Suitability of the HAM-Nat test and TMS module "basic medical-scientific understanding" for medical school selection

PubMed Central

Hissbach, Johanna; Feddersen, Lena; Sehner, Susanne; Hampe, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

Aims: Tests with natural-scientific content are predictive of the success in the first semesters of medical studies. Some universities in the German speaking countries use the ‘Test for medical studies’ (TMS) for student selection. One of its test modules, namely “medical and scientific comprehension”, measures the ability for deductive reasoning. In contrast, the Hamburg Assessment Test for Medicine, Natural Sciences (HAM-Nat) evaluates knowledge in natural sciences. In this study the predictive power of the HAM-Nat test will be compared to that of the NatDenk test, which is similar to the TMS module “medical and scientific comprehension” in content and structure. Methods: 162 medical school beginners volunteered to complete either the HAM-Nat (N=77) or the NatDenk test (N=85) in 2007. Until spring 2011, 84.2% of these successfully completed the first part of the medical state examination in Hamburg. Via different logistic regression models we tested the predictive power of high school grade point average (GPA or “Abiturnote”) and the test results (HAM-Nat and NatDenk) with regard to the study success criterion “first part of the medical state examination passed successfully up to the end of the 7th semester” (Success7Sem). The Odds Ratios (OR) for study success are reported. Results: For both test groups a significant correlation existed between test results and study success (HAM-Nat: OR=2.07; NatDenk: OR=2.58). If both admission criteria are estimated in one model, the main effects (GPA: OR=2.45; test: OR=2.32) and their interaction effect (OR=1.80) are significant in the HAM-Nat test group, whereas in the NatDenk test group only the test result (OR=2.21) significantly contributes to the variance explained. Conclusions: On their own both HAM-Nat and NatDenk have predictive power for study success, but only the HAM-Nat explains additional variance if combined with GPA. The selection according to HAM-Nat and GPA has under the current circumstances of medical school selection (many good applicants and only a limited number of available spaces) the highest predictive power of all models. PMID:23255967

How Will Aerosol-Cloud Interactions Change in an Ice-Free Arctic Summer?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilgen, Anina; Katty Huang, Wan Ting; Ickes, Luisa; Lohmann, Ulrike

2016-04-01

Future temperatures in the Arctic are expected to increase more than the global mean temperature, which will lead to a pronounced retreat in Arctic sea ice. Before mid-century, most sea ice will likely have vanished in late Arctic summers. This will allow ships to cruise in the Arctic Ocean, e.g. to shorten their transport passage or to extract oil. Since both ships and open water emit aerosol particles and precursors, Arctic clouds and radiation may be affected via aerosol-cloud and cloud-radiation interactions. The change in radiation feeds back on temperature and sea ice retreat. In addition to aerosol particles, also the temperature and the open ocean as a humidity source should have a strong effect on clouds. The main goal of this study is to assess the impact of sea ice retreat on the Arctic climate with focus on aerosol emissions and cloud properties. To this purpose, we conducted ensemble runs with the global climate model ECHAM6-HAM2 under present-day and future (2050) conditions. ECHAM6-HAM2 was coupled with a mixed layer ocean model, which includes a sea ice model. To estimate Arctic aerosol emissions from ships, we used an elaborated ship emission inventory (Peters et al. 2011); changes in aerosol emissions from the ocean are calculated online. Preliminary results show that the sea salt aerosol and the dimethyl sulfide burdens over the Arctic Ocean significantly increase. While the ice water path decreases, the total water path increases. Due to the decrease in surface albedo, the cooling effect of the Arctic clouds becomes more important in 2050. Enhanced Arctic shipping has only a very small impact. The increase in the aersol burden due to shipping is less pronounced than the increase due to natural emissions even if the ship emissions are increased by a factor of ten. Hence, there is hardly an effect on clouds and radiation caused by shipping. References Peters et al. (2011), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 5305-5320

Sensitivity studies of different aerosol indirect effects in mixed-phase clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohmann, U.; Hoose, C.

2009-11-01

Aerosols affect the climate system by changing cloud characteristics. Using the global climate model ECHAM5-HAM, we investigate different aerosol effects on mixed-phase clouds: The glaciation effect, which refers to a more frequent glaciation due to anthropogenic aerosols, versus the de-activation effect, which suggests that ice nuclei become less effective because of an anthropogenic sulfate coating. The glaciation effect can partly offset the indirect aerosol effect on warm clouds and thus causes the total anthropogenic aerosol effect to be smaller. It is investigated by varying the parameterization for the Bergeron-Findeisen process and the threshold coating thickness of sulfate (SO4-crit), which is required to convert an externally mixed aerosol particle into an internally mixed particle. Differences in the net radiation at the top-of-the-atmosphere due to anthropogenic aerosols between the different sensitivity studies amount up to 0.5 W m-2. This suggests that the investigated mixed-phase processes have a major effect on the total anthropogenic aerosol effect.

Sensitivity studies of different aerosol indirect effects in mixed-phase clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohmann, U.; Hoose, C.

2009-07-01

Aerosols affect the climate system by changing cloud characteristics. Using the global climate model ECHAM5-HAM, we investigate different aerosol effects on mixed-phase clouds: The glaciation effect, which refers to a more frequent glaciation due to anthropogenic aerosols, versus the de-activation effect, which suggests that ice nuclei become less effective because of an anthropogenic sulfate coating. The glaciation effect can partly offset the indirect aerosol effect on warm clouds and thus causes the total anthropogenic aerosol effect to be smaller. It is investigated by varying the parameterization for the Bergeron-Findeisen process and the threshold coating thickness of sulfate (SO4-crit), which is required to convert an externally mixed aerosol particle into an internally mixed particle. Differences in the net radiation at the top-of-the-atmosphere due to anthropogenic aerosols between the different sensitivity studies amount up to 0.5 W m-2. This suggests that the investigated mixed-phase processes have a major effect on the total anthropogenic aerosol effect.

Hamming and Accumulator Codes Concatenated with MPSK or QAM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; Dolinar, Samuel

2009-01-01

In a proposed coding-and-modulation scheme, a high-rate binary data stream would be processed as follows: 1. The input bit stream would be demultiplexed into multiple bit streams. 2. The multiple bit streams would be processed simultaneously into a high-rate outer Hamming code that would comprise multiple short constituent Hamming codes a distinct constituent Hamming code for each stream. 3. The streams would be interleaved. The interleaver would have a block structure that would facilitate parallelization for high-speed decoding. 4. The interleaved streams would be further processed simultaneously into an inner two-state, rate-1 accumulator code that would comprise multiple constituent accumulator codes - a distinct accumulator code for each stream. 5. The resulting bit streams would be mapped into symbols to be transmitted by use of a higher-order modulation - for example, M-ary phase-shift keying (MPSK) or quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). The novelty of the scheme lies in the concatenation of the multiple-constituent Hamming and accumulator codes and the corresponding parallel architectures of the encoder and decoder circuitry (see figure) needed to process the multiple bit streams simultaneously. As in the cases of other parallel-processing schemes, one advantage of this scheme is that the overall data rate could be much greater than the data rate of each encoder and decoder stream and, hence, the encoder and decoder could handle data at an overall rate beyond the capability of the individual encoder and decoder circuits.

Aerosol effect on climate extremes in Europe under different future scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sillmann, J.; Pozzoli, L.; Vignati, E.; Kloster, S.; Feichter, J.

2013-05-01

This study investigates changes in extreme temperature and precipitation events under different future scenarios of anthropogenic aerosol emissions (i.e., SO2 and black and organic carbon) simulated with an aerosol-climate model (ECHAM5-HAM) with focus on Europe. The simulations include a maximum feasible aerosol reduction (MFR) scenario and a current legislation emission (CLEmod) scenario where Europe implements the MFR scenario, but the rest of the world follows the current legislation scenario and a greenhouse gas scenario. The strongest changes relative to the year 2000 are projected for the MFR scenario, in which the global aerosol reduction greatly enforces the general warming effect due to greenhouse gases and results in significant increases of temperature and precipitation extremes in Europe. Regional warming effects can also be identified from aerosol reductions under the CLEmodscenario. This becomes most obvious in the increase of the hottest summer daytime temperatures in Northern Europe.

Role of absorbing aerosols on hot extremes in India in a GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, A.; Sah, N.; Venkataraman, C.; Patil, N.

2017-12-01

Temperature extremes and heat waves in North-Central India during the summer months of March through June are known for causing significant impact in terms of human health, productivity and mortality. While greenhouse gas-induced global warming is generally believed to intensify the magnitude and frequency of such extremes, aerosols are usually associated with an overall cooling, by virtue of their dominant radiation scattering nature, in most world regions. Recently, large-scale atmospheric conditions leading to heat wave and extreme temperature conditions have been analysed for the North-Central Indian region. However, the role of absorbing aerosols, including black carbon and dust, is still not well understood, in mediating hot extremes in the region. In this study, we use 30-year simulations from a chemistry-coupled atmosphere-only General Circulation Model (GCM), ECHAM6-HAM2, forced with evolving aerosol emissions in an interactive aerosol module, along with observed sea surface temperatures, to examine large-scale and mesoscale conditions during hot extremes in India. The model is first validated with observed gridded temperature and reanalysis data, and is found to represent observed variations in temperature in the North-Central region and concurrent large-scale atmospheric conditions during high temperature extremes realistically. During these extreme events, changes in near surface properties include a reduction in single scattering albedo and enhancement in short-wave solar heating rate, compared to climatological conditions. This is accompanied by positive anomalies of black carbon and dust aerosol optical depths. We conclude that the large-scale atmospheric conditions such as the presence of anticyclones and clear skies, conducive to heat waves and high temperature extremes, are exacerbated by absorbing aerosols in North-Central India. Future air quality regulations are expected to reduce sulfate particles and their masking of GHG warming. It is concurrently important to mitigate emissions of warming black carbon particles, to manage future climate change-induced hot extremes.

Walz configures the Amateur Radio (HAM) WA3 Antenna Assembly, Expedition Four

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-01-12

ISS004-E-5930 (January 2002) --- Astronaut Carl E. Walz, Expedition Four flight engineer, works with the Amateur Radio (HAM) WA3 Antenna Assembly in the Zvezda Service Module on the International Space Station (ISS). The image was taken with a digital still camera.

Onufrienko holds the Amateur Radio (HAM) WA3 Antenna Assembly, Expedition Four

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-01-12

ISS004-E-5931 (January 2002) --- Cosmonaut Yury I. Onufrienko, Expedition Four mission commander representing Rosaviakosmos, works with the Amateur Radio (HAM) WA3 Antenna Assembly in the Zvezda Service Module on the International Space Station (ISS). The image was taken with a digital still camera.

Rainfall-aerosol relationships explained by wet scavenging and humidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandey, Benjamin S.; Gururaj, Anisha; Stier, Philip; Wagner, Till M.

2014-08-01

Relationships between precipitation rate and aerosol optical depth, the extinction of light by aerosol in an atmospheric column, have been observed in satellite-retrieved data. What are the reasons for these precipitation-aerosol relationships? We investigate relationships between convective precipitation rate (Rconv) and aerosol optical depth (τtot) using the ECHAM5-HAM aerosol-climate model. We show that negative Rconv-τtot relationships arise due to wet scavenging of aerosol. The apparent lack of negative Rconv-τtot relationships in satellite-retrieved data is likely because the satellite data do not sample wet scavenging events. When convective wet scavenging is excluded in the model, we find positive Rconv-τtot relationships in regions where convective precipitation is the dominant form of model precipitation. The spatial distribution of these relationships is in good agreement with satellite-based results. We further demonstrate that a substantial component of these positive relationships arises due to covariation with large-scale relative humidity. Although the interpretation of precipitation-aerosol relationships remains a challenging question, we suggest that progress can be made through a synergy between observations and models.

The chemistry-climate model ECHAM6.3-HAM2.3-MOZ1.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Martin G.; Stadtler, Scarlet; Schröder, Sabine; Taraborrelli, Domenico; Franco, Bruno; Krefting, Jonathan; Henrot, Alexandra; Ferrachat, Sylvaine; Lohmann, Ulrike; Neubauer, David; Siegenthaler-Le Drian, Colombe; Wahl, Sebastian; Kokkola, Harri; Kühn, Thomas; Rast, Sebastian; Schmidt, Hauke; Stier, Philip; Kinnison, Doug; Tyndall, Geoffrey S.; Orlando, John J.; Wespes, Catherine

2018-05-01

The chemistry-climate model ECHAM-HAMMOZ contains a detailed representation of tropospheric and stratospheric reactive chemistry and state-of-the-art parameterizations of aerosols using either a modal scheme (M7) or a bin scheme (SALSA). This article describes and evaluates the model version ECHAM6.3-HAM2.3-MOZ1.0 with a focus on the tropospheric gas-phase chemistry. A 10-year model simulation was performed to test the stability of the model and provide data for its evaluation. The comparison to observations concentrates on the year 2008 and includes total column observations of ozone and CO from IASI and OMI, Aura MLS observations of temperature, HNO3, ClO, and O3 for the evaluation of polar stratospheric processes, an ozonesonde climatology, surface ozone observations from the TOAR database, and surface CO data from the Global Atmosphere Watch network. Global budgets of ozone, OH, NOx, aerosols, clouds, and radiation are analyzed and compared to the literature. ECHAM-HAMMOZ performs well in many aspects. However, in the base simulation, lightning NOx emissions are very low, and the impact of the heterogeneous reaction of HNO3 on dust and sea salt aerosol is too strong. Sensitivity simulations with increased lightning NOx or modified heterogeneous chemistry deteriorate the comparison with observations and yield excessively large ozone budget terms and too much OH. We hypothesize that this is an impact of potential issues with tropical convection in the ECHAM model.

Aerosol nucleation and its role for clouds and Earth's radiative forcing in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM5-HAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazil, J.; Stier, P.; Zhang, K.; Quaas, J.; Kinne, S.; O'Donnell, D.; Rast, S.; Esch, M.; Ferrachat, S.; Lohmann, U.; Feichter, J.

2010-05-01

Nucleation from the gas phase is an important source of aerosol particles in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the number of cloud condensation nuclei, which form cloud droplets. We have implemented in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM5-HAM a new scheme for neutral and charged nucleation of sulfuric acid and water based on laboratory data, and nucleation of an organic compound and sulfuric acid using a parametrization of cluster activation based on field measurements. We give details of the implementation, compare results with observations, and investigate the role of the individual aerosol nucleation mechanisms for clouds and the Earth's radiative budget. The results of our simulations are most consistent with observations when neutral and charged nucleation of sulfuric acid proceed throughout the troposphere and nucleation due to cluster activation is limited to the forested boundary layer. The globally averaged annual mean contributions of the individual nucleation processes to total absorbed solar short-wave radiation via the direct, semi-direct, indirect cloud-albedo and cloud-lifetime effects in our simulations are -1.15 W/m2 for charged H2SO4/H2O nucleation, -0.235 W/m2 for cluster activation, and -0.05 W/m2 for neutral H2SO4/H2O nucleation. The overall effect of nucleation is -2.55 W/m2, which exceeds the sum of the individual terms due to feedbacks and interactions in the model. Aerosol nucleation contributes over the oceans with -2.18 W/m2 to total absorbed solar short-wave radiation, compared to -0.37 W/m2 over land. We explain the higher effect of aerosol nucleation on Earth's radiative budget over the oceans with the larger area covered by ocean clouds, due to the larger contrast in albedo between clouds and the ocean surface compared to continents, and the larger susceptibility of pristine clouds owing to the saturation of effects. The large effect of charged nucleation in our simulations is not in contradiction with small effects seen in local measurements: over southern Finland, where cluster activation proceeds efficiently, we find that charged nucleation of sulfuric acid and water contributes on average less than 10% to ultrafine aerosol concentrations, in good agreement with observations.

Aerosol nucleation and its role for clouds and Earth's radiative forcing in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM5-HAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazil, J.; Stier, P.; Zhang, K.; Quaas, J.; Kinne, S.; O'Donnell, D.; Rast, S.; Esch, M.; Ferrachat, S.; Lohmann, U.; Feichter, J.

2010-11-01

Nucleation from the gas phase is an important source of aerosol particles in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to the number of cloud condensation nuclei, which form cloud droplets. We have implemented in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM5-HAM a new scheme for neutral and charged nucleation of sulfuric acid and water based on laboratory data, and nucleation of an organic compound and sulfuric acid using a parametrization of cluster activation based on field measurements. We give details of the implementation, compare results with observations, and investigate the role of the individual aerosol nucleation mechanisms for clouds and the Earth's radiative forcing. The results of our simulations are most consistent with observations when neutral and charged nucleation of sulfuric acid proceed throughout the troposphere and nucleation due to cluster activation is limited to the forested boundary layer. The globally averaged annual mean contributions of the individual nucleation processes to total absorbed solar short-wave radiation via the direct, semi-direct, indirect cloud-albedo and cloud-lifetime effects in our simulations are -1.15 W/m2 for charged H2SO4/H2O nucleation, -0.235 W/m2 for cluster activation, and -0.05 W/m2 for neutral H2SO4/H2O nucleation. The overall effect of nucleation is -2.55 W/m2, which exceeds the sum of the individual terms due to feedbacks and interactions in the model. Aerosol nucleation contributes over the oceans with -2.18 W/m2 to total absorbed solar short-wave radiation, compared to -0.37 W/m2 over land. We explain the higher effect of aerosol nucleation on Earth's radiative forcing over the oceans with the larger area covered by ocean clouds, due to the larger contrast in albedo between clouds and the ocean surface compared to continents, and the larger susceptibility of pristine clouds owing to the saturation of effects. The large effect of charged nucleation in our simulations is not in contradiction with small effects seen in local measurements: over southern Finland, where cluster activation proceeds efficiently, we find that charged nucleation of sulfuric acid and water contributes on average less than 10% to ultrafine aerosol concentrations, in good agreement with observations.

Comparison of aerosol optical properties above clouds between POLDER and AeroCom models over the South East Atlantic Ocean during the fire season: POLDER/AeroCom Comparison Above Clouds

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

Peers, F.; Bellouin, N.; Waquet, F.

Aerosol properties above clouds have been retrieved over the South East Atlantic Ocean during the fire season 2006 using satellite observations from POLDER (Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances). From June to October, POLDER has observed a mean Above-Cloud Aerosol Optical Thickness (ACAOT) of 0.28 and a mean Above-Clouds Single Scattering Albedo (ACSSA) of 0.87 at 550nm. These results have been used to evaluate the simulation of aerosols above clouds in 5 AeroCom (Aerosol Comparisons between Observations and Models) models (GOCART, HadGEM3, ECHAM5-HAM2, OsloCTM2 and SPRINTARS). Most models do not reproduce the observed large aerosol load episodes. The comparison highlightsmore » the importance of the injection height and the vertical transport parameterizations to simulate the large ACAOT observed by POLDER. Furthermore, some models overestimate the ACSSA. In accordance with recent recommendations of the black carbon refractive index, a higher prescription of the imaginary part allows a better comparison with POLDER’s ACSSA.« less

KSC-08pd1176

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-124 Pilot Ken Ham stands ready to practice driving the M113 armored personnel carrier as part of emergency training. Behind him is Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg. Ham and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Modeling Atmospheric Aerosols in WRF/Chem

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

Zhang, Yang; Hu, X.-M.; Howell, G.

2005-06-01

In this study, three aerosol modules are tested and compared. The first module is the Modal Aerosol Dynamics Model for Europe (MADE) with the secondary organic aerosol model (SORGAM) (referred to as MADE/SORGAM). The second module is the Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC). The third module is the Model of Aerosol Dynamics, Reaction, Ionization and Dissolution (MADRID). The three modules differ in terms of size representation used, chemical species treated, assumptions and numerical algorithms used. Table 1 compares the major processes among the three aerosol modules.

Aerosol as a player in the Arctic Amplification - an aerosol-climate model evaluation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schacht, Jacob; Heinold, Bernd; Tegen, Ina

2017-04-01

Climate warming is much more pronounced in the Arctic than in any other region on Earth - a phenomenon referred to as the "Arctic Amplification". This is closely related to a variety of specific feedback mechanisms, which relative importance, however, is not yet sufficiently understood. The local changes in the Arctic climate are far-reaching and affect for example the general atmospheric circulation and global energy transport. Aerosol particles from long-range transport and local sources play an important role in the Arctic system by modulating the energy balance (directly by interaction with solar and thermal infrared radiation and indirectly by changing cloud properties and atmospheric dynamics). The main source regions of anthropogenic aerosol are Europe and East Asia, but also local shipping and oil/gas extraction may contribute significantly. In addition, important sources are widespread, mainly natural boreal forest fires. Most of the European aerosol is transported through the lower atmospheric layers in wintertime. The Asian aerosol is transported through higher altitudes. Because of the usually pristine conditions in the Arctic even small absolute changes in aerosol concentration can have large impacts on the Arctic climate. Using global and Arctic-focused model simulations, we aim at investigating the sources and transport pathways of natural and anthropogenic aerosol to the Arctic region, as well as their impact on radiation and clouds. Here, we present first results from an aerosol-climate model evaluation study. Simulations were performed with the global aerosol-climate model ECHAM6-HAM2, using three different state-of-the-art emission inventories (ACCMIP, ACCMIP + GFAS emissions for wildfires and ECLIPSE). The runs were performed in nudged mode at T63 horizontal resolution (approximately 1.8°) with 47 vertical levels for the 10-year period 2006-2015. Black carbon (BC) and sulphate (SO4) are of particular interest. BC is highly absorbing in the solar spectrum, an effect that is enhanced by the contrast between the bright snow/ice surfaces and the dark BC. When deposited on snow and ice, BC also accelerates melting and lowers the surface albedo. SO4 however is more scattering and, therefore, cooling. The model results are compared among each other and evaluated against ground-based in-situ and remote sensing, as well as active satellite observations. The following questions are addressed in the evaluation: 1) Are the sources and transport pathways of aerosol to the Arctic region captured? 2) Is the annual cycle of aerosol conditions reproduced? 3) What are uncertainties related to the emission database? After thorough evaluation, the model results will provide a state-of-the-art estimate of the aerosol budget and the effective radiative forcing by anthropogenic aerosols in the Arctic region.

KSC-08pd1177

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With Launch Pad 39B in the background, STS-124 Pilot Ken Ham drives the M113 armored personnel carrier as part of emergency training. Behind him at right is Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg. At center is Battalion Chief George Hoggard providing supervision. Ham and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Development of a global aerosol model using a two-dimensional sectional method: 1. Model design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsui, H.

2017-08-01

This study develops an aerosol module, the Aerosol Two-dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation version 2 (ATRAS2), and implements the module into a global climate model, Community Atmosphere Model. The ATRAS2 module uses a two-dimensional (2-D) sectional representation with 12 size bins for particles from 1 nm to 10 μm in dry diameter and 8 black carbon (BC) mixing state bins. The module can explicitly calculate the enhancement of absorption and cloud condensation nuclei activity of BC-containing particles by aging processes. The ATRAS2 module is an extension of a 2-D sectional aerosol module ATRAS used in our previous studies within a framework of a regional three-dimensional model. Compared with ATRAS, the computational cost of the aerosol module is reduced by more than a factor of 10 by simplifying the treatment of aerosol processes and 2-D sectional representation, while maintaining good accuracy of aerosol parameters in the simulations. Aerosol processes are simplified for condensation of sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate, organic aerosol formation, coagulation, and new particle formation processes, and box model simulations show that these simplifications do not substantially change the predicted aerosol number and mass concentrations and their mixing states. The 2-D sectional representation is simplified (the number of advected species is reduced) primarily by the treatment of chemical compositions using two interactive bin representations. The simplifications do not change the accuracy of global aerosol simulations. In part 2, comparisons with measurements and the results focused on aerosol processes such as BC aging processes are shown.

Are training and transfer effects of working memory updating training modulated by achievement motivation?

PubMed

Zhao, Xin; Xu, Yiwenjie; Fu, Junjun; Maes, Joseph H R

2018-04-01

Previous studies examining effects of working memory (WM) updating training revealed mixed results. One factor that might modulate training gains, and possibly also transfer of those gains to non-trained cognitive tasks, is achievement motivation. In the present Studies 1 and 2, students with either a high (HAM) or low (LAM) achievement motivation completed a 14-day visuospatial WM updating training program. In Study 2, the students also performed a set of tasks measuring other executive functions and fluid intelligence prior to and after training. In both studies, the HAM students displayed a larger training gain than the LAM students. Study 2 revealed that after training, both groups showed better performance on the near-transfer but not far-transfer tasks. Importantly, the differential training gain was not associated with better post-training performance for the HAM compared to the LAM students on any of the transfer tasks. These results are taken to support a modulatory role of achievement motivation on WM training benefits, but not on transfer of those benefits to other tasks. Possible reasons for the general improvement on the near-transfer tasks and the absence of a modulatory role of achievement motivation on transfer-task performance are discussed.

A new Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) experiment designed for climate and chemistry models

DOE PAGES

Tilmes, S.; Mills, Mike; Niemeier, Ulrike; ...

2015-01-15

A new Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) experiment "G4 specified stratospheric aerosols" (short name: G4SSA) is proposed to investigate the impact of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on atmosphere, chemistry, dynamics, climate, and the environment. In contrast to the earlier G4 GeoMIP experiment, which requires an emission of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) into the model, a prescribed aerosol forcing file is provided to the community, to be consistently applied to future model experiments between 2020 and 2100. This stratospheric aerosol distribution, with a total burden of about 2 Tg S has been derived using the ECHAM5-HAM microphysical model, based on a continuous annualmore » tropical emission of 8 Tg SO₂ yr⁻¹. A ramp-up of geoengineering in 2020 and a ramp-down in 2070 over a period of 2 years are included in the distribution, while a background aerosol burden should be used for the last 3 decades of the experiment. The performance of this experiment using climate and chemistry models in a multi-model comparison framework will allow us to better understand the impact of geoengineering and its abrupt termination after 50 years in a changing environment. The zonal and monthly mean stratospheric aerosol input data set is available at https://www2.acd.ucar.edu/gcm/geomip-g4-specified-stratospheric-aerosol-data-set.« less

Direct Radiative Effect of Aerosols Based on PARASOL and OMI Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lacagnina, Carlo; Hasekamp, Otto P.; Torres, Omar

2017-01-01

Accurate portrayal of the aerosol characteristics is crucial to determine aerosol contribution to the Earth's radiation budget. We employ novel satellite retrievals to make a new measurement-based estimate of the shortwave direct radiative effect of aerosols (DREA), both over land and ocean. Global satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth, single-scattering albedo (SSA), and phase function from PARASOL (Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar) are used in synergy with OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) SSA. Aerosol information is combined with land-surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function and cloud characteristics from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite products. Eventual gaps in observations are filled with the state-of-the-art global aerosol model ECHAM5-HAM2. It is found that our estimate of DREA is largely insensitive to model choice. Radiative transfer calculations show that DREA at top-of-atmosphere is -4.6 +/- 1.5 W/sq m for cloud-free and -2.1 +/- 0.7 W/sq m for all-sky conditions, during year 2006. These fluxes are consistent with, albeit generally less negative over ocean than, former assessments. Unlike previous studies, our estimate is constrained by retrievals of global coverage SSA, which may justify different DREA values. Remarkable consistency is found in comparison with DREA based on CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) and MODIS observations.

Global aerosol effects on convective clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Till; Stier, Philip

2013-04-01

Atmospheric aerosols affect cloud properties, and thereby the radiation balance of the planet and the water cycle. The influence of aerosols on clouds is dominated by increase of cloud droplet and ice crystal numbers (CDNC/ICNC) due to enhanced aerosols acting as cloud condensation and ice nuclei. In deep convective clouds this increase in CDNC/ICNC is hypothesised to increase precipitation because of cloud invigoration through enhanced freezing and associated increased latent heat release caused by delayed warm rain formation. Satellite studies robustly show an increase of cloud top height (CTH) and precipitation with increasing aerosol optical depth (AOD, as proxy for aerosol amount). To represent aerosol effects and study their influence on convective clouds in the global climate aerosol model ECHAM-HAM, we substitute the standard convection parameterisation, which uses one mean convective cloud for each grid column, with the convective cloud field model (CCFM), which simulates a spectrum of convective clouds, each with distinct values of radius, mixing ratios, vertical velocity, height and en/detrainment. Aerosol activation and droplet nucleation in convective updrafts at cloud base is the primary driver for microphysical aerosol effects. To produce realistic estimates for vertical velocity at cloud base we use an entraining dry parcel sub cloud model which is triggered by perturbations of sensible and latent heat at the surface. Aerosol activation at cloud base is modelled with a mechanistic, Köhler theory based, scheme, which couples the aerosols to the convective microphysics. Comparison of relationships between CTH and AOD, and precipitation and AOD produced by this novel model and satellite based estimates show general agreement. Through model experiments and analysis of the model cloud processes we are able to investigate the main drivers for the relationship between CTH / precipitation and AOD.

AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE CLIMATE IMPACT OF SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOLS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donnell, D.; Feichter, J.

2009-12-01

Atmospheric aerosols influence the Earth’s climate by absorbing and scattering solar radiation (the direct effect) and by altering the properties of clouds (indirect effects). Measurements have shown that a substantial fraction of the tropospheric aerosol burden consists of organic compounds. Hundreds of different organic species have been identified. While progress has been made in the understanding of the role of certain aerosol types in the climate system, that of organic aerosols remains poorly understood and the climate influences resulting from their presence poorly constrained. Organic aerosols are emitted directly from the surface (primary organic aerosols, POA) and are also formed in the atmosphere from gaseous precursors by oxidation reactions (secondary organic aerosols, SOA). Both biogenic and anthropogenic precursors have been identified. Biogenic emissions of aerosol precursors are known to be climate-dependent. Thus, a bi-directional dependency exists between the biosphere and the atmosphere, whereby aerosols of biogenic origin influence the climate system, which in turn affects biogenic aerosol precursor production. This study builds upon the global aerosol-climate model ECHAM5/HAM and adds techniques to model SOA as well as the necessary global emission inventories. Emission of biogenic precursors is calculated online. Formation of SOA is modeled by the well-known two-product model of SOA formation. SOA is subject to the same aerosol microphysics and sink processes as other modeled species (sulphate, black carbon, primary organic carbon, sea salt and dust). The aerosol radiative effects are calculated on a size resolved basis, and the aerosol scheme is coupled to the model cloud microphysics, permitting estimation of both direct and indirect aerosol effects. The following results will be discussed: (i) Estimation of the direct and indirect effects of biogenic and anthropogenic SOA, (ii) Estimation of the sign and magnitude of the biospheric feedback (through biogenic aerosol precursor emission) on the climate system, and (iii) Identification of physical processes and aerosol physical properties that need further experimental investigation in order to improve our understanding of the climate impact of SOA

The upstream Variable Number Tandem Repeat polymorphism of the monoamine oxidase type A gene influences trigeminal pain-related evoked responses.

PubMed

Di Lorenzo, Cherubino; Daverio, Andrea; Pasqualetti, Patrizio; Coppola, Gianluca; Giannoudas, Ioannis; Barone, Ylenia; Grieco, Gaetano S; Niolu, Cinzia; Pascale, Esterina; Santorelli, Filippo M; Nicoletti, Ferdinando; Pierelli, Francesco; Siracusano, Alberto; Seri, Stefano; Di Lorenzo, Giorgio

2014-02-01

Monoamines have an important role in neural plasticity, a key factor in cortical pain processing that promotes changes in neuronal network connectivity. Monoamine oxidase type A (MAOA) is an enzyme that, due to its modulating role in monoaminergic activity, could play a role in cortical pain processing. The X-linked MAOA gene is characterized by an allelic variant of length, the MAOA upstream Variable Number Tandem Repeat (MAOA-uVNTR) region polymorphism. Two allelic variants of this gene are known, the high-activity MAOA (HAM) and low-activity MAOA (LAM). We investigated the role of MAOA-uVNTR in cortical pain processing in a group of healthy individuals measured by the trigeminal electric pain-related evoked potential (tPREP) elicited by repeated painful stimulation. A group of healthy volunteers was genotyped to detect MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism. Electrical tPREPs were recorded by stimulating the right supraorbital nerve with a concentric electrode. The N2 and P2 component amplitude and latency as well as the N2-P2 inter-peak amplitude were measured. The recording was divided into three blocks, each containing 10 consecutive stimuli and the N2-P2 amplitude was compared between blocks. Of the 67 volunteers, 37 were HAM and 30 were LAM. HAM subjects differed from LAM subjects in terms of amplitude of the grand-averaged and first-block N2-P2 responses (HAM>LAM). The N2-P2 amplitude decreased between the first and third block in HAM subjects but not LAM subjects. The MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism seemed to influence the brain response in a repeated tPREP paradigm and suggested a role of the MAOA as a modulator of neural plasticity related to cortical pain processing. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of Aerosol Processing on Orographic Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pousse-Nottelmann, Sara; Zubler, Elias M.; Lohmann, Ulrike

2010-05-01

Aerosol particles undergo significant modifications during their residence time in the atmosphere. Physical processes like coagulation, coating and water uptake, and aqueous surface chemistry alter the aerosol size distribution and composition. At this, clouds play a primary role as physical and chemical processing inside cloud droplets contributes considerably to the changes in aerosol particles. A previous study estimates that on global average atmospheric particles are cycled three times through a cloud before being removed from the atmosphere [1]. An explicit and detailed treatment of cloud-borne particles has been implemented in the regional weather forecast and climate model COSMO-CLM. The employed model version includes a two-moment cloud microphysical scheme [2] that has been coupled to the aerosol microphysical scheme M7 [3] as described by Muhlbauer and Lohmann, 2008 [4]. So far, the formation, transfer and removal of cloud-borne aerosol number and mass were not considered in the model. Following the parameterization for cloud-borne particles developed by Hoose et al., 2008 [5], distinction between in-droplet and in-crystal particles is made to more physically account for processes in mixed-phase clouds, such as the Wegener-Bergeron-Findeisen process and contact and immersion freezing. In our model, this approach has been extended to allow for aerosol particles in five different hydrometeors: cloud droplets, rain drops, ice crystals, snow flakes and graupel. We account for nucleation scavenging, freezing and melting processes, autoconversion, accretion, aggregation, riming and selfcollection, collisions between interstitial aerosol particles and hydrometeors, ice multiplication, sedimentation, evaporation and sublimation. The new scheme allows an evaluation of the cloud cycling of aerosol particles by tracking the particles even when scavenged into hydrometeors. Global simulations of aerosol processing in clouds have recently been conducted by Hoose et al. [6]. Our investigation regarding the influence of aerosol processing will focus on the regional scale using a cloud-system resolving model with a much higher resolution. Emphasis will be placed on orographic mixed-phase precipitation. Different two-dimensional simulations of idealized orographic clouds will be conducted to estimate the effect of aerosol processing on orographic cloud formation and precipitation. Here, cloud lifetime, location and extent as well as the cloud type will be of particular interest. In a supplementary study, the new parameterization will be compared to observations of total and interstitial aerosol concentrations and size distribution at the remote high alpine research station Jungfraujoch in Switzerland. In addition, our simulations will be compared to recent simulations of aerosol processing in warm, mixed-phase and cold clouds, which have been carried out at the location of Jungfraujoch station [5]. References: [1] Pruppacher & Jaenicke (1995), The processing of water vapor and aerosols by atmospheric clouds, a global estimate, Atmos. Res., 38, 283295. [2] Seifert & Beheng (2006), A two-moment microphysics parameterization for mixed-phase clouds. Part 1: Model description, Meteorol. Atmos. Phys., 92, 4566. [3] Vignati et al. (2004), An efficient size-resolved aerosol microphysics module for large-scale transport models, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D22202 [4] Muhlbauer & Lohmann (2008), Sensitivity studies of the role of aerosols in warm-phase orographic precipitation in different flow regimes, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 25222542. [5] Hoose et al. (2008), Aerosol processing in mixed-phase clouds in ECHAM5HAM: Model description and comparison to observations, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D071210. [6] Hoose et al. (2008), Global simulations of aerosol processing in clouds, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 8, 69396963.

A microphysical pathway analysis to investigate aerosol effects on convective clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heikenfeld, Max; White, Bethan; Labbouz, Laurent; Stier, Philip

2017-04-01

The impact of aerosols on ice- and mixed-phase processes in convective clouds remains highly uncertain, which has strong implications for estimates of the role of aerosol-cloud interactions in the climate system. The wide range of interacting microphysical processes are still poorly understood and generally not resolved in global climate models. To understand and visualise these processes and to conduct a detailed pathway analysis, we have added diagnostic output of all individual process rates for number and mass mixing ratios to two commonly-used cloud microphysics schemes (Thompson and Morrison) in WRF. This allows us to investigate the response of individual processes to changes in aerosol conditions and the propagation of perturbations throughout the development of convective clouds. Aerosol effects on cloud microphysics could strongly depend on the representation of these interactions in the model. We use different model complexities with regard to aerosol-cloud interactions ranging from simulations with different levels of fixed cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) as a proxy for aerosol, to prognostic CDNC with fixed modal aerosol distributions. Furthermore, we have implemented the HAM aerosol model in WRF-chem to also perform simulations with a fully interactive aerosol scheme. We employ a hierarchy of simulation types to understand the evolution of cloud microphysical perturbations in atmospheric convection. Idealised supercell simulations are chosen to present and test the analysis methods for a strongly confined and well-studied case. We then extend the analysis to large case study simulations of tropical convection over the Amazon rainforest. For both cases we apply our analyses to individually tracked convective cells. Our results show the impact of model uncertainties on the understanding of aerosol-convection interactions and have implications for improving process representation in models.

Isoprene derived secondary organic aerosol in a global aerosol chemistry climate model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stadtler, Scarlet; Kühn, Thomas; Taraborrelli, Domenico; Kokkola, Harri; Schultz, Martin

2017-04-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) impacts earth's climate and human health. Since its precursor chemistry and its formation are not fully understood, climate models cannot catch its direct and indirect effects. Global isoprene emissions are higher than any other non-methane hydrocarbons. Therefore, SOA from isoprene-derived, low volatile species (iSOA) is simulated using a global aerosol chemistry climate model ECHAM6-HAM-SALSA-MOZ. Isoprene oxidation in the chemistry model MOZ is following a novel semi-explicit scheme, embedded in a detailed atmospheric chemical mechanism. For iSOA formation four low volatile isoprene oxidation products were identified. The group method by Nanoonlal et al. 2008 was used to estimate their evaporation enthalpies ΔHvap. To calculate the saturation concentration C∗(T) the sectional aerosol model SALSA uses the gas phase concentrations simulated by MOZ and their corresponding ΔHvap to obtain the saturation vapor pressure p∗(T) from the Clausius Clapeyron equation. Subsequently, the saturation concentration is used to calculate the explicit kinetic partitioning of these compounds forming iSOA. Furthermore, the irreversible heterogeneous reactions of IEPOX and glyoxal from isoprene were included. The possibility of reversible heterogeneous uptake was ignored at this stage, leading to an upper estimate of the contribution of glyoxal to iSOA mass.

Representation of the West African Monsoon System in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM6-HAM2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanelle, Tanja; Lohmann, Ulrike; Bey, Isabelle

2017-04-01

The West African Monsoon (WAM) is a major component of the global monsoon system. The temperature contrast between the Saharan land surface in the North and the sea surface temperature in the South dominates the WAM formation. The West African region receives most of its precipitation during the monsoon season between end of June and September. Therefore the existence of the monsoon is of major social and economic importance. We discuss the ability of the climate model ECHAM6 as well as the coupled aerosol climate model ECHAM6-HAM2 to simulate the major features of the WAM system. The north-south temperature gradient is reproduced by both model versions but all model versions fail in reproducing the precipitation amount south of 10° N. A special focus is on the representation of the nocturnal low level jet (NLLJ) and the corresponding enhancement of low level clouds (LLC) at the Guinea Coast, which are a crucial factor for the regional energy budget. Most global climate models have difficulties to represent these features. The pure climate model ECHAM6 is able to simulate the existence of the NLLJ and LLC, but the model does not represent the pronounced diurnal cycle. Overall, the representation of LLC is worse in the coupled model. We discuss the model behaviors on the basis of outputted temperature and humidity tendencies and try to identify potential processes responsible for the model deficiencies.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain, mood and serum endorphin level in the treatment of fibromyalgia: A double blinded, randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Khedr, Eman M; Omran, Eman A H; Ismail, Nadia M; El-Hammady, Dina H; Goma, Samar H; Kotb, Hassan; Galal, Hannan; Osman, Ayman M; Farghaly, Hannan S M; Karim, Ahmed A; Ahmed, Gehad A

Recent studies have shown that novel neuro-modulating techniques can have pain-relieving effects in the treatment of chronic pain. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in relieving fibromyalgia pain and its relation with beta-endorphin changes. Forty eligible patients with primary fibromyalgia were randomized to receive real anodal tDCS or sham tDCS of the left motor cortex (M1) daily for 10 days. Each patient was evaluated using widespread pain index (WPI), symptom severity of fibromyalgia (SS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and determination of pain threshold as a primary outcome. Hamilton depression and anxiety scales (HAM-D and HAM-A) and estimation of serum beta-endorphin level pre and post-sessions were used as secondary outcome. All rating scales were conducted at the baseline, after the 5th, 10th session, 15 days and 1 month after the end of the sessions. Eighteen patients from each group completed the follow-up schedule with no significant difference between them regarding the duration of illness or the baseline scales. A significant TIME × GROUP interaction for each rating scale (WPI, SS, VAS, pain threshold, HAM-A, HAM-D) indicated that the effect of treatment differed in the two groups with higher improvement in the experimental scores of the patients in the real tDCS group (P = 0.001 for WPI, SS, VAS, pain threshold, and 0.002, 0.03 for HAM-A, HAM-D respectively). Negative correlations between changes in serum beta-endorphin level and the changes in different rating scales were found (P = 0.003, 0.003, 0.05, 0.002, 0002 for WPI, SS, VAS, HAM-A, and HAM-D respectively). Ten sessions of real tDCS over M1 can induce pain relief and mood improvement in patients with fibromyalgia, which were found to be related to changes in serum endorphin levels. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02704611. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Auto- and hetero-associative memory using a 2-D optical logic gate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Tien-Hsin

1989-01-01

An optical associative memory system suitable for both auto- and hetero-associative recall is demonstrated. This system utilizes Hamming distance as the similarity measure between a binary input and a memory image with the aid of a two-dimensional optical EXCLUSIVE OR (XOR) gate and a parallel electronics comparator module. Based on the Hamming distance measurement, this optical associative memory performs a nearest neighbor search and the result is displayed in the output plane in real-time. This optical associative memory is fast and noniterative and produces no output spurious states as compared with that of the Hopfield neural network model.

Auto- and hetero-associative memory using a 2-D optical logic gate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Tien-Hsin

1989-06-01

An optical associative memory system suitable for both auto- and hetero-associative recall is demonstrated. This system utilizes Hamming distance as the similarity measure between a binary input and a memory image with the aid of a two-dimensional optical EXCLUSIVE OR (XOR) gate and a parallel electronics comparator module. Based on the Hamming distance measurement, this optical associative memory performs a nearest neighbor search and the result is displayed in the output plane in real-time. This optical associative memory is fast and noniterative and produces no output spurious states as compared with that of the Hopfield neural network model.

STS-132 Crewmembers in the Columbus Module during Joint Operations

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-21

S132-E-009105 (22 May 2010) --- On the eve of the day they must bid farewell to their International Space Station hosts and head back to Earth, the STS-132 crew members gather for an impromptu chat session onboard the orbital outpost. At lower left foreground is NASA astronaut Steve Bowen, mission specialist. Clockwise from his position are NASA astronauts Michael Good, Tony Antonelli, Garrett Reisman and Ken Ham. Ham and Antonelli are Atlantis’ commander and pilot, respectively, Reisman and Good, along with Piers Sellers (out of frame), are all mission specialists. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Impact of aerosols on ice crystal size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Bin; Liou, Kuo-Nan; Gu, Yu; Jiang, Jonathan H.; Li, Qinbin; Fu, Rong; Huang, Lei; Liu, Xiaohong; Shi, Xiangjun; Su, Hui; He, Cenlin

2018-01-01

The interactions between aerosols and ice clouds represent one of the largest uncertainties in global radiative forcing from pre-industrial time to the present. In particular, the impact of aerosols on ice crystal effective radius (Rei), which is a key parameter determining ice clouds' net radiative effect, is highly uncertain due to limited and conflicting observational evidence. Here we investigate the effects of aerosols on Rei under different meteorological conditions using 9-year satellite observations. We find that the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings are modulated by water vapor amount in conjunction with several other meteorological parameters. While there is a significant negative correlation between Rei and aerosol loading in moist conditions, consistent with the "Twomey effect" for liquid clouds, a strong positive correlation between the two occurs in dry conditions. Simulations based on a cloud parcel model suggest that water vapor modulates the relative importance of different ice nucleation modes, leading to the opposite aerosol impacts between moist and dry conditions. When ice clouds are decomposed into those generated from deep convection and formed in situ, the water vapor modulation remains in effect for both ice cloud types, although the sensitivities of Rei to aerosols differ noticeably between them due to distinct formation mechanisms. The water vapor modulation can largely explain the difference in the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings in various seasons. A proper representation of the water vapor modulation is essential for an accurate estimate of aerosol-cloud radiative forcing produced by ice clouds.

Changing transport processes in the stratosphere by radiative heating of sulfate aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niemeier, Ulrike; Schmidt, Hauke

2017-12-01

The injection of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the stratosphere to form an artificial stratospheric aerosol layer is discussed as an option for solar radiation management. Sulfate aerosol scatters solar radiation and absorbs infrared radiation, which warms the stratospheric sulfur layer. Simulations with the general circulation model ECHAM5-HAM, including aerosol microphysics, show consequences of this warming, including changes of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in the tropics. The QBO slows down after an injection of 4 Tg(S) yr-1 and completely shuts down after an injection of 8 Tg(S) yr-1. Transport of species in the tropics and sub-tropics depends on the phase of the QBO. Consequently, the heated aerosol layer not only impacts the oscillation of the QBO but also the meridional transport of the sulfate aerosols. The stronger the injection, the stronger the heating and the simulated impact on the QBO and equatorial wind systems. With increasing injection rate the velocity of the equatorial jet streams increases, and the less sulfate is transported out of the tropics. This reduces the global distribution of sulfate and decreases the radiative forcing efficiency of the aerosol layer by 10 to 14 % compared to simulations with low vertical resolution and without generated QBO. Increasing the height of the injection increases the radiative forcing only for injection rates below 10 Tg(S) yr-1 (8-18 %), a much smaller value than the 50 % calculated previously. Stronger injection rates at higher levels even result in smaller forcing than the injections at lower levels.

CMAQ AEROSOL MODULE DEVELOPMENT RECENT ENHANCEMENTS & FUTURE PLANS

EPA Science Inventory

Recent enhancements to the CMAQ aerosol module will be reviewed briefly. These include revision of the secondary organic aerosol subroutine to improve numerical efficiency and control the growth of the accumulation mode standard deviation, revision of the nucleation subroutine t...

Development of an aerosol microphysical module: Aerosol Two-dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation (ATRAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsui, H.; Koike, M.; Kondo, Y.; Fast, J. D.; Takigawa, M.

2014-09-01

Number concentrations, size distributions, and mixing states of aerosols are essential parameters for accurate estimations of aerosol direct and indirect effects. In this study, we develop an aerosol module, designated the Aerosol Two-dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation (ATRAS), that can explicitly represent these parameters by considering new particle formation (NPF), black carbon (BC) aging, and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) processes. A two-dimensional bin representation is used for particles with dry diameters from 40 nm to 10 μm to resolve both aerosol sizes (12 bins) and BC mixing states (10 bins) for a total of 120 bins. The particles with diameters between 1 and 40 nm are resolved using additional eight size bins to calculate NPF. The ATRAS module is implemented in the WRF-Chem model and applied to examine the sensitivity of simulated mass, number, size distributions, and optical and radiative parameters of aerosols to NPF, BC aging, and SOA processes over East Asia during the spring of 2009. The BC absorption enhancement by coating materials is about 50% over East Asia during the spring, and the contribution of SOA processes to the absorption enhancement is estimated to be 10-20% over northern East Asia and 20-35% over southern East Asia. A clear north-south contrast is also found between the impacts of NPF and SOA processes on cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations: NPF increases CCN concentrations at higher supersaturations (smaller particles) over northern East Asia, whereas SOA increases CCN concentrations at lower supersaturations (larger particles) over southern East Asia. The application of ATRAS in East Asia also shows that the impact of each process on each optical and radiative parameter depends strongly on the process and the parameter in question. The module can be used in the future as a benchmark model to evaluate the accuracy of simpler aerosol models and examine interactions between NPF, BC aging, and SOA processes under different meteorological conditions and emissions.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CMAQ MODEL AEROSOL MODULE

EPA Science Inventory

This poster describes changes that were made to the aerosol module between CMAQ v4.4 and v4.5, as well as the effects of these changes on CMAQ model results. New aerosol diagnostic tools released with CMAQ v4.5 are also described and some illustrative results are provided

Estimation of lean and fat composition of pork ham using image processing measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Jiancheng; Schinckel, Allan P.; Forrest, John C.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a method of estimating the lean and fat composition in pork ham from cross-sectional area measurements using image processing technology. The relationship between the quantity of ham lean and fat mass with the ham lean and fat areas was studied. The prediction equations for pork ham composition based on the ham cross-sectional area measurements were developed. The results show that ham lean weight was related to the ham lean area (r equals .75, P < .0001) while ham fat weight was related tot the ham fat area (r equals .79, P equals .0001). Ham lean weight was highly related to the product of ham total weight times percentage ham lean area (r equals .96, P < .0001). Ham fat weight was highly related to the product of ham total weight times percentage ham fat area (r equals .88, P < .0001). The best combination of independent variables for estimating ham lean weight was trimmed wholesale ham weight and percentage ham fat area with a coefficient of determination of 92%. The best combination of independent variables for estimating ham fat weight was trimmed wholesale ham weight and percentage ham fat area with a coefficient of determination of 78%. Prediction equations with either two or three independent variables did not significantly increase the accuracy of prediction. The results of this study indicate that the weight of ham lean and fat could be predicted from ham cross-sectional area measurements using image analysis in combination with wholesale ham weight.

Development of Modal Aerosol Module in CAM5 for Biogeochemical Cycles

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

Liu, Xiaohong

2017-11-18

This project aims at developing new capabilities for the Modal Aerosol Module in the DOE’s E3SM model with the applications to the global biogeochemical cycle. The impacts of the new developments on model simulations of clouds and climate will be examined. There are thee objectives for this project study: Implementing primary marine organic aerosols into the modal aerosol module (MAM) and investigate effects of primary marine organic aerosols on climate in E3SM; Implementing dust speciation in MAM and investigate the effect of dust species on mixed-phase clouds through indirect effects in E3SM; Writing papers documenting the new MAM developments (e.g.,more » MAM4 documentation paper, marine organic aerosol paper, dust speciation); These objectives will be accomplished in collaborations with Drs. Phil Rasch, Steve Ghan, and Susannah Burrows at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.« less

Land cover maps, BVOC emissions, and SOA burden in a global aerosol-climate model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanelle, Tanja; Henrot, Alexandra; Bey, Isaelle

2015-04-01

It has been reported that different land cover representations influence the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) (e.g. Guenther et al., 2006). But the land cover forcing used in model simulations is quite uncertain (e.g. Jung et al., 2006). As a consequence the simulated emission of BVOCs depends on the applied land cover map. To test the sensitivity of global and regional estimates of BVOC emissions on the applied land cover map we applied 3 different land cover maps into our global aerosol-climate model ECHAM6-HAM2.2. We found a high sensitivity for tropical regions. BVOCs are a very prominent precursor for the production of Secondary Organic Aerosols (SOA). Therefore the sensitivity of BVOC emissions on land cover maps impacts the SOA burden in the atmosphere. With our model system we are able to quantify that impact. References: Guenther et al. (2006), Estimates of global terrestrial isoprene emissions using MEGAN, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 6, 3181-3210, doi:10.5194/acp-6-3181-2006. Jung et al. (2006), Exploiting synergies of global land cover products for carbon cycle modeling, Rem. Sens. Environm., 101, 534-553, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2006.01.020.

Development of an aerosol microphysical module: Aerosol Two-dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation (ATRAS)

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

Matsui, H.; Koike, Makoto; Kondo, Yutaka

2014-09-30

Number concentrations, size distributions, and mixing states of aerosols are essential parameters for accurate estimation of aerosol direct and indirect effects. In this study, we developed an aerosol module, designated Aerosol Two-dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation (ATRAS), that can represent these parameters explicitly by considering new particle formation (NPF), black carbon (BC) aging, and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) processes. A two-dimensional bin representation is used for particles with dry diameters from 40 nm to 10 µm to resolve both aerosol size (12 bins) and BC mixing state (10 bins) for a total of 120 bins. The particlesmore » with diameters from 1 to 40 nm are resolved using an additional 8 size bins to calculate NPF. The ATRAS module was implemented in the WRF-chem model and applied to examine the sensitivity of simulated mass, number, size distributions, and optical and radiative parameters of aerosols to NPF, BC aging and SOA processes over East Asia during the spring of 2009. BC absorption enhancement by coating materials was about 50% over East Asia during the spring, and the contribution of SOA processes to the absorption enhancement was estimated to be 10 – 20% over northern East Asia and 20 – 35% over southern East Asia. A clear north-south contrast was also found between the impacts of NPF and SOA processes on cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations: NPF increased CCN concentrations at higher supersaturations (smaller particles) over northern East Asia, whereas SOA increased CCN concentrations at lower supersaturations (larger particles) over southern East Asia. Application of ATRAS to East Asia also showed that the impact of each process on each optical and radiative parameter depended strongly on the process and the parameter in question. The module can be used in the future as a benchmark model to evaluate the accuracy of simpler aerosol models and examine interactions between NPF, BC aging, and SOA processes under different meteorological conditions and emissions.« less

KSC-08pd1271

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Two of the crewmembers for the STS-124 mission, Pilot Ken Ham and Mission Specialist Akihiko Hoshide, depart NASA's Kennedy Space Center in a T-38 training jet after a successful launch dress rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. The crew is expected to return in late May for the May 31 launch of space shuttle Discovery. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Development of a Ranging System for the Forward Scattering Meteor Radio Echo Observation Using a GPS-Synchronized Multiple Receiving Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usui, T.; Yoshida, H.; Miyamoto, H.; Yaguchi, N.; Terasawa, T.; Yoshikawa, I.

2012-05-01

We are developing an instrument for teaching purpose to determine the trajectory of a meteor with the Ham-band Radio Observations(HRO) . In this work, we describe newly developed ranging system with using Frequency Modulated signals and show some results.

Dependence of atmospheric refractive index structure parameter (Cn2) on the residence time and vertical distribution of aerosols.

PubMed

Anand, N; Satheesh, S K; Krishna Moorthy, K

2017-07-15

Effects of absorbing atmospheric aerosols in modulating the tropospheric refractive index structure parameter (Cn2) are estimated using high resolution radiosonde and multi-satellite data along with a radiative transfer model. We report the influence of variations in residence time and vertical distribution of aerosols in modulating Cn2 and why the aerosol induced atmospheric heating needs to be considered while estimating a free space optical communication link budget. The results show that performance of the link is seriously affected if large concentrations of absorbing aerosols reside for a long time in the atmospheric path.

Effects of marketing group on the quality of fresh and cured hams sourced from a commercial processing facility.

PubMed

Arkfeld, E K; Wilson, K B; Overholt, M F; Harsh, B N; Lowell, J E; Hogan, E K; Klehm, B J; Bohrer, B M; Kroscher, K A; Peterson, B C; Stites, C R; Mohrhauser, D A; King, D A; Wheeler, T L; Dilger, A C; Shackelford, S D; Boler, D D

2016-12-01

The objective was: 1) to characterize the effect of marketing group on fresh and cured ham quality, and 2) to determine which fresh ham traits correlated to cured ham quality traits. Pigs raised in 8 barns representing 2 seasons (hot and cold) and 2 production focuses (lean and quality) were used. Three groups were marketed from each barn. A total of 7,684 carcasses were used for data collection at the abattoir. Every tenth carcass was noted as a select carcass for in-depth ham quality analyses. Leg primal weight and instrumental color were measured on 100% of the population. On the select 10% of the population, hams were fabricated into sub-primal pieces, and 3-piece hams were manufactured to evaluate cured ham quality and processing yield. Data were analyzed as a split-plot design in the MIXED procedure of SAS with production focus as the whole-plot factor, and marketing group as the split-plot factor. Pearson correlation coefficients between fresh and cured ham traits were computed. There were no differences ( ≥ 0.15) in instrumental color or ultimate pH ( ≥ 0.14) among fresh ham muscles from any marketing group. The only exception was the semimembranosus of marketing group 2 was lighter than marketing group 1 ( = 0.03) and the dark portion of the semitendinosus muscle from group 1 was lighter than from group 3 ( = 0.01). There were no differences ( ≥ 0.33) in ultimate pH of fresh ham muscles between production focuses, but several muscles from quality focus pigs were lighter in color than ham muscles from lean focus pigs. The lack of differences in fresh ham quality lead to few differences in cured ham quality. Cured hams from the quality focus pigs had greater lipid content ( < 0.01) than hams from lean focus pigs. Cured lightness values of hams from marketing group 1 and 2 were 1.52 units lighter than hams from marketing group 3 ( 0.01). Overall, marketing group did not impact ham quality. Fresh ham quality was not strongly related to cured ham quality. Some correlations were present between fresh and cured ham traits, but those relationships were likely not strong enough to be used as a sorting tool for fresh hams to generate high quality cured hams.

9 CFR 319.105 - “Ham patties,” “Chopped ham,” “Pressed ham,” “Spiced ham,” and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ham,â âSpiced ham,â and similar products. 319.105 Section 319.105 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY... of cured pork product Minimum meat PFF percentage 1 Product name andqualifying statements “Ham...

9 CFR 319.105 - “Ham patties,” “Chopped ham,” “Pressed ham,” “Spiced ham,” and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ham,â âSpiced ham,â and similar products. 319.105 Section 319.105 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY... of cured pork product Minimum meat PFF percentage 1 Product name and qualifying statements “Ham...

9 CFR 319.105 - “Ham patties,” “Chopped ham,” “Pressed ham,” “Spiced ham,” and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ham,â âSpiced ham,â and similar products. 319.105 Section 319.105 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY... of cured pork product Minimum meat PFF percentage 1 Product name andqualifying statements “Ham...

9 CFR 319.105 - “Ham patties,” “Chopped ham,” “Pressed ham,” “Spiced ham,” and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ham,â âSpiced ham,â and similar products. 319.105 Section 319.105 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY... of cured pork product Minimum meat PFF percentage 1 Product name and qualifying statements “Ham...

9 CFR 319.105 - “Ham patties,” “Chopped ham,” “Pressed ham,” “Spiced ham,” and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ham,â âSpiced ham,â and similar products. 319.105 Section 319.105 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY... of cured pork product Minimum meat PFF percentage 1 Product name and qualifying statements “Ham...

High pressure applied to frozen ham at different process stages. 2. Effect on the sensory attributes and on the colour characteristics of dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Serra, X; Grèbol, N; Guàrdia, M D; Guerrero, L; Gou, P; Masoliver, P; Gassiot, M; Sárraga, C; Monfort, J M; Arnau, J

2007-01-01

This paper describes the effect of high pressure (400MPa and 600MPa) applied to frozen hams at early stages of the dry-cured ham process: green hams (GH) and hams at the end of the resting stage (ERS), on the appearance, some texture and flavour parameters and on the instrumental colour characteristics of dry-cured hams. Pressurized hams showed slightly lower visual colour intensity than the control ones. In general, pressurization did not have a significant effect on the flavour characteristics of the final product. The 600-MPa hams from the ERS process showed significantly lower crumbliness and higher fibrousness scores than the control and the 400-MPa hams. However, none of these differences were enough to affect the overall sensory quality of the hams negatively. Regarding instrumental colour characteristics (L(∗)a(∗)b(∗)), an increase in lightness was observed in the biceps femoris muscle from GH hams pressurized at 400MPa and 600MPa but not in the ERS hams.

HAMS (Hypoxia, Monitoring, and Mitigation System) II Quarterly Progress Report (Technical and Financial)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-10

Peripheral Interface SpO2 Arterial Oxygen Saturation Measured via Pulse - Oximeter SRS Software Requirements Specification SV Stroke Volume SVR Systemic...viewer ....................................................................................................... 9 Figure 3: Pulse OX custom module...analysis approaches will be gathered. Sensors which detect SpO2, pulse / pulse rate, ECG, and skin temperature will be researched and evaluated for

Effect of Particular Breed on the Chemical Composition, Texture, Color, and Sensorial Characteristics of Dry-cured Ham

PubMed Central

Seong, Pil Nam; Park, Kuyng Mi; Kang, Sun Moon; Kang, Geun Ho; Cho, Soo Hyun; Park, Beom Young; Van Ba, Hoa

2014-01-01

The present study demonstrates the impact of specific breed on the characteristics of dry-cured ham. Eighty thighs from Korean native pig (KNP), crossbreed (Landrace×Yorkshire)♀×Duroc♂ (LYD), Berkshire (Ber), and Duroc (Du) pig breeds (n = 10 for each breed) were used for processing of dry-cured ham. The thighs were salted with 6% NaCl (w/w) and 100 ppm NaNO2, and total processing time was 413 days. The effects of breed on the physicochemical composition, texture, color and sensory characteristics were assessed on the biceps femoris muscle of the hams. The results revealed that the highest weight loss was found in the dry-cured ham of LYD breed and the lowest weight loss was found in Ber dry-cured ham. The KNP dry-cured ham contain higher intramuscular fat level than other breed hams (p<0.05). It was observed that the dry-cured ham made from KNP breed had the lowest water activity value and highest salt content, while the LYD dry-cure ham had higher total volatile basic nitrogen content than the Ber and Du hams (p<0.05). Zinc, iron and total monounsaturated fatty acids levels were higher in KNP ham while polyunsaturated fatty acids levels were higher in Du ham when compared to other breed hams (p<0.05). Additionally, the KNP dry-cured ham possessed higher Commission International de l’Eclairage (CIE) a* value, while the Du dry-cured ham had higher L*, CIE b* and hue angle values (p<0.05). Furthermore, breed significantly affected the sensory attributes of dry-cured hams with higher scores for color, aroma and taste found in KNP dry-cured ham as compared to other breed hams (p<0.05). The overall outcome of the study is that the breed has a potential effect on the specific chemical composition, texture, color and sensorial properties of dry-cured hams. These data could be useful for meat processors to select the suitable breeds for economical manufacturing of high quality dry-cured hams. PMID:25083111

Effect of Particular Breed on the Chemical Composition, Texture, Color, and Sensorial Characteristics of Dry-cured Ham.

PubMed

Seong, Pil Nam; Park, Kuyng Mi; Kang, Sun Moon; Kang, Geun Ho; Cho, Soo Hyun; Park, Beom Young; Van Ba, Hoa

2014-08-01

The present study demonstrates the impact of specific breed on the characteristics of dry-cured ham. Eighty thighs from Korean native pig (KNP), crossbreed (Landrace×Yorkshire)♀×Duroc♂ (LYD), Berkshire (Ber), and Duroc (Du) pig breeds (n = 10 for each breed) were used for processing of dry-cured ham. The thighs were salted with 6% NaCl (w/w) and 100 ppm NaNO2, and total processing time was 413 days. The effects of breed on the physicochemical composition, texture, color and sensory characteristics were assessed on the biceps femoris muscle of the hams. The results revealed that the highest weight loss was found in the dry-cured ham of LYD breed and the lowest weight loss was found in Ber dry-cured ham. The KNP dry-cured ham contain higher intramuscular fat level than other breed hams (p<0.05). It was observed that the dry-cured ham made from KNP breed had the lowest water activity value and highest salt content, while the LYD dry-cure ham had higher total volatile basic nitrogen content than the Ber and Du hams (p<0.05). Zinc, iron and total monounsaturated fatty acids levels were higher in KNP ham while polyunsaturated fatty acids levels were higher in Du ham when compared to other breed hams (p<0.05). Additionally, the KNP dry-cured ham possessed higher Commission International de l'Eclairage (CIE) a* value, while the Du dry-cured ham had higher L*, CIE b* and hue angle values (p<0.05). Furthermore, breed significantly affected the sensory attributes of dry-cured hams with higher scores for color, aroma and taste found in KNP dry-cured ham as compared to other breed hams (p<0.05). The overall outcome of the study is that the breed has a potential effect on the specific chemical composition, texture, color and sensorial properties of dry-cured hams. These data could be useful for meat processors to select the suitable breeds for economical manufacturing of high quality dry-cured hams.

Evaluation of different types of dry-cured ham by Italian and French consumers.

PubMed

Cannata, S; Ratti, S; Meteau, K; Mourot, J; Baldini, P; Corino, C

2010-04-01

The aim was to analyse the distribution of preferences between two group of consumers (100 consumers each) from different countries (Italy and France), in order to establish which type of dry-cured ham is most acceptable and to compare results across countries using preference mapping. A preference test was carried out on four types of dry-cured hams: Parma ham (P), Italian non-branded ham (I) and hams derived from pigs fed a diet containing sunflower oil (2.5%) (S) or extruded linseed (5%) (L). The consumers were requested to evaluate each single descriptor using a hedonic scale and assigning a score between 1 (dislike extremely) and 9 (like extremely). The four different dry-cured hams were sensorially well differentiated by the consumers of different nationalities. Italian consumers preferred P and S hams while French consumers preferred S, I and P hams in terms of overall acceptability and acceptability of aroma and flavour. L ham was negatively discriminated, compared to the other hams, by both consumer groups. A good differentiation between the dry-cured hams was obtained using the internal preference map method: P was discriminated from the other hams. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The stability of chlorinated, brominated, and iodinated haloacetamides in drinking water.

PubMed

Ding, Shunke; Chu, Wenhai; Krasner, Stuart W; Yu, Yun; Fang, Chao; Xu, Bin; Gao, Naiyun

2018-06-13

Haloacetamides (HAMs), a group of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs), can decompose to form corresponding intermediate products and other DBPs. The stability of ten different HAMs, including two chlorinated, five brominated, and three iodinated species was investigated with and without the presence of chlorine, chloramines, and reactive solutes such as quenching agents. The HAM basic hydrolysis and chlorination kinetics were well described by a second-order kinetics model, including first-order in HAM and hydroxide and first-order in HAM and hypochlorite, respectively, whereas the HAM neutral hydrolysis kinetic was first-order in HAM. Furthermore, HAMs decompose instantaneously when exposed to hypochlorite, which was almost two and nine orders of magnitude faster than HAM basic and neutral hydrolysis, respectively. In general, HAM hydrolysis and chlorination rates both increased with increasing pH and the number of halogens substituted on the methyl group. Moreover, chlorinated HAMs are more unstable than their brominated analogs, followed by the iodinated ones, due to the decrease in the electron-withdrawing inductive effect from chlorine to iodine atom. During hydrolysis, HAMs mainly directly decompose into the corresponding haloacetic acids (HAAs) via a nucleophilic reaction between the carbonyl carbon and hydroxide. For HAM chlorination reactions, hypochlorite reacts with HAMs to form the N-chloro-HAMs (N-Cl-HAMs) via Cl + transfer from chlorine to the amide nitrogen. N-Cl-HAMs can further degrade to form HAAs via hypochlorous acid addition. In contrast, the reactions between chloramines and HAMs were found to be insignificant. Additionally, four common quenching agents, including sodium sulfite, sodium thiosulfate, ascorbic acid, and ammonium chloride, were demonstrated to expedite HAM degradation, whereas ammonium chloride was the least influential among the four. Taft linear free energy relationships were established for both HAM hydrolysis and chlorination reactions, based on which the hydrolysis and chlorination rate constants for three monohaloacetamides were estimated. The hydrolysis and chlorination rates of 13 HAMs decreased in the following order: TCAM > BDCAM > DBCAM > TBAM > DCAM > BCAM > DBAM > CIAM > BIAM > DIAM > MCAM > MBAM > MIAM (where C = chloro, B = bromo, I = iodo, T = tri, D = di, M = mono). Lastly, using the HAM kinetic model established in this study, HAM half-lifes in drinking water distribution systems can be predicted on the basis of pH and residual chlorine concentration. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerosol Modeling for the Global Model Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisenstein, Debra K.; Ko, Malcolm K. W.

2001-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop an aerosol module to be used within the framework of the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI). The model development work will be preformed jointly by the University of Michigan and AER, using existing aerosol models at the two institutions as starting points. The GMI aerosol model will be tested, evaluated against observations, and then applied to assessment of the effects of aircraft sulfur emissions as needed by the NASA Subsonic Assessment in 2001. The work includes the following tasks: 1. Implementation of the sulfur cycle within GMI, including sources, sinks, and aqueous conversion of sulfur. Aerosol modules will be added as they are developed and the GMI schedule permits. 2. Addition of aerosol types other than sulfate particles, including dust, soot, organic carbon, and black carbon. 3. Development of new and more efficient parameterizations for treating sulfate aerosol nucleation, condensation, and coagulation among different particle sizes and types.

Characterization and differentiation of Italian Parma, San Daniele and Toscano dry-cured hams: a multi-disciplinary approach.

PubMed

Laureati, Monica; Buratti, Susanna; Giovanelli, Gabriella; Corazzin, Mirco; Lo Fiego, Domenico P; Pagliarini, Ella

2014-01-01

This study aimed at characterizing the sensory quality of Italian PDO dry-cured Parma, San Daniele and Toscano hams, applying a multi-disciplinary approach. Ham sensory profile as well as physico-chemical, aromatic, morphological and textural characteristics was investigated. There was a great difference between Toscano ham and Parma and San Daniele hams, which were more similar even though differentiated. Toscano ham showed higher scores for pork-meat odor, saltiness, dryness, fibrousness and hardness; accordingly, this ham was described by a high NaCl content and by high values of instrumental hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness. Parma ham was characterized by a cured flavor, whereas San Daniele ham showed a wider fatty area and higher pH values. Parma and San Daniele hams were also described by higher values of sweetness, RGB color values and water activity. Sensory characteristics evaluated by trained assessors were correlated to instrumental measures, indicating that instrumental devices can be effectively applied for dry-cured ham characterization. © 2013.

Aerosol scattering and absorption modulation transfer function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadot, Dan; Kopeika, Norman S.

1993-08-01

Recent experimental measurements of overall atmospheric modulation transfer function (MTF) indicate significant difference between the turbulence and overall atmospheric MTFs, except often at midday when turbulence is strong. We suggest here a physical explanation for those results which essentially relates to what we call a practical instrumentation-based atmospheric aerosol MTF which is a modification of the classical aerosol MTF theory. It is shown that system field-of-view and dynamic range affect strongly aerosol and overall atmospheric MTFs. It is often necessary to choose between MTF and SNR depending upon dynamic range requirements. Also, a new approach regarding aerosol absorption is presented. It is shown that aerosol-absorbed irradiance is spatial frequency dependent and enhances the degradation in image quality arising from received scattered light. This is most relevant for thermal imaging. An analytically corrected model for the aerosol MTF is presented which is relevant for imaging. An important conclusion is that the aerosol MTF is often the dominant part in the actual overall atmospheric MTF all across the optical spectral region.

A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF INORGANIC AEROSOL THERMODYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM MODULES: SIMILARITIES, DIFFERENCES, AND THEIR LIKELY CAUSES

EPA Science Inventory

A comprehensive comparison of five inorganic aerosol thermodynamic equilibrium modules, MARS-A, SEQUILIB, SCAPE2, EQUISOLV II, and AIM2, was conducted for a variety of atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter (PM) constituents, relative humidities (RHs), and temperatures....

9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

Numerical Issues Associated with Compensating and Competing Processes in Climate Models: an Example from ECHAM-HAM

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

Wan, Hui; Rasch, Philip J.; Zhang, Kai

2013-06-26

The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the need for appropriate numerical techniques to represent process interactions in climate models. In two versions of the ECHAM-HAM model, different time integration methods are used to solve the sulfuric acid (H2SO4) gas evolution equation, which lead to substantially different results in the H2SO4 gas concentration and the aerosol nucleation rate. Using convergence tests and sensitivity simulations performed with various time stepping schemes, it is confirmed that numerical errors in the second model version are significantly smaller than those in version one. The use of sequential operator splitting in combinationmore » with long time step is identified as the main reason for the large systematic biases in the old model. The remaining errors in version two in the nucleation rate, related to the competition between condensation and nucleation, have a clear impact on the simulated concentration of cloud condensation nuclei in the lower troposphere. These errors can be significantly reduced by employing an implicit solver that handles production, condensation and nucleation at the same time. Lessons learned in this work underline the need for more caution when treating multi-time-scale problems involving compensating and competing processes, a common occurrence in current climate models.« less

Energy-based and process-based constraints on aerosol-climate interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, K.; Sato, Y.; Takemura, T.; Michibata, T.; Goto, D.; Oikawa, E.

2017-12-01

Recent advance in both satellite observations and global modeling provides us with a novel opportunity to investigate the long-standing aerosol-climate interaction issue at a fundamental process level, particularly with a combined use of them. In this presentation, we will highlight our recent progress in understanding the aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction and its implication for global climate with a synergistic use of a state-of-the-art global climate model (MIROC), a global cloud-resolving model (NICAM) and recent satellite observations (A-Train). In particular, we explore two different aspects of the aerosol-climate interaction issue, i.e. (i) the global energy balance perspective with its modulation due to aerosols and (ii) the process-level characteristics of the aerosol-induced perturbations to cloud and precipitation. For the former, climate model simulations are used to quantify how components of global energy budget are modulated by the aerosol forcing. The moist processes are shown to be a critical pathway that links the forcing efficacy and the hydrologic sensitivity arising from aerosol perturbations. Effects of scattering (e.g. sulfate) and absorbing (e.g. black carbon) aerosols are compared in this context to highlight their distinctively different impacts on climate and hydrologic cycle. The aerosol-induced modulation of moist processes is also investigated in the context of the second aspect above to facilitate recent arguments on possible overestimates of the aerosol-cloud interaction in climate models. Our recent simulations with NICAM are shown to highlight how diverse responses of cloud to aerosol perturbation, which have been failed to represent in traditional climate models, are reproduced by the high-resolution global model with sophisticated cloud microphysics. We will discuss implications of these findings for a linkage between the two aspects above to aid advance process-based understandings of the aerosol-climate interaction and also to mitigate a "dichotomy" recently found by the authors between the two aspects in the context of the climate projection.

Climate Curriculum Modules on Volcanic Eruptions, Geoengineering, and Nuclear Winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robock, A.

2016-12-01

To support a climate dynamics multidisciplinary curriculum for graduate and senior university students, I will describe proposed on-line modules on volcanic eruptions and climate, geoengineering, and nuclear winter. Each of these topics involves aerosols in the stratosphere and the response of the climate system, but each is distinct, and each is evolving as more research becomes available. While nature can load the stratosphere with sulfate aerosols for several years from large volcanic eruptions, humans could also put sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere on purpose through geoengineering or soot as a result of the fires from a nuclear war. As reported for the first time in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, volcanic eruptions are a natural analog for the climate impacts of potential anthropogenic aerosol injections into the stratosphere, either sulfates from potential attempts to cool the climate to counteract global warming, or smoke that would be produced from fires in cities and industrial targets in a nuclear war. Stratospheric aerosols would change the temperature, precipitation, total insolation, and fraction of diffuse radiation due to their radiative impacts, and could produce more ultraviolet radiation by ozone destruction. Surface ozone concentration could also change by changed transport from the stratosphere as well as changed tropospheric chemistry. There would be two options: 1) Each module would stand alone and could be taught independently, or 2) The volcanic eruptions module would stand alone, and would also serve as a prerequisite for each of the other two modules, which could be taught independently of each other. Each module includes consideration of the physical climate system as well as impacts of the resulting climate change. Geoengineering includes both solar radiation management and carbon dioxide reduction. The geoengineering and nuclear winter modules also include consideration of policy and governance issues. Each module includes a slide set for use in lecturing, links to related resources, and student exercises. The modules will be regularly updated.

9 CFR 319.310 - Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar products. 319.310 Section 319.310 Animals and....310 Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

9 CFR 319.310 - Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar products. 319.310 Section 319.310 Animals and....310 Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

9 CFR 319.310 - Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar products. 319.310 Section 319.310 Animals and....310 Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

9 CFR 319.310 - Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar products. 319.310 Section 319.310 Animals and....310 Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

9 CFR 319.310 - Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar products. 319.310 Section 319.310 Animals and....310 Lima beans with ham in sauce, beans with ham in sauce, beans with bacon in sauce, and similar...

