying aw values were 0.954, 0.956, and 0.961, respectively, indicating that equal aw values result in similar effects on growth. Out of the 12 models evaluated using the preset criteria, the model of J. H. T. Luong (Biotechnol. Bioeng. 27:280–285, 1985) was the best model to describe the effect of aw on growth. This aw model and the previously selected pH model were combined into a gamma model and into two synergy models. None of the three models was able to describe the combined pH and aw conditions sufficiently well to satisfy the preset criteria. The best matches between predicted and experimental data were obtained with the gamma model, followed by the synergy model of Y. Le Marc et al. (Int. J. Food Microbiol. 73:219–237, 2002). No combination of models that was able to predict the impact of both individual and combined hurdles correctly could be found. Consequently, in this case we could not prove the existence of synergy nor falsify the gamma hypothesis. PMID:21705525

Active layer monitoring at CALM-S site near J.G.Mendel Station, James Ross Island, eastern Antarctic Peninsula.

PubMed

Hrbáček, Filip; Kňažková, Michaela; Nývlt, Daniel; Láska, Kamil; Mueller, Carsten W; Ondruch, Jakub

2017-12-01

The Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring - South (CALM-S) site was established in February 2014 on James Ross Island as the first CALM-S site in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula region. The site, located near Johann Gregor Mendel Station, is labelled CALM-S JGM. The grid area is gently sloped (<3°) and has an elevation of between 8 and 11ma.s.l. The lithology of the site consists of the muddy sediments of Holocene marine terrace and clayey-sandy Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, which significantly affect the texture, moisture content, and physical parameters of the ground within the grid. Our objective was to study seasonal and interannual variability of the active layer depth and thermal regime at the CALM-S site, and at two ground temperature measurement profiles, AWS-JGM and AWS-CALM, located in the grid. The mean air temperature in the period March 2013 to February 2016 reached -7.2°C. The mean ground temperature decreased with depth from -5.3°C to -5.4°C at 5cm, to -5.5°C to -5.9°C at 200cm. Active layer thickness was significantly higher at AWS-CALM and ranged between 86cm (2014/15) and 87cm (2015/16), while at AWS-JGM it reached only 51cm (2013/14) to 65cm (2015/16). The mean probed active layer depth increased from 66.4cm in 2013/14 to 78.0cm in 2014/15. Large differences were observed when comparing the minimum (51cm to 59cm) and maximum (100cm to 113cm) probed depths. The distribution of the active layer depth and differences in the thermal regime of the uppermost layer of permafrost at CALM-S JGM clearly show the effect of different lithological properties on the two lithologically distinct parts of the grid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dimensions of Temperamental Activity Level and Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teglasi, Hedwig; French, Mila; Lohr, Lauren; Miller, Karen J.; Erwin, Holly Drewer; Rothman, Lee; Denny, Michelle

2008-01-01

The relationship between children's activity level and adjustment has been based on a one-dimensional conceptualization of activity level and warrants re-examination. Current questionnaires conflate amount of physical movement with its appropriateness to the context, making it impossible to tell which aspect of activity level accounts for its…

Knowledge and opinions of veterinary students in Italy toward animal welfare science and law.

PubMed

Magnani, D; Ferri, N; Dalmau, A; Messori, S

2017-03-04

Animal welfare (AW) is a growing concern worldwide and veterinary students are expected to demonstrate a high degree of professional interest in the welfare of animals. However, previous studies have highlighted gaps in the teaching of AW teaching in different countries, possibly impairing veterinary competency in the area. This survey aimed to assess the opinions of Italian veterinary students towards AW, as well as their knowledge on the issue. Questions were divided into different sections, investigating the definition of, and information on, AW, knowledge about AW legislation, and the level of tolerance towards AW in regard to the use of animals for different purposes. Results showed that behaviour was the most frequently used word to define AW. Italian students considered their own level of knowledge on AW as good, relying on their university training, websites and television. They requested more AW legislation, but when questioned on specifics of the current legislation, there was a general lack of knowledge. Although poultry, pigs and rabbits were considered the species experiencing the worst management conditions, the species that raised the most AW concerns were companion animals and cattle. Results from this investigation may allow the development of tailored actions aimed at appropriately implementing educational strategies, at national and international levels, to improve the role of future veterinarians as leaders in AW. British Veterinary Association.

Pollution of soils (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni) along the ring road of Wrocław (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hołtra, Anna; Zamorska-Wojdyła, Dorota

2017-11-01

The concentrations of metallic pollution in soils and plants along the ring road of Wrocław, Poland, have been determined. Environmental samples were collected from the surface layer of the profile within 2-3 m from the edge of the road. The analysis of metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu and Ni) has been carried out through FAAS and GFAAS methods. The mineralizates of soils and plants were prepared in HNO3, 65% supra pure, using the Microwave Digestion System. The pH and conductivity of the soil solutions were measured to evaluate their active and exchangeable acidity and the salinity of the soils. The index of the enrichment of soils in metals (Wn) and the bioaccumulation coefficient (WB) have been determined. Also, histograms of the frequency of the occurrence of metals in the environmental samples and the Pearson's correlation coefficients were presented. The results of metal concentrations in soils were compared to the geochemical background in uncontaminated soils of Poland. The assessment of the results in the soils was also made relative to the standard, according to the Polish Ministry of Environment Regulation from September 1st, 2016. During the assessment of the bioaccumulation coefficients of metals in plants a reference was made to the content of undesirable substances in feed in agreement with the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Regulation from January 23rd, 2007.

Otfrid Foerster, the great neurologist and neurosurgeon from Breslau (Wrocław): his influence on early neurosurgeons and legacy to present-day neurosurgery.

PubMed

Piotrowska, Natalia; Winkler, Peter A

2007-08-01

As a result of the turbulences of World War II, Wrocław, Poland (formerly Breslau, Germany) lost its internationally acknowledged position in the field of neurosurgery, which it once had thanks to Otfrid Foerster. This innovative German doctor and scientist made a considerable contribution to the development of neurological and neurosurgical research worldwide. He also made Breslau a renowned center for scientific study, luring researchers from around the world. His achievements influenced many neurosurgeons during his lifetime, above all those from the US and England, including, for example, such well-known men as Fulton, Bucy, Bailey, and Penfield (who worked with Foerster in Breslau for quite a long time). Together Foerster and Penfield searched for the causes of epilepsy and the surgical methods to treat it. For young American neurosurgeons it was a very significant step in their careers to be able to train in Breslau under the guidance of Otfrid Foerster. In 1937 the British Association of Neurological Surgeons visited Breslau and awarded him with the honor of "Member Emeritus," which could be seen as the culmination of Foerster's career. In this paper the authors give an overview of Foerster's work and evaluate its significance. They also elucidate the difficult historical background during fascism in Germany using the sources of the Polish National Archives. Dr. Foerster's remaining traces in today's Wrocław are meticulously reported.

Biodegradation and kinetics of organic compounds and heavy metals in an artificial wetland system (AWS) by using water hyacinths as a biological filter.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Espinosa, P F; Mendoza-Pérez, J A; Tabla-Hernandez, J; Martínez-Tavera, E; Monroy-Mendieta, M M

2018-01-02

The objective of the present study was to investigate the ability of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to absorb organic compounds (potassium hydrogen phthalate, sodium tartrate, malathion, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), and piroxicam). For the aforementioned purpose, an artificial wetland system (AWS) was constructed and filled with water hyacinth collected from the Valsequillo Reservoir, Puebla, Mexico. Potassium hydrogen phthalate and sodium tartrate were measured in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD). The present study indicated that the water hyacinths absorbed nearly 1.8-16.6 g of COD kg -1 dm (dry mass of water hyacinth), while the absorbance efficiency of BOD was observed to be 45.8%. The results also indicated that the maximum absorbance efficiency of malathion, 2,4-D, and piroxicam was observed to be 67.6%, 58.3%, and 99.1%, respectively. The kinetics of organic compounds fitted different orders as malathion followed a zeroth-order reaction, while 2,4-D and piroxicam followed the first-order reactions. Preliminary assessment of absorption of heavy metals by the water hyacinth in the AWS was observed to be (all values in mg g -1 ) 7 (Ni), 13.4 (Cd), 16.3 (Pb), and 17.5 (Zn) of dry biomass, thus proving its feasibility to depurate wastewater.

[Is Władysław Ołtuszewski a creator of modern phoniatrics in Poland?].

PubMed

Kierzek, A

1995-01-01

In 1880 Władysław Ołtuszewski founded the faulty articulation infirmary, which was functioning until 1892. He was also working (1884-1892) at the department of Dr Heryng, one of the pioneers of Polish laryngology. He was involved in a welfare work in Warsaw Charity Society. He supported his interest in physiopathology of speech with studies in foreign centres in Germany and France. In 1892 he founded the "Warsaw Therapeutic Institution for persons stricken with speech deviations". It was the first phoniatric infirmary. He was delivering lectures, talks and he published tens papers in field of speech physiopathology. He was indicating the connection of dysphasia with psychiatric disorders. The author has presented in his article the main assumptions of the most valuable book by Ołtuszewski: Study of the science on speech and its deviations, and speech hygiene, published in 1905, pointing out that compared with the books by foreign authors the contents of this one was much ampler and more modern. He has also presented the comprehensive picture of Ołtuszewski's scientific output and wide non-scientific interests.

From eugenics to lysenkoism: the evolution of Stanisław Skowron.

PubMed

Dejong-Lambert, William

2009-01-01

This article describes the relationship between Polish geneticist Stanisław Skowron's views on eugenics during the interwar period, his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and his response to Trofim D. Lysenko's ban on genetic research in Soviet-allied states after 1948. Skowron was educated at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and received funding from the Rockefeller Foundation to study in the United States, Italy, Denmark, and Great Britain from 1924 to 1926. His exposure to research being conducted outside of Poland made him an important figure in Polish genetics. During this time Skowron also began to believe that an understanding of biological principles of heredity could play an important role in improving Polish society and became a supporter of eugenics. In 1939 he was arrested along with other faculty members at the Jagiellonian and sent to Sachsenhausen and Dachau. In 1947 he published the first book updating Polish biologists on recent developments in genetics; however, after learning of the outcome of the 1948 session of the Lenin All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Moscow, Skowron emerged as on of the most vocal advocates for Michurinism. I argue that Skowron's conversion to Lysenkoism was motivated by more than fear or opportunism, and is better understood as the product of his need to rationalize his own support for a theory he could not possibly have believed was correct.

High-quality permanent draft genome sequence of the extremely osmotolerant diphenol degrading bacterium Halotalea alkalilenta AW-7T, and emended description of the genus Halotalea

DOE PAGES

Ntougias, Spyridon; Lapidus, Alla; Copeland, Alex; ...

2015-08-13

Members of the genus Halotalea (family Halomonadaceae) are of high significance since they can tolerate the greatest glucose and maltose concentrations ever reported for known bacteria and are involved in the degradation of industrial effluents. Here, the characteristics and the permanent-draft genome sequence and annotation of Halotalea alkalilenta AW-7T are described. The microorganism was sequenced as a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Type Strains, Phase I: the one thousand microbial genomes (KMG) project at the DOE Joint Genome Institute, and it is the only strain within the genus Halotalea having its genome sequenced. The genome is 4,467,826 bp longmore » and consists of 40 scaffolds with 64.62 % average GC content. A total of 4,104 genes were predicted, comprising of 4,028 protein-coding and 76 RNA genes. Most protein-coding genes (87.79 %) were assigned to a putative function. Halotalea alkalilenta AW-7T encodes the catechol and protocatechuate degradation to β-ketoadipate via the β-ketoadipate and protocatechuate ortho-cleavage degradation pathway, and it possesses the genetic ability to detoxify fluoroacetate, cyanate and acrylonitrile. Lastly, an emended description of the genus Halotalea Ntougias et al. 2007 is also provided in order to describe the delayed fermentation ability of the type strain.« less

Cognitive and locomotor/exploratory behavior after chronic exercise in the olfactory bulbectomy animal model of depression.

PubMed

Van Hoomissen, Jacqueline; Kunrath, Julie; Dentlinger, Renee; Lafrenz, Andrew; Krause, Mark; Azar, Afaf

2011-09-12

Despite the evidence that exercise improves cognitive behavior in animal models, little is known about these beneficial effects in animal models of pathology. We examined the effects of activity wheel (AW) running on contextual fear conditioning (CFC) and locomotor/exploratory behavior in the olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) model of depression, which is characterized by hyperactivity and changes in cognitive function. Twenty-four hours after the conditioning session of the CFC protocol, the animals were tested for the conditioned response in a conditioned and a novel context to test for the effects of both AW and OBX on CFC, but also the context specificity of the effect. OBX reduced overall AW running behavior throughout the experiment, but increased locomotor/exploratory behavior during CFC, thus demonstrating a context-dependent effect. OBX animals, however, displayed normal CFC behavior that was context-specific, indicating that aversively conditioned memory is preserved in this model. AW running increased freezing behavior during the testing session of the CFC protocol in the control animals but only in the conditioned context, supporting the hypothesis that AW running improves cognitive function in a context-specific manner that does not generalize to an animal model of pathology. Blood corticosterone levels were increased in all animals at the conclusion of the testing sessions, but levels were higher in AW compared to sedentary groups indicating an effect of exercise on neuroendocrine function. Given the differential results of AW running on behavior and neuroendocrine function after OBX, further exploration of the beneficial effects of exercise in animal models of neuropathology is warranted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solar activity and myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Szczeklik, E; Mergentaler, J; Kotlarek-Haus, S; Kuliszkiewicz-Janus, M; Kucharczyk, J; Janus, W

1983-01-01

The correlation between the incidence of myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, the solar activity and geomagnetism in the period 1969-1976 was studied, basing on Wrocław hospitals material registered according to WHO standards; sudden death was assumed when a person died within 24 hours after the onset of the disease. The highest number of infarctions and sudden deaths was detected for 1975, which coincided with the lowest solar activity, and the lowest one for the years 1969-1970 coinciding with the highest solar activity. Such an inverse, statistically significant correlation was not found to exist between the studied biological phenomena and geomagnetism.

Wacław Szybalski's contribution to immunotherapy: HGPRT mutation & HAT selection as first steps to gene therapy and hybrid techniques in mammalian cells.

PubMed

Bigda, Jacek J; Koszałka, Patrycja

2013-08-10

In this report we describe Wacław Szybalski's fundamental contribution to gene therapy and immunotherapy. His 1962 PNAS paper (Szybalska and Szybalski, 1962) documented the first successful gene repair in mammalian cells. Furthermore, this was also the first report on the HAT selection method used later in many applications. Most importantly, somatic cell fusion and HAT selection were subsequently used to develop monoclonal antibody technology, which contributed significantly to the progress of today's medicine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Birth Order and Activity Level in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Warren O.; And Others

1989-01-01

Studied 7,018 children between birth and 7 years and 81 children of 5-8 years to test the hypothesis that birth order is negatively related to motor activity level. Activity level declined linearly across birth position, so that early-borns were rated as more active than later-borns. (RJC)

47 CFR 27.1250 - Transition of the 2150-2160/62 MHz band from the Broadband Radio Service to the Advanced Wireless...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Advanced Wireless Service (AWS). The rules in this section provide for a transition period during which AWS... assigned frequencies in the 2496-2690 MHz band or other media. (a) AWS licensees and BRS licensees shall... sharing arrangement with the AWS licensee that may result in an otherwise impermissible level of...

47 CFR 27.1250 - Transition of the 2150-2160/62 MHz band from the Broadband Radio Service to the Advanced Wireless...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Advanced Wireless Service (AWS). The rules in this section provide for a transition period during which AWS... assigned frequencies in the 2496-2690 MHz band or other media. (a) AWS licensees and BRS licensees shall... sharing arrangement with the AWS licensee that may result in an otherwise impermissible level of...

Enzymatic oxidation of ethanol in the gaseous phase.

PubMed

Barzana, E; Karel, M; Klibanov, A M

1989-11-01

The enzymatic conversion of gaseous substrates represents a novel concept in bioprocessing. A critical parameter in such systems is the water activity, A(w) The present article reports the effect of A(w) on the catalytic performance of alcohol oxidase acting on ethanol vapors. Enzyme activity in the gas-phase reaction increases several orders of magnitude, whereas the thermostability decreases drastically when A(w) is increased from 0.11 to 0.97. The enzyme is active on gaseous substrates even at hydration levels below the monolayer coverage. Enhanced thermostability at lower hydrations results in an increase in the optimum temperature of the gas-phase reaction catalyzed by alcohol oxidase. The apparent activation energy decreases as A(w) increases, approaching the value obtained for the enzyme in aqueous solution. The formation of a pread-sorbed ethanol phase on the surface of the support is not a prerequisite for the reaction, suggesting that the reaction occurs by direct interaction of the gaseous substrate with the enzyme. The gas-phase reaction follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with a K(m) value almost 100 times lower than that in aqueous solution. Based on vapor-liquid equilibrium data and observed K(m) values, it is postulated that during the gas-phase reaction the ethanol on the enzyme establishes an equilibrium with the ethanol vapor similar to that between ethanol in water and ethanol in the gas phase.

Parental Activity as a Determinant of Activity Level and Patterns of Activity in Obese Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalakanis, Lisa E.; Goldfield, Gary S.; Paluch, Rocco A.; Epstein, Leonard H.

2001-01-01

Investigated the level and pattern of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in obese children, examining predictors of their activity. Children and their parents wore accelerometers for several days and provided demographic data. Parental activity levels significantly and independently predicted and improved the prediction of children's…

Radial die-wall pressure as a reliable tool for studying the effect of powder water activity on high speed tableting.

PubMed

Abdel-Hamid, Sameh; Betz, Gabriele

2011-06-15

The effect of moisture as a function of water activity (Aw) on the compaction process is important to understand particle/water interaction and deformation. Studying powder/moisture interaction under pressure with radial die-wall pressure (RDWP) tool was never done. The aim of our study was to use this tool to study this interaction at high compression pressure and speed. Moreover, the effect of changing ejection cam angle (EA) of the machine on ejection force (EF) was investigated. Also, a new tool for prediction of tablet sticking was proposed. Materials with different deformation behaviors stored at low and high moisture conditions were used. Compaction simulation guided by modeling was applied. High Aw resulted in a low residual die-wall pressure (RDP) for all materials, and a high maximum die-wall pressure (MDP) for plastic materials, p < 0.05. This was due to the lubricating and plasticizing effects of water, respectively. However, microcrystalline cellulose showed capping at high Aw and compaction pressure. By increasing compression pressure at high Aw for all materials, effective fall time (EFT) was increased, p < 0.05, showing tendency for sticking. Increasing EA caused an increase of friction and EF for powders, p < 0.05. RDWP was a useful tool to understand particle/moisture interaction under pressure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water absorption of freeze-dried meat at different water activities: a multianalytical approach using sorption isotherm, differential scanning calorimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Venturi, Luca; Rocculi, Pietro; Cavani, Claudio; Placucci, Giuseppe; Dalla Rosa, Marco; Cremonini, Mauro A

2007-12-26

Hydration of freeze-dried chicken breast meat was followed in the water activity range of aw=0.12-0.99 by a multianalytical approach comprising of sorption isotherm, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The amount of frozen water and the shape of the T2-relaxogram were evaluated at each water content by DSC and NMR, respectively. Data revealed an agreement between sorption isotherm and DSC experiments about the onset of bulk water (aw=0.83-0.86), and NMR detected mobile water starting at aw=0.75. The origin of the short-transverse relaxation time part of the meat NMR signal was also reinvestigated through deuteration experiments and proposed to arise from protons belonging to plasticized matrix structures. It is proved both by D2O experiments and by gravimetry that the extra protons not contributing to the water content in the NMR experiments are about 6.4% of the total proton NMR CPMG signal of meat.

Exploring semantic and phonological picture-word priming in adults who stutter using event-related potentials

PubMed Central

Maxfield, Nathan D.; Pizon-Moore, Angela A.; Frisch, Stefan A.; Constantine, Joseph L.

2011-01-01

Objective Our aim was to investigate how semantic and phonological information is processed in adults who stutter (AWS) preparing to name pictures, following-up a report that event-related potentials (ERPs) in AWS evidenced atypical semantic picture-word priming (Maxfield et al., 2010). Methods Fourteen AWS and 14 typically-fluent adults (TFA) participated. Pictures, named at a delay, were followed by probe words. Design elements not used in Maxfield et al. (2010) let us evaluate both phonological and semantic picture-word priming. Results TFA evidenced typical priming effects in probe-elicited ERPs. AWS evidenced diminished Semantic priming, and reverse Phonological N400 priming. Conclusions Results point to atypical processing of semantic and phonological information in AWS. Discussion considers whether AWS ERP effects reflect unstable activation of target label semantic and phonological representations, strategic inhibition of target label phonological neighbors, and/or phonological label-probe competition. Significance Results raise questions about how mechanisms that regulate activation spreading operate in AWS. PMID:22055837

The Indoor Fungus Cladosporium halotolerans Survives Humidity Dynamics Markedly Better than Aspergillus niger and Penicillium rubens despite Less Growth at Lowered Steady-State Water Activity.

PubMed

Segers, Frank J J; van Laarhoven, Karel A; Huinink, Hendrik P; Adan, Olaf C G; Wösten, Han A B; Dijksterhuis, Jan

2016-09-01

Indoor fungi cause damage in houses and are a potential threat to human health. Indoor fungal growth requires water, for which the terms water activity (aw) and relative humidity (RH) are used. The ability of the fungi Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium halotolerans, and Penicillium rubens at different developmental stages to survive changes in aw dynamics was studied. Fungi grown on media with high aw were transferred to a controlled environment with low RH and incubated for 1 week. Growth of all developmental stages was halted during incubation at RHs below 75%, while growth continued at 84% RH. Swollen conidia, germlings, and microcolonies of A. niger and P. rubens could not reinitiate growth when retransferred from an RH below 75% to a medium with high aw All developmental stages of C. halotolerans showed growth after retransfer from 75% RH. Dormant conidia survived retransfer to medium with high aw in all cases. In addition, retransfer from 84% RH to medium with high aw resulted in burst hyphal tips for Aspergillus and Penicillium Cell damage of hyphae of these fungi after incubation at 75% RH was already visible after 2 h, as observed by staining with the fluorescent dye TOTO-1. Thus, C. halotolerans is more resistant to aw dynamics than A. niger and P. rubens, despite its limited growth compared to that of these fungi at a lowered steady-state aw The survival strategy of this phylloplane fungus in response to the dynamics of aw is discussed in relation to its morphology as studied by cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). Indoor fungi cause structural and cosmetic damage in houses and are a potential threat to human health. Growth depends on water, which is available only at certain periods of the day (e.g., during cooking or showering). Knowing why fungi can or cannot survive indoors is important for finding novel ways of prevention. Until now, the ability of fungi to grow on media with little available water at steady state (unchanging conditions) has

An attempt to optimize potassium sorbate use to preserve low pH (4.5-5.5) intermediate moisture bakery products by modelling Eurotium spp., Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium corylophilum growth.

PubMed

Guynot, M Elena; Marín, Sonia; Sanchis, Vicente; Ramos, Antonio J

2005-05-25

Mould growth was modelled on fermented bakery product analogues (FBPA) of two different pH (4.5 and 5.5), different water activity (a(w)) levels (0.80-0.90) and potassium sorbate concentrations (0-0.3%) by using seven moulds commonly causing spoilage of bakery products (Eurotium spp., Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium corylophilum). For the description of fungal growth (growth rates) as a function of a(w), potassium sorbate concentration and pH, 10-terms polynomial models were developed. Modelling enables prediction of spoilage during storage as a function of the factors affecting fungal growth. At pH 4.5 the concentration of potassium sorbate could be reduced to some extent only at low levels of a(w), whereas at pH 5.5 fungal growth was observed even by adding 0.3% of potassium sorbate. However, this preservative could be a valuable alternative as antifungal in such bakery product, of slightly acidic pH, if a long shelf life has not to be achieved.

Using Amazon Web Services (AWS) to enable real-time, remote sensing of biophysical and anthropogenic conditions in green infrastructure systems in Philadelphia, an ultra-urban application of the Internet of Things (IoT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montalto, F. A.; Yu, Z.; Soldner, K.; Israel, A.; Fritch, M.; Kim, Y.; White, S.

2017-12-01

Urban stormwater utilities are increasingly using decentralized "green" infrastructure (GI) systems to capture stormwater and achieve compliance with regulations. Because environmental conditions, and design varies by GSI facility, monitoring of GSI systems under a range of conditions is essential. Conventional monitoring efforts can be costly because in-field data logging requires intense data transmission rates. The Internet of Things (IoT) can be used to more cost-effectively collect, store, and publish GSI monitoring data. Using 3G mobile networks, a cloud-based database was built on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 virtual machine to store and publish data collected with environmental sensors deployed in the field. This database can store multi-dimensional time series data, as well as photos and other observations logged by citizen scientists through a public engagement mobile app through a new Application Programming Interface (API). Also on the AWS EC2 virtual machine, a real-time QAQC flagging algorithm was developed to validate the sensor data streams.

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous ammonium sulfate droplets initiated by humic-like substances as a function of water activity

DOE PAGES

Rigg, Y. J.; Alpert, P. A.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2013-07-12

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous (NH 4) 2SO 4 droplets containing leonardite (LEO) and Pahokee peat (PP) serving as surrogates for humic-like substances (HULIS) has been investigated. Organic aerosol containing HULIS are ubiquitous in the atmosphere; however, their potential for ice cloud formation is uncertain. Immersion freezing has been studied for temperatures as low as 215K and solution water activity, aw, from 0.85 to 1.0. The freezing temperatures of water and aqueous solution droplets containing LEO and PP are 5–15 K warmer than homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures. Heterogeneous freezing temperatures can be represented by a horizontal shift of themore » ice melting curve as a function of solution aw by Δ aw = 0.2703 and 0.2466, respectively. Corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficients, Jhet, are (9.6 ± 2.5) × 10 4 and (5.4 ± 1.4) × 10 4 cm -2 s -1 for LEO and PP containing droplets, respectively, and remain constant along freezing curves characterized by Δ aw. Consequently predictions of freezing temperatures and kinetics can be made without knowledge of the solute type when relative humidity and ice nuclei (IN) surface areas are known. The acquired ice nucleation data are applied to evaluate different approaches to fit and reproduce experimentally derived frozen fractions. In addition, we apply a basic formulation of classical nucleation theory (α( T)-model) to calculate contact angles and frozen fractions. Contact angles calculated for each ice nucleus as a function of temperature, α( T)-model, reproduce exactly experimentally derived frozen fractions without involving free-fit parameters. However, assigning the IN a single contact angle for the entire population (single-α model) is not suited to represent the frozen fractions. Application of α-PDF, active sites, and deterministic model approaches to measured frozen fractions yield similar good representations. Furthermore, when using a single parameterization of

Economic Evaluation of an Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management Program to Control the Asian Tiger Mosquito in New Jersey

PubMed Central

Shepard, Donald S.; Halasa, Yara A.; Fonseca, Dina M.; Farajollahi, Ary; Healy, Sean P.; Gaugler, Randy; Bartlett-Healy, Kristen; Strickman, Daniel A.; Clark, Gary G.

2014-01-01

Aedes albopictus is the most invasive mosquito in the world, an important disease vector, and a biting nuisance that limits outdoor activities. Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) is the recommended control strategy. We conducted an economic evaluation of the AW-IPM project in Mercer and Monmouth Counties, New Jersey with a controlled design (AW-IPM vs. control) from 2009 through 2011. The study analyzed financial documents and staff time for AW-IPM and surveyed an average of 415 randomly chosen households in AW-IPM and control areas each fall from 2008 through 2011. Hours lost from yard and porch activities were calculated as differences between actual and potential hours of these activities in an average summer week if there had been no mosquito concerns. Net estimated benefits of AW-IPM were based on cross-over and difference-in-difference analyses. Reductions in hours lost were valued based on respondents' willingness to pay for a hypothetical extra hour free of mosquitoes spent on yard or porch activities and literature on valuation of a quality adjusted life year (QALY). The incremental cost of AW-IPM per adult was $41.18 per year. Number of hours lost due to mosquitoes in AW-IPM areas between the base year (2008) and the intervention years (2009-2011) declined by 3.30 hours per summer week in AW-IPM areas compared to control areas. Survey respondents valued this improvement at $27.37 per adult per summer week. Over the 13-week summer, an average adult resident gained 42.96 hours of yard and porch time, worth $355.82. The net benefit over the summer was $314.63. With an average of 0.0027 QALYs gained per adult per year, AW-IPM was cost effective at $15,300 per QALY gained. The benefit-cost ratio from hours gained was 8.64, indicating that each $1 spent on AW-IPM gave adults additional porch and yard time worth over $8. PMID:25338065

Economic evaluation of an area-wide integrated pest management program to control the Asian tiger mosquito in New Jersey.

PubMed

Shepard, Donald S; Halasa, Yara A; Fonseca, Dina M; Farajollahi, Ary; Healy, Sean P; Gaugler, Randy; Bartlett-Healy, Kristen; Strickman, Daniel A; Clark, Gary G

2014-01-01

Aedes albopictus is the most invasive mosquito in the world, an important disease vector, and a biting nuisance that limits outdoor activities. Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) is the recommended control strategy. We conducted an economic evaluation of the AW-IPM project in Mercer and Monmouth Counties, New Jersey with a controlled design (AW-IPM vs. control) from 2009 through 2011. The study analyzed financial documents and staff time for AW-IPM and surveyed an average of 415 randomly chosen households in AW-IPM and control areas each fall from 2008 through 2011. Hours lost from yard and porch activities were calculated as differences between actual and potential hours of these activities in an average summer week if there had been no mosquito concerns. Net estimated benefits of AW-IPM were based on cross-over and difference-in-difference analyses. Reductions in hours lost were valued based on respondents' willingness to pay for a hypothetical extra hour free of mosquitoes spent on yard or porch activities and literature on valuation of a quality adjusted life year (QALY). The incremental cost of AW-IPM per adult was $41.18 per year. Number of hours lost due to mosquitoes in AW-IPM areas between the base year (2008) and the intervention years (2009-2011) declined by 3.30 hours per summer week in AW-IPM areas compared to control areas. Survey respondents valued this improvement at $27.37 per adult per summer week. Over the 13-week summer, an average adult resident gained 42.96 hours of yard and porch time, worth $355.82. The net benefit over the summer was $314.63. With an average of 0.0027 QALYs gained per adult per year, AW-IPM was cost effective at $15,300 per QALY gained. The benefit-cost ratio from hours gained was 8.64, indicating that each $1 spent on AW-IPM gave adults additional porch and yard time worth over $8.

Actin Waves Do Not Boost Neurite Outgrowth in the Early Stages of Neuron Maturation

PubMed Central

Mortal, Simone; Iseppon, Federico; Perissinotto, Andrea; D'Este, Elisa; Cojoc, Dan; Napolitano, Luisa M. R.; Torre, Vincent

2017-01-01

During neurite development, Actin Waves (AWs) emerge at the neurite base and move up to its tip, causing a transient retraction of the Growth Cone (GC). Many studies have shown that AWs are linked to outbursts of neurite growth and, therefore, contribute to the fast elongation of the nascent axon. Using long term live cell-imaging, we show that AWs do not boost neurite outgrowth and that neurites without AWs can elongate for several hundred microns. Inhibition of Myosin II abolishes the transient GC retraction and strongly modifies the AWs morphology. Super-resolution nanoscopy shows that Myosin IIB shapes the growth cone-like AWs structure and is differently distributed in AWs and GCs. Interestingly, depletion of membrane cholesterol and inhibition of Rho GTPases decrease AWs frequency and velocity. Our results indicate that Myosin IIB, membrane tension, and small Rho GTPases are important players in the regulation of the AW dynamics. Finally, we suggest a role for AWs in maintaining the GCs active during environmental exploration. PMID:29326552

Teaching Tip: Active Learning via a Sample Database: The Case of Microsoft's Adventure Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitri, Michel

2015-01-01

This paper describes the use and benefits of Microsoft's Adventure Works (AW) database to teach advanced database skills in a hands-on, realistic environment. Database management and querying skills are a key element of a robust information systems curriculum, and active learning is an important way to develop these skills. To facilitate active…

34 CFR 300.814 - Other State-level activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Other State-level activities. 300.814 Section 300.814...) For activities at the State and local levels to meet the performance goals established by the State... CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities § 300.814 Other State-level...

Directly Observed Physical Activity Levels in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pate, Russell R.; McIver, Kerry; Dowda, Marsha; Brown, William H.; Addy, Cheryl

2008-01-01

Background: Millions of young children attend preschools and other structured child development programs, but little is known about their physical activity levels while in those settings. The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels and demographic and school-related correlates of physical activity in children attending…

Effects of Temperature, Water Activity, and Syrup Film Composition on the Growth of Wallemia sebi: Development and Assessment of a Model Predicting Growth Lags in Syrup Agar and Crystalline Sugar

PubMed Central

Vindeløv, Jannik; Arneborg, Nils

2002-01-01

We investigated the effects of temperature, water activity (aw), and syrup film composition on the CFU growth of Wallemia sebi in crystalline sugar. At a high aw (0.82) at both high (20°C) and low (10°C) temperatures, the CFU growth of W. sebi in both white and extrawhite sugar could be described using a modified Gompertz model. At a low aw (0.76), however, the modified Gompertz model could not be fitted to the CFU data obtained with the two sugars due to long CFU growth lags and low maximum specific CFU growth rates of W. sebi at 20°C and due to the fact that growth did not occur at 10°C. At an aw of 0.82, regardless of the temperature, the carrying capacity (i.e., the cell concentration at t = ∞) of extrawhite sugar was lower than that of white sugar. Together with the fact that the syrup film of extrawhite sugar contained less amino-nitrogen relative to other macronutrients than the syrup film of white sugar, these results suggest that CFU growth of W. sebi in extrawhite sugar may be nitrogen limited. We developed a secondary growth model which is able to predict colony growth lags of W. sebi on syrup agar as a function of temperature and aw. The ability of this model to predict CFU growth lags of W. sebi in crystalline sugar was assessed. PMID:11916681

Quality of life and physical activity in an older working-age population.

PubMed

Puciato, Daniel; Borysiuk, Zbigniew; Rozpara, Michał

2017-01-01

Physical activity can be an effective means of prevention and therapy of many psychosomatic disorders. It can also have a significant impact on the quality of life of older working-age people. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationships between quality of life and physical activity in older working-age people from Wrocław, Poland. The study group comprised 1,013 people, including 565 women and 448 men, aged 55-64 years (59.1±2.9 years). The study took form of a questionnaire survey. The participants assessed their physical activity and quality of life using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Version (IPAQ-SF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. The highest mean indices of general quality of life, perceived health status, and quality of life in the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were shown by respondents whose intensity of physical activity was the highest. Moreover, the odds of high assessment of overall quality of life increased with respondents' higher levels of physical activity. Quality of life improvement programs should also involve increased physical activity components.

Quality of life and physical activity in an older working-age population

PubMed Central

Puciato, Daniel; Borysiuk, Zbigniew; Rozpara, Michał

2017-01-01

Objective Physical activity can be an effective means of prevention and therapy of many psychosomatic disorders. It can also have a significant impact on the quality of life of older working-age people. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationships between quality of life and physical activity in older working-age people from Wrocław, Poland. Materials and methods The study group comprised 1,013 people, including 565 women and 448 men, aged 55–64 years (59.1±2.9 years). The study took form of a questionnaire survey. The participants assessed their physical activity and quality of life using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Version (IPAQ-SF) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. Results The highest mean indices of general quality of life, perceived health status, and quality of life in the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were shown by respondents whose intensity of physical activity was the highest. Moreover, the odds of high assessment of overall quality of life increased with respondents’ higher levels of physical activity. Conclusion Quality of life improvement programs should also involve increased physical activity components. PMID:29042763

The impact of pregnancy on physical activity level.

PubMed

Fell, Deshayne B; Joseph, K S; Armson, B Anthony; Dodds, Linda

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study was to compare women's levels of physical activity during early pregnancy and during the year before pregnancy, and to identify characteristics associated with discontinuing sports and exercise among women previously active during the year before pregnancy. Data collected from 1,737 women enrolled in a prospective cohort study and who had no contraindications for exercise were included in this analysis. Measures of physical activity (including household and care-giving activities, active living and sports and exercise activities) during early pregnancy were compared to the year before pregnancy. Log binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with discontinuing sports and exercise during pregnancy. There was a statistically significant decrease in all summary measures of physical activity during early pregnancy. The largest decreases were observed in sports and exercise activity. Among women active before pregnancy, age <35 years, multiparity, less than university education, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) > or = 30 kg/m(2) and lower levels of pre-pregnancy exercise were associated with discontinuing sports and exercise activities during pregnancy. Most women reduced their physical activity level during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy compared with their level of activity during the year prior to pregnancy, particularly for sports and exercise, although a small proportion of women in this study actually increased their activity in this area during early pregnancy. Participation in sports and exercise activity during pregnancy is potentially modifiable and could favorably impact perinatal health and maternal post-partum weight. The results of this study suggests that pregnancy is an event that leads to a decrease in physical activity.

47 CFR 27.1182 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... reimbursement, an AWS relocator must submit documentation of the relocation agreement to the clearinghouse... involuntary relocation, an AWS relocator must submit documentation of the relocated system within 30 calendar... above ground level height of the system's receiving antenna centerline. (3) The AWS relocator must also...

47 CFR 27.1182 - Reimbursement under the Cost-Sharing Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... reimbursement, an AWS relocator must submit documentation of the relocation agreement to the clearinghouse... involuntary relocation, an AWS relocator must submit documentation of the relocated system within 30 calendar... above ground level height of the system's receiving antenna centerline. (3) The AWS relocator must also...

LONG-TERM OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE TO PENCONAZOLE AND TEBUCONAZOLE BY HAIR BIOMONITORING.

PubMed

Mercadante, Rosa; Polledri, Elisa; Moretto, Angelo; Fustinoni, Silvia

2018-06-09

Penconazole (PEN) and tebuconazole (TEB) are fungicides widely used in vineyards. The aim of this the study was to assess the suitability of hair to assess long-term exposure to PEN and TEB. Hair samples of agricultural workers exposed to PEN (AW-PEN, 18 subjects) or TEB (AW-TEB, 2 subjects) during the application of fungicides, agricultural workers relatives (AR, 4 subjects), and research staff technicians (RS, 5 subjects) were collected before (PRE-EXP) and after (POST-EXP) the application season. PEN in PRE-EXP samples was quantifiable in all AW and AR (medians from 1.4 to 7.9 pg/mg hair) and in one RS (1.4 pg/mg hair); PEN in POST-EXP samples was always quantifiable (medians from 2.6 to 23.7 pg/mg hair), with higher levels in AW. Comparing PRE- vs. POST-EXP samples, an increase in PEN level in AW and RS was found. TEB in PRE-EXP samples was quantifiable in most AW and AR (median from 2.1 to 15.5 pg/mg hair), but not in RS; TEB in POST-EXP samples was similarly quantifiable in AW and AR, and was quantifiable also in RS (from 1.4 to median of 141.3 pg/mg hair). Comparing PRE- vs. POST-EXP samples, an increase in TEB level in AW and RS was found. In AW, a positive correlation between the number of PEN treatments during the season and the POST-EXP level of PEN in hair was found (N = 8, Spearman rho = 0.794, p = 0.019). Our results suggest that PEN and TEB accumulate in hair during the agricultural season and that hair is a promising matrix for biomonitoring long-term exposure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Curricular Activity on Students' Situational Motivation and Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C.; Newton, Maria; Huang, Chaoqun

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effects of three curricular activities on students' situational motivation (intrinsic motivation [IM], identified regulation [IR], external regulation, and amotivation [AM]) and physical activity (PA) levels, and (b) the predictive strength of situational motivation to PA levels. Four hundred twelve…

When will a stuttering moment occur? The determining role of speech motor preparation.