Pre-cure freezing effect on physicochemical, texture and sensory characteristics of Iberian ham.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, T; Ruiz, J; Martín, D; Barat, J M; Antequera, T

2011-04-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of pre-cure freezing on the physicochemical, texture and sensory characteristics of raw and dry-cured hams. Both, refrigerated (R) and pre-cure frozen (F) hams showed the same weight losses during the processing. At the green stage F Iberian hams had lower moisture content, higher values of a* and chroma, lower hardness and chewiness and higher adhesiveness and springiness than R ones. However, at the end of the processing R and F Iberian hams only were different in salt content, F hams showing lower values than R ones. Sensory analysis of Iberian dry-cured ham did not show differences in salty taste. Panelist detected a higher fat hardness and lean pastiness in F than in R hams. The overall acceptability for both groups of dry-cured hams was between average and good.

Volatile hydrocarbon profile of Iberian dry-cured hams. A possible tool for authentication of hams according to the fattening diet.

PubMed

Narváez-Rivas, Mónica; Vicario, Isabel M; Alcalde, M Jesús; León-Camacho, Manuel

2010-06-15

The aims of this work were to carry out a comprehensive study of the volatile hydrocarbons of 34 Iberian dry-cured hams and to evaluate the efficiency of these compounds for discriminating hams according to the fattening system: "Montanera" (B) and "Cebo" (C). The samples of hams were obtained by mincing the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles from slices of dry-cured ham. The analyses were carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a polar capillary column and after a previous extraction by Purge and Trap method. Forty-three volatile hydrocarbons were identified, 26 of them for the first time in Iberian dry-cured ham. Only five compounds showed significant differences between the two types of hams. Among the 33 volatile hydrocarbons, 22 of them allowed a complete discrimination of the two groups of hams according the fattening system.

Implementing microscopic charcoal in a global climate-aerosol model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilgen, Anina; Lohmann, Ulrike; Brügger, Sandra; Adolf, Carole; Ickes, Luisa

2017-04-01

Information about past fire activity is crucial to validate fire models and to better understand their deficiencies. Several paleofire records exist, among them ice cores and sediments, which preserve fire tracers like levoglucosan, vanillic acid, or charcoal particles. In this work, we implement microscopic charcoal particles (maximum dimension 10-100 μm) into the global climate-aerosol model ECHAM6.3HAM2.3. Since we are not aware of any reliable estimates of microscopic charcoal emissions, we scaled black carbon emissions from GFAS to capture the charcoal fluxes from a calibration dataset. After that, model results were compared with a validation dataset. The coarse model resolution (T63L31; 1.9°x1.9°) impedes the model to capture local variability of charcoal fluxes. However, variability on the global scale is pronounced due to highly-variable fire emissions. In future, we plan to model charcoal fluxes in the past 1-2 centuries using fire emissions provided from fire models. Furthermore, we intend to compare modelled charcoal fluxes from prescribed fire emissions with those calculated by an interactive fire model.

simplified aerosol representations in global modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinne, Stefan; Peters, Karsten; Stevens, Bjorn; Rast, Sebastian; Schutgens, Nick; Stier, Philip

2015-04-01

The detailed treatment of aerosol in global modeling is complex and time-consuming. Thus simplified approaches are investigated, which prescribe 4D (space and time) distributions of aerosol optical properties and of aerosol microphysical properties. Aerosol optical properties are required to assess aerosol direct radiative effects and aerosol microphysical properties (in terms of their ability as aerosol nuclei to modify cloud droplet concentrations) are needed to address the indirect aerosol impact on cloud properties. Following the simplifying concept of the monthly gridded (1x1 lat/lon) aerosol climatology (MAC), new approaches are presented and evaluated against more detailed methods, including comparisons to detailed simulations with complex aerosol component modules.

HamSCI: The Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frissell, N. A.; Moses, M. L.; Earle, G. D.; McGwier, R. W.; Miller, E. S.; Kaeppler, S. R.; Silver, H. W.; Ceglia, F.; Pascoe, D.; Sinanis, N.; Smith, P.; Williams, R.; Shovkoplyas, A.; Gerrard, A. J.

2016-12-01

Amateur (or "ham") radio operators are individuals with a non-pecuniary interest in radio technology, engineering, communications, science, and public service. They are licensed by their national governments to transmit on amateur radio frequencies. In many jurisdictions, there is no age requirement for a ham radio license, and operators from diverse backgrounds participate. There are more than 740,000 hams in the US, and over 3 million (estimated) worldwide. Many amateur communications are conducted using transionospheric links and thus affected by space weather and ionospheric processes. Recent technological advances have enabled the development of automated ham radio observation networks (e.g. the Reverse Beacon Network, www.reversebeacon.net) and specialized operating modes for the study of weak-signal propagation. The data from these networks have been shown to be useful for the study of ionospheric processes. In order to connect professional researchers with the volunteer-based ham radio community, HamSCI (Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, www.hamsci.org) has been established. HamSCI is a platform for publicizing and promoting projects that are consistent with the following objectives: (1) Advance scientific research and understanding through amateur radio activities. (2) Encourage the development of new technologies to support this research. (3) Provide educational opportunities for the amateur community and the general public. HamSCI researchers are working with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL, www.arrl.org) to publicize these objectives and recruit interested hams. The ARRL is the US national organization for amateur radio with a membership of over 170,000 and a monthly magazine, QST. HamSCI is currently preparing to support ionospheric research connected to the 21 Aug 2017 Total Solar Eclipse by expanding coverage of the Reverse Beacon Network and organizing a large-scale ham radio operating event ("QSO Party") to generate data during the eclipse.

Effect of the dietary supplementation with Vitamin E on colour stability of packaged, sliced pasteurized ham.

PubMed

Houben, J H; Gerris, C V

1998-12-01

The effect of dietary supplementation with vitamin E (200IU kg(-1) feed) on the colour stability of pasteurized ham was studied. Pigs were fed on control and enriched diets for the last 12 weeks before slaughter. Pasteurized ham was manufactured from the hams from 6 barrows and 6 gilts per dietary group. Half of the samples of sliced ham from control and supplemented pigs were packaged under vacuum (VAC) and half in low-oxygen modified atmosphere packs (FOG, gas mixture: CO(2)/N(2)=60/40). Half the packages were kept under constant illumination and the other half in the dark, both for 22 days at 7°C. The redness component of the VAC-packaged ham prepared from vitamin E-supplemented pigs was slightly more stable than that of comparably packaged ham prepared from control pigs. The opposite was observed for the FOG-packaged products. Overall, colour changes were greater in the ham in FOG-packs than in the ham in VAC-packs. In addition, the colour of the FOG-packaged ham was clearly affected by illumination, whereas the colour of the VAC-packaged ham appeared more stable. It is concluded that dietary supplementation of pigs with vitamin E does not appear to offer significant advantages over currently used feeding regimens with regard to the quality of the ham produced.

Auto and hetero-associative memory using a 2-D optical logic gate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Tien-Hsin (Inventor)

1992-01-01

An optical system for auto-associative and hetero-associative recall utilizing Hamming distance as the similarity measure between a binary input image vector V(sup k) and a binary image vector V(sup m) in a first memory array using an optical Exclusive-OR gate for multiplication of each of a plurality of different binary image vectors in memory by the input image vector. After integrating the light of each product V(sup k) x V(sup m), a shortest Hamming distance detection electronics module determines which product has the lowest light intensity and emits a signal that activates a light emitting diode to illuminate a corresponding image vector in a second memory array for display. That corresponding image vector is identical to the memory image vector V(sup m) in the first memory array for auto-associative recall or related to it, such as by name, for hetero-associative recall.

KSC-08pd1455

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After their arrival on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the crew members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission pose for a group photo. From left are Mission Specialists Gregory Chamitoff and Akihiko Hoshide, Pilot Ken Ham, Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg and Mike Fossum, Commander Mark Kelly and Mission Specialist Ron Garan. Launch of Discovery is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. May 31. On the STS-124 mission, the crew of seven will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Short-term modulation of Indian summer monsoon rainfall by West Asian dust

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

Vinoj, V.; Rasch, Philip J.; Wang, Hailong

The Indian summer monsoon is the result of a complex interplay between radiative heating, dynamics and cloud and aerosol interactions. Despite increased scientific attention, the effect of aerosols on monsoons still remains uncertain. Here we present both observational evidence and numerical modeling results demonstrating a remote aerosol link to Indian summer monsoon rainfall. Rainfall over central India is positively correlated to natural aerosols over the Arabian Sea and West Asia. Simulations using a state-of-the-art global climate model support this remote aerosol link and indicate that dust aerosols induce additional moisture transport and convergence over Central India, producing increased monsoon rainfall.more » The convergence is driven through solar heating and latent heating within clouds over West Asia that increases surface winds over the Arabian Sea. On the other hand, sea-salt aerosol tends to counteract the effect of dust and reduces rainfall. Our findings highlight the importance of natural aerosols in modulating the strength of the Indian summer monsoon, and motivate additional research in how changes in background aerosols of natural origin may be influencing long-term trends in monsoon precipitation.« less

EARLINET Single Calculus Chain - overview on methodology and strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amico, G.; Amodeo, A.; Baars, H.; Binietoglou, I.; Freudenthaler, V.; Mattis, I.; Wandinger, U.; Pappalardo, G.

2015-11-01

In this paper we describe the EARLINET Single Calculus Chain (SCC), a tool for the automatic analysis of lidar measurements. The development of this tool started in the framework of EARLINET-ASOS (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network - Advanced Sustainable Observation System); it was extended within ACTRIS (Aerosol, Clouds and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network), and it is continuing within ACTRIS-2. The main idea was to develop a data processing chain that allows all EARLINET stations to retrieve, in a fully automatic way, the aerosol backscatter and extinction profiles starting from the raw lidar data of the lidar systems they operate. The calculus subsystem of the SCC is composed of two modules: a pre-processor module which handles the raw lidar data and corrects them for instrumental effects and an optical processing module for the retrieval of aerosol optical products from the pre-processed data. All input parameters needed to perform the lidar analysis are stored in a database to keep track of all changes which may occur for any EARLINET lidar system over the time. The two calculus modules are coordinated and synchronized by an additional module (daemon) which makes the whole analysis process fully automatic. The end user can interact with the SCC via a user-friendly web interface. All SCC modules are developed using open-source and freely available software packages. The final products retrieved by the SCC fulfill all requirements of the EARLINET quality assurance programs on both instrumental and algorithm levels. Moreover, the manpower needed to provide aerosol optical products is greatly reduced and thus the near-real-time availability of lidar data is improved. The high-quality of the SCC products is proven by the good agreement between the SCC analysis, and the corresponding independent manual retrievals. Finally, the ability of the SCC to provide high-quality aerosol optical products is demonstrated for an EARLINET intense observation period.

Unexpected Benefits of Reducing Aerosol Cooling Effects

EPA Science Inventory

Impacts of aerosol cooling are not limited to changes in surface temperature since modulation of atmospheric dynamics resulting from the increased stability can deteriorate local air quality and impact human health. Health impacts from two manifestations of the aerosol direct eff...

Aging changes in the nervous system

MedlinePlus

... MA. Delirium. In: Ham RJ, Sloane PD, Warshaw GA, Potter JF, Flaherty E, eds. Ham's Primary Care ... other dementias. In: Ham RJ, Sloane PD, Warshaw GA, Potter JF, Flaherty E, eds. Ham's Primary Care ...

Tax posttranslational modifications and interaction with calreticulin in MT-2 cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells of human T cell lymphotropic virus type-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients.

PubMed

Medina, Fernando; Quintremil, Sebastian; Alberti, Carolina; Barriga, Andres; Cartier, Luis; Puente, Javier; Ramírez, Eugenio; Ferreira, Arturo; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Valenzuela, Maria Antonieta

2014-04-01

The human retrovirus human T cell lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Axonal degeneration in HAM/TSP patients occurs without neuron infection, with the secreted viral Tax protein proposed to be involved. We previously found that Tax secreted into the culture medium of MT-2 cells (HTLV-1-infected cell line) produced neurite retraction in neuroblastoma cells differentiated to neuronal type. To assess the relevance of Tax posttranslational modifications on this effect, we addressed the question of whether Tax secreted by MT-2 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HTLV-1-infected subjects is modified. The interaction of Tax with calreticulin (CRT) that modulates intracellular Tax localization and secretion has been described. We studied Tax localization and modifications in MT-2 cells and its interaction with CRT. Intracellular Tax in MT-2 cells was assessed by flow cytometry, corresponding mainly to a 71-kDa protein followed by western blot. This protein reported as a chimera with gp21 viral protein-confirmed by mass spectrometry-showed no ubiquitination or SUMOylation. The Tax-CRT interaction was determined by confocal microscopy and coimmunoprecipitation. Extracellular Tax from HAM/TSP PBMCs is ubiquitinated according to western blot, and its interaction with CRT was shown by coimmunoprecipitation. A positive correlation between Tax and CRT secretion was observed in HAM/TSP PBMCs and asymptomatic carriers. For both proteins inhibitors and activators of secretion showed secretion through the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi complex. Tax, present in PBMC culture medium, produced neurite retraction in differentiated neuroblastoma cells. These results suggest that Tax, whether ubiquitinated or not, is active for neurite retraction.

Evaluation of a new microphysical aerosol module in the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodhouse, Matthew; Mann, Graham; Carslaw, Ken; Morcrette, Jean-Jacques; Schulz, Michael; Kinne, Stefan; Boucher, Olivier

2013-04-01

The Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate II (MACC-II) project will provide a system for monitoring and predicting atmospheric composition. As part of the first phase of MACC, the GLOMAP-mode microphysical aerosol scheme (Mann et al., 2010, GMD) was incorporated within the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). The two-moment modal GLOMAP-mode scheme includes new particle formation, condensation, coagulation, cloud-processing, and wet and dry deposition. GLOMAP-mode is already incorporated as a module within the TOMCAT chemistry transport model and within the UK Met Office HadGEM3 general circulation model. The microphysical, process-based GLOMAP-mode scheme allows an improved representation of aerosol size and composition and can simulate aerosol evolution in the troposphere and stratosphere. The new aerosol forecasting and re-analysis system (known as IFS-GLOMAP) will also provide improved boundary conditions for regional air quality forecasts, and will benefit from assimilation of observed aerosol optical depths in near real time. Presented here is an evaluation of the performance of the IFS-GLOMAP system in comparison to in situ aerosol mass and number measurements, and remotely-sensed aerosol optical depth measurements. Future development will provide a fully-coupled chemistry-aerosol scheme, and the capability to resolve nitrate aerosol.

Influence of pre-cure freezing of Iberian ham on proteolytic changes throughout the ripening process.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Ruiz, Jorge; Barat, Jose Manuel; Aristoy, María Concepción; Antequera, Teresa

2010-05-01

This work aimed to investigate the effect of pre-cure freezing Iberian hams on proteolysis phenomena throughout the ripening process. Non-protein nitrogen (NPN), peptide nitrogen (PN) and amino acid nitrogen (AN) as well as amino acid and dipeptide evolution followed the same trend in both refrigerated (R) and pre-cure frozen (F) Iberian hams during processing. At the different stages of ripening, there were no differences in the content of NPN and AN while F dry-cured hams had higher levels of PN than R hams at the final step. This seemed to be more related to the salt content (lower in F than in R hams) than to the pre-cure freezing treatment. Most amino acids and dipeptides detected showed higher concentrations in F than in R Iberian hams at the green stage, being rather similar at the intermediate phases. At the final stage, the effects of pre-cure freezing of Iberian hams were not well defined, higher levels of some amino acids and dipeptides were found in R than in F Iberian hams whereas other amino acids were lower in R than in F hams. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Depression and anxiety in hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Demet, Mehmet Murat; Ozmen, Bilgin; Deveci, Artuner; Boyvada, Sibel; Adigüzel, Hakan; Aydemir, Omer

2002-01-01

Our objective was to determine symptomatology of depression and anxiety in patients with untreated hyperthyroidism and compare with euthyroid patients. Thirty-two patients with hyperthyroidism (high free T3 and free T4, and suppressed TSH) and 30 euthyroid (normal free T3, free T4, and TSH) controls attending the Endocrinology Out-Patient Department at Celal Bayar University Hospital in Manisa, Turkey were included in the study. Hormonal screening was performed by immunoassay and hemagglutination method. For psychiatric assessment, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HAD], Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAM-D], and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAM-A] were used. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of demographic features. Total scores obtained both from HAM-D and HAM-A were significantly greater in the hyperthyroidism group than that of the euthyroid group (p <0.05); there was no difference in terms of HAD. When compared in terms of symptomatology, early insomnia (HAM-D#6), work and activities (HAM-D#7), psychic anxiety (HAM-D#10), weight loss (HAM-D#16), insomnia (HAM-A#4), and cardiovascular symptoms (HAM-A#8) were significantly more frequent in the hyperthyroidism group. By Wilks lambda discriminant analysis, psychomotor agitation (HAM-D#9), weight loss (HAM-D#16), and insomnia (HAM-A#4) were found as the discriminating symptoms for the hyperthyroidism group, whereas somatic anxiety (HAM-A#11) and loss of interest (HAD#14) were distinguishing symptoms of the euthyroidism group. Hyperthyroidism and syndromal depression-anxiety have overlapping features that can cause misdiagnosis during acute phase. For differential diagnosis, one should follow-up patients with hyperthyroidism with specific hormonal treatment and evaluate persisting symptoms thereafter. In addition to specific symptoms of hyperthyroidism, psychomotor retardation, guilt, muscle pain, energy loss, and fatigue seem to appear more frequently in patients with comorbid depression and hyperthyroidism; thus, presence of these symptoms should be a warning sign to nonpsychiatric professionals for the need for psychiatric consultation.

Chemotropism and Cell Fusion in Neurospora crassa Relies on the Formation of Distinct Protein Complexes by HAM-5 and a Novel Protein HAM-14

PubMed Central

Jonkers, Wilfried; Fischer, Monika S.; Do, Hung P.; Starr, Trevor L.; Glass, N. Louise

2016-01-01

In filamentous fungi, communication is essential for the formation of an interconnected, multinucleate, syncytial network, which is constructed via hyphal fusion or fusion of germinated asexual spores (germlings). Anastomosis in filamentous fungi is comparable to other somatic cell fusion events resulting in syncytia, including myoblast fusion during muscle differentiation, macrophage fusion, and fusion of trophoblasts during placental development. In Neurospora crassa, fusion of genetically identical germlings is a highly dynamic and regulated process that requires components of a MAP kinase signal transduction pathway. The kinase pathway components (NRC-1, MEK-2 and MAK-2) and the scaffold protein HAM-5 are recruited to hyphae and germling tips undergoing chemotropic interactions. The MAK-2/HAM-5 protein complex shows dynamic oscillation to hyphae/germling tips during chemotropic interactions, and which is out-of-phase to the dynamic localization of SOFT, which is a scaffold protein for components of the cell wall integrity MAP kinase pathway. In this study, we functionally characterize HAM-5 by generating ham-5 truncation constructs and show that the N-terminal half of HAM-5 was essential for function. This region is required for MAK-2 and MEK-2 interaction and for correct cellular localization of HAM-5 to “fusion puncta.” The localization of HAM-5 to puncta was not perturbed in 21 different fusion mutants, nor did these puncta colocalize with components of the secretory pathway. We also identified HAM-14 as a novel member of the HAM-5/MAK-2 pathway by mining MAK-2 phosphoproteomics data. HAM-14 was essential for germling fusion, but not for hyphal fusion. Colocalization and coimmunoprecipitation data indicate that HAM-14 interacts with MAK-2 and MEK-2 and may be involved in recruiting MAK-2 (and MEK-2) to complexes containing HAM-5. PMID:27029735

Chemotropism and Cell Fusion in Neurospora crassa Relies on the Formation of Distinct Protein Complexes by HAM-5 and a Novel Protein HAM-14.

PubMed

Jonkers, Wilfried; Fischer, Monika S; Do, Hung P; Starr, Trevor L; Glass, N Louise

2016-05-01

In filamentous fungi, communication is essential for the formation of an interconnected, multinucleate, syncytial network, which is constructed via hyphal fusion or fusion of germinated asexual spores (germlings). Anastomosis in filamentous fungi is comparable to other somatic cell fusion events resulting in syncytia, including myoblast fusion during muscle differentiation, macrophage fusion, and fusion of trophoblasts during placental development. In Neurospora crassa, fusion of genetically identical germlings is a highly dynamic and regulated process that requires components of a MAP kinase signal transduction pathway. The kinase pathway components (NRC-1, MEK-2 and MAK-2) and the scaffold protein HAM-5 are recruited to hyphae and germling tips undergoing chemotropic interactions. The MAK-2/HAM-5 protein complex shows dynamic oscillation to hyphae/germling tips during chemotropic interactions, and which is out-of-phase to the dynamic localization of SOFT, which is a scaffold protein for components of the cell wall integrity MAP kinase pathway. In this study, we functionally characterize HAM-5 by generating ham-5 truncation constructs and show that the N-terminal half of HAM-5 was essential for function. This region is required for MAK-2 and MEK-2 interaction and for correct cellular localization of HAM-5 to "fusion puncta." The localization of HAM-5 to puncta was not perturbed in 21 different fusion mutants, nor did these puncta colocalize with components of the secretory pathway. We also identified HAM-14 as a novel member of the HAM-5/MAK-2 pathway by mining MAK-2 phosphoproteomics data. HAM-14 was essential for germling fusion, but not for hyphal fusion. Colocalization and coimmunoprecipitation data indicate that HAM-14 interacts with MAK-2 and MEK-2 and may be involved in recruiting MAK-2 (and MEK-2) to complexes containing HAM-5. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

Long-term follow-up of HTLV-1 proviral load in asymptomatic carriers and in incident cases of HAM/TSP: what is its relevance as a prognostic marker for neurologic disease?

PubMed

Martins, Marina Lobato; Guimarães, Jacqueline Cronemberger; Ribas, João Gabriel; Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira; de Freitas Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara

2017-02-01

HTLV-1 proviral load (pvl) is an important risk marker for HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), but its value as prognostic marker is not well defined. Long-term prospective cohort studies are necessary to clarify this question. Here, we analyzed HTLV-1 pvl in the peripheral blood of 82 asymptomatic carriers (AC; 351 samples), 12 HAM/TSP patients (HAM; 46 samples), and six incident cases of HAM/TSP (iHAM), with serial samples collected before (n = 10) and after (n = 20) the disease onset. The mean interval of follow-up was 10 years in the AC group and 8 years in HAM and iHAM groups. pvl was not significantly different between the first and last measurements in the three groups, but there was a trend to decrease over time. Coefficient of variation of pvl was significantly lower in the AC group than in HAM (p = 0.015) and iHAM (p = 0.022) patients. AC and HAM individuals showed a significant and strong positive correlation between the first and last measurements of pvl, but not iHAM subjects. All individuals who developed HAM/TSP during the follow-up had high pvl level (>1 %) before the onset of disease, but a typical increase in pvl was not observed in that period. The data suggest that there is a trend to reach an equilibrium plateau of pvl over time, characteristic of each individual. A significant rate of AC keeps high pvl levels for a long time without developing clinical symptoms associated to HTLV-1 infection. Thus, serial quantification of pvl in the peripheral blood does not seem to be a good prognostic marker for HAM/TSP.

Fates of foodborne pathogens in raw hams manufactured rapidly using a new patented method.

PubMed

Omori, Yasuo; Sakikubo, Tatsuya; Nakane, Masato; Fuchu, Hidetaka; Miake, Kiyotaka; Kodama, Yoshirou; Sugiyama, Masaaki; Nishikawa, Yoshikazu

2010-10-01

To manufacture raw ham in an efficient manner, we recently developed a new system in which presliced pork loin was used, and the processing time was reduced to 5% of the conventional method. This study aimed to examine whether this raw ham could be as safe as ham produced by the conventional method. Pork loin spiked with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1/2c, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, and Staphylococcus aureus were processed using either the new or conventional method. The fate of the foodborne pathogens and behavior of hygiene indicator bacteria were examined. Whereas nitrite had disappeared during the conventional packaging process, the reduced processing time in the new system allowed for the ham to be vacuum packed with retention of the nitrite (6.9±1.2 ppm, P<0.01). This accounts for the prominent decrease in L. monocytogenes (2.3 log reduction in 35 days) and S. aureus (3.3 log reduction in 13 days) counts during storage. E. coli O157 and Salmonella Enteritidis were likely resistant to the nitrite in the ham. However, they were unable to multiply in the ham and decreased gradually as in the conventionally produced ham. The bacteriostatic nature of the raw ham was also indicated by the gradual decrease in coliforms (1.3 log reduction in 13 days) in nonspiked ham. In conclusion, the raw ham produced using presliced pork loin is practically as safe as conventionally produced raw ham. It is worth validating these results in a small-scale production setting.

Urdu translation of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: Results of a validation study

PubMed Central

Hashmi, Ali M.; Naz, Shahana; Asif, Aftab; Khawaja, Imran S.

2016-01-01

Objective: To develop a standardized validated version of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) in Urdu. Methods: After translation of the HAM-D into the Urdu language following standard guidelines, the final Urdu version (HAM-D-U) was administered to 160 depressed outpatients. Inter-item correlation was assessed by calculating Cronbach alpha. Correlation between HAM-D-U scores at baseline and after a 2-week interval was evaluated for test-retest reliability. Moreover, scores of two clinicians on HAM-D-U were compared for inter-rater reliability. For establishing concurrent validity, scores of HAM-D-U and BDI-U were compared by using Spearman correlation coefficient. The study was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from May to December 2014. Results: The Cronbach alpha for HAM-D-U was 0.71. Composite scores for HAM-D-U at baseline and after a 2-week interval were also highly correlated with each other (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.83, p-value < 0.01) indicating good test-retest reliability. Composite scores for HAM-D-U and BDI-U were positively correlated with each other (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.85, p < 0.01) indicating good concurrent validity. Scores of two clinicians for HAM-D-U were also positively correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.82, p-value < 0.01) indicated good inter-rater reliability. Conclusion: The HAM-D-U is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of Depression. It shows good inter-rater and test-retest reliability. The HAM-D-U can be a tool either for clinical management or research. PMID:28083049

Urdu translation of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: Results of a validation study.

PubMed

Hashmi, Ali M; Naz, Shahana; Asif, Aftab; Khawaja, Imran S

2016-01-01

To develop a standardized validated version of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) in Urdu. After translation of the HAM-D into the Urdu language following standard guidelines, the final Urdu version (HAM-D-U) was administered to 160 depressed outpatients. Inter-item correlation was assessed by calculating Cronbach alpha. Correlation between HAM-D-U scores at baseline and after a 2-week interval was evaluated for test-retest reliability. Moreover, scores of two clinicians on HAM-D-U were compared for inter-rater reliability. For establishing concurrent validity, scores of HAM-D-U and BDI-U were compared by using Spearman correlation coefficient. The study was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from May to December 2014. The Cronbach alpha for HAM-D-U was 0.71. Composite scores for HAM-D-U at baseline and after a 2-week interval were also highly correlated with each other (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.83, p-value < 0.01) indicating good test-retest reliability. Composite scores for HAM-D-U and BDI-U were positively correlated with each other (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.85, p < 0.01) indicating good concurrent validity. Scores of two clinicians for HAM-D-U were also positively correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.82, p-value < 0.01) indicated good inter-rater reliability. The HAM-D-U is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of Depression. It shows good inter-rater and test-retest reliability. The HAM-D-U can be a tool either for clinical management or research.

A skin substitute based on human amniotic membrane.

PubMed

Tauzin, Hélène; Rolin, Gwenaël; Viennet, Céline; Saas, Philippe; Humbert, Philippe; Muret, Patrice

2014-06-01

Human amniotic membrane (HAM) has biological properties which are useful for wound healing. HAM is notably one of the therapeutic alternatives for venous leg ulcer care. Indeed, a prospective clinical study has demonstrated that cryopreserved HAM transplantation for leg ulcer is feasible, safe and has beneficial effects: 80 % of the patients had a significant clinical response. Nevertheless, at the end of the 3-month follow-up period, only 20 % of the ulcers were totally closed. The aim of this work was to create and characterize a model of epidermized HAM. The method of HAM desepithelialization was validated by histology, immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. Then, de-epithelialized HAM was seeded with primary keratinocytes. After 21 days of culture, 15 at the air-liquid interface, the model obtained was analyzed histologically and by immunohistochemistry. The amniotic basement membrane was preserved during enzymatic desepithelialization of HAM. Primary keratinocytes proliferated on HAM: the model obtained showed involucrin expression and had a good basement membrane. As re-epithelialization is an important step for ulcer closure, a model of epidermized HAM could be used to speed up the healing of such wounds.

Effect of low-temperature preservation on the quality of vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham: Refrigerated boneless ham and frozen ham cuts.

PubMed

Cilla, Irene; Martínez, Luis; Beltrán, José Antonio; Roncalés, Pedro

2006-05-01

The effect of storage on dry-cured ham quality was studied. Sixteen vacuum-packaged boneless dry-cured hams and sixteen vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham cuts were stored in darkness under refrigeration (4±2°C; 8 months) or freezing (-18±1°C; 24 months), respectively. Instrumental colour and texture, physico-chemical and biochemical parameters, sensory profile and consumer acceptability and purchase satisfaction were measured throughout storage. The overall quality of refrigerated boneless dry-cured hams and frozen dry-cured ham cuts showed only limited changes throughout long-term storage. Significant changes involved loss of odour and flavour, increased adhesiveness and modification of hardness, the Semimembranosus muscle became tender while Biceps femoris became harder, leading to a higher textural homogeneity. In agreement with those changes, the overall acceptability assessed by a trained panel decreased throughout storage, though this was significant regarding only frozen hams. However, consumer evaluation of acceptability, as well as satisfaction with hypothetical purchasing, did not vary significantly throughout storage.

Development of potentiometric equipment for the identification of altered dry-cured hams: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Girón, Joel; Gil-Sánchez, Luís; García-Breijo, Eduardo; Pagán, M Jesús; Barat, José M; Grau, Raúl

2015-08-01

Microbiological contamination in dry-cured ham can occur in the early stages of the process, a large number of microorganisms involved in spoilage can produce alterations in the product. These include non-common odours, which are detected at the end of the process by a procedure called "cala", consisting of a sharp instrument punctured in every ham; this is smelled by an expert taster, who classifies hams as good and altered hams. An electronic device would be suitable for this process given the large amount of hams. The present research aims to develop objective equipment based on the potentiometry technique that identifies altered hams. A probe was developed, containing silver, nickel and copper electrodes, and was employed to classify altered and unaltered hams prior to classification by a tester. The results shown lower Ag and higher Cu potential values for altered hams. The differences in potentiometric response reveal a classification model, although further studies are required to obtain a reliable classification model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

5-HTTLPR, anxiety and gender interaction moderates right amygdala volume in healthy subjects

PubMed Central

Cerasa, Antonio; Quattrone, Aldo; Piras, Fabrizio; Mangone, Graziella; Magariello, Angela; Fagioli, Sabrina; Girardi, Paolo; Muglia, Maria; Caltagirone, Carlo

2014-01-01

Genetic variants within the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) impact the neurobiology and risk for anxiety-related behaviours. There are also gender differences in the prevalence of anxiety-related behaviours. Although numerous studies have investigated the influence of 5-HTTLPR genotype on the neural systems involved in emotional regulation, none have investigated how these effects are modulated by gender and anxiety. We investigated this issue using two complementary region of interest-based structural neuroimaging approaches (voxel-based morphometry and Freesurfer) in 138 healthy individuals categorized into ‘no anxiety’ and ‘subclinical anxiety’ groups based on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A). Preliminarily, using anxiety as a continuous variable, we found a significant interaction effect of genotype by gender on anxiety. Females homozygous for the Short allele showed the highest HAM-A scores and males the lowest. In addition, a three-way significant interaction among genotype, gender and anxiety category was found for the right amygdala volume. Post hoc tests revealed that homozygous females carrying the Short variant with a subclinical anxiety condition had larger volume. The reported interaction effects demonstrate that gender strongly modulates the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and subclinical expression of anxiety acting on amygdala, one region of the emotional neural network specifically involved in the anxiety-like behaviours. PMID:23986266

Influence of pig genetic type on sensory properties and consumer acceptance of Parma, San Daniele and Toscano dry-cured hams.

PubMed

Pagliarini, Ella; Laureati, Monica; Dinnella, Caterina; Monteleone, Erminio; Proserpio, Cristina; Piasentier, Edi

2016-02-01

This study investigated the sensory properties and acceptability of different Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) dry-cured hams. For each PDO, two genotypes were selected: IL×LW (reference hybrid) and Goland (commercial hybrid). According to descriptive analysis, genetic variance affected few attributes describing Toscano and San Daniele ham sensory quality. The commercial hybrid Parma ham was distinct from the traditional one, the Goland genotype being significantly higher in red color, saltiness, dryness and hardness and showing a lower intensity of pork-meat odor/flavor and sweetness than the IL×LW genotype. Consumer acceptance was mainly influenced by the PDO technology. A genotype effect on acceptance was only observed in Toscano ham. Principal component regression analysis revealed that Toscano ham was the preferred sample. Considering that the consumers involved were from Tuscany, it is likely that Toscano ham was preferred owing to their higher familiarity with this product. Sensory properties of ham samples were better discriminated according to their PDO than their genotype. Likewise, consumer liking was more affected by the specific PDO technology than by genetic type. Toscano ham was the most preferred and most familiar product among Tuscan consumers, indicating that familiarity with the product was the best driver of dry-cured ham preference. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Assessing the Performance of Computationally Simple and Complex Representations of Aerosol Processes using a Testbed Methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fast, J. D.; Ma, P.; Easter, R. C.; Liu, X.; Zaveri, R. A.; Rasch, P.

2012-12-01

Predictions of aerosol radiative forcing in climate models still contain large uncertainties, resulting from a poor understanding of certain aerosol processes, the level of complexity of aerosol processes represented in models, and the ability of models to account for sub-grid scale variability of aerosols and processes affecting them. In addition, comparing the performance and computational efficiency of new aerosol process modules used in various studies is problematic because different studies often employ different grid configurations, meteorology, trace gas chemistry, and emissions that affect the temporal and spatial evolution of aerosols. To address this issue, we have developed an Aerosol Modeling Testbed (AMT) to systematically and objectively evaluate aerosol process modules. The AMT consists of the modular Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, a series of testbed cases for which extensive in situ and remote sensing measurements of meteorological, trace gas, and aerosol properties are available, and a suite of tools to evaluate the performance of meteorological, chemical, aerosol process modules. WRF contains various parameterizations of meteorological, chemical, and aerosol processes and includes interactive aerosol-cloud-radiation treatments similar to those employed by climate models. In addition, the physics suite from a global climate model, Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5), has also been ported to WRF so that these parameterizations can be tested at various spatial scales and compared directly with field campaign data and other parameterizations commonly used by the mesoscale modeling community. In this study, we evaluate simple and complex treatments of the aerosol size distribution and secondary organic aerosols using the AMT and measurements collected during three field campaigns: the Megacities Initiative Local and Global Observations (MILAGRO) campaign conducted in the vicinity of Mexico City during March 2006, the Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) conducted in the vicinity of Sacramento California during June 2010, and the California Nexus (CalNex) campaign conducted in southern California during May and June of 2010. For the aerosol size distribution, we compare the predictions from the GOCART bulk aerosol model, the MADE/SORGAM modal aerosol model, the Modal Aerosol Model (MAM) employed by CAM5, and the Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC) which uses a sectional representation. For secondary organic aerosols, we compare simple fixed mass yield approaches with the numerically complex volatility basis set approach. All simulations employ the same emissions, meteorology, trace gas chemistry (except for that involving condensable organic species), and initial and boundary conditions. Performance metrics from the AMT are used to assess performance in terms of simulated mass, composition, size distribution (except for GOCART), and aerosol optical properties in relation to computational expense. In addition to statistical measures, qualitative differences among the different aerosol models over the computational domain are presented to examine variations in how aerosols age among the aerosol models.

Analysis of DIAL/HSRL aerosol backscatter and extinction profiles during the SEAC4RS campaign with an aerosol assimilation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weaver, C. J.; da Silva, A. M., Jr.; Colarco, P. R.; Randles, C. A.

2015-12-01

We retrieve aerosol concentrations and optical information from vertical profiles of airborne 532 nm extinction and 532 and 1064 nm backscatter measurements made during the SEAC4RS summer 2013 campaign. The observations are from the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) Airborne Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) on board the NASA DC-8. Instead of retrieving information about aerosol microphysical properties such as indexes of refraction, we seek information more directly applicable to an aerosol transport model - in our case the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) module used in the GEOS-5 Earth modeling system. A joint atmosphere/aerosol mini-reanalysis was performed for the SEAC4RS period using GEOS-5. The meteorological reanalysis followed the MERRA-2 atmospheric reanalysis protocol, and aerosol information from MODIS, MISR, and AERONET provided a constraint on the simulated aerosol optical depth (i.e., total column loading of aerosols). We focus on the simulated concentrations of 10 relevant aerosol species simulated by the GOCART module: dust, sulfate, and organic and black carbon. Our first retrieval algorithm starts with the SEAC4RS mini-reanalysis and adjusts the concentration of each GOCART aerosol species so that differences between the observed and simulated backscatter and extinction measurements are minimized. In this case, too often we are unable to simulate the observations by simple adjustment of the aerosol concentrations. A second retrieval approach adjusts both the aerosol concentrations and the optical parameters (i.e., assigned mass extinction efficiency) associated with each GOCART species. We present results from DC-8 flights over smoke from forest fires over the western US using both retrieval approaches. Finally, we compare our retrieved quantities with in-situ observations of aerosol absorption, scattering, and mass concentrations at flight altitude.

Intramuscular variation in fresh ham muscle color

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This experiment was conducted to characterize a defect involving pale muscle tissue in the superficial, ventral portion of ham muscles, resulting in two-toned appearance of cured ham products. Biceps femoris muscles (n = 200), representing 3 production systems, were obtained from the ham-boning lin...

Ham Video Commissioning in Columbus

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-13

Documentation of the Ham Video unit installed in the Columbus European Laboratory. Part number (P/N) is HAM-11000-0F, serial number (S/N) is 01, barcode is HAMV0001E. Image was taken during Expedition 39 Ham Video commissioning activities and released by astronaut on Twitter.

Influence of pre-cure freezing on the profile of volatile compounds during the processing of Iberian hams.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Ruiz, Jorge; Martín, Diana; Grau, Raúl; Antequera, Teresa

2010-04-15

This work was designed to study the effect of pre-cure freezing of raw thighs from Iberian pigs on the profile of volatile compounds during the processing of hams. Generation of volatile compounds during Iberian ham processing was similar in both pre-cure frozen and refrigerated hams, the main differences being at the final stage. The levels of 2-methylbutanal, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2,3-butanediol and 2-heptanol were significantly higher in dry-cured hams that were pre-cure frozen than in refrigerated ones, whereas the content of most detected esters was statistically lower in pre-cure frozen than in refrigerated hams. The effect of pre-cure freezing of Iberian ham on the profile of volatile compounds during ripening was not remarkable. Few differences were found in the final product, which would not greatly modify the aroma and flavour features of the dry-cured hams. (c) 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Quality characteristics of chunked and formed hams from pale, average and dark muscles were improved using an ammonium hydroxide curing solution.

PubMed

Everts, A J; Wulf, D M; Everts, A K R; Nath, T M; Jennings, T D; Weaver, A D

2010-10-01

Cooking yield, cooked pH, purge loss, moisture, lipid oxidation, external and internal color, break strength and elongation distance were assessed for pale (PALE), average (AVG) and dark (DARK) inside hams injected with either a control cure solution (CON) or BPI-processing technology cure solution (BPT). Following enhancement, muscles were chunked, vacuum tumbled, smoked and cooked to 66 degrees C. Cooked ham pH was 6.49 for DARK, 6.40 for AVG, and 6.30 for PALE, respectively (P<0.0001). Cooked pH was higher (P<.0001) for BPT than CON. Cooked ham moisture content was higher (P<0.0001) for BPT hams than CON hams (74.83 vs. 74.11%) but BPT did not significantly influence cooking yield or lipid oxidation. Consumers (n=150) of diverse demographics rated hams for appearance and taste. Results indicated that BPI-processing technology improved visual appearance of hams made from pale, average, and dark muscles and improved the eating quality of hams made from pale muscles. Copyright (c) 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lipid and protein oxidation and sensory properties of vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham subjected to high hydrostatic pressure.

PubMed

Fuentes, Verónica; Ventanas, Jesús; Morcuende, David; Estévez, Mario; Ventanas, Sonia

2010-07-01

The effect of HHP treatment (600 MPa) on the oxidative stability of lipids and proteins of vacuum-packaged Iberian dry-cured ham and the impact on the sensory characteristics of the product was investigated. In order to assess how different commercial presentations are affected by HHP treatment, three different presentations of vacuum-packaged Iberian dry-cured ham were considered, namely, (i) intact format (IF) corresponding to non-sliced vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham, (ii) conventional-sliced format (CSF) corresponding to dry-cured ham slices placed stretched out in the package and (iii) alternative-sliced format (ASF) corresponding to dry-cured ham slices piled up horizontally. The oxidation of dry-cured ham lipids and proteins was enhanced by HHP-treatment with the presentation being highly influential on these oxidative reactions. Pre-slicing dry-cured ham results in a more susceptible product to oxidative reactions during pressurisation and subsequent refrigerated storage. Possible mechanisms, by which HHP-induced oxidative reactions would affect particular sensory traits in vacuum-packaged Iberian dry-cured ham such as colour, texture and flavour attributes, are discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of progressive reduction in crude protein and lysine of heavy pigs diets on some technological properties of green hams destined for PDO dry-cured ham production.

PubMed

Gallo, Luigi; Dalla Bona, Mirco; Carraro, Luca; Cecchinato, Alessio; Carnier, Paolo; Schiavon, Stefano

2016-11-01

In order to investigate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) and lysine (Lys) content on some technological properties of green hams destined for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) dry-cured ham, green hams visual appraisal scores, thickness, iodine number and fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat, and ham weight losses during seasoning (SL) were assessed. The green hams were obtained from 233 pigs fed four diets containing 140 to 110g/kg CP and 6.5 to 5.3g/kg total Lys from 90 to 165kg body weight. A reduction in dietary CP and Lys of up to 20% compared with conventional feeds led to a 15% increase in the thickness of the subcutaneous fat, a 5% decrease in linoleic and polyunsaturated fatty acids in subcutaneous fat and a 7% decrease in SL. A 20% reduction of CP and Lys in diets for finishing pigs has positive effects on the technological properties of green hams destined for PDO dry-cured ham production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KSC-08pd1172

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-124 Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg is ready to begin driving practice in the M113 armored personnel carrier, part of emergency training. Behind her is Pilot Ken Ham. She and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1169

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-124 Mission Specialist Ron Garan is ready to drive the M113 armored personnel carrier as part of emergency training. Behind him is Pilot Ken Ham. They and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Contribution of Histidine and Lysine to the Generation of Volatile Compounds in Jinhua Ham Exposed to Ripening Conditions Via Maillard Reaction.

PubMed

Zhu, Chao-Zhi; Zhao, Jing-Li; Tian, Wei; Liu, Yan-Xia; Li, Miao-Yun; Zhao, Gai-Ming

2018-01-01

To evaluate the role of Maillard reactions in the generation of flavor compounds in Jinhua ham, the reactions of glucose and ethanal with histidine and lysine, respectively, were studied by simulating the ripening conditions of Jinhua ham. The volatile products produced were analyzed using solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results showed that 8 volatile compounds were generated by the reaction of glucose and histidine and 10 volatile compounds were generated by the reaction of glucose and lysine. Reactions of ethanal with lysine and with histidine both generated 31 volatile compounds that contributed to the flavor of Jinhua ham. This indicates that histidine and lysine related to Maillard reactions possibly play important roles in the generation of the unique flavor compounds in Jinhua ham. This research demonstrates that free amino acids participate in the generation of volatile compounds from Jinhua ham via the Maillard reaction and provides a basic mechanism to explain flavor formation in Jinhua ham. Jinhua ham is a well-known traditional Chinese dry-cured meat product. However, the formation of the compounds comprising its special flavor is not well understood. Our results indicate that Maillard reactions occur in Jinhua ham under ripening conditions. This work illustrates the contribution of Maillard reactions to the flavor of Jinhua ham. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Successful vitrification of human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Moon, Jeong Hee; Lee, Jung Ryeol; Jee, Byung Chul; Suh, Chang Suk; Kim, Seok Hyun; Lim, Hyun Jung; Kim, Hae Kwon

2008-08-01

A cryopreservation protocol for human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HAMs) is required because these cells cannot survive for long periods in culture. The aim of this study was to determine whether vitrification is a useful freezing method for storage of HAMs. HAMs were cryopreserved using vitrification method. The morphology and viability of thawed HAMs was evaluated by Trypan Blue staining. The expression of several embryonic stem cell (ESC) markers was evaluated using flow cytometry, RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Von Kossa, Oil Red O and Alcian Blue staining were used to asses the differentiation potential of thawed HAMs. The post-thawing viability of HAMs was 84.3 +/- 3.2% (Mean +/- SD, n = 10). The thawed HAMs showed morphological characteristics indistinguishable from the non-vitrified fresh HAMs. The expression of surface antigens (strong positive for CD44, CD49d, CD59, CD90, CD105 and HLA-ABC; weak positive for HLA-G; negative for CD31, CD34, CD45, CD106, CD117 and HLA-DR) and the expression of ESC markers [CK18, fibroblast growth factor-5, GATA-4, neural cell adhesion molecule, Nestin, Oct-4, stem cell factor, HLA-ABC, Vimentin, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF-4 alpha), Pax-6, alpha-fetoprotein, Brachyury, BMP-2, TRA-1-60, stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA-3, SSEA-4)] were maintained in the vitrified-thawed HAMs. The thawed HAMs retained ability to differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondrocytes under appropriate culture conditions. Our results suggest that vitrification is a reliable and effective method for cryopreservation of HAMs.

Ham Radio is Mir Magic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Gary

1997-01-01

Presents a classroom activity in which students communicated with U.S. and Russian astronauts via ham radio while they were in orbit on the space station Mir. Gives suggestions for other ham radio classroom activities as well as names of organizations, publications, and grant programs that teachers can access to help in bring ham radio into their…

HAM/TSP and major depression: the role of age.

PubMed

Boa-Sorte, Ney; Galvão-Castro, Ana Verena; Borba, Danilo; Lima, Renan Barbalho Nunes de Castro; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo

2015-01-01

To investigate the role of demographic variables in the relationship between the presence of HAM/TSP and current major depression. It is a cross-sectional study of 108 HTLV-1 infected patients (47 with TSP/HAM) resident of Salvador, Brazil. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Brazilian Version 5 was used to evaluate the presence of depression. Prevalence ratios were used to describe relationship between HAM/TSP and depression. The HAM/TSP classification was carried out according to the criteria proposed by Castro-Costa et al. Prevalence of depression was 37.96%. No association was observed between presence of HAM/TSP and diagnosis of current major depression in the global analysis of patients (PR: 0.94; CI 95%: 0.57-1.55). In the stratified analysis, however, greater prevalence of depression was observed amongst individuals with HAM/TSP in the 18-39 age group (PR: 2.59; CI 95%: 1.36-4.95). Our findings suggest that age is an effect modifier in the relationship between HAM/TSP and depression, and this aspect should be considered in future studies on the topic. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Lipolysis, lipid peroxidation, and color characteristics of Serrano Hams from Duroc and large white pigs during dry-curing.

PubMed

del Olmo, Ana; Calzada, Javier; Nuñez, Manuel

2013-11-01

Lipolysis, lipid peroxidation, and colorimetric characteristics of Serrano hams from Duroc and Large White pigs along a 15-mo curing period were investigated. Physicochemical parameters of both types of hams evolved similarly during curing. Twelve of 13 free fatty acids (FFAs) increased during curing, eicosatrienoic acid being the only exception. Linoleic, stearic, and arachidonic acids and the minor heptadecanoic acid reached lower concentrations, and the rest of minor FFAs higher concentrations, in Duroc hams than in Large White hams. The index measuring the early stage of lipid peroxidation declined from month 5 onwards, indicating that the phenomenon had been completed by month 5, while the index of the secondary stage of lipid peroxidation increased with curing time. Higher values were found for the 1st index in Duroc hams. Curing affected color parameters. Lightness decreased and redness increased in both types of hams, while yellowness decreased only in Duroc hams. Lower redness values were found for Duroc hams. Major differences in color parameters were found between muscles. Principal components analysis of FFAs yielded 2 main principal components. The 1st factor, correlated with all FFAs excepting eicosatrienoic acid, allowed discrimination between curing times. The 2nd factor, correlated with eicosatrienoic acid, permitted discrimination between breeds. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Observational evidence for the aerosol impact on ice cloud properties regulated by cloud/aerosol types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, B.; Gu, Y.; Liou, K. N.; Jiang, J. H.; Li, Q.; Liu, X.; Huang, L.; Wang, Y.; Su, H.

2016-12-01

The interactions between aerosols and ice clouds (consisting only of ice) represent one of the largest uncertainties in global radiative forcing from pre-industrial time to the present. The observational evidence for the aerosol impact on ice cloud properties has been quite limited and showed conflicting results, partly because previous observational studies did not consider the distinct features of different ice cloud and aerosol types. Using 9-year satellite observations, we find that, for ice clouds generated from deep convection, cloud thickness, cloud optical thickness (COT), and ice cloud fraction increase and decrease with small-to-moderate and high aerosol loadings, respectively. For in-situ formed ice clouds, however, the preceding cloud properties increase monotonically and more sharply with aerosol loadings. The case is more complicated for ice crystal effective radius (Rei). For both convection-generated and in-situ ice clouds, the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings are modulated by water vapor amount in conjunction with several other meteorological parameters, but the sensitivities of Rei to aerosols under the same water vapor amount differ remarkably between the two ice cloud types. As a result, overall Rei slightly increases with aerosol loading for convection-generated ice clouds, but decreases for in-situ ice clouds. When aerosols are decomposed into different types, an increase in the loading of smoke aerosols generally leads to a decrease in COT of convection-generated ice clouds, while the reverse is true for dust and anthropogenic pollution. In contrast, an increase in the loading of any aerosol type can significantly enhance COT of in-situ ice clouds. The modulation of the aerosol impacts by cloud/aerosol types is demonstrated and reproduced by simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Adequate and accurate representations of the impact of different cloud/aerosol types in climate models are crucial for reducing the substantial uncertainty in assessment of the aerosol-ice cloud radiative forcing.

Observational evidence for the aerosol impact on ice cloud properties regulated by cloud/aerosol types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, B.; Gu, Y.; Liou, K. N.; Jiang, J. H.; Li, Q.; Liu, X.; Huang, L.; Wang, Y.; Su, H.

2017-12-01

The interactions between aerosols and ice clouds (consisting only of ice) represent one of the largest uncertainties in global radiative forcing from pre-industrial time to the present. The observational evidence for the aerosol impact on ice cloud properties has been quite limited and showed conflicting results, partly because previous observational studies did not consider the distinct features of different ice cloud and aerosol types. Using 9-year satellite observations, we find that, for ice clouds generated from deep convection, cloud thickness, cloud optical thickness (COT), and ice cloud fraction increase and decrease with small-to-moderate and high aerosol loadings, respectively. For in-situ formed ice clouds, however, the preceding cloud properties increase monotonically and more sharply with aerosol loadings. The case is more complicated for ice crystal effective radius (Rei). For both convection-generated and in-situ ice clouds, the responses of Rei to aerosol loadings are modulated by water vapor amount in conjunction with several other meteorological parameters, but the sensitivities of Rei to aerosols under the same water vapor amount differ remarkably between the two ice cloud types. As a result, overall Rei slightly increases with aerosol loading for convection-generated ice clouds, but decreases for in-situ ice clouds. When aerosols are decomposed into different types, an increase in the loading of smoke aerosols generally leads to a decrease in COT of convection-generated ice clouds, while the reverse is true for dust and anthropogenic pollution. In contrast, an increase in the loading of any aerosol type can significantly enhance COT of in-situ ice clouds. The modulation of the aerosol impacts by cloud/aerosol types is demonstrated and reproduced by simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Adequate and accurate representations of the impact of different cloud/aerosol types in climate models are crucial for reducing the substantial uncertainty in assessment of the aerosol-ice cloud radiative forcing.

Quantification of zinc-porphyrin in dry-cured ham products by spectroscopic methods Comparison of absorption, fluorescence and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Laursen, Kristoffer; Adamsen, Christina E; Laursen, Jens; Olsen, Karsten; Møller, Jens K S

2008-03-01

Zinc-protoporphyrin (Zn-pp), which has been identified as the major pigment in certain dry-cured meat products, was extracted with acetone/water (75%) and isolated from the following meat products: Parma ham, Iberian ham and dry-cured ham with added nitrite. The quantification of Zn-pp by electron absorption, fluorescence and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy was compared (concentration range used [Zn-pp]=0.8-9.7μM). All three hams were found to contain Zn-pp, and the results show no significant difference among the content of Zn-pp quantified by fluorescence, absorbance and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for Parma ham and Iberian ham. All three methods can be used for quantification of Zn-pp in acetone/water extracts of different ham types if the content is higher than 1.0ppm. For dry-cured ham with added nitrite, XRF was not applicable due to the low content of Zn-pp (<0.1ppm). In addition, XRF spectroscopy provides further information regarding other trace elements and can therefore be advantageous in this aspect. This study also focused on XRF determination of Fe in the extracts and as no detectable Fe was found in the three types of ham extracts investigated (limit of detection; Fe⩽1.8ppm), it allows the conclusion that iron containing pigments, e.g., heme, do not contribute to the noticeable red colour observed in some of the extracts.

Incidence of human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in a long-term prospective cohort study of initially asymptomatic individuals in Brazil.

PubMed

Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira; Caramelli, Paulo; Martins, Marina Lobato; Gonçalves, Denise Utsch; Proietti, Fernando Augusto; Ribas, João Gabriel Ramos; Araújo, Marcelo Grossi; Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara de Freitas

2013-09-01

The incidence of human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HLTV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is not well defined in the literature. Several studies have reported different incidence rates, and recent publications suggest a higher incidence and prevalence of HAM/TSP. The interdisciplinary HTLV Research Group (GIPH) is a prospective open cohort study of individuals infected with HTLV-1/2. This study describes the demographic data and HAM/TSP incidence rate observed in 181 HTLV-1-seropositive individuals and compares the results with previous reports in the literature. HAM/TSP was diagnosed on the basis of the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria and De Castro-Costa et al. [Proposal for diagnostic criteria of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2006;22:931-935]. Seven HAM/TSP incident cases were observed during the follow-up. The HAM/TSP incidence density was 5.3 cases per 1,000 HTLV-1-seropositive cases per year (95% confidence interval: 2.6-10.9), with a mean follow-up of 7±4 years (range: 1 month to 15 years). HAM/TSP was more frequent in women in their 40s and 50s with probable infection via the sexual route. The HAM/TSP incidence density among HTLV-1-seropositive cases observed in the present study is higher than that in previous studies. HAM/TSP may be underdiagnosed in countries like Brazil where HTLV infection is prevalent. Orientation and prevent transmission of HTLV programs are needed. Currently, preventing HTLV-1 transmission is the most effective way to reduce the impact of HAM/TSP on society.

Effect of proteolysis index level on instrumental adhesiveness, free amino acids content and volatile compounds profile of dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Pérez-Santaescolástica, C; Carballo, J; Fulladosa, E; Garcia-Perez, José V; Benedito, J; Lorenzo, J M

2018-05-01

Defective textures in dry-cured ham are a common problem that causes important economic losses in the ham industry. An increase of proteolysis during the dry-cured ham processing may lead to high adhesiveness and consumer rejection of the product. Therefore, the influence of proteolysis index (PI) on instrumental adhesiveness, free amino acids and volatile profile of dry-cured ham was assessed. Two hundred Spanish dry-cured ham units were firstly classified according to their PI: low PI (<32%), medium PI (32-36%) and high PI (>36%). Instrumental adhesiveness was affected by PI, showing the lowest values in the batch with low PI. Significant differences (P < 0.05) among groups were found in six amino acids: serine, taurine, cysteine, methionine, isoleucine and leucine. The content of leucine, serine, methionine, and isoleucine significantly (P < 0.05) increased as the proteolysis index rose. However, taurine and cysteine content showed an opposite behaviour, reaching the highest values in the dry-cured hams with low PI. Significant differences (P < 0.001) in the total content of volatile compounds among ham groups were observed, with the highest concentration in the batch with low PI, and decreasing the concentration as the PI increased. Regarding the different chemical families of volatiles, the hydrocarbons (the main family), alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and acids were more abundant in the hams showing the lowest PI. Esters did not show significant differences among the three batches of hams studied. The present study demonstrated that, apart from the effect on the adhesiveness, an excessive proteolysis seems to be associated with negative effects on the taste and aroma of the dry-cured ham. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of Controlled Atmosphere Treatments to Manage Arthropod Pests of Dry-Cured Hams

PubMed Central

Hasan, Md. Mahbub; Aikins, Michael J.; Schilling, Wes; Phillips, Thomas W.

2016-01-01

Research here explored the use of controlled atmospheres (CA) for managing arthropod pests that infest dry-cured hams. Experiments were conducted with low oxygen (O2) achieved with low pressure under a vacuum, high carbon dioxide (CO2), and ozone (O3). Results showed that both low O2 and high CO2 levels required exposures up to 144 h to kill 100% of all stages of red-legged ham beetle, Necrobia rufipes (De Geer) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and ham mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) at 23 °C. In addition, both low O2 and high CO2 had no significant mortality against the ham beetle and ham mites at short exposures ranging from 12 to 48 h. Ham beetles were more tolerant than ham mites to an atmosphere of 75.1% CO2 and low pressure of 25 mm Hg, which imposed an atmosphere estimated at 0.9% O2. Both low O2 and high CO2 trials indicated that the egg stages of both species were more tolerant than other stages tested, but N. rufipes eggs and pupae were more susceptible than larvae and adults to high concentration ozone treatments. The results indicate that O3 has potential to control ham beetles and ham mites, particularly at ≈166 ppm in just a 24 h exposure period, but O3 is known from other work to have poor penetration ability, thus it may be more difficult to apply effectively than low O2 or high CO2. would be. CA treatment for arthropod pests of dry-cured hams show promise as components of integrated pest management programs after methyl bromide is no longer available for use. PMID:27598209

Penicillium populations in dry-cured ham manufacturing plants.

PubMed

Battilani, Paola; Pietri, V Amedeo; Giorni, Paola; Formenti, Silvia; Bertuzzi, Terenzio; Toscani, Tania; Virgili, Roberta; Kozakiewicz, Zofia

2007-04-01

Seven ham manufacturing plants were sampled for 1 year to assess the mycoflora present in the air and on hams, with special attention given to potential mycotoxin producers. Temperature and relative humidity were recorded in the ripening rooms. Maturing rooms held hams from 2 to 3 through 6 to 7 ripening months, and aging rooms held hams for the following 6 to 7 months, until the 14-month ripening point, when they were ready for the market. Mean temperatures and relative humidities registered during the study were 14.9 degrees C and 62.4%, respectively, in maturing rooms and 16.3 degrees C and 57.6% in aging rooms. Aspergilli and penicillia, potential mycotoxin producers, were isolated in all the plants from the air and the ham. Aspergilli represented 5% of the isolates, while penicillia were largely dominant, with Penicillium nalgiovense being the most represented species (around 60% of the penicillia), followed by Penicillium nordicum, with 10 and 26% of the penicillia isolated, respectively, from the air or the ham. Ochratoxin A production ability, checked in vitro at 250C, was observed in 50% of the P. nordicum isolates obtained both from the air and the ham. Air and ham surface contamination by penicillia was greater in the ripening rooms, where higher temperatures were registered. A certain correlation was also observed between air and ham surface contamination. On the basis of this study, P. nordicum, the ochratoxin A producer that is notable on proteinaceous substrates, is normally present in ham manufacturing plants in Italy, even though not a dominant species. Further studies are necessary to clarify and ensure if dry-curing conditions minimize the potential risk of ochratoxin A formation in the product.

Fresh meat and further processing characteristics of ham muscles from finishing pigs fed ractopamine hydrochloride.

PubMed

Boler, D D; Holmer, S F; Duncan, D A; Carr, S N; Ritter, M J; Stites, C R; Petry, D B; Hinson, R B; Allee, G L; McKeith, F K; Killefer, J

2011-01-01

Ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) has consistently led to an advantage in carcass cutting yields of finishing pigs and remains a common feed additive in US finishing pig diets. Less is known about the effect of RAC on further processing characteristics. Some researchers have reported advantages in ultimate pH of the LM in pigs fed RAC. If a greater ultimate pH was also observed in hams, the increased pH could affect further processing characteristics and lead to better protein interaction and improved textural properties. The objective of this experiment was to determine if RAC-fed pigs yielded hams with a greater ultimate pH, and if so, whether or not that advantage improves textural properties and water retention of further processed hams. Two hundred hams from barrows and gilts fed RAC or control diets were selected based on HCW. Hams were fabricated into 5 separate pieces to determine cutting yields, and 6 muscles were evaluated for ultimate pH. Hams were processed to make cured and smoked hams. Ractopamine increased cutting yields of the whole ham (P < 0.0001), inside (P < 0.01), outside (P < 0.01), and knuckle (P < 0.01) when expressed as a percentage of chilled side weight. Ultimate pH of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and semitendinosus were all 0.06 pH units greater (P < 0.05), the biceps femoris was 0.04 pH units greater (P = 0.02), and the semimembranosus and adductor muscles were 0.03 pH units greater in pigs fed 7.4 mg/kg of RAC when compared with control pigs. Cured hams from RAC-fed pigs were heavier at all stages of production. No differences were detected in binding strengths (P = 0.88) or protein fat-free values (P = 0.13) between RAC (9.06 kg and 20.37) and control hams (9.01 kg and 20.13). Ractopamine increased cutting yields, total weight of cured hams, and ultimate muscle pH. Ractopamine can be fed to pigs to achieve the desired growth characteristic advantages and cutting yields without affecting further processed ham characteristics.

Technical Note: On the use of nudging for aerosol-climate model intercomparison studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, K.; Wan, H.; Liu, X.; Ghan, S. J.; Kooperman, G. J.; Ma, P.-L.; Rasch, P. J.; Neubauer, D.; Lohmann, U.

2014-08-01

Nudging as an assimilation technique has seen increased use in recent years in the development and evaluation of climate models. Constraining the simulated wind and temperature fields using global weather reanalysis facilitates more straightforward comparison between simulation and observation, and reduces uncertainties associated with natural variabilities of the large-scale circulation. On the other hand, the forcing introduced by nudging can be strong enough to change the basic characteristics of the model climate. In the paper we show that for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5), due to the systematic temperature bias in the standard model and the sensitivity of simulated ice formation to anthropogenic aerosol concentration, nudging towards reanalysis results in substantial reductions in the ice cloud amount and the impact of anthropogenic aerosols on long-wave cloud forcing. In order to reduce discrepancies between the nudged and unconstrained simulations, and meanwhile take the advantages of nudging, two alternative experimentation methods are evaluated. The first one constrains only the horizontal winds. The second method nudges both winds and temperature, but replaces the long-term climatology of the reanalysis by that of the model. Results show that both methods lead to substantially improved agreement with the free-running model in terms of the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget and cloud ice amount. The wind-only nudging is more convenient to apply, and provides higher correlations of the wind fields, geopotential height and specific humidity between simulation and reanalysis. Results from both CAM5 and a second aerosol-climate model ECHAM6-HAM2 also indicate that compared to the wind-and-temperature nudging, constraining only winds leads to better agreement with the free-running model in terms of the estimated shortwave cloud forcing and the simulated convective activities. This suggests nudging the horizontal winds but not temperature is a good strategy for the investigation of aerosol indirect effects since it provides well-constrained meteorology without strongly perturbing the model's mean climate.

Ham test

MedlinePlus

Acid hemolysin test; Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria - Ham test; PNH - Ham test ... BJ. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier ...

9 CFR 381.171 - Definition and standard for “Turkey Ham.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Definition and standard for âTurkey Ham.â 381.171 Section 381.171 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE... Standards of Identity or Composition § 381.171 Definition and standard for “Turkey Ham.” (a) “Turkey Ham...

9 CFR 381.171 - Definition and standard for “Turkey Ham.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Definition and standard for âTurkey Ham.â 381.171 Section 381.171 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE... Standards of Identity or Composition § 381.171 Definition and standard for “Turkey Ham.” (a) “Turkey Ham...

Field Evaluation of Improved MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat), MRE VII, and MRE IV

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

SLICES MEATBALLS W/RICE IN TOMATO SAUCE* TUNA W/NOODLES* CHICKEN W/ RICE* ESC. POTATOES W/HAM CHUNKS* STARCHES CRACKERS POTATOES AU GRATIN...HAM/ CHIC KEN LOAF 4.9 0.39 HAM SLICES 7.7 0.21 MEATBALLS W/BBQ SAUCE* 6.5 0.24 PORK SAUSAGE PATTIES 6.6 0.25 TURKEY W/ GRAVY* 7.6 0. 17...FRANKFURTERS HAM/CHICKEN LOAF OR CHICKEN LOAF HAM SLICES MEATBALLS W/BBQ SAUCE PORK SAUSAGE PATTIES TURKEY W/GRAVY STARCHES CRACKERS BEANS W/TOMATO

Pre-cure freezing affects proteolysis in dry-cured hams.

PubMed

Bañón, S; Cayuela, J M; Granados, M V; Garrido, M D

1999-01-01

Several parameters (sodium chloride, moisture, intramuscular fat, total nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen, white precipitates, free tyrosine, L* a* b* values and acceptability) related with proteolysis during the curing were compared in dry-cured hams manufactured from refrigerated and frozen/thawed raw material. Pre-cure freezing increased the proteolysis levels significantly (p<0.05) in the zones of the ham where water losses and absorption of salt is slowest. Frozen hams present a high incidence of white precipitates, formed mainly by tyrosine crystals. The colour and acceptability scores are similar in frozen and refrigerated hams. The previous freezing and thawing process accentuates the water losses, salt absorption and proteolysis of the cured meat, although it does not significantly affect the sensory quality of the dry-cured ham.

Modelling non-equilibrium secondary organic aerosol formation and evaporation with the aerosol dynamics, gas- and particle-phase chemistry kinetic multilayer model ADCHAM

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

Roldin, P.; Eriksson, A. C.; Nordin, E. Z.

2014-08-11

We have developed the novel Aerosol Dynamics, gas- and particle- phase chemistry model for laboratory CHAMber studies (ADCHAM). The model combines the detailed gas phase Master Chemical Mechanism version 3.2, an aerosol dynamics and particle phase chemistry module (which considers acid catalysed oligomerization, heterogeneous oxidation reactions in the particle phase and non-ideal interactions between organic compounds, water and inorganic ions) and a kinetic multilayer module for diffusion limited transport of compounds between the gas phase, particle surface and particle bulk phase. In this article we describe and use ADCHAM to study: 1) the mass transfer limited uptake of ammonia (NH3)more » and formation of organic salts between ammonium (NH4+) and carboxylic acids (RCOOH), 2) the slow and almost particle size independent evaporation of α-pinene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles, and 3) the influence of chamber wall effects on the observed SOA formation in smog chambers.« less

The MAC aerosol climatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinne, S.

2015-12-01

Aerosol is highly diverse in space and time. And many different aerosol optical properties are needed (consistent to each other) for the determination of radiative effects. To sidestep a complex (and uncertain) aerosol treatment (emission to mass to optics) a monthly gridded climatology for aerosol properties has been developed. This MPI Aerosol Climatology (MAC) is strongly tied to observational statistics for aerosol column optical properties by AERONET (over land) and by MAN (over oceans). To fill spatial gaps, to address decadal change and to address vertical variability, these sparsely distributed local data are extended with central data of an ensemble of output from global models with complex aerosol modules. This data merging in performed for aerosol column amount (AOD), for aerosol size (AOD,fine) and for aerosol absorption (AAOD). The resulting MAC aerosol climatology is an example for the combination of high quality local observations with spatial, temporal and vertical context from model simulations.

Closure on the single scattering albedo in the WRF-Chem framework using data from the MILAGRO campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnard, J. C.; Fast, J. D.; Paredes-Miranda, G.; Arnott, W. P.

2009-02-01

Data from the MILAGRO field campaign, which took place in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during March 2006, is used to perform a closure experiment between aerosol chemical properties and aerosol optical properties. Measured aerosol chemical properties, obtained from the MILAGRO T1 site, are fed to two different "chemical to optical properties" modules. One module uses a sectional approach and is identical to that used in the WRF-Chem model, while the other is based on a modal approach. This modal code is employed as an independent check on the WRF-Chem module. Both modules compute aerosol optical properties and, in particular, the single-scattering albedo, ϖ0, as a function of time. The single-scattering albedos are compared to independent measurements obtained from a photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS). Because chemical measurements of the aerosol coarse mode were not available, and the inlet of the PAS could not ingest aerosols larger than about 2 to 3 μm, we focus here on the fine-mode ϖ0. At 870 nm, the wavelength of the PAS measurements, the agreement between the computed (modal and WRF-Chem) and observed fine-mode ϖ0, averaged over the course of the campaign, is reasonably good. The observed ϖ0 value is 0.77, while for both modules, the calculated value was 0.75 resulting in a difference of 0.02 between observations and both computational approaches. This difference is less than the uncertainty of the observed ϖ0 values (6%, or 0.05), and therefore "closure" is achieved, at least for mean values. After adjusting some properties of black carbon absorption and mass concentration within plausible uncertainty limits, the two modules simulate well the diurnal variation of ϖ0, and the absorption coefficient, Babs, but are less successful in calculating the variation of the scattering coefficient, Bscat. This difficulty is probably caused by the presence of larger particles during the day when windblown dust is ubiquitous; this dust likely increases the proportion of large particles introduced into the PAS. The dust also contributes to a very large aerosol mass loading in the coarse mode, and neglect of the coarse mode may cause significant errors, estimated to be as large as 0.07, in the calculation and measurement of ambient ϖ0. Finally, the observed ϖ0 is compared to the ϖ0 computed by the full WRF-Chem model, which includes prognostic aerosol chemistry. Unlike the results discussed above, a comparison between observed and simulated ϖ0 values reveals major differences. This large discrepancy is probably due, in part, to poor characterization of emissions near the T1 site, particularly black carbon emissions.

Nitrate reductase activity of Staphylococcus carnosus affecting the color formation in cured raw ham.

PubMed

Bosse Née Danz, Ramona; Gibis, Monika; Schmidt, Herbert; Weiss, Jochen

2016-07-01

The influence of the nitrate reductase activity of two Staphylococcus carnosus strains used as starter cultures on the formation of nitrate, nitrite and color pigments in cured raw ham was investigated. In this context, microbiological, chemical and multivariate image analyses were carried out on cured raw hams, which were injected with different brines containing either nitrite or nitrate, with or without the S. carnosus starter cultures. During processing and storage, the viable counts of staphylococci remained constant at 6.5logcfu/g in the hams inoculated with starter cultures, while the background microbiota of the hams processed without the starter cultures developed after 14days. Those cured hams inoculated with S. carnosus LTH 7036 (high nitrate reductase activity) showed the highest decrease in nitrate and high nitrite concentrations in the end product, but were still in the range of the legal European level. The hams cured with nitrate and without starter culture or with the other strain, S. carnosus LTH 3838 (low nitrate reductase activity) showed higher residual nitrate levels and a lower nitrite content in the end product. The multivariate image analysis identified spatial and temporal differences in the meat pigment profiles of the differently cured hams. The cured hams inoculated with S. carnosus LTH 3838 showed an uncured core due to a delay in pigment formation. Therefore, the selection of starter cultures based on their nitrate reductase activity is a key point in the formation of curing compounds and color pigments in cured raw ham manufacture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assimilation of MODIS and VIIRS AOD to improve aerosols forecasts with FV3-GOCART

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagowski, M.

2017-12-01

In 2016 NOAA chose the FV3 dynamical core as a basis for its future global modeling system. We present an implementation of aerosol module in the FV3 model and its assimilation framework. The parameterization of aerosols is based on the GOCART scheme. The assimilation methodology relies on hybrid 3D-Var and EnKF methods. Aerosol observations include aerosol optical depth at 550 nm from VIIRS satellite. Results and evaluation of the system against independent observations and NASA's MERRA-2 is shown.

Detection of Iberian ham aroma by a semiconductor multisensorial system.

PubMed

Otero, Laura; Horrillo, M A Carmen; García, María; Sayago, Isabel; Aleixandre, Manuel; Fernández, M A Jesús; Arés, Luis; Gutiérrez, Javier

2003-11-01

A semiconductor multisensorial system, based on tin oxide, to control the quality of dry-cured Iberian hams is described. Two types of ham (submitted to different drying temperatures) were selected. Good responses were obtained from the 12 elements forming the multisensor for different operating temperatures. Discrimination between the two types of ham was successfully realised through principal component analysis (PCA).

Effects of marketing group on the quality of fresh and cured hams sourced from a commercial processing facility

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective was: 1) to characterize the effect of marketing 30 group on fresh and cured ham quality, and 2) to determine which fresh ham traits correlated to cured ham quality traits. Pigs raised in 8 barns representing two seasons (hot and cold) and two production focuses (lean and quality) were ...

High pressure treatments on the inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis and the physicochemical, rheological and color characteristics of sliced vacuum-packaged dry-cured ham.

PubMed

de Alba, María; Montiel, Raquel; Bravo, Daniel; Gaya, Pilar; Medina, Margarita

2012-06-01

The effect of high pressure (HP) on Salmonella Enteritidis in sliced dry-cured ham stored under temperature abuse (8°C) during 60d was investigated. After treatment, reductions of S. Enteritidis were 1.06, 2.54 and 4.32 log units in ham treated at 400, 500 and 600MPa for 5min at 12°C, compared to non-pressurized samples. After 60d, counts of S. Enteritidis in ham treated at 400 and 500MPa were 2.56 and 2.66 log units lower than in non-treated ham, whereas the pathogen was only detected after enrichment in ham treated at 600MPa. Lipid oxidation increased with storage and pressurization, whereas total free amino acid contents were similar in HP and control samples after 60d. Dry-cured ham treated at the highest pressures exhibited lower shear resistance, whereas the maximum force to compress the sample was slightly changed. Color (L*, a* and b*) varied with pressurization and storage. Changes induced by HP in dry-cured ham were attenuated during storage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

5-HTTLPR, anxiety and gender interaction moderates right amygdala volume in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Cerasa, Antonio; Quattrone, Aldo; Piras, Fabrizio; Mangone, Graziella; Magariello, Angela; Fagioli, Sabrina; Girardi, Paolo; Muglia, Maria; Caltagirone, Carlo; Spalletta, Gianfranco

2014-10-01

Genetic variants within the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) impact the neurobiology and risk for anxiety-related behaviours. There are also gender differences in the prevalence of anxiety-related behaviours. Although numerous studies have investigated the influence of 5-HTTLPR genotype on the neural systems involved in emotional regulation, none have investigated how these effects are modulated by gender and anxiety. We investigated this issue using two complementary region of interest-based structural neuroimaging approaches (voxel-based morphometry and Freesurfer) in 138 healthy individuals categorized into 'no anxiety' and 'subclinical anxiety' groups based on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A). Preliminarily, using anxiety as a continuous variable, we found a significant interaction effect of genotype by gender on anxiety. Females homozygous for the Short allele showed the highest HAM-A scores and males the lowest. In addition, a three-way significant interaction among genotype, gender and anxiety category was found for the right amygdala volume. Post hoc tests revealed that homozygous females carrying the Short variant with a subclinical anxiety condition had larger volume. The reported interaction effects demonstrate that gender strongly modulates the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and subclinical expression of anxiety acting on amygdala, one region of the emotional neural network specifically involved in the anxiety-like behaviours. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

High pressure as an alternative processing step for ham production.

PubMed

Pingen, Sylvia; Sudhaus, Nadine; Becker, André; Krischek, Carsten; Klein, Günter

2016-08-01

As high pressure processing (HPP) is becoming more and more important in the food industry, this study examined the application of HPP (500 and 600MPa) as a manufacturing step during simulated ham production. By replacing conventional heating with HPP steps, ham-like texture or color attributes could not be achieved. HPP products showed a less pale, less red appearance, softer texture and higher yields. However, a combination of mild temperature (53°C) and 500MPa resulted in parameters more comparable to cooked ham. We conclude that HPP can be used for novel food development, providing novel textures and colors. However, when it comes to ham production, a heating step seems to be unavoidable to obtain characteristic ham properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerosol and monsoon climate interactions over Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhanqing; Lau, W. K.-M.; Ramanathan, V.; Wu, G.; Ding, Y.; Manoj, M. G.; Liu, J.; Qian, Y.; Li, J.; Zhou, T.; Fan, J.; Rosenfeld, D.; Ming, Y.; Wang, Y.; Huang, J.; Wang, B.; Xu, X.; Lee, S.-S.; Cribb, M.; Zhang, F.; Yang, X.; Zhao, C.; Takemura, T.; Wang, K.; Xia, X.; Yin, Y.; Zhang, H.; Guo, J.; Zhai, P. M.; Sugimoto, N.; Babu, S. S.; Brasseur, G. P.

2016-12-01

The increasing severity of droughts/floods and worsening air quality from increasing aerosols in Asia monsoon regions are the two gravest threats facing over 60% of the world population living in Asian monsoon regions. These dual threats have fueled a large body of research in the last decade on the roles of aerosols in impacting Asian monsoon weather and climate. This paper provides a comprehensive review of studies on Asian aerosols, monsoons, and their interactions. The Asian monsoon region is a primary source of emissions of diverse species of aerosols from both anthropogenic and natural origins. The distributions of aerosol loading are strongly influenced by distinct weather and climatic regimes, which are, in turn, modulated by aerosol effects. On a continental scale, aerosols reduce surface insolation and weaken the land-ocean thermal contrast, thus inhibiting the development of monsoons. Locally, aerosol radiative effects alter the thermodynamic stability and convective potential of the lower atmosphere leading to reduced temperatures, increased atmospheric stability, and weakened wind and atmospheric circulations. The atmospheric thermodynamic state, which determines the formation of clouds, convection, and precipitation, may also be altered by aerosols serving as cloud condensation nuclei or ice nuclei. Absorbing aerosols such as black carbon and desert dust in Asian monsoon regions may also induce dynamical feedback processes, leading to a strengthening of the early monsoon and affecting the subsequent evolution of the monsoon. Many mechanisms have been put forth regarding how aerosols modulate the amplitude, frequency, intensity, and phase of different monsoon climate variables. A wide range of theoretical, observational, and modeling findings on the Asian monsoon, aerosols, and their interactions are synthesized. A new paradigm is proposed on investigating aerosol-monsoon interactions, in which natural aerosols such as desert dust, black carbon from biomass burning, and biogenic aerosols from vegetation are considered integral components of an intrinsic aerosol-monsoon climate system, subject to external forcing of global warming, anthropogenic aerosols, and land use and change. Future research on aerosol-monsoon interactions calls for an integrated approach and international collaborations based on long-term sustained observations, process measurements, and improved models, as well as using observations to constrain model simulations and projections.

A Fashi Lymphoproliferative Phenotype Reveals Non-Apoptotic Fas Signaling in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Menezes, Soraya Maria; Leal, Fabio E; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Decanine, Daniele; Silva-Santos, Gilvaneia; Schnitman, Saul V; Kruschewsky, Ramon; López, Giovanni; Alvarez, Carolina; Talledo, Michael; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Nixon, Douglas F; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Brassat, David; Liblau, Roland; Vandamme, Anne Mieke; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2017-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 was the first human retrovirus to be associated to cancer, namely adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but its pathogenesis remains enigmatic, since only a minority of infected individuals develops either ATL or the neuroinflammatory disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A functional FAS -670 polymorphism in an interferon (IFN)-regulated STAT1-binding site has been associated to both ATL and HAM/TSP susceptibility. Fas hi T stem cell memory (Tscm) cells have been identified as the hierarchical apex of ATL, but have not been investigated in HAM/TSP. In addition, both FAS and STAT1 have been identified in an IFN-inducible HAM/TSP gene signature, but its pathobiological significance remains unclear. We comprehensively explored Fas expression (protein/mRNA) and function in lymphocyte activation, apoptosis, proliferation, and transcriptome, in PBMC from a total of 47 HAM/TSP patients, 40 asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected individuals (AC), and 58 HTLV-1 -uninfected healthy controls. Fas surface expression followed a two-step increase from HC to AC and from AC to HAM/TSP. In HAM/TSP, Fas levels correlated positively to lymphocyte activation markers, but negatively to age of onset, linking Fas hi cells to earlier, more aggressive disease. Surprisingly, increased lymphocyte Fas expression in HAM/TSP was linked to decreased apoptosis and increased lymphoproliferation upon in vitro culture, but not to proviral load. This Fas hi phenotype is HAM/TSP-specific, since both ex vivo and in vitro Fas expression was increased as compared to multiple sclerosis (MS), another neuroinflammatory disorder. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying non-apoptotic Fas signaling in HAM/TSP, we combined transcriptome analysis with functional assays, i.e., blocking vs. triggering Fas receptor in vitro with antagonist and agonist-, anti-Fas mAb, respectively. Treatment with agonist anti-Fas mAb restored apoptosis, indicating biased, but not defective Fas signaling in HAM/TSP. In silico analysis revealed biased Fas signaling toward proliferation and inflammation, driven by RelA/NF-κB. Correlation of Fas transcript levels with proliferation (but not apoptosis) was confirmed in HAM/TSP ex vivo transcriptomes. In conclusion, we demonstrated a two-step increase in Fas expression, revealing a unique Fas hi lymphocyte phenotype in HAM/TSP, distinguishable from MS. Non-apoptotic Fas signaling might fuel HAM/TSP pathogenesis, through increased lymphoproliferation, inflammation, and early age of onset.

A Fashi Lymphoproliferative Phenotype Reveals Non-Apoptotic Fas Signaling in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation

PubMed Central

Menezes, Soraya Maria; Leal, Fabio E.; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Decanine, Daniele; Silva-Santos, Gilvaneia; Schnitman, Saul V.; Kruschewsky, Ramon; López, Giovanni; Alvarez, Carolina; Talledo, Michael; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Nixon, Douglas F.; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Brassat, David; Liblau, Roland; Vandamme, Anne Mieke; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2017-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 was the first human retrovirus to be associated to cancer, namely adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but its pathogenesis remains enigmatic, since only a minority of infected individuals develops either ATL or the neuroinflammatory disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A functional FAS -670 polymorphism in an interferon (IFN)-regulated STAT1-binding site has been associated to both ATL and HAM/TSP susceptibility. Fashi T stem cell memory (Tscm) cells have been identified as the hierarchical apex of ATL, but have not been investigated in HAM/TSP. In addition, both FAS and STAT1 have been identified in an IFN-inducible HAM/TSP gene signature, but its pathobiological significance remains unclear. We comprehensively explored Fas expression (protein/mRNA) and function in lymphocyte activation, apoptosis, proliferation, and transcriptome, in PBMC from a total of 47 HAM/TSP patients, 40 asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected individuals (AC), and 58 HTLV-1 -uninfected healthy controls. Fas surface expression followed a two-step increase from HC to AC and from AC to HAM/TSP. In HAM/TSP, Fas levels correlated positively to lymphocyte activation markers, but negatively to age of onset, linking Fashi cells to earlier, more aggressive disease. Surprisingly, increased lymphocyte Fas expression in HAM/TSP was linked to decreased apoptosis and increased lymphoproliferation upon in vitro culture, but not to proviral load. This Fashi phenotype is HAM/TSP-specific, since both ex vivo and in vitro Fas expression was increased as compared to multiple sclerosis (MS), another neuroinflammatory disorder. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying non-apoptotic Fas signaling in HAM/TSP, we combined transcriptome analysis with functional assays, i.e., blocking vs. triggering Fas receptor in vitro with antagonist and agonist-, anti-Fas mAb, respectively. Treatment with agonist anti-Fas mAb restored apoptosis, indicating biased, but not defective Fas signaling in HAM/TSP. In silico analysis revealed biased Fas signaling toward proliferation and inflammation, driven by RelA/NF-κB. Correlation of Fas transcript levels with proliferation (but not apoptosis) was confirmed in HAM/TSP ex vivo transcriptomes. In conclusion, we demonstrated a two-step increase in Fas expression, revealing a unique Fashi lymphocyte phenotype in HAM/TSP, distinguishable from MS. Non-apoptotic Fas signaling might fuel HAM/TSP pathogenesis, through increased lymphoproliferation, inflammation, and early age of onset. PMID:28261198

KSC-08pd1170

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-124 Mission Specialist Ron Garan practices driving the M113 armored personnel carrier as part of emergency training. At center is the Battalion Chief George Hoggard, providing instruction. Behind Garan is Pilot Ken Ham. They and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1175

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-124 Mission Specialist Akihiko Hoshide drives the M113 armored personnel carrier as part of emergency training. Battalion Chief George Hoggard provides supervision. Behind them are Mission Specialist Ron Garan and Pilot Ken Ham. Hoshide and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Tax Posttranslational Modifications and Interaction with Calreticulin in MT-2 Cells and Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type-I-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis Patients

PubMed Central

Medina, Fernando; Quintremil, Sebastian; Alberti, Carolina; Barriga, Andres; Cartier, Luis; Puente, Javier; Ramírez, Eugenio; Ferreira, Arturo; Tanaka, Yuetsu

2014-01-01

Abstract The human retrovirus human T cell lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Axonal degeneration in HAM/TSP patients occurs without neuron infection, with the secreted viral Tax protein proposed to be involved. We previously found that Tax secreted into the culture medium of MT-2 cells (HTLV-1-infected cell line) produced neurite retraction in neuroblastoma cells differentiated to neuronal type. To assess the relevance of Tax posttranslational modifications on this effect, we addressed the question of whether Tax secreted by MT-2 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HTLV-1-infected subjects is modified. The interaction of Tax with calreticulin (CRT) that modulates intracellular Tax localization and secretion has been described. We studied Tax localization and modifications in MT-2 cells and its interaction with CRT. Intracellular Tax in MT-2 cells was assessed by flow cytometry, corresponding mainly to a 71-kDa protein followed by western blot. This protein reported as a chimera with gp21 viral protein—confirmed by mass spectrometry—showed no ubiquitination or SUMOylation. The Tax–CRT interaction was determined by confocal microscopy and coimmunoprecipitation. Extracellular Tax from HAM/TSP PBMCs is ubiquitinated according to western blot, and its interaction with CRT was shown by coimmunoprecipitation. A positive correlation between Tax and CRT secretion was observed in HAM/TSP PBMCs and asymptomatic carriers. For both proteins inhibitors and activators of secretion showed secretion through the endoplasmic reticulum–Golgi complex. Tax, present in PBMC culture medium, produced neurite retraction in differentiated neuroblastoma cells. These results suggest that Tax, whether ubiquitinated or not, is active for neurite retraction. PMID:24321043

Peripartum neuroactive steroid and γ-aminobutyric acid profiles in women at-risk for postpartum depression

PubMed Central

Deligiannidis, Kristina M.; Kroll-Desrosiers, Aimee R.; Mo, Shunyan; Nguyen, Hien P.; Svenson, Abby; Jaitly, Nina; Hall, Janet E.; Barton, Bruce A.; Rothschild, Anthony J.; Shaffer, Scott A.

2016-01-01

Neuroactive steroids (NAS) are allosteric modulators of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system. NAS and GABA are implicated in depression. The peripartum period involves physiologic changes in NAS which may be associated with peripartum depression and anxiety. We measured peripartum plasma NAS and GABA in healthy comparison subjects (HCS) and those at-risk for postpartum depression (AR-PPD) due to current mild depressive or anxiety symptoms or a history of depression. We evaluated 56 peripartum medication-free subjects. We measured symptoms with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S). Plasma NAS and GABA were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We examined the associations between longitudinal changes in NAS, GABA and depressive and anxiety symptoms using generalized estimating equation methods. Peripartum GABA concentration was 1.9 ± 0.7 ng/mL (p=0.004) lower and progesterone and pregnanolone were 15.8 ± 7.5 (p=0.04) and 1.5 ± 0.7 ng/mL (p=0.03) higher in AR-PPD versus HCS, respectively. HAM-D17 was negatively associated with GABA (β=−0.14 ± 0.05, p=0.01) and positively associated with pregnanolone (β=0.16 ± 0.06, p=0.01). STAI-S was positively associated with pregnanolone (β=0.11 ± 0.04, p=0.004), allopregnanolone (β=0.13 ± 0.05, p=0.006) and pregnenolone (β=0.02 ± 0.01, p=0.04). HAM-A was negatively associated with GABA (β=−0.12 ± 0.04, p=0.004) and positively associated with pregnanolone (β=0.11 ± 0.05, p=0.05). Altered peripartum NAS and GABA profiles in AR-PPD women suggest that their interaction may play an important role in the pathophysiology of peripartum depression and anxiety. PMID:27209438

6-Thioguanine, cytarabine, and daunorubicin (TAD) and high-dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone (HAM) for induction, TAD for consolidation, and either prolonged maintenance by reduced monthly TAD or TAD-HAM-TAD and one course of intensive consolidation by sequential HAM in adult patients at all ages with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML): a randomized trial of the German AML Cooperative Group.

PubMed

Büchner, Thomas; Hiddemann, Wolfgang; Berdel, Wolfgang E; Wörmann, Bernhard; Schoch, Claudia; Fonatsch, Christa; Löffler, Helmut; Haferlach, Torsten; Ludwig, Wolf-Dieter; Maschmeyer, Georg; Staib, Peter; Aul, Carlo; Gruneisen, Andreas; Lengfelder, Eva; Frickhofen, Norbert; Kern, Wolfgang; Serve, Hubert L; Mesters, Rolf M; Sauerland, Maria Cristina; Heinecke, Achim

2003-12-15

To examine the efficacy of prolonged maintenance chemotherapy versus intensified consolidation therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Eight hundred thirty-two patients (median age, 54 years; range, 16 to 82 years) with de novo AML were randomly assigned to receive 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, and daunorubicin (TAD) plus cytarabine and mitoxantrone (HAM; cytarabine 3 g/m2 [age < 60 years] or 1 g/m2 [age > or = 60 years] x 6) induction, TAD consolidation, and monthly modified TAD maintenance for 3 years, or TAD-HAM-TAD and one course of intensive consolidation with sequential HAM (S-HAM) with cytarabine 1 g/m2 (age < 60 years) or 0.5 g/m2 (age > or = 60 years) x 8 instead of maintenance. A total of 69.2% patients went into complete remission (CR). Median relapse-free survival (RFS) was 19 months for patients on the maintenance arm, with 31.4% of patients relapse-free at 5 years, versus 12 months for patients on the S-HAM arm, with 24.7% of patients relapse-free at 5 years (P =.0118). RFS from maintenance was superior in patients with poor risk by unfavorable karyotype, age > or = 60 years, lactate dehydrogenase level greater than 700 U/L, or day 16 bone marrow blasts greater than 40% (P =.0061) but not in patients with good risk by complete absence of any poor risk factors. Although a survival benefit in the CR patients is not significant (P =.085), more surviving patients in the maintenance than in the S-HAM arm remain in first CR (P =.026). We conclude that TAD-HAM-TAD-maintenance first-line treatment has a higher curative potential than TAD-HAM-TAD-S-HAM and improves prognosis even among patients with poor prognosis.

Effect of starter cultures and packaging methods on amino acid profile and eating quality characteristics of pork ham.

PubMed

Gogoi, Protiva; Borpuzari, R N; Borpuzari, T; Hazarika, R A; Bora, J R

2015-08-01

Wet cured pork hams were inoculated with a mixed starter cultures comprising of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Micrococcus varians M483 at the dose level of 106 cfu/g and the un inoculated hams served as controls. The amino acid profile of hams of the treated and the control groups stored at 4oC under MAP and VP and evaluated on 60th day of storage revealed that treated hams liberated higher concentration of free amino acids except for proline and methionine which were found in higher concentration (P < 0.01) in the MAP control samples. The MAP control samples liberated glutamic acid (85.65 ± 1.40 ppm), cystine (21.56 ± 1.14 ppm) and tyrosine (16.63 ± 1.94 ppm) whereas, the treated samples did not release these amino acids. The VP control samples too liberated cystine (6.98 ± 1.36 ppm) and arginine (42.70 ± 2.78 ppm) but the treated ham of the VP did not liberate these amino acids. The VP hams had higher concentration (P < 0.01) of free proline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, lysine and histidine than the MAP samples. Colour analysis of ham using CIE Lab colour system revealed that the treated samples had significantly higher concentrations of L*, a* and b* components. The L* and a* values were higher in the MAP than under VP systems while the b* values were higher in the VP samples than the MAP samples. Neither the bacterial cultures nor the packaging system influenced the textural property of ham. Starter cultures inoculated hams were rated superior (P < 0.05) in terms of their sensory properties. Hams packaged under MAP were rated superior (P < 0.05) than those packaged under VP in terms of appearance, colour, taste, tenderness, flavour, juiciness and overall acceptability.

HTLV-1 proviral load in cerebrospinal fluid may not be a good marker to differentiate asymptomatic carriers with high proviral load in blood from HAM/TSP patients.

PubMed

Martins, Marina Lobato; de Freitas Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara; Nicolato, Rodrigo; de Miranda, Débora Marques; Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira

2018-03-27

An elevated human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load (PVL) is an important risk factor for HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), although there is a considerable frequency of asymptomatic carriers (AC) with high PVL in blood. Our objective was to evaluate whether PVL quantified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is helpful to distinguish AC from HAM when AC have high PVL in blood (AC H ). AC H (n = 7) were characterized to have high PVL in blood by quantification of samples collected over time (mean 7 years). HAM patients (n = 14) also had analyzed blood samples collected at different times (mean 9 years). Comparing paired CSF and blood samples of each individual, CSF PVL mean was 4.7-fold higher than blood PVL in the AC H group and 10.8-fold in the HAM group. CSF PVL was significantly greater than blood PVL in the HAM group (p = 0.004), but not in the AC H group. Important to highlight, CSF PVL was not significantly different between the AC H and the HAM groups. These results suggested that significantly higher PVL in CSF than in blood is a hallmark of HAM/TSP patients, but this is also true for asymptomatic carriers with high PVL in blood, thus reducing its usefulness as a marker for HAM/TSP. A greater number of AC H should be analyzed, but whether they will eventually develop HAM/TSP or why they have not developed the disease are still questions to be clarified. Longitudinal studies are necessary to answer these questions.

Sensory and rapid instrumental methods as a combined tool for quality control of cooked ham.

PubMed

Barbieri, Sara; Soglia, Francesca; Palagano, Rosa; Tesini, Federica; Bendini, Alessandra; Petracci, Massimiliano; Cavani, Claudio; Gallina Toschi, Tullia

2016-11-01

In this preliminary investigation, different commercial categories of Italian cooked pork hams have been characterized using an integrated approach based on both sensory and fast instrumental measurements. For these purposes, Italian products belonging to different categories (cooked ham, "selected" cooked ham and "high quality" cooked ham) were evaluated by sensory descriptive analysis and by the application of rapid tools such as image analysis by an "electronic eye" and texture analyzer. The panel of trained assessors identified and evaluated 10 sensory descriptors able to define the quality of the products. Statistical analysis highlighted that sensory characteristics related to appearance and texture were the most significant in discriminating samples belonged to the highest (high quality cooked hams) and the lowest (cooked hams) quality of the product whereas the selected cooked hams, showed intermediate characteristics. In particular, high quality samples were characterized, above all, by the highest intensity of pink intensity, typical appearance and cohesiveness, and, at the same time, by the lowest intensity of juiciness; standard cooked ham samples showed the lowest intensity of all visual attributes and the highest value of juiciness, whereas the intermediate category (selected cooked ham) was not discriminated from the other. Also physical-rheological parameters measured by electronic eye and texture analyzer were effective in classifying samples. In particular, the PLS model built with data obtained from the electronic eye showed a satisfactory performance in terms of prediction of the pink intensity and presence of fat attributes evaluated during the sensory visual phase. This study can be considered a first application of this combined approach that could represent a suitable and fast method to verify if the meat product purchased by consumer match its description in terms of compliance with the claimed quality.

Factors affecting dry-cured ham consumer acceptability.

PubMed

Morales, R; Guerrero, L; Aguiar, A P S; Guàrdia, M D; Gou, P

2013-11-01

The objectives of the present study were (1) to compare the relative importance of price, processing time, texture and intramuscular fat in purchase intention of dry-cured ham through conjoint analysis, (2) to evaluate the effect of dry-cured ham appearance on consumer expectations, and (3) to describe the consumer sensory preferences of dry-cured ham using external preference mapping. Texture and processing time influenced the consumer preferences in conjoint analysis. Red colour intensity, colour uniformity, external fat and white film presence/absence influenced consumer expectations. The consumer disliked hams with bitter and metallic flavour and with excessive saltiness and piquantness. Differences between expected and experienced acceptability were found, which indicates that the visual preference of consumers does not allow them to select a dry-cured ham that satisfies their sensory preferences of flavour and texture. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chromatic aberration of light focusing in hyperbolic anisotropic metamaterial made of metallic slit array.

PubMed

Guo, Kai; Liu, Jianlong; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Shutian

2012-12-17

The dispersion of a hyperbolic anisotropic metamaterial (HAM) and the chromatic aberration of light focusing in this kind of HAM are studied. The HAM is formed by alternately stacking metal and dielectric layers. The rules of materials and filling factors affecting the optical property of HAM are given. The chromatic aberration of light focusing is demonstrated both theoretically and numerically. By comparing the theory with the simulation results, the factors influencing the focal length, including the heat loss of material and low spatial frequency modes, are discussed. The investigation emphasizes the anomalous properties, such as chromatic aberration and low spatial frequency modes influencing focus position, of HAM compared with that in conventional lens. Based on the analysis, the possibility of using HAM to focus light with two different wavelengths at the same point is studied.

Relative roles of aerosols, SST, and snow impurity on snowmelt over the Tibetan Plateau and its their impacts on South Asian summer monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. M.; Tsay, S. C.; Lau, W. K. M.; Yasunari, T. J.; Mahanama, S. P. P.; Koster, R. D.; daSilva, A.

2017-12-01

We examine the relative roles of atmospheric aerosol radiative forcing, year-to-year SST (sea surface temperature) variability, and surface radiative forcing by snow impurity on snowmelt over the Tibetan Plateau and their impacts on rainfall and circulation of South Asian summer monsoon. Five-member ensemble experiments are conducted with NASA's GEOS-5 (Goddard Earth Observing System model version 5), equipped with a snow darkening module - GOSWIM (GOddard SnoW Impurity Module), on the Water-Year 2008 (October 2007 to September 2008). Asian summer monsoon in 2008 was near normal in terms of monsoon rainfall over India subcontinent. However, rainfall was excessive in the North while the southern India suffered from the rainfall deficit. The 2008 summer monsoon was accompanied with high loading of aerosols in the Arabian Sea and La Niña condition in the tropical Pacific. To examine the roles high aerosol loading and La Niña condition on the north-south dipole in Indian monsoon rainfall, two sets of experiments, in addition to control runs (CNTRL), are conducted without SST anomalies (CSST) and aerosol radiative feedback (NRF), respectively. Results show that increased aerosol loading in early summer is associated with the increased dust transport during La Niña years. Increased aerosols over the northern India induces EHP-like (elevated heat pump) circulation and increases rainfall over the India subcontinent. Aerosol radiative forcing feedback (CNTRL-NRF) strengthens the EHP-like monsoon circulation even more. Results indicate that anomalous circulation associated with La Niña condition increases aerosol loading by enhancing dust transport as well as by increasing aerosol lifetime. Increased aerosols induces EHP-like feedback processes and increases rainfall over the India subcontinent.

Evaluation of human amniotic membrane as a wound dressing for split-thickness skin-graft donor sites.

PubMed

Loeffelbein, Denys J; Rohleder, Nils H; Eddicks, Matthias; Baumann, Claudia M; Stoeckelhuber, Mechthild; Wolff, Klaus-D; Drecoll, Enken; Steinstraesser, Lars; Hennerbichler, Simone; Kesting, Marco R

2014-01-01

Human amniotic membrane (HAM) has been used as a biomaterial in various surgical procedures and exceeds some qualities of common materials. We evaluated HAM as wound dressing for split-thickness skin-graft (STSG) donor sites in a swine model (Part A) and a clinical trial (Part B). Part A: STSG donor sites in 4 piglets were treated with HAM or a clinically used conventional polyurethane (PU) foil (n = 8 each). Biopsies were taken on days 5, 7, 10, 20, 40, and 60 and investigated immunohistochemically for alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA: wound contraction marker), von Willebrand factor (vWF: angiogenesis), Ki-67 (cell proliferation), and laminin (basement membrane integrity). Part B: STSG donor sites in 45 adult patients (16 female/29 male) were treated with HAM covered by PU foam, solely by PU foam, or PU foil/paraffin gauze (n = 15 each). Part A revealed no difference in the rate of wound closure between groups. HAM showed improved esthetic results and inhibitory effects on cicatrization. Angioneogenesis was reduced, and basement membrane formation was accelerated in HAM group. Part B: no difference in re-epithelialization/infection rate was found. HAM caused less ichor exudation and less pruritus. HAM has no relevant advantage over conventional dressings but might be a cost-effective alternative.

On the etiology of tropical spastic paraparesis and human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I-associated myelopathy.

PubMed

Zaninovic, V

1999-01-01

The purpose of this review is to present some concepts on the etiology of tropical spastic paraparesis or human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). The large number of syndromes that have been associated with HTLV-I (60 to date), the existence of TSP/HAM cases associated with other retroviruses (human immunodeficiency virus-2 [HIV-2], HTLV-II), the existence of many TSPs without HTLV-I, and the evidence of clear epidemiologic contradictions in TSP/HAM indicate that the etiopathogenesis of TSP/HAM is not yet clear. Tropical spastic paraparesis/HAM affects patients of all human ethnic groups, but usually in well localized and relatively isolated geographic regions where HTLV-I has been endemic for a long time. Environmental factors and geographic locations appear to be critical factors. Because the neuropathology of TSP/HAM suggests a toxometabolic, rather than a viral cause, it is proposed that an intoxication similar to neurolathyrism could account for some of TSP/HAM cases, mainly in tropical and subtropical countries. If this were the case, HTLV-I could be a cofactor or act as a bystander. it is possible that co-infection with another agent is necessary to produce TSP/HAM and most of the syndromes associated with HTLV-I.

Ectopic expression of the HAM59 gene causes homeotic transformations of reproductive organs in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

PubMed

Shulga, O A; Neskorodov, Ya B; Shchennikova, A V; Gaponenko, A K; Skryabin, K G

2015-01-01

The function of the HAM59 MADS-box gene in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was studied to clarify homeotic C activity in the Asteraceae plant family. For the first time, transgenic sunflower plants with a modified pattern of HAM59 expression were obtained. It was shown that the HAM59 MADS-box transcription factor did mediate C activity in sunflower. In particular, it participated in termination of the floral meristem, repression of the cadastral function of A-activity, and together with other C-type sunflower protein HAM45-in the specification of the identity of stamens and pistils.

Consumer satisfaction with dry-cured ham in five European countries.

PubMed

Resano, H; Pérez-Cueto, F J A; Sanjuán, A I; de Barcellos, M D; Grunert, K G; Verbeke, W

2011-04-01

The objective is to investigate consumer satisfaction with dry-cured ham in five European countries. A logistic regression model has been fitted using data collected through a cross-sectional web-based survey carried out in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Poland and Greece during January 2008 (n=2437 of which 2156 were dry-cured ham consumers). Satisfaction was evaluated as overall satisfaction, as well as specific satisfaction with healthfulness, price, convenience and taste. The findings show that the main determinant of overall satisfaction is taste satisfaction, hence, producers are recommended to focus on matching sensory acceptability of dry-cured ham. No significant between-country differences were found, reflecting the wide availability of this product in all countries. Consumer characteristics influenced their level of satisfaction. Men, older (age > 52 years) and frequent consumers of dry-cured ham consumption were more likely to be satisfied with dry-cured ham. Consumers trust the butcher's advice and they preferred purchasing dry-cured ham at a butcher shop rather than in a supermarket. © 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of high pressure processing to enhance the quality and shelf life of reduced sodium naturally cured restructured cooked hams.

PubMed

Pietrasik, Z; Gaudette, N J; Johnston, S P

2016-06-01

The combined effect of partial salt replacement with modified potassium chloride and high pressure processing (600 MPa for 3 min at 8°C) on the quality and shelf life of naturally-cured restructured hams was investigated over a 12 week storage period. Instrumental, microbiological and consumer acceptability testing was performed. A partial salt substitution with modified potassium chloride adversely affected textural and water binding characteristics of hams and led to a decrease in the consumer acceptance compared to regular salt hams. Celery powder used as a curing agent had beneficial effects on water holding and moisture retention and improved bind of restructured hams; however the consumer acceptability of flavor and aftertaste received significantly lower scores compared to nitrite. No significant differences in all consumer acceptability parameters resulted for hams subjected to HPP compared to non-HPP for all storage periods indicating that HPP can effectively extend shelf-life of restructured ham without compromising eating quality. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High pressure effect on the color of minced cured restructured ham at different levels of drying, pH, and NaCl.

PubMed

Bak, Kathrine Holmgaard; Lindahl, Gunilla; Karlsson, Anders H; Lloret, Elsa; Ferrini, Gabriele; Arnau, Jacint; Orlien, Vibeke

2012-03-01

Color changes of minced cured restructured ham was studied considering the effects of high pressure (HP) treatment (600MPa, 13°C, 5min), raw meat pH(24) (low, normal, high), salt content (15, 30g/kg), and drying (20%, 50% weight loss). Raw hams were selected based on pH(24) in Semimembranosus, mixed with additives, frozen, sliced, and dried using the Quick-Dry-Slice® process. Meat color (CIE 1976 L*a*b*) and reflectance spectra were measured before and after HP treatment. HP significantly increased L*, decreased a*, and decreased b* for restructured ham dried to 20% weight loss, regardless of salt content and pH(24). L* and a* were best preserved in high pH/high salt restructured ham. HP had no effect on the color of restructured ham dried to 50% weight loss. HP had no effect on the shape of reflectance curves, indicating that the pigment responsible for minced cured restructured ham color did not change due to HP. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of the inclusion of dry pasta by-products at different levels in the diet of typical Italian finishing heavy pigs: Performance, carcass characteristics, and ham quality.

PubMed

Prandini, A; Sigolo, S; Moschini, M; Giuberti, G; Morlacchini, M

2016-04-01

The effect of pasta inclusion in finishing pig diets was evaluated on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and ham quality. Pigs (144) were assigned to 4 diets with different pasta levels: 0 (control, corn-based diet), 30, 60, or 80%. Pigs fed pasta had greater (linear, P<0.01) feed intakes than controls. Pasta increased (quadratic, P<0.01) carcass weight and dressing percentage reaching the highest values at 30% inclusion level, and reduced (linear, P<0.01) the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum thickness. Pasta decreased (linear, P<0.01) linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in subcutaneous (fresh and seasoned hams) and intramuscular (seasoned hams) fat, and enhanced saturated fatty acid content in subcutaneous fat (fresh hams: quadratic, P<0.01; seasoned hams: linear, P=0.03). Proteolysis index, colour, weight losses, and sensory properties (excepted extraneous taste) of the hams were unaffected by the pasta. Pasta could be considered as an ingredient in the diet for typical Italian finishing heavy pigs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spent brewer's yeast extract as an ingredient in cooked hams.

PubMed

Pancrazio, Gaston; Cunha, Sara C; de Pinho, Paula Guedes; Loureiro, Mónica; Meireles, Sónia; Ferreira, Isabel M P L V O; Pinho, Olívia

2016-11-01

This work describes the effect of the incorporation of 1% spent yeast extract into cooked hams. Physical/chemical/sensorial characteristics and changes during 12 and 90days storage were evaluated on control and treated cooked hams processed for 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 or 3h. Spent yeast extract addition increased hardness, chewiness, ash, protein and free amino acid content. Similar volatile profiles were obtained, although there were some quantitative differences. No advantages were observed for increased cooking time. No significant differences were observed for physical and sensorial parameters of cooked hams with spent yeast extract at 12 and 90days post production, but His, aldehydes and esters increased at the end of storage. This behaviour was similar to that observed for control hams. The higher hardness of cooked ham with 1% yeast extract was due to the stronger gel formed during cooking and was maintained during storage. This additive acts as gel stabilizer for cooked ham production and could potentially improve other processing characteristics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of aerosols on solar energy production - Scenarios from the Sahel Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neher, Ina; Meilinger, Stefanie; Crewell, Susanne

2017-04-01

Solar energy is one option to serve the rising global energy demand with low environmental impact. Building an energy system with a considerable share of solar power requires long-term investment and a careful investigation of potential sites. Therefore, understanding the impacts from varying regionally and locally determined meteorological conditions on solar energy production will influence energy yield projections. Aerosols reduce global solar radiation due to absorption and scattering and therewith solar energy yields. Depending on aerosol size distribution they reduce the direct component of the solar radiation and modify the direction of the diffuse component compared to standard atmospheric conditions without aerosols. The aerosol size distribution and composition in the atmosphere is highly variable due to meteorological and land surface conditions. A quantitative assessment of aerosol effects on solar power yields and its relation to land use change is of particular interest for developing countries countries when analyzing the potential of local power production. This study aims to identify the effect of atmospheric aerosols in three different land use regimes, namely desert, urban/polluted and maritime on the tilted plane of photovoltaic energy modules. Here we focus on the Sahel zone, i.e. Niamey, Niger (13.5 N;2.1 E), located at the edge of the Sahara where also detailed measurements of the atmospheric state are available over the year 2006. Guided by observations a model chain is used to determine power yields. The atmospheric aerosol composition will be defined by using the Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds (OPAC) library. Direct and diffuse radiation (up- and downward component) are then calculated by the radiative transfer model libRadtran which allows to calculate the diffuse component of the radiance from different azimuth and zenith angles. Then the diffuse radiance will be analytically transformed to an east, south and west facing module with different tilting angles (between 0° and 45°) from each direction and compared to the tilted diffuse radiation derived by the Perez-model (Loutzenhiser et al. 2007) which is widely used in the photovoltaic community. This will allow an assessment how well standard approaches work in tropical region under various aerosol conditions including strong dust outbreaks from the Sahara. This presentation will introduce the modeling chain to assess solar power yields for different photovoltaic modules in the Sahel zone and address their relative dependence on aerosol conditions.

Antarctic aerosols - A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Glenn E.

1988-02-01

Tropospheric aerosols with the diameter range of half a micron reside in the atmosphere for tens of days and teleconnect Antarctica with other regions by transport that reaches planetary scales of distances; thus, the aerosol on the Antarctic ice represents 'memory modules' of events that took place at regions separated from Antarctica by tens of thousands of kilometers. In terms of aerosol mass, the aerosol species include insoluble crustal products (less than 5 percent), transported sea-salt residues (highly variable but averaging about 10 percent), Ni-rich meteoric material, and anomalously enriched material with an unknown origin. Most (70-90 percent by mass) of the aerosol over the Antarctic ice shield, however, is the 'natural acid sulfate aerosol', apparently deriving from biological processes taking place in the surrounding oceans.

Food Service Alternatives for Meals Away from the Dining Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

Chicken Salad Ham Salad Italian Cold Cuts Roast Beef Ham Turkey Hot Meatball with Cheese Hot Sausage Egg Roll Fried Rice Beef and Vegetables Desserts...Salami Provolone American Cheese Swiss Cheese Tuna Salad Egg Salad Chicken Salad Ham Salad *Hot Sausage *Hot Meatball with Cheese Chili Beef...Cake Ham Brownies Hot Sausage Puddings Hot Meatball with Cheese Jello Shaved Steak with Pie Eggs Cookies Cheese Cole Slaw Onions Macaroni Salad Peppers

Evolution of nitrate and nitrite during the processing of dry-cured ham with partial replacement of NaCl by other chloride salts.

PubMed

Armenteros, Mónica; Aristoy, María-Concepción; Toldrá, Fidel

2012-07-01

Nitrate and nitrite are commonly added to dry-cured ham to provide protection against pathogen microorganisms, especially Clostridium botulinum. Both nitrate and nitrite were monitored with ion chromatography in dry-cured hams salted with different NaCl formulations (NaCl partially replaced by KCl and/or CaCl(2), and MgCl(2)). Nitrate, that is more stable than nitrite, diffuses into the ham and acts as a reservoir for nitrite generation. A correct nitrate and nitrite penetration was detected from the surface to the inner zones of the hams throughout its processing, independently of the salt formulation. Nitrate and nitrite achieved similar concentrations, around 37 and 2.2 ppm, respectively in the inner zones of the ham for the three assayed salt formulations at the end of the process, which are in compliance with European regulations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization by volatile compounds of microbial deep spoilage in Iberian dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Martín, Alberto; Benito, María J; Aranda, Emilio; Ruiz-Moyano, Santiago; Córdoba, Juan J; Córdoba, María G

2010-08-01

In the present study, volatile compounds of spoiled dry-cured Iberian ham with deep spoilage or "bone taint" were analyzed and correlated with level of spoilage and the microorganisms detected. Volatile compounds extracted by a solid phase micro-extraction technique were assayed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The spoiled hams were evaluated sensorially, and the correlations among volatile compounds, spoilage level, and microbial counts were studied. The spoiled hams had higher concentrations of hydrocarbons, alcohols, acids, esters, pyrazines, sulfur compounds, and other minor volatile compounds than unspoiled hams. The sensorial analysis showed that the spoilage level of hams correlated with several volatile compounds, most of them associated with Gram-positive catalase positive cocci and Enterobacteriaceae counts. Cyclic compounds such as cyclohexanone, some ethers, and pyrazines should be considered as indicators to monitor incipient microbial deep spoilage in the elaboration of this meat product.

A Zn-porphyrin complex contributes to bright red color in Parma ham.

PubMed

Wakamatsu, J; Nishimura, T; Hattori, A

2004-05-01

The Italian traditional dry-cured ham (Parma ham) shows a stable bright red color that is achieved without the use of nitrite and/or nitrate. In this study we examined the pigment spectroscopically, fluoroscopically and by using HPLC and ESI-HR-MASS analysis. Porphyrin derivative other than acid hematin were contained in the HCl-containing acetone extract from Parma ham. A strong fluorescence peak at 588 nm and a weak fluorescence peak at 641 nm were observed. By HPLC analysis the acetone extract of Parma ham was observed at the single peak, which eluted at the same time as Zn-protoporphyrin IX and emitted fluorescence. The results of ESI-HR-MS analysis showed both agreement with the molecular weight of Zn-protoporphyrin IX and the characteristic isotope pattern caused by Zn isotopes. These results suggest that the bright red color in Parma ham is caused by Zn-protoporphyrin IX.

Pork loin quality is not indicative of fresh belly or fresh and cured ham quality.

PubMed

Arkfeld, E K; Wilson, K B; Overholt, M F; Harsh, B N; Lowell, J E; Hogan, E K; Klehm, B J; Bohrer, B M; Mohrhauser, D A; King, D A; Wheeler, T L; Dilger, A C; Shackelford, S D; Boler, D D

2016-12-01

The objective was to characterize the relationship between fresh loin quality with fresh belly or fresh and cured ham quality. Pigs raised in 8 barns representing 2 seasons [cold ( = 4,290) and hot ( = 3,394)] and 2 production focuses [lean ( = 3,627) and quality ( = 4,057)] were used. Carcass characteristics and other meat quality data were collected on 7,684 carcasses. All of the carcasses were evaluated for HCW, LM depth, tenth rib fat depth, leg (ham primal) weight, instrumental color on the gluteus medius and gluteus profundus of the ham face, and subjective loin quality. Instrumental loin color and ultimate pH (≥ 22 h postmortem) were collected on the ventral side of loins along with dimensions and firmness scores of fresh bellies from 50% of the carcasses. Ten percent of the boneless loins and fresh hams were evaluated for slice shear force (SSF) or cured ham characteristics. Correlation coefficients between traits were computed using the CORR procedure of SAS and considered significantly different from 0 at ≤ 0.05. Temperature decline, beginning at 31 min postmortem and concluding at 22 h postmortem, for the longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles were evaluated on 10% of the carcasses. Ultimate loin pH was correlated with dimensional belly characteristics ( ≥ |0.07|; < 0.0001) fresh ham instrumental color ( ≥ |0.03|; ≤ 0.05), and semimembranosus ultimate pH ( = 0.33; < 0.0001). Further, ultimate loin pH was correlated ( ≤ 0.01) with pump retention ( = 0.087) and cooked yield ( = 0.156) of cured hams. Instrumental L*on the ventral surface of the loin was related to L* on both muscles of the ham face ( ≤ 0.0001). Even though significant relationships between the loin, belly, and ham were detected, the variability in belly and ham quality explained by variability in loin quality was poor (≤ 22.09%). Compositional differences between the loin and belly may have contributed to those poor relationships. Additionally, differences in temperature declines during chilling between the loin and ham likely contributed to the weak nature of relationships. Equilibration of longissimus dorsi temperature to ambient cooler temperature occurred at 14 h postmortem ( = 0.0005), yet the semimembranosus had not equilibrated with ambient (equilibration bay) temperature ( < 0.0001) at 22 h postmortem. Using loin quality to draw conclusions about fresh belly and fresh and cured ham quality may be misleading.

Signaling pathways involved in human sperm hyperactivated motility stimulated by Zn2.

PubMed

Allouche-Fitoussi, Deborah; Bakhshi, Danit; Breitbart, Haim

2018-05-11

To fertilize the egg, sperm cells must reside in the female reproductive tract for several hours during which they undergo chemical and motility changes collectively called capacitation. During capacitation, the sperm develop a unique type of motility known as hyper-activated motility (HAM). The semen contains Zn 2+ in millimolar concentrations, whereas in the female reproductive tract the concentration is around 1 µM. In this study, we characterize the role of Zn 2+ in human sperm capacitation focusing on its effect on HAM. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of GPR39 type Zn-receptor localized mainly in the sperm tail. Zn 2+ at micromolar concentration stimulates HAM which is mediated by a cascade involving GPR39-Adenylyl Cyclase (AC)-cAMP-PKA-Src-EGFR and phospholipase C (PLC). Both the trans-membrane AC and the soluble-AC are involved in the stimulation of HAM by Zn 2+ . The development of HAM is precisely regulated by cAMP, in which relatively low concentration (5-10 µM) stimulated HAM, whereas at 30 µM no stimulation occurred. A similar response was seen when different concentrations of Zn 2+ were added to the cells; low Zn 2+ stimulated HAM, whereas at relatively high Zn 2+ , no effect was seen. We further demonstrate that the Ca 2+ -channel CatSper involved in Zn 2+ - stimulated HAM. These data support a role for extracellular Zn 2+ acting via GPR39 to regulate signaling pathways in sperm capacitation, leading to HAM induction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Resistant starch from high amylose maize (HAM-RS2) reduces body fat and increases gut bacteria in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

PubMed

Keenan, Michael J; Janes, Marlene; Robert, Julina; Martin, Roy J; Raggio, Anne M; McCutcheon, Kathleen L; Pelkman, Christine; Tulley, Richard; Goita, M'Famara; Durham, Holiday A; Zhou, June; Senevirathne, Reshani N

2013-05-01

Obesity after menopause is a health concern for older females. Changes in the microbiota are likely to occur with this condition. Modifying the microbiota with a prebiotic is a plausible strategy for improving the health of menopausal females. Resistant starch type 2 from high-amylose maize (HAM-RS2) was used as a prebiotic in rats in a 2 × 2 factorial study with two levels of HAM-RS2 (0 or 29.7% of weight of diet) referred to as energy control (EC) and HAM-RS2 diets, respectively; and two levels of surgery, ovariectomized (OVX) and sham. In a 6-week, postsurgery recovery period, OVX rats gained more body weight with consumption of a similar amount of food. Subsequently, consumption of HAM-RS2 versus EC diets resulted in reduced abdominal fat in both OVX and sham rats; but when normalized for disemboweled body weight (body weight minus GI tract), there was no effect of surgery, only reduction with HAM-RS2. Targeted bacterial populations were estimated that are known to ferment HAM-RS2 or metabolize the products of that initial fermentation. OVX and sham rats demonstrated increased bacterial levels with dietary HAM-RS2 for all bacteria. Additionally, culture techniques and qPCR provided similar results. This study shows that, as expected, OVX increases adiposity. However, contrary to previous effects seen in obese mice, this did not prevent fermentation of HAM-RS2 and consequently, the fat gain associated with OVX was attenuated. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Resistant Starch from High Amylose Maize (HAM-RS2) Reduces Body Fat and Increases Gut Bacteria in Ovariectomized (OVX) Rats

PubMed Central

Keenan, Michael J.; Janes, Marlene; Robert, Julina; Martin, Roy J.; Raggio, Anne M.; McCutcheon, Kathleen L.; Pelkman, Christine; Tulley, Richard; Goita, M’Famara; Durham, Holiday A.; Zhou, June; Senevirathne, Reshani N.

2016-01-01

Objective Obesity after menopause is a health concern for older females. Changes in the microbiota are likely to occur with this condition. Modifying the microbiota with a prebiotic is a plausible strategy for improving the health of menopausal females. Design and Methods Resistant starch type 2 from high-amylose maize (HAM-RS2) was used as a prebiotic in rats in a 2 × 2 factorial study with two levels of HAM-RS2 (0 or 29.7% of weight of diet) referred to as energy control (EC) and HAM-RS2 diets, respectively; and two levels of surgery, ovariectomized (OVX) and sham. Results In a 6-week, postsurgery recovery period, OVX rats gained more body weight with consumption of a similar amount of food. Subsequently, consumption of HAM-RS2 versus EC diets resulted in reduced abdominal fat in both OVX and sham rats; but when normalized for disemboweled body weight (body weight minus GI tract), there was no effect of surgery, only reduction with HAM-RS2. Targeted bacterial populations were estimated that are known to ferment HAM-RS2 or metabolize the products of that initial fermentation. OVX and sham rats demonstrated increased bacterial levels with dietary HAM-RS2 for all bacteria. Additionally, culture techniques and qPCR provided similar results. Conclusion This study shows that, as expected, OVX increases adiposity. However, contrary to previous effects seen in obese mice, this did not prevent fermentation of HAM-RS2 and consequently, the fat gain associated with OVX was attenuated. PMID:23784900

Contribution of a selected fungal population to proteolysis on dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Martín, Alberto; Córdoba, Juan J; Núñez, Félix; Benito, María J; Asensio, Miguel A

2004-07-01

The proteolytic changes taking place in dry-cured hams lead to increases in free amino acids. Such free amino acids not only contribute to flavour, but also serve as precursors of volatile compounds. Several months of ripening time are required to allow the particular flavour to develop. The fungal population allowed to grow on the surface of some types of dry-cured could play a key role on proteolysis, as it has been shown for dry-cured sausages. The purpose of this work was to study the possible contribution of fungi to proteolysis in dry-cured ham. For this, a strain each of non-toxigenic Penicillium chrysogenum (Pg222) and Debaryomyces hansenii (Dh345), selected for their proteolytic activity on myofibrillar proteins, were inoculated as starter cultures. Changes in the high ionic strength-soluble proteins of an external muscle (adductor) revealed in only 6 months higher proteolysis in the inoculated hams when compared to non-inoculated control hams. Proteolytic strains among the wild fungal population on non-inoculated control hams prevented from obtaining similar differences at the end of processing. However, inoculation with Pg222 and Dh345 led to higher levels for most free amino acids at the external muscle in fully dry-cured hams. In addition, the concentration for some of the more polar free amino acids (i.e. Asp, Glu, Ser and Gln) in inoculated hams was higher at external than at internal (biceps femoris) muscles. These promising results deserve further studies to know the impact of a selected fungal population on the volatile compounds and sensory properties of dry-cured ham.

Simulation of aerosol radiative properties with the ORISAM-RAD model during a pollution event (ESCOMPTE 2001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, M.; Pont, V.; Liousse, C.; Roger, J. C.; Dubuisson, P.

The aim of this study is to present the organic and inorganic spectral aerosol module-radiative (ORISAM-RAD) module, allowing the 3D distribution of aerosol radiative properties (aerosol optical depth, single scattering albedo and asymmetry parameter) from the ORISAM module. In this work, we test ORISAM-RAD for one selected day (24th June) during the ESCOMPTE (expérience sur site pour contraindre les modèles de pollution atmosphérique et de transport d'emissions) experiment for an urban/industrial aerosol type. The particle radiative properties obtained from in situ and AERONET observations are used to validate our simulations. In a first time, simulations obtained from ORISAM-RAD indicate high aerosol optical depth (AOD)˜0.50-0.70±0.02 (at 440 nm) in the aerosol pollution plume, slightly lower (˜10-20%) than AERONET retrievals. In a second time, simulations of the single scattering albedo ( ωo) have been found to well reproduce the high spatial heterogeneities observed over this domain. Concerning the asymmetry parameter ( g), ORISAM-RAD simulations reveal quite uniform values over the whole ESCOMPTE domain, comprised between 0.61±0.01 and 0.65±0.01 (at 440 nm), in excellent agreement with ground based in situ measurements and AERONET retrievals. Finally, the outputs of ORISAM-RAD have been used in a radiative transfer model in order to simulate the diurnal direct radiative forcing at different locations (urban, industrial and rural). We show that anthropogenic aerosols strongly decrease surface solar radiation, with diurnal mean surface forcings comprised between -29.0±2.9 and -38.6±3.9 W m -2, depending on the sites. This decrease is due to the reflection of solar radiations back to space (-7.3±0.8<Δ FTOA<-12.3±1.2 W m -2) and to its absorption into the aerosol layer (21.1±2.1<Δ FATM<26.3±2.6 W m -2). These values are found to be consistent with those measured at local scale.

HAM2D: 2D Shearing Box Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gammie, Charles F.; Guan, Xiaoyue

2012-10-01

HAM solves non-relativistic hyperbolic partial differential equations in conservative form using high-resolution shock-capturing techniques. This version of HAM has been configured to solve the magnetohydrodynamic equations of motion in axisymmetry to evolve a shearing box model.

Visibility and aerosol measurement by diode-laser random-modulation CW lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takeuchi, N.; Baba, H.; Sakurai, K.; Ueno, T.; Ishikawa, N.

1986-01-01

Examples of diode laser (DL) random-modulation continuous wave (RM-CW) lidar measurements are reported. The ability of the measurement of the visibility, vertical aerosol profile, and the cloud ceiling height is demonstrated. Although the data shown here were all measured at night time, the daytime measurement is, of course, possible. For that purpose, accurate control of the laser frequency to the center frequency of a narrow band filter is required. Now a new system with a frequency control is under construction.

On The Cloud Processing of Aerosol Particles: An Entraining Air Parcel Model With Two-dimensional Spectral Cloud Microphysics and A New Formulation of The Collection Kernel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bott, Andreas; Kerkweg, Astrid; Wurzler, Sabine

A study has been made of the modification of aerosol spectra due to cloud pro- cesses and the impact of the modified aerosols on the microphysical structure of future clouds. For this purpose an entraining air parcel model with two-dimensional spectral cloud microphysics has been used. In order to treat collision/coalescence processes in the two-dimensional microphysical module, a new realistic and continuous formu- lation of the collection kernel has been developed. Based on experimental data, the kernel covers the entire investigated size range of aerosols, cloud and rain drops, that is the kernel combines all important coalescence processes such as the collision of cloud drops as well as the impaction scavenging of small aerosols by big raindrops. Since chemical reactions in the gas phase and in cloud drops have an important impact on the physico-chemical properties of aerosol particles, the parcel model has been extended by a chemical module describing gas phase and aqueous phase chemical reactions. However, it will be shown that in the numerical case studies presented in this paper the modification of aerosols by chemical reactions has a minor influence on the microphysical structure of future clouds. The major process yielding in a second cloud event an enhanced formation of rain is the production of large aerosol particles by collision/coalescence processes in the first cloud.

The Role of Air-sea Coupling in the Response of Climate Extremes to Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahajan, S.

2017-12-01

Air-sea interactions dominate the climate of surrounding regions and thus also modulate the climate response to local and remote aerosol forcings. To clearly isolate the role of air-sea coupling in the climate response to aerosols, we conduct experiments with a full complexity atmosphere model that is coupled to a series of ocean models progressively increasing in complexity. The ocean models range from a data ocean model with prescribed SSTs, to a slab ocean model that only allows thermodynamic interactions, to a full dynamic ocean model. In a preliminary study, we have conducted single forcing experiments with black carbon aerosols in an atmosphere GCM coupled to a data ocean model and a slab ocean model. We find that while black carbon aerosols can intensify mean and extreme summer monsoonal precipitation over the Indian sub-continent, air-sea coupling can dramatically modulate this response. Black carbon aerosols in the vicinity of the Arabian Sea result in an increase of sea surface temperatures there in the slab ocean model, which intensify the low-level Somali Jet. The associated increase in moisture transport into Western India enhances the mean as well as extreme precipitation. In prescribed SST experiments, where SSTs are not allowed to respond BC aerosols, the response is muted. We will present results from a hierarchy of GCM simulations that investigate the role of air-sea coupling in the climate response to aerosols in more detail.

Observations on the microbiological flora of canned Parma ham

PubMed Central

Cragg, J.; Andrews, A. V.

1973-01-01

A significant proportion of a consignment of branded Parma Ham was found to have `blown' tins; the associated bacterial flora was therefore investigated. No Salmonella or Shigella were found. Clostridium welchii type A and Clostridium bifermentans were isolated in moderate numbers only from enrichment cultures of the ham. Staphylococcus spp. and coryneform bacteria were obtained from all tins and Group D streptococci were present in a few. No food-poisoning cases were associated with this ham. PMID:4352585

Factor structure and dimensionality of the two depression scales in STAR*D using level 1 datasets.

PubMed

Bech, P; Fava, M; Trivedi, M H; Wisniewski, S R; Rush, A J

2011-08-01

The factor structure and dimensionality of the HAM-D(17) and the IDS-C(30) are as yet uncertain, because psychometric analyses of these scales have been performed without a clear separation between factor structure profile and dimensionality (total scores being a sufficient statistic). The first treatment step (Level 1) in the STAR*D study provided a dataset of 4041 outpatients with DSM-IV nonpsychotic major depression. The HAM-D(17) and IDS-C(30) were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA) without rotation. Mokken analysis tested the unidimensionality of the IDS-C(6), which corresponds to the unidimensional HAM-D(6.) For both the HAM-D(17) and IDS-C(30), PCA identified a bi-directional factor contrasting the depressive symptoms versus the neurovegetative symptoms. The HAM-D(6) and the corresponding IDS-C(6) symptoms all emerged in the depression factor. Both the HAM-D(6) and IDS-C(6) were found to be unidimensional scales, i.e., their total scores are each a sufficient statistic for the measurement of depressive states. STAR*D used only one medication in Level 1. The unidimensional HAM-D(6) and IDS-C(6) should be used when evaluating the pure clinical effect of antidepressive treatment, whereas the multidimensional HAM-D(17) and IDS-C(30) should be considered when selecting antidepressant treatment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Activation of sperm EGFR by light irradiation is mediated by reactive oxygen species.

PubMed

Shahar, Shiran; Hillman, Pnina; Lubart, Rachel; Ickowicz, Debby; Breitbart, Haim

2014-01-01

To acquire fertilization competence, spermatozoa must undergo several biochemical and motility changes in the female reproductive tract, collectively called capacitation. Actin polymerization and the development of hyperactivated motility (HAM) are part of the capacitation process. In a recent study, we showed that irradiation of human sperm with visible light stimulates HAM through a mechanism involving reactive-oxygen-species (ROS), Ca(2+) influx, protein kinases A (PKA), and sarcoma protein kinase (Src). Here, we showed that this effect of light on HAM is mediated by ROS-dependent activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Interestingly, ROS-mediated HAM even when the EGFR was activated by EGF, the physiological ligand of EGFR. Light irradiation stimulated ROS-dependent actin polymerization, and this effect was abrogated by PBP10, a peptide which activates the actin-severing protein, gelsolin, and causes actin-depolymerization in human sperm. Light-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Src-dependent gelsolin, resulting in enhanced HAM. Thus, light irradiation stimulates HAM through a mechanism involving Src-mediated actin polymerization. Light-stimulated HAM and in vitro-fertilization (IVF) rate in mouse sperm, and these effects were mediated by ROS and EGFR. In conclusion, we show here that irradiation of sperm with visible light, enhances their fertilization capacity via a mechanism requiring ROS, EGFR and HAM. © 2014 The American Society of Photobiology.

Effect of Oyster Shell Calcium Powder on the Quality of Restructured Pork Ham.

PubMed

Choi, Jung-Seok; Lee, Hyun-Jin; Jin, Sang-Keun; Lee, Hyun-Joo; Choi, Yang-Il

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of oyster shell calcium powder (OSCP) as a substitute for phosphates in curing agent, on the quality of restructured pork ham. Restructured pork ham was processed under six treatment conditions: T1 (no additives), T2 (0.3% sodium tripolyphosphate), T3 (1.5% NaCl+0.5% whey protein), T4 (1.5% NaCl+0.5% whey protein+0.15% OSCP), T5 (1.5% NaCl+0.5% whey protein+0.3% OSCP), and T6 (1.5% NaCl+0.5% whey protein+0.5% OSCP). Addition of OSCP significantly increased the ash content and pH of restructured pork ham (p<0.05), but did not affect the cooking loss and water holding capacity values of restructured pork ham. Addition of OSCP had no effect on Hunter a and b surface color values of restructured pork ham, but did decrease the Hunter L surface color value (p<0.05). The addition of 0.5% OSCP showed significantly higher chewiness and springiness values of restructured pork ham, compared with the addition of phosphates (p<0.05). In conclusion, the addition of OSCP combined with low NaCl and 0.5% whey protein can be considered a viable substitute for phosphates in the curing agent, when processing restructured pork ham.

Can Condensing Organic Aerosols Lead to Less Cloud Particles?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, C. Y.; Tsigaridis, K.; Bauer, S.

2017-12-01

We examined the impact of condensing organic aerosols on activated cloud number concentration in a new aerosol microphysics box model, MATRIX-VBS. The model includes the volatility-basis set (VBS) framework in an aerosol microphysical scheme MATRIX (Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state) that resolves aerosol mass and number concentrations and aerosol mixing state. Preliminary results show that by including the condensation of organic aerosols, the new model (MATRIX-VBS) has less activated particles compared to the original model (MATRIX), which treats organic aerosols as non-volatile. Parameters such as aerosol chemical composition, mass and number concentrations, and particle sizes which affect activated cloud number concentration are thoroughly evaluated via a suite of Monte-Carlo simulations. The Monte-Carlo simulations also provide information on which climate-relevant parameters play a critical role in the aerosol evolution in the atmosphere. This study also helps simplifying the newly developed box model which will soon be implemented in the global model GISS ModelE as a module.

Inter-rater reliability of Hamilton depression rating scale using video-recorded interviews — Focus on rater-blinding

PubMed Central

Prasad, M. Krishna; Udupa, K.; Kishore, K. R.; Thirthalli, J.; Sathyaprabha, T. N.; Gangadhar, B. N.

2009-01-01

Background: Hamilton depression rating scale (Ham-D) is the most widely used clinician rating scale for depression. There has been no Indian study that has examined the inter-rater reliability (IRR) of video-recorded interviews of the 21-item Ham-D. Aim: To study the IRR of scoring video-recorded interviews for 21-item Ham-D. Materials and Methods: Eighteen subjects with major depressive disorder involved in a larger study were interviewed using the semi-structured clinical interview of the 21-item Ham-D by a primary rater after informed consent. These interviews were video-recorded and portions edited to ensure rater blinding. Subsequently, the video-recorded interviews were rated by a “blind” rater. Both rated the different sub-domains of Ham-D according to Rhoades and Overall (1983). IRR was evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficient. Results: Excellent IRR was observed (0.9891) between the two raters. This was true for each of the primary factors and super-factors. Conclusion: Video recorded 21-item Ham-D has excellentIRR. Video-recorded interviews of Ham-D can be reliably used to blind raters in research. PMID:19881046

Global microphysical simulation of stratospheric sulfate aerosol after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiya, T.; Sudo, K.

2014-12-01

An explosive volcanic eruption can inject a large amount of SO2 into the stratosphere, which is oxidized to form sulfate aerosol. Such aerosol has an impact on the Earth's radiative budget by enhancing back-scattering of the solar radiation. Changes in the size distribution of the aerosol were observed after large volcanic eruptions. Representing the changes in size distribution is important for climate simulation, because the changes affect climate responses to large volcanic eruptions. This study newly developed an aerosol microphysics module and investigated changes in stratospheric sulfate aerosol after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in the framework of a chemistry-aerosol coupled climate model MIROC-CHASER/SPRINTARS. The module represents aerosol size distribution with three lognormal modes (nucleation, Aitken, and accumulation modes) and includes nucleation, condensation growth/evaporation, and coagulation processes. As a model evaluation, we tested reproducibility of the impacts of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. We carried out a simulation, in which 20 Mt of SO2 and 100 Mt of volcanic ash were injected respectively into 25 km and 16—22 km altitudes over Mt. Pinatubo (120.4°E, 15.1°N) on June 15th 1991. We compared the model results with space-borne and balloon-borne observations. Although our model overestimated a near-global mean (60°N—60°S) of stratospheric aerosol optical depth (SAOD) observed by SAGE II instrument until one year after the eruption, it reproduced the observed SAOD in the subsequent period. The model well captured the observed increase of effective radius at 20 km altitude in the northern midlatitudes. In addition, we analyzed the pathway of volcanic sulfur from SO2 to sulfate aerosol. The most amount of the volcanic sulfur was converted from SO2 to accumulation mode aerosol by 100 days after the eruption. The conversion into the accumulation mode aerosol is attributable to coagulation until the first 14 days and to condensation growth after that.

The Effects of Prolonged Feeding Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) Operational Rations

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

Chicken Ala King Frankfurters Ham/Chicken Loaf Ham Slices Meatballs W/Barbeque Sauce Pork Sausage Patties Turkey W/Grayy 74 74 74 74 74 74...Slices Meatballs W/Barbeque Sauce Pork Sausage Patties Turkey W/Gravy 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 22 22 24 23 19 20 20...Beef w/Spiced Sauce Beef Patty Beef Stew Chicken A La King Frankfurters Ham Slices Ham and Chicken Loaf Meatballs w/BBQ Sauce Pork Sausage

Field Feeding: Behavioral Sciences Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-01-01

C Rations, ham and eggs was the item most frequently identified for removal (Table 4) with more than 24 subjects in each field exercise expressing...Field C Ration ŕ REMOVE GERMANY 29 PALMS LEJEUNE Ham and Eggs 29 26 25 Cakes 9 31 26 Spiced Beef 6 Crackers 5 10 11 Ham and Limas 8 Peanut...Milk 7 Powdered Eggs 5 ADDS Steak 9 7 Hamburger 6 4 Hot Dogs 4 Pork Chops 5 Ham 4 Fruit 16 Fresh Milk 5 Fish 5 ’All other response

A study on Aerosol jet printing technology in LED module manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudorfer, Andreas; Tscherner, Martin; Palfinger, Christian; Reil, Frank; Hartmann, Paul; Seferis, Ioannis E.; Zych, Eugeniusz; Wenzl, Franz P.

2016-09-01

State of the art fabrication of LED modules based on chip-on-board (COB) technology comprises some shortcomings both with respect to the manufacturing process itself but also with regard to potential sources of failures and manufacturing impreciseness. One promising alternative is additive manufacturing, a technology which has gained a lot of attention during the last years due to its materials and cost saving capabilities. Especially direct-write technologies like Aerosol jet printing have demonstrated advantages compared to other technological approaches when printing high precision layers or high precision electronic circuits on substrates which, as an additional advantage, also can be flexible and 3D shaped. Based on test samples and test structures manufactured by Aerosol jet printing technology, in this context we discuss the potentials of additive manufacturing in various aspects of LED module fabrication, ranging from the deposition of the die-attach material, wire bond replacement by printed electrical connects as well as aspects of high-precision phosphor layer deposition for color conversion and white light generation.

Black Carbon Concentration from Worldwide Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuster, Greg; Dubovik, Oleg; Holben, Brent; Clothiaux, Eugene

2008-01-01

Worldwide black carbon concentration measurements are needed to assess the efficacy of the carbon emissions inventory and transport model output. This requires long-term measurements in many regions, as model success in one region or season does not apply to all regions and seasons. AERONET is an automated network of more than 180 surface radiometers located throughout the world. The sky radiance measurements obtained by AERONET are inverted to provide column-averaged aerosol refractive indices and size distributions for the AERONET database, which we use to derive column-averaged black carbon concentrations and specific absorptions that are constrained by the measured radiation field. This provides a link between AERONET sky radiance measurements and the elemental carbon concentration of transport models without the need for an optics module in the transport model. Knowledge of both the black carbon concentration and aerosol absorption optical depth (i.e., input and output of the optics module) will enable improvements to the transport model optics module.

KSC-08pd1183

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After completing M113 driving practice, the STS-124 crew stands in front of the armored personnel carrier for a photo. From left are Commander Mark Kelly, Mission Specialists Mike Fossum, Karen Nyberg and Ron Garan, Pilot Ken Ham, and Mission Specialists Akihiko Hoshide and Greg Chamitoff. They are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1168

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-07

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-124 crew members get instructions inside an M113 armored personnel carrier about emergency procedures. Clockwise from left are Mission Specialists Greg Chamitoff and Akihiko Hoshide, Commander Mark Kelly, Mission Specialist Ron Garan, instructor Battalion Chief George Hoggard, Pilot Ken Ham and Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg and Mike Fossum. They are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Design and prototype tests of a seismic attenuation system for the advanced-LIGO output mode cleaner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertolini, A.; DeSalvo, R.; Galli, C.; Gennaro, G.; Mantovani, M.; Márka, S.; Sannibale, V.; Takamori, A.; Torrie, C.

2006-04-01

Both present LIGO and advanced LIGO (Ad-LIGO) will need an output mode cleaner (OMC) to reach the desired sensitivity. We designed a suitable OMC seismically attenuated optical table fitting to the existing vacuum chambers (horizontal access module, HAM chambers). The most straightforward and cost-effective solution satisfying the Ad-LIGO seismic attenuation specifications was to implement a single passive seismic attenuation stage, derived from the 'seismic attenuation system' (SAS) concept. We built and tested prototypes of all critical components. On the basis of these tests and past experience, we expect that the passive attenuation performance of this new design, called HAM-SAS, will match all requirements for the LIGO OMC, and all Ad-LIGO optical tables. Its performance can be improved, if necessary, by implementation of a simple active attenuation loop at marginal additional cost. The design can be easily modified to equip the LIGO basic symmetric chamber (BSC) chambers and leaves space for extensive performance upgrades for future evolutions of Ad-LIGO. Design parameters and prototype test results are presented.

The effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on psychiatric symptoms among patients with irritable bowel syndrome, functional diarrhea and functional constipation: An open-label observational study.

PubMed

Kurokawa, Shunya; Kishimoto, Taishiro; Mizuno, Shinta; Masaoka, Tatsuhiro; Naganuma, Makoto; Liang, Kuo-Ching; Kitazawa, Momoko; Nakashima, Moeko; Shindo, Chie; Suda, Wataru; Hattori, Masahira; Kanai, Takanori; Mimura, Masaru

2018-08-01

The intestinal microbiota is considered as a potential common underpinning pathophysiology of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) and psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) has been reported to have therapeutic effects on diseases related to dysbiosis, but few studies have evaluated its effect on psychiatric symptoms. We followed 17 patients with either Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Functional Diarrhea (FDr) or Functional Constipation (FC) who underwent FMT for the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms and observation of psychiatric symptoms. Changes in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and subscale of sleep-related items, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Quick Inventory for Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) between baseline and 4 weeks after FMT, and relationship with the intestinal microbiota were measured. At baseline, 12 out of 17 patients were rated with HAM-D ≥ 8. Significant improvement in HAM-D total and sleep subscale score, HAM-A and QIDS were observed (p = 0.007, p = 0.007, p = 0.01, p = 0.007, respectively). Baseline Shannon index indicated that microbiota showed lower diversity in patients with HAM-D ≥ 8 compared to those of healthy donors and patients with HAM-D < 8. There was a significant correlation between baseline Shannon index and HAM-D score, and a correlation between Shannon index change and HAM-D improvement after FMT. The small sample size with no control group. Our results suggest that depression and anxiety symptoms may be improved by FMT regardless of gastrointestinal symptom change in patients with IBS, FDr and FC, and the increase of microbiota diversity may help to improve patient's mood. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Interday Measurement Consistency of and Relationships Between Hamstring and Leg Musculo-articular Stiffness.

PubMed

Waxman, Justin P; Schmitz, Randy J; Shultz, Sandra J

2015-10-01

Hamstring stiffness (K(HAM)) and leg stiffness (K(LEG)) are commonly examined relative to athletic performance and injury risk. Given these may be modifiable, it is important to understand day-to-day variations inherent in these measures before use in training studies. In addition, the extent to which K(HAM) and K(LEG) measure similar active stiffness characteristics has not been established. We investigated the interday measurement consistency of K(HAM) and K(LEG), and examined the extent to which K(LEG) predicted K(HAM) in 6 males and 9 females. K(HAM) was moderately consistent day-to-day (ICC(2,5) = .71; SEM = 76.3 N·m(-1)), and 95% limits of agreement (95% LOA) revealed a systematic bias with considerable absolute measurement error (95% LOA = 89.6 ± 224.8 N·m(-1)). Day-to-day differences in procedural factors explained 59.4% of the variance in day-to-day differences in K(HAM). Bilateral and unilateral K(LEG) was more consistent (ICC(2,3) range = .87-.94; SEM range = 1.0-2.91 kN·m(-1)) with lower absolute error (95% LOA bilateral= -2.0 ± 10.3; left leg = -0.36 ± 3.82; right leg = -1.05 ± 3.61 kN·m(-1)). K(LEG) explained 44% of the variance in K(HAM) (P < .01). Findings suggest that procedural factors must be carefully controlled to yield consistent and precise K(HAM) measures. The ease and consistency of K(LEG), and moderate correlation with K(HAM), may steer clinicians toward K(LEG) when measuring lower-extremity stiffness for screening studies and monitoring the effectiveness of training interventions over time.

Analytic approximations of Von Kármán plate under arbitrary uniform pressure—equations in integral form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, XiaoXu; Liao, ShiJun

2018-01-01

Analytic approximations of the Von Kármán's plate equations in integral form for a circular plate under external uniform pressure to arbitrary magnitude are successfully obtained by means of the homotopy analysis method (HAM), an analytic approximation technique for highly nonlinear problems. Two HAM-based approaches are proposed for either a given external uniform pressure Q or a given central deflection, respectively. Both of them are valid for uniform pressure to arbitrary magnitude by choosing proper values of the so-called convergence-control parameters c 1 and c 2 in the frame of the HAM. Besides, it is found that the HAM-based iteration approaches generally converge much faster than the interpolation iterative method. Furthermore, we prove that the interpolation iterative method is a special case of the first-order HAM iteration approach for a given external uniform pressure Q when c 1 = - θ and c 2 = -1, where θ denotes the interpolation iterative parameter. Therefore, according to the convergence theorem of Zheng and Zhou about the interpolation iterative method, the HAM-based approaches are valid for uniform pressure to arbitrary magnitude at least in the special case c 1 = - θ and c 2 = -1. In addition, we prove that the HAM approach for the Von Kármán's plate equations in differential form is just a special case of the HAM for the Von Kármán's plate equations in integral form mentioned in this paper. All of these illustrate the validity and great potential of the HAM for highly nonlinear problems, and its superiority over perturbation techniques.

Contribution of starter cultures to the proteolytic process of a fermented non-dried whole muscle ham product.

PubMed

Scannell, Amalia G M; Kenneally, Paul M; Arendt, Elke K

2004-06-01

Porcine longissimus dorsi muscles were cured by brine injection. Curing brine containing 15% (w/v) NaCl, 1.33% (w/v) glucose, 750 ppm sodium nitrite, and appropriate levels of either Lactobacillus sakei LAD, L. sakei LAD plus Kocuria varians FT4 (formally Micrococcus varians), L. sakei LAD plus papain and GDL (glucono-delta-lactone) plus K. varians FT4, was injected to the muscle at a pumping rate 15% w/v. The effect of these treatments on the proteolysis in the ham system was compared to a control ham, produced without starter culture and containing GDL acidulant to control pH and antibiotics to reduce the contribution of background microflora. Hydrolysis of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein fractions was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and reverse phase-HPLC. Hams with different treatments were also investigated for differences in amino acid profile, protein and non-protein nitrogen level, colour, pH, water activity and moisture and microbiological evolution. There was no significant difference in the gross compositional analysis of any of the treatments compared to the control. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the protein content, non-protein nitrogen level, SDS-PAGE and free amino acid analysis between the control ham and ham inoculated with proteolytic starter culture. However, it was observed that hams containing starter cultures exhibited decreases in certain peptide fractions and corresponding increases in some free amino acids compared to the uninoculated control. It can be concluded that, while the principle mechanisms resulting in the proteolysis of this non-dried ham product involve the activity of endogeneous cathepsins, the addition of proteolytic starter cultures influence the amino acid profile thereby potentially enhancing the sensorial attributes of the ham. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.

Cytoplasmic Localization of HTLV-1 HBZ Protein: A Biomarker of HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP).

PubMed

Baratella, Marco; Forlani, Greta; Raval, Goutham U; Tedeschi, Alessandra; Gout, Olivier; Gessain, Antoine; Tosi, Giovanna; Accolla, Roberto S

2017-01-01

HTLV-1 is the causative agent of a severe form of adult T cell leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL), and of a chronic progressive neuromyelopathy designated HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Two important HTLV-1-encoded proteins, Tax-1 and HBZ, play crucial roles in the generation and maintenance of the oncogenic process. Less information is instead available on the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to HAM/TSP. More importantly, no single specific biomarker has been described that unambiguously define the status of HAM/TSP. Here we report for the first time the finding that HBZ, described until now as an exclusive nuclear protein both in chronically infected and in ATL cells, is instead exclusively localized in the cytoplasm of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients suffering of HAM/TSP. Interestingly, at the single cell level, HBZ and Tax-1 proteins are never found co-expressed in the same cell, suggesting the existence of mechanisms of expression uncoupling of these two important HTLV-1 viral products in HAM/TSP patients. Cells expressing cytoplasmic HBZ were almost exclusively found in the CD4+ T cell compartment that was not, at least in a representative HAM/TSP patient, expressing the CD25 marker. Less than 1 percent CD8+ T cells were fond positive for HBZ, while B cells and NK cells were found negative for HBZ in HAM/TSP patients. Our results identify the cytoplasmic localization of HBZ in HAM/TSP patient as a possible biomarker of this rather neglected tropical disease, and raise important hypotheses on the role of HBZ in the pathogenesis of the neuromyelopathy associated to HTLV-1 infection.

Anti-Oxidative and Anti-Inflammation Activities of Pork Extracts.

PubMed

Gil, Juae; Kim, Dongwook; Yoon, Seok-Ki; Ham, Jun-Sang; Jang, Aera

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of boiled pork powder (BPP) and hot water extract powder (HWEP) from 4 cuts of meat from Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc (LYD). The highest DPPH radical scavenging activities determined were from BPP of Boston butt (13.65 M TE) and HWEP of loin (19.40 M TE) and ham (21.45 M TE). The 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activities of BPP from shoulder ham (39.28 M TE) and ham (39.43 M TE) were higher than those of other meat cuts, while HWEP of ham exhibited the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity. A higher oxygen radical absorbance capacity was determined for BPP from ham (198.35 M TE) and in HWEP from loin (204.07 M TE), Boston butt (192.85 M TE), and ham (201.36 M TE). Carnosine content of BPP and HWEP from loin and were determined to be 106.68 and 117.77 mg/g on a dry basis, respectively. The anserine content of BPP (5.26 mg/g, dry basis) and HWEP (6.79 mg/g, dry basis) of shoulder ham exhibited the highest value as compared to the extracts from the other meat cuts. The viability of RAW 264.7 cells was increased with increasing HWEP from loin and ham treatment. In addition, the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α was significantly reduced by HWEP from loin and ham, in a dose dependent manner. These results suggested that boiled pork and hot water extract of pork have antioxidative and cytokine inhibitory effects.

What is the benefit of using amniotic membrane in oral surgery? A comprehensive review of clinical studies.