PubMed

Vanhoutte, Sarah; Cosyns, Marjan; van Mierlo, Pieter; Batens, Katja; Corthals, Paul; De Letter, Miet; Van Borsel, John; Santens, Patrick

2016-06-01

The present study aimed to evaluate whether increased activity related to speech motor preparation preceding fluently produced words reflects a successful compensation strategy in stuttering. For this purpose, a contingent negative variation (CNV) was evoked during a picture naming task and measured by use of electro-encephalography. A CNV is a slow, negative event-related potential known to reflect motor preparation generated by the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical (BGTC) - loop. In a previous analysis, the CNV of 25 adults with developmental stuttering (AWS) was significantly increased, especially over the right hemisphere, compared to the CNV of 35 fluent speakers (FS) when both groups were speaking fluently (Vanhoutte et al., (2015) doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.05.013). To elucidate whether this increase is a compensation strategy enabling fluent speech in AWS, the present analysis evaluated the CNV of 7 AWS who stuttered during this picture naming task. The CNV preceding AWS stuttered words was statistically compared to the CNV preceding AWS fluent words and FS fluent words. Though no difference emerged between the CNV of the AWS stuttered words and the FS fluent words, a significant reduction was observed when comparing the CNV preceding AWS stuttered words to the CNV preceding AWS fluent words. The latter seems to confirm the compensation hypothesis: the increased CNV prior to AWS fluent words is a successful compensation strategy, especially when it occurs over the right hemisphere. The words are produced fluently because of an enlarged activity during speech motor preparation. The left CNV preceding AWS stuttered words correlated negatively with stuttering frequency and severity suggestive for a link between the left BGTC - network and the stuttering pathology. Overall, speech motor preparatory activity generated by the BGTC - loop seems to have a determining role in stuttering. An important divergence between left and right hemisphere is

Elevation-Based Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment of Mindanao, Philippines: are Freely-Available 30-M Dems Good Enough?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santillan, J. R.; Makinano-Santillan, M.

2017-09-01

We assessed the vertical accuracies and uncertainties of three freely-available global DEMs as inputs to elevation-based sea-level rise vulnerability assessment of Mindanao, Philippines - an area where above average SLR of 14.7 mm/year was recently found. These DEMs are the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM, ASTER Global DEM (GDEM Version 2), and ALOS World 3D-30 (AW3D30). Using 2,076 ground control points, we computed each DEM's vertical accuracies and uncertainties, and from these we determined the smallest increment of sea-level rise (SLRImin) that should be considered when using the DEMs for SLR impact assessment, as well as the Minimum Planning Timeline (TLmin) for an elevation-based SLR assessment. Results of vertical accuracy assessment revealed Root Mean Square Errors of 9.80 m for ASTER GDEM V2, 5.16 m for SRTM DEM, and 4.32 m for AW3D30. Vertical uncertainties in terms of the Linear Error at 95 % Confidence (LE95) were found to be as follows: 19.21 m for ASTER GDEM V2, 10.12 m for SRTM DEM, and 8.47 m for AW3D30. From these, we found that ASTER GDEM2 is suitable to model SLR increments of at least 38.41 m and it will take 2,613 years for the cumulative water level increase of 14.7 mm/year to reach the minimum SLR increment afforded by this DEM. For the SRTM DEM, SLRImin and TLmin were computed as 20.24 m and 1,377 years, respectively. For the AW3D30, SLRImin and TLmin were computed as 16.92 m and 1,151 years, respectively. These results suggest that the readily available global DEMs' suitability for mapping coastal inundations due to SLR in our study area is limited by their low vertical accuracies and high uncertainties. All the three DEMs do not have the necessary accuracy and minimum uncertainties that will make them suitable for mapping inundations of Mindanao at smaller increments of SLR (e.g., SLR ≤ 5 m). Hence, users who apply any of these DEMs

Physical activity levels early after lung transplantation.

PubMed

Wickerson, Lisa; Mathur, Sunita; Singer, Lianne G; Brooks, Dina

2015-04-01

Little is known of the early changes in physical activity after lung transplantation. The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe physical activity levels in patients up to 6 months following lung transplantation and (2) to explore predictors of the change in physical activity in that population. This was a prospective cohort study. Physical activity (daily steps and time spent in moderate-intensity activity) was measured using an accelerometer before and after transplantation (at hospital discharge, 3 months, and 6 months). Additional functional measurements included submaximal exercise capacity (measured with the 6-Minute Walk Test), quadriceps muscle torque, and health-related quality of life (measured with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey 36 [SF-36] and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire). Thirty-six lung transplant recipients (18 men, 18 women; mean age=49 years, SD=14) completed posttransplant measurements. Before transplant, daily steps were less than a third of the general population. By 3 months posttransplant, the largest improvement in physical activity had occurred, and level of daily steps reached 55% of the general population. The change in daily steps (pretransplant to 3 months posttransplant) was inversely correlated with pretransplant 6-minute walk distance (r=-.48, P=.007), daily steps (r=-.36, P=.05), and SF-36 physical functioning (SF-36 PF) score (r=-.59, P=.0005). The SF-36 PF was a significant predictor of the change in physical activity, accounting for 35% of the variation in change in daily steps. Only individuals who were ambulatory prior to transplant and discharged from the hospital in less than 3 months were included in the study. Physical activity levels improve following lung transplantation, particularly in individuals with low self-reported physical functioning. However, the majority of lung transplant recipients remain sedentary between 3 to 6 months following transplant. The role of exercise

[Subliminal perception and the levels of activation].

PubMed

Borgeat, F; Chabot, R; Chaloult, L

1981-06-01

The influence of the auditory subliminal messages on the level of activation has been evaluated through a double-blind study. Twenty consenting subjects were alternately submitted to activating and deactivating subliminal messages. Activation changes were estimated through the variations in the scores at the Mood Adjective Check List. Five out of this test's six factors concerned by the content of the subliminal messages responded differently according to the nature of these messages; four factors did so to a statistically significant degree. These results tend to indicate that auditory subliminal perceptions can influence the level of activation. The authors raise several questions, especially stressing that the parameters regulating subliminal response and susceptibility remain largely undefined and in need of systematic investigation.

Prenatal androgen exposure and children's aggressive behavior and activity level.

PubMed

Spencer, Debra; Pasterski, Vickie; Neufeld, Sharon; Glover, Vivette; O'Connor, Thomas G; Hindmarsh, Peter C; Hughes, Ieuan A; Acerini, Carlo L; Hines, Melissa

2017-11-01

Some human behaviors, including aggression and activity level, differ on average for males and females. Here we report findings from two studies investigating possible relations between prenatal androgen and children's aggression and activity level. For study 1, aggression and activity level scores for 43 girls and 38 boys, aged 4 to 11years, with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH, a genetic condition causing increased adrenal androgen production beginning prenatally) were compared to those of similarly-aged, unaffected relatives (41 girls, 31 boys). Girls with CAH scored higher on aggression than unaffected girls, d=0.69, and unaffected boys scored higher on activity level than unaffected girls, d=0.50. No other group differences were significant. For study 2, the relationship of amniotic fluid testosterone to aggression and activity level was investigated in typically-developing children (48 girls, 44 boys), aged 3 to 5years. Boys scored higher than girls on aggression, d=0.41, and activity level, d=0.50. However, amniotic fluid testosterone was not a significant predictor of aggression or activity level for either sex. The results of the two studies provide some support for an influence of prenatal androgen exposure on children's aggressive behavior, but not activity level. The within-sex variation in amniotic fluid testosterone may not be sufficient to allow reliable assessment of relations to aggression or activity level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A xylanase gene directly cloned from the genomic DNA of alkaline wastewater sludge showing application potential in the paper industry.

PubMed

Zhao, Yanyu; Luo, Huiying; Meng, Kun; Shi, Pengjun; Wang, Guozeng; Yang, Peilong; Yuan, Tiezheng; Yao, Bin

2011-09-01

A xylanase gene, aws-2x, was directly cloned from the genomic DNA of the alkaline wastewater sludge using degenerated PCR and modified TAIL-PCR. The deduced amino acid sequence of AWS-2x shared the highest identity (60%) with the xylanase from Chryseobacterium gleum belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase GH family 10. Recombinant AWS-2x was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The enzyme showed maximal activity at pH 7.5 and 55 °C, maintained more than 50% of maximal activity when assayed at pH 9.0, and was stable over a wide pH range from 4.0 to 11.0. The specific activity of AWS-2x towards hardwood xylan (beechwood and birchwood xylan) was significantly higher than that to cereal xylan (oat spelt xylan and wheat arabinoxylan). These properties make AWS-2x a potential candidate for application in the pulp and paper industry.

Interactions between water activity and temperature on the Aspergillus flavus transcriptome and aflatoxin B1 production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of Aspergillus flavus colonization of maize kernels under different water activity (aw; 0.99 and 0.91) and temperature (30 and 37°C) conditions on (a) aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production and (b) impacts on the transcriptome using RNAseq. This study...

Extremophilic fungi in arctic ice: a relationship between adaptation to low temperature and water activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunde-Cimerman, N.; Sonjak, S.; Zalar, P.; Frisvad, J. C.; Diderichsen, B.; Plemenitaš, A.

Little is known about fungal diversity in extremely cold regions. Low temperatures induce the formation of ice crystals and therefore also the creation of low water activity ( aw). These are the dominant factors in external chemistry that influence microbial biota in cold regions. Therefore, we have used selective low water activity media plus low incubation temperatures for the isolation of fungi from an Arctic environment. In comparison with the highest values of colony forming units (CFU) obtained on mesophilic media, considerably higher fungal CFU per litre of water were detected on low aw media, ranging from 1000 to 3000 l -1 in seawater, 6000 to 7000 l -1 in melted sea ice and up to 13,000 l -1 in melted glacier ice. The dominant taxa were ascomycetous and basidiomycetous yeasts, melanized fungi, mainly represented by the genera Cladosporium and Aureobasidium plus different species of the genus Penicillium. Preliminary taxonomic analyses revealed several new species and varieties. Further characterisations are needed to determine whether this diversity is due to geographic isolation, ecological conditions or independent evolutionary origin.

Survival of Salmonella during Drying of Fresh Ginger Root (Zingiber officinale) and Storage of Ground Ginger.

PubMed

Gradl, Dana R; Sun, Lingxiang; Larkin, Emily L; Chirtel, Stuart J; Keller, Susanne E

2015-11-01

The survival of Salmonella on fresh ginger root (Zingiber officinale) during drying was examined using both a laboratory oven at 51 and 60°C with two different fan settings and a small commercially available food dehydrator. The survival of Salmonella in ground ginger stored at 25 and 37°C at 33% (low) and 97% (high) relative humidity (RH) was also examined. To inoculate ginger, a four-serovar cocktail of Salmonella was collected by harvesting agar lawn cells. For drying experiments, ginger slices (1 ± 0.5 mm thickness) were surface inoculated at a starting level of approximately 9 log CFU/g. Higher temperature (60°C) coupled with a slow fan speed (nonstringent condition) to promote a slower reduction in the water activity (aw) of the ginger resulted in a 3- to 4-log reduction in Salmonella populations in the first 4 to 6 h with an additional 2- to 3-log reduction by 24 h. Higher temperature with a higher fan speed (stringent condition) resulted in significantly less destruction of Salmonella throughout the 24-h period (P < 0.001). Survival appeared related to the rate of reduction in the aw. The aw also influenced Salmonella survival during storage of ground ginger. During storage at 97% RH, the maximum aw values were 0.85 at 25°C and 0.87 at 37°C; Salmonella was no longer detected after 25 and 5 days of storage, respectively, under these conditions. At 33% RH, the aw stabilized to approximately 0.35 at 25°C and 0.31 at 37°C. Salmonella levels remained relatively constant throughout the 365-day and 170-day storage periods for the respective temperatures. These results indicate a relationship between temperature and aw and the survival of Salmonella during both drying and storage of ginger.

The surface climatology of the Ross Ice Shelf Antarctica.

PubMed

Costanza, Carol A; Lazzara, Matthew A; Keller, Linda M; Cassano, John J

2016-12-01

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Antarctic Automatic Weather Station (AWS) project has been making meteorological surface observations on the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) for approximately 30 years. This network offers the most continuous set of routine measurements of surface meteorological variables in this region. The Ross Island area is excluded from this study. The surface climate of the RIS is described using the AWS measurements. Temperature, pressure, and wind data are analysed on daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual time periods for 13 AWS across the RIS. The AWS are separated into three representative regions - central, coastal, and the area along the Transantarctic Mountains - in order to describe specific characteristics of sections of the RIS. The climatology describes general characteristics of the region and significant changes over time. The central AWS experiences the coldest mean temperature, and the lowest resultant wind speed. These AWSs also experience the coldest potential temperatures with a minimum of 209.3 K at Gill AWS. The AWS along the Transantarctic Mountains experiences the warmest mean temperature, the highest mean sea-level pressure, and the highest mean resultant wind speed. Finally, the coastal AWS experiences the lowest mean pressure. Climate indices (MEI, SAM, and SAO) are compared to temperature and pressure data of four of the AWS with the longest observation periods, and significant correlation is found for most AWS in sea-level pressure and temperature. This climatology study highlights characteristics that influence the climate of the RIS, and the challenges of maintaining a long-term Antarctic AWS network. Results from this effort are essential for the broader Antarctic meteorology community for future research.

The surface climatology of the Ross Ice Shelf Antarctica

PubMed Central

Lazzara, Matthew A.; Keller, Linda M.; Cassano, John J.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The University of Wisconsin‐Madison Antarctic Automatic Weather Station (AWS) project has been making meteorological surface observations on the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) for approximately 30 years. This network offers the most continuous set of routine measurements of surface meteorological variables in this region. The Ross Island area is excluded from this study. The surface climate of the RIS is described using the AWS measurements. Temperature, pressure, and wind data are analysed on daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual time periods for 13 AWS across the RIS. The AWS are separated into three representative regions – central, coastal, and the area along the Transantarctic Mountains – in order to describe specific characteristics of sections of the RIS. The climatology describes general characteristics of the region and significant changes over time. The central AWS experiences the coldest mean temperature, and the lowest resultant wind speed. These AWSs also experience the coldest potential temperatures with a minimum of 209.3 K at Gill AWS. The AWS along the Transantarctic Mountains experiences the warmest mean temperature, the highest mean sea‐level pressure, and the highest mean resultant wind speed. Finally, the coastal AWS experiences the lowest mean pressure. Climate indices (MEI, SAM, and SAO) are compared to temperature and pressure data of four of the AWS with the longest observation periods, and significant correlation is found for most AWS in sea‐level pressure and temperature. This climatology study highlights characteristics that influence the climate of the RIS, and the challenges of maintaining a long‐term Antarctic AWS network. Results from this effort are essential for the broader Antarctic meteorology community for future research. PMID:28008213

Physical Activity Levels during Adventure-Physical Education Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehris, Jeffrey; Myers, Elizabeth; Whitaker, Robert

2012-01-01

Adventure-physical education has been proposed to promote adolescents' physical development, but little is known about physical activity levels during such lessons. Using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time, we observed students' (ages 11-14 years) physical activity levels in co-educational classes during 43 adventure-physical…

[Some remarks on the theory of sets by Richard Dedekind and Stanisław Leśniewski].

PubMed

Obojska, Lidia

2014-01-01

Mereology, is a part-whole theory, also called the theory of collective sets. It was founded in 1916 by Stanisław Leśniewski and this is an alternative theory versus the classical set theory by Georg Cantor. These two theories are usually teamed up together as Leśniewski himself was referring to the concept of the set by Cantor and Cantor is considered the "main" ideologist of the set theory. However, when analyzing the original texts of various authors, it seems that the very concept of a collective set is closer to the idea of Richard Dedekind rather than that of Georg Cantor. It is known that Cantor borrowed some concepts on the notion of set from Dedekind, whose ideas were also known to Leśniewski, however, there is no study on this topic. This work is therefore an attempt to compare some set-theoretical concepts of both of these authors, i.e. S. Leśiewski and R. Dedekind and the presentation of their convergence.

A water activity based model of heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics for freezing of water and aqueous solution droplets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knopf, Daniel A.; Alpert, Peter A.

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous solutions by particles acting as ice nuclei (IN) is a common process of heterogeneous ice nucleation which occurs in many environments, especially in the atmosphere where it results in the glaciation of clouds. Here we experimentally show, using a variety of IN types suspended in various aqueous solutions, that immersion freezing temperatures and kinetics can be described solely by temperature, T, and solution water activity, aw, which is the ratio of the vapour pressure of the solution and the saturation water vapour pressure under the same conditions and, in equilibrium, equivalent to relative humiditymore » (RH). This allows the freezing point and corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, Jhet, to be uniquely expressed by T and aw, a result we term the aw based immersion freezing model (ABIFM). This method is independent of the nature of the solute and accounts for several varying parameters, including cooling rate and IN surface area, while providing a holistic description of immersion freezing and allowing prediction of freezing temperatures, Jhet, frozen fractions, ice particle production rates and numbers. Our findings are based on experimental freezing data collected for various IN surface areas, A, and cooling rates, r, of droplets variously containing marine biogenic material, two soil humic acids, four mineral dusts, and one organic monolayer acting as IN. For all investigated IN types we demonstrate that droplet freezing temperatures increase as A increases. Similarly, droplet freezing temperatures increase as the cooling rate decreases. The log 10(J het) values for the various IN types derived exclusively by T and aw, provide a complete description of the heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics. Thus, the ABIFM can be applied over the entire range of T, RH, total particulate surface area, and cloud activation timescales typical of atmospheric conditions. Finally, we demonstrate that ABIFM can

A water activity based model of heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics for freezing of water and aqueous solution droplets.

PubMed

Knopf, Daniel A; Alpert, Peter A

2013-01-01

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous solutions by particles acting as ice nuclei (IN) is a common process of heterogeneous ice nucleation which occurs in many environments, especially in the atmosphere where it results in the glaciation of clouds. Here we experimentally show, using a variety of IN types suspended in various aqueous solutions, that immersion freezing temperatures and kinetics can be described solely by temperature, T, and solution water activity, a(w), which is the ratio of the vapour pressure of the solution and the saturation water vapour pressure under the same conditions and, in equilibrium, equivalent to relative humidity (RH). This allows the freezing point and corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, J(het), to be uniquely expressed by T and a(w), a result we term the a(w) based immersion freezing model (ABIFM). This method is independent of the nature of the solute and accounts for several varying parameters, including cooling rate and IN surface area, while providing a holistic description of immersion freezing and allowing prediction of freezing temperatures, J(het), frozen fractions, ice particle production rates and numbers. Our findings are based on experimental freezing data collected for various IN surface areas, A, and cooling rates, r, of droplets variously containing marine biogenic material, two soil humic acids, four mineral dusts, and one organic monolayer acting as IN. For all investigated IN types we demonstrate that droplet freezing temperatures increase as A increases. Similarly, droplet freezing temperatures increase as the cooling rate decreases. The log10(J(het)) values for the various IN types derived exclusively by Tand a(w), provide a complete description of the heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics. Thus, the ABIFM can be applied over the entire range of T, RH, total particulate surface area, and cloud activation timescales typical of atmospheric conditions. Lastly, we demonstrate that ABIFM can

A water activity based model of heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics for freezing of water and aqueous solution droplets

DOE PAGES

Knopf, Daniel A.; Alpert, Peter A.

2013-04-24

Immersion freezing of water and aqueous solutions by particles acting as ice nuclei (IN) is a common process of heterogeneous ice nucleation which occurs in many environments, especially in the atmosphere where it results in the glaciation of clouds. Here we experimentally show, using a variety of IN types suspended in various aqueous solutions, that immersion freezing temperatures and kinetics can be described solely by temperature, T, and solution water activity, aw, which is the ratio of the vapour pressure of the solution and the saturation water vapour pressure under the same conditions and, in equilibrium, equivalent to relative humiditymore » (RH). This allows the freezing point and corresponding heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, Jhet, to be uniquely expressed by T and aw, a result we term the aw based immersion freezing model (ABIFM). This method is independent of the nature of the solute and accounts for several varying parameters, including cooling rate and IN surface area, while providing a holistic description of immersion freezing and allowing prediction of freezing temperatures, Jhet, frozen fractions, ice particle production rates and numbers. Our findings are based on experimental freezing data collected for various IN surface areas, A, and cooling rates, r, of droplets variously containing marine biogenic material, two soil humic acids, four mineral dusts, and one organic monolayer acting as IN. For all investigated IN types we demonstrate that droplet freezing temperatures increase as A increases. Similarly, droplet freezing temperatures increase as the cooling rate decreases. The log 10(J het) values for the various IN types derived exclusively by T and aw, provide a complete description of the heterogeneous ice nucleation kinetics. Thus, the ABIFM can be applied over the entire range of T, RH, total particulate surface area, and cloud activation timescales typical of atmospheric conditions. Finally, we demonstrate that ABIFM can

Does arthroscopic rotator cuff repair improve patients' activity levels?

PubMed

Baumgarten, Keith M; Chang, Peter S; Dannenbring, Tasha M; Foley, Elaine K

2018-06-04

Rotator cuff repair decreases pain, improves range of motion, and increases strength. Whether these improvements translate to an improvement in a patient's activity level postoperatively remains unknown. The Shoulder Activity Level is a valid and reliable outcomes survey that can be used to measure a patient's shoulder-specific activity level. Currently, there are no studies that examine the effect of rotator cuff repair on shoulder activity level. Preoperative patient-determined outcomes scores collected prospectively on patients undergoing rotator cuff repair were compared with postoperative scores at a minimum of 2 years. These scores included the Shoulder Activity Level, Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and simple shoulder test. Inclusion criteria were patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Included were 281 shoulders from 273 patients with a mean follow-up of 3.7 years. The postoperative median Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (42 vs. 94), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (41 vs. 95), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (30 vs. 95), and simple shoulder test (4 vs. 11) scores were statistically significantly improved compared with preoperative scores (P < .0001). The postoperative median Shoulder Activity Level score decreased compared with the preoperative score (12 vs. 11; P < .0001). Patients reported a statistically significant deterioration of their Shoulder Activity Level score after rotator cuff repair compared with their preoperative scores, although disease-specific and joint-specific quality of life scores all had statistically significantly improvement. This study suggests that patients generally have (1) significant improvements in their quality of life and (2) small deteriorations in activity level after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Copyright © 2018 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of

N-acetyltransferase 2 activity and folate levels

PubMed Central

Cao, Wen; Strnatka, Diana; McQueen, Charlene A.; Hunter, Robert J.; Erickson, Robert P.

2010-01-01

Aims To determine whether increased N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity might have a toxic effect during development and an influence on folate levels since previous work has shown that only low levels of exogenous NAT can be achieved in constitutionally transgenic mice (Cao, et al, 2005) Main Methods A human NAT1 tet-inducible construct was used that would not be expressed until the inducer was delivered. Human NAT1 cDNA was cloned into pTRE2 and injected into mouse oocytes. Two transgenic lines were crossed to mouse line TgN(rtTahCMV)4Uh containing the CMV promoted “teton.”Measurements of red blood cell folate levels in inbred strains of mice were performed. Key findings Only low levels of human NAT1 could be achieved in kidney (highly responsive in other studies) whether the inducer, doxycycline, was given by gavage or in drinking water.An inverse correlation of folate levels with Nat2 enzyme activity was found. Significance Since increasing NAT1 activity decrease folate in at least one tissue, the detrimental effect of expression of human NAT1 in combination with endogenous mouse Nat2 may be a consequence of increased catabolism of folate. PMID:19932120

Salivary Platelet Activating Factor Levels in Periodontal Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

Factor Levels in Periodontal Disease 6. AUTHOR(S) Martha L. Garito, Major 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATO;N...ABSTRACT 98 0801 SALIVARY PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR LEVELS IN PERIODONTAL DISEASE A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The University of Texas Graduate...B.S., D.M.D. San Antonio, Texas May 1991 SALIVARY PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR LEVELS IN PERIODONTAL DISEASE Martha Laura Gar’to APPROVED: - Supervising

Physical activity levels in the treatment of juvenile fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Sherry, David D

2013-01-01

Physical activity is paramount in the treatment of juvenile fibromyalgia, although some interventions use indirect methods to increase activity levels rather than address physical dysfunction head-on. New research explores the effects of a psychotherapeutic approach on levels of physical activity in adolescents with fibromyalgia.

Proximal interphalangeal joint ankylosis in an early medieval horse from Wrocław Cathedral Island, Poland.

PubMed

Janeczek, Maciej; Chrószcz, Aleksander; Onar, Vedat; Henklewski, Radomir; Skalec, Aleksandra

2017-06-01

Animal remains that are unearthed during archaeological excavations often provide useful information about socio-cultural context, including human habits, beliefs, and ancestral relationships. In this report, we present pathologically altered equine first and second phalanges from an 11th century specimen that was excavated at Wrocław Cathedral Island, Poland. The results of gross examination, radiography, and computed tomography, indicate osteoarthritis of the proximal interphalangeal joint, with partial ankylosis. Based on comparison with living modern horses undergoing lameness examination, as well as with recent literature, we conclude that the horse likely was lame for at least several months prior to death. The ability of this horse to work probably was reduced, but the degree of compromise during life cannot be stated precisely. Present day medical knowledge indicates that there was little likelihood of successful treatment for this condition during the middle ages. However, modern horses with similar pathology can function reasonably well with appropriate treatment and management, particularly following joint ankylosis. Thus, we approach the cultural question of why such an individual would have been maintained with limitations, for a probably-significant period of time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of moisture content on the invertase activity of freeze-dried S. cerevisiae.

PubMed

Pitombo, R N; Spring, C; Passos, R F; Tonato, M; Vitolo, M

1994-08-01

The invertase activity of intact Saccharomyces cerevisiae submitted to freezing-thawing was affected by pH, the chemical nature of the buffer, and the freezing cooling rate (CR), leading in some cases to a complete invertase inactivation (acetate buffer, pH 4.0, CR = 0.5 degree C/min). Once established under adequate freezing conditions the invertase activity remained unchanged after freeze-drying. Nevertheless, in some cases the cell-growing capability after freeze-drying diminished around 70%, mainly if the frozen cell suspension was attained through freezing carried out at CR = 0.5 degree C/min. Water sorption isotherms of freeze-dried samples (freeze-dryer Edwards L-4KR; 30 degrees C and 0.1 mB) were determined at 10 and 25 degrees C. The monolayer moisture content (MMC) at each temperature (12.7 and 3.71 for 10 and 25 degrees C, respectively) was calculated from isotherms by applying BET and GAB models. Freeze-dried yeast with water activity (Aw) between 0 and 0.33 (about the MMC value) maintained at 25 degrees C for 235 days and at 89 degrees C for 15 min retained at least 85% of its original invertase activity (IA), whereas samples with Aw > MMC lost at least 60% of its IA. X ray diffraction showed that the freeze-dried cake before and after storage presented an amorphous structure.

Ferromagnetic interaction model of activity level in workplace communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akitomi, Tomoaki; Ara, Koji; Watanabe, Jun-ichiro; Yano, Kazuo

2013-03-01

The nature of human-human interaction, specifically, how people synchronize with each other in multiple-participant conversations, is described by a ferromagnetic interaction model of people’s activity levels. We found two microscopic human interaction characteristics from a real-environment face-to-face conversation. The first characteristic is that people quite regularly synchronize their activity level with that of the other participants in a conversation. The second characteristic is that the degree of synchronization increases as the number of participants increases. Based on these microscopic ferromagnetic characteristics, a “conversation activity level” was modeled according to the Ising model. The results of a simulation of activity level based on this model well reproduce macroscopic experimental measurements of activity level. This model will give a new insight into how people interact with each other in a conversation.

Current procedures of the integrated urban vector-mosquito control as an example in Cotonou (Benin, West Africa) and Wrocław area (Poland).

PubMed

Rydzanicz, Katarzyna; Lonc, Elzbieta; Becker, Norbert

2009-01-01

Current strategy of Integrated Vector Management (IVM) comprises the general approach of environmentally friendly control measures. With regard to mosquitoes it includes first of all application of microbial insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) and B. sphaericus (Bs) delta-endotoxins as well as the reduction of breeding habitats and natural enemy augmentation. It can be achieved thorough implementation of the interdisciplinary program, i. e., understanding of mosquito vector ecology, the appropriate vector-diseases (e. g., malariometric) measurements and training of local personnel responsible for mosquito abatement activities, as well as community involvement. Biocontrol methods as an alternative to chemical insecticides result from the sustainability development concept, growing awareness of environmental pollution and the development of insecticide-resistant strains of vector-mosquito populations in many parts of the world. Although sustainable trends are usually considered in terms of the monetary and training resources within countries, environmental concerns are actually more limiting factors for the duration of an otherwise successful vector control effort. In order to meet these new needs, increasing efforts have been made in search of and application of natural enemies, such as parasites, bacterial pathogens and predators which may control populations of insect vectors. The biological control agent based on the bacterial toxins Bti and Bs has been used in the Wrocław's University and Municipal Mosquito Control Programs since 1998. In West-Africa biocontrol appears to be an effective and safe tool to combat malaria in addition to bed-nets, residual indoor spraying and appropriate diagnosis and treatment of malaria parasites which are the major tools in the WHO Roll Back Malaria Program. IVM studies carried out 2005-2008 in Cotonou (Benin) as well those in Wrocław Irrigated Fields during the last years include the following major

47 CFR 27.1186 - Payment issues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... set forth in § 27.1170. If an AWS licensee is initiating operations for a newly constructed site or modified existing site in licensed bands overlapping the 2150-2160/62 MHz band, the AWS licensee must file... level height of the transmitting antenna centerline. AWS entities have a continuing duty to maintain the...

47 CFR 27.1186 - Payment issues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... set forth in § 27.1170. If an AWS licensee is initiating operations for a newly constructed site or modified existing site in licensed bands overlapping the 2150-2160/62 MHz band, the AWS licensee must file... level height of the transmitting antenna centerline. AWS entities have a continuing duty to maintain the...

Excitability Changes in Intracortical Neural Circuits Induced by Differentially Controlled Walking Patterns

PubMed Central

Ito, Tomotaka; Tsubahara, Akio; Shinkoda, Koichi; Yoshimura, Yosuke; Kobara, Kenichi; Osaka, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

Our previous single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study revealed that excitability in the motor cortex can be altered by conscious control of walking relative to less conscious normal walking. However, substantial elements and underlying mechanisms for inducing walking-related cortical plasticity are still unknown. Hence, in this study we aimed to examine the characteristics of electromyographic (EMG) recordings obtained during different walking conditions, namely, symmetrical walking (SW), asymmetrical walking 1 (AW1), and asymmetrical walking 2 (AW2), with left to right stance duration ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1, respectively. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of three types of walking control on subsequent changes in the intracortical neural circuits. Prior to each type of 7-min walking task, EMG analyses of the left tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL) muscles during walking were performed following approximately 3 min of preparative walking. Paired-pulse TMS was used to measure short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF) in the left TA and SOL at baseline, immediately after the 7-min walking task, and 30 min post-task. EMG activity in the TA was significantly increased during AW1 and AW2 compared to during SW, whereas a significant difference in EMG activity of the SOL was observed only between AW1 and AW2. As for intracortical excitability, there was a significant alteration in SICI in the TA between SW and AW1, but not between SW and AW2. For the same amount of walking exercise, we found that the different methods used to control walking patterns induced different excitability changes in SICI. Our research shows that activation patterns associated with controlled leg muscles can alter post-exercise excitability in intracortical circuits. Therefore, how leg muscles are activated in a clinical setting could influence the outcome of walking in patients with stroke. PMID:25688972

Are Preschool Children Active Enough? Objectively Measured Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardon, Greet M.; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse M. M.

2008-01-01

The present study aimed to describe accelerometer-based physical activity levels in 4- and 5-year-old children (N = 76) on 2 weekdays and 2 weekend days. The children were sedentary for 9.6 hr (85%) daily, while they engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for 34 min (5%). Only 7% of the children engaged in MVPA for 60 min per…

Algorithm Analysis of the DSM-5 Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom.

PubMed

Martin, Christopher S; Vergés, Alvaro; Langenbucher, James W; Littlefield, Andrew; Chung, Tammy; Clark, Duncan B; Sher, Kenneth J

2018-06-01

Alcohol withdrawal (AW) is an important clinical and diagnostic feature of alcohol dependence. AW has been found to predict a worsened course of illness in clinical samples, but in some community studies, AW endorsement rates are strikingly high, suggesting false-positive symptom assignments. Little research has examined the validity of the DSM-5 algorithm for AW, which requires either the presence of at least 2 of 8 subcriteria (i.e., autonomic hyperactivity, tremulousness, insomnia, nausea, hallucinations, psychomotor agitation, anxiety, and grand mal seizures), or, the use of alcohol to avoid or relieve these symptoms. We used item and algorithm analyses of data from waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (current drinkers, n = 26,946 at wave 1) to study the validity of DSM-5 AW as operationalized by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV (AUDADIS-IV). A substantial proportion of individuals given the AW symptom reported only modest to moderate levels of alcohol use and alcohol problems. Alternative AW algorithms were superior to DSM-5 in terms of levels of alcohol use and alcohol problem severity among those with AW, group difference effect sizes, and predictive validity at a 3-year follow-up. The superior alternative algorithms included those that excluded the nausea subcriterion; required withdrawal-related distress or impairment; increased the AW subcriteria threshold from 2 to 3 items; and required tremulousness for AW symptom assignment. The results indicate that the DSM-5 definition of AW, as assessed by the AUDADIS-IV, has low specificity. This shortcoming can be addressed by making the algorithm for symptom assignment more stringent. Copyright © 2018 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Towards a new paradigm: Activity level balanced sustainability reporting.

PubMed

Samudhram, Ananda; Siew, Eu-Gene; Sinnakkannu, Jothee; Yeow, Paul H P

2016-11-01

Technoeconomic paradigms based economic growth theories suggest that waves of technological innovations drove the economic growth of advanced economies. Widespread economic degradation and pollution is an unintended consequence of such growth. Tackling environmental and social issues at firm levels would help us to overcome such issues at macro-levels. Consequently, the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) reporting approach promotes firm level economic, environmental and social performances. Incorporating Zink's (2014) 3-pillar presentation model, this paper indicates that economic, social and environmental performances tend to be reported at firm level. All three pillars are not covered evenly at the activity levels. Thus, a loophole is identified whereby excellent environmental performance at activity levels could potentially leave poor social performance undisclosed. A refinement of the TBL paradigm, whereby all three pillars are covered at the activity level, is suggested, to enhance sustainability reporting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of natamycin for control of growth and ochratoxin A production by Aspergillus carbonarius strains under different environmental conditions.

PubMed

Medina, A; Jiménez, M; Mateo, R; Magan, N

2007-12-01

To examine the efficacy of natamycin produced by Streptomyces natalensis against strains of Aspergillus carbonarius growth and ochratoxin A (OTA) production under different environmental factors on a grape juice-based medium. Detailed studies in the range 0-20 ng ml(-1) for control of growth and ochratoxin production by strains of A. carbonarius at 0.98, 0.96 and 0.94 water availabilities (a(w)) and 15-25 degrees C on a fresh red grape extract medium were examined. Inhibition of growth was depending on temperature and a(w) level. At 15 degrees C, 5-10 ng ml(-1) natamycin was effective in reducing growth almost completely. However, at 20-25 degrees C and all the three a(w) levels, growth was only slightly inhibited by 5-10 ng ml(-1) natamycin. There were strain differences with regard to inhibition of OTA production. At 15 degrees C and 0.98 a(w), 10 ng ml(-1) was required to inhibit production by >90%. However, at 0.96 and 0.94 a(w), almost complete inhibition occurred. At 20 degrees C, OTA production was only significantly inhibited by 10 ng ml(-1) natamycin at 0.94 a(w). At 0.96 and 0.98 a(w), some inhibition occurred with 5-10 ng ml(-1), but greater concentrations would be required for effective inhibition. At 25 degrees C, 5 ng ml(-1) was effective at all a(w) levels. However, at 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C and a wide range of a(w) levels, natamycin effectively controlled OTA production. Natamycin appears to be a very effective for controlling growth and OTA production by strains of A. carbonarius over a range of a(w) and temperature conditions on grape-based media. This is the first detailed study to demonstrate the impact of natamycin against A. carbonarius. This study suggests that use of natamycin at 50-100 ng ml(-1) can give complete inhibition of growth of A. carbonarius and OTA production over a range of environmental conditions. Natamycin could be an important component of a system to prevent OTA contamination of wine as well during the drying and

Succession of free-living and particle associated prokaryotes in the northern Adriatic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, P. A.; Ivančić, I.; Paliaga, P.; Matošović, K.; Haberleitner, E.; Sintes, E.; Najdek, M.; Herndl, G. J.

2016-02-01

Marine snow is composed of a complex pool of organic and inorganic matter. Microbial communities thrive in it, using a large number of compounds as a source of energy and nutrients. Microbial abundance and activity have been reported to be orders of magnitude higher in marine snow than in the ambient water. However, it is still unclear whether the microbial community colonizing marine snow comprises mainly generalists or specialists. In this study, we monitored the prokaryotic community inhabiting marine snow (MS) and ambient water (AW) in the northern Adriatic Sea. MS was collected with syringes during SCUBA diving and AW was sampled with Niskin bottles. In the AW, inorganic N:P ratios averaged 30.5 ± 24.8 indicating P-limitation while in MS inorganic N:P ratios were 11 ± 11.9. Prokaryotic abundance in MS was similar to AW, with an enrichment factor (EF, i.e. ratio between MS/AW) of 1.4 ± 1.8. However, the microbial activity was generally higher in MS, extracellular enzymatic activity exhibited EFs ranging from 2.6 ± 1.4 to 8.3 ± 7.7, and the EF of heterotrophic leucine incorporation, a proxy for heterotrophic biomass production, was 7.8 ± 4.9. The relative abundance of different phylogenetic groups in MS changed over the course of the summer, e.g. Sphingobacteriales (from 10.6% to 0.9%), Verrucomicrobia (0.3% to 3.5%) and Actinobacteria (1.2% to 5.5%), indicating successional changes linked to changes in the environmental conditions in MS. The bacterial community inhabiting MS was characterized by a larger relative abundance of Cyanobacteria as compared to AW (27.5% in MS vs. 13.5% in AW) and Planctomycetes (4.8% in MS vs. 1.1% in AW) and a lower abundance of Alphaproteobacteria (20% in MS vs. 38.5% in AW). Taken together, our results indicate the presence of a core bacterial community in MS and AW. The highly active MS community is characterized by the presence of specialized groups that can reach high abundances, and a dynamic generalist community

[Production of a carp-based hamburger-like product by reducing the water activity].