PubMed

Fénelon, M; Catros, S; Fricain, J C

2018-06-01

Since its first use for the reconstruction of tissue defects in the oral cavity in 1985, human amniotic membrane (hAM) has been widely studied in the field of oral surgery. Despite the growing number of publications in this field, there is no systematic review or meta-analysis concerning its clinical applications, outcome assessments, and relevance in oral surgery. The aim of this review is to provide a thorough understanding of the potential use of hAM for soft and hard tissue reconstruction in the oral cavity. A systematic electronic and a manual literature search of the MEDLINE-PubMed database and Scopus database was completed. Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcomes (PICO) technique was used to select the relevant articles to meet the objective. Studies using hAM for oral reconstruction, and conducted on human subjects, were included in this survey. A total of 17 articles were analyzed. Five areas of interest were identified as potential clinical application: periodontal surgery, cleft palate and tumor reconstruction, prosthodontics and peri-implant surgery. Overall, periodontal surgery was the only discipline to assess the efficacy of hAM with randomized clinical trials. The wide variability of preservation methods of hAM and the lack of objective measurements were observed in this study. hAM is already used in the field of oral surgery. Despite this, there is weak clinical evidence demonstrating convincingly the benefit of hAM in this area compared to standard surgery. Several studies now suggest the interest of hAM for periodontal tissue repair. Due to its biological and mechanical properties, hAM seems to be a promising treatment for wound healing in various areas of oral reconstruction. However, further randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

Observations of the temporal variability in aerosol properties and their relationships to meteorology in the summer monsoonal South China Sea/East Sea: the scale-dependent role of monsoonal flows, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, tropical cyclones, squall lines and cold pools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, J. S.; Lagrosas, N. D.; Jonsson, H. H.; Reid, E. A.; Sessions, W. R.; Simpas, J. B.; Uy, S. N.; Boyd, T. J.; Atwood, S. A.; Blake, D. R.; Campbell, J. R.; Cliff, S. S.; Holben, B. N.; Holz, R. E.; Hyer, E. J.; Lynch, P.; Meinardi, S.; Posselt, D. J.; Richardson, K. A.; Salinas, S. V.; Smirnov, A.; Wang, Q.; Yu, L.; Zhang, J.

2015-02-01

In a joint NRL/Manila Observatory mission, as part of the Seven SouthEast Asian Studies program (7-SEAS), a 2-week, late September 2011 research cruise in the northern Palawan archipelago was undertaken to observe the nature of southwest monsoonal aerosol particles in the South China Sea/East Sea (SCS/ES) and Sulu Sea region. Previous analyses suggested this region as a receptor for biomass burning from Borneo and Sumatra for boundary layer air entering the monsoonal trough. Anthropogenic pollution and biofuel emissions are also ubiquitous, as is heavy shipping traffic. Here, we provide an overview of the regional environment during the cruise, a time series of key aerosol and meteorological parameters, and their interrelationships. Overall, this cruise provides a narrative of the processes that control regional aerosol loadings and their possible feedbacks with clouds and precipitation. While 2011 was a moderate El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) La Niña year, higher burning activity and lower precipitation was more typical of neutral conditions. The large-scale aerosol environment was modulated by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and its associated tropical cyclone (TC) activity in a manner consistent with the conceptual analysis performed by Reid et al. (2012). Advancement of the MJO from phase 3 to 6 with accompanying cyclogenesis during the cruise period strengthened flow patterns in the SCS/ES that modulated aerosol life cycle. TC inflow arms of significant convection sometimes span from Sumatra to Luzon, resulting in very low particle concentrations (minimum condensation nuclei CN < 150 cm-3, non-sea-salt PM2.5 < 1 μg m-3). However, elevated carbon monoxide levels were occasionally observed suggesting passage of polluted air masses whose aerosol particles had been rained out. Conversely, two drier periods occurred with higher aerosol particle concentrations originating from Borneo and Southern Sumatra (CN > 3000 cm-3 and non-sea-salt PM2.5 10-25 μg m-3). These cases corresponded with two different mechanisms of convection suppression: lower free-tropospheric dry-air intrusion from the Indian Ocean, and large-scale TC-induced subsidence. Veering vertical wind shear also resulted in aerosol transport into this region being mainly in the marine boundary layer (MBL), although lower free troposphere transport was possible on the western sides of Sumatra and Borneo. At the hourly time scale, particle concentrations were observed to be modulated by integer factors through convection and associated cold pools. Geostationary satellite observations suggest that convection often takes the form of squall lines, which are bowed up to 500 km across the monsoonal flow and 50 km wide. These squall lines, initiated by cold pools from large thunderstorms and likely sustained by a veering vertical wind shear and aforementioned mid-troposphere dry layers, propagated over 1500 km across the entirety of the SCS/ES, effectively cutting large swaths of MBL aerosol particles out of the region. Our conclusion is that while large-scale flow patterns are very important in modulating convection, and hence in allowing long-range transport of smoke and pollution, more short-lived phenomena can modulate cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations in the region, resulting in pockets of clean and polluted MBL air. This will no doubt complicate large scale comparisons of aerosol-cloud interaction.

Identification of important image features for pork and turkey ham classification using colour and wavelet texture features and genetic selection.

PubMed

Jackman, Patrick; Sun, Da-Wen; Allen, Paul; Valous, Nektarios A; Mendoza, Fernando; Ward, Paddy

2010-04-01

A method to discriminate between various grades of pork and turkey ham was developed using colour and wavelet texture features. Image analysis methods originally developed for predicting the palatability of beef were applied to rapidly identify the ham grade. With high quality digital images of 50-94 slices per ham it was possible to identify the greyscale that best expressed the differences between the various ham grades. The best 10 discriminating image features were then found with a genetic algorithm. Using the best 10 image features, simple linear discriminant analysis models produced 100% correct classifications for both pork and turkey on both calibration and validation sets. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of volcanic aerosols and relativistic electrons in modulating winter storm vorticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinsley, Brian A.; Zhou, Limin; Liu, Weiping

2012-09-01

Small changes in the vorticity of winter storms, responding to solar wind variations, are found in winters from 1957 to 2011, and are greater for winters with higher levels of stratospheric volcanic aerosols. Using 1993-2011 data, the response of the vorticity area index (VAI) is shown to be of larger amplitude when the days of minima in the relativistic electron flux (REF) precipitating from the radiation belts are used, instead of heliospheric current sheet (HCS) crossings, as key days in superposed epoch analyses. The HCS crossings mostly occur within a few days of the REF minima. The VAI is an objective measure of the area of high cyclonic vorticity, and for the present work is derived from ERA-40 and ERA-Interim reanalyses of global meteorological data. The VAI dependencies on the stratospheric aerosol content (SAC) and the REF are consistent with a model in which the ionosphere-earth current density (Jz) affects cloud microphysics. One of the ways in which Jz is modulated is by changes in stratospheric column resistance (S), which is increased by stratospheric aerosols. Because S is in series with the tropospheric column resistance (T), Jz modulation by REF requires that S be not negligible with respect to T. So the Jz modulation and the VAI response appear when the SAC is very high, or the REF reductions (which also increase S) are very deep, and when the product of the SAC and the reciprocal of the REF exceeds a threshold value dependent on T.

SIFT-MS analysis of Iberian hams from pigs reared under different conditions.

PubMed

Carrapiso, Ana I; Noseda, Bert; García, Carmen; Reina, Raquel; Sánchez Del Pulgar, José; Devlieghere, Frank

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a Selected Ion Flow Tube-Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS) equipment to tentatively quantify relevant volatile compounds of dry-cured Iberian ham, and to differentiate Iberian hams from pigs reared at four different conditions yielding different commercial grades. The SIFT-MS analysis allowed the rapid quantification of 39 Iberian ham volatile compounds, 16 of them being significantly affected by the rearing conditions of pigs. The full spectra SIFT-MS data allowed the correct classification of 79.2% of hams according to diet, which is a smaller percentage than that obtained using intramuscular fatty acid data (95.8%) obtained by using a gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector after lipid extraction and transesterification. Therefore, the SIFT-MS analysis would be a rapid tool to tentatively quantify some relevant volatile compounds, and also would provide a rapid but rough classification of Iberian ham according to the rearing conditions of pigs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteome Profiles of Digested Products of Commercial Meat Sources

PubMed Central

Li, Li; Liu, Yuan; Zhou, Guanghong; Xu, Xinglian; Li, Chunbao

2017-01-01

This study was designed to characterize in vitro-digested products of proteins from four commercial meat products, including dry-cured ham, cooked ham, emulsion-type sausage, and dry-cured sausage. The samples were homogenized and incubated with pepsin and trypsin. The digestibility and particle sizes of digested products were measured. Nano-LC–MS/MS was applied to characterize peptides. The results showed the highest digestibility and the lowest particle size in dry-cured ham (P < 0.05), while the opposite was for cooked ham (P < 0.05). Nano-LC–MS/MS analysis revealed that dry-cured ham samples had the greatest number of 750–3,500 Da Mw peptides in pepsin-digested products. In the digested products of cooked ham and emulsion-type sausage, a lot of peptides were matched with soy protein that was added in the formulations. In addition, protein oxidation was also observed in different meat products. Our findings give an insight into nutritional values of different meat products. PMID:28396857

The use of atmospheric pressure plasma as a curing process for canned ground ham.

PubMed

Lee, Juri; Jo, Kyung; Lim, Yubong; Jeon, Hee Joon; Choe, Jun Ho; Jo, Cheorun; Jung, Samooel

2018-02-01

This study investigated the potential use of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment as a curing process for canned ground ham. APP treatment for 60min while mixing increased the nitrite content in the meat batters from 0.64 to 60.50mgkg -1 while the pH and the total content of aerobic bacteria in the meat batters were unchanged. The canned ground hams cured by the APP treatment for 30min displayed no difference in their physicochemical qualities, such as nitrosyl hemochrome, color, residual nitrite, texture, lipid oxidation, and protein oxidation, compared with those of canned ground hams cured with sodium nitrite or celery powder at 42mgkg -1 of nitrite. The canned ground hams cured by the APP treatment received a higher score in taste and overall acceptability than those cured with sodium nitrite. Canned ground ham can be cured by the APP treatment without nitrite additives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Candidate gene markers involved in San Daniele ham quality.

PubMed

Renaville, B; Piasentier, E; Fan, B; Vitale, M; Prandi, A; Rothschild, M F

2010-07-01

San Daniele dry-cured hams (also known as prosciutto) are produced in the Northeastern region of Italy. This high value product requires high quality fresh meat to avoid processing problems. The Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein-1 (SREBF1) is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis in muscle and adipose tissues. The SREBF1 gene, its regulating genes SCAP and MBTPS1, and one of its target genes, SCD, were investigated for associations with several meat quality traits of San Daniele hams. Significant associations of some gene markers were found with carcass weight, lean percentage, backfat thickness, ham green weight, ham fat cover thickness, shear force (WBSF), salting losses and instrumental colour of both lean and fat. These findings provide initial evidences that SNPs in SREBF1, SCAP, MBTPS1 and SCD are associated with San Daniele ham quality and may be considered as markers for selective breeding programs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF AEROSOL DRIFT FROM A SALTWATER COOLING SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The local terrestrial effects of salt aerosol drift from powered spray modules and a mechanical draft cooling tower at Turkey Point, Florida were evaluated through field and controlled exposure studies. Indigenous vegetation, soil and fresh water were sampled over a year long per...

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A NEW AIR POLLUTION MODELING SYSTEM--II. AEROSOL MODULE STRUCTURE AND DESIGN (R823186)

EPA Science Inventory

The methods used for simulating aerosol physical and chemical processes in a new air pollution modeling system are discussed and analyzed. Such processes include emissions, nucleation, coagulation, reversible chemistry, condensation, dissolution, evaporation, irreversible chem...

Evaluating Aerosol Process Modules within the Framework of the Aerosol Modeling Testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fast, J. D.; Velu, V.; Gustafson, W. I.; Chapman, E.; Easter, R. C.; Shrivastava, M.; Singh, B.

2012-12-01

Factors that influence predictions of aerosol direct and indirect forcing, such as aerosol mass, composition, size distribution, hygroscopicity, and optical properties, still contain large uncertainties in both regional and global models. New aerosol treatments are usually implemented into a 3-D atmospheric model and evaluated using a limited number of measurements from a specific case study. Under this modeling paradigm, the performance and computational efficiency of several treatments for a specific aerosol process cannot be adequately quantified because many other processes among various modeling studies (e.g. grid configuration, meteorology, emission rates) are different as well. The scientific community needs to know the advantages and disadvantages of specific aerosol treatments when the meteorology, chemistry, and other aerosol processes are identical in order to reduce the uncertainties associated with aerosols predictions. To address these issues, an Aerosol Modeling Testbed (AMT) has been developed that systematically and objectively evaluates new aerosol treatments for use in regional and global models. The AMT consists of the modular Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, a series testbed cases for which extensive in situ and remote sensing measurements of meteorological, trace gas, and aerosol properties are available, and a suite of tools to evaluate the performance of meteorological, chemical, aerosol process modules. WRF contains various parameterizations of meteorological, chemical, and aerosol processes and includes interactive aerosol-cloud-radiation treatments similar to those employed by climate models. In addition, the physics suite from the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) have also been ported to WRF so that they can be tested at various spatial scales and compared directly with field campaign data and other parameterizations commonly used by the mesoscale modeling community. Data from several campaigns, including the 2006 MILAGRO, 2008 ISDAC, 2008 VOCALS, 2010 CARES, and 2010 CalNex campaigns, have been incorporated into the AMT as testbed cases. Data from operational networks (e.g. air quality, meteorology, satellite) are also included in the testbed cases to supplement the field campaign data. The CARES and CalNex testbed cases are used to demonstrate how the AMT can be used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of simple and complex representations of aerosol processes in relation to computational cost. Anticipated enhancements to the AMT and how this type of testbed can be used by the scientific community to foster collaborations and coordinate aerosol modeling research will also be discussed.

Potential Production of Sterigmatocystin on Country-Cured Ham

PubMed Central

Halls, N. A.; Ayres, J. C.

1973-01-01

In laboratory media, 10 of 16 isolates of Aspergillus versicolor from country-cured ham were capable of producing sterigmatocystin. Three of these isolates were tested and found to produce sterigmatocystin on country-cured ham after 14 days of incubation at 20 or 28 C. PMID:4751808

Modelling of strong heterogeneities in aerosol single scattering albedos over a polluted region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, M.; Pont, V.; Liousse, C.

2005-05-01

To date, most models dedicated to the investigation of aerosol direct or semi-direct radiative forcings have assumed the various aerosol components to be either completely externally mixed or homogeneously internally mixed. Some recent works have shown that a core-shell treatment of particles should be more realistic, leading to significant differences in the radiative impact as compared to only externally or well-internally mixed states. To account for these studies, an optical module, ORISAM-RAD, has been developed for computing aerosol radiative properties under the hypothesis of internally mixed particles with a n-layer spherical concentric structure. Mesoscale simulations using ORISAM-RAD, coupled with the 3D mesoscale model Meso-NH-C, have been performed for one selected day (06/24/2001) during the ESCOMPTE experiment in the Marseilles-Fos/Berre region, which illustrate the ability of this new module to reproduce spatial heterogeneities of measured single scattering albedo (ωo), due to industrial and/or urban pollution plumes.

Resistant starch lowers postprandial glucose and leptin in overweight adults consuming a moderate-to-high-fat diet: a randomized-controlled trial.

PubMed

Maziarz, Mindy Patterson; Preisendanz, Sara; Juma, Shanil; Imrhan, Victorine; Prasad, Chandan; Vijayagopal, Parakat

2017-02-21

High-amylose maize resistant starch type 2 (HAM-RS2) stimulates gut-derived satiety peptides and reduces adiposity in animals. Human studies have not supported these findings despite improvements in glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity after HAM-RS2 intake which can lower adiposity-related disease risk. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of HAM-RS2 consumption on blood glucose homeostasis in overweight, healthy adults. We also examined changes in biomarkers of satiety (glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1], peptide YY [PYY], and leptin) and body composition determined by anthropometrics and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, dietary intake, and subjective satiety measured by a visual analogue scale following HAM-RS2 consumption. Using a randomized-controlled, parallel-arm, double-blind design, 18 overweight, healthy adults consumed either muffins enriched with 30 g HAM-RS2 (n = 11) or 0 g HAM-RS2 (control; n = 7) daily for 6 weeks. The HAM-RS2 and control muffins were similar in total calories and available carbohydrate. At baseline, total PYY concentrations were significantly higher 120 min following the consumption of study muffins in the HAM-RS2 group than control group (P = 0.043). Within the HAM-RS2 group, the area under the curve (AUC) glucose (P = 0.028), AUC leptin (P = 0.022), and postprandial 120-min leptin (P = 0.028) decreased independent of changes in body composition or overall energy intake at the end of 6 weeks. Fasting total PYY increased (P = 0.033) in the HAM-RS2 group, but changes in insulin or total GLP-1 were not observed. Mean overall change in subjective satiety score did not correlate with mean AUC biomarker changes suggesting the satiety peptides did not elicit a satiation response or change in overall total caloric intake. The metabolic response from HAM-RS2 occurred despite the habitual intake of a moderate-to-high-fat diet (mean range 34.5% to 39.4% of total calories). Consuming 30 g HAM-RS2 daily for 6 weeks can improve glucose homeostasis, lower leptin concentrations, and increase fasting PYY in healthy overweight adults without impacting body composition and may aid in the prevention of chronic disease. However, between-group differences in biomarkers were not observed and future research is warranted before specific recommendations can be made. None.

Description and evaluation of a new four-mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM4) within version 5.3 of the Community Atmosphere Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.; Ma, P.-L.; Wang, H.; Tilmes, S.; Singh, B.; Easter, R. C.; Ghan, S. J.; Rasch, P. J.

2016-02-01

Atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols play an important role in the climate system by influencing the Earth's radiation budgets and modifying the cloud properties. Despite the importance, their representations in large-scale atmospheric models are still crude, which can influence model simulated burden, lifetime, physical, chemical and optical properties, and the climate forcing of carbonaceous aerosols. In this study, we improve the current three-mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM3) in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) by introducing an additional primary carbon mode to explicitly account for the microphysical ageing of primary carbonaceous aerosols in the atmosphere. Compared to MAM3, the four-mode version of MAM (MAM4) significantly increases the column burdens of primary particulate organic matter (POM) and black carbon (BC) by up to 40 % in many remote regions, where in-cloud scavenging plays an important role in determining the aerosol concentrations. Differences in the column burdens for other types of aerosol (e.g., sulfate, secondary organic aerosols, mineral dust, sea salt) are less than 1 %. Evaluating the MAM4 simulation against in situ surface and aircraft observations, we find that MAM4 significantly improves the simulation of seasonal variation of near-surface BC concentrations in the polar regions, by increasing the BC concentrations in all seasons and particularly in cold seasons. However, it exacerbates the overestimation of modeled BC concentrations in the upper troposphere in the Pacific regions. The comparisons suggest that, to address the remaining model POM and BC biases, future improvements are required related to (1) in-cloud scavenging and vertical transport in convective clouds and (2) emissions of anthropogenic and biomass burning aerosols.

Description and evaluation of a new four-mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM4) within version 5.3 of the Community Atmosphere Model

DOE PAGES

Liu, X.; Ma, P. -L.; Wang, H.; ...

2016-02-08

Atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols play an important role in the climate system by influencing the Earth's radiation budgets and modifying the cloud properties. Despite the importance, their representations in large-scale atmospheric models are still crude, which can influence model simulated burden, lifetime, physical, chemical and optical properties, and the climate forcing of carbonaceous aerosols. In this study, we improve the current three-mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM3) in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) by introducing an additional primary carbon mode to explicitly account for the microphysical ageing of primary carbonaceous aerosols in the atmosphere. Compared to MAM3,more » the four-mode version of MAM (MAM4) significantly increases the column burdens of primary particulate organic matter (POM) and black carbon (BC) by up to 40 % in many remote regions, where in-cloud scavenging plays an important role in determining the aerosol concentrations. Differences in the column burdens for other types of aerosol (e.g., sulfate, secondary organic aerosols, mineral dust, sea salt) are less than 1 %. Evaluating the MAM4 simulation against in situ surface and aircraft observations, we find that MAM4 significantly improves the simulation of seasonal variation of near-surface BC concentrations in the polar regions, by increasing the BC concentrations in all seasons and particularly in cold seasons. However, it exacerbates the overestimation of modeled BC concentrations in the upper troposphere in the Pacific regions. As a result, the comparisons suggest that, to address the remaining model POM and BC biases, future improvements are required related to (1) in-cloud scavenging and vertical transport in convective clouds and (2) emissions of anthropogenic and biomass burning aerosols.« less

Influence of Aerosol Heating on the Stratospheric Transport of the Mt. Pinatubo Eruption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aquila, Valentina; Oman, Luke D.; Stolarski, Richard S.

2011-01-01

On June 15th, 1991 the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo (15.1 deg. N, 120.3 Deg. E) in the Philippines injected about 20 Tg of sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere, which was transformed into sulfuric acid aerosol. The large perturbation of the background aerosol caused an increase in temperature in the lower stratosphere of 2-3 K. Even though stratospheric winds climatological]y tend to hinder the air mixing between the two hemispheres, observations have shown that a large part of the SO2 emitted by Mt. Pinatubo have been transported from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere. We simulate the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo with the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) version 5 global climate model, coupled to the aerosol module GOCART and the stratospheric chemistry module StratChem, to investigate the influence of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on the stratospheric transport pattern. We perform two ensembles of simulations: the first ensemble consists of runs without coupling between aerosol and radiation. In these simulations the plume of aerosols is treated as a passive tracer and the atmosphere is unperturbed. In the second ensemble of simulations aerosols and radiation are coupled. We show that the set of runs with interactive aerosol produces a larger cross-equatorial transport of the Pinatubo cloud. In our simulations the local heating perturbation caused by the sudden injection of volcanic aerosol changes the pattern of the stratospheric winds causing more intrusion of air from the Northern into the Southern Hemisphere. Furthermore, we perform simulations changing the injection height of the cloud, and study the transport of the plume resulting from the different scenarios. Comparisons of model results with SAGE II and AVHRR satellite observations will be shown.

Transcriptome analysis for pork color – the ham halo effect in biceps femoris

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pork color is a major indicator of product quality that guides consumer purchasing decisions. For hams, consumers prefer a uniform pink color. Recently, industry has received an increase in consumer complaints about the lightness and non-uniformity of ham color, primarily lighter color in the periph...

Position, scale, and rotation invariant holographic associative memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fielding, Kenneth H.; Rogers, Steven K.; Kabrisky, Matthew; Mills, James P.

1989-08-01

This paper describes the development and characterization of a holographic associative memory (HAM) system that is able to recall stored objects whose inputs were changed in position, scale, and rotation. The HAM is based on the single iteration model described by Owechko et al. (1987); however, the system described uses a self-pumped BaTiO3 phase conjugate mirror, rather than a degenerate four-wave mixing proposed by Owechko and his coworkers. The HAM system can store objects in a position, scale, and rotation invariant feature space. The angularly multiplexed diffuse Fourier transform holograms of the HAM feature space are characterized as the memory unit; distorted input objects are correlated with the hologram, and the nonlinear phase conjugate mirror reduces cross-correlation noise and provides object discrimination. Applications of the HAM system are presented.

Survival and Risk Comparison of Campylobacter jejuni on Various Processed Meat Products

PubMed Central

Hong, Soo Hyeon; Kim, Han Sol; Yoon, Ki Sun

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate survival kinetics of Campylobacter jejuni on various processed meat products (dry-cured ham, round ham with/without sodium nitrite, garlic seasoned ham with/without sodium nitrite, and sausage without sodium nitrite). Additionally, a semi-quantitative risk assessment of C. jejuni on various processed meat products was conducted using FDA-iRISK 1.0. Inoculated processed meat products with 6.0 ± 0.5 log CFU/g of C. jejuni were vacuum packed and stored at 4, 10, 17, 24, 30, and 36 °C. Survival curves were fitted to the Weibull model to obtain the delta values of C. jejuni on various processed meat products. The most rapid death of C. jejuni was observed on dry-cured ham, followed by sausage without sodium nitrite. The results of semi-quantitative risk assessment indicate that dry-cured ham represented the lowest risk among all samples. C. jejuni on processed meats presented a greater risk at 4 °C than at 10 °C. The risk of ham was greater than the risk of sausage, regardless of type. Among all samples, the highest risk of C. jejuni was observed in round ham without sodium nitrite. Overall, our data indicates that risk of processed meat products due to C. jejuni is relatively low. PMID:27294947

Psychometric properties of responses by clinicians and older adults to a 6-item Hebrew version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D6)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) is commonly used as a screening instrument, as a continuous measure of change in depressive symptoms over time, and as a means to compare the relative efficacy of treatments. Among several abridged versions, the 6-item HAM-D6 is used most widely in large degree because of its good psychometric properties. The current study compares both self-report and clinician-rated versions of the Hebrew version of this scale. Methods A total of 153 Israelis 75 years of age on average participated in this study. The HAM-D6 was examined using confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models separately for both patient and clinician responses. Results Reponses to the HAM-D6 suggest that this instrument measures a unidimensional construct with each of the scales’ six items contributing significantly to the measurement. Comparisons between self-report and clinician versions indicate that responses do not significantly differ for 4 of the 6 items. Moreover, 100% sensitivity (and 91% specificity) was found between patient HAM-D6 responses and clinician diagnoses of depression. Conclusion These results indicate that the Hebrew HAM-D6 can be used to measure and screen for depressive symptoms among elderly patients. PMID:23281688

A comparison of CIE L*a*b* and spectral methods for the analysis of fading in sliced cured ham

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheridan, C.; O'Farrell, M.; Lewis, E.; Flanagan, C.; Kerry, J.; Jackman, N.

2007-06-01

In the modern retail environment, the appearance of a product is frequently the only quality indicator available to consumers. This is especially true of products such as sliced ham that have been sealed into packages to maintain product freshness. It has been shown that sliced ham products undergo discolouration from their original pink colour to a pale grey colour when exposed to a combination of oxygen and light. This is unappealing to consumers who expect a pink colour for sliced ham. An investigation is made into a sensor that would monitor the initial colour status of cured ham before packaging in order to determine the amount of time left before the ham fades to an unsatisfactory colour. For this sensor to operate, appropriate analysis of the appearance of the meat is required. Two methods for the measurement of the fading were investigated—CIE L*a*b* measurements and analysis of the spectral reflectance of the colour of the ham. Several sliced ham products with differing amounts of fading were examined using both methods. It was observed that the products used covered a wide range of variation in colour. Reproducibility of CIE L*a*b* values proved to be quite difficult and significant overlapping of the L* (lightness) and a* (redness) values measured for pink and grey coloured ham was observed. The variations in these values can be attributed to differences in the intensity of reflected light for different products. L*a*b* measurements are sensitive to light intensity and pigment concentration. Analysis of the spectral reflectance readings did not encounter these problems as the spectral response was normalized (to reduce intensity errors) before data analysis was carried out on the spectral shape or 'pattern' using principal component analysis (PCA) and artificial neural networks (ANN). A classifier based on PCA and ANN was successfully implemented that can discriminate different stages of fading for the ham slices. A case study was carried out on ham slices that had two different initial colours—light and dark. The results of the case study show that the sensor system can better discriminate between a light initial colour and a dark faded colour than the CIE L*a*b* colour measurement system.

Re-evaluation of the definition of remission on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale based on recovery in health-related quality of life in an observational post-marketing study.

PubMed

Sawamura, Jitsuki; Ishigooka, Jun; Nishimura, Katsuji

2018-01-16

Although a score of less than 7 for the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17) has been widely adopted to define remission of depression, a full recovery from depression is closely related to the patient's quality of life as well. Accordingly, we re-evaluated this definition of remission using HAM-D17 in comparison with the corresponding score for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measured by the SF-36. Using the data for depressive patients reported by GlaxoSmithKline K.K. (Study No. BRL29060A/863) in a post-marketing observational study of paroxetine, with a sample size of n = 722, multivariate logistic regression was performed with the HAM-D17 score as a dependent variable and with each of the eight domain scores of HRQOL (from the SF-36) transformed into a binominal form according to the national standard value for Japan. Then, area under curve of receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted. Based on the obtained results, a multivariate analysis was performed using the HAM-D17 score in a binomial form with HAM-D17 as a dependent variable and with each of the eight HRQOL domain scores (SF-36) as binominalized independent variables. A cutoff value for the HAM-D17 score of 5 provided the maximum ROC-AUC at "0.864." The significantly associated scores of the eight HRQOL domains (SF-36) were identified for the HAM-D17 cutoff values of ≥5 and ≤4. The scores for physical functioning (odds ratio, 0.473), bodily pain (0.557), vitality (0.379), social functioning (0.540), role-emotion (0.265), and mental health (0.467) had a significant negative association with the HAM-D17 score (p < 0.05), and HRQOL domain scores for HAM-D17 ≥ 5 were significantly lower compared with those for HAM-D17 ≤ 4. A cutoff value for HAM-D17 of less than or equal to 4 was the best candidate for indicating remission of depression when the recovery of HRQOL is considered. Restoration of social function and performance should be considered equally important in assessing the adequacy of treatment for patients with depression.

Updated aerosol module and its application to simulate secondary organic aerosols during IMPACT campaign May 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y. P.; Elbern, H.; Lu, K. D.; Friese, E.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.; Mentel, Th. F.; Wang, X. S.; Wahner, A.; Zhang, Y. H.

2013-03-01

The formation of Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was simulated with the Secondary ORGanic Aerosol Model (SORGAM) by a classical gas-particle partitioning concept, using the two-product model approach, which is widely used in chemical transport models. In this study, we extensively updated SORGAM including three major modifications: firstly, we derived temperature dependence functions of the SOA yields for aromatics and biogenic VOCs, based on recent chamber studies within a sophisticated mathematic optimization framework; secondly, we implemented the SOA formation pathways from photo oxidation (OH initiated) of isoprene; thirdly, we implemented the SOA formation channel from NO3-initiated oxidation of reactive biogenic hydrocarbons (isoprene and monoterpenes). The temperature dependence functions of the SOA yields were validated against available chamber experiments. Moreover, the whole updated SORGAM module was validated against ambient SOA observations represented by the summed oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) concentrations abstracted from Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) measurements at a rural site near Rotterdam, the Netherlands, performed during the IMPACT campaign in May 2008. In this case, we embedded both the original and the updated SORGAM module into the EURopean Air pollution and Dispersion-Inverse Model (EURAD-IM), which showed general good agreements with the observed meteorological parameters and several secondary products such as O3, sulfate and nitrate. With the updated SORGAM module, the EURAD-IM model also captured the observed SOA concentrations reasonably well especially those during nighttime. In contrast, the EURAD-IM model before update underestimated the observations by a factor of up to 5. The large improvements of the modeled SOA concentrations by updated SORGAM were attributed to the mentioned three modifications. Embedding the temperature dependence functions of the SOA yields, including the new pathways from isoprene photo oxidations, and switching on the SOA formation from NO3 initiated biogenic VOCs oxidations contributed to this enhancement by 10%, 22% and 47%, respectively. However, the EURAD-IM model with updated SORGAM still clearly underestimated the afternoon SOA observations up to a factor of two. More work such as to improve the simulated OH concentrations under high VOCs and low NOx concentrations, further including the SOA formation from semi-volatile organic compounds, the correct aging process of aerosols, oligomerization process and the influence on the biogenic SOA by the anthropogenic SOA, are still required to fill the gap.

Comparison of HTLV-I Proviral Load in Adult T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL), HTLV-I-Associated Myelopathy (HAM-TSP) and Healthy Carriers.

PubMed

Akbarin, Mohammad Mehdi; Rahimi, Hossein; Hassannia, Tahereh; Shoja Razavi, Ghazaleh; Sabet, Faezeh; Shirdel, Abbas

2013-03-01

Human T Lymphocyte Virus Type one (HTLV-I) is a retrovirus that infects about 10-20 million people worldwide. Khorasan province in Iran is an endemic area. The majority of HTLV-I-infected individuals sustain healthy carriers but small proportion of infected population developed two progressive diseases: HAM/TSP and ATL. The proviral load could be a virological marker for disease monitoring, therefore in the present study HTLV-I proviral load has been evaluated in ATL and compared to HAM/TSP and healthy carriers. In this case series study, 47 HTLV-I infected individuals including 13 ATL, 23 HAM/TSP and 11 asymptomatic subjects were studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were investigated for presence of HTLV-I DNA provirus by PCR using LTR and Tax fragments. Then in infected subjects, HTLV-I proviral load was measured using real time PCR TaqMan method. The average age of patients in ATL was 52±8, in HAM/TSP 45.52±15.17 and in carrier's 38.65±14.9 years which differences were not statistically significant. The analysis of data showed a significant difference in mean WBC among study groups (ATL vs HAM/TSP and carriers P=0.0001). Moreover, mean HTLV-I proviral load was 11967.2 ± 5078, 409 ± 71.3 and 373.6 ± 143.3 in ATL, HAM/TSP and Healthy Carriers, respectively. The highest HTLV-I proviral load was measured in ATL group that had a significant correlation with WBC count (R=0.495, P=0.001). The proviral load variations between study groups was strongly significant (ATL vs carrier P=0.0001; ATL vs HAM/TSP P= 0.0001 and HAM/TSP vs carriers P< 0.05). Conclusion : The present study demonstrated that HTLV-I proviral load was higher in ATL group in comparison with HAM/TSP and healthy carriers. Therefore, HTLV-I proviral load is a prognostic factor for development of HTLV-I associated diseases and can be used as a monitoring marker for the efficiency of therapeutic regime.

The Design & Development of the Ocean Color Instrument Precision Superduplex Hybrid Bearing Cartridge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schepis, Joseph; Woodard, Timothy; Hakun, Claef; Bergandy, Konrad; Church, Joseph; Ward, Peter; Lee, Michael; Conti, Alfred; Guzek, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

A high precision, high-resolution Ocean Color Imaging (OCI) instrument is under development for the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission which requires a pair of medium speed mechanisms to scan the ocean surface continuously. The design of the rotating telescope (RT) mechanism operating at 360 RPM and the half-angle mirror (HAM) mechanism synchronized at 180 RPM was concern for maintaining pointing precision over the required life and continuous operations. An effort was undertaken with the manufacturer to design and analyze a special bearing configuration to minimize axial and radial runout, minimize torque, and maintain nominal contact stresses and stiffness over the operating temperature range and to maximize life. The bearing design, development effort, analysis and testing will be discussed as will the technical challenges that this specific design imposed upon the mechanism engineers. Bearing performance, runout as achieved and verified during encoder installation and operating torque will be described.

Hypercortisolemia is associated with severity of bone loss and depression in hypothalamic amenorrhea and anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Lawson, Elizabeth A; Donoho, Daniel; Miller, Karen K; Misra, Madhusmita; Meenaghan, Erinne; Lydecker, Janet; Wexler, Tamara; Herzog, David B; Klibanski, Anne

2009-12-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) and functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) are associated with low bone density, anxiety, and depression. Women with AN and HA have elevated cortisol levels. Significant hypercortisolemia, as in Cushing's disease, causes bone loss. It is unknown whether anxiety and depression and/or cortisol dysregulation contribute to low bone density in AN or HA. Our objective was to investigate whether hypercortisolemia is associated with bone loss and mood disturbance in women with HA and AN. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a clinical research center. We studied 52 women [21 healthy controls (HC), 13 normal-weight women with functional HA, and 18 amenorrheic women with AN]. Serum samples were measured every 20 min for 12 h overnight and pooled for average cortisol levels. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at anteroposterior and lateral spine and hip. Hamilton Rating Scales for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Depression (HAM-D) were administered. BMD was lower in AN and HA than HC at all sites and lower in AN than HA at the spine. On the HAM-D and HAM-A, AN scored higher than HA, and HA scored higher than HC. Cortisol levels were highest in AN, intermediate in HA, and lowest in HC. HAM-A and HAM-D scores were associated with decreased BMD. Cortisol levels were positively associated with HAM-A and HAM-D scores and negatively associated with BMD. Hypercortisolemia is a potential mediator of bone loss and mood disturbance in these disorders.

Detecting fractal power-law long-range dependence in pre-sliced cooked pork ham surface intensity patterns using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis.

PubMed

Valous, Nektarios A; Drakakis, Konstantinos; Sun, Da-Wen

2010-10-01

The visual texture of pork ham slices reveals information about the different qualities and perceived image heterogeneity, which is encapsulated as spatial variations in geometry and spectral characteristics. Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) detects long-range correlations in nonstationary spatial sequences, by a self-similarity scaling exponent alpha. In the current work, the aim is to investigate the usefulness of alpha, using different colour channels (R, G, B, L*, a*, b*, H, S, V, and Grey), as a quantitative descriptor of visual texture in sliced ham surface patterns for the detection of long-range correlations in unidimensional spatial series of greyscale intensity pixel values at 0 degrees , 30 degrees , 45 degrees , 60 degrees , and 90 degrees rotations. Images were acquired from three qualities of pre-sliced pork ham, typically consumed in Ireland (200 slices per quality). Results indicated that the DFA approach can be used to characterize and quantify the textural appearance of the three ham qualities, for different image orientations, with a global scaling exponent. The spatial series extracted from the ham images display long-range dependence, indicating an average behaviour around 1/f-noise. Results indicate that alpha has a universal character in quantifying the visual texture of ham surface intensity patterns, with no considerable crossovers that alter the behaviour of the fluctuations. Fractal correlation properties can thus be a useful metric for capturing information embedded in the visual texture of hams. Copyright (c) 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hamilton rating scale for depression-24 (HAM-D24) as a novel predictor for diabetic microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

PubMed

Pan, Shuo; Liu, Zhong-Wei; Shi, Shuang; Ma, Xun; Song, Wen-Qian; Guan, Gong-Chang; Zhang, Yong; Zhu, Shun-Ming; Liu, Fu-Qiang; Liu, Bo; Tang, Zhi-Guo; Wang, Jun-Kui; Lv, Ying

2017-12-01

The study was designed to investigate whether the hamilton rating scale for depression (24-items) (HAM-D 24 ) can be used to predict the diabetic microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. 288 hospitalized patients with T2DM were enrolled. Their diabetic microvascular complications including diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot as well as demographic, clinical data, blood samples and echocardiography were documented. All the enrolled patients received HAM-D 24 evaluation. The HAM-D 24 score and incidence of depression in T2DM patients with each diabetic microvascular complication were significantly higher than those in T2DM patients without each diabetic microvascular complication. After the adjustment of use of insulin and hypoglycemic drug, duration of T2DM, mean platelet volume, creatinine, albumin, fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin type A1C, left ventricular ejection fraction, respectively, HAM-D 24 score was still significantly associated with diabetic microvascular complications (OR = 1.188-1.281, all P < 0.001). The AUC of HAM-D 24 score for the prediction of diabetic microvascular complication was 0.832 (0.761-0.902). 15 points of HAM-D 24 score was considered as the optimal cutoff with the sensitivity of 0.778 and specificity of 0.785. In summary, HAM-D 24 score may be used as a novel predictor of diabetic microvascular complications in T2DM patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lidar determination of the composition of atmosphere aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, M. L.

1980-01-01

Theoretical and experimental studies of the feasibility of using DIfferential SCatter (DISC) lidar to measure the composition of atmospheric aerosols are described. This technique involves multiwavelength measurements of the backscatter cross section of aerosols in the middle infrared, where a number of materials display strong restrahlen features that significantly modulate the backscatter spectrum. The theoretical work indicates that a number of materials of interest, including sulfuric acid, ammonium sulfate, and silicates, can be discriminated among with a CO2 lidar. An initial evaluation of this procedure was performed in which cirrus clouds and lower altitude tropospheric aerosols were developed. The observed ratio spectrum of the two types of aerosol displays structure that is in crude accord with theoretical expectations.

Sampling methods to detect and estimate populations of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) infesting dry-cured hams

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spatial and temporal dynamics of pest populations is an important aspect of effective pest management. However, absolute sampling of some pest populations such as the ham mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae), a serious pest of dry-cured ham, can be difficult. Sampling ...

ACT2 peer-driven intervention increases enrollment into HIV/AIDS medical studies among African-Americans/Blacks and Hispanics: A cluster randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Gwadz, Marya; Cleland, Charles M.; Belkin, Mindy; Ritchie, Amanda; Leonard, Noelle; Riedel, Marion; Banfield, Angela; Colon, Pablo; Elharrar, Vanessa; Kagan, Jonathan; Mildvan, Donna

2014-01-01

African American/Black and Hispanic persons living with HIV/AIDS (“AABH-PLHA”) are under-represented in HIV/AIDS medical studies (HAMS). This paper evaluates the efficacy of a social/behavioral intervention to increase rates of screening for and enrollment into HAMS in these populations. Participants (N=540) were enrolled into a cluster randomized controlled trial of an intervention designed to overcome multi-level barriers to HAMS. Primary endpoints were rates of screening for and enrollment into therapeutic/treatment-oriented and observational studies. Intervention arm participants were 30 times more likely to be screened than controls (49.3% vs. 3.7%; p < .001). Half (55.5%) of those screened were eligible for HAMS, primarily observational studies. Nine out of ten found eligible enrolled (91.7%), almost all into observational studies (95.2%), compared to no enrollments among controls. Achieving appropriate representation of AABH-PLHA in HAMS necessitates modification of study inclusion criteria to increase the proportion found eligible for therapeutic HAMS, in addition to social/behavioral interventions. PMID:24961193

Impact of whey protein coating incorporated with Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus on sliced ham properties.

PubMed

Odila Pereira, Joana; Soares, José; J P Monteiro, Maria; Gomes, Ana; Pintado, Manuela

2018-05-01

Edible coatings/films with functional ingredients may be a solution to consumers' demands for high-quality food products and an extended shelf-life. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficiency of edible coatings incorporated with probiotics on sliced ham preservation. Coatings was developed based on whey protein isolates with incorporation of Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12® or Lactobacillus casei-01. The physicochemical analyses showed that coating decreased water and weight loss on the ham. Furthermore, color analysis showed that coated sliced ham, exhibited no color change, comparatively to uncoated slices. The edible coatings incorporating the probiotic strains inhibited detectable growth of Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae and yeasts/molds, at least, for 45days of storage at 4°C. The sensory evaluation demonstrated that there was a preference for the sliced coated ham. Probiotic bacteria viable cell numbers were maintained at ca. 10 8 CFU/g throughout storage time, enabling the slice of ham to act as a suitable carrier for the beneficial bacteria. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensory, physical and chemical characteristics of cooked ham manufactured from rapidly chilled and earlier deboned M. semimembranosus.

PubMed

Tomović, Vladimir M; Jokanović, Marija R; Petrović, Ljiljana S; Tomović, Mila S; Tasić, Tatjana A; Ikonić, Predrag M; Sumić, Zdravko M; Sojić, Branislav V; Skaljac, Snežana B; Sošo, Milena M

2013-01-01

Effects of rapid chilling of carcasses (at -31°C in the first 3h of chilling, and then at 2-4°C) and earlier deboning (8h post-mortem), compared to rapid (till 24h post-mortem) and conventional chilling (at 2-4°C, till 24h post-mortem), on quality characteristics of pork M. semimebranosus and cooked ham were investigated. Quality measurements included pH value, colour (CIEL a b values) and total aerobic count of M. semimebranosus, as well as sensory (colour, juiciness, texture, and flavour), physical (pH value, colour - CIEL a b values and texture - Warner-Bratzler shear and penetration forces) and chemical (protein, total fat, and moisture content) characteristics of cooked ham. The cooked ham was manufactured from pieces of M. semimebranosus with ultimate lightness (CIEL value) lower than 50. Rapid chilling and earlier deboning significantly increased quantity of M. semimebranosus desirable for cooked ham manufacturing. Earlier start of pork fabrication did not affect important quality characteristics of cooked ham. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of stearic acid and gamma irradiation, alone and in combination, on pasting properties of high amylose maize starch.

PubMed

Ocloo, Fidelis C K; Minnaar, Amanda; Emmambux, Naushad M

2016-01-01

The effects of stearic acid and gamma irradiation on pasting properties of high amylose maize starch (HAMS) were studied. Stearic acid (0%, 1.5%, and 5%) was added to HAMS, and then irradiated at 0, 30, and 60 kGy before pasting. Stearic acid increased the paste viscosity of un-irradiated HAMS from 420 mPas to 557 and 652 mPas for 1.5% and 5% stearic acid, respectively. This observation related well with the formation of type II amylose-lipid complexes, with melting temperatures of about 100-120 °C. Gamma irradiation (30 and 6 0kGy) reduced pasting viscosity of HAMS. Pasting of gamma irradiated HAMS resulted in the formation of type I amylose-lipid complexes, with melting temperatures and enthalpies ranging from 82 to 102 °C and 0.22 to 1.85 J/g, respectively. Stearic acid addition followed by irradiation creates means of producing different types of amylose-lipid complexes from HAMS for industrial utilization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution of proteolytic and physico-chemical characteristics of Norwegian dry-cured ham during its processing.

PubMed

Petrova, Inna; Tolstorebrov, Ignat; Mora, Leticia; Toldrá, Fidel; Eikevik, Trygve Magne

2016-11-01

Proteolytic activity and physico-chemical characteristics were studied for Norwegian dry-cured ham at four different times of processing: raw hams, post-salted hams (3 months of processing), hams selected in the middle of the production (12 months of processing) and hams at the end of the processing (24 months). Cathepsin H activity decreased until negligible values after 3 months of processing, whereas cathepsins B and B+L were inactive at 12 months. AAP was the most active aminopeptidase whereas RAP and MAP were active just during the first 12 months of processing. Proteolysis index reached a value of 4.56±1.03 % with non-significant differences between 12 and 24 months of ripening. Peptide identification by LC-MS/MS was done and two peptides (GVEEPPKGHKGNKK and QAISNNKDQGSY) showing a linear response with the time of processing were found. Unfreezable water content and glass transition temperature were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique with non-significant differences in the temperature of glass transition for 12 and 24 months of processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observations of the temporal variability in aerosol properties and their relationships to meteorology in the summer monsoonal South China Sea/East Sea: the role of monsoonal flows, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, tropical cyclones, squall lines and cold pools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, J. S.; Lagrosas, N. D.; Jonsson, H. H.; Reid, E. A.; Sessions, W. R.; Simpas, J. B.; Uy, S. N.; Boyd, T. J.; Atwood, S. A.; Blake, D. R.; Campbell, J. R.; Cliff, S. S.; Holben, B. N.; Holz, R. E.; Hyer, E. J.; Lynch, P.; Meinardi, S.; Posselt, D. J.; Richardson, K. A.; Salinas, S. V.; Smirnov, A.; Wang, Q.; Yu, L. E.; Zhang, J.

2014-08-01

In a joint NRL/Manila Observatory mission, as part of the 7 SouthEast Asian Studies program (7SEAS), a two-week, late September~2011 research cruise in the northern Palawan Archipelago was undertaken to observe the nature of southwest monsoonal aerosol particles in the South China Sea/East Sea (SCS/ES) and Sulu Sea region. Previous analyses suggested this region as a~receptor for biomass burning from Borneo and Sumatra for boundary layer air entering the monsoonal trough. Anthropogenic pollution and biofuel emissions are also ubiquitous, as is heavy shipping traffic. Here, we provide an overview of the regional environment during the cruise, a time series of key aerosol and meteorological parameters, and their interrelationships. Overall, this cruise provides a~narrative of the processes that control regional aerosol loadings and their possible feedbacks with clouds and precipitation. While 2011 was a moderate El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) La Nina year, higher burning activity and lower precipitation was more typical of neutral conditions. The large-scale aerosol environment was modulated by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and its associated tropical cyclone (TC) activity in a manner consistent with the conceptual analysis performed by Reid et al. (2012). Advancement of the MJO from phase 3 to 6 with accompanying cyclogenesis during the cruise period strengthened flow patterns in the SCS/ES that modulated aerosol lifecycle. TC inflow arms of significant convection sometimes span from Sumatra to Luzon, resulting in very low particle concentrations (minimum condensation nuclei CN < 150 cm-3, non-sea salt PM2.5=1μg m-3). However, elevated carbon monoxide levels were occasionally observed suggesting passage of polluted air masses whose aerosol particles had been rained out. Conversely, two drier periods occurred with higher aerosol particle concentrations originating from Borneo and Southern Sumatra (CN > 3000 cm-3 and non-sea salt PM2.510-25 μg m-3). These cases corresponded with two different mechanisms of convection suppression: lower free-tropospheric dry-air intrusion from the Indian Ocean, and large-scale TC-induced subsidence. Veering vertical wind shear also resulted in aerosol transport into this region being mainly in the marine boundary layer (MBL), although lower free troposphere transport was possible on the western sides of Sumatra and Borneo. At the hourly time scale, particle concentrations were observed to be modulated by integer factors through convection and associated cold pools. Geostationary satellite observations suggest that convection often takes the form of squall lines, which are bowed up to 500 km across the monsoonal flow and 50 km wide. These squall lines, initiated by cold pools from large thunderstorms and likely sustained by a veering vertical wind shear, propagated over 1500 km across the entirety of the SCS/ES-effectively cutting large swaths of MBL aerosol particles out of the region. Our conclusion is that while large-scale flow patterns are very important in modulating convection and hence allowing long range transport of smoke and pollution, more short-lived phenomena can modulate cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations in the region, resulting in pockets of clean and polluted MBL air.

Reliability of a science admission test (HAM-Nat) at Hamburg medical school.

PubMed

Hissbach, Johanna; Klusmann, Dietrich; Hampe, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

The University Hospital in Hamburg (UKE) started to develop a test of knowledge in natural sciences for admission to medical school in 2005 (Hamburger Auswahlverfahren für Medizinische Studiengänge, Naturwissenschaftsteil, HAM-Nat). This study is a step towards establishing the HAM-Nat. We are investigating parallel forms reliability, the effect of a crash course in chemistry on test results, and correlations of HAM-Nat test results with a test of scientific reasoning (similar to a subtest of the "Test for Medical Studies", TMS). 316 first-year students participated in the study in 2007. They completed different versions of the HAM-Nat test which consisted of items that had already been used (HN2006) and new items (HN2007). Four weeks later half of the participants were tested on the HN2007 version of the HAM-Nat again, while the other half completed the test of scientific reasoning. Within this four week interval students were offered a five day chemistry course. Parallel forms reliability for four different test versions ranged from r(tt)=.53 to r(tt)=.67. The retest reliabilities of the HN2007 halves were r(tt)=.54 and r(tt )=.61. Correlations of the two HAM-Nat versions with the test of scientific reasoning were r=.34 und r=.21. The crash course in chemistry had no effect on HAM-Nat scores. The results suggest that further versions of the test of natural sciences will not easily conform to the standards of internal consistency, parallel-forms reliability and retest reliability. Much care has to be taken in order to assemble items which could be used interchangeably for the construction of new test versions. The test of scientific reasoning and the HAM-Nat are tapping different constructs. Participation in a chemistry course did not improve students' achievement, probably because the content of the course was not coordinated with the test and many students lacked of motivation to do well in the second test.

Reliability of a science admission test (HAM-Nat) at Hamburg medical school

PubMed Central

Hissbach, Johanna; Klusmann, Dietrich; Hampe, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Objective: The University Hospital in Hamburg (UKE) started to develop a test of knowledge in natural sciences for admission to medical school in 2005 (Hamburger Auswahlverfahren für Medizinische Studiengänge, Naturwissenschaftsteil, HAM-Nat). This study is a step towards establishing the HAM-Nat. We are investigating parallel forms reliability, the effect of a crash course in chemistry on test results, and correlations of HAM-Nat test results with a test of scientific reasoning (similar to a subtest of the "Test for Medical Studies", TMS). Methods: 316 first-year students participated in the study in 2007. They completed different versions of the HAM-Nat test which consisted of items that had already been used (HN2006) and new items (HN2007). Four weeks later half of the participants were tested on the HN2007 version of the HAM-Nat again, while the other half completed the test of scientific reasoning. Within this four week interval students were offered a five day chemistry course. Results: Parallel forms reliability for four different test versions ranged from rtt=.53 to rtt=.67. The retest reliabilities of the HN2007 halves were rtt=.54 and rtt =.61. Correlations of the two HAM-Nat versions with the test of scientific reasoning were r=.34 und r=.21. The crash course in chemistry had no effect on HAM-Nat scores. Conclusions: The results suggest that further versions of the test of natural sciences will not easily conform to the standards of internal consistency, parallel-forms reliability and retest reliability. Much care has to be taken in order to assemble items which could be used interchangeably for the construction of new test versions. The test of scientific reasoning and the HAM-Nat are tapping different constructs. Participation in a chemistry course did not improve students’ achievement, probably because the content of the course was not coordinated with the test and many students lacked of motivation to do well in the second test. PMID:21866246

Novel differential measurement of natural and added phosphorus in cooked ham with or without preservatives.

PubMed

Cupisti, Adamasco; Benini, Omar; Ferretti, Valerio; Gianfaldoni, Daniela; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar

2012-11-01

Assessment of the quantity and chemical type of phosphorus (P) content in cooked ham products with or without preservatives using a novel biochemical procedure. We examined the quantity and types of P in 40 samples of cooked ham, including 20 without and 20 with P-containing preservatives, which were purchased randomly from a grocery store in Italy. Food samples were analyzed for dry matter, nitrogen, fat, and P content. Novel spectrophotometric methods were used to measure total P and 3 different P subtypes, that is, water-soluble (inorganic) P including added preservatives and natural P derived from phospholipids and phosphoproteins, separately. Compared with hams without preservatives, hams with P-containing preservatives had significantly lower dry matter and protein and fat contents. There was 66% more inorganic P (IP) in ham with preservatives than in samples without preservatives (169 ± 36 vs. 102 ± 16 mg/100 g, P < .001, respectively). There were no significant differences in P contents derived from proteins or lipids. The P-to-protein ratio was higher in ham samples with preservatives than in those without preservatives (16.1 ± 4.0 and 9.8 ± 0.8 mg/g, P < .001). The sum of measured IP and P from phospholipids and phosphoproteins was 91% ± 4% of measured total P (207.1 ± 50.7 vs. 227.2 ± 54.4 mg/100 g), indicating a small portion of unspecified P and/or under measurement. Novel differential dietary P measurement detects added P-containing preservatives. Cooked ham with preservatives has 66% more measurable IP and 64% higher P-to-protein ratio than ham without preservatives. The contribution of food added with P-containing preservatives to global dietary P burden can negatively influence chronic kidney disease outcome and counteract the efficacy of P-binder medications: this is an important topic that warrants additional investigations. Copyright © 2012 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical and laboratory features of HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers and patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis from the Brazilian Amazon

PubMed Central

Takatani, Massanobu; Crispim, Myuki Esashika; Fraiji, Nelson; Stefani, Mariane Martins Araujo; Kiesslich, Dagmar

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Clinical and laboratory parameters including blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neopterin were investigated in human-T-lymphotropic-virus-type-I associated-myelopathy/tropical-spastic-paraparesis-HAM/TSP and in HTLV-I carriers. HAM/TSP (n = 11, 2 males/9 females, median age = 48 years), recently diagnosed HTLV-I carriers (n = 21, 15 females/6 males, median age = 44 years), healthy individuals (n = 20, 10 males/10 females, median age = 34.6 years) from the Brazilian Amazon (Manaus, Amazonas State) were investigated. Neopterin was measured (IBL ELISA Neopterin, Germany) in serum samples of all the participants, in CSF of 9 HAM/TSP patients as well as in 6 carriers. In HAM/TSP patients, CSF cell counts, protein and glucose were measured, the Osame’s motor-disability-score/OMDS was determined, and brain/spinal cord magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) was performed. HAM/TSP patients had normal CSF glucose, leukocyte counts; and normal protein levels predominated. Brain-MRI showed white-matter lesions in 7 out of 11 HAM/TSP patients. OMDS varied from 2-8: 9 were able to walk, 2 were wheel-chair-users. The median serum neopterin concentration in HAM/TSP patients was 6.6 nmol/ L; min. 2.8- max. 12.5 nmol/ L); was lower in carriers (4.3 nmol/L; min. 2.7- max. 7.2 nmol/ L) as well as in healthy participants (4.7 nmol/ L; min. 2.7- max. 8.0 nmol/ L) (p < 0.05). CSF neopterin concentrations in HAM/TSP patients were higher than in serum samples, and higher compared to carriers (p < 0.05). Carriers had similar serum-CSF neopterin concentrations compared to healthy participants. Variable clinical and laboratory profiles were seen in HAM/TSP patients, however our results support the neopterin measurement as a potential biomarker of disease activity. PMID:28380116

HTLV-1 subgroups associated with the risk of HAM/TSP are related to viral and host gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, independent of the transactivation functions of the viral factors.

PubMed

Yasuma, Keiko; Matsuzaki, Toshio; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Takashima, Hiroshi; Matsuoka, Masao; Saito, Mineki

2016-08-01

Among human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected individuals, the risk of developing HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) across lifetime differs between ethnic groups. There is an association between HTLV-1 tax gene subgroups (subgroup-A or subgroup-B) and the risk of HAM/TSP in the Japanese population. In this study, we investigated the full-length proviral genome sequences of various HTLV-1-infected cell lines and patient samples. The functional differences in the viral transcriptional regulators Tax and HTLV-1 bZIP factor (HBZ) between each subgroup and the relationships between subgroups and the clinical and laboratory characteristics of HAM/TSP patients were evaluated. The results of these analyses indicated the following: (1) distinct nucleotide substitutions corresponding to each subgroup were associated with nucleotide substitutions in viral structural, regulatory, and accessory genes; (2) the HBZ messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in HTLV-1-infected cells was significantly higher in HAM/TSP patients with subgroup-B than in those with subgroup-A; (3) a positive correlation was observed between the expression of HBZ mRNA and its target Foxp3 mRNA in HAM/TSP patients with subgroup-B, but not in patients with subgroup-A; (4) no clear differences were noted in clinical and laboratory characteristics between HAM/TSP patients with subgroup-A and subgroup-B; and (5) no functional differences were observed in Tax and HBZ between each subgroup based on reporter gene assays. Our results indicate that although different HTLV-1 subgroups are characterized by different patterns of viral and host gene expression in HAM/TSP patients via independent mechanisms of direct transcriptional regulation, these differences do not significantly affect the clinical and laboratory characteristics of HAM/TSP patients.

[The recent advances of HAM/TSP research].

PubMed

Osame, M

1999-12-01

The ninth international conference on HTLVs and related disorders was held on April 5-9, 1999 at Kagoshima, Japan under the conference chairperson, Dr. Mitsuhiro Osame. In this meeting, world-wide epidemiological data on HTLV-I carriers, ATL patients, and HAM/TSP patients were summarized as shown in the table. The total number of them was supposed to be more than 2.2 millions, 1,200, and 3,000, respectively. To elucidate the localization of HTLV-I proviral DNA directly, double staining using immunohistochemistry and PCR in situ hybridization in the spinal cords of HAM/TSP patients were performed. HTLV-I proviral DNA was localized only to OPD 4-positive cells (Matsuoka et al, 1998). The localization of HTLV-I messenger RNA was the same (Moritoyo et al, 1996). A novel technique to detect HTLV-I tax protein was also developed. In HAM/TSP patients, 0.04-1.16% of the CSF cells and 0.02-0.54% of PBMCs were positive for HTLV-I tax protein (Moritoyo et al, 1999). It was also hypothesized that HLA alleles control HTLV-I proviral load and thus influence susceptibility to HAM/TSP. Two hundred and thirty-two cases of HAM/TSP were compared with 201 randomly selected HTLV-I seropositive asymptomatic blood donors. It was shown that, after infection with HTLV-I, the class I allele HLA-A*02 halves the odds of HAM/TSP (p < 0.0001), preventing 28% of potential cases of HAM/TSP. Furthermore, HLA-A*02 positive healthy HTLV-I carriers have a proviral load one-third that (p = 0.0114) of HLA-A*02 negative HTLV-I carriers. An association of HLA-DRB1*0101 with disease susceptibility was also identified, which doubled the odds of HAM/TSP in the absence of the protective effect of HLA-A*02 (Jeffery and Usuku et al, 1999).

Chimpanzee 'Ham' In Biopack Couch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1961-01-01

A three-year-old chimpanzee, named Ham, in the biopack couch for the MR-2 suborbital test flight. On January 31, 1961, a Mercury-Redstone launch from Cape Canaveral carried the chimpanzee 'Ham' over 640 kilometers down range in an arching trajectory that reached a peak of 254 kilometers above the Earth. The mission was successful and Ham performed his lever-pulling task well in response to the flashing light. NASA used chimpanzees and other primates to test the Mercury Capsule before launching the first American astronaut Alan Shepard in May 1961. The successful flight and recovery confirmed the soundness of the Mercury-Redstone systems.

Effects of Two Application Methods of Plantaricin BM-1 on Control of Listeria monocytogenes and Background Spoilage Bacteria in Sliced Vacuum-Packaged Cooked Ham Stored at 4°C.

PubMed

Zhou, Huimin; Xie, Yuanhong; Liu, Hui; Jin, Junhua; Duan, Huixia; Zhang, Hongxing

2015-10-01

Two application methods were used to investigate the effect of plantaricin BM-1 on the control of Listeria monocytogenes and background spoilage bacteria in sliced vacuum-packaged cooked ham without the addition of any chemical preservatives, including sodium nitrite, during 35 days of storage at 4°C. Regardless of the application method, plantaricin BM-1 treatment (320, 640, or 1,280 arbitrary units [AU]/g of sliced cooked ham) significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the survival of L. monocytogenes (inoculated at 4 log CFU/g of sliced ham) compared with its survival in the control during the first 21 days of storage at 4°C. The inhibitory effect of plantaricin applied to the surface of the ham was significantly better than the same concentration of plantaricin incorporated into the cooked ham (P < 0.0001) during storage. Even 320 AU/g plantaricin applied to the surface exhibited greater inhibition of L. monocytogenes than 1,280 AU/g plantaricin incorporated into the cooked ham on days 1, 14, and 28. A level of 1,280 AU/g plantaricin applied to the surface of the ham reduced L. monocytogenes counts to below the detection limit from the 1st to the 21st day of storage at 4°C. Afterwards, L. monocytogenes was able to regrow, and the viable counts of L. monocytogenes at the end of storage reached 2.76 log CFU/g (6.11 log CFU/g lower than in the control). In the control ham, the counts of background spoilage bacteria increased gradually and surpassed the microbiological spoilage limitation level on the 21st day of storage. However, plantaricin BM-1 treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the survival of background spoilage bacteria in ham compared with their survival in the control from day 21 to 35 of storage at 4°C. A level of 1,280 AU/g plantaricin incorporated into cooked ham was the most effective, reducing the count of background spoilage bacteria count from an initial 2.0 log CFU/g to 1.5 log CFU/g on day 7. This was then maintained for another 14 days and finally increased to 2.76 log CFU/g at the end of the storage at 4°C (2.85 log CFU/g lower than in the control). In conclusion, plantaricin BM-1 application inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes and background spoilage bacteria in cooked ham during storage at 4°C and could be used as an antimicrobial additive for meat preservation.

Temperature sensing in shock-heated evaporating aerosol using wavelength-modulation absorption spectroscopy of CO2 near 2.7 µm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Wei; Jeffries, Jay B.; Hanson, Ronald K.

2010-10-01

A tunable diode laser sensor with a detection bandwidth of 40 kHz is developed for measuring the time-varying gas temperature of CO2 during the evaporation of shock-heated hydrocarbon fuel aerosol. Normalized wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2f/1f) is used to probe R(28) and P(70) transitions in the ν1 + ν3 combination band of CO2 near 2.7 µm. The fixed-center-wavelength WMS sensor was first validated in a shock tube with non-reactive CO2/Ar gas mixtures, yielding an accuracy of better than 1.5% over the entire range of 650-1500 K. The sensor was then evaluated in a well-controlled aerosol flow cell, demonstrating the potential for precise gas temperature measurement even when aerosol scattering attenuates more than 99% of the incident light. Applications of this sensor for accurate temperature measurement of evaporating n-dodecane aerosol were then performed in an aerosol shock tube. The time-resolved temperature variation due to the evaporation of fuel droplets was accurately captured without using an off-resonant laser to account for the extinction from droplet scattering. Measured temperatures confirmed the accuracy of the gasdynamic model used to calculate the pre- and post-evaporation shock conditions, as needed in shock tube studies on combustion chemistry.

Evaluation of Mixed Probiotic Starter Cultures Isolated from Kimchi on Physicochemical and Functional Properties, and Volatile Compounds of Fermented Hams.

PubMed

Kim, Young Joo; Park, Sung Yong; Lee, Hong Chul; Yoo, Seung Seok; Oh, Sejong; Kim, Kwang Hyun; Chin, Koo Bok

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mixed starter cultures isolated from kimchi on physicochemical properties, functionality and flavors of fermented ham. Physicochemical properties, microbial counts, shear force, cholesterol contents and volatile compounds of fermented ham were investigated during processing (curing and ripening time). Curing process for 7 d increased saltiness, however, decreased hunter color values (L, a, and b values). Ripening process for 21 d increased most parameters, such as saltiness, color values, weight loss, shear force and cholesterol content due to the drying process. The mixed starter culture had higher lactic acid bacteria than the commercial one. While eight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during curing process, total fiftyeight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during ripening process. The main volatile compounds were alcohols, esters and furans. However, no differences in volatile compounds were observed between two batches. Fermented hams (batch B) manufactured with probiotic starter culture (LPP) had higher sensory score in texture, color and overall acceptability than counterparts (batch A), while the opposite trend was observed in flavor. Therefore, mixed probiotic starter culture isolated from kimchi might be used as a starter culture to be able to replace with commercial starter culture (LK-30 plus) for the manufacture of fermented ham.

Evaluation of Mixed Probiotic Starter Cultures Isolated from Kimchi on Physicochemical and Functional Properties, and Volatile Compounds of Fermented Hams

PubMed Central

Yoo, Seung Seok

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mixed starter cultures isolated from kimchi on physicochemical properties, functionality and flavors of fermented ham. Physicochemical properties, microbial counts, shear force, cholesterol contents and volatile compounds of fermented ham were investigated during processing (curing and ripening time). Curing process for 7 d increased saltiness, however, decreased hunter color values (L, a, and b values). Ripening process for 21 d increased most parameters, such as saltiness, color values, weight loss, shear force and cholesterol content due to the drying process. The mixed starter culture had higher lactic acid bacteria than the commercial one. While eight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during curing process, total fiftyeight volatile compounds were identified from fermented hams during ripening process. The main volatile compounds were alcohols, esters and furans. However, no differences in volatile compounds were observed between two batches. Fermented hams (batch B) manufactured with probiotic starter culture (LPP) had higher sensory score in texture, color and overall acceptability than counterparts (batch A), while the opposite trend was observed in flavor. Therefore, mixed probiotic starter culture isolated from kimchi might be used as a starter culture to be able to replace with commercial starter culture (LK-30 plus) for the manufacture of fermented ham. PMID:27499673

High-pressure processing and antimicrobial biodegradable packaging to control Listeria monocytogenes during storage of cooked ham.

PubMed

Marcos, Begonya; Aymerich, Teresa; Monfort, Josep M; Garriga, Margarita

2008-02-01

The efficiency of combining high-pressure processing (HPP) and active packaging technologies to control Listeria monocytogenes growth during the shelf life of artificially inoculated cooked ham was assessed. Three lots of cooked ham were prepared: control, packaging with alginate films, and packaging with antimicrobial alginate films containing enterocins. After packaging, half of the samples were pressurized. Sliced cooked ham stored at 6 degrees C experienced a quick growth of L. monocytogenes. Both antimicrobial packaging and pressurization delayed the growth of the pathogen. However, at 6 degrees C the combination of antimicrobial packaging and HPP was necessary to achieve a reduction of inoculated levels without recovery during 60 days of storage. Further storage at 6 degrees C of pressurized antimicrobial packed cooked ham resulted in L. monocytogenes levels below the detection limit (day 90). On the other hand, storage at 1 degrees C controlled the growth of the pathogen until day 39 in non-pressurized ham, while antimicrobial packaging and storage at 1 degrees C exerted a bacteriostatic effect for 60 days. All HPP lots stored at 1 degrees C led to counts <100CFU/g at day 60. Similar results were observed when combining both technologies. After a cold chain break no growth of L. monocytogenes was observed in pressurized ham packed with antimicrobial films, showing the efficiency of combining both technologies.

Role of HTLV-1 Tax and HBZ in the Pathogenesis of HAM/TSP

PubMed Central

Enose-Akahata, Yoshimi; Vellucci, Ashley; Jacobson, Steven

2017-01-01

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection can lead to development of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) or HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in a subset of infected subjects. Understanding the interaction between host and HTLV-1 and the molecular mechanisms associated with disease pathogenesis is critical for development efficient therapies. Two HTLV-1 genes, tax and HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ), have been demonstrated to play important roles in HTLV-1 infectivity and the growth and survival of leukemic cells. Increased HTLV-1 Tax expression induces the expression of various cellular genes such as IL-2 and IL-15, which directly contributes to lymphocyte activation and immunopathogenesis in HAM/TSP patients. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanism of HBZ in development of HAM/TSP. It has been reported that HBZ mRNA expression was detected in HAM/TSP patients higher than in asymptomatic carriers and correlated with proviral load and disease severity. Unlike HTLV-1 tax, HBZ escapes efficient anti-viral immune responses and therefore these reactivities are difficult to detect. Thus, it is important to focus on understanding the function and the role of HTLV-1 tax and HBZ in disease development of HAM/TSP and discuss the potential use of these HTLV-1 viral gene products as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HAM/TSP. PMID:29312243

Global variability of cloud condensation nuclei concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makkonen, Risto; Krüger, Olaf

2017-04-01

Atmospheric aerosols can influence cloud optical and dynamical processes by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Globally, these indirect aerosol effects are significant to the radiative budget as well as a source of high uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing. While historically many global climate models have fixed CCN concentrations to a certain level, most state-of-the-art models calculate aerosol-cloud interactions with sophisticated methodologies based on interactively simulated aerosol size distributions. However, due to scarcity of atmospheric observations simulated global CCN concentrations remain poorly constrained. Here we assess global CCN variability with a climate model, and attribute potential trends during 2000-2010 to changes in emissions and meteorological fields. Here we have used ECHAM5.5-HAM2 with model M7 microphysical aerosol model. The model has been upgraded with a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) scheme including ELVOCs. Dust and sea salt emissions are calculated online, based on wind speed and hydrology. Each experiment is 11 years, analysed after a 6-month spin-up period. The MODIS CCN product (Terra platform) is used to evaluate model performance throughout 2000-2010. While optical remote observation of CCN column includes several deficiencies, the products serves as a proxy for changes during the simulation period. In our analysis we utilize the observed and simulated vertical column integrated CCN concentration, and limit our analysis only over marine regions. Simulated annual CCN column densities reach 2ṡ108 cm-2 near strong source regions in central Africa, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and China sea. The spatial concentration gradient in CCN(0.2%) is steep, and column densities drop to <50% a few hundred kilometers away from the coasts. While the spatial distribution of CCN at 0.2% supersaturation is closer to that of MODIS proxy, as opposed to 1.0% supersaturation, the overall column integrated CCN are too low. Still, we can compare the relative response of CCN to emission and meteorological variability. Most evident pattern of high temporal correlation is found over North Atlantic ocean, extending throughout Europe and up to Gulf of Mexico. All of these regions show a generally decreasing trend throughout the decade in control simulations and MODIS CCN, and the simulations including the emission trends clearly improve the simulations with climatological emissions. In regions where the observed intra-annual cycle correlates well with sea-spray emissions, the long-term annual correlation usually remains poor. This could indicate that the model is unable to capture the natural variability in marine aerosol emissions.

KSC-08pd1151

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After their arrival at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, the crew of space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission gather for a group photo. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. From left are Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff, Pilot Ken Ham, Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg, Commander Mark Kelly and Mission Specialists Ron Garan, Mike Fossum and Akihiko Hoshide, who represents the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA. TCDT is a rehearsal for launch that includes practicing emergency procedures, handling on-orbit equipment, and simulating a launch countdown. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Survival of Unstressed and Acid-, Cold-, and Starvation-Stress-Adapted Listeria monocytogenes in Ham Extract with Hops Beta Acids and Consumer Acceptability of HBA on Ready-to-Eat Ham

PubMed Central

Wang, Li; Shen, Cangliang

2015-01-01

The efficacy of hops beta acids (HBA) against unstressed and stress-adapted Listeria monocytogenes in ham extract and the consumers' acceptability of HBA on ready-to-eat (RTE) hams were investigated. Unstressed or acid-, cold-, or starvation-stress-adapted L. monocytogenes was inoculated (1.3–1.5 log CFU/mL) into 10% ham extract, without (control) or with HBA (4.44 or 10.0 µg/mL). Survival/growth of the pathogen during storage (7.2°C, 26 days) was monitored periodically. Sensory evaluation (30 participants, 9-point hedonic scale) was performed with hams dipped into 0.05, 0.11, and 0.23% HBA solution. Ham extracts without HBA supported rapid growth of unstressed and stress-adapted cells with growth rates of 0.39–0.71 log CFU/mL/day and lag phases of 0–3.26 days. HBA inhibited growth of unstressed L. monocytogenes by slowing (P < 0.05) growth rate (0.24–0.29 log CFU/mL/day) and increasing (P < 0.05) length of the lag phase (3.49–12.98 days) compared to control. Acid-, cold-, or starvation-stress-adapted cells showed cross protection against HBA with greater (P < 0.05) growth rates (0.44–0.66 log CFU/mL/day) and similar or shorter lag phases (0–5.44 days) than unstressed cells. HBA did not (P > 0.05) affect sensory attributes of RTE ham. These results are useful for RTE meat processors to develop operational protocols using HBA to control L. monocytogenes. PMID:26539527

Hypercortisolemia Is Associated with Severity of Bone Loss and Depression in Hypothalamic Amenorrhea and Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

Lawson, Elizabeth A.; Donoho, Daniel; Miller, Karen K.; Misra, Madhusmita; Meenaghan, Erinne; Lydecker, Janet; Wexler, Tamara; Herzog, David B.; Klibanski, Anne

2009-01-01

Context: Anorexia nervosa (AN) and functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) are associated with low bone density, anxiety, and depression. Women with AN and HA have elevated cortisol levels. Significant hypercortisolemia, as in Cushing’s disease, causes bone loss. It is unknown whether anxiety and depression and/or cortisol dysregulation contribute to low bone density in AN or HA. Objective: Our objective was to investigate whether hypercortisolemia is associated with bone loss and mood disturbance in women with HA and AN. Design and Setting: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a clinical research center. Participants: We studied 52 women [21 healthy controls (HC), 13 normal-weight women with functional HA, and 18 amenorrheic women with AN]. Outcome Measures: Serum samples were measured every 20 min for 12 h overnight and pooled for average cortisol levels. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at anteroposterior and lateral spine and hip. Hamilton Rating Scales for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Depression (HAM-D) were administered. Results: BMD was lower in AN and HA than HC at all sites and lower in AN than HA at the spine. On the HAM-D and HAM-A, AN scored higher than HA, and HA scored higher than HC. Cortisol levels were highest in AN, intermediate in HA, and lowest in HC. HAM-A and HAM-D scores were associated with decreased BMD. Cortisol levels were positively associated with HAM-A and HAM-D scores and negatively associated with BMD. Conclusions: Hypercortisolemia is a potential mediator of bone loss and mood disturbance in these disorders. PMID:19837921

Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in needle-tenderized dry cured Westphalian ham.

PubMed

Graumann, Gary H; Holley, Richard A

2007-09-15

Westphalian ham is a dry cured, ready-to-eat product that is manufactured without a lethal heat treatment. Hams are preserved by a process that involves curing, fermenting, smoking and drying, which may take 3 months or more to complete. The process can be accelerated by tenderizing the meat with solid needles, to increase the rate of cure-salt diffusion throughout muscle tissues. In this study, intact hams were immersed in a solution containing a five strain cocktail of Escherichia coli O157:H7 at 8 log cfu/mL, to determine whether needle treatment before cure application would internalize organisms from the surface. In two trials, the survival of E. coli O157:H7 on external surfaces and within deep tissues after needle treatment was followed during the ripening of hams. The injured E. coli O157:H7 cells were recovered by plating samples on pre-poured Tryptic Soy Agar plates which were incubated for 3 to 4 h at 35 degrees C, overlaid with Sorbitol MacConkey Agar containing cefixime and tellurite and re-incubated at 35 degrees C for 48 to 72 h. Inoculated-injected hams initially carried E. coli O157:H7 at numbers of 7.3 and 4.6 log cfu/g E. coli O157:H7 on the surface and inside, respectively. After 112 d of ripening, which included 79 d of drying, no E. coli O157:H7 were detected at the surface of hams following enrichment, whereas in deep tissue the organism was recovered at numbers of 3.1 log cfu/g. The Westphalian ham ripening procedure evidently was not adequate to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 internalized by needle tenderization.

Evaluation of HTLV-1 activity in HAM/TSP patients using proviral load and Tax mRNA expression after In Vitro lymphocyte activation.

PubMed

Yari, Atefeh; Rezaee, Seyyed Abdolrahim; Valizadeh, Narges; Rajaee, Taraneh; Jazayeri, Seyyed Mohammad; Soltani, Mojdeh; Norouzi, Mehdi

2014-07-01

HTLV-1 is the first human retrovirus that has been recognized and is associated with HAM/TSP and ATLL. Studies have shown that less than five percent of HTLV-1 infected carriers develop HAM/TSP or ATLL and about ninety-five percent remain asymptomatic. Therefore, the proviral load with Tax may affect cellular genes such as cytokines and oncogenes, as well as involve in pathogenicity. Thirty HAM/TSP patients, thirty HTLV-1 healthy carriers, and MT-2 cell line were evaluated for HTLV-1 activity. PBMCs were isolated and activated using PMA and ionomycine. Real-time PCR and TaqMan methods were performed using specific primers and fluorescence probes for Tax expression and proviral load assessment. B2microglobulin (β2m) and albumin were used as controls in Tax expression and in proviral load, respectively. An insignificant increase in Tax expression was observed in rest PBMCs of HAM/TSP patients compared to healthy carriers. However, after lymphocyte activation there was a significant increase in Tax expression in HAM/TSP patients (P=0.042). The Proviral load in patients was significantly higher than in carriers. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between Tax mRNA expression in activated PBMCs and proviral load (R=0.37, P=0.012). Although proviral load had been addressed as a valuable index for monitoring HTLV-1 infected subjects, the results of this study demonstrated that Tax expression in activated PBMCs along with proviral load assessment in HAM/TSP patients are a more reliable factor for determining the prognosis and monitoring healthy carriers and HAM/TSP patients.

Classification of pre-sliced pork and Turkey ham qualities based on image colour and textural features and their relationships with consumer responses.

PubMed

Iqbal, Abdullah; Valous, Nektarios A; Mendoza, Fernando; Sun, Da-Wen; Allen, Paul

2010-03-01

Images of three qualities of pre-sliced pork and Turkey hams were evaluated for colour and textural features to characterize and classify them, and to model the ham appearance grading and preference responses of a group of consumers. A total of 26 colour features and 40 textural features were extracted for analysis. Using Mahalanobis distance and feature inter-correlation analyses, two best colour [mean of S (saturation in HSV colour space), std. deviation of b*, which indicates blue to yellow in L*a*b* colour space] and three textural features [entropy of b*, contrast of H (hue of HSV colour space), entropy of R (red of RGB colour space)] for pork, and three colour (mean of R, mean of H, std. deviation of a*, which indicates green to red in L*a*b* colour space) and two textural features [contrast of B, contrast of L* (luminance or lightness in L*a*b* colour space)] for Turkey hams were selected as features with the highest discriminant power. High classification performances were reached for both types of hams (>99.5% for pork and >90.5% for Turkey) using the best selected features or combinations of them. In spite of the poor/fair agreement among ham consumers as determined by Kappa analysis (Kappa-value<0.4) for sensory grading (surface colour, colour uniformity, bitonality, texture appearance and acceptability), a dichotomous logistic regression model using the best image features was able to explain the variability of consumers' responses for all sensorial attributes with accuracies higher than 74.1% for pork hams and 83.3% for Turkey hams. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soluble Factors Released by Endogenous Viable Cells Enhance the Antioxidant and Chemoattractive Activities of Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane

PubMed Central

Duan-Arnold, Yi; Gyurdieva, Alexandra; Johnson, Amy; Jacobstein, Douglas A.; Danilkovitch, Alla

2015-01-01

Objective: Regulation of oxidative stress and recruitment of key cell types are activities of human amniotic membrane (hAM) that contribute to its benefits for wound treatment. Progress in tissue preservation has led to commercialization of hAM. The majority of hAM products are devitalized with various degrees of matrix alteration. Data show the importance of hAM matrix preservation, but little is known about the advantages of retaining viable endogenous cells. In this study, we compared the antioxidant and chemoattractive properties of viable intact cryopreserved hAM (int-hAM) and devitalized cryopreserved hAM (dev-hAM) to determine the benefits of cell preservation. Approach: We evaluated the ability of int-hAM and dev-hAM to protect fibroblasts from oxidant-induced cell damage, to suppress oxidants, and to recruit fibroblasts and keratinocytes in vitro. Results: Both the int-hAM–derived conditioned medium (CM) and the int-hAM tissue rescued significantly more fibroblasts from oxidant-induced damage than dev-hAM (844% and 93% more, respectively). The int-hAM CM showed a 202% greater antioxidant capacity than dev-hAM. The int-hAM CM enhanced the recruitment of fibroblasts and normal and diseased keratinocytes to a greater extent than dev-hAM (1,555%, 315%, and 151% greater, respectively). Innovation and Conclusion: Int-hAM, in which all native components are preserved, including endogenous viable cells, demonstrated a significantly greater antioxidant and fibroblast and keratinocyte chemoattractive potential compared to dev-hAM, in which viable cells are destroyed. The release of soluble factors that protect fibroblasts from oxidative injury by hAM containing viable cells is a mechanism of hAM antioxidant activity, which is a novel finding of this study. PMID:26029483

Comparing the Efficacy of 8 Weeks Treatment of Cipram® and its Generic Citalopram in Patients With Mixed Anxiety-Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Khoonsari, Hasan; Oghazian, Mohammad Bagher; Kargar, Mona; Moin, Mahdiyeh; Khalili, Hossein; Alimadadi, Abbas; Torkamandi, Hassan; Ghaeli, Padideh

2015-06-01

Patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder (MADD) suffer both anxiety and depression. Antidepressants, especially, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are among agents of choice for treating this condition. This study compared the efficacy of Cipram® with its generic, citalopram. Forty adult outpatients (between 18 to 55 years of age) with a diagnosis of MADD who met the trial criteria, entered this double-blind, randomized study. Subjects were assigned to receive either generic citalopram or Cipram® for 8 weeks. Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) were utilized to assess depression and anxiety at baseline, weeks 4 and 8 of the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 14.0. Twenty patients received citalopram (mean dosages of 22 mg/day during the first 4 weeks and 33 mg/day during weeks 4 to 8) and 20 received Cipram® (mean dosages of 22 mg/day during the first 4 weeks and 29 mg/day during weeks 4 to 8). Both treatments were noted to be effective in improving the symptoms of MADD at weeks 4 and 8. The mean differences of HAM-D and HAM-A between Citalopram and Cipram® groups were significantly different at the end of week 4 (HAM-D: P = 0.038, HAM-A: P = 0.025), but not at the end of week 8 (HAM-D: P = 0.239, HAM-A: P = 0.204). Both medications were tolerated well by the patients. This study suggests that the efficacy of citalopram is similar to that of Cipram® in the treatment of MADD after 8 weeks. Meanwhile, Cipram® may reduce depression and anxiety quicker than its generic, citalopram.

Color formation in nitrite-free dried hams as related to Zn-protoporphyrin IX and Zn-chelatase activity.

PubMed

Parolari, Giovanni; Benedini, Riccardo; Toscani, Tania

2009-08-01

The development of red pigment Zn-protoporphyrin IX (ZPP) in nitrite-free Parma hams was investigated in 5 leg muscles at several stages of processing and the activity of muscle Zn-chelatase was concurrently assayed for its potential role in ZPP formation. A steady increase of the pigment was observed throughout the manufacturing stages at mild temperatures while no development was observed during the prior cold resting phase. The enzyme was partly inactivated according to a muscle-dependent pattern, resulting in similar ZPP contents, hence color, in finished hams. It is concluded that enzyme-dependent synthesis of ZPP in nitrite-free dried hams contributes to color development, enabling muscles in dried hams to become more similar in redness than in green thighs. Therefore, checking raw meat for the enzyme content may be a means to control color formation in nitrite-free dry-cured meat derivatives.

Effect of nitrite on the odourant volatile fraction of cooked ham.

PubMed

Thomas, Caroline; Mercier, Frédéric; Tournayre, Pascal; Martin, Jean-Luc; Berdagué, Jean-Louis

2013-08-15

The aim of this work was to reliably identify the key odour compounds in cooked ham and acquire new knowledge on the role of sodium nitrite on the formation of its aroma. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and (or) olfactometry was used. In all, 24 odourants were identified in the volatile fraction of cooked ham. Their main origins are discussed. Orthonasal sniffing of the hams was used to study how these substances contributed to the overall aroma of the product. The aroma of cooked ham is a balance between that of certain sulfur compounds produced during cooking and that of oxidation compounds commonly found in cooked meats. In the absence of nitrite, this balance is disturbed by extensive formation of oxidation compounds that mask the meaty notes induced by the sulfur compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decadal Variations in Surface Solar Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, M.

2007-05-01

Satellite estimates provide some information on the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the planet back to the 1980s. The amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth surface can be traced further back in time, untill the 1960s at widespread locations and into the first half of the 20th Century at selected sites. These surface sites suggest significant decadal variations in solar radiation incident at the surface, with indication for a widespread dimming from the 1960s up to the mid 1980s, and a recovery thereafter. Indications for changes in surface solar radiation may also be seen in observatinal records of diurnal temperature range, which provide a better global coverage than the radiation measurrements. Trends in diurnal temperature ranges over global land surfaces show, after decades of decline, a distinct tendency to level off since the mid 1980s. This provides further support for a significant shift in surface solar radiation during the 1980s. There is evidence that the changes in surface solar radiation are linked to associated changes in atmospheric aerosol. Variations in scattering sulfur and absorbing black carbon aerosols are in line with the variations in surface solar radiation. This suggests that at least a part of the variations in surface solar radiation should also be seen in the clear sky planetary albedo. Model simulations with a GCM which includes a sophisticated interactive treatment of aerosols and their emission histories (ECHAM5 HAM), can be used to address this issue. The model is shown to be capable of reproducing the reversal from dimming to brightening under cloud-free conditions in many parts of the world, in line with observational evidence. Associated changes can also be seen in the clear sky planetary albedo, albeit of smaller magnitude.

Chemical transport model simulations of organic aerosol in southern California: model evaluation and gasoline and diesel source contributions

EPA Science Inventory

Gasoline- and diesel-fueled engines are ubiquitous sources of air pollution in urban environments. They emit both primary particulate matter and precursor gases that react to form secondary particulate matter in the atmosphere. In this work, we updated the organic aerosol module ...

Stratospheric ion and aerosol chemistry and possible links with cirrus cloud microphysics - A critical assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mohnen, Volker A.

1990-01-01

Aspects of stratospheric ion chemistry and physics are assessed as they relate to aerosol formation and the transport of aerosols to upper tropospheric regions to create conditions favorable for cirrus cloud formation. It is found that ion-induced nucleation and other known phase transitions involving ions and sulfuric acid vapor are probably not efficient processes for stratospheric aerosol formation, and cannot compete with condensation of sulfuric acid on preexisting particles of volcanic or meteoritic origin which are larger than about 0.15 micron in radius. Thus, galactic cosmic rays cannot have a significant impact on stratospheric aerosol population. Changes in the stratospheric aerosol burden due to volcanos are up to two orders of magnitude larger than changes in ion densities. Thus, volcanic activity may modulate the radiative properties of cirrus clouds.

Effect of hot carcass weight on loin, ham, and belly quality from pigs sourced from a commercial processing facility

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective was to determine the predictive abilities of HCW for loin, ham, and belly quality of 7,684 pigs with carcass weights ranging from 53.2 to 129.6 kg. Carcass composition, subjective loin quality, and ham face color were targeted on all carcasses, whereas in-plant instrumental loin color ...

Color image segmentation to detect defects on fresh ham

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marty-Mahe, Pascale; Loisel, Philippe; Brossard, Didier

2003-04-01

We present in this paper the color segmentation methods that were used to detect appearance defects on 3 dimensional shape of fresh ham. The use of color histograms turned out to be an efficient solution to characterize the healthy skin, but a special care must be taken to choose the color components because of the 3 dimensional shape of ham.

A Chimpanzee, 'Ham,' in the Biopack Couch for the MR-2 Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1961-01-01

A three-year-old chimpanzee, named Ham, in the biopack couch for the MR-2 suborbital test flight. On January 31, 1961, a Mercury-Redstone launch from Cape Canaveral carried the chimpanzee 'Ham' over 640 kilometers down range in an arching trajectory that reached a peak of 254 kilometers above the Earth. The mission was successful and Ham performed his lever-pulling task well in response to the flashing light. NASA used chimpanzees and other primates to test the Mercury Capsule before launching the first American astronaut Alan Shepard in May 1961. The successful flight and recovery confirmed the soundness of the Mercury-Redstone systems.

A Game Map Complexity Measure Based on Hamming Distance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Su, Pan; Li, Wenliang

With the booming of PC game market, Game AI has attracted more and more researches. The interesting and difficulty of a game are relative with the map used in game scenarios. Besides, the path-finding efficiency in a game is also impacted by the complexity of the used map. In this paper, a novel complexity measure based on Hamming distance, called the Hamming complexity, is introduced. This measure is able to estimate the complexity of binary tileworld. We experimentally demonstrated that Hamming complexity is highly relative with the efficiency of A* algorithm, and therefore it is a useful reference to the designer when developing a game map.

Creatine and creatinine evolution during the processing of dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Mora, Leticia; Hernández-Cázares, Aleida S; Sentandreu, Miguel Angel; Toldrá, Fidel

2010-03-01

Dry-curing of ham involves many biochemical reactions that depend on the processing conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the dry-cured processing on the concentration of creatine, creatinine and the creatinine/creatine ratio. Dry-cured hams under study were salted using three different salt mixtures (100% NaCl; NaCl and KCl at 50% each; and 55% NaCl, 25% KCl, 15% CaCl(2) and 5% MgCl(2)) in order to observe its influence on creatinine formation but no significant differences were found between them at any time of processing. However, significant differences between different post-salting times (20, 50 and 80 days) and the ripened hams (7, 9 and 11 months of ripening) were observed. Results showed that creatine and creatinine remain stable once the ripening period is reached. These results were confirmed when analysing dry-cured ham samples submitted to extreme conditions of temperature and time (20, 30, 40 and 70 degrees C during 0, 20, 40 and 60 min) as well as commercial dry-cured hams with more than 12 months of processing. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prediction of practical performance in preclinical laboratory courses - the return of wire bending for admission of dental students in Hamburg.

PubMed

Kothe, Christian; Hissbach, Johanna; Hampe, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

Although some recent studies concluded that dexterity is not a reliable predictor of performance in preclinical laboratory courses in dentistry, they could not disprove earlier findings which confirmed the worth of manual dexterity tests in dental admission. We developed a wire bending test (HAM-Man) which was administered during dental freshmen's first week in 2008, 2009, and 2010. The purpose of our study was to evaluate if the HAM-Man is a useful selection criterion additional to the high school grade point average (GPA) in dental admission. Regression analysis revealed that GPA only accounted for a maximum of 9% of students' performance in preclinical laboratory courses, in six out of eight models the explained variance was below 2%. The HAM-Man incrementally explained up to 20.5% of preclinical practical performance over GPA. In line with findings from earlier studies the HAM-Man test of manual dexterity showed satisfactory incremental validity. While GPA has a focus on cognitive abilities, the HAM-Man reflects learning of unfamiliar psychomotor skills, spatial relationships, and dental techniques needed in preclinical laboratory courses. The wire bending test HAM-Man is a valuable additional selection instrument for applicants of dental schools.

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station - Phase 2 Hardware System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, F.; McFadin, L.; Bruninga, B.; Watarikawa, H.

2003-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) ham radio system has been on-orbit for over 3 years. Since its first use in November 2000, the first seven expedition crews and three Soyuz taxi crews have utilized the amateur radio station in the Functional Cargo Block (also referred to as the FGB or Zarya module) to talk to thousands of students in schools, to their families on Earth, and to amateur radio operators around the world. Early on, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) international team devised a multi-phased hardware development approach for the ISS ham radio station. Three internal development Phases. Initial Phase 1, Mobile Radio Phase 2 and Permanently Mounted Phase 3 plus an externally mounted system, were proposed and agreed to by the ARISS team. The Phase 1 system hardware development which was started in 1996 has since been delivered to ISS. It is currently operational on 2 meters. The 70 cm system is expected to be installed and operated later this year. Since 2001, the ARISS international team have worked to bring the second generation ham system, called Phase 2, to flight qualification status. At this time, major portions of the Phase 2 hardware system have been delivered to ISS and will soon be installed and checked out. This paper intends to provide an overview of the Phase 1 system for background and then describe the capabilities of the Phase 2 radio system. It will also describe the current plans to finalize the Phase 1 and Phase 2 testing in Russia and outlines the plans to bring the Phase 2 hardware system to full operation.

The role of anthropogenic aerosol emission reduction in achieving the Paris Agreement's objective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hienola, Anca; Pietikäinen, Joni-Pekka; O'Donnell, Declan; Partanen, Antti-Ilari; Korhonen, Hannele; Laaksonen, Ari

2017-04-01

The Paris agreement reached in December 2015 under the auspices of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) aims at holding the global temperature increase to well below 2◦C above preindustrial levels and "to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5◦C above preindustrial levels". Limiting warming to any level implies that the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) - the dominant driver of long-term temperatures - that can ever be emitted into the atmosphere is finite. Essentially, this means that global CO2 emissions need to become net zero. CO2 is not the only pollutant causing warming, although it is the most persistent. Short-lived, non-CO2 climate forcers also must also be considered. Whereas much effort has been put into defining a threshold for temperature increase and zero net carbon emissions, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the non-CO2 climate forcers, including not just the non-CO2 greenhouse gases (methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halocarbons etc.) but also the anthropogenic aerosols like black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC) and sulfate. This study investigates the possibility of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5◦C by the end of the century under different future scenarios of anthropogenic aerosol emissions simulated with the very simplistic MAGICC climate carbon cycle model as well as with ECHAM6.1-HAM2.2-SALSA + UVic ESCM. The simulations include two different CO2 scenarios- RCP3PD as control and a CO2 reduction leading to 1.5◦C (which translates into reaching the net zero CO2 emissions by mid 2040s followed by negative emissions by the end of the century); each CO2 scenario includes also two aerosol pollution control cases denoted with CLE (current legislation) and MFR (maximum feasible reduction). The main result of the above scenarios is that the stronger the anthropogenic aerosol emission reduction is, the more significant the temperature increase by 2100 relative to pre-industrial temperature will be, making the 1.5◦C temperature goal impossible to reach. Although the global reduction of anthropogenic aerosols can greatly enforce the global warming effect due to GHGs, all our simulations resulted in temperature increase bellow (but not well bellow) 2◦C above preindustrial levels - a slightly more realistic target compared to 1.5◦C. The results of this study are based on simulations of only two climate models. As such, we do not regard these results as indisputable, but we consider that aerosols and their effect on climate deserve more attention when discussing future aerosol emission.

Development of anticipatory postural adjustments during locomotion in children.

PubMed

Hirschfeld, H; Forssberg, H

1992-08-01

1. Anticipatory postural adjustments were studied in children (6-14 yr of age) walking on a treadmill while pulling a handle. Electromyographs (EMGs) and movements were recorded from the left arm and leg. 2. Postural activity in the leg muscles preceded voluntary arm muscle activity in all age groups, including the youngest children (6 yr of age). The latency to both leg and arm muscle activity, from a triggering audio signal, decreased with age. 3. In older children the latency to both voluntary and postural activity was influenced by the phase of the step cycle. The shortest latency to the first activated postural muscle occurred during single support phase in combination with a long latency to arm muscle activity. 4. In the youngest children, there was no phase-dependent modulation of the latency to the activation of the postural muscles. The voluntary activity was delayed during the beginning of the support phase resulting in a long delay between leg and arm muscle activity. 5. The postural muscle activation pattern was modified in a phase-dependent manner in all children. Lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and hamstring muscles (HAM) were activated during the early support phase, whereas tibialis anterior (TA) and quadriceps (Q) muscles were activated during the late support phase and during the swing phase. However, in the 6-yr-old children, LG was also activated in the swing phase. LG was activated before the HAM activity in the youngest children but after HAM in 14-yr-old children and adults. 6. The occurrence of LG activity in postural responses before heel strike suggests an immature (nonplantigrade) gating of postural activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Modulation of dendritic cell maturation and function by the Tax protein of human T cell leukemia virus type 1

PubMed Central

Jain, Pooja; Ahuja, Jaya; Khan, Zafar K.; Shimizu, Saori; Meucci, Olimpia; Jennings, Stephen R.; Wigdahl, Brian

2009-01-01

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is characterized by the generation of an intense CTL cell response directed against the viral transactivator protein Tax. In addition, patients diagnosed with HAM/TSP exhibit rapid activation and maturation of dendritic cells (DC), likely contributing to the robust, Tax-specific CTL response. In this study, extracellular Tax has been shown to induce maturation and functional alterations in human monocyte-derived DC, critical observations being confirmed in freshly isolated myeloid DC. Tax was shown to promote the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved in the DC activation process in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, Tax induced the expression of DC activation (CD40, CD80, and CD86) and maturation (CD83) markers and enhanced the T cell proliferation capability of DC. Heat inactivation of Tax resulted in abrogation of these effects, indicating a requirement for the native structure of Tax, which was found to bind efficiently to the DC membrane and was internalized within a few hours, suggesting that extracellular Tax may possess an intracellular mechanism of action subsequent to entry. Finally, inhibitors of cellular signaling pathways, NF-κB, protein kinase, tyrosine kinase, and phospholipase C, were shown to inhibit Tax-mediated DC activation. This is the first study reporting the immunomodulatory effects of extracellular Tax in the DC compartment. These results suggest that DC, once exposed to Tax by uptake from the extracellular environment, can undergo activation, providing constant antigen presentation and costimulation to T cells, leading to the intense T cell proliferation and inflammatory responses underlying HAM/TSP. PMID:17442856

Fungal Communication Requires the MAK-2 Pathway Elements STE-20 and RAS-2, the NRC-1 Adapter STE-50 and the MAP Kinase Scaffold HAM-5

PubMed Central

Dettmann, Anne; Heilig, Yvonne; Valerius, Oliver; Ludwig, Sarah; Seiler, Stephan

2014-01-01

Intercellular communication is critical for the survival of unicellular organisms as well as for the development and function of multicellular tissues. Cell-to-cell signaling is also required to develop the interconnected mycelial network characteristic of filamentous fungi and is a prerequisite for symbiotic and pathogenic host colonization achieved by molds. Somatic cell–cell communication and subsequent cell fusion is governed by the MAK-2 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in the filamentous ascomycete model Neurospora crassa, yet the composition and mode of regulation of the MAK-2 pathway are currently unclear. In order to identify additional components involved in MAK-2 signaling we performed affinity purification experiments coupled to mass spectrometry with strains expressing functional GFP-fusion proteins of the MAPK cascade. This approach identified STE-50 as a regulatory subunit of the Ste11p homolog NRC-1 and HAM-5 as cell-communication-specific scaffold protein of the MAPK cascade. Moreover, we defined a network of proteins consisting of two Ste20-related kinases, the small GTPase RAS-2 and the adenylate cyclase capping protein CAP-1 that function upstream of the MAK-2 pathway and whose signals converge on the NRC-1/STE-50 MAP3K complex and the HAM-5 scaffold. Finally, our data suggest an involvement of the striatin interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, the casein kinase 2 heterodimer, the phospholipid flippase modulators YPK-1 and NRC-2 and motor protein-dependent vesicle trafficking in the regulation of MAK-2 pathway activity and function. Taken together, these data will have significant implications for our mechanistic understanding of MAPK signaling and for homotypic cell–cell communication in fungi and higher eukaryotes. PMID:25411845

Fungal communication requires the MAK-2 pathway elements STE-20 and RAS-2, the NRC-1 adapter STE-50 and the MAP kinase scaffold HAM-5.

PubMed

Dettmann, Anne; Heilig, Yvonne; Valerius, Oliver; Ludwig, Sarah; Seiler, Stephan

2014-11-01

Intercellular communication is critical for the survival of unicellular organisms as well as for the development and function of multicellular tissues. Cell-to-cell signaling is also required to develop the interconnected mycelial network characteristic of filamentous fungi and is a prerequisite for symbiotic and pathogenic host colonization achieved by molds. Somatic cell-cell communication and subsequent cell fusion is governed by the MAK-2 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in the filamentous ascomycete model Neurospora crassa, yet the composition and mode of regulation of the MAK-2 pathway are currently unclear. In order to identify additional components involved in MAK-2 signaling we performed affinity purification experiments coupled to mass spectrometry with strains expressing functional GFP-fusion proteins of the MAPK cascade. This approach identified STE-50 as a regulatory subunit of the Ste11p homolog NRC-1 and HAM-5 as cell-communication-specific scaffold protein of the MAPK cascade. Moreover, we defined a network of proteins consisting of two Ste20-related kinases, the small GTPase RAS-2 and the adenylate cyclase capping protein CAP-1 that function upstream of the MAK-2 pathway and whose signals converge on the NRC-1/STE-50 MAP3K complex and the HAM-5 scaffold. Finally, our data suggest an involvement of the striatin interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, the casein kinase 2 heterodimer, the phospholipid flippase modulators YPK-1 and NRC-2 and motor protein-dependent vesicle trafficking in the regulation of MAK-2 pathway activity and function. Taken together, these data will have significant implications for our mechanistic understanding of MAPK signaling and for homotypic cell-cell communication in fungi and higher eukaryotes.

Aerosol growth in Titan’s ionosphere

PubMed Central

Lavvas, Panayotis; Yelle, Roger V.; Koskinen, Tommi; Bazin, Axel; Vuitton, Véronique; Vigren, Erik; Galand, Marina; Wellbrock, Anne; Coates, Andrew J.; Wahlund, Jan-Erik; Crary, Frank J.; Snowden, Darci

2013-01-01

Photochemically produced aerosols are common among the atmospheres of our solar system and beyond. Observations and models have shown that photochemical aerosols have direct consequences on atmospheric properties as well as important astrobiological ramifications, but the mechanisms involved in their formation remain unclear. Here we show that the formation of aerosols in Titan’s upper atmosphere is directly related to ion processes, and we provide a complete interpretation of observed mass spectra by the Cassini instruments from small to large masses. Because all planetary atmospheres possess ionospheres, we anticipate that the mechanisms identified here will be efficient in other environments as well, modulated by the chemical complexity of each atmosphere. PMID:23382231

Aerosol growth in Titan's ionosphere.

PubMed

Lavvas, Panayotis; Yelle, Roger V; Koskinen, Tommi; Bazin, Axel; Vuitton, Véronique; Vigren, Erik; Galand, Marina; Wellbrock, Anne; Coates, Andrew J; Wahlund, Jan-Erik; Crary, Frank J; Snowden, Darci

2013-02-19

Photochemically produced aerosols are common among the atmospheres of our solar system and beyond. Observations and models have shown that photochemical aerosols have direct consequences on atmospheric properties as well as important astrobiological ramifications, but the mechanisms involved in their formation remain unclear. Here we show that the formation of aerosols in Titan's upper atmosphere is directly related to ion processes, and we provide a complete interpretation of observed mass spectra by the Cassini instruments from small to large masses. Because all planetary atmospheres possess ionospheres, we anticipate that the mechanisms identified here will be efficient in other environments as well, modulated by the chemical complexity of each atmosphere.

Discrepancies between self and observer ratings of depression. The relationship to demographic, clinical and personality variables.

PubMed

Enns, M W; Larsen, D K; Cox, B J

2000-10-01

The observer-rated Hamilton depression scale (HamD) and the self-report Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) are among the most commonly used rating scales for depression, and both have well demonstrated reliability and validity. However, many depressed subjects have discrepant scores on these two assessment methods. The present study evaluated the ability of demographic, clinical and personality factors to account for the discrepancies observed between BDI and HamD ratings. The study group consisted of 94 SCID-diagnosed outpatients with a current major depressive disorder. Subjects were rated with the 21-item HamD and completed the BDI and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. Younger age, higher educational attainment, and depressive subtype (atypical, non-melancholic) were predictive of higher BDI scores relative to HamD observer ratings. In addition, high neuroticism, low extraversion and low agreeableness were associated with higher endorsement of depressive symptoms on the BDI relative to the HamD. In general, these predictive variables showed a greater ability to explain discrepancies between self and observer ratings of psychological symptoms of depression compared to somatic symptoms of depression. The study does not determine which aspects of neuroticism and extraversion contribute to the observed BDI/HamD discrepancies. Depression ratings obtained with the BDI and HamD are frequently discordant and a number of patient characteristics robustly predict the discrepancy between these two rating methods. The value of multi-modal assessment in the conduct of research on depressive disorders is re-affirmed.

Analysis and classification of commercial ham slice images using directional fractal dimension features.

PubMed

Mendoza, Fernando; Valous, Nektarios A; Allen, Paul; Kenny, Tony A; Ward, Paddy; Sun, Da-Wen

2009-02-01

This paper presents a novel and non-destructive approach to the appearance characterization and classification of commercial pork, turkey and chicken ham slices. Ham slice images were modelled using directional fractal (DF(0°;45°;90°;135°)) dimensions and a minimum distance classifier was adopted to perform the classification task. Also, the role of different colour spaces and the resolution level of the images on DF analysis were investigated. This approach was applied to 480 wafer thin ham slices from four types of hams (120 slices per type): i.e., pork (cooked and smoked), turkey (smoked) and chicken (roasted). DF features were extracted from digitalized intensity images in greyscale, and R, G, B, L(∗), a(∗), b(∗), H, S, and V colour components for three image resolution levels (100%, 50%, and 25%). Simulation results show that in spite of the complexity and high variability in colour and texture appearance, the modelling of ham slice images with DF dimensions allows the capture of differentiating textural features between the four commercial ham types. Independent DF features entail better discrimination than that using the average of four directions. However, DF dimensions reveal a high sensitivity to colour channel, orientation and image resolution for the fractal analysis. The classification accuracy using six DF dimension features (a(90°)(∗),a(135°)(∗),H(0°),H(45°),S(0°),H(90°)) was 93.9% for training data and 82.2% for testing data.

Optimization of Replacing Pork Meat with Yellow Worm (Tenebrio molitor L.) for Frankfurters

PubMed Central

Paik, Hyun-Dong

2017-01-01

The effects of replacing pork meat with yellow mealworms on the physicochemical properties and sensory characteristics of frankfurters were investigated in this study. The control (50% pork ham), T1 (45% pork ham + 5% yellow mealworm), T2 (40% pork ham + 10% yellow mealworm), T3 (35% pork ham + 15% yellow mealworm), T4 (30% pork ham + 20% yellow mealworm), T5 (25% pork ham + 25% yellow mealworm), and T6 (20% pork ham + 30% yellow mealworm) were prepared, replacing lean pork meat with yellow mealworm. The moisture content, lightness, sarcoplasmic protein solubility, hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and apparent viscosity of frankfurters with yellow mealworm were lower than those of the control (p<0.05), whereas the content of protein and ash, pH, and yellowness of frankfurters with yellow mealworm were higher than those of the control (p<0.05). The fat content of frankfurters in T1 (p<0.05) was the highest, and the fat content of treatments decreased with increasing yellow mealworm concentrations (p<0.05). Frankfurters with increasing yellow mealworm concentrations had lower color, flavor, off-flavor, and juiciness scores. The overall acceptability was not significantly different in the control, T1, and T2 (p>0.05). Thus, the results of this study showed that replacing lean pork meat with up to 10% yellow mealworm successfully maintained the quality of frankfurters at a level similar to that of the regular control frankfurters. PMID:29147084

Microbiota of high-pressure-processed Serrano ham investigated by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods.

PubMed

Martínez-Onandi, N; Castioni, A; San Martín, E; Rivas-Cañedo, A; Nuñez, M; Torriani, S; Picon, A

2017-01-16

The microbiota of Serrano dry-cured ham of different chemical composition, subjected or not to high-pressure processing (HPP), was investigated using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Microbial counts were submitted to analysis of variance with physicochemical parameters (a w , NaCl concentration, salt-in-lean ratio and intramuscular fat content) or HPP as main effects. In untreated hams, physicochemical parameters significantly affected counts of aerobic mesophiles, psychrotrophs, and moulds and yeasts. NaCl concentration and fat content influenced the levels of four and three of the five studied microbial groups, respectively, whereas no influence of a w was stated. The HPP treatment had a significant effect on counts of all investigated microbial groups. Culture-independent methods showed the presence of bacteria such as Staphylococcus equorum, Staphylococcus succinus, Bacillus subtilis and Cellulosimicrobium sp., moulds like Penicillium commune, Aspergillus fumigatus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Eurotium athecium and Moniliella mellis, and yeasts like Debaryomyces hansenii and Candida glucosophila. Absence of B. subtilis bands and weaker bands of E. athecium were recorded for HPP-treated hams. The higher microbial levels found in lean ham might result in a quicker deterioration. HPP treatment confirmed its suitability as a procedure to control spoilage microorganisms. DGGE did not seem to be sensitive enough to highlight changes caused by HPP treatment in the microbiota of ham, but contributed to the detection of microbial species not previously found in ham. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Miniature Aerosol Sensor for Detecting Polydisperse Airborne Ultrafine Particles.

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Wang, Dingqu; Zhu, Rong; Yang, Wenming; Jiang, Peng

2017-04-22

Counting and sizing of polydisperse airborne nanoparticles have attracted most attentions owing to increasing widespread presence of airborne engineered nanoparticles or ultrafine particles. Here we report a miniature aerosol sensor to detect particle size distribution of polydisperse ultrafine particles based on ion diffusion charging and electrical detection. The aerosol sensor comprises a couple of planar electrodes printed on two circuit boards assembled in parallel, where charging, precipitation and measurement sections are integrated into one chip, which can detect aerosol particle size in of 30-500 nm, number concentration in range of 5 × 10²-10⁷ /cm³. The average relative errors of the measured aerosol number concentration and the particle size are estimated to be 12.2% and 13.5% respectively. A novel measurement scheme is proposed to actualize a real-time detection of polydisperse particles by successively modulating the measurement voltage and deducing the particle size distribution through a smart data fusion algorithm. The effectiveness of the aerosol sensor is experimentally demonstrated via measurements of polystyrene latex (PSL) aerosol and nucleic acid aerosol, as well as sodium chloride aerosol particles.

A Miniature Aerosol Sensor for Detecting Polydisperse Airborne Ultrafine Particles

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chao; Wang, Dingqu; Zhu, Rong; Yang, Wenming; Jiang, Peng

2017-01-01

Counting and sizing of polydisperse airborne nanoparticles have attracted most attentions owing to increasing widespread presence of airborne engineered nanoparticles or ultrafine particles. Here we report a miniature aerosol sensor to detect particle size distribution of polydisperse ultrafine particles based on ion diffusion charging and electrical detection. The aerosol sensor comprises a couple of planar electrodes printed on two circuit boards assembled in parallel, where charging, precipitation and measurement sections are integrated into one chip, which can detect aerosol particle size in of 30–500 nm, number concentration in range of 5 × 102–5 × 107 /cm3. The average relative errors of the measured aerosol number concentration and the particle size are estimated to be 12.2% and 13.5% respectively. A novel measurement scheme is proposed to actualize a real-time detection of polydisperse particles by successively modulating the measurement voltage and deducing the particle size distribution through a smart data fusion algorithm. The effectiveness of the aerosol sensor is experimentally demonstrated via measurements of polystyrene latex (PSL) aerosol and nucleic acid aerosol, as well as sodium chloride aerosol particles. PMID:28441740

The invariant statistical rule of aerosol scattering pulse signal modulated by random noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhen-gang; Bian, Bao-Min; Yang, Juan; Peng, Gang; Li, Zhen-hua

2010-11-01

A model of the random background noise acting on particle signals is established to study the impact of the background noise of the photoelectric sensor in the laser airborne particle counter on the statistical character of the aerosol scattering pulse signals. The results show that the noises broaden the statistical distribution of the particle's measurement. Further numerical research shows that the output of the signal amplitude still has the same distribution when the airborne particle with the lognormal distribution was modulated by random noise which has lognormal distribution. Namely it follows the statistics law of invariance. Based on this model, the background noise of photoelectric sensor and the counting distributions of random signal for aerosol's scattering pulse are obtained and analyzed by using a high-speed data acquisition card PCI-9812. It is found that the experiment results and simulation results are well consistent.

Effects of lactate on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella SPP., in cooked ham at refrigeration and abuse temperatures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of sodium lactate on the survival of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in cooked ham during storage at refrigeration and abuse temperatures. Cooked ham was added with 0-3% lactate, inoculated with a multiple...

HAM-5 functions as a MAP kinase scaffold during cell fusion in Neurospora crassa

DOE PAGES

Jonkers, Wilfried; Leeder, Abigail C.; Ansong, Charles; ...

2014-11-20

Cell fusion in genetically identical Neurospora crassa germlings and in hyphae is a highly regulated process involving the activation of a conserved MAP kinase cascade that includes NRC1, MEK2 and MAK2. During chemotrophic growth in germlings, the MAP kinase cascade members localize to conidial anastomosis tube (CAT) tips every 4 minutes, perfectly out of phase with another protein that is recruited to the tip: SOFT, a protein of unknown biochemical function. How this oscillation process is initiated, maintained and what proteins regulate the MAP kinase cascade is currently unclear. A global phosphoproteomics approach using an allele of mak-2 (mak-2Q100G) thatmore » can be specifically inhibited by the ATP analog 1NM-PP1 was utilized to identify MAK2 kinase targets in germlings that were potentially involved in this process. One such putative target was HAM5, a protein of unknown biochemical function. Previously, Δham-5 mutants were shown to be deficient for hyphal fusion. Here we show that HAM5-GFP co-localized with NRC1, MEK2 and MAK2 and oscillated with identical dynamics from the cytoplasm to CAT tips during chemotropic interactions. In the Δmak-2 strain, HAM5-GFP localized to punctate complexes that did not oscillate, but still localized to the germling tip, suggesting that MAK2 activity influences HAM5 function/localization. However, MAK2-GFP showed only cytoplasmic and nuclear localization in a Δham-5 strain and did not localize to puncta, as observed in wild type germlings. Via co-immunoprecipitation experiments, HAM5 was shown to physically interact with MAK2, MEK2 and NRC1, suggesting that it functions as a scaffold/transport hub for the MAP kinase cascade members during oscillation and chemotropic interactions during both germling and hyphal fusion in N. crassa. The identification of HAM5 as a scaffold-like protein will help to link the activation of MAK2 to upstream factors and other proteins involved in this intriguing process of fungal communication.« less

Expansion in CD39+ CD4+ Immunoregulatory T Cells and Rarity of Th17 Cells in HTLV-1 Infected Patients Is Associated with Neurological Complications

PubMed Central

Hasenkrug, Aaron M.; Bruno, Fernanda R.; Carvalho, Karina I.; Wynn-Williams, Harry; Neto, Walter K.; Sanabani, Sabri S.; Segurado, Aluisio C.; Nixon, Douglas F.; Kallas, Esper G.

2013-01-01

HTLV-1 infection is associated with several inflammatory disorders, including the neurodegenerative condition HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). It is unclear why a minority of infected subjects develops HAM/TSP. CD4+ T cells are the main target of infection and play a pivotal role in regulating immunity to HTLV and are hypothesized to participate in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. The CD39 ectonucleotidase receptor is expressed on CD4+ T cells and based on co-expression with CD25, marks T cells with distinct regulatory (CD39+CD25+) and effector (CD39+CD25−) function. Here, we investigated the expression of CD39 on CD4+ T cells from a cohort of HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (AC), and matched uninfected controls. The frequency of CD39+ CD4+ T cells was increased in HTLV-1 infected patients, regardless of clinical status. More importantly, the proportion of the immunostimulatory CD39+CD25− CD4+ T-cell subset was significantly elevated in HAM/TSP patients as compared to AC and phenotypically had lower levels of the immunoinhibitory receptor, PD-1. We saw no difference in the frequency of CD39+CD25+ regulatory (Treg) cells between AC and HAM/TSP patients. However, these cells transition from being anergic to displaying a polyfunctional cytokine response following HTLV-1 infection. CD39−CD25+ T cell subsets predominantly secreted the inflammatory cytokine IL-17. We found that HAM/TSP patients had significantly fewer numbers of IL-17 secreting CD4+ T cells compared to uninfected controls. Taken together, we show that the expression of CD39 is upregulated on CD4+ T cells HAM/TSP patients. This upregulation may play a role in the development of the proinflammatory milieu through pathways both distinct and separate among the different CD39 T cell subsets. CD39 upregulation may therefore serve as a surrogate diagnostic marker of progression and could potentially be a target for interventions to reduce the development of HAM/TSP. PMID:23409198

Evaluation of Staphylococcus aureus growth potential in ham during a slow-cooking process: use of predictions derived from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pathogen Modeling Program 6.1 predictive model and an inoculation study.

PubMed

Ingham, Steven C; Losinski, Jill A; Dropp, Brenda K; Vivio, Laura L; Buege, Dennis R

2004-07-01

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cautioned against slow cooking meat such that the interior temperature increases from 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) to 54.4 degrees C (130 degrees F) in > or = 6 h. During a commercial ham-smoking process, the ham cold point is typically between 10 and 54.4 degrees C for 13 h, but the ham is subsequently exposed to heating sufficient to eliminate vegetative pathogenic bacteria. Thus, production of heat-stable staphylococcal enterotoxin is the primary biological hazard. For this study, uncooked surface and uncooked ground interior ham were inoculated with a three-strain Staphylococcus aureus mixture, exposed to simulated surface and interior slow-cook conditions, respectively, and analyzed periodically using the Baird-Parker agar and 3M Petrifilm Staph Express count plate methods. For the surface and interior conditions, S. aureus numbers increased by no more than 0.1 and 0.7 log units, respectively. Predictions derived from actual time and temperature data and S. aureus growth values from a computer-generated model (Pathogen Modeling Program 6.1, U.S. Department of Agriculture) were for 2.7 (ham surface) and 9.9 to 10.5 (ham interior) generations of S. aureus growth, indicating that use of model-derived growth values would not falsely indicate safe slow cooking of ham. The Baird-Parker method recovered significantly (P < 0.05) greater numbers of S. aureus than the Petrifilm Staph Express method. For hams pumped with brine to attain (i) 18% (wt/wt) weight gain, (ii) > or = 2.3% sodium lactate, (iii) > or = 0.8% sodium chloride, and (iv) 200 ppm ingoing sodium nitrite, slow-cooking critical limits of < or = 4 h between 10 and 34 degrees C, < or = 5 h between 34 and 46 degrees C, and < or = 5 h between 46 and 54.4 degrees C could be considered adequate to ensure safety.

HAM-5 Functions As a MAP Kinase Scaffold during Cell Fusion in Neurospora crassa

PubMed Central

Jonkers, Wilfried; Leeder, Abigail C.; Ansong, Charles; Wang, Yuexi; Yang, Feng; Starr, Trevor L.; Camp, David G.; Smith, Richard D.; Glass, N. Louise

2014-01-01

Cell fusion in genetically identical Neurospora crassa germlings and in hyphae is a highly regulated process involving the activation of a conserved MAP kinase cascade that includes NRC-1, MEK-2 and MAK-2. During chemotrophic growth in germlings, the MAP kinase cascade members localize to conidial anastomosis tube (CAT) tips every ∼8 minutes, perfectly out of phase with another protein that is recruited to the tip: SOFT, a recently identified scaffold for the MAK-1 MAP kinase pathway in Sordaria macrospora. How the MAK-2 oscillation process is initiated, maintained and what proteins regulate the MAP kinase cascade is currently unclear. A global phosphoproteomics approach using an allele of mak-2 (mak-2Q100G) that can be specifically inhibited by the ATP analog 1NM-PP1 was utilized to identify MAK-2 kinase targets in germlings that were potentially involved in this process. One such putative target was HAM-5, a protein of unknown biochemical function. Previously, Δham-5 mutants were shown to be deficient for hyphal fusion. Here we show that HAM-5-GFP co-localized with NRC-1, MEK-2 and MAK-2 and oscillated with identical dynamics from the cytoplasm to CAT tips during chemotropic interactions. In the Δmak-2 strain, HAM-5-GFP localized to punctate complexes that did not oscillate, but still localized to the germling tip, suggesting that MAK-2 activity influences HAM-5 function/localization. However, MAK-2-GFP showed cytoplasmic and nuclear localization in a Δham-5 strain and did not localize to puncta. Via co-immunoprecipitation experiments, HAM-5 was shown to physically interact with NRC-1, MEK-2 and MAK-2, suggesting that it functions as a scaffold/transport hub for the MAP kinase cascade members for oscillation and chemotropic interactions during germling and hyphal fusion in N. crassa. The identification of HAM-5 as a scaffold-like protein will help to link the activation of MAK-2 cascade to upstream factors and proteins involved in this intriguing process of fungal communication. PMID:25412208

HAM-5 functions as a MAP kinase scaffold during cell fusion in Neurospora crassa

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

Jonkers, Wilfried; Leeder, Abigail C.; Ansong, Charles

Cell fusion in genetically identical Neurospora crassa germlings and in hyphae is a highly regulated process involving the activation of a conserved MAP kinase cascade that includes NRC1, MEK2 and MAK2. During chemotrophic growth in germlings, the MAP kinase cascade members localize to conidial anastomosis tube (CAT) tips every 4 minutes, perfectly out of phase with another protein that is recruited to the tip: SOFT, a protein of unknown biochemical function. How this oscillation process is initiated, maintained and what proteins regulate the MAP kinase cascade is currently unclear. A global phosphoproteomics approach using an allele of mak-2 (mak-2Q100G) thatmore » can be specifically inhibited by the ATP analog 1NM-PP1 was utilized to identify MAK2 kinase targets in germlings that were potentially involved in this process. One such putative target was HAM5, a protein of unknown biochemical function. Previously, Δham-5 mutants were shown to be deficient for hyphal fusion. Here we show that HAM5-GFP co-localized with NRC1, MEK2 and MAK2 and oscillated with identical dynamics from the cytoplasm to CAT tips during chemotropic interactions. In the Δmak-2 strain, HAM5-GFP localized to punctate complexes that did not oscillate, but still localized to the germling tip, suggesting that MAK2 activity influences HAM5 function/localization. However, MAK2-GFP showed only cytoplasmic and nuclear localization in a Δham-5 strain and did not localize to puncta, as observed in wild type germlings. Via co-immunoprecipitation experiments, HAM5 was shown to physically interact with MAK2, MEK2 and NRC1, suggesting that it functions as a scaffold/transport hub for the MAP kinase cascade members during oscillation and chemotropic interactions during both germling and hyphal fusion in N. crassa. The identification of HAM5 as a scaffold-like protein will help to link the activation of MAK2 to upstream factors and other proteins involved in this intriguing process of fungal communication.« less

Aerosol Optical Retrieval and Surface Reflectance from Airborne Remote Sensing Data over Land

PubMed Central

Bassani, Cristiana; Cavalli, Rosa Maria; Pignatti, Stefano

2010-01-01

Quantitative analysis of atmospheric optical properties and surface reflectance can be performed by applying radiative transfer theory in the Atmosphere-Earth coupled system, for the atmospheric correction of hyperspectral remote sensing data. This paper describes a new physically-based algorithm to retrieve the aerosol optical thickness at 550nm (τ550) and the surface reflectance (ρ) from airborne acquired data in the atmospheric window of the Visible and Near-Infrared (VNIR) range. The algorithm is realized in two modules. Module A retrieves τ550 with a minimization algorithm, then Module B retrieves the surface reflectance ρ for each pixel of the image. The method was tested on five remote sensing images acquired by an airborne sensor under different geometric conditions to evaluate the reliability of the method. The results, τ550 and ρ, retrieved from each image were validated with field data contemporaneously acquired by a sun-sky radiometer and a spectroradiometer, respectively. Good correlation index, r, and low root mean square deviations, RMSD, were obtained for the τ550 retrieved by Module A (r2 = 0.75, RMSD = 0.08) and the ρ retrieved by Module B (r2 ≤ 0.9, RMSD ≤ 0.003). Overall, the results are encouraging, indicating that the method is reliable for optical atmospheric studies and the atmospheric correction of airborne hyperspectral images. The method does not require additional at-ground measurements about at-ground reflectance of the reference pixel and aerosol optical thickness. PMID:22163558

Remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols with the SPEX spectropolarimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Harten, G.; Rietjens, J.; Smit, M.; Snik, F.; Keller, C. U.; di Noia, A.; Hasekamp, O.; Vonk, J.; Volten, H.

2013-12-01

Characterizing atmospheric aerosols is key to understanding their influence on climate through their direct and indirect radiative forcing. This requires long-term global coverage, at high spatial (~km) and temporal (~days) resolution, which can only be provided by satellite remote sensing. Aerosol load and properties such as particle size, shape and chemical composition can be derived from multi-wavelength radiance and polarization measurements of sunlight that is scattered by the Earth's atmosphere at different angles. The required polarimetric accuracy of ~10^(-3) is very challenging, particularly since the instrument is located on a rapidly moving platform. Our Spectropolarimeter for Planetary EXploration (SPEX) is based on a novel, snapshot spectral modulator, with the intrinsic ability to measure polarization at high accuracy. It exhibits minimal instrumental polarization and is completely solid-state and passive. An athermal set of birefringent crystals in front of an analyzer encodes the incoming linear polarization into a sinusoidal modulation in the intensity spectrum. Moreover, a dual beam implementation yields redundancy that allows for a mutual correction in both the spectrally and spatially modulated data to increase the measurement accuracy. A partially polarized calibration stimulus has been developed, consisting of a carefully depolarized source followed by tilted glass plates to induce polarization in a controlled way. Preliminary calibration measurements show an accuracy of SPEX of well below 10^(-3), with a sensitivity limit of 2*10^(-4). We demonstrate the potential of the SPEX concept by presenting retrievals of aerosol properties based on clear sky measurements using a prototype satellite instrument and a dedicated ground-based SPEX. The retrieval algorithm, originally designed for POLDER data, performs iterative fitting of aerosol properties and surface albedo, where the initial guess is provided by a look-up table. The retrieved aerosol properties, including aerosol optical thickness, single scattering albedo, size distribution and complex refractive index, will be compared with the on-site AERONET sun-photometer, lidar, particle counter and sizer, and PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring instruments. Retrievals of the aerosol layer height based on polarization measurements in the O2A absorption band will be compared with lidar profiles. Furthermore, the possibility of enhancing the retrieval accuracy by replacing the look-up table with a neural network based initial guess will be discussed, using retrievals from simulated ground-based data.

Aerosol modelling and validation during ESCOMPTE 2001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cousin, F.; Liousse, C.; Cachier, H.; Bessagnet, B.; Guillaume, B.; Rosset, R.

The ESCOMPTE 2001 programme (Atmospheric Research. 69(3-4) (2004) 241) has resulted in an exhaustive set of dynamical, radiative, gas and aerosol observations (surface and aircraft measurements). A previous paper (Atmospheric Research. (2004) in press) has dealt with dynamics and gas-phase chemistry. The present paper is an extension to aerosol formation, transport and evolution. To account for important loadings of primary and secondary aerosols and their transformation processes in the ESCOMPTE domain, the ORISAM aerosol module (Atmospheric Environment. 35 (2001) 4751) was implemented on-line in the air-quality Meso-NH-C model. Additional developments have been introduced in ORganic and Inorganic Spectral Aerosol Module (ORISAM) to improve the comparison between simulations and experimental surface and aircraft field data. This paper discusses this comparison for a simulation performed during one selected day, 24 June 2001, during the Intensive Observation Period IOP2b. Our work relies on BC and OCp emission inventories specifically developed for ESCOMPTE. This study confirms the need for a fine resolution aerosol inventory with spectral chemical speciation. BC levels are satisfactorily reproduced, thus validating our emission inventory and its processing through Meso-NH-C. However, comparisons for reactive species generally denote an underestimation of concentrations. Organic aerosol levels are rather well simulated though with a trend to underestimation in the afternoon. Inorganic aerosol species are underestimated for several reasons, some of them have been identified. For sulphates, primary emissions were introduced. Improvement was obtained too for modelled nitrate and ammonium levels after introducing heterogeneous chemistry. However, no modelling of terrigeneous particles is probably a major cause for nitrates and ammonium underestimations. Particle numbers and size distributions are well reproduced, but only in the submicrometer range. Our work points out to the need of introducing coarse dust particles to further improve the simulation of PM-10 concentrations and more accurate modelling of gas-particle interactions.

Electronic nose for the identification of pig feeding and ripening time in Iberian hams.

PubMed

Santos, J P; García, M; Aleixandre, M; Horrillo, M C; Gutiérrez, J; Sayago, I; Fernández, M J; Arés, L

2004-03-01

An electronic nose system to control the processing of dry-cured Iberian ham is presented. The sensors involved are tin oxide semiconductors thin films. They were prepared by RF sputtering. Some of the sensors were doped with metal catalysts as Pt and Pd, in order to improve the selectivity of the sensors. The multisensor with 16 semiconductor sensors, gave different responses from two types of dry-cured Iberian hams which differ in the feeding and curing time. The data has been analysed using the PCA (principal component analysis) and backpropagation and probabilistic neural networks. The analysis shows that different types of Iberian ham can be discriminated and identified successfully.

Hydraulically actuated artificial muscles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meller, M. A.; Tiwari, R.; Wajcs, K. B.; Moses, C.; Reveles, I.; Garcia, E.

2012-04-01

Hydraulic Artificial Muscles (HAMs) consisting of a polymer tube constrained by a nylon mesh are presented in this paper. Despite the actuation mechanism being similar to its popular counterpart, which are pneumatically actuated (PAM), HAMs have not been studied in depth. HAMs offer the advantage of compliance, large force to weight ratio, low maintenance, and low cost over traditional hydraulic cylinders. Muscle characterization for isometric and isobaric tests are discussed and compared to PAMs. A model incorporating the effect of mesh angle and friction have also been developed. In addition, differential swelling of the muscle on actuation has also been included in the model. An application of lab fabricated HAMs for a meso-scale robotic system is also presented.

Natural Aerosols Explain Seasonal and Spatial Patterns of Southern Ocean Cloud Albedo

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

McCoy, Daniel; Burrows, Susannah M.; Wood, R.

2015-07-17

Small particles called aerosols act as nucleation sites for cloud drop formation, affecting clouds and cloud properties – ultimately influencing the cloud dynamics, lifetime, water path and areal extent that determine the reflectivity (albedo) of clouds. The concentration Nd of droplets in clouds that influences planetary albedo is sensitive to the availability of aerosol particles on which the droplets form. Natural aerosol concentrations not only affect cloud properties themselves, but also modulate the sensitivity of clouds to changes in anthropogenic aerosols. Here, it is shown that modeled natural aerosols, principally marine biogenic primary and secondary aerosol sources, explain more thanmore » half of the spatiotemporal variability in satellite-observed Nd. Enhanced Nd over regions of high biological activity is found to be driven primarily by high concentrations of sulfate aerosol at lower Southern Ocean latitudes (35-45°S) and by organic matter in sea spray aerosol at higher latitudes (45-55°S). Biogenic sources are estimated to increase the summertime mean reflected solar radiation in excess of 10 W m-2 over parts of the Southern Ocean, which is comparable to the annual mean increases expected from anthropogenic aerosols over heavily polluted regions of the Northern Hemisphere.« less

The Hamburg Selection Procedure for Dental Students – Introduction of the HAM-Nat as subject-specific test for study aptitude

PubMed Central

Kothe, Christian; Hissbach, Johanna; Hampe, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Introduction: The present study examines the question whether the selection of dental students should be based solely on average school-leaving grades (GPA) or whether it could be improved by using a subject-specific aptitude test. Methods: The HAM-Nat Natural Sciences Test was piloted with freshmen during their first study week in 2006 and 2007. In 2009 and 2010 it was used in the dental student selection process. The sample size in the regression models varies between 32 and 55 students. Results: Used as a supplement to the German GPA, the HAM-Nat test explained up to 12% of the variance in preclinical examination performance. We confirmed the prognostic validity of GPA reported in earlier studies in some, but not all of the individual preclinical examination results. Conclusion: The HAM-Nat test is a reliable selection tool for dental students. Use of the HAM-Nat yielded a significant improvement in prediction of preclinical academic success in dentistry. PMID:24282449

Relevance of nanocomposite packaging on the stability of vacuum-packed dry cured ham.

PubMed

Lloret, Elsa; Fernandez, Avelina; Trbojevich, Raul; Arnau, Jacint; Picouet, Pierre A

2016-08-01

In this study effects of a novel high barrier multilayer polyamide film containing dispersed nanoclays (PAN) on the stability of vacuum packed dry-cured ham were investigated during 90days refrigerated storage in comparison with non-modified multilayer polyamide (PA) and a commercial high barrier film. Characteristic bands of the mineral in FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of nanoclays in PAN, enhancing oxygen transmission barrier properties and UV protection. Packaging in PAN films did not originate significant changes on colour or lipid oxidation during prolonged storage of vacuum-packed dry-cured ham. Larger oxygen transmission rates in PA films caused changes in CIE b* during refrigerated storage. Ham quality was not affected by light exposition during 90days and only curing had a significant benefit on colour and TBARS, being cured samples more stable during storage in all the packages used. Packaging of dry-cured ham in PAN was equivalent to commercial high barrier films. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cassava Brown Streak Virus (Potyviridae) Encodes a Putative Maf/HAM1 Pyrophosphatase Implicated in Reduction of Mutations and a P1 Proteinase That Suppresses RNA Silencing but Contains No HC-Pro ▿

PubMed Central

Mbanzibwa, Deusdedith R.; Tian, Yanping; Mukasa, Settumba B.; Valkonen, Jari P. T.

2009-01-01

The complete positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome of Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV; genus Ipomovirus; Potyviridae) was found to consist of 9,069 nucleotides and predicted to produce a polyprotein of 2,902 amino acids. It was lacking helper-component proteinase but contained a single P1 serine proteinase that strongly suppressed RNA silencing. Besides the exceptional structure of the 5′-proximal part of the genome, CBSV also contained a Maf/HAM1-like sequence (678 nucleotides, 226 amino acids) recombined between the replicase and coat protein domains in the 3′-proximal part of the genome, which is highly conserved in Potyviridae. HAM1 was flanked by consensus proteolytic cleavage sites for ipomovirus NIaPro cysteine proteinase. Homology of CBSV HAM1 with cellular Maf/HAM1 pyrophosphatases suggests that it may intercept noncanonical nucleoside triphosphates to reduce mutagenesis of viral RNA. PMID:19386713

Aqueous aerosol SOA formation: impact on aerosol physical properties.

PubMed

Woo, Joseph L; Kim, Derek D; Schwier, Allison N; Li, Ruizhi; McNeill, V Faye

2013-01-01

Organic chemistry in aerosol water has recently been recognized as a potentially important source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) material. This SOA material may be surface-active, therefore potentially affecting aerosol heterogeneous activity, ice nucleation, and CCN activity. Aqueous aerosol chemistry has also been shown to be a potential source of light-absorbing products ("brown carbon"). We present results on the formation of secondary organic aerosol material in aerosol water and the associated changes in aerosol physical properties from GAMMA (Gas-Aerosol Model for Mechanism Analysis), a photochemical box model with coupled gas and detailed aqueous aerosol chemistry. The detailed aerosol composition output from GAMMA was coupled with two recently developed modules for predicting a) aerosol surface tension and b) the UV-Vis absorption spectrum of the aerosol, based on our previous laboratory observations. The simulation results suggest that the formation of oligomers and organic acids in bulk aerosol water is unlikely to perturb aerosol surface tension significantly. Isoprene-derived organosulfates are formed in high concentrations in acidic aerosols under low-NO(x) conditions, but more experimental data are needed before the potential impact of these species on aerosol surface tension may be evaluated. Adsorption of surfactants from the gas phase may further suppress aerosol surface tension. Light absorption by aqueous aerosol SOA material is driven by dark glyoxal chemistry and is highest under high-NO(x) conditions, at high relative humidity, in the early morning hours. The wavelength dependence of the predicted absorption spectra is comparable to field observations and the predicted mass absorption efficiencies suggest that aqueous aerosol chemistry can be a significant source of aerosol brown carbon under urban conditions.

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes using natural antimicrobials in no-nitrate-or-nitrite-added ham.

PubMed

Sullivan, Gary A; Jackson-Davis, Armitra L; Niebuhr, Steven E; Xi, Yuan; Schrader, Kohl D; Sebranek, Joseph G; Dickson, James S

2012-06-01

Consumer demand for foods manufactured without the direct addition of chemical preservatives, such as sodium nitrite and organic acid salts, has resulted in a unique class of "naturally" cured meat products. Formulation with a natural nitrate source and nitrate-reducing bacteria results in naturally cured processed meats that possess traits similar to conventionally cured meats. However, previous research has shown that the naturally cured products are more susceptible to pathogen growth. This study evaluated Listeria monocytogenes growth on ham manufactured with natural curing methods and with commercially available clean-label antimicrobials (cultured sugar and vinegar blend; lemon, cherry, and vinegar powder blend) and assessed impacts on physicochemical characteristics of the product. Hams made with either of the antimicrobials supported L. monocytogenes growth similar to that in the traditionally cured control (P > 0.05). Hams made with prefermented celery juice powder had the lowest residual nitrite concentrations (P < 0.05), and when no antimicrobial was added, L. monocytogenes growth was similar to that of the uncured control (P > 0.05). Aside from residual nitrite and nitrate concentrations, few physicochemical differences were identified. These findings show that ham can be produced with natural curing methods and antimicrobials to provide similar L. monocytogenes inhibition and physicochemical traits as in traditionally cured ham.

Prediction of practical performance in preclinical laboratory courses – the return of wire bending for admission of dental students in Hamburg

PubMed Central

Kothe, Christian; Hissbach, Johanna; Hampe, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

Although some recent studies concluded that dexterity is not a reliable predictor of performance in preclinical laboratory courses in dentistry, they could not disprove earlier findings which confirmed the worth of manual dexterity tests in dental admission. We developed a wire bending test (HAM-Man) which was administered during dental freshmen’s first week in 2008, 2009, and 2010. The purpose of our study was to evaluate if the HAM-Man is a useful selection criterion additional to the high school grade point average (GPA) in dental admission. Regression analysis revealed that GPA only accounted for a maximum of 9% of students’ performance in preclinical laboratory courses, in six out of eight models the explained variance was below 2%. The HAM-Man incrementally explained up to 20.5% of preclinical practical performance over GPA. In line with findings from earlier studies the HAM-Man test of manual dexterity showed satisfactory incremental validity. While GPA has a focus on cognitive abilities, the HAM-Man reflects learning of unfamiliar psychomotor skills, spatial relationships, and dental techniques needed in preclinical laboratory courses. The wire bending test HAM-Man is a valuable additional selection instrument for applicants of dental schools. PMID:24872857

A case report of HTLV-I associated myelopathy presenting with cerebellar ataxia and nystagmus.

PubMed

Taki, Masakatsu; Nin, Fumiaki; Hasegawa, Tatsuhisa; Sakaguchi, Hirofumi; Suzuki, Toshihiro; Hisa, Yasuo; Azuma, Yumiko; Nakagawa, Masanori

2011-06-01

HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is characterized by spastic paraparesis in the lower extremities, and urinary disturbance. HAM/TSP has also been less frequently associated with cerebellar syndromes and nystagmus. We report a case of HAM/TSP presenting with cerebellar ataxia and nystagmus. The patient was a 73-year-old woman who was born in southern Japan. At age 41, she developed pain and spasticity in the bilateral lower limbs and gradually progressive gait disturbance. At age 57, she was diagnosed with HAM/TSP based on spastic paraparesis in the lower limbs, urinary disturbance and positive anti HTLV-I antibody in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. In June 2008, she was referred to our university and hospitalized for rehabilitation. Twenty days later, she experienced rotatory vertigo sensation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed pontocerebellar atrophy. The patient presented with cerebellar signs in the upper limbs, gaze-evoked nystagmus in the sitting position and right-beating horizontal nystagmus in the supine and head-hanging positions. Electronystagmography (ENG) showed horizontal saccadic overshoot dysmetria and horizontal saccadic pursuit. Nystagmus is rare among the literature on HAM/TSP. ENG is helpful to evaluate and confirm the cerebellar syndromes of HAM/TSP. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Note: Design and development of wireless controlled aerosol sampling network for large scale aerosol dispersion experiments.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, V; Subramanian, V; Baskaran, R; Venkatraman, B

2015-07-01

Wireless based custom built aerosol sampling network is designed, developed, and implemented for environmental aerosol sampling. These aerosol sampling systems are used in field measurement campaign, in which sodium aerosol dispersion experiments have been conducted as a part of environmental impact studies related to sodium cooled fast reactor. The sampling network contains 40 aerosol sampling units and each contains custom built sampling head and the wireless control networking designed with Programmable System on Chip (PSoC™) and Xbee Pro RF modules. The base station control is designed using graphical programming language LabView. The sampling network is programmed to operate in a preset time and the running status of the samplers in the network is visualized from the base station. The system is developed in such a way that it can be used for any other environment sampling system deployed in wide area and uneven terrain where manual operation is difficult due to the requirement of simultaneous operation and status logging.

Hybrid 2D patterning using UV laser direct writing and aerosol jet printing of UV curable polydimethylsiloxane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obata, Kotaro; Schonewille, Adam; Slobin, Shayna; Hohnholz, Arndt; Unger, Claudia; Koch, Jürgen; Suttmann, Oliver; Overmeyer, Ludger

2017-09-01

The hybrid technique of aerosol jet printing and ultraviolet (UV) laser direct writing was developed for 2D patterning of thin film UV curable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). A dual atomizer module in an aerosol jet printing system generated aerosol jet streams from material components of the UV curable PDMS individually and enables the mixing in a controlled ratio. Precise control of the aerosol jet printing achieved the layer thickness of UV curable PDMS as thin as 1.6 μm. This aerosol jet printing system is advantageous because of its ability to print uniform thin-film coatings of UV curable PDMS on planar surfaces as well as free-form surfaces without the use of solvents. In addition, the hybrid 2D patterning using the combination of UV laser direct writing and aerosol jet printing achieved selective photo-initiated polymerization of the UV curable PDMS layer with an X-Y resolution of 17.5 μm.

Note: Design and development of wireless controlled aerosol sampling network for large scale aerosol dispersion experiments

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

Gopalakrishnan, V.; Subramanian, V.; Baskaran, R.

2015-07-15

Wireless based custom built aerosol sampling network is designed, developed, and implemented for environmental aerosol sampling. These aerosol sampling systems are used in field measurement campaign, in which sodium aerosol dispersion experiments have been conducted as a part of environmental impact studies related to sodium cooled fast reactor. The sampling network contains 40 aerosol sampling units and each contains custom built sampling head and the wireless control networking designed with Programmable System on Chip (PSoC™) and Xbee Pro RF modules. The base station control is designed using graphical programming language LabView. The sampling network is programmed to operate in amore » preset time and the running status of the samplers in the network is visualized from the base station. The system is developed in such a way that it can be used for any other environment sampling system deployed in wide area and uneven terrain where manual operation is difficult due to the requirement of simultaneous operation and status logging.« less

Brexanolone (SAGE-547 injection) in post-partum depression: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Kanes, Stephen; Colquhoun, Helen; Gunduz-Bruce, Handan; Raines, Shane; Arnold, Ryan; Schacterle, Amy; Doherty, James; Epperson, C Neill; Deligiannidis, Kristina M; Riesenberg, Robert; Hoffmann, Ethan; Rubinow, David; Jonas, Jeffrey; Paul, Steven; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha

2017-07-29

Post-partum depression is a serious mood disorder in women that might be triggered by peripartum fluctuations in reproductive hormones. This phase 2 study investigated brexanolone (USAN; formerly SAGE-547 injection), an intravenous formulation of allopregnanolone, a positive allosteric modulator of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA A ) receptors, for the treatment of post-partum depression. For this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, we enrolled self-referred or physician-referred female inpatients (≤6 months post partum) with severe post-partum depression (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HAM-D] total score ≥26) in four hospitals in the USA. Eligible women were randomly assigned (1:1), via a computer-generated randomisation program, to receive either a single, continuous intravenous dose of brexanolone or placebo for 60 h. Patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignments. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline in the 17-item HAM-D total score at 60 h, assessed in all randomised patients who started infusion of study drug or placebo and who had a completed baseline HAM-D assessment and at least one post-baseline HAM-D assessment. Patients were followed up until day 30. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02614547. This trial was done between Dec 15, 2015 (first enrolment), and May 19, 2016 (final visit of the last enrolled patient). 21 women were randomly assigned to the brexanolone (n=10) and placebo (n=11) groups. At 60 h, mean reduction in HAM-D total score from baseline was 21·0 points (SE 2·9) in the brexanolone group compared with 8·8 points (SE 2·8) in the placebo group (difference -12·2, 95% CI -20·77 to -3·67; p=0·0075; effect size 1·2). No deaths, serious adverse events, or discontinuations because of adverse events were reported in either group. Four of ten patients in the brexanolone group had adverse events compared with eight of 11 in the placebo group. The most frequently reported adverse events in the brexanolone group were dizziness (two patients in the brexanolone group vs three patients in the placebo group) and somnolence (two vs none). Moderate treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in two patients in the brexanolone group (sinus tachycardia, n=1; somnolence, n=1) and in two patients in the placebo group (infusion site pain, n=1; tension headache, n=1); one patient in the placebo group had a severe treatment-emergent adverse event (insomnia). In women with severe post-partum depression, infusion of brexanolone resulted in a significant and clinically meaningful reduction in HAM-D total score, compared with placebo. Our results support the rationale for targeting synaptic and extrasynaptic GABA A receptors in the development of therapies for patients with post-partum depression. A pivotal clinical programme for the investigation of brexanolone in patients with post-partum depression is in progress. Sage Therapeutics, Inc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Antimicrobial Food Additives as Potential Dipping Solutions to Control Pseudomonas spp. Contamination in the Frankfurters and Ham.

PubMed

Oh, Mi-Hwa; Park, Beom-Young; Jo, Hyunji; Lee, Soomin; Lee, Heeyoung; Choi, Kyoung-Hee; Yoon, Yohan

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the effect of sodium diacetate and sodium lactate solutions for reducing the cell count of Pseudomonas spp. in frankfurters and hams. A mixture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCCP10338, NCCP10250, and NCCP11229), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (KACC10323 and KACC10326) was inoculated on cooked frankfurters and ham. The inoculated samples were immersed into control (sterile distilled water), sodium diacetate (5 and 10%), sodium lactate (5 and 10%), 5% sodium diacetate + 5% sodium lactate, and 10% sodium diacetate + 10% sodium lactate for 0-10 min. Inoculated frankfurters and ham were also immersed into acidified (pH 3.0) solutions such as acidified sodium diacetate (5 and 10%), and acidified sodium lactate (5 and 10%) in addition to control (acidified distilled water) for 0-10 min. Total aerobic plate counts for Pseudomonas spp. were enumerated on Cetrimide agar. Significant reductions (ca. 2 Log CFU/g) in Pseudomonas spp. cells on frankfurters and ham were observed only for a combination treatment of 10% sodium lactate + 10% sodium diacetate. When the solutions were acidified to pH 3.0, the total reductions of Pseudomonas spp. were 1.5-4.0 Log CFU/g. The order of reduction amounts of Pseudomonas spp. cell counts was 10% sodium lactate > 5% sodium lactate ≥ 10% sodium diacetate > 5% sodium diacetate > control for frankfurters, and 10% sodium lactate > 5% sodium lactate > 10% sodium diacetate > 5% sodium diacetate > control for ham. The results suggest that using acidified food additive antimicrobials, as dipping solutions, should be useful in reducing Pseudomonas spp. on frankfurters and ham.

Optimization of optical and mechanical properties of real architecture for 3-dimensional tissue equivalents: Towards treatment of limbal epithelial stem cell deficiency

PubMed Central

Massie, Isobel; Kureshi, Alvena K.; Schrader, Stefan; Shortt, Alex J.; Daniels, Julie T.

2015-01-01

Limbal epithelial stem cell (LESC) deficiency can cause blindness. Transplantation of cultured human limbal epithelial cells (hLE) on human amniotic membrane (HAM) can restore vision but clinical graft manufacture can be unreliable. We have developed a reliable and robust tissue equivalent (TE) alternative to HAM, Real Architecture for 3D Tissue (RAFT). Here, we aimed to optimize the optical and mechanical properties of RAFT TE for treatment of LESC deficiency in clinical application. The RAFT TE protocol is tunable; varying collagen concentration and volume produces differing RAFT TEs. These were compared with HAM samples taken from locations proximal and distal to the placental disc. Outcomes assessed were transparency, thickness, light transmission, tensile strength, ease of handling, degradation rates and suitability as substrate for hLE culture. Proximal HAM samples were thicker and stronger with poorer optical properties than distal HAM samples. RAFT TEs produced using higher amounts of collagen were thicker and stronger with poorer optical properties than those produced using lower amounts of collagen. The ‘optimal’ RAFT TE was thin, transparent but still handleable and was produced using 0.6 ml of 3 mg/ml collagen. Degradation rates of the ‘optimal’ RAFT TE and HAM were similar. hLE achieved confluency on ‘optimal’ RAFT TEs at comparable rates to HAM and cells expressed high levels of putative stem cell marker p63α. These findings support the use of RAFT TE for hLE transplantation towards treatment of LESC deficiency. PMID:26092352

The Ratios of Pre-emulsified Duck Skin for Optimized Processing of Restructured Ham.

PubMed

Shim, Jae-Yun; Kim, Tae-Kyung; Kim, Young-Boong; Jeon, Ki-Hong; Ahn, Kwang-Il; Paik, Hyun-Dong; Choi, Yun-Sang

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of duck ham formulated with duck skin through the pre-emulsification process. The experiments to investigate the quality characteristics of duck ham were carried out to measure proximate composition, cooking loss, emulsion stability, pH, color, texture profile analysis, apparent viscosity, and sensory characteristics. Duck ham was prepared with various ratios of duck skin in pre-emulsion as follows: Control (duct skin 30%), T1 (duck skin 20% + pre-emulsified duck skin 10%), T2 (duck skin 15% + pre-emulsified duck skin 15%), T3 (duck skin 10% + pre-emulsified duck skin 20%), and T4 (pre-emulsified duck skin 30%). As the ratio of duck skin to pre-emulsified skin changed, the quality of duck ham in terms of moisture content, fat content, cooking loss, emulsion stability, lightness, textural analysis, apparent viscosity, and overall acceptability changed. The moisture content of T2 was the highest ( p <0.05) and that of the control and T4 was the lowest ( p <0.05). The fat content of control was higher than all treatments ( p <0.05). T2 had the lowest values in cooking loss, total expressible fluid, fat separation, hardness, springiness, and gumminess ( p <0.05). The score of overall acceptability of all treatments with pre-emulsified skin was higher than control ( p <0.05). Therefore, the pre-emulsification process can improve the quality characteristics of duck ham and 1:1 ratio of duck skin and pre-emulsified skin was the proper ratio to improve the quality characteristics of duck ham.

Cardiovascular risk profile in patients with myelopathy associated with HTLV-1.