PubMed

Santillán, M; Morales, L J

1992-06-01

The experimental conditions were determined in order to conserve lean fish by means of combined factors based on Aw and pH reduction as well as the addition of an antifungal. Theoretical Aw was determined in formulas containing fish, sodium chloride, glycerol and sorbitol applying a mathematic model. From the results of the prediction, 4 formulas were prepared experimentally with (Cyprinus carpio). Phosphoric acid was added to the products in order to obtain a 5.5-6.0 pH. The final formulas were packed in plastic bags and stored with a control product (100% carp pulp) at 25 +/- 2 degrees C and 38 +/- 3% R.H. during one month. Aw, water content and pH determinations were carried at weekly intervals. Results indicated a slight but significative (P < 0.025) lowering of Aw, water content and pH. Microbiological analysis showed an increase in MAB count with no growth of pathogens. A control product (100% carp pulp) was deteriorated in a five day period. Sensory evaluation of the products indicated a slight acceptance among an inexperienced panel.

Differences in leisure-time activities according to level of physical activity in adolescents.

PubMed

Mota, Jorge; Santos, Maria Paula; Ribeiro, Jose Carlos

2008-03-01

The main goals of this study were: (1) to examine the relationship between physical activity (PA) involvement and other leisure activities in a sample of Portuguese youth and (2) to analyze gender differences in PA and leisure-time activity structure. The sample comprised 1123 adolescents that were classified according to PA levels as active (n = 589) and nonactive (n = 534). A questionnaire assessing leisure-time activities was used. Girls were significantly more engaged in social leisure, dutiful, and individual artistic activities during leisure time, whereas boys were more involved in sports and computer and TV viewing activities. Significant associations between PA and social leisure were found in girls (r = .18, P < or = .001) and boys (r = .13, P < or = .01) after adjustment for age. The same was found between level of PA and sports engagement during leisure (girls: r = .56, P < or = .001; boys: r = .51, P < or = .001). In girls (r = .10, P < or = .05), but not in boys, a statistically significant association was found between PA and individual artistic activities. This study has certain implications for health-related PA promotion efforts. Our data give additional reinforcement to the importance of organized and nonorganized sports/PA during leisure time for overall levels of PA in adolescents.

Mesoscale Eddy Activity and Transport in the Atlantic Water Inflow Region North of Svalbard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crews, L.; Sundfjord, A.; Albretsen, J.; Hattermann, T.

2018-01-01

Mesoscale eddies are known to transport heat and biogeochemical properties from Arctic Ocean boundary currents to basin interiors. Previous hydrographic surveys and model results suggest that eddy formation may be common in the Atlantic Water (AW) inflow area north of Svalbard, but no quantitative eddy survey has yet been done for the region. Here vorticity and water property signatures are used to identify and track AW eddies in an eddy-resolving sea ice-ocean model. The boundary current sheds AW eddies along most of the length of the continental slope considered, from the western Yermak Plateau to 40°E, though eddies forming east of 20°E are likely more important for slope-to-basin transport. Eddy formation seasonality reflects seasonal stability properties of the boundary current in the eastern portion of the study domain, but on and immediately east of the Yermak Plateau enhanced eddy formation during summer merits further investigation. AW eddies tend to be anticyclonic, have radii close to the local deformation radius, and be centered in the halocline. They transport roughly 0.16 Sv of AW and, due to their warm cores, 1.0 TW away from the boundary current. These findings suggest eddies may be important for halocline ventilation in the Eurasian Basin, as has been shown for Pacific Water eddies in the Canadian Basin.

Comparisons of ANS, ASME, AWS, and NFPA standards cited in the NRC standard review plan, NUREG-0800, and related documents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ankrum, A.R.; Bohlander, K.L.; Gilbert, E.R.

This report provides the results of comparisons of the cited and latest versions of ANS, ASME, AWS and NFPA standards cited in the NRC Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants (NUREG 0800) and related documents. The comparisons were performed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in support of the NRC`s Standard Review Plan Update and Development Program. Significant changes to the standards, from the cited version to the latest version, are described and discussed in a tabular format for each standard. Recommendations for updating each citation in the Standard Review Plan are presented.more » Technical considerations and suggested changes are included for related regulatory documents (i.e., Regulatory Guides and the Code of Federal Regulations) citing the standard. The results and recommendations presented in this document have not been subjected to NRC staff review.« less

Correlation of Level of Trauma Activation With Emergency Department Intervention.

PubMed

Cooper, Michael C; Srivastava, Geetanjali

2018-06-01

In-hospital trauma team activation criteria are formulated to identify severely injured patients requiring specialized multidisciplinary care. Efficacy of trauma activation (TA) criteria is commonly measured by emergency department (ED) disposition, injury severity score, and mortality. Necessity of critical ED interventions is another measure that has been proposed to evaluate the appropriateness of TA criteria. Two-year retrospective cohort study of 1715 patients from our trauma registry at a Level 1 pediatric trauma center. We abstracted data on acute interventions, level and criterion of TA, ED disposition, and mortality. We report odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), positive predictive value, and frequency of acute interventions. Trauma activation was initiated for 947 (55%) of the 1715 patients. There were 426 ED interventions performed on 235 patients (14%); 67.8% were in level 1 activations; 17.6% in level 2, and 14.6% in level 3. Highest-level activations were highly associated with need for ED interventions (OR, 16.1; 95% CI, 11.5-22.4). The ORs for requiring an ED intervention were low for lower level activations (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5), trauma service consults (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4), and certain mechanism-based criteria. The ORs for ED intervention for isolated motor vehicle collision (0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.7), isolated all-terrain vehicle rollover (0.4; 95% CI, 0.1-1.7), and suspected spinal cord injury (0.5; 95% CI, 0.1-3.7) were significantly lower than 1. Highest-level activation criteria correlate with high utilization of ED resources and interventions. Lower level activation criteria and trauma service consult criteria are not highly correlated with need for ED interventions. Downgrading isolated motor vehicle collision and all-terrain vehicle rollovers and suspected spinal cord injury to lower level activations could decrease the overtriage rate, and adding age-specific bradycardia as a physiologic criterion could improve our

Reexamining the arthritis-employment interface: perceptions of arthritis-work spillover among employed adults.

PubMed

Gignac, Monique A M; Sutton, Deborah; Badley, Elizabeth M

2006-04-15

To examine employed individuals' perceptions of arthritis-work spillover (AWS), the reciprocal influence of arthritis on work and work on arthritis, and the demographic, illness, and work context factors associated with AWS. The study group comprised 492 employed individuals with osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis. Participants completed an interview-administered, structured questionnaire assessing AWS, demographic (e.g., age, sex), illness (e.g., disease type, pain, activity limitations), and work context (e.g., workplace control, hours of work) variables. Principal components analysis, reliability analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. A single factor solution emerged for AWS. The scale had an internal reliability of 0.88. Respondents were more likely to report that work interfered with caring for their arthritis than they were to report that their disease affected their work performance. Younger respondents, those with more fatigue and workplace activity limitations, and those working in trades and transportation reported more AWS. Individuals with more control over their work schedules reported less AWS. The results of this study extend research on arthritis by reexamining the interface between arthritis and employment. This study introduces a new measure of AWS that enhances the range of tools available to researchers and clinicians examining the impact of arthritis in individuals' lives.

Ochratoxin A production in relation to ecophysiological factors by Aspergillus section Nigri strains isolated from different substrates in Argentina.

PubMed

Astoreca, A; Magnoli, C; Barberis, C; Chiacchiera, S M; Combina, M; Dalcero, A

2007-12-15

Contamination of foodstuff with mycotoxins such as ochratoxins is a major matter of concern for human and animal health. In Aspergillus species, ochratoxin synthesis depends on several environmental factors. The aims of this work were to evaluate the effect of water activity (0.995-0.85), temperature (15, 25 and 30 degrees C), incubation time (7, 14 and 21 days) and their interactions on OTA production on peanut, maize kernels, dried grapes and coffee beans meal extract agar medium by eight strains of Aspergillus section Nigri isolated from human food in Argentina. The optimum temperature for OTA production was 25 or 30 degrees C depending on the strains assayed, in most cases the highest OTA levels were achieved after 7 days of incubation, whereas this situation occurred at 15 degrees C after 14 days of incubation for only one strain. The maximum OTA level was obtained at earlier growth states when incubation temperature increased. In general, OTA concentration increased as water activity (a(W)) increased with no significant production at 0.85-0.91 a(W) under all temperature levels tested. Production occurred over a range of temperatures (15-30 degrees C) with optimum production at 30 degrees C depending on a(W) assayed. The knowledge of Aspergillus section Nigri ecophysiology is critical in the development and prediction of the risk models of raw material and final product contamination by these species under fluctuating and interacting environmental parameters.

Hygroscopic salts and the potential for life on Mars.

PubMed

Davila, Alfonso F; Duport, Luis Gago; Melchiorri, Riccardo; Jänchen, Jochen; Valea, Sergio; de Los Rios, Asunción; Fairén, Alberto G; Möhlmann, Diedrich; McKay, Christopher P; Ascaso, Carmen; Wierzchos, Jacek

2010-01-01

Hygroscopic salts have been detected in soils in the northern latitudes of Mars, and widespread chloride-bearing evaporitic deposits have been detected in the southern highlands. The deliquescence of hygroscopic minerals such as chloride salts could provide a local and transient source of liquid water that would be available for microorganisms on the surface. This is known to occur in the Atacama Desert, where massive halite evaporites have become a habitat for photosynthetic and heterotrophic microorganisms that take advantage of the deliquescence of the salt at certain relative humidity (RH) levels. We modeled the climate conditions (RH and temperature) in a region on Mars with chloride-bearing evaporites, and modeled the evolution of the water activity (a(w)) of the deliquescence solutions of three possible chloride salts (sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride) as a function of temperature. We also studied the water absorption properties of the same salts as a function of RH. Our climate model results show that the RH in the region with chloride-bearing deposits on Mars often reaches the deliquescence points of all three salts, and the temperature reaches levels above their eutectic points seasonally, in the course of a martian year. The a(w) of the deliquescence solutions increases with decreasing temperature due mainly to the precipitation of unstable phases, which removes ions from the solution. The deliquescence of sodium chloride results in transient solutions with a(w) compatible with growth of terrestrial microorganisms down to 252 K, whereas for calcium chloride and magnesium chloride it results in solutions with a(w) below the known limits for growth at all temperatures. However, taking the limits of a(w) used to define special regions on Mars, the deliquescence of calcium chloride deposits would allow for the propagation of terrestrial microorganisms at temperatures between 265 and 253 K, and for metabolic activity (no growth) at

Growth and survival of Salmonella in ground black pepper (Piper nigrum).

PubMed

Keller, Susanne E; VanDoren, Jane M; Grasso, Elizabeth M; Halik, Lindsay A

2013-05-01

A four serovar cocktail of Salmonella was inoculated into ground black pepper (Piper nigrum) at different water activity (aw) levels at a starting level of 4-5 log cfu/g and incubated at 25 and at 35 °C. At 35 °C and aw of 0.9886 ± 0.0006, the generation time in ground black pepper was 31 ± 3 min with a lag time of 4 ± 1 h. Growth at 25 °C had a longer lag, but generation time was not statistically different from growth at 35 °C. The aw threshold for growth was determined to be 0.9793 ± 0.0027 at 35 °C. To determine survival during storage conditions, ground black pepper was inoculated at approximately 8 log cfu/g and stored at 25 and 35 °C at high (97% RH) and ambient (≤40% RH) humidity. At high relative humidity, aw increased to approximately 0.8-0.9 after approximately 20 days at both temperatures and no Salmonella was detected after 100 and 45 days at 25 and 35 °C, respectively. Under ambient humidity, populations showed an initial decrease of 3-4 log cfu/g, then remained stable for over 8 months at 25 and 35 °C. Results of this study indicate Salmonella can readily grow at permissive aw in ground black pepper and may persist for an extended period of time under typical storage conditions. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The energy balance of tropical Glaciar Artesonraju, Cordillera Blanca, Perú - AWS-measurements and numerical modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galos, S.; Mölg, T.; MacDonell, S.; Großhauser, M.; Marzeion, B.

2012-04-01

Like in most regions of the world, tropical glaciers in the Peruvian Andes have experienced considerable mass loss during the last decades. In order to better understand and correctly interpret the ongoing glacier changes in this region, we need to examine the driving processes behind these changes. Therefore we installed several automatic weather stations (AWS) in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range. Two of these stations are situated in the ablation area of Glaciar Shallap and Glaciar Artesonraju, while four other stations were established in the vicinity of the two glaciers. The resulting eight year record of meteorological data is analyzed and finally used as input for a physically based numerical energy and mass balance model, which in a first step was applied to the ablation zone of Glaciar Artesonraju (8.96° S / 77.63° W). In July 2010, eddy covariance measurements were carried out on the glacier surface. The resulting data was used to calibrate the parametrization scheme for the turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat. Finally the model output was validated against ablation data from a sonic ranger and from single stake ablation measurements. The model results were interpreted with special respect to the seasonal fluctuation in atmospheric moisture (tropical wet / dry season).

Real-time processing in picture naming in adults who stutter: ERP evidence

PubMed Central

Maxfield, Nathan D.; Morris, Kalie; Frisch, Stefan A.; Morphew, Kathryn; Constantine, Joseph L.

2014-01-01

Objective The aim was to compare real-time language/cognitive processing in picture naming in adults who stutter (AWS) versus typically-fluent adults (TFA). Methods Participants named pictures preceded by masked prime words. Primes and target picture labels were Identical or mismatched. Priming effects on naming and picture-elicited ERP activity were analyzed. Vocabulary knowledge correlations with these measures were assessed. Results Priming improved naming RTs and accuracy in both groups. RTs were longer for AWS, and correlated positively with receptive vocabulary in TFA. Electrophysiologically, posterior-P1 amplitude negatively correlated with expressive vocabulary in TFA versus receptive vocabulary in AWS. Frontal/temporal-P1 amplitude correlated positively with expressive vocabulary in AWS. Identity priming enhanced frontal/posterior-N2 amplitude in both groups, and attenuated P280 amplitude in AWS. N400 priming was topographically-restricted in AWS. Conclusions Results suggest that conceptual knowledge was perceptually-grounded in expressive vocabulary in TFA versus receptive vocabulary in AWS. Poorer expressive vocabulary in AWS was potentially associated with greater suppression of irrelevant conceptual information. Priming enhanced N2-indexed cognitive control and visual attention in both groups. P280-indexed focal attention attenuated with priming in AWS only. Topographically-restricted N400 priming suggests that lemma/word form connections were weaker in AWS. Significance Real-time language/cognitive processing in picture naming operates differently in AWS. PMID:24910149

Locomotor activity and tissue levels following acute ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pyrethroids produce neurotoxicity that depends, in part, on the chemical structure. Common behavioral effects include locomotor activity changes and specific toxic syndromes (types I and II). In general these neurobehavioral effects correlate well with peak internal dose metrics. Products of cyhalothrin, a type II pyrethroid, include mixtures of isomers (e.g., λ-cyhalothrin) as well as enriched active isomers (e.g., γ-cyhalothrin). We measured acute changes in locomotor activity in adult male rats and directly correlated these changes to peak brain and plasma concentrations of λ- and γ-cyhalothrin using a within-subject design. One-hour locomotor activity studies were conducted 1.5 h after oral gavage dosing, and immediately thereafter plasma and brains were collected for analyzing tissue levels using LC/MS/MS methods. Both isomers produced dose-related decreases in activity counts, and the effective dose range for γ-cyhalothrin was lower than for λ-cyhalothrin. Doses calculated to decrease activity by 50% were 2-fold lower for the γ-isomer (1.29 mg/kg) compared to λ-cyhalothrin (2.65 mg/kg). Salivation, typical of type II pyrethroids, was also observed at lower doses of γ-cyhalothrin. Administered dose correlated well with brain and plasma concentrations, which furthermore showed good correlations with activity changes. Brain and plasma levels were tightly correlated across doses. While γ-cyhalothrin was 2-fold more potent based on administ

Click-Evoked Auditory Efferent Activity: Rate and Level Effects.

PubMed

Boothalingam, Sriram; Kurke, Julianne; Dhar, Sumitrajit

2018-05-07

There currently are no standardized protocols to evaluate auditory efferent function in humans. Typical tests use broadband noise to activate the efferents, but only test the contralateral efferent pathway, risk activating the middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR), and are laborious for clinical use. In an attempt to develop a clinical test of bilateral auditory efferent function, we have designed a method that uses clicks to evoke efferent activity, obtain click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs), and monitor MEMR. This allows for near-simultaneous estimation of cochlear and efferent function. In the present study, we manipulated click level (60, 70, and 80 dB peak-equivalent sound pressure level [peSPL]) and rate (40, 50, and 62.5 Hz) to identify an optimal rate-level combination that evokes measurable efferent modulation of CEOAEs. Our findings (n = 58) demonstrate that almost all click levels and rates used caused significant inhibition of CEOAEs, with a significant interaction between level and rate effects. Predictably, bilateral activation produced greater inhibition compared to stimulating the efferents only in the ipsilateral or contralateral ear. In examining the click rate-level effects during bilateral activation in greater detail, we observed a 1-dB inhibition of CEOAE level for each 10-dB increase in click level, with rate held constant at 62.5 Hz. Similarly, a 10-Hz increase in rate produced a 0.74-dB reduction in CEOAE level, with click level held constant at 80 dB peSPL. The effect size (Cohen's d) was small for either monaural condition and medium for bilateral, faster-rate, and higher-level conditions. We were also able to reliably extract CEOAEs from efferent eliciting clicks. We conclude that clicks can indeed be profitably employed to simultaneously evaluate cochlear health using CEOAEs as well as their efferent modulation. Furthermore, using bilateral clicks allows the evaluation of both the crossed and uncrossed elements of the auditory

Extraction of Children's Friendship Relation from Activity Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kono, Aki; Shintani, Kimio; Katsuki, Takuya; Kihara, Shin'ya; Ueda, Mari; Kaneda, Shigeo; Haga, Hirohide

Children learn to fit into society through living in a group, and it's greatly influenced by their friend relations. Although preschool teachers need to observe them to assist in the growth of children's social progress and support the development each child's personality, only experienced teachers can watch over children while providing high-quality guidance. To resolve the problem, this paper proposes a mathematical and objective method that assists teachers with observation. It uses numerical data of activity level recorded by pedometers, and we make tree diagram called dendrogram based on hierarchical clustering with recorded activity level. Also, we calculate children's ``breadth'' and ``depth'' of friend relations by using more than one dendrogram. When we record children's activity level in a certain kindergarten for two months and evaluated the proposed method, the results usually coincide with remarks of teachers about the children.

Susceptibility to corrosion and in vitro biocompatibility of a laser-welded composite orthodontic arch wire.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Sun, Xinhua; Zhao, Shuang; Yu, Wenwen; Sun, Daqian

2014-01-01

Composite arch-wire (CoAW) is an arch wire formed by solder connection of nickel titanium shape memory alloy and stainless steel wire. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biocompatibility of CoAW as an important foundation for its clinical application. The electrochemical corrosion and ion release behavior of CoAW upon immersion in solutions simulating oral cavity conditions were measured to evaluate the corrosion behavior of CoAW. Murine L-929 cells were co-cultured with CoAW extract to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the corrosion products in vitro. Polarization tests indicated that CoAW is resistant to corrosion in the tested artificial saliva (AS)-based solutions (chloric solution, simple AS, fluorinated AS, and protein-containing AS), and the amount of toxic copper ions released after immersion was lower than average daily dietary intake levels. The cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated the in vitro biocompatibility of CoAW. Based on the combined advantages of its base materials CoAW, with its resistance to biocorrosion and in vitro cytocompatibility, is a promising alternative material for use in orthodontic fixation applications.

Leisure activity associated with cognitive ability level, but not cognitive change

PubMed Central

Gow, Alan J.; Avlund, Kirsten; Mortensen, Erik L.

2014-01-01

Although activity participation is promoted as cognitively protective, critical questions of causality remain. In a cohort followed every 5 years from age 75 to 85 years, potential reciprocal associations between level and change in leisure activity participation and level and change in cognitive abilities were examined. Participants in the Glostrup 1914 Cohort, a longitudinal study of aging, completed standardized cognitive ability tests and reported their leisure activity participation (11 activities defined a leisure activity score) at ages 75, 80, and 85. Higher leisure activity was associated with higher cognitive ability (significant correlations ranged from 0.15 to 0.31, p < 0.05). Between ages 75 and 85, participation in leisure activities and cognitive ability declined significantly. Growth curve models, which provided latent variables for level of and 10-year change in both leisure activity and cognitive ability, confirmed the positive association between levels of leisure activity and cognitive ability (path coefficient = 0.36, p < 0.001); however, neither leisure activity level nor change in leisure activity were associated with cognitive change. Although a positive association between leisure activity and cognitive ability was reported—the likely precedents of this are discussed—there was no evidence that a higher level or maintenance of leisure activity was protective against cognitive decline across a 10-year follow-up. PMID:25352824

Inhibition of ochratoxigenic moulds by Debaryomyces hansenii strains for biopreservation of dry-cured meat products.

PubMed

Andrade, Maria J; Thorsen, Line; Rodríguez, Alicia; Córdoba, Juan J; Jespersen, Lene

2014-01-17

The ability of the osmotolerant yeast Debaryomyces hansenii to inhibit Penicillium nordicum, the most common ochratoxigenic mould encountered in dry-cured meat products, was evaluated. The antagonistic effect of ten D. hansenii strains isolated from dry-cured ham was screened in vitro using malt extract media and meat extract peptone media with the water activity (a(w)) adjusted to 0.97 and 0.90. A significant inhibition of the two tested P. nordicum strains by D. hansenii cells and cell-free supernatants was observed. At 0.97 a(w), increasing D. hansenii inoculum concentrations significantly improved the inhibition of mould growth on solid medium, whereas at 0.90 a(w) this was not always the case. As observed by bright field microscopy, most D. hansenii strains were able to delay P. nordicum spore germination when co-cultured in malt extract broth. D. hansenii FHSCC 253H showed the highest overall in vitro inhibition of ochratoxigenic mould growth, and was therefore chosen for co-cultivation assays in dry-cured ham slices incubated at 0.94 and 0.84 a(w) simulating ham ripening. Regardless of the experimental conditions tested, lower levels of the inoculated P. nordicum strain were detected in co-cultivation batches compared with batches without D. hansenii. The highest level of mould growth inhibition was observed in batches at 0.94 a(w). Ochratoxin A (OTA) production in ham samples was detected by HPLC-MS. Co-culturing of P. nordicum with D. hansenii FHSCC 253H resulted in lower OTA levels compared with control samples without D. hansenii. The decrease of the mycotoxin presence due to D. hansenii FHSCC 253H was more efficient at 0.94 a(w) (OTA was below the detection limit). In conclusion, D. hansenii is potentially suitable as a biopreservative agent for preventing ochratoxigenic mould growth and OTA accumulation in dry-cured meat products. The inoculation of D. hansenii should be made at the beginning of processing (at the end of post salting) when the a(w) of

ActivityAware: An App for Real-Time Daily Activity Level Monitoring on the Amulet Wrist-Worn Device.

PubMed

Boateng, George; Batsis, John A; Halter, Ryan; Kotz, David

2017-03-01

Physical activity helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and obesity. The ability to monitor a person's daily activity level can inform self-management of physical activity and related interventions. For older adults with obesity, the importance of regular, physical activity is critical to reduce the risk of long-term disability. In this work, we present ActivityAware , an application on the Amulet wrist-worn device that measures daily activity levels (sedentary, moderate and vigorous) of individuals, continuously and in real-time. The app implements an activity-level detection model, continuously collects acceleration data on the Amulet, classifies the current activity level, updates the day's accumulated time spent at that activity level, logs the data for later analysis, and displays the results on the screen. We developed an activity-level detection model using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). We trained our classifiers using data from a user study, where subjects performed the following physical activities: sit, stand, lay down, walk and run. With 10-fold cross validation and leave-one-subject-out (LOSO) cross validation, we obtained preliminary results that suggest accuracies up to 98%, for n=14 subjects. Testing the ActivityAware app revealed a projected battery life of up to 4 weeks before needing to recharge. The results are promising, indicating that the app may be used for activity-level monitoring, and eventually for the development of interventions that could improve the health of individuals.

Antifungal impact of volatile fractions of Peumus boldus and Lippia turbinata on Aspergillus section Flavi and residual levels of these oils in irradiated peanut.

PubMed

Passone, María Alejandra; Etcheverry, Miriam

2014-01-03

To investigate the antifungal properties of essential oil (EO) vapors from boldo and poleo on Aspergillus section Flavi and the residual levels of the oils in peanut, irradiated peanuts conditioned at three water activities (0.98, 0.95, 0.93) were treated with 2 and 3 μL/g of boldo and 3 and 5 μL/g of poleo. EO treatments produced the greatest impact on fungal growth parameters, followed by oil concentrations and aW levels. The three main components in peanut exposed to oil vapors were piperitone oxide, α-terpinene and eucalyptol for boldo and β-caryophyllene epoxide, limonene and piperitenone for poleo. Residues of boldo and poleo EO were significantly decreased from 24.7 to 100% and from 26.6 to 99.7% at the end of the incubation period, respectively. The application of nontoxic boldo oil as fumigant in the control of Aspergillus section Flavi may represent a potential alternative antifungal treatment, without significant residues after 35 days. © 2013.

Activity Levels in Healthy Older Adults: Implications for Joint Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Thorp, Laura E.; Orozco, Diego; Block, Joel A.; Sumner, Dale R.; Wimmer, Markus A.

2012-01-01

This work evaluated activity levels in a group of healthy older adults to establish a target activity level for adults of similar age after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). With the decreasing age of TJA patients, it is essential to have a reference for activity level in younger patients as activity level affects quality of life and implant design. 54 asymptomatic, healthy older adults with no clinical evidence of lower extremity OA participated. The main outcome measure, average daily step count, was measured using an accelerometer-based activity monitor. On average the group took 8813 ± 3611 steps per day, approximately 4000 more steps per day than has been previously reported in patients following total joint arthroplasty. The present work provides a reference for activity after joint arthroplasty which is relevant given the projected number of people under the age of 65 who will undergo joint arthroplasty in the coming years. PMID:23577274

Mechanisms of Inactivation of Dry Escherichia coli by High-Pressure Carbon Dioxide

PubMed Central

Chen, Yuan Yao; Temelli, Feral

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT High-pressure carbon dioxide processing is a promising technology for nonthermal food preservation. However, few studies have determined the lethality of high-pressure CO2 on dry bacterial cells, and the mechanism of inactivation remains unknown. This study explored the mechanisms of inactivation by using Escherichia coli AW1.7 and mutant strains differing in heat and acid resistance, in membrane composition based on disruption of the locus of heat resistance, and in genes coding for glutamate decarboxylases and cyclopropane fatty acid synthase. The levels of lethality of treatments with liquid, gaseous, and supercritical CO2 were compared. The cell counts of E. coli AW1.7 and mutants with a water activity (aW) of 1.0 were reduced by more than 3 log10 (CFU/ml) after supercritical CO2 treatment at 35°C for 15 min; increasing the pressure generally enhanced inactivation, except for E. coli AW1.7 ΔgadAB. E. coli AW1.7 Δcfa was more susceptible than E. coli AW1.7 after treatment at 10 and 40 MPa; other mutations did not affect survival. Dry cells of E. coli were resistant to treatments with supercritical and liquid CO2 at any temperature. Treatments with gaseous CO2 at 65°C were more bactericidal than those with supercritical CO2 or treatments at 65°C only. Remarkably, E. coli AW1.7 was more susceptible than E. coli AW1.7 Δcfa when subjected to the gaseous CO2 treatment. This study identified CO2-induced membrane fluidization and permeabilization as causes of supercritical mediated microbial inactivation, and diffusivity was a dominant factor for gaseous CO2. IMPORTANCE The safety of dry foods is of increasing concern for public health. Desiccated microorganisms, including pathogens, remain viable over long periods of storage and generally tolerate environmental insults that are lethal to the same organisms at high water activity. This study explored the use of high-pressure carbon dioxide to determine its lethality for dried Escherichia coli and to

Water activities of NaClO4, Ca(ClO4)2, and Mg(ClO4)2 brines from experimental heat capacities: Water activity >0.6 below 200 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toner, J. D.; Catling, D. C.

2016-05-01

Perchlorate salts found on Mars are extremely hygroscopic and form low eutectic temperature aqueous solutions, which could allow liquid water to exist on Mars despite cold and dry conditions. The formation, dynamics, and potential habitability of perchlorate salt solutions can be broadly understood in terms of water activity. Water activity controls condensation and evaporation of water vapor in brines, deliquescence and efflorescence of crystalline salts, and ice formation during freezing. Furthermore, water activity is a basic parameter defining the habitability of aqueous solutions. Despite the importance of water activity, its value in perchlorate solutions has only been measured at 298.15 K and at the freezing point of water. To address this lack of data, we have determined water activities in NaClO4, Ca(ClO4)2, and Mg(ClO4)2 solutions using experimental heat capacities measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Our results include concentrations up to near-saturation and temperatures ranging from 298.15 to 178 K. We find that water activities in NaClO4 solutions increase with decreasing temperature, by as much as 0.25 aw from 298.15 to 178 K. Consequently, aw reaches ∼0.6-0.7 even for concentrations up to 15 molal NaClO4 below 200 K. In contrast, water activities in Ca(ClO4)2 and Mg(ClO4)2 solutions generally decrease with decreasing temperature. The temperature dependence of water activity indicates that low-temperature NaClO4 solutions will evaporate and deliquesce at higher relative humidity, crystallize ice at higher temperature, and potentially be more habitable for life (at least in terms of water activity) compared to solutions at 298.15 K. The opposite effects occur in Ca(ClO4)2 and Mg(ClO4)2 solutions.

Serum paraoxonase activity and oxidative stress levels in patients with cutaneous anthrax.

PubMed

Karadas, S; Aslan, M; Ceylan, M R; Sunnetcioglu, M; Bozan, N; Kara, H; Demir, H

2017-07-01

Anthrax is a bacterial disease caused by the aerobic sporeforming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It has been suggested that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of B. anthracis. The aim of this study was to investigate serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, catalase activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in patients with cutaneous anthrax. Fifteen patients with cutaneous anthrax and 15 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The serum MDA levels, SOD levels, paraoxonase, arylesterase, and catalase activities were measured using a spectrophotometer. The serum SOD levels, paraoxonase, arylesterase, and catalase activities were significantly lower in patients with cutaneous anthrax than in controls (for all, p < 0.001), whereas MDA levels were significantly higher ( p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between serum paraoxonase activity, arylesterase activity, SOD levels, and MDA levels (all, p > 0.05) in patients with cutaneous anthrax. The current study was the first to show decreased antioxidant levels and increased oxidant levels in patients with cutaneous anthrax. Therefore, decreased PON1 activity may play a role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous anthrax.

Effects of high intensity training and continuous endurance training on aerobic capacity and body composition in recreationally active runners.

PubMed

Hottenrott, Kuno; Ludyga, Sebastian; Schulze, Stephan

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of two different training programs (high-intensity-training vs. continuous endurance training) on aerobic power and body composition in recreationally active men and women and to test whether or not participants were able to complete a half marathon after the intervention period. Thirty-four recreational endurance runners were randomly assigned either to a Weekend-Group (WE, n = 17) or an After-Work- Group (AW, n = 17) for a 12 week-intervention period. WE weekly completed 2 h 30 min of continuous endurance running composed of 2 sessions on the weekend. In contrast, AW performed 4 30 min sessions of high intensity training and an additional 30 min endurance run weekly, always after work. During an exhaustive treadmill test aerobic power was measured and heart rate was continuously recorded. Body composition was assessed using bio-impedance. Following the intervention period all subjects took part in a half-marathon. AW significantly improved peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) from 36.8 ± 4.5 to 43.6 ± 6.5 [mL.min(-1).kg(-1)], velocity at lactate threshold (VLT) from 9.7 ± 2.2 to 11.7 ± 1.8 [km.h(-1)] and visceral fat from 5.6 ± 2.2 to 4.7 ± 1.9 In WE VO2 peak signifi-cantly increased from 38.8 ± 5.0 to 41.5 ± 6.0 [mL.min(-1).kg(-1)], VLT from 9.9 ± 1.3 to 11.2 ± 1.7 [km.h(-1)] and visceral fat was reduced from 5.7 ± 2.1 to 5.4 ± 1.9 (p < 0.01). Only the improvements of VO2 peak were significantly greater in AW compared with WE (pre/post group interaction: F=15.4, p = 0.01, η(2) = 0.36). Both groups completed a half marathon with no significant differences in performance (p = 0.63). Short, intensive endurance training sessions of about 30 min are effective in improving aerobic fitness in recreationally active runners. Key pointsContinuous endurance training and high intensity training lead to significant improvements of aerobic capacity and body compositionBoth training methods enable recreationally active

Effects of curricular activity on students' situational motivation and physical activity levels.

PubMed

Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C; Newton, Maria; Huang, Chaoqun

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effects of three curricular activities on students'situational motivation (intrinsic motivation [IM], identified regulation [IR], external regulation, and amotivation [AM]) and physical activity (PA) levels, and (b) the predictive strength of situational motivation to PA levels. Four hundred twelve students in grades 7-9 participated in three activities (cardiovascular fitness, ultimate football, and Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]) in physical education. ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers were used to measure students' PA levels for three classes for each activity. Students also completed a Situational Motivation Scale (Guay, Vallerand, & Blanchard, 2000) at the end of each class. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that students spent significantly higher percentages of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in fitness and football classes than they did in DDR class. Students reported higher lM and IR toward fitness than DDR They also scored higher in IR toward fitness than football. In contrast, students displayed significantly lower AM toward fitness than football and DDR Hierarchical Linear Modeling revealed that IM was the only positive predictor for time in MVPA (p = .02), whereas AM was the negative predictor (p < .01). The findings are discussed in regard to the implications for educational practice.

An elevated level of physical activity is associated with normal lipoprotein(a) levels in individuals from Maracaibo, Venezuela.

PubMed

Bermúdez, Valmore; Aparicio, Daniel; Rojas, Edward; Peñaranda, Lianny; Finol, Freddy; Acosta, Luis; Mengual, Edgardo; Rojas, Joselyn; Arráiz, Nailet; Toledo, Alexandra; Colmenares, Carlos; Urribarí, Jesica; Sanchez, Wireynis; Pineda, Carlos; Rodriguez, Dalia; Faria, Judith; Añez, Roberto; Cano, Raquel; Cano, Clímaco; Sorell, Luis; Velasco, Manuel

2010-01-01

Coronary artery disease is the main cause of death worldwide. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease in which concentrations are genetically regulated. Contradictory results have been published about physical activity influence on Lp(a) concentration. This research aimed to determine associations between different physical activity levels and Lp(a) concentration. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was made in 1340 randomly selected subjects (males = 598; females = 712) to whom a complete clinical history, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and Lp(a) level determination were made. Statistical analysis was carried out to assess qualitative variables relationship by chi2 and differences between means by one-way analysis of variance considering a P value <0.05 as statistically significant. Results are shown as absolute frequencies, percentages, and mean +/- standard deviation according to case. Physical activity levels were ordinal classified as follows: low activity with 24.3% (n = 318), moderate activity with 35.0% (n = 458), and high physical activity with 40.8% (n = 534). Lp(a) concentration in the studied sample was 26.28 +/- 12.64 (IC: 25.59-26.96) mg/dL. Lp(a) concentration according to low, moderate, and high physical activity levels were 29.22 +/- 13.74, 26.27 +/- 12.91, and 24.53 +/- 11.35 mg/dL, respectively, observing statistically significant differences between low and moderate level (P = 0.004) and low and high level (P < 0.001). A strong association (chi2 = 9.771; P = 0.002) was observed among a high physical activity level and a normal concentration of Lp(a) (less than 30 mg/dL). A lifestyle characterized by high physical activity is associated with normal Lp(a) levels.

Effect of Learning Activity on Students' Motivation, Physical Activity Levels and Effort/Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Zan; Lee, Amelia M.; Xiang, Ping; Kosma, Maria

2011-01-01

The type of learning activity offered in physical education may influence students' motivational beliefs, physical activity participation and effort/persistence in class. However, most empirical studies have focused on the individual level rather than on the learner-content interactions. Accordingly, the potential effects of learning activities on…

Level of agreement between physical activity levels measured by ActiHeart and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in persons with intellectual disability.

PubMed

Moss, Sarah J; Czyz, Stanislaw H

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of agreement between objective physical activity (PA) (ActiHeart ® ) and subjective proxy-respondent International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short version (IPAQ-S) data in adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Fifty-eight participants wore ActiHeart ® monitors for seven consecutive days. Caregivers of each participant completed the IPAQ-S on behalf of the participant. Total PA, time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous activity as well as time spent being sedentary were assessed by the IPAQ-S and the ActiHeart ® . Results were compared by means of correlation analyses. The level of agreement was presented with Bland-Altman plots. Objective PA (ActiHeart ® ) was higher (225.57 ± 91.96 min/week) than IPAQ-S PA reported by care-givers (177.06 ± 309.17 min/week). Weak significant correlations were observed between the ActiHeart ® and IPAQ-S instruments for sedentary behavior (r = 0.31; p = 0.04); no significant correlations for light (r= -0.04; p = 0.8), moderate (r= -0.07; p = 0.63), or vigorous PA (r= -0.2; p = 0.18) were found. Limited agreement between objectively determine PA (ActiHeart ® ) and IPAQ-S was found. IPAQ-S is inaccurate when determining PA in persons with ID as it significantly underestimates the true levels of PA in this cohort. Implications for Rehabilitation Persons with intellectual disability (ID) report insufficient physical activity for health benefits. Physical activity is often determined by means of subjective proxy reporting. Objective physical activity measurements by means of combined heart rate and accelerometer are necessary to determine accurate levels of physical activity in persons with ID. Exercise interventions should be based on objective physical activity measurements.