PubMed

Prado, Fabio Luís Silva do; Prado, Renata; Ladeia, Ana Marice Teixeira

HAM/TSP (HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis) is a slowly progressive disease, characterized by a chronic spastic paraparesis. It is not known if the disease carries an independent risk for cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile related to HAM/TSP and compare it with the general population. This was a cross-sectional study, with a control group. HAM/TSP patients were evaluated using cardiovascular risk scores (ASCVD RISK, SCORE and Framingham) and inflammatory markers (ultrasensitive CRP and IL-6), and compared with a control group of healthy individuals. We also evaluated the correlation between cardiovascular risk and the functional status of patients with HAM/TSP evaluated by the FIM scale. Eighty percent of patients in this study were females, mean age of 51 years (11.3). The control group showed an increased cardiovascular event risk in 10 years when ASCVD was analyzed (cardiovascular risk ≥7.5% in 10 years seen in 43% of patients in the control group vs. 23% of patients with HAM/TSP; p=0.037). There was no difference in ultrasensitive CRP or IL-6 values between the groups, even when groups were stratified into low and high risk. There was no correlation between the functional status of HAM/TSP patients and the cardiovascular risk. In this study, the cardiovascular risk profile of patients with HAM/TSP was better than the risk of the control group. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Regular Intake of Dry-Cured Ham Rich in Bioactive Peptides on Inflammation, Platelet and Monocyte Activation Markers in Humans

PubMed Central

Martínez-Sánchez, Sara María; Minguela, Alfredo; Prieto-Merino, David; Zafrilla-Rentero, María Pilar; Abellán-Alemán, José; Montoro-García, Silvia

2017-01-01

Background and aims: Dietary studies have shown that active biopeptides provide protective health benefits, although the mediating pathways are somewhat uncertain. To throw light on this situation, we studied the effects of consuming Spanish dry-cured ham on platelet function, monocyte activation markers and the inflammatory status of healthy humans with pre-hypertension. Methods: Thirty-eight healthy volunteers with systolic blood pressure of >125 mmHg were enrolled in a two-arm crossover randomized controlled trial. Participants received 80 g/day dry-cured pork ham of >11 months proteolysis or 100 g/day cooked ham (control product) for 4 weeks followed by a 2-week washout before “crossing over” to the other treatment for 4 more weeks. Soluble markers and cytokines were analyzed by ELISA. Platelet function was assessed by measuring P-selectin expression and PAC-1 binding after ADP (adenosine diphosphate) stimulation using whole blood flow cytometry. Monocyte markers of the pathological status (adhesion, inflammatory and scavenging receptors) were also measured by flow cytometry in the three monocyte subsets after the interventional period. Results: The mean differences between dry-cured ham and cooked ham followed by a time period adjustment for plasmatic P-selectin and interleukin 6 proteins slightly failed (p = 0.062 and p = 0.049, respectively), notably increased for MCP-1 levels (p = 0.023) while VCAM-1 was not affected. Platelet function also decreased after ADP stimulation. The expression of adhesion and scavenging markers (ICAM1R, CXCR4 and TLR4) in the three subsets of monocytes was significantly higher (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: The regular consumption of biopeptides contained in the dry-cured ham but absent in cooked ham impaired platelet and monocyte activation and the levels of plasmatic P-selectin, MCP-1 and interleukin 6 in healthy subjects. This study strongly suggests the existence of a mechanism that links dietary biopeptides and beneficial health effects. PMID:28333093

Tax secretion from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Tax detection in plasma of patients with human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and asymptomatic carriers.

PubMed

Medina, Fernando; Quintremil, Sebastián; Alberti, Carolina; Godoy, Fabián; Pando, María E; Bustamante, Andrés; Barriga, Andrés; Cartier, Luis; Puente, Javier; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Valenzuela, María A; Ramírez, Eugenio

2016-03-01

Human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of the neurologic disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Tax viral protein plays a critical role in viral pathogenesis. Previous studies suggested that extracellular Tax might involve cytokine-like extracellular effects. We evaluated Tax secretion in 18 h-ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultures from 15 HAM/TSP patients and 15 asymptomatic carriers. Futhermore, Tax plasma level was evaluated from other 12 HAM/TSP patients and 10 asymptomatic carriers. Proviral load and mRNA encoding Tax were quantified by PCR and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Intracellular Tax in CD4(+)CD25(+) cells occurred in 100% and 86.7% of HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic carriers, respectively. Percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tax+, proviral load and mRNA encoding Tax were significantly higher in HAM/TSP patients. Western blot analyses showed higher secretion levels of ubiquitinated Tax in HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic carriers. In HTLV-1-infected subjects, Western blot of plasma Tax showed higher levels in HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic carriers, whereas no Tax was found in non-infected subjects. Immunoprecipitated plasma Tax resolved on SDS-PAGE gave two major bands of 57 and 48 kDa allowing identification of Tax and Ubiquitin peptides by mass spectrometry. Relative percentage of either CD4(+)CD25(+) Tax+ cells, or Tax protein released from PBMCs, or plasma Tax, correlates neither with tax mRNA nor with proviral load. This fact could be explained by a complex regulation of Tax expression. Tax secreted from PBMCs or present in plasma could potentially become a biomarker to distinguish between HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic carriers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Formation of heterocyclic amines in salami and ham pizza toppings during baking of frozen pizza.

PubMed

Gibis, Monika; Weiss, Jochen

2013-06-01

Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are formed as Maillard reaction products in the crust of meat products during heating processes. Two typical pizza toppings--salami and cooked ham--were analyzed for the presence of HAs after baking frozen pizzas at top and bottom temperatures of 250 and 230 °C, respectively. After baking pizza slices for 12 min, MeIQx (2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline; 0.2 ng/g), 4,8-DiMeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline; 0.5 ng/g), PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine; 0.2 ng/g), norharman (4.5 ng/g), and harman (2.5 ng/g) were found in the ham toppings, whereas only the comutagenic norharman (107.4 ng/g) and harman (11.4 ng/g) were found in the salami toppings. The content of MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx in ham increased from 0.3 to 1.8 ng/g and 0.8 to 1.6 ng/g, respectively, when the recommended baking time was increased from 15 min (manufacturer's specification) to 18 min at 230 °C. MeIQx was formed in salami when the heating time was extended to 18 min. Moreover, higher concentrations of PhIP in salami or ham slices were found when baking temperatures were 250 °C rather than 230 °C (baking time of 12 min). However, sensory tests showed that panelists preferred longer-baked pizzas due to an increased crispiness. Thus, results show that a substantial formation of HAs may occur in pizza toppings such as ham and salami, with ham being particularly susceptible when compared to salami. Formation of HAs increases with increasing baking time and temperature. The occurrence of the cupping of ham or salami slices during baking may also increase the formation of HAs. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

CSF CXCL10, CXCL9, and Neopterin as Candidate Prognostic Biomarkers for HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis

PubMed Central

Sato, Tomoo; Coler-Reilly, Ariella; Utsunomiya, Atae; Araya, Natsumi; Yagishita, Naoko; Ando, Hitoshi; Yamauchi, Junji; Inoue, Eisuke; Ueno, Takahiko; Hasegawa, Yasuhiro; Nishioka, Kusuki; Nakajima, Toshihiro; Jacobson, Steven; Izumo, Shuji; Yamano, Yoshihisa

2013-01-01

Background Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) -associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a rare chronic neuroinflammatory disease. Since the disease course of HAM/TSP varies among patients, there is a dire need for biomarkers capable of predicting the rate of disease progression. However, there have been no studies to date that have compared the prognostic values of multiple potential biomarkers for HAM/TSP. Methodology/Principal Findings Peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from HAM/TSP patients and HTLV-1-infected control subjects were obtained and tested retrospectively for several potential biomarkers, including chemokines and other cytokines, and nine optimal candidates were selected based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Next, we evaluated the relationship between these candidates and the rate of disease progression in HAM/TSP patients, beginning with a first cohort of 30 patients (Training Set) and proceeding to a second cohort of 23 patients (Test Set). We defined “deteriorating HAM/TSP” as distinctly worsening function (≥3 grades on Osame's Motor Disability Score (OMDS)) over four years and “stable HAM/TSP” as unchanged or only slightly worsened function (1 grade on OMDS) over four years, and we compared the levels of the candidate biomarkers in patients divided into these two groups. The CSF levels of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10), CXCL9, and neopterin were well-correlated with disease progression, better even than HTLV-1 proviral load in PBMCs. Importantly, these results were validated using the Test Set. Conclusions/Significance As the CSF levels of CXCL10, CXCL9, and neopterin were the most strongly correlated with rate of disease progression, they represent the most viable candidates for HAM/TSP prognostic biomarkers. The identification of effective prognostic biomarkers could lead to earlier detection of high-risk patients, more patient-specific treatment options, and more productive clinical trials. PMID:24130912

A resistant-starch enriched yogurt: fermentability, sensory characteristics, and a pilot study in children

PubMed Central

Aryana, Kayanush; Greenway, Frank; Dhurandhar, Nikhil; Tulley, Richard; Finley, John; Keenan, Michael; Martin, Roy; Pelkman, Christine; Olson, Douglas; Zheng, Jolene

2015-01-01

The rising prevalence of obesity and the vulnerability of the pediatric age group have highlighted the critical need for a careful consideration of effective, safe, remedial and preventive dietary interventions.  Amylose starch (RS2) from high-amylose maize (HAM) ferments in the gut and affects body weight.   One hundred and ten children, of 7-8 (n=91) or 13-14 (n=19) years of age scored the sensory qualities of a yogurt supplemented with either HAM-RS2 or an amylopectin starch.  The amylopectin starch yogurt was preferred to the HAM-RS2-enriched yogurt by 7-8 year old panelists ( P<0.0001).  Appearance, taste, and sandiness scores given by 13- to 14-year-old panelists were more favorable for the amylopectin starch yogurt than for HAM-RS2-enriched yogurt ( P<0.05).  HAM-RS2 supplementation resulted in acceptable (≥6 on a 1-9 scale) sensory and hedonic ratings of the yogurt in 74% of subjects.  Four children consumed a HAM-RS2-enriched yogurt for four weeks to test its fermentability in a clinical trial.  Three adolescents, but not the single pre-pubertal child, had reduced stool pH ( P=0.1) and increased stool short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) ( P<0.05) including increased fecal acetate ( P=0.02), and butyrate ( P=0.089) from resistant starch (RS) fermentation and isobutyrate ( P=0.01) from protein fermentation post-treatment suggesting a favorable change to the gut microbiota.  HAM-RS2 was not modified by pasteurization of the yogurt, and may be a palatable way to increase fiber intake and stimulate colonic fermentation in adolescents.  Future studies are planned to determine the concentration of HAM-RS2 that offers the optimal safe and effective strategy to prevent excessive fat gain in children. PMID:26925221

Development and first application of an Aerosol Collection Module (ACM) for quasi online compound specific aerosol measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohaus, Thorsten; Kiendler-Scharr, Astrid; Trimborn, Dagmar; Jayne, John; Wahner, Andreas; Worsnop, Doug

2010-05-01

Atmospheric aerosols influence climate and human health on regional and global scales (IPCC, 2007). In many environments organics are a major fraction of the aerosol influencing its properties. Due to the huge variety of organic compounds present in atmospheric aerosol current measurement techniques are far from providing a full speciation of organic aerosol (Hallquist et al., 2009). The development of new techniques for compound specific measurements with high time resolution is a timely issue in organic aerosol research. Here we present first laboratory characterisations of an aerosol collection module (ACM) which was developed to allow for the sampling and transfer of atmospheric PM1 aerosol. The system consists of an aerodynamic lens system focussing particles on a beam. This beam is directed to a 3.4 mm in diameter surface which is cooled to -30 °C with liquid nitrogen. After collection the aerosol sample can be evaporated from the surface by heating it to up to 270 °C. The sample is transferred through a 60cm long line with a carrier gas. In order to test the ACM for linearity and sensitivity we combined it with a GC-MS system. The tests were performed with octadecane aerosol. The octadecane mass as measured with the ACM-GC-MS was compared versus the mass as calculated from SMPS derived total volume. The data correlate well (R2 0.99, slope of linear fit 1.1) indicating 100 % collection efficiency. From 150 °C to 270 °C no effect of desorption temperature on transfer efficiency could be observed. The ACM-GC-MS system was proven to be linear over the mass range 2-100 ng and has a detection limit of ~ 2 ng. First experiments applying the ACM-GC-MS system were conducted at the Jülich Aerosol Chamber. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was formed from ozonolysis of 600 ppbv of b-pinene. The major oxidation product nopinone was detected in the aerosol and could be shown to decrease from 2 % of the total aerosol to 0.5 % of the aerosol over the 48 hours of experiment course. The SOA was simultaneously characterized by an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). The ACM-GC-MS results will be compared with PMF analysis of the AMS organic aerosol. The correlation of specific compounds with PMF factors will be discussed together with future applications of the ACM-GC-MS system for ambient aerosol measurements. Acknowledgement This work was supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Grant No. RD-83107701-0) and the Department of Energy (DOE SBIR Grant No. DE-FG02-05ER84269). References Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): Climate Change 2007, Cambridge University Press, UK, 2007 Hallquist et al., The formation, properties and impact of secondary organic aerosol: current and emerging issues, Atmos. Chem. Phys, Vol.9, 5155-5236, 2009

Spatio-temporal variability of aerosols in the tropics relationship with atmospheric and oceanic environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuluaga-Arias, Manuel D.

2011-12-01

Earth's radiation budget is directly influenced by aerosols through the absorption of solar radiation and subsequent heating of the atmosphere. Aerosols modulate the hydrological cycle indirectly by modifying cloud properties, precipitation and ocean heat storage. In addition, polluting aerosols impose health risks in local, regional and global scales. In spite of recent advances in the study of aerosols variability, uncertainty in their spatio-temporal distributions still presents a challenge in the understanding of climate variability. For example, aerosol loading varies not only from year to year but also on higher frequency intraseasonal time scales producing strong variability on local and regional scales. An assessment of the impact of aerosol variability requires long period measurements of aerosols at both regional and global scales. The present dissertation compiles a large database of remotely sensed aerosol loading in order to analyze its spatio-temporal variability, and how this load interacts with different variables that characterize the dynamic and thermodynamic states of the environment. Aerosol Index (AI) and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) were used as measures of the atmospheric aerosol load. In addition, atmospheric and oceanic satellite observations, and reanalysis datasets is used in the analysis to investigate aerosol-environment interactions. A diagnostic study is conducted to produce global and regional aerosol satellite climatologies, and to analyze and compare the validity of aerosol retrievals. We find similarities and differences between the aerosol distributions over various regions of the globe when comparing the different satellite retrievals. A nonparametric approach is also used to examine the spatial distribution of the recent trends in aerosol concentration. A significant positive trend was found over the Middle East, Arabian Sea and South Asian regions strongly influenced by increases in dust events. Spectral and composite analyses of surface temperature, atmospheric wind, geopotential height, outgoing longwave radiation, water vapor and precipitation together with the climatology of aerosols provide insight on how the variables interact. Different modes of variability, especially in intraseasonal time scales appear as strong modulators of the aerosol distribution. In particular, we investigate how two modes of variability related to the westward propagating synoptic African Easterly Waves of the Tropical Atlantic Ocean affect the horizontal and vertical structure of the environment. The statistical significance of these two modes is tested with the use of two different spectral techniques. The pattern of propagation of aerosol load shows good correspondence with the progression of the atmospheric and oceanic conditions suitable for dust mobilization over the Atlantic Ocean. We present extensions to previous studies related with dust variability over the Atlantic region by evaluating the performance of the long period satellite aerosol retrievals in determining modes of aerosol variability. Results of the covariability between aerosols-environment motivate the use of statistical regression models to test the significance of the forecasting skill of daily AOD time series. The regression models are calibrated using atmospheric variables as predictors from the reanalysis variables. The results show poor forecasting skill with significant error growing after the 3 rd day of the prediction. It is hypothesized that the simplicity of linear models results in an inability to provide a useful forecast.

Climate Curriculum Modules on Volcanic Eruptions, Geoengineering, and Nuclear Winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robock, A.

2014-12-01

To support a climate dynamics multidisciplinary curriculum for graduate and senior university students, I will describe on-line modules on volcanic eruptions and climate, geoengineering, and nuclear winter. Each of these topics involves aerosols in the stratosphere and the response of the climate system, but each is distinct, and each is evolving as more research becomes available. As reported for the first time in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, volcanic eruptions are a natural analog for the climate impacts of potential anthropogenic aerosol injections into the stratosphere, either sulfates from potential attempts to cool the climate to counteract global warming, or smoke that would be produced from fires in cities and industrial targets in a nuclear war. The volcanic eruptions module would stand alone, and would also serve as a prerequisite for each of the other two modules, which could be taught independently of each other. Each module includes consideration of the physical climate system as well as impacts of the resulting climate change. Geoengineering includes both solar radiation management and carbon dioxide reduction. The geoengineering and nuclear winter modules also include consideration of policy and governance issues. Each module includes a slide set for use in lecturing, links to related resources, and student exercises. The modules will be regularly updated.

The Impact of Different Complexity on Numerical Weather Predictions within the Coupled Global Online Modeling System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Grell, G. A.; McKeen, S. A.; Ahmadov, R.

2017-12-01

The global Flow-following finite-volume Icosahedra Model (FIM), which was developed in the Global Systems Division of NOAA/ESRL and the Finite-volume cubed-sphere dynamical core (FV3) developed by GFDL, have been coupled online with aerosol and gas-phase chemistry schemes (FIM-Chem and FV3-Chem). Within the aerosol and chemistry modules, the models handle wet and dry deposition, chemical reactions, aerosol direct and semi-direct effect, anthropogenic emissions, biogenic emissions, biomass burning, dust and sea-salt emissions. They are able to provide chemical weather predictions at various spatial resolutions and with different levels of complexity. FIM-Chem is also able to quantify the impact of aerosol on numerical weather predictions (NWP). Currently, three different chemical schemes have been coupled with the FIM model. The simplest aerosol modules are from the GOCART model with its simplified parameterization of sulfur/sulfate chemistry. The photochemical gas-phase mechanism RACM was included to determine the impact of additional complexity on the aerosol and gas simulations. We have also implemented a more sophisticated aerosol scheme that includes secondary organic aerosols (SOA) based on the VBS approach. The model performance has been evaluated by comparing with the ATom-1 observations. FIM-Chem is able to reproduce many observed aerosol and gas features very well. A five-day NWP on 120 km horizontal resolution using FIM-Chem has been done for the end of July, 2016 to quantify the impact of the three different chemical schemes on weather forecasts. Compared to a meteorological run that excludes the model chemical schemes, and is driven only by background AODs from the GFS model, the 5-day forecast results shows significant impact on weather predictions when including the prognostic aerosol schemes. This includes convective precipitation, surface temperature, and 700 hPa air temperature. We also use FIM-Chem to investigate the 2012 South American Biomass Burning Analysis (SAMBBA) campaign period to determine whether more complex chemistry provides benefits for global numerical weather prediction.

Prognostic parameterization of cloud ice with a single category in the aerosol-climate model ECHAM(v6.3.0)-HAM(v2.3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dietlicher, Remo; Neubauer, David; Lohmann, Ulrike

2018-04-01

A new scheme for stratiform cloud microphysics has been implemented in the ECHAM6-HAM2 general circulation model. It features a widely used description of cloud water with two categories for cloud droplets and raindrops. The unique aspect of the new scheme is the break with the traditional approach to describe cloud ice analogously. Here we parameterize cloud ice by a single category that predicts bulk particle properties (P3). This method has already been applied in a regional model and most recently also in the Community Atmosphere Model 5 (CAM5). A single cloud ice category does not rely on heuristic conversion rates from one category to another. Therefore, it is conceptually easier and closer to first principles. This work shows that a single category is a viable approach to describe cloud ice in climate models. Prognostic representation of sedimentation is achieved by a nested approach for sub-stepping the cloud microphysics scheme. This yields good results in terms of accuracy and performance as compared to simulations with high temporal resolution. Furthermore, the new scheme allows for a competition between various cloud processes and is thus able to unbiasedly represent the ice formation pathway from nucleation to growth by vapor deposition and collisions to sedimentation. Specific aspects of the P3 method are evaluated. We could not produce a purely stratiform cloud where rime growth dominates growth by vapor deposition and conclude that the lack of appropriate conditions renders the prognostic parameters associated with the rime properties unnecessary. Limitations inherent in a single category are examined.

Assessment of Aerosol Optical Property and Radiative Effect for the Layer Decoupling Cases over the Northern South China Sea During the 7-SEAS Dongsha Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pani, Shantau Kumar; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Lin, Neng-Huei; Tsay, Si-Chee; Lolli, Simone; Chuang, Ming-Tung; Lee, Chung-Te; Chantara, Somporn; Yu, Jin-Yi

2016-01-01

The aerosol radiative effect can be modulated by the vertical distribution and optical properties of aerosols, particularly when aerosol layers are decoupled. Direct aerosol radiative effects over the northern South China Sea (SCS) were assessed by incorporating an observed data set of aerosol optical properties obtained from the Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS)/Dongsha Experiment into a radiative transfer model. Aerosol optical properties for a two-layer structure of aerosol transport were estimated. In the radiative transfer calculations, aerosol variability (i.e., diversity of source region, aerosol type, and vertical distribution) for the complex aerosol environment was also carefully quantified. The column-integrated aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500nm was 0.1-0.3 for near-surface aerosols and increased 1-5 times in presence of upper layer biomass-burning aerosols. A case study showed the strong aerosol absorption (single-scattering albedo (omega) approx. = 0.92 at 440nm wavelength) exhibited by the upper layer when associated with predominantly biomass-burning aerosols, and the omega (approx. = 0.95) of near-surface aerosols was greater than that of the upper layer aerosols because of the presence of mixed type aerosols. The presence of upper level aerosol transport could enhance the radiative efficiency at the surface (i.e., cooling) and lower atmosphere (i.e., heating) by up to -13.7 and +9.6W/sq m2 per AOD, respectively. Such enhancement could potentially modify atmospheric stability, can influence atmospheric circulation, as well as the hydrological cycle over the tropical and low-latitude marginal northern SCS.

Assessment of aerosol optical property and radiative effect for the layer decoupling cases over the northern South China Sea during the 7-SEAS/Dongsha Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pani, Shantanu Kumar; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Lin, Neng-Huei; Tsay, Si-Chee; Lolli, Simone; Chuang, Ming-Tung; Lee, Chung-Te; Chantara, Somporn; Yu, Jin-Yi

2016-05-01

The aerosol radiative effect can be modulated by the vertical distribution and optical properties of aerosols, particularly when aerosol layers are decoupled. Direct aerosol radiative effects over the northern South China Sea (SCS) were assessed by incorporating an observed data set of aerosol optical properties obtained from the Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS)/Dongsha Experiment into a radiative transfer model. Aerosol optical properties for a two-layer structure of aerosol transport were estimated. In the radiative transfer calculations, aerosol variability (i.e., diversity of source region, aerosol type, and vertical distribution) for the complex aerosol environment was also carefully quantified. The column-integrated aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 500 nm was 0.1-0.3 for near-surface aerosols and increased 1-5 times in presence of upper layer biomass-burning aerosols. A case study showed the strong aerosol absorption (single-scattering albedo (ω) ≈ 0.92 at 440 nm wavelength) exhibited by the upper layer when associated with predominantly biomass-burning aerosols, and the ω (≈0.95) of near-surface aerosols was greater than that of the upper layer aerosols because of the presence of mixed type aerosols. The presence of upper level aerosol transport could enhance the radiative efficiency at the surface (i.e., cooling) and lower atmosphere (i.e., heating) by up to -13.7 and +9.6 W m-2 per AOD, respectively. Such enhancement could potentially modify atmospheric stability, can influence atmospheric circulation, as well as the hydrological cycle over the tropical and low-latitude marginal northern SCS.

Effect of added thiamine on the key odorant compounds and aroma of cooked ham.

PubMed

Thomas, Caroline; Mercier, Frédéric; Tournayre, Pascal; Martin, Jean-Luc; Berdagué, Jean-Louis

2015-04-15

This study shows that thiamine plays a major role in the formation of three key odorants of cooked ham: 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 2-methyl-3-methyldithiofuran, and bis(2-methyl-3-furyl)disulphide. Analyses revealed that under identical cooking conditions, the productions of these three aroma compounds increase in a closely intercorrelated way when the dose of thiamine increases. Using a specific 2-methyl-3-furanthiol extraction-quantification method, it was possible to relate the amounts of thiamine added in model cooked hams to the amounts of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol produced in the cooking process. Sensory analyses highlighted the role of thiamine as a precursor of cooked ham aroma. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparisons of regional Hydrological Angular Momentum (HAM) of the different models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastula, J.; Kolaczek, B.; Popinski, W.

2006-10-01

In the paper hydrological excitations of the polar motion (HAM) were computed from various hydrological data series (NCEP, ECMWF, CPC water storage and LaD World Simulations of global continental water). HAM series obtained from these four models and the geodetic excitation function GEOD computed from the polar motion COMB03 data were compared in the seasonal spectral band. The results show big differences of these hydrological excitation functions as well as of their spectra in the seasonal spectra band. Seasonal oscillations of the global geophysical excitation functions (AAM + OAM + HAM) in all cases besides the NCEP/NCAR model are smaller than the geodetic excitation function. It means that these models need further improvement and perhaps not only hydrological models need improvements.

Why do tornados and hailstorms rest on weekends?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenfeld, Daniel; Bell, Thomas L.

2011-10-01

This study shows for the first time statistical evidence that when anthropogenic aerosols over the eastern United States during summertime are at their weekly mid-week peak, tornado and hailstorm activity there is also near its weekly maximum. The weekly cycle in summertime storm activity for 1995-2009 was found to be statistically significant and unlikely to be due to natural variability. It correlates well with previously observed weekly cycles of other measures of storm activity. The pattern of variability supports the hypothesis that air pollution aerosols invigorate deep convective clouds in a moist, unstable atmosphere, to the extent of inducing production of large hailstones and tornados. This is caused by the effect of aerosols on cloud drop nucleation, making cloud drops smaller and hydrometeors larger. According to simulations, the larger ice hydrometeors contribute to more hail. The reduced evaporation from the larger hydrometeors produces weaker cold pools. Simulations have shown that too cold and fast-expanding pools inhibit the formation of tornados. The statistical observations suggest that this might be the mechanism by which the weekly modulation in pollution aerosols is causing the weekly cycle in severe convective storms during summer over the eastern United States. Although we focus here on the role of aerosols, they are not a primary atmospheric driver of tornados and hailstorms but rather modulate them in certain conditions.

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

Li, Zhanqing; Lau, W. K. -M.; Ramanathan, V.

Asian monsoons and aerosols have been studied extensively which are intertwined in influencing the climate of Asia. This paper provides a comprehensive review of ample studies on Asian aerosol, monsoon and their interactions. The region is the primary source of aerosol emissions of varies species, influenced by distinct weather and climatic regimes. On continental scale, aerosols reduce surface insolation and weaken the land-ocean thermal contrast, thus inhibiting the development of monsoons. Locally, aerosol radiative effects alter the thermodynamic stability and convective potential of the lower atmosphere leading to reduced temperatures, increased atmospheric stability, and weakened wind and atmospheric circulation. Themore » atmospheric thermodynamic state may also be altered by the aerosol serving as cloud condensation nuclei or ice nuclei. Many mechanisms have been put forth regarding how aerosols modulate the amplitude, frequency, intensity, and phase of numerous monsoon climate variables. A wide range of theoretical, observational, and modeling findings on the Asian monsoon, aerosols, and their interactions are synthesized. A new paradigm is proposed on investigating aerosol-monsoon interactions, in which natural aerosols such as desert dust, black carbon from biomass burning, and biogenic aerosols from vegetation are considered integral components of an intrinsic aerosol-monsoon climate system, subject to external forcings of global warming, anthropogenic aerosols, and land use and change. Future research on aerosol-monsoon interactions calls for an integrated approach and international collaborations based on long-term sustained observations, process measurements, and improved models, as well as using observations to constrain model simulations and projections.« less

Cytokine profile and proviral load among Japanese immigrants and non-Japanese infected with HTLV-1 in a non-endemic area of Brazil.

PubMed

Domingos, João Américo; Soares, Luana Silva; Bandeira, Larissa M; Bonin, Camila Mareti; Vicente, Ana C P; Zanella, Louise; Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira; Tozetti, Inês Aparecida; Motta-Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio

2017-01-01

The lifetime risk of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) development differs among ethnic groups. To better understand these differences, this prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the cytokine profile and the HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in Japanese and non-Japanese populations with HAM/TSP and asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were quantified using the Cytometric Bead Array in 40 HTLV-1-infected patients (11 HAM/TSP and 29 ACs) and 18 healthy controls (HCs) in Brazil. Among ACs, 15 were Japanese descendants and 14 were non-Japanese. Of 11 patients with HAM/TSP, only one was a Japanese descendant. The HTLV-1 PVL was quantified by real-time PCR. The HTLV-1 PVL was 2.7-fold higher in HAM/TSP patients than ACs. Regardless of the clinical outcome, the PVL was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than older patients. The HAM/TSP and ACs had higher IL-10 serum concentrations than that of HCs. The ACs also showed higher IL-6 serum levels than those of HCs. According to age, the IL-10 and IL-6 levels were higher in ACs non-Japanese patients older than 60 years. HAM/TSP patients showed a positive correlation between IL-6 and IL-17 and a negative correlation between the PVL and IL-17 and IFN-γ. In the all ACs, a significant positive correlation was observed between IL-2 and IL-17 and a negative correlation was detected between IL-10 and TNF-α. Only 6.25% of the Japanese patients were symptomatic carriers, compared with 41.67% of the non-Japanese patients. In conclusion, this study showed that high levels of HTLV-1 PVL was intrinsicaly associated with the development of HAM/TSP. A higher HTLV-1 PVL and IL10 levels found in non-Japanese ACs over 60 years old, which compared with the Japanese group depicts that the ethnic background may interfere in the host immune status. More researches also need to be undertaken regarding the host genetic background to better understand the low frequency of HAM/TSP in Japanese HTLV-1-infected individuals.

Cytokine profile and proviral load among Japanese immigrants and non-Japanese infected with HTLV-1 in a non-endemic area of Brazil

PubMed Central

Domingos, João Américo; Soares, Luana Silva; Bandeira, Larissa M.; Bonin, Camila Mareti; Vicente, Ana C. P.; Zanella, Louise; Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira; Tozetti, Inês Aparecida; Motta-Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio

2017-01-01

The lifetime risk of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) development differs among ethnic groups. To better understand these differences, this prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the cytokine profile and the HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in Japanese and non-Japanese populations with HAM/TSP and asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were quantified using the Cytometric Bead Array in 40 HTLV-1-infected patients (11 HAM/TSP and 29 ACs) and 18 healthy controls (HCs) in Brazil. Among ACs, 15 were Japanese descendants and 14 were non-Japanese. Of 11 patients with HAM/TSP, only one was a Japanese descendant. The HTLV-1 PVL was quantified by real-time PCR. The HTLV-1 PVL was 2.7-fold higher in HAM/TSP patients than ACs. Regardless of the clinical outcome, the PVL was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than older patients. The HAM/TSP and ACs had higher IL-10 serum concentrations than that of HCs. The ACs also showed higher IL-6 serum levels than those of HCs. According to age, the IL-10 and IL-6 levels were higher in ACs non-Japanese patients older than 60 years. HAM/TSP patients showed a positive correlation between IL-6 and IL-17 and a negative correlation between the PVL and IL-17 and IFN-γ. In the all ACs, a significant positive correlation was observed between IL-2 and IL-17 and a negative correlation was detected between IL-10 and TNF-α. Only 6.25% of the Japanese patients were symptomatic carriers, compared with 41.67% of the non-Japanese patients. In conclusion, this study showed that high levels of HTLV-1 PVL was intrinsicaly associated with the development of HAM/TSP. A higher HTLV-1 PVL and IL10 levels found in non-Japanese ACs over 60 years old, which compared with the Japanese group depicts that the ethnic background may interfere in the host immune status. More researches also need to be undertaken regarding the host genetic background to better understand the low frequency of HAM/TSP in Japanese HTLV-1-infected individuals. PMID:28376092

Imaging spinal cord atrophy in progressive myelopathies: HTLV-I-associated neurological disease (HAM/TSP) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

PubMed

Azodi, Shila; Nair, Govind; Enose-Akahata, Yoshimi; Charlip, Emily; Vellucci, Ashley; Cortese, Irene; Dwyer, Jenifer; Billioux, B Jeanne; Thomas, Chevaz; Ohayon, Joan; Reich, Daniel S; Jacobson, Steven

2017-11-01

Previous work measures spinal cord thinning in chronic progressive myelopathies, including human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Quantitative measurements of spinal cord atrophy are important in fully characterizing these and other spinal cord diseases. We aimed to investigate patterns of spinal cord atrophy and correlations with clinical markers. Spinal cord cross-sectional area was measured in individuals (24 healthy controls [HCs], 17 asymptomatic carriers of HTLV-1 (AC), 47 HAM/TSP, 74 relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS], 17 secondary progressive MS [SPMS], and 40 primary progressive MS [PPMS]) from C1 to T10. Clinical disability scores, viral markers, and immunological parameters were obtained for patients and correlated with representative spinal cord cross-sectional area regions at the C2 to C3, C4 to C5, and T4 to T9 levels. In 2 HAM/TSP patients, spinal cord cross-sectional area was measured over 3 years. All spinal cord regions are thinner in HAM/TSP (56 mm 2 [standard deviation, 10], 59 [10], 23 [5]) than in HC (76 [7], 83 [8], 38 [4]) and AC (71 [7], 78 [9], 36 [7]). SPMS (62 [9], 66 [9], 32 [6]) and PPMS (65 [11], 68 [10], 35 [7]) have thinner cervical cords than HC and RRMS (73 [9], 77 [10], 37 [6]). Clinical disability scores (Expanded Disability Status Scale [p = 0.009] and Instituto de Pesquisas de Cananeia [p = 0.03]) and CD8 + T-cell frequency (p = 0.04) correlate with T4 to T9 spinal cord cross-sectional area in HAM/TSP. Higher cerebrospinal fluid HTLV-1 proviral load (p = 0.01) was associated with thinner spinal cord cross-sectional area. Both HAM/TSP patients followed longitudinally showed thoracic thinning followed by cervical thinning. Group average spinal cord cross-sectional area in HAM/TSP and progressive MS show spinal cord atrophy. We further hypothesize in HAM/TSP that is possible that neuroglial loss from a thoracic inflammatory process results in anterograde and retrograde degeneration of axons, leading to the temporal progression of thoracic to cervical atrophy described here. Ann Neurol 2017;82:719-728. © 2017 American Neurological Association.

Severity of anxiety- but not depression- is associated with oxidative stress in Major Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Steenkamp, Lisa R; Hough, Christina M; Reus, Victor I; Jain, Felipe A; Epel, Elissa S; James, S Jill; Morford, Alexandra E; Mellon, Synthia H; Wolkowitz, Owen M; Lindqvist, Daniel

2017-09-01

Oxidative stress is implicated in both depression and anxiety, but it is currently unclear whether this relates to syndromal diagnoses or trans-diagnostic dimensional symptoms. We examined the relationship between oxidative stress and severity of depression and anxiety symptoms in individuals with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Plasma oxidative stress markers F2-isoprostanes and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and the antioxidant reduced glutathione (GSH), were assessed in 69 physically healthy, medication-free MDD subjects. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) Rating Scales. Total HAM-A and HAM-D scores, along with "core" anxiety and depression subscales, and individual HAM-D items "psychic anxiety" and "depressed mood," were related to oxidative stress markers. Analyses controlled for age, sex, BMI, and smoking. Total HAM-A ratings were positively associated with F2-isoprostanes (β=.26, p=.042) and GSSG (β=.25, p=.049), but not GSH (β=.05, p=.711). Core anxiety severity was positively associated with F2-isoprostanes (β=.34, p=.012) and GSSG, although this did not reach significance (β=.24, p=.074). None of the biological markers were significantly associated with total HAM-D or core depression ratings (all p>.13). Subjects scoring high on "psychic anxiety" had elevated F2-isoprostanes (p=.030) and GSSG (p=.020). This was not seen with "depressed mood" scores (all p>.12). We assessed peripheral oxidative markers, but their relationship to the brain is unclear. Oxidative stress is more closely related to anxiety than depression symptoms in MDD. This highlights the importance of relating oxidative stress to specific symptoms and could provide new insights into the biological correlates of affective disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genes Related to Antiviral Activity, Cell Migration, and Lysis Are Differentially Expressed in CD4+ T Cells in Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis Patients

PubMed Central

Pinto, Mariana Tomazini; Malta, Tathiane Maistro; Rodrigues, Evandra Strazza; Pinheiro, Daniel Guariz; Panepucci, Rodrigo Alexandre; Malmegrim de Farias, Kelen Cristina Ribeiro; Sousa, Alessandra De Paula; Takayanagui, Osvaldo Massaiti; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Covas, Dimas Tadeu

2014-01-01

Abstract Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) preferentially infects CD4+ T cells and these cells play a central role in HTLV-1 infection. In this study, we investigated the global gene expression profile of circulating CD4+ T cells from the distinct clinical status of HTLV-1-infected individuals in regard to TAX expression levels. CD4+ T cells were isolated from asymptomatic HTLV-1 carrier (HAC) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients in order to identify genes involved in HAM/TSP development using a microarray technique. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that healthy control (CT) and HTLV-1-infected samples clustered separately. We also observed that the HAC and HAM/TSP groups clustered separately regardless of TAX expression. The gene expression profile of CD4+ T cells was compared among the CT, HAC, and HAM/TSP groups. The paxillin (Pxn), chemokine (C-X-C motif ) receptor 4 (Cxcr4), interleukin 27 (IL27), and granzyme A (Gzma) genes were differentially expressed between the HAC and HAM/TSP groups, regardless of TAX expression. The perforin 1 (Prf1) and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) genes were increased in the HAM/TSP group and presented a positive correlation to the expression of TAX and the proviral load (PVL). The frequency of CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) was higher in HTLV-1-infected individuals. Foxp3 gene expression was positively correlated with cell lysis-related genes (Gzma, Gzmb, and Prf1). These findings suggest that CD4+ T cell activity is distinct between the HAC and HAM/TSP groups. PMID:24041428

Quantum algorithms on Walsh transform and Hamming distance for Boolean functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zhengwei; Qiu, Daowen; Cai, Guangya

2018-06-01

Walsh spectrum or Walsh transform is an alternative description of Boolean functions. In this paper, we explore quantum algorithms to approximate the absolute value of Walsh transform W_f at a single point z0 (i.e., |W_f(z0)|) for n-variable Boolean functions with probability at least 8/π 2 using the number of O(1/|W_f(z_{0)|ɛ }) queries, promised that the accuracy is ɛ , while the best known classical algorithm requires O(2n) queries. The Hamming distance between Boolean functions is used to study the linearity testing and other important problems. We take advantage of Walsh transform to calculate the Hamming distance between two n-variable Boolean functions f and g using O(1) queries in some cases. Then, we exploit another quantum algorithm which converts computing Hamming distance between two Boolean functions to quantum amplitude estimation (i.e., approximate counting). If Ham(f,g)=t≠0, we can approximately compute Ham( f, g) with probability at least 2/3 by combining our algorithm and {Approx-Count(f,ɛ ) algorithm} using the expected number of Θ( √{N/(\\lfloor ɛ t\\rfloor +1)}+√{t(N-t)}/\\lfloor ɛ t\\rfloor +1) queries, promised that the accuracy is ɛ . Moreover, our algorithm is optimal, while the exact query complexity for the above problem is Θ(N) and the query complexity with the accuracy ɛ is O(1/ɛ 2N/(t+1)) in classical algorithm, where N=2n. Finally, we present three exact quantum query algorithms for two promise problems on Hamming distance using O(1) queries, while any classical deterministic algorithm solving the problem uses Ω(2n) queries.

Near Surface Magnetic Field Mapping over the Swirls in the SPA Region on the Moon Using Kaguya LMAG Low Altitude Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibuya, H.; Tsunakawa, H.; Takahashi, F.; Shimizu, H.; Matsushima, M.

2010-12-01

We have reported the correlation between the high albedo marking (HAM) on the moon surface and the strength of horizontal component (Bh) of the near surface lunar magnetic field, at 2009 AGU Fall meeting, using the Lunar Prospector magnetometer data (LP-MAG). The correlation is further examined using the lowest altitude data at the latest orbits of Kaguya magnetometer data (KG-MAG). The Kaguya spacecraft (launched on September 14, 2007) dropped to the Moon at 65.5S and 80.4E on Jun 11, 2009. On the last few weeks, it flies over SPA with low altitudes as 10km, and the magnetometer acquired beautiful data. The magnetic field on the Mare Ingenii, on which we can see one of the most enhanced HAM, is restored using equivalent pole reduction (EPR) technique. First, EPR model is examined by comparing the model field and the other observations of LP-MAG and KG-MAG. They agree each other not only the shape but also the amplitude of the peaks. It indicates that the lunar magnetic field is well reproduced in 3-dimension. The magnetic field at the altitude of 5km is mapped over the Mare Ingenii and adjacent region where the HAM is clearly seen from Clementine albedo images. The coincidence of the HAM and the Bh is incredibly well, especially for the HAM in the flat crater floors. In some region, some of the detailed shapes of HAM match with the small bulge in the Bh contour. The HAM seems to be correlated maximas of Bh rather than its absolute strength. This result further support that the HMA is formed by magnetic shielding of the solar wind particles.

Balance, functional mobility, and fall occurrence in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Fonseca, Erika Pedreira da; Sá, Katia Nunes; Nunes, Rebeca Freitas Reis; Ribeiro Junior, Antônio Carlos; Lira, Síntia Freitas Bastos; Pinto, Elen Beatriz

2018-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) may lead to reduced functional mobility and balance. It is important to establish specific parameters that identify these changes and predict the risk of falls in these patients. The aim was to compare balance, functional mobility, and occurrence of falls among patients with and without HAM/TSP and to suggest values to predict the risk of falls in these patients. A cross-sectional study in patients with and without HAM/TSP involved balance assessments based on the berg balance scale (BBS) and functional mobility evaluation based on the timed up and go (TUG) test. From reports of falls, the sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff points for the risk of falls assessed by these instruments were established using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve; 5% alpha was considered. We selected 42 participants: 29 with HAM/TSP and 13 without HAM/TSP. There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls, balance, and functional mobility between the groups (p<0.05). Good accuracy was determined for the BBS (77%) and TUG test (70%) and the cutoff points for the risk of falls were defined as 50 points for the BBS and 12.28 seconds for the TUG test. Patients with HAM/TSP present reduced functional mobility and balance in relation to those without HAM/TSP. The risk of falls increased for these patients can be evaluated by the values ​​of 50 points using the BBS and 12.28 seconds using the TUG test.

Effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation and packaging on the colour stability of sliced pasteurized beef ham.

PubMed

Houben, J H; van Dijk, A

2001-08-01

The effect of supplementation of vitamin E (2025 IU animal(-1) day(-1)) in the diet of beef bulls on the colour stability of pasteurized beef ham was studied. Control and enriched diets were provided for the last 136 days before slaughter. Pasteurized hams were manufactured from Mm. semitendinosus from eight animals per dietary group. Half of the samples of sliced ham from control (CON) and supplemented (SUP) bulls were packaged under vacuum (VAC) and half in low-oxygen modified atmosphere packs (FOG, gas mixture: CO(2)/N(2)=50/50). The packages were kept under constant illumination for 28 days at 8°C. During storage, the number of colony-forming units (CFU) reached a maximum of 5x10(7) g(-1). The microflora was dominated by lactic acid bacteria. The supplementation with vitamin E showed no effect on microbial growth. Lipid oxidation was stable during storage. A significant difference between both dietary groups was detected for the decrease in the redness values during storage. Redness values of CON vacuum-packaged samples decreased (P < 0.01) with time, whereas those for the SUP products only tended to decrease. The redness values of FOG-packed ham were higher than those of VAC-packed ham at the end of the display period, irrespective of the dietary group. Overall, colour appeared to be more stable in the FOG-packed products than in the VAC-packed products. It can be concluded that dietary supplementation of bulls with vitamin E appears to offer only a minor improvement in colour stability over current feeding regimens when the Mm. semitendinosus are used to make cured, pasteurized ham-type products.

Effect of meat ingredients (sodium nitrite and erythorbate) and processing (vacuum storage and packaging atmosphere) on germination and outgrowth of Clostridium perfringens spores in ham during abusive cooling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effect of nitrite and erythorbate on Clostridium perfringens spore germination and outgrowth in ham during abusive cooling (15 h) was evaluated. Ham was formulated with ground pork, NaNO2 (0, 50, 100, 150 or 200 ppm) and sodium erythorbate (0 or 547 ppm). Ten grams of meat (stored at 5C for 3 or...

Evaluation of the effect of Spiritual care on patients with generalized anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Sankhe, A; Dalal, K; Save, D; Sarve, P

2017-12-01

The present study was conducted to assess the effect of spiritual care in patients with depression, anxiety or both in a randomized controlled design. The participants were randomized either to receive spiritual care or not and Hamilton anxiety rating scale-A (HAM-A), Hamilton depression rating scale-D (HAM-D), WHO-quality of life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) and Functional assessment of chronic illness therapy - Spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp) were assessed before therapy and two follow-ups at 3 and 6 week. However, with regard to the spiritual care therapy group, statistically significant differences were observed in both HAM-A and HAM-D scales between the baseline and visit 2 (p < 0.001), thus significantly reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed for any of the scales during the follow-up periods for the control group of participants. When the scores were compared between the study groups, HAM-A, HAM-D and FACIT-Sp 12 scores were significantly lower in the interventional group as compared to the control group at both third and sixth weeks. This suggests a significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety and depression in the spiritual care therapy group than the control group; however, large randomized controlled trials with robust design are needed to confirm the same.

Immunological signature of the different clinical stages of the HTLV-1 infection: establishing serum biomarkers for HTLV-1-associated disease morbidity.

PubMed

Starling, Ana Lúcia Borges; Coelho-Dos-Reis, Jordana Grazziela Alves; Peruhype-Magalhães, Vanessa; Pascoal-Xavier, Marcelo Antônio; Gonçalves, Denise Utsch; Béla, Samantha Ribeiro; Lambertucci, José Roberto; Labanca, Ludimila; Souza Pereira, Silvio Roberto; Teixeira-Carvalho, Andréa; Ribas, João Gabriel; Trindade, Bruno Caetano; Faccioli, Lucia Helena; Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara Freitas; Martins-Filho, Olindo Assis

2015-01-01

This study aimed at establishing the immunological signature and an algorithm for clinical management of the different clinical stages of the HTLV-1-infection based on serum biomarkers. A panel of serum biomarkers was evaluated by four sets of innovative/non-conventional data analysis approaches in samples from 87 HTLV-1 patients: asymptomatic carriers (AC), putative HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (pHAM/TSP) and HAM/TSP. The analysis of cumulative curves and molecular signatures pointed out that HAM/TSP presented a pro-inflammatory profile mediated by CXCL10/LTB-4/IL-6/TNF-α/IFN-γ, counterbalanced by IL-4/IL-10. The analysis of biomarker networks showed that AC presented a strongly intertwined pro-inflammatory/regulatory net with IL-4/IL-10 playing a central role, while HAM/TSP exhibited overall immune response toward a predominant pro-inflammatory profile. At last, the classification and regression trees proposed for clinical practice allowed for the construction of an algorithm to discriminate AC, pHAM and HAM/TSP patients with the elected biomarkers: IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, IL-4 and CysLT. These findings reveal a complex interaction among chemokine/leukotriene/cytokine in HTLV-1 infection and suggest the use of the selected but combined biomarkers for the follow-up/diagnosis of disease morbidity of HTLV-1-infected individuals.

Highly abundant and stage-specific mRNAs in the obligate pathogen Bremia lactucae.

PubMed

Judelson, H S; Michelmore, R W

1990-01-01

Germinating spores of the obligate pathogen Bremia lactucae (lettuce downy mildew) contain several unusually abundant species of mRNA. Thirty-nine cDNA clones corresponding to prevalent transcripts were isolated from a library synthesized using poly(A)+ RNA from germinating spores; these clones represented only five distinct classes. Each corresponding mRNA accounted for from 0.4 to 9 percent by mass of poly(A)+ RNA from germinating spores and together represented greater than 20 percent of the mRNA. The expression of the corresponding genes, and a gene encoding Hsp70, was analyzed in spores during germination and during growth in planta. The Hsp70 mRNA and mRNA from one abundant cDNA clone (ham34) were expressed constitutively. Two clones (ham9 and ham12) hybridized only to mRNA from spores and germinating spores. Two clones (ham37 and ham27) showed hybridization specific to germinating spores. Quantification of the number of genes homologous to each cDNA clone indicated that four clones corresponded to one or two copies per haploid genome, and one hybridized to an approximately 11-member family of genes. A sequence of the gene corresponding to ham34 was obtained to investigate its function and to identify sequences conferring high levels of gene expression for use in constructing vectors for the transformation of B. lactucae.

Modulation of aerosol radiative forcing due to mixing state in clear and cloudy-sky: A case study from Delhi National Capital Region, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Parul; Dey, Sagnik; Srivastava, Atul K.; Singh, Sachchidanand; Tiwari, Suresh; Agarwal, Poornima

2016-04-01

Aerosol properties change with the change in mixing state of aerosols and therefore it is a source of uncertainty in estimated aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) from observations or by models assuming a specific mixing state. The problem is important in the Indo-Gangetic Basin, Northern India, where various aerosol types mix and show strong seasonal variations. Quantifying the modulation of ARF by mixing state is hindered by lack of knowledge about proper aerosol composition. Hence, first a detailed chemical composition analysis of aerosols for Delhi National capital region (NCR) is carried out. Aerosol composition is arranged quantitatively into five major aerosol types - accumulation dust, coarse dust, water soluble (WS), water insoluble (WINS), and black carbon (BC) (directly measured by Athelometer). Eight different mixing cases - external mixing, internal mixing, and six combinations of core- shell mixing (BC over dust, WS over dust, WS over BC, BC over WS, WS over WINS, and BC over WINS; each of the combinations externally mixed with other species) have been considered. The spectral aerosol optical properties - extinction coefficient, single scattering albedo (SSA) and asymmetry parameter (g) for each of the mixing cases are calculated and finally 'clear-sky' and 'cloudy-sky' ARF at the top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) and surface are estimated using a radiative transfer model. Comparison of surface-reaching flux for each of the cases with MERRA downward shortwave surface flux reveals the most likely mixing state. 'BC-WINS+WS+Dust' show least deviation relative to MERRA during the pre-monsoon (MAMJ) and monsoon (JAS) seasons and hence is the most probable mixing states. During the winter season (DJF), 'BC-Dust+WS+WINS' case shows the closest match with MERRA, while external mixing is the most probable mixing state in the post-monsoon season (ON). Lowest values for both TOA and surface 'clear-sky' ARF is observed for 'BC-WINS+WS+ Dust' mixing case. TOA ARF is 0.28±2.4, 2.2±1.1, -1.4±1.4, -0.15±0.13, while, surface ARF is -16.4±3.1, -7.6±1.7, -31.5±4.7, -17.1±8.4, respectively for the MAMJ, JAS, ON and DJF seasons. Post-monsoon and winter season shows negative values of TOA ARF, hence suggest 'cooling'. The associated heating rate profiles show higher values for 'WS-BC+Dust+WINS' case as compared to other cases, with relatively large values during the winter and post-monsoon seasons, while lower value was observed for 'BC-WINS+WS+Dust'. We examined the modulation of clear sky ARF by 'water-cloud' and 'ice-cloud' separately. The seasonal mean ARF for both water and ice clouds show nearly similar characteristics as observed for clear-sky case, with relatively large ARF at TOA and surface in water cloud case as compared to ice cloud during all the seasons. As a result, the associated heating rate is also relatively higher in water cloud case as compared to ice cloud. Such large modulation of ARF due to mixing state calls for a coordinated effort to create a mixing state database for this region to reduce the uncertainty in climate forcing.

Influence of physicochemical characteristics and high pressure processing on the volatile fraction of Iberian dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Martínez-Onandi, Nerea; Rivas-Cañedo, Ana; Ávila, Marta; Garde, Sonia; Nuñez, Manuel; Picon, Antonia

2017-09-01

The volatile fraction of 30 Iberian dry-cured hams of different physicochemical characteristics and the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) at 600MPa on volatile compounds were investigated. According to the analysis of variance carried out on the levels of 122 volatile compounds, intramuscular fat content influenced the levels of 8 benzene compounds, 5 carboxylic acids, 2 ketones, 2 furanones, 1 alcohol, 1 aldehyde and 1 sulfur compound, salt concentration influenced the levels of 1 aldehyde and 1 ketone, salt-in-lean ratio had no effect on volatile compounds, and water activity influenced the levels of 3 sulfur compounds, 1 alcohol and 1 aldehyde. HPP-treated samples of Iberian ham had higher levels of 4 compounds and lower levels of 31 compounds than untreated samples. A higher influence of HPP treatment on volatile compounds than physicochemical characteristics was observed for Iberian ham. Therefore, HPP treatment conditions should be optimized in order to diminish its possible effect on Iberian ham odor and aroma characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of physicochemical parameters and high pressure processing on the volatile compounds of Serrano dry-cured ham after prolonged refrigerated storage.

PubMed

Martínez-Onandi, N; Rivas-Cañedo, A; Picon, A; Nuñez, M

2016-12-01

One hundred and three volatile compounds were detected by solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in 30 ripened Serrano dry-cured hams, submitted or not to high pressure processing (HPP) and afterwards held for 5months at 4°C. The effect of ham physicochemical parameters and HPP (600MPa for 6min) on volatile compounds was assessed. Physicochemical parameters primarily affected the levels of acids, alcohols, alkanes, esters, benzene compounds, sulfur compounds and some miscellaneous compounds. Intramuscular fat content was the physicochemical parameter with the most pronounced effect on the volatile fraction of untreated Serrano ham after refrigerated storage, influencing the levels of 38 volatile compounds while aw, salt content and salt-in-lean ratio respectively influenced the levels of 4, 4 and 5 volatile compounds. HPP treatment affected 21 volatile compounds, resulting in higher levels of alkanes and ketones and lower levels of esters and secondary alcohols, what might affect Serrano ham odor and aroma after 5months of refrigerated storage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High load of hepatitis E viral RNA in pork livers but absence in pork muscle at French slaughterhouses.

PubMed

Feurer, C; Le Roux, A; Rossel, R; Barnaud, E; Dumarest, M; Garry, P; Pavio, N

2018-01-02

Pork ham muscle can be contaminated with HEV via blood vessels during viremia and represents a possible source of human contamination via the consumption of dried ham. This study evaluated the prevalence of HEV RNA in pork ham muscles and pork livers at slaughterhouses. Serology was determined on the corresponding serum samples. The apparent individual seroprevalence rate in the 49 pig farms studied was 59% [55.5%-61.4%]. None of the 1134 ham muscles tested was positive for the presence of HEV. HEV prevalence in paired liver samples was 2.8% with a level of contamination of up to 1.46 10 8 copies/g. Sequences of viral strains isolated from positive livers belonged to genotype 3 and subtypes 3c, 3e, 3f and 3j. Our results confirmed that raw pork liver food products are a source of risk for humans but they also showed that there is a limited risk of human infection by HEV through the consumption of ham muscle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neurological manifestations in individuals with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in the Amazon.

PubMed

Dias, G A S; Yoshikawa, G T; Koyama, R V L; Fujihara, S; Martins, L C S; Medeiros, R; Quaresma, J A S; Fuzii, H T

2016-02-01

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The aim was to analyze the clinical-functional profile of patients diagnosed with HTLV-1 (human T-lymphotropic virus type 1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in the Amazon region. Reference center for HTLV in the city of Belém, state of Pará, Brazil. Muscle strength, muscle tone, balance and the need for gait assistance among patients with HAM/TSP were evaluated. Among the 82 patients infected with HTLV-1, 27 (10 men and 17 women) were diagnosed with HAM/TSP. No statistically significant difference in muscle tone or strength was found between the lower limbs. Muscle weakness and spasticity were predominant in the proximal lower limbs. Patients with HAM/TSP are at a high risk of falls (P=0.03), and predominantly use either a cane or a crutch on one side as a gait-assistance device (P=0.02). Patients with HAM/TSP exhibit a similar clinical pattern of muscle weakness and spasticity, with a high risk of falls, requiring gait-assistance devices.

Depression and anxiety in hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Demet, M M; Ozmen, B; Deveci, A; Boyvada, S; Adiguzel, H; Aydemir, O

2003-09-01

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety in patients with hypothyroidism and to compare this with euthyroid patients. Thirty patients with hypothyroidism and 30 euthyroid controls attending the Endocrinology outpatient department of Celal Bayar University, Medical Faculty were included in the study. The hormonal screening was done by immunoassay and haemagglutination methods. Then, for psychiatric assessment, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) were used. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of demographic features. Total scores obtained from the scales used in the study did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). The frequency of items of both HAM-D and HAM-A did not show any differences in the two groups. By Wilks' Lambda discriminant analysis, depressive mood (HAM-D#1) was found to be the discriminating feature between the hypothyroid group and the euthyroid group. Therefore, depression and anxiety were not outstanding features in hypothyrodism. However, depression was more significant in the hypothyroid than euthyroid group.

Initial Results of HamSCI Ham Radio 21 August 2017 Eclipse Ionospheric Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frissell, N. A.; Gerrard, A. J.; Vega, J. S.; Katz, J. D.; West, M. L.; Gunning, S. W.; Moses, M. L.; Miller, E. S.; Erickson, P. J.; Huba, J.; Silver, H. W.; Ceglia, F.; Smith, P.; Williams, R.; Shovkoplyas, A.; Earle, G. D.; Gerzoff, R.; Gladstone, P.; Reyer, S. E.; Ackermann, J. R.; Bern, D.; Rose, S. W.

2017-12-01

On 21 August 2017, a total solar eclipse will cause the shadow of the moon to traverse the United States from Oregon to South Carolina in just over 90 minutes. The sudden absence of sunlight due to the eclipse, especially solar UV and x-rays, provides an impulse function to the upper atmosphere that modifies the neutral dynamics, plasma concentrations, and related properties. Despite more than 60 years of research, questions remain regarding eclipse-induced ionospheric impacts. Ham radio operators' advanced technical skills and inherent interest in ionospheric science make the amateur radio community ideal for contributing to and and participating in large-scale ionospheric sounding experiments. We present initial results from three amateur radio experiments designed to study the 2017 total solar eclipse: the Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP), the HF Wideband Recording Experiment, and the Eclipse Frequency Measurement Test (FMT). These experiments are coordinated by HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, a citizen science organization that connects the amateur radio community to the professional space science research community for mutual benefit.

Assessment of sperm hyperactivated motility and acrosome reaction can discriminate the use of spermatozoa for conventional in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: preliminary results.

PubMed

Wiser, A; Sachar, S; Ghetler, Y; Shulman, A; Breitbart, H

2014-04-01

Basic semen analysis is insufficient for determining the fertility potential. The aim of this study was to determine if hyperactivated motility (HAM) and acrosome reaction (AR) can be useful tests for evaluating semen quality during male infertility evaluations and to help the clinician decide whether regular insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is preferable during in vitro fertilisation. A prospective study was conducted. Patients with normal sperm according to World Health Organization guidelines who underwent IVF treatment and planned regular insemination were asked to participate. A portion of sperm sample was evaluated for HAM and AR on day of ovum pick up. In HAM assessment, 93.3% of patients with increased HAM had a high fertilisation rate compared with 64% in the group without increased HAM (P = 0.059). For the AR evaluation, 91.7% of samples with a low rate of spontaneous AR had a high fertilisation rate compared with 39.3% in the group with a high rate of spontaneous AR (P = 0.004). © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Quality attributes and color characteristics in three-piece boneless hams.

PubMed

McKeith, Russell O; Pringle, T Dean

2013-09-01

One hundred and fifty hams were selected on visual assessment of quality into normal (C) and two-tone (TT) groups. CIE LAB color and pH measurements were collected at the plant 48h postmortem on the gluteus medius (GM), gluteus profundus (GP), and rectus femoris (RF), and again at 72h on the semimembranosus (SM), biceps femoris (BF), semitendinosus (ST), and RF. Data were analyzed using GLM procedures of SAS, and correlations between color scores, pH, and drip loss were calculated. Plant and fabrication pH were lower (P<0.01) in GM from TT hams compared with C. Muscles from TT hams had lower (P<0.01) L* and a* values compared with C. The GM L* and GM pH values were correlated (P<0.05) with L* values for all other muscles and drip loss in SM. These data show that GM color and pH are accurate predictors of pork quality attributes in the muscles of a three-piece boneless ham. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selective matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, N-biphenyl sulfonyl phenylalanine hydroxamic acid, inhibits the migration of CD4+ T lymphocytes in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

PubMed

Ikegami, Mayumi; Umehara, Fujio; Ikegami, Naohito; Maekawa, Ryuji; Osame, Mitsuhiro

2002-06-01

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been reported to be involved in various inflammatory disorders. Previous studies revealed that MMP-2 and MMP-9 might play important roles in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP). N-Biphenyl sulfonyl-phenylalanine hydroxamic acid (BPHA) selectively inhibits MMP-2, -9 and -14, but not MMP-1, -3 and -7. In the present study, we examined whether or not the selective MMP inhibitor BPHA could inhibit the heightened migrating activity of CD4+ T cells in HAM/TSP patients. The migration assay using an invasion chamber showed that migration of CD4+ T cells in HAM/TSP patients was inhibited by 25 microM BPHA. In addition, the inhibitory ratio of migrating CD4+ lymphocytes was higher in HAM patients compared to normal controls. These results suggest that the selective MMP inhibitor BPHA has therapeutic potential for HAM/TSP.

Consumer facial expression in relation to smoked ham with the use of face reading technology. The methodological aspects and informative value of research results.

PubMed

Kostyra, Eliza; Rambuszek, Michał; Waszkiewicz-Robak, Bożena; Laskowski, Wacław; Blicharski, Tadeusz; Poławska, Ewa

2016-09-01

The study determined the emotional reactions of consumers in relation to hams using face visualization method, which was recorded by FaceReader (FR). The aims of the research were to determine the effect of the ham samples on the type of emotion, to examine more deeply the individual emotional reactions of consumers and to analyse the emotional variability with regard to the temporal measurement of impressions. The research involved testing the effectiveness of measuring emotions in response to the ongoing flavour impression after consumption of smoked hams. It was found that for all of the assessed samples, neutral and negative emotions prevailed as the overall emotions recorded during the assessment of the taste/flavour impression. The range of variability of the overall emotions depended more on the consumer reactions and less on the properties of the assessed product. Consumers expressed various emotions in time and the ham samples evoked different emotional reactions as an effect of duration of the impression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticle Nose-Only Inhalation Exposures ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

There is a critical need to assess the health effects associated with exposure of commercially produced NPs across the size ranges reflective of that detected in the industrial sectors that are generating, as well as incorporating, NPs into products. Generation of stable and low concentrations of size-fractionated nanoscale aerosols in nose-only chambers can be difficult, and when the aerosol agglomerates during generation, the problems are significantly increased. One problem is that many nanoscale aerosol generators have higher aerosol output and/or airflow than can be accommodated by a nose-only inhalation chamber, requiring much of the generated aerosol to be diverted to exhaust. Another problem is that mixing vessels used to modulate the fluctuating output from aerosol generators can cause substantial wall losses, consuming much of the generated aerosol. Other available aerosol generation systems can produce nanoscale aerosols from nanoparticles (NPs), however these NPs are generated in real time and do not approximate the physical and chemical characteristics of NPs that are commercially produced exposing the workers and the public. The health effects associated with exposure to commercial NP production, which are more morphologically and size heterogeneous, is required for risk assessment. To overcome these problems, a low-consumption dry-particulate nanoscale aerosol generator was developed to deliver stable concentrations in the range of 10–5000 µg

Natural aerosols explain seasonal and spatial patterns of Southern Ocean cloud albedo

PubMed Central

McCoy, Daniel T.; Burrows, Susannah M.; Wood, Robert; Grosvenor, Daniel P.; Elliott, Scott M.; Ma, Po-Lun; Rasch, Phillip J.; Hartmann, Dennis L.

2015-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols, suspended solid and liquid particles, act as nucleation sites for cloud drop formation, affecting clouds and cloud properties—ultimately influencing the cloud dynamics, lifetime, water path, and areal extent that determine the reflectivity (albedo) of clouds. The concentration Nd of droplets in clouds that influences planetary albedo is sensitive to the availability of aerosol particles on which the droplets form. Natural aerosol concentrations affect not only cloud properties themselves but also modulate the sensitivity of clouds to changes in anthropogenic aerosols. It is shown that modeled natural aerosols, principally marine biogenic primary and secondary aerosol sources, explain more than half of the spatiotemporal variability in satellite-observed Nd. Enhanced Nd is spatially correlated with regions of high chlorophyll a, and the spatiotemporal variability in Nd is found to be driven primarily by high concentrations of sulfate aerosol at lower Southern Ocean latitudes (35o to 45oS) and by organic matter in sea spray aerosol at higher latitudes (45o to 55oS). Biogenic sources are estimated to increase the summertime mean reflected solar radiation in excess of 10 W m–2 over parts of the Southern Ocean, which is comparable to the annual mean increases expected from anthropogenic aerosols over heavily polluted regions of the Northern Hemisphere. PMID:26601216

Natural aerosols explain seasonal and spatial patterns of Southern Ocean cloud albedo.

PubMed

McCoy, Daniel T; Burrows, Susannah M; Wood, Robert; Grosvenor, Daniel P; Elliott, Scott M; Ma, Po-Lun; Rasch, Phillip J; Hartmann, Dennis L

2015-07-01

Atmospheric aerosols, suspended solid and liquid particles, act as nucleation sites for cloud drop formation, affecting clouds and cloud properties-ultimately influencing the cloud dynamics, lifetime, water path, and areal extent that determine the reflectivity (albedo) of clouds. The concentration N d of droplets in clouds that influences planetary albedo is sensitive to the availability of aerosol particles on which the droplets form. Natural aerosol concentrations affect not only cloud properties themselves but also modulate the sensitivity of clouds to changes in anthropogenic aerosols. It is shown that modeled natural aerosols, principally marine biogenic primary and secondary aerosol sources, explain more than half of the spatiotemporal variability in satellite-observed N d. Enhanced N d is spatially correlated with regions of high chlorophyll a, and the spatiotemporal variability in N d is found to be driven primarily by high concentrations of sulfate aerosol at lower Southern Ocean latitudes (35(o) to 45(o)S) and by organic matter in sea spray aerosol at higher latitudes (45(o) to 55(o)S). Biogenic sources are estimated to increase the summertime mean reflected solar radiation in excess of 10 W m(-2) over parts of the Southern Ocean, which is comparable to the annual mean increases expected from anthropogenic aerosols over heavily polluted regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Aerosol Absorption Effects in the TOMS UV Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, O.; Krotkov, N.; Bhartia, P. K.

2004-01-01

The availability of global long-term estimates of surface UV radiation is very important, not only for preventive medicine considerations, but also as an important tool to monitor the effects of the stratospheric ozone recovery expected to occur in the next few decades as a result of the decline of the stratospheric chlorine levels. In addition to the modulating effects of ozone and clouds, aerosols also affect the levels of UV-A and W-B radiation reaching the surface. Oscillations in surface W associated with the effects of aerosol absorption may be comparable in magnitude to variations associated with the stratospheric ozone recovery. Thus, the accurate calculation of surface W radiation requires that both the scattering and absorption effects of tropospheric aerosols be taken into account. Although absorption effects of dust and elevated carbonaceous aerosols are already accounted for using Aerosol Index technique, this approach does not work for urban/industrial aerosols in the planetary boundary layer. The use of the new TOMS long-term global data record on UV aerosol absorption optical depth, can improve the accuracy of TOMS spectral UV products, by properly including the spectral attenuation effects of carbonaceous, urban/industrial and mineral aerosols. The TOMS data set on aerosol properties will be discussed, and results of its use in the TOMS surface W algorithm will be presented.

Effects of irradiation and fumaric acid treatment on the inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium inoculated on sliced ham

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hyeon-Jeong; Lee, Ji-Hye; Song, Kyung Bin

2011-11-01

To examine the effects of fumaric acid and electron beam irradiation on the inactivation of foodborne pathogens in ready-to-eat meat products, sliced ham was inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium. The inoculated ham slices were treated with 0.5% fumaric acid or electron beam irradiation at 2 kGy. Fumaric acid treatment reduced the populations of L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium by approximately 1 log CFU/g compared to control populations. In contrast, electron beam irradiation decreased the populations of S. typhimurium and L. monocytogenes by 3.78 and 2.42 log CFU/g, respectively. These results suggest that electron beam irradiation is a better and appropriate technique for improving the microbial safety of sliced ham.

Efficiency of mitochondrial DNA restriction analysis and RAPD-PCR to characterize yeasts growing on dry-cured Iberian ham at the different geographic areas of ripening.

PubMed

Andrade, María J; Rodríguez, Mar; Casado, Eva; Córdoba, Juan J

2010-03-01

The efficiency of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR to characterize yeasts growing on dry-cured Iberian ham was evaluated. Besides, the distribution of the main species and biotypes of yeasts in the different ripening areas of this product was investigated. MtDNA restriction analysis allowed yeast characterization at species and strain level. RAPD-PCR with the primers (GACA)(4) and (GAC)(5) was inappropriate for characterization at species level. Most of the mtDNA restriction patterns detected in dry-cured Iberian ham were consistent with Debaryomyces hansenii. Several yeasts biotypes were associated to specific geographic areas of dry-cured Iberian ham ripening. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical, instrumental and sensory characteristics of cooked pork ham.

PubMed

Válková, V; Saláková, A; Buchtová, H; Tremlová, B

2007-12-01

Instrumental, chemical and sensory parameters of cooked pork ham were evaluated. Principal component analysis was carried out on the basis of the instrumental variables related to colour and texture. The four PCs account for almost 94% of the total variance in the data set. The PCA only separated 3 hams with a(∗)>10. Hardness was correlated with non-collagen muscle protein (P⩽0.01), gumminess (P⩽0.01) and ash (P⩽0.05). Sensory evaluated tenderness showed positive significant correlation with L(∗) (P⩽0.01). The most important colour parameter seems to be a(∗), which was negatively correlated with sensory evaluated parameter colour (P⩽0.01). The PCA performed on all parameters (sensory, chemical and textural) discriminated two groups of hams differing in non-collagen muscle protein content and hardness.

Sources and Variability of Aerosols and Aerosol-Cloud Interactions in the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H.; Zhang, B.; Taylor, P. C.; Moore, R.; Barahona, D.; Fairlie, T. D.; Chen, G.; Ham, S. H.; Kato, S.

2017-12-01

Arctic sea ice in recent decades has significantly declined. This requires understanding of the Arctic surface energy balance, of which clouds are a major driver. However, the mechanisms for the formation and evolution of clouds in the Arctic and the roles of aerosols therein are highly uncertain. Here we conduct data analysis and global model simulations to examine the sources and variability of aerosols and aerosol-cloud interactions in the Arctic. We use the MERRA-2 reanalysis data (2006-present) from the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) to (1) quantify contributions of different aerosol types to the aerosol budget and aerosol optical depths in the Arctic, (2) ­examine aerosol distributions and variability and diagnose the major pathways for mid-latitude pollution transport to the Arctic, including their seasonal and interannual variability, and (3) characterize the distribution and variability of clouds (cloud optical depth, cloud fraction, cloud liquid and ice water path, cloud top height) in the Arctic. We compare MERRA-2 aerosol and cloud properties with those from C3M, a 3-D aerosol and cloud data product developed at NASA Langley Research Center and merged from multiple A-Train satellite (CERES, CloudSat, CALIPSO, and MODIS) observations. We also conduct perturbation experiments using the NASA GEOS-5 chemistry-climate model (with GOCART aerosol module coupled with two-moment cloud microphysics), and discuss the roles of various types of aerosols in the formation and evolution of clouds in the Arctic.

Comprehensive Antiretroviral Restriction Factor Profiling Reveals the Evolutionary Imprint of the ex Vivo and in Vivo IFN-β Response in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Leal, Fabio E; Menezes, Soraya Maria; Costa, Emanuela A S; Brailey, Phillip M; Gama, Lucio; Segurado, Aluisio C; Kallas, Esper G; Nixon, Douglas F; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Saraiva Raposo, Rui Andre; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2018-01-01

HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy (HAM/TSP) is a progressive neuroinflammatory disorder for which no disease-modifying treatment exists. Modest clinical benefit from type I interferons (IFN-α/β) in HAM/TSP contrasts with its recently identified IFN-inducible gene signature. In addition, IFN-α treatment in vivo decreases proviral load and immune activation in HAM/TSP, whereas IFN-β therapy decreases tax mRNA and lymphoproliferation. We hypothesize this "IFN paradox" in HAM/TSP might be explained by both cell type- and gene-specific effects of type I IFN in HTLV-1-associated pathogenesis. Therefore, we analyzed ex vivo transcriptomes of CD4 + T cells, PBMCs and whole blood in healthy controls, HTLV-1-infected individuals, and HAM/TSP patients. First, we used a targeted approach, simultaneously quantifying HTLV-1 mRNA (HBZ, Tax), proviral load and 42 host genes with known antiretroviral (anti-HIV) activity in purified CD4 + T cells. This revealed two major clusters ("antiviral/protective" vs. "proviral/deleterious"), as evidenced by significant negative (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2) vs. positive correlation (ISG15/PAF1/CDKN1A) with HTLV-1 viral markers and clinical status. Surprisingly, we found a significant inversion of antiretroviral activity of host restriction factors, as evidenced by opposite correlation to in vivo HIV-1 vs. HTLV-1 RNA levels. The anti-HTLV-1 effect of antiviral cluster genes was significantly correlated to their adaptive chimp/human evolution score, for both Tax mRNA and PVL. Six genes of the proposed antiviral cluster underwent lentivirus-driven purifying selection during primate evolution (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2/APOBEC3F-G-H), underscoring the cross-retroviral evolutionary imprint. Secondly, we examined the genome-wide type I IFN response in HAM/TSP patients, following short-term ex vivo culture of PBMCs with either IFN-α or IFN-β. Microarray analysis evidenced 12 antiretroviral genes (including TRIM5α/TRIM22/BST2) were significantly up-regulated by IFN-β, but not IFN-α, in HAM/TSP. This was paralleled by a significant decrease in lymphoproliferation by IFN-β, but not IFN-α treatment. Finally, using published ex vivo whole blood transcriptomic data of independent cohorts, we validated the significant positive correlation between TRIM5, TRIM22, and BST2 in HTLV-1-infected individuals and HAM/TSP patients, which was independent of the HAM/TSP disease signature. In conclusion, our results provide ex vivo mechanistic evidence for the observed immunovirological effect of in vivo IFN-β treatment in HAM/TSP, reconcile an apparent IFN paradox in HTLV-1 research and identify biomarkers/targets for a precision medicine approach.

Comprehensive Antiretroviral Restriction Factor Profiling Reveals the Evolutionary Imprint of the ex Vivo and in Vivo IFN-β Response in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation

PubMed Central

Leal, Fabio E.; Menezes, Soraya Maria; Costa, Emanuela A. S.; Brailey, Phillip M.; Gama, Lucio; Segurado, Aluisio C.; Kallas, Esper G.; Nixon, Douglas F.; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Saraiva Raposo, Rui Andre; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2018-01-01

HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy (HAM/TSP) is a progressive neuroinflammatory disorder for which no disease-modifying treatment exists. Modest clinical benefit from type I interferons (IFN-α/β) in HAM/TSP contrasts with its recently identified IFN-inducible gene signature. In addition, IFN-α treatment in vivo decreases proviral load and immune activation in HAM/TSP, whereas IFN-β therapy decreases tax mRNA and lymphoproliferation. We hypothesize this “IFN paradox” in HAM/TSP might be explained by both cell type- and gene-specific effects of type I IFN in HTLV-1-associated pathogenesis. Therefore, we analyzed ex vivo transcriptomes of CD4+ T cells, PBMCs and whole blood in healthy controls, HTLV-1-infected individuals, and HAM/TSP patients. First, we used a targeted approach, simultaneously quantifying HTLV-1 mRNA (HBZ, Tax), proviral load and 42 host genes with known antiretroviral (anti-HIV) activity in purified CD4+ T cells. This revealed two major clusters (“antiviral/protective” vs. “proviral/deleterious”), as evidenced by significant negative (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2) vs. positive correlation (ISG15/PAF1/CDKN1A) with HTLV-1 viral markers and clinical status. Surprisingly, we found a significant inversion of antiretroviral activity of host restriction factors, as evidenced by opposite correlation to in vivo HIV-1 vs. HTLV-1 RNA levels. The anti-HTLV-1 effect of antiviral cluster genes was significantly correlated to their adaptive chimp/human evolution score, for both Tax mRNA and PVL. Six genes of the proposed antiviral cluster underwent lentivirus-driven purifying selection during primate evolution (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2/APOBEC3F-G-H), underscoring the cross-retroviral evolutionary imprint. Secondly, we examined the genome-wide type I IFN response in HAM/TSP patients, following short-term ex vivo culture of PBMCs with either IFN-α or IFN-β. Microarray analysis evidenced 12 antiretroviral genes (including TRIM5α/TRIM22/BST2) were significantly up-regulated by IFN-β, but not IFN-α, in HAM/TSP. This was paralleled by a significant decrease in lymphoproliferation by IFN-β, but not IFN-α treatment. Finally, using published ex vivo whole blood transcriptomic data of independent cohorts, we validated the significant positive correlation between TRIM5, TRIM22, and BST2 in HTLV-1-infected individuals and HAM/TSP patients, which was independent of the HAM/TSP disease signature. In conclusion, our results provide ex vivo mechanistic evidence for the observed immunovirological effect of in vivo IFN-β treatment in HAM/TSP, reconcile an apparent IFN paradox in HTLV-1 research and identify biomarkers/targets for a precision medicine approach. PMID:29872426

Tropical Spastic Paraparesis

MedlinePlus

... rare cases individuals with HAM/TSP also exhibit uveitis (inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye), ... rare cases individuals with HAM/TSP also exhibit uveitis (inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye), ...