Revitalisation As a Force Promoting Spatial Changes in Wrocław/ Idea Rewitalizacji Motorem Przemian Przestrzennych Wrocławia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kożan, Aldona

2015-06-01

The idea of revitalization, which grew out of the need to repair degraded urban spaces, has taken on a new meaning in the context of contemporary development challenges. The work includes references to the basic programme documents and strategies. It shows regeneration activities carried out in Wrocław in connection with the organization of international events, cultural and sport events, and with the improvement of spatial order. These actions contributed to the revitalization of the image of the city. The paper contains the results of these changes, the complementarity of decisions and their impact on social behaviour. Idea rewitalizacji, wyrosła z konieczności naprawy zdegradowanych przestrzeni miejskich i zniesienia konfliktów społecznych, nabrała nowego znaczenia w kontekście współczesnych wyzwań rozwojowych. Władze Wrocławia opracowały strategię i szereg dokumentów programowych, których efektem są zrealizowane przedsięwzięcia rewitalizacyjne: obiekty stanowiące infrastrukturę techniczną dla realizacji imprez sportowo - kulturalnych (Stadion Miejski Euro 2012, obiekty Hali Stulecia, rozwoju nauki: kampusy uczelni wyższych i obiekty kultury). Rewitalizacji przestrzennej zostały poddane przestrzenie publiczne miasta: ulice i place, modernizacji i rozbudowie podlegały układy i obiekty transportowe: nowy terminal lotniczy, przebudowa Dworca Głównego we Wrocławiu. Działania rewitalizacyjne wpłynęły na nowy wizerunek miasta, podniosły jakość życia i wyzwoliły nowe zachowania społeczne. Praca zawiera wyniki tych przemian, komplementarności podjętych decyzji i ich wpływu na zachowania społeczne.

Heart rate variability and sympathetic skin response in male patients suffering from acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

PubMed

Bär, Karl-Jürgen; Boettger, Michael Karl; Neubauer, Rene; Grotelüschen, Marei; Jochum, Thomas; Baier, Vico; Sauer, Heinrich; Voss, Andreas

2006-09-01

Many symptoms of alcohol withdrawal (AW) such as tachycardia or elevated blood pressure might be explained by increased peripheral and central adrenergic activity. In contrast to many neurochemical studies of sympathetic activation during AW, only very few studies investigated autonomic balance using neurophysiological methods. We investigated heart rate variability (HRV) and sympathetic skin response (SSR) in male patients suffering from mild AW syndrome (n = 20, no treatment required) and in patients with moderate to severe AW syndrome (n = 20, clomethiazole treatment) in the acute stage. Sympathovagal influence was quantified using measures of time and frequency domain of HRV as well as modern nonlinear parameters (compression entropy). Furthermore, we obtained latencies and amplitudes of SSR to quantify isolated sympathetic influence. Measures were obtained during the climax of withdrawal symptomatology before treatment, 1 day after climax, and shortly before discharge from hospital. Alcohol withdrawal scores were obtained and correlated to autonomic measures. Ambulatory blood pressure and AW scores revealed characteristic withdrawal symptoms in both patient groups. Apart from the nonlinear parameter compression entropy, Hc, measures of HRV revealed no sign of autonomic dysfunction in contrast to the significantly increased heart rates at the time of admission. Latencies and amplitudes of SSR did not indicate any increase of sympathetic activity. A negative correlation was found between Hc and mental withdrawal symptoms. We show here that classical measures for autonomic nervous system activity such as HRV and SSR are not suitable for describing the autonomic changes seen in acute AW, although a major role for the sympathetic nervous system has been proposed. This might be due to multiple dysregulation of metabolites in AWS or to subtle alcohol-induced damage to neuronal structures, issues that should be addressed in future studies.

Influence of gamma-irradiation and maize lipids on the production of aflatoxin B1 by Aspergillus flavus.

PubMed

Aziz, Nagy H; el-Zeany, Samia A; Moussa, Lotfy A A

2002-10-01

The effect of gamma-irradiation and maize lipids on aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus flavus artificially inoculated into sterilized maize at reduced water activity (aw 0.84) was investigated. By increasing the irradiation doses the total viable population of A. flavus decreased and the fungus was completely inhibited at 3.0 kGy. The amounts of aflatoxin B1 were enhanced at irradiation dose levels 1.0 and 1.5 kGy in both full-fat maize (FM) and defatted maize (DM) media and no aflatoxin B1 production at 3.0 kGy gamma-irradiation over 45 days of storage was observed. The level in free lipids of FM decreased gradually, whereas free fatty acid values and fungal lipase activity increased markedly by increasing the storage periods. The free fatty acid values decreased by increasing the irradiation dose levels and there was a significant enhancement of fungal lipase activity at doses of 1.0 and 1.50 kGy. The ability of A. flavus to grow at aw 0.84 and produce aflatoxin B1 is related to the lipid composition of maize. The enhancement of aflatoxin B1 at low doses was correlated to the enhancement of fungal lipase activity.

[Levels of physical activity in an urban population from Temuco, Chile].

PubMed

Serón, Pamela; Muñoz, Sergio; Lanas, Fernando

2010-10-01

Physical activity plays a crucial role in the protection against cardiovascular diseases. To assess the level of physical activity in a group of subjects living in urban Temuco. Cross sectional study in a random sample of 1091 women aged 52 ± 10 years and 444 men aged 54 ± 10 years , living in Temuco, Chile. The level of physical activity was measured using the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Age, gender, educational and socioeconomic level were also determined in study subjects. Median energy expenditure was 2150 and 1600 MET-minute/ week in men and women, respectively (p = 0,001). It decreased with age from a median of 1965 MET-minute/ week in those younger than 50 years old to 1647 MET-minute/ week among subjects aged between 51 and 60 years old and to 1485 MET-minute/ week among those older than 60 years. (p = 0,001). The frequency of high, moderate and low physical activity levels were 15.6, 66 and 18.4 % respectively. These levels were associated with gender, age, educational and socioeconomic level. There was a high frequency of low and moderate levels of physical activity in the urban population of Temuco, associated with female gender, advanced age and middle socioeconomic level.

Low glutathione peroxidase activity levels in patients with vitiligo.

PubMed

Zedan, Hatem; Abdel-Motaleb, Amira Ali; Kassem, Nahed Mahmoud Ali; Hafeez, Heba Ahmed Abdel; Hussein, Mahmoud Rezk Abdelwhahed

2015-01-01

Vitiligo is an idiopathic skin disease characterized by white areas on the skin due to loss of the functional melanocytes, with possible involvement of oxidative stress. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an antioxidant enzyme that protects cells against oxidative damage. To examine serum GPx levels in patients with vitiligo and to relate the findings to the clinical features. The study group included 60 patients with vitiligo and 30 matching healthy controls. GPx activity was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found a significant decrease in serum GPx activity level in the patients with vitiligo compared to the healthy controls (0.29 ± 0.14 versus 0.47 ± 0.13, p < .001). The levels were significantly low in skin phenotypes III and IV (p < .001). Higher levels were also observed with increasing age (≥ 14 years), prolonged disease duration (≥ 3 years), and generalized and extensive vitiligo (< 50%). However, these variations were statistically insignificant. Low levels of serum GPx activity, indicative of a disturbed oxidant-antioxidant system, may contribute to the development of vitiligo. © 2014 Canadian Dermatology Association.

Physical activity level and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Low, Sok Teng; Balaraman, Thirumalaya

2017-07-01

[Purpose] To find the physical activity level and fall risk among the community-dwelling Malaysian older adults and determine the correlation between them. [Subjects and Methods] A cross-sectional study was conducted in which, the physical activity level was evaluated using the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity questionnaire and fall risk with Fall Risk Assessment Tool. Subjects recruited were 132 community-dwelling Malaysian older adults using the convenience sampling method. [Results] The majority of the participants were under the category of under-active regular light-activities and most of them reported low fall risk. The statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test did not show a significant correlation between physical activity level and fall risk. [Conclusion] The majority of community-dwelling Malaysian older adults are performing some form of physical activity and in low fall risk category. But this study did not find any significant correlation between physical activity level and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia.

Theory-based physical activity beliefs by race and activity levels among older adults.

PubMed

Kosma, Maria; Cardinal, Bradley J

2016-01-01

Given the benefits of physical activity and the high proportion of inactivity among older adults, the purpose was to elicit theory-based behavioral, normative, and control physical activity beliefs among 140 educationally and economically diverse older adults and compare their beliefs by race (Blacks vs. Whites) and physical activity levels (inactive/underactive vs. highly active individuals). This was an elicitation study that took place in eight, mostly rural community settings in a Southeastern US state, such as Council of Aging Offices, retirement centers, and churches. Participants' behavioral, normative, and control beliefs were elicited via in person interviews. A valid and reliable questionnaire was also used to assess their physical activity levels. According to the content analysis, inactive/underactive participants reported fewer physical activity advantages than highly active participants. Common physical activity advantages between the two groups were overall health, emotional functioning, and physical functioning. Similar physical activity advantages were reported among Blacks and Whites with overall health being the most important advantage. The most common physical activity disadvantages and barriers for all four groups were falls, injuries, pain, and health issues. Inactive/underactive individuals and Blacks tended to report more disadvantages and barriers than their peers. Common physical activity supporters were family members, friends and peers, and health-care professionals. In their physical activity motivational programs, health promoters should reinforce physical activity benefits, social support, access to activity programs, and safety when intervening among older adults.

Scaling up ATLAS Event Service to production levels on opportunistic computing platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin, D.; Caballero, J.; Ernst, M.; Guan, W.; Hover, J.; Lesny, D.; Maeno, T.; Nilsson, P.; Tsulaia, V.; van Gemmeren, P.; Vaniachine, A.; Wang, F.; Wenaus, T.; ATLAS Collaboration

2016-10-01

Continued growth in public cloud and HPC resources is on track to exceed the dedicated resources available for ATLAS on the WLCG. Examples of such platforms are Amazon AWS EC2 Spot Instances, Edison Cray XC30 supercomputer, backfill at Tier 2 and Tier 3 sites, opportunistic resources at the Open Science Grid (OSG), and ATLAS High Level Trigger farm between the data taking periods. Because of specific aspects of opportunistic resources such as preemptive job scheduling and data I/O, their efficient usage requires workflow innovations provided by the ATLAS Event Service. Thanks to the finer granularity of the Event Service data processing workflow, the opportunistic resources are used more efficiently. We report on our progress in scaling opportunistic resource usage to double-digit levels in ATLAS production.

Robust joint score tests in the application of DNA methylation data analysis.

PubMed

Li, Xuan; Fu, Yuejiao; Wang, Xiaogang; Qiu, Weiliang

2018-05-18

Recently differential variability has been showed to be valuable in evaluating the association of DNA methylation to the risks of complex human diseases. The statistical tests based on both differential methylation level and differential variability can be more powerful than those based only on differential methylation level. Anh and Wang (2013) proposed a joint score test (AW) to simultaneously detect for differential methylation and differential variability. However, AW's method seems to be quite conservative and has not been fully compared with existing joint tests. We proposed three improved joint score tests, namely iAW.Lev, iAW.BF, and iAW.TM, and have made extensive comparisons with the joint likelihood ratio test (jointLRT), the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test, and the AW test. Systematic simulation studies showed that: 1) the three improved tests performed better (i.e., having larger power, while keeping nominal Type I error rates) than the other three tests for data with outliers and having different variances between cases and controls; 2) for data from normal distributions, the three improved tests had slightly lower power than jointLRT and AW. The analyses of two Illumina HumanMethylation27 data sets GSE37020 and GSE20080 and one Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC data set GSE107080 demonstrated that three improved tests had higher true validation rates than those from jointLRT, KS, and AW. The three proposed joint score tests are robust against the violation of normality assumption and presence of outlying observations in comparison with other three existing tests. Among the three proposed tests, iAW.BF seems to be the most robust and effective one for all simulated scenarios and also in real data analyses.

Homogeneous ice nucleation from aqueous inorganic/organic particles representative of biomass burning: water activity, freezing temperatures, nucleation rates.

PubMed

Knopf, Daniel A; Rigg, Yannick J

2011-02-10

Homogeneous ice nucleation plays an important role in the formation of cirrus clouds with subsequent effects on the global radiative budget. Here we report on homogeneous ice nucleation temperatures and corresponding nucleation rate coefficients of aqueous droplets serving as surrogates of biomass burning aerosol. Micrometer-sized (NH(4))(2)SO(4)/levoglucosan droplets with mass ratios of 10:1, 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 and aqueous multicomponent organic droplets with and without (NH(4))(2)SO(4) under typical tropospheric temperatures and relative humidities are investigated experimentally using a droplet conditioning and ice nucleation apparatus coupled to an optical microscope with image analysis. Homogeneous freezing was determined as a function of temperature and water activity, a(w), which was set at droplet preparation conditions. The ice nucleation data indicate that minor addition of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) to the aqueous organic droplets renders the temperature dependency of water activity negligible in contrast to the case of aqueous organic solution droplets. The mean homogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient derived from 8 different aqueous droplet compositions with average diameters of ∼60 μm for temperatures as low as 195 K and a(w) of 0.82-1 is 2.18 × 10(6) cm(-3) s(-1). The experimentally derived freezing temperatures and homogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficients are in agreement with predictions of the water activity-based homogeneous ice nucleation theory when taking predictive uncertainties into account. However, the presented ice nucleation data indicate that the water activity-based homogeneous ice nucleation theory overpredicts the freezing temperatures by up to 3 K and corresponding ice nucleation rate coefficients by up to ∼2 orders of magnitude. A shift of 0.01 in a(w), which is well within the uncertainty of typical field and laboratory relative humidity measurements, brings experimental and predicted freezing temperatures and homogeneous ice

Soluble CD30 serum level in HCV-positive chronic active hepatitis: A surrogate marker of disease activity?

PubMed

Foschi, F G; Gramenzi, A; Castelli, E; Cursaro, C; Pagani, S; Margotti, M; D'Errico, A; Andreone, P; Stefanini, G F; Bernardi, M

2000-06-01

In the present study, high levels of CD30s, a glycoprotein preferentially expressed and released by T lymphocytes producing Th(2)-type cytokines, were seen in the sera of patients with chronic hepatitis C, and a correlation with histological activity of the disease was found. CD30s levels were assayed in the sera of 29 HCV RNA-positive patients with histologically proven chronic active hepatitis and in 30 healthy blood donors. Thirteen of 29 (45%) HCV patients had CD30s serum levels above the normal range (>20 U/ml). Mean CD30s serum levels were significantly higher in HCV patients than in controls (P<0.0005). A positive correlation was found between serum CD30s levels and both the histological activity index (r=0.59, P=0.001) and ALT serum levels (r=0.5; P=0.006). The raised CD30s level found in more severe HCV liver disease indirectly suggests activation and expansion of Th(2)cells. CD30s levels could represent a useful surrogate marker of activity in chronic HCV infections. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Salivary Alpha-Amylase Activity Levels in Catatonic Schizophrenia Decrease after Electroconvulsive Therapy.

PubMed

Kanayama, Misako; Miyaoka, Tsuyoshi; Araki, Tomoko; Hayashida, Maiko; Hashioka, Sadayuki; Horiguchi, Jun

2018-01-01

Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in schizophrenia has been detected by electrophysiological methods, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Several studies have suggested that measuring salivary alpha-amylase activity levels is useful for evaluating the ANS activity and that sAA levels increase in schizophrenia and correlate with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores. However, no study has examined the relationship between sAA activity levels and symptoms of schizophrenia with catatonic state. We present the case of a 59-year-old female with persistent catatonic schizophrenia treated by electroconvulsive therapy. We evaluated the ANS activity by measuring sAA activity levels before and after ECT, and we evaluated her symptoms using the BPRS and Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS). ECT was highly effective and BPRS and BFCRS scores substantially decreased. sAA activity levels decreased from 125 kU/l to 33 kU/l. sAA activity levels could be a potential biomarker of schizophrenia with catatonic state.

Secular trends in storm-level geomagnetic activity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, J.J.

2011-01-01

Analysis is made of K-index data from groups of ground-based geomagnetic observatories in Germany, Britain, and Australia, 1868.0-2009.0, solar cycles 11-23. Methods include nonparametric measures of trends and statistical significance used by the hydrological and climatological research communities. Among the three observatory groups, German K data systematically record the highest disturbance levels, followed by the British and, then, the Australian data. Signals consistently seen in K data from all three observatory groups can be reasonably interpreted as physically meaninginful: (1) geomagnetic activity has generally increased over the past 141 years. However, the detailed secular evolution of geomagnetic activity is not well characterized by either a linear trend nor, even, a monotonic trend. Therefore, simple, phenomenological extrapolations of past trends in solar and geomagnetic activity levels are unlikely to be useful for making quantitative predictions of future trends lasting longer than a solar cycle or so. (2) The well-known tendency for magnetic storms to occur during the declining phase of a sunspot-solar cycles is clearly seen for cycles 14-23; it is not, however, clearly seen for cycles 11-13. Therefore, in addition to an increase in geomagnetic activity, the nature of solar-terrestrial interaction has also apparently changed over the past 141 years. ?? Author(s) 2011.

21 CFR 114.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... product and is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of... fruits, and fish, singly or in any combination. They have a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85 and... alcoholic beverages, with a finished equilibrium pH greater than 4.6 and a water activity (aw) greater than...

21 CFR 114.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... product and is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of... fruits, and fish, singly or in any combination. They have a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85 and... alcoholic beverages, with a finished equilibrium pH greater than 4.6 and a water activity (aw) greater than...

21 CFR 114.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... product and is the quotient of the water vapor pressure of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of... fruits, and fish, singly or in any combination. They have a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85 and... alcoholic beverages, with a finished equilibrium pH greater than 4.6 and a water activity (aw) greater than...

Parallel Demand-Withdraw Processes in Family Therapy for Adolescent Drug Abuse

PubMed Central

Rynes, Kristina N.; Rohrbaugh, Michael J.; Lebensohn-Chialvo, Florencia; Shoham, Varda

2013-01-01

Isomorphism, or parallel process, occurs in family therapy when patterns of therapist-client interaction replicate problematic interaction patterns within the family. This study investigated parallel demand-withdraw processes in Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) for adolescent drug abuse, hypothesizing that therapist-demand/adolescent-withdraw interaction (TD/AW) cycles observed early in treatment would predict poor adolescent outcomes at follow-up for families who exhibited entrenched parent-demand/adolescent-withdraw interaction (PD/AW) before treatment began. Participants were 91 families who received at least 4 sessions of BSFT in a multi-site clinical trial on adolescent drug abuse (Robbins et al., 2011). Prior to receiving therapy, families completed videotaped family interaction tasks from which trained observers coded PD/AW. Another team of raters coded TD/AW during two early BSFT sessions. The main dependent variable was the number of drug use days that adolescents reported in Timeline Follow-Back interviews 7 to 12 months after family therapy began. Zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression analyses supported the main hypothesis, showing that PD/AW and TD/AW interacted to predict adolescent drug use at follow-up. For adolescents in high PD/AW families, higher levels of TD/AW predicted significant increases in drug use at follow-up, whereas for low PD/AW families, TD/AW and follow-up drug use were unrelated. Results suggest that attending to parallel demand-withdraw processes in parent/adolescent and therapist/adolescent dyads may be useful in family therapy for substance-using adolescents. PMID:23438248

Heparanase level and procoagulant activity are reduced in severe sepsis.

PubMed

Matan, Moshe; King, Daniel; Peled, Eli; Ackerman, Shanny; Bar-Lavi, Yaron; Brenner, Benjamin; Nadir, Yona

2018-02-01

During severe sepsis, levels and activity of all coagulation proteins are reduced. Heparanase is implicated in angiogenesis and tumor progression. We previously demonstrated that heparanase also affected the hemostatic system. It forms a complex and increases the activity of the blood coagulation initiator tissue factor. To evaluate heparanase levels and procoagulant activity as predictors of sepsis severity. Twenty-one patients with non-trauma, non-surgical sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit and 35 controls were recruited. Plasma samples were drawn from the study participants on days 1 and 7 following admission. Heparanase levels and procoagulant activity on day 1 were significantly reduced in patients compared to controls (P < .0001, P < .0001, respectively). Day 1 heparanase procoagulant activity ≥350 ng/mL yielded a negative predictive value for severe sepsis of 89%. Additionally, heparanase procoagulant activity on day 7 correlated with the change in the APACHE score between days 1 and 7 (r = .66, P = .007). Heparanase procoagulant activity decreases during sepsis and returns to normal levels as soon as the patient recovers. Hence, it can be potentially used to predict the risk of severe sepsis. These findings need to be further explored in large-scale studies. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Plasma catalase activity and malondialdehyde level in patients with cataract.

PubMed

Ateş, N A; Yildirim, O; Tamer, L; Unlü, A; Ercan, B; Muşlu, N; Kanik, A; Hatungil, R; Atik, U

2004-08-01

Oxidative mechanisms play a major role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of cataract, especially in age-related cataract. Our study aims to investigate systemic oxidant and antioxidant markers in cataract patients. The activity of erythrocyte catalase and the level of malondialdehyde in plasma were measured in 40 patients with cataract and 60 healthy control subjects. The malondialdehyde level, as an index of lipid peroxidation, was determined by thiobarbitüric acid reaction according to Yagi. The determination of catalase activity was measured by a method that was defined by Beutler. Catalase enzyme activity and malondialdehyde level were evaluated to find out whether there was a significant difference in these variables. Analysis of variance was used by forming a general linear model that takes age and gender as the covariate. CAT activity was found to be 13 920.2 +/- 847.9 U/l in cataract patients and 16 061.3 +/- 1126.6 U/l in control subjects. CAT activity in cataract patients was significantly lower than the control subjects (P = 0.008). Plasma MDA level is significantly higher in patients with cataract 4.47 +/- 0.35 nmol/ml compared to the control subjects 2.94 +/- 0.26 nmol/ml (P = 0.0001). There was no significant difference between different cataract subgroups when erythrocyte CAT activities and plasma MDA levels were compared (P = 0.322, 0.062). This study shows that oxidant/antioxidant balances alter in the presence of cataract.

Seasonality in Children's Pedometer-Measured Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beighle, Aaron; Alderman, Brandon; Morgan, Charles F.; Le Masurier, Guy

2008-01-01

Seasonality appears to have an impact on children's physical activity levels, but equivocal findings demand more study in this area. With the increased use of pedometers in both research and practice, collecting descriptive data in various seasons to examine the impact of seasonality on pedometer-measured physical activity among children is…

The effect of gender and level of vision on the physical activity level of children and adolescents with visual impairment.

PubMed

Aslan, Ummuhan Bas; Calik, Bilge Basakcı; Kitiş, Ali

2012-01-01

This study was planned in order to determine physical activity levels of visually impaired children and adolescents and to investigate the effect of gender and level of vision on physical activity level in visually impaired children and adolescents. A total of 30 visually impaired children and adolescents (16 low vision and 14 blind) aged between 8 and 16 years participated in the study. The physical activity level of cases was evaluated with a physical activity diary (PAD) and one-mile run/walk test (OMR-WT). No difference was found between the PAD and the OMR-WT results of low vision and blind children and adolescents. The visually impaired children and adolescents were detected not to participate in vigorous physical activity. A difference was found in favor of low vision boys in terms of mild, moderate activities and OMR-WT durations. However, no difference was found between physical activity levels of blind girls and boys. The results of our study suggested that the physical activity level of visually impaired children and adolescents was low, and gender affected physical activity in low vision children and adolescents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The prospects for life on Mars: A pre-Viking assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagan, C.; Lederberg, J.

1976-01-01

Mariner 9 provided a reinterpretation of several historical claims for Martian biology, and permitted an important further characterization of the environmental constraints on possible Martian organisms. Four classes of conceivable Martian organisms are identified, depending on the environmental temperature, T, and water activity, aw: Class 1, high T, high aw; Class 2, low T, high aw; Class 3, high T, low aw; and Class 4, low T, low aw. Organisms which extract their water requirements from hydrated minerals or from ice are considered possible on Mars, and the high ultraviolet flux and low oxygen partial pressure are considered to be negligible impediments to Martian biology. Large organisms are not only possible on Mars, they may be favored. The surface distribution of Martian organisms and future search strategies for life on Mars are discussed.

Inflammatory patterns in asthmatic children based on alveolar nitric oxide determination.

PubMed

Corcuera-Elosegui, Paula; Sardón-Prado, Olaia; Aldasoro-Ruiz, Ane; Korta-Murua, Javier; Mintegui-Aramburu, Javier; Emparanza-Knorr, José I; Pérez-Yarza, Eduardo G

2015-06-01

Nitric oxide (NO) levels can be measured at proximal (maximum airway NO flux [J'aw(NO)]) and distal (alveolar NO concentration [C(ANO)]) levels. Four inflammatory patterns have been described in asthmatic individuals, although their relevance has not been well established. The objective was to determine J'aw(NO) and C(ANO) in order to establish four inflammatory categories in asthmatics. Cross-sectional study of a sample consisting of healthy and asthmatic children. Exhaled NO was determined at multiple flows. J'aw(NO) and C(ANO) were obtained according to the two-compartment model. The asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) and spirometry were administered to asthmatic children. Patients were categorized as type I (normal J'aw(NO) and C(ANO)), type II (elevated J'aw(NO) and normal C(ANO)), type III (elevated J'aw(NO) and C(ANO)) and type IV (normal J'aw(NO) and elevated C(ANO)). Correlation between FE(NO,50), J'aw(NO) and C(ANO) was analyzed using Spearman's R Correlation Test. Analysis of variance and paired comparisons were performed using the Bonferroni correction. One hundred sixty-two children were studied, of whom 49 (32.23%) were healthy controls and 103 (67.76%) asthmatics. In the control subjects, FE(NO,50) (ppb)(median and range) was 11.5 (1.6 to 27.3), J'aw(NO) (pl/s) was 516 (98.3 to 1470) and C(ANO) (ppb) was 2.2 (0.1 to 4.5). Forty-four (42.7%) of the asthmatic participants were categorized as type I, 41 (39.8%) as type II, 14 (13.5%) as type III and 4 (3.88%) as type IV. Good correlation was observed between J'aw(NO) and FE(NO,50) (r=0.97). There was no association between J'aw(NO) and C(ANO). FEV1/FVC decreased significantly in type III (mean 79.8±7.5). Morbidity was significantly higher in types III and IV. Normal values obtained are similar to those previously reported. Asthmatics with high C(ANO) showed higher morbidity. No correlation was found between proximal and distal inflammation. Copyright © 2014 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All

Physical activity levels and patterns of 11-14 year-old Turkish adolescents.

PubMed

Kin-Isler, Ayse; Asci, F Hulya; Altintas, Atakan; Guven-Karahan, Bengu

2009-01-01

This study examined age and gender differences in physical activity levels and various physical activity patterns of 11-14-year-old Turkish adolescents and also determined if these differ between genders. Six hundred and fifty girls and 666 boys between the ages of 11 and 14 years constituted the sample of this study. Participants self-reported physical activity levels and patterns were determined by a Weekly Activity Checklist. A 2 x 4 (Gender x Age) MANOVA revealed overall significant main effect of gender and age on the physical activity level of adolescents; however, gender x age interaction effect was not significant. The findings indicated an interaction effect was not significant. The findings indicated an age-related decline in physical activity level, an increase in participation in low activities, and a decrease in participation in moderate and vigorous activities in 11-14-year-old Turkish adolescents. In addition it was found that boys were more active than girls and participated more in moderate and vigorous activities.

Objectively-Measured Physical Activity Levels in Physical Education among Homeschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swenson, Sarah; Pope, Zachary; Zeng, Nan

2016-01-01

Despite a growing population of homeschool children in the United States, little is known regarding their physical activity (PA) levels. Without access to physical education, homeschool children may engage in inadequate PA levels. The purpose of this study was to objectively examine the activity levels of homeschool students participating in a…

Does regional disadvantage affect health-related sport and physical activity level? A multi-level analysis of individual behaviour.

PubMed

Wicker, Pamela; Downward, Paul; Lera-López, Fernando

2017-11-01

This study examines the role of regional government quality in health-related participation in sport and physical activity among adults (18-64 years) in 28 European countries. The importance of the analysis rests in the relative autonomy that regional and local governments have over policy decisions connected with sport and physical activity. While existing studies have focussed on economic and infrastructural investment and expenditure, this research investigates the quality of regional governments across 208 regions within 28 European countries. The individual-level data stem from the 2013 Eurobarometer 80.2 (n = 18,675) and were combined with regional-level data from Eurostat. An individual's level of participation in sport and physical activity was measured by three variables reflecting whether an individual's activity level is below, meets, or exceeds the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The results of multi-level analyses reveal that regional government quality has a significant and positive association with individual participation in sport and physical activity at a level meeting or exceeding the guidelines. The impact is much larger than that of regional gross domestic product per capita, indicating that regional disadvantage in terms of political quality is more relevant than being disadvantaged in terms of economic wealth.

Small Column Ion Exchange Testing of Superlig 644 for Removal of 137Cs from Hanford Tank Waste Envelope A (Tank 241-AW-101)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DE Kurath; DL Blanchard; JR Bontha

The current BNFL Inc. flow sheet for the pretreatment of the Hanford High-Level tank wastes includes the use of Superlig{reg_sign} materials for the removal of {sup 137}Cs from the aqueous fraction of the waste. The Superlig materials applicable to cesium removal include the cesium selective Superlig 632 and Superlig 644. These materials have been developed and supplied by IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc., American Fork, UT. The work contained in this report involves testing the Superlig 644 ion exchange material in a small dual column system (15 mL each; L/D = 5.7). The sample processed was approximately 2.5 L of dilutedmore » waste [Na{sup +}] = 4.6M from Tank 241-AW-101 (Envelope A). This waste had been previously clarified in a single tube cross-flow filtration unit. All ion exchange process steps were tested including resin bed preparation, loading, feed displacement water rinse, elution and resin regeneration. During the initial run, the lag column did not perform as expected so that the {sup 137}Cs concentration in the effluent composite was above the LAW treatment limits. This required a second column run with the partially decontaminated feed that was conducted at a higher flow rate. A summary of performance measures for both runs is shown in Table S1. The Cs {lambda} values represent a measure of the effective capacity of the SL-644 resin. The Cs {lambda} of 143 for the lead column in run 1 is very similar to the value obtained by the Savannah River Technology Center during Phase 1A testing. The larger Cs {lambda} value for run 2 reflects a general trend for the effective capacity of the SL-644 material to increase as the cesium concentration decreases. The low value for the lag column during the first run indicates that it did not perform as expected. This may have been due to insufficient conditioning of the bed prior to the start of the loading step or to air in the bed that caused channeling. Equilibrium data obtained with batch contacts using the AW

Effect of pH, water activity and gel micro-structure, including oxygen profiles and rheological characterization, on the growth kinetics of Salmonella Typhimurium.

PubMed

Theys, T E; Geeraerd, A H; Verhulst, A; Poot, K; Van Bree, I; Devlieghere, F; Moldenaers, P; Wilson, D; Brocklehurst, T; Van Impe, J F

2008-11-30

In this study, the growth of Salmonella Typhimurium in Tryptic Soy Broth was examined at different pH (4.50-5.50), water activity a(w) (0.970-0.992) and gelatin concentration (0%, 1% and 5% ) at 20 degrees C. Experiments in TSB with 0% gelatin were carried out in shaken erlenmeyers, in the weak 1% gelatin media in petri plates and in the firm 5% gelatin media in gel cassettes. A quantification of gel strength was performed by rheological measurements and the influence of oxygen supply on the growth of S. Typhimurium was investigated. pH, as well as a(w) as well as gelatin concentration had an influence on the growth rate. Both in broth and in gelatinized media, lowering pH or water activity caused a decrease of growth rate. In media with 1% gelatin a reduction of growth rate and maximal cell density was observed compared to broth at all conditions. However, the effects of decreasing pH and a(w) were less pronounced. A further increase in gelatin concentration to 5% gelatin caused a small or no additional drop of growth rate. The final oxygen concentration dropped from 5.5 ppm in stirred broth to anoxic values in petri plates, also when 0% and 5% gelatin media were tested in this recipient. Probably, not stirring the medium, which leads to anoxic conditions, has a more pronounced effect on the growth rate of S. Typhimurium then medium solidness. Finally, growth data were fitted with the primary model of Baranyi and Roberts [Baranyi, J. and Roberts, T. A., 1994. A dynamic approach to predicting bacterial growth in food. International Journal of Food Microbiology 23, 277-294]. An additional factor was introduced into the secondary model of Ross et al. [Ross, T. and Ratkowsky, D. A. and Mellefont, L. A. and McMeekin, T. A., 2003. Modelling the effects of temperature, water activity, pH and lactic acid concentration on the growth rate of Escherichia coli. International Journal of Food Microbiology 82, 33-43.] to incorporate the effect of gelatin concentration, next to

Modelling of growth of aflatoxigenic A. flavus isolates from red chilli powder as a function of water availability.

PubMed

Marín, Sonia; Colom, Carmen; Sanchis, Vicente; Ramos, Antonio J

2009-01-15

The aim of the present work was to apply mathematical models for the prediction of growth of aflatoxigenic moulds in powdered Capsicum fruits as a function of its water availability. As prevention of fungal growth effectively conduces to prevention of mycotoxin accumulation, the development of models for prediction of growth of mycotoxigenic fungi becomes a key step in risk management. Two aflatoxigenic A. flavus from chilli powder were grown on 3% chilli powder extract agar at different water activity levels and their growth was evaluated over time in terms of colony sizes and ergosterol accumulation. Both variables were modelled over time, and the resulting parameters (growth rates and lag phases) were modelled as a function of water availability using the Rosso cardinal model. Linear logistic regression was also applied to predict the probability of growth over storage time. Both isolates showed a similar pattern of behaviour, with decreasing growth rates and increasing lag phases with decreasing water activity level. While estimation of optimum a(w) for growth was consistently around 0.97-0.99, the minimum estimated a(w) varied from 0.82 to 0.88 depending on the isolate and on the parameters used for predictions. Comparing growth rates obtained for colony size and ergosterol accumulation, a linear relationship between them could be observed. The rate of root square ergosterol/colony diameter/unit of time was 0.25-0.27. Probabilities of growth before 10 days over 90% were estimated at a(w) 0.91, while the safe period could be extended to more than 20 days (22-29 days) if water activity was decreased to an a(w)=0.87. Finally, the probability of growth is always under 50% when water availability is under a(w) 0.85, and almost null for A. flavus UdLTA 3.147. It was concluded that for safe production, storage and transport, chillies and chilli powder must be kept under 31% mc (db) (probability of growth <50%). However, growth is unlikely to occur if chilli is kept

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) levels are increased in active acromegaly patients.

PubMed

Karci, Alper Cagri; Canturk, Zeynep; Tarkun, Ilhan; Cetinarslan, Berrin

2017-07-01

During follow-up of acromegaly patients, there is a discordance rate of 30% between the measurements of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels. Further tests are required to determine disease activity in patients with discordant results. This study was planned to investigate an association of serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and cathepsin B with disease activity in acromegaly patients. In this study, 64 acromegaly patients followed in our clinic were divided into two groups according to the 2010 consensus criteria for cure of acromegaly as patients with active disease (n = 24) and patients with controlled disease (n = 40). Serum matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and cathepsin B levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The mean serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 level was significantly higher in the active acromegaly patients than in the controlled acromegaly patients (150.1 ± 54.5 ng/mL vs. 100.2 ± 44.6 ng/mL; p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference between the active and controlled acromegaly patients regarding serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 and cathepsin B levels (p = 0.205 and p = 0.598, respectively). Serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 levels of 118.3 ng/mL and higher had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 77.5% in determining active disease. The risk of active acromegaly was 3.3 fold higher in the patients with a matrix metalloproteinase-2 level of >118.3 ng/mL than in the patients with a matrix metalloproteinase-2 level of <118.3 ng/mL. In this study, serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 level is increased in the active acromegaly patients and a threshold value in determining active disease was defined for serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 level. This study is the first to compare acromegaly patients having active or controlled disease in terms of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9

Fusarium graminearum in Stored Wheat: Use of CO2 Production to Quantify Dry Matter Losses and Relate This to Relative Risks of Zearalenone Contamination under Interacting Environmental Conditions

PubMed Central

Kiaitsi, Elsa; Magan, Naresh

2018-01-01

Zearalenone (ZEN) contamination from Fusarium graminearum colonization is particularly important in food and feed wheat, especially during post-harvest storage with legislative limits for both food and feed grain. Indicators of the relative risk from exceeding these limits would be useful. We examined the effect of different water activities (aw; 0.95–0.90) and temperature (10–25 °C) in naturally contaminated and irradiated wheat grain, both inoculated with F. graminearum and stored for 15 days on (a) respiration rate; (b) dry matter losses (DML); (c) ZEN production and (d) relationship between DML and ZEN contamination relative to the EU legislative limits. Gas Chromatography was used to measure the temporal respiration rates and the total accumulated CO2 production. There was an increase in temporal CO2 production rates in wetter and warmer conditions in all treatments, with the highest respiration in the 25 °C × 0.95 aw treatments + F. graminearum inoculation. This was reflected in the total accumulated CO2 in the treatments. The maximum DMLs were in the 0.95 aw/20–25 °C treatments and at 10 °C/0.95 aw. The DMLs were modelled to produce contour maps of the environmental conditions resulting in maximum/minimum losses. Contamination with ZEN/ZEN-related compounds were quantified. Maximum production was at 25 °C/0.95–0.93 aw and 20 °C/0.95 aw. ZEN contamination levels plotted against DMLs for all the treatments showed that at ca. <1.0% DML, there was a low risk of ZEN contamination exceeding EU legislative limits, while at >1.0% DML, the risk was high. This type of data is important in building a database for the development of a post-harvest decision support system for relative risks of different mycotoxins. PMID:29462982

The contribution of former work-related activity levels to predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement: moderating role of educational level and physical functioning.

PubMed

Van Dyck, Delfien; Cardon, Greet; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2015-01-01

The transition to retirement introduces a decline in total physical activity and an increase in TV viewing time. Nonetheless, as more time becomes available, early retirement is an ideal stage to implement health interventions. Therefore, knowledge on specific determinants of physical activity and sedentary time is needed. Former work-related physical activity has been proposed as a potential determinant, but concrete evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine if former work-related sitting, standing, walking or vigorous activities predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement. Additionally, moderating effects of educational level and physical functioning were examined. In total, 392 recently retired Belgian adults (>6 months, <5 years) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the SF-36 Health Survey and a questionnaire on sociodemographics and former work-related activities. Generalized linear regression analyses were conducted in R. Moderating effects were examined by adding cross-products to the models. More former work-related sitting was predictive of more screen time during retirement. Lower levels of former work-related vigorous activities and higher levels of former work-related walking were associated with respectively more cycling for transport and more walking for transport during retirement. None of the predictors significantly explained passive transportation, cycling and walking for recreation, and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during retirement. Several moderating effects were found, but the direction of the interactions was not univocal. Former-work related behaviors are of limited importance to explain physical activity during early retirement, so future studies should focus on other individual, social and environmental determinants. Nonetheless, adults who previously had a sedentary job had higher levels of screen time during retirement, so this is an important

Serum Adipocytokine Levels as Surrogate Markers for Disease Activity of Crohn's Disease.

PubMed

Kim, Su Hwan; Jang, Seung Hyeon; Kim, Ji Won; Kim, Byeong Gwan; Lee, Kook Lae; Kim, You Sun; Han, Dong Soo; Kim, Joo Sung

2017-05-01

Determining inflammatory activity is crucial for assessing disease activity and for tailoring therapy in patients with Crohn׳s disease (CD). This study aimed to evaluate adipocytokine levels in patients with CD and to determine whether they can serve as surrogate markers for disease activity. Serum samples and information regarding the clinical features of patients in the CD Network Project registry were collected from March 2009 to February 2012. Patients with CD and disease duration of at least 2 years were enrolled in this study. Fasting serum leptin, adiponectin, obestatin and ghrelin levels were measured, and their correlation with clinical features of the patients was analyzed. Serum adipocytokine levels were evaluated according to disease activity as determined by CD activity index score. A total of 153 patients with CD were included. Serum ghrelin levels negatively correlated with patient age (P = 0.041) and age at diagnosis (P = 0.017), and positively correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (P = 0.017). Multiple regression analysis showed that serum ghrelin levels were related only to CRP levels (P = 0.032). Like ghrelin, serum leptin levels were also related to CRP levels (P < 0.001). Obestatin and adiponectin levels were not related to CRP levels. Serum adipocytokine levels did not significantly differ across different disease locations or behaviors. Serum ghrelin levels were significantly lower in patients with CD with a history of surgery than in those without (P = 0.007). Serum ghrelin and leptin levels may be useful as surrogate markers for disease activity in patients with CD. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Habitual physical activity and estradiol levels in women of reproductive age.

PubMed

Jasienska, Grazyna; Ziomkiewicz, Anna; Thune, Inger; Lipson, Susan F; Ellison, Peter T

2006-10-01

Variation in the risk of breast cancer observed among women and among populations may be explained by variation in lifetime exposure to estrogens. The suppressive effect of exercise on estradiol levels in women is well documented, but it is unknown whether habitual (i.e. typical daily) physical activity has a similar effect. Epidemiological data suggest that physical activity is one of the few modifiable factors capable of reducing the risk of breast cancer in women. We investigated whether variation in the amount of habitual activity corresponds to variation in estradiol levels in women of reproductive age. One hundred and thirty-nine regularly menstruating women 24-37 years of age collected daily saliva samples for one complete menstrual cycle and kept a daily log of physical activity. Saliva samples were analyzed for concentration of estradiol. We observed a negative relationship between habitual physical activity and salivary levels of estradiol. Mean estradiol was 21.1 pmol/l in the low, 17.9 pmol/l in the moderate and 16.6 pmol/l in the high activity group (all pairwise differences were statistically significant at P<0.009). A strong association exists between physical activity and levels of estradiol among women of reproductive age. A modern lifestyle, characterized by reduced physical activity, may therefore contribute to a rise in the levels of estradiol produced during menstrual cycles and thus to higher cumulative lifetime exposure to estradiol, resulting in a higher risk of breast cancer.

The Biological Activities of Sesterterpenoid-Type Ophiobolins.

PubMed

Tian, Wei; Deng, Zixin; Hong, Kui

2017-07-18

Ophiobolins (Ophs) are a group of tricarbocyclic sesterterpenoids whose structures contain a tricyclic 5-8-5 carbotricyclic skeleton. Thus far, 49 natural Ophs have been reported and assigned into A-W subgroups in order of discovery. While these sesterterpenoids were first characterized as highly effective phytotoxins, later investigations demonstrated that they display a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological characteristics such as phytotoxic, antimicrobial, nematocidal, cytotoxic, anti-influenza and inflammation-promoting activities. These bioactive molecules are promising drug candidates due to the developments of their anti-proliferative activities against a vast number of cancer cell lines, multidrug resistance (MDR) cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs). Despite numerous studies on the biological functions of Ophs, their pharmacological mechanism still requires further research. This review summarizes the chemical structures, sources, and biological activities of the oph family and discusses its mechanisms and structure-activity relationship to lay the foundation for the future developments and applications of these promising molecules.

Desorption isotherms of salted minced pork using K-lactate as a substitute for NaCl.

PubMed

Muñoz, I; Arnau, J; Costa-Corredor, A; Gou, P

2009-12-01

The aim of this study was to obtain and compare water desorption isotherms of ground meat containing NaCl (0.107kg NaCl/kg raw-meat dry matter) and/or K-lactate as NaCl substitute at two different levels of molar substitution (30% and 100%). A thin layer of salted ground meat was dried and sampled at pre-determined times. The moisture content of the samples and their water activities (a(w)) were measured at 5°C and 25°C. Results showed that ground meat with NaCl and/or different K-lactate contents had a similar water desorption isotherm for a(w) ranging from 0.7 to 1.0. Below 0.7, the water equilibrium content fell with small decreases in a(w) faster for meat with NaCl than for meat with K-lactate. K-lactate could reduce the excessive hardening at the surface of salted meat products. Experimental desorption isotherms were compared to those estimated using two approaches of the Ross equation. Models provided a good fit for the experimental data.

Use of gamma radiation on control of Clostridium botulinum in mortadella formulated with different nitrite levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutra, Monalisa Pereira; Aleixo, Glécia de Cássia; Ramos, Alcinéia de Lemos Souza; Silva, Maurício Henriques Louzada; Pereira, Marcio Tadeu; Piccoli, Roberta Hilsdorf; Ramos, Eduardo Mendes

2016-02-01

This study investigated the effects of applying different doses of gamma radiation (0, 10 and 20 kGy) on Clostridium botulinum spores (107 spores/g) inoculated into mortadellas with different nitrite contents (0, 150 and 300 ppm). We also evaluated the order of application of heat (cooking) and irradiation processing. The products were evaluated for survival of C. botulinum, pH, water activity (Aw), redox potential (Eh) and residual nitrite content. In the non-irradiated raw batters, almost all spores could be recovered when no nitrite was added and only half was recovered with the addition of 150 ppm of nitrite. The use of 150 ppm of nitrite was able to inhibit the germination or growth of C. botulinum in non-irradiated cooked mortadellas after 48 h of processing. However, after 30 days of chilling storage (4 °C), it was possible to recover 105 UFC/g of this microorganism. The gamma irradiation (>10 kGy) had a positive effect on the inactivation of C. botulinum in mortadellas, independent of the sodium nitrite level used and the cooking/irradiation processing order.

Interactive effects of temperature, pH, and water activity on the growth kinetics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 3.

PubMed

Juneja, Vijay K; Mukhopadhyay, Sudarsan; Ukuku, Dike; Hwang, Cheng-An; Wu, Vivian C H; Thippareddi, Harshavardhan

2014-05-01

The risk of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains has become a growing public health concern. Several studies characterized the behavior of E. coli O157:H7; however, no reports on the influence of multiple factors on E. coli O104:H4 are available. This study examined the effects and interactions of temperature (7 to 46°C), pH (4.5 to 8.5), and water activity (aw ; 0.95 to 0.99) on the growth kinetics of E. coli O104:H4 and developed predictive models to estimate its growth potential in foods. Growth kinetics studies for each of the 23 variable combinations from a central composite design were performed. Growth data were used to obtain the lag phase duration (LPD), exponential growth rate, generation time, and maximum population density (MPD). These growth parameters as a function of temperature, pH, and aw as controlling factors were analyzed to generate second-order response surface models. The results indicate that the observed MPD was dependent on the pH, aw, and temperature of the growth medium. Increasing temperature resulted in a concomitant decrease in LPD. Regression analysis suggests that temperature, pH, and aw significantly affect the LPD, exponential growth rate, generation time, and MPD of E. coli O104:H4. A comparison between the observed values and those of E. coli O157:H7 predictions obtained by using the U. S. Department of Agriculture Pathogen Modeling Program indicated that E. coli O104:H4 grows faster than E. coli O157:H7. The developed models were validated with alfalfa and broccoli sprouts. These models will provide risk assessors and food safety managers a rapid means of estimating the likelihood that the pathogen, if present, would grow in response to the interaction of the three variables assessed.

Examining differences in physical activity levels by employment status and/or job activity level: Gender-specific comparisons between the United States and Sweden.

PubMed

Kwak, Lydia; Berrigan, David; Van Domelen, Dane; Sjöström, Michael; Hagströmer, Maria

2016-06-01

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between employment status and job activity level with physical activity (PA) and sedentary time, stratified by gender and country. Cross-sectional study design. Data from working age adults (18-65 years) from two cross-sectional studies, the Swedish 2001-2002 and 2007-2008 Attitude Behavior and Change Study (ABC; n=1165) and the 2003-2006 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; n=4201), were stratified by employment status (employed and not employed) and job activity level (active, sedentary and mixed). PA in counts×min(-1) and time spent in sedentary, low and moderate or higher intensity were measured with accelerometers. Analyses were conducted in 2012-2013. In NHANES, the employed had significantly higher counts×min(-1) and spent more time in moderate or higher intensity PA than those not employed. In ABC, no significant differences were observed between employed and unemployed. Adults with active versus sedentary occupations had higher counts×min(-1) and less sedentary time in both the USA and Sweden and in both men and women. For example, counts×min(-1) were 20-40% greater in active versus sedentary jobs. Employment status is related to PA and sedentary time among men and women in the USA but not in Sweden. Among the employed, occupational PA is associated with total PA and sedentary time for both genders and in both countries. Comparisons of PA levels based on objective measurements can refine understanding of country differences in activity. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

Lipase hydration state in the gas phase: sorption isotherm measurements and inverse gas chromatography.

PubMed

Marton, Zsuzsanna; Chaput, Ludovic; Pierre, Guillaume; Graber, Marianne

2010-11-01

The adsorption of water and substrate on immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B was studied by performing adsorption isotherm measurements and using inverse gas chromatography (IGC). Water adsorption isotherm of the immobilized enzyme showed singular profile absorption incompatible with the Brunauer-Emmet-Teller model, probably due to the hydrophobic nature of the support, leading to very low interactions with water. IGC allowed determining the evolution with water thermodynamic activity (a(W)) of both dispersive surface energies and acidity and basicity constants of immobilized enzyme. These results showed that water molecules progressively covered immobilized enzyme, when increasing a(W), leading to a saturation of polar groups above a(W) 0.1 and full coverage of the surface above a(W) 0.25. IGC also enabled relevant experiments to investigate the behavior of substrates under a(W) that they will experience, in a competitive situation with water. Results indicated that substrates had to displace water molecules in order to adsorb on the enzyme from a(W) values ranging from 0.1 to 0.2, depending on the substrate. As the conditions used for these adsorption studies resemble the ones of the continuous enzymatic solid/gas reactor, in which activity and selectivity of the lipase were extensively studied, it was possible to link adsorption results with particular effects of water on enzyme properties.

Accuracy of Self-Reported Physical Activity Levels in Obese Adolescents

PubMed Central

Elliott, Sarah A.; Baxter, Kimberley A.; Davies, Peter S. W.; Truby, Helen

2014-01-01

Introduction. Self-reported measures of habitual physical activity rely completely on the respondent's ability to provide accurate information on their own physical activity behaviours. Our aim was to investigate if obese adolescents could accurately report their physical activity levels (PAL) using self-reported diaries. Methods. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured using doubly labelled water (DLW) and resting energy expenditure (REE) was measured via indirect calorimetry. Activity energy expenditure (AEE) and PAL values were derived from measured TEE and REE. Self-reported, four-day activity diaries were used to calculate daily MET values and averaged to give an estimated PAL value (ePAL). Results. Twenty-two obese adolescents, mean age 13.2 ± 1.8 years, mean BMI 31.3 ± 4.6 kg/m2, completed the study. No significant differences between mean measured and estimated PAL values were observed (1.37 ± 0.13 versus 1.40 ± 0.34, P = 0.74). Bland Altman analysis illustrated a significant relationship (r = −0.76, P < 0.05) between the two methods; thus the bias was not consistent across a range of physical activity levels, with the more inactive overreporting their physical activity. Conclusion. At an individual level, obese adolescents are unlikely to be able to provide an accurate estimation of their own activity. PMID:25247095

Using Network Science Measures to Predict the Lexical Decision Performance of Adults Who Stutter.

PubMed

Castro, Nichol; Pelczarski, Kristin M; Vitevitch, Michael S

2017-07-12

Methods from network science have examined various aspects of language processing. Clinical populations may also benefit from these novel analyses. Phonological and lexical factors have been examined in adults who stutter (AWS) as potential contributing factors to stuttering, although differences reported are often subtle. We reexamined the performance of AWS and adults who do not stutter (AWNS) from a previously conducted lexical decision task in an attempt to determine if network science measures would provide additional insight into the phonological network of AWS beyond traditional psycholinguistic measures. Multiple regression was used to examine the influence of several traditional psycholinguistic measures as well as several new measures from network science on response times. AWS responded to low-frequency words more slowly than AWNS; responses for both groups were equivalent for high-frequency words. AWS responded to shorter words more slowly than AWNS, producing a reverse word-length effect. For the network measures, degree/neighborhood density and closeness centrality, but not whether a word was inside or outside the giant component, influenced response times similarly between groups. Network analyses suggest that multiple levels of the phonological network might influence phonological processing, not just the micro-level traditionally considered by mainstream psycholinguistics.

Effect of Cognitive Activity Level on Duration of Post-Concussion Symptoms

PubMed Central

Brown, Naomi J.; Mannix, Rebekah C.; O’Brien, Michael J.; Gostine, David; Collins, Michael W.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of cognitive activity level on duration of post-concussion symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients who presented to a Sports Concussion Clinic within 3 weeks of injury between October 2009 and July 2011. At each visit, patients completed a scale that recorded their average level of cognitive activity since the previous visit. The product of cognitive activity level and days between visits (cognitive activity-days) was calculated and divided into quartiles. Kaplan-Meier Product Limit method was used to generate curves of symptom duration based on cognitive activity level. To adjust for other possible predictors of concussion recovery, we constructed a Cox proportional hazard model with cognitive activity-days as the main predictor. RESULTS: Of the 335 patients included in the study, 62% were male, 19% reported a loss of consciousness, and 37% reported experiencing amnesia at the time of injury. The mean age of participants was 15 years (range, 8–23) and the mean number of previous concussions was 0.76; 39% of athletes had sustained a previous concussion. The mean Post-Concussion Symptom Scale score at the initial visit was 30 (SD, 26). The overall mean duration of symptoms was 43 days (SD, 53). Of all variables assessed, only total symptom burden at initial visit and cognitive activity level were independently associated with duration of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Increased cognitive activity is associated with longer recovery from concussion. This study supports the use of cognitive rest and adds to the current consensus opinion. PMID:24394679

Epidemiological and sociodemographic factors associated with complicated alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

PubMed

Monte-Secades, R; Blanco-Soto, M; Díaz-Peromingo, J A; Sanvisens-Bergé, A; Martín-González, M C; Barbosa, A; Rosón-Hernández, B; Tejero-Delgado, M A; Puerta-Louro, R; Rabuñal-Rey, R

2017-10-01

To analyse the influence of epidemiological and sociodemographic factors in complicated alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). A multicentre, observational prospective study was conducted on consecutively added patients with AWS hospitalised in internal medicine departments. We recorded sociodemographic, epidemiological, clinical and progression data. Complicated AWS was defined as that which progressed with seizures or delirium tremens. We studied 228 episodes of AWS in 219 patients. The mean age was 54.5 years (SD, 11.5), and 90.8% were men. AWS was the cause for hospitalisation in 39.9% of the patients. Some 27.1% of the cases presented seizures, and 32.4% presented delirium tremens. The daily quantity of alcohol ingested was 17.8 standard drink units (SD, 21.4), with 16.6 years of dependence (SD, 11.3). The pattern of alcohol abuse was regular in 82.8% of the patients. Some 38.4% of the patients were married or had a partner, and 45.6% had children. Some 72.7% of the patients were unemployed or retired. Some 68.5% had only completed primary studies. Some 4.8% consumed cannabis, 5.2% consumed cocaine and 3% consumed opioids. The independent variables related to complicated AWS were consumption of a drug other than alcohol (OR, 5.3; 95% CI 1.5-18.7), low education level (OR, 3.4; 95% CI 1.6-7.3) and hospitalisation for AWS (OR, 2.9; 95% CI 1.5-5.6). The model's receiver operating characteristic area was 0.718 (95% CI 0.643-0.793). Concomitant drug abuse and a low educational level could help identify patients at risk of complicated AWS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.

Development of a population-based threshold model of conidial germination for analysing the effects of physiological manipulation on the stress tolerance and infectivity of insect pathogenic fungi.

PubMed

Andersen, M; Magan, N; Mead, A; Chandler, D

2006-09-01

Entomopathogenic fungi are being used as biocontrol agents of insect pests, but their efficacy can be poor in environments where water availability is reduced. In this study, the potential to improve biocontrol by physiologically manipulating fungal inoculum was investigated. Cultures of Beauveria bassiana, Lecanicillium muscarium, Lecanicillium longisporum, Metarhizium anisopliae and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus were manipulated by growing them under conditions of water stress, which produced conidia with increased concentrations of erythritol. The time-course of germination of conidia at different water activities (water activity, aw) was described using a generalized linear model, and in most cases reducing the water activity of the germination medium delayed the onset of germination without affecting the distribution of germination times. The germination of M. anisopliae, L. muscarium, L. longisporum and P. fumosoroseus was accelerated over a range of aw levels as a result of physiological manipulation. However, the relationship between the effect of physiological manipulation on germination and the osmolyte content of conidia varied according to fungal species. There was a linear relationship between germination rate, expressed as the reciprocal of germination time, and aw of the germination medium, but there was no significant effect of fungal species or physiological manipulation on the aw threshold for germination. In bioassays with M. anisopliae, physiologically manipulated conidia germinated more rapidly on the surface of an insect host, the melon cotton aphid Aphis gossypii, and fungal virulence was increased even when relative humidity was reduced after an initial high period. It is concluded that physiological manipulation may lead to improvements in biocontrol in the field, but choice of fungal species/isolate will be critical. In addition, the population-based threshold model used in this study, which considered germination in terms of physiological

Modulation of Bacillus thuringiensis Phosphatidylinositol-Specific Phospholipase C Activity by Mutations in the Putative Dimerization Interface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, X.; Shao, C; Zhang, X

2009-01-01

Cleavage of phosphatidylinositol (PI) to inositol 1,2-(cyclic)-phosphate (cIP) and cIP hydrolysis to inositol 1-phosphate by Bacillus thuringiensis phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C are activated by the enzyme binding to phosphatidylcholine (PC) surfaces. Part of this reflects improved binding of the protein to interfaces. However, crystallographic analysis of an interfacially impaired phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase (W47A/W242A) suggested protein dimerization might occur on the membrane. In the W47A/W242A dimer, four tyrosine residues from one monomer interact with the same tyrosine cluster of the other, forming a tight dimer interface close to the membrane binding regions. We have constructed mutant proteins in which two or more ofmore » these tyrosine residues have been replaced with serine. Phospholipid binding and enzymatic activity of these mutants have been examined to assess the importance of these residues to enzyme function. Replacing two tyrosines had small effects on enzyme activity. However, removal of three or four tyrosine residues weakened PC binding and reduced PI cleavage by the enzyme as well as PC activation of cIP hydrolysis. Crystal structures of Y247S/Y251S in the absence and presence of myo-inositol as well as Y246S/Y247S/Y248S/Y251S indicate that both mutant proteins crystallized as monomers, were very similar to one another, and had no change in the active site region. Kinetic assays, lipid binding, and structural results indicate that either (i) a specific PC binding site, critical for vesicle activities and cIP activation, has been impaired, or (ii) the reduced dimerization potential for Y246S/Y247S/Y248S and Y246S/Y247S/Y248S/Y251S is responsible for their reduced catalytic activity in all assay systems.« less

The Contribution of Former Work-Related Activity Levels to Predict Physical Activity and Sedentary Time during Early Retirement: Moderating Role of Educational Level and Physical Functioning

PubMed Central

Van Dyck, Delfien; Cardon, Greet; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2015-01-01

Background The transition to retirement introduces a decline in total physical activity and an increase in TV viewing time. Nonetheless, as more time becomes available, early retirement is an ideal stage to implement health interventions. Therefore, knowledge on specific determinants of physical activity and sedentary time is needed. Former work-related physical activity has been proposed as a potential determinant, but concrete evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine if former work-related sitting, standing, walking or vigorous activities predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement. Additionally, moderating effects of educational level and physical functioning were examined. Methods In total, 392 recently retired Belgian adults (>6 months, <5 years) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the SF-36 Health Survey and a questionnaire on sociodemographics and former work-related activities. Generalized linear regression analyses were conducted in R. Moderating effects were examined by adding cross-products to the models. Results More former work-related sitting was predictive of more screen time during retirement. Lower levels of former work-related vigorous activities and higher levels of former work-related walking were associated with respectively more cycling for transport and more walking for transport during retirement. None of the predictors significantly explained passive transportation, cycling and walking for recreation, and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during retirement. Several moderating effects were found, but the direction of the interactions was not univocal. Conclusions Former-work related behaviors are of limited importance to explain physical activity during early retirement, so future studies should focus on other individual, social and environmental determinants. Nonetheless, adults who previously had a sedentary job had higher levels of screen time during

Biomonitoring short- and long-term exposure to the herbicide terbuthylazine in agriculture workers and in the general population using urine and hair specimens.

PubMed

Mercadante, Rosa; Polledri, Elisa; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Fustinoni, Silvia

2013-10-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate short-term and long-term exposure to terbuthylazine (TBA) in agriculture workers (AW), rural residents (RR), and urban residents (UR) using urine and hair specimens. Twelve AW, 13 RR, and 17 UR were included in the study. Urine spot samples were collected with two different protocols. AW urine samples were collected before the application season (February, U0), at bedtime on the day of TBA application (March-May, U1), and prior to the next shift on the day after TBA application (U2). RR and UR urine samples were collected on any day during the application season (Ue). Hair samples were collected for all subjects before the application season (February, H0) and at the end of the season (June, H1). TBA and its metabolite desethylterbuthylazine (DET) were measured by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry detection. DET was exclusively found in urine, while TBA was mostly found in the hair. In the AW, the urinary levels of DET were not detected in the U0 samples, and they increased to median levels of 1.81 and 2.94μg/L in the U1 and U2 samples, respectively (p<0.001). In the RR and UR, DET was not detected in the Ue samples. In the UR, TBA was not detected in the H0 samples, and the median levels of TBA were 0.01ng/mg hair in both the AW and RR. In the H1 samples, the median TBA levels were not detected, 0.01, and 0.08ng/mg hair in the UR, RR, and AW, respectively (p<0.001). Urinary DET and hair TBA are promising candidates for biomonitoring short- and long-term exposure to TBA. The use of this herbicide in agriculture leads to exposure in rural residents. © 2013.

[Forensic examinations of clothing and other materials found in the coffin by the body of general Władysław Sikorski].

PubMed

Was-Gubała, Jolanta; Brozek-Mucha, Zuzanna

2009-01-01

The report presents the results of identification of garments and other textile products, as well as various materials, e.g. fragments of metals, wood slivers and chemical substances found in the coffin by the body of General Władysław Sikorski. The articles of clothing revealed no damages that could have resulted from a thermal factor, such as fire, high temperature or explosion. Mechanical damages of fabric and knitted fabric resulted from annealing processes and biodegradation of the products. Metallic particles present near the body were fragments of the solder sealing the cover with the coffin. A wood sliver revealed in the left orbital cavity and some of the slivers found on the surface of the shirt originated from Douglas-fir, and other splinters most probably from cypress and elm tree. The presence of struvite, the product of binding of phosphates, ammonia and water resulting from decay of biological materials in the presence of magnesium compounds, was established on the surface of the shirt and the handkerchief.

Influence of Temperature and Water Activity on Deleterious Fungi and Mycotoxin Production during Grain Storage

PubMed Central

Mannaa, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Cereal grains are the most important food source for humans. As the global population continues to grow exponentially, the need for the enhanced yield and minimal loss of agricultural crops, mainly cereal grains, is increasing. In general, harvested grains are stored for specific time periods to guarantee their continuous supply throughout the year. During storage, economic losses due to reduction in quality and quantity of grains can become very significant. Grain loss is usually the result of its deterioration due to fungal contamination that can occur from preharvest to postharvest stages. The deleterious fungi can be classified based on predominance at different stages of crop growth and harvest that are affected by environmental factors such as water activity (aw) and eco-physiological requirements. These fungi include species such as those belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium that can produce mycotoxins harmful to animals and humans. The grain type and condition, environment, and biological factors can also influence the occurrence and predominance of mycotoxigenic fungi in stored grains. The main environmental factors influencing grain fungi and mycotoxins are temperature and aw. This review discusses the effects of temperature and aw on fungal growth and mycotoxin production in stored grains. The focus is on the occurrence and optimum and minimum growth requirements for grain fungi and mycotoxin production. The environmental influence on aflatoxin production and hypothesized mechanisms of its molecular suppression in response to environmental changes are also discussed. In addition, the use of controlled or modified atmosphere as an environmentally safe alternative to harmful agricultural chemicals is discussed and recommended future research issues are highlighted. PMID:29371792

[Business and Education Standards Program - Development of Standards and Certification for Welders]. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Welding Society, Miami, FL.

The American Welding Society (AWS) Education Grant Committee was organized in 1993 to unite employers, trade unions, educators, technical specialists, welding equipment manufacturers, and AWS members in efforts to develop national skills standards for training and certifying entry-level, advanced, and expert welders. Data were collected through…

Physical activity levels of older adults receiving a home care service.

PubMed

Burton, Elissa; Lewin, Gill; Boldy, Duncan

2013-04-01

The 3 study objectives were to compare the activity levels of older people who had received a restorative home care service with those of people who had received "usual" home care, explore the predictors of physical activity in these 2 groups, and determine whether either group met the minimum recommended activity levels for their age group. A questionnaire was posted to 1,490 clients who had been referred for a home care service between 2006 and 2009. Older people who had received a restorative care service were more active than those who had received usual care (p = .049), but service group did not predict activity levels when other variables were adjusted for in a multiple regression. Younger individuals who were in better physical condition, with good mobility and no diagnosis of depression, were more likely to be active. Investigation of alternatives to the current exercise component of the restorative program is needed.

Economic evaluation of an area-wide integrated pest management program to control the Asian tiger mosquito in New Jersey

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aedes albopictus is the most invasive mosquito in the world, an important disease vector, and a biting nuisance that limits outdoor activities. Area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) is the recommended control strategy. We conducted an economic evaluation of the AW-IPM project in Mercer and ...

Correlates of physical activity level among hemodialysis patients in Selangor, Malaysia.

PubMed

Wong, S W; Chan, Y M; Lim, T S

2011-12-01

There is mounting evidence demonstrating the importance of adequate physical activity to promote better well-being among hemodialysis patients. Available data pertaining to the levels of physical activity and its determinants among hemodialysis patients is, however, scarce in Malaysia. The objectives of this study are hence to determine the levels of physical activity and it associated factors among hemodialysis patients. A total of 70 subjects were recruited from three dialysis centres in Selangor. A face-to-face interview was conducted to obtain socio-demographic data and subjects' knowledge on dietary sources. Medical history, biochemical parameters and weight status were obtained from medical records. Physical activity level (PAL) was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). A total of 81.4% and 18.6% of the respondents had low and moderate PALs, respectively. Thus, none of the respondents had high PAL. Serum creatinine, education level, personal income and knowledge score on potassium-related medical complications were factors found to correlate significantly with PAL. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that higher PAL was predicted by a lower knowledge score on dietary sodium source, higher education and higher serum creatinine. Despite consistent documentation of the potential positive impact of physical exercise on hemodialysis outcomes, the level of physical activity remains low among these patients. It is hoped that these findings can add to the existing body of knowledge and serve as a supporting document for the formulation of appropriate interventions to improve the status of physical activity among hemodialysis patients in Malaysia.

The median preoptic nucleus reciprocally modulates activity of arousal-related and sleep-related neurons in the perifornical lateral hypothalamus.

PubMed

Suntsova, Natalia; Guzman-Marin, Ruben; Kumar, Sunil; Alam, Md Noor; Szymusiak, Ronald; McGinty, Dennis

2007-02-14

The perifornical-lateral hypothalamic area (PF/LH) contains neuronal groups playing an important role in control of waking and sleep. Among the brain regions that regulate behavioral states, one of the strongest sources of projections to the PF/LH is the median preoptic nucleus (MnPN) containing a sleep-active neuronal population. To evaluate the role of MnPN afferents in the control of PF/LH neuronal activity, we studied the responses of PF/LH cells to electrical stimulation or local chemical manipulation of the MnPN in freely moving rats. Single-pulse electrical stimulation evoked responses in 79% of recorded PF/LH neurons. No cells were activated antidromically. Direct and indirect transsynaptic effects depended on sleep-wake discharge pattern of PF/LH cells. The majority of arousal-related neurons, that is, cells discharging at maximal rates during active waking (AW) or during AW and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, exhibited exclusively or initially inhibitory responses to stimulation. Sleep-related neurons, the cells with elevated discharge during non-REM and REM sleep or selectively active in REM sleep, exhibited exclusively or initially excitatory responses. Activation of the MnPN via microdialytic application of L-glutamate or bicuculline resulted in reduced discharge of arousal-related and in excitation of sleep-related PF/LH neurons. Deactivation of the MnPN with muscimol caused opposite effects. The results indicate that the MnPN contains subset(s) of neurons, which exert inhibitory control over arousal-related and excitatory control over sleep-related PF/LH neurons. We hypothesize that MnPN sleep-active neuronal group has both inhibitory and excitatory outputs that participate in the inhibitory control of arousal-promoting PF/LH mechanisms.

Stuttering and Natural Speech Processing of Semantic and Syntactic Constraints on Verbs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber-Fox, Christine; Hampton, Amanda

2008-01-01

Purpose: Previous findings from event-related brain potentials (ERPs) indicate that adults who stutter (AWS) exhibit processing differences for visually presented linguistic information. This study explores how neural activations for AWS may differ for a linguistic task that does not require preparation for overt articulation or engage the…

Playground Designs to Increase Physical Activity Levels during School Recess: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escalante, Yolanda; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Backx, Karianne; Saavedra, Jose M.

2014-01-01

School recess provides a major opportunity to increase children's physical activity levels. Various studies have described strategies to increase levels of physical activity. The purpose of this systematic review is therefore to examine the interventions proposed as forms of increasing children's physical activity levels during recess. A…

Physical activity level and associated factors among civil servants in Xi'an, China.

PubMed

Sun, Lijun; Jiang, Xun; Zhao, Xin; Zhang, Yuhai; Xu, Yongyong; Shang, Lei

2016-08-01

This study investigated physical activity levels and associated factors among civil servants in Xi'an, China, to provide reference data for the implementation of health improvement strategies among civil servants. A cross-section study. A random sample of 1000 civil servants aged 18-60 years and employed by the Xi'an civic government was assessed by using the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Associations between physical activity and sociodemographic characteristics, family history of chronic disease, and existing disease were evaluated by the Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, and binary logistic regression. The response rate was 92.4%. The median physical activity score was 2227 metabolic equivalents of task (MET) minutes per week (interquartile range [IQR]: 1308-3802METmin/week). Among the 924 participants, 7.4% did not meet minimum recommendations for physical activity, 57.3% had moderate activity levels, and 35.4% had high activity levels. Participants spent most of their time on occupational activities (median: 869METmin/week, IQR: 228-1953METmin/week). Female sex (odds ratio [OR]:0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.29-0.55), age≥51 years (OR: 0.45, 95%CI: 0.27-0.75), and family history of chronic disease (OR: 0.67, 95%CI: 0.48-0.94) were associated with significantly lower odds of a high activity level. Most civil servants in Xi'an, China, have moderate activity levels. Some have high activity levels, but few engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity. Interventions to encourage a high level of physical activity are needed, especially for women, older civil servants, and those with family histories of chronic disease. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Social-Cognitive Stress on Speech Variability, Determinism, and Stability in Adults Who Do and Do Not Stutter.

PubMed

Jackson, Eric S; Tiede, Mark; Beal, Deryk; Whalen, D H

2016-12-01

This study examined the impact of social-cognitive stress on sentence-level speech variability, determinism, and stability in adults who stutter (AWS) and adults who do not stutter (AWNS). We demonstrated that complementing the spatiotemporal index (STI) with recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) provides a novel approach to both assessing and interpreting speech variability in stuttering. Twenty AWS and 21 AWNS repeated sentences in audience and nonaudience conditions while their lip movements were tracked. Across-sentence variability was assessed via the STI; within-sentence determinism and stability were assessed via RQA. Compared with the AWNS, the AWS produced speech that was more variable across sentences and more deterministic and stable within sentences. Audience presence contributed to greater within-sentence determinism and stability in the AWS. A subset of AWS who were more susceptible to experiencing anxiety exhibited reduced across-sentence variability in the audience condition compared with the nonaudience condition. This study extends the assessment of speech variability in AWS and AWNS into the social-cognitive domain and demonstrates that the characterization of speech within sentences using RQA is complementary to the across-sentence STI measure. AWS seem to adopt a more restrictive, less flexible speaking approach in response to social-cognitive stress, which is presumably a strategy for maintaining observably fluent speech.

Prevalence of physical activity levels by ethnicity among adults in Hawaii, BRFSS 2001.

PubMed

Mampilly, Carrie M; Yore, Michelle M; Maddock, Jay E; Nigg, Claudio R; Buchner, David; Heath, Gregory W

2005-10-01

Few studies have examined the differences in physical activity levels between subgroups of Asian or Pacific Islanders living in the United States. This study compared levels of physical activity for three subgroups of Asian or Pacific Islanders residing in Hawaii. Data on Native Hawaiian/Part Native Hawaiian (N=585), Filipino (N=548), Japanese (N=871), and White (N=1728) adults were obtained from the Hawaii 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which contained more detailed questions on ethnicity than are collected by most states. Six physical activity categories were compared: inactive, insufficient (some activity but less than recommended activity), moderate activity (> or = 30 minutes of moderate activity > or = 5 days a week), vigorous activity (> or = 20 minutes of vigorous activity > or = 3 days a week), recommended activity (meeting either moderate or vigorous activity requirements), and a recently suggested target of > or = 60 minutes of moderate activity 7 days a week or > or = 20 minutes of vigorous activity > or = 4 days a week. Among Asians or Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians/Part Native Hawaiians were most active (38.9% moderate and 23.9% vigorous), followed by Japanese (32.1%, 20.4%) and Filipinos (31.8%, 18.6%). Whites were more active than any of these three subgroups (47.2%, 35.4%). Differences in physical activity levels between subgroups of Asians or Pacific Islanders in Hawaii suggests that aggregated data for all subgroups obscures important information about disparities in activity levels. State efforts to reduce disparities in activity levels should take into account differences between Asian or Pacific Islander subgroups.

Sensorimotor Oscillations Prior to Speech Onset Reflect Altered Motor Networks in Adults Who Stutter

PubMed Central

Mersov, Anna-Maria; Jobst, Cecilia; Cheyne, Douglas O.; De Nil, Luc

2016-01-01

Adults who stutter (AWS) have demonstrated atypical coordination of motor and sensory regions during speech production. Yet little is known of the speech-motor network in AWS in the brief time window preceding audible speech onset. The purpose of the current study was to characterize neural oscillations in the speech-motor network during preparation for and execution of overt speech production in AWS using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Twelve AWS and 12 age-matched controls were presented with 220 words, each word embedded in a carrier phrase. Controls were presented with the same word list as their matched AWS participant. Neural oscillatory activity was localized using minimum-variance beamforming during two time periods of interest: speech preparation (prior to speech onset) and speech execution (following speech onset). Compared to controls, AWS showed stronger beta (15–25 Hz) suppression in the speech preparation stage, followed by stronger beta synchronization in the bilateral mouth motor cortex. AWS also recruited the right mouth motor cortex significantly earlier in the speech preparation stage compared to controls. Exaggerated motor preparation is discussed in the context of reduced coordination in the speech-motor network of AWS. It is further proposed that exaggerated beta synchronization may reflect a more strongly inhibited motor system that requires a stronger beta suppression to disengage prior to speech initiation. These novel findings highlight critical differences in the speech-motor network of AWS that occur prior to speech onset and emphasize the need to investigate further the speech-motor assembly in the stuttering population. PMID:27642279

Physical activity, but not fitness level, is associated with depression in Australian adults.

PubMed

Forsyth, A; Williams, P; Deane, F P

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the fitness and physical activity levels of people referred to a nutrition and physical activity program for the management of mental health in general practice. General practitioners referred 109 patients being treated for depression and/or anxiety to a lifestyle intervention program. All participants completed anthropometric measurements and questionnaires including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and the Active Australia Survey. Aerobic fitness was measured with the YMCA step test and muscular fitness was measured with repeated chair stands and arm curls. Fitness scores were compared to population norms, and physical activity levels were compared to population norms and national recommendations. Eighty percent of participants were overweight or obese. A greater proportion of study participants (51%) than the general Australian population (38%) met the recommended 150 minutes per week spent in moderate physical activity. However, participants demonstrated lower than average levels of fitness and participated in low levels of vigorous physical activity. Levels of physical activity, but not fitness, were inversely correlated with DASS scores. Patients presenting with depression and/or anxiety should be screened for physical activity behaviours and encouraged to meet the National Physical Activity Guidelines.

A systems approach to model the relationship between aflatoxin gene cluster expression, environmental factors, growth and toxin production by Aspergillus flavus

PubMed Central

Abdel-Hadi, Ahmed; Schmidt-Heydt, Markus; Parra, Roberto; Geisen, Rolf; Magan, Naresh

2012-01-01

A microarray analysis was used to examine the effect of combinations of water activity (aw, 0.995–0.90) and temperature (20–42°C) on the activation of aflatoxin biosynthetic genes (30 genes) in Aspergillus flavus grown on a conducive YES (20 g yeast extract, 150 g sucrose, 1 g MgSO4·7H2O) medium. The relative expression of 10 key genes (aflF, aflD, aflE, aflM, aflO, aflP, aflQ, aflX, aflR and aflS) in the biosynthetic pathway was examined in relation to different environmental factors and phenotypic aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production. These data, plus data on relative growth rates and AFB1 production under different aw × temperature conditions were used to develop a mixed-growth-associated product formation model. The gene expression data were normalized and then used as a linear combination of the data for all 10 genes and combined with the physical model. This was used to relate gene expression to aw and temperature conditions to predict AFB1 production. The relationship between the observed AFB1 production provided a good linear regression fit to the predicted production based in the model. The model was then validated by examining datasets outside the model fitting conditions used (37°C, 40°C and different aw levels). The relationship between structural genes (aflD, aflM) in the biosynthetic pathway and the regulatory genes (aflS, aflJ) was examined in relation to aw and temperature by developing ternary diagrams of relative expression. These findings are important in developing a more integrated systems approach by combining gene expression, ecophysiological influences and growth data to predict mycotoxin production. This could help in developing a more targeted approach to develop prevention strategies to control such carcinogenic natural metabolites that are prevalent in many staple food products. The model could also be used to predict the impact of climate change on toxin production. PMID:21880616

Evaluating the Ergonomics of Flexible Ureteroscopy.