Degenerate quantum codes and the quantum Hamming bound

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

Sarvepalli, Pradeep; Klappenecker, Andreas

2010-03-15

The parameters of a nondegenerate quantum code must obey the Hamming bound. An important open problem in quantum coding theory is whether the parameters of a degenerate quantum code can violate this bound for nondegenerate quantum codes. In this article we show that Calderbank-Shor-Steane (CSS) codes, over a prime power alphabet q{>=}5, cannot beat the quantum Hamming bound. We prove a quantum version of the Griesmer bound for the CSS codes, which allows us to strengthen the Rains' bound that an [[n,k,d

Evaluation of the Ration, Cold Weather during a 10-Day Cold Weather Field Training Exercise

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-15

Ham Slices Meatballs with BBQ Sauce Pork Patty Turkey with Gravy Crackers Jelly Peanut Butter Applesauce Mixed Fruits Peaches Strawberries...King Frankfurters Ham & Chicken Loaf Ham Slices Meatballs & BBQ Sauce Pork Patty Turkey with Gravy Crackers Jelly Peanut Butter Cheese...1/2 3/4 1 Meatballs w/barbeque sauce 41 1/4 1/2 3/4 1 Pork sausage patties 32 1/4 1/2 3/4 1 Turkey w/gravy 38 1/4 1/2 3/4 1

Does the Madden-Julian Oscillation influence aerosol variability?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Baijun; Waliser, Duane E.; Kahn, Ralph A.; Li, Qinbin; Yung, Yuk L.; Tyranowski, Tomasz; Geogdzhayev, Igor V.; Mishchenko, Michael I.; Torres, Omar; Smirnov, Alexander

2008-06-01

We investigate the modulation of aerosols by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) using multiple, global satellite aerosol products: aerosol index (AI) from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) on Nimbus-7, and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Terra and Aqua and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on NOAA satellites. A composite MJO analysis indicates that large variations in the TOMS AI and MODIS/AVHRR AOT are found over the equatorial Indian and western Pacific Oceans where MJO convection is active, as well as the tropical Africa and Atlantic Ocean where MJO convection is weak but the background aerosol level is high. A strong inverse linear relationship between the TOMS AI and rainfall anomalies, but a weaker, less coherent positive correlation between the MODIS/AVHRR AOT and rainfall anomalies, were found. The MODIS/AVHRR pattern is consistent with ground-based Aerosol Robotic Network data. These results indicate that the MJO and its associated cloudiness, rainfall, and circulation variability systematically influence the variability in remote sensing aerosol retrieval results. Several physical and retrieval algorithmic factors that may contribute to the observed aerosol-rainfall relationships are discussed. Preliminary analysis indicates that cloud contamination in the aerosol retrievals is likely to be a major contributor to the observed relationships, although we cannot exclude possible contributions from other physical mechanisms. Future research is needed to fully understand these complex aerosol-rainfall relationships.

The effect of HTLV-1 virulence factors (HBZ, Tax, proviral load), HLA class I and plasma neopterin on manifestation of HTLV-1 associated myelopathy tropical spastic paraparesis.

PubMed

Tarokhian, Hanieh; Taghadosi, Mahdi; Rafatpanah, Hushang; Rajaei, Taraneh; Azarpazhooh, Mahmoud Reza; Valizadeh, Narges; Rezaee, S A Rahim

2017-01-15

Previous studies have suggested debatable roles of Tax and HBZ gene expression in the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). In this study, HTLV-1 and host interactions in the manifestation of HAM/TSP were evaluated. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 33 HAM/TSP patients and 38 HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (ACs). HTLV-1-Tax, HBZ gene expression, and proviral load (PVL) were assessed using the quantitative real-time PCR (TaqMan), host plasma neopterin level, and HLA-I, and the clinical manifestation were evaluated. The HTLV-1 PVLs in HAM/TSP and ACs were 306±360.741 copies/10 4 PBMCs and 250.98±629.94 copies/10 4 PBMCs, respectively; the PVL was higher in HAM/TSP than that in ACs (p=0.004). HTLV-1 Tax and HBZ expression in HAM/TSP was higher than that in ACs, wherein only the Tax expression was statistically significant (p=0.039). In contrast to Japanese HTLV-1-infected subjects, HLA-A*02, HLA-A*24, HLA-Cw*08, and HLA-B*5401 did not exhibit preventive effects for HAM/TSP manifestation. The plasma neopterin level was significantly higher in HAM/TSPs than that in ACs; furthermore, there was a strong significant correlation between plasma neopterin and PVL (R=0.76, p=0.001). Moreover, there were significant correlation between urinary disturbances and haematological indices, including the RBC count (R=-0.61, p=0.01) and Hematocrit (Ht) index (R=-0.75, p=0.002), and between mobility disturbances with Tax expression (R=-0.58, p=0.02) and WBC counts (R=-0.54, p=0.04), and finally, a significant association was found between the sensory disturbances and PVL (p=0.05). Overall, HTLV-1 PVL and Tax may be the valid predictors of disease development, and the neopterin level may be a valid predictor of disease progression. In addition, Tax and neopterin are more helpful than PVL for the monitoring of HTLV-1-infected patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Hops Beta Acids on the Survival of Unstressed- or Acid-Stress-Adapted-Listeria Monocytogenes and on the Quality and Sensory Attributes of Commercially Cured Ham Slices.

PubMed

Wang, Li; McKeith, Amanda Gipe; Shen, Cangliang; Carter, Kelsey; Huff, Alyssa; McKeith, Russell; Zhang, Xinxia; Chen, Zhengxing

2016-02-01

This study evaluated the antilisterial activity of hops beta acids (HBA) and their impact on the quality and sensory attributes of ham. Commercially cured ham slices were inoculated with unstressed- and acid-stress-adapted (ASA)-L. monocytogenes (2.2 to 2.5 log CFU/cm(2) ), followed by no dipping (control), dipping in deionized (DI) water, or dipping in a 0.11% HBA solution. This was followed by vacuum or aerobic packaging and storage (7.2 °C, 35 or 20 d). Samples were taken periodically during storage to check for pH changes and analyze the microbial populations. Color measurements were obtained by dipping noninoculated ham slices in a 0.11% HBA solution, followed by vacuum packaging and storage (4.0 °C, 42 d). Sensory evaluations were performed on ham slices treated with 0.05% to 0.23% HBA solutions, followed by vacuum packaging and storage (4.0 °C, 30 d). HBA caused immediate reductions of 1.2 to 1.5 log CFU/cm(2) (P < 0.05) in unstressed- and ASA-L. monocytogenes populations on ham slices. During storage, the unstressed-L. monocytogenes populations on HBA-treated samples were 0.5 to 2.0 log CFU/cm(2) lower (P < 0.05) than control samples and those dipped in DI water. The lag-phase of the unstressed-L. monocytogenes population was extended from 3.396 to 7.125 d (control) to 7.194 to 10.920 d in the HBA-treated samples. However, the ASA-L. monocytogenes population showed resistance to HBA because they had a higher growth rate than control samples and had similar growth variables to DI water-treated samples during storage. Dipping in HBA solution did not adversely affect the color or sensory attributes of the ham slices stored in vacuum packages. These results are useful for helping ready-to-eat meat processors develop operational procedures for applying HBA on ham slices. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

KSC-08pd1205

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the slidewire landing area of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the STS-124 crew poses for a final group photo following the media question-and-answer event. From left are Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Ken Ham, and Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum, Akihiko Hoshide and Greg Chamitoff. Hoshide represents the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. In the background is the fixed service structure (center) and the 300-gallon water tower (left). The crew is at Kennedy for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1206

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The STS-124 crew holds a good-luck banner presented to Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg that was created and signed by students at Henning Public School in the town of Henning, Minn. Holding the banner are (from left) Mission Specialist Mike Fossum, Pilot Ken Ham, Commander Mark Kelly, Nyberg, Mission Specialists Ron Garan, Akihiko Hoshide and Greg Chamitoff. Hoshide represents the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. In the background is the 300-gallon water tower (left) and the fixed service structure. The crew is at Kennedy for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Potential modulations of pre-monsoon aerosols during El Niño: impact on Indian summer monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fadnavis, S.; Roy, Chaitri; Sabin, T. P.; Ayantika, D. C.; Ashok, K.

2017-10-01

The potential role of aerosol loading on the Indian summer monsoon rainfall during the El Niño years are examined using satellite-derived observations and a state of the art fully interactive aerosol-chemistry-climate model. The Aerosol Index (AI) from TOMS (1978-2005) and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from MISR spectroradiometer (2000-2010) indicate a higher-than-normal aerosol loading over the Indo-Gangetic plain (IGP) during the pre-monsoon season with a concurrent El Niño. Sensitivity experiments using ECHAM5-HAMMOZ climate model suggests that this enhanced loading of pre-monsoon absorbing aerosols over the Indo-Gangetic plain can reduce the drought during El Niño years by invoking the `Elevated-Heat-Pump' mechanism through an anomalous aerosol-induced warm core in the atmospheric column. This anomalous heating upshot the relative strengthening of the cross-equatorial moisture inflow associated with the monsoon and eventually reduces the severity of drought during El Niño years. The findings are subject to the usual limitations such as the uncertainties in observations, and limited number of El Niño years (during the study period).

From OLS to VIIRS, an overview of nighttime satellite aerosol retrievals using artificial light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Miller, S. D.; Reid, J. S.; Hyer, E. J.; McHardy, T. M.

2015-12-01

Compared to abundant daytime satellite-based observations of atmospheric aerosol, observations at night are relatively scarce. In particular, conventional satellite passive imaging radiometers, which offer expansive swaths of spatial coverage compared to non-scanning lidar systems, lack sensitivity to most aerosol types via the available thermal infrared bands available at night. In this talk, we make the fundamental case for the importance of nighttime aerosol information in forecast models, and the need to mitigate the existing nocturnal gap. We review early attempts at estimating nighttime aerosol optical properties using the modulation of stable artificial surface lights. Initial algorithm development using DMSP Operational Linescan System (OLS) has graduated to refined techniques based on the Suomi-NPP Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB). We present examples of these retrievals for selected cases and compare the results to available surface-based point-source validation data.

Use of vacuum-steam-vacuum and ionizing radiation to eliminate Listeria innocua from ham.

PubMed

Sommers, Christopher; Kozempel, Michael; Fan, Xuetong; Radewonuk, E Richard

2002-12-01

Listeria spp. are a frequent postprocess contaminant of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products, including ham. Vacuum-steam-vacuum (VSV) technology has been used successfully to eliminate Listeria innocua from hot dogs. Ionizing radiation can eliminate Listeria spp. from RTE meats. However, the excessive application of either technology can cause changes in product quality, including structural changes, changes in cure color (redness), and lipid oxidation. In this study, two cycles of VSV were combined with 2.0 kGy of ionizing radiation to obtain 4.40- and 4.85-log10 reductions of L. innocua on ham meat and skin, respectively. The use of both treatments resulted in an additive, as opposed to synergistic, reduction of L. innocua on ham. The combination treatment did not cause statistically significant changes in product structure, color (redness), or lipid oxidation.

Modeling the growth of Lactobacillus viridescens under non-isothermal conditions in vacuum-packed sliced ham.

PubMed

Silva, Nathália Buss da; Longhi, Daniel Angelo; Martins, Wiaslan Figueiredo; Laurindo, João Borges; Aragão, Gláucia Maria Falcão de; Carciofi, Bruno Augusto Mattar

2017-01-02

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are responsible for spoiling vacuum-packed meat products, such as ham. Since the temperature is the main factor affecting the microbial dynamic, the use of mathematical models describing the microbial behavior into a non-isothermal environment can be very useful for predicting food shelf life. In this study, the growth of Lactobacillus viridescens was measured in vacuum-packed sliced ham under non-isothermal conditions, and the predictive ability of primary (Baranyi and Roberts, 1994) and secondary (Square Root) models were assessed using parameters estimated in MRS culture medium under isothermal conditions (between 4 and 30°C). Fresh ham piece was sterilized, sliced, inoculated, vacuum-packed, and stored in a temperature-controlled incubator at five different non-isothermal conditions (between 4 and 25°C) and one isothermal condition (8°C). The mathematical models obtained in MRS medium were assessed by comparing predicted values with L. viridescens growth data in vacuum-packed ham. Its predictive ability was assessed through statistical indexes, with good results (bias factor between 0.95 and 1.03; accuracy factor between 1.04 and 1.07, and RMSE between 0.76 and 1.33), especially in increasing temperature, which predictions were safe. The model parameters obtained from isothermal growth data in MRS medium enabled to estimate the shelf life of a commercial ham under non-isothermal conditions in the temperature range analyzed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence to human amniotic membrane and to human, rabbit, and cat conjunctiva.

PubMed

John, Thomas; Allen, Sam; John, Andrea G; Lai, Cathy I; Carey, Roberta B

2003-06-01

To evaluate Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence to human amniotic membrane (HAM) and compare it with S epidermidis adherence to human, rabbit, and cat conjunctiva in vitro. Research laboratory, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, USA. Commercially available HAM (N = 3) was used. Conjunctival specimens from humans, rabbits, and cats (n = 3 each) were processed similarly to HAM. The tissues were exposed to S epidermidis (3 x 10(8) colony-forming units per milliliter) for 0, 5, 30, and 90 minutes, rinsed in sterile saline, and processed for light, scanning (SEM), and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (x2000) was used to quantify adherent bacteria/mm(2) of tissue (SEM photographs = 144). The following mean levels (+/- SD) of adherent S epidermidis/mm(2) were found at 0, 5, 30, and 90 minutes: HAM, 3833 +/- 1570, 9060 +/- 2512, 15,431 +/- 10,752, and 30,315 +/- 14,803, respectively; human conjunctiva, 1493 +/- 672, 7218 +/- 3179, 17,273 +/- 7168, and 19,861 +/- 9624, respectively; rabbit conjunctiva, 3385 +/- 5074, 14,386 +/- 14,569, 15,283 +/- 13,679, and 20,113 +/- 24,016, respectively; and cat conjunctiva, 4032 +/- 2240, 12,345 +/- 3413, 8512 +/- 4032, and 19,214 +/- 5584, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found at any time point (P>.16). There was no statistically significant difference in the adherence of S epidermidis to HAM and to human, rabbit, and cat conjunctiva. Bacterial adherence to HAM may be clinically significant.

Stratospheric Aerosol--Observations, Processes, and Impact on Climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kresmer, Stefanie; Thomason, Larry W.; von Hobe, Marc; Hermann, Markus; Deshler, Terry; Timmreck, Claudia; Toohey, Matthew; Stenke, Andrea; Schwarz, Joshua P.; Weigel, Ralf;

Determination of the viability of Toxoplasma gondii in cured ham using bioassay: influence of technological processing and food safety implications.

PubMed

Bayarri, Susana; Gracia, María J; Lázaro, Regina; Pe Rez-Arquillué, Consuelo; Barberán, Montserrat; Herrera, Antonio

2010-12-01

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii and distributed worldwide. Ingestion of viable cysts from infected raw or undercooked meat is an important route of horizontal transmission of the parasite to humans. Little information is available concerning the effect of commercial curing on cysts of T. gondii. This study is the first in which the influence of processing of cured ham on the viability of T. gondii has been evaluated, using bioassay to assess the risk of infection from eating this meat product. Naturally infected pigs were selected for the study, and a mouse concentration bioassay technique was used to demonstrate viable bradyzoites of T. gondii in porcine tissues and hams. No viable parasites were found in the final product (14 months of curing) based on results of the indirect immunofluorescence assay and histological and PCR analyses. Our results indicate that the consumption of hams cured as described here poses an insignificant risk of acquiring toxoplasmosis. However, additional studies are required to evaluate the safety of ham products cured under different conditions of curing time, salt, and nitrite concentration.

Incubation of curing brines for the production of ready-to-eat, uncured, no-nitrite-or-nitrate-added, ground, cooked and sliced ham.

PubMed

Krause, B L; Sebranek, J G; Rust, R E; Mendonca, A

2011-12-01

Salt concentration, vegetable juice powder (VJP) concentration and temperature were investigated to determine necessary conditions for incubation of curing brines including VJP and a starter culture containing Staphylococcus carnosus prior to production of naturally cured, no-nitrate/nitrite-added meat products. Subsequently, incubated brines were utilized to produce no-nitrate/nitrite-added sliced ham in which quality characteristics and residual nitrite concentrations were measured to determine feasibility of brine incubation for nitrate conversion prior to injection. Two ham treatments (one with VJP and starter culture; one with pre-converted VJP) and a nitrite-added control were used. No differences (P>0.05) were found for color in the VJP treatments. Control sliced ham was redder after 42 days of storage, retaining significantly (P<0.05) greater a* (redness) than either of the VJP treatments. Residual nitrite concentration was greater (P<0.05) in the control hams during the first week of storage. While the nitrite-added control retained greater red color and initially had more residual nitrite than the VJP treatments, the two VJP treatments did not differ from each other. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PRKAG3 and CAST genetic polymorphisms and quality traits of dry-cured hams--I. Associations in Spanish dry-cured ham Jamón Serrano.

PubMed

Gou, P; Zhen, Z Y; Hortós, M; Arnau, J; Diestre, A; Robert, N; Claret, A; Čandek-Potokar, M; Santé-Lhoutellier, V

2012-12-01

The functional single polymorphisms identified in the calpastatin (CAST) gene have been related to the rate of meat tenderization and the protein turnover after slaughter, and the Ile199Val polymorphism identified in the coding region of the protein kinase AMP-activated (PRKAG3) gene has been proven to affect ultimate pH in muscle. The aim of the present study was to show the effects of these genetic polymorphisms on the quality traits of Spanish dry-cured ham Jamón Serrano. A tissue sample from 665 crossbreed pigs were genotyped for PRKAG3 Ile199Val, CAST Arg249Lys and CAST Ser638Arg polymorphisms, and a subsample of 120 dry cured hams was selected to perform physico-chemical, rheological, instrumental colour and sensory analyses. Associations between the polymorphisms and several quality traits of dry-cured ham, mainly related to flavour and texture, were found. The genotypes PRKAG3 Ile/Ile, CAST249 Arg/Arg and CAST638 Arg/Arg, and the haplotype CAST 249Arg-638Arg were the most favourable for Jamón Serrano production. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Instrumental colour of Iberian ham subcutaneous fat and lean (biceps femoris): Influence of crossbreeding and rearing system.

PubMed

Carrapiso, Ana I; García, Carmen

2005-10-01

The influence of crossbreeding (Iberian vs Iberian×Duroc 50% pigs) and rearing system (Montanera vs Pienso) on the instrumental colour of Iberian ham (subcutaneous fat and biceps femoris muscle) and the relationships to sensory appearance and chemical composition were researched by using a factorial design. In subcutaneous fat, a significant effect (p<0.05) of crossbreeding and rearing system was found: b* and chroma were larger in hams from Iberian pigs than from Iberian×Duroc (50%) pigs, and L*, a* and chroma were larger in Pienso hams than in Montanera hams. CIEL*a*b* variables of subcutaneous fat were closely related to subcutaneous fatty acid composition, the largest correlationships involving L* (L* and 18:0, 0.652, p<0.001; L* and 18:1, -0.616, p<0.001). Instrumental colour variables and sensory appearance were also correlated (L* and fat pinkness, -0.539, p<0.001). In lean (biceps femoris), instrumental colour data was not affected by crossbreeding and rearing system. CIEL*a*b* variables were not related to chemical composition (moisture, NaCl, intramuscular fat and pigment content), although they were correlated to sensory appearance (L* and marbling, 0.419, p=0.014).

The effect of high pressure and residual oxygen on the color stability of minced cured restructured ham at different levels of drying, pH, and NaCl.

PubMed

Bak, Kathrine Holmgaard; Lindahl, Gunilla; Karlsson, Anders H; Lloret, Elsa; Gou, Pere; Arnau, Jacint; Orlien, Vibeke

2013-10-01

Color stability of minced cured restructured ham was studied by considering the effects of high pressure (HP) (600 MPa, 13°C, 5 min), raw meat pH24 (low, normal, high), salt content (15, 30 g/kg), drying (20%, 50% weight loss), and residual oxygen level (0.02%-0.30%). Raw hams were selected by pH24 in Semimembranosus, mixed with additives, frozen, sliced, and dried by the Quick-Dry-Slice® (QDS) process followed by HP treatment or not (control). Packaging and storage simulated industrial packaging: modified atmosphere containing 80% N2, 20% CO2, and residual O2 in one of three intervals: <0.1%, 0.1%-0.2%, or 0.2%-0.3%, and retail storage conditions: chill storage, 12 h light, 12 h darkness. HP improved the stability of the redness of 20% QDS hams, while the stabilizing effect on 50% QDS hams was smaller, concluding that water has the dominating role. Raw meat pH24, salt content, and residual oxygen level had varying effects on the stability of the red color. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High production of RANTES and MIP-1alpha in the tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM).

PubMed

Montanheiro, Patricia; Vergara, Maria Paulina Posada; Smid, Jerusa; da Silva Duarte, Alberto José; de Oliveira, Augusto César Penalva; Casseb, Jorge

2007-08-01

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is associated with progressive neurological disorders and tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). The pathogenesis of TSP/HAM is considered as immune mediated, involving cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses to a number of viral proteins and notably the regulation protein Tax. T CD8+ cells produce beta-chemokines, which are important in the anti-viral response. In the present study, we have analyzed the CC chemokines (RANTES, MIP-1beta and MIP-1alpha) production in retrovirus-infected subjects. A total of 191 subjects were studied: 52 healthy controls, 72 asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected carriers and 67 TSP/HAM patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were maintained in the presence or absence of PHA, and supernatant fluids were assayed using EIA. MIP-1beta concentration was not significantly different across groups, but RANTES and MIP-1alpha concentrations showed significant differences when the three groups were compared. In TSP/HAM patients, the increase in the production of chemokines may lead to a recruitment of pro-inflammatory factors, contributing to the membrane's myelin damage.

Sodium chloride-induced filamentation and alternative gene expression of fts, murZ, and gnd in Listeria monocytogenes 08-5923 on vacuum-packaged ham.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoji; Miller, Petr; Basu, Urmila; McMullen, Lynn M

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to examine the filament formation and differential gene expression of Listeria monocytogenes 08-5923 grown on refrigerated vacuum-packaged ham products with various NaCl concentrations. Filament formation of L. monocytogenes was observed on ham products with 1.35% and 2.35% NaCl, which was monitored using flow cytometry by measuring forward light scatter. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to study the differential expression of genes in filamented cells of L. monocytogenes grown on hams following 2 or 3 months of storage at 4 °C. The genes involved in cell division (ftsX/lmo2506), cell wall synthesis (murZ/lmo2552), and NADPH production (gnd/lmo1376) were significantly downregulated in filamented cells of L. monocytogenes grown on ham with 2.35% NaCl stored at 4 °C. To our knowledge, this study reports the first evidence of filament formation of Listeria grown on meat products, which could impact the food safety risk and tolerance levels of L. monocytogenes set by regulatory agencies. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Piecewise-homotopy analysis method (P-HAM) for first order nonlinear ODE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chin, F. Y.; Lem, K. H.; Chong, F. S.

2013-09-01

In homotopy analysis method (HAM), the determination for the value of the auxiliary parameter h is based on the valid region of the h-curve in which the horizontal segment of the h-curve will decide the valid h-region. All h-value taken from the valid region, provided that the order of deformation is large enough, will in principle yield an approximation series that converges to the exact solution. However it is found out that the h-value chosen within this valid region does not always promise a good approximation under finite order. This paper suggests an improved method called Piecewise-HAM (P-HAM). In stead of a single h-value, this method suggests using many h-values. Each of the h-values comes from an individual h-curve while each h-curve is plotted by fixing the time t at a different value. Each h-value is claimed to produce a good approximation only about a neighborhood centered at the corresponding t which the h-curve is based on. Each segment of these good approximations is then joined to form the approximation curve. By this, the convergence region is enhanced further. The P-HAM is illustrated and supported by examples.

Volatile compounds and odor traits of dry-cured ham (Prosciutto crudo) irradiated by electron beam and gamma rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Qiulian; Yan, Weiqiang; Yue, Ling; Chen, Zhijun; Wang, Haihong; Qi, Wenyuan; He, Xiaohua

2017-01-01

Prosciutto crudo samples were irradiated at 0, 3 and 6 kGy by gamma rays (GR) and electron beam (EB), respectively. The odor scores and volatile compounds were examined after 7 days storage at 4 °C. Volatile compounds from samples without and with irradiation at 6 kGy were analyzed by GC-MS. Fifty-nine compounds were identified, including terpenes, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, alkanes, esters, aromatic hydrocarbons and acids. Both GR and EB irradiation resulted in formation of (Z)-7-Hexadecenal, cis-9-hexadecenal, tetradecane, E-9-tetradecen-1-ol formate, and losing of hexadecamethyl-heptasiloxane and decanoic acid-ethyl ester in hams. However, GR irradiation caused additional changes, such as formation of undecane and phthalic acid-2-cyclohexylethyl butyl ester, significantly higher level of 1-pentadecene, and losing of (E, E)-2,4-decadienal and octadecane. EB was shown to be better in maintaining ham's original odor than GR. Our results suggest that EB irradiation is a promising method for treatment of ready to eat hams as it exerts much less negative effect on the flavor of hams compared to GR irradiation.

Simulating the effect of photochemical aging on the oxidation state and hygroscopicity of organic aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsimpidi, A.; Karydis, V.; Pandis, S. N.; Lelieveld, J.

2016-12-01

Hygroscopicity is an important property of aerosols which describes their propensity to absorb water vapor. The hygroscopicity of organic aerosol (OA) can change during its atmospheric aging affecting the total aerosol hygroscopicity. A more hygroscopic particle will grow more rapidly under humid conditions, scatter incident sunlight more efficiently; and it will more likely form cloud droplets. Both phenomena strongly influence the radiative forcing of climate through the direct and indirect effects of aerosols. Therefore, taking into account the hygrscopicity changes of OA during its atmospheric aging is of prime importance to accurately estimate the aerosol climatic impact. Here, we use a computationally efficient module for the description of OA composition and evolution in the atmosphere (ORACLE) (Tsimpidi et al., 2014) in the frame of the global chemistry climate model EMAC to simulate the global distribution of the OA oxidation state and hygroscopicity. To track the evolution of the OA oxidation state during its atmospheric aging, ORACLE is modified to include the description of the OA oxygen content change when mass from any OA surrogate species reacts with the OH radical. Subsequently, it is assumed that the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of OA, expressed in the form of the hygroscopicity parameter κ, will increase with increasing oxygen content (expressed by the oxygen per carbon ratio, O:C) and will range from κ = 0 (for O:C ≤ 0.2) to κ = 0.35 (for O:C = 1). The exact relationship between O:C and κ is determined based on aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and continuous flow CCN (CCNC) measurements of SOA (Lambe et al., 2011). Following a straightforward mixing rule, the hygroscopicity and oxygen content of total OA is calculated based on the hygroscopicities of the individual OA compounds and their degree of oxidation. A global dataset of O:C measurements is used to validate the model results. ReferencesLambe, A. T., et al. : Laboratory studies of the chemical composition and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and oxidized primary organic aerosol (OPOA), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 8913-8928, 2011. Tsimpidi, A. P., et al. : ORACLE (v1.0): module to simulate the organic aerosol composition and evolution in the atmosphere, Geo. Mod. Devel., 7, 3153-3172, 2014.

Lidar data assimilation for improved analyses of volcanic aerosol events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, Anne Caroline; Elbern, Hendrik

2014-05-01

Observations of hazardous events with release of aerosols are hardly analyzable by today's data assimilation algorithms, without producing an attenuating bias. Skillful forecasts of unexpected aerosol events are essential for human health and to prevent an exposure of infirm persons and aircraft with possibly catastrophic outcome. Typical cases include mineral dust outbreaks, mostly from large desert regions, wild fires, and sea salt uplifts, while the focus aims for volcanic eruptions. In general, numerical chemistry and aerosol transport models cannot simulate such events without manual adjustments. The concept of data assimilation is able to correct the analysis, as long it is operationally implemented in the model system. Though, the tangent-linear approximation, which describes a substantial precondition for today's cutting edge data assimilation algorithms, is not valid during unexpected aerosol events. As part of the European COPERNICUS (earth observation) project MACC II and the national ESKP (Earth System Knowledge Platform) initiative, we developed a module that enables the assimilation of aerosol lidar observations, even during unforeseeable incidences of extreme emissions of particulate matter. Thereby, the influence of the background information has to be reduced adequately. Advanced lidar instruments comprise on the one hand the aspect of radiative transfer within the atmosphere and on the other hand they can deliver a detailed quantification of the detected aerosols. For the assimilation of maximal exploited lidar data, an appropriate lidar observation operator is constructed, compatible with the EURAD-IM (European Air Pollution and Dispersion - Inverse Model) system. The observation operator is able to map the modeled chemical and physical state on lidar attenuated backscatter, transmission, aerosol optical depth, as well as on the extinction and backscatter coefficients. Further, it has the ability to process the observed discrepancies with lidar data in a variational data assimilation algorithm. The implemented method is tested by the assimilation of CALIPSO attenuated backscatter data that were taken during the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in April 2010. It turned out that the implemented module is fully capable to integrate unexpected aerosol events in an automatic way into reasonable analyses. The estimations of the aerosol mass concentrations showed promising properties for the application of observations that are taken by lidar systems with both, higher and lower sophistication than CALIOP.

WRF-Chem Model Simulations of Arizona Dust Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohebbi, A.; Chang, H. I.; Hondula, D.

2017-12-01

The online Weather Research and Forecasting model with coupled chemistry module (WRF-Chem) is applied to simulate the transport, deposition and emission of the dust aerosols in an intense dust outbreak event that took place on July 5th, 2011 over Arizona. Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART), Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA), and University of Cologne (UoC) parameterization schemes for dust emission were evaluated. The model was found to simulate well the synoptic meteorological conditions also widely documented in previous studies. The chemistry module performance in reproducing the atmospheric desert dust load was evaluated using the horizontal field of the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro (MODIS) radiometer Terra/Aqua and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) satellites employing standard Dark Target (DT) and Deep Blue (DB) algorithms. To assess the temporal variability of the dust storm, Particulate Matter mass concentration data (PM10 and PM2.5) from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (AZDEQ) ground-based air quality stations were used. The promising performance of WRF-Chem indicate that the model is capable of simulating the right timing and loading of a dust event in the planetary-boundary-layer (PBL) which can be used to forecast approaching severe dust events and to communicate an effective early warning.

The MERRA-2 Aerosol Reanalysis, 1980 - onward, Part I: System Description and Data Assimilation Evaluation.

PubMed

Randles, C A; Da Silva, A M; Buchard, V; Colarco, P R; Darmenov, A; Govindaraju, R; Smirnov, A; Holben, B; Ferrare, R; Hair, J; Shinozuka, Y; Flynn, C J

2017-09-01

The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) updates NASA's previous satellite era (1980 - onward) reanalysis system to include additional observations and improvements to the Goddard Earth Observing System, Version 5 (GEOS-5) Earth system model. As a major step towards a full Integrated Earth Systems Analysis (IESA), in addition to meteorological observations, MERRA-2 now includes assimilation of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from various ground- and space-based remote sensing platforms. Here, in the first of a pair of studies, we document the MERRA-2 aerosol assimilation, including a description of the prognostic model (GEOS-5 coupled to the GOCART aerosol module), aerosol emissions, and the quality control of ingested observations. We provide initial validation and evaluation of the analyzed AOD fields using independent observations from ground, aircraft, and shipborne instruments. We demonstrate the positive impact of the AOD assimilation on simulated aerosols by comparing MERRA-2 aerosol fields to an identical control simulation that does not include AOD assimilation. Having shown the AOD evaluation, we take a first look at aerosol-climate interactions by examining the shortwave, clear-sky aerosol direct radiative effect. In our companion paper, we evaluate and validate available MERRA-2 aerosol properties not directly impacted by the AOD assimilation (e.g. aerosol vertical distribution and absorption). Importantly, while highlighting the skill of the MERRA-2 aerosol assimilation products, both studies point out caveats that must be considered when using this new reanalysis product for future studies of aerosols and their interactions with weather and climate.

Carcinogenic N-nitro-dimethylamine from the reaction of the analgesic amidopyrine and nitrite extracted from foodstuffs.

PubMed

LaBar, J; Sander, J

1975-11-25

The reaction of the analgesic amidopyrine (100 mg) with nitrite extracted from cured meats and from spinach in varying degrees of spoilage was studied. Unde physiological conditions the carcinogenic dimethylnitrosamine was formed at milligram levels at nitrite concentrations as low as 4 mg (in 175 ml extracted from 100 g boiled ham). The rate of decrease in concentration in the human stomach after ingestion of amidopyrine and of nitrite contained in boiled ham or in a broth from boiled ham was also measured.

The impact of precipitation evaporation on the atmospheric aerosol distribution in EC-Earth v3.2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Bruine, Marco; Krol, Maarten; van Noije, Twan; Le Sager, Philippe; Röckmann, Thomas

2018-04-01

The representation of aerosol-cloud interaction in global climate models (GCMs) remains a large source of uncertainty in climate projections. Due to its complexity, precipitation evaporation is either ignored or taken into account in a simplified manner in GCMs. This research explores various ways to treat aerosol resuspension and determines the possible impact of precipitation evaporation and subsequent aerosol resuspension on global aerosol burdens and distribution. The representation of aerosol wet deposition by large-scale precipitation in the EC-Earth model has been improved by utilising additional precipitation-related 3-D fields from the dynamical core, the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) general circulation model, in the chemistry and aerosol module Tracer Model, version 5 (TM5). A simple approach of scaling aerosol release with evaporated precipitation fraction leads to an increase in the global aerosol burden (+7.8 to +15 % for different aerosol species). However, when taking into account the different sizes and evaporation rate of raindrops following Gong et al. (2006), the release of aerosols is strongly reduced, and the total aerosol burden decreases by -3.0 to -8.5 %. Moreover, inclusion of cloud processing based on observations by Mitra et al. (1992) transforms scavenged small aerosol to coarse particles, which enhances removal by sedimentation and hence leads to a -10 to -11 % lower aerosol burden. Finally, when these two effects are combined, the global aerosol burden decreases by -11 to -19 %. Compared to the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite observations, aerosol optical depth (AOD) is generally underestimated in most parts of the world in all configurations of the TM5 model and although the representation is now physically more realistic, global AOD shows no large improvements in spatial patterns. Similarly, the agreement of the vertical profile with Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) satellite measurements does not improve significantly. We show, however, that aerosol resuspension has a considerable impact on the modelled aerosol distribution and needs to be taken into account.

Efficacy of increased resistant starch consumption in human type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Bodinham, C L; Smith, L; Thomas, E L; Bell, J D; Swann, J R; Costabile, A; Russell-Jones, D; Umpleby, A M; Robertson, M D

2014-01-01

Resistant starch (RS) has been shown to beneficially affect insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals and those with metabolic syndrome, but its effects on human type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are unknown. This study aimed to determine the effects of increased RS consumption on insulin sensitivity and glucose control and changes in postprandial metabolites and body fat in T2DM. Seventeen individuals with well-controlled T2DM (HbA1c 46.6±2 mmol/mol) consumed, in a random order, either 40 g of type 2 RS (HAM-RS2) or a placebo, daily for 12 weeks with a 12-week washout period in between. AT THE END OF EACH INTERVENTION PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED FOR THREE METABOLIC INVESTIGATIONS: a two-step euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp combined with an infusion of [6,6-(2)H2] glucose, a meal tolerance test (MTT) with arterio-venous sampling across the forearm, and whole-body imaging. HAM-RS2 resulted in significantly lower postprandial glucose concentrations (P=0.045) and a trend for greater glucose uptake across the forearm muscle (P=0.077); however, there was no effect of HAM-RS2 on hepatic or peripheral insulin sensitivity, or on HbA1c. Fasting non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were significantly lower (P=0.004) and NEFA suppression was greater during the clamp with HAM-RS2 (P=0.001). Fasting triglyceride (TG) concentrations and soleus intramuscular TG concentrations were significantly higher following the consumption of HAM-RS2 (P=0.039 and P=0.027 respectively). Although fasting GLP1 concentrations were significantly lower following HAM-RS2 consumption (P=0.049), postprandial GLP1 excursions during the MTT were significantly greater (P=0.009). HAM-RS2 did not improve tissue insulin sensitivity in well-controlled T2DM, but demonstrated beneficial effects on meal handling, possibly due to higher postprandial GLP1.

Anatomic single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction improves walking economy: hamstrings tendon versus patellar tendon grafts.

PubMed

Iliopoulos, Efthymios; Galanis, Nikiforos; Zafeiridis, Andreas; Iosifidis, Michael; Papadopoulos, Pericles; Potoupnis, Michael; Geladas, Nikolaos; Vrabas, Ioannis S; Kirkos, John

2017-10-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is associated with a pathologic gait pattern and increased energy cost during locomotion. ACL reconstruction could improve the gait pattern. Hamstrings tendon (HAM) and bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) grafts are usually used for reconstruction. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of anatomic ACL reconstruction with HAM and BPTB grafts on improving and normalizing the energy cost and physiologic reserves during flat, uphill, and downhill walking. Twenty male subjects with unilateral ACL injuries were randomly assigned to ACL reconstruction with a HAM (n = 10) or BPTB (n = 10) graft. Ten matched controls were also enrolled. All participants performed three 8-min walking tasks at 0, +10, and -10 % gradients before and 9 months after surgery. Energy cost (oxygen consumption, VO 2 ), heart rate (HR), and ventilation (VE) were measured. Lysholm/IKDC scores were recorded. Pre-operatively, VO 2 , HR, and VE were higher in the HAM and BPTB groups than in controls during walking at 0, +10, and -10 % gradients (p < 0.001-0.01). Post-operatively, both HAM and BPTB groups showed reduced VO 2 , HR, and VE during the three walking tasks (p < 0.001-0.01). Although the post-operative VO 2 in both surgical groups reached 90-95 % of the normative (control) value during walking, it remained elevated against the value observed in controls (p < 0.001-0.01). The HAM and BPTB groups showed no differences in post-surgical VO 2 or HR during walking at all three gradients. Anatomic ACL reconstruction with either HAM or BPTB graft resulted in similar short-term improvements in energy cost and nearly normalized locomotion economy and cardiorespiratory reserves during flat, uphill, and downhill walking. The improved locomotion economy is an additional benefit of anatomic ACL reconstruction, irrespective of the type of graft used, that the orthopaedic surgeons should consider. II.

Decellularized human amniotic membrane: more is needed for an efficient dressing for protection of burns against antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn patients.

PubMed

Gholipourmalekabadi, M; Bandehpour, M; Mozafari, M; Hashemi, A; Ghanbarian, H; Sameni, M; Salimi, M; Gholami, M; Samadikuchaksaraei, A

2015-11-01

Human amniotic membranes (HAMs) have attracted the attention of burn surgeons for decades due to favorable properties such as their antibacterial activity and promising support of cell proliferation. On the other hand, as a major implication in the health of burn patients, the prevalence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics is increasing due to overuse of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HAMs (both fresh and acellular) are an effective antibacterial agent against antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from burn patients. Therefore, a HAM was decellularized and tested for its antibacterial activity. Decellularization of the tissue was confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. In addition, the cyto-biocompatibility of the acellular HAM was proven by the cell viability test (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide, MTT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resistant bacteria were isolated from burns, identified, and tested for their susceptibility to antibiotics using both the antibiogram and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Among the isolated bacteria, three blaIMP gene-positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were chosen for their high resistance to the tested antibiotics. The antibacterial activity of the HAM was also tested for Klebsiella pneumoniae (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 700603) as a resistant ATCC bacterium; Staphylococcus aureus (mecA positive); and three standard strains of ATCC bacteria including Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27833), and S. aureus (ATCC 25923). Antibacterial assay revealed that only the latter three bacteria were susceptible to the HAM. All the data obtained from this study suggest that an alternative strategy is required to complement HAM grafting in order to fully protect burns from nosocomial infections. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Anti-neovascular effect of chondrocyte-derived extracellular matrix on corneal alkaline burns in rabbits.

PubMed

Lee, Hye Sook; Lee, Ji Hyun; Kim, Chae Eun; Yang, Jae Wook

2014-06-01

We investigated the effect of a chondrocyte-derived extracellular matrix (CDECM) on experimental corneal alkaline burns in rabbits. Corneal neovascularization (NV) was induced by applying an 8-mm filter paper soaked in 1 N NaOH to the right central corneas of rabbits for 1 minute. Ten days later, the rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: the alkaline burn group, the CDECM transplantation group, and the human amniotic membrane (HAM) transplantation group. The left eyes were used as controls. CDECM and HAM were transplanted onto the corneal surface to completely cover the resected area and were subsequently sutured. On the 10th day after transplantation, the structural changes of the cornea were analyzed histologically. We examined the effects of CDECM on clinical NV features and on the expression of corneal NV markers. The alkaline burn produced significant NV and increased the corneal thickness. On day 10 after transplantation, the thickness, NV and opacity of the cornea were markedly decreased in the CDECM group (p < 0.001). However, the HAM transplantation group did not exhibit improvements in these clinical parameters, and there were no significant differences relative to the burn group. In addition, the use of CDECM improved the healing of the cornea following the alkaline burn by disrupting the corneal epithelial proliferation and reducing the fibrotic changes of the stroma. The hallmarks of NV were significantly induced in the subepithelium by the alkaline burn, and these levels were also suppressed by CDECM. The CDECM suppressed corneal NV by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation by blocking the PKC and Akt signaling pathways. CDECM transplantation was markedly effective in healing alkali-burned corneas by modulating the translocation of NF-κB to the nucleus, thereby representing a promising material for the noninvasive treatment of ocular surface disease.

Experimental determination of the partitioning coefficient and volatility of important BVOC oxidation products using the Aerosol Collection Module (ACM) coupled to a PTR-ToF-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkatzelis, G.; Hohaus, T.; Tillmann, R.; Schmitt, S. H.; Yu, Z.; Schlag, P.; Wegener, R.; Kaminski, M.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric aerosol can alter the Earth's radiative budget and global climate but can also affect human health. A dominant contributor to the submicrometer particulate matter (PM) is organic aerosol (OA). OA can be either directly emitted through e.g. combustion processes (primary OA) or formed through the oxidation of organic gases (secondary organic aerosol, SOA). A detailed understanding of SOA formation is of importance as it constitutes a major contribution to the total OA. The partitioning between the gas and particle phase as well as the volatility of individual components of SOA is yet poorly understood adding uncertainties and thus complicating climate modelling. In this work, a new experimental methodology was used for compound-specific analysis of organic aerosol. The Aerosol Collection Module (ACM) is a newly developed instrument that deploys an aerodynamic lens to separate the gas and particle phase of an aerosol. The particle phase is directed to a cooled sampling surface. After collection particles are thermally desorbed and transferred to a detector for further analysis. In the present work, the ACM was coupled to a Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) to detect and quantify organic compounds partitioning between the gas and particle phase. This experimental approach was used in a set of experiments at the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR to investigate SOA formation. Ozone oxidation with subsequent photochemical aging of β-pinene, limonene and real plant emissions from Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) were studied. Simultaneous measurement of the gas and particle phase using the ACM-PTR-ToF-MS allows to report partitioning coefficients of important BVOC oxidation products. Additionally, volatility trends and changes of the SOA with photochemical aging are investigated and compared for all systems studied.

Precautionary Practices of Respiratory Therapists and Other Health-Care Practitioners Who Administer Aerosolized Medications

PubMed Central

Tsai, Rebecca J; Boiano, James M; Steege, Andrea L; Sweeney, Marie H

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Respiratory therapists (RTs) and other health-care workers are potentially exposed to a variety of aerosolized medications. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers describes current exposure control practices and barriers to using personal protective equipment during administration of selected aerosolized medications. METHODS: An anonymous, multi-module, web-based survey was conducted among members of health-care professional practice organizations representing RTs, nurses, and other health-care practitioners. A module on aerosolized medications included submodules for antibiotics (amikacin, colistin, and tobramycin), pentamidine, and ribavirin. RESULTS: The submodules on antibiotics, pentamidine, and ribavirin were completed by 321, 227, and 50 respondents, respectively, most of whom were RTs. The relatively low number of ribavirin respondents precluded meaningful interpretation of these data and may reflect the rare use of this drug. Consequently, analysis focused on pentamidine, classified by NIOSH as a hazardous drug, and the antibiotics amikacin, colistin, and tobramycin, which currently lack authoritative safe handling guidelines. Respondents who administered pentamidine were more likely to adhere to good work practices compared with those who administered the antibiotics. Examples included training received on safe handling procedures (75% vs 52%), availability of employer standard procedures (82% vs 55%), use of aerosol delivery devices equipped with an expiratory filter (96% vs 53%) or negative-pressure rooms (61% vs 20%), and always using respiratory protection (51% vs 13%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the availability of safe handling guidelines for pentamidine, implementation was not universal, placing workers, co-workers, and even family members at risk of exposure. Although the antibiotics included in this study lack authoritative safe handling guidelines, prudence dictates that appropriate exposure controls be used to minimize exposure to the antibiotics and other aerosolized medications. Employers and employees share responsibility for ensuring that precautionary measures are taken to keep exposures to all aerosolized medications as low as practicable. PMID:26152473

Precautionary Practices of Respiratory Therapists and Other Health-Care Practitioners Who Administer Aerosolized Medications.

PubMed

Tsai, Rebecca J; Boiano, James M; Steege, Andrea L; Sweeney, Marie H

2015-10-01

Respiratory therapists (RTs) and other health-care workers are potentially exposed to a variety of aerosolized medications. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers describes current exposure control practices and barriers to using personal protective equipment during administration of selected aerosolized medications. An anonymous, multi-module, web-based survey was conducted among members of health-care professional practice organizations representing RTs, nurses, and other health-care practitioners. A module on aerosolized medications included submodules for antibiotics (amikacin, colistin, and tobramycin), pentamidine, and ribavirin. The submodules on antibiotics, pentamidine, and ribavirin were completed by 321, 227, and 50 respondents, respectively, most of whom were RTs. The relatively low number of ribavirin respondents precluded meaningful interpretation of these data and may reflect the rare use of this drug. Consequently, analysis focused on pentamidine, classified by NIOSH as a hazardous drug, and the antibiotics amikacin, colistin, and tobramycin, which currently lack authoritative safe handling guidelines. Respondents who administered pentamidine were more likely to adhere to good work practices compared with those who administered the antibiotics. Examples included training received on safe handling procedures (75% vs 52%), availability of employer standard procedures (82% vs 55%), use of aerosol delivery devices equipped with an expiratory filter (96% vs 53%) or negative-pressure rooms (61% vs 20%), and always using respiratory protection (51% vs 13%). Despite the availability of safe handling guidelines for pentamidine, implementation was not universal, placing workers, co-workers, and even family members at risk of exposure. Although the antibiotics included in this study lack authoritative safe handling guidelines, prudence dictates that appropriate exposure controls be used to minimize exposure to the antibiotics and other aerosolized medications. Employers and employees share responsibility for ensuring that precautionary measures are taken to keep exposures to all aerosolized medications as low as practicable. Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Muscle individual phospholipid classes throughout the processing of dry-cured ham: influence of pre-cure freezing.

PubMed

Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Ruiz, Jorge; Dewettinck, Koen; Le, Thien Trung; Antequera, Teresa

2010-03-01

This paper aims to study the profile of phospholipid (PL) classes of Iberian ham throughout its processing and the changes it underwent due to the influence of the pre-cure freezing treatment. The general profile of each PL class did not vary during the ripening stage. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) showed the highest proportion, followed by phosphatidyletanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) being the minor PL. The four PL classes were highly hydrolysed during the salting stage and their degradation continued during the rest of the processing. Pre-cure freezing of Iberian ham influenced the levels of the four PL classes at the initial stage, all of them being higher in refrigerated (R) than in pre-cure frozen (F) hams. Moreover, the pattern of hydrolysis was not the same in these two groups. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Irradiated Chinese Rugao ham: Changes in volatile N-nitrosamine, biogenic amine and residual nitrite during ripening and post-ripening.

PubMed

Wei, Fashan; Xu, Xinglian; Zhou, Guanghong; Zhao, Gaiming; Li, Chunbao; Zhang, Yingjun; Chen, Lingzhen; Qi, Jun

2009-03-01

N-nitrosamines, biogenic amines and residual nitrite are harmful substances and often present in cured meat. The effects of gamma-irradiation (γ-irradiation) on these chemicals in dry-cured Chinese Rugao ham during ripening and post-ripening were investigated. Rugao hams were irradiated at a dose of 5kGy before ripening and were then ripened in an aging loft. Although γ-irradiation degraded tyramine, putrescine and spermine, on the other hand, it promoted the formation of spermidine, phenylethylamine, cadaverine and tryptamine. Residual nitrite was significantly reduced by γ-irradiation. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) were found in Chinese Rugao ham during ripening and post-ripening but could be degraded with γ-irradiation. The results suggest that γ-irradiation may be a potential decontamination measure for certain chemical compounds found in dry-cured meat.

Metabolomic Profiling as a Possible Reverse Engineering Tool for Estimating Processing Conditions of Dry-Cured Hams.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Masahiro; Obiya, Shinichi; Kaneko, Miku; Enomoto, Ayame; Honma, Mayu; Wakayama, Masataka; Soga, Tomoyoshi; Tomita, Masaru

2017-01-18

Dry-cured hams are popular among consumers. To increase the attractiveness of the product, objective analytical methods and algorithms to evaluate the relationship between observable properties and consumer acceptability are required. In this study, metabolomics, which is used for quantitative profiling of hundreds of small molecules, was applied to 12 kinds of dry-cured hams from Japan and Europe. In total, 203 charged metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids, nucleotides, and peptides, were successfully identified and quantified. Metabolite profiles were compared for the samples with different countries of origin and processing methods (e.g., smoking or use of a starter culture). Principal component analysis of the metabolite profiles with sensory properties revealed significant correlations for redness, homogeneity, and fat whiteness. This approach could be used to design new ham products by objective evaluation of various features.

Controlling growth of Streptococcus faecium in a ham model with heat and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, tertiary butylhydroquinone or nisin.

PubMed

Houben, J H; Krol, B

1985-01-01

The study described in this paper was designed to test the effect of heat and EDTA, TBHQ or nisin on the stability of a ham model with regard to Streptococcus faecium. Comminuted ham tissue containing brine and test ingredients was inoculated with two strains of Str. faecium and heated for 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min at 68·9°C. Growth was followed during incubation at 7°C and 37°C. In combination with heating at 68·9°C for 30 min, a stable (180 days 7°C) model was obtained by adding (ppm): 400, EDTA; 1000, TBHQ or 20, nisin. EDTA and nisin seem promising compounds for enhancing the stability of pasteurized ham with regard to Str. faecium. Copyright © 1985. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of the Iberian pig line on dry-cured ham characteristics.

PubMed

Carrapiso, Ana I; García, Carmen

2008-10-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics (chemical composition, instrumental colour, sensory characteristics and acceptance) of dry-cured hams obtained form three genetic lines of Iberian pig (Censyra, Torbiscal and Entrepelado). The instrumental colour of fat was affected by the genetic line (b(∗), p=0.008; and h°, p=0.024), the Censyra group having the largest values. The genetic line did not affect the chemical composition of the subcutaneous fat and lean of the dry-cured hams or the instrumental colour of the lean. Data from a descriptive analysis showed that the only characteristic significantly affected was the toasted flavour (p=0.004), and juiciness and sweetness were slightly affected (p=0.062 and 0.061, respectively). In spite of the slight effect on the physical-chemical and sensory characteristics, acceptance was significantly different, Torbiscal hams having the highest scores.

An examination of ham colour fading using optical fibre methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheridan, Cormac; O'Farrell, Marion; Lewis, Elfed; Flanagan, Colin; Kerry, John F.; Jackman, Nick

2006-10-01

Sliced ham products undergo significant discolouration and fading when placed in retail display cabinets. This is due to factors such as illumination of the display cabinet, packaging, i.e. low OTR (Oxygen Transmission Rate) or very low OTR packaging, product to headspace ratio and percentage of residual oxygen. This paper presents initial investigations into the development of a sensor to measure rate of colour fading in cured ham, in order to predict an optimum colour sell-by-date. An investigation has been carried out that shows that spectral reflections offer more reproducibility than CIE L*a*b* readings, which are, at present, most often used to measure meat colour. Self-Organising Maps were then used to classify the data into five colour fading stages, from very pink to grey. The results presented here show that this classifier could prove an effective system for determining the rate of colour fading in ham.

Human amniotic membrane and vitamin E/selenium for control of postoperative adhesion in dogs.

PubMed

El-Daharawyn, Mohamed; Hela, Ibrahim

2011-11-01

This study was undertaken to compare between the human amniotic membrane (HAM) and intraperitoneal vitamin E (Vit E) and selenium in prevention of postoperative adhesions in dogs. A total of 18 apparently healthy adult Mongrel dogs were divided into three equal groups and the group (I) was treated with a sterile solution of 0.9% sodium chloride intraperitoneally as a control. Group II was treated with the HAM at jejunal enterotomy while group III was treated with Vit E and selenium administered intraperitonally. Dogs were euthanized 30 days postoperatively for histopathological examination. The results showed that both HAM and Vit E and selenium were effective in reduction of the postoperative adhesion in comparison with the group I. In terms of extent of adhesions, there was no significant difference between the HAM group and the Vit E and selenium group.

A gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakaya, Mahmut; Yoldash, Rashiduddin; Boehnen, Christopher

2015-05-01

It has been proven that hamming distance score between frontal and off-angle iris images of same eye differs in iris recognition system. The distinction of hamming distance score is caused by many factors such as image acquisition angle, occlusion, pupil dilation, and limbus effect. In this paper, we first study the effect of the angle variations between iris plane and the image acquisition systems. We present how hamming distance changes for different off-angle iris images even if they are coming from the same iris. We observe that increment in acquisition angle of compared iris images causes the increment in hamming distance. Second, we propose a new technique in off-angle iris recognition system that includes creating a gallery of different off-angle iris images (such as, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 degrees) and comparing each probe image with these gallery images. We will show the accuracy of the gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition.

Aerosol Correction for Improving OMPS/LP Ozone Retrieval

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Zhong; Bhartia, Pawan K.; Loughman, Robert

2015-01-01

The Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite Limb Profiler (OMPS-LP) on board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite was launched on Oct. 28, 2011. Limb profilers measures the radiance scattered from the Earth's atmospheric in limb viewing mode from 290 to 1000 nm and infer ozone profiles from tropopause to 60 km. The recently released OMPS-LP Version 2 data product contains the first publicly released ozone profiles retrievals, and these are now available for the entire OMPS mission, which extends from April, 2012. The Version 2 data product retrievals incorporate several important improvements to the algorithm. One of the primary changes is to turn off the aerosol retrieval module. The aerosol profiles retrieved inside the ozone code was not helping the ozone retrieval and was adding noise and other artifacts. Aerosols including polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) and polar mesospheric clouds (PMC) have a detectable effect on OMPS-LP data. Our results show that ignoring the aerosol contribution would produce an ozone density bias of up to 10 percent in the region of maximum aerosol extinction. Therefore, aerosol correction is needed to improve the quality of the retrieved ozone concentration profile. We provide Aerosol Scattering Index (ASI) for detecting aerosols-PMC-PSC, defined as ln(Im-Ic) normalized at 45km, where Im is the measured radiance and Ic is the calculated radiance assuming no aerosols. Since ASI varies with wavelengths, latitude and altitude, we can start by assuming no aerosol profiles in calculating the ASIs and then use the aerosol profile to see if it significantly reduces the residuals. We also discuss the effect of aerosol size distribution on the ozone profile retrieval process. Finally, we present an aerosol-PMC-PSC correction scheme.

Wave like signatures in aerosol optical depth and associated radiative impacts over the central Himalayan region

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

Shukla, K. K.; Phanikumar, D. V.; Kumar, K.  Niranjan

2015-10-01

Doppler Lidar and Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) observations are utilized to show wave like signatures in aerosol optical depth (AOD) during daytime boundary layer evolution over the Himalayan region. Fourier analysis depicted 60–80 min periods dominant during afternoon hours, implying that observed modulations could be plausible reason for the AOD forenoon–afternoon asymmetry which was previously reported. Inclusion of wave amplitude in diurnal variation of aerosol radiative forcing estimates showed ~40% additional warming in the atmosphere relative to mean AOD. The present observations emphasize the importance of wave induced variations in AOD and radiation budget over the site.

Intensification of heat transfer during mild thermal treatment of dry-cured ham by using airborne ultrasound.

PubMed

Contreras, M; Benedito, J; Bon, J; Garcia-Perez, J V

2018-03-01

The application of power ultrasound (PuS) could be used as a novel technology with which to intensify thermal treatments using hot air. Mild thermal treatments have been applied to improve the soft texture of dry-cured ham caused by defective processing. In this regard, the aim of this study was to assess the kinetic intensification linked to the application of airborne PuS in the mild thermal treatment using hot air of dry-cured ham. For this purpose, vacuum packed cylindrical samples (2.52±0.11cm in diameter and 1.90±0.14cm in height) of dry-cured ham were heated using hot air at different temperatures (40, 45, 50°C) and air velocities (1, 2, 3, 4, 6m/s) with (22.3kHz, 50W) and without PuS application. Heat transfer was analyzed by considering that it was entirely controlled by conduction and the apparent thermal diffusivity was identified by fitting the model to the heating kinetics. The obtained results revealed that PuS application sped up the heat transfer, showing an increase in the apparent thermal diffusivity (up to 37%). The improvement in the apparent thermal diffusivity produced by PuS application was greater at high temperatures (50°C) but negligible at high air velocities (6m/s). Heating caused an increase in the hardness and elasticity of dry-cured ham, which would correct ham pastiness defects, while the influence of PuS on such textural parameters was negligible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cell type-dependent variation in paracrine potency determines therapeutic efficacy against neonatal hyperoxic lung injury.

PubMed

Ahn, So Yoon; Chang, Yun Sil; Sung, Dong Kyung; Yoo, Hye Soo; Sung, Se In; Choi, Soo Jin; Park, Won Soon

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the optimal cell type for transplantation to protect against neonatal hyperoxic lung injury. To this end, the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic efficacies and paracrine potencies of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (HUMs), human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (HAMs) and human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (HMNs) were compared. Hyperoxic injury was induced in vitro in A549 cells by challenge with H2O2. Alternatively, hyperoxic injury was induced in newborn Sprague-Dawley rats in vivo by exposure to hyperoxia (90% oxygen) for 14 days. HUMs, HAMs or HMNs (5 × 10(5) cells) were given intratracheally at postnatal day 5. Hyperoxia-induced increases in in vitro cell death and in vivo impaired alveolarization were significantly attenuated in both the HUM and HAM groups but not in the HMN group. Hyperoxia impaired angiogenesis, increased the cell death and pulmonary macrophages and elevated inflammatory cytokine levels. These effects were significantly decreased in the HUM group but not in the HAM or HMN groups. The levels of human vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor produced by donor cells were highest in HUM group, followed by HAM group and then HMN group. HUMs exhibited the best therapeutic efficacy and paracrine potency than HAMs or HMNs in protecting against neonatal hyperoxic lung injury. These cell type-dependent variations in therapeutic efficacy might be associated or mediated with the paracrine potency of the transplanted donor cells. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preparation and in vitro and in vivo evaluation of HupA PLGA microsphere.

PubMed

Ye, Liang; Fu, Fenghua; Liu, Wanhui; Sun, Kaoxiang; Li, Youxin; He, Jie; Yu, Xin; Yu, Pengfei; Tian, Jingwei

2013-03-01

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs), including Huperzine A (HupA), have been the mainstay of treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, AChEIs can cause gastrointestinal side effects, which has been related to the high Cmax and short tmax after oral administration. Clinical trials have verified that extended-release formulation with lower Cmax and prolonged tmax, such as rivastigmine patch, could perform a similar efficacy with significantly improved tolerability compared with the oral formulations. In this study, we developed an extended-release microspheres formulation of HupA (called as HAM) with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) as drug carrier. HAM has showed the loading rate as 1.35% (w/w) and yielded 42% with mean particle size at 72.6 μm. In vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics studies have showed that HAM produced a relatively smooth and continuous drug concentration in 14 days. Furthermore, in vivo pharmacokinetics data have demonstrated that the Cmax was lower and the tmax was considerably later in single intramuscular administration of HAM (1,000 μg/kg) than the counterparts in single intragastric administration of HAT (75 μg/kg/d). Meanwhile, HAM has performed a continuous inhibition to brain AChE activity in normal rats and improvement of memory deficit in Aβ1-40 i.c.v. infused AD rat model for 14 days. The results have suggested that HAM has performed good extended-release properties and good prolonged pharmacological efficacy in vivo in the 2-week period, and could exert a similar efficacy with significantly lowered gastrointestinal side effects as compared with oral formulation.

Technical Note: On the use of nudging for aerosol–climate model intercomparison studies

DOE PAGES

Zhang, K.; Wan, H.; Liu, X.; ...

2014-08-26

Nudging as an assimilation technique has seen increased use in recent years in the development and evaluation of climate models. Constraining the simulated wind and temperature fields using global weather reanalysis facilitates more straightforward comparison between simulation and observation, and reduces uncertainties associated with natural variabilities of the large-scale circulation. On the other hand, the forcing introduced by nudging can be strong enough to change the basic characteristics of the model climate. In the paper we show that for the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5), due to the systematic temperature bias in the standard model and the sensitivity ofmore » simulated ice formation to anthropogenic aerosol concentration, nudging towards reanalysis results in substantial reductions in the ice cloud amount and the impact of anthropogenic aerosols on long-wave cloud forcing. In order to reduce discrepancies between the nudged and unconstrained simulations, and meanwhile take the advantages of nudging, two alternative experimentation methods are evaluated. The first one constrains only the horizontal winds. The second method nudges both winds and temperature, but replaces the long-term climatology of the reanalysis by that of the model. Results show that both methods lead to substantially improved agreement with the free-running model in terms of the top-of-atmosphere radiation budget and cloud ice amount. The wind-only nudging is more convenient to apply, and provides higher correlations of the wind fields, geopotential height and specific humidity between simulation and reanalysis. Results from both CAM5 and a second aerosol–climate model ECHAM6-HAM2 also indicate that compared to the wind-and-temperature nudging, constraining only winds leads to better agreement with the free-running model in terms of the estimated shortwave cloud forcing and the simulated convective activities. This suggests nudging the horizontal winds but not temperature is a good strategy for the investigation of aerosol indirect effects since it provides well-constrained meteorology without strongly perturbing the model's mean climate.« less

Chimpanzee "Ham" during preflight activity prior to Mercury-Redstone 2 flight

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-01-12

G61-00337 (31 Jan. 1961) --- Chimpanzee "Ham" during preflight activity with one of his handlers prior to the Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2) test flight which was conducted on Jan. 31, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

9 CFR 319.760 - Deviled ham, deviled tongue, and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...: Provided, That the total fat content shall not exceed 35 percent of the finished product. The moisture content of deviled ham shall not exceed that of the fresh unprocessed meat. (b) The moisture content of...

9 CFR 319.760 - Deviled ham, deviled tongue, and similar products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...: Provided, That the total fat content shall not exceed 35 percent of the finished product. The moisture content of deviled ham shall not exceed that of the fresh unprocessed meat. (b) The moisture content of...

Increase in background stratospheric aerosol observed with lidar at Mauna Loa Observatory and Boulder, Colorado - article no. L15808

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

Hofmann, D.; Barnes, J.; O'Neill, M.

2009-08-15

The stratospheric aerosol layer has been monitored with lidars at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii and Boulder in Colorado since 1975 and 2000, respectively. Following the Pinatubo volcanic eruption in June 1991, the global stratosphere has not been perturbed by a major volcanic eruption providing an unprecedented opportunity to study the background aerosol. Since about 2000, an increase of 4-7% per year in the aerosol backscatter in the altitude range 20-30 km has been detected at both Mauna Loa and Boulder. This increase is superimposed on a seasonal cycle with a winter maximum that is modulated by the quasi-biennial oscillationmore » (QBO) in tropical winds. Of the three major causes for a stratospheric aerosol increase: volcanic emissions to the stratosphere, increased tropical upwelling, and an increase in anthropogenic sulfur gas emissions in the troposphere, it appears that a large increase in coal burning since 2002, mainly in China, is the likely source of sulfur dioxide that ultimately ends up as the sulfate aerosol responsible for the increased backscatter from the stratospheric aerosol layer. The results are consistent with 0.6-0.8% of tropospheric sulfur entering the stratosphere.« less

The Sectional Stratospheric Sulfate Aerosol module (S3A-v1) within the LMDZ general circulation model: description and evaluation against stratospheric aerosol observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinschmitt, Christoph; Boucher, Olivier; Bekki, Slimane; Lott, François; Platt, Ulrich

2017-09-01

Stratospheric aerosols play an important role in the climate system by affecting the Earth's radiative budget as well as atmospheric chemistry, and the capabilities to simulate them interactively within global models are continuously improving. It is important to represent accurately both aerosol microphysical and atmospheric dynamical processes because together they affect the size distribution and the residence time of the aerosol particles in the stratosphere. The newly developed LMDZ-S3A model presented in this article uses a sectional approach for sulfate particles in the stratosphere and includes the relevant microphysical processes. It allows full interaction between aerosol radiative effects (e.g. radiative heating) and atmospheric dynamics, including e.g. an internally generated quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in the stratosphere. Sulfur chemistry is semi-prescribed via climatological lifetimes. LMDZ-S3A reasonably reproduces aerosol observations in periods of low (background) and high (volcanic) stratospheric sulfate loading, but tends to overestimate the number of small particles and to underestimate the number of large particles. Thus, it may serve as a tool to study the climate impacts of volcanic eruptions, as well as the deliberate anthropogenic injection of aerosols into the stratosphere, which has been proposed as a method of geoengineering to abate global warming.

Understanding the impact of saharan dust aerosols on tropical cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naeger, Aaron

Genesis of Tropical Cyclones (TCs) in the main development region for Atlantic hurricanes is tied to convection initiated by African easterly waves (AEWs) during Northern hemisphere summer and fall seasons. The main development region is also impacted by dust aerosols transported from the Sahara. It has been hypothesized that dust aerosols can modulate the development of TCs through aerosol-radiation and aerosol-cloud interaction processes. In this study, we investigate the impact of dust aerosols on TC development using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem). We first develop a technique to constrain the WRF-Chem model with a realistic three-dimensional spatial distribution of dust aerosols. The horizontal distribution of dust is specified using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived aerosol products and output from the Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model. The vertical distribution of dust is constrained using the Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO). We validate our technique through in situ aircraft measurements where both showed aerosol number concentrations from 20-30 cm-3 in the atmosphere for Saharan dust moving over the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Then, we use the satellite data constraint technique to nudge the WRF-Chem aerosol fields throughout the simulation of TC Florence developing over the eastern Atlantic Ocean during September 2006. Three different experiments are conducted where the aerosol-radiation and aerosol-cloud interaction processes are either activated or deactivated in the model while all other model options are identical between the experiments. By comparing the model experiment results, the impact of the aerosol interaction processes on TC development can be understood. The results indicate that dust aerosols can delay or prevent the development of a TC as the minimum sea level pressure of TC Florence was 13 hPa higher when the aerosols interactions were activated as opposed to deactivated in the model.

Host Model Uncertainty in Aerosol Radiative Forcing Estimates - The AeroCom Prescribed Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stier, P.; Kinne, S.; Bellouin, N.; Myhre, G.; Takemura, T.; Yu, H.; Randles, C.; Chung, C. E.

2012-04-01

Anthropogenic and natural aerosol radiative effects are recognized to affect global and regional climate. However, even for the case of identical aerosol emissions, the simulated direct aerosol radiative forcings show significant diversity among the AeroCom models (Schulz et al., 2006). Our analysis of aerosol absorption in the AeroCom models indicates a larger diversity in the translation from given aerosol radiative properties (absorption optical depth) to actual atmospheric absorption than in the translation of a given atmospheric burden of black carbon to the radiative properties (absorption optical depth). The large diversity is caused by differences in the simulated cloud fields, radiative transfer, the relative vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds, and the effective surface albedo. This indicates that differences in host model (GCM or CTM hosting the aerosol module) parameterizations contribute significantly to the simulated diversity of aerosol radiative forcing. The magnitude of these host model effects in global aerosol model and satellites retrieved aerosol radiative forcing estimates cannot be estimated from the diagnostics of the "standard" AeroCom forcing experiments. To quantify the contribution of differences in the host models to the simulated aerosol radiative forcing and absorption we conduct the AeroCom Prescribed experiment, a simple aerosol model and satellite retrieval intercomparison with prescribed highly idealised aerosol fields. Quality checks, such as diagnostic output of the 3D aerosol fields as implemented in each model, ensure the comparability of the aerosol implementation in the participating models. The simulated forcing variability among the models and retrievals is a direct measure of the contribution of host model assumptions to the uncertainty in the assessment of the aerosol radiative effects. We will present the results from the AeroCom prescribed experiment with focus on the attribution to the simulated variability to parametric and structural model uncertainties. This work will help to prioritise areas for future model improvements and ultimately lead to uncertainty reduction.

The role of anisotropic expansion for pulmonary acinar aerosol deposition

PubMed Central

Hofemeier, Philipp; Sznitman, Josué

2016-01-01

Lung deformations at the local pulmonary acinar scale are intrinsically anisotropic. Despite progress in imaging modalities, the true heterogeneous nature of acinar expansion during breathing remains controversial, where our understanding of inhaled aerosol deposition still widely emanates from studies under self-similar, isotropic wall motions. Building on recent 3D models of multi-generation acinar networks, we explore in numerical simulations how different hypothesized scenarios of anisotropic expansion influence deposition outcomes of inhaled aerosols in the acinar depths. While the broader range of particles acknowledged to reach the acinar region (dp = 0.005–5.0 μm) are largely unaffected by the details of anisotropic expansion under tidal breathing, our results suggest nevertheless that anisotropy modulates the deposition sites and fractions for a narrow band of sub-micron particles (dp ~ 0.5–0.75 μm), where the fate of aerosols is greatly intertwined with local convective flows. Our findings underscore how intrinsic aerosol motion (i.e. diffusion, sedimentation) undermines the role of anisotropic wall expansion that is often attributed in determining aerosol mixing and acinar deposition. PMID:27614613

The role of anisotropic expansion for pulmonary acinar aerosol deposition.

PubMed

Hofemeier, Philipp; Sznitman, Josué

2016-10-03

Lung deformations at the local pulmonary acinar scale are intrinsically anisotropic. Despite progress in imaging modalities, the true heterogeneous nature of acinar expansion during breathing remains controversial, where our understanding of inhaled aerosol deposition still widely emanates from studies under self-similar, isotropic wall motions. Building on recent 3D models of multi-generation acinar networks, we explore in numerical simulations how different hypothesized scenarios of anisotropic expansion influence deposition outcomes of inhaled aerosols in the acinar depths. While the broader range of particles acknowledged to reach the acinar region (d p =0.005-5.0μm) are largely unaffected by the details of anisotropic expansion under tidal breathing, our results suggest nevertheless that anisotropy modulates the deposition sites and fractions for a narrow band of sub-micron particles (d p ~0.5-0.75μm), where the fate of aerosols is greatly intertwined with local convective flows. Our findings underscore how intrinsic aerosol motion (i.e. diffusion, sedimentation) undermines the role of anisotropic wall expansion that is often attributed in determining aerosol mixing and acinar deposition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerosol in the Upper Troposphere Lower Stratosphere, decadal Simulations of Radiative Forcing using the Chemistry Circulation Model EMAC and MIPAS, GOMOS, IASI and other Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruehl, C.; Schallock, J.; Lelieveld, J.; Bingen, C.; Robert, C. E.; Hoepfner, M.; Clarisse, L.

2017-12-01

The atmospheric chemistry - general circulation model EMAC with a modal interactive aerosol module is used to estimate radiative effects of UTLS aerosol for the ENVISAT period 2002 to 2012 in the framework of SPARC/SSIRC. Volcanic SO2 injections by about 230 explosive volcano eruptions are estimated mostly from MIPAS limb observations. For periods of data gaps, injected SO2 is estimated indirectly from extinctions observed by GOMOS. GOMOS extinctions in the UTLS and the seasonal component of radiative forcing can be only reproduced by the model if a comprehensive treatment of desert dust and organic and black carbon is included. Upward transport of particles and gases by the Asian Monsoon appears to contribute importantly. The time series of simulated stratospheric aerosol optical depth and radiative forcing agree with the corresponding quantities derived from different satellite data sets. Comparisons of total aerosol optical depth with IASI show that tropospheric and stratospheric aerosol in the model are consistently and realistically represented.

eVolv2k: A new ice core-based volcanic forcing reconstruction for the past 2000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toohey, Matthew; Sigl, Michael

2016-04-01

Radiative forcing resulting from stratospheric aerosols produced by major volcanic eruptions is a dominant driver of climate variability in the Earth's past. The ability of climate model simulations to accurately recreate past climate is tied directly to the accuracy of the volcanic forcing timeseries used in the simulations. We present here a new volcanic forcing reconstruction, based on newly updated ice core composites from Antarctica and Greenland. Ice core records are translated into stratospheric aerosol properties for use in climate models through the Easy Volcanic Aerosol (EVA) module, which provides an analytic representation of volcanic stratospheric aerosol forcing based on available observations and aerosol model results, prescribing the aerosol's radiative properties and primary modes of spatial and temporal variability. The evolv2k volcanic forcing dataset covers the past 2000 years, and has been provided for use in the Paleo-Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP), and VolMIP experiments within CMIP6. Here, we describe the construction of the eVolv2k data set, compare with prior forcing sets, and show initial simulation results.

Chimpanzee Ham after sucessful MR-2 flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1963-01-01

Closeup view of the chimpanzee 'Ham', the live test subject for Mercury-Redstone 2 test flight being fed an apple. This photo was taken after his successful recovery from the Atlantic. Note he is still strapped into his special flight couch.

Ham records video in the FWD MDDK during STS-132

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-15

S132-E-007169 (15 May 2010) --- NASA astronaut Ken Ham, STS-132 mission commander, prepares to record some video on the middeck of space shuttle Atlantis during Flight Day 2 activities. Photo credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mercury Project

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-01-31

A three-year-old chimpanzee, named Ham, in the biopack couch for the MR-2 suborbital test flight. On January 31, 1961, a Mercury-Redstone launch from Cape Canaveral carried the chimpanzee "Ham" over 640 kilometers down range in an arching trajectory that reached a peak of 254 kilometers above the Earth. The mission was successful and Ham performed his lever-pulling task well in response to the flashing light. NASA used chimpanzees and other primates to test the Mercury Capsule before launching the first American astronaut Alan Shepard in May 1961. The successful flight and recovery confirmed the soundness of the Mercury-Redstone systems.

Mercury Project

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-01-01

A three-year-old chimpanzee, named Ham, in the biopack couch for the MR-2 suborbital test flight. On January 31, 1961, a Mercury-Redstone launch from Cape Canaveral carried the chimpanzee "Ham" over 640 kilometers down range in an arching trajectory that reached a peak of 254 kilometers above the Earth. The mission was successful and Ham performed his lever-pulling task well in response to the flashing light. NASA used chimpanzees and other primates to test the Mercury Capsule before launching the first American astronaut Alan Shepard in May 1961. The successful flight and recovery confirmed the soundness of the Mercury-Redstone systems.

Human Eating Behavior: Preferences. Consumption Patterns, and Biorhythms

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-06-01

preferences developed for all egg entrees, both for the frozen omelets as well as canned ham and eggs . We had expected that at least a few foods would...preference. The only increase in hedonic rating evidenced in both experiments was Ham and Eggs . Subjects seem to like it slighly more over time but want...0.2 -0.37 Ham & eggs c. +0.5 +0.15 Apricots b. -0.2 -0.45 c. -0. Fruit cocktail b. -0.3 -0.72 c. -0.1 Peaches a. 0.0 -0.27 b. -0.1 c.-0.1 Peas c. -0.1

Effects of Processing Temperature on Color Properties of Dry-Cured Hams Made without Nitrite.