PubMed

Ludwig, Wesley W; Lee, Gyusung; Ziemba, Justin B; Ko, Joan S; Matlaga, Brian R

2017-10-01

To date, the ergonomics of flexible ureteroscopy (URS) have not been well described. We performed a study to assess the biomechanical stresses on urologists performing URS and to investigate the effect of ureteroscope type on these parameters. Electromyography (EMG) was used to quantify the activation level of muscle groups involved in URS. Surface EMG electrodes (Delsys, Boston, MA) were placed on the right and left thenar, flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU), biceps, triceps, and deltoid. Three endoscopes were studied: single-use digital (Boston Scientific LithoVue), reusable digital (Karl Storz Flex-X c ), and reusable fiber-optic (Karl Storz Flex-X 2 ). Each ureteroscope was used to perform a set sequence of navigation and procedural tasks in a training model. EMG data were processed and normalized to compare the maximum voluntary contractions between muscle groups. Cumulative muscular workload (CMW) and average muscular work per second (AWS) were used for comparative analysis. For navigational tasks, CMW and AWS were greatest for the ECU, followed in descending order by right and left thenar, FCU, biceps, deltoid, and triceps. For procedural tasks, CMW and AWS were greatest for the right thenar, followed in descending order by the left thenar, ECU, FCU, triceps, biceps, and deltoid. During navigational tasks, both LithoVue and Flex-X c had lower CMWs for every muscle group than Flex-X 2 (p < 0.05). LithoVue and Flex-X c had similar AWS and both were lower than Flex-X 2 for the right thenar, ECU, biceps, and deltoid activation (p < 0.05). During procedural tasks, both LithoVue and Flex-X c had lower CMWs and AWS for right and left thenar, ECU, and biceps than Flex-X 2 (p < 0.05). This study provides the first description of EMG-measured ergonomics of URS. Both the single-use and reusable digital ureteroscopes have similar profiles, and both have significantly better ergonomic metrics than the reusable fiber-optic ureteroscope.

Children's Physical Activity Levels during Indoor Recess Dance Videos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erwin, Heather; Koufoudakis, Ryann; Beighle, Aaron

2013-01-01

Background: Children's physical activity (PA) levels remain low, and schools are being asked to assume a leadership role in PA promotion. Research suggests outdoor recess contributes to children's overall PA levels. However, similar research is not available for indoor recess, which occurs frequently due to a variety of factors. The purpose of…

Physical Activity Levels in Portuguese High School Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marmeleira, Jose Francisco Filipe; Aldeias, Nuno Micael Carrasqueira; da Graca, Pedro Miguel dos Santos Medeira

2012-01-01

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the physical activity (PA) levels of high school Portuguese students during physical education (PE) and investigate the association of PA levels with students' goal orientation and intrinsic motivation. Forty-six students from three high schools participated. Heart rate telemetry and pedometry were used…

Movement Activity Levels on Traditional and Contemporary Playground Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Carl P.; LeBlanc, Elizabeth

This study investigated playground activity levels of children in grades K-4 and compared levels of use of traditional and creative playground apparatus. The traditional playground area consisted of climbing bars, slides, ladders, chin bars, swings, see saws, and a merry-go-round. The creative playground contained tire hurdles, tire walk, tire…

Relationship between diet and physical activity level in adolescents from post-grammar schools.

PubMed

Dmitruk, Agnieszka; Kunicka, Izabela; Popławska, Helena; Hołub, Wojciech

2016-01-01

Appropriate diet and physical activity are vital determinants of psychophysical development in children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to analyse an association between dietary habits and physical activity levels of adolescents from post-grammar schools. The study included 110 girls and 65 boys between 16 and 19 years of age from two post-grammar schools in Biała Podlaska in Poland. They were subjected to a diagnostic survey providing information on their diet (number of meals a day, their regularity, frequency of bread, dairy, meat, fish, sweet, fruit, vegetable and fast food consumption, preferred ways of food processing). Physical activity levels were determined with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire--Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Based on these data, the respondents were stratified to high, moderate and low physical activity groups. Due to small number of participants presenting with low physical activity levels, we did not include this group in further analyses. The significance of differences in the dietary habits of adolescents presenting with high and moderate physical activity levels was verified with the χ2 test. Most girls and boys presented with high levels of physical activity. However, we did not find an evident relationship between dietary habits and physical activity levels. Girls from high and moderate physical activity groups differed solely in terms of the number of daily meals, frequency of meat and sweet consumption, and significant intergroup differences observed among boys pertained to the frequencies of whole-wheat bread, meat and fast food consumption. The abovementioned food products were consumed more often by girls and boys presenting with high physical activity levels. The dietary mistakes observed in physically active adolescents from post-secondary schools justify intensification of their dietary education programs.

Activation of β-adrenoceptor facilitates active avoidance learning through enhancement of glutamate levels in the hippocampal dentate gyrus.

PubMed

Lv, Jing; Feng, Hao; Chen, Ling; Wang, Wei-Yao; Yue, Xue-Ling; Jin, Qing-Hua

2017-10-18

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is widely accepted as the best studied model for neurophysiological mechanisms that could underlie learning and memory formation. Despite a number of studies indicating that β-adrenoceptors in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is involved in the modulation of learning and memory as well as LTP, few studies have used glutamate release as a visual indicator in awake animals to explore the role of β-adrenoceptors in learning-dependent LTP. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of propranolol (an antagonist of β-adrenoceptor) and isoproterenol (an agonist of β-adrenoceptor) on extracellular concentrations of glutamate and amplitudes of field excitatory postsynaptic potential were measured in the DG region during active avoidance learning in freely moving conscious rats. In the control group, the glutamate level in the DG was significantly increased during the acquisition of active avoidance behavior and returned to basal level following extinction training. In propranolol group, antagonism of β-adrenoceptors in the DG significantly reduced the change in glutamate level, and the acquisition of the active avoidance behavior was significantly inhibited. In contrast, the change in glutamate level was significantly enhanced by isoproterenol, and the acquisition of the active avoidance behavior was significantly accelerated. Furthermore, in all groups, the changes in glutamate level were accompanied by corresponding changes in field excitatory postsynaptic potential amplitude and active avoidance behavior. Our results suggest that activation of β-adrenoceptors in the hippocampal DG facilitates active avoidance learning by modulations of glutamate level and synaptic efficiency in rats.

Time course of EEG background activity level before spontaneous awakening in infants.

PubMed

Zampi, Chiara; Fagioli, Igino; Salzarulo, Piero

2002-12-01

This research aimed to investigate the time course of the cortical activity level preceding spontaneous awakening as a function of age and state. Two groups of infants (1-4 and 9-14 weeks of age) were continuously monitored by polygraphic recording and behavioural observation during the night. The electroencephalographic (EEG) activity recorded by the C3-O1 lead was analysed through an automatic analysis method which provides, for each 30-s epoch, a single measure, time domain based, of the EEG synchronization. The EEG parameter values were computed in the 6 min preceding each awakening out of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and out of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The EEG background activity level did not change in the minutes preceding awakening out of REM sleep. Awakening out of NREM sleep was preceded by a change of EEG activity level in the direction of higher activation with different time course according to the age. Both REM and NREM sleep results suggest that a high level of EEG activity is a prerequisite for the occurrence of a spontaneous awakening.

Camden active spaces: Does the construction of active school playgrounds influence children's physical activity levels? A longitudinal quasi-experiment protocol

PubMed Central

Smith, Lee; Kipps, Courtney; Aggio, Daniel; Fox, Paul; Robinson, Nigel; Trend, Verena; Munnery, Suzie; Kelly, Barry; Hamer, Mark

2014-01-01

Introduction Physical activity is essential for every facet of children's health. However, physical activity levels in British children are low. The school environment is a promising setting to increase children's physical activity but limited empirical evidence exists on how a change in the outdoor physical school environment influences physical activity behaviour. The London Borough of Camden is redesigning seven existing school playgrounds to engage children to become more physically active. The primary aim of this project is to evaluate the impact of the redesigned playgrounds on children's physical activity, well-being and physical function/fitness. Method and analysis This project will use a longitudinal quasi-experimental design. Seven experimental schools and one control school will take part. One baseline data collection session and two follow-ups will be carried out. Between baseline and follow-up, the experimental school playgrounds will be redesigned. At baseline, a series of fitness tests, anthropometric and questionnaire measurements, and 7-day objective physical activity monitoring (Actigraph accelerometer) will be carried out on children (aged 5–16 years). This will be repeated at follow-up. Changes in overall physical activity levels and levels during different times of the day (eg, school breaks) will be examined. Multilevel regression modelling will be used to analyse the data. Ethics and dissemination The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-review publications and scientific presentations. Ethical approval was obtained through the University College London Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: 4400/002). PMID:25232566

Camden active spaces: does the construction of active school playgrounds influence children's physical activity levels? A longitudinal quasi-experiment protocol.

PubMed

Smith, Lee; Kipps, Courtney; Aggio, Daniel; Fox, Paul; Robinson, Nigel; Trend, Verena; Munnery, Suzie; Kelly, Barry; Hamer, Mark

2014-01-01

Physical activity is essential for every facet of children's health. However, physical activity levels in British children are low. The school environment is a promising setting to increase children's physical activity but limited empirical evidence exists on how a change in the outdoor physical school environment influences physical activity behaviour. The London Borough of Camden is redesigning seven existing school playgrounds to engage children to become more physically active. The primary aim of this project is to evaluate the impact of the redesigned playgrounds on children's physical activity, well-being and physical function/fitness. This project will use a longitudinal quasi-experimental design. Seven experimental schools and one control school will take part. One baseline data collection session and two follow-ups will be carried out. Between baseline and follow-up, the experimental school playgrounds will be redesigned. At baseline, a series of fitness tests, anthropometric and questionnaire measurements, and 7-day objective physical activity monitoring (Actigraph accelerometer) will be carried out on children (aged 5–16 years). This will be repeated at follow-up. Changes in overall physical activity levels and levels during different times of the day (eg, school breaks) will be examined. Multilevel regression modelling will be used to analyse the data. The results of this study will be disseminated through peer-review publications and scientific presentations. Ethical approval was obtained through the University College London Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: 4400/002).

[Impact of level of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults].

PubMed

Kim, Jiyun; Park, Seungmi

2012-04-01

This study was done to identify the impact of physical activity on healthcare utilization among Korean adults. Drawing from the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV-2), data from 6,521 adults who completed the Health Interview and Health Behavior Surveys were analyzed. Association between physical activity and healthcare utilization was tested using the χ²-test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios of using outpatient and inpatient healthcare for different levels of physical activity after adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. A generalized linear model applying a negative binomial distribution was used to determine how the level of physical activity was related to use of outpatient and inpatient healthcare. Physically active participants were 16% less likely to use outpatient healthcare (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97) and 23% less likely to use inpatient healthcare (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93) than physically inactive participants. Levels of outpatient and inpatient healthcare use decreased as levels of physical activity increased, after adjusting for relevant factors. An independent association between being physically active and lower healthcare utilization was ascertained among Korean adults indicating a need to develop nursing intervention programs that encourage regular physical activity.

Effect of temperature, pH, and water activity on biofilm formation by Salmonella enterica enteritidis PT4 on stainless steel surfaces as indicated by the bead vortexing method and conductance measurements.

PubMed

Giaouris, E; Chorianopoulos, N; Nychas, G J E

2005-10-01

An assay was developed in an effort to elucidate the effect of important environmental parameters (temperature, pH, and water activity [aw]) on Salmonella Enteritidis biofilm formation on stainless steel surfaces. To achieve this, a modified microbiological technique used for biofilm studying (the bead vortexing method) and a rapid method based on conductivity measurements were used. The ability of the microorganism to generate biofilm on the stainless surfaces was studied at three temperatures (5, 20, and 37 degrees C), four pH values (4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.4), and four aw values (0.5, 1.5, 5.5, and 10.5% NaCl). Results obtained by the bead vortexing method show that maximum numbers of adherent bacteria per square centimeter (106 CFU/cm2) were attained in 6 days at 20 degrees C. Biofilm formation after 7 days of incubation at 20 degrees C was found to be independent of the pH value. In addition, the high concentration of sodium chloride (10.5% NaCl, aw = 0.94) clearly inhibited the adherence of cells to the coupons. Conductance measurements were used as a supplementary tool to measure indirectly the attachment and biofilm formation of bacterial cells on stainless steel surfaces via their metabolic activity (i.e., changes in the conductance of the growth medium due to microbial growth or metabolism). Results obtained by conductance measurements corresponded well to those of the bead vortexing method. Furthermore, we were able to detect cells that remained attached on the metal surfaces even after vortexing via their metabolic activity. The results, except for demonstrating environmental-dependent Salmonella Enteritidis biofilm formation, indicated that traditional vortexing with beads did not remove completely biofilm cells from stainless steel; hence, conductance measurements seem to provide a more sensitive test capable to detect down to one single viable organism.

The Effect of Gender and Level of Vision on the Physical Activity Level of Children and Adolescents with Visual Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Ummuhan Bas; Calik, Bilge Basakci; Kitis, Ali

2012-01-01

This study was planned in order to determine physical activity levels of visually impaired children and adolescents and to investigate the effect of gender and level of vision on physical activity level in visually impaired children and adolescents. A total of 30 visually impaired children and adolescents (16 low vision and 14 blind) aged between…

Physical activity in anorexia nervosa: How relevant is it to therapy response?

PubMed

Sauchelli, S; Arcelus, J; Sánchez, I; Riesco, N; Jiménez-Murcia, S; Granero, R; Gunnard, K; Baños, R; Botella, C; de la Torre, R; Fernández-García, J C; Fernández-Real, J M; Frühbeck, G; Gómez-Ambrosi, J; Tinahones, F J; Casanueva, F F; Menchón, J M; Fernandez-Aranda, F

2015-11-01

Elevated physical activity has been observed in some patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) despite their emaciated condition. However, its effects on treatment outcome remain unclear. This study aimed to examine objectively measured physical activity in this clinical population and how it might be related to a partial hospitalization therapy response, after considering potential confounders. The sample comprised 88 AN patients consecutively enrolled in a day hospital treatment program, and 116 healthy-weight controls. All participants were female and a baseline assessment took place using an accelerometer (Actiwatch AW7) to measure physical activity, the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 and the Depression subscale of the Symptom Checklist-Revised. Outcome was evaluated upon the termination of the treatment program by expert clinicians. Although AN patients and controls did not differ in the average time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (P=.21), nor daytime physical activity (P=.34), fewer AN patients presented a high physical activity profile compared to the controls (37% vs. 61%, respectively; P=.014). Both lower levels of MVPA and greater eating disorder severity had a direct effect on a poor treatment outcome. Depression symptoms in the patients were associated with lower MVPA, as well as with an older age, a shorter duration of the disorder and greater eating disorder psychopathology. There is a notable variation in the physical activity profile of AN patients, characterized by either low or very high patterns. Physical activity is a highly relevant issue in AN that must be taken into account during the treatment process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fitness levels and physical activity among class A drug users entering prison.

PubMed

Fischer, Jan; Butt, Christine; Dawes, Helen; Foster, Charlie; Neale, Joanne; Plugge, Emma; Wheeler, Carly; Wright, Nat

2012-12-01

Physical activity could benefit drug users' physiological and mental health. Previous research has suggested that physical activity levels change when drug users enter prison. Twenty-five class A drug users who were new to prison answered physical activity and drug use cross-sectional questionnaires, took a submaximal fitness test and wore a pedometer for 1 week. Participants' mean aerobic capacity was estimated as 49 mls O2/kg/min (±12 SD). Their mean self-reported walking distance outside of prison was 4.67 miles on an average day (±4.14 SD). Pedometer data suggest they walked a mean of 1.8 miles/day in prison. Many class A drug users entering prison had high levels of fitness and physical activity before admission, often gained from walking. Walking activity reduced when they entered prison, posing a challenge to maintaining healthy activity levels.

Neuropeptide Levels as well as Neprilysin Activity Decrease in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Erin, Nuray; İpekçi, Tümay; Akkaya, Bahar; Özbudak, İrem Hicran; Baykara, Mehmet

2016-12-01

Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide (CGRP), Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and Substance P (SP) are sensory neuropeptides which may alter cancer growth through modulation of chronic inflammation. We recently reported that SP suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis through neuroimmune modulation. These neuropeptides are hydrolyzed by Neprilysin (NEP) to bioactive fragments. Decreased activity of NEP was reported in clear cell and chromophobe type renal cell carcinoma (RCC). It is however not known how the levels of neuropeptides hydrolyzed with NEP changes in RCC. Decrease activity of SP and CGRP containing sensory nerve endings was previously reported to increase cancer metastasis in animal models. It is however not known how peptidergic nerve endings are altered in RCC. Hence we here evaluated the levels of neuronal and non-neuronal neuropeptides and NEP activity in RCC including papillary type as well as neighboring uninvolved kidney. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 57 patients undergoing radical nephrectomy and diagnosed with RCC. NEP activity, levels and expression were determined using flourogenic substrate, western blot and qPCR respectively in freshly-frozen tissues. Immunohistochemical analyses were also performed. Neuronal and non-neuronal levels of CGRP, SP and VIP levels were determined using two-step acetic acid extraction. Levels and activity of NEP were markedly decreased in RCC regardless of subtype. Similar levels of VIP were detected in first and second extractions. VIP levels were higher in clear cell and papillary RCC compared to nearby kidney tissue. VIP levels of neighboring kidney tissue of papillary type RCC was significantly lower compared to kidney samples from clear cell RCC. CGRP levels were higher in second extraction. Similar to VIP levels, CGRP levels of neighboring kidney tissue from clear cell and chromophobe type RCC was significantly lower compared to corresponding tumor samples, an effect observed in the second

Investigation of human body vibration exposures on haul trucks operating at U.S. surface mines/quarries relative to haul truck activity

PubMed Central

Mayton, Alan G.; Porter, William L.; Xu, Xueyan S.; Weston, Eric B.; Rubenstein, Elaine N.

2018-01-01

Workers who operate mine haul trucks are exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV) on a routine basis. Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pittsburgh Mining Research Division (PMRD) investigated WBV and hand-arm vibration (HAV) exposures for mine/quarry haul truck drivers in relation to the haul truck activities of dumping, loading, and traveling with and without a load. The findings show that WBV measures in weighted root-mean-square accelerations (aw) and vibration dose value (VDV), when compared to the ISO/ANSI and European Directive 2002/44/EC standards, were mostly below the Exposure Action Value (EAV) identified by the health guidance caution zone (HGCZ). Nevertheless, instances were recorded where the Exposure Limit Value (ELV) was exceeded by more than 500 to 600 percent for VDVx and awx, respectively. Researchers determined that these excessive levels occurred during the traveling empty activity, when the haul truck descended down grade into the pit loading area, sliding at times, on a wet and slippery road surface caused by rain and overwatering. WBV levels (not normalized to an 8-h shift) for the four haul truck activities showed mean awz levels for five of the seven drivers exceeding the ISO/ANSI EAV by 9–53 percent for the traveling empty activity. Mean awx and awz levels were generally higher for traveling empty and traveling loaded and lower for loading/dumping activities. HAV for measures taken on the steering wheel and shifter were all below the HGCZ which indicates that HAV is not an issue for these drivers/operators when handling steering and shifting control devices. PMID:29725145

Biological/Genetic Regulation of Physical Activity Level: Consensus from GenBioPAC.

PubMed

Lightfoot, J Timothy; DE Geus, Eco J C; Booth, Frank W; Bray, Molly S; DEN Hoed, Marcel; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kelly, Scott A; Pomp, Daniel; Saul, Michael C; Thomis, Martine A; Garland, Theodore; Bouchard, Claude

2018-04-01

Physical activity unquestionably maintains and improves health; however, physical activity levels globally are low and not rising despite all the resources devoted to this goal. Attention in both the research literature and the public policy domain has focused on social-behavioral factors; however, a growing body of literature suggests that biological determinants play a significant role in regulating physical activity levels. For instance, physical activity level, measured in various manners, has a genetic component in both humans and nonhuman animal models. This consensus article, developed as a result of an American College of Sports Medicine-sponsored round table, provides a brief review of the theoretical concepts and existing literature that supports a significant role of genetic and other biological factors in the regulation of physical activity. Future research on physical activity regulation should incorporate genetics and other biological determinants of physical activity instead of a sole reliance on social and other environmental determinants.

Physical Activity Level and Symptom Duration Are Not Associated After Concussion.

PubMed

Howell, David R; Mannix, Rebekah C; Quinn, Bridget; Taylor, J Andrew; Tan, Can Ozan; Meehan, William P

2016-04-01

Physical rest after a concussion has been described as a key component in the management of the injury. Evidence supporting this recommendation, however, is limited. To examine the association between physical activity and symptom duration in a cohort of patients after a concussion. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. This study included 364 patients who were diagnosed with a concussion, were seen by a physician within 3 weeks of injury, and completed a questionnaire at the initial clinic visit. The questionnaire assessed the postconcussion symptom scale (PCSS) score, previous number of concussions, presence of the loss of consciousness or amnesia at the time of injury, and prior treatment for headaches. During each follow-up clinic visit, physical activity level was self-reported. A Cox proportional hazard model was constructed to determine the association between symptom duration, initial clinic visit responses, and self-reported physical activity level after the injury. Study participants ranged in age from 8 to 27 years (mean age, 15.0 years) and had sustained a mean of 0.8 prior concussions; 222 patients (61%) were male. On initial examination, the mean PCSS score was 34.7. The mean symptom duration was 48.9 days after the injury. Among the variables included in the model, initial PCSS score and female sex were independently associated with symptom duration, while physical activity level after the injury was not. For participants aged between 13 and 18 years, however, higher levels of physical activity after the injury were associated with a shorter symptom duration. Results from this study indicate that physical activity after the injury may not be universally detrimental to the recovery of concussion symptoms. © 2016 The Author(s).

The influence of activation level on belief bias in relational reasoning.

PubMed

Banks, Adrian P

2013-04-01

A novel explanation of belief bias in relational reasoning is presented based on the role of working memory and retrieval in deductive reasoning, and the influence of prior knowledge on this process. It is proposed that belief bias is caused by the believability of a conclusion in working memory which influences its activation level, determining its likelihood of retrieval and therefore its effect on the reasoning process. This theory explores two main influences of belief on the activation levels of these conclusions. First, believable conclusions have higher activation levels and so are more likely to be recalled during the evaluation of reasoning problems than unbelievable conclusions, and therefore, they have a greater influence on the reasoning process. Secondly, prior beliefs about the conclusion have a base level of activation and may be retrieved when logically irrelevant, influencing the evaluation of the problem. The theory of activation and memory is derived from the Atomic Components of Thought-Rational (ACT-R) cognitive architecture and so this account is formalized in an ACT-R cognitive model. Two experiments were conducted to test predictions of this model. Experiment 1 tested strength of belief and Experiment 2 tested the impact of a concurrent working memory load. Both of these manipulations increased the main effect of belief overall and in particular raised belief-based responding in indeterminately invalid problems. These effects support the idea that the activation level of conclusions formed during reasoning influences belief bias. This theory adds to current explanations of belief bias by providing a detailed specification of the role of working memory and how it is influenced by prior knowledge. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Activity and circadian rhythm influence synaptic Shank3 protein levels in mice.

PubMed

Sarowar, Tasnuva; Chhabra, Resham; Vilella, Antonietta; Boeckers, Tobias M; Zoli, Michele; Grabrucker, Andreas M

2016-09-01

Various recent studies revealed that the proteins of the Shank family act as major scaffold organizing elements in the post-synaptic density of excitatory synapses and that their expression level is able to influence synapse formation, maturation and ultimately brain plasticity. An imbalance in Shank3 protein levels has been associated with a variety of neuropsychological and neurodegenerative disorders including autism spectrum disorders and Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Given that sleep disorders and low melatonin levels are frequently observed in autism spectrum disorders, and that circadian rhythms may be able to modulate Shank3 signaling and thereby synaptic function, here, we performed in vivo studies on CBA mice using protein biochemistry to investigate the synaptic expression levels of Shank3α during the day in different brain regions. Our results show that synaptic Shank3 protein concentrations exhibit minor oscillations during the day in hippocampal and striatal brain regions that correlate with changes in serum melatonin levels. Furthermore, as circadian rhythms are tightly connected to activity levels in mice, we increased physical activity using running wheels. The expression of Shank3α increases rapidly by induced activity in thalamus and cortex, but decreases in striatum, superimposing the circadian rhythms of different brain regions. We conclude that synaptic Shank3 proteins build highly dynamic platforms that are modulated by the light:dark cycles but even more so driven by activity. Using wild-type CBA mice, we show that Shank3 is a highly dynamic and activity-regulated protein at synapses. In the hippocampus, changes in synaptic Shank3 levels are influenced by circadian rhythm/melatonin concentration, while running activity increases and decreases levels of Shank3 in the cortex and striatum respectively. © 2016 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Porosity and water activity effects on stability of crystalline β-carotene in freeze-dried solids.

PubMed

Harnkarnsujarit, Nathdanai; Charoenrein, Sanguansri; Roos, Yrjö H

2012-11-01

Stability of entrapped crystalline β-carotene as affected by water activity, solids microstructure, and composition of freeze-dried systems was investigated. Aliquots (1000 mm(3) , 20% w/w solids) of solutions of maltodextrins of various dextrose equivalents (M040:DE6, M100:DE11, and M250:DE25.5), M100-sugars (1:1 glucose, fructose and sucrose), and agar for gelation with dispersed β-carotene were frozen at -20, -40, or -80 °C and freeze-dried. Glass transition and α-relaxation temperatures were determined with differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis, respectively. β-Carotene contents were monitored spectrophotometrically. In the glassy solids, pore microstructure had a major effect on β-carotene stability. Small pores with thin walls and large surface area allowed β-carotene exposure to oxygen which led to a higher loss, whereas structural collapse enhanced stability of β-carotene by decreasing exposure to oxygen. As water plasticized matrices, an increase in molecular mobility in the matrix enhanced β-carotene degradation. Stability of dispersed β-carotene was highest at around 0.2 a(w) , but decreasing structural relaxation times above the glass transition correlated well with the rate of β-carotene degradation at higher a(w) . Microstructure, a(w) , and component mobility are important factors in the control of stability of β-carotene in freeze-dried solids. β-Carotene expresses various nutritional benefits; however, it is sensitive to oxygen and the degradation contributes to loss of nutritional values as well as product color. To increase stability of β-carotene in freeze-dried foods, the amount of oxygen penetration need to be limited. The modification of freeze-dried food structures, for example, porosity and structural collapse, components, and humidity effectively enhance the stability of dispersed β-carotene in freeze-dried solids. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

The role of selected lexical factors on confrontation naming accuracy, speed, and fluency in adults who do and do not stutter.

PubMed

Newman, Rochelle S; Bernstein Ratner, Nan

2007-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether lexical access in adults who stutter (AWS) differs from that in people who do not stutter. Specifically, the authors examined the role of 3 lexical factors on naming speed, accuracy, and fluency: word frequency, neighborhood density, and neighborhood frequency. If stuttering results from an impairment in lexical access, these factors were hypothesized to differentially affect AWS performance on a confrontation naming task. Twenty-five AWS and 25 normally fluent comparison speakers, matched for age and education, participated in a confrontation naming task designed to explore within-speaker performance on naming accuracy, speed, and fluency based on stimulus word frequency and neighborhood characteristics. Accuracy, fluency, and reaction time (from acoustic waveform analysis) were computed. In general, AWS demonstrated the same effects of lexical factors on their naming as did adults who do not stutter. However, accuracy of naming was reduced for AWS. Stuttering rate was influenced by word frequency but not other factors. Results suggest that AWS could have a fundamental deficit in lexical retrieval, but this deficit is unlikely to be at the level of the word's abstract phonological representation. Implications for further research are discussed.

Process control plan for 242-A Evaporator Campaign 95-1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Le, E.Q.; Guthrie, M.D.

1995-05-18

The wastes from tanks 106-AP, 107-AP, and 106-AW have been selected to be candidate feed wastes for Evaporator Campaign 95-1. The wastes in tank 106-AP and 107-AP are primarily from B-Plant strontium processing and PUREX neutralized cladding removal, respectively. The waste in tank 106-AW originated primarily from the partially concentrated product from 242-A Evaporator Campaign 94-2. Approximately 8.67 million liters of waste from these tanks will be transferred to tank 102-AW during the campaign. Tank 102-AW is the dedicated waste feed tank for the evaporator and currently contains 647,000 liters of processable waste. The purpose of the 242-A Evaporator Campaignmore » 95-1 Process Control Plan (hereafter referred to as PCP) is to certify that the wastes in tanks 106-AP, 107-AP, 102-AW, and 106-AW are acceptable for processing through evaporator and provide a general description of process strategies and activities which will take place during Campaign 95-1. The PCP also summarizes and presents a comprehensive characterization of the wastes in these tanks.« less

Physical activity and sex hormone levels in estradiol- and placebo-treated postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Choudhury, Farzana; Bernstein, Leslie; Hodis, Howard N; Stanczyk, Frank Z; Mack, Wendy J

2011-10-01

Postmenopausal changes in the hormonal milieu in women with or without hormone therapy are hypothesized to be the pathway for a number of menopause-associated modifications in physiology and disease risk. Physical activity may modify these changes in women's hormone profiles. The crucial yet complex relationship between physical activity and physiologic and pharmacologic sex hormone levels in postmenopausal women has not been investigated sufficiently. Using structured recall, physical activity was assessed longitudinally during a period of 2 years in 194 postmenopausal women (90 randomized to 1 mg 17β-estradiol treatment daily and 104 randomized to placebo) in the Estrogen in the Prevention of Atherosclerosis Trial. The levels of physical activity were correlated with the serum sex hormone and the serum hormone-binding globulin levels in each treatment group. Among the placebo-treated women, total energy expenditure was positively associated with sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG; P < 0.001) and inversely associated with testosterones (total, bioavailable, or free) and androstenedione (P < 0.001 for all), as well as with estradiol (P = 0.02). In estradiol-treated women, estradiol levels were inversely associated with total energy expenditure (P = 0.002) and weekly hours spent in moderate or more vigorous physical activity (P = 0.001). Physical activity is associated with lower serum levels of estradiol in both hormone therapy-treated and untreated women. In placebo-treated women only, physical activity is associated with reduced androgen levels and elevated SHBG levels.

Mechanisms of Inactivation of Dry Escherichia coli by High-Pressure Carbon Dioxide.

PubMed

Chen, Yuan Yao; Temelli, Feral; Gänzle, Michael G

2017-05-15

High-pressure carbon dioxide processing is a promising technology for nonthermal food preservation. However, few studies have determined the lethality of high-pressure CO 2 on dry bacterial cells, and the mechanism of inactivation remains unknown. This study explored the mechanisms of inactivation by using Escherichia coli AW1.7 and mutant strains differing in heat and acid resistance, in membrane composition based on disruption of the locus of heat resistance, and in genes coding for glutamate decarboxylases and cyclopropane fatty acid synthase. The levels of lethality of treatments with liquid, gaseous, and supercritical CO 2 were compared. The cell counts of E. coli AW1.7 and mutants with a water activity (a W ) of 1.0 were reduced by more than 3 log 10 (CFU/ml) after supercritical CO 2 treatment at 35°C for 15 min; increasing the pressure generally enhanced inactivation, except for E. coli AW1.7 Δ gadAB E. coli AW1.7 Δ cfa was more susceptible than E. coli AW1.7 after treatment at 10 and 40 MPa; other mutations did not affect survival. Dry cells of E. coli were resistant to treatments with supercritical and liquid CO 2 at any temperature. Treatments with gaseous CO 2 at 65°C were more bactericidal than those with supercritical CO 2 or treatments at 65°C only. Remarkably, E. coli AW1.7 was more susceptible than E. coli AW1.7 Δ cfa when subjected to the gaseous CO 2 treatment. This study identified CO 2 -induced membrane fluidization and permeabilization as causes of supercritical mediated microbial inactivation, and diffusivity was a dominant factor for gaseous CO 2 IMPORTANCE The safety of dry foods is of increasing concern for public health. Desiccated microorganisms, including pathogens, remain viable over long periods of storage and generally tolerate environmental insults that are lethal to the same organisms at high water activity. This study explored the use of high-pressure carbon dioxide to determine its lethality for dried Escherichia coli and to

[Species identification of the fragment of wood found in the left eye socket bone during exhumation of general Władysław Sikorski's corpse].

PubMed

Wasik, Radosław

2009-01-01

During the exhumation of general Władysław Sikorski's corpse, a fragment of wood was found embedded in the left eye socket bone. The wood fragment was referred by the Institute of Forensic Research to the laboratory of Department of Forest and Wood Utilization, University of Agriculture in Krakow, where investigations were performed, aiming at determining the species of the wood. The fragment was cut into 20 microm thick microtome scraps of three anatomy sections: transverse, tangential and radial. The scraps were immersed in 99.8% ethyl alcohol for 24 hours and then for about 1 hour in xylene. Subsequently, they were placed between a microscope slide and a cover-glass in Canada balsam. The thus prepared scraps were then analyzed with the use of a Jenaval Carl Zeiss microscope. On the basis of microscope observations it was determined that the investigated fragment of wood belonged to Douglas-fir species (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco).

Activity Level Assessment Using a Smart Cushion for People with a Sedentary Lifestyle.

PubMed

Ma, Congcong; Li, Wenfeng; Gravina, Raffaele; Cao, Jingjing; Li, Qimeng; Fortino, Giancarlo

2017-10-03

As a sedentary lifestyle leads to numerous health problems, it is important to keep constant motivation for a more active lifestyle. A large majority of the worldwide population, such as office workers, long journey vehicle drivers and wheelchair users, spends several hours every day in sedentary activities. The postures that sedentary lifestyle users assume during daily activities hide valuable information that can reveal their wellness and general health condition. Aiming at mining such underlying information, we developed a cushion-based system to assess their activity levels and recognize the activity from the information hidden in sitting postures. By placing the smart cushion on the chair, we can monitor users' postures and body swings, using the sensors deployed in the cushion. Specifically, we construct a body posture analysis model to recognize sitting behaviors. In addition, we provided a smart cushion that effectively combine pressure and inertial sensors. Finally, we propose a method to assess the activity levels based on the evaluation of the activity assessment index (AAI) in time sliding windows. Activity level assessment can be used to provide statistical results in a defined period and deliver recommendation exercise to the users. For practical implications and actual significance of results, we selected wheelchair users among the participants to our experiments. Features in terms of standard deviation and approximate entropy were compared to recognize the activities and activity levels. The results showed that, using the novel designed smart cushion and the standard deviation features, we are able to achieve an accuracy of (>89%) for activity recognition and (>98%) for activity level recognition.

Activity Level Assessment Using a Smart Cushion for People with a Sedentary Lifestyle

PubMed Central

Li, Wenfeng; Gravina, Raffaele; Cao, Jingjing; Li, Qimeng

2017-01-01

As a sedentary lifestyle leads to numerous health problems, it is important to keep constant motivation for a more active lifestyle. A large majority of the worldwide population, such as office workers, long journey vehicle drivers and wheelchair users, spends several hours every day in sedentary activities. The postures that sedentary lifestyle users assume during daily activities hide valuable information that can reveal their wellness and general health condition. Aiming at mining such underlying information, we developed a cushion-based system to assess their activity levels and recognize the activity from the information hidden in sitting postures. By placing the smart cushion on the chair, we can monitor users’ postures and body swings, using the sensors deployed in the cushion. Specifically, we construct a body posture analysis model to recognize sitting behaviors. In addition, we provided a smart cushion that effectively combine pressure and inertial sensors. Finally, we propose a method to assess the activity levels based on the evaluation of the activity assessment index (AAI) in time sliding windows. Activity level assessment can be used to provide statistical results in a defined period and deliver recommendation exercise to the users. For practical implications and actual significance of results, we selected wheelchair users among the participants to our experiments. Features in terms of standard deviation and approximate entropy were compared to recognize the activities and activity levels. The results showed that, using the novel designed smart cushion and the standard deviation features, we are able to achieve an accuracy of (>89%) for activity recognition and (>98%) for activity level recognition. PMID:28972556

Physicochemical Changes and Glycation Reaction in Intermediate-Moisture Protein-Sugar Foods with and without Addition of Resveratrol during Storage.

PubMed

Sheng, Zhanwu; Gu, Mantun; Hao, Wangjun; Shen, Yixiao; Zhang, Weimin; Zheng, Lili; Ai, Binling; Zheng, Xiaoyan; Xu, Zhimin

2016-06-22

An intermediate-moisture food (IMF) model consisting of whey protein isolate and glucose and an IMF model fortified with resveratrol were used to study the effect of resveratrol on physicochemical changes and glycation of protein-sugar-rich foods during storage. The water activity (aw) of the storage was controlled at 0.75 or 0.56. The browning rate or hardness of fortified IMFs was significantly lower than that of IMFs after 45-day storage. The rate of Maillard reaction in the samples stored at aw 0.56 was higher than that of samples stored at aw 0.75. The fortified IMFs had lower levels of AGEs (advanced glycation end products), CML (N(ε)-(carboxymethyl)-l-lysine), and insoluble protein during storage. The inhibition capability of resveratrol against glycation was also confirmed by using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis to monitor glycated proteins and protein aggregation in the samples. The results of this study suggested that resveratrol could be used as an inhibitor to reduce the formation of undesirable AGEs and other Maillard reaction products in foods during storage.

A new leaf rust resistance gene Lr79 mapped in chromosome 3BL from the durum wheat landrace Aus26582.

PubMed

Qureshi, Naeela; Bariana, Harbans; Kumran, Vikas Venu; Muruga, Sivasamy; Forrest, Kerrie L; Hayden, Mathew J; Bansal, Urmil

2018-05-01

A new leaf rust resistance gene Lr79 has been mapped in the long arm of chromosome 3B and a linked marker was identified for marker-assisted selection. Aus26582, a durum wheat landrace from the A. E. Watkins Collection, showed seedling resistance against durum-specific and common wheat-specific Puccinia triticina (Pt) pathotypes. Genetic analysis using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population developed from a cross between Aus26582 and the susceptible parent Bansi with Australian Pt pathotype showed digenic inheritance and the underlying loci were temporarily named LrAW2 and LrAW3. LrAW2 was located in chromosome 6BS and this study focused on characterisation of LrAW3 using RILs lacking LrAW2. LrAW3 was incorporated into the DArTseq map of Aus26582/Bansi and was located in chromosome 3BL. Markers linked with LrAW3 were developed from the chromosome survey sequence contig 3B_10474240 in which closely-linked DArTseq markers 1128708 and 3948563 were located. Although bulk segregant analysis (BSA) with the 90 K Infinium array identified 51 SNPs associated with LrAW3, only one SNP-derived KASP marker mapped close to the locus. Deletion bin mapping of LrAW3-linked markers located LrAW3 between bins 3BL11-0.85-0.90 and 3BL7-0.63. Since no other all stage leaf rust resistance gene is located in chromosome 3BL, LrAW3 represented a new locus and was designated Lr79. Marker sun786 mapped 1.8 cM distal to Lr79 and Aus26582 was null for this locus. However, the marker can be reliably scored as it also amplifies a monomorphic fragment that serves as an internal control to differentiate the null status of Aus26582 from reaction failure. This marker was validated among a set of durum and common wheat cultivars and was shown to be useful for marker-assisted selection of Lr79 at both ploidy levels.

Semantic and Phonological Encoding Times in Adults Who Stutter: Brain Electrophysiological Evidence.

PubMed

Maxfield, Nathan D

2017-10-17

Some psycholinguistic theories of stuttering propose that language production operates along a different time course in adults who stutter (AWS) versus typically fluent adults (TFA). However, behavioral evidence for such a difference has been mixed. Here, the time course of semantic and phonological encoding in picture naming was compared in AWS (n = 16) versus TFA (n = 16) by measuring 2 event-related potential (ERP) components: NoGo N200, an ERP index of response inhibition, and lateralized readiness potential, an ERP index of response preparation. Each trial required a semantic judgment about a picture in addition to a phonemic judgment about the target label of the picture. Judgments were mapped onto a dual-choice (Go-NoGo/left-right) push-button response paradigm. On each trial, ERP activity time-locked to picture onset was recorded at 32 scalp electrodes. NoGo N200 was detected earlier to semantic NoGo trials than to phonemic NoGo trials in both groups, replicating previous evidence that semantic encoding generally precedes phonological encoding in language production. Moreover, N200 onset was earlier to semantic NoGo trials in TFA than in AWS, indicating that semantic information triggering response inhibition became available earlier in TFA versus AWS. In contrast, the time course of N200 activity to phonemic NoGo trials did not differ between groups. Lateralized readiness potential activity was influenced by strategic response preparation and, thus, could not be used to index real-time semantic and phonological encoding. NoGo N200 results point to slowed semantic encoding in AWS versus TFA. Discussion considers possible factors in slowed semantic encoding in AWS and how fluency might be impacted by slowed semantic encoding.

Semantic and Phonological Encoding Times in Adults Who Stutter: Brain Electrophysiological Evidence

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose Some psycholinguistic theories of stuttering propose that language production operates along a different time course in adults who stutter (AWS) versus typically fluent adults (TFA). However, behavioral evidence for such a difference has been mixed. Here, the time course of semantic and phonological encoding in picture naming was compared in AWS (n = 16) versus TFA (n = 16) by measuring 2 event-related potential (ERP) components: NoGo N200, an ERP index of response inhibition, and lateralized readiness potential, an ERP index of response preparation. Method Each trial required a semantic judgment about a picture in addition to a phonemic judgment about the target label of the picture. Judgments were mapped onto a dual-choice (Go–NoGo/left–right) push-button response paradigm. On each trial, ERP activity time-locked to picture onset was recorded at 32 scalp electrodes. Results NoGo N200 was detected earlier to semantic NoGo trials than to phonemic NoGo trials in both groups, replicating previous evidence that semantic encoding generally precedes phonological encoding in language production. Moreover, N200 onset was earlier to semantic NoGo trials in TFA than in AWS, indicating that semantic information triggering response inhibition became available earlier in TFA versus AWS. In contrast, the time course of N200 activity to phonemic NoGo trials did not differ between groups. Lateralized readiness potential activity was influenced by strategic response preparation and, thus, could not be used to index real-time semantic and phonological encoding. Conclusion NoGo N200 results point to slowed semantic encoding in AWS versus TFA. Discussion considers possible factors in slowed semantic encoding in AWS and how fluency might be impacted by slowed semantic encoding. PMID:28973156

Physical activity levels and participation in sport in Irish people with haemophilia.

PubMed

Sherlock, E; O'Donnell, J S; White, B; Blake, C

2010-01-01

Physical activity and sport are associated with a range of health and social benefits. The aim of this study was to assess the level of sports participation and physical activity of Irish people with haemophilia (PWH). A questionnaire was administered to Irish PWH attending the National Centre for Hereditary Coagulation Disorders over a 3-month period. This included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Haemophilia Activities List (HAL). Comparisons with EU average data from European Physical Activity Surveillance System for physical activity scores (IPAQ) were made using independent t-tests and percentage variance. Relationships between age, functional limitation (based on HAL) and IPAQ scores were tested with Pearson's correlation. Sixty-one questionnaires were completed, representing 12% of the Irish haemophilia population. Age ranged from 16 to 63; all levels of severity were included. Forty-six percent of Irish PWH achieved a high level of physical activity, but overall physical activity [total metabolic equivalents of task (MET) min] in the group was only 66% of the EU average. Elderly patients and those with more functional limitations (with lower HAL scores) were significantly less active. Sports participation levels were in line with other PWH at 66%. Although 55% reported bleeds resulting from sport and 31% reported having had a significant injury attributable to sport, overall sport was viewed in a positive light. Irish PWH are physically active and play a wide range of sports. Further efforts are needed to achieve optimal safety and to ensure that maximum benefit is gained.

A visual grading study for different administered activity levels in bone scintigraphy.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Agnetha; Karlsson, Henrik; Nilsson, Kerstin A; Geijer, Håkan; Olsson, Anna

2015-05-01

The aim of the study is to assess the administered activity levels versus visual-based image quality using visual grading regression (VGR) including an assessment of the newly stated image criteria for whole-body bone scintigraphy. A total of 90 patients was included and grouped in three levels of administered activity: 400, 500 and 600 MBq. Six clinical image criteria regarding image quality was formulated by experienced nuclear medicine physicians. Visual grading was performed in all images, where three physicians rated the fulfilment of the image criteria on a four-step ordinal scale. The results were analysed using VGR. A count analysis was also made where the total number of counts in both views was registered. The administered activity of 600 MBq gives significantly better image quality than 400 MBq in five of six criteria (P<0·05). Comparing the administered activity of 600 MBq to 500 MBq, four criteria of six show significantly better image quality (P<0·05). The administered activity of 500 MBq gives no significantly better image quality than 400 Mbq (P<0·05). The count analysis shows that none of the three levels of administrated activity fulfil the recommendations by the EANM. There was a significant improvement in perceived image quality using an activity level of 600 MBq compared to lower activity levels in whole-body bone scintigraphy for the gamma camera equipment end set-up used in this study. This type of visual-based grading study seems to be a valuable tool and easy to implement in the clinical environment. © 2014 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

34 CFR 300.814 - Other State-level activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Other State-level activities. 300.814 Section 300.814 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF...

The Impact of Social–Cognitive Stress on Speech Variability, Determinism, and Stability in Adults Who Do and Do Not Stutter

PubMed Central

Tiede, Mark; Beal, Deryk; Whalen, D. H.

2016-01-01

Purpose This study examined the impact of social–cognitive stress on sentence-level speech variability, determinism, and stability in adults who stutter (AWS) and adults who do not stutter (AWNS). We demonstrated that complementing the spatiotemporal index (STI) with recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) provides a novel approach to both assessing and interpreting speech variability in stuttering. Method Twenty AWS and 21 AWNS repeated sentences in audience and nonaudience conditions while their lip movements were tracked. Across-sentence variability was assessed via the STI; within-sentence determinism and stability were assessed via RQA. Results Compared with the AWNS, the AWS produced speech that was more variable across sentences and more deterministic and stable within sentences. Audience presence contributed to greater within-sentence determinism and stability in the AWS. A subset of AWS who were more susceptible to experiencing anxiety exhibited reduced across-sentence variability in the audience condition compared with the nonaudience condition. Conclusions This study extends the assessment of speech variability in AWS and AWNS into the social–cognitive domain and demonstrates that the characterization of speech within sentences using RQA is complementary to the across-sentence STI measure. AWS seem to adopt a more restrictive, less flexible speaking approach in response to social–cognitive stress, which is presumably a strategy for maintaining observably fluent speech. PMID:27936276

Capturing system level activities and impacts of mental health consumer-run organizations.

PubMed

Janzen, Rich; Nelson, Geoffrey; Hausfather, Nadia; Ochocka, Joanna

2007-06-01

Since the 1970s mental health consumer-run organizations have come to offer not only mutual support, but they have also adopted agendas for broader social change. Despite an awareness of the need for system level efforts that create supportive environments for their members, there has been limited research demonstrating how their system level activities can be documented or their impacts evaluated. The purpose of this paper is to feature a method of evaluating systems change activities and impacts. The paper is based on a longitudinal study evaluating four mental health consumer-run organizations in Ontario, Canada. The study tracked system level activities and impacts using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The article begins by describing the development and implementation of these methods. Next it offers a critical analysis of the methods used. It concludes by reflecting on three lessons learned about capturing system level activities and impacts of mental health consumer-run organizations.

Microgravity: a Teacher's Guide with Activities, Secondary Level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vogt, Gregory L. (Editor); Wargo, Michael J. (Editor)

1992-01-01

This NASA Educational Publication is a teacher's guide that focuses on microgravity for the secondary level student. The introduction answers the question 'What is microgravity?', as well as describing gravity and creating microgravity. Following the introduction is a microgravity primer which covers such topics as the fluid state, combustion science, materials science, biotechnology, as well as microgravity and space flight. Seven different activities are described in the activities section and are written by authors prominent in the field. The concluding sections of the book include a glossary, microgravity references, and NASA educational resources.

Catalase-like activity studies of the manganese(II) adsorbed zeolites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ćiçek, Ekrem; Dede, Bülent

2013-12-01

Preparation of manganese(II) adsorbed on zeolite 3A, 4A, 5A. AW-300, ammonium Y zeolite, organophilic, molecular sieve and catalase-like enzyme activity of manganese(II) adsorbed zeolites are reported herein. Firstly zeolites are activated at 873 K for two hours before contact manganese(II) ions. In order to observe amount of adsorption, filtration process applied for the solution. The pure zeolites and manganese(II) adsorbed zeolites were analysed by FT-IR. As a result according to the FT-IR spectra, the incorporation of manganese(II) cation into the zeolite structure causes changes in the spectra. These changes are expected particularly in the pseudolattice bands connected with the presence of alumino and silicooxygen tetrahedral rings in the zeolite structure. Furthermore, the catalytic activities of the Mn(II) adsorbed zeolites for the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide were investigated in the presence of imidazole. The Mn(II) adsorbed zeolites display efficiency in the disproportion reactions of hydrogen peroxide, producing water and dioxygen in catalase-like activity.

Impact of bacterial biocontrol agents on aflatoxin biosynthetic genes, aflD and aflR expression, and phenotypic aflatoxin B₁ production by Aspergillus flavus under different environmental and nutritional regimes.

PubMed

Al-Saad, Labeed A; Al-Badran, Adnan I; Al-Jumayli, Sami A; Magan, Naresh; Rodríguez, Alicia

2016-01-18

The objectives of this study were to examine the efficacy of four bacterial antagonists against Aspergillus flavus using 50:50 ratio of bacterial cells/conidia for the control of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production on two different nutritional matrices, nutrient and maize-based media at different water availabilities (0.98, 0.94 water activity (aw) on nutrient medium; 0.995, 0.98 aw on maize meal agar medium) at 35°C. The indicators of efficacy used were the relative expression of one structural and regulatory gene in the biosynthetic pathway (aflD and aflR respectively) and the production of AFB1. These studies showed that some of the bacterial species could significantly inhibit the relative expression of the aflD and aflR genes at both 0.98 and 0.94 aw on nutrient agar. On maize-based media some of the bacterial antagonists reduced the activity of both genes at 0.94 aw and some at 0.995 aw. However, the results for AFB1 production were not consistent with the effects on gene expression. Some bacterial species stimulated AFB1 production on both nutrient and maize-based media regardless of aw. However, some bacterial treatments did inhibit AFB1 production significantly when compared to the control. Overall, this study suggests that temporal studies are required on the biosynthetic genes under different environmental and nutritional conditions to evaluate the potential of antagonists to control AFB1. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling the effect of temperature, water activity and pH on the growth of Serpula lacrymans.

PubMed

Maurice, S; Coroller, L; Debaets, S; Vasseur, V; Le Floch, G; Barbier, G

2011-12-01

To predict the risk factors for building infestation by Serpula lacrymans, which is one of the most destructive fungi causing timber decay in buildings. The growth rate was assessed on malt extract agar media at temperatures between 1.5 and 45°C, at water activity (a(w)) over the range of 0.800-0.993 and at pH ranges from 1.5 to 11.0. The radial growth rate (μ) and the lag phase (λ) were estimated from the radial growth kinetics via the plots radius vs time. These parameters were then modelled as a function of the environmental factors tested. Models derived from the cardinal model (CM) were used to fit the experimental data and allowed an estimation of the optimal and limit values for fungal growth. Optimal growth rate occurred at 20°C, at high a(w) level (0.993) and at a pH range between 4.0 and 6.0. The strain effect on the temperature parameters was further evaluated using 14 strains of S. lacrymans. The robustness of the temperature model was validated on data sets measured in two different wood-based media (Quercus robur L. and Picea abies). The two-step procedure of exponential model with latency followed by the CM with inflection gives reliable predictions for the growth conditions of a filamentous fungus in our study. The procedure was validated for the study of abiotic factors on the growth rate of S. lacrymans. This work describes the usefulness of evaluating the effect of physico-chemical factors on fungal growth in predictive building mycology. Consequently, the developed mathematical models for predicting fungal growth on a macroscopic scale can be used as a tool for risk assessment of timber decay in buildings. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Canadian population trends in leisure-time physical activity levels, 1981-1998.

PubMed

Bruce, Marny J; Katzmarzyk, Peter T

2002-12-01

Age, sex, geographic and temporal trends in leisure-time physical activity levels were examined using data from five national surveys conducted between 1981 and 1998. Physical activity energy expenditure (AEE) was higher among men compared to women, and in younger versus older adults. AEE increased from Eastern to Western Canada, with a significant temporal trend of increasing AEE. The prevalence of physical inactivity (expending <12.6 kJ x kg(-1) x day(-1) has decreased; however, it remains high (women: 77%; men: 74%). The high prevalence of physical inactivity emphasizes the importance of population-level physical activity surveillance and interventions.

Activation Levels, Handling, and Storage of Activated Components in the Target Hall at FRIB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgobiani, D.; Bennett, R.; Bollen, G.; Kostin, M.; Ronningen, R.

2018-06-01

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a major new scientific user facility under construction in the United States for nuclear science research with beams of rare isotopes. 400 kW beam operations with heavy ions ranging from oxygen to uranium will create a high radiation environment for many components, particularly for the beam line components located in the target hall, where approximately 100 kW of beam power are dissipated in the target and another 300 kW are dissipated in the beam dump. Detailed studies of the component activation, their remote handling, storage, and transport, have been performed to ensure safe operation levels in this environment. Levels of activation are calculated for the beam line components within the FRIB target hall.

Combined effect of chitosan and water activity on growth and fumonisin production by Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium proliferatum on maize-based media.

PubMed

Ferrochio, Laura V; Cendoya, Eugenia; Zachetti, Vanessa G L; Farnochi, Maria C; Massad, Walter; Ramirez, Maria L

2014-08-18

The objectives of the present study were to determine the in vitro efficacy of chitosan (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0mg/mL) under different water availabilities (0.995, 0.99, 0.98, 0.96 and 0.93) at 25°C on lag phase, growth rate and fumonisin production by isolates of Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium proliferatum. The presence of chitosan affected growth and fumonisin production, and this effect was dependent on the dose and aW treatment used. The presence of chitosan increased the lag phase, and reduced the growth rate of both Fusarium species significantly at all concentrations used, especially at 0.93 aW. Also, significant reduction of fumonisin production was observed in both Fusarium species at all conditions assayed. The present study has shown the combined effects of chitosan and aW on growth and fumonisin production by the two most important Fusarium species present on maize. Low molecular weight (Mw) chitosan with more than 70% of degree of deacetylation (DD) at 0.5mg/mL was able to significantly reduce growth rate and fumonisin production on maize-based media, with maximum levels of reduction in both parameters obtained at the highest doses used. As fumonisins are unavoidable contaminants in food and feed chains, their presence needs to be reduced to minimize their effects on human and animal health and to diminish the annual market loss through rejected maize. In this scenario post-harvest use of chitosan could be an important alternative treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accelerometer-determined physical activity level among government employees in Penang, Malaysia.

PubMed

Hazizi, A S; Aina, Mardiah B; Mohd, Nasir M T; Zaitun, Y; Hamid, Jan J M; Tabata, I

2012-04-01

A cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate accelerometer-determined physical activity level of 233 Malay government employees (104 men, 129 women) working in the Federal Government Building Penang, Malaysia. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumference, body fat percentage and blood pressure were measured for each respondent. All the respondents were asked to wear an accelerometer for 3 days. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated using a standard formulas. Fasting blood sample was obtained to determine the lipid profile and glucose levels of the respondents. Based on the accelerometer-determined physical activity level, almost 65% of the respondents were categorised as sedentary. Approximately 50.2% of the respondents were overweight or obese. There were negative but significant relationships between body mass index (BMI) (r = -0.353, p < 0.05), body fat percentage (r = -0.394, p < 0.05), waist circumference (WC) (r = -0.198, p < 0.05) and physical activity level. Sedentary individuals had a higher risk than moderate to active individuals of having a BMI more than or equal to 25 kg/m2 (OR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.55-5.05), an-risk classified WC (OR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.01-3.20), and a body fat percentage classified as unhealthy (OR = 3.01, 95% CI 1.41-6.44). The results of this study suggest that accelerometer-determined physical activity level is a significant factor associated with obesity in this study. The high prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity found among respondents of this study indicate a need for implementing intervention programmes among this population.

Physical activity affects plasma coenzyme Q10 levels differently in young and old humans.

PubMed

Del Pozo-Cruz, Jesús; Rodríguez-Bies, Elisabet; Ballesteros-Simarro, Manuel; Navas-Enamorado, Ignacio; Tung, Bui Thanh; Navas, Plácido; López-Lluch, Guillermo

2014-04-01

Coenzyme Q (Q) is a key lipidic compound for cell bioenergetics and membrane antioxidant activities. It has been shown that also has a central role in the prevention of oxidation of plasma lipoproteins. Q has been associated with the prevention of cholesterol oxidation and several aging-related diseases. However, to date no clear data on the levels of plasma Q during aging are available. We have measured the levels of plasmatic Q10 and cholesterol in young and old individuals showing different degrees of physical activity. Our results indicate that plasma Q10 levels in old people are higher that the levels found in young people. Our analysis also indicates that there is no a relationship between the degree of physical activity and Q10 levels when the general population is studied. However, very interestingly, we have found a different tendency between Q10 levels and physical activity depending on the age of individuals. In young people, higher activity correlates with lower Q10 levels in plasma whereas in older adults this ratio changes and higher activity is related to higher plasma Q10 levels and higher Q10/Chol ratios. Higher Q10 levels in plasma are related to lower lipoperoxidation and oxidized LDL levels in elderly people. Our results highlight the importance of life habits in the analysis of Q10 in plasma and indicate that the practice of physical activity at old age can improve antioxidant capacity in plasma and help to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Physical activity levels and preferences of ethnically diverse visitors to Georgia State Parks

Treesearch

Lincoln Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green; Michael Bowker

2014-01-01

Parks provide many outdoor recreation opportunities that encourage physical activity and healthy lifestyles, and research has recently begun to explore the demographic, social, and environmental factors associated with park-based activity levels, particularly outside of urban areas. This study used a mixed methods approach to investigate physical activity levels and...

Alliance for Workforce Skills. Final Report. Summative Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capital Community-Technical Coll., Hartford, CT.

The Alliance for Workforce Skills (AWS), a public/private partnership, provided adult basic skills training to employed and unemployed men and women in the Greater Hartford area. Many goals were not met, due in large part to the massive downturn in the Hartford economy. Only one of the four sponsoring corporations was still an active AWS partner…

Recreational physical activity levels in healthy older women: the importance of fear of falling.

PubMed

Bruce, David G; Devine, Amanda; Prince, Richard L

2002-01-01

To examine whether fear of falling is a probable cause of reduced recreational physical activity levels in healthy older women. Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a longitudinal study. One thousand five hundred older, ambulatory women (aged 70-85), selected at random from the electoral roll. Self-reported recreational physical activity levels and fear of falling, demographic variables, anthropometric variables and measures of disability, and physical and cognitive function. The study subjects had low levels of physical and cognitive impairments; 24.1% of the group was obese (body mass index> 30). Twenty-six percent of the women did not participate in recreational physical activity; 39% participated in sufficient activity to gain probable health benefits. Although the women who did not participate in recreational activities were most likely to report fear of falling (45.2%), it was common in the group as a whole (33.9%), including the most active women (27.0%). Independent risk factors for nonparticipation in physical activity were fear of falling (odds ratio (OR)=0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.54-0.90, P=.006), obesity (OR=0.50, 95% CI=0.38-0.66, P=.001), and slower times on the timed up-and-go test (OR=0.88, 95% CI=0.84-0.92, P=.001). Fear of falling was also independently associated with lower recreational physical activity levels in women who were active (beta=-0.09, P=.003). Subgroup analysis suggested that fear of falls affected activity levels at a predisability stage in women with mildly impaired mobility. Fear of falling is common in healthy, high-functioning older women and is independently associated with reduced levels of participation in recreational physical activity. Fear of falling is an important psychological barrier that may need to be overcome in programs attempting to improve activity levels in older women.

Influence of the welding temperature and the welding speed on the mechanical properties of friction stir welds in EN AW-2219-T87

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachmann, A.; Krutzlinger, M.; Zaeh, M. F.

2018-06-01

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is an innovative joining technique, which has proven to produce high quality joints in high strength aluminum alloys. Consequently, it is commonly used to manufacture lightweight aerospace structures with stringent requirements. For these structures, it is necessary to ensure a high ultimate tensile strength (UTS). Various studies have reported that the UTS is significantly influenced by the welding parameters. Samples welded with different parameter sets showed a considerably different UTS, despite being free from detectable welding defects (e.g. tunnel defect, voids, or lack of penetration). Based on the observations in the literature, a hypothesis was posed. The welding temperature along with the welding speed determine the UTS of the weld. This study aims to prove this hypothesis experimentally by using temperature-controlled FSW to join plates of EN AW-2219-T87 in butt joint configuration. The welded samples were examined using visual inspection, metallography, X-ray imaging, and uniaxial tensile tests. Finally, a statistical analysis was conducted. Hereby, the hypothesis was confirmed.

Complex regulation of the aflatoxin biosynthesis gene cluster of Aspergillus flavus in relation to various combinations of water activity and temperature.

PubMed

Schmidt-Heydt, Markus; Abdel-Hadi, Ahmed; Magan, Naresh; Geisen, Rolf

2009-11-15

A microarray analysis was performed to study the effect of varying combinations of water activity and temperature on the activation of aflatoxin biosynthesis genes in Aspergillusflavus grown on YES medium. Generally A. flavus showed expression of the aflatoxin biosynthetic genes at all parameter combinations tested. Certain combinations of a(w) and temperature, especially combinations which imposed stress on the fungus resulted in a significant reduction of the growth rate. At these conditions induction of the whole aflatoxin biosynthesis gene cluster occurred, however the produced aflatoxin B(1) was low. At all other combinations (25 degrees C/0.95 and 0.99; 30 degrees C/0.95 and 0.99; 35 degrees C/0.95 and 0.99) a reduced basal level of cluster gene expression occurred. At these combinations a high growth rate was obtained as well as high aflatoxin production. When single genes were compared, two groups with different expression profiles in relation to water activity/temperature combinations occurred. These two groups were co-ordinately localized within the aflatoxin gene cluster. The ratio of aflR/aflJ expression was correlated with increased aflatoxin biosynthesis.

Physical activity level in people with age related white matter changes correlates to better motor performance, lower comorbidity and higher cognitive level.

PubMed

Pettersson, Anna F; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Bronge, Lena; Olsson, Elisabeth; Amberla, Kaarina; Baezner, Hansjoerg; Crisby, Milita

2017-07-12

Physical activity plays a pivotal role in the development of disability and may modify the negative effect of vascular risk factors on progression of both cardio and cerebrovascular disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity level in people with age-related white matter changes as identified on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in relation to motor performance, cognition and perceived health. Data came from the first year follow up of one participating centers of the LADIS study. Fifty one subjects were first enrolled in the study. Complete first year follow up data was available for 41 subjects. Information on comorbidity, physical activity level, physical function, cognition, level of white matter changes and perceived health was collected. Physical activity level was classified with a yes or no question and with the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI). Only 36% of the subjects in this study were physically active according to the yes/no question. 27.5% of the subjects were active according to the FAI score which evaluates the everyday activities. Being active discriminated subjects with better physical function. Subjects active according to the FAI score had a higher cognitive level (p ≤ 0.01), lower comorbidity (p = 0.02) and performed better on all motor function tasks as assessed by walking speed (p ≤ 0.01) and the Short Physical Performance battery (SPPB) (p ≤ 0.01). Being physically active seems to be a long term protective factor. In our study, the majority of subjects with Age Related White Mattter Changes (ARWMC) with no or mild Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) disability did not attain recommended level of activity at first year follow up. Whether or not increasing physical activity may slow down cognitive decline and lessen development of disability in physically inactive subjects with manifest ARWC remains to be studied. not applicable.

Decline in physical activity level in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study cohort.

PubMed

Wilson, Carmen L; Stratton, Kayla; Leisenring, Wendy L; Oeffinger, Kevin C; Nathan, Paul C; Wasilewski-Masker, Karen; Hudson, Melissa M; Castellino, Sharon M; Stovall, Marilyn; Armstrong, Gregory T; Brinkman, Tara M; Krull, Kevin R; Robison, Leslie L; Ness, Kirsten K

2014-08-01

We aimed to identify demographic and health-related predictors of declining physical activity levels over a four-year period among participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Analyses included 7,287 ≥5-year childhood cancer survivors and 2,107 siblings who completed multiple follow-up questionnaires. Participants were classified as active if they met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for physical activity. Generalized linear models were used to compare participants whose physical activity levels declined from active to inactive over the study to those who remained active. In addition, selected chronic conditions (CTCAE v4.03 Grade 3 and 4) were evaluated as risk factors in an analysis limited to survivors only. The median age at last follow-up among survivors and siblings was 36 (range, 21-58) and 38 (range, 21-62) years, respectively. The rate of decline did not accelerate over time among survivors when compared with siblings. Factors that predicted declining activity included body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2) [RR = 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19-1.46, P < 0.01], not completing high school (RR = 1.31; 95% CI, 1.08-1.60, P < 0.01), and female sex (RR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.22-1.44, P < 0.01). Declining physical activity levels were associated with the presence of chronic musculoskeletal conditions (P = 0.034), but not with the presence of cardiac (P = 0.10), respiratory (P = 0.92), or neurologic conditions (P = 0.21). Interventions designed to maximize physical activity should target female, obese, and less educated survivors. Survivors with chronic musculoskeletal conditions should be monitored, counseled, and/or referred for physical therapy. Clinicians should be aware of low activity levels among subpopulations of childhood cancer survivors, which may heighten their risk for chronic illness. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Levels and Characteristics of Physical Activity among a College Student Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Kim; Staten, Ruth R.; Rayens, Mary Kay; Noland, Melody

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess physical activity levels and the relationships between activity and personal characteristics among a cohort of college students and to determine personal characteristics that predict activity. A sample of 1,700 undergraduates was mailed a survey that requested demographic information and assessed health…

Auto-induction for high level production of biologically active reteplase in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Fathi-Roudsari, Mehrnoosh; Maghsoudi, Nader; Maghsoudi, Amirhossein; Niazi, Sepideh; Soleiman, Morvarid

2018-06-07

Reteplase is a third generation tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) with a modified structure and prolonged half-life in comparison to native tPA. As a non-glycosylated protein, reteplase is expressed in Escherichia coli. Due to presence of several disulfide bonds, high level production of reteplase is complicated and needs extra steps for conversion to biologically active form. Auto-induction represents a method for high-yield growth of bacterial cells and higher expression of recombinant proteins. Here we have tried to optimize the auto-induction procedure for soluble and active expression of reteplase in E. coli. Results showed that using auto-induction strategy at 37 °C, Rosetta-gami (DE3) had the highest level of active and soluble reteplase production in comparison to E. coli strains BL21 (DE3), and Shuffel T7. Temperature dominantly affected the level of active reteplase production. Decreasing the temperature to 25 and 18 °C increased the level of active reteplase by 20 and 60%, respectively. The composition of auto-induction medium also dramatically changed the active production of reteplase in cytoplasm. Using higher enriched auto-induction medium, super broth base including trace elements, significantly increased biologically active reteplase by 30%. It is demonstrated here that auto-induction is a powerful method for expression of biologically active reteplase in oxidative cytoplasm of Rosetta-gami. Optimizing expression condition by decreasing temperature and using an enriched auto-induction medium resulted in at least three times higher level of active reteplase production. Production of correctly folded and active reteplase in spite of its complex structure helps for removal of inefficient and cumbersome step of refolding. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Environmental noise levels affect the activity budget of the Florida manatee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miksis-Olds, Jennifer L.; Donaghay, Percy L.; Miller, James H.; Tyack, Peter L.

2005-09-01

Manatees inhabit coastal bays, lagoons, and estuaries because they are dependent on the aquatic vegetation that grows in shallow waters. Food requirements force manatees to occupy the same areas in which human activities are the greatest. Noise produced from human activities has the potential to affect these animals by eliciting responses ranging from mild behavioral changes to extreme aversion. This study quantifies the behavioral responses of manatees to both changing levels of ambient noise and transient noise sources. Results indicate that elevated environmental noise levels do affect the overall activity budget of this species. The proportion of time manatees spend feeding, milling, and traveling in critical habitats changed as a function of noise level. More time was spent in the directed, goal-oriented behaviors of feeding and traveling, while less time was spent milling when noise levels were highest. The animals also responded to the transient noise of approaching vessels with changes in behavioral state and movements out of the geographical area. This suggests that manatees detect and respond to changes in environmental noise levels. Whether these changes legally constitute harassment and produce biologically significant effects need to be addressed with hypothesis-driven experiments and long-term monitoring. [For Animal Bioacoustics Best Student Paper Award.

African American Preschool Children's Physical Activity Levels in Head Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Bo; Reinhart-Lee, Tamara; Janisse, Heather; Brogan, Kathryn; Danford, Cynthia; Jen, K-L. C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels of urban inner city preschoolers while attending Head Start, the federally funded preschool program for children from low-income families. Participants were 158 African American children. Their physical activity during Head Start days was measured using programmed RT-3…

The Role of Various Curriculum Models on Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culpepper, Dean O.; Tarr, Susan J.; Killion, Lorraine E.

2011-01-01

Researchers have suggested that physical education curricula can be highly effective in increasing physical activity levels at school (Sallis & Owen, 1999). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of various curriculum models on physical activity. Total steps were measured on 1,111 subjects and three curriculum models were studied…

Net superoxide levels: steeper increase with activity in cooler female and hotter male lizards.

PubMed

Ballen, Cissy; Healey, Mo; Wilson, Mark; Tobler, Michael; Wapstra, Erik; Olsson, Mats

2012-03-01

Ectotherms increase their body temperature in response to ambient heat, thereby elevating their metabolic rate. An often inferred consequence of this is an overall upregulation of gene expression and energetic expenditure, and a concomitant increased production of reactive oxygen species (e.g. superoxide) and, perhaps, a shortened lifespan. However, recent work shows that this may be a superficial interpretation. For example, sometimes a reduced temperature may in fact trigger up-regulation of gene expression. We studied temperature and associated activity effects in male and female Australian painted dragon lizards (Ctenophorus pictus) by allowing the lizards to bask for 4 h versus 12 h, and scoring their associated activity (inactive versus active basking and foraging). As predicted, long-basking lizards (hereafter 'hot') showed heightened activity in both sexes, with a more pronounced effect in females. We then tested for sex-specific effects of basking treatment and activity levels on the increase in net levels of superoxide. In males, short-baskers (hereafter 'cold') had significantly more rapidly decreasing levels of superoxide per unit increasing activity than hot males. In females, however, superoxide levels increased faster with increasing activity in the cold than in the hot basking treatment, and females earlier in the ovarian cycle had lower superoxide levels than females closer to ovulation. In short, males and females differ in how their levels of reactive oxygen species change with temperature-triggered activity.

Increased motor preparation activity during fluent single word production in DS: A correlate for stuttering frequency and severity.

PubMed

Vanhoutte, Sarah; Santens, Patrick; Cosyns, Marjan; van Mierlo, Pieter; Batens, Katja; Corthals, Paul; De Letter, Miet; Van Borsel, John

2015-08-01

Abnormal speech motor preparation is suggested to be a neural characteristic of stuttering. One of the neurophysiological substrates of motor preparation is the contingent negative variation (CNV). The CNV is an event-related, slow negative potential that occurs between two defined stimuli. Unfortunately, CNV tasks are rarely studied in developmental stuttering (DS). Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate motor preparation in DS by use of a CNV task. Twenty five adults who stutter (AWS) and 35 fluent speakers (FS) were included. They performed a picture naming task while an electro-encephalogram was recorded. The slope of the CNV was evaluated at frontal, central and parietal electrode sites. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed with stuttering severity and frequency measures. There was a marked increase in CNV slope in AWS as compared to FS. This increase was observed over the entire scalp with respect to stimulus onset, and only over the right hemisphere with respect to lip movement onset. Moreover, strong positive correlations were found between CNV slope and stuttering frequency and severity. As the CNV is known to reflect the activity in the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical-network, the present findings confirm an increased activation of this loop during speech motor preparation in stuttering. The more a person stutters, the more neurons of this cortical-subcortical network seem to be activated. Because this increased CNV slope was observed during fluent single word production, it is discussed whether or not this observation refers to a successful compensation strategy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants Affecting Physical Activity Levels In Animal Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tou, Janet C. L.; Wade, Charles E.; Dalton, Bonnie P. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Weight control is dependent on energy balance. Reduced energy expenditure (EE) associated with decreased physical activity is suggested to be a major underlying cause in the increasing prevalence of weight gain and obesity. Therefore, a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of physical activity is essential. To facilitate interpretation in humans, it is helpful to consider the evidence from animal studies. This review focuses on animal studies examining the biological determinants influencing activity and potential implications to human. It appears that physical activity is influenced by a number of parameters. However, regardless of the parameter involved, body weight appears to play all underlying role in the regulation of activity. Furthermore, the regulation of activity associated with body weight appears to occur only after the animal achieves a critical weight. This suggests that activity levels are a consequence rather than a contributor to weight control. However, the existence of an inverse weight-activity relationship remains inconclusive. Confounding the results are the multi-factorial nature of physical activity and the lack of appropriate measuring devices. Furthermore, many determinants of body weight are closely interlocked making it difficult to determine whether a single, combination or interaction of factors is important for the regulation of activity. For example, diet-induced obesity, aging, lesions to tile ventral medial hypothalamus and genetics all produce hypoactivity. Providing a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of activity has important implications for the development of strategies for the prevention of weight gain leading to obesity and subsequent morbidity and mortality in the human population.

Determinants affecting physical activity levels in animal models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tou, Janet C L.; Wade, Charles E.

2002-01-01

Weight control is dependent on energy balance. Reduced energy expenditure (EE) associated with decreased physical activity is suggested to be a major underlying cause in the increasing prevalence of weight gain and obesity. Therefore, a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of physical activity is essential. To facilitate interpretation in humans, it is helpful to consider the evidence from animal studies. This review focuses on animal studies examining the biological determinants influencing activity and potential implications to human. It appears that physical activity is influenced by a number of parameters. However, regardless of the parameter involved, body weight appears to play an underlying role in the regulation of activity. Furthermore, the regulation of activity associated with body weight appears to occur only after the animal achieves a critical weight. This suggests that activity levels are a consequence rather than a contributor to weight control. However, the existence of an inverse weight-activity relationship remains inconclusive. Confounding the results are the multifactorial nature of physical activity and the lack of appropriate measuring devices. Furthermore, many determinants of body weight are closely interlocked, making it difficult to determine whether a single, combination, or interaction of factors is important for the regulation of activity. For example, diet-induced obesity, aging, lesions to the ventral medial hypothalamus, and genetics all produce hypoactivity. Providing a better understanding of the biological determinants involved in the regulation of activity has important implications for the development of strategies for the prevention of weight gain leading to obesity and subsequent morbidity and mortality in the human population.

Influence of water activity on inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes in peanut butter by microwave heating.

PubMed

Song, Won-Jae; Kang, Dong-Hyun

2016-12-01

This study evaluated the efficacy of a 915 MHz microwave with 3 different electric power levels to inactivate three pathogens in peanut butter with different aw. Peanut butter inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes (0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 aw) were treated with a 915 MHz microwave with 2, 4, and 6 kW for up to 5 min. Six kW 915 MHz microwave treatment for 5 min reduced these three pathogens by 1.97 to >5.17 log CFU/g. Four kW 915 MHz microwave processing for 5 min reduced these pathogens by 0.41-1.98 log CFU/g. Two kW microwave heating did not inactivate pathogens in peanut butter. Weibull and Log-Linear + Shoulder models were used to describe the survival curves of three pathogens because they exhibited shouldering behavior. Td and T5d values were calculated based on the Weibull and Log-Linear + Shoulder models. Td values of the three pathogens were similar to D-values of Salmonella subjected to conventional heating at 90 °C but T5d values were much shorter than those of conventional heating at 90 °C. Generally, increased aw resulted in shorter T5d values of pathogens, but not shorter Td values. The results of this study can be used to optimize microwave heating pasteurization system of peanut butter. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spelling for Writing: Student Activity Book. Level 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peet, Howard

The Level 5 activity book is designed to help children learn that writing messages and stories will help them see the value of learning to spell. The workbook's program is based on the ideas that accurate spelling contributes to the clarity of written messages; spelling accuracy shows attention to detail, sending a positive message to teachers and…

[Physical activity levels among Colombian adults: inequalities by gender and socioeconomic status].

PubMed

González, Silvia; Lozano, Óscar; Ramírez, Andrea; Grijalba, Carlos

2014-01-01

Worldwide studies show inequalities in physical activity levels related to socio-demographic characteristics. In Colombia, among the countries in Latin America with the highest inequality, the evidence related to inequalities in physical activity is limited. It is imperative to identify disparities in physical activity in the country, to guide the design of public policies aimed at promoting physical activity. 1) To estimate the prevalence and associated factors of meeting physical activity recommendations; 2) to assess inequalities by gender and socioeconomic status in meeting physical activity recommendations, and 3) to assess the trends in physical activity prevalence within a five-year period. A secondary analysis of data from the 2010 National Nutrition Survey was conducted. The sample included 27,243 adults. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to measure leisure time and transport domains. Socioeconomic status was measured by the Sisben level. Compared to men, women were less likely to meet physical activity recommendations in all domains. Compared to adults from high socioeconomic-status households, low socioeconomic-status adults had a lower prevalence of meeting physical activity recommendations during leisure time and the highest prevalence of using a bicycle for transport. The factors associated with meeting physical activity recommendations differed by gender and physical activity domain. Household and individual variables explained 13.6% of the inequalities observed by gender, and 23.2% of the inequalities by socioeconomic status. In a five-year period, the prevalence of physical activity in leisure time decreased, while the physical activity of walking for transport increased and biking for transport did not change. Future interventions to increase physical activity levels in Colombia must consider inequalities by gender and socioeconomic status. Of special concern is the low prevalence of meeting physical activity

Associations of Affective Responses During Free-Living Physical Activity and Future Physical Activity Levels: an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Liao, Yue; Chou, Chih-Ping; Huh, Jimi; Leventhal, Adam; Dunton, Genevieve

2017-08-01

Affective response during physical activity may influence motivation to perform future physical activity behavior. However, affective response during physical activity is often assessed under controlled laboratory conditions. The current study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to capture affective responses during free-living physical activity performed by adults, and determined whether these affective responses predict future moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels after 6 and 12 months. At baseline, electronic EMA surveys were randomly prompted across 4 days asking about current activities and affective states (e.g., happy, stressed, energetic, tired). Affective response during physical activity was operationalized as the level of positive or negative affect reported when concurrent physical activity (e.g., exercise or sports) was also reported. Data were available for 82 adults. Future levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured using accelerometers, worn for seven consecutive days at 6 and 12 months after the baseline assessment. Feeling more energetic during physical activity was associated with performing more minutes of daily MVPA after both 6 and 12 months. Feeling less negative affect during physical activity was associated with engaging in more daily MVPA minutes after 12 months only. This study demonstrated how EMA can be used to capture affective responses during free-living physical activity. Results found that feelings more energetic and less negative during physical activity were associated with more future physical activity, suggesting that positive emotional benefits may reinforce behavior.