PubMed

Parolari, Giovanni; Aguzzoni, Agnese; Toscani, Tania

2016-04-29

Dry cured hams were investigated for their ability to develop red color even at low temperature (3-4 °C) and in the absence of added nitrites; results were compared with those obtained from nitrite-free hams made at conventional warm maturing temperatures. Colorimetric parameters (L*, a*, b*, and hue) and concentration of the main pigments Zn protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) and heme were measured at three stages of preparation (six, nine, and 12 months), showing that red color was successfully formed at low temperatures, though at a slower rate and less intensively than under warm conditions. Major differences in the pattern of color development were found with the two processing temperatures. While the typical features of an enzyme-dependent mechanism, with a progressive drop in enzyme activity paralleling the synthesis of Zn protoporphyrin IX, were observed at warm temperatures, the same did not occur in cold-made hams, where the enzyme activity was almost unchanged throughout the process. These results, along with data from a descriptive sensory analysis, are supportive of a non-enzymatic mechanism leading to ZnPP (hence the red color) under cold conditions, with an estimated three-month delay compared with nitrite-free hams manufactured in a warm maturing regimen.

Lower numbers of circulating natural killer T (NK T) cells in individuals with human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) associated neurological disease

PubMed Central

Ndhlovu, L C; Snyder-Cappione, J E; Carvalho, K I; Leal, F E; Loo, C P; bruno, F R; Jha, A R; Devita, D; Hasenkrug, A M; Barbosa, H M R; Segurado, A C; Nixon, D F; Murphy, E L; Kallas, E G

2009-01-01

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects 10–20 million people worldwide. The majority of infected individuals are asymptomatic; however, approximately 3% develop the debilitating neurological disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). There is also currently no cure, vaccine or effective therapy for HTLV-1 infection, and the mechanisms for progression to HAM/TSP remain unclear. NK T cells are an immunoregulatory T cell subset whose frequencies and effector functions are associated critically with immunity against infectious diseases. We hypothesized that NK T cells are associated with HAM/TSP progression. We measured NK T cell frequencies and absolute numbers in individuals with HAM/TSP infection from two cohorts on two continents: São Paulo, Brazil and San Francisco, CA, USA, and found significantly lower levels when compared with healthy subjects and/or asymptomatic carriers. Also, the circulating NK T cell compartment in HAM/TSP subjects is comprised of significantly more CD4+ and fewer CD8+ cells than healthy controls. These findings suggest that lower numbers of circulating NK T cells and enrichment of the CD4+ NK T subset are associated with HTLV-1 disease progression. PMID:19778295

Effects of Processing Temperature on Color Properties of Dry-Cured Hams Made without Nitrite

PubMed Central

Parolari, Giovanni; Aguzzoni, Agnese; Toscani, Tania

2016-01-01

Dry cured hams were investigated for their ability to develop red color even at low temperature (3–4 °C) and in the absence of added nitrites; results were compared with those obtained from nitrite-free hams made at conventional warm maturing temperatures. Colorimetric parameters (L*, a*, b*, and hue) and concentration of the main pigments Zn protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) and heme were measured at three stages of preparation (six, nine, and 12 months), showing that red color was successfully formed at low temperatures, though at a slower rate and less intensively than under warm conditions. Major differences in the pattern of color development were found with the two processing temperatures. While the typical features of an enzyme-dependent mechanism, with a progressive drop in enzyme activity paralleling the synthesis of Zn protoporphyrin IX, were observed at warm temperatures, the same did not occur in cold-made hams, where the enzyme activity was almost unchanged throughout the process. These results, along with data from a descriptive sensory analysis, are supportive of a non-enzymatic mechanism leading to ZnPP (hence the red color) under cold conditions, with an estimated three-month delay compared with nitrite-free hams manufactured in a warm maturing regimen. PMID:28231128

Ex Vivo Analysis of Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type 1–Specific CD4+ Cells by Use of a Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Tetramer Composed of a Neurological Disease–Susceptibility Allele and Its Immunodominant Peptide

PubMed Central

Nose, Hirohisa; Kubota, Ryuji; Seth, Nilufer P.; Goon, Peter K.; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Izumo, Shuji; Usuku, Koichiro; Ohara, Yoshiro; Wucherpfennig, Kai W.; Bangham, Charles R. M.; Osame, Mitsuhiro; Saito, Mineki

2015-01-01

HLA-DRB1*0101 is associated with susceptibility to human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Here, we used a synthetic tetramer of DRB1*0101 and its epitope peptide to analyze HTLV-1–specific CD4+ T cells ex vivo. The frequency of tetramer+CD4+ T cells was significantly greater in patients with HAM/TSP than in healthy HTLV-1 carriers (HCs) at a given proviral load and correlated with HTLV-1 tax messenger RNA expression in HCs but not in patients with HAM/TSP. These cells displayed an early to intermediate effector memory phenotype and were preferentially infected by HTLV-1. T cell receptor gene analyses of 2 unrelated DRB1*0101-positive patients with HAM/TSP showed similar Vβ repertoires and amino acid motifs in complementarity-determining region 3. Our data suggest that efficient clonal expansion of virus-specific CD4+ T cells in patients with HAM/TSP does not simply reflect higher viral burden but rather reflects a rapid turnover caused by preferential infection and/or in vivo stimulation by major histocompatibility complex–peptide complexes. PMID:18190256

Flow through PCR module of BioBriefcase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arroyo, E.; Wheeler, E. K.; Shediac, R.; Hindson, B.; Nasarabadi, S.; Vrankovich, G.; Bell, P.; Bailey, C.; Sheppod, T.; Christian, A. T.

2005-11-01

The BioBriefcase is an integrated briefcase-sized aerosol collection and analysis system for autonomous monitoring of the environment, which is currently being jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories. This poster presents results from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module of the system. The DNA must be purified after exiting the aerosol collector to prevent inhibition of the enzymatic reaction. Traditional solid-phase extraction results in a large loss of sample. In this flow-through system, we perform sample purification, concentration and amplification in one reactor, which minimizes the loss of material. The sample from the aerosol collector is mixed with a denaturation solution prior to flowing through a capillary packed with silica beads. The DNA adheres to the silica beads allowing the environmental contaminants to be flushed to waste while effectively concentrating the DNA on the silica matrix. The adhered DNA is amplified while on the surface of the silica beads, resulting in a lower limit of detection than an equivalent eluted sample. Thus, this system is beneficial since more DNA is available for amplification, less reagents are utilized, and contamination risks are reduced.

The MERRA-2 Aerosol Reanalysis, 1980 Onward. Part I: System Description and Data Assimilation Evaluation

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

Randles, C. A.; da Silva, A. M.; Buchard, V.

The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) updates NASA’s previous satellite era (1980 – onward) reanalysis system to include additional observations and improvements to the Goddard Earth Observing System, Version 5 (GEOS-5) Earth system model. As a major step towards a full Integrated Earth Systems Analysis (IESA), in addition to meteorological observations, MERRA-2 now includes assimila-tion of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from various ground- and space-based remote sensing platforms. Here, in the first of a pair of studies, we document the MERRA-2 aerosol assimilation, including a description of the prognostic model (GEOS-5 coupled to the GOCARTmore » aerosol module), aerosol emissions, and the quality control of ingested observations. We provide initial validation and evaluation of the analyzed AOD fields using independent observations rom ground, aircraft, and shipborne instruments. We demonstrate the pos-itive impact of the AOD assimilation on simulated aerosols by comparing MERRA-2 aerosol fields to an identical control simulation that does not in-clude AOD assimilation. Having shown the AOD evaluation, we take a first look at aerosol-climate interactions by examining the shortwave, clear-sky aerosol direct radiative effect. In our companion paper, we evaluate and validate available MERRA-2 aerosol properties not directly impacted by the AOD assimilation (e.g. aerosol vertical distribution and absorption). Importantly, while highlighting the skill of the MERRA-2 aerosol assimilation products, both studies point out caveats that must be considered when using this new reanalysis product for future studies of aerosols and their interactions with weather and climate.« less

Aerosols and lightning activity: The effect of vertical profile and aerosol type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proestakis, E.; Kazadzis, S.; Lagouvardos, K.; Kotroni, V.; Amiridis, V.; Marinou, E.; Price, C.; Kazantzidis, A.

2016-12-01

The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument on board the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite has been utilized for the first time in a study regarding lightning activity modulation due to aerosols. Lightning activity observations, obtained by the ZEUS long range Lightning Detection Network, European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) data and Cloud Fraction (CF) retrieved by MODIS on board Aqua satellite have been combined with CALIPSO CALIOP data over the Mediterranean basin and for the period March to November, from 2007 to 2014. The results indicate that lightning activity is enhanced during days characterized by higher Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values, compared to days with no lightning. This study contributes to existing studies on the link between lightning activity and aerosols, which have been based just on columnar AOD satellite retrievals, by performing a deeper analysis into the effect of aerosol profiles and aerosol types. Correlation coefficients of R = 0.73 between the CALIPSO AOD and the number of lightning strikes detected by ZEUS and of R = 0.93 between ECMWF CAPE and lightning activity are obtained. The analysis of extinction coefficient values at 532 nm indicates that at an altitudinal range exists, between 1.1 km and 2.9 km, where the values for extinction coefficient of lightning-active and non-lightning-active cases are statistically significantly different. Finally, based on the CALIPSO aerosol subtype classification, we have investigated the aerosol conditions of lightning-active and non-lightning-active cases. According to the results polluted dust aerosols are more frequently observed during non-lightning-active days, while dust and smoke aerosols are more abundant in the atmosphere during the lightning-active days.

Aerosol–climate interactions in the Norwegian Earth System Model – NorESM1-M

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

Kirkevåg, A.; Iversen, T.; Seland, Ø.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study is to document and evaluate recent changes and updates to the module for aerosols and aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in the atmospheric module CAM4-Oslo of the core version of the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM), NorESM1-M. Particular attention is paid to the role of natural organics, sea salt, and mineral dust in determining the gross aerosol properties as well as the anthropogenic contribution to these properties and the associated direct and indirect radiative forcing. The aerosol module is extended from earlier versions that have been published, and includes life-cycling of sea salt, mineral dust, particulate sulphate, blackmore » carbon, and primary and secondary organics. The impacts of most of the numerous changes since previous versions are thoroughly explored by sensitivity experiments. The most important changes are: modified prognostic sea salt emissions; updated treatment of precipitation scavenging and gravitational settling; inclusion of biogenic primary organics and methane sulphonic acid (MSA) from oceans; almost doubled production of land-based biogenic secondary organic aerosols (SOA); and increased ratio of organic matter to organic carbon (OM/OC) for biomass burning aerosols from 1.4 to 2.6. Compared with in situ measurements and remotely sensed data, the new treatments of sea salt and dust aerosols give smaller biases in near-surface mass concentrations and aerosol optical depth than in the earlier model version. The model biases for mass concentrations are approximately unchanged for sulphate and BC. The enhanced levels of modeled OM yield improved overall statistics, even though OM is still underestimated in Europe and overestimated in North America. The global anthropogenic aerosol direct radiative forcing (DRF) at the top of the atmosphere has changed from a small positive value to -0.08 W m-2 in CAM4-Oslo. The sensitivity tests suggest that this change can be attributed to the new treatment of biomass burning aerosols and gravitational settling. Although it has not been a goal in this study, the new DRF estimate is closer both to the median model estimate from the AeroCom intercomparison and the best estimate in IPCC AR4. Estimated DRF at the ground surface has increased by ca. 60%, to -1.89 W m-2. We show that this can be explained by new emission data and omitted mixing of constituents between updrafts and downdrafts in convective clouds. The increased abundance of natural OM and the introduction of a cloud droplet spectral dispersion formulation are the most important contributions to a considerably decreased estimate of the indirect radiative forcing (IndRF). The IndRF is also found to be sensitive to assumptions about the coating of insoluble aerosols by sulphate and OM. The IndRF of -1.2 W m-2, which is closer to the IPCC AR4 estimates than the previous estimate of -1.9 W m-2, has thus been obtained without imposing unrealistic artificial lower bounds on cloud droplet number concentrations.« less

Multi-sensor cloud and aerosol retrieval simulator and remote sensing from model parameters - Part 2: Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wind, Galina; da Silva, Arlindo M.; Norris, Peter M.; Platnick, Steven; Mattoo, Shana; Levy, Robert C.

2016-07-01

The Multi-sensor Cloud Retrieval Simulator (MCRS) produces a "simulated radiance" product from any high-resolution general circulation model with interactive aerosol as if a specific sensor such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were viewing a combination of the atmospheric column and land-ocean surface at a specific location. Previously the MCRS code only included contributions from atmosphere and clouds in its radiance calculations and did not incorporate properties of aerosols. In this paper we added a new aerosol properties module to the MCRS code that allows users to insert a mixture of up to 15 different aerosol species in any of 36 vertical layers.This new MCRS code is now known as MCARS (Multi-sensor Cloud and Aerosol Retrieval Simulator). Inclusion of an aerosol module into MCARS not only allows for extensive, tightly controlled testing of various aspects of satellite operational cloud and aerosol properties retrieval algorithms, but also provides a platform for comparing cloud and aerosol models against satellite measurements. This kind of two-way platform can improve the efficacy of model parameterizations of measured satellite radiances, allowing the assessment of model skill consistently with the retrieval algorithm. The MCARS code provides dynamic controls for appearance of cloud and aerosol layers. Thereby detailed quantitative studies of the impacts of various atmospheric components can be controlled.In this paper we illustrate the operation of MCARS by deriving simulated radiances from various data field output by the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) model. The model aerosol fields are prepared for translation to simulated radiance using the same model subgrid variability parameterizations as are used for cloud and atmospheric properties profiles, namely the ICA technique. After MCARS computes modeled sensor radiances equivalent to their observed counterparts, these radiances are presented as input to operational remote-sensing algorithms.Specifically, the MCARS-computed radiances are input into the processing chain used to produce the MODIS Data Collection 6 aerosol product (M{O/Y}D04). The M{O/Y}D04 product is of course normally produced from M{O/Y}D021KM MODIS Level-1B radiance product directly acquired by the MODIS instrument. MCARS matches the format and metadata of a M{O/Y}D021KM product. The resulting MCARS output can be directly provided to MODAPS (MODIS Adaptive Processing System) as input to various operational atmospheric retrieval algorithms. Thus the operational algorithms can be tested directly without needing to make any software changes to accommodate an alternative input source.We show direct application of this synthetic product in analysis of the performance of the MOD04 operational algorithm. We use biomass-burning case studies over Amazonia employed in a recent Working Group on Numerical Experimentation (WGNE)-sponsored study of aerosol impacts on numerical weather prediction (Freitas et al., 2015). We demonstrate that a known low bias in retrieved MODIS aerosol optical depth appears to be due to a disconnect between actual column relative humidity and the value assumed by the MODIS aerosol product.

Multi-Sensor Cloud and Aerosol Retrieval Simulator and Remote Sensing from Model Parameters . Part 2; Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wind, Galina; Da Silva, Arlindo M.; Norris, Peter M.; Platnick, Steven; Mattoo, Shana; Levy, Robert C.

2016-01-01

The Multi-sensor Cloud Retrieval Simulator (MCRS) produces a simulated radiance product from any high-resolution general circulation model with interactive aerosol as if a specific sensor such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were viewing a combination of the atmospheric column and land ocean surface at a specific location. Previously the MCRS code only included contributions from atmosphere and clouds in its radiance calculations and did not incorporate properties of aerosols. In this paper we added a new aerosol properties module to the MCRS code that allows users to insert a mixture of up to 15 different aerosol species in any of 36 vertical layers. This new MCRS code is now known as MCARS (Multi-sensor Cloud and Aerosol Retrieval Simulator). Inclusion of an aerosol module into MCARS not only allows for extensive, tightly controlled testing of various aspects of satellite operational cloud and aerosol properties retrieval algorithms, but also provides a platform for comparing cloud and aerosol models against satellite measurements. This kind of two-way platform can improve the efficacy of model parameterizations of measured satellite radiances, allowing the assessment of model skill consistently with the retrieval algorithm. The MCARS code provides dynamic controls for appearance of cloud and aerosol layers. Thereby detailed quantitative studies of the impacts of various atmospheric components can be controlled. In this paper we illustrate the operation of MCARS by deriving simulated radiances from various data field output by the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) model. The model aerosol fields are prepared for translation to simulated radiance using the same model sub grid variability parameterizations as are used for cloud and atmospheric properties profiles, namely the ICA technique. After MCARS computes modeled sensor radiances equivalent to their observed counterparts, these radiances are presented as input to operational remote-sensing algorithms. Specifically, the MCARS-computed radiances are input into the processing chain used to produce the MODIS Data Collection 6 aerosol product (MOYD04). TheMOYD04 product is of course normally produced from MOYD021KM MODIS Level-1B radiance product directly acquired by the MODIS instrument. MCARS matches the format and metadata of a MOYD021KM product. The resulting MCARS output can be directly provided to MODAPS (MODIS Adaptive Processing System) as input to various operational atmospheric retrieval algorithms. Thus the operational algorithms can be tested directly without needing to make any software changes to accommodate an alternative input source. We show direct application of this synthetic product in analysis of the performance of the MOD04 operational algorithm. We use biomass-burning case studies over Amazonia employed in a recent Working Group on Numerical Experimentation (WGNE)-sponsored study of aerosol impacts on numerical weather prediction (Freitas et al., 2015). We demonstrate that a known low bias in retrieved MODIS aerosol optical depth appears to be due to a disconnect between actual column relative humidity and the value assumed by the MODIS aerosol product.

Effect of flavoring chemicals on free radical formation in electronic cigarette aerosols.

PubMed

Bitzer, Zachary T; Goel, Reema; Reilly, Samantha M; Elias, Ryan J; Silakov, Alexey; Foulds, Jonathan; Muscat, Joshua; Richie, John P

2018-05-20

Flavoring chemicals, or flavorants, have been used in electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) since their inception; however, little is known about their toxicological effects. Free radicals present in e-cigarette aerosols have been shown to induce oxidative stress resulting in damage to proliferation, survival, and inflammation pathways in the cell. Aerosols generated from e-liquid solvents alone contain high levels of free radicals but few studies have looked at how these toxins are modulated by flavorants. We investigated the effects of different flavorants on free radical production in e-cigarette aerosols. Free radicals generated from 49 commercially available e-liquid flavors were captured and analyzed using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The flavorant composition of each e-liquid was analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GCMS). Radical production was correlated with flavorant abundance. Ten compounds were identified and analyzed for their impact on free radical generation. Nearly half of the flavors modulated free radical generation. Flavorants with strong correlations included β-damascone, δ-tetradecalactone, γ-decalactone, citral, dipentene, ethyl maltol, ethyl vanillin, ethyl vanillin PG acetal, linalool, and piperonal. Dipentene, ethyl maltol, citral, linalool, and piperonal promoted radical formation in a concentration-dependent manner. Ethyl vanillin inhibited the radical formation in a concentration dependent manner. Free radical production was closely linked with the capacity to oxidize biologically-relevant lipids. Our results suggest that flavoring agents play an important role in either enhancing or inhibiting the production of free radicals in flavored e-cigarette aerosols. This information is important for developing regulatory strategies aimed at reducing potential harm from e-cigarettes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elucidating the relationship between aerosol concentration and summertime boundary layer structure in central China.

PubMed

Liu, Lin; Guo, Jianping; Miao, Yucong; Liu, Lin; Li, Jian; Chen, Dandan; He, Jing; Cui, Chunguang

2018-06-11

Wuhan, a megacity in central China, suffers from frequent aerosol pollution and is accompanied by meteorological factors at both synoptic and local scales. Partly due to the lack of appropriate observations of planetary boundary layer (PBL), the associations between synoptic conditions, PBL, and pollution there are not yet fully understood. Thus, systematic analyses were conducted using the fine-resolution soundings, surface meteorological measurements, and aerosol observations in Wuhan during summer for the period 2013-2016, in combination with T-mode principal component analysis and simulations of backward trajectory. The results showed that the variations of boundary layer height (BLH) not only modulated the diurnal variation of PM 2.5 concentration in Wuhan, but also the daily pollution level. Five different synoptic patterns during summer in Wuhan were identified from reanalysis geopotential height fields. Among these synoptic patterns, two types characterized by northeasterly prevailing winds, were found to be associated with heavy pollution in Wuhan. Driven by the northeasterly winds, the polluted air mass from the heavily polluted regions could be easily transported to Wuhan, such as North China Plain and Yangtze River Delta. Such regional transports of pollutants must be partly responsible for the aerosol pollution in Wuhan. In addition, these two synoptic patterns were also featured by the relatively high cloud cover and low boundary layer height in Wuhan, which would favor the occurrence of pollution there. Overall, this study has important implications for understanding the important roles of meteorological factors in modulating aerosol pollution in central China. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement of the CULTEX® exposure technology by radial distribution of the test aerosol.

PubMed

Aufderheide, Michaela; Heller, Wolf-Dieter; Krischenowski, Olaf; Möhle, Niklas; Hochrainer, Dieter

2017-07-05

The exposure of cellular based systems cultivated on microporous membranes at the air-liquid interface (ALI) has been accepted as an appropriate approach to simulate the exposure of cells of the respiratory tract to native airborne substances. The efficiency of such an exposure procedure with regard to stability and reproducibility depends on the optimal design at the interface between the cellular test system and the exposure technique. The actual exposure systems favor the dynamic guidance of the airborne substances to the surface of the cells in specially designed exposure devices. Two module types, based on a linear or radial feed of the test atmosphere to the test system, were used for these studies. In our technical history, the development started with the linear designed version, the CULTEX ® glass modules, fulfilling basic requirements for running ALI exposure studies (Mohr and Durst, 2005). The instability in the distribution of different atmospheres to the cells caused us to create a new exposure module, characterized by a stable and reproducible radial guidance of the aerosol to the cells. The outcome was the CULTEX ® RFS (Mohr et al., 2010). In this study, we describe the differences between the two systems with regard to particle distribution and deposition clarifying the advantages and disadvantages of a radial to a linear aerosol distribution concept. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Apparatus to collect, classify, concentrate, and characterize gas-borne particles

DOEpatents

Rader, Daniel J.; Torczynski, John R.; Wally, Karl; Brockmann, John E.

2002-01-01

An aerosol lab-on-a-chip (ALOC) integrates one or more of a variety of aerosol collection, classification, concentration (enrichment), and characterization processes onto a single substrate or layered stack of such substrates. By taking advantage of modern micro-machining capabilities, an entire suite of discrete laboratory aerosol handling and characterization techniques can be combined in a single portable device that can provide a wealth of data on the aerosol being sampled. The ALOC offers parallel characterization techniques and close proximity of the various characterization modules helps ensure that the same aerosol is available to all devices (dramatically reducing sampling and transport errors). Micro-machine fabrication of the ALOC significantly reduces unit costs relative to existing technology, and enables the fabrication of small, portable ALOC devices, as well as the potential for rugged design to allow operation in harsh environments. Miniaturization also offers the potential of working with smaller particle sizes and lower pressure drops (leading to reduction of power consumption).

Observations and projections of visibility and aerosol optical thickness (1956-2100) in the Netherlands: impacts of time-varying aerosol composition and hygroscopicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boers, R.; van Weele, M.; van Meijgaard, E.; Savenije, M.; Siebesma, A. P.; Bosveld, F.; Stammes, P.

2015-01-01

Time series of visibility and aerosol optical thickness for the Netherlands have been constructed for 1956-2100 based on observations and aerosol mass scenarios. Aerosol optical thickness from 1956 to 2013 has been reconstructed by converting time series of visibility to visible extinction which in turn are converted to aerosol optical thickness using an appropriate scaling depth. The reconstruction compares closely with remote sensing observations of aerosol optical thickness between 1960 and 2013. It appears that aerosol optical thickness was relatively constant over the Netherlands in the years 1955-1985. After 1985, visibility has improved, while at the same time aerosol optical thickness has decreased. Based on aerosol emission scenarios for the Netherlands three aerosol types have been identified: (1) a constant background consisting of sea salt and mineral dust, (2) a hydrophilic anthropogenic inorganic mixture, and (3) a partly hydrophobic mixture of black carbon (BC) and organic aerosols (OAs). A reduction in overall aerosol concentration turns out to be the most influential factor in the reduction in aerosol optical thickness. But during 1956-1985, an upward trend in hydrophilic aerosols and associated upward trend in optical extinction has partly compensated the overall reduction in optical extinction due to the reduction in less hydrophilic BC and OAs. A constant optical thickness ensues. This feature highlights the influence of aerosol hygroscopicity on time-varying signatures of atmospheric optical properties. Within the hydrophilic inorganic aerosol mixture there is a gradual shift from sulfur-based (1956-1985) to a nitrogen-based water aerosol chemistry (1990 onwards) but always modulated by the continual input of sodium from sea salt. From 2013 to 2100, visibility is expected to continue its increase, while at the same time optical thickness is foreseen to continue to decrease. The contribution of the hydrophilic mixture to the aerosol optical thickness will increase from 30% to 35% in 1956 to more than 70% in 2100. At the same time the contribution of black and organic aerosols will decrease by more than 80%.

Using the OMI Aerosol Index and Absorption Aerosol Optical Depth to evaluate the NASA MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchard, V.; da Silva, A. M.; Colarco, P. R.; Darmenov, A.; Randles, C. A.; Govindaraju, R.; Torres, O.; Campbell, J.; Spurr, R.

2014-12-01

A radiative transfer interface has been developed to simulate the UV Aerosol Index (AI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) aerosol assimilated fields. The purpose of this work is to use the AI and Aerosol Absorption Optical Depth (AAOD) derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements as independent validation for the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero). MERRAero is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model that is radiatively coupled to the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module and includes assimilation of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Since AI is dependent on aerosol concentration, optical properties and altitude of the aerosol layer, we make use of complementary observations to fully diagnose the model, including AOD from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), aerosol retrievals from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and attenuated backscatter coefficients from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission to ascertain potential misplacement of plume height by the model. By sampling dust, biomass burning and pollution events in 2007 we have compared model produced AI and AAOD with the corresponding OMI products, identifying regions where the model representation of absorbing aerosols was deficient. As a result of this study over the Saharan dust region, we have obtained a new set of dust aerosol optical properties that retains consistency with the MODIS AOD data that were assimilated, while resulting in better agreement with aerosol absorption measurements from OMI. The analysis conducted over the South African and South American biomass burning regions indicates that revising the spectrally-dependent aerosol absorption properties in the near-UV region improves the modeled-observed AI comparisons. Finally, during a period where the Asian region was mainly dominated by anthropogenic aerosols, we have performed a qualitative analysis in which the specification of anthropogenic emissions in GEOS-5 is adjusted to provide insight into discrepancies observed in AI comparisons.

Using the OMI aerosol index and absorption aerosol optical depth to evaluate the NASA MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchard, V.; da Silva, A. M.; Colarco, P. R.; Darmenov, A.; Randles, C. A.; Govindaraju, R.; Torres, O.; Campbell, J.; Spurr, R.

2015-05-01

A radiative transfer interface has been developed to simulate the UV aerosol index (AI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) aerosol assimilated fields. The purpose of this work is to use the AI and aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements as independent validation for the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero). MERRAero is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model that is radiatively coupled to the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module and includes assimilation of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Since AI is dependent on aerosol concentration, optical properties and altitude of the aerosol layer, we make use of complementary observations to fully diagnose the model, including AOD from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), aerosol retrievals from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and attenuated backscatter coefficients from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission to ascertain potential misplacement of plume height by the model. By sampling dust, biomass burning and pollution events in 2007 we have compared model-produced AI and AAOD with the corresponding OMI products, identifying regions where the model representation of absorbing aerosols was deficient. As a result of this study over the Saharan dust region, we have obtained a new set of dust aerosol optical properties that retains consistency with the MODIS AOD data that were assimilated, while resulting in better agreement with aerosol absorption measurements from OMI. The analysis conducted over the southern African and South American biomass burning regions indicates that revising the spectrally dependent aerosol absorption properties in the near-UV region improves the modeled-observed AI comparisons. Finally, during a period where the Asian region was mainly dominated by anthropogenic aerosols, we have performed a qualitative analysis in which the specification of anthropogenic emissions in GEOS-5 is adjusted to provide insight into discrepancies observed in AI comparisons.

Method and apparatus for aerosol particle absorption spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Campillo, Anthony J.; Lin, Horn-Bond

1983-11-15

A method and apparatus for determining the absorption spectra, and other properties, of aerosol particles. A heating beam source provides a beam of electromagnetic energy which is scanned through the region of the spectrum which is of interest. Particles exposed to the heating beam which have absorption bands within the band width of the heating beam absorb energy from the beam. The particles are also illuminated by light of a wave length such that the light is scattered by the particles. The absorption spectra of the particles can thus be determined from an analysis of the scattered light since the absorption of energy by the particles will affect the way the light is scattered. Preferably the heating beam is modulated to simplify the analysis of the scattered light. In one embodiment the heating beam is intensity modulated so that the scattered light will also be intensity modulated when the particles absorb energy. In another embodiment the heating beam passes through an interferometer and the scattered light reflects the Fourier Transform of the absorption spectra.

Dike Strength Analysis on a Regional Scale Based On a Stochastic Subsoil Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koelewijn, A. R.; Vastenburg, E. W.

2013-12-01

About two-third of the Netherlands is protected against flooding by dikes and levees. The subsoil can be characterized by fluvial and marine sediments. Maintaining the safety of these dikes and levees is of vital importance. Insufficient safety is not permissible, but excessive safety would imply a waste of money and other resources. Therefore safety assessments are carried out on a regular basis. Over the past decades, a practice has grown to calculate a limited number of cross-sections, roughly one every 500 to 1000 meters. For this purpose, a representative cross-section is selected as an estimate of the most vulnerable surface geometry and the subsoil conditions determined from boreholes and cone penetration tests, for which slope stability and piping analyses are carried out. This is a time-consuming procedure which is not only expensive, but also neglects geological knowledge. A method to incorporate geological knowledge of an area, including updating on the basis of additional investigations, has been described in Koelewijn et al. [2011]. In addition, various groups have worked to incorporate geotechnical stability models and detailed Lidar-measurements of the surface into a more efficient and rational calculation process [Knoeff et al. 2011, Lam et al. 2013, van den Ham & Mastbergen, 2013]. Combining this experience with the 3D subsoil model opens possibilities for cost-effective additional soil investigations for those locations where ruling out unfavorable conditions really influences the decisions to be made regarding rejection and improvement, see the figure for examples of different subsoil profiles along a dike. The resulting system has been applied for semi-automated calculations of dikes in various parts of the Netherlands, totalling over 4000 km by now, and a part of the Mississippi levee system. [van den Ham & Mastbergen, 2013] G.A. van den Ham & D.R. Mastbergen, A semi-probabilistic assessment method for flow slides. AGU Fall meeting, 2013 [Knoeff et al. 2011] J.G. Knoeff, E.W. Vastenburg, G.A. van den Ham & J. Lopez de la Cruz, Automated levee flood risk management, 5th Int. Conf. on Flood Management, Tokyo, 2011 [Koelewijn et al. 2011] A.R. Koelewijn, G.A.M. Kruse & J. Pruiksma, Stochastic subsoil modelling - first set-up of the model and reliability analyses, report 12042000-002-HYE-0001, Deltares, Delft, 2011 [In Dutch] [Lam et al. 2013] K.S. Lam, P.W. Gill & L.W.A. Zwang, Implementation of new levee strength modules for continuous safety assessments, Comprehensive Flood Risk Managment, Taylor & Francis, London, 2013, 317-326. Dike sections with stochastic subsoil profiles.

Collaborative Research: Quantifying the Uncertainties of Aerosol Indirect Effects and Impacts on Decadal-Scale Climate Variability in NCAR CAM5 and CESM1

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

Nenes, Athanasios

The goal of this proposed project is to assess the climatic importance and sensitivity of aerosol indirect effect (AIE) to cloud and aerosol processes and feedbacks, which include organic aerosol hygroscopicity, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation kinetics, Giant CCN, cloud-scale entrainment, ice nucleation in mixed-phase and cirrus clouds, and treatment of subgrid variability of vertical velocity. A key objective was to link aerosol, cloud microphysics and dynamics feedbacks in CAM5 with a suite of internally consistent and integrated parameterizations that provide the appropriate degrees of freedom to capture the various aspects of the aerosol indirect effect. The proposal integrated newmore » parameterization elements into the cloud microphysics, moist turbulence and aerosol modules used by the NCAR Community Atmospheric Model version 5 (CAM5). The CAM5 model was then used to systematically quantify the uncertainties of aerosol indirect effects through a series of sensitivity tests with present-day and preindustrial aerosol emissions. New parameterization elements were developed as a result of these efforts, and new diagnostic tools & methodologies were also developed to quantify the impacts of aerosols on clouds and climate within fully coupled models. Observations were used to constrain key uncertainties in the aerosol-cloud links. Advanced sensitivity tools were developed and implements to probe the drivers of cloud microphysical variability with unprecedented temporal and spatial scale. All these results have been published in top and high impact journals (or are in the final stages of publication). This proposal has also supported a number of outstanding graduate students.« less

In vivo expression of the HBZ gene of HTLV-1 correlates with proviral load, inflammatory markers and disease severity in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP)

PubMed Central

Saito, Mineki; Matsuzaki, Toshio; Satou, Yorifumi; Yasunaga, Jun-ichirou; Saito, Kousuke; Arimura, Kimiyoshi; Matsuoka, Masao; Ohara, Yoshiro

2009-01-01

Background Recently, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ), encoded from a minus strand mRNA was discovered and was suggested to play an important role in adult T cell leukemia (ATL) development. However, there have been no reports on the role of HBZ in patients with HTLV-1 associated inflammatory diseases. Results We quantified the HBZ and tax mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood from 56 HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients, 10 ATL patients, 38 healthy asymptomatic carriers (HCs) and 20 normal uninfected controls, as well as human leukemic T-cell lines and HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines, and the data were correlated with clinical parameters. The spliced HBZ gene was transcribed in all HTLV-1-infected individuals examined, whereas tax mRNA was not transcribed in significant numbers of subjects in the same groups. Although the amount of HBZ mRNA expression was highest in ATL, medium in HAM/TSP, and lowest in HCs, with statistical significance, neither tax nor the HBZ mRNA expression per HTLV-1-infected cell differed significantly between each clinical group. The HTLV-1 HBZ, but not tax mRNA load, positively correlated with disease severity and with neopterin concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid of HAM/TSP patients. Furthermore, HBZ mRNA expression per HTLV-1-infected cell was decreased after successful immunomodulatory treatment for HAM/TSP. Conclusion These findings suggest that in vivo expression of HBZ plays a role in HAM/TSP pathogenesis. PMID:19228429

The Efficacy of Neurofeedback in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: An Open Labeled Prospective Study.

PubMed

Cheon, Eun-Jin; Koo, Bon-Hoon; Choi, Joong-Hyun

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of neurofeedback on depressive symptoms and electrophysiological disturbances in patients with major depressive disorder. We recruited participants suffering from depression to evaluate efficacy of left prefrontal beta with alpha/theta training. An 8-week, prospective, open-label study was undertaken. Twenty participants were recruited. The treatment protocol was twice or three times a week training of beta at F3 with alpha/theta at Pz for 8 weeks. When every visit, patients were received beta training for 30 min, and then alpha/theta training for 30 min. Baseline, 4 and 8 week scores of; the Hamilton rating scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Hamilton rating scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Clinical global impression-severity (CGI-S), and pre- and post-treatment resting state EEGs were compared. Interhemispheric alpha power asymmetry (A score) was computed for homologous sites F3-F4. Pre- and post-training clinical assessments revealed significant improvements in HAM-D, HAM-A, BDI, and CGI-S scores. Cumulative response rates by HAM-D were 35.0 and 75.0 % at 4 and 8 weeks, respectively, corresponding cumulative remission rates by HAM-D were 15.0 and 55.0 %, respectively. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-treatment A score. Neurofeedback treatment could improve depressive symptoms significantly. In addition, anxiety symptoms and clinical illness severity decreased significantly after neurofeedback treatment. Despite its several limitations, such as, small sample size and lack of a control group, this study suggested neurofeedback has significant effects in patients with major depressive disorder.

[Autoimmune syndrome in the tropical spastic paraparesis/myelopathy associated with human T-lymphotropic virus infections].

PubMed

Domínguez, Martha C; Torres, Miyerlandi; Tamayo, Oscar; Criollo, William; Quintana, Milton; Sánchez, Adalberto; García, Felipe

2008-12-01

Previous reports have given evidence that in tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP)/human T-lymphotrophic virus (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM), an autoimmune process occurs as part of its pathogenesis. The roles of autoimmunity and the molecular mimicry was evaluated in TSP/HAM patients. Plasma samples were characterized from patients in the Pacific coastal region of Colombia. Thirty-seven were identified as TSP/HAM, 10 were diagnosed with adult T-cell leukemia virus, 22 were asymptomatic carriers but seropositive for HTLV-I and 20 were seronegative and served as negative controls. Plasmatic levels of the following were determined: antinuclear antibody (ANA) levels, anticardiolipine-2 (ACL-2), interferon- (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Using Western blot, the crossreactivity of the seropositive and seronegative samples was evaluated against proteins extracted from several central nervous system components of non infected Wistar rats. The HTLV-I seropositive plasmas were crossreacted with a monoclonal tax (LT4 anti-taxp40) from spinal cord neurons of non infected Wistar rats. Of the TSP/HAM patients, 70.2% were reactive against ANA and 83.8% against ACL-2, in contrast with those ATL and asymptomatic seropositives subjects that were not reactive (P<0.001). Moreover, 70.3% had detectable levels of IFN and 43.2% had detectable IL-4. LT4 anti-taxp40 and plasma of TSP/HAM exhibited cross reactivity with a MW 33-35 kDa protein from the rat spinal cord nuclei. Support was provided for the existence of an autoimmune syndrome mediated by molecular mimicry; the syndrome was responsible for some of the axonal degeneration observed in TSP/HAM patients.

Short communication an interferon-γ ELISPOT assay with two cytotoxic T cell epitopes derived from HTLV-1 tax region 161-233 discriminates HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients from asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers in a Peruvian population.

PubMed

Best, Ivan; López, Giovanni; Talledo, Michael; MacNamara, Aidan; Verdonck, Kristien; González, Elsa; Tipismana, Martín; Asquith, Becca; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Vanham, Guido; Clark, Daniel

2011-11-01

HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic and progressive disorder caused by the human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). In HTLV-1 infection, a strong cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response is mounted against the immunodominant protein Tax. Previous studies carried out by our group reported that increased IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) responses against the region spanning amino acids 161 to 233 of the Tax protein were associated with HAM/TSP and increased HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL). An exploratory study was conducted on 16 subjects with HAM/TSP, 13 asymptomatic carriers (AC), and 10 HTLV-1-seronegative controls (SC) to map the HAM/TSP-associated CTL epitopes within Tax region 161-233. The PVL of the infected subjects was determined and the specific CTL response was evaluated with a 6-h incubation IFN-γ ELISPOT assay using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with 16 individual overlapping peptides covering the Tax region 161-233. Other proinflammatory and Th1/Th2 cytokines were also quantified in the supernatants by a flow cytometry multiplex assay. In addition, a set of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles that bind with high affinity to the CTL epitopes of interest was determined using computational tools. Univariate analyses identified an association between ELISPOT responses to two new CTL epitopes, Tax 173-185 and Tax 181-193, and the presence of HAM/TSP as well as an increased PVL. The HLA-A*6801 allele, which is predicted to bind to the Tax 181-193 peptide, was overpresented in the HAM/TSP patients tested.

Analysis of the T-cell receptor repertoire of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes from patients with HTLV-1-associated disease: evidence for oligoclonal expansion.

PubMed

Utz, U; Banks, D; Jacobson, S; Biddison, W E

1996-02-01

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic, progressive neurological disease characterized by marked degeneration of the spinal cord and the presence of antibodies against HTLV-1. Patients with HAM/TSP, but not asymptomatic carriers, show very high precursor frequencies of HTLV-1-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid, suggestive of a role of these T cells in the pathogenesis of the disease. In HLA-A2+ HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-1-specific T cells were demonstrated to be directed predominantly against one HTLV-1 epitope, namely, Tax11-19. In the present study, we analyzed HLA-A2-restricted HTLV-1 Tax11-19-specific cytotoxic T cells from three patients with HAM/TSP. An analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of these cells revealed an absence of restricted variable (V) region usage. Different combinations of TCR V alpha and V beta genes were utilized between, but also within, the individual patients for the recognition of Tax11-19. Sequence analysis of the TCR showed evidence for an oligoclonal expansion of few founder T cells in each patient. Apparent structural motifs were identified for the CDR3 regions of the TCR beta chains. One T-cell clone could be detected within the same patient over a period of 3 years. We suggest that these in vivo clonally expanded T cells might play a role in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP and provide information on HTLV-1-specific TCR which may elucidate the nature of the T cells that infiltrate the central nervous system in HAM/TSP patients.

Barefoot Plantar Pressure Indicates Progressive Neurological Damage in Patients with Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Infection.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Beatriz Helena B; Souza, Givago S; Barroso, Tatiana G C P; Silveira, Luiz Carlos L; Sousa, Rita Catarina M; Callegari, Bianca; Xavier, Marília B

2016-01-01

The human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus associated with neurological alterations; individuals with HTLV-1 infection may develop HTLV-1 associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Frequent neurological complaints include foot numbness and leg weakness. In this study, we compared the distribution of the body weight on different areas of the foot in HTLV-1 patients with HAM/TSP, asymptomatic HTLV-1 patients, and healthy individuals. We studied 36 HTLV-1 infected patients, who were divided in two groups of 18 patients each based on whether or not they had been diagnosed with HAM/TSP, and 17 control subjects. The evaluation included an interview on the patient's clinical history and examinations of the patient's reflexes, foot skin tactile sensitivity, and risk of falling. The pressure distribution on different areas of the foot was measured with baropodometry, using a pressure platform, while the patients had their eyes open or closed. The prevalence of neurological disturbances-altered reflexes and skin tactile sensitivity and increased risk of falling-was higher in HTLV-1 HAM/TSP patients than in HTLV-1 asymptomatic patients. The medium and maximum pressure values were higher in the forefoot than in the midfoot and hindfoot in both HTLV-1 groups. In addition, the pressure on the hindfoot was lower in HAM/TSP patients compared to control subjects. The neurological disturbances associated with HTLV-1 infection gradually worsened from HTLV-1 asymptomatic patients to HAM/TSP patients. Baropodometry is a valuable tool to establish the extent of neurological damage in patients suffering from HTLV-1 infection.

Manipulating ship fuel sulfur content and modeling the effects on air quality and climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partanen, Antti-Ilari; Laakso, Anton; Schmidt, Anja; Kokkola, Harri; Kuokkanen, Tuomas; Kerminen, Veli-Matti; Lehtinen, Kari E. J.; Laakso, Lauri; Korhonen, Hannele

2013-04-01

Aerosol emissions from international shipping are known to cause detrimental health effects on people mainly via increased lung cancer and cardiopulmonary diseases. On the other hand, the aerosol particles from the ship emissions modify the properties of clouds and are believed to have a significant cooling effect on the global climate. In recent years, aerosol emissions from shipping have been more strictly regulated in order to improve air quality and thus decrease the mortality due to ship emissions. Decreasing the aerosol emissions from shipping is projected to decrease their cooling effect, which would intensify the global warming even further. In this study, we use a global aerosol-climate model ECHAM5.5-HAM2 to test if continental air quality can be improved while still retaining the cooling effect from shipping. The model explicitly resolves emissions of aerosols and their pre-cursor gases. The model also calculates the interaction between aerosol particles and clouds, and can thus predict the changes in cloud properties due to aerosol emissions. We design and simulate a scenario where ship fuel sulfur content is strictly limited to 0.1% near all coastal regions, but doubled in the open oceans from the current global mean value of 2.7% (geo-ships). This scenario is compared to three other simulations: 1) No shipping emissions at all (no-ships), 2) present-day shipping emissions (std-ships) and 3) a future scenario where sulfur content is limited to 0.1% in the coastal zones and to 0.5% in the open ocean (future-ships). Global mean radiative flux perturbation (RFP) in std-ships compared to no-ships is calculated to be -0.4 W m-2, which is in the range of previous estimates for present-day shipping emissions. In the geo-ships simulation the corresponding global mean RFP is roughly equal, but RFP is spatially distributed more on the open oceans, as expected. In future-ships the decreased aerosol emissions provide weaker cooling effect of only -0.1 W m-2. In order to assess the health effects of different emission scenarios we diagnose PM2.5 concentrations from each simulation. Then, we use PM2.5 concentrations and C-R functions to calculate the changes in mortality related to lung cancer and cardiopulmonary diseases. Our preliminary analysis suggests that mortality in geo-ships would be lower than in std-ships. Strict sulfur content limits also in the open oceans (future-ships) would decrease the mortality even more. Idea of deliberately increasing fuel sulfur content in order to produce a cooling effect can be classified as one form of solar radiation management (SRM). There are several scientific, ethical and political problems associated with SRM technologies and a number of them would be applicable to the idea we present here. For example, there would be a conflict between the existing international treaties and the proposed increase in ship fuel sulfur content. However, our study is increasing the knowledge of air quality and climate trade-offs related to ship emission controls. If the cooling effect of ship traffic is considered too precious to lose, there might be ways to preserve it, while still notably increasing the continental air quality.

Primate Ham - Fitted Suit - Couch - Mercury-Redstone (MR)-2 - Capsule #5

NASA Image and Video Library

1961-01-23

S63-20801 (23 Jan. 1961) --- Primate chimpanzee ?Ham?, in his spacesuit, is fitted into the couch of the Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2) capsule #5 prior to its test flight which was conducted on Jan. 31, 1961. Photo credit: NASA

Commanders Kotov and Ham Bid Farewell

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-23

ISS023-E-051146 (23 May 2010) --- Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov (left), Expedition 23 commander; and NASA astronaut Ken Ham, STS-132 commander, are pictured during a farewell ceremony in the Harmony node of the International Space Station while space shuttle Atlantis remains docked with the station.

Construction of self-dual codes in the Rosenbloom-Tsfasman metric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krisnawati, Vira Hari; Nisa, Anzi Lina Ukhtin

2017-12-01

Linear code is a very basic code and very useful in coding theory. Generally, linear code is a code over finite field in Hamming metric. Among the most interesting families of codes, the family of self-dual code is a very important one, because it is the best known error-correcting code. The concept of Hamming metric is develop into Rosenbloom-Tsfasman metric (RT-metric). The inner product in RT-metric is different from Euclid inner product that is used to define duality in Hamming metric. Most of the codes which are self-dual in Hamming metric are not so in RT-metric. And, generator matrix is very important to construct a code because it contains basis of the code. Therefore in this paper, we give some theorems and methods to construct self-dual codes in RT-metric by considering properties of the inner product and generator matrix. Also, we illustrate some examples for every kind of the construction.

Potential Biomarker of Myofibrillar Protein Oxidation in Raw and Cooked Ham: 3-Nitrotyrosine Formed by Nitrosation.

PubMed

Feng, Xianchao; Li, Chenyi; Ullah, Niamat; Hackman, Robert M; Chen, Lin; Zhou, Guanghong

2015-12-30

The stability of cured meat products is increased by the protection of its proteins from oxidation by sodium nitrite (NaNO2) during processing. This study investigated the effects of NaNO2 (0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) on the physiochemical and structural characteristics of myofibrillar protein (MP) in raw and cooked ham. The NaNO2 showed a dose-dependent antioxidant effect, by inhibiting carbonyl formation, dityrosine formation, and denaturation of MP, and a nitrosative effect, through the formation of 3-Nitrotyrosine (3-NT). The 3-NT content within MP of raw ham had distinct negative correlations with sulfhydryl content and surface hydrophobicity. The 3-NT content within MP of cooked ham had significantly negative correlations with carbonyl, sulfhydryl content and turbidity and had significantly positive correlations with disulfide content. These results indicated that 3-NT may be a potential marker for protein oxidation in raw and cooked cured meat products.

Non-invasive ultrasonic technology for continuous monitoring of pork loin and ham dry salting.

PubMed

de Prados, Marta; Garcia-Perez, Jose V; Benedito, Jose

2017-06-01

Online ultrasound measurements were taken using pulse-echo mode in loins (Longissimus dorsi) and hams at different salting times (up to 30days). From the time-domain ultrasonic wave, the time of flight (TOF) was computed as well as its variation between two signals (ΔTOF). A progressive decrease in TOF during dry salting was found, which was linked to the salt gain, water loss and the reduction in sample thickness. Predictive models based on the ultrasonic parameters (ΔTOF and initial time of flight, TOF 0 ) correctly classified 85% of the loins and 90% of the hams into 3 groups of salt content (low/medium/high). The results obtained confirm that the use of the ultrasonic pulse-echo technique is of great potential in the non-destructive monitoring of dry salting in pork loins and hams, as well as in the prediction of the salt gain for classification purposes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-slaughter rectal temperature as an indicator of pork meat quality.

PubMed

Vermeulen, L; Van de Perre, V; Permentier, L; De Bie, S; Geers, R

2015-07-01

This study investigates whether rectal temperature of pigs, prior to slaughter, can give an indication of the risk of developing pork with PSE characteristics. A total of 1203 pigs were examined, measuring the rectal temperature just before stunning, of which 794 rectal temperatures were measured immediately after stunning. pH30LT (M. Longissimus thoracis) and temperature of the ham (Temp30Ham) were collected from about 530 carcasses, 30 min after sticking. The results present a significant positive linear correlation between rectal temperature just before and after slaughter, and Temp30Ham. Moreover, pH30LT is negatively correlated with rectal temperature and Temp30Ham. Finally, a linear mixed model for pH30LT was established with the rectal temperature of the pigs just before stunning and the lairage time. This model defines that measuring rectal temperature of pigs just before slaughter allows discovery of pork with PSE traits, taking into account pre-slaughter conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure and varying concentrations of sodium nitrite from traditional and vegetable-based sources on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced ham.

PubMed

Myers, Kevin; Cannon, Jerry; Montoya, Damian; Dickson, James; Lonergan, Steven; Sebranek, Joseph

2013-05-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect the source of added nitrite and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) had on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced ham. Use of 600MPa HHP for 3min resulted in an immediate 3.9-4.3log CFU/g reduction in L. monocytogenes numbers, while use of 400MPa HHP (3min) provided less than 1log CFU/g reduction. With the 600MPa HHP treatment, sliced ham with a conventional concentration of sodium nitrite (200ppm) was not different in L. monocytogenes growth from use with 50 or 100ppm of sodium nitrite in pre-converted celery powder. Instrumental color values as well as residual nitrite and residual nitrate concentrations for cured (sodium nitrite and nitrite from celery powder) and uncured ham formulations are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Caenorhabditis elegans gene ham-1 regulates daughter cell size asymmetry primarily in divisions that produce a small anterior daughter cell

PubMed Central

Kovacevic, Ismar; Bao, Zhirong

2018-01-01

C. elegans cell divisions that produce an apoptotic daughter cell exhibit Daughter Cell Size Asymmetry (DCSA), producing a larger surviving daughter cell and a smaller daughter cell fated to die. Genetic screens for mutants with defects in apoptosis identified several genes that are also required for the ability of these divisions to produce daughter cells that differ in size. One of these genes, ham-1, encodes a putative transcription factor that regulates a subset of the asymmetric cell divisions that produce an apoptotic daughter cell. In a survey of C. elegans divisions, we found that ham-1 mutations affect primarily anterior/posterior divisions that produce a small anterior daughter cell. The affected divisions include those that generate an apoptotic cell as well as those that generate two surviving cells. Our findings suggest that HAM-1 primarily promotes DCSA in a certain class of asymmetric divisions. PMID:29668718

Processing of dry-cured ham in a reduced-oxygen atmosphere: effects on physicochemical and microbiological parameters and mite growth.

PubMed

Sánchez-Molinero, F; García-Regueiro, J A; Arnau, J

2010-03-01

The effects of a reduced-oxygen atmosphere (ROA) ([O(2)]<4.5%) during part or the whole of dry-cured ham processing on microbiological and physico-chemical parameters and mite growth were investigated in two independent experiments. In Experiment 1, six hams were processed in ROA and six in air for 275 days; in Experiment 2, where lower RH was used, six hams were processed in ROA for 289 days, six for 214 days in air+75 days in ROA, and six in air for 289 days. Microbiological analyses during the process and physicochemical analyses in final products were carried out. The use of ROA during the whole process increased the L* colour parameter in the subcutaneous fat and proteolysis index and decreased b* in the external part of the subcutaneous fat and cholesterol oxide concentration. The use of ROA combined with low RH retarded microbial growth and prevented mite growth. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Dry Medium Culture Plates for Mesophilic Aerobic Bacteria in Milk, Ice Cream, Ham, and Codfish Fillet Products

PubMed Central

Park, Junghyun; Kim, Myunghee

2013-01-01

This study was performed to compare the performance of Sanita-Kun dry medium culture plate with those of traditional culture medium and Petrifilm dry medium culture plate for the enumeration of the mesophilic aerobic bacteria in milk, ice cream, ham, and codfish fillet. Mesophilic aerobic bacteria were comparatively evaluated in milk, ice cream, ham, and codfish fillet using Sanita-Kun aerobic count (SAC), Petrifilm aerobic count (PAC), and traditional plate count agar (PCA) media. According to the results, all methods showed high correlations of 0.989~1.000 and no significant differences were observed for enumerating the mesophilic aerobic bacteria in the tested food products. SAC method was easier to perform and count colonies efficiently as compared to the PCA and PAC methods. Therefore, we concluded that the SAC method offers an acceptable alternative to the PCA and PAC methods for counting the mesophilic aerobic bacteria in milk, ice cream, ham, and codfish fillet products. PMID:24551829

Classification of dry-cured hams according to the maturation time using near infrared spectra and artificial neural networks.

PubMed

Prevolnik, M; Andronikov, D; Žlender, B; Font-i-Furnols, M; Novič, M; Škorjanc, D; Čandek-Potokar, M

2014-01-01

An attempt to classify dry-cured hams according to the maturation time on the basis of near infrared (NIR) spectra was studied. The study comprised 128 samples of biceps femoris (BF) muscle from dry-cured hams matured for 10 (n=32), 12 (n=32), 14 (n=32) or 16 months (n=32). Samples were minced and scanned in the wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nm using spectrometer NIR System model 6500 (Silver Spring, MD, USA). Spectral data were used for i) splitting of samples into the training and test set using 2D Kohonen artificial neural networks (ANN) and for ii) construction of classification models using counter-propagation ANN (CP-ANN). Different models were tested, and the one selected was based on the lowest percentage of misclassified test samples (external validation). Overall correctness of the classification was 79.7%, which demonstrates practical relevance of using NIR spectroscopy and ANN for dry-cured ham processing control. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous analysis of consumer variables, acceptability and sensory characteristics of dry-cured ham.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Masahiro; Obiya, Shinichi; Kaneko, Miku; Enomoto, Ayame; Honma, Mayu; Wakayama, Masataka; Tomita, Masaru

2016-11-01

We conducted a consumer acceptability analysis of dry-cured ham based on sensory evaluation. Consumer acceptability data are rendered heterogeneous by the diverse backgrounds and assessment abilities of the participants, requiring versatile analytical methods for their interpretation. Totally, 9 sensory attributes of 12 kinds of dry-cured ham samples collected from Japan (n=9), Italy (n=1), Spain (n=1), and Germany (n=1) were tasted by 117 Japanese consumers who showed acceptable evaluation abilities during blind sampling. Common techniques, such as hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and external preference mapping, were simultaneously utilized to analyze each characteristics scored in modified hedonic scale. These analyses revealed the relationships between the features and preferences of the assessors. For example, consumers aged 20-30 with smoking and drinking habits preferred sweetness and saltiness, and gave high ratings to Spanish Jómon serrano and Italian prosciutto. Our approach could assist ham marketers to identify potential purchasers and the preferred characteristics of their products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palladium nanoparticles dispersed on the hollow aluminosilicate microsphere@hierarchical γ-AlOOH as an excellent catalyst for the hydrogenation of nitroarenes under ambient conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Meng; Cui, Xueliang; Dong, Chunxu; Dong, Zhengping

2016-12-01

In this study, a novel catalyst has been prepared through supporting Pd nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of boehmite (γ-AlOOH) based hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (HAM@γ-AlOOH). The prepared Pd/HAM@γ-AlOOH catalyst has high catalytic activity for the hydrogenation of nitroarenes to their corresponding amino derivatives with high yields at ambient conditions. The high catalytic efficiency is attributed to the large pore size of the flower-like hierarchical flakes structure of HAM@γ-AlOOH, that gives Pd NPs on the support surface easy accessibility. Moreover, the Pd/HAM@γ-AlOOH catalyst can also be easily recycled at least five times without obvious decrease of catalytic activity. This work may provide a useful method for the fabrication of supported noble metal NP-based catalysts on the surface of mesoporous hierarchical structure materials with easy accessibility and superior activity.

Variability and evolution of the midlatitude stratospheric aerosol budget from 22 years of ground-based lidar and satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaykin, Sergey M.; Godin-Beekmann, Sophie; Keckhut, Philippe; Hauchecorne, Alain; Jumelet, Julien; Vernier, Jean-Paul; Bourassa, Adam; Degenstein, Doug A.; Rieger, Landon A.; Bingen, Christine; Vanhellemont, Filip; Robert, Charles; DeLand, Matthew; Bhartia, Pawan K.

2017-02-01

The article presents new high-quality continuous stratospheric aerosol observations spanning 1994-2015 at the French Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP, 44° N, 6° E) obtained by two independent, regularly maintained lidar systems operating within the Network for Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). Lidar series are compared with global-coverage observations by Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II), Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS), Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging System (OSIRIS), Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP), and Ozone Mapping Profiling Suite (OMPS) satellite instruments, altogether covering the time span of OHP lidar measurements. Local OHP and zonal-mean satellite series of stratospheric aerosol optical depth are in excellent agreement, allowing for accurate characterization of stratospheric aerosol evolution and variability at northern midlatitudes during the last 2 decades. The combination of local and global observations is used for a careful separation between volcanically perturbed and quiescent periods. While the volcanic signatures dominate the stratospheric aerosol record, the background aerosol abundance is found to be modulated remotely by the poleward transport of convectively cleansed air from the deep tropics and aerosol-laden air from the Asian monsoon region. The annual cycle of background aerosol at midlatitudes, featuring a minimum during late spring and a maximum during late summer, correlates with that of water vapor from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). Observations covering two volcanically quiescent periods over the last 2 decades provide an indication of a growth in the nonvolcanic component of stratospheric aerosol. A statistically significant factor of 2 increase in nonvolcanic aerosol since 1998, seasonally restricted to late summer and fall, is associated with the influence of the Asian monsoon and growing pollution therein.

Large-Scale Covariability Between Aerosol and Precipitation Over the 7-SEAS Region: Observations and Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, Jingfeng; Hsu, N. Christina; Tsay, Si-Chee; Zhang, Chidong; Jeong, Myeong Jae; Gautam, Ritesh; Bettenhausen, Corey; Sayer, Andrew M.; Hansell, Richard A.; Liu, Xiaohong;

Investigating the Climatic Impacts of Globally Shifted Anthropogenic Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Jiang, J. H.; Su, H.

2014-12-01

With a quasi-exponential growth in industrialization since the mid-1990s, Asia has undergone a dramatic increase in anthropogenic emissions of aerosol and precursor gases to the atmosphere. Meanwhile, such emissions have been stabilized or reduced over North America and Europe. This geographical shift of global emission sources could potentially perturb the regional and global climate due to impact of aerosols on cloud properties, precipitation, and large-scale circulation. We use an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) with different aerosol scenarios to investigate the radiative and microphysical effects of anthropogenic aerosols on the large-scale circulation and regional climate over the globe. We conduct experiments to simulate the continental shift of aerosol distribution by contrasting two simulations using 1970 and 2010 anthropogenic emission sources. We found the elevation of aerosol concentrations in East and South Asia results in regional surface temperature cooling of -0.10° to -0.17°C, respectively, due to the enhanced solar extinction by aerosols and cloud reflectivity. The reduction of the local aerosol loadings in Europe causes a significant warming of +0.4°C. However, despite recent decreasing in aerosol emission, North America shows a cooling of -0.13°C, likely caused by increasing of cloudiness under the influence of modulated general circulation. These aerosol induced temperature changes are consistent with the observed temperature trends from 1980 to 2013 in the reanalysis data. Our study also predicts weaker East/South Asia summer monsoons due to strong regional aerosol forcing. Moreover, the ascending motion in the northern tropics is found to be weakened by asymmetrical aerosol forcing, resulting in the cross-equatorial shift of Hadley Circulation.

Air pollution or global warming: Attribution of extreme precipitation changes in eastern China—Comments on "Trends of extreme precipitation in Eastern China and their possible causes"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuan

2015-10-01

The recent study "Trends of Extreme Precipitation in Eastern China and Their Possible Causes" attributed the observed decrease/increase of light/heavy precipitation in eastern China to global warming rather than the regional aerosol effects. However, there exist compelling evidence from previous long-term observations and numerical modeling studies, suggesting that anthropogenic pollution is closely linked to the recent changes in precipitation intensity because of considerably modulated cloud physical properties by aerosols in eastern China. Clearly, a quantitative assessment of the aerosol and greenhouse effects on the regional scale is required to identify the primary cause for the extreme precipitation changes.

The TAS-20 more likely measures negative affects rather than alexithymia itself in patients with major depression, panic disorder, eating disorders and substance use disorders.

PubMed

Marchesi, Carlo; Ossola, Paolo; Tonna, Matteo; De Panfilis, Chiara

2014-05-01

This study evaluates whether the difference in Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 item (TAS-20) between patients with major depression (MD), panic disorder (PD), eating disorders (ED), and substance use disorders (SUD) and healthy controls persisted after controlling for the severity of anxiety and depression. Thirty-eight patients with MD, 58 with PD, 52 with ED, and 30 with SUD and 78 healthy controls (C) completed the TAS-20, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (Ham-A), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Ham-D). The differences in TAS-20 scores observed between patient groups, regardless of the type of their disorders, and controls disappeared after controlling for the effect of anxiety and depression severity. In contrast, the differences in severity of anxiety and depression between patients and controls were still present, after excluding the effect of alexithymic levels. Our data suggest that alexithymic levels, as measured by the TAS-20, are modulated by the severity of symptoms, supporting the view that alexithymia can represent a state phenomenon in patients with MD, PD, ED and SUD, because the TAS-20 seems overly sensitive to a general distress syndrome, and it is more likely to measure negative affects rather than alexithymia itself. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SPEX: a highly accurate spectropolarimeter for atmospheric aerosol characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rietjens, J. H. H.; Smit, J. M.; di Noia, A.; Hasekamp, O. P.; van Harten, G.; Snik, F.; Keller, C. U.

2017-11-01

Global characterization of atmospheric aerosol in terms of the microphysical properties of the particles is essential for understanding the role aerosols in Earth climate [1]. For more accurate predictions of future climate the uncertainties of the net radiative forcing of aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere must be reduced [2]. Essential parameters that are needed as input in climate models are not only the aerosol optical thickness (AOT), but also particle specific properties such as the aerosol mean size, the single scattering albedo (SSA) and the complex refractive index. The latter can be used to discriminate between absorbing and non-absorbing aerosol types, and between natural and anthropogenic aerosol. Classification of aerosol types is also very important for air-quality and health-related issues [3]. Remote sensing from an orbiting satellite platform is the only way to globally characterize atmospheric aerosol at a relevant timescale of 1 day [4]. One of the few methods that can be employed for measuring the microphysical properties of aerosols is to observe both radiance and degree of linear polarization of sunlight scattered in the Earth atmosphere under different viewing directions [5][6][7]. The requirement on the absolute accuracy of the degree of linear polarization PL is very stringent: the absolute error in PL must be smaller then 0.001+0.005.PL in order to retrieve aerosol parameters with sufficient accuracy to advance climate modelling and to enable discrimination of aerosol types based on their refractive index for air-quality studies [6][7]. In this paper we present the SPEX instrument, which is a multi-angle spectropolarimeter that can comply with the polarimetric accuracy needed for characterizing aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere. We describe the implementation of spectral polarization modulation in a prototype instrument of SPEX and show results of ground based measurements from which aerosol microphysical properties are retrieved.

Increased expression of OX40 is associated with progressive disease in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background OX40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family that is expressed primarily on activated CD4+ T cells and promotes the development of effector and memory T cells. Although OX40 has been reported to be a target gene of human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) viral transactivator Tax and is overexpressed in vivo in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells, an association between OX40 and HTLV-1-associated inflammatory disorders, such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), has not yet been established. Moreover, because abrogation of OX40 signals ameliorates chronic inflammation in animal models of autoimmune disease, novel monoclonal antibodies against OX40 may offer a potential treatment for HTLV-1-associated diseases such as ATL and HAM/TSP. Results In this study, we showed that OX40 was specifically expressed in CD4+ T cells naturally infected with HTLV-1 that have the potential to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines along with Tax expression. We also showed that OX40 was overexpressed in spinal cord infiltrating mononuclear cells in a clinically progressive HAM/TSP patient with a short duration of illness. The levels of the soluble form of OX40 (sOX40) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from chronic progressive HAM/TSP patients or from patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OINDs) were not different. In contrast, sOX40 levels in the CSF of rapidly progressing HAM/TSP patients were higher than those in the CSF from patients with OINDs, and these patients showed higher sOX40 levels in the CSF than in the plasma. When our newly produced monoclonal antibody against OX40 was added to peripheral blood mononuclear cells in culture, HTLV-1-infected T cells were specifically removed by a mechanism that depends on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Conclusions Our study identified OX40 as a key molecule and biomarker for rapid progression of HAM/TSP. Furthermore, blocking OX40 may have potential in therapeutic intervention for HAM/TSP. PMID:23651542

The influence of salt (NaCl) on ochratoxin A biosynthetic genes, growth and ochratoxin A production by three strains of Penicillium nordicum on a dry-cured ham-based medium.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Alicia; Medina, Ángel; Córdoba, Juan J; Magan, Naresh

2014-05-16

Iberian dry-cured ham is colonised by moulds during the ripening process. The environmental conditions occurring during the process including the salt content predisposes the surface to colonisation by Penicillium species, including Penicillium nordicum which can contaminate the curing ham with ochratoxin A (OTA). The objective of this study was to examine the effect of NaCl (10% and 22%=0.94 and 0.87 water activity (aw)) on the activation of two genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway for OTA production, otapksPN and otanpsPN, relative growth and phenotypic OTA production by three strains of P. nordicum (CBS 110.769, FHSCC1 and FHSCC2) on a ham-based medium over a period of 12days at 25°C. Growth of the three strains was faster at 0.87 than 0.94 aw on the ham-based media. However, some intra- and inter-strain differences were observed. Of the three strains, only two (CBS 110.789; FHSCC2) were able to express the two genes involved in the biosynthesis of OTA in the two salt treatments. RT-qPCR showed that the temporal expression of the two genes (otapksPN and otanpsPN) was relatively similar for the wild type strain (FHSCC2) at both 0.94 and 0.87 aw over the 12day period. However, in the type strain (CBS 110.769) expression increased rapidly at 0.94 aw but was significantly lower at 0.87 aw. Expression of these two genes occurred after 3day incubation, while phenotypic OTA production was observed only after 6days in the two toxigenic strains. The other strain did not produce any OTA. The OTA concentrations confirmed the results observed with the molecular tools. This suggests that the RT-qPCR gene expression of these two genes may be a good early indicator of potential contamination of dry-cured ham with OTA during dry-cured ham ripening. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on Potential Clostridium Botulinum Growth and Toxin Production in Parma Ham

PubMed Central

Ramini, Mattia; Parolari, Giovanni; Barbuti, Silvana; Frustoli, Maria Angela; Taddei, Roberta; Pongolini, Stefano; Ardigò, Paolo; Cozzolino, Paolo

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate Clostridium botulinum growth and toxin production in the industrially manufactured Italian Parma ham. The study focuses on the Parma ham production phase identified as maximum risk to C. botulinum proliferation, i.e. the transition from cold phase (salting and resting) to a phase carried out at temperature between 15 and 23°C (drying). A preliminary in vitro test was carried out in order to verify the capability of 6 C. botulinum strains (1 type A, 4 type B, and 1 type E strains) to grow in conditions of temperature, pH and NaCl concentration comparable to those of the beginning stage of ham drying. Five C. botulinum strains grew at 20°C and pH 6, four strains produced toxin when inoculated at a concentration equal to 103 cfu/mL at NaCl concentration of 4%, while when the inoculum concentration was 10 cfu/mL, NaCl concentration of 3% resulted the toxin-genesis limiting factor. An experimental contamination with a mixture of the 5 C. botulinum strains selected by the preliminary in vitro test was performed on 9 thighs inoculated at the end of the resting phase. The study was designed to evaluate the potential growth and toxin production in extremely favourable conditions for the bacterium. Type B proteolytic C. botulinum toxin was produced after 14 days of incubation at 20°C in 2 thighs characterised by high weight, low number of days of resting and anomalous physiochemical characteristics [one for very low NaCl concentration (1.59%), the other for elevated pH (6.27) and both for high water activity values (>0.970)]. The results of this research confirm that the cold resting step is a critical phase in the production process of Parma ham for the investigated hazard. Based on the present study, the long resting phase adopted in the manufacturing of Parma ham is proven effective to prevent the growth of C. botulinum, an event which could not otherwise be excluded if the hams were processed under less stringent technological conditions. PMID:27800441

Role of IL-21 in HTLV-1 infections with emphasis on HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP).

PubMed

Rajaei, Taraneh; Farajifard, Hamid; Rafatpanah, Houshang; Bustani, Reza; Valizadeh, Narges; Rajaei, Bahareh; Rezaee, Seyed Abdolrahim

2017-06-01

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) enhances the survival and cytotoxic properties of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) and exhibits essential roles in controlling chronic viral infections. HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease of the nervous system. The main determinant of disease progression is efficiency of the CTL response to Human T lymphotropic virus types I (HTLV-1). In this study, the expression of host IL-21 and HTLV-I Tax and proviral load (PVL) was evaluated to understand the role and mechanism of IL-21 in HTLV-1 infections and the subsequent development of HAM/TSP. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 20 HAM/TSP patients, 20 asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (ACs) and 20 healthy controls (HCs) to evaluate the expression of IL-21 and Tax and PVL in non-activated and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-ionomycin-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The mean mRNA expression of IL-21 in the non-activated and activated PBMCs was higher (by 5-13 times) in the HAM/TSP patients than in ACs and HCs (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference between ACs and HCs. In contrast to the IL-21 mRNA expression, the serum level of the IL-21 protein was significantly lower in the HAM/TSP patients than in ACs and HCs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, higher expression of Tax and PVL was observed in the HAM/TSP subjects than ACs (p < 0.05). In addition, Tax gene expression was positively correlated with PVL (R = 0.595, p = 0.000) and IL-21 gene expression (R = 0.395, p = 0.021) in the HTLV-1-infected subjects. In conclusion, the increase in IL-21 mRNA expression may reflect the attempt of infected T cells to induce an appropriate antiviral response, and the decrease in IL-21 protein expression may reflect the inhibition of IL-21 mRNA translation by viral factors in favour of virus evasion and dissemination.

Increased expression of OX40 is associated with progressive disease in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.

PubMed

Saito, Mineki; Tanaka, Reiko; Arishima, Shiho; Matsuzaki, Toshio; Ishihara, Satoshi; Tokashiki, Takashi; Ohya, Yusuke; Takashima, Hiroshi; Umehara, Fujio; Izumo, Shuji; Tanaka, Yuetsu

2013-05-07

OX40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family that is expressed primarily on activated CD4+ T cells and promotes the development of effector and memory T cells. Although OX40 has been reported to be a target gene of human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) viral transactivator Tax and is overexpressed in vivo in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells, an association between OX40 and HTLV-1-associated inflammatory disorders, such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), has not yet been established. Moreover, because abrogation of OX40 signals ameliorates chronic inflammation in animal models of autoimmune disease, novel monoclonal antibodies against OX40 may offer a potential treatment for HTLV-1-associated diseases such as ATL and HAM/TSP. In this study, we showed that OX40 was specifically expressed in CD4+ T cells naturally infected with HTLV-1 that have the potential to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines along with Tax expression. We also showed that OX40 was overexpressed in spinal cord infiltrating mononuclear cells in a clinically progressive HAM/TSP patient with a short duration of illness. The levels of the soluble form of OX40 (sOX40) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from chronic progressive HAM/TSP patients or from patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OINDs) were not different. In contrast, sOX40 levels in the CSF of rapidly progressing HAM/TSP patients were higher than those in the CSF from patients with OINDs, and these patients showed higher sOX40 levels in the CSF than in the plasma. When our newly produced monoclonal antibody against OX40 was added to peripheral blood mononuclear cells in culture, HTLV-1-infected T cells were specifically removed by a mechanism that depends on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Our study identified OX40 as a key molecule and biomarker for rapid progression of HAM/TSP. Furthermore, blocking OX40 may have potential in therapeutic intervention for HAM/TSP.

Development, Comparisons and Evaluation of Aerosol Retrieval Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Leeuw, G.; Holzer-Popp, T.; Aerosol-cci Team

2011-12-01

The Climate Change Initiative (cci) of the European Space Agency (ESA) has brought together a team of European Aerosol retrieval groups working on the development and improvement of aerosol retrieval algorithms. The goal of this cooperation is the development of methods to provide the best possible information on climate and climate change based on satellite observations. To achieve this, algorithms are characterized in detail as regards the retrieval approaches, the aerosol models used in each algorithm, cloud detection and surface treatment. A round-robin intercomparison of results from the various participating algorithms serves to identify the best modules or combinations of modules for each sensor. Annual global datasets including their uncertainties will then be produced and validated. The project builds on 9 existing algorithms to produce spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD and Ångström exponent) as well as other aerosol information; two instruments are included to provide the absorbing aerosol index (AAI) and stratospheric aerosol information. The algorithms included are: - 3 for ATSR (ORAC developed by RAL / Oxford university, ADV developed by FMI and the SU algorithm developed by Swansea University ) - 2 for MERIS (BAER by Bremen university and the ESA standard handled by HYGEOS) - 1 for POLDER over ocean (LOA) - 1 for synergetic retrieval (SYNAER by DLR ) - 1 for OMI retreival of the absorbing aerosol index with averaging kernel information (KNMI) - 1 for GOMOS stratospheric extinction profile retrieval (BIRA) The first seven algorithms aim at the retrieval of the AOD. However, each of the algorithms used differ in their approach, even for algorithms working with the same instrument such as ATSR or MERIS. To analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each algorithm several tests are made. The starting point for comparison and measurement of improvements is a retrieval run for 1 month, September 2008. The data from the same month are subsequently used for several runs with a prescribed set of aerosol models and an a priori data set derived from the median of AEROCOM model runs. The aerosol models and a priori data can be used in several ways, i.e. fully prescribed or with some freedom to choose a combination of aerosol models, based on the a priori or not. Another test gives insight in the effect of the cloud masks used, i.e. retrievals using the same cloud mask (the AATSR APOLLO cloud mask for collocated instruments) are compared with runs using the standard cloud masks. Tests to determine the influence of surface treatment are planned as well. The results of all these tests are evaluated by an independent team which compares the retrieval results with ground-based remote sensing (in particular AERONET) and in-situ data, and by a scoring method. Results are compared with other satellites such as MODIS and MISR. Blind tests using synthetic data are part of the algorithm characterization. The presentation will summarize results of the ongoing phase 1 inter-comparison and evaluation work within the Aerosol_cci project.

Application of Gelidium corneum edible films containing carvacrol for ham packages.

PubMed

Lim, G O; Hong, Y H; Song, K B

2010-01-01

We prepared an edible film of Gelidium corneum (GC) containing carvacrol as an antimicrobial and antioxidative agent. The GC film containing carvacrol significantly decreased the WVP, while TS and %E values were increased, compared to the film without carvacrol. Increasing amounts of an antimicrobial agent increased antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes. Application of the film to ham packaging successfully inhibited the microbial growth and lipid oxidation of ham during storage. Our results indicate that GC film can be a useful edible packaging material for food products, and the incorporation of carvacrol in the GC film may extend the shelf life.

Hydrological excitation of polar motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastula, Y.; Kolaczek, B.

2006-08-01

Hydrological excitation of the polar motion (HAM) were computed from the available recently hydrological data series (NCEP, ECMWF, CPC water storage and LaD World simulations of global continental water) and compared. Time variable seasonal spectra of these hydrological excitation functions and of the geodetic excitation function of polar motion computed from the polar motion COMB03 data were compared showing big differences in their temporal characteristics and the necessity of the further improvement of the HAM models. Seasonal oscillations of the global geophysical excitation functions (AAM + OAM + HAM) and their time variations were compared also. These hydrological excitation functions do not close the budget of the global geophysical excitation function of polar motion.