Associations between the lower esophageal sphincter function and the level of physical activity.

PubMed

Waśko-Czopnik, Dorota; Jóźków, Paweł; Dunajska, Katarzyna; Mędraś, Marek; Paradowski, Leszek

2013-01-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very frequent and multifactorial disease. It has been found that GERD is associated with obesity, smoking, esophagitis, diet and lifestyle. Physical activity is among the factors involved in the occurrence of GERD. The aim of the study was to evaluate the associations between the different parameters of lower esophageal pressure (LES) and the level of everyday physical activity in patients with GERD. The authors examined 100 consecutive patients who underwent manometry and pH-metry because of symptoms suggesting GERD. Physical activity was assessed by means of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). In accordance with IPAQ categorical scoring, the authors divided the studied subjects into 3 groups according to their level of physical activity. The investigation comprised 59 men and 41 women, with the mean age 49 ± 14 years. The authors analyzed the relationships between the LES parameters (pressure, total LES length and HPZ length) and physical activity. The authors did not find any significant correlations between the studied parameters and the amount of physical activity. The authors also did not observe any association between the LES pressure and the level of physical activity. The subgroups distinguished on the basis of LESP did not differ as to the amount of everyday physical activity as well. Although most data indicates that intense exercise exacerbates GERD symptoms, the authors did not find any associations between LES parameters and physical activity. In view of the present results maintaining the recommended level of everyday physical activity does not interfere with the mechanisms of GERD.

Validation of the human activity profile questionnaire as a measure of physical activity levels in older community-dwelling women.

PubMed

Bastone, Alessandra de Carvalho; Moreira, Bruno de Souza; Vieira, Renata Alvarenga; Kirkwood, Renata Noce; Dias, João Marcos Domingues; Dias, Rosângela Corrêa

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the Human Activity Profile (HAP) by comparing scores with accelerometer data and by objectively testing its cutoff points. This study included 120 older women (age 60-90 years). Average daily time spent in sedentary, moderate, and hard activity; counts; number of steps; and energy expenditure were measured using an accelerometer. Spearman rank order correlations were used to evaluate the correlation between the HAP scores and accelerometer variables. Significant relationships were detected (rho = .47-.75, p < .001), indicating that the HAP estimates physical activity at a group level well; however, scatterplots showed individual errors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine HAP cutoff points on the basis of physical activity level recommendations, and the cutoff points found were similar to the original HAP cutoff points. The HAP is a useful indicator of physical activity levels in older women.

Alveolar Tidal recruitment/derecruitment and Overdistension During Four Levels of End-Expiratory Pressure with Protective Tidal Volume During Anesthesia in a Murine Lung-Healthy Model.

PubMed

Soares, Joao Henrique Neves; Carvalho, Alysson Roncally; Bergamini, Bruno Curty; Gress, Maria Alice Kuster; Jandre, Frederico Caetano; Zin, Walter Araujo; Giannella-Neto, Antonio

2018-06-01

We compared respiratory mechanics between the positive end-expiratory pressure of minimal respiratory system elastance (PEEP minErs ) and three levels of PEEP during low-tidal-volume (6 mL/kg) ventilation in rats. Twenty-four rats were anesthetized, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated. Airway pressure (P aw ), flow (F), and volume (V) were fitted by a linear single compartment model (LSCM) P aw (t) = E rs  × V(t) + R rs  × F(t) + PEEP or a volume- and flow-dependent SCM (VFDSCM) P aw (t) = (E 1  + E 2  × V(t)) × V(t) + (K 1  + K 2  × |F(t)|) × F(t) + PEEP, where E rs and R rs are respiratory system elastance and resistance, respectively; E 1 and E 2 × V are volume-independent and volume-dependent E rs , respectively; and K 1 and K 2  × F are flow-independent and flow-dependent R rs , respectively. Animals were ventilated for 1 h at PEEP 0 cmH 2 O (ZEEP); PEEP minErs ; 2 cmH 2 O above PEEP minErs (PEEP minErs+2 ); or 4 cmH 2 O above PEEP minErs (PEEP minErs+4 ). Alveolar tidal recruitment/derecruitment and overdistension were assessed by the index %E 2  = 100 × [(E 2  × V T )/(E 1  + |E 2 | × V T )], and alveolar stability by the slope of E rs (t). %E 2 varied between 0 and 30% at PEEP minErs in most respiratory cycles. Alveolar Tidal recruitment/derecruitment (%E 2  < 0) and overdistension (%E 2  > 30) were predominant in the absence of PEEP and in PEEP levels higher than PEEP minErs , respectively. The slope of E rs (t) was different from zero in all groups besides PEEP minErs+4 . PEEP minErs presented the best compromise between alveolar tidal recruitment/derecruitment and overdistension, during 1 h of low-V T mechanical ventilation.

Physical properties of inulin and inulin-orange juice: physical characterization and technological application.

PubMed

Saavedra-Leos, M Z; Leyva-Porras, C; Martínez-Guerra, E; Pérez-García, S A; Aguilar-Martínez, J A; Álvarez-Salas, C

2014-05-25

In this work two systems based on a carbohydrate polymer were studied: inulin as model system and inulin-orange juice as complex system. Both system were stored at different water activity conditions and subsequently characterized. Water adsorption isotherms type II were fitted by the GAB model and the water monolayer content was determined for each system. From thermal analyzes it was found that at low water activities (aw) systems were fully amorphous. As aw increased, crystallinity was developed. This behavior was corroborated by X-ray diffraction. In the inulin-orange juice system, crystallization appears at lower water activity caused by the intensification of the chemical interaction of the low molecular weight species contained in orange juice. Glass transition temperature (Tg), determined by modulated differential scanning calorimeter, decreased with aw. As water is adsorbed, the physical appearance of samples changed which could be observed by optical microscopy and effectively related with the microstructure found by scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Levels of physical activity in patients with severe psoriasis: a cross-sectional questionnaire study.

PubMed

Torres, Tiago; Alexandre, José Manuel; Mendonça, Denisa; Vasconcelos, Carlos; Silva, Berta Martins; Selores, Manuela

2014-04-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, secondary to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and premature atherosclerosis. Physical activity is a vital component in prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Few studies have examined the level of physical activity in psoriasis patients, using validated questionnaires or other objective assessment tools. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare physical activity undertaken by patients with severe psoriasis and healthy controls, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S), a validated instrument for assessing physical activity. Ninety patients with severe plaque-type psoriasis and 160 healthy subjects were enrolled in the present study. Physical activity was evaluated using IPAQ-S. Psoriasis patients had reduced levels of physical activity compared with non-psoriasis patients, regardless of sex or whether the variable was continuous or categorical. The odds ratio for low-level physical activity for psoriasis patients, compared with controls, was 3.42 (95% CI 1.47-7.91), indicating that this severe psoriasis population did not undertake recommended levels of physical activity. Psoriasis patients exhibit decreased levels of physical activity, possibly for both psychological and physiological reasons. The lack of physical activity may contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in psoriasis patients, in addition to the intrinsic risks related to systemic inflammation and psoriasis-linked comorbidities. Regular physical activity should be encouraged in all psoriasis patients because of its beneficial effects on systemic inflammation and cardiometabolic comorbidities associated with psoriasis.

THE EFFECT OF GAMBLING ACTIVITIES ON HAPPINESS LEVELS OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS

PubMed Central

Dixon, Mark R; Nastally, Becky L; Waterman, Amber

2010-01-01

The current study evaluated the effect of participating in simulated gambling activities on happiness levels of 3 nursing home residents. A 4-component analysis was used to measure objective responses associated with happiness during baseline, varying durations of engagement in simulated gambling activities, and 2 follow-up periods. Results indicated that all residents exhibited a higher percentage of happiness levels while engaged in simulated gambling activities compared with baseline. Follow-up assessment took place 10 min and 30 min following the intervention; no lasting effects were observed. PMID:21358915

Formulation of a dry green tea-apple product: study on antioxidant and color stability.

PubMed

Lavelli, Vera; Vantaggi, Claudia; Corey, Mark; Kerr, William

2010-03-01

A dry apple product enriched with green tea (GT) extract was designed as a novel food to deliver relevant amounts of catechins. The target water activity (a(w)) range between 0.11 and 0.32 was chosen for the GT-fortified apple, since it corresponds to low water mobility and, consequently, maximum stability of dehydrated apples. The GT-fortified product and a control dehydrated apple product were stored in air, at 30 degrees C, and evaluated for color, antioxidant contents (monomeric flavan 3-ols, total procyanidins, ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid and dihydrochalcones), ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging capacity. After 1 mo of storage at the lowest a(w) level (0.11), the GT-fortified product retained 80 and 100% of the initial contents of the monomeric flavan 3-ols and total procyanidins, respectively. With increasing a(w) level to 0.32, the stability of antioxidants slowly decreased. The addition of GT to the apple product increased the FRAP value and the DPPH scavenging capacity by 3.6-fold and 4.6-fold respectively, which remained almost unchanged during storage. The GT-fortified product was similar in color to commercially available dehydrated apples. Results highlighted some advantages of using dehydrated apples as a target for green tea fortification, which deserve further trials to investigate potential applications for fortification of other dehydrated fruits.

Circadian activity rhythm in adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Tonetti, Lorenzo; Conca, Andreas; Giupponi, Giancarlo; Filardi, Marco; Natale, Vincenzo

2018-05-06

The aim of the present study was to analyze the features of circadian motor activity rhythm of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients, by means of functional linear modeling, within the theoretical framework of the two-process model of sleep regulation. Thirty-two ADHD patients and 32 healthy controls (HCs) participated the study. Actiwatch AW64 actigraph was used to quantify motor activity data in 1-min epochs. Participants wore the actigraph on the non-dominant wrist for seven consecutive days. Results show that ADHD patients had significantly higher motor activity than HCs from 4:00 to 7:00, with a peak around 5:00, and from 12:00 to 18:00, with another peak around 14:00. According to the two-process model of sleep regulation, the circadian activity rhythm of ADHD patients may indicate a lower homeostatic sleep pressure, as reflected by the absence of post-lunch dip, which could be considered a potential trait marker of adult ADHD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How does the activity level of the parents influence their children's activity? The contemporary life in a world ruled by electronic devices.

PubMed

Brzęk, Anna; Strauss, Markus; Przybylek, Bianca; Dworrak, Tarja; Dworrak, Birgit; Leischik, Roman

2018-01-01

Apart from many positive changes associated with technical civilization, there are also - from the health point of view - some threats. The reduction in the level of physical activity is one of them. The aim of the study was to investigate whether there are any relationships between children's physical activity and behaviors, and to assess the impact of the adults' activity on their children's habits. The study involved a group of 340 children aged 7-12 years (mean age: 9.81 ±1.7) and their parents. In order to evaluate children's physical activity and the amount of time that they spend with electronic devices, an original questionnaire and the IPAQ questionnaire were used. Children usually use electronic devices between 2 and 7 days per week (mean: 4.74 ±0.86), regardless of sex ( p > 0.09) and spend between 5 and 1620 min per week (mean: 459.46 ±308.1) with their mobile phone, tablet, PCs and TVs. 67.92% of boys and 69.61% of girls lead an active lifestyle. The children's activity level depends on their parents' level of activity ( p < 0.000001). Parents of semi-active children lead a lifestyle with a moderate level of physical activity. The level of physical activity in younger children depends on the children's relationship with their parents and their level of activity. Children spend a lot of free time with their electronic devices. It is necessary to develop and implement activities intended to raise awareness of children and their families about the effects of hypokinesis.

Physical Activity Levels During Acute Inpatient Admission After Hip Fracture are Very Low.

PubMed

Davenport, Sarah J; Arnold, Meaghan; Hua, Carol; Schenck, Amie; Batten, Sarah; Taylor, Nicholas F

2015-09-01

Hip fractures are very common in older adults and result in serious health consequences. Early mobilization post-surgical intervention for hip fractures is very important. The purpose of this study was to determine physical activity levels during an acute inpatient admission of patients after surgery for hip fracture. The observational study was completed on an orthopaedic ward in an acute general hospital. Twenty patients (18 women, mean age ± standard deviation, 79.1 ± 9.3 years) post-surgical intervention for a hip fracture were included. Physical activity levels were measured using an accelerometer to record the percentage of time spent in lying/sitting, standing and walking, number of steps taken and average energy expenditure. Physical activity levels were extremely low, with participants spending an average of 99% of the day either lying or sitting and a little more than 1% of the day either standing or walking (16 min). Participants took an average of 35.7 ± 80.4 steps per day. Patients received more physiotherapy intervention on weekdays compared with weekends. There was no significant difference in activity levels between weekdays to weekends. No measures of physical activity were associated with length of stay. A mild to moderate association (r = 0.26-0.41) was observed between the measures of physical activity and the amount of physiotherapy received during the weekdays. Physical activity levels during an acute inpatient admission surgery for hip fracture are very low. Patients may have difficulty completing basic activities of daily living post-discharge into the community. Physical activity should be optimized as early in the rehabilitation process as able. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels and thyroid hormone levels in gestational transient thyrotoxicosis: Is the serum hCG level useful for differentiating between active Graves' disease and GTT?

PubMed

Yoshihara, Ai; Noh, Jaeduk Yoshimura; Mukasa, Koji; Suzuki, Miho; Ohye, Hidemi; Matsumoto, Masako; Kunii, Yo; Watanabe, Natsuko; Suzuki, Nami; Kameda, Toshiaki; Sugino, Kiminori; Ito, Koichi

2015-01-01

Gestational transient thyrotoxicosis (GTT) is defined as transient thyrotoxicosis caused by the stimulating effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) during pregnancy. We attempted to identify the serum hCG level that causes GTT, and we compared the serum hCG levels and thyroid hormone levels of GTT patients according to whether they had a background of thyroid disease. We also evaluated serum hCG as a parameter for differentiating between active Graves' disease (GD) and GTT. We reviewed the 135 cases of pregnant women who came to our hospital to be evaluated for thyrotoxicosis during their 7th to 14th week of pregnancy, and their serum hCG level was measured at that time. Among the 135 pregnant women with thyrotoxicosis; 103 of the women had GTT, and the other 32 women had active GD. There were no correlations between their serum hCG levels and free thyroid hormone levels. There were no significant differences in thyroid hormone levels or hCG levels among the GTT groups with different thyroid disease backgrounds; i.e., the GTT group without thyroid disease, GTT group with chronic thyroiditis, GTT group with non-functioning thyroid nodules, and GTT group with GD in remission. The serum hCG level of the GTT group was significantly higher than in the active GD group, but it was not a good parameter for differentiating between the two groups. The FT3/FT4 ratio of the active GD was significantly higher than in GTT group, and was a better parameter for differentiation.

Physical activity level in Achilles tendinosis is associated with blood levels of pain-related factors: a pilot study.

PubMed

Bagge, J; Gaida, J E; Danielson, P; Alfredson, H; Forsgren, S

2011-12-01

Physical activity affects the pain symptoms for Achilles tendinosis patients. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and their receptors have been detected in human Achilles tendon. This pilot study aimed to compare serum BDNF and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNFRI) levels in Achilles tendinosis patients and healthy controls and to examine the influence of physical activity, and BMI and gender, on these levels. Physical activity was measured with a validated questionnaire, total physical activity being the parameter analyzed. Physical activity was strongly correlated with BDNF among tendinosis women [Spearman's rho (ρ)=0.90, P<0.01] but not among control women (ρ=-0.08, P=0.83), or among tendinosis and control men. Physical activity was significantly correlated with sTNFRI in the entire tendinosis group and among tendinosis men (ρ=0.65, P=0.01), but not in the entire control group or among control men (ρ=0.04, P=0.91). Thus, the physical activity pattern is related to the TNF and BDNF systems for tendinosis patients but not controls, the relationship being gender dependent. This is new information concerning the relationship between physical activity and Achilles tendinosis, which may be related to pain for the patients. This aspect should be further evaluated using larger patient materials. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The Effects of Altered Membrane Cholesterol Levels on Sodium Pump Activity in Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Roy, Suparna; Dasgupta, Anindya

2017-03-01

Metabolic dysfunctions characteristic of overt hypothyroidism (OH) start at the early stage of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (the sodium pump) is a transmembrane enzyme that plays a vital role in cellular activities in combination with membrane lipids. We evaluated the effects of early changes in thyroid hormone and membrane cholesterol on sodium pump activity in SCH and OH patients. In 32 SCH patients, 35 OH patients, and 34 euthyroid patients, sodium pump activity and cholesterol levels in red blood cell membranes were measured. Serum thyroxine (T₄) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Differences in their mean values were analysed using post hoc analysis of variance. We assessed the dependence of the sodium pump on other metabolites by multiple regression analysis. Sodium pump activity and membrane cholesterol were lower in both hypothyroid groups than in control group, OH group exhibiting lower values than SCH group. In SCH group, sodium pump activity showed a significant direct dependence on membrane cholesterol with an inverse relationship with serum TSH levels. In OH group, sodium pump activity depended directly on membrane cholesterol and serum T₄ levels. No dependence on serum cholesterol was observed in either case. Despite the presence of elevated serum cholesterol in hypothyroidism, membrane cholesterol contributed significantly to maintain sodium pump activity in the cells. A critical reduction in membrane cholesterol levels heralds compromised enzyme activity, even in the early stage of hypothyroidism, and this can be predicted by elevated TSH levels alone, without any evident clinical manifestations. Copyright © 2017 Korean Endocrine Society

Evaluation of the appropriate use of a CIWA-Ar alcohol withdrawal protocol in the general hospital setting.

PubMed

Eloma, Amanda S; Tucciarone, Jason M; Hayes, Edmund M; Bronson, Brian D

2018-01-01

The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment-Alcohol, Revised (CIWA-Ar) is an assessment tool used to quantify alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) severity and inform benzodiazepine treatment for alcohol withdrawal. To evaluate the prescribing patterns and appropriate use of the CIWA-Ar protocol in a general hospital setting, as determined by the presence or absence of documented AWS risk factors, patients' ability to communicate, and provider awareness of the CIWA-Ar order. This retrospective chart review included 118 encounters of hospitalized patients placed on a CIWA-Ar protocol during one year. The following data were collected for each encounter: patient demographics, admitting diagnosis, ability to communicate, and admission blood alcohol level; and medical specialty of the clinician ordering CIWA-Ar, documentation of the presence or absence of established AWS risk factors, specific parameters of the protocol ordered, service admitted to, provider documentation of awareness of the active protocol within 48 h of initial order, total benzodiazepine dose equivalents administered and associated adverse events. 57% of patients who started on a CIWA-Ar protocol had either zero or one documented risk factor for AWS (19% and 38% respectively). 20% had no documentation of recent alcohol use. 14% were unable to communicate. 19% of medical records lacked documentation of provider awareness of the ordered protocol. Benzodiazepine associated adverse events were documented in 15% of encounters. The judicious use of CIWA-Ar protocols in general hospitals requires mechanisms to ensure assessment of validated alcohol withdrawal risk factors, exclusion of patients who cannot communicate, and continuity of care during transitions.

Effects of a Classroom-Based Physical Activity Program on Children's Physical Activity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Tan Leng; Hannon, James; Webster, Collin Andrew; Podlog, Leslie William; Brusseau, Timothy; Newton, Maria

2014-01-01

High levels of physical inactivity are evident among many American children. To address this problem, providing physical activity (PA) during the school day within the CSPAP framework, is one strategy to increase children's PA. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a classroom-based PA program on children's PA. Two hundred…

Effect of Antioxidant Mixtures on Growth and Ochratoxin A Production of Aspergillus Section Nigri Species under Different Water Activity Conditions on Peanut Meal Extract Agar

PubMed Central

Barberis, Carla; Astoreca, Andrea; Fernandez-Juri, María Guillermina; Dalcero, Ana María; Magnoli, Carina

2010-01-01

The effect of mixtures of antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA) and propyl paraben (PP) on lag phase, growth rate and ochratoxin A (OTA) production by four Aspergillus section Nigri strains was evaluated on peanut meal extract agar (PMEA) under different water activities (aw). The antioxidant mixtures used were: BHA + PP (mM), M1 (0.5 + 0.5), M2 (1.0 + 0.5), M3 (2.5 + 0.5), M4 (0.5 + 1.0), M5 (1.0 + 1.0), M6 (2.5 + 1.0), M7 (5.0 + 2.5) and M8 (10 + 2.5). The mixture M8 completely suppressed mycelial growth for all strains. A significant stimulation in OTA production was observed with mixtures M1 to M5 mainly at the highest aw; whereas M6, M7 and M8 completely inhibited OTA production in all strains assayed; except M6 in A. carbonarius strain (RCP G). These results could enable a future intervention strategy to minimize OTA contamination. PMID:22069644

Chemical potential of water from measurements of optic axial angle of zeolites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donald, Eberlein G.; Christ, C.L.

1968-01-01

Values of the uncorrected optic axial angle (2H??) of a crystal of the calcium zeolite stellerite (CaAl2Si7O 18 ?? 7H2O) immersed in calcium chloride solutions of known activity of water (aw) are directly proportional to log aw. A general relationship between the chemical potential of water in the crystal and the optic axial angle is obeyed.

Comparison of doubly labeled water with respirometry at low- and high-activity levels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westerterp, K.R.; Brouns, F.; Saris, W.H.

1988-07-01

In previous studies the doubly labeled water method for measuring energy expenditure in free-living humans has been validated against respirometry under sedentary conditions. In the present investigation, energy expenditure is measured simultaneously with doubly labeled water and respirometry at low- and high-activity levels. Over 6 days, five subjects were measured doing mainly sedentary activities like desk work; their average daily metabolic rate was 1.40 +/- 0.09 (SD) times sleeping metabolic rate. Four subjects were measured twice over 3.5 days, including 2 days with heavy bicycle ergometer work, resulting in an average daily metabolic rate of 2.61 +/- 0.25 (SD) timesmore » sleeping metabolic rate. At the low-activity level, energy expenditures from the doubly labeled water method were on the average 1.4 +/- 3.9% (SD) larger than those from respirometry. At the high-activity level, the doubly labeled water method yielded values that were 1.0 +/- 7.0% (SD) lower than those from respirometry. Results demonstrate the utility of the doubly labeled water method for the determination of energy expenditure in the range of activity levels in daily life.« less

Physical Activity Levels and Well-Being in Older Adults.

PubMed

Bae, Wonyul; Ik Suh, Young; Ryu, Jungsu; Heo, Jinmoo

2017-04-01

The objective of this study was to identify the interconnectedness of different intensity levels of physical activity and psychological (life satisfaction and positive affect) and physical (physical health) well-being. Participants were from the National Study of Midlife in the United States with assessments in 2004 and aged 25 to 74 living in the United States were included in the analyses. We conducted bivariate correlations to examine significant relationships among the study variables. In addition, after multicollinearity among the independent variable was checked, a series of hierarchical regression analyses with physical health, positive affect, and life satisfaction as criterion variables were conducted. The results showed that light physical activities were positively associated with physical health and life satisfaction in summer, whereas light physical activities and all dependent variables were positively correlated in winter. Furthermore, engaging in moderate physical activities was positively related only with physical health. Meanwhile, vigorous physical activities were not associated with life satisfaction, physical health, and positive affect in summer and winter.

Optimization of erythritol and glycerol accumulation in conidia of Beauveria bassiana by solid-state fermentation, using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Tarocco, Federico; Lecuona, Roberto E; Couto, Alicia S; Arcas, Jorge A

2005-09-01

Entomopathogenic fungi are widely produced for use as mycoinsecticides. Therefore, improvement of the shelf life of fungal propagules under good and adverse conditions should be a pre-requisite of their production. In order to improve conidial physiology as well as mycoinsecticide efficiency, culture conditions may be varied. The Doehlert design was used to generate response surfaces with an estimation of the parameters of the quadratic model allowing the study of three different factors at a different number of levels. This experimental design was applied to optimize water activity (aw), pH, and fermentation time for Beauveria bassiana conidial production and accumulation of polyols in solid-state fermentation. Thus, it was possible to identify the region in the experimental range in which the optimum values of these parameters were simultaneously achieved. Maximal conidia production was achieved at pH 5-6 and aw=0.999. Under these conditions, polyol accumulation was 3 mg erythritol/g conidia and 29.6 mg glycerol/g conidia. However, maximal polyol accumulation was achieved at pH 4.5 and aw 0.950; erythritol production increased 33-fold and glycerol production 4.5-fold. Under these conditions conidia production was 1,000 times lower. The possibilities of increasing the quality of the biocontrol agent without neglecting yield are discussed.

Bottom melting of Arctic Sea Ice in the Nansen Basin due to Atlantic Water influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muilwijk, Morven; Smedsrud, Lars H.; Meyer, Amelie

2016-04-01

sea ice. Because of the large increase in AW temperature over the last 30 years we assume that perturbations in the AW are important drivers of location of AW in this region, and that the sea ice and polar water above is passively responding to the AW variability. Previously it has been argued that the warming of AW could not contribute to increased ice melting because of the strong stratification. Our observations show an ice cover around 2 m, but with active ice formation in between the larger and thicker floes. The ongoing freezing drives brine release and subsequent convection, contributing to the deep ~100 m mixed layer observed in the area until mid-May. Onwards from May solar heating is stratifying the upper layer by adding heat. Data analysis is ongoing but indicates that location of AW is an important factor in bottom melting in the area north of Svalbard. Location of AW and related bottom melting will be evaluated using simulations from a fully coupled climate model.

A pediatric correlational study of stride interval dynamics, energy expenditure and activity level.

PubMed

Ellis, Denine; Sejdic, Ervin; Zabjek, Karl; Chau, Tom

2014-08-01

The strength of time-dependent correlations known as stride interval (SI) dynamics has been proposed as an indicator of neurologically healthy gait. Most recently, it has been hypothesized that these dynamics may be necessary for gait efficiency although the supporting evidence to date is scant. The current study examines over-ground SI dynamics, and their relationship with the cost of walking and physical activity levels in neurologically healthy children aged nine to 15 years. Twenty participants completed a single experimental session consisting of three phases: 10 min resting, 15 min walking and 10 min recovery. The scaling exponent (α) was used to characterize SI dynamics while net energy cost was measured using a portable metabolic cart, and physical activity levels were determined based on a 7-day recall questionnaire. No significant linear relationships were found between a and the net energy cost measures (r < .07; p > .25) or between α and physical activity levels (r = .01, p = .62). However, there was a marked reduction in the variance of α as activity levels increased. Over-ground stride dynamics do not appear to directly reflect energy conservation of gait in neurologically healthy youth. However, the reduction in the variance of α with increasing physical activity suggests a potential exercise-moderated convergence toward a level of stride interval persistence for able-bodied youth reported in the literature. This latter finding warrants further investigation.

Differences in Physical Activity Levels between Urban and Rural School Children in Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loucaides, Constantinos A.; Chedzoy, Sue M.; Bennett, Neville

2004-01-01

This study attempted to examine differences in physical activity levels between urban and rural primary school children. The sample consisted of 256 Greek-Cypriot children and their parents from two schools representing urban areas and three schools representing rural areas. Children's activity levels were assessed for 4 weekdays in the winter and…

Does Activity Space Size Influence Physical Activity Levels of Adolescents? - A GPS study of an urban environment.

PubMed

Lee, Nolan C; Voss, Christine; Frazer, Amanda D; Hirsch, Jana A; McKay, Heather A; Winters, Meghan

2016-06-01

Physical activity (PA) is closely linked with child and youth health, and active travel may be a solution to enhancing PA levels. Activity spaces depict the geographic coverage of one's travel. Little is known about activity spaces and PA in adolescents. To explore the relation between adolescent travel (using a spatial measure of activity space size) and daily moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), with a focus on school days. In Fall 2012, we used Global Positioning Systems to manually identify trips and generate activity spaces for each person-day; quantified by area for 39 students (13.8±0.6 years, 38% female) attending high school in urban Downtown Vancouver, Canada. We assessed the association between activity space area and MVPA using multi-level regression. We calculated total, school-day and trip-based MVPA for each valid person-day (accelerometry; ≥ 600 min wear time). On school days, students accrued 68.2 min/day (95% CI 60.4-76.0) of MVPA. Daily activity spaces averaged 2.2 km 2 (95% CI 1.3-3.0). There was no association between activity space size and school-day MVPA. Students accrued 21.8 min/day (95% CI 19.2-24.4) of MVPA during school hours, 19.4 min/day (95% CI 15.1-23.7) during travel, and 28.3 min/day (95% CI 22.3-34.3) elsewhere. School and school travel are important sources of PA in Vancouver adolescents, irrespective of activity space area covered.

Effect of incorporation of calcium lactate on physico-chemical, textural, and sensory properties of restructured buffalo meat loaves

PubMed Central

Irshad, A.; Sharma, B. D.; Ahmed, S. R.; Talukder, S.; Malav, O. P.; Kumar, Ashish

2016-01-01

Aim: The present study was conducted to develop a functional meat product by fortifying calcium (in the form of calcium lactate) with restructured buffalo meat loaf (RBML). Materials and Methods: Deboned buffalo meat obtained from the carcass of adult female buffalo within 5-6 h of slaughter and stored under frozen condition. Calcium fortified RBML were prepared by replacing the lean buffalo meat with calcium lactate powder at 0%, 1%, 1.25%, and 1.5% level through the pre-standardized procedure. The developed products were evaluated for physico-chemical properties, proximate composition, calcium concentration (mg/100 g), water activity (aw), Lovibond® tintometer color units, texture profile analysis (TPA), and sensory qualities as per-standard procedures. Results: Of the various product quality parameters evaluated, cooking yield (%), product pH, moisture (%), protein (%), fat (%), and water activity (aw) decreases significantly with increasing level of calcium lactate. Calcium content of fortified functional RBMLs was 135.02, 165.73, and 203.85 mg/100 g as compared to 6.48 mg/100 g in control. Most of the sensory scores at 1% and 1.25% levels of calcium lactate in treatment products remained comparable among themselves and control product, with a gradual decline. Conclusions: The present study concluded that 1.25% calcium lactate was the optimum level for the fortification of calcium in RBML without affecting the textural and sensory properties which could meet out 15% of recommended dietary allowance for calcium. PMID:27051201

Effect of incorporation of calcium lactate on physico-chemical, textural, and sensory properties of restructured buffalo meat loaves.

PubMed

Irshad, A; Sharma, B D; Ahmed, S R; Talukder, S; Malav, O P; Kumar, Ashish

2016-02-01

The present study was conducted to develop a functional meat product by fortifying calcium (in the form of calcium lactate) with restructured buffalo meat loaf (RBML). Deboned buffalo meat obtained from the carcass of adult female buffalo within 5-6 h of slaughter and stored under frozen condition. Calcium fortified RBML were prepared by replacing the lean buffalo meat with calcium lactate powder at 0%, 1%, 1.25%, and 1.5% level through the pre-standardized procedure. The developed products were evaluated for physico-chemical properties, proximate composition, calcium concentration (mg/100 g), water activity (aw), Lovibond(®) tintometer color units, texture profile analysis (TPA), and sensory qualities as per-standard procedures. Of the various product quality parameters evaluated, cooking yield (%), product pH, moisture (%), protein (%), fat (%), and water activity (aw) decreases significantly with increasing level of calcium lactate. Calcium content of fortified functional RBMLs was 135.02, 165.73, and 203.85 mg/100 g as compared to 6.48 mg/100 g in control. Most of the sensory scores at 1% and 1.25% levels of calcium lactate in treatment products remained comparable among themselves and control product, with a gradual decline. The present study concluded that 1.25% calcium lactate was the optimum level for the fortification of calcium in RBML without affecting the textural and sensory properties which could meet out 15% of recommended dietary allowance for calcium.

Arginase activity and nitric oxide levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

PubMed Central

Yüksel, Meral; Okur, Hacer Kuzu; Pelin, Zerrin; Öğünç, Ayliz Velioğlu; Öztürk, Levent

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is characterized by repetitive obstruction of the upper airways, and it is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. There have been several studies demonstrating low levels of nitric oxide in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome compared with healthy controls. In this study, we hypothesized that reduced nitric oxide levels would result in high arginase activity. Arginase reacts with L-arginine and produces urea and L-ornithine, whereas L-arginine is a substrate for nitric oxide synthase, which produces nitric oxide. METHODS: The study group consisted of 51 obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients (M/F: 43/8; mean age 49±10 years of age) and 15 healthy control subjects (M/F: 13/3; mean age 46±14 years of age). Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients were divided into two subgroups based on the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease. Nitric oxide levels and arginase activity were measured via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of serum samples. RESULTS: Serum nitric oxide levels in the control subjects were higher than in the obstructive sleep apnea patients with and without cardiovascular diseases (p<0.05). Arginase activity was significantly higher (p<0.01) in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients without cardiovascular diseases compared with the control group. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients with cardiovascular diseases had higher arginase activity than the controls (p<0.001) and the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients without cardiovascular diseases (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Low nitric oxide levels are associated with high arginase activity. The mechanism of nitric oxide depletion in sleep apnea patients suggests that increased arginase activity might reduce the substrate availability of nitric oxide synthase and thus could reduce nitric oxide levels. PMID:24714832

The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on conscious perception of sensory inputs from hand palm and dorsum.

PubMed

Westgeest, Annette; Morales, Merche; Cabib, Christopher; Valls-Sole, Josep

2014-12-01

Conscious perception of sensory signals depends in part on stimulus salience, relevance and topography. Letting aside differences at skin receptor level and afferent fibres, it is the CNS that makes a contextual selection of relevant sensory inputs. We hypothesized that subjective awareness (AW) of the time at which a sensory stimulus is perceived, a cortical function, may be differently modified by cortical stimulation, according to site and type of the stimulus. In 24 healthy volunteers, we examined the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the assessment of AW to heat pain or weak electrical stimuli applied to either the hand palm or dorsum. We also recorded the vertex-evoked potentials to the same stimuli. The assessment was done before, during and after cathodal or anodal tDCS over the parietal cortex contralateral to the hand receiving the stimuli. At baseline, AW to thermal stimuli was significantly longer for palm than for dorsum (P < 0.01), while no differences between stimulation sites were observed for the electrical stimuli. Both cathodal and anodal tDCS caused a significant shortening of AW to thermal stimuli in the palm but not in the dorsum, and no effects on AW to electrical stimuli. Longer AW in the palm than in the dorsum may be attributable to differences in skin thickness. However, the selectivity of the effects of tDCS on AW to thermal stimulation of the glabrous skin reflects the specificity of CNS processing for site and type of sensory inputs. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fungal and fumonisins contamination in Argentine maize (Zea mays L.) silo bags.

PubMed

Pacin, Ana M; Ciancio Bovier, Emilia; González, Héctor H L; Whitechurch, Elena M; Martínez, Elena J; Resnik, Silvia L

2009-04-08

Fumonisins in maize (Zea mays L.) grain silo bags in the conditions of three Argentine provinces were analyzed to determine how this kind of storage affects contamination and if differential storage durations or times of the year of silo bag closing and opening are factors that could modify it. Moisture content, water activity (a(w)), molds and yeasts present, and fumonisins were analyzed in 163 maize silo bags, at the moment of closing and later at opening. Storage durations ranged from 120 to 226 days. The analysis was centered on fumonisins since most samples were only contaminated with these toxins. Fumonisins, moisture content, and a(w) increased significantly, whereas mold propagules/g and yeasts CFU/g did not present significant differences between silo opening and closing. The date on which silo bags were closed and later opened, however, did affect the level of fumonisin contamination.

Motility, ATP levels and metabolic enzyme activity of sperm from bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus).

PubMed

Burness, Gary; Moyes, Christopher D; Montgomerie, Robert

2005-01-01

Male bluegill displays one of two life history tactics. Some males (termed "parentals") delay reproduction until ca. 7 years of age, at which time they build nests and actively courts females. Others mature precociously (sneakers) and obtain fertilizations by cuckolding parental males. In the current study, we studied the relations among sperm motility, ATP levels, and metabolic enzyme activity in parental and sneaker bluegill. In both reproductive tactics, sperm swimming speed and ATP levels declined in parallel over the first 60 s of motility. Although sneaker sperm initially had higher ATP levels than parental sperm, by approximately 30 s postactivation, no differences existed between tactics. No differences were noted between tactics in swimming speed, percent motility, or the activities of key metabolic enzymes, although sperm from parentals had a higher ratio of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) to citrate synthase (CS). In both tactics, with increasing CPK and CS activity, sperm ATP levels increased at 20 s postactivation, suggesting that capacities for phosphocreatine hydrolysis and aerobic metabolism may influence interindividual variation in rates of ATP depletion. Nonetheless, there was no relation between sperm ATP levels and either swimming speed or percent of sperm that were motile. This suggests that interindividual variation in ATP levels may not be the primary determinant of variation in sperm swimming performance in bluegill.

Early androgens, activity levels and toy choices of children in the second year of life.

PubMed

Alexander, Gerianne M; Saenz, Janet

2012-09-01

The hypothesis that stronger preferences for active play styles contribute to stronger preferences for male-typical toys was examined in 47 boys and 37 girls at 19-months of age using ambulatory monitoring technology (i.e., actigraphy) to measure activity levels during contact with male-typical, female-typical, and gender-neutral toys. Digit ratios and salivary testosterone levels were measured earlier in children at 3-4 months of age. There were no significant sex differences in digit ratios, salivary testosterone levels, or overall activity levels during toy play. In contrast, contact times showed large sex differences in infants' toy preferences. The within-sex comparisons showed that infant girls had significant preferences for female-typical toys over male-typical toys, whereas infant boys showed only a small preference for male-typical toys over female-typical toys. More male-typical digit ratios in early infancy predicted higher activity counts during toy play and less female-typical toy preferences in girls. However, in both sexes, activity levels were unrelated to toy preferences suggesting that factors other than activity level preferences contribute to the early emergence of gender-linked toy preferences. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and application of a predictive model of Aspergillus candidus growth as a tool to improve shelf life of bakery products